where are such violent enemies against the Oath of allegeance and esteeme all such as take or allow of it as Heretikes as lapsed from the Catholike Romane faith because say they the Pope in his Briefes hath defined and decreed that there are diuers points in it against the Catholike faith Romane he should say and yet I suppose as very cleare that none of the English Secular Priests did expresly know against what speciall points of faith the Oath was till now of late a certaine i A Briefe declaration c. together with a recapitulation c. by H. I. Ignatian recapitulater vnder a double title promising a double book but bringing forth only a short pamphlet and that a namelesse one and therefore a Libell hath shewed in his namelesse defence of the Romane faith that Pope Paul the 5. in his Breues hath k Pag. 32. Ibidem pag. 56. defined the same Oath to bee hereticall and vnlawfull because it denyeth the Popes power to depose Princes and dispose of Kingdomes an article of faith with him in his libell although not naming himselfe I may iustly say l Rom 1. My eares haue heard many Ignatian Priests constantly affirme that Paul the 5. had defined in his late Breues that the oath could not be taken and that his Briefe was a definitioÌ„ of faith so R. B. G. B. I. F. R. L. M. W. T. T T. F. I. K. with diuers others of that profession erubescit cuangelium he is ashamed of his Ghospell But no meruaile that the Ignatians are so well acquainted with the mysteries of the Popes faith for since their Father Ignatius his beatifying vvho had so many m Apud Ribadin in vita Ignat. idle reuelations I doubt not but that they haue receiued newe illustrations from that Code and Deske of all law faith and right the Popes brest which the ancient Church neuer knew But when n The Recapitulater in the Title of his vnlearned and seditious pamphet and for his traiterous doctrine see him page 43. Promised Leonard Lessius commeth forth with his demonstrations for he would seeme to demonstrate in all his bookes as this pamphletter of Louaine not H. I. but P. W. hath couertly promised doubtlesse he will reueale the hidden mysterie which was not knowne in the Primitiue Church though then darkly working but was to be o 2. Thess 2. reuealed in these times with which the world is likely to end But to returne to what I haue to proue It being manifest that Popes and the Romane particular Church with all those of the societie of Ignatius not excepting any one doe dogmatically maintaine that the Pope defining ex Cathedra is the infallible vncontrollable vnappellable and onely necessarie Iudge in all controuersies of faith it should be lost labour in me to stand to proue that this their position is beleeued by them as a point and article of their faith nay I should say as a principle and very maxime of their faith For can any the simplest idiote doubt but that the infallible rule of faith which declareth faith squareth faith must be beleeued as faith and by faith But by this their nouell article of faith by ineuitable consequence it followeth that they differ in the most fundamentall point of beleefe from all such Fathers Councels and Doctors as did maintaine or as yet doe that the most infallible rule of faith is the doctrine of the Scriptures especially when it is publikely declared out of the same Scriptures by the authoritie of free Generall Councels and the publike voice of the vniuersall Christian Church the which rule of faith as I am most assured all p Conc. Hierosol Act. 15. Greg. in ep 1. ad Corinâ—h apud pateriuÌ„ Vinc Lirin contra hereses cap. 4. S. Austen most clearely contra Donat. lib. 2. contra epist funda tract vltimo in Ioh. contra Crescon alibi sepissime Cyprian lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae in epist ad Pomp. Patres conc chal cedo Sinod 6. 7. 8. conc Constan Basil ConstaÌ„tinus apud Euseb in eius vita Con. Constantinopol in epist ad epâ—sc Rom. congregatos â—arissime apud Zozom l. 5. c. 9. l At this preâ—ent now in â—aris it is required of the Ignatians amongst other articles to wit that the Pope cannot depose Princes c. to subscribe also to the superiority of the general Councel â—boue the Pope ancient Fathers did teach and beleeue so it cannot be doubted but that many learned both in Germanie England and q France doe still professe and maintaine to all whom as to the ancient Fathers and Councels the later Popes with their Pontificians who obstinately maintaine and beleeue this nouell rule of faith must in truth be reputed heretikes yea obstinate heretikes because pertinaciously erring in the very fundamentall rule of all faith And if any learned Priest retort against me and say that as I heere confesse all Papists concurre not to maintaine this pontifician rule of faith and that many Sorbonist Doctors teach it not neither do beleeue it This is true indeed but let him take this inference with him that notwithstanding all their bragges for the certainty of their faith they are yet most vncertaine as being not as yet agreed vpon the rule of faith yea they are so opposite that one side beleeueth as the Pope with his what the other disbeleeueth and condemneth as erroneous yea and this in Councels as in those r Conc. Constan Basil opposite to the Lateran vnder Leo the 10. and the Florent vnder Eugenius the 4. deposed by the Fathers at Basil of Laterane Florence Constance Basill Frankeford Colen c. which being so that themselues are not agreed vpon the rule of faith why will they not giue leaue and allow to true Christians the word of God as it is expounded clearely constantly and vniuersally by the ancient Fathers to be the inerrable rule of faith as his most excellent Maiestie in his learned premonition to Christian Princes iustly requireth and exacteth according to ancient and learned Å¿ Vincent contra heres cap. 4. Vincentius his rule It followeth that I demonstrate this rule of faith deuised by the Popes and Pontificians to support the Romane soueraignties to be meere noueltie and so to prescribe against it by antiquitie This I must now doe contractly not doubting but that I shall haue occasion more to enlarge my authorities and reasons when these my motiues shall be impugned as doubtlesse they will be vnlesse it seeme good to the wise men of Saint Omers as their owne libel termes them to answere them by some libelling ballade as they of late haue thought meete to answere t An answere made vpon Sheldons booke to a priuate friend beginning laugh laugh c. which libell hath ofteÌ„ moued the persons against whom it is to very much laughing at the Ignatians follies and wisdomes with a libell a certaine Priests booke for the oath of allegeance for Quicquid
ego pono in Sion lapidem c. Behold I put in Sion an approued a corner stone and a precious one laid in the foundation This prophecy although S. Peter b 1. Peâ— 2. most expresly expoundeth it of Christ himselfe yet Bellarmine in his dictates would needs haue it to be vnderstood of Peter not of Christ His profound reason is forsooth because the c Isai 28. Prophet addeth of this stone that it must be in fundamento fundatus founded in the foundation that is laid in the foundation which may not be vnderstood of Christ but fitly of Peter founded vpon Christ So Bellarmine but in his d Bellar in praesat in lib. de pont Rom. printed Preface he hath somewhat mended the matter for he is content to vnderstand principally this prophecie of Christ secondarily of Peter so that Christ and Peter must still ranke together Christ principally but Peter secondarily Baronius in his Voto against the Venetians to Paul the 5. in Consistory publikely applied to him to be the stone vpon which e Matth. 21. whosoeuer falleth saith the holy Ghost shall be bruised and vpon whomsoeuer it falleth it shall breake them in peeces but alas the Cardinall failed the Pope in his Prophecie for by his sentences of excomcommunications interdicts c. he did so little bruise the Venetians who so constantly opposed against him that The manner of the Venetians reconcilement with the Pope for which the Ignatians euerywhere exclaim against that state onely they are warie before whom they could not by any meanes be brought to make any submission for any offence imputed to them or to acknowledge any fault so that at the last the Pope was contented to accept of a shew of submission made to him by some third persons and as it is reported suborned also by the court of Rome thereunto and so with his honour to be reconciled vnto them againe a notable example for posterity against the vsurpations of Popes I could here more enlarge my discourse to shew how Bellarmine Sanders Baronius Stapleton do all they can and labour earnestly though most vnsouÌ„dly to bring all ChristiaÌ„s to that pernicious perswasioÌ„ faith to wit that it is not inough according to f Decretal Bonifa 8. vnam sanctam Bonifaces decree for their saluations to be in communion with the Catholike Church dispersed through the world and with the head thereof Christ Iesus vnlesse they be in actual communion and blind obedience to the Bishop of Rome as the onely one and supreme head of the visible Church It is a sufficient assecurance for my conscience that according to the sense of ancient Church it is against S. g 1. Cor. cap. 1. Pauls expresse doctrine who in his Epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s doth most grieuously reproue all such as went about to make a speciall ioyning either with Peter Paul or Apollo nothing herein differencing S. Peter from Apollo or himselfe doubtlesse he was nothing acquainted with the present necessary subiection and vnion to the Bishops of Rome the pretended onely successors of Saint Peter But rather he instructed and most earnestly h Jhidem commaunded all Christians to acknowledge Chrâ—st Iesus for their onely head of whom they were named in whose name they were baptised and who onely was for them crucified dead and buried risen againe to life Surely if Saint Paul did beleeue such a necessary headship in the Bishops of Rome doubtlesse his faith therein was onely implicit for his expresse doctrine is against it but I dare heere boldly saie that if per impossibile by an impossibilitie such a headship in the Popes had beene respected in the Primitiue Churches yet later Popes are now so degenerate from what their predecessors were into all most abhominable and tirannicall conuersations to the corruption of faith against the temporalty and spiritualty that Gods infinite mercy would excuse such who to giue them most iust cause and motiues to ranke themselues in their owne degrees should leaue their communion with them and adhere onely to Iesus Christ to whom vpon him onely resting with King i Psal 118. Dauid I humbly complaine tempus faciendi domine dissipauerunt legem tuam It is high time O Lord to doe for they haue dissipated and and broken thy law The second Motiue THus they hauing most egregiously erred in coÌ„stituting a false rule of their faith to support the present Roman profession to the same end they haue perniciously depraued the true rule of faith by adding to the sacred word of God such bookes as antiquity worthily reiected for Apocriphall that is of doubtfull vncertaine authority not fit to confirme and proue the dogmaticall doctrines and articles of Christian faith thereby distinguishing them from the Canonicall Scriptures Gods infallible word Such are k Hieron in Prolog Galeat Epiph. lib. de mensur August de ciuit dei lib. 18. cap. 36. Athanas in Sinop Epipha haere 8. 76. esteemed accounted the books of Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Toby the Machabies all such like doubtfull parts of Chapters of the old Testament as by neither the Iews before nor in Christs time nor in the Nicene Laodicenc Councels nor ancient Fathers purposely setting down and defining the Canons of holy Scripture were euer receiued into the Canon 1 Con. Nice Laodic in Cano. de Canonicis scripturis Hieron epist 10. 115. Joseph contra Appto lib. 1 Russin de Simbol Apost and rule of Christian Faith Against this their deuised rule it is most easily and manifestly shewed that considering the Iewish Synagogue when it was the true Church of God receiued not these bookes into their Canon wee ought not to receiue them hauing no new reuelations for them nor no better warrant then they had especially considering that the Septuaginta interpreters who tooke vpon them to interpret all the bookes of Gods word to Ptolomeus neglected them Christ and his Apostles neuer cited any thing out of any of them as they did out of the other Scriptures And further the thrice reuereÌ„d Fathers of the Nicene Councell and those worthies of the Councell of Laodicea both which Councells were celebrated in the East nearer the place and time where and when Christs Church might best informe her selfe which were the bookes of Sacred Scripture reiected and cashired them out of sacred Canon of holy Scripture Neither is there any new reuelation for them now nor any iust cause why the Pope and Pontificians should be so eager to put them into Canon of Scripture but for that they seeme in some places contrary to the vndoubted Scriptures to fauor some of their vaine and corrupt doctrines as of Purgatorie Praier for the Dead Merits of good workes c. As for * The contra dictioÌ„ betwixt the 5. châ—pter of Iudith and the 10. â—â—irreconcilable so manâ—â—est that the same euinceth the author of the same booke not to bee the holy Ghost who caÌ„not lie See
the many impertinences contradictions contrarieties which are in it downe it will For if Å¿ Introit ad altare the very first prayer almost which is this Oramus te Domine c. We beseech thee O Lord by the merits of those Saintes whose reliques are heere that thou vouchsafe to giue vs pardon of all our sinnes may take place and that by the merits of Saints sins are forgiuen and pardoned what neede to expect a further propitiatorie sacrifice in the Masse I proposed not long since to the t M. G. Bl. chiefe in this house how a certaine prayer in the portesse which hath thus vt merit is sanctorum aeternitatis gloriam consequamur that by the merites of Saints we may obtaine the glorie of eternitie was to be vnderstoode Considering and pausing a while he yealded this answere by their intercessions to which I replied out of their owne doctrine thus that intercessions of Saints in Heauen are not merits and u Rom. 8. that glorie being first due vnto vs by vertue of iustification in Christ Iesus through x Galat. 5. faith working by chatitie it was not in any sense to be giuen to vs for the merits of Saints some replies passed betwixt vs and in the end he came to affirme this proposition to be Catholike to wit Saluamur meritis sanctorum we are saued by the merits of Saints of which proposition demaunding the opinion of a y M. A. H. learned Priest sitting by his answere was that it was a sound proposition sano intellectu being well vnderstoode Thus they O Iesus onely Redeemer what vile wrong is done to thy infinite merits when thus they associate with thy merits the merits of Saintes to haue a reall and meritorious concurrence for remission of our sinnes And when ioyntly of thy merites and the merites of thy seruants is by them composed the treasure of the Pontisician Church by which they pretend to deliuer soules from Purgatorie But alas rather they delude many simple fooles and dispoyle them of their treasure and wealth To proceede whereas in the z Offertorium Prayer when the bread is offered vp to God vpon the Patten it is expresly called Haec immaculata hostia this immaculate host and is said to be offered pro innumerabilibus peccatis for innumerable sinnes pro viuis defunctis for the liuing and the dead vt illis proficiat ad salutem vitam aeternam that it may profite them to eternall life and saluation and likewise when the Chalice is offered vp with wine onely in it in their owne confession as being long before the time of their imagined transubstantiation it is thus said of the same Chalice of wine pro totius mundi salute in conspectu c. that it may ascend as a sweet smell before the sight of the diuine Maiestie for the saluation of the whole world by the two which oftertories it is euident what manner of sacrifice the Authors of them two beleeued to be in the masse truly the very same that a Finitis ab eo qui prefectus est saith Iustine Apolog. 2. Thankesgiuings praiers being ended by him who is the chiefe as prefect and acclamations being made by the whole people the Deatons whom we so call giue to euerie one present a part of the bread and of the water and wine consecrated and doe carie to those who are not present Origen in Leuit. hom 7. Irenae lib. 4. cap. 32. 34. Chryâ—ost in Psalm 22. Amhros de sacramentis lib. 4. cap. 5. August de doctrin Christian lib. 3. cap. 16. in Psalm 98 tract 59. in Iob. Hieron 26 in Math. Author operis imperfect in Matth. Homel 11. clarissime Bertram lib. de corp sangu Domin Theodoret. in cap. 8. ad Hebre. Fulgen. de fid ad Petrum cap. 19. Lyturgiae Ambros Basil Saint Iustine Irenaeus and other ancient Fathers deliuer to wit of thanksgiuing commemoratiue and of Gods creatures not of the verie bodie and bloud of Christ transubstantiated But obserue now commeth Clement the eight and he in his missals what misterie is in it God knoweth in that short prayer of offering which the people make being thereunto inuited by the Priests and in which they pray thus suscipiat Dominus hoc sacrificium de manibus tuis c. Our Lord receiue this sacrifice from thy hands to the glorie of his name for our profit and of all this holy Church he hath commaunded the article hoc this to be left out the misterie of which subtraction who may not coniecture because the demonstratiue article hoc this in this place doth most specially and peculiarly demonstrate the sacrifice offered vp to God for the honor of his name benefit of his holy Church therefore lest the people who pronouÌ„ce that prayer should by the same be brought to vnderstand what manner of sacrifice the ancient authors thereof deliuered the word hoc this must be rased and they left to expect another sacrifice truly propitiatorie forsooth in the Masse Such a Sacrifice as the Autours of this prayer and of many others that goe both before consecration and after neuer knew nor taught so that if a man will vnderstand them ingeniously and with an vnpartiall eye read them it will be morally impossible for him to thinke that they beleeued the Laterane transubstantiation as it is desended by the Pontificians I will herein onely except the authours of the rubrickes in the Masses which are almost contioually more or lesse changed as now of late in the last edition b Missa ClemeÌ„t 8. in rubric Clement forsooth marke a pretie tricke wil haue the Priest not loudly to the people and eleuating of the Chalice as the former * Clement also hath lately instituted that the Laicks must receiue at their LotioÌ„s wine mixed with water per haps to imitate that of S. Chrisostomes Lyturgy where it is appointed that after consecration sodden water is to be mixed with the wine consecrated that the people were to receiue Missa Chrisost edita â Plantino translata a leone Tusco custome was but secretly and at the setting downe of the Chalice to say those words of Christ hac quotie scunque c. as often as you shall doe these things you shall doe them in remembrance of me wherefore is this chaunge now made Doubtlesse for no other end if there be any other misterie let it be shewed but lest now in these times when the onely and infinitely inestimable sacrifice of Christs Crosse is so daily by the true Catholike Church and her Ministers extolled and set forth and the Lyturgie of our Lords Supper deliuered to be a liuely holy and expresse c Bellar. lib. recog pag. 85. To shew that in his first booke of the Masse last Chapter hee had iustly denied any true sacrifice of Christs body to bee offered vpon good Friday in their Church answereth thus an obiection that is made against him
some great matter to be acted about the Powder time For when I was last beyond the seas a graue person reported in my hearing and in the hearing of a reuerend Priest that the l R. V. meeter-maker of their English hymnes spoke openly in Antwerpe at a table where diuers were drinking together some fiue or six weekes before the Powder-treasoÌ„ time that there was some great attempt in hand in England Perhaps the good man knew not the whole secret if he did then perchance for very shame he concealed it for I hardly thinke he would detest the fact who so eagerly commended the stinking Ignatian Queres or Pruritanus and the most villanous Polonian Exetasis against his Maiesties most excellent state and person which bookes also are most singularly esteemed by some beyond seas of which I thinke if the most excellent Arch-duke knew they should not be so dearly esteemed of by him But I surcease to write any more of this kind I haue perpaps discouered so much of the Ignatian spirit that some of them will attempt by some meanes or other to attenuat my spirit but I weigh it not for nothing more welcome to me then death it self so that I may be found prouided and ready to meet him and to be with him after whom my soule longeth and breatheth so much as this corruptible flesh of mine will permit me My redeemer hath numbred my daies and m Psal 138. hath put my imperfections in his sight and before he calleth me no man can thrust me hence his truth is witnesse to my soule that in this writing I seeke onely his glory in whom confiding I feare no man And I humbly wish the English Recusants to beware of such seducers as come vnder the garments of sheepe but inwardly are rauening wolues who plotting to bring to passe their conuersion of England seeke nothing but the subuersion thereof rather then their desires should not take effect And therefore as themselues well know are euer inculcating matters to the disgrace of the Church and state-gouernment of this Kingdome cannot well indure that any Priest in his Sermons should so much as commend and inculcate obedience to temporall magistrates I my selfe was at my first comming sixteene yeeres since into this Kingdome not a little reprehended by two Ignatian Priests because vpon that text a Matth. 22 Marke 12. Giue vnto God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is Caesars I had said they too much insisted vpon the latter part thereof in perswading of obedience to the temporal magistrate and yet in that sermon which was not aboue an houre and halfe long I am assured I discoursed not twenty lines of that subiect To proceed I gather another tricke of naughty Spirits especially in the elder and latter Pontifician Monkes and Friers who haue set forth so many counterfet and comentitious treatises in the ancient Fathers names by that meanes to establish and confirme their doctrines of their transubstantiation their Popes supremacy their confiding in merits of Saints adoration of Images c. Wherein I do constantly affirme that the most pregnant and clearest proofes which they pretend for most of their Romane positions are taken out either of such counterfeit bookes as some of the learnedst Pontificians call in question or else out of such commentitious bookes and putatiue workes of ancient Fathers which by very sufficient proofe may bee shewed to bee not currant And when withall I obserue what order they haue taken with their * Indices expurgatorij Romanus Neapolitanus Hispanus Belgicus editià Povtificijs Expurgatory Indices not onely to giue annotations but further to corrupt the very texts of Authours so that none of later Pontifician Authors in short time such as Caietane Ferus Stella Ludouicus Granatensis Polidore Virgill Claudius Espex c. shall bee found sound and to speake like themselues yea they sticke not to corrupt the very texts of ancient Fathers whose editions they daylie innouate at Rome Paris Lions c. The industrious * His Treatise of corruption of Scriptures Fathers Councels by the Pontificians M. Thomas James hath produced many of such corruptions and promiseth much more one of them for a tast which I also obserued long agoe and proposed to a learned man but receiued no satisfaction I will heere giue to the Reader it is a corruption of a saying of S. Gregorie Nissene which is this Illam solummodo naturam quae increata est colere ac venerari didicimus were haue learned onely to worship and adore that nature which is increate but the Spanish Expurgatorie Indices say the word onelie must bee put out of the text a good cause why the reader cannot but obserue the mysterie therefore I passe it with silence Doubtlesse these men who are so impudent to set foorth their owne late Authours otherwise then themselues wrote and are not ashamed to corrupt the texts of ancient Fathers workes it is no maruell that they do so shamefully in their ranslations peruert the sacred word abhorring nothing more then in those places of controuersies in which they dissent from the reformed Churches to haue their translations reformed according to the originalls of sacred Scripture in which the word of God was first written by the Authours thereof Many shifts p Bellarm. lib. 2. de â—erbo Dei Bellarmine Stapleton Harding others deuise to wash away this dastardly tergiuersation of theirs in refusing trial by the originals of Gods Scripture but the imputation is iust and vnremooueable and will help to bring their Babell to her confusion together with her Expurgatory Indices of late and ancient Authours Further the naughty spirits of many Pontificians as Bellarmine Stapleton c. haue seemed manifest to me in that they doe most egregiously to bring the reformed Churches in hate and contempt calumniate them to teach such doctrines as they vtterly detest and disclaime from As first they accuse them that they giue iustification to faith onely meaning ostentimes such a naked faith as they teach void of charity that is faith informed as they speake a mere calumniation For who knoweth not that the resormed Churches make iustifying faith that which inseparably p Galat. 5. worketh by charitie as the Apostle speaketh againe they are accused to exclude necessity of good works to saluation and all reward also of good workes at saluation meere imputations For as they continually inculcate and commend necessity of good works in their pulpits more effectually then in many of the Pontifician Churches whose Preachers are much busied with extolling the merits of Saints the worth of indulgences c. So likewise they publikehe professe that God will not bee vnmindfull of the least good worke done as it ought for his sake to reward the same They are generally calumniated amongst the good English Pontificians who meane well that thy make Gods he Authour and impeller of and to sinne a meere calumniation There are
illis libitum licitum Whatsoeuer liketh them is lawull with them if it be to hoyse vp the Popes soueraigntie First this rule is against the practise of all the u Hierosolimit sub Iacobo â—cen Constantin Eph. Calced Sinod 5. 6. 7. 8. saepe Ancient and Primitiue Church which euer in occasion of controuersies recurred to the doctrine of the Scriptures declared by the generall voice and testimonie of the whole Church by her Bishops Priests and other learned men pronouncing defining out of Gods holy word which was alwaies laid before them being assembled in the general Councels so the eight first generall which the Popes themselues with oath professe to receiue although few of them keepe their oath yea the Apostles themselues who all had infallibility by vertue of their Apostleship of not erring in matters of faith to giue an example to succeeding ages would by common consent and authoritie of the Christian Church not otherwise by Peters sole authority decree and define out of the word of God for out of it x Act. 15 Peter himselfe bringeth allegations for his doctrine touching the controuersie then risen at Antioch about the obseruation of the legall lawes and ceremonies of the old Testament which their example was euer followed as necessary till of latter times when Popes haue presumed to define by themselues alone hauing before made some small Consistorian consultation with which this their prodigious position is in some sort by some y Some of the Ignatians doe idly bring the heresies of Pelagius and the Priscillianists to haue beene onely condemned by the Popes of Rome but this against all histories which mention the condemning of the same heresies by sundrie Councels throughout the whole Church Baron in his Annals Genebrard in Chrono few of themselues colored For scarce any hold it absolutely necessarie And here I aske the aduersarie whether that Axiome receiued by al reiected by none God and Nature doe nothing in vaine and that other In vaine are many things required to doe that which as well or better may be done by fewer may not take place in this question touching the infallible power of defining and decreeing I thinke none so impudent an idiote as to denie it Againe I demaund whether those most reuerend Fathers of the first foure generall Councels which Saint Gregorie equalleth with the Gospell although the manner of his speech be not herein to be imitated and of other later Councels did know these principles and Axiomes and did withall beleeue this Romane rule of faith to wit That the Pope alone had infallible authoritie to define and declare faith and that Christ prayed onely and was heard onely for Peter and his successors that they might neuer erre in faith as the z Rhemist annota in Luc. 22. Rhemists do most heretically teach if they did so why did they not send al their doubts which did so shake the whole Christian world with such horrible commotions and contentions to the Popes of those times Siluester Damasus Lco c. and receiue from themas from Iudges of faith the Oracles of Gods mouths so termed by a Coquae contra Premonit Reg. Coquaeus and Lessius his equiuocating b Recapitulater pa. 13. 32. 56. recapitulater and as the vnappellable determinations of all their doubts In so doing infinite charges many contentions would haue bene auoided and as for scandall none could haue followed because both all those Fathers and the whole Christian Church with them if it please you to beleeue the Pontificians who would so perswade vs did then beleeue and teach that the Popes were the infallible Oracles of God the onely inerrable Iudges in controuersies of Faith and al-though ancient Priests and Bishops perhaps reputed themselues his Senators and Counsellers yet they thought also that they could adde nothing to his infallibilitie But alas good Constantine Theodosius Martian and other Emperors knew not this faith who were at such great charges to summon and assemble those ancient and thrice reuerend Councels Nay Pope Leo himselfe who taketh inough to the Sea of Rome and ioyneth c Epist 89. Peter into the societie of the indiuiduall vnitie to wit of the blessed Trinitie held generall Councels necessary for determining of faith and setling of the peace of the Chtistian Church Read c Leo. epist 24. 23. 26. him Christian Reader in diuers of of his Epistles written to the Emperour Empresse and Cleargie of Constantinople and as thou shalt sinde so iudge Secondly thus I argue Three e Sinod 6. Act. 12. 13. 16. 17. 18 Sinod 7. Act. 7. Sinod 8. Act. 7. generall Councels with diuers Popes as Agatho f Leo. 2. in epist ad Constant Leo g Adrian in Sinad Romae congregata and Theod. Patriar with his councell at Hieru-salem Adrian did condemne yea the Councels accursed and execrated Honorius Pope for a dogmaticall and hereticall Epistle by which he laboured to infect the two Patriarkes of Constantinople and Alexandria with the heresie of Monothelites Can any one then be so frontlesse as to thinke that those Fathers and Popes did beleeue that the Bishoppes of Rome might not bee as they were Bishoppes of that See heretikes or teach hereticall doctrines in their decretall Epistles And the holy Ghost to be so infallibly chained to them that they could not endeuour to infect the whole Church who rather will not thus argue and thus inferre Three generall Councels the which with the fiue other ancienter all Popes at their entrances into the Papacie doe or ought to sweare inuiolably to keepe according to their owne Canons with diuers Popes all antiquitie all later best Pontifician Hâ—storians till h Pigh lib. 4. cap. 8. Hier. Pighius led Bellarmine and Baronius the way to call the matter in queston for which i Canus lib. 6. Canus and k Bannes in 2.2 Bannes scornefully reproue him did accurse or condemne Honorius for a Monothelite heretike Ergo Paule the fifth who is not fuller of Gods Spirit then his predecessor Honorius was in his late l Breue Paul 5. interpreted by the Recapitu later pag. 32. breefe ex Cathedra out of the chaire defining himselfe to haue power to depose Princes and to dispose of Kingdomes may erre and be an heretike as without all doubt he is because contrary to Christs m Matth. 22. institution he assumeth power to forbid Caesars due to be giuen vnto him For what is more due to a Caesar then fidelity and allegeance of subiects but the doctrine of Christ forsooth is expounded and the heresie cleared for he forbiddeth not obedience to Caesars so long as they are Caesars but because he can vncaesar them and vnking them therefore no longer Caesars no longer kings no longer obedience So answered * C. 8. 22. Bellarmine against Doctor Barkly so blundering Coquaeus against his Maiesties Apologie Thirdly was there euer any ancient true Christian Catholike who
I should make the moderate Pontificians admire to thinke what manner of seditious ministers the Pope hath vseth to set vp his indirect monarchy but I protest that such doctrine is in him which I dare not for my duty to Prince and Country once mention otherwise then by way of detestation yet this Coquaeus is a great man and a holy confessor in Florence and his vnlearned though most seditious booke must for sooth be both printed and published for the producing God auert it of new Catsbyes and Piercies God inspire into the hearts of the Magistrates of this kingdome that as they be vigilant so they may euer continue against such bookes which tend only to the subuersion of this state and all other of like condition Alasse the Ignatians and Ignatianed will haue them though vtter ruines of whole families should insue thereupon There was one Philopater Robert Parsons by name who if in that booke which he so named had loued his Country as wel as the Pope his holy Father or else the fathers of his order would haue * Titulo libri called himselfe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or such like name a louer of his Country not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a louer of his Father or Fathers for Philopater signifieth so much but pardon the good old man he was no Grecian but only desned a Greeke and a strange name as hauing abandoned the natiue affection of his Country This man in his t Philopater Sect. 2. Philopater deliuereth not welnye as strange doctrine as Coquaeus but in some respect far worse because he maketh his Doctrine an article of faith and by consequence al the Pontificians of England that beleeue him ipso facto are traitors and such as beleeue not heretikes Hinc etiam infert vniuersa theologorum c. Heereupon saith hee the whole schoole of Diuines and Ecclesiasticall lawyers to wit Canonists inferre and it is certaine and of Faith any Christian Prince whatsoeuer if he shall manifestly decline Posscuine in his biblioth wold faine cast this booke from Parsons and lay it vpon D. Stapleton doubtles t is the brood of a paire of Fathers from the Catholike that is in his sense the Romane religion and shall draw and call others from the same presently thereupon by the very force of law both diuine and humane to loose all power and dignity and this before any sentence of the supreme pastour and Iudge giuen or pronounced against him and all subiects whatsoeuer to be free from all obligation of oath which they had made to him of obedience as to their lawfull Prince and that they may and ought if they haue strength to cast out such a manner of man as an Apostata and Heretike and a forsaker of Christ our Lord and as an Enemy of the Common-wealth out from all rule of Christian men Thus farre that Pseudophilopater in his Ignatian saith What true English heart is not awaked with such a seditious sound and doe you thinke O yee loyall Britaines and faithfull of Iesus that his brethren the Ignatians haue not the same Doctrine they haue it they haue it beleeue me and they teach it also where they sind ground conuenient and fit for such seditious seede In Rome it was taught in effect as very probable aboue 16. yeeres since when I my selfe refused in open schoole to receiue write any such doctrine But I leaue to stirre this filthy sinke any longer I humbly beseech Iesus Christ to vouchsafe to illustrate the eies of such who haue often told me that if they thought the Ignatians did teach such Doctrine as I haue heere expresly and truly deliuered out of Pbilopater they would little regard them in other things So it is Christian Reader that these most egregious Equiuocaters doe not deliuer § This doctrin is not the milk but the solid meate of the Ignatians easily swallowed by those as are inclining to the impious doctrine of the damned crew of which was Catsby c. Another Priest was in like sort denyed absolution for the same cause of the Oath by an Ignatianed Priest who not withstanding easily absolued and admitted to the dredfull Sacramēt one who often fell into the sin of Bestiality and to deny absolution for allowing or taking the Oath of Allegiance is the ordinary practise of all Ignatiā Priests in this land almost of all oher ' excepting some few honest loyall lerned Priests who are therefore extreamly hated and auoided as Spyes by the Ignatians this doctrine but to their Priuates and old acquaintance which maketh many moderate recusants to suspect that they are vniustly charged with such seditious hereticall doctrine as this is but such as my selfe who haue conuersed too long with them know assuredly that they teach both this doctrine yea some of them as badde as the very worst of Coquaeus which I onely glanced at aboue in this Motiue And that they are in this matter egregiously equiuocaters vnderstād by this within these 3. yeers lesse * A principall Ignatian amongst them denied me absolution and to take my confession I protest before the heauens I lye not neither do Iagrauate against them because forsooth I onely held this generall position that the Pope could not cause authorize subiects to depose their lawfull Princes and yet this man who dealt thus with me and who as I know taught this doctrine both at his residence and in other places that the Pope might depose princes and depriue them of their kingdomes yet in some other places and before some persons would speake very coldly therof yea and he seemed to deny it in that very house where he so dealt with me where also hee refused not to admit a notorious cōcubiner to both the sacramēts The fifth Motiue THe fifth motiue is theire most pernicious impious doctrine concerning the adoration and worshipping of Images with the same worship and adoration wherewith the Persons themselues wherof they are Images are adored saue only that the persons are adored and worshipped without any extrinsecall respect and onely for the intrinsecall dignitie which is in them but the Images are adored and worshipped for the dignitie and excellency of the persons which they represent This doctrine is deliuered by the English Priests and Ignatians very * Bell. l. 2. de imag 22. fearefully nicely and mincingly and therefore I finde that many deuout people of this kingdome haue not yet perfectly drunke of the impuritie of this cup but it is the most expresse selfe doctrine taught by the most Pontificians and learnedest Ignatians in their schooles and bookes they are onely wary in respect of scandal how they preach it in their pulpits taught t 3. q. 25. art 3. Councell of Trent as it is expounded by Vasq lib. de adorat 2. Suares Tom. 1. disput 54 Nauar. in manual cap. 31. Num. 32. yea Vasq apud Eudaem in parralel pag. 292. teacheth that a man may worship God