they built all vpon Christ Iesus and taught that which immediatly they receiued from God but the Pope receiueth nothing immediatly from God nor doth he now preach Christ as did saint Peter argument 2 Further the true church of Christ is built vpon a rocke most solide and vnmouable against which the gates of hell can neuer preuaile but the church of Rome is built vpon the popes and their see against which the gates of hell both haue already and may further preuaile as appeareth by the Ch. Si papa dist 40. where it is supposed that the Pope may draw with him innumerable soules into hel and m In Matth. 16. Lyra confesseth that diuers popes haue proued apostataes from the faith and that finally is proued by diuers particular examples as of Marcellinus that sacrificed to idoles of Liberius that fell into Arrianisme of Honorius condemned for a monothelite and diuers other popes that fell into diuers heresies and forsooke the true faith neither doe I thinke the papistes will denie but that some of their popes for diuers impieties and wickednesses are damned and cast downe to the nethermost hell How then can that be the true church of Christ which is built vpon a foundation against which the gates of hell haue preuailed argument 3 n Arg. 3. The true church of Christ is neuer without her head for Christ Iesus who is the head of the church was yesterday and to day and the same for euermore he is the head of the church and shall alwaies so continue and of him his church hath continuall dependance but the church of Rome is often without her head the pope and hath no such dependance on him but that she may well subsist without him as the continuall vacation of the papacy doth shew and p Lib. de auferribilitatâ— papa Gerson doth confesse the church of Rome therefore cannot be the church of Christ vnlesse we will grant that the church of God may be without a head or that the church of Rome neuer wanteth a head argument 4 q Arg. 4. The church of God also hath but one faith for as there is but one Lord r Ephes 4. so there is but one faith and one baptisme but the faith of the church of Rome is not that one faith which was professed in the apostles times and in the primitiue church as appeareth by the doctrine of faith published in the wicked conuenticles of Constance and Trent and by ihat profession which Pius the 4. decreed to be exacted of all that are promoted in schooles for neither did the first christians admit all the traditions which the church of Rome now calleth apostolicall nor the 7. sacraments and vsuall rites practised by the church of Rome in the administration of them nor the sacrifice of the masse or transubstantiation or the rest of the doctrine therein contained if any papist thinke otherwise let him shew me either any such like faith or proue me any such doctrine to haue bene in the ancient church of Rome or else we must needs beleeue that this doctrine was first published by the conuenticle of Trent and by Pius the 4. by name but a wicked man for doctrine and life and by other popes confirmed argument 5 Å¿ Arg. 5. The grounds also and foundations of the catholike christian faith are diuers from the grounds foundations of the faith of the church of Rome the t Ephes 2. apostle saith that the houshold of God and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone neither doeth he admit any other foundation Saint u Apocal. 21. Iohn sheweth that the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles and this because vpon that doctrine which they deliuered the faith of the church is built for as x Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ireneus signifieth the canonicall scriptures which she apostles left vnto vs are the foundation of our faith neither may we thinke that Peter was more the foundation of the church then Paule or the rest of the apostles at dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia saith y Lib. aduers Jâ—uiâ— Hierome licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni coelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesia solidetur Theophylact also without giuing any prerogatiue to one saith z In Ephes 2. the church is built vpon the apostles and prophets neither doe the auncient fathers either allow or mention any foundation beside Christ Iesus and the apostles and prophets who in all their writings doe preach Christ Iesus But the faith of the Romish synagogue is now built vpon a diuers foundation for first they acknowledge vnwritten traditions to be a foundation equall to the written word of God a Sess 4. concil Trid. traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel oretenus à Christo vel à spiritu sancto dictatas continua successione in ecclesia catholica conseruatas pari pietatis affectu ac reuerentia scilicet ac scripturas sacras suscipit ac veneratur the conuenticle of Trent maketh traditions as well concerning faith as maners to be equall to the written word of God whereof it foloweth that we must as well beléeue the fashions and ceremonies of the Romish church as the written word of God Demonstrate conabimur saith b Lib 4. de verb. dei c. 4. Bellarmine scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes he denieth also the scriptures to be a perfect canon or rule of our faith without traditions next they receiue the popes decretals and vpon their determinations doe they build their faith as c C. inter dist 19. c. sancta dist 15. appeareth by their decretals though counterfeit and d Jn praefat in relect princip doctr Stapleton sticketh not to affirme so much in expresse words Alij nunc à Christo missi saith he eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt and e ibidem againe Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud We haue saith he another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the apostles and prophets can then the Romish congregation be the church of Christ that euen in the maine foundation of religion is departed from the church of Christ argument 6 f Arg. 6. The principles likewise of the doctrine of the Romish church are diuers froÌ„ the grounds principles of Christs true church for we haue shewed in our last argument that the true church hath no canon or rule of faith or certeine principle of faith beside the canonicall scriptures but the church of Rome admitteth the books of Iudith Tobia Ecclesiasticus Wisdome of the Machabees by the
call Rome vnder the popes false and wicked Babylon Gia Roma saith he hor ' Babylonia fals'eria his opinion is likewise confirmed by the bishop of Salzburg Auentin lib. 7. Michael Cesenas Petrus Blesensis and others and so guilty are the Romanists in their owne conscience that either they can not endure the interpretation of the Reuelation of S. Iohn or els they giue out such vaine constructions of it as neither satisfie themselues nor others argument 63 The true church of Christ did neuer worship S. Peter nor the ancient bishops of Rome nor did S. Peter suffer himselfe to be worshipped or carried on mens shoulders or to haue his pantofle kissed but the Romish church doth worship the pope and call him a god on the earth and Christes vicar and the foundation and spouse and head of the church the bishop of Modrusa in the councell of Lateran cried out to Leo the tenth te beatissime Leo saluatorem expectauimus others beare him on their shoulders others crie out to the pope to haue mercy on them others leade his palfrey others kisse his féet argument 64 The true church did alwaies reuerently thinke of the holy mysteries of Christian religion and accordingly did she vse them it is a common saying that holy things are respectiuely and reuerently to be vsed But the Romish church neither thinketh nor beléeueth reuerently nor vseth the mysteries of Christian religion so respectiuely as the holinesse and grauity of such things require one pope cast the eucharist into the fire Hildebrandus saith x In vita Gragor 7. Beno sacramentum corporis Domini responsa diuina contra imperatorem quaerens iniecit igni Pius Quintus cast one Agnus Dei into the water of Tybre y In vita de Pio 5. and another into the fire Cresciuto il Teuere saith Hierome Catena Pio vi gittò vn ' agnus Dei il fuoco appreso in vna casa piena di fieno vi si gitto vn altero All papists for the most part affirme that if a dogge or hogge or mouse eat a consecrate host he eateth the body of Christ really and properly the conspirators that were suborned by Sixtus Quartus to kill Laurence and Iulian de Medici were commanded to do it in the church and at the instant of the eleuation of the sacrament Dato signo saith z Lib. Geograph 5. Volateran cum eucharistia tolleretur When the pope rideth abroad he sendeth his corpus Domini before with the baggage and with the basest seruants of his house as Mouluc in a treatise directed to the Quéene mother of France declareth finally albeit the papists teach that the crosse is to be worshipped with latria or diuine worship yet doe the popes make crosses on their slippers to shew what base reckoning they make of their religion argument 65 The church of Christ is a society of beléeuing and faithfull people and a communion of saints this is an article of our faith that is proued by the definition and nature of the church but the Romish church requireth in her followers no more to make them her true members but that they professe the Romish faith outwardly and communicate with the church in sacraments and be subiect to the pope vt aliquis aliquo modo dici possit pars verae ecclesiae de qua scripturae loquuntur non putamus requiri vllam internam virtutem saith a De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine so by his account the church may consist of hereticks and most wicked persons so they make an externall profession of Christianitie and holde with the pope but such can not be parts or members of Christes church without true faith and charity argument 66 b Matth. 18. Whosoeuer heareth not the church is to be accounted as a heathen man or publican but he that heareth not the church of Rome that excommunicateth Christian princes and stirreth vp subiects to rebellion and debaseth holy scriptures and setteth vp vncerteine and false traditions and mainteineth false doctrine idolatry and heresie is neither to be accounted a publican nor a heathen man but a true Christian and follower of Christ Iesus the papists will denie perhaps the church of Rome to be guilty of this crime but the wicked excommunications of Paul the third denounced against Henry the 8. K. of England of Pius 5. Sixtus Quintus against her Maiesty and of other popes against other princes and the stirres that haue ensued of them doe prooue them to be authors of rebellion the rest we haue already touched and shall more at large proue hereafter argument 67 c Lib. de notis ecclesiae Bellarmine confesseth and all papists agree with him first that the true church of Christ is the catholicke church and maintaineth catholicke doctrine 2. that the same is most ancient sine dubio saith he vera ecclesia antiquior est qùam falsa 3. that the same shall alwaies continue ecclesia dicitur catholica non solum quia semper fuit sed etiam quia semper erit saith Bellarmine 4. that it shall be enlarged to the endes of the earth ecclesia catholica saith he non solum debet amplecti omnia tempora sed etiam omnia loca omnes nationes omnia hominum genera 5. that it hath a succession of bishops certaine and continuall 6. that it consenteth with the apostolicke church in the doctrine of faith sexta nota saith Bellar. est conspiratio in doctrina cum ecclesia antiqua 7. that it be vnited to Christ Iesus and haue the partes vnited among themselues septima nota saith he est vnio mēbrorum inter se cum capite 8. they confesse also that the doctrine of the church is holy 9. that it is effectuall 10. that the authors of the docttrine of the church are holy ecclesia enim saith Bellar. habet doctores sanctos 11. that the same is adorned with miracles prophecie 12. that the aduersaries of the church confesse the doctrine thereof to be true and finally that such as haue fauored the church haue prosperous successe and such as disfauour it euill successe and vnhappie endes but the Romish church is neither called catholicke of all nor is it catholicke in respect of place or doctrine nor is the same ancient the doctrine of popery being not established but since the councell of Lateran vnder Innocent the third the first father of transubstantiation enacted for the most part by the conuenticles of Constance Florence Trent nor hath the Romish church any assurance that it shall alwaies continue seing the same dependeth on the Pope and his determinations in neither of which is there any certainty for the pope may be taken away as saith d De auserribilit papae Gerson and his decrées doe oftentimes alter e Epist 2. ad Bohemos Nicholas of Cusia saith that the scriptures are to be fitted to the time and that they are diuersly to be vnderstood and that God doth
spred thorowout the world and conteineth not only those that now liue but those also that are past and are yet to come The catholike faith is the faith of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which all true Christians both haue holden and do holde and shall holde to the worlds end In this catholike church saith b De haeres c. 3. Vincentius Lirinensis we are to hold that which alwaies hath beene beleeued of all Christians for that is truely and properly catholike he c De haeres c. 34. teacheth vs also that the property of catholiks is to keepe the doctrine committed to them and left with them by the ancient fathers and to auoid profane nouelties finally he determineth that those onely are truely and rightly called catholikes which onely beleeue and holde that which the catholike church in olde time did vniuersally holde Saint d De vera relig c. 5. Augustine doth take catholikes to be nothing els but Christians and true beleeuers which mainteine the sincere faith and follow that which is right Apud eos solos saith he quaerenda est religio qui Christiani catholici vel orthodoxi nominantur he doth also oppose catholikes against heretikes e Epist 81. ad monach palaest epist 95. Leo saith also that there is one true only perfect and inuiolable faith whereto nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken If then the papists be hereticks and no true beléeuers then are they no catholikes if they holde a faith grounded vpon priuate opinions of men and not alwaies nor vniuersally holden then doe they not holde the catholike faith but that they holde diuers heresies and false opinions shall be shewed in the chapter following that they hold many new points altogether vnknowen in ancient time and when the Gospel began first to be preached we haue alreadie proued and demonstrated in the last discourse f That papists hold points of doctrine not catholike It resteth then now that I héere declare that the papists mainteine diuers points of doctrine neuer generally holden of all Christians nor vniuersally taught in the church of Christ and that may appeare first by the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning the foundations of Christian religion next by the doctrine of that church that cōcerneth both the law and the Gospell thirdly by the faith of the Romish church concerning the sacraments fourthly by their faith concerning praier and the whole seruice of God fiftly by their doctrine concerning repentance ordination of ministers marriage almes and fasting and finally by their doctrine concerning the church and the gouernment of it argument 1 Concerning the foundations of religion they teach first that scriptures are an g Bellar. lib. 4. de ver◠Dei c. 12. vnperfect rule of faith as hath béene declared in the chapter going before and h Bish of Eureux some of them haue not feared to write books of the insufficiency of scriptures but the i 2. Tim. 3. apostle saith they are able to make the man of God perfect and wise to saluation and true catholikes alwaies held the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule both for faith and maners Saint k Lib. 2. de doct Chr. c. 9. Augustine saith that all things necessarily belonging to faith or maners are conteined in plaine places of scriptures argument 2 The papists will not allow the scriptures to conteine all that word of God which we are now to follow for albeit they do not in expresse termes say so much yet it is necessarily inferred of their doctrine where they l Bellar. de verb. Dei teach that we haue one word of God written and another vnwritten and m Sess 4. concil Trid. determine that we are with equall affection to embrace vnwritten traditions and the holy scriptures but the catholike church neuer taught that after the writings of the prophets and apostles once perfected and published we had a word of God vnwritten which is to be placed in equall ranke with the holy scriptures n Aduers gent. Athanasius saith that the holy and diuine scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in all trueth S. o In Mich. 1. Hierome calleth the scriptures the limits or bounds of the catholike church Non est egressa de finibus suis saith he id est de scripturis sanctis What saith p Regul 80. Basil is the propertie of a faithfull man forsooth to beleeue with certine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in scriptures and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any new thing vnto them Saint q Lib. de paradis c. 13. Ambrose saith we may no more adde to Gods commandements than take from them and S. r In Ioan. tractat Augustine electa sunt quae scriberentur quae saluti credentium sufficere videbantur that is those things are chosen out and thought fit to be written which séemed to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithful and albeit the fathers mention traditions which were sometime vnwritten yet if they were necessary they signifie that now they are written Si aut in euangelio praecipitur saith * In epist ad Pompeium Cyprian aut in apostolorum epistolis aut actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio he signifieth that no tradition is to be admitted vnlesse it be conteined in scriptures argument 3 The papists also teach that the pope and his Sée is the foundation of the church est Petri sedes saith ſ In praefat ante lib. de pontif Rom. Bellarmine lapis probatus angularis preciosus in fundamento fundatus these words also he applieth to the pope whom he calleth Christes vicar in another t Lib. 2. depont Rom. c. 31. place he calleth the Pope the foundation of the church and Sanders in his Rocke of the church disputeth that the pope is that rocke is not then the Romish church a weake building that in euery vacation is without foundation and relieth wholly vpon one man true Catholikes certes neuer applied the words of Isay ch 8 28. to the pope nor thought him to be an approoued stone or corner stone or a precious stone laid in the foundation of the church the u 1. Cor. 3. apostle teacheth vs that no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laid that is Christ Iesus and in another place he x Ephes 2. saith that the church and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone with him also consenteth all the company of true catholikes argument 4 Stapleton in plaine tearmes denieth the scriptures to be the foundation of his religion aliud hodie saith he y In praefat ante relect princip doctrin Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus and afterward ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud the same z In analysi ante
had done before them and yet affirmeth also that pope Syricius was seduced by Sathan published wicked doctrine taught the flat doctrine of the divel that pope Sozimus brought in superstition and falsified the decrees of the Nicene councell so to mainteine the vsurped primacie of the Church of Rome as if M. Belles propositions might not well stand together for he saith not that all the bishops of Rome were good and godly men and taught true doctrine vntill S. Augustines time but speaketh indefinitly of the bishops of Rome without adding all which maner of speech in materia contingenti is not to be taken absolutely and vniuersally but for the most part and so no doubt saint Augustine speaking of the bishops of Rome vnderstood it knowing that Marcelline sacrificed to idoles and that Liberius was an Arrian and we may say also that the apostles of Christ were good men although Judas was a traitor and lanterne bearer to the Iewes as some popish writers say that betraied Christ and much of the nature and condition of this detectour of falsifications and detractor from honest men and a very lanterner of Antichrist and a traitour to his countrey let him therefore beware he be not taken passing through backe dores like the idolatrous priests of Bel and so for his gordian knot be taken tied in a Tyburne knot 10 I need not say much of our adversaries forme of writing or frame of sentences for it appeereth euery where that he did not know the difference of pneuma and periodus nor could distinguish betwixt colons and periodes commaes and colons his whole discouse is liker to nothing that I can imagine then to the way betweene Chard and Honiton in the west countrey that is rude and rugged vp hill and downe hill and very vnequall but to let that passe yet may I not passe in silence that a Praefat. fol. 1. speaking of the great commanders and princely pilots that sit at the sterne of the common wealth he seemeth to communicate her Maiesties souereigne authority to inferior persons and doth not once vouchsafe to acknowledge her princely power or to name her among the governors of this state and yet such disloiall traitors that acknowledge the popes supreme authoritie and deny her Maiesties power as being excommunicate by the popes scuruinesse our fellow percase would say holinesse are not sought out nor brought to such a triall as their offences deserue By this therefore it may appeare that as our aduersary hath no ability to disproue any point of religion which we hold so he hath vtterly shamed his consorts and the crew of papists that hitherto haue made great brags of this their champion of his inuincible arguments all hard knotty like the haft of a dougeon dagger he hath also vtterly shamed himself in medling with these matters being a mā not read nor any way fit to discourse or handle matter of cōtrouersy the which that it may further appere I purpose god willing not only to iustify my former chalenge which this poore menowe would nibble at but also to discharge my selfe honestly of all those vntruthes and falsifications which the detractor maliciously goeth about to charge vpon me Wherein that I may proceed more formally not onely skin this dead dog whose ouerthrow shall helpe vs nothing but handle somewhat else that may make for the aduantage of true religion and the instruction of the ignorant The order and chiefe propositions chapters of the discourse ensuing I wil God willing declare first that the church of Rome that now is and which embraceth the doctrine of the pope and conuenticle of Trent is not the true church of Christ Iesus and secondly that the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are meere nouelties and late deuised fancies for the most part thirdly that the papists are no true catholikes nor hold the catholike faith and that it is a great wrong offred to Christes church to call them catholikes vnlesse it be as we call dead carcases men fourthly that papists mainteine many both old new haresies and points of doctrine contrary to the word of God and to the catholike faith fifthly that they are idolaters finally that such as haue died in the popes quarrell in England were vnnaturall traitors and no true martyrs and that such priests also as come from Rome with commission and faculties from the pope are traitors and enemies to their prince and countrey and so to be reputed and taken and not otherwise All which points one or two excepted I handled in my last challenge this challenge thus iustified I shall God willing presently encountre our detractor and answer first his obiections concerning vntruthes secondly his quarrels concerning supposed falsifications thirdly his vaine childish obseruations and to shew the vanitie of our aduersaries pleading and how much the papists are to shunne all conferences and disputes concerning lies and falsifications I will also for further euidence against them set down first certeine notorious lies and forgeries committed by the popes and church of Rome and next such lies and forgeries as are committed by their principall agents and heerein first I will declare Bellarmine to be most guiltie in this point the next place shall conteine Baronius his cardinall leasinges after them I will note certeine notorious lies and forgeries conteined in the writings of other papists yea of Parsons himselfe and of this Momus in his new nothing which he calleth a detection of lies and falsifications finally to answer his obseruations I will also discourse of such things as in our aduersaries and their writings seeme woorthy to be obserued and all this to let our aduersaries know that they had more need to defend themselves then to presse vs and to take the beames out of their owne eies rather then to espie motes in our eies As for his railing words rustical vnciuil behauiour I leave to be censured by the archpriest in his next generall synod which if he doe not I will referre him over to be answered by master Kempe vpon the stage and if he desist not his railing and rusticalitie either vpon the archpriests admonition or master Kempes censure I assure him I will set a fellow to answer him that shall so currie him and his consorts the papists and that shall in such sort tippe vp their vilanies that the whole fraternitie of asses shall curse him for braying so vnciuilly I hope also that some odde priest or other out of his grammer dictates will admonish him to looke better to his grammer rules and tell him that he hath falsified a verse out of Horace and made a grosse fault in it This is the onely verse in the booke for where Horace saith quid dignum tanto feret hic pro missor hiatu our wise b Pag. 4. aduersarie hath quid dignum tanto proferet promissor hiatu both altering his authors words and
pretence of religion haue intangled their folowers in diuers practises of faction and treason I hope all English albeit otherwise fauorers of popery wil better looke how they engage themselues in treason they come from forreine enemies and depend vpon them and though they talke of religion yet their intention is wholy for the pope and Spaniard and their course is irreligious and factious If popish religion founded in the conuenticle of Trent and taught by late popes and their proctors be catholike and ancient then will it be an easie matter to shew it and to answer our obiections where we prooue the contrary if our aduersaries flie triall and will not ioine with vs and directly answere then haue all papists and others reason to flie from such false teachers and heretikes and to abandon all their wicked haeresies there is no agreement betwixt Christ and Belial 2. Cor. 6. betwixt trueth and error light and darknes if they can shew themselues that they are no idolaters they will cleere themselues if not why do they seeke to erect altars of Baal in euery corner and why doe not all Christians auoid to communicate with the priests of Baal in their idolatrous masse 2. Cor. 6. there is no agreement betwixt the temple of God and idoles neither 1. Cor. 10. can any drinke the Lords cuppe that doth participate at the table of diuels or diuelish masse but what should I talke of the Lords cup when these idolatrous priests take the Lords cup from all that follow them If the aduersaries be cleare of lying and falsification then will they answer plainly and directly as I haue answered them if their lies and forgeries be made notorious to the world he is not very wise that will trust such lying and forging companions But what should I need to declare that briefely which at large is prooued in the discourse following reade onely diligently and examine carefully and iudge indifferently and so leauing thee to thy meditations and referring thee to the touch of both our aduersaries accusations and our answers I beseech God to giue thee true vnderstanding of his sauing trueth and that hee will giue thee grace if thou knowest the trueth to perseuere constant vnto the end if thou cariest a preiudicate affection towards popery then to see into the deformities impostures and abuses of popish religion and that in the end it will please him to discouer all fraudes impostures conspiracies trecheries and vilanies of the popish faction and to let thee see the damnation of the great whore and the abominations of Babylon Adieu Thine in all Christian affection MATTH SUTCLIFFE A CHALLENGE concerning the malignant church of Antichrist and false doctrine and lewd practises of Papists Directed to Rob. Parsons Frier Garnet G. Blackwell the Archpriest and all their adhaerents CHAP. I. That the Church of Rome that now is and that embraceth the doctrine of the Pope and conuenticle of Trent is not the true Church of Christ Iesus THe Church of God being a 1. Tim. 3. the house of God and b Ibidem the pillar and ground of trueth and c Galat. 4. the mother of all faithfull people as the Apostle teacheth vs it is no maruell if all congregations that professe Christian religion do also challenge to themselues the name and title of the Church d Inst lib. 4. c. vlt. Singuli quique haereticorum coetus saith Lactantius se potissimum Christianos suam esse catholicam ecclesiam putant euen the couenticles of hereticks doe imagine themselues to be true Christians and entitle their Congregations by the name of the Catholike church and that this is true the papists affoord vs most euident proofe for albeit in many points they know not the voice of Christ Iesus but follow a stranger that without all colour challengeth to himselfe to be Christs vicar yet very confidently and proudly they call themselues Christes true catholicke church and challenge to themselues all those prerogatiues that are due to his most holy spouse neither do they only challenge to themselues the title and name of the Church but also exclude all others from the same and as Leo said speaking to certeine monkes of Palestine ecclesiae nomine aduersus ecclesiam armaminï so we may well say of these blinde zelators of popery that in the name of the Church they fight against the true Church of Christ Iesus That the papists adhering to the pope of Rome and imbracing the doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent are not the true church of Christ Iesus it may be prooued by diuers inuincible reasons argument 1 for first the church of Christ is built onely vpon Christ Iesus as a principall rocke and a foundation most sure and immoouable No man saith the e 1. Cor. 3. Apostle can lay any other foundation beside that which already is laied which is Christ Iesus for he is that f Isai 28. corner stone that is placed in the foundation of Sion he is that g Matth. 16. rocke vpon which the church is built Super hanc petram quam confessus es saith S. h Serm. 13. de verb. Dom. Augustine super hanc petram quam cognouisti dicens Tues Christus filius Dei aedificabo ecclesiam meam id est super meipsum filium Dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam he saith the church is built vpon Christ Iesus whom Peter confessed neither doe the fathers meane otherwise where they affirme the church to be built either vpon the confession or faith of Peter or els vpon Peter himselfe for all these doe either indirectly vnderstand Christ whom Peter confessed or Peters faith concerning Christ but the Romish church that now is is built vpon the pope and vpon his Sée and doctrine Est Petri sedes saith i In praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. Bellar. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus he k Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. saith also that the Pope is the foundation of the building of the church and goeth about to prooue it by certeine words of Hierome although that good Father neuer thought of any such matter l Sanders his rocke of the church Sanders doth endeuour to proue that the Popes of Rome are the vnmouable rocke of the church Turrian likewise because Christ said aedificabo ecclesiam meam non aedifico ecclesiam meam concludeth that the popes of future times and not onely Saint Peter were vnderstood by that rocke vpon which the church is built seeing then the church of Rome is built vpon a foundation diuers from the foundation of Christ his church and relieth vpon the pope as much or more then Christ Iesus it cannot be the true church for if the papists say that Christ is the chiefe foundation and the Pope is the next they crosse the scriptures that make Christ the sole foundation and onely attribute the name of foundation to the apostles and prophets in that
ancient church accounted apocryphal as g In epist ad Paulin. in prolog in prouerb Hierome h In Synops Athanasius and diuers of the ancient fathers 〈◊〉 witnesse It alloweth also the old latin translation of the bible though different from the originall bookes the same also admitteth for principles of faith the sentences of popes the doctrine of the Romish church that now is the traditions of the Romish church the consent of fathers and diuers other grounds as Stapleton disputeth in his bookes De doctrinalibus principijs argument 7 i Arg. 7. Neuer certes did the church of Christ speake euill of scriptures k Lib. 3 aduersus haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fal into dislike of them and to accuse them as for the children of God they cannot either calumniate or lightly estéeme their heauenly fathers testameÌ„t or refuse to heare his voice but the scriptures conteine a declaration of the eternall testament of our heauenly father and therefore they are rightly called his testament in the scriptures also God speaketh vnto vs. and therefore if we be Christs sheepe we caÌ„not but hearken to his voice My sheepe saith our l Iohn 10. Sauiour heare my voice but the Romish church is still carping at scriptures as if they were neither sufficient nor perspicuous m Lib. 4. de verl die c. 4. Bellarmine saith they are neither necessarie nor sufficient without traditions n Praefat in reâ—act princip doctr Stapleton denieth them to be a sufficient foundation or rule of our faith the authors of the annotations vpon the Rhemish testament doe call them most blasphemously a killing letter and signifie that the reading of them is pernicious o Censur coloâ— others slander them as if they were a nose of waxe or a matter and subiect of contention argument 8 The church of God neuer called the bishop of Rome either a god on the earth or Christes vicar generall or vniuersall bishop but the church of Rome admitteth all this the canonists exalt him like a god p Epist ad Gregorium 13. ante princip doct Stapleton calleth him supremum numen in terris generally they call him vniuersall bishop and condemne all that hold contrary argument 9 The church of God doth kéepe the doctrine of the apostles and prophets q Gal. 1. without addition alteration or corruption and the apostle pronounceth him accursed r Aduers haeres c. 34. that teacheth any other Gospel than that which he taught Vincentius Lirinensis saith that this is the propertie of catholicks to kéepe the faith and doctrine of the fathers committed to them in trust and to condemne prophane nouelties CatholicoruÌ„ saith he hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas vocum nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare but the papists kéepe not entire the originall writings of the olde and new testament nor allow them as authenticall neither will they yéeld the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect and sufficient rule of faith nor doe they allow the law of God to be a perfect law nor doe they kéepe Christes institution in the Sacrament of the Lords supper distributing the kinds of bread and wine to the communicants but haue vnto this rule added vnwritten traditions and the determinations of popes concerning matters of faith they haue also encreased the numbers of Sacraments and added many precepts and rules not receiued in the Apostolicke church argument 10 The true Church can not endure hereticks and false apostles that teach doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ and doctrine of Christes apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe saith They will not follow a stranger but flie from him for that they know not the voice of strangers The apostles gaue vnto Christians a speciall charge concerning this point If there come any vnto you saith S. Å¿ Epist 2. Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith t Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith Cyprian as farre from them as they separate themselues from the church The true church certes can not embrace erroneous doctrine neither can any heretiks be accounted Christians Si haeretici sint saith u De praescrip aduers haeret Tertullian Christianiesse non possunt But the Papists communicate with hereticks as Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius Iohn the 22. and 23. whom in my treatise De pontifice Rom. I declared to be heretiks they do also embrace the heresie of Angelicks in worshipping angels of the Collyridians in worshipping the blessed Virgin of Marcion Valentinus and others in denying Christes true bodie in the Sacrament to be solide and palpaple of the Pelagians in magnifying their merits and the force of frée will of the Carpocratians in burning incense and worshipping the images of Iesus and Paul and diuers others as we shall héereafter particularly declare argument 11 The true Church of Christ admitteth not the apocryphal legends of S. George Cyricus and Iulitta for these are condemned by the censure of Gelasius who testifieth that the olde Church of Rome receiued not any such legends but the latter Church of Rome and papists of our time doe admit these legends and out them they gather their traditions which they make equall to the word of God argument 12 The Church of God is the mistresse and teacher of trueth and admitteth no falshood nor vntrueth the apostle doeth call her the pillar and ground of trueth Est fons veritatis saith x Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius speaking of the church hoc est domicilium fidei that is she is the fountaine of trueth she is the house where true faith dwelleth but the church of Rome that now is is not only a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lies and vanities and so Petrarch for aboue two hundred yéeres doubted not to call her Madre d'errori e tempio d'haeresia saith he which authoritie albeit they regard not yet the same which he auoucheth is prooued first in that the church of Rome auoucheth lying traditions as for example the tradition concerning Ember fasts and fasts vpon Saints vigiles concerning the ceremonies of the masse concerning the words aeterni mysterium fidei thrust into the words of consecration of the challice and such like secondly the same approoueth lying and forged decretals as for example C. Constantinus dist 96. and c. ego Ludouicus dist 63. and c. quis nesciat dist 11. infinit more of that nature thirdly the same giueth credit to Caesar Baronius his most lying and fabulous narrations and the popes haue commended them
idolatries and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certeine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and is sure to continue but neither is the church of Rome catholike nor apostolike which embraceth vncerteine traditions and apocryphall scriptures with equall affection to canonicall scriptures and which receiueth all the popes decretales concerning matters of faith albeit they conteine doctrine neither apostolicall nor general secondly it will be an easie matter to shew that the Romish church abhorreth neither heresie nor idolatrie nor noueltie thirdly in diuerse discourses against Bellarmine I haue shewed that popish doctrine hath neither ground of scriptures councels nor fathers thereby also it may appeare that popish traditions are most vaine vncerteine and superstitious fourthly the way which that church teacheth is broad and easie for what is more easie than to heare masses and to eat fish and to confesse sinnes and to obserue diuers externall ceremonies and yet by these small things papists hope to be saued fiftly we finde that all the rebellions of England Ireland and France haue wholly procéeded from the church of Rome and the doctrine of the seditious Iebusites and Cananites and masse priests neither will euer rebellion be rooted out vnlesse the tyrannicall vsurpation of popes be repressed and their parasites taught to submit themselues to their liege princes sixthly what certeinty in iudgement can the papists haue that depend vpon the resolutions of blinde vnlearned and wicked popes finally we sée Antichrist to be reuealed and the city of Babylon to fall to confusion who then doth not expect and beléeue the vtter ruine and desolation of Antichrists state Further Bristow telleth vs that euery church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saints nor euer visible and which is not the teacher of all diuine trueth and the vndoubted mother of Christes children is not the true church But the church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals in the officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monks friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents whose faith is built on popish decretals and mincing scholasticall distinctions as fine wouen as any spider webbe rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and first planting of religion and that the Romish church crept out by little and little out of the catholike and apostolike church for apostolicall doctrine embracing apostaticall and light fancies and traditions and for the maintenance of mens bellies and the popes authoritie is departed from Christ and hath made war vpon the saints in the same also whores are openly mainteined cutthrotes by rewards incited to kill and poison princes and a way to all periuries and vices by the popes indulgences opened how then can any call this a communion of saints finally he that expecteth trueth at the popes hands shal be gulled with fables and he that calleth Rome a mother can be content for gaine to call the whore of Babylon and mother of errours his mother argument 70 The church of Christ neuer allowed the decretals of popes or the extrauagants or rules of Chancery concerning the popes authoritie and procéeding but in these lawes the church of Rome hath diuers rules of the Romish faith and thereby gouerneth her procéedings argument 71 In the church of Christ clerks were not exempt from the subiection of princes The apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to higher powers But in the church of Rome all clerks are quited and exempted from the princes power as Bellarmine in his booke of that argument by the popes canons and all his wit endeuoureth to proue argument 72 The true church neuer baptized belles nor held monkes coules to be equall to baptisme but the popish church as the l Grauam 51. Germanes in their grieuances declare baptizeth belles and compareth the entrance into monkish profession with baptisme argument 73 Finally neuer was Christes church or any part of Christes church within any kingdome gouerned by an archpriest and certeine seditious Iebusites masse priests and such like vermine Howsoeuer then they deny it in others yet can they not deny but that the papists of England are not members of Christes church but rather of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. II. That the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are mere nouelties and late deuised fancies IF when the papists doe recommend vnto vs their old religion they meant nothing els but the religion of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which the apostolicall and most ancient Christians receiued and deliuered to posterity we should not much contend with thim for that is the religion which we professe not varying in any thing from the apostles créed and other créeds either set out by Athanasius or the most ancient generall councels of the church nor denying any thing that is expressed or proued out of the holy canonicall scriptures But when they talke of old religion they meane the religion of the church of Rome which was either established by later popes or taken vp by lewd custome and vncerteine tradition the which though it séeme to some ancient yet in very truth is new and no way to be compared to the religion that was first deliuered by Christ and his apostles neither doth it deserue the name of old religion for as Ignatius said a Epist ad Philadelph sometime antiquitas mea Christus est so we may say that Christ is the top of our ancestry that the apostles doctrine is both ancient most true id verius quod prius saith b Lib. 4. contra Marcion Tertullian id prius quod ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis if thē the papists as they bragge could prooue their religion to be deriued from the apostles then would we indéed confesse it were ancient if they cannot then we must say to them as c Epist 65. ad Pammach Ocean Hierome said to one in his time cur profers in medium saith he quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why doe they produce articles of faith vnknowen to the apostles nay why doe they teach vs points of religion which in times of the ancient fathers of the church were vnheard of will they haue that accounted old which the fathers of the church which were long after the apostles neuer knew nor the ancient church euer receiued they would so d Contra. haeres c. 35. but Vincentius Lirinensis doeth call him a true catholike that doeth onely beléeue and hold whatsoeuer the ancient catholike church did vniuersally beléeue quicquid saith he vniuersaliter antiquitus ecclesiam catholicam tenuisse cognouerit id solum sibi tenendum credendumque decernit if then the papists will hold all the religion which now
they professe their religion will neuer prooue ancient nor catholike not ancient for that diuers doctrines and traditions which they hold are new and vnheard of in the ancient catholike church argument 1 First they teach vs that the holy canonicall scriptures are no perfect canon of our faith for this doctrine is gathered out of the decrée of the councell of Trent that with equall affection embraceth vnwritten traditions and canonicall scriptures e Lib. 4. de verbo Dei c. 12. Bellarmine saith that scriptures are a part of the canon or rule of faith and not a whole rule dico secundò saith he scripturam etsi non sit facta praecipuè vt sit regula fidei esse tamen regulam fidei non totalem sed partialem f De doctrin princip li. 7. c. 1. Stapleton beside scriptures frameth a new rule which he calleth the order of tradition but this doctrine is new and contrary both to scriptures and fathers The g 2. Tim. 3. apostle he teacheth vs that the scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and furnished for euery good worke he teacheth vs also that they are able to make vs wise to saluation likewise the fathers testifie that the scriptures are a perfect canon sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspitatae scripturae saith h Lib. contr idola Athanasius ad veritatis indicationem Basil in serm de fid confess saith it is an argument of infidelity and pride either to reiect scriptures or to bring in matter not conteined in scriptures he meaneth in questions of faith cum habeamus omnium exactissimam trutinam gnomonem regulam diuinarum legum assertionem saith i In 2. ad Corinth homil 13. Chrysostome oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quid huic vel illi videatur de his à scripturis haec omnia inquirite Tertullian writing against Hermogenes saith that he adoreth the fulnesse of scriptures And saint k Lib. 2. de doctr Christian c. 9. Augustine teacheth that all things concerning faith and maners are found in scriptures clearely propounded to conclude this point most derogatory it were to Gods diuine wisedome if any man should suppose the scripture to be an imperfect canon or halfe a rule or maimed doctrine as the papistes lately haue begun to teach argument 2 They haue made the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabeies and such fragments of bookes as are in the old Latin interpreter and not in Hebrew equall to the bookes of Moyses and other prophets and to the writings also of the apostles this is the determination of the councell of Trent and the common doctrine now of the Iebusites and papists but new and no way approoued by the ancient church for these bookes were neuer allowed by any prophets or by the church of God before Christs time nor did the ancient fathers allow them Gregory in his morals lib. 19. c. 16. directly affirmeth the bookes of Machabeis not to be canonicall sicut ergo Iudith Tobiae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem ecclesia saith l In Prouerb Solomon Hierome sed eos inter canonicas scripturas non recipit he saith m In praefat in lib. paralip also where controuersie is concerning Apocryphall writings we must haue recourse to the Hebrews neither doth Augustine so make them canonicall as he reputeth them equall to other scriptures as appeareth by his words lib. 18. de ciuit dei c. 36. conrra Gaudent lib. 2. c. 23. nay Sixtus Senensis albeit he make all these bookes canonicall yet doeth he not giue to all equall authoritie let vs therefore sée any ancient writer that alloweth the decrée of the councell of Trent if the papists will not haue all men sée that they haue innouated the very canon of the Christian faith argument 3 They haue also made the old Latin translation authenticall contrary not onely to reason séeing it differeth not onely from the originall bookes but also is contrary to it selfe as may appeare by the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the 8. but also to antiquity which as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome and Augustine alwaies preferred the originall bookes in matter of difference before translations argument 4 Concerning the interpretation of scriptures the conuenticle of Trent n Sess 4. determineth that no man shall interpret them against that sense and meaning which the holy mother church holdeth to whome it belongeth to iudge of the true meaning and interpretation of scriptures end by the church they vnderstand the the pope and church of Rome but this act is altogether new for we do not finde that euer the easterne or African churches were forbidden to interpret scriptures as well as the church of Rome or that the fathers of the church were tied to expound scriptures after the opinions of the bishop of Rome nay we finde that no interpretations are more absurd then theirs or more contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost as for example may appeare in these two points In the law of Moyses we are expresly forbidden to make grauen images to worship them but the church of Rome interpreteth these words so galantly that men may both make grauen images and worship them our sauior Christ saith bibitē ex hoc omnes but the Romanistes turne it contrary and will haue no communicantes to drinke of the Lords cuppe but the priest onely argument 5 In time past o Dist 15. c. sancta Romana Christians were forbidden to read the legends of Quiricus Iulitta and George the 8. books of Clement the acts of Tecla and Paul the booke of the assumption of the virgine Mary and such like The acts also of Siluestre bishop of Rome and writings concerning the inuention of the holy crosse and of the head of Saint Iohn Baptist were doubted of but now these legends for the most part are the grounds of Romish traditions which the church of Rome placeth in equall ranke with holy canonicall scriptures is it not then apparent that the very grounds of Romish traditions are laid vpon fables and of late inuention argument 6 The foundation of the ancient apostolicke faith was laid vpon the scriptures as is euident for that the city and church of God is built vpon the prophets and apostles Christ Iesus being the corner stone p Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ieremy saith that the apostles first preached the gospell and afterward by the will of God deliuered the same in scriptures that they might be a foundation and piller of our faith but now Bellar. teachech vs that the pope is the foundation of the church and Stapleton doubteth not to q De doctr princip in praefat say that the pope is the chiefe subiect of ecclesiasticall authority and r Cancanonicis dist 19. Gratian like a shamelesse fellow vnder the name of Saint Augustine doubteth not to recken the popes decretale epistles among the canonicall scriptures argument 7 Stapleton
Carranza and others in the canon of Laodicea before recited for angelos write angulos and so hope to hide their filthinesse in corners But Theodoret doth plainly conuince them both of heresie and falshood also Synodus saith he x In epist ad Coloss c. 3. quae conuenit laodiceae lege prohibuit ne precarentur angelos that this worship of angels is superstitious Chrysostome commenting vpon the epistle to the Colossians declareth and especially in his ninth homily vpon that epistle argument 17 The Seuerians were noted as heretikes for their miracles either vainly forged or by the diuels helpe effected their prophetesse y Augustin de hares c. 24. Philumena through a narrow mouthed glasse would put in a prety bigge lofe and draw it out againe without breaking the glasse the Mirabiliaries were likewise condemned for that by miracles and prophecies they sought to confirme their opinions and what doe the papists doe not they likewise confirme all their superstition false religion and idolatry with counterfect miracles doe they not tell vs tales of z Laurent Vall. contra donat Constanim images speaking of men headlesse walking of dead men reuiuing they will not deny it nay Bellarmine maketh these miracles a marke of his church but if they prooue false their church must néeds prooue a false church by a very good consequent argument 18 The Tatians and other heretikes absteined from mariage as a state of life impure and imperfect The Romish priestes therefore together with monks friers and nunnes haue abiured mariage as not compatible with their pretended monkish perfection a C. proposuisti dist 82. Syricius or at least Gratian or some other falsary vnder his name calleth mariage fleshly pollutions In Capgranes legends the Romish saints no otherwise talke of mariage then as if it were vncleannesse sinne and abomination diuers of our aduersaries haue written that it is lesse sinne for priests to commit fornication than to marry argument 19 The papists also agrée with the Manicheyes in diuers points sauoring of heresie for as the Mancheyes condemned mariage in their priests which for their excellency they called electos so likewise doe the papists in their monks and greater orders of their clergie secondly as the Manicheyes abstained from the cuppe in the Lords supper and receiued one kinde onely as appeareth by the testimony of Leo Serm. 4. de quadrages and of the chap. relatum and c. comperimus dist 2. de consecrat so likewise doe the papists diuiding if Gelasius say true one and the selfe same sacrament most sacrilegiously thirdly both Manicheyes and papists destroy Christes humanity the Manicheyes giuing him no true flesh nor solide body and the papists giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor indued with the right dimensions and true properties of a body both of them also say the body of Christ may be in many places at once lastly the Manicheyes in their fasts albeit they abstained from flesh yet vsed diuers other exquisite and dainty meates and this is also the rigorous fast of most papists which the rest will not deny to be a good fast after the popes law and a good feast as Christians say argument 20 Montanus did first b Apollonius apud Euseb lib. 5. c. 17. establish lawes of fasting as is recorded in the history of Eusebius and appeareth also by the practise of the church that had no law concerning that matter in his time the same also may be proued by the testimony of Augustine who denieth that any law concerning fasting was made by Christ or his apostles quibus diebus c Epist 86. ad Casulan saith he non oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat praecepto domini vel apostolorum non inuenio definitum Montanus also began first to d Epiphan in haeres 48. dispute that the scriptures were not perfect and that they were to he supplied by his new paracletus that as he said was to teach all things necessary his e Augustin de haeres c. 26. followers had the prophecies of Prisca and Maximilla in great reuerence both he and his disciples did beléeue Limbum Patrum to be in hell f Lib. de anima in fiâ—t Tertullian hauing learned of Montanus taught that small sinnes after this life were to be purged and that his paracletus did often recommend that doctrine further by the testimony of vnwritten traditions and his paracletus he g Lib. de coron milit proueth that the suffering daies of martyrs were to be kept holy and that sacrifices should be offered for soules departed the doctrine therefore of the church of Rome concerning set fasts the imperfection of scriptures vnwritten traditions legendary prophecies of Brigit and other Romish saints and concerning Limbus Patrum in hell and remission of sinnes after this life and the oblations for soules departed séemeth rather to procéed from Montanus then from Christ or his apostles finally the Montanistes did not more'vant of their Prisca Maximilla then the papists of their Brigit Hildegardis and Mechtildis nor did Montanus offer for the soules departed otherwise then the papists argument 21 As the Pepuzians did honor their towne Pepuza and call it Hierusalem or the metropolis of their religion so doe the papists honor Rome and both papists and Pepuzians suffer wemen to minister the sacrament or baptisme should not then the papists haue great wrong if they were not made equall in ranke with Pepuzians herein they also surpasse them for we doe not read that any woman among the Pepuzians was made pope of Pepuza but Martin Polonus Marianus Scotus Chronicon Chronicorum Platina and diuers authors of great credit report that a woman was made pope of Rome and her picture is to be séene in the dome of Siena among other popes if it be not latele defaced finally the Iebusites contending to shew the contrary shew nothing but their owne impudency and the hardnesse of their faces argument 22 The Catharistes boast much of their merits purity and perfection Mundiores se ceteris praedicant saith h Lib. 8. orig â— de haeres Isidore they doe also deny absolution in somes cases to the repentant and rebaptize those that are already baptized and is not this also the case of papists they cannot well deny it for they say that all monks and friers are in state of perfection and deny that any iust man doth commit a mortall sinne they deny also to hereticks relapsed as they call them all fauour and absolue none in cases reserued to the pope finally the histories of France and Flanders doe shew that the popish priests haue there rebaptized many and in England albeit they doe not rebaptize yet they change the names and vse a number of greasie ceremonies frequented in the Romish church to supply our baptisme as they say argument 23 The Iacobites and Armenians were condemned for hereticks for that they made the images of God the father and God the holy ghost Imagines
apostles did not commit all things necessary to saluation to writing cum ex scripturis arguuntur saith e Aduers hares lib. 3. c. 2. Ireney in accusationem conuertuntur scripturarum quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia varie sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem norrenim per literas traditam illam sed per vinam vocem ob quam causam Paulum dixisse sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos Tertullian saith it is a tricke of heretikes either to falsifie or by false interpretations to peruert scriptures alius manu scripturas saith f De praescript aduers haeres he alius sensu expositiones interuertit he saith againe that hereticks cannot stand if they be brought to try their cause by scriptures aufer haereticis saith g De resurr caernis he quae cumque ethnici sapiunt vt de scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non possunt in these points therefore these two fathers haue stricken the papists albeit generally they speake of hereticks for first h Bellar. de verb. Dei non scripto they deny that the scriptures containe doctrine sufficient to saluation or that we can learne all trueth necessary out of them without their traditions secondly they speake euill of scriptures as before hath bene shewed thirdly they say that scriptures receiue authority from the church fourthly they accuse them of vncertenty Turrian aduers Sadeelem lib. 1. doth call them Delphicum gladium and others call them a nose of waxe fiftly they allow no sence but such as the synagogue of Rome authorizeth sixtly either Sixtus Quintus or Clement the 8. hath corrupted the scriptures for both pretending to set our the olde latine translation the one is in diuers places contrary to the other finally they will not haue the scriptures to decide controuersies about matters of faith argument 42 i Lib. 8. Orig. c de haeres Isidore doth declare them to be heretikes that doe otherwise vndeâ—stand the scriptures then the meaning of the holie Ghost requireth quicunque saith he aliter scripturam sacram intelligit quam sensus spiritus sancti flagitat a quo conscripta est licèt de ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus potest appellari if then we list to reade the popes decretales or the writings of the popish faction we need not doubt but they are tresgrand heretikes hauing so notoriously peruerted the Scriptures and turned them to sences neuer intended by the holy Ghost as for example these words of the k Isai 1. prophet à planta pedis vsque ad verticem non est in eo sanitas which he spoke of the people of Israel being then most sinfull Clement the sixt in the chap. vnigenitus extr de poenit remiss doeth turne to our Sauiour Christ as if our Sauiour had béene vnsound from the foot to the head or that the prophet had ment that our Sauiour had shed all his blood that the pope might make sale of the frute of it at his pleasure God by his prophet l Hierem. 1. saith I haue appointed thee ouer nations and kingdomes ergo saith m C. vnam sanctam ext de maior obed Boniface the 8. if earthly princes goe out of the way they must be iudged by the pope Againe out of these words of the apostle the spirituall man iudgeth all things he n Ibidem o Ibid. collecteth that the pope hath no superior iudge thirdly because Christ saith to Peter put vp thy sword into the sheath he concludeth that both Peter and his successors ought to haue a temporall sword fourthly of these words ecce duo gladij hic p Ibid. he inferreth that the pope is to command and exercise both the swords The q Isai 8 28. prophets and r Rom. 9. 1. Pet. 2. apostles by the corner stone placed in the foundation of the church doe vnderstand Christ Iesus but Bellarmine in his preface prefixed before his bookes de potifice Rom. draweth these words to the pope and forceth them to serue to make him to be a corner stone and a foundation also of the church he will also haue these words super hanc Petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam to be ment of the pope these words of our Sauiour drinke yee all of this the papists expound in such sort as if Christ had said drinke not all of this the words of our Sauiour to Peter when he said pasce oues meas they appropriate to the pope that féedeth not as if none were to féed but the pope The apostle saith mariage is honorable among all men yet will they not allow that mariage is honourable among nunnes and monks and friers and masse priests and the rest of the Romish clergy where our Sauiour Christ saith scrutamini scripturas they say contrary search not the scriptures the apostle saith they are profitable they Å¿ Index libror. prohibit regul 4 say they are pernicious our sauiour saith that those doe in vaine worship him that teach doctrines of men these doe teach humane traditions and yet doubt not but that God is well pleased with them The spirit of God commandeth that praiers be made for princes and willeth euery Christian man to submit himselfe to the magistrate and to higher powers but the papists doe so expound these words as if it were lawfull for the pope to curse Gods annointed to excommunicate kings and emperors to massacre them if they can to raise rebellion against them It were infinite to reherse all the false interpretations of Scriptures deuised by papists beside that in this place it is not necessarie séeing by these few which we haue alledged already it may in part appeare that neuer any heretikes alledged Scriptures more peruersly nor more direct contrarie to the meaning of the holy Ghost then they argument 43 As the t Damascene de haeres Herodians gaue the name and honour of Christ to Herode so the papists doe giue the names and honour of Christ to the pope allowing these words of Bernard to Eugenius vnctione Christus es they cal him the foundation rocke of the church the head and spouse of the church the monarke of the church and Christes vicar generall u In epist dedic ante princip doctrin Stapleton doth call him supremum numen in terris some teach that he and Christ haue but one consistory betwéene them x Lib. Caerem others saie that all power is giuen to the pope in heauen and earth which words our Sauiour Matth. 28. speaketh of himselfe if then the Herodians deserue for honouring Herod with Christs titles to be reputed heretikes who can cleare the papists from the note of heresie that farre more impudently and wickedly giue Christs honour to the pope argument 44 y De haeres c. beicetae Damascene numbreth those
monkes and nunnes among heretikes that méeting together vsed to skip and dance also together as they thought to the praise of God yet doe not the popish sort leaue their piping and dancing processions nor doe priests monkes and nunnes cease to celebrate their comedicall dancing masses skipping and hopping about the alter like apes that are taught to skippe and to leape for their masters best aduantage argument 45 Gnosimachi were certaine heretiks that held an opinioÌ„ that vulgar Christians were not to study the scriptures omni Christianorum congnitioni ac scientiae ita aduersantur z Ibidem c. gnosimachi saith Damascene vt vanum minus necessarium laborem esse dicant eorum qui in diuinis scripturis aliquam exquÃrunt scientiam neque enim deum aliud à Christiano postulare quam bonas praeclarasque actiones Itaque aliquem simplici rudique animo institutum suum persequi melius est vt aiunt quam multam curam in cognoscendis decretis sententijs ponere and like to these hereticks are the papists for they holde it to be mortall sinne for lay men to dispute vpon matters of faith as Nauarrns in his enchiridion declareth they suppose also that the coliars faith is sufficient albeit he knoweth nothing but being demanded a reason of his faith answereth that he beleeueth as the church beleeueth a De legit iudicibus lib. 1. Hosius writing against Brentius doth greatly commend ignorance and doth greatly allow this saying thy faith hath saued thee and not the exercise of scriptures b Lib. 3. de authorit scripturae he saith also that nothing is more pernitious then with scriptures to enter into a combat with Satan generally they allow an implicit faith in the rude sort and dehort them from knowledge of scriptures which is the flat heresie of the Gnosimachians argument 46 The c Damascene de haeres 6. Ethnophronians were by the church condemned for obseruing diuers heathenish customes holidaies which notwithstanding pope Boniface the 8. instituted the Iubiley euery hundred yeares in imitation of certaine plaies or games called Ludi seculares the papists also haue their expiations and lustrations with holy water like to the gentles they kéepe their carneual as the Romans kept their lupercalia running disguised vp and downe the stréets they canonize saints as the heathen did canonize their benefactors for gods and like as they burned incense to their idols so papists burne incense to their idols neither doe they regard that such as offered incense to dumbe idols in the primitiue church were condemned as idolaters as appeareth by diuers censures of Cyprian and others contra thurificantes that is against those that burned incense before idols they doe likewise offer sacrifices or inferias for the soules of the departed as did the Gentiles finally they vse lots and coniurations and lash themselues before their images and haue diuers other tricks of gentilisme argument 47 As the Montanists so likewise doe papists mislike second mariages denying to blesse them and not accounting those mariages so holy a sacrament as the first nay they séeme to goe yet farther to enioine pennance for 2. mariages d 31. q. 1. de his qui. concil Neocaesar they decrée presbyteruÌ„ conuiuio secundarum nuptiarum interesse non debere maximè cum praecipiatur secundis nuptijs poenitentiam tribuere quis ergo erit presbiter qui propter conuiuium illis consentiat nuptijs it appeareth therefore that they would not haue priests to allow second mariages or to blesse them or to be present at them argument 48 e De haeres c. Christiano-categori Damascene also accounteth them hereticks that worshipped the images of our sauiour of the blessed virgine and the saints as the gentiles did their gods which is iust the case of papists for both of them bow vnto them pray before them burne incense to them offer sacrifice in honor of them and yet both of them deny that they worship stocks or stones and say that they worship only the things represented by them as f Lib. 2. diuin instit c. 2. Lactantius testifieth of the Gentiles and is very often repeated by papists argument 49 The papists doe likewise in diuers conditions and qualities resemble the olde hereticks and false teachers of which the apostles and ancient fathers make mention the g Rom. 16. apostle when he had warned the Romans to beware of those that caused diuisions and scandals he addeth also against that doctrine which they had receiued In the first epistle to Timothy chap. 6. he sheweth that hereticks had a fashion to teach other doctrine and not to rest in the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ The apostle h 2. Pet. 2. Peter saith that there shall rise vp false teachers which shall priuily bring in heresies and damnable sects i De praescript aduers haeret Tertullian doth oppose hereticks to the apostles and their doctrine to apostolicall doctrine vnde extranei inimici apostolis haeretici saith he nisi ex diuersitate doctrinae quam vnusquisque de suo arbitrio aduersus apostolos aut protulit aut recepit If then the schoolemen and doctors of the popish synagogue haue caused a great diuision from the apostolicke and ancient church and haue taught doctrine diuers from that of Iesus Christ and if they rest not in the holsome words of Christ Iesus but make humane traditions equall to the word of God if they haue troubled and corrupted the déepest and highest mysteries of Christian religion by their late inuentions and haue digressed from the doctrine of the apostles and refuse to be tried by the writings of the prophets and apostles then are they cléerely prooued to be false teachers and heretikes that they are departed from the doctrine of the apostles and haue brought in diuers heresies and sects and new doctrines which by no meanes are to be reputed catholike it may be proued by this whole discourse It is made euident also by the grounds of popish religion by the popes decretales by the schoole diuinitie by the lying and fabulous legends of the Romish church by the doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent by the manifold corruptions of the masse by the idolatrous worship not onely of saints but also of stocks stones rotten bones and ragges by their rebellion against princes and by the tyranny of the pope and finally by the Iebusites new doctrine concerning these points nay if they teach doctrine contrary to scriptures and to the apostles by their owne confession they will be proued heretikes Haeresis saith k Lib. 2. part 1. Occham est dogma falsum fidei contrarium orthodoxae l Apud Matt. Paris in Henric 3. Robert Grosthed saith that heresie is an opinion chosen of humane vnderstanding contrary to scripture and either openly taught or defended m Apud Dionys Carthus in 3. sent dist 31. Durand signifieth that heresie is onely an opinion contrary
there hath béene some difference betwéene priuat persons about ceremonies and gouernment and that without disagréement in religion yet now all that quarrell to the great griefe of Owlyglasse and his consorts is ended and all godly christians iointly concurre to the repressing of the seditious massepriests and their adherents that by faction and heresie seeke to vndermine both the Church and state In this obseruation he goeth about also to prooue that I doe not séeme to allow the doctrine established in this church of England But as in the rest so in this Owlyglasse doth but trifle I doe holde I confesse that baptisme is not so necessarie but that diuers may and haue beene saued without it especially where there is no contempt committed in procuring it Further I doe beléeue that it is vnlawfull for women to take vpon them to administer baptisme and doe aduise in case of extremitie all christians to procure the ministers presence Thirdly I doe vtterly condemne the doctrine of the papistes concerning their limbus patrum Fourthly I doe much mislike their superstitious stationary obambulations about the limits of parishes for the blessing of new corne and their superstitious letanies and ceremonies vsed in the fame Fiftly I deny that euer the catholike church had any precepts or canons to forbid mariages on such daies and in such sort and for such respects as the Romish Church doth practise Sixtly I doe beléeue that Luthers opinion absolutely considered in it selfe is not a fundamentall point of religion especially if we giue his wordes a fauourable construction Finally I accompt none to be true christians and professours that make no conscience of sinne and liue not according to their profession But what of all this doe I therefore teach contrarie to any point of doctrine maintained by the church of England so Owlyglasse my good friend would insinuate But his proofes are simple and his assertions most false He saith Page 111. that the Church of England teacheth that baptisme is necessarie to saluation But the booke which he alleadgeth out of which he cannot bring one word to prooue his saying doth conuince him both of lying and impudencie Secondly he affirmeth that to deny womens baptisme is contrarie to religion established But it is not contrarie to his religion to lie and face out lies most impudently Thirdly to prooue that our church beléeueth limbus patrum he should haue alleadged our confession and not a certaine verset of the créede in méeter Beside that in that verset nothing is said but that Christ illuminated those that sate in darknesse which is nothing to limbus patrum a place that cannot be illuminated as papistes holde Further that verset may be rather an exposition of the words of the song of Zacharie Luke 2. of the illumination of the ignorant and of the like wordes of the Prophet Esay chap. 9. then an assertion of limbus pactum Fourthly the papists in their perambulations of parishes vse to blesse or rather to exorcise corne and to say most wicked litanyes They vse also diuers superstitious ceremonies which vnlesse Owlyglasse prooue to be allowed by our Church he will prooue himselfe a cogging compagnion Fifthly he talketh of prohibitions of the solemnizations of mariages at certaine times but he alleadgeth neither lawe nor record to prooue that our Church alloweth either the doctrine or the ceremonies of the Romish congregation in this point And there whither he sendeth vs we finde nothing but the testimonie of an Almanacke Sixtly albeit the church of England doth not holde Luthers real presence of Christes body in the sacrament yet cannot the detractor shewe but that his opinion may be reconciled with the Christian faith if a man will not vrge those points that follow of that doctrine too seuerely and further percase then at the first Luther himselfe allowed them If a man doe gather what doth followe of it then is the doctrine dangerous as I and others confesse Finally he doth not so much as go about to shewe that I haue deliuered any thing contrary to the doctrine of our Church where I affirme that good life is as well required in a true professour as true faith Why then is this point touched in this place Doth it grieue him that I touch the filthy Sodomiticall priests and friers and shut that abhominable generation out of Gods church It séemeth so and therefore to requite me he saith that this doctrine may touch me for that I haue falsified and maliciously corrupted the fathers But if I haue cleared my selfe of all those matters that he hath laide to my charge I hope the vanitie of his collection will manifestly appeare to all indifferent men But hee poore ideot appeareth not but séeing the Romish Church and diuers of her principall pillers to be charged with notorious lies and falsifications passeth away in silence and is not able to answere one worde Nay hee leaueth his clients in the briers and signifieth for ought he can doe they must pleade for themselues Wherefore to leaue off further to vrge this distressed followe that is able to say nothing for the defence of them whom he doth principally fauour I may well conclude séeing the arguments which I brought in my Challenge stand immooueable and the detectors exceptions are prooued to be vaine and friuolous first that the Romish church is not the true Church of Christ Iesus Secondly that the religion of Papists is neither auncient nor catholike Thirdly that all papists maintaining the doctrine of the Pope and his adherents are heretikes Fourthly that such as embrace popish religion are idolaters Fifthly that all the Popes adherents and agents that haue suffered for his cause in England are to be reputed no better then disloyall traytors and not as some would haue it Martyres Finally that my aduersary by his friuolous obiections hath much confirmed and strengthened our cause against which he was not able to obiect any one thing of moment and iustified my allegations being not able to take any iust exception against any thing said by me nor to obiect any thing which is not fully answered CHAP. IIII. Of diuers falsities committed by the Popes and Church of Rome IF our aduersarie had well remembred his promise he ought not onely to haue conuinced me of vntruthes corruptions contradictions and falsifications according to the title of his pamphlet but also of maliciousnesse and wilfulnesse for so he vaunteth he will I challenge the challenger saith he of many malicious vntruthes Cap. 1. pag. 8. and many palpable and wilfull falsifications But when it commeth to performance of corruptions he saith nothing contradictions he toucheth slenderly vntruthes and falsifications he can by no meanes fasten vpon me The qualitie of maliciousnes and wilfulnesse being a matter purposed and fully promised he vtterly forgot In the rest how poorely he hath demeaned himselfe by my answere to his whole dispute it will appeare But suppose I had either mistaken a report misalleadged a place yet
suffered to raise against the lawes of England and this state as they haue done in their railing libels entitled Aduersus persecutores Anglos Andreas Philopater Sanders de schismate and diuers other of that nature or why should any be suffered in corners to whisper against so lawfull and godly procéedings The papists will not yéeld to vs sufficient safeconduct and libertie to dispute in Milan Paris Collen and Salamanca Why then do they bragge as if they were desirous to dispute and trie their cause in Cambridge and Oxford and what a ridiculous point is it to desire that for papists which themselues will not yéeld to vs They will not suffer any bookes of ours to be published in Rome or other places where popery is professed if they conteine matter of religion and most seuerely doe they punish such as either sell such bookes or reade them or kéepe them without licence Why then should not papists confesse that we haue great reason to take a more strict course than hitherto we haue done with all their books and pamphlets and with all that haue them especially now séeing that few of them come foorth but they are fraught with slanders against the state lies and impostures against religion and doctrine tending to sedition and corruption of maners observation 6 We may further obserue that no man euer had lesse reason to talke of conscience than Rob. Parsons and his disciple Owlyglasse and their damnable consorts deuoid of all conscience for conscience is grounded onely vpon the lawes of God and is nothing but the inward iudgement of euery man of his owne actions according to the knowledge which he hath of Gods law and his word And this is gathered out of the apostles words Rom. 1. where he saith that the Gentiles do shew the worke of the law written in their hearts their conscience bearing them witnesse and their thoughts either accusing them or excusing them S. Iames 4. Iames he also sheweth vs that we haue one lawgiuer and iudge which is able to saue and destroy S. In exposit proposit ex epist ad Rom. Augustine expounding the wordes of the apostle Rom. 1. sheweth that conscience is nothing but the iudgement of euery mans soule of his owne actions Si cor nostrum nos reprehenderit saithe he rehearsing the words of Iohn 1. epist c. 3. maior est Deus conscientia nostra But the papists ground their conscience vpon the decrées of the pope vpon the customs of the Romish church vpon the vaine opinions of euery louzy canonist vpon the wicked and treasonable conceits of Parsons and Allen in their resolutions of cases of conscience for the English nation vpon the damnable commandements of their superiors breaking their necks running headlong into hell as soone as they are commanded and that blindly wilfully for other priuat mens pleasures and this appeareth first by Martin Aspilcuetaes enchiridion of cases of conscience by the compendium of the Iesuit Alagona and all the doctrine of Casuistes which as the aduersaries cannot deny is grounded as wel vpon the popes decretales and customes and vpon the lawes traditions and customes of the Romish church and opinions of canonists as vpon the law of God nay there are farre more cases that concerne the popes law then that concerne Gods law Secondly Lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. c. 15. seq Bellarmine teacheth that the pope hath power to make lawes that binde in conscience semper creditum est saith he episcopos in suis dioecesibus Romanum Pontificem in tota ecclesia esse veros principes ecclesiasticos qui possint sua authoritate etiam sine plebis consensu vel presbyterorum consilio leges ferre quae in conscientia obligent héereof it followeth also that all papists are bound in conscience to beléeue the popes decretales concerning faith and to obserue his rules concerning manners and that for conscience sake and I thinke no papist will deny it Thirdly Allen and Parsons in their most wicked resolutions teach their traitorous schollars first to weare long haire secondly not only to change their names but also to deny their names thirdly to deny their country parentage Resolut cas nation Anglic. cap. 1. cas 1. fourthly to deny her Maiestie to be lawfull Queene her officers to haue power ouer masse priests for that is also taught in the resolution albeit not propounded in the case Ibid. cap. 3. cas 5. finally to forsweare themselues and to dissemble and practise all maner of trechery they also shew how they may eat flesh on fasting daies and come in company with men of our religion neglect the popes lawes also in case of danger in summe their resolutions tend to no other end but to shew how masse priests with a good conscience well wrought suppled by Robert Parsons may by helpe of a good Romish conscience betray their countrey to the Spaniard and cut their countrimens throats Fourthly the Rhemistes in their expositions of the new Testament writing vpon the 23. of the Acts teach their disciples how to forsweare themselues and resolue that vpon paine of damnation they must breake their othes are these fellowes then Christians trow you that handling the most sacred word of God doe by their wicked expositions teach men to violate their othes and to abuse the holy name of God Finally the Iesuits hold that the inferior being enioined by the pope or the generall of that wicked race of Iebusiticall impostors and traitors to doe any act or to beléeue any thing is not to dispute of the matter but resolutely to execute what they are commanded and this they call obedientiam caecam If then the pope or the generall of the Iesuits command Parsons or Garnet to kill the Quéene or any principall man of England or their owne mother by this doctrine it followeth that they are bound to doe it is it not strange then that any Christian state can suffer such traitors and parricides or their adherents to liue among them observation 7 The seuenth obseruation shall be for the edification and instruction of the Romish cacolicks they call themselues catholicks and would so be called but I haue declared them to be in a grosse error by very plaine euidence to them therefore I say that if they desire to be made members of Christes true church they must come out of the Synagogue of Rome and forsake the whore of Babylon and drinke no more of her cup full of all abominations Secondly if that religion which is sprong vp of late time and long after the times of Christ and his apostles cannot be true then the Romish doctrine must néeds be false and counterfeit Thirdly if papists desire to be true catholicks then must they renounce the particular religion of Romanists that hath not either of all christians béene knowen or at all times generally béene receiued Fourthly if no hereticks deserue the name of Christians then must they forsake the hereticall opinions of the popes and their proctors if they will be accounted Christians and true beléeuers Fiftly if idolaters shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen let them beware of the notorious idolatries maintained by the doctrine and practise of popish religion finally if the Iesuits and massepriests be a faction adhering to the pope and forrein enemies then had they néed to take hede how they receiue them aide them ioine with them or haue any dealing with them observation 8 Finally I obserue that popish religion is nothing else but a packe of lies and impostures and cannot stand without falsification fraude and violence I haue already verified the same by many particulers and euery man shall hereby discerne that I haue said trueth for that neither Parsons nor any of his consorts will vndertake from point to point to answere my chalenge and to iustifie both all such allegations as I haue said to be falsified and also all such narrations as I haue challenged to be lies and false reportes I doe rather looke for such a bald ribald like railing libell as this was and such pamphlets as Parsons vseth to set forth vnder counterfect names All you therefore of the Romish religion beware of the abominations of Babylon and of the falshood and fraud of that whore which sitteth vpon the 7. hils I haue as you may perceiue touched but few particulars in comparison of those which I could haue obiected if time laisure would haue serued but if Parsons come forth againe you shall haue the rest I will also adde the notorious forgeries lies calumniations of Posseuin Gregory de Valentia Professores quinti euangelij Andreas Iurgiuits Vilnensis that denieth vs to beléeue the articles of the apostles créed and other such villenous companions not forgetting Alan Copus alias Harpesfield nor Stapleton nor any notorious stickler of that wicked crew In the meane while marke I pray you how the pope with his Italians and Spaniards laugh and enioy their ease while a number of English youthes are drawen into danger both of body and soule running headlong of a blind and furious zeale into treason and séeking how to maintain the popes tyranny and to teach his errors and heresies God for his mercy sake if it be his holy will open their eies that they may sée their owne grosse errors and forsake these pernitious courses and in the end ioine themselues with the rest of their friends kinsmen and countrimen in a firme resolution not onely for the maintenance of the honor of their prince country and nation against all forrein enemies but also for the defence of true religion against the attempts and assaults of antichrist and false doctrine of all idolaters and hereticks the onely vpholders of the kingdome of antichrist
laieth 7. principles or grounds of Christian doctrine ſ Lib. 1. doct◠princip c. 1. whereof the first concerneth the church of Rome the second concerneth the pope the third the meanes that the pope vseth in iudgement the fourth the popes infallible iudgement the fift his power in taxing the canon the sixt his certaine interpretation of scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written Which principles are not onely new but the most rascall deuises that euer procéeded out of the mouth of a diuine or man of learning for among all these principles neither the scriptures nor ancient rules of faith are numbred nay in plaine termes he doubteth not to affirme that Christian religion is built vpon the popes authority in hac docentis hominis authoritate saith t In praefat ante relect princip doctrinal he in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentū necessario poni credimus but if this be the foundation of popish religion then before Stapletons time that religion had no foundation for no man euer heard of either such principles or such a foundation so laid argument 8 We finde that the religion of papists concerning the masse and transubstantiation and diuers other points of faith is founded vpon the decretales of popes but these decretales were not collected into forme nor established for law before Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. by whose authority as appeareth by the seuerall prefaces of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. and Iohn bishop of Rome that published the Clementines secondly it appeareth for that in all these bookes there is but very few constitutions of ancient bishops of Rome thirdly for that by the lawes of the Code and canons of councels it appeareth that the church for aboue a thousand yeares was gouerned by the lawes of Emperors and generall councels fourthly for that Aeneas Syluius confesseth that before the councell of Nice the church of Rome was not respected and finally for that he that maketh the collection of the Popes lawes and Bulles that were authenticall u In Bullari◠beginneth with Gregory the 7. that was a thousand yeares after Christ which he would not haue done if he could haue found any lawes more ancient than his Indéed I confesse that now and then our aduersaries produce the decretales of Clement Anacletus Euaristus and others but the matters conteined in those epistles and the stile doth so much differ from those times that euery modest and learned papist is ashamed to say these epistles were those whose names they cary argument 9 The power and authoritie likewise of popes in receiuing appeales granting rescripts aswell of fauor or iustice dispensing in cases reserued electing and translating of prelates and all other matters dependeth vpon the decretals of late popes and this appeareth not only by the decretals of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. but also by the rapsody of decrées which Surius collecteth in his first tome of councels for albeit he alledgeth the names of Anacletus Zepherinus Calixtus Fabianus and others yet they speake onely great words and vse generall termes for the particulars of the popes authoritie he can not alledge them albeit such counterfeit and rifferaffe stuffe would aduantage him nothing if they were truly alledged argument 10 The foundation of the ancient church is strong being built vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles our Sauiour Christ being the chiefe corner stone but the church of Romes foundation being laied on the pope and his decretales is weake and not durable Videtur nostra ecclesia saith x Lib. 5. de prouident Dei Saluianus ex vna scriptura foelicius-instituta aliae habent illam aut debilem aut conuulneratam habent veterem magistrorum traditionem corruptam per hoc traditionem potius quà m scripturam habent the foundation therefore of papisticall religion is both new and weake being grounded vpon men both subiect to errors and other grosse sinnes argument 11 Scriptures in the apostles times and long after were neuer forbidden to be translated into tongues that could not be vnderstood of the vulgar sort but now the papists suffer them not to be so translated y Index libr. prohib reg 4. that euery man may vse them Cum experimento manifestum sit z Ibidem say they si sacra biblia vulgari lingua passim sine discrimine permittantur plus inde ob hominum temeritatem detrimenti quam vtilitatis oriri they punish also both the bookesellers and the readers that haue vulgar bibles without licence albeit translated by themselues argument 12 In ancient time the gouernors of the church exhorted Christians to reade the scriptures our Sauior a Ioan. 5. Christ speaking to the people exhorted them to search the scriptures and the Beraeans were b Act. 17. commended for searching the scriptures S. Paul writing to the Colossians c Coloss 3. wished that the word of God might dwell in them plentifully in all wisdome the fathers also teach that the reading of Scriptures belonged also to lay men S. Hierome writing vpon the third chapter to the Colossians Hic ostenditur saith he verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter etiam laicos habere debere docere se inuicem monere and Chrysostome homil 9. in epist ad Coloss Attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the apostle doth command you also to reade the scriptures aboue all and that not lightly and carelesly but with great diligence d In Isai homil 2. Origen finally wisheth that all Christians performed that which is written of searching the scriptures but the papists haue a contrary spirit speaking of the vulgar bibles translated by their owne side they say thus Qui absque tali facultate ea legere e Index libr. prohib reg 4. seu habere praesumpserit they punish also the booksellers f Ibidem that haue such books without licence argument 13 In the times of the ancient fathers we do not reade that any holy bishop condemned bibles translated into vulgar tongues or burnt them albeit some errors were conteined in the translations neither did they repute lay men to be heretikes and burne them because they read the scriptures in their mother tongue but now the papists burne the holy scriptures vpon pretence of errors which notwithstanding they are not able to proue to be errors they haue also burned Christians for reading scriptures as appeareth by the register of Bishop Longland in king Henry the 8. his daies g Index libr. prohib reg 4. and now they punish both such as reade bibles and such as sell them argument 14 The ancient fathers of the church beléeued the church to be catholike but our papists now beléeue no church but the Romane church and without the Romane church they will not
argument 10 The Romanists n C. ad abolendam de haeret adiudge all to be hereticks which teach and hold otherwise of the sacraments then the church of Rome determineth and holdeth and commonly they condemne all that receiue not the popes determinations concerning faith but catholiks make the doctrine of Christ to be the squire of our faith Our o Matth. 28. Sauiour Christ gaue his apostles in charge to teach what he had commanded them the apostle likewise pronounceth him accursed that should teach otherwise than the Galatians had receiueth So it appereth that not those that taught other doctrine than the bishops of Rome but such as taught contrary to the apostles doctrine yea albeit they were bishops of Rome were condemned and accursed argument 11 The Romanists doe aswell build their faith vpon p Concâ—l Trid. sess 4. vnwritten traditions as the written word of God so the papists must aswell receiue the traditions of the legends as the holie scriptures aswell must they beléeue the wounds of S. Francis as Christ his passion and the miracles of S. Dominike and other braue Romish saints as the miracles of Christ and his apostles for these as they holde are traditions and the wounds of S. Francis are confirmed by diuers decretales of popes To this effect writeth q C. sancta dist 15. Gelasius and saith Gesta sanctorum martyrum recipimus but true catholikes haue more certeine grounds of their faith and would be much ashamed to beléeue such fables nay some of the papists haue much misliked these fabulous legends as may appeare by the testimony of Dante an Italian poet Cant. 29. and Laurence Valla in his treatise contra Donationem Constantini argument 12 The papists allow the legends of S. George S. Christopher S. Catherine Abgarus of the inuention of the crosse of S. Iohn Baptists head and diuers such like as conteining olde traditions but true catholikes will not allow any such fables to be read in the church nay Gratian himselfe vnder the name of r C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius doth condemne the legend of George of Cyricus and Iulitta Abgarus of the inuention of the crosse and such like argument 13 Alij nunc à Christo saith Å¿ In praefat in relect princip doctrin Stapleton eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt that is others beside Christ together with their doctrine preaching and determination shall be accounted of me as a foundation The rest also beléeuing that the popes can not erre in their determinations concerning faith must néeds rest vpon them as the foundation of their faith but true catholiks build their saith onely vpon Christ and his doctrine deliuered by the apostles and prophets argument 14 The church of God and all true catholikes kéepe the doctrine of the apostles and holy fathers without addition and alteration and auoid all prophane nouelties The t Galat. 1. apostle pronounceth him accursed that teacheth any other Gospel than that which he had taught Catholicorum hoc ferè proprium saith u Aduers hares c. 34. Vincentius deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annunciauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare If then the church of Rome and papists haue altered the apostolike and ancient fathers faith and haue added diuers points of new doctrine vnto it as I haue verified in the chapter going before he doth greatly wrong the catholike faith which calleth them catholikes argument 15 True catholikes beléeue in God onely Faith saith the x Rom. 10. apostle is by hearing and hearing by the word of God y De diuin non inib. c. 7. Dionyse saith that faith hath for his obiect the most pure and euer being trueth and euery catholike rehearsing his beliefe saith he beleeueth in God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost but the papists after a sort beléeue in the virgine Mary in angels and saints and pray and confesse their sinnes vnto them for if they beléeue not in them how doe they call vpon them séeing the z Rom. 10. apostle saith how shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued and why doe they confesse their sinnes vnto them if they beléeue not that they do vnderstand the secrets of their hearts and know that their confession is sincere and true if they doe not beléeue in saints yet I hope they will not denie that they beléeue the determinations of the pope and of the Romish church a In oâ—usc contra errores Gracorum Thomas Aquinas saith it is a matter of faith to beleeue the determination of the pope ad fidem pertinct saith he inhaerere determinationi pontificis fummi in his quae sunt fidei imò in his quae spectaÌ„t ad bonos more 's with him also concurreth b Summa Siluest in verb. fides Siluester Prierius He saith also further that we are to beleeue whatsoeuer is taught by the church of Rome Ad fidem pertinent omnia saith he quae sunt in doctrina ecclesiae argument 16 True catholiks beléeue that Christ Iesus as he was true God so was he also true man and had a body like to ours in height bredth and thickenesse and that he filled the place where his body was as do our bodies We must beleeue saith S. c De essentia diuinitatis Augustine that the Sonne of God according to his Deitie is inuisible incorporeall and incircumscriptible but according to his humane nature that he is visible corporeall and locall d Contr. Eutychem lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith that Christ is conteined in a place according to his humane nature and that this is the catholike faith Illud corpus saith e Dialog 2. Theodoret habet priorem formam figuram circumscriptionem vt semel dicam corporis substantiam so likewise saith f Ad Thrasymund lib. 2. c. 5. Fulgentius Si verum est corpus Christi loco potest vtique contineri If then the papists doe assigne to Christ such a body as is neither visible nor palpable nor circumscriptible in the sacrament nor hath the dimensions of height bredth and depth such as a mans body by nature hath nor is continued to it selfe as all bodies are but wanteth all the properties of a true bodie then are the papists neither catholikes nor Christians for how can they be either that erre in things so materiall argument 17 Euery catholike Christian beléeueth that our sauior Christs true body is ascended into heauen and that he there remaineth and shall remaine vntill his comming againe he g Iohn 16. told his disciples before his passion that he must leaue the world and goe to the father he saith also in another h Iohn 12. place that they should not alwaies haue him with them In the first of the Acts we reade that his
saith Moyses or the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend whom thou louest as thy soule would perswade thee saying let vs go and serue other gods which thou knowest not nor thy fathers thou shalt not yeeld vnto him nor heare him nor shall thy eye spare him nor shalt thou pity him or conceale him but shall cause him to be slaine for it is not sufficient for a Christian man to know and follow the trueth but he must also auoid false doctrine and the seruice of Baal Christes sheepe as Iohn 10. he saith they follow the true sheperd and a stranger they will not follow neither may we regard their faire pretences of reconciling men to the catholicke Romish church as they call it for euen wolfes though rauenous yet now and then come vnto vs in shéepes clothing but our sauiour Christ giueth vs a caueat to beware of them Beware saith Matth. 7. he of false prophets which shall come vnto you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues these will smoothly tell you that they come to saue your soules and pretend to come from Christes vicar but they are the ministers of antichrist and the idolatrous priests of Baal and come to destroy your soules by their fruits you shal know them their study is sedition alteration of state their religion heresie and superstition their life full of filthinesse and abomination neither doe we read of any that haue harkened vnto the Iesuites of late yéeres but they haue béene vtterly ruined by them examples hereof we haue diuers and the truth which I affirme appeareth by the Scottish Catechism de Iesuitis Queene ruined by the wicked counsell of Sammier that came disguised vnto her all in yelow satin by the duke of Guise and the leaguers of France brought to destruction by Claude Matthiew by king Phillip the 2. of Spaine intricated by the most wicked counsels of Parsons by the king of Poland that standeth in danger to loose his kingdome of Suethland by the death and ouerthrow of Sebastian king of Portugall in Barbary by the prince of Transiluania that is now by their means dispossessed of Transiluania Ferdinande of Croatia who together with his armie was ouerthrowen by a few Turks listening to these presumptuous fellowes consultations by the emperor that is weakened by their seditious practises losing the aid of diuers princes of religion by the importunity of these trouble-states as for inferior lords and gentlemen that haue béene drawen into practises by Iesuites and so haue ouerthrowen themselues and their houses the number of them is infinit observation 2 Secondly if masse priests be idolaters then no man that is zealous for the honour of God and his true religion may endure them for the law of God that so rigorously pursueth a false prophet doeth therefore adiudge him worthy of death because he went about to draw men from the true worship of God quia voluit abstrahere te saith Deut. 13. Moyses speaking to the people à domino deo tuo and because he sought to perswade men to serue idoles and false gods saying eamus sequamur deos alienos let vs goe and follow other gods the 2. Cor. 6. apostle doeth teach vs that there is no consent betwixt the church of God and idoles qui-consensus saith he templo dei cum idolis if it be the church of God then it admitteth no idoles if idoles be erected in any place then that is not the church of God 1. Cor. 10. he saith also that Christians cannot both drinke the Lords cup and the cup of diuels and by the cup of diuels he vnderstandeth the cup consecrated in honour of idoles The prophet Dauid therefore speaking of idolaters professeth like a good king that Psal 16. he would not offer their offrings of blood nor make mention of their names within his lips 2. King 18. Hezekias ouerthrow the high places brake downe the images out downe the groues and remooued away all monuments of idolatry Iosias did likewise and executed to death such as had burned incense to Baal 1. King 18. Helias enflamed with zeale would not suffer one of Baals prophets to escape contrariwise God doth shew himselfe highly displeased with such as winke at idolaters the spirit of God speaking to the bishop of Pergamus Apoc. 2. habeo saith he aduersus te pauca quia habes illic tenentes doctrinam Balaam qui docebat Balac mittere scandalum coram filijs Israel edere fornicari likewise he reprooueth the bishop of Thyatira sharpely for permitting idolaters and false seducing teachers I haue against thee Apoc. 2. saith he some few things because thou doest permit the woman Iezabel to teach and to seduce my seruants to commit fornication and to eat of things sacrificed to idoles finally no man can call himselfe a Christian that can be content to sée either Gods commandement openly broken in worshipping of idoles or else secretly frustrated by secret practises and subtile euasions of Baals priests and as idolaters shall be punished in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone so shall they not escape grieuous punishments that either mainteine them or winke at them let no man therefore blame her Maiestie and the State that cannot endure these idolatrous slaues of antichrist and wicked masse priests of Baals order observation 3 If the papists be heretikes then are not either the popes priests to be suffred to broch their hereticall doctrine in secret corners nor their adherents openly to maintaine their peruerse opinions the emperors Gratian Valentinian Theodosius L. omnes Cod. de haeret put all heretikes to silence omnes vetitae legibus diuinis imperialibus constitutionibus say they perpetuò quiescant Valentinian and Martian L. quicunque ibidem decréed that false teachers should be put to death Vltimo supplicio afficiantur say they qui illicita docere tentauerint Constantine did gréeuously punish such as kept or concealed any books of heretikes as is testified by Sozomen lib. 1. hist cap. 20. Saint Augustine doeth greatly commend the emperors lawes made against the Donatistes and Hierom writing vpon the fift to the Galathians séemeth much to mislike the remissenesse of diuers in their procéedings against the heretike Arius as for priuate men they are to follow the apostles counsell 2. Tim. 4. and to auoid these heretikes saint Epist 2. Iohn would not haue Christians so much as once to bid them God spéed nolite iugum ducere saith the apostle 2. Corinth 6. cum infidelibus be not yoked with infidels for what coniunction is there betwixt iustice and iniquitie it is a hard matter to touch pitch and not to be defiled and hereticall bookes and companions seduce simple soules that are not able to iudge finally if reason persuade not blinde papists yet the iudgements of God denounced against idolaters may persuade euery man that is studious of his saluation to beware of their entisements and