you papistes auricular confessâ—on is an holy sacrament and to be made of such sinnes only as are committed after baptisme And yet doth S. Iohn speake as is euident by the text only of those sins that were done before baptisme This is your Hysteron proteron to whom an horse-mil and a mil-horse is all one I say thirdly that the confession which these Ephesians made whereof S. Luke speaketh is an euident external signe of true inward remorse and of sincere faith in Christ Iesus but doubtlesse it doth nothing at all resemble the blasphemous popish auricular confession For first they confessed their sinnes verbally as they burnt their bookes really but of absolution S. Luke speaketh not one word which for all that in poperie is essentiall Secondly this confession was voluntarie but popish confession is by compulsion Thirdly this confession was done in the face of the congregation but popish confession is made in the priests eare Fourthly as some of the faithfull made this confession so other some did not but amongst the papistes it must be made of all vnder paine of damnation Fiftly as Mathew confessed himselfe to haue been a publican and as Paule confessed that he had persecuted Christes Church but neither of them confessed any other sinne So the faithfull at Ephesus of zeale confessed their notorious deedes but not all their particular sinnes Nay they only confessed how Satan had seduced them and for that end they burnt their bookes Which publick attestation done to the glory of God can neuer establish secret popish whispering in the priestes eare I say fourthly that S. Hierome maketh altogither against popish confession as who affirmeth the priest or bishop to haue no other power in binding and loosing then the priest of the old testament had in making cleane or vncleane That is to say as the priestes of the old testament did declare who were cleane or vncleane so the ministers of the Church knowing some sinners to be penitent and other some to be vnpenitent pronounce according to Gods worde that the sinnes of the one sorte are bound and of the other sort loosed And heere note by the way that the word peccatorum in S. Hierome doth as aptly signifie sinners as sinnes and therefore these wordes Auditâ peccatorum varietate I thus translate hauing heard the varietie of the sinners This I say because the papistes seeke to make aduantage of the indifferencie of the word And yet howsoeuer they take it it cannot serue their turne The 2. obiection Christ commanded him that was clensed from his leprosie to go vnto the priest And he likewise commanded his apostles to loose Lazarus that was bound thereby signifying that they should loose our sinnes The answere I say first that this text of Scripture prooueth plainly that the priest cannot forgiue sinne or make the sinner cleane but only pronounce and declare him to be cleane whom God hath alreadie clensed For otherwise God would haue sent him to the priest that had the leprie before hee was clensed from the same that so hee might haue found remedie at the Priestes handes I say secondly that as yet the ceremonies of the lawe were not abrogate and therefore Christ woulde not haue them contemned or omitted Now the law was as we reade in Leuiticus that whosoeuer was clensed from the leprosie should present himself before the priest and offer vp the sacrifice of thanksgiuing This is the mysterie wherein the papistes would stablish their popishe absolution The end of the lawe was that Gods goodnesse shoulde be publickly approoued and that the party clensed should giue a signe of gratitude Therfore doth it follow in the text Goe and shewe thy selfe to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commaunded for a witnesse to them For he could not be receiued into the congregation but by the iudgement of the priest I say thirdly that Christ commanded not only his disciples to loose Lazarus but all the Iewes also and the very women that were present And consequently not priests only but euen lay men and women also may giue absolution Which thing I weene the wiser sort of papists will neuer graunt Yet the end of this loosing was not to establishe popishe absolution but to make the miracle manifest to the incredulous Iewes I prooue it by these wordes next afore going I knowe that thou hearest me alwaies but because of the people that stand by I said it that they may beleeue that thou hast sent me Yea it cannot be prooued by the text that the disciples were appointed to loose Lazarus saue only in generall termes as also were the women that stood by And indeed Christ seemeth to haue committed that office principally to the Iewes that so all occasion of incredulitie might be taken from them The 3. obiection S. Iames saith confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that he may be healed And Christ himself saith receiue ye the holy Ghost Whose sinnes so euer yee remit they are remitted to them and whose sinnes so euer ye reteine they are retained And a little before he saith thus As my father sent me so doe I send you Now it is certaine that Christ was sent with all power euen to binde and loose mens sinnes and therefore his apostles being sent in the same maner must needes haue power to forgiue sinnes as he had Yea the church hath euer thus vnderstood these Scriptures The answere I say first that in these wordes Christ gaue authoritie to preach the gospel which whosoeuer beleeue haue their sinnes remitted and whosoeuer beleeue it not are subiect to damnation Other binding and loosing we finde none in the scriptures neither yet that Christ heard any confessions This sense of binding and loosing by preaching the word of God S. Hierom whom the papistes boast to be their patrone heerein maketh so euident as more to a reasonable man cannot be wished These are his words Funibus peccatorum suorum vnusquisque constringitur quos funes atque vincula soluere possuÌ„t apostoli imitantes magistrum suuÌ„ qui eis dixerat quaecunque solueritis super terraÌ„ erunt soluta in coelo Soluunt autem eos apostoli sermone Dei testimonijs scripturarum exhortatione virtutum Euery one is bound with the cordes of his sinnes which cordes and bandes the Apostles can loose while they imitate their maister that said these words vnto them what things soeuer ye shall loose on earth shalbe loosed also in heauen And the apostles loose them by y e word of God by the testimonies of the scriptures by the exhortation of vertues Behold here these golden words The papists bitterly exclaime against vs when we teach that Gods ministers do bind loose mens sins by the true preaching of his sacred worde and yet the holy and most learned father S. Hierome whom the papistes in their
10. section of Iosue Iosue or Iesus the sonne of Nun was a zealous seruaunt of God and a valiant gouernour Hee brought the Israelites by Iordan into the land of promise they serued the Lord all the daies of his life He liued 110. yeares and then died Ios. 24. verse 29.31 He was buried in the borders of his owne inheritance which is in mount Ephraim Ios. 24. verse 30. Iosue slewe fiue kinges the king of Ierusalem the king of Hebron the king of Ierimoth the king of Lachis and the king of Eglon and hee hanged them on fiue trees Ios. 10. verse 26. Iosue his faith was so strong in the Lord that when hee fought against the Amorites hee praied that the sunne might stand vntill he were auenged of his enemies and not onely the sunne stood still in Gibeon but the Moone also in the valley of Aialon Ios. 10. ver 12.13 Iosue subdued all townes and cities saue Gibeon hee slew much people killed 31. kinges and gaue the whole land for an inheritance to Israel according to their portions through their tribes Ios. cap. 11. cap. 12. The 11. section of the Rechabites The Rechabites would drinke no wine all the dayes of their liues because Ionadab the sonne of Rechab their father had so commanded them Iere. 35. verse 8. The obseruation Vpon the Rechabites abstinence from wine the papistes of latter daies haue falsly grounded their superstitious fastes I say superstitious fastes because I reuerence and highly commend fasting when it is done christianly according to the word of God I therefore say first that the whole scope of the Prophet is nothing else in the storie of the Rechabites but by their example to confound the disobedient Iewes For the Rechabites kept strictly the commandementes of Ionadab euen many yeares after he was dead but the Iewes would not obey the euerliuing God Iere. 35. v. 14. I say secondly that Ionadab is not commended for his strict charge but his children for their ready obedience I say thirdly y e children are cōmanded to obey their parentes but onely in the Lord that is so farre forth as their commandementes are agreeable to Gods holy lawes So saith the Apostle Ephes. 6. verse 1. I say fourthly that their abstinence from wine was a ciuill obseruance not any religious worship And I prooue it by two reasons first because they were not onely prohibited to drinke wine but also to till the ground to plant Vineyardes and to build or haue houses Secondly because not only themselues but their wiues also their sonnes and their daughters had the selfe same charge who yet liued almost three hundred yeares after the charge was giuen Who all by popish collection should haue bin Monkes and Nunnes which to affirme is very absurd euen in their own maner of proceeding I say fiftly that Ionadabs charge was not giuen for merite or religion but for a meere ciuill respect to wit to acquaint his posteritie with an austere kinde of life that after when God should punishe the world for their sinnes they might beare it more patiently with more facility wander from place to place And because the vulgar sort is wonderfully seduced aswell by the doctrine as by the practise of popish fasting it will happily be nothing out of season heere to speake a little thereof The first proposition All mortall liuing creatures of God man excepted may lawfully be eaten with giuing of thanks I say first mortal by reason of the incorporall angels I say secondly liuing in respect of things inanimate not apt to yeeld nourishment I say thirdly except man because God made the other thinges for man but not one man for another Gen. 9. verse 3.5 The proposition is thus proued Christ reproouing the Pharisies for their fond opinions in superstitious obseruance of externall ceremonies which he termed the traditions of men willed al the multitude to hearken vnto him and to vnderstand that whatsoeuer was without man could not defile him when it entered into him Matt. 15. verse 11. Mar. 7. ver 15. I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus saith the Apostle that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe or by nature but to him that iudgeth it to be vncleane Rom. 14. verse 14. Saint Peter was long in doubt concerning this proposition His reason was because some meates were made vncleane by the olde law For which cause he in a vision saw heauen opened and a certaine vessell come downe to him wherein were all maner of foure footed beastes of the earth and wild beastes and creeping thinges and foules of the heauen And there came a voice to him bidding him kill and eate Yet Peter durst not eate but answered that hee neuer ate any polluted thing And the voice spake the second time willing him not to repute the thinges polluted which God had purified Thus Peter did and thus he erred at that time And euen so doe many silly soules this day who make lesse scruple to rap out great othes horrible blasphemies and slaunderous speeches against their neighbours then they doe in eating a peece of cheese or an egge in Lent and yet is the one directly against the law of God the other onely against the tyrannicall constitution of the pope The second proposition There are sundrie kindes of fastes To wit naturall ciuill christian miraculous coactiue religious Naturall fasting is when we fast for phisicke sake either to recouer our health lost or to preserue vs from diseases to come Of which kind of fast who list may reade at large in Hippocrates his Aphorismes and in Galens Commentaries vpon the same Ciuill fasting is when men are so seriously bent to their ciuill affaires that they will vse no intermission at all either for meate or drinke This kinde of fast vsed king Saul when hauing the victorie in his handes hee pursued the Philistines For euen then commanded he all his armie that none should eate or drink till night 1. Sam. 14. verse 24. So did the wicked Hebrewes who vowed that they would neither eate nor drinke vntill they had slaine S. Paule Acts. 23. verse 21. This fast practised Iosue when he charged the Sunne and Moone to stand still till hee was auenged of his enemies Ios. 10. verse 12. The christian fast is to keep sobrietie in our diet That is neither to eate too often neither immoderately Which kinde of fasting ought to bee more familiar then it is to many a one for want whereof the countrey aboundeth with drunkardes gluttons and idle belly-gods Miraculous fasting was practised by the apostles when our Sauiour did thereby confirme the preaching of his gospel Moses Elias and Christ himselfe vsed the same kinde of fast Coactiue fasting is when by reason of famine or want of foode we are enforced to abstaine With this fast souldiours are afflicted in warres poore folkes in their owne houses rich seldom or neuer Wherefore wisely saide the Philosopher touching the houre of dining
as to the dead the merites of Christ and of his saints as condigne satisfaction for their sins for of such pardons no councell no father no ancient approued Historiographer maketh any mention at all Which thing I haue plainely proued in the third conclusion of the second chapter of my Motiues The second obiection The keyes of heauen were giuen to Saint Peter and consequently to his successours the bishops of Rome and withall promise was made vnto him that whatsoeuer hee should binde on earth the same should be bound in heauen whatsoeuer hee should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen nowe to loose sins is nothing else but to giue a pardon or indulgence for the same The answere I say first that vpon the grosse interpretation of these words many popish priests haue arrogantly presumptuously taken vpon them like the proude pharises to condemne the innocents and to loose the guiltie persons whereas before God not the sentence of the priests but the life of the persons charged is enquired of Thus writeth S. Hierome adding that priests can bind and loose sinners no otherwise now in the new testament then they did binde and loose the Leapers in the old law that is not to forgiue sinnes perfitly and indeede but to declare by Gods word the sinnes of penitent persons to be forgiuen in Gods sight euen as the priests in Moses law did not purge the Leapers but onely declared those whom God had purged alreadie to be cleane and free from the leprosie for as the gospel witnesseth none but God can forgiue sinne I say secondly that all the rest of the Apostles had the selfe same power granted to them all which is here promised to S. Peter for so saith Christ himselfe in another place where hee performeth his promise nowe made to Peter in the person of theÌ„ al consequently if the Pope could pardon as fondly is imagined yet might al other bishops do the same euen aswel as he So S. Austen S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Hylary Origen Theophilacte and others do confesse I say thirdly that S. Peter and the other Apostles haue not power granted by the scripture to forgiue sin but onely to declare and pronounce according to the scripture that God hath forgiuen to truely penitent persons all their sins For they can but onely declare the sinnes to be forgiuen which are by Christ forgiuen already as the priests in the olde law could not purge any from the leprosie indeede but only make declaration of the truth as ye haue heard out of S. Hierome The learned popish Cardinal Hugo to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent and obstinate papists confirmeth S. Hieromes opinion in these expresse words Vinculo culpae poenae debitae non potestâ—um sacerdos ligare vel soluere sed tantum ligatuÌ„ vel absolutuÌ„ osteÌ„dere sicut sacerdos Leuiticus non faciebat vel mundabat leprosum sed tantum infectum vel munduÌ„ ostendebat The priest cannot bind him with the bond of sin and due punishment either loose him froÌ„ the same but only declare him to be bound or absolued in Gods sight euen as the Leuitical priest did not make or clense him that had the leprosie but onely shewed him to be infected or clensed Their own schoole doctour Durandus singeth the same song in these expresse words Claues nihil operantur ad dimissionem culpae vel maculae quia deordinatio actus tollitur per eius ordinationem dum bene displicet quod malè placuit The keyes work nothing to the remission of the fault or blemish because the deordination of the act is taken away by well ordering the same while that displeaseth well which pleased euil Thus we see by popish grant and doctrine that the metaphorical keyes whereof the papists boast so much can neuer put away sinne neither can any priest absolue any person from sin or from the paine due for sinne saue onely by declaring his sins to be forgiuen as is said The replie It is euident in the holy gospel that not onely God can forgiue sin by his own power but men also by authority commission receiued from him for when Christ had forgiuen the sicke man his sinnes the people maruailed and glorified God which had giuen such power vnto men The answere I answere that our sauior Christ in forgiuing the sicke mans sins shewed himselfe to be tru God which maner of proofe had bin none indeed if any but god could haue done the same which point I wish the gentle reader to obserue attentiuely For the Pharises charged him with blasphemy as who not being god yet toke vpon him the office of God in forgiuing sins Whose opinion for all that Christ himselfe approued for ratification thereof shewed by an euident external miracle that he was god indeed so as they could no longer be in suspence of y e matter but that yee may know saith Christ that the son of man hath power to forgiue sins then said he to the sick of the palsie arise take vp thy bed and goe into thy house as if he had said I confesse that I am God and that yee may knowe the same euidently I make the sicke man whole with mine onelie worde which if I were not God indeede I could neuer doe This case S. Chrysostome maketh so plaine as none that once reade or heare his wordes can stand any longer in doubt therof Thus doth he write in expresse termes Videamus quid ipse ait vtrum opinionem eorum improbauerit an potius comprobauerit nisi enim aequalis esset patri dixisset quid mihi tribuitis non competentem opinionem procul ego absum à tanta potestate Nunc verò nihil horum dixit sed contra tam verbo quam signo affirmauit Ita quoniam solet esse audientibus molestum vt aliquis de seipso apertius dicat aliorum verbis signo deum se patrique aequalem esse ostendit quod mirabilius est non per amicos solum verum etiam per inimicos hoc peragit vt virtutis sapientiae suae pelagus pateat Let vs see what he saith whether hee reprooued their opinion or rather approoued the same For if he had not been equall with his father he woulde haue said why doe ye ascribe to me that incompetent opinion I am farre off from that so great power yet now hee saith no such thing but contrariwise affirmeth it both by word and miracle So because it is woont to bee greeuous to the hearers that any man should speake openly of himselfe he sheweth both by the testimonie of others and by myracle that he is God and equall with his father and which is more wonderfull this he doth not only by his friendes but euen by his enemies that so aswell his power as his wisdom may be known aboundantly Out of which words I note first y t Christ approued
say secondly that Gods ministers bind and loose sins by preaching his sacred word of which kind of binding and loosing Christ speaketh in Saint Matthew and in Saint Iohn For when the people of God beleeue in their hearts his word sincerely preached and in their conuersation shew the liuely fruits thereof then doubtlesse are their sinnes loosed on earth and then is that loosing also ratified in heauen then are the wordes of the Apostle verified who saith that the gospel of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth it then are Christs ministers as the Apostle saith become in them the sauour of life vnto life On the contrarie side when the people will not heare and beleeue Gods worde sincerely preached but contemne it and the ministers thereof then doubtlesse are their sinnes bound on earth and then is that binding also approued in heauen Then are the apostles words verified who saith that vengeance is readie against all disobedience Then are Christes ministers as y e apostle saith made vnto them the sauour of death vnto death What can be a more ioyfull loosing what can be a more terrible binding See the aunswere to the third obiection following and there marke S. Hieromes words I say thirdly that our people cōfesse their sins generally before the minister in the face of the whole congregation according to the holy scriptures Yea in the reformed churches abroad the people vse to confesse to the ministers such speciall sins as most greeue clog their consciences and for which they need graue aduise and godly councell Which christian libertie is graunted also in our churches of England For such as list may confesse their sinnes to the minister priuately and haue both his godly aduise and absolution if he deeme them penitent for their sinnes The replie Your confessions are nothing els but a meere mockery for ye confesse your selues generally to be sinners but ye name no sins at all Againe as in Germany they confesse some sinnes so do they leaue vnconfessed what pleaseth them And this is the scornful libertie which ye grant to your churches of England The answere I say first that we confesse our sinnes this day as the Israelites of olde confessed their sinnes before Ezra and the Leuites As the humble publican confessed his sins when he said O God be mercifull to me a sinner As the prophet Dauid confessed his sins when he said I know mine iniquities and my sin is euer before me Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest As the prodigal son confessed his sins when he said Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee am no more worthy to be called thy son And as your selues confesse your sins in the beginning of euery masse I say secondly that your selues graunt that Venials need no confession at al. And yet as I haue already proued the least sin of al deserueth eternall death For thus doth your own famous Canonist write Quibus consequens est posse quem si velit confesso vno peccato veniali alterum tacere Vpon which it followeth that one may if he list confesse one veniall sinne and conceale another Maior and other Schoole-doctors are of the same opinion I say thirdly that by the scriptures vpon which ye woulde gladly ground your confession we are no lesse bound to confesse one sin then another For your triuolous distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes can be found in no text of holy scripture And consequently since the scripture it selfe by your graunt freeth vs from confessing Venials it followeth directly that wee are bound to confesse none at all I say fourthly that your confession is ridiculous indeede as which vrgeth the penitent to confesse those sinnes to sinful men which God of his mercy hath forgiuen already I prooue it because your best approoued writers hold that contrition onely reconcileth sinners to God and taketh away both the fault and the paine But after that we are reconciled to God by only cōtrition and haue both our sinnes and the satisfaction remitted I weene it is a vain and a ridiculous thing to afflict our selues for popish absolution This that I say is witnessed by Martinus Nauarrus by your learned frier Ioan. Lud. Viualdus and diuers others I say fiftly that your confessions are neuer able to bring peace to any troubled conscience but to driue them headlong into desperation For first none liuing is able to make a true confession of all his sinnes which thing is so cleere by the Scriptures that your Cardinall Caietane cannot denie it Secondly thousandes are so turmoiled therewith that dayly they come to confesse the sinnes which they had forgotten condemning themselues of their former negligence Thirdly none of you all can prescribe howe much time or what diligence is inough y t ones confession may be perfit The consideratiō wherof bringeth many thousand souls to perplexitie For you beare thē in hand y t they must confesse all mortal sins and all specificall differences of the same And yet will I gage my life that ye haue ten thousand priestes in Europe yea perhaps in Italie that cannot perceiue the aforesaid differēce and much lesse can the lay people performe it See more hereof in my booke of Motiues The 2. obiection S. Iohn the baptist induced the people to the confession of their sinnes which doubtlesse was not to confesse themselues in generall to be sinners but to vtter euery man his sinnes So is it said in the actes of the apostles that many of them which beleeued came confessing and declaring their deeds And therfore saith S. Hierome that priestes binde and loose Auditâ peccatorum varietate hauing heard the varietie of sinnes The answere I say first that S. Iohn the baptist cannot meane of your sacramentall confession because it was not instituted before his decollatiō But you make smal accompt to wrest the holy scripture if by any meanes it could so serue your turne For as your graund doctor Pighius resembled it to a nose of waxe euen so in good sooth ye seeme to vse it The trueth is this S. Iohn exhorting the people to repentance and to amendment of their former liues euil spent found so good successe in his preaching that Hierusalem and all Iurie and all the countrey about Iordan were desirous to be baptized and in signe of their true repentance they publickly acknowledged their sinnes But that they this did in generall termes and not in popish maner I prooue it by two reasons First because popish auricular confession was not yet inuented but after Christes resurrection as all papistes graunt Againe because one man could not possibly heare seuerally the generall confessions of so manie multitudes speciallie in so short a time I say secondly that with
that a riche man may dine when he list a poore man when he can get meate The religious fast is abstinence with a penitent heart and true faith not onely from all meates and drinkes but euen from all thinges whatsoeuer that may any way nourishe or delite the bodie The forme of which fast is abstinence the matter is meate drinke and whatsoeuer bringeth corporall oblectation the efficient cause is faith and repentance for our sinnes the end is to appease Gods wrath and either to procure deliuerance from our miseries or some mitigation thereof For which cause fasting in the Scriptures is continually ioyned with praier and being vsed as is said God doth accept it for the merites of Christ Iesus not for anie worthinesse in it selfe The third proposition To fast rightly and christianly is to absteine from al meates all drinkes and from all corporall pleasures vntill the end of the fast and to bestowe the whole time in praying in lamenting our sinnes and in hearing the worde of God especially godly sermons For the externall affliction of our bodies by abstaining from meates and drinkes hath no other end effect or vse but to dispose prepare vs as is already said This proposition is prooued by the vsuall practise of holy people in all ages recorded in holy writ for our instruction holy king Dauid so soone as he vnderstood that his childe shoulde die for his sinnes gaue himselfe to fasting and praier and neuer ate while the childe was aliue 2. Sam. 12.5.17 The Niniuites vnderstanding Gods commynations and wrath for their sinnes sate in ashes put on sackcloth gaue themselues to earnest praier and absteined from all meates and drinkes vntill God shewed mercy towardes them Ion. 3.5.7 Holy queene Hester when she ioyned fasting with praier neither ate nor dranke at all vntil the end of her fast Ester 4. verse 16. Neither can it euer bee prooued by the authoritie of holy writ or by the practise of the primitiue Church or by the testimonie of the auncient fathers that Gods people did in any age at any time in any place or countrey vse either to eate or to drinke before the end of their fast whereby appeareth the absurditie of all popishe fasting which thing is most euident by the story of S. Spiridion handled in the next proposition The fourth proposition Popish choice of meates in their late inuented fastes is wicked and intollerable I say first popish choice because to put merite or religion in abstaining from one meate more then another is the peculiar badge of papistes or at least common to them with the Eucratites with the Tatians with the Catherans with the Manichies or like heretiques I prooue it because the Apostle saith plainly that all thinges are pure to the pure but the papistes and other olde heretiques tell vs that certaine meates at certaine times as in Lent in the imber dayes and Fridaies are vnpure and polluted yea so vnpure that they pollute all the eaters thereof and make them guiltie of eternal death Yet the Apostle auoucheth boldly and expresly that euery creature of God is good and that nothing ought to be refused if it bee receiued with thankesgiuing In the first verse of the same chapter he telleth vs that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and giue heede to the doctrine of diuels In the third verse he sheweth what doctrine of deuils he meaneth To wit prohibition to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receiued with giuing of thankes Out of which wordes I note first that no creature of God is impure at anie time which is appointed for the nourishment of man I note secondly that no meate ought to bee refused in Lent or at other times if it be receiued with thankesgiuing I note thirdly that prohibition from certaine meates was not in the apostles time but inuented by heretiques of latter daies I note fourthly that such prohibition is of the diuell I say secondly late inuented fastes because Spiridion who was not only a bishop but also a man so holy that he wrought myracles and was in his life time reputed a Saint did not refuse to eate flesh in the time of Lent and that in his owne house yea he did not only eate fleshe himselfe but withall he intreated a stranger that lodged with him to doe the same And when the straunger refused to eate fleshe with him saying that hee was a christian and so prohibited to eate flesh at that time S. Spiridion replied vpon him and said that the rather he ought to eat flesh because he was a christian for all thinges were pure to the pure Thus did the blessed bishop and man of God renowmed for his rare gift of working miracles Whom the pope would burne for an hereticke with fire and fagot if he were this day liuing in Rome and woulde not retract his opinion For first hee eate fleshe himselfe contrary to popish doctrine Secondly he vrged the stranger to do the same Thirdly he auouched his fact to be the part of a christian Fourthly he signified y t to make conscience in choice of meates was the badge of an infidell Which fourth obseruation I gather out of the word rather Fiftly the fact of Spiridion prooueth that to make choice of meates was deemed superstitious not onely in the Apostles time but many hundred yeares after their departure hence I say thirdly wicked and intollerable first because popishe choise of meates taketh away christian libertie and maketh christian slaues to mans traditions For to the pure all thinges are pure by the libertie of Christes gospel I am perswaded saith the Apostle that no meate is vncleane And he addeth the reason because the kingdome of God is neither meat nor drinke Wherefore we ought not to destroy the worke of God for meates sake In another place he saith that if he should please men he were not the seruant of Christ. To please men is good and godly so long as their pleasure is measured with the holy will of God but when men would spoile vs of our christian libertie then must we fight against their wicked pleasures So S. Paul expoundeth himselfe in these wordes The false brethren creâ—t in priuily to spy out our liberty which we haue in Christ Iesus y t they might bring vs into bondage And why ye are bought with a price be not the seruauntes of men Christ himself forewarned vs to beware of the hypocriticall doctrine of the Pharisies because they corrupted the pure word of God with the mixture of their owne foolish traditions Secondly because the apostle teacheth vs that nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with giuing of thankes Thirdly because no power on earth can alter the word of God Which worde telleth vs that all meates are alike lawfull Fourthly because to commaund the choice of meates for religion sake is to appoint a newe God For
and in the sixt day in the end of al the works of euerie day are ioyntly commended for very good The seauenth diuision Of mysticall whispering in the Masse THe Papistes thinke the cannon of their masse as it were prophaned if the lay people shoulde but heare one worde thereof for which respect and other mysticall consideration the priest is commanded to whisper al to himself Of this secrecie thus writeth their Durandus Instante memoria dominicae passionis silentium obseruat vsquedum alta voce dicit per omnia secula seculorum illud insinuans quod Iesus post suscitationem Lazari non palam ambulabat apud Iudaeos When the memorie of the passion draweth neere he keepeth silence vntill hee speake a loud per omnia secula seculorum giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that Iesus after he had raised vp Lazarus walked not openly among the Iewes Behold this lerned sermon consider the edification The eight diuision Of the colours of the habits vsed in the Masse THe papists vse foure speciall colours in their masse and this they doe to signifie to the people foure speciall mysteries as if it were by the way of Sermons For their chiefest preaching consisteth in odde mysticall dreaming The first color is white the second red the third blacke the fourth greene They vse white colours to signifie innocencie red colours to signifie martyrdome blacke colours to signifie sorrow and mourning greene to signifie whatsoeuer els The red they vse in the festiuities of the apostles euangelists and martyrs so to declare to y e world that they shed their bloud for Christs sake also in the feast of the crosse and of the innocents staine by K. Herod The black they vse vpon good Friday in y e Rogations and vpon al fasting daies at which time their bellies mourne for lacke of meate at the least among the simple sort The greene they vse vpon workie daies and at other times not proper to the rest The white they vse in the feasts of al cōfessors and virgins which were not martyrs in all the feasts of the blessed virgin in the feast of al saints in the chaire of S. Peter in the conuersion of Saint Paul in the feasts of our Lord throughout the Octaues and in the natiuitie of saint Iohn the baptist And why forsooth to signifie that the persons in whose memories such feasts are celebrated were free from al actuall and originall sinne This is the point of importance marke it wel That this is their doctrine Durand affirmeth it for them These are his words In natiuitate Saluatoris etiam Praecursoris quoniam vterque natus est mundus id est carens originali peccato In the natiuitie of our sauiour and also of his precursor because either of them was borne pure that is free from originall sinne This is the mysterie of Popish colours in which they are not content vainely to flourish like Robin-hood in greene but they must also blaspheme god making the creature equall with the creator For onely the sonne of God was free from sin as is proued in the chapter of mans iustification The 9. diuision Of Candelmas-day THe old Pagan-Romanes in the Calends of Februarie honoured Februa the mother of Mars whom they supposed to be the God of battaile The honour that they did exhibit was this they went vp and downe the streetes with candels and torches burning in their hands In regard hereof Pope Sergius inuented another like ethnicall superstition to wit that the christian Romaines should go in procession with burning candels in their hands and that in the day of the purification of the blessed virgin the second of Februarie By which feast and burning candels the Pope giueth vs to vnderstand that the virgin Mary was pure from sinne and stood no need of purgation Of which point I haue spoken sufficiently in the chapter of mans iustification The 10. diuision Of the Popish Agnus Dei. THe Popes of late time haue vsed euerie seauenth yeare and the first yeare that euerie one is made Pope to consecrate solemnely with prayers chrisme and manifold ceremonimonies certaine round peeces of waxe hauing the print of a Lambe and for that cause so tearmed With this kind of paltery stuffe this world is so bewitched that infinite numbers do ascribe a great part of their saluation thereunto He that hath an Agnus Dei about him beleeueth that he shalbe deliuered by sea and lande from all tempests thunder earthquakes fire haile thunderbolts sodaine death and from all euill If any man will not beleeue me let him reade a little booke printed at Colonia containing the order sodalitatis B. Mariae virginis which is euerie where to be sold in which booke he shall find much more then I haue said The 11. diuision Of the Popes Bulles POpe Adrian the first of that name caused his pardons priuiledges and grants to be sealed with lead which they called the popes bulles These bulles were vnknowen to Christs church for the space of 772. yeares after Christ and if it had beene still so till these our dayes no detriment should we haue sustained thereby Polydore will haue them to bee called bulles of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by corruption of speech The 12. diuision Of the Popish carni-uale or Shrouetide THe deuout Romaines who whip themselues in Lent for their sinnes till they seeme as pure as Christ all vse a long time before Lent to gadde vp and downe in the streetes and from house to house in visards neither can men be discerned from women nor women from men they are al so disguised by meanes whereof all iniquitie is committed as their owne deare friend Polydore hath witnessed But what skilleth it a little whipping in Lent will make condigne satisfaction for the fault Yea if the rich do hire the poore to be scourged for them the satisfaction is deemed sufficient Polydore saith that in his time they vsed this irreligious madding for the space of two moneths but of late yeares the Pope hath abbridged the time Neuerthelesse the practise is euen this day most execrable heathenish and intollerable CHAP. 12. Of Popish auricular confession COncerning auricular confession I haue spoken sufficiētly in my booke of Motiues It shal now be inough to answer to such obiections as the papists do or may frame against the same The first obiection Christ commanded to confesse our sinnes when he gaue his priests authoritie to loose them for they cannot loose any man vnlesse they first know him to be bound The answere I say first that Christ speaketh in that place not of confession but of excommunication and discipline of the church which Christ promiseth to ratifie and approue in heauen so often as his ministers shall execute the same vppon earth according to his word Which sense may be gathered out of Saint Paules discourse as well to the Corinthians as to the Thessalonians I