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
by solemne decretals although we doubt not but to make the vanitie of them appeare partly in this discourse but farre more at large hereafter finally the same admitteth most lying legends and now and then permitteth them to be read publikely in the church as for example the legends of Catherine Clement Gregory called also Thaumaturgus Peter Martyr a dominican S. Catharine of Siena S. Christopher and diuers others in the legend of S. Catherine y In breuiaer Ro. in festâ— Catharinae they write that she was a maiden of Alexandria and so well learned that at the age of eighteene yeeres she passed the most learned and in dispute ouercame fiftie Philosophers and that also she conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of the emperors to the faith they say also that she broke the tormenting wheele with her praiers that after her death her body was buried in mount Sinah by angels in the feast of S. Clement in the Romish breuiary we read that Clement Peters successor was by Traian sent into the wildernesse of z Let Parsons tell vs where this is Cersona and that there he saw a lambe make a well to sally out of the top of the mountaine and that he being cast into the sea with a millstone about his necke the sea fled three miles from the shore and that in the very same place a little chappell was found in the sea where his body was bestowed On the festiuall day of Gregory of Neocesaria the church of Rome a In breuiar Rom. appointeth his legend to be read where it is said that he caused the riuer of Lycus to keepe within the chanell by planting his staffe on the banke and that his staffe grew presently into a great tree in the rituall books of Sarum we read that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hell which if it were true why is it now crossed out of the new bookes if false how hapeneth it that the church of Rome so long beléeued that tale b I'n breuiar Rom. in fest Petr. Mart. Peter Martyr one of Dominickes order as they write I thinke beléeue did keepe his virginity both in body and minde and in that sort that he neuer felt himselfe defiled with any mortall sinne they tell vs also that he did fast so long that he could scarce open his mouth to eat They tell vs further many wonders of Saint Nicolas Valerian and Tiburtius Lucia Christopher and other saints in the c Historia Louâ—bard del volto santo italic legend of Ieames of the colepit for else I cannot tell how to English Iacobus de Voragne we read that a certaine picture of our sauiour did lift vp his foot and cast off his slipper to a certaine pilgrime that deuoutly stood before it and would haue offred somewhat having nothing to offer Of Saint Catherine of Siena they say that she was betrothed to our sauiour Christ all which points are very incredible and not to be found in any authenticall writing If then the church of Rome publish and teach these fables and lies then is she no mistresse of trueth but of lies if Robert Parsons will say they are no lies I would pray him to declare vs the trueth out of authenticall histories argument 13 The faith of Gods true church cannot be built vpon any vncertainty or vntrueth for faith is an argument certaine or an euidence of things not seene est fides saith the d Hebr. 11. apostle sperandarum rerum substantia argumentum non apparentium and it is built on Christ Iesus that is trueth and on a rocke that is unmouable neither neede we long profes for this point for the aduersaries themselues confesse this to be true Nihil saith Thomas Aquinas cadere potest sub fide nisi inquantum stat sub veritate prima sub qua nullum falsum stare potest and afterward he saith quod fidei non potest subesse aliquod falsum if then the faith of the church of Rome be grounded on falshood then is it no true faith and if that churches faith be no faith then is not that church the true church but that the faith of the church of Rome is built vpon diuers false positions it may easily be proued for first the same beleeueth that the traditions of the church of Rome are either descended from Christ or the apostles for the most part and namely such as concerne the canon and ceremonies of the masse fastes praiexs for the dead praiers to saints and such like secondly it beleeueth all the determinations of popes concerning faith and manners to be true and infallible as for example that it is necessary for euery christian to be subiect to the Pope that he hath power to depose kings to giue power to cutthrotes to kill kings to dispense with the vncle to marry his neece with the brother to marry his brothers wife and such like thirdly that church beléeueth what is contained in the breuiary and missale as for example the stories or rather legends of Saint Christopher Saint George Saint Catherine and such like finally the same must beléeue whatsoeuer the Pope shall determine to be de fide But among such traditions determinations and legendes there are diuers both false and ridiculous fables neither can it be denied but that the Pope hath determined and may also determine falsely and contrary to the faith and this is shewed in my bookes de Pontifice Rom. at large e Lib. 4. de pontif Rom. and cannot be denied unlesse Robert Parsons can prooue vnto vs that all the Popes decretales concerning matters of faith and maners and all the traditions of that church and all legendes are true which to him will be a matter of some difficulty argument 14 The church of Christ is bounded within the limits of the holy canonicall scriptures habet vrbes legis prophetarum euangelii saith Saint f In Mich. lib. 1. c. 1. Hierome and againe non est egressa de finibus suis id est de scripturis sanctis he g Ibidem c. 7. saith also that it is the property of heretickes to flie to mens commandements and the leauen of the pharisees S. h Lib. 19. de ciuit Dei c. 18. Augustine also concureth with him and saith that the city of God beleeueth the holy scriptures that are called canonicall but of other reports he saith she doubteth but the church of Rome will not be bounded within the limites of holy scriptures neither will she acknowledge the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith the same also from scriptures flieth to vnwritten traditions and is much soured with the leauen of the pharisées and mixture of Popish and Iewish ceremonies deuised and established by men finally the same doth rather or at the least as soone beleeue the determination of the Pope as the letter of holy scriptures for in the Pope Stapleton placeth the chiefe authority of the church
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
paines as if at the last iudgement all that stand on the left hand as it is written in the 25. chap. of saint Matth. shall not by the sentence of the iudge be adiudged to euerlasting fire or as if that sinne that brought condemnation vpon all should not be punished with sensible paines or as if there might be a place in hell without sensible paines or finally as if there were a middle state betwixt heauen and hell fire Saint f Lib. 1. de orig animae c. 9. Augustine certes saith there is no middle place betweene the kingdome of heauen and the place of the damned g Lib. de fide c. 3. Fulgentius likewise doeth plainely affirme that children dying without baptisme shall susteine endlesse punishments and h Lib. 8. moral c. 16. Gregory the first holdeth that such shall endure the perpetuall torments of hell argument 32 Martin ab Aspilcueta in his Enchiridion writing vpon the first precept of the law chap. 11. saith that it is mortall sinne for a lay man to dispute of matters of faith but catholikes doe not acknowledge any such matter to be mortall sinne argument 33 The papists teach that men haue grace conferred on them by their owne acts ex opere operato and that they are iustified ex opere operato by the sacraments of the new law whereupon it followeth that by the signe of the crosse in confirmation by orders matrimony and extreme vnction men receiue charitie for that is the grace they speake of and are iustified exopere operato for this doeth Bellarmine dispute lib. 2. de effectu sacrament cap. 3. and 14. and other chapters following which doctrine if they doe prooue then ex opere operato let him take the grace of the popedome if he doe not prooue he must néedes confesse that the doctrine of papists is not catholike argument 34 The Iebusites in the censure of Colein teach that the regenerat after baptisme haue no sinne and it followeth necessarily of their doctrine of iustification by the works of the law for by them a man can not be both vniust and iust at one time but the cathotike faith is otherwise S. Iohn saith that they deceiue themselues that say they haue no sinne and other scriptures signify i Prouerb 20. that no man can say his hart is cleane neither is this to be vnderstood of veniall sinnes which the papists say may be done away without repentance for S. k Lib. 2. aduers Pelagian Hierome saith that the most iust man in some things standeth in need of Gods mercy and it is apparent for that euery man transgressing the law of God which is the case of all men maketh himselfe subiect to the curse of the law and to the wrath of God argument 35 Papists teach that some sinnes are done away with holy water and without repentance and deserue not death but no catholike euer taught or thought so for the apostle teacheth vs that by Christes blood we are purged and that wée are made partakers of remission of sinnes by faith In the sixt to the Rom. he declareth that the wages of sinne is death and Galat. 3. that such as transgresse Gods law are accursed by the sentence of the law argument 36 They l Censur Colon. f. 204. teach also that this is the proper doctrine of the Gospel if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements but catholikes know that those that so teach confound law and gospel and ouerthrow the doctrine of the apostles for he m Rom. 1. teacheth that the gospel is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth their doctrine doth take from vs all hope of saluation for how can we hope to be saued by the gospel if that promise life to none but such as perfectly fulfil Gods commandements argument 37 They doe also much derogate from the gospell of Christ Iesus where they teach that the rules of Benet of Nursia Francis Dominike Ignatius Loyola and diuers other founders of monkish and frierlike orders doe shew vs the way to perfection and holde not that the gospel of Christ Iesus is sufficient of it selfe to do it true catholikes certes neuer mainteined any such fantasies nor allowed any such order which may also appeare by this that all these orders of monkes and friers haue their approbation and allowance from the popes of Rome argument 38 Of saith they speake thinke and write very basely for they holde first that faith is onely a bare assent and requireth neither firme hope nor holinesse of life to make it truely Christian secondly that not onely wicked men but also the diuels of hell may haue true faith thirdly that faith is not only grounded vpon holy canonicall scriptures but also vpon traditions and determinations of the pope which if they firmly holde and vary not then must they confesse that we are no lesse to giue credit to lousie legends and lying and erronious decretals of popes than to the eternall word of God But true catholikes haue alwaies beléeued otherwise The apostle n Rom. 1. saith that the iust shall liue by faith and the church beléeueth that o Iohn 3. whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall not perish but haue euerlasting life and p Rom. 5. that being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God further the apostle q Rom. 10. teacheth that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God but there is great difference betwixt the word of God and traditions of men betwixt the infallible trueth of Gods word and the deceiuable doctrine of popes decretals argument 39 They teach that charity is the forme of faith but catholiks haue alwaies taken this doctrine to be erronious for how can one vertue be the forme of another againe séeing matter and forme be parts in natural bodies is it not absurd to apply these words to qualities that rather resemble forme than matter thirdly if iustifying faith were alwaies formed with charitie then could not faith worke of it selfe for it is the forme from whence actions procéed and not matter but the apostle r Rom. 1. saith that the iust liue by faith and Ephes 2. that wee are saued by grace through faith hereupon ſ Lib. 2. epist 3. Cyprian saith that whosoeuer doth beleeue in God and liue by faith he is found to be iust argument 40 They t Bellar. lib. 1. de fid c. 13. attribute our first iustice to faith and other preparations as for example feare hope loue repentance a purpose of new life and such like but the principall forme and beauty of our iustice they place in charitie and works of the law and that they call our second iustice but true catholikes doe otherwise thinke and speake of iustice The u 1. Cor. 1. apostle saith that our Sauiour Christ is made iustification vnto vs and x Rom. 3. Gal. 2. 3. that we are not iustified by the workes of
act of the conuenticle of Trent and so receiued of as many as liked that conuenticle So I may say likewise that the paradoxe of the Romish church concerning the subsistence of accidents in the sacrament without subiect was prated of and debated in schooles before the conuenticle of Constance but yet I may say also that it was not receiued generally nor by solemne act confirmed before the coÌ„uenticle of Constance where Pope Iohn the 23. was deposed for Sodomitrie Atheisme and other grieuous and enormous crimâ—s in the actes of that assembly recorded Secondly he would gladly finde some contradiction in my wordes for that pag. 21. I say as he setteth it downe that the opinion of Luther concerning the real presence concerneth not any fundamentall point of faith and yet pag. 54. of my Challenge affirme that the Papists holding transubstantiation doe bring in Eutychianisme teaching that Christs body is in the sacrament without visible shape or true dimension or circumscription which as Leo teacheth serm 6. de ieiunio 7. mensis is flat Eutychianisme But he striueth in vaine to force contradiction out of these wordes for papists may wel be Eutychianists and yet not Luther as I beléeue they teaching that the substance of bread is abolished in the sacrament of which followeth Eutyches his errour and Luther holding the contrarie For if the bread be abolished and the sacrament is like to the person of Christ consisting of two natures then it followeth that as bread remaineth not in the sacrament after consecration so Christs humanitie is abolished after the vnion of the two natures which is flatte Eutychianisme Further he was a simple fellow to leaue a charge of Eutychianisme vpon the Papists vpon a smal hope of taking me in contradiction Indéede I confesse he denyeth it in termes and saith that Christs body in the sacrament is not without shape and true dimensions He should also haue said circumscription if he would haue auoided the note of Eutychianisme but if that be so he dischargeth me of contradiction But in the meane while he sheweth himselfe to be ignorant of the state of his owne cause and very impudent to say that Christ his body hath all his true dimensions and shape in the sacrament which at large is disprooued in my treatise de missa against Bellar. Finally going about to take me in contradiction like a falsarie hee doth alter my wordes and peruert my meaning For I say onely Reply pag. 21. that Luthers and Caluins priuat opinions concerning either princes soueraigne authoritie or the real presence concerne not fundamentall points of faith And my reason is first for that our faith is not built on priuat mens opinions as the faith of the papists that are bound to beléeue all the determinations of euery Pope that doe concerne the faith And secondly for that Luthers opinion is not hereticall in it selfe and as it may be expounded but by inference of such conclusions as follow of it His thirde supposed contradiction is forced out of my wordes where I say that the Fathers make against Bellarmine and yet séeme to make Gelasius and Gregorie Papists that liued aboue a thousand yeares agone But herein is neither contradiction nor repugnance For first it will not be proued that either Gregorie or Gelasius maketh for Bellarmine in their authenticall writings Secondly these two are not for antiquity or learning to be compared to Hierome or Augustine or the Fathers that liued in their time and before Finally albeit the dialogues that go vnder the name of Gregorie or the decrée of Gelasius C. sancta dist 15. did sauour of the pumpe of Poperie and fopperie yet that maketh nothing for the papists For it shall neuer be proued that Gregorie did write so foppish fables and lies as are contained in his dialogues nor that Gelasius did indéede set downe all that decree that is reported C. sancta dist 15. especially that of lying and fabulous legends Neither if in any one point or ceremony Gregorie or Gelasius doth differ from vs is he therefore to be reputed to speake wholy for the papists But saith Owlyglasse we may as truely inferre that seeing the protestants doe with great applause admit the actes of their holy Martyres written by M. Foxe they receiue fabulous martyrologies and lying legends as it is inferred that Papists receiue fabulous martyrologies and lying legends but the case is so vnlike as Owlyglasse though a ridiculous fellow is vnlike to Gelasius for neither doe we reade our martyrologies in churches as the papists doe their legends nor doe we beléeue them as grounds of faith as the papists doe their legendicall traditions nor doth M. Foxe report any such abominable and ridiculous fables as are contained in the Romish legends But all this notwithstanding if Owlyglasse will impudently still compare our martyrologies with the lying legends let him shew if he can where M. Foxe telleth tales of men walking without heads talking without tongues passing the sea without shippes going inuisible restoring of birdes to life of a cowe bellowing being boyling in a cauldron of remoouing mountaines and such like as are in the legends very common and must be beléeued as ecclesiastical traditions His fourth obseruation is that it were a point of some cunning to guesse by my writings of what religion I am But it is a point of small cunning to guesse that Owlyglasse is a man of no religion making no conscience to snatch at any thing that may serue his turne though neuer so false to lie to falsifie to rayle at all that are not of his damned humor If any religion he haue it is some reliques of poperie which he notwithstanding is neither well able to vnderstand nor any way to defend A religion if we may call faction a religion most fond foppish absurd vaine superstitious false and impious as partly in this treatise is declared and shall God willing more at large be declared other-where As for my selfe I doe him to wit that I am a Christian and a true Catholike beleeuing the Apostolike faith and professing the same as it is set downe in the Apostles créede in the confessions of faith published in the foure first generall councels and in the créede of Athanasius I doe also beléeue whatsoeuer is expressed in holy canonicall scriptures or may be deduced out of them and I doe detest all popish superstition blasphemy hereticall abhominations and all other heresies and this Owlyglasse might well haue vnderstood by all the course of my writings if he had read them or would or could vnderstand them But saith Owlyglasse Page 110. on the one side reason there is to thinke him a conformable protestant c. Afterward he talketh his pleasure of new Geneua Iigs and of harmony puritanicall Which course of rayling if he doe continue there is good hope that to accorde with this Iigge he may ere it be long sing a base de profundis at Tiburne To the matter I answere that in England albeit
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
testimony of Iustine Martyr apolog 2. of Dionyfius ecclesiast hierarch c. 3. of Origen lib. 8. contra Celsum of Hierome in epitaph Paulae ad Eustochium and in his 17. epistle to Marcella of Ambrose de sacramentis and Cyrill catech 5. and others doth declare but the Romish church will haue no other tongue vsed in the common liturgy of the westerne church and publike administration of the sacraments but the latin of which the vulgar people scarce vnderstand one word argument 48 The true church of Christ contenteth herselfe with the religion first taught by Christ his apostles for vpon the fouÌ„dation of their doctrine is the church built and as b Lib. 4. contra Marciâ—n Tertullian saith id verius quod prius id prius quod ab apostolis contrariwise c Aduershares c. 26. Vincentius Litinensis saith that is a tricke of heretikes not to content themselues with the ancient rule of faith but to seeke nouelties from day to day and to desire to adde to change to take away but the church of Rome first denieth the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith secondly the same is departed from the doctrine of the apostles thirdly the same is bound to beléeue all determinations and decretales of popes concerning matters of faith finally that church hath added and changed the ancient faith argument 49 True christians neuer kissed the popes toe nor admitted his outragious dispensations or gréeuous lawes nor were tied to beléeue that the popes iudgement in matters of faith was vnfallible but the Romish church thinketh it a great fauour to kisse his pantofle and séeketh for dispensations at his hands and beareth all his burdensome lawes albeit not with out great grudging as may appeare by Peter de Alliaco his treatise de reformatione ecclesiae by Vllerstones petitions proposed in the councell of Constance and diuers complaints both of English French and Dutch finally if they doe not yéeld his iudgement to be infallible then must they confesse that the church of Rome is built rather on sand than on a rocke argument 50 The church of Christ neuer beléeued that the bishop of Rome could depose princes take their crownes from them or that they could dispense with subiects for their othes of allegeance to their liege princes nay the apostles teach obedience to princes and Peter did rather exhort to obedience then rebellion the canons that goe vnder the names of the d Can. 83. apostles doe seuerely punish such as doe speake reprochfully of princes and magistrates and certes most vnlike it was that euer king or prince would haue embraced christian religion if the same had giuen power to bishops to depose them from their regall throne and to subiects to rebell against their liege soueraignes but papists doe beléeue and e Bellar. lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. 7. 8. teach that the pope hath power to depose kings and to translate kingdomes from one to another they also do beléeue that he hath power to dispense with the othes of subiects to command them to rebel Howsoeuer the rest beléeue pope f In Bulla contra Elizabetham Pius the fift most wickedly commanded her Maiesties subiects to take armes against her vpon paine of excommunication and the like insolency did g In declarat eiusdem bullae Sixtus quintus vse against her being the Lords annointed and he being the greased and marked slaue of satan both he and Pius quintus doe wickedly raile against her and the like course did that flagitious pope h In bulla contr Henric. 8. Paule the third take against her Maiesties noble father and this is now the popes and their agents most common practise to raise sedition against christian princes and when they cannot otherwise doe hurt like helhounds to barke against them and to publish infamous libels tending to their dishonour and disgrace argument 51 The true church of Christ is also catholike and compriseth all the faithfull of all times and is not limited within any one countrey or nation for our Sauiour Christ commanded his apostles to teach all nations and in our créed we beléeue the catholike church now this catholike church as saint i In psal 56. Augustine saith is spred throughout all the world and conteineth not onely those that are present but those also that are past and are yet to come but the Romish church is not catholike neither doeth it conteine the Greekes or Africanes or men of Asia that for many ages past haue shaken off the yoke of antichrist of Rome further it doeth not reach to the people of God before Christ finally k Lib. de ecclesia milit c. 2. Bellarmine doeth define those onely to be of the church which liue vnder the obedience of the pope this church therefore differeth much from the catholike church argument 52 The true church consisteth not of fierce lyons nor of wolues nor tygers nor such like wilde and fierce beastes but of sheepe and lambes which learne of Christ and are méeke humble and gentle these did Christ commit to Peter and all godly pastors his successors to be fed and these are the members of his church and not those cruell ones that are more like to lyons then shéepe they shall not hurt nor kill saith God by his holy l Isai 11. prophet in all my holy mountaine nay the force of Christes religion is such that it maketh sauage and fierce people to become méeke and gentle the wolfe saith the m ibidem prophet shall dwell with the lambe and the pard shall lie with the kidde quis coegit barbaros gentesque alias in suis sedibus saith n Lib. de incarnat verb. Athanasius immanitatem deponere pacifica meditari nisi christi fides crucis signaculum Optatus in his second booke against Parmenian speaking of catholickes to heretickes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man can you shew or proue that any of you hath bene persecuted by vs But the Romish church doth consist of lyons tygers wolues and inquisitors popes and friers more fierce and cruell then lyons tygers and wolues their o Extr. de haereticis per tot lawes are most cruell their executions notwithstanding passe both law and reason In the time of Charles the emperor the fift of that name it is recorded p Meteran de Belgit tumult that aboue fifty thousand persons were condemned by sentences of inquisitors and iudges and executed to death in the low countries for the profession of their faith In France as the stories of that country declare thréescore thousand christians without all order of law and contrary to solemne othes giuen them by the king for their security were most shamefully and trecherously murdered and massacred for the profession of their relion at the kings sisters mariage Circiter sexaginta hominum millia saith q Hist Nat. com lib. 23. p. 508. Natalis Comes speaking
alter his iudgement according to the iudgement of the church we sée also that the popes are still publishing decretales of faith and that one destroieth that which another buildeth and contrariwise 4. it were plaine impudency to affirme that the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning frée will and works sacraments and the popes authority and such like points was alwaies taught and receiued of all nations and in all places and that shall appeare by diuers perticulars where wée declare that the papists are no catholickes 5. that church hath no certaine nor continuall succession of bishops for neither doe the aduersaries know who succeded Peter nor what bishops from time to time succeded one another nor haue the popes bene true bishops a long time wanting due election and ordination and relinquishing vtterly the office of bishops to rule the temporall state of Rome nor can they deny but that the succession of that sée hath bene often interrupted by long vacations distraction by schisme intrusion of Dame Ioane into the popedome 6 we shall easily proue that the doctrine of that church agréeth not with the apostles doctrine for I doe not thinke that Bellar. can shew the decretales to consent with Paules epistles or to haue bene written with the same spirit 7. the papists haue not onely ouerthrowne Christs propheticall office in teaching new doctrine but also his regall and priestly function appointing a new gouernment neuer established by him and erecting a new priesthood and sacrifice contrary to Christes doctrine furthermore that church not onely hath bene oftentimes distracted by schisme but also is much distracted by contrary opinions of schoolemen monks and friers in euery point of doctrine as to goe no further appeareth both by Dionysus Carthusianus vpon the master of sentences Iosephus Angles his Flores doctorum and Bellarmines disputations wherein he alledgeth in euery point diuers opinions 8. their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy standing more on temporall iurisdiction then pointes of faith and establishing the blasphemies of the masse the idolatrous worship of saints departed and of images and the tyranny of the pope 9. the same doctrine is without effect being vpholden with lies fables fraud fire and sword and not being otherwise able to stand 10. Gregory the 9. was a most wicked ambitious man of Boniface the 8. it is said that he sought rather to rule by force then religion Clement the 5. was a notorious adulterer as f Villani Vrsperg stories write Iohn the 22. was an hereticke an ambitious man yet were these the principall authors of Romish doctrine for as for friers and monkes they might prate their pleasure but the chiefe authority to allow or disallow was in the pope 11. the reportes of Romish miracles and prophecies are nothing but lies and fables and stand onely vpon the report of their legendes 12. Bellarmine shall neuer prooue that any of vs haue confessed the doctrine of popery to be true finally it appeareth that the popes of Rome and their agents in most of their attempts haue had no good successe Charles the fift and his sonne Philip the greatest protectors of the popish cause died discontent to say no more Henry the third the principall agent in the massacre of France was killed by a frier The duke of Guise and other massacrers came to violent ends contrariwise it hath pleased God to maintaine true Christians against all the forces and ambuscadaes of their enimies by small meanes if then Bellarmine say true the Romish church will prooue no true church argument 68 The church of Rome is also conuinced not to be the true church by the confession of g Relect. doct princip contron 1. q. 5. Stapleton for if the true church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed ouer the whole earth and hath continued in all ages and hath a true and certeine succession continued from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and hath planted christian religion and preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intiere and also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound pure from corruption and finally holdeth the decrees of general councels as blundring h Princip doctrinal relectis Stapleton not onely confesseth but after his rude and most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to prooue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of Christ Iesus for to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirme that Rome now is like to old Rome Robert Parsous should do vs a speciall fauour to shew vnto vs that the glory and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth with his glorious cardinals masse priests mitred prelats idle monks lying friers and all the popes doctrine concerning the law faith sacraments ceremonies and other matters came from Hierusalem he may do well also to prooue that the latter scholastical decretaline doctrine which the church of Rome mainteineth was vniuersally receiued throughout the world nay that it was receiued in any part of the world during the apostles times or the times of the ancient fathers of the church as for the rocke of succession of popes vpon which our aduersaries build so large conclusions i Lib. de pontif Rom. de notis ecclesiae we haue shewed it to be nothing but a banke of sand for neuer shall the popes agents be able to shew the same to haue beene certeine or continued without interruptiō it is also apparent that popish doctrine is not onely diuers from Christs doctrine but also contrarie to the same and that there are infinit contradictions and contrarieties in the opinions of the chiefe patrons of popery albeit all dissent from Christ the head of the church the church of Rome hath also béene torne in pieces by diuers schismes further we shall héereafter shew that the later popes haue not planted but rather rooted out Christian religion out of diuers places and in the rest haue corrupted it with diuers nouelties and heresies finally the church of Rome hath not onely abrogated ancient canons and changed the ancient forme of church gouernment but also corrupted the rule of faith by adding of vnwritten traditions determinations of popes and their fancies to the canonicall scriptures the gates of hell therefore preuailing against the church and popes of Rome it is easily to be inferred that the same is not the true church argument 69 Héere we will also adde the testimony of Bristow a man as the aduersaries imagine well séene in motiues and markes of the church He k Bristowes motiues commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties heresies and
eat all swéet meates and dainties on their fasting daies fourthly we find not that in the ancient church men were commanded to come to auricular confession once euery yéere at the least for that was first decréed by Innocent the third as appeareth by the chapter omnis vtriusque de poenit remiss finally the ancient church did not forbid Christians to solemnize marriages as of late time the Romish church hath done in regard of holinesse of times and for that maried men cannot so well serue God as those that forsweare them such humane doctrines therefore our Sauiour Christ condemneth and such voluntary worships the holy apostle misliketh neither can such additions of humane precepts binding mens conscience stande either with the liberty of Christians or perfection of gods law argument 38 The doctrine of purgatory for satisfaction to be made for temporall punishments due for mortall sinnes which the papists doe holde was not knowne in ancient time Augustine maketh a question whether any purgatory is after this life and Gregory the dialogist séemeth to grant that small sinnes are purged after this life but that men doe satisfie for temporall punishments in purgatory neither of them doeth once affirme neither was any such thing knowen or taught before the conuenticles of Florence and Trent the first founders of this deuice in the church argument 39 The solemnity of the yeare of Iubiley amongst Christians was first ordeined by Boniface the 8. and afterward altered by Clement the 5. and last of all brought to 25. yeares by Paule the second but not borrowed from Christians but either from the heathen that euery hundred yéeres had solemne plaies called Iudos seculares to which these plaies and pageants of Romish indulgences may well be resembled or from the Iewes that euery fifty yeares celebrated a Iubiley and now agréeing neither with Iewes Gentiles nor ancient Christians the popes also when they please grant extraordinarie Iubileies and as great pardons as are granted the very yeare of Iubiley argument 41 That the popes indulgences depend vpon late lawes and authority without proofe out of scriptures or fathers it appeareth by the defences made by the principall patrons of indulgences those also that are not altogether past shame confesse so much ſ Art 18. aduers assert Luther Fisher sometime bishop of Rochester saith that before purgatory was feared no man sought for indulgences he confesseth also that in the beginning of the church there was no vse of them quamdiu saith he nulla fuerat de purgatorio cura nemo quaesiuit indulgentias and againe in initio nascentis ecclesiae nullus fuerat earum vsus as for indulgences for not onely hundreds but also thousands of yeares neither Bellarmine nor Parsons can alledge either good proofe or ancient precedent argument 42 The taxe of the popes chancery for the dispatch of pardons for murders parricides rapes adulteries incestes sodomitry yea apostacy and Iewish and Turkish blasphemies I doe not thinke that the most shamelesse Iebusite in the whole order will auow to be ancient argument 43 Scholasticall diuinitie which is nothing else but a mixture of fathers authorities philosophicall subtilties and popes decretals began but from Peter Lombard some eleuen hundred and odde yéeres after Christ how then can the Romish faith that relieth wholly vpon this diuinity be accounted ancient argument 44 t Lib. 1. de verb. dei c. 3. Bellarmine saith that the new testament is nothing els but the loue of God shed into our hearts by the holy Ghost which argueth that the Gospell and new Testament of papists is a new Gospell differing much from that of Christ Iesus for Christs Testament was established in his blood and is a couenant concerning remission of sinnes most especially but charity is wrought by the holy Ghost in those that are alreadie reconciled by the blood of the new Testament Chrysostome Theodoret and others writing vpon the second epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3. say that the spirit quickning is the grace of God that remitteth our sinnes and that charity is not the new testament it is most euident for that then Christ had died in vaine and then we might haue had the new testament established by the law that requireth charity and not by the testament in Christ his blood which is a declaration of Christ his satisfaction and remission of sinnes argument 45 The same u Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 12. man teacheth vs that it is a matter of faith to beleeue that the pope hath succeeded Peter in the gouernment of the vniuersall church but this is new and neuer heard of in the ancient church of Christ is it not then a new Christian faith which these new vpstart Iebusites defend argument 46 That there are iust seuen sacraments and neither more nor lesse albeit the same was talked of in the instruction of the Armenians in the conuenticle of Florence yet it séemeth to bée first established by the conspirators of x Sess 7. Trent for neither can Bellarmine nor any of that faction shew any authenticall law of greater antiquitie for the ioint and iust number of sacraments then the authoritie of the instruction of the Armenians deliuered in the name of the councell of Florence and the conuenticle of Trent is it not then a new religion that hath so new sacraments argument 47 The papists also teach vs that the sacraments conteine grace and doe iustifie those that are partakers of them but since the world began it was neuer heard of till of late idle monkes and friers began to resolue it that Christians were iustified by orders confirmation matrimony and extreme vnction let Bellarmine or any papist if he can prooue that men are iustified by these sacraments if he cannot then can it not be denied but as the papists deuise new meanes of iustification so they deuise vs a new religion argument 48 That the formes of confirmation and extreme vnction are new it appeareth by the decrées of the Trent councell and instruction of the Armenians fathered on the councell of Florence if any deny this he must shew where these words signo te signo crucis confirmo te chrismate salutis were receiued by any authority before and where the words and greasings of diuers parts of the body vsed in extreame vnction were established by the church Wherein to auoid cauilles I would haue Robert Parsons and his seditious brood of rebelles to marke that I deny not but that idle schoolemen might prate of such matters before but I say the same was not before those times confirmed by law nor generally receiued would he please to try his strength in demonstrating the contrary he should soone be forced to confesse that I say true argument 49 That spirituall gossips may not intermary and that such mariages being once contracted should be of no force is also a new doctrine flowing from the stinking sinke of popery argument 50 It is also new doctrine that man and wife
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
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
words forcing him to speake for praiers to angels which true S. Ambrose as may appeare by my answeres to his exceptions condemned falsification 12 Pag. 36. he produceth Hierome as a witnesse for prayers to saints and alledgeth his booke against Vigilantius for that purpose but vnlesse he falsifie S. Hieromes words he shall not find any thing in him that maketh for his aduantage falsification 13 Pag. 53. 54. he falsly alledgeth the 4. councell of Toledo c 1. Ignatius his epistle ad Trallianos Cyrilles cateches 4. Epiphanius haeres 46. Hierome vpon the 4. to the Ephes Gregories Morals lib. 13. c. 20. and all to prooue Limbus patrum which the papists fancy to be in hell and a receptacle of the fathers before Christ His falshood may appeare for that not one of these testimonies maketh for Limbus patrum and that if he will not beléeue me Bellarmine will teach him lib. de anima Christi c. 14. where he shall not once finde his Limbus patrum mentioned in any father falsification 14 Pag. 62. he doth falsly ascribe the defence of womens baptisme to Master Hooker of blessed memorie whosoeuer listeth to reade Master Hookers fift booke of Ecclesiast policie sect 62. shall finde that he condemneth women that presume to baptize children albeit he do not pronounce the baptisme by them administred to be of no validitie falsification 15 Pag. 80. 81. he alledgeth S. Augustine ser 243. de tempore and the councell of Neocaesarea c. 7. to prooue that the custome of not blessing second mariages is no new deuice but a practise of the primitiue church and yet neither doth the canon alledged nor the author of that sermon speake one word of blessing of second mariages Furthermore neither this sermon that he alledgeth séemeth to be S. Augustines nor are the acts of the councell of Neocaesarea authenticall Finally if this simple fellow had alledged more places more he would haue alledged falsely being not able to alledge any thing almost truely If then the Archpriest Blackewell doe happen to méet with this owle of Canke wood he may doe well to admonish him not to abuse the testimonies which he alledgeth and his readers patience which he trieth to the vttermost with such notable falsities he himselfe confesseth that it is a flagitious matter to poule and pare the sentences of venerable antiquitie There resteth therefore nothing but séeing he hath confessed his fault that the Archpriest set him to penance and afterward cause him if he haue a good voice to sing masse séeing he can say no better CHAP. XII A Note of diuers vntrueths told by Owlyglasse in his pamphlet wherein he pretendeth to charge others with vntrueths IT is a shame for any man to lie but for him that taketh vpon him to charge others with lying euery foot to lie is not only a great shame but also an argument that he is past shame let him therefore the next time looke better to himselfe and desist to raile face and slander vnlesse he stood himselfe vpon better ground and did vse more trueth in his dealing falsification 1 In his preface he saith that popish religion was planted here by Gregory the great but he telleth a great vntrueth for neither was Gregory euer here in this Island nor did either he or his agents mainteine that doctrine that is published by the conuenticle of Trent or those points which I haue declared neither to be ancient nor generally holden falsification 2 He doubteth not also to affirme that Gregory receiued that religion which now the papists professe from Peter Let him therefore shew that all those points of doctrine against which I except in my challenge were receiued from Peter or els he must receiue answere that speaking of religion he speaketh without religion reason or conscience falsification 3 He chargeth me and M. Willet with assaulting the impregnable fort of Gods church and battering that rocke against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile but if he meane the true church then doth he make a lie of vs. if he meane the present Romish congregation adhering to the pope he maketh a lie of the pope his church for we haue by many arguments declared that the Romanists and their adherents are not the true church We haue also shewed that the gates of hell haue preuailed against them and that declining from the apostolike faith they are fallen into many foule heresies falsification 4 Further speaking of his consorts he saith they repaire to the continuall tradition and practise of the church and that we reiect the same but he lieth both in the one and the other for neither doe the Romanists regard the generall practise of the apostolike church for many hundred yéeres after Christ nor doe we desire any thing more than that late customes and traditions reiected we may returne to the sound forme of apostolike faith and gouernment falsification 5 He saith they haue recourse to the consent of the ancient learned fathers and that we reiect them but the first is proued a lie by Bellarmine and other popish proctors who most lightly reiect the fathers when they make against them the second is reproued by our confessions wherein we shew that we desire nothing more than that all latter decretals called we may returne to the ancient fathers faith falsification 6 He telleth vs further that papists appeale to generall councels and that we will not admit them but after his fashion hée hudleth vp lies by couples for neither doe they admit any councels but such as pleaseth them nor do we refuse to admit any article of faith established by ancient and lawfull generall councels falsification 7 He would make men beléeue that popish religion is most seuere and yet the world knoweth that in all places papists mainteine open stewes and in Rome and diuers great cities suffer Iewes and Turks to dwell quietly Further the pope doeth set to sale all sinnes and euery polshorne paltry fellow thinketh he can giue absolution to sinners which bringeth the keyes of the church into contempt Finally no sect euer liued more loosely or leudly These things therefore vnlesse they be better answered do sufficiently conuince him of lying and his consorts of loose liuing and popish religion of lightnesse falsification 8 In the same lying preface he saith that protestants doctrine looseth the raines to all liberty that vnbrideled sensualitie will neuer put vp petition for any greater and by protestants he vnderstandeth true Christians that abhorre the abominations of Babel but if he had not giuen the raines to his vnbrideled tongue to speake all villany of honest men he would not haue vttered and if he had not béene a brutish beast that vseth not to be rained he would not haue written such impudent lies Let him therefore set downe our doctrine wherein wée seeme to let loose our sensuall affections and let him if he can shew any man of our side that alloweth publike stewes as the Iesuite
and last resolution for matters of faith argument 15 The Church of Christ neuer burned the scriptures no albeit there were errors in the Gréeke translation of Theodosion and Symachus and the seuentie interpreters and in all the Latin translations the vulgar and olde edition not excepted z yet did the true church neuer burne the scriptures for that was practised by Dioclesian and other persecuters of the church and by heathen men rather than by any that carried the name of Christians but the church of Rome hath caused Gods holy word to be burnt vnder pretence of false translations which notwithstanding she was neuer able to prooue to be false she doth therefore plainly declare her selfe to be the synagogue of Satan and not of Christ argument 16 The true Church did neuer prohibit the scriptures to be publikely read in such tongues as the people of God were able to vnderstand nor did she euer condemne them and burne them for hereticks that read them in vulgar tongues for our sauior commanded his apostles to teach all nations and no question but it was lawfull to teach them as well by writing as by word In Psal 86. S. Hierome saith that scriptures do not only belong to priests but also to the people Non scripserunt saith he speaking of the holy apostles paucis sed vniuerso populo and our sauiour where he commanded his auditours to search the scriptures meant that it should be lawfull for all to read them finally what is more vnreasonable séeing the scriptures conteine Gods holy lawes and his eternall testament than that the lawes of God should not be red in a knowen tongue and that it should not be lawfull for children to vnderstand their heauenly fathers testament and last will but the Romish congregation prohibiteth the scriptures to be publikely read in vulgar tongues and i Index libr. prohib à Pio 9. prohibiteth all translations but such as themselues set forth which are most wicked peruerse The bloody inquisitors haue also burned diuers poore people for reading scriptures in English as appeareth by the Registers of Lincolne and London in king Henry the eighth his daies Finally Nauarrus a braue Romish doctor teacheth that it is mortall sinne for a lay man to dispute of religion Laicus disputans de fide saith k In primum praecept c. 11. Nauarrus peccat mortaliter argument 17 Our sauior Christ l Iohn 4. teacheth vs that all true worshippers do worship God in spirit and trueth Venit hora nunc est saith our sauior quando veri adoratores adorabant patrem in spiritu veritate And God by his prophet m Isay 29. Matth. 15. Isay doth condemne his people that honored him with their lips their hearts being farre from him The apostle also Coloss 2. would not haue Christians condemned in respect of meat drinke and holy daies and reprooueth those that make decrées concerning touching and tasting and such like ceremonies he doth also vtterly n 1. Cor. 14. condemne praiers in a strange language and not vnderstood of those that vse them but the worship of God which the papists vse and most commend doth wholly consist in externall ceremonies as knocking lifting vp of the Sacrament censing lights and such like they also rather honor God with their lips then their hearts not vnderstanding what they say thinking that to gaze on the masse is to serue God finally they haue many decrées concerning meats drinks saints daies and also concerning touching and tasting and such like is it not then apparent that they are no true worshippers argument 18 The Church of o Exod. 20. Christ doth worship but one God according to this commandement Thou shalt haue no other gods but me and according to the words of p Matth. 4. Christ Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue but the papists worship the images of God as God himselfe and giue as much honor to the image as to the originall Cum Christus saith q P. 3. q. 25. art 3. Thomas Aquinas adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quod eius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda Séeing as Christ is honored with diuine worship saith he it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with diuine worship and friers in their sermons speaking to the crucifix are wont to say to it Thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father which r Bellar. de cult imag lib. 2. c. 23. Bellarmine himselfe can not deny he confesseth also that images may be worshipped with that honor that is due to the originall Admitti potest imagines posse col◠improprie vel per accidens eodem genere cultus quo exemplum ipsum colitur they also worship the Sacrament with diuine worship and fall downe before it but neither are images gods nor is the Sacrament God Finally they confesse that the worship of seruice or doulia is due to saints and this they wil not deny how then can they shew that they worship and serue one true God argument 19 The catholike church only saith ſ Instit 4. c. vlt. Lactantius doth reteine the true worship of God neither can any society be termed Gods church which reteineth not Gods true worship but the papists doe not reteine Gods true worship for first they worship God according to the doctrines and commandements of men which our Sauiour t Matth. 15. Christ condemneth secondly they giue diuine honor to creatures as we shewed in our last argument thirdly their worship consisteth principally in the sacrifice of the masse which is nothing els but a masse of many superstitions impieties and blasphemies as I haue shewed particularly and largely in my treatise of the masse against Bellarmine argument 20 The true church of Christ beléeueth that Iesus Christ is perfect God and perfect man and that Christ Iesus is ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his father for these two points are articles of our faith the first being in termes conteined in the créed of Athanasius the second being expressed in the apostles créed but the papists attributing to Christ in the sacrament such a body as is neither visible nor palpable and can neither sée nor féele nor helpe himselfe nor others being oftentimes deuoured by mise and other brute beasts cannot shew how these qualities can be in a perfect man neither can they shew that a perfect man is both in heauen and in earth and in many places at once or that the flesh of Christ can be properly in heauen and earth and not onely beléeued but also apprehended with mens hands and téeth u Cōtr. Eutyth lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith that the flesh that is in heauen is not in earth Fulgentius writing to Thrasimundus saith that the bodie of Christ hath the properties of a true body x De resur carn Tertullian teacheth vs that the body of Christ
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
grant that any is saued iumbling catholike and Romane together as appeareth by the confession of the Iebusites of Burdeaux by Canisius Catechisme translated into Spanish by Hierome Campos Bristowes 12. motiue in the margent the cardinall of Cusa epist 5. ad Bohemos Cochlaeus hist Hussit lib. 11. argument 15 The papists also to fit their new fantasies haue coined a new definition of the church h De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine defineth the church to be a company of men conioined in one profession of faith and communion of sacraments vnder the gouernment of lawful pastors and especially of the bishop of Rome which definition is neither to be shewed in any authenticall writer nor prooued by any good argument for neither is it sufficient to professe the faith outwardly and to communicate in sacraments and to liue in subiection vnder lawfull pastors to make a man a true member of the catholike church nor can it be shewed that all christians haue euer liued in subiection of Romish bishops not that for that most wicked persons and atheists and heretikes may make an externall profession of their faith and receiue the sacraments as did Iudas and liue in outward subiection to their pastors which notwithstanding the ancient fathers doe not acknowledge to be true members of the church not this for the Easterne and Africane churches in time past were neuer gouerned by the popes decretales If Robert Parsons thinke otherwise let him produce thrée or foure decretales of popes whereto these churches yéelded obedience argument 16 The ancient fathers beléeued that the catholike church is a communion of saints and a multitude of true beléeuers the first is proued by an article of our creed and so proued that it may appeare that the fathers accounted no licentious liuers true members of the church Non ideo putandi sunt mali saith S. i Lib. 2. contr lit petil c. vlt. Augustine esse in Christi corpore quod est ecclesia quia sacramentorum eius corporaliter participes sunt the second is proued for that faith is the life of Christans Ecclesia est domus Dei saith k In Psal 51. Hilary omnes euangelicae fidei sectatores likewise l Lib. 1. de sacrament Ambrose saith that the first thing that is required in a Christian is faith and both these points I haue at large prooued against m Lib. de eccles part uat sedec 6. 7. Bellarmine but the papists if any credit be to be giuen to n Lib. de eccles miâ—it c. 2. Bellarmine do hold that a man may be a part and true member of the true church albeit he haue neither faith nor charitie nor any inward vertue so that by his confession the Romish church may consist of infidels atheists sodomites and abominable persons argument 17 The ancient church was wont to reuerence the apostles canons but the late Romish church doth not much regard them as is apparent by the the 5.9 and 31. canons which are not now obserued Ex 84. apostolicis canonibus saith o Lib. 5. de sacror hom continent c. 105. Michael Medina quos Clemens Romanus pontifex eorundem apostolorum discipulus in vnum coegit vix sex aut octo Latina ecclesia nunc obseruat likewise Martin Perez de tradit part 3. c. de autorit can apost saith that many things are conteined in the apostles canons which through the corruptions of times are not fully obserued argument 18 The ancient church neuer vsed to confesse their sinnes to angels saints and to the virgine Mary neither were Christians inioined in time past to say Confiteor Deo omnipotenti beatae Mariae semper virgini beato Michaeli archangelo beato Ioanni Baptistae sanctis apostolis Petro Paulo omnibúsque sanctis as the papists say in euery masse nay in ancient p In missa Jacobi Marci Basilij Chrysostomi missals this forme is not found argument 19 Neither did the priests clerke in ancient time giue absolution to the priest as it is in the missale of Rome nor say Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus dimissis omnibus peccatis tuis perducat te ad vitam aeternam for that is nothing els but to giue the keies to boies and preferre the scholar before the master argument 20 The confession of faith also set out by q Bulla Pij 4. super forma profess fidei Pius the fourth wherein all that take degrées in schooles or take charge of soules professe that they beleeue and admit ecclesiasticall traditions and constitutions and the scriptures according to the Romish sense the seuen sacraments and the doctrine of the councell of Trent concerning originall sinne iustice of works the sacrifice of the masse transubstantiation and other points there established is new and no where to be prooued out of the ancient fathers of the church argument 21 In the rehersall of the tenne commandements the ancient fathers neuer vsed to leaue out that commandement that concerneth the making of grauen images like to God and the worshipping of them But the Romish church knowing it selfe guilty of the breach of this commandement in their litle catechismes put before the office of the blessed virgine and diuers other r Catechism de Hieronymode campos bookes doe leaue the same quite out argument 22 In ancient time Christians beléeued that all was sinne that was contrary to the commandements of God for so they collected of the words of the law that pronounced all accursed Å¿ Deut. 27. Galat. 3. that did not abide in all things t 1. Iohn 5. that are written in the booke of the law to doe them and Saint Iohn saith expresly that all vnrighteousnesse is sinne and if it were not so then were the law of God a most imperfect and vncertaine rule but the u Consur colon f. 46. papists of late time affirme that all that is repugnant to the law is not sinne and that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerate and finally that it is no sinne not to loue God withall our hart and all our soule argument 23 Ancient Christians beléeued that concupiscence euen in the regenerate is sinne for that is prohibited by the law of God that saith thou shalt not couet the apostle also doth call concupiscence in himselfe being now regenerate sinne and necessarily it must be so séeing we are by the x Deut. 6. law of God bound to loue God withall our hart all our soule all our strength Saint Hierome y In Amos 1. saith that it is sinne to thinke things that are euill and Saint z Lib. 2. contr Faust Manich. c. 27. Augustine teacheth vs that whatsoeuer is desired or coueted against the law is sinne but the late conuenticle of Trent decréeth that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne argument 24 The apostle Iames teacheth that we doe all of vs sinne and that in diuers things and Saint Iohn saith that he
that saith he hath no sinne deceiueth himselfe and that there is no trueth in him the scriptures also teach vs that euen iust men offend and fall neither may we thinke that these sinnes are trifling and veniall and without breach of charity but sometimes heauy and against the law of God but the papists teach contrary and a Censur Colon holde that the regenerate doe not sinne argument 25 The ancient church of Christ taught that the law was a minister of death and a schoolemaster to Christ but the b Censur Colon f. 22. papists of late teach that we are iustified by the works of the law and that charity is the formall cause of our iustification argument 26 The apostles and ancient fathers taught that we are not able to fulfill the law perfectly in this life no flesh saith the c Galat. 2. apostle is iustified by the workes of the law Saint d Aduers Pelag lib. 1. Hierome saith we are then iust when we confesse our sinnes Saint e De spirit litera Augustine likewise teacheth vs that we shall then performe the law of God withall our soule and withall our hart when we shal see God face to face but the papists of late do teach that we are able to performe the whole law of God perfectly and not that only but also that we are able to do works of supererogation and more then is commanded in the law argument 27 In olde time Christians neuer could beléeue that iustice consisted in the obseruance of holydaies and abstinence from flesh and such like ceremonies but that is a principall point of popery now to beléeue that men are no lesse iustified by obseruance of the popes commandements then of the law of God and to Gods law the papists adioine the precepts of the Romish church argument 28 Papists also accoumpt it mortall sinne to beléeue or doe against the popes lawes as appeareth by the enchiridion of Nauarrus throughout but he that should goe about to proue that doctrine to be receiued by the ancient fathers should be much puzzeled argument 29 Ancient catholicks beléeued that originall sinne passed ouer all and f Rom. 5. that through the offence of one all men were subiect to condemnation but the papists g Decret Sixti 4. sess 5. concil Trid. exempt the virgine Mary from this sinne and commonly teach that Hieremy and Saint Iohn Baptist were sanctified from this sinne in their mothers wombe and by consequent not borne in originall sinne argument 30 Saint g Lib. 1. de Orig. animae c. 9. Augustine saith there is no middle place betwixt the kingdome of heauen and damnation h Lib. de fide c. 3. Fulgentius likewise doth plainly affirme that children dying without baptisme shall susteine endlesse punishments i Lib. 8. c. 16. Gregory in his Morals also saith they shall endure perpetuall torments of hel but the papists make places in the midde-way betwixt the place of ioy and place of paine and will not grant that such children shall endure sensible paines argument 31 k Bellar. de purgat lib. 1. Papists hold that Christians are able to satisfie for the temporall penalty of all sinnes but contrarie to the ancient faith of Christians who depended wholy vpon Christes satisfaction and beléeued that the blood of Christ clensed them from all sinnes and that his sacrifice onely was propitiatorie for the sinnes of the whole world argument 32 Thomas Aquinas and other papists say that veniall sinnes are done away with holy water but contrary to antiquity argument 33 The ancient fathers did not beléeue that any rule was more absolute then the Gospell or that perfection consisted in the rules of Benet of Nursia Francis Dominike Ignatius Loyola and such like fellowes rather than in the doctrine of the Gospell but the papists say that the life of monkes and friers is a state of perfection and that their rules doe teach perfection which praise they will not allow to the Gospel argument 34 The ancient Christians beléeued the doctrine of Christ Iesus who taught vs l Iohn 3. that hee that beleeueth in him should not perish and of the m Rom. 5. apostle that saith that being iustified by faith we haue peace with God but the late papists speake basely of faith making it a bare assent and teaching that the diuels and wicked men haue true faith which is not onely new but also strange for if they haue faith then are they iustified further they should beléeue remission of sinnes and eternall life which I doe not thinke that our aduersaries will grant argument 35 We doe not reade before Gregory the 7. his time that any pope tooke on him to dispence with subiects othes of allgeance or taught that it was lawfull so to do for his n Lib. 2. regest Ioseph vestan deoscul pedum pontif determination it seemeth to be quod papa à fidelitate subiectos possit absoluere but since that the popes haue taught this doctrine and Pius the fift that lousie companion not onely discharged her Maiesties subiects from their obedience but o Bulla Pij 5. contra Elizab. threatned excommunication against such as would still obey her argument 36 The apostles and ancient bishops of Rome did neuer canonize saints but now popes doe not onely canonize saints very impudently but also hire their proctors as impudently to defend it p Op. Catechist de 3. praecept c. 11. Canisius teacheth that vnder the commandement of sanctifying the Sabaoth is conteined the obseruation of holidaies and feastes of Saints and no doubt but he meaneth all the feasts of saints whom the pope hath canonized argument 37 The precepts of the Romish church as they are called are but new deuises for first if we séeke all antiquity we shall not finde where the church of Christ hath commanded vs to kéepe this popes day or that popes day this saints day or that saints day and that it is sinne to worke vpon holy daies dedicated to saint Dominike saint Francis or other such like good fellowes daies secondly Christs church neuer enioined Christians to heare popish masses and such like idolatrous seruice for how could the ancient church enioine men to heare that which of late onely was coined nay contrariwise the q Can. apost 9. 10. ancient church forbad Christians to depart from the church before they had receiued the communion which quite ouerthroweth priuate masses thirdly it is not to be prooued that the ancient church commanded Christians to fast lent by absteining from flesh and white meats after the Romish fashion or to absteine from meat the imber daies or vigiles of saints for saint r Epist 86. ad Casulanum Augustine directly affirmeth that the apostles neuer made law concerning fasting and when Christians obserued lent they were not forced either to absteine from flesh or to fast euery sunday in lent nor were permitted to drinke wine and
body was taken vp into heauen the apostle Peter also Act. 3. declareth that the heauens must conteine him vntill the time that all things be restored and this the ancient fathers which the aduersaries will not denie to haue béene good catholikes doe cléerely expresse according to his diuine nature saith i Tractat. 33. in Matth. Origen he is not absent from vs but he is absent according to the dispensation of his body which he tooke Saint k Lib. 10. in Luc. 24. Ambrose saith that we are not to seeke Christ either on the earth or in the earth or after the flesh if we meane to finde him Saint l Tractat. 50. in Ioan. Augustine saith he hath caried his body into heaueÌ„ although he hath not withdrawne his maiesty from the world m Homil. 21. in euangel Gregory the first also doeth plainely affirme that Christ is not heere on earth according to the presence of his flesh the flesh of Christ saith n Lib. 4. contr Eutych Vigilius writing against Eutyches when it was on earth surely was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certeinly it is not on earth neither did euer any catholike father teach otherwise are the papists then catholikes trow you that contrary to the catholike fathers and catholike faith teach that Christes true bodie is both in heauen and in earth and vpon euery altar at one time and doe you call them catholikes that affime that Christs true body properly may not onely be touched and receiued into mens mouthes but also deuoured of dogges and mise and other beasts that eate consecrated hostes argument 18 All true catholikes firmely beléeue that their sinnes are forgiuen them for Christes sake and that they shall obteine eternall life according to these two articles of the Créed I beleeue the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting for as the apostle saith Heb. 6. God hath promised and sworne that we should haue firme comfort and saint o 1 Iohn 5. Iohn saith these things I write vnto you that beleeue in the name of God that you may know that you haue eternall life and whosoeuer beléeueth not this as p Ibidem he testified maketh God a liar The apostle q Rom. 5. Paule saith that he that is iustified by faith hath peace with God but what peace can we haue vnlesse we beléeue that our sinnes are forgiuen and that assuredly we shall obteine eternall life the sacraments also that are deliuered to euerie Christian are seales of remission of sinnes and of the promise of eternall life for by Baptisme we put on Christ that is we are made members of his body and partakers of his merits and in the Lords supper our Sauiour teacheth vs that the cup is the new Testament in his blood and that Christs body was broken for euery one that is a woorthy receiuer this doctrine is also confirmed by the examples of Abraham and the apostle Paule of Abraham we r Rom. 4. reade that he doubted not of the promise of God and that the same was imputed to him for righteousnesse the apostle Å¿ Rom. 8. saith that he was perswaded that nothing should separate him from the loue of God and this assurance of remission of sinnes and eternall life the catholike fathers teach vs. Si iustus es fide viuis saith t Serm. 4. de mortalit Cyprian si verè in Christum credis cur non cum Christo futurus de domini pollicitatione securus amplecteris u Ibidem againe he saith that we are not to wauer or doubt for that God hath promised vs immortality Saint x Serm. 2â—… de verb. dom Augustine writing vpon these words thy sinnes are forgiuen thee saith it is faith and not pride to acknowledge what we haue receiued y Serm. 2. de annoâ—… Bernard saith that we haue no promise but by Gods fauour and that the spirit of God worketh this in vs that we beleeue remission of sinnes and this doe all true catholikes beléeue how then can the papists be catholikes that will haue men onely to hope for remission of sinnes and eternall life and that not without doubting or what are we to hope of the z Sess 6. doctors of Trent that prouounce them accursed that shall say that a man must certeinly beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him finally how shall we beléeue that those are true beléeuers that teach Christians not to beleeue remission of sinnes or eternall life but to doubt of both argument 19 All true catholikes beléeue that the faithfull presently vpon their departure out of this life are happy and enter into ioies that neuer shall haue end as the wicked and vnbeléeuers are presently to enter into euerlasting fire and begin to suffer endlesse paines these shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous shall presently possesse the kingdome of heauen prepared for them as may appeare by the sentence of our sauior Matth. 25. the a Rom. 8. apostle doth also plainly testifie that there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus the spirit of God doth likewise b Apocal. 14. pronounce them blessed that die in the Lord. and the reason is added for that they rest from their labours and this likewise is the faith of the catholicke fathers c Ecclesiast hierarch c. 7. Dionyse saith that the godly when they come to the end of their liues shall rest in Abrahams bosome and signifieth that there shall be no griefe nor sadnesse nor sighing d Quaest 75. Iustine Martyr holdeth that the soules of good men shall presently be caried into paradise both e Lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 2. Irenaeus and f Serm. de mortalit Cyprian likewise make onely two sorts of soules departed whereof the first are in blisse the second in paines and endlesse misery and that is also confirmed by the confession of our aduersaries in the canon of the masse where they pray for those that sleepe in a sleepe of peace but the papists teach that all that haue not satisfied here for temporall punishments must be plonged in the vnspeakable paines of purgatory and so after a time passe to heauen argument 20 All catholicks beléeue that Christ hath reconciled vs to his father and that he hath satisfied for our sinnes fully and perfectly the g Isay 53. prophet saith that we are healed by his stripes ipse volneratus est saith he propter iniquitates nostras attritus est propter scelera nostra disciplina pacis nostrae super eum we may therefore well accounpt them no catholicks that h Bellar. lib. 1. de purgat teach that Christians are to satisfie for the temporall punnishment of their owne sinnes either here or in purgatory the which is no where deliuered by the fathers of the church argument 21 True catholicks neuer made the image of God the father or the holy ghost nor did euer the godly
In offic beat Mariae to a woodden crosse increase in the godly righteousnesse and pardon sinners and also crux Christi protege me crux Christi defende me ab omni malo and which before the printed face which they call Volto santo pray thus Salue sancta facies impresta panniculo nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio iunge beatorum argument 62 Catholikes beléeue that their sacrifices of praise are accepted through Christ but papists beléeue that Christes bodie is accepted through the mediation of the priest and of saints the priest in the canon beséecheth God to looke fauourably vpon the body and blood of Christ Supra quae saith he propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris and in the missal of Sarum on Batildis day they pray that God would accept their sacrifice viz. of Christes body and blood through the merits of S. Batildis vt haec munera tibi Domine accepta sint say they sanctae Batildis obtineant merita quae seipsam tibi hostiam viuam sanctam bene placentem exhibuit argument 63 Catholikes beléeue that the apostles and their successours receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and power to binde and loose onely vpon earth but the papists beléeue that the pope hath receiued the keyes of the kingdome of hell and purgatory Damascen and other authors of Romish legends tell vs that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hel and euery pety pope thinketh he is abused if any tell him that he can not let out of purgatory as many as he pleaseth Commonly all papists pray for the dead that they may haue a place of rest giuen them and that their sinnes may be pardoned them as if sinnes might be forgiuen after this life argument 64 Catholikes neither worshipped saints departed nor their images nor the crosse of Christ Hierome in an epistle to Ripatius denieth that any creature is to be worshipped or adored d Lib. 22. deciuit Dei c. 10. Augustine sheweth that Christians did not worship martyrs nor erect temples in honor of them and saith that they gaue thanks and praise vnto God onely at their monuments ecclesia catholica mater Christianorum verissima saith e De morib eccles lib. 1. c. 30. he solum ipsum deum cuius adeptio vita est beatissima purissimè atque castisimè colendum praedicat nullam nobis adorandam creaturam inducens cui seruire iubeamur whereby plainly he excludeth the worship of Doulia f De obitu Theodosij Ambrose declareth that Helene finding the crosse worshipped not the crosse but Christ but the papists worship not onely the saints but dumbe images they say masses in honor of S. Francis and S. Dominicke and diuers other saints they knéele to images and burne incense vnto them finally they giue Latriam that is due by their owne confession to God only to the crosse to the crucifix and to the images of the Trinity argument 65 True catholicks neuer made the images of God the father or the holy trinity nor did thinke it lawfull to worship them with diuine worship but the papists both make such images and allow such worship to be giuen to them argument 66 True catholicks neuer had any psalter in honor of our blessed Lady nor vsed to say a hundred and 50. Auemariaes and after euery fifty Auemariaes one Creed and after euery tenne Auemaries one Pater Noster nay our sauiour expressly forbad his desciples to vse battologies and odious repetitions in their praiers But papists put great religion in our Ladies psalter and in their rosaries and often repetitions of the name of Iesu and of their Auemariaes argument 67 True catholicks neuer coniured salt nor holy water nor oile nor chrisme nor superstitiously sanctified candles crosses and images in such sort as the papists vse to doe neither did they grease stone alters or describe the Gréeke alphabet on the pauement of churches to be consecrated or abuse the scriptures as the papists doe in that act as may appeare by the formulary commonly vsed in such cases that ancient catholicks neuer vsed any such ceremonies it may appeare by the writings of the fathers and also in old rituall books for in them such formes of consecrations exorcizations and such abuses are not to be found argument 68 True g Iohn 4. catholicks worship God in spirit and trueth but the papists place most of Gods worship in externall ceremonies and vse in their worship a tong not vnderstood so that their praiers cannot procéed from the spirit nor be true nor catholicke argument 69 True catholicks neuer worshipped angels h Coloss 2. the apostle Paule doth expressly condemne the worship of them as Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius writing vpon the 2. and 3. chap. of the epistle to the Colossians do testifie the councell of Laodicea doth also prohibit the worship of Angels and Saint i De hares c. 39. Augustine numbreth the worshippers of Angels among hereticks Neither may we thinke that they were therefore condemned because they atrtibuted the creation of the world to angels but because they worshipped angels and as Chrysostome homil 7. in coloss 2. affirmeth thought we were to come to God by the mediation of angels and yet papists k Horae ad vsum sacrum pray to angels that they would protect them and driue diuils from them and open their sight they say also masses in their honor set vp lights to them make confession of their sinns to them and all this contrary to the practise of the ancient catholicke church argument 70 Our l Matth. 15. sauiour Christ teacheth that those worship God in uaine which worship him according to the doctrines and commandements of men and therefore all true catholicks haue had principall respect herein to the commandements and lawes of God but the Romish church doth wholy depend vppon the decretales of popes and vaine fancies of men their missals breuiaries offices and whole seruice procéedeth from no other fountaine argument 71 The m Psal 32. prophet declareth that they are blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinns are couered and the apostle saith that being instified by faith we haue peace with god and this is the hope of all catholicks that Christ hath reconciled vs to his father and washed away our sinnes and paid a ransome for them on the crosse but this comfort papists doe take from vs that teach and holde that after our sinnes forgiuen we are to satisfie for temporall paines due for our sinnes either here or in purgatory and that such are there to sustaine great torments in which paines and place none but mad men can place felicity argument 72 Catholicks beléeue that through faith we are made partakers of Christs satisfaction the papists beléeue that the pope can apply them by his bulles both in purgatory and in this life according to his lawes argument 73 Catholicks beléeue that no man can satisfie for his
a spiritu sancto dictatas c. pari pietatis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit ac veneratur scilicet haec synodus and afterward they pronounce alâ— cursed Lib. de verbo Dei that shall conteÌ„ne the sayd traditions Bellarmine also and the rest of his consorts teach that there is one word of God written and another vnwritten and that both are of equall authority But it is playne falsity to forge any part of a testameÌ„t Galat. 3. or to interline it or to adde to it hominis testamentuÌ„ saith the Apostle nemo spernit aut super ordinat that is no man addeth to a testament or taketh on him to superordinate or set downe more then is declared by the testators will And he signifieth that it is much more odious to adde to Gods testament and as it were with pretended nuncupatiue additions to corrupt Gods writen will and testament Qui testamentum falsum scripserit signauerit recitauerit dolo malo saith Paulus L. qui testameÌ„tum ad L. Cornel de falsis cuiusue dolo malo id factum erit legis corneliae de falsis poena damnatur Againe si quis legatum sibi ascripserit saith Africanus tenetur poena legis corneliae So if the Romish Church haue added to Gods eternall testameÌ„t any traditions vpon the credit of the church L. siquis legatum ff ad L. cornel de falsis and made them parte of Gods testament or meane to receiue benefit or as it were a legacie or authoritie by any thing therein contained the same is guilty of falsification falsification 5 Fiftly the Romish Church hath committed falshood by making the old latin translation authenticall which differeth in many poynts from the originall bookes of the old and new testament Statuit declarat saith the conuenticle of Trent speaking of it selfe vt haec ipsa vetus vulgataeditio quae longo tempore tot seculorum vsu in ipsa ecclesia probata est Sess 4. in pub licis lectionibus disputationibus praedicationibus expositionibus pro authentica habeatur Now that this translation doth differ from the originall bookes it cannot bée denyed For that by collation of both is apparent Beside that it is proued by the testimony of Isidorus Clarius in his preface to his translation of the Bible of Erasmus and diuers other learned men and sometime confessed by the aduersaries theÌ„selues that this is falshood it is proued for that to exhibit a false copie of a testament is falsity It is also a notorious absurdity to preferre a translation or a copy before the originall falsification 6 Sixtly it is falsity to adde to the rule of faith or canon of scriptures For if a man may not add to the rules and lawes of men but he shall falle within the danger of the law cornelia de falsis much lesse may a man adde to the rule of faith and canon of scripture Concil Trid. Sess 4. but he shall bee condemned for falsification But the Church of Rome hath in two sorts added to the rule of faith first making the bookes of Tobias Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisedome the Machabees and others by the councell of Laodicea and Hierome and other auncient Fathers excluded out of the canon canonicall and next by making the Popes determinations and vnwritten traditions the rule of faith as is proued by Stapletons discourse de doctrinalibus principijs and other treatises of the Romanistes concerning that argument Neither hath the Romish Synagogue any thing to alleadge in excuse of her falsitie but that such bookes haue sometime béene accompted canonicall by the councell of Carthage Can. 47. and S. Augustine and next that traditions haue béene much stood vpon by the auncient Fathers But the third councell of Carthage and S. Augustine speake onely of the bookes of the Bible that were publikely read and of the canon as it prescribed a rule for the reading of bookes and not otherwise and by tradition they meane no other doctrine then that which is contained in holy scriptures and gathered out of them falsification 7 7. Either hath Sixtus Quintus or Clement the 8. egregiously falsified the holy scriptures For both of them hauing taken vpon them to set out the same according to the olde latin translation we finde in diuers places either manifest contradictions or at the least notorious differences betwixt them As for example Gen. 4. the Clementine edition hath in foribus pettatum aderit In Sixtus Quintus his edition set out at Louain peccatum tuum aderit Gen. 5. v. 3. Clement readeth genuit ad imaginem similitudinem suam Sixtus hath genuit filium ad imaginem Contrariwise Genes 1.27 Clement readeth creauit deus hominem ad imaginem suam ad imaginem dei creauit illum and Sixtus hath creauit deus hominem ad imaginem similitudinem suam ad imaginem dei c. Genes 9. Clement readeth de manu viri fratris eius requiram Sixtus hath onely de manu fratris eius requiram Exod. 16. Clement readeth cur eduxistis nos in desertum istud Sixtus contrariwise readeth cur induxistis Exod. 23. Clement readeth victimae meae and Sixtus victimae tuae Leuit. 27. Clement readeth iuxta aestimationem tuam Sixtus iuxta aestimationem suam and it the 28. verse of the same chapter Clement readeth non vendetur and Sixtus non veniet Deut. 24. Clement readeth animam opposuit tibi Sixtus apposuit tibi Deut. 29.19 Clement readeth absumat ebria sitientem Sixtus readeth assumat ebria sitientem Iosue 11.19 Clement readeth non fuit ciuitas quae se traderet and Sixtus quite contrarie quae se non traderet 2. Reg. 6. v. 13. These words that are found in Sixtus his edition dixitque Dauid ibo reducam arcam cum benedictione in domum meam are not found in Clements bible 2. Reg. c. 15.23 Clement readeth contra viam quae respicit ad desertum Sixtus readeth contra viam oliuae 2. Reg. 16.1 Clement hath vtre vini Sixtus readeth duobus vtribus 3. Reg. 7.9 Clement hath extrinsecus vsque Sixtus intrinsecus vsque 1. Paralip 8. v. vlt. Clement readeth vsque ad centum quinquaginta omnes Sixtus readeth ad centum quinquaginta millia lib. 1. Ezrae c. 2. v. 66. Clement readeth septingenti triginta sex Sixtus sexcenti triginta sex Sapientiae c. 2.11 Clement hath sit fortitudo lex iustitiae nostrae Sixtus readeth lex iniustitiae Eccles 8.8 Clement readeth in gâ—udium nolumus venire Sixtus readeth volumus venire c. 21. v. 15. Clement readeth est autem sapientia Sixtus hath est autem insipientia Iohn 6.65 Clement readeth qui essent non credentes Sixtus readeth qui essent credentes Heb. c. 5.11 Clement readeth grandis sermo ininterpretabilis Sixtus readeth grandis sermo interpretabilis Infinit repugnances also there are more betwixt these editions which who so list to sée let him peruse M. Th. Iames his painefull treatise intituled Bellum papale wherein he hath
no mention of them in scriptures Finally the description of the tabernacle tents and orders of the Israelites which doe not import or giue any signification of such an order of women but rather the contrary doth cléerly refute this vaine fiction deuised without colour of reason or testimony of good authors falsification 20 He telleth vs further a tedious fable of the holy virgins vow of virginity but if he will make his report good Pag. 33. 34. hée must shew first that women among the Israelites did vowe virginity and the rather for that we reade that it was a reproach for women of that nation not to be mothers of children Secondly he must shew that young women before the age of fourtéene did make such vowes Thirdly he must answere and cleare those places of scripture that say she was betrothed to Ioseph for after solemne vowes Nunnes neither marry nor are betrothed Finally he must bring vs better proofes then supposals of Epiphanius and Augustine and a counterfeit tale vnder the name of Gregorye of Nyssa For S. Augustine or at least he that lurketh vnder that holy fathers name saith that vowes of virginity did not then stand with the fashions of the Israelites Lib. de virginit c. 4. He signifieth also that the holy virgin thought it impossible hauing once vowed her maidenhead to God that she should know a man But that sheweth that all the Romish Nunnes are most vnlike to this holy virgin for albeit they vow and sweare and are walled vp so that none come at them yet they neither think it a matter impossible nor difficult to know men as experience and diuers witnesses can testifie and the Romanistes know very well if they durst speake it falsification 21 Diuers auncient fathers testifie that Ioseph the spouse of the blessed virgin had by his first wife diuers children and namely Hyppolytus as witnesseth Nicephorus hist lib. 2. c. 3. Origenes in Matthaei c. 13. Eusebius hist lib. 2. c. 1. Epiphanius haeres 28. 51. 78. Nyssenus homil de resurrect Christi homil 2. Chrysostomus homil de annunt Virg. Euthymius in Matth. c. 2. Hilarius in Matth. can 1. Ambrosius in epist ad Galat. And yet all this notwithstanding Baronius saith this is but an apocryphall fable Why then should we beléeue his apocryphall fables testified by one or two witnesses only and that in writings very doubtfull séeing he will not beléeue this narration that is confirmed as himselfe confesseth by many fathers Further why should we beléeue him that Iohn Baptist was conceiued in September in the time of the solemne fast or in that forme which he reporteth And why should he desire any to giue credit to his narration concerning the city of Zachary S. Iohn Baptists father and the sanctification of S. Iohn Baptist in his mothers wombe for which he alleadgeth no proofe séeing he will not beléeue others that bring testimonies of fathers falsification 22 Saint Luke sheweth that Christ was baptized going vpon the thirtéeth yeare of his age Luc. 3. Iesus erat incipiens saith he quasi annorum triginta and so doe most fathers and other learned men expound Lukes words But Baronius to maintaine the credit of the Romish ordinall will haue Lukes wordes to be so expounded as if he were going vpon the age of one and thirty when he was baptized But if this were so then would Saint Luke haue said quasi annorum triginta vnius falsification 23 In the accompt of years from the beginning of the world vntill Christs time he followeth the tradition of the Romish church that séemeth to allow the translation of the seuenty interpreters rather then the Hebrew text But what is this else but to digresse from the canon of originall scriptures to follow either corrupt translations or vnwritten traditions falsification 24 The scriptures say that our Sauiour was borne in Bethlehem and in a stable and that he was laide in a manger and albeit the place was very meane for the king of heauen and earth to be borne in yet it is very much to be presumed that there was neither Oxe nor Asse in the roome for they are no fit compagnions for men and women especially for a woman being with childe But Baronius by vnwritten traditions issuing from that pure fountaine which Sixtus quintus speaketh of hath found that our Sauiour Christ was borne in spelunca that is in a caue within the ground Saint Matthew calleth it a house but he findeth it was no house but a denne or caue He findeth also that Christ was borne in this caue which is some prety way out of Bethlehem for so Burchard in his description of the holy land part 1. c. 7. testifieth He saith further that our Sauiour was laid in a manger cut out of the rocke and proueth it by the testimony of Hierome albeit we reade but of few mangers cut out of rockes and although afterward he saith it was of wood and so must he say vnlesse he will deny that to be the manger that is shewed in the Church of our Lady ad praesepe in Rome He alleadgeth Chrysostome also that saith the manger was of earth or clay Finally he beareth vs in hand that there was an Oxe and an Asse tyed in that stable and thinketh it sufficiently proued because Hierome alluding to the words of the prophet saith that when Christ was borne the Oxe knew his owner and the Asse his masters crybbe and this he alleadgeth out of the third of Abacuck where no such thing is to be found Of all which traditions the sole reason is this that he may maintaine the credit of the manger which together with hey they shew at Rome as a holy relique He endeuoureth also by these fables to vpholde the pilgrimage to the holy land where little is remaining to be séene but holes dennes rockes and mountaines But if he beléeue these traditions as well as the gospell a man of small learning may see that he is a man of a strange faith falsification 25 He telleth that the swadling clouts wherein our Sauiour was first wrapped are religiously kept and that a church was built in honour of them and a holyday assigned to keepe the memoriall of them But his best witnesse of them is Lipomanus a man whose lies a man may feele with his hands The Apostles certes neuer taught vs to kéepe such reliques or ragges rather neither doth any authenticall sâ—…ry report any such thing Nay whosoeuer will examine them narrowly shall soone sée the notorious impostures of the Romanists that deuise and maintaine these superstitions not for any other purpose then for their owne credit and gaine falsification 26 The wisemen that came from the East if we will beléeue him were three kings but he maketh kings without kingdomes and like his holy father the Pope by â—…is charter or testimony giueth kingdomes away at his pleasure Very vnlike it is certes that thrée kings should consort together and take such a iourney putting
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