THE VNMASKING of a Masse-monger WHO IN THE COVNTERFEIT Habit of S. AVGVSTINE hath cunningly crept into the Closets of many English-Ladies OR THE VINDICATION of Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions from the false and malicious Calumniations of a late noted Apostate By M. S. D. of EXETER 1. TIM 1.19 20. Hauing Faith and a good Conscience which some hauing put away and as concerning Faith haue made shipwracke Of whom is HYMENIVS and ALEXANDER whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme PSAL. 22.16 Dogges are come about mee and the counsell of the Wicked hath assaulted mee LONDON Printed by B.A. and T. FAVVCET for NICH BOVRNE and are to bee sold at his Shop neere to the Royall Exchange 1626. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND HIS VERY WORTHIE Friends Sir BAPTIST HICKES Knight and the good Lady his Wife AS the holy Apostles Right Worshipfull so all faithfull Christians deriue their faith from CHRIST Acceptam à CHRISTO disciplinam fideliter nationibus assignarunt sayth * De praescript TERTVLLIAN speaking of the Apostles Hee is the Foundation that cannot fayle and the Truth that cannot erre and therefore are the Faithfull sayd to bee built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. because they first Preached CHRIST the onely Corner-stone and mayne Foundation of the Church Vpon the Foundation of CHRIST and his Apostles both St. AVGVSTINE and all the ancient Fathers built their Faith Doe wee then thinke that the Translator of St. AVSTINES Confessions a notorious Rinegate from the Faith of the Church of England hath reason out of that Father to draw his Romish Doctrine Sure no the poyson of his Heresie cannot be found in that holy Fathers Workes All his Confessions are directed to GOD and neyther to Saints nor Angels nor to the Virgin MARY as is the vse and practise of the Synagogue of Rome The Popes two Swords and his triple Crowne his supreme Power to judge his Cardinals Hierarchicall Orders and Vniuersall Monarchie ouer the whole Church hee knew not The reall presence of CHRISTS Body vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and the eating thereof by the mouth of the Faithfull yea by the mouthes of the Reprobate and brute Beasts hee neuer taught Neyther did hee teach the monstrous Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the reft of the abominable Heresies established against vs in Trent Hungry Dogges may dreame of Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth THEOCRITVS in Piscatorib And as ATMANASIVS sayth in Apolog. Defug Heretikes forge opinions according to their owne pleasure Pro libidine sua id opinâtur quod volunt But Truth will alwayes stand firme Wherefore seeing this Apostate so vnkind to his Parents so false to his Countrey so malicious to Religion hath some yeares since published St. AVGVSTINES Confessions translated into English in a long Preface and diuers false marginall Notes Obseruations and Calumniations endeuouring to induce the simple to dislike the Truth professed in this Church and to affect and approue the corruptions of Popery as if S. AVGVSTINE did fauour his Sect and dislike our Confession I haue thought it a Worke worth my labour to Vindicate that holy Father out of this impure fellowes false fingers Not that you need to bee resolued of the truth of Religion wherein I know you are firmely established but to the end that what I write for the establishing of the weake comming foorth vnder the Patronage of your name might remayne as a perpetuall testimony of that loue and respect which I haue borne and alwayes shall beare you These fellowes impudently arrogate to themselues the Name of Catholikes But as ATHANASIVS saith in his 2. Orat. against the Arrians How can they bee reputed among the members of the Catholike Church whose Faith is not Apostolike This young Nouice may please himselfe with his childish Annotations and Prefations but I shall show they are no better then those Childish fables and fooleries which S. AVSTINE Lib. 2. contr Academic would haue cast out of mens hands Nay diuers points of Poperie are no better then those monstrous Fancies which ORIGEN condemneth writing against CELSVS And this I shall God willing hereafter plainely demonstrate and not onely take from him all that hold that hee thinketh to haue eyther in Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions or in any other Booke of his This Treatise I consecrate to GOD vnder the Patronage of your fauour beseeching him that it may profit many so that the Thankes may remaine to you and that thereby you may vnderstand how much I honour you and that I shall alwayes remayne Yours much obliged and deuoted M. SVTCLIFFE THE PREFACE TO the Christian Reader FRom the excellencie of S. AVGVSTINES Pietie Vertue and Learning we purpose not Christian Reader to derogate any thing nay we doubt not to preferre him before many others both ancient and late Prelates Let the whole List of late Popes and their purple Cardinals and Mitred Prelates be produced and compared with that holy Father I suppose he will surpasse them all neyther doe we doubt but he is more worthie then manie others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet doth hee not exempt his Writing from other mens iudgement Id genus literarum sayth he writing against Faustus lib. 11. c. 5. Quae non praecipiendi authoritate sed proficiendi exercitatione scribuntur a nobis non cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est so hee permitteth others to iudge of his Writings Neyther doth he disdaine in the same place to preferre the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture before them nor doe wee thinke it any disparagement vnto him or other Fathers to haue the Apostles preferred before them as hee writeth vnto Hierome Epist 19. There also hee giueth that priuiledge to Scriptures onely Not to erre in any thing The Apostate doth in diuers places call him an incomparable Doctor yet neuer did S. Augustine so thinke of himselfe nor doe other learned men so esteeme him but that Athanasius Gregorie Nazianzene Chrysostome Basil Hierome Ambrose and others might bee compared with him But the more excellent hee is the more is our gaine the lesse the Apostates aduantage For this I affirme and I doubt not but to make it good against all the packe of Iesuites and not onely against this silly Translator whose soule is lately turned and translated Popish First that S. AVGVSTINE neuer beleeued the Popes infallible judgement in matters of Faith nor his sublime and vniuersall Monarchy ouer the whole Church nor the Doctrine of the Popes Schooles and Decretals and secondly that hee holdeth nothing as a matter of Faith and necessary to bee beleeued that is contrary to the Articles of Religion publikely professed in the Church of England In proofe whereof that wee may proceed more particularly and punctually wee shall God willing declare in the first Chapter that S. AVSTINE neuer knew eyther the Decrees of Trent enacted against vs or that part of Romish Religion which this Church of
Obedience With their equiuocations and mentall referuations which they take to bee lawfull they deceiue not onely priuate men but also publike Magistrates affirming denying and swearing what they list without any scruple of Conscience especially if they take the Iudge to be incompetent or themselues not bound to answer Neither doe they thinke it vnlawfull to murther Excommunicate persons being moued with zeale toward their mother the Church c. Excommunicatorum 23. q. 5. The Conuenticle of Constance giueth them libertie to breake their Oathes made with Heretikes And the Pope if any be more scrupulous then other doth easily dispense with them in cases of Periurie For Heresie they account it meritorious for Parents to bring word to burne their Children condemned for heresie and for Children to doe the like to their Parents They permit for the same cause Wiues to depart from their Husbands and husbands from their wiues Neither doe they make any scruple either to defraud their creditors or to spoyle good Christians if they be censured as Heretikes As Mariana and Philopater teach They forbid their Masse-Priests Monkes and Friers to marrie yet cannot they keepe them out of Brodels Nay they forbid not publike Stewes albeit they thinke it a great sinne for Votaries to marrie Before Marriage consummated they giue permission to either of the parties that are publikely married to betake themselues to a Monasticall life The law of God teacheth Children to honour their Parents But the law of the Popes Alchoran permitteth Children either to marrie without their Parents consent or to forsake their parents and to enter into a Monastery For Prisoners to breake prison and to breake their word and oath giuen to the Gaoler they hold to be no sinne And this is a common practise of Masse-Priests and their disciples in England They thinke it a small sinne to steale things of small value and to curse and blaspheme if it be done without premeditation They teach that Penance is not needfull for veniall sinnes and that such offences are done away by knocking of the brest or by the Bishops blessing or sprinkling with Holy water As if Christ had not made satisfaction for mens sinnes they teach that all must satisfie for sinnes committed after Baptisme eyther in this life or in Purgatorie Nay albeit sinnes be remitted yet they hold that euen iust men must satisfie for the penaltie of sinne As if debtors were to pay after the Obligation is taken vp and they which owe nothing were to make payment They teach there are 4. Stages or receptacles in Hell to wit The 1. of the Damned the 2. of Purgatorie the 3. of Children dying before Baptisme the 4. for the soules of the Patriarkes before Christs ascention But let them beware they make not their Disciples to doubt of Hell as their proofes for the other 3. places are weake and doubtfull and make men deny them The wise-man Sap. 3. saith The soules of the just are in the hands of God and that no torment toucheth them Are they then wise that cast iust men into the fire and torments of Purgatorie By Masses and Indulgences and Almes they say Soules are drawne out of Purgatorie as if S. Peter and ancient Bishops of Rome had sung Masses and granted Indulgences to Soules in Purgatorie or Soules might be freed out of Hell which comprehendeth Purgatorie Christ say they instituted Indulgences but they know not where The Conuenticle of Trent sayth also they are wholesome and profitable but the Germans in Grauam 3. denie it In the Taxe of the Popes Chamber there is a Rate set downe what is to be payd for Incest Periurie Parricides and all sinnes From the Iewes they borrow Altars Priestly Orders and Apparrell burning of Incense offering of Paschall Lambes and such like Traditions Sacrifices for the Dead Purgatorie consecrated Water and such like seeme to proceed from the Gentiles rather then from the later Iewes Because Peter had the Keyes of the Church committed vnto him the Pope inferreth that he hath power to make Lawes to dispense against Law to dispense with persons periured to dissolue Matrimonie and to depriue Princes of their Crownes Monkes and Fryars albeit they liue wickedly yet boast of their workes of supererogation and hold their profession to be a state of perfection Generally they establish their iustice of Workes and inherent Charitie the iustice of God in remitting sinnes and imputing vnto vs Christs iustice they regard not And least any man should except against them for this wicked Doctrine they giue out that the Pope defining ex Cathedra cannot erre and that the Church of Rome is the ground and pillar of Truth matters most absurd and false Finally vnlesse the Apostate can proue that these Doctrines which are aboue specified are Catholike himselfe must needes confesse that neither the Papists are Catholikes nor their Faith Catholike or true CHAP. IIII. The Examination of the Apostates Title page and his Epistle dedicatorie THus hauing declared that S. Austine either knew not the Apostates Popish religion or else oppugned it and that Papists cannot by any meanes be esteemed Catholikes beleeuing and teaching as they doe it followeth now that we enter into the listes with this Confessionist and examine his whole proceedings In the fore-front and title Page of his booke he promiseth a Translation of S. Augustines Confessions But how foolish he was and euill aduised to vndertake this worke both that holy Father himselfe and this Discourse ensuing will declare I haue also partly touched this point heretofore Here it will be sufficient to remember that hee maketh his Confessions to God onely and not to Angels or Saints or to the Virgin Mary as this idle fellow and his mates vse to doe He maketh his sinnes knowne to God these fellowes thinke they are bound to confesse all their sinnes in the Priests eares All his deuotion was to God who could forgiue sinnes this Apostates deuotion is toward the Virgin Mary and to Saints to whom if hee be in his right wits he will not giue power to absolue him from his sinnes Hee consecrated his confessions to God this Apostate doth consecrate himselfe and his translation to the Virgin Mary A translation I say so idle false malicious and full of errours that he durst not set his name vnto it Which I take to be done with some cunning the man percase meaning to deny it Hee vaunteth that his large Preface will make the Booke more profitable and pleasant But it had beene farre better if it had beene shorter for of harsh and foppish Prefaces the shortest are best His Discourse is full of obseruations false vnpleasant full of poyson and hurtfull if any of his readers bee so foolish as to giue eare and credit vnto them For his Motto or word hee setteth downe this sentence Cibus sum grandium I am meat for the strong grow and thou shalt eate mee As if his translation and notes were meat for great men and sit to bee deuoured of
but this may serue for a tasse in the interim vntill we discourse hereof more particularly in the second Chapter of the Treatise following Now this is sufficient to shew the falsitie and pouertie of the Translator and his Notes and Obsernations vpon S. AVSTINES Confessions wherein most simply and weakely hee endeuoureth to make that worthie Father of his partie Quid est egere sayth S. AVSTINE de Vit. Beat. And he answereth Sapientiam non habere And againe he sayth Nihil est aliud habere egestatem quam habere stultitiam So that by Saint AVSTINES iudgement this man being void of Wisdome and full of Foolerie is but a poore Translator wracking himselfe vpon S. AVSTINE vpon whom he meant to lay the ground of his foolish and vaine Religion Therein also we may percciue how vainely our Aduersaries boast of Fathers and especially of S. AVGVSTINE who in all important matters of Faith are directly opposite vnto them But leauing all further preambular speeches we will now begin to handle such matters as the rinegned Translator doth principaelly insist vpon THE VNMASKING of a Masse-monger WHO In the counterfeit habit of S. AVGVSTINE hath cunningly crept into the Closets of many English Ladyes OR The Vindication of S. AVGVSTINES Confessions from the false and malicious Calumniations of a late noted Apostate CHAP. I. That S. AVSTINE neuer knew either the Decrees of the conuenticle of Trent enacted against vs or that part of the Romish Religion which the Church of England admitteth not and which the Apostate and his consorts hold to bee Catholicke MVch doe our Aduersaries insist vpon the name of Catholikes and title of the Catholike Church So doe also all other Heretikes as saith Lactantius lib. 4. Diuin instit c 30. Singuli quique haeriticorum caetus se potissimum Christianos suam esse ecclesiam eatholicam putant But if that be Catholike which at all times of all Christians and in all places hath beene holden as Vincentius Lirinensis aduers haeres teacheth vs then certes the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is not Catholike In the judgement of S Augustine it cannot be accompted either Catholike or soundly Christian For first S. Austine referreth himselfe in all matters of faith to holy Scriptures and speaketh most reuerently of them Canonica scriptura veteris noui Testamenti saith he Lib. 11. contr Faust c. 5. Est in sede quadum sublimiter constituta cujus authoritati seruiat omnis fidelis pius intellectus Hee placeth their Authoritie aboue all Councels Fathers and Popes and would haue all pious Christians to submit their vnderstanding vnto them but such as rayled vpon them and called them a dead and killing letter and said they were imperfect obscure ambiguous and flexible he neuer did acknowledge to be Catholikes or Christians He neuer beleeued nor knew the traditions of the Church of Rome concerning the consecrating of Crosses and Images their greasing and crossing of Altars their-hallowing of Churches with oyle holy-water and ashes their consecrating of paschall Lambes Salt Holy-water Ashes the baptizing of Bells the blessing of Priests garments the mysseries of the Masse their shauing and greasing vsed in giuing Orders nor the rest of their traditions He beleeued not that traditions not written were to be receiued with like affectiō as we receiue holy Scriptures Nay contrary he gaue the highest place to Canonicall Scripture That traditions should be added to the rule of Faith was more then he could euer imagine Sancta scriptura saith he Debon viduit c. 1. Nostrae doctrinae regulam figit Holy Scripture giueth vs a fixt and certaine rule And l. 2. con Donatist He accounteth the Scriptures to be a diuine ballancer wherein Doctrines may be justly weighed But other ballancers he accounteth deceitfull Non afferamus stateras dolosas saith he Vb◠appendamus quod volumus quomodo volumus pro arbitrie nostro dicentes hoc graue hoc leue sed afferamus diuinam stateram de Scripturis sanstis tanquam de the sauris Dominicis in illa quid sit grauius appendamus imò non appendamus sid à Domino appensam recognoscamus The Church of Rome beleeueth that the old vulgar Latine translation of the Bible is authenticall and neither the Hebrew text of the old nor the Greeke of the new Testament But S. Austine gaue no such credit to that or any other tranflation Nay contrary lib. 15. de ciuit D.c. 13. hee preferreth Originals before all Translations Ei linguae potius credatur saith hee vnde est in aliam per interpretes facta translatio And lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 11. He would haue men to haue recourse to the Hebrew and Greeke text for the variety of Translations Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 15. he saith Translations ought to giue place to the Greeke text of the New Testament To come to the Pope who is the founder of the grand Idoll of the Masse and the Oracle from whom his followers deriue the certainty of their Romish traditions S. Austine neuer knew the man Nay if any man in his time had said that the Bishop of Rome had two Swords and power to depose Kings and dispose of their Kingdomes and that he was the Vniuersall Bishop of the Church the head foundation and Spouse ministeriall of the same and finally that hee was the supreame judge of Faith and had Authoritie to make new Articles of the Faith doth any man thinke that so holy and wise a man could haue contained himselfe within the limites of patience hearing such monstrous Paradoxes The Schoole doctrine concerning Merites of congruitie and condignitie Iustice by workes bodies being in many places at once and filling no place accidents nourishing like substances and yet subsiding without any subiect Popish dispensations for all flagitious sinnes Diuels tormenting just mens soules in Purgatory satisfactions for sinne by Whipping and going Bare-foot washing away sinnes with Holy-water and expiating them by knocking the brest and the Priests blessing and such other Schoole-points were not knowne to S. Austine nor heard of in his time All the authenticall Doctrine of the Romish Synagogue is contayned in the Popes decretals and decrees and was published and confirmed in the second Nicene Synode in the assemblies of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent How then could that holy Father know a Faith that was so long after his time established Could he Prophecie that the men of Trent would decree that Christians should be justified by the Popes law That the Images of the Trinitie should bee worshipped with Latria That Saints and Angels should be inuocated That men should beleeue Transubstantiation auricular Confession seauen Sacraments and such like late doctrines S. Austine lib 11. contr Faust c. 5. Would haue all pious vnderstanding made subiect to the high authority of Scriptures Neither did he beleeue that the same might be confirmed by any mans writing Is it then likely that he should teach or thinke that Scriptures in respect of vs receiued their
seeth not that he concurreth rather with Pelagius then holdeth with S. Austine The Heracleonites vsed to giue Extreme Vnction to their followers mumbling certaine prayers ouer them in a Tongue not vnderstood But for this S Austine sheweth they were condemned as Heretikes de Haeres c. 16. Doth the Apostate then thinke S. Austine is of his partie who alloweth Extreme Vnction and the barbarous ministring of it in a Tongue not vnderstood Like wise commending bare-footed Fryars and Nunnes and esteeming their worke in so going meritorious is hee not rather to be condemned among the nudipedale Heretikes so esteemed by S. Austine de Haeres 68. then reputed a Disciple of that holy Father Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam saith S. Austine Lib. Confess 9. c. 13. Yet this Apostate and his glorious Companions standing on their Merites thinke they need not Gods mercie in meriting Heauen They talke also of the Blessed Virgins Conception without originall sinne but S. Austine held that originall sinne passed ouer all and would not free her from this originall corruption Finally the whole Booke of S. Austines Confessions and the forme and frame of it doth plainely conuince this Apostate and his fellowes to be of a diuers Religion from S. Augustine Hee dedicated no Booke to the Virgin Mary as doth this Apostate Hee confessed his sinnes to God onely they to Angels Saints and the Virgin Mary Hee called vpon God onely and not vpon Saints and Angels and the Virgin Mary These pray more to the Virgin Mary to Angels and Saints then to God Hee esteemed that Christ was our onely Mediator these flye to the mediation of Angels and Saints Hee called vpon God his Father they vpon the Virgin Mary that is not so much as their Mother Hee held the Vnitie of the Catholike Church these are onely called Catholikes being departed from the Catholike and Apostolike Faith CHAP. III. That the Apostate and his consorts holding what the Church of England rejecteth are neither Catholikes nor hold the Cathosike Faith IN this Booke in his Preface and notes and all his idle talke the Hereticall rinegate presumeth to arrogate to himselfe and his fellowes the name and title of Catholikes And that is the scope of his Preface and the end of his Translation to iustifie himselfe and the Faith of the Romish Church to bee all Catholike a matter so impudently presumed and so falsely affirmed as nothing more For first None are Catholikes but such as hold that Faith that is truly Catholike and Apostolike But the Faith of this Apostate his fellowes is neither They belieue the Popes Decretals and the doctrine of Trent published against the true Faith which neither the Apostles taught nor ancient Catholikes euer beleeued nay it is not receiued by all Papists No Heretikes can be reputed Catholikes S. Austine de ver Relig. c. 8. saith They are without the Church And in the end of his Tract de heresib hee saith Haereses qui tenuerit Christianus catholicus non est but Papists holding the Popes particular sect and submitting themselues to his command are directly Heretikes For first they hold diuers Doctrines contrary to canonicall Scriptures which are generally beloued of all Catholikes which Robert Grosthead in Heur 3. apud Matth. Paris Durand and diuers others hold to bee heresie 2. They commonly interpret Scriptures contrary to the meaning of the Holy Ghost which Hierome in his Commentaries vpon S. Pauls Epistle to the Galatians holdeth to be heresie Now that they interpret Scriptures contrary to the meaning of the Holy Ghost it appeareth by the Cap. solitae de major obed and Vnam Sanctam extr com de major obed and infinite other decretale Epistles by the decrees of Trent and Schoole disputes 3. With the Simoniaens and Carpocratians and Valentinians they worship Images and burne incense to them 4. With the Angelickes and Caians they worship Angels and call vpon them 5. With the Collyridians they adore the Virgin Mary and offer consecrated Hoasts or Cakes in her honour 6. With the Marcionites and Manichees they destroy Christs humane nature giuing him a phantasticall Bodie in the Sacrament 7. With the Pelagians they make mans free-will the cause of mans predestination and saluation and hold that man is able to prepare himselfe to grace and with grace to liue without sinne 8. With the Catharists they beleeue their workes are cleare without sinne and perfectly iust 9. With the Audeans and Donatists they teach that their Priests forgiue sinnes 10. With the Staurolatrians they worship the Crosse 11. With Capernaites they beleeue that Christs flesh is eaten with the mouth Finally with the Pharisees they beleeue the iustice of Workes Christ giuing his Apostles commission to goe forth into the World bad them teach all Nations whatsoeuer he had commanded them But neyther did the Apostles teach nor was it our Sauiours meaning that all Nations should beleeue and obserue the Doctrine of Trent the determination of Schooles and the Popes Decretals concerning the bodily Reall presence of Christ vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament Transubstantiation and Auricular Confession the inuocation of Saints and Angels the worship of the Crosse of the Images of the Trinitie and the Sacrament the adoration of Reliques the consecration of holy Water of Agnus Dei and Paschall Lambes and such like Romish Traditions All true Catholikes professe one Catholike and Apostolike Faith how then can the Apostate and his Companions the Popes Disciples challenge to themselues the name of Catholikes beleeuing the traditions of men to be the Word of God and receiuing the Doctrine of Trent and Schoole-sophisters concerning Purgatory Indulgences priuate Masses halfe Communions Transubstantion and such like that is neither Catholike Apostolike nor Christian As we know an Artificers worke by the rule so we know and discerne faithfull Christians and Catholikes by holy Scriptures which are the rule of Faith who then can iustly esteeme Papists to be Catholikes that rayle vpon Scriptures and flye from them and admit traditions and the Popes decretals as the rule of their Faith are Gods holy canonicall Scriptures no rule without these additions True Catholikes which are also the true members of Christs body adhere onely to Christ as their head spouse and most firme foundation of their Faith But Popish Catholikes admit the Pope as the head spouse and foundation of their supposed Catholike Church Basil in Epist. 80. ad Eustat and S. Augustine de nupt concupisc c. 33. Would haue the canonicall Scriptures and Christ speaking in them to iudge of a point of Christian Doctrine Those therefore which contrary to these Catholike Fathers iudgement decline the iudgement of Scriptures and would haue the Pope to be supreame iudge in matters of Faith cannot be Catholikes Athanasius in his Creed setting forth that Faith which he iudged and all good Christians receiue as Catholike did not so much as in one word touch the
gaue the Church Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Teachers and true Catholikes beleeue that these onely are sufficient for the worke of the Ministerie and building of the Church But the Papists beside these haue in their Synagogue vniuersall Popes Cardinals Inquisitors dumbe Woluish Prelates that neyther feede nor worke any good sacrificing Priests Monkes Fryars and Nunnes which haue no institution from Christ How then are they Catholikes Among Catholikes none were chosen Bishops in time past but by the Clergie and People nor consecrated but by conprouinciall Bishops as our Aduersaries themselues confesse c. nulla ratio Dist 62. and c. in nomine Dist 23. And this was an Ordinance allowed also by Leo the first But Popish Bishops are intruded into their Seats by the Pope without any allowance of the Clergie or the People or any conprouinciall Bishops and the Pope himselfe is neyther elected by the Clergie or People of Rome but onely by a few Cardinals the most part strangers And doe you call them Catholikes that haue no Pastors lawfully instituted by Christ or called by the Church The Apostles and their successors were sent by Christ to preach the Gospell to baptize and to administer the Eucharist according to Christs institution and those are only true Catholikes whole Prelates and Priests doe performe that Office which Christ enioyned them But among Papists Priests are ordained not to preach but to sacrifice for quicke and dead and Prelates are not ordered by the Church but by Antichrist the Aduersarie of Christ and the Church and preach not the Gospell but humane Traditions and the Popes Decrees Further they obserue not Christs institution in administring the Sacraments according to Christs institution How then are they true Catholikes among whom neyther the Word is truly preached nor Sacraments are duly administred and where in Doctrine and Chayre there is no Apostolicall succession Among ancient Catholikes onely the successors of the Apostles preached and baptized but among Papists Monkes and Fryars preach albeit they be no successors of the Apostles nor instituted by Christ but by Antichrist and Women sometime are permitted to baptize as if Women could succeed the Apostles Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God sayth the Apostle Rom. 10. and this Faith onely is the Catholike Christian Faith But among Papists no Faith is allowed as good but that which commeth from the proposition of the Church as Canisius teacheth in Catech. c. de Fide Now this Church is nothing but the Pope and their Faith is grounded vpon Traditions not written and the Decrees of the Pope Can this Faith then be Catholike and Diuine Tiue Catholike Faith is also ioyned with firme Hope and assurance of faluation together with the certaine knowledge of God and his will and with feruent Charitie towards God and our neighbour But the Faith of the Apostate and his consorts is onely a bare assent to the word of God Knowledge of God they haue little contenting themselues with an implicite Faith and denying all assurance of saluation and warring against all that submit not themselues to the Pope and his sect But such a Faith is a dead faith a diuelish faith an erronious and wicked perswasion and not a true Catholike and Apostolike faith Finally if any man did well vnderstand the particulars of that Faith which the Apostate seeketh to commend to his Countrimen and which the Church of England reiecteth as comming from Antichrist hee might plainely see that the Papists are neither Catholikes nor hold the Catholike Faith in any thing which the Church of England disliketh Wherefore least any hereafter should boast that his Popish religion is Catholike I will hereafter specifie diuers points thereof which themselues will be forced to confesse to bee vncatholike An Appendix vnto the third Chapter contayning some principall points of the vncatholike moderne Romish Doctrine WHen wee speake against the Church of Rome and her Doctrine wee vnderstand not either the ancient Church of Rome or any Article of her Faith but the new Church of Rome as shee is subiect to the Pope and embraceth his new Faith contained in his Decretals and established in the late conuenticle of Trent and is maintained by the Schoole-men and other his factors And of this Doctrine these are some of the chiefe heads First as wee acknowledge Christ to be the author and finisher of our Faith so Papists deriue their Faith from the Pope as the Author and principall Founder thereof For whatsoeuer God speaketh to vs in Scriptures yet they allow nothing but what the Pope propoundeth We beleeue no head of the Church but Christ Iesus who is also the Sauiour of his body They professe the Pope to be the head of the vniuersall Church Wee are taught 1. Cor. 3. That Christ Iesus is the onely foundation of the Church Stapleton and his followers beleeue That the Pope and his determinations are the Churches foundation also And this is also the Doctrine of Bellarmine The Church being a chast virgin admitteth no Spouse but Christ Iosus But the adulterous Sinagogue of Rome receiueth the Pope as her Spouse as appeareth C. Vbi periculum de elect in 6. When any question ariseth about matters of Faith the Church of Rome will haue the Pope to be supreame Iudge a matter vnreasonable that an Heretike and an enemy should sit judge in matters of Faith and in his owne cause When Christ ascended into Heauen they say he left the Pope to be his Vicar But of this he sheweth no commission or proofe They beleeue also that the Pope is S. Peters onely Successor and the vniuersall Bishop and chiefe Monarch of the vniuersall Church But neither doth he teach or loue Christ. as did Peter nor doth hee demonstrate how this vniuersall Monarchy came vnto him They say he hath power to dispense against the Law the Gospell and the Apostle And so he doth indeed dispensing with periured and most flagitious men and neither regarding Law nor Gospell nor what the Apostle teacheth Suarez lib. 6. Defens Cath. Apost fid c. 4. 6. Teacheth that the Pope hath power not onely to depose Kings but to command them to bee killed Christ fled away when the people sought to make him King But the Pope challengeth not onely to be a Bishop but a King also The Popes Decretals concerning matters of Faith they say are cleare from all errors so doe the Turkes also thinke of their Alchoran Of holy Scriptures they speake euill calling them a dead Letter a dumbe Judge matter of strife a killing Letter a Nose of Waxe a Lesbian Rule They receiue the vnwritten Traditions of the Church of Rome with equall affection as they receiue holy Scriptures and yet doe they not certainly know them nor can demonstrate to others what they are The Doctrine of the Church of Rome they say is the Rule of Faith But what Rule then hath this Doctrine Some say Traditions not written added to the Scriptures make vp
England admitteth not and which this Apostate and his Consorts hold to bee Catholike In the second Chapter shall bee demonstrated that many of these Points of Romish Religion which wee reject are also contradicted by S. AVGVSTINE Thirdly because the Apostate and his Consorts doe euer and anon challenge to themselues the name of Catholikes wee propose in the third Chapter by Arguments inuincible to conuince them that they are neyther Catholikes nor hold the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith The fourth Chapter shall contayne the examination of the Apostates Title page and his Epistle dedicatory In the fift Chapter the Apostates absurd tedious and malicious Preface is scanned and refuted The sixth Chapter setteth downe Notes and Animaduersions vpon the Translators idle Aduertisement Jn the seuenth and last Chapter the false wicked and absurd Notes of the Translator vpon S. AVGVSTINES Text are refuted and expugned Now how contrary S. AVGVSTINES writings are to Popery here I will giue a touch in generall Non sit nobis religio sayth hee c. 55. de Ver. Relig. in phantasmatibus nostris Let vs not frame Religion according to our fancies But Popish Religion is wholly grounded vpon the Popes fantasies and fantasticall Decretals In the same Booke and Chapter he sheweth that true Religion doth tye vs to one God that is Almightie But Popish Religion doth oblige men to serue Saints and Angels and to worship many Gods on euery Altar that haue no power And againe Non sit nobis Religio humanorum operum cultus And afterward Non sit nobis Religio cultus hominum mortuorum And speaking of Angels he sayth Honoramus eos charitate non seruitute nec eis Templa construimus So he declareth that Religion consisteth not in the worship of Images or the workes of mens hands or in the worship of dead men or Saints or in the seruice of Angels shewing that then Temples were not built in the honor of Angels or any Seruice giuen to them all direct contrarie to the practise of the Romish Church In ijs quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi sayth hee lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. So hee holdeth Scriptures to be both sufficient and perspicuous in all matters concerning saluation And Lib. de Bon. Viduit c. 1. Sancta Scriptura nostrae Doctrinae regulam figit ne audeamus supera plus quam oportet All contrarie to the Doctrine of false Romish Catholikes which hold the Scriptures to be obscure and darke imperfect and no sufficient Rule without Traditions Disp 2. contr Fortunat. After that man sinned by Free-will wee were cast headlong into a necessitie of sinning And Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 30. Man ill vsing Free-will lost both himselfe and it But false Catholikes denie that it is so lost but that we may freely doe well Lib. 4. contr Iulian. he denyeth that Infidels can doe works pleasing to God which Papists admit not In his Booke de Vnit. Eccles c. 1. he acknowledgeth no Head of the Church but CHRIST IESVS the onely begotten Sonne of the liuing God who is also the Sauior of his Body False Catholikes make the Pope to be the Head of the Church Omnes homines sub Lege constitutos reos facit Lex sayth S. Austine But false Papists seeke for iustification by the Law Iustitia nostra quamvis vera sit tamen tanta est in hac vita vt potius peccatorum remissione constet quam perfectione virtutum sayth S. Augustine lib. 19. de Ciuit. Dei c. 27. He sayth Our iustice standeth in remission or sinnes and not in the perfection of vertue The Papists teach contrarie Lib. 2. contr Epist Parmen c. 8. he denyeth that S. Paul or other Apostles are our Mediators And againe Pro quo nullus interpellat sed ipso pro omnibus hic vnus verusque Mediator est But this Apostate and his Consorts vse the mediation of the Virgin Mary of Angels and Saints Cum Petro dicitur ad omnes dicitur pasce Oues meus sayth S. Austine de Agon Christ c. 30. Papists contrarie beleeue that these words doe properly belong to Peter and the Pope When it was sayd to Peter I will giue thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen the Church Vniuersall was signified sayth S. Austine Tract 124. in loan The Apostate contrarie restraineth this to the Pope S. Austine in Epist ad lanuar 118. Lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. mentioneth onely two Sacraments which our Church alloweth False Catholikes adde other fiue and hold they iustifie ex opere operato which was a Doctrine neuer knowne by S. Augustine Lib. de Fid. ad Petrum c. 19. he sayth The Church ceaseth not to offer the Sacrifice of Bread and Wine wherein there is action of Graces and a commemoration of Christs Flesh which he gaue for vs and of his Bloud which he shed for vs. Contrariwise the Apostate and his fellowes denie that Bread and Wine are effered and suppose that his Flesh and Bloud is really offered for vs in the Eucharist Tract 30. in Ioan. S. Austine sayth that Christs Body in which he rose againe must be in one place And Serm. 53. de Verb. Dom. Christus caput nostrum sursum in coelis est The Aduersaeries of Truth say he is here below on euerie Altar and beleeue that the Pope is the Head of the Church Tractat. 26. in Ioan. in Psal 77. he sayth that the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament are equall in the thing that is signified though diuers in signes Which ouerthroweth the carnall reaell presence of Christs Body and Bloud vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament De morib Eccles Cath. lib. 1. c. 3. S. Austine condemneth such as worship Sepulchres and Pictures Et de Fid. Symb. c. 7. Tale simulachrum Deo nefas est Christiano in Templo collorari sayth he condemning the making of the Image of God and placing it in Churches In his Booke de Haeres he sheweth that the Simonians Carpocratians were reputed Heretikes yet the worship of Images and Saints Reliques is reputed no small part of the Romish Faith In his 6. Booke of Confessions c. 5. hee sheweth that God perswadeth vs to beleeue Scriptures condemning such as aske how wee know that the Scriptures were deliuered to men by the ministration of the holy Ghost But false and counterfeit Christians and this Apostate doe make this question commonly and beleeue not Scriptures without Tradition Quid mihi est cum hominibus vt ipsi confessiones meas audiant sayth S. Austine lib. 10. Confess c. 2. But the Apostate and his Apostaticall Consorts thinke it a matter necessarie to confesse and reckon vp all sinnes and the circumstances thereof making Confession a necessarie ingredient of the Sacrament of Penance Finally it were an easie matter to shew that S. AVGVSTINE doth discord with the Papists in all those Points wherein they differ from vs
Ep. 108. and Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 13. The Bookes of Toby Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees the Papists receiue as Canonicall but S. Augustine Lib. 2. contr Cresc c. 31. placeth no Bookes in the Canon of the Old Testament but such as were written by the Prophets of which number these will hardly be proued to be They make Christ to be our Mediator according to his Humanitie onely which is contrarie to S. Augustines Doctrine who in his Homily de Ouibus c. 12. doth attribute this worke of Mediation to his Person in both Natures Diuina humanitas saith he humana Diuinitas Mediatrix est The worship and inuocation of holy men departed are a great part of the Romish Religion but S. Austine de ver Relig. c. vlt. forbiddeth vs to place Religion in Reliques and the inuocation of dead men Non sit nobis Religio saith he culius hominum mortuorum And Lib. 22. de Ciuit. Dei c. 10. he saith Christians departed are named at the Altar but not called vpon S. Augustine de Morib Eccl. Cath. c. 34. saith hee knew some that worshipped dead mens Tombes and Pictures but such are condemned by him In his Booke de Haeresib hee condemneth it as an Heresie of the Simonians and Carpocratians that they worshipped Images and burnt incense vnto them Yet doth not the Apostate nor his Apostaticall mates forbeare to worship Reliques of Saints and Images and to burne incense vnto them Hee acknowledged but two Sacraments properly so called which as he speaketh flowed out of Christs side He soecifieth also two Sacraments in his 118. Epistle viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Manauit sanguis aqua Ecclesiae gemina Sacramenta saith he Lib. 2. de Symb. c. 6. But the Apostate not regarding S. Austines authoritie acknowledgeth fiue Sacraments beside these two He saith Visible Sacraments without the sanctification of inuisible grace profit nothing as we reade in Quaest. super Leuit. Lib. 3. q. 84. But the Apostate and his Consorts beleeue that visible Sacraments conferre grace ex opere operato S. Augustine in Psal 3. calleth the Sacrament a figure of Christs Bodie and Lib. contr Adimantum c. 12. Christ as he writeth doubted not to say This is my Bodie when he gaue a signe of his Bodie But Papists cannot brooke that this Sacrament should be called a signe or a figure of Christs Bodie Take away the spaces of places from Bodies saith S. Austine Epist 57. ad Dardanum and they will be no where and because they are no where they will not be at all Spatia locorum tolle corporibus nusquam erunt quia nusquam erunt non erunt And in his 20. Booke contr Faustum he faith Christ according to his corporall presence could not be at one time in the Sunne and Moone and on the Crosse And in his 30. Treatise on Joan. he saith The Bodie of Christ must be in one place But this rinegate Apostating as well from S. Austiue as from the Christian Faith holdeth that Christs true Bodie is in euery Altar and diuers Countries at one instant and yet filleth no place It is against Pietie saith S. Austine as hee is alledged c. vtrum Dist 2. de Consecrat to thinke that Christs Bodie is deuoured with teeth Christum vorari dentibus fas non est He faith also that his flesh is no meat for mens teeth but for their soules Tract 25. in Ioan. But this impietie of deuouring and eating Christ with teeth and with the mouth is part of the Apostates impious Religion He saith also The wicked which accord not with Christ doe not eat Christs Bodie or drinke his Bloud as is alledged c. qui discordat Dist 2. de Consecr Yet this fellow rineguing from S. Austines Doctrine holdeth that not only the wicked but also brute beasts eating the Sacrament both eat his Bodie and drinke his Bloud Simul sumimus simul bibimus quia simul viuimus Wee doe take the Sacrament and drinke together because wee liue together saith S. Augustine in Serm. ad Neoplast which is alledged c. quia passus Dist 2. de Consecrat And can the rinegate in his rinegued Conscience beleeue that S. Austine allowed priuate Masses and halfe Communions Free-will being captiuated saith S. Augustine contr 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 3. c. 8. is of no strength but to sinne Liberum arbitrium captiuatum non nisi ad peccandum valet And will this captiuated slaue of Antichrist contradict such a holy Father and say that Free-will is not captiuated but hath power to doe well The same Father de Nupt. Concupisc lib. 1. c. 3. contr Julian lib. 4. c. 3. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. c. 19. in Psal 31. in Praefat. teacheth that Infidels sinne in all their workes but the rinegate and his Mates will not submit themselues to S. Austines iudgement nor denie but that Infidels may doe good workes The Church as S. Austine saith Lib. 5. contr Donatist c. 27. consisteth of iust and holy men and in his Exposition on the 56. Psal hee saith it consisteth of all the faithfull that are the members of Christ And will the Apostate hold that wicked Popes Cardinals Masse-Priests Monkes and Fryars whereof some are Infidels are the true members of Christs Body His Master Bellarmine de Eccles c. 2. saith a man may be a true member of the Church if he communicate outwardly in Faith and Sacraments with the Church and be subiect to the Pope albeit he haue neyther inward Faith nor Vertue But who will not rather beleeue S. Austine then these two Pseudo-Catholikes Sine bonorum operum meritis per fidem iustificaetur impius saith S. Austine in Psal 67. Yet this rinegat doubteth not but as he hath the sinnes of his youth and scabs inherent so he is iustified by charitie inherent and good works if he haue any S. Austine in his Commentaries in Psal 36. doth expressely condemne mens Merits esteeming all our sufferings vile and not worthie of that which we receiue And in Psal 83. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit Whatsoeuer God promised saith he he promised to men vnworthie that the reward might be not of Workes but of Grace Afterward hee saith Our iustice is not of Merites of men but of Gods gift And yet this vnworthie fellow and his thrice-vnworthie Mates boast continually of their worth and teach mens Merites The same holy Father also Confess lib. 10. c. 42. denyeth all reconciliation to God made by Angels and in his Booke de Haeresib condemneth such for Heretikes as pray to Angels How then can such rinegates reconcile themselues to S. Austine praying to Angels and trusting to be reconciled by Angels and holpen by their intercession Lib. de Haeres c. 88. hee condemneth Pelagius for an Heretike holding that man may by free-will dispose himselfe to grace and that iust men can liue without sinne and be saued by their owne strength The which Fancies being embraced by this Heretike who
fourthly he was not subiect to the Pope nor liued vnder any certaine Rule fiftly he whipped not himselfe as the Fryars now doe sixtly he retyred not into a solitarie house but into his owne house as Possidonius reporteth Was hee not then ashamed to tell so many vntruths with one breath He addeth that a principall Caualier offered to depend on his aduice in the way of spirit and that there were many Monasteries alreadie erected in S. Austines time A grosse Leasing deuised not without the instigation of some wicked Spirit For first the Monasteries of Aegypt and Syria were of another fashion secondly Benct brought the Orders of Monkes first into Italie thirdly Possidonius calleth the man Agentem in Rebus A Factor for the Emperour fourthly of the dependance vpon S. Austine by way of spirit there is no mention in Possidonius Another grosse Leasing related by the Translator is that which is related concerning a Monasterie built by S. Augustine in a Garden Possidonius sayth it was in the Church and there liued not Canons regular as this irregular and prodigall fellow reporteth but some seruants of God that followed the Apostles rule and not the fashions of Monkes or the Decrees of Popes The Order of Priesthood he tooke but not the Orders of Masse-Priests sacrificing for quicke and dead Nay he preached the Gospel which Masse-Priests doe not and was made Bishop without any Bulls of the Pope being chosen by the Clergie and People That Euangelicall perfection consisteth in Monasticall Obedience hee neuer thought nor did hee found a Monasterie for Canons Regular These be Fictions and Lyes deuised by the Apostate for the maintenance of his Popish Religion the North-starre of his Discourse by which hee directeth his broken Barke He confesseth that hee was frequent in Preaching Catechizing and teaching of youth A plaine conuiction of the sloath and negligence of the Romish woluish Prelates which neither Preach nor Teach nor Catechise He addeth that hee compounded Differences and exercised himselfe in workes of Charity But Popish Prelats enflame Warres vexe poore Christians Murther Innocents and are voyd of Charitie and full of vices and villany That his Bishoppricke should be worth 40. M. Crownes by the yeare is a pleasant conceit of a foolish Factor of the Pope measuring times past wherein the Church was poore and needy with the time present wherein Popish Prelates exceed in Luxurie and Pride To error in beleefe and sensuality of Life he confesseth hee was admirably opposite To which the Apostate and his consorts are admirably addicted being Heretikes by profession and sensuall Epicures in life and conuersation Yet did S. Austine neuer vant of his noble Cooperation with Gods grace or say he made a superabundant satisfaction for his former offences These bee glorious vaunts of Popish Heretikes which take to themselues power of satisfactions and merites due to Christ. Hee maketh S. Austine also vnspeakably pure from a Papist turning to be a Puritane and giueth that to S. Augustine that he neuer tooke to himselfe He addeth that S. Austine did expiate 16. yeares of his Youth vncleanly spent As if a man were able to purge his sinnes and to make an attonement for them Making S. Austine a Redeemer and a teacher of perfect Iustice the first being Blasphemy and the second Pelagian Heresie Of the tendernesse of S. Austines Conscience and the rigour vsed by him in examination of his small imperfections hee talketh idly himselfe and his Consorts hauing Consciences seared with hot yrons and not examining their most flagitious Offences following sensuall Lusts falsifying their Words and Oathes murthering Gods Saints maintaining Stewes teaching Rebellion and open wickednesse He accumulated sayth the Apostate a huge stocke of Merites But S. Austine alwayes disauowed his owne Merites and fled to Gods mercy Cor. 2. in Psal 36. hee saith All thinges are to bee esteemed vile to vs when wee consider what we are to receiue Vt justi ficrent merita non fuerunt sayth he Epist 150. And in his Preface in Psal 31. Nihil boni fecisti datur tibi remissio peccatorum And de Verb. Apost Serm. 2. hee sayth God doth crowne vs in pitie and mercie of a stocke of Merites he neuer spoke one word Nay so absurd is the Doctrine of Merites of condignitie that the sounder Schoole-men doe disauow it Hee addeth That he came not short in paying his Debts contracted with God and his Church by reason of his erroneous Beleefe But if he came not short of payment what needed he to begge forgiuenesse of Debts If he confuted Pelagius and other Heretikes then he was no great friend of Papists that teaching puritie of Life and perfection of Iustice and the power of Free-will in our Regeneration and doing good Workes ioyne with Pelagius and other Heretikes condemned by S. Austine The Donatists as he sayth pretended that the vniuersall Church hath erred and was perished But he lyeth grossely for they onely sayd that it erred and perished in all places saue in Afrike not as Papists say that it is perished and erreth in all places saue in the Popes Iurisdiction Hee establisheth sayth hee the supreme Authoritie vnder God of the true visible and vniuersall Church of Christ in matters of Faith But if the true Church were visible in S. Austines time then is not the Romish Church consisting of Popes Cardinals Inquisitors dumbe Prelates sacrificing Masse-Priests Monkes Fryars Nunnes fierie Ignatians and such Vermine the true Church for such a Church was not visible in S. Austines time nor long after If the Churches Authoritie be Supreme then is not the Pope Supreme nay God speaking in Scriptures is not Supreme Finally if the Church be Vniuersall then is it not confined within the Limits of the Popes Authoritie Saint Austine certes neuer beleeued the Popes supreme Iudgement nor thought the Church of Afrike to be of lesse Authoritie then that of Rome Concerning the Canon of Scripture it selfe or the Translation or interpretation thereof or the tryall of Apostolicall Tradition or whatsoeuer other Point in difference by the iudgement of great Saint Augustine the Catholike visible Church is that which must be resorted vnto as the Supreme and finall Judge on Earth as hee sayth Hee telleth vs also That hee gaue certaine generall Rules whereby all Controuersies of Faith may bee composed But first the Pope doth much scorne to follow Saint Austines Rules or Iudgement Secondly Saint Austine neuer knew any Rule of Controuersies but holy Scriptures The Rule of Faith sayth he Lib. 5. de Ciuit. Dei c. 33. is sufficiently knowne to the Faithfull by the Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures A Regula Fidei quae per alias eiusdem Authoritatis Sacras Literas satis fidelibus nota est non vberrauimus Thirdly Saint Austine Lib. 2. de Doctr. Christ. c. 11. 15. and Lib. 15. de Ciuit. c. 13. will haue Translations examined by the Originals and inferiour to them Fourthly the blinde Papists doe not follow the Iudgement of the
Catholike visible Church but of one blinde Pope that is the Enemie of the Church Fiftly how can the Vniuersall Church conuene to iudge all Controuersies And what reason hath any to follow the Church before Christ or to heare the Church iudging in her owne Cause Sixtly the Traditions of the Romish Church concerning the Popes power the Masse and siue new Sacraments and their formes and matter were neuer knowne eyther to the ancient Church or to Saint Austine Seuenthly hee neuer knew the Moderne Church of Rome or beleeued that the Catholike Church was visible or supreme and finall Iudge Hee declareth what a pestilent thing Heresie and Schisme is as the Apostate confesseth But what is that to vs that are true Catholikes and maintaine the Vnitie of the Apostolike Church It toucheth rather the pestilencie of this Apostate and his Companions who hauing abandoned Christ adhere to Antichrist and beeing diuided from the Apostolike Church embrace the Heresies of Trent and Schooles in part condemned or else not knowne to the ancient Catholike Church or to S. Austine S. Augustine held that which in his time was taught by the Fathers and was beleeued by the vniuersall Church But this Rinegate and his adherents embrace the nouelties of Schooles and errors of the Pope and the Conuenticle of Trent albeit they were neuer beleeued by the Church nor taught by the Fathers And of these erroneous Doctrines I haue touched many particulars heretofore That holy Father Lib. de vnit Eccles declareth how the Church was knowne by Scriptures and not by those false Markes which the Pope and his Supporters thrust vpon it By Scripture also wee plainely discerne that the Apostate and his fellowes are a packe of wicked Heretikes and Schismatikes and no Communion of Saints or Catholike Christians The Donatists denyed the vniuersalitie of the Church and sayd it was perished in all places saue in Afrike and in the Communion of the Donatists S. Austine therefore disputing against them confoundeth this Rinegate and his Apostaticall fellowes who confine the Church within the Limits of the Popes Diocesse and Territories of the Roman Obedience holding it to be fallen and vanished away in all other places As for vs we neyther denie the Church to be vniuersall nor hold that Christs Catholike Church can perish or faile although this shamelesse Companion doth impose this Error vpon vs whom he maliciously calleth Caluinists and Lutherans foming out his rage against his Parents Friends and Countreymen That the true visible Church is Judge of Controuersies and cannot possibly erre is not any Doctrine of S. Augustines but an absurd Error of this Rinegate For first eyther the Church iudgeth her owne Controuersies and so sitteth Iudge in her owne Cause or the Causes of Strangers and Infidels who will not heare her Sentence Secondly S. Austine neuer appealed to the Pope but to Christ and his Apostles Thirdly neuer doth the Church meet to iudge any mans Cause nor ought Bishops to iudge otherwise then according to holy Scriptures iuxta Legemâ—eius as Moses sayth Deut. 17. Fourthly the Church of Afrike of which S. Austine speaketh contr Epist Fundam c. 5. is not now visible nor extant in the World Fiftly it followeth not because the Church moued him to beleeue the Gospel that therefore the same is supreme Iudge for any man or woman may induce a man to beleeue the Gospel yet euery one is not a supreme and infallible Iudge Sixtly the Church of Ephesus Corinth and Galatia was sometime a true visible Church and yet it is now fayled and subiect to grosse Errors and neuer was the supreme Iudge of matters of Faith Neyther is it materiall that the Truth remaineth in the Belly of the Church as S. Austine sayth in Psal 57. for the Truth remained in the Church of the Colossians Thessalonians and Philippians yet neyther were these Churches supreme Iudges nor did they alwayes abide in Truth and whatsoeuer wee thinke of them yet the Truth abideth not alwayes in the Head Belly Legges or Chayre of the Pope If any feare to be deceiued sayth S. Austine Lib. 1. con Cresc c. 33. let him consult the Church which without doubtfulnesse the holy Scripture doth demonstrate And therein we willingly follow his aduice consulting the Church of England But the Aduersaries doe contrarie consult the Synagogue of Rome composed of Popes Cardinals Inquisitors Woluish Prelates Masse-Priests Monkes Fryars Nunnes and ignorant people knowing nothing of the Faith which neyther Scriptures nor Fathers demonstrate vnlesse it be in Babylon Apocalypse 17. He sayth further that no man can be saued but in the Catholike Church and so say wee But wee denie the Synagogue of Rome despising holy Scriptures and adulterating the Doctrine of Sacraments giuen vs by Christ to be that Church They may pretend to be Catholikes as other Heretikes doe and sing Alleluia De Profundis Aue Sancta Crux and Salue Regina but out of the Catholike and Apostolike Church as they hold the new Creed of Trent and Doctrine of Schooles they cannot be saued Greased and salued they may bee but saued they cannot be And hereof he bringeth another reason De vnit Eccles c. 16. because they haue not Christ for their head and this is proued because they haue the Pope for their head nay they haue Antichrist for their head They also hold the heresies of the Simonians and Carpocratians Angelikes Collyridians Nudipedales Manichees and Pelagians The bookes of Tobia Judith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees S. Austine neuer made equall to the Law and Prophets Nay he denyeth them to haue beene reputed Canonicall by the Church before Christ albeit in regard they contayned Precepts of manners they were read in the Church and in a generall signification might be called Canonicall Of S. Peters primacie this prime Disciple of Antichrist hath little reason to prate For first S. Augustine giueth him no command or superioritie ouer the Apostles but onely a prime Place in order in respect of his feruor Age and Vertue Secondly hee had no power to depose Princes or to make Lawes This belonged to the Councell that neyther to any Apostle nor any Councell Thirdly the Pope neyther feedeth Christs sheepe nor loueth Christ nay he is more like to Nero then to Peter Fourthly the Bishops of Rome had no Apostolicall Prerogatiue nor had they power ouer Scriptures mens Consciences Princes or all other Bishops Lastly the Bishops of Afrike and among others S. Austine thought themselues in no degree inferiour to the Bishops of Rome S. Austine contr part Donat. where hee speaketh of the Rock against which the proud gates of Hell cannot preuaile vnderstandeth S. Peters Confession and Doctrine and not the succession of Popes as this Popelin would haue it For against Marcellinus the gates of Hell preuayled and no strength is there in the Succession of the rest Secondly neither doth hee call S. Peters feat an Episcopall feat of Peter as this false Translator hath turned it but onely an
order of Bishops In ordine illo Patrum quis cui successit videte are his wordes Thirdly hee doth signifie that other Bishops were as well Successors of Peter as the Bishops of Rome To end this point concerning his Judgement of the Church and the visible head thereof saith this visible and palpable Sot as if S. Augustine had euer taught that the Pope was the visible head of the Church or that his Decrees and Determinations were the determination of the Church What a brainlesse head and brazen face hath the Apostate to affirme this The succession of Priests saith S. Austine kept him in the Church But not the personall Succession of them nor the Succession of Popes as this Rinegate impudently affirmeth Further vntill S. Austines time the Bishops of Rome and other the Successours of Peter continued in the Catholike Faith But now the Popes are Apostated from the Faith and haue abandoned the office of Bishops professing new Doctrine and assuming to them a new Office S. Austine De anim ejus Orig. lib. 3. c. 4. beleeued not That Iufants dying without Baptisme could obtaine remission of originall sinne But neyther hee nor the Schoole-men say that all not Baptised are necessarily damned holding that beside the baptisme of Water there is a baptisme of Blood and of the Holy Ghost S. Ambrose doubted not of the saluation of Valentinian albeit hee dyed vnbaptised And the same is the opinion of the vnbaptised and beleeuing Thiefe and such Martyrs as shed their blood for CHRIST For the Popish reall and externall Sacrifice of the Masse S. Austine speaketh no one word howsoeuer it pleaseth this slaue of Antichrist to vouch him for it He doth not so much as once name the Masse or say that Christs Body was really offered vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine The sacrifice he speaketh of was onely a memoriall of the sacrifice of Christs death and Monica was onely remembred at the Altar as other Christians Patriarkes and Martyrs were albeit her soule was not in Purgatorie Papists also build Churches to Martyrs and Saints and call vpon them contrarie to the Doctrine of S. Austine Lib. 22. de Ciuit. Dei c. 10. who albeit they were named in the Mysteries yet denyeth that eyther they were called vpon or had Temples built vnto them Lib. 17. de Ciuit. Dei c. 20. hee admitteth none to be Priests after the Order of Melchisedech or Mediators of the New Testament but CHRIST IESVS Sacerdos ipse Noui Testamenti secundum Ordinem Melchisedech But this Apostate supposeth that his Masse-Priests are after the Order of Melchisedech and that Saints canonized by the Pope are Mediators of the New Testament albeit neyther New nor Old Testament was established in their bloud We adore Christs flesh sayth S. Austine allegorically expounding the words of the 98. Psalme but not in the Mysteries as this Patron of the Mysterie of Iniquitie affirmeth nor doth he speake of the Sacrifice of the Masse as this Dreamer imagineth for he speaketh of the spirituall eating of Christs flesh that is adored when it is beleeued and spiritually receiued by Faith That Christs flesh was vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and really contained in the Priests hands neyther did S. Austine or other Fathers beleeue for that were nothing else then to betray Christ as did Judas into the hands of Theeues That Christs Body is to be eaten with the mouth he vtterly denyeth Non hoc corpus quod videtis mandueaturi estis sayth he Againe in Conc. 1. in Psal 33. expounding these words Ferebatur in manibus suis he vnderstandeth them of the Sacrament in Christs hands for speaking properly he sayth No man is carryed in his owne hands which words the Prefacioner eyther marked not or wilfully diffembled Prayers for the dead inferre not the Doctrine of Purgatorie as the place of the 2. Machab. 12. albeit corrupted and his Booke de cura pro Mortuis doth declare for neyther doth he there mention any Purgatorie nor did he euer thinke that his Mothers soule was in Purgatorie In Enchirid ad Lament hee speaketh of purging small faults but very doubtingly but that Christians were to satisfie in Purgatorie for sinnes whose guilt was remitted hee neuer taught nor imagined Aërius was condemned as an Heretike as Augustine relateth Haeres 53. de Haeres ad Quoduultd but it was because he was an Arrian He was reproued also for denying not Sacrifices and Prayers for the Dead as this Apostate lying most deadly and impudently affirmeth but a Commemoration for the Dead then vsed wherein Martyrs and holy Saints were mentioned As for the Sacrifice 2. Machab. 12. it will profit the Apostate but little being offered for the Damned In his second Sermon vpon the 88. Psalme S. Austine would haue Saints Feasts celebrated with sobrietie But what maketh that for innocation of Saints or celebrating Masses in their honour Further these words seeme to be patched to the end of the Psalme by some idle Monke that was zealous for his Belly and more willing to feast then fast for neyther haue they any connexion with the words going before nor was it the vse to celebrate Feasts in S. Austines dayes for other Saints then Martyrs as appeareth Lib. 20. contra Faust c. 22. That S. Austine proued Prayers to Saints and Angels out of Scriptures is a most grosse Vntruth vttered by a lying Apostate In the 21. Booke de Ciuit. Dei c. 27. alledged by him is no such matter sound Nay in the 22. Booke de Ciuit. c. 10. he condemneth the inuocation of Martyrs And Lib. 10. Confess c. 42. 43. sheweth that the Office of Reconciliation and Mediation betweene God and man belongeth to Christ onely and not to Angels or Saints In the 22. Booke de Ciuit. Dei c. 8. diuers Miracles are reported as wrought some by holy Earth some by Reliques and some by other meanes But the whole Discourse sauoureth rather of the Veine of some Monke or writer of Legends then of so learned and graue a Father Howbeit whosoeuer is the Author of that Addition he neyther mentioneth the Masse nor inuocation or prayers to Saints for which by the Apostate it is vainely alledged nor sayth that Miracles were wrought by such superstitious Tricks In his Booke de Grat. Lib. Arb. c. 16. he sayth It is certaine we keepe Gods Commandements if we will But he sayth not it is in the power of the will to keepe Gods Commandements or as the Apostate inferreth that man hath possibilitie to keepe Gods Commandements For presently the holy Father addeth That our will must be prepared of the Lord and that we can doe nothing vnlesse it be giuen vs of God Further to hold that man by his will can fulfill the Law of God is Pelagianisme Lib. de Nat. Grat. c. 43. Wee must as he counselleth vs demand grace of God that we may doe that which we cannot otherwise But what need Grace if the Will had power sufficient to
when he wrote his Booke A high point of the Translators learning as if old men could not write the storie of their younger yeeres the Translator himselfe if he please may write what he did in the Brothels of France Italy and Spaine when he was younger then now Further he chargeth vs as if we should say that S. Austine was but a young man when he wrote his Confessions and that afterward he grew wiser As if any of vs did taxe S. Augustine of indiscretion for writing this Booke if he know any such why doth he-not name them if he name none himselfe seemeth to be a false accuser who albeit growne in yeeres is neyther more honest nor wise then when he was young He in his Retractations sayth he confessed his sinnes and good deeds An example which the Aduertiser meaneth not to follow for his enormious sinnes he will not confesse and good deeds I know none he hath to relate He addeth that his Confessions much pleased many of his Brethren Yet we heare of no Confession that this prodigall and Popish Apostate hath made nor doth he greatly care to please his Parents Brethren and Friends neyther doth his Translation please any man but himselfe S. Austine in his fourth Booke of Confessions saith Hee made rather a light Declamation then a serious Confession But the aduertiser although hee make both idle Declamations and friuolous and false Annotations yet neyther in jest nor earnest doth hee confesse his faults but rather proudly and vaine-gloriously boast of his doings In the end the Aduertiser beseecheth his discreet Reader to admire the humility and exactnesse of the Saint A request that concerneth himselfe nothing that is neither Saint nor humble nor exact nor discreet nay foolishly hee admireth himselfe and his doings albeit his Prefaces Notes and Aduertisements containe nothing but foolery vanity and lyes S. Austine saith the Aduertiser beleeued what hee taught But neyther did hee teach any thing in fauour of his Popish Heresies nor preiudiciall to the Faith of the Church of England Vainely hee boasteth that the moderne Faith of Rome is Catholike But we haue conuinced it to be neither Catholike nor Apostolike nor true Let him answer to our arguments and hee shall be forced to confesse so much himselfe This aduertisement therefore howsoeuer it pleased the Translator therein to mention S. Austines Retractations maketh nothing for his owne glory and commendation He should haue shewed more wisedome if hee had retracted both his Preface and Aduertisement After his Aduitisement he confesseth that his Copie was euill written and that many errours escaped in Printing But this should easily haue beene pardoned if that his whole labour had beene well performed and grosse Errours had not been committed in his Preface Annotations and Translations Now then wee come to speake of his Annotations and Translations reserued for the last Chapter CHAP. VII Of the false wicked and absurd Annotations of the Apostate vpon S. AVGVSTINES Confessions and how euill-fauouredly they and hee answere the Text. SAint Augustine in the first Booke of his Confessions Cap. 2. Doth inuocate his Lord and God which made Heauen and Earth and which notwithstanding was not contayned in them But this Apostate and his fellowes doth inuocate and call vpon Angels and Saints yea vpon their God of the Altar that neither made Heauen nor Earth nor any thing else but as themselues say was made by a Priest and is contayned vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and shut vp in a Pixe and hanged ouer the Altar This the Apostate did well perceiue made not for his profit and therefore hee was content to passe by this Chapter in sad silence Chap. 4. S. Augustine saith Supererogatur tibi vti debeas which the Apostate translateth thus By our Supererogation thou becommest our debtor and noteth that God maketh vs able to doe workes of Supererogation But neyther doth that holy Father say or thinke that God was made our debtor for our Workes but onely for his Promise nor account Monkish vowes to be workes of Supererogation nor teach that man was able to performe the whole Law and more Chap. 5. lib. 1. the Translator noteth That S. Austine did oblige God to bee good vnto him A patch stitched to the Text and not in one word signified by that holy Father and most false For by what obligation can God that is aboue all be obliged to a sinfull man that is so farre vnderneath him Nay in this very Chapter hee declareth his sinnes against himselfe and confessing the impietie of his heart and disclaiming his Merites and Workes saith Hee will not stand in judgement with God In the Margent Chap. 10. the Translator noteth that there are Sectaries who blasphemously affirme that God appointeth men to sinne But he durst not name any party least touching M. Caluin he should be deprehended in a manifest Lye and conuinced of his ordinarie Crime of Calumniation Howbeit if men should appoint men to worship the Pope and to embrace his Heresies to worship Saints and Images after the practise of Rome to rebell against Princes excommunicated by the Pope which the Apostaticall Faction of Rome sayth he doth then by their Doctrine he should appoint men indeed to sinne Wee say onely God forbiddeth all sinnes and directeth all mens actions Chap. 11. he obserueth the vse of signing with the Crosse but S. Austine there speaketh of signing and salting Infants newly come out of their Mothers Wombe and sometime before Baptisme Ceremonies not now vsed in the Romish Church Hee talketh therefore of no matters of Faith nor helpeth the Translator who so often and superstitiously abuseth that signe S. Austine Chap. 13. toucheth the buyers and sellers of Grammar but the Translator addeth Rules as if Rules of Grammar were sold so that a man might haue licence to speake false Latine In Rome the Pope selleth Rules Lawes and Dispensations but the Translator careth for none of that nor doth the Pope care for Grammar Rules or good Latine Lib. 1. Chap. 16. S. Austine speaketh of a Floud but the Translator turneth it into a Torrent and noteth in the Margent A noble Discourse as if it were a noble thing to talke of Torrents of Custome and drying vp of Flouds Afterward he talketh of learning these words the Golden Shower the Lap the Ornament and the Temple of Heauen and the Translator noteth an extreme abuse still on foot but sheweth not what it is nor wherein it consisteth These words Qui templa Coeli summo sonitu conculit he translateth thus which shakes the whole Vault of Heauen with his soueraigne Voyce as if the Heauen were like a Vault of a Cellar and euery great noyse were a soueraigne Voyce O the soueraigne dizardrie of a transcendent Translator whose words soare aboue all vnderstanding and reason God is the Centre of all true sweetnesse sayth the Apostate in a Marginall Note vpon the first Chapter of the second Booke of Confessions But in the Text
weakenesse A place ill translated S. Austines words are Firmit as nostra quando tu es tunc est firmit as cum autem nostra est infirmit as est How then can man of himselfe will or doe that is good or prepare himselfe to iustice or before grace beleeue and repent and loue God Where in the Text S. Austine Lib. 5. Confess c. 1. hath Heale thou all my Bones the Translator in the Margent noteth the powers of his Soule as if his Apostaticall Soule were full of Bones S. Austine also sayth God doth open the heart when he will Which sheweth that man cannot resist his grace nor receiue it before it be giuen him The picture of an Heretike saith hee in a note vpon the 5. Booke and 6. Chap. is set out in Faustus who was very shallow albeit hee made a faire shew What then need wee goe further to seeke out an Heretike then to this shallow-pated Apostate who notwithstanding his shewes and brags is a Translator of small substance such also are his pedanticall Masters the Jesuites that talking brauely of the Church and Tradition runne their barkes vpon the sands of the Popes Decrees impudently bragging and yet performing nothing Like to Faustus who was Magnus laquens Diaboli as S. Austine saith Lib. 5. Confes c. 3. as they are Erat memoria B. Cypriani saith S. Austine Lib. 5. c. 8. This the Apostate translateth there was the Shrine of S. Cyprian As if that godly Martyr were Shrined like Thomas of Canterbury and worshipped with Lights Masses Musicke solemne accesse of Pilgrimes and such like Ceremonies There also he saith S. Cyprians Reliques were kept but he sheweth not what Reliques nor is able to proue that they were there worshipped S. Augustine hath no such thing It was onely a memory of Cyprians martyrdome Monica there prayed to God and not to Cyprian as may bee collected out of S. Austines wordes The Manichees as the Translator noteth Lib. 5. c. 9. beleeued that our Sauiour CHRIST had not a naturall Body And can hee and his consorts beleeue otherwise that in the Sacrament giue him a Body that is neyther felt nor seene nor suffereth any thing There also he addeth that Monica went euery day to Masse corrupting S. Austines wordes who speaketh of an Oblation no day pretermitted by her But I trow the Apostate will not say shee sayd Masse neyther was there any Masse framed by Scholasticus or patched together by Popes in her time Shee went euery day to Church as S. Austine saith a plaine conuiction of Recusants that goe no day to Church Hee addeth that God by his promises maketh himselfe a debtor therefore for mens Merites hee is no debtor remitting daily their debts The Manichees as S. Austine reporteth Lib. 5. c. 10. beleeued that God had the bulke of a Body And doe not the Papists paint figure God the Father and the Holy Ghost and giue them bulkes of bodies As the Manichees salsified the Scriptures as witnesseth S. Austine Lib. 5. Confes c. 11. So doe the Hereticall Papists both by Translations and wicked Interpretations 2. They doe also suppresse Gods eternall Testament prohibitng the reading of it in vulgar Translations without licence 3. They falsifie the Fathers as their Indexes Expurgatory and later Editions compared with Manuscripts and former Prints declare In vaine therefore doth this poore Translator thinke to wipe away so foule a fault with a megre Marginall note S. Ambrose did Preach to the people as S. Austine relateth Lib. 5. Confes c. 13. hee did also substantially teach Saluation whereas Faustus the Heretike did wander vp and downe by certaine fallacies But the Pope and his proud Prelates Preach not The Masse-Priests also and Iesuwides wandring in diuers fallacies and Schoole-trickes teach the Popes fancies and leade their Disciples out of the way of saluation as did the Hereticall Manichees Vpon the 5. Booke 14. Chap. in a Marginall note he saith God deceiueth men of their soules most impiously making God a deceiuer who deceiueth none but draweth men by a right course into the way of Truth Monica as S. Austine testifieth Lib. 6. Confes c. 2. brought Bread and Wine to the memories of Martyrs which this jugler translateth shrines but was forbidden by the doore keeper because it was a Heathenish custome Yet this Heathenish custome the heathenish Priests of Baal leaue not Feasting and Banquetting riotously on the festiuall dayes of their Saints which they worship Idolatrously The Translator in a certaine Note doth insinuate that Ostiarius was then an Office in the Church as it is now But S. Austine doth neyther make an Order of Doore-keepers nor a Sacrament nor can the Translator with any Art draw that out of him The Communion of the Body of our Lord saith the holy Father was celebrated at the Tombes of Martyrs But neyther doth hee mention Masse nor doe Masse-Priests alwayes make this Sacrament a Communion eating and drinking all alone albeit this Iugler would willingly draw his Masse out of these Boxes God hath no Children saith the Apostate in Lib. 6. Confes c. 3. but such as are members of the Catholike Church How then can the Apostate and his fellowes claime to bee Gods children being the members of Antichrist and hauing forsaken the Catholike Church and Faith S. Augustine saith God spirituall Children are by him Regenerated by Grace But the Apostate doth attribute Regeneration to the Priest and Sacrament and that ex opere operato Are they not then rather the Popes Bastards then Gods spirituall Children Persuasisti mihi saith S. Austine Lib. Confes 6. c. 5. non qui crederent libris quos tanta fere in omnibus gentibus authoritate fundasti sed qui non crederent esse culpandos nec audiendes esse si qui forte mihi dicerent vnde scis illos libros vnius veri veracissimi Dei Spiritu humano generi esse ministratos So hee saith first that God perswaded vs to beleeue holy Scriptures to bee of God 2. That Scriptures haue their authority from God and not from the Pope or Church 3. That it is impious to make a question how we know that Scriptures came from God But this false Translator contrary to S. Austines wordes and meaning maketh the Scriptures to receiue Authoritie from the Church in regard of vs. 2. He would haue vs to beleeue the Scriptures not because God perswadeth vs but because the Church teacheth vs as if the Church receiued her perswasion from herselfe and not from God Lastly continually they question vs how we know that the Scriptures are of God which this good Father condemneth as impious To resolue that the Scriptures are Diuine because the Pope saith so is most ridiculous The like fraud this Iugler vseth in a Note vpon the 11. Cap. of this Booke deriuing that Authority which S. Austine giueth to holy Scriptures to his Church that is to euery ignorant and faithlesse Pope Alipius is commended by S. Austine Lib. 6. conf c. 8. for
Scriptures but the Pope challengeth a power to authorize Scriptures which this Apostate also would auow if he durst but S. Austine doth beat downe both the Apostates and the Popes blasphemous pride Fish he sayth is sometimes a figure of Christ in the Sacrament a proper deuice For so the Priests by their Transubstantiation make of Bread Flesh and this Apostiller by a new figure will make it Fish that they may haue in the same Feast both Fish and Flesh Matters neuer though of by S. Austine Neyther doth he in this place by blessing and calling vpon God vnderstand crossing or sprinkling of holy Water such as Masse-Priests vse but blessing and praysing the Name of God In his Notes vpon the 13. Booke of Confessions c. 25. he would be glad to know as he sayth what Benedictions haue come vnto vs from our Ministers and whether their sound be gone ouer all the Earth And I to giue him satisfaction answere That these Blessings we receiue from them We learne to know God and whom he hath sent Christ Iesus and to discerne Antichrist and to flye from him We learne the true Faith and Gods true worship We vnderstand that we are to auoid the Heresies of the Romish Church and her abominable Idolatry and Superstition We learne how to reforme our liues and walke worthie our profession But of him and his Masse-Priests Monkes and Fryars ignorant people receiue nothing but an implicite Faith Crosses Beades holy Water Masses Agnus Dei Indulgences and such Toyes neyther doe they learne any thing except that which we teach but Heresie Superstition Idolatry Rebellion ignorance of Scripture and corruption of manners nor receiue any thing but shame Bishops made by the Pope preach not Masse-Priests teach little Monkes and Fryars teach without authoritie hauing no power but from Antichrist and if they teach any Truth it is mixed with many Errors and Corruptions That which we teach is the Apostles Doctrine the sound of whose Doctrine is gone ouer the whole Earth the Papists Heresies and false Doctrine is onely receiued in the Popes Iurisdiction Our Sauiour Christ promiseth to him that receiueth a Prophet in his name the reward of a Prophet as S. Austine sayth Confess lib. 13. c. 26. But absurdly is this applyed to Masse-Priests and such false Prophets for such destroy Soules vndermine the State corrupt the Manners of their Disciples and seeke onely to vnderprop the ruinous Kingdome of Antichrist Lib. 13. c. 34. S. Austine sayth God hath solidely built the authoritie of his Booke of Scriptures betweene superiors which should learne of God and inferiors which should be subiect vnto them Solidasti authoritatem libri tui inter superiors qui tibi docibiles essent inferiores qui eis subderentur So he giueth authoritie to Scriptures and would haue all men subiect vnto them which is contrarie to this Apostates mind And therefore by his false Notes he goeth about to corrupt the place not willing to denie the Popes authoritie in making Scriptures Canonicall to vs by that authoritie contrarie to S. austines iudgement which would haue Superiors to learne of God He addeth also that the Scripture is subiect to the exposition of Doctors which is contrarie to that holy Fathers meaning Finally S. Austine lib. 13. Conf. c. 38. hopeth to rest in Gods holy place which he calleth his great sanctificaton not for his merites but by Gods grace and mercie And this doe all good Catholikes hope and beleeue not doubting of their saluation grounded on his holy Word that is most certaine and his sweet Promises that are most comfortable But this Apostate and his peruerse companions neyther beleeuing that Gods Word concerneth them nor trusting to his Promises made to all that beleeue and liue according to their holy profession nor hauing good conscience nor feeling of the holy Ghost but measure all by their owne workes and merites are neyther Catholikes nor Christs Disciples And this I trust will suffice to vindicate the holy Father Saint Austine from the violence and wrong offered to him by this impure Apostate As for the wrong that he hath offered to Religion and the Church of England I trust our Superiors will in time vindicate and albeit they neglect it or cannot redresse it I doubt not but God will reuenge his owne Cause his owne selfe Deo vni trino laus honor gloria in sempiterna secula Amen FINIS
Doctrine of Trent concerning Traditions Iustice of workes Freewill dispositions 7. Sacraments worshipping of Saints and Images and other heresies reiected by vs. How then can Papists pretend that their Religion is Catholike which that Catholike Father admitted not as catholike The Catholike Church euer prayed and administred Sacraments in a tongue vnderstood of the hearers The Friers Monkes and Masse-Priests therefore that pray and administer Sacraments in a tongue not vnderstood of their hearers declare themselues and their adherents not to belong to the Catholike Church To hold that Christ hath a body that can neither bee felt nor seene nor can it selfe either feele or see is a Doctrine not of Catholikes but of hereticall Papists contrary to our Sauiours words Luke 24. inuiting his Disciples to feele and see They are also Heretikes and not Catholikes that destroy Christs humane nature and that giue him a body like a Spirit But so doth Bellarmine and his Disciples the Papists Without mee saith our Sauiour you caen doe nothing and this all true Catholikes beleeue But the Apostate and his consorts hold that by force of Freewill they can turne to God and prepare themselues to grace and doe good Catholikes thinke and speake reuerently of Christ But Papists blaspheme and say his holy Body is eaten of brute beasts eating the Sacrament and that it may be troden vnder feet and cast into vncleane places Catholike Christians neuer admitted 7. Sacraments or beleeued that men were iustified by Matrimony order Confirmation Confession or extreme Vnction S. Austine said the Sacraments issued out of Christs side which cannot bee verisied of the fiue Romish new Sacraments True Catholikes confesse their sinnes to God and so doth Scriptures and catholike Fathers teach them Papists contrariwise confesse to Angels Saints and the Virgin Mary They thinke themselues also bound to confesse in the Priests care contrary to the practice of true Catholikes Catholikes doe beleeue that God onely doth forgiue sinnes Are they then Catholikes that teach that Priests not onely intercede for sinne and declare sinnes forgiuen but also forgiue sinnes as did the Audean Heretikes mentioned by Theoderet haeret Fab. lib. 4 This Apostate and his mates beleeue that the Virgin Mary in body is assumed vp and crowned Queene of Heauen therefore they call vpon her as their Mediatrix But this will not be proued to be a Catholike doctrine or practise Holy Martyrs and true Catholikes in time past suffered death because they would not serue and worship Creatures and fall downe before dumbe Images Are they then Catholikes that worship Creatures and adore Images Not Catholikes but the Priests of Baal and Cybele vsed to lance whip and beat themselues thinking thereby to expiate sinne Are they then true Catholikes that practise this Heathenish custome and commend it as Christian Discipline Heathen men in time past fell downe and prayed before their Images and can they pretend to be Christian Catholikes that say Pater Noster and Aue Maria before Stocks and Stones practising this Heathenish custome Papists doe also fall downe before their Lord and God the Pope kissing his foot but this was neuer practised by ancient Catholikes or true Christians True Christians receiued deuoutly the holy Sacrament and neyther put it into Pyxes nor carryed it in Procession But these false Catholikes put it into Pyxes carry it about on Corpus Christi day and worship it as a God The Apostle 1. Tim. 4. accounteth it a Doctrine of Diuels to forbid Marriage and to command Christians to abstaine from certaine Meats Foolishly therefore Papists repute themselues to be Catholikes that forbid Marriage to Priests and Votaries and restraine certaine Orders from eating Flesh and forbid all men to eate certaine Meates in Lent and on Fasting-dayes Catholike Christians neuer beleeued they should be saued by eating Salt-Fish and Red Herrings or forswearing Marriage or keeping Holy-dayes and the Precepts of the Church of Rome How then are Papists Catholikes that beleeue such fooleries Jesus Maria were neuer ioyned together in the Prayers of Catholikes neyther did they prayse Mary as well as Jesus In this coniunction therefore Papists make a separation of themselues from true Catholikes True Catholikes vsed alwayes in time past to burie the Bones and Reliques of Martyrs A plaine argument that such as digge dead men out of their Graues and worship them vpon Gods Altar are Heretikes and Idolaters and not Catholikes Neyther did ancient Catholikes beleeue that an Agnus Dei was good against Lightening and did as well purge sinnes as Christs bloud Which is another euidence that Papists so beleeuing are not Catholikes S. John 1. Epist 1. teacheth vs that Christs bloud doth purge our sinnes and that is a point beleeued of all Catholikes Papists therefore that beleeue that the bloud of Saints and their owne bloud and Satisfactions yea that holy Water doth purge sinne are but sorry Catholikes Sorry Catholikes also and poore Christians they are holding that the paines of sinne are purged away in the fire of Purgatorie For how are they purged when they are imposed And where did ancient Catholikes teach such a Purgation Farre also were Catholikes from beleeuing that Salt and holy Water did driue away euill spirits Ancient Christian Catholikes did not say Masses for sicke Horses and Hogges nor did they sing Masses of the Crowne of Thornes or of the three Nayles or de praeputio Christi nor had they seuerall Masses for Saylers Hunters Trauailers Barren Women Maides and Women with Child Are not Papists then degenerated quite from ancient Catholike Religion True Catholikes neuer blessed Crosses nor beleeued that any Woodden or Stone Crosse consecrated by them was the Foundation of Faith or a Defence in Aduersitie or Victorie against the Enemies as Papists professe in their Pontificals plainely declaring themselues therein to be idolatrous Heretikes They doe also beleeue that our Ladies Image can helpe such as pray before it and that it is a remedie against Thundering and Lightening inundation of Waters and tumults of Warres and that the Euangelist S. Iohns Image can expell Diuels and bring to vs the assistance of Angels matters neuer heard of or beleeued by Catholike Christians In a Booke called Antidot arium animae ignorant Papists are taught to pray to the Image of Christs Face called Veronica to be purged from all blemishes of sinne to obtaine grace and the fellowship of Saints And this Prayer as they say was made by Iohn the two and twentieth Pope of that name But neyther can the Apostate nor all his Masters the Iesuites prooue that such a Prayer was vsed by any ancient or true Christian Catholike Papists also are taught to consecrate Bells to cause Tempests to cease and to driue away Diuels They doe also salute consecrated Oyle saying Aue sanctum Chrisma But if the Apostate were all greased with Oyle and signed with Crosses yet shall he neuer be able to shew that this was a practise of true Catholikes The Apostle Ephes 4. sayth Christ