this meanes it came to passe that Christ was free from all spot Concil Trid. Sess 5. Cap. 1. â—peccato originali And so herein they do altogether ouerthroâ— this Article of Christs conception by the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 whose onely power the Scripture doth impute Christs holinesse and not the Virgin Marie which was no lesse then all others conceiued and borne in sinne did need Christ to be her Mediator as wel as the rest of mankind There was a long time a foule stirre in the Church of Rome betweene the Dominicans and the Franciscans about this point Acts and Monuments pa. 732. It was the common opinion of Fathers and Writers vntill Lumbards time which was about the yeere 1150. that she was conceiued in Original sinne Perkins 2. Vol. 596. In the fourth Article wee professe that Christ suffered c. by which he hath made a full and perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of his elect and for the whole punishment thereof both eternall and temporall The Papists teach that Christ hath satisfied for sinnes going before Baptisme but concerning sinnes following Baptisme the fault is remitted by the Passion of Christ and the punishment which of infinite is made finite is to be satisfied for by men themselues either heere or in Purgatorie that is men themselues must satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment of their offences either on earth or in Purgatorie There is say they a certaine infernall place in the earth called Purgatory in the which as in a prison-house the soules which were not fully purged in this life are there clensed and purged by fire before they can be receiued into heauen Bell. de Purgat lib. 1. cap. 1. and cap. 3. lib. 2. cap. 6. Rhem. on 1. Cor. 3. Sect. 4. They say also that it is an Article of faith to beleeue that there is a Purgatorie and that he which beleeues it not is â—â—re to goe to hell Bellar. ibid. l. 1. c. 15. But this is so farre from â—eing an Article of faith as that it is a meere fable and conâ—rarie to an Article of faith The bloud of Christ is the Purâ—atory of our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.7 Afflictions are called the fieâ— tryall 1. Pet. 1.7.4.12 whereby wee are clensed from our â—orruption as gold is froÌ„ the drosse by fire No other Purgaâ—â—rie is to be found in Scriptures The Scriptures mentioÌ„ but two sorts of men beleeuers and vnbeleeuers and but two places after this for them heauen for the one and hell for the other Luke 16.25 26. Iohn 3.36 Reuelation 20.14 15.21.7 8. They that dye in the Lord rest from their labours which cannot be true if any of them goe to Purgatorie Their workes follow them that is the reward of their workes Reuel 14.13 If any man should haue gone to Purgatorie then the thiefe vpon the Crosse had gone thither who repenting at his end wanted time to make satisfaction for the temporall punishment of his sinnes but Christ said to him To day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise The doctrine of Purgatorie came into the Church out of the Heathen writers for the Philosophers and Poets were the first that euer wrote of it and Popish Purgatorie was vnknowne to the Fathers many hundred yeeres after Christ Perkins 2. Vol 568.569 C. If Purgatorie be but a fable contrary to an Article of faith then what is the cause that the Church of Rome so stifty maintaines it M. There is great cause why they should so doe for it keepes in the fire in the Popes Kitchin for if the fire of Purgatorie were not great the fire in the Popes Kitchin would be but small for by this meanes they haue store of money for Pardons Masses Diriges and other such like trumperies DIALOGVE 5. C. Doe they teach any thing else contrary to the Creede M. Yes The sixth Article saith that Christ ascended into Heauen c. and the Scriptures say that the Heauens must containe him c. Acts. 1.11.3.21 They teach contrarie hereunto namely that Christ is corporally present in thâ— Sacrament and that in many places at once The which 〈◊〉 contrary to the nature of a true body and contrarie to thâ— nature of the Sacrament which is a remembrance 〈◊〉 Christ Virgilius against Eutyches lib. 4. saith thus When 〈◊〉 that is the flesh of Christ was on earth it was not in heâ—uen and because it is now in Heauen it is not on eartâ— This is the Catholike faith and confession It is an Artiâ— of faith to beleeue the Catholike Church and faith is the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 Therefore the Catholike Church is alwaies vnto the world inuisible and not to be espied but by the eyes of faith because things seene are not beleeued The Papists teach that the Catholike Church is and hath bin alwaies visible Rhem. on Mat. 5. Sect. 3. The Church is said to be Catholike that is vniuersall because it is not tyed to any one speciall place but is spred abroad ouer the face of the earth They tye it to Rome alone which can be but a particular Church not vniuersall In the Church there is a Communion of Saints and these are they that are sanctified by the bloud and Spirit of Christ hauing the perfect holines of Christ put vpon them by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holines powred into their heart by the Spirit of sanctification And such are the Faithfull here on earth 1. Cor. 1.2 Psal 16.2 The Papists acknowledge none to bee Saints but such as are in heauen They teach that the Pope can canonize Saints whereas to make one a Saint is onely the worke of God 1. Cor. 11. The Pope hath canonized many that indeede were neuer true Saints of God but wicked men and ranke Traitours to their Princes as Becket with many others This canonizing of Saints was neuer heard of with the Fathers vntill the yeere 880. and then Adrian tooke vp this authoritie And Alexander the Third after him confirmed it in his decrees In the Creede we professe to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes that is I beleeue that God for Christ his sake doth freely forgiue the sinnes of his Elect and my sinnes also And herein consisteth our iustification namely in the free forgiuenes of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnes to vs. The Papists teach many things contrary to this Article First that men are to make satisfaction for their sinnes Now satisfaction for sinnes and forgiuenes of sinnes are contraries If we satisfie in our own person wee are not iustified freely if we be iustified freely as most certainely we are Rom. 3.23 then we make no satisfaction at all If a man can satisfie and pay a debt then he needes no forgiuenesse but if the debt bee forgiuen him then it is plaine that there is no satisfaction made The satisfaction for our sinnes was made by Christ and not by vs. C. Did not the ancient Fathers teach men to make
A PILL TO PVRGE OVT POPERIE OR A Catechisme for Romish Catholikes Shewing that Popery is contrarie to the grounds of the Catholike RELIGION and that therefore Papists cannot be good CATHOLIKES LONDON â—rinted for Beniamin Fisher and are to be sold at his shop in Pater-noster Row at the Signe of the Talbot 1623. A PILL TO PVRGE OVT POPERIE OR A Catechisme for Romish Catholikes Shewing that Popery is contrarie to the grounds of the Catholike Religion and that therefore Papists cannot be good CATHOLIKES The Speakers A weake Christian A Minister DIALOGVE I. Christian AMong the diuersities of opinions that are in the world how may I know which is the truth whereto J must cleaue and who are the true Church and true Catholikes Minister a 1. Ioh. 4.1 Beleeue not euery spirit that is euery doctrine which men bragging of the Spirit doe teach but try them whether they be of God or no b 1. Thes 5.21 Examine all things hold fast that which is good C. Whereby shall I try them M. By the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 Act. 17.11 C. I am vnlearned and the Scriptures are hard to be vnderstood M. There are indeed many things in them hard to bee vnderstood 2. Pet. 3.16 but such things as are necessarie to be knowne of all to saluation are plainely set downe Prou. 8.9 The meaning of which place is this The Word of God in points necessarie to saluation is easie vnto all that haue a desire vnto it Turne to the places of Scripture added to euery answere of the Catechisme and you shall finde this to be most true C. Is there no other way and meanes whereby to try and know the truth and the true professors thereof M. Yes it may be done euen by the aforesaid grounds of Religion Whatsoeuer doctrine is agreeable thereunto is true and to be receiued but whatsoeuer is contrary to the same is false and to be reiected As many as do sincerely and soundly imbrace professe and practise the same they are the Catholike Church that is parts and members of the Catholike Church and true Catholikes indeed But such as teach professe and practise things contrary thereunto are not the true Church nor true Catholikes C. The Papists say that they onely are the true Church and true Catholikes and that we are not M. So the Iewes cryed a Ieremy 7.4 The Temple of the Lord b Ioh. 8.33 41. We are the seed of Abraham the children of God But Christ told them they were the children of the diuell Joh. 8.44 C. Are not the Papists then good Catholikes M. No but rather grosse Heretikes C. What is an Hereticke M. One that doth erre in any fundamentall point of Christian Religion and doth obstinately teach maintaine and defend the same C. Doe the Papists erre in the fundamentall points of Religion M. They doe teach and maintaine many false opinion against the very grounds of Religion as by and by shall be shewed in many particulars C. Are all Papists then Hereticks M. No for there are no doubt many of them that doe erre of simplicitie and ignorance and which would bee brought from their errours if they had the meanes namely the Scriptures in their owne language preaching catechizing and the like We doe not therefore account them all Hereticks but onely those before mentioned C. How doe you proue that they are not good Catholicks M. I proue it thus They are good Catholicks which are of sound faith and good life Aug. lib. quaest in Mat. Chap. 11. but Papists are neither of sound faith nor good life therefore they are no good Catholikes C. How doe you proue that they are not of sound faith M. Euen by the Apostles Creed which may serue in stead of a rule whereunto the faith of all men ought to agree contrary whereunto they teach many things C. Shew me wherein M. The Creed is a confession of faith containing the summe of the Gospell and of such things as are necessary to be beleeued of all that will be saued They haue deuised many other new Articles of faith besides and contrary to the Articles of the Apostles Creed which they hold necessarily to be beleeued of all that will be saued As namely Indulgences and a treasurie of Saints merits the reall presence the Popes Supremacie Purgatorie and such like In the Councell of Trent the curse Anathema is pronounced vpon all such as deny these or any of them Master Perkins first Vol. page 621. The Creed teacheth what euery one in particular is to know and beleeue and a true faith cannot stand without certaine knowledge The Papists maintaine an implitite or an ignorant faith namely that it is enough to beleeue as the Church beleeueth though they know not what the Church is nor what the Church beleeueth And â—hey commend this faith by the example of an old deuout â—ther a Colliar who being tempted of the Diuell and asked how he beleeued answered That hee beleeued as the Church beleeued being asked againe how the Church beleeued he answered As I beleeue whereupon the Diuell as they say was faine to depart C. It should seeme it was but a simple Diuell for if hee had beene wise he would haue asked him this question What if the Church beleeue that thou art a foole what would the Colliar thinke you haue answered then M. I thinke he would haue said nothing for if he should haue said I beleeue so too the diuell might then haue begged him for a foole indeed And yet such fooles are the simple and ignorant Papists which content themselues with this kinde of faith for thus one may reason with them You are to beleeue as the Church beleeueth but the Church beleeues that you are fooles therefore you are to beleeue so too This their implicite faith euery one of himselfe may haue The diuels in some sence may bee said to haue a better faith then this for they know what is contained in the Scriptures and beleeue it to be true Mat. 4.6 Jam. 2.19 This fond and ridiculous kind of faith is a notable meanes to muzzle people in blindnesse superstition and perpetuall ignorance Againe faith is a certaine and true perswasion of the heart whereby wee are perswaded and in some measure assured of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and eternall saluation The Papists say It is presumption to bee assured of saluation and will haue men to doubt thereof the which is contrary to the nature of true faith They call the certaintie of remission of sinnes a faithlesse perswasion and the faith of diuels not of Apostles Concil Trid. Sess 6. cap. 9.12 13. Rhemists Annot. 1. Cor. 9. Sect. 9. DIALOGVE 2. C. Shew me I pray you what things in particular they teach câ—â—rary to any Article of the Creed M. I could shew you many but I feare that then I should be tedious to you I will therefore set downe onely the chiefest In the second third Article is described and set forth vnto vs
but all our workes are vnperfect as well in parts as in degrees of accomplishment In parts because we omit many things which the Law prescribeth and doe many euill things which the Law prohibiteth In degrees because the works of the Saints are vncleane Esay 64.6 Phil. 3.8 Secondly a man must doe the worke of himselfe and by himselfe for if it be done by the helpe of another the merit doth not properly belong to the dooer But the good workes which we doe are not ours but are wrought by God in vs. Thirdly a man must doe the worke of his owne free will and pleasure not of due debt for when we doe that which we are bound to doe we doe no more but our duty But whatsoeuer we doe we doe it as poore debters nay wee are worse then poore debters we are miserable bankerupts wee haue nothing we haue lesse then nothing to pay Luke 17.10 Fourthly the worke must be done to the benefit and profit of him from whom we looke to be repayed But no man by any worke of his can bring any profit vnto God Iob 22.2.35.7 Psal 16.2.50.12 We may benefit men but we cannot benefit our Maker from whom we haue receiued life and limb soule and body and all that we haue wee can giue him nothing and therefore can deserue nothing from him Rom. 11.35 36. Lastly the worke and the reward must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not then a reward of desert but a gift of good-will But there is no proportion betweene our workes which are altogether vnperfect and the excellency of those great blessings and benefits which the Father giueth vs freely in his Sonne Rom. 8.18 And therefore in this and the former respects there can be no merit in any meere man wherefore it is no lesse absurd to say that we merit saluation at Gods hands by good works then if one should say Thou hast giuen mee an hundred pounds therefore thou oughtest to giue me a thousand C. Was not this doctrine of merit taught in the times of ancient Fathers M. Merit being taken in his proper sense for due iust desert was neuer allowed of the sound Professors for a thousand yeeres after Christ Perkins 1. Vol. 574 575. second Vol. 535 536. Such therefore as will be iustified and saued by their owne workes and challenge eternall life by their merits doe shew themselues to be most proud and vnthankefull persons and deserue most iustly to be condemned eternally C. The Papists at their end doe renounce their owne merits and professe that they looke to be saued onely by the merits of Christ M. If there were nothing else but this it were enough to proue their doctrine of merit to be a false doctrine for if it were a truth then a man is not onely in his life time to professe it and maintaine it but also in his death yea rather to dye for it then to deny it But seeing they in their life professe it and maintaine it but at their death renounce it it is a manifest argument that euen they themselues doe know that it is not a true but a falâ—e doctrine C. If they know that it is not a truth what makes them then in their life-time so stiffely to maintaine it M. It serues greatly to maintaine and vphold the Popes kingdome for they teach that the ouer-plus of Christs merits and of the merits of Saints and Martyrs is the treasure of the Church which being gathered together and put into a store-chest is in the Popes custodie and he alone hath the plenary opening and shutting of this Chest and the ordering and disposing of these merits by vertue whereof hee giues out Indulgences and Pardons when and to whom hee will So that such as haue not merits enow of their own may haue them from thence And so hereby hee maintaines and vpholds his kingdome for hereby comes in infinite wealth and reuenewes Perkins 3. vol. 1. part pag. 165 2. D. 2. vol. 590. 2. a. In these and many other particular points the Papists teach contrary to the Articles of the Creed and therefore are no true Catholikes neither doe they belong to the Catholike Church as is thus proued Whosoeuer haue not the Catholike faith doe not belong to the Catholike Church but the Papists haue not the Catholike faith therefore they doe not belong to the Catholike Church That they haue not the Catholike faith is plaine by that aforegoing DIALOGVE 6. C. Doe they teach any thing contrary to the doctrine of the Sacraments M. Yes many things Christ ordained but onely two Sacraments The Church of Rome hath added to them fiue more namely Confirmation Penance Matrimonie Orders and extâ—eme Vnction C. Are not these Sacraments indeed M. No surely for there are foure things necessarily required to make a Sacrament First the authoritie of Christ commanding it Secondly the element or outward signe as the matter of it Thirdly the word of institution as the forme Fourthly the end and vse to be a seale of our faith for remission of sinnes These foure things are not to be found in their fiue latter Sacraments and therefore they are no Sacraments indeed Master Attersoll on the Sacraments pag. 119. to 150. Synopsis Papis Controu 14 15 16. C. May not the Church then institute and ordaine Sacraments M. None may ordaine a Sacrament but onely the Lord. As none may put a signe and seale to a mans last Will and Testament but onely the maker of the Testament so none may ordaine Sacraments which are signes and seales of the new Testament and couenant of grace but onely the Lord which made the couenant And therefore the Church of Rome in doing the contrary proues her selfe not to bee the true Church of Christ but rather the Church of Antichrist They doe also in many other things teach contrary to the doctrine of the Sacraments As First that the Sacraments doe giue grace and namely remission of sinnes ex opere operato by the worke wrought Rhem. Acts 22. Sect. 1. Secondly that not onely faith doth iustifie but the Sacraments also Rhem. Rom. 6. Sect. 5. Whereas Sacraments are signes and seales of iustification Rom. 4.11 Thirdly that Infants dying without Baptisme cannot bee saued Rhem. Ioh. 3. Sect. 2. They haue also added many idle ceremonies to Baptisme as Creame Tapers Salt c. with an opinion of saluation and worship annexed vnto them yea in times past they baptized Bels but now they begin to be ashamed of it and say that they were but onely hallowed and consecrated to holy vses Bellar. l. 4. de Pont. Rom. c. 12. Synopsis Papismi Controu 12. Quest 5. Concerning the Lords Supper they haue likewise most grossely abused it in many things First they take away the Cup from the Laity whereas the Church of Rome for aboue a thousand yeeres after Christ vsed both signes in the Communion The Communion vnder one kind was decreed defined and
determined as a publike Law in the Councell of Constance about the yeere 1114. Perk. 2. Vol. 554.2 b. Secondly they reserue the Bread in boxes pixes other vessels of the Church for dayes weekes and moneths They shew it to the people the Priest lifting it ouer his head anâ— going with it in procession All this is contrary to the Sacrament for it is no Sacrament vnlesse there be a giuing receiuing eating and drinking M. Attersoll on the Sacraments 386 387. The reseruation of the Sacrament was not allowed of but rather found fault withall by the Fathers Perk. 2. vol. 557. Thirdly they adore fall downe and honour the Sacrament with diuine worship calling it their Lord and God A thing neuer heard of among the heathen Idolaters namely to worship a piece of bread or rather a thin Wafer The adoration in the Sacrament belongeth vnto Christ sitting in heauen and is an inward worship of the heart or lifting vp of the minde being stirred vp with the outward signes Pope Honorius the third in the yeere 1220. was the first that euer instituted the adoration of the Sacrament And after him Vrban the fourth ordained a feast in honour of the body of Christ Perk. 2. Vol. 564. Attersoll on the Sacraments 388 389. Fourthly they turne the Sacrament into a sacrifice for the quick the dead abolishing the fruit remembrance of the death of Christ disannulling his Priesthood giuing him to his Father whereas the Father hath giuen him to vs c. ibid. page 390. Fiftly they maintaine Transubstantiation These are their very words If any man shall say that there remaineth the substance of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament after the words of consecration or shal deny that the whole substance of Bread and Wine is changed and conuerted into the bodie and bloud of Christ the formes and shewes onely of Bread and Wine remaining which singular and miraculous conuersion the Church calleth Transubstantiation let him be accursed Con. Trid. Sess 13. Can. 2. This their doctrine of Transubstantiation is a very fable to mock fooles withall and it ouerturneth both the nature and vse of the Sacrament Attersoll on the Sacraments page 45. 46. page 365. to 369. If there were a miraculous conuersion as they say there is of the Bread and Wine it would appeare to the outward senses For al true miracles are wrought openly cleerely euidently to mens senses Ioh. 6.26 But the Bread and Wine by the iudgement of all the senses remaineth and appeareth to be the same in substance which it was before of the same quality quantitie colour taste handling smelling vertue and nourishment there is not any one sense or all the senses together that can iudge otherwise of it then it did before If a man should bee called in when the Bread and Wine is set on the Table and bidden to consider well what he there seeth smelleth tasteth and then is willed to goe forth and to come in againe after the Consecration is ended by the Priest and to do the like and then is asked what he thinketh of it he no doubt will answere vnlesse feare of persecution make him to conceale the truth I see feele smell and taste the same wafer-cake and wine that I did before I can perceiue no naturall and substantiall change therein And therefore it followeth that there is no miracle wrought and consequently no transubstantiation at all The difference that is is in the end vse onely Before consecration it was common bread and wine ordained for the nourishing of our bodies After consecration it becommeth holy Bread and Wine sanctified by the Lord not so much to feede the body as the soule C. Did not the ancient Fathers hold this doctrine of Transubstantiation M. They knew nothing hereof for at least 800. yeeres after Christ Afterwards begun the disputations of Transubstantiation but not approued as an Article of faith The Church for a whole thousand yeeres taught no other then spirituall receiuing of Christ In the yeere 1215. Transubstantiation was decreed and determined in the Councell of Lateran vnder Pope Innocent the Third and made a maine matter of faith Perk. 2. vol. 558 559. C. What say you then of their Transubstantiated or consecrated host as it is called or the bread in the boxe carried in processiâ—n worshipped M. Surely it is nothing else but a wheaten or breaden god or rather an Idol nothing inferiour to Aarons Calfe or Ierohoams Calues or the Nehustan and piece of brasse that Ezechias brake in pieces nay as vile and detestable as an Idoll among the Heathen And for a conclusion of their doctrine of Transubstantiation I will heere set downe a wittie conceit which one shewed me not long since I haue kept the matter but changed the meeter to make it sound somewhat the sweeter The Priests doe make Christs body and bloud Hereof none must once doubt They eate they drinke they box him vp They beare him all about DIALOGVE 7. C. I am satisfied touching the first point namely that the Papists are not of sound faith but how doe you proue that they are not of good life seeing they doe so many good workes M. I proue it thus Where the Doctrine is corrupt the life cannot be good but their doctrine as you haue heard is most corrupt therefore their life cannot bee good A true faith is the ground of a good life and without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 yea whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 A true faith they haue not and therefore their workes cannot be good and such as may please God That they haue not a true and sound faith hath bin shewed in many particulars and it further appeareth also in this that they do euen wilfully reiect the meanes whereby it is wrought namely the preaching hearing and reading the Word of God They haue not neither will they haue the Scriptures to be soundly preached read and heard in their owne tongue That they cannot abide to haue them in their owne language appeareth by this one example One Pauier a Towne-Clarke of London in the time of King Henry the Eighth hearing that the Scriptures should be put into English he spake to this effect and confirmed it with an oath viz. that if he knew that the Scriptures should bee put into English and that the King would haue them to be read in the Church rather then he would lâ—ue so long to see it he â—ould cut his owne throat But as Hall saith who heard him speake it he was not so good as his word for instead of cutting his throat he hanged himselfe C. What is the cause that they cannot abide to haue the Scriptures in their owne language M. S. John giues the reason For euery one that doth euill hateth the light neither coÌ„meth to it left his deeds should be reproued discouered Ioh. 3.20 If the Owle flieth abroad by day the birds by by discerne him