blot of originall sinne Fox 800. col 2. So in the Idolatrous canon of the Masse they haue thrust in Enim into the words of institution HOc enim est corpus meum For this is my bodie that they might haue fiue consecratorie words as they call them whereas the Gospell affoordeth them but foure Likewise in the same canon the Gospell saith who the same night that hee was betrayed but they contrary to the trueth of the scripture say thus Who the next day afore hee suffered The like libertie also and boldnesse Hosius an other Arch-papist vseth in corrupting of scripture who to prooue popish satisfaction In steed of sanctificationē readeth satisfactionem where S. Paul sayth Exhibeamus membra nostra seruire iustitiae in sanctificationem Let vs giue our members to serue righteousnesse vnto sanctification Rom. 6. 19. Hee saith altering the text vnto satisfaction So also Stapleton an english papist and reader now of Popish diuinitie at Louaine to prooue that wee are bound to receyue whatsoeuer the Church deliuereth vnto vs abuseth to that end a certaine place of S. Paul Galat. 1. 8. 9. Alleadging it thus Si angelus de coelo euangelizaret praeterquam quod ab ecclesia accepimus c. If an angel should euangelize or preach otherwise then wee haue receyued of the Church or then the Maisters of the Church haue preached to vs let him bee accursed Lib. 2. defens authorit eccles cap. 7. sect 8. Whereas S. Paul maketh no mention at all of the Church or Church-maisters Thus wee see what great libertie the Papistes take vnto themselues in chaunging and chopping minsing and mangling not the writings onely of men but euen of the holy Ghost Who if they shall persist in these fraudulent practises and not reuoke what hath eyther of ignorance or hereticall fraud fallen out of their penne I will not doubt to compare thē to the old Manichees who likewise affirmed that many things were foysted into the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles As that Iohn 5. 46. Had yee beleeued Moses yee would haue beleeued me Christ say they would not so speake of Moses for hee saith that all that went before him were theeues Iohn 10. But Christ in that place speaketh of hirelings onely he condemneth not faithful shepheards that went before him August lib. 16. cont Faust. That also seemeth they say to bee thrust in Math. 5. That Christ sayth He came to fulfill the law when as he neither obserued their ceremonies nor offered sacrifice according to the law To this Augustine answereth That these were but figures Quarum figurarum veritas Christus Of which figures Christ was the trueth he therefore fulfilled the law in that he was the verie bodie and substance of the types and figures of the law cont Faust. lib. 18. cap. 17. That place also they would haue to bee forged Math. 8. Many shall come from the east sit downe with Abraham c. Because say they Luke hath it not Augustine aunswereth that the Euangelistes are not contrarie one to the other if one set downe that which the other hath omitted cont Faust. lib. 33. I pray ye now how farre are they from the practise of these heretikes which do take vpon them to amend and correct the text of scripture by putting in and pulling out adding and detracting which our aduersasaries as I haue shewed are in some measure guiltie of Wee proceede now to that which followeth The bould and shamelesse denials of Papistes of manifest truthes Part. 4. AS we haue alreadie receiued some taste of our aduersaries railinges slaunders forgeries so we wil now be so bould as to reach our handes to this fourth dish of their first course which is their too free denial of apparāt truthes too forward affirming of open manifest vntruthes for the first we finde plentifull store in our countriman M. Hardinges garden that we neede seeke no further First it was neuer said nor thought by the Catholikes saith he that all religion dependeth vpon the popes authoritie defens apolog pag. 57. And yet Cardinall Cusanus writeth thus Veritas adhaeret cathedrae The trueth cleaueth fast to the popes chaire Ad Bohem. epist. 2. The Canonistes say Constat ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in vniuersali ecclesia vnum est caput supremum scilicet papa It is plaine that therefore the Church is one because in the whole vniuersal Church there is but one supreme head and that is the pope ex Iuello pag. 61. What doe these else affirme but that althe popish religion dependeth of the vnitie of their head which is the pope That the pope should succeede Christ in his whole substance that is his whole power there hath not bene any such fond saying vttered by their diuines Hard. pag. 106. defen apolog Yet these wordes were spoken and allowed in the councel of Laterane held vnder pope Iulius Tibi data est omnis potestas in coelo interra Vnto you is giuen al power in heauen and earth And Panormitane is suffered to say Papa potest omnia quae Deus potest The pope is able to doe whatsoeuer God is able to do Panor de elect ca. licet He denieth that there is any such Canon to be found in the councel of Carthage that no Bishop should be called the highest Bishop And yet they are the very wordes of the councel as they are cited by Gratiane Vniuersalis autem ne Romanus pontifex appelletur Let not the Bishop of Rome him selfe be called the vniuersall Bishop He denieth that pope Zosimus to maintaine the supremacie of his sea corrupted the Nicene councell Neuer did any honest man say it from the beginning of the world No man euer said it but Illyricus Bale pag. 162. Whereas the storie is plaine for the councell of Carthage sent to the Bishops of Constantinople Alexandria Antiochia and receiued authenticall copies from them in Greeke of the Nicene councell the popes onely copie was found to disagree from the rest It is therefore easie to see by whom the Canons of the councel were corrupted to what purpose In the councel of Florence Marcus the Archbishop of Ephesus saide in the name of the rest of the Bishops of the Greeke Church who were aboue 17. in number Nonne vides reuerende pater summum pontificem Zosimum falsū decretum ad tantum Conciliū pro re tam magna misisse Do you not see reuerend father that pope Zosimus the high Bishop sent vnto so worthy a councel for a matter of so great waight a false decree cōcil Florēt sess 20. How dare then M. Harding affirme that neuer any honest man said it We denie vtterly that any man after that he hath receiued holy orders may marrie Neither can it be shewed that the mariage of such was euer accounted lawfull in the Catholike Church Hard. pag. 203. yet S. Hierome saith of his time Quasi non hodie quoque plurimi sacerdotes habeant
matters not to be affirmed only by some of the lay-sort but by their diuines yea doctors yea Bishops yea Cardinals too and not by one or two singuler men but by a whole colledge as the Rhemistes yea by the Pope himselfe as wee haue seene whom they preferre euen before Councels in whose brest they say all knowledge is locked vp Now in the next place we wil collect such blasphemies as are common amongst them concerning the said ghostly father of theirs the Pope of Rome The Pope vnder Christ in steed of Christ is the head of the Church a man may term him the vicegerent Bridegrome Hard. pag. 99. If the pope then be the head then is the Church his bodie and so in deede Pope Athanasius calleth populos mundi partes corporis sui The people of the world the partes or members of his bodie Iuell pag. 657. But Paul maketh the Church the bodie only of Christ Ephes. 4. 12. And as the Church Catholike cannot be the bodie of any other but Christ so no man can bee the head thereof but Christ. Another saith Christus Papa faciunt vnum consistorium excepto peccato potest papa quasi omnia facere quaepotest Deus Christ the pope make but one Court or Consistorie and sin only excepted the Pope in a maner can do al things that God can do Pan ormitan de election Cap. Licet Abb. The Pope hath the heauenly disposition of things and therefore may alter and change the natures of things by applying the substance of one thing to another cap. Quando de transl Episc. tit 7. Againe Papa nec deus est nec homo The Pope is neither God nor man And in another Glose he is called dominus deus noster Papa Our lord god the Pope Christoph. Marcell said in the Councell of Laterane Tu es alter deus interris Thou art another God vpon earth And in the late Tridentine chapter they call the Pope terrenum deum an earthly God ex citation Iuell pag. 593. In the late Councell of Laterane one Simon Begnius B. of Modrusia thus said to Pope Leo Ecce venit Leo de tribu Iuda Radix Dauid te Leo beatissime Saluatorem expectauimus Beholde the Lion is come of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid O most blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our sauiour Concil Lateran sess 6. pag. 601. In the late Chapter of Trent Cornelius the B of Bitonto said thus Papa lux venit in mundum dilexerunt homines tenebras magis quà m lucem the Pope being the light is come into the worlde and men loued darknesse more than light The Pope suffered the Ambassadors of Sicilia to lie prostrate on the ground and thus to crie out vnto him Qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nostri Thou that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercie vpon vs Paul Aemilius li. 7. ex Iuello What horrible and vnsufferable blasphemies are these to attribute to the Pope that which is proper onely to Christ And how intollerable is the pride of this man of sin to suffer such things by his flatterers and claw-backes euer to be giuen vnto him That the Pope is the heart of the Church in quickening the same spiritually that he is the wel-spring from the which floweth all vertue and goodnes ex epistol Iohan. Huss Fox pag. 628. That he is able to make newe articles and abolish the olde Friers of Antwerp ex Fox pag. 929. col 1. The Canonistes say Papa potest dispensare contra ius diuinum The Pope may dispence against the law of God 16. q. 1. Quicunque in glossa Papa potest dispensare contra ius naturae The Pope may dispense against the law of nature 15. q. 6. authoritate in gloss Papa potest dispensare contra Apostolum distinct 32. lector The Pope may dispense against the Apostle Papa potest dispensare contranouum Testamentum the pope may dispense against the new Testament Papa potect dispensare de omnib praeceptis veteris noui Testamenti the pope may dispense with all the precepts both of the old new Testament vt citatur à Iuell pag. 59. defens apolog That power which Christ had onely in habitu when he was here vpon earth the Pope hath now actu that is the vniuersall iurisdiction both of spirituall and temporal things ex citation Fox pag. 791. Maior honos debetur Papae quà m angelis Greater honor is due to the Pope than to Angels Antoninus If Prelates be called and counted of Constantinus for gods I then being aboue all prelates seeme by this reason to be aboue all gods wherefore no maruell if it be in my power to change time and times to alter abrogate lawes to dispence with all things yea with the preceptes of Christ Decretal de transl episcop cap. Quanto Lastly if the Pope do lead innumerable soules by flocks into hell yet no man must presume to rebuke his faults in this world dist 40. ca. si Papa Thus haue we the opiniō of the popish Canonists of their high Bishop He is the light of the world the Lion of the tribe of Iuda a God vpon earth higher than the Angels able to dispense with the lawe of nature and the lawe of God yea in earth aboue all gods What horrible and filthie blasphemies are these Neuer did Antiochus Nero or Caligula or who els commaunded themselues to be worshipped for gods vpon earth euer arrogate so much vnto themselues What neede wee nowe looke further for Antichrist He doth euidently reueale him selfe for heere we haue the aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God and that sitteth in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God as S. Paul prophesieth of him 2. Thessal 2. 4. Let vs see further what other blasphemies we can finde amongst them That the virgine Marie was conceiued without originall sinne contrarie to S. Paul who saith that God hath concluded al vnder sin Rom. 11 32. Rom. 3. 23. all haue sinned that shee hath no neede of remission of sinnes that she was not iustified by Christ being iust from her beginning neither that shee gaue God thankes for expiation of her sinnes or praied at any time for remission of her sinnes Franciscan friers Fox P. 801. These grieuous blasphemies are confuted by the virgine Maries owne mouth My soule reioyceth in God my Sauiour Christ therefore was her sauiour who was so called in no other sense but because he should saue his people from their sinnes Math. 1. Cardinal Caietanus disputing against Luther affirmed that saith was not necessarie to him that receiueth the Sacrament Fox P. 845. A blasphemous vntruth contrarie to scripture For without faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11. 6. Without the which no seruice of ours can be accepted before him That wee need not now to go to Iesus Christ to haue him an intercessor but to God alone setting Iesus Christ
Seraphicall doctor sent vnto Rome to be discussed souring rather of Iewish superstition then of Christian faith and iudgement Plura apud Fox pag. 117. The like stuffe a monkish letter sent to king Naiton king of Pictes by Abbot Colfride conteineth In the which entreating of the shauing of priestes he exhorteth the king to reforme his countrey and to imitate the shauing of S. Peter rather then the shauing of Simon Magus Which at the first appearance saith he hath a shew of a shauen crowne but if you marke his necke you shall finde it curtailed in such wise as you will say it is rather meete to be vsed of the Simonistes then of Christians The blinde superstitious king hauing read this letter kneeled on the ground and gaue God thankes that he had deserued to receiue such a present out of Englande ex Beda lib. 5. cap. 22. Is not this deepe diuinitie and fit matter for the king and states of a land to busie their heades about And had the countrey no neede to be reformed touching the doctrine of faith or maners but all must be laide aside and care onely taken for shauing of crownes He speaketh much of S. Peters shauing howe Peter was shaued one way Simon Magus an other but where findeth he in scripture or any approued writer either this or that But such was the diuinitie that Monkes spent their time in in those daies Such an other great and difficult question much troubled and busied the popes schoolemeÌ„ of later times as who should be our Ladies coÌ„fessor or ghostlie father after much discussing and debating of this matter it was agreed to be S. Iohn But hereupon sprang a more doubtful matter that seeing our Ladie was void of al sinne both Original and actual as they affirme what neede she should haue of confessioÌ„ or if she did confesse what she did say in her confession And here Albertus Magnus doth helpe at a pinch telleth vs plainly her confessioÌ„ was this That she had receiued that great grace to be the mother of Christ not excoÌ„digno of any dignity of her own but yet notwithstanding of congruitie Albert. cap. 74. super Euan. Missâ—s est Ann. 1509. There was a fierce contention renewed betweene the Franciscane and Dominike friers about the conception of the virgin Mary The Franciscans held this most blasphemous opinioÌ„ that she was not only void of actuall sinne but euen free from Originall sinne vnto the which she was not subiect no not one moment of her Conception The Dominikes affirmed more agreeable to the scriptures that Christ onely had this priuiledge to be conceiued and borne without Originall sinne notwithstanding they graunted that the blessed virgine was also sanctified and purged in her mothers wombe from Originall sinne Yet the Franciscanes preuailed and the poore Dominikes with the trueth were crusht to the walles the Pope himselfe who was then Sixtus the fourth determining against them Plura Fox pag. 800. Were not these deepe diuines and profound doctors that would trouble them selues with this question which was long before decided by the Apostle who doubteth not to say That al haue sinned Rom. 3. 23. 5. 12. Yea and Mary her selfe acknowledgeth that she had neede of a Sauiour Luk 1. 47. And therefore was a sinner as well as others Such were the matters which in those times of ignorance and darknes the popish clergie did occupy them selues in Magis puerilibus ineptijs quà m sacerdotum cordatorum virorum prudentiae conuenientia Matters fitter for children to toie withall then beseeming the grauitie of priestes stayed men as Constantine saith writing to Alexander and Arrius Euseb. de vit Constantin lib. 2. Thus farre also concerning the absurd and friuolous positions maintained by our aduersaries I professe not as I haue often said in this treatise to make a collection of all but euery where taking what came next to hand to giue the reader a taste referring the rest to him selfe for I trust by these few examples which I haue set downe we may easely iudge and discerne of popish religion for it fareth with them as Augustine saide of some other heretikes in his daies Quâ—madmodum solet accidere vt quando transeuntes nubes per obscura noctis intuemur earum caligine sic acies nostra turbetur vt in contrarium nobis sydera currere videantur sic isti quia in erroris sui nubilo pacem non inueniunt c. As it happeneth when we see the cloudes mooue in a darke night our sight is so dimmed that we imagin the starres to goe another way So these fellowes not finding any ende or stablenes in the cloudes of their error are not able rightly to iudge of the trueth but thinke that the scripture and all goeth awrie De diuers ser. 15. Euen thus our aduersaries being besotted with their owne imaginations and their eye of iudgement obscured with the thicke cloudes of wilfull ignorance doe runne as it were in a maze taking error for trueth absurd and strange positions for catholik and sound doctrine Now to the next Piller The third Piller of Popish doctrine consisting of 3. partes loose argumentes weake solutions and subtil and sophisticall distinctions The first part setting forth the loose and light argumentes whereby papistrie is vpholden FIrstlet vs see how pithily our aduersaries dispute how lustely they lay about them for the supremacie and peerlesse authoritie of the pope Peter did excommunicate Ananias and Sapphira He healed the sicke by his shadow Ergo he was head of the Church Rhemist annot act 5. 8. Peters person was garded with 4. quaternions of souldiers Act. 12. 4. the Church praieth for him ibid. sect 4. Paule nameth him Cophas 1. Corinth 9. 5. Ergo he was chiefe of the Apostles consequently the pope his successor is head of the Church Christ said vnto Peter I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Math. 16. 19. And Christ againe bid Peter feede his sheepe Iohn 21. Ergo Peter and his successors the popes are the iudges of the true sense of the scripture Bellarm. de verb. interpret lib. 3. cap. 5. Christ saith Iohn 10. 16. There shall be one shepheard and one sheepefoldeâ— Ergo there ought to be one chiefe pastor of the vniuersall Church and that is Peter and his successors Bellarm. lib. 1. de pontisiâ— ' Roman cap. 9. Whereas Christ in that place speaketh of the calling of the Gentiles Other sheep I haue also which are not of this fold That they together with the Iewes shall make but one sheepefold vnder Christ. Christ said to Peter I haue praied for thee that thy faith should not faile Ergo the pope cannot faile nor erre in faith Bellarm. de Roman pontif lib. 4. cap. 3. So Christ praieth for all the faithfull Iohn 17. 20. Therfore by this reason all beleeuers should be priuiledged from errour Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of
whatsoeuer was in Peter beside faith was flesh and blood but that could not be the foundation Ergo Peters faith onely was the foundation his person had therein no part at all 4. Distinct. There is a principall and soueraigne head of the Church and that is onely Christ there is a ministeriall heade beside of that part of the Church which is vpon the earth so is the pope head of the Church Rhemist annot Ephes. 2. sect 5. This distinction by their own confession may be ouerthrowen for if the pope in any sense may be the head of the whole Church the Church also in the same sense may be called his body but the Church say the Rhemistes is not called the body mystical either of Peter or of pope or any prelate whatsoeuer Ergo he is not the head Againe one family hath but one head the Church in heauen and in earth maketh but one familie Ephes. 3. 15. The pope in no sense can be said to be head of the triumphant Church Ergo neither of that part that is in earth Distinct. 5. The pope as a priuate person or as a man and in matters of Fact may erre and be deceiued but as he is head pastor decreeing any thing concerning the faith he cannot erre Bellarm. lib. 4. de pontif cap. 13. Harding defens apolog 660. Ans. Peter when he was reproued of Paule Galath 2. erred not onely in example and conuersation as Bellarmine answereth but it was an error concerning the faith S. Paule saith they went not the right way to the trueth of the Gospel they erred then from the trueth of the Gospell Ergo in faith If Peter might fal into an error of faith much more the pope So is their distinction proued but vaine Distinct. 6. Non est idem aliquid esse de fide de iure dinino It is not al one for a thing to depend of faith and of the law of God as to beleeue that Paule had a cloake is not a point of faith yet it is De iure diuino It belongeth to the word of God So to beleeue that the pope is Peters successor belongeth to the faith though it be not by the word Bellar. de Rom. pontif lib. 2. cap. 12. Ans. This distinction is easely ouerthrowen whatsoeuer is by the word of God is De iure dinino Of the diuine right or of Gods law but whatsoeuer is of faith is grounded vpon the worde for faith it selfe commeth by hearing the word preached Rom. 10. 17. Ergo whatsoeuer is of faith is also Deiure diuino Concerning the example alleadged that Paul should haue a cloake it was not necessary neither by the word nor by faith simply but by a consequent because it is expressed in the word and it is a point of faith to beleeue all thinges therein contained to be true to beleeue this also is of or belonging to saith Distinct. 7. There is a proper succeeding of the Apostles an improper properly the pope is Peters successor whom he succeedeth as an ordinary pastor of the Church But other Bishops do succeed the Apostles improperly in respect of their pastoral episcopal calling Bellar. de Rom. pontif lib. 4. cap. 24. Ans. If to succeed in place be a proper kind of succession as the Iesuite seemeth to grant as one king succeedeth another one bishop another then had other Apostles their proper successors as S. Iames at Ieru salē S. Andrew at Cōstantinople S. Iohn at Ephesus S. Mark at Alexandria as wel as Peter had at Rome If a proper succession require a succession of giftes and calling then neither the Bishop of Rome nor any other do properly succeede the Apostles hauing not the calling of Apostles but of Bishops and pastors of the Church And the Iesuite him selfe graunteth that the pope succeedeth Peter not as an Apostle but as a pastor But Apostles properly succeed Apostles a pastor improperly is said to succeed an Apostle Distinct. 8. The pope directly hath not any temporall iurisdiction ouer kinges and princes as they haue ouer their subiectes or as he hath ouer Bishops yet indirectly he hath and so by his indirect power as he is the spirituall prince of the Church he may depose kinges cite them iudicially before him abrogate the lawes of princes and establish his owne if he see it necessarie for the health of mens soules Bellarm. de pontif lib. 5. cap. 6. Ans. The places which the Iesuite him selfe bringeth against the direct power of the pope doe also ouerthrow his indirect power As how Christ refused to be a king Iohn 6. and to be a iudge Luk. 12. 13. he did execute neither of these offices either directly or indirectly Ergo no more should the pope And S. Paule maketh euery soule directly subiect to the higher powers that beare the sworde Rom 13. 1. 4. Howe then can any soule directly subiect vnto them indirectly commaunde and controule them In deede an indirect power it is which the pope chalengeth that is vsurped and vnlawfull and they do well so to call it Distinct. 9. In general councels there are two kindes of voices or suffragies there is suffragium decisiuum a deciding or determining voice which onely belongeth to Bishops and suffragium consultatiuum a consulting or discussing voice and so other pastors ministers may assemble to consult and giue their aduise Bellarm. lib. 1. de Concil cap. 15. Ans. In the councell held by the Apostles and Elders Act. 15. there was no such difference of voices the Apostles and Elders did indifferently both consult and decide the matter in doubt vers 6. the Apostles and Elders came together to looke to this matter as well to prouide some remedie and to determine and conclude as to examine and aduise vpon the matter so vers 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost vnto vs The decree goeth out in the name of the Apostles and Elders As therefore the Elders did decide conclude with the Apostles so ought pastors and ministers together with Bishops Distinct. 10. As by this distinction next before they would exclude the Clergie al beside Bishops so they haue inuented an other tricke against the liberty of the Laitie in Councels The Bishop subscribed in this forme Ego definiens subscripsi By giuing my definitiue voice I haue subscribed The lay Magistrate thus Ego consentiens subscripsi I by giuing my consent haue subscribed Harding pag. 748. defens apolog B. Iewel in the same place sheweth the vanity and vntrueth of this distinction and proueth that these two formes were indifferently vsed sometime the Bishop said I haue consented and subscribed sometime the magistrate is also said in councell to determine as it is there alleadged of Constantinus out of Sozomene Distinct. 11. One may be said to be the sonne or childe of God truely two maner of waies First veritate essentiae seu formae if he haue the true forme and essence of a member of Christ and childe
namely Christ and yet againe that they were yet Bellarmine affirmeth both the first lib. 2 de Sacram. cap. 17. resp ad argument 3. The latter lib. 1. de Miss ca. 20. 19 To say that faith goeth before repentance or as they terme it Penance and that repentance goeth before iustification is all one to say that repentance goeth before iustification and that iustification likewise goeth before repentance for by faith are wee iustified Roâ— 5. 1. As soone as faith commeth iustification doth accompanie it If faith go before so doth iustification and if iustification follow repentance so doth faith yet are they both affirmed by Bellarmine de Poenitent lib. 1. cap. 19. 20 Manie such contradictorie and repugnant sayings are easily to be found in Bellarmines volumes in the writings of other papistes so that they neither agree with others nor with themselues as the Rhemists sometime say that the meritorious workes of the Saints the verie ground of popish indulgences are to be disposed by the Pastors of the Church 2. Corinth 2. Sect. 5. Sometime that they are applicable by the sufferers intention Annot. 1. Coloss. 1. Sect. 4. Harding Sometime calleth their Legend storie an old moth-â—aten booke and confesseth that among many true stories it may haue some fables Defens Apolog pag. 166. And yet forgetting himselfe hee stoutly affirmeth that there are no fables nor lies in that booke pag. 750. Thus much of the personall contradictions among the papistes both olde and newe Nowe wee will set downe for a taste and tryall the repugnances and contrarieties which their religion hath within it selfe Popish Religion contrary within it selfe Part. 4. 1 IT is generally taught and beleeued in the popish Church that Baptisme is necessary to saluatioÌ„ which errour they would ground vpon those wordes Iohn 3. 5. That vnles a man be borne of water and the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen yet they themselues also affirme that baptisme was not necessarie before the passion of Christ but beganne in the day of Pentecost after to bee necessarie Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptis cap. 5. Yea and nowe also they make two exceptions of Martyrs and penitent persons who without baptisme may bee saued Bellarm. cap. 6. The Rhemistes adde vnto these a third exempt case of those that depart this life with vowe and desire of the sacrament of baptisme Annot. Iohn 3. sect 2. But if they ground the necessitie of baptisme vpon those words of our Sauiour it beganne to bee necessarie when those words were vttered and therefore was necessary before the passion of Christ. Secondly the wordes are general in so much that there is no priuiledge graunted to Martyrs or penitent persons if they stande strictlie vpon that place In this poynt therefore papistrie is not at vnitie in it selfe 2 Bellarmine with the rest do affirme that Christ gaue the cup onelie to his Apostles whom at that instant they say he made priestes and therefore priestes onelie not lay-men are bound by the word of God to receiue in both kindes Yet the practise of their Church is contrary For neither doe priestes if they communicate onely and minister not the sacrament receiue in both kindes according to the decree of the Tridentine chapter Bellarm. de sacram Eucharist lib. 4. cap. 25. 3 Againe in their priuate masses the priest saith Quotquot ex hac altaris participatione sumpserimus As many of vs as haue beene partakers of this altar When as there be no communicantes beside the priest himselfe how can this hang together ex canon missae 4 The priest also being at masse saith commaund these to be caried by the handes of thine Angels vnto the highest altar in heauen and anone he swalloweth downe the host into his belly that he would haue conueyed into heauen how can these thinges agree 5 The papistes generally make but seauen degrees of ecclesiastical orders as priestes deacons subdeacons Acolythistes or Attenders Readers Exorcistes doore-kepers Bellarm. de Cleric cap. 11. And yet Bellarmine the mouth of the rest affirmeth that Ordinatio episcopalis the ordaining of Bishops is a sacrament as the other ministerial orders be Ergo it is also a distinct degree from the rest and so there are eight in al Bellarm. de sacram Ordinis cap. 5. Further if there be eight distinct Orders euery one by it selfe is a sacrament as Bellarmine teacheth then haue we eight sacraments of Order beside the other six for al these seuerall orders cannot make one sacrament seeing they differ one from another both in forme of wordes in the externall signes or ceremonies that are vsed Consul Bellarm. lib. de Ordin cap. 5. 6. 7. 8. 6 In wordes and outward profession they affirme that matrimonie is a sacrament And yet some of them call it a pollution or prophanation of orders Gregor Martin And that the mariage of ministers is the worst sort of incontinencie fornication Rhemist 1. Cor. 7. sect 8. Haue not these men now a very reuerent opinion of their sacramentes 7 Againe they preferre continencie before matrimonie as a state far more excellent and meritorious before God Yet they hold matrimonie to be a sacrament and to conferre grace of iustification how then is it not more excellent then single life which is no sacrament neither a conferrer of grace 8 Bellarmine saith Bonum est a Deo petere tum vt sanctos pro nobis orare faciat tum vt illos pro nobis orantes exaudiat It is good for vs to craue of God that he would cause the Saintes to pray for vs and that then he would heare them entreating for vs De Miss lib. 2. cap. 8. Thus they make God a mediator between the Saintes and vs. And what an absurde thing is this to pray to God that the Saints may pray for vs whereas in thus saying they confesse that we haue accesse vnto God our selues without their mediation 9 It is the opinion of the schoolemen approued by Bellarmine that the fathers of the lawe were iustified by the merite of Christes passion as we are but herein to stand the difference that the merite of Christs Death is applied vnto vs by the sacramentes Hebrâ—is autem per solam fidem But vnto the Hebrues by onely faith Bellarm. de sacram lib. 2. cap. 13. I pray you now if they were iustified by faith onely who liued vnder the law which is contrary to faith The law is not of faith saith the Apostle Galath 3. 12. shal not we much more vnder the Gospel which is by S. Paule called the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Who seeth not nowe the packing and iugling of papistes 10 Now coÌ„cerning the pope they euery where beare vs in hand that he is heade of the Catholike vniuersall Church And yet in the end being vrged they confesse that he is Christes vicar but in the regiment of that part which is on the earth Rhemist Annot. Ephes. â— sect 6. He is not then
the Church of Rome was in those daies of persecution deuided into cures and parishes whereof they shoulde haue their titles And this constitution seemeth rather to take his beginning at the Councell of Chalcedone where it was enacted that no priest no entituled should be ordained neyther is there any mention made in that place of any former decree prouided by Euaristus Fox pag. 39. To Zepherinus be 2. epistles ascribed one written to the Bishops of Sicilia the other to the Bishops of the prouince of Egypt which containe no manner of doctrine or consolation fit for those times but certaine rituall decrees to no purpose which argue the said epistles neither to fauor of that man nor to tast of the time for the poore persecuted Bishops in that time were so farre from hauing any lust or leisure to seeke for any primacie or to driue other Churches to appeale to the sea of Rome or to exempt priestes from the accusation of lay-men as in those epistles is to be seene that they would haue beene glad to haue had any couert at all to put their heades in Calixtus Bishop of Rome and martyr hath 2. epistles decretall appointed him wherein these ordinances amongest other are founde that no action or accusation against the teachers and prelates of the Church should be admitted And in the ende of the epistle hee confuteth the error of them which hould that they which are fallen are not to be receiued againe But Nouatus was the first author of this error wo followed in Cornelius time after Calixtus how then is it like that Calixtus could confute him And againe concerning actions and accusations it is not like that the time of so grieuous persecution would serue them to commense any law against their Bishops Vrbanus followeth to whome also is ascribed an epistle decretall comming out of the same forge containing not one worde of consolation fitte for those times but certaine straite preceptes for not transporting or alienating of the goods of the Church and to pay truely their offeringes which they vowe and such like But it is not like that in those heauie times of persecution the Church was so greatly enriched the constitution for tithes and oblations being not yet ordained and when as men sought generally rather to spoyle and take from the Churche then to giue vnto it that there needed such straite prouision for disposing of Church goods Pontianus who succeded Urbanus and was banished for the name of Christ is fained in his epistles decretall thus to write That God hath priestes so familiar with him that by them he accepteth the offeringes and oblations of other and forgiueth their sinnes and reconcileth them vnto him What could be said more of Christ whome the Scripture maketh our onely mediator and aduocate The decretall epistles of Fabianus Bishop of Rome are euen as good stuffe as the rest of that sort vnto him are ascribed these ordinances as of accusations against Bishops of appealing to the Sea Apostolike which decrees how vnfit and vnbesitting they were those times of persecution we haue shewed before as also of not marrying within the fift degree of communicating thrise a yeare whereas Augustine lyuing after this Fabian almost 200. yeares writeth thus of this matter Omnibus diebus dominicis communicandum suadeo hortor Vpon euery Lords day I doe perswade and exhort all men to communicate De eccles dogmatib cap. 54. How then is it like that Fabian decreed the contrarie of manie yeares before Also it is to bee seene that the most part of the third Epistle standeth worde for word in the epistle of Sixtus the third who followed almost 200. yeares after him Beside the vnseemely doctrine conteyned in the end of the epistles where hee contrary to the tenor of the Gospell applyeth remission of sinnes onely due to the bloode of Christ vnto the offerings of bread and wine by men and women euery Sunday in the Church Cornelius succeeded next to Fabianus who is slaundered with 2. epistles decretall which are apparant to bee none of his both by the stile which is most rude and barbarous but Hierome reporteth of him that hee was a verie eloquent man and partly also by the matter for in the first he writeth to all Ministers and brethren of the Church concerning the lifting vp of the bodies and bones of Peter and Paul De catechumenis transposed to Vaticanū In the second writing to Ruffus a Bishop of the east he decreeth that no cause of Priests or Ministers be handled in any strange or forraine Court without his precinct except only in the court of Rome by appellation Who seeth not now by this litle that these epistles were rather forged by the ambitious latter Bishops of Rome who labored altogether to aduance the dignitie of their Sea then by Cornelius whom the troubles of the Church would not suffer to thinke of any such matter And it is verie like that he would haue interserted some word of comfort and consolation fit for those times and made some mention of the great stirres betweene him and Nouatus whereof there is not one word in these decretals Vnto Lucius Bishop of Rome is referred by Gratian distinct 81. Ministri this constitutiō that no Minister whatsoeuer after his ordination should at any time reenter into the chamber of his owne wife Such homely stuffe is not like to haue proceeded from those good Bishops that died in Christs cause Vpon Stephanus Bishop are also fathered certayne epistles decretall which by this may be gathered to be none of his In the end of the second epistle hee saith thus Which thing is forbidden both by lawes ecclesiastical and also secular But what secular lawes could bee in that time in fauour of Bishops as that no accusation should be laid against them till they were restored to their estate when as the Iudges were all then heathen and their lawes tending to the destruction of the Christians and their faith Againe in the 5. canon of the said epistle he intreateth verie solemnlie of the difference betweene Primates Metropolitans Archbishops which distinction of titles and degrees rather sauouring of ambition then of persecution may verilie giue vs to suppose that these epistles were not written by that Stephanus Fox pag. 67. Of the same stamp are the epistles ascribed to Caius Marcellinus Eusebius Milciades Bishops of Rome Caius in his epistle decretal willeth and commandeth all difficult questions in all prouinces whatsoeuer emerging to be referred to the Sea Apostolike How is it like that this was decreed by Caius when as aboue an hundred yeare after ann 420. in the 6. Councell of Carthage where Augustine was present this priuiledge was denied to the sea of Rome and the contrarie concluded that no appeales should bee made thither from forraine countries Plura apud Fox pag. 96. col 2. The epistle of Marcellinus to get more authoritie with the reader is admixed with a great part of S. Pauls
head of the vniuersal Church neither hath he any thing to do in purgatory as other of the popish sort haue written 11 Bellarmine confesseth that the pope is not Peters successor Iure diuino By diuine right neither by Christes institution in the Gospel Lib. 2. de pontif cap. 17. How then commeth it to passe that they haue made it an article of their faith To beleeue the pope to be the head of Christes Church Seeing Bellarmine him self confesseth in these words Nihil est de fide nisi quod Deus per Apostolos aut Prophetas reuelauit aut quod euidenter inde deducitur Nothing is of faith but that which God hath reuealed by his Apostles or prophets or that which is euidentlie deduced from thence Bellarm. de verb. Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 9. But that the pope is Peters successor it is neither expressed nor euidentlie deduced out of scripture therefore it is no point of faith 12 Bellarmine and likewise the rest make the perpetuall succession of the Bishops of Rome to be a manifest argument of the Church he calleth it insolubile and euidentissimum argumentum and yet afterward being pressed with the example of the patriarchicall sea of Constantinople which hath had alwaies a perpetual succession he aunswereth that succession is an argument of the Church Negatiuely that is where there is no succession there is no Church not affirmatiuely that where there is succession there is straightway a Church lib. 4. de notis Eccl. c. 8. Thus wee see what is become of their euidentissimum argumentum of this their most euident argument 13 It is confessed by our aduersaries that the Church of Rome was founded both by Peter and Paule Rhemist annot Galath 2. sect 6. And that they are both patrones of that sea How then commeth it about that the pope chalengeth rather to be Saint Peters successor then Saint Paules 14 In the popish Church they do deuide the cup from the other element in the Eucharist ministring the sacrament in one kinde onelie to the lay-sorte Cleane contrarie to the Canon of Gelasius which is to be found among the popes owne decrees in these wordes We vnderstand that there are some which receiuing onely the portion of the Lordes body do abstaine from the cup of his sacred blood to whome we inioyne that either they receiue the whole sacrament in both kindes or else that they receiue neither for the deuiding of that whole and one sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge Canon Gelas. de consecrat Who seeth not now that their practise is contrarie to their owne decrees 15 Now vnto these repugnant and contrarie pointes in popish Religion we may adde also their vncertainties vndetermined articles As first it is not yet knowen at what time Peter came to Rome Orosius â—aith he came thither in the beginning of Claudius raigne Ieromâ— saith the second yeare of his raigne other say the fourth yeare other the thirteenth yeare Damasus would haue him come thither in Nero his raigne This dissentioÌ„ of writers sheweth that the matter may be doubted of whether Peter were euer at Rome or not Againe they can shew no certaine succession from Peter of the which they bragge so much TertulliaÌ„ maketh Clement the next to Peter Optatus first nameth Linus then Clement Irenaeus after Peter placeth Linus and Cletus and Clement in the fourth Thus also their succession is made vncertaine and doubtfull 16 They hold Lent to be an Apostolical tradition warranted by the example of our Sauiour Christ Irenaeus witnesseth that some fasted one day some two daies some fortie howers day and night Epiphanius saith the wednesdaies fast also was an Apostolike tradition and to fast the six daies of Esther with bread and water and salt which the papistes them selues obserue One therefore is as like to be an apostolike tradition as the other But it is certaine neither of them was for then they would haue beene kept more vniformely of the Church and not euery man left to his owne choice 17 It is a matter yet vndetermined and not concluded vpon of all sides whether the pope be aboue Councels or Councels aboue the pope And both opinions are maintained and defended in the popish Church 18 As also it is vncertaine among papistes whether the Virgin Marie were conceiued without Original sinne for both opinions are permitted and suffered among them both of them that say she was and that hold she was not Bellarm. decultu sanctor lib. 3. cap. 16. Likewise they leaue it as vncertaine whether Mary were assumed and taken vp into heauen in bodie Ex Fulk annot 1. Act. vers 14. 19 About and concerning purgatorie they haue many doubtes which they are not yet resolued vpon as first in what place purgatorie should be 2. How many yeares purgatorie continueth whether an hundred 200. or 1000. yeares 3. Whether it be materiall fire that burneth in purgatorie they are vncertaine 4. They make doubt how corporall fire should worke vpon the soules in purgatorie which are spiritual and incorporal Bellarm. lib. 2. depurgator cap. 12. 5. It is doubted whether the deuils or Angels are ministers of the torments in purgatory 6. Whether the paine of purgatorie be at all time alike or by litle litle slaked toward the end and whether it exceed al the paines and sorrowes of this life Bellarm. cap. 14. All these pointes remaine yet vndetermined among them and yet for all this the Iesuite telleth vs sadly that it is an article of faith to beleeue purgatorie and that he which beleeueth it not is sure to goe to hell Bellarm. lib. 1. cap. 11. 20 Lastly that wee may see at once the fraile and brittle foundation of popish Religion the Rhemistes boldly affirme that iustice is reputed to men or that they are iustified by beleeuing onely the articles of Christes death and resurrection and this they call the Catholike faith Annot. Rom. 4. Sect. 9. If this be Catholike faith to beleeue onely the articles of faith to be true then reprobates yea and the diuell himselfe may bee true Catholikes for the diuels beleeue and tremble Iames 2. 19 yea they confesse Iesus to be the sonne of God Math. 8. 29. Mark 5. 7. Is not this a proper faith for Christians to saue themselues by It is not then a bare knowledge or generall beleefe of the articles of faith or giuing assent or credite vnto them only that is sufficient to iustifie vs as the Rhemistes affirme but such a beleefe of these articles as is ioyned with an assured trust and confidence in God and vndoubted perswasion that all the promises of God and whatsoeuer Christ wrought in his flesh are not onely true but euen do belong and appertaine to vs. Thus I thinke I haue requited Bellarmines kindnesse towardes vs who chargeth vs with no lesse than an hundred seuerall dissensions in opinion amongst our selues I haue here repayed him for his bare hundred sixe