as to the dead the merites of Christ and of his saints as condigne satisfaction for their sins for of such pardons no councell no father no ancient approued Historiographer maketh any mention at all Which thing I haue plainely proued in the third conclusion of the second chapter of my Motiues The second obiection The keyes of heauen were giuen to Saint Peter and consequently to his successours the bishops of Rome and withall promise was made vnto him that whatsoeuer hee should binde on earth the same should be bound in heauen whatsoeuer hee should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen nowe to loose sins is nothing else but to giue a pardon or indulgence for the same The answere I say first that vpon the grosse interpretation of these words many popish priests haue arrogantly presumptuously taken vpon them like the proude pharises to condemne the innocents and to loose the guiltie persons whereas before God not the sentence of the priests but the life of the persons charged is enquired of Thus writeth S. Hierome adding that priests can bind and loose sinners no otherwise now in the new testament then they did binde and loose the Leapers in the old law that is not to forgiue sinnes perfitly and indeede but to declare by Gods word the sinnes of penitent persons to be forgiuen in Gods sight euen as the priests in Moses law did not purge the Leapers but onely declared those whom God had purged alreadie to be cleane and free from the leprosie for as the gospel witnesseth none but God can forgiue sinne I say secondly that all the rest of the Apostles had the selfe same power granted to them all which is here promised to S. Peter for so saith Christ himselfe in another place where hee performeth his promise nowe made to Peter in the person of theÌ„ al consequently if the Pope could pardon as fondly is imagined yet might al other bishops do the same euen aswel as he So S. Austen S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Hylary Origen Theophilacte and others do confesse I say thirdly that S. Peter and the other Apostles haue not power granted by the scripture to forgiue sin but onely to declare and pronounce according to the scripture that God hath forgiuen to truely penitent persons all their sins For they can but onely declare the sinnes to be forgiuen which are by Christ forgiuen already as the priests in the olde law could not purge any from the leprosie indeede but only make declaration of the truth as ye haue heard out of S. Hierome The learned popish Cardinal Hugo to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent and obstinate papists confirmeth S. Hieromes opinion in these expresse words Vinculo culpae poenae debitae non potestâ—um sacerdos ligare vel soluere sed tantum ligatuÌ„ vel absolutuÌ„ osteÌ„dere sicut sacerdos Leuiticus non faciebat vel mundabat leprosum sed tantum infectum vel munduÌ„ ostendebat The priest cannot bind him with the bond of sin and due punishment either loose him froÌ„ the same but only declare him to be bound or absolued in Gods sight euen as the Leuitical priest did not make or clense him that had the leprosie but onely shewed him to be infected or clensed Their own schoole doctour Durandus singeth the same song in these expresse words Claues nihil operantur ad dimissionem culpae vel maculae quia deordinatio actus tollitur per eius ordinationem dum bene displicet quod malè placuit The keyes work nothing to the remission of the fault or blemish because the deordination of the act is taken away by well ordering the same while that displeaseth well which pleased euil Thus we see by popish grant and doctrine that the metaphorical keyes whereof the papists boast so much can neuer put away sinne neither can any priest absolue any person from sin or from the paine due for sinne saue onely by declaring his sins to be forgiuen as is said The replie It is euident in the holy gospel that not onely God can forgiue sin by his own power but men also by authority commission receiued from him for when Christ had forgiuen the sicke man his sinnes the people maruailed and glorified God which had giuen such power vnto men The answere I answere that our sauior Christ in forgiuing the sicke mans sins shewed himselfe to be tru God which maner of proofe had bin none indeed if any but god could haue done the same which point I wish the gentle reader to obserue attentiuely For the Pharises charged him with blasphemy as who not being god yet toke vpon him the office of God in forgiuing sins Whose opinion for all that Christ himselfe approued for ratification thereof shewed by an euident external miracle that he was god indeed so as they could no longer be in suspence of y e matter but that yee may know saith Christ that the son of man hath power to forgiue sins then said he to the sick of the palsie arise take vp thy bed and goe into thy house as if he had said I confesse that I am God and that yee may knowe the same euidently I make the sicke man whole with mine onelie worde which if I were not God indeede I could neuer doe This case S. Chrysostome maketh so plaine as none that once reade or heare his wordes can stand any longer in doubt therof Thus doth he write in expresse termes Videamus quid ipse ait vtrum opinionem eorum improbauerit an potius comprobauerit nisi enim aequalis esset patri dixisset quid mihi tribuitis non competentem opinionem procul ego absum à tanta potestate Nunc verò nihil horum dixit sed contra tam verbo quam signo affirmauit Ita quoniam solet esse audientibus molestum vt aliquis de seipso apertius dicat aliorum verbis signo deum se patrique aequalem esse ostendit quod mirabilius est non per amicos solum verum etiam per inimicos hoc peragit vt virtutis sapientiae suae pelagus pateat Let vs see what he saith whether hee reprooued their opinion or rather approoued the same For if he had not been equall with his father he woulde haue said why doe ye ascribe to me that incompetent opinion I am farre off from that so great power yet now hee saith no such thing but contrariwise affirmeth it both by word and miracle So because it is woont to bee greeuous to the hearers that any man should speake openly of himselfe he sheweth both by the testimonie of others and by myracle that he is God and equall with his father and which is more wonderfull this he doth not only by his friendes but euen by his enemies that so aswell his power as his wisdom may be known aboundantly Out of which words I note first y t Christ approued
say secondly that Gods ministers bind and loose sins by preaching his sacred word of which kind of binding and loosing Christ speaketh in Saint Matthew and in Saint Iohn For when the people of God beleeue in their hearts his word sincerely preached and in their conuersation shew the liuely fruits thereof then doubtlesse are their sinnes loosed on earth and then is that loosing also ratified in heauen then are the wordes of the Apostle verified who saith that the gospel of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth it then are Christs ministers as the Apostle saith become in them the sauour of life vnto life On the contrarie side when the people will not heare and beleeue Gods worde sincerely preached but contemne it and the ministers thereof then doubtlesse are their sinnes bound on earth and then is that binding also approued in heauen Then are the apostles words verified who saith that vengeance is readie against all disobedience Then are Christes ministers as y e apostle saith made vnto them the sauour of death vnto death What can be a more ioyfull loosing what can be a more terrible binding See the aunswere to the third obiection following and there marke S. Hieromes words I say thirdly that our people cōfesse their sins generally before the minister in the face of the whole congregation according to the holy scriptures Yea in the reformed churches abroad the people vse to confesse to the ministers such speciall sins as most greeue clog their consciences and for which they need graue aduise and godly councell Which christian libertie is graunted also in our churches of England For such as list may confesse their sinnes to the minister priuately and haue both his godly aduise and absolution if he deeme them penitent for their sinnes The replie Your confessions are nothing els but a meere mockery for ye confesse your selues generally to be sinners but ye name no sins at all Againe as in Germany they confesse some sinnes so do they leaue vnconfessed what pleaseth them And this is the scornful libertie which ye grant to your churches of England The answere I say first that we confesse our sinnes this day as the Israelites of olde confessed their sinnes before Ezra and the Leuites As the humble publican confessed his sins when he said O God be mercifull to me a sinner As the prophet Dauid confessed his sins when he said I know mine iniquities and my sin is euer before me Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest As the prodigal son confessed his sins when he said Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee am no more worthy to be called thy son And as your selues confesse your sins in the beginning of euery masse I say secondly that your selues graunt that Venials need no confession at al. And yet as I haue already proued the least sin of al deserueth eternall death For thus doth your own famous Canonist write Quibus consequens est posse quem si velit confesso vno peccato veniali alterum tacere Vpon which it followeth that one may if he list confesse one veniall sinne and conceale another Maior and other Schoole-doctors are of the same opinion I say thirdly that by the scriptures vpon which ye woulde gladly ground your confession we are no lesse bound to confesse one sin then another For your triuolous distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes can be found in no text of holy scripture And consequently since the scripture it selfe by your graunt freeth vs from confessing Venials it followeth directly that wee are bound to confesse none at all I say fourthly that your confession is ridiculous indeede as which vrgeth the penitent to confesse those sinnes to sinful men which God of his mercy hath forgiuen already I prooue it because your best approoued writers hold that contrition onely reconcileth sinners to God and taketh away both the fault and the paine But after that we are reconciled to God by only cōtrition and haue both our sinnes and the satisfaction remitted I weene it is a vain and a ridiculous thing to afflict our selues for popish absolution This that I say is witnessed by Martinus Nauarrus by your learned frier Ioan. Lud. Viualdus and diuers others I say fiftly that your confessions are neuer able to bring peace to any troubled conscience but to driue them headlong into desperation For first none liuing is able to make a true confession of all his sinnes which thing is so cleere by the Scriptures that your Cardinall Caietane cannot denie it Secondly thousandes are so turmoiled therewith that dayly they come to confesse the sinnes which they had forgotten condemning themselues of their former negligence Thirdly none of you all can prescribe howe much time or what diligence is inough y t ones confession may be perfit The consideratiō wherof bringeth many thousand souls to perplexitie For you beare thē in hand y t they must confesse all mortal sins and all specificall differences of the same And yet will I gage my life that ye haue ten thousand priestes in Europe yea perhaps in Italie that cannot perceiue the aforesaid differēce and much lesse can the lay people performe it See more hereof in my booke of Motiues The 2. obiection S. Iohn the baptist induced the people to the confession of their sinnes which doubtlesse was not to confesse themselues in generall to be sinners but to vtter euery man his sinnes So is it said in the actes of the apostles that many of them which beleeued came confessing and declaring their deeds And therfore saith S. Hierome that priestes binde and loose Auditâ peccatorum varietate hauing heard the varietie of sinnes The answere I say first that S. Iohn the baptist cannot meane of your sacramentall confession because it was not instituted before his decollatiō But you make smal accompt to wrest the holy scripture if by any meanes it could so serue your turne For as your graund doctor Pighius resembled it to a nose of waxe euen so in good sooth ye seeme to vse it The trueth is this S. Iohn exhorting the people to repentance and to amendment of their former liues euil spent found so good successe in his preaching that Hierusalem and all Iurie and all the countrey about Iordan were desirous to be baptized and in signe of their true repentance they publickly acknowledged their sinnes But that they this did in generall termes and not in popish maner I prooue it by two reasons First because popish auricular confession was not yet inuented but after Christes resurrection as all papistes graunt Againe because one man could not possibly heare seuerally the generall confessions of so manie multitudes speciallie in so short a time I say secondly that with
you papistes auricular confessâ—on is an holy sacrament and to be made of such sinnes only as are committed after baptisme And yet doth S. Iohn speake as is euident by the text only of those sins that were done before baptisme This is your Hysteron proteron to whom an horse-mil and a mil-horse is all one I say thirdly that the confession which these Ephesians made whereof S. Luke speaketh is an euident external signe of true inward remorse and of sincere faith in Christ Iesus but doubtlesse it doth nothing at all resemble the blasphemous popish auricular confession For first they confessed their sinnes verbally as they burnt their bookes really but of absolution S. Luke speaketh not one word which for all that in poperie is essentiall Secondly this confession was voluntarie but popish confession is by compulsion Thirdly this confession was done in the face of the congregation but popish confession is made in the priests eare Fourthly as some of the faithfull made this confession so other some did not but amongst the papistes it must be made of all vnder paine of damnation Fiftly as Mathew confessed himselfe to haue been a publican and as Paule confessed that he had persecuted Christes Church but neither of them confessed any other sinne So the faithfull at Ephesus of zeale confessed their notorious deedes but not all their particular sinnes Nay they only confessed how Satan had seduced them and for that end they burnt their bookes Which publick attestation done to the glory of God can neuer establish secret popish whispering in the priestes eare I say fourthly that S. Hierome maketh altogither against popish confession as who affirmeth the priest or bishop to haue no other power in binding and loosing then the priest of the old testament had in making cleane or vncleane That is to say as the priestes of the old testament did declare who were cleane or vncleane so the ministers of the Church knowing some sinners to be penitent and other some to be vnpenitent pronounce according to Gods worde that the sinnes of the one sorte are bound and of the other sort loosed And heere note by the way that the word peccatorum in S. Hierome doth as aptly signifie sinners as sinnes and therefore these wordes Auditâ peccatorum varietate I thus translate hauing heard the varietie of the sinners This I say because the papistes seeke to make aduantage of the indifferencie of the word And yet howsoeuer they take it it cannot serue their turne The 2. obiection Christ commanded him that was clensed from his leprosie to go vnto the priest And he likewise commanded his apostles to loose Lazarus that was bound thereby signifying that they should loose our sinnes The answere I say first that this text of Scripture prooueth plainly that the priest cannot forgiue sinne or make the sinner cleane but only pronounce and declare him to be cleane whom God hath alreadie clensed For otherwise God would haue sent him to the priest that had the leprie before hee was clensed from the same that so hee might haue found remedie at the Priestes handes I say secondly that as yet the ceremonies of the lawe were not abrogate and therefore Christ woulde not haue them contemned or omitted Now the law was as we reade in Leuiticus that whosoeuer was clensed from the leprosie should present himself before the priest and offer vp the sacrifice of thanksgiuing This is the mysterie wherein the papistes would stablish their popishe absolution The end of the lawe was that Gods goodnesse shoulde be publickly approoued and that the party clensed should giue a signe of gratitude Therfore doth it follow in the text Goe and shewe thy selfe to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commaunded for a witnesse to them For he could not be receiued into the congregation but by the iudgement of the priest I say thirdly that Christ commanded not only his disciples to loose Lazarus but all the Iewes also and the very women that were present And consequently not priests only but euen lay men and women also may giue absolution Which thing I weene the wiser sort of papists will neuer graunt Yet the end of this loosing was not to establishe popishe absolution but to make the miracle manifest to the incredulous Iewes I prooue it by these wordes next afore going I knowe that thou hearest me alwaies but because of the people that stand by I said it that they may beleeue that thou hast sent me Yea it cannot be prooued by the text that the disciples were appointed to loose Lazarus saue only in generall termes as also were the women that stood by And indeed Christ seemeth to haue committed that office principally to the Iewes that so all occasion of incredulitie might be taken from them The 3. obiection S. Iames saith confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that he may be healed And Christ himself saith receiue ye the holy Ghost Whose sinnes so euer yee remit they are remitted to them and whose sinnes so euer ye reteine they are retained And a little before he saith thus As my father sent me so doe I send you Now it is certaine that Christ was sent with all power euen to binde and loose mens sinnes and therefore his apostles being sent in the same maner must needes haue power to forgiue sinnes as he had Yea the church hath euer thus vnderstood these Scriptures The answere I say first that in these wordes Christ gaue authoritie to preach the gospel which whosoeuer beleeue haue their sinnes remitted and whosoeuer beleeue it not are subiect to damnation Other binding and loosing we finde none in the scriptures neither yet that Christ heard any confessions This sense of binding and loosing by preaching the word of God S. Hierom whom the papistes boast to be their patrone heerein maketh so euident as more to a reasonable man cannot be wished These are his words Funibus peccatorum suorum vnusquisque constringitur quos funes atque vincula soluere possuÌ„t apostoli imitantes magistrum suuÌ„ qui eis dixerat quaecunque solueritis super terraÌ„ erunt soluta in coelo Soluunt autem eos apostoli sermone Dei testimonijs scripturarum exhortatione virtutum Euery one is bound with the cordes of his sinnes which cordes and bandes the Apostles can loose while they imitate their maister that said these words vnto them what things soeuer ye shall loose on earth shalbe loosed also in heauen And the apostles loose them by y e word of God by the testimonies of the scriptures by the exhortation of vertues Behold here these golden words The papists bitterly exclaime against vs when we teach that Gods ministers do bind loose mens sins by the true preaching of his sacred worde and yet the holy and most learned father S. Hierome whom the papistes in their
and in the sixt day in the end of al the works of euerie day are ioyntly commended for very good The seauenth diuision Of mysticall whispering in the Masse THe Papistes thinke the cannon of their masse as it were prophaned if the lay people shoulde but heare one worde thereof for which respect and other mysticall consideration the priest is commanded to whisper al to himself Of this secrecie thus writeth their Durandus Instante memoria dominicae passionis silentium obseruat vsquedum alta voce dicit per omnia secula seculorum illud insinuans quod Iesus post suscitationem Lazari non palam ambulabat apud Iudaeos When the memorie of the passion draweth neere he keepeth silence vntill hee speake a loud per omnia secula seculorum giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that Iesus after he had raised vp Lazarus walked not openly among the Iewes Behold this lerned sermon consider the edification The eight diuision Of the colours of the habits vsed in the Masse THe papists vse foure speciall colours in their masse and this they doe to signifie to the people foure speciall mysteries as if it were by the way of Sermons For their chiefest preaching consisteth in odde mysticall dreaming The first color is white the second red the third blacke the fourth greene They vse white colours to signifie innocencie red colours to signifie martyrdome blacke colours to signifie sorrow and mourning greene to signifie whatsoeuer els The red they vse in the festiuities of the apostles euangelists and martyrs so to declare to y e world that they shed their bloud for Christs sake also in the feast of the crosse and of the innocents staine by K. Herod The black they vse vpon good Friday in y e Rogations and vpon al fasting daies at which time their bellies mourne for lacke of meate at the least among the simple sort The greene they vse vpon workie daies and at other times not proper to the rest The white they vse in the feasts of al cōfessors and virgins which were not martyrs in all the feasts of the blessed virgin in the feast of al saints in the chaire of S. Peter in the conuersion of Saint Paul in the feasts of our Lord throughout the Octaues and in the natiuitie of saint Iohn the baptist And why forsooth to signifie that the persons in whose memories such feasts are celebrated were free from al actuall and originall sinne This is the point of importance marke it wel That this is their doctrine Durand affirmeth it for them These are his words In natiuitate Saluatoris etiam Praecursoris quoniam vterque natus est mundus id est carens originali peccato In the natiuitie of our sauiour and also of his precursor because either of them was borne pure that is free from originall sinne This is the mysterie of Popish colours in which they are not content vainely to flourish like Robin-hood in greene but they must also blaspheme god making the creature equall with the creator For onely the sonne of God was free from sin as is proued in the chapter of mans iustification The 9. diuision Of Candelmas-day THe old Pagan-Romanes in the Calends of Februarie honoured Februa the mother of Mars whom they supposed to be the God of battaile The honour that they did exhibit was this they went vp and downe the streetes with candels and torches burning in their hands In regard hereof Pope Sergius inuented another like ethnicall superstition to wit that the christian Romaines should go in procession with burning candels in their hands and that in the day of the purification of the blessed virgin the second of Februarie By which feast and burning candels the Pope giueth vs to vnderstand that the virgin Mary was pure from sinne and stood no need of purgation Of which point I haue spoken sufficiently in the chapter of mans iustification The 10. diuision Of the Popish Agnus Dei. THe Popes of late time haue vsed euerie seauenth yeare and the first yeare that euerie one is made Pope to consecrate solemnely with prayers chrisme and manifold ceremonimonies certaine round peeces of waxe hauing the print of a Lambe and for that cause so tearmed With this kind of paltery stuffe this world is so bewitched that infinite numbers do ascribe a great part of their saluation thereunto He that hath an Agnus Dei about him beleeueth that he shalbe deliuered by sea and lande from all tempests thunder earthquakes fire haile thunderbolts sodaine death and from all euill If any man will not beleeue me let him reade a little booke printed at Colonia containing the order sodalitatis B. Mariae virginis which is euerie where to be sold in which booke he shall find much more then I haue said The 11. diuision Of the Popes Bulles POpe Adrian the first of that name caused his pardons priuiledges and grants to be sealed with lead which they called the popes bulles These bulles were vnknowen to Christs church for the space of 772. yeares after Christ and if it had beene still so till these our dayes no detriment should we haue sustained thereby Polydore will haue them to bee called bulles of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by corruption of speech The 12. diuision Of the Popish carni-uale or Shrouetide THe deuout Romaines who whip themselues in Lent for their sinnes till they seeme as pure as Christ all vse a long time before Lent to gadde vp and downe in the streetes and from house to house in visards neither can men be discerned from women nor women from men they are al so disguised by meanes whereof all iniquitie is committed as their owne deare friend Polydore hath witnessed But what skilleth it a little whipping in Lent will make condigne satisfaction for the fault Yea if the rich do hire the poore to be scourged for them the satisfaction is deemed sufficient Polydore saith that in his time they vsed this irreligious madding for the space of two moneths but of late yeares the Pope hath abbridged the time Neuerthelesse the practise is euen this day most execrable heathenish and intollerable CHAP. 12. Of Popish auricular confession COncerning auricular confession I haue spoken sufficiētly in my booke of Motiues It shal now be inough to answer to such obiections as the papists do or may frame against the same The first obiection Christ commanded to confesse our sinnes when he gaue his priests authoritie to loose them for they cannot loose any man vnlesse they first know him to be bound The answere I say first that Christ speaketh in that place not of confession but of excommunication and discipline of the church which Christ promiseth to ratifie and approue in heauen so often as his ministers shall execute the same vppon earth according to his word Which sense may be gathered out of Saint Paules discourse as well to the Corinthians as to the Thessalonians I
as by which he may readily finde such places soundly answered as the Papists vse to wrest against the trueth The Texts of the Old Testament GEnesis chapter 3. verse 22. And now leâ—t he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eate and liue for euer Page 1 Ge. 4.7 And thou shalt haue power ouer thy sin 361 Ge. 14.18 Melchisedech offred bread wine 419 Ge. 48.16 And let my name be named vpon them the name of my fathers Abraham Isaac 311 2. Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this deede thou hast caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child that is borne to thee shal surely die 292 Iob 42.8 And my seruant Iob shal pray for you for I wil accept him lest I should put you to shame 315 Psal 99.5 Adore ye his footstoole for it is holy 326 Psal. 110.4 Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech 419 Psal. 66.12 We went into fire and water and thou hast brought vs into a place of comfort 298 Psal. 107.13 14 He bâ—ake their bonds asunder ib Ierem. 35.6 Ionadab the sonne of Rechâ—b our father commaunded vs saying Yeâ— shal dâ—iâ—ke no wine neither you nor your sonnes for euer 59 Dan. 4.24 â—edeeme thy sinnes with righteousnes 392 Dan. 9.24 Seuenty weeks are determined vpon thy people 99 Dan. 8.14 Vnto the euening and the morning two thousand and three hundred then shall the sanctuary beâ—â—â—ansed 98 Zach. 9.11 I haue loosed thy prisoners c. 297 Mal. 1.11 And a pure oblation shall be offered euery where 468 Mal. 3.3 He shal fine the sonnes of Leui. 299 Texts of the New Testament MAtth. chap. 5 verse â—6 Thou shalt not depart thence vntill thou hast payed the vtmost farthing 300 Mat 12.32 He that sinneth against the holy ghost shal neither be forgiuen in this world neither in the world to come 299 Matt. 16 19. And whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth c. 272 Matth. 28.20 And beholde I am with you till the worldes end 208 Luke 18.25 It is easier for a camel to go through a needles eie then c. 472 Luke 22.36 The saâ—nts are equall to the angels in heauen 338 Luke 22.31 I haue prayed for thee that thy faith neuer faile 212 Iohn 16.13 He will leade you into all truth 210 Ioh. 21.16 Feede my sheepe 215 Ioh. 21.26 Then came Iesus when the doores were shut and stoode in the middes 270 Actes 2.24 Whom God hath â—aâ—â—ed vp and loosed the sorowes of hell 305 1. Cor. 3.12 13. And the fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is 301 1. Cor. 15 29. What shall they do that are baptized for the dead 302 2. Cor. 2.10 To whom ye pardon any thing I also pardon 277 2. Cor. 8.13 14. That also their abundance may be for your lacke that there may be equalitie 295 Ephes. 4.11 He hath put pastors and doctors in his church vntil the worlds end 193 Philip. 2.10 That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow 301 1. Corinth 9 5. Haue we not power to leade about a sister a wife 220 Coloss. 1.24 And fulfil the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the church 281 1. Timo 3.2 A bishop must be the husband of one wife 217 1. Timot. 3.15 The church is the ground of trueth 207 1. Timot. 4.3 Forbidding to marry and to abstaiâ—e from meates 226 1. Timot. 5.11 12. Hauing damnation bicause they haue broken their first faith 241 Hebr. 13 4. Marriage is honorable in all 225 1. Ioan. 5.16 If any man see his brother sinne a sin not to death 310 Apoc. 5 13. And all the creatures which are in heauen and on earth and vnder the earth and in the sea c. 304 Apoc. 19.10 See thou do it not I am thy fellow-seruant 321 A Table Alphabeticall A Abels death folio 46 Abraâ—â—mâ— birth and acts 49 Popish Abstinence 59 Adam created on friday 46 Adam though hee were mortall might haue liued foreuer 1 Adams age death and buriall 46 Ages of the world 2 Agnus Dei and the superstition thereof 492 Agrippa king of the Iewes 137 Allegeance taken away by the Pope 528 Alexandra the wife of Alexander 137 Angels if they heare our prayers 337 Antichrist See Supremacie and Priests marriage Antichristian tyranny 200 Antiochus his linage 147 The Apostles when and where they preached 172 Aristobulus king Herods sonne 139 Arrius and his heresie 178 Arrius thought to deceiue Constantine 179 Augustus the name of euery emperor 151 Auricular confession 493 B The tower of Babel 48 Babylon the place of the captiuitie 26 Praying vpon beades 487 Bernard condemneth merite of workes 389 Bernard affirmeth concupiscence to be sinne ibid. Bernard affirmeth the virgin M. to be a sinner 287 The Bookes of the scripture burnt and restored by Esdras 133 The Booke of Ieremie burnt by Ioachim and written againe 34 The Bookes of the Prophets 36 c. Bread remaineth in the eucharist 335 Popish Bulles 492 The building of the Temple 28 All Bishops erre by popish grant 204 C A Camel may passe through a needles eie 472 Candlemas day 491 The Captiuitie of the ten tribes 29 The Captiuitie of the two tribes 2â— The Cardinalles hat 488 The popish Carni-uale 492 Ceremonies of the Romish Church intollerable 486 Christs resurrection 168 Christs ascension and being in heauen 171 Christs body cannot be in two places at once 436 and 169 Christs body not carnally in the eucharist 466 Christs body truely eaten in the eucharist 464 Christs body not eaten by the wicked 452 Christs passion and the houre thereof 167 Christs resurrection 168 The Church cannot erre and how it is to be vnderstoode 207 The Church inuisible and how 206 The Church visible and how ibid. The visible Church among the Papists how ibi Church-seruice ought to be in the vulgar tongue 476 Circumcision a signe onely of the couenant 52 Concupiscence sinne in the regenerate 389 Confession in popish maner when it began 509 c Confession first instituted 515 Confession in popish manner impossible by grant of learned Papists 5â—6 Confession not knowne in Tertullians time 505 Confession abolished by Nectarius 509.510 The Communion of infants 186 Communion vnder one kinde 402 Communion of priests alone 415 Consecration in the popish masse and the forme thereof 432 The signe of the Crosse 157 Councelles summoned by the Emperour 518 D Dayes 2300. expounded 140 Dayes of popish abstinence 59 Daniel preached in Babylon 36 Daniel expoundeth the seuentie weekes 101 Darius king of the Medes 93 Dauid and other kings of the Hebrewes 24 The generall Deluge 27 The Departure of Israel out of Egypt 56 The Disciples of Christ 172 The Duration of the world 2 E Eli the priest Iudge of Israel 12 Elias at what time he liued 23 Elias the Cabalist his prophecie 2 Elias knew not the 7000. faithfull reserued in Samaria 206 The elect
behalfe Some God be thanked for it are wholy and soundly reformed Othersome are inforced so to doubt of your doctrine as they know not in the worlde what to say or thinke thereof Othersome either seduced by your sinister report or else to saue your credite if it would be affirme very desperately that you haue answered my Motiues already and all generally both thinke and say that yee will shortly answere them if there be any trueth on your side One whole yeere I haue expected your putatiue answere as who had then and still haue a most feruent desire speedily to reply vpon the same Now since mine expectation is in that point frustrate in this second yeere I haue addressed my selfe to giue you a further prouocation In this Booke I haue not concealed any thing that I knew or could possibly say for you I haue not dissembled the mightiest obiections that can be made in your defence neither haue I passed slenderly ouer them but confuted them so pithily and so exactly as if any of you or of your brethren abroad shall be able to yeelde a sufficient answere in your defence I promise vnfainedly to subscribe vnto his doctrine Remember therfore what the Orator saith to wit that to erre standeth with mans infirmitie but to perseuere in errour is proper to fooles alone If you can deuise how and in what sort to answer me all wise men both say and thinke that ye will doe it vndoubtedly If you know not how to defend your cause because the trueth preuaileth so mightily then shew your selues to be wise men by embracing the trueth willingly and not to be fooles by striuing against the same wilfully Haue the feare of God before your eies pray that your hearts may be inlightened with the true knowledge of his sacred word and let not the shame of the world keep you backe from the publike confession of the known truth Peruse my Booke seriously ponder my discourse deepely contemne nothing wilfully examine all my reasons sincerely and that done giue your indifferent censures accordinglie If you finde Poperie confuted effectuallie then yeelde to the trueth and giue God the glorie if you thinke I faile in prouing my intended purpose then vse your wittes and your pennes as well for my confutation as for the credit of your cause and the expectation of your seely brethren who shortly will renounce all Poperie if ye with speede doe not defend the same Amen To the Christian Reader IN this small volume gentle reader thou maiest behold the original of Poperie with the daily increments therof liuely discouered before thine eies as also an euident confutation of whatsoeuer can possibly be said in defence of the same Thou hast together with this a fruitfull summarie of the olde and newe Testament contained in the first second part of this present Suruey Throughout which discourse thou must euer remember that in the bookes of the Kings and of the Psalmes I commonly follow the supputation of the latins And if thou canst reape any commodity by this my labor then thanke God for it and pray that my daily studies may still tend to his glorie and the common good of his churche I haue long expected an answere from the Papists either seuerally from some one or ioyntly from many If they be still silent the world must needes iudge that the trueth is not on their side How sincerely I am perswaded as I write to God the iust iudge I appeale for witnesse Albeit the malitious and mal-content seeke by the contrarie and like slanderous reports to bring me in disgrace But as Christs Apostle saith to them that loue God all things in the end will turne to the best Fare well in Christ Iesus and continue in louing me christianly as I hope thou doest The postscript to all the readers of this Suruey in generall AFter that I had accomplished this present volume a friend of mine gaue me to vnderstand that some persons were offended because I say in the epistle dedicatory of my Motiues that S. Paul erred gentilizing For whose satisfaction if they wil be satified with reason I say first that the nature and condition of some persons is such that though they be slow to doe well themselues yet are they very propense to reprehend that which is well done by others I say secondly that if such persons would deeply consider the prudent law of the sage wise Persians other things well said shuld haue mooued them to conceale that fault though it were as ill as they imagine I say thirdly that such persons seeke Nodum in scirpo and that it is no fault at all I prooue it euidently because to gentilize is nothing els but to play the part of a gentile and consequently since S. Paul then named Saul did as cruelly persecute the Christians as euer did the tyrannicall gentiles Nero Domitianâ— Traiane Seuerus Maximinus Dâ—cius or Dioclesianus It followeth of necessitie that he did gentilize indeed For as holy writ recordeth Hee breathed out threatninges and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. He desired letters to Damascus that hee might bring bound to Ierusalem all aswell women as men that professed the name of Christ Iesus insomuch that a voice cried from heauen vnto him and saide Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He likewise saith of himselfe that hee is not worthy to be called an apostle because he persecuted the church of God and all this doubtlesse he did in error because as himselfe saith of the Iewes his brethren if they had knowen they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie Yea hee himselfe saith of himselfe that hee was receiued to mercie because hee erred ignorantly through vnbeliefe S. Paul therefore erred gentilizing though hee were a Iew in that he persecuted Christ and his church euen as did the Gentiles in the error of Gentilitie Which thing being spoken obiter in the way of mine honest purgation and not to establish anie point of doctrin was not a sufficient motiue to offend anie wel affected reader Well I say with the apostle Si hominibus placerem Christi seruus non essem As before so now againe I willingly employ my whole industry to glorifie my God and to profite his church if by any meanes I can And as I greatly wish to pleasure thankful persons who euer accept in good part godly labors so do I make no great account to discontent malitious Zoili who seldom or neuer broke that wel which is well done by others THE FIRST PART Containeth the state of the Church from Adam vntil the Monarchie of the Romanes The first booke is of the time and memorable actes from Adam vnto the captiuitie of the two Tribes The first Chapter of the Creation and other things coincident The first Section of the creation of Man GOd created heauen the foure elements and all things contained therein and this he did of nothing that is without any
with all popish recusants neuer to pay their debts to loyall christian subiects This assertion because it is strange to good christian eares cannot but bee obscure and hardly vnderstood for explication sake wee must note two principles of lately coyned romish religion First that our most gratious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and al her faithfull subiects are flatte heretiques Secondly that all her maiesties dominions with all the landes and goods of her loyall obedient and christian subiects are the Popes due vnto him from the first day of the profession of their loyall obeysance and of the true ancient christian romain catholike and apostolike faith That these be their principles their best writers doe testifie their Iesuite Bellarminus their Canonists Nauarrus and Couarrunias their Diuines Syluester and Medina their religious friers Fumus and Alphonsus with many others Vppon these rotten principles of their newe no religion they grounde their most execrable dispensation to witte that it is lawfull for all popish recusants by reason of such dispensations to withholde what landes and goods soeuer from all such as wil not yeelde themselues captiues to the brutish bondage of poperie Hereof it commeth first that so many this daie make conscience to bee absent from diuine seruice in the church who haue no conscience at all to pay their debts Hereuppon it commeth secondlie that manie repute it deadlie sinne once to heare a godlie sermon who thinke it no sinne at all to owe great summes of money and neuer to pay the same Heereuppon it commeth thirdlie that sundrie recusants haue so intayled their landes and so fraudulently away their goods and that of late yeares as no law enforceth them to pay their debts to their poore creditors Hereupon it commeth fourthly that her maiesty is defrauded her faithfull subiects impouerished the Popes vassals enriched the lawes of the realme contemned and domestical rebellion fostered It therefore behooueth good Magistrates to haue speciall regarde hereof Good lawes are established but slowly in many places executed God of his mercie either conuert dissembling hypocrites soundly or else for the common good of his church confound them euerlastingly for a greater and more pestilent plague cannot come vnto the Church then to haue such magistrates as pretend publiquely to fauour it and yet are secret enemies to the same qui potest capere capiat this kind of popish pardoning my selfe though then a papist could neuer brooke but so soone as I vnderstood it did sharplie impugne the same The mediate externall sabboth is that which God appointeth mediately by his church in the new Testament to wit the sunday which is our christian sabboth And here obserue that when I say by the church I specially vnderstand the supreme gouernour of the Church much lesse doe I exclude the same which obseruation shall be made manifest before the end of my discourse And because no veritie doth clearely appeare vntill the difficulties and doubts be plainely vnfolded I will propound in order the greatest obiections that can be made against the same framing briefe pithie and euident solutions thereunto The first obiection The Sabbatharies contend with tothe and naile that christians are no lesse bound this day to keepe the legall sabboth then were the Israelites in time of Moses law and they proue it because God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it which sanctification was nothing else but a commaundement to keep it holy as appeareth by the declaration made by Moses Againe bicause this sanctification was forthwith after the creation and therefore as all nations are bound to make a memoriall of the creation as well as the Israelites so must all nations as well as the Israelites keepe holy the seauenth day that is the day of rest after the creation which is our saturday and vpon which day the Iewes still keepe their sabboth The answere I say first that there is no precept in the olde or new Testament by which either the Gentiles then or christians now are bound to keepe the legall sabboth I say secondly that albeit it could be proued that the fathers before the law had kept it yet would it not follow that wee were bound by their ensample this day to keepe the same for otherwise we shoulde be bound to offer vp bloudy sacrifices as they did both before and after the deluge The second obiection God speaking of the sabboth saide it should be a signe betweene him and the children of Israel for euer and hee added for in sixe dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth and in the seauenth day rested therefore all nations are bound to keepe the sabboth of the seauenth day The answere I say first that the word euer is not taken there simpliciter but secundum quid as the schooles tearme it that is not for eternitie or for the duration of this life but for all the time from Moses vnto Christ which was 1495. yeares I say secondly that though the sabboth be not eternall as it is ceremoniall which I shall prooue by and by yet is it eternall in the thing signified that is ceasing from sin and rest in God which shall be accomplished in heauen for euermore The third obiection The decalogue was before Moses and this day is of force for the Gentiles were bound before the promulgation of the law written in the tables of stone and we christians after the translation of the law to abstaine from blasphemie periurie theft murder whoredome couetousnesse fraudulent dealing and the like as were the Iewes in time of the law The answere I answere that whereas the law of Moses was partly iudiciall partly ceremonial and partly morall the morall part being the verie lawe of nature engrauen in mens hearts in the hour of their natiuities as it was before Moses so shall it endure to the worlds end but all ceremonies which were types and figures of the promises made in Christ Iesus were accomplished and abolished in his sacred aduent such was the circumcision giuen to Abraham the sacrifices commanded to our first fathers and the sabboth in respect of the determination vpon the seauenth day for it was not Gods will to continue shadowes after the things indeede were exhibited The fourth obiection A perpetuall cause requireth a perpetuall lawe and consequentlie since the memorie of the creation and meditation of Gods works is a perpetuall cause of the law of the seauenth day it followeth necessarily that the law of the seauenth day must still abide in force The answere I answer that the memorie of the creation is indeed a perpetuall cause of a perpetuall sabboth but not of a perpetual precise and determinate sabboth the reason hereof is euident because the memorie of our creation may be done as conueniently vpon another day as vpon the seauenth day thus my answere is confirmed because the sabboth which wee now keepe is not the seauenth day but the eight for our sunday is the first day of the weeke
cleare that hee meaneth Christ to be no otherwise present then he affirmeth him to be broken And if any papist wil say that Christs bones are otherwise broken then in a mysterie then must the same papist tell me howe Christs body can be glorious and not mortall then must be tell me how it chauceth that I can not feele and see Christs bones and flesh For so Christ prooued the veritie of his body to his disciples Handle me saith Christ and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue Then must he tel me to what end he sent the comforter in his steede if himselfe be still on earth among vs. For himselfe saith If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I wil send him to you Then must he tell me how Christ is not alwaies with vs since as they say their round cakes do neuer wāt him For himselfe saith Yee haue the poore alwaies with you but mee shall ye not haue alwaies Then must hee tell me howe accidents can be without a subiect since S. Austen saith that if qualities be takē from the bodies they loose their being Then must he tel me what scripture saith that Christs body which was visible before his ascension visible in his ascension and shal continue visible in heauen till his second aduent is for all that daily and hourely in infinite popish cakes and after an inuisible and insensible maner then must he tel me how Christs bodie being like to ours in all things sinne excepted can neuerthelesse be in many places at once then must hee tell me how Christs body is not a phantasticall body as Marcion and the Manichees held for Saint Austen saith that Christs true body can be but in some one place of heauen Vbi inquit totum praesentem esse non dubites tanquam deum in eodem templo Dei esse tanquam inhabitantem Deum in loco aliquo coeli propter veri corporis modum Thou must not doubt saith saint Austen that Christ is wholie present euerie where as God and in the same temple of God as God inhabiting it and in some one place of heauen for the maner of a true body Lo this graue father telleth vs that Christ as god is euery where but in respect of his true body he is only in heauen and in some certaine place of heauen Only in heauen because the scripture sayth that he shal be there till the worlds end in some certaine place of heauen to declare the nature and veritie of a true body So then if he were present as the papists would haue him his body shuld loose the nature veritie of a true body indeede I say secondly that Saint Chrysostome expoundeth his owne meaning most plainely when hee saith that Christ in his last supper gaue the fruit of the vine to his disciples His words are before alleaged and are flat contrarie to these other heere obiected vnlesse they be glossed as I say The replie Saint Chrysostome in an other place confuteth your sophisticall answers and deliuereth his meaning in so plaine tearmes as no deniall can be made thereof These are his words Non enim sufficit ipsi hominem fieri flagellis interim caedi sed nos secum in vnam vt ita dicam massam reducit neque id fide solum sed reipsa nos corpus suum efficit For it is not inough for him to become man and in the meane time to be whipped scourged but hee doth as it were moulde vs into the same lumpe with himselfe neither is this done by faith onely but hee maketh vs his owne body indeede Lo there is a further kinde of eating then by faith onely we are made his body really and not onely by faith And Saint Hilary saith the very same in effect These are his words De veritate carnis sanguinis non relictus est ambigendi locus nunc enim ipsius domini professione fide nostra verè caro est verè sanguis est Concerning the veritie of his flesh and bloud there is no place left to stand in doubt for now as well by Gods attestation as by our owne faith he is flesh indeede and bloud indeede The answere I say first that I do not denie Christs true and real flesh and bloud to be in the Eucharist but I deny it to bee there in a fleshy corporall carnall and sensible manner In the latter of which twaine I onely dissent from you and your late councell of Trent I say secondly that neither S. Hilary nor yet S. Chrysostome affirmeth Christes fleshe to be present otherwise then I graunt Touching S. Hilary hee hath these wordes a little before Nos verè sub mysterio carnem corporis sui sumimus per hoc vnum erimus Wee truely receiue the flesh of his body yet not really or corporally but in a mysterie and by this wee shalbe one Loe though we receiue Christes flesh truely as I graunt yet is it in a mysterie not carnally or corporally as the papistes hold Againe S. Hilary saith we are made one by it and yet is it cleere that our vnitie is no other then mysticall the papistes agree thereunto it cannot be denied I say thirdly that to eate a thing really is not to keepe it a while in our mouth vnconsumed and then to put it out againe as euery childe can discerne and yet is this your carnall and reall eating of Christes body ye can it not denie For yee say that his body is hidden vnder the accidentes of bread and is only so long in your mouthes as the accidents be vnconsumed and not eaten vp That done Christ is by and by gone from you His body so loatheth your bellies that it wil by no means come in them or tarrie longer with you then the accidentes do remaine And when it is freed from those accidentes neither doth any see it come out neither can your selues tell whither it is gone But the priest by speaking foure wordes can bring it againe into his fist with a becke Now I would learne of some skilfull papist to what end so manie miracles are feined in your consecration Is it to possesse Christes bodie But alas it is no sooner come then gone againe Is it that Christ may dwell with you but alas he wil not stay Is it because you are delighted with his presence Alas it seemeth not for then the ordinary meane were this to keep your accidents long vndigested And yet are ye so weary of keeping them so greedie of your dinners as I neuer heard of any that kept them in his mouth till supper Christ saith that he will dwell with him that eateth his flesh but that guest cannot truely be said to dwell with one that is gone before dinner I say fourthly that it is true which S. Chrysostome saith to wit