vniuersall church Saint c Lib. 4. de Symbol c. 10. Augustine saith that Euery congregation that is gathered in one corner is a concubine and not the spouse of Christ How then canne the papistes be catholikes that are gathered out of the society of the vniuersall church into the communion of the church of Rome Writing to Vincentius the Donatist he d Epist 48. concludeth that the Donatistes and Rogatians were not the catholike church for that they tooke their names of others then of the christian church Thirdly the faith of catholikes is e Ephes 2. built Vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ beeing the chiefe corner stone And this foundation is no where to be found but in the writings of the apostles and prophets which shew vnto vs the doctrine of Christ Iesus The apostle saint f Rom. 10. Paul doth teach vs That faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Which we may not séeke in decretales nor legendes but in the most holy scriptures endited by the holy ghost And so the fathers teach vs. g Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus doth say that the apostles First preached and afterward deliuered the gospell in Scriptures that they might be a foundation and piller of our faith Per apostolos euangelium peruenit ad nos saith he Quod quidem tunc praeconiauerunt postea verò per Dei voluntatem in scripturis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum Athanasius in Synopsi doth call The canonicall Scriptures the anchor and staie of our faith Hée woulde not haue any thing spoken or heard of christians in matters of faith and religion beside the holy Scriptures Si diuersa à scripturis fabulari vultis h De incarr â—t verb. saith he cur nobiscum concertatis qui nec loqui nec andire sustineâ—â—s quod extraneum sit ab illis The church saith a Homil. 6. in Matthaeum Chrysâ—stome is Hierusalem whose foundations are placed vpon the mountaines of the Scriptures Hierome calleth the Scriptures the limites or bounds of the catholike church Non est egressa de finâ—l us suis saith b In Mich. â—â— he id est de Scriptuâ—â— fancâ—â— Finallie the c â—rir Aquin. 2. 2 q. 1. art â— papists theÌ„selues confesse that the obiect or grounde of faith is The fâ—â—st truth or God himselfe And we doubt not but that al certaine knowledge of God is to bee found in his written word which therefore is called the rule of our faith But the papists speake euill of scriptures and either will not haue them to be the proper foundation of our faith or sorge to themselues diuers other foundations whereupon they builde their church and their faith in the d In c. 3. epist 2. ad Corinth annotations vpon the Rhemish testament they call them A killing letter as if God had deliuered his will in writing to the end to kill the Readers They write e Annot. Rh. in c. 5. Ioan. also That they are hard to be vnderstood and would bring them in disgrace by f Ibid. in c. 4. Matth. saying That the diuell and heretickes alleadge scriptures Some call them A nose of waxe without any certeine sence as the Iesuites of Collen in their censure others call them Inken diuinity and account them no better then Matter of strife and contention Generally they g Censur Colon f. esteeme the canon of scripture to be a rule vnperfect and a maymed and lame péece of doctrine and condemne the reeding of scriptures As pernitious and hurtfull Stapleton h In praefat ante relect princip doct plainely denieth the scriptures to be the foundation of religion Aliud hodie saith he Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus and afterward Ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud The same man speaking of diuers principles and groundes of Christian religion i In analysi ante râ—lect p incip doct doth leaue the scriptures quite out of the reckoning Others also make small reckoning of scriptures but where they canne by forced interpretations draw them to their purpose and such as deny not the scriptures to be a foundation of religion do notwithstanding adioyne diuers other foundations to the scriptures and build their faith vpon them as well as vpon the Scriptures Vnto the canon of the scriptures of the ould testament consisting of two and twentie books l they adde first the bookes of Tobias Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus k Synod Trideniâ—sâ—ss 4. and the story of the Machabees and secondly certaine additions found in the latine translation ouer and aboue the originall bookes and this contrary to the iudgement of most ancient and catholike fathers Neither is it materiall that saint a Lib. 2. doct Christ c. 8. Augustine and a certaine councell of Carthage and two or thrée more following them do number these bookes among canonicall Scriptures For they by Canonicall vnderstande such bookes as by order of the church were read publikely and commonly bound togither and were rather a rule for manners then for faith Legi voluerunt in ecclesijs saith b In exposit Symbol Ruffin non tamen proferri ad authoritatem fidei ex his confirmandam The same is also the iudgement of c In Synopsi Athanasius d In prolog galeato Hierome e De ponder mensur Epiphanius and of the most sound and ancient fathers of the church And if wée shoulde otherwise interpret the wordes of those that reckon these bookes among canonicall Scriptures wée should also put the 3. and 4. of Esdras among the bookes canonicall For they are also by saint Augustine and f Sixtus Senensis biblioth sanct lib. 1. others after a sort iudged canonicall and Athanasius in Synopsi doth attribute no lesse authoritie to the thirde booke of Esdras then to the bookes of Tobias Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees The Gréekes also place the thirde booke of Esdras first although the assemblie at Trent excluded the thirde and fourth booke of Esdras out of the canon and Sixtus quintus in his new edition of the Latine Bible hath excluded them out of their ancient place They adde also vnwritten traditions to the Scriptures and builde their faith equally on them two giuing vnto them both equall authoritie Libros veteris noui testamenti saith g Sess 4. the assemblie at Trent nec non traditiones ipsas c. pari pietatis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit ac veneratur synodus ista h Lib. 3. de verbo dei Bellarmine accounteth of these traditions as of the most certaine worde of God and calleth them The worde of God not written i De fid Symb. q. 22. op Catech. Canisius woulde haue vs to beléeue these traditions Most firmely as reuealed by the holy Ghost The which is not onely derogatory to the sufficiencie of Scriptures but also vtterly ouerthroweth the
sound neither haue they omitted any one tricke of falsification that any falsarie could deuise which they haue not practised First falshood is committed in writings Neither is it materiall whether they be publike or priuate whether testamentarie or belonging to any other contract And as well is forgerie committed by concealing a true writing as by forging or vsing false writings Falsum committitur saith y De crimine falsi Hostiensis aliquando cum scriptura siue scribat quis falsum siue deleat verum vt res id est rei veritas non appareat Nec discrepat vtrum fit testamentum instrumentumue publicum vel priuatum c. Secondly it is committed by vsing and producing of false instruments and writings Vtens falso instrumento dicitur falsum committere l. maiorem Cod. de falsis Especially if they be vsed wittingly Barbat lib. 3. consil 54. Numer 16. seq Thirdly that z Gloss in l. ex cautione ff de pactis notarie that shall in a true instrument write any materiall point false or in a testament set downe a legacy to his owne aduantage is taken adiudged a falsarie l. 1. § fin ad l. Corn. de falsis Et l. senatusconsulto Cod. de his qui sibi ascrib Fourthly falshood is committed either by witnesses deposing falsely l. 1. ff de falsis c. 1. de crim falsi or else by suborning or producing false witnesses or vsing the depositions of false witnesses as is the common opinion of lawyers in l. 1. de falsis c. 1. de crim falsi Fiftly it may be committed in deliuering counterfect money or counterfect measure or in supposing or fathering children vpon parents to whom they belong not or in professing himselfe to be a souldiour or a clerke that is not and by diuers other meanes as the Doctors teach in gloss in c. in memoriam dist 19. in c. vera iustitia dist 41. and in other places All which falshoodes and forging deuises our aduersaries do most cunningly and frequently practise They conceale the Scriptures from Gods people and hide from vs the originalles of Origen Basil Chrysostome and other Greeke fathers They make their traditions equall to the written word of God and take away the cup from the communicants which is a seale of Gods eternall testament defacing and corrupting both the diuine Scriptures with Apocryphall writings wicked interpretations peruerse translations and diuers other deuises of thâ—ir forging wits and as much as in them lyeth falsifying the seales of Gods promises In the name of Basil Amphilochius Abdias Clement and diuers fathers they haue forged diuers false treatises and albeit we continually call vpon them to leaue these conterfect writings yet cease they not to vse them By forged donations published vnder the name of Emperours and Princes and by diuers decretall epistles falsely ascribed to the ancient bishops of Rome they chalenge to themselues large kingdomes and an vniuersall authoritie ouer the world Not onely themselues speake and write most shamefull vntruthes and that both in matters of faith and policie but also they vse the counterfect writings of others set out vnder the names of their predecessors as their whole disputes with vs do witnesse They doe also deliuer to vs counterfect doctrine of another stamp and alley then that of the apostles and ancient fathers and a false rule of faith adding their traditions and the popes determinations to the true rule and conioyning them to the canonicall Scriptures of which vnruly rule antiquitie neuer had notice Neither are they ashamed to father their owne bastards and bastardly deuises vpon Origen Cyprian Athanasius Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Gregorie and other ancient holy men who if they were aliue would wonder how these misbegotten deuises came to be ascribed to them and would vtterly renounce them In their relations narrations histories and testifications published of late time they neither vse religion nor truth nor common honestie Caesar Baronius doth smoothly tell infinite lyes and fables Staphilus Cochleus Lindanus Surius Genebrard Bolsecus and such like lying mates care not what lyes or false tales they write so they may publish any thing that may redound to the sclander of the professors of the truth The like shamelesse course hath Sanders Rishton Ribadineira Parsons Allen and other traytors and enimies of this state taken to disgrace her maiestie and her noble progenitors and all that stand well affected to religion and their countrey Parsons hath set out false titles to peruert the right of succession to the crowne in his damnable discourse of titles Such witnesses as these the popes of Rome and their adherents haue both suborned and hired to speake all manner of sclandrous vntruthes against honest men And these are the witnesses which our aduersaries ordinarily produce and whose false depositions they vse supplying the rest with false and lying fables set out by themselues Are not they then notorious falsaries Finally our aduersaries take on them to be bishops and priestes and euerie begging and base fryer is bold to vsurpe pastorall function Nay the popes of Rome vsurpe not onely the authoritie of bishops hauing nothing but the bare name of bishops but also the authoritie and prerogatiues of Christ Iesus falsely appropriating that to themselues that is onely due to Christ Iesus The popes of Rome therefore and their agents consorts and adherents are notorious falsificators and haue surpassed all the world in fraud forgerie and falshood and that shall Parsons the relator or rather delator and false accuser of his brethren well perceiue if he dare encounter these obiections As for his obiections either against the Lord of Plessis or against the reuerend fathers bishop Iewell Peter Martyr master Foxe master Fulke they are most vaine and friuolous and the falsifications imputed vnto them most falsely charged vpon them as first shall be shewed in the first which is the principall subiect of our aduersaries relation and consequently as occasion serueth in the rest Chap. II. That the Lord of Plessis hath beene most vniustly charged with false allegations in his booke published against the Masse I Am not ignorant that the Lord of Plessis hath not onely acquited himselfe of the calumnious imputations of his aduersaries but also hath beene sufficiently iustified against al their obiections by other learned men in discourses published both in French and English Neither néedeth he any further defence of mine Yet séeing this relator would néedes be scribling into England such vaine obiections as haue béene already answered I thought it not amisse to aduertise thée briefly what hath passed in this cause of which either our relator is ignorant or els dissembleth after his Machiauelian fashion The first place which Peron his aduersary in the conference at Fontainbleau pretended to be falsified by the Lord of Plesâ—is in his treatise against the masse was drawne out of Scotus and therefore was he charged with falshood for that he saith that Scotus durst call
they account mortall sinne I haue already spoken f Enchir. Nauar de 1. praecept c. 11. Martin ab Aspilcueta saith That it is mortall sinne for a lay man to dispute of matters of faith And others deuise a multitude of strange mortall sinnes The g Censur Colon f. 40. Iesuites teach that the regenerate after baptisme haue no sinne But saint Iohn saith That they deceiue themselues if they say they haue no sinne For as it is h 1. Reg. 8. written There is none but sinneth And who canne say i Prou. 20. My hart is pure and I am cleane from sinne And this is prooued by the most holy men that euer liued The most iust man saith k Lib. 2. aduers Pelag. Hierome in some thinges standeth in neede of Gods mercy And l Epist 29. ad Hieron Augustine saith That no man liueth heere without sinne albeit some offend more some lesse and the best least of all Generally they beléeue that certaine sinnes are so veniall and small that it is not necessary to repent vs of them and that they do not exclude men from the kingdome of God albeit they die without repentance Which doctrine all catholikes abhorre for the law doth pronounce him accursed whatsoeuer hée is m Deut. 27. Gal. 3. That abideth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the law And S. n Iames 2. Iames saith That he that doth offend against one law is guiltie of all Neither can anie thing impure or vncleane enter into the kingdome of heauen b Quaest breuit â—xplicat 4. Basill saith That no sinne is to be called light Quodcunque enim peccatum esse stimulum mortis Saint c In Isai c. vlt. Hierome saith That those that haue built woode haie or straw vpon the foundation are the nourishment of euerlasting fire Finally where they affirme that the transgression of the lawe is not alwaies sinne and that it is a more heinous sinne to transgresse the decretals of the pope and precepts of the Romish church then the Morall law they shewe that they vnderstande not well what is sinne and differ farre from true catholikes in their doctrine of sinne Seuenthly they d Censur Colon. f. 204. teach that this is the proper doctrine of the Gospell If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements But the e Rom. 1. apostle teacheth vs That the gospell is the power of saluation to euery one that beleeueth And f Act. 16. Paule and Silas when the Gailer asked them What hee shoulde do to be saued answered Beleeue on the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued Againe the law doth iustifie none but those that fulfill it but by the grace of the gospell all are iustified that beléeue in Christ Iesus And this is the beléefe of all true catholikes Further as if the Gospell conteined no certaine rule for to attaine to Christian perfection they haue deuised diuers other rules vnder the name of Benet of Nursia Francis Dominicke Ignatius Loiola and diuers other monkes and friers supposing by them to attaine more spéedily to perfection then by the rule of the holy Gospell 8. Of faith the papistes thinke very basely as if it were nothing but a bare assent and that not onely to thinges reuealed in holy Scriptures but also to such vnwritten traditions as the church of Rome or the pope deliuereth So that the grounde of the popish faith is laide as well vpon the popes decretales and lousie lying legendes and such trash as vpon the holie canonicall Scriptures They beléeue also that not onely wicked men but also the diuels of hell may haue true faith But the scriptures teach vs that the chéefe obiect of faith that iustifieth is Christ Iesus and those promises which are made vnto the faithfull through him God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne saith g Iohn 3. saint Iohn that whosoeuer should beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life They b Heb. 11. shew also that of faith procéedeth obedience patience hope sure trust victories and such like effectes Beeing iustified by faith saith the c Rom. 5. apostle We haue peace with God Now that faith doth onely rest vpon Gods word reuealed in scriptures we haue declared heeretofore That wicked men and diuels haue not faith it may appeare for that they cannot beléeue remission of sinnes and eternall life and this is the faith of true catholikes They teach that charity is the forme of faith which is most ridiculous For how canne one virtue be the forme of another seeing matter and forme are the partes of a naturall body It is also most false For if charity were the forme of faith then could faith worke nothing of it selfe But d Rom. â— the apostle saith That the iust shall liue by faith And e Ephes 2. againe You are saâ—ed by grace through faith And that not of your selues it is the gift of god noâ— of workes least any should boast Ex nullo legis opere saith f Lib. 3. ad Rom. Origen sed pro sola fide ait ad illam mulierem remittuntur tibi peccata tua Whosoeuer saith g Lib. 2. epist 3. Cyprian doth beleeue in God and liue by faith he is found to be iust And Hierome h Inâ— 10. ad Rom. saith That God doth iustifie by faith onely And infinite allegations may be brought to this purpose to shew that where faith and other virtues concurre yet it is faith onely that apprehendeth Christ Iesus and worketh our reconciliation and iustice with God and that the workes of charity and other virtues are effectes of faith And this is most catholike doctrine as the doctrine of papists is most erroneous and sophisticall To conclude this matter of faith they attribute to faith onely the first beginning of iustice or first iustice But our second and more perfect iustice they ascribe to charity and workes of the law Which is a plaine way to ouerthrow mans iustice not to establish it For who can say that he hath that measure of charitie that the law requireth Who can say that his hart is so cleane that his coÌ„science doth not accuse him of any transgression against the lawe Who can say he is without sinne Certes no true catholike will either challenge to himselfe that singular holinesse and puritie or affirme that hee is without sinne 9. The papists do teach that there are seuen sacraments of the new law and neither more nor lesse And that all these seuen were instituted by Christ Iesus and conteine grace worke iustificatioÌ„ For so much the venerable friers assembled at a Sess 7. Trent haue declared and determined and it is the popes pleasure that all his adherents shoulde beléeue their determination But this doctrine is neither true nor catholike b Apolog. 2. Iustin Martyr where he hath occasion to describe the rites of the
among themselues Nay the contention betwéene Caluin and Luther is not so great but that popish doctors haue greater As for our selues all of vs professe the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to that rule that was established by common consent of the church of England from which if any digresse he is no more to be accounted of our societie then the papists that are of the popes retinue Lastly where he calleth our religion Parliament religion hée speaketh like himselfe that is falsely and slanderously For albeit the same be receiued by authoritie of the prince and state yet is it Christs religion and not the princes The a Lâ—unctos Cod. de summ Trin. sid Cath. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius decréed That all people of their gouernment should hold the doctrine of Peter the apostle taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria and that they should beleeue one God three persons and yet I hope this Noddie will not call the faith of the Trinitie An imperiall faith And thus much in answere of his obiection of parliameÌ„t faith and of supposed diuisions amongst vs. But if hée had considered how that all the authoritie of their Romish faith as it differeth from ours standeth vpon the authoritie of late popes and of the late conuenticle of Trent and that both the grounds and positions of it are either nouelties or old condemned heresies and was in Quéene Maries times established more by parliament then by authoritie of the apostles and how many and diuers sectes they haue among their monkes and friers and b About the matter of the sacrament of the Lords supper they haue not so few as 200. diuers opinions diuers opinions among their schoolemen and how their late writers dissent both from fathers and schoolemen and among themselues I thinke hée woulde haue spared either to haue obiected vnto vs our dissensions or to haue talked of the authoritie of our religion To discredite the report of spirituall blessings bestowed on vs he a P. 5.6 saith further That before this change we beleeued the catholike faith of Christendome deliuered by the vniuersal church grounded vpon that rocke that cannot faile now beleeue onely either other mens opinioÌ„s or our owne fancies which choice is properly called heresie and héere hée thinketh to haue argued like a great doctor But first as his doctrine is strange so his stile is new and fantasticall For although hée sweate hard in séeking yet shall hee not finde that any one doctor saith That the vniuersall church doth deliuer to euerie priuate man the catholike faith for as schoolemen might teach him Actiones sunt suppositorum and it is not the whole kind but some one or other that doth this or that action Secondly most vntrue it is That either poperie is the catholike faith of Christendome or that the apostles or their catholike successors taught those errors of poperie which wee condemne Thirdly he doth vs wrong where he saith That our doctrine is diuers from the catholike faith of Christendome For whatsoeuer Christ or his apostles taught or is deliuered in the confessions of faith or créedes generally receiued of Christs Catholike church that wée beléeue and receiue refusing no point of catholike doctrine and all priuate fancies opinions heresies whether of popes or other heretikes and false teachers we renounce condemne and anathematize Héereof it followeth that the doctrine and faith of the church of England is most catholike and certaine being grounded vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone which is a firme rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Grounded it is I say vpon the writings of the apostles and prophets endited by Gods holie spirite and thereunto not onely Councels and fathers but also the aduersaries themselues for the most part giue testimonie But the blinde papists haue deuised and receiued both new grounds of their religion and new doctrine which standeth onely vpon the authoritie of this pope and that pope whose fancie and opinion is all the certeintie they haue This is that rocke or rather banke of sand whereon the miserable papists faith is built For what the pope determineth that they hold to be the determination of the vniuersal church vpon his credite they receiue the scriptures Nay without his determination a Stapletonde author eccles they denie the scriptures to be authenticall b Princip doct lib. 9. c. 12. Stapleton teacheth that the church that is the pope at all times hath power to approue and taxe and consigne the bookes of holy scriptures In another place he c Ibidem lib. 11. c. 4. holdeth that vniuersall tradition is the most certaine interpreter of scriptures Generallie they hold that the pope is supreme iudge in all controuersies of faith and manners and that he is the iudge that cannot erre Hereof that followeth which this noddie obiecteth to vs That the faith of papists is built vpon the popes fancie and opinion which altering from time to time the faith of the Romish church is variable like the moone and vnstable as the sea Trusting to the popes determination from the Angelickes they haue receiued the worship of angels from the Collyridians the worship of the holy virgin Marie from the Carpocratians and Simon Magus and their disciples the worship of images from the Manichées and other heretikes prohibition of meates and dislike of mariage of priests and from other heretikes other damnable opinions So that their faith is not the catholike faith of Christendome but méere heresie grounded vpon the fancie and opinion of most wicked and vnlearned popes But d P. 6. saith this Noddie Why should you beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluin concerning the Queenes supremacie Luther concerning the reall presence and Beza in the church gouernment I answere first that these mens priuate opinions concerne not fundamentall points of faith And therefore that they are not to bée brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talke of the foundations reasons of Christian faith Secondly I deny that Caluin did deny the Quéenes supremacie in ecclesiasticall matters as we hold it For neither did he subiect princes to popes or priests in matter of their royall gouernment nor did hee denie princes power to establish ecclesiasticall lawes nor to command for Gods truth or to prouide for the setting foorth of true religion or redressing of disorders in churches or priests which are the principall points of supreme gouernment of princes in their realmes and dominions Neither do I thinke that any ancient father of the church did euer denie this power to princes Sure I am that many haue allowed it The reason why Caluin did once mislike the title of king Henry the eight was because hée was perswaded that hee had challenged all that power which the pope arrogateth to himselfe as head of the church wherein after that he was better informed he changed his stile and
retracted his opinion Thirdly I say we suspend our opinion and giue no approbation to Luthers opinion concerning the carnall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament for that we sée that doctrine to be new not taught by the apostolike church Nay we finde it to be repugnant to the apostles doctrine deliuered in Scriptures to the doctrine of the ancient catholike church and to the analogie of faith Lastly I say that in external gouernment it is not necessarie that all churches should concur and agrée séeing not onely the east churches differed from the west but the western churches also from themselues The churches of Afrike had diuers customes differing froÌ„ the churches of Italy a I ibâ—d sa 〈◊〉 Ambrose in his church at Milan thought it not necessary in al things to follow the church of Rome Further I say that it is not to be doubted but that it is better in matter of externall gouernment to folow the consent of antiquitie and succéeding ages rather then any mans priuate humour and opinion and therefore I doubt not but our cause is better and our grounde more certaine which in searching out the doctrine of Christian faith do build our selues vpon Christ and his apostles and vpon holy Scriptures approoued by consent of times descent of holy fathers bishops testimony of the most ancient church which all appéereth in ancient symboles of faith then that of the papists which in doubts and controuersies runne to this pope or that pope which for the most part is but a blocke or a sot and a man ignorant not onely in the controuersies but often in the grounds principles of Christian religion Now what assurance the papists can haue of their faith that haue no ground but in the determination of the pope I report me euen to the papists themselues that condemne priuate opinions and singuler mens fancies and in externall termes yéeld all not to this man or that man but to the iudgement of Christ his vniuersall church Another spirituall blessing a P. 6. and 7. saith our aduersarie is when good works follow faith as meeknes penance mortification of the flesh continencie virginitie fasting praying almes voluntarie pouertie renouncing of the world And that mens sauage natures should be altered by Christs doctrine he prooueth out of Isay the 11. where it is saide That the woolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the Pard lie with the goate And the calfe lyon and sheepe abide togither Lastly hée asketh Whether our doctrine hath wrought these effects of peace and meekenesse of penance and mortification and the rest I answer that the doctrine of the Gospell hath wrought good effects in all true Christians And that all such do good workes and liue according to their profession And albeit euerie one do not so square their liues according to Gods law as they should do yet compare our people with the papists nay with the priests and popes themselues whom they call most holy and I make no question but they do farre excell them In Quéene Maries time this land flowed with bloud of innocents Vpon her Maiesties entrance these cruell executions ceased Such was her clemencie that shée would not shed the blood of those woolues that had shed the most innocent blood of many others Nay albeit during the time of her sisters reigne shée had receiued many wrongs yet did shée forget al. So rare was her clemencie that euen strangers commend it Tanta eius animi extitit moderatio saith b Histor Gâ—nuens lib. 23. Peter Bizarus atque inuata clementia vt non immeritò de illa dici possit quod veteres de Seuero Alexandro Mammea matre genito posteris tradidere nempe anaematon hoc est citra sanguinem gessisse imperium cum suapte natura semper à caedibus crudelitate abhorrens nunquam adduci potuerit vt aliquem nisi publico iudicio damnatum ad supplicium rapi pateretur Her people likewise did folow her steps and neuer sought the blood of papists though the world knoweth they séeke ours In France and Flanders our side neuer tooke armes but in defence of their liues against those that sought to murder them In our victories likewise great clemencie hath béene vsed The king of Nauarre now king of France was euer admired for his great clemencie The English entring perforce into Caliz and other places shewed great moderation in their victorie In diuers places where religion is professed adulterie is punished with death fornication with corporall punishments other vnnaturall filthinesse is not named No where are stewes accompted lawfull Neither do we accompt any man a true professor that doth not moderate his affections and absteine from swearing drunkennesse pride and deale mercifully with the poore and conscionably with all If any man do otherwise he may liue among vs but he is not of vs. But the whoorish synagogue of Rome she is redde with the blood of saintes No tigre was euer more fierce or cruell This farre surpasseth the bloody city whereof the prophet a Nahum 3. speaketh the gouernours of this synagogue like wolues haue deuoured the lambes of Christ and not spared his flocke they imprison the true professors they spoile them torment them and kill them Innocent the third caused many thousands to be slaine in France Iohn the two and twentieth did b Io. Villan hist. fiorent 11. persecute the poore Christians of Armenia and hired the Saracens to war vpon them and all because they would not acknowledge his authoritie Martin the fift and his successors with fire and sword sought to ruinate the Bohemians onely for séeking reformation of abuses and redresse for the cruell execution of Iohn Husse murdred at Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct To forbeare to speake of former times the world knoweth that the warres of Germanie against the protestants as they are called were stirred vp by Paul the third and prosecuted with great rigour By the instigation of bloody priestes of the Romish synagogue the innocent christians of Cabriers Merindole and the villages néere adioyning were most cruellie slaine without respect of age sexe or qualitie These be the wolues that in the time of Quéene Mary made such hauock of Christs flocke in England that haue caused millions of christians in France Flanders and other places to be slaughtered Lib. hist 24. Natalis a popish writer saith that thréescore thousand were murdred in the massacre of France anno 1572. Cum amirante saith he Lutetiae Parisiorum in omnibus propè Gallicis ciuitatibus caesa fuisse dicuntur plura sexaginta millibus hominum factionis Vgonoticae nouae religionis And therefore he doubteth not to cal this execution Cruell and bitter The numbers of those that haue béene secretly murdred by the bloodie Inquisitors in Rome Italie Spaine is excéeding great the crueltie of the persecutors strange the patience of saints admirable Neither doe they onely practise crueltie against such as they accompt
a carnall fellow and a méere politicke Hée kept certaine women and his bastardes in his time bore no small swaie in Rome One of them made loue to a mans wife of the house of Glorieri Of whom receiuing some indignitie he brought the Glorieri into hatred with his father Who picking a quarrell to them fined Caesar Glorieri him that set his hand to the sentence of excommunication against the Quéene 100000. ducates and another Glorieri that was clarke of the popes checker chamber he put out of his office and solde it for diuers thousands of duckats So you sée much money made of a baudie matter and you woulde woonder whether all this money went and I beléeue hardly coulde you gesse it I will therefore assure you that all this money went to the Iesuites and was most of it imploied in the building of their colledge at Rome O holie societie and thrise holy colledge erected for the most part by baudrie and maintained as pope Sixtus said by vsurie This may serue for a taste to shew that the best founders that Iesuites haue are carnall and sensuall men that rather then they will frie in purgatorie will giue the Iesuites most of that they haue The second fault of this enumeration is this that it is defectiue For not so many atheistes carnall worldlings and heretickes as christian and catholicke princes zelous and godly bishops and pastors and honest and religious Christians do detest and abhor this wicked generation Princes for the hazard that they haue incurred of their liues and states haue eyther expulsed them and banished them their countries as the French king the Transyluanian and those that professe true religion or had them in iealousie as the king of Poland and diuers papisticall princes Godly Christians haue reason to suspect them and detest them for their abominable doctrine and treacherous and murderous practises Fathers feare them in regard of their children whom they inueigle and steale away The Venetians dissolued a colledge in Padua where gentlemens sonnes were wont to be brought vp for that the Iesuites taking vpon them to teach there corrupted their youth with their vnnaturall lasciuiousnes and restrained them from teaching others then such as were of their own society Husbandes haue them in iealousie for their wiues wiues for their husbands For it is no rare matter for these subuerters of all humanity to draw wiues from husbandes and husbandes from wiues yea sometimes through too much familiarity with women they spoile the men A certaine Magnifico in Venice perceiuing his wiues iewels to be wanting in the end learned that the Iesuites had gotten them To conclude this point I thinke the Iesuites will not deny but that the Carmelites and Franciscanes and Dominicans and othe orders of fryers are as honest men as themselues yet all these do inwardly hate them At Vienna they thrust out the Carmelites at Mentz the Dominicans at Trier and Bransberg the Franciscās out of their houses which maketh these orders to hate them In Bauier the priests béeing brought to pouerty and shame by the Iesuites haue no reason to loue them And thus we sée that many honest men do eyther suspect or hate the Iesuites and some also which they themselues cannot take iust exception against Let vs therefore now consider whether the causes that haue mooued and occasioned this hatred against the Iesuites be iust or no. The discourser saith They are had in hatred and emulation eyther for their rule and profession or for their learning and doctrine or for their life and conuersation But first the parts of this diuision are imperfect next the same conteineth diuers vntruthes and more are added in the declaration of it Lastly the whole defence parted in this diuision is not sufficient to iustifie the course and actions of the Iesuites the imperfection may be prooued by diuers particulars For they are not onely hated for these thrée causes but for diuers others As namely for that they do many things both contrary to their owne rule and contrary to the rule of Gods law and Christian religion They professe obedience but they practise sedition and rebellion Claudius Matthew a Iesuite and king Henry the third of France his confessor was the most principall author and agent in the league of papists against him and the peace established a litle before Parsons and Campian were sent into England to make a faction for the papistes which appeared in this that they procured a faculty to suspend the bull of Pius as farre as it concerned papists no further then Rebus sic stantibus These fellowes are the principall agents and stirrers of the rebellion in Ireland Iames Gordon Creichton and Hayes Iesuites laide a plot not onely for a rebellion in Scotland but for an inuasion in England Neither hath any warre or tumult béene raysed of late in any part of Christendome wherein the Iesuites haue not borne a principall part They professe chastitie and the law of God forbiddeth all vncleannes but how these obserue this profession and law I report me to their owne consciences to the Iesuites of Rome and Padua and to their practise in allowing and now and then frequenting bordelles They talke much of voluntary pouerty and Christ saith all should be left for his sake But these good fellowes leaue Christ for the wealth and ease they find in the order of Iesuites They dwell in costly pallaces their dyet apparrell is more dainty and braue then ordinary The furniture of their houses and churches is gorgious and princely Their armes are placed aboue the armes of princes most couetously they scratch and scrape from the orphane widow and poore and put out their mony to interest their rule and outward profession is to gaine soules but their practise is to kill soules They promise to teach without reward but if a great man will giue them a million they take all Nay they pretend to begge for banished English but take most themselues and by all practises séeke to enrich themselues by bribes and rewardes They professe religion and the name of Iesus but they are the slaues of the pope and oppugne the faith of Iesus preferring the decretals before scriptures in certainty and make a scoffe at religion In Venice they painted the virgine Mary like a Lady in the city whome they loued as a Vita Pij Quinti Pius Quintus cast an Agnus dei into the riuer so these vse the same practise in their coniurations Nay they administer the sacrament to those that go about to murder princes as Walpoole did to Squire First then they are hated for dooing against Gods law and their owne written rules Secondly for their ignorance in true religion Thirdly for that they peruert others by their leud perswasions and euill example Fourthly for that they peruert youth and teach them euill manners Fiftly for that they are not ashamed to defend any old condemned heresie or grosse new error holden by the pope Lastly
certaintie of faith For if traditions bée not certainly knowne of the aduersaries and if diuers ancient traditions be now growne out of vse how can the faith that is built on traditions be certaine Further the ancient fathers do not onely testifie the Scriptures to bée sufficient but also condemne vnwritten and vncertaine traditions Electa sunt quae scriberentur saith Saint a Tractat. 49. in Ioan. Augustine quae saluti credentium sufficere vide bantur b Aduer gentes Athanasius saith That the holy and diuine Scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in al truth And diuers others testifie the same What saith c Regul 80. Basill is the propertie of a faithfull man Forsooth to beleeue with certaine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in Scripture and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any newe thing vnto them Saint d Lib. de parad c. 12. Ambrose saith Wee may no more adde to Gods commandements then take from them And although the fathers talke ofttimes in commendation of traditions yet either they meane such things as are now conteined in Scriptures and from them to bée deriued and deduced by firme conclusions or else such matters as concerne order and decencie and yet do they not account of these as of diuine precepts Si aut in euangelio praecipitur aut in apostolorum epistolis saith e In Epist. ad Pompeâ—um Cyprian aut in actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio Whereby it appéereth that other traditions which were not written were not had in like reuence and that the faith of papists that resteth on these vncertainties is most vncertaine Further the papists do builde their faith vpon most fabulâ—us martyrologies and lying legendes For vpon these narrations doth stande the holinesse of those saints whom they canonize and worship In these legends wee read of the moouing yea and speaking of stockes stones of restoring not onely dead men but also dead beastes to life of apparitions of Christ of the blessed virgine and of saints and infinite more miracles and prophecies then are conteined in holie Scriptures All which notwithstanding any absurditie ensuing our masters of Romish traditions must néedes receiue if they beléeue either traditions to bée the worde of God or else giue credence to f C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius for hée saith That the histories of martyrs and their suffrings are to be receiued Gesta sanctorum martyrum saith Gelasius recipimus Let it therefore bée considered whether this faith can bée catholike that is builte vpon such fabulous vanities which not onely the strangenesse maketh suspected of vs but also euen of papists themselues g Ibid. Gelasius condemneth the legend of George of Cyricus and Iulitta of Abgarus of the inuention of the crosse and of Saint Iohn Baptistes head a Contra donat Constant Laurentius Valla laugheth at the follie of these legendes b Canto 29. Dante calleth them fooleries and vaine fables c In his historie to Clement the 7. Machiauel saith That these new myracles are repugnant to old christian religion The Germaines among other gréeuances account the vanitie of these fabulous legendes They do also take themselues bound to beléeue the doctrine of the church of Rome For this to d In praefat analys ante relect princip doctrin Thomas Stapleton séemeth a very firme foundation of his popish faith And as he supposeâ—h the voyce and testimony of this church is most certaine and infallible This sure we find by experience that they e C. ad abolendam de haereticis condemne for heretickes and most cruellie murder all that dissent from the church of Rome in matter of sacraments Nay they do ground their religion vpon the popes decretalles Decretales epistolae saith f C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius quas beatissimi papae diuersis temporibus ab vrbe Romana pro diuersorum patrum consultatione dederunt venerabiliter recipiendae sunt The popes they honor as their supreme iudges and say they cannot erre Vnto them they haue recourse in all difficulties as vnto a rocke immooueable Stapleton doth g Princip doctrin lib. 6. teach That the pope is the principall subiect of ecclesiasticall authority and is not ashamed to write that his authority is the foundation of religion In hac docentis hominis authoritate saith h In praefat ante relâ—ct princip doctâ— he in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni cernimus O noble religion that is founded vpon so firme and holy a foundation as is the popes holy authority But sure catholike it cannot be For neither the ancient church in times past nor the easterne and Africane churches did euer acknowledge any such foundation Neither do they account the popes authority onely to be the foundation of their faith but also for Christ the corner stone substitute the pope and make him the rocke of the church and of their faith For at his handes they receiue the scriptures and all the principles and pointes of their faith and account his determination more certaine then the letter of Scriptures Bellarmine calleth the pope The foundation and corner stone of the church i In praes ante lib. de Pontif. Rom. and commonly by the rocke Matth. 16. they vnderstand not Peter onely but the popes of Rome which they imagine to be his successors Matters strange new absurd and most contrary to catholike faith To the vulgar latin translation they giue more authority then to the originall bookes of the ould testament in Hebrew and of the new testament in Greeke For that translation they make authenticall and do not giue like authority to the originall bookes That translation they will not haue any to reiect but the originall bookes themselues calumniate and reiect Which course is neither catholike nor reasonable Saint a In epist ad Sâ—niam Fretel ad Damasum Hierome saith That in the old testament in matters of doubt concerning the translation we must haue recourse to the Hebrew as to the fountein in the new to the Greeke Ad exemplaria Hebraea Graeca à latinis recurratur b Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 10. saith Augustin Hilary writing vpon the 118. psalme confâ—sseth That the latin translation cannot satiâ—fie the reader They holde also The doctrine and determination of priestes and Iesuites and others sent by the pope to be no lesse the foundation of Christian religion then Christ and his doctrine For so doth c In praef ante relect princip doctr Stapleton in expresse termes determine and generally they d C. ad abolendam de haeret condemne such for heretickes As the prelates and bishops do adiudge to be such Which is nothing else but to make the determination of popish prelates the foundation of the popish church But Christ sending foorth his disciples to preach commaunded them to teach all nations and withall
authenticall and preferred before the originall bookes of the old testament in Hebrew and of the new testament in Gréeke a matter very new and most vnreasonable and plainely contradictory to the ancient fathers In the same a Sess 4. councell because they would be sure of their groundes the doctors of the Romish Babylon decréed first that none should interpret Scriptures against that sence that the church of Rome holdeth and secondly that vnwritten traditions kept in the church by succession shoulde bee of equall value with canonicall Scriptures After this diuers friers and priests taking vpon them to plead the popes cause haue determined vnwritten traditions and customes of the church and the popes determinations and decretalles to be the foundations and principles of their popish faith b Loc. Theolog. Melchior Canus speaking of theologicall argumentes and Thomas Stapleton taking vpon him to declare which be vndoubted principles of popish doctrine do both principally relie vpoÌ„ these two They talke also of the church of councels fathers the latin translation and of rules of faith But when it commeth to the triall then whatsoeuer is not consonant to the popes doctrine and decretales that is reiected as of no value Now gladly would I haue any Iesuite that taketh himselfe to be learned for our aduersary is but a babler to prooue these groundes to be ancient Let him shew what those traditions are that are with equall reuerence to the canonicall scriptures to be receiued Let him iustifie by testimony of antiquitie that the popes decretalles are infallible rules of faith The apostle saith that the church is well and strongly built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ béeing the corner stone and this foundation do all ancient fathers allow The testimony of Irenei and Athanasius I haue before alleadged Saluianus saith the church is best founded on scripture Videtur nostra ecclesia saith he c Lib. de prouid Dei 5. ex vna scriptura felicius instituta Aliae habent illam aut debilem aut conuulneratam Habent veterem magistrorum traditionem corruptam per hoc traditionem potius quà m scripturam habent Let him shew the like if he can of his decretals and traditions vnlesse he will haue his grounds to be condemned for new and naught Thirdly scriptures were neuer generally forbidden to be publikely read in vulgar toongs before the councell of Trent neither was it euer thought vnlawfull before that time for lay men to talke of matters of faith or to read scriptures priuately without the ordinaries licence Chrysostome and other ancient fathers were wont to exhort Christians to read scriptures and Christ our sauiour willed his hearers to search them and the apostle doth declare them to be very profitable which sheweth the practise of the Romish church in fraying men from scriptures to be of a late humour and inuention Fourthly the definition of the Romish church is new and of force made new to fit their new popish fancies a De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine defineth the church to be A company of men conioyned in one profession of faith and communion of sacraments vnder the gouernement of lawfull pastors and especially of the pope of Rome Which is neither to be shewed nor prooued out of any ancient authenticall writer For the easterne and Africane churches did neuer acknowledge this souereine authority of the pope Nor did our sauiour or his apostles teach vs any such obedience Nay they shew rather that the bishops of Rome are not to be obeyed For suppose Peter had béene bishop of Rome and the bishops of Rome his successors which will neuer be prooued in that sence as the aduersaries take it yet Paul resisted Peter and receiued no b Ibid. c. 9. authority nor grace from him which sheweth that other bishops haue no dependance or authority from the bishop of Rome albeit this proportion were granted Fiftly they make not the catholike church A communion of saintes as we professe in our créede but hâ—ld that all wicked men and c Ibid. c. 10. heretickes so they outwardly communicate with the church of Rome in faith and sacraments are true meÌ„bers of the church d Ibid. c. 2. Bellarmine saith That to make a man a part of the true church neither faith nor charitie nor any inward vertue is required Which is a méere new fancie and therefore receiued least they shoulde grant that the church in some respect shoulde be inuisible Sixtly the coÌ„fession of faith made by Pius quartus wherin al that take degrees in schoole professe a Confâ—t 28. That they firmely admit all ecclesiasticall traditions and constitutions and the Scriptures according to the Romish sence and beleeue that there are seuen sacraments and receiue the doctrine of the councell of Trent concerning originall sinne and beleeue the sacrifice of the masse and transubstantiation and the popes soueraine authority and other pointes of doctrine therein conteined is new and absurd This we shal other where declare that appeareth for that the papistes cannot produce any precedent of this confession or prooue the seuerall points of it by good argument 7. Where in our creede we beléeue the catholike church of late time the papistes haue added a word made it b Confess â—urdegaâ—ens The catholike Romaine church and in Canisius catechisme translated into Spanish by Hieronymo Campos they define him to be no catholike that beléeueth any thing beside that which the church of Rome beléeueth 8. They confesse their sinnes not to God almighty as do the ancient fathers but to the a Virgine Mary c Hortulus animae and to angels and saints 9. They haue of late b put out that commandement d Officium beatae Maria in catech that concerneth the making of grauen images like to God and worshipping them wherein they haue the worde of God and all antiquitie against them 10. In the doctrine of the law all those points wherein they shew theÌ„selues no catholikes of which wée haue spoken in the former chap. are meere nouelties as namely That all that is repugnant to the law of God is not sinne that it is mortall sinne to breake the popes lawes or commandements either concerning rites of the church or other matter which he doth vnder his curse will men to obserue that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne and yet that it is sinne not to faste the ember daies that the regenerate may be without sinne and that Christians may be iustified by the lawe of Moyses that the popes lawes binde in conscience and that he hath authoritie to make lawes and lastly that the law of God is not perfect but that wée are to obserue all the traditions of the church and the popes decretals 11. It is not long since they began to teach that othes do not so binde men but that the pope can dispence with them and that he is able to discharge children from
Arausicane condemneth all those that say That grace or mercy is conferred on those that will seeke and endeuour and not by Gods spirite conferred on vs and which so doth cause vs to will seeke and endeuour And certes strange it were if men dead in trespasses and sinnes coulde worke or that a man could liue the life of grace without faith 23 The doctrine of doubting of remission of sinnes of Gods fauour and of our saluation was first established by the late a Sâ—ss 6. councell of Trent and is contrarie to the Scriptures and faith of ancient fathers and the nature of faith that worketh in vs not a doubting but a sure perswasion and finally it maketh faith a doctrine of vniuersal propositions without application Nay it doth not onely frustrate the truth of Gods promises and effect of the sacraments and powrefull working of the holy Ghost but doth take away all comfort from Christians 24. That there are iust seuen Sacraments and neither more nor lesse was first b In instruct Armen deliuered by the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth and afterward confirmed by the c Sâ—ss 7. councell of Trent about 40. yeeres agone then also was it d Ibid. determined that All these seuen sacraments were instituted by Christ Iesus and those pronounced accursed that should say contrary How falsly I haue before shewed how newly it may appéere by the aâ—uersaries silence that being vrged to shew testimony of antiquitie rest mute 25. That the forme of confirmation now vsed by the Romanistes is new the decrée of the e In Instruct Armen Florentine councell about the yéere 1423. that then established it may ascertaine vs. The papists themselues being vrged ad exhibendum cannot prooue this forme Signo te signo crucis confirmo te chrismate salutis to bée more ancient 26. That spirituall gossips might not entermarrie and that such mariages being contracted shoulde not bée of force and that mariages contracted may bée dissolued by entring into religion or that by consent the husband and wife may sunder themselues proceedeth onely from the new forge of popish inuention 27 From thence also procéede diuers greasings saltings spittings and other ceremonies in baptisme From the apostles certes or their next successors they cannot be deriued 28. The doctrine of transubstantiation was first f C. firmiter de summa Trin. fid Cath. established by Innocent the third about the yéere 1212. and after that renewed in the councell of Florence Trent Before that councell it was scarce named any where But were it by any named yet can it not either by scriptures or fathers be prooued as Scotus and Petrus de Alliaco and others writing vpon the sentences do seeme to confesse 29. Vrbane the fourth vpon a reuelation of a certaine Anachorete called Eue did first institute the feast of Corpus Christi and the same was reordeined by Clement the fift in the councell of Vienna about the yéere of our Lord 1311. Honorius the third about the yéere of our Lord 1220. did first ordeine that the sacrament shoulde be worshipped But this idolatrous adoration of the sacrament and the carying of it about in procession and kéeping it in pyxes sauoureth of noueltie 30. In ancient time it was neuer heard that dogs and mise and other brute beastes did receiue Christs glorified bodie Nay the schooles themselues are deuided about this question although the more blasphemous opinion bée nowe approoued and the woorst side hath gotten the victorie 31. In ancient time the Lords supper or eucharist was neuer receiued of one alone The auncient a Can. apost 9. canons of the church excommunicate all those which are present at the oblation do not communicate Our Sauiour Christ did institute it to bée deliuered and distributed to others and not to bée deuoured by the priest alone But in the masse the priest eateth and drinketh all alone 32. Among ancient Christians it was neuer taught nor beléeued that either the accidents of bread and wine did subsist without dependance on their substance or that Christes bodie was in the sacrament without all dimensions or properties of a naturall body which all authoritie of fathers notwithstanding of late time the schoolemen haue taught and the popes of Rome haue established and confirmed by their decretals 33. In the ancient fathers of the church Species sacramentales do neuer signifie accidents as the deceiued papistes take it Speciem pro veritate accipiendam legimus saith b de ijs qui initiantur mysterijs c. 4. Ambrose c Ibid. c. 9. Et ante benedictionem alia species nominatur where species doth signifie a substance Idem cibus illorum qui noster saith d In Psal 77. Augustine sed significatione idem non specie e Apud Bedam in 1. Cor. 11. Againe Vt sit visibilis species panis multa grana in vnum consperguntur And that is the signification of the Latine worde species 34. That the sacrament of the Lordes supper is also an externall and propitiatorie sacrifice auaileable for quicke and dead and to so many purposes as the papists pretend is also a late fantasie of priestes deuised for their owne gaine and receiued of the people of méere ignorance of Christes institution 35. Our Sauiour Christ did ordeine that as many as receiued the Sacrament of the Lordes body shoulde also receiued the sacrament of his blood and that this was the true institution it appéereth by the a 1. Cor. 11. apostles doctrine that diligently setteth downe the wordes of the institution The same also was b Ignat. ad Philadelph Dionys eccles hierarch Chrys hom 18. in 2. Corinth continued in the church of Christ for many ages Neâ—ther was the contrarie established before the late councels of Constance and Trent 36. The partes of the masse were first formed by one scholasticus and encreased and altered by diuers popes and in diuers hundred yéeres coulde not bee brought to any perfection 37. In ancient time Scriptures were publikely read and praiers saide in toongs commonly vnderstoode of the people If I pray in a strange toong saith the c 1. Cor. 14. apostle my spirite praieth but my vnderstanding is without fruite Neither was there euer act made to the contrary but by the d Conc. Trent sess 22. Constit Thom. Arundel Romish synagogue of late time 38. In the apostolike churches neither were there masses nor praiers made in honour of angels of the blessed virgin and other saints Nor had the blessed Virgin a peculiar Psalter and office dedicated vnto her If wée search all antiquitie wée shall not finde where after the Lordes praier the salutation of the blessed virgin with a praier to her is placed Nor are there speciall Litanies to her and to saints in old liturgies to be found 39. The apostles and their successors neither taught vs to make the images of God and of the holy Trinitie nor to
heresie therefore concerning the purgation of sinnes after this life and the satisfaction for the penaltie of mortall sinnes the papists sauour of Origens heresie They fauour his heresie also in this that they do say there is fower sences of Scriptures and draw the same by their allegoricall interpretations to their owne most peruerse purposes Eunomius taught that so a man were of his religion it skilled not greatly what sinnes he committed Asseuerebat saith a Augustin de haeres c. 54. Augustine quod nihil cuiquam obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset Vnto which heresie the papists come very néere For so a man professe the Romish faith and communicate with the Romanists in their sacraments and bée obedient to the pope they b Bellar. de eccles milit c. 2. say he is a good catholike and a true member of the church although he haue no inward vertue And so facile they are in this pointe that they absolue murderers and incestuous persons and most wicked rebels yea Marans and apostataes so they will professe their Romish religion In Ireland the White knight and Piers Lacy haue had children by their owne daughters and others that I coulde name by their sisters and néere kinsewomen And infinite outrages haue they committed not oneâ—â— against their lawfull prince but also against their owne people and kinred and so continue liuing almost without law yet do the priests and friers and popes agents absolue them and count them good catholiks Nay these are the pillers of the Romish church and the chéefe maintainers of the popish sect there The papists also where they by their lawes forbid priests and monkes to marry and to absteine from certaine meates do plainely embrace the heresie of the Tatians Seuerians and Manichées and are of the number of a 1. Tim. 4. those That teach the doctrine of diuels forbidding to marry and willing men to absteine from meates which God hath created Rectè posuit illud saith d In 1. Tim. 4. Theodoret prohibentium contrahere matrimonium Neque enim caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt He noteth those saith Theodoret that by their lawes compell men to absteine from marriage and certaine meates So that by his censure the papists are within the compasse of these false teachers of whome the apostle speaketh The heretikes called Anoâ—ni either corrupted or contemned the law of God which heresie is also by right of enheritance descended to the papists For first they deny the law of God to be perfect and therefore adde vnto it their owne traditions and the customes and precepts of the Romish church Secondly they haue c In offic beat Mariae Manual de Geronymo Campos cut out the commaundement of worshipping of images as directly opposite to their idolatry Thirdly they deny concupiscence after baptisme to be sinne contrary to the tenth commaundement Lastly they haue chosen to themselues a new a C. translato de constitutionibus lawgiuer that taketh on him to giue law to mens consciences and receiued a new decretaline law wherein they walke more curiously then in the law of God Nay for the true and euer liuing God they worship this their Terrestriall God as b In epist dedic ante princip doctrin Stapleton doth call him and diligently harken to the popes statutes and commandements Irenaeus and Tertullian doth range those among heretikes that flye from the scriptures and accuse them and affirme that the apostles did not commit all thinges necessary to writing Cum ex scripturis arguuntur saith c Aduers haeres lib. 3. c. 2. Irenaeus in accusationem coÌ„uertuntur scripturarum quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia variè sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem Non enim per literas traditam illam sed per vâ—uam vocem ob quam causam Paulum dixisse sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos He d Aduers haeres lib. 3. c. 1. saith also That the apostles first preached the gospell and afterward by the will of God brought the same into writing that it might be a piller and foundation of our faith Alius manu scripturas saith e De praescrip aduers haerec Tertullian alius sensu expositiones interuertit That is some heretikes plainely blot and corrupt the scriptures others peruert them by false expositions But he maketh the catholike to say thus Ego sum haeres apostoloruÌ„ sicut cauerunt testamento sicut fidei commiserunt sicut adiurauerunt ita teneo He saith they are true catholikes and successors of the apostles that continue in the doctrine deliuered in their testament And afterward speaking of scriptures he f Ibidem saith Quod sumus hoc sunt That is that we beléeue and teach that is there to be found But speaking of heretikes he g De resurrect carnis saith Aufer haereticis quaecunque ethnici sapiunt vt de scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt That is bring heretikes from that opinion that is common to them with ethnikes and cause them to be iudged in these questions by scriptures and they cannot stand In describing the qualities of these heretikes these two ancient fathers séeme to haue prophesied of the conditions of the papists For they will not allow as saith Irenaeus that the apostles haue comprehended all their doctrine necessary to saluation in the scriptures Neither will they confesse that out of holy writ we can learne the truth without tradition But contrariwise being conuinced by Scriptures they accuse the Scriptures and speake euill of them and say that they in respect of vs receiue authoritie from the pope they affirme that they Are subiect to diuers vnderstandings a Aduers Sadeel lib. 1. p. 99. Turrian calleth them Delphicum gladium others A nose of waxe they stande vpon the liuely teaching of their priests and friers and b Censur Colon. say That the wisedome of the church is apparent in vnwritten traditions They peruert the Scriptures by their wicked interpretations c Concil Trid. Sess 4. allowing no sence but that which the pope and church of Rome giueth They flie from the iudgement of apostolicall writings and will not haue the Scriptures to bée the rule whereby all controuersies are to bée ended and therefore plainly declare themselues to bée descended from heretikes and to bée very well like their parents d Lib. 8. Orig. c. de haeresibus Isidore doth declare them to bée heretikes that do otherwise vnderstande the Scriptures then the meaning of the holy Ghost requireth Quicunque saith hée aliter Scripturam sacram intelligit quà m sensus Spiritus sancti flagitat à quo conscripta est licèt de ecclesia non recesserit
tamen haereticus potest appellari But whosoeuer listeth to read either the popes decretals or the popish factions writings shall finde that they do interpret Scriptures not onely otherwise then the holie Ghost meant but quite contrarie to his meaning Which is euident by many particulars but wée will content our selues with some fewe for a taste The e Isai c. 28. 8. prophets f Rom. 9. 1. Pet. 2. apostles by the corner stone placed in the foundation of the church and stone of offence do vnderstande Christ Iesus but g In praef in lib. de Pontif. Rom. Bellarmine will haue the pope to bée vnderstoode by these wordes Hée will also z haue the wordes of Christ Super hanc Petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam to bée ment of the pope Where our Sauiâ—ur saith h Ibidem Pasce oues meas these wordes the papists do appropriate to the pope These words Drinke yée all of this they interpret as if Christ had saide drinke not all of this Where the apostle saith Mariage is honorable among al men and vnderstandeth it of such as may marrie by the lawes of God they say mariage is not honorable for priests or monks Where our Sauiour Christ saith Scruta mini scripturas they say Search not the Scriptures Where hée saith that Those do in vaine worship him that teach doctrines of men these teach quite contrarie and place the speciall worship of God in humane traditions Where the spirite of God commandeth That praiers be made for princes and willeth subiects to obey the Magistrate these antichristian papists curse princes and teach subiects to rebell and say that it is meritorious to kill them Ecce duo gladij hîc ergo saith pope Boniface the pope hath two swordes and with these swordes de facto the popes do destroy mens soules and kill their bodies It were infinite to rehearse all their wicked and false interpretations of Scriptures and in this place it is not necessarie séeing by these which wée haue alreadie alleaged it may sufficiently appéere that the papists are heretikes at least if Isidorus saie true As the a Damascen de haeres Herodians gaue the name and honor of Christ to Herode so the papists do giue the names of Christ to the pope allowing these words of Bernard to Eugenius vnctione Christus es They call him the foundation and rocke of the church the head and spouse of the church and such like They teach that he and Christ make but one seate of iudgement and b Lib. caerem. say That all power is giuen to the pope in heauen and earth If then the Herodians deserue for honoring Herode with Christ his titles to be reputed heretikes why should not the papists likewise be reputed heretikes that do as impudently and wickedly giue Christes honor to the pope c De haeresib c. Heicetae Damascene numbreth those monkes and nunnes among heretikes that méeting vsed to dance togither in the praise of God yet do not the popish fort leaue their piping and dancing processions nor do monkes and nunnes cease to celebrate their comedicall dancing masses skipping and hopping about the altar like apes that are taught to leape for their masters aduantage d Ibidem c. Gnosimachi Gnosimachi were certaine heretikes that would not that vulgar Christians should study the scriptures Omni christianorum cognitioni ac scientiae ita aduersantur saith Damascene vt vanum minus necessarium laborem esse dicant eorum qui in diuinis scripturis aliquam exquirunt scientiam Neque enim deum aliud à Christiano postulare quam bonas praeclarasque actiones Itaque aliquem simplici rudique animo institutuÌ„ suum perse qui melius est vt aiont quà m multam curam in cognoscendis de cretis sententijs ponere The which now is iust the opinion of the papists that hold it to be mortall sinne for lay men to dispute of matters of religion and thinke the colliars faith to be sufficient albeit he knoweth nothing but onely answereth That he beleeueth as the church beleeueth a De leâ—â—t indiâ—â— lib. â— Hosius writing against Brentius doth commend ignorance and doth greatly allow this saying Fides te saluum fecit non exercitatio scripturarum b Lib. 3. de auth scriptur He saith also That nothing is more pernitious then with scriptures to enter combat with satan Generally they allow an implicit faith in the rude sort and dehort them from knowledge of scriptures which is the flat heresie of the Gnosimachians The c Damascen dâ— haeres c. â—thnopâ—ronis Ethnophronians were condemned for obseruing diuers heathenish customes and holy daies Which notwithstanding pope Boniface the eight instituted the Iubiley euery hundred yéeres in imitation of the playes called by the Romaines Ludi seculares The papists also haue their censinges and expiations with holy water like the Gentiles They kéepe the Carneuall as the Romaines did their Lupercalia They canonize saintes as the heathen did canonize their benefactors for Gods They offer sacrifices for the soules of the departed as did the Gentiles They vse their lots and coniurations and lash themselues before their idoles and haue diuers other fashions of the Gentiles d As the Montanistes a De haeres c. christiano-categori so likewise do papists mislike second marriages denying to blesse them and not accounting those marriages so holy a sacrament as the first Damascene accounteth them also heretikes That worshipped the images of our Sauiour of the blessed virgin and the saintes as the Gentiles did their Gods Which is iust the case of papists For both of them bowe to them pray to them burne incense to them offer sacrifice before them And both of them denye that they worship stockes or stones but rather those persons that are represented by them Finally the very nature and properties of heretikes do argue and conuince the papists to be such The apostle when hée had warned the Romaines to beware of those that caused diuisions and scandales Rom. 16. hée e addeth also Against that doctrine which they had receiued so that by the apostles iudgement those séeme to bée heretikes that cause sects diuisions and scandales contrary to apostolicall doctrine Hée also is an heretike That a 1. Tim. 6. teacheth other doctrine and resteth not in the holesome wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ The apostle Peter where hée saith b 2. Pet. 2. that There shall rise vp false teachers which shall priuily bring in heresies and damnable sects doth shew them to bee heretikes that teach false doctrine ouerthrowing the mysterie of our redemption through Christ c De praescrip aduers haeret Tertullian doth oppose heretikes to the apostles and their doctrine to apostolicall doctrine Vnde extranei inimici apostolis haeretici saith hée nisi ex diuersitate doctrinae quam vnusquisque de suo arbitrio aduersus apostolos aut protulit aut recepit Haeresis
saith d Lib. 2. paert 1. Occham est dogma falsum fidei contrarium orthodoxae e Apud Matth. Paris in Hen. 3. Robert Grosthed saith That heresie is an opinion chosen of humane vnderstanding contrary to Scripture and either openly taught or defended f Apud Dionys Carth. in 3. sent dist 31. Durande signifieth That heresie is onely an opinion contrary to canonicall Scripture Opinio ista g Aen. Sylu. de gest concil Basil lib. 1. saith he non est haeretica quia non est contra canonicam scripturam The h councell of Basill doth determine him to bée an heretike That doth reiect the catholike faith deduced out of canonicall scriptures and prooued by fathers Séeing then the papists haue caused a great diuision from the apostlike and ancient church and haue taught other doctrine contrarie to that of Christ Iesus and haue corrupted the verie déepest mysteries of Christian religion and haue digressed from apostolicall rules and taught doctrine contrary to Christian faith to the catholike church of former times and finally to canonicall scriptures as may appéere by their groundes of faith by their legends and decretals by their Tridentine doctrine concerning the Gospell and the lawe by their idolatrous masse by their worshipping of saints nay of stockes and stones ragges and rotten bones by their rebellion against princes and their allowance of the gouernment of the pope there is no question to bée made but that papists are cleerely heretikes CHAP. IIII. That the church of Rome is not the true church of Christ NOw if the pope and his faction the papists bée heretikes then doth it necessarily follow thereof that they are not the true church For the true church kéepeth the faith sounde and intire But these a 1. Tim. 1. Haue made shipwracke of faith Heretikes are gone out from vs bicause they are not of vs as saint b 1. Iohn 2. Iohn saith Those of the true church are of the houshold of faith and the apostles heires But heretikes are strangers as c De praescrip aduers haeret Tertullian saith and maintaine doctrine contrary to the apostles Heretikes as d In dialog contr Lucifer Hierome saith Are not the church of Christ but the synagogue of antichrist Againe if the church of Rome haue altered and innouated Christes religion then can it not bée the true church for That e 1. Tim. 6. doth faithfully keepe the faith committed to her in deposte and auoideth all prophane nouelties shée f Ibidem kéepeth Gods commandements without addition or blemish Catholica ecclesia sedula cauta depositorum apud se dogmatuÌ„ custos nihil in ijs vnquam permutat nihil minuit nihil addit as saith g Contra haeres c. 32. Vincentius Lirinensis Contrariwise h Ibidem c. 36. Heretikes not content with the ancient rule of faith are daily seeking out nouelties and are desirous to adde to change to take away Further if the faith of the church of Rome bée not catholike and generall and that which our Sauiour commanded his apostles to teach all nations then is not that the true church For as wée beléeue the church to bée catholike so we beléeue that the faith thereof is catholike and vniuersall We may not follow the pope of Rome nor the bishop of Ierusalem or Alexandria but the catholike church and that wée shall do if wée embrace that faith which the whole church throughout the worlde confesseth Sequemur vniuersitatem saith i Aduers haeres c. 3. Vincentius Lirinensis si hanc vnam fidem veram esse fateamur quam tota per orbem terraruÌ„ confitetur ecclesia If any haue a singular faith beside that which alwaies and in all places hath béene taught by the apostles and their true successors wée are not to harken to them No a Deut. 13. Although a Prophet or great learned man rise vp among vs yet are wée not to listen to him This may bée sufficient to teach vs that the synagogue of Rome is not that church whereto wée are to resort and adioine our selues But forsomuch as heretikes as apes imitate men so counterfeit to bée the true church as b Epist ad Iubatan Cyprian telleth vs and euery societie and company of heretikes do thinke themselues to bée christians and beare themselues bolde on the name of the catholike church as c Lib. 4. instit c. 30. Lactantius writeth and considering that the church of Rome hath long abused the worlde with the maske of the true church I thought it very requisite in this chapter briefly to set downe such arguments as may cléerely demonstrate what shée is and so much the rather for that many simple soules haue héeretofore béene seduced and perswaded that Rome is the citie of God and that chaste spouse of Christ which loueth and serueth none but him If our aduersary will needes call the same the catholike church yet let him first peruse and answere our arguments as they are héere laide downe in order First then we both confesse that the church of Christ is built vpon Christ Iesus No man saith the d 1. Cor. 3. apostle can lay any other foundation beside that which already is layd which is Christ Iesus He is e Isai 28. that Corner stone that is e Isai 28. placed in the foundation of Sion He is that f Matth. 16. Rocke vpon which the church is built Super hanc petram quam confessus es saith saint g Ser. 13. de verb. Dom. Augustine super hanc petram quam cognouisti dicens tu es Christus filius dei aedificabo ecclesiam meam id est super meipsum filium dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam Other fathers h Ambros in c. 9. Luc. Cyrill lib. 4. de Trinit that say the church is built either vpon The confession or faith of Peter or else vpon Peter himselfe do vnderstand indirectlie Christ Iesus whome he confessed and on whome he beléeued and on whome Peter was built But the church of Rome is built vpon the pope and vpon the papacy Est Petri fedes saith i In praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. Bellarmine lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus He k Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 3. saith also That the pope is the foundation of the building of the church and goeth about to prooue it by certeine words of Hierome who neuer thought any such matter a Sanders his rocke of the church Sanders doth endeuour to prooue That the popes are the immooueable rocke of the church b Contr. Saâ—eelâ—â— Turrian because Christ saith Aedificabo ecclesiam meam non aedifico ecclesiaÌ„ meam concludeth that the popes of future times are vnderstood and this is the common opinion of all papists How then can that be the true church that is built vpon a diuers foundation and either neglecting or not greatly caring for Christ Iesus the
principall rocke doth wholy rely vpon the popes of Rome men neither like to Christ nor like to Peter nor like to a rocke Vnlesse it be in that they deny Christ and are as hard harted against Christians as if they were rockes Secondly the faith of the true catholike church is built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets and their canonicall doctrine The apostle c Ephes 2. saith That the houshold of God and citizens of saintes are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets S. d Apocal. 25. Iohn sheweth That the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles The church is built not vpon Peter onely as saint e Lib. aduers â—â—in Hierome saith but vpon all the apostles At dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur The church of God saith f In Ephes 2. Theophylact is built vpon the apostles and prophets And all this is therefore affirmed of them because they preached not themselues but Christ Iesus and wrote the canonicall scriptures that they might be as g Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith The foundation of our faith Vnto this foundation the ancient fathers do all giue testimony But the faith of the Romish synagogue is built vpon the determinations decretals of popes They count their determinations to be infallible and make them souereine iudges of all controuersies in Christes stead Alij nunc à Christo missi saith h In praefat in relect in prinâ—ip doct Stapleton eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt He plainely i Ibidem confesseth that the papists haue another foundation of their faith besides the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud And k Lib. 4. de verb. Dei c. 4. Bellarmine disputing of traditions calleth them the word of God not written and saith That the scriptures are neither necessary nor sufficient without them Demonstrare conabimur saith hée scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes Nowe if they cannot shewe that the church of God in times past did builde their faith vpon the popes decretals and traditions they must néeds confesse that they are not the true church Thirdly neuer did the church of Christ speake euill of Scriptures a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the propertie of heretikes when they are conuinced by Scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them The children of God certes cannot calumniate their heauenly fathers testament or refuse to heare his voice My sheepe saith our b Iâ—hn 10. Sauiour heare my voice But the papists say they are neither necessary nor sufficient as doth Bellarmine or no sufficient foundation of the church as doth Stapleton in the places aboue mentioned and speake euill of them as if they were c Annot. Rhem. in 2. Cor. 3. A killing letter and most pernicious or as if they were a nose of ware d Ceâ—sur Colon. or a matter of contention and will not suffer them to be publikely read in a toong that is vnderstood of the vulgar fort 4. The church of God doth keepe the doctrine of the apostles without addition and alteration auoiding all prophane nouelties The Gal. 1. apostle pronounceth him accursed That teacheth any other Gospell then that which he taught So f Aduers haeres c. 34. Vincentius Lâ—rinensis saith Catholicorum hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare But the synagogue of Rome hath added vnto the doctrine of the apostles infinite nouelties as hath béene declared aboue in the second chapter Their doctrine concerning the grounds of faith concerning the law the Gospell and diuers points of Christian faith their worship of God their massing seruice and popish gouernment is newe as their newe decretals and late Tridentine doctrine the decrées of other late councels whereupon all their popish faith dependeth do plainly testifie 5. The true church cannot abide heretikes that teach doctrine contrary to that of the apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe g Iohn 10 saith They will not follow a stranger but flye from him for that they know not the voice of strangers that the apostles gaue the faithfull Christians in charge If there come any vnto you saith a 2. Iohn saint Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith b Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith c Lib. 1. ep 3. Cyprian as far from them as they separate themselues from the church Neither can the true church embrace erroneous doctrine For true Christians will not heare the voice of strangers Si haeretici sunt saith Tertullian d De praescrip aduers haeret Christiani esse non possunt But it is apparent that the popes of Rome are heretikes which are the great maisters and Rabbines of the Romish synagogue as may appeare by the examples of Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius thâ— first Iohn the two twentith Eugenius the 4. and diuers others We haue also shewed that the synagogue of Rome hath embraced diuers heresies and doth wholy addict her selfe to embrace heretikes and to persecute true teachers 6. The church of God is the mistresse and teacher of truth and admitteth no falsehood nor vntruth The e 1. Tim. 3. apostle doth call her The piller and ground of truth Est fons veritatis faith f Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius hoc est domicilium fidei She is the fontaine of truth that is to say The house where true faith dwelleth but the synagogue of Rome is not onely a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lyes and vanities She not onely receiueth false traditions but also teacheth them She embraceth lying legends and old wiues fables and apocryphall deuises And this is the word of God not written which they so much commend and make equall to holy scriptures That church g In breuiar in festo Cathar beléeueth That saint Catharine was a maiden of Alexandria so well learned that at eighteene yeeres of age she passed the most learned and ouercame fiftie philosophers conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of his to the faith and broke the tormenting wheele with her oraysons They say also that her body was buried by angels
the old empire Sixtly the kings of the earth committed fornication with the purple whore and receiued abominable doctrine from her But they did not loue nor honour the Roman empire nor receiued any idolatrous worship from Rome But from the pope they haue and with this purple whore they haue committed fornication Seuenthly the kings of the earth lamented not the destruction of the Romane empire but rather reioyced at it deuiding the same among themselues But diuers help the pope and are sorie to sée his goodly kingdome ruinated Eightly this whore is called the mother of fornication or idolatry which sheweth that this belongeth to popish idolatrie rather then vnto the emperours ciuill gouernement Ninthly after the empire began to decay religion began to flourish in Rome and therefore this description cannot belong to old Rome but to new Rome Which indéede is now become the habitation of diuels and vncleane spirits Tenthly this Rome which is héere described shal persecute the saints to the end of the world Eleuenthly the description of this woman and of Babylon doth best fit the state of Rome vnder the pope For he ruleth by fraud periurie cunning and his religion is full of mysteries he persecuteth the saints of God to him the kings of the earth giue their power being ready to execute his excommunications and commandements And after his destruction it is not likely that Rome shall be restored and reedified which cannot be sayd of the Roman empire Lastly a In Apocalyps Arethas and Ambrosius Ansbertus affirme that new Rome may be vnderstood by this Babylon and the bishop of b Auentin lib. 7. Salisburg c Cant. 106. epist 19. sine nomine Petrarch and d Michael Cesenas Pâ—trus Blesensis Ioan Huss diuers learned men doubt not in plaine tearmes so to call her 40 The church of Christ did neuer woâ—ship Peter or any of the apostles nor did c Cant. 106. epist 19. sine nomine Peter suffer himselfe to be worshipped of Cornelius d Michael Cesenas Petrus Blesensis Ioan Huss Nay the Church did not fall downe and worship angels The same did not kisse any bishops slipper nor beare him high vpon mens shoulders Nay Valentinian and Theodosius forbad any crosse to be g Apocal. 19. graueÌ„ or painted on the ground o Act. 10. But the Romish Church doth fall downe vpon the ground and worship the pope q Cod. Nemini licere signum c. The bishop of Modrusa in the councel of Lateran cried out to Leo the tenth Te beatissime Leo saluatorem expectauimus They say to the pope Haue mercie vpon vs. They kisse his féete and he hath a crosse vpon his slipper They beare him on mens shoulders and worship him as an earthly god 41 The true Church did alwayes reuerently thinke of the mysteries of Christian religion But the Romish Church albeit they beléeue that the consecrate Hoste is God and worship saints and crosses yet vse them oft times but homely For they beleeue that dogs and other brute beasts may eate their corpus Domini The pope when he goeth abroad doth send his corpus Domini before accompanied with the baggage and h Monluc de la religion à la roine mere basest seruants of his house The conspirators suborned by Sixtus quartus to kill Laurence and Iulian de Medicis were commanded to do it in the church and at the eleuation of the sacrament Dato signo cum eucharistia tolleretur saith i Lib. geograph 5. Volaterran k In vita Hiâ—debrand seu Gregorij 7. Gregorie the seuenth cast the corpus Domini into the fire Hildebrandus saith Beno the cardinal sacramentum corporis Domini responsa diuina contra imperatorem quaerens iniecit igni OfteÌ„times they cast their images into the water to stop the flâ—wings of water l Girol Catena in vita Pij 5. Pius quintus cast one Agnus Dei into the water of Tiber and another into the fire Cresciuto il Teuere Pio vi gittò vn ' Agnus Dei il fuoco appreso in vna casa piena di fieno vi si gittò vn ' altero And this is the honour that they beare to their religion 42 The true church did alwayes reuereÌ„ce magistrats The a Rom. 13. Apostle Paul commandeth euery soule to be subiect to higher powers S. b 1. Pet. 2. Peter exhorteth Christians to submit themselues to kings and gouernours The ancient c 1. Tim. 2. Church did pray to God for kings and for all in authoritie and punished such as should vse reprochfull words to emperours or magistrates In the d C. 83. Canons of the apostles it is thus decréed Quisquis imperatorem aut magistratum contumelia affecerit supplicium luito Neither if we search all antiquitie shall we find where the Church of Christ did discharge subiectes from their othes to princes or taught rebellion or murther of princes or signified that it was lawfull either to murther princes excommunicate or to rebell against them But the church of Rome hath taken vpon her to dispence with oathes of alleageance to discharge subiects from their due obedieÌ„ce The same also hath published most slaunderous and railing bulles or rather libels against princes as appeareth by the bull of Paul the third against Henrie the 8. and Pius the fift and Sixtus quintus against Quéene Elizabeth Sixtus quintus against the French king now reigning then king of Nauarre and against Henry the third and of Gregorie the seuenth and of Alexander the third and Gregorie the ninth against ancient emperours They haue also commanded subiects to rebel against their princes and taught that it is meritorious to murther them or depose theÌ„ matters quite contrarie to Christian religion the custome of Christs Church 43 The markes of the Church brought by e Lib. de notis ecclesiae Bellarmine doe also plainly shew that the Romanists are not the true Church For neither are they catholikes nor are they so called of others then themselues vnlesse it be of such as scorne their presumption that take on them that name Nor is their doctrine ancient as we haue by many particulars proued Nor hath it alwayes continued in one and the same state For they haue in their late conuenticles of Constance Florence and Trent altered the whole frame and forme of their faith And f Epist 2. ad Bohem. Nicholas of Cusa saith that scriptures are to bee fitted to the time and to be diuersly vnderstood and that God doth alter his iudgement according to the iudgement of the church Fourthly their doctrine was neuer vniuersally receiued as shall appeare when our aduersary shall dare to answer vs in these encounters Fiftly they haue no succession of bishops certaine For neither are the Popes bishops nor do they succéede the apostles nor haue they any certainty in their succession Sixtly the doctrine of that church hath béene prooued to be dissonant
contrary in diuers maine points to the doctrine of the apostles Seuenthly they do neither retaine vnion with Christ Iesus nor with the ancient Church nor among themselues Eightly their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy nor hath any efficacie in it nor hath other fountain then the popes fancie Ninthly their legendary miracles and prophecies whereupon a great part of the credit of the Romish faith dependeth are nothing but lies and forgerie and those ofttimes very ridiculous Tenthly their strange nouelties and heresies haue béene by many both olde late writers reproued and condemned Lastly as the authours of it haue liued vnhappily and died miserably for the most part so those that haue gone about to restore true religion and to roote out Romish idolatrie and heresie haue for this onely cause felt Gods great fauour towardes them both in their liues and ends 44 The Church of Rome is also conuicted not to be the true Church by the confession of a Relect. doct princip cont 1. q. 5. Stapleton For if the true Church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed and hath continued in all ages and hath a true succession of bishops from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and which hath planted christian religion preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intire and which also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound and pure frō corruption and finally which holdeth the decrees of all generall councels as blundering Stapleton not only confesseth but after his most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to proue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of christ Iesus For to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirm that Rome now is like to old Rome Our aduersarie should do vs great fauour to shew that the glorie and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth together with his cardinals dumbe bishops masse-priests idle monks lying fryars and all the popes decretals and ceremonies are come from Hierusalem He may doe also well to proue that the latter scholasticall and decretaline doctrine was vniuersally receiued throughout the world either in the apostles times or in the times of the ancient Fathers of the Church The rocke of succession vpon which they build so huge conclusions we haue shewed to be nothing but a banke of sand We haue shewed also that their doctrine is not only diuers but contrarie to the doctrine of Christ the head of the Church and of his apostles And how great contentions haue béene in the Romish church not onely the schismes and warres betwixt popes and princes but also the differences about all points of religion which is apparant both in the disputes of schoolmen and also in the writings of Bellarmine and his consorts do declare That the Romanists haue corrupted the faith not onely with nouelties but also with diuers heresies and haue changed both the ancient forme of apostolike gouernement and also the principles and grounds of faith established both by Fathers and councels and by the apostles themselues and haue yéelded to heresies and béene ouercome of the gates of hell I thinke no man can doubt that readeth this discourse and compareth the late procéedings of the Romish church to the rule deliuered vnto vs by Christ Iesus 45 Finally the testimony of a In his motiues Bristow doth vtterly ouerthrow the Church of Rome and declareth it not to be the true church For he commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties and heresies and idolatrie and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certaine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and hath infallible iudges and is sure to continue But the Romish church is neither catholike nor apostolike neither doth it abhorre either heresie or idolatrie nor shun profane nouelties The doctrine of that church hath neither ground of scripture ancient councels nor fathers neither can the Romish doctors bring any certaine proofe of their traditions It teacheth a broad way and maketh rebellious subiects In iudgemēt it hath no other certaintie then the popes determination Finally already that tower of Babel which is built so high doth begin to totter and as we trust cānot long stand Further he saith that euerie church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from the apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saintes nor euer visible and lastly that is not the teacher of all diuine truth and the vndoubted mother of Christs children is not the true church of Christ But the Church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals and officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monkes friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and went out of the catholike apostolike church and hath for the popes quarrell opposed it selfe against Christ and his true doctrine The same is also departed from the ancient faith and is no more to bée tearmed Christs Church which is a communion of saints linked together in the profession of Christs true faith but rather the combination of antichrist and the synagogue of Satan Such a church as is now to be séene at Rome and in the prouinces adhering to it was not visible many ages after Christ neither was any such church for a long time extant in the world neither when the same began to shew her selfe in great ruffe did she either teach all truth or refuse all heresie false doctrine or beare or bring forth children to Christ but to antichrist And therfore we may safely conclude that the Romish church of these times is the synagogue of Satan and not the true church of Christ Iesus The nature and propertie of the true and vnspotted spouse of Christ the inseparable qualities of true faith and such as truly professe the same and finally the confession and doctrine of the aduersaries themselues when they speake of the true church and true faith and true professours and matters incident vnto them in generall do declare it to be so CHAP. V. That no papists haue beene executed in England since her Maiesties comming to the crowne for meere matter of religion but for their treasons or other capitall offences HItherto wée haue spoken in the defence of our religion and Christian profession It resteth therefore nowe séeing our aduersary doth not onely calumniate our religion but our lawes also and gouernment that wée speake somwhat in defence of iustice especially so farre foorth as it