glorious Saint But would he disclayme his lying and calumniating this accusation would soone cease To preferre holy Scripture before any one Father is no scorne nor wrong Caluin in some things leaueth him but Papists leaue him where he followeth the Apostle and setteth forth the grace of Christ they beleeue that Monicaes soule was in Purgatorie but so did not S. Austine Toward the end of his Preface hauing almost tyred himselfe with lying and busie search of that he cannot finde he cryeth out O Heresie how deepe are thy Rootes layd in Hell Some pang belike of Hellish Treason and Heresie wrung his rotten carkasse and pinched him at the heart for to denie Masses and Dirges for the dead is no Heresie but to destroy Christs humanitie to renounce his grace and to maintaine Pelagianisme as Papists doe is most grosse and notorious Heresie We esteeme S. Austine and other Fathers as much as they desire to be esteemed and preferre them farre before the Pope and his whole Consistorie of Cardinals But the Papists doe preferre euery blind and ignorant Popes Sentence before all the ancient Fathers of whom albeit they speake gloriously in their Breuiaries and Missals yet they neyther regard them nor the Apostles of our Sauiour if they speake against their holy Father and his profit and Monkes slow bellyes S. Austine beleeued repented and liued a boly life but yet he neyther whipped himselfe nor did Penance as Fryars do neyther did he make boast of his eminencie in all perfection of life which the Apostate attributeth vnto him The Fable of the writing of the seuen Penitentiall Psalmes before S. Austine as he lay on dying is not probable the same being a practise of Fryars and not mentioned by Possidonius We endeuor by Faith and good Workes and the testimonie of a good Conscience to make our election sure to vs and so no doubt did S. Austine but we perswade no man to assure himselfe of his saluation his life being flagitious and sensuall and himselfe being ignorant and liuing without repentance and hauing Faith onely without good Workes as this lying and flagitious Apostate doth falsely charge vs that is rather the flagitious error of the Apostate and his Consorts who promise saluation to all absolued by Masse-Priests and dying in the Popes Faith which was also the Heresie of Eunomius The example of S. Austine he sayth is profitable to all men whether they be in state of puritie or are fallen into sensualitie hauing darke and frozen soules As if S. Austine were a Catharist or Puritan or sensuall Papists whose hearts are darkened with ignorance and frozen with coldnesse of deuotion could reape any profit by S. Austines example Onely he would not haue his Reader so to remember S. Austine as to forget their deuotion to his Mother Monica who as he sayth had a manly soule indued with massie and solide vertues A note of remembrance full of stoliditie rather then soliditie for deuotion and religion in the opinion of all solide Christians tryeth vs to God and not to men or women departed this life and vnknowne to vs. Further if her soule were manly why may not the Apostate haue a female soule being so much addicted to the feminine gender If her vertues were massie why may not his vanities be spongeous and light like Tyffanie Lastly if S. Austine and his Mother were Saints being not canonized by the Pope then is the Popes power lately vsurped in canonizing Saints nothing And thus an end of the Apostates idle and long Preface proface to his indignitie that hath thus vnworthily disgraced himselfe and his gracelesse Cause CHAP. VI. Notes and Aduertisements vpon the Translators Aduertisement concerning S. AVSTINES Retractations ALthough his idle Aduertisement to the Reader is neyther worth any Animaduersion nor the Readers paines yet because it commeth in sute next after his Preface it followeth in order that vpon his Aduertisement we put our Animaduersions And first I could not ouerpasse his impudence and arrogance albeit noted before in calling himselfe and his companions Catholikes whose Faith is neyther Catholike nor Apostolike nor Christian Let him if he haue any shame demonstrate that Christs Body is made of Bread nay of Wine and that it is contained vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and was eaten not onely by the Apostles but also by Christ himselfe yea by men and beasts eating the Sacrament that the Pope is Christs Vicar and hath two Swords and power to depose and kill Kings that Fryars and Monks were instituted by Christ and liue in perfect puritie and all the new Creed of Trent When we are vrged by Papists with the authoritie of Saint Austine making euidently against vs it is our vse sayth the Aduertiser to alledge that he made Bookes of Retractation But first he is not able to shew any authoritie of S. Austine making euidently against vs contrariwise we haue alledged places making euidently against the Popish Faction and their Heresies Secondly it is no fault to say he made Books of Retractations Thirdly wee alledge places neuer retracted Lastly it is an easie matter to auoid whatsoeuer is obiected against vs out of S. Austine without any such friuolous and idle shift as is by this poore shifter suggested and deuised for vs. Where S. Austine Lib. 9. Confess c. 13. speaketh of the price of our Redemption he sayth nothing is signified but the Sacrifice of the Masse A conceit fond and ridiculous for first what is more absurd then to confesse that the soule of the Translator and his companions is of so little value that they may be redeemed with euery three-halfe-peny Masse Secondly that Father doth not so much as in one word mention the Sacrifice of the Masse Thirdly hee vnderstandeth the Sacrifice made vpon the Crosse for our Redemption a memoriall whereof is made in the holy Mysteries prophaned by wicked Masse-Priests That which S. Austine sayth of Prayers for the Dead maketh nothing eyther for the sale of Masses or Dirges or the blazing fire of Purgatorie neyther is the Apostate able to auow his irreligion by any words of S. Austine of Vowes of Miracles or of the darkenesse of any Texts of Scriptures He telleth vs that S. Austine mentioneth Monasteries of Religious persons and great numbers of Hermites yet cannot he shew any such institation of Hermites nor demonstrate that S. Austine euer knew any Popish Monke or Fryar That one and the same Scripture hath very many and different sences is not the Doctrine of S. Austine but the foolish conceit of this idle Translator that hath in his head very many crotchets but very little sence or vnderstanding for how can we be assured of the truth and certaine vnderstanding of Scriptures if the same haue many sences Apollo Loxias gaue forth ambiguous Oracles but farre is that from the Text of holy Scriptures and the wisdome of the holy Ghost He noteth also that albeit S. Austine wrote the storie of his youth yet he was no young man
THE VNMASKING of a Masse-monger WHO IN THE COVNTERFEIT Habit of S. AVGVSTINE hath cunningly crept into the Closets of many English-Ladies OR THE VINDICATION of Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions from the false and malicious Calumniations of a late noted Apostate By M. S. D. of EXETER 1. TIM 1.19 20. Hauing Faith and a good Conscience which some hauing put away and as concerning Faith haue made shipwracke Of whom is HYMENIVS and ALEXANDER whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme PSAL. 22.16 Dogges are come about mee and the counsell of the Wicked hath assaulted mee LONDON Printed by B.A. and T. FAVVCET for NICH BOVRNE and are to bee sold at his Shop neere to the Royall Exchange 1626. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND HIS VERY WORTHIE Friends Sir BAPTIST HICKES Knight and the good Lady his Wife AS the holy Apostles Right Worshipfull so all faithfull Christians deriue their faith from CHRIST Acceptam à CHRISTO disciplinam fideliter nationibus assignarunt sayth * De praescript TERTVLLIAN speaking of the Apostles Hee is the Foundation that cannot fayle and the Truth that cannot erre and therefore are the Faithfull sayd to bee built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. because they first Preached CHRIST the onely Corner-stone and mayne Foundation of the Church Vpon the Foundation of CHRIST and his Apostles both St. AVGVSTINE and all the ancient Fathers built their Faith Doe wee then thinke that the Translator of St. AVSTINES Confessions a notorious Rinegate from the Faith of the Church of England hath reason out of that Father to draw his Romish Doctrine Sure no the poyson of his Heresie cannot be found in that holy Fathers Workes All his Confessions are directed to GOD and neyther to Saints nor Angels nor to the Virgin MARY as is the vse and practise of the Synagogue of Rome The Popes two Swords and his triple Crowne his supreme Power to judge his Cardinals Hierarchicall Orders and Vniuersall Monarchie ouer the whole Church hee knew not The reall presence of CHRISTS Body vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and the eating thereof by the mouth of the Faithfull yea by the mouthes of the Reprobate and brute Beasts hee neuer taught Neyther did hee teach the monstrous Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the reft of the abominable Heresies established against vs in Trent Hungry Dogges may dreame of Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth THEOCRITVS in Piscatorib And as ATMANASIVS sayth in Apolog. Defug Heretikes forge opinions according to their owne pleasure Pro libidine sua id opinâtur quod volunt But Truth will alwayes stand firme Wherefore seeing this Apostate so vnkind to his Parents so false to his Countrey so malicious to Religion hath some yeares since published St. AVGVSTINES Confessions translated into English in a long Preface and diuers false marginall Notes Obseruations and Calumniations endeuouring to induce the simple to dislike the Truth professed in this Church and to affect and approue the corruptions of Popery as if S. AVGVSTINE did fauour his Sect and dislike our Confession I haue thought it a Worke worth my labour to Vindicate that holy Father out of this impure fellowes false fingers Not that you need to bee resolued of the truth of Religion wherein I know you are firmely established but to the end that what I write for the establishing of the weake comming foorth vnder the Patronage of your name might remayne as a perpetuall testimony of that loue and respect which I haue borne and alwayes shall beare you These fellowes impudently arrogate to themselues the Name of Catholikes But as ATHANASIVS saith in his 2. Orat. against the Arrians How can they bee reputed among the members of the Catholike Church whose Faith is not Apostolike This young Nouice may please himselfe with his childish Annotations and Prefations but I shall show they are no better then those Childish fables and fooleries which S. AVSTINE Lib. 2. contr Academic would haue cast out of mens hands Nay diuers points of Poperie are no better then those monstrous Fancies which ORIGEN condemneth writing against CELSVS And this I shall God willing hereafter plainely demonstrate and not onely take from him all that hold that hee thinketh to haue eyther in Saint AVGVSTINES Confessions or in any other Booke of his This Treatise I consecrate to GOD vnder the Patronage of your fauour beseeching him that it may profit many so that the Thankes may remaine to you and that thereby you may vnderstand how much I honour you and that I shall alwayes remayne Yours much obliged and deuoted M. SVTCLIFFE THE PREFACE TO the Christian Reader FRom the excellencie of S. AVGVSTINES Pietie Vertue and Learning we purpose not Christian Reader to derogate any thing nay we doubt not to preferre him before many others both ancient and late Prelates Let the whole List of late Popes and their purple Cardinals and Mitred Prelates be produced and compared with that holy Father I suppose he will surpasse them all neyther doe we doubt but he is more worthie then manie others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet doth hee not exempt his Writing from other mens iudgement Id genus literarum sayth he writing against Faustus lib. 11. c. 5. Quae non praecipiendi authoritate sed proficiendi exercitatione scribuntur a nobis non cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est so hee permitteth others to iudge of his Writings Neyther doth he disdaine in the same place to preferre the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture before them nor doe wee thinke it any disparagement vnto him or other Fathers to haue the Apostles preferred before them as hee writeth vnto Hierome Epist 19. There also hee giueth that priuiledge to Scriptures onely Not to erre in any thing The Apostate doth in diuers places call him an incomparable Doctor yet neuer did S. Augustine so thinke of himselfe nor doe other learned men so esteeme him but that Athanasius Gregorie Nazianzene Chrysostome Basil Hierome Ambrose and others might bee compared with him But the more excellent hee is the more is our gaine the lesse the Apostates aduantage For this I affirme and I doubt not but to make it good against all the packe of Iesuites and not onely against this silly Translator whose soule is lately turned and translated Popish First that S. AVGVSTINE neuer beleeued the Popes infallible judgement in matters of Faith nor his sublime and vniuersall Monarchy ouer the whole Church nor the Doctrine of the Popes Schooles and Decretals and secondly that hee holdeth nothing as a matter of Faith and necessary to bee beleeued that is contrary to the Articles of Religion publikely professed in the Church of England In proofe whereof that wee may proceed more particularly and punctually wee shall God willing declare in the first Chapter that S. AVSTINE neuer knew eyther the Decrees of Trent enacted against vs or that part of Romish Religion which this Church of
but this may serue for a tasse in the interim vntill we discourse hereof more particularly in the second Chapter of the Treatise following Now this is sufficient to shew the falsitie and pouertie of the Translator and his Notes and Obsernations vpon S. AVSTINES Confessions wherein most simply and weakely hee endeuoureth to make that worthie Father of his partie Quid est egere sayth S. AVSTINE de Vit. Beat. And he answereth Sapientiam non habere And againe he sayth Nihil est aliud habere egestatem quam habere stultitiam So that by Saint AVSTINES iudgement this man being void of Wisdome and full of Foolerie is but a poore Translator wracking himselfe vpon S. AVSTINE vpon whom he meant to lay the ground of his foolish and vaine Religion Therein also we may percciue how vainely our Aduersaries boast of Fathers and especially of S. AVGVSTINE who in all important matters of Faith are directly opposite vnto them But leauing all further preambular speeches we will now begin to handle such matters as the rinegned Translator doth principaelly insist vpon THE VNMASKING of a Masse-monger WHO In the counterfeit habit of S. AVGVSTINE hath cunningly crept into the Closets of many English Ladyes OR The Vindication of S. AVGVSTINES Confessions from the false and malicious Calumniations of a late noted Apostate CHAP. I. That S. AVSTINE neuer knew either the Decrees of the conuenticle of Trent enacted against vs or that part of the Romish Religion which the Church of England admitteth not and which the Apostate and his consorts hold to bee Catholicke MVch doe our Aduersaries insist vpon the name of Catholikes and title of the Catholike Church So doe also all other Heretikes as saith Lactantius lib. 4. Diuin instit c 30. Singuli quique haeriticorum caetus se potissimum Christianos suam esse ecclesiam eatholicam putant But if that be Catholike which at all times of all Christians and in all places hath beene holden as Vincentius Lirinensis aduers haeres teacheth vs then certes the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is not Catholike In the judgement of S Augustine it cannot be accompted either Catholike or soundly Christian For first S. Austine referreth himselfe in all matters of faith to holy Scriptures and speaketh most reuerently of them Canonica scriptura veteris noui Testamenti saith he Lib. 11. contr Faust c. 5. Est in sede quadum sublimiter constituta cujus authoritati seruiat omnis fidelis pius intellectus Hee placeth their Authoritie aboue all Councels Fathers and Popes and would haue all pious Christians to submit their vnderstanding vnto them but such as rayled vpon them and called them a dead and killing letter and said they were imperfect obscure ambiguous and flexible he neuer did acknowledge to be Catholikes or Christians He neuer beleeued nor knew the traditions of the Church of Rome concerning the consecrating of Crosses and Images their greasing and crossing of Altars their-hallowing of Churches with oyle holy-water and ashes their consecrating of paschall Lambes Salt Holy-water Ashes the baptizing of Bells the blessing of Priests garments the mysseries of the Masse their shauing and greasing vsed in giuing Orders nor the rest of their traditions He beleeued not that traditions not written were to be receiued with like affectiō as we receiue holy Scriptures Nay contrary he gaue the highest place to Canonicall Scripture That traditions should be added to the rule of Faith was more then he could euer imagine Sancta scriptura saith he Debon viduit c. 1. Nostrae doctrinae regulam figit Holy Scripture giueth vs a fixt and certaine rule And l. 2. con Donatist He accounteth the Scriptures to be a diuine ballancer wherein Doctrines may be justly weighed But other ballancers he accounteth deceitfull Non afferamus stateras dolosas saith he Vb◠appendamus quod volumus quomodo volumus pro arbitrie nostro dicentes hoc graue hoc leue sed afferamus diuinam stateram de Scripturis sanstis tanquam de the sauris Dominicis in illa quid sit grauius appendamus imò non appendamus sid à Domino appensam recognoscamus The Church of Rome beleeueth that the old vulgar Latine translation of the Bible is authenticall and neither the Hebrew text of the old nor the Greeke of the new Testament But S. Austine gaue no such credit to that or any other tranflation Nay contrary lib. 15. de ciuit D.c. 13. hee preferreth Originals before all Translations Ei linguae potius credatur saith hee vnde est in aliam per interpretes facta translatio And lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 11. He would haue men to haue recourse to the Hebrew and Greeke text for the variety of Translations Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 15. he saith Translations ought to giue place to the Greeke text of the New Testament To come to the Pope who is the founder of the grand Idoll of the Masse and the Oracle from whom his followers deriue the certainty of their Romish traditions S. Austine neuer knew the man Nay if any man in his time had said that the Bishop of Rome had two Swords and power to depose Kings and dispose of their Kingdomes and that he was the Vniuersall Bishop of the Church the head foundation and Spouse ministeriall of the same and finally that hee was the supreame judge of Faith and had Authoritie to make new Articles of the Faith doth any man thinke that so holy and wise a man could haue contained himselfe within the limites of patience hearing such monstrous Paradoxes The Schoole doctrine concerning Merites of congruitie and condignitie Iustice by workes bodies being in many places at once and filling no place accidents nourishing like substances and yet subsiding without any subiect Popish dispensations for all flagitious sinnes Diuels tormenting just mens soules in Purgatory satisfactions for sinne by Whipping and going Bare-foot washing away sinnes with Holy-water and expiating them by knocking the brest and the Priests blessing and such other Schoole-points were not knowne to S. Austine nor heard of in his time All the authenticall Doctrine of the Romish Synagogue is contayned in the Popes decretals and decrees and was published and confirmed in the second Nicene Synode in the assemblies of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent How then could that holy Father know a Faith that was so long after his time established Could he Prophecie that the men of Trent would decree that Christians should be justified by the Popes law That the Images of the Trinitie should bee worshipped with Latria That Saints and Angels should be inuocated That men should beleeue Transubstantiation auricular Confession seauen Sacraments and such like late doctrines S. Austine lib 11. contr Faust c. 5. Would haue all pious vnderstanding made subiect to the high authority of Scriptures Neither did he beleeue that the same might be confirmed by any mans writing Is it then likely that he should teach or thinke that Scriptures in respect of vs receiued their
gaue the Church Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Teachers and true Catholikes beleeue that these onely are sufficient for the worke of the Ministerie and building of the Church But the Papists beside these haue in their Synagogue vniuersall Popes Cardinals Inquisitors dumbe Woluish Prelates that neyther feede nor worke any good sacrificing Priests Monkes Fryars and Nunnes which haue no institution from Christ How then are they Catholikes Among Catholikes none were chosen Bishops in time past but by the Clergie and People nor consecrated but by conprouinciall Bishops as our Aduersaries themselues confesse c. nulla ratio Dist 62. and c. in nomine Dist 23. And this was an Ordinance allowed also by Leo the first But Popish Bishops are intruded into their Seats by the Pope without any allowance of the Clergie or the People or any conprouinciall Bishops and the Pope himselfe is neyther elected by the Clergie or People of Rome but onely by a few Cardinals the most part strangers And doe you call them Catholikes that haue no Pastors lawfully instituted by Christ or called by the Church The Apostles and their successors were sent by Christ to preach the Gospell to baptize and to administer the Eucharist according to Christs institution and those are only true Catholikes whole Prelates and Priests doe performe that Office which Christ enioyned them But among Papists Priests are ordained not to preach but to sacrifice for quicke and dead and Prelates are not ordered by the Church but by Antichrist the Aduersarie of Christ and the Church and preach not the Gospell but humane Traditions and the Popes Decrees Further they obserue not Christs institution in administring the Sacraments according to Christs institution How then are they true Catholikes among whom neyther the Word is truly preached nor Sacraments are duly administred and where in Doctrine and Chayre there is no Apostolicall succession Among ancient Catholikes onely the successors of the Apostles preached and baptized but among Papists Monkes and Fryars preach albeit they be no successors of the Apostles nor instituted by Christ but by Antichrist and Women sometime are permitted to baptize as if Women could succeed the Apostles Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God sayth the Apostle Rom. 10. and this Faith onely is the Catholike Christian Faith But among Papists no Faith is allowed as good but that which commeth from the proposition of the Church as Canisius teacheth in Catech. c. de Fide Now this Church is nothing but the Pope and their Faith is grounded vpon Traditions not written and the Decrees of the Pope Can this Faith then be Catholike and Diuine Tiue Catholike Faith is also ioyned with firme Hope and assurance of faluation together with the certaine knowledge of God and his will and with feruent Charitie towards God and our neighbour But the Faith of the Apostate and his consorts is onely a bare assent to the word of God Knowledge of God they haue little contenting themselues with an implicite Faith and denying all assurance of saluation and warring against all that submit not themselues to the Pope and his sect But such a Faith is a dead faith a diuelish faith an erronious and wicked perswasion and not a true Catholike and Apostolike faith Finally if any man did well vnderstand the particulars of that Faith which the Apostate seeketh to commend to his Countrimen and which the Church of England reiecteth as comming from Antichrist hee might plainely see that the Papists are neither Catholikes nor hold the Catholike Faith in any thing which the Church of England disliketh Wherefore least any hereafter should boast that his Popish religion is Catholike I will hereafter specifie diuers points thereof which themselues will be forced to confesse to bee vncatholike An Appendix vnto the third Chapter contayning some principall points of the vncatholike moderne Romish Doctrine WHen wee speake against the Church of Rome and her Doctrine wee vnderstand not either the ancient Church of Rome or any Article of her Faith but the new Church of Rome as shee is subiect to the Pope and embraceth his new Faith contained in his Decretals and established in the late conuenticle of Trent and is maintained by the Schoole-men and other his factors And of this Doctrine these are some of the chiefe heads First as wee acknowledge Christ to be the author and finisher of our Faith so Papists deriue their Faith from the Pope as the Author and principall Founder thereof For whatsoeuer God speaketh to vs in Scriptures yet they allow nothing but what the Pope propoundeth We beleeue no head of the Church but Christ Iesus who is also the Sauiour of his body They professe the Pope to be the head of the vniuersall Church Wee are taught 1. Cor. 3. That Christ Iesus is the onely foundation of the Church Stapleton and his followers beleeue That the Pope and his determinations are the Churches foundation also And this is also the Doctrine of Bellarmine The Church being a chast virgin admitteth no Spouse but Christ Iosus But the adulterous Sinagogue of Rome receiueth the Pope as her Spouse as appeareth C. Vbi periculum de elect in 6. When any question ariseth about matters of Faith the Church of Rome will haue the Pope to be supreame Iudge a matter vnreasonable that an Heretike and an enemy should sit judge in matters of Faith and in his owne cause When Christ ascended into Heauen they say he left the Pope to be his Vicar But of this he sheweth no commission or proofe They beleeue also that the Pope is S. Peters onely Successor and the vniuersall Bishop and chiefe Monarch of the vniuersall Church But neither doth he teach or loue Christ. as did Peter nor doth hee demonstrate how this vniuersall Monarchy came vnto him They say he hath power to dispense against the Law the Gospell and the Apostle And so he doth indeed dispensing with periured and most flagitious men and neither regarding Law nor Gospell nor what the Apostle teacheth Suarez lib. 6. Defens Cath. Apost fid c. 4. 6. Teacheth that the Pope hath power not onely to depose Kings but to command them to bee killed Christ fled away when the people sought to make him King But the Pope challengeth not onely to be a Bishop but a King also The Popes Decretals concerning matters of Faith they say are cleare from all errors so doe the Turkes also thinke of their Alchoran Of holy Scriptures they speake euill calling them a dead Letter a dumbe Judge matter of strife a killing Letter a Nose of Waxe a Lesbian Rule They receiue the vnwritten Traditions of the Church of Rome with equall affection as they receiue holy Scriptures and yet doe they not certainly know them nor can demonstrate to others what they are The Doctrine of the Church of Rome they say is the Rule of Faith But what Rule then hath this Doctrine Some say Traditions not written added to the Scriptures make vp
when he wrote his Booke A high point of the Translators learning as if old men could not write the storie of their younger yeeres the Translator himselfe if he please may write what he did in the Brothels of France Italy and Spaine when he was younger then now Further he chargeth vs as if we should say that S. Austine was but a young man when he wrote his Confessions and that afterward he grew wiser As if any of vs did taxe S. Augustine of indiscretion for writing this Booke if he know any such why doth he-not name them if he name none himselfe seemeth to be a false accuser who albeit growne in yeeres is neyther more honest nor wise then when he was young He in his Retractations sayth he confessed his sinnes and good deeds An example which the Aduertiser meaneth not to follow for his enormious sinnes he will not confesse and good deeds I know none he hath to relate He addeth that his Confessions much pleased many of his Brethren Yet we heare of no Confession that this prodigall and Popish Apostate hath made nor doth he greatly care to please his Parents Brethren and Friends neyther doth his Translation please any man but himselfe S. Austine in his fourth Booke of Confessions saith Hee made rather a light Declamation then a serious Confession But the aduertiser although hee make both idle Declamations and friuolous and false Annotations yet neyther in jest nor earnest doth hee confesse his faults but rather proudly and vaine-gloriously boast of his doings In the end the Aduertiser beseecheth his discreet Reader to admire the humility and exactnesse of the Saint A request that concerneth himselfe nothing that is neither Saint nor humble nor exact nor discreet nay foolishly hee admireth himselfe and his doings albeit his Prefaces Notes and Aduertisements containe nothing but foolery vanity and lyes S. Austine saith the Aduertiser beleeued what hee taught But neyther did hee teach any thing in fauour of his Popish Heresies nor preiudiciall to the Faith of the Church of England Vainely hee boasteth that the moderne Faith of Rome is Catholike But we haue conuinced it to be neither Catholike nor Apostolike nor true Let him answer to our arguments and hee shall be forced to confesse so much himselfe This aduertisement therefore howsoeuer it pleased the Translator therein to mention S. Austines Retractations maketh nothing for his owne glory and commendation He should haue shewed more wisedome if hee had retracted both his Preface and Aduertisement After his Aduitisement he confesseth that his Copie was euill written and that many errours escaped in Printing But this should easily haue beene pardoned if that his whole labour had beene well performed and grosse Errours had not been committed in his Preface Annotations and Translations Now then wee come to speake of his Annotations and Translations reserued for the last Chapter CHAP. VII Of the false wicked and absurd Annotations of the Apostate vpon S. AVGVSTINES Confessions and how euill-fauouredly they and hee answere the Text. SAint Augustine in the first Booke of his Confessions Cap. 2. Doth inuocate his Lord and God which made Heauen and Earth and which notwithstanding was not contayned in them But this Apostate and his fellowes doth inuocate and call vpon Angels and Saints yea vpon their God of the Altar that neither made Heauen nor Earth nor any thing else but as themselues say was made by a Priest and is contayned vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine and shut vp in a Pixe and hanged ouer the Altar This the Apostate did well perceiue made not for his profit and therefore hee was content to passe by this Chapter in sad silence Chap. 4. S. Augustine saith Supererogatur tibi vti debeas which the Apostate translateth thus By our Supererogation thou becommest our debtor and noteth that God maketh vs able to doe workes of Supererogation But neyther doth that holy Father say or thinke that God was made our debtor for our Workes but onely for his Promise nor account Monkish vowes to be workes of Supererogation nor teach that man was able to performe the whole Law and more Chap. 5. lib. 1. the Translator noteth That S. Austine did oblige God to bee good vnto him A patch stitched to the Text and not in one word signified by that holy Father and most false For by what obligation can God that is aboue all be obliged to a sinfull man that is so farre vnderneath him Nay in this very Chapter hee declareth his sinnes against himselfe and confessing the impietie of his heart and disclaiming his Merites and Workes saith Hee will not stand in judgement with God In the Margent Chap. 10. the Translator noteth that there are Sectaries who blasphemously affirme that God appointeth men to sinne But he durst not name any party least touching M. Caluin he should be deprehended in a manifest Lye and conuinced of his ordinarie Crime of Calumniation Howbeit if men should appoint men to worship the Pope and to embrace his Heresies to worship Saints and Images after the practise of Rome to rebell against Princes excommunicated by the Pope which the Apostaticall Faction of Rome sayth he doth then by their Doctrine he should appoint men indeed to sinne Wee say onely God forbiddeth all sinnes and directeth all mens actions Chap. 11. he obserueth the vse of signing with the Crosse but S. Austine there speaketh of signing and salting Infants newly come out of their Mothers Wombe and sometime before Baptisme Ceremonies not now vsed in the Romish Church Hee talketh therefore of no matters of Faith nor helpeth the Translator who so often and superstitiously abuseth that signe S. Austine Chap. 13. toucheth the buyers and sellers of Grammar but the Translator addeth Rules as if Rules of Grammar were sold so that a man might haue licence to speake false Latine In Rome the Pope selleth Rules Lawes and Dispensations but the Translator careth for none of that nor doth the Pope care for Grammar Rules or good Latine Lib. 1. Chap. 16. S. Austine speaketh of a Floud but the Translator turneth it into a Torrent and noteth in the Margent A noble Discourse as if it were a noble thing to talke of Torrents of Custome and drying vp of Flouds Afterward he talketh of learning these words the Golden Shower the Lap the Ornament and the Temple of Heauen and the Translator noteth an extreme abuse still on foot but sheweth not what it is nor wherein it consisteth These words Qui templa Coeli summo sonitu conculit he translateth thus which shakes the whole Vault of Heauen with his soueraigne Voyce as if the Heauen were like a Vault of a Cellar and euery great noyse were a soueraigne Voyce O the soueraigne dizardrie of a transcendent Translator whose words soare aboue all vnderstanding and reason God is the Centre of all true sweetnesse sayth the Apostate in a Marginall Note vpon the first Chapter of the second Booke of Confessions But in the Text
words of any such matter in the Text. Nay S. Austine sheweth he was possessed with inward feeling and delight which haue no place when a man is depriued of his sences All sinfull pleasure sayth the Apostate apostilling the 41. chapter is a Lye yet his Author affirmeth no such thing neyther is it a Lye that the Apostate taketh sinfull pleasure in lying and rayling No Angel sayth S. Austine Lib. 10. Conf. c. 42. could reconcile vs to God To salue this sore the Translator in the Margent forgeth this euasion that he speaketh not of intercession but of redemption But S. Austine in plaine words reiecteth intercession of Angels as well as Redemption Was I sayth he to resort to Angels By what Prayers By what Sacraments Cap. 43. he sayth he thought to flye into the Desart but God for bad him Yet this ignorant Gull and his brutish Consorts doe giue out that he was the Patron and Founder of Heremiticall and Hypocriticall Fryars and a Preacher to Monks in the Wildernesse and haue forged a number of Sermons in his name ad fratres in Eremo This Postiller sayth The Hermites life is a holy state but his braine when he so wrote was not in right state S. Austine his Leader said no such thing Lib. 11. Confess c. 2. the holy Doctor sheweth how he was drawne by Gods exhortations terrors consolations and guidance to preach his Word and dispense his Sacraments to the people And are they then lawfully called that being ordained Bishops by Antichrist preach not And being made Priests offer for quicke and dead and preach Fables in stead of Gods Word That dispence not the Sacraments to the people but eate and drinke all alone There also he desireth that the holy Scriptures may be made his chast delight But the Translator and his Teachers care little for Chastitie and lesse for holy Scriptures being more occupyed about vnwritten Traditions Schoole subtleties and the Popes Decretals The words of Scriptures sayth S. Austine haue deere retyring into them walking feeding and lying in them by deere vnderstanding all sorts of Christians and not greasie Priests and graduated Doctors as the Apostate would haue it for deere translating Stagges and vnderstanding the stalion Priests as if they onely were to reade and studie Scriptures In the Margent the Translator noteth that Priests and Doctors by a most choise and noble Metaphor are called Stagges and thereby would exclude Lay men and women from reading Scriptures But were his Priests and Monkes Stagges and Stalions to yet S. Austine doth not appropriate the reading of Scriptures to them nor debarre others from reading them The Apostles wrote as well to people as to Priests And Hiero'me in Psal 86. calling them Scripturas populorum sheweth they belong to the people as well as Priests But sayth the Apostate It is an easie thing by reading of Scripture to bedeceiued and to deceiue others But quite beside that holy Fathers meaning that misliked not the reading but the mis-vnderstanding of them and therefore prayed that he might not be deceiued in them by mistaking them as the Popes Factors doe In the end teaching that Christ intercedes for vs he oueithroweth the Popish intercession of Saints Lib. 11. c. 3. He confesseth if Moses spoke in Hebrew hee should not vnderstand him But the Apostate contradicting his Author saith he had some skill in Hebrew Declaring himselfe to be a Contradictor and no Translator S. Austine Lib. 11. c. 8. doth call Christ speaking to vs in his holy Gospell his good and only Master But the Apostate and his Confreres hold the Pope to be their only and chiefe and good Master neyther regarding Christ nor his Gospell vnlesse the Pope be pleased to propose it Lib. 11. c. 31. the Translator talketh idely of Habits and Customes where S. Austine nameth only the Consequences of sinnes which follow euill Customes and actions Lib. 12. c. 1. The holy Father doth not speake one word of the dissiculty of holy Scripture See then the audacious boldnesse of the Translator that maketh that the title of the Chapter S. Austine contrary proueth the facility out of Christs promise saying seeke and you shall find knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you In the same Booke Cap. 5. 6. the foolish Translator talketh much of Materia prima which is not so much as once named there by S. Austine And Cap. 8. hee speaketh of an Imperiall Heauen opposed to a Corporiall Heauen It may be he meaneth to giue the Dominion of the Heauen to the Emperor and afterward to subiect both the Emperor and Heauen to the Pope Where note I pray you the Ideots ignorance who writeth Imperial for Empyreal or fiery and supposeth Fire and the Heauen to be no bodies In a marginall Note vpon the 12. Bocke 11. Chap. the Translator mentioneth Quires of Angels where S. Austine neyther mentioneth Quires nor Orders of Angels So saucy he is as to change S. Austines words meaning to establish his own foolish Popish conceits Et per inania cordis sui cum suis phantasmatibus vagatur voluitur and by the vanities of his heart with his phantasies hee wandreth and tumbleth as S. Austine sayth in that place Cap. 13. The Translator by Heauen and Earth will needs vnderstand the Angels and Materia prima But S. Austine whom he should follow hath no such wordes And absurdly Earth is called Materia prima and Angels confounded with Heauen Hereof we may better inferre that the Translators Materia prima is foolery and confusion and his Heauen his owne vayne imagination and the Popes consistory Vpon euery Woman that readeth Scripture hee rayleth calling her Saucy and simple Lib. 12. c. 14. not sparing his owne Mother As if English women reading Scriptures without the Popes licence were more saucy then Jtalian French and Spanish women reading Legends and liuing in Brothels by whom they say he hath beene euil-fauouredly dressed and sauced S. Austine Lib. 12. c. 15. doth plainly declare that men are not justified by their Workes or qualities inherent Nos dicti sumus saith he justitia tua ait enim quidam seruus tuus vt nos simus justitia Dei in ipso We are called thy justice for a Seruant of thine saith that wee may be made the righteousnesse of God in him Was not the Postiller then blind and shamelesse that out of the Fathers words inferred that there is inherent Iustice in men For how can Gods justice that is in him be inherent in vs or our inherent Iustice be the perfect Iustice of God Angels may haue true light in themselues because they fell not but Man being fallen can neyther haue perfect Light nor Iustice in him but must be justified by Faith in CHRIST In culmine sequendae aut horitatis nobiscum constituentis illam per Sanctam Moysem editam sanctam Scripturam tuam saith S. Austine Lib. 12. Confes c. 16. that is placing holy Scriptures written by holy Moses on the top of Authority
to bee followed Was not then this Rinegate impudent that tooke the Authority which S. Austine bestowed on Scriptures and by a tricke of Legierdemaine conueyed it to the Church of Rome and to euery blind Pope That one place of Scripture hath diuers sences as the Apostate blindly auoweth in his Notes on the 12. Booke of S. Austines Confessions Chap. 18. hee shall neuer bee able to proue by the testimony of that Father who confirmeth that to be the sence of Scripture which the Enditor meant who is Truth and speaketh but one thing Thus wee see for a Translator we haue here a corrupter falsifier of S. Austine Afterward lib. 12. c. 20. he sayth diuers Expositors may diuersly interprete one place but he sayth not that one place hath diuers sences as the Apostate without all sence inferreth For how can that which differeth be true And how can God in one sentence vnderstand diuers things he being alwayes one and vnchangeable The Postiller vpon the Margent of this 12. Booke c. 25. sayth Truth is a Catholike Benediction and S. Austine there confesseth that Truth belongeth not to any one man but is common to all the louers of Truth But he is an absurd fellow to suppose the Pope and his followers embracing the refuse Doctrine of Trent and the Schooles to be Catholikes or Truth to be a Benediction bestowed on Papists that wee haue found and declared to be forgers lyars slanderers and a packe of Heretikes Further if Truth belongeth not to any one man why doth euery false Pope that is but a priuat man pretend that he is the onely supreme Iudge of Truth and infallible interpreter of holy Scriptures In the Title of the 30. chapter of the 12. Booke of S. Austines Confessions the Translator sayth Charitie is to be maintained among men of contrarie opinions So hee pronounceth sentence against the Pope and his Inquisitors and all their Faction which persecute Christians and cut their throats for not holding euery one of their trifling Heresies S. Augustine would haue Truth to make friends But the Apostaticall Sect will not heare him being offended for nothing more then that we teach Truth against the Brood of Antichrist and their wicked Errors Lib. 13. Confess c. 1. the Postiller noteth that without Gods inspiration a man cannot thinke a good thought which is also S. Austines Doctrine and both contrary to the Popish Doctrine of Papists that giue free-will to a naturall man both to say well and to doe well Cap. 7. the Translator intimateth that man riseth from sinne and is iustified by the helpe of Charitie inherent in vs. And this he endeuoreth to picke out of S. Austine but sooner shall hee picke Gudgeons out of Flint stones for that holy Father doth not speake there of Charitie inherent in vs but of Charitie giuen vs and working in vs by Gods holy Spirit Lib. 13. c. 9. ridiculously he endeuoreth to proue his Popish Procession by the example of the Jewes who as he sayth did sing Psalmes as they went vp the stayres of the Temple As if euery Masse-Priest singing Letanies as they goe vp Newgate stayres or as they goe to Tiburne doe walke in Procession By the Psalmes of the Jewes this Apostate will neuer proue his Letanies or Procession for they sung Psalmes to God Masse-Priests in their Letanies pray to dead men Where S. Austine lib. 13. c. 13. speaketh of the expectation of adoption and the redemption of his body the false Postiller noteth that S. Paul saued Christians by praying for them after his glorification of which that Father giueth not the least signification nay contrarie he expected the fruits of his owne adoption and the redemption of his owne bodie of which other Christians were no members Cap. 14. he sayth the Caluinists affirme their Church to consist only of the elect But the lying Apostate sheweth not who these Caluinists are and where they write so much as he chargeth them with Caluin himselfe saith only that the Catholike Church is a Communion of Saints and properly consisteth of the Elect to whom remission of sins eternall life belong albeit many wicked men may seeme to be of the Catholike Church in regard of their profession are reputed members of particular Churches Quis nisi tu Deus noster fecisti nobis firmamentum authoritatis super nos in scriptura tua diuina saith S. Austine Lib. 13. Confes c. 1.5 that is who but thou our God hath giuen vs a foundation of authority aboue vs in thy diuine Scripture which clearely refuteth the blasphemous Postill of this Apostate who saith the Church that is the Pope hath power to make Scriptures Canonicall to vs. For if they receiue authority from God only how commeth the Pope or the Church to giue them authority and how doth the Church know them to be Canonicall but by diuine Authority Cap. 19. the Translator corrupteth S. Austines text by adding to it about the middle of the Chap. these words a word of Counsell following as it seemeth his Spanish notes and translation He intimateth also that Fryers and Monkes the scum and refuse of the world are an elected generation which S. Austine neyther meant nor could speake of Finally he saith Religious men and Priests are a middle kind of Creatures as you would say Centaures Satyrs Monsters being neither Saints therfore not belonging to the Church that is a Communion of Saints nor ordinary Christians and therefore not belonging to Christ or to the King because they clayme themselues to bee exempt By creeping things Confes lib. 13. c. 20. the Postiller vnderstandeth Masse-Priests Monkes Friers who indeed creepe and crawle like Snakes leape like Toades and swarme like Lice But yet hee is much deceiued if he thinke there were any such vermine in the world in S. Austines time Lib. 13. c. 21. the Translator seeketh for Masse-Priests Monks and Friers in S. Austine and in the 1. of Genesis declaring that they are men as it were seuered from the world But the poore Ideot is as farre wide as Genesis is from the Apocalipse where he may find Locusts newly come out of the bottomlesse pit and Masse-Priests are no where found but in the Popes Decretals and Pontificall Both most noxious Serpents and giuen to carnality and worldly pleasures Spirituales ergo siue qui praesunt siue qui obtemperant spiritualiter iudicant sayth S. Austine Lib. 13. Confess c. 23. that is spirituall men iudge whether they rule or obey but of the sublime authoritie of Gods Booke he will admit none to iudge but would haue all men to submit their vnderstanding vnto it How then doth the Pope take vpon him to be that spirituall man that iudgeth all things Can Boniface the eight c. vnam sanctam extr com de Maior Obed. iudge better then S. Austine What audacious boldnesse is it for euery Pope to challenge a power to himselfe ouer Scriptures to make them authenticall to vs Euery Preacher may expound