not good to be too deepely engaged to him and t is a credite for a man to satisfie for himselfe whence it followes that the diuell that makes long satisfaction with euerlasting torments shall purchase the more credire Besides it is a goodly ambition to giue vnto God more then we owe him by performing these supererogatory satisfactions for so it is to be feared that God finding himselfe indebted to such a number of Friers may bee in danger of turning banckrupt O spirite of blasphemy and prophanation of the Gospell O wonderfull patience of the Lord But now let vs take a view how this superfluity of satisfaction of the Saints is distributed The Pope opens this Treasure and drawing thence spirituall graces Of the distribution of the treasure of the Church doth variously make distribution of them sometimes hee giues particular priuiledges to certaine Orders and Fraternities So Pope Sixtus quintus in the yeare 1586. In the booke of Indulgences graunted to the Cordeliers printed at Paris by Iean le Bouc 1597. the seuenth of May graunted to all those of the Order of the Cordeliers that on the Eue of Palme-sonday and on Midsomer Eue and on the Eue of Io. Port-latin shall say fiue Pater-nosters and as many Aue-Maries a Pardon for all their sinnes beside the power of easing one soule in Purgatory And in as bountiful a manner hath the Pope graunted to the Order of the Friers Carmelites a priuiledge that they shall continue in Purgatorie no longer then the Saterday after their departure Sometimes againe the Pope disperseth certaine holy graines and hallowed Crosses the saluting of which with an Aue-Mary doth purchase a Pardon for a hundred yeares or peraduenture a plenary Indulgence Our Kings Ambassadours comming from Rome doe ordinarily bring with them such gratifications His Holinesse is also pleased to send vnto diuers places certaine priuiledged Altars vpon which if a Masse or two chance to be vttered they redeeme a soule out of Purgatory The Church of the Feuillans at Paris hath this priuiledge that euery Masse that is there sung for the dead on the Munday or Wednesday doth redeeme a soule from Purgatory for the Masses said on other dayes haue no such vertue in them to which purpose Mr. Coeffetean could haue alleadged some place of S. Paul but that he bethought him not of it Moreouer the Pope opening this Treasure doth now and then graunt certaine liberatory Bulles from Purgatory in fauour of some persons of quality and at the instance of their parents which Buls are paide for in Ducats of the Chamber at the end whereof there should not be written Datum Romae dated at Rome but venditum Romae solde at Rome For there is no reason that this treasure should be opened for the soule of euery monilesse beggar But the most ordinary manner of this distribution is that the Pope sets downe some proportion or number of Pardons for certaine Churches in some more in some lesse We haue a booke expresly written of Romane Indulgences printed at Rome by Iulio Accolto Ann. 1570. out of which take this example among a thousand others In the moneth of February vpon Septuagessima sonday for going the Station vnto S. Lawrence without the walles there is graunted a plenary Indulgence beside a pardon for eleuen thousand yeares and forty eight Quarentaines and remission of one third part of all sinnes and the redemption of a soule out of Purgatory This is one of the high Holy-dayes Vpon the Wednesday after S. Lucy being Ember-weeke the Station is to S. Maryes the greater for which an Indulgence is graunted for eight and twenty thousand yeares and as many Quarentaines and remission of one third part of sinnes yea and a plenary pardon for all sinnes The same booke saith that for each dayes repaire to S. Eusebies Church a pardon is vndoubtedly graunted for threescore and eighteene thousand yeares and as many Quarentaines and that on euery All-Saints day there is in al the principal Churches sixe thousand yeares of an infallible pardon But especially his Holinesse doth grow prodigall in the dissipation of this Treasure in the yeare of Iubile which is now celebrated euery fiue and twentieth yeare hauing made a kinde of circle of sinne as it were a solar reuolution of the forgiuing of sinnes then Indulgences flie thicke abroad and the Pope doth freely and fully pardon all sinne the place of this Iubile are the Stations at Rome prouided that they bee resorted vnto for thirty dayes whether of consecution or intermission it matters not then Pilgrims flocke from all partes and one Nation enuying anothers quarrels and blowes are often exchanged among them the next yeare after his Holinesse conueyes the Iubile ouer the Alpes and withall sendes the same spirituall fauours to two or three places in Fraunce and so in Spaine Now if death chaunce to take any out of the world in this yeare of Iubile no question but he goeth straight to Paradice but he that vnfortunately dies the yeare before his lot is to frie in Purgatory and must misse of this pontificall bounty vnlesse the Pope by a speciall pardon doe priuiledge him from this fire But hence arise sundry other inconueniences for in places not aboue fifty or a hundred leagues from the place where the Iubile is kept such as are well horsed and haue mony in their purse doe easily obtaine pardon for their sinnes but he that hath neyther horse nor money for his iourney is excluded from this great happinesse for why is he so beggerly Or wherefore should he want horse flesh Or why is he such an Asse that he should not finde himselfe a good paire of legges and therefore shal haue no remission of sinnes And therefore it is a goodly matter to dwell at Rome and be at the Well-head of these pardons without running so farre after them neyther is it credible that any that dwels at Rome vnlesse he be a very lob should goe to Purgatory for there is the spring of spirituall graces and a man may euery day get fiue or sixe hundred yeares of Pardons which is forsooth a gallant prouision at the yeares end Let the Reader take his counters and cast vp the reckoning Now if any shall atrest a Pilgrime trauelling toward the Iubile this is a case of speciall reseruation and from a sinne of this high nature none of this side the Alpes can giue absolution Bulla de Caena Domini de casibus reseruatis marry for murther or adultery or such sinnes as offend onely the law of God and hinder not the Popes profite the matter is more easie for we must obserue that in the Buls of pardon this clause is ordinarily inserted that these Pardons are granted manus porrigentibus adiutrices to such as put forth helping handes for which purpose there are Trunckes and Chests set at the gates and euery one is exhorted to spit in the Bason These high dayes of Pardon are euen the Faires of Babylon
course But to this I reply that for this opposition he was forged both to forsake England and quit his Bishopricke The contradiction of one of the Popes pensionary Prelates opposing his Soueraigne is of small moment in this behalfe for Anselme was accounted the Popes not the Kings subiect Nor is it any greater wonder if Mathew Paris who so often magnifies this King Henry doe now and then cast some imputation vpon him in as much as he was a superstitious Monke and liued soone after who in euery passage complaining of the tyrannie and exactions of the Popes doth yet sometimes restrain himselfe for some idle respects in which he oftener gropes for the truth then he doth see or finde it We must also obserue that the principall quarrell betweene the King of England and the Pope being for inuesting men with spirituall promotions the Pope hath bestowed very glorious Titles on those persons that suffered for this quarrell as if he should write Rubarbe vpon a pot of Rats-bane So hath he placed this Anselme in the Kalender of Saints and Confessours and Thomas of Canterbury in the Catalogue of Martyrs that lost his life not for the profession of the Gospell but for a Controuersie of Prebends and the right of Inuestiture Coeffeteau doth here adde That the Kings of England in the matter of ordination of Priests haue neuer violated the Discipline of the Church The King of England alleadgeth these and many other examples of like nature And I suppose that hee had not vouchsafed the reading of the booke against which he writes For the Kings book saith that Henry the first inuested an Archbishop in his Archbishopricke with his Ringe and Crosier-staffe without the Popes leaue which is flat repugnant to the discipline of the Church of Rome Fol. 15. pag. 1 And besides the now Pope Paul the fift doth pretend that the Venetians in punishing the criminall offences of their Clergy doe derogate from the liberty of the Church Edward then the first and second by inflicting corporall punishment vpon the Clergy that would hold a dependancy from the Pope haue by this reckoning derogated from the liberty of the Church To conclude our Doctor sayth that Henry the first did in other things submit himselfe to the lawes of the Church that in the Records of England most of the monuments speake of yeelding obedience to the See Apostolique that his Maiestie embraceth a Religion which his Predecessors neuer possessed but haue euer acknowledged the authority of Rome in all matters depending vpon matter of conscience First I answere that this is to wander from the question for heere is nothing questioned but the Popes Supremacy ouer Kings in matters temporall Secondly that barely to affirme and to confirme nothing especially writing against a King doth eyther discouer much weakenesse or argue ouer-much neglect and indeede his whole allegation is vntrue Concerning Henry the first I confesse that he ascribed too much honour to the Church of Rome for he liued in a dark ignorant age and in the height of the Popes tyranny to which England of all Countries was most enthralled which cannot bee proued of the times more auncient It may well appeare that the Citie of Rome being the seat of the Empire was by consequent the resort of all nations by which meanes the Church of that citie how poore and miserable soeuer might haue aduertisements from all parties and haue intelligence with all the Churches within the Empire and consequently which is the Church of great Brittaine which was originally planted by some of S Iohn Disciples that came thither out of Asia whereof we haue this proofe that euen to the time of August which was sent into England by Gregogorie the first about the yere 596. the Church of the Iland did keepe the feast of Easter according to the custome of Asia vpon the 14. day of the month which if it had beene vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome no question but it had abrogated that custome when Victor in the yeare 200. did excommunicate the Churches which made any precise obseruation of the 14. day Helene mother vnto Constantine was of the Iland and held no points of Papistrie maintained at this day Pelagius was also of this Iland and sauing the points of free will and originall sinne dissented not in any opinions from S. Angustine Now S. Angustine receiued no Popish opinions now defended as we haue proued in the 20. chapter of my booke of the Eucharist in another place In the twenty Chapter of my booke of the Eucharist Pontificus Verumnius lib. 4. Jo. Lelandus that he died excommunicate from the Church of Rome The first Christian King of great Brittaine that can be remembred was Lucius that possessed a part of the Iland in the time of Marcus Aurelius who questionlesse had commerce with the Bishop of Rome for he had beene at Rome and held correspondence with the Emperour but that he should be subiect to the Bishop of Rome or acknowledge him the head of the Vniuersal Church admits no manner of proofe In the yeare of our Lord 530. that Warlike Prince Arthur raigned in great Britaine of whom being a Christian it doth not appeare that eyther he depended vpon the Bishops of Rome or that they intermedled in the election or inuesting of the Britaine Bishops during the raigne of Arthur or his Successors In the yeare 596. soone after that the English Saxons being Almaines and at that time Infidels had inuaded Britaine then did Gregory the first send Austen into this Iland a man full of faction and arrogancy to plant the Christian faith although the Christian Religion had beene planted here more then foure hundred yeares before But by the Christian faith these men doe now vnderstand the authority of the Pope This Austen was strongly and stoutly opposed by the Christians of that Countrey who refused to change their auncient forme of Religion which they had receiued from such as were Disciples to the Apostles They had seuen Bishopricks and one Archbishopricke the seat whereof being first errected at Carleon was afterward translated to S. Dauids as it is recorded by Rainulphus Cestrensis lib. 1. cap. 52. for the Archbishop of London was of a later foundation besides they had a Colledge of 2100. religious persons at Bangor who about the yeare 550. when the Order of S. Benet began to flourish in this I le were called by the new name of Monkes Men that adicting themselues to the study of Diuinity got their liuing by the labour of their handes not being tyed to the rigorous obseruation of a Vow whereunto no man by the ancient Order of S. Benet is obliged This Austen then found meanes to insinuate himselfe into the familiar acquaintance of one of the petty Kings of the Countrey called Ethelfred King of Northumberland who was an enemy to the auncient Christians of that land and had inuaded their Countrey and wasted many Churches with this Austen then
I will not enquire But I well know that in other times and in other places he would for these wordes haue beene sent to the Inquisition For he opposeth himselfe against all the actions of Popes and the iudgement of the whole Romish Church The examples fallen out in England shall be most pertinent to this purpose and such as shall represent vnto his Maiestie of England how farre the Pope had set footing vpon the temporalties of his predecessors and how much dishonoured their Crowne Pag. 117 Cum Rex Archiepiscopus in partem sesessissent bisque descendissent his equos ascendissent his habenaÌ„ Archiepiscopi Rex tenuit cum equum ascenderet Mathew Paris a Monke of the order of S. Bennet at S. Albans in England and a diligent Historian witnesseth that in the yeare 1170. HENRY the second being reconciled to THOMAS BECKET Archbishop of Canterbury he twice helde the bridle whiles the said Archbishop got to horse what submission then should he haue yeelded to the Pope himselfe seeing that one of his Prelates and the King subiects would mit that his King and Master should make him so seruile a submission The same Authour testifieth Pag. 125. Carnem suam nudamdisciplinae virgarum supponens a singules viris religiosis quorum multitudo magna conuenerat ictus ternos vel quinos accepit that the aforesaid HENRY was scourged by way of penance vpon his bare flesh by a company of Monks some of which gaue him three stripes others fiue The Pope not content therewith amerced him to keepe two hundred souldiers in pay for the warres of Palestina and to suffer that his subiects of what quality or condition soeuer might thenceforward euoke their suites out of his Courts and appeale to Rome Of which punishment Michauel in the first booke of his storie of Florence dedicated to Pope Clement the seuenth speaketh in this manner Le quali coscfurono da Enrico accettate sattomessesi a quel giudico vn tanto Rè che hoggi vn huomo priuato sivergognarebbe a sottomettersi which things Henry yeelded vnto and he so great a King submitted himselfe to that censure which a priuate man now a dayes would be ashamed to vndergoe And further addeth that the Citizens of Rome scornefully vsed and curbed that very Pope who did thus domineere in England and would not suffer him to dwell in their Citie and thereupon he taketh vp this exclamation tanto le cose che patono sono piu discoste che d'appresso temute that things did appeare more to be feared farre off then neere at hand After this HENRY succeeded RICHARD whom the Pope sent into the Leuant and he being dead his brother IOHN came to the Crowne Matt Paris pag 215. This IOHN complayned that the Pope drew more money out of England then out of any Countrey on this side of the Aples Pag. 223. Papa ex consilio Cardinalium Episcoporum aliorum virorum prudentium senteÌ„tialiter definiuit vt Rex Anglorum a solio deponeretur Ad huius quoque sententiae executionem scripsit Dominus Papa potentâ—ssimo Regi Francorum Philippo quatenus in remissionem omnium suorum peccaminum hunc laborem assumeret c. and because hee therein withstood Pope Innocent the third who couered his tyranny vnder a title of The liberties of the Church he was by the said Pope in the yeare 1212 declared to be fallen from the Crowne and his Kingdome giuen in perpetual title to Philippus Augustus the French King and his successors with condition that he should conquer him graunting him thereupon remission of all his sinnes and causing the Croisade to be preached against the sayde King IOHN of England by meanes whereof he was brought into that perplexity that he was constrayned to vndergo all the conditions which Pandulphus the Popes Legate imposed vpon him as namely that King IOHN to obtaine remission of his sinnes should render vp his Crowne into the Legates handes and should giue vp his Kingdomes of England Ireland to the Pope that he should yeelde faith and homage to the Pope as holding his said Kingdoms in fee from the Church as parts of the Popes Demaines and of the patrimony of S. Peter * Saluis per omnia denarijs beati Petri Ecclesiae Romanae mille marcas Estrelin gorum percipiat annuatim The same Peters tribute was afterward brought into Poland as Albert ' Krantz writeth Hist Vandal li. 8. c. 2. and in acknowledgement hereof hee should pay yearely to the Pope a thousand Markes in money to be payd at two seuerall times besides the Peter-pence which were paide by the pole All which was executed accordingly and the homage solemnly and formally done the King himselfe tendered the money in all submission which the Legate †Pandulphus autem pecuniam quam in arram subiectionis Rex contulerat sub pede suo conculcauit trod vnder his feete in token to Lordly dominion following the custome which the Pope began then to put in practise ouer the Emperours of Germany to wit * Imperator genu flectit demuÌ„ ad Pontificis pedes peruenit illos in reuerentiam Saluatoris deuotè osculator Iterum genu flectns aurimassam ad pedes Pontificis offert c. that they should be bound to come and take the Crowne at his handes and after three lowly curtesies on the knee and kissing of the Popes feete the Emperour was to lay downe at the Popes feete sitting in his Throne a masse of golde thanking his Holinesse humbly vpon his knee as it is at large set downe in their holy Ceremonies Lib 1. Sect. 5. cap. 3. The like is reported by Polydore Virgill in the fifteenth booke of his Storie and by Blondus Decad. 2. lib. 6. Howbeit the abouesaid King IOHN bare this yoake very impatiently His Barons also hated him for hauing enthralled his Kingdome and England was so farre exhausted by cruel exactions that the said King IOHN out of extreame dispaire resolued to cast himselfe and his Kingdome into the hands of the Mahumetans and to that effect hee sent Ambassadors to Morocco in Barbary to Amiral Murmelin King of Barbary and of Granada to make him offer of his Kingdome but the Barbarian would not accept it Whereupon the Pope made his yoake more greeuous vpon the King and his land the Oath of subiection was renued and ingrossed in writing the instruments which before were onely sealed on waxe were now sealed on golde and in stead of one thousand Markes the King was condemned to pay * According to Pope Innocents Letters reported by Math. Paris Ann. 1214 pag. 239. twelue thousand Markes Since that time the Popes haue called the Kings of England their vassals and England their Demaines Vpon which consideration Ann. 1216 the Pope sent letters of inhibition to Philip Augustus and Lewes his sonne being then at Lyons to forbid them to passe ouer into England but Philip answered the Popes Nuncio in these
themselues wormes dust and his petty-seruants as did Gregory the first writing to Mauricius CHAP. VI. Of the Clergie and of their Liberties and Exemption § Tertia Cleriâ—i non possunt a Iudice politico puniri vel vllo modo trahi ad secularis magistratus tribunal CArdinall Bellarmine cap. 28. of his booke De Clericis sayth That Clergie men may not at any hand be punished by the politique Iudge or be drawne before the iudgement seat of the Secular Magistrate He saith also that the cheife Bishop hauing deliuered Clerkes from the subiection of Princes § Respondeo summus Pontifex Clericos exemit a subiectione Principum non sunt amplius Principes clericorum superiores Kings are no longer Superiours ouer Clerkes In the same place also he maintayneth that the goods as wel of the Clergy as of secular men are and ought to be exempted from the taxe and tribute of Secular Princes § Quarta Bona Clericorum tam Ecclesiastica quam secularia libera sunt ac merito esse debent a Tributis Principum secularium Hereunto the King of great Britaine speaking to the Emperour to the Kings and Princes of Christendome sayth in this manner And when the greatest Monarches amongst you will remember that almost the third part of your Subiects and of your Territories is Church-men and Church-liuings I hope ye will then consider and weigh what a feather he puls out of your winges when he denudeth you of so many Subiects and their possessions in the Popes fauour nay what bryers and thornes are left within the heart of your Dominions when so populous and potent a party shall haue their birth education and liuelyhood in your Countries and yet owe you no Subiection nor acknowledge you for their SOVERAIGNES So as where the Church-men of old were content with their tythe of euery mans goods the Pope now will haue little lesse then the third part of euery Kings Subiects and Dominions To these words so full of weight and euidence Coeffeteau answereth very softly and sillily He saith that Catholicke Kings do not apprehend any such calamitie seeing that amongst them Ecclesiasticall Persons liue vnder their Lawes and acknowledge their authority euen the Pope himselfe beeing aware of it That in France the Cardinals and Byshops performe vnto the King the Oath of Fidelity coÌ„mendeth the Kings for hauing giueÌ„ to Clerks great immunities notwithstanding which he sayth that they doe not let to be bound to ciuill Lawes These wordes are full of timerousnesse and lurking ambiguity Answere Hee saith that Clerkes indeede liue vnder the lawes of Princes but hee doth not tell vs that in case of disobedience the King may punish them for otherwise there is no subiection He sayth that the Bishops yeeld the Oath of Fidelity but the question now is not touching fidelity but touching subiection and obedience He speaketh of immunities granted by Princes but he doth not tel vs what these immunities be for this is one as Bellarm. witnesseth and we will shew hereafter that Clerks are no longer subiects to Kings that the King is no longer their Superiour Thus can we learne nothing of this Doctor So that indeede his Maiesties complaint is so iust that if we holde our peace threin the cause wil proclaime it selfe Euery man knoweth what a Diminution to the Crowne and greatnesse of Kings these immunities of Clergy men do bring all which they couer and rabble vp vnder the Title of the liberty of the Church vnworthily transporting this sacred name of Christian liberty which signifieth in the word of God the deliuerance from the curse and malediction and from the yoake of sinne and from the heauy burthen of the ceremonies of the law to ciuill pretences and dispensations with that naturall duety which wee owe vnto our Prince vnder whom we had the happinesse first to behold the Sunne This is a thing that belongeth euen to the law of Nations and besides that is authorised by the word of God that euery person be subiect to the Soueraigne Magistrate But here now see how in one kingdome as in Fraunce there will be found aboue three hundred thousand persons who vnder the title of Clergy-men haue shaken off the yoake of the Princes authority yea euen children that are entred Nouices into that Body exempted from all obedience towards their parents This body of the Clergie hath its Iudges and officers their prisons likewise apart Their causes are not called to be answered before Royall Iudges but receiue hearing and determination in the great State chamber at Rome called La Zuota or in the consistorie There is a third parte of the Lands of this kingdome in the hands of Clergy men to the great preiudice of our kings For it often commeth to passe that the proprietarie owners and possessors of lands doe sell their inheritances whence accureth profite to the Prince by the Kings fine which ariseth of euery first part or first prime of such fales and other rights belonging to the cheefe Lord which Rights are lost when once immoueable goods enter into the possession of the Clergy The king doth also lose his right of Aubaine which is an escheate to the king of all such goods as any stranger dying in Fraunce is possessed of also the right of confiscation and in case of desertion when a man doth quit his owne estate The Clergy being a body that neuer dyeth that neuer confiscateth and in which body inheritances dye by Mortmaine Vpon whom the secular persons conferre euery day new Donations but we neuer see the sharing of Ecclesiasticall goods made to the profite and behoofe of any Lay-man for goods finde many gates open to enter into the Clergy but neuer a one to get our from thence like those footings of the wilde beasts which all turned inward towards the Lyons denne but there appeared no trace of any that euer returned from thence And hence it commeth to passe that as in mans body the thighs and armes grow lesse and lesse by how much the bigger the belly swelleth through excesse so in the body of a Common wealth The Nobility and the Commonalty who are as the armes and legges of that State they are brought low by the increase of the Clergy To this end also they haue obtained that the Church shal alwayes be held in non-age and in her minority that if she shall at any time haue made promise or contract that may turne to her disaduantage she may vnder that pretence be releeued And whereas in common course of law thirtie yeeres are sufficient to keepe possession by way of Prescription De Praescript Cap. 2. in Serto. Contra ipsam Romanam Ecclesiam Centenaria vel contra alias Ecclesias quadragenaria prescriptro Legitima sit completa Against the Church of Rome and against the Templaries no Prescription can be of force vnder one hundred yeares which is in effect as much as that against them there is no Prescription The other
he celebrated the Eucharist and that his body was already dead Lactantius in his fourth booke and fourteenth Chapter dooth formally denie the Diuinity of Iesus Christ and in his seuenth booke and one and twenty chapter he saith that the soules of men as well good as bad In vna communique custodia detinentur are detained in one common prison Saint Gregory Nazianzen in his Sermon of Baptisme willeth that vnlesse it be in case of vrgent necessity the Baptisme of young children be deferred vntill such time as they may be capable to aunswere and to yeeld account of their faith Himselfe in his Epitaph vpon Basill doth preferre him before Enoch Contemninus n. Phegor omnem ignominiam eius scientes quod qui in carne sunt non possunt placere Deo and compareth him to Abraham Saint Ierome in his first booke against Iouinian often calleth marriage an vnchast state of life and an ignominy and that the fruite of it is death and that a woman that doth marry the second time ought not to participate of the Almes no nor of the body of the Lord. The Church of Rome doth no longer beleeue the Purgatorie of Gregory the first which hee placeth sometimes in Bathes sometimes in the winde sometime in the water Nor the opinion of Honorius Bishop of Rome who was a Monothelite the Epistles whereof are inserted in the fift and sixt generall Councels For all these good seruants of God were subiect to mistaking and had their faults and vices like warts in a faire face to the end that in reading them a man should haue alwayes in his hand the Compasse of the holy Scripture and the rule of the word of God And that a man should beleeue that which they haue well said not because they haue said it but because it is found in the word of God if they erre in any thing Antiquity cannot authorize an errour There can be no prescription against the truth And a time there was when these Fathers were no Fathers and before they wrote the Christians were ruled by the word of God As touching that which the King of great Britaine saith that they doe contradict one another the verification of it is easie For euery man knoweth the contentions betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius the Disputes betweene Cyrill and Theodoret the sharpe Epistles and full of gall of Saint Ierome to Saint Austin And S. Austin speaketh farre otherwise of Free-wil of Predestination and of the gift of Perseuerance then all the Greeke Fathers of his age He that will haue a cleare mirrour of this their discord let him compare the Commentaries of S. Austin vpon the Psalmes with those of Saint Ierome and he shall scarcely finde them to agree in two verses together It is then with very iust reason that Coeffeteau doth graunt this to the King of great Britaine and doth acknowledge the faults and contradictions of the auncients whom notwithstanding we ought to loue and honour as great lights in their times and worthy seruants of God who hauing combatted Heresies in their life time doe yet beat downe Popery after their deaths For we maintaine against whosoeuer he be that in the foure first ages and yet wee might discend much lower there shall not be found out any one man who hath had a Religion not so much as approaching to that of the Romish Church now-a-dayes And in this challenge I will lay downe my Ministers cloake ready to be frocked and cladde in a Monks-coule if I shall finde a man that will satisfie me in this point And to the end to expresse my selfe more clearly I say that betweene vs and our aduersaries there be two kindes of Controuersies for some there be vpon which they are wont to produce some passages for proofes But eyther they be quotations altogether false or maimed and curtalled or of no vse to proue the point in question or else places taken contrary to the authours meaning Yet being a thing ordinary with these Messieus to put the ancient Fathers vpon the racke to make them speake in fauour of an vntruth Such is the question of transubstantiation of praying for the dead or Purgatory and of the Sacrifice of the Masse But there are other Controuersies no lesse important and more in number In which they are cleane destitute of all authority of the auncient Church and vpon which being interrogated they answere besides the matter For changing the question they endeauour to proue that which is not demaunded of them See here some examples 1. They cannot shew that any auncient Church did celebrate the eucharist without communicants as it is done ordinarily in the Church of Rome yea and sometimes also without any assistants 2. They cannot shew that any ancient Church hath excluded that people from the communion of the cuppe or chalice 3. Or that in any ancient Church the publike seruice was done in a language not vnderstood of the people 4 Or that any ancient Church hath hindered the people from reading the holy Scripture As it is no way permitted in those Countries where the Pope is absolutely obeyed without speciall priuilege 5. Or that in any ancient Church they haue made Images of God and representations of the Trinity in stone or in picture 6. Also they cannot proue vnto vs that in any ancient Church the people hath beene instructed to pray without vnderstanding that which they say speaking in a tongue not vnderstood of himselfe that prayeth 7. Or that any ancient Church did yeeld worship or religious seruice to the Images of creatures kissing them decking them with robes kneeling before them and presenting them gifts and offerings c. 8. Or that the ancient Church hath beleeued that the Virgin Mary is crowned Queene of the heauens and Lady of the world as this is painted throughout all their Churches 9. Or that the ancient Church hath giuen to the Saints diuers charges as to one the commaund euer such a country to another the cure ouer such a maladie to a third to be Patron ouer such a trade and mysterie 10. Or that the ancient Church hath beleeued that the Pope can giue and take away Kingdomes And dispense with subiects for the oath of their alleageance Can canonize Saints and dispense with Vowes and promises solemnly made to God c. 11. Or that in the ancient Church the Pope by his pardons did distribute supererogatory satisfactions of the Saints for the remission of paine and punishment of other mens sinnes 12. Or that the Pope did then place his pardons in one Church and not in another In one Towne and not in another and that sometimes for an hundred and two hundred thousand yeares of pardon 13. Or that the auncient Church hath beleeued the Limbe of little children 14. Or that the auncient Church hath adored the host which the Priest holdeth vp with the worship of Latria which is done to God alone And to this end the Priest hath caused the Eleuation of
the Host to be vsed at the Masse 15. Or that the auncient Church hath held the bookes of Machabees for Canonicall 16. Or that the auncient Church hath beleeued that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in faith 17. Or that the auncient Church hath beleeued that Iesus Christ by his death and sufferinges did clearely discharge vs of the paine and punishment of the sinnes that went before baptisme But as touching the paine of the sinnes committed after baptisme he hath onely changed it from eternall to temporall and that it lyeth in vs to satisfie the iustice of God for the same which is indeede the most important point of all Christian religion For he that would descend to smaller things and demaund of Coeffeteau if in any of the auncients there be mention made of Iubilees of Agnus Dei or holy Graines consecrated Medals of Cordelier-Friars or Iacobins or Iesuites and an infinite sort of religions and new deuotions I beleeue he would finde himselfe terribly puzled In all this as in those other seauenteene points before handled they receiue not the Fathers for Iudges Those auncient Doctors were not yet arriued to any so high point of learning But these messieurs our masters supply and support their ignorance in these matters In other controuersies they admit and receiue the Fathers for Iudges but with this caution and condition that themselues may be Iudges of the Fathers They allow the auncients to be interpreters of the Scriptures But themselues will be the interpreters of the auncients to the end to make them speake thinges contrary to the Scriptures ARTICLE IIII. Touching the authority of the holy Scriptures The KINGS Confession I Thinke also that no man doubteth but that I settle my faith and beleefe vpon the holy Scriptures according to the duty of a Christian Hereat Coeffeteau holdeth his peace and by his silence approueth the confession of the King of England For he doth not allow of the blasphemies which his companions disgorge against the sacred bookes of the word of God He hath not dared to say with Bellarmine Bellar. lib. 4. de verbo non scripto cap. 12. §. Respondeo Scripturae finem propriū praecipuum nō esse vt esset Regula Fidei Dico secundo Scripturam esseregulam Fidei nō totalem sed partialem that the Scripture is but a peece of a Rule and not the whole entire Rule of faith And that it was not properly made to bee the Rule of our faith It may be also that he doth not approue of Bellarmines saying who in his fourth Chapter of the fourth Booke of the word not written saith * Quarto Necesse nosse extare aliquos libros verè diuines quod certè ex sacris Scripturis haheri nullo modo possunt c. that a man cannot know by the testimony of the Scripture that there be any bookes of diuine inspiration albeit the Scripture doth say it and his reason is Because we reade aswell in the Alcoran of Mahomet that the Alcoran was sent from heauen It may be also that Coeffeteau hath not dared in this place to vse the tearmes of Doctor Charron in his booke called La troisiesme veritè where he saith that the Scripture is a Forrest to forrage in where Atheists lie in ambushments and that by reading it a man becommeth an Atheist Thou beleeuest saith he because thou readest so thou art not then a Christian It is cleare then that his Maiesty of England doth yeeld a thousand times more respect to the holy Scriptures then the Church of Rome or the Councel of Trent which ordaineth in the fourth Session that Traditions be receiued with like affection of piety and reuerence with the holy Scripture equalling mens Traditions with Gods diuine ordinances For the Pope hath letters of credit And we must presuppose that besides the new-Testament Iesus Christ hath made a Codicill or little booke which the Pope hath in his priuate custody whence hee draweth the ordinances that are not contained in the Scripture Yet this is but little For Bellarmine goeth farther and saith that Sunt quaedam Traditiones maiores quod ad obligationem quà m quaedam Scripturae That there are some traditions greater in respect of obligation then some partes of Scripture That is to say to which we are more bound to adhere Hauing good hope that in the end we shall see God to become Disciple to the Bishop of Rome ART V. Touching the Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes of Scripture The KINGS Confession In exposit Symboli BVt euen for the Apocrypha I hold them in the same account that the Auncients did They are still printed and bound with our Bibles and publikely read in our Churches I reuerence them as the writings of holy and good men but since they are not found in the Canon we account them to be secundae lectionis or ordinis which is Bellarmines owne distinction and therefore not sufficient whereupon alone to ground any article of faith except it be confirmed by some other place of Canonicall Scripture Concluding this point with Ruffinus who is no Nouelist I hope that the Apocryphall bookes were by the Fathers permitted to be read not for confirmation of Doctrine but only for instruction of the people Here Coeffeteau begins to put himselfe into the field In exposit Symb. we expected him long agoe He bringeth only two testimonies of the auncients and they are both false howbeit not through his fault for the falsification was made by others before him The first testimony is of S. Austen in his second booke of Christian Doctrine cap. 8. where he maketh an enumeration of the Canonical bookes almost agreeably to the Councell of Trent To this testimony hee adioyneth the third Councell of Carthage which also putteth Iudith Tobie the booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees among the Canonicall bookes He saith that it is not iust nor fit to alleage the opinions of particulars where question is of the publike faith testified auouched by this Councell In saying so little as this he spendeth three leaues Answere and yet he contradicteth himselfe and condemneth himselfe of iniustice by alleaging S. Austin who is but one particular If he say that S. Austin doth but report that which was the common beleefe I answere that those particular witnesses whom he reiecteth doe report the same also Againe * Tenebit hunc modum in Scripturis Canonicis vt eas quae ab om nibus recipiuntu Ecclesijs Catholicis praeponat eis quas quaedam non accipiunt it is false that S. Austen doth relate the common beleefe for a little before he had said that there are some books among the Canonicall which were not receiued for such of al the Churches Moreouer Coeffeteau hereby contradicteth the Church of Rome who doth not hold the Councels of Carthage for generall Councels nor their Canons for the publike beleefe of the vniuersall Church 1. To cleare this matter then the
of Diuinity As touching publique seruice it is certaine that at the celebration of the Eucharist there was commemoration made of the Saints deceased but without inuocating them as S. Austin witnesseth in his two and twentieth booke of the Citie of God chap 10. t Ad quod sacrificium sicut homines Dei qui mundum eius confessione vicerunt fuo loco ordine nominantur Non tamen a sacerdote qui sacrificat inuocantur At this sacrifice the Martyrs as men of God who haue ouercome the world in confessing him are named in their place and in their ranke but They are not Inuocated by the Priest who sacrificeth And to the same end the third Councell of Carthage in the three and twentieth Canon ordayneth very expresly u Cum ad altare assistitur semper ad patrem d rigatur Oratio that when they stand at the Altar the praier be alwayes addressed to God the Father not then to the Saints as they doe now adaies in many Masses In his twentieth booke against Faustus the Manichee x Cap. 21 Colimus martyres eo cultu dilectionis societatis quo in hac vita coluntur sancti homines We honour the Martyrs with the same honour of loue and society wherewith men honor the holy men of God which are in this life True it is that he acknowledgeth that it is with more assurance because they haue surpassed all danger but he alwaies acknowledgeth that it is one and the same kind of honour It is not then to inuocate them or to adore them and it is that seruice which is yeelded to liuing men which he affirmeth to be called Dulia whence it followeth that it is not a religious worship And therfore also in his booke of the true Religion c. 55. y Tom 1 Non sit vobis religio cultus hominum mortuorum quia si pie vixerunt non sic habentur vt tales quaerant honores sed illum a nobis coli volunt quo illuminante laetantur merito sui nos esse consortes Let not the seruice saith he of men departed be your religion if they haue liued holily they are in that state that they craue not these honors And a little after We must honour them for imitation but we must not adore them by any Religion The same Authour in his manuall to Laurentius cap. 114. z Non nisi a Domino Deo petere debemus quicquid speramus nos vel boni operaturos vel pro bonis operibus adepturos We ought not to craue from any other but from God the good which we hope eyther to doe or to procure as a Stipend of our good workes In his booke of Ecclesiasticall Determinations cap. 81. * Secreta cogitationis solus ille nouit ad quem dicitur Tu solus nosti corda filiorum bominum He alone knoweth the secrets of the hearts to whom it is said Thou alone knowest the hearts of the sonnes of men These passages a few amongst many shal suffice for this time against which our aduersaries produce some places drawne out of forged bookes or out of the ill gouerned deuotion of some particular men contrary to the publicke beleefe And if there be any examples found of some few who haue prayed Ad memorias Martyrum before or neere the sepulchres of the Martyrs our aduersaries perswade the ignorant that these prayers were made vnto the Martyrs in stead that they were made vnto God to praise him for the assistance giuen vnto the Martyrs and to craue of God the like grace Aboue all it is considerable that Coeffeteau doth touch but the half of the question and wardeth but halfe the blows for he endeuoreth to proue that we must inuocate the Saints which is but a litle peece of the abuse For the Church of Rome doth not stay there she craueth of God saluation not onely through the intercession of the Saint but also through their merites Quorum precibê° meritisque rogamê° Which is not to goe to God by the Saints but contrariwise to lead God to the Saints and to represent him their merites This is also to pray vnto God with an indiscretion which would be accounted impudent in speaking to a King If any man should aske him a fauour or benefite for the merites of another And this so vnworthy a prayer is accompanied with a superstitious iesture Oramus te Domine per merita Sanctorum quorum relliquiae hic sunt omnium sanctorum vt indulgere digneris omnia pâ—ccata mea when the Priest bowing himself ouer the Altar saith We pray thee O Lord by the merites of the Saints whose reliques are here for euery Altar is a Tombe and generally of all the Saints that thou wilt vouchsafe to pardon all my sinnes Of such a prayer Coeffeteau hath not been able to produce any example No more then of this damnable opinion which holdeth that the merites of the Saints doe serue to fill vp the measure of the merites of Iesus Christ Lib. 1 de Indulg cap 4. in that being adioyned to the merites of Iesus Christ and put together into the treasurie of the Church they are employed by the Pope for the redemption and discharge of the punishment of our sinnes whence also it is that Cardinall Bellarmine saith that in some sort they are our redeemers How comes it to passe that Coeffeteau holdeth his peace hereat and alleadgeth not any father and hath forgotten to excuse the Priest who in his Confiteor which he saith at the entrance of the Masse confesseth his sinnes to God to the Virgin Marie to Michael th'arch-Angell and to the Saints but not to Iesus Christ ARTICLE IX Touching Masses without Communicants and without Assistants BVt if the Romish Church hath coyned new Articles of faith The KINGS Confession neuer heard of in the first 500. years after Christ I hope I shall neuer be condemned for an Hereticke for not being a Nouelist Such are the priuate Masses where the Priest playeth the part both of the Priest and of the people If euer man turned his backe and shamefully fledde it is Coeffeteau in this place We expected from him the defence of priuate Masses by the word of God or at least that he should haue produced vnto vs the practise of the auncient Church or some examples of priuate masses in the first fiue hundred yeares after Iesus Christ seeing that the King of great Britain doth limit him to that terme but of all this not a word But rather he turneth aside his Discourse casteth himselfe vpon the sacrifice of the masse Fol. 22. pag. 1. heaping vp many passages of the Fathers who cal the Eucharist a sacrifice He saith onely that it is not necessary that a sacrifice be offered by many that in times past the greatest sacrifice of the Synagogue was done by the high Priest alone in the holy of holies that the fathers in many places called the
runnes into the disputation of the Sacrifice of the Masse We may let him runne seeing he betakes himselfe to his heeles yet let vs giue him this aboue his bargaine Of the Sacrifice of the Masse AS all errours goe hand in hand and are linked together so the opinion of the Sacrifice of the Masse hath drawne priuate Masses after it for after it began to be beleeued that in the Masse the Priest doth really sacrifice Christ Iesus for the price and ransome of our soules mans reason witty to deceiue it selfe hath presumed that this payment cannot but be good though made in a corner and that payment may be made for vs without our assistance for to celebrate the Sacrament of the Communion which we haue together with Iesus Christ a communion of many is necessarily required but to offer a payment vnto God retchlesse ignorance hath held it lesse requisite for many to be assistants this is the reason why this wound must be searched to the quicke and this abuse carefully discouered besides this point troubles vs the more because to goe to Masse and be a Romane Catholicke are taken in one signification The Councell of Trent in the two and twentieth Session declareth that in the Masse Christ is really sacrificed as a true propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of the liuing and the dead by reason whereof when the Bishop ordereth a Priest after he hath annointed him in sundry places of his bodie he laieth his handes vpon him and saith Accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium Deo Missasque celebrandi tam pro viuis quam pro defunctis Receiue power to offer Sacrifice vnto God and to celebrate Masse both for the liuing and the dead So hee confirmes him a Sacrificer to sacrifice Christ Iesus really for a propitiatory sacrifice And this sacrifiice is called the Masse which is celebrated by a Priest clad with aenigmaticall and allegoricall robes with a thousand feates and gesticulations by tale and in wordes not intelligible therefore the people vse to say Let vs goe heare a Masse but if one should phrase it thus as the Apostles doe Act. 2. 20. Let vs goe breake bread or Let vs goe to the Lords Supper he should be thought eyther to be out of his wits or to deserue the Inquisition for in this admirable age the language of the Holy Ghost is become eyther ridiculous or prodigious or vnseasonable Being then armed with the word of God let vs gently sift out the falshood that here offers it selfe more then halfe vnmasked for the errours are palpable 1 First we demaund of our Masters who hath authorised the Bishops to establish Sacrificers in the Church of Christ Here they are silent and can neuer answere to the purpose and so the Priests are conuinced to haue no calling but an imaginary charge brought into the Church without the commandement of God as if one should bring in Fidlers or Fencers among the Counsellors of State to make them sit in the Kings Courts and place Sacrificers in equall ranke with faithfull Pastors and Bishops of the flocke 2 Againe we aske of them who hath instituted this propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse where Iesus Christ is really sacrificed They answere that Christ hath instituted it Enquire farther where and in what wordes of the Institution of the Eucharist they alleadge these words Do this in remembrance of me An admirable proofe Doe this that is to say Sacrifice me really vnder the forms of the bread and wine is a Sacrifice propitiatory for the liuing and the dead O fruitfull words in consequences which like ringing bels may be made speake answerably to euery mans imagination 3 But let vs take them according to their own words for they themselues confesse that by these words do this Christ hath commanded to do that which himselfe did then must they shew vs that Christ in this Sacrament offered his body for a sacrifice and there are they grauelled and put to silence it is easie to finde what Christ offered to his Disciples when he said Take eate but it appeares not that he offered any thing vnto God 4 Neyther did Christ vse any eleuation a Ceremony vsed in Sacrifices which the Priest obserueth also in the Masse 5 Also the Apostles performe no adoration against the nature of euery Sacrifice which doth necessarily require adoration in those that offer 6 Besides whosoeuer doth offer vnto God addresseth himselfe by speech and otherwise vnto God but Christ in the whole forme of the institution of the Eucharist neyther addresseth himselfe vnto God nor speakes to any but his Apostles 7 Yea these wordes Do this in remembrance of me doe call our aduersaries to a triall for if Doe this signifie Sacrifice me it then followes that Doe this in remembrance of me signifies Sacrifice me in memory of me which is a sense absurd and incompatible for the memoriall of a thing cannot be the thing it selfe no man offers a present in remembrance of the present not would sacrifice a Lambe in memory of the Lambe so doth he not sacrifice Iesus Christ in remembrance of Christ 8 But will we haue these wordes Doe this expounded Let vs then learne them of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11.25.26 Iesus tooke the cup saying This cup is the new Testament in my blood doe this as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me for as often as ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till that he come Then to doe this in remembrance of Iesus Christ is to eate the bread and drinke the cup to shew or celebrate his death 9 Some thinking here to shew their wits argue thus Euery powring out of blood for the remission of sinnes is a sacrifice but Christ saith that in the Eucharist his blood is shed for the remission of sinnes therefore the Eucharist is a sacrifice Whereunto I answere that both the propositions of this Argumunt are false yea the second is contrary to the Church of Rome It is false that the shedding of blood for the remission of sinnes is a sacrifice vnlesse this blood be offered vnto God for an Oblation and with the death of the Sacrifice the blood whereof is shed Now here you see not that Iesus Christ did offer any thing vnto God nor that he suffered death in the Eucharist The second proposition is also false for it is true that Christ saith in this Sacrament that his blood is shed but saith not that it is shed in this Sacrament He speaks of the effusion of his blood vpon the Crosse which he was to doe immediately after for Christ doth often speake of his death approaching as if it were at hand as in the tenth of Iohn ver 17. I lay downe my life that I may take it vp againe And a little before I giue downe my life for my sheepe S. Paul saith in like manner 2. Tim 4 6. For I am now offered because he should be sacrificed soone
should haue beene sacrificers as well as the Priests fiftly We know also that the Israelites did often eate things sacrificed in their priuate houses as the woman mentioned Prou. 7. I haue with me sacrifices of prosperity I haue paide my vowes Whence I gather that if eating be sacrificing it must follow that women did sacrifice in their houses which is contrary to the law and without example The sacrifice of the Masse being built on no foundation and being an Altar erected against the onely Altar which is the Crosse of our Sauiour an Altar newly built vpon the ruines of the Gospell yea being the crosse of the Crosse of Christ and an annihilating of his death it hath not come to passe without the iust iudgement of God that they themselues haue let fall the price thereof so low employing it for the healing of Horses the preseruing of Sheepe for blasted corne and for frost-bitten Vines as a general salue for euery sore But Christ Iesus instituted the Supper for a memoriall of himselfe and to shew forth his death till he come There is also good reason why so many Masses are required to free one single soule out of Purgatory and why they make this sacrifice so infinitely inferiour in vertue to that of the Crosse which yet should not be so if it be the same sacrifice and consequently the same price of a redemption neyther doth it serue the turne to say that the sacrifice of the Crosse is of more efficacy because Christ Iesus did immediately offer it wheras this is offered by the mynistery of a Priest for a payment or ransome whether I doe immediately pay it my selfe or send another to carry or tell the money is of like validity I do also exceedingly wonder that the Church of Rome establishing in the Eucharist both a Sacrament and a Sacrifice which are made one action that yet it makes so great a difference betweene them both in vertue and efficacy greatly vnder valuing the efficacy of the Sacrament saying that it serues onely for petty sinnes which they terme veniall and of which a mans conscience is already discharged that is to say it is a plaster for wounds perfectly healed Bellar. l. 4. de Eucharist cap. 17. 18. a remedy for euils passed a discharge of burdens already vnloaded But touching the sacrifice of the Masse the Councel of Trent Session 22. cap. 2. saith that by this Sacrifice the most hey nous sinnes are remitted And this Sacrifice is profitably offered for them that are absent yea for the dead yea for them that make a mocke of it for Masses are sung for Infidels and prophane persons and this sacrifice is of force say they Ex opere opera to the disposition of the partie for whom the Masse is said not being necessarily required thereunto To what end is all this but to debase the power of a Sacrament instituted by God and to enhance the vertue of a sacrifice inuented by man And because the Sacrament cannot be bestowed vpon the dead but Masses are solde both for the dead and for the liuing And out of what passage of Scripture haue they extracted so nice a difference between the efficacy of he one and of the other But this is sufficient for souldiers that forsake the fielde for Bellarmine and his associates lighting vpon this subiect they wander in large impertinent questions which make nothing to the point in controuersie they winde vp long Discourses to proue that the death of Iesus Christ is a sacrifice a point denyed not by any that the Eucharist is a sacrifice which is true but it is a sacrifice Eucharisticall that is to say a giuing of thankes and as it is called in the Masse Sacrificium laudis a Sacrifice of praise Againe they bring the sacrifice of Melchisedech and the figure of the Passeouer and the sacrifices of the law which they say prefigured the sacrifice of the new Testament with diuers places of the Prophets especially that of Malachy which foretell the sacrifice of the New Testament with many such like things wherein howbeit they deliuer the truth yet doe they not helpe themselues thereby because it is all beside the purpose and comes not neere the point that is controuerted for although the Masse were the sacrifice of Melchisedech and the sacrifice forespoken of by Malachy and prefigured by the Passeouer yet is it not proued thereby that Christ ought to be really sacrificed vnder the formes of bread and wine nor that the sacrifice of the Masse is propitiatory for the redemption of soules Reade Bellarmine who hath compiled two great Bookes of the Masse wherein he is copious in impertinent proofes but you shall not finde in him any answere to the Arguments which I haue formerly alleadged which are the very sinewes of the body of this disputation the armor of proofe of the holy truth for none among them could euer yet satisfie these obiections And out of him is it that Coeffeteau hath collected a number of the Fathers whereof some make against him some are vntrue and others impertinent It makes against him which hee alleadgeth out of Iustin Martyr against Tryphon saying Malachy speaketh prophetically of the Sacrifices which we offer Suis discipulis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis non quesi indigenti sed vt ipsi nec infructuosi nec ingrati sint Noui Testamenti nouam doeuit oblationemq uā Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in 〈◊〉 niuers◠mundo offert Deo ei qui alimenta nobis praestat primitias suoram munerū namely the bread and wine in the Eucharist Surely if this be a sacrifice of bread and wine then is it no sacrifice propitiatory wherein Iesus Christ is really sacrificed The second place is out of Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 32. which Coeffeteau by his shamefull wrangling hath falsified Irenaeus saith Christ counselling his Disciples to offer vnto God the first fruites of his creatures not because he hath any neede of them but that they might not be vnthankefull or vnfruitfull tooke bread among the creatures which are common amongst vs and gaue thankes saying This is my body and likewise tooke the cup among the creatures which are common among vs and said it was his blood and hath taught a new offering of the new Testament which the Church hauing receiued of the Apostles doth throughout the world offer vnto God which bestoweth vpon vs the first fruites of his gifts From this place doth Coeffeteau cut off the three first lines which say that this sacrifice is an offering of the first fruites of his creatures that is to say of bread and wine and the last line which affirmeth the same for we shall see hereafter that the manner of the auncients was for the people to come and offer bread and wine and fruit vpon the Table of the holy Supper which offering was called the sacrifice of the Eucharist that is a giuing of thankes Concerning
gathering of broken peeces Consider farther that euery one of vs hath deserued an infinite punishment and therefore that euery of vs needeth a ransome of infinite value and such there is none but the alone death of our Sauiour whervpon it also followeth that there can be no distraction of any part of his merite for things infinite admit no diuision 2 For playner euidence I aske of these my Masters to whom Christ Iesus hath offered his satisfaction and the merite of his passion and to whom he hath payde this ransome I suppose they wil acknowledge with the Apostle to the Hebrews that Iesus Christ hath offered this oblation to God the Father and then God hath receiued this oblation satisfactory at his hands if then he haue accepted it they must tell me when he was dispossest of a part of this merite to put it into the Popes custody Is it lawfull for vs in matters of such consequence and where the participation in the merites of Iesus Christ is in question to forge Articles of faith without any warrant of Gods word nay without any testimony of antiquity 3 I suppose also that they will not deny but the Pope is one of the number for which Christ Iesus hath paide the ransome of his Father Is it not then a monstrous imagination to conceiue that any one accepting a ransome for a multitude of Captiues should turne it backe to the handes of some one cheefe prisoner to apply it to the rest which cannot fall vnder any mans vnderstanding 4 Now if any man bring me any reason why it is necessary that the Pope should be the Depositary and the Dispenser of a part of Iesus Christ his merite that selfe reason shall be found in the olde Testament for then had the beleeuers as much neede of Gods mercy and our Sauiours bounty and yet not any of our aduersaries hath hitherto dared to affirme that in those dayes the high Priests had the ouer-plus of Christs merites vnder their lockes in their treasuries for yet they haue not beene bold-fac'de enough to propose matter so ridiculous 5 Now if the merites of Iesus Christ were then onely in the hands of God and none are partly in the power of the Pope whence is it that Indulgences are more freely graunted yea to the verie dead which in those times was not practised It must needes be said that by this these new expedient benefites of Iesus Christ are farre better employed or that the Pope the Depositary is more open-handed then God the proprietary And in all this where is there any the least shew of Christian religion The second part of this Treasure The other part of this Treasure is the ouer-plus of the satisfactions of Saints and Monkes that as Coeffeteau saith haue suffered more then they haue deserued This is a prodigious doctrine 1 It is to accuse God down-right of iniustice to thinke that he doth inflict a heauier punishment vpon a man then he hath deserued 2 It is an ouer-sleight regard of the grieuousnesse of sinne to imagine that the afflictions of this life can make satisfaction for sinne satisfaction being vnderstood for the acknowledgement of a fault and humble repentance is a thing both holy and necessary But our aduersaries by satisfaction doe vnderstand the bearing of the punishment and paying of the ransome for sinne to satisfie the iustice of the Almighty against which I affirme that if the calling of a brother foole deserue hell fire Mat. 5 If the slaundering of ones neighbour deserue ashutting out from the Kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 6. which in shew are but sleight offences and doe befall the most righteous when shall we be able to make satisfaction for one sinne of that nature And if a man be vnable to satisfie the iustice of God for his owne sinnes how shall he haue any surplusage or superfluity of satisfaction to tender vnto him for this were to say vnto God thou shalt haue this aboue the bargaine 3 But is not this an indignity to ioyne the infinite merite of Iesus Christ in such sort as to couple with it Monkish satisfactions that is Whippings Pilgrimages wearing of Sacke-cloth a Cordeliers girdle and a hood to patch vp our satisfaction vnto God 4 But who can tell whether God will accept the superfluity of these sufferings of Saints and Monkes in paiment for the sinnes of another And let it be graunted that S. Frauncis or S. Dominicke haue giuen themselues more lashes and suffered more then their sinnes deserued Who knowes whether God will allow this ouer-plus vnto me or that it shall bee my acquittance before him Where is the will of God reuealed to this purpose or where is any example here of found in the word of God 5 This opinion shall neuer enter into any mans vnderstanding that shall conceiue but as well of God as of a iustice of a poore Village who will not set free a Prisoner condemned to bee whipt because his friend hath beene whipt in his stead Euery one shall beare his owne burthen Gala. 6.5 6 But to what ende are the superaboundant sufferings of Saints and Monkes employed to acquit and make satisfaction for vs vnto God if the Merit of Iesus Christ be more then sufficient to deliuer vs full and whole and to giue God absolute satisfaction Some of late desirous to mitigate the matter say that the satisfaction of Saints are accepted by vertue of Christs satisfaction but this comes all to one for Christ Iesus hauing plenarily satisfied and paide for vs giues no power to Saints or Monkes to pay a Debt already discharged nor to satisfie for that which already hee hath fully satisfied 7 And we neede not feare that any of their sufferings are lost seeing God hath rewarded the troubles of the faithfull with glory infinitely greater then their afflictions as Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. The afflictions of this life doe not match the glorie that shal be reuealed 8 Now if our aduersaries doe aleadge that the troubles of Monkes and Saints doe purchase their eternall glorie how then shall they proue satisfactorie for an other Who would not make himselfe merrie if I should say that a house being very cheape bought for three thousand Crownes yet that summe employed in this purchase should serue to discharge another debt equalling the same proportion And that this money should purchase with the crosse and pay debts with the pile With such darke shewes doe those people shadow ouer their Church and desire to blinde the wisedome of God himselfe 9 And indeede all humane satisfactions in generall are derogatory to Gods iustice which admits of none but entire payments made by the benefites of Iesus Christ in whom he freely forgiueth all our sinnes Colos 2. whose bloud cleanseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1. This is meere mockery to say that the benefites and satisfaction of Iesus Christ are applyed by our satisfactions 1. For one contrary is not applyed by another one applyes not
the light in putting out his eyes A medicine is not applyed by poyson How then shall a free pardon in Iesus Christ be applyed by punishment and torture How shal the soueraigne testimony of Gods mercy be applied by the execution of his iustice How shall the acquittance of our debt discharged by Iesus Christ be applied vnto vs in making vs pay it our selues 2. Adde hereunto that for proofe of a matter of such importance as is the meane of applying vnto vs the merites of Iesus Christ at least some passage of Scripture should be alleadged 3. As also a Playster is not applyed by a Playster so one satisfaction is not applyable by another 4. Faith the Word Baptisme and the holy Supper are the meanes appointed in the holy Scripture Ioh. 14.23 Eph 3.17 Gal. 3.27 1. Cor. 10.26 to apply Iesus Christ vnto vs but the application of him by satisfactorie punishments is not any where mentioned 1 But aboue all we desire to know who hath put the sufferings of Saints into the Popes Treasurie 2. When this distribution had this beginning 3. How we may bee secured that God will rest satisfied with this payment 4. Whether the Pope hath also stored vp in the Treasurie of the Church the afflictions and trauels of Noah of Abraham of Iacob c. 5. And why the high Priests made no diuision of them to the faithfull in their times 6. Where the superaboundant satisfaction of the Patriarches hath so long time lay hidden without any employment 7. Especially how it comes to passe that neyther Christ nor his Apostles nor their Disciples nor the auncient Church for many ages haue spoken any word of this Treasure nor distributed by Indulgences the remainder of humane satisfactions nor celebrated any Iubile For we must obserue that Cardinal Caietan in the beginnlng of his booke of Indulgences acknowledgeth that in the whole course of Antiquity there is not any thing found concerning Indulgences Gabriel Biel in the seuen and fiftieth Lecture vpon the Canon of the Masse affirmeth the same and enquiring the reason why they are so common now a daies answers himselfe well to the purpose with the wordes of Christ Act. 4. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power So he learnes vs to be sober Durandus Anthony and Roffensis affirme the same S. Cyprian indeed in his Serm. de Lapsis and Tertullian in his booke of Chastity and c. 1. of his book Ad Martyres speakes of Martyrs held in durance for the Gospell at whose intercession the Bishop receiued excommunicate and repentant persons into the Church But 1. These Martyrs were liuing and 2. did imploy their meditation to the Bishop not their superaboundant satisfactions vnto God 3. The Pope did not rake their sufferings into his Store-house 4. And then euery Bishop inflicted or released penalties and excommunications among those of his own flocke without expecting any directories from the Bishop of Rome 5. And yet this custome of releasing penance enioyned to offendors at the instance of Christians imprisoned for the Gospell Cypriau Serm. de Lapsis Mandant aliquid Martyres fieri Si insta Si licita c. Nemo fratres dilectissimi infamet Martyrum dignitatem is condemned by S. Cyprian in his Sermon De lapsis He willeth that none giue way to the requests of Martyrs if their demaunds be vniust and saith that this recourse had vnto them did turne to their discredite Tertullian goes farther for in the two and twentieth Chapter of his booke of Chastity hee complaines that many did of purpose cause themselues to be committed that so they might haue meanes to become intercessors for some one or other of their friends or rather * Violantur viri faeminae in tenebris planè ex vsu tibidimum notes Et pacem ab his quaerunt paenitentes qui de sua pericletantur Suf ficit Martyri propria deâ—icta purgasse Ingrati velsuperbi est in al os quóque Spargere quod pro magno fuerit consecutus Quis alienam mortem sua soluit nisi so lus Dei filius to play the wantons with such women as were prisoners in the same Ward and in the end makes this conclusion That it is enough for a Martyr to haue purged his owne sinnes It is a signe of ingratitude or of pride to diuide among others that which hath beene bestowed vpon himselfe as o great fauor Who hath made his own death the price of auother mans life but onely the Sonne of God Now to the end that euery one may know how iniurious these sufferings and satisfactions of men imaginarily heaped into this Treasure are vnto Iesus Christ and his benefites we must vnderstand that Pope Clement the sixth in the extrauagant Vnigenitus speaking of the merites of Iesus Christ in the Treasury of the Church saith * Ad cuins thesauri cumulum beatae genetricis omnium electorum merita adminiculum praestare noscuntur that The merites of the mother of God and of all the elect doe serue as helpes to encrease this Treasure As if the merites of men did so assist the merites of Iesus Christ that this Treasurie could not be filled if the merites of men were detectiue Bellarmine makes the case worse for in consideration of these satisfactory sufferings of Saints which he saith are allowed vnto vs and which the Pope turneth to the forgiuing of our sinnes he affirmeth that the Saints are after a sort our Redeemers in the first booke of Indulgences the fourth chapter Touching our owne satisfactions his speech driues to this point That besides our owne there is no actuall Satisfaction and that Christ hath not actually satisfied for vs but only hath giuen power to our satisfactions This is to affirme that the Apostle is deceiued in saying that Iesus Christ is giuen a ransom for vs 1. Tim. 2. seeing he doth only enable vs to pay our ransome and make our owne peace so in the second booke of Indulgences Si quis post gratiam reconciliationis adeptam adbuc sit reus luendae paenae temporatis is non ne essario egetur meritis Christi Et poteret nou requirere tantem liberalitatem contentus ipse laboribus suis the first ch although he attribute some power to the death of Iesus Christ yet he saith That if after a man hath obtained the grace of reconciliation he haue not yet satisfied for temporall punishment such as is the torment of Purgatory that such a one doth not necessarily want the merite of Iesus and that he may forbeare to seeke so great a largesse at Gods hands but content himselfe with the merite of his owne ende uours As if he should say vnto God thou wouldest acquit me but I will not haue it so for my owne troubles and afflictions shall make thee satisfaction These men haue courage in them indeede they dare neglect euen Christ himselfe for it is
the holy Ghost to whom soeuer you shall forgiue their sinnes they shall be forgiuen and looke whose sinnes yee retaine they shall be retained Now to vnderstand how farre the gift of any charge extendeth it selfe we must not so much respect the promises made as the actuall donation and the maner how it is receaued 4 Doubtlesse if by these words Iesus Christ had giuen vnto S. Peter power ouer the other Apostles he would haue commanded them to obey S. Peter and to acknowledge him for their Superior which is not found in any place of Scripture Now that Iesus Christ gaue the Keyes and power of binding and losing to all the Apostles Putas soli Petro dantur à Christo claues coelorum nemo ali bea toruÌ„ accipiet cas Si auteÌ„ coÌ„mune est inter omnes quod dicitur dabo tibi claues reg ni coelorum quomodo non omnia quae superius sunt dicta ad Petrum omnium videantur esse communia it doth appeare not only by the reasons afore alleadged but also by the testimony of auncient Fathers Origen vpon the sixteenth of Matthew the first Treatise How then saith he hath Iesus Christ giuen the Keyes onely to S. Peter And shall not the other receiue them also Or if that which is said I will giue vnto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen be also common to all the other why should not as well also all that that goeth before and that which followeth after be common though it were spoken to Peter Hilary in the fixth booke of the Trinity speaking to the Apostles Vos ô Sancti beati viri ob fidei vestrae meritum claues regai coelorum ligandi soluen dâ—ius in terra adepti O ye blessed men that by the merite of your faith haue the Keyes of the Kingdome and the power to binde and lose And then hee further saith Heare the Lordsaying I will giue thee the keyes c. That which is spoken to Peter is spoken to the Apostles Audi dicentem Tibi dabo c. Quod Petro dicitur Apostol's dicitur S. Ierome in his first booke against Iouinian All the Apostles receiue the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen Cum illud vnus pro omnibus dixerit hoc cum omaib tauquam bersonam gerens ipsius vnitatis acceperit Ideo vnus pro omnib quia vnitas est in omnib S. Augustine in his 218. Tract vpon Iohn saith S. Peter spake these wordes for all and receiued the aunswere with all the other as representing the vnity in his person and therefore one receiued it for all because there was one vnity amongst them all In the Councell of Aix vnder Lewes the courteous the people is brought in speaking thus of the Clergy in generall By whom we are made Christians Tom. 3. Concil pag. 416. per quos Christiani sumus qui claues regni coelorum habentes quodommodo ante diem iudicij iudicant Who hauing the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen doe after asort Iudge before the day of Iudgement In the Councell of Paris vnder Lewes and Lotharius Emperours the third booke and eight chapter the Bishops of France speake thus This may easily be vnderstood by the wordes of the Lord Quod ex verbis Domini facile intelligere possunt quibus beato Petro cuiê° vicem indigni gerimus ait Quaecunque liga ueris c. when he said to Peter Whose place we vnwrothily occupie whatsoeuer thou bindest c. you see that they be all called the Successours of Peter and that they enioy his place And chap. 3. they giue those titles vnto Priests They are the strong Pillars vpon whom the whole multitude of beleeuers being founded Cap. 9. Ipsi sunt Ianitores quibus claues datae sunt regni coelorum Fol. 84. p. 2. are by them vpheld and supported Againe they are the Porters vnto whom the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are giuen But the Priests of Fraunce dare not speake now adayes in this stile To be short the case is so cleare that Coeffeteau is constrained to confesse that the Keyes were giuen to all the Apostles but he saith not with so large extent as they were to Peter See then the issue of this difference all our aduersaries acknowledge that the Keyes were equally giuen to all the Apostles but not in so high a degree as to S. Peter being demaunded where they finde this difference Or if there be any place of Scripture where Iesus Christ giueth the Keyes to S. Peter more then to the rest here they are as dumbe as fishes and when they come to the very exigent and issue of the matter they bleede at the nose and cannot produce any kind of proofe from the word of God Coeffeteau onely alleadgeth Hilary which is to bring in mans testimony against God and yet hee speaketh not any thing that eyther contradicteth the Gospell or vs for he onely saith that S. Peter is the Foundation of the Church and that he hath the Keyes but he saith not that he hath them more then the rest of the Apostles And if that Coeffeteau acknowledge that the Keyes are giuen to all the Aposties let him shew me in what place of scripture for there is not any place in the Gospell that speaketh of the giueing of keyes but this onely and here is no speech made of two kindes of giuing the keyes Besides it is easie for vs to proue that the Pope doth vniustly diminish the power of the Keyes giuen to all Bishops and Priests for since they be all Successors of the Apostles they ought to haue the same Keyes which the Apostles had Whence it followeth that God saith to all the faithful Pastors of the Church in the person of the Apostles That whatsoeuer they shal binde on earth shal be bound in heauen But the Pope correcteth this and sayth vnto them whatsoeuer you lose shall not be vnbound for there are certaine great offences which are called Cases reserued the absolution whereof lyeth not in your power but is a priuiledge peculiar vnto me Vnderstand now what these greeuous sinnes are that are thus reserued to the Pope Is it Paricide Incest treason against Princes murder or blasphemy against God No such matter that is euer pardoned by euery Bishop for such sinnes are but against the law of God but the sinnes that be out of their power are these See the Bull de caena Domini which is of cases reserued to the pope If any man hinder them that goe to Rome for Pardons if any man be an intruder into any Benefice or office Ecclesiasticall if any haue purloyned the goods of the Church or if any haue offended the Sea Apostolicall the absolution of such horrible sinnes as these are is no where else to be had but at Rome These are the cases reserued For to offend the Pope or to bereaue him of his profite is matter farre more heynous then to