satisfaction when as all that man is capable to suffer cannot be sufficient for one and that the least sin of his owne the wages whereof is eternall death Or that those superfluities of humane satisfaction should peece vp the infinite and perfitly meritorious superabundance of the Sonne of God Or that this supposed treasure of diuine and humane satisfactions should bee kept vnder the key of some one sinfull man Or that this one man who cannot deliuer his owne soule from Purgatorie no not from hell it selfe should haue power to free what others hee pleaseth from those fearefull flames to the full Iaole-deliuerie of that direfull prison which though his great power can doe yet his no lesse charitie will not doth not Or that the same pardon which cannot acquit a man from one houres tooth-ach should be of force to giue his soule ease from the temporarie paines of another world Lastly guilt and punishment are relatiues and can no more be seuered then a perfect forgiuenesse and a remaining compensation can stand together This doctrine therefore of Papall Indulgences as it led the way to the further discouery of the corruptions of the degenerated Church of Rome so it still continues iustly branded with noueltie and errour and may not bee admitted into our beleefe and wee for reiecting it are vniustly refused CHAP. XII The newnesse of Diuine Seruice in an vnknowne tongue THat Prayers and other Diuine offices should bee done in a known tongue vnderstood of the people is not more auailable to edification as their Caietan liberally confesseth then consonant to the practice of all antiquitie In so much as Lyranus freely In the Primitiue Church blessings and all other seruices were done in the vulgar tongue What need wee looke backe so farre when euen the Lateran Councell which was but in the yeere 1215. vnder Innocent the third makes this decree Quoniam in plaerisque Because in many parts within the same Citie and Diocesse people are mixed of diuers languages hauing vnder one faith diuers rites and fashions wee strictly command that the Bishops of the sayd Cities or Diocesses prouide fit and able men who according to the diuersities of their rites and languages may celebrate diuine seruices and administer the Sacraments of the Church to them instructing them both in word and example Cardinall Bellarmines euasion is verie grosse That in that place Innocentius and the Councell speake onely of the Greeke and Latine tongue For then saith he Constantinople was newly taken by the Romans by reason whereof there was in Greece a mixture of Greekes and Latines in so much as they desired that in such places of frequence two Bishops might be allowed for the ordering of those seuerall Nations Whereupon it was concluded that since it were no other then monstrous to appoint two Bishops vnto one See it should be the charge of that one Bishop to prouide such vnder him as should administer all holy things to the Grecians in Greeke and in Latine to the Latines For who sees not that the Constitution is generall Plaerisque partibus for verie many parts of the Christian world and Populi diuersarum lingâ—arum People of sundrie languages not as Bellarmine cunningly diuersae linguae of a diuerse language And if these two only languages had been meant why had it not bin as easie to specifie them as to intimate them by so large a circumlocution This Synode is said to be vniuersall comprehending all the Patriarkes seuentie seuen Metropolitans and the most eminent Diuines of both East and West Churches to the number of at least 2212. persons or as some others 2285. besides the Embassadours of all Christian Princes of seuerall languages Now shall wee thinke that there were in all their Territories and Iurisdictions no mixtures of inhabitants but onely of Grecians and Romans or that all these Fathers were carelesse of the rest Especially since the end which they professe to propose vnto themselues herein is the instruction of the people of what nation or language soeuer which end as it was neuer meant to bee limited to two sorts of people so could it neuer be attained without this libertie of language fitted to their vnderstanding To which may bee added that the Greekes and Latines of all other had the least need of this prouision since it was famously knowne that they had their seuerall seruices already of receiued and currant vse before this constitution was hatched Neither is it of any moment which hee addeth that in Italy it selfe this decree was not extended to the vse of vulgar tongues for that it is euident that Saint Thomas who liued soone after composed in Latine the Office of the feast of Corpus Christi not in the Italian although the same Aquinas confesses that that the vulgar tongue of Italy at that time was not Latine For what childe cannot easily see that if their great Doctor would write an office for the publique vse as is intended of the whole Church hee would make choyce to write it in such a language as might improue it to the most common benefit of all the Christian world not confining it to the bounds of a particular Nation Besides what was the Italian in those times especially but a broken and corrupt Latine differing more in Idiome and termination then in the substance of speech That which Radeuicus about the yeere 1170. records for the voyce of the people in the election of Pope Victor Papa Vittore Sancto Pietro l'elege makes good no lesse for what such difference is betwixt this and Papam Victorem Sanctus Petrus elegit So as this instance doth nothing at all infringe that iust decree of the Roman Fathers Howsoeuer that obseruation of Erasmus is true and pregnant to this purpose Nec lingua vulgaris e. Neither was the vulgar tongue i. the Latine withdrawne from the people but the people went off from it And as for our Ancestours in this Island Our venerable Bede witnesses that in England the Scriptures were read by them in fiue languages according to the number of the bookes wherein the Law of God was written namely English Scottish Brittish Pictish and Latine which saith hee in meditation of the Scriptures is made common to all the rest A point which the sayd Author specifies for a commendation of the well-instructednesse of those people not as purposing to intimate that the vse of the Latine did thrust out the other foure for he there tells vs that in all foure they did not only search but confesse and vtter the knowledge of the highest truth This restraint then is not more new then enuious and preiudiciall to the honour of God and the soules of men SECT II. Against Scripture AS for Scriptures Were this practice so old as it is pretended the rule is Longaeuae consuetudinis c. the authoritie of an ancient custome is not to be sleighted so long as it is not against the Canons Nothing can be more
Repaired not made new There is not one stone of a new foundation laide by vs Yea the old wals stand still Onely the ouer-casting of those ancient stones which the vntempered morter of new inuentions displeaseth vs. Plainely set aside the corruptions and the Church is the same And what are these corruptions but vnsound adiections to the ancient structure of Religion These we cannot but oppose and are therefore vniustly and imperiously eiected Hence it is that ours is by the opposite stiled an Ablatiue or negatiue Religion for so much as wee ioyne with all true Christians in all affirmatiue positions of ancient faith onely standing vpon the deniall of some late and vndue additaments to the Christian beleefe Or if those additions bee reckoned for ruines It is a sure rule which Durandus giues concerning materiall Churches applyable to the spirituall that if the Wall be decayed not at once but successiuely it is iudged still the same Church and vpon reparation not to bee reconsecrated but onely reconciled Well therefore may those mouthes stop themselues which loudly call for the names of the Professors of our faith in all successions of times till Luther look't forth into the World Had wee gone about to broach any new positiue Truths vnseene vnheard of former times well and iustly might they challenge vs for a deduction of this line of doctrine from a pedigree of Predecessours Now that we only disclayme their superfluous and nouell opinions and practices which haue beene by degrees thrust vpon the Church of God retayning inuiolably all former Articles of Christian faith how idle is this plea how worthy of hissing out Who sees not now that all we need to doe is but to show that all those points which wee cry downe in the Romane Church are such as carrie in them a manifest brand of newnesse and absurditie This proofe will cleerely iustifie our refusall Let them see how they shall once before the awfull Tribunall of our last Iudge iustifie their vncharitablenesse who cease not vpon this our refusall to eiect condemne vs. The Church of Rome is sicke Ingenuous Cassander confesseth so nec inficior c. I deny not saith he that the Romane Church is not a little changed from her ancient beautie and brightnesse and that shee is deformed with many diseases and vicious distempers Bernard tels vs how it must bee dieted profitable though vnpleasing medicines must bee poured into the mouth of it Luther and his associates did this office as Erasmus acknowledgeth Lutherus porrexit Luther saith hee gaue the World a potion violent and bitter what euer it were I wish it may breed some good health in the bodie of Christian people so miserably foule with all kinds of euils Neuer did Luther meane to take away the life of that Church but the sicknesse Wherein as Socrates answered to his Iudges surely he deserued recompence in steed of rage For as Saint Ambrose worthily Dulcior est sweeter is a religious chastisement then a smoothing remission This that was meant to the Churches health proues the Physitians disease so did the bitternesse of our wholsome draughts offend that we are beaten out of doores Neither did wee runne from that Church but are driuen away as our late Soueraigne professeth by Casaubons hand Wee know that of Cyrill is a true word Those which seuer themselues from the Church and communion are the enemies of God and friends of Deuils and that which Dionysius said to Nouatus Any thing must rather be borne then that we should rend the Church of God Farre far was it from our thoughts to teare the seamelesse coate or with this precious Oyle of Truth to breake the Churches head We found iust faults else let vs bee guiltie of this disturbance If now choler vniustly exasperated with an wholsome reprehension haue broken forth into a furious persecution of the gainesayers the sinne is not ours If we haue defended our innocence with blowes the sinne is not ours Let vs neuer prosper in our good cause if all the water of Tyber can wash off the bloud of many thousand Christian soules that hath beene shed in this quarrell from the hands of the Romish Prelacie Surely as it was obserued of olde that none of the Tribe of Leui were the professed followers of our Sauiour so it is too easie to obserue that of late times this Tribe hath exercised the bitterest enmitie vpon the followers of Christ Suppose wee had offended in the vndiscreet managing of a iust reproofe it is a true rule of Erasmus that generous spirits would bee reclaymed by teaching not by compulsion and as Alipius wisely to his Augustine Heed must bee taken least whiles wee labour to redresse a doubtfull complaint wee make greater wounds then we find Oh how happy had it beene for Gods Church if this care had found any place in the hearts of her Gouernours who regarding more the entire preseruation of their own honour then Truth and Peace Were all in the harsh language of warre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 smite kill burne persecute Had they beene but halfe so charitable to their moderne reprouers as they professe they are to the fore-going how had the Church flourished in an vnterrupted vnitie In the old Catholike Writers say they wee beare with many errours wee extenuate and excuse them wee find shifts to put them off and deuise some commodious senses for them Guiltinesse which is the ground of this fauour workes the quite contrarie courses against vs Alas how are our Writings racked and wrested to enuious senses how misconstrued how peruerted and made to speake odiously on purpose to worke distaste to enlarge quarrell to draw on the deepest censures Woe is mee this cruell vncharitablenesse is it that hath brought this miserable calamitie vpon distracted Christendome Surely as the ashes of the burning Mountaine Vesuuius being dispersed farre and wide bred a grieuous Pestilence in the Regions round about so the ashes that flie from these vnkindly flames of discord haue bred a wofull infection and death of soules through the whole Christian World CHAP. IIII. The Church of Rome guiltie of this Schisme IT is confessed by the President of the Tridentine Councell that the deprauation of discipline and manners of the Romane Church was the chiefe cause and originall of these dissensions Let vs cast our eyes vpon the doctrine and wee shall no lesse find the guilt of this fearefull Schisme to fall heauily vpon the same heads For first to lay a sure ground Nothing can be more plaine then that the Romane is a particular Church as the Fathers of Basil well distinguish it not the vniuersall though we take in the Churches of her subordination or correspondence This truth we might make good by authoritie if our very senses did not saue vs the labour Secondly No particular Church to say nothing of the vniuersall since the Apostolike times can haue
that wee must take this vpon the bare word of Conradus Vrspergensis Secondly that this Indulgence of his is no other but a relaxation of Canonicall penance For hee addes which Bellarmine purposely concealeth ijs qui de capitalibus c. to those that should doe penance for capitall sinnes hee released fortie dayes penance So as this instance helpes nothing neither are the rest which hee hath raked together within the compasse of a few preceding yeeres of any other alloy Neither hath that Cardinall offered to cite one Father for the proofe of this practice the birth whereof was many hundred yeeres after their expiration but cunningly shifts it off with a cleanly excuse Neque mirum c. Neither may it seem strange if wee haue not many ancient Authors that make mention of these things in the Church which are preserued only by vse not by writing So he He sayes Not many authors hee showes not one And if many matters of rite haue been traduced to the Church without notice of pen or presse yet let it be showne what one doctrine or practice of such importance as this is pretended to bee hath escaped the report and maintenance of some Ecclesiasticke Writer or other and we shall willingly yeeld it in this Till then wee shall take this but for a meere colour and resolue that our honest Roffensis deales plainly with vs who tells vs Quam diu nulla fuerat de Purgatorio cura c. So long as there was no care of Purgatorie no man sought after Indulgences for vpon that depends all the opinion of pardons If you take away Purgatorie wherefore should wee need pardons Since therefore Purgatorie was so lately knowne and receiued of the whole Church who can maruell concerning Indulgences that there was no vse of them in the beginning of the Church Indulgences then began after men had trembled somewhile at the torments of a Purgatorie Thus their Martyr not partially for vs but ingenuously out of the power of truth professes the noueltie of two great Articles of the Roman Creed Purgatorie and Indulgences Indeed both these now hang on one string Although there was a kinde of Purgatorie dreamed of before their pardons came into play That deuice peept out fearefully from Origen and pull'd in the head againe as in Saint Austens time doubting to show it Tale aliquod c. That there is some such thing saith hee after this life it is not vtterly incredible and may be made a question And elsewhere I reproue it not for it may perhaps be true And yet againe as retracting what hee had yeelded resolues Let no man deceiue himselfe my brethren there are but two places and a third there is none Before whom Saint Cyprian is peremptorie Quando istinc excessum fuerit When wee are once departed hence there is now no more place of repentance no effect of satisfaction Here is life either lost or kept And Gregorie Nazianzens verse sounds to the same sense And Saint Ambrose can say of his Theodosius that being freed from this earthly warfare Fruitur nunc luce perpetua c. hee now enioyes euerlasting light during tranquillitie and triumphs in the troopes of the Saints But what striue wee in this Wee may well take the word of their Martyr our Roffensis for both And true Erasmus for the ground of this defence Mirum in modum c. They doe maruellously affect the fire of Purgatorie because it is most profitable for their Kitchins SECT II. Indulgences and Purgatorie against Scripture THese two then are so late comne strangers that they cannot challenge any notice taken of them by Scripture Neither were their names euer heard of in the language of Canaan yet the Wisedome of that all-seeing Spirit hath not left vs without preuentions of future errours in blowing vp the very grounds of these humane deuises The first and mayne ground of both is the remainders of some temporall punishments to be paid after the guilt and eternall punishment remitted The driblets of veniall sinnes to bee reckond for when the mortall are defraied Heare what God saith I euen I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Loe can the Letter bee read that is blotted out Can there be a back-reckoning for that which shal not be remembred I haue done away thy Transgressions as a Cloud What sinnes can bee lesse then transgressions What can bee more cleerely dispersed then a Cloud Wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Who can tell where the spot was when the skin is rinced If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull to forgiue our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Loe he cleanseth vs from the guilt and forgiues the punishment What are our sinnes but debts What is the infliction of punishment but an exaction of payment What is our remission but a striking off that score And when the score is strucke off what remaynes to pay Remitte debita Forgiue our debts is our daily Prayer Our Sauiour tels the Paralitick Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee In the same words implying the remouing of his disease the sinne bee gone the punishment cannot stay behind We may smart by way of chastisement after the freest remission not by way of reuenges for our amendment not for Gods satisfaction The second ground is a middle condition betwixt the state of eternall life and death of no lesse torment for the time then Hell it selfe whose flames may burne off the rust of our remayning sinnes the issues where-from are in the power of the great Pastor of the Church How did this escape the notice of our Sauiour Verify verily I say vnto you hee that heareth my Word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and comes not into iudgement as the Vulgar it selfe turnes it but is passed from death vnto life Behold a present possession and immediate passage no iudgement interuening no torment How was this hid from the great Doctor of the Gentiles who putting himselfe into the common case of the beleeuing Corinthians professes Wee know that if once our earthly house of this Tabernacle bee dissolued wee haue a building of God not made with hands eternall in the Heauens The dissolution of the one is the possession of the other here is no interposition of time of estate The wise man of old could say The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shall no torment touch them Vpon their very going from vs they are in peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Iohn heard from the heauenly voyce From their very dying in the Lord is their blessednesse SECT III. Indulgences against Reason IT is absurd in reason to thinke that God should forgiue our Talents and arrest vs for the odde farthings Neither is it lesse absurd to thinke that any liuing soule can haue superfluities of