commit all things to their charge and arbitrement But to vse no rougher wordes against these latter Popes they are doubtlesse inferiour to Popes of olde time by many degrees I coulde alledge many other testimonies but this Victoria being of great credit among the Papists is a most sufficient witnesse in their owne proceedings Alas alas how hath the late romish Church abused vs. CHAP. VII Of Popish auricular confession COncerning this subiect I haue written so sufficiently thereof else where as no Papist now for many yeres durst frame any answere thereunto There I haue proued by the verdict of best approued papists that auricular confession was no article of popish faith for the space of 1215. yeares And I haue there in like maner answered to all obiections which possibly can be made in defence therof as no papist will euer aduenture to reply vpon the same during my life I haue reason thus to write because I haue often challenged all English Iesuits Seminaries and Iesuited papists as wel ioyntly as seuerally to answere either all or some one of my books and yet to this day I can receiue Ne gry quidem at their hands I compiled a very little pamphlet in way of merry disport and honest christian recreation terming it the hunting of the Romish foxe concerning which booke though a small valuome in quantitie not one Iesuite Seminarie or Iesuited papist euer durst hitherto or dareth this day publish any answere to the view of the world This being so I deeme it now enough to propose before the eyes of the reader how great learned papists doe esteeme their auricular confession Beatus Rhenanus a man of great credit with the papists hath these memorable words Thomas Aquinas Scotus homines nimium arguti confessionem hodie talem reddiderunt vt Iohannes ille Geilerius granis ac sanctus Theologus qui tot annis Argentorati concionatus est apud amicos suos saepe testatus fit iuxta eroum Deuteroseis impossibile esse confiteri Englished thus Thomas Aquinas and Scotus men to much delighted with subtilties haue brought Confesson this day to such a passe that Ihoannes Geilerius that famous graue and holy Diuine who preached many yeares at Argenteratum saide many a time vnto his friends that it was impossible for a man to make his Confession according to their traditions Out of these words I obserue these golden Lessons First that the vaine curious distinctions of the popish Schoole-doctors haue brought much mischiefe into the Church of God Which thing if a papist had not spoken it would neuer haue beene thought credible to the worlde the truth will preuaile in time Christs holy Gospel must haue the vpper hand Secondly that it is impossible for a papist to make his Confession according to the popish law and consequently marke well my words gentle Reader that all by popish doctrine must perish euerlastingly I proue it ponder well the proofe The papists teach vs to hold for an Article of our beleife that we are bound vpon paine of damnation to make our Confessions as the popes Lawes and Cannons doe prescribe Viz. as Aquinas and Scotus haue set downe the same For sundry popes haue authorized the doctrine of Aquinas and confirmed the same for authentical And for all that Geilerius a papist himselfe a great Diuine and a famous preacher complained often to his deare friends that no man could possibly performe the same Now then since on the one side the popish confession must be made vnder paine of damnation and since on the otherside none possibly can make the same as is required by popish cānons it followeth of necessitie by popish doctrine that all papists must be damned eternally O miserable poperie confounded and condemned by thine owne Doctors deare thy selfe o poperie hath bewrayed thy treacherie to the world It is to vs Gods great mercy for the merits of Christ Iesus but to all papists his iust iudgement for the punishment of their sinnes If you will in time repent and embrace his holy gospel his mercy is open to you all but if you will still continue o papists in your wilfull obstinacie then doubtlesse God will reuenge the blood of his innocents at your handes for with your beggerly vnwritten traditions you deuour the soules of many thousāds Thirdly that many liuing among papists doe externally obay the popish law who for all that doe greatly detest in their hearts a great part of their late hatched Romish religion This is euident by the secret complaint of this learned man Geilerius who told that to his trustie friēds which he durst not disclose to others and Beatus Rhenannus that famous papist was of the same mind or else doubtlesse he would not haue approued the complaint of Geilerius Alas alas how hath the late Romish church bewitched vs. CHAP. VIII Of the marriage of Priests I Haue written so sufficiently of this subiect else where as no papists either haue made can make or euer will make any answere thereunto I will onely for the present set downe the iudgement of three or foure famous Papists referring the reader for the exact decision therof vnto my booke of suruey The famous papist Cardinall Panormitanus giueth so worthy a testimony of this controuersie as if it be well marked it wil cōfound all papists in the world These are his words Continentia non est in clericis secularibus de substantia ordinis nec de iure diuino quia alias graeci peccarent nec excusaret eos consuetudo sequitur non solum credo potestatem inesse ecclesia hoc condendi sed credo pro bono salute esse animarum quod esset salubre statutum vt volentes possint contrahere quia experientia docente contrarius prorsus effectus sequiturexilla lege continentiae cum hodie non viuant spiritualiter nec sunt mundi sed maculantur illicito coitu cum eorum grauissimo peccato vbi cum propria vxore esset castistas Englished thus Continencie in secular priests is not of the substance of their orders nor of the law diuine because otherwise the Greekes should sinne and their custome could not excuse them And I doe not onely belieue that the church can make such a lawe but I also belieue that such a lawe were for the good and for the saluation of mens soules that such as would might marry because experience teacheth that a contrary effect followeth of that law of continencie seeing this day they liue nor spiritually neither are they cleane but polluted in vnlawfull copulation with their most grieuous sinne albeit they might liue chastly with their owne wiues Out of this notable discourse of Panormitanus who was their renouned canonist their venerable Abbot their reuerend Arch-Byshop and their honerable Cardinall for he had all these titles and degrees I obserue these most worthy and memorable documents First that the prohibition of marriage in secular priests is
THE VVoefull crie of Rome Containing a defiance to popery With Thomas Bells second challenge to all fauorites of that Romish faction Succinctly comprehending much variety of matter full of honest recreation and very profitable and expedient for all sorts of people but especially for all simply seduced Papists Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receiue not of her plagues Apocal. 18.4 LONDON Printed by T.C. for William Welby and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Grayhound 1605. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber TO THE RIGHT HONOVRAble my very good Lord Thomas the Lord of Ellesmere Lord high Chauncellour of England SAint Paul that chosen Vessell of God Right Honourable made a base reckoning of all other things in the world in respect of the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. This knowledge was so deare to the Princely Prophet Dauid that he desired to be but a doore-keeper in Gods house rather then to dwel in the goodly Pallaces of great Parsonages esteeming one day better in Gods Church then a thousand otherwhere This knowledge yeelded so sweete a sauour in the nosethrels of holy Moses that he chose rather to be the childe of God then to be called the sonne of King Phoraohs daughter This knowledge was to the wisest King so precious that hee reputed it not onely the beginning of wisedome but euen the finall ende which he aymed at with the loue of which knowledge hee was so rauished Oh most excellent knowledge that hauing in his owne free election what hee would receiue at Gods hands hee desireth neither long life which the greater part of people thirst after nor riches which are the greatest ioyes of al couetous worldlings nor yet the death of his enemies which the dauncing Damosell preferred before a Kingdome but he humbly asked an vnderstanding heart that he might discerne between good and euil and iudge aright Gods people committed to his charge a most wise and holy request This petition pleased God so well that he gaue the King a wise and vnderstanding heart so that there was neuer any either before or after him comparable or like vnto him And no marueile that the true Children of God desire the true knowledge of God before all other things For as our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs this knowledge is life eternall the ioy of all ioyes But my good Lord it may here bee demaunded how this most excellent knowledge can bee attained To which I answere euen by dilligent reading of the holy Scriptures For Saint Paul writing vnto Timothie commendeth his knowledge in the holy Scriptures which he had attained of a childe and he yeeldeth this reason therof because forsooth saith the Apostle the Scriptures are able to make him wise vnto saluation Is this possible is it so indeed euen so doubtlesse Gods Spirit cannot lye Howe then commeth it to passe that the late Byshops of Rome now Cat ' e'xochen called Popes doe this day suppresse the light of the Gospel and forbid the Lay-people to read the holy Scriptures in their vulgar language How chanceth it that none may read any Commentaries vpon the old and newe Testament nor any other bookes compiled for the furtherāce of mans knowledge in that behalfe vnlesse either the said bookes Commentaries be composed by professed papists or the readers being the Popes sworne vassals haue his dispensation and licence so to doe This my good Lord is the reason that cannot in truth be denied They that doe euill hate the light fearing that it should reproue their naughtie deedes And for this end is it that the Pope can not endure the manifestation of Gods word which is a lanterne vnto our feete a bright shining light vnto our soules directing vs the path-way to heauen For this light if the pope did not smoother it vnder the ashes and violently keepe it vnder a bushell would in short time so enlighten the hearts of all well disposed people that all the world would detest the Pope all popish superstition heresies and blasphemies and all his bloodie tyrannicall and plaine antichristian dealing In regard hereof most honourable Baron and most worthy zealous christian vpright and religious Magistrate because it is not enough for a Christian to know God himselfe but he must withall heartily wish and effectually procure so much as lyeth in him that others may also know and worship the euer-liuing God with him I haue employed my studie diligence care and industrie to deliuer a very compendious enchiridion to al simple seduced Papists to other thankfull Readers wherein they may behold as cleerely as the noone-day the original of popish falsly pretended Primacie the meanes by which the Byshops of Rome aspired thereunto the royall titles and power plaine diuine ascribed to the Popes the liues maners and conversation of Popes the rotten foundations vpon which and by which Poperie is builded and vnderpropped the originall and sundry grounds of Popish Purgatorie the vanitie and vncertaintie of Popish Succession the popish execrable Excommunications Superstitions Adorations and many other matters of great moment By the due and serious consideration whereof the indifferent Reader cannot but behold the abhomination of late Romish Religion and consequently loath detest and vtterly renounce the same for euer The worke such as it is I haue dedicated vnto your Honour for two speciall causes First to intimate to the world my inward conceiued comfort ioy and solace which either is or at least ought to bee common to my selfe with all other honest and true harted English Subiects of your Lordships most honorable zealous christian conscionable vpright painefull and religious care vigillancie holy constant indeuours vnder God and his most exellent Maiestie both for the indifferencie of iustice extended at al persons aswel to the poore as to the rich which is not the vsuall practise of many Magistrates alas for the pittie and also generally for the common good and peaceable gouernment of this Kingdome Secondly to giue at the least some smal signification of a thākfull minde where power is wanting for your Lordships most honourable yea vnspeakable fauours towards me from time to time euen such and so great as without which I could not this day breathe vppon earth much lesse make vse of my small talent Quod sentio quam sit exiguum for the common good of others The Almightie giue your Lordship many long ioyfull and happy yeares with much increase of vertue holy zeale and true honour in this life and with life eternall in the world to come Amen From my Studie this first of Aprill 1605. Your Lordships most humble and bounden T. Bell. Thomas Bels defiance to Poperie with a second challenge CHAP. I. Of the originall of Popish Primacie I Haue proued at large elsewhere how Poperie crept into the Curch by peece-meale and how she receiued her daily
many Lordly titles and more then royall power ascribed to the Pope addeth these expresse words Sed glossatores iuris hoc dominium dederunt Papae cum ipsi essent pauperes rebus doctrina Englished thus But the Glossers and Interpreters of the Popes lawe gaue this dominion and these royall titles vnto the Pope themselues being blind Bayards and beggerly fellowes Thus writeth the Popes learned Doctour and religious Fryer by whose verdict it is most apparant to the world that pouertie and ignorance two gallant Romish courtiers were the beginning of al royall Pope-dom And no maruaile for by reason of their pouertie they flattered and sought to please the Pope and by reason of their ignorance they desperately published many things which they did not vnderstand The vsual practise of Papists in their Commentaries Bookes and Glosses hath bin such so intollerable in wresting the holy Scriptures as their owne deare brethren and great Doctors can not for shame denie or conceale the same Polidorus Virgilius a famous papist hath these words Non secus isti iurisconsulti aliquoties detorquent sacras literas quò volunt ac sutores sordidas solent dentibus extendere pelles Englished thus These popish Legists and Canonists doe now and then so wrest and writhe the holy Scriptures to that sense which themselues like best euen as Coblers do gnaw with their teeth and stretch out their filthy skinnes 1 Out of these words I obserue first that this Polidore was a great Papist himselfe and consequently that his testimonie must needes be of great force against the Papists Secondly that he speaketh not of the meanest and worst sort of Papists but euē of their best renowmed Doctors viz. of Hostiensis their grand and famous Doctor Thirdly that their mangling and wresting of the holy Scriptures is most intollerable that without the same they cannot possibly maintaine their wicked doctrine This is that which Doctor Fisher the late Byshoppe of Rochester hath freely confessed in his answere to the Articles of M. Luther which hee could not in truth withstand or gainesay These are his expresse wordes Contendentibus itaque nobiscum haereticis nos alio subsidio nostram oportet tueri causam quam scriptura sacrae Englished thus Therefore when Heretiques contend with vs we must defend our cause by other meanes then by the holy Scripture These are the very expresse wordes I neither adde any thing nor take any thing away of their owne famous popish byshop of their owne holy Saint of their glorious martyr a learned man in deed who laboured with might and maine for the popes vsurped soueraigntie and defended the same in the best manner he was able and to the vttermost of his skill And yet for all that hee hath boulted out vnawares against his will such is the force of trueth which must needs in time preuaile so much in plaine tearmes as is sufficient to ouerthrow all poperie for euer and to cause all people that haue any care of their saluation to renounce the pope his abominable doctrine to their liues end For our popish Byshoppe being put to his best trumpe telleth vs plainely and without all dissimulation his mouth being now opened by him who caused Balaams Asse to speake that they must not because forsooth they cannot defend and mantaine their poperie by the authoritie of the Scripture but by some other way and meanes Viz. by mans forged inuentions and popish vnwritten vanities which they terme the Churches Traditions Now gentle Reader how can any papist who is not giuen vp in Reprobum sensum for his iust deserts read such testimonies against poperie freely confessed and plainely published to the world and that by the pennes of most learned and renowned papists euen while they bestirre themselues busily to defend their pope and his popish doctrine for all that continue papists stil and be carryed away headlong into perdition beleeuing obeying that doctrine which as themselues confesse cannot be defended by the holy Scripture Me-thinkes they should bee ashamed to hold and beleeue that doctrine in defence whereof they can yeeld no better reason Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church seduced vs CHAP. III. Of kissing the Popes feet TOuching the kissing of the Popes feet the truth is this that some Christian kings and Emperours vppon a blinde zeale not grounded in knowledge did humble themselues to the Byshops of Rome and did yeeld vp their soueraigne rights vnto them and thereby opened the windowe to all Antichristian tyrannie For in short time after the Romish Byshoppes became so Lordly and insolent that they tooke roundly vpon them to despose the Emperours to translate their Empires to dispose at their owne pleasures of their royal scepters regalties Yea to be reuerenced honored and adored as Gods for that end must al faithfull Christians kisse the Popes feete Here for the better credite of mine assertion I will put downe the flat testimonie of their Saint Antoninus their religious Fryer who was sometime the Arch-byshop of Florence These are his expresse words Nulli ergo angelo commissa iurisdictio cura totius orbis sed papae totius mundi iurisdictio cura commissa est cum solum vt nomine mundi importatur terza sed etiam vt nomine mundi importatur caelum que super calum terram iurisdictione accepit Sequitur vnde papae recipit a fidelibus adorationes prostrationes oscula pedum quod non permisit angelus a Iohanne Euangelista sibi fieri Englished thus Therefore the iurisdiction and charge of the whole world is committed to none of the Angels but the iurisdiction and care of the whole world is committed to the Pope not onely as the name of the world doth import the earth but euen as it doth also signifie Heauen because hee hath receiued iurisdiction both ouer Heauen and Earth Wherefore the Pope receiueth of the faithfull adorations prostrations and the kissing of his feete which thing the Angel would not suffer Iohn the Euangelist to doe vnto him Thus writeth this popish Doctor For the better vnderstanding of whose discourse I note First that this Antoninus was not a bare papist but a man of great authoritie and high esteeme among the papists Viz. a canonized Saint a religious Fryer a Dominican and a most reuerend Arch-bishop and consequently that whatsoeuer he hath deliuered either touching the pope or poperie must needes bee of good credite and great force against the papists Secondly that the popes power and authoritie doth farre exceed the power of Angels Thirdly that the pope hath iurisdiction not onely ouer the earth but also ouer heauen it selfe Fourthly that by the reason of this exceeding and surpassing power the pope doth admit and receiue that homage which the Angel refused and prohibited S. Iohn to doe vnto him Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church deceiued vs CHAP. IIII. Of power ascribed to the pope The
the six ferie after the feast of Vdabricus Hierome being kept in prison a long time after when hee would not recant was burnt in like maner on the Saboath before the exaltatiō of the holy crosse in the yeare of our Lord 1415. they both suffered death with a constant stout courage they made hast to the fire as though they had been inuited vnto a banquet they vttered not a word which could giue any signe of a sorrowful heart When they began to burne they sang an hymne which the flame noise of the fire was scarse able to stint when their corpes were burnt their ashes were cast into a lake least their countyemen the Bohemians shuld carry them away their Disciples tooke away the earth though the ashes were gone wher the fire was made and carried the same with them into their countrey as an holy relique Iohn Hierome deserued no lesse honour of martyrs with the Bohemians then Peter and Paul with the Romans Thus writeth Nanclerus Out of whose words I obserue sundry very memorable points of Doctrine wishing the reader to ponder them seriously for his godly instruction and Christian edification First that this Nanclerus was a great papist highly renowned in the church of Rome and consequently that hee will testifie no more against the Papists then the truth it selfe doth extort from his penne Secondly that the Papists most cruelly condemned Maister Hus to the fire albeit hee had the Emperours free pasport and safe conduct freely to goe and freely to returne Thirdly that the godly Martyr Hieronimus de Praga came boldly of his owne accord vnto the councell and they stoutly defended the truth maugre the malice of the pope all his popish vassals Fourthly that the burning of Maister Hus could not terrifie Maister Hierome of Praga nor make him deny the truth of Christs Gospell Fiftly that both Maister Husse and Maister Hieronimus de Praga went as merily and as ioyfully to the fire to bee burnt as if they had beene inuited to a royall banquet Sxtly that in the midst of the late fire they ioyfully and Christianly sang an Hymne to the honour and praise of the euerliuing God Seuenthly that the furie and rage of the hote burning fire O most worthy and constant Martyrs of Iesus Christ coulde not stay them from singing and from praysing our mercifull God Eightly that the cruell papists after they had burnt the blessed Martyrs and consumed their bodies and their bones to ashes did cast their ashes into a deepe poole of water Ninthly that these two blessed men Iohn Hus and Hierome of Praga were no lesse honoured for martyrs in Bohemia then Peter and Paul were in Rome Yea their death was so pretious with God and so honorable with the godly in their countrey that mauger the Pope and all his Romish tyrannie the Gospell hath euer since their burning continued there which is for the space almost of two hundred yeares euen within the kingdome and dominion of that Empire a thing impossible to bee done by man if God did not support the same The like crueltie was extended vppon the body and bones of Maister Bucer that holy man profound Doctor and stout champion of Gods eternall truth For after the blessed man had beene dead and a long time couered with earth in his graue his body was taken vppe fast bound with an yron chaine to a stake and burnt with a great fire vpon the market day in open place Insomuch that some of the market-folkes when they perceiued the wonderfull affaires in hand saide merily one to an other what neede is there of yron chaines and Armed men against dead bodies that haue beene a long time in the graue for they can neither resist nor yet flye away but the late popes are so bent to brutish cruelty that the like tyranny hath beene by one Pope to an other For pope Sergius the third caused the corps of pope Formosus who now had beene dead almost ten yeares to bee taken out of his tombe and to bee set in a chaire with the pontificall attyre vppon him O braue gallant and that done hee commaunded his head to bee cut off and to bee cast into the riuer Tyber He disanulled the actes and orders giuen by pope Formosus insomuch as all were enforced to take orders again O holy romish priesthood ô indelible characer who had bin ordered by pope Formosus And all this was done forsooth because Formosus had kept this Sergius from the Pope-dome Thus write Martinus Polonus Baptista Platina two famous popish doctors whereof the one was the popes Poenitentiarius and the other his Abbreuiator Apostolicus Thus much for a taste of popish more then sauage tyrannie who so listeth to know more thereof may peruse my booke of Suruey What a thing is this we beleeue many of vs that the popes are Christs Vicars vpon earth and yet we see they are most cruell tyrants euen the catch-poles and bond-slaues of the maister Diuel of hell What shall I say of reuerend Cranmer graue Latimer learned Ridley zealous Bradford and of 500. more most worthy men who in the yeare 1555. were burnt with fire and faggots for the testimonie of Christs Gospel Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church bewitched vs. CHAP. XII Of the abhomination of popish proceeding THe villanie and abhomination wherewith the popes Religion is vnderpropped and maintained is such and so notorious that the truth it selfe hath inforced the popes owne dearest vassals to declame in printed bookes against the same The famous popish canonist Nauarrus hath these expresse words papa potest despensare cum monacho iam professo vt contrahat Matrimonium imò de facto multi papae dispensarunt consentit ipse Caietanus Antoninus Paludanus Englished thus The pope may dispense with a Monke already professed that hee may marry for many popes haue De facto so dispensed Caietanus Antoninus and Paludanus are of the same opinion Franciscus a Victoria the popish famous Schooleman and religious Fryer lamenteth the popes dealing but dareth not plainly vtter his minde Thus doth he write Multi tenent quod papa non potest dispensare in votis quia dispensatio proprie est relaxatio iuris vnde cum sit de iure diuino dispensatio erit iuris diuini relaxatio quo◠sane ad papam non spectat vtinam haec opinio non sit vera Englished thus Many hold that the Pope cannot properly dispense in vowes because dispensation properly is the relaxation of the Law wherefore seeing a vow is of the law diuine dispensation must also be remission of the law diuine which thing doubtlesse belongeth not to the pope and would to God this opinion were not true Loe this religious Frier is so zealously affected and to carefull of his popes credit that he wisheth the opinion were not true because it controwleth the popes abhominable dealing The popes famous Canonist most reuerēd Archbyshop Covarruvias deliuereth the