Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
truth_n devil_n father_n lie_n 3,415 5 9.0726 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A13155 An abridgement or suruey of poperie conteining a compendious declaration of the grounds, doctrines, beginnings, proceedings, impieties, falsities, contradictions, absurdities, fooleries, and other manifold abuses of that religion, which the Pope and his complices doe now mainteine, and vvherewith they haue corrupted and deformed the true Christian faith, opposed vnto Matthew Kellisons Suruey of the new religion, as he calleth it, and all his malicious inuectiues and lies, by Matthevv Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629. 1606 (1606) STC 23448; ESTC S117929 224,206 342

There are 6 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

massacres and cruell executions done by the Papistes of late yeeres vpon the Saints of God haue proceeded from no other fountaine then from the malice of the diuel for he was a murderer from the beginning and Apocalyps 12. we read that the great red dragon that is the diuel persecuted the woman which was a figure of the church of God and caused her to flie into the wildernesse from the same fountaine also doe issue all the forgeries lies and calumniations of Papists whereby they haue gone about to suppresse the truth for the diuell is the father of lies and from their father the diuel the lying friers and Masse-priests haue learned their lying deuises who then is of God must needs hate this religion that is partly inuented and partly mainteined by the diuell CHAP. XXXIII That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion OF the trueth of our Christian faith we are assured for the articles thereof were deliuered by Christ taught by the Apostles and Prophets conteined in Scriptures and confessed by the catholicke church of all times but it is not so with Popery for neither did Christ deliuer it nor the Apostles and Prophets teach it nor is the same conteined in Scriptures or confessed by the catholike church of all times but dependeth partly vpon traditions not written and partly vpon the Popes determinations and partly vpon the opinions of schoole-men and canonistes and the monkes and friers now what assurance I pray you can any Papist haue of these doctrines First no man yet could euer tell what these traditions are which the Priests of Trent would make equall to Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei talketh at randon but he dare not come to particulars nor directly expresse them Secondly they dare not define where these traditions are to be found if they say in the decretales then all future traditions are cut off and former traditions founded on the Popes opinions if they say in the legends their traditions will prooue lies and fooleries for such are the legends if they tell vs of the pure fountaines of traditions of Caesar Baronius as Pope Sixtus the fift doth they will be laughed at that were not auised of their groundes before the time of this babling and confused Cardinal Thirdly they cannot shew why some traditions should be obserued and others not but if traditions were to be receined with equall affection to holy Scriptures then might none be abolished As for the determinations of Popes they can alledge no reason why they should be true if they bring the wordes of Christ to Peter they concerne them nothing that are so vnlike to Peter if they bring Christs promises to his church they concerne them much lesse for they are rather enemies then members of the church but were they members yet what man is priuiledged so that he cannot erre but those which for writing of holy Scriptures were led into all truth by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth Finally there is such contention betwixt the schoolemen and canonists and such diuersity of opinions among the seuerall Doctors of both the sides that it is bard to say whether any of them teacheth truly and most certaine that many of them teach falsely nay scarce any point of doctrine is deliuered by schoolemen wherein they dissent not one from another Now if they say their faith is founded not only vpon the Popes determinations and Apostolike traditions but also vpon holy scriptures yet holding as they doe this shall not any whit releeue them For first they cannot assure themselues that the Latine vulgar translation of the Bible is more true then the originall text in Hebrew and Greeke for all the fathers with one consent preferre the original fountaines before all versions Secondly they must needes stand in doubt which is the old Latine vulgar translation for if they allow that which was set out by Clement the 8. then cannot they allow of that which was set out by Sixtus Quintus the one so much differing from the other nor if they approue this can they follow that Thirdly they doe not beleeue the scriptures because God speaketh in them nor the traditions because they are Gods worde as they hold but because the church doth tell vs which are canonicall scriptures and consigneth them vnto vs and doth further deliuer vnto vs these traditions not written for this is Stapletons opinion in his bookes de doctrinalibus princip and authorit ecclesiast defens and is confessed of most Papists but if the authoritie of scriptures and traditions in respect of vs doth so depend vpon the church that no man can be assured of either without the authority of the Church then doth the faith of Papists rest vpon the Pope who as they say is chiefe gouernor of the church the which will bring the Papists to great vncertainty for who is so mad as to beleeue that a blind Pope can well iudge of colours or so senselesse as not to beleeue Gods word without the Popes warrant Fourthly they receiue not the articles of the faith because they are contained in scriptures but because they are deliuered vnto vs by the Pope Thomas Aquinas 2.2.9.1 art 10. saith that the ordring of matters of faith and the publication of the articles of the Creed belongeth to the pope that Athanasius his Creed was receiued because it was allowed by the Pope and this by others is deliuered in more grosse termes Stapleton in his doctrinall principles saith that the last resolution of matters of faith is in the Popes desinitiue sentence and Bellarmine lib. 3. de verb. dei c. 4. goeth about to shew that the Pope is the supreme iudge to whom the interpretation of scriptures and last resolution of all controuersies of religion is to bee referred But the papists can neither assure thomselues that he that sitteth at Rome is true Pope and S. Peters true successor nor that his determinations are certeine or true That the Pope is S. Peters true successor it will be hard to proue considering that he preacheth not as S. Peter did nor S. Peter weare a triple crowne and command temporall Princes as he doth it is very hard also to know whether he bee true Pope or no after the common vnderstanding of Papists for vnlesse he bee baptized and truly ordred and chosen he is no true Pope but it is hard to know whether he were baptized which dependeth vpon the Priests intention which is vncerteine and hidden it is also more hard to vnderstand whether he were truly ordred or not for if he were not baptized then is he not capable of Priest-hood as Innocentius saith c. ventens de presbytero non baptizato and if he that ordred him had no intention to doe it then receiued he no orders lastly it is a matter most difficult to know whether the Pope was rightly chosen or else by Simony or violence or other meanes intruded so it is alwaies most
commandement concerneth the sanctifying of the Sabbath but the Papists profane it by worshiping Idols and frequenting the idolatrous masse Iulius the second vpon the solemne day of Easter fought a bloudy battell with the French at Rauenna and the Duke of Guise vpon the sabbath massacred the Saints of God at Vassi and so little do they respect the Lords honour that they make more account of our ladies festiuals and of the daies of Francis Dominicke and Thomas Becket then of the Lords day The fifth commandement requireth obedience of children to parents and of subiects to princes yet Gregory the seuenth Paschall the second Alexander the third and diuers Popes by their decretales haue armed the sonne against the father and the subiect against his prince neither was the late league of the French rebels against Henry the third and Henry the fourth set forward and confirmed by other more then by the Pope the Popes of Rome stirred vp rebellion against Henry the eight in England and against Queene Elizabeth both in England and Ireland Allen and Parsons in their wicked libell against Queene Elizabeth directed to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland endeuor by all meanes to perswade her subiects to rebellion and to laie violent hands vpon her Cardinall Como in his letters to Parry that came into England with a full resolution to murder the Queene doth promise in the Popes name not only indulgence and pardon for his sinnes but also reward on earth and merit in heauen The sixth commandement forbiddeth murder But Papists thinke they doe God good seruice when they murder true Christians from this fountaine haue proceeded all their cruell executions in England France Italy Germany Spaine and other countries Natalis Come in his history testifieth that in the massacre of France An. D. 1572. they murdred aboue sixty thousand of all sorts of persons their garments are died in the blood of innocentes nay they cruelly poison and murther those of their owne religion if they be opposite vnto them in faction Gregory the seuenth caused not only bloody warres to be stirred vp against the Emperor but tormented and murdred such as he pleased at Rome Alexander the sixth for euery word put men to death Iulius the second promised reward to him that could kill a Frenchman as Budaeus de Asse testifieth but as Lactantius saith massacring and piety cannot stand together longè diuersa sunt carni ficina pietas nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut iustitia cum crudelitate coniungi The seuenth commandement as it forbiddeth adultery fornication Iust and all vncleanenesse so it requireth purity of life and chaste and vndefiled behauior but among Papists adultery and fornication is reckened among lesser sinnes as appeareth by the Chapter si clerici de iudicijs the Pope permitteth whores in Rome and exacteth tribute of them as is notoriously knowen to the world the same is also testified by the glosse of the constitution prouinciall beginning with the word licet de concubin cleric remouendis by Agrippa de vanit scient c. de lenocinio by Sansonino lib. dei gouerni c. corte de Roma and diuers others of late in the castle of Wisbich among the Iebusites and Masse-priests one defended that whores were in Rome cum approbatione and with as good authority as any citizen or as the Pope of Romc the Popes and their complices disallow honest wedlocke of priests and yet allow or at the least winke at such as keepe concubines and whores Theodoric à Niem tract v. nemoris vnionis c. 33. sheweth that in Gascoigne Spaine Portugall and other countries it was lawfull for Popish Bishops and Priests to keepe concubines The commandement against theft as Canisius in his catechisme confesseth c. de decalogo forbiddeth also vsury simony rapine sacrilege and all vniust gaine yet vsury and simony yeeld no small reuenues to the Popes coffers the historie of Matthew Paris doth in euery kings reigne declare infinit pillages what by vsury what by simony committed in England by the Popes speaking of Gregory the ninth his factors he saith they vexed England by vsury per Caursinos vsurarios Angliam vexarunt he saith also how they held vsury for a little fault and simony for none vsuram pro paruo simoniam pro nullo inconueniente reputauit saith he speaking of the Popes agent Felin sheweth that without the rent of Symony the church of Rome would come to contempt in Rome of late times the Popes haue erected diuers banks of vsury called monti di pieta as appeareth in Onuphrius in the liues of Iulius the third Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth and there money was to be had for ten or twelue in the hundred and sometime for lesse Vrbane the sixth as Theodoric à Niem lib. 1. de schism c. 22. testifieth sold chalices crosses and images the same man doth make strange reports of the practises of Boniface the ninth to get money omnia benesicia vendidit si non potuit habere pecunias accepit porcos sues c. lib. 2. de schism c. 10. he sayth he solde all benefices and when he could not haue money he tooke pigs cattell and such wares the merchants of Babylon now take money for masses sacraments and indulgences and extort both from quicke and dead the secular Priests charge the Iebusites to be most cunning fellowes in extorting of money in Spaine they haue a rime shewing that they haue turned all Gods commandements into practises of gaine es el primero ganar dinero that is the first commandement is to get money all Gods commandements they haue turned into these two Todo para mi nada para vos all for me nought for you The ninth commandement doth directly forbid false witnesse and whatsoeuer is vnder that conteined as lying detraction and all leud speeches tending to the hurt or disgrace of our neighbour but the Papists as if lying slandering and bearing false witnesse had beene commanded so forge and falsifie scriptures fathers councels histories and all good authours as their expurgatory tables counterfeit decretall epistles and false allegations of bastard authours and others do testifie and shall more at large be declared hereafter their late books also are full of execrable lies and slanders against M. Wickliffe M. Husse Hierome of Prage Luther Caluin Zuinglius Melancthon and all the professors of truth the Pope he hireth men to speake lies slanders and his complices delight to heare them Allen and Parsons in their resolutions of cases of conscience teach their disciples how to dissemble lie and forsweare themselues cunningly the canonists and other the Popes parasites call him a god on the earth the head and spouse of the church and beare him in hand that he cannot erre Finally where the last law saith thou shalt not couet the conuenticle of Trent teacheth that concupiscence is no sinne the Papists hold also that it is lesse sinne for Friers Masse-priests to lust and
commit fornication in thought than to marry the Popes of Rome haue not onely coueted but also vsurped diuers parts of the Empire and thus hoping to be saued by the law the Papists not onely by their practise but also by their doctrine ouerthrow the law the Pope by his dispensations annulleth and frustrateth the law his complices more regard the Popes decretales than the eternall law of the liuing God This law of God they say may bee persectly performed by the assistance of Gods grace and as touching the substance of the action they hold that it may be performed without grace ex quo efficitur saith Bellarmine lib. 5. de lib. arbit c. 9. tot am Dei legem absque auxilio gratiae quoad substant iam actionis ab hominibus recte seruari posse in the same booke c. 2. hee saith that without any speciall helpe of God man may know veritatem moralem or the morall law with the circumstances thereof which is not onely contrary to scriptures declaring mans weakenesse and blindnesse but also ouerthroweth the necessity of Gods grace for if man without grace both knoweth the truth and is able according to the substance of the action to performe the law then is he not dead in trespasses and sinnes as the Apostle saith nor doe the Papists beleeue in Christ which saith without mee you can doe nothing doth it not then appeare that popery is false erroneous and repugnant to Gods law the ancient faith in the doctrine of the law CHAP. IIII. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification THe Apostle teacheth vs that the iust shall liue by faith but the Papists doe so handle the doctrine of faith that the same cannot quicken any but is like rather to be the occasion of the fall and death of many first they teach that iustifying faith is nothing else but a firme assent to the word of God but if a firme assent to euery word of God do iustifie then are Christians iustified by beleeuing that there is a Diuell as well as beleeuing that there is a God and as well are they iustified by beleeuing the curses of the law as beleeuing that grace and mercy is offered them in Iesus Christ nay as well may the Diuels haue iustifying saith as faithfull Christians for they do giue their assent to the word of God and beleeue that hee is truth but these are most damnable doctrines Secondly they say that Christians are as well to beleeue the traditions of the church not written as the holy scriptures the doctors of Trent will haue both receiued with equall affection the authors of the censure of Colleinsol 91. teach Christians to beleeue not only such things as are reuealed in scriptures but also such points as are deliuered from hand to hand but if this be granted then will it follow that Christians are as wel to beleeue the Pope or the Church of Rome as God himselfe and that faith is built vpon mans word and not onely vpon the word of God and lastly that faith is built not only vpon vncertainties but also vpon falshood for such are the traditions of the church of Rome many are vncertaine and some very false and erroneous as is particularly shewed in diuers treatises against Romish traditions Thirdly they teach that faith is a gift and light by which a man being illustrated doth firmly assent adhere to those things which are reuealed by God and proposed to vs by the Church est Dei donum lumen saith Canisius Cathechismi c. 1. quo illustrat us homo firmiter assentitur atque adhaeret ijs quae vt credantur sunt diuinitus reuelata ab Ecclesiae nobis proposita now by the church they vnderstand the Pope and church of Rome but of this it followeth first that the Church of Rome hath no faith for how can a Church propose and teach matters to itselfe this doth vtterly destroy the nature of relations and therefore I thinke the learned Romanists will hardly confesse this to be true it followeth next that Christians are neither to beleeue in Christ nor to professe the articles of the faith vnlesse the Pope and Church of Rome propose them vnto vs. but this is most absurd and impious for we beleeue in God and not in the Pope nor in the Church adhering to him that these consequents are good it is euident because they no lesse require that the articles of faith be proposed to vs by the Church of Rome than that they be reuealed by God Fourthly as well doth Canisius require that Christians beleeue that the whole body of Christ be contained in the eucharist as Papists do hold it as the article of the Trinity the creation of the world and Christes incarnation for all these articles he ioineth together Catech. c. 1. § 4. but hee could not say worse if he meant to ouerthrow the whole Christian faith for the Popish real presence of Christs body bloud in the sacrament is contrary to Christs meaning to words of scriptures exposition of fathers the nature of sacraments and to humane reason and fense as at large is iustified in my bookes de missa against Bellarmine Fifthly they teach that the wicked and reprobate nay that the diuels of hell may haue true faith but our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 3. that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life so it followeth by the doctrine of Papists that the reprobate and the diuels of hell may be saued Sixthly they affirme that charity is the forme of faith but the Apostle teacheth vs that the iust doe liue by faith of which it followeth that faith hath a forme of it selfe whereby it quickneth vs. furthermore it is an absurd thing to make one vertue or habit the forme of another and if this were tolerable that one qualitie were the forme of another yet would it seeme farre more probable that faith should be the forme and life of charity and workes for that without faith it is not possible to please God than that charity should be the forme of faith which doth follow of faith Seuenthly the Iebusites of Collein fol. 122. teach that faith is onelie of generall propositions and hope of particulars so it followeth of their doctrine that no Christian ought to beleeue that he or any other particular person hath his sinnes forgiuen or is of the body of the church or shall be saued but if this were true then do not the Iebusites beleeue that themselues shall rise againe or appeare in iudgement further then can they not beleeue that Pope Clement or Leo or Paul is the head of the church or that they are to subiect themselues vnto him or that this particular Church of Rome is the true Church and such other particular propositions Eightly they teach that we are not iustified by the remission of sinnes or by imputation of Christs righteousnesse but the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. sheweth that Christ is made to
all the decretals of Popes before Siluesters time are counterfet and saith that he hath prooued it Multas supra in praefatione rationes adduxi saith he quibus omnium Pontificum qui Siluestrum praecesserunt decretales falsas esse manifestè ostendi but in Plantins edition of the canon lawe they haue taken away this Preface with notorious impudency couering their grosse falsities Thus we see how they haue forged whole bookes treatises epistles lawes other instruments if then they haue dealt so falsly in whole instruments books we may not thinke that they are more scrupulous in adding or taking away words or sentences and falsifying parts c. in canonicis dist 19. in the rubricke they tell vs that the Popes decretales are numbred among canonicall Scriptures and pretend Augustines authoritie but he saith no such thing lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 8. they adde these wordes ab ea alij vnto the words of S. Augustine Dist 1. de consecrat c. Iacobus they say that Iames and Basil did deliuer to vs missae celebrationem that is the forme of celebrating Masse and cite Synodum sextam c. 32. whereas it is onely said that they taught how in the holy celebration of the Lords Supper the cup was filled with wine and water C. species dist 2. de consecrat these words species similitudo illarum rerum vocabula sunt with the rest following are pretended to be taken ex Paschali Gregorij papae but most falsely C. vtrum de consecrat dist 32. these words vtrum sub figura an sub veritate hoc mysticum calicis sacramentum fiat with all the chapter following are alledged as spoken by S. Augustine yet neither is the place signed nor can those words be found in any place of S. Augustine In the chapter in Christo dist 2. de consecrat taken as is pretended out of Hilary lib. 8. de trinit these words corpus Christi quod sumitur de altari are foisted into the text Into the words of consecration of the cuppe they haue thrust in these words eterni mysterium fidei committing falshood in the very canon of the Masse Durand Rat. diuin lib. 4. c. 4. alleadgeth Pope Cyprian for proof of holy water Cyprianus Papa ait quod ideo aqua benedicta homines asperguntur quia valet ad sanctisicationem saith Durand but neither can he find a Pope of that name nor any such words in the writings of Cyprian Pius quintus in his Missall out of the 2. booke of Machab c. 12.46 writeth Peccatis mortuorum for peccato and for 2. M. writeth 12. M. Turrecremat a lib. 2. c. 12. summae de ecclesia maketh Chrysostome to call Peter the prouost and head of his brethren and to affirme that they ought to preach Peter matters neuer thought of by Chrysostome Pope Syricius alledgeth these words S. cerdotes mei semel nubant out of Moyses but no where in all the fiue books of Moyses are any such wordes to be found in the 3. action of the 2. synod of Nice Basil is made to say that the honour giuen to the image redoundeth to the originall but such words are no where found Bellarmines forgeries are infinit in his 2. booke de Pont. Rom. c. 31. he falsifieth the wordes of Hierom in an epistle to Damasus writing hanc Petram for illam Petram as if Hierome called Damasus the foundation of the church where he expresly meaneth Christ the rocke In his booke de reliquijs cap. 3. he alledgeth certaine obscure bookes and counterfet testimonies for the proofe of the worship of reliques in the same place alledging Eusebius his historie lib. 4. c. 14. he maketh him say that S. Iames his chaine is had in great veneration whereas he saith no such thing but rather sheweth in what honorable account holy men were holden in ancient time Lib. 1. de sanct beat c. 13. citing Eusebius de praeparat euangel lib. 13. he maketh him to vse these wordes nos quotidie id factitamus nam verae pietatis milites vt dei amicissimos honoramus whereas no such wordes are to be found he saith onely that Christians honor the blessed soules of such as contend for true pietie Lib. 2. de pont Rom. c. 31. he falsifieth the wordes of the councell of Chalcedon making the same to say that Leo did preside and gouerne the church as the head the members for neither was this epistle that is cited the act of the councel nor is it said there that Leo was head of the church as Bellarmine would haue it but that he ruled his clerkes as the head the members Likewise in the same booke and Chapter rehearsing the titles giuen to the bishops of Rome he saith that Eusebius in his chronicle anno D. 44. doth giue them the title of Pontifex Christianorum but Eusebius doth not so much as once mention the bishops of Rome in that place Lib. de monachis c. 31. he changeth Chrysostomes words in c. 19. Matth. making him to say that it is easie to absteine from marriage where he saith onely that it is possible and in his booke de Monachis c. 27. alledging a place out of the 15. homily of Chrysostome vpon the first to Timothy he addeth these words id est Christo nubit It were infinit to rehearse all the places which he hath falsified and not necessary considering that I haue set downe so many in diuers treatises written against him alreadie the false allegations of Harding are particularly noted by bishop Iewel of reuerend memorie Stapleton is conuinced of falsehood both by D. Fulke and D. Whitaker of Parsons and Kellisons forgeries and false allegations I haue spoken my selfe somewhat largely and shall percase haue occasion to speake of them further hereafter Wherefore if it be the propertie of heretikes and not of catholikes to mangle the sentences of fathers then Papists heerein doe declare themselues to be heretikes and not Catholikes non conuenit orthodoxis say the fathers of the 8. councel act 8. circumtruncatas patrum voces deflorare hareticorum hoc potius proprium est heerein therefore they shall neuer be able to cleare themselues of a speciall note of heretikes CHAP. XLIII That Popery cannot be well vpholden without calumniations and lies AS iustice is accompanied with trueth so wicked causes cannot be vpholden without lies and calumniations a matter cleerely verified by the practise of the papists whose false and erromous doctrine is built vpon lies and calumniations as vpon two pillers by their calumniations they seeke to bring good men into obloquie and hatred by lies they would willingly grace their owne false religion and bring a scandale vpon the truth To make proofe heereof we need not to goe farther then to their wicked libels lately published against Luther Caluin Zuinglius Oecolampadius Beza and all that haue been actors in the defence of truth to the lying traditions and legends of the synagogue of Rome to the feined miracles of supposed Romish
and that none taught in those countries beside S. Peter and such as he sent a lie directly repugnant to Scriptures which testifie that S. Paul preached in those countries being appointed by God thereto and not by man and refuted by diuers ancient histories and fathers who write that diuers others preached there beside S. Peters priests and messengers S. Augustine epist 162. sheweth that the Gospel came into Aphrike out of other countries then those that belonged to the church of Rome Gregory the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. saith that all bishops causes and the discussing of matters of religion belongeth to the See of Rome and that religion tooke her beginning from thence a matter apparantly false for religion began at Hierusalem and not at Rome and Councels in ancient time determined the differents in causes of Religion and not the bishop of Rome who was as well subiect to the decision of the general councell as other bishops Anacletus c. in nouo dist 21. saith that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince which is contradicted by the Papistes themselues that deriue Peters authoritie from Christ. Nicolas dist 22. c. omnes telleth vs that Christ gaue to Peter the right of the kingdome both of heduen and earth but of this earthly kingdome belonging to Peter this is the first man that euer told newes Anacletus dist 22. c. sacrosancta affirmeth that both Peter and Paul were crowned with martyrdome in one day and at the some time but this leasing is refuted by Prudentius peri stephan Hymno 12. Arator in act Apost lib. 2. Augustine serm 18. de sanctis and others Innocent the 4. c. ad apostolicae de sent re iudicat affirmeth that Sicily is the speciall patrimony of Peter est speciale patrimonium Petri. but no where doe were reade where either Christ gaue or Peter claimed this patrimony Clement the fifth c. Romani Clem. de iureiurando most boldly and impudently writeth that Emperors hauing the crowne set vpon their heads sweare fealty to the Pope a matter certes which Bellarmine the Popes proctor would blush to affirme for albeit he would willingly gratifie the Pope whith any thing yet dare he not say that the Roman Empire is holden in fee of the Pope and thus the Popes runne on headlong heaping priuileges on Rome and building the tower of Babel by lies The same is also practised by Bellarmine as I haue shewed in diuers discourses written against him by Baromus as my speciall exceptions taken to his volumes fraught with lies and fables do declare by Parsons and Kellison as by my answeres to their bookes it may appeare Turrecremata lib. 3. sum c. 9. affirmeth that Helena and 3000. Iewes were conuerted to Christian religion in a councell at Rome vnder Siluester but other more true stories report that she was alwares a Christian and holpe to conuert her sonne Constantine Lib. 2. sum c. 300. he saith that Paul did some things which he afterward retracted quaedam fecit quae postea reuocauit The Emperor Henry the fourth by the Romanists is most vniustly standred as if he had prostituted his owne wife to his sonne and done other such like abominable actes matters merely deuised by the Popes agents Fridericke the 2. was a most noble Prince and greatly praised by the Cardinall of Cusa Aegidius Romanus and others yet was he most vniustly reuiled and standred by Gregory the 9. Innocent the 4. and their agents as it doth appeare by the testimony of Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. Capgraue telleth how a hundred and fifty of Ioseph of Arimathaea his company sailed out of France into great Britany vpon Iosephes shirt a small barge certes for so many passengers Antoninus hist part 3. reporteth how an innumerable troupe of the order of Dominske were seene in heauen couered vnder the blessed virgins gowne Stapleton in his prompruarie dominica 2. aduentus brocheth vs a barrell of lies first he saith that Sebastian a certeine musician was put in prison for demaunding liberty of conscience by the last Queene and that one Gifford was imprisoned by her likewise for the same cause after he had enterteined the Queene very bountifully at his house and that Shelley was committed for presenting a request in the behalfe of the papists matters meerely imagined and deuised by lying companions and foolishly reported by him the two first we cannot learne euer to haue beene committed the third was imprisoned for plaine treason The Papists accused the people of Zuricke for teaching that the virgine Mary had more sonnes then one and that Iames died for them as we may reade in Sleidan lib. hist. 4. and Bellarmine lib. 4. de iustific c. 1. saith we little regard good works and lib. 2. de amiss grat c. 1. he accuseth the Albrgians as they are called and Caluin for holding the error of the Manichecs which they alwaies renounced and detested In his bo●ke de Matrimonio c. 2. he blusheth not to charge them whom he calleth Lutherans and Caluinists with holding that matrimonie is not of God a point expresly denied by them Finally it is an easie matter to shew that the foundation of Popery is laid vpon lies and that the charge which Papistes giue vpon their aduersaries is ordinarily enforced by most wicked imputations and standers CHAP. XLIIII That the cause of Popery is mainteined by fire and sword MVch are simple people abused by calumniations deuised against good men and hardly are Christians able to discerne falshood from truth and to iudge what is truely alledged what falsly vntill such time as matters be duly examined yet neither can trueth be vtterly suppressed nor do lies passe alwaies for good paiment Those therefore whom they cannot abuse with lies and false allegations the Pope and his complices seek cruelly to destroy with fire and sword The holy Ghost Apocalyps 17. sheweth vs that the purple whoore should be drunke with the blood of the saints and Apocalyp 13. that the 2. beast should kill such as would not worship the image of the beast that is that the Pope should persecute to the death such as would not submitte themselues to the kingdome of Antichrist in which the image of the Roman Empire was after a sort reuiued and this wee see verified by experience in the cruell gouernement of the Popes of Rome and their adherents Their lawes against all such as dissent from them in opinion concerning the sacraments are most rigorous they are degraded and deliuered ouer to the secular power to be burned as it appeareth by the law ad abolendam de haereticis nay they punish such as are suspected if they cannot cleere themselues with no lesse rigor then the rest all that communicat with them receiue them or succor them are in great danger such as giue them counsell are reputed infamous as is determined c. si aduersus de haereticis the goods of heretikes are adiudged confiscate neither are they punished only while they liue but also
rest also may reuoke their errours see their deformities returne with a sincere heart to Gods true church and so be saued CHAP. LV. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and an exhortation both to Papistes and true Christians THus we see and I pray God all Christians may diligently consider what is meant by popish religion briefly it is a collection of diuers corruptions and errors mainteined by the Pope and his adherents either contrary or aboue the Apostles doctrine this religion we haue shewed to haue beene built vpon weake vncerteine and salse foundations and auerre that it is contrarie to the doctrine of Gods law and of true faith and iustification through Christ the same also teacheth erroneously of the Gospell and diminisheth the merits of Christ our mediator and redeemer Further it hath corrupted the doctrine of the sacraments and brought in many old and new heresies it is compacted of diuers impieties blasphemies and idolatries and neuer came from Hierusalem it was neuer taught by the Prophets or Apostles nor professed by ancient Christian Kings It is not that religion to which the ancient Britans and English were conuerted nor doth it deserue to be called Catholike or ancient it is found to be repugnant to ancient councels and to the faith of the ancient fathers It is a religion diuers from that of the ancient Martyrs of Christ Iesus A religion deuised by man and not deriued out of holy scriptures A religion whose founders defenders doe wickedly wrest and abuse scriprures fathers and other writers A religion consisting of heathenish and Iewish obseruances A religion full of contradictions and contrarieties A religion steined with many fooleries and absurdities A religion keeping Christians in ignorance of true pietie and loosing the reines to all voluptuousnesse and disorder A religion deuoid of good workes and piety A religion that maketh a base accompt of Gods people and teacheth doctrines of Diuels A religion of whose grounds and doctrines the professors thereof haue no assurance A religion repugnant to lawes of nations of kinred alliance and common ciuilitie A religion preiudiciall to the authority of Kings and dangerous in regard of their states and persons A religion that laieth greeuous burthens on mens consciences and eateth vp Christians through manifolde exactions A religion without true bishops and priests and wholy mainteined by false allegations forgeries calumniations lies fire and sword periury and breach of couenant A religion whose chiefe founders and mainteiners haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men A religion more absurd in diuers points and that oppresseth Christians more greeuously then Mahometry A religion by whose practise the empire of Christians is decaied the power of the Turke enlarged A religion professed by degenerated Romans neither for faith nor life comparable to their ancesters and by a church that was neuer visible vntill of late time nor can shew better markes or bring better motiues to induce men to embrace her doctrine then the Turks and Paynims To conclude a religion whose professors can neither be esteemed true subiects nor true Christians nor iustlie pretend either assurance or hope of their saluation I doe therefore exhort all true Christians as they desire either that the true faith of Christ Iesus may be publikely receiued or that doctrines contrary to piety Christian charity policy reason and common humanity may be suppressed to beware of the leuain of Popery to concurre with those which both teach and set forward the true Catholike faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and which seeke to resiste all corruptions false doctrines sects and heresies and to roote vp the seeds of all trecherie and rebellion On the other side I beseech all Papists to cast away all preiudice and passion and diligently to consider of the premisses that as they professe themselues true subiects wel affected to Catholike the ancient religion of the church of Christ so they may abhorre their former treasons and rebellious detest the masse-priests and powder-men their consorts reiect all heresies errors and false doctrines masked with glorious titles of vniuersality and antiquity and set foorth by the Pope and his complices teaching a late particular faith and finally endeuour to be gathered together into that society whereof Christ is the head and without which there is no saluation The God of all truth confirme and establish all true Christians in truth and discouer all trecheries and errors that such as now are disloially minded and wander astray may acknowledge their former disloialties and errors and embrace the true Catholike faith and that such as stand may be confirmed in the truth that so both they and we iointly may liue loyally vnder our Princes and truely serue one true and euerliuing God and glorifie his holy name through Christ our Lord to whom together with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God we render all praise and honour now and for euer A briefe note of the contents of euery Chapter of the former discourse Chap. 1. VVHat is ment by Popery or popish religion in this whole treatise Chap. 2. Of the grounds and foundations of popish religion Chap. 3. Of the wicked doctrine of Papists concerning the law of God and the performance thereof Chap. 4. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification Chap. 5. What Papists doe meane speaking of the Gospel Chap. 6. Of the impious doctrine of Papists concerning Christ our Sauiour Chap. 7. The strange contradictory and false opinions of Papists concerning the Sacraments Chap. 8. That Popery is a mixture of old and new heresies Chap. 9. A catalogue of diuers notorious impieties and blasphemies conteined not onely in popish bookes but also in the corps of popish religion Chap. 10. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry Chap. 11. That popish religion neuer came from Hierusalem Chap. 12. That Popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the apostles of Christ Iesus Chap. 13. That Popery was either condemned or not know ●s by kings professing Christian religion in old time Chap. 14. That the ancient Britanes and English were not first conuerted to popish religion Chap. 15. That popish religion is most falsly termed catholike religion and papists Catholikes Chap. 16. That popish religion is not the ancient religion of the primitiue church Chap. 17. That Popery is repugnant to ancient Councels Chap. 18. That popery is not the faith of the ancient fathers of the church Chap. 19. That popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs Chap. 20. That popery is a meere humane denise and not in any sort to be deduced or proued out of holy scriptures Chap. 21. That popish religion in diuers points is directly contrarie to holy scriptures Chap. 22. That the founders and desenders of popery doe most wickedly abuse holy scriptures Chap. 23. That the Pope and the principall proctors of his cause are great forgers and falsifiers of fathers profane writers and of publike records Chap. 24. That Popery standeth much vpon heathenish obseruances and customes Chap. 25. That popery borroweth also diuers fashions from the Iewes Chap. 26. That popish religion is full of contradictions and contrary opinions Chap. 27. That popery is a most absurd and foolish religion Chap. 28. That popery keepeth Christians in blindenesse and ignorance of God and godlinesse Chap. 29. That popish religion giueth the reines to licentiousnesse of life leadeth Christians the broad way to destruction Chap. 30. That popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruites that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes Chap. 31. That in popery a base accompt is made of princes and all lay-men Chap. 32. That popery is a doctrine of diuels Chap. 33. That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion Chap. 34. That popery is repugnant to the lawes of nations Chap. 35. That popery dissolueth the bonds of kinred all 〈◊〉 and ciuilitie Chap. 36. That popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authority of kings and princes Chap. 37. That Kings professing popish religion are either no kings or but halfe kings Chap. 38. That kings liue not in any security of their lines where popery is professed by their subiects Chap. 39. That Popish religion laieth grieuous burthens on mens consciences Chap. 40. That popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the popes and the Masse-priests manfolde taxes and exactions Chap. 41. That the popish church hath no true bishops nor priests Chap. 42. That popery cannot be mainteined without forgerie and falshood Chap. 43. That popery cannot be wel vpholden without calummations and lies Chap. 44. That the cause of popery is not mainteined without fire and sword Chap. 45. That the practises and treaties of popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted Chap. 46. That the chiefe founders and mainteiners of popery haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men Chap. 47. That popery in many points is more absurde and abominable then the doctrine of Mahomet Chap. 48. That christians are lesse oppressed vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope Chap. 49. That the ambition couetousnesse contention practise of popes is the principall cause of the decay of the Christian empire and a great occasion of the good successe of the Turkes Chap. 50. That the moderns church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romaines Chap. 51. That the Romish church that now is was inuisible in old time Chap. 52. That the markes of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alle dged by Turkes and infidels Chap. 53. That true Papists cannot be true nor loiall subiects Chap. 54. That such Papists as positiuely holde all the hereticall and false doctrines of the mederne church of Rome cannot possibly be saued Chap. 55. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and art exhortation both to Papists and true Christians