they built all vpon Christ Iesus and taught that which immediatly they receiued from God but the Pope receiueth nothing immediatly from God nor doth he now preach Christ as did saint Peter argument 2 Further the true church of Christ is built vpon a rocke most solide and vnmouable against which the gates of hell can neuer preuaile but the church of Rome is built vpon the popes and their see against which the gates of hell both haue already and may further preuaile as appeareth by the Ch. Si papa dist 40. where it is supposed that the Pope may draw with him innumerable soules into hel and m In Matth. 16. Lyra confesseth that diuers popes haue proued apostataes from the faith and that finally is proued by diuers particular examples as of Marcellinus that sacrificed to idoles of Liberius that fell into Arrianisme of Honorius condemned for a monothelite and diuers other popes that fell into diuers heresies and forsooke the true faith neither doe I thinke the papistes will denie but that some of their popes for diuers impieties and wickednesses are damned and cast downe to the nethermost hell How then can that be the true church of Christ which is built vpon a foundation against which the gates of hell haue preuailed argument 3 n Arg. 3. The true church of Christ is neuer without her head for Christ Iesus who is the head of the church was yesterday and to day and the same for euermore he is the head of the church and shall alwaies so continue and of him his church hath continuall dependance but the church of Rome is often without her head the pope and hath no such dependance on him but that she may well subsist without him as the continuall vacation of the papacy doth shew and p Lib. de auferribilitatâ— papa Gerson doth confesse the church of Rome therefore cannot be the church of Christ vnlesse we will grant that the church of God may be without a head or that the church of Rome neuer wanteth a head argument 4 q Arg. 4. The church of God also hath but one faith for as there is but one Lord r Ephes 4. so there is but one faith and one baptisme but the faith of the church of Rome is not that one faith which was professed in the apostles times and in the primitiue church as appeareth by the doctrine of faith published in the wicked conuenticles of Constance and Trent and by ihat profession which Pius the 4. decreed to be exacted of all that are promoted in schooles for neither did the first christians admit all the traditions which the church of Rome now calleth apostolicall nor the 7. sacraments and vsuall rites practised by the church of Rome in the administration of them nor the sacrifice of the masse or transubstantiation or the rest of the doctrine therein contained if any papist thinke otherwise let him shew me either any such like faith or proue me any such doctrine to haue bene in the ancient church of Rome or else we must needs beleeue that this doctrine was first published by the conuenticle of Trent and by Pius the 4. by name but a wicked man for doctrine and life and by other popes confirmed argument 5 Å¿ Arg. 5. The grounds also and foundations of the catholike christian faith are diuers from the grounds foundations of the faith of the church of Rome the t Ephes 2. apostle saith that the houshold of God and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone neither doeth he admit any other foundation Saint u Apocal. 21. Iohn sheweth that the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles and this because vpon that doctrine which they deliuered the faith of the church is built for as x Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ireneus signifieth the canonicall scriptures which she apostles left vnto vs are the foundation of our faith neither may we thinke that Peter was more the foundation of the church then Paule or the rest of the apostles at dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia saith y Lib. aduers Jâ—uiâ— Hierome licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni coelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesia solidetur Theophylact also without giuing any prerogatiue to one saith z In Ephes 2. the church is built vpon the apostles and prophets neither doe the auncient fathers either allow or mention any foundation beside Christ Iesus and the apostles and prophets who in all their writings doe preach Christ Iesus But the faith of the Romish synagogue is now built vpon a diuers foundation for first they acknowledge vnwritten traditions to be a foundation equall to the written word of God a Sess 4. concil Trid. traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel oretenus à Christo vel à spiritu sancto dictatas continua successione in ecclesia catholica conseruatas pari pietatis affectu ac reuerentia scilicet ac scripturas sacras suscipit ac veneratur the conuenticle of Trent maketh traditions as well concerning faith as maners to be equall to the written word of God whereof it foloweth that we must as well beléeue the fashions and ceremonies of the Romish church as the written word of God Demonstrate conabimur saith b Lib 4. de verb. dei c. 4. Bellarmine scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes he denieth also the scriptures to be a perfect canon or rule of our faith without traditions next they receiue the popes decretals and vpon their determinations doe they build their faith as c C. inter dist 19. c. sancta dist 15. appeareth by their decretals though counterfeit and d Jn praefat in relect princip doctr Stapleton sticketh not to affirme so much in expresse words Alij nunc à Christo missi saith he eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt and e ibidem againe Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud We haue saith he another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the apostles and prophets can then the Romish congregation be the church of Christ that euen in the maine foundation of religion is departed from the church of Christ argument 6 f Arg. 6. The principles likewise of the doctrine of the Romish church are diuers froÌ„ the grounds principles of Christs true church for we haue shewed in our last argument that the true church hath no canon or rule of faith or certeine principle of faith beside the canonicall scriptures but the church of Rome admitteth the books of Iudith Tobia Ecclesiasticus Wisdome of the Machabees by the
and last resolution for matters of faith argument 15 The Church of Christ neuer burned the scriptures no albeit there were errors in the Gréeke translation of Theodosion and Symachus and the seuentie interpreters and in all the Latin translations the vulgar and olde edition not excepted z yet did the true church neuer burne the scriptures for that was practised by Dioclesian and other persecuters of the church and by heathen men rather than by any that carried the name of Christians but the church of Rome hath caused Gods holy word to be burnt vnder pretence of false translations which notwithstanding she was neuer able to prooue to be false she doth therefore plainly declare her selfe to be the synagogue of Satan and not of Christ argument 16 The true Church did neuer prohibit the scriptures to be publikely read in such tongues as the people of God were able to vnderstand nor did she euer condemne them and burne them for hereticks that read them in vulgar tongues for our sauior commanded his apostles to teach all nations and no question but it was lawfull to teach them as well by writing as by word In Psal 86. S. Hierome saith that scriptures do not only belong to priests but also to the people Non scripserunt saith he speaking of the holy apostles paucis sed vniuerso populo and our sauiour where he commanded his auditours to search the scriptures meant that it should be lawfull for all to read them finally what is more vnreasonable séeing the scriptures conteine Gods holy lawes and his eternall testament than that the lawes of God should not be red in a knowen tongue and that it should not be lawfull for children to vnderstand their heauenly fathers testament and last will but the Romish congregation prohibiteth the scriptures to be publikely read in vulgar tongues and i Index libr. prohib à Pio 9. prohibiteth all translations but such as themselues set forth which are most wicked peruerse The bloody inquisitors haue also burned diuers poore people for reading scriptures in English as appeareth by the Registers of Lincolne and London in king Henry the eighth his daies Finally Nauarrus a braue Romish doctor teacheth that it is mortall sinne for a lay man to dispute of religion Laicus disputans de fide saith k In primum praecept c. 11. Nauarrus peccat mortaliter argument 17 Our sauior Christ l Iohn 4. teacheth vs that all true worshippers do worship God in spirit and trueth Venit hora nunc est saith our sauior quando veri adoratores adorabant patrem in spiritu veritate And God by his prophet m Isay 29. Matth. 15. Isay doth condemne his people that honored him with their lips their hearts being farre from him The apostle also Coloss 2. would not haue Christians condemned in respect of meat drinke and holy daies and reprooueth those that make decrées concerning touching and tasting and such like ceremonies he doth also vtterly n 1. Cor. 14. condemne praiers in a strange language and not vnderstood of those that vse them but the worship of God which the papists vse and most commend doth wholly consist in externall ceremonies as knocking lifting vp of the Sacrament censing lights and such like they also rather honor God with their lips then their hearts not vnderstanding what they say thinking that to gaze on the masse is to serue God finally they haue many decrées concerning meats drinks saints daies and also concerning touching and tasting and such like is it not then apparent that they are no true worshippers argument 18 The Church of o Exod. 20. Christ doth worship but one God according to this commandement Thou shalt haue no other gods but me and according to the words of p Matth. 4. Christ Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue but the papists worship the images of God as God himselfe and giue as much honor to the image as to the originall Cum Christus saith q P. 3. q. 25. art 3. Thomas Aquinas adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quod eius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda Séeing as Christ is honored with diuine worship saith he it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with diuine worship and friers in their sermons speaking to the crucifix are wont to say to it Thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father which r Bellar. de cult imag lib. 2. c. 23. Bellarmine himselfe can not deny he confesseth also that images may be worshipped with that honor that is due to the originall Admitti potest imagines posse col◠improprie vel per accidens eodem genere cultus quo exemplum ipsum colitur they also worship the Sacrament with diuine worship and fall downe before it but neither are images gods nor is the Sacrament God Finally they confesse that the worship of seruice or doulia is due to saints and this they wil not deny how then can they shew that they worship and serue one true God argument 19 The catholike church only saith ſ Instit 4. c. vlt. Lactantius doth reteine the true worship of God neither can any society be termed Gods church which reteineth not Gods true worship but the papists doe not reteine Gods true worship for first they worship God according to the doctrines and commandements of men which our Sauiour t Matth. 15. Christ condemneth secondly they giue diuine honor to creatures as we shewed in our last argument thirdly their worship consisteth principally in the sacrifice of the masse which is nothing els but a masse of many superstitions impieties and blasphemies as I haue shewed particularly and largely in my treatise of the masse against Bellarmine argument 20 The true church of Christ beléeueth that Iesus Christ is perfect God and perfect man and that Christ Iesus is ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his father for these two points are articles of our faith the first being in termes conteined in the créed of Athanasius the second being expressed in the apostles créed but the papists attributing to Christ in the sacrament such a body as is neither visible nor palpable and can neither sée nor féele nor helpe himselfe nor others being oftentimes deuoured by mise and other brute beasts cannot shew how these qualities can be in a perfect man neither can they shew that a perfect man is both in heauen and in earth and in many places at once or that the flesh of Christ can be properly in heauen and earth and not onely beléeued but also apprehended with mens hands and téeth u Cōtr. Eutyth lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith that the flesh that is in heauen is not in earth Fulgentius writing to Thrasimundus saith that the bodie of Christ hath the properties of a true body x De resur carn Tertullian teacheth vs that the body of Christ
laieth 7. principles or grounds of Christian doctrine ſ Lib. 1. doct◠princip c. 1. whereof the first concerneth the church of Rome the second concerneth the pope the third the meanes that the pope vseth in iudgement the fourth the popes infallible iudgement the fift his power in taxing the canon the sixt his certaine interpretation of scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written Which principles are not onely new but the most rascall deuises that euer procéeded out of the mouth of a diuine or man of learning for among all these principles neither the scriptures nor ancient rules of faith are numbred nay in plaine termes he doubteth not to affirme that Christian religion is built vpon the popes authority in hac docentis hominis authoritate saith t In praefat ante relect princip doctrinal he in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentū necessario poni credimus but if this be the foundation of popish religion then before Stapletons time that religion had no foundation for no man euer heard of either such principles or such a foundation so laid argument 8 We finde that the religion of papists concerning the masse and transubstantiation and diuers other points of faith is founded vpon the decretales of popes but these decretales were not collected into forme nor established for law before Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. by whose authority as appeareth by the seuerall prefaces of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. and Iohn bishop of Rome that published the Clementines secondly it appeareth for that in all these bookes there is but very few constitutions of ancient bishops of Rome thirdly for that by the lawes of the Code and canons of councels it appeareth that the church for aboue a thousand yeares was gouerned by the lawes of Emperors and generall councels fourthly for that Aeneas Syluius confesseth that before the councell of Nice the church of Rome was not respected and finally for that he that maketh the collection of the Popes lawes and Bulles that were authenticall u In Bullari◠beginneth with Gregory the 7. that was a thousand yeares after Christ which he would not haue done if he could haue found any lawes more ancient than his Indéed I confesse that now and then our aduersaries produce the decretales of Clement Anacletus Euaristus and others but the matters conteined in those epistles and the stile doth so much differ from those times that euery modest and learned papist is ashamed to say these epistles were those whose names they cary argument 9 The power and authoritie likewise of popes in receiuing appeales granting rescripts aswell of fauor or iustice dispensing in cases reserued electing and translating of prelates and all other matters dependeth vpon the decretals of late popes and this appeareth not only by the decretals of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. but also by the rapsody of decrées which Surius collecteth in his first tome of councels for albeit he alledgeth the names of Anacletus Zepherinus Calixtus Fabianus and others yet they speake onely great words and vse generall termes for the particulars of the popes authoritie he can not alledge them albeit such counterfeit and rifferaffe stuffe would aduantage him nothing if they were truly alledged argument 10 The foundation of the ancient church is strong being built vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles our Sauiour Christ being the chiefe corner stone but the church of Romes foundation being laied on the pope and his decretales is weake and not durable Videtur nostra ecclesia saith x Lib. 5. de prouident Dei Saluianus ex vna scriptura foelicius-instituta aliae habent illam aut debilem aut conuulneratam habent veterem magistrorum traditionem corruptam per hoc traditionem potius quà m scripturam habent the foundation therefore of papisticall religion is both new and weake being grounded vpon men both subiect to errors and other grosse sinnes argument 11 Scriptures in the apostles times and long after were neuer forbidden to be translated into tongues that could not be vnderstood of the vulgar sort but now the papists suffer them not to be so translated y Index libr. prohib reg 4. that euery man may vse them Cum experimento manifestum sit z Ibidem say they si sacra biblia vulgari lingua passim sine discrimine permittantur plus inde ob hominum temeritatem detrimenti quam vtilitatis oriri they punish also both the bookesellers and the readers that haue vulgar bibles without licence albeit translated by themselues argument 12 In ancient time the gouernors of the church exhorted Christians to reade the scriptures our Sauior a Ioan. 5. Christ speaking to the people exhorted them to search the scriptures and the Beraeans were b Act. 17. commended for searching the scriptures S. Paul writing to the Colossians c Coloss 3. wished that the word of God might dwell in them plentifully in all wisdome the fathers also teach that the reading of Scriptures belonged also to lay men S. Hierome writing vpon the third chapter to the Colossians Hic ostenditur saith he verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter etiam laicos habere debere docere se inuicem monere and Chrysostome homil 9. in epist ad Coloss Attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the apostle doth command you also to reade the scriptures aboue all and that not lightly and carelesly but with great diligence d In Isai homil 2. Origen finally wisheth that all Christians performed that which is written of searching the scriptures but the papists haue a contrary spirit speaking of the vulgar bibles translated by their owne side they say thus Qui absque tali facultate ea legere e Index libr. prohib reg 4. seu habere praesumpserit they punish also the booksellers f Ibidem that haue such books without licence argument 13 In the times of the ancient fathers we do not reade that any holy bishop condemned bibles translated into vulgar tongues or burnt them albeit some errors were conteined in the translations neither did they repute lay men to be heretikes and burne them because they read the scriptures in their mother tongue but now the papists burne the holy scriptures vpon pretence of errors which notwithstanding they are not able to proue to be errors they haue also burned Christians for reading scriptures as appeareth by the register of Bishop Longland in king Henry the 8. his daies g Index libr. prohib reg 4. and now they punish both such as reade bibles and such as sell them argument 14 The ancient fathers of the church beléeued the church to be catholike but our papists now beléeue no church but the Romane church and without the Romane church they will not
spred thorowout the world and conteineth not only those that now liue but those also that are past and are yet to come The catholike faith is the faith of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which all true Christians both haue holden and do holde and shall holde to the worlds end In this catholike church saith b De haeres c. 3. Vincentius Lirinensis we are to hold that which alwaies hath beene beleeued of all Christians for that is truely and properly catholike he c De haeres c. 34. teacheth vs also that the property of catholiks is to keepe the doctrine committed to them and left with them by the ancient fathers and to auoid profane nouelties finally he determineth that those onely are truely and rightly called catholikes which onely beleeue and holde that which the catholike church in olde time did vniuersally holde Saint d De vera relig c. 5. Augustine doth take catholikes to be nothing els but Christians and true beleeuers which mainteine the sincere faith and follow that which is right Apud eos solos saith he quaerenda est religio qui Christiani catholici vel orthodoxi nominantur he doth also oppose catholikes against heretikes e Epist 81. ad monach palaest epist 95. Leo saith also that there is one true only perfect and inuiolable faith whereto nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken If then the papists be hereticks and no true beléeuers then are they no catholikes if they holde a faith grounded vpon priuate opinions of men and not alwaies nor vniuersally holden then doe they not holde the catholike faith but that they holde diuers heresies and false opinions shall be shewed in the chapter following that they hold many new points altogether vnknowen in ancient time and when the Gospel began first to be preached we haue alreadie proued and demonstrated in the last discourse f That papists hold points of doctrine not catholike It resteth then now that I héere declare that the papists mainteine diuers points of doctrine neuer generally holden of all Christians nor vniuersally taught in the church of Christ and that may appeare first by the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning the foundations of Christian religion next by the doctrine of that church that cōcerneth both the law and the Gospell thirdly by the faith of the Romish church concerning the sacraments fourthly by their faith concerning praier and the whole seruice of God fiftly by their doctrine concerning repentance ordination of ministers marriage almes and fasting and finally by their doctrine concerning the church and the gouernment of it argument 1 Concerning the foundations of religion they teach first that scriptures are an g Bellar. lib. 4. de ver◠Dei c. 12. vnperfect rule of faith as hath béene declared in the chapter going before and h Bish of Eureux some of them haue not feared to write books of the insufficiency of scriptures but the i 2. Tim. 3. apostle saith they are able to make the man of God perfect and wise to saluation and true catholikes alwaies held the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule both for faith and maners Saint k Lib. 2. de doct Chr. c. 9. Augustine saith that all things necessarily belonging to faith or maners are conteined in plaine places of scriptures argument 2 The papists will not allow the scriptures to conteine all that word of God which we are now to follow for albeit they do not in expresse termes say so much yet it is necessarily inferred of their doctrine where they l Bellar. de verb. Dei teach that we haue one word of God written and another vnwritten and m Sess 4. concil Trid. determine that we are with equall affection to embrace vnwritten traditions and the holy scriptures but the catholike church neuer taught that after the writings of the prophets and apostles once perfected and published we had a word of God vnwritten which is to be placed in equall ranke with the holy scriptures n Aduers gent. Athanasius saith that the holy and diuine scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in all trueth S. o In Mich. 1. Hierome calleth the scriptures the limits or bounds of the catholike church Non est egressa de finibus suis saith he id est de scripturis sanctis What saith p Regul 80. Basil is the propertie of a faithfull man forsooth to beleeue with certine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in scriptures and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any new thing vnto them Saint q Lib. de paradis c. 13. Ambrose saith we may no more adde to Gods commandements than take from them and S. r In Ioan. tractat Augustine electa sunt quae scriberentur quae saluti credentium sufficere videbantur that is those things are chosen out and thought fit to be written which séemed to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithful and albeit the fathers mention traditions which were sometime vnwritten yet if they were necessary they signifie that now they are written Si aut in euangelio praecipitur saith * In epist ad Pompeium Cyprian aut in apostolorum epistolis aut actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio he signifieth that no tradition is to be admitted vnlesse it be conteined in scriptures argument 3 The papists also teach that the pope and his Sée is the foundation of the church est Petri sedes saith ſ In praefat ante lib. de pontif Rom. Bellarmine lapis probatus angularis preciosus in fundamento fundatus these words also he applieth to the pope whom he calleth Christes vicar in another t Lib. 2. depont Rom. c. 31. place he calleth the Pope the foundation of the church and Sanders in his Rocke of the church disputeth that the pope is that rocke is not then the Romish church a weake building that in euery vacation is without foundation and relieth wholly vpon one man true Catholikes certes neuer applied the words of Isay ch 8 28. to the pope nor thought him to be an approoued stone or corner stone or a precious stone laid in the foundation of the church the u 1. Cor. 3. apostle teacheth vs that no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laid that is Christ Iesus and in another place he x Ephes 2. saith that the church and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone with him also consenteth all the company of true catholikes argument 4 Stapleton in plaine tearmes denieth the scriptures to be the foundation of his religion aliud hodie saith he y In praefat ante relect princip doctrin Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus and afterward ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud the same z In analysi ante
relect princip doctrin man intreating of the sure grounds and principles of Christian religion doeth leaue the scriptures quite out of the reckoning but Athanasius in Synopsi doth call the canonicall Scriptures the anchor and stay of our faith a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith that the apostles first preached and afterward deliuered the Gospell in Scriptures that they might be a foundation and pillar of our faith the church saith b Homil. 6. in Matth. Chrysostome is Hierusalem whose foundations are placed vpon the mountaines of the scriptures and with them doe consent all true catholikes condemning the error of the papists falsely called catholikes argument 5 The papists call the scriptures a killing letter as appeareth by the Remish annotations vpon the 3. chap. of the 2. epistle to the Corinthians as if God had deliuered his will in writing to the entent to kill them that read them they c Annot. Rhemens in Ioan. c. 5. slander them also as if they were darke and hard to be vnderstood finally they disgrace them d Ibidem in c. 4. Matth. saying that the diuell and heretikes alledge scriptures others call them a nose of waxe Inken diuinitie and matter of strife and contention and condemne the reading of scriptures as pernicious and hurtfull but true catholikes had alwaies a reuerent regard of holy scriptures as the grounds of faith and directions of holy life e Lib. 3. aduers hares c 2. Irenaeus saith that it is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them the papists therefore in this point are rather heretikes then catholikes argument 6 The papists among canonicall scriptures reckon the decretales of popes inter canonicas scripturas decretales epistòlae connumerantur saith the rubrike dist 19. c. in canonicis and this Gratian goeth about to prooue by a place of saint Augustine which he there falsifieth this also séemeth by Gregory the 13. to be approoued in his edition of the canon law neither doe I thinke that any papist will deny that the popes decretales in matters of faith are to be receiued of all men but ancient catholikes neuer had the decretals in this estimation nor thought them to be canonicall scriptures or grounds of faith or infallible as the papists call them nay Thomas Aquinas albeit no catholike f 2. 2. q. 1. art 1. confesseth that the ground of Christian faith is the first trueth or God himselfe and not onely Cyprian tooke exceptions against Cornelius Ireney against Victor the councell of Carthage against Sozimus but also diuers catholikes against the decretales of diuers popes argument 7 The conuenticle of g Sess 4. Trent vnto the canon of scriptures of the olde testament hath added not onely the books of Tobias Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and of the Machabeies but also such additions as are found in the olde latine translation albeit they be not found in the originall text and these they place in equall ranke and degrée with the books of the prophets and apostles which is contrary to the faith of the catholicke church as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in his preface to the prouerbs of Salomon in his epistle to Paulinus and in his generall prologue before the bible which he calleth prologum galeatum of Athanasius in synopsi of Epiphanius in his booke of waightes and measures of Melito of the councell of Laodicea can 59. of the canons of the apostles can 84. and diuers others neither is it materiall that Augustine lib. 2. de doctr christ c. 8. and a certaine councell of Carthage doe reckon the books of Tobias Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabeies among the canonicall scriptures for by canonicall scriptures they vnderstand such books as by order of the church were read publickely and commonly ioined together in one booke and were rather for some part a canon and rule of maners then of faith for that may be gathered out of the words of Saint Augustine and the councell that speake rather of the books as they were read then as they were authenticall Ruffine speaking of these books saith legi voluerunt in ecclesiis non tamen proferri ad authoritatem fidei ex his confirmandam Augustine also lib. de ciuit dei 18. c. 36. speaking properly of canonicall scriptures excludeth the books of the Machabeies though some churches receiue them for canonicall Athanasius in Synopsi accounteth the 3. and 4. of Esdras as canonicall as these books and Sixtus senensis doth not accounpt them equall to the rest of canonicall scriptures finally no one catholicke writer can be produced that alloweth the fragments and additions that in the olde latine interpreter are added to the originall text to be canonicall scripture are the papists then catholicks that haue no catholicke grounds of their faith argument 8 Papists allow no interpretations of scriptures against that sense which the church of Rome holdeth contra eum sensum h Concil Trid. sess 4. quem tenuit tenet sancta mater ecclesia but true catholicks neuer allowed such senses and interpretations as the church of Rome doth make as for example the church of Rome beléeueth that Christ when he said to Peter pasce oues meas gaue power to the pope to depose princes Againe where God saith to Hieremy chap. 1. ecce constitui te hodie super gentes regna Boniface the 8. concludeth that the pope hath power to iudge all earthly princes and these words ecce duo gladij hic he k C. vnam sanctam de maior obed expoundeth so as if the pope had two swords giuen to him the words deus fecit duo magna luminaria the pope interpreteth so as if the pope were meant by thy sonne and the emperor by the moone and as if the pope did so farre excell the emperor as the sonne is greater then the moone bibite ex hoc omnes they expound thus drinke not all of this and these words scrutamini scripturas they interpret as if lay men might not search the scriptures without license of the inquisitors infinit such like interpretations the church of Rome hath deuised but all contrary to the expositions of the fathers and the catholicke church argument 9 The conuenticle of Trent doth adiudge the old vulgar latin translation of the bible to be authenticall and preferreth it before the originall text but catholicks haue alwaies preferred the originall text before the latin translation Saint l In Epist ad Suniam Fretel ad Damasum Hierome saith that in the olde testament in matters of doubt concerning the translation we must haue recourse to the Hebrew as to the fountaine and in the new to the Greeke ad exemplaria Hebrea Graeca à latinis recurratur saith m Lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 10. Augustine Hilary also writing vpon the 118. psalme confesseth that the latin translation cannot satisfie the reader
be imperfectly and analogically argument 25 Saint Ambrose teacheth vs that to worship the crosse or crucifix is plaine idolatry and paganisme Inuenit Helena crucem domini saith h De qbitu Theodosi ◠he regem adorauit non lignum vtique quia hic Gentilis est error sed adorauit illum qui pependit in cruce he saith that Helene finding the crosse did adore her king that is Christ Iesus and not the wood because this is the error of the heathen idolaters he addeth also that she worshipped him that hung on the crosse i In epist ad Ioan. Hierosolym apud Hieron Epiphanius also sheweth that the image of Christ is not to be worshipped nor hung vp in churches for that he tore a vaile wherein such an image was figured and that contrary to scriptures as he saith inueni velum pendens in foribus eiusdem ecclesiae tinctum atque depictum habens imaginem quasi Christi saith Epiphanius and afterward cum hoc vidissem in ecclesia Christi contra authoritatem scripturarum hominis pendere imaginem scidi illud the papists therefore by the iudgement of Epiphanius place Christ his image in the church contrary to scriptures and like to the heathen idolaters worship the crosse giuing to it latria as to Christ Iesus himselfe argument 26 The worship also of angels which the papists practise is idolatrous for they pray vnto them k In litanijc saying sancte Michael sancte Gabriel sancte Raphael omnes angeli archangeli orate pro nobis they l In itinerario ad finem Breuiarij pray likewise to vnknowen angels they confesse their sinnes to them saying confite or beato Michaeli archangelo they set them out in imagery and bow to them and burne incense to them and kisse them finally they erect churches and altars and say masses in honour of angels all which to be idolatrous not onely the scriptures but also the fathers teach vs. non oportet Christianos say the fathers of the m Can. 35. councell of Laodicea derelicta ecclesia abire adangelos idolatriae abominandae congregationes facere Christians say they ought not to leaue the church of God and to assemble themselues idolatrously to worship angels they do also excommunicate such as worship angels as idolaters n In summa concil Laod. c. 35. ◠Carranza to wipe away this blot from the papists turneth angelos into angulos but Chrysostome and Theodoret in their commentaries and homilies vpon the epistle to the Colloss c. 2. 3. doe plainly shew that the councell condemned the worship of angels which they also condemne synodus quae conuenit Laodiceae saith Theodoret in epist ad Coloss c. 3. lege prohibuit ne precarentur angelos Nos non dico martyrum reliquias saith o In epist ad Riparium Hierome sed ne solem quidem Iunam non angelos non archangelos non cherubim non seraphim omne nomen quod nominatur in praesenti seculo in futuro colimus adoramus ne seruiamus creaturae potius quam creatori qui est benedictus in secula he saith p Haeres 79. that Christians do not worship or adore angels and signifieth that such worship is idolatrous as sauoring of seruice of creatures honoramus eos charitate saith saint Augustine lib. de ver relig c. 55. speaking of angels non seruitute nec eis templa construimus angelos adorari non vult that is God will not haue vs saith l Epiphanius to adore angels and againe angeli non capiunt talem glorificationem Augustine doeth therefore condemne the Angelikes as heretikes for that they worshipped angels Angelici saith he de haeres c. 39. in angelorum cultu inclinati argument 27 The papists worship the sacrament of the altar in the rubrike of the Romish misial after the words of consecration the priest is enioined to worship the sacrament hostiam consecratam genu flexo adorat likewise calicem genu flexo adorat the people also knocke their brests and adore it neither doe the papists deny but that the sacrament is to be adored latriae cultu that is with such worship as is due to God but the sacrament is a creature therefore they are plaine idolaters that worship it and this is prooued by the testimony of Epiphanius stultum est saith q Haeres 69. Epiphanius creaturam deificare reprobat autem primum praeceptum quod dicit dominum deum tuum adorabis ipsi soli cultum praestabis he saith it is a foolish thing to worship a creature as God and therefore prooueth that Christ is God and no creature because he is worshipped and for that the church doeth not worship a creature vnlesse therefore Christ be hypostatically and personally vnited to the sacrament those that worship the sacrament are idolaters as for those that worship vnconsecrated hostes the papists themselues deny not to be idolaters argument 28 They are also idolaters that worship the images and pictures of the virgine Mary of angels and saints departed this life the councell of Eliberis to auoid this idolatry r Can. 36. decréed picturas in ecclesijs esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur that is that pictures should not be in the church least any thing that is worshipped or adored should be painted on walles Non est dubium saith ſ Lib. 2. instit diuin c. 18. Lactantius quin religio nulla sit vbicunque simulachrum est nam si religio ex diuinis rebus est diuini autem nihil est nisi in caelestibus rebus carent ergo religione simulachra quia nihil potest esse coeleste in ea re quae fit ex terra he teacheth vs that there is no religion where images are worshipped as being earth and not sauoring of any heauenly or diuine quality or substance Inueni velum pendens in foribus eiusdem ecclesiae tinctum atque depictum saith t Ad Ioan. Hierosolym apud Hieronymous Epiphanius habens imaginem quasi Christi vel sancti non enim satis memini cuius imago fuerit cum ergo hoc vidissem in ecclesia Christi contra authoritatem scripturarum hominis pendere imaginem scidi illud and afterward Precor vt iubeas presbyteros eiusdem loci suscipere velum à latore quod à nobis missum est deinceps praecipere in ecclesia Christi istiusmodi vela quae contra religionem nostram veniunt non appendi he doth plainly shew that to place pictures images in churches is contrary to scriptures religion neither doth he only condemne heathen idoles but images in churches also Vnto this place our aduersaries answer that these words were not written by Epiphanius but soisted in by some other but in his booke against heresies he sheweth himselfe to be of the same opinion and doth strongly confirme that which is héere said Writing against the Collyridians haeres 79.
founders falsification 2 Gregorie the fourth saith that all bishops causes and the discussing of matters of religion belōgeth to the apostolike Romane See as the head of all Churches the place frō whence the Church tooke her beginning cum nulli dubium sit saith hée quod non solum pontificalis causatio C. praeceptis dist 12. sed omnis sanctae religionis relatio ad sedem apostolicam quasi ad caput ecclesiarum debeat referri inde normam sumere vnde sumpsit exordiū Anatorious lye For the law went out of Sion and not from Rome and bishops causes were handled in times past in councels and not before the bishops of Rome There also were matters of faith decided and not by the Romish bishops as this lying Pope affirmeth Nay the causes of the bishop of Rome himselfe as wel as of all other bishops were handled in councels falsification 3 Vnder the name of Athanasius the Church of Rome c. Septuaginta dist 17. teacheth that the counsell of Nice published 80. canons which were reduced afterward to the number of 70. according to the number of 70. disciples and that the copie brought to Alexandria was burnt by heretikes But authenticall stories doe refute this lye and shew that there were onely 20. Canons established in that councell Beside that Luke 10. Luke saith that Christ sent 72. disciples As the old latin transtation hath Thirdly if the canons were 80. it were a méere falsity to cut of or reduce 80. to 70. Finally of the burning of the canons of the Nicene counsell there is no recorde in any authenticall writer falsification 4 Marcellus saith that these words Psal 81. ego dixi dij estis are spoken of Preestes And thereby would proue them to bée aboue magistrates Si seculares in publicis iudicijs saith he C. synodum dist 17. libellis vtuntur appellatorijs quanto magis sacerdotibus haec eadem agere licet de qubus dictum est ego dixi dij estis The Pope therefore may bee conuinced of notorious lying and forging by all interpreters and not only by the text it selfe falsification 5 Vnder the name of Leo. c. ita dominus dist 19. They teach that Peter was assumed into an inseperable bond of vnitie with Christ hunc in consortium indiuiduae vnitatis assumptum id quod ipse erat voluit nominari a matter vntrue and blasphemous and vnworthy to be vttred by Leo. For albeit Christ consist of two natures yet no man euer yet sayed beside this counterfect◠Leo that Christ and Peter made one person falsification 6 Anacletus saith that Peter was made bishop when Christ sayd to him thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hell shal not preuaile against it C. innouo dist 21. and I will giue thee the keys of the kindome of heauen He saith also that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their prince ceteri vero apostoli cum eodem pari consortio honorem potestatem acceperunt ipsumque principem eorum esse voluerunt But this second poynt is refuted by the whole tenor of the euangelical history and the actes of the Apostles recorded by Saint Luke For in no place we finde where the Apostles did ordaine or make Peter their prince or gouernor Nay we rather finde where Christ made all the Apostles equall The first point is contradicted also by the words of Christ who in the future tence said Dabo tibi and not Do tibi Bellarmine also holdeth that Peter in this place receiued nothing but a promise quorum verborum saith he planus obuius sensus est lib. 1. de pontif Rom. 10. vt intelligamus sub duabus metaphoris promissum Petro totius ecclesiae principatum Hee speaketh of the sence of the words rehersed by Anacletus and by his exposition it appeareth that Anacletus sayd vntruely that Peter was made bishop by christs words vttred Mat. 16. which may also be proued by Turrecremata in his treatise de ecclesia Finally all the Popes agents hold that Peter receiued the primacy from Christ and not from the Apostles falsification 7 Gelasius saith that the Church of Rome obtained the primacie not by any ordinances of synodes C quamuis dist 21. but by Christes owne words in the Gospell A matter most vntrue For the scriptures speake no where of the primacy of the Romish Church neither can it be proued out of the wordes tu es Petrus alledged by Gelasius Neither doth euery prerogatiue of Peter belonge to the Church of Rome Nor had the apostle Peter any such high primacy As the Pope nowe claymeth and practiseth falsification 8 Pope Nicolas saith that Dioscorus was not condemned for matter of faith C. in tantum dist 21. but for denouncing an excommunication against Leo bishop of Rome But the actes of the 2. councell of Ephesus being in fauour of Eutyches and the councell of Chalcedon do reproue him and playnly conuince him of vntruth The same also may be gathered by the chapter Canones dist 15. And therefore the glosse to salue this lye saith we must so vnderstand Nicolas his words as if he had sayd that Dioscorus was not condemned for matter of faith onely which was no part of Nicolas his meaning falsification 9 Omnes siue patriarchij cuiuslibet apices siue metropoleon primatus aut episcopatuum Cathedras vel ecclesiarum cuiuslibet ordinis dignitates C. omnes dist 22. saith Nicolas the Pope instituit Romana ecclesia But he telleth a grosse vntruth for the scriptures tell vs that the Apostle Paule ordeined bishops in Crete Ephesus and diuers places both in Europe and Asia and ecclesiasticall histories tell vs that neither the Church of Ierusalem nor Antioch nor other easterne Churches nor their dignities were founded by the Church of Rome Finally the actes of councels tell vs that councelles did appoynt the seuerall limits of bishops diocesses did enlarge their dignityes according to diuers occasions and that emperours and the dignities of greate cityes did adde dignity to the bishops falsification 10 The same Nicolas also affirmeth that Christ gaue to Peter terreni simul caelestis imperii iura that is the right both of the kingdome of heauen and kingdome of earth Ibidem But our Sauiour Christs words shew that he gaue him no earthly kingdome but promised him onely the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Nay if he be Christes vicar then he must clayme no earthly kingdome For our Sauiour Christs kingdome was not of this world falsification 11 Anacletus affirmeth that Peter and Paule were both crowned with Martyrdome in one day and at the same time C. sacro sancta dist 22. a matter denyed by Prudentius peri steph hym 12. Arator in Act. Apost lib. 2. and the author of the 18. Sermon de sanctis that goeth vnder Saint Augustines name and diuers others falsification 11 Pope Nicholas saith that Constantine called the bishop of Rome God Constat à pio principe
readers view a representation or liuely paterne of a conference that is notable vntrueths and falsifications c. and these also he auoucheth he will gather out of master Willets and my writings wherein I would pray all moderate papists to consider with indifferency this fond speech of this most miserable popish creature and proctor he calleth notable untrueths and falsifications a paterne of such a conference as he desireth If then he desire a conference he must needs desire vntrueths and falsifications if his words haue any sence I know he hopeth to picke them out of our writings but if he finde any they must be such as are vttered by himselfe and his conforts and not by vs. in the meane while his fellowes are sory to see him speake so foolishly of conferences vntrueths and falsifications Fiftly He e Fol. 1. praef talketh also verie idelly of backe dores and deceitfull entries such as Daniel detected in Bels idolatrous priests which if I did not know the mans great simplicity I would haue imagined to haue beene foisted into his Praeface by some backe friend to popish religion to the great disgrace of Romish priests that by backe dores and deceitfull entries play many lewd parts with their nonnes in Spaine and Italy and with recusants wiues maides and daughters where they are lodged and interteined in England as shall be prooved by particulars if any 〈◊〉 to aske me the question These also doe worship idoles as brutishly as the f Daniel 14. in the Latin translation Babylonians did Bel and set vp the images of saint Anthony and saint Dominicke and other saints vpon altars as the Babylonians did their god Bel. finally they burne incense to their idoles and crouch to them and offer sacrifices before them as the idolatrous priests did before Bel. There resteth therefore nothing to make them all like to Bels priests but now their fraudes and cousinages and idolatries and impieties are discouered that some zelous prince would doe with the popish priests of Baal in England and other places as the king of Babylon did with the priests of Bel in his country and that would make an end both of the whole controuersy and of this idle fellowes brabling 6 Likewise under the title of his booke hee setteth downe this verse g Hierom 14. falsely saieth the Lord doe the prophets prophesie in my name I haue not sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them they prophesie unto you a lying vision and diuination and fraud and the deceipt of there owne heart whereby it seemeth he was hired to speake shame and reproch of his owne most lewd companions comming directly from antichrist and not from Christ of the church of Rome that in liew of Gods word readeth fables and lying legends and of the pope that in his lying decretales brocheth the deceits of his owne heart neither can this prophesie be expounded of any so fitly as of the false priests of Baal that come with faculties from the pope without any one word of authority or lawful mission from God and that prophesie lying visions of the restoring of the idolatrous religion of papists and preach the fancies and deceits of there owne hearts out of their masters conieâ—turall and false dictates I know he aimeth at vs. but hauing chosen this sentence for an ornament of the front of his lying pamphlet he must be content to take it to himselfe and must for any helpe he shall haue of vs necessarily be forced to apply it to his friends where it is best deserued 7 Talking of suposed falsifications he saith three things make a falsary first changing of the trueth into falshood secondly craft and malice and lastly domage or hurt and to proue his words true he alledgeth the names of Hostiensis and Panormitan two ancient canonistes but vnlesse he acquit himselfe the better in talking of falsification it will be proued that he hath falsely alledged these two authors no man certes euer talked more simply of falsity and falsaries then this falsary for not either change of trueth into falshood is falsity no albeit it be craftily done with detriment to some person for then should euery malicious and hurtfull liar be a falsary also and the authours and approuers of the Romish legends and breuiaries should also be notorious falsaries hauing told many grosse malicious lies to the great slander and hurt of religion nor hath our aduersary rightly defined a falsary for a falsary is he that in writings addeth or detracteth or altereth any thing fraudulently as appeareth by the glosse in c. in memoriam dist 19. and as the Romanistes shew themselves to be by their expurgatory indexes but saith our detractor in the margent in the french copy printed by Hierome Verdussen it is so but this is contrary to the text beside that we are no more ro beleeue the print of Hierome Verdussen then of Iulian Greenesleue if our aduersary will make such crakes he must bring vs better authours then Hierome Verdussen or the popish reporter of the conference betwixt M. Plesu and Eureux is it then likely that our aduersary should conuince vs of falsification that albeit himsefe committeth many grosse falsifications yet knoweth not what this word meaneth which may also appeare in this that he chargeth me with falsification in the first and second place noted page 47. 51. where I doe not so much as alledge any writing or any mans words but onely quote Augustin and Epiphanius in the margent to shew that my assertion may be proued out of their writings 8 His metaphors and profound allegoricall speeches he vseth to draw from womens rocks as though saith he he had not towe inough to his rocke which sheweth that this companion is better seene in womens rockes and frockes then in any point of diuinity beware therefore you of the cacolicke crew that such gallants come not neere your wiues daughters nor maids that they play not with you a tricke of their cacolicke religion if you beleeue not me beleeue Palingenius that would haue such mates excluded out of mens houses that meane to keepe their women chast 9 And although this is the mans great simplicity and weaknesse yet would he needs incounter at one time M. Willet and me both together nay as if we were nothing in this giants hands with great arrogancy he setteth also vpoÌ„ M. Thomas Bell a man while he was yet a popish priest among them accounted the most learned sufficient and graue man among their company and now well knowen by his learned workes not answerable at the least not answered to haue much profited since but what is it that our wise aduersary obiecteth that he should cry out so loud against Master Bell what is the Gordian knot that he supposeth to be insoluble forsooth because he saith that the bishops of Rome vntill the daies of Saint Augustine and long after were very godly men and taught the same doctrine that Saint Peter
had done before them and yet affirmeth also that pope Syricius was seduced by Sathan published wicked doctrine taught the flat doctrine of the divel that pope Sozimus brought in superstition and falsified the decrees of the Nicene councell so to mainteine the vsurped primacie of the Church of Rome as if M. Belles propositions might not well stand together for he saith not that all the bishops of Rome were good and godly men and taught true doctrine vntill S. Augustines time but speaketh indefinitly of the bishops of Rome without adding all which maner of speech in materia contingenti is not to be taken absolutely and vniuersally but for the most part and so no doubt saint Augustine speaking of the bishops of Rome vnderstood it knowing that Marcelline sacrificed to idoles and that Liberius was an Arrian and we may say also that the apostles of Christ were good men although Judas was a traitor and lanterne bearer to the Iewes as some popish writers say that betraied Christ and much of the nature and condition of this detectour of falsifications and detractor from honest men and a very lanterner of Antichrist and a traitour to his countrey let him therefore beware he be not taken passing through backe dores like the idolatrous priests of Bel and so for his gordian knot be taken tied in a Tyburne knot 10 I need not say much of our adversaries forme of writing or frame of sentences for it appeereth euery where that he did not know the difference of pneuma and periodus nor could distinguish betwixt colons and periodes commaes and colons his whole discouse is liker to nothing that I can imagine then to the way betweene Chard and Honiton in the west countrey that is rude and rugged vp hill and downe hill and very vnequall but to let that passe yet may I not passe in silence that a Praefat. fol. 1. speaking of the great commanders and princely pilots that sit at the sterne of the common wealth he seemeth to communicate her Maiesties souereigne authority to inferior persons and doth not once vouchsafe to acknowledge her princely power or to name her among the governors of this state and yet such disloiall traitors that acknowledge the popes supreme authoritie and deny her Maiesties power as being excommunicate by the popes scuruinesse our fellow percase would say holinesse are not sought out nor brought to such a triall as their offences deserue By this therefore it may appeare that as our aduersary hath no ability to disproue any point of religion which we hold so he hath vtterly shamed his consorts and the crew of papists that hitherto haue made great brags of this their champion of his inuincible arguments all hard knotty like the haft of a dougeon dagger he hath also vtterly shamed himself in medling with these matters being a mā not read nor any way fit to discourse or handle matter of cōtrouersy the which that it may further appere I purpose god willing not only to iustify my former chalenge which this poore menowe would nibble at but also to discharge my selfe honestly of all those vntruthes and falsifications which the detractor maliciously goeth about to charge vpon me Wherein that I may proceed more formally not onely skin this dead dog whose ouerthrow shall helpe vs nothing but handle somewhat else that may make for the aduantage of true religion and the instruction of the ignorant The order and chiefe propositions chapters of the discourse ensuing I wil God willing declare first that the church of Rome that now is and which embraceth the doctrine of the pope and conuenticle of Trent is not the true church of Christ Iesus and secondly that the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are meere nouelties and late deuised fancies for the most part thirdly that the papists are no true catholikes nor hold the catholike faith and that it is a great wrong offred to Christes church to call them catholikes vnlesse it be as we call dead carcases men fourthly that papists mainteine many both old new haresies and points of doctrine contrary to the word of God and to the catholike faith fifthly that they are idolaters finally that such as haue died in the popes quarrell in England were vnnaturall traitors and no true martyrs and that such priests also as come from Rome with commission and faculties from the pope are traitors and enemies to their prince and countrey and so to be reputed and taken and not otherwise All which points one or two excepted I handled in my last challenge this challenge thus iustified I shall God willing presently encountre our detractor and answer first his obiections concerning vntruthes secondly his quarrels concerning supposed falsifications thirdly his vaine childish obseruations and to shew the vanitie of our aduersaries pleading and how much the papists are to shunne all conferences and disputes concerning lies and falsifications I will also for further euidence against them set down first certeine notorious lies and forgeries committed by the popes and church of Rome and next such lies and forgeries as are committed by their principall agents and heerein first I will declare Bellarmine to be most guiltie in this point the next place shall conteine Baronius his cardinall leasinges after them I will note certeine notorious lies and forgeries conteined in the writings of other papists yea of Parsons himselfe and of this Momus in his new nothing which he calleth a detection of lies and falsifications finally to answer his obseruations I will also discourse of such things as in our aduersaries and their writings seeme woorthy to be obserued and all this to let our aduersaries know that they had more need to defend themselves then to presse vs and to take the beames out of their owne eies rather then to espie motes in our eies As for his railing words rustical vnciuil behauiour I leave to be censured by the archpriest in his next generall synod which if he doe not I will referre him over to be answered by master Kempe vpon the stage and if he desist not his railing and rusticalitie either vpon the archpriests admonition or master Kempes censure I assure him I will set a fellow to answer him that shall so currie him and his consorts the papists and that shall in such sort tippe vp their vilanies that the whole fraternitie of asses shall curse him for braying so vnciuilly I hope also that some odde priest or other out of his grammer dictates will admonish him to looke better to his grammer rules and tell him that he hath falsified a verse out of Horace and made a grosse fault in it This is the onely verse in the booke for where Horace saith quid dignum tanto feret hic pro missor hiatu our wise b Pag. 4. aduersarie hath quid dignum tanto proferet promissor hiatu both altering his authors words and
pretence of religion haue intangled their folowers in diuers practises of faction and treason I hope all English albeit otherwise fauorers of popery wil better looke how they engage themselues in treason they come from forreine enemies and depend vpon them and though they talke of religion yet their intention is wholy for the pope and Spaniard and their course is irreligious and factious If popish religion founded in the conuenticle of Trent and taught by late popes and their proctors be catholike and ancient then will it be an easie matter to shew it and to answer our obiections where we prooue the contrary if our aduersaries flie triall and will not ioine with vs and directly answere then haue all papists and others reason to flie from such false teachers and heretikes and to abandon all their wicked haeresies there is no agreement betwixt Christ and Belial 2. Cor. 6. betwixt trueth and error light and darknes if they can shew themselues that they are no idolaters they will cleere themselues if not why do they seeke to erect altars of Baal in euery corner and why doe not all Christians auoid to communicate with the priests of Baal in their idolatrous masse 2. Cor. 6. there is no agreement betwixt the temple of God and idoles neither 1. Cor. 10. can any drinke the Lords cuppe that doth participate at the table of diuels or diuelish masse but what should I talke of the Lords cup when these idolatrous priests take the Lords cup from all that follow them If the aduersaries be cleare of lying and falsification then will they answer plainly and directly as I haue answered them if their lies and forgeries be made notorious to the world he is not very wise that will trust such lying and forging companions But what should I need to declare that briefely which at large is prooued in the discourse following reade onely diligently and examine carefully and iudge indifferently and so leauing thee to thy meditations and referring thee to the touch of both our aduersaries accusations and our answers I beseech God to giue thee true vnderstanding of his sauing trueth and that hee will giue thee grace if thou knowest the trueth to perseuere constant vnto the end if thou cariest a preiudicate affection towards popery then to see into the deformities impostures and abuses of popish religion and that in the end it will please him to discouer all fraudes impostures conspiracies trecheries and vilanies of the popish faction and to let thee see the damnation of the great whore and the abominations of Babylon Adieu Thine in all Christian affection MATTH SUTCLIFFE A CHALLENGE concerning the malignant church of Antichrist and false doctrine and lewd practises of Papists Directed to Rob. Parsons Frier Garnet G. Blackwell the Archpriest and all their adhaerents CHAP. I. That the Church of Rome that now is and that embraceth the doctrine of the Pope and conuenticle of Trent is not the true Church of Christ Iesus THe Church of God being a 1. Tim. 3. the house of God and b Ibidem the pillar and ground of trueth and c Galat. 4. the mother of all faithfull people as the Apostle teacheth vs it is no maruell if all congregations that professe Christian religion do also challenge to themselues the name and title of the Church d Inst lib. 4. c. vlt. Singuli quique haereticorum coetus saith Lactantius se potissimum Christianos suam esse catholicam ecclesiam putant euen the couenticles of hereticks doe imagine themselues to be true Christians and entitle their Congregations by the name of the Catholike church and that this is true the papists affoord vs most euident proofe for albeit in many points they know not the voice of Christ Iesus but follow a stranger that without all colour challengeth to himselfe to be Christs vicar yet very confidently and proudly they call themselues Christes true catholicke church and challenge to themselues all those prerogatiues that are due to his most holy spouse neither do they only challenge to themselues the title and name of the Church but also exclude all others from the same and as Leo said speaking to certeine monkes of Palestine ecclesiae nomine aduersus ecclesiam armaminï so we may well say of these blinde zelators of popery that in the name of the Church they fight against the true Church of Christ Iesus That the papists adhering to the pope of Rome and imbracing the doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent are not the true church of Christ Iesus it may be prooued by diuers inuincible reasons argument 1 for first the church of Christ is built onely vpon Christ Iesus as a principall rocke and a foundation most sure and immoouable No man saith the e 1. Cor. 3. Apostle can lay any other foundation beside that which already is laied which is Christ Iesus for he is that f Isai 28. corner stone that is placed in the foundation of Sion he is that g Matth. 16. rocke vpon which the church is built Super hanc petram quam confessus es saith S. h Serm. 13. de verb. Dom. Augustine super hanc petram quam cognouisti dicens Tues Christus filius Dei aedificabo ecclesiam meam id est super meipsum filium Dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam he saith the church is built vpon Christ Iesus whom Peter confessed neither doe the fathers meane otherwise where they affirme the church to be built either vpon the confession or faith of Peter or els vpon Peter himselfe for all these doe either indirectly vnderstand Christ whom Peter confessed or Peters faith concerning Christ but the Romish church that now is is built vpon the pope and vpon his Sée and doctrine Est Petri sedes saith i In praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. Bellar. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus he k Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. saith also that the Pope is the foundation of the building of the church and goeth about to prooue it by certeine words of Hierome although that good Father neuer thought of any such matter l Sanders his rocke of the church Sanders doth endeuour to proue that the Popes of Rome are the vnmouable rocke of the church Turrian likewise because Christ said aedificabo ecclesiam meam non aedifico ecclesiam meam concludeth that the popes of future times and not onely Saint Peter were vnderstood by that rocke vpon which the church is built seeing then the church of Rome is built vpon a foundation diuers from the foundation of Christ his church and relieth vpon the pope as much or more then Christ Iesus it cannot be the true church for if the papists say that Christ is the chiefe foundation and the Pope is the next they crosse the scriptures that make Christ the sole foundation and onely attribute the name of foundation to the apostles and prophets in that
ancient church accounted apocryphal as g In epist ad Paulin. in prolog in prouerb Hierome h In Synops Athanasius and diuers of the ancient fathers 〈◊〉 witnesse It alloweth also the old latin translation of the bible though different from the originall bookes the same also admitteth for principles of faith the sentences of popes the doctrine of the Romish church that now is the traditions of the Romish church the consent of fathers and diuers other grounds as Stapleton disputeth in his bookes De doctrinalibus principijs argument 7 i Arg. 7. Neuer certes did the church of Christ speake euill of scriptures k Lib. 3 aduersus haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fal into dislike of them and to accuse them as for the children of God they cannot either calumniate or lightly estéeme their heauenly fathers testameÌ„t or refuse to heare his voice but the scriptures conteine a declaration of the eternall testament of our heauenly father and therefore they are rightly called his testament in the scriptures also God speaketh vnto vs. and therefore if we be Christs sheepe we caÌ„not but hearken to his voice My sheepe saith our l Iohn 10. Sauiour heare my voice but the Romish church is still carping at scriptures as if they were neither sufficient nor perspicuous m Lib. 4. de verl die c. 4. Bellarmine saith they are neither necessarie nor sufficient without traditions n Praefat in reâ—act princip doctr Stapleton denieth them to be a sufficient foundation or rule of our faith the authors of the annotations vpon the Rhemish testament doe call them most blasphemously a killing letter and signifie that the reading of them is pernicious o Censur coloâ— others slander them as if they were a nose of waxe or a matter and subiect of contention argument 8 The church of God neuer called the bishop of Rome either a god on the earth or Christes vicar generall or vniuersall bishop but the church of Rome admitteth all this the canonists exalt him like a god p Epist ad Gregorium 13. ante princip doct Stapleton calleth him supremum numen in terris generally they call him vniuersall bishop and condemne all that hold contrary argument 9 The church of God doth kéepe the doctrine of the apostles and prophets q Gal. 1. without addition alteration or corruption and the apostle pronounceth him accursed r Aduers haeres c. 34. that teacheth any other Gospel than that which he taught Vincentius Lirinensis saith that this is the propertie of catholicks to kéepe the faith and doctrine of the fathers committed to them in trust and to condemne prophane nouelties CatholicoruÌ„ saith he hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas vocum nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare but the papists kéepe not entire the originall writings of the olde and new testament nor allow them as authenticall neither will they yéeld the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect and sufficient rule of faith nor doe they allow the law of God to be a perfect law nor doe they kéepe Christes institution in the Sacrament of the Lords supper distributing the kinds of bread and wine to the communicants but haue vnto this rule added vnwritten traditions and the determinations of popes concerning matters of faith they haue also encreased the numbers of Sacraments and added many precepts and rules not receiued in the Apostolicke church argument 10 The true Church can not endure hereticks and false apostles that teach doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ and doctrine of Christes apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe saith They will not follow a stranger but flie from him for that they know not the voice of strangers The apostles gaue vnto Christians a speciall charge concerning this point If there come any vnto you saith S. Å¿ Epist 2. Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith t Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith Cyprian as farre from them as they separate themselues from the church The true church certes can not embrace erroneous doctrine neither can any heretiks be accounted Christians Si haeretici sint saith u De praescrip aduers haeret Tertullian Christianiesse non possunt But the Papists communicate with hereticks as Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius Iohn the 22. and 23. whom in my treatise De pontifice Rom. I declared to be heretiks they do also embrace the heresie of Angelicks in worshipping angels of the Collyridians in worshipping the blessed Virgin of Marcion Valentinus and others in denying Christes true bodie in the Sacrament to be solide and palpaple of the Pelagians in magnifying their merits and the force of frée will of the Carpocratians in burning incense and worshipping the images of Iesus and Paul and diuers others as we shall héereafter particularly declare argument 11 The true Church of Christ admitteth not the apocryphal legends of S. George Cyricus and Iulitta for these are condemned by the censure of Gelasius who testifieth that the olde Church of Rome receiued not any such legends but the latter Church of Rome and papists of our time doe admit these legends and out them they gather their traditions which they make equall to the word of God argument 12 The Church of God is the mistresse and teacher of trueth and admitteth no falshood nor vntrueth the apostle doeth call her the pillar and ground of trueth Est fons veritatis saith x Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius speaking of the church hoc est domicilium fidei that is she is the fountaine of trueth she is the house where true faith dwelleth but the church of Rome that now is is not only a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lies and vanities and so Petrarch for aboue two hundred yéeres doubted not to call her Madre d'errori e tempio d'haeresia saith he which authoritie albeit they regard not yet the same which he auoucheth is prooued first in that the church of Rome auoucheth lying traditions as for example the tradition concerning Ember fasts and fasts vpon Saints vigiles concerning the ceremonies of the masse concerning the words aeterni mysterium fidei thrust into the words of consecration of the challice and such like secondly the same approoueth lying and forged decretals as for example C. Constantinus dist 96. and c. ego Ludouicus dist 63. and c. quis nesciat dist 11. infinit more of that nature thirdly the same giueth credit to Caesar Baronius his most lying and fabulous narrations and the popes haue commended them
is in the pallace of heauen neither may we suspect that he supposed that Christs body might at the same time be in earth Saint y Lib. 10. in c. 24. Luc. Ambrose saith that we touch not Christ with corporall handling but by faith and that we are not to seeke him on the earth nor after the flesh if we will finde him finally the scriptures and fathers do teach vs that Christ is so ascended into heauen that we doe not enioy him héere on the earth according to his bodily presence as I haue declared at large in my treatise against Bellarmine concerning the reall supposed presence of his body in the sacrament argument 21 The true church beléeueth that we are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus and not by the works of the law arbitramur iustificari hominem saith the z Rom. 3. apostle per fidem sine operibus legis Rom. 4. si qui ex lege haeredes sunt exinanita est fides this is the faith likewise of the fathers a Dial. 1. contr Pelag. tunc ergo iusti sumus saith Hierome quando nos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex dei consistit misericordia and that we are not iustified by charitie or by our works it may be prooued by the testimony of saint b Epist 29. ad Hieronymum Augustine plenissima charitas saith he quae iam non possit augeri quamdiu hîc homo viuit est in nemine quamdiu autem augeri potest profectò illud quod minus est quà m debet ex vitio est ex quo vitio non est qui faciat bonum non peccet neither may we suppose where the fathers doe speake of iustice of workes that they meane any other iustice but such as declareth vs iustified and which without remission of sinnes cannot stand before God but the papists both beléeue and teach contrary as appéereth by the c Sess 6. actes of the Trent councell and friuolous disputes of d Lib. 4. de iustific c. 10. seq Bellarmine who endeuoureth to shew that man is able to fulfill the law and that our works doe iustifie vs. whereupon it followeth that contrary to the apostles intention we are iustified by the law if he say truely argument 22 The true church also beleeueth that we are not to boast or glory of our works and that the reward of sinne is death and that eternall life 's the gift of God Si Abraham ex operibus iustificatus est saith the apostle Rom. 3. habet gloriam sed non apud deum and Rom. 6. stipendium peccati mors gratia autem dei vita aeterna in Christo Iesu domino nostro likewise the scriptures shew that when we haue done all we can we are to acknowledge our selues to be vnprofitable seruants and that our sufferings are not woorthy of the glory that is to be reuealed and this the church of Christ also beléeueth and hath from time to time beléeued tua peccata sunt saith Augustine in Psal 70. merita dei sunt supplicium tibi debetur cum praemium venerit sua dona coronabit non merita tua and Hilary in Psal 51. non illa ipsa iustitiae opera sufficenrent ad perfectae beatitudinis meritum nisi misericordia dei etiam in hac iustitiae voluntate humanarum demutationum motuum non reputet vitia but the papists hold that we may trust in our works as appeareth by Bellarmines dispute lib. 5. de iustific c. 7. and say that all sinnes doe not deserue death and that eternall life is due for our works argument 23 The true church doth acknowledge no head of the vniuersall church but Christ alone which is also the Sauiour of his body Christ saith the e Ephes 2. apostle is the head of the church he is sauior of his body neither is the title of head of the vniuersall church due to Peter Peter the apostle saith f Lib. 4. epist 38 ad Joan. Constantinop Gregory is the first member of the holy catholike church and Paul Andrew and Iohn what are they but heads of diuers parishes and yet all are members of the church vnder one head Saint g De agon Christ in Psal 9. Augustine saith that Christ Iesus that is the mediator betwixt God and man is head of the church but this title of mediatour onely belongeth to our sauiour Yet the Romish church doth acknowledge the pope to be her head and h In gloss in c. vnam de maior obed Bertrand blasphemously saith that Christ had not beene discreet if he had not left a vicar generall behind him and this doth i Praefat. in lib. de pontif Rom. lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine very well allow and prooue it to be due to the pope is that congregation then the true church that hath either two heads or a head beside Christ Iesus argument 24 The true church is not built vpon the pope for the church was before there was either pope of Rome or chiefe priest among the Iewes but the church of Rome doth acknowledge the pope to be her rocke and her foundation as appeareth by Bellarmines preface before his treatise de pontifice Rom. and doth take the pope to be her foundation k Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine among other the popes titles doth reckon this for one that he is fundamentum aedificii ecclesiae that is the foundation of the building of the church argument 25 The true church is Christs faithfull spouse Oseae 2. God speaking to his church saith sponsabo te mihi in fide the church also being Christes spouse harkeneth to him alone and of him is most dearely beloued en dilectus meus saith the l Cantic 2. church loquitur mihi surge propera amica mea columba mea formosa mea veni Cyprian saith that the church cannot be drawne to like of an adulterer adulterari non potest saith m De vnit ecclesiae he Christi sponsa incorrupta est pudica but the n Turrecrem lib. 2. c. 28. Aquin. in 4. sent dist 38. church of Rome doth acknowledge the pope of Rome to be her spouse and o Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine doth mainteine that the pope is iustly entituled the spouse of the church and that this is not without the allowance of the pope it may appeare by the popes owne p C. intercorporalia de translat episc c. quoniam de immunit ecclesiae wordes where he challengeth this title of spouse to be due vnto him and yet I hope he will not say of the church sponsabo te mihi in fide nor propera amica mea columba mea nor doth the true church say of the pope en dilectus meus what then resteth but that the church of Rome should be the whoore of Babylon Apocalyp
per manus sancti angeli tui in sublime altare tuum Command these things saith the priest speaking of the bodie and blood of Christ to be brought by the hands of the holy angell vnto thy high altar these things are blasphemous and cannot be allowed of Christ his church neither can Parsons or Bellarmine answere that these words are found in the booke of sacraments attributed to S. Ambrose lib. 4. c. 6. for there is great difference betwixt the words of the canon of the masse the words of that author and the meaning of him is cleane contrary for neuer shall it be prooued that the author of that treatise beléeued that the body and blood of Christ was vnder the formes of bread and wine in the sacrament or that he meant the body and blood of Christ where he compareth the sacrament to the sacrifices of Abel and Abraham argument 40 The true church of Christ neuer added to the words of Christ in the consecration of the cup saying noui aeterni testamenti mysterium fidei neither are these words found in the old formularies of the liturgies of the church of Rome as I haue shewed in my treatise of the masse against Bellarmine doth not then this new tricke of the latter Romish church departing from the former shew a manifest difference betwixt them argument 41 The true church did neuer offer the sacrament pro redemptione animarum suarum neither did the same vse the commemoration for the dead as it is in the Romish missal saying memento domine famulorum famularúmque qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis nay this forme is not to be found in the olde formulary which the Romans vsed about fiue or six hundred yeeres agone but now all m In canone missae Romanists do thus say and pray if then Rob. Parsons could shew this forme or any such prayers or words in ancient authors he might doe a great pleasure to the church of Rome that otherwise is like to proue the synagogue of Antichrist argument 42 The true church of Christ did neuer consecrate incense nor say n In ordinar missae per intercessioneÌ„ beati Michaelis archangeli stantis a dextris altaris incensi omnium electorum suorum incensum istud dignetur dominus benedicere in odorem suauitatis accipere if Robert Parsons can prooue the contrary let him do it otherwise the Romish church will fall out not to be Christes true church argument 43 The true church neuer had distinct masses whereof some were ordinary others proper for the times others proper for saints others for particular mens deuotions as for example for the election of the pope for taking away schismaticall contentions for time of warre for time of sicknesse and such other occasions but the o Missale Rom. Romish church hath masses for all these causes and occasions argument 44 The true church did neuer consecrate holy water and say exorcizo te creatura salis c. and exorcizo te creatura aquae c. vt fias aqua exorcizata ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici ipsum inimicum eradicare explantare valeas cum angelis suis apostaticis it is not the true church therefore that doth practise these exorcismes argument 45 The Christian church doth not reteine the ceremonies of the Iewes nor eat the Paschall lambe for as the p 1. Cor. 5. apostle saith Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus but the q In fine missalis Rom. Romanists according to the rules of their missal doe consecrate and eat a Paschal lambe and pray thus Deus qui per famulum tuum Moysem in liberatione populi tui de Aegypto agnum occidi iussisti in similitudinem Domini nostri Iesu Christi vtrosque postes domorum de sanguine huius agni perungi praecepisti ita benedicere sanctificare digneris hanc creaturam carnis quam nos famuli tui ad laudem tuam sumere desideramus argument 46 The true church of God neuer formed any image of God the Father or God the Holy ghost or of Gods diuine essence neither did the same euer set vp images in churches to be worshipped with lights incense kissing crowching prayers or other such like ceremonies the second commandement directly forbiddeth the making of grauen images to be worshipped and districtly commandeth vs that we should not bow downe vnto them and that this commandement was direct against the worwip of images the first Christians did well vnderstand r Aduers gentes Arnobius saith that they had no altars nor temples nor images worshiped in open shew ne simulachra quidem veneramur saith Å¿ Contra Celsum lib. 7. Origen quippe qui Dei vt inuisibilis ita incorporei formam nullam effigiamus t Lib. 2. diuin instit c. 19. Lactantius doubteth not to affirme that there is no religion where there is an image and when images and pictures began to créepe into the churches as an outward ornament the councell of Eliberis to preuent all inconueniences forbad pictures in churches Placuit saith the u Concil Elib c. 36. councell picturas in ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur such was then the religion of Spaine Arnobius declareth that Christians were not woont to worship the crosse Cruces saith x Aduers gentes lib. 8. he nec colimus nec optamus nay y Lib. 9. epist 9. Gregory the first himselfe albeit he would not haue images broken downe yet would he not haue them adored or worshipped and Ionas Aurelianensis albeit a defender of images yet writeth thus of them Creaturam adorari eÃque aliquid diuinae seruitutis impendi proh nefas ducimus huiusque sceleris patratorem detestandum anathematizandum libera voce proclamumus saith z De cultu imaginum lib. 4. Ionas but papists fall downe before images and giue diuine worship to the crosse and crucifixe neither do they onely make the images of the Father and Holy ghost but worship them finally they burne incense knéele and pray to stocks and stones argument 47 The true church did neuer pray or administer the holy sacraments of the Lords supper and Baptisme in a strange tongue not vnderstood of the common sort Si orem lingua saith the a 1. Cor. 14. apostle spiritus meus orat mens autem mea fine fructu est he saith it is fruitlesse to pray in a tongue not vnderstood and reason teacheth vs that this is true for if God respect not the mouing of our lips vnlesse our heart accord with our tongue how can our heart accord when we vnderstand not what our tongue vttereth finally the practise of the church teacheth vs that a knowen tongue is to be vsed in publike praiers and in the administration of sacraments as the answers of the people to the priest in all ancient liturgies and the
testimony of Iustine Martyr apolog 2. of Dionyfius ecclesiast hierarch c. 3. of Origen lib. 8. contra Celsum of Hierome in epitaph Paulae ad Eustochium and in his 17. epistle to Marcella of Ambrose de sacramentis and Cyrill catech 5. and others doth declare but the Romish church will haue no other tongue vsed in the common liturgy of the westerne church and publike administration of the sacraments but the latin of which the vulgar people scarce vnderstand one word argument 48 The true church of Christ contenteth herselfe with the religion first taught by Christ his apostles for vpon the fouÌ„dation of their doctrine is the church built and as b Lib. 4. contra Marciâ—n Tertullian saith id verius quod prius id prius quod ab apostolis contrariwise c Aduershares c. 26. Vincentius Litinensis saith that is a tricke of heretikes not to content themselues with the ancient rule of faith but to seeke nouelties from day to day and to desire to adde to change to take away but the church of Rome first denieth the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith secondly the same is departed from the doctrine of the apostles thirdly the same is bound to beléeue all determinations and decretales of popes concerning matters of faith finally that church hath added and changed the ancient faith argument 49 True christians neuer kissed the popes toe nor admitted his outragious dispensations or gréeuous lawes nor were tied to beléeue that the popes iudgement in matters of faith was vnfallible but the Romish church thinketh it a great fauour to kisse his pantofle and séeketh for dispensations at his hands and beareth all his burdensome lawes albeit not with out great grudging as may appeare by Peter de Alliaco his treatise de reformatione ecclesiae by Vllerstones petitions proposed in the councell of Constance and diuers complaints both of English French and Dutch finally if they doe not yéeld his iudgement to be infallible then must they confesse that the church of Rome is built rather on sand than on a rocke argument 50 The church of Christ neuer beléeued that the bishop of Rome could depose princes take their crownes from them or that they could dispense with subiects for their othes of allegeance to their liege princes nay the apostles teach obedience to princes and Peter did rather exhort to obedience then rebellion the canons that goe vnder the names of the d Can. 83. apostles doe seuerely punish such as doe speake reprochfully of princes and magistrates and certes most vnlike it was that euer king or prince would haue embraced christian religion if the same had giuen power to bishops to depose them from their regall throne and to subiects to rebell against their liege soueraignes but papists doe beléeue and e Bellar. lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. 7. 8. teach that the pope hath power to depose kings and to translate kingdomes from one to another they also do beléeue that he hath power to dispense with the othes of subiects to command them to rebel Howsoeuer the rest beléeue pope f In Bulla contra Elizabetham Pius the fift most wickedly commanded her Maiesties subiects to take armes against her vpon paine of excommunication and the like insolency did g In declarat eiusdem bullae Sixtus quintus vse against her being the Lords annointed and he being the greased and marked slaue of satan both he and Pius quintus doe wickedly raile against her and the like course did that flagitious pope h In bulla contr Henric. 8. Paule the third take against her Maiesties noble father and this is now the popes and their agents most common practise to raise sedition against christian princes and when they cannot otherwise doe hurt like helhounds to barke against them and to publish infamous libels tending to their dishonour and disgrace argument 51 The true church of Christ is also catholike and compriseth all the faithfull of all times and is not limited within any one countrey or nation for our Sauiour Christ commanded his apostles to teach all nations and in our créed we beléeue the catholike church now this catholike church as saint i In psal 56. Augustine saith is spred throughout all the world and conteineth not onely those that are present but those also that are past and are yet to come but the Romish church is not catholike neither doeth it conteine the Greekes or Africanes or men of Asia that for many ages past haue shaken off the yoke of antichrist of Rome further it doeth not reach to the people of God before Christ finally k Lib. de ecclesia milit c. 2. Bellarmine doeth define those onely to be of the church which liue vnder the obedience of the pope this church therefore differeth much from the catholike church argument 52 The true church consisteth not of fierce lyons nor of wolues nor tygers nor such like wilde and fierce beastes but of sheepe and lambes which learne of Christ and are méeke humble and gentle these did Christ commit to Peter and all godly pastors his successors to be fed and these are the members of his church and not those cruell ones that are more like to lyons then shéepe they shall not hurt nor kill saith God by his holy l Isai 11. prophet in all my holy mountaine nay the force of Christes religion is such that it maketh sauage and fierce people to become méeke and gentle the wolfe saith the m ibidem prophet shall dwell with the lambe and the pard shall lie with the kidde quis coegit barbaros gentesque alias in suis sedibus saith n Lib. de incarnat verb. Athanasius immanitatem deponere pacifica meditari nisi christi fides crucis signaculum Optatus in his second booke against Parmenian speaking of catholickes to heretickes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man can you shew or proue that any of you hath bene persecuted by vs But the Romish church doth consist of lyons tygers wolues and inquisitors popes and friers more fierce and cruell then lyons tygers and wolues their o Extr. de haereticis per tot lawes are most cruell their executions notwithstanding passe both law and reason In the time of Charles the emperor the fift of that name it is recorded p Meteran de Belgit tumult that aboue fifty thousand persons were condemned by sentences of inquisitors and iudges and executed to death in the low countries for the profession of their faith In France as the stories of that country declare thréescore thousand christians without all order of law and contrary to solemne othes giuen them by the king for their security were most shamefully and trecherously murdered and massacred for the profession of their relion at the kings sisters mariage Circiter sexaginta hominum millia saith q Hist Nat. com lib. 23. p. 508. Natalis Comes speaking
they professe their religion will neuer prooue ancient nor catholike not ancient for that diuers doctrines and traditions which they hold are new and vnheard of in the ancient catholike church argument 1 First they teach vs that the holy canonicall scriptures are no perfect canon of our faith for this doctrine is gathered out of the decrée of the councell of Trent that with equall affection embraceth vnwritten traditions and canonicall scriptures e Lib. 4. de verbo Dei c. 12. Bellarmine saith that scriptures are a part of the canon or rule of faith and not a whole rule dico secundò saith he scripturam etsi non sit facta praecipuè vt sit regula fidei esse tamen regulam fidei non totalem sed partialem f De doctrin princip li. 7. c. 1. Stapleton beside scriptures frameth a new rule which he calleth the order of tradition but this doctrine is new and contrary both to scriptures and fathers The g 2. Tim. 3. apostle he teacheth vs that the scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and furnished for euery good worke he teacheth vs also that they are able to make vs wise to saluation likewise the fathers testifie that the scriptures are a perfect canon sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspitatae scripturae saith h Lib. contr idola Athanasius ad veritatis indicationem Basil in serm de fid confess saith it is an argument of infidelity and pride either to reiect scriptures or to bring in matter not conteined in scriptures he meaneth in questions of faith cum habeamus omnium exactissimam trutinam gnomonem regulam diuinarum legum assertionem saith i In 2. ad Corinth homil 13. Chrysostome oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quid huic vel illi videatur de his à scripturis haec omnia inquirite Tertullian writing against Hermogenes saith that he adoreth the fulnesse of scriptures And saint k Lib. 2. de doctr Christian c. 9. Augustine teacheth that all things concerning faith and maners are found in scriptures clearely propounded to conclude this point most derogatory it were to Gods diuine wisedome if any man should suppose the scripture to be an imperfect canon or halfe a rule or maimed doctrine as the papistes lately haue begun to teach argument 2 They haue made the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabeies and such fragments of bookes as are in the old Latin interpreter and not in Hebrew equall to the bookes of Moyses and other prophets and to the writings also of the apostles this is the determination of the councell of Trent and the common doctrine now of the Iebusites and papists but new and no way approoued by the ancient church for these bookes were neuer allowed by any prophets or by the church of God before Christs time nor did the ancient fathers allow them Gregory in his morals lib. 19. c. 16. directly affirmeth the bookes of Machabeis not to be canonicall sicut ergo Iudith Tobiae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem ecclesia saith l In Prouerb Solomon Hierome sed eos inter canonicas scripturas non recipit he saith m In praefat in lib. paralip also where controuersie is concerning Apocryphall writings we must haue recourse to the Hebrews neither doth Augustine so make them canonicall as he reputeth them equall to other scriptures as appeareth by his words lib. 18. de ciuit dei c. 36. conrra Gaudent lib. 2. c. 23. nay Sixtus Senensis albeit he make all these bookes canonicall yet doeth he not giue to all equall authoritie let vs therefore sée any ancient writer that alloweth the decrée of the councell of Trent if the papists will not haue all men sée that they haue innouated the very canon of the Christian faith argument 3 They haue also made the old Latin translation authenticall contrary not onely to reason séeing it differeth not onely from the originall bookes but also is contrary to it selfe as may appeare by the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the 8. but also to antiquity which as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome and Augustine alwaies preferred the originall bookes in matter of difference before translations argument 4 Concerning the interpretation of scriptures the conuenticle of Trent n Sess 4. determineth that no man shall interpret them against that sense and meaning which the holy mother church holdeth to whome it belongeth to iudge of the true meaning and interpretation of scriptures end by the church they vnderstand the the pope and church of Rome but this act is altogether new for we do not finde that euer the easterne or African churches were forbidden to interpret scriptures as well as the church of Rome or that the fathers of the church were tied to expound scriptures after the opinions of the bishop of Rome nay we finde that no interpretations are more absurd then theirs or more contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost as for example may appeare in these two points In the law of Moyses we are expresly forbidden to make grauen images to worship them but the church of Rome interpreteth these words so galantly that men may both make grauen images and worship them our sauior Christ saith bibitē ex hoc omnes but the Romanistes turne it contrary and will haue no communicantes to drinke of the Lords cuppe but the priest onely argument 5 In time past o Dist 15. c. sancta Romana Christians were forbidden to read the legends of Quiricus Iulitta and George the 8. books of Clement the acts of Tecla and Paul the booke of the assumption of the virgine Mary and such like The acts also of Siluestre bishop of Rome and writings concerning the inuention of the holy crosse and of the head of Saint Iohn Baptist were doubted of but now these legends for the most part are the grounds of Romish traditions which the church of Rome placeth in equall ranke with holy canonicall scriptures is it not then apparent that the very grounds of Romish traditions are laid vpon fables and of late inuention argument 6 The foundation of the ancient apostolicke faith was laid vpon the scriptures as is euident for that the city and church of God is built vpon the prophets and apostles Christ Iesus being the corner stone p Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ieremy saith that the apostles first preached the gospell and afterward by the will of God deliuered the same in scriptures that they might be a foundation and piller of our faith but now Bellar. teachech vs that the pope is the foundation of the church and Stapleton doubteth not to q De doctr princip in praefat say that the pope is the chiefe subiect of ecclesiasticall authority and r Cancanonicis dist 19. Gratian like a shamelesse fellow vnder the name of Saint Augustine doubteth not to recken the popes decretale epistles among the canonicall scriptures argument 7 Stapleton
apostles did not commit all things necessary to saluation to writing cum ex scripturis arguuntur saith e Aduers hares lib. 3. c. 2. Ireney in accusationem conuertuntur scripturarum quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia varie sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem norrenim per literas traditam illam sed per vinam vocem ob quam causam Paulum dixisse sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos Tertullian saith it is a tricke of heretikes either to falsifie or by false interpretations to peruert scriptures alius manu scripturas saith f De praescript aduers haeres he alius sensu expositiones interuertit he saith againe that hereticks cannot stand if they be brought to try their cause by scriptures aufer haereticis saith g De resurr caernis he quae cumque ethnici sapiunt vt de scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non possunt in these points therefore these two fathers haue stricken the papists albeit generally they speake of hereticks for first h Bellar. de verb. Dei non scripto they deny that the scriptures containe doctrine sufficient to saluation or that we can learne all trueth necessary out of them without their traditions secondly they speake euill of scriptures as before hath bene shewed thirdly they say that scriptures receiue authority from the church fourthly they accuse them of vncertenty Turrian aduers Sadeelem lib. 1. doth call them Delphicum gladium and others call them a nose of waxe fiftly they allow no sence but such as the synagogue of Rome authorizeth sixtly either Sixtus Quintus or Clement the 8. hath corrupted the scriptures for both pretending to set our the olde latine translation the one is in diuers places contrary to the other finally they will not haue the scriptures to decide controuersies about matters of faith argument 42 i Lib. 8. Orig. c de haeres Isidore doth declare them to be heretikes that doe otherwise vndeâ—stand the scriptures then the meaning of the holie Ghost requireth quicunque saith he aliter scripturam sacram intelligit quam sensus spiritus sancti flagitat a quo conscripta est licèt de ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus potest appellari if then we list to reade the popes decretales or the writings of the popish faction we need not doubt but they are tresgrand heretikes hauing so notoriously peruerted the Scriptures and turned them to sences neuer intended by the holy Ghost as for example these words of the k Isai 1. prophet à planta pedis vsque ad verticem non est in eo sanitas which he spoke of the people of Israel being then most sinfull Clement the sixt in the chap. vnigenitus extr de poenit remiss doeth turne to our Sauiour Christ as if our Sauiour had béene vnsound from the foot to the head or that the prophet had ment that our Sauiour had shed all his blood that the pope might make sale of the frute of it at his pleasure God by his prophet l Hierem. 1. saith I haue appointed thee ouer nations and kingdomes ergo saith m C. vnam sanctam ext de maior obed Boniface the 8. if earthly princes goe out of the way they must be iudged by the pope Againe out of these words of the apostle the spirituall man iudgeth all things he n Ibidem o Ibid. collecteth that the pope hath no superior iudge thirdly because Christ saith to Peter put vp thy sword into the sheath he concludeth that both Peter and his successors ought to haue a temporall sword fourthly of these words ecce duo gladij hic p Ibid. he inferreth that the pope is to command and exercise both the swords The q Isai 8 28. prophets and r Rom. 9. 1. Pet. 2. apostles by the corner stone placed in the foundation of the church doe vnderstand Christ Iesus but Bellarmine in his preface prefixed before his bookes de potifice Rom. draweth these words to the pope and forceth them to serue to make him to be a corner stone and a foundation also of the church he will also haue these words super hanc Petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam to be ment of the pope these words of our Sauiour drinke yee all of this the papists expound in such sort as if Christ had said drinke not all of this the words of our Sauiour to Peter when he said pasce oues meas they appropriate to the pope that féedeth not as if none were to féed but the pope The apostle saith mariage is honorable among all men yet will they not allow that mariage is honourable among nunnes and monks and friers and masse priests and the rest of the Romish clergy where our Sauiour Christ saith scrutamini scripturas they say contrary search not the scriptures the apostle saith they are profitable they Å¿ Index libror. prohibit regul 4 say they are pernicious our sauiour saith that those doe in vaine worship him that teach doctrines of men these doe teach humane traditions and yet doubt not but that God is well pleased with them The spirit of God commandeth that praiers be made for princes and willeth euery Christian man to submit himselfe to the magistrate and to higher powers but the papists doe so expound these words as if it were lawfull for the pope to curse Gods annointed to excommunicate kings and emperors to massacre them if they can to raise rebellion against them It were infinite to reherse all the false interpretations of Scriptures deuised by papists beside that in this place it is not necessarie séeing by these few which we haue alledged already it may in part appeare that neuer any heretikes alledged Scriptures more peruersly nor more direct contrarie to the meaning of the holy Ghost then they argument 43 As the t Damascene de haeres Herodians gaue the name and honour of Christ to Herode so the papists doe giue the names and honour of Christ to the pope allowing these words of Bernard to Eugenius vnctione Christus es they cal him the foundation rocke of the church the head and spouse of the church the monarke of the church and Christes vicar generall u In epist dedic ante princip doctrin Stapleton doth call him supremum numen in terris some teach that he and Christ haue but one consistory betwéene them x Lib. Caerem others saie that all power is giuen to the pope in heauen and earth which words our Sauiour Matth. 28. speaketh of himselfe if then the Herodians deserue for honouring Herod with Christs titles to be reputed heretikes who can cleare the papists from the note of heresie that farre more impudently and wickedly giue Christs honour to the pope argument 44 y De haeres c. beicetae Damascene numbreth those
monkes and nunnes among heretikes that méeting together vsed to skip and dance also together as they thought to the praise of God yet doe not the popish sort leaue their piping and dancing processions nor doe priests monkes and nunnes cease to celebrate their comedicall dancing masses skipping and hopping about the alter like apes that are taught to skippe and to leape for their masters best aduantage argument 45 Gnosimachi were certaine heretiks that held an opinioÌ„ that vulgar Christians were not to study the scriptures omni Christianorum congnitioni ac scientiae ita aduersantur z Ibidem c. gnosimachi saith Damascene vt vanum minus necessarium laborem esse dicant eorum qui in diuinis scripturis aliquam exquÃrunt scientiam neque enim deum aliud à Christiano postulare quam bonas praeclarasque actiones Itaque aliquem simplici rudique animo institutum suum persequi melius est vt aiunt quam multam curam in cognoscendis decretis sententijs ponere and like to these hereticks are the papists for they holde it to be mortall sinne for lay men to dispute vpon matters of faith as Nauarrns in his enchiridion declareth they suppose also that the coliars faith is sufficient albeit he knoweth nothing but being demanded a reason of his faith answereth that he beleeueth as the church beleeueth a De legit iudicibus lib. 1. Hosius writing against Brentius doth greatly commend ignorance and doth greatly allow this saying thy faith hath saued thee and not the exercise of scriptures b Lib. 3. de authorit scripturae he saith also that nothing is more pernitious then with scriptures to enter into a combat with Satan generally they allow an implicit faith in the rude sort and dehort them from knowledge of scriptures which is the flat heresie of the Gnosimachians argument 46 The c Damascene de haeres 6. Ethnophronians were by the church condemned for obseruing diuers heathenish customes holidaies which notwithstanding pope Boniface the 8. instituted the Iubiley euery hundred yeares in imitation of certaine plaies or games called Ludi seculares the papists also haue their expiations and lustrations with holy water like to the gentles they kéepe their carneual as the Romans kept their lupercalia running disguised vp and downe the stréets they canonize saints as the heathen did canonize their benefactors for gods and like as they burned incense to their idols so papists burne incense to their idols neither doe they regard that such as offered incense to dumbe idols in the primitiue church were condemned as idolaters as appeareth by diuers censures of Cyprian and others contra thurificantes that is against those that burned incense before idols they doe likewise offer sacrifices or inferias for the soules of the departed as did the Gentiles finally they vse lots and coniurations and lash themselues before their images and haue diuers other tricks of gentilisme argument 47 As the Montanists so likewise doe papists mislike second mariages denying to blesse them and not accounting those mariages so holy a sacrament as the first nay they séeme to goe yet farther to enioine pennance for 2. mariages d 31. q. 1. de his qui. concil Neocaesar they decrée presbyteruÌ„ conuiuio secundarum nuptiarum interesse non debere maximè cum praecipiatur secundis nuptijs poenitentiam tribuere quis ergo erit presbiter qui propter conuiuium illis consentiat nuptijs it appeareth therefore that they would not haue priests to allow second mariages or to blesse them or to be present at them argument 48 e De haeres c. Christiano-categori Damascene also accounteth them hereticks that worshipped the images of our sauiour of the blessed virgine and the saints as the gentiles did their gods which is iust the case of papists for both of them bow vnto them pray before them burne incense to them offer sacrifice in honor of them and yet both of them deny that they worship stocks or stones and say that they worship only the things represented by them as f Lib. 2. diuin instit c. 2. Lactantius testifieth of the Gentiles and is very often repeated by papists argument 49 The papists doe likewise in diuers conditions and qualities resemble the olde hereticks and false teachers of which the apostles and ancient fathers make mention the g Rom. 16. apostle when he had warned the Romans to beware of those that caused diuisions and scandals he addeth also against that doctrine which they had receiued In the first epistle to Timothy chap. 6. he sheweth that hereticks had a fashion to teach other doctrine and not to rest in the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ The apostle h 2. Pet. 2. Peter saith that there shall rise vp false teachers which shall priuily bring in heresies and damnable sects i De praescript aduers haeret Tertullian doth oppose hereticks to the apostles and their doctrine to apostolicall doctrine vnde extranei inimici apostolis haeretici saith he nisi ex diuersitate doctrinae quam vnusquisque de suo arbitrio aduersus apostolos aut protulit aut recepit If then the schoolemen and doctors of the popish synagogue haue caused a great diuision from the apostolicke and ancient church and haue taught doctrine diuers from that of Iesus Christ and if they rest not in the holsome words of Christ Iesus but make humane traditions equall to the word of God if they haue troubled and corrupted the déepest and highest mysteries of Christian religion by their late inuentions and haue digressed from the doctrine of the apostles and refuse to be tried by the writings of the prophets and apostles then are they cléerely prooued to be false teachers and heretikes that they are departed from the doctrine of the apostles and haue brought in diuers heresies and sects and new doctrines which by no meanes are to be reputed catholike it may be proued by this whole discourse It is made euident also by the grounds of popish religion by the popes decretales by the schoole diuinitie by the lying and fabulous legends of the Romish church by the doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent by the manifold corruptions of the masse by the idolatrous worship not onely of saints but also of stocks stones rotten bones and ragges by their rebellion against princes and by the tyranny of the pope and finally by the Iebusites new doctrine concerning these points nay if they teach doctrine contrary to scriptures and to the apostles by their owne confession they will be proued heretikes Haeresis saith k Lib. 2. part 1. Occham est dogma falsum fidei contrarium orthodoxae l Apud Matt. Paris in Henric 3. Robert Grosthed saith that heresie is an opinion chosen of humane vnderstanding contrary to scripture and either openly taught or defended m Apud Dionys Carthus in 3. sent dist 31. Durand signifieth that heresie is onely an opinion contrary
and robbers are not these gallant fellowes then trow you that suppose the Queenes iustices to be like pirates and robbers and that pirates and robbers may as well spoile men by the high way as they deale with priests according to her Maiesties lawes Finally no hereticks nor miscreants can iustly be reputed martyrs albeit they die for their false conceites and opinions the Donatists died desperatly so likewise did the hereticks called Euphemitae which for the multitude of their supposed martyrs would needs be called Å¿ Epiphan haeres 80. Martyriani yet did the church of god no otherwise account of them then as of leud hereticks and not as of martyrs as appeareth by the testimony of Eusebius Epiphanius Augustine and other fathers We read also in histories that Turks Tartares Mores oftentimes die most resolutely or rather desperatly for the blasphemous opinions of Mahomet that the t Matth. Paris Assassins that were a sect of desperate cutthrotes like to the Iebusits that desperately would aduenture to dispatch whomsoeuer their generall commanded them to murder suffered death most willingly and constantly and this they accounted a speciall point of their bloody religion yet it were mere madnesse to repute such fellowes martyrs why then should the papists that haue broken their necks and died for the popes cause whom we haue clearely proued to be hereticks be accounted martyrs nay why should rebels traitors and Assassins such as Parrye who by the Cardinall of Comoes letters the popes promises was enduced to lay violent hands on her Maiestie such like wicked men be named martyrs if because they are put in the popes calender it may be easily replied that as at Rome they are put in the popes calender so at Newgate such places they are put in the hangmans calender further it is Christs trueth and not the popes faction that maketh martyrs Those therefore that died in the popes quarrell are traitors and not martyrs and that will be the case also of all their consorts if they passe that way which I would haue not onely all Iesuits and massepriests to consider but also all those that like their humors and opinions neither is it materiall that grace hath bene offered to some that haue bene executed for treason if they would haue renounced the pope his trecherous doctrine and faction for that sheweth not that the parties to whom this grace was offered were no traitors but rather her Maiesties great clemency that was willing to pardon all of whom any hope might be conceiued that they would become good subiects so likewise if a man should offer pardon to an Assassin it doth not proue that such as murder men vpon a leud conceit of wrong religion died as martyrs If then the papists be not the true church I trust all true Christians will avoid them if their doctrine be neither ancient nor catholicke I hope true catholicks will no longer suffer themselues to be abused by them if they be hereticks they will I trust for very shame forbeare to impute heresies to true Christians if massepriests be idolaters I hope religious Christians will take order with them as godly kings did with Baals priests finally if massepriests and the popes agents haue so farre engaged themselues in treason I hope all true subiects will learne to detest popery not onely in regard that it is a false religion but also because it is a packe of leud opinions borne out with all fraud vileny and treason which because it floweth from the forge of Antichristes authority and inuention let vs beséech God to reueale dayly more and more the man of sinne that such as now are abused by him may forsake him and serue God in spirit and trueth according to his holy word And thus much may serue for the declaration and iustification of my challenge it resteth now that I answere my aduersaries exceptions and cauils An answere first vnto such exceptions as by a certaine namelesse and worthlesse fellow are taken to the Challenge precedent and next vnto the same parties most idle obseruations Thereto also is added a briefe of certaine notorious falsifications and vntruthes of the Papists Chap. 1. An answere to Owlyglasses exceptions concerning thirteene vntruthes supposed to be contained in M. Sutcliffes Chaâ—lenge Sect. 1. The first supposed vntruth cleared IN 19. pages of my challenge and all direct contrary to the doctrine of Papists Owliglasse cannot find so much as any occasion of cauill In the 20. pagâ—rapiâ—… numb 10. in my former and in the latter cap. 4 numb 43. bee taketh holde of this that I say That the Papists vse exorcismes blowings salt spittle halowed water annoyntings light and diuers ceremonies neither vsed by the Apostles nor practised by the ancient Church And this sayth he is an vntruth so manifest that Caluin doth confesse it Owlyglasse talking of vntruths in others himselfe vttereth two grosse vntruths in the first charge But what if it be true and what if Master Caluin do not confesse that which I say to bee vntruth Is not Owlyglasse where he goeth about to detect me of one vntruth manifestly takeÌ„ in a tray and detected to haue vttered two vntruthes in one breath he cannot though he would denie it Well then let vs see first whether my wordes containe vntruth and next whether Caluin confesseth so much or no. Of my proposition there are two partes First I denie that the Apostles vsed these ceremonies now in question and secondly I denie that they were practised by the auncient Church of Christ Iesus Now against the first part of my wordes Owliglasse can obiect nothing neither doth hee so much as touch it But weÌ„t he about to alledge any thing yet the Hystorie of the Actes of the Apostles and Christ his institution would refute his allegations For in neither of the two are any such ceremonies to be found Agaynst the second part he alledgeth Caluins wordes Instit lib. 4. ca. 15. art 19 for exufflations halowing of water annoynting and light and for exorcismes in baptisme he produceth Nazianzen For salt hee quoteth the words of Origen For spittle he citeth the wordes of Ambrose and the name of Petrus Chrysologus But neither doth Caluin nor any of these fathers mention either the vse of the Apostles or practise of the ancient Church nor doth any father speake of all these ceremonies together nor can the practise of the Romish Church in the signes and formes of these ceremonies be iustified by fathers either to haue béene in the whole Church or in any one singular Church nor to come nearer to our aduersaries can any one concludent argument be drawne out of any of the Fathers agaynst that which I teach Caluin sayth He knoweth how ancient the ceremonies of exufflation Lib. 4. instit ca. 15 num 19 halowing of water of annoynting and lights is Which if I should confesse yet could not Owlyglasse conclude that such ceremonies were vsed in the time of the
fathers of the Church nor that they were vsed in the forme the Romanists vse them Let him conclude if he list and then he shall see his error Further if he be obstinate let him proue that the fathers prayed in consecrating light In Missali in Sabbato saÌ„cto that diuelish fraud might be expulsed by it and while they halowed water that it might be effectuall to purge mens mindes and that they coniured water and salt as the Romanists doe praying ouer halowed water Vt fiat aqua exorcizata ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici All which I trust he doth not beleeue that Caluin said or thought to be ancient Nazianzen sayth onely ne contemnas De sancto baptism or as our aduersaries translation hath ne despuas exorcismi curationem that is Despise not the helpe of exorcisme But that is nothing to other ceremonies about which wee contend neither out of these wordes can it be proued that exorcismes were vsed in the act of baptisme but rather otherwise when by extraordinarie grace diuels were driuen out of the possessed Rehearsing the wordes of Origen he doth curtall them He reporteth them thus Qui renascitur debet sale saliri Origens wordes stand thus Oportet eum ergo qui renascitur vtique in Christo renascentem rationabile sinceruÌ„ lac desiderare prius quam rationabile sine dolo lac desideret debet sale saliri pannorum inuolucris colligari ne dicatur ad eum sale non es salitus pannis non es inuolutus Where I would pray the Archpriest Blackwell to put on his spectacles see whether Owlyglasse hath not with his glasse eyes corrupted the place Against me this place of OrigeÌ„ maketh nothing for neither doth hee mention all the ceremonies which are in question nor doth he speake one worde of the popish formes of exorcismes nor doth he speake as it seemeth literally of salting but allegorically vnderstaÌ„ding true beleeuing Si credidero spiritui qui in Apostolo loquutus est sayth he Sale condior And if our aduersarie will needs vrge the litterall sense then must he needes confesse that men being baptized are to be lapped in clouts and to drâ—…ke milke For Origen speaketh of all these things alike Finally it is a very ridiculous poynt to thinke that euerie ceremonie spoken of by Origen was vseâ— throughout the vniuersall Church De sacrament lib. 1. cap. 1. Saint Ambrose sheweth that the priest vsed to touch the eares and nostrils of those that were baptized At the least he sayth so vnder whose name the bookes of sacraments that are among S. Ambroses workes do passe But that is nothing to the purpose vnlesse Owlyglasse will confesse that whosoeuer doth touch his nose doth spit in his face also which were a wonderfull and archpresbyterall interpretation He sendeth vs also to Petrus Chrysologus But if the man had saide any thing to the purpose I doubt not but hee would haue taken paines out of this golden fellow to fetch golde him selfe whereas now he deliuereth to his reader nothing but drosse Lib. 1. de Baptism ca. 25 Neither is Bellarmine able to affoord Owliglasse any helpe in this case For albeit he raketh into all authours good and bad yet can he alledge no sufficient testimonie out of antiquitie for the formes and ceremonies vsed by the Popish Priests Furthermore he cannot iustifie that the rites of baptisme that any one father speaketh of were generally receyued in all the Churches Finally the formes of celebrating baptisme described by ClemeÌ„t Dionysius Iustin Martyr Tertullian Cyprian Basil and other fathers do declare that no such formes were in ancient â—…me vsed as the rituall bookes now in practise in the Romish Church do prescribe I haue therefore sufficiently discharged my selfe of the accusation he would fasten vpon me Secondly Caluin doth not affirme any thing contrarie to my wordes For albeit he knew how ancient some of the ceremonies are which I denie to be vsed in the first Churches yet doth he not expresse howe ancient they are nor speake any thing of their seuerall formes nor confesse any other thing contrarie to my assertion To coÌ„clude this point the conuenticle of Trent affirmeth Sess 7 cap 13. that none of these Ceremonies which wee speake of can bee omitted without sinne Which doctrine I hope Owlyglasse will not confirme either out of the fathers or out of Caluin It is hee therefore and not I that hath committed this fault of lying vnlesse he haue somewhat else to alledge for himselfe Cap. 1. Sect. 2. That it is not vntruth to say that the doctrine of the Councell of Trent that denounceth men accursed that shall not hold baptisme to be necessarie to saluation is not Catholike MY aduersarie doth also challenge me Cap 2. pag. 12 because I affirme that the doctrine of the Councell of Trent that denounceth men accursed that shall not hold baptisme to bee necessarie to saluation is not Catholike And to iustifie his challenge he alledgeth for himselfe first S. Augustine lib. 3. de Orig. animae c. 9. Secondly the wordes of our booke of Common prayer And thirdly mine owne testimonie where I speake of the paines of originall sin And in the end he concludeth that if the want of baptisme sendeth infants into hel fire that it is necessary to saluatioÌ„ But al this tedious discourse is farre from the purpose For neither doth any father affirme that such are accursed that hold not baptisme to be necessarie to saluation which is the doctrine that I condemne as not Catholike nor can any such thing be gathered out of the wordes of the Common prayer booke or of any thing deliuered by mee How then durst this vaine fellowe charge me with vntruth being not able to alledge one argument to conuince mee or any Catholike Father to speake agaynst mee had hee not steeled his face and dulled his vnderstanding so that hee neyther shameth at any thing nor well vnderstandeth what he writeth Further this is contrarie to promise made in the beginning for there hee promised that he would put the Reader to no more labour then to open the bookes and view the places that should bee alledged And here hee argueth to his vttermost skill and yet proueth nothing But suppose I had indeede said that all that die without baptisme are not damned and had sayd that only and not aâ—ded any thing concerning the curse of the conuenticle of Trent as I did yet I hope this will not be proued to bee any vntruth For if Circumcision did resemble baptisme why should all infants especially borne of godly parents rather be damned dying before Baptisme then such as dyed before Circumcision Secondly I hope our aduersarie will not say that the theefe which confessed Christ on the crosse was damned albeit he died without Baptisme Nor is hée able to shew that he was baptized for that troubled Saint Augustine Lib. 3. de Orig. animae cap. 9. a man farre more learned then himselfe
and yet that could not resolue himselfe in this poynt Thirdly Ambrose doubted not but Valentinian was saued albeit he dyed without Baptisme De obitu Theodosâ— Fourthly our aduersaries say that there are three sortes of Baptismes viz. Of water of the holy Ghost and of bloud and Bellarmine confesseth that without Baptisme men may be saued Lib. 1. de baptismo cap. 6. martyâ—dome and the conuersion of the hart to God supplying the defect of Baptisme and it is a common saying that not the want but the contempt of Baptisme doth damne those that depart this life without Baptisme Finally the grouÌ„d of that opinion that condemneth al dying without baptisme is laid vpon these words Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu sancto Iohn 3. non potest intâ—oire in regnum Dei And yet our Sauiour doth speake these wordes of Baptisme no otherwise then he vttereth these wordes in the sixt of Iohn Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and dâ—inke his bloud ye shall haue no life in you If then no interpreter that expoundeth these wordes of the Lordes Supper will thereupon conclude that no man can bee saued vnlesse he receiue the Lordes Supper then doe not the other words inferre necessitie of Baptisme Vnto S. Augustines wordes lib. 3. de anima cap. 9. I answere that hee speaketh of such as die in originall sinne and seeme to contemne Baptisme But diuerse may die without baptisme and yet not contemne it We say also in the administration of Baptisme that none is saued that is not regenerate But it is impious to tie Gods grace vnto Sacraments We doe also speake of the ordinarie externall meanes by which saluation is obtained But we exclude not extraordinarie courses I doe also confesse that infants dying in originall sinne are damned to hell fire But I hope no man will say that all that die before Baptisme albeit they much desired it and beleeued in Christ Iesus dyed in originall sinne But sayth Owlyglasse You say that children by Baptisme are receyued into the Arke of Christes Church psal 1â— But he was simple to conclude thereof that none is receyued into the Arke without Baptisme He sayth also that Lay men and women by the booke are permitted to Baptise but he should remember that it is shame for him to speake vntruth who taketh on him to controll others in that behalfe He concludeth finally Seeing the want of Baptisme doth send Infants to hell that Baptisme is necessarie to saluation But his consequent is weake and of no value For many die for want of knowledge and for want of small matters and not onely of Baptisme And yet God is not necessarily tyed to saue none but such as are baptized Sicke men also die for want of Physicke and yet is not physicke absolutely necessary In this place therfore the detector wandreth out of the way and yet effecteth nothing Sect. 3. That Catholikes vse not after the Popish maner to separate man wife vpon occasion of monastical vowes HIs third accusation is grounded vpoÌ„ these words They holde that by mutuall consent the maried couple may depart asunder and that it shall not be lawfull afterward to company together A matter not onely strange in the catholike church during the Apostles and their successors times for many hundred yeares but also contrary to Christes doctrine For what man can separate them whom God hath conioined but séeking to fasten an vntruth vpon me he committeth a grosse falsification himselfe for hee cutteth off my words in the beginning See the challenge pag. 20. and midst of the sentence â—umbling the rest together very ill fauoredly and marring the grace of my sentence with his lewde handling To helpe out the matter he alleadgeth other wordes of mine out of the 35. page where I say that this proceedeth from the newe forge of popish inuention But as before so in this place he maketh mee speake of one thing in the singular number where I speake of prohibition and dissoluing of marriages for spirituall kinred and dissoluing of marriages contracted and other matters in the plurall And hauing framed my wordes after his owne lewd fashion and curtalled them at his pleasure he chargeth me with a notable vntruth as he calleth it For sayth he there be testimonies and examples in the Primitiue Church of married folkes pag. 15. that with mutuall consent vowed perpetual chastity And to that purpose he alleadgeth Epiphanius Hierom the 2. councel of Arles S. Augustine But first he minceth the matter dare not say any thing directly contrary to that which I haue written For I say that married folks might not be so separated but that they might come together againe And he talketh of separation for a time Now that which I say is most true is proued first by our sauiours words Mat. 19. for as our sauior saith that which God hath ioined let not man separate Therefore marriage being instituted by God is not to be broken by the tradition of man Secondly the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. are direct for me To those that are coÌ„ioyned in matrimony saith he not I command but the Lord that the wife depart not from her husband And if man and wife for a time depart he willeth theÌ„ to come together againe least the diuell tempt them Thirdly the practise of the church proueth that I haue said true Scelus est saith Chrysostome homil 63. in Math. 19. in duo diuidere vnam carneÌ„ sic et muliereÌ„ a suo viro diripere iniquissimum est So likewise saith Theophylact. Siâ—ut impiuÌ„ est suaÌ„ carnem diuidere ita et coniuges diuellere He sayth It is a wicked thing to separate married folks Fourthly reason sheweth that if mariage be a knot indiuisible that maried folks cannot be vpon pleasure sundered that it is a presuÌ„ption intollerable for the Pope to dissolue mariage whose institution is from God Finally it appeareth by Bellarmines dispute de Monachis c. 37. who handling this point with more cunning then this poore swad yet is not able to proue that maried couples were separated for religion in auncient time or that this practise was conformable to Christes or his Apostles doctrine as I haue verified against Bellarmine in my treatise de Monachis As for the exaÌ„ples testimonies alledged by Owliglasse they eyther are from the purpose or make against him Neither Epiphanius nor Hierome saith that maried folks vsed not to be admitted vnto holy orders except they did promise perpetual continency froÌ„ their wiues as Owliglasse with his glassy conscience affirmeth for neyther of them hath one word of promise or vow but the contrary rather Haeres 59. Ad huc viuenteÌ„ et liberos gignentem vnius vxoris viruÌ„ saith Epiphanius non suscipit ecclesia sed eum qui se ab vna continuit He hath not one word of any promise nor doth he deny that priests may returne backe againe to company with their
decreeth that due honour is to be giuen to Images but not so as that wee are to put trust in them as the Gentiles did sometimes But what if the Papists regarde not the decree of this absurd conuenticle And what if the Papists doe more trust in the Image of the Ladie of Loreto then the Gentiles did in the Images of Aesculapius or Mercurie Wist not Owliglasse then confesse that his consortes doe put some trust in these Images But that is apparent for they beleeue shee is able to doe more then euer the Gentiles beleeued that Aesculapsus or Mercurie was able to doe Furthermore the Gentiles did excuse themselues that they did not worship their Images mateâ—ially but rather the persons represented by their Images as appeareth by Lactantius li. 2. ca. 2. and Augustine in Psal 11â— and doth not this selfe same excuse serue the Papists likewise It is apparent by all their writings and Bellarmine and Gregorie de Valentia haue no better defence for this their Idolatrie in their treatises of the worship of Images That the Papists do pray vnto Saints and offer their praiers before their Images it cannot be denied Bellarmine calleth Saints Deos per participationem Lib. 3. de cult sanct c. 9. Votum saith he non conuenit sanctis nisi quatenus sunt dij per participationem That is vowes are not conueniently made to Saints but as they are gods by participation I trust therefore hereafter Owlyglasse will not charge me with desperate vntruth in this point nor vrge me to exhibit proofes for the more I bring the more shame will fall vpon his face In the meane while I would haue the Papists to obserue for their learning that Owlyglasses metaphores are drawne either from gamesters as here Page 20. 21. where he talketh of playing at barestake and laying downe sufficient pawnes or from women Page 6. as where hee talketh of more towe to our Rockes Which sheweth that he is a better gamester then a disputer and is as much conuersant in womens closets as in his study Wherefore if Recusants be wise they will take better heede hereafter howe such compagnions come neare their houses that are so well acquainted with their wiues rockes and frockes to say no more Sect. VI. That the Popes decretales before Gregorie the 7. his time had no force of lawe THe sixt exception which Owlyglasse taketh against me p. 22. is for that I say that before Hildebrands time which otherwise is called Gregorie the seuenth the Popes decretales had no force of lawe This saith Owlyglasse is vntruth And he prooueth it by a certaine decree of Pope Hilarie that liued long before Gregorie the seuenth who threatned all with danger of their state that should violate either diuine lawes or the decrees of the Apostolike see and by a constitution of Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. where he determineth that the Popes decretales are with reuerence to be receiued But his proofes are too weake to conuince me of vntruth For first neither of these authorities are authenticall seeing it is not likely that Hilarie would match the Popes decretales with Gods lawes nor the Church of Rome neglect Gelasius his decree concerning apocryphal writings if his authoritie were so great as is pretended Secondly albeit Hilarie threaten yet it appeareth not that his threats were regarded Thirdly it is one thing to accept mens letters with reuerence and another thing to accept them as lawes Fourthly it is a ridiculous thing to require men to beleeue the Popes in their own cause Fiftly lawes are not enacted by letters nor recorded in scrowes but solemnly established by publike seales and monuments that giue them credite which Owlyglasse cannot shew to haue beene practised in Hilaries or Gelasius his decretales Finally the state of the Church was not such then as that the Popes could command or binde all Churches by their letters That therefore which he saith is nothing But I doe alleadge the testimonie of the Records of the church of Rome which containe no ancienter decretales then those of Gregorie the seuenth as appeareth by the book of Bulles called Bullarium Secondly Bellarmine that is a man of greater knowledge then Owlyglasse doth faile where hee goeth about to prooue that the Popes had power alwaies to make lawes For his records lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 19. are weake and all of them refuted in my answere to him Cod de sum Trin. fid Cath. de episc audient acta concil Finally it is euident that for diuers hundred yeares Emperors and councels made lawes and not the Popes and that this course continued vntill such time as Popes by suppressing the authoritie of both preuailed and vntill the power of Antichrist began to shew it selfe in Gregorie the seuenth In this point therefore Owlyglasse sheweth himselfe ignorant of the storie of the Church and not onely vagrant from his purpose Sect. VII That the fasts of the synagogue of Rome their vsual formes were not established by the ancient Church IN the seuenth article of his supposed vntruthes because Owlyglasse could not otherwise fasten the lie vpon me conueniently hee doth curtall my words with an c. and mangleth my sentence applying that to one particular which I direct to diuers matters I say that if we seeke all antiquitie we shall not finde where the church of Christ hath commanded vs to keepe this Popes day and that Popes day and to abstaine froÌ„ worke on S. Francis and S. Dominicks and other canonized Friers daies or where the same hath enioyned Christians to heare masse or to fast lent and embre daies vigils of Saints other tides according to the fashion of the Church of Rome But our aduersarie doth vnhandsomely place my wordes thus as if I had said that if we seeke all antiquitie we shall not finde where the church of Christ hath enioyned Christians to fast lent and embre daies and vigils of Saints c. But if he had done me right he should haue added these wordes and other tides according to the fashion of the Church of Rome Which if he had done my wordes would haue giuen him no occasion of cauill For then neither out of the 50. canon of the councell of Laodicea nor out of the 63. canon of the fourth councell of Carthage nor Hieroms epistle to Marcella nor S. Augustines sermon de tempore nor Leo nor Epiphanius his wordes nor any other authoritie by him alleadged could he haue brought any thing to contradict my assertion neither doth master Willets confession any whit relieue him The Councell of Laodicea doth not establish the fast of lent nor saith any thing of choyce of meates or the manner of fasting but would that men should fast vpon thursday before Easter Which argueth that before that time that day was not necessarily fasted Besides that the Councell hath nothing concerning embre daies or fasts on vigils of Saints and therefore short of my aduersaries purpose Finally
as may be gathered by the testimony of Irenaeus as Eusebius writeth Ecc. hist lib. 5. c. 26. the same may be proued also out of Socrates l. 2. hist 43. Sozomenus lib. 3. c. 13. Spiridion did not thinke it vnlawfull to eate flesh in Lent as Sozomenus testifieth lib. 1. c. 11. of eating drie meates and abstinence from wine and dinners I haue spoken before Finally if Owlyglasse had Lynceus his eyes yet in all ancient stories he shall not find where any was condemned by the Church to death for eating flesh vpon friday And why forsooth because this is the practise of the synagogue of Antichrist and the whore of Babylon Let it then be iudged whether I or the ecstatical Owlyglasse haue vsed better conscience in discussing this controuersie concerning Romish fasts and who hath lyed he or I. Sect. VIII That the auncient Church of Christ hath not forbidden Christians to solemnize marriage vpon daies forbidden by the Church of Rome THe 8. article of Owlyglasses exceptions is drawn out of â—he 32. page of my challenge for where I say that if we seeke all antiquitie we shall not find where the Church of Christ hath commanded christians to keepe this popes day or that Popes dayes c. Or where the same hath enioyned christians to heare Masse or to fast lente and imbre dayes and Vigiles of Saints and other tides according to the fashion of the Church of Rome or to confesse our sins to Romish Friers and Priests or not to solemnize mariage on dayes forbidden hée is somewhat offended at my words but to make his obiection the stronger he placeth them thus If wee seeke all antiquitie we shall not finde where the Church of Christ hath enioyned christians not to solemnize mariage on dayes forbidden cutting out a multitude of my wordes out of the middest of my sentence making me to speake of one point where I speake of diuers and disioyning that which I coupled together so that I may say that if a man rake al the colledge of Iebusites he shal not lightly find a more impudent or witlesse falsary then this But to let that passe albeit I maruel hée was not ashamed speaking against falsifications to falsifie euery place almost wich he toucheth I say it is no vntruth to affirme that the auncient Church of Christ did not prohibit Christians to solemnize mariage on dayes forbidden by the Church of Rome And my reasons are First for that I finde not any such prohibition to haue béene vsed in the histories or monuments of the Church Secondly for that I doe not sée that the aunciente fathers do mention in their writings any such matter Thirdly for that the first decretale concerning these prohibitons that hath force of law â—s in the chapter capellanum â—xtr de ferijs Gratian doth insert a certa ne counterfect canon 33. q. 4. Non oportet But euery canonist can tell Oâ—lygâ—assâ— that Gratians sentences are no law Fourthly I doe finde that Bellarmine de matrimonio lib. 1. 2. 31. cannot proue this practise of prohibition of mariage to bée ancient Bellar. de matrâ—m lib. 1. c 31 Fiftly the aduersaries confesse it is lawfull to contract mariage at any time Wherefore then should it not be lawfull to publish and solemnize the contract seeing solemnization is nothing but a declaration of an act doone Finally the poore proofes of Owlyglassâ— doe much confirme mée in my opinion For he alledgeth nothing for his opinion but a conterfect Canon of the councell of Laodicea that forbiddeth solemnization of mariages in Lent That this Canon is counterfeit it is apparent for that there is no appareÌ„ce of such actes in any authenticall record Secondly this Canon by Owlyglasse is numbred the 52. so doth also Câ—rranzâ— number it from whence he had it But Bellarmine lib. 1. de Mâ—trim c. 31. maketh it 25 the Canon Thirdly these Canons were written in Greeke if any such were made in Lâ—odicea but these are meerely latine and verie barbarous In the 53. canon it is decreed non oportere Châ—istianos ad nuptias eunâ—es balare aut saltare But were this Canon truely made by the councell of Lâ—odicea yet maketh it nothing for Owlyâ—lasse his purpose For those canons are not obserued and the Romanists cease not to daâ—nce at mariages Againe were this Canon obserued yet it â—aketh nothing for prohibitions out of Lent So that Owlyglasse will come farre short of his reckening when he commeth to conclude that all prohâ—bitions of times of mariage practised in the Romish church were also practised in the auncient church of Christ Iesus Page 26. Our aduersarie doth further tell vs that other testimonies might be brought for this purpose but he will content himselfe with the practise of the Church of England And that he proueth out of our Almanacks and faculties for mariages in time prohibited But this argument effecteth nothing but onely the disgrace of him that made it for it sheweth that our aduersarie is better studied in the Almanacke then in Saint Augustine Further the Almanackes set downe the feasts and Saints of the Romish Church and that for the benefite of Merchants that trade with other nations although we obserue not these Popish Saints feasts Thirdly if he were acquainted with our faculties as perfectly as he pretendeth he might know that these prohibitions are not much regarded Finally if for a ciuil decencie the same were by some obserued yet al the ceremonies orders of euery particular church are not auncient nor is that any thing to the Romish church whose superstitious and wicked decrees I wonder that so many do blindly receiue without all ground of reason If then Owlyglasse haue any more testimonies in store his friends would be glad to heare of them for his own credit and promise sake Otherwise they will wish that he had been also prohibited to marie and to beget children least they be troubled with a race of such dizards Sect. IX That the regenerat cannot liue without sinne IN this ninth article Owlyglasse doth bewray his great ignorance neither well vnderstanding what we hold nor what his owne consorts hold If he did he would not imagine that we did distinguish sinnes into mortall and veniall nor would he denie that Papists hold that the regenerat may liue without sinne Sess 6. c. 5. For first the conuenticle of Trent anathematizeth whosoeuer shall say that freewill is lost since Adams fall Secondly Ibidem c. 18. the same anathematizeth all that shall affirme that a man regenerar cannot performe all the lawe and commandements of God If then a man after Adams fall haue freewill hee may as well doe all things well and so liue without sinne as all things euil Againe if he be able to performe all the commandements of God then may he liue without sinne sinne being nothing els but the transgression of the lawe Lib. de liber arb c. 3. Anselme defineth freewill to be a power to keepe the will right
fellow that could not see that the communion might bee administred to the sicke although the sacrament was not hung ouer the altar in a boxe Ambros de Oâ—it Theodos Satyrus kept the sacrament about him in shipwracke and a certaine woman of whom Cyprian maketh mention kept sanctum domini in her chest but our aduersarie is a simple disputer that would haue the abuses of simple women and men vnchristened such as Satyrus then was obserued for lawe Beside that it is one thing to hang the sacrament ouer the altar and another thing to put it in a womans chest or to lappe it vp in a clout for this the Romanistes themselues allow not Caluin 4. institut 17. sect 39. confesseth that the sacrament was in olde time reserued But he doth not say as our aduersarie insinuateth that this was the order of the church Finally our aduersary himselfe purposing to proue that the sacrament was kept in pixes ouer the altar concludeth only that the sacrament was kept abandoning the pixes to be defended by some other his dealing therefore sauoureth of great simplicitie if not of fraud and malice and vanitie But that which I said is most true and is at large iustified in my discourse of the masse against Bellarmine and is prooued first by the wordes of our Sauiour who instituting this holy sacrament tooke bread blessed it and broke it and gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate where I would wish that simple Papists would consider that he said take and eate and not depart without eating or els keepe the sacrament in boxes or hang it ouer the altar Secondly the Apostle 1. cor 11. declareth that the disciples of our Sauiour at his last supper did take and eate and drinke How then happeneth it that the massepriests doe not deliuer the sacrament to the people but hang it ouer the altar Will they prooue themselues to be not onely sacrificers and killers of Christ but also hangmen of Christ and the very famishers of Gods people Thirdly the fathers giue cleare testimonie against our aduersaries that keepe the sacrament in pixes Apolog. 2. ad Antonin De ijs quae cum gratiarum actione consecrata sunt saith Iustine Martyr vnusquisque participat eademque ad eos qui absunt diaconis dantur perferenda Dominus panem saith Origen hom 5. in Leuit. c. 7. quem discipulis dabat dixit accipite manducate non distulit nec seruari iussit in crastinum they both signifie that the sacraments presently vpon consecration were receiued Hesychius also writing vpon Leuit. lib. 2. cap. 8. sheweth that what remained of the sacrament the same was forthwith consumed Fourthly councels haue repressed the lewde customes of such as in auncient time began to reserue the sacrament The first councell of Toledo c. 14. decreeth that he ought to be thrust out of the Church as a sacrilegious person which eateth not the sacrament which he receiueth from the Priest the like decree is found in the councell of Saragossa c. 3. Fiftly we doe finde the practise of Christ his church to be repugnant to this reseruation of the sacrament in pixes as appeareth by the testimonie of Dionysius eccles hierarch c. 3. of Ambrose de sacramentis lib. 4. 5. of Euagrius lib. 4. c. 35. of Nicephorus lib. 17. c. 25. and all auncient formularies of administring the sacraments Finally the aduersaries themselues in this point ouerthrow their owne practise as appeareth by the chapter Tribus gradibus and the chapter Triforme de consecrat dist 2. and the chapter sâ—ne cum olim de celebrat miss that declareth Honorius to be the first bringer in of pixes if then Owlyglasse haue no more to say in this point he will rather carie pixes out then bring them into the church He will also ouerthrow the worthie decrée of Honorius the principall patron of the idolatrous worship of the sacrament in the Romish Church and disgrace himselfe whose words are like painted boxes full of empty words Sect. XII That the prayers of the Romish Church to our Ladie to Saints and to Angels were not in vse in the auncient Church IN most of his obiections Owlyglasse doth not only giue the lye vnto me but to the whole Church for that which I say concerning diuers pointes of popish religion is also mantained by the consent of Christs Church as may appeare by that which already is aunswered concerning the abuse of the sacrament prohibitions of mariage and such like In this place I touch an abuse of Popish prayers and say that auncient Christians had noe mediators but Christ Iesus and that they did not pray to our Lady or to Saints or to Angels but to God onely in the name of Christ Iesus Of which assertion the first parte is proued by the words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. Vnus deus saith he Vnus mediator dei hominum homo christus Iesus Likewise by the words of the Apostle Hebr. 7. Whereby we vnderstand that our mediator must be pure and impolluted and offer vp himselfe and Hebr. 9. where Christ is called the mediator of a new testament and hath that office ascribed vnto him only to intercede and mediate for vs with God Secondly by the testimony of S. Austine lib. 2. contra Parmen c 8. Si Ioannes ita diceret saith he haec scripsi vobis vt non peccetis si quis peccauerit nos mediatoreÌ„ habebitis apud patreÌ„ ego exoro pro peccatis vestris sicut Parmenianus quodam loco mediatorem posuit episcopum inter populum deum quis eum ferret bonorum fidelium christianorum Albeit the Bishop doth intercede and pray for the people yet Austine will not haue him called a mediator Thirdly the same is proued by diuers arguments drawne froÌ„ the nature of a mediator He must be pure and impolluted and able to reconcile vs to God by his death and merites he must offer sacrifice for vs he must mediate our peace with God the Father as may be gathered out of the 7. and 9. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews he must also be able to make a propitiation for our sinnes as it is to be gatherered out of the 1. Iohn 2. and finally he must be such a one as can heare vs and procure our requestes to be granted But neither are Saints departed so pure and impolluted that they can oppose their holinesse to Gods iustice nor are they able to reconcile vs vnto God by their merites Nay themselues néede Christs mediation and therefore cannot mediate for others further it is derogatory to Christs priesthood to make them priests able to reconcile vs to God and then appoynt them mediators to make God propitious vnto vs. Finally Saints cannot be in all places to heare the prayers of those that call vpon them nor are they able to giue vs that we aske nor doe they allow those that leauing Christ Iesus come to theÌ„ Owlyglasse aunswereth to this point and
saith that Saints are mediators not of redemption but of intercession and that Saint Paule 2. Thess 3. Desired the Thessalonians to pray for him making them mediators of intercession But first the scriptures and fathers allow none for mediators but Christ Iesus that hath redéemed vs and mediated our peace they are also vtterly vnacquainted with this Popish distinction Secondly it is a ridiculous thing because the Apostle desireth the Thessalonians to pray for him to whome he might come and which did vnderstand his prayer to conclude after Owlyglasse his faâ—hion that therefore either they were to be tearmed his mediators or that wee may pray to those which neither can heare vs in all places nor grant our prayers The Second part of my assertion is proued First by the doctrine of our Sauiour that taught vs to pray to the Father in his name Which is also confirmed by the practise of the Church testified in the 3 counsell of Carthage c. 23. Secondly the words of the Apostle are direct for vs. How shall they call saith he on him on whome they haue not beleeued Rom. 10. Thirdly the fathers condemne the practise of the Romish Church in praying to Saints Mariam saith Epiphanius nemo adoret neque muliâ—rum neque virum And againe neque Tecla neque quisquam sanctu adoretur non enim dominabitur nobis antiquus error vt relinquamus viuentem adoremus ea Rom. 1. quae ab ipso fâ—cta sunt S. Ambrose saith that wee haue accesse to kings by mediation of tribunes and noble men because they are men but to come to God that we neede noe spokeseman but a dâ—uout minde Fourthly both councels and fathers condemne worship of Angels non oportet christianos say the fathers of the councell of Laodicea Can. 35. derelicta ecclesia abire ad angelos idololatriae abominandae congregationes facere They say christians are not to relinquish the Church and to runne into corners to worship Angels for that they signifie to be Idolatrie Chrysostome in his 7. homily vpon the Epistle to the Colossians refuteth the opinion of those that vsed the mediation of Angels Sunt nonnulli saith hée qui dicunt non oportere per Christum reconciliari ad patrem accedere sed per angelos propterea sursum ac deorsum quae de Christo sunt versat Epiphanius and S. Augustine where they talke of the heresie of the Angelikes condemne the worshippers of Angels for heretickes Fiftly the practise of the auncient Church doth vtterly repugne against the forme of prayer vsed by the Popâ—sh Church for if we séeke all the rituall bookes of auncient Churches we shall not finde where christians prayed thus Sancta maria Mater dei ora pro nobis nunc in hora mortis Neither was this prayer vsed Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae Tu nos ab hoste protege hora mortis suscipe Neither do I beléeue shall Owlyglasse find where christians prayed thus Sancta Maria succurre misâ—ris iuua pusillanimes Mens febr retoue fâ—ebiles and so forth Or as in the missall of Sarum Vt haec munera tibi accepta sint sanctae Batildis obtineant merita Neither can any formes of litanyes to Angels and Romish Saints in auncient bookes be found Finally these formes of prayers to Saints and Angels are most absurde for what reason haue christians not to pray to God through Christ as they are commanded but to run to Saints who neither vnderstand mens thoughts nor are present in all places nor can helpe vs. Nay it is a thing very vncertaine whether many of those that the Romish Church doth worship are Saints or no. the lye therefore that Owlyglasse would fasten on me doth touch the Apostles holy fathers whose doctrine I follow and not me only and may well be returned backe on him But saith he of prayers to Saints and Angels Page 34 there are such plentifull proofes that nothing can excuse him from ashamelesse vnttuth And there vpon he both bringeth forth Basill the Councell of Chalcedon Chrysostome Saint Ambrose and Ruffinus But no one of these hath one such prayer as the Romish missals and breuiaries haue many Further the twentith homily in honor of 40. Martiâ—es is not authenticall nor was euer written by Basill Neither is euery rude voyce that passed in councell to be ascribed to the councell as authorized vy solemne act besides that many Epistles and writings are set out among the actes of counsels that deserue no credit so we say of the 66 homily of Saint Chrysostome and Ambroses booke de viduis that they haue passed the handes of idolaters and falsaries Ruffin telleth vs onely Lib. 2. hist c. 33. what some did not what they ought to do but suppose some of these fathers should either by an apostrophe name Saints or Angels or else desire in a generality that God will heare the prayers which the triumphant Church offereth to God for the militant Church or admit also that any one man should pray to Saintes yet that is nothing to iustifie the blasphemous prayers of the Church of Rome made to Angels and Saints nor doth it appeare that in auncient time there were any publike prayers to the Virgin Mary to Angels and Saints Finally the fathers did rather praye to God at the tombes of martyrs then praye to martyrs as God And we are rather to follow the most authenticall fathers and best learned and their authenticall writings then either such ragges as are falsesly countenanced by the names of fathers or some hard speaches of fathers Further Owlyglasse signifieth that Hierome against Vigilantius defended prayers to Saints But he must alleadge good proofe or els his reader and euery one that readeth Hierome will tell him he lieth Finally he alleadgeth M. Bell against mee and adioyneth M. Gough in a treatise against M. Fecknam vnto him But wee all agree against him and his erroneous and superstitious doctrine concerning prayer to Saints For albeit some one or two long since called vpon Saints yet we all agrée that auncient christians had no such formes allowed or publikely vsed and frequented in the church So it appeareth that for prayers to Angels and our Lady our aduersarie can alleadge nothing but the custome of Collyridians and Angelikes Neither can he alleadge any thing for prayers to Romish Saints nor to Martyres but certaine counterfeit writings and priuat practises of one or two Fathers which against the rest and against authenticall writings of the same authors are of no validitie Sect. XIII That auriculer confession after the Romish fashion was not established nor receiued into the Church before Innocentius the third his time THe last exception which concerning matter of vntruth Owlyglasse taketh against me is for that I denie the Romish auriculer confession to be auncient A matter that seemeth much to pinch my aduersarie and his consorts for that vpon this point for the most part dependeth the gaine of their faculties the credit
pennance that is inioyned them Otherwise in his life time he is shut out of the Church and after his death prohibited christian buriall The councell of Trent Sess 14. c. 6. saith that auricular confession is necessary vnto saluation by the law of God Francis à victoria lib. de sacrament c. de confessione saith that a man being at the point of death is bounde by Gods law to confesse to a Priest If I say he had but one sparke of honestie or graine of modestie he would not haue affirmed that this maner of auriculer confession had béene ordayned by Christ hauing neither testimony of scriptures nor standing with the doctrine of the fathers Delicta sua quis intelligit saith the Prophet Psalm 18. How then can a man confesse all his sins which no maÌ„ is wel able to conceiue nor the papists in their multiforme cases of consciences able to eâ—presse Secondly the Prophet saith that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne God will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance If a sinner therefore repent he may haue remission of sinnes without auriculer confession Thirdly the fathers doe refell this confessionall doctrine nondico vt confitearis peccata conseruo tuo saith Chrysostome Homil. 2. in Psalm 50. qui exprobret dicito deo qui curet ea I say not confesse thy sinnes to thy fellow seruant which may reproch it to thee but speake to God which careth for such matters Ambrose vpon the 10. of Luke c. 96. saith hee readeth of Peters teares but not of his satisfaction And againe let teares saith he wash your sinnes that by word you are ashamed to confesse Lib. 10. confess c. 3. what haue I to doe saith Saint Augustine with men that they should heare my coÌ„fessions as if they were to heale my griefes Cassian also collat 20. c. 9. teacheth men to confesse to God such thinges as they blush to confesse to men Fourthly it is an absurd thing to say Christ ordained coÌ„fessioÌ„ not to be able to proue it out of the scriptures Fiftly if confeson of all sinnes were necessarie then who should escape damnation Sixtly Papistes themselues bring diuers cases wherin they say coÌ„fession is not necessary the Pope dispenseth in case of omisssion of confession which sheweth that confession is not iuris diuini nor necessary to saluation Finally Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople tooke a way a kind of auriculer confession for publike sinnes which was vsed in that Church as Sozomenus testifieth And this is sufficient to cleare me of all vntruth obiected against me by Owlyglasse If he thinke otherwise or if any man will not be perswaded let him orderly answere this and other latin treatises which I haue written concerning diuers of these seuerall causes If they cannot let them leaue for shame to belche out their wicked slaunders against vs that shall alway be able to iustifie our allegations and writings better then the aduersaries that care not much how falsely they speake or write CHAP. II. An answere to Owlyglasses exceptions concerning thirteene falsifications pretended to be committed in M. Sutcliffes late Challenge Sect. I. Of two allegations of Epiphanius and Augustine pretended to be falsified SICVT canis qui reuertitur ad vomitum suum saith Salomon Prouerb 26. sic stultus qui iterat stultitiam suam for if a foole haue a toye or fancie in his head you shall hardly bring him from it This appeareth plaine by the foolish and fond deuises of our aduersaries who hauing a conceit to worke vs some disgrace vnder pretence of vntruths and falsifications are still talking and prating of falsifications wherein notwithstanding the cause being examined all the disgrace will fall vpon themselues Robert Parsons being at Rome and hearing of the conference that had passed betwixt M. Plessis and M. d' Eureux would needes forsooth send a pamphlet concerning that matter into England with a request that a triall might also be made concerning allegations by men of our side with vs as it had passed before in France The which pamphlet albeit he might sée to haue beene answered two yeares agone and his challenge concerning matters of falsification to be accepted by me and that I haue begone to obiect against him diuers notorious and most materiall falsifications whereupon Romish religion séemeth to depend yet is Owlyglasse our aduersarie still returning to his vomit and still babling of falsifications himselfe being not able either to answere one word in defence of those falsifications which I shewed to haue beene committed by the Romish church and principall men actors in the Popes cause or well able to declare what falsification is albeit by practise he be most cunning in it And that appeareth by the first section of his third chapter page 47. for albeit I doe not set downe any words either of Saint Augustine or Epiphanius yet he pretendeth that I haue falsified both A strange matter that a man should commit a forgerie in writing and yet neither make nor preduce any writings at all But I quote them in the margent for that hée may alleadge in excuse of his dizardrie as if euery man that quoted an author in the margent either vnfitly or erroneously were to be charged with the crime of falsification The worst therefore that he is able to say against me is error and mistaking but if I haue not erred or mistakene ither Saint Augustine or Epiphanius I hope some cacolike massepriest will tell Owlyglasse that himselfe was much ouerseene in the verie first setting out of the harbour which is a verie euill presage and a most certaine signe that he will make no good voyage as long as he dealeth with me in this cause That I haue said truely it will appeare by comparing S. Augustines and Epiphanius his words with mine I say the Heracleonites did annoint their followers departing out of this life and gaue them a certaine kinde of extreme vnction And I quote Augustine de haeres c. 16. and Epiphanius de haeres 36. Let vs then sée whether S. Augustine and Epiphanius doe not prooue my words true Heracleonitae saith he feruntur suos morientes nouo modo quasi redimere id est per oleum balsamum aquam Likewise saith Epiphanius H quandoque aliqui ex ipsis oleum aqua mixtum capiti defuncti immittunt I say further that those heretikes said prayers for the dead and that is prooued both out of Augustine and Epiphanius Augustine said they vsed certaine inuocations inuocationes saith he quas Hebraicis verbis dicebant super capita scilicet morientium Hoc faciunt saith Epiphanius vt hi qui has inuocationes in vitae exitu accipiunt cum aqua oleo aut vnguento permixtis incomprehensibiles siant So it appeareth that these heretikes did annoint their Disciples with oyle hoping thereby to redéeme them and saue them It appeareth also that they said praiers ouer the dead in a tongue not vnderstood Do not then the
papists resemble them greasing their disciples that are dying and teaching them that by this sacrament they are iustified and mumbling prayers ouer them in a tongue not vnderstood of the assistants But saith Owlyglasse the matter of our extreme vnction is onely hâ—llowed oyle their 's was oyle water and balme Page 49. the forme of ours is a short prayer their 's a strange inuocation in Hebrew words the reason of ours is for the sauing of the sicke the lifting of him vp and if he be in sinnes that they may bee forgiuen him theirs to make themselues inuisible ours is ministred on the fiue sences their 's vpon their head ours before death theirs after death And this he prooueth by alleadging the words of Augustine and Epiphanius at large to the wearying of his reader to no purpose For we deny not any thing concerning this matter which either Epiphanius or S. Augustine affirmeth But all his allegation notwithstanding will not serue to cleare the Papists from the blot of Heracleonisme for admit they did not approue all their errors and in all points shall they therefore be discharged Againe it is false that the Heracleonites did annoint only the dead for S. Augustine saith quod suos morientes vngunt so it may be they annointed them both before death and after Againe it is false that the Heracleonites did not vse a short prayer and in a strange tongue If then they borrow greasing and praying in a strange tongue ouer the dead from the Heracleonites and hope to iustifie their disciples by these fond ceremonies then I hope I haue said true in comparing the Papists to Heracleonites Nay I did them fauour that I said they were no worse then Heracleonites for the massepriests oftentimes vexe poore soules that lie vpon dying and are tormented otherwise with sicknesse and tumble them sometime vp and downe in their beds and percase kill them that otherwise might according to morall coniectures haue escaped Beside that they touch women verie indecently and very absurdly they put oyle in mens eyes noses and eares Finally our aduersarie speaketh foolishly where he saith extreme vnction is ministred on the fiue sences For that is a sencelesse thing to say that the sences may be greased and the Papists that speake orderly say the instruments of the sences not the sences are annointed He saith also further that S. Iames Chap. 5. maketh mention of extreme vnction And that S. Augustine and Epiphanius number Aerius among Heretikes for denying prayer for the dead and that the Heracleonites did not say prayers for reliefe of mens soules in purgatorie But if it would doe Owlyglasse any good his fellowes had néede to say masses and dirges for him albeit he be not yet in purgatorie so simply doth he handle his matters For it is false that S. Iames maketh mention of popish extreme vnction or that hée thought that vnction which hee speaketh of to be a sacrament of the church or that men were iustified by that vnction Nay he doth not speake so much as one word of the institution or forme of extreme vnction Secondly albeit Aerius was condemned for denying the orders of the church and not allowing the commemoration of the names of the dead at the time of the celebration of the Lords supper as then was vsed yet that toucheth vs nothing For our Church hath taken away the superstitious abuses of the papists and we doe not willingly oppugne any order of the auncient church by lawes established among vs. Finally albeit Epiphanius and Augustine talke of prayers for the dead yet did they not thinke that onely those were to be prayed for or remembred in the holy ministration of the sacrament that were in purgatorie for they rehearsed the names of good and bad And it may be the Heracleonites did also beleeue a certaine purgatorie for els why should they pray for the dead especially if our aduersaries argue well Finally he asketh Pag. 50. with what conscience I could so intreat the fathers in concealing their words As if Owlyglasse himselfe did not conceale Epiphanius his words concerning Aerius whom he chargeth with Arianisme and other heresies and not onely for denying prayer for the dead I answere then his fond question that I had no reason to rehearse Augustines or Epiphanius his words otherwise then I did alleadging them only to one point which I entended to proue and that I did iustly and truely Neither can any man except against my doing therein vnlesse Owlyglasse woulde haue men to cite whole chapters And as for Owlyglasse he may hold his peace with shame enough vnles he can speake better for his clients Sect. II. That Epiphanius was fitly alleadged page 49. of my former Challenge THe like vanitie doth Owlyglasse shew in taxing me for alleadging the testimonie of Epiphanius for the wordes that I cite are truely described The other testimonies I do not describe but only quote them Wherein then consisteth this high point of falsification Forsooth saith he because he doth most vntruely charge vs as comming neare to Marcions heresie but this is not falsification as he might haue knowne if he had knowne any thing Nay it is not vntruth neither for as Marcion suffered women to baptize and extolled virginitie although he was a false lecher and taught abstinence from liuing creatures and separated mariage for religion as is before declared in the 4. chapter of my challenge so doe Papists suffer women to baptize and their lecherous priests albeit they extoll virginitie and abiure mariage yet liue most dissolutely Their Monkes abstaine from flesh and they vse to separate mariages for religion and all this Owlyglasse was contented to passe ouer in silence as if it had been deliuered vnto him vnder the seale of confession although the same was plainly and publikely obiected in my former challenge and was easie to be found being set downe in the same place where he supposeth that I haue committed this foresaide falsification But saith he he doth falsifie Epiphanius wresting him contrarie to his meaning as if Bellarmine were to bee charged with falsification as oft as he doth wrest places contrarie to the meaning of the authors He saith also that I conceale his words but he must be a miraculous fellow that will make him a falsifier that doth not so much as alleadge any writing Such a simple fellow is Owlyglasse with whom I doe contend that the poore fellow cannot tell what he would say I will therefore helpe to tell his tale and shew that he is the falsifier and not I. In my challenge I doe charge the Papists as sauouring of diuers points of heresie maintained by Marcion and his followers Among other things I say that Marcion taught that by Christs descending into hell diuers mens soules were thence deliuered and that he separated mariages for religion And afterwards I adde that the Papists sauour strongly of these heresies and namely in that they separate mariages contracted after vowes
and my answeres My conscience and plaine dealing the iudge of all mens consciences doth best knowe and I hope all the course of my writings will iustifie against all the cauils of such vaine banglers My learning I acknowledge is not comparable to that which many of my brethren haue but yet I hope by the grace of God to maintaine a truth against the prowdest of the Popish faction But were it neuer so sclender yet vntill my bookes against Bellarmine be answered in that plaine and scholasticall sort that I doe answere him neither hath Owlyglasse nor any of his consorts any reason to despise it or to obiect want of learning vnto me Yet séeing hee doth vndertake to prooue that I haue no learning let vs sée whether Owlyglasse hath any better successe in this then in his former allegations concerning his supposed vntruthes and falsifications First he saith I bring such arguments to prooue the Papists to be no Catholikes and to maintaine new doctrine and heresie as touch not them but wound the Church of England But if this had béen so why doth not Owlyglasse vndertake to answere my arguments why doth he not dare to refute my discourse If they hurt the Church of England no doubt but such caterpillers as he that séeke our hurt and ruine would not haue omitted to take that aduantage His wordes therefore are but vaine bragges and néede no other refutation then his owne lewde performance in this encounter and déepe silence in the rest Next he saith he will take a scantling of my learning nothing answerable to my lookes and countenance But his scantling is very short and vnproportionable being but one onely argument Beside that it sheweth that both learning and honestie is very scant with him for where I go about to prooue that the Church of Rome is not the true church of Christ for that it wanteth true bishops and Priests the palfrey fellow onely repeateth my wordes whereby I prooue that euery true Church hath true bishops and priests but durst not set downe my wordes whereby I shewe that the Church of Rome hath neither true bishoppes nor priests And where he toucheth any reason of mine he marreth it with his lewde handling and mangleth my whole discourse omitting my thrée last reasons and not daring to set them downe I will therefore now let the ignorant ideot knowe that my reasons whereby I conclude that the Church of Rome hath no true bishops nor priestes at this time are strong and effectuall and that his cauillations against my words are vaine and friuolous First then I say that no man hath ordinarie power to ordaine bishops or priestes but he that is a bishop and a priest But the Pope of Rome is neither true bishop nor priest ergo the proposition our aduersarie denyeth not The assumption I prooue by these arguments First the Pope was ordained priest but to offer sacrifices and to say masses for quicke and dead But neither doth this ordination make a priest nor had true priests and elders euer any such ordination That this ordination doth not make a priest I prooue for that thereby the ordained neither receiue power to preach nor to administer the sacraments nor the keyes of the Church wherein priesthood consisteth If they receiue any thing it is to offer sacrifice But the Papists confesse that there is great difference betwixt the sacrament of the Eucharist and a sacrifice as appeareth by Bellarmines large disputes Lib. 1. 2. de sacrif missae Further this ordination doth not giue to priestes the right of apostolicall succession which consisteth in preaching and administring the sacraments which our Sauiour committed to his Apostles and their successours to the worldes ende as appeareth by Christs wordes Matth. 28. that priests in auncient time neuer had any such ordination it appeareth by the commission that Christ gaue to his Apostles Matth. 28. by the office of Pastors described Ephes 4. and 1. Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. where no mention is made of sacrificing for quicke and dead neither doth this clause hoc facite in any author signifie sacrifice for quicke and dead It appeareth also by monuments of antiquitie and auncient formularies In the 4. Councell of Carthage priests are ordained by imposition of hands but not to sacrifice for quicke and dead This argument our aduersarie for all his contemptuous spéeches of my arguments durst not once touch Secondly the Pope is not ordained to teach or gouerne a certaine flocke but to be the vniuersall bishop Bellar. lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Prooem Clement the head of the Church the spouse of the Church the foundation of the Church and a little demy god vpon the earth with power ouer purgatorie and the keyes of heauen and hell And if he haue not this power then is he not Pope But this power is no where deliuered by any good commission to any nor doth it belong to any bishop for any thing we can yet learne for if it did then should all bishops haue that power Owlyglasse therefore may doe well to shewe vs this power out of scriptures and fathers or els his silence will teach him that the Pope is no bishop Bellarmine telleth vs of pasce oues meas and tibi dabo claues But he must finde out a better commission for the Pope or els all bishops will haue like power and the pope will prooue to haue no power vnlesse he féede and haue the keyes of the Church which by Owlyglasse I am assured will not bee proued Thirdly the Pope doth not féede the flocke by teaching or administer the sacraments or gouerne the Church as other bishops did but contrariwise taketh vpon him to be Emperour or gouernour of Rome which the auncient bishops of Rome neuer did But no man can be a King and a bishop both together nor a bishop without doing the office of a bishop For Episcopatus as the Apostle teacheth vs That is a worke and not a title oâ— honoâ— is opus and not onely hoâ—os Our aduersarie answereth that it is Donatisme to affirme that the efficacie of sacraments doth depend vpon the good or bad life of the ministers and that we are to harken to those that sit in Moyses his chaire albeit they be Pharisees and bad men otherwise And this he proueth by diuers testimonies out of S. Augustine and the harmony of our confessions being copious where no néede is and silent when he should answere But all this is no more to purpose then if he should tell vs a tale of a horse nest or of the popes mules and mulets for what is that to me or others that say not that the Pope or popish bishops are not lawfull bishops nor haue power to administer sacraments because they are Sodomites adulterers and wicked men but rather that the pope is no bishop at all because he doth not opus episcopi He will perhaps say he doth opus episcopi But then he must shewe that he féedeth the
no part of my meaning but I say that the true Church cannot longe want true bishopes and teachers and that therfore the Romish Church is not the true Church hauing no bishops nor préestes at all but in name And that I proued for that they wanted true priesthood and true ordination and were ordayned and sent by antichrist by heretikes and simoniacall persons and such as had no authority to ordayne or sende forth bishops and preestes He answereth finally that I haue no reason to carpe at the Romish clergie for their bad life and lacke of learning seeing Pag. 96. our Church as he saith admitteth most base lewd vnlearned artisās this he indeuoureth to proue by M. Parries words in his preface before Vrsinus his catechisme But he lyeth like a lewde and base fellow if he suppose that such are admitted by our Church they do thrust in I confesse by the abuse of sōe on or more but the church alloweth thē not nay there are canōs made that none is to be ordained minister but bachilars of art or men otherwise well qualified and knowne to be able to teach If any doe otherwise by indirect meanes come into the ministery which abuse Master Parry noteth yet I hope they are not so rude or so lewde as masse Preests which are the scumme of all vileny for the most part as those that trauell Spayne and Italy knowe by practise and our rinegat English masse Preestes by their lewdnesse and insufficiency playnly proue Hauing answered according to his best skill and broken as he thinketh all our bonds like Dalilaes cords though some of his friends say that a certeine Dalila hath strong hold of him he goeth about to retort this argument vpon vs and saith if the true Church hath alwayes true bishops and preests that the Church of England Pag 100. is not the true Church as wanting true preestes and bishops And with this argument hee hopeth to giue vs such a drie shauing as he doubteth not but he will marre the whole beauty thereof but he sheweth himselfe to be but a simple barber and a worse drie shauer for nowe he cannot shew but that we haue true bishops hauing both lawfull ordination and our bishops exequuting the office of bishops loyally and orderly Before this reformation also our bishops had all that which our aduersaries thinke necessary in the outward calling of bishops Besides that there fayled not among our bishops and préestes at all times diuers men which detested the abominations of the Romanistes as Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne Richard Vllerston that liued about the councell of Constance Iohn wicleffe and diuers others But saith he who layd hands on bishop Parker He séemeth also to make the like question of Luther and Zuinglius I answere that bishop Couerdale and Skory and others which were bishops in King Edwardes time layde hands vpon bishop Parker I confesse also that bishop Cranmer Luther and Zuinglius had an externall calling though corrupt in a corrupt state yet such as Owlygalsse dare not deny to be sufficient And beside that externall calling it pleased God to reuele to them his will extraordinarily and to call them out of Babylon to the knowledge of his truth our aduersary therefore of all men hath least reason to challenge them for their calling Beside that he cannot conclude because that externall calling was then thought sufficient that now the popish Church hath a calling sufficient For albeit the préestes of the Iewes that worshiped Baal had an externall calling which was not disabled when they returned to the true worship of God yet was not their Idolatrous seruice doon to Baal nor that preesthood lawful the like wee may say of masse préests They should haue serued God aright yet whē they serued at their massing alters they worshipped strange Gods But when they left their Idolatrie then their calling tooke effect they doing that for which they were principally called Furthermore he cannot say because now all Idolatry and superstition being abandoned we are the true church that the papists that reteine still their superstitiōs are the true church for the true church is tryed by true faith true worship and seruice of God not by externall rites and ceremonies and succession without Gods true worship or the true faith Owlyglasse would also gladly haue me to set down the names of those bishops that gouerned our Church euer since Christ As if all bishops that mayntained the Apostles créede and catholike faith were not our bishops If they digressed from the faith we are not to séeke for a new ranke of bishops but to acknowledge them to be true bishops that professed the true faith He talketh also of my being at Cales but it is more honesty for me to goe in the seruice of my Prince and contry against forreine enemies then for him with forreine enemies like a disloyal traytor to fight against his prince and contry and like a base slaue to serue the popes turne And this may serue to iustifie my argument against the popish préesthood It resteth now that I answere his friuolous obiections concerning some points which he supposeth to conteine matter of contradiction which he vanteth that hee will handle to the little commendation of my learning as he saith But if he would indéede haue disgraced me he should haue taken in hand the aunswere of some latine treatise which I haue published against Bellar. For therein he might haue shewed lerning whereas this discourse concerning falsifications and vntruthes is nothing but a little fardle of foolery and a vaine bable for his clients to sport themselues with all Well in the meane while let vs know his worships pleasure concerning these supposed contradictions First he chargeth me with saying that the number of seuen sacraments was not certainly established nor receiued before the late councell of Trent and this he supposeth to be contrarie to that which I affirme in another place viz. that the iust number of seuen sacraments and neither more nor lesse was first deliuered by the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth and afterward confirmed by the councell of Trent But the poore ideot doth rather bewray his owne ignorance that knew not how this doctrine of seuen sacraments crept into the Romish church and great dulnesse that could not distinguish betwixt instructions and canons talking or mentioning matters and confirming them by solemne act and decree To reforme his errour therefore I must let him vnderstand that the conuenticle of Florence did not by any solemne canon establish the iust number of seuen sacraments but certaine idle Friers or others in that conuenticle or at the least vnder the credit thereof deliuered this doctrine of seuen sacraments to the Armenians Furthermore not all Churches but the Armenians had this doctrine deliuered vnto them I speake therefore warily where I say that albeit that doctrine was talked of perhaps and deliuered to the Armenians yet it was first confirmed by solemne
there hath béene some difference betwéene priuat persons about ceremonies and gouernment and that without disagréement in religion yet now all that quarrell to the great griefe of Owlyglasse and his consorts is ended and all godly christians iointly concurre to the repressing of the seditious massepriests and their adherents that by faction and heresie seeke to vndermine both the Church and state In this obseruation he goeth about also to prooue that I doe not séeme to allow the doctrine established in this church of England But as in the rest so in this Owlyglasse doth but trifle I doe holde I confesse that baptisme is not so necessarie but that diuers may and haue beene saued without it especially where there is no contempt committed in procuring it Further I doe beléeue that it is vnlawfull for women to take vpon them to administer baptisme and doe aduise in case of extremitie all christians to procure the ministers presence Thirdly I doe vtterly condemne the doctrine of the papistes concerning their limbus patrum Fourthly I doe much mislike their superstitious stationary obambulations about the limits of parishes for the blessing of new corne and their superstitious letanies and ceremonies vsed in the fame Fiftly I deny that euer the catholike church had any precepts or canons to forbid mariages on such daies and in such sort and for such respects as the Romish Church doth practise Sixtly I doe beléeue that Luthers opinion absolutely considered in it selfe is not a fundamentall point of religion especially if we giue his wordes a fauourable construction Finally I accompt none to be true christians and professours that make no conscience of sinne and liue not according to their profession But what of all this doe I therefore teach contrarie to any point of doctrine maintained by the church of England so Owlyglasse my good friend would insinuate But his proofes are simple and his assertions most false He saith Page 111. that the Church of England teacheth that baptisme is necessarie to saluation But the booke which he alleadgeth out of which he cannot bring one word to prooue his saying doth conuince him both of lying and impudencie Secondly he affirmeth that to deny womens baptisme is contrarie to religion established But it is not contrarie to his religion to lie and face out lies most impudently Thirdly to prooue that our church beléeueth limbus patrum he should haue alleadged our confession and not a certaine verset of the créede in méeter Beside that in that verset nothing is said but that Christ illuminated those that sate in darknesse which is nothing to limbus patrum a place that cannot be illuminated as papistes holde Further that verset may be rather an exposition of the words of the song of Zacharie Luke 2. of the illumination of the ignorant and of the like wordes of the Prophet Esay chap. 9. then an assertion of limbus pactum Fourthly the papists in their perambulations of parishes vse to blesse or rather to exorcise corne and to say most wicked litanyes They vse also diuers superstitious ceremonies which vnlesse Owlyglasse prooue to be allowed by our Church he will prooue himselfe a cogging compagnion Fifthly he talketh of prohibitions of the solemnizations of mariages at certaine times but he alleadgeth neither lawe nor record to prooue that our Church alloweth either the doctrine or the ceremonies of the Romish congregation in this point And there whither he sendeth vs we finde nothing but the testimonie of an Almanacke Sixtly albeit the church of England doth not holde Luthers real presence of Christes body in the sacrament yet cannot the detractor shewe but that his opinion may be reconciled with the Christian faith if a man will not vrge those points that follow of that doctrine too seuerely and further percase then at the first Luther himselfe allowed them If a man doe gather what doth followe of it then is the doctrine dangerous as I and others confesse Finally he doth not so much as go about to shewe that I haue deliuered any thing contrary to the doctrine of our Church where I affirme that good life is as well required in a true professour as true faith Why then is this point touched in this place Doth it grieue him that I touch the filthy Sodomiticall priests and friers and shut that abhominable generation out of Gods church It séemeth so and therefore to requite me he saith that this doctrine may touch me for that I haue falsified and maliciously corrupted the fathers But if I haue cleared my selfe of all those matters that he hath laide to my charge I hope the vanitie of his collection will manifestly appeare to all indifferent men But hee poore ideot appeareth not but séeing the Romish Church and diuers of her principall pillers to be charged with notorious lies and falsifications passeth away in silence and is not able to answere one worde Nay hee leaueth his clients in the briers and signifieth for ought he can doe they must pleade for themselues Wherefore to leaue off further to vrge this distressed followe that is able to say nothing for the defence of them whom he doth principally fauour I may well conclude séeing the arguments which I brought in my Challenge stand immooueable and the detectors exceptions are prooued to be vaine and friuolous first that the Romish church is not the true Church of Christ Iesus Secondly that the religion of Papists is neither auncient nor catholike Thirdly that all papists maintaining the doctrine of the Pope and his adherents are heretikes Fourthly that such as embrace popish religion are idolaters Fifthly that all the Popes adherents and agents that haue suffered for his cause in England are to be reputed no better then disloyall traytors and not as some would haue it Martyres Finally that my aduersary by his friuolous obiections hath much confirmed and strengthened our cause against which he was not able to obiect any one thing of moment and iustified my allegations being not able to take any iust exception against any thing said by me nor to obiect any thing which is not fully answered CHAP. IIII. Of diuers falsities committed by the Popes and Church of Rome IF our aduersarie had well remembred his promise he ought not onely to haue conuinced me of vntruthes corruptions contradictions and falsifications according to the title of his pamphlet but also of maliciousnesse and wilfulnesse for so he vaunteth he will I challenge the challenger saith he of many malicious vntruthes Cap. 1. pag. 8. and many palpable and wilfull falsifications But when it commeth to performance of corruptions he saith nothing contradictions he toucheth slenderly vntruthes and falsifications he can by no meanes fasten vpon me The qualitie of maliciousnes and wilfulnesse being a matter purposed and fully promised he vtterly forgot In the rest how poorely he hath demeaned himselfe by my answere to his whole dispute it will appeare But suppose I had either mistaken a report misalleadged a place yet
that is nothing to the cause which by priuat mens errors cannot be eyther charged or preiudiced But if the Pope of Rome to whom the papists flie in all controuersies and extremities commit falsifications then is the cause of poperie quite ruined and ouerthrowne For he is the Sanders Rock Bellar. in praefat in lib. de pontif rocke and Bellar. ibid. lib 2. de pontif Rom. Stapleton doctrinal princip foundation vpon whom the papists build all their religion Againe if the Church of Rome haue practised these falsifications then is no trust to be giuen to her If both the Pope himselfe and the Church of Rome doe deliuer vnto vs lyes and fables then is the pope no vpright iudge but a lying hypocrite and the Church of Rome is not the true Church nor a mistris of truth but a mistresse of errors and lyes Let vs therefore sée whether the pope or Church of Rome may not in this poynt be more iustly charged then we and whether they be cleare of this fault or no. For that is a point farre more materiall then any thing which the aduersary can deuise against vs. Let vs also consider how Bellarmine Baronius and others the Popes agents haue acquited themselues in their narrations and allegations For so it may best appeare how vnaduisedly this detector began his quarell our aduersaries being so notorious offenders in telling vntruthes and committing most grosse and wicked forgeryes and wée so cleare and innocent at the least from all willfulnesse violence and malice if not from error L. qui testameÌ„tum ff ad leg Corneliam de falsis Whosoeuer shall conceâ—e or hide away a testament or take it from a man or shall blot it or adde by interlining or else shall forge or write a false testament or exhibite it or signe it or vse it and fraudulently reherse it is punishable as guiltie of forgery by the lawe Cornelia concerning forgery and falsitie And this is the determination of Paulus the lawyer and allowed by all men of vnderstanding and iudgement in law Qui testamentum amouerit celauerit eripuerit deleuerit interleuerit subiecerit resignauerit saith Paulus the lawyer quiue testamentum falsuÌ„ scripserit signauerit recitauerit c. legis corneliae Poena damnatur Those also are guilty and by this law punishable Ibidem quorum dolo malo id factum est by whose procurement and fraude any of the foresaid points are committed But the pope and Church of Rome many wayes offende against this lawe as is most euidente by many particulers falsification 1 First they do suppresse as much as they can the eternall testament of almightie God conteined in the bookes which we for this cause call the old and new testament For simply do they prohibit all translations of scriptures made by any of our doctors not without streite limitatioÌ„s do they permit chrâ—stiaÌ„s to haue scriptures translated into vulgar tonges by theÌ„selues publikely by no meanes will they haue scriptures red being translated into tonges vnderstood of the multitude And all these thrée points are manifestly proued by the index of prohibited bookes set out by Pius quartus and by the decrée of the councell of Trent speaking of our mens translations librorum veteris testamenti versiones viris tantum pijs doctis Index lib prohib regul 3. saith he iudicio episcopi concedi poterunt And afterwarde versiones noui testamenti c. nemini concedantur Speaking of vulgar translations of scriptures Ibid. regula 4. he saith hac in parte iudicio episcopi aut inquisitoris stetur vt cum consilio parochi vel confessarij bibliorum a catholicis authoribus versorum lectionem in vulgari lingua concedere possint So it appeareth they first absolutely forbidde al vulgar translations made by any of our doctors and Secondly with harde conditions grant licence that to very few to reade their owne vulgar translations of scriptures and Thirdly that they doe forbid all latin translations made by vs of the new testament and with conditions and limitations permit our translations of the old testament to be read and that of very few Concil Trid. Sess 22. c. 9. In publike liturgies of the Church they also signifie that scriptures are not to be read in vulgar tongues And by their practise we gather that they thinke the publike reading of scriptures in vulgar tongues to be nothing for their profit and purpose Who then seeth not that by al meanes the pope and Romish Church endeuore to suppresse Gods testament and shew themselues therein notorious falsaries falsification 2 Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretence of false translations as may be prooued by diuers witnesses and by their owne practise And I thinke they will not deny but that they haue burned scriptures traÌ„slated by our doctors wil defend it yet to corrupt or teare or spoyle a testament is the part of a falsary as these wordes declare si quis testâ—mentum deleuerit Neither could the lawe speake more playnely against Papistes vnlesse it had sayd si quis testamentum dei combusserit falsification 3 Thirdly they haue depriued the Lords people of the cup which our Sauiour Christ calleth the newe testament in his bloud hic est calix saith he nouum testamentum in sanguine meo Luc. 22. In the conuenticle of Constance they decrée vt sacramentum a laicis sub vna specie tantummodo recipiatur that is Sess 13. that lay men are to receiue the sacrament onely vnder one kinde In the conuenticle of Trent they pronounce them Anathema or accursed that shall say that the faithfull ought to receiue the sacrament vnder both kinds Sess 21. c. 1. 2. or that shal denie that they tooke away the cuppe from the communicants and ministred the communion vnder one kinde onely for iust and reasonable causes Whether then the Lords cup be the new testament or the seale of the new testament it is euident that the Pope and Church of Rome doe shew themselues to be notorious falsaryes the words of the law are cleare si quis testamentum celauerit amouerit c. that is whosoeuer doth concele or keepe a testament out of the way he is to be punished as a falsary the same also is apparant for that they goe about to breake the seale of Gods testament And although man cannot or will not punish this falsity in the Romish Church and in the masse préests yet God will assuredly punish so notorious a falsification of his eternall testament falsification 4 Fourthly the Pope and Romish Church haue added to Gods eternall testament corrupting the same by their traditions and makg ivnnwritten traditions equall to the canonicall scriptures omnes libros tam veteris quam noui testamenti Sess 4 concil Trid. say the Popes slaues assembled at Trent cum vtriusque vnus deus sit author nec non traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel oretenus a Christo vel
fathers and auncient bishops of Rome to be forged Their owne testimony therefore doth condemne them to be falsaries if they vse these false writings and alleadge them as they do most commonly falsification 34 And least any man might doubt whether the papists are falsaries or no in their expurgatory indexes they openly professe themselues to be falsaries In epist ad Pium 5. ante bibliothec sanâ—am For what is falsity but to take away to adde to alter mens writings but this the papists doe ex professo Sixtus Senensis confesseth that Pius 5. caused all the writings of the fathers to be purged and cleansed Expurgari ernaculari curasti saith hee omnia catholicorum scriptorum ac praecipuè veterum patrum scripta haereticorum aetatis nostrae faecibus contaminata venenis infecta But vnder colour of purging and cleansing away of things noxious it appeareth the Romanists haue taken out such things out of the fathers as made against them As for other writers they alter and mangle them at their pleasures In Bertram they change visibiliter into inuisibiliter Index expurgator All that commeth betwéene the words considerandum quoque quod in panc illo and the sentence beginning sed aliud est quod exterius geritur they dash out and so they deale in the rest In the censures of Erasmus and annotations of Viues vpon S. Augustine and in the scholiaes marginall notes and indexes of Augustine Chrysostome and others they take themselues liberty to doe what they list Capnioes speculum oculare Fabres commentaries on the gospels and epistles Beatus Rhenanus his annotations on Tertullian they falsifie most impudently Likewise doe they deale with all late writers Not long since we â—…nde they haue corrupted both the glosse and sometime the text of the canon law And this is now a common practise of Iebusites according to a direction and commission giuen them of the Pope to corrupt all authors that passe their fingers Posseuima shamelesse compagnion curtalling auncient writings saith ex lib. 2. Hermetis col 16. Select bibliotheca lib. 1. c. 19. deleatur rectè audisti paulò pòst qui enim crediderunt aut credituri sunt In transitu sanctae Mariae qui falsò ascribitur B. Melitoni deleantur illa verba in solatium ferendum angugustijs quae superuenturae sunt mihi deleatur etiam à capite 8. vsque in finem tractatus ex libro Nicolai Cabasilae deleantur capita 29. 30. In quaestionibus Anastasij quaest 87. scribatur in margine haec intelligenda sunt de gloria corporis The treatise of Antonius Abbas he turneth and mangleth most impudently and practiseth the like in diuers other authours workes If then any man séeke for falsaries let him go to papists that make profession of forging and falsification and which without forgery cannot maintaine their new forged deuises as theÌ„selues by their indexes of bookes prohibited confesse and by bookes plainly falsified it manifesty appeareth Finally they are falsaries that produce or suborne false witnesses or that vse their depositions Poena legis Corneliae irrogatur ei L poena ff ad l. cornel de falsis saith Marcianus qui falsas testationes faciendas testimoniaue falsa inspicienda dolo malo coierit But the Popes produce counterfeit fathers and legends to testifie for them They haue also suborned diuers vile persons to speake shame of honest men as Bolsecus of Caluin Laingius of Buchanan and others Sanders Rishton Robert Patsons and Creswell against King Henry the eighth Quéen Elizabeth the late Lord treasurer the Earle of Leicester sir Christopher Hatton Lord chancellor sir Francis Walsingham and others The falsehood of these witnesses is conuinced by diuers publike actes and sufficient witnesses Bolsecus in a synode in France publikely recanted his slanderous booke and professed that he was hired and drawne on by the aduersaries Parsons shall heare some of his lies hereafter His conscience in the meane while hath often tolde him of his lying Wherefore vnlesse Owlyglasse can answere in these pointes the accusation of falsification doth fall on his dearest friends farre more heauily then vpon vs. CHAP. V. A briefe Catalogue of certaine notorious lies vttered and recorded by the Popes and Church of Rome TO go about to comprehend in one Chapter all the vntruthes and lies of the popes of Rome and the synagogue adhering vnto them were as possible as to measure the sand or to bring the Ocean sea within the compasse of one vessell I will therefore out of many choose some fewe that by the example of some part euery man may iudge of the rest and discerne and hate the false packing of papists and their adherents falsification 1 Innocentius the first or rather some other Pope vnder his name affirmeth that none did found Churches in Italy France Spaine Africke Sicily and Ilands lying betweene these countries but those whom Peter and his successors made Priests He denieth also that any of the Apostles taught in those countries beside S. Peter and those which he sent Cum manifestum fit saith he in omnem Italiam Gallias Hispanias C. quis nesciat dist 11. Africam atque Siciliam insulasque interiacentes nullum instituisse ecclesias nisi eos quos venerabilis apostolus Petrus aut eius successores constituerunt sacerdotes aut legant si in istis prouincijs alius apostolorum inuenitur aut legitur docuisse quod si non legunt quia nusquam inuenitur c. A lowde and large lye for we reade in the Actes of the Apostles that the Apostle Paul who was not ordained nor sent by Peter taught at Rome and other places in Italie Freculphus writeth that Philip the Apostle taught in France the French acknowledge Dionyse of Areopagus whome Paule conuerted to be their Apostle and first teacher Iereney ioyneth Paule with Peter in the foundation of the Church of Rome In the old records of our Church it is reported that Ioseph of Arimathia first planted the gospell in Britany Saint Augustine sheweth that the Gospell came into Afrike from other contryes then from Rome For he distinguisheth Rome from those countries froÌ„ whence the sound of the Gospell first passed into Afrike as appeareth by these words of his epist 162. ad Glorium Eleusium et alios Cum se videret Romanae ecclesiae in qua semper apostolicae ecclesiae viguit principatus ceteris terris vnde euangelium ad ipsam Aphricam venit per. communicatorias litteras esse coniunctum Finally so lowd was the lye that the glosse is constreined to say that the word Alius doth signifie contrarius which is quite contrary to Innocentius his purpose For if his argument stand vpon this point that therefore all the Churches in the prouinces mentioned are to obey the Church of Rome because shée was their founder then if other not contrary to Peter did founde those Churches it followeth that the same were not to harken to the pope or the Church of Rome but to their
proued against them or that they did any thing more then the lawes of armes enforced them for their owne necessary defence The like slandrous Buls did Paul the third publish against Henry the 8. king of England and Pius Quintus and Gregory the 13. against her Maiesty Wherefore vnlesse Rob. Parsons and his consorts can iustifie these matters to be true it will appeare that the Romish religion is not onely maintained with lies but also grounded vpon a packe of lies For such as these are an infinite multitude of lies may be found in the Popes and the Churches of Romes principall recordes Of which I shall haue occasion if God bee pleased to talke more at large otherwhere CHAP. VI. A taste of Bellarmines vnsauoury falsifications I Would be loth to wrong any especially in writing where all that reade may be witnesses of the wrong if any be offered Wherfore to answere my aduersaries accusatioÌ„ that saith I haue slandered and infamed the worthy prelate Cardinal Bellarmine Praeface where I charged him with falsifications and lies I will nowe godwilling iustifie my saying and shewe that his workes are not as Owlyglasse saith the sworde of Gedeon but rather the sworde of Goliath whereby a man with labour and diligence may cut off both his owne head and the head of antichrist The same is also like a leaden sworde guilted ouer and fayre in shew but nothing trenchant in proofe Hee might more fitly haue compared them to Augias stable that coÌ„tained an infinit heape of dung but to be purged if learned men would take the paines to examine them For my part I doe testifie before God that they haue much confirmed mee in the truth and truly affirme that they are more tedious to read then hard to refute in matters especially that concerne vs. But now to come to the matter I will offer to the reader a taste of his falsifications and lowde leasings purposing to adde more if our aduersaries please to continew this course of examination of ours and popish authors writings I will also ioyne with him his fellow Caesar Baronius with his x. legions of lyes Not doubting but if they vnderstand their errours their faces will turne crimsin And why not their faces as well as their roabes especially if they haue any remaynder of their pretended Virginall modestie falsification 1 First he doth wilfully corrupt the sixt canon of the councell of Nice lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 13. the canon beginneth thus mos antiquus perdurat in Aegypto vel Lybia vel PeÌ„tapoli But Bellarmine maketh the canon to begin far otherwise Obseruandum saith hée in libris vulgatis dâ—esse initium huius canonis quod tale est ecclesia Rom. semper habuit primatum but these last words are playnly forged as may appeare by all the copyes of the actes of the Nicene councel neither can it excuse him that one Paschasius act 16. concil chalced hath these words or that Copus a counterfect câ—mpagnion doth affirme that a certaine Abbot called Dionysius doth so read this canon for Abbots may proue forgers as well as others and little credit is to be giuen to the Popes agente in his owne cause Further Paschasius his words so stand that we may probably coniecture that some latter falsary hath so set down the words of this canon as we read them now in the tâ—mes of councels set out by Papists Finally all authenticall histories testifie that before the councell of Nice the Church of Rome was litle respected and Aeneas Siluius doth in playne termes confesse so much Neither can Parsons deny it vnlesie he put on his visor of impudency falsification 2 In his booke de pontif Rom. c. 31. he falsifieth Hieromes words and peruerteth his meaning to proue that he called Damasus the foundation of the Church Hieronymus saith he in epist ad Dâ—masum de nomine hypostasis super hanc petram ecclesiam aedificataâ— scio vbi Damasum petram ecclesiae vocat But Hieremes words stand thus ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae id est cathedâ—ae Petri coÌ„munione consocior super â—am petram ecclesiam aedificatam scio Whereby it appeareth that Hierome meant to follow none but Christ and that he meant Christ when he speaketh of the Rocke For so the pronoune Illam that is referred to that which is further of doth teach vs. But Bellar. to proue the Pope to bée the foundation of the Church leaueth out Christ and for the pronounce Illam writeth hanc like a cunning falsary falsification 3 In the same booke and chapter he falsifieth the actes of the councell of Chalcedon septimum est saith hée caput ecclesiae quo vtitur concilium Chalcedonense in epistola ad Leonem qui but tu veâ—ut caput membris praeeras These words I say are falsely alledged For first it cannot bee prooued that this epistle was written by the councell as Surius hath recorded Act. 3. Concil Chalced. Secondly admit the whole epistle was not forged yet there is no mention made of the heade of the Church as Bellarmine affirmeth for the worde Caput in these words quibus tu velut Caput membris praecras is referred to certeine Priests of Leoes order in which ranke he sheweth himselfe principall Bellarmine therefore to make some shew leaueth out both the words going before and the words following after which playnly shew that the authors of that epistle neuer meant to cal him the head of the Church His falshood may appeare by the words as they follow in that epistle Act. 3. concil Chalced. set out by Surius Si vbi sunt duo aut tres congregati in nomine eius say they ibi se in medio eorum fore perhibuit quantam circa sacerdotes peculiaritatem potuit demonstrare qui patriae labori suae confessionis notitiam praetulerunt quibus tu quidem sicut caput membris prae eras in his qui tuum tenebant ordinem beneuo lenriam praeferens imperatores vero ad ornandum decentissimè praesidebant The Latin is rude and barbarous sauoring of a monkish humor But by the words we may sée that the authors of that epistle made Leo heade of preestes and men of his cote and not of the Church nor councell Wherein emperors most decentely did praeside and sitte as cheefe moderators as the fathers of that councell teach vs. falsification 4 Likewise reckening vp the names and titles of the bishops of Rome he saith that Eusebius in his cronicle anno 44. doth giue them the title of Pontifex Christianorum Which is a mere forgery For not the bishops af Rome but to Peter only is that title giuen if it be not thrust into the text But what belongeth and is peculierly giuen to Peter may not be claymed by euery bishop of Rome For I hope euery one of them will not be called Simon nor an Apostle nor the cheefe or first Apostle Nor will they I suppose write as Peter did in his
Chapter of the epistle to the Romans But the place viewed doth declare his falsehood for he hath not the word ita nor vseth this frame of sentence falsification 16 Declaring vnto vs the heresie of the Eunomians docebant saith he non posse homini vlla peccata nocere Ibidem modo fidem habeat vt testatur Augustinus lib. de haeres c. 54. But he hath wronged Saint Augustine in reporting that these are his wordes Fertur scilicet Eunomius saith Saint Augustine adeo fuisse bonis moribus inimicus vt asseueraret quod nihil cuique obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum si huius quae ab illo docebatur fidei particeps esset Let indifferent men therefore iudge whether Eunomius spoke absolutely of faith or of his owne peculiar faith And whether it is all one to condemne good workes and to say that howsoeuer Christians are most carefully to walke in Gods workes yet that they are not iustified by good workes but by the grace of God communicated to them through faith in Christ Iesus falsification 17 Origenis haeresis fuit perdidisse Adamum imaginem dei ad quam creatus fuit saith Bellarmine Ibidem And this he saith is affirmed by Epiphanius haeres 64. but he falsifieth Epiphanius and belyeth Origen in this point for his error was not that he supposed man to haue lost the image of God through sinne but that the soule did loose the same being created and ioyned to the body Illud secundum imaginem dicit Adam perdidisse saith Epiphanius speaking of Origen inde dicit corpus esse intelligendum quando deus fecit vestes pelliceas illis induit illos for so the gréeke text doth plainly teach vs. falsification 18 He saith also that Origen taught that hell was nothing but the horror of conscience Ibidem and this he auoucheth vpon the credit of Hierome in epist ad Auitum de erroribus Origenis But in this point also he doth mistake Origen and falsifie Hieroms wordes For Hierome doth not set downe any such wordes but onely sheweth that Origen taught ignem Gehennae tormenta non poni in supplicijs sed in conscientia peccatorum He may therfore doe well to report Hieroms wordes the next time better least those that are of Origens heresie be therein confirmed by his false dealing falsification 19 Of Caluin he affirmeth that he taught that the image of God was lost in Adam and to prooue it doth alleadge these wordes as out of the 2. booke of his institutions c. 1. § 5. per peccatum primi hominis obliterata est coelestis imago But that which he saith of the loosing of the image of God in Adam is a grosse lye for Caluin neuer taught that the image of God was quite lost but blemished and much defaced The words also are falsified for he saith not as Bellarmine reporteth quod imago obliterata esset absolutely but quod tanquam scriptura bella calamo transuerso obliterata esset falsification 20 He affirmeth that Epiphanius reporteth haeres 64. that Proclus an heretike taught Ibidem that sinne did alwaies liue in the regenerat and that concupiscence was truely sinne and that the same was onely dulled by faith and not taken away by baptisme He saith also that Theodoret reporteth as much lib. 3. haeret fabul of the Messalians But he doth abuse both Epiphanius and Theodoret and doth ascribe that vnto them which they neuer taught Theodoret lib. 4. haeret fabul cap. de Messalianis doth not so much as mention concupiscence or vtter any such words but rather contrary to Bellarmines report of them he saith that the Messalians taught that baptisme like a razor cut off all former sinnes falsification 21 Haec est ipsissima sententia saith Bellarmine Lutheri art 2. 31. Ibidem c. item Philippi in locis communibus c. de peccato Originis Caluini lib. 4. instit c. 15. § 10. scilicet peccatum in renatis semper viuere but in no one of these can he finde that sinne is said to liue in the regenerat For our doctrine is contrary and euery christian professeth that he ought to mortifie his concupiscences and earthly members and to be quickened in the spirit Wherefore either the man lyeth intolerably or els he doth falsely alleadge the wordes of Luther Melancthon Caluin And that shall appeare more plainly when Robert Parsons goeth about to iustifie his olde acquaintance Bellarmine falsification 22 The chiefe errour of the Nouatians saith Bellarmine was that there is no power in the church to reconcile men to God but by baptisme And this hee goeth about to prooue out of Theodoret lib. 3. haeret fabul c. de Nauato But Theodoret doth conuince his false report both of his owne wordes and of this heresie For first he sheweth that Nauatus did deny to reconcile those that had fallen in persecution And afterward that his followers did vtterly deny the vse and grace of repentance Poenitentiam a suo conuentu arcent penitus saith Theodoret speaking of the Nouatians It is also apparant that they did not restraine remission of sinnes to baptisme onely falsification 23 Where he speaketh of the heresie of the Nouatians he telleth vs that Cornelius witnesseth that the Nouatians taught Ibidem that the Church had no power to reconcile men to God but by baptisme and that such as were baptized were not by the bishop to be annointed with Chrisme And this he saith is found in Eusebius his history lib. 6. c. 33. but neither hath Eusebius nor Cornelius any such words falsification 24 In his second booke de eucharistia c 9. he hath these words Dixit Cyprianus latere sub specie visibili panis deum verum but Cyprian saith onely diuinam essentiam ineffabiliter se visibili sacramento infundere And there is no small difference betwixt these two propositions for the diuine essence may worke in sacraments after an vnspeakable sort albeit Christ God and man be not contained vnder the visible forme of bread in the eucharist or water in baptisme Especially after the forme imagined by papists falsification 25 In the same booke chap. 12. he affirmeth that Hilary doth often repeate these wordes Christum naturaliter esse in nobis per sumptionem eucharistiae But the same are not to be found in the 8. booke of Hilary de Trinitate once which he saith are found often falsification 26 Likewise in the same booke chapt 14. speaking of Cyrill he saith Ibidem iubet vt flexo genu in adorantium morem accedant ad eucharistiam And these wordes he supposeth to bee in his fift mystagogicall and catechisticall instruction But neither are the wordes there to be found nor hath hee any such commandement nor did he euer beléeue or teach that the sacrament was to be worshipped after the popish manner falsification 27 Citing a place out of Saint Augustine de Trinit lib. 3. c. 10. he would make his reader beléeue Lib. 2. de eucharist
did cure deafe and dumb men and those that were sicke of the palsey and restored one dead man to life But all these report◠of miracles are nothing but miraculous lyes for Ignatius doing no miracles how is it likely that Xauier should doe so many falsification 30 In the 17. chapter of the same booke he telleth how Luther died sodenly that Oecolampadius was found dead in his bed lying downe in good health that Carolstadius was killed by the diuell that Caluin died eaten of wormes as did Antiochus and Herod and others Lies deuised by men hyred to rayle vpon honest men and refuted by the histories of their life and death and by the testimony of all that were present at their endes falsification 31 In his second booke de eucharistia c. 6. he hath these words Irenaeus probat Christum esse creatorem ex eo quod panis fit corpus Christi per consecrationem But Irenaeus hath no such matter nay if he should haue vsed any such argument then must it follow that Christs body is created as oft as masse is saide Furthermore it appeareth by the place of Irenaeus lib. 4. contr haeres c. 34. that he disputeth not against those that denied Christ to be the creator but which denyed God to be the creator And that he prooueth not as saith Bellarmine because by consecration the bread is made Christs body but because heretikes offered to God bread which by consecration was made Christs body and because this sacrifice had béene vngratefull vnlesse it had consisted of Gods creatures Finally because it were long to set downe the particulars of all sorts of lyes vttered by Bellarmine this I doe giue the reader to vnderstand in generall that almost all his reports of his lying legends vnwritten traditions feyned miracles new deuised prophecies and of the fathers testimonies concerning the speciall points of the late Romish religion established in Trent are either plaine lyes or vntruly let downe by him and that shall euery man perceiue that listeth to reade my bookes de missa papistica de Pontifice Rom. de purgatorio de ecclesia de concilijs de monachis and others set out against him especially if he list diligently to compare the fathers writings with that poyson which he like a spider hath sucked out of them CHAP. VIII A Catalogue of certaine lies and falsifications of Caesar Baronius taken out of a smal part of the beginning of his first booke of Annales NOw least Bellarmine should séeme to be in lying and forging singular I will adioine vnto him his fellow Caesar Baronius a cardinall forger and lyar and one of all the authors that euer I read that most impudently abuseth and detorteth scriptures contrary to the intentiō of the holy ghost to serue his owne humour falsification 1 In the front of his booke hauing placed the image of the Romish church in forme of a woman with a heauy woodden crosse on her shoulder and the triple crowne vpon her left hand with two great keyes of the Popes sellar as it should séeme hanging downe vnder it and on the one side placing this word vicit haereses and on the other subegit gentes he doth giue vs to vnderstand that hee meaneth to tell little truth in his booke that telleth so many lies in the first front and face of it For first it is most vntrue that this Romish church that is now possessed of the triple crowne was euer subiect to the crosse of Christ Iesus For the Pope he claymeth a power aboue all Emperors and liueth in all delightes and pleasures and though he cary with him headlong into hell great multitudes of soules yet may no man say to him domine cur ita facis His cardinals also and other adherents liue like princes without all feare and danger vnlesse it be in regard they feare their panches Finally all these persecute others and are not persecuted themselues falsification 2 Secondly he lyeth impudently where he signifieth that Christ gaue the keyes to the Pope and to his adherents For he gaue them to Peter to such as should succeede him in féeding Christs lambes and that by preaching the Gospell and administring the sacraments and ruling the Church according to instructiōs giuen them by Christ and now conteined in the Apostles writinges But the Pope is now become an earthly potentate he féedeth not but rather cutteth the throates of Christs lambes his followers haue adulterated the faith and changed the institution of Christs sacraments and now doe rather handle clauas quam claues that is rather clubbes then keyes murdring as many as will not suffer the Pope and his masse préestes with their counterfect keyes to creepe into the secretes both of their consciences and their worldly estates falsification 3 False it is also that this latter Romish Church hath subdued heresies being it selfe ouercome and ouergrowne with heresies and being like to a large fielde ouercomme with wéedes And this I haue shewed at large in my former challenge in the chapter of Romish heresies falsification 4 Neither can Baronius shew in all his voluminous legends that the true Church in time paste did worship the wooden crosse as the Pope and Baronius and others doe If then hée by his wooman represent the true Church he lyeth if he re-represent the Romish church and the purple hore apocalyps 17. He saith truely For with the superstitious worship of the crosse and the Popes tyranny and false doctrine shée is much oppressed and greuously burdened Yet that is nothing to this purpose falsification 5 Furthermore all histories shewe that sence the Pope began to weare the triple crowne and to shew himselfe in that height of pride which Baronius representeth vnto vs in this figure the Saracenes Turkes Gentiles haue preuayled against the pope his followers as may appeare by diuers disastrous attempts made against them for the regayning of the land of Palestine commonly called the holy lande Baronius therefore playnly coggeth where he telleth vs how the popes haue preuayled against the Gentiles for all the victoryes they haue gotten haue rather béene to the preiudice of christian princes from whome they haue taken Rōe Italy other territories thē of Turkes and Heathen who by the popes false doctrine and turbulent gouernment haue subdued a great parte of the christian world and yet are suffered for their idolatry and heresie to preuaile against papists falsification 6 He doth also paynt the holy ghost houering ouer the popes triple crowne the blessed virgin with her son in her lappe as gouerning the world and Peter and Paule supporting the worship of our lady which doe all containe notorious lyes For we may not thinke that the holy Ghost hath any thing to do with the mayntenance of the popish triple crowne or that these men were inspired with gods spirit which leauing the preaching of the Gospell sought for triple crownes earthly kingdomes Secondly it is impious to teach that our sauiour Christ
is now an infant or that he hath communicated his gouerment with his mother Thirdly neither doth Peter nor any other Disciple of Christ teach or maintaine the Romish doctrine concerning the worshippe of our Lady and the Popes authority All these figures therefore are lying and false figures falsification 7 Sixtus quintus in his decretall epistle profired before Baronious his bookes saith that he hath faithfully and diligentlye reported the stories of the Church and deliuered the true fountaines of apostolicall traditions speaking of his booke he calleth it opus fideliter scriptuÌ„ and not only reporteth so of his bookes that already were published but of those that yet he had not séene prophesiyng belike of Caesar Baronius his future workes perfections and exploytes speaking of his diligence in describing of Romish traditions he saith that in his bookes of Annales apostolicarum traditionum purissimi fontes aperiuntur But this is a notorious and large vntruth for not only his traditioÌ„s are fabulous but his discourse most vaine and false being grounded for the most part vpon lying legendes counterfect sermons and orations set out vnder the names of fathers lewd authors and such as Simeon Metaphrastes Anastasius Gratian Iuo Theodorus Studites certein bookes that neuer yet sawe light and Baronius allowing this Epistle of Sixtus must néedes proue himselfe a lyar falsification 8 The yeare and precise time of Christs natiuity being the ground of all his worke it must néedes follow that if he faile in that then that his whole booke is nothing but a packe of lies That the whole worke is layed vpon that point himselfe confesseth haec basis quaedam ac fundamentum annalium esto saith he Apparaâ—us ad annales eclesiast But that he hath erred in that point it is very probable Epiphanius in panario haeres 51. saith that our Sauiour was borne Augustus and Siluanus being consuls Seuerus hist lib. 2. saith hee was borne when Sabinus and Ruffinus were consuls why then should we rather beléeue Cassiodorus whoÌ„e Baronius followeth then the other two But if this were not erroneous yet in the supputation of yeares continually he erreth reducing matters rather to the false tradition of the Romish Breuiaries and other rituall bookes then to the truth falsification 9 This sentence which he placeth in the front of his booke in petra exaltauit me nunc exaltauit caput meum super inimi cos meos he doth falsely apply to the Romish church contrary to the meaning of the Prophet Psal 26. For he speaketh of himselfe Beside that he saith abscondit me in tabernaculo suoâ— in die malorum protexit me in abscondito tabernaculi sui that is he hath hidden me in his tabernacle and in the dayes of my trouble hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle But the Romanistes will not graunt that the Church of Rome is a congregation hidden or that God doth place the same in the secret place of his tabernacle Furthermore that which the prophet speaketh of himselfe cannot by any meanes be applyed to the Pope or Romish Church for it is not God that hath aduanced the Pope to this height of pride nor doe those heresies which the Church of Rome maynteineth nor those massacres and impostures which shée worketh proceede from god Finally God shall destroy antichrist with the breath of his mouth and shall not exalt him nor suffer him long to be thus exalted falsification 10 In his epistle to Sixtus quintus he giueth the title of Vniuersal or Catholike to the Romish Church and doubteth not to affirme the traditions of the Romish Church to be holy and auncient pro sacrarum traditionum antiquitate saith he ac saÌ„ctae Romanae catholicae ecclesiae potestate but of the prophanenesse and nouelty of the Romish traditions I haue spoken already both in my challenge and in my bookes de missa and other treatises against Bellarmine and I doubt not but thereby euery man may conuince him of lying both concerning the holinesse and also the antiquitie of Romish traditions To affirme that the Romish church is catholike concerning faith vniuersally taught I haue declared in my challenge to be most false to affirme that the Romish Church is the vniuersall and catholike Church in regard of time and place is not only most false but also most absurd for were the Church of Rome the true church as it was sometime yet as wel may we call London all england as the Romish Church the catholike Church falsification 11 In the same epistle most impudently he applyeth these words of Iacob Genes 27. surge sede comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua to himselfe as if he had béene a hunting about Rome and brought Sixtus quintus a goate or some like venaison and as if Sixtus quintus were a prophet like to Iacob And to fitte the words to his purpose he addeth to the text the word Pater and taketh away the word sede and saith surge pater comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua Which is a false and leud kinde of abusing of scriptures falsification 12 Concerning the visible monarchy of the Pope he telleth if not a visible yet a very palpable lye In praefat Catholicae ecclesiae visibilem monarchiam saith he à Christo domino institutam super Petrum fundatam ac eius legitimos verosque successores romanos nimirum pontifices inuiolatè conseruatam c. demonstrabimus But if Christ had apointed any such visible monarchy it is strange that neither the Apostles nor first church of christians could euer sée it Againe it is absurd to thinke that generall councels would haue made lawes if there had béene a generall monarke apoynted ouer them Thirdly if Peter had béene a monarke yet it is absurde to say that the visible monarchy is founded vpon him For no man saith that the kingdoÌ„e is founded vpon the King neither is it probable the foundation being inuisible that the building should bée visible Finally this being a ground of his legendicall fables that the bishops of Rome succeeded Peter in the visible monarchy of the church it must néedes follow if this ground faile him the cardinall lyeth in euery page of his annales and as often as he talketh of this matter But that neither Peter was constituted monarke of the church nor the bishops of Rome haue succeeded in any such phantasticall monarchy I haue at large proued in my booke de pontifice Rom. set out against Bellarmine some fowre or or fiue yeares sence falsification 13 Out of Clement lib. strom 6. most simply and falsely he affirmeth Apparat. p. 17. Cod. Antuerp that as the Iewes knew God by the prophets so God did separat from the commoÌ„ multitude of the Gentiles the most excellent of the philosophers and made them capable of Gods beneficence He alledgeth also an apocryphal text out of Paule and seemeth to affirme that some Gentiles did knowe Christ
no mention of them in scriptures Finally the description of the tabernacle tents and orders of the Israelites which doe not import or giue any signification of such an order of women but rather the contrary doth cléerly refute this vaine fiction deuised without colour of reason or testimony of good authors falsification 20 He telleth vs further a tedious fable of the holy virgins vow of virginity but if he will make his report good Pag. 33. 34. hée must shew first that women among the Israelites did vowe virginity and the rather for that we reade that it was a reproach for women of that nation not to be mothers of children Secondly he must shew that young women before the age of fourtéene did make such vowes Thirdly he must answere and cleare those places of scripture that say she was betrothed to Ioseph for after solemne vowes Nunnes neither marry nor are betrothed Finally he must bring vs better proofes then supposals of Epiphanius and Augustine and a counterfeit tale vnder the name of Gregorye of Nyssa For S. Augustine or at least he that lurketh vnder that holy fathers name saith that vowes of virginity did not then stand with the fashions of the Israelites Lib. de virginit c. 4. He signifieth also that the holy virgin thought it impossible hauing once vowed her maidenhead to God that she should know a man But that sheweth that all the Romish Nunnes are most vnlike to this holy virgin for albeit they vow and sweare and are walled vp so that none come at them yet they neither think it a matter impossible nor difficult to know men as experience and diuers witnesses can testifie and the Romanistes know very well if they durst speake it falsification 21 Diuers auncient fathers testifie that Ioseph the spouse of the blessed virgin had by his first wife diuers children and namely Hyppolytus as witnesseth Nicephorus hist lib. 2. c. 3. Origenes in Matthaei c. 13. Eusebius hist lib. 2. c. 1. Epiphanius haeres 28. 51. 78. Nyssenus homil de resurrect Christi homil 2. Chrysostomus homil de annunt Virg. Euthymius in Matth. c. 2. Hilarius in Matth. can 1. Ambrosius in epist ad Galat. And yet all this notwithstanding Baronius saith this is but an apocryphall fable Why then should we beléeue his apocryphall fables testified by one or two witnesses only and that in writings very doubtfull séeing he will not beléeue this narration that is confirmed as himselfe confesseth by many fathers Further why should we beléeue him that Iohn Baptist was conceiued in September in the time of the solemne fast or in that forme which he reporteth And why should he desire any to giue credit to his narration concerning the city of Zachary S. Iohn Baptists father and the sanctification of S. Iohn Baptist in his mothers wombe for which he alleadgeth no proofe séeing he will not beléeue others that bring testimonies of fathers falsification 22 Saint Luke sheweth that Christ was baptized going vpon the thirtéeth yeare of his age Luc. 3. Iesus erat incipiens saith he quasi annorum triginta and so doe most fathers and other learned men expound Lukes words But Baronius to maintaine the credit of the Romish ordinall will haue Lukes wordes to be so expounded as if he were going vpon the age of one and thirty when he was baptized But if this were so then would Saint Luke haue said quasi annorum triginta vnius falsification 23 In the accompt of years from the beginning of the world vntill Christs time he followeth the tradition of the Romish church that séemeth to allow the translation of the seuenty interpreters rather then the Hebrew text But what is this else but to digresse from the canon of originall scriptures to follow either corrupt translations or vnwritten traditions falsification 24 The scriptures say that our Sauiour was borne in Bethlehem and in a stable and that he was laide in a manger and albeit the place was very meane for the king of heauen and earth to be borne in yet it is very much to be presumed that there was neither Oxe nor Asse in the roome for they are no fit compagnions for men and women especially for a woman being with childe But Baronius by vnwritten traditions issuing from that pure fountaine which Sixtus quintus speaketh of hath found that our Sauiour Christ was borne in spelunca that is in a caue within the ground Saint Matthew calleth it a house but he findeth it was no house but a denne or caue He findeth also that Christ was borne in this caue which is some prety way out of Bethlehem for so Burchard in his description of the holy land part 1. c. 7. testifieth He saith further that our Sauiour was laid in a manger cut out of the rocke and proueth it by the testimony of Hierome albeit we reade but of few mangers cut out of rockes and although afterward he saith it was of wood and so must he say vnlesse he will deny that to be the manger that is shewed in the Church of our Lady ad praesepe in Rome He alleadgeth Chrysostome also that saith the manger was of earth or clay Finally he beareth vs in hand that there was an Oxe and an Asse tyed in that stable and thinketh it sufficiently proued because Hierome alluding to the words of the prophet saith that when Christ was borne the Oxe knew his owner and the Asse his masters crybbe and this he alleadgeth out of the third of Abacuck where no such thing is to be found Of all which traditions the sole reason is this that he may maintaine the credit of the manger which together with hey they shew at Rome as a holy relique He endeuoureth also by these fables to vpholde the pilgrimage to the holy land where little is remaining to be séene but holes dennes rockes and mountaines But if he beléeue these traditions as well as the gospell a man of small learning may see that he is a man of a strange faith falsification 25 He telleth that the swadling clouts wherein our Sauiour was first wrapped are religiously kept and that a church was built in honour of them and a holyday assigned to keepe the memoriall of them But his best witnesse of them is Lipomanus a man whose lies a man may feele with his hands The Apostles certes neuer taught vs to kéepe such reliques or ragges rather neither doth any authenticall sâ—…ry report any such thing Nay whosoeuer will examine them narrowly shall soone sée the notorious impostures of the Romanists that deuise and maintaine these superstitions not for any other purpose then for their owne credit and gaine falsification 26 The wisemen that came from the East if we will beléeue him were three kings but he maketh kings without kingdomes and like his holy father the Pope by â—…is charter or testimony giueth kingdomes away at his pleasure Very vnlike it is certes that thrée kings should consort together and take such a iourney putting
Hostiensis and Panormitane making them to say that thrée thinges precisely are required in a falsary And that domage or hurt ensueth of euery falsification the fellow quoteth their words out of a pamphlet printed at Antwerpe by Hierom verdussen concerning the conference betwixt Plessis and Eureux and therefore no maruel if he cite them falsely taking their words at the second hand of so base and lying an author falsification 3 In my former challenge p. 20. these are my words They dissolue mariage contracted by entring into religion as they terme it and although it be consummated yet they hold that by mutuall consent the maried couple may depart a sunder and that it shall not be lawfull for them afterward to company together They separate also mariage for spirituall kinred and force all that-will be preistes monkes or friers to forsweare marriage Matters not onely strange in the catholike Church during the times of the Apostles and their successors for many hundred yeares but also contrary to Christes doctrine For what man can separate them whome God hath ioyned And what reason hath man to commande any to forsweare mariage which the spirit of God pronounceth to bee honorable But my aduersary like a falsary that is like himselfe first leaueth out the beginning of the sentence secondly hée cutteth somewhat out in the midst Pag. 14 and finally he curtalleth the ende of my sentence reporting only these words and in this sort They hold that by mutuall consent the married couple may depart a sunder and that it shall not be lawfull for them afterward to company together a matter not only strange in the catholike church during the Apostles and there successors times for many hundred yeares but also contrarie to Christes doctrine for what man can seperat whome God hath ioyned So it appeareth that he cutteth out that which I said of dissoluing of mariage contracted by monkish vowes and vpon pretence of spirituall kinred aâ—d that also which I say of forswearing of mariage he doth also make me to speake in the singuler nomber where I speake in the plurall which course if any man take with the fathers writings he may easily make them speake vntruth and what he listeth But in the meane while Owlyglasse sheweth himselfe a falsary falsification 4 Where Pag. 24. of my former challenge I say that papists of late time haue deuised masses and offices in the honor of the crosse of the virgin mary of S. Francis Dominike and other saints and that vnto their images they burne incense and offer their prayers and deuotions Pag. 20. ch 2. Owlyglasse according to his fashion doth thus transforme my words as if I had sayd only that the Papists offer their prayers and deuotions to the images of our Ladye S. Francis S. Dominike Whereby it appeareth he doth detruncate my wordes leauing out the beginning and that which I said concerning the crosse and burning of incense vpon which points the argumeÌ„t which I brought was principally laide If a man should so vse him as he hath vsed my words I doubt not but he would be much offended falsification 5 Pag. 62. of my challenge I say that Damascene accompteth them heretikes that worshipped the images of our Sauiour of the blessed Virgin and the Saints as the gentiles did their gods and I added that this was the case of the papists because both gentiles and papists bow to images pray to them burne incense to them and offer sacrifice before them and yet both deny that they worship stocks or stones but rather those persons that are represented by them But Owlyglasse crushing my wordes together as if he meant to wring veriuice out of them taking out what he pleaseth doth so report my wordes as if I had sayd onely that the papists worship the images of Saints as the gentiles did their gods and that they pray to them And thus this butcherly falsifier of mens writings hath mangled my wordes as I haue particulerly noted heretofore falsification 6 To prooue that the popes of Rome had power to make lawes in ancient time and did practise that power he alledgeth a forged canon of Hilary sometime bishop of Rome that liued about the yéere of our Lord 461. but the same is not extant in ancient record neither is it like that he would vse such a thundring stile as did the author of this decretale epistle thirdly no godly bishop would match his owne decrées with Gods ordinances Nulli fas sit saith he whatsoeuer he was sine status sui periculo vel diuinas constitutiones vel apostolicae sedis decreta temerare finally if the bishops of Rome in this time had vsed this stile all the world would haue laughed at their folly falsification 7 Pag 23. Chap. 2. he doth also curtall my words with an c. and maketh me to speake of one particular where I speake of diuers things and leaueth out some principall parts of my assertion I say if a man seeke all antiquity he shall not finde where the church of Christ hath commanded vs to keepe this popes day or that popes day and to absteine from worke on S. Francis and S. Dominikes day and other canonized friers daies or where the same hath enioyned Christians to heare masse or to fast Lent or Ember daies or vigils of Saints and other tides according to the fashion of the Church of Rome but my aduersarie leaueth out all that which concerneth hearing of masses and keeping of holy daies of the popes canonized saints and of other tides and of the maner of fasting falsification 8 Likewise pag. 26. he mangleth my words and sentences and giueth them a new forme neuer deuised by me I speake of diuers things together pag. 32. of my challenge and say that they are not to be found in all antiquitie he maketh me to speake of solemnization of mariages in times prohibited by the Romish church falsification 9 He doth likewise mangle my words pag. 32. leauing out that which I speake of adoration and carying about the sacrament The like dishonest dealing he vseth in most of those places which he alledgeth not of my challenge as may appeare by my answere to his former exceptions and by the words themselues if any man list to compare my booke with his pamphlet What then néed I to touch him for particular falsifications when the allegations of his woorthlesse treatise are nothing almost but continued falsifications falsification 10 Pag. 32. he citeth the 13. canon of the councell of Nice for the 12. and where the councell speaketh of excommunicate persons onely he maketh the same to speake of all Christians and to determine that the holy communion should be denied to none at the point of death as if the eucharist as now is the popish fashion were then caried to all sicke persons which is no part of the councels meaning falsification 11 Pag. 35. he bringeth in a counterfet booke of S. Ambrose de viduis and yet clippeth his
words forcing him to speake for praiers to angels which true S. Ambrose as may appeare by my answeres to his exceptions condemned falsification 12 Pag. 36. he produceth Hierome as a witnesse for prayers to saints and alledgeth his booke against Vigilantius for that purpose but vnlesse he falsifie S. Hieromes words he shall not find any thing in him that maketh for his aduantage falsification 13 Pag. 53. 54. he falsly alledgeth the 4. councell of Toledo c 1. Ignatius his epistle ad Trallianos Cyrilles cateches 4. Epiphanius haeres 46. Hierome vpon the 4. to the Ephes Gregories Morals lib. 13. c. 20. and all to prooue Limbus patrum which the papists fancy to be in hell and a receptacle of the fathers before Christ His falshood may appeare for that not one of these testimonies maketh for Limbus patrum and that if he will not beléeue me Bellarmine will teach him lib. de anima Christi c. 14. where he shall not once finde his Limbus patrum mentioned in any father falsification 14 Pag. 62. he doth falsly ascribe the defence of womens baptisme to Master Hooker of blessed memorie whosoeuer listeth to reade Master Hookers fift booke of Ecclesiast policie sect 62. shall finde that he condemneth women that presume to baptize children albeit he do not pronounce the baptisme by them administred to be of no validitie falsification 15 Pag. 80. 81. he alledgeth S. Augustine ser 243. de tempore and the councell of Neocaesarea c. 7. to prooue that the custome of not blessing second mariages is no new deuice but a practise of the primitiue church and yet neither doth the canon alledged nor the author of that sermon speake one word of blessing of second mariages Furthermore neither this sermon that he alledgeth séemeth to be S. Augustines nor are the acts of the councell of Neocaesarea authenticall Finally if this simple fellow had alledged more places more he would haue alledged falsely being not able to alledge any thing almost truely If then the Archpriest Blackewell doe happen to méet with this owle of Canke wood he may doe well to admonish him not to abuse the testimonies which he alledgeth and his readers patience which he trieth to the vttermost with such notable falsities he himselfe confesseth that it is a flagitious matter to poule and pare the sentences of venerable antiquitie There resteth therefore nothing but séeing he hath confessed his fault that the Archpriest set him to penance and afterward cause him if he haue a good voice to sing masse séeing he can say no better CHAP. XII A Note of diuers vntrueths told by Owlyglasse in his pamphlet wherein he pretendeth to charge others with vntrueths IT is a shame for any man to lie but for him that taketh vpon him to charge others with lying euery foot to lie is not only a great shame but also an argument that he is past shame let him therefore the next time looke better to himselfe and desist to raile face and slander vnlesse he stood himselfe vpon better ground and did vse more trueth in his dealing falsification 1 In his preface he saith that popish religion was planted here by Gregory the great but he telleth a great vntrueth for neither was Gregory euer here in this Island nor did either he or his agents mainteine that doctrine that is published by the conuenticle of Trent or those points which I haue declared neither to be ancient nor generally holden falsification 2 He doubteth not also to affirme that Gregory receiued that religion which now the papists professe from Peter Let him therefore shew that all those points of doctrine against which I except in my challenge were receiued from Peter or els he must receiue answere that speaking of religion he speaketh without religion reason or conscience falsification 3 He chargeth me and M. Willet with assaulting the impregnable fort of Gods church and battering that rocke against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile but if he meane the true church then doth he make a lie of vs. if he meane the present Romish congregation adhering to the pope he maketh a lie of the pope his church for we haue by many arguments declared that the Romanists and their adherents are not the true church We haue also shewed that the gates of hell haue preuailed against them and that declining from the apostolike faith they are fallen into many foule heresies falsification 4 Further speaking of his consorts he saith they repaire to the continuall tradition and practise of the church and that we reiect the same but he lieth both in the one and the other for neither doe the Romanists regard the generall practise of the apostolike church for many hundred yéeres after Christ nor doe we desire any thing more than that late customes and traditions reiected we may returne to the sound forme of apostolike faith and gouernment falsification 5 He saith they haue recourse to the consent of the ancient learned fathers and that we reiect them but the first is proued a lie by Bellarmine and other popish proctors who most lightly reiect the fathers when they make against them the second is reproued by our confessions wherein we shew that we desire nothing more than that all latter decretals called we may returne to the ancient fathers faith falsification 6 He telleth vs further that papists appeale to generall councels and that we will not admit them but after his fashion hée hudleth vp lies by couples for neither doe they admit any councels but such as pleaseth them nor do we refuse to admit any article of faith established by ancient and lawfull generall councels falsification 7 He would make men beléeue that popish religion is most seuere and yet the world knoweth that in all places papists mainteine open stewes and in Rome and diuers great cities suffer Iewes and Turks to dwell quietly Further the pope doeth set to sale all sinnes and euery polshorne paltry fellow thinketh he can giue absolution to sinners which bringeth the keyes of the church into contempt Finally no sect euer liued more loosely or leudly These things therefore vnlesse they be better answered do sufficiently conuince him of lying and his consorts of loose liuing and popish religion of lightnesse falsification 8 In the same lying preface he saith that protestants doctrine looseth the raines to all liberty that vnbrideled sensualitie will neuer put vp petition for any greater and by protestants he vnderstandeth true Christians that abhorre the abominations of Babel but if he had not giuen the raines to his vnbrideled tongue to speake all villany of honest men he would not haue vttered and if he had not béene a brutish beast that vseth not to be rained he would not haue written such impudent lies Let him therefore set downe our doctrine wherein wée seeme to let loose our sensuall affections and let him if he can shew any man of our side that alloweth publike stewes as the Iesuite