ecclesia constituitur ex collectione omnium fidelium vnde omnes fideles orbis constituunt istam ecclesiam vniuersaleÌ„ cuius caput sponsus est ipse Christus Papa auteÌ„ est Vicarius Christi non verè caput ecclesiae vt notat glossa in Clem. ne Romani de elect Quae notabiliter dicit quod mortuo Papa ecclesia non est sine capite ista est illa ecclesia quae errare non potest For concerning maters of Faith euen the iudgement of one that is a meere Lay-man ought to be preferred before the sentence of the Pope if that Lay person could bring better reasons out of the old and new Testament then the Pope did And it skilleth not if one say that a Councell cannot erre because Christ prayed for his church that it should not fayle For I say that although a general Councell represent the whole vniuersall Church yet in truth there is not truely the vniuersall Church but representatiuely For the vniuersall Church consisteth of the collection of all the faithful Whereupon all the faithfull in the worlde make this vniuersall church which cannot erre wherof Christ himselfe is the head The Pope is the Vicar of Christ but not truely the heade of the church as noteth the Glosse vpon the Clementines which saith very well that when the Pope is dead the church wanteth not then an head and this is that Church which cannot erre Out of these wordes I note first that by the opinion of the great Papist Panormitan a meere laye mans iudgement euen in matters of faith ought to bee accepted and receyued before the Popes constitution if that Lay-man bring better reasons then doth the Pope I note secondly that through the wonderfull prouidence of God euen the enemies of the truth the Papists I meane are enforced to testifie the truth against themselues in their owne printed bookes For doubtles this Testimony of this Papist is the foundation of that doctrine which is this day established in the church of England and in all other reformed churches throughout the Christian world I note thirdly that a generall councell may erre because it is not the Catholike or vniuersall church indeed A generall councell therfore yeeldeth not any infallible iudgement CAP. VII Shewing that the holy Scripture is the sole and onely infallible rule of truth IN the former Chapters I haue shewed first that all Bishoppes may erre seuerally secondly that many Bishops may erre ioyntly together when they teach one and the selfe same thing Thirdly that the Pope or Bishoppe of Rome may erre not onely in his priuate opinion but also in his publike sentence and definition Fourthly that Prouinciall Councels may erre Fiftly that generall counsels may erre It therefore now remayneth that I find out and set down some such rule as is infallible and will not in any respect point or clause deceiue them that follow it and leane thervnto Which rule say I is the holy scripture the sole and onely written worde of God And I proue the same briefly first by the written word it selfe which telleth vs plainely that the holy scripture was written by the instinct of the holy Ghost euen as God himself appointed it to be done That prophesie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost That God is not as man that he should lie neyther as the sonne of man that he should repent I proue it secondly by the testimony of S. Dionyse Areopagita whose wordes are these Omnino igitur non audendum est quicquam de summa abstrusaque diuinitate aut dicere aut cogitare praeter ca quae nobis diuinitus scripturae diuinae enuntiarunt In no wise therfore may we make bold to speake or thinke any thing of the high and ineffable diuinity but that onely which holy writ hath reuealed to vs from aboue I proue it thirdly by the verdict of S. Austen in these wordes Ego solis eis scripturarum libris qui iam canonici appellantur hunc timorem honorem didici deferre vt nullum eorum authorem scribendo aliquid errasse firmissime credam Alios autem ita lego vt quantalibet sanctitate doctrinaque praepolleant non ideo veruÌ„ putem quia ipsi ita censuerunt sed quia mihi vel per illos auctores canonicos vel probabili ratione quod a veritate non abhorreat persuadere potuerunt I have learned to giue this feare and honour to those onely bookes of scripture which are called Canonicall that I firmely belieue no author therof to haue erred in any point but yet I reade others so that how holy or learned soeuer they bee I doe not by and by thinke it true because they say so but because they perswade me by those Canonicall Writers or by probable reason that that is true they say The same S. Austen in an other place telleth vs plainely that the holy Scripture is the rule of faith These are his wordes Sancta scriptura nostrae doctrinae regulam figit ne audiamus sapere plusquam oportet The holy Scripture setteth downe the rule of our doctrine that we presume not to be wiser then it is meete and conuenient The Iesuite Bellarmine whose words are most forceable against Papistes because he is the mouth of all Papistes confesseth plainely that the worde of God is the rule of faith that the written word because it is the rule hath this prerogatiue that whatsoeuer is contained in it is of necessitie true and must bee beleeued and whatsoeuer is repugnant to it is of necessitie false and must be reiected But because it is a partial rule and not the totall rule of faith thereupon it commeth that something is of faith which is not contayned in the same Thus writeth the Iesuite Out of whose wordes euerie child may gather that the scripture is the infallible rule of faith For although the Iesuite would make vnwritten traditions to bee a ioynt rule together with the written word whose opinion I haue disproued in my Booke of Motiues yet neyther doth hee neither can he deny but that all must bee reiected whatsoeuer is repugnant to the holy scripture By this my discourse hetherto it is cleare and euident to euery indifferent Reader that neither Fathers Popes nor councels prouinciall or generall are or can bee the infallible rule of faith but the sole and onely written word of God that is the holy Scripture But now remayneth a most intricate and dâ—fficult question who must bee the iudge of the Scripture that is who must determine and set downe what writinges what opinions what preachinges what doctrines are grounded vpon the Scriptures and are consonant to the same againe what opinions what Writinges and what doctrines are not grounded vpon the Scriptures nor are agreeable to the same Hic labor hoc opus est I therefore proceede to the next
cōsequently as we are enforced to grant that when we say Christes bodie is broken then is but the signe of his bodie broken euen so likewise are we enforced to graunt that when Christ saide This is my body hee gaue onely the signe and sacrament of his bodie The reason is euident because his bodie can no otherwise be eaten then it is broken that is to say sacramentally or in a signe or if you will so say figuratiuely or spiritually which is all one Here then is no certaintie of iudgement to be found CAP. 6. Shewing that generall Councels may erre THat generall Councels may erre and de facto haue erred euen in matters of faith it is so plaine as nothing can be more plaine when the truth thereof shall betold as it is in deed In the great and generall Councell of the Iewes in which were present as Christes Gospel telleth vs all the Priests the Scribes the Elders togither with the hie Priest Christ Iesus was condemned to death because he named himself the sonne of God Yea Caiphas the high Priest with the consent and assent of the whole Councell pronounced openly that Christ blasphemed when he called himselfe the sonne of God And yet is it euident to all Christian people and all Papists will and must confesse the same that the hie Priest Caiphas erred perniciously and vttered most execrable blasphemie when hee denied Christ to be the sonne of God and true Messias of the world The great and famous Councell of Lateran holden vnder Innocentius the third in which were present the Patriarkes of Hierusalem and Constantinople Metropolitanes 70 Bishops 400 Abbots 12 Priors Conuentuals 800 the Legates of the Greeke and Romane Empire the Orators of the Kinges of Hierusalem France Spaine Englande and Cypres either erred notoriously aboute the creation of Angels or at least made it euident to all the worlde that the decree of generall Councels is not an infallible rule of faith I proue this to bee so by two important reasons First because the Councell hath these wordes Firmiter credimus simpliciter confitemur quod vnus est solus Deus verus creator omnium visibilium inuisilium spiritualium corporalium qui simul ab initio temporis vtranque de nihilo condidit creaturam spiritualem corporalem angelicam scilicet mundanam We firmely beleeue and simplie confesse that there is one onely true God the creator of all things visible and inuisible spirituall and corporall who from the beginning of time created of nothing both creatures togither the spirituall and the corporall that is to say the angelicall and the terrestriall Secondly because great learned men and most renowmed fathers Gregorius Nazianzenus Basilius Magnus Ambrosius Hieronimus Damascenus doe all holde constantly that albeit the Angels had a beginning yet were they before the world was made And this their opinion is deemed probable both to Saint Austen and to the great School-doctor Aquinas Which Aquinas liued after the said Councell of Lateran and had read the same had also written Commentaries vpon this very Canon and consequently he did not repute the decree of the sayde Councell to be an infallible rule of fayth Loe the generall Councell held constantly and firmely beleeued that the Angels were created at one and the same time with the world But the holy fathers and the great Papist Aquinas thought the contrary opinion to be probable notwithstanding the decree of the Councell Whervpon it followeth of necessity that that is not alway the vndoubted truth which is decreed by a generall Councell For which end and purpose Melchior Canus a lerned popish bishop hath written most excellently in these wordes Non satis est vt Conciliorum Pontificum iudicia firma esse credantur in diuino officio publicè à tota etiam Ecclesia celebrari It is not enough to make the iudgements of Councels and Popes firme so as wee may safely beleeue them to celebrate the same publiquely in diuine seruice throughout the whole Church of God These are golden wordes they may not bee passed ouer rawly and negligently but we must firmely imprint them in our hearts And in so doing wee doubtlesse shall reape commoditie more then a little For if we cannot safely giue credite to the Popish seruice which is publiquely done in their Churches how can they or how dare they auouch their doctrine to bee agreeable to Gods worde Nay it is a worlde to heare that the Pope is not ashamed to enforce the worlde as much as in him lyeth to embrace and beleeue that new no Religion lately start vp Popish doctrine whereof the best Popish writers can giue no better reasons The generall Councell of Constance decreed firmely that it was lawfull to debarre the lay-people from the one part of the Eucharist to wit the cuppe And the generall Councell of Basill affirmeth constantly that so to holde and doe is not agaynst the holy institution And yet is it vndoubtedly true that the lay-people ought by Christes institution to receyue both the kindes Saint Paule writing to the vnpriested Corinthians may bee a sufficient proofe hereof For hee telleth them that they ought according to the commaundement which hee receyued of the Lord to drinke of the cuppe as well as to eate of the bread The matter is so plaine as I deeme it a thing needlesse to stand long vpon the same The Councel of Trent a famous general councell by Popish iudgemēt hath flatly decreed that to bee no matrimonie which was euer approued matrimonie in the Catholique Church and is this day perfect matrimonie by Christes institution The wordes of the Councell are these Dubitandum non est clandestina matrimonia libero consensu facta rata vera esse matrimonia quamdiu ecclesia ea irrita non fecit There is no doubt but clandestine and secrete matrimonies made with free consent were perfect and true matrimonies so long as the Church did not disanull the same Yet so it is gentle reader that such secret matrimonies are this day to bee reputed no matrimonies at all Of which kinde of matrimonies I haue written more at large in my booke of motiues That generall Councels may erre the sole and onely testimony of Panormitanus is sufficient and of force enough against all papists because hee was their famous Canonist their most reuerend Archbishop their renowmed Cardinall His expresse words are these nam in concernentibus fidem etiā dictum vnius priuati esset preferendum dicto Papae si ille moueretur melioribus rationibus noui veteris testamenti quam Papae Nec obstat si dicatur quod concilium non potest errare quia Christus orauit pro ecclesia sua vt nō desiceret quia dico quod licet cōcilium generale representet totam ecclesiam vniuersalem tamen in veritate ibi non est vera ecclesia vniuersalis sed representatiuè quia vniuersalis
may be a sufficient confutation of the same Onely Victoria a verie learned popish Doctor shall conclude this section His wordes are these Paulatim ad hanc c. By little and little we are brought to these inordinate dispensations and to this so miserable state where we are neither able to endure our owne griefes nor remedies assigned for the same Giue me Clements Lines Syluesters and then I will commit all things to their charge But to speake nothing grieuously against these latter Popes they are doubtlesse inferiours to Popes of olde time by many degrees Here is falshood enough but certaintie of iudgement none can be had Sect. IIII. Of the Popes priuate errors THat the Bishops of Rome may become heretiques yea that they haue beene heretiques de facto it is so cleare a thing as I shall not neede to stand long about the same Many Popish decrees tell vs that Popes may be deposed when and so often as they swarue from the Christian faith and become heretiques in deed Which Decrees perforce must presuppose that the Popes may be heretiques otherwise they should be frustrate and to no ende at all These are the words Cunctos ipse Papa iudicaturus à nemine est iudicandus nisi deprehendatur a fide deuius The Pope iudgeth all and must be iudged of none vnlesse hee swarue from the faith and bee an heretique Lo the Popes owne Decrees doe plainely graunt that the Pope may be an heretique and then God be thanked he hath a superiour and iudge vpon earth So he may lawfully be controlled yea condemned vnlesse hee keepe the Christian fayth better then many popes haue done Againe in another decree I find these expresse wordes Oues quae suo pastori commissae sunt eum nec reprehendere nisi á fide exorbitauerit nec vllatenus accusare possunt Sheepe which are committed to their pastor may neither rebuke him nor in any wise accuse him vnlesse he depart and forsake the faith Dominicus Soto a great Papist hath these expresse wordes Quamuis Papa vt Papa errare non possit hoc est statuere errore nequeat tanquam articulum fidei quia spiritus sanctus id non permittet tamen vt singularis persona errare in fide potest sicut alia peccata committere Albeit the Pope as Pope cannot erre that is to say can not set downe any errour as an article of our faith because the holy Ghost will not that permit neuerthelesse as he is a priuate person so may he erre euen in fayth as he may do other sinnes Pope Anastasius Pope Honorius Pope Iohn and others haue beene heretikes as Viguerius Melchior Canus Alphonsus and Adrianus who was Pope himselfe confesse and no wise papist will or can denie the same Nicholaus de Lyra a verie learned and famous papist hath these expresse wordes Ex quo patet quod Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticaevel secularis Quia multi principes summi pontifices alii inferiores inuenti sunt apostatasse a fide Whereby it is euident that the Church doth not consist in men by reason of power or dignitie either ecclesiasticall or secular because many princes and popes and others of the inferior sort are found to haue swarued from the faith and to haue beene flat Apostataes Iosephus Angles a famous popish Bishop and religious Frier in his booke dedicated to the Pope himselfe confirmeth this matter in these wordes Papa haereticus aut apostata ab vniuersali concilio deponi potest ratio est quia sicut nullus potest esse alicuius religionis praelatus qui non sit in illa religione prosessus ita neque potest esse Papa si fide Ecclesiae careat The Pope being an heretique or apostata may bee deposed by a generall Concell and the reason is because as none can be a Prelate of any Religion which is not professed in that religion so neither can he be Pope that holdeth not the faith of the Church Thus it is cleare euen by popish Doctors and Decrees that the Pope as a priuate person may forsake the Christian fayth teach false doctrine and become a flat Apostata The Pope therefore in his priuate person can not be a competent iudge Sect. V. Of the Popes publique errours in his generall and definitiue Decrees and constitutions DOctor Gerson a famous Papist and Chauncellour of Paris teacheth so plainely that Popes may erre in their publique doctrine of faith and maners as none can doubt there of that ponder well his words thus therefore doth he write Hos fecit latroni qui veri similiter nondum compleuerat poenetentiā pro omnibus peccatis suis qui fuit illa hora propria beatisicatus vidit Deum facie ad faciem sicut sancti in Paradiso propter quod insuper apparet falsitas doctrinae Papae Iohannes 22. quae damnata fuit cum sono buccinarum coram rege Philippo per Theologos Parisienses credidit potius Theologis Parisiensibus quam curiae This did he to the theefe which by likelihood had not yet accomplished pennance for all his sinnes who was blessed in that verie houre and saw God face to face as do the Saints in Paradise by reason whereof appeareth further the falshoode of the doctrine of Pope Iohn which was condemned by the sound of Trumpets before King Philip by the diuines of Paris and the king beleeued rather the diuines then the court of Rome Out of these wordes the indifferent Reader wil easily note with me these important poynts First that the theefe crucified with Christ did see God face to face in that verie houre and so was blessed Secondly that hee reprooueth the false doctrine of Pope Iohn Thirdly that his doctrine was condemned with the sound of trumpets in the presence of the King of France Fourthly that the king gaue more credite to the Diuines of Paris then to the iudgement of the Court of Rome that is then to the Pope and his Cardinals A poynt well worthie to bee noted Fiftly that neither the king nor the learned Papists did in those dayes graunt such authoritie to the Pope as now a dayes the Pope chalengeth to himselfe Whereupon it followeth consequently that the Pope taught false doctrine euen in a weightie matter of faith To which is consectarie that his doctrine was publique as which was publiquely condemned at Paris in the presence of the king Pope Adrian testifieth the same truth as witnesseth the zealous Papist Alphonsus in these expresse wordes Nouissime fertur de Iohanne 22. quod publice docuit declarauit ab omnibus teneri mandauit quod animae purgatae ante finale iudicium non habent stolam quae est clara facialis visio Dei vntuersitatem Parisiensem ad hoc induxisse dicitur quod nemo in ea poterat gradum in Theologia adipisci nisi primitus hunc errorem iurasset se
defensurum perpetuò ei adhaesurum Last of all it is reported of Pope Iohn the 22. that hee publiquely taught declared and commaunded all men to hold that the soules of the iust before the day of iudgement haue not the stole which is is the cleare and facely vision of God And he is reported to haue enduced the Vniuersitie of Paris to this that no man should take degree in the same but he that did first sweare to defend this errour and to adhere to it for euer Thus writeth Adrian who was himselfe Pope of Rome And Alphonsus a mā of good credit with the papists after he had reckoned vp fiue heresies setteth downe this for the sixt heresie that the soules of the iust do not see God till the day of doome ascribing the said heresie to the Armenians as to the authors therof to the Greeks togither with pope Iohn as to the patrones and defenders of the same Here the simple Reader must note well that hee may the better vnderstande this verity and not bee seduced with the colourable Glosse of the Iesuite Bellarmine who seeing the force of this testimonie to ouerthrowe the highest poynt in poperie bestirreth himselfe more then a little in defence of popish faith He telleth vs forsooth if we wil beleeue him that Pope Iohn with all obeysance to his holines bee it spoken erred in deede as is here said but he did that as a priuate man sayeth our Iesuite not as Pope of Rome Which distinction doubles wanteth not onely a good foundation whereupon it should be built but also it flatly destroyeth the playne Text. The reason is euident to euery child First because pope Adrian faith Docuit hee taught Secondly because hee faith Publicè publikely Thirdly because he sayeth Mandauit he commanded all to hold it Fourthly because none could be made Graduats in the schooles which held not this opinion Fiftly because euery Graduate was sworn to defend it and to hold it for euer So then the pope may erre and hath erred de facto euen in his publike decree of faith as well as an other man And that euen by the consent of Adrian who was pope himselfe yea who for learning and knowledge was one of the rarest popes that euer were at Rome Melchior Canus though otherwise he bee a great papist telleth vs plainly that Gerson Almayne and Thomas Waldensis doe all hold this for a constant position that the pope may erre as is already said pope Celestine the third of that name erred as pope and publike person in his iudiciall sentence and publicke decree This to be so Alphonsus aboue named is a constant witnes in these expresse words Celestinum Papam errasse circa matrimonium fidelium quorum alter labitur in haerisin res est omnibus manifesta neque hic Celestini error talis fuit qui soli negligentiae imputari debuit ita vt illum errasse dicamus velut priuatam personam non vt Papam qui in qualibet reseria definienda consulere debet viros doctos quoniam huiusmodi Celestina definitio habebatur in antiquis decretalibus in cap laudabilem titulo de conuersione infidelium Quam ego ipse vidi legi That Pope Celestine erred about Matrimonie of the faithful wherof the one is fallen into heresie is a thing so manifest as all men know the same neither was this error of Pope Celestine such that it can bee imputed to sole negligence so as we may think him to haue erred as a priuate man not as Pope who ought in the decree of euery serious matter to aske counsel of learned men For that definition and decree of Celestine was in the old Decretall Epistles in the Chapter Laudabilem which I my selfe haue seene and read Out of these wordes of Alphonsus who was a man highly renowned among the papistes I note many worthy obseruations First that Pope Celestine erred and that not as a priuate man but euen as Pope and publike person Secondly that hee erred in a verie serious matter euen in a matter of faith to wit that Matrimonie was so dissolued by reason of heresie that the faithfull man or woman might marry againe the hereticall partie liuing which thing sayeth Alphonsus was manifest to euerie man to be an heresie And the late Councel of Trent hath defined it to be so Thirdly that this decree and definition of Pope Celestine was in those dayes enrolled in the Popes Decretals Fourthly that Alphonsus saw and read the same Decree Fiftly that the said decree cannot this day be found among the Popes Decretall Epistles Where I wish the Reader to note by the way that the Decrees of our holy Fathers the Popes haue been such and so much against late Poperie that they are ashamed to bring them now to light If any man desire to know the Popes errors more fully let him read my book of Motiues But now it remaineth that I aunswere to sundrie important obiections whereupon the Papistes would build the supposed Priuiledges of their Popes as that their Faith can not faile and such like The decision wherof God willing shal be performed in the Chapter following The Pope therefore in his publique person is no infallible Iudge CAP. IIII. Contayning the aunswere to sundrie obiections by which the Papistes labour to proue that the Popes faith can not faile The First obiection CHrist prayed for Peter that his faith should neuer faile therefore the Bishops of Romes faith cannot faile nor the Pope erre in his iudiciall decrees The Aunswere I say first that Peters faith quailed when he denied Christ swearing that hee knew not the man For these twaine are the chiefe fruites of faith to belieue with the heart to confesse with the mouth And where eyther of these two is wanting there cannot be a right faith For he that putteth away a good conscience maketh shipwracke of his faith I say secondly that Christ prayed aswell for all the elect as he did for Peter I pray not sayth Christ for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me for they are thine Againe he sayeth I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall belieue in me through their word And consequentlie seeing Christ directed not his wordes to Peter as to one priuate man but as to one representing the whole Church it must needs follow that what soeuer Christ did or saide touching Peters faith must perforce bee vnderstoode of the faith of the whole Church Which faith as I haue copiously proued in my Booke of Suruay shall neuer fayle indeed This my aunswere is confirmed in these wordes of S. Austen Quid ambigitur pro Petro rogabat pro Iacobo Iohanne non rogabat vt caeteros taceam manifestum est in Petro omnes contineri quia in alio loco dicit ego pro his rogo quos mihi dedisti pater volo vt vbiego
sum ipsi sint mecum What doubt is there did he pray for Peter and did he not also pray for Iames and Iohn to say nothing of the rest it is cleare that in Peter all the rest are meant because he sayeth in an other place I pray for these O Father which thou hast giuen me and desire that they may bee with mee where my selfe am Origen a learned and very auncient father affirmeth in a large discourse vpon S. Mathew that all things spoken of Peter touching the church the keyes are to be vnderstood of all the rest And the collection of Origen is euident euen by natural reason For if Christ prayed not aswell for the rest as he did for Peter of small credite were a great parte of the holy scripture A reason doubtles insoluble for all Papistes in the world For if they could faile in their faith they could also faile in their writing and yet that they could not so faile was by vertue of Christes prayer This my aunswere is farther confirmed by the testimonie of learned and approued Papistes Panormitanus was their skilfull Canonist their religious Abbot and their renowmed Archbishop and consequently his authority must needs gall and confound them all His words are these Et pro hactantum Christus in Euangelio or auit ad patrem ego rogaui pro te And for this he meaneth the vniuersal Church Christ onely prayed to his Father in the gospell when he said I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Behold here gentle Reader and yeelde thine indifferent censure When Christ saith the great Papist Panormitane prayed that Peters faith should not faile hee prayed for the faith of the vniuersall Church whose faith shall neuer faile indeede And the saide Panormitane proueth his opinion directly and strongly by many textes of the Popes Canon-law De Elect. Cap. significasti Alphonsus a Castro a religious Popish Carthusian hath these wordes Non dubitamus an haereticum esse papam esse coire in vnum possint infra non enim credo aliquem esse adeo impudentē papae assentatorē vt ei tribuere hoc velit vt nec errare nec in interpretatione sacrarum literarum hallucinaripossit We doubt not whether one man may be both a Pope and an Heretike together For I belieue there is none so shamelesse a flatterer of the Pope that will ascribe this vnto him that he can neyther erre nor bee deceyued in the exposition of the scriptures To these I must needes adde that all the doctors of the famous Vniuersity of Paris as our Iesuite Bellarmine freely graunteth doe expound Christs words in S. Luke euen as I haue proued out of Panormitane That is that Christ praied for the faith of the whole church or for Peters faith as he did represent the whole church And therefore our Iesuite doth easily reiect their exposition without all time and reason And hee telleth vs forsooth that Christ in his prayer obtayned two Priuiledges to Peter the one that his faith should neuer faile the other that neyther Peter neyther any in Peters seat should euer teach false doctrine But wise men I hope will belieue Bellarmines wordes when hee shall bring good proofes for the same For first my selfe haue proued most euidently euen by manifest Popish Testimonies that many Bishops of Rome haue taught false doctrine and become flat Apostataes Secondly Bellarmine himselfe confesseth freely that Peters Successors perhaps wanted the former prerogatiue and sometime became Heretikes but the latter saith hee they had vndoubtedly Which Exposition is easily retorted against himselfe because the former may as well if not better bee gathered out of the text as the latter And therefore Bellarmine presumeth to much vpon his owne credite when hee will without all reason enforce vs to expound Christes Gospell as hee listeth The second Obiection Christ commaunded the people to doe what soeuer the Scribes and the Pharisies willed them to obserue and this hee did onely because they sate in Moyses chaire But doubtles if they sitting in Moyses chaire could haue erred Christ would not haue commanded so strictly to obserue their doctrine The Aunswere Our Sauiour Christ seeing many thinges amisse in the Scribes and Pharisies thought it meete and conuenient to giue the people warning thereof And hee wisely tempereth his admonition least they should reiect the good together with the euill For to teach the Lawe and the Prophetes whith was to sitte in Moyses Chaire or to execute Moyses authoritie which was all one in effect was a thing very honest and lawfull Therefore Christ commanded the people to obey them and to doe whatsoeuer they did bid them doe But this must bee vnderstoode with this limitation so long as they taught and commaunded Ex Cathedra that is agreeably to Gods law not otherwise This to bee the true sense and meaning of Christs words I will proue euidently both by the Fathers and by the Testimonies of Nicholaus de Lyra and Dionysius Carthusianus two zealous and learned Papistes S. Austen hath these wordes Sedendo Cathedram Moysi legem Dei docent ergoper illos Deus docet sua vero illi si velint docere nolite audire nolite facere Certè n. tales sua quaerunt non quae Iesu Christi Sitting in the Chayre of Moyses they teach the Law of GOD therefore God teacheth by them But if they will needes teach their owne opinions and fantasies then heare them not doe not as they bid you do For doubtles such men seeke to please them selues and not to accomplish the will of Iesus Christ. S. Hilarie hath these wordes Cum igitur doctrina pharisaeorum ob id probabilis esse docetur quia ipsi in Mosi Cathedra sederunt doctrina necessariò significatur in Cathedra Seeing therefore that the doctrine of the Pharisies is for that proued to bee probable because they sate in the Chaire of Moses therfore by the Chaire must doctrine of necessitie be signified Thus writeth this great learned and auncient Father by whose iudgement it is plaine that the chaire of Moses and the doctrine of Moses is all one And consequently that not they which occupie the roome of Moses or Peter are to bee followed but they that teach the doctrine of Moses and Peter are to bee heard and their commaundement must be done Lyra hath these wordes Omnia quaecunque dixerint vobis facite Quia praelatis etiam malis est obediendam nisi in his quae sunt manifestè contra Deum Doe all things that they shall say vnto you because wee must obey euen those prelates that be euill vnlesse they teach plainly against God Dionysius Carthusianus hath these words Hoc non est absolute vniuersaliter intelligendum quia Scribae Pharisaei multa superstitiosa falsa docuerunt corumpentes scripturam irritum facientes verbum Dei per suas traditiones Intelligendum est ergo de
praedicatoribus eorū non contrariis legi Mosi Mali. N. à presidentibus ebeniendum est quandiu non docent nec iubent contraria Deo This must not be vnderstoode absolutely and vniuersally because the Scribes and Pharisies taught many superstitious and false things corrupting the Scriptures and making frustrate the worde of God with their traditions We must therfore vnderstand it of their Preachers which teach nothing contrarie to the law of Moyses For we must obey euill rulers so long as they neither teach nor command against God See more hereof and to this effect in the answere to the next obiection The third Obiection God commaunded to obey the Priests and not to swarue in any one iote from their doctrine by turning either to the right hand or to the left And it wil not serue to say that this must be done so long as they teach the truth for the text saith plainly Indicabunt tibi iudicii veritatem They shall shew thee the veritie of iudgement that is they shall not erre The Answere I say first that the Priests of the law of Moses both might erre and did erre de facto as is alreadie proued of the Scribes and Pharisies For they were not onely wicked men in life and conuersation but they also seduced the people taught false doctrine and corrupted the pure worde of God Which point because it is a thing of verie great importance I will indeuour my selfe by Gods helpe to make it plaine vnto the Reader And because nothing is or can be of greater force agaynst the Papists then to confute their doctrine by the testimonie of their owne approued Doctors I will as my wonted maner is euer alledge the expresse wordes of the best approued Papists who were euer most deare vnto the Pope wishing the Reader to markewell my answer made alreadie to the obiection next afore going The wordes of the great papists Lyra and Carthusianus alreadie alledged might sufficiently satisfie any indifferent reader but that nothing may bee wanting I wil adde their wordes more abundantly Lyra hath these wordes Vae vobis Scribae hic ostendit qualiter corrumpebant veritatē doctrinae in his quae pertinent ad salutem Dicebant n◠quod obseruare legem erat necessarium omnibus ad salutem quod est falsum quia multi gentiles sunt saluati vt Iob plures alii Ex suppositione autem huius falsi discurrebant aliqui in doctores Hebraei per diuersas ciuitates castra vt possent conuertere aliquos de gentilitate ad Iudaismum Et hoc est quod dicitur qui c. Wo to you Scribes Here he sheweth how they did corrupt the truth of doctrine euen in those things which pertaine to saluation For they said that the keeping of the law was necessarie for all men vnto saluation which is false because many Gentiles are saued as Iob and sundrie others Of this false supposition some Hebrew Doctors did wander through diuerse Cities Townes that so they might conuert some from Gentilitie to Iudaisme And therefore doth the Gospell say wo vnto you Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession and when he is made ye make him two folde more the childe of hell then you your selues are Againe the same Lyra sayth thus Vae vobis duces caeci Hic consequenter ostendit qualiter corrumpebant veritatem doctrinae in his quae pertinent ad actum latriae Cuius actus est iurare modo debito iur amentum obser uare Pharisaei n. Scribae ex cupiditate moti dicebant quod illi qui iurabant per Templum Dei nec peccabant nec erant in aliquo obligati sed illi qui iurabant per aurum Templi erant obligati ad soluendum Sacerdotibus certam portionem auri Wo vnto you blind guides Here he sheweth cōsequently how they corrupted the veritie of doctrine in those things which pertain to the pure worship of God The act whereof is to sweare after a due maner and to performe the oath For the Scribes and Pharisies moued with couetousnesse said that they which did sweare by the temple of God neither sinned neither were bound to doe any thing but they that did sweare by the gold of the Temple were bound to giue some portion of gold to the Priests Dionysius Carthusianus hath these wordes Non sinitis intrare Quia falsa doctrina prauis exemplis peruertitis eos Sequitur qui dicitis quicunque iurauerit per Templum nihil est Id est soluere non tenetur si peieret non erit criminis reus You do not suffer them to come in For you peruert them with false doctrine and euill example You say who so euer sweareth by the Temple it is nothing That is to say he is not bound to keepe his oath and if hee bee forsworne he shall not be guiltie of any crime Thus we see or may see if we be not blind that by the iudgement of these great Papists the Bishops and Priests of the olde law did not onely scandalize the people with their wicked life but also taught false doctrine and corrupted the holy Scripture I say secondly that the verie wordes of the law if we marke them well doe plainly expresse the true meaning thereof To wit that wee must then obey the Priests when they teach according to Gods lawe and not when they wrest and corrupt Gods word The wordes are these Et facies quodcunque dixerint qui praesunt loco quem elegerit Dominus docuerint te iuxta legem eius And thou shalt doe whatsoeuer they shall say which are ouer that place which the Lord hath chosen and shall teach thee according to his law Lo this cōdition is required that the priests do teach Gods law See S. Hieroms words in the answere to the fourth Obiection The Replie The wordes import no condition but a meere assertion and promise that they shall not erre so saith the Prophet Malach Labia sacerdotis custodient scientiam legem requirent ex ore eius The Priests lippes shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth The Answere I answere that the wordes in Deuteronomie do import a conditionall precept The precept is continued in these wordes Qui praesunt loco which are set ouer that place The condition is imploied in these words Et docuerint and shall teach according to the law The words in Malachie import a flat commandement of that which the Priests ought to do but no promise that they shall doe and performe the same Which thing I will proue many wayes First by the wordes of the verie texts then by the testimonie of Saint Herome thirdly by the exposition of great learned Papists Touching the wordes in Malachie the sense appeareth euidently in the wordes which follow immediatly which are these Vos autē recessistisde via scādalizastis plurimos in lege
Apostolike rule that they must rather obey God then man I say secondly that though the Priestes be appointed to teach and the people to heare the Priestes in Gods name to commaund and the people to obey yet must all this be done Iuxta legem Dei according to Gods law Neither shall the people for all that contemne the authority of the Priestes but with humility admonish the priestes and tell them why they cannot so doe This lesson if the Papistes cannot be content to learne of me yet I hope they will not disdayne to learne it of S. Hierome seeing their Pope in their Collect vpon his festiuity termeth him Doctorem maximum their greatest Doctor His wordes are these Si Sacerdos est sciat legem Domini si ignorat legem ipse se arguit non esse Domini sacerdotem Sacerdotis enim est scire legem ad interrogationem respondere de lege Sequitur discant legem Dei vt possint docere quod didicerint augeant scientiam magis quam opes non erubescant a laicis discere qui nouerint ea quae ad officium pertinent sacerdotum If he be a Priest let him know the law of God if he be ignorant of the Law hee accuseth himselfe that hee is not the Priest of God For the Priestes office is to know the law and to aunswere to questions of the Law Let the Priestes learne Gods law that they may teach that which they haue learned and let them encrease knowledge rather then riches and let them not be ashamed to learne of the Lay people which know those things that pertaine to the Priestes office Out of these wordes of S. Hierome I note first that many Popes are no Priestes and consequently no Popes indeede though falsely supposed so to be S. Ieromes reason is plaine to euery child because many Popes are very vnlearned and know not the law of God neither preach his word which is the chiefest office of a Priest And who wil or can think that Christ Iesus if he had appointed the Bishops of Rome to rule his whole Church throughout the world and all nations to hang their Faith vpon the popes faith woulde in these dangerous times suffer them to liue dissolutely to be as dumbe dogs that barke not and neuer to preach and teach his word none doubtles that haue any wit sense or reason I note secondly that Priests must know the law of God to this end that they may teach the same And consequently that the Bishops of Rome who neuer preach the word of God cannot be the true Priests of God I note thirdly that the Bishops of Rome if they were true Priests indeed both shold and would encrease their knowledge in the law of God rather then their wealth and possessions I note fourthly that the true Priestes of God must not disdayne to learne of the Laicall sorte which are better learned then themselues I note fiftly that sheepe so called Metaphorically such as Christian people are who haue sence reason and learning and know the voyce of the great shephearde Christ Iesus as himselfe telleth vs may with all humility forsake those shepheardes who eyther for their ignorance cannot or for malice will not feed them with the pure word of God as they ought to doe For wise sheepe will not eate that meat which they know to be deadly poison to them For this cause doe the Popes owne Canons graunt libertie to the sheepe to reproue and accuse their Pastor yea though he be the Pope himselfe The expresse wordes of the Canon are these Oues quae suo Pastori commissae sunt eum nec reprehendere nisi a fide exorbitauerit nec vllatenus accusare possunt The sheepe which are committed to their Pastor may neyther rebuke him nor in any wise accuse him vnlesse hee forsake the faith Loe this Canon made of Pope Eusebius himselfe telleth vs two thinges First that the Pope may erre and forsake the Christian faith Secondly that when he doth so erre the sheepe may then reproue him and also accuse him And I am well assured that if the sheep may reproue and accuse the Pope as the Pope himselfe alloweth to bee done much more may the sheepe reproue and accuse other Bishops priests which are farre inferiour to the Pope See the answere to the second obiection The fift Obiection If the Pope had not authority from God himself to rule the vniuersall Church and to decide all controuersies in the same all the Christian worlde would neuer haue yeelded themselues unto him in matters of Faith and euerlasting saluation The Aunswere I say first that when Constantinus the Emperour departed from Rome to Constantinople the Pope then beganne to put out his Hornes and to chalenge the Emperiall authority in the west partes of the world And his flattering Parasites and greedy Sicophantes by false Pamphlets and glosses laboured to confirme his Lordly Titles These are the wordes of the Canon Constantinus Imperator coronam omnem regiam dignitatem in vrbe Romana in Italia in partibus occidentalibus Apostolico concessit The Emperour Constantine graunted to the Apostolicall man the Bishoppe of Rome his crowne and all royall dignitie aswell in the Citty of Rome and in Italie in all the west partes of the world Loe this was the first steppe to that Lordly Primacy and Antichristian tyranny which the Bishoppes of Rome this day chalenge in the Christian world This I say was the originall of Poperie though it bee a very fable and voide of all credite For Eusebius Theodoritus Socrates Sozomenus Eutropius Ruffinus Victor and other approued Writers who all haue writen the Actes of Constantine most diligently do not only make no mentiō of that gift but withal say plainely that the whole Empire was diuided among the three Sonnes of Constantine and that one of them had all Italie for his parte And Ammianus Marcellinus writeth that Constantius had the dominion of the Citty of Rome and that Leontius was his Lieutenant there Laurentius Valla hath written both learnedly largely against the false Donation of Constantine wherewith a great part of the world hath beene seduced To this I could adde many argumentes but that the Reader may find them in my motiues and Booke of Suruey I say secondly that the Maiestie of the Romane Empire and that liberality which the Romanes exhibited to the Martyres in Exile and otherwise afflicted gaue no small honour to the Cittie and church of Rome For the Councels had euer great respect to the dignity and excellency of Cities in the distribution of Episcopall and Patriarkall seates I say thirdly that the church of Rome kept defended a long time the pure and sincere doctrine of Christ Iesus For Saint Paule was beheaded there Saint Peter crucified there and many Bishops of Rome there put to death for confessing defending the Christian faith And hereupon it partly
came I will it not deny that the West and Occidentall Churches did so greatly reuerence the Church of Rome and many times to appease controuersies and dissentions had recourse to it as to the Mother Churche and auncient Nurse of the Faith But for all this they neuer ascribed this prerogatiue to the Bishoppe of Rome that hee could not erre neyther euer did they acknowledge him to be the sole and onely iudge in questions and controuersies of religion This to bee so one onely testimonie will suffice For S. Cyprian an auncient Father a very learned Bishoppe and blessed Martyr although hee greatly honoured the Church of Rome and the Bishoppes therof for respectes aboue mentioned yet was he so farre from acknowledging the supposed prerogatiue of the Bishoppe of Rome that his faith could not faile or that hee was the sole and only iudge in questions and controuersies of religion that hee flatly reiected his opinion contemned his definitiue sentence and derided his iudiciall decree calling him blinde bussarde and arrogant Prelate The controuersie was this whether they which were baptized of Heretiques ought to bee rebaptized or not The mater and Saint Cyprians words are set downe at large in my Booke of Motiues And the matter it selfe is partly already proued in the Chapters afore going and shall bee more fully confirmed in the Chapters following CAP. V. Shewing that Prouinciall Councels may erre THAT Prouinciall Councels may erre euen in matters of Faith it is so cleare and manifest that famous and verie learned Papistes affirme the same to witte Adrianus who was sometime Pope himselfe Iohannes-Gerson sometime Chauncellor of Paris Almainus and Alphonsus both of them renowmed Papistes For they all hold as the Iesuite Bellarmine graunteth that the infallibility of iudgement touching matters of faith resteth solely in the church and generall Councels this assertion being confessed by great learned Papistes were enough to satisfie the indifferent Reader if more could not be said Saint Cyprian assembled in councell togither with fourescore learned bishops defined against the truth that such as were baptized of Heretiques ought to be baptized againe This decree is extant in the first tome of Councels and is this day reputed for a grosse errour throughout the christian worlde The Prouinciall Councell holden at Iconium decreed with Saint Cyprian and his fellow Bishops that rebaptization was lawfully ministred to those that were baptized of Heretiques The Councell of Sardis erred grossely condemning two Catholike Bishops Iulius the Bishop of Rome and Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria The third Councell of Carthage decreed the Apocryphall bookes of Tobias Iudith Baruch Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees to be Canonicall But the Councell of Laodicea which was confirmed in the sixt generall Councell condemned that decree long before it was made and denied the said bookes to be Canonicall The Councell of Varmes decreed that secret theft should be knowne and tried by the deliuerie and receyuing of the holy Eucharist Which is a notorious error and a wicked decree as the great papist Aquinas witnesseth in his Theologicall summe The Councell of Rome celebrated by Pope Stephanus disanulled all orders giuen by Pope Formosus and the Councell of Rauennas called by Pope Iohn disanulled the Actes of the Councell vnder Pope Stephanus In fine a Councell holden at Rome vnder Pope Nicholas decreed and enforced Berengarius to confesse the same that the true body of Christ was broken with the Priests hands and consumed with the teeth of the faithfull And yet is this a notorious error manifest to all the worlde Wherefore the Popish Glosse to saue the credite of the decree of the Pope and Councell if it would bee addeth these wordes for explication sake Nisi sanè intelligas verba Berengarii in maiorem incideshaeresim quam ipse habuit ideo omnia referas ad species ipsas Nam de Christi corpore partes non facimus Vnlesse thou vnderstande soundly the wordes of Berengarius thou wilt fall into a greater heresie then hee had and therefore thou must referre all things to the formes For of Christ bodie no partes are made Loe the Popish glosse saith plainly which is the truth in deed that Christ bodie cannot bee broken or diuided into partes And for all that the Pope with his popish Councell enforced Berengarius to beleeue the contrarie and to cōfesse the same The Apostles words are these Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him But certes if the true bodie of Christ Iesus be broken in deede and torne in peeces with mans teeth then doubtlesse must it bee corrupted and Christ himselfe must die againe This veritie doth so gall the Papists that the Iesuite Bellarmine who is the mouth of all the Papists is inforced will he nill he to confesse the truth vnawares These are his owne wordes which I wish the Reader to marke attentiuely Certum est semper fuit Christi corpus incorruptibile nunc existens non posse frangi teri nisi in signo siue sacramento ita vt dicatur frangi ac teri cum signum eius id est species panis frangitur teritur Sequitur verum Christi corpus ibi praesens existens frangitur teritur non tamen inse sedin signo It is and euer was certaine and without doubt that Christs bodie now being incorruptible cannot bee broken and torne but in the signe or Sacrament So that it may be said to be broken and torne when the signe thereof that is to say the forme of bread is broken and torne The true bodie of Christ there present is broken and torne yet not in the bodie it selfe but in the signe thereof Thus writeth our Iesuite most Christanly but vnawares agaynst himselfe if his words be well obserued I therefore note first that by Bellarmines owne confession Christs bodie is now immortall and incorruptible I note secondly that Christs bodie can not now bee broken in deed but onely in the signe or Sacrament thereof I note thirdly that Christes bodie is truly said to be broken as our Iesuite affirmeth because the signe of his bodie is truly broken Out of whose wordes and graunt this proposition is inferred of necessity to wit that Christ bodie is truly said to be present to the faithfull and to be truly eaten of them when the signe of Christes bodie is truly present and truly eaten of them Againe it must needs follow vpon the Iesuites grant and exposition of the Romish faith which is a wōder to bee heard that when Christ vttered these wordes to his Apostles this is my bodie his meaning and the true sense of the wordes was this This is my bodie that is to say this is the signe and Sacrament of my bodie The reason hereof is euident because Christes naturall and true body can no more be truely eaten then it can be truely broken And
vnderstande the primatiue Church which is most truly and properly called the ancient Church VVhich Church doubtlesse knewe no Popish inuocation of Saintes as I haue proued in my Suruey For aunswere to which booke or to any of the rest published now many yeares ago neither this hote-spurre mate E. O. nor any other English Iesuite or Iesuited Seminarie dare for their lugges encounter with mee So then there is a sweet harmonie but no discord at all in the writings of maister Sutcliffe of maister Gough and of my selfe In an other place this Libeller sayth that I holde auricular confession to haue beene established in the yeare 254. and doe but proue it by my bare worde onely This is a lie with a witnesse For I haue proued it in the second booke of my motiues and that by the testimonie of Iosephus Angles a Popish Frier and Bishop of Bosana euen in the second to me of that worke which he dedicated to the pope himselfe Sixtus Quintus These are the expresse wordes Ante Concilium Later erat Haereticum negare necessitatem confessionis negantes tamen non erant Haeretici Ratio est quia nondum erat ab Ecclesia declaratum Before the Councell of Lateran it was hereticall to denie the necessitie of confession but they were not Heretiques that denied it The reason is because the Church of Rome had not declared it to be an article of faith In the said second booke of Motiues in the ninth Chapter and fift conclusion the Reader shall finde these expresse wordes Albeit popish auricular confession be so magnified with Papists that euerie one is commaunded vnder paine of damnation to beleeue the same as instituted by Christ himselfe yet was it not an article of popish fayth for the space of one thousand and fiue hundred yeares after Christ. These are my expresse wordes in that place Here I heartily desire all people that are careful of their saluation especially such as are deuoted to the Iesuites and I craue it for the tender mercy of God in the bowels of Christ Iesus to marke attentiuely what I shall sincerely deliuer as I will answere God at the dreadfull day of generall doome I therefore say first that the author of this lewde Pamphlet and scurrilous libell intituled the detection of vntruthes who concealeth his name not daring to auouch it to the world but seemeth to be Robert Parsons the Iesuite alias Bastard Cowbucke expelled out of Baliol Colledge in Oxford for his illegitimation libelling and factious dealing who will affirme or denie anie thing as his owne deare brothers the secular Priestes write of him hath incurred the censures of their church and is become an excommunicate person for publishing this lewde libell and slaunderous Pamphlet I proue it because the generall councell of Lateran celebrated in the yeare 1515. prohibiteth vnder the paine of excommunication to print or cause to be printed any booke or scripture whatsoeuer in any Cittie or Diocesse wheresoeuer vnles the same be first diligently examined by the Bishop of the same Diocesse or by his Deputie and subscribed by their owne hand And it will not serue the Iesuites turne to say or pretend for his excuse that the pope hath dispenced with their sect to print bookes and libels at their pleasure For a generall councell hath power to make constitutions which the Pope is bound to obey but the Pope hath no such power ouer the councell to which he is and must be subiect This doctrine is flatly decreed in two famous popish generall Councels Constance and Basill Yet to this day was it neuer heard of in the world that an inferiour could make lawes to tie his superior or by his owne power exempt himselfe or others from the obedience hee oweth to the lawes of his superior I say secondly that this shameles Iesuite must of necessitie condemne himselfe in his own conscience when he sayeth that I affirme auricular confession to haue been established in the yeare 254. and l proue it by an euident demonstration For though I made mention of the time in three seueral bookes to witte in my Motiues in my Suruey and in my hunting of the Romish Foxe yet did I that but obiter in the two latter bookes referring the Reader to my first Booke that is to my Booke of Motiues In which booke I handled the question indeede and decided it by popish approbation there affirming in expresse wordes that Popish auricular confession was not an article of Popish faith for the space of one thousand fiue hundred yeares after Christ. Which number is set down without figures in that place and so lesse subiect to falshood or corruption But in the other bookes the number is put downe in figures and so more easily subiect to alteration especially seeing my self was distant from the Presse well neare two hundred miles I say thirdly that to obiect to me my reuolt from falshood and my returne to God with remorse for mine errours which this libeller recounteth for want of better matter doth nothing else but argue his owne imperfection and insufficiency to defend the matter hee tooke in hand CAP. IIII. Of the finding out of the endes of the Gordian knot I Say first that Gordius as stories doe relate was first a poore husbandman and afterwarde elected to be the king of Phrygia by the oracle of an Idoll who being made king caused his yokes to be hanged vp in the temple of Iupiter and the cordes to bee knit in such knots that it seemed a thing impossible to vntie or loose the same I say secondly that this masked libeller E. O. or if ye will Parsons that trayterous Iesuite seemeth greatly to fauour Gordius his knot because forsooth as Gordius by the helpe of an Idol became of a poore husbandman a mighty Prince so hee by treasonable plottinges with the King of Spaine forsooth one day of a poore Fryer to be made the Viceroy of England For which end he bestirreth himself to deuise such knots of bloudy treacheries as hee thinketh mans power not able to resist or vntie I say thirdly that all the difficultie in vntying this knot consisteth precisely and specially in this because forsooth I say in my Suruey that the Bishops of Rome were godly men till S. Austens time and long after him and yet withall I doe charge Pope Siricius to haue published wicked doctrine and Pope Sozomene to haue falsified the councell of Nice This is the knot that as our Iesuite E. O. thinketh cannot bee vntied If I can find out the endes of this knot a more large subiect saith he must be prouided for my learning to worke vpon A worthy reward of so mighty a Personage for the vnfolding of one silly knot Well I vndertake in Gods name to find out the ends of this knot expecting that E. O. will for his credites sake performe his promise made herein For the clearing of which difficultie and vnfolding of which knot I desire the
THE GOLDEN BALLANCE OF TRYALL VVherein the Reader shall plainly and briefely behold as in a Glasse of Crystall aswell by what rule all controuersies in Religion are to be examined as also who is and of right ought to be the vpright Iudge in that behalfe Whereunto is also annexed a Counterblast against a masked Companion terming himselfe E.O. but supposed to be ROBERT PARSONS the trayterous Iesuite Vos Vnctionem habetis a sancto nostis omnia 1. Ioh. 2. v. 20. Determinatio solius Papae in his quae sunt fidei non obligat vt praecise est talis ad credendum alioquin staret in casu quod quis obligaretur ad contradictoria vel ad falsum contra fidem Gerson prim part de examinat doctrinarum consider secunda LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Windet for Richard Bankworth dwelling in Paules Churchyeard at the Signe of the Sunne 1603. THE GOLDEN Ballance of Tryall CAP. I. Of the Vncertainety of Iudgements of all Bishoppes seuerally in themselues THE Prophet Dauid sheweth plainely the vncertainty of Iudgement when he telleth vs That all men are lyers The Prophet Ieremie cryeth aloude that the Gentiles in the end of the world shall come to him and shall freely confesse that their fore-fathers inherited lyes and vanitie S. Paule confirmeth the same telling vs that onely God is true and euery man a lyer The Prophet Malachie sheweth the whole matter to haue been verified in the Priestes of the old Law His words are these The Priestes lips shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hostes but ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the law yee haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of Hosts yea this is it that the Prophet Ezechiel saith Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the Law shall perish from the priest counsel from the Elders The prophet Esay sayth The priest and the prophet haue erred by strong drink they are swallowed vp with wine they haue gone astray through strong drinke they faile in vision they stumble in iudgement this is it that Michah saieth The Heades thereof iudge for rewardes and the priestes thereof teach for hire the prophets thereof prophesie for money This is it that the prophet Sophonie sayeth Her prophets are light and wicked persons her priestes haue polluted the Sanctuarie they haue wrested the law This vncertainety of iudgement cannot be denied For Tertullian erred Montanizinge Cyprian Rebaptizinge Origen Cerporizinge Nazianzen Angelizinge Eusebius Arrianizinge Lactantius Millenizinge and the like may bee verified of all the Residue The sentence of two learned papistes highlie renowned in the Church of Rome shall conclude my Theame Iohn Fisher the late Bishop of Rochester hath these expresse wordes Nec Augustini nec Hieronymi nec alterius cutuslibet auctoris doctrinae sic ecclesia subscripsit quin ipsi locis aliquot ab iis liceat dissentire nam in nonnullis ipsi locis se planè monstrarunt homines esse atque nonnunquam aberrasse The Church hath not so subscribed eyther to the doctrine of Austen or of Hierome or of any other Writer but that we may somtime dissent from their opinions for themselues haue plainely shewed themselues to bee men and that they wanted not their errours the Iesuite Ballarmine hath these wordes Sine dubio singuli Episcopi errare possunt aliquando errant inter se quandoque dissentiunt vt nesciamus quisnam eorum sequendus sit Without doubt all Bishoppes seuerally may erre and doe sometime erre indeed and doe also sometime so dissent one from another that we cannot tell in the world which of them we may safely follow Out of the wordes of these Writers whereof the one was a learned Bishoppe and a popish canonized Martyr and the other a Iesuite and Popish Fryer who did dedicate his Booke to the Pope himselfe I gather these singular documents First that the Church of Rome giueth euery one liberty to dissent from Augustine Hieromie and other Writers whosoeuer Secondly that the Fathers haue plainely shewed themselues to be men and to haue had their imperfections accordingly Thirdly that many errours are to be found in the writinges of the Fathers Fourthly that the Fathers doe so dissent one from another that wee cannot tell whome we may safely follow These Fathers therefore seuerally may not be iudges in all matters of faith and religion CAP. II. Of the uncertainety of iudgement of many Bishops euen when they employ their wits and learning to teach one and the selfe same doctrine WE finde in holy Writte that the chiefest of the Priestes and people trespassed wonderfully according to all the abhominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which he had sanctified in Ierusalem The Watchmen of Ephraim sayth Hoseah should bee with my God but the prophet is the snare of a fowler in all his wayes and hatred in the house of his God The Prophets saith Ieremie prophesie lies in my name I haue not sent them neither did I commaund them but they prophesie vnto you a false vision and diuination vanitie and deceitfulnes of their own heart The same Prophet sayth againe in an other place after this manner From the least of them to the greatest euery one is giuen to couetousnes and from the Prophet to the Priest they all deale falsly Their Watchmen saith Esay are all blind they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogs they cannot barke Many of the olde writers taught with vniforme consent that the soules of the faithful departed doe not see God vntill the day of generall doome To recite the wordes of a few may suffice for this time Lactantius hath these wordes Nec tamen quisquam putet animas post mortem protinus iudicari omnes in vna communique custodia detinentur donec tempus adueniat quo maximus iudex meritorum facit examen Yet may not any man thinke that the soules of the iust shal forth with after death haue their iudgement for they are all kept in one common prison vntill the time come when the great Iudge shall discusse euerie mans deserts Iustinus Martyr hath these wordes Neque enim ante resurrectionem vitae cuique peractae retributio contingit Iterum vtilitas latroni quod Paradisum sit ingressus haec finit quod fidei commodum re ipsa percepit per quod dignus reputatus est qui sanctorū caetui adiungeretur in quo vsque ad diem resurrectionis remunerationis reseruatur No man hath his rewarde before the day of resurrection The Theefe by going to Paradise had this benefite that he receiued in verie deed the fruit of his faith by which he was reported worthy of the Fellowship of Saintes where hee is reserued vntill the day of resurrection and remuneration Victorinus hath these
wordes Sed quia in Nouissimo tempore sanctorum remuneratio perpetua impiorum ventura est damnatio dictum est eis expectate But because in the last time Saints must receiue their rewardes and the wicked their damnation it is said vnto them Expectate ye must expect or doe ye expect a while I could alleadge the wordes of Ireneus of Euthymius of Oxigenes and others to the same effect and yet the doctrine taught by these Fathers is this day holden for a flat heresie euen of the Papistes themselues Caietanus a learned Papist and sometime Cardinall of Rome for which respect hee must perforce be of great credite among them doth grauely aduise the Reader in his commentaries vpon the Pentateuch of Moyses willing him to contemne nothing rashlie but to examine all thinges by the holy scripture and to embrace that which is agreeable thereunto although it swerue from the opinion of neuer so many Fathers His words are set downe at large in my booke of Motiues The great Schooleman and renowned popish Bishoppe Melchior Canus confesseth verie plainely that the consent of many Bishops and learned men doth not yeeld a sound argument for mans conscience to rest thereupon The same Canus in an other place auoucheth boldly that though al the Thomists with the Scotists late writers with the olde take part against him yet must he perforce haue the victorie because reason is on his side his wordes are set downe at large in my Booke of Motiues What neede long periods Austen Ambrose Bede Chrysostome Remigius Eusebius Bernardus Bonauentura Maximus Erardus Bernardinus Aquinas Hugo and almost all the rest affirme with one consent alledging expresse textes of Scripture for their opinion that the blessed Virgin Mary was conceiued in originall sinne and yet doth the late hatched nest of Iesuites with other Papistes this day auouch the contrarie for a truth if any man be desirous to know more of this point hee may find it at large in my books of Motiues and Suruay loe these cannot always be iudges in al matters of faith and religion CAP. III. Of the vncertainety of the Popes Iudgement whose faith say the Papistes can not faile ALbeit the Popes Canons and popish glosses thereupon tell vs that it is sacriledge to reason of the Popes power yet by his holines fauour I hope I may set downe without offence to any godly mā what I find in his own popish decrees and that I may proceede sincerely and plainly for the better satisfaction of the Reader I will distribute this Chapter into seuerall sections The First Section Of the manners liues and conuersation of the late Bishops of Rome ALthough the Bishops of Rome bee now a dayes termed by the name of Holinesse yet haue the liues and manners of manie Popes been most wicked most notorious and most scandalous to the Christian world I will passe ouer Pope Stephanus who disanulled all the Actes of Pope Formosus degrading those whome hee had made Bishops and priestes a rare and strange Metamorphosis in the Church of God Pope Romanus did reproue and abrogate all the Actes of Pope Stephanus and Pope Sergius the third did so hate the name of Formosus that he caused his bodie to be beheaded after it was buried and laide in the ground yea hee commaunded his dead corps to be cast into the riuer Tyber as vnworthy to bee interred in Christian sort Pope Bonifacius the eight entered into his popedome as a Foxe raigned in it as a Wolfe and died in the end as a dogge Pope Christopher was depriued of his pontificall dignitie and enforced to be a Monke Pope Bonifacius the seuenth and Syluester the second aspired to their popedomes by Necromancy and Diabolicall meanes Syluester the third obtayned his popedome by sedition and Damasus the second was made pope by violent meanes without consent either of the Clergie or of the people pope Gregorie the fift was by sedition thrust out of his throne and pope Iohn the 18 by tyranny occupied the popedome But I may not let passe to speake at large of Pope Syluester the second of that name the storie is most memorable well worthy for edification sake to bee engrauen in golden letters of the truth thereof no man can stand in doubt For Martinus Polonus the popish Archbishop of Consentina and high Penitentiarie as also the chiefe Chaplain to the Popes Holines hath published the same in writing to the view of all the world Which thing doubtles hee world neuer haue done if he had not thought it a thing necessary to be known Thus therefore doth he write Pope Syluester the 2. was first a Monke a Frenchman borne Gilbertus by name he promised homage to the Deuill so long as he did accomplish his desires which his request the Deuil vndertooke to bring to passe he being very ambitious did so often expresse his desire to the deuill as hee made homage vnto him the Deuill procured him to be made Archbishop first at Rhemes then at Rauennas and at the last to be Pope of Rome for the Deuill knowing his ambitious mind brought him to honour by begrees being made Pope he would needes know of the Deuil how long he should liue in his Pontificall glorie the Deuill aunswered him that he should liue so long as he did not say Masse in Ierusalem the Pope receyuing that aunswere was very ioyfull within himselfe thinking that hee was as farre from death and from the ende of his worldly pompe as hee was farre of in his minde from going on pilgrimage to Ierusalem beyond the Sea But what will yee more The Pope in Lent said Masse in the Church Sanctae crucis which they call in Ierusalem my self know the place Yet the Pope as it seemeth infatuated with pride and excessiue desire of honor had quite forgot the name While he was at Masse O holy sacrifice he heard a great noyse of Deuils and so remembred not the place onely but also his death to bee at hand Hee therefore wept though hee were afore most wicked disclosing his offence to all the companie nothing doubting of Gods mercie withall he cōmaunded to cut away from his bodie all the members with which hee had done sacrifice to the Deuill This hystorie I haue truly set down as I find it recorded by the said Martinus Polonus Archbishop of Consentina a man most deare vnto the Pope so as no Papist can without blushing denie the truth therof me thinks it is an vnfit thing that the faith of all the Christian world should depend vpon the resolution of such wicked Popes Benedictus the ninth as writeth the said Polonus appeared to a man going by a Mill in the likenes of a monstrous beast who had a head and tayle like an Asse and the rest of the bodie was like a Beare And when the man that saw the Monster fled away for feare the monster cryed after him