A Retractive from the Romish Religion, Motive 13

A Retractive from the Romish Religion · Motive 13

p. 497MOTIVE XIII. That Religion, the doctrines whereof are more ſafe both in reſpect Gods glorie, mans ſaluation, and Chriſtian charitie, is to bee preferred before that which is not ſo ſafe, but dangerous: But the doctrine of the Proteſtants Religion is more ſafe in all thoſe reſpects, and of the Papiſts more dangerous: ergo, that is to be preferred before this, and conſequently this to bee reiected.

THe firſt propoſition is ſo euident and cleare, that ourMaior. aduerſaries themſelues will not deny it, neither can it by any good reaſon bee excepted againſt: for as it is in bodily phyſicke, that medicine is alwayes preferred, which bringeth p. 498with it leſſe danger to the life of the patient, and if it miſſe curing, cannot kill: ſo is it in the ſpirituall phyſicke of the ſoule, which is Religion: that doctrine deſerueth beſt acceptance, which is moſt ſafe, and leaſt dangerous for the ſoules health. And as deſperate medicines, if they bee applyed by a skilfull Phyſicion, argue a deſperate caſe in the patient, ſo deſperate doctrines proue a deſperate cauſe. Neyther will any wayfaring man, when two wayes are offered vntounto him, the one whereof is full of manifold perils, and the end doubtfull, the other ſafe from dangers, and the end certainly good, not chooſe rather the ſafer and certainer way, and leaue the other: ſo men like Pilgrimes, trauelling towards the heauenly Canaan, the way of Poperie on the one ſide, and of Proteſtancie on the other being ſe… before them, if they bee well in their wits, will chooſe rather that way, which is both the ſafer in the paſſage, and the certainer in the end. There is no doubt then in this firſt propoſition, and therefore let vsus leaue it thus naked without further proofe, and come to the ſecond, and examine whether our Religion, or the Romiſh is the ſafer, that all men may imbrace that which by euidence of demonſtration ſhall appeare to be ſo, and reſuſe the contrarie: and here notwithſtanding all the former pregnant arguments, whereby the falſitie of their Church and Religion is plainly diſcouered, wee put our ſelues againe vponupon a lawfull tryall, and referre our cauſe to the iudgement, not of twelue men, but of the whole world; that if our euidence bee good, wee may obtaine the day, and the mouthes of our aduerſaries may be ſtopped: if not, we may yeeld as conquered, to bee led in triumph by them to Rome, yea to the Popes owne palace to kiſſe his feet, and receiue his marke on our foreheads.

2. That the Religion of the Church of Rome is not ſo ſafeMinor. as ours, may appeare by comparing our principall doctrines together: and firſt to begin with the Sacrament. That the bodie of Chriſt is truely, really and effectually preſent in the Euchariſt, both they and we hold, grounding vponupon that text of Scripture (this is my bodie:) but concerning the maner of this preſence, the Romaniſts hold, that it is by tranſub ſtantiation: p. 499we by a ſpirituall preſence, which notwithſtanding is true and reall, both in relation to the outward ſignes, and to the faith of the Receiuer. Now, ſee the dangers that ariſe from their doctrine, which are not incident to ours.

2. Firſt, if there be not a corporall preſence of Chriſt, and a reall Tranſubſtantiation, as they ſuppoſe; then this doctrine leadeth to horrible and groſſe Idolatrie: for they muſt needs worſhip a piece of bread, in ſtead of Chriſt. And this not onelyonly, if their doctrine bee falſe, but being ſuppoſed to bee true, in caſe hee that conſecrateth, be not truly a Prieſt, or hauehave not an intention to conſecrate, as oftentimes it fallethGum… Angel. …. Euchariſt. Bel. de Sacram…t. in Gen. cap. 27.Gen 27 out: for in both theſe caſes, by the grounds of their owne. Religion, there is no change of ſubſtances; and therefore, as much danger of Idolatrie, as eyther of a falſe Prieſt, or of a true Prieſts falſe intention. But in our doctrine there is no ſuch danger, and yet as true, reall and powerfull an exiſtence of Chriſts bodie in the Sacrament, as with them, if not more: ſeeing the more ſpirituall a thing is▪ the more powerfull it is, according to the rules of reaſon: for wee are not in danger to worſhip a creature in ſtead of the Creatour: but wee worſhip the Creatour himſelfe, euen Ieſus Chriſt our Redeemer, who is there preſent after a ſpirituall manner, and that as reuerently, deuoutly and ſincerely, as they doe a piece of bread.

3. Secondly, by this doctrine our aduerſaries incline to fauour the Capernaites, who had a conceit of a corporall and fleſhly eating of Chriſts bodie▪ and giuegive iuſt cauſe to the Pagans Theoph. in Ioh. 6 Aug. in Pſal. 58. Gratian de conſecrat. part. 3. diſt. 2.John 6Ps 58to ſlander Chriſtian Religion, to bee a bloudy and cruell Religion. Whereupon the Fathers, to croſſe the one, and ſtop the mouth of the other, taught, that Chriſts ſpeech in the ſixt of Iohn, was to be vnderſtood ſpiritually, and not carnally; and that it was a figure, and not a proper ſpeech. But our doctrine doth giuegive no ſuch occaſion, eyther to the Heretikes on the one ſide, or to the Pagans on the other, neyther hath it any conſanguinitie with the Capernaites; and yet wee retaine as certaine and powerfull a participation of our Sauiours bodie and bloud as they doe. I know, they thinke to eſcape from this rocke, by a diſtinction of viſible and inuiſible eating: p. 500as if the Capernaites dreamed that Chriſt would hauehave his bodie to bee eaten viſibly, but they inuiſibly, that is (ſay they) ſpiritually: which indeed is no cuaſion, for an inuiſible eating is a true eating. As when a blind man eateth, or a ſeeing man in the darke, and cannot therefore be called a ſpirituall eating, but a corporall: neyther doth this free them from approching neere to the Capernaites, though they ſomewhat differ from them, nor from giuing iuſt cauſe of offence to the Heathen; from both which our doctrine giueth full and perfect ſecuritie.

4. Thirdly, and laſtly, their doctrine of tranſubſtantiation doth not onelyonly countenance, but confirme the ancient hereſies of the Marcionites, Ʋalentinians and Eutychians, that impugned the truth of Chriſts humane nature, for they taught that he had not a true, but a phantaſticall bodie; and what do our aduerſaries but approue the ſame indeede, though they ſeeme to deteſt it in word? when they teach that his bodie is preſent in the Sacrament, not by circumſcription, nor determination, but by a ſpirituall and diuine preſence, quomodo Bell. de Euchariſt. lib. 3. cap. 4.Deus eſt in loco, as God is in a place, which is aſmuch as to ſay, that his bodie is not a true bodie, but a ſpirituall bodie, that is, indeed a phantaſticall bodie. Againe, the bread which they ſay is the bodie, is not bread in truth, but in ſhew, after it is conſecrated: for there is nothing of bread, but the mere accidents without a ſubſtance, according to their doctrine; and ſo it is in all reaſonable conſtruction no better then a phantaſticall thing, ſeeming to the outward ſenſe, to bee that which in truth it is not. Why may not thoſe Heretikes then reaſon from theſe doctrines thus? If Chriſts bodie be a ſpirituall bodie in the Euchariſt, and the bread be phantaſticall bread, then why might not his bodie be ſo alſo, when he was on the earth? But the former is true by your doctrine, O ye Romaniſts, therefore why may not the latter, which is our doctrine, be alſo true? But none of theſe Heretikes can hauehave any ſuch aduantage from our doctrine, which teacheth that Chriſt, in reſpect of his humane nature, is reſident in the heauens, circumſcribed by place, and that hee is preſent in the p. 501Sacrament, by the efficacie of his inuiſible, and powerful grace, after a ſpirituall manner, as Saint Augustine ſpeaketh, and Aug. tract. 50. in Ioh. in v. 8. c. 12.that both the bread remaineth bread after conſecration, and the bodie of Christ remaineth ſtill a naturall bodie, after the reſurrection, retaining ſtill the former circumſcription, as Theodoret Theodoret Dialog. 2. 105.auoucheth: this taketh away all aduantage from Heretikes, which their doctrine doth manifeſtly giuegive vntounto them. For theſe cauſes Petrus de Alliaco the Cardinall doth confeſſe, that from our doctrine no inconuenience doth ſeeme to enſue: if it Pet de Alliaco 4 q. 6. act. 2 ſ. Occa. in centiloq. Theolog.could be accorded with the Churches determination. And Occham, that it is ſubiect to leſſe incommodities, and leſſe repugnant to holy Scripture. Thus wee ſee, that in this firſt doctrine touching the Euchariſt, there is more ſecuritie, and leſſe danger in our doctrine and Religion, then in theirs.

5. I come to a ſecond point, which is, touching the merits of works: whereby the Romiſh Religion doth caſt men into three eminent dangers which by our doctrine they are free from. Firſt, of vaine glory: for when a man is perſwaded that there is a merit of condignitie, in the worke which hee hath wrought, how can he chooſe but reioyce therein, and conceiue a vaine-glorious opinion of his owne worthineſſe: as the proud Phariſe did, when he bragged that he had faſted and prayed, and payd his tithes? ſeeing it is impoſsible, but that the nature of man which is inclinable vntounto vaine-glory, and ſelfe-louelove: if it hauehave a conceit of any ſelfe-worthineſſe, ſhould bee puffed vp with a certaine inward ioy, and pride: and therefore Chryſoſtome taketh it for wholeſome counſel, to ſay, that wee bee vnprofitable ſeruants, leſt pride deſtroy our Chryſ. in Luc. 17Luke 17good workes.

6. Secondly, of obſcuring and diminiſhing Gods glorie and Chriſts merits. For where merit is, there merciemercy is excluded: and where ſomething is aſcribed to man for the obtaining of ſaluation, there all is not aſcribed vntounto Chriſt: and although they colour the blacke viſage of this doctrine, with a faire tincture, to wit, that all our merits are from Gods merciemercy and grace, and that our good workes are dyed in p. 502Chriſts bloud, and thence receiue all their vertue, and rigor: yet it is but a falſe pretence: falſe, becauſe they acknowledge ſome merits before grace, as thoſe of congruitie, and ſuch as iſſue from grace, yet in part, to be of nature aſwel as of grace, as hath beene alreadie diſcouered: and a pretence, becauſe, if they receiue all their vertue from Gods grace and Chriſts bloud, then they are not to be termed our merits, but Gods: neither can bee ſaid to deſerue any thing at Gods hand of a proper worthineſſe, as they teach, they doe, but of Gods grace and mere merciemercy, which they diſclaime: a falſe pretence then is this, and doth not free them from this danger of diminiſhing Gods glorie: and this alſo is confeſſed by S. Auguſtine, who ſayth, that we liue more ſaſely, if we attribute Aug. de bone perſeuerant. c. 6.all wholly to God, and dee not commit our ſelues partly to God, and partly to our ſelues: this the Romaniſts doe, they diuide ſtakes betwixt God and man, grace and nature, Chriſt and Adam.

7. Thirdly, of making the beſt vncertaine of their ſaluation: for as they teach, no man can bee certaine of his owne righteouſneſſe, nor of the goodneſſe of his workes, by reaſon of the manifold defects that cleaue vntounto their beſt deeds, and alſo in reſpect of the vnſcrutable deceit of mans owne heart, which is hidden not onelyonly frō the eies of other men, but euen from a mans owne ſelfe, and is knowne onelyonly vntounto God, as the Prophet Ieremie telleth vsus, and alſo in reſpect of the ſtrictIer. 17. 9.Jer 17:9 rule of Gods iuſtice, whereby they muſt bee examined. For which cauſe, the holy man Iob ſayth of himſelfe (accordingIob. 9. 2…Job 9:2 as it is in the vulgar Latine tranſlation) I was afraid of all my workes. And Saint Auguſtine ſayth, and affirmeth the ſame;Aug. de peccat. me… it. & remiſ. lib. 2. cap. 10. Greg. morall. lib. 9. cap. 1. That though Iob was a righteous man, yet he himſelfe was afraid of himſelfe. And Gregory ſpeaketh to like effect, when hee ſayth; That the holy man Iob, becauſe he ſaw all the merit of our vertue to be faultie, if it be ſtrictly iudged by him which iudgeth within, ſayth rightly, If I will contend with him, I ſhall not bee able to anſwere one for a thouſand. Now, that which befell righteous Iob, how can it but bee incident to all Gods children? So, that though they talke of meritorious workes in p. 503generall, yet no man can be ſure that his workes in particular are ſuch: and therefore no man, be he neuer ſo iuſt, can be ſure of his ſaluation. I ſpeake not here of that certaintie which is by faith, which they deny, but that aſſurance which is by hope, which they confeſſe: for a man cannot poſſibly hope that he ſhall by ſaued by his workes; when as he cannot poſſibly know, whether his beſt workes are ſuch as deſerue the fauour or disfauour of God. And if it is the propertie of all Gods children by the example of Iob to be afraid of their workes, then how can they repoſe any hope and confidence in them? now all this is ſo euident, that Bellarmine himſelfe isBell. de Iuſtif. lib. 5. cap 7. driuen after his long diſputes, and much adoe in ſtrengthening their doctrine of inherent righteouſneſſe, and merit of workes, to confeſſe ingeniouſly, like a good honeſt man, (being as it were ſorrie for all that hee had ſaid) that becauſe of the vncertaintie of their owne righteouſneſſe, and the perill of vaine glorie, the ſafeſt way is, to repoſe our whole trust and confidence in the onelyonly merciemercy and goodneſſe of God. But this wee teach men to doe, that flying from all vaine confidence in their owne merits, they may repoſe themſelues onelyonly on the mercy of GOD in Chriſt Ieſus: and therefore ours is the ſafeſt way.

8. And if ours be the moſt ſafe, then theirs is moſt dangerous, which alſo S. Bernard in as plaine termes affirmeth, whenBernard in Pſal. qui habitat. he ſayth: Periculoſa habitatio illorum, qui in meritis ſperant, perculoſa quia ruinoſa: dangerous is the dwelling of thoſe which truſt in their owne merit, it is dangerous, becauſe it is ruinous. Now, who that is wiſe, will not chuſe to walke in the ſafeſt way, and refuſe the dangerous? or to dwell in a ſtrong and ſafe houſe, which will keepe out the wind and weather; and not bee ouerblowne with any tempeſt, rather then in a ruinous cottage, which eueryevery blaſt is able to ouerturne?

9. The doctrine of Free will is of like nature: for is it not3. Concil. Trid. ſeſ. 6. cap. 3. Bell. de grat. & li. arb. 5. l. 5. c. 29 Coſter Enchirid. de lib. arbitr. dangerous (thinke you) to aſcribe ſome power to mans own will for his conuerſion? as the Church of Rome doth, when it teacheth, that it is in mans free choice to accept, …rr…iect Gods grace offered vntounto him: and ſo eyther to be or not to be conuerted. p. 504And is it not a ſafer courſe to aſcribe all to grace; and nothing at all to will? and to ſay with our Sauiour Chriſt, that without him we can doe nothing: and with Saint Paul, That wee Ioh. 15. 5.John 15:5hauehave no ſufficiencie in our ſelues, to thinke a good thought, as of 2. Cor. 3. 5. Philip. 2. 13.2 Cor 3:5Phil 2:13our ſelues. And againe, That it is God which worketh in vsus both the will and the deed of his good pleaſure. In the one, God hath all the glorie of the worke: in the other, man is equalled with God, will with grace, yea preferred before it, for they not onelyonly teach, that grace and will are like two men carrying Bel. de grat. & lib. arbi. li. 4. c. 15one ſtone, neyther of them adding any ſtrength vntounto the other, and both free when they will, to caſt off the burthen: but alſo, that Gods grace and working dependeth vponupon mans will, not mans will vponupon Gods grace. For thus they are not aſhamed to ſay, euen the beſt and moſt iudicious amongſt them. Licet in codem Bel. ibid.prorſus momento temporis, & naturae Deus & volunt as operari incipiant, tamen Deus operetur, quia voluntas operatur, non contra: .i. Though the God of nature, and▪ freewill, beginne to worke together, at the ſame inſtant: yet God worketh, becauſe the will worketh, not the will, becauſe God. Now, is not this not onelyonly to equall, but alſo to ſubiect Gods grace to mans will, and to make the creature more powerfull then the Creator? For by this doctrine, if a man himſelfe bee willing, and giuegive admittance to grace, he may be ſaued; but if God bee neuer ſo willing to ſaue vsus, if we our ſelues willnot entertaine his ſauing grace, all his labour is vaine: and ſo mans will muſt needs be of greater power and efficacie, then Gods grace: which how dangerous, yea impious a thing it is to affirme, let all men iudge. I am ſure Saint Auguſtine was of another mind, who ſayth not as the Romanists, that it is left to our freeAug. de corrept. & grat. cap. 11. Idem de grat. & lib. arbitr. ca. 17. choice, either to vſe, or to refuſe the grace of Chriſt, that ſtandeth at the doore of our heart, to bee let in or thruſt out as we liſt: but it is (ſayth he) by grace, not onelyonly that we can doe what we will, but that we are willing to doe what wee can, and againe, He worketh in vsus to will without our ſelues, but when we are willing, then he worketh together with vsus.

10. But yet, this is not all the danger which ariſeth from this doctrine, though euen this is of ſufficient feare; to terriſie p. 505any godly man from imbracing it: but there is more perill in it then ſo: the maine danger of it is this, if it bee not pure Pelagianiſme, as it may well bee thought, yet it marcheth on the verie edge of the banke, ſo that if the foot doe but ſlip, it is preſently in the gulfe of that hereſie: for what did Pelagius hold, which the Church of Rome, in this doctrine of freewill, doth not eyther directly maintaine or approch nere vntounto? he extolled mans nature, as that a man without the name of Chriſt might bee ſaued by freewill: ſo doe they: for Andradius telleth vsus from the Councel of Trent, that Heathen Philoſophers hauing no knowledge of Chriſt, were Aug. denatur. & grat. cap. 39. Idem Epiſt. 107. Idem cont. Pelag. & Celeſtin. cap. 32. Andrad orthod. expli lib. 3. pag. 277.iuſtified onelyonly by the law of nature. Hee taught that it was in mans free-will, to giuegive entertainment or repulſe to Gods grace: ſo doe they. Hee affirmed that a man might prepare himſelfe to grace by his owne naturals, without any ſpeciall worke of the ſpirit: ſo do they. Hee, to cloake all with ſome colourable pretence, confeſſed, that notwithſtanding all this, there was a neceſſitie of grace required to all good actions. For thus he ſayd (as witneſſeth Saint Auguſtine) We ſo prayſe Aug ibid.nature, that we alwayes adde the helpe of the grace of God: ſo doe they: albeit they ſtriue for the freedome of mans will: yet they dare not but ſpeake of grace, and grant vntounto it ſome office in a mans conuerſion, and therefore labour to reconcile natures will, and Gods grace together: Which neuertheleſſe in fine they are neuer able to do, but are driuen to confeſſe, that it paſſeth the capacitie and apprehenſion of mans wit and vnderſtanding. Howbeit, both Pelagius and they vnderſtandBel. de lib. arbit. lib. 4. cap. 15. Benius cap. 20. pag. 353. Aug. Epiſt. 100. Bell. de. grat. & lib. arbi. l. 6. c. 15. by this grace, nothing but a thing that is common both to the wicked, and the godly. This to bee the grace which Pelagius required, Saint Auguſtine teſtifieth, and no other to be that which our Romaniſts ſpeake of, witneſſe Bellarmine, who affirmeth that the firſt grace of a ſinners conuerſion, is but onelyonly a perſwading, which doth not determine the will, but inclineth it in manner of a propounding, obiect. And Coſter, Coſter Enchrid. de lib. arbitr.that calleth it not grace dwelling in the ſoule, but only an outward impulſion, or motion knocking at the doore of the ſoule, and not opening the dore it ſelfe: as the Scripture ſayth, that God opened p. 506Act. 16. 16.Acts 16:16the heart of Lydia, but perſwading freewill to open: and ſo ſtanding at the Porters reuerſion, and like a poore man wayting his leaſure: much like vntounto the attending of Henrie the Emperour at the citie gate, three colde winters dayes barefoote, and barelegged, till it pleaſed the Pope to let him in. Thus humble grace muſt attend, till pride will be pleaſed to open the dore vntounto it. I will not ſay, that in all this Papiſme and Polagianiſme are all one, but (that they may ſee how loth we are to wrong them in the leaſt circumſtāce) this is too too apparent that they incline by this doctrine verie nigh to the borders of it, and almoſt touch the skirts. Who then will not thinke it a dangerous doctrine? And what madde man will voluntarily come to a perſon infected with the peſtilence, when hee may well paſſe by him in further diſtance? or walke in the verie brinke of a ſleepe banke, where if hee doe but tread awry he falleth into the Sea: whereas hee may walke ſafely further off, without any feare or danger? our doctrine therefore touching freewill aſcribing all vntounto God, and nothing vntounto man, and ſubmitting the will of man to the grace of God, hath no affinitie but oppoſition and contrarietie to Pelagius hereſie, is therefore the ſafer, and of euerie wiſeman to be imbraced, rather then theirs, which leadeth vsus apparently into all theſe dangers.

11. Their doctrine of ſatisfactions is alſo a moſt perplexed4. and dangerous doctrine, and giueth no ſecuritie to the conſcience of a penitent ſinner. For firſt, what ſafetie is there in a mans owne ſatisfactorie workes, when as all the actions and paſſions of a Chriſtian (bee hee as abſolute and perfect a man as poſſibly may be) by reaſon of the manifold defects and imperfections, which cleaue vntounto his beſt workes, are far ſhort of that which they ſhould be, and vtterly vnproportionably to Gods iuſtice? and this they themſelues denie not: for the Rhemiſts grant, that eueryevery man (bee hee neuer ſo iust) yet Rhem. in Mat. 6. 1….Matt 6:1becauſe he liueth not without veniall ſinnes, may truly, and ought to ſay this Prayer, Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes. But veniall ſinnes are ſinnes, and ſtand in need of pardon; and Gods iuſtice requireth ſuch a ſatisfaction, as is in euerie reſpect perfect: p. 507therefore our owne workes being tainted and ſtained with ſuch ſinnes, cannot ſtand in proportion with it. Is it not a dangerous thing then to truſt to our owne ſatisfactions: which by their owne confeſſion are ſubiect to veniall ſinnes? and is it not more ſafe to rely vponupon his ſatisfactiō only which is free from all ſtaine of the leaſt ſinne, and able to anſwere the ſtriſt iuſtice of God in eueryevery reſpect?

12. Secondly, the ſatisfaction which Chriſt hath made, not onelyonly admitteth no exception, but is of infinite merit and valew, to anſwere the infinite iuſtice of God: but the ſatisfactions of a mortall man admit many exceptions, and are, if they were perfect, of a finite and limitable nature: and therefore cannot bee proportioned to the infinite iuſtice of God: whether is it more ſafe then to truſt to an infinite ſatisfaction, that is, without all exception, or to a finite which may many wayes be iuſtly excepted againſt? I know, their cuaſion is, that indeed it doth require an infinite vertue, to ſatisfie for the euerlaſting puniſhment of ſinne: but the temporall puniſhment being limited, may bee ſatisfied for, by a temporall ſatisfaction: a mere colluſion: for firſt, if a temporall paine, or finite action, can merit and purchaſe an euerlaſting reward, as they teach, why ſhould not the ſame redeeme from an euerlaſting puniſhment? their confeſſion in the one condemneth their aſſertion in the other: and becauſe they deny that our merits of ſatisfaction can rel eaſe from hell, they muſt alſo of neceſſitie deny, or at leaſt bluſh to auouch, that our merits of purchaſe are of ſufficient valew to deſerue heauen: hell and heauen being as of equall diſtance from man, ſo of equal merit or demerit to man. Secondly, ſatisfaction is not to be reſpected, to the quantitie of the temporall puniſhment inflicted, but to the iuſtice of him that inflicteth it: and ſo though the temporal puniſhment be equalled by the penance of a ſinner: yet the iuſtice of God which is infinite, is not ſatisfied nor equalled, and therefore the greateſt penance cannot be termed a ſatisfaction to God: but Chriſts ſatisfaction being infinite, equalleth the iuſtice of God. Who would not then rather chooſe this, to rely vponupon for his ſaluation, then p. 508the other? Thomas Aquinas ſeeing this, aſcribeth an infinitieAquin. ſupplem. q. 13. art. 1. …d. 1 to humane ſatisfactions, in reſpect that they are informed by grace: but therein hee croſſeth both all his fellowes and their doctrine it ſelfe: for if they be infinite, then they muſt needes anſwere aſwell for the eternall puniſhment as for the temporall, which they denie.

13. Thirdly, they themſelues cannot agree about their ſatisfactions, as whether they bee by precept and commandements:Vide D. Morton Proteſtant appeale l. 2. cap. 15. §. 7. and Doctor …ite pag 249. way to the true Church. or only by counſell and perfection, and not commanded: whether the vertue of ſatisfying bee in the outward or inward act, or in both; whether they ſerue to take away the temporall puniſhment onelyonly, or the gilt of the ſinnes, or the puniſhment of hell excepting the eternitie: whether they be ſo neceſſarie, that there can bee no abſolution without them, or that a ſinner may be abſolued by his contrition, and confeſſion, without penal ſatisfaction: and laſtly, whether the leaſt ſatisfaction be ſufficient for the greateſt temporall puniſhment; or that a due proportion is to be obſerued. All theſe intricate queſtions are exagitated in this doctrine: ſome holding one thing, ſome another, without any iuſt, and ſure reſolution: what a dangerous thing is it then to relye vponupon theſe vncertainties, which they themſelues are not able to bring into grounded principles? how much ſafer is it to repoſe our ſelues wholly vponupon that bleſſed ſatisfaction of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, in which neyther Romaniſt nor Protestant could euer find any ambiguitie or doubt; but that it is of abſolute neceſſitie for mans ſaluation, of infinite efficacie to appeaſe the wrath of God, and of proportionable dignitie to the iuſtice of God?

14. Laſtly, after they hauehave with one hand ſtretched the worthineſſe of their ſatisfactions to the higheſt ſtraine: yet they pull them downe againe with the other, and make them of no force: for let the ſatisfaction bee what it will, yet the Popes pardon can diſſolue the bonds thereof: for it is a ruled caſe in their Religion, that all ſatisfactorie puniſhment may bee Suarez. …om. 4. diſp. …0. ſect. 3.releaſed by a pardon: and this pardon may bee obtained by ſaying not onelyonly ouer certaine prayers, viſiting certaine Churches, p. 509worſhipping certaine relickes, and kneeling to certaine pictures, &c. but alſo by disburſing certaine monie out of their purſes, that may come to the Popes purſe and coffers. Behold now the greateſt danger of this doctrine, thy ſatisfaction is releaſed and made no ſatisfaction, and it is releaſed by him of whom thou maiſt iuſtly doubt whether hee hathGerſon. 2. par. de Indulgent. authoritie ſo to doe, and whether he may erre in doing it: & hee doth it de facto, not examining whether thou bee truly penitent or no: but whether thou haſt payd thy penitentiall tax or no: and that which is worſt of all, hee ſo granteth it, that it is alwayes reuocable, at his ſecret pleaſure: ſo that ſatisfaction is made no ſatisfaction, by the Popes pardon: the Popes pardon is made no pardon, becauſe it is bought with monie; (thy monie periſh with thee, that thinkeſt this gift ofAct. 8. 20.Acts 8:20 the holy Ghoſt can bee obtained with monie:) and the mony is caſt away: becauſe the Pope may both erre in his pardoning, and alſo reuoke his pardon when he liſt, without giuing any notice of the cauſe vntounto the partie: what ſecuritie can a Chriſtian conſcience find in theſe vnſure principles? How much ſafer a courſe is it to rely vponupon Chriſts ſatisfaction onelyonly, which is a true ſatisfaction indeed: not diſanulled by any act eyther of God or man: not pardoned but performed, not purchaſed by monie, but by faith which is more precious then 1. Pet. 17.gold: and laſtly, not reuocable by any power in heauen or in earth, but ſtanding firme as an euerlaſting foundation, for the ſaluation of the elect?

15. Touching Antichriſt, whether ſide doth more incline5. to take part with his Apoſtacie, and is in moſt danger to bee inthralled to his dominion, let any indifferent man iudge: for wheras it is granted by all, both Romaniſts and Proteſtants, yea, and Fathers alſo, that Antichriſt ſhould bee a Monarch clayming an vniuerſall iuriſdiction throughout the whole World, and ſhould alſo challenge to himſelfe an infallibilitie of iudgement: Proteſtants abhorring all ſuch manner of ſubiection, and renouncing all ſuch power in any creature, cannot poſſibly fall into the Antichriſtian gulfe. But Papiſts Bell. de Rom. Pontif lib. 1. c. 5.profeſſing the Pope to be the ſole Monarch of the Church, and p. 510his iudgement to bee of infallible truth in the defining of mattersC…er de Pontif. Salmer. in Epiſt. Paul. diſp. 11. & 14. of faith, muſt needs bee in more danger to bee in Antichriſts Kingdome: we cannot be ſlaues to Antichriſt, becauſe we admit no gouernment like vntounto his in the Church, nor any ſuch peremptorie power of not erring in the gouernment. But they profeſſing a gouernment and a power in that gouernment, ſo agreeable to the ſtate of Antichriſt, may ſuſpect themſelues to bee fallen into that Apoſtacie, as they are indeed ouer head and eares. Our religion then is more ſecure in this reſpect: whereas theirs, by their owne principles, hath ſome affinitie and correſpondence therewith: and Antichriſt himſelfe may be in their Church, but cannot by any probable coniecture be in ours.

16 Againe, for the Article of Inuocation of Saints, the6. Romaniſts that hold the affirmatiue, are in many reſpects ſubiect to many more and greater dangers then the Proteſtants which hold the negatiue: for firſt, if their doctrine bee not true, they manifeſtly detract from the glorie of the Creatour, and giuegive the ſame vntounto his creatures. Whereas if our doctrine bee falſe, wee onelyonly detract from the glorie of the creatures, and giuegive it vntounto the Creatour. Now, by how much it is a greater ſinne to doe iniurie to the Creatour, then to the creature, by ſo much the more dangerous is their doctrine, then ours: and as it is ſafer to aſcribe that glory to God, which is due to man, then to man that, that is due to God; ſo is there more ſafetie in our doctrine then in theirs.

17. Secondly, in reſpect of charitie: if they erre in this opinion, then doe they turne the holy Saints of God into abominable Idols, and ſo offer that wrong vntounto them, which, they being iealous of Gods glorie, of all things moſt deteſt: as the examples of Paul and Barnabas, and of Peter, and theAct 14. 15. Act 10. 26. Reuel. 19. 10.Acts 14:15Acts 10:26Rev 19:10 Angell declare: but if wee erre, wee onelyonly being iealous that Gods glorie may not be communicated to any other, depriue them of a little worſhip, which wee thinke belongeth vntounto God, and in the meane while eſteeme them as bleſſed Saints, and honour them by prayſing God for them, imitating their godly examples, and keeping an honourable remembrance p. 511of them in our Churches. Now in charity, whether is a greater wrong to the Saints, to turne them into Idols, that is, into deuils, or for zeale of Gods glorie, to take from them a little of their due honour?

18. Thirdly, in reſpect of conſcience: if they doe ſinne in this, it is the horrible and fearefull ſinne of Idolatrie, which being ſpirituall adulterie, cauſeth a diuorce betweene God and his Church: and is, if not in malignitie aboue hereſie, yet hereſie in the higheſt degree: for it robbeth God, not onelyonly of his glorie, but of his eſſence, and lifteth vp another into his throne: but our ſinne, if it bee a ſinne, is at the higheſt, euen in the reputation of their ſlander, but hereſie, and that in the loweſt degree, conſiſting in matter of circumſtance touching the worſhip of the creature, and not in any fundamentall point of Religion, that concerneth the Deitie. Now, whether conſcience ſhould bee more afraid of this or of that, I thinke no man doubteth that hath a conſcience.

19. Fourthly, we are ſure that we cannot inuocate any but the true God: for our Prayers are made vntounto the bleſſed Trinitie, and to none other. But they are in danger to pray vntounto falſe Saints in ſtead of true, yea, vntounto thoſe that eyther neuer were in rerum natura, or that are in hell: for the being of many of their Saints, is grounded vponupon their Legends and humane Stories:Sum. Roſſel. …rt. in canonizat. which were ſubiect to lying & erronious deceit, & the ſainting of many that are inrowled in that Kalēder, dependeth vpō the Popes canonization, which they themſelues cannot deny but is ſubiect to errour; in ſo much that Caietane, a learned andCan. loc. li. 5 c. 5. Plati in Bonif 8. Cathar ad…erſ. noua dogmat. Caiet. p. 127. famous Romaniſt, is reproued by Catharinus another of the ſame ſtampe, for calling in queſtion the pretended miracles for the Virgin Maries conception, ſaying, That if one Saint be doubted of, the reſt alſo may bee doubted of; and therefore, that no man can inuocate or worſhip them, without manifeſt perill of Idolatrie. Now many of their Saints may bee iuſtly doubted of, if not worthily reiected (Saint Augustines ſaying being notorious) that many that are tormented in hell with Bell. de Sanct. beat. lib. 1. cap. …the Deuill, are worſhipped by men in earth. Therefore their inuocation muſt needs be dangerous.

p. 51220. Laſtly, that God heareth our prayers, no man doubteth: but how the Saints heare them, whether by the declaration of Angels, or reuelation of God, or in the glaſſe of the Trinitie, they themſelues are not able to determine; what wiſe man now will relye his faith vponupon ſuch vncertainties? and not chooſe rather to make his prayers to God, who, wee are aſſured, heareth them, and knoweth the heart, rather then to them of whoſe knowledge and preſence wee hauehave iuſt cauſe to doubt.

21. The worſhip of Images and relickes doth plunge the practiſers thereof, into many apparent dangers, which the refuſers cannot fall into. As firſt in ſhew, at leaſt they cannot but be iudged breakers of the ſecond Commandement, which forbiddeth the worſhip of any Image, of whatſoeuer is in heauē, earth or Sea, that is, in the whole world: but they worſhip many and diuers Images, of all ſorts: therefore in ſhew muſt needs be tranſgreſſors of the ſecond Commandement. Neyther can they rid thēſelues frō this crime, but by new deuiſed diſtinctions of latria and dulia, I doll and Image, the one being of Heathen gods, the other of Chriſtian Saints. And in a word, ſome of them are driuen to ſay, that this Commandement was no part of the morall Law, but a mere ceremoniall Vaſques de aderat. lib. 2. diſp. 4. cap. 4.precept, pertaining onelyonly to the Iewiſh Church, as hath beene ſhewne before: vponupon what quicklands, and ſhelfes are they driuen, that cannot cleare themſelues from Idolatrie, but by ſuch deſperate diſtinctions, which hauehave no foundation in the word of God? the Commandement prohibiteth all worſhip of any Image, yea, of the Creator himſelfe, and all his creatures: they come with their niceties of diſtinctions, and would make vsus beleeue, that not all worſhip, but that onelyonly which is called latria, is forbidden: nor all Images, but the Idols of the Heathen; that is, of ſuch things as neuer were: nor to all people, but the Iewes onelyonly. I am ſure, we in ſhew▪ at leaſt, and (in verie deed,) in truth, doe giuegive more reuerence to this Commandement: for plainly and directly, without diſtinguiſhing, diminiſhing, altering, or any wayes wringing the precept, wee condemne all worſhip of all Images, in all p. 513people whatſoeuer, as impious and Idolatrous: ſo that wee are in no dapger of tranſgreſſing this Commandement, as they are, if their diſtinctions helpe them not out.

22. This danger is in reſpect of God, another followeth in reſpect of conſcience. The Paynims worſhipped ſtockes & ſtones, that is, dead and liueleſſe things, as both the Prophet Eſay, and the Prophet Dauid doe plainly auouch. Now, doeEſay 44. Pſal. 115.Isa 44Ps 115 not the Romaniſts the like? for let it bee granted, that their Images and thoſe of the Heathen differ eſſentially, and that in truth: our Romaniſts worſhippe not ſimply ſtockes and ſtones, but the things repreſented by them; yet this cannot bee denyed, but that in outward appearance, their worſhippe hath great reſemblance to that of the Heathen. For when they fall downe before the croſſe, and ſay, All haile, O Croſſe, our onelyonly hope, &c. as it is in their Maſſe Booke, and, Thou onelyonly art worthy to beare the ranſome of the World: what doe they, but at leaſt in ſhew worſhip a ſtocke and a liueleſſe thing as the Paynims did? and when they ſay, they worſhippe not the thing it ſelfe, but the thing repreſented by the Image, (as in the Croſſe, Chriſt that was crucified on the Croſſe,) what do they but excuſe themſelues by the ſame reaſon which the Panims did? for Seneca ſayth, that by Iupiter ſtanding in the Capitoll, Senec. queſt. natur. l. 2. c. 45.with lightning in his hand, they vnderſtood the preſeruer and gouernour of all things: and Pereſius a learned Papiſt affirmeth, that few or none among the Gentiles thought their Idols Pereſ…rad. part. 3. pag. 45.to be Gods: yea, Saint Paul himſelfe telleth vsus, that the Altar at Athens was dedicated to the ſame God that Paul preached, Acts 17. 23.Acts 17:23though vnknowne vntounto them. So that in the matter itſelfe, and in the manner of excuſe, they are (without all doubt) couſen-Germanes to the Paynims: and if they bee not in the gulfe of their Idolatrie, yet they confine verie neere vponupon the Coaſts thereof: whereas wee more wiſely march aloofe, and are afraid to approch any whit neere vntounto them. This I ſpeake by way of ſuppoſition, if their Image-worſhip bee not the ſame with the Paynims: but if it be, (as it is indeed, as hath beene proued before) then with the heedleſſefiſh, they are leaped out of the frying pan into the fire: they are not any longer in p. 514the danger, but in the miſchiefe it ſelfe: let them chooſe which of theſe they will, one they muſt needs fall into.

23. Thirdly, if wee reſpect charitie, this doctrine is in danger to breake the cords thereof, by giuing a double offence, one to their owne ſilly ignorant ſeduced people: for they not being able to diſtinguiſh of their ſchoole diſtinctions, latria and dulia, proper and improper worſhip, nor to put a difference betwixt the Image and the ſamplar, which it repreſenteth, and being warranted to fall downe before the Image, doe ordinarily fall into Idolatrous worſhip: which is ſo common and notorious a thing among the ruder ſort, that Polidore Virgil, Caſſander, and Agrippa, all profeſt patrones of Poly l. Virg. Inuent. li. 6. ca. 13. Caſſand. conſult. art. 21. Agrip. de vanit. cap. 57.Popiſh ſuperſtition doe ſay, that it is an ordinarie matter, A wonderful ſuperſtitiō that is nouriſhed by Images, & ſo apparent, that it cannot be denied. Now if this were a ſcandall taken, and not giuen, they might in ſome ſort bee excuſed: but it is eūidently, not onelyonly occaſioned, but cauſed, by reaſon that both the doctrine is inuolued with ſo many intricate queſtions and diſtinctions, that it is impoſſible for an ignorant perſon to diſcerne thereof, and alſo becauſe the Image it ſelfe (as the Prophet Habacuck telleth vsus) is a teacher of lyes. For which cauſe, as Polidore Ʋirgil reporteth, the Fathers, of all vices, Polyd. Virg. quo ſupra.condemned the worſhip of Images, for feare of Idolatrie; the most execrable vice of all. The ſecond offence is to the vnconuerted Iewes, who are moſt zealous in this point of the Law againſt Images, inſomuch (as Ioſephus reports of them) theyIoſeph. Antiquit. lib. 15. cap. 11. did hate the verie Images of men in their Heatheniſh Trophees, as being forbidden them by God. Now it is well concluded by a iudicious obſeruer of the Weſterne Religions, (andS. EDW. S. without doubt is a moſt true obſeruation;) that there is no one thing, in outward reſpects, that doth ingender in the Iewes ſuch a deteſtation of Chriſtian Religion, and keepe them from being conuerted, as the worſhip of Images in the Church of Rome; for they, and that by good reaſon, may thus diſpute, If this Religion of Chriſtians were of God, then they would not oppoſe themſelues to the expreſſe Commaundement of God in worſhipping Images, which he hath ſo plainly p. 515forbidden: but they oppoſe themſelues to Gods Commandement, and worſhip Images; therefore their Religion cannot bee of God. Hence it is, as the former learned Relator doth report, that at Rome, though all the Iewes in the Citie are conſtrained once a yeere to come to a Chriſtian Church▪ and there heare a Sermon, for their pretended conuerſion: yet when as a Fryer, before the beginning of his Sermon, holdeth vp a Crucifix, and prayeth vntounto it, in their open ſight, they are more alienated from the Chriſtian faith by this odious ſpectacle, then all the reaſons and arguments that he can vſe, are able to perſwade them to the ſame. Behold two dangerous and fearefull ſcandals which ariſe from this doctrine: one, to their owne weake ones, of which our Sauiour ſaith, that it were better for a man, that a milſtone were hanged about his necke, and that hee were throwne into the Sea, then that hee ſhould offend one of them: the other, to the obſtinate Iewes, whoſe conuerſion ſhall be ſo beneficiall to the whole world, as that Saint Paul calleth it life from the dead. Now our ReligionRom. 11. 15.Rom 11:15 is farre from giuing any ſuch offence to one or other, either in this, or any other point thereof, if it bee not vtterly miſconſtrued and miſconceiued.

24. Againe, in their worſhip of Relickes, there is no ſecuritie8. at all, both in feare of Idolatrie, which may bee well committed to them, if they bee true, in giuing them a higher meaſure of adoration then they themſelues allow of, which is eaſio to bee done by the ignorant multitude: and alſo in feare of worſhipping falſe relickes, in ſtead of true, whereof there is no ſmall number in the Church of Rome, as hath bin alreadie declared: and laſty, in feare of neglecting the true members of Chriſt, by a too ſumptuous prodigalitie towards the bones of (I cannot tel what) dead men, or other creatures, as is moſt vſuall in their Church, and that in great exceſſe: in which reſpects, it is without queſtion a more ſafe courſe, that all ſuch Relickes were buried vnderunder the earth, with due honour of Chriſtian ſepulture, then that they ſhould thus indanger both godly pietie & Chriſtian charitie. And this is the concluſion of their Caſſander, who ſayth, that it is more ſafe, p. 516rather honourably to burie thoſe corruptible relickes, and to draw the World to the worſhip of their ſpirituall relickes, which neither time can corrupt, nor fraud counterfeit.

25. Againe they hold and teach, that traditions are to bee9. Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 4. decret. do. Can. Canus loc. l. 3. c. 3 honoured, with equall affection and deuotion, as is due vntounto the olde and new Teſtament: and that there are many things belonging to the doctrine and faith of Chriſtianitie, which are neyther expreſſely nor obſcurely contained in the Scriptures. And therefore, by their owne confeſſion, they build many doctrines of their Religion vponupon tradition onelyonly, without Scripture, and acknowledge, that without tradition many of them would reele and totter. The Proteſtants hold the contrarie, and conſtantly affirme, that the Scripture is an all-ſufficient directorie, and a moſt abſolute and perfect rule for faith and manners: and therefore that wee ought not to relye our faith vponupon any thing, but Scripture alone. Now let vsus conſider, and examine whether of theſe two doctrines are more ſafe for a man to repoſe his ſoule vponupon. And that our doctrine is ſo, may appeare firſt by the nature of the queſtion it ſelfe, which is controuerted betwixt them and vsus: for the queſtion is not, whether the Scripture bee the Word of God, or no: therein wee ſhake hands, as an vndoubted truth: but whether traditions bee the Word of God or no: the affirmatiue they hold, wee the negatiue, and that by great and ſtrong grounds, which our aduerſaries themſelues cannot deny, but that they carrie great ſhew of reaſon and probabilitie. Now whether is the ſafer courſe, to relye our faith vponupon thoſe principles that are vnqueſtionably Gods Word: or vponupon thoſe that are controuerted, diſputed, and called in queſtion? Any man that goeth about to buy a purchaſe, will ſooner venture vponupon ſuch a title which was neuer called in queſtion, nor can indeed bee doubted of, then vponupon a broken, diſputable, and vndecided title: he will looke twice vponupon his pennie, before he part with it, in ſuch a caſe, leſt caueat emptor proue him to bee of little diſcretion, and teach him to repent when it is too late. This is the caſe of euerie Chriſtian; wee are to buy the truth, and Pro. 23. 23.Prov 23:23not to ſell it, as Salomon counſelleth. Now who will not, that p. 517hath any graine of wiſedome in his heart, rather lay out his monie, that is, his ſoule and conſcience (which as Auguſtine calleth it, is numiſma Dei, Godscoyne, becauſe his Image is imprintedAug. in Pſal. 65.Ps 65 therein) for the purchaſe of that truth, which is without all exception in the holy Scriptures, then for that which is ſaid to be in traditions, but mixed with many doubts and ambiguities? It is a rule in Law, that abundans cautela non nocet: a man cannot be too warie in making ſure his title to any thing whatſoeuer. How much more then ſhould it preuaile in caſes of conſcience, where the damage is not of houſe and land, but of our ſoules, which to eueryevery man ought to be more precious then the whole world? Here is an euident direction for our choice, if we eyther louelove the truth, or our own ſoules which muſt liue by it.

26. Secondly, it may appeare by the perpetuall certaintie of the holy Scripture, and variable vncertaintie of vnwritten traditions: for the Scripture was euer the ſame ſince it was Scripture, and ſo ſhall continue to the end of the World, no man daring to alter or change it, to adde thereto or detract ought therfrom, for feare of the curſe denounced againſt ſuch preſumption. But Traditions are, and hauehave beene euer moſt variable and vnconſtant: ſome that hauehave beene held for Apoſtolical traditions, being vtterly abrogated and aboliſhed: as threefold immerſion, or thrice dipping in baptiſme for ſignificationCanus loc. l. 3. c. 5 Maldon. in Ioh. 6 Durant. de ritib. lib. 3. cap. 24.John 6 of the Trinitie: giuing the Eucharist to infants, which was vſed 600. yeeres in the Church: ſtanding in publike Prayers at Eaſter and Pentecoſt, and ſuch like: and ſome altered and changed, as deferring Baptiſme vntill the feasts of Idem l. 1. c. 19.Eaſter and Pentecoſt, into baptizing vponupon any occaſion; faſting vponupon Wedneſdayes and Saturdayes, into Wedneſdayes and Fridayes; Binius tom. 1. Concil. fol. 247. Benius Schol. in lib. 7. conſtit. Clem. cap. 24.and ſo many ancient conſtitutions diſpenſed withall by the pretended Apoſtolicall authoritie of the Church of Rome, as is confeſſed by them. And that this is an vncontroulable truth, that one famous example of the contention betwixt the Eaſt and Weſt Churches, touching the obſeruation of Eaſter, doth euince: for the one ſide pretended a tradition from Saint Iohn and Saint Philip: the other from Saint Peter and p. 518Saint Paul. Now if ſome traditions bee thus vncertaine, ſubiect to change, abrogating, diſpenſing, and aboliſhing, all muſt needs bee of the ſame nature: and if all bee of that nature, then there can be no ſecuritie in conſcience, to ſuſpend our faith vponupon them: the ſafeſt way therefore is, to relye vponupon Scripture alone; the fulneſſe whereof Tertullian adored, and ofTertul. contra Hermog. cap. 22. Hierom com. in tit. cap. 1. Aug. cont. liter. Petil. l. 3. c. 6. the authoritie whereof whatſoeuer was deſtitute, Ierome iudged to bee nothing but vaine babbling: and beſides the which, whoſoeuer teacheth any doctrine of faith, Saint Auguſtine pronounceth anathema againſt him.

27. Thirdly, and laſtly, by the infallible truth which ſhineth in the Scriptures, as the Sunne in the firmament, wherein no errour euer was found, no ſpots or blemiſhes, as in the Moone of traditions: no deceit, nor miſleading, vnleſſe in ſence peruerted, as by Heretikes to their owne deſtruction: but many traditions hauehave beene as erronious and deceitfull in themſelues, ſo the cauſes of much errour in the Church: witneſſe Papius, who (as Euſebius teſtifieth) broched many exorbitantEuſeb. li. 3. c. 33. doctrines, vnderunder pretence of tradition from the Apoſtles, and drew manie Eccleſiaſticall Doctours moued by his antiquitie (for he was Diſciple to Iohn) into the errour of the Chiliaſts; and all the ancient Heretikes almoſt: who flying from the Scriptures, did ſhelter themſelues vnderunder the pretextWeſton de triplic. hō. offic. l. 3. c. 22. eyther of philoſophicall principles, fained goſpels, or forged traditions: and hereof, many ancient traditions themſelues giuegive pregnant euidence, as thoſe alleadged by Clemens Alexandrinus, Clem. Strom.to wit, Iuſtification by philoſophie, Repentance after death, Preaching the Goſpell to the wicked in hell; which the Romaniſts themſelues condemne: or that of Cyprian, touching anointing to bee vſed in Baptiſme, and mixing wine with water, which Saint Auguſtine relected as erronious: or that ofAug. cont. Creſconium. Iraeneus contra haereſes. Iraeneus, who ſaith, that it was a tradition, that Chriſt ſuffered at fiftie yeeres of age; which is diſallowed by all ſound authoritie, and conuinced of errour by the Scripture it ſelfe. Of this kind a number more might bee produced, if need required: but theſe are enough to inferre the concluſion, that traditions are not of that infallible truth as the holy Scripture is, p. 519but rather ſubiect to errour and falſhood: and therefore it can bee no part of Chriſtian wiſedome, to repoſe our faith vponupon them; for it is to build vponupon a ſandie foundation, which will deceiue the building, in time of need.

28. Auricular confeſſion hath as little ſecuritie in the practice10. of it, as any of the former doctrines: for firſt it implieth inpoſſibilitie of performance, by requiring a perfect enumeration of all particular ſinnes, both ſecret, and open, and that vponupon danger of damnation, the abſolution being fruſtrate, if this condition bee not obſerued. Now, becauſe no man is able to performe this, therefore no mans conſcience can be aſſured of the remiſſion of his ſinnes by that ſacramentall medicine: whereas on the contrarie, hee that confeſſeth his knowne ſinnes to God, and forſaketh them with a generall deteſtation of all other vnknowne, though many eſcape hisProu. 28. 13.Prov 28:13 remembrance, yet by Gods promiſe is ſure to find merciemercy: which is the doctrine of the Proteſtants. This is poſſible and eaſie to be done. The other impoſſible, and improbable: and that many learned of their ſide hauehave ingeniouſly confeſſed, as Caſſander, Rhenanus, with diuers others. And albeitCaſſand. conſult. art. 11. pag. 82. Rhenan. argum. in Tertul. de poenit. Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 14. cap. 5. Suar. tom. 4. diſp. 22. the Fathers of the Trent Councell in ſhew ſeemed to qualifie the matter with this limitation, that other ſinnes which do not come into the mind of the partie confeſſing, diligently thinking vponupon them, are vnderſtood as generally included in his confeſſion: yet the Ieſuite Suarez confeſſeth, that the Prieſt cannot remit any one ſinne, except the penitent confeſſe all that hee ought to confeſſe: and Maldonate another Ieſuite, that becauſeMaldon. Sum. q. 10. art. 8. 3. the Prieſt can remit no ſinnes but ſuch as he heareth confeſſed, therefore hee that must remit all, must heare all. And it is plaine, that whatſoeuer the Councell ſpake, yet it meant no otherwiſe, by the reaſon which they giuegive for neceſſitie of confeſſion: which is, that the penitent may bee iudged whether he hath ſinned or no: and if hee hauehave, in what kind, and degree, to the end that proportionable penance may be ioyned to his offence: and therefore it is required, that not onelyonly the act of ſinne, but all the circumſtances bee diſcouered. (Who, Suar. tom. 4. diſput. 22. §. 1.what, to what end, how, by what helpes, where, when) which are p. 520the ſeuen circūſtances attending vponupon eueryevery actiō. Now how can the Prieſt iudge of the nature, qualitie, & quantitie of the ſin, except he know it with all the circumſtances? & if he know it not, how can he enioyne a competent ſatisfaction? And if no ſatisfaction be enioyned, then no remiſſion eyther of the ſinne, or at leaſt releaſement from the temporall puniſhment thereof can bee obtained. What a ſnare are mens conſciences brought into by this intricate doctrine? How much freer and ſecurer a courſe is it to confeſſe neceſſarily to God alone, voluntarily to the Paſtor, in caſes of diſtreſſe of conſcience, and want of inſtruction, and penally to the Church in publike, for ſatisfaction not of God, but of men, for ſome publike offence committed? This is the doctrine of Proteſtants; which as it is free from impoſſibilitie, ſo it is full of ſafetie.

29. Secondly, their doctrine leaueth the conſcience in doubt, whether the ſinne bee truly pardoned or no, by the abſolution of the Prieſt: for the Prieſt being a man, is vnable to ſearch into the heart of a ſinner: and ſo conſequently may erre in the vſe of the key: for if the Confeſſor bee an Hypocrite, though he make a true relation of all his ſinnes with all their circumſtances, and be therefore abſolued by the Prieſt: yet it is certaine, that ſuch an one is not abſolued in Heauen, but ſtands lyable to Gods iudgement: becauſe there muſt be by their doctrine, aſwell contrition in heart, as confeſſion in the mouth, or elſe no pardon can follow: but a Prieſt cannot…4 …o…. diſcerne of the heart. Nay further, many, if not moſt of their Romiſh ſhauelings, are vnable to iudge of the nature and qualitie of ſin, much more of the quantitie and degrees thereof; & ſo conſequently can neither impoſe a iuſt or proportionable ſatisfaction, without which no releaſement; nor make the partie vnderſtand the eaſe hee ſtandeth in: that hee may take vponupon himſelfe voluntarie penance: or if need bee, purchaſe indulgence from the Pope. In all which reſpects, it is danger to truſt our ſoules vponupon ſuch a ſlipperie foundation: but hee that confeſſeth to God his ſinnes, and expecteth pardon at his hand onelyonly, is ſure that hee diſcerneth the ſecrets of the heart, and that he ſhutteth, and no man openeth, and openeth, and p. 521Reuel. 3. 7.Rev 3:7no man ſhutteth: and therefore if hee abſolue, though all the World condemne, hee is on a ſure ground: and if hee condemne, though all the World acquite, hee is in a miſerable caſe. In this doctrine there is no vncertainty, but ſtrong comfort to the penitent ſinner, and terrour of conſcience to the obſtinate and vnrepentant.

30. If they ſay, that the abſolution of a Prieſt is certaine, vnleſſe there bee a barre in him that confeſſeth, becauſe our Sauiour ſaith, Whoſoeuers ſinnes you remit, they are remitted, and whoſoeuers ſinnes yee retaine, they are retained. I anſwer, that firſt, de facto, the Prieſt may erre, but God cannot: Secondly, he cannot chooſe but erre in abſoluing, if the penitent doe erre in confeſſing, which hee is verie likely to doe: and thirdly, that when God purpoſeth to abſolute a ſinner, no barie can hinder the performance thereof: yea, hee infuſeth grace into his ſoule, to hate his ſinne, and power to forſake it. Is it not better then to truſt vntounto God then to man, and ſafer to confeſſe our ſinnes to him that hath abſolute power to pardon them, then to a Prieſt whoſe pardon depends vponupon the vncertaintie of a mans true confeſſion? Theſe things be ſo cleare, that no reaſonable man can doubt of the truth of them.

31. Laſtly, confeſſion to God hath manifeſt and vndeniable grounds in holy Scripture; but auricular Romiſh confeſſion to a Prieſt, is by the iudgement of their greateſt Clarkes, taken vp onelyonly by a tradition of the Church, and not by any authoritie of the olde and new Teſtament: witneſſe their Canon Law, Panormitane, Pereſius, Petrus Oxonienſis, Bonauenture, Canon de poenit. Panormit. ſup. 5. de poenit. Pereſ. de traa…. part. 3. conſid. 3. Cerāz in Sixt. 4. Ouand. 4. d. 16. pro. 2. Rhen. Annot. ad Tertul. de poenit.Medina, Rhenanus, Eraſmus with many more: and though the new Ieſuites, and Rhemiſts auouch the contrarie, yet they but therein croſſe their fellowes, as learned and wiſe, as themſelues, and yet are not able to alleadge any one direct proofe of their opinion. Now is it not a ſafer practice to build vponupon Scripture then tradition, that is, vponupon God then man? And to chuſe that kind of confeſſion which no man doubteth to be warranted from God, rather then that, which the Patrones thereof themſelues are at variance from whom it commeth? p. 522who that hath eyes, ſeeth not which of theſe is rather to be choſen?

32. Touching Purgatorie, it breedeth diuers dangerous11. conſequences, as to their holy Pope firſt, who taketh vponupon him to hauehave plenarie power ouer all creatures, eſpecially ouer the ſoules in Purgatorie, which the Canoniſts call peculium Papae, the Popes peculiar: for it proueth him eyther to bee a lying Prophet, or a cruell Tyrant: if hee hauehave full power ouer them, why doth hee let ſo many thouſand poore ſoules lye frying there without releaſe? His ſuffering them to continue in that cruell torment, argueth him either to want power to relieue them, or merciemercy to put that power in execution: both which are vnbeſeeming qualities for Chriſts Vicar. If they reply againſt this (as Antoninus doth) and ſay, that in reſpectAnton. part. 3. tit. 22. cap. 5. §. 6. & 7. of his abſolute Iuriſdiction, he may abſolue all that are in Purgatorie: but if we regard the orderly execution thereof, in that reſpect the Pope may not, nor ought ſo to doe: I ſay againe, But why ought hee not? if it bee in his power? is it for feare to fill Heauen too ſoone with Saints? but that would be a great bleſſing, for then the conſummation of all things would the ſooner come: or is it for feare leſt the iuſtice of God ſhould be fully ſatisfied by a proportionable puniſhment? But the Popes indulgence can helpe that, for hee hath in his Treaſurehouſe ſuch a ſurpluſſage of Saints merits, that can ſerue to make good whatſoeuer is wanting in their behalfe: and the Pope by their doctrine hath authoritie to diſpence & diſpoſe of theſe merits, at his diſcretion. Or is it for feare leſt purgatorie ſhould bee emptied, and ſo hee ſhould loſe one part of his Kingdome? But our Sauiour contented himſelfe with heauen and earth to be vnderunder him and his dominion; and SaintMat. 28. 19 Phil. 2. 10.Matt 28:19Phil 2:10 Paul attributes to his regiment things vnderunder earth, that is, in hell: and wil his Vicar needs hauehave a larger dominion then his Maſter? But indeed this is the true reaſon. For if hee ſhould make a goale deliuerie, out of this infernall priſon: then his chiefeſt ſway were gone, yea, and his reuenue too. It ſtands vponupon him therefore not to bee pleaſed to deliuer any out of theſe paines, vnleſſe he bee well pleaſed for his paines: and if p. 523hee bee ſo, then the ſoules ſhall flye out of that place to heauen in whole troupes, as they ſay they did, at the Prayer of a certaine holy man, &c. In their leaden Legend this dangerLegenda. lighteth vponupon the head of their head, the Pope, which, according to their doctrine, can by no meanes be auoided: it were better then for him to forgoe his profit which ariſeth by purgatorie, then to vndergoe ſuch foule diſcredit.

33. Another dangerous conſequence ariſeth hencefrom, to all the profeſſors of Religion in generall: that is, a feareful preſumption and ſecuritie of ſinning, when they are perſwaded, that after this life they may be releaſed from the paines of purgatorie by the prayers, almeſdeeds, Maſſes and other meritorious workes of the liuing: for who would bee afraid to ſinne, or carefull to make his ſaluation ſure in this life with feare and trembling, when hee beleeueth, that by giuing a ſumme of monie at his death for Maſſes and dirges to be ſung for his ſoule, he ſhall be certainly deliuered out of purgatory? This muſt needs caſt men into manifeſt preſumption, if not of all ſinnes, yet of veniall ſinnes, and ordinarie offences, which are to be purged by that fire, as they teach. Is not our doctrine more ſound and ſafe, that informeth vsus, that ſuch as die in their ſinnes, ſinke downe to the loweſt Hell, as hopeleſſe after death to bee relieued by anything that can bee done for their ſakes by the liuing? doth not this teach men betimes to bee wiſe? and to finiſh vp the worke of their ſaluation before the night come? and make their peace with God, whilest they are here in the way of grace, not deluding their ſoules with a fond expectation of other mens deuotions? Sure it is, that the opinion of purgatorie and prayer for the dead, muſt of neceſſitie nouriſh a preſumption of veniall ſinnes at the leaſt, which our doctrine adiudgeth to hell, without repentance, aſwell as any other: and becauſe few are able to diſtinguiſh betwixt mortall and veniall ſinnes, but iudge them veniall which are to Gods iudgement mortall, as their Ieſuite Coſter confeſſeth,Coſter Enchirid. de ſide ſpecial. when hee ſayth, that that may ſeeme a light offence vntounto man, which is haynous in Gods ſight: therefore it muſt needs alſo bee in danger to breed a ſecret preſumption of mortall ſinnes alſo. p. 524And ſo, whileſt they hauehave a blind conceit of the ſuburbes, which is Purgatorie, they caſt themſelues into the Citie it ſelfe, which is hell.

34. Laſtly, this may be demonſtrated to the conſcience of any, not preiudiced with a blind zeale to the Romiſh Church by this reaſon: for that neyther Purgatorie nor Prayer for the dead, can directly be proued out of Scripture, as hath bin proued before concerning Purgatory, and is apparent concerning prayer for the dead; there being neither precept nor promiſe, nor direct example in the whole volume of Gods Booke for the ſame, as is confeſſed by their owne Bredenbachius: andOſlander li. Papa non Papae, c. 17. beſides hauing no ſound foundation in the conſent of ancient Fathers, as hath beene alſo prooued: but being founded vponupon vaine apparitions, and ſtrange reuelations of ſoules departed, which many of the Fathers were of opinion could not bee, as teſtifieth Maldonate, one of their owne Ieſuites: for feare, Maldon. com. in Luc. 16.Luke 16leſt vnderunder that colour we ſhould be drawne to ſuperſtitions: and others thought, that Deuils did faine themſelues to be the ſoules of dead men, as witneſſeth Pererius another Ieſuite: yea, andPerer de magia lib. 1. cap. 11. Salmer com. in Rom. …. diſp. 52. ſome of their owne Doctours hauehave beene perſwaded, that all apparitions about Churches, are eyther demoniacall or phantaſticall: whereas on the contrarie, our doctrine of two places is direct in Scripture, and was neuer denied by any authoritie, either of olde or new Diuines: I meane poſſitiuely, that there is a Heauen and a Hell: wherefore, this wee may ſafely beleeue, and repoſe our ſoules vponupon: but to entertaine the beliefe of the former is as dangerous to the conſcience, as doubtfull to the vnderſtanding: ſeeing hee that doubtingly vndertaketh any action, is condemned as a ſinner, becauſe hee Rom. 14. 23.Rom 14:23doth it not in faith: Faiths obiect being Gods Word alone, and not the vncertaine coniectures of humane opinions, much leſſe the vaine apparitions of dead ghoſts.

35. Againe, their doctrine of the abſolute neceſſitie of12. baptiſme, excluding thereby infants from Heauen, and confining them to a Priſon in the brimme of Hell, there to indure the euerlaſting puniſhment of loſſe, is a dangerous doctrine, both in reſpect of pietie towards God, and charitie towards p. 525our neighbour, and certaintie to a mans conſcience: and conſequently our doctrine that holdeth the contrarie, is more ſafe, in all thoſe reſpects. For touching pietie, it is a great imbaſing to Gods merciemercy, and a detracting from the glorie of his grace, to thinke that Almightie God ſhould in iuſtice caſt away the infinite myriades of vnbaptized infants, or that his ſauing grace is ſo tyed to the outward Sacrament, that he cannot, or at the leaſt, will not ſaue any without it: the firſt of theſe is confeſſed by many of the learned Romaniſts Caiet. in 3. Thom. q. 68. art. 1. & 2. Biel in 4. Sent. diſt. 4 q. 2. Gerſon part. 2. p. 303. Bel. de baptiſ. lib. 1. cap. 4.themſelues, to be, à Dei miſericordia alienum, not agreeable to the merciemercy of God, which exceedeth not onelyonly the deſerts, but euen the hopes of men. The ſecond is confirmed, by a due comparing of the olde couenant of the Law, with the new couenant of the Goſpell: for if it be true, that children dying vnderunder the Law vncircumciſed, were ſaued by the faith of their Parents (as Saint Bernard thinketh) yea, and is alſoBern. Epiſt. 77. ad. Hug…n. de S. Vict. agreeable to the tenure of the Scripture: for many children dyed in the Wilderneſſe without the Sacrament of Circumciſion: it being omitted for thoſe fortie yeeres by Gods own allowance: and Dauid hearing of the death of his childe, before hee had receiued the outward character of Circumciſion, as may be gathered out of the Text. did ſolace himſelfe with2. Sam. 12.2 Sam 12 this confidence, that the childe was ſaued. Then it muſt needs follow, if the ſame priuiledge be not granted to the children of Chriſtian Parents, that the couenant of the Goſpell is not ſo large, as the couenant of the Law: nor Gods merciemercy ſo bountifull to Chriſtians, as to Iewes; nor the merits of Chriſt ſo effectuall after his comming in the fleſh, as they were before: by all which the glorie of the Goſpell and grace of Chriſt is much defaced, and the vnbounded Ocean of Gods merciemercy limited and ſtinted.

36. Touching charitie, is it not an vncharitable conceit, to deſpaire of the ſaluation of poore infants dying without Baptiſme? and that, both towards the infants themſelues, who though they are borne in originall ſinne, yet are innocent from actuall tranſgreſſions: and towards the Parents, who being themſelues within the couenant, hereby are depriued p. 526of that chiefe comfort of the couenant, which is, that God is not onelyonly their God, but the God of their ſeed: and towardes the Church, that hereby is robbed of a great part of her children, and made vnable to preſent young infants to her Huſband Chriſt Ieſus. Children are little beholding to them for this doctrine, Parents leſſe, and the Church, the mother of the faithfull leaſt of all. And indeed ſo farre is it from charitie, that it is full of damnable crueltie.

37. Laſtly, touching the perilous conſequences that follow vponupon this doctrine, I need name but theſe three, to wit, firſt, that it maketh God more mercifull to men of yeeres, then vntounto tender infants: for they teach, that men of yeeres (as Valentinian the Emperour) may be ſaued, by the Baptiſme of the Spirit, or by the Baptiſme of bloud, which is Martyrdome, though they want the Baptiſme of water: but infants, albeit they may hauehave the Spirit of ſanctification, euen in the wombe, as Iohn Baptiſt had, and may be Martyrs according to Bell de baptiſ. l. 1 cap 6. Mat. 2.Matt 2their opinion, as the children that Herod cauſed to be ſlaine, yet if they want the Sacrament of water, they adiudge them peremptorily to be baniſhed from Gods preſence for euer. Now then children and men being in the ſame predicament: either the one muſt be admitted to Gods fauour aſwell as the other, or it muſt needs follow, that God is partial and more fauourable to the one then the other. If they ſay that men, though they hauehave not the act of Baptiſme, yet they hauehave votum, a deſire vntounto it, which being intercepted by ſome ſodaine accident, is ſupplied by inward grace: I anſwere with Bellarmine, thatBell. de baptiſ. l. 1 cap. 9. as another mans ſinne was the cauſe of the damnation of infants, ſo other mens faith ſufficeth them vntounto baptiſme. Why ſhould then the deſire of one man be of more efficacie to his ſaluation, then the deſire and purpoſe of the Church for the ſaluation of infants? To this purpoſe their owne learned SchoolemanAquin. 3. part. q. 68. & 69. ſayth, that the child before it bee baptized, is in ſome ſort partaker of the Sacrament of Baptiſme, euen by the faith of the Church, which hath vowed him thereunto. And Bonauenture, asCaſſand. de baptiſ. Infant. fol. 148. par. altera. hee is reported by Caſſander, ſayth, that infants are diſpoſed vntounto Baptiſme, not according to any act of their owne, but according p. 527to the act of other: becauſe the merciemercy of God imputeth to them as their owne will, the will of another. Inſants therefore ſtand ſtill in as good caſe in eueryevery reſpect, as men of yeares, if not in better, both being vnbaptized, and the one dedicated to God by their owne deſire, the other by the purpoſe & deſire of the Church: and therefore, either theſe may bee ſaued aſwell as they, or elſe God is not ſo mercifull to them, as to theſe: which is no leſſe then impietie to thinke, and blaſphemie to pronounce.

38. Another wicked conſequence that followeth vponupon this doctrine, is, that it maketh God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, euen that bleſſed Trinitie, that is the fountaine of all truth and goodneſſe, to be lyars and teachers of vntruth. For God the Father ſayth to Abraham, I will bee Gen. 17. 7.Gen 17:7thy God, and the God of thy ſeed. And that this is not to bee vnderſtood of the ſeed of Abraham according to the fleſh onelyonly, to wit, the Iewes, but much more of his ſeed according to the Spirit, which are faithfull Chriſtians, may appeare both by that which is in the verie ſame place, where it is calledGal 3. 14.Gal 3:14 an euerlaſting couenant, and by Saint Pauls teſtimonie, who affirmeth that the bleſſing of Abraham was to come on the Gentiles through Chriſt Ieſus, aſwell as on the Iewes. God the Sonne ſayth, Suffer little children to come vntounto me, for of ſuch Mat 19. 14.Matt 19:14is the Kingdome of Heauen: plainly affirming that the Kingdome of Heauen is pertaining to little children, and not barred vp againſt any, as our Romaniſts teach it is, againſt ſuch little ones as dye without baptiſme. Our Sauiour ſaith without exception, that the Kingdome of Heauen belongeth vntounto them: they, as it were to make him a lyar, bring in an exception and ſay, that except they bee baptized, not Heauen, but Lymbus belongeth vntounto them. And the holy Ghoſt by the mouth of Saint Paul ſayth, That the children of beleeuing 1. Cor. 7. 14.1 Cor 7:14Parents are holy: the reaſon is, becauſe the root is holy, and therefore the branch muſt needs be holy: and if children may be holy before they be baptized then by the ſame rule they may goe to Heauen before they be baptized: for as no man without holineſſe can ſee God: ſo with holineſſe none can be baniſhed out of the ſight p. 528of God. And thus this doctrine giueth the lye to eueryevery perſon of the bleſſed Trinitie.

39. If they ſay, that it is our Sauiours doctrine, that except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghoſt, hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heauen, and therefore, all thoſe generall promiſes are to bee reſtrained by this exception (if they bee baptized:) I anſwere out of Bellarmine, that God is not tyed to his Sacraments, but can ſaue them by Bell de Chriſto lib. 4 cap. vlt. Caſſa…d. de baptiſanfant. par altera fol. 128. 134.his eſpeciall grace: as alſo witneſſe diuers others of their learned Doctours. And therefore, whereas our Sauiour ſaith, Except a man be borne againe, &c. it muſt needs be vnderſtood by another exception, to wit, of caſes of neceſſitie, where Baptiſme cannot be obtained, and is not contemned: for not the want, but the contempt of Baptiſme is damnable.

40. The third and laſt inconuenience that ariſeth from this doctrine, is, that it is the mother of diuers ſtrange paradoxes and groſſe abſurdities, as not onelyonly of Lay mens Baptiſme, yea, of Pagans, and that in ſcorne, but alſo of changing the true element into lee, or broth, or puddle water, and that which is moſt ſtrange, of baptizing the childe in the mothers wombe before it bee borne, or ripping vp the mothers belly, in caſe the child be in danger of death, &c. ſome of all which abſurdities are held by them all, and all by ſome. Is it not then more ſafe to hold that opinion which is more reſpectiue to Gods glorie, agreeable to Chriſtian charitie, and free from all theſe dangerous conſequences?

41. To conclude, omitting many other of their doctrines,13. which might eaſily bee ſhewne to ſtand in the ſame caſe of dangerous tenure, and hath in part alreadie beene manifeſted; as their doctrine of ſet faſts, implicite faith, veniall ſins, diſpenſations with others more: I propound for the laſt inſtance, that doctrine of doctrines, the verie groundcell of their ruinous Religion, touching the veritie, authoritie and ſingularitie of their Church, which they vaunt and bragge to be the onelyonly true Catholike Church of Chriſt, and to hauehave a preeminence ouer the Scriptures, and without the which to be no poſſibilitie of ſaluation: that there is no ſafetie in theſe p. 529poſitions many reaſons will euince, as firſt, if it ſhould bee true, that out of the bounds of that Church, none could bee ſaued then thoſe famous Churches of Aſia, which were in Pope Ʋictors time, that oppoſed themſelues againſt the predominance of the Church of Rome, were all damned, wherein flouriſhed many holy Martyrs that gaue vp their liues for the teſtimonie of Ieſus. Then Saint Cyprian and all the Biſhops of Carthage, to the number of foureſcore, that in a Councell at Carthage ſet themſelues againſt Pope Stephen and his Councell, were damned: and Saint Cyprian muſt bee no longer a Martyr but a Schiſmaticke; and then S. Auguſtine with the whole Church of Africa and troupes of Martyrs and Confeſſors ſhould not bee crowned with bliſſe, but tormented in hell, for they reiected the yoke of the Biſhop of Romes authoritie, and would not admit that any ſhould make appeales from them to Rome. This horrible and vncharitable inconuenience doth ariſe from that diſmall doctrine, The Church of Rome is the onelyonly Catholike Church, and out of it there is no hope of ſaluation: now that theſe holy and heauenly Martyrs and Confeſſors of Ieſus Chriſt were out of it, appeareth by their moſt receiued definitions, of a Catholike and a Schiſmaticke: A Catholike (faith Bellarmine) is Bell. de Eccleſ. milit. lib. 3. ca. 2.he, that is ſubiect to the one Paſtor the Pope, whereby hee mak…th the eſſentiall forme of a Catholike, to be his vnion and coniunction Tollet. inſtruct. Sacerdot. l. 1. ca. 19.with his head the Pope: and a Schiſmatike (ſayth Tollet.) is hee that doth ſeparate himſelfe from the head of the Church and the Vicar of Chriſt. I aſſume but Cyprian, Auguſtine, and thoſe other famous Biſhops did not acknowledge any ſubiection to the Pope, but ſeparated themſelues from his dominion; therefore they were by their doctrine no Catholickes but Schiſmatickes, and conſequently out of the Church, and ſo out of ſaluation: a damnable concluſion.

42. Secondly, they peremptorily auouch, that none of vsus being not members of their Church, can bee ſaued: we on the contrarie charitably beleeue, that many of them that are ignorantly members of their Church, if they hold the foundation p. 530of Ieſus Chriſt, and depend vponupon his merits, not their owne, ſo that their ignorance be ſimple and vnaffected, may bee ſaued. And hereupon they conclude, that it is ſafer to bee of that Church, wherein by our owne confeſſion, a man may be ſaued: then of that to which they denie all hope of ſaluation: but it is a concluſion made by confuſion. For who ſeeth not, that that is more likely to be the true Church, which is animated with charitie, then that which is void of charitie? and that it is ſafer to harbour vnderunder her wings, that is charitably affected euen towards her enemies, then vnderunder her, that is ſo miſcarried with enuie, that ſhe committeth all to the pit of Hell, that are not of her fellowſhip and profeſſion: eſpecially, ſeeing Saint Paul chargeth the Theſſalonians, that If 2. Theſ. 3. 14.2 Thess 3:14any man obey not the Goſpell, they ſhould note him with a letter and hauehave no companie with him, that hee may bee aſhamed, yet 2. Theſ. 3. 14. 152 Thess 3:142 Thess 3:15they ſhould not accout him as an enemie, but admoniſh him as a brother? If then it be ſafer to thinke charitably of thoſe that are without, then vtterly to condemne them all: then it muſt be alſo ſafer to bee a member of our Church then of theirs. And to make the matter more cleare, Saint Auguſtine is flat ofAug. init. Epiſt. 162 Glorio. & …lenſio, &c. our mind; to thinke more Chriſtianlike of Heretikes (as they repute vsus) then they doe: for writing againſt the Donatiſts, thus he ſayth, They that defend their falſe doctrine without obſtinate boldneſſe, eſpecially, if they be not ſuch as hauehave beene authors of thoſe errours, but either receiued them from their Parents, or were ſeduced by others, and doe carefully ſeeke the truth, being readie to be reformed, aſſoone as they ſhall ſee their errours: ſuch men are not to be eſteemed as Heretikes. Thus writeth Saint Auguſtine, whereby hee condemneth the practice of the Church of Rome, and iuſtifieth ours as more agreeable to the rule of charitie: and thus, that reaſon whereby the Ieſuites ſeduce many ignorant perſons, falleth to the ground, and maketh more againſt them, then for them.

43. Thirdly, if the Churches authoritie bee aboue the authoritie of the Scriptures, then are men to bee preferred before God, and that which is ſubiect to errour, before that which can neither erre nor deceiue: for the Church conſiſts p. 531of men: but the Scripture is immediately from God, and the Church may erre, though not in fundamentall points: but the Scripture cannot erre, no not in the leaſt titte: the truth of this allegation is grounded vponupon thoſe reaſons. Firſt, becauſe eueryevery particular Church may erre, as is confeſſed, and therefore the whole Chuchin generall may erre alſo: for ſuch as is the nature of the parts, is the nature alſo of the whole. Secondly, Councels, which are their Church repreſentatiue, hauehave erred, as is notoriouſly knowne to all, and confeſſed by Saint Auguſtine, who ſayth, that the decrees of prouinciall Aug. de baptiſ. cont. Donatiſt. lib. 2 cap. 3.Councels are ſubiect to reprehenſion. Yea, former generall Councels may be corrected by them that follow, as the Councell of Arimine, by the Councell of Conſtantinople, the ſecond of Epheſus, by the Councell of Chalcedon: the Councell of Carthage, by the firſt of Nice, and the ſecond of Nice, by the Councell of Franckeford. Thirdly, the Pope, that is, the Head of the Church, hath erred; this is alſo confeſſed, therefore the bodie can claime no better priuiledge: but ſayth the ſame Auguſtine, There is no doubt of the truth of any thing Idem ibid.which is contained in the Scripture. Therefore, who can doubt to place the reſolution of their faith, as the ſafeſt courſe on the Scripture, rather then on the Church; eſpecially, ſeeing no particular writer of the holy Scripture can be taxed with the leaſt errour but many particular parts of the Church, whether we reſpect the imagined head, which is vertually the whole Church, in their eſtimation, or the chiefe members in groſſe, as the Councels, or the deuided ioynts, as particular Congregations, may iuſtly be challenged, as tainted with diuers errours in doctrines of faith.

44. Laſtly, the Church of Rome may be the whore of Babylon, and ſo the See of Antichriſt, if not neceſſarily as wee auouch, yet coniecturally as no man can denie; becauſe ſpirituall Babylon is ſaid to bee a Citie ſituate vponupon ſeuen hils, and not onelyonly ſo, but that raigned ouer the Kings of the earth; both which notes directly agree to the Citie of Rome: but the Church of Proteſtants cannot by any likelihood bee that whore, ſeeing neither of thoſe markes doe in any reſpect p. 532belong vntounto it. Is it not ſafer then, to reſt our ſelues in her boſome, which by al probabilitie is an honeſt Matrone, then in her armes, which is a ſuſpected harlot? If Caeſar would hauehave his wife to bee without ſuſpition, then euerie Chriſtian had need to looke to his faith, whereunto he is as it were married by the Spirit of God, & wherby he is married vntounto Chriſt, that it be not onelyonly ſincere, but alſo free from all ſuſpition or likelihood of errour.

45. Thus we ſee, in theſe few maine points of the Romiſh Religion, compared with our contrarie aſſertions, that it is a farre ſafer courſe, to bee a Proteſtant, then a Papiſt: let all indifferent perſons iudge and diſcerne betwixt vsus: and I pray God direct them by his Spirit to chooſe the truth.

46. There is one thing yet remaining, whereby this may14. further appeare, and ſo and end of this whole diſcourſe: and that is, that there is no one point of doctrine wherein they differ from vsus, but is contradicted by ſome of their owne learned Writers ſhaking hands with vsus, and croſſing their owne Pew-fellowes: whence from, ariſeth not onelyonly another ſtrong argument of greater ſecuritie in our Religion then in theirs, which hath the ſuffrages of the greateſt enemies to vphold it, but alſo of vnreſiſtable truth, which worketh ſo vponupon the conſciences of the aduerſaries thereof, that it forceth them, will they, nill they, to acknowledge it, now and then, as the Deuill himſelfe was conſtrained to confeſſe Chriſt Ieſus to be the Sonne of God. I might write a whole Volume of this point alone: but I will propound here onelyonly ſome few inſtances, and ſo ſhut vp this Treatiſe.

47. Proteſtants teach that a man is iuſtified by faith alone,1. whereby the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is imputed vntounto him: and not by the inherent or adherent righteouſneſſe of his owne workes: the ſame is confeſſed by Thomas Aquinas, Aquin. in Gal. 3. lect. 4. & in Rom 3. lect. 4. & in 1. Tim. 1. lect. 3. Pighius cont. Rat. ſpon. cont. 3. pag. 47.Gal 3Rom 31 Tim 1who ſayth, that no man is iuſtified with God by his workes, but by the habit of faith infuſed: and againe, that there is in the workes of the Law, no hope of iuſtification, but by faith onelyonly: and by Pighius, who holdeth, that there is in vsus no inherent righteouſneſſe whereby wee may bee iuſtified, but that our iuſtification p. 533is by Chriſts righteouſneſſe imputed vntounto vsus: and by the Diuines of Collen, who affirme, That the righteouſneſſe of Antididag. C…l…. pag. 29.Christ imputed vntounto vsus, and apprehended by faith, is the principall cauſe of our iuſtification: and by Caſſander, who approuethCaſſander conſul. art. 4. de Iuſtif. of our doctrine of iuſtification by faith alone, and imputed righteouſneſſe, So that wee exclude not from this faith, repentance, amendment of life, new obedience, &c. Laſtly, by Ferus Stapulenſis, Peraldus, and diuers others, yea, almoſt all of them, when at the point of death they come to the point of try all, flye to this ſacred anchor of Chriſts righteouſneſſe alone, renouncing all righteouſneſſe in themſelues, as the famous example of Stephen Gardiner declareth, who lying on his death-bed, repoſed himſelfe on the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt only, for his ſaluation: and being told, that it was contrarie to his former reſolution, anſwered, that though it was the truth, yet that gappe was not to bee opened to the people.

48. The Proteſtants hold, that our beſt workes are ſtayned2. with ſo many imperfections, that they cannot merit any thing at Gods hand, except it be hell fire and damnation; and that though God of his merciemercy reward good workes with eternall life, yet it is not for any condignity that is in them, but for Chriſts ſake, into whom the partie working is ingrafted and made a member. Many learned Romaniſts are of the ſame opinion: Bellarmine ſayth, that in regard of the vncertaintie Bel. de Iuſtif. lib. 5. cap. 7. Walden. tom. 3. de ſacram. c. 7. Bell. de Iuſtif. lib. 2 cap. 2. Ferus in Mat. cap. 20. verſ. 1. Greg. A iminēſ. p. 1. d. 17. q. 1. art. 2. p. 89. Durand. q. 2. diſt. 27. p. 200.Matt 20:1of our owne righteouſneſſe, and danger of vaine glorie, the ſafeſt way is, to put our confidence in the ſole merciemercy and goodneſſe of God. Waldenſis writeth, Hee is a ſounder Diuine, a faithfuller Catholicke, and more agreeing to the Scriptures, that ſimply denieth merits, and ſayth that the Kingdome of Heauen is from the mere grace and will of the giuer; not from any deſert of the Receiuer. Of the ſame opinion was Albertus Pighius, as witneſſeth Bellarmine. Ferus ſayth, Whatſoeuer God giueth vsus, is of grace, not of debt. If therefore thou deſire to hold the grace and fauour of God, make no mention of thy merits. The ſame hold Gregorius Ariminenſis, Durandus, Stella in Luc. c. 7Luke 7Stella, with many more, renouncing all the new Rhemiſh p. 534doctrine of merits of condignitie, taught by the Schoole, & fourbiſhed ouer by the Councell of Trent, and refining Ieſuites. All theſe being ſworne ſubiects to the Church of Rome, yet being conſtrained by the conſcience of the truth, doe as fully and perfectly maintaine our doctrine, as if they were the rankeſt Proteſtants in the World.

49. Proteſtants denie all free will to grace, before it bee3. quickned and liued by Gods Spirit. Many learned Romaniſts teach the ſame doctrine. Laurentius Ʋalla (as Bellarmine Bel. de grat. & lib. arbit. l. 4. c. 5. Lumbard. lib. 2. diſt. 25.reports) wiſhed that the name of free-will were vtterly taken away. The Maſter of Sentences auouched, that free-will, before grace repaire it, is preſſed & ouercome with cōcupiſcence, & hath weakneſſe in euill, but no grace in good; and therefore cannot but Dom. Bannes 2. q. 24.ſinne damnably. Dom. Bannes affirmeth, that it is falſe, and worſe then falſe, that any man, without the ſpeciall and ſupernaturall helpe of God, can be able to doe a ſupernaturall act. Ariminenſis Ariminenſ. 2. d. 29. art. 2. Suarez de auxil. grat. lib. 3. c. 20.calleth the Romiſh doctrine of free-wil, Pelagianiſme. The Ieſuite Suarez ſayth, that diuers Romaniſts ſay, that it is a raſh and hereticall opinion to affirme, that when grace is equally offered to two, that one of them could be conuerted, and not the other. What could any Proteſtant ſay more?

50. Tranſubſtantiation, circumgeſtation, and ſubtraction4. of the Cuppe, are denyed by many of their owne ſide, as well as by vsus. Durand ſayth, It is great raſhneſſe to thinke, the Durand. 4. d. 11. q. 1.bodie of Chriſt, by his diuine power, cannot bee in the Sacrament, vnleſſe the bread be conuerted into it: and therefore that he holdeth the contrarie, onelyonly for the Churches determination. So alſo ſayth Scotus, There is no Scripture to enforce Tranſubſtantiation, Scot. 4. d. 11. q. 3 Occam. in Ce… tiloq. theolog.except ye bring the Church of Romes expoſition. Occham ſayth, that that opinion, that the ſubstance of the bread remaineth, is ſubiect to leſſe inconueniences, and leſſe repugnant to reaſon and holy Scripture. The cuſtome of circumgeſtation of the hoaſt (ſayth Caſſander) may Caſſand. conſult. art. 22.be left with greater profit to the Church, if it bee wiſely laid downe: both becauſe it is but a new inuention, as alſo, becauſe it ſeruethrather for pompous oſtentation, then for any godly deuotion: and ſo (as Albertus Crantzius ſayth) is contrary to Chriſts p. 535inſtitution. Pope Gelaſius (witneſſe Gregorie of Ʋalintia)Greg. de Valent. lib. 2. de Idolat. cap. 5. Caſſand. conſult. art. 22. ſaid, that the ſubſtance of the bread and wine in the Euchariſt doe not loſe their nature. Touching abſtraction of the Cuppe, their learned Caſſander acknowledgeth, that for the ſpace of a thouſand yeeres after Chriſt, the people communicated in both kindes: and that in Greece and Armenia they doe ſtill: and the beſt Catholickes earneſtly deſire a reformation of this matter in the Church of Rome. And Durand their Schooleman,Durand. Ration. l. 4. c. 55. that the receiuing in one kind onelyonly, is not a full ſacrament all receiuing: for though that in the conſecrated hoaſt Christs bloud bee contained, yet it is not there ſacramentally, in that the bread ſignifieth the bodie, and not the bloud: and the wine the bloud, and not the bodie. Of the ſame mind were Alexander Albert, mag. in 4. Sent. diſt. 8. art. 13. Alex. Alenſ. q. 5… Biel in can. tect 52.Alenſis, Albertus magnus, Biel, with others more: this laſt affirming, that in the Apoſtles times all did receiue the wine aſwell as the bread, becauſe God is no reſpecter of perſons. The ſecond, that it is of greater vſe and profit to the faithfull: and the firſt, that it is a matter of greater merit. Thus all theſe Schoolemen5. Panor. ſuper 5. de poenit. & remiſſ cap. omnes. Pereſ. de tradit, part. 3 conſid. 3. Ouand. 4. diſt. 16 pro. 2. Refert. Henric. Sum. p. 206. Rhenan, annot. ad Tertul. de poenitent. Eraſm. annot. ad Hierom. de obitu Fabi…l. Caiet. in 3. Thom q. 80. art. 4. Grat. decret. de poenit. d. 5. cap. In poenit. Acoſta lib. 6. de procurand. Ind…r ſal. c. 16. doe proteſtantize in this point.

51. Auricular confeſſion is denied by Proteſtants, to be neceſſarie for the remiſſion of ſinnes, and to bee commanded by God. The ſame is auerred by Panormitane, Pereſius, Bonauenture, Medina, Rhenanus, Eraſmus, Caietane, &c. all of them concluding with one voyce, that it is a doctrine deriued onelyonly from a poſitiue Law of the Church, and not from the Law of God; yea, and the laſt that is named (to wit Cardinall Caietane) is bold to ſay, that it is ſo farre from being commanded, that eueryevery one ſhould be ſhriuen, before hee come to the Communion; that the contrarie is inſinuated by the Apoſtle, where hee ſayth, Let a mantry himſelfe: And Gratian confeſſeth; that Ambroſe, Auguſtine, Chryſoſtome, Theophilact, and other Greeke Fathers thought, that ſecret confeſſion was not neceſſarie. And laſtly, Acoſta, a famous Ieſuite, auoucheth, that it would be well for the Indians, if the bond of confeſſion might bee taken away, leſt they ſhould bee constrained to commit ſo many and ſo grieuous ſacriledges.

p. 53652. So the Romiſh doctrine of ſatisfactions is vtterly condemned6. by Proteſtants; and not onelyonly by them, but by many of their owne learned Doctours: for the Diuines of Louaine (as Bellarmine witneſſeth of them) and others, did certainlyBell. de Indulg. lib. 1. cap. 4. defend, that the ſufferings of Saints cannot bee true ſatisfactions, but that our puniſhments are remitted onelyonly by the perſonall ſatisfaction of Chriſt. And Panormitane ſayth, that a man may be inwardly ſo penitent and contrite, that he ſhall need no ſatisfaction at all, but may bee abſolued preſently without any penance doing. And another, that the treaſure of Indulgences Vide Mortons Apol. lib. 2. cap. 12. p. 398.doth conſiſt onelyonly of the merits of Chriſt, and not of the ſatisfactions of Saints, becauſe the merits of Chriſt are of infinite valew.

53. Proteſtants condemne the worſhip of Images, taught7. and practiſed in the Church of Rome, but they are not alone therein: but hauehave many Romaniſts for their abetters and companions. Caſſander concludeth out of Saint Auguſtine, Caſſand. conſult.that there were no Images in all the Churches of his Dioceſſe. And Polydore Virgil writeth, that by the teſtimonie of Ierome Polyd. Virgil de Inuent. l. 6. c. 13.it appeareth, how in a manner all the ancient Fathers condemned the worſhip of Images for feare of Idolatrie: thus ſpeaketh he in his vncorrupted editions, but in his later editions, his tongue is tyed by the Belgicke Index: others, as Holcot, Durand, Index Belgic. in Polyd. Ʋirgil. Holcot lec. 157. in Sapient. Durand. 3. d. 9. q. 2. Alphonſ. haereſ. verb. adorat. Sixt. Senen. bibl. lib. 3 annot. 247. Abbas Vrſperg. anno 793. Rhegino an. 794 pag. 30. Concil. Mogunt. anno 1549. ſub Sebaſt. c. 41. & 42.Alphonſus, flatly affirme, that no worſhip at all is due to an Image, neither is it lawfull to worſhip it: diuers Councels alſo decreed the ſame, as the ancient Councell of Eliberis propounded this onelyonly remedie againſt Idolatrie, that no Images ſhould bee painted in Churches: but this Councell was not Romiſh, for Poperie was then ſcarce in the Embrio: therefore of later time a mere Romiſh Councell, to wit, that of Franckford, conſiſting of many Romiſh Biſhops and the Popes owne Legates, condemned all worſhip of Images: and a later yet, to wit, the Councell of Mentz, held in the yeere 1549. decreed, that the Image it ſelfe was not to bee worſhipped: but that by the Image of Chriſt, men ſhould bee ſtirred vp to adore Chriſt: which is contrarie to the new profeſſed doctrine of the Church of Rome.

54. Many Romaniſts, as well as Proteſtants, reiect the interceſſion p. 537and inuocation of Saints, as an Article not found eyther in the olde or new Teſtament. In the olde Teſtament (ſayth Salmeron) The Patriarchs vſed not to be inuocated, both Salmer com. in …om. 2. diſp. 8.becauſe they were not in perfect eſtate of bleſſedneſſe, and alſo, becauſe there had beene then a danger of Idolatrie, to offer that honour vntounto them. And for the new Teſtament, the ſame Ieſuite confeſſeth, that this article is not expreſſed, becauſe the I… ibid. diſp. 1.Iewes would hauehave thought it an hard matter to inuocate Saints departed, and the Gentiles would hauehave taken occaſion to hauehave thought, that the worſhip of new Gods had beene preſcribed vntounto them. Of the ſame opinion was Ecchius, who peremptorilyEcchius Enchir. Faber Stapul. praef. in Euang. affirmeth, that the inuocation of Saints departed, is not commanded in the holy Scripture. And Faber Stapulenſis thus writeth, I would to God, that the forme of beleeuing might bee fetcht from the Primitiue Church, which conſecrated ſo many Martyrs to Chriſt, and had no ſcope but Chriſt, nor imployed any worſhip to any, ſaue to the one Trinity alone.

55. That a Chriſtian may bee certaine of his owne ſtanding9. in preſent grace, and of his future ſaluation, is the doctrine of Proteſtants, denyed by the Church of Rome, and yet approued by many of her deare children: as for example: EueryEvery one that beleeueth, ſeeth that he doth beleeue (ſayth Dominicus Dom. Bannes in T…om. 2. 2. p. 359.Bannes) A Chriſtian man, by the infallible certaintie of faith which cannot bee deceiued, certainly knoweth himſelfe to hauehave a ſupernaturall faith (ſayth Medina.) Some ſpirituall Medina 1. 2. q. 112. art. 5.men may be ſo certaine that they are in grace, that this their aſſurance ſhall be free from all feare and ſtaggering (ſayth Vega, reported by Gregory de Valentia. And touching aſſuranceGreg. de Valent. tom. 2. p. 957. Medina quo ſupra. Staplet. de Iuſti. lib. 9. cap. 11. Dom. Bannes 22 q. 18. art. 4. of eternall life, the ſame Medina ſayth, that hee would hauehave eueryevery beleeuer certainly to hope that he ſhall obtaine eternall life. And of the ſame opinion are al the reſt of them, ſaue that they will hauehave this certainty to be of hope, and not of faith: and ſo the difference is in words, and not in the thing; for they make it to be without doubting or wauering, firme and aſſured, aſwell as we.

56. That concupiſcence is a finne in the regenerate, is affirmed10. by Proteſtants; contrary to the receiued doctrine of p. 538the Church of Rome: & yet many Romaniſts themſelues ſhake hands with the Proteſtants in this point: as Ribera a Ieſuite,R…b…r com. in He…. 12. who writing vponupon the twelfth of the Hebrewes ſayth, that by ſinne hanging faſt vponupon, is meant the concupiſcence of the fleſh againſt the holy Spirit, which the Apoſtle vſeth often to call by the name of ſinne: and Tanner, another Ieſuite, acknowledgeingTanner exam. Hu…. Reucl. c. 13. §. ſed quia. that concupiſcence in the regenerate, is called ſinne by the Scripture, ſayth, that it is a great wickedneſſe, to traduce as blaſphemous, the manner of ſpeech, true in it ſelfe, and imitating the Scriptures: yea, and Stapleton calleth it a certaine iniquitie, Stap. de concupiſcent. in Renat. lib. 3. cap. 2. Bel. de Iuſtif. l. 4. cap. 13. Caſſand. confut. art. 2.and obliquity not onelyonly againſt the dominion of the mind, but alſo againſt the Law of God. Now Bellarmine telleth vsus, that whatſoeuer is contrarie to the Law of God, is mortall ſinne. Caſſander playeth the Proteſtant in direct termes in this point: for he ſayth, that if we reſpect ſinne as an iniquitie or diſeaſe, which muſt be reſiſted by the ſpirit, leſt it burſt forth into vnlawfull acts, concupiſcence is not vnfitly called ſinne: but if we reſpect it as an offence to God, and guiltineſſe to which puniſhment and damnation is anſwering, it is not thus ſinne in the regenerate.

57. Touching marriage of Prieſts, which the Church of Rome condemneth, as execrable, filthie and abominable; & we allow as holy and lawfull: we hauehave their owne Doctours11. on our ſide, and againſt their owne mother. Gratian ſayth,Grat. Cauſ. 26. q. 2. Can. Sors. Eſpenſ. com. in Tit. cap. 1. Caiet. tom. 1. tract. 27. Pius 2. Epiſt. 321. & apud Plat. in eius vita. Panor. de Cler. coniu…. c. cii olim Caſſand. conſul. art. 23. Eraſ. annot. in 1. Tim. 3. p. 533.Titus 11 Tim 3 that marriage of Prieſts is not prohibited eyther by legall, or Euangelicall, or yet Apoſtolicall authoritie, but by Eccleſiaſticall onelyonly. Eſpenſeus ſayth, that for many hundred yeeres after the Apoſtles time, by reaſon of the want of others, Prieſts were married. Caietane affirmeth, that if wee ſtand onelyonly to the tradition of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, it cannot appeare by any authoritie or reaſon, that holy order can be any hinderance to marriage, eyther as it is an order, or as it is holy. Pius the ſecond, one of their owne Popes, affirmeth, that it is better for a Prieſt to marry, then to burne, though hee hauehave vowed the contrary: and that there be many reaſons to forbid Prieſts marriage, but more to allow it. Panormitane, Caſſander, Eraſmus, doe all agree, that in regard of the monſtrous and filthy effects that follow a p. 539vowed ſingle life, it were better both for Gods glory, and the auoyding of ſcandall in the Church, that libertie of marrying were granted to all men. And Eſpenſeus and Agrippa doe grieue andEſpenſ. com. in Tit. c. 1. Agrip. de v…it. cap. 64.Titus 1 bluſh, to behold rather Concubines and Stewes to bee permitted to their Clergy, then lawfull wiues.

58. The Popes Primacie, or rather Supremacie in all affaires,12. and ouer all perſons, challenging the iuriſdiction of both ſwords, and authoritie of ſupreme Iudicatures in caſes of controuerſie, and interpretation of Scripture with an infallibilitie of Iudgement, is the verie foundation of Poperie: & yet the ſame is razed not onelyonly by Proteſtants, but by many of their owne ranke, that are both by name and profeſſion Papiſts. Concerning his temporall Iuriſdiction, ſo ſtiffely maintained by Bellarmine and the Ieſuits; our Wiſbich PrieſtsLibel. Colleg. Wisbish in Reſp. ad ordin. Ieſuit. patron. gen. p. 15. Eſpenſ. cō. in Tit. 3. degreſ. 10. Toloſ. de repub. l. 26. c. 7. & 10. Bell. de Rom. Pontif l. 5. c. 7.Titus 3 affirme, that this power was neuer giuen vntounto Peter. Espenſ…us condemneth it in direct tearmes. Toloſanus confeſſeth, that for two hundred yeeres after Chriſt, it was neuer read, that Christians attempted any thing againſt their Emperours: and that this was not for want of ſtrength (as Bellarmine would hauehave it: he ſayth▪ that euen then they did not attempt any ſuch thing, when in number and ſtrength they might make their party good: but in this extolled their Religion aboue all other, by defending this moſt holy doctrine, That all men ought to obey the Magiſtrates. The notable and learned Treatiſes of Barclay a French man, Blackwell, Warberton, &c. our Countrey-men, all profeſt Romaniſts, doe peremptorily and plainely by many reaſons confute the ſame. Touching his ſpirituall iuriſdiction, though there bee fewe of them that gain-ſay that, yetGreg. mag. l. 4. Epiſt. 32. 3…. 38. 39 Gregory the great, one of their owne Popes, may ſtand in ſtead of many, who, by many letters, both to the Emperour, and Biſhop of Conſtantinople, ſheweth, that no man ought to be an vniuerſall Biſhop ouer thereſt; calling that name in deteſtation, vaine, proud, prophane, blaſphemous, miſchieuous, Antichriſtian, againſt the commandements of God, and decrees of Councils; and peremptorily ſayth, that he is a follower of Sathan, and a fore-runner of Antichriſt, that aſſumeth it to himſelfe.

p. 54059. And that the Pope is not the ſupreme Iudge in the Church, nor of infallible iudgement, but the Scripture only; many of them are of opinion aſwell as we. Aquinas ſaith, that the doctrine of the Prophets and Apoſtles is the rule of our Aquin. in 1. Tim. 6. lect. 1. Antonin. Sum. part. 3. tit. 18. c. 3. §. 3. Gerſon. de Comun ſub vtra. que ſpecie. Clingius loc. lib. 3. c. 29. p. 292. Pereſius. Bel. de verbo Dei, l. 1. c 2. Vict. relect. 4. num. 6.1 Tim 6vnderſtanding. Antoninus ſaith, that God hath ſpoken but once, and that in the holy Scripture, and that ſo plentifully, to meet with all temptations, and all caſes that may fall out. Gerſon ſaith, that the Scripture is the rule of our faith, which being well vnderſtood, no authority of men is to be admitted againſt it. Gonradus Clingius ſaith, that the Scripture is the infallible rule of truth, yea the meaſure and Iudge of the truth. Pereſius ſaith, that the authority of no Saint is of infallible truth, for that honour is due only to the Scripture. Yea, Bellarmine their Ring-leader confeſſeth the Scripture to be the moſt certaine, and moſt ſafe rule of faith. Franciſcus Victoria ſaith, that the Pope, in diſpenſing againſt the Decrees, Councels, and former Popes, may erre and grieuouſly ſinne. Alphonſus de Caſtro diueth deeper, and ſaith,Alphonſ. de Caſt. l. 1. c. 4. aduerſ. haereſ. Bozius tom. 2. de ſig. Eccleſ. l. 28 c. vlt. Almayn. Qu. in Veſper.Sir 50:28 that eueryevery man, yea the Pope, and that as he is Pope, and Paſtor of the Church, may be deceiued. Bozius pierceth yet deeper, and ſaith, that the Pope may be an Heretike, yea write, teach, and preach hereſie. And laſtly, Almayne ſaith, that the power of not erring in the faith is not alway in the Pope. Are not all theſe now Proteſtants in this point? But for fuller ſatisfaction in this point, I referre the Reader to the reuerent and iudicious Deane of Wincheſter, Doctor Morton, with others, who hauehave largely and learnedly diſcouered this matter in their writings.

60. The like might bee ſhewne in all other points: theſe few inſtances therefore ſhall ſuffice for this time, to perſwade that it is farre more ſafe to ſubſcribe to the Religion of Proteſtants, then of Romaniſts: ſeeing we hold nothing, which many of their owne ranke and order doe not maintayne aſwell as we; and what, I pray you, could mooue them thus to doe, being ſworne ſubiects to the Church of Rome, but the euidence of truth, which ſhined ſo cleerely to their conſciences, that they neither could, nor durſt gaine-ſay the ſame?