The Papists Reasons of State and Religion, Reason of religion 11
Reaſon of Religion. 11 11. REASON OF RELIGION.
A religion that hath beene teſtified by the blood and ſanctitie of ſuch Martirs and Confeſſours as ouraThey ſhould hauehave named theſe Martyrs; and then queſtionleſse they would not hauehave proved to bee Popiſh. Adverſaries thēſelues allow of, and hold them glorious in heaven; & either all the points of her doctrine, or the moſt controverted and weightieſt, witneſſed by evidence ofbMoſt lying ſignes of Antichriſt. moſt authenticall miracles, by the records of c all ages, and by the diſcuſſing cenſure and approbatiō of general Counſells,collected in parte by Bredenbrachius in ſuis collationib. the higheſt conſiſtorie on earth, &dThe Papiſtles preferre their Cōciliables before the word of God. oracles of greateſt infallibility, as being the ſentences of all the beſt learned in the world aſſembled togither, and holpen in the affaire by theaMat.Theſe places doe not prove Councels to bee infallible Oracles. 18.20. &. 28 20. preſence of Chriſt our Saviour, by thebIoh. 14.16. & 16.13 Act. 15.20. aſſiſtāce of the Holy Ghoſt, and bycIoh. 17.17. Luk. 22.31. our Lords promiſe and praier.
Reſolution of the 11. Reaſon.
Popiſh religion hath beene teſtified by the blood and ſanctitie of ſuch Martyrs and Conſeſſours as the Proteſtants themſelues allowe of; and all her doctrine witneſſed by miracles, and approved by Councels.
Ergo.
It is true religion, and ſo to be tolerated.
ANSWERE.
I. To the Antecedent.
1 WE do not allow of any Martyrs of the Popiſh religion. Yea, we expreſſely affirme, that the ſufferings of ſuch, is not martyrdome, but due puniſhmēt of their offences, and a recompenſe according vntounto their deſerts: ſuch was the puniſhment & execution of Thomas Becket, Iohn Fiſher, Sir Thomas More & ſuch other holy traitours and martyrs of Popiſh religion; whoſe farther iudgment we leave vntounto the Lord.
2 As for the Sanctity of Popiſh Cōfeſſours, we iudge it deepe hypocriſie, and wicked diſſimulation. For howe can a man be holy in that religion, which hath a ſhew of godlines, but denieth the power thereof? Such holy Hypocrites were, Benedict, Francis, Dominike, mencioned by the Suppliants, and thouſands moe.
3 No part of Popery, no one point thereof, was ever confirmed by miracles: except it were by the lying wonders of Antichriſt; whoſe comming (as the Apoſtle teſtifieth) is by the effectuall working of Satan, with all power, and ſignes, & lying wōders; & in all deceive ablenes of vurighteouſnes. 2. Theſ. 2.9.10.
4 The definitions of generall Councels, are no ſuch Oracles of greateſt infallibility; for they may erre, and have oftentimes erred. The Coūcel of Carthage decreed rebaptization. At the 3. Councel of Autioch, Athanaſius was condemned, and the Arrian hereſie was approved. In the Councell of Ariminum, the ſame hereſie was allowed alſo. The 2. Councel Epheſine favoured the hereſie of Eutiches. the Councel of Neocaeſarea condemned ſecond marriages. Cōcil. Toletan. 1. decreed that he that keepeth a Cō cubine, ſhould not be repelled from the cōmunion. The 6. generall Synode decreed the marriages between Catholiques & Heretiques to be voide: they condemned alſo the eating of the blood of any beaſt. The 2. Councell Nicene concluded that Angels and the Soules of men hauehave bodies of their owne, and that they may be pictured and painted; this Councell allowed the worſhipping of images; which the Eliberine Councel long before had flatly forbidden. In the Councell of Rome Stephanus VI. revoked all the acts of Pope Formoſus, his predeceſſour: which in the Councell of Ravenna vnderunder Iohn X. were eſtabliſhed againe, and Stephanus his decrees abrogated. Therefore the Definitions of Councels are not infallible oracles, as the Suppliants vaunt; and thoſe places of Scriptures, which they quote, are nothing at all to their purpoſe; as the godly Reader at the firſt view of the text, may ſoone vnderſtand.
II To the Conſequence.
1 IF Popiſh religiō were teſtified, by the blood of martyrs, & holines of Cōfeſſours; if it were approved by Councels: yet doth it not follow, that it muſt needs therefore be true religion; for Martyrs, Cōfeſſours, & Coūcels may erre, and have erred oftentimes.
2 Popery is manifeſtly knowne to be a falſe religiō, becauſe the Papiſts goe about to confirme and eſtabliſh it, by lying miracles and wonders; as the old ancient heretikes did before.