The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry, Pillar 1 · Part 3

The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry · Pillar 1 · Part 3

p. 28The 3. part of the manifold vntruthes, forgeries, and bold denials of papistes; of manifest vntruthes Part. 3.

IT followeth now in the third place, hauing alreadie sufficiently discoursed of their personal slaunders, which they vomite and spue vp either against our Church in general, or against some particular members thereof: that now we lay open to the worlde, their vntruthes and lies, which in heapes are coyned and forged out of their shoppes, that whereas they accuse vsus of lying, saying most scornefully, That lies are as common with heretikes, as lice with beggers. Harding, it may euidentlie appeare to the world, whetherDefens apolog 597. of twaine be the greate lyers: And first of their forgeries. Neuer anie Heretikes were more cunning, or had better dexteritie, in forging of writinges, and foisting bookes of their owne deuising and making, vnderunder the name of other authors.

First the Canons of the Apostles, as they call them, which are fathered 1vponupon the Apostles, are but bastard writinges, falsely going vnderunder their name: for in the last canon the gospell written by S. Iohn is numbred among the bookes of the newe testament, which is confessed by all to hauehave beene penned by the Euangelist, after the death of all, or most of the Apostles: How could then these Canons (as they affirme,) be deuised and published by the Apostles them selues assembled together? Againe, those Canons of the Apostles, doe recken 3. bookes of the Macchabees amongest the canonicall scripture: But the papistes them selues receiue but two: if then they were perswaded them selues, that they were the verie Canons of the Apostles, how durst they disagree from them in opinion? Plura apud Whitacher. controu. 1▪ de scriptur. cap. 4.

The constitutions also of the Apostles, the collection whereof is ascribed p. 292to Clemens, seemeth to be but a forged booke: conteining many thinges false and friuolous: as lib. 6. cap. 14. He bringeth in Iames the brother of Iohn, writing and speaking with the rest of the Apostles, many yeares after his death. Lib. 6. cap. 7. he calleth Philip, spoken of Act. 8. an Apostle: but lib. 8. cap. 52. he maketh him but a Deacon.

Of the like credite are the counterfeit writinges which passe vnderunder the name of Abdias, Ignatius, Hippolytus, Policarpus, as it may appeare by the homely stuffe contained in them. Abdias prescribeth a most superstitious 3obseruation of Lent fast, not onelyonly in abstaining from all flesh-meates, but also from all carnall copulation betweene man and wife.

The same Abdias is also contrarie to himselfe, for he affirmeth that Paule suffered 2. yeares after Peter: And saith further that Paule, after Peter was crucified, remained in his custodie at Rome mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, which was, as Hierome saith, the 3. or 4. yeare of Nero: so that by this account, there must be 10. yeares space betweene the suffering of Paule and Peter, for it is confessed by all writers, that Paule suffered the 14. that is the last yeare of Nero.

Ignatius saith in his epistle to the Philippians, that if any man shal fast on 4Sunday, or Saturday, he is a murtherer of Christ: so hoat this counterfeit father is, about his counterfeit traditions.

Of the like authoritie is Policarpus epistle ad Philippen: which is gathered 5out of the Apocryphall constitutions of counterfeit Clemens.

Hippolytus booke is too ful of fables, then to be thought to be that auncient 6Martyrs worke: for writing of Antichrist, he saith, he shalbe no man, but a deuil in the shape of man: that Iohn the Euangelist shal come with Henoch and Helias, before the comming of Antichrist: that Antichrist shal bring deuils with him in the shape of Angels, and commaund them to carie him vp to heauen, with other such stuffe.

Now commeth in that vncleane dunghil of decretals, which are falsely attributed to those good Bishops of Rome, that suffered in the great persecutions in the primitiue age of the Church, for the testimonie of Iesus: As wee may strongly coniecture by the matter and substance of those decretals.

The epistle fathered vppon Alexander doth euidentlie appeare to 7be counterfeit by the date which it beareth: when Traianus and Helianus were Consuls. But there was neuer anie Helianus Consull with Traianus, Fulk. 1. Tim. 4. 13.

Euaristus Bishop of Rome is saide to hauehave decreed, that no priest 8should be ordained without a title. But it is not like, that the Church of Rome was in those daies of persecution deuided into cures and parishes, p. 30whereof they shoulde hauehave their titles: And this constitution seemeth rather to take his beginning at the Councell of Chalcedone, where it was enacted, that no priest, no entituled should be ordained: neyther is there any mention made in that place of any former decree prouided by Euaristus, Fox pag. 39.

To Zepherinus be 2. epistles ascribed, one written to the Bishops of 9Sicilia, the other to the Bishops of the prouince of Egypt: which containe no manner of doctrine or consolation fit for those times, but certaine rituall decrees to no purpose, which argue the said epistles, neither to fauor of that man, nor to tast of the time: for the poore persecuted Bishops in that time, were so farre from hauing any lust or leisure to seeke for any primacie, or to driue other Churches to appeale to the sea of Rome, or to exempt priestes from the accusation of lay-men, as in those epistles is to be seene, that they would hauehave beene glad to hauehave had any couert at all, to put their heades in.

Calixtus Bishop of Rome and martyr, hath 2. epistles decretall appointed 10him: wherein these ordinances amongest other are founde, that no action or accusation against the teachers and prelates of the Church should be admitted. And in the ende of the epistle hee confuteth the error of them which hould, that they which are fallen, are not to be receiued againe. But Nouatus was the first author of this error, wo followed in Cornelius time, after Calixtus: how then is it like that Calixtus could confute him? And againe concerning actions and accusations,Plura Fox pag. 58. it is not like that the time of so grieuous persecution would serue them to commense any law against their Bishops.

Vrbanus followeth, to whome also is ascribed an epistle decretall (comming 11out of the same forge) containing not one worde of consolation fitte for those times, but certaine straite preceptes for not transporting or alienating of the goods of the Church, and to pay truely their offeringes, which they vowe and such like.

But it is not like that in those heauie times of persecution, the Church was so greatly enriched (the constitution for tithes and oblations being not yet ordained) and when as men sought generally rather to spoyle and take from the Churche, then to giuegive vntounto it, that there needed such straite prouision for disposing of Church goods.

Pontianus, who succeded Urbanus, and was banished for the name of 12Christ, is fained in his epistles decretall thus to write: That God hath priestes so familiar with him, that by them he accepteth the offeringes and oblations of other, and forgiueth their sinnes and reconcileth them vntounto him. What could be said more of Christ, whome the Scripture maketh our onelyonly mediator and aduocate?

p. 31The decretall epistles of Fabianus Bishop of Rome, are euen as good 13stuffe as the rest of that sort: vntounto him are ascribed these ordinances: as of accusations against Bishops, of appealing to the Sea Apostolike, which decrees, how vnfit and vnbesitting they were those times of persecution, we hauehave shewed before: as also of not marrying within the fift degree, of communicating thrise a yeare: whereas Augustine, lyuing after this Fabian, almost 200. yeares, writeth thus of this matter, Omnibus diebus dominicis communicandum suadeo & hortor: VponUpon eueryevery Lords day I doe perswade and exhort all men to communicate: De eccles. dogmatib. cap. 54. How then is it like that Fabian decreed the contrarie of manie yeares before? Also it is to bee seene, that the most part of the third Epistle standeth worde for word in the epistle of Sixtus the third, who followed almost 200. yeares after him: Beside the vnseemely doctrine conteyned in the end of the epistles, where hee contrary to the tenor of the Gospell applyeth remission of sinnes (onelyonly due to the bloode of Christ) vntounto the offerings of bread and wine by men and women eueryevery Sunday in the Church.

Cornelius succeeded next to Fabianus, who is slaundered with 2. epistles decretall, which are apparant to bee none of his, both by the stile, which 14is most rude and barbarous (but Hierome reporteth of him, that hee was a verie eloquent man) and partly also by the matter: for in the first he writeth to all Ministers and brethren of the Church concerning the lifting vp of the bodies and bones of Peter and Paul, De catechumenis, & transposed to Vaticanū. In the second writing to Ruffus a Bishop of the east, he decreeth that no cause of Priests or Ministers be handled in any strange or forraine Court without his precinct, except only in the court of Rome by appellation. Who seeth not now by this litle, that these epistles were rather forged by the ambitious latter Bishops of Rome, who labored altogether to aduance the dignitie of their Sea, then by Cornelius, whom the troubles of the Church would not suffer to thinke of any such matter? And it is verie like, that he would hauehave interserted some word of comfort and consolation fit for those times, and made some mention of the great stirres betweene him and Nouatus: whereof there is not one word, in these decretals.

VntoUnto Lucius Bishop of Rome is referred by Gratian, distinct. 81. Ministri, 15this constitutiō, that no Minister whatsoeuer, after his ordination, should at any time reenter into the chamber of his owne wife. Such homely stuffe is not like to hauehave proceeded from those good Bishops, that died in Christs cause.

VponUpon Stephanus Bishop, are also fathered certayne epistles decretall, 16which by this may be gathered to be none of his. In the end of the second p. 32epistle, hee saith thus: Which thing is forbidden both by lawes ecclesiastical, and also secular. But what secular lawes could bee in that time in fauour of Bishops, as that no accusation should be laid against them, till they were restored to their estate? when as the Iudges were all then heathen, and their lawes tending to the destruction of the Christians and their faith. Againe in the 5. canon of the said epistle, he intreateth verie solemnlie of the difference betweene Primates, Metropolitans & Archbishops, which distinction, of titles and degrees rather sauouring of ambition, then of persecution may verilie giuegive vsus to suppose, that these epistles were not written by that Stephanus. Fox pag. 67.

Of the same stamp are the epistles ascribed to Caius Marcellinus, Eusebius, Milciades, Bishops of Rome.

Caius in his epistle decretal, willeth and commandeth all difficult questions 17in all prouinces whatsoeuer emerging, to be referred to the Sea Apostolike: How is it like that this was decreed by Caius, when as aboue an hundred yeare after, ann. 420. in the 6. Councell of Carthage, where Augustine was present, this priuiledge was denied to the sea of Rome, and the contrarie concluded, that no appeales should bee made thither from forraine countries, Plura apud Fox pag. 96. col. 2.

The epistle of Marcellinus, to get more authoritie with the reader, is admixed 18with a great part of S. Pauls epistle to the Ephesians word for word. And how is it like that Marcellinus, which died in the 20. yeare of Dioclesian, could write of consubstantialitie of the diuine persons, when that controuersie and terme of consubstantialitie was not heard of in the Church, before the Nicene Councell, which was 23. yeares after him? Fox ibid.

Eusebius in his decretall epistle writeth thus, In sede apostolica extra maculam 19semper catholica seruata est religio: That is, in the Apostolike Sea, alwayes the catholike religion hath beene preserued without any spotte or blemish. And yet his late predecessor Marcellinus, within his time and remembrance, did fall grieuously in sacrificing to Idols, though afterward hee repented thereof, and was condemned for the same, and expulsed the citie by the Councell of 300. Bishops. How then could Eusebius (this fault and error of his predecessor beeing so fresh in memorie) so report of the Apostolike Sea, that it was neuer stayned with any blemish in the faith? therefore it is apparant, that it was none of his doing.

The decretall epistle also of Milciades, bewrayeth it selfe to be counterfeite: 20wherein the forged author sheweth how much more worthie the popish sacrament of confirmation is then baptisme.

Thus I hope, it is a cleare case to anie man, that is not wilfully blinde, that those decretall epistles, are but forged and bastard writings, & those holy Bishops and Martyrs to be falsely reputed the authors thereof: considering p. 33that the matter therein conteyned neyther seemeth to be agreeable to those times, nor yet besitting the grauitie of their person: Beside these counterfeite decretals of the Bishops of Rome, they hauehave also many other of the like inuention.

In the decrees of Gratian, Distinction. 10. Quoniam, Is set foorth vnderunder Ciprians 21name, Ciprianus Iuliano imperatori, Ciprian to Iulian the Emperor: wherein it is affirmed, that the imperiall dignitie is subiect to the papall dignitie, as the inferior to the superior. But Ciprian lyued not in lulian the Apostata his time, not by 200. yeares: wherefore this is a lying glosse.

Siluesters constitution, whome I should before hauehave recyted amongst 22the number of the Bishops of Rome, That the Corporal, whereupon our Lords bodie lyeth vponupon the altar, must bee pure and plaine linnen, seemeth also to come out of the same forge, for the papistes practise is contrarie: they lay it vponupon a guilt patten, and they hauehave a certayne poke for reseruation, lyned indeed with linnen, but the out-side is silke, gold, siluer and pearles.

Dionisius booke de Eccles. Hierarchia, which commonly is thrust vponupon 23Dionisius Areopagita, who was conuerted by S. Paul, is worthily suspected not to bee of that authors doing, for his writings coulde not hauehave beene vnknowen to Eusebius, Hierome, Gennadius, who continued the catalogue of the principall writers of the Church for 500. yeares after Christ. And Dionisius Bishop of Corinth, who lyued in the raigne of Commodus, about ann. 185. writing of Dionisius Areopagita, declareth how hee was first conuerted to the faith by S. Paul, as it is in the Actes of the Apostles, and afterward was made Bishop of Athens: But of his booke de Hierarch, he hath not one word, Euseb. li. 4. ca. 23. Gulielmus Gracinus did read in his open lecture in the Church of S. Pauls, this book de eccl. Hierarch: who at the first entrance vehemently inueighed against those that held opinion, that Dionisius Areopag. was not author of that booke: but after a fewe weekes, being better aduised, hee altered his minde, and protested openly, that in his iudgement, Dionisius Areopag. mentioned in the Actes, was not author of that booke, Ex Erasm. ad Parisiens.

Historia passionis of S. Andrew & S. Martialis epist. ad Burdegalens. 24 25are but counterfeite fables, Fulk. Hebr. 10. sect. 9.

No better is that pamphlet, which goeth vnderunder Linus name, intituled 26De Petripassione. Which if it were true that is there reported: Peter was most iustly condemned, for entysing and leading away women from their husbands: Beza annot. Iohn 21. v. 19. against the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles.

The Liturgie of S. Iames, is but a late deuised toye, for Balsamon patriarke 27of Antioch sayth, that the Liturgie of S. Iames was not extant in his p. 34time, but vtterly worne away. Fulke annot. 1. Corinth. 11. sect. 10.

No maruell then, if these good fellowes make it not dayntie to belie the auncient Bishops and Martyrs, with phantasticall and forged pamphlets, seeing that they presume without blushing, to vtter their forgeries, both of the Apostles themselues and vnderunder their names: not much vnlike to the olde heretikes the Manichees, and others, that scattered abroade hereticall deuises vnderunder the Apostles names, as the Apocalypse of S. Paul, whereof S. Augustine maketh mention, Tract. in Iohann. 98. Another booke of S. Thomas the Apostle, Augustine epist. 38. Certayne Epistles fathered vponupon the Apostles, August. in Psalm. 47. Yea they conteyned not them selues here, but in their foolish conceyte deuised fables more auncient then the floode, as the booke of Henoch: whereof Augustine speaketh, de ciuitat. Dei. lib. 18. cap. 38. And yet were more impudent: for they alleadged an Epistle, which they say was of Christes owne writing: August. cont. Faust. lib. 28. cap. 4. I would now our aduersaries did not giuegive vsus occasion, by these imaginarie and decoytfull writings of theirs, which they would notwithstanding to bee reputed as sound and substantiall, to compare them in this respect, to those heretikes of elder time.

Let vsus now see what other phantasies they hauehave, which doe maske vnderunder the name of later writers.

In the Liturgie (that beareth the name of Chrysostome) which the papistes 28call Chrysostomes Masse, as it is set foorth by Cla…dius du Sanctis, there is a prayer for Pope Nicholas, and the Emperour Alexius, whereof the one was neare 500. yeares, the other 700 yeares after Chrysostome: Iudge therefore (Christian reader) whether it bee likely to bee Chrysostomes.

The Liturgie bearing the name of Basill▪ sheweth it selfe to bee none 29of his, because it obserueth not that forme of doxologie, that is, prayse to the holy Ghost, with the prepositiō foreign which Basil doth so earnestly maintayne to be deriued from the Apostles tradition, de Spirit. sanct. cap. 27. 28.

There are 4. bookes interserted among Cirils commentaries vppon 30Iohn, which were composed by Iodocus Clictouaeus, to supplie so many bookes of Cirils wanting: yet are they commonly alleadged by our aduersaries in Cirils name.

Paulinus Bishop of Nola his epistles forged: For epistle 1…. hee writeth 31thus of the wood of the crosse: That it hath such an incorruptible vertue, that it susteyneth no diminishing, but continueth, as though it had neuer beene touched, men daily taking part of it. Which is so grosse a fable that the Censors appointed according to the Councell of Trent, in their Ind. expurgat. commanded it to be put out.

How many bookes are foysted into Augustines workes, it were to long to p. 35rehearse: for as he in number of his workes exceeded any one of the auncient doctors of the Church beside, which are reckoned to 232, bookes, beside his homilies, and epistles, which were more then as many againe: So foolish men hauehave presumed to be most bold with his writings, defiling his learned workes with ridiculous additions of their owne. All I cannot, neither is it needful in this place to recite: onelyonly for some trial of the matter, I will set downe these fewe.

The questions, Veteris & noui testamenti, are none of Augustines, for 32quest. 21. it is affirmed that Melchisedech was the holy ghost, which opinion is heresie with Augustine: and in his booke de haeresib. he numbreth the Melchisedechians amongest other heretikes. Therefore Augustine is not the author: and this Bellarm. confesseth, De sacrament. lib. 2. cap. 10. yet is the authoritie of this booke vrged by our Rhemistes as sound: Annot. 1. Corinth. sec. 5.

Saint Augustine not the author of the serm. de sanctis, for the author of 33these homilies alleadgeth the testimonie of Isidorus, who liued about 200 yeares after Augustine.

August. ser. 91. and 251. none of Augustines: the author saith that the 34mightie men, when they come to Church, compell the priest to make short his masse: this manner agreed not with Augustines age.

The booke de visitatione infirmorum, none of his: Erasmus saieth it is the 35speech of a brabler, neither learned nor eloquent, and most impudently entituled to S. Augustine.

The 215. serm. de tempore, the treatise de rectitud. Cathol. conuersat. none 36of Augustines. Fulk. annot. Galath. 4. sect. 2.

The booke de dogmatib. ecclesiastic. none of Augustines, for the author of 37that booke excludeth those from orders that had eyther more wiues then one, or one concubine. By this rule Augustine could neuer hauehave beene a Bishop, for he had two cōcubines. And many other beside these are found to be counterfeit bookes, as he that wil take the paines to peruse Erasmus censures vponupon Augustines workes, shall easily finde.

The last forgery, which I will charge our aduersaries withall in this place, 38shalbe concerning the donation of Constantine, vponupon the which the Bishop of Rome doth ground his supreame dominion and right ouer al the political gouernmēt of the west partes. The which said donation is but a forged and deuised deede, or instrument of their owne.

For the donation saith that Constantine was baptised at Rome of Siluester, and the 4. day after his baptisme, this patrimonie was giuen before his battaile against Maximinus and Li…inius. Here are manie vntrueths couched together. 1. Because the trueth of the storie of Constantines baptisme is otherwise reported by Eusebius, Hierom, p. 36Ruffin, Socrates, Theodoret, Sozomen, that Constantine was baptized at Nicomedia, not at Rome, and by Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia, not by Siluester, and not before that battaile, but in the xxxi. yeare of his raigne, a little before his death. 2. whereas the saide donation giueth iurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome ouer the 4. patriarchall seas of Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, Hierusalem: how could this be done before his battell with Maximinus, when as the citie of Constantinople was not yet begunne? So this forged donation, neither agreeth with itselfe, nor with others. Plura apud Fox. pag. 105.

All this notwithstanding, which we hauehave not barely and nakedlie affirmed, but I trust, sufficientlie prooued, and to the indifferent Reader by more then probable argumentes demonstrated, that our aduersaries hauehave vsed much deceit, in conueying false and forged writinges, vnderunder auncient authors names, yet they will needes beare the worlde in hand, that there is no such matter, but that they are those authors proper and peculiar workes. Whereupon they are boulde in euerie controuersie, as they hauehave occasion, to presse vsus with their light and vaine authorities:

As the constitut. of Clemens, alleadged by the Rhom. annot. Luk. 4. sec. 1. Ignatius, Math. 4. sec. 2. & 1. Peter. 2. sect. 6. Hippolytus. Math. 24. sec. 5. Policarpus. Act. 6. sec. 1. Decret. Alexandri. 1. Timoth. 4. sec. 13. Milc…adi Fabian. Act. 8. sect. 6. Dionisi. Areop. ibid. S. Andrew, S. Martial. Hebr. 10. sect. 11. Leiturg. Iacob. Basil. Chrysost. 1. Corinth. 11. sect. 10. Iodoc. Clicton. for Cirill. Iohn. 11. sect. 1. Paulinus. Iohn. 19. sect. 2.

August. serm. de sanct. Act. 1. sect. 7. de rectit…d. cathol. conuers. de visitation. infirmor. serm. de tempor. Galath. 4. sect. 2. de ecclesiastic. dogmatib. 1. Corinth. 11. sect. 7.

Thus we see both the great boldnes of our aduersaries, in vrging such authorities which they knowe to be counterfeit, as also the apparant weakenesse of their cause, that are constrained to vse such beggerlie shiftes. But let them vse and vrge these stragling runnagate and fatherlesse bookes neuer so much, wee will still holde vsus to this point, wherein they shall neuer be able to disproue vsus, that they do deceiue them selues, and abuse the world, in making men to beleeue that they are the fathers owne writinges. Wee say therefore of these, and of all such other bookes, as Augustine did of that, which went in Henoehs name: Libriisti ob nimiam antiquitatem reijciuntur: These bookes are too old to be true: De ciuitat. dei. lib. 18. cap. 38. And concerning some of them, as those which are fathered vponupon the Apostles, and them that followed in the next age, as Augustine saith of the epistle, which the Manichees ascribed to Christ: Si aliqua huiusmodi epistola fuit, ab eis proferri p. 37potuit, qui illi adhaerebant: So if they wrote any such bookes, it is like they would hauehave brought them to light, that were the Apostles schollers, cont. Faust. lib. 22. cap. 79. And of them all, and the rest of that sort, wee pronounce this sentence with the same father: Quae proferuntur ab errantibus sub nomine ipsorum, quia non sunt ipsorum, improbantur, nec acceptantur ab ecclesia: Those bookes which are brought forth vnderunder the name (of the Apostles, and other auncient writers) because they are not theirs, are reiected, and not receiued, or acknowledged of the Churche, in Psal. 130.

Thus hauing in part declared (so much as I thought necessary for the matter in hand) how deceitfully our aduersaries hauehave dealt with the worlde, giuing them, Quid pro quo, as wee say, one thing for an other, in falsely entituling their friuolous pamphletes, with graue and good authors names: I will spende a little time, before I leaue this place, to shewe how they hauehave not onelyonly thrust vppon those auncient doctors and fathers false writinges, but hauehave also falsified their good woorkes, by putting in, and putting out, by clipping, chaunging and altering, lines, wordes, sentences: And no maruaile then, if by such cunning (rather cousoning sleightes) they make those good authors to speake what they list them selues.

Ann. 420. There was a councell held in Africa, by 217. Bishoppes, 39called the 6. councell of Carthage, whereat Augustine was present: vntounto this councell sent Zosimus then Bishop of Rome certaime messengers with fower requestes or demaundes, whereof this was one: that it might be lawfull for Bishops or Priestes to appeale from the sentence of their Metropolitanes, and also of the councel, to the sea of Rome, alleadging for him selfe certaine wordes, as he pretended, taken out of the Nicene councell. Hereupon the councell sent their Legates to Cirillus patriarke of Alexandria, for the auncient copies in Greeke of the Nicene councell: wherein they found no such canon as was pretended: but the contrarie, howe the decrees of the Nicene councell had committed all and singular persons Ecclesiasticall, vntounto the charge of their Metropolitanes. Thus then, to beginne this game withall, the Bishops of Rome them selues are proued to bee forgers and falsifiers of auncient writinges. Plura apud Fox. pag. 10.

Canisius reporting Augustines wordes, for the continuall succession of 40the Bishops of Rome from Peter, alleadgeth onelyonly the former part of the sentence: Cathedra quid tibi fecit Ecclesiae Romanae, in qua Petrus sedit, & in qua hodie Anastasius sedet? What hath the sea of the Church of Rome offended thee, wherein Peter sometime sat, and Anastasius now sitteth? but he craftilie leaueth out that which followeth: Vel ecclesiae p. 38Hierosolymitanae, in qua Iacobus sedit, & in qua hodie Iohannes sedet? Or what hath the sea of Ierusalem offended thee, wherein Iames sometime sat, and Iohn nowe sitteth? these wordes he cunningly suppresseth, because they made little for him. Canis. oper. catechistic. cap. de praecept. eccles. artic. 9.

Christoforson translating Eusebius storie into latine, where Nouatus 41is brought in, thus adiuring the people that came to the oblations, holding both their handes in his: sweare to me by the bodie and blouds of the Lorde Iesus, that thou wilt not leaue me and go to Cornelius, and he refused to distribute vntounto them, till that, they swearing vntounto him, in steade of Amen, to be saide at the receiuing of breade, shoulde aunswere, I will not returne to Cornelius. Christoforson, I say comming to these wordes, craftilie leaueth out the name of breade: because the author so calleth it in plaine termes after consecration. Christofor. lib. 6. cap. 43.

The Rhemist. 1. Corinth. 10. sec. 8. speaking of their popish sacrifice 42of the Masse, alleadge the authoritie of Ciril. Alexand, in concil. Ephesin. Anathem. 11. where he should call it: The quickening holy sacrifice, the vnbloody hoast and victime. But this is a false forgerie, for there is no such worde found there. Likewise in the same place they quote Tertullian de coron. militis. Chrisost. homil. 41. in 1. Corinth. Ciprian. epist. 66. August. Enchirid. 109. That the Masse is a propitiatorie sacrifice for the liuing and dead, which is founde to be a great vntrueth: for those authors in some of these places speake of praier for the dead, but of any such propitiatorie sacrifice not one word. Fulk. ibid.

Gregor. Nyssen. oration cap. 37. is made to speake much of the transmutation 43of the bread in the sacrament, and it is often repeated: but there is no such thing found in many auncient copies. And Nicephorus writeth, that many things were foisted into him by heretikes Niceph. lib. 11. cap. 19.

The wordes of Ciprian de vnitat. Eccles. are falsified by Pammelius, for 44whereas Ciprian writeth thus: Uerilie the rest of the Apostles were the same thing that Peter was, endued with equall fellowship, both of honor and power, but the beginning proceedeth from one, that the church may be declared to be one. But the Rhemistes according to their corrupt edition, reade thus: But the beginning proceedeth from one, the primacie is giuen to Peter, that the Church of Christ may be shewed to be one, and one Chaire. Fulk. Iohn. 21. sect. 4.

In like sort hauehave the papistes corrected, as they say, but in deede corrupted 45other writinges of the auncient fathers, and especially Bertram amongest the rest, who is a great enemie to their popish opinion of transubstantiation. They meane to deale with him, as with other ancient writers, In whom, say they, we beare verie many errors, and extenuate them, excuse them, and verie oftentimes by deuising some pretie shift wee doe denie them, p. 39and doe fayne some commodious sense vntounto them, when they are opposed against Index expurgat. p. 11.vsus, This is the iudgement of the vniuersitie of Doway, in their owne words approoued by the Censors according to the Councell of Trent. And thus they meant to hauehave filed, nay rather defiled althe auncient writings, where they seemed to contradict them, as it appeareth in their Index expurgatorius, lately printed to their perpetual shame, which they purposed to keepe in secret: Hee that will resort to that booke, shall not want proofe of their Popish falsifying of writers.

And it were to bee wished, that they would hauehave stayed here, (though this bee shamefull enough, onelyonly to hauehave defaced the writinges of men: but when they take vponupon them to correct and amend the sacred Scriptures, which are the Lords owne writings, who will not crie out against so great impietie?

As Dan 11. 37. Where the text according to the Hebrue is: Hee shall not 46regard the Gods of his fathers, nor the desires of women. Bellarm. readeth cleane contrarie, taking vponupon him to correct the text, Erit in concupiscentijs mulierum, He shalbe giuen to the pleasures of women.

Whereas S. Paul sayth, Tit. 3. 10. Reiect him that is an heretike after once 47or twise admonition: Bellarm. denieth the text, and saith it should rather be thus read, after once admontion, De laicis cap. 22.

Likewise where the true reading is agreeable to the originall, Galath. 482. 9. Iames, Cephas, and Iohn: Bellarmne, not well content that Iames should be named before Peter, sayth the more auncient reading is thus, Peter, Iames, and Iohn. De Roman. pontif. lib. 1. cap. 18.

Iudith cap. 5. ver. 18. The text sayth, That the Temple of the Iewes had bene 49cast downe to the ground: Bellarmne, to make his opinion stande, that the storie of Iudith fell out before the captiuitie, saith flatly that these words are supposititia, are foysted into the text. And this booke of Iudith, though it be not with vsus, yet is Scripture with them. Bellar. lib. 1. de verb. dei 12.

Leuit. 18. 16. Whereas the text is plaine, Thou shalt not discouer the 50shame of thy brothers wife: There steppeth me foorth a bold & shamefull papist, and saith plainely: Illud praeceptum vitio scriptorum superadditum, That this precept was put into the text through the default or ouersight of the writer. Iohan. Maior. in 4. sentent. distinct. 40. qu. 3.

And as they are not ashamed thus boldly and wickedly to defaulke & clippe from the Scriptures, so an otherwhile, they will bee so saucie as to adde thereunto, and put to of their owne.

Thus Pope Sixtus the 4. added this clause to the salutation of Marie, 51which is commonly called the Aue Marie: hayle Marie full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongest women, then followeth that blasphemous addition, Et benedicta sit Anna mater tua, de qua sine macula tua pro cessit caro virginea, And blessed is Anna thy mother, of whom thy Virgines p. 40flesh hath proceeded without blot of originall sinne, Fox 800. col. 2.

So in the Idolatrous canon of the Masse, they hauehave thrust in (Enim) into 52the words of institution: HOc enim est corpus meum, For this is my bodie: that they might hauehave fiue consecratorie words, as they call them, whereas the Gospell affoordeth them but foure.

Likewise in the same canon: the Gospell saith, who the same night 53that hee was betrayed: but they contrary to the trueth of the scripture, say thus: Who the next day afore hee suffered.

The like libertie also and boldnesse Hosius an other Arch-papist vseth 54in corrupting of scripture, who to prooue popish satisfaction, In steed of sanctificationē, readeth, satisfactionem: where S. Paul sayth, Exhibeamus membra Hosius in confess. cathol. fidei de sacram. poenitent.nostra seruire iustitiae in sanctificationem, Let vsus giuegive our members to serue righteousnesse vntounto sanctification, Rom. 6. 19. Hee saith altering the text, vntounto satisfaction.

So also Stapleton, an english papist, and reader now of Popish diuinitie at Louaine, to prooue that wee are bound to receyue, whatsoeuer the 55Church deliuereth vntounto vsus, abuseth to that end a certaine place of S. Paul, Galat. 1. 8. 9. Alleadging it thus, Si angelus de coelo euangelizaret praeterquam quod ab ecclesia accepimus, &c. If an angel should euangelize or preach otherwise, then wee hauehave receyued of the Church, or then the Maisters of the Church hauehave preached to vsus, let him bee accursed, Lib. 2. defens. authorit. eccles. cap. 7. sect. 8. Whereas S. Paul maketh no mention at all of the Church, or Church-maisters.

Thus wee see, what great libertie the Papistes take vntounto themselues, in 56chaunging, and chopping, minsing and mangling, not the writings onelyonly of men, but euen of the holy Ghost. Who, if they shall persist in these fraudulent practises, and not reuoke, what hath eyther of ignorance or hereticall fraud fallen out of their penne, I will not doubt to compare thē to the old Manichees, who likewise affirmed that many things were foysted into the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles. As that Iohn 5. 46. Had yee beleeued Moses, yee would hauehave beleeued me. Christ say they, would not so speake of Moses: for hee saith, that all that went before him, were theeues. Iohn 10. But Christ in that place speaketh of hirelings onelyonly, he condemneth not faithful shepheards that went before him, August. lib. 16. cont. Faust. That also seemeth (they say) to bee thrust in, Math. 5. That Christ sayth, He came to fulfill the law, when as he neither obserued their ceremonies, nor offered sacrifice according to the law. To this Augustine answereth: That these were but figures, Quarum figurarum veritas Christus. Of which figures Christ was the trueth: he therefore fulfilled the law, in that he was the verie bodie and substance of the types and figures of the law, cont. Faust. lib. 18. cap. 17. That place also they would hauehave to bee forged, Math. 8. Many shall come from the east, & sit downe with Abraham, &c. p. 41Because say they Luke hath it not. Augustine aunswereth, that the Euangelistes are not contrarie one to the other, if one set downe that which the other hath omitted. cont. Faust. lib. 33. I pray ye now, how farre are they from the practise of these heretikes, which do take vponupon them to amend and correct the text of scripture, by putting in and pulling out, adding and detracting: which our aduersasaries (as I hauehave shewed) are in some measure guiltie of? Wee proceede now to that which followeth.