The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry, Pillar 1 · Part 4
The bould and shamelesse denials of Papistes of manifest truthes, Part. 4.
AS we hauehave alreadie receiued some taste of our aduersaries railinges, slaunders, forgeries: so we wil now be so bould as to reach our handes to this fourth dish of their first course, which is their too free denial of apparāt truthes, & too forward affirming of open & manifest vntruthes: for the first, we finde plentifull store, in our countriman M. Hardinges garden, that we neede seeke no further.
First, it was neuer said, nor thought by the Catholikes (saith he) that all religion dependeth vponupon the popes authoritie, defens. apolog. pag. 57. And yet Cardinall Cusanus writeth thus: Veritas adhaeret cathedrae: The trueth cleaueth fast to the popes chaire. Ad Bohem. epist. 2. The Canonistes say: Constat ecclesiam ideo esse vnam, quia in vniuersali ecclesia vnum est caput supremum, scilicet papa: It is plaine that therefore the Church is one, because in the whole vniuersal Church, there is but one supreme head, and that is the pope. ex Iuello pag. 61. What doe these else affirme, but that althe popish religion dependeth of the vnitie of their head, which is the pope?
That the pope should succeede Christ in his whole substance, that is, his whole power: there hath not bene any such fond saying vttered by their diuines. Hard. pag. 106. defen. apolog. Yet these wordes were spoken, and allowed in the councel of Laterane held vnderunder pope Iulius: Tibi data est omnis potestas in coelo & interra: VntoUnto you is giuen al power in heauen and earth. And Panormitane is suffered to say, Papa potest omnia, quae Deus potest: The pope is able to doe whatsoeuer God is able to do, Panor. de elect. ca. licet.
He denieth that there is any such Canon to be found in the councel of Carthage, that no Bishop should be called the highest Bishop. And yetDistinct. 99. primae. they are the very wordes of the councel, as they are cited by Gratiane. Vniuersalis autem, ne Romanus pontifex appelletur: Let not the Bishop of Rome him selfe be called the vniuersall Bishop.
He denieth that pope Zosimus to maintaine the supremacie of his sea,4. corrupted the Nicene councell. Neuer did any honest man say it from the beginning of the world: No man euer said it but Illyricus & Bale. pag. 162. Whereas the storie is plaine, for the councell of Carthage sent to the Bishops of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antiochia, and receiued authenticall copies from them in Greeke of the Nicene councell: the popes onelyonly copie was found to disagree from the rest. It is therefore easie to see, by whom the Canons of the councel were corrupted, & to what purpose. In the councel of Florence, Marcus the Archbishop of Ephesus saide, in the name of the rest of the Bishops of the Greeke Church, who were aboue 17. in number: Nonne vides, reuerende pater, summum pontificem Zosimum, falsū decretum ad tantum Conciliū pro re tam magna misisse? Do you not see, reuerend father, that pope Zosimus the high Bishop sent vntounto so worthy a councel, for a matter of so great waight, a false decree? cōcil, Florēt. sess. 20. How dare then M. Harding affirme, that neuer any honest man said it?
We denie vtterly, that any man after that he hath receiued holy orders may marrie: Neither can it be shewed that the mariage of such, was euer accounted lawfull in the Catholike Church. Hard. pag. 203. yet S. Hierome saith of his time: Quasi non hodie quo que plurimi sacerdotes habeant matrimonia: As though now a daies very many priestes are not maried: Aduers. Iouinian. lib. 1. And Damasus testifieth, Complures inueniuntur, qui de sacerdotib▪ nati Apostolicae sedi praefuerunt: Many are found that being priestes sonnes ruled the Apostolique sea of Rome: as pope Syluerius, pope Deusdedit, popeDistinct. 37. legunt. Adriane 2. pope Iohn 15. and diuers other, ex Gratian. M. Harding therefore hath faced vsus out here in denying so euident a trueth.
We say plainely that S. Augustine affirmeth purgatorie, and that it cannot be shewed, where he doubteth of it. Hard. pag. 354. And yet Augustine writeth thus, speaking of purgatory: Tale aliquid etiā post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est, & vtrum ita sit, quaeri potest: Some such thing to be after this life it is not incredible, & whether it be so or no, it may be a question, ad Dulcitium quaest. 1. Let any indifferent man now iudge whether Augustine doubteth of purgatorie or not.
That fornication was neuer allowed in the catholike Church, (he meaneth the Church of Rome.) Hard. pag. 7. defens. apolog. Neither hauehave the Canonistes euer taught the people, that simple fornication is no sin. pag. 411. For triall of this matter, let vsus heare what their canonistes say: Etsi notoria sit fornicatio presbyterorū, tamen non propter eā abstinendum est ab officijs illorum: Although the fornication of priestes be notorious, yet may no man therefore refraine from their seruice. distinct. 32. Nullus Iohan. Andre…. M. Harding himselfe calleth the open Stewes in Rome, a necessarie euil, forauoiding of other disorders that would be greater. Againe, Qui non habet vxorem, loco illius concubinam habere licet: It is lawfull for him that hath no wife, in stead of her to hauehave a concubine. distinct. 34. 15. qui. An other saith, Si clericus amplectitur mul…erem, laicus interpretabitur, quòd causa benedicendi eam hoc faciat: If a priest embrace a woman, a lay man must iudge, that he doth it with intent to blesse her. 11. quaest. 3. absit in glossa: By this it may appeare, what account the Church of Rome in time past hath made of fornication, and whether it were tolerated amongst them or not.
Harding saith, that the whores in Rome hauehave not free libertie of dwelling in the haunted streetes, and pallaces, but onelyonly in outhouses and bylanes: neither is it lawfull for them to ride in Coches or Chariots, but only to go a foote in the streetes: and that by their short vailes, a note of dishonestie, they are discerned from honest women, pag. 423. All these are descried to be manifest lyes and vntruthes: for the Cardinals gaue cleaneAn▪ 1538. contrarie information to Pope Paul the third: Meretrices in hac vrbe, vt matronae incedunt, mula vehuntur, habitant insignes aedes: the courtizans of this citie goe like honest matrones, being carried vponupon Mules & dwel in the fairest houses, ex Iuello defens. Apol. 426. Thus we see what credite is to be giuē to master Harding, & what small conscience he maketh of a li….
Master Harding impudently denyeth, and so do other Papistes, that a woman named Ioan was euer Pope of Rome, & that there is no such image representing a woman in trauaile, nor no such chaire for proofe of the Popes humanitie at his creation, neither that the Popes in their procession refraine to go that way, where the said Pope Ioane in the middest of a solemne procession fel in trauel, P. 428. Yet the storie is reported by Marianus Scotus that liued an. 1028. Sigibert. Gemblacens. that liued ann. 1100. Martinus Polonus, the Popes Penitentiarie, who wrote ann. 1320. witnesses of great antiquitie. B. Iuell reckoneth vp 16. authors beside, that report the same thing, & none of them all Lutherans. That there is such an image representing such a fact, & that the Pope of purpose refraineth that way, it is testified by Theodoricus Niemus the Popes Secretarie. And concerning the holow chaire of Porphyrie stone, which is kept for such an vse, Sabellicus doth report Enead. 9. li. 1. plura apud Iuell. P. 433. Now who is more like to be the lier, M. Harding, a new vpstart writer, or these so many auncient witnesses, I thinke, it is not hard to iudge.
He denieth the storie of Iohn Diazius death, how hauing bin a doctor of Sorbona in Paris, & afterward conuerted to the Gospel, was most traiterously slaine by his owne brothers Alphonsus Diazius man at Nuburg in Germanie: how he was sent vp by his master with a carpenters axe to kill him, & so he did, his master Alphonsus waiting below, and the quarel was, because good Iohn Diazius would not returne to Poperie againe: this is the truth of the storie, as it is faithfully reported by Iohn Sleidan, li. 17. Yet M. Harding saith, we …el manie lies at once, P. 435. what now, wil not these good fellowes denie?
That the Pope euer cōmaunded any such seruice to be done vntounto him, as that the Emperour should hold his stirrop, & lead his horse by the brydle, ye can neuer shew it by any credible witnesse, Harding Pag. 463. yet in the Popes own booke of Ceremonies, ca. 8. it is found thus writen: The Emperor cōmeth to the popes horse, & in honor of our Lord Iesus Christ, whose person in earth the Pope beareth: hee holdeth the stirrop till the Pope be mounted, and afterward he taketh the brydle and leadeth foorth his horse. This is the Popes owne prescription in his booke of Ceremonies. And therefore Pope Hadrian. 2. was angrie with the Emperour Frederike, for holding his stirrop on the wrong side, Gregor. Haimburgens. in appellat. Sigismund. It seemeth therefore, that the Pope looked for this seruice of duetie.
It is denyed that the Pope put in armes Henricus. 5. against Henrie the fourth, his father, Hard. 469. Yet is it reported by an author of good credit, Paschalis Papa, Principes contra Henricum 4. concitauit, imo eius proprium filium: Pope Paschalis raised vp the Nobilitie against Henry the fourth, yea his owne sonne, Gregor. Haimburgens.
He denieth, that euer any of them taught, that Gods sayings and precepts be voide, except the Bishop of Rome ratifie them, pag. 487. Yet are they the verie wordes of Siluester Prierias, master of the Popes pallace: A doctrina Romanae ecclesiae, & Romani Pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit & authoritatem: The holie Scripture taketh strength and authoritie of the doctrine of the Romane Church, and of the Bishop of Rome: Siluest. Prier. contr. Lutherum.
He saith, it is a slaunder, that any of them should call the Scriptures dumbe and vnprofitable, pag. 535. Whereas it is certaine, they be their owne wordes: One calleth the Scripture, mortuum atramentum, dead inke. Lodouic. in Concil. Trident. Another saith: Scriptura est res inanimis & muta, The Scripture is a dead and dumbe thing, Episcop. Pictauiens. Another calleth them Euangelium nigrum, the blacke Gospell, Eckius consul. Iuell. defens. Apolog. pag. 535.
It is denyed, that there is any such Canon in the olde Roman Councell,…5 16 that no man should come to seruice said by a Priest well knowen to keepe a Concubine. It is also false and slaunderous, that Concubines are let out to ferme to Priestes, Harding, pag. 559. Yet for the one, the words of the decree stand thus, Nullus audiat Missam presbyteri quem scit Concubinam indubitanter habere, Let no man heare the Masse of that Priest, whome hee vndoubtedly knoweth to keepe a Concubine, Distinct. 32. Nullus. And for the other, it is certaine, that the Bishoppe of Argentine hath a Florence by the yeare of euerie Priest, that keepeth a Concubine, and if shee beare a Childe, hee hath foure, Ex Iuell. pag. 559. apolog. defens.
These apparant vntruthes, and impudent denials, I thought good for example to note out of our countri-mans works. Who list to know more of his honest dealing, if he will resort to Bishop Iewels learned treatises, shall finde his desire satisfied both in this, and in all other matters, which he can require. And concerning M. Hardings great licentiousnesse in auouching falshods, the said reuerend father thus writeth of him: Note that master Harding in his 3. articles of aunswere to master Iuell, hath published69 Vntruthes in one book. threescore and nine great vntruthes, Defens. Apolog. pag. 597. in Margin.
Iudge now (good Christian reader) considering how easie and vsuall a thing it is with our aduersaries to denye whatsoeuer truth, neuer so manifest which they are pressed withall, if it may not be more truely saide of them, that their religion standeth onelyonly vponupon destructions and negatiues,1. Pet. 5. vers. 31. Rh…m. then of vsus, whome the Rhemistes falsely accuse hereof. In deede, wee affirme and auouch boldly, that which is true, and denie and destroy heresie and falshood. But, I trust, they cannot, neither shall euer prooue against vsus, that wee hauehave denied or gainsaid manifest truthes, as they hauehave done.
VntoUnto these strange denyals of open and euident truthes, ioyne also, if you please, their bold and strange affirmations of vntruthes.
That their doctrine of transubstantiation is no lesse auncient than the Gospell it selfe, Harding, pag. 290. Whereas it is confessed by Gabriel Biel, a doctor of their owne; that how the bodie of Christ should be in the Sacrament, whether by changing of somewhat into it, or Christes bodie begin to be there together with the bread, Manentib. substantia & accidentib. panis, The substance and accidents of the bread remaining still, non inuenitur (saith he) expressum in canone Bibliae, It is not found in the Canon of the Bible. Gabriel. in canon. lect. 40. and D. Tonstall saith, liberum fuit ante Concilium Lateranum, before the Councell of Laterane it was left at libertie, namely, concerning the manner of the presence of Christs bodie, for eueryevery man to thinke as he would, de Eucharist. lib. 1. pag. 46. And yet master Harding will needes beare vsus in hande, that it is as auncient as the Gospell.
It hath beene an order from the beginning receiued, & hetherto continued, to hauehave the Church seruice in the Latine tongue, Hard. pag. 382. Whereas they them selues know the contrarie. In Augustines time, such a tongue was vsed as the people vnderstood: Loquendi (saith hee) omnino nulla est causa, si quod loquimur, non intelligunt, propter quos vt intelligant, loquimur, There is no cause why wee should speake at all, if they vnderstand not what wee say, for whose sake wee speake, that they might vnderstand vsus, August. de doctrin. Christian. lib. 4. cap. 16.
He saith, Constantine gaue place to Siluester Bishop of Rome, when hee was baptised, pag. 453. Whereas it is certaine, that Siluester was dead long before Constantine was christened, consul. Iuell. ibid.
That England receiued the true faith from S. Gregorie Bishop of Rome, and was conuerted to the faith by Augustine his Legate, Hard. pag. 539. But it is manifest out of histories, that the faith of Christ had been planted in this land 400. yeares before the comming of Augustine, as Origen testifieth, Terra Britanniae consensit in religionem Christi: The land of Britannie hath consented to Christes religion, in Esech. homil. 4. who liued not much lesse than 400 yeare before Gregories time.
No maruell, if they affirme and maintaine many things contrarie to the course of all true histories: for they dare be as bold with Scripture.
Harding saith, that Christ neuer saide to any of the Apostles, as vntounto Peter, feede ye, pag. 118. When Christ said as much in effect notwithstanding to the rest: Receiue ye the Holy Ghost. And Christ said vntounto all, Go & teach all nations, Math. 28. If Peter then had no more the Holy ghost than the rest: if he had no more authoritie to preach to the whole world than the rest: it belonged no more to Peter to feede the Lords flocke than to the rest: for what is it to feede, but to preach? what is it to feede, but to receiue the gifts of the Holy Ghost, to teach and instruct?
It is in vaine for you to say, that the Church of Rome hath erred, when the Holy Ghost hath signified, that it cannot erre, Hard. pag. 485. But where euer, I pray you, did the Holy Ghost make any such promise? if in that place, as you beare vsus in hand, where Christ saith: I praied for thee Peter, that thy faith should not faile: S. Augustine may answere you, Nunquid pro Petro rogabat, pro Iohanne & Iacobo non rogabat? did Christ praye for Peter, and did he not pray for Iohn & Iames also? in quaestion▪ nou. Testament. quaest. 75. And it is beside a seelie and childish argument, Christ prayed for Peter, that his faith should not faile, Ergo the Church of Rome cannot erre. Here then is another bold & true affirmation, without Scripture grounded vponupon Scripture.
But what say yee to father Robert Bellarmine, hee lasheth out lustelye, and in plaine termes, belyeth the Scripture: Habemus (saith hee) in testamento veteri, Heliam & Helisaeum, ac filios Prophetarum sine vxoribus in hoc mundo vixisse: Wee hauehave in the olde testament, that Helias and Helisaeus, and the sonnes of the Prophets liued in this world without wiues, de Monachis, lib. 1. cap. 5. The text is flat contrarie, which affirmeth, that the sonnes of the Prophets were married, 2. King. 4. 1. And one of the wiues of the sonnes of the Prophets, cryed vntounto Elisha, saying, thy seruaunt my husband, &c. Whether now is it more reasonable, that we should beleeue the Scripture, or Ballarmine?
But concerning the errors and vntruthes, which they hold and affirme directly opposite to scripture, we hauehave ordeined another place, (which followeth in the next Piller of Papistrie) more fully to handle them.
I will of purpose passe ouer manie other vntruthes and lies, which ourFox. pag. 865. aduersaries without shame hauehave forged: as how Cardinall Campeius saide openly to the Magistrates of Strausburgh, that the Greekes do not giuegive libertie to their Priestes to marrie: which is a notorious lie: for their Priest… to this day make no vow of chastitie, Fox. P. 187. artic. 17. Likewise to let passe how the Pope himselfe maketh a lowd lie in his Bull against Luther saying, that he offred money to Luther to come vp to Rome, whereas it is certaine, that there were 300 crownes giuen to ruffians & catchpoles to murder Luther, P. 1287. But I will not rub this sore too long: that which I hauehave alreadie said, may serue as a taste & trial of their lying spirite.
VntoUnto these vntruthes and lies, may be added also the fables and deuised tales, which go for currant among Papistes, which are not the least proppes and staies of Popish superstition.
Of this kinde is that fabulous storie, that the wise men which came frō the East to worship Christ, were 3. Kings of Persia, whose names were, (as the tale goeth) Gaspar, Mel…htor, Baltasar, whose bodies were translated to Cullen, and there remaine. Here are many vntruthes, and vnlikelihoodes in this short tale. First, there was neuer but one King of Persia at once. Secondly, though the Magi or wise men were of great account with the Kings of Persia, yet were not the Kings called Magi. Thirdly, they returned Eastward, from whence they came: how then could their bodies be transported so many hundred, nay thousand miles? Fourthly, If their bodies lie buried at Cullen, how can they be at Millaine too? for they also lay as good claime to them. Yet for all this, the Rhemistes tell vsus in good sooth, that it is a true storie, Annot. Math. 2. Sect. 4.
The like fiction they hauehave of Gregorie Thaumaturgus, who remoued a mountaine to make roome for the foundation of a Church: yet verie soberly auouched by the Rhemistes, Math. 17. Sect. 6.
Such another proper tale: how Christ came in a Pilgrims weed to Gregories ordinarie table of poore men, Rhemist. Heb. 13. Sect. 2. which fiction, that Christ in his humanitie should be seene vponupon earth, is contrarie to the Scriptures, which testifie, that The heauens must conteine him til his comming againe, Act. 3. 21. Many such fables went for good paymēt amongst the Papists in times past in the daies of ignorance: but since that by the springing of the Gospell greater light is come into the world: they themselues begin to reiect diuerse of their Legend stories, which were not called in question before.
Bellarmine confesseth▪ that the stories which are reported out of Abdias, & others, vt plurimùm non sunt prorsus indubitatae, for the most part may be doubted of. The stories also of S. George, S. Christopher, and S. Katherin, he iudgeth to be Apocryphall, and worthie of small credite: though hee would hauehave their persons still kept in memorie, Bellarmine, li. 1. de sanctor. beatitud. 20.
The tale, how thorough the prayers of S. Gregorie, the soule of Traian the Emperour was deliuered out of hell, is reiected by Bellarmine▪ de Purgator. lib. 2. 8.
Yet our countri-man master Harding is somewhat strait laced, in iustifying all the Legend stories, which were wont to be read in their Churches, and saying that wee belie them, pag. 571. Yet Polidore Uirgil saith, Multorum diuorum vitas recitant, licet parum ad fidem scriptas, They read manie Saints liues, though not written according to the truth: And Lodouicus Viues, Legenda aurea plenissima est impudentissimis mendacijs: Their golden Legend, as they call it, is full of most impudent lies, Consul. Iuell. Defens. Apolog. pag. 571.
Thus much of our aduersaries shamelesse reiecting of truthes, and of their bolde bolstring out of vntruthes, as also of their fables & lies: which things if they shall persist still to auouch, I will say with Bernard: Iustius o… loquens talia fustibus tunderetur, quàm rationib. refelleretur: He that speaketh such vaine things, deserueth rather to be beaten with clubbes, than to bee confuted by arguments, Epist. 191. And as Augustine saith: writing against Petilian the Donatist. Quemadmodum, si mihi diceres, quod ego Petilianus sum, non inuenirem, quomodo te refellerem, nisi aut iocantem riderem, aut insanientem dolerem, hoc mihi nunc faciendum esse video: Euen as if thou shouldest say vntounto mee, that I am Petilian, I could not tell how to refell thee, but either in laughing at thy folly, or mourning for thy madnesse: So must I be faine to doe nowe, contra Petilian, lib. 2. cap. 38. And so must we be faine to doe, when wee see our aduersaries to passe the boundes of modestie, and to violate the law of reason, in making true false, and false true, in calling white blacke, and blacke white, wee must needes doe one of these two, either to scorne their follie, or to bewaile their blindnesse and ignorance, and hardnesse of heart. And thus hauehave we the first Piller of Poperie, consisting of rayling, slaunders, forgeries, vntruthes and fables.