The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry, Pillar 2 · Part 1

The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry · Pillar 2 · Part 1

p. 49The first part of Popish blasphemies.

THE Rhemistes do lay great blasphemies to our charge, writing in these words: No heretikes euer liker Antichrist than these in our daies, specially in blasphemies against Gods Church, sacraments, Saints, & all sacred things, Apocal. 1…. Sect. 2. But I trust in God, for all their great words, that they shal neuer proue one blasphemie against vsus. No be it knowen vntounto them, that wee maintaine no blasphemies: they mistake the matter, they are themselues blasphemers, which do belch out blasphemies against God, & his Church, the Scriptures, and against all holie things. This then must be the issue, whether of vsus be these notorious blasphemers, they or wee▪ thus therefore beginneth our plea.

First we will set downe their beadrol of blasphemies, which they hauehave vttered concerning the Scriptures.

Lodouicus a Canon of Laterane in Rome, pronounced in the late Chapter 1of Trent: Scriptura est quasi mortuum atramentum, The Scripture is as it were dead Inke.

The Bishop of Poiters in the same Chapter, Scriptura est res inanimis & 2muta, The Scripture is a dead and dumb thing, Iuell. pag. 521. defens. Apol.

Albertus Pigghius, sunt scripturae muti Iudices, The Scriptures are dumb 3Iudges, Controu. 3. de Eccles.

Eckius calleth the scriptures, Euangelium nigrum, & theologiam atramentariam, 4The blacke Gospell, and inken diuinitie.

Pigghius againe saith: they are as a nose of waxe, Nasus Cereus, to be p. 505drawen euerie way, Hierarch. lib. 3. cap. 3.

Hosius speaking of Dauids Psalmes, when it was obiected that Dauid 6the author therof, was no Bishop, but a temporall Prince: he maketh this heathenish & scornefull answere, Quidni scriberet, scribimus indocti docti que poemata passim, No great matter if he writ them: for as Horace saith: wee write ballades eueryevery bodie, both learned and vnlearned, tagg and ragg, Hosius. li. 2. cont. Brentium. Thus he maketh the holy Prophet Dauid but a writer of ballades.

Siluester Prierias contr. Luther. thus writeth: Indulgentiae authoritate 7scripturae non innotuere nobis, sed authoritate Romanae Ecclesiae, Romanorum que Pontificum, quae maior est: Pardons are not knowen to vsus by the authoritie of the Scriptures, but by the authoritie of the Church & Bishops of Rome.

Apostoli quaedam scripserunt, non vt scripta illa praeessent fidei, & religioni 8nostrae, sed potius vt subessent: The Apostles wrote certaine things, not that their writings should be aboue our faith & religion, but rather, that they should be vnderunder, Albert. Pigghius, Hierarch. lib. 1. cap. 2.

Gratian is not ashamed to say, that the Canons of the Councels are of 9the same authoritie with the Scriptures, distinct. 20. can. decretales. And Gregorie. 1. epist. 24. saith, he doth reuerence the 4 generall Councels, as the 4 Euangelistes.

Yea, our Rhemists are not ashamed to protest, that whatsoeuer the pastors 10& Priests do teach in the vnitie of the Church, is the worde of God, 1. Thessal. 2. v. 12. So saith another, Determinatio ecclesiae appellatur Euangelium: The determination of the Church is called the Gospell, Iohannes Maria, Uerractus editus. an. 1561. And Hosius, quod ecclesia docet, expressum Dei verbum est: whatsoeuer the Church teacheth (meaning the Church of Rome) it is the expresse word of God, lib. de express. verb. Dei. p. 97. Thus they make the decrees & ordinances of men, equall to Gods worde, nay aboue it, vt suprà, loc. 8.

It was obiected against certaine good Christians, by D. Benet Chauncellor 11to Fitziames bishop of London, that vponupon a certaine night, they did read certaine Chapters of the Euangelistes in English, containing in them diuers erronious, and damnable opinions & conclusions of heresie, Fox. pag. 804. Here behold, with Papists the Scripture containeth heresie.

Eckius thus said before the Emperour at the citie of Wormes, turning 12him selfe to Luther: if he may once get this aduantage, to be conuinced by the Scriptures, we shall hauehave nothing certaine and established in Christendome, Fox. P. 851. Lo, the Scriptures with Papists breedeth vncertaintie of matters.

An. 1553 the Kings Lieuetenant at Lyons vttered these horrible blasphemies 13vntounto Lodouicus Marsacus; martyr: of the 4 Euangelistes, but two were pure, Mathew and Iohn; the other two Marke & Luke were but gathered out of the other. The Epistles of S. Paul, further saith hee, but that p. 51the Doctors of the Church had authorised them, hee would otherwise esteeme them no better than the fables of Aesop: ex Crisp. pantat. Fox. pag. 908. So also said Hermannus a blasphemous Papist, that the Scripture should be of no more credite than Aesops fables, without the approbatiō of the Church: Which his saying is defended by Hosius, lib. 3. de authoritat. scriptur. to be godly spoken.

The said Lieuetenant, to a maiden speaking somewhat of the lawe, vttered 14these blasphemous words: Cursed be the God of that law, ibid. Fox. pag. Blasph.908. What more vile blasphemie could any of the diuelish sect of the Manichees hauehave spued out?

The Bishop of Cauaillon in France, examining certaine Christians of 15Merindoll, was angrie with them, when they made mention of some demonstrationBlasph. to be made out of the word of God: and in a furie cursed, and gaue him to the diuel that first inuented that meane, Fox. pag. 949. And yet Christ for the trial of truth, biddeth vsus search the scriptures, Ioh. 5. No mar uei then, if these fellowes curse men, seeing they spare not Christ himself.

A certaine blinde Popish Doctour reasoning with master Tindall, 16boldly said, We were better to be without Gods law, than the Popes, pag. 1076.Blasph.

Lodouicus the Prothonotarie, stepped vp in the Councell of Basill, and 17said, There was no argument to be gathered of the Acts of the Apostles, whose Blasph.examples were more to be maruelled at, than followed, Fox. pag. 678. Lo here a great blasphemie, Scripture is not to be followed.

Andradius thus vnreuerently writeth of the Scriptures, to say no more: 18Neque in ipsis libris, quib sacra mysteria conscripta sunt, quippiam inest diuinitatis, quae nos ad credendum, quae illis continentur, aliqua religione constringat: In those books wherein the holy mysteries are written, there is not one iot of diuinitie, which by any force of religion can tie or binde vsus to beleeue what is there contained: in 3. lib. defens. concil. Tridentin: A most impious and vngodly speech: for where is there els any true diuinitie to be found, but in those holie writings?

Cardinall Cusanus, scripturae, saith he, adaptatae sunt ad tempus, & varie intelliguntur, 19ita vt vno tempore secundum currentem vniuersalem ritum, exponantur: mutato ritu, iterum sententia mutetur: The scriptures are applyed to the time, and may hauehave sundrie vnderstandings: so that at one time they may be expounded one way, according to the vniuersall currant order of the (Church) and the same rite or order beeing broken, they may hauehave another meaning, Cusan. ad Bohem. epist. 2. What heretike could hauehave said more than this, that the scriptures are mutable and changeable?

Our Rhemistes also shew great boldnes, in giuing their rash censures of 20the holy writers: for these are their words: if the Euangelistes and other writers of holie Scripture, had not vsed all humane diligence to search out the truth of matters, the Holie Ghost would not hauehave assisted them, Act. 15. Sect. 10. And p. 52yet it is certaine, that S. Paul had the Gospell by reuelation, without the help at all of humane diligence, for he communicated not with flesh and bloud, Galath. 1. v. 16.

Againe, they saie, that S. Paul for feare of missing the line of trueth, 21notwithstanding he had the Holie Ghost, went to conferre with Peter & the rest, Rom. 12. Sect. 1. What is blasphemie, if this be not, to say, that the Apostle, who was perswaded he had the Spirite of God, 1. Corinth. 7. 40. was afeard to misse the line of trueth? how can this be, vnlesse it be imagined, that the Holy ghost was not sufficient to keepe him in the right line of trueth? In deede he went vp to conferre with the Apostles, not to receiue any further direction from them, for they did cōmunicate nothing with him, Galath. 2. 6. but that they might giuegive testimonie of their consent in doctrine with him, to stop the slaunderous mouthes of false brethren, who reported the contrarie.

And now, to fil vp the measure of their blasphemies, let vsus heare, what 22is credibly reported to hauehave bene vttered by no small person, but euen one of their late Popes, in the heating of his Cardinals: O quantum nobis profuit fabula ista de Christo, O what aduantage (saith he) hath this fable of Christ brought vsus? ex Iuello. defens. Apolog. P. 273. Thus by these few examples, we may see, what blasphemous opinions many of the Papists (for we do not in this case charge them all) do hold concerning the scriptures: Some making humane ordinances equall vntounto them in authoritie, some preferring them before scripture: others calling them hereticall bookes, vncertaine, mutable, mute & dumbe Iudges, & not to be followed in all things, with such like blasphemies: and these matters, not to be affirmed only by some of the lay-sort, but by their diuines, yea doctors, yea Bishops, yea, & Cardinals too, and not by one or two singuler men, but by a whole colledge, as the Rhemistes, yea, by the Pope himselfe, as wee hauehave seene, whom they preferre euen before Councels, & in whose brest, they say, all knowledge is locked vp. Now in the next place we wil collect suchBlasphem. cōcerning the Pope. blasphemies as are common amongst them, concerning the said ghostly father of theirs the Pope of Rome.

The Pope vnderunder Christ & in steed of Christ is the head of the Church, 23& a man may term him the vicegerent Bridegrome, Hard. pag. 99. If the pope then be the head, then is the Church his bodie: and so in deede Pope Athanasius calleth populos mundi, partes corporis sui, The people of the world the partes or members of his bodie, Iuell. pag. 657. But Paul maketh the Church the bodie only of Christ, Ephes. 4. 12. And as the Church Catholike cannot be the bodie of any other but Christ, so no man can bee the head thereof but Christ.

Another saith, Christus & Papa faciunt▪ vnum consistorium, & excepto peccato, 24potest papa quasi omnia facere, quaepotest Deus: Christ & the pope make p. 53but one Court or Consistorie, and sin only excepted, the Pope in a maner can do al things that God can do, Pan ormitan. de election. Cap. Licet. Abb.

The Pope hath the heauenly disposition of things, and therefore may 25alter and change the natures of things by applying the substance of one thing to another, cap. Quando de transl. Episc. tit. 7.

Againe, Papa, nec deus est, nec homo: The Pope is neither God nor man. 26And in another Glose, he is called, dominus deus noster Papa, Our lord god the Pope, Christoph. Marcell. said in the Councell of Laterane, Tu es alter deus interris, Thou art another God vponupon earth. And in the late Tridentine chapter, they call the Pope terrenum deum, an earthly God, ex citation. Iuell. pag. 593.

In the late Councell of Laterane, one Simon Begnius B. of Modrusia, thus 27said to Pope Leo, Ecce venit Leo de tribu Iuda, Radix Dauid: te Leo beatissime Saluatorem expectauimus, Beholde the Lion is come of the tribe of Iuda, the roote of Dauid, O most blessed Leo, we hauehave looked for thee to be our sauiour, Concil. Lateran. sess. 6. pag. 601.

In the late Chapter of Trent. Cornelius the B▪ of Bitonto said thus, Papa 28lux venit in mundum, & dilexerunt homines tenebras magis, quàm lucem: the Pope being the light is come into the worlde, and men loued darknesse more than light.

The Pope suffered the Ambassadors of Sicilia to lie prostrate on the 29ground, and thus to crie out vntounto him, Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nostri, Thou that takest away the sinnes of the world, hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus, Paul. Aemilius, li. 7. ex Iuello. What horrible and vnsufferable blasphemies are these, to attribute to the Pope, that which is proper onelyonly to Christ? And how intollerable is the pride of this man of sin, to suffer such things by his flatterers and claw-backes, euer to be giuen vntounto him?

That the Pope is the heart of the Church in quickening the same spiritually, 30that he is the wel-spring, from the which floweth all vertue and goodnes, ex epistol. Iohan. Huss. Fox. pag. 628.

That he is able to make newe articles, and abolish the olde, Friers of 31Antwerp. ex Fox. pag. 929. col. 1.

The Canonistes say, Papa potest dispensare contra ius diuinum, The Pope 32may dispence against the law of God, 16. q. 1. Quicunque, in glossa.

Papa potest dispensare contra ius naturae, The Pope may dispense against 33the law of nature, 15. q. 6. authoritate in gloss.

Papa potest dispensare contra Apostolum, distinct. 32. lector. The Pope may 34dispense against the Apostle.

Papa potest dispensare contranouum Testamentum, the pope may dispense 35against the new Testament. Papa potect dispensare de omnib praeceptis veteris & noui Testamenti: the pope may dispense with all the precepts both of the old & new Testament, vt citatur à Iuell. pag. 59. defens. apolog.

p. 54That power which Christ had onelyonly in habitu, when he was here vponupon 36earth, the Pope hath now, actu, that is, the vniuersall iurisdiction both of spirituall and temporal things: ex citation. Fox. pag. 791.

Maior honos debetur Papae, quàm angelis, Greater honor is due to the 37Pope than to Angels, Antoninus.

If Prelates be called and counted of Constantinus for gods, I then being 38aboue all prelates, seeme by this reason to be aboue all gods, wherefore no maruell, if it be in my power to change time and times, to alter & abrogate lawes, to dispence with all things, yea with the preceptes of Christ, Decretal. de transl. episcop. cap. Quanto.

Lastly, if the Pope do lead innumerable soules by flocks into hell, yet no man must presume to rebuke his faults in this world, dist. 40. ca. si Papa.

Thus hauehave we the opiniō of the popish Canonists of their high Bishop. He is the light of the world, the Lion of the tribe of Iuda, a God vponupon earth, higher than the Angels, able to dispense with the lawe of nature, and the lawe of God: yea, in earth aboue all gods. What horrible and filthie blasphemies are these? Neuer did Antiochus, Nero, or Caligula, or who els commaunded themselues to be worshipped for gods vponupon earth, euer arrogate so much vntounto themselues. What neede wee nowe looke further for Antichrist? He doth euidently reueale him selfe: for heere we hauehave the aduersarie, that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God, and that sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himselfe that he is God, as S. Paul prophesieth of him, 2. Thessal. 2. 4. Let vsus see further, what other blasphemies we can finde amongst them?

That the virgine Marie was conceiued without originall sinne, contrarie 39to S. Paul, who saith, that God hath concluded al vnderunder sin, Rom. 11 32. Rom. 3. 23. all hauehave sinned: that shee hath no neede of remission of sinnes: that she was not iustified by Christ, being iust from her beginning: neither that shee gaue God thankes for expiation of her sinnes, or praied at any time for remission of her sinnes: Franciscan friers, Fox. P. 801. These grieuous blasphemies are confuted by the virgine Maries owne mouth: My soule reioyceth in God my Sauiour: Christ therefore was her sauiour: who was so called in no other sense, but because he should saue his people from their sinnes, Math. 1.

Cardinal Caietanus disputing against Luther, affirmed that saith was not 40necessarie to him that receiueth the Sacrament. Fox. P. 845. A blasphemous vntruth, contrarie to scripture: For without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebr. 11. 6. Without the which no seruice of ours can be accepted before him.

That wee need not now to go to Iesus Christ, to hauehave him an intercessor, 41but to God alone, setting Iesus Christ apart, and so ought we verilie to beleeue, affirmed by D. Benet maister of the Sorbonistes, disputing with p. 55Frauncis Rebezies Martyr, ex Crispin. lib. 6. Fox 921.

In the towne of Perth in Scotland, Fryer Spense in his sermon affirmed, 42that prayer made to Saintes was so necessarie, that without it, there could bee no hope of saluation to man, ex regist. Scotiae. Fox pag. 1267. Thus Christ, we see, is displaced, and thrust out of dores, as whose mediation is not necessarie, and the idolatrous inuocation of Saints brought in insteed thereof.

That there are some men in this life so iust, that they need no repentance, 43affirmed by the Rhemistes, Luk. 15. sect. 1. for so they expound that place, ver. 7. of men that continue iust and godly, and are not penitent for their sinnes.

An other calleth marriage a prophanation of holy orders. Greg. Martin. 44discouer. cap 15. sect. 11. Contrarie to the Apostle, who saith, that marriage is honourable amongst all men, Heb. 13.

Our heartes and inward repentance are open to the Angels and other 45celestiall spirites in heauen, Rhemist. Luk. 15. sect. 2. And thus they blasphemouslie rob God of his honour, in attributing that to creatures, which is peculiar to his Maiestie: namely to bee a searcher and knower of our hearts, 1. King. 8. 39.

That wee may beleeue in Saintes, and that it is true of them, as saint 46Paul sayth, How can they call on him, on whome they hauehave not beleeued? Rom. 10. 14. So we cannot pray to any Saint in heauen, vnlesse we beleeue, and trust that they can helpe vsus, Rhemist. Rom. 10. sect. 4. A blasphemie contrarie to Scripture, which sayth: yee beleeue in God, beleeue also in me, Iohn 14. 1. God onelyonly and his Christ is to be beleeued vponupon.

That wee neede not maruell, if the image of our Ladie and the like do 47stranger and greater miracles, then those which Christ himselfe did, Rhemist. Iohn 14. sect. 3. A monstrous blasphemie, that images worke stranger miracles then Christ himselfe.

Catharinus a great papist sayth, that the commandement in the lawagainst 48Images, was but temporall, and to continue but till the establishing of the New testament, ex Bellarm. de imaginib. sanctor. lib. 2. cap. 7.

That there is a religious worshippe properly due vntounto Images, yea as 49they are considered in themselues, Et non solum vt vicem gerunt exemplaris, And not onelyonly, as they represent an other thing. Bellarm. de imaginib. sanctor. lib. 2. cap. 21. Lo then by these popish doctrine, Images are to bee worshipped with diuine and religious worship, which the Angels themselues refuse, and is onelyonly due vntounto God. Reuelat. 22. 9.

That eueryevery popish priest is after the order of Melchisedech, and that 50the proper acte of Christes priest-hood, consisteth in the perpetuall offering of his bodie and blood in the Church: Rhemist. Heb. 7. sect. 8. That the sacrifice of Christ vponupon the crosse was not after the order of Melchisedech, p. 56but after the order of Aaron: Heskius lib. 1. cap. 13. What intollerable blasphemie is this, to affirme that eueryevery vile massing priest is after the order of Melchisedech, and to denie that Christ vponupon the crosse, was in that act a priest of Melchisedechs order? And thus shall eueryevery one of their shauelings be more properly a priest, then Christ.

In the idolatrous seruice of their Masse, they vtter blasphemies in 52heapes: Wee beseech thee (sayth the priest) receyue this oblation, and yet they affirme, that it is the verie bodie and bloode of Christ: here then the priest is made a mediator for Christ. And agayne, Commaunde thou these to be brought by the handes of the holy Angel into heauen. But if it be the bodie of Christ, what neede it bee carried by an Angel? Let the Priest bow him selfe to the host, saying, I worship thee, I glorifie thee. Loe here they worship a peece of bread: In canon. Missae. And to conclude, they doubt not to say, that sacerdos est creator creatoris sui: That the priest doth make his maker, Iewelrespons. ad articul. p. 615.

It is not a sufficient satisfaction to beleeue that Christ hath abundantly 53satisfied for vsus, but God also must bee satisfied for our sins by the punishment of our selues. Concil. Tridentin. sess. 14. can. 13. A blasphemous assertion, that Christes satisfaction is not sufficient for vsus.

Men can not bee saued, though they bee predestinate, vnlesse they 54keepe Gods commandementes, Rhemist. Act. 27. sect. 3. By this speech, they seeme to insinuate, that a man predestinate of God, may misse of saluation: which is a blasphemous thought, for Gods eternall decree chaungeth not.

The Rhemistes alleadg this saying of Hierome, They follow the lambe, whither 55soeuer he goeth, if the lambe be in eueryevery place, then they that bee with the lambe, must be euerie where, you see, say they, how that blessed father refuted the Caluinistes before they were borne: Rhemist. Apocalyps. 6. sect. 1. Are not now the papistes I pray you become vibiquitaries them selues? nay worse then vbiquitaries, enclyning to the opinion of the omnipresence, not onelyonly of the humanity of Christ, but euen of the saintes: which is a great blasphemie.

That confidence and assurance, that faithfull men hauehave of their saluation, 56they call a faithlesse persuasion, a most damnable, false illusion and presumption Rhemist. Rom. 8. sect. 9. A fond speciall faith and fiction. Rom. 4. sect. 9. yea they most wickedly say, that it is not fides Apostolorum, but fides demoniorum, not the faith of the Apostles, but the faith of Deuils. 1. Corinth. 9. 9. yet this assuraunce and persuasion of saluation is grounded vponupon the Scriptures: as where Saint Paul sayth, I am persuaded, or I am sure, that neyther death nor life, &c. shall bee able to remoue vsus from the louelove of God, Rom. 8. ver. 38. 39. And S. Peter, That wee should make our election and calling sure. 2. Pet. 1. 10.

p. 57A dead faith is a true faith, and the same which is called the catholike 57faith, and in substance al one with that faith that iustifieth, Rhemist. Iames. 2. sect. 11. So by this reason, the faith of deuils and iustifying faith shal be all one in substance, for that dead faith, as the apostle sheweth, the deuils them selues may hauehave, for they beleeue and tremble. Iames. 2. 19.

The certaintie of remission of sinnes with a sure confidence and trust in 58Christ, may be found euen amongest schismatikes, heretikes and wicked men. Coun. Trident. sess. 6. cap. 9. It appeareth by this, that they vnderstand not, what this sure trust and confidence meaneth, when so vnaduisedlie and grossely they affirme it to be found amongest wicked men. None can be affured of remission of finnes, but there followeth peace of conscience with God: And this peace none can hauehave but they which are iustified by faith, Rom. 5. 1. and none are so iustified but the righteous and faithfull.

That the decree & sentence which was pronounced by the high priests 59& scribes against Christ, was iust and right. Hosius cont. Brentiū. lib. 2. And that it might & was truely pronouncod by Caiphas, that Christ was worthie of death: And thus wickedlie they take part with Annas and Caiphas against Christ. Some other papistes say, that they erred not in the sentence giuen against Christ: for he was in deede guiltie of death, hauing taken our sinnes vponupon him, but the error was in the manner of their proceeding, which was done tumultuonsly and by suborning of false witnesses: And this (saith Bellarmin their great doctor) is Probabilis sentētia, a very probable opiniō, de concilior. authoritat. lib. 2. pag. 8. Yea they speake yet more plainly: Iudaei mortaliter peccassent, nisi Christum crucifixissent: the Iewes had sinned mortally, if they had not crucified Christ. distinct. 13. Itē, in margine.

An other saith: Petrus non fidē Christi, sed Christum salua fide negauit: Peter 60denied not the faith of Christ, but his faith saued, hee denied but onelyonly Christ. Copus. dialog. 1. pag. 51. Is not here good popish diuinity, that Christ may be denied, without deniall of the faith?

The Rhemistes affirme, that Christ did penance by fasting, solitarines, 61and conuersing with beastes. Mark. … sect. 6. This is great blasphemie, for Christ was free from sinne, & therefore needed no repentance.

That Lazarus and Abraham were both in hell, and not in the kingdome 62of heauen before Christ. Rhemist. Luk. 16. sect. 1. A blaspemie contrarie to scripture, which saith, that the rich man onelyonly was in hell. ver. 23. and not that Lazarus was in hell.6…

They deny that Christ is foreign, that is, God of himselfe. Rhemist. Iohn. 10. sect. 3. Whereas the scripture speaketh plainely, that, as the father hath life in himselfe, so likewise hath he giuen to the sonne, to hauehave life in himselfe. Iohn. 5. 26. what is it to hauehave life in himself, but to be God in himselfe?

The sufferings & passions of the Saintes, dedicated and sanctified in the 64blood of Christ, hauehave a forcible satisfactiō for the Church & the particular p. 56duplicate page p. 57duplicate page p. 58members thereof: and are the accomplishment of the wantes of Christes passions. Rhemist. Coloss. 1. sect. 4. An horrible blasphemy against the merite & satisfaction of Christes death, as though it were not sufficient in it selfe to satisfie for al his members, but his wantes must be supplied by the satisfaction of others, contrarie to the scripture, which saith: that Christ by him selfe hath purged our sinnes. Heb. 1. 3. therefore not by any other, but sufficiently in his owne person.

Bellarmine saith, Non dubitantur multi esse fideles, qui nondum iustificati 65nec redempti sunt: It is not to be doubted, but that there are many faithfull men, which are not yet iustified or redeemed: de Miss. lib. 2. cap. 22. resp. ad 4. obiect. yea he saith most blasphemously: Hominem cum vera fide damnari: That a man hauing a true faith, may for al that be condemned: De baptism. lib. 1. cap. 14. Great blasphemies contrarie to scripture, being iustified by faith (saith S. Paul) we are at peace with God. Rom. 5. 1. And we are saued by faith. Ephes. 2. 10. If then faith bringeth peace of conscience and saluation, how then is it possible that with this faith men notwithstanding should be condemned?

That we are not formaliter, that is formallie iustified by the righteousnes 66of Christ. Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptis. cap. 21. resp. ad argum. 4. yet S. Paul saith, that Christ is our wisedome & righteousnes. 1. Cor. 1. 30. his righteousnes, is our righteousnes, what is this else but the verie forme, substance and matter of our righteousnes?

And againe saith he, sacrificium crucis non efficienter iustificat: Christes 67sacrifice vponupon the crosse, doth not iustifie as an efficient cause. de Miss. lib. 2. cap. 4. Thus Christes death is neither formal nor efficient cause of our iustification with papistes. I pray you then what is it? But the Apostle, I am sure saith otherwise: That Christ hath recōciled vsus in the body of his flesh: Col. 1. 21. 22. he then that reconcileth, ransometh or redeemeth vsus, what is he else but an agent efficient, & working cause of our redemption & reconciliation?

Bellarmine also saith: Accedente dei gratia vere possumus aliquo modo ex proprijs, 68& ad aequalitatem, ac per hoo iuste & ex condigno satisfacere: By the grace of God, we may make satisfaction truely in some sorte, of our owne, and to a full equalitie, yea iustly and condignly, de poenitent. lib. 4. cap. 7. A most horrible blasphemie, that man may satisfie God by his owne proper workes, fully, according to the exact rule of iustice, Iob saith contrary, That man can not aunswere God one thing of a thousand. Iob 9. 3. Neither is this blasphemie much qualified, by saying, that wee may satisfie by grace: For these two, Gods grace, and our satisfactorie workes cannot stand together, as S. Paul sheweth: If it be of grace, it is no more of workes, for then grace were no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more of grace, for then worke were no more worke. Rom. 11. 6. Our saluation then can not be of grace and workes together, for the p. 59one excludeth the other. And I pray you to what purpose died Christ, if men receiue grace so fully to satiefie for them selues? If righteousnes be by the lawe (saith the Apostle) Christ died without cause, Galath. 2. 21. And euē this righteousnes of the Law was also of the grace & gift of God, for the Lawe is holy, iust and good, Rom. 7. 12. And euerie good gift is of God, Iam. 1. 17. Wherefore to say, that a man by working well euen of the grace and the gift of God, is iustified, is to make the death of Christ needelesse and in vaine. What greater blasphemie then, can be vttered by any heretikes in the world, then this?

Now in the last place commeth in wicked blasphemous frier Tecell, the 69Popes pardoner: who made his proclamations openly in the Churches to the people in this sort, Although a man had laine with our Ladie the mother of Christ, and had begotten her with childe, yet were he able by the Popes power to pardon the fault. Sleidan. lib. 13.

VntoUnto these blasphemies afore rehearsed, we may adioyne such like popish stuffe, out of their Ladie Psalter, which was compiled by no small person among them, but euen by that Seraphicall doctor of theirs Bonauenture a Cardinall of Rome, who liued Ann. 1170. and was Canonized for a Saint, by Pope Sixtus, the 4. ann. 1482. In this blasphemous Psalter, such psalmes as the prophet Dauid endited to the honor of God, are applied by the foresaid Doctor to the praise of his Ladie. And therefore he in diuerse psalmes in steed of the name of the Lord, hath put in the name of our Ladie. Some fewe examples it shall not be amisse to see.

Psal. 4. Benedicta sis domina in aeternum, & maiestas tua in seculum, glorificate 70eam omnes gentes: Blessed be thou o Ladie for euer, and thy maiestie for euer and euer, glorifie her all nations of the earth.

7 Domina mea in te speraui, de inimicis meis libera medomina: O my Ladie 71in thee do I put my trust, deliuer me from mine enemies o Ladie.

11 Misericordia illius nostrorum aufer at multitudinem peccatorum: Her 72merciemercy take from vsus, the multitude of our sinnes.

13 VsUs que quo domina obliuis…eris me, & non liberas me in die tribulationis? How 73lōg dost thou forget meo Lady, & dost not deliuer me in the day of trouble?

25 Ad te domina leuau… animam, non praeualeant aduersum me laquei mortis, 74ductrix mea esto ad patriam: To thee o Ladie, doe I life vp my soule, let not the snares of death preuaile against me, be thou my guide vntounto my heauenlie countrie.

26 Iudica me domina: Iudge me o Ladie.

31 In te domina sperdui, non confundar in aeternum: in manus tuas domina 76commendo spiritum meum. In thee o Ladie doe I put my trust, let me not be confounded for euer: into thy handes (o Lady) I commend my spirite.

91 Qui habitat in ad…utorio matris dei, in protectione ipsius commorabitur: 77Who soe dwelleth in the helpe of the mother of God, shall p. 60dwell in the shadow of her protection.

110 Dominus dixit dominae nostrae, Sede mater mea a dextris meis: The 78Lord said to our Ladie, Sit here my mother on my right hand.

119 Miserationib. tuis plena est terra: The whole earth is full of thy 79mercies.

127 Nisi domina aedific…uerit domum cordis nostri, non permanebit aedificium 80eius: Except our Ladie shall builde the house of our heart, the building thereof shall not continue.

Exulta totum genus humanum, quia talem dedit mediatricem Dominus Deus 81tuus: Reioice, o all mankind, because the Lord thy God hath giuen vntounto thee such a mediatrix.

Obenedicta, in manib. tuis reposita est nostra salus: O thou blessed, in thy 82handes is laid vp our saluation.

In nomine tuo omne genu flectatur coelestium, &c. In thy name let euerie 83knee bend, in heauen, in earth, and hell.

Quemadmodum infans sine nutrice non potest viuere, ita nec sine domina nostra 84posses habere salutem: Like as the infant can not liue without a nurse, so neither canst thou hauehave saluation without our Ladie.

Many such like blasphemies are contained in that Idolatrous and blasphemous psalter: for what greater blasphemie can there be, then to ascribe vntounto a creature the titles, and honor due & proper vntounto God onelyonly? As that she is our mediatrix, taketh away our sins, edifieth our heartes, filleth al the earth with her mercies, sitteth at the right hand of God, that wee are to trust in her, that she is to be glorified, and all thinges to bowe the knee vntounto her: How farre are they nowe from making a God of their Ladie? And thus they doe most presumptuously rob God of his honor, who will not giuegive his glorie to another.

Great store of such like blasphemies are eueryevery where to be founde in popish treatises: my purpose is not to bring them al into the readers view, it were too long a peece of worke, and I thinke, needelesse: neither doe I in this booke promise or professe so much: but my intendment is onelyonly in euerie place to giuegive the Christian Reader a taste, of the bitter and sower fruites of poperie. By this blacke, beadrol of blasphemies here rehearsed, it is no hard matter to gesse, of what spirite they are, from whom they proceede, and what manner of religion that is, which is fraught with such stuffe. No man (saith S. Paul) speaking by the spirit of God calleth Iesus execrable. 1. Corinth. 12. 3. If they therefore had the spirite of God, as they boast, they would not in such sort as they do, with such vile termes depraue the holy scriptures: nor so extenuate the precious death of Christ, adding other helpes, and supplies thereunto, nor so defile that onelyonly propitiatorie sacrifice, which was once offered vponupon the crosse, by foisting an other in the place thereof, namely that abominable Idoll of the masse, p. 61which they most blasphemously affirme to be the proper acte of Christes priesthood, yea more proper, then the offring vp of him self vpō the crosse. Doe not these grieuous blasphemies now, which they vtter, rebound vpō Christ, and tend to his dishonor? What then is this else, but to call Iesus execrable? Goe to then ye papistes: I wil say vntounto you, as Augustine sometime requited Iulian the pelagian heretike: Nunc ergo, ne tui stomac hi follis indigesta maledictorum cruditate rumpatur, in hunc euome, si audes, calū niosas tuas vanitates, cont. Iulian. lib. 2. Now therefore, lest this filthie windbagge of thy stomacke should burst with the rawe & vndigested humor of such wicked speech, empty now thy stomacke, & vomite thy deceitful and peruerse vanities vponupon him if thou dare. Ifye will not cease thus to cast vp & bewray your blasphemous thoughtes, know yee, that ye blaspheme not man, but ye hauehave opened your mouth against Iesus himselfe. And let this suffice for this part.