The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry, Pillar 2 · Part 1 · Subpart 2
Of the grosse absurdities and inconueniences of Popish Religion.
WEe will nowe (the Lord assisting vsus) lay together some of those absurd and vnreasonable positions, which are boldly without shame affirmed by our aduersaries, hauing alreadie sufficiently detected and discouered their blasphemies, opinions contrary to scripture, together with their heresies. And herein the papistes doe bewray such ignorance and blindnesse, that wee neede not doubt to say, as it is alleadged by the holie Apostle, That God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber; eies, that they should not see▪ and eares, that they should not heare to this day, Rom. 11. 8: And as in an other place the same Apostle prophesieth: God shall send them strong delusion, that they should beleue lies. 2. Thess 2. 11. But now to the matter in hand.
They affirme that no general councel is of sufficient authoritie without1 Absurd the allowance of the pope: And that he is in such sort aboue al councels, that he cannot though he would, submit him selfe to their sentence. Bellar. de concilijs lib. 2. cap. 11. & 14. But the scripture saith, he that refuseth to heare the Church, let him be vntounto thee as an heathen man, or publicane. Math. 18. 17. Therefore if the pope shal refuse the sentence of the Church assembled in generall councels, he is no better, by the voice of Christ, then an heathen. The papistes being further vrged, that if the pope were aboue councels, there shoulde bee no waye to resist a wicked pope. Bellarmine aunswereth like a Clerke, that there is no other remedie left in such a case, but to pray to God, who will eyther conuerte or confounde such a pope. Lib. 2. de Concil. cap. 19. An answere as absurde, as the opinion is: for by this meanes the Church shall runne into ruine and decay, when it is in mens power to helpe it, which is nothing else but to tempt God, then to depend of his extraordinarie worke, when he hath appointed an ordinarie meane of redresse.
That to hauehave beene twise maried, is a greater let and impediment to the election of a Bishop, then either adulterie or fornication, Bellarm. de clericis. lib. 1. cap. 24. Whereas these are eueryevery where prohibited in scripture, but not one place can be shewed, where second mariage is forbidden.
That a man may attaine vntounto a greater measure and higher degree of the louelove of God, then is commaunded in the law: Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy Godwith all thy soule, with all thy strength, Bellarm. de Monach. lib. 2. cap. 6. respons. ad Melancthon. Whereas it is certaine that it is not possible for vsus to louelove God in such perfection as we ought, and are commaunded▪ much lesse can we do more, then is our duety to doe. Luk. 17. 10.
That it is not lawfull for a votarie to marrie, though he were sure by mariage to cure some mortall or deadly disease, that otherwise is incurable, Bellar. de monachis lib. 2. cap. 32. resp. ad. 4. rationem. Yet S. Paul counsaileth Timothie to drinke wine, whereas his manner was to drinke water, not for any mortal disease he had, but because of his infirmitie and weaknesse onelyonly. 1. Timoth. 5. 23. And all such vowes, as are made rashy to the hurt and hinderance of our selues or others, may better be broken, then kept, because they offend against the lawe of charitie. Leuitic. 5. 4. 1. Samuel. 25. 22. Dauid breaketh the oth or vowe, which he had rasblie made in his anger.
That Christ was, Verèmendicus: A meere begger, and wanted both the vse, and dominion of temporall thinges, Bellarm. de monach. lib. 2. cap. 45. But Augustine according to the scriptures saith: Nisi putetis, quia dominus petebat & indigebat▪ cuiseruiebant angeli, qui de quin que panibus tot millia pauit: Vnlesse ye thinke (saith he) that Christ begged, & was in want, vntounto whom the Angels ministred, and who was able of fiue loaues to feede so many thousand: in Psal. 146.
This opinion, which the Iesuite holdeth, that Christ was a begger, was condemned by Pope Paulus. 2. for heresie. Ann. 1465. ex histor. sca. mundi. Howe dare hee then controule his Pope holy fathers determinate sentence?
Diabolus odit imagines: The deuill himselfe hateth and cannot abide an image. Bellarm. de imaginibus sanctor. lib. 2. cap. 12. yet S. Paul saieth, what is offered or sacrificed to Idols, is sacrificed to deuils. 1. Corinth. 10. 20. He doth so abhorre an image that who so worshippeth them, doth the deuill great seruice.
Whensoeuer wee see either a maunger to be painted or grauen to represent the natiuitie of Christ, or a post or piller to represent his scourging, Non carent veneratione sua: There is some religious reuerence to be done vntounto them: Bellarm. de sanctor. imaginibus. lib. 2. cap. 30. So in the Iesuites iudgment euerie Alehouse painted cloath, shewing any such picture, must be adored and worshipped.
That the sacrament doth conferre grace: Ex opere operato, by the very worke that is wrought, that is, the externall action, not for the worthines of the minister or the receiuer. Neither doth faith giuegive efficacie to the sacrament, no more then the drines of the wood is the cause that it burneth, which is the fire. Bellarm. lib. 2. de effect sacrament. cap. 1. not. 4. These are foule absurdities: as to thinke, that any action of it selfe pleaseth or is acceptable vntounto God without faith, contrarie to the scripture, Hebr. 11. 6. And to make the sacramentes to be more principall then faith, whereof they are but seales. Rom. 4. 11. And faith being the verie life of a righteous man. Rom. 1. 17.
Thata Pagane or Infidell may baptize in a case of necessitie or extremitie, Bellarm. de Baptism. lib. 1. cap. 7. A verie absurde thing that one by Baptisme may be receiued into the Church and made a member of Christ, by him that is not in the Church nor of the bodie of Christ nor euer was: Whereas Christ said onelyonly to his Apostles; Goe and teach al nations, baptizing them, &c. Math. 28. 19.
That it is very probable that Iohn Baptist vsed no forme of words at all in his baptisme, Bellarm. de sacram. Baptis. lib. 1. cap. 20. Which is an absurd saying, and contrary to S. Paul, who testifieth of Iohn, that he baptized the people, saying vntounto them, That they shoulde beleeue in him, which should come after him, that is, in Iesus Christ, Act. 19. 4.
That the Apostles were first made priests in the institution of the Lords supper, and Bishops afterwarde, when Christ was risen from the deade. Bellarm. de sacram. Confirmat. cap. 12. resp. ad. 2. argum. But what neede they be ordained priestes or Bishops, who already were called to be Apostles, which is the first and chiefest office in the Church? Ephes. 4. 11. And includeth other inferior functions: for the Apostles together with their Apostleship were made pastors, and doctors & Bishops to, if you wil, of the Church, so that they needed not any new inuesting to these functions.
That the Bishop is the onelyonly pastor of his diocesse, and that inferior ministers & teachers are not pastors properlie. Bellar. de Concil. lib. 1. cap. 15. Yet S. Peter maketh Elders, Presbyteri, (as they translate,) priestes, to be the proper pastors of their seuerall charges: Feede the flocke of God, which dependeth on you. 1. Pet. 5. 3. But if a particular flocke or congregation depend on their teacher and instructer, then is he properly their pastor.
The regiment of the Church is easier then the gouernment of the common wealth: Facilior est gubernatio ecclesiastica, quam politica: Bellarm. de Roman. pontif. lib. 1. cap. 9. respons. ad obiect. 4. Here the Iesuite bewraieth his great ignorance, seeing there is no greater charge, thē that which concerneth the soules of men: the care wherof Bellarmine confesseth not at al to belong to the politicall or ciuill magistrate. And therefore S. Paul crieth out in admiration of this waightie and wonderfull calling: Who is sufficient for these thinges▪ 2. Corinth. 2. 16. And therefore calleth the care, which he had of the Churches, a trouble & a cumbrance. 2. Corinth. 11. 28. It is not therefore so light and easie an office, as the Iesuite thinketh, to hauehave charge of mens soules.
Tantum abest (saith Bellarmine) vt negatio Petri obsit primatui, vt potiùs eum confirmet: Peters deniall of Christ was so far from hindering his primacie, that it did rather further it. De Roman. pontific. lib. 1. cap. 28. A greate absurditie: for it was so sarre from being any helpe or furtherance to Peter, that it had bene sufficient without the great merciemercy of God, to hauehave hindred his saluation. And if Peter receiued such a benefite by his deniall of Christ, he might hauehave spared some teares, and not hauehave wept so bitterly for his fault.
Whereas we alleadge against our aduersaries, that it is like that Peter was not at Rome when S. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romanes, because he is not remembred amongest so many, in the Apostles salutation, cap. 16 They shape vsus these and the like aunsweres: It might be that Peter at that time was out of the towne, or that there were special leters sent to Peter beside, or this epistle might be sent enclosed to S. Peter by his means to be deliuered to the Church, Rhemist. annot. Rom. 16. sect. 4. Who seeth not the absurditie and insufficiencie of these aunsweres?
That Peter failed in charitie, when he denied Christ, and not in faith, & if he failed in faith, he lost the confession of faith, not faith it selfe, Bellarm. de Roman. pontif. lib. 4. cap. 3. But how I pray you can a man faile in charitie and not in faith, seeing a liuely faith alwaies worketh by louelove? Galath. 5. 6. and can not be separated or diuided from it. And it is as absurd a thing to say, a man may loose the confession of his faith, and yet keepe his faith sound: for these two are the principall fruites of faith, to Beleeue with the heart, and confesse with the mouth, Rom. 10. 10. And where either of these is wanting, there cannot be a right & perfect faith.
That the pope as he is pope can not erre: And yet whether he may erre or not: Est ab omnibus fidelibus obedienter audiendus: He is obediently to be heard and followed of all the faithfull, Bellarm. de Rom. pontific. lib. 4. cap. 2. What an absurd thing is this, to binde the Church absolutely to obey a man, as wel when he erreth, as when he erreth not: S. Paul durst require no more of the Corinthians but to follow him as he followed Christ. 1. Co. 11. 1.
In the late deuised doctrin of their imagined Antichrist, our aduersaries are driuen to graunt many absurdities. 1. That Antichrist shal come of the tribe of Dan, Rhemist. 2. Thess. 2. sect. 8. Whereas it is certaine that the tribes of the Iewes are now shufled together, & the distinction of their kinreds & families is not kept: for if in Ezra his time after the captiuity their genealogies were not perfitly known, and therefore some were put from the priesthood, Ezra. 2. 62. how much more now, the Iewes hauing beene dispersed in the worlde almost 16. hundred yeares, is it like, that their petigree and descent from their fathers is not obserued?
2 Antichrist, say they, shall hauehave his imperiall seate at Ierusalem, and reedifie againe the temple, and commaund circumcision to be vsed. Bellarm. lib. 3. de pontif. cap. 13. This is a great absurditie contradicting the trueth of scripture: for Haggai the prophet calleth the temple builded by Zorobabel the last house, 2. 10. But if it shal be the third time erected, how was that the last?
3 That Antichrist shall raigne but 3. yeares and an halfe: and yet in this space shall fight with the three Kinges of Lybia, Aegypt, Aethiopia, and persecute the Christians through the whole worlde, Bellarm. cap. 16. But let any man say: how is it possible that in so short a time Anti-christ should conquere and subdue the whole world? In the which space a man can hardly compasse, or goe through the world.
The popish religion preferreth the rich before the poore, euen in spirituall matters. Ideo in hoc solo casu melior est conditio diuitis, quam pauperis, quia habet vnde suffragia fiant pro ipso. In this case only the estate of the rich is better then the poore, because hee hath, where with all suffrages shoulde be made for him: that is, hee is able to giuegive largely for Masses. Albert. Mag. de offic. missal. tract. 3. But the scripture biddeth otherwise, that wee shoulde not hauehave respect vntounto the rich, that hath a golde ring, or weareth gay apparell. Iam. 2. 2.
The signe of the crosse euen by the very act and making of the signe, though it be done by a Iew, Infidel or pagane, is offorce to driue away the Deuill, Bellarm. de imaginib sanct. cap. 30. Yea, but carnall weapons, such as the signe of the Crosse is, profit not good Christians against their spirituall enemies. 2. Cor. 10. 4. how much lesse Paganes or Infidels.
The Iesuite maketh two representations of the death of Christ: there is simplex repraesentatio, a simple & plaine representation, and that is in the sacrament of the Eucharist: and there is repraesentatio ad viuum, a full and liuely representation of Christ, & that is vponupon good Friday, when Christs death is set foorth by diuers gestures, actions, instruments, copes and vestmentes. Bellarm. lib. 1. de Miss. cap. 1. But how absurde a thing this is, eueryevery man may see: that the representation of Christes death in the Sacrament, instituted of the Lord himselfe to be a shewing foorth of his death, should be but a plaine and simple representation: and the other deuised by man, being done without a Sacrament, should bee called a liuely representation: What is this else, but to set the spirit of God to schoole, as though a more liuely shewing foorth of Christes death could bee deuised by man, then was ordained by Christ?
It is not necessarie (they say) in eueryevery Sacrament to hauehave a visible signe, and therefore the wordes of absolution (which are audible, though not visible) may bee the externall signe in penance. Bellarm. lib. 1. de poenitent. cap. 11. See what an absurde saying this is: for by this reason the preaching of the word may be a sacrament, because there is an audible sound.
Likewise in the Popish Sacrament of matrimonie, the Iesuite maketh the parties contracted, both the matter of matrimonie, and the Ministers, and the forme to be these words: I take thee &c. Bellarm. de matrim. cap. 6. Here are two great absurdities: for first the preachers & Ministers of the word only are the dispensers of the mysteries & sacraments of the Church, 1. Cor. 4. 1. therfore the parties themselues cannot be the ministers of matrimony, which they say is a sacramēt. Secondly it is not eueryevery word that sanctifieth but the word of God. 1. Timoth. 4. 5. but these wordes, I take thee, &c. are no part of the word, therefore they hauehave no power to sanctifie.
The Rhemistes holde opinion, that Henoch and Elias doe yet liue in their bodies in Paradise: Apocal. 11. sect. 4. But paradise is nowe no other place but heauen, 1. Corinth. 12. 2. 4. But there (they say) Henoch and Elias are not, for they shal come againe in their own persons (as they hold) and resist Antichrist, and in the end be stayne of him: but bodies once glorified in heauen, can no more die, neither are subiect to violence: If then they bee not in heauen, they are not in paradise, which is no other place but heauen. Let now any indifferent man iudge, how handsomely these things agree together.
That the Angels shall be are the signe of the Crosse before Christ comming to iudgement, Bellarm. de sanctis, lib. 2. ca. 28. This also is a phantasticall conceite of theirs, without any ground of Scripture, or anie good reason.
But of all other popish absurdities, these are most grosse and palpable, which they are driuen to confesse about their deuise of transubstantiation in the Eucharist.
First, they doe graunt, that the body of Christ may bee and is in many places at once locally and visiblie, that his flesh is at the same time in heauen, and in earth in the Eucharist, Bellarm. de sacram. Eucharist. lib. 3. cap. 4. Yet the Angell sayth contrary, Hee is risen, for hee is not here. Math. 28. 6. Which had beene no good argument, if Christes bodie be in many places at once.
Secondly, they further affirme, that Christes body in heauen, and at the same time in earth▪ are not sundry bodies, or diuers partes of one body, but one whole body, not deuided or discontinued from it selfe, Bellarm. ibid. Thus they make Christ a monstrous body, that can fill heauen, and earth, and indeed they in so saying, destroy his humanitie.
Thirdly, they graunt that the body of Christ is in the Sacrament with all his partes and dimensions, hands, face, feete. Bellarm. lib. 3. de Eucharist. cap. 7. But what an absurde and impossible thing is this, that the body of a man, as of three cubites in height, and hauing other dimensions answearable to the proportion and stature of an humane body, should bee inclosed in a thinne wafer cake, such as they vse in their Eucharist, not a spanne in breadth, without destruction of the partes and dimensions of the bodie?
Fourthly, that one and the same body of Christ, in the same instant, may bee sayd to bee, Sursum, deorsum, Aboue and belowe, Remotum, propinquū, Neare vntounto the earth, and farre distant from it, that it may bee in motion in one place, and yet rest and bee at quiet in an other, as the soule in the body, as it is in the feete, is neere to the earth, as in the head, it is further off, Bellarm. de sacram. Eucharist. lib. 3. cap. 4. These are absurdities contrary to the rule of reason, that contradictorie speeches should in one instant be true of the same bodie or subiect. And what is heresie, if this bee not, to resemble and compare the fleshe of Christ to a soule or spirit, that as the soule is in the body in no certayne place, but eueryevery-where, so the flesh of Christ should bee in the world? for this followeth of the Iesuites comparison betweene the soule of man, and the flesh of Christ.
5 Corpus Christi incipit esse in altari, (sayth Bellarmine) per conuersionem panis in ipsum, The bodie of Christ beginneth to be in the altar by the cō uersion or turning of the bread into his body, Lib. 3. de sacram. cap. 4. What great blasphemie is this, to affirme that Christes fleshe is made of bread? for these are their owne wordes, that the bread is not annihilate, that is, turned into nothing, but into the body of Christ. And Bellarmine also confesseth, that Christes body in the Eucharist is made of bread, as the wine was of water by our Sauiour Christ, Iohn 2. But in that myracle it is certayne the water was the matter whereof the wine was made, for otherwise Christ would not hauehave bid the seruauntes fill the water-pottes with water, if hee had purposed to create wine of nothing rather then to chaunge water into wine. Bellarm. de sacram. Eucharist. lib. 4. cap. 24. Thus Christ by popish diuinitie shall hauehave a breaden body.
6 That after the words of consecration, there remayne onelyonly the accidentes of bread and wine, as their colour, taste, roundnesse and such like, the substances of thē being changed: And so they confesse against the rule of nature and reason grounded vponupon scripture, that accidentes hauehave a being and substance of their owne without a subiect, Harding defens. apolog. 305. pag. And it is the generall opinion of all papistes: So in their opinion there may bee the whitenesse, roundnesse and taste of bread, and yet no bread: the rednesse, tartnesse and other properties of wine, and yet no wine. If a man then should aske, what round or whyte or red thing is this? they can not say bread or wine, for there is none left: Neither will they say, that the body of Christ is eyther white or red, and thus are they driuen to their shiftes. Whereupon some of their schoole-men hauehave sayde, Accidentia illa sunt in aēre, tanquam in subiecto: The accidents are in the ayre as in their subiect, De consecrat. distinct. 2. Species, in glossa.
7 They are the accidents of bread & wine, which are eaten, & chawen, or rent by the teeth, Bellarm. lib. 1. de sacram. Eucharist. cap. 11. respons. ad argum. 5. And which goe downe into the bellie, and nourish and feed the body, Harding defens. apolog. pag. 305. Thus by popish philosophie, the accidentes of wine make a man drunke, the accidentes of breade may feede a man and make him fatte, without eyther bread or wine.
8 That Christ would not hauehave the externall figures and shapes of the elementes chaunged, but remayne still, because man woulde abhorre to eate humane flesh in the proper shape, Bellarm. lib. 3. de sacram. Eucharist. cap. 22. But what an absurde thing is this? as though Christ would commaund any vnseemely thing, or contrarie to humanitie. And how could the Apostles commaunde the Gentiles to abstaine from strangled, and from blood: Actes 15. when as by their doctrine they did cate daily in their assemblies the raw flesh and blood of Christ?
9 If the consecrate host, as they cal it, chaunce to putrisie and corrupt, or to be burnt with fire, or deuoured of a Mouse, or any other vermine by the negligence of the priest, they say, it ceaseth to bee the body of Christ, and that God in that verie instant supplyeth some other matter, Bellarm. lib. 3. de Eucharist. cap. 24. ad argum. 6. Or else it returneth into the nature and substance of bread againe, as other papists affirme, Fox p. 496. So there is no lesse myracle wrought by occasion of the priestes negligence, then was before by the words of consecration. And it is not enough for God to worke miracles for men, but euen for Mise also: yet Bellarmine telleth vsus very soberly, that all this is done, Sine miraculo, without a miracle: But how I pray you, can bread be turned into flesh, & flesh againe into bread without a miracle?
10 Yea some of them are not ashamed to write thus, Si Canis vel porcus deglutiret hostiam consecratam integram, non video quare corpus domini, nō simul traijceretur in ventrem canis vel porci: If a Dogge or a Hogge shoulde deuoure a whole consecrated host, I see no thing to the contrarie but the body of Christ may passe withall into the bellie of the dogge or hogge, Alexander Halens. part. 4. quaest. 25. memb. 1. And the allowed Glosse sayth: Corpus Christi potest euomi, The bodie of Christ may bee spued or vomited vp agayne: De consecr. distinct. 2. Si quis in Gloss.
11 They suffer not the lay people to bee partakers of the Cuppe, but to receiue in one kinde onelyonly, alleadging these and such like weighty causes, as the danger of spilling, sheading, and shaking the bloud out of the cup, or the souring, or else sticking vppon mens beardes, and such like, Bellarm. lib. 4. de Eucharist. cap. 24. Fox▪ pag. 1150. Are not these (thinke you) matters of great moment and importance, to frustrate, and make voyde the institution of Christ?
VntoUnto these and such like absurdities of pope-catholike Religion, wee may adioyne also the profound and weightie questions, and deepe discourses of popish Diuines: as to begin with their captaynes and ringleaders, and first fathers of superstition: Austine the Monke, that was sent into Englande by Gregorie the first, sent vntounto his maister to know his iudgment and resolution, in these, and such like weightie matters.
First, whether a woman great with child ought to be baptized. Secondly, after how many daies the children that are borne ought to be baptized.
Thirdly, if she be in her monthly course, after the disease of women, whether then she may enter into the church, & receiue the communion.
4 Whether it be lawfull for the man▪ after company had with his wife, before he be washed with water, to enter into the Church: These and such like graue questions this Seraphicall doctor sent vntounto Rome to be discussed, souring rather of Iewish superstition, then of Christian faith and iudgement. Plura apud Fox▪ pag. 117.
The like stuffe a monkish letter sent to king Naiton king of Pictes, by Abbot Colfride, conteineth: In the which entreating of the shauing of priestes, he exhorteth the king to reforme his countrey, and to imitate the shauing of S. Peter, rather then the shauing of Simon Magus: Which at the first appearance (saith he) hath a shew of a shauen crowne, but if you marke his necke, you shall finde it curtailed in such wise, as you will say, it is rather meete to be vsed of the Simonistes, then of Christians. The blinde superstitious king hauing read this letter, kneeled on the ground, and gaue God thankes that he had deserued to receiue such a present out of Englande: ex Beda, lib. 5. cap. 22. Is not this deepe diuinitie, and fit matter for the king and states of a land to busie their heades about? And had the countrey no neede to be reformed touching the doctrine of faith or maners, but all must be laide aside, and care onelyonly taken for shauing of crownes? He speaketh much of S. Peters shauing, howe Peter was shaued one way, Simon Magus an other: but where findeth he in scripture, or any approued writer, either this or that? But such was the diuinitie, that Monkes spent their time in, in those daies.
Such an other great and difficult question much troubled and busied the popes schoolemē of later times: as who should be our Ladies cōfessor, or ghostlie father: after much discussing and debating of this matter, it was agreed to be S. Iohn. But hereupon sprang a more doubtful matter, that seeing our Ladie was void of al sinne both Original and actual, as they affirme, what neede she should hauehave of confessiō, or if she did confesse, what she did say in her confession. And here Albertus Magnus doth helpe at a pinch, & telleth vsus plainly, her confessiō was this: That she had receiued that great grace to be the mother of Christ, not excōdigno, of any dignity of her own: but yet notwithstanding of congruitie, Albert. cap. 74. super Euan. Miss…s est.
Ann. 1509. There was a fierce contention renewed betweene the Franciscane and Dominike friers, about the conception of the virgin Mary. The Franciscans held this most blasphemous opiniō, that she was not only void of actuall sinne, but euen free from Originall sinne, vntounto the which she was not subiect, no not one moment of her Conception. The Dominikes affirmed more agreeable to the scriptures, that Christ onelyonly had this priuiledge to be conceiued and borne without Originall sinne, notwithstanding they graunted that the blessed virgine was also sanctified and purged in her mothers wombe from Originall sinne.
Yet the Franciscanes preuailed, and the poore Dominikes with the trueth, were crusht to the walles, the Pope himselfe who was then Sixtus the fourth determining against them. Plura Fox. pag. 800. Were not these deepe diuines and profound doctors, that would trouble them selues with this question, which was long before decided by the Apostle, who doubteth not to say, That al hauehave sinned: Rom. 3. 23. & 5. 12. Yea and Mary her selfe acknowledgeth that she had neede of a Sauiour, Luk 1. 47. And therefore was a sinner as well as others. Such were the matters which in those times of ignorance and darknes the popish clergie did occupy them selues in: Magis puerilibus ineptijs, quàm sacerdotum & cordatorum virorum prudentiae conuenientia: Matters fitter for children to toie withall, then beseeming the grauitie of priestes & stayed men, as Constantine saith writing to Alexander and Arrius, Euseb. de vit. Constantin. lib. 2.
Thus farre also concerning the absurd and friuolous positions, maintained by our aduersaries: I professe not (as I hauehave often said) in this treatise to make a collection of all, but eueryevery where, taking what came next to hand, to giuegive the reader a taste, referring the rest to him selfe, for I trust, by these few examples, which I hauehave set downe, we may easely iudge and discerne of popish religion: for it fareth with them, as Augustine saide of some other heretikes in his daies: Qu…madmodum solet accidere, vt quando transeuntes nubes per obscura noctis intuemur, earum caligine sic acies nostra turbetur, vt in contrarium nobis sydera currere videantur: sic isti, quia in erroris sui nubilo pacem non inueniunt, &c. As it happeneth, when we see the cloudes mooue in a darke night, our sight is so dimmed, that we imagin the starres to goe another way: So these fellowes not finding any ende or stablenes in the cloudes of their error, are not able rightly to iudge of the trueth, but thinke that the scripture and all goeth awrie: De diuers. ser. 15. Euen thus our aduersaries being besotted with their owne imaginations, and their eye of iudgement obscured with the thicke cloudes of wilfull ignorance, doe runne as it were in a maze, taking error for trueth, & absurd and strange positions, for catholik and sound doctrine. Now to the next Piller.