Work for a Mass-Priest, Treatise

Work for a Mass-Priest · Treatise

VVORKE FOR A Maſſe-prieſt.

IN.DOMINO

CONFIDO.

LONDON Printed by William Iones, dwelling in Redcroſſe ſtreet. 1617.

VVORKE FOR A MASSE-PRIEST.

1. SIR Prieſt, is not this of aaIn Symbolo To. 2. operum Athanaſij edit Commelinae An. 1600.Athanaſius good Diuinitie, filius a patre ſolo eſt, non factus nec creatus? The Sonne is of the Father alone, not made, nor created. If ſo, then I pray you tell mee, how without blaſphemie bbDiſcip. de Tempore ſet. 111. Caſſanaeus Gatal. Gloriae Mundi part. 2. conſid. 3. fol. 4. Biel. ſect. 4. in Can. Miſſae.you can ſay, Sacerdos eſt creator ſui creatoris: A prieſt is the Creator of his Creator: meaning Chriſt the Sonne of God.

2. Againe, if it bee currant Diuinitie which the ſame ccLoco ſupra citato.Athanaſius deliuers; Chriſtus, Deus ex ſubſtantia patris: homo ex ſubſtantia matris. Chriſt is of the ſubſtance of his Father, as hee is God; and of the ſubſtance of his Mother, as he is Man: Tell mee where the wit of your Iohn the 22. was, when ddHorae B. virg. ſalue ſanta facies fol. 68. edit Par…f 1526he ſaid, Rex fit ex pane. The King (meaning Chriſt the King of heauen) is made of bread: and why you are not aſhamed to retaine in the eeDe conſecrat. d. 2. c. 72. virum ſub.Canon Law theſe words, Corpus Chriſtiet ſanguis ex panis et vini ſubſtantia efficitur. The body and bloud of Chriſt is made of the ſubſtance of bread and Wine.

3. Thirdly, if it bee true which ffDe ciuitate dei l. …. c. 29.S. Auſten ſaith, That God is nuſquam incluſus, penned in, in no place: and that the great ggEuripedes in Cyclope Act. 4Acts 4Cyclops (when Vliſſes told him, that the Wine which hee had in his Bottle was the god Bacchus) did not without cauſe in a wonderment reply? What? A god in a bottle? I pray tell me, why you pen vp your Sacramēt, which hhAllen de ſacrificio Euch. cap. 41. & Briſtow Motiue 26.you acknowledge for your God, in a Pixe or in a boxe. Of a Bee in a Boxe I hauehave heard much by many; but of a God in a boxe I neuer heard but by Papiſts?

4. Fourthly, if it be euident that they are no gods, whoſe Prieſts keepe their Temples with doores, and with lockes, and with barres, leſt their gods ſhould bee ſpoiled by Robbers, as iiBaruk. cha. 6. ver. 17.Baruk ſaith in his 6. Chapter, which goes for Canonicall Scripture with you: If they who cannot defend themſelues from theeues and Robbers deſerue not to be reputed gods, as the ſame kkVerſe 56.Author ſaith: If llHom. 57. in Gen. 31.Gen 31Chriſoſtome iuſtly derided Laban when hee ſaid, O excellentem inſipientiam! Tales ſunt dii tui vt quis eos furart poſsit? Non erubeſcis dicere, Quare furatus es deos meos? O notable foolerie! Are thy gods ſuch gods as may be ſtollen? Art thou not aſhamed to ſay, why haſt thou ſtollen my gods? Why ſhould not you, and your fellowes, Sir Prieſt, be whoopt at for holding the Sacrament to bee God, which for feare of ſtealing you mmLyndwood Prouinc. con. titul. l. 3. de cuſtodia Eucha. cum clau ura in c. digniſsimum.would not hauehave hung ouer the high Altar vnderunder a Canopie, but reſerued in a ſurer place vnderunder locke and key.

Fiftly, if it bee euident, that they are no gods, which cannot be preſerued from ruſt and wormes: which feele not when things which creepe out of the earth eate them, as it ſeemes by nnChap. 6. ver. 11 & 19Baruk before mentioned: ſeeing it is the ooIoſeph. Angles, Flores quaeſt. Theologi…in 4. ſent. part. …. q. de ſuſcep. Euch. ad 3. difficult▪ 2. p. 96.generall doctrine of your Church, That wormes may breede in your Sacrament: that brute-beaſts, Dogs, Hogs, Mice, Chouhges, may eate it: Are you not ſingular odde Caps, to ppAllen & Briſtow locis ſupra citatis.hold the Sacrament for your Lord and your God?

Ecquemtam amentem eſſe putas, qui illud quo veſcatur deum credat eſſe? Thinkeſt thou there is any man ſo mad that holds it for his god whereof he eateth, ſaith qqApud Cic. l. …. de Nat. deorum.Cetta? Quomodo quis ſanae mentis deum nuncuparit id quod vero deo oblatum tandem ipſe comedit? How can any man of reaſon thinke that to be God, which he offreth in ſacrifice to the true God, and afterwards eates thereof himſelfe, ſaith rrQuaeſt. 11. in Leuit.Theodoret. And if this be true, Sir Prieſt, doe not you deſerue to bee ſent to Bedl…m for eating the Sacrament, which you call your Lord and God? Auerroes (ssEſpencaeus de Euch. l. 4 c. 3. they ſay) profeſſed, that he had trauelled a great part of the world, & that he had ſeene many men of different Religions, & yet he found not any Chriſtiana deteriorē, aut tā fatuā, worſe or fooliſher then the Chriſtians: qui… deum ſuum quē colunt dentibus deuorabant, becauſe they tare him with their teeth, whom they worſhipped as their God I verily beleeue he wronged the chriſtians of his time, charging them with that wherof they were not guiltie: but if hee had liued ſince your Religion got footing, & meant of you, he had ſpoken nothing but the truth, and his cenſure had been iuſtifiable.

7. The God of right beleeuing Chriſtians is tt1. Ioh. 5. 10.1 John 5:10life it ſelfe, and giues life to others, euen uuIoh. 6.John 6euerlaſting life to them who eate him ſpiritually. Yet your god is ſuch a god, that a man eating him after your faſhion, hee may eaſily bee poyſoned by him. And I pray you then, how ſhould your god bee reputed the God of right beleeuing Chriſtians?

That a man may bee poiſoned, by eating, after your faſhion, your god, the Sacrament, I meane; it is plaine by diuers examples, for

Henricus Archiep. Eboracenſis cum diuina celebraret myſteria, hauſto in ipſo calice (vt aiunt) veneno obiit. Henry Archb. of Yorke died (as they ſay) of poiſon, by drinking of the Chalice when hee adminiſtred the Sacrament, ſaith xxHiſt. Angl. in vita Steph. ad An. 1154. p. 122Mathew Paris.

Victor tertius fuit extinctus per venenum in calicem miſſum. Pope Victor the third was killed with poiſon in the Chalice, ſaith yyIn Chron. ad An. 1095.Polanus and zzFaſcic. Temp. ad An. 1094.others.

Henricus 7. Imperator (vt communis fert opinio) per paenitentiarium ſuum, immixto veneno in calice, dum ab ipſo Euchariſtiam ſumeret extinctus eſt. The Emperour Henry the 7. (as the common report goes) was killed by his ghoſtly father, who put poyſon into the Chalice when he deliuered vntounto him the Communion, ſaith the aaAd An. 1314Author of the Appendix to Polonus.

8. A bbGuitmundus l. 2. de Sacram.Synod of BB. in Italy decreed, That vvhen the true fleſh of Chriſt and his true bloud appeares at the celebration of the Sacrament in their proper kinde, both the fleſh and the bloud ſhould bee reſerued in the midſt of the Altar for eſpeciall Reliks. Now I would know of you Sir Prieſt, what time or reaſon you hauehave to make a Relike of your god? of the Reliks of Saints I hauehave heard ſome talke, but of the Reliks of God, or rather that God himſelfe ſhould be kept for a Relike, I thinke neuer man heard, but out of a Papiſts mouth.

9. I read that you ccSum Angelica verbo. Miſſa Nu 18. vide etiam verb. Euchariſtia ſect. 3: Nu. 5.preſcribe, Si Muſca vel Aranea cadat in calicem poſt Conſecrationem &c. If eyther Flye, or Spider, fall into the Chalice after words of Conſecration, ſo that there be feare of poyſoning, or prouocation to vomit, the Prieſt ſhall take ſanguinem illum et igne combur at cum aliqua ſtupa vel panno linneo, in ipſo madefacto: that bloud, and burne it by the helpe of ſome Tow, or Linnen rags dipt in it. Now whether it be poyſoned or not poyſoned, whether it bee ſuch as will prouoke vomit, or not prouoke vomit, as long as the ſpecies remaines, it is your god. And how then can you cleere your ſelues from burning of your god?

10. I heare ddConc. Trent. ſeſſ. 22. Can. 1.you teach, That in your Maſſe, Chriſt is truely and properly ſacrificed by you. And with all I heare eeBell. lib. 1. de Miſſa cap. 2.you teach, that vvhatſoeuer is truely and properly ſacrificed, if it be a liue thing, it is killed. Now I would gladly know of you, if this bee thus, how you can excuſe your ſelues from killing of Chriſt? For Chriſt, whom (as you ſay) you ſacrifice truely, and properly, is a liue thing.

11. I heare you ffBell. l. 4. de Euch. cap. 16.teach, That there is no Tranſubſtantiation except hee be a Prieſt who conſecrates, and ggIdem l. 1. de Sacram. in genere c. 27.hauehave an intent to conſecrate. Now, ſeeing it is confeſſed by ſome of your ſelues, hhPaulus Langius in Crhon. Citizenſi ad An. 1514. Ioh. Franc. Leo in Theſauro fori Eccleſ. part. 3. de prohibit & premijs Nu. 57that ſome hauehave taken vponupon them the name of Prieſts, who were none: ſome iiBodin Daemonoman. l. 4. cap. 5. Nich. de Plow. decret. doctore Tract… de Euch.being Prieſts hauehave vſed the words of conſecration without intent to conſecrate. I would know how any lay Papiſts can poſsibly know when your Hoaſts are tranſubſtantiated, and when he may ſafely adore it, becauſe except there be tranſubſtantiation, he commits Idolatry in adoring: adoring bread and wine the Creature, in ſtead of the Creator.

12. I reade in your bookes, ^k That the Virgin Mary, ſola plus poteſt apud Deum impeirare, quam omnes ſancti in Coelo: Can of her ſelfe alone preuaile more with God then all the Saints in heauen beſides: yea I reade, that llChryſoſt. a viſitat. Tom. 2. I. de verbis dominae ad filium in nuptuis ca. 2.velocior eſt nonnunquam ſalus, inuocato nomine Mariae, quam inuocato nom ne Domini Ieſu vnici filii eius: oftentimes men finde more preſent helpe vponupon their praying to our Lady, then vponupon their praying to Ieſus Chriſt. And that mmDiſcip. de Temp ſer. 161. de Sanct. s.Nihil nos Deus voluit habere quod per manus Mariae non tranſiret: Gods wil is, we ſhall hauehave nothing but what paſſeth through the Virgin Maries fingers.

Now if this be true, I would know why men ſhould not pray to the Virgin Mary onelyonly, who is ſo gracious & omnipotent: and ceaſe to trouble, if not Chriſt, yet the reſt of the Saints, which in compariſon of her are ſo grace-leſſe, and impotent?

13 I reade in your nnRhem. Annot in 2. Cor. 1. 11.2 Cor 1:11books, that you hold it abſurd to ſay: That the interc…ſsion of our fellowes beneath, are more auaileable then the prayers of thoſe that be in the glorious ſight of God aboue. Now if it be indeede abſurd to ſay ſo, I would gladly know of you, why S. Paul deſired the ooRom. 15. 30.Rom 15:30Romans, the pp2. Cor. 1. 11.2 Cor 1:11Corinthians, the qqEpheſ. 6. 19.Eph 6:19Epheſians, the rrColoſ. 4. 3.Col 4:3Coloſſians, the ss1. Theſ. 5. 25. & 2. Theſ. 3. 1.1 Thess 5:252 Thess 3:1Theſſalonians, the ttHeb. 13. 18.Heb 13:18Hebrewes, all of them his fellowes beneath, to pray for him: and deſired none of the Saints in the glorious ſight of God aboue to pray for him? And why S. uuI am. 5. 16.Iames aduiſed them to whom he writ, That one of them (beneath) ſhould pray for another: and required them not to pray to the Saints in the glorious ſight of God aboue for helpe?

14. I hauehave read in your bookes, that your Pope is called xxConc. Horent. ſeſſ. vlter Turre cremat. ſumm. de Eccleſial. 2 c. 80.Caput vniuerſalis Eccleſiae, yyIdem lib. 2. cap. 86.Pater Eccleſiae, zzIbid.Filius Eccleſiae, ^z Sponſus Eccleſiae, Mater Eccleſia: the head of the Catholike Church, the Father of the Church, Bell. lib 2 de Ro. pont. ca. 31.the Son of the Church, the Spouſe of the Church, the Church our Mother. Now I would know of you, how he can be the Church her ſelfe, and yet head of the Church, and the Churches husband: how hee can be father to the Church, and yet a ſonne of the Church: how without committing Inceſt, the father may marry his daughter, the brother may marry his ſiſter, the ſonne may marry his mother.

15. I reade in your bookes, bbCande labrū aureum Tit. de Satisfact. Nu. 17. impreſ. Brixiae an. 1595.ſolum Deum noſce quae ſit iuſta poenitentia that God onelyonly knowes how long eueryevery ſinne deſerues to bee puniſhed in Purgatorie; though ccDiſcip. de temp. ſer. 156. dſome take vponupon them preciſely to ſet down, that eueryevery ſinne deſerues▪ 2555. dayes purgatorie torments. And yet I reade, that the Pope grants Indulgences in this manner. Qui hoc vel illud fecerit liber abit animam vnam à Purgatorio: Hee that doth this, or that, ſhall deliuer a ſoule, or more, out of purgatorie. Now I would know how your Pope comes to know, That ſoules are ſo neere the time of their deliuerie, that the doing of this, or that, will ſuffice to make eauen for the remainder of their puniſhmēt, or rather, whether you be not of my minde, that the Pope in granting ſuch Indulgences, playes the K. and the people in making reckoning of them, play the Fooles.

16 I read in your bookes, that your Pope, for delivering of ſoules out of Purgatory, preſcribes ſometimes no more, but the ſaying of a Maſſe at ſuch an Altar in ſuch a Church: or the ſaying of a Pater Noſter twice or thrice, &c. Now I would know, with what iuſtice God could keepe him in ſuch horrible torments as are in Purgatorie, for want of the ſaying of a Maſſ, or two or three Pater Noſters: whō in mercy he ment to deliver vppon the ſaying of a Maſſe, or two or three Pater Noſters?

17 And ſeeing I read in your bookes, ffAnton. part. 3 Tit. 22. cap. 5. ſect. 5.That your Pope hath power to emptie Purgatorie at once: and if the ſaying of a Maſſ and a Pater Noſter will helpe to emptie it: I would know, how you can excuſe your Pope frō vnſpeakable vncharitablenes, and hard hartednes: in that he himſelfe ſaith no more Maſſes, nor Pater Noſters for Chriſtian ſoules, then he doth: nor ſetteth more of his Prieſts on that worke. I doe not doubt, but if ſuch cōmodities would redeeme ſoules, the Carmelits ſhould hauehave no cauſe to brag of their priviledge, which is, ggTheſ. Carm. Pariſ. impreſſ. An. 1601. teſte Moulins in defence of the Catholik faith Art. 21.that none of them ſhall lye longer in Purgatory then the Saterday following their departure: for the Pope might deliver every man the ſame day he dyed.

18 I hauehave a hhHo. B. verg. ſecund. vſum Sarum. impreſ Pariſ. an. 1526.booke of yours, wherein their are many pardons granted vponupon ſaying of certaine prayers, ſome for skores ſome for hundreth of dayes: ſome for hundreds, ſome for thowſands of yeares. Amonge which ther is iifol 66.one for 1000000 yeares: and an kkfol. 144.other promiſing as many yeares of pardon as there are bodyes buryed in that Church yeard where the prayer is ſayde, which may amount to a numberles number, tho perhaps not ſo many as llTreatiſe of diuerſe matters concerning Lond. cap. of the whole pardons of Rome granted by diuers Popes. Sur de con.Pope Sylveſter granted to the Church of S. Iohn Laterans, who at the hallowing of it, granted ſo many yeares of pardon thereto, as there fell drops of water that day, albeit never man ſaw a greater rayne then fell that day. Now I would knovve of you, vvhy any man ſhould trouble himſelfe vvith ſaying of thoſe prayers, vvhichwhich hauehave pettie pardons of dayes, or ſome hundreds of yeares, asſigned them? Me thinks it vvere enough to ſay that prayer vvhichwhich hath 1000000 yeares of pardon: and the other Church-yard prayer, vvhichwhich comes to a Nemo ſcit, and to let the reſt sleepe in the decke.

19 I reade in your mmBell. lib. 2. de monach ca. 30.bookes, That your Votaries breake their vowes, if they marry: but not, if they keepe whoores. Now I would know of you, whether this doth not argue plainely, That your Votaries vow againſt Mariage, which the Scriptures call honourable: and not againſt Whoring, which is of it ſelfe damnable?

20 I reade in your bookes, nnTho: Aquin. comment. in Tit. 1.Titus 1That he is more capable of holy Orders among you who hath kept two Whores, then he who hath married a widdow, or two wiues. And if this be thus, may we not ſay with your ooin cap. Quia circa. extra. de Bigamis.gloſſe, Nota mirabile, quod plus habit luxuria, quam caſtitas. Obſerue a ſtrange thing, Whoredome hath greater priuiledge then Chaſtitie.

21 I hauehave heard it credibly reported, That your BB. may abſolue from any ſinne committed againſt the Law of God, but not from eueryevery trespaſſe againſt the Papal Sea. Now if the report be true, I deſire to know, why he ſhould be denied the leſſer, to whom the greater is granted: And why you ſhould be angry at vsus, if wee ſay, that according to your opinion, Treſpaſſes againſt the Pope, are more hainous then treſpaſſes againſt God.

22 I hauehave heard it credibly reported, That the Iewes are licenſed to hauehave Synagogues at Rome: where Proteſtants cannot be allowed to hauehave a Chappell. Now if this report be true alſo, I would gladly know of you, why the Iewes ſhould hauehave ſuch fauour aboue the Proteſtants: ſeeing the Iewes raile blaſphemouſly on Chriſt Ieſus, of whom the Proteſtants neuer ſpake nor thought euill, but alwaies honourably.

23. But to come neerer you Sir Prieſt, I am told, That your Prieſts take this oath, ppBulla. Pij 4. …up. forms profeſs fid. conſtit 30. in ſumma conſtit. ſumm. pon…a Greg. 9. vſque ad Sixt. 5Ego N. ſacram ſcripturam iuxta eum ſenſum que tenuit, & tenet ſanct a mater Eecleſia, cuius eſt iudicare de vero ſenſu & interpretatione ſacrarum ſcripturam admitto, nec eam vnquam niſi iuxta vnanimem conſenſum patrum accipiam & interpretabor, that is, I ſuch a one, doe take the holy Scriptures in that ſenſe, which my holy mother the Church, whoſe dutie it is to iudge which is the true ſenſe of Scripture, hath taken it, and takes it in: neither will I euer take it in other ſenſe then ſuch as the Fathers giuegive thereof with ioynt conſent Now if you doe ſo, I would gladly know, how you can cleere your ſelues from periurie, ſeeing it is plaine you ſometimes take q Bell. lib. 1 de purg. cap. 3.and expound Scripture in that ſenſe, which neuer father gaue of them, as for example, Micah 7. ver. 8. 9. which you alleadge for Purgatorie. For no Father did euer ſo expound it. Sometimes you take and expound them in that ſenſe, which is contrarie to ſome Fathers, as when rrBell. lib. 1. de purg. cap. 7.you expound the words in the 24. of the Prouerbs ver. 16. of falling into ſinne, which Auſten ſaith is not ſo. For Non de iniquitatibus ſed de Tribulationibus loquitur, ſaith ssde Civit. Dei lib. 11. cap. 31.Auſtin. Sometimes you take and expound them in that ſenſe, which is contrarie to all the Fathers, which we finde to hauehave interpreted them, as when you take ttIoh. 10. 16. v Ioh. de Pariſ. Tract. de poteſtate regia et Papal. cap. 3. Stapleton Antidot in Evang. Ioh. cap. 10.John 10:16John 10Chriſts words, which he ſpake of one Shepheard, to be meant of your ^u Pope, and not of Christ himſelfe. For the xxvide Rayn. Apolog. theſ. Nu. 24.Fathers ſay, that by that one Shepheard Chriſt meant himſelfe.

24. Againe Sir Prieſt, I am informed that your famous B. Simancha writes thus. yyInſtit. cathol. cap. 45. Nu. 14. impreſſ. valiſſolet. An. 1552.Hereticis fides à priuato data ſeruanda non eſt-nec fides à magiſtratibus data ſeruanda eſt haereticis: faith made to an hereticke by a priuate man, is not to be kept-neither is that Faith which is made to an hereticke by Magiſtrates, to be kept. Though I hauehave ſeene a zzI. R. in his ouerthrow of pulpit Babels &c. printed 1612. part. 1. chap 4.booke of yours, wherin this is vtterly denied, yet I am credibly informed it is very true. Yea I am informed, that your Pope Martin the 5. writ to Alexander Duke of Lituania aaApud Co hlaeum l. 5. hiſt. Huſſirarum.thus; Scito te mortalitater peccare ſi ſeruabis fidem datam haereticis. Know thou ſinneſt mortally if thou keepe thy oath with heretikes. Now, if this bee thus, I would gladly know, you holding Proteſtants for heretikes, why you ſhould look that any Proteſtant ſhould truſt you further vponupon your oathes, then he would truſt a dog with a ſhoulder of Mutton.

25 They ſay you teach bbSymancha Inſtitut. Cathol. cap. 45. Nu. 28.haereticum eſſe priuatum dominio naturali, Ciuili, Politico. That an heretike is depriued of all his iuriſdiction whether Naturall; Ciuil, or Politike: and ccNu. 27.omni debito obligationis et obſequii, freed from al debt due by bond or ſeruice: in ſo much that the children, and ſeruants, and ſubiects of heretikes, owe no dutie to their Parents, Miniſters, or Princes: that good wiues need not lie with their husbands. That ſuch as are indebted, need not pay their debts to their Creditors, ddCuſtos arcis, et vaſillus liberatur a Domino haeretico, cui fidelitatem prom…ſerat▪ ibid.That keepers of Forts or Towns may ſurrender them into the enemies hands. And if this bee your doctrine, can you bee angry, If Proteſtant Princes, and their Subiects, who hauehave wiues, and children, and ſeruants, and mony in other mēs hands, do wiſh you al vltra Garamantas & Indos.

26 You eeBell. lib. 4. de verbo Dei non ſcripto ca. 2.teach, Sir Prieſt, That the Word of God is partly written, partly vnwritten. And the written word, you call Scripture: the vnwritten Tradition. Yet you vndertake to proue diuers of your opinions both by the Scripture, and by Tradition: as for example, Praying to Saints: Praying for the dead: ſetting vp of Images in Churches: worſhipping of Images ſet vp, &c. Now I would know with what honeſtie you can alleadge Scripture, for that which you ſay is a tradition: or tradition, for that which you ſay you hauehave Scripture? Can one and the ſame thing bee written, and not written?

27 You brag much of the Church, as though it were yours onelyonly, and not ours. You ffGretſer trac. de agnoc. ſcrip. Canon ca. …. col. 1888.tell vsus, that infallibilitas verbi dei ex Eccleſiae teſtimonio pendet. The infallibilitie of the word of God depends vponupon the Churches teſtimonie: that the Church is, Iudex omnium controuerſiarum, Iudge of al controuerſies. And yet when we vrge you to deale plainely with vsus, and to tell vsus what you meane by the Church, you 3 anſwere: Per Eccleſiam intelligimus Pontificem Romanū, by the Church we meane the Pope of Rome. Now is not this a ieſt?

28 You ggIdem lib. citat. cap. 6. col. 1905. & defen. Bell. lib. 3. c. 10. To. 1. col. 1450. 4 Baron. Annal Tom. 6. 5 Epiſt. ad Clem. 8. miſſa An. dom. 1593 quae habet. ad finem tom. 6. Annal. Baronii. 6 Num. 6.Num 6tell vsus, that Clemens 8. was called by Gabriel Patriarke of Alexandria, tertius-decimus Apoſtolorum glorioſi domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti, et quintus SS. Euangeliſtarum, the 13. Apoſtle of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, and the 5. Euangeliſt, and your ⁶ Cardinall Baronius approues of the Patriarks intitling of your Pope ſo. Now I would know, if Clemens the 8. deſerued to be called the 13. Apoſtle, and the 5. Euangeliſt, why the other Clements, and eſpecially Clemens the firſt, yea and all the reſt of your Popes may not be thought to hauehave been Apoſtles and Euangeliſts?

Bell. lib. 1. de ſanct. beatit. ca. 13.29 They ſay, you burne Incenſe to your Images. And if that be ſo, I would know, why you ſhould not bee held Idolaters, ſeeing to burne Incenſe to a thing hath been held as much as to offer ſacrifice vntounto the thing. And ſacrificing vntounto any thing but God onelyonly hath been alwaies reputed Idolatry.Exod. 22. 20. Auſtin de Civ. Dei lib 10. c. 4. Horae. B. virg. impreſſ Pariſ. in 4. Anno 1526. fo. 62. 63Exod 22:20

30 I hauehave ſeene a prayer of yours Sir Prieſt, which as the Rubrick ſaith, was ſhewed vntounto S. Auſten by reuelation of the holy Ghoſt: and of which you giuegive out, that who beareth it about them, ſhall not periſh in fire nor water, neither in battaile, nor iudgement, nor ſhall die ſuddaine death, nor be poiſoned with venome. Now this being thus, I deſire to know what difference betweene you and ſorcerers?

Hoſius lib. 3. de autho it ſac. ſcript. Pigh. Eccleſi. Hierarchi. Stapl. Apol. ad Illiricum.31 I am told you commend the Collier, who being asked by the Diuell or by a Cardinall (ſome ſay the one, ſome ſay the other) how hee beleeued, returned anſwere, as the Church beleeueth: and being asked how the Church beleeued, replied, as he beleeued: running ſtill the round, vouchſafing no other anſwere, but I beleeue as the Church beleeues, and the Church beleeues as I beleeue. Now if this bee true, I deſire to know why the whole pack of you ſhould not be held for fooles, ſeing beleefe in groſſe, is but groſſe diuinitie. Sure I am, lib. 5. cap. 20.Lactantius laughed at thē as fooles, who being asked a Ad maiorum iudicia confugiunt.reaſon of that which they beleeued, could giuegive none, but reſted in their forefathers iudgements, quod illi ſapientes fuerint, illi probauerint, illi ſciuerint quod eſſet optimum: becauſe (forſooth) they were verie wiſe, and they approued of that which they held, and they knew vvhat was beſt to be holden: concluding that ſuch did ſe ipſos ſenſibus ſpoliare, & ratione abdicare, that is, make fooles of themſelues.

32 The laſt point wherein I deſire to bee ſatisfied by you is, What you are able to reply, vponupon the Ieſuites Watſon in his Quodlibers, pag. 100.behalfe, to Sixtus Quintus: who couuenting the General of their order before him, and expoſtulating the caſe with him, why his Order called themſelues Ieſuites; and receiuing anſwere, that the people called them ſo, they themſelues not taking that name vntounto them, but the name of Clerkes of the ſocietie of Ieſus: replied vponupon the Generall prettily (to giuegive the diuell his right) asking, why they durſt bee ſo ſaucie as to 1. Cor. 1. 2.1 Cor 1:2take that vntounto themſelues, ſeeing the Apoſtle witneſſeth, that all Chriſtians are called into the ſociety of Ieſus. Me thinkes, the Popes Replica, will admit no Replica on the Ieſuites part. And therfore your Ieſuites are as faultie in taking vponupon them in ſpeciall to be of the ſocietie of Ieſus, as if they had refuſed to be called Ignatians of their lame founder Ignatius, and ſcorned the name Chriſtian, deriued of Chriſt, as to common: and taken vntounto themſelues the name Ieſuite, of Ieſus, which yet was held vtterly vnlawfull aaLyndwood Conſtitut. prouincial. lib. Tit. de Conſuetudine huius autem.many yeeres before your Ieſuites were hatched.

FINIS.

End of the text · Alexander Cooke, Work for a Mass-Priest (1617)