The Jesuits Shifts and Evasions, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The fift Euaſion.
THe fift Euaſion which Maſter Arnoux imputeth vntounto vsus, is a Chaos of confuſed calumniations. He ſaith that we attribute things to the Church of Rome, which ſhee beleeueth not. That we charge the Popes with injuries. That wee reiect the originall Text of the Scripture, that is, the Hebrew and the Greeke. That we ſay, that a Verſe is ſliden from the Margent to the Text. That wee reiect the common tranſlation, receiued by all the Fathers. That we adde vntounto and take away from the holy Scriptures. That wee forge metaphors, and improprieties of phraſes. That we eſteeme that to be ſpoken per Ironia, which is ſaid vponupon oath, that we tye a conditionall particle, to a period, to draw it from the abſolute ſenſe thereof, and make thirty manifeſt places of the Scripture intricate by one obſcure place.
This cart of confuſed calumniations, without any proofes, deſerueth no anſwere. It is an eaſie thing to ſpeake euill of a man without any proofe. And I beleeue that Maſter Arnoux hath made a collection of faults, (wherein the Doctors of the Romiſh Church are culpable,) to impoſe them vponupon vsus: for in Maſter Arnoux Booke wee finde that in eueryevery place hee changeth our beliefe, and maketh vsus ſay things which wee abhorre as much as he doth.
Hee knoweth, or ought to know, that the Doctors and Writers of the Romiſh Church, ſay and ſpeake a thouſand iniuries of Popes, and deteſt their liues and doctrine.
He knoweth that the Church of Rome reiecteth the originall text of the Bible, which is the Greek & the Hebrew, and preferreth the vulgar tranſlation before it, which neuertheleſſe is ſo much corrupted, that if you compare the vulgar tranſlation with the Hebrew, you will ſay that there is no Booke in the world ſo badly tranſlated. Sixtus Seuenſis, the Popes keeper of his Library, acknowledgeth the ſame, in the ſeauenth Booke of the Library,*Hereſ. prima, Editionis venetae, p. 921. & 92…. Vulgata edito quae Hieronymi eſſe dicitur in multis à Graeca veritate diſtat. where hee ſaith, that the vulgar Edition, which is ſaid to be Saint Hieromes, in many things differeth from the truth of the Greeke. That which Bellarmine acknowledgeth, is ſo farreaBell. lib. 2. de Verbo Dei. ca. 2. Heretici huic temporis odio editionis vulgatae nimium tribuunt editioni Hebraicae &c. from accuſing vsus of reiecting the Hebrew or Greeke Text, that to the contrary he accuſeth vsus of holding too much with it, and of referring too much vntounto it. Heretiques (ſaith hee) in hatred of the vulgar Edition, attribute too much to the Hebrew Edition. For Caluin and Kemnitius will hauehave all examined and corrected by the Hebrew Text. To the contrary heebEodem. cap. 2. §. His ergo. Scripturas Hebraicas non eſſe in vniuerſ. deprauatas opera vel malitia Iudaeorum, nec tamen eſſe omnino integras. maintaineth, that the Scripture in the Hebrew is corrupted in many places, and contradicteth the opinions of Hierome and Auguſtine, that will hauehave the Latine tranſlation to be examined and corrected by the Hebrew and the Greeke:cCap. 11. Fontes ſcripturarum anteponendi riuulis verſionem, quando conſtat fontes non eſſe turbatos. Nunc autem fontes multis locis turbidos fluere iam ante oſtendinus. For he will hauehave the vulgar tranſlation to be preferred before the Greeke and Hebrew; And that men ſhould hauehave their recourſe to the little Riuers, becauſe the ſpring is troubled. But thoſe of the Church of Rome, that hauehave ſome remnant of equity in them, and that plainely perceiue that this opinion is an entrance into Atheiſme, and maketh nothing certaine in the Word of God, ioyne themſelues with vsus, and not onelyonly reproue the vulgar tranſlation, as Sixtus Seuenſis aforeſaid, but alſo they themſelues hauehave made tranſlations of the Bible according to the Hebrew, as Sanctes Pagninus, a Luquois Monke, and Arias Montanus a Spaniard; between the which tranſlations, and that which is vſed in our Churches, there is great conformity.
Whereas Maſter Arnoux ſaith, that the vulgar tranſlation hath beene receiued of all the Fathers, hee ſheweth, that hee neuer lookt into the Fathers; for in Saint Auguſtine there are two thouſand places of the holy Scriptures alledged in other words than they are ſet downe in the vulgar tranſlation. And Tertullian vſeth a different tranſlation from all the reſt; and in Hierome we hauehave diuers places of the old Teſtament, by him truely tranſlated according to the Hebrew; and Bellarmine in the tenth Chapter of his ſecond Booke de Ʋerbo Dei, ſaith, that the vulgar tranſlation began to be receiued in the Church of Rome, in the time of Gregory the firſt, that is, ſixe hundred yeares after Ieſus Chriſt. And Saint Auguſtine acknowledgeth, that in his time, the diuerſity of Latine tranſlations were infinite, in the ſecond Booke of Chriſtian Doctrine, Chapter 11.
In all theſe things,De Doctr. Chriſtianae, l. 2. ca. 11. as alſo in the reſt of the ſmaller calumniations, which he ſetteth downe, he ſheweth, that he knoweth not what we ſay, nor what he himſelfe ſaith: and that he hath no knowledge of antiquity, nor of the nature of our Controuerſies, and had done wiſely, if hee had ſhewed his Booke to men of ſome iudgement, before he publiſhed the ſame, in ſtead of taking all his defence out of Father Gontri, without any other examination, which Ieſuite, if he were liuing, would aske for his feathers againe, and ſo Mr. Arnoux ſhould be ſtarke naked.
The reproach which hee giueth vsus; to take from the Scriptures, without telling wherein and how it is done, is vnſeemely in the mouthes of thoſe that from the Law of God cut off a whole Commaundement, that is, the ſecond Commaundement, wherein the worſhipping of Images is prohibited.
But we muſt of force ſay ſomething touching the reproach which he giueth vsus, that we attribute things to the Romiſh Church, which ſhe beleeueth not.
To auoid this blame, in the defence of our confeſſion of the faith, againſt Maſter Arnoux, I hauehave drawne our Aduerſaries beliefe from the Councels of the Church of Rome, and ſpecially from the Councell of Trent: as alſo from the Decrees and Canons of Popes, and from the Text of the Maſſe. And where there is any diſcord betweene our Aduerſaries, I hauehave not hidden it, to the end, that an error which belongeth but to one part of the Romiſh Church, ſhould not be imputed to the whole body thereof. And if I hauehave alledged any particular Doctors, they are ſome of the notableſt, at the fore-front of whoſe writings, the approbation of the Doctors, and of the faculties of Theologie, is appoſed.
In controuerſies of Religion, to impute contrary things to the aduerſe party, which he beleeueth not, is expreſly to make warre againſt God, and to feare that the truth ſhould be knowne, that is, to make controuerſies where none are, as if wee had not true controuerſies enough, without forged falſe controuerſies. It is a confeſſion of a bad cauſe, and an acknowledging of the truth of the contrary opinion, when before wee ſpeake againſt it, wee ſeeke to diſguiſe it. To be ſhort, it is a confeſſing that if the opinion of the Aduerſaries were truely propounded, it could not be contradicted. Or if any man doth it without malice, he ſheweth that hee wanteth common ſenſe, to content himſelfe to learne the beliefe of his aduerſaries, by their enemies inuectiues, or by popular report, rather than by their owne confeſſion. Whereby it happeneth that all the diſputation is a manner of skirmiſhing in the ayre, which ſtriketh no man, and a fantaſie of an imaginary controuerſie, forged, to ſtorme or beſtirre themſelues againſt.
But this is the manner which at this day they vſe with vsus, for they that preach, or write againſt vsus, make vsus as blacke as Pitch with ſlanders, and forge another confeſſion for vsus. When wee reade our Aduerſaries writings, wee might imagine that they write againſt another Religion than ours, if we ſaw not our names at the beginning of their Bookes, and in the titles of the Chapters. And what proteſtations ſoeuer wee make that we beleeue nothing that they make vsus to ſay, yet they are reſolute, and will perſwade vsus that wee doe beleeue it. Maſter Arnoux Booke written againſt our confeſſion iuſtifieth the ſame, which in ſtead of refuting our confeſſion, changeth it, in ſuch manner, that fighting againſt his owne inuentions, his quarrell is againſt himſelfe.
Whereupon, I am forced in a briefe Table to ſet downe what kinde of confeſſion of the faith our Aduerſaries attribute vntounto vsus: and how they paint out our confeſſion like a horrible Monſter, which they ſhew vntounto the people to get money thereby.
Peter Cotton the Ieſuite, made a Booke intituled Catholique Inſtitution: at the beginning whereof, hee hath made a Preface to thoſe of the pretended reformed Church, wherein hee comprehendeth all our beliefe in 28. Articles, which are theſe that follow:
1 THat the Children of Chriſtians may be ſaued onelyonly by the faith of their Parents, without baptiſme, and therefore that baptiſme is not abſolutely neceſſary.
2 That the Bread in the Supper of our Lord is onelyonly the figure of the Body of Ieſus Chriſt.
3 That the Church may erre.
4 That we muſt not allow of any traditions.
5 That Angels and Saints which are in glory, know not our neceſſities, and cannot heare our prayers.
6 That Prieſts and religious perſons may breake their vowes.
7 That ſingle life is not to bee preferred before marriage.
8 That the Bookes of Macabees, Wiſdome, Eccleſiasticus, Tobias, the reſt of Daniel, and Baruc, are Apocripha.
9 That the Soule of the Sonne of God did not deſcend into Hell, to fetch the ſoules of the holy Fathers from thence, which there ſtayed for his comming, or that before the Aſcenſion of Ieſus Chriſt, the ſoules of the Saints were receiued into Heauen, & not into Limbus, nor into any other third place.
10 That we muſt confeſſe our ſinnes to God onelyonly.
11 That faith onelyonly iuſtifieth.
12 That when the fault of ſinne is remitted, the puniſhment alſo is remitted.
13 That God did not create men in one and the ſame condition, but that he created ſome to be ſaued, and the reſt to be damned perpetually.
14 That eueryevery particular man hath an Angell that watcheth ouer him.
15 That it is not lawfull to ſalute him, nor to call vponupon him.
16 That God doth not ſuffer ſinne to be done, but that he will hauehave it to be done, that hee thruſteth vsus forward vntounto it, and conſtraineth vsus thereunto.
17 That the Scripture is eaſie to be vnderſtood, and that the vnderſtanding thereof is giuen vntounto all men.
18 That there needes no ordinary or extraordinary vocation to preach the Word of God.
19 That we muſt beleeue nothing but that which is written.
20 That God hath not giuen power to the Church to remit ſinnes.
21 That all ſinnes are mortall.
22 That a man cannot merit by grace.
23 That it is impoſſible to keepe the Commaundements of God, although he ayde vsus.
24 That God doth not recompence good workes.
25 That there is no diſtinction of bleſſedneſſe among the Saints, and that they are all equall therein.
26 That we muſt not vſe the impoſition of hands which the Apoſtles vſed vponupon thoſe of Samaria and Epheſus.
27 That the precept to annoynt ſicke perſons with oyle, whereof St. Iames ſpeaketh, ought not to be practiſed in the Church, although it was vſed by the Apoſtles.
28 That prayer for the dead was not vſed in ancient times, nor yet in the Machabees time.
VponUpon theſe eight & twenty Articles, he asketh vsus proofes out of the holy Scriptures, but he ſhould aske proofes of all theſe Articles of thoſe that beleeue ſuch things, and not of vsus to whom all theſe poynts are in a manner ſlanderouſly imputed. VponUpon the which I will briefly ſay ſomething to the Reader, and run ouer all theſe Articles.
1 IT is falſe that we ſay that Children may be ſaued onelyonly by the faith of their Parents: Touching the neceſſity of Baptiſme with water, the Church of Rome beleeueth it not. The Councell of Trent is of opinion that a vow ſupplyeth the want of Baptiſme with water, and our Aduerſaries ſay, that the Baptiſme of bloud, and the Baptiſme of the Spirit, that is, martyrdome, and regeneration, without baptiſme with water, may ſaue a man.
2 It is falſe that wee beleeue that the Bread in the holy Supper is onelyonly the figure of the body of Chriſt. The Scripture teacheth vsus, that the Sacraments alſo are ſeales to confirme, and that the bread which wee breake, is the communion of the body of Chriſt.
3 It is falſe that we ſimply ſay that the Church can erre: The Church that is ſpoken of in the Creede, which is the Church of the Elect, cannot erre in deciding of the doubts in faith, becauſe it neuer aſſembleth to decide any thing. Touching the viſible vniuerſall Church, it was aſſembled in the perſons of the Apoſtles, which did wholly gouerne it; then it could not erre. Now it is diuided into particular contrary Churches; ſeperated from communion. It is impoſsible to aſſemble the ſame to decide any cauſes. Touching particular Churches, as the Greeke, Romane, and the Syrian, &c. There are ſome that may erre, and there are ſome particular Churches wherein it is impoſsible to be ſaued, that is, thoſe that are idolatrous, where the benefit of Ieſus Chriſt is corrupted.
4 It is falſe, that we reiect all traditions, we reiect thoſe onelyonly, which add ſomething to the doctrine of faith, contayned in the holy Scriptures.
5 It is falſe, that we beleeue that Angels and Saints, know not our neceſſities, they doe generally know, that the Church of God is perſecuted, and hath great combats to reſiſt. The Angels that God hath appointed to be our gardians, know our neceſſities, and what eſtate we are in.
6 It is falſe, that we ſimply ſay, that Prieſts ought not to keepe their vowes, if they make a vow of poſſible things, and conformable to the Word of God, they ought to keepe them.
7 It is falſe that we ſay, that ſingle life is not to be preferred before marriage; ſingle life that is continent, and hath no euill deſires, hath great commodities and aduantages aboue marriage, and more liberty to ſerue God.
8. 9. The eighth and ninth Articles are true, wee reiect the Limbus patrum, which is ſaid to bee emptie theſe 1600. yeeres, and the Apocriphall bookes.
10 It is falſe, that we ſay, that we muſt confeſſe our ſinnes onelyonly to God. We muſt confeſſe them to the Church, and to our Paſtors, and to our neighbours whom wee hauehave offended.
11 To take the word iuſtifie, in that ſenſe which our Aduerſaries take it, for regeneration and ſanctification; It is falſe that we ſay, that faith onelyonly iuſtifieth. For a Chriſtian is regenerated by all Chriſtian vertues. But if by being iuſtified they vnderſtand abſolued, and eſteemed to be righteous before the iudiciall ſeate of God (which is the ſenſe wherein the Scripture ordinarily taketh the word iuſtifie) in that ſenſe, we ſay, that faith voide of workes, cannot iuſtifie vsus: but that faith accompanied with workes, onelyonly hath the vertue to iuſtifie vsus; for that among Chriſtian vertues, faith onelyonly hath that propertie; To apprehend the benefit of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
12 It is falſe that we ſimply ſay, without exception, that when the fault is remitted, the puniſhment alſo is remitted. We ſpeake that of ſatisfactory, and vindicatiue puniſhments: but not of chaſtning puniſhments which ſerue to amend and inſtruſt the ſinner in time to come. Thoſe puniſhments are ſufferable with the remiſſion of ſinnes.
13 It is falſe that we ſay, that God hath created men to be damned, Caluin ſaith not ſo, and if hee had ſaid ſo, wee are not bound to beleeue it.
14 It is falſe that we ſay, that eueryevery one of vsus hath not an Angell to be his guardian. Our Churches hauehave not defined any thing touching that point. Whether God imployeth an Angell for the guarding of diuers perſons, or many Angels for the guarding of one man: It is a thing which wee leaue to the Counſell of God.
15 The fifteenth Article is true, we honour Saints, and ſet them before vsus for an example, and aſpire to their beatitude, but we call not vponupon them.
16 It is falſe and ſlanderous that we ſay, that God thruſteth vsus forward and conſtraineth vsus to ſinne; that doctrine is horrible and diueliſh. Caluin to whom they impute this doctrine, neuer ſaid it, but taught the contrary, and although he had ſaid it, yet our confeſſion of the faith in the ſeauenth Article, proteſteth the contrary in theſe words, ſaying; Not that God is the Author of euill, or that the fault can be imputed vntounto him, ſeeing that his will is the ſoueraigne and the infallible rule of all doctrine and equitie.
17 It is falſe that we ſay, that the Scripture is eaſie to bee vnderſtood, and that the vnderſtanding thereof is giuen vntounto all men. In it there are obſcure propheſies, and difficult places. We ſay that in the Scriptures there are ſufficient, euident and cleare places which are inſtructions vntounto vsus for ſaluation; and that in things which are plaine and manifeſt in the Scriptures, and which hauehave no neede of interpretation, all that which is neceſſary for our ſaluation, is contayned.
18 It is falſe that we ſay, that to preach the Word of God there needes no ordinary nor extraordinary calling. I hauehave made a booke expreſly to proue the contrary.
19 It is falſe that we ſay, that we muſt beleeue nothing but that which is written. We ſay, that we muſt not receiue any doctrine, (as neceſſary to ſaluation) that is not contained in the holy Scriptures.
20 It is falſe that we ſay, that God hath not giuen power to the Church to remit ſinnes; faithfull Paſtors hauehave that power, but their pardon is conditionall, ſo the party be a repentant ſinner, which is not certanely knowne, but to God onelyonly. Therefore their iudgement muſt of force be conditionall. As the holy Scripture ſaith that Paſtors ſaue ſoules, becauſe God vſeth their miniſtry to ſaue them, ſo it ſaith, that Paſtors pardon ſinnes, becauſe God vſeth their meanes to pardon them.
21 It is falſe that our Churches hauehave made any definition touching this point, that all ſinnes are mortall: It belongeth not to criminals and ſinners to determine what puniſhment eueryevery ſinne they commit deſerueth. OnelyOnly we reiect that diſtinction which is made betweene mortall and veniall ſinnes; that is, pardonable: becauſe thoſe ſinnes which are called mortall, are pardonable in thoſe that conuert and amend their liues, and thoſe ſinnes that are called veniall, are mortall when men perſeuere therein till they die, and that contempt and finall obſtinacy is added to the tranſgreſſion.
22 The 22. Article is true, We doe not preſume that wee can merit before God, and if thereupon we ſhould be asked, whether we cannot merit by the grace of God? I anſwere that the ſame grace is it which hindereth vsus from meriting. For, for that cauſe our good workes are not meritorious, becauſe they proceed from the grace of God. It is no merit to receiue grace.
23 It is falſe that we ſay, that it is impoſſible to keepe the commandements of God, though God doth helpe vsus. When it is the will of God to make a man perfect, and without ſinne, no man can hinder it, nor limit any rules to the efficacie of his Spirit.
24 It is moſt falſe that we ſay, that God doth not reward good workes.
25 It is falſe that we hold, for a moſt aſſured thing, that the Saints hauehave equall glory in heauen. That is no Article neceſſary to ſaluation, we condemne no man for that opinion, but ſuffer eueryevery man to conceiue thereof as hee thinketh it moſt probable. But the Pope which giueth a degree of glory vntounto ſome men aboue the vulgar Saints, is bound to maintaine that inequalitie.
26 It is falſe that we ſay, that we muſt not vſe the impoſition of hands which the Apoſtles vſed in Samaria, and in Epheſus: Whoſoeuer hath the vertue by impoſition of hands to conferre the ſame miraculous graces, and the gift of tongues, which the Apoſtles conferred, ſhall doe well to vſe that ceremony.
27 It is falſe that we ſay, That the precept to annoynt the ſicke with oyle, whereof S. Iames ſpeaketh, ought not to be practiſed in the Church; Wee know, that not onelyonly the Apoſtles, but alſo their diſciples after them, did profitably vſe the ſame, for healing of the ſicke: Whoſoeuer can by that vnction doe the like miraculous effects, ſhall doe well to vſe the ſame ceremony.
28 Laſtly, it is falſe, that our Churches beleeue and teach that prayer for the dead was not anciently in vſe. Wee ſay, that the firſt ages, whoſe examples ſhould ſerue vsus for a Law, vſed it not, and that God did not ordaine it. Touching the Machabees, it concernes vsus nothing to know, whether that as then they prayed for the dead: For although the bookes of the Machabees are full of fables, and that the ſame hiſtory is to be ſuſpected, yet although it were true, our Religion is not ruled by the Iewes actions, but by the commandement of God, as alſo that prayer for the dead, whereof wee ſpeake, is made with a reference to the reſurrection, and not to draw ſoules out of Purgatory.
The indifferent Reader will conſider, with what people wee hauehave to doe, ſeeing that of the 28. Articles, wherein they comprehend our Religion, there are but foure which truely and without calumniation doe repreſent our doctrine: and what hope is there, to end our Controuerſies by the Word of God, ſeeing that they binde vsus by the Word of God to proue thoſe things which we beleeue not. How ſhould they faithfully propound our beleefe to their people, when they diſguiſe it vntounto vsus? Put the caſe that our Religion were as full of errors, as it is holy, iuſt, and true: why doe they inſteed of ſeeking to draw vsus out of errours, goe about to drowne vsus therein? why doe they ſtudy to make vsus worſe, inſteed of amending or bettering vsus? or doe they thinke, that wee hauehave forgotten our Religion, and that wee muſt be forc't to come to them to learne it? Wee are vſed in the like manner by the Biſhop of Luzon, in his booke that he hath made againſt our Epiſtle dedicated to the King. In the tenth page, hee reduceth our Religion into twelue Articles, which he hath forged out of ſome places of our Authors, which he hath clipt, and which doe not ſay that which he would hauehave them to ſay, which we take for a iuſtification of our cauſe, ſeeing that no man dares encounter with vsus face to face, nor come directly to vsus, but all of them take a wrong courſe, and goe by-as way, and diſcharge not their choller againſt our Religion, but againſt another, which they hauehave forged at their pleaſures.
FINIS.
End of the text · Pierre du Moulin Sr, The Jesuits Shifts and Evasions (1624)