The Jesuits Shifts and Evasions, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Mr. Arnoux anſwere to theſe Queſtions.
THe Aduerſarie maketh anſwere in theſe words.1. 100. page of Mr. Arnoux Booke. Firſt (he ſaith) it belongeth not vntounto them to aske me the reaſon of my beleefe, becauſe I am in poſſeſſion, & no man hath giuen them commiſſion to pull the title of the inheritance which I hold, out of my hands.
I anſwere, that it is true, that we hauehave no power to make him ſpeake, nor to binde him to giuegive vsus an anſwere; but the commandement of God bindeth him thereunto, in the firſt Epiſtle of S. Peter 3.15. Be ready alwayes to giuegive an anſwere to eueryevery man that asketh you a reaſon of the hope that is in you, with meekeneſſe and feare. Ieſus Chriſt made anſwere touching his doctrine to thoſe that came vntounto him, although they were his enemles, and had no power ouer him: We hauehave anſwered Mr. Arnoux to all whatſoeuer he demanded of vsus, and obiected againſt vsus, although he hath no power ouer vsus, neither did ſhew vsus his commiſſion. He hath bound himſelfe to anſwere vsus, becauſe he prouoked vsus to ſpeake. For, that asking vsus a reaſon of our religion, he might make his account that we would aske him a reaſon of his religion: not in manner of reuenge, but to let the truth be knowne, and to ſhew that wee are better grounded in Religion then he is.
Whereas he ſaith, that he is in poſſeſſion of an inheritance, and that we hauehave no commiſſion to take it from him; If by that inheritance he vnderſtandeth earthly poſſeſſions, and riches, we enuie him not, and wiſh that he had ten times as much more, ſo he would become a defender of the truth: But if by that inheritance, hee vnderſtandeth the poſſeſſion of the true doctrine, it is to preſuppoſe that which is in queſtion. We goe not about to take a thing from the Church of Rome, which ſhe hath partly loſt. There needs no commiſſion to aske a man what he beleeueth, or the reaſon of his beleefe. Charitie towards all men, and a deſire to lend our helping hand to him that is fallen, and the zeale that we ought to beare to the defence of Gods cauſe, ſufficiently bindeth vsus to ſpeake, and to propound the doctrine of ſaluation to thoſe that require it. It is to no purpoſe to ſay; it is already long time ſince I hauehave bin in poſſeſſion of this doctrine: For Pagans, Iewes, and Turkes may ſay as much, whoſe religions are ancienter then Papiſtry. We diſpute not by numbers or yeeres, but by proofes. The Church is in a Country where there is a written Law, and not in a Country where cuſtome onelyonly ruleth. There is no preſcription againſt the heauenly truth, which alwayes is moſt ancient, for that vntruth or lying is but a corruption of the truth. An ancient opinion once was new: and if time may authorize a doctrine, tell me how many yeeres at the leaſt, me muſt hauehave to giuegive authoritie thereunto? Then we muſt proceed to the ground, and to the inſtitution contained in the Word of God. And without ſpeaking of the Word of God, yet it will be found, that the moſt part of the errors of the Church of Rome are very new. As the depoſing of Kings by the Pope, the Communion vnderunder one kinde, The forbidding to reade the holy Scriptures, &c.
2 Mr. Arnoux addeth and ſaith, Their requeſt ſhould be more tollerable, if they made it before ſome Iudge that had authoritie to end our difference.
If this excuſe, made by the Ieſuite, were allowable, before he ſets vponupon vsus he ought to finde out a Iudge that could ſet vsus at an agreement. But that notwithſtanding, we hauehave not ſpared to anſwere him, becauſe, that although at this day there is no man to be found that is fit to be a Iudge of Controuerſies, with infallible certainty, and ſoueraigne authority; yet eueryevery particular man ought to hauehave iudgement with diſcretion, to diſcerne which of vsus beſt proueth and iuſtifieth his ſayings by the Word of God. Then that ſhould bee no hinderance vntounto him to anſwere vsus.
3 The third excuſe that he addeth, is no better then the former: which is; ſeeing (ſaith he) that they hauehave bound themſelues to re-eſtabliſh the Church that is fallen, and that I offer my ſelfe vntounto them, to be drawne out of the ruines, wherewith (as they thinke) I am incloſed. It belongs to them to lend me their hand, to ſhew me thoſe notable places, and to produce the Scriptures.
I anſwere, that it is falſe that we hauehave taken vponupon vsus to reforme the Church, and that wee hauehave bound our ſelues thereunto. It is ſufficient for vsus to reforme our ſelues. They call our Churches reformed, and not reformers. And they are called reformed, becauſe they are Chriſtian Churches purged from Papiſtrie. It is true, that as eueryevery true Chriſtian is moued with compaſſion towards thoſe that erre; we could gladly wiſh that our aduerſaries eyes were opened, and that we could take the vaile of ignorance from before them. But yet we take not on vsus the title of reformers. I am perſwaded that our aduerſaries which beleeue that they hauehave the truth on their ſides, would be glad if they could doe the like for vsus: and yet not aſcribe the title of Reformators vntounto themſelues. And although we ſhould call our ſelues reformers, is it not Mr. Arnoux dutie to ſhew vsus, that there is nothing to be reformed in the Church of Rome, by prouing his beleefe by the Word of God; thereby to withdraw vsus from this vnprofitable labour, and to hinder vsus from applying any more plaſters, where there is no wound? Then that likewiſe ſhould not hinder him from anſwering vntounto vsus.
4 That which followeth is no better; vntill (ſaith he) that they hauehave confuted my Paper of confrontation, againſt the which they hauehave written, it were a kind of folly in mee, to grant them ſuch a diſloyall and friuolous digreſſion.
For anſwere hereunto, I ſay, that we hauehave in ſuch manner confuted his confrontations, that they are become ridiculous. His accuſations did not merit the paines were tooke therein, but we had a reſpect to the dignitie of the perſons, in whoſe preſence he pronounced them. And when any man moueth vsus to render a reaſon of our beleefe, it is no digreſſion, to cauſe him to yeeld a reaſon of his owne beleefe. For a man alwayes to aske queſtions, and neuer to make anſwere to any thing that another askes him, beſides the vniuſt vſurpation, it is a confeſſion of his owne Ignorance. For he that askes, deſireth to be inſtructed, and hee that will not anſwere, ſilently confeſſeth that he is not able to giuegive inſtruction: And if when we make theſe queſtions vntounto him, we ſhould vſe a digreſſion, yet ſeeing that our people are not ſeperated from the Church of Rome, and becauſe we cannot ſatisfie their demaunds by the Word of God, it is Mr. Arnoux part to ſupply their want therein, and to giuegive them inſtruction; Seeing that if his cauſe be good, he ſhall hauehave leſſe paines to produce a place out of the Scripture touching eueryevery one of our 17. demaunds, then to ſeeke for ſo many ſhifts; He takes more paines to ſhew the reaſons why he anſwereth not, then he ſhould hauehave had to anſwere vsus.
5 The fift reaſon is excellent. When (ſaith he) they ſhall plainly and freely confeſſe, that they can no more brag and boaſt of the Word of God, and that their confeſſion is wholly aboliſhed, and that it is no more to be ſpoken of: Then I will make no difficultie to inſtruct them in my beleefe, and it ſhall not be to the end to make them account thereof, but to winne them to God.
He will hauehave me to leaue my owne Religion before he inſtructs me in his beleefe, but in the meane time what Religion ſhall I hold while I attend his inſtruction? This is excellent counſell, to wiſh me to leaue my Religion without taking another in a certaine time after, and that I ſhould renounce my confeſſion of the faith, before I know whether he that induceth me to doe it, hath a good religion: And if after I hauehave left my Religion, without taking another; I come to Mr. Arnoux to learne his faith of him, and that therein hee doth not content me, ſhall I remaine without Religion, or ſhall I take that againe which I left? That is as much as if a man ſhould leaue his owne Religion, not knowing wherefore: For I cannot know that my Religion is falſe, vnleſſe I know that the contrary Religion is true. This Doctor hath learned all this from Father Gontri, that publiſhed diuers ſmall Treaties, wherein are found theſe ſlender ſhifts and childiſh conceipts, to learne men to exempt themſelues from anſwering, alwayes to aske queſtions, and to bind vsus to proue our allegations in as many words and ſyllables out of the holy Scripture.
6 Laſtly, after ſo many ouerthwartings, Truth giueth Mr. Arnoux a blow, and draweth this confeſſion from him. Such queſtions (ſaith hee) cannot be made by thoſe that know well, that we neuer promiſed, as they hauehave done, neither yet proteſted in any of our Articles, that we ought not to beleeue any thing, but that which is formerly ſet downe in the Scripture, and in expreſſe termes: to the contrary wee hold traditions, which they reproue and reiect.
He ſhould hauehave ſaid ſo at the firſt, without ſeeking ſo many ouerthwartings and delayes. Then he confeſſeth that he cannot anſwer our queſtions by the Scripture, and that thoſe points whereof we deſire a proofe, are not proued by the Word of God, contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles, but by tradition, and by the vnwritten Word; That is to ſay, that theſe doctrines are neither in the Law of God, nor in the Goſpell; for in the holy Scriptures the Law of God is whole, and the Goſpell whole, and not halfe, vnleſſe the title be falſe, And yet theſe 17. points, are the principall points of the Romiſh Religion, and which are held to be neceſſary for ſaluation, & which are the cauſes of our ſeparation. Then be it knowne to all the Realme of France, that Mr. Arnoux, being at this day ſeated in ſo eminent a place, (after hee hath defied vsus with ſo ſolemne a defiance in the preſence of his Maieſtie, and of the greateſt perſons of this Realme,) hath bled at the noſe, & confeſſeth his own weakneſſe, and acknowledgeth that his Religion is not grounded vponupon the Word of God, contained in the holy Scriptures, but vponupon an vnwritten Word, and vponupon Traditions, which hauehave no other rule, nor certainty, then the authority of thoſe that propound them: and who by that tradition hauehave heaped vp infinite riches, and builded an Empire vponupon earth. While the holy Scriptures which is able to make vsus wiſe to ſaluation; is hidden, and withdrawne from the peoples ſight. And that we on the contrary hauehave from point to point ſatisfied and anſwered to all his queſtions and obiections. Bleſſed bee the Name of God, that makes truth to triumph, and drawes our aduerſaries condemnation out of their owne mouthes. Then with good reaſon he addeth theſe words; ſaying, they did well to conceiue that I would neuer vndertake an impertinent thing: and that alſo which hee ſaith, that wee would hauehave him loſe dayes and nights, and ſpoile his breſt, and his ſtomacke with ſo much writing, and abandon his charge, and then ſtay a long time for an anſwere, and ſtriking after one manner, he ſhould loſe his blowes. It is not impertinent to defend his cauſe by the word of God, that paines will neither hurt nor ſpoile his breſt nor ſtomacke; For, it is ſo hard a matter, to produce a place out of the Scriptures for eueryevery one of theſe 17. points, and if not formall, at the leaſt, ſuch as hauehave ſome appearance thereof.
Touching the places of the Scripture alleadged by Pope Boniface the 8. and by the laſt Counſell of Lateran, in ſo prodigious and prophane a ſenſe; Mr. Arnoux Arnoux p. 112.dares not maintaine ſuch cotations of the Scripture, nor yet reiect them, leaſt hee ſhould condemne the Popes and their Counſels, but findes a way betweene both, ſaying, That thoſe proofes are not produced in the literall ſenſe, but in an accommodated and appropriated ſenſe, nothing contrary to the literall ſenſe. I will make our greateſt enemies Iudges herein, whether they would endure that in our confeſſion wee ſhould ſerue our ſelues with places of Scripture not agreeing with the literall ſenſe, but with an accommodated ſenſe, made for our pleaſures, and drawne for our profit, for thoſe places are interpreted for the Popes aduantage, in an impious ſenſe, to perſwade men, that he ought to be adored by Kings, and that he hath all power in heauen and in earth. Are theſe the men that will binde vsus, to finde all that in the Scripture which we ſay, and in as many words and ſyllables, who in the meane time, take libertie themſelues to play with the Scripture with ſuch licentious prophanation, and thinke to carry it away by ſaying that it is an accommodated and not a literall ſenſe, which accommodated ſenſe neuertheleſſe, they receiue for good and moſt certaine, ſeeing they hold that the Pope and his Counſels cannot erre in faith?
After this Doctor hath ſo barely acquitted himſelfe, hee ſpeaketh as being touched with compaſſion towards vsus, and giueth vsus counſell full of wiſedome, ſaying, Yeeld your ſelues to the Church, and ſhe will tell you all: as if he ſhould ſay, Ioyne your ſelues with the Church of Rome, and then wee will at leaſure anſwere to your demands: for by the Church he vnderſtandeth the Romiſh Church, which he will hauehave vsus to beleeue to be the true Church, before we know what ſhee ought to beleeue, that ſhee may be the true and pure Church. But why ſhould ſhee rather be the true Church than the Greeke or the Syrian Churches, which are ancienter than the Romane, and purer, and which Ieſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles did plant, and where S. Peters and the reſt of the Apoſtles chaires are?
Thereupon Maſter Arnoux will hauehave vsus plainely to ſhew which is the true Church, if the Church of Rome be not the true Church; but he ſaith that to mocke vsus: for he ſpeaketh as if he ſhould ſay, Shew vsus that, but while you ſhew it, wee will ſhut our eyes: for the true Church is that which followeth and teacheth the true Doctrine contained in the holy Scriptures, by that we muſt know it, as St. Auguſtine ſaith,Aug. lib. de vnitate Eccleſiae, cap. 16. Vtrum ipſi Eccleſiam teneant non niſi diuinarū Scripturarum canonicis libris oſtendatur. Et eodem libro. Ergo in Canonicis Scripturis eam requiramus. Cap. 3. let vsus ſeeke for the Church in the canonicall Scriptures: that is, that holy Scripture which they hide from the people. Then theſe Doctors will hauehave vsus to ſhew them the true Church, but will not hauehave men to ſee that, which onelyonly maketh them to know the Church. As if a man would hauehave one to ſhew him the beſt gouerned Common-wealth, without knowing the rules that make a good Common-wealth. He alſo will hauehave vsus to produce our Commiſſion, and the charge that we hauehave from that Church. Whereunto we hauehave anſwered in the 123. Section of the firſt Booke, where wee hauehave handled the vocation of Paſtors. The effect thereof is, that although eueryevery Paſtor of our Churches be lawfully called, and according to the forme and manner therein required, by impoſition of the hands of other faithfull Paſtors, after enquiry made of his life and conuerſation, and of his capacity and doctrine, yet it is not alwaies neceſſary to hauehave his commiſsion, and allowance from a pure Church, and without errour. He that is admitted into the charge of a Paſtor, in an hereticall Church, (as in an Arian or Neſtorian Church) and that hath beene receiued vponupon oath to teach the truth, ought neceſſarily to accompliſh that oath, and in the ſame charge to change his hereticall doctrine, and propound the true Doctrine of ſaluation: Not only becauſe the charge of a Paſtor, in what Church ſoeuer it be, by the nature thereof, and the firſt inſtitution, is expreſly giuen vntounto him, and inſtituted to teach the truth, but alſo becauſe that eueryevery oath made to God concerning any good, iuſt, and neceſſary thing, and whereinto a man hath not intruded himſelfe, ought neceſſarily to be accompliſhed. And if it hapneth, that any Paſtors of an hereticall and an idolatrous Church, as the Romiſh Church is, changing their hereticall doctrine, and taking on them to preach the truth, and thereby draw a part of their flockes to follow the truth, and that thereupon the other part, obſtinate in errour, expulſeth and excommunicateth them, I ſay that they ought to be conſtant, and not to abandon Gods cauſe, & that they may not leaue their charge, for accompliſhing their oathes, but conuert their charge into the true vſe thereof: for they ought rather to hauehave a reſpect to Gods will and intent, for the which hee hath inſtituted the charge of Paſtors, than to the intent of thoſe that impoſed their hands vponupon them, when it is contrary to Gods will and intent: for a man is not eſtabliſhed in the charge of a Paſtor to doe the will of man, but the will of God: The force of the bond to obſerue and keepe his oath, proceedeth not from him before whom he taketh his oath, or that maketh him to ſweare, but from God to whom hee ſweareth, and in whoſe power the puniſhments of periury are reſerued. Such was the commiſſion and the proceedings of thoſe whom God vſed to ſtriue againſt Papiſtrie in the Church of Rome, and openly to publiſh the holy Scripture, which the Pope had ſuppreſſed, who hauing beene choſen and elected Prieſts and Doctors in the Church of Rome, to preach the Doctrine of the Goſpel to the people, and to be ſacrificers of the body of Chriſt, did beleeue that they were bound to performe the firſt, becauſe it is the ordinance of God, and to leaue the ſecond, becauſe it is the inuention of man. Maſter Arnoux addeth a conceipt, which hee ſaith is very ſtrong, and of much force, the ſubſtance whereof is, That no Teſtament is made without there be an heire; That the Teſtament is the Goſpel; That the Church is the perpetuall aſſigned heire of this Teſtament, the which by conſequence cannot erre, as being perpetuall inheritor of the infallible truth. I anſwere, that the inheritance which Ieſus Chriſt by his teſtament hath left to the true faithfull,Epheſ. 1.14.18. Hebr. 9.15. is the Kingdome of Heauen, and not the guift, not to erre. And although the infallible truth of God might be called the inheritance of the Church, yet it doth not follow that the Church cannot erre, nor ſinne againſt the truth. So the law, which is the intire rule of righteouſneſſe, is giuen to the Church, which neuertheleſſe doth ſinne againſt that Law. How ſhould the Vniuerſall Church be without error, ſeeing it is compoſed of diuers and particular diſcordant Churches? among the which, why ſhould the Church of Rome rather hauehave the guift not to erre, than the Greeke, ancienter than the Romane, or than the Syrrian, much ancienter than the Greeke, and where Saint Peters chaire is, and which Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe planted? as alſo, ſeeing that the reſt of the Apoſtles hauing left no ſucceſſors in their Apoſtles charge, why ſhould Saint Peter onelyonly hauehave one in his? Did Ieſus Chriſt euer declare that Saint Peter onelyonly, among the Apoſtles, ſhould hauehave a ſucceſſor in his charge of Apoſtle? or did Saint Peter euer declare that the Biſhop of Rome ſhould be his ſucceſſour in quality of the head of the vniuerſall Church? Where is there any one word of this ſucceſſion vſed in the Word of God? As alſo that the hereſies*Leo the ſecond complaineth of Honorius his Predeceſſor, for that by his hereſie he had defiled the ſeat of Rome. In the action 18. of the 6. Councell. of diuers Popes, (acknowledged by the Popes themſelues,) and the ſchiſmes which hauehave rent that Seate, and which often times hauehave bin the meanes, that of diuers Antipopes contending for the ſame, the wickedeſt and the moſt vniuſt of them intruding himſelfe, hath carried it away: hauehave partly broken the line of this imaginary ſucceſſion: for to what purpoſe doth it ſerue to ſhew a liſt of mens names in a picture, from Saint Peter to our time, if they ſhew not that the ſecond of them taught as the firſt did, and the third as the ſecond, and ſo by degrees? Many hereticall Churches in that manner produce their ſucceſsion, and are nothing the better for that; for a ſucceſsion of a chaire, without ſucceſsion of Doctrine, is rather an expulſion than a ſucceſsion.
Pag. 120. J…nius lib. …. cap 3.But M…ſter Arnoux ſaith, that learned Irenius ſaith, that it is altogether neceſſary that eueryevery Church ſhould reſort and ioyne vntounto that of Rome, wherein the chiefe Principalitie reci…. But M…ſter Arnoux, hauing not in all his Booke alledge… an… place that is not either cut ſhort or falſified, would not at the end of his booke begin to alledge them truely. For, firſt he addeth this word adherer, which is not in Irenius, and the word conuenire he tranſlateth reſorting, whereas it ſignifieth to land, or to come from diuers places into one place. And to theſe two falſhoods, Maſter Arnoux addeth a notable corruption of the ſenſe; for Irenius by this chiefe Principalitie, vnderſtandeth the power of the City of Rome, becauſe of the emperiall Seate, and not of the ſupremacie of the Biſhop, or of his Church; for that, Chriſtians from all Churches, arriued at, or came to Rome, becauſe of the Emperours Seate, and of the Senate, where they had ſome affaires to be diſpatched: As if I ſhould ſay, that from all the Churches of France, they come to Paris, becauſe the Kings ſoueraigne Court is there. Then we muſt tranſlate Irenius in this mannner: To this Church*Ad hanc Eccleſiam, propter potentiam pr ncip…l…atem, nece…ſ… eſt omnem co…uen…i Eccleſiam. foreign. all Churches muſt neceſſarily come, becauſe of the ſoueraigne power, which is the emperiall power. VponUpon the ſame reaſon, the councell of Antiochia, in the ninth Canon, groundeth the ſuperioritie of the Biſhops of great Townes, becauſe (ſaith that Councell) that all thoſe that hauehave any buſineſſe, come to the Metropolitane City; …or that cau…e it hath beene ordained that the Biſhops thereof ſhould hauehave preheminence of honour. Therefore the Church of Alexandria went before Antiochia, although the Church of Antiochia was ancienter, and founded (as it is ſaid) by Saint Peter, becauſe that among the Cities of the Romiſh Empire, Alexandria, according to ciuill order, was the ſecond City after Rome, and was before Antiochia. The 17. Canon of the Councell of Calcidonia, ſpeaketh expreſly thereof; where it is ordained, that the order of Eccleſiaſticall Dioces ſhould be accommodated according to ciuill and publique forme.
For concluſion, our aduerſary immitating (as he ſaith) the example of Saint Auguſtine, referreth vsus to the Fathers, that are not partiall in this cauſe.
I maruell why hee doth not rather referre vsus to the Word of God▪ which is not partiall, no more than the ancient Doctors are, and which ſpeaketh with another manner of authority; and much more, that he referreth the people to the reading of the Greeke and Latine Fathers, whoſe workes are infinite to be read, and the vnderſtanding of them obſcure, and, which hee knoweth, the common people vnderſtand not, and that out of their workes, there are not many places alledged, whereupon there is not ſome queſtion made touching the ſenſe and the interpretation of them. And I am much more abaſht that he referreth the people to the reading of the Fathers, to be reſolued in Religion, ſeeing there is not one of the Fathers, which the Doctors of the Romiſh Church doe not cenſure, and often times reproue them: For they make themſelues Iudges of the Fathers, in ſtead of receiuing the Fathers for Iudges. In their bookes of Controuerſies you ſhall ſee nothing but diuers opinions of the Fathers, wherof they chooſe thoſe whom they pleaſe and reiect the reſt, and many times reiect them all, to eſtabliſh their owne opinions.
Now to ſhew, that the reaſon why they referre the common people to the reading of the Fathers, is not becauſe the Fathers fauour them, but onelyonly to ſhun the holy Scriptures, which they feare, and to leade the mindes of the common-people through a way wherein they can neither ſee nor know any thing: I would gladly know, whether our aduerſaries receiue the Fathers for Iudges in all our Controuerſies; if they receiued them not for Iudges but in certain poynts, why not alſo in others? but if they receiue them for Iudges in all things, then they muſt enter into the liſts, and let ſome of them ſhew vsus in the Fathers, theſe ſeauenteene poynts, wherunto, hauing beene ſo often times preſt and vrged, they are yet to anſwere.
1 For I ſay, and maintaine it, that they cannot ſhew that any ancient Church euer celebrated the Euchariſt without communicants, as they ordinarily doe in the Church of Rome, and many times alſo without any aſſiſtants.
2 They cannot ſhew, that any ancient Church kept the people from the communion of the cup.
3 Or that in any ancient Church, publique Seruice, and the reading of the holy Scriptures, was done in a language not vnderſtood by the people.
4 Or that any ancient Church, did forbid or hinder the people from reading of the holy Scripture, which is by no meanes permitted without ſpeciall priuiledge in theſe countries where the Pope is abſolutely obayed.
5 Or that in any ancient Church, they made Images of God, and repreſentation of the Trinity, in ſtone or in picture.
6 Neither can they ſhew vsus, that in any ancient Church the people hauehave been taught to pray without vnderſtanding what they ſay, and to be Barbarians to themſelues.
7 Or that any ancient Church, hath done any ſeruice to the Images of creatures, as kiſſing, clothing, kneeling before them, or offering vntounto them.
8 Or that the ancient Church did beleeue that the Virgin Mary is crowned Queene of Heauen, and Lady of the World, as ſhe is painted in all the Papiſts Churches.
9 Or that the ancient Church gaue diuers charges and offices to Saints, to one ouer one Country, to another ouer another Countrey, to another ouer an occupation, &c.
10 Or that the ancient Church beleeued that the Pope can giuegive, and take away Kingdomes, and diſpence with ſubiects touching their oath of fidelity, cannonize Saints, and diſpence with vowes and oathes made to God.
11 Or that in the ancient Church, the Pope by his pardons, diſtributed the ſupererogatory ſatisfactions of Saints, for remiſſion of the puniſhments for other mens ſinnes.
12 Or that the Pope then, ſet vp pardons in one Church & not in another, making priuiledged Alters, to the which ſometimes hee granted two or three hundred thouſand yeeres of pardon.
13 Or that the ancient Church did beleeue that there is a place called Limbus for yong children.
14 Or that it adored the hoſte which the Prieſt holdeth in his hands, with Latrian worſhip, and that to the ſame end the Prieſt lifteth vp the hoſte in the Maſſe.
15 Or that the ancient Church euer eſteemed the books of Machabees to be Canonicall bookes.
16 Or that it beleeued that the Biſhop of Rome cannot erre in the faith.
17 Or that the ancient Church did beleeue that Ieſus Chriſt by his death and paſſion did ſatisfie for the faults and for the ſinnes by men committed before baptiſme, but that for ſinnes committed after baptiſme it belongeth to vsus to ſatisfie for them, either in this life, or in the fire of Purgatory.
VponUpon eueryevery one of theſe points, I will content my ſelfe with two places alleadged by them out of the foure firſt ages.