Works of Joseph Hall, Text 4 – Title page 36
A SERIOVS DISSWASIVE FROM POPERIE. To W. D. Revolted, &c.
YOV challenged me for my bold aſſertion of your manifold diuiſions: I doe here make it good with vſurie. Thoſe mouthes that ſay they teach you the truth, ſay alſo (and you hauehave beleeued them) that they all teach the ſame. As you finde them true in this, ſo truſt them in the other: For me, I cannot without indignation ſee, that in this light of the Goſpell, God and his truth ſhould thus bee loſers by you; and that a miſerable ſoule ſhould ſuffer it ſelfe thus groſſely cozened of it ſelfe, and glory▪ Many can write to you with more profoundneſſe, none with more ſincere feruencie, and deſire to ſaue you.
I call heauen and earth to record againſt you this day, that if you relent or anſwer not, your periſhing is wilfull. Wee may pittie your weakneſſe, but God ſhall plague your Apoſtaſie; if you had bin bred in blindneſſe, your ignorance had bin but lamentable, now your choice and louelove of darknes is fearefull and deſperate. Alas! you cannot be condemned without our ſorrow and ſhame. What ſhould we doe? We can but intreat, perſwade, proteſt, mourne, and gage our ſoules for yours; if theſe auaile not, who can remedie that which will periſh? Here this yet (you weake Revolter) if there be any care left in you of that ſoule which you hauehave thus proſtituted to error; if you hauehave any regard to that God, whoſe ſimple truth you hauehave contemned and forſken; what is this that hath driuen you from vsus, allured you to them? For Gods ſake, let me but expoſtulate a little ere my ſilence: Either be conuicted or inexcuſable. Our bad liues hauehave ſet you off; Woe is me that they are no holier; I bewaile our wickednes, I defend it not; OnelyOnly aske how they liue in Italie; if they be not (for the more part) filths to the worſt of ours, goe with them and proſper. Let all indifferent tongues ſay, whether that very See whereon your faith depends, euen within the ſmoke of his Holineſſe, be not (for vitiouſnes) the ſin be of the world; we may condemne our ſelues, their liues ſhal iuſtifie vsus; But you liſt not to looke ſo farre; you ſee their liues at home, you ſee ours: The compariſon is not equall; They take this for the time of their perſecution; we of our proſperitie. The ſtubborneſt Iſraelite, and the moſt godleſſe Mariner, could call vponupon God in his trouble: we are all worſe with liberty: Looke backe and ſee how they liued in former times while they proſpered; No Turkes (ſaith ERASMVS) more abominably though now as the worſ… how … profe… might you … which would ſcorne that the moſt …, ſhould goe before them in a gracious life, and in true … amon… …, there will be one Deuill: I wiſh they were ſo good that wee …g…ulate them: but for my part, I neuer yet could know that Papiſt, which made conſcience of all Gods ten morrall lawes: Shortly, whatſoeuer is vpraided to vsus; the truth is pure, though men be vnholy; and God is where he was, whatſoeuer becomes of men: For you, if you had not fallen to coole affections, and a looſe life, you had beene ſtill ours: It is iuſt with God to puniſh your ſecure negligence with error and deluſion, and to ſuffer you thus to loſe the truth, who had loſt your care of obedience and firſt louelove. And now you doe well to ſhift off this blame to others ſins, which hauehave moſt cauſe to accuſe your owne.
From maners to looke towards our doctrine: the noueltie of our Religion (you ſay) hath diſcouraged you: theirs hath drawne you with reuerence of her age. It is a free challenge betwixt vsus, let the elder hauehave vsus both: if there be any point of our Religion yonger than the Patriarchs, and Prophets, CHRIST and his Apoſtles, the Fathers and Doctors of the Primitiue Church, let it be accurſed, and condemned for an vpſtart: ſhew vsus euidence of more credit and age, and carrie it. The Church of Rome hath beene ancient, not the errors; neither doe we in ought differ from it, wherein it is not departed from it ſelfe. I did not more feare your wearineſſe than my owne; forgetting the meaſure of a Preface, I would paſſe through eueryevery point of difference betwixt vsus; and let you ſee in all particulars, which is the old way; and make you know, that your Popiſh Religion doth but put on a borrowed viſour of grauitie vponupon this Stage, to out-face true antiquitie. Yet leſt you ſhould complaine of words, let mee without your tediouſneſſe hauehave leaue but to inſtance in the firſt of all Controuerſies betwixt v…, offering the ſame proofe in all, which you ſhall ſee performed in one, I compare the iudgement of the ancient Church with yours, ſee therefore and bee aſhamed of your noueltie.
Eſpecially, Toby, Iudeth, Wiſd. of Salomon, Eccleſiaſticus, Maccabees. Euſeb. l. 4. c. 25. Expoſit. Symboli veteris inſtrumenti, primi omnium Moſis quinque libri, &c. Haec ſunt quae patres intra Cánonem concluſerunt, ex quibus fidei noſtrae aſſertiones, &c. Alij libri ſunt qui non Canonici, &c.Firſt, our queſtion is, Whether all thoſe bookes which in our Bibles are ſtiled Apocryphall, and are put after the reſt by themſelues, are to be receiued as the true Scriptures of God? Heare firſt the voice of the old Church: to let paſſe that cleare and pregnant teſtimonie of MELITO SARDENSIS in his Epiſtle to ONESIMVS cited by EVSEBIVS. Let CYPRIAN or RVFFINVS rather ſpeake in the name of all: Of the old Teſtament (ſaith he) firſt were written the fiue bookes of MOSES, Geneſis, Exodus, Leuiticus, Numbers, Deuteronomie; after theſe the booke of IOSHVAH the Son of NVN, and that of the Iudges, together of RVTH; after which were the foure bookes of the Kings, which the Hebrewes reckon but two: of the Chronicles which is called the booke of Dayes; and of EzRA, are two bookes, which of them are accounted but ſingle, and the booke of ESTER. Of the Prophets there is ESAY, HIERE…E, EzEKIEL, and DANIEL, and beſides, one booke which containes the twelue ſmaller Prophets. Alſo IOB, & the Pſalmes of DAVID are ſingle books: of SALOMON there are three books deliuered to the Church, the Prouerbs, Eccleſiaſtes, Song of Songs. In theſe they hauehave ſhut vp the number of the bookes of the old Teſtament. Of the new, there are foure Goſpels, of MATTHEVV, MARKE, LVKE, and IOHN; the Acts of the Apoſtles, written by LVKE; of PAVL the Apoſtle fourteene Epiſtles; of the Apoſtle PETER two Epiſtles, of IAMES the LORDS brother and Apoſtle, one; of IVDE one; of IOHN three; Laſtly, the Reuelation of IOHN. Theſe are they which the Fathers hauehave accounted within the Canon, by which they would hauehave the aſſertions of our faith made good. But we muſt know there are other bookes, which are called of the Ancients not Canonicall but Eccleſiaſtical, as the Wiſedome of SALOMON, & another Book of Wiſedome, which is called of IESVS the ſonne of SIRACH; which book of the Latines, is termed by a generall name Eccleſiaſti…us: of the ſame ranke is the book of TOBY and IVDETH; and the bookes of the Maccabees: Thus farre that Father; ſo HIEROME after that he hath reckoned vp the ſame number of bookes with vsus in their order, hath theſe words: This Prologue of mine (ſaith hee) may ſerue as a well defenced en…rance to all the bookes which I hauehave turned out of Hebrew into Latine; In prolog…. g… to Tem. 3. p. 6. Hic prologus. Scripturam quaſi Galeatū principium omnibus libris quos de Hebraeo, &c. Vt ſcire valeamꝰ quicquid extra bos eſt, inter apocrypha eſſe ponendum: igitur Sapientia quae vulgo Salomonis inſcribitur & Ieſu, &c. non ſunt in Canone, &c. Euſeb. l. 6. c. 24. Haud ignorandū autem fuerit, veteris inſtrum. libros ſicut Hebraei tradunt. 22. foreign, &c. foreign. Haec ſunt Apocrythae, Ieſus, Sapientia, Paſtor, & Maccabaeorū libri, Iudeth at que Tobia. Hugo Card. Concil. Trident. Decr. de Canon. Script. April. 8. promulg. in quar. Seſſione. Sacrorū vero librorum indicem huic decreto adſcribendum cenſuit, &c. Sunt autem infra ſcripti Teſtamenti veteris quinque libri Moſis, &c. Tobias, Iudeth, Sapientia Salomonis, Eccleſiaſticus, Maccab. 2. Si quis autem libros ipſos integres cum omnibꝰ ſuis partibus pro vt in Eccleſia Catholica legi conſueuerunt, & in veteri vulgata Latina Editione habenter, pro ſacrit & canonicis non ſuſceperit, Anathema ſit. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 15. c. 13. Sed quomodo libet iſtud accipiatur, &c. Ei linguae potius credatur vnde eſt in aliam facta tranſlatio. Ludouic. Viues ibid. Hoc ipſum Hieronymus clamat vbique; …c ipſ… … ratio, &c. Sed fruſtra honorum ingraciorum conſenſus hoc d…cet. Hieron. l. 3. …m. in Eſaiam. Quod ſi aliquis dixerit Hebraeos libros peſ… à Iud… falſatos, &c. S… autem dixerint poſt aduentum Domini ſaluatoris, &c. Hebraeos libros fuiſſe falſatos, cachi…num tenere non pote…, vt ſal…r & Apoſtoli, &c. cap. 6. Decr. p. 1. diſt. 9. c. vt veterum. Vt veterum librorum fides de Hebraeis voluminibus examinanda eſt, ita nouerum Graeci ſermonis normam defiderat. Ad Decr. p. 1. d. 19. c. 3. Ad diuina re…urre ſcripta Graeca.that we may know that whatſoeuer is beſides theſe, is Apocryphall: therefore that booke which is intituled Salomons Wiſdome, and the booke of Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach, and Iudeth, and Tobias and Paſtor, are not Canonicall: the firſt booke of the Macabees I hauehave found in Hebrew, the ſecond in Greeke: which booke (ſaith hee) indeede the Church readeth, but receiueth not as Canonicall. The ſame reckoning is made by Origen in Euſebius, word for word. The ſame by Epiphanius, by Cyrill, by Athanaſius, Gregorie Nazianzen, Damaſcen: yea, by Lyranus, both Hugoes, Caietan, Carthuſian, and Montanus himſelfe &c.
All of them with full conſent reiecting theſe ſame Apocryphall bookes with vsus. Now heare the preſent Church of Rome in her owne words, thus: The holy Synode of Trent hath though good to ſet downe with this Decree a iuſt Catalogue of bookes of holy Scripture, leſt any man ſhould make doubt which they bee which are receiued by the Synode; And they are theſe vnderunder-written, Of the Old Teſtament; fiue bookes of MOSES, then IOSHVAH, the Iudges, RVTH, foure bookes of the Kings, two of the Chronicles, two of ESDRAS, the firſt and the ſecond, which is called NEHEMIAS, TOBIAS, IVDETH, ESTER, IOB, the Pſalter of DAVID, containing one hundred and fiftie Pſalmes, The Prouerbs of SALOMON, Eccleſiaſtes, the Song of Songs, the booke of Wiſdome, Eccleſiaſticus, ESAY, HIEREMIE, &c. two bookes of the Maccabees, the firſt and the ſecond.
And if any man ſhall not receiue theſe whole bookes with all the parts of them, as they are wont to be read in the Catholike Church; and as they are had in the old vulgar Latine Edition, for holy and Canonicall, let him be accurſed. Thus ſhe: Iudge you now of our age; and ſay, whether the opinion of the ancient Church (that is ours) be not a direct enemie to Popery, and flatly accurſed by the Romiſh.
Paſſe on yet a little further. Our queſtion is whether the Hebrew and Greeke Originals be corrupted; and whether thoſe firſt Copies of Sciptures be not to be followed aboue all Tranſlations. Heare firſt the ancient Church with vsus: But (ſaith Saint AVGVSTINE) how ſoeuer it be taken, whether it be beleeued to bee ſo done, or not beleeued, or laſtly whether it were ſo or not ſo; I hold it a right courſe, that when any thing is found different in either bookes (the Hebrew and Septuagint) ſince for the certaintie of things done, there can be but one truth; that tongue ſhould rather be beleeued from whence the Tranſlation was made into another language. VponUpon which words LVDOVICVS VIVES (yet a Papiſt) ſaith thus: The ſame (ſaith he) doth HIEROM proclaime eueryevery where, and reaſon it ſelfe teacheth it, and there is none of found iudgement that will gainſay it; but in vain doth the conſent of all good wits teach this, for the ſtubborne blockiſhneſſe of men oppoſeth againſt it. Let HIEROM himſelfe then, a greater Linguiſt be heard ſpeake: And if there bee any man (ſaith he) that will ſay the Hebrew bookes were afterwards corrupted by the Iewes; let him heare ORIGEN, what he anſweres in the eight volume of his explanations of ESAY to this queſtion; that the Lord and his Apoſtles which reproue other faults in the Scribes and Phariſes, would neuer hauehave beene ſilent in this, which were the greateſt crime that could be. But if they ſay that the Hebrewes falſified them after the comming of Chriſt and Preaching of the Apoſtles, I cannot hold from laughter, that our Sauiour and the Euangeliſts and Apoſtles ſhould ſo cite teſtimonies of Scripture, as the Iewes would afterwards depraue them: Thus IEROME. And the Canon law it ſelfe hath this determination, that the truth and credit of the bookes of the old Teſtament ſhould bee examined by the Hebrew Volumes; of the new, by the Greeke. And Pope INNOCENTIVS as he is cited by GRATIAN, could ſay, HaueHave recourſe to the diuine Scriptures in their Original Greeke. The ſame laſtly by BELLARMINES owne confeſſion,Bellar. l. de verb. Dei 2. cap. 11. §. 3. the Fathers teach eueryevery where: As IEROME in his booke againſt HELVIDIVS, and in his Epiſtle to MARCELLA, that the Latine Edition of the Goſpell is to be called backe to the Greeke fountaines; and the Latine Edition of the old Teſtament, is to be amended by the Hebrew; in his Comment vponupon ZACHARY, 8. The very ſame hath AVSTEN in his ſecond booke of Chriſtian doctrine, Chap. 11.12.15. and Epiſt. 19. and elſewhere. This was the old Religion and ours; now heare the new. The preſent Church of Rome hath thus: The holy Synod decreeth that the old vulgar Latine Edition in all Lectures, Diſpuations, Sermons, Expoſitions, be held for Authenticall, ſaith the Councell of Trent: And her Champion BELLARMINE hath theſe words; That the fountaine of the Originals in many places runne muddy and impure, wee hauehave formerly ſhewed, and indeede it can ſcarce be doubted,Accedit quod patres paſſim docent, ad fontes Hebraeos & Graeces eſſe recurrendum: & Hieron. in lib. contr. Heluid. & in Epiſt. ad Marcellam, &c. Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 4. Sacroſancta Synodus ſtatuit, vt haec ipſa vetus, &c. pro authentica habeatur. Bell de verb. l. 2. c. 11. Nunc autem fontes multis in locis turbidos fluere, &c. Omnino contendunt Iudaeos in odium Chriſtianae relig. ſtudioſe deprauaſſe: ita docet Iacobus Chriſtop. litanus & Canus, &c. Bell. 2. de verb. Dei, p. 100. So Raynolds in his refutation, pag. 303. againſt Iſaac Valla, Andradius, Monta, &c. Haeretici huius temporis, odio vulgatae editionis nimium tribuunt editi…i Hebraicae, &c. omnia exa…nari v… lunt ad Hebraeum textum, quem non ſemel puriſſimum fontem appellant. Bell. l. 2. de verb. c. 2. Epiphan. contr. Anomaeos. Haereſ. 76. Omnia ſunt clara & lucida, &c. Baſil. in Aſcet. o…. Regul. breuiores. quae ambiguè, & obſcurê videntur dici in quibusdam locis ſacrae ſcript. & reg. 267. Aug. Ep. 3. Non tenta in ſcript…is difficultate perueniter ad ea quae neceſſaria ſunt ſaluti, &c. Aug. de doctr. Chriſt. l. 2. c. 9. In ijs quae …pertè in ſcriptura poſitá ſi…t, inven…tur illa … quae continent fidem moreſque vinendi. Magnificè & ſalubriter ſpirit. ſanctui ita ſcript. &c. De doctr. Chriſt. lib. 2. cap. 4. Aug. Epiſt. 3. Modus ipſe dicendi quo ſancta Scriptura, &c. Sed invitat omnes humili ſermone. but that as the Latine Church hath beene more conſtant in keeping the faith than the Greeke, ſo it hath beene more vigilant in defending her bookes from corruption. Yea, ſome of the Popiſh Doctors maintaine, that the Iewes in hatred of the Chriſtian faith, did on purpoſe corrupt many places of Scripture: ſo holds GREGORY de VALENTIA, IACOBVS CHRISTOPOLITANVS in his Preface to the Pſalmes, CANVS in the ſecond booke of his common places. But in ſtead of all, BELLARMINE ſhall ſhut vp all with theſe words; The Heretikes of this time, in hatred of the vulgar Edition, giuegive too much to the Hebrew Edition, as CALVIN, CHEMNITIVS, GEORGIVS MAIOR: All which would hauehave eueryevery thing examined and amended by the Hebrew text, which they commonly call a moſt pure fountaine. See now whether that which BELLARMINE confeſſes to hauehave bin the Iudgement of HIEROME, AVSTEN, and all the ancient Fathers, be not here condemned by him, as the opinion of the Heretikes: Ours was theirs; and theirs is condemned vnderunder our names: Iudge whether in this alſo Popery be not an vpſtart.
Yet one ſtep more: Our queſtion is, whether the Scripture be eaſie or moſt obſcure; and whether in all eſſentiall poynts it doe not interpret it ſelfe; ſo as what is hard in one place, is openly laid forth in another: Heare the Iudgment of the old Church and ours: All things are cleare and plaine, and nothing contrary in the Scriptures, ſaith EPIPHANIVS. Thoſe things which ſeeme doubtfully and obſcurely ſpoken in ſome places of Scripture, are expounded by them, which in other places are open and plaine, ſaith BASIL: What could CALVIN and LVTHER ſay more?
There is no ſo great hardneſſe in the Scriptures to come to thoſe things which are neceſſary to ſaluation, ſaith AVSTEN: In thoſe things which are openly laid downe in Scripture, are found all thoſe things which containe our faith and rules of our life, ſaith the ſame Father; who yet againe alſo ſaith thus: The Spirit of God hath Royally and wholſomely tempered the holy Scriptures ſo, as both by the plaine places he might preuent our hunger, and by the obſcure he might auoid our nice ſlothfulneſſe; for there is ſcarce any thing that can be fetcht out of thoſe obſcurities, which is not found moſt plainly ſpoken elſe-where.
And becauſe Bellarmine takes exception at this (Ferè, Scarce) compare this place with the former; and with that which he hath in his third Epiſtle, thus: The manner of ſpeech in which the Scripture is contriued, is eaſie to be come to of all; although it be throughly attained by few: Thoſe things which it containeth plaine and eaſie, it ſpeakes like a famliar friend, without guile, to the heart of the learned and vnlearned, &c.
But it inuites all men with an humble manner of ſpeech, whom it doth not onelyonly feede with manifeſt truth, but exerciſe with ſecret, hauing the ſame in readineſſe which it hath in ſecrecie: Thus AVSTEN. To omit IRENEVS and ORIGEN: CHRYSOSTOME (whom BELLARMINE ſaith we alledge alone for vsus) beſides many other plaine places, writeth thus:
Who is there to whom all is not manifſt, which is written in the Goſpell?Chryſoſt. Hom. 3. de Lazaro. Cui non ſunt manifeſta quacun que in Euangel. &c. q… poſſis intellig…t qu… ne leuiter quidem inſpic…e vobis, &c. ſ… … in …us, lege, &c. Citat. ab ipſo Bellarm. Apoſtoli verò & propheta omnis contra f… cerunt manifeſtae clar…que: quae pr…diderūt, expoſuerūt, expoſuerūt nobis veluti c…nes orbis doctores, vt per ſe quiſ que diſc… re poſſit ea quae dicuntur, ex ſola lectione. Chryſ. hom. 3. in Laz. Qua…obrē opus eſt concionatore, omnia ſunt plana ex ſcripturis diuinis, ſed quia delicatuli eſtis, &c. Hom. 3. in 2. Theſſ. Bellarm. lib. 3. de verbo, cap. 1. Neceſſario fatendum eſt Scripturas eſſe obſcuriſſimas. Lutherus duo effugia excogitauit; van… quod Scriptura etiamſi alicubi obſcura, tamen illud idem alibi clarè proponat, &c. ibid. § 2. Eckius in Euchirid. c. 4 Lutherani cōtendunt Scripturas ſacras eſſe claras. D…aeus contr. Whitak. lib. 6. Rhemiſts in 2 Pet. 3.16. and in their Preface at large, &c. Homil. in 4. Dominic. ab Epiphā. Amb. ſer. 35. Hieron. in Pſal. Dominus narrabit, & que modo narrabit? Non verbo ſed ſcriptura. in cuius ſcriptura? in populorum &c. Dominus narrabit in ſcripturis populorum in ſcripturis ſanctis; quae ſcriptura populis omnibus legitur, hac eſt, vt omnes intelligant, non vt pauci intelligerent, ſed vt omnes, in Pſalm. 86. Omnis quae poſt aſcenſ. &c. quis fidelis vel etiam catech…menus antequam Spiritum Sanctum baptizatus accipiat, non aequo animo, &c. Aug. tract. in Ioh. 96. and to the ſame purpoſe, l. 2. de Doct. Chriſt. c. 8. Chryſ. hom. 3. de Lazar, Semper hort…r, & hor…i non deſ…am, vt non hic tantum attendatis, &c. Ego forenſibus cauſis affixus ſum, &c. who that ſhall heare, Bleſſed are the meeke, Bleſſed are the mercifull, Bleſſed are the pure in heart, and the reſt, would deſire a teacher to learne any of theſe things which are here ſpoken? As alſo the ſignes, miracles, hiſtories, are not they knowne and manifeſt to eueryevery man? This pretence and excuſe is but the cloake of our ſlothfulneſſe: thou vnderſtandeſt not thoſe things which are written; how ſhouldeſt thou vnderſtand them, which wilt not ſo much as ſlightly looke into them? take the booke into thy hand, reade all the hiſtory, and what thou knoweſt, remember, and what is obſcure, run often ouer it. So CHRYSOSTOME: yea, he makes this difference betwixt the Philoſophers and Apoſtles: the Philoſophers ſpeake obſcurely, but the Apoſtles and Prophets (ſayth hee) contrarily make all things deliuered by them, cleare & manifeſt; & as the common teachers of the world hauehave ſo expounded all things, that eueryevery man may of himſelfe by bare reading, learne thoſe things which are ſpoken: yea, laſtly, ſo farre hee goes in this point, as that he asketh, Wherefore needs a Preacher? all things are cleare and plaine in the Diuine Scriptures; but becauſe ye are delicate hearers, and ſeeke delight in hearing; therefore ye ſeeke for Preachers. You hauehave heard the old Religion, now heare the new: BELLARMINE hath theſe words: It muſt needs be confeſſed that the Scriptures are moſt obſcure; Here therefore (ſaith he) LVTHER hath deuiſed two euaſions; One, that the Scripture, though it be obſcure in one place, yet that it doth clearely propound the ſame thing in another. The ſecond is, that though the Scripture be cleare of it ſelfe, yet to the proud and vnbeleeuers it is hard by reaſon of their blindneſſe & euill affections: ſo the Lutherans (ſaith Ecchius) contend that the Scriptures are cleare and plaine: ſo Duraeus againſt Whitakers: ſo the Rhemiſts in their annotations; and generally all Papiſts. Iudge now if all theſe forenamed Fathers, and ſo the ancient Church, were not Lutherans in this point; or rather we theirs; and yeeld that this their old opinion by the new Church of Rome is condemned for hereticall: and in all theſe ſay vponupon your ſoule, whether is the elder?
Let mee draw you on yet a little further: Our queſtion is, whether it be neceſſary or fit that all men (euen of the Laitie) ſhould hauehave libertie to heare and reade the Scriptures, in a language which they vnderſtand? Heare firſt the voice of the old Religion. To omit the direct charges of GREGORY NISSEN and AMBROSE; thus hath IEROME vponupon the Pſalms, The Lord will declare; and how will he declare? Not by word but by writing; In whoſe writing? In the writing of his people, &c. Our Lord and Sauiour therefore tells vsus, and ſpeaketh in the Scriptures of his Princes: Our Lord will declare it to vsus in the Scriptures of his people, in the holy Scriptures: which Scripture is read to all the people; that is, ſo read as that all may vnderſtand; not that a few may vnderſtand, but all.
What faithfull man, ſaith AVGVSTINE(though he be but a Nouice, before he be baptized and hauehave receiued the Holy Ghſt) doth not with an equall minde reade and heare all things, which after the Aſcenſion of our Lord are written in Canonicall truth, and authority, although as yet he vnderſtands them not as he ought?
But of all other, Saint CHRYSOSTOME is eueryevery where moſt vehement and direct in this point: Amongſt infinite places, heare what hee ſaith in one of his Homilies of LAzARVS.
I doe alwayes exhort, and will neuer ceaſe to exhort you (ſaith hee) that you will not heere only attend to thoſe things which are ſpoken, but when you are at home, you continually buſie your ſelues in reading of the holy Scriptures; which practice alſo I hauehave not ceaſed to driue into them which come priuately to mee: for let no man ſay, Tuſh, they are but idle words, and many of them ſuch as ſhould be contemned: Alas, I am taken vp with law cauſes, I am employed in publike affaires, I follow my trade, I maintaine a wife and children,Vxorem alo & liberos, familiae curam gero, &c. Qui mo…t…m Vertices accuparunt, &c. Quid …is homo? non eſt tui neg…tij ſcripturas evoluere? &c. … tuum magis eſt quam illorum, &c. Non, nunc fieri poteſt vt quiſquā, &c. Nae negligamus nobis parare libros, &c. Quid igitur in…, &c. Publicani, Piſcatores, Tabernacularum …pifices, Paſtores, & Apoſtoli, idiota illiterati. &c. and hauehave a great charge to looke to: It is not for me to read the Scriptures, but for them which hauehave caſt off the world, which hauehave taken vp the ſolitarie tops of Mountaines for their dwellings, which liue this contemplatiue kind of life continually.
What ſayeſt thou, O man? is it not for thee to turne ouer the Scriptures, becauſe thou art diſtracted with infinite cares? Nay, then it is for thee more than for them; for they doe not ſo much neede the helpe of the Scriptures, as you that are toſt in the midſt of the waues of worldly buſineſſe.
And ſoone after: Neither can it be poſſible that any man ſhould without great fruit be perpetually conuerſant in this ſpirituall exerciſe of reading: and ſtraight; Let vsus not neglect to buy our ſelues Bookes, leſt we receiue a wound in our vitall parts; and after he hath compared the Bookes of Scripture to Gold, hee addeth, But what, ſay they, if we vnderſtand not thoſe things which are contained in thoſe Bookes? What gaine we then? Yes ſurely, though thou doſt not vnderſtand thoſe things which are there laid vp, yet by the very reading much holineſſe is got: Although it cannot be, that thou ſhouldeſt be alike ignorant of al thou readeſt; for therefore hath the Spirit of God ſo diſpenſed this Word, that Publicanes, Fiſhers, Tent-makers, Shepheards, and Goat-heards, plaine vnlettered men may be ſaued by theſe Bookes; leaſt any of the ſimpler ſort ſhould pretend this excuſe,Note that which is read in Chryſoſtome, foreign, in ſome better copies is foreign, which ſignifies Goat-heards, more agreable to the place. Vt & famulus & vidua mulier, & omnium hominum indoctiſſimus, exaudita lectione aliquid lucri vtilitatiſ que reportet. Hom. in Gen. 29. Obſecro vt ſubinde huc veniatis, &c. In Coloſſ. Hom. 9. Audite obſecro Seculares omnes, &c. Rhemiſts in their Preface to their Teſtament. Bellarm. de. verb. lib. 2. cap. 15. Haeretici huius temporis omnes in eo conueniunt, vt oporteat Scripturas omnibus permittere, imo & tradere in ſua lingua; &c. At Catholica Eccleſia, &c. Prohibet ne paſſim omnibus ſine diſcri…ine concedatur eiuſmodi lectio, &c. Duraeus contra Whit. lib. 6. Si Chriſtianis omnibus vt Scripturas for…tentur à Chriſto dictum eſſe intelligis, in magus certè errore, &c. Promiſcu… fidelium turbae, &c. Baſil. Ep. 82. That all things which are ſaid ſhould be eaſie to diſcerne; and that the workman, the ſeruant, the poore widdow, and the moſt vnlearned of all other, by hearing of the Word read, might get ſome gaine and profit.
And the ſame Father elſewhere, I beſeech you (ſaith hee) that you come ſpeedily hither, and hearken diligently to the reading of the Holy Scriptures; and not only when you come hither, but alſo at home take the Bible into your hands, and by your diligent care reape the profit contained in it. Laſtly, in his Homilies vponupon the Epiſtle to the Coloſsians, he cries out, Heare, I beſeech you, O all you ſecular men, prouide you Bibles which are the medicines for the ſoule; At leaſt get the new Teſtament. Now on the contrary, let the new religion of Rome ſpeake; firſt, by her Rhemiſh Ieſuites, thus: We may not think that the tranſlated Bibles into vulgar tongues, were in the hands of eueryevery husbandman, artificer, prentice, boyes, girles, Miſtreſſe, Maid, Man; that they were ſung, played, alledged of eueryevery Tinker, Tauerner, Rimer, Minſtrell. The like words of ſcorne and diſgrace are vſed by HOSIVS, and by ECKIVS, and by BELALR. de verb. l. 2. c. 15.
The wiſe will not heere regard (ſay our Rhemiſts) what ſome wilfull people doe mutter, that the Scriptures are made for all men, &c. And ſoone after, they compare the Scriptures to Fire, Water, Candles, Kniues, Swords, which are indeede needfull, &c. but would marre all, if they were at the guiding of other, than wiſe men, All the Heretikes of this time, ſaith BELLARMINE, agree that the Scriptures ſhould be permitted to all, and deliuered in their owne Mother tongue; But the Catholike Church forbids the reading of the Scriptures by all, without choice: or the publike reading or ſinging of them in vulgar tongues, as it is decreed in the Councell of Trent, Seſſ. 22. c. 8. & Can. 9. If you thinke (ſaith DVRAEVS) that Chriſt bade all Chriſtians to ſeach the Scriptures, you are in a groſſe error; For how ſhall rude and ignorant men ſearch the Scriptures? &c. And ſo he concludes, that the Scriptures were not giuen to the common multitude of Beleeuers.
Iudge now what either we ſay, or theſe Papiſts condemne, beſides the ancient iudgement of the Fathers: and if euer either CALVIN or LVTHER hauehave bin more peremptory in this matter, than S. CHRYSOST. I vow to be a Papiſt. If ours bee not in this the old religion, be not you ours.
Yet this one paſſage further, and then no more, leſt I weary you: Our queſtion is; whether the Scriptures depend vponupon the authoritie of the Church; or rather vponupon the authoritie of Scriptures?
Heare firſt the ancient Church, with and for vsus: The queſtion is (ſaith S.Aug. de v…late Eccleſiae, ſiue Epiſt. contra Potilianum Donatiſtam cap. 2. Inter nos autem & Donatiſtas queſtio eſt, vbi ſit Eccleſia, quid ergo facturiſumus? in verbis noſtris eam qua ſituri, &c. Aug. ibid. cap. 16. Vtrum ipſi Eccleſiam teneant, non niſi Diuinarum Scripturarum Canonicis libris oſtendunt, &c. Quia nec nos propterea dicimus &c. Aug. in Pſal. 69. in illa verba: Omnes qui quaerunt te, &c. Ne in eccleſiam errares, ne quis, &c. Multi enim dixerunt carnem non habuiſſe: oſtēdit, &c. So Epi. 166. & in Pſ. 57. &c. Chryſoſt. Hom. in Matth. 49. Qui vult cognoſcere, quae ſit vera Eccleſia Chriſti, vnde cognoſcet niſi &c. Eckius in Enchirid. c. de Eccleſia. Scriptura non eſt authentica ſiue authoritate Eccleſiae; Scriptores enim canonici …unt membra Eccleſiae, vnde haeretico contendere volenti, &c. Eckius ibidem. Scriptura definit in Concilio, viſum eſt Spiritui Sancto, &c. rem tam clarè expreſſam, & definitam Eccleſia ſua authoritate mutauit, &c. Ecce poteſtas Eccleſiae ſuper Scriptura. Si tollamus authoritatem praeſentis Eccleſiae & praeſentis Cōcilij. in dubium reuocari poterunt omnium aliorum Conciliorum decreta, & tota fides Chriſtiana, &c. Bell. de effectu Sacram. l. 2. cap. 25. pag. 300. Omnium Dogmatum firmitas, &c. So Pigh. l. 1. de Hier. et Stapl. l. 9. Princ. doct. c. 1. Compertum eſt ab his damnata vt haeretica in Lutheri libri…, quae in Bernardi, Auguſtinique libris, vt Orthodoxa, imo vt pia leguntur. Eraſm. Epiſt. ad Card. Mogunt pag. 401. AVSTIN) betwixt vsus and the Donatiſts, where the Church in. What ſhall we do then? ſhall we ſeeke her in her owne words, or in the words of her Head the Lord Ieſus Chriſt? I ſuppoſe we ought to ſeeke her rather in his words, which is the Truth; and knowes beſt his own body, for the Lord knowes who are his; wee will not hauehave the Church ſought in our words. And in the ſame Booke, Whether the Donatiſts hold the Church (ſaith the ſame Father) let them not ſhew, but by the Canonicall Bookes of Diuine Scriptures; for neither do we therefore ſay they ſhould beleeue vsus, that we are in the Church of Chriſt, becauſe OPTATVS or AMBROSE hath commended this Church vntounto vsus which we now hold; or becauſe it is acknowledged by the Councels of our fellow Teachers, or becauſe ſo great miracles are done in it: it is not therefore manifeſted to bee true and Catholike; but the Lord Ieſus himſelfe iudged, that his Diſciples ſhould rather be confirmed by the teſtimonies of the Law and the Prophets: Theſe are the rules of our cauſe, theſe are the foundations, theſe are the confirmations.
And vponupon the Pſalmes, Leſt thou ſhouldeſt erre (ſaith the ſame AVGVSTINE) in thy iudgement of the Church: leſt any man ſhould ſay to thee, This is Chriſt, which is not Chriſt, or this is the Church, which is not the Church; for many, &c. Heare the voyce of the Shepheard himſelfe, which is clothed in fleſh, &c. He ſhewes himſelfe to thee; handle him, and ſee. Hee ſhewes his Church, leſt any man ſhould deceiue thee vnderunder the name of the Church, &c. yet CHRYSOSTOME more directly thus: Hee that would know which is the true Church of Chriſt, whence may he know it in the ſimilitude of ſo great confuſion, but onelyonly by the Scriptures? Now the working of miracles is altogether ceaſed; yea, they are rather found to bee fainedly wrought of them, which are but falſe Chriſtians; Whence then ſhal he know it, but only by the Scriptures? The Lord Ieſus therefore knowing what great confuſion of things would bee in the laſt dayes, therefore commands that thoſe which are Chriſtians, and would receiue confirmation of their true faith, ſhould flye to nothing but to the Scriptures; Otherwiſe if they flye to any other helpe, they ſhall be offended and periſh, not vnderſtanding which is the true Church: This is the old faith; Now heare the new, contradicting it & vsus. The Scripture (ſaith ECKIVS a Popiſh Doctor) is not authenticall without the authoritie of the Church; for the Canonicall Writers are members of the Church; Whereupon let it be obiected to an Heretike, that wil ſtriue againſt the decrees of the Church, by what weapons hee will fight againſt the Church, hee will ſay, By the Canonicall Scriptures of the foure Goſpels, and Pauls Epiſtles. Let it be ſtraight obiected to him, how hee knowes theſe to be Canonicall, but by the Church. And a while after, The Scripture (ſaith hee) defined in a Councell, it ſeemed good to the Holy Ghoſt and to vsus, that you abſtaine from things offered to Idols, and bloud, and ſtrangled: the Church by her authority altred a thing ſo cleerely defined & expreſſed: for it vſeth both ſtrāgled and bloud; Behold, the power of the Church is aboue the Scripture; thus ECKIVS. And beſides CVSANVS, BELLARMINE ſaith thus: If wee take away the authoritie of the preſent Church, and of the preſent Councell (of Trent,) all the Decrees of all other Councels and the whole Chriſtian faith may be called into doubt. And in the ſame place a little after; The ſtrength of all ancient Councels, and the certaintie of all opinions, depends on the authority of the preſent Church. You hauehave heard both ſpeake: ſay now, with whom is true antiquitie; and on Gods name deteſt the newer of both. It were as eaſie to bring the ſame, if not greater euidence for the perfection, and all-ſufficiencie of Scripture; and ſo to deliuer all the bodie of our religion, by the tongues and pens of the Fathers, that either you muſt bee forced to hold them Noueliſts with vsus, or your ſelues ſuch againſt them. How honeſt and ingenuous is that confeſſion of your ERASMVS? who in his Epiſtle to the Biſhop and Cardinall of Mentz, could ſay, It is plainly found, that many things in LVTHERS Bookes are condemned for Hereticall, which in the bookes of BERNARD and AVSTEN, are read for Holy and Orthodoxe.
This is too much for a taſte: If your appetite ſtand to it, I dare promiſe you full diſhes: Let me therefore appeale to you, if light and darkeneſſe be more contrary than theſe points of your Religion, to true Antiquitie: No, no; Let your Authors gloſe as they liſt; Popery is but a yong faction, corruptly rayſed out of ancient grounds. And if it hauehave (as wee grant) ſome ancient errours, falſhood cannot bee bettered with Age; there is no preſcription againſt God and Truth: What we can proue to be erroneous, we need not proue new: ſome hundreths of yeeres is an idle Plea againſt the Ancient of dayes.
What can you plead yet more for your change? Their numbers perhaps, and our handfuls? You heard all the World was theirs, ſcarce any corner ours: How could you but ſuſpect a few? Theſe are but idle brags; we dare and can ſhare equally with them in Chriſtendome: And if we could not; this rule will teach you to aduance Turciſme aboue Chriſtianity, and Paganiſme aboue that: the World aboue the Church, Hell aboue Heauen: If any proofe can be drawne from numbers, He that knowes all, ſayes the beſt are feweſt.
The Peace of Rome left out, becauſe it was but a Tranſlation in this Editiō, &c.What then could ſtirre you? Our diuiſions and their vnity. If this my following labour doe not make it good to all the World, that their peace is leſſe than ours, their diſſenſion more, by the confeſſion of their owne months, bee you theirs ſtill, and let mee follow you. I ſtand not vponupon the ſcoldings of Prieſts and Ieſuites, nor the late Venetian iarres, nor the pragmaticall differences now on foote, in the view of all Chriſtendome, betwixt their owne cardinalls in their Sacred conclaue, and all their Clergie, concerning the Popes temporall power: Neyther doe I call any friend to bee our Aduocate; none but Bellarmine and Nauarrus ſhall be my Orators; and if theſe plead not this cauſe enough, let it fall: See heere dangerous rifts and flawes, not in the outward barke onelyonly, but in the very heart and pith of your Religion; and if ſo many be confeſſed by one or two, what might bee gathered out of all? and if ſo many bee acknowledged; thinke how many there are that lurke in ſecret, and will not be confeſſed? How loth would we bee (after all exclamations) that your buſie Ieſuites could rake out ſo many confeſſed quarrels out of all our Authors, as I hauehave heere found in two of yours? We want onelyonly their cunning ſecrecy in the carriage of our quarrels: Our few (and ſlight) differences are blazoned abroad with infamy and offence, their hundreds are craftily ſmothered in ſilence.
Let your owne eyes ſatisfie you in this, not my pen: ſee now what you would neuer beleeue.
What is it then, that could thus bewitch you to forſake the comely and heauenly Truth of God, and to dote vponupon this beaſtly Strumpet? to change your Religion, for a ridiculous, ſenſuall, cruell, irreligious faction? A Religion (if wee muſt call it ſo) that made ſport to our plaine forefathers, with the remembrance of her graueſt deuotions: How oft hauehave you ſeene them laugh at themſelues, whiles they hauehave told of their creeping-crouch, kiſſing the Pax, offering their Candles, ſigning with Aſhes, partiall Shrifts, merry Pilgrimages, ridiculous Miracles, and a thouſand ſuch Maygames, which now you begin (after this long hiſſing at) to looke vponupon ſoberly, and with admiration!
A Religion, whoſe fooleries very Boyes may ſhout and laugh at, if for no more but this, that it teaches men to put confidence in Beades, Medals, Roſes, hallowed Swords, Spels of the Goſpell, Agnes Dei, and ſuch like idle bables, aſcribing vntounto them Diuine vertue: yea, ſo much as is due to the Sonne of God himſelfe, and his precious bloud. I ſpeake not of ſome rude Ignorants; your very Booke of holy-ceremonies ſhall teach you what your holy-fathers doe, and hauehave done. That tels you firſt with great allowance and applauſe, that Pope VRBAN the fift ſent three Agnes Dei, to the Greeke Emperor, with theſe verſes:
Balſam, pure wax, and Chriſmes-liquor cleere,Balſamus & munda cerae cum Chriſmatis vnda conficiunt Agnū, quod munus de tibi magnū, &c. Fulgura de coelo, &c. Peccatum frangit vt Chriſti ſanguis & angit, &c. Sacr. Cerem. lib. 1. Vt ea, quae in hoc equarū veſculo, praeparato ad nominis tui gloriā, infundere decreuimꝰ, benedicas: quatenus ipſorū … veneratione & honore nobis famulis tuis crimina diluantur, abſter gentur maculae peccatorum, i…petrentur, veniae, gratia conferantur, vt tandem vna cum ſanctis & electis tuis vitam percipere merea…ur aeternam. Fran. a Victoria Ordin. Praedicatorum Sum. Sacram. art. 184. p. 204. Sed quod faciet Confeſſor cum interrogatur de peccato? &c. Reſpondes ſecundum omnes, quod ſic. Sed fac quod Index aut praelatus ex malitia exigat à me iuramentū, an ſciam in Confeſſione? Reſpondeo: quod coactus iuret ſe neſcire in confeſſura, quia intelligitur ſeneſcire ad reuelandum, aut taliter quod poſſit dicere.
Make vp this pretious Lambe, I ſend thee heere;
All lightning it diſpels, and each ill ſpright,
Remedies ſtone, and makes the heart contrite,
Euen as the bloud that Chriſt for vsus did ſhed.
It helps the child-beds paine; and giues good ſpeed
VntoUnto the birth; Great gifts it ſtill doth win
To all that weare it, and that worthy bin:
It quels the rage of fire; and cleanely bore
It brings from ſhipwracke ſafely to the ſhore.
And leſt you ſhould plead this to be the conceite of ſome one Phantaſticall Pope, heare (and be aſhamed) out of the ſame Booke, what by preſcription, eueryevery Pope vſeth to pray in the bleſſing of the water, which ſerues for that Agnus Dei: If you know not, thus he prayeth: That it would pleaſe thee, O God, to bleſſe thoſe things which we purpoſe to powre into this Veſſell of water prepared to the glory of thy Name, ſo as by the worſhip and honour of them, we thy ſeruants may hauehave our heynous offences done away, the blemiſhes of our ſinnes wip't off, and thereby we may obtaine pardon, and receiue grace from thee; ſo that at the laſt with thy Saints and Elect Children we may merit to obtaine euerlaſting life, Amen. How could you chooſe, but be in louelove with this Superſtition, Magicke, Blaſphemie practiſed, and maintained by the heads of your Church?
A Religion, that allowes iuggling Equiuocations, and reſerued ſenſes euen in very oathes. Beſides all that hath bin ſhameleſly written by our Ieſuites to this purpoſe; Heare what Franciſcus Victoria, an ingenuous Papiſt, and a learned Reader of Diuinitie in Salmantica, writes in the name of all.
But what ſhall a Confeſſor doe (ſaith he) if he be askt of a ſin that he hath heard in Confeſſion? May he ſay that he knowes not of it? I anſwere, according to all our Doctors, that he may? But what if hee be compelled to ſweare? I ſay, that he may and ought to ſweare that he knowes it not; for that it is vnderſtood that he knowes it not beſides confeſſion, and ſo he ſweares true, But ſay, that the Iudge or Prelate ſhall maliciouſly require of him vponupon his oath, whether he know it in confeſſion or no; I anſwer, that a man thus vrged may ſtill ſweare that he knowes it not in confeſſion; for that it is vnderſtood, he knowes it not to reueale it, or ſo as he may tell: Who teach and doe thus in anothers caſe, iudge what they would doe in their owne. O wiſe, cunning and holy periuries, vnknowne to our fore-fathers!
A Religion, that allowes the buying and ſelling of ſins, of Pardons, of ſoules: ſo as now Purgatory can hauehave no rich men in it, but fooles and friendleſſe: Deuils are Tormenters there (as themſelues hold from many Reuelations of Bede, Bernard, Carthuſian) yet Men can command Deuils, and money can command men.
A Religion, that relies wholy vponupon the infallibilitie of thoſe, whom yet they grant hauehave bin, and may be monſtrous in their liues and diſpoſitions. How many of thoſe heyres of PETER (by confeſſion of their owne Records) by Bribes, by Whores, by Deuils, hauehave climed vp into that chaire! Yet, to ſay that thoſe men which are confeſſed to hauehave giuen their ſoules to the Deuil, that they might be Popes, can erre, while they are Popes, is Hereſie worthy of a ſtake and of Hell.
A Religion, that hood-winks the poore Laitie in forced ignorance, leſt they ſhould know Gods will, or any way to Heauen but theirs; ſo as millions of ſoules liue no leſſe without Scripture, than as if there were none: that forbids ſpirituall food as poyſon; and fetches Gods Booke into the Inquiſition.
A Religion, that teaches men to worſhip ſtockes and ſtones, with the ſame honour that is due to their Creator; which practiſe leſt it ſhould apeare to her ſimple Clyents, how palpably oppoſite it is to the ſecond Commandement; they hauehave diſcreetly left out thoſe words of Gods Law, as a needleſſe illuſtration, in their Catechiſmes and Prayer Bookes of the vulgar.
A Religion, that vtterly ouerthrowes the true humanitie of Chriſt, while they giuegive vntounto it tenne thouſand places at once, and yet no place: fleſh and no fleſh, ſeuerall members without diſtinction; a ſubſtance without quantity, and other accidents; or ſubſtance and accidents that cannot bee ſeene, felt, perceiued. So they make either a Monſter of their Sauiour, or nothing.
A Religion, that vtterly ouerthrowes the perfection of Chriſts ſatisfaction: If all be not paid, how hath he ſatisfied? If temporall puniſhments in Purgatory be yet due, how is all paid? and if theſe muſt be paid by vsus, how are they ſatisfied by him?
A Religion, that makes more Scriptures than euer God and his ancient Church; and thoſe which it doth make, ſo imperiouſly obtrudes vponupon the world, as if God himſelfe ſhould ſpeake from heauen: & while it thunders out curſes againſt all that will not add theſe Bookes to Gods, regards not Gods Curſe, If any man ſhall add vntounto theſe things, God ſhall adde vntounto him the plagues that are written in this Booke.
A Religion, whoſe Patrons diſgrace the true Scriptures of God with reprochfull termes, odious compariſons, imputations of corruption and imperfection; and in fine, pin their whole authority vponupon the ſleeues of men.
Papa facit proteſtationem ante Canonizationem, ſe nihil intendere facire, quod fit contra fidem aut Eccleſiam Catholicam. Aliqui tamen clariſſimi viri dicunt, &c. Quia Pap… quodammodo cogebatur ad Canonizandum quendam contra ſuum voluntatem; lib. Sacr. Ceremon.A Religion, that erects a throne in the Conſcience to a meere man, and giues him abſolute power to make a ſinne, to diſpenſe with it, to create new Articles of Faith, and to impoſe them vponupon neceſſitie of ſaluation.
A Religion, that baffoules all Temporall Princes, making them ſtand bare-foot at their great Biſhops gate, lye at his foot, hold his ſtirrup, yea, their owne Crownes at his Courteſie, exempting all their Eccleſiaſticall Subiects from their Iuriſdiction, and (when they liſt) all the reſt from their Allegiance.
A Religion, that hath made wicked men Saints, and Saints Gods. Euen by the confeſſion of Papiſts, lewd and vndeſeruing men hauehave leapt into their Calendar: Whence it is, that the Pope before his Canonization of any Saint, makes ſolemne proteſtation, that he intends not in that buſineſſe to doe ought preiudiciall to the glory of God or to the Catholike Faith and Church: And once Sainted, they hauehave the honour of Altars, Temples, Inuocations; and ſome of them in a ſtile fit only for their Maker. I know not whether that bleſſed Virgin receiue more indignitie from her enemies that deny her, or theſe her flatterers that d…ifie her.
A Religion, that robs the Chriſtian heart of all ſound comfort, whiles it teacheth vsus, that we neither can nor ought to be aſſured of the remiſſion of our ſinnes, and of preſent grace, and future ſaluation; That we can neuer know whether we hauehave receiued the true Sacraments of God, becauſe we cannot know the intention of the Miniſter, without which they are no Sacraments.
A Religion that rackes the conſcience with the needleſſe torture of a neceſſary ſhrift; wherein the vertue of abſolution depends on the fulneſſe of confeſſion: and that, vponupon examination and the ſufficiencie of examination, is ſo full of ſcruples (beſides thoſe infinite caſes of vnreſolued doubts in this fained penance) that the poore foule neuer knowes when it is deare.
A Religion, that profeſſes to be a … of ſinne; whiles both (in practiſe) it tolerates open ſt…wes, and preferres fornication in ſome caſes to honourable Matrimonie, and gently blanches ouer the breaches of Gods Law; with the name of Venialls and fauourable titles of Diminution; daring to affirme that Veniall ſinnes are no hinderance to a mans cleanneſſe and perfection.
A Cruell Religion, that ſends poore Infants remedileſly vntounto the eternall paines of Hell; for want of that which they could not liue to deſire: and f…igh…s ſimple ſoules with expectation of fained torments in Purgatory; not inferiour (for the time) to the flames of the damned. How wretchedly and fearfully muſt their poore Layicks needs die: for firſt, they are not ſure they ſhall not goe to Hell; and ſecondly, they are ſure to be ſcorched, if they ſhall goe to Heauen.
A Religion, that makes nature namely proud in being ioyned by her, as copartner with God, in our Iuſtification, in our Saluation; and idlely puffed vp in a conceit of her perfection, and abilitie to keepe more Lawes than God hath made.
A Religion, that requires no other faith to iuſtification in Chriſtians, than may bee found in the Deuils themſelues: who beſides a confuſed apprehenſion, can aſſent vntounto the Truth of Gods reuealed will: Poperie requires no more.
A Religion, that inſtead of the pure milke of the Goſpell hath long fed her ſtarued ſoules with ſuch idle Legends, as the Reporter can hardly deliuer without laughter, and their Abettors not heare without ſhame and diſclamation: the wiſer ſort of the World read thoſe Stories on winter Euenings for ſport, which the poore credulous multitude heares in their Churches, with a deuout aſtoniſhment.
A Religion, which (leſt ought ſhould bee here wanting to the Doctrine of Deuils) makes Religious Prohibitions of meat, and difference of dyet; ſuperſtitiouſly preferring Gods workmanſhip to it ſelfe, and willingly polluting what he hath ſanctified.
A Religion, that requires nothing but meere formalitie in our deuotions; the worke wrought ſuffices alone in Sacraments, in Prayers: So the number be found in the Chappelet, there is no care of the affection; as if God regarded not the heart, but the tongue and hands, and while he vnderſtands vsus, cared little whether we vnderſtand our ſelues.
A Religion, that preſumptuouſly dares to alter and mangle Chriſts laſt Inſtitution; and ſacrilegiouſly rob Gods people of one halfe of that heauenly prouiſion, which our Sauiour left for his laſt and deareſt Legacie to his Church for euer: as if Chriſts Ordinance were ſuperfluous, or any Shaueling could be wiſer than his Redeemer.
A Religion, that depends wholly vponupon nice and poore vncertainties, and vnproueable ſuppoſals: that Peter was Biſhop of Rome; that h…e left any heires of his graces and ſpirit; or if any, but one in a perpetuall and vnfaileable ſucceſſion at Rome; That hee ſo bequeathed his infallibilitie to his chaire, as that whoſoeuer ſits in it, cannot but ſpeake true; that all which ſit where he ſate, muſt by ſome ſecret inſtinct ſay as hee taught; That what Chriſt ſaid to him abſolutely, ere euer Rome was thought of, muſt be referred, yea, tyed to that place alone, and fulfilled in it: That Linus, or Clemens, or Cletus, the Schollers and ſuppoſed Succeſſors of Peter, muſt bee preferred (in the Headſhip of the Church) to Iohn the beloued Apoſtle then liuing: That hee whoſe life, whoſe pen, whoſe iudgement, whoſe keyes may erre, yet in his Pontificall chaire cannot erre: That the Golden Line of this Apoſtolicall Succeſſion, in the confuſion of ſo many, long, deſperate Schiſmes, ſhamefully corrupt Vſurpations, and Intruſions, yeelded Hereſies, neither was, nor can be broken. Denie any of theſe, and Poperie is no Religion. Oh the lamentable hazard of ſo many Millions of poore ſoules that ſtand vponupon theſe ſlipperie termes, whereof if any be probable, ſome are impoſſible! Oh miſerable grounds of Popiſh faith whereof the beſt can hauehave but this praiſe, that perhaps it may be true!
A Religion, that hath bin oft dyed in the bloud of Princes: that in ſome caſes, teaches and allowes Rebellion againſt Gods Anointed; and both ſuborneth Treaſons, and excuſes, pities, honors, rewards the Actors.
A Religion, that ouerloades mens conſciences with heauy burdens of infinite vnneceſſary Traditions; far more than euer Moſes commented vponupon by all the Iewiſh Maſters; impoſing them with no leſſe authoritie, and exacting them with more rigor, than any of the royall lawes of their Maker.
A Religion, that coozens the vulgar with nothing but ſhadowes of Holineſſe, in Pilgrimages, Proceſſions, Offerings, Holy-water, Latine Seruices, Images, Tapers, rich Veſtures, gariſh Altars, Croſſes, Cenſings, and a thouſand ſuch like (fit for Children and Fooles) robbing them in the meane time of the ſound and plaine helps of true pietie and ſaluation.
A Religion, that cares not by what wilfull falſhoods it maintaines a part: as Wickliffes blaſphemie, Luthers aduice from the Deuill, Tindals communitie, Caluins fained Miracle, and blaſphemous death, Bucers necke broken, Bezaes revolt, the blaſting of Huguenots, Englands want of Churches and Chriſtendome; Queene ELIzABETHS vnwomanlineſſe, her Epiſcopall Iuriſdiction, her ſecret fruitfulneſſe; Engliſh Catholikes caſt in Beares skins to Doggs, Pleſſes ſhamefull ouerthrow; Garnets Straw, the Lutherans obſcene night-revels; Scories drunken ordination in a Tauerne; the Edict of our Gracious King IAMES (Anno 87.) for the eſtabliſhment of Poperie, our caſting the Cruſts of our Sacrament to Doggs, and ten thouſand of this nature, maliciouſly raiſed and defended againſt knowledge and conſcience, for the diſgrace of thoſe whom they would hauehave hated, ere knowne.
A Religion, that in the conſcience of her owne vntruth, goes about to falſifie and depraue all Authors that might giuegive euidence againſt her, to out-face all ancient truths, to foiſt in Gibeonitiſh witneſſes of their owne forging: and leaues nothing vnattempted againſt Heauen or Earth, that might aduantage her faction, & diſable her innocent Aduerſarie: Loe, this is your choice. If the zeale of your loſſe hauehave made me ſharpe, yet not malicious, not faſle; God is my Record, I hauehave not (to knowledge) charged you with the leaſt vntruth: and if I hauehave wronged, accuſe mee: and if I cleere not my ſelfe, and my challenge, let me be branded for a Slanderer. In the meane time, what ſpirituall phrenſie hath ouertaken you, that you can finde no beautie, but in this Monſter of Errors? It is to you, and your fellowes that God ſpeakes by his Prophet: O yee Heauens be aſtonied at this, be afraid and vtterly confounded, ſaith the Lord; for my people hath committed two euils, they hauehave forſaken me, the Fountaine of liuing Waters, to digge them pits, euen broken pits, that can hold no water: what ſhall bee the iſſue? Et tu Domine, deduces eos in puteum interitus: Thou, O God, ſhalt bring them downe into the pit of deſtruction. If you will thus wilfully leaue God, there I muſt leaue you: But (if you had not rather dye) returne, and ſaue one; returne to God, returne to his Truth, returne to his Church: your bloud be vponupon my head, if you periſh.
AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.
THe Reader may pleaſe to take notice, that in the former Edition there was added vntounto this Diſcourſe, a iuſt Volume of aboue three hundred Contradictions and diſſentions of the Romiſh Doctors, vnderunder the name of The Peace of Rome; which becauſe it was but a collection out of Bellarmine and Navar, and no otherwiſe mine, but as a Gatherer and Tranſlator, I hauehave here thought good to omit.
FINIS.
NO PEACE WITH ROME. WHEREIN IS PROVED, THAT (AS TERMES NOW Stand) there can be no Reconciliation of the REFORMED RELIGION, with the ROMISH: And that the Romaniſts are in all the fault.
Written firſt in Latine by J. H. And now Engliſhed.
SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS
Io 3.
ANCHORA FIDEI:
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.