The Ancient Doctrine of the Church of England, Part 1 · Response to body of book · Chapter 1 (3 of 3)

The Ancient Doctrine of the Church of England · Part 1 · Response to body of book · Chapter 1 (3 of 3)

p. 107Johannes Bertram, a Prieſt of the Monaſtery of p. 108Corbey in France, wrote a Booke of the Body and Bloud of Chriſt: This Booke is forbidden to bee read by command of your inquiſitors, and condemned by the Councell of Trent. But the Divines of Doway, perceiving that the forbidding of this Book gave an occaſion to many to ſeeke more earneſtly after it, thought it better policie to allow it, and accordingly they publiſh it with this Declaration,Ind. Expurg. Belg. p. 5. edit. Antwer. Anno 1571. Although we care not greatly whether this Booke of Bertrams be extant or no; yet ſeeing we beare with many errors in others of the old Catholike Writers, and extenuate them, and by inventing ſome deviſe, oftentimes deny them, and faine ſome commodious ſenſe for them when they are objected in diſputations or conflicts with our Adverſaries; we doe not ſee why Bertram may not deſerve the ſame equity and diligent reviſall, lest the Heretikes cry out, that we burne and forbid ſuch antiquity as maketh for them. This is a free and faire confeſsion of your men in our behalf, that the Fathers are but pretended for your Doctrine, when as oftentimes they make againſt you; and indeed accordingly you have framed a commodious ſenſe for the better underſtanding of this Author: as for Inſtance, where he ſaith the ſubſtance of the Bread was to be ſeene viſibly, wee muſt read it (ſay they) inviſibly: and where he ſaith, the ſubſtance of the creature which was before conſecration, remaineth after conſecration; by ſubstance, ſay they, you muſt underſtand accidents: Theſe deviſes, howſoever at firſt they ſeemingly made ſome ſhew of anſwer to the vulgar people, yet they proved p. 109harſh & untunable to the eares of your learned Proſelytes, and thereupon your Romanists wiſely by way of prevention at length gave up this verdict; It were not amiſſe, nor unadviſedly done, Ind. Belg. p. 421 & Quiroga p. (mihi) 140. B.that all theſe things ſhould be left out. But it ſeemes theſe ſmall pills did not ſufficiently purge the Authour; and thereupon, after more mature deliberation, it was at laſt concluded, Totus liber penitùs auferatur; Ind. Belg. p. 17.let the whole Booke be ſuppreſſed. Now what anſwer doe you thinke can be made in juſtification of this proceeding? Your Jeſuite Gretzerus briefly reſolves it: Dum prohibetur Bertramus, Gretz. de jure prohib. libr. l. 2. c. 10.while Bertram is forbidden, I deny that a Father is forbidden; for the Father is no naturall Father, but a Stepfather, who nouriſheth not the Church with wholeſome food, but with darnell and pernitious graine together with the Wheate: wherefore as the Popes have dealt with ſome writings in Origen and Tertullian, by the ſame right may they now, according to their wiſdome, aboliſh any writing of others, either in whole or in part by cutting or blotting them out. Thus firſt they diſpenſed with this ancient Author and our Doctrine; then they correct him in ſome paſſages, by ſpeaking flat contrary to his owne meaning; and when all would not ſerve the turne, they abſolutely forbid him to be read, or rather command him to be utterly blotted out, and totally ſuppreſſed.

In the tenth Age (975.) Aelfricus Abbot of Malmesbury wrote an Homily touching the Sacrament of the Euchariſt, The tenth Age Ann. 900. to 1000. Aelfrichs Sermon on Eaſter day.which was thenread throughout all our Churches on Eaſter day, and conſonant p. 110to the Doctrine of our Articles. This Booke is extant in the Saxon tongue in many Libraries: but what is the reaſon he is not numbred amongſt your Bookes prohibited? Why ſurely you have foiſted in a Parentheſis, which by a miracle inferres your corporall preſence, which makes ſome ſhew for your Religion; and yet becauſe it is contrary to the whole ſcope of his Booke, you confeſſe that Harpsfield in his Hiſtory ſhewes, That the Berengarian Hereſie began ſomewhat to bee taught and maintained out of certaine writings falſely attributed to Aelfricke: and thus for one reaſon you will not prohibit him, or lay a deleatur upon his works; but for the other reaſon there is a deletur upon him, and he is a man cleane out of your Bookes.

In the eleventh Age,The eleventh Age, An. 1000. to 1100. Ind. lib. prohib. pag. 47 & p. 93. Huldericus Biſhop of Auſpurg wrote an Epiſtle touching the ſingle life of the Clergie, wherein he taxeth Pope Nicholas for reſtraining Prieſts from marriage, and therefore is rejected by your Inquiſitours; his words be theſe: Aſſuredly you are not a little out of the way, Hulder. Epiſc. ep. de caelibatu Cleri.when you doe compell Clerks by force to keepe themſelves from marriage, which you ſhould admoniſh to forbeare; for it is violence when any man is conſtrained to keepe a particular decree againſt the inſtitution of the Goſpell and the Doctrine of the Holy Ghoſt; wherefore wee counſell you, by the fidelity of our ſubjection, that with all diligence you will remove ſuch a ſcandall, and by your diſcipline root out that Phariſaicall Doctrine from the flocke of Chriſt. And whereas it was objected, that Gregory the Great long before that time p. 109had made a Decree for the reſtraint of Prieſts marriage, in his firſt Epiſtle to Pope Nicholas, Ibid. p. (mihi) 482. Orthodoxagraphia Patrum, Tom. 1. p. (mihi) 481. Piuſquam ſex millia infantum capita viderit, p. (mihi) 1482.hee tells him, There be ſome which take Gregory for a maintainer of their Sect, whoſe ignorance I lament; for they doe not know this perillous Decree was afterwards purged by him, when as upon a day out of his ponds were drawne above 6000. childrens heads; which after he beheld, he utterly condemned his Decree, and praiſed the counſell of Saint Paul, It is better to marry than to burne; adding this alſo of his owne, It is better marry than be an occaſion of death. Here you ſee our Doctrine was taught, touching the marriage of Prieſts; and becauſe it is a plaine evidence for our Church, your Inquiſitours have ranked this Epiſtle amongſt the Bookes prohibited.

Anſelme Archbiſhop of Canterbury taught our Doctrine in the moſt ſubſtantiall point, touching faith and good workes. The forme of preparing men for their death, was delivered to the ſicke man in this manner:aaCredis nō propriis meritis, ſed paſsionis Domini noſtri Jeſu Chriſti virtute & merito, ad gloriam pervenire? &c. Ind. lib. prohib. p. 696. Doſt thou beleeve to come to glory, not by thine owne merits, but by the vertue and merit of the Paſsion of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt? Doſt thou beleeve that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt did dye for our ſalvation, and that none can be ſaved by his owne merits, or by any other meanes, but by the merits of his Paſsion? then for a concluſion it followes (fol. 35.)bbNō erit deſperandum vel dubitandum de ſalute illius, &c. Ordo baptizandicū modo viſitandi. Imp. Venet. Ind. Belg. p. 419. 1575. Ind. Madrid. p. 149. Ind. lib prohib. p. ut ſupra. We ought not to doubt or deſpaire of the ſalvation of that man, who beleeveth with his heart, and confeſſeth with his mouth the forenamed propoſitions. Theſe ſeverall paſſages are commanded by three ſeverall Indices to be blotted out: Nay more, the Booke p. 110which containes this Doctrine, you thruſt it into the third Claſsis, amongſt thoſe nameleſſe Authors, which deliver Doctrine (ſay you) in ſome ſort pernitious to the Catholike faith; as if the foundation of all comfort in Chriſt were pernitious to the Chriſtian faith: But let me tell you, your Inquiſitors have much forgot themſelves; for they forbid that Booke, which, ſay they, was printed at Venice (1575.) when as by their owne rules they profeſſe openly, that they never meant to condemne any nameleſſe Authors, but ſuch onelyonly as have beene publiſhed ſince the yeere (1584.) nor any Author whatſoever (by their Trent Decree) but from the yeere (1515.) Howſoever this nameleſſe Author was both printed ataaSee Biſhop Uſhers anſwer to the Jeſuites Challenge, cap. Of Merits, p. 513. Venice, at Antwerp, at Coleine, at Paris, juxta ritum S. Romanae Eccleſiae (for ſo be the words) according to the rites of the Romane Church.bbCaſſan. in Append. ad opuſc. Jo. Roff. de fiducia & miſericordia D…i. Caſſander tells us the Book was to be had in all Libraries, and particularly was found inſerted among the Epiſtles of Anſelme, who was commonly accounted to be the Author of it: and the like is confeſſed by CardinallccHoſius in confeſsione Petri, cap. 73. Hoſius himſelfe. But this was the time wherein the D…vill was let looſe, and wherein your Pope Hildebrand did not onelyonlyddNon ſolum fabulas comminiſcitur, annales corrumpit, res geſtas invertit, ſed etiam coeleſtia oracula adulterat. Aven. Annal. l. 4. pag. 455. invent Fables, corrupt Chronicles, and inverted things that were done, but did alſo adulterate the Scriptures themſelves; and therefore Cardinall Beno, who wrote of the life of Hildebrand, and was living in that age, iseeInd. lib. prohib. p. 11. vide Illyric. de vita Hildebrand. p. 1322. forbidden alſo to be read, becauſe he toucheth to the quicke your Caput fidei, the head of your Church.

p. 111In the twelfth ageaaSigeberti liber contra Papam Gregorium, & contra Epiſt. Paſchalis Papae. Ind. lib. prohib. p. 85. Sigebertus Monachus Gemblacenſis wrote a Booke againſt Pope Gregory, The twelfth Age, An. 1100. to 1200.and againſt the Epiſtle of Pope Paſchalis; hee lived and dyed a member of the Roman Church, yet his Booke is prohibited, becauſe it complaineth of the ſtate of your declining Church;bbSigebertus Ab. ep. p. 188. in lib. Goldaſli Replio. Hactenus interpretatur, ideo docuiſſe Petrū per Babylonem ſiguare Romam, quia tunc temporis Roma confuſa erat Idololatriâ & omni ſpurtitie At nunc dolor meus mihi interpretatur, quòd Petrus prophetico ſpiritu dicens Eccleſiam in Babylone collectam, praevidit confuſionem diſſentionis quâ hodie ſcinditur Eccleſia. Ibid. For what greater confuſion (ſaith he) was there in times paſt in Babylon than there is now in the Church? In Babylon there was a confuſion of languages among the Gentiles, in the Church of Rome the tongues are divided, and the minds of the faithfull. Saint Peter ſaith, the Church which is Babylon ſalutes you; hitherto hee did interpret that Peter by Babylon did ſignifie Rome, becauſe Rome at that time was confounded with Idolatry and all uncleanneſſe: But my griefe doth now interpret unto mee, that Peter by a propheticke ſpirit, by the Church at Babylon, foreſaw the confuſion of diſſention, which doth now rent the Church of Rome.

If this teſtimonie had made for our Church, (as it doth againſt yours) certainly you would never forbid the Record to be read nor to be blotted out; but this ſhewes that there was a revolt, a defection from the faith (after the looſing of Sathan) which were proper for your men to permit to bee read and ſeene in after ages, that the truth might appeare in all and every age of the alteration of the Church.

ccArnol de villa. Novaopera niſi repurg…ntur. Ind. lib prohib. p. 5 & 36. & 37Arnoldus Carnotenſis (Abbas bonae vallis) his workes are forbidden till they be purged, and for no other reaſon, as I can conceive, but becauſe he diſcovers the errours of your Church. He tells us, that p. 112Cloyſter Monkes are damned, becauſe they falſifie the doctrine of Christ, and leade ſoules to Hell. He tells us, that your Clergie-men did moſt perfidiouſly mingle Philoſophicall dreames with the ſacred Scriptures. He tells us, that Maſſes did neither profit the living, nor the dead; and for theſe and the like Proteſtations againſt the abuſes of his time, he is now condemned by your expurgatory Indices.

In the thirteenth Age,Anno 1215. Urſpergenſis in Anno 793. Urſpergenſis Abbas is both corrupted and purged by the Inquiſitours. The Synod (ſaith he) which not long before was aſſembled under Irene and Conſtantine his ſonne at Conſtantinople, called by them the ſeventh generall Councell, was there in the Councell of Franckford rejected by them all, as voyd and not to be named the ſeventh, nor any Councell at all. This Councell was aſſembled at Nice and not at Conſtantinople; but the word Conſtantinople is forged in ſtead of Nice, that the honour of that Councell for Images might not ſeeme to be impeached or condemned, when as the Synod at Conſtantinople baniſhed Images. Now what anſwer I pray is made in defence of this forgerie?Auguſt. Stench. de Donat. Conſtant. l. 2. numero 60. Behold your Auguſtine Stenchius, Keeper of the Popes Librarie, tells us that wee have forged thoſe Bookes, and conveyed them into the Popes Library, where they lye written in ancient hands. How probable this anſwer may ſeeme, that wee ſhould forge Authours in defence of your cauſe, and convey them into the Vatican at Rome, I leave it to be judged; ſure I am it ſtands corrupted in your Copie, printed by command of your Inquiſitours and Superiours.

p. 113Againe, there be certaine additions to the Hiſtorie of Urſpergenſis, which treate of divers memorable things, from the time of Fredericke the ſecond,Ind. lib. prohib. p. 94. unto the time of the Emperour Charles the fifth; that is, from the yeare 1230. to the yeare 1537. all which are forbidden to be read; wherein are contained the proceedings of the Councell of Conſtance againſt Hierome of Prague, and John Huſſe; where the decree is mentioned for the 19. Seſſion of the Councell of Conſtance, viz. aaSeſſ. 19. decernitur, Haereticis non eſſe ſervandam fidem, quam vocant Salvum conductum. Paralip. p. 378.That faith is not to bee kept with Heretikes, which is wholly omitted and purged in your printed Councels.

Honorius Biſhop of Anthum in France, Anno 1220. Honorio Anguſtodunenſi (falſo ut creditur) adſcriptus liber de praedeſtinatione & libero arbitrio. Ind. lib. prohib. p. 47.wrote a Booke of Predeſtination and Free-will, but ſo different from your doctrine, that your Inquiſitors forbid him to be read untill hee be purged. What good ſoever the Elect doe, it is God that workes it in them, (as it is written) God doth worke in us both the will and the deed, according to his good pleaſure; if therefore God doe worke in us, what reward is imputed to man? God doth worke, and the Elect do worke; God doth worke his Elect by his preventing Grace to be willing, and by his ſubſequent Grace to bee able, and both co-operate by Free-will, by conſenting with a good will, this good will is rewarded in them, as it is written, We have received Grace for Grace; wee have received Grace when God prevented us to be willing, and followed us to make us able.

Looke into his forbidden Dialogues: Turne thee (ſaith he) to the Citizens of Babylon, conſider the principall perſons there, and thou ſhalt finde the p. 114See of the Beaſt; for they neglect the ſervice of God, pollute his Prieſthood, ſeduce his people, and reject all Scriptures which belong unto ſalvation. Vide Illyr. p. 1426 in Dialog. d. Praedeſtin. & lib. arbitrio.For theſe and the like diſcoveries of the corruptions in your Church, he is forbidden, and under this pretence alſo, that the Booke of Dialogues is falſely aſcribed to him.

In the fourteenth age flouriſhed William Ocham a Fryer Minorite and a learned man, ſaith Bellarmine; An. 1320. Bell. de ſcript. Eccl. p. 269. de Gulielmo Ocham.but being too earneſt a favourer of Ludovike the Emperour, by that meanes hee fell into ſome errours, and therefore deſerved to have his name regiſtred amongſt the Bookes prohibited. Now obſerve thoſe errors;Ocham. Compend. Error. Joh. 22. He complained that many in his dayes perverted the holy Scriptures, denyed the ſayings of the holy Fathers, and rejected the Canons of the Church, and civill Conſtitutions of the Emperours; He profeſſed, according to St. Hieromes and the doctrine of Gregory the Great, that the Bookes of Judith, Idem. Dial. par. 3. Tract. 1. l. 3. c. 16.Tobit, the Machabees, Eccleſiaſticus, and the Booke of Wiſdome, were not to bee received for confirmation of any matter of faith; He profeſſed that the Pope and Cardinals were no rule of faith; Idem Tract. 2. part. 2. c. 10. Dial. part. 1. l. 5. c. 25. p. (Mihi) 494.He profeſſed that a Generall Councell, although it be a part of the militant univerſall Church, yet is not the univerſall Church: and conſequently (ſaith he) It is raſhneſſe to ſay that a Generall Councell cannot erre againſt the faith; Idem Dial. l. 3. prim. Tract. 3. part. c. 8.He profeſſeth that it cannot be proved manifeſtly by Scripture, that Peter was Biſhop of Rome, or that he removed his ſeat from Antioch to Rome, or that the Riſhop of Rome p. 115ſucceeded St. Peter,Idem. Dial. part. 1. l. 2. c. 3. p. 413. or that the Church of Rome hath the Primacie, or that hee governed the Church of Rome, or any thing touching the Papacie thereof; He profeſſeth with us,Idem Dial. l. 2. c. 1. part. 3. p. 788. that though it be expedient there ſhould be one Biſhop over ſome part of the Church and People of God; yet there is not the ſame reaſon there ſhould be one over the whole Chriſtian world: And laſtly, touching Pope John the 22. he reports from the mouthes of them that heard it, that in the yeare 1333. on Munday being the third of January,Idem 2. part. proem. p. 740. Guliel. Ocham. opus 90. dierum. Item Dialogi & ſcript. omnia contra Johannem 22. Ind. l. prohib, p. 4. Pope John held a publike Conſiſtorie, wherein by word of mouth, with great earneſtneſſe he indeavoured to prove that the ſoules of Saints being purged, ſee not God face to face till after the day of judgement. Theſe are the ſuppoſed errors which cauſed his Dialogues and other of his workes to be prohibited.

In the fifteenth age,Anno 1420. Nicholai Clemangis opera quamdiu expurgata non prodierint. Ind. lib. proh. p. 71. Clemangis de corrupto ſtatu Eccleſiae. Nicholas Clemangis Doctor of Paris, Archdeacon of Bayeux, ſo long as his works remaine unpurged (ſaith your Index) are forbidden. Now obſerve the reaſons why hee is put to ſilence. The truth is, he wrote a Booke Of the Corrupt eſtate of the Church; he declared that the Pope was the cauſe of all the calamities and diſorders of the Church; he ſhewes that he was not contented with the fruits and profits of the Biſhopricke of Rome and St. Peters Patrimonie, Idem. c. 4.though very great and Royall; he layd his greedie hands on other mens flocks, repleniſhed with milke and wooll: Cap. 5. & 7.and uſurped the right of beſtowing Biſhoprickes and livings Eccleſiaſticall throughout all Chriſtendome: Cap. 5.and diſannulled the lawfull elections of Paſtors, by his reſervations, p. 116proviſions and advowſons, Cap. 6. Cap. 7. Cap. 8.and oppreſſed Churches with firſt fruits of one yeere, of two yeeres, of three yeeres, yea ſometimes of foure yeeres; with tithes, with exactions, with procurations, with ſpoiles of Prelates, and infinite other burthens, Cap. 9.and ordained Collectors to ſeize upon theſe taxes and tributes throughout all Provinces, with horrible abuſing of ſuſpenſions, interdictments and excommunications, if any man refuſed to pay them: Cap. 10. Cap. 11. Cap. 12.and uſed ſuch merchandiſe with ſuites in his Court, and rules of his Chancery, that the houſe of God was a denne of Theeves,Cap. 13. and raiſed his Cardinalls as complices of his pompe from Clergie men of low eſtate, Cap. 14.to be the Peeres of Princes, and enriched them with his diſpenſations to have and to hold Offices and Benefices, not two or three, or ten or twenty, but a hundred or two hundred, yea ſometimes foure hundred or five hundred, or more, and thoſe not ſmall or leane ones, but even the beſt and fatteſt: To bee ſhort, in that he filled the Sanctuary of the Lord with dumbe dogges, Cap. 19. & 20. Cap. 7. & 14. Cap. 29. Cap. 42. Cap. 18. Cap. 3.4.5.9.and evill beaſts, even from the higheſt Prelates to the baſeſt hedge-Prieſts, through uſurpations, exemptions, compoſitions, ſymony, proſtitution and fornication committed with Princes of the earth, and all to maintaine the pride, and luſt, and riot of his wordly ſtate, which he hath lifted up above Kings and Emperours. Laſtly, he complaines that the Study of Divinity is made a mocking ſtocke, and that which was moſt monſtrous for the Popes themſelves, they preferred their owne traditions before the Commandements of God. Theſe bee the pretended errors (Mr. Floyd) which cauſeth your Index expurgatorius p. 117to ſpare no Author for his age; and yet you tell us, ſuch corner-correcting you leave for ſuch corner-companions as ſhunne the light, p. 144.

Aeneas Sylvius (who was afterwards Pope Pius the ſecond) is forbidden by your Index: and the reaſon is given for it; Aeneas wrote in behalfe of the Councell of Baſil, when he was a young man (ſaith aaBell. de ſcript. Eccleſ. de Aenea Sylvio. p. 289. An. 1450.Bellarmine) but when he was an old man, and Pope, he retracted it, and ſo his Bookes are deſervedly forbidden. But what ſay you then to his Retractations? are you pleaſed with them? No,bbCautè legenda opera Aeneae Sylvii; ipſe enim in Bulla Retractationis nonnulla quae ſcripſerat, dā navit, &c. Ind. lib. prohib. Claſſ. 2. a. p. 3. you muſt yet warily read the Workes of Aeneas Sylvius, for in his Bull of Retractations hee hath condemned ſomething himſelfe which he had written; and therefore when a new Edition ſhall come out, let that Bull alſo be purged in the beginning of his Workes. It ſeemes then, neither that which hee wrote as a private man in his younger dayes, nor that which he retracted as Pope in his latter dayes, are well pleaſing to your Church: Let us therefore compare the difference of his Doctrine with the difference of his degrees, and then you ſhall obſerve, whether according to the ancient ſaying, Honours have changed manners. Aeneas Sylvius as a private man, proteſted thatccAntè Nicenā Synodum unuſquiſque ſibi vixit, & parvus reſpectus ad Eccleſiā Romanam habebatur. Aene. Sylv. in Epiſt. 288. before the Councell of Nice each Biſhop lived ſeverally to himſelfe, and little regard was there then had to the Church of Rome: Pope Pius the ſecond (being the ſame man, but onelyonly that hee was now become a Pope) doth exhort andddSuadete omnibus, ut id ſolium prae caeteris venerentur, in quo ſalvator Dominus ſuos vicarios collocavit, &c. Bulla Retract. Pii, 2. Tom. Concil. 4. poſt Concil Floren. p. 739. perſwade all, that they would reverence the See of Rome, or that Throne of Majeſty above all. Aeneas Sylvius ſaith, They p. 118thinke themſelves well armed with authority, that ſay, no Councell may be kept without the conſent of the Pope: Ex hiſce authoritatibus mirum in modum ſe putant armatos, qui Cōcilia n…gant fieri poſſe ſine conſenſu Papae: Quorū ſententia, ſi ut ipſt volunt inviolata perſiſtat, ruinā ſecum Eccleſiae trahet. Quid enim remedli erit, ſi criminoſus Papa perturbet Eccleſiam, ſi animas perdat, ſi pervertat malo exemplo populos, ſi denique contraria fidei praedicet, haereticiſque dogmatibus inbuat ſubditos? ſinemuſque cum ipſo cuncta ruere? At ego dum veteres lego hiſtorias, dumastus perſpicio Apoſtolorum, hunc equidem morem non invenio, ut ſoli Papae Concilia convocaverint, nec poſt; tempore Conſtantini magni, & aliorū Auguſtorū adcongreganda Concilia quaeſitus eſt magnopere Romani conſenſus Papae. Idem de Concil Baſil. l. 1.Whoſe judgement, if it ſhould ſtand as they would have it, would draw with it the decay and ruine of the Church. For what remedy were there then, if the Pope himſelfe were vitious, deſtroyed ſoules, overthrew the people with evill example, taught Doctrine contrary to the faith, and filled his ſubjects full of Hereſies? ſhould wee ſuffer all to goe to the Devill? Verily when I read the old Stories, and conſider the acts of the Apoſtles, I finde no ſuch order in thoſe dayes, that onelyonly the Pope ſhould ſummon Councels: And afterward the time of Conſtantine the Great, and of other Emperours, when Councels ſhould be called, there was no great accompt made of the Popes conſent. On the contrary, PopeaaBulla Pii 2. Retractat. p. (mihi) 739. Pius ſaith, Order requireth that inferiours ſhould be governed by their ſuperiours, and all ſhould appertaine to one, as the Prince and Governour of all things which are below him: As Geeſe follow one for a leader; and amongſt the Bees there is but one King; even ſo in the Church militant, as alſo in the Church triumphant, there is one Governour and Judge of all, which is the Vicar of Chriſt Jeſus; from whence, as from a head, all power and authoritie is derived into the ſubordinate members. Thus when he was young, and had read the old Stories, and conſidered the acts of the Apoſtles, hee found no ſuch Authority and reſpect given p. 119to the Pope: but when he was Pope, and old, it ſeemes he forgat the Apoſtles and ancient Writers; then hee attributes all power and reverence to the Pope of Rome. Briefly, Aeneas Sylvius ſaith,aaDe Rom…nis Pontificibus liceret exempla admodum multa adferre, ſi tempus ſineret, quoniam aut haeretici, aut aliis imbuti vitiis ſunt reperti. Idem de Concil. Baſil. lib. 1. Of the Popes of Rome wee might ſhew forth very many examples (if time would permit) that they have beene found either Hereticks, or elſe defiled with other vices. But Pope Pius ſaith (ſpeaking of theſe and the like aſſertions)bbPudet erroris, poenitet malè feciſſe, & male dictorū, ſcriptorumque vehementer poenitet, &c. Bull. Retract. ut ſupra. I am aſhamed of my error, I earneſtly repent both of my words and deeds, and I ſay, Lord remember not the faults and ignorance of my youth: And thus being Pope (ſaving all advantages to his See) he hath condemned him ſelfe and his Writings, as publiſhed by him when he was a private man; and yet notwithſtanding, the Inquiſitors profeſſe hee hath retracted that, as Pope, which afterwards hee condemned; and therefore by their doome hee muſt have a new purgation, and from thenceforth, Tum Pius Aeneas. But tell mee I pray, was hee Pius Aeneas, when he complained that at Rome theccNam & ipſae manus impoſitiones, & Spiritus ſancti dona venduntur. Aene. Sylv. Ep. 66. impoſition of hands, and the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt were ſold for money? Was hee Pius Aeneas when he complained that the Court ofddQuid eſt Romana curia his qui ſummam tenent, niſi turpiſsimum pelagus ventis undi que duriſsimis, & rēpeſtatibus agitatū. Idem. Ep. 188. Rome, in the chief amongſt them, was but a moſt filthy Sea toſſed on every ſide with winds and ſtrong tempeſts? Was hee Pius Aeneas when he proteſted with griefe, thateeJacet ſpreta religio, juſtitiae nullus honos, fides penè incognita. Ep. 398. religion was deſpiſed, righteouſneſſe diſhonoured, faith in a manner unknowne? Or was hee Pius Aeneas when he retracted, as Pope, that which he had written, or when he condemned that which hee had retracted? No ſurely, he was Pius in nothing (in the opinion p. 120of your Church) but in his Bull of Retractations; and he was Aeneas in nothing more than in condemning that which he retracted. And accordingly he himſelfe beggs of your Church,Bulla Retractat. Pii 2. Illud Gentile nomen, parentes indidere naſcenti; hoc Chriſtianum, in Apoſtolatu ſuſcepimus. Ibid. Pium recipite, Aeneam rejicite, Receive you Pius, but reject Aeneas; and he gives his reaſon for it; Aeneas is a heatheniſh Name, which our Parents gave us at our Birth; but Pius is a Chriſtian name, which we aſſumed in our Apoſtolike calling.

You may adde to this, Aeneas was a private man, and ſubject unto errour, but Pius was a Pope, and therefore in his determinations infallible; or rather you may truly ſay with him,Nihil mentiti ſumus, nihil ad gratiam, nihil ad odium retulimus. Bulla Retractat. that Aeneas before he was Pope, delivered the truth neither for feare nor hatred, and yet he was forced to retract it: but Pius **Cum doctrinā non ſanam, & ſuſpectam, & quae offenſionem parere poteſt, contineant, &c. Claſſ. 2. in Ind. lib. prohibit.when he was Pope, delivered falſe and ſuſpected doctrine, and ſuch as was offenſive to your Church, and for that cauſe is commanded to bee purged.

Quid Pius Aeneas, in te committere tantùm?

What ill hap had good Aeneas, or rather what ill fortune had Pope Pius, that he could neither ſatisfie your Church, either as he was Aeneas, or as he was Pius? neither as a private Doctor, nor as an infallible Pope?Rivet. Criticū Sacr. Specimen. c. 7. p. 49. or rather I may ſay with your owne Canus, What doth it availe men who deſire to know the truth, to raze Records out of their Bookes, when they cannot blot it out of their mindes?

Petrus Crinitus was a Romiſh Prieſt,Anno 1450. and is commanded to be purged; and if we ſhall examine the reaſon, we ſhall finde it for no other cauſe, but p. 121that he ſpeakes the truth againſt your Pope, and Popiſh Doctrine. To inſtance in particulars: Let both the Title and the Chapter be razed (ſay your Inquiſitors, touching Pope Boniface the 8.)Petr. Crinit. l. 7. c. 13. de dom. Diſciplinâ. and the reaſon is pregnant: that Chapter ſhewes the inſoſolencie and pride of the Pope in particular, in matter of fact; and it further declares, that under pretence of Religion, the Popes in generall thinke they may doe what they liſt. Againe, when he ſpeakes of ancient Lawes,Idem. l. 14. c. 5. made in generall for Marriage and propagation of Children, they command that page to be ſtrucken out; and there can be no other reaſon, but becauſe on the contrary it is a poſitive law of your Church to forbid Marriage. Laſtly, whereas he ſhewes that Leo the Emperour made an Edict,Idem l. 9. c. 9. that all Images in Churches and houſes of the Chriſtians ſhould be razed; and hee declares in his opinion, that it doth not appertaine to Religion to adore any mans Image; and that Valens and Theodoſius made Proclamation to all Chriſtians, that they would ſuffer no man to faſhion, to grave, or paint the Image of our Saviour, either in colours, or in ſtone, or in any other kinde of metall or matter; and that whereſoever any ſuch Image ſhould bee found, they commanded it to be taken downe: Index Belgic. p. 421. Index Madrid. p. 150. Ind. lib. prohibit. p. 79. & 718. Bulla Pii 4. Art. 9. Art. 22.Theſe and the like paſſages, your Inquiſitors in three ſeverall Indices command to be razed out; and what cauſe can you pretend, but that it makes againſt a ſpeciall Article of your faith, viz. that Images ſhould be ſet up in Churches, and worſhipped? and by this meanes you ſtrike likewiſe at the Articles of our Church, p. 122and when you have made ſuch Doctrines and Evidences inviſible, by razing the records, then you bid us ſhew where the Church was viſible before Luther.

Now what credit ſhall the Reader give unto you and to your Trent Councell, that would aſſure us that your Church intended the purging of no Authors, but from the yeare 1515. when as it appeares plainely that you have ſpared neither the writings of the Apoſtles nor the Fathers, in razing and falſifying their owne very words and ſentences? And as touching other Authors in the latter ages, you have gone beyond your Commiſſion, hundreds of years, in falſifying, corrupting, forbidding, and purging them; and this was long before your prefixed yeare of 1515.

In the ſixteenth age Luther began his Hereſie (ſaith Bellarmine) Anno 1517.Anno 1517. Bell. Chronol. p. 3. pag. 117. and your Church, to make ſome ſhew that your Index Expurgatorius had a relation onelyonly to Luther and his followers, tooke her riſe from the yeare 1515. (which was but two yeares before his comming) as if all the members of your Church before his comming had lived in the unity of one faith and doctrine. This deceivableneſſe of your unrighteouſneſſe, I have in part diſcovered. Now I come to your Authors of this laſt age (for I will cite none but your owne Authors) and therein lieth another myſterie not inferiour to the firſt; and that is this: your Index Expurgatorius was firſt proclaimed generally againſt all Heretickes (meaning the Proteſtants) but when p. 123it comes to examination, it points eſpecially at the particular members of your owne Church; and that which is moſt remarkable, after that your Trent Councel had diſtinguiſhed with Anathema's her Roman faith from the faith of Proteſtants, after ſhe had forbidden and condemned by her Index divers of your owne Authors, as ſavouring of ſuſpected, and falſe, and ſcandalous doctrine; nay more, after ſhe had declared all to be Heretickes, and their Doctrine Hereticall, who would dare to teach or publiſh any contrary beliefe to that which was once eſtabliſhed by a Generall Councell; yet I ſay, the members of your owne Church, and thoſe not of the meaneſt ranke, both Biſhops and Cardinals, have delivered in print many points of Doctrine agreeable to the Articles of our Church; and yet you ſay they never left the Church, they are not perſonally to be noted nor ranked amongſt Heretickes; when for the very ſame Tenets we are accuſed, accurſed, forbidden, and utterly condemned as Heretickes and Reprobates: and thus the head of your Church being divided from the members, in points of ſaving faith, may ſay unto the tongue, I have no need of thee, and conſequently may cut it out. Howſoever, this uſe we may ſafely make of your Index, that if in after ages by new Impreſſions the true doctrine of Proteſtants ſhall be razed and utterly aboliſhed in your Roman Authors, yet your very Index will appeare as a ſtrong Evidence, to ſhew that ſuch doctrines were taught in former Ages: and howſoever the faction in the Papacie formerly p. 124prevailed, yet it is more than evident by the Teſtimonies and Records of your owne men, that we had not two Churches before Luther, but that we had alwayes Teſtes Veritatis, witneſſes of Gods truth and our owne Religion in all Ages, in the boſome of the Roman Church.

I proceed to particulars in this laſt age.Anno 1500.

Cardinall Cajetan is purged in ſeverall and maine points of doctrine, being different from your owne Church: Touching the ground of Tranſubſtantiation, he denies that the words of Scripture (This is my body) are availeable to prove it of themſelves, and thereupon your Jeſuit Suarez complaineth, Ex Catholicis, &c. aaEx Catholicis ſolus Cajetanus, in Commentario hujus Articuli, qui juſſu Pii 5. in Romana editione expunctus eſt, docuit, ſecluſâ Eccleſiae authoritateverba illa (Hoc eſt corpus meum) ad veritatem hanc confirmā dam nonſufficere Suarez. Tom 3. Diſp. 46. Sect. 3. quaeſt. 75. Art. 1. p. 515. Impreſſ. Mog. An. 1509.Amongſt the Catholikes, Cajetan onelyonly teacheth that the words, This is my Body, bee not ſufficient, without the authoritie of the Church, to confirme the truth of it: And therefore by the command of Pope Pius the 5. this paſſage is blotted out in the Roman Edition. Touching juſtification by faith (onelyonly) whereas hee ſaith,bbAbſque exceptione aliqua cō ditionis, ſexus, qualiatis, &c. dicitur omni credenti, ſola fides exigitur ad ſalutem. Cajet. Ep. Paulï &c. Pariſus 1571. fol. 4. Ind. lib. prohibit p. 876. without any exception of perſon, of any Sexe, or quality, or condition, It is ſaid of every Beleever, faith alone is required to ſalvation: your Index commands thoſe latter words to bee blotted out. Laſtly, in ſpeaking of the Croſſe and the like, he ſaith; Theſe are altogether unlawfull, and not to be embraced, becauſe they are part of an ill worſhip: you cauſe theſe words to be ſtrucken out, and in lieu of them, you ſubjoyne theſe words following (which are flat contrary:)ccIdem. p. 805. Theſe are altogether lawfull, and are to be embraced, becauſe they are part of the divine worſhip: and the better to colour p. 125theſe miſerable ſhifts and falſifications, you give this Caveat to the Reader:Idem ibid. p. 805. Be warie if you finde any ſuch Doctrine, for it is to bee feared the Heretikes have ſuggeſted it.

Alphonſus à Caſtro wrote a large Booke againſt Hereſies,Anno 1500. and in particular he charged Luther with many. Yet in his firſt Booke and fourth Chapter hee attributeth the ſame title of Heretike to the Pope, and ſhewes the Pope as Pope is ſubject to Hereſie; but behold the record ſtands publiſhed againſt Luther, but is wholly razed touching the Pope.Quod autem alii dicunt eum quierraverit in fide obſtinatè jam non eſſe Papam, ac per hoc affirmant Papam non poſſe eſſe haereticum, & in reſeria verbis velle jocari. Ad hunc enim modum quis poſſet citra impudentiam aſſerere, nullum fidelem poſſe in fide errare? nam cum haereticus fuerit, jam deſinit eſſe fidelis. Non enim dubitamus an haereticum eſſe & Papam eſſe coire in unum poſſint; ſed id quaerimus, an hominem qui aliàs in fide errare potuiſſet, dignitas Pontificalis efficiat à fide indeviabilem. Non enim credo aliquem eſſe adeo impudentem Papae aſſentatorem, ut ei tribuere hoc velit, ut nec errare, aut in interpretatione ſacrarum literarum hallucinari poſsit. Nam cùm conſtet plures eorum adeo illiteratos eſſe, ut Grammaticam penitus ignorent, quî fit ut ſacras literas interpretari poſſent? Alph. à Caſt. adverſ. haer. l. 1. c. 4. p. (mihi) 6. b. Coloniae excudebat Melchior Noueſianus, Anno 1543. The words in my Edition are theſe; Whereas ſome ſay that he which erreth wilfully in the faith, is now no longer Pope, and thereupon concludes the Pope cannot be an Heretike, they ſeeme in a ſad matter to dally with words: For (ſaith he) wee make no doubt whether the Pope and an Heretike may agree in one perſon; but this is our queſtion, whether a man that otherwiſe might have erred in the Faith, by vertue of the Papall dignity, be made ſuch as he cannot erre. For I doe not beleeve that there is any ſo impudent a flatterer of the Pope, that will give him this preheminence, to ſay, that he can neither be deceived nor miſſe in the expounding of the Scriptures; for ſeeing it is well knowne that many Popes be ſo utterly void of learning, p. 126that they know not the Principles of their Grammer, how may it be that they ſhould be able to expound the Scriptures? Theſe words I have cited at large out of my Edition 1543. for if you looke into Alphonſus, printed within theſe laſt threeſcore yeares, I beleeve you will finde them razed in this particular without an Index Expurgatorius; which plainly ſhewes that as the Pope was and may be an Heretike, ſo likewiſe falſifying of Records is a proper marke of Heretikes.

Johannes Ferus a Frier Minorite,An. 1500. Uſher p. 162. and prime Preacher at Mentz in Germany, is purged and falſified in many points of controverſie which he held with us. Touching the power of Prieſthood in remitting of ſinnes, it was the doctrine of Ferus: aaNon quòd homo propriè remittat peccatum, ſed quòd oſtendat ac certificet à Deo remiſſum. Ne que enim aliud eſt abſolutio quam ab homine accipit quàm, ſi dicat, En fili, certifico te tibiremiſſa eſſe peccata, annuncio tibi te habere propitium Deum, & quaecunque Chriſtus in Baptiſmo & Evangelio nobis promiſir, tibi nunc per me annunciat & promittir. Fer. Comment. in Matth. l. 2. c. 9. Mogunt. An 1559. Lugdun. apud Johannem à S. Paulo. An. 1609. Contr.Man did not properly remit ſinne, but did declare and certifie that it was remitted by God: ſo that the abſolution received from man is nothing elſe, than if hee ſhould ſay, Behold my ſonne, I certifie thee that thy ſinnes are forgiven thee, I pronounce unto thee that thou haſt God favourable unto thee, and whatſoever Chriſt in Baptiſme, and in his Goſpell hath promiſed unto us, hee doth now declare and promiſe unto thee by me. Of this thou ſhalt have me to be a witneſſe; goe in peace and in quiet of conſcience. This declarative power of remitting ſinnes was Ferus doctrine; this is ours. But behold the caſe is altered; for in Ferus printed at Lyons 1609. all thoſe words are razed out, and on the contrary ſaith, thatbbSacerdos enim Dei miniſter verè remittit peccata, ac certificat à Deo remiſſa. fol. (mihi) 160. b. In Matth. l. 2. c. 9. the Prieſt doth truely p. 127remit ſinnes, and, as the Miniſter of God, doth alſo certifie that they are remitted of God.

Touching our juſtification by faith onelyonly: the true Ferus ſaith,Nempe quòd ſolâ fide in Chriſtum, & nullis meritis noſtris, juſtificamur. In Ep. Pauli ad Rom. c. 16. In verba illa deleatur. Ind. lib. prohibit. p. (mihi) 629. & Ind. Madrid. fol. 133 & Ind. Belg. p. (mihi) 393.Rom 16 That we are juſtified by faith alone in Christ, and by none of our merits; That our owne workes, whatſoever they be, are not of that value that they ſhould merit a reward of condignitie or congruitie, but ſo farre forth as God in his merciemercy doth accept them. Theſe and the like paſſages are commanded to be blotted out.

And whereas hee ſayth,aaSic verè nullum hominum genus eſt quod minimè movetur verbo Dei, quàm hi qui in ſua juſtitia confidunt. Idem. in Joh. c. 1.John 1 There is no kinde of men that are leſſe moved with the word of God, than thoſe which truſt in their owne righteouſneſſe; your men, as being guilty of their truſt in their merits of workes, command this and the like paſſages to bee ſtricken out.

Your Index of prohibited Bookes, publiſhed by thebbOpera tamdiu prohibentur quādiù expurgatio nō prodierit. Ind. l. prohibit. p. 56. Cardinall of Sandonall and Roxas, tells us, that the workes of Ferus are forbidden to be read till ſuch time as they ſhall be purged; and ſure I am when they are purged they are none of his. For I appeale to you and your fellow Jeſuites (Mr. Floyd) whether theſe paſſages following be his or yours; I meane, either the Proteſtant doctrine, which he publiſhed before Luthers dayes, or the Popiſh tenets which are ſince altered by the Inquiſitors, and taught by the Trent Fathers.

In the third of St. Matthew, the true Ferus ſayth,ccQuòd ſi aliquando mercedem audis pollioeri, ſcias non ob aliud eſſe debitam quàm ex promiſſione divina. Ferus in Math. 3.Matt 3 If at any time thou heare of a reward promiſed, know that it is not due for any thing elſe, but for the divine promiſe ſake. Your Inquiſitors command p. 128it to be altered thus;Quòd ſi aliquando mercedem audis polliceri, ſcias non ſine promiſsione eſſe debitam Ind. Madrid. fol. (mihi) 125. If thou heare of a reward promiſed, know that it is not due without the promiſe. The one ſaith, it is not due for any reſpect, but for the divine promiſe, ex promiſsione divina; the other ſaith, it is not due without the promiſe: when the true Ferus addes Gratis promiſit, gratis reddidit, He promiſed freely, and he hath given freely; you command theſe words to be ſtricken out. And whereas Ferus commenting upon the words of Chriſt,Ind. Belg. p. (mihi) 372. Ind. lib. prohib. p. 627. Qui hanc fidem neſcit, ad Eccleſiā non pertinet, etiamſi videtur primus eſſe in Eccleſia. Idem in Mat. l. 3. c. 16. p. (mihi) 25. Ind. Madrid. p. 125. Ind. Belg. p. 370. Tues Petrus, &c. Thou art Peter, and upon this Rocke I will build my Church, ſhe wing that this Rocke was meant of Chriſt by the confeſſion of Peters faith; And (ſaith hee) whoſoever is ignorant of this Faith, belongs not to the Church, although hee ſeeme to be the chiefe in the Church. Theſe words are otherwiſe read in your generall Indices, and are commanded to bee ſtricken out. And upon the words, Si quis natus fuerit, &c. he ſaith,aaIn Joh. c. 3. p. (mihi) 69. Ind. lib. proh. p. 625.John 3 The Preachers of Gods Word ought firſt to teach faith by which a man is juſtified, and afterwards good workes; there the words (by which a man is juſtified) are commanded to be ſtricken out.

Now as you have purged many places, ſo likewiſe you have forged and falſified others by addition or retraction: Looke upon his Commentary on the firſt Epiſtle of Saint John, and you ſhall behold ſtrange additions, and the true Proteſtant Doctrine wreſted to flat Poperty; as for inſtance,bbScriptura ſacra data eſt nobis ſeu certa quaedam regula Chriſtianae doctrinae. Idem in 1 Ep. Joh. c. 2. edit. Antwerp. An. 1556.John 2 The holy Scriptures (ſaith the true Ferus) are given us as a certaine ſure rule of Chriſtian Doctrine. In Ferus printed at Rome, he is taught to ſay, The holy Scriptures p. 131(and aaRomana edit. An. 1577.traditions) are given us as a certaine ſure rule of Chriſtian Doctrine. The true Ferus ſaith,bbJuſtus lic èt in Chriſto manet, tamen ſine peccato nec eſſe poteſt; ſepties enim in die etiam juſtus cadit. Idem in cap. 3. Though the juſt man remaineth in Chriſt, yet he is not, neither can be without ſinne; for even the juſt doe fall ſeven times a day: your Roman Ferus addeth,ccSine peccato originali. not without veniall ſinnes. The true Ferus ſaith,ddFi…ē & charitatē conjungit Apoſtolus, ita tamen ut fidem praeponat. Ibid. The Apoſtle conjoyneth faith and charity, yet ſo as hee preferreth faith: your Roman Ferus addeth, he preferreth faitheeAdditur, ordine, non perfectione. in order, not in perfection. The true Ferus ſaith,ffCharitas timoremexpellit, quia fidem quâ Chriſtum, vitā, propitiationem & ſalvatorem noſtrum apprehendimus, probat & confirmat, certámque reddit. Ib. c. 4. Aliter. Charity driveth out feare, becauſe it trieth, confirmes, and makes aſſured our faith, whereby we apprehend Chriſt, our life, propitiation and ſalvation: your Romane Ferus ſaith,ggCharitas timorem expellit, quia peccata remittit, & Spirit us ſāctus eam conſolatur teſtimonium perhibens quòd filii Dei ſumus. Ibid. Charity drives out feare, becauſe it forgiveth our ſinnes, and the Holy Ghoſt doth comfort it, giving teſtimony that we are Gods children. The true Ferus ſaith,hhIbid. cap. 5. There be ſome, who after faith doe earneſtly urge good workes, but becauſe they teach not withall, to what end they are to be directed, and how much is to be aſcribed unto them, they give cauſe that almoſt all the common people doe truſt in their owne workes, and ſo they build upon the ſand: the Roman Ferus ſaith, There were ſome, who after faith, and with faith, did earneſtly urge good workes; but becauſe they caſt away their neceſsity, and others aſcribed too much to them, they all did build upon the ſand. Laſtly, in the true Ferus, ſometimes by changing of a word, or by taking away of a word, you pervert the ſenſe and meaning of the Author: As for inſtance: whereas the true Ferus ſaith, Saint John condemned all glorying in our workes (omnem gloriam;) your Roman p. 132Edition hath turned omnem into inanem, and ſaith, Saint John condemned (inanem gloriam) vaine glory,Ridiculum eſt quod quidam bîc volunt, Cephas idem eſſe quod caput. Idem. in Joh. c 1. p. mihi (43)John 1 &c. And whereas the true Ferus ſaith, It is ridiculous that ſome will have Cephas for the head: your Roman Ferus hath left out the word (ridiculum eſt) and ſaith, That ſome will have Cephas taken for the head, which is moſt ridiculous.

Claudius Eſpencaeus Biſhop of Paris, lived and dyed a member of the Roman Church; yet is purged, becauſe hee ſpeakes not Placentia, ſutable to your Trent Doctrine. In his Commentary on the Epiſtle to Titus, in his firſt digreſſion, hee is commanded to be purged (per quinque paginas) five leaves together; in which hee complaines of the abuſes and corruptions growne into the Roman Church and See; he ſhewes that their greedineſſe of gaine, and love of money cauſed them to diſpence with all kindes of wickedneſſe; as namely, with unlawfull and forbidden marriages, with Prieſts keeping of Concubines, with inceſts, murders, rapes, witchcraft, killing of Fathers, of Mothers, of Brothers, and things not to be named; and under the name and title of the Taxes of the Apoſtolicke Chamber (for ſo they terme them) in which Booke (ſaith hee) being publikely and daily printed,Taxae Camerae Apoſtolicae. you may learne more wickedneſſe than in all the ſummes and catalogues of vices. Then hee ſhewes that the Councell of Trent was a third time aſſembled by the command of Pius the fourth;Adeo tamen Romanam curiā repurgare non permiſit. yet by no meanes would hee permit that the Court of Rome ſhould be reformed. And p. 133thus in ſeverall pages,Ind. Madrid. f. 60. & Belg. p. 74. Delean tur illa verba in Ep. ad Tit. c. 1. p. 74 p. 76, 77, 78. & 82, 83, 84.Titus 1 where hee complaines of the like abuſes in the See and Court of Rome, the Inquiſitors command to be blotted out.

Laſtly, hee proves out of Gregory the Great, and Saint Bernard, aaIbid. p. 526. In Tit. c. 3.Titus 3That every ſoule is ſubject to the higher power; that is, the Prieſthood to the ſecular power, the Biſhops and Archbiſhops to Emperours and Kings: and in concluſion, when it is queſtioned (ſaith hee) touching the reformation of the Clergie, and orders of Monkes, for ſending the Shepheards to their owne folds, and compelling them to feed their owne flocks, they ſay it is a thing that belongs to a Synod, Res eſt ſynodica & pontificia Ibid. p. (mihi) 526.and the Biſhop of Rome: But was there any Reformation at the Councell of Trent? Did the Pope and Councell cauſe them to bee more diligent in their calling? &c. This and much more to the like purpoſe they command to be blotted out.

Polydore Virgil, a member of your Church, is purged in many points of Doctrine which make againſt you.Poſſev. Appar. p. (mihi) 294. Tom. 2. Poſſevine tells us, that his Booke De inventionibus rerum is permitted to be read, if it be ſuch as Pope Gregory the thirteenth commanded to be purged at Rome (1576.) Now if any man liſt to compare that and Polydore printed at Paris 1528.Pariſiis ex Officinâ Roberti Stephani, Anno 1528. hee ſhall finde that the true Doctrine of Polydore is not allowed, which proteſteth againſt many points of Popery;Polyd. de Invent. Rerum l. 2. c. 23. in initio p. (mihi) 41. but by the Inquiſitors command hee is inforced contrary to himſelfe to ſpeake the Trent language. As for inſtance; whereas the true Polydore ſaith, When God is every p. 134where preſent, certainly there is nothing more fooliſh than to counterfeit his image: in your later Editions you have added theſe words, In the beginning after the firſt creation there was nothing more fooliſh; as if it were wiſdome to repreſent God the Father in theſe dayes, which in the beginning of the world was fooliſhneſſe.

In his fifth Booke and fourth Chapter,Ibid. l. 5. c. 4. p. 84. uſque adp. 87. your Inquiſitors command ſeven whole pages to bee ſtricken out; and the reaſon is pregnant: The marriage of Prieſts, which is prohibited by a poſitive Law of your Church, is proved to be lawfull, yea and in ſome caſe commanded by the Apoſtles Doctrine, and juſtified by the examples of Saint Paul, of Peter, of Philip, and other Apoſtles, that had wives; and he addeth, that according to Saint Pauls Doctrine, the Biſhops and Deacons, and conſequently all orders of Prieſthood, had them; and this cuſtome (ſaith hee) continued long in the Church:Porro, dum ſacerdotes generabant legitimos filios, Eccleſia faelici prole virüm vigebat; tum ſanctiſſimi erant Pōtifices, Epiſcopi innocentiſſimi, Presbyteri Diaconíque inregerrimi caſtiſsimíque. Ib. p. 86, 87. Ibid. c. 9. and withall concludes; Furthermore, whilſt the Prieſts did beget lawfull ſonnes, the Church flouriſhed with a happy off-ſpring of men; then your Popes were moſt holy, your Biſhops moſt innocent, your Prieſts and Deacons moſt honeſt and chaſte. Then he proves from Pope Pius the ſecond, that as Marriage upon good cauſe was taken from the Prieſts, ſo it ought to be reſtored upon better. This and much more concerning the marriage of Prieſts, is commanded to be ſtricken out.

In his ninth Chapter, hee ſaith, Worſhip thou one true and eternall God; but worſhip thou no Image of p. 133any living creature, Ind. Belg. p. 175deleatur (ſay your Inquiſitors) let it be ſtrucken out.

In his ſixth Booke,Idem l. 6. c. 13. and beginning of his thirteenth Chapter, he teſtifies from St. Hierome, That almoſt all the holy ancient Fathers did condemne the worſhip of Images, for feare of Idolatrie. He proves from the Law of Moſes, that nothing made with hands ſhould be worſhipped; and from the Prophet David, Confounded bee all they that worſhip graven Images. Hee ſhewes further, that Gregorie the Great, albeit hee reprehended Serenus Biſhop of Marſilia for breaking downe of Images, yet hee commends him for forbidding the worſhipping of them. Theſe and the like paſſages are commanded to be ſtrucken out, per octodecem lineas, Ind. Belg p. 177. Ind. lib. expurg. p. (mihi) 725.for eighteen lines together.

Ludovicus Vives a Prieſt of your ſecond Claſſis is purged, and namely by the Divines of Lovan, Plantins print at Antwerpe, 1576.in their Edition of St. Auſtins workes at Antwerp, Anno 1576.

In his Epiſtle to King Henry the 8^th, where he ſaith, that Princes are ſupreme Governours on earth next under God, this is commanded to be blotted out: And where he ſaith, The Saints are worſhipped and eſteemed by many, as were the Gods among the Gentiles; this paſſage without a command, in the aforeſaid Edition is razed out.

Againe, in his Comment on the 8^th. Booke of the Citie of God, he tells us how your Romiſh Prieſts upon good Friday doe celebrate Chriſts paſſion upon the ſtage. There Judas (ſaith he) playeth the p. 134moſt ridiculous Mimick, Lud. Viv. in Auguſt. de Civit. Dei, l. 8. c. 27.even then when he betrayes Chriſt; there the Apoſtles runne away, and the Souldiers follow, and all reſounds with laughter; then comes Peter and cuts off Malchus eare, and then all rings with applauſe, as if the betraying of Chriſt were now revenged; and by and by this great Fiſher Peter for feare of a Girle, denies his Maſter, all the people laughing at her queſtion, and hiſsing at his deniall; and in all theſe revels and ridiculous ſtirs, Chriſt onelyonly is ſerious and ſevere; but ſeeking to move paſsion and ſorrow in the audience, he is ſo farre from that, that he is cold even in the divineſt matters, to the great guilt, ſhame, and ſinne both of the Prieſts that preſent it, and the people that behold it. Theſe words and blaſphemous actions,Ind. l. expurgat. p (mihi) 41. as being aſhamed of them, you doe well to command them to bee blotted out; but yet they are reprinted, and your men are not a ſhamed to continue the practice of it in your owne Religion.

And laſtly, where he ſayes, That thoſe who preferre the Latin Tranſlation before the Greeke and Hebrew fountaines, Idem in Aug. l. 15. c. 13. p. 83.are men of evill mindes and corrupt judgements; that paſſage is left out in the Antwerpe print. And whereas he ſaith, that the ſtory of Suſanna, Idem. l. 18. c. 31of Bell and the Dragon, are Apocryphall Scriptures, and not received of the Jewes, nor tranſlated by the Septuagint: Ind. l. expurg p. (mihi) 41.all thoſe words are commanded to be ſtricken out.

Jacobus Faber Stapulenſis, a member of the Roman Church, taught the Proteſtant doctrine in many points, and therefore he is purged by your ſeverall Indices.

p. 135Whereas the Rhemiſts tranſlate the Greek word foreign, Penance, he defined it Repentance, Jac. Fab. in Evang. Matth. c. 3. fol. (mihi) 13. b. Ibid. c. 5. fol. 24. in initio.Matt 3and makes a diſtinction betwixt Repentance and Penance, ſuch as the Proteſtants doe; and therefore it is commanded to be ſtricken out.

Againe, ſpeaking of the Scribes and Phariſees, who did attribute righteouſneſſe to themſelves and their owne workes;Ibid. c. 6. f. 30. a. Ind. Madr. fol. 112. The faithfull (ſaith he) which are of the Law of grace, doe worke moſt diligently, but doe attribute nothing to themſelves, or their owne workes; but all of them doe impute their righteouſneſſe to the grace of God; All conſiſteth with the one in the merit of workes, with the other in grace: the one reſpect themſelves and their workes, and are delighted therein; the other regard not themſelves, but the grace of God; they admire his goodneſſe, and therein is their chiefe delight. Againe, if any man ſhall doe good in this world, hee muſt not doe it becauſe it is his will, but becauſe God commandeth it; For he which is perfect hath not a will peculiar to himſelfe, but his will muſt be the will of God; and this is the third Petition of the Lords Prayer.

In the ſixteenth Chapter of St. Matthew, upon the words, Thou art Peter, &c. he ſhewes, that according to St. Pauls doctrine,Ibid. fol. c. 16. (mihi) 74. b. the Rocke was Christ; Hee ſhewes that Peter was ſo farre from being a firme rocke, that Chriſt himſelfe did intimate the contrarie, when he ſaid, Get thee behinde me Sathan, for thou ſavoureſt not the things of God, but of men: He ſhewes us further, that our Lord Chriſt promiſed to Peter the Keyes of binding p. 136and looſing, but withall teſtifies, that thoſe Keyes were not Peters, but Chriſts, whereby Peter doth not binde or looſe by his power, but by the will of Chriſt. He addeth moreover, that not onelyonly Peter received thoſe Keyes, but alſo all the reſt of the Apoſtles: But (ſaith he) there be ſome which underſtand by the Keyes of binding and looſing, the Popes power, as Chriſt ſpake of that faith, witneſsing that he was the Sonne of the living God, which is one of the Keyes of the heavenly Doctrine, upon which the Church is founded, and Peters faith, as upon the true Rocke Chriſt, was builded. aaDeleatur ab illis verbis, Ne quis putet Petrum, &c. uſque ad, Aeterni Patris infuſio. Ind. Madr. fol. (mihi) 113. & Ind. Belg. p. 51.This and much more to the ſame purpoſe, for thirty lines together, is commanded to be ſtrucken out.

In his 20. Chapter he ſaith,bbVerum qui operibus ſuis aliquo modo fidunt, minus Deo fidunt, minuſque amant Deum: qui autem nullo modo, ſed pacto, ſed promiſsioni imo omnia Deo tribuunt plus Deo fidunt, cujus ineffabili bonitate qui noviſsimi ſuerunt operando, factiſunt primi gratiam recipiendo; & qui primi operando, noviſsimi gratiam recipiēdo: Quare bonum, &c. deleatur uſ que ad Dei autem omnia. Ind. ut ſupra. Thoſe which any wayes truſt in their workes, have the leaſt affiance in God, and love him the leſſe; but thoſe which give all to his promiſe, and to God himſelfe, they truſt moſt in God; by whoſe ineffable bounty, thoſe which are laſt in working, are made firſt by receiving grace; and thoſe that are firſt in working, are become laſt in receiving: Whatſoever therefore a man doth, it is good for him to truſt wholly to God his goodneſse, for it is the will of God, and of his ſpeciall grace, that wee are ſaved, and not of our will or workes: Theſe words, and much more to the ſame purpoſe in the ſame chapter, are commanded to be blotted out.

Touching his Commentaries upon Saint John, your Inquiſitors have pronounced this definitive ſentence,ccInd. Madr. fol. (mihi) 115. Becauſe they cannot be handſomely purged, let them all be ſpunged and blotted out.

p. 137Touching his Commentaries upon Timothy, In Tim. c. 3. fol. (mihi) 205.hee ſhewes, that it was lawfull for Prieſts to marry a Virgin till the time of Gregory the ſeventh, (which was nine hundred yeeres after Chriſt:) hee ſhewes likewiſe that the Grecians kept the Apoſtolicall Tradition in marrying of Wives, and could not change them, and that other Churches which vowed ſingle life, by their incontinencie fell into the ſnares of the Devill: And laſtly, in his Commentary upon the Galathians, at large he proves,aaPer ſolam fidem Chriſti infunditur juſtificatio. In Gal. c. 2. fol. 154.Gal 2 That by the Faith of Chriſt alone we are juſtified, and that he which bbIdem c. 3. fol. 156. Qui autem confidit in operibus, in ſeipſo confidit, & baculo innititur arundineo, qui frangitur in ſeipſo, & ſupernum lumen non videt, unde deſcendit Juſtificatio.truſteth in his works, truſteth in himſelfe, and leanes upon a ſtaffe of Reed, which is broken in it ſelfe; whereby he doth not diſcern the heavenly light, from whence our juſtification doth deſcend: Theſe and many other like paſſages in ſeverall places of his Workes, which are conſonant to our Proteſtant Doctrine, are commanded by theccInd. Madr. f. (mihi) 118, 119. Inquiſitors to be ſtrucken out.

ddFriderici Furii Cenolani Valentini Bononia; ſive, De libris ſacris in vernaculam linguam convertendis.Fridericus Furius writes a whole Book of tranſlating the Bible into the vulgar tongue, for the benefit of the Lay people; hee dedicates his Booke to Cardinall Bovadillius, and he tells him that wee eſteeme it an excellent thing to reade the workes of Greeke and Latine Philoſophers; and therefore much more ought wee to ſearch and know the will of God out of his ſacred Scriptures: for the one is a matter of pleaſure, and the other is a matter of neceſſity; the not knowing of the one may hurt little or nothing at all, but to bee ignorant of the other brings a grievous miſchiefe, beſides eternall deſtruction p. 138of the ſoule. Againe, what is it (ſaith hee) to forbid the Scriptures to bee read in the vulgar tongue, than to forbid God his owne purpoſe, and as it were to command God, which doth declare himſelfe to all by his Word, that hee ſhould not be manifeſted unto us? This is the whole ſcope of the Author, and for this cauſe, leſt the reading of the Scripture in a knowne tongue ſhould diſcover Antichriſtian Doctrine by frequent reading,aaInd. lib. proh. p. (mihi) 36. the Book it ſelfe is forbidden, till it bee purged in this and the like places witneſſing againſt your Romane Doctrine.

Johannes Langus is numbred amongſt your Heretiques in the firſt Claſsis, pag. 51. Yet his Annotations uponbbPermittuntur verò ejuſdem in D Juſtinum annotatiōes, itē in Nicephorum ſcholia, ſi expurgentur. Ind. l. proh. p. mihi 51. Juſtin Martyr, and his Commentaries upon Nicephorus, are allowed if they bee purged. Now let the Reader obſerve for what cauſe you would have him purged: Firſt touching his Annotations upon Juſtin Martyr; ccMulta continet parum Catholicae Religioni conſona, inter ea autem illud eſt praecipuum, quòd tranſubſtantiationem non agnoſcit, ſed opertè contendat, cum corpore & ſanguine Chriſti remanere veram panis & vini ſubſtātiā.They containe many things diſagreeing to the Catholike Religion; but among thoſe, that is chiefe, that hee doth not acknowledge Tranſubſtantiation, but doth openly maintaine, that the true ſubſtance of bread and wine doth remaine with the body and bloud of Christ. Againe,ddPerversè admodum interpretatur illud Malachiae, In omni loco offertur ſacrificium nomini meo, de doxologia, benedictione, laudibus, & hymnis. Sic Ind. ut upra. He doth very maliciouſly interpret that place of Malachy, In every place a ſacrifice ſhall be offered to my name, that is (ſaith he) in giving of glory, bleſsing, laud, and praiſe to the Name of God.

eeGerardi Lorichii Adamarii collectio triū librorū, &c. de miſſa publicaproroganda. Ind. l. proh. p. 11.Gerardus Lorichius is prohibited till he be purged for the reproving and condemning your private Maſſe, and Communion in one kinde; his words be p. 139theſe, There be falſe Catholikes, that are not aſhamed by all meanes to hinder the Reformation of the Church; they, to the intent that the other kinde of the aaD… Miſſa pub. Racemationum, lib. 2. Canonis pars 7. p. (mihi) 177.Sacrament may not be reſtored to the Lay people, ſpare no kinde of blaſphemy. bbExcuſum an. 1536.For they ſay, Chriſt ſaid onelyonly to his Apoſtles, Drinke yee all of this; but the words of the Canon of the Maſſe, are, Take and eate you all of this: Here I beſeech them let them tell mee, whether they will have this word (All) to pertaine onelyonly to the Apoſtles? Then muſt the Lay people abſtaine from the other kinde, of the bread alſo; which thing to ſay is an Hereſie, and a peſtilent and deteſtable blaſphemie.

Ambroſius Catharinus Archbiſhop of Compſa wrote againſt Cajetan; and (ſaith**Bellar. de Ec. Scrip. p (mihi) 312. Bellarmine) hee wrote likewiſe againſt Luther: e Opuſcula verò ſimiliter prohibentur, niſi corrigantur, Ind. l. prohib. p. 4.Yet ſomething hee wrote is diſallowed of the Church, as namely, touching the words of conſecration: other things are commonly refuted by the Doctours of the Church, viz. the certainety of Grace, of Predeſtination, &c. therefore his Workes are warily to be read. Thus you have Cajetan againſt Luther, and Catherinus againſt Cajetan, and Luther & both againſt the Tenets of their own Church; inſomuch as the Inquiſitors have commanded a deleatur upon Cajetan and Catharinus in the ſecond Claſsis, and againſtffCommentaria in Lucam, niſifuerint ex repurga… & impreſs… ab an. 1581. vel niſi anteà edita, expurgentur. Ind. l. prohib. p 26. & p. 318. Ind-Belg. p. 317. Ind. Hiſp. p. 63. Luthers whole Workes in the firſt Claſsis.

Didacus Stella is prohibited to bee printed before hee be purged. The places which are purged are ſuch wherein hee teacheth Proteſtant Doctrine, as may be ſeen inggSee Appendix to the Romiſh Fiſher caught in his owne net. Mr. Craſhaw, and D^r. James, and D. F. Obſervations.

p. 140Andreas Maſius in his Commentarie upon Joſuah is purged for this Proteſtant doctrine;Ad ſolam vitae benè actae imitationem, non etiam ad religioſum cultum, quem adorationem vocant Theologi, Divorū monumen ta conſervare fas eſt. In Comment. Joſ. hiſt. c. ult. Ind. l. expurg. p. 31. Wee ought to preſerve the Monuments of Saints onelyonly for the imitation of their godly life, not for Religious worſhip, which Divines call Adoration. Againe, hee ſaith,aaIdem in Joſ. c. 22.Josh 22 The Church ſets before our eyes the figure of Chriſts Croſſe, (not that wee ſhould worſhip it;) which latter words are commanded to bee razed out.

Laſtly, Cardinall Bellarmine, who was the firſt and beſt that ever handled all controverſies indifference betwixt us,bbInd. Belg. p. 269. was in danger of a prohibition, or rather of an abſolute ſuppreſſion of all his workes. Your owne Barclay witneſſeth of him,Barclay of the authoritie of the Pope. c. 13. p. 66. Engl. That there is not one of the Popes partie, who hath either gathered more diligently, or propounded more ſharply, or concluded more briefly or ſubtilly, than the worthy Divine Bellarmine; who although he gave as much to the Popes authority in temporalties, as honeſtly hee might, and more than he ought, yet could he not ſatiſfie the ambition of the moſt imperious man Sixtus the 5^th. (who affirmed that he had ſupreme power over Kings and Prince of the whole Earth, and all People, Countries, and Nations committed unto him, not by humane, but by divine Ordinance:) and therefore he was very neare by his Pontificiall cenſure (to the great hurt of the Church) to have aboliſhed all the writings of that Doctour (which doe oppugne Hereſies with great ſucceſſe at this day) as the Fathers of that order (whereof Bellarmine was then) did ſeriouſly report unto me. How probable this may ſeeme, his worke p. 141of Recognitions doth witneſſe to the world; wherein he was inforced to recant that doctrine, which he had both ſincerely taught and publiſhed according to the truth. As for inſtance; whereas he profeſſed that the Pope was ſubject to the Emperour in temporall affaires; on the contrarie hee recants it, ſaying,aaBel. Recognit. de ſummo Pont. p. 16. I allow not that which I ſaid (with Albertus Pighius) that Paul appealed to Caeſar to be his lawfull Judge. Againe, whereas it was ſaid the Popes uſed to be choſen by Emperours, the word Emperor (potest, & fortè debet deleri) bbIdem de Cler. p. (mihi) 52.it muſt, and peradventure ought to be blotted out. And when I ſayd that Paul was ſubject to Caeſar, as to his temporall Lord, I meant it was ſoccDe facto, non de jure. Ib. p. 17. Sapendo M. Paolo chaſotto Siſto Quinto uſci un Indice de libri prohibiti, il quale ſe ben ſubito ſi occulto, non fu pero cio coſi preſto fatto che non ne reſtaſſero gli eſſemplari. Et in queſto erano compreſſe le opere del Bellarmino. In lib. Confirmatione del conſiderationi del M. Paulo di Venetia, di M. Fulgentio Breſtiano ſervita. In Venetia appreſſo Ruber. to Mejetti 1606. Con licentia de ſuperiori. in 4^to. in fact, but not of right.

And in truth it ſeemes, that neither the Pope, nor his Inquiſitors were well pleaſed with this Catholike doctrine: For Frier Paul of Venice acknowledged Cardinall Ballarmine and Baronius for learned men; and further ſaith, that he hath knowne the one and the other in Rome; but he could wiſh withall, that they had written that which they ſincerely thought, without being forced to recant any thing that they had ſpoken. For Frier Paul knew well that under Sixtus Quintus there came out an Index of prohibited Bookes, which though it were ſuddainly ſtayed and called in, yet it was not ſo cloſely acted, but that there remained Copies of it; and in that Index the workes of Bellarmine were comprehended. If this learned Cardinals Booke had beene forbidden, you and your fellowes would have beene to ſeeke of an anſwere for many objections made againſt you; p. 142for it is uſuall with you to referre me for an anſwer to Bellarmine. But as it is obſerved, they recanted many things in their writings:Dum plurima Annalibus digerendis pervolutanda fuere, agnovit ingenuè quae primis editionibus autmā ca, aut non omnino ad plenam veritatem abs ſe fuerāt ſcripta, id quod in Annalibus non ſemel teſtatus eſt. For Baronius confeſſeth, that in his firſt Editions many things were imperfect, and not altogether true, which were corrected in the other impreſsions. And I am perſwaded, ere long wee ſhall have an Index aaDefēſio Johā nis Marſilii in favorem reſpō ſi 8. propoſitiones continentis, adverſus quod ſcripſit illuſtriſsimus Cardinalis Bellarminus. Venetiis. 1606.Expurgatorius lay hold on him; For (ſaith Johannes Marſilius) I have heard that as he hath taken a liberty to mend the Fathers, Canons, and Hiſtorians, ſo he will correct the Councels after his manner, and for his owne purpoſe, and ſo aſſume unto himſelfe a licence hereunto; which God forbid. Againe (ſaith he)bbMarſil. p. 357. See B. Mortons encounter againſt M. Parſons reckoning, l. 1. c. 1. p. 10, 11 the Anſwers of Cardinall Baronius are not unlike the anſwers of Cardinall Bellarmine, who whilst he cannot finde an objected argument to be aſſoiled by Hiſtorie, he ſaith, that thoſe words have beene inſerted into the Bookes: much like to Mr. Floyd, when there is no anſwere to be made to ſome particular objections out of the Authors, you reject them all as condemned by your Inquiſitors: And this anſwere I am ſure may ſerve for all objections that can bee made from moſt Claſſicall Authors.

The laſt thing which I here meane to ſpeake of, is a certaine diſtinction of explicite and implicite faith, which the Knight and his Miniſters cry out againſt, and are pleaſed ſometimes to make themſelves merry withall, as if they would laugh out; but it is too well and ſolidly grounded to bee blowne away with the breath of any ſuch miniſteriall Knight, as he is. Thus you.

p. 143You profeſſed formerly to teach mee for my learning; now it ſeemes you would inſtruct me for my manners: you tell me I make my ſelfe merrie with your doctrine, as if I would laugh out: truly I am ſorry to thinke you teach ſuch ridiculous doctrine, as ſhould deſervedly cauſe laughter. Shall I make you my Confeſſor? I cannot chuſe but ſmile when I conſider what great paines you have taken in this whole Chapter, to uphold the Articles of your Faith with ſixe pretended rules, and all infallible, as namely, Scripture in the plaine and literall ſenſe; Tradition or common beliefe and practice of the whole Church; Councels either generall or particular, confirmed by the See Apoſtolike; the authoritie of that whole See it ſelfe defining Ex Cathedra, though without either generall or particular Councell; the common and uniforme conſent of ancient Fathers or moderne Doctours and Schoole-men, delivering any thing unto us as matter of Faith: All theſe ſixe rules (ſay you) we acknowledge, and are ready to make good whatſoever is taught any of theſe wayes.

When I ſay you aſſume confidently, that all theſe are infallible rules to leade men to the knowledge of your Faith, and at laſt you conclude, and as it were ſhut up all thoſe rules of knowledge, with the doctrine of an implicite faith. This I confeſſe is ſuch a myſtery of fooliſhneſſe, as deſerveth rather laughter than an anſwer. For, as Cato ſaid, He marvelled that a Soothſayer did not laugh when he ſaw a Soothſayer: So I am verily perſwaded that your ſelves p. 144doe ſmile when you meet each other, to thinke how you couſen the poore ignorant people with a blind obedience, and an implicite Faith. To let paſſe your Golden Legends and leaden miracles, (which occaſion ſufficient mirth in long winter nights for all ſorts of people) what I pray is that implicite Faith, that you condemne me and our Miniſters for laughing at? Miſtake us not, I know no Proteſtant doth laugh at an implicite Faith, which is directed to the proper object, the holy Scripture; we laugh not at an implicite Faith, which cannot be well unfolded or comprehended by reaſon, as namely, the unſearchable myſterie of the Trinitie, of Chriſts conception by the holy Ghoſt, and the like; but we diſclaime and condemne your Catholike Colliers Faith, which is canonized for your Popiſh Creed; that is, to pin our Faith upon the Churches ſleeve, and to aſſent to every thing the Church propoundeth to be beleeved, without examination whether it be agreeable to the Scripture, or beſides it. We laugh, or rather wee pitie that Merchant of Placentia, who choſe rather to bee a Papiſt than a Proteſtant,Laurent. Diſcept. Theolog. p. 5. becauſe (ſaith he) I can briefly learne the Roman faith; For if I ſay what the Pope ſaith, and deny what the Pope denyes, and if he ſpeake and I hearken unto him, this is alone ſufficient for me. And wee cannot chooſe but ſmile at the judgement pronounced by your Gregorie de Valentia, upon this poore ignorant Merchant; God (ſaith he) will have nothing to lay to this mans charge at the dreadfull day of Judgement: His meaning, it may p. 145be is, God can charge him with nothing, becauſe this man knew nothing.

This doctrine of Obedience doth well agree with Cardinall Bellarmines expoſition upon that place of Job, Bell. de Juſtif. l. 1. c. 7.The Oxen did plow and labour, and the Aſſes fed by them. By the Oxen (ſaith hee) are meant the learned Doctors of the Church, by the Aſſes are meant the ignorant people, which out of ſimple beliefe reſt ſatisfied with the underſtanding of their Superiors. And accordingly your Cardinall Caſanus perſwades his Proſelytes to relye upon the Church, without further inquirie of the truth;Cuſan. exercit. l. 2. & l. 6. For (ſaith he) Obedience without reaſon is a full and perfect obedience, that is, when thou obeyeſt, without enquiring of reaſon, as a horſe is obedient to his Maſter. He that ſhall make a queſtion in your Church, whether the Pope can erre, muſt reſigne up his underſtanding with this beliefe,Bellar. de Pont. l. 4. c. 5. If the Pope ſhould ſo farre forth erre, as to command vices, and forbid vertues, the Church were bound to beleeve that vices are good, and vertues are evill, unleſſe ſhe will ſinne againſt her owne conſcience.

This is Bellarmines leſſon, and that muſt bee your Faith. Nay more, Cardinall Tollet will aſſure you, that if one beleeve his Biſhop, Toll. de Inſtruct. ſacerd. l. 4. c. 3.although it be contrary to the faith, yet in beleeving that falſhood, hee ſhall performe an act meritorious.

I underſtand you are a Jeſuite, and therefore I doe not much wonder, that you ſo much inſiſt upon the juſtification of an implicite faith; for you had it from your founder, and are injoyned to make it p. 146good by your owne Order. There is a little Pamphlet entituled Regulae Societatis Jeſu, which your ſelves have cauſed to be printed at Lyons, in which Ignatius Loyala, the Spaniſh Souldier, and Patron of your Sect,Anticotton, or a refutation of Cottons letter to the Queene Regent, p. 24. printed at Lyons by Jaques Rouſsin. Anno. 1607. hath laid downe theſe rules to your Societie: Entertaine the command of your Superiour in the ſame ſort, as if it were the voice of Chriſt. Againe, Hold this undoubtedly, that all which a Superiour commands, is no other than the commandement of God himſelfe; and as in beleeving thoſe things which the Catholike faith propoſeth, you are preſently carried with all the ſtrength of your conſent; ſo for the performance of all thoſe things which your Superiour commands, you muſt be carried with a certaine blinde impetuoſity of will, deſirous to obey without further inquiring why or wherefore. And leſt that ſuch command might ſeeme ſometimes unjuſt and abſurd, he commands your Jeſuits ſo to captivate their underſtanding, that they ſift not the commands of their Superiours; but that they may follow the example of Abraham, who prepared even to ſacrifice his ſonne at the commandement of God: and of Abbot John, who watered a drie log of wood a whole yeare together, to none other purpoſe, but to exerciſe his obedience; and another time put himſelfe to thruſting downe of a great Rocke, which many men together were not able to move, not that hee held them things either uſuall or poſſible, but onelyonly that hee would not diſobey the command of his Superiour.

p. 147This is that blind obedience and implicite faith which wee laugh at, and this is the ridiculous Doctrine which your Rhemists teach. He ſaith enough, Rbem. Annot. in Luc. 12.11.Luke 12:11and defendeth himſelfe ſufficiently, who anſwereth he is a Catholike man, and that his Church can give a reaſon of all the things which they demand of him. But we have not ſo learned Chriſt; wee are ready alwayes, according to the Apoſtles inſtruction,1 Pet. 3.15.1 Pet 3:15 to give an anſwer to every man that asketh us a reaſon of the hope that is in us. And for the better fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets, wee teſtifie with Moſes, Secret things belong to the Lord our God, Deut. 29.29.Deut 29:29but the things revealed belong to us and our children, that we may doe all the words of the Law. We ſay therefore particular knowledge is to be joyned with the aſſent of faith; for no man can aſſent to that which hee never heard, and therefore I thinke no man of underſtanding, with a blind obedience and implicite faith, will reſigne up his eie-ſight, and looke through ſuch ſpectacles as you have tempered for them. For without doubt it was the conſtant and uniforme Doctrine of the ancient Church, that howſoever faith apprehends myſteries not to bee inquired into, yet the propoſition and doctrine of all the Articles of Faith were diſtinctly taught and conceived by all: and thereupon Theodoret, who was then living, gives us to underſtand, that in his dayes You might ſee every where the points of our Faith to bee held and knowne, foreign &c. Theod. Graec. Serm. 5.not onelyonly to them who are Maſters in the Church and Teachers of the people, p. 148but even of Coblers, Smiths, and Weavers, and all kinde of Artificers, of all ſorts of women; and all theſe you may finde (ſaith he) diſcourſing of the Trinitie, and the creation of all things.