The Ancient Doctrine of the Church of England, Part 1 · Response to body of book · Chapter 1 (2 of 3)

The Ancient Doctrine of the Church of England · Part 1 · Response to body of book · Chapter 1 (2 of 3)

p. 63It ſeemes you have beene well acquainted with Rogues and ſturdy Beggers, who have taught you p. 64the Terme of (Canting) a word proper for ſuch kinde of people: but whereas you ſay it is groſſely falſe that you blot and raze the Fathers, and that therein we ſeeke to wipe away the blemiſh from our ſelves, and lay it upon you; for the better manifeſtation of the truth, firſt, looke I pray upon the place where the corrupted Fathers were printed, & ſee by whom they were licenſed; then heare your owne men witneſſing their owne confeſſion, of purging them; and laſtly, peruſe the places which I ſhall produce razed and corrupted, and then tell me if the Myſterie of Iniquity doth not cloſely worke in your Roman Church, and that the ancient Fathers are groſſely falſified, and notoriouſly corrupted by your owne men, even in the principall points of Doctrine controverted betwixt us.

Firſt then wee muſt obſerve, that corruptions and abuſe of ancient Fathers may be of three ſorts; either by foiſting into the Editions baſtard Treatiſes, and intitling them to the Fathers; or by falſifying their undoubted Treatiſes by additions, detractions, or mutations; or laſtly, by alledging paſſages, and places out of them, which are not extant in their workes: and of all theſe three kindes your men are guilty,Expurgari & emaculari curâſti omnium Catholicorū ſcriptorū, praecipuè veterum Patrum ſcripta. Sixt. Senenſ. in Ep. Pio 5. as it ſhall appeare by inſtances in their ſeverall Ages, for the firſt 800. yeares.

Firſt, concerning the purging of Fathers; your Sixtus Senenſis, in his Epiſtle dedicated to Pope Pius the fifth, amongſt his many and famous deeds, recounts this for one of the greateſt, That he cauſed the writings of all Catholike Authours, but p. 65eſpecially thoſe of the ancient Fathers, to bee purged. And Gre…zerus your Jeſuit proclaimes it by way of juſtification;Gretz. l. 2. c. 10 If it be lawfull to ſuppreſſe or inhibite whole Bookes, as namely Tertullian and Origen, then it is lawfull likewiſe to ſuppreſſe a greater or leſſer part of one, by cutting out, razing, blotting out, or by omitting the ſame ſimply for the benefit of the Reader. And Poſſevine your Jeſuit tells us,Adiſtos enim quoque purgatio pertinet. Poſſev. l. 1. Bib. lioth. ſelect. c. 12. that Manuſcript Books are alſo to be purged, as well as printed; which ſhewes your good intention to the ancient Writers. I may adde to theſe, that you doe not onelyonly purge, and corrupt the Fathers (as ſhall appeare in matter of fact in ſeverall Ages) but you forge Baſtard Epiſtles in the names of ancient Biſhops, and you thruſt counterfeits into the Chayre of the true and Catholike Doctors. Peter Warbeck is taken for Richard Duke of Yorke, and obſcure Authors, as namely Dorotheus, Hormiſda, Hermes, Hypolitus, Martialis, and other counterfeits, for famous Writers, and all to ſupply your defects of doctrine in the Orthodox Fathers. Severinus Binius hath publiſhed certaine decretall Epiſtles in the names of Clemens, Anacletus, Evariſtus, Sixtus, and many others, to the number of thirty one, all Biſhops of Rome: Inſomuch, as their Epiſtles are cited by Bellarmine, by Pereſius, by Coccius, by Baronius, by your Rhemiſts, for ſeverall proofes of your Trent Doctrine. Gratian ſaith,Grat. Diſt. 20. Decretales. they are of equall Authority with Councels: nay more, he labours to prove out of St. Auſtin, Diſtinct. 19. in Canonicis.that thoſe decretall Epiſtles were reckoned by him amongſt the Canonicall p. 66Scriptures; and yet by the ſeverall Confeſſions of your learned Writers, are adjudged to be all counterfeit: and without doubt, their leaden-ſtile, their deepe ſilence of Antiquity concerning them, the Scriptures alledged by them after St. Hieroms Tranſlation (being long before his time) doe eaſily convince them of falſhood. Antoninus Contius, the Kings Profeſſor of Law in the Univerſitie of Bruges, tells us that he brought many reaſons in his Preface,An. 1570. and notes upon your Canon Law, which was printed at Antwerp, by which hee proved, and ſhewed manifeſtly, that the Epiſtles of the Popes,Silveſter An. 314. who were before Silveſter, were all falſe and counterfeit. The Preface, with the reaſons alledged againſt it, is now razed and purged; and Plantin the Printer gives this anſwer for it,Raynold. & Hart. Cap. 8. Diviſ. 3. p. 451. The Cenſor who was to overſee the printed Bookes, would not ſuffer it to paſſe, and what became of it he remembred not, nor knew how to procure it. Thus your men are not onelyonly aſhamed to publiſh their Baſtard Epiſtles, and equall them to the Word of God, in behalfe of your new doctrine, but you cenſure alſo and purge your owne men for condemning ſuch lying inventions.

Whether to forge a falſe deed, or to raze a true one, be the greater fault, it is not greatly materiall: for your owne men are guilty of both. And laſtly, when neither purging, nor falſifying will ſerve the turne (which you have practiſed in Bookes ſet out the firſt 800. yeares) you bring a Prohibition againſt all Authors, Prieſts, and Profeſſors in the p. 67boſome of your owne Church, which teſtifie the truth of our doctrine, and injoyne them ſilence by your Index Expurgatorius, by cutting out their tongues, and refining them with a new impreſſion; and this hath beene your ordinarie practice, for the laſt 800. yeares. I will give you inſtances in both, and ſo I come to the ſecond Age.

In the ſecond Age, Ignatius Biſhop of Antioch witneſſeth the antiquity of our Doctrine: he ſhews that our Communion in both kindes was practiſed in his dayes: There is one Bread (ſaith he) broken for all, and one Cup diſtributed to all. foreign. Ignat Ep. ad Philadelph.In your Edition printed at Colein, you have quite altered the ſenſe by a corrupt Tranſlation, ſaying: One Cup is diſtributed for all: and in the Margent,Unus Calix, qui pro omninibus nobis diſtributus eſt. Bibl. Pp. Tom. 1. Colon Agripp. An. 1618. p. 85. Bell. de Euch. l. 4. c. 26. Una Euchariſtia utendum. And that your corruption may not want an Advocate, your Cardinall Bellarmine tells us; There is not much credit to be given to the Greek Copies, for the Latine reades it otherwiſe: by which reaſon, a man may appeale from the Originall to a Tranſlation; which is a thing unheard of.

Again, whereas he ſaith in the ſame Epiſtle,Ignat. ibid. ut ſuprà. Oh yee Virgins in your prayers ſet Chriſt (onelyonly) before your eyes, and his Father, being enlightened by his ſpirit: hereby teaching, that we ought to directour prayers to the Trinity only, and not to Saints & Angels: your men in their late Edition printed at Lyons, by their corrupt tranſlation have left out the word Precibus, Ignat. Lugdun. impreſ. An. 1572.and thruſtin Animabus, ſoules for prayers; by which change of words, the ſenſe & meaning of the Father is cleane perverted. It followeth further in the ſame p. 68Page, in ſpeaking of Peter and Paul, and other Apoſtles, who betooke themſelves to a married life; Severinus Binius, in his Annotations upon this place, tells us that thoſe words (viz. Peter and Paul, and other Apoſtles, betook themſelves to a married life) ought to be razed out;The third age, An. 200. to 300. becauſe (ſaith he) it is probable the Grecians in honour of Marriage, corrupted the Text: A faire warning for us to take notice, that in after Editions that paſſage may alſo be cleane left out.

In the third Age, Tertullian paraphraſing upon the words of Chriſt,aaCaro nihil prodeſt, ad vivificandum ſcilicet. Tert. de Reſurrect. carnis, c. 37. Caro nihil prodeſt ſed ad vivificandum. Tertul. Pariſiis apud Michaelem Julianum. An. 1580. p. (Mihi) 47. The fleſh profiteth nothing: (ſaith) It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing, (namely) to quicken: your Tertullian printed at Paris, hath quite perverted the meaning of the Father, and cauſeth him to ſpeake flat contrary both to himſelfe, and to the ſenſe of Chriſt, in theſe words: The fleſh profueth nothing (but) to quicken.

St. Cyprian Biſhop of Carthage is falſified and corrupted, for the circumgeſtation of your Sacrament, and the Popes Supremacie. In his Tract of patience he tells us,bbNec poſt guſtatam Euchariſtiam, manus gladio & cruore maculentur. Sic Cypr. Pariſiis apud Petrū Drovart. in vico Jacobaeo An. 1541. fol. 89. Nec poſt geſtatam Euchariſtiam, &c. Cypr. de bono Patientiae. Impreſſ. Partſiis apud Claudium Chapelet Via Jacobaet An. 1616. p. (Mihi) 316 Poſt guſtatam Euchariſtiam, &c. After the eating of the Euchariſt, the hands are not, or ought not to be defiled with bloud: In your Cyprian printed at Paris and Colein, your men have wittingly altered the words, ſaying, Poſt geſtatam Eucha riſtiam; and ſo by tranſmutation of one letter, doe cite this place for the circumgeſtation of the Sacrament: whereas the Ceremonie of carrying about the Euchariſt, was not knowne in many hundred p. 69yeares after Cyprians time. But Pamelius, a Canon of the Church of Bruges, and Licentiate in Divinity, returnes this anſwer in defence of it:Cum manu non guſtetur Euchariſtia, ſed olim geſtari conſueta ſit, prorſus illud ex Cambrenſi Codice ſubſtituendum duxi, pro eo quod erat guſtatam. Annot. in lib. de bono Patient. pag. (Mihi) 321 Foraſmuch as the Euchariſt cannot be taſted with the hand, but was wont anciently to be carried with the hand, I thought it beſt to change the word Taſting, into Carrying; which I borrowed from an ancient Copie in Cambron Abbey. The word then we ſee was changed by his owne Confeſſion, and the Cambron Copie is brought for the defence of this forgerie: which differing from all other Copies may be juſtly ſuſpected. For his reaſon, that we taſte not with our hand, it is frivolous: For St. Cyprian ſaith not, guſtatam manu, but ſimply guſtatam; which taſte yet was not without taking the Sacrament into the hand.

You have heard Pamelius confeſſion: Now let us heare what Manutius hath done in publiſhing of St. Cyprian; for Pamelius tells us, that St. Cyprian printed at Rome by Paulus Manutius, Indiculus. Codicum in Cypriano.in the yeare 1563. is a much more bettered and corrected Edition, than any other: and accordingly your learned Prieſt M^r. Hart aſſures us, that Pope Pius the 4^th,Hart & Raynolds, c. 5. Diviſ. 2. p. 167. being deſirous that the Fathers ſhould be ſet forth and corrected perfectly, ſent to Venice for Manutius a famous Printer, that he ſhould come to Rome to doe it; and to furniſh them the better with all things neceſſary, he put foure Cardinals, wiſe and vertuous, in truſt with the worke; and for the correcting of Cyprian eſpecially above the reſt, ſingular care was taken; by Cardinal Baromaeus, a Copie was gotten of p. 70great antiquity from Verona, and the exquiſite diligence of learned men was uſed in it.

Theſe Teſtimonies make a faire ſhew of ſincere and plaine dealing: and no doubt if there were not double diligence uſed by them, the Roman Cyprian doth exceed all the reſt, and is freeſt from corruption: That the truth thereof may appeare, let us looke into St. Cyprian in his booke touching the Unity of the Church. De Veritate Eccleſiae.Whereas the ancient and true Cyprian ſayth, The reſt of the Apoſtles were equall unto Peter both in honour and power; the Roman Cyprian, printed by Manutius, and your late Paris Cyprian, Cypr. Pariſiis apud Claudium Chapelet. An. 1616.hath added theſe words, The Primacie is given to Peter. And whereas the ancient Cyprian ſaith, Chriſt did diſpoſe the Originall of unitie beginning from one; the Roman and Paris have added,Unam Cathedrā conſtituit. p. 254 He appointed one Chayre. And whereas the ancient Cyprian ſayth, The Church of Christ may be ſhewed to be one; the Roman and Paris have added,Cathedra una conſtituitur. ib. and the Chayre to bee one. And becauſe the Chayre may bee as well applyed to the Biſhop of Carthage, Cathedram Petri. Ibid.as to the Biſhop of Rome, the Paris Cyprian hath added Peters chayre. And whereas it was in Cyprian, even in the Roman print too, Hee who withſtandeth and reſiſteth the Church, doth he truſt himſelfe to be in the Church? the Paris Cyprian addeth;Qui C…thedram Petri, ſupra quam fundata eſt Eccleſia, deſerit, in Eccleſia ſe eſſe confidit? ibid. He who forſaketh Peters chayre, in which the Church was founded, doth he truſt himſelfe to bee in the Church?

Now as you have heard that Manutius hath added, and forged much in his Roman Edition, for p. 71the Popes Supremacie, ſo likewiſe you ſhall obſerve, that he hath raſed and purged an ancient Record and ſpeciall Evidence, againſt the univerſality and ſupremacie of the Biſhops of Rome; It is an Epiſtle written by Firmilianus Biſhop of Caeſarea to St. Cyprian (which St. Cyprian tranſlated into Latin, as your Pamelius doth confeſſe) wherein he profeſſeth, that he is juſtly moved with indignation, at the manifeſt folly of Stephanus (then Biſhop of Rome) that boaſting ſo much of his Biſhoprick, At que ego hâc in parte juſtè indignor, ad hanc tam apertam & manifeſtam Stephani ſtultitiam. Firmilian. Cyp. S. Ep. 75. p. 203 Noli te fallere, ſiquidem ille eſt verè ſchiſmaticus &c. p. 204. Inſuper & Cyprianum Pſeudo-Chriſtum, & Pſeudo-Apoſtolum, & doloſum operarium dicere, qui omnia inſe conſcius praevenit, &c. p. 205.and that he hath the ſucceſsion of Peter, upon whom the foundation of the Church was ſet; brings in many other Rockes, &c. He bids him not deceive himſelfe, he hath made himſelfe a Schiſmaticke by ſeparating himſelfe from the Communion of the Eccleſiaſticall unitie; for while he thinkes he can ſeparate all from his Communion, he hath ſeparated himſelfe onelyonly from all. He taxeth him for calling St. Cyprian a falſe Christ, a falſe Apoſtle, and a deceitfull workeman; which he himſelfe being guilty of, and privie to himſelfe, that thoſe termes of right belong to himſelfe; by way of prevention, he objected them to another.

Touching theſe ſeverall Additions and Extractions, Pamelius (by whom the Antwerp and Paris Cyprian were ſet forth) firſt excuſeth Manutius for adding the words in his Roman print; and tells us, they were found in a written Copie of the Cambron Abbey in Hannonia, which was the beſt of all the Copies he had; and therefore, ſaith he, we were not afraid to inſert that Reading into the Text. Nonſumus veriti in textum inſerere.Yet Manutius himſelfe profeſſeth, he peruſed five and p. 72twenty printed and Manuſcript Copies, which had none of thoſe Additions; and as touching the Epiſtle to, or from Firmilianns (which proves a reſiſtance anciently made againſt the uſurped power of the Pope) Pamelius thinkes it was left out purpoſely by Manutius; Argumentum Ep. 75. p. 198.and, ſaith he, Perhaps it had beene more wiſedome it had never been ſet out at all: (but withall he addeth) becauſe Morelius did publiſh it before me, I thought it not fit to let it paſſe, but print it.

Now let us looke backe, and examine the reaſon of theſe ſeverall Editions and falſifications. M^r. Hart ſayth, that the Additions were taken from a very ancient Copie gotten from Verona; Pamelius ſaith, they were borrowed from a Manuſcript in the Cambron Ahbey in Hannonia: but in 25. Copies the Additions were not to be found. Mr. Hart ſaith, the true Copie was printed at Rome, by the Popes command, and with the adviſe of vertuous and wiſe men, to be perfectly corrected, and free from all ſpots. Pamelius ſaith, it was better than any other; but withall, it was not ſo exact, but that the old Proverbe might take place, the latter is commonly the better. Laſtly, touching the razing out the Epiſtle of Firmilianus, Pamelius concludeth that his Copie (which doth cite it) is ſo perfect, Indiculus Codicum in initio Cypriani.that, be it ſpoken without envie, there will need no further recognition; yet happely (ſaith he) it had beene better it had never come forth.

Thus you may diſcerne, what forgeries are uſed by your men, to ſupport the circumgeſtation p. 73of your Sacrament, and the Popes Supremacie; which is a maine Pillar of your Faith: And this may ſerve to ſhew your falſifications and forgeries in the third Age.

In the fourth Age.The fourth age. An. 300. to 400. The firſt Generall Councell of Nice is forged by Zozimus Biſhop of Rome, in behalfe of his owne ſupremacie. The pretended Canon is this;In Concil. Carthag. c. 1. Binius Thoſe who in the Nicene Synod gave their ſentence concerning Appeales of Biſhops, ſaid in this manner: If a Biſhop ſhall be accuſed, and the Biſhops of his owne Province ſhall thereupon condemne and degrade him, if he thinke fit to appeale, and thereupon flye to the moſt holy Biſhop of Rome, if he be pleaſed to have the hearing of it, the Biſhop is to write to the Biſhops adjoyning, and let it be at his pleaſure to doe what he will, and as he in his judgement ſhall thinke fitteſt to be done. This Canon is not to be found either in the Greeke or Latine Copies of the Nicene Councell; and thoſe Canons in all were but 20. It is true that you pretend, that there were in all 60. Canons, where of 40. were burned by the Arabians, (amongſt which this Canon was one:) But if they were extant, how were they burned? And if they were burned, how came you to the knowledge of them? The truth is, their Baſtardie (ſaith Contius your Lawyer) is proved even by this, that no man, no not Gratian himſelfe, Raynold. chap. 9. Diviſ. 2. pag. 575.durſt alledge them.

Euſebius Caeſarienſis Biſhop of Caeſarea is corrupted, to prove the Popes ſupremacie: In the Baſil print tranſlated by Ruffinus, he ſayth, Peter, p. 74James, Euſeb, impr. Baſiliae ex Officinâ Henr. Petrina, Ruffino Aquilienſi Interprete. Sed Jacobum, qui dicebatur Juſtus, Apoſtolorum Epiſcopū ſtatuerat. Euſ. l. 2. Eccl. Hiſt. c. 1. p. 677. Petrum, Jacobum, & Johannem, non de gloriâ & honore contendiſſe interſe, ſed uno conſenſu Jacobum Juſtū Hieroſoly monum Epiſcopū deſignâſſe. Coloniae Allobrogum, excudebat Petrus dela Roviere. An. 1612.and John, after the Aſſumption of our Saviour, although they were preferred by him before all the reſt of the Apoſtles, yet did they not challenge the honor of Primacie to themſelves, but appointed James, which is called Juſtus, to be Biſhop of the Apoſtles: In your Coleine Edition, you have altered the ſenſe, in this manner: Peter, James, and John, when they had obtained of our Lord a high degree of dignity, they did not contend about glory and honor amongſt themſelves, but with one conſent made James Biſhop of Jeruſalem: Thus the true and ancient Euſebius ſaith Peter and the reſt did not challenge the honor of primacie; the latter ſaith, they did not ſtrive about glory and honour: the ancient ſaith, they appointed James, which is called Juſtus, to be Biſhop of the Apoſtles; the other ſaith they nominated Juſtus Biſhop of Jeruſalē.

This Authority is ſo pregnant againſt the Popes Juriſdiction, claimed from Peter, that Bellarmine hath nothing to anſwer, but this: Although thoſe words be found in the Baſil print, tranſlated by Ruffinus, yet in a Colein print, tranſlated and publiſhed by a Roman Catholike, Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 1. c. 26.the word Primacie is not to bee found; and in ſtead of the words [Biſhop of the Apoſtles] are inſerted, Biſhop of Jeruſalem. The Cardinall doth not complaine, that Ruffinus Tranſlation was falſe and corrupt (for they are the words in the Originall of the ancient Euſebius) neither could he ſay truly, that the Colein was tranſlated by a Catholike, for indeed it is the property of an Here-ticke to falſifie and corrupt the Text. And thus you have done in your Colein Edition, where you have altered the ſenſe in that manner.

p. 75Euſebius Emiſſenus Biſhop of Emeſa in Syria is forged by Gratian for the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation:Grat. Diſt. 2. de Conſecrat. Quia corpus, fol. (Mihi) 432. his words are theſe; Chriſt the inviſible Prieſt, turned the viſible creature into the ſubſtance of his body and bloud, with his word and ſecret power, ſaying; Take, eate, this is my Body: whereas there are no ſuch words to be found in all his Works.

The Councell of Laodicea is falſified in favour of your I…vocation of Angels. The words of the Originall are theſe:aaforeign. &c. Conc. Laod. Can. 35. Bin. Tom. 1. p. 245. Chriſtians ought not to forſake the Church of God, and depart aſide and invocate Angels, and make meetings, which are things forbidden: If any man therefore be found to give himſelfe to this privie Idolatrie, let him be accurſed. Now in the ſame Councell publiſhed by James Merlyn, and Fryer Crab, by tranſmutation of a letter, you are taught a leſſon contrary to ſenſe and reaſon, ſaying,bbQuod non oporteat Eccleſiā Dei relinquere, & abire, at que angelos nominare, & congregationes facere. Merlin Tom. 1. Concil. edit. Col. An. 1530. f. 68. Crab. edit. An. 1538. Colon. fol. 226. Verit as non quaerit Angulos. It is not lawfull for Chriſtians to forſake the Church of God, and goe and nominate or invocate Angels, or corners, and make meetings; and thus Angeli are become Anguli, Angels are become Angles, or Corners, as if truth did ſeeke Corners, when ſo faire an Evidence is brought againſt Invocation of Angels.

St. Baſil, the great Archbiſhop of Caeſarea, was forged by Pope Adrian the firſt, at the ſecond Councell of Nice, for the worſhip of Images; his words are theſe:ccPro quo & ſiguras Imaginū eorum honoro, & adoro, & veneror ſpecialitèr, hoc enim traditum eſt à Sanctis Apoſtolis, neceſt prohibendum: acideò in om…ibus Eccleſiis noſtris eorum deſignamus Hiſtorias. Citat. ab Adriano in Synod. Nic. 2. Act. 2. p. (Mihi) 504.Acts 2 For which cauſe I honor and openly adore the figures of the Images (ſpeaking of the Apoſtles, Prophets, and Martyrs) and this being delivered us by the Apoſtles, is not prohibited; but in all p. 76Churches we ſet forth their Hiſtories. This Authority was cited by Pope Adrian, in the name of Baſil the Great in his Epiſtles; when as in all his Epiſtles, of which are extant 180. there are no ſuch words to be found.

St. Hierome is likewiſe forged for the ſame doctrine, and by the ſame Pope: the words in the Epiſtle are theſe;Sicut permiſit Deus ador are omnem gentem manufacta, &c. Citatur ibid. Ep. Adr. p. (Mihi) 506. As God gave leave to the Gentiles, to worſhip things made with hands, and to the Jewes to worſhip the carved workes, and two golden Cherubins which Moſes made; ſo hath he given to us Chriſtians the croſſe, and permitted us to paint and reverence the Images of Gods workes, and ſo to procure him to like of our labour. Theſe words (you fee) are cited by your owne Pope, at a generall Councell, as you pretend, for a point of your Romiſh faith; and yet there are no ſuch words, nor the meaning of of them, to be found in either of thoſe Fathers; and without doubt there was great ſcarcity of true ancient Fathers to bee found at that time, to prove your adoration of Images, when your Pope was driven to ſhifts and forgeries: eſpecially, when your owne Polydore tells you,Polyd. de Rerū Invent. that the worſhip of Images, not onelyonly Baſil, but almoſt all the ancient holy Fathers condemned, for feare of Idolatrie; as S. Hierome himſelfe witneſſeth. This puts me in mind of Eraſmus complaint, that the ſame meaſure was afforded to Baſil,Eraſ. in Praefat. lib. de Spirit. Sanct. Baſ. which hee had otherwiſe obſerved in Athanaſius, Chryſoſtome, Hierome, that in the middle of Treatiſes, many things were ſtuffed and forced in by others, in the name of the Fathers.

p. 77St. Ambroſe Biſhop of Millaine is falſified and corrupted. Franciſcus Junius as an eye witneſſe,Junius Praefat. in Ind. Expurg. Belg. tells us, that at Leyden in the yeare 1559. being familiarly acquainted with Ludovicus Saurius Corrector of the Printing houſe, and going to viſit him, hee found him reviſing of St. Ambroſe workes which then Frelonius was printing: after ſome conference had betwixt them, Ludovicus ſhewed him ſome printed leaves, partly cancelled and partly razed; ſaying, this is the firſt Impreſsion, which wee printed moſt faithfully, according to the beſt Copies; but two Franciſcan Fryers by command have blotted out thoſe paſſages, and cauſed this alteration, to my great loſſe and aſtoniſhment.

It may be the diſcoverie of it by Junius might ſtay their further printing of it, or elſe might be an occaſion to call it in after the printing; for otherwiſe if that Impreſſion may be had, it were worthy the examination.Bolſeus dicit ſe in manibus Secretarii h…c teſtimonium vidiſſe, &. inſpexiſſe. In diſp. de Antichriſto in Apend. Nu. 49. & 53. Laurent. Rever. Rom. Eccl. p. 190. Non habent Petri haereditatem qui Petri ſedem non habent. Grat de Paenit. Diſt. 1. c. Poteſt fieri. But for a proofe of this falſified Ambroſe, Leſſius the Jeſuit tells us, that Bolſeck doth confeſſe he ſaw the Copie in the hands of a Secretary: howſoever their later Editions are ſufficient proofe of your manifold falſifications. But I will ſpeak of Impreſſions (onelyonly) that have been within my view. Firſt, to prove your ſucceſſion in doctrine in your owne Church, Gratian tells us from St. Ambroſe, They have not the ſucceſsion of Peter, who have not the Chayre of Peter; and thus he hath changed Fidem into Sedem, Faith into Chaire. This forgery in time may creepe into the Body of Ambroſe; but as yet the words of Ambroſe are agreeable p. 76to our doctrine; that is,aaNon habent Petri haereditatem qui Petri fidem non habent. Ambr. de Paenit. c. 6. Tom. 1. p. 156. Baſil. apud Joh. Frob. An. 1527. Ambr. de Sacr. l. 4. c. 5. Tom. 4. p. 393. Baſil…ut ſupra. they have not the ſucceſſion of Peter, which want the faith of Peter. Theſe be the words of true and ancient Ambroſe, hereby declaring unto us, and them, that they may have the See of Peter, and yet want the faith of Peter.

Againe, in his Booke of the Sacrament St. Ambroſe ſaith,bbFac nobis hāc oblationem aſcriptam, &c. quod fit in figuram corports & ſanguinis Jeſu Chriſti. Amb. Colon. Agripp. An. 1616 Tom. 4. p. 173. Make this Oblation to be a reaſonable & acceptable one (quod eſt figura) which is a figure of the Body of our Lord Jeſus Christ: Your Ambroſe printed at Colein, doth mince thoſe words, and ſayth, (quod ſit in figuram) as if it might ſtand for a figure, but were no figure; and more particularly in the Canon of your Maſſe, you cite all thoſe former words of Ambroſe to prove the Antiquity of your Maſſe, but you leave out the latter (which is a figure of the Body) and ſay;ccUt nobis corp. & ſanguis fiat dilectiſſimi fi…ii tui Domini noſtri Jeſu Chriſti. Miſſale Parv. An. 1626 p. (Mihi) 82. Grant that it may be to us the body and bloud of our Lord Jeſus Christ. And laſtly, that Ambroſe might ſeemingly appeare to be yours, in the point of Tranſubſtantiation, whereas he ſheweth the power and wonders of God in creating all things of nothing by his word only, and from thence concludeth,ddSi…ergo tanta vis eſt in ſermone Domini Jeſu, ut inciperent eſſe quae non erant; quant ò magis operatorius eſt, ut ſint quae erant & in aliud commutentur? Idem de ſacr. l. 4. c. 4. Baſil ut ſuprà, p. 392. If therfore there be ſo great force in the ſpeech of our Lord Jeſus, that the things which were not begun to be (namely, at the firſt creation of all things) how much more is the ſame powerful, to make that thoſe things may ſtill be the ſame they were, and yet be changed into another thing? Here St. Ambroſe ſheweth plainly, that the Elements of Bread and Wine are the ſame in ſubſtance as they were before, although they are changed into another nature. Your Inquiſitours knowing well that ſuch Doctrine is flat contrary p. 77to their Tenet, which teach that the Elements are not the things in ſubſtance they were before Conſecration, have wiſely left out in their late Edition two poore words, (Sint) and (et) and accordingly the ſenſe runneth after this manner; How much more is the ſpeech of our Lord powerfull to make that thoſe things which were, Ut quae erant in aliud commutentur. Pariſ. An. 1603 & Colon. Agripp. An. 1616. Tom. 4. p. 173.ſhould bee changed into another thing. And by this meanes St. Ambroſe a Proteſtant, is become a Maſſe Prieſt; and with a clipped tongue liſpeth Tranſubſtantiation. Fryer Walden in writing againſt Wickliffe, cites this place by the halves (ut ſint et in aliud commutentur) he would have the Elements one thing,Wald. de ſacr. Euch. Tom. 2. c. 82 p. (Mihi) 138. b. and changed into another, but excludes the principall words (quae erant) ſhewing that they ſhould be the ſame, which they were before; and Lanfranck long before him ſtormed at Berengarius, for citing this place out of St. Ambroſe in behalfe of our Doctrine, and cryes out againſt him, O mentem amentem! &c. O mad mind! O impudent lyar! now truly there is no ſuch words to be found in all St. Ambroſe his workes, Ed. Pariſiis 1632. Ex editione Romanâ: In quâ quae vel vitio vel incuriâ erant adjecta, ſunt rejecta; quae ſublata, reſtituta; quae tranſpoſita, repoſita; quae depravata, emendata, &c. In the fift age. An. 400. to 500.&c. But there is an Ambroſe lately printed at Paris, which makes a great promiſe of integrity and purity, and yet the words are corruptly printed, according to your other of Paris and Colein print.

In the fift age, St. Chryſoſtome Archbiſhop of Conſtantinople is razed and purged, touching the doctrine of the Sacrament: his words bee theſe; If therefore it be ſo dangerous a matter to transferre unto private uſes thoſe holy Veſſels (in which the true Body of Christ is not, but the myſterie of his body is p. 80conteyned.) Theſe latter words comprehended in the Parentheſis, Chryſ. Antwerpiae apud fohannem Steelſium, An. 1537. Pariſ. apud Johannem Roigny. An. 1543. & Pariſ. apud Audoenum Parvii. Anno 1557.in the Editions of Antwerpe and Paris are wholly left out, there is not a ſyllable of them to bee ſeene: for indeed the Author of that worke ſaith negatively, that (the irue body of Christ is not) there, which overthrowes the very ground of your Popiſh preſence: and although your men make great brags of Antiquity, to prove your reall Sacrifice of the Altar out of St. Chryſoſtome; yet in the 19. Homily upon St. Matthew, where hee termes it the Sacrifice of bread and wine, Sacrificium panis & vini.they being alſo privie to this evidence, as againſt their owne doctrine,Sacrificium corporis & ſā. guinis Chriſti. Pariſ. apud Audoenum P…rvū. An. 1557. in. c. 7. Matt. Hō. 19. in their Edition at Paris have taught him to ſpeake the Trent language, in theſe words; It is the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ.

Touching the Teſtimony of divine Scriptures, St. Chryſoſtome is purged; he tells us in his 49. Homily, That from the time that Hereſies invaded the Church, Nunc autem nullo modo cognoſcitur volentibus cognoſcere quae ſit Eccleſia Chriſti, niſi (tantummodò) per ſcripturas. Idem Homil. 49 Tom. 2 p. mihi. 858.there can be no triall of Chriſtianity, nor refuge for Chriſtians, who are willing to know the true faith, but to the divine Scriptures; for at that time there is no way to know which is the true Church, but by the Scriptures onelyonly: This authority is wholly agreeable to our doctrine, and thereupon theſe times of Controverſies and Hereſies, that have overſpread the face of the Church, wee ſay with St. Chryſoſtome, thoſe that be in Judaea, let them flye to the Mountaines of the Scriptures. But what anſwer can be made, thinke you, to the razing of ſo faire an Evidence? BeholdaaTotus hic locus, tanquam ab Arrianis inſertus, è quibuſdam Codicibus nuper emendatis ſublatus eſt. Bell de verbo Dei l. 4. c. 11. Bellarmine tells us, that this whole paſſage (as if it had beene inſerted into p. 81St. Chryſoſtome by the Arrians) is blotted out of the late corrected Editions: and, as our learned Doctor Crakenthorpe in his anſwer to Spalatto obſerved, there is above 70. lines in the Antwerpe Edition,Crakenth. in Spalat. p. (mihi) 59. publiſhed 1537. purged in this Homily. It ſeemes then it is hereticall doctrine, to have recourſe to the Scriptures onelyonly for finding of the truth; But ſure I am, it is the part of Heretikes to raze ancient Records, and to avoyd the triall of their cauſe by the ſacred Scriptures.

The fourth Councell of Carthage (where St. Auſtin was preſent) is in part forged, in part razed: In the 100. Canon it was thus decreed:Mulier baptizare non praeſumat. Concil. Carthag. c. 100. Let no woman preſume to baptize. What anſwer therefore may we expect to this Canon? Binius the publiſher of the Councels, expounds the meaning of it thus; The Councell (ſaith he) doth decree that a woman ſhould not preſume to baptize, that is, when the Prieſt is preſent: Binius ibid. in his Annot.on the other ſide, Peter Lombard and Gratian, Pet. Lomb. l. 4. Sent. Diſt. 6. Grat. Can. Mulier de Conſecr. Diſt. 4.they have put in their exception, (niſi neceſsitate cogente) except it be in caſe of neceſſitie: ſo that in the abſence of the Prieſt, and in caſe of neceſſitie, women may baptize by the authority of your Church, notwithſtanding the Councels decree. And this is according to Bellarmines confeſſion: Although (ſaith he) thoſe words of exception (niſi neceſsitate cogente) be not found in the Tomes of Councels, Bell. de Baptiſ. l. 1. c. 7.yet Peter Lombard and Gratian cite the Canon in that manner. And thus by your owne Cardinals profeſſion, your Prieſts have added that exception to the Canon, to diſpenſe with women for Adminiſtration p. 82of the Sacrament, which is not found in the Councell.

Againe, the ſame Councell is razed both by the compiler of the decrees, and publiſher of the Councels: for the Councell ſaith in the 44. Canon,aaClericus nec comam nutriat, nec barbam radat, Concil. Carth. Can 44. Let no Clerke weare long hayre, nor ſhave his Beard: The decretals, and your late Councels publiſhed by Binius, have left out the word (Radat) and have quite altered the ſenſe of the decree, and ſo your Church hath gone directly againſt the meaning of the Councell in ſhaving of Prieſts.

S. Auſtin Biſhop of Hippo is both purged, and falſified in favor of your doctrine. Firſt, for the purging of him your own men make this declaration:bbAuguſtinus nuper Venetiis excuſus, in quo, praeter multorum locorum reſtitutionem ſecundum collationem veterum exemplarium, curavimus removeri illa omnia quae fideliū mentes haeretic â pravitate poſſent inficere, aut a Catholica orthodoxa fide deviare. Praefat. Ind. lib. prohibit. ad Lectorē, Genevae impreſſ. an. 1629. St. Auſtin was lately printed at Venice, in which Edition, as we have reſtored many places accerding to the ancient Copies; ſo likewiſe we have taken care to remove all thoſe things, which might either infect the mindes of the faithfull with Hereſies, or cauſe them to wander from the Catholike faith. This publike profeſſion your men have made, and accordingly theccIn hunc modū eſt repurgatus, ut in libri inſcripſione teſtātur qui editioni praefuerunt. Ibid. p. 6. Booke was purged, as thoſe who were preſent at that Edition doe witneſſe in the Inſcription of the Booke: but let us returne to the corrupted Editions in our view.

St.ddDe Civitate Dci lib. 22. c. 24. Auſtin in his 22. booke of the Citie of God and 24. Chapter, is cyted byeeBell. de Purg. l. 1. c. 4. Bellarmine for the proofe of Purgatory: yet in that Chapter (ſaithffLud. Vives in lib de Civit. Dei. c. 8. Vives) in the ancient Manuſcript Copies, which are at Bruges and Colein, thoſe ten or twelve printed lines are not to be found: And in the 22. booke and 8. p. 83Chapter he tells us, there are many additions in that Chapter, without queſtion, foyſted in by ſuch as make practiſe of depraving Authors of great Authority.

Touching forgeries and falſifications in particular: The humane nature of Chriſt is deſtroyed, if there be not given it, after the manner of other bodies, a certaine ſpace wherein it may be contained. In your Edition of Paris, printed by Sebaſtian Nivelle, An. 1571.this paſſage is wholly left out: This is obſerved by Dr. Moulin, but the Authour ſo printed I have not ſeene. But when neither adding nor detracting could make good your Tranſubſtantiation, Fryer Walden thought it the ſureſt way to forge a whole paſſage in the name of St. Auſtin, which indeed ſtrongly proves the very name and nature of it: The words are theſe;Wald. Tom. 2. de Sacram. c. 83. p. (mihi) 141. No man ought to doubt when Bread and Wine are conſecrated into the ſubſtance of Christ, ſo as the ſabſtance of bread and wine doe not remaine, whereas we ſee many things in the workes of God no leſſe marvellous. A woman God changeth ſubſtantially into a ſtone, as Lots wife; and in the ſmall workemanſhip of man, hay and ferne into glaſſe. Neither muſt we beleeve that the ſubſtance of bread and wine remaineth, but the bread is turned into the Body of Christ, and the wine into his bloud, the qualities or accidents of bread and wine onelyonly remaining. This fo gery was judicially allowed by Pope Martin the fiſt, and his Cardinals, in their Conſiſtorie, and yet it ſavours rather of a Glaſſe-maker, than an ancient Father: but what anſwer maketh Walden to this invention?**Egoenimreperi & trāſcripſi de vetuſtiſſimo exemplari ſcripto antiquā valdè manu formatâ. Idem Ibid. I found it (faith he) and tranſcribed p. 84it out of a very ancient Copie written with a ſet hand. Thus one while you adde, another while you detract, another while you falſifie the ancient Fathers, if either they make for us or againſt you; and yet you tell us, that we are guiltie of corrupting the Fathers. But above all, Gratian hath moſt ſhamefully and lewdly falſified St. Auſtin, whom he hath made to ſay;Inter Canonicas Scriptur as decretales Epiſtolae connumerantur. Diſt. 29. In Canonicis. fol. 19. A. The decretall Epiſtles of the Popes are accounted in the number of Canonicall Scriptures.

The truth is, St. Auſtin in his booke of Chriſtian doctrine, informes a Chriſtian what Scripture hee ſhould hold for Canonicall; and thereupon bids him follow the greater part of the Catholike Church: Amongſt which thoſe Churches are, which had the happineſſe to injoy the ſeates of the Apoſtles, and to receive Epiſtles from them. Gratian in the Canon Law altereth the words thus: Amongſt which Canonicall Scriptures, thoſe Epiſtles are which the Apoſtolicke See of Rome hath, and which others have deſerved to receive from her; and accordingly the title of the Canon is, Imer Canonicas Scripturas, &c. The decretall Epiſtles of Popes are counted by St. Auſtin for Canonicall Scriptures. Now judge you what greater forgerie, nay what greater blaſphemie can be deviſed, or uttered againſt Chriſt and his Spirit, than that the Popes Epiſtles ſhould bee termed canonicall Scriptures, and held of equall authority with the Word of God; eſpecially ſince by your owne men they are cenſured as Apocryphall and counterfeit Epiſtles. Your owne Bellarmine, as p. 85a man aſhamed of ſuch groſſe forgeries, would ſeeme to excuſe it;Bell. de Concil. Author. l. 2. c. 12. Primo. That Gratian was deceived by a corrupt copie of St. Auſtin, which he had beſides him, and that the true and corrected copies have not the words, as himſelfe reporteth. Thus Walden excuſeth his forgerie by an ancient Manuſcript, the Cardinall by a corrupt copie; and yet, by your Cardinals leave, this and many other ſuch like forgeries ſtand printed in the Canon Law, no Index Expurgatorius layes hold on them,Idem de ſcript Eccleſ. An. 1100 de Gratiano. Aiph. adverſ. haereſes, l. 1. c. 2. in fine. Ad tranſmarina qui putaverint appellandum, a nullo infra Africam in Communione ſuſcipiatur. Bin. in Concil. Milevit. Cā. 22 & Codex Can. Eccl. Afric. Can. 28. v. Niſi forte ad Apoſtolican ſedem appellaverint. Grat. cauſa 2. queſt. 6. Placuit. fol. (Mibi) 153. Haec exceptio non videtur quadrare. Bell. de Pont. l. 2. c. 24. notwithſtanding hee profeſſeth the worke was purged and reſtored to his integrity, by moſt learned men, by the command of Gregory the 13. in the yeare 1580. Your Alphonſus à Caſtro tells us, that this ſhamefull errour ought to be made knowne to all men, leſt others by this abuſe, take occaſion to erre in like manner; as namely, Johannes de Turrecremata, and Cardinall Cajetan, who both cited this place out of Gratian for the Romiſh faith, and the Popes Supremacie, and yet no ſuch thing is to be found in St. Auſtin.

The Councel of Milevis, alias, the African Councell, is falſified by Gratian for the Popes Supremacie: The words of the Councell are theſe, Thoſe that offer to appeale beyond the Seas, let none within Africa receive them to Communion: Gratian obſerving that this was a ſtrong evidence and barre to the Popes Supremacie, according to his cuſtome, hath thruſt in theſe words into the Canon (Except it bee to the Apoſtolike See of Rome.) Now what ſaith Bellarmine to this falſification? He confeſſeth that ſome ſay, This exception doth not ſeem to ſquare p. 86with the Councell: I know not how the ſquares goe with your men at Rome, but I finde that amongſt your partie there is no rule without an exception; eſpecially if it make againſt your doctrine.

St. Cyrill Biſhop of Alexandria is purged in the Text it ſelfe, and is forged by Aquinas, for two principal points of faith; viz. Tranſubſtantiation, and the Popes Supremacie: Touching the firſt he ſaith, That we might not feele horrour, Aquin. in Catena in illud Luc. 22, Accepto pane, &c.Luke 22ſeeing fleſh and bloud on the ſacred Altar, the Sonne of God condeſcending to our infirmities, doth penetrate with the power of life into the things offered (to wit, Bread and Wine) converting them into the verity of his ownefleſh, that the body of life, as it were a quickening ſeed, might be found in us. Here is a faire Evidence, or rather a foule falſification for your carnall preſence. But what ſaith your owne Vaſques the Jeſuit?Citatur Cyrillus Alex. in Epiſtola ad Caſyrium, quae inter ejus opera non habetur, illius tamen teſtimonium citat S. Thomas in Catena. Cyrils teſtimony is eyted by Thomas, but there is no ſuch Tract to be found in all his workes.

Againe, touching the Popes Supremacie, hee brings in St. Cyrill ſaying, As Chriſt received power of his Father, over every power, a power moſt full and ample, that all things ſhould bowe to him; ſo hee did commit it moſt fully and amply, Aquinas in opuſculo contra errores Graecorum, ad Urbanum quartum Pontificem maximum.both to Peter and his Succeſſors, and Chriſt gave his owne to none elſe ſave to Peter fully, but to him be gave it. And the Apoſtles in the Goſpels and Epiſtles have affirmed in every doctrine, Peter and his Church to bee inſtead of God. And to him, even to Peter, all doe bowe their head by the law of God, and the Princes of the world are obedient to him, even as to the Lord Jeſus. And p. 87we, as being members, muſt cleave unto our head the Pope, and the Apoſtolike See: That it is our duty to ſeeke and enquire what is to be beleeved, what to bee thought, what to be held, becauſe it is the right of the Pope alone to reprove, to correct, to rebuke, to confirme, to diſpoſe, to looſe, and binde. Here is a large and ample teſtimony cited in the name of an ancient Father for the honour and power of the univerſall Biſhop. This paſſage is alledged out of Cyrils worke intituled The Treaſurie againſt Heretiques; Theſaurus adverſus haeticos. Tom. 2. p. 1.but whereas there are 14. Bookes written by him of that Title, there are no ſuch words to be found in the whole Tract. But obſerve the proceedings of your good Saint; hee conceived the authoritie of one Father (though rightly cited) was not a ſufficient proofe for an Article of faith, and thereupon, to make good his former Aſſertion, hee ſummons 630. Biſhops, who (ſaith hee) with one voice and conſent made this generall acclamation in the Councell of Chalcedon; Aquinas in opuſculo, ut ſupra.God grant long life to Leo, the moſt holy, Apoſtolike, and univerſall Patriarch of the whole World. He tels us further, it was decreed by the ſame Councell, If any Biſhop be accuſed, let him appeale to the Pope of Rome, becauſe we have Peter for a rocke of refuge, and he alone hath right, with freedome of power, in ſtead of God, to judge and try the cauſe of a Biſhop accuſed, according to the keyes which the Lord did give him. Without doubt this decree was a good inducement for the Church of England to ſubſcribe to the Popes Supremacie (if you could make good this proofe out of the Councell of p. 88Chalcedon) for it is one of the firſt foure generall Councels, which we ſubſcribe unto by our Acts of Parliament. An. 1. Elizab.But where are thoſe words to bee found in that Councell? Your Pope Zozimus falſified a Canon in the firſt Councell of Nice (as I have ſhewed) and your Popes Champion St. Thomas hath falſified another, and both for the univerſality of the Pope; by which you may eaſily diſcerne, that you wanted antiquity to prove your faith, when your men are driven to forge and faine a conſent of many hundred Biſhops, in an ancient and generall Councell,See Concil. Chalced. Can. 28. Act. 15.Acts 15 for the ſupporting of your Lord Paramount; when as in truth it decreed the flat contrary doctrine.

Gelaſius Biſhop of Rome is corrupted,Grat. de Conſecr. diſt. 2. c. Comperimus. Gelaſius Pap… Majorico & Johanni Epiſcopis. Ibid. where hee condemneth halfe Communion as ſacrilegious: his words are theſe; We finde that ſome receiving a portion of Chriſts holy Body, abſtaine from the Cup of his ſacred Bloud, which becauſe they doe out of I know not what ſuperſtition, we command therefore that either they receive the entire Sacraments, or that they be entirely with-held from them; becauſe the diviſion of one and the ſelfe-ſame Myſtery cannot be without grand Sacriledge.

Gratian, the compiler of the Popes Decrees, borrowed his chapter out of that Epiſtle of Gelaſius (ſaith Bellarmine) & withall prefixed this Title before it, Bell. de ſacr. Euch. l. 4. c. 26.The Prieſt ought not to receive the Body of Chriſt without the Bloud; Ea Epiſtola Gelaſii, quae modò fortaſse non extat. Ibid.that is to ſay, without the conſecrated Cup; and yet by Bellarmines confeſſion, That Epiſtle peradventure is not now extant: and p. 89which is more, your Non conficient Prieſts doe generally commit that Sacriledge, by receiving the conſecrated Bread without the Cup, flat contrary to the decrees of the ancient Biſhop of Rome.

In the ſixth age, the ſecond Councell of Orange is falſified in the behalfe of your merits; the words of the Councell are theſe:Hoc etiam ſalubriter profitemur & credimus, quod in omni opere bono non nos incipimus, & poſted per Dei miſericordiam adjuvamur; ſed ipſe nobis, &c. Concil. Arauſicanum, Can. 25. Bin. Tom. 2. p. 639. We ſolemnely profeſſe and beleeve, that in every good worke wee our ſelves doe not firſt begin, and are helped afterwards by the merciemercy of God; but he, Nullis praecedentibus bonis meritis, no good merits of ours going before, doth firſt of all inſpire us with faith, and love towards him. This Councell condemned the Pelagians for their doctrine of Merits and Freewill; and accordingly declared that we have neither free will of our ſelves to doe good, neither any fore-going workes to merit any thing of our ſelves; and this is a ſafe and humble confeſſion both of our weakneſſe, and Gods good grace and mercy towards us. But obſerve your Church-men, for the defence of their merits, they have falſified the Canon, and quite perverted the ſenſe and meaning of the Councell; and in the place of nullis meritis, no merits, have inſerted the word multis, many merits; ſo that the Fathers of the Councell are taught to reade a new leſſon, flat contrary to the ancient Doctrine of the Church, viz. We ſolemnely profeſſe that wee firſt beginne (many) of our owne merits going before, &c. than which aſſertion what can be more arrogant, in aſſuming power to our ſelves, and derogating from the goodneſſe of our God.

p. 90In the ſeventh age, Gregory the great Biſhop of Rome is falſified: his words be theſe; The King of Pride is neare, Greg. Ep. lib. 4. Indict. 13. Ep. 38. p. (mihi) 146. b. Edit. Antwerp. 1515. & Pariſ. An. 1521. fol. 384. in Aedibus Franciſci Regnault.and, which is a haynous thing to name, Exercitus Sacerdotum, a whole armie of Prieſts is provided to attend his comming. In your Edition of Antwerpe and Paris, for the word (exercitus) you thruſt in (exitus Sacerdotum) ſo that whereas Antichriſt comming it is obſerved that an hoſt of Prieſts ſhall belong unto him; now on the contrary it is read, that at Antichriſts comming there ſhall be an end of Prieſthood.

Now as you have detracted from Pope Gregories doctrine in one place, ſo likewiſe you have added to him in another, for honour of his See, and the Canons of your Church: the words are theſe, Let not the reverence due to the Apoſtolike See bee trouhled by any mans preſumption; Greg. l. 11. Indict. 6. Ep. 42. Citatur à Bel. in Ep. ad Blackwell. contra jus regium. Vide Jacob. Regis ope a. p. 262. & 279.for then the ſtate of the members doth remaine ſound, when the head of the faith is not bruiſed by any injury, and the authority of the Canons alwayes remaine ſafe and ſound. This was urged to Blackwell the Prieſt, by your Cardinall Bellarmine, as a principall teſtimonie Contra jus regium; and yet, as it is obſerved by a learned Divine, M. Stephanus.theſe and many ſuch particular paſſages are inſerted into the printed Gregory, which are not to bee found in the ancient Manuſcripts.

Againe, in the former Epiſtle St. Gregorie is likewiſe falſified by Stapleton, in behalfe of the Popes Supremacie: the words of St. Gregorie are theſe,Greg. Regiſt. l. 4. Indict. 13. Ep. 38. Certainly Peter is the firſt member of the univerſall Church; Paul, Andrew, and John, what are p. 91they but heads of particular people? and notwithſtanding they are all members of the Church under one head. And leſt any ſhould apply the name of head to Peter, in his 36. Epiſtle, being the ſecond Epiſtle before this, he ſaith,Omnia ſoli uni capiti cohaerent, viz. Chriſto. Ep. 36. Stapl. de princip. doctrin. l. 6. c. 7. All the members are joyned to one head, Chriſt. Now obſerve the addition and falſification of your learned Stapleton; Andrew, James, and John (ſaith he) were heads of ſeverall Congregations, and all members of the Church under one head, Peter. And thus your Popes creature hath left out Peter in the firſt place, where hee was made a member, and added the name of Peter in the laſt place, to make him a head.

Againe, Gratian, who was ever ready to ſupply all defects for the Popes title, hath given us an inexcuſable forgerie, in the name of Gregorie, for the Papall power: the truth of it was this; When Anatolius Deacon of Conſtantinople, had written to Pope St. Gregory, that the Emperour commanded another Biſhop to be choſen in the place of the Biſhop of Juſtiniana, by reaſon of his head-ache; St. Greory made this anſwer,Greg l. 9. Ep. 41. Indict. 4. p. 370. You wrote unto me, that our moſt religious Lord the Emperour commanded another to be choſen in the place of our reverend Brother John Biſhop of Juſtiniana, becauſe of the paine of his head: by which tenour St. Gregory ſhewes that the Popes obeyed the Princes lawes (ſo they were not againſt their Canons.) Now obſerve Gratian hee leaves out firſt the words,Grat. cauſa 7. queſt. 1. fol. (Mihi) 186. our moſt religions Lord, and in ſtead of the Emperours name, he aſſumes the Popes perſon, ſaying, Your lovingneſſe p. 92wrote to me, that I ſhould command another to be choſen, whereas in thoſe dayes, by the confeſſion of Pope Gregory, the Emperors made Election of the Biſhops, and not the Popes.

The ſixt Councell of Conſtantinople is falſified & corrupted by Gratian; in the 36. Canon of the ſaid Councell it was thus decreed: We determine that the See of Conſtantinople ſhall have equall priviledges and honour with the ſeat of elder Rome, and in Eccleſiaſticall matters be advanced as far forth as it, being next unto it: Gratian cites the former, non tamē in Eccleſiaſticis (ſaith he) but not in matters Eccleſiaſticall; which is flat cōtrary to the meaning of the Councel.

In the eight age venerable Bede was living,The eight age. An. 700. to 800. and taught our doctrine touching the Sacrament, but was afterwards forged by Fryer Walden, to prove the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation againſt Wickliffe; Ibi forma panis videtur, ubi ſubſtantia panis non eſt, nec eſt ibi, inquit, panis alius quam panis qui de coelo deſcendit. Wald. Tom. 2. de ſacr. c. 82. fol. (mihi) 138. b.his words are theſe: There the forme of Bread is ſeene, where the ſubſtance of Bread is not, neither is any other Bread there, but that which deſcends from heaven: This is alledged out of the Booke de myſteriis Miſſae, in the name of Bede, when as in all his 8. Tomes, hee never wrote or mentioned any ſuch worke.

The Councell of Franckford is likewiſe corrupted and falſified, for the honour of your Images; for whereas Regino faith,Concil. Franck-ford. An. 794. Bin. p. (mihi) 141. Bin. Not. in Concil. Frā c. p. (mihi) 164. b. The falſe Synode of the Grecians, which they made for the defence of their worſhipping of Images, was erected by the Biſhops aſſembled at Frankford, under Charles the Great: Binius the publiſher of the Councels, declareth p. 93that the Acts of the ſecond Councell of Nice in the cauſe of Images was confirmed by it; which is ſo farre from truth, that he is inforced to confeſſe that therein he doth diſſent, though unwillingly, from Baronius and Bellarmine: Quam ſententiam optarem eſſe veram, ſed ſuſpicor eſſe falſam. Bel. de Imag. l. 2. c. 14. §. Multi.and indeed Bellarmine profeſſeth; I could wiſh this opinion were true, but I ſuſpect it to be falſe. Againe, to make the world beleeve that the Synod of Franckford condemned not the ſecond Councell of Nice (the chiefe upholder of Images) your men have razed out Nice, and thruſt in Conſtantinople, which altogether condemned Images: Now therefore take a ſhort view of all theſe your forgeries and corruptions.

In the firſt Age you have depraved the Scriptures by your falſe tranſlations and corruptions; and when all could not ſave your turne, you place the Bible amongſt the Bookes prohibited.

In the ſecond Age you have forged Epiſtles in the names of 31. Biſhops of Rome, which were none of theirs; and to ſuppreſſe our Doctrine touching the Communion in both kinds, and to uphold your invocation of Saints and Angels, you have corrupted Ignatius by a falſe Tranſlation; and you would have the Record razed touching the marriage of Prieſts.

In the third age you corrupt Tertullian for your Tranſubſtantiation; you falſifie Saint Cyprian for your circumgeſtation of the Sacrament, and your Popes ſupremacie.

In the fourth Age you corrupt Euſebius Caeſarienſis for the Popes ſupremacie; you forge Euſebius p. 94Emiſſenus for your corporall preſence; you falſifie the Councell of Laodicea for your invocation of Saints and Angels; you forge Saint Hierome and Saint Baſill the Great, for your worſhip of Images; you falſifie Saint Ambroſe for the Popes ſucceſsion in the Roman See, and moſt corruptly for the Doctrine of the Sacrament.

In the fift Age you have razed two evidences in Saint Chryſoſtome, both which confirme our Doctrine, the one concerning the Lords Supper, the other concerning our tryall by the Scriptures: you have falſified the Councell of Carthage for the baptizing of women, and for the ſhaving of Prieſts: you have falſified Saint Auſtin for your Purgatory, and for your Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, and your Popes decretall Epiſtles: you have forged the Councell of Africa for the honour of your Apoſtolicke See: you have forged Saint Cyrill for your Tranſubſtantiation, and your Popes Supremacie.

In the ſixt Age you have corrupted the Councell of Orange for your Doctrine of merits, and for the honour of your Prieſthood over ſecular powers.

In the ſeventh Age you have razed Gregory the Great touching the comming of Antichriſt; you have purged him in an Epiſtle which maketh againſt the Popes Supremacie: you have falſified the Councell of Conſtantinople in your Popes behalfe.

Laſtly, in the eighth Age you have forged venerable p. 95Bede in behalfe of your Tranſubſtantiation; and you have falſified the Councel of Franckford in behalfe of your Image-worſhip; and yet for all this you are not aſhamed to profeſſe, that for ancient Authors you note onelyonly what is amiſſe, but you neither raze nor blot out any thing; that corner-correcting (ſay you) wee leave for ſuch corner-companions as ſhunne the light, p. 144. What credit can be given to you or your Church, let the Reader judge, when as by your owne confeſsion, the Trent Councell hath decreed it as a thing unlawfull to change any thing in the Bookes of ancient Catholikes, Concil. Trid. in Ind. lib. prohib. de correct. 4. p. (mihi) 32.except a manifeſt error appeare to have crept in by the fraud of Hereticks or negligence of the Printer. Sure I am you will confeſſe that all theſe mentioned corruptions are not Errata, ſlips of the Printer; And as touching the fraud of Heretickes which did corrupt them, your Trent Councell (which made the Decree) could not meane the Proteſtants: for in thoſe dayes they had printed no Fathers, neither had they any Manuſcripts, but ſuch as were kept priſoners in your Church: The name of Heretickes therefore doth properly reflect upon your Pope Adrian, upon Gratian, upon Stapleton, upon Thomas Aquinas, upon Cardinall Bellarmine, who appeare to be Authors of your falſifications; and in generall upon your Roman inquiſitors, who are the knowne Authors of your corrupting and altering the true Fathers. And this muſt needes ſeeme very probable to all, becauſe they are corrupted chiefely in thoſe main Articles of Faith which make againſt p. 96your Church. The ancient Records and Evidences which you have had many hundred yeeres in your poſſeſsion, doe all witneſſe theſe forgeries and corruptions in the printed Fathers, and will you claime the Fathers for your Rule of Faith, when you make them ſpeake more like children than fathers? Shall a Guardian to an infant, having poſſeſsion of his Lands, and keeping his Deeds and Evidences during his minoritie, raze and falſifie them, and thereby intitle himſelfe to the Wards Lands, becauſe hee was ſome time poſſeſſed of them, and can produce forged Evidences for them? This is our very caſe: The Church of Rome in her infancie was a faithfull Guardian of her childrens right, ſhee kept the Manuſcripts and the ancient Records of the Fathers, in that puritie as ſhe firſt received thē; after the Pope had made an univerſall Title and claime to all Catholike Churches, hee intruded into other mens Rights by forgerie and corruptions, he made the Fathers ſpeake according to the Trent decrees, in an unknowne tongue, and now by forged cavillation detaines the poſſeſsion againſt the right owners. But let me tell you, as the Kings Subject, you are lyable to puniſhment in ſuch caſes in temporall affaires.See the title of Forger of falſe deeds fol. (mihi) 180. b. For if any perſon ſhall by falſe conſpiracie, ſubtilty and falſity, forge any Deed, Charter, or Writing, or ſhall pronounce, publiſh and ſhew forth in Evidence any ſuch falſe or forged Deed or Writing as true, knowing the ſame to bee falſe and forged, and ſhall be thereof convicted, he ſhall be ſet upon the Pillory in ſome open Market Towne, and there to have p. 97both his Eares cut off, and alſo his Noſthrils to bee ſlit and cut, and ſeared with an hot iron, ſo as they may remaine for a perpetuall note or marke of his falſhood.

Compare now this humane law with thoſe forgeries of divine Evidences, and tell me what you and your fellowes can ſay for your ſelves, why the ſame judgment ſhould not be pronounced againſt you. For if the lawes of Kings are ſo ſtrict in behalfe of temporall records and aſſurances betwixt men, what may wee thinke the Law-giver himſelfe will require at their hands, who doe not onelyonly raze and falſifie Evidences touching the greateſt myſteries of Salvation, who I ſay not onelyonly doe the ſame, but have pleaſure in them that doe them?

Thus much touching the razing and corrupting of the Fathers for the firſt 800. yeares. Now I proceed to your Index Expurgatorius, your purging and blotting out the moderne Authours for the laſt 800. yeares.

Foraſmuch (ſay you) as concerneth the late Catholike Authors of this laſt age, for this our Index (of which is al the difficultie) beginneth but from the yeere 1515. whatſoever needeth correction, is to bee amended or blotted out; yet for others going before that time, it is expreſly ſaid, that nothing may be changed, unleſſe ſome manifeſt errors, through the fraud of Heretikes, or careleſneſſe of the Printer, bee crept in: Thus you.

From your corrupting the ancient Councels and Fathers (which I have ſhowne) wee are at laſt p. 98come to the correcting of moderne Authors; and as I have led you through an Hoſpitall of maimed Souldiers, ſo now I will ſend you to the houſe of correction, where I will leave you without Baile or Maine-prize, till you have cleared your ſelfe and your aſſociates, for wounding and cutting out the tongues, of your owne Authors, in ſpeaking truth againſt the corruptions of the Church.

But your correcting Index (ſay you) began but from the yeare 1515.P. 24. & 144. and nothing is changed of Catholike Authors before that time.

I aſſure you, I have not heard as yet one ſentence, nay ſcarce one word of truth fall from your pen, wherein you diſſent from us; and this your aſſertion will prove as true as the reſt. Yea, but (fay you) it is expreſly declared by the Church, that nothing may be changed; and if this be true (as true it is indeed) the leſſe credit is to be given you or your Churchmen, who make decrees, and breake them at their pleaſure; for it ſhall appeare that your Index doth extend it ſelfe to the time of the Apoſtles: and howſoever you pretend to purge the Fathers onelyonly in the Index and Table of their Bookes; yet I ſay ſome you have purged in the Text it ſelfe, others you have corrected in the Index, in the expreſſe words delivered in the bodie of thoſe Bookes. And as touching your Aſſertion, that you purge the latter writers onelyonly from the yeare 1515. and not beyond that time, this is moſt falſe, and you had ſaid more truly, if you had confeſſed that for 1515. yeares together, your Church ſpared no Authours, p. 99ancient or moderne, if they ſpeake not Placentia, agreeable to your Popes faith and doctrine.

For the better manifeſtation of this truth, looke firſt upon your Correctorium (for ſo Lucas Brugenſis termes it) your worke of correction upon the Bible; and tell me if you have not altered, by your Popes command, above three thouſand ſeverall places in the Scripture, even in your vulgar Tranſlation, which you call St. Hieromes; and although you dare not lay a Deleatur upon the ſacred word of God, yet upon the Commandements, upon the Lords Prayer, upon ſeverall places of Scripture (as I have ſhewed) there is a Deletur, a leaving out, and a detracting from it.

Looke upon your Index Expurgatorius, printed at Madrid, by Cardinall Quiroga, and tell me if you have not purged certain places in the Index of the Bible, which are ipſiſsima verba, the very words to a letter, in the Textit ſelfe: as for inſtance;aaJuſtificamur fide in Chriſtum, Galat. 2.16.Gal 2:16 We are juſtified by faith in Christ: bbJuſtitia noſtra Chriſtus, 1. Cor. 1.30.1 Cor 1:30Christ is our Righteouſneſſe: ccFide purificantur corda, Act. 15.9.Acts 15:9By faith our hearts are purified: ddJuſtus coram Deo nemo, Pſal. 143.2.Ps 143:2No man is righteous before God: eeUxorē habeat unuſquiſque. 1 Cor. 7.2.1 Cor 7:2Let every man have his wife, &c. All theſe paſſages I ſay are the very word of God, in the Body of the Scriptures, and yet they are commandedffInd. Hiſp. Madr. f. (mihi) 15. B. tanquā propoſitiones ſuſpectae (for ſo are the words of your Index) as if they were things queſtionable, to bee blotted out. Againe, when your gloſſes or marginall notes agree not to your doctrine, you cauſe your Index Expurgatorius to lay hold on them: as for inſtance; in the 26. of Leviticus, we reade in your owne Tranſlation, p. 100You ſhall not make to your ſelves an Idoll or thing graven; Deleatur illud, Sculptilia prohibet fieri. Idem fol. 7.when the gloſſe in the Margent ſaith, God forbiddeth graven Images, Let that paſſage (ſay you) be ſtrucken out. And whereas Samuel ſaith: Prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and ſerve him onelyonly: Ibid. fol. 8. b.the gloſſe upon the Text, which is the ſame in ſubſtance, viz. wee muſt ſerve God onelyonly, you command to be blotted out. Theſe and the like places relating to the Scriptures, being contrary to your Trent doctrine, you have excluded from your late printed Bibles in the places aforeſaid, as being too obvious to the eye of every Reader.Ind. Hiſp. Madrid. p. 6. 7. & f. 138. (Mihi) 62. Crakenthorp. adv. Spal. p. 66. Bell. de verbo Dei, l. 4. c. 11. &c. Ind. Madrid. fol. 62. a. Deleantur ex Textu illa verba: Sed ubi non habuerit Dei timorem in ſeipſis, nec Jeſum per fidem incolam, &c. Ibid. Eam verò ſolūmodò naturam, quae increata eſt, colere & venerari didicimus. Ant. Meliſſ ſerm. 1. Bell. deſcript. Eccl. p. (mihi) 184.

Looke upon the Fathers, and tell mee if your Index Expurgatorius doth not correct both St. Chryſoſtome, and Auſtin, and Hilarie, and Hierome, in their Index, touching the prime points of controverſie betwixt us: Nay more, St. Auſtin (ſaith Vives) is purged ten or twelve lines in the body of his workes; St. Chryſoſtome in his 49. Homily is purged 70. lines; & by Bellarmines confeſſion, other places are razed out of him and other Fathers, as I have ſhewed before. Looke upon St. Cyrill Biſhop of Alexandria, who was living above 1200. yeares agoe, and tell me if your Inquiſitors have not commanded a Deleatur upon his words, in the very Text it ſelfe. Looke before his time upon Gregory Nyſſen, and tell me if through the ſides of Antonius Abbas (who was living, by Bellarmines accompt, neare 900. yeares agoe) you doe not wound that ancient Father in the body of his workes, in commanding p. 103this golden ſentence to bee blotted out:Ind. Belg. p. 270. foreign. Greg. Niſsen. in Orat. 4. Tom. 2. Edit. Graeco-lat. p. 146. We have learned to worſhip and adore that nature (onelyonly) which is uncreated: **Parſōs warnword to Sir Fran. Haſtings waſt-word. Enc. 2. c. 9 p. 69.your F. Parſons takes great paines to little purpoſe to excuſe it; one while he tells us, that the ſentence is not to bee found in Gregory Niſſen (which is moſt falſe:) another while he confeſſeth, that they cannot ſtand to give a particular reaſon of every cenſure or expurgation that is made (which is moſt fooliſh.)

But tell mee in good ſooth, if thoſe places of Scriptures and Fathers did make for your Religion, would you purge them? Or muſt we beleeve, that your Inquiſitors would take ſuch infinite care and paines to review all Authours for 1600. yeares, and ſpunge them onelyonly in the Index? Without doubt that man who doth willingly deface the Kings picture, ſtamped in his coyne, would, if he durſt; attempt it upon his perſon: the Tables of Authors, and Gloſſes, were eſpecially intended for the benefit of the Reader, both for his better underſtanding, and his more ſpeedie ſearching of the truth.

They reſemble the Phylacteries of the Jewes, which had a Ribband of Blue upon the borders of their garments, that by them they might the better remember the Commandements of God: he that would have cut the fringes of thoſe garments in thoſe dayes, to prevent the remembrance of Gods law, would (no doubt) have offered violence to the Tables, on which God himſelfe had written, if hee durſt attempt it. The truth is, the words imprinted in the skirts and tables of your Bibles and Fathers, p. 104are thornes in your eyes, and goades in your ſides: and from hence we may eaſily diſcerne, why you leave out the ſecond Commandement, and alter the fourth in your Pſalters and Breviaries, which you dare not alter in your Bibles. And that your Aſſertion may more particularly appeare to bee moſt untrue, viz. that you purge no Authours before the yeare 1515. I will begin from the ninth age, where I laſt left, and ſhew your owne Authours purged, and forbidden in all the ſucceeding ages for this laſt 800. yeares.

Firſt therefore the Reader ſhall underſtand, that your Roman Inquiſitors have publiſhed an Index of prohibited Bookes, and in that Index they have divided the Authors into three ſeverall Claſſes, or orders.Claſsis. 1. In the firſt they ranke all thoſe Bookes which are adjudged by your men for Heretikes; as namely, Berengarius, Wickliffe, Luther, Caſſander, Eraſmus, Raynolds, and divers others; whoſe Bookes not onelyonly now written, but whatſoever ſhall be publiſhed in their names hereafter, are prohibited as Hereticall.Claſsis. 2. In the ſecond Claſsis they have ranked all thoſe whoſe doctrine is not very ſound, but ſuſpected, and offenſive, although the Authors themſelves never forſooke the Church, and therefore not perſonally to bee noted: and of this ſort are Charles the great, Agobardus, Bertram, Huldericus, Cajetan, and divers others, whoſe Bookes are now purged; and ſome of them lived 800. years ſince.Claſsis. 3. The third is of nameleſſe Authors, which (ſay they) deliver pernitious doctrine, and p. 105are condemned by the Roman Church; and thoſe onelyonly which have beene publiſhed without a name ſince the yeare 1584.

Theſe three rankes of Claſſicall Authors, according to our Adverſaries doome, may be deſtinated to theſe three ſeverall places. The firſt ſort to Hell, which containes the Heretikes and damned perſons, never to be redeemed. The ſecond ſort to Purgatory, which are ſuſpended and reſtrained upon ſuſpicion of falſe doctrine, or veniall ſinne, and muſt not be freed till they be purged, and have payd the utmoſt farthing to the Pope. The third, to Limbus Infantum, and thoſe are Anonymoi, ſuch as were unbaptized, and have beene publiſhed without a name, from the yeare 1584. Of theſe three ſorts, I will produce onelyonly the Authors of the ſecond Claſsis, which lived and died members of your Church, ſuch as were never condemned for hereſie, but (touſe you own words) have Suſpectam Doctrinam, that is to ſay in plaine Engliſh, Proteſtant Doctrine: whereof ſome you have purged in your new Editions, others you have forbidden to be read till they be purged:The ninth age. An. 800. to. 900 See Crakenthorp, p. 56. Carolo magno falsò adſcriptū, de Imaginibus, cujus Titulus eſt, Opus illuſtriſsimi, &c. Ind. l. prohib. p. (Mihi) 18. and this (as ſhall appeare) was many ages before the time prefixed, 1515.

I proceed: In the ninth age Charles the Great wrote foure Bookes concerning Images; he profeſſeth that hee began the worke in his owne Kingdome; and your owne Ecchius, and Luzenburgus, both witneſſe that this Emperour wrote all thoſe Bookes: yet your Index Expurgatorius layes hold on him, and forbids the worke; pretending that it p. 106is falſely aſcribed to him, when as the true reaſon is, becauſe he condemned Image-worſhip, and forbids the 7^th. Councell to be called either agenerall, or lawfull Councell: for otherwiſe your owne Hincmarus Archbiſhop of Rhemes, Hinckm. Rhē. contr. Hinchm. Jandun. Epiſc. c. 20.who was living when theſe things were freſh in memorie, profeſſeth, that a generall Synod was kept in Germany by the convocation of the Emperour Charles, and there, by the Rules of Scripture and doctrine of the Fathers, the falſe Councell of the Grecians, was confuted and utterly rejected; of whoſe confutation there was a good bigge Booke ſent to Rome by certaine Biſhops from Charles the Great, which in my younger yeares I read in the Palace.

Now admit that Charles were not the Authour of thoſe Bookes (although your owne men witneſſe he was) yet the Authour you ſee was ancient, and living in that age; hee condemned your Image-worſhip, hee confuted the reaſons of the Nicene Councell, and by this it appeares that your Church hath tranſgreſſed her limits above 700. yeares; and therefore your Trent decree was made ſutable to your Spectacles, which makes that ſeeme to be, which is not.

Agobardus Biſhop of Lyons (An. 840.) is purged, propter non ſanam & ſuſpectam doctrinam; becauſe he delivers our Proteſtants doctrine, which you account non ſanam, in theſe words; If the workes of Gods hands be not to be adored and worſhipped, Sioperd manuum Dei, &c. Bibl. Pp. Tom. 9. p. (mihi) 590.no not in honour of God, how much more the workes of mens hands are not to be adored and worſhipped, p. 107in honour of thoſe whom they repreſent? Titulo de Imaginibus expurgantur omnia quae ſub hoc titulo continentur, uſque ad titulum. 2. Claſſis Ind. lib. prohib. pag. (mihi) 711.This paſſage is yet extant in your late Bibliotheque of Fathers, under the title of Images: but your Spaniſh Inquiſitors have commanded all the things which are contained under that Title to bee blotted out, uſque ad Titulum, to the very title.

Papirius Maſſonus, the publiſher of Agobardus workes, delivered the argument touching Images and Pictures in this manner; Detecting moſt manifeſtly the errours of the Grecians (that is, the Fathers of the ſecond Nicene Councel) touching Images and Pictures, he denyeth that they ought to be worſhipped; which opinion all wee Catholikes doe allow, and follow the teſtimony of Gregory the Great concerning them. This paſſage, together with more ample authorities are already purged according to command, by the Divines of Cullen, in their late corrupt Edition of the great Bibliotheque of the ancient Fathers:Bibl. P P. Tom. 9. par. 1. edit. Colon. Anno 1618. p. 548. & p. 551. but Gretzer your fellow Jeſuite extremely wondreth that this judgement of the Booke of Agobardus ſhould proceed from a Catholike; for Agobardus in that whole Book doth nothing elſe but indevour to demonſtrate, although with vaine labour, that Images are not to be worſhipped: Uſher p. 463.and yet I ſay it is more to be wondred that your men ſhould purge ſuch Authors of Antiquitie contrary to your Trent Decree; and when by purging them they have made our Faith and Doctrine inviſible in them to the Reader, you call upon us to ſhew where our Church and Religion was viſible before Luther.