Saint Austins religion VVherein is manifestly proued out of the vvorks of that learned Father, that he dissented from popery, and agreed with the religion of the Protestants in all the maine points of faith and doctrine. Contrary to that impudent, erronious, and slanderous position of the bragging papists of our times, who falsely affirme, we had no religion before the times of Luther and Caluine.

Saint Austins religion VVherein is manifestly proued out of the vvorks of that learned Father, that he dissented from popery, and agreed with the religion of the Protestants in all the maine points of faith and doctrine. Contrary to that impudent, erronious, and slanderous position of the bragging papists of our times, who falsely affirme, we had no religion before the times of Luther and Caluine.

Table of contents

Title page

To all ſeduced Papistes.

St. AVGVSTINES Religion: Wherein is prooued that hee diſſented from Popery, and agreed with the Religion of the Proteſtants in all the maine points of Faith and Doctrine.

St. AVGVSTINES Religion: Wherein is prooued that hee diſſented from Popery, and agreed with the Religion of the Proteſtants in all the maine points of Faith and Doctrine.

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IT is hottly Controuerted, betweene vs, and the Papiſts at this day, Whether the Auncient Fathers, and eſpecially Saint Auſtin, was of their Religion, or of ours? The Campion rat. 5.Papiſts challenge all the ancient Fathers, as theirs: and eſpecially, Saint Auſtin. Of him they bragg aboue meaſure. Hee (The Maſſe. pr. Petition to his Maieſtie. Aun. 1604. Sect. 26. they ſay) was a Monke, a Profeſſor, and a ſtout Defender, and a ſtrong maintainer of their Popery: vndoubtedly no Proteſtant. The particulars of his doctrine (Auſtins Religion, ch. 1. p. 1 [...]. they ſay) touching the ſeuerall points this day in Controuerſie, were conſonant and agreeable with their now profeſſed Poperie. All the Haereſies of this Age, Vnius Auguſti verbis confutari & proteri vel maxime poſſunt: may be confuted and confounded by proofes fetched onely from Saint Auſtins writings, Torrenſis Fp. Dedicat. praefix. Auguſt. confeſſ.ſay the Papiſts. Whereof, to make ſome ſhew vnto the world, as Torrenſis a Ieſuit in the yeare 1569. publiſhed in Latine a Collection, out of Saint Auſtins workes, of all ſuch ſpeeches as he thought made in any ſort for them, and againſt vs; intiteling that his Collection by the name of Confeſsio Auguſtinian [...]: So Anno 1620▪about two yeares ſince, one Brereby Prieſt (whether Secular, or Ieſuite, I know not) hath publiſhed in Engliſh ſuch an other Collection, out of the ſame Saint Auſtins [Page] Works, intitling it, Saint Auſtins Religion. Now for the diſcouery of this their inſolent bragging of Saint Auſtin, I haue thought good, to vndertake the proouing of this Aſſertion. Ʋiz. That Saint Auſtin was rather of our Religion, then of the Papiſts: for as much, as in the moſt materiall points he is vndoubtedly for vs, and againſt them.

That Saint Auſtin, in the moſt materiall points of Doctrine, is for vs, and againſt the Papiſts: the inſuing inſtances proue manifeſtly. For

1 FIrſt, It is queſtioned betweene vs and Papiſts, How farre forth Fathers are to be followed? And Author Gloſſ Marg. in Gra [...]d. [...]. Noli meis, Impreſſ. An. 151 [...].ſome of them ſay, Scripta Sanctorum ſunt ad vnguem obſeruanda. The writings of the Fathers are to be obſerued to a nayles breadth. Author alter [...] us Gloſſ. ibid.Others, Hodie iubentur omnia teneri vſque ad vltimum iota. At this day we are bound to beleeue euery thing they ſay. But Harmon Confeſſ Sect. 1. de ſacra Scriptura.wee ſay, They are ſo farre forth to be beleeued as they agree with holy Scripture, and no further. Againſt which Aſſertion of ours, they take great exception. For, This is to giue no more credit to their authoritie, then to Iewes, Turkes, and Hereticks, and ſo it is quite to reiect their authorities, ſaith In his anſwer to Su [...]cliffes reply to the Suruey, chap. 4. Sect 6. pag. 66. Kelliſon. Yet St. Auſtin was of our opinion herein. Saint Auſtin thought not good to follow the Fathers any further, neither did he require that any man ſhould follow him any further. He as we tooke libertie, and gaue libertie to iudge of the Fathers writings according to their agreement, or diſagreement with holy Scriptures.

That he tooke libertie to himſelfe to iudge ſo, it appeares by this: That when he was preſſed by Creſconius the Grammarian with a Teſtimony taken out of an Epiſtle of Saint Cyprians, Lib. 2. cont. Creſcon. Gram. cap. 32.he anſwered thus. Ego eius Epiſtolae authorita [...]e non teneor, quia literas Cypriani non vt Canonicas habeo▪ ſed [...]as ex Canonicis conſidero, & quod in ijs diuinarum Scripturarum authoritati congruit, cum laude eius accipio: quod autem non congruit, cum pace eius reſpuo. [Page] I am not bound to ſtand to be tryed by that Epiſtle, becauſe I do not account of Cyprians Epiſtles as of Canonicall Scriptures, but examine thē by the Canonicall Scriptures: and what I finde in them agreeable to the holy Scriptures, I receiue it with his commendation: what I finde to diſagree from holy Scriptures, with his good leaue, I leaue it. For hereby we are taught (as Jn edit Iugdun [...]nſi, Anno 1 [...]70. Eraſmus noted in the Margent ouer againſt theſe wordes) Quomodo tam S. Cypriani dicta, quam aliorum Doctorum accipienda ſint. How farre foorth wee are to eſteeme of the ſpeeches of Saint Cyprian, and other of the Doctors.

Againe, the ſame appeares by this, that in the Controuerſie betweene him and Saint Ierom, Whether St. Paul, Galat 2 14. reprooued Saint Peter colourably, or in good earneſt: where Epiſ [...]. 11. inter Epiſ [...]. Auguſt. Ierom alledged ſeuen Fathers againſt his Aſſertion: viz. Origen, Didimus, Apollinaris, Alexander, Euſebius Emiſenus, Theodorus, and Chryſoſtom; of which Fathers, Ierom made ſo great account, that he deſired Auſtin to ſuffer him to erre with them, if he thought him to erre. Auſtin would not yeeld to Jerom, though hee could but name two Fathers who were of his minde, but appeales to Saint Paul himſelfe from all Saint Ieroms Fathers, ſaying: Epiſtola 1 [...]. Pro his omnibus, imo ſupra hos omnes Apoſtolus Paulus occurrit: ad ipſum confugio, ad ipſum ab omnibus qui aliud ſentiunt literarum eius tractatoribus interpello, &c. I haue Paul the Apoſtle himſelfe inſtead of theſe all, and aboue theſe all. To him doe I flye. To him I appeale from all the Doctors (his Interpreters) which are of other mindes, for this ſhewes he would not follow the Fathers further then he thought they agreed with holy Scriptures.

That he gaue libertie to others to iudge ſo, it is plaine by theſe words. Noli meis literis quaſi Canonicis Scripturis i Pro [...]n [...]. [...]ib. [...]. de Trinita [...]e. inſ [...]ruire: ſed in illis & quae non credibas, cuminueneris incunctanter crede: in iſtis autom quod certum non habebas, niſi certum intellex [...]ris, n [...]li firmum tenere. Giue not like credit to my Writings as to the Canonicall [Page] Scriptures. If thou findeſt any thing in the Canonicall Scriptures which thou beleeueſt not before, beleeue it preſently vpon thy finding of it: but if thou findeſt any thing in any writings whereof thou waſt not perſwaded before, vnleſſe thou perceiue it to be a certaine truth, doe not beleeue it for truth And by theſe. [...] [...] Anima [...] origine a▪ Vi [...] ce [...] [...]i [...]or Cap. 1. Negare non poſſum, nec debeo, ſicut in ipſis maioribus: ita multa eſſe in tam multis Opuſculis meis, quae poſſunt iuſto tudicio, & nulla temeritate culpari. I cannot deny but there are many things in my Workes, as there are in the Writings of the Ancients, which iuſtly and with good diſcretion may be excepted againſt. For ſo much in effect is confeſſed by the Diſt [...]. [...]. No [...]i m [...]is▪Gloz [...]r on the Canon Law, and by Sn [...]m. de Ecc [...] ▪ [...]iv. 4. part 2. cap. 9.Cardinall Turrecremate. For vpon mention of theſe and ſuch like places as theſe are Loquitur Auguſtinus ſecundum illa tempora cum adhuc ſcripta Auguſtins & aliorum Patrum non erant authention. Saint Auſtin ſpake (ſay they) agreeably to thoſe times, wherein his, and other holy Fathers Writings were not Authenticall. For ſuch words argue, that in their opinion, Saint Auſtins, and other holy Fathers writings, were not in Saint Auſtins time, in ſo great requeſt, as now with Papiſts. They were no further to be beleeued then, then men ſaw good proofe, good reaſon. Such is acknowledged in plainer D [...]ceptationes de Magdalens defenſio adverſ Martum Grand [...]uall [...]m. Sect. 35. fol. 45. 46. Iodochus Clychtoueus. For Liberum eſt cui (que) a Sanctorum qui poſt tempora Apoſtolorum ſcripſerunt placitis, verum iuueſtigando, diſceptandoque declinare, Vbi maiorem habet authoritatem, p [...]tioremue rationem ad alteram partem impellentem, quemadmodum ſacer Auguſtinus de ſuis ſcriptis cenſet eſſe faciundum. It is lawfull for euery man who ſeekes to boult out the Truth by way of diſputation to differ in opinion from ſuch holy men as liued ſince the Apoſtles daies: prouided they haue greater authoritie and better reaſon to induce them to the contrarie.

2 It is queſtioned between vs and Papiſts, Whether, When there is difference in Bibles about the reading of [Page] the Text, the Originals ſhould rather bee beleeued then the Tranſlation, that is, Whether the Hebrew of the Old Teſtament, and the Greeke of the new Teſtament ſhould be preferred before the vulgat Latine. The Azorius Jnſtit. Moral. part. 1. lib. 8. Cap. 3. 2. quaeritur.Papiſts in our dayes teach, That now, Non eſt quod ad Hebraica vel Graeca recurramus exemplaria: there is no reaſon why wee ſhould haue recourſe to the Hebrew, or to the Greeke. Now the vulgat Latine is ſo Authenticall, Cent. Trid. ſeſs. 4. decret. de Edit. & vſu ſac. lib Vt nemo illa reiicere quouis praetextu audeat. No man may be ſo bold vnder any pretence or colour to reiect it. Now Analyſis fidei lib. 8. Cap. 5. pag. 75. Graeci & Hebraici Codices, ſicubi a vulgata editione disſideant; per vulgatam corrigendi & emendandi ſunt. If the Hebrew or the Greeke Bookes differ from the vulgat Latine, they are to be corrected and amended by the vulgat Latine, ſaith Gregory de Valentia But we teach the contrary. And that S. Auſtin is of our opinion herein, it is plaine by his owne words: for, Lib. 15. de ciuit▪ Dei. Cap. 13. Ei Linguae potius credatur vnde eſt in aliam, per Jnterpretes facta Tranſlatio. When there is difference in Books and both cannot bee true; beleeue thou rather ſaith S. Auguſtine, what is written in the Booke tranſlated, then in the Tranſlation. And Lib 2. de doct. Chriſt. Cap. 11. Latinae Linguae homines duabus aliis ad diuinarum Scripturarum cognitionem habent opus, Hebraica ſcilicet & Graeca, vt ad exemplaria praecedentia recurratur, ſi quam dubitationem attulerit Latinorum Jnterpretum infinita varietas. Thoſe men who vnderſtand Latine, ſtand in need of two other Languages for the better vnderſtanding of holy Scripture, to wit, Hebrew & Greeke to the end that when any doubt ariſeth by reaſon of the multiplicity of Latine Tranſlations, they may haue recourſe vnto the Originalls, ſaith the ſame Auſtin. And ſo much is confeſſed by Azorius the Ieſuite, and by Lud [...] uicus Ʋiues: for, Olim cum multa eſſet Latinorum Codicum varietas, patres dicebant, ad Hebraicos vel Graecos Codices recurrendum eſſe Sic Hieronimus, ſic Auguſtinns. In former dayes when there was great variety of Latine Copies, the Fathers ſuch as Ierome and Auſtine, held opinion that wee might haue recourſe to the Hebrew or Greeke Copies, ſaith Loco ſup [...]aec [...] tato. Azorius. And Hocipſum Hieronimus clamat, [Page] hoe ipſad [...]cet ratio, & nullus eſt ſaniore iudicio qui repugnat. The ſame truth is taught by Ierome, and enen reaſon it ſelfe confirmes the fame: neither doth any man of ſound iudgement thinke otherwiſe, ſaith [...]n [...]t▪ in dug. [...] [...]ci. [...] [...] Cap. 13. Viues in his Annotations vpon the former place.

3 The Papiſts teach, That the Apoſtles had no Commandement from God to write that which they writ, falſum eſt Deum mand [...]ſſe Apoſtolis vt ſcriberent. It is not true that God commanded the Apoſtles to write any thing, ſaith Lib▪ [...]. de Verb [...] [...] Cap. 3. Bell. Nem [...]ni obſcurum eſt, Chriſtum nihil ipſum ſcripſiſſe ſed neque ſcribendum quiequam Apoſtolis praecepiſſe. It is not vnknown to any man that Chriſt himſelfe writ nothing: neither is it vnknowne to any man, that he neuer commanded his Diſciples to write any thing, ſaith Cardinall Confeſſ. Tetriconi [...]. Cap. 1 [...]. de fide & Symbolo. Hoſius. Yet wee teach contrary. And ſo doth S. Auſtin for Quicquid ille (viz Chriſtus) de ſuis factis & dictis nos legere voluit, hoc ſcribendum illis, tanquam ſuis manibus imperanit. Whatſoeuer it pleaſed Chriſt that wee ſhould read concerning his words or wor [...]es, that he commanded his Apoſtles to write as it were with his owne fingers, ſaith De Con [...]inſ. Euangeliſt. li [...]. 1. Cap. vlt.S. Auſtin.

4 The N. S. in his Antid [...]te againſt Engliſh Sectaries. cont [...] 2. cap. 1. pag. 28Papiſts generally teach That all things neceſſary to ſaluation are not contained in Scripture. And we teach the contrary. The Bell Lib 3. de verbo d [...]. cap. 1.Papiſts generally teach. That the Scriptures are full of obſcurity: and Gr [...]tſer. d [...]f [...]nſ. [...]ell, [...]o. 1. lib. 3. cap. 1. col. 1117.one of the greateſt Rufflers among them at this day, is not aſhamed to ſay, Scripturā totam etiam vbi clariſſima videtur, ita eſſe difficilem & obſcuram, vt Jnterprete certo egeat, qui nobis veram eius ſententiam aperiat. The whole Scripture, euen where it ſeemes moſt plain, is yet ſo hard & obſcure, that it ſtands in need of a ſpeciall Expoſitor, who may open vnto vs the meaning of it. But we ſay, though ſome places of Scripture be wonderfull obſcure, and ſtandin need of Interpreters; yet ſuch matters as concerne Saluation, are ſo plainly ſet downe, that they may eaſily bee learned without any ſuch ſet and ſpeciall Expoſitor, as Papiſts drea [...]e of. Now that [Page] S. Auſtin is of our opinion in both theſe queſtions, it is plaine by his owne words: For ſpeaking of the propagation of Originall ſinne and of ſoules, and being ſore puzzled about the point at length he concludes thus. Illud credo d Lib. 2. de peccat merit &c. cap. 36. quod eti [...]m hinc (1. de hac re) diuinorum eloquiorum clariſſima eſſet authoritas, ſi homo illud ſine diſpendio promiſſae ſalutis ignorare non poſſet. I verily perſwade my ſelfe there ſhould haue beene plaine proofe hereof in holy Scripture, if a man might not be ignorant thereof without danger of his ſaluation. And [...]ib. 2. de doct▪. Chriſt. cap. 9. Jn ijs quae aperte in Scriptura poſita ſunt, inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moreſque viuendi. All things concerning faith and manners are plainly ſet downe in Scripture, ſaith the ſame S. Auſtin, vpon another occaſion. Which latter teſtimony is ſo pregnant, that Apolog. pro 2. part. Enchirid. contra Gomar, cap. 6. p. 356. Coſterus the Ieſuite, is driuen by the euidence of it, and another ſuch like teſtimony of S. Chryſoſtomes, to deny there is any Controuerſie between vs and them Sint ne omnia fidei & vitae Chriſtianae dogmata ad ſalutē neceſſaria in ſacris literis perſpicue conſcripta. Whether all the Doctrines which concerne faith and manners, being neceſſary to Saluation, are plainly ſet downe in Scripture: for Illud affirmamus cum ſanctis Chryſoſtom. & Auguſt. We affirme ſo much with S. Chryſoſtome and S. Auſtin, ſaith he.

6 The Papiſts in ſome Countries abſolutely forbid the g Azorius inſlit. Moral. part. 1. lib. 8. cap. 26. 3▪ quae [...]i [...]m. People the reading of the Bible in their vulgat tongue, though it be neuer ſo Catholikely tranſlated▪ In [...]hem. Preface to the New Teſtament.ſome, they forbid onely ſuch to read Bibles Catholikely tranſlated, who haue not expreſſe Licenſes vnder the hands of the Ordinaries to read them. In no place will they permit euery man indifferently to read the Scriptures in their Mothers Tongue, as we do. Now that S. Auſtin is of our opinion it is plaine: ſo, Eo mihi venerabilior & ſacroſancta fide dignior apparebat i 1 Confeſſ. lib. 6 cap. 5. authoritas (Scripturae) quo omnibus ad legendum eſſet in promptu, verbis aptiſſimis & humilimo genere loquendi ſe cunctis praebens, &c. I reuerenced and held the Scriptures worthy of ſo much the more credit, by how much the more [Page] I ſaw them readier for euery man to read, and that they framed themſelues to euery mans capacity by the plainnes of the words, and the familia [...]neſſe of the Stile, ſaith S. Auſtin. And Jn Pſal 33. Sect. [...]. poſt medium. Legite Scripturas: ideo voluit Deus vt ſcriberentur, vt nos conſo [...]aremur. Read ( [...]aith hee, ſpeaking out of the Pulpit to his Auditors) the Scriptures; for it was Gods will they ſhould be written, that wee might receiue comfort by them ſaith the ſame man.

6 The Bell lib. 4. de Verbi Dei cap. 4P piſts think it a worthy queſtion, How Scripture may be knowne to be Scripture We vpon diuers good cōſiderations think it an idle queſtion. And ſo did Confeſſ. lib. 6. cap. 5.S. Auſtin: for Perſuaſiſti mihi non audiendos eſſe, ſi qui forte mihid [...]cerent, vnde ſcis illos libros (Scripturae) vnius veri & veraciſſimi dei ſpiritu eſſe humano genert miniſtratos. Thou (O God) didſt perſwade mee they d ſerued not ſo much as hearing, who did aske of me, how knoweſt thou that the Bookes of holy Scripture were giuen vnto the Church by Gods appointment.

Bell. lib. 4 de Notis Eccleſie cap. 4. &c.7 Then Papiſts teach, that the true Church may be known by Antiquity, Vniuerſality, vnity, &c. but not by the Scriptures onely infallibly. Wee ſay it may be knowne by the o De Vnitate Eccleſ. cap. 2.Scriptures onely. And in this S. Auſtine is as cleare on our ſide as M. Caluin: for, Inter nos & Donatiſtas quaeſtio eſt vbi ſit Eccleſia, vtrum apud nos, an apud illos. It is a queſtion betweene the Donatiſts and vs, (ſaith he) where the Church is; whether they or wee haue it. Quid ergo facturi ſumus, in verbis noſtris eam quaeſituri, an [...]t verbis Capit is ſui domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti? Puto quod in illius potius verbis [...]am quaerere debeamns, qui veritas eſt, & optimenouit corpus ſuum. What therefore ſhall we doe? ſhall wee ſeeke for it in our owne words, or in the words of her owne head our Lord Ieſus Chriſt? I thinke wee ought to ſeeke it rather in his word who is the truth, and beſt knoweth his owne body. And De Vnitate [...]ccleſi [...] cap. 16.afterwards, Ʋtrum ipſi Eccleſiam tene [...]it, non niſi diuinarum Scripturarum libris oſtendant. If they bee the Church, let them [Page] make proofe thereof out of the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture onely, ſaith Saint Auſtin.

8 The Bell. lib. 4. de Notis Eccleſia cap. 14. Papiſts teach, That by working of Miracles the Church may be diſcerned. But wee teach the contrary: And ſo did Saint De Vnitate Eccleſia ca. 16.Auſtin. For he profeſſ [...]th that though many Miracles had beene done by man of his Religion: though ſome of them had bene Miraculouſlie healed and cured: the bodies of ſome Martyrs lying hid for many yeares diſcouered to Saint Ambroſe, an old [...]man well knowne to all the Jnhabitants of Millan, reſtored to his ſight vpon touching of the Beere whereon thoſe bodies were carried, which is reckoned by [...]ib. 2. de Reli [...] cap. 3. Sect. 4 proba [...]ur.Bellarmine as a ſpeciall Miracle. Though ſome had ſeene Viſions, ſome had beene rapt in ſpirit, and heard that either they ſhould not ioyne themſelues with Donatus, or that they ſhould forſake Donatus: yet he and his followes deſired not (in regard thereof) to be beleeued they were the Church, concluding: Quaecunque talia in Catholica fiunt, ideo ſunt approbanda quia in Catholica fiunt, non ideo ipſa manifeſtatur Catholica, quia haec in ea fiunt. Though all ſuch Miracles are to be approued of, becauſe they are wrought in the Catholike Church: yet the Church is not prooued Catholike, becauſe ſuch Miracles are wrought in it.

9 The Rh [...]m▪ [...]Papiſts denie, That all the Actions of I [...]fidels are ſinne. Yet we ſay, they are ſinnes. And in this St. [...] 7 [...] 3. [...] Auſtin is ſo apparently on our ſide that Papiſts are driuen to conf [...]ſſe it. For, Sine fide [...]tiam quae videntur bona opera in peccata vertuntur. The works which are done without Faith, though they ſeeme good are turned into finne, ſaith Saint Auſtin in one place. And in To▪ [...]another▪ Virtutes quas ſibi animus habere videtur per quas imperat corpori & vitijs ad quodlibet adipiſcendum vel tenendum niſi ad Deum retulerit, etiam ipſae potius vitia ſunt qu [...]m virtutes. Nam licet a quibuſdam tunc verae & honeſtae putentur cum ad ſ [...]pſas referuntur, nec propter aliud expet [...]ntur [Page] etiam tunci [...]fl [...]tae & ſuperbae ſunt, & ideo non virtutes ſed vitia judicandae ſunt. The vertues which the minde of him that knowes not God ſeeme to haue, by which ſhee ſwaies the body and her vitious affections if they be not referred to God, are indeed rather vices then vertues. For though ſome hold them to be true and reall vertues, when they are affected onely for their owne ſakes and nothing elſe, yet euen ſo they are full of vanitie and pride, and to bee adiudged vices and not vertues, ſaith he. In which words, Tam aperte virtutes has inter peccata numerat, vt nulla videntur tergiverſatione aliò poſſe torqueri, ſaith De Virtutibus imp [...]rum, lib. 2. cap 5. Impreſſ. Lou [...]. An. 1565. Michael Bains, Profeſſor of Diuinitie in Louaine. And Non ſequenda illa opinio eſt quam Tr [...]d. Conc. nuper merito damnauit; omnia Jnfidelium opera eſſe peccata, quamuis maximum Authorem D. Auguſtinum habuiſſe videatur. Wee may not defend that opinion which the Councell of Trent did iuſtly of late condemne: viz. that all the actions of Infidels are ſinne, though the great Father Saint Auſtin ſeemes to haue beene of that opinion, ſaith Comment in Math. 7. [...]8. Maldonat.

10 The Bell. de gra. & lib. Ar [...]it. I [...]b 5. cap. 9. Papiſts teach, Some good workes may be done by Infidels through the ſtrength of nature onely. Wee ſay nay. And for proofe of our Negatiue in this wee alledge b To. [...]. Epiſtola 106. Saint Auſtin, who ſpeaking of the Heretike Peligius, writes thus: Jnterdum it a paribus moment is poteſtatem voluntat is aequa lance perpendit, vt aliquantulum etiam ad non peccandum valere definiat. Quod ſi it a eſt, nullus locus adiutorio gratiae reſeruatur, ſine qua nos dicimus, ad non peccandum nihil voluntatis arbitrium habere. Hee weighs ſometimes the power of a mans will in ſuch an euen paire of skales, as that he teacheth it for truth, It is able to doe ſomewhat that may keepe a man from ſinning. Which if it bee true, hee leaues nothing to the helpe of Gods grace. Without which, we ſay, a mans free Will is of no power to keepe a man from ſinning. Vpon which words, De virtutibus imp [...] rum, lib. 2. cap. 8.Michael Baius aboue named Glozeth thus. Nos, inquit, Igitur Pelagiorum vox eſt, poteſtatem [Page] teſtatem voluntatis aliquantulum ad non peccandum valere: Chriſtianorum vero profeſsio eſt, ſine adiutori [...] gratiae ad non peccandum [...]ihil valere voluntatis arbitrium.

12 The See Rhem Anno▪ in Rom. 1.▪ 2. & Az [...]rius Jnſ [...]it. Moral. part 1 lib. 4. lib. 4. cap. 8. 6 quaeritur. &c.Papiſts teach, That ſome ſinnes are veniall and pardonable of their owne nature, ſuch, for which God cannot in Iuſtice keepe a man out of heauen, and adiudge him to the ſecond death. But we teach contrary. And ſo did Saint Auſtin, as De Meritis operum lib. 2. [...]. 8 Baius the Profeſſor of Diuinitie at Louaine acknowledgeth: yea and Adu [...]r [...]ent in To 9 Aug. [...]d 3. quaeſ [...]tn [...] p. 19 [...] ▪ Ferdinandus Veloſillus alſo. For he hauing obſerued how Trast. [...]1. [...] Io [...]. Auſtin writes, That Minuta plura peccata ſi negliguntur, occidunt. Many little ſinnes (the Papiſts call them Veniall) if men be careleſſe of them, kill the ſoule: deliuering his opinion of the Words, ſaith thus. Pro Auguſtino reſpondemus, quod quando dicit, Quod plura peccata minuta, ſi negliguntur h L [...]co [...]ita [...] occidunt: agebat vicem co [...]cionatoris, qui vt populum a peccatis retrahant, grauitatem delictorum exaggerantes, in odium delicti, ſaepe excedunt. To Auſtin I anſwer, that when he ſpake ſuch words, he ſpake them as a Preacher, who in hatred of ſinne, and out of a deſire to affright men from ſinne, doe ſometimes ſo exaggerate the greeuouſneſſe of ſinne that they ſpeake ouer.

12 The Azorius Juſti [...], Moral. part. [...]. lib. 4. cap. 33. 1. quaeritur, pag. 302.Papiſts teach, That Poena damni, not Poena ſenſus, is due to Originall ſinne. Wherefore they generally teach, That Children dying in Originall ſinne, are puniſhed onely with Poena damni, but not with Poena ſenſus. But we ſay, That ſuch child [...]en as die in Originall ſinne are puniſhed with Poena ſenſus, and not with Poena damni onely. For in our opinion, Poena ſenſus, and not Poena damni onely, is due to Originall ſinne. And of our opinion Saint Auſtin was. For (to omit what is written, To. 3. operum Auguſti [Page] de fide ad Pel. Cap. 27. and To. 10. de verb. Apoſtoli Serm. 13. and 14. and To. 7. Hypognoſticon Lib. 5. which ſound ſo fully, that the Ieſuit Azorius had no way to elude the teſtimonies, but by the denying ſome of the Bookes to be Saint Auſtins, and by making doubt of other ſome) in a knowne and an approued worke of his, [...] ad [...] 91he writes thus. Quicunque ab illa perditionis maſſa quae facta eſt per hominem primum non liberantur per vnum Mediatorem Dei & hominem, reſurgent quidem etiam ipſi vnuſquiſque cum ſua carne: ſed vt cum Diabolo & Angelis eius puniantur. Whoſoeuer they bee that are not deliuered from that Maſſe of corruption, which was cauſed by Adam, through the meanes of that our Mediator betweene God and man, euery of them ſhall riſe againe in their owne fleſh, yet to that end they may be puniſhed with the Deuill and his Angels Which laſt words to be puniſhed with the Deuill and his angels, imply neceſſarily Poenam ſenſus.

13 The Papiſts teach, That our workes are meritorious, and the very cauſe of Saluation. But we ſay, they are not. In this St. In Pſal. 102. Auſtin is ſo plaine on our ſide, ſaying, Coronat te, quia dona ſua coronat, non merita tua. He Crownes thee becauſe he crownes his gifts, not thy merits: that In his former part of his Reformation of a Catholike deformed. Pag. 97. Biſhop the Prieft denyes there is any ſuch ſaying in Saint Auſtin as this is. Saint Auſtin was too wiſe to let any ſuch fooliſh ſentence to paſſe his pen, ſaith Biſhop.

14 The Con. rid ſeſſ. 7. de Sacram. in gevere, Can. 1.Papiſts teach, That there are ſeauen Sacraments of the Church, truely and properly ſo called; and neither mo, nor fewer. Wee teach, that in true and proper ſenſe, there are onely two Sacraments of the Church; neither mo, nor fewer. Now that S. Auſtin is of our opinion herein, his wordes ſhew: for in Tract. 15. in Job. 2.one place hee affirmes, that de latere Chriſti in cruce [Page] pendentis lancea percuſso, Sacramenta Eccleſiae profluxerent: when Chriſts ſide was pierced with a Speare, the Sacraments of the Church iſſued thereout. And in an De Symb: ad Catachum. c. 6.other, that percuſſum eſt latus, & ſtatim manarunt ſanguis & aqua, quae ſunt Eccleſiae geminae Sacramenta. Chriſts ſide was pierced, and immediately there guſhed out both blood and water, which are the two Sacraments of the Church. He meaning, the Lords Supper, by bloud; by water, Baptiſme.

The Bel. Lib. 1. de Bapt. Cap. 7.Papiſts teach, That Women [...]ay Baptize. And wee teach the contrary. Now that S. Auſtin was of our opinion herein, it is plaine by this; That in Can. 100.the fourth Councell at Carthage, whereunto he ſubſcribed, it was abſolutely decreed, Mulier baptizare ne praeſumat. Let not women baptize, and not with limitation, as De conſe [...]r [...]. d. 4. c. Muli [...]r. Gratian, and Lib. [...]. ſent. [...]. 6. A. Lombard corruptly cite it, Mulier baptizare ne praeſumat niſi neceſſitate cogente. Let not Women baptize, except in caſes of neceſsity.

16 The Rhem. Annot. in [...] Cor. 11. 20.Papiſts teach, That S. Paul by the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11. meant not the Euchariſt, and that moſt great Authors now are of that opinion. But wee teach the contrary. And notwithſtanding Sine Scripture authoritate, ſine veterum patrum exemple, fine r [...]tt [...]ne, null [...] i [...] lici [...]. Maldonat Comment. in Math. 26. 26.one of them would impudently face vs downe, that in calling the Euchariſt by the name of the Lords Supper, wee are deſtitute of all proofe out of Scripture, and of all warrant from the ancient Fathers, and of all reaſon: yet Annal. To 1. ad [...]n. 34. Nu. 45. Cardinall Baronius witneſſeth with vs, that, Idem eſſe manducare Coenam Dominicam quod Euchariſtiam ſumere Epiſt. 118. cap 7 & lib. [...]. c. 7. de ſer. d [...]. in mont [...]. Auguſtinus demonſtrat. Auſtin proues manifeſtly, to eate the Lords Supper and to receiue the Euchariſt are both one, making this note (as it were) by the way. Sic patres appellare conſueuerunt inſtitutionem ſacratiſſimae Euchariſtiae. So the Fathers were wont to call the Euchariſt. Ouer againſt [Page] which in the Margent is ſet, Omnes qui interpretati ſunt locum 1 Cor. 11. Euen all the Fathers which haue written Commentaries vpon 1 Cor. 11.

17 The A [...]len de Eu [...]. ſacrificio. c. 4. Br ſ [...]o Motiue. 26.Papiſts teach, That the Sacrament is their Lord and God. But wee teach the contrary. We ſay with S. Tract. 5 [...] i [...] Job. Auſtin, it is, Panis Domini, not Panis Dominus: The Bread of the Lord; but not Bread, our Lord.

18 The Apud Gratian de Conſecrat. d 2. Ego Be [...]engarius.Papiſts forced Berengarius to ſweare by the bleſſed Trinity, that hee beleeued; Verum corpus & ſanguinem Domininoſtri Ieſu Chriſti fidelium dentibus atteri, the true body and bloud of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, is torne with Chriſtian mens teeth, when they receiue the Sacrament: Yet wee beleeue with e Apud Gratian. de Conſecrat. d. 2. vtrum ſub figura.S. Auſtin, that Chriſtum vorari dentibus fas non eſt. It is not lawfull for a Chriſtian to teare Chriſt with his teeth. Which beliefe is ſo contrary to that of Berengarius, that the Gloſſ. in 2. d. de Conſecrat. c. vtrum ſub figura. vers [...] [...]oca [...]i.Glozer had no way to reconcile them, but was driuen to confeſſe, that Berengarius hyperbolice loquutus eſt, & veritatem exceſſit, vſed an Hyperbole, and ſpake more then the truth.

19 The g Papiſts cannot brooke to heare that our Sauiour ſaying: This is my Body, meant, This is a ſigne of my Body. Yet wee ſay his meaning was ſuch. And ſo doth Contra Adiman [...]ium. ca. 12.S. Auſtin: for, Non dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc eſt corpus meum, cum ſignum daret corporis ſui. Our Lord did not doubt to ſay, This is my Body, when he ga [...]e the ſigne of his Body, ſaith S. Auſtin. With which words the Papiſts are ſo troubled, [...]eſte Torrenſi in Confeſſ. Auguſtint▪ na lib. 3. cap. 6. p 322.that ſome of them haue made queſtion whether they were not heretofore patched into S. Auſtins workes, by ſome follower of Berengarius: & Hardings Anſwere to M. [...] Chal. lenge. Act. 12. p. 1 [...]4.others haue been forced to ſhift them off, vnder pretence that S. Auſtin in fighting againſt the Manichees oftentimes vſeth not his [Page] owne ſenſe, but thoſe things, which by ſome meanes howſoeuer it were, might ſeeme to giue him aduantage then; ſo as hee might put them to the worſe.

20 The Rhem. Annot. in 1. Cor. 10. 3.Papiſts affirme that it is an impudent forgery to write. that the Iewes receiued no leſſe the truth and ſubſtance of Chriſt in their Sacraments, then we do in ours: Yet we write and teach ſo. And ſo did S. De vtilitate poenitentiae. ca. [...]. Auſtin: for Eundem cibum ſpiritualem manducauerunt. Quid eſt eundem, niſi quod cum, quem etiam nos. The Apoſtle affirmes (ſaith S. Auſtin) that they (the Iewes) ate the ſame ſpirituall meate, what meanes he to ſay the ſame, but that they ate that which we alſo eate? And a little after, Suffecerat vt diceret, cibum ſpiritualem manducauerunt, eundem inquit, eundem non intelligo quomodo intelligendum, niſi [...]um, quem manducamus & nos. It had beene ſufficient to haue ſaid, They ate ſpirituall meate; but hee ſaith more they ate the ſame. I cannot tell how I ſhould vnderſtand that word the ſame, except he meane they ate the ſame, for that they ate the ſame which we doe eate. And Tract. 26. in Iob.in another place, Apoſtolum vndi. Hearken what the Apoſtle ſaith, ſaith S. Auſtin. Omnes eandemeſcam ſpiritualem manducauerunt, ſpiritualem vtique candem, nam corporalem alteram: quia illi, Manna: nos al [...]ud, ſpiritualem vero quam nos, They all ate the ſame ſpirituall meate; marke, the ſame ſpirituall meate; for they ate not the ſame corporall meate: they ate Manna, we eate another thing; but they ate the ſame ſpirituall meate which we cate. Which words are ſo ſignificant and expreſſe for vs, that Comment in Iob. 6. 49. Col. 629. Maldonate confeſſeth, S. Auſtin was of our opinion; though yet in his perſwaſion, if Auſtin had liued in our dayes, hee would haue beene of another opinion: for, Hoc dico, (ſaith the Ieſuite) perſuaſum me habere D. Auguſtinum, ſi noſtra ſuiſſet aetate, longe aliter ſenſurum. You muſt think he wanted a Ieſuite to informe him better.

[Page] 21 The Bell. lib 3. de [...]ucha cap 2 [...].Papiſts teach, That Accidents remains in the Sacrament without ſubiects, And we teach contrarie. Now if the Booke Soliloqu [...]orum bee Saint Auſtins, as De Script▪ Eccleſ: verbe Auguſti [...]. Bellarmine ſaith it is▪ Saint Auſtin is ours in this. For thus that Soliloq lib▪ 2. Cap. 12.Author writes therein. Quis conceſſerit, aut cui poſſe fieri videatur, vt id quod in ſubiecto eſt, maneat, ipſo intereunte ſubiecto? Monſtruoſum enim & a veritate alieniſsimum eſt, vt id quod non eſſet, niſ [...] in ipſo eſſet, ettam cum ipſum non fuerit, poſ [...]it eſſe. Who can grant, or to whom can it ſeeme probable, that that which is in a ſubiect ſhould remaine when the ſubiect is deſtroyed? It is monſtrous and farre from all ſhew of truth, that that which ſhould haue no being, vnleſſe it were in ſuch a ſubiect, ſhould haue a being, euen when that ſubiect hath no being.

22 The Allan. de Euch. Sacrifici [...], cap. 10. & 1 [...].Papiſts at this day teach, That the Sacrifice offered in the Communion, or Maſſe, as they call it, is a very Soueraigne, true, and proper Sacrifice: meaning thereby, That Chriſt is killed there indeed, and ſacrificed to God. But wee ſay, That therein ther is onely made a Commemoration▪ of the true, and ſoueraigne, and proper Sacrifice of the Croſſe, and not an Oblation of the true and ſoueraigne proper ſacrifice it ſelfe. And with vs ſtands t Lib. 1. contra Aduerſar. Legis & Pr [...]p [...]et cap. 18.Saint Auſtin: For firſt, In ſingulari & ſolo vere ſacrificio pro nobis Chriſti ſanguis effuſus eſt. That is the onely true and ſoueraigne ſacrifice, wherein Chriſts bloud was ſhed for vs, ſaith Saint Auſtin. u Lib. 20. cap. 21 co [...]t. F [...]ſtum Manich.Now in the Communion or Maſſe, no bloud is ſhed. Secondly, Huius Sacrificij Caro & Sanguis ante aduentum Chriſti, per victimas ſimilitudinum promittebatur, in paſsione Chriſti per ipſam veritatem reddebatur: Poſt aſcenſum Chriſti, per Sacramentum memoria celebratur. The fleſh and bloud of the Sacrifice of Chriſt, was promiſed by Sacrifices of reſemblance [Page] before hee came, was performed in truth and deed when hee ſuffered: is celebrated by a Sacrament of remembrance, (marke, a Sacrament of remembrance) ſince hee aſcended, ſaith the ſame S. Auſtin, in another place. In which he is ſo conſtant and ſo plaine, that Lib. 4. ſent. d. 12. G. Peter Lombard, Maiſter of the Sentences, propoſing this queſtion. Si quod gerit Sacerdos proprie dicatur ſacrificium vel immolatio. Whether that which the Prieſt doth execute bee properly called a Sacrifice or an oblation, reſolues it is not, ſaying; Ad hoc breniter dici poteſt, illud quod affertur & conſecratur a ſacerdote: vocari ſacrificium, & oblationem, quia memoria eſt & repraeſentatio veri ſacrificii, & ſunctae immolationis factae in ara Crucis. To this I anſwer briefly, That that which is offered and conſecrated by the Prieſt, is called a Sacrifice and an offering, becauſe it is a remembrance and repreſentation of the true Sacrifice and holy Offering made on the Altar of the Croſſe, grounding his concluſion vpon other teſtimonies in Ju Pſal. [...]1. in Prefat, Expoſit. 2. & Epiſ [...] [...] [...]d Bonifaci [...]m.S. Auſtin, and in S. Chryſoſtome.

z Hom. 17. in Heb. 24 The [...] Papiſts teach, That the body of our Lord may bee in millions of places a t one tyme; euen in [...]uery place where there is a Prieſt which conſecrates, and in euery hoſt (bee they neuer ſo many) which is conſecrated by any Prieſt. But we teach contrary. And ſo did S. Tract. 30. in Job.▪ Auſtin: for hee intending to ſhew the difference betweene Chriſts body and his truth, viz. his word: and that in reſpect of the places where they might bee found. Donec ſaeculum finietur ſurſum eſt dominus; ſ [...]d [...]tiam tamen hic nobiſ [...]um eſt veritas domini. Corpus enim domini in quo reſurrexit in vno loco eſſe In the printed C [...]pies which I haue ſeene, for Domini, is read Dominus, and for oportet, p [...]teſt. But Algerus de Sacram. c. 14. Lombard in 4. ſent. d. 10. Grat. d [...] Conſec. d. 2. c. prima quidem▪ Read as I haue cit [...]d it▪ oportet, veritas autem eius vbique diffuſa eſt. Till Doomes-day, ſaith hee, our Lord is aboue; yet the [Page] truth of the Lord is with vs; for our Lords body in which hee aroſe from the dead, muſt bee in one place, but his truth is in euery place.

24 The R [...]em. Annot. in [...] cor. 11▪ [...]7. Papiſts teach, That euill men euen Infidels: yea, bruite beaſtes may eate and drinke the Body and Bloud of Chriſt. But wee ſay, Nay. Now Saint Auguſtine ſpeakes plainely for vs. For, Ipſe (Chriſtus) dicens, Qui manducat carnem meam, & bibit ſanguinem meum, in me manet, & ego in eo: oſtendit quid ſit non Sacr [...]mento tenus, ſed revera Corpus Chriſti manducare, & eius ſanguinem bibere: hec eſt enim in Chriſto manere, vt in illo maneat & Chriſtus, ſic enim hoc dixit, tanqu [...]m diceret. Qui non in me manet, & in quo ego non maneo, non ſe dicat, aut exiſtimet manducare Corpus meum aut bibere Sanguin [...]m meum. d D [...] Cini [...]a [...]. [...]ei. Lib. 21. c. 25 When Chriſt ſaid (ſaith Saint Auguſtine) Hee that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in mee and I in him: hee ſhewed what it is, to receiue Chriſt (not Sacramentally meerely, but) truely: euen to dwell in Chriſt, that Chriſt may alſo dwell in him. For when hee ſaid this, it was as much as if hee had ſaid: He that dwelleth not in mee, nor I in him, let him not ſay, nor thinke that he eates my fleſh or drinkes my bloud.

26 The Papiſts at Rome teach, That the Pope is in authoritie aboue a Generall Councell. But wee teach the contrarie. And ſo did Saint Auguſtine. For he putting the caſe, that Melchiades Biſhop of Rome, and certaine other Biſhops ſitting in Commiſſion with him (by the Emperours commandement) vpon a Controuerſie between the Donatiſts and Caecilian, had done the Donatiſts wrong in giuing ſentence [Page] againſt them and for Caecilian. Reſtabat adhuc plenarium [...] To. 2. [...] 162. Eccleſ [...]ae vniuerſae concilium, vbi etiam cum ipſis iudioibus cauſa poſſet agitari, vt ſi male indicaſſe conu [...]cti eſſent, [...]orum ſententiae ſoluerentur. There remained (ſaith hee) a further helpe for them, euen a generall Councell, in which they might haue argued the caſe with the Commiſſioners appointed to be their Iudges: and procured reuerſement of their iudgement, vpon proofe they had iudged vniuſtly. Which words are ſo pregnant for our poſition, that De Con [...]rdant. Cathol▪ lib 2. cap 17. Aeneas Syluius Comment. de geſt Paſ. l. Concil l. [...].Cardinall Cuſan, and diuers other Papiſts alledge them for proofe of the ſame concluſion.

27 The 2. q. 6. ad Ro, Eccleſ [...]a [...].Papiſts teach, That any man who thinks himſelfe [...]ronged, may appeale to Rome. But we teach, they ſhould not▪ Now that S. Auſtin was of our opinion it is plaine. For he was one at the Councell of Milenis, wherein it was decreed, That if any Elder or Deacon, or Clergy man of inferiour ſtate, appealed ouer Sea (meaning to the Pope) no man in Africa ſhould communicate with him. The words of the Can. 22.Canon running thus: Placuit vt Preſbyteri, diaconi, vel caeteri inferiores Clerici in cauſis quas habuerint, vicini Epiſcopi eos audiant, & inter eos quicquid eſt finiant &c. quod ſi ab eis prouocandum putauerint, non prouocent niſi ad Africana Concilia, vel ad primatus prouinciarum ſuarum. Ad tranſmarina autem qui putauerint appellandum, à nullo intra Africam in communionem ſuſcipiantur. Which words ſound ſo fully for vs, and againſt the Papiſts, that though C. 11. q. 3 pr [...]ſbyter. Gracian in one place cite [...] them ſimply and truly as they are in ſeuerall editions of the Councels: yet in Cap. 2. q placuit [...] presbyte [...].another place▪ he patcheth to them certaine words of his owne, viz. niſi forte Romanam ſedem appellauerint, vnleſſe perhaps they appeale to Rome, indeuouring thereby to make the world beleeue, that S. Auſtin and his Colleagues allowed of Appeales to Rome, and denyed them to other places onely. Whereas (by the confeſſion of Scholys in Synod. Cart [...]ag. Can. 31. Theodorus Balſamon, yea of Lib. 2 de Ro. pont. c. 24. Bellarmine) that Canon was eſpecially made to reſtraine appeales of Elders and Deacons to Rome.

28 The Cap. 2. q. 6. omnes Fpiſcop [...].Papiſts teach That all Biſhops may (doubtleſſe) appeale to Rome. But we deny this alſo. And no queſtion, [Page] but S. Auſtin denyed it in his time: for in the Canon aboue cited, to which he ſubſcribed, wee Synod. Carthag. Genti [...]no Herueto Interpret. Can. 31. impreſ. Pariſ. 1561. pag. 327.reade, that the Biſhops profeſſed, what they decreed then touching the reſtraining of Elders and Deacons, &c. from appealing to Rome: the ſame, De Epiſcopis ſape definitum eſt, they had often decreed touching Biſhops. In S. Auſtins opinion, it was no more lawfull for Biſhops, then for the inferiour Clergy, to appeale to Rome.

29 The Papiſts teach, That the Pope may abſolue ſuch from Excommunication as are excommunicated by others. But we teach, he cannot. Now that S. Con [...]. African. cap. 105. Auſtin was of our mind in this, it is plaine. For, He, with others, in their Epiſtle to Pope Caeleſtin, charge him with Quod minime licuit.doing that which hee ought not to haue done: in that he reſtored Apiarius vnto the Communion, whom they had reſtrained therefrom; intreating him he wold no more In Communionem recipere.abſolue ſuch as were excōmunicated by them, alledging this as a reaſon, viz. Hoc in Nicaena Synodo definitum, &c. It was agreed vpon in the Councell of Ca [...]. 5.Nice, Qui ab alijs abiecti, ab alijs non admittendi. Such as were excommunicated by one, ſhould not be abſolued by another.

30 The Moſconius de maieſtate Militantis Eccleſiae lib. 1. de Cardinal. Cap. 6.Papiſts teach, That the Pope may ſend his Legats into Prouinces afarre off to decide Controuerſies among the Clergy. We teach, he might doe better to keepe them at home. And that S. Auſtin was of our opinion it is cleare by the Epiſtle aboue cited, which he and other Biſhops writ to Pope Caeleſtin: for therein, hauing ſignified vnto him, they could notfind it decreed by any Councell that he ſhould ſend any Legats into other Countries; they deſire him in that reſpect to ſend no ſuch Legats, intimating vnto him, that it ſmelt of pride and ſmoaking ſtatelineſſe in the world. With which ſpeeches of his, and his fellow Biſhops, the Papiſts v Relect. princip. fidei doctrinai. cont. 3 q. 7. ad 1 Arg. pag. 412. & 413.are wonderfully offended. u Stapleton ſaith, It is manifeſtè falſum, a ſtarke lie, that no ſuch decree is to be found in any Councell. Hîc à craſſaignorantia excuſari vix poſſunt. In this, S. Auſtin and his fellow Biſhops can hardly bee excuſed from groſſe ignorance. And whereas they ſaid, ſuch ſending of Legats ſmelt of worldly pride, temerè prolatum fuiſſe [Page] manifeſtum eſt, It is euident they ſpoke raſhly, ſaith the ſame Stapleton.

31 The Papiſts grant, that Prouinciall Councels may erre: but they will not grant that their Pope can erre. But wee ſay, that in as much as Prouinciall Councels are ſubiect to erring, no doubt their Pope is ſubiect to erring. Wherein S. Auſtin concurreth in opinion with vs. For He, and his fellow Biſhops in their Epiſtle to Caeleſtin, thought it abſurd, that any man ſhould imagine God would inſpire the tryall of right into one man, and deny it to a great number of Biſhops aſſembled in a Councell. Which makes ſo fully for our aſſertion, that Lib. [...]upra citat. ad 3 Ar [...]. p. 413. Stapleton ſaith bluntly, Non eſt abſurdum quod illi Africani abſurdum exiſtimauerunt. It is not abſurd which the Fathers of Africa thought abſurd. And, Non neceſſario tenemur credere quicquid Epiſcopi illi dicunt—praeſertim cum ſatis apparet—eos modum in verbis nonnihil exceſſiſſe. Wee are not of neceſſitie to beleeue whatſoeuer thoſe Biſhops ſpake, conſidering it is plaine, they ouerſhot themſelues much in their words, ſaith Lib. 4. de R [...]. pont. cap. 7. Bellarmine.

32 The Turre [...]remat. ſ [...]mm. de Eccleſia, lib. [...] cap. 58.Papiſts teach, that a generall Councell cannot erre in matters of faith. But we ſay the contrary. Now S. Auſtin diſputing againſt the Donatiſts about a point of faith, viz. whether ſuch as were baptized by Heretickes and Schiſmatickes were rightly baptized: and being preſſed by the Donatiſts with a Decree of a Prouinciall Councell, held by Cyprian, in which it was affirmed, that ſuch as were baptized by Heretickes or Schiſmaticks were not rightly baptized: he falls into a ſingular commendation of Scripture, preferring it before all writings of the Fathers, either ſingle, or aſſembled in Councels, Lib. 2. de [...]ap. cont. Do [...]at. cap 3.ſhewing that the ſingle writings of the Fathers may be corrected by Councels: Prouinciall Councels by generall Councels: and that euen generall Councels themſelues may often be amended, the former by the later, when by ſome experience of things, that is opened which before was ſhut, and that knowne which before was vnknowne. Which argues, S. Auſtin was of our opinion, That a generall Councell may erre in a matter of faith.

[Page] 33 The Lindax. Panop. lib. 4. cap. 89.Papiſts ſay, that the firſt Nicen Councell made 80 Canons. We ſay, they made but 20. Now that S. Auſtin was of our opinion herein, it appeares by this, That hee & his fellow Biſhops in the Cap. 9.ſixt Councel at Carthage, and Ca [...]. 102.the African, acknowledged no moe then 20. Hee and his fellow Biſhops held, that the copies of the Nicen Canons which were ſent them from Alexandria and Conſtantinople, in which there were 20 Canons onely, were the trueſt copies. For this teſtimony is ſo euident, that the Papiſts haue no way to auoid it handſomely, but are driuen to ſay rudely, Stapleton Relect. Controu. 3. q. 7. ad 1 Arg. pag. 412. Non debuerunt patres Africans haec exemplaria pro veriſſimis venditare: The Fathers of Africa ought not to haue accounted theſe copies (ſent them from Alexandria and Conſtantinople) the trueſt copies.

34 The Bell. l. 1. de ſanct. beatit. c. 20. Rhem. Annot. in Rom. 10. 14.Papiſts teach, That we may beleeue in Saints: And wee teach the contrary. Now ſo did S. Auſtin Tract. 29. in Iob.: for Credimus Paulo, ſed non credimus in Paulum: credimus Petro, ſed non credimus in Petrum. Wee beleeue (ſaith hee) S. Paul, but we beleeue not in S. Paul. We beleeue S. Peter, but we beleeue not in S. Peter.

35 The Veloſillus Aduert. in To. 6. Aug. ad 5. Quaeſitum p. 439. Lo [...]ius Mariae Auguſt [...]. l. 4. cap. 1. [...] 337.Papiſts approue of the erection of Altars vnto Saints, which we doe not, nor Co [...]t. Fauſtum Man [...]. [...] lio. 20. cap. 21.S. Auſtin, for Nulls martyrum, ſed ipſi Deo martyrum conſtituimus altaria. We build Altars to him who is the God of Martyrs, but not to any of the Martyrs, ſaith S. Auſtin.

36 The Lo [...]rius Ma [...]i [...] Auguſtae l. 4. [...] 26Papiſts teach, That Temples may be built to Saints: But we teach, that Temples, or Churches as we call them, ſhould be built to God onely. So did Lib. 1. cont. Ma [...]imin. Arianum Epiſcopum. Auſtin, for N [...]nne ſi templum alt [...]m ſanct [...] Angelo excellentiſſimo de liguis et l [...]pidibus ſaceremus, anathematizaremur à veritate Chriſti, & ab Eccleſia dei, quoniam creature exhibiremus eam ſeruitutem quae vni tantum debetur Deo? If we ſhould build a Church of Wood and Stone to one of the chiefeſt Angels, ſhould wee not bee anathematized of Chriſt and of his Church, ſaith S. Auſtin, ſeeing in doing ſo we ſhould giue that honour vnto a creature, which is due onely vnto the Creator? Which words are ſo contrary to the Popiſh practice of building Churches to Saints (which practice of [Page] building proceeds from their opinion of the lawfulneſſe thereof) that In [...]dit, Aug. anno 1562. Eraſmus ſet this Note ouer againſt them in the margent, Hoe nunc fit quibuſlibet diuis: intimating, that howeuer Auſtin thought it idolatrous to build Churches to the chiefeſt Angels, yet now there were Churches built to euery of the Saints. With which his free confeſſion, it tending to the ſhame of Popery, the Deleantur illa verba, Ho [...] nunc fit quibuſlibet d [...] uis. Index Hiſpo: fol. 5. b.Papiſts are ſo much offended, that in their Purgatory Iudices, direction is giuen, that his words be blotted our.

37 The Bernardinus de Buſtiin Mariali part. 10. ſect. 2. de gaudiis Maria part. 5.Papiſts teach, That our Sauiour Chriſt after the reſurrection did firſt appeare vnto his mother, aſſuring themſelues, Baron. Annal, To. 1. ad An. 34. Nu 183. Nemo pius negarit, No honeſt man will deny it. Yet we deny it; and ſo doth Saint Auſtin: For ſpeaking thereof, In Pſal. 58. in expoſ. 1. part. Maria Magdalenae dignatus eſt primitus apparere; Chriſt (ſaith he) vouchſafed to appeare firſt vnto Mary Magdalen.

38 The Bell. lib. 3. de Cultu ſanct. cap. 16. ad 2.Papiſts generally teach at this day, That the Virgin Mary was not conceiued in origina [...] ſinne. And wee teach the contrary. Now that theſe words of De nuptiis & concupiſcent. cap. 24. Auſtin, Quaecun (que) naſcitur proles (ex concupiſcentiae carnis) originali obligata eſt peccato: Whatſoeuer child is borne, by concupiſcence of the fleſh, the ſame is infected with originall ſinne; proue that the Virgin Mary was conceiued in ſinne, it is confeſſed by See Pel. de Vincentia de B. virg. concept. ducentorum & ſexdecem ſanctae matris Eccleſiae doctorum, vera, tuta, & tenenda ſententia.diuers Papiſts. And by the ſame men it is confeſſed in like manner, that the ſame concluſion is proued by theſe words: De fide ad Petrum. cap. 26. Firmiſſime tene, & nullatenus dubites, omnem hominem, qui per concubitum viri & mulieris concipitur, cum peccato originall naſci: Beleeue thou this for a certaine truth, that whoſoeuer is gotten by coniunction of man and woman, he or ſhe is borne with originall ſinne.

39 TheAzorius inſiit, Moral. part. 2. lib. 1. c. 19. 2. quaeritur. Papiſts teach, Fide Catholica creds deiparam ſemper virginem in ſanctitate natam eſſe: That it is one point of the Catholike faith, to beleeue that the Virgin Mary was holy euen when ſhe was borne. But we thinke not ſo. Neither did Saint Auſtin thinke ſo. For, Fieri nullo modo poteſt, vt quis renaſcatur, antequam naſcatur: It cannot bee poſſibly (Epiſt. 57. ſaith Auſtin) that a man ſhould be borne againe, [Page] before he be borne: which ſentence doth ſo diſtaſte the Ieſuit Vaſquez. that To 2. in 3. part. Tho q. 27. Art. 2 diſput. 115. cap. 4he profeſſeth; Nulli Catholicorum ita licet opinari. No Catholike may thinke ſo.

40 The Co [...]. Tri [...]. ſeſſ. 6. [...]. 13.Papiſts teach, that Exſpeciali Dei priuilegio, By an eſpeciall priuiledge granted by God, the Virgin Mary was freed from all ſinne. [...]hem. annot. in Mare. 3. 33. She had ſo much grace giuen her, that ſhee neuer ſinned ſo much as venially. But we teach the contrary: and ſo (doubtleſſ:) did Saint Auſtin. For ſpeaking of Chriſt, Nullus eſt hominum praeter ipſum qui peccatum non fece [...] it grandioris aetatis acceſſu, quia nullus eſt hominum praeter ipſum qui peccatum non habuerit infantilis aetatis exortu: There was neuer any man but Chriſt (ſaith Lib. 5. con. litli [...]um. cap 9.Saint Auſtin) who ſinned not in his elder yeares, becauſe no man but Chriſt was free from ſinne in his infancy. And in another place, diſcourſing vpon the words, Iohn 2. 4. Woman, what haue I to doe with thee? he Lib. 2. de Symb. ad Cate. hum. cap. 5.brings in our Sauiour ſaying vnto her thus, Non competit tibi vt iubeas Deo; competit autem vt ſubdita ſis Deo: It becomes thee not to command God; it becomes thee to be ſubiect vnto God: Which words argue that he reproued her; and by conſequence, that ſhe made ſome fault. For, Vbi nulla culpa eſt, nec reprehenſio, aut increpatio locum habet: Where no fault is committed, no checke or reproofe ſhould be vſed: as Comment. in Iob 2 Annot. 5.Cardinall Tolet obſerueth.

41 The Bell. lib. 2. de imag. cap. 8.Papiſts teach, That it is lawfull to repreſent God in the image of an old man. And we teach the contrary; and ſo did Saint. Auſtin. For ſpeaking of their ſacriledge, who turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the ſimilitude of a corruptible man, Nefas eſt collocare tale ſimulachrum Deo: It is a foule fault to expreſſe God in ſuch an image, ſaith T [...]. 3. de ſide & ſymb. cap. 7.Saint Auſtin.

42 As the Papiſts allow of repreſenting God in the image of an old man, ſo they allow of the worſhipping of ſuch images. For Comment. in 3. part Tho. q. 25. Art. 3. pag. 139. Edit. Ste [...]ſ. Anno 1567. Caietan ſpeaking of the images of God, and of Chriſt, &c. Hac non ſolum pinguntur, vt oſtendantur (ſicut Cherubin olim in Templo) ſed vt adorentur, vt frequens vſus Eccleſia teſtatur: Theſe images (ſaith he) are made, not for ſhew (as the Cherubins in the Temple in times paſt) [Page] but to the end they may be worſhipped, as the vſuall practice of the Church ſheweth. But we teach the contrary; and ſo did Saint Auſtin. For, Nulla imago Dei coli debet [...]iſi illa, quae hoc eſt vt ipſe: No image of God may be worſhipped (To. 2. epiſtola 119. ad Ianuari. um. cap. 11. ſaith he) but that which is all one with himſelfe, meaning Chriſt Ieſus: Coloſ. 1. 15. and Heb. 1. 3.

43 The Naclantus en. irrat. in Epiſt. Pauli ad Ro. c. 1.Papiſts teach, That the images of Saints may be worſhipped euen with that worſhip which is due to the Saint himſelfe, dulia, hyperdulia. But we teach the contrary; and ſo (it ſeemes) did To. 1. de morib. Eccl. Cathol. lib. 1. c. 34.Saint Auſtin. For he ſpeaking of ſuperſtitious and euill liued Chriſtians who liued in the Church, whom the Church diſliked much, and laboured to reclaim; comprehends amany of them vnder picturarum adoratores, worſhippers of Images: which toucheth the Papiſts ſo neere the quicke, that Lib. 2. de imag. cap. 16. Bellarmines beſt anſwer is, Aug: ſcripſiſſe eum librum in primordijs conuerſionis ſuae ad fidem Catholicam, &c. Saint Auſtin writ that book alledged, preſently after his conuerſion to Chriſtianity, at what time hee thought many cuſtomes to be idolatrous, which vpon better information he held tolerable.

44 The Papiſts teach, That Images are lay-mens bookes. And we teach, they are not. Now there is no queſtion but Saint Auſtin was of our opinion. For he To. 4. de Conſenſ. Eua [...]g. lib. 1. cap. 10.ſpeaking of ſome who imagined, contrary to Scripture, that Saint Paul was one of our Sauiour Chriſts beſt beloued Diſciples in his life time: becauſe they had ſeene him and Saint Peter pictured with our Sauiour vpon ſome wals: Sic omnino errare meruerunt qui Chriſtum & Apoſtolos eius non inſanctis codicibus, ſed in pictis parietibus quaeſierunt: So they deſerued to erre (ſaith he) who ſought for Chriſt and his Apoſtles vpon painted wals, and not in the Bible.

45 The Baron. Annal. To. 1. ad An. 44. Nu. 39. ND. 3. Conuerſ. part. 1. Cap. 1. Nu. 26.Papiſts teach, That Africa had her Religion from Rome. Which we beleeue not. Becauſe To. 2. ep. 170.Saint Auſtin ſaith in expreſſe words, Ab orientalibus Eccleſus Euangelium in Africam venit; The Goſpell came into Africa from the Greeke Church.

46 The Papiſts teach, Men may dine on a faſting-day: [Page] but ſo doe not we, nor S. Auſtin, for he Epiſtol 186. ad Caſidanum.diſputing about Saturday faſt, makes a plaine oppoſition betweene dyning and faſting; giuing vs to vnderſtand (which is confeſſed by L b. 2. de bonis operib. in per. tic. cap. 2. Bellarmine) that he who dynes faſts not, he who faſts dynes not.

47 The Vincent. Bruns in his Treatiſe of Penance. Chap. 10.Papiſts teach, It is a ſinne againſt the firſt Commandement, to diſſwade or hinder any from entring Religion: that is, according to their language, from being a Monke or a Nunne. But we thinke not ſo, neither did S. Auſtin thinke ſo: for it is cenfeſſed by De continen. tia lib. 4. cap. 8. pag. 465. Claudius Eſpencaeus, that in his 70 Epiſtle. A Monachiſms vote Bonifacium reuocauit. He diſſwaded Earle Boniface from Monkery, which (queſtionleſſe) he would neuer haue done, if he had been minded as the Papiſts, That to diſſwade a man from Monkery, had beene a ſinne againſt the firſt Commandement.

48 The Bell. lib. 2. de Monach. cap. 30. & 34Papiſts teach, A man may liue chaſtly, and yet play the fornicator; for fornication preiudiceth not the popiſh vow of chaſtitie: But we teach the contrary, and ſo did S. Auſtin: for, Ad caſtitatem pertinet, non fornicari, non maechari, nullo illicito concubitu maculari; He that would liue chaſtly, muſt neither play the Fornicator, nor the adulterer, nor defile himſelfe by any vnlawfull copulation Tom. [...]. lib. de bono coningali cap. 22. prope ſinem.ſaith S. Auſtin.

49 The Papiſts teach, That neither Monkes nor Clergy-men may liue with their wines like maried men. And iure quo nunc vtimur, Religioſus profeſſus dominij & proprietatis capax non eſt. By the law which now ſtands in force, No Monke hath right or propriety in goods, Iuſtitut. Moral. part. 1. lib. 12. cap. 6. 4. quaritur.ſaith Azorius: Yet wee teach the contrary. And ſo did Tom. 6. de Haereſ. c. 40.S. Auſtin, for he finds fault with the hereticks called Apoſtolici, eo quod in ſuam communionem non reciperent vtentes coniugibus, & res proprias poſſidentes, quales habet Eccleſia Catholica & Monachos & Cleric [...]s plurimos: for that they would not receiue into communion with them ſuch as liued with their wiues like maryed men, and had propriety in goods: Whereas there were many Monkes and Clergy-men in the Catholicke Church, who liued with their wiues like maried men, [Page] and had propriety in goods. To which De Continentia lib. 5. cap. 8. pag. 648. Eſpencaeus knowes not what to ſay, ſaue that in many other places S. Auſtin ſaith the contrary. And ſeeing that vna aut altera hyrundo non facit ver. One or two Swallowes make not Summer, there is no reaſon to beleeue this ſingle teſtimony, before ſo many other to the contrary.

50 The Gloſſ. in e. Quod vo [...]entes. c. 27. q. 1. apud Grat. Bell. lib. 1. de Matrimon. cap. 21.Papiſts teach, That a ſimple vow; doubtleſſe, a ſolemne vow, makes a nullity of mariage: and we teach the contrary. And ſo did S. Auſtin: for ſpeaking of that argument, Qui dicūt taliū nuptias non eſſe nuptias, ſed potius adulteria, non mihi videntur ſatis a [...]ute & diligenter conſiderare quid dicunt. They who ſay ſuch mariages are no mariages, but rather adulteries: in my opinion conſider not aduiſedly what they ſay, To. 4. de bono viduitatis, cap. 10.ſaith Auſtin: which teſtimony is ſo plaine, that De votis Monaſticis. Smith, Reader of Diuinity in Oxford, in Queene Maries dayes, could ſhape no better anſwer vnto it, then this: viz. He would neuer haue taught, that the mariages of Ʋotaries had beene true mariages, but in oppoſition to Heretickes, of which ſome condemned ſecond mariages, ſome all mariages. And To 2. diſput. de Matrimon. part. 3. q. 2. de 3. impedimento. id eſt, voto. Maldonat the Ieſuite was forced to confeſſe (without pretending any ſuch excuſe as that of Smithes) that S. Auſtin was flat of contrary opinion to them in thus: for diſputing the queſtion, An votum ſolenne caſtitatis dirimat Matrimonium quod poſtea contra [...]itur? hauing alleadged diuers Fathers (among whom, S. Auſtin was one) and Councels for the negatiue: comming to anſwer, Quod attinet ad Argumentum ex teſtimonijs veterum Authorum; Non videtur mihi eſſe negandum multos illorum in ea fuiſſe ſententia vt exiſtimarent per votum ſolenne non dirimi matrimonium. Nam Auguſt: non tantùm aperte dicit ſed etiā contendit, &c. To the Argument (ſaith he) taken from the teſtimonies of the ancient Writers, my anſwer is; That in my opinion, many of them thought a ſolemne vow did not make a nullitie of mariage: for Auſtin doth not onely ſay ſo much in plaine termes, but hee confidently auowes it for a certaine truth, &c.

51 The Bell. lib. 2. de pur gat. cap. 6.Papiſts generally teach, That Lymbus puerorum, [Page] is a part of Hell, wherein children are puniſhed paena ſolius damni aeterna; diſtinct from that part of Hell, wherein the Deuill and his angels are puniſhed, paena damni & ſenſus aeterna. But we ſay this doctrine of theirs is not true. After this life there is no place for any but either in heauen with Chriſt, or in Hell with the Deuill. And of this minde was S. Auſtin; for, Nec eſt vllus vlli medius locus vt poſſit eſſe niſi cum diabolo, qui non eſt cum Chriſto. There is no third place left for any, but hee muſt needes be with the Deuill, who is not with Chriſt, To. 7. de de pecat. Merit. & Remiſſ. lib. 1. cap. 28. See de verb. Apoſtoliſer. 4. & lib. 5. Hypognoſtic.ſaith he: Wherein he is ſo conſtant, that De Sacrament. lib. 3. cap. 1.Cardinall Contarenus ſpeaking hereof, Hunc locum Auguſtinus in multis ſuorum operum locis non videtur agnoſcere. S. Auſtin (ſaith he) in many of his Tomes ſeemes not to acknowledge any ſuch place as Lymbus puerorum.

52 The Bell. lib. 2. de Purgat. cap. 6.Papiſts reach, that Lymbus patrum, otherwiſe called Abrabams boſome, is a part of Hell, wherein the holy Fathers, who dyed before Chriſts paſſion, were puniſhed paenaſolius damni temporali: which doctrine we diſlike. And ſo did S. Auſtin. For conſidering he read in Scripture, that there was a great Gulfe betweene the rich man in Hell, and Lazarus in Abrahams boſome, and hee could neuer finde that the name of Hell was vſed in good part, in any part of Scripture. he Epiſtola 57. & 99. & de Gen. ad literam lib.concluded that Abrahams boſome, which is the ſame with that which Papiſts call Limbus patrum, was (queſtionleſſe) no part of Hell, for which he is reprooued by Comment in Act. 2. 24. Lorinus a Ieſuite.

53 The Dowiſts Annot. in 1 Sam. 28Papiſes ſay, that it was Samuel himſelfe who appeared to Saul, 1 Sam. 28. and not ſome euill ſpirit which tooke his ſimilitude. But we ſay the contrary: And that S. Auſtin was of our opinion herein, it is confeſſed by Daemonomaniae lib. 2. [...]. 3. Bodin, who diſcourſing vpon this point, acknowledgeth: Auſtin was one of them who held hunc fuiſſe diabolum, that he who appeared to Saul was the Deuill. And as much is acknowledged by In Indica Rerum & vertorum operum Hieron. ad finem To. 9. verbo Necromantia. Marianus Victorius, in theſe words, Hier. tom. 4. falſum eſſe ſcribit, Samuelē à pythoniſſa illa muliere ſuſcitatum cum potius viſa fuerit idfeciſſe quam fecerit: quod etiam Auguſtinus latius probat. S. Ierom in his 4 Tome writes, it is [Page] falſe, that Samuel was raiſed by the Pythoniſt▪ for ſhe rather ſeemed to raiſe him, then indeed raiſed him. Which truth is proued more at large by Auſtin. And, Auguſtinum magis inclinare in eam partem vt credatur non vere ſpiritum Samuelis à ſuae requie excitatum fuiſſe, ſed aliquod phantaſma, &c. That S. Auſtin enclined rather to thinke it was not indeed Samuel, but ſome Hob-goblin that was raiſed, it is confeſſed Comment. in Eccl. c. 46.by Ianſenius.

54 The Bell. lib. 1. de Ro. Pont. c. 10.Papiſts teach, That the Rock whereon our Sauiour promiſed to build his Church, was S. Peter. But wee ſay, it was Chriſt himſelfe, and not Saint Peter. Now that S. Auſtin is herein of our opinion it is plaine by his owne words: for thus he De verbis Dominiſer. 13.writes, Tu es Petrus, & ſuper hanc petram quam confeſſus es, ſuper hanc petram quam cognouiſti (dicens tu es Chriſtus Filius Dei viui) adificabo Eccleſiam meam i. Super meipſum filium Dei viui adificabo Eccleſiam meam, ſuper me aedificabo te, non me ſuper te, &c. Thou art Peter, and vpon this Rocke which thou haſt confeſſed, vpon this Rocke which thou haſt knowne (ſaying, Thou art Chriſt the Sonne of the liuing God) will I build my Church: that is, vpon my ſelfe the Sonne of the liuing God, will I build my Church, I will build thee vpon me, not me vpon thee, &c. VVhich words found ſo fully, that our Annot. in Ma [...]. 16. 18. Rhemiſts beſt anſwer is, S. Auſtin examined not the nature of the originall words which Chriſt ſpake, nor of the Greeke. Lib. 1. de Rom. Pont. c 10. Bellarmins beſt anſwer is, Ex ignorantia linguae Hebraeae deceptum: Auſtin was deceiued for want of knowledge in the Hebrew. Hierarch. Eccl. lib. 3. 0. 5. Pighius cenſure of Auſtin is, Nuſquam haeret, nuſquam figit pedem, ſed vbique explorat, vbi (que) tentat, ſubodoratur omnia: & quicquid probabile occurrit, alicubi amplectitur, quod continuò poſt diſplicet, & retractatur: He can neuer reſolue certainly vpon any thing, but fetcheth about this way and that way, and after that a third way: and at length lighting vpon ſome probability, he layeth hold on that, yet diſlikes it preſently, and retracts it. Affirming further, that S. Auſtin neuer expounded theſe words ſo, but O [...]ioſe ſecum inquireatis & tenta [...]tis omnia.when hee was idleheaded, and giuen to crotchets. Concluding, it was Contorta expoſitio, at (que) adeo ipſis verbis Chriſti manifeſte aduerſaria: [Page] A forced expoſition, and quite contrary to Chriſts words.

55 The Pig [...]. Hierarch. Eccl. lib. 3. cap. 9.Papiſts teach, That the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were giuen to Peter onely. But we ſay, that Peter repreſented the perſon of the Church, when Chriſt ſaid vnto him, To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen. And ſo ſaith S. Tract. 50. in Job. Auſtin. For, Petrus quando claues accepit, Eccleſiam ſanctam ſignificauit, When Peter receiued the keyes, he repreſented the Church, ſaith S. Auſtin. Which ſpeech ſo gawles the Papiſts, that thereupon Hierarch. Eccl. lib. 6. cap. 4. fol. 186. Pighius breakes out into theſe words; De Auguſtino poſſem dicere, quod vnus homo fuerit, hac in re nec ſecum firmiter, nec cum aliis conſentiens. At patrum ſententiae tunc apud nos eſt praecipuae authoritas, quando & ſeeum, & cum aliis conſentientes, ipſam nobis explicant communem Orthodoxae Eccleſiae ſententiam. I may truly ſay of Austin, that he is the onely man, who in this point neither agreeth conſtantly with himſelfe, nor with others. Now wee giue credit to the Fathers, when agreeing with themſelues, and with other of their fellowes, they deliuer vnto vs the common opinion of the Orthodoxall Church.

56 The Bell. lib. 2. de Monach. c 9. Maldonst. com. in Mat. 19. 20.Papiſts ſay, That the young man who told our Sauiour Mat. 19. 20. that he had kept al the cōmandements of God, ſpake truly: but we ſay, he ſpake vntruly: and ſo did S. Auſtin: For, Puto, quod ſe arrogantius, quam verius ſeruaſſe reſponderat: I thinke hee ſpake more proudly then truly, Epi [...]. 89. 9. 4.ſaith S. Auſtin: which is confeſſed to be S. Austins opinion by Loco proxi [...]e citato. Maldonate.

57 The Bell. lib. 1. de Euc [...] c. 11. [...] Ma [...]. [...]Papiſts teach, That the words of Chriſt Mat. 26. 29. I will not drinke henceforth of this fruit of the vine, &c. are not to be vnderſtood of the Sacramentall cup, but of the [...]aſch [...]ll. We ſay the contrary. Now S. Auſtin is ſo fully of our opinion, that [...]. Bellarmin turnes him off with this anſwer, Di [...]o Auguſt: non expendiſſe hunc locum diligenter, vt ex eo patet, quod breuiſſime ſe expedi [...]it ab hac difficultate: Auſtin did not well conſider of this text, which appeares by this that he paſſed it ouer briefly.

[Page] 58 The Ioh. de Pariſiis de poteſtate Regia & papali, cap. 3. Stapleton Antidot. in Euang. Ioh. 10.Papiſts teach, That the words Iohn 10. 16. There ſhall be one flocke, and one ſhepheard, are not ment of Chriſt, but of the Pope. But we teach the contrary. And ſo did S. Auſtin, Tract. 47. in Ioh. and Ser. 49. de verbis Domini.

59 Some Bar. Annal. To. 1 ad An. 51. Nu. 31.Papiſts hold opinion, That in the controuerſie betweene S. Peter and S. Paul mentioned Gal 2. Saint Peter did not minimum delinquere, ſin ſo much as venially: others Bell lib. 1. de. R [...] Pont.hold, perhaps he ſinned venially. But we ſay he ſinned grieuouſly. And ſo did S. Auſtin, For in him we reade, that S. Peter Lib. 2. de Bapt. cont. Donat. cap. 1 Contra regulam veritatis cogebat gentes Iudaicare: compelled the Gentils againſt the rule of faith to play the Iewes. S. Peter, in ſimulationē ſuperſtitioſam, yea, De agone Chriſtiano. cap. 30. in prauam ſimulationē lapſus eſt; fell into ſuperſtitious and wicked diſſimulation. With which ſpeeches of his Loco ſupra citato. Baronius is ſo much offended, that he ſticks not to ſay, S. Auſtin did therein A linea Catholicae ſides aberrare, & in lapidem offenſionis incurrere, Swerue from the Catholike faith, and ſtumble vpon the ſtone of offence.

60 The Rhem. annot. in Heb. 11. 21.Papiſts teach, That Iacob adored the top of his ſonne Ioſephs rod, Heb. 11. 21. But we ſay Iacob worſhipped not Ioſephs rod, but that leaning vpon his owne rod, by reaſon of his weakneſſe, he adored God. Now that S. Auſtin ſo expounds the place, our Loco citato.Rhemiſts are forced to confeſſe.

61 The Rhem. annot. in Heb. 13. 16.Papiſts ſay, That the words Heb. 13. 16. ſhould be tranſlated, God is promerited: we ſay, God is well pleaſed. Now that S. Auſtin is on our ſide, it is witneſſed by Lib. 10. 65. Ʋiues for in his Notes vpon Auſtin de Ciuitate Dei, where the words Heb. 13. 16. are thus cited, placatur Deus, God is pacificed. In antiquis, placetur Deo, vtrumque melius quam quò modò vulgo habemus, promeretur deus. In the ancient copies (ſaith he) we reade, God is pleaſed, both readings being better then the common reading, God is promerited.

62 The Allen. de Eue [...] ▪ ſacrificio. cap. 5.Papiſts teach, That by the Incenſe mentioned Mal. 1. 7. is meant their Sacrifice of the Maſſe. But we ſay, [Page] thereby is meant the prayers and praiſes of the Saints. And Lib. 2. cont Ep. Petoliani cap. 89S. Auſtin agreeth ſo fully with vs herein, that Inflit. moral. part. 1. lib. 10. cap. 11. 7. quae [...]ur. Azoriut beſt anſwer is, Auguſt: reliquem veterum patrum coetum opponimus, & Synodi Tridentinae teſtimoniū: We oppoſe againſt S. Auſtin the generall conſent of other Fathers, and the teſtimony of the Councell of Trent.

FINIS.

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[Page] SAINT AVSTINS RELIGION.

VVHEREIN IS MAnifeſtly proued out of the Works of that Learned Father, that he diſſented from Popery, and agreed with the Religion of the Proteſtants in all the maine Points of Faith and Doctrine.

Contrary to that Impudent, Erronious, and Slanderous Poſition of the bragging Papiſts of our Times, who falſely affirme, we had no Religion before the Times of Luther and Caluine.

LONDON, Printed by A. M. and are to be Sold in Saint Dunſtons Churchyard. 1624.

[Page] To all ſeduced Papistes.

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SVch is the groſſe ignorance of moſt Papiſts in theſe their times, that they neither know what they do, or ſhould beleeue: much like the Hoſt in P [...]o [...]. Bren. l. 3. p. 146 Pig. Hierat. li. [...] ca. 5. par. 38. lac. de graf. deciſ. p. li. 1. ca. 26. n. 34. Auton. p. 1. T. 5 ca. 2. apol▪ tran▪ by S [...]apel.Colliar, that told the deuil, he beleeued as the Romane Church did. Being asked againe what that faith was, anſwered, the ſame faith that hee beleeued in. Surely the Math. 4. 6, 8, 29. acts 19, 15.deuils gaue better teſtimony of their faith and knowledge, and the Iam. 2. 19.Apoſtle witneſſeth it, and yet the Fides implicita eſt credere ſecundum qd eccleſia credit▪ vnde nō omnis chriſtianus tenetur, illos articul▪ fidei ſ [...]ir [...] explicite, ſed tantum clerici. Ia de graf. eccl. [...] 2. ca. 8. n. 16.Popiſh Prelates will haue their people learne no Creed but this, which is to beleeue they Fides per ignorant ā melins [...]efinitur, quam per no [...]itiam. Bel de luſtif. lib. 1. cap. 7.know not what.

No maru [...]ll then, that the Romiſh Impoſtors haue taken away the Luke 11. 52key of knowledge; nay they iudge it a Mart. Pereſ. de trad. pa. 44.meere inuention of the Deuill, that lay men ſhould reade the Scripture; and they ſay that Thyr. de Dimoniac. cap. 2 [...]ſome Ploughmen for reading of it, were iuſtly poſſeſſed of the Deuill, and therefore ignorance of the word is beſt. And as Conf. Petric. cap. 14. pa. 18. Hoſius ſaith, To know nothing, is to know all things, and inſtead of Bibles, they haue inuented Images and Crucifixes, (wherwith too many Dames (in theſe conniuing dayes) adorne their ſhameleſſe breaſts) and Maſſe bookes, commonly imprinted with a mixture of red letters to ſignifie the die of their Religion, but as for the Scripture, they are farre more dangerous, then the l Fran [...] ▪ Ouan. Mogol. breu. in 4. Sent. d. [...].ribaldry of Terence, the villany of Machiauel, or the [Page] fabulous lies of their Legends, Franc Ouan. Mogol. breu. in 4. Sent. d. 1 [...].being the maine and principall cauſe of all hereſies, and the very beholding of them is enough to infect ſilly Catholickes; therefore Index l. proh. reg. [...]. L [...]nw. in conſ [...]t. prov. l. 5much leſſe may they read them: and if any be permitted to ſtudy the Scripture, it muſt bee ſuch a part thereof as hath bin hallowed with their Expurgatory gloſſe, & thoſe perſons muſt be ſuch, which the Confeſſor knowes to be ſtiffe and obſtinate Papiſts▪ vpon whom that iudgement is already fallen, Eſay 7. [...]. They ſhall heare with their eares, but ſhall not vnderſtand: they ſhall ſee with their eyes, but not perceiue: And all this is not ſufficient, but they muſt haue the permiſſion of the Inquiſitor, & the pariſh Prieſt too: this is the C [...]n. [...] re.Canon of the Conuenticle of Trent, commended by the Eccleſia opt. [...] quo [...]o. [...] quando & [...] Dom. mune [...]a impart end. ſine ergo nec ſimp [...] ter permit [...]t qd noceret indignis, nec [...]impliciter prohib [...]t qd dignis multu [...] prode [...]et in praei▪ tranſ. Rhemiſts, & ſeconded by Negamus tamen ab ijs laic. requi [...]i ſtudium Script. imo ſalu briter d [...]cimus [...] a Script. lectione arceri, [...]u [...]ficere (que) iis v [...] ex pre cript. pa ſt [...]rū & Doct. Eccle. vitae cur. lum moderent. Ioh. Mol. [...]o [...]a. de pract▪ T [...]eol. [...]ract. [...]. c. 27 Bel l [...]. [...]. ca. 1 [...]. Ho [...] c [...]n▪ prae fauonē Monhem. San. vi. Monar. l [...]. [...]. Molanus, Bellarmine, Hoſius, Sanders, and others.

And now you poore ſeduced ſoules, why do your holy Fathers conſtrain you to beleeue ye know not what? and reſtraine you from the knowledge of Scripture? (whence your faith if it be ſound▪ muſt be truly collected) and the ignorance wherof is the root of all Math. 2 [...]. 29.error, & the cauſe of vnbeliefe: is it not becauſe they would haue your ſoules to depend on their lips? (vnder whoſe tongue is the poyſon of aſps is it not becauſe they would carry their helliſh poſitions & practiſes as in a cloud out of your ſight? Is it not becauſe they know that the ſplendor of Gods word wil ſoone diſperſe that Egyptian darkneſſe they keepe you in? is it not becauſe like Sathan they would 2. Tim. [...]. 2 [...].take you at their pleaſure?

But yet ſuch is the impudency of your falſe prophets, that notwithſtanding, they will tell you, that they teach nothing without the ſpeciall warrant of [Page] Scripture, and that all the Fathers were Papiſtes, and helde their opinions: both which are their owne fictions, and falſe. For the firſt, they will neither abide the triall of our faith by the Word of God, (which was the reaſon that See the Fisher caught in his ovvne net. Fiſher in his laſt Conference, neither could nor would deny, that the Proteſtants profeſſed the ſame faith which Chriſt and his Apoſtles taught) nor yet of their owne religon; and the reaſon is, becauſe it wholly depends vpon the Traditions of the new Romiſh Church, which is confirmed by Can. Greg. d. 40. in an. marg. Gregorie the thirteenth, where hee ſayth, Let men receiue with more reuerence, what the Pope teacheth, then the Scriptures. And Canus loc. l. 3 cap. 3. pag. 131 Canus confeſſeth, that moſt poynts of the Romane Faith, are not contained in the Scripture: And Andrad. Orthod. expl. li. 2. Andradius ſpeakes plainly, that many poynts of their Faith muſt needes reele and totter, if they were not ſupported by the helpe of Tradition; and this is the cauſe your Maſſe-prieſtes will not endure, that the Reſolution of the now depending Controuerſies betweene vs and them, ſhould be by the authoritie of the Scriptures, but runne from them to the Fathers, from them to the Church, fromthence to the Pope, from him to Councels, and from theſe to their owne Iudgements.

Now for the ſecond, If the Fathers were Papiſtes, as they ſay, why doe their chiefe Doctors condemne, and contemne them? Bellar. Purg. lib. 2. cap. 8. Bellarmine ſaith, That Saint Origen was burnt in Hell with Arrius, and Neſtorius; and that Bellar. Rom. pont. li. 4. ca. 8 Tertullian was a Montaniſt. Alphonſ. adv. Haereſ. Alphonſus, that he will beleeue Anacletus, better then Saint Ierome, or Saint Auguſtine. Tolet. Rom. 9. pag. 421. Tollet the Ieſuite ſayeth, That hee will beleeue neither [Page] Auguſtine, nor Ambroſe, nor Chryſostome, nor Theodoret, nor Photius: the like [...]ſteeme they haue of Cyprian, Gregorie, Beda, and the reſt, i [...] in any poynt they make againſt them, and their doctrine.

And no maruell, for the [...]rro [...] A [...]tic. Paris. c. [...]. p. 1 [...]0▪Doctors of Paris profeſſe boldly, that they will not beleeue either Gratian, or Aquinas, or Lumbard, or Anſe [...]me, or Hugo, becauſe they were erronious. Bell. d [...] grat. & lib. [...] lib. [...]. cap. 4. Bellarmine againe condemneth Scotus, Durand, Gabriel, Ariminenſis, Capreolus, and Marſi [...]ius in the poynt of Free will: and yet all theſe were Popiſh Writers, famous and moſt eminent in their times.

Nay, which is more worthy obſeruation, though they teach, that the Scriptures and Fathers muſt haue their authoritie from the Pope, and that wee Alua Pe [...]ag. Planct. l. [...] art. 6ought to ſtand rather to his iudgement, then the iudgement of the whole world; Greg. a Val tom 3. pa. 2 [...]9.and that when Queſtions cannot be fitly decided by the Doctors, then it is free for him to interpoſe his Authoritie, Tu [...]r [...]cr. ſum. lib. 3, ca▪ 44. Bel. de concil. lib. 2, cap. 17.that he is aboue Church and Councels, Quanto de tranſ [...]. Epiſc. in Gloſſa.and that hee may make that to bee the meaning of things, which indeed is not (as they affirme:) yet notwithſtanding they will not ſubmit themſelues in opinion and iudgement to the Pope: and therefore the Venetians boldly publiſhed Concluſions againſt Paulus Quintus, and his Supremacie; Cath. de cert. grat. aſ [...]ent. 13 Catharinus holds it vnmeet, that wiſe men ſhould bind themſelues to the iudgement of the Pope, ſeeing hee is not alwayes aſſiſted by the Spirit of God. Alm. in Veſp. pag. 133. poſt Moral. in 8 Almaine ſaith, That it is not neceſſary to beleeue what the Pope determineth. Bel. de Rom. pont. l [...] 2. ca. 29. arg 3. Ca [...]et. de author Pap. & Cone cap. [...]7. Bellarmine and Caietan hold it lawfull to reſiſt him; Vict. relect. 4 de poteſt. Pap. & Conc. Franciſcus Victoria, that it were good a Councell would bridle him; and Boz. de ſign. Eccleſ. [...]om 2. lib. 18, cap. 6. Bozius [Page] ſaith, he may be an Her [...]tike, and both teach and write Hereſies; and Driedo de ſcript. & dog [...] Eccl. l. 1. ca vlt. Sigon. coment. in [...]ev. [...]ulp. Sixtus S [...]nenſ. Bib. lib. [...]. pag. 41.many learned Papiſtes haue written againſt his Decrees in Councels.

Theſe things being apparent and true (if we may beleeue your owne Writers, here only cited) what good acceptance can this Booke expect from you? although it doe truely ſet forth vnto you the mind and iudgement of an holy and learned Father, diſagreeing from your opinions in ſixtie two ſeuerall poynts? If your Teachers will bee tryed neither by Scriptures, nor Fathers, nor Pope, Saint Auguſtine will hardly preuaile: yet becauſe they boa [...] to you, that all the Fathers were Papiſtes, and eſpecially Saint Auguſtine, ye ſhall doe well for your better ſatiſfaction, and the triall of their ſpirits, to read this inſuing Treatiſe, moſt faithfully and painfully collected from his writings, and for your eaſe digeſted into a few ſheetes of paper.

To conclude, ſearch the Scriptures, ſtudie the Fathers, and read the Antiquaries, and ſee if in them yee can finde Rabbies comparable to your Clerkes, or whether a [...]y Chriſtian or Pagan e [...]er taught or did as they, whether any of their Prieſtes like them, did ſeeke to ſtrangle the vitall ſpirits of humane ſocietie, teaching Haereticis licitū eſt auferri, quae habent Dec [...]. [...] pud [...]at [...] 1 [...].neighbours to rob one another of their goods, S [...]m [...]ncha Ep [...]ſc. [...] Cathol. tit. 46. Tolet inſtruct. Sacerd.debtors not to pay what they haue promiſed, S [...]mancha quo ſupra.ſeruants to yeeld no ſubiection & fidelity to their maſters, [...]dem quo ſupra.wiues no obedience to their husbands, Alan. [...]ar [...].fathers no loue to their children, [...]am [...] [...]p [...]er [...] aer [...]i [...] p [...]tr [...]s, f [...]l. eſt [...]u [...]iuris. S [...]m [...] c. Alanus Par [...]us.children no honor to their parents, l aer [...]i, nec fil [...]j, nec con [...]an [...] u [...]nei dicūtur ſed iuxta legē, ſit manus tua ſuper eos, [...] v [...] [...]un [...] as ſanguinem [...]pſcrū. ex D [...]cr. Greg. 9. cauſ. 23.and you Catholicks, [...]ot to preſerue, but to ſeeke the blood and life of your parents, brethren, kindred, and countreymen.

[Page] Did yee euer heare or read of any Churchmen, that haue imployed Poynadoes, Poyſon, or Saltpeter, as they haue done? or can you find, or they prooue, that euer any Proteſtant Biſhop, like Pope Sixtus the fourth, with his Legat, did murder two Volateran ſaith, they vvere Princes of Medices.Princes in the Church at Maſſe? (much like to Luke 13. 1. Pilate, that mingled the blood of the Galileans with their ſacrifice) did euer any of our Prieſtes, mixe poyſon with the powder of Adamant, in a Communion Cup, with the precious blood of Chriſt, to poyſon an Emperor, as Rom. concl. Bernard a Frier did, when therewith hee deſtroyed Henry the 7. at Bonconuent? Were there euer ſuch Artizans, and Engines of villany of our Religion, that with a poiſoned knife did ſtab a King, as Clement a Fryer did Henry the third of France? or with a ſpark of fire would haue blowne vp the whole body of a kingdome, as Garnet the Arch-prieſt with his fellowes attempted not long ſince? And yet theſe are your holy Fathers and Confeſſors, whom you follow and adore; take heed therefore what you learne of theſe, let them not alienate your ſoules from God, and your hearts from your countrey, and aſſure your ſelues, that ſo long as ye follow them, ye ſhall neither get ſound comfort, nor a good conſcience. Deut. 32. 29Oh thar ye were wiſe, then would ye vnderſtand this, ye would conſider your latter end.

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Title statement

Saint Austins religion VVherein is manifestly proued out of the vvorks of that learned Father, that he dissented from popery, and agreed with the religion of the Protestants in all the maine points of faith and doctrine. Contrary to that impudent, erronious, and slanderous position of the bragging papists of our times, who falsely affirme, we had no religion before the times of Luther and Caluine.

Cooke, Alexander, 1564-1632.

Edition statement

1624

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A69164

ID [STC]

STC 6059

ID [STC]

ESTC S120943

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99856134

ID [PROQUEST]

99856134

ID [VID]

21657

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A69164)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21657)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1408:7)

Source

— Saint Austins religion VVherein is manifestly proued out of the vvorks of that learned Father, that he dissented from popery, and agreed with the religion of the Protestants in all the maine points of faith and doctrine. Contrary to that impudent, erronious, and slanderous position of the bragging papists of our times, who falsely affirme, we had no religion before the times of Luther and Caluine., Cooke, Alexander, 1564-1632..

Extent

[8], 32 p.

Printed by A[ugustine] M[athewes] and are to be sold in Saint Dunstons Church-yard,. London :: 1624.. (By Alexander Cooke. Erroneously attributed to William Crompton.) (Printer's name from STC.) (Running title reads: S. Austins religion.) (Reproduction of the original in the Union Theological Seminary (New York, N.Y.). Library.)

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