The Catholique triumph conteyning, a reply to the pretensed answere of B.C. (a masked Iesuite,) lately published against the Tryall of the New Religion. Wherein is euidently prooued, that Poperie and the doctrine now professed in the Romish church, is the new religion: and that the fayth which the Church of England now mayntaineth, is the ancient Romane religion.

T. B.

I answere: [ 1] first, that as our Fryer is bold, vntruely to charge me with vntruethes: so I must be bold to returne the same vntruethes vnto himselfe; and for his iust de∣merites, reward him with the Whetstone. [ 2] Secondly, that while our Fryer Jesuite would very gladly impose vpon me two vntruethes, so to hide the nakednesse of Poperie; he hath committed no fewer then three noto∣rious Lyes. First, he saith roundly, though vntruely, that Roffensis (the Byshoppe of Rochester) speaketh nothing of 250. yeares. This is his first notorious Lye. I prooue it sundry wayes: First, because he telleth vs resolutely, that the Greeke Fathers beleeued not Purgatorie, for the space of 1517. yeares; & consequently, not for the space of 250. yeares. Secondly, that after many pluralities of yeares, Purgatorie and Pardons were receiued. Thirdly, that Purgatorie was a long time vnknowen. Fourthly, that

afterward some beleeued it by litle and litle. How sayest thou now, sir Fryer, doth your Popish Byshoppe say no∣thing, of 250. yeares? Are not 250. contayned in 1517. yeares? Doe not many pluralities of yeares, something touch 250. yeares? Doest not thou ô Fryer, extend the age of the Primatiue Church (how truely shortly will be seene) vnto 250. yeares? And yet doth the Byshoppe tell thee, that both Pardons and Purgatorie, were vn∣knowne to the primatiue Church: Ergo, I must score this vp, for a flatte and knowne Lye. Secondly, he sayth impudently, that the Byshop doth not denie, that Pur∣gatorie was alwayes beleeued in the Church. This is his second notorious and shamelesse Lye: I prooue it by a three-fold argument: For first, the Byshop sayth plaine∣ly in expresse wordes, that the Greeke Fathers (S. Chryso∣stome, S. Basill, S. Gregorie, S. Epiphanius, and the rest of those great Learned men, and stout Champions of the Church,) beleeued not Purgatorie, for the space of 1517. yeares. Secondly, that the Fathers of the Latine Church beleeued it not for many yeares. Thirdly, that afterward some beleeued it by litle and litle. Where I wish the Reader to obserue seriously, this word (deinde, after∣ward;) for it striketh dead, confoundeth the Iesuite, and prooueth manifestly, that Poperie is the New Religion. The case is so cleare and euident, as euery Child may ea∣sily perceiue the same: For, that which was beleeued afterward, must perforce be vnbeleeued at the first. Againe, that which was sometime vnknowne, must needes be sometime vnbeleeued; or else our Fryer must needs say (which for his Lugs he dareth not say) that the Pope forsooth and his Iesuited Popelinges, beleeued they know not what. His third notorious Lye is this: viz. that I vntruely charge their Byshoppe of Rochester, in fa∣thering vpon him, that the Church of Rome beleeued not Purgatorie, for the space of 250. yeares after Christ. For, I haue euidently and irrefragably, deduced out of the

Byshoppes expresse wordes; that the Church of Rome beleeued not Purgatorie, for more then 250. yeares thrise told: yea, not for the space of more then one thousand yeares. I prooue it once againe, to the Iesuites and the Popes euerlasting shame. Marke well my Discourse for Christes sake, gentle Reader: for in so doing, thou canst not but abhorre and detest Poperie, as a fond and new Religion. I protest vpon my saluation, that I beleeue as I write; as also, that the late Bishoppe of Rochester (whom our Fryer nameth Roffensis, which word onely connota∣teth the place where he was Byshoppe, but is not his name,) prooueth the same effectually: this is the proofe. [ 1] First, the Byshoppe telleth vs constantly, that the Greeke Church neuer beleeued Purgatorie. [ 2] Secondly, that the Latine Church did not beleeue it of a long time. [ 3] Thirdly, that afterward some few beleeued it by litle and litle. [ 4] Fourthly, that it was generally beleeued not but of late yeares. [ 5] Fiftly, that Pardons began to be sought for, and to be graunted, when the people stood a while in feare of Purgatorie paines. To which I adde; that Pardons be∣ganne not vntill Bonifacius the eight, 1300. yeares after Christ; as I haue alreadie prooued out of Platina, the Popes deuoted vassall, and sometime his Abbreuiator Apostolicus. And consequently, that seeing such Pardons as I speake of in this place, were not knowen for the space of 1300. yeares after Christ: and seeing withall, that they were in vse shortly after Purgatorie began to be feared; it followeth by a necessarie and ineuitable il∣lation, that Purgatorie was not knowen and beleeued, for the space of 1200. yeares at the least: And so I trow; nay am well assured, not for the space of 250. yeares af∣ter Christ; euen by the flatte testimonie of their great learned Popish Byshop, my late Lord of Rochester.

Notes

• His first noto∣rious Lye.
• Argumentum ad hominem. Pag. 65.
• His second notorious lye.
• Marke well the word (deinde.)
• His third no∣torious lye.
• The Church of Rome be∣leeued not Purgatorie for the space of 1000. & odde.
• Iohn Fisher, the Byshop of Rochester.
• A.D. 1300.
• Marke well this Discourse: for it striketh dead.