The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

The answere.

I say first, that in these wordes Christ gaue authoritie to preach the gospel; which whosoeuer beleeue, haue their sinnes [ 1] remitted, and whosoeuer beleeue it not,* 1.1 are subiect to damnati∣on. Other binding and loosing we finde none in the scriptures; neither yet that Christ heard any confessions. This sense of binding and loosing by preaching the word of God, S. Hierom, whom the papistes boast to be their patrone heerein, maketh so euident, as more to a reasonable man cannot be wished.* 1.2 These are his words: Funibus peccatorum suorum vnusquis{que} constrin∣gitur: quos funes at{que} vincula soluere possūt & apostoli, imitan∣tes magistrum suū qui eis dixerat: quaecun{que} solueritis super ter∣rā, erunt soluta & in coelo.* 1.3 Soluunt autem eos apostoli sermone Dei, & testimonijs scripturarum, & exhortatione virtutum. Euery one is bound with the cordes of his sinnes: which cordes and bandes the Apostles can loose, while they imitate their maister, that said (these words) vnto them:* 1.4 what things soeuer ye shall loose on earth, shalbe loosed also in heauen. And the apostles loose them by y^e word of God, & by the testimonies of the scriptures, & by the exhortation of vertues. Behold here these golden words. The papists bitterly exclaime against vs, when we teach that Gods ministers do bind & loose mens sins,

by the true preaching of his sacred worde: and yet the holy and most learned father S. Hierome,* 1.5 whom the papistes in their church-seruice, terme (doctorem maximum) the greatest doctor of all the rest; teacheth the selfe same doctrine, in most plaine, flat, and expresse termes. To which exposition of S. Hierome, when any papist shal answere sufficiently, I promise to become his bondman. For S. Hierome alledgeth the verie same scrip∣ture, vpon which the papistes would ground their new no ab∣solution, and affirmeth that the apostles imitate and fulfill Christes commandement, when they preach his word, declare the scriptures, and exhort to godly life. Oh sweete Iesus, who but papistes can denie such plaine testimonies? Nay, nay, who but senselesse men, who but arrogant men, who but impudent men, who but men carelesse of their saluation; will desperately impugne so manifest and comfortable doctrin, so exactly and so sweetly agreeing with the holy scriptures? God graunt that they may once espie their grosse errors, and with humilitie ac∣knowledge the same.

[ 2] I say secondly, that the practise of the auncient church, and al approoued antiquitie is against you. Heereof none can stand in doubt that seriously peruseth my booke of Motiues.

[ 3] I say thirdly, that to be sent as Christ was sent, doth argue a similitude, but not an identitie or equalitie: as when Christ commandeth vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe; hee char∣geth vs not,* 1.6 to loue him in the same degree. For we may law∣fully haue more care of our owne soule, then of our neigh∣bours: and also preferre our owne necessitie before our neigh∣bours.

[ 4] I say fourthly, that the giuing of the holy ghost to the Apo∣stles was very necessary;* 1.7 yet not to forgiue sinnes in popishe sense, but for the effectuall preaching of Gods worde. For o∣therwise, they being of themselues poore and simple men, and sent to all nations as lambes among wolues, could neuer haue accomplished their commission, with authoritie, fruite and ef∣fect.

[ 5] I say fiftly, that S. Iames speaketh of mutual reconciliati∣on, which ought to be between neighbour and neighbour: and therefore doth he commaund mutuall praier, aswell as hee doth

mutuall confession. Neither are his words restrained either to priests or to lay men, but vttered indifferently to all: yea,* 1.8 if the apostle should mean as the Papists would haue him, it would folow of necessitie that the priests should aswell confesse in the eares of the lay men, as the lay men in the eares of the priest. I prooue it, because the apostle saith indifferently (confesse your faults one to another, and pray one for another.) And if any wil be so absurde, as to interpret praying, for absolution; then doe I answer that the lay man must as wel absolue the priest, as be absolued of him. This case is so plaine, that their owne Scotus (whome for his sharp wit & subtile distinctions, they surnamed Doctor Subtilis) freely granteth that their au∣ricular confession is neither grounded in this place, nor in any other text of holy scripture: these are his owne words:* 1.9 Sed nec per hoc videtur mihi quod Iacob, praeceptum hoc dedit, nec prae∣ceptum à Christo promulgauit. Primum non: vnde enim fuit si∣bi authoritas obligandi totam ecclesiā cum esset tantū episcopus ecclesiae Hierosolymitanae? nisi dicas illam ecclesiam in principio fuisse principalem & per consequēs eius episcopum principalē fuisse Patriarcham, quod non concedent Romani; nec quod illa authoritas proprie pro tempore illo erat sibi subtracta. N••c se∣cundum videtur; quia apostoli publicantes praceptum Domi∣ni in scripturis suis, vtebantur modo loquendi per quem potuit innotescere quod erant praecones Christi Sequitur dicendo enim confitemini alterutrum, non magis dicit confessionem faciendā esse sacerdoti quam alij. Subdit enim statim: & orate pro inul∣cem vt saluemint: vbi nullus diceret ipsum instituisse, nec pro∣mulgasse praeceptum diuinum, sed intellectus eius est sicut in illo verbo: confitemin•• alterutrum persuasio ad humilitatē; vt sci∣licet generaliter nos cōfiteamur apud proximos peccatores iux∣ta illud: si dixerimus quod peccatum non habemus, nosmetipsos seducimus & vertias in nobis non est. Ita per secundum persua∣det ad charitatem fraternam vt scilicet per charitatem frater∣nam subueniamus nobis inuicem. Neither doth this perswade me, that Iames gaue this commaundement; neither that hee published it as commaunded by Christ: the first seemeth not: for from whence could hee haue authoritie to binde the whole church, being but only the B. of Ierusalem? vnlesse thou wilt

say, that that church in the beginning was the principall, and consequently, that the B. therof was the principall patriarke, which the Romanes wil not grant: neither, that that authority was properly for that time taken from them. Neither is the second probable, because the apostles, when they published the Lords commandement in their writings, vsed that manner of phrase. By which it may appeare, that they were the publish∣ers of Christs institution. For in saying (these words) confes one to another, he commaundeth no more to make confession to a priest, then to a lay man: for he addeth forthwith; and pray one for an other, that ye may be saued. Where none wil say that he ordained, neither that he published gods cōmandemēt, but the vnderstanding is as in the other place, a perswasion to humility, to wit, that we generally confesse our selues sinners to our neighbors. Euen so doeth he by the second perswade to brotherly loue: to wit, that of charity we wil help one another.

Thus writeth their subtile schoole-doctour Scotus, who not able to stablish auricular confession in the scriptures, fleeth to their last refuge, to wit, to vnwritten traditions: for in the end of al he addeth these words:* 1.10 Apparet ergo istud non esse de iure diuino promulgato per scripturam apostolicam Vel er∣go tenendum est primum membrum, scilicet quod sit de iure di∣uino promulgato per euangelium: vel si illud non sufficiat, di∣cendum est tertium; scilicet quod est de iure diuino positiuo pro∣mulgato à Christi apostolis sed ecclesiae promulgato per apostolos absque omni scriptura.

* 1.11Of this opinion is Beatus Rhenanus, Richardus, Durandus, Bonauentura Hugo, Panormitanus, and the popish Canonists generally. Of Beatus Rhenanus his opinion more shall be saide shortly: of Richardus, Durandus, Bonauentura, and Hugo, Iose∣phus Angles may satisfie the Reader: and what popish cano∣nists hold,* 1.12 Nauarre and Couarruuias do not conceale: of whom with others reade in my booke of Motiues.

[ 6] I say sixtly, that by the opinion of their famous cardinall Caietane,* 1.13 secret confession is against Christs institution, as also the precept that vrgeth vs to the same.

[ 7] I say seuenthly, that auricular confessiō was not an article of faith in the church of Rome vntill the councell of Lateran,* 1.14

which councell was celebrated vnder pope Innocentius the third of that name, more then 1200. yeeres after Christ. So saith frier Ioseph in his narration to the pope: yea,* 1.15 which is more to be admired, the necessity of auricular confession was not established by popish decree, before the said Innocent▪ was pope of Rome: so writes their own historiographer Platina.* 1.16

Notes

• * 1.1

  See the answere to the first obie∣ction.
• * 1.2

  Hier. in Esaia••▪ c 14.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 18. v. 18.
• * 1.4

  The preaching of the word, bin∣deth and looseth our sinnes.
• * 1.5

  In breu••ar. Triden. in ips. fest.
• * 1.6

  Mat. 22. v. 39.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 28.19. Luc. 10.3. Ioan. 16.2.3. Mat. 10.19.
• * 1.8

  Torquet hoc papistas.
• * 1.9

  Scotus in 4. fen••. dist. 17. q. 1.
• * 1.10

  Scotus vbi supr.
• * 1.11

  Vide Ioseph. Angles in 4. l. pag. prim.
• * 1.12

  ••a••ar. & Couar.
• * 1.13

  Caiet. ea. 20. in Ioann.
• * 1.14

  Anno Dom. 1215
• * 1.15

  Ioseph. Angl. in 4. sent. de con••••••▪
• * 1.16

  Platina in vit•• Zeph••ri••••▪