An antilogie or counterplea to An apologicall (he should haue said) apologeticall epistle published by a fauorite of the Romane separation, and (as is supposed) one of the Ignatian faction wherein two hundred vntruths and slaunders are discouered, and many politicke obiections of the Romaines answered. Dedicated to the Kings most excellent Maiestie by Andrevv Willet, Professor of Diuinitie.

The seauenth Perswasion.

1 I Defend not a religion tossed and tennised vp and downe with so many bounds and rebounds, both in head and members, contayning so many falsities by their owne pro∣ceedings.

2 So many contradictions in essentiall things, as there be essentiall questions.

3 Neither do what it could, hauing the temporall sword, hath hitherto condemned vs.

4 But a religion, which in the space almost of 1600. yeares neuer changed one point of doctrine, neuer admitted error in faith, or the least contradiction therein, either in decree of Pope, or confirmed Councell.

The Disswasion.

1 ANd I defend that religion, which hath not beene tossed vp and downe, chopped, or changed in head or members, as this alogisticall discourser sclandereth the Gospell, but hath continued one and the same for these 60. yeares, since the first abolishing of the Masse in Eng∣land, all which time the profession of the Protestants in England in the substantiall points of faith, hath not alte∣red hitherto, neyther I trust, shall hereafter.

The Communion booke hath been but once altered a∣mong vs all this while, whereas the forme of the Masse in

the Romane profession hath beene often chopped and changed, patched and pieced, by adding to it, and taking from it, which was for the space of 700. yeares, in fining, and refining, before it came to that deformed perfection which now it hath. Reade Platina and Polidore Virgil, there shall you finde, how and by whome, and in what processe of time euery part of the Masse was deuised.

2 Which conteyneth neither falsities, nor contradicti∣ons in any essentiall points, as poperie doth: neither shall this trifler be able to shew any such falsitie, or cōtrarietie, who herein, and euery where almost, would haue vs take his owne word, as though he were the Pope himselfe: for proofe he bringeth none. We know what the Lawe saith, Solam testationem prolatam &c. nec causam probatam, nul∣liu•• esse momenti, That a witnesse produced, and no cause or matter proued, is of no force.

3 A religion, that hath publikely by the word of God, and godlie lawes with full consent of Parliament abro∣gated and condemned all grosse papisticall errors, as of iustification by works, art. 11. of works of supererogation, art. 14. of freewill, art. 10. of purgatorie, art. 22. of speaking in the congregation in an vnknowne toong, art. 24. of the fiue popish sacraments, art. 25. of the bodilie presence of Christ in the sacrament, art. 28. of receiuing in one kinde, art. 30. of the blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse, art. 31. of the vnlawfulnesse of Priests mariage, art. 32. of worship∣ping of images, inuocation of Saints, art. 22. that the Pope hath no iurisdiction in England, art. 37. What will not this impudēt man now dare to say, who boldly affirmeth, that Poperie is not by publike authoritie condemned in England. Now then because their Lawe saith, Qui crimen, quod obiecit non probauerit similem poenam sustineat, He that proueth not the crime obiected, shall endure the like pu∣nishment; so this thing obiected, redoundeth vpon his owne head: For true it is that the faith of Protestants is not condemned by the auncient Canons and Decrees of the Romane Church, but receiueth plentifull witnesse frō thence, as is alreadie shewed in diuers hundred questions.

4 A religion, which hath continued these 1600. yeares in the true Church of Christ, not as Poperie▪ which for most of their opinions must come short of this computa∣tion by 800. yeares: which is full of errors, and contradi∣ctions, in the Decrees of Popes and Councels.

For errors, the Councell of Neocesarea ca. 7. decreeth, that the Priest should neither giue consent to second ma∣riage, nor be present at the mariage feast, but rather en∣ioyne penance for it, and so in effect condemneth second mariage.

Toletan. 1. ca. 17. He that in steed of a wife hath a con∣cubine, is not to be repelled from the Communion. This Councell is approued by Leo 4. as it may appeare, Can. 21. and the other also, Distinc. 20. ca. 1.

In the sixt generall Synod Can. 2. the Councell vnder Cypriane that approued the rebaptizing of such as were baptized by heretikes, is confirmed: c. 72. Mariages be∣tweene Catholikes and heretikes irritas existimari, are iudged to be void, contrarie to S. Paule, 1. Cor. 7.13. Yet this sixt Synod cum omnib. canonib. with all the canons is receiued and approued by Adriane, Distinc. 16. c. 5.

Nicen. 2. act. 5. it was concluded, that Angels haue bo∣dies of their owne, and are circumscriptible, & multoties in corpore suo visi, and haue been often seene in their own bodies: which is a manifest error: for Angels of them∣selues are inuisible spirits.

Nicolaus 1. de baptis. decret. 1. alloweth baptisme only made in the name of Christ, without expresse mention of the Trinitie, contrary to the scriptures, Math. 28.19.

Nicolaus 2. in a Councell at Rome, where Berengarius recanted, resolued vpon this conclusion, Christi corpus sen∣sualiter manib. sacerdotis tractari, frangi & fidelium dentib. atteri, That the true bodie of Christ was handled sensiblie by the Priests hands, broken and chawed by the teeth of the faithfull, de consecr. dist. 2. c. 42. which grosse opinion, the moderne Papists are ashamed of.

For contradictions, Concil. Carthag. 3. c. 47. the Apo∣cryphal bookes of Tobie, Iudith, Ecclesiasticus, Maccha∣bees,

with the rest, are made Canonicall: Laodicen. can. vltim. these bookes are reiected out of the Canon; and yet both these Synodes are confirmed by Leo 4. Di∣stinct. 20. c. 1.

In a Councell at Rome vnder Stephen. 7. all the acts and decrees of Pope Formosus are repealed: in a Councell of Rauenna vnder Iohn. 9. they were againe reuiued.

Gregor. 3. epist. ad Bonifac. determineth virum vxore infirmitate correpta, &c. that the husband, the wife being weake, and not able to do her dutie, may marrie an other.

Nicholas 1. decreeth the contrarie, that the mariage of such ought not to be dissolued.

Alexander. 3. forbiddeth mariage to be made with the sister of her that was betrothed, and is deceased. Benedict doth determine the contrarie.

Pope Alexander iudgeth matrimonie contracted with per verba de praesenti, by words of the present tence, and consummate with another, to be voide. Benedict determi∣neth the contrarie, that the mariage consummate, though a contract made before in that forme with an other, is not to be violated.

Nicolaus. 3. Abdicationem proprietatis rerum &c. That Christ did by his example abandon the verie propertie of things.

Ioannes 22. defineth the contrarie, that the opinion of them that say Christ and his Apostles had nothing, is erronea & haeretica, is erroneous and hereticall.

The Councell of Constance, sess. 13. doth excommuni∣cate all those that receiue the Communion vnder both kinds. The Councell of Basile graunteth to the Bohemians the vse of both kinds.

The Councels of Constance and Basile determined that a generall Councell hath authoritie aboue the Pope. The contrarie was concluded, Lateranens. sub Leon. 10. c. 11.

Many such contradictions in matters of faith and doc∣trine may be found in the Romane corporation, which otherwhere are set downe more at large to the number of 250. and in another worke 300. more of their differen∣ces

and repugnances are expressed. Therefore this (peti∣fogger for poperie) is detected of great vntruth, that no error or contradiction was euer admitted in their religi∣on: Wherefore he being thus notoriouslie conuinced of a false testimonie, is worthie to passe vnder the censure of the Epaunens. Synode, reus capitalis criminis censeatur, &c. to be held guiltie of a capitall crime. And concerning this spirit of contradiction among the Romanists, we may say with Ambrose, Diuersa & distantia prompserunt, non loco∣rum separati, sed mendaciorum diuortio, They haue vttered diuers and contrarie things, not separated in place, but differing in lying. And as Melanthius said, that the Citie of Athens was saued by the disagreement of the Orators; so I doubt not but that this diuision among them shall tend to the further establishing of the truth. For as Plu∣tarke sayth of the contradictions of Poets, that they will not suffer them to haue any great strength to do hurt: so the manifold diuisions in Poperie, shall haue no force to se∣duce such as are wise.

Notes

• Pag. 25. li. 1.2.
• Vntruth. 56. lin. 4.5.
• Vntruth. 57.
• Lin. 8.
• Vntruth. 58.
• Lin. 11.12.
• Vntruths ma∣nie, see the answere.
• Polidor. Virgil. lib. 5. Platin. in Sixto 1. Polidor Virgil. lib. 5. de in vē∣torib. rer. c. 10.
• Cod. lib. 4. tit. 20. l. 3. Carinus.
• Booke of Ar∣ticles agreed vpon in the Conuocation, ann. 1562. confirmed by act of Parlia∣ment. Ann. Eliz. 13. c. 12.
• Sixtus 3. can. 4.
• Synops. Papism.
• Vntruth. 59.
• Apparant er∣rors admitted and allowed in the papall Church.
• Vntruth. 60.
• Contradicti∣ons of ido∣latrie in Poperie.
• Contradictio•• of doctrine in the poperie.
• Vntruth. 61.
• Sigebert in ann. 903. Platina.
• Nichol. 1. de matrim c. 6.
• Later. conc. par. 6. c. 8. Par. 6. c. 27.
• Lateran. par. 6. c. 8.
• Ibid. c. 28.
• Sext. decret. lib. 5. t. 12. c. 3.
• Extrau. Ioann. tit. 14. c. 4.
• See before sect. 3. Vntruth. 18. Crastouius in bell. Iesuitic.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. piller. 4.
• Epaunens. synod. c. 3.
• Epist. 64.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.