Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

The Papists.

THey say it is an acceptable seruice vnto GOD, for a man to giue all he hath [error 87] to the poore, and by vow to consecrate and addict himselfe to voluntarie pouertie.

1 Math. 18.21. Christ faith, If thou wilt be perfect, goe and sell all thou hast, and giue it to the poore, and come and followe me. This is properly to followe Christ, to lacke proprietie and liue in common: and thus the Apostles followed Christ, Rhemist. ibid.

Ans. First, This is a precept not generall to all, but giuen to this one man to discouer his hypocrisie, and vaine confidence that he had in himselfe, as though he had kept the law, which he came farre short of. Secondly, the Apostles them∣selues had proprietie: Peter had a house: Iohn had to prouide for the virgin Ma∣rie, whom Christ commended vnto him: Matthew made a feast of his owne goods, Fulk. ibid.

2 Act. 2.44. They had all things common: and Act. 5. Ananias and Sapphira, after their profession of commō life, deteining some part proper to themselues, were reproued and iudged of the Apostles: Ergo, it is acceptable to God to liue in common, Rhemist. ibid. Bellarm. cap. 20.

Answere: First, that communitie, vsed then amongst the brethren, ought alwayes to be among Christians, no man to count that his owne which the ne∣cessitie of his brother requireth to be bestowed vpon him: euery man was not then bound to giue vp the proprietie of their goods: for they distributed to eue∣ry man as they had need, Act. 4.35. But if they had giuen vp all the proprietie of their goods, then all should haue needed alike: And Peter sayth not the con∣trary, but that Ananias might haue kept the proprietie of his goods, if he had not made publike profession to the contrarie, Act. 5.4.

2 Concerning Ananias, we doe not read that he made any vowe to giue his goods to the Church: nay the contrary appeareth, in that Saint Peter saith, While it remayned with thee, appertained it not to thee? But if his vowe were past before, the goods, though not yet solde, could not appertaine vnto him. Agayne, the principall and chiefe cause, why Peter proceeded agaynst him, was his lying and hypocrisie, not for breaking his vow: for it cannot bee pro∣ued that he promised all, but that he affirmed that hee brought all, whereas hee withdrew part.