Rhemes against Rome: or, The remoouing of the gagg of the new Gospell, and rightly placing it in the mouthes of the Romists, by the Rhemists in their English translation of the Scriptures. Which counter-gagg is heere fitted by the industrious hand of Richard Bernard ...

XIII. Proposition. That the Church of Rome cannot erre:

Confuted by their owne Bible.

I. IN it we reade, that shee is in particular forewarned to take heed of falling, Rom. 11. 20. which admonition proueth her possibilitie of erring.

II. It foretelleth of her Apostasie. Yea, this Church, which they say cannot erre, and whereof the Pope is Head, is called the great Whore, named Babylon, drunken with the Saints blood, sitting vpon the Beast with seuen heads, hauing ten hornes, ex∣pounded by their owne Bible to be Rome, Reuel. 17. 1. 5, 6. the great Citie, situate vpon seuen Hills, and which in Iohns dayes reigned ouer the Kings of the earth, vers. 9, 18.

III. Their Bible telleth vs, that there were begun in her vncharitable disputations about eating, and not eating of some things; about obseruation of dayes, Rom. 14. men, for these things condemning and despising one another. There were such then, as were authors of diuisions and scandals, contrary to the doctrine which the Saints then had learned, Rom. 16. 17. so that a defection was then breeding, and a beginning to erre from the Apostles doctrine in his dayes.

IV. The Epistle of Saint Paul written vnto them, sheweth, that she hath erred: for his and her doctrine are at odds in ma∣ny things; as for example in these for instance.

The Romish Church.	Saint Paul.
She calleth not her selfe, A Church, but, The Church, and is euer boasting of that name.	Hee neuer calleth them at Rome then, The Church, as in other Epistles he vseth to call others; the Corinthians, Ga∣latians, Ephesians, Reuel. 2. 1. &c. a point for Papists to note and to obserue, why this title is not giuen her.
She saith, that God may be represented like an old man.	He teacheth it to be a Hea∣thenish practice, for which God plagued them, Rom. 1. 23.
She teacheth, that all sins de∣serue not death, but in them∣selues many are veniall.	He nameth 23. sinnes, Rom. 1. 29, 30, 31. worthy of death; not for the Act, but for the consent of heart, vers. 32. and Rom. 6. 23. He saith, that the stipend of sinne is death; he excepteth none.
She teacheth, that the Vir∣gin Marie was without sinne.	He teacheth otherwise; All to be vnder sinne, Rom. 3. 9. All to haue sinned, ver. 33. and he exempteth none, of either Iewes or Greekes; neither there, or any where else, saue Iesus Christ onely, Heb. 4. 15.
She teacheth, that they are iust fied by workes, and that before God.	He contrarily, Rom. 3. 24. We are iustified gratis by grace: for we account a man to be iustified by faith, with∣out the workes of the Law, vers 28. For if Abraham were iustified by works, he hath to glory; but not with God, Rom. 4. 2.

She teacheth, that concu∣piscence in the regenerate is not sinne.	He contrary calleth it sinne, Rom. 7. 7.
She teacheth, that a man may perfectly fulfill the Law, and do workes of supereroga∣tion.	He teacheth the contrary, and that out of himself, Ro. 7, 15, 16, 18, 25. agreeing with our Sauiours teaching, Luk. 17. 10.
She teacheth, that the suf∣ferings of the Saints here, are worthy of eternall glory.	He teacheth, that the passi∣ons of this time are not con∣digne of glorie to come, Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17.
She teacheth, that the Church cannot erre.	S. Paul sheweth the con∣trary in Rom. 11. 19, 20, 21. by example of the Israelites, and doth forewarne the Ro∣manes to take heed that God do not cast them off.
She teacheth, that the Pope and his Clergie is not subiect to Ciuill Authoritie.	He teacheth the contrary, not exempting any, Rom. 13. 1, 3, 4, 6. with Tit. 3. 1.
She teacheth, that holinesse is to be put in the obseruation of daies, and difference of meates.	He maketh this as a thing indifferent, and teacheth that none are to contend about such things, and that the king∣dome of God stands not here∣in, Rom. 14. 1, 2, 5, 17.
She teacheth, that it is not profitable for all to reade the Scriptures.	He teacheth, that it was written for the vse and com∣fort of all, Rom. 4. 23. & 15. 4.
She teacheth, to pray to Saints, Angels, and to the Vir∣gin Marie, and to giue them praises for many things.	He teacheth to pray to God, Rom. 15. 30. and so prayeth he, Rom. 15. 5, 13, 33. and 16. 27. to none other prayeth he, nor giueth prayses, but to God for his mercies.

Thus we see them to be at odds with the Apostle, by the wit∣nesse

of their owne Bible, laid to their doctrines. The like might be shewed out of the Epistles of Saint Peter, whom the Popes claime for their Rocke, and therefore their Church not onely may, and doth erre.

And to make yet this more cleare, we will view them first in their virtuall Church, and then in their Church representatiue.

The creame or quintessence of their Church (as it is reduced to an Elixir by the Refiners and Alchymists the Iesuites) is squeczed into a little roome, and comprized in the Pope, whom they call the Virtuall Church. Of his Holyhood they auouch,

Notes

• See his Maie∣sties broke, and Bishop Downham de Antichristo & Respons eius ad ••essiam de Antic••r.