alwayes, and in all things expounding of the Scriptures *. Here is another confession of a great Cardinall, (who was not ignorant of the Articles of his Faith) that, (notwithstanding the Trent Decree, and the Pope's Bull) the Church did not alwayes follow the Exposition of the Fathers. Now if any shall require a reason why the Pope and Cardinalls of former ages dissent from others of these later times, in expounding of the Scriptures, Friar Stella, who doth not condemne the Exposition given by the ancient Doctors, protesteth, Hee knoweth full well, that Pygmeis being put upon Gyants shoulders, doe see further then the Gyants themselves †. But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it, and with plausible reasons assure us, that Many things, as well in Gospells, as in the rest of the Scriptures, are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits, and more clearly understood, then they have been heretofore; eyther by reason that the yce was not as then broken unto the Ancients, neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures, or because in this most large field of Scriptures, even after the

Sanctissimos Patres quos Doctores Ecclesiæ ob illorum sublimem eruditionem meritò nominamus, quantumlibet spiritus sancti gratia præ aliis imbutos liqueat, in interpretatione scripturarum non semper, ac in omnibus Catholica Ecclesia sequitur. Baron. Ann. Tom. 1, ad ann. 34, nu, mar. 213.

+ Benè tamen scimus Pygmæos gygantum humeris impositos plusquam ipsos gygantes videre. Stel. enarrat. in Luc.

ca. 10.

most diligent reapers, some cares will remaine to bee gathered, as yet untouched*.

How forcible motives, these reasons may seeme to other men, I will not here dispute: sure I am, they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals, who are bound by their generall Councell, and the Pope's Bull, to obey the Exposition of Fathers, as an Article of their faith.

But admit these opinions should be excused for the particular Tenets of some private men, let us see how faithfully the Popes and Pastors of these latter times have interpreted the Scriptures, with the uniforme consent of Fathers.

Moses saith, God made man after his Image: Pope Adrian interpreteth; therefore Images must be set up in Churches†.

Saint Peter saith, Behold, here are two swords; Pope Boniface concludes; Therefore the Pope hath power over the spirituall, and the temporall.

Saint Matthew saith, Give not that which is holy unto dogs. Mr. Harding expounds it: therefore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to read the Scriptures &

Saint John saith, There shall bee one Fold, and one Sheepherd. Johannes de Parisiis tells us; This

* Nec cuiquam obscurum est quin posterioribus ingeniis multa sint, tam ex Evangeliis quam ex scripturis, &c. Roffens. Confut. Assert. Luther. Art. 18.

+ Whit. et Daræus in Camp. 9. Reason. pag. 269.

De obed. et major unam sañetam, &c.

§ Jewel's Defence, p. 52.

place

i

place cannot bee expounded of Christ, but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead*.

The Prophet David saith, Thou hast put all things under his feet: Antoninus expounds it; Thou hast made all things subject to the Pope, the cattle of the field, that is to say, men living in the earth? the fishes of the sea, that is to say, the soules in Purgatory: the fowles of the ayre, that is to say, the soules of the blessed in heavent. And lastly, whereas our Saviour Christ witnesseth of himself: All power is given to me both in heaven and earth. Stephen Archbishop of Patarcat, applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran, in the audience of the Pope himselfe, who thankfully accepted it, and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly observed by learned Du Moulin, Pope Innocent the third, in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse; the booke of sacred Ceremonies, Durants Rationalls, Tolet, and Titleman, and others, do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures, altogether different from their right meaning, and the Expositions of the Fathers: as for instance; The Scripture saith, The Rocke was Christ: therefore say they, the Altar must be of stone. It is written, I am thể BA

Fiet unum ovile et unus Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sed de aliquo alio ministro qui præsit loco ejus. Joh. de Paris. de pot. Reg. et Papati. c. 30. ⠀⠀⠀ƒ

† Anton. in sum. part. 3 tit. 22 c. 5. Hæbr. 2.

In Concil. Later. sub Leo. 10 p. 671.

5 Buckler of faith. pa. 30.

A

light of the world: therefore Tapers must be set upon the Altar: It is written, Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth: therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar. It is written, Thou shalt see my back parts: (Exod. xxxiii. 23.) therefore the Priest must turn his backe to the people. It is written, Wash me againe, therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise. It is written, Put off thy shooes, for this place is holy: (Exod. iii. 5) therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shoots? And lastly, the Pope himselfe, at the time of his coronation, casteth certain copper money amongst the people, using the words of Peter: Silver and gold have I none, but that which I have, I give thee.

These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes, who reading the words in Matthew, (Hee that taketh not up his erpsse and followeth me, is not worthy of nee) made themselves woodden crosses, and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them: for howsoever they may seeme to bee the expositions of some private spirits, yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacers dotis, to receive and expound the Scriptures, with the uniforme consent of Fathers, and shall render such Expositions of the Text, can bee no true Catholique For whosoever doeth otherwise underosol tieng iup esta shos sentaq mor igiha * Lava me ampliùs Psal. 51g ab ob dol + Districtissimi Monachorum simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi jugitèr humeris eir cumferentes, &c. Joh. de Polemar. orat. in Concil. Basik pag. 385.

stand

stand the Scripture (saith Hierome) then the sensė of the Holy Ghost (who is the Penman of the Scrip ture) requires, although he hath not departed from the Church, yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique *♪ But (as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon) the trueth which hee preached, was like holy water, which every one called for apace, yet when the Sexton cast it on them, they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures, they commonly vaunt that they expound and receive them according to the uniforme consent of Fathers; but (as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time,) When they shall begin not onely to utter those sayings, but also to expound them, then the bitternesse, then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceived; then a new devised poyson will be breathed out, then are prophane Novelties disclosed, then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee removed, the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered, and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces†.

Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed, was not ignorant, that the Scriptures must be farre fetched, and hardly strayned, to make them speake for the Trent' doctrine hee well understood, that it was too generall and strict a tye upon every Masse Priest, to receive and interpret the Scriptures with the

+

* Hieron. 24. q. 3. cap. Hæresis.

cæperunt illas voces non jam proferré sed etiam exponere non ad, &c. Vincent. Lyrin. c. 36.

uniforme