The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholic religion against popery proving…The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholike religion against popery proving…

Nay must we believe as the very foundation of our Faith, that which the Papists themselves believe not? How commonly do they among themselves deride these stories, as pious frauds, and some of them soundly chide the Authors, I will at this time cite but the words of one, and that is no Babe, even Melch. Canus, whom Bellarmine referreth us to so oft.

Nay must we belive as the very foundation of our Faith, that which the Papists themselves believe not? How commonly do they among themselves deride these stories, as pious fraudes, and some of them soundly chide the Authors, I will at this time cite but the words of one, and that is no Babe, even Melch. Canus, whom Bellarmine referreth us to so oft.

[Lib. 11. cap. 6. pag. (mihi) 33.34. Quidam enim corum aut veritatis amore inducti, aut ingenu• pudoris, &c. That is, Some of them (the Heathen Historians) either induced with the love of Truth, or in ingenuous modesty, did so far abhor a lye, that perhaps we should be now ashamed, that some heathen Historians were truer then ours. I speak rather with grief then in reproach; the Lives of the Philosophers are much more severely (that is, truly) written by Laertius, than the Lives of the Saints are by Christians: and Suetonius did far more incorruptly and more entirely set forth the affairs of the (Roman) Caesars, then Catholics have set forth, I say not the affairs of Emperors, but of Martyrs, Virgins and confessors. For they — But ours do for the most part either follow their own affections, or else of set purpose ⟨p. 230⟩forge so many things, that indeed I am not only ashamed of them, but also aweary of them. For I know that these have brought to the Church of Christ small profit, but much disprofit: I spare (mens) names because — It is certain that they who write Church History feignedly and deceitfully, cannot be good and sincere men; and that their whole Narration is invented, either for lucre, or for error, whereof one is filthy, and the other pernicious. The complaint of Ludovicus is most just of some feigned Histories in the Church. He doth indeed prudently and gravely reprove them that take it to be a matter of piety to forge lies for Religion. A thing that is very pernicious and no whit necessary. For we are wont not to believe a Liar, even when he tells truth. They therefore who by false and lying writings would stir up the minds of mortal men to worship the Saints, these seem to me to have done nothing else, then to make men deny belief to truths, because of falsehoods — To what purpose is it to pretend the name of History to fictions and fables? As if the holy men of God did need our Lies — But while some do too much indulge their own affections, and write those things which the writers mind, and not the Truth doth dictate they make us such Saints, sometime, as the Saints themselves would not be, if they could: Can any man believe that Saint Francis was used to take the Lice on him again which he had shak't off him?