the keyes committed to them In all which their authority giuen vnto them from Christ hée confesseth plainely 2. Cor. 10.4 That the weapons of their warfare are not carnall but mighty through God that is spirituall Which words doo demonstrate that by their ecclesiasticall ministerie they haue cléerely no ciuill authoritie committed to them And moreouer it is manifest by the practise of the Apostles and all their precepts commaunding all Christians to obay their Rulers their Kinges and Princes yea though they were persecutors that the Apostles neuer had any such authoritie committed to them Rom. 13.1.2.3.4 1. Pet. 2.13 Tit. 3.1 And therefore it is vndoubtedly true that the Pope of Rome cannot claime it by any such authoritie Againe the Bishop of Rome can claime no more authoritie by the power of the keies or of binding and loosing than any other Bishop elsewhere may doo for the keyes that is to say the power of opening and shutting and of binding and loosing Iohn 20.22.23 were giuen to all the rest of the Apostles as well as to Peter And consequently for any Minister of the Gospell thereby to claimâ— authoritie aboue another is absurd For they bée all indifferently ioined in one commission and therefore haue al equall authoritie therefore the Bishop of Rome by vertue of the keies hath no more authority than any other Bishop hath That is to say none at all to depose Princes their duetie is rather to practise obedience themselues to them and to teach the same obedience to others as the Apostles of Christ did Yea Christ himselfe said his kingdome was not of this world Ioh. 18.36 Himself likewise refused to bée made a king Ioh. 6.15 Himselfe paid tribute vnto Caesar and commaunded others to giue the same and all other dueties of subiection and obedience vnto Caesar Math. 22.21 If hée were subiect to Caesar it is a shame for the Bishop of Rome to exalt himselfe aboue Caesar. But perchaunce the Bishop of Rome will challenge this his Soueraigne Authoritie ouer Princes by donation from Constantine or some other Christian Emperour Indéede such Fables sometimes hée is not ashamed to vtter but let it bée the strongest way for him if you will that some Christian Emperour was so foolish as to giue him his Empyre which is neither likely nor credible yet sâ—y I it was neither lawfull nor tollerable for him to take it if hee will bée a Minister of the Gospell or a Successour of the Apostles For Christ hath expressely forbidden his Apostles and in them all the Ministers of his Gospell all such dominion and ciuill iurisdiction saying thus vnto them The Kings of Nations raigne ouer them and they that be great amongst them beare rule or dominion But it shall not bee so with you Matthew 20 25.26 Marke 10.42.45 Luke 22.25 and 26. verses Which wordes bée most prohibitorie and shewe that they may not raigne like kings of Nations nor beare rule as great men in those Nations doo But they must serue in the Church and bée diligent to discharge that great charge in the Church which their Master Christ Iesus hath laide vppon them And therefore euery way the Pope of Rome hath no title but is herein an vsurper and an intruder and a notorious and odious Traitor both to God and Princes And besides all the auntient Churches haue affirmed and acknowledged the supreame authoritie of Princes aboue and ouer all both Priests and people And therefore saith Tertullian Colimus Imperatorem vt hominem à Deo secundum solo Deo minorem VVe honour the Emperour as the next man to God and inferiour to God onelie And againe hée saith that Princes are A Deo secundi post cum primi ante omnes super omnes The second to God the first next after God and before and ouer all men Optatus in like sort saith Super Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem There is none aboue the Emperour but God onelie which made the Emperour And Chrysostome saith Parem vllum super terram non habetâ— He hath no equall on earth And Gregory Bishop of Rome himselfelf affirmeth That power is giuen to Princes from heauen not onely ouer souldiers but priests And therefore I conclude that the Church of Rome which now is is not the Church which once it was but is wonderfully fallen into corruption and growne into pride both against God and his annointed Prince and consequently not onely may erre but dooth erre and that most detestably and abhominably in the highest degrée The Bishop of Rome dooth further holde that hee hath authoritie from God to forgiue sinnes therevpon hee sendeth foorth his Charters of pardon his Buls and Indulgences to such as hée meaneth to assoyle The Scribes in the Gospell could say None can forgiue sinnes but God Mar. 2.7 Iob 14.4 Esay 43.25 If therefore the Pope of Rome will take vpon him to forgiue sinnes in that sort hée dooth hée must proue himselfe to bée God otherwise his actions will not bée warranted how often in the Scriptures is it said of God that hée forgiueth iniquity and transgressions ascribing that authority only to God and to no other I néed not recite any particular places the whole booke of God is plentifull héerein I doo not denie but Ministers of the Gospell haue power to binde and to loose sinners as Christ himselfe sheweth Math. 16. but how and whome They can neither iustifie the vnrighteous whom God abhorreth nor yet condemn the godly and faithfull whome God dearely loueth In as much therefore as they cannot pardon such as God condemneth nor yet condemn such whom God acquiteth Rom. 8.33.34 it is manifest that al their power of binding and loosing sinners is limited and bounded within the compasse of Gods word which they may not passe for if they doo they goe beyond their warrant and so all that they doo will bée of no force The incredulous and obstinately wicked persons they may by warrant of Gods word pronounce condemnation against except they doo repent and to the assuredly faithfull repentant and godly persons whose centinuall care is to please God and walke in his waies they may pronounce the sentence of vndoubted and certaine saluation because the worde of God doth affirme as much and this all the binding and loosing of sinners which they haue For in all their pronunciations of pardons and forgiuenesse of sinnes they must bée sure they speak not in their own names nor their owne wils and pleasures but they must doo it in the name of God béeing first assured that it is his word will pleasure which they vtter But the Bishop of Rome obserueth not the rule of Gods word to sqare measure his pardoÌ„ by but pardoneth whom he lift as hee list as if he were a God himselfe hauing absolute power in himselfe without respect of Gods word or will to doo what he list Insomuch as Traitors rebels against God
the Passeouer and yet was but a signe and remembraunce of their Passeouer so the bread was called his bodie and yet it was but a signe and remembraunce of his bodie And that this is the right exposition may appéere by the wordes of Christ where hee sayth Doe this in remembrance of mee Luke 22.19 Tertullian likewise doth so expound them for hee saith Christ said Hoc est corpus meum id est figura corporis meâ— This is my body that is a figure of my bodie Augustine likewise saith Christi miranda patientia adhibuit Iudam ad conuinium in quo corporis sanguinis sui figuram discipulis tradiditâ— The admirable patience of Christ admitted Iudas to the banquet wherein he deliuered to his Disciples a figure of his body bloud And againe hee saith Non dubitauit Dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum eum daret fignum corporis sui The Lord doubted not to say this is my bodie when he gaue but the signe of his bodie And this exposition must néedes bée true for Saint Paule saith plainely and expressely 1. Cor. 11.26.28 That the Communicant doth eate breade Ergo it remaineth bread after the wordes of consecration For if it were transubstantiance into the body of Christ then were there no bread to eate but the bodie of Christ is the thing that should bée eaten But none doo eate the verie bodie of Christ for if euerie Communicant did eate the verie bodie of Christ naturally carnally and really as they grossely suppose Christ should haue a number of bodies which inpalpably absurd and monstrous and beside then euerie Communicant should bée saued yet euen Iudas himselfe which is knowne to bée the châ—â—â— of pâ—rdition for Christ saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life Iohn 6.54 Indéede the elect and godly do eat Christ and drinke Christ but how not carnally but spiritually and by a true faith apprehending Christ and applying Christ with all his benefites as firmly vnto their soules as the bread and wine is applyed to their bodies Bâ—â—â—des if Christ gaue his body to bée eaten really by his Disciples at the time of the Institution of this Sacrament what was it that did hang on the crosse on the morrow Moreouer Saint Peter saith Act. 3.21 that as touching the bodie of Christ the Heauens must conteine him vnto the ende of the world If his bodie bée in heauen and that hée hath a true bodie as all men know he hath how can it be that hée should be both in heauen and in earth as touching his bodie at one time For though hée haue a glorified bodie yet hée reteineth the nature and propertie of a true bodie still which can bée but in one place at once And so saith Augustine saying Corpus Domini in quo resurrexit vno tantum loce esse potest The bodie of the Lorde wherein hee rose againe can bee but in one place onely But the Papists to helpe themselues are driuen to this to say that there is a miracle in the Sacrament and that Christ is there miraculouslie Whereto I answere that if the breade bée turned into the verie bodie of Christ by a miracle then should it appeare visibly so for the nature of euerie miracle is to be visible to the outward eie and senses as when Christ turned water into wine it was visibly wine When Moses rod was turned into a Serpent it was visibly a Serpent And so if the breade bée turned into the verie bodie of Christ it is visibly his bodie if you will hold a miracle to be wrought therein But Augustine answereth there is no miracle in the Sacrament saying thus Honorem tanquam Religiosa poscunt habere stuporem tanquam mira non poscunt The Sacraments may haue honour as thinges religious but they are not to be admired at as miracles Theodoret also is most expressed against Transubstantiation for thus he saith Neque enim signa â—istica post sanctificationem recedunt à natura sua manent enim in priore substantia figura forma videri tangi possunt sicut prius That is The mysticall signes after consecration doe not depart from their nature for they abide stil in their former substance figure and forme and may be both seene and felt as before Gelasius a Pope himselfe doth say most plainely that there is no transubstantiation in the Sacrament his words be these Non desinit substantia vel natura panis viui certe Imago similitude corporis sanguinis Christiin actione miseriorum corporis Christi celebratur The substance or nature of bread and wine doth not cease and verily there is the image and similitude of the bodie and blood of Christ celebrated in the action of the misteries of the bodie of Christ. And therefore I conclude that the Church of Rome which now is is not the same which it was in former times but it is become degenerate and reuolted from that former puriâ—â—â— which once was in it And conseqâ—â—ntly it is expressely manifest that that Church both may and doth erre The Church of Rome doth further holde that their Pope hath authoritie to depose kinges and Princes But by what Title It is cleare that in his either so dooing or attempting to doo hée is both a notable Traitour vnto God whose authoritie hée doth claime and arrogateâ— and vnto Princes to whome hée should bée subiect For the raising and pulling downe of Princes God hath reserued to himselfe alone and in his power For it is hee not the Pope that deposeth the mightie from their seates and exalteth them that are of lowe degree Luke 1. It is hee not the Pope that putteth downe Kings and giueth Kingdomes to whomsoeuer hee will And it is hee that testifieth of himselfe saying Per me Reges regnant principes dominantur By mee Kinges raigne and Princes beare dominion Dan. 2.20 cap. 4.14 22. Séeing therefore It is God that hath this high authoritie proper to himselfe which way can the Pope claime it without iniurie and treason vnto God Will hée claime it by reason of his keyes and in his Apostolicall right That hée cannot doo For hée must remember that the keies giuen were the keies of the kingdome of heauen Math. 16.19 And therefore by authoritie of the keies hâ—â— cannot meddle with terrestriall kingdomes to open an entrance for any into them or to shut out or exclude any that bée in them And beside Saint Paul the Apostle doth say expressely both of himselfe and of the rest of the Apostles that how great authoritie soeuer they haue for the ouerthrowing of â—â—â—ang holds that is of rebellious thoughts and proude cenceâ—â—â—â— and stiffenecked opinions seated in mens harts against God as himselfe expoundeth in the same place that all their power and meanes to conuert men is onely by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and by the power of
and their lawfull Princes he will not only pardon without exception but he will abette them in their deuilish deuised and perswade them forward in their damnable courses till at last when it is too late for them to repent they will if they take not good héed in time féele the â—â—art of it in hell tormentes together for euer What the religon of Rome is may appéere by this that any man for monie may get a pardoÌ„ for his sins then what sin néed rich men feare to commit when a Popes pardon will saiue all or how can it be otherwise than a religion of licentiousnes when for mony a man may haue a licence of dispensation against any sin whatsoeuer These things be such open blottes to the Romish religion as that worthily euery good and godly minde hath it in detestation doth iustly condemne it Yet further will I prooue that the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church possibly 1 The Church of Rome doth hold that the diuine and sacred Scriptures doo not containe all things necessarie to saluation but their vnwritten traditions must forsooth all bée receiued with equall and lyke authoritie for so hath theyr Councell of Trent determined And Pope Leâ— the fourth feareth not to pronounce with a loud voice That hee that receyueth not without difference the Popish Cannons as well as the foure Gospels beleeueth not aright nor holdeth the Catholike faith effectually The decretall Epistles also they number with the Canonical scriptures And Pope Agathe saith that all the sanctions and decrées of their Romish Sea are to bee taken as stablished by the diuine voice Which blasphemies who can abyde For heereby they make both the Scriptures imperfect and not so content doe further adde vnto those Scriptures Wherein they commit two notable sinnes first accusing the sacred and canonical scriptures that they containe not al matters necessary to saluation which is directly contrary to the testimonie of S. Iohn who saith that these things are written that ye may beleeue that in beleuing ye may haue life eternal and cleane contrary to the testimonie of Saint Paul who saith That the Scriptures giuen by diuine inspiration are profitable to reproue to teach to correct to instruct and perfect the man of God 2. Tim 3.15 Ergo the Scriptures or word of God written is a true sound and perfect whole doctrine containing in it selfe fully all things néedfull for our saluation Yea Saint Paule saith expressely to Timothie That the Scriptures are able to make him wise vnto saluation 2. Tim. 3.13 And therefore the Church of Rome béeing cleane contradictorie dooth marueilously erre and therefore also we néed none of theyr vnwritten traditions And againe how should we bée assured that those traditions which they call Apostolicall be Apostolicall considering them not written by the Apostles Augustine speaking hereof saith thus Si qua retinuit Iesus Christus quis nostrum dicet hoc vel illud esse Et si quis hoc dicat quomodo probabit That is If Iesus Christ haue kept any thing close which of vs shall say that it is this or that And if anie say it is this how wilâ— hee proue it For all the errors of the Church of Rome shrowd themselues vnder the harbour of traditions And Chrysostom saith flatly whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation is conteined in the Scriptures And againe hee saith All thinges bee cleare and plaine in the Scriptures and whatsoeuer thinges be needfull be manifest there And Ierome in the prologue of the Bible to Paulyne after hée had recited the bookes of the new Testament and the old saith thus I pray thee deare brother among these liue muse vpon these know nothing else seeke for none other thing And againe vpon the bookes of the olde and new Testament These writings be holie these bookes bee sound there is none other to bee compared to these whatsoeuer is beside these may in no wise bee receaued amongst these holy things And againe hée saith All other thinges which they seeke out or inuent at their pleasure without the authority testimony of the Scriptures as though they were the traditions of the Apostles the word of God cutteth off Let vs therefore stand fast to the written word of God and as for their traditions which they cannot prooue but obtrude vnto vs without testimonie of Scriptures let vs contemne them For as Athanasius saith the holy Scriptures inspired from God are sufficient to all instruction of the truth And as for the other point of the Papists in equalling and adding of their traditions their decretall Epistles and Canons to the pure and diuine word of God it is a blasphemy intollerable and who can indure it For doth not God say thus Yee shall put nothing to the word which I commaunde you neither take ought there from Deut. 4. And againe he saith whatsoeuer I commaund you that take heede yee doe onely to the Lord put nothing thereto not take ought therefrom And doth not S. Iohn in his Reuelation say that if any man adde to this thinge God shall adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke and shall take away his part out of the booke of life I conclude therefore that the Church of Rome which doth not content hir selfe with the sacred and Holie Scripture which the chast spouse of Christ euermore doth is not the true Church of God for there she sheweth hir selfe to beare the marke of a strumpet But when shée procéedeth and addeth hir owne traditions Decretall Epistles and Cannons to the word written and maketh them to be of as good and equall authoritie as the Canonicall and sacred Scriptures themselues What greater pride could haue bin shewed or what higher blasphemie But these are the right notes of an adulteresse to equall hirself with her husband Yea What should I say more They holde that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the Scriptures which sheweth fullie the notable pride and spirituall whoredome of their Church 2 The Church of Rome is Idolatrous and therfore it is not the true Church They fall downe before Idolls and Images as the heathen did and therfore commit Idollatrie as the heathen did I speake for the manner of their worship for the heathen how soeuer they worshipped not the true God yet they thought they worshiped the true God and their meaning was to worship the the true God in the Image or Idoll as the Papists likewise doo meane for they say they be not such fooles as to thinke or beléeue that an Image or Idoll made of wood or stone could bée God neither were the heathen so foolish as to thinke or beléeue that their Idolles or Images were God for they knew they were made of wood or stone or such like but as they tooke it they worshipped God in the Image as the Papists say they doo and therefore the case for the manner of worship is all
continuall intercession cannot possiblie be the true Church 6 The Papists in words will not denie but Christ is a King which hath all power in heauen and in earth But indéed it appeareth they doe exile and banish him out of his kingdome or at least leaue him but a small portion or rather none at all for in respect that hee is a spirituall King and the King of his Church he is also as Saint Iames speaketh the only law giuer thereunto and therefore-by his lawes only the Church is to be gouerned which they cannot abide for they adde their Popish cannons constitutions and customes whereby they will haue the Church gouerned yea they wil haue these take place though they vtterly displace the word of God for the maintenance of them Secondly Christ onely is to raigne in the consciences of men and yet the Pope claimeth power to binde mens consciences by his lawes statutes and decrees Thirdly hee claimeth most traiterously to be the head of the whole vniuersall Church which title by way of prerogatiue is giuen and attributed onely to Iesus Christ to whome it onely appertaineth But before I procéed anye further herein I demaund of the Pope and Papists when by what right he their proud Pope taketh vp on him this title to be head of the Church or vniuersall Bishop ouer all the Christian world by vertue of which title he taketh vpon him to rule as he list to doe what he list First to claime it as successor to Peter is impossible for that Peter the Apostle neuer had any such title prehemince or authoritie ouer the rest of the Apostles It is true that Christ sayd to Peter after hée had confessed Christ to be that Christ the sonn of the liuing God Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church These wordes hitherto giue no superioritie to Peter aboue the rest only they shew that the Church is builded non super Petrum sed super Petram not vpon the person of Peter but vpon the rocke and vpon what rocke namely vppon that Christ Jesus whom Peter confesseth to bée the sonne of the liuing God For that confession of Peter concerning Iesus to bée that Christ the sonne of the liuing God is the rocke whereupon the Church is builded for as Saint Paull expoundeth and affirmeth Other foundations can no man lay but that which is laid already namely Iesus Christ And in another place hée saith expressely that that rocke was Christ And Christ himselfe affirmeth likewise that he that heareth his wordes and doth them is likened to one that buildeth his house vpon a rocke shewing thereby that he and his words Doctrine be the rocke against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile Agreeably whereunto speaketh Saint Paull againe when hee saieth that the Church is builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus himselfe beeing the head stone in the corner Where then shall wee finde that Peter was made Prince of the Apostles to rule ouer all the rest as the Pope now doth The Papists answeare that in the next wordes when Christ gaue vnto Peter by speaciall name the keyes of binding loosing he thereby made Peter the Pâ—ince vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church But hereunto I say that Christ therein gaue no authoritye more to Peter than to the rest that is at this time The keyes were not giuen to him nor to the rest only there was a promise that they should be giuen for the wordes be not in the present tense Do tibi I giue vnto thee But in the future tense Dabo tibi I will giue vnto thee which promise of Christ was afterward truely performed and when it was performed the keyes that is the power of binding and loosing sinners was giuen not onely to Peter but to Peter and all the rest together as Saint Iohn in his Gospell cléerely declareth and avoucheth Now because Peter was the man that gaue answeare for himselfe and the rest and so both Cyprian and Augustine doe expound and declare it And therefore neither in the promise of the keyes nor yet in the receit of the keyes by Peter did he receaue any more authoritie or superioritye than the rest of the Apostles did I grant he was called Primus because he was of the first that was called to the Apostleship or because hee was the first of all the Apostles that confessed Christ to be the Messias and Sonne of the liuing God or because hée was readiest alwaies to speake and answere But all this doth not proue that hee had authoritie ouer the rest or a larger Commission than the rest Yea the words of their Commission doe shew the contrarie namely that they had all equall authoritie for it was thus made vnto them all indifferently without putting a difference namely Goe ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Math. 28.19.20 Runne ouer all that remaineth written and you shall finde that Peter was one of the twelue equall with the rest and their fellow but not their Lord Where was Peters superiority when Paul reprooued him to his fate Gallathians the second Chapter and the eleauenth verse when béeing accused hée pleadeth no priuiledge but for the clearing of himselfe and satisfaction of others hée aunswereth to that accusation Where was Peters authority ouer the rest when the rest sent him and Iohn into Samaria Acts the eleauenth Chapter the third and fourth verses and also in Acts the eighth Chapter and the fourtéenth verse In that hée went at their sending hée plainely sheweth that hée had no principalitie ouer them Where was his preheminence or authority when in a Councell held at Ierusalem where the Apostles were yet not Peter but Iames ruled the action and according to his sentence was the Decrée made Luke 22.25.26 c. Yea I say moreouer that when there was contention amongst the Apostles who should bée chiefe amongst the Christ told them plainely that kings of Nations might beare rule ouer their people and that great men vnder those kinges might likewise exercise authoritie ouer other but so might not they doe one ouer another Luke 25.26 c. But the greatest amongst them should be as the least as a seruant yea should bee the least and should be a seruant as it is declared in Matthew 20.25 26 and in Marke 10.42 43. If the greatest must be as the least what authoritie hath hée aboue the least For then hath the least as great authoritie as the greatest That is they bene all equall authoritie I meruaile therefore what the Pope and Papists meane contrary to the tenour of the Commission of Christ contrary to the practise of Peter himselfe and contrary to this decrée made by Christ of their equallity to say notwithstanding that Peter
was Prince of the Apostles and had authoritie ouer them all when as indéede it is manifest by all the Scriptures and course of his life he neither claimed nor had any authoritie ouer the rest more than the rest had ouer him and consequentlye the Pope of Rome can neuer claime that as successour to Peter which was neuer in Peter his supposed predecessour The Papists perceauing that the scriptures make nothing for them but against them because they would haue the matter coloured with some Antiquitie or shew of Antiquitie at the least haue deuised some counterfet and forged Authors as Amacletus and Amissetus and such like to speake somethinge for them But the falsehood of all those is discouered by other writers if they bee well marked In Cyprians time it was déemed a matter odious for any to take vpon him to be a Bishop of Bishops as appeareth by that voice which he cryed in the Counsaile of Carthage It was likewise decréed in the Affricans Counsell that none should be called Prieste of Priests or Archpriest or any such like The Counsel of Nice did decrée that the Bishop of Rome should kéepe himselfe within the compasse of his prouince and not excéed his bounds as likewise the Bishop of Antioch Ierusalem and Constantinople were â—â— doo the like Other Councells did affirme as much which because they are sufficiently knowne I néede not to recite But they all shewe that at those times the Bishop of Rome had no greater Jurisdiction than within his owne Prouince and that hée coulde not meddle within the Prouinces of other Bishops And Ierome of his time sayth that the Bishoppe of Engubium or any other the least Sea is equall to the Bishop of Rome The Title of Uniuersall Bishop was much desired of John Bishop of Constantinople and much contention there was about it But it was neuer obtained of the Bishop of Rome vntill the time of Boniface the third who procured that Title of Phocas that wicked Emperour of Rome after which the Bishops of Rome neuer ceased still to augment their dignitie and increase the pride of their Romish Sea And euen at that very first time when John Bishop of Constantinople sought to get that Title of Uniuersall Bishop to his Sea Gregorie then Bishoppe of Rome did himselfe stand against it mightily and affirmed that hée could bée no lesse than Antichrist whosoeuer did take vnto him that Title First therefore it is manifest that vntill the time of Gregorie Bishop of Rome an vniuersall Bishop was not heard of in the Church and Boniface the thirde was the first Bishop of Rome that got this title which was aboue 600. yeares after Christ. And besides how will the Bishop of Rome that now is avoid himselfe to be Antichrist Sith by the expresse determination of Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome his predecessour hée is condemned for Antichrist in as much as hée hath this Title and is not ashamed thereof For what is this else but to come in the place of Christ and consequently to bee Antichrist vsurping the prerogatiue Title of Christ Jesus But the Pope saith that though hée claime thus to bee the heade of the Church yet hee doth not name himsâ—lfe to bee otherwise than a Ministeriall head to bée Christs Vicar on earth But why will he be so arrogant as to challenge this Title without â—â—â—full â—onueyance made vnto him from Christ which hee cannot show For who dare take vppon him to bée a â—iâ—uetenant to an earthly Prince without Sâ—stâ—rs Pattents first had from the Prince Againe the Church of Christ on earth being as a chast Spowse to her Husband and head Christ Iesus neither can or ought to acknowledge any other for her head than that her husband to whom shée hath plighted her troth Lastly there can bee no successour but when the Predecessour is gone and absent but Christ is alwaies presente with his Church according to his owne words Beholde I am with you to the ende of the world Matthew 28.20 And therefor hée can haue neither Successour nor Vicar to represent his person or to guide his Church For his spirit since his bodily ascention is the guide and gouernesse of the Church in his roome Iohn 14. 15. 16. For no man mortall is appointed thereunto I conclude therefore that for all these causes the Church of Rome can not possibly be the true Church 7 The Church of Rome doth not ascribe Justification to faith in Christ Iesus onely but saith that mens works be meritorious and to them partly is Iustification to bée ascribed and so they make mens imperfect works to be causes of saluation which is a grosse errour euen in the foundation or fundamental point Saint Paul saith That all are iustified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 If they be Iustified gratis freely as hée affirmeth then are they Iustified withoot any desert of theirs And Saint Paul setteth downe the Axiome in the Conclusion VVee holde that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Rom. 3.28 And the Apostle in very many places whereof mention shall hée made hereafter doth expressely exclude Weekes from being any causes of our Iustification 〈◊〉 indéede they are the effects thereof And therefore it appeareth to bée a true position that Faith onely doth Iustifie in as much as Iustification is in the sight of God imputed to our Faith not to our Workes For Abraham beléeued God and that was imputed to him for righteousnes as Paul speaketh Rom. 4.8 And hée sheweth that Abraham was not iustified by Works before God for if Abraham were iustified by works then should hée haue wherein to glory but not before God and because hée had not wherein to glory before God therefore hée was not iustified in the sight of God I graunt that saint Iames in his seconde Chapter doth say that Abraham was iustified by his Works when hée offered vp his Son Isaac at Gods commaundement And likewise that hée saith that a man is iustified by Works and not by Faith onely But before whom is hée iustified by Works Not before God but before men that is to say his works doo declare vnto men that saith whereby hée is iustified before God And that this is the meaning of saint Iames may appeare by that his saying where he saith Shew vnto me thy Faith by thy VVorks thou saiest thou hast faith that is not inough thy words doth not proue it thy works will therefore saith hee shew me thy faith by thy workes This word Shew mee doth manifest what manner of iustification hée speaketh off namely that he speaketh of a iustification before men For it is God that respecteth the faith of a man whereby onely hée is iustified in his sight And it is men which respect the workes whereby indéede they testifie vnto the world their faith to be good before God For as saint Iames saith truely faith without works is but a dead faith and not good nor found nor
auaileable But faith and works must goe together and indéede where a true faith is there good works will shew themselues as the fruits thereof And thus Paul and Iames are to bee reconciled which thing Thomas Aquinas a schooleman of the Papists doth himselfe plainely testifie saying that Christ Iesus doth iustifie effectiuè effectually Faith doth iustifie apprehensiuè by taking hold of Christ and good works doo iustifie declaratiuè that is doo declare vnto men their iustification before God And so it is cleare that howsoeuer a true faith cannot bee without workes as fire cannot bee without light and heate yet our iustification before God is to bee imputed to our faith not to our works as warmth is to bee imputed to the heate of the fire not to the light of the fire For so saith saint Paul expressely That God imputeth righteousnes without works Rom. 4.6 And againe That it is by grace not of workes Rom. 11.6 And againe Not of workes Rom. 9.11 Againe saint Paul telleth the Saints at Ephesus that God hath ordained men to walke in good workes yet he saith that they may not trust to be saued by them for he affirmeth and assureth them That they are saued by grace and not by their works Eph. 28.9.10 Againe he speaketh in the person of himselfe of all the children of God and saith that wee are saued not by workes but by his predestination and grace 2. Tim 1.9 And againe God is our Sauiour not for any-workes which wee haue done but according to his owne mercie hee hath saued vs Tit. 3.5 And diuers other like places bée Wherefore saint Hillary hath these very words which we hold Sola fides iustificat Faith only doth iustifie And Ambrose among other sentences hath this Non iustificà ri hominem apud Deum nisi per fidem That a man is not iustified before God but by Faith Which is as much as Faith onely doth iustifie before God Saint Basil doth say that this is perfect and sound reioycing in God when a man doth not boast of his owne righteousnes but knoweth that he wanteth in himselfe true righteousnes and that he is iustified by faith onely And Gregory Nazianzen saith that to beléeue onely is righteousnes And therfore it is euident both by the expresse testimony of the Scriptures and of the Fathers that wee holde the truth in this behalfe and that the Church of Rome is in a maruellous errour It is true which is written that euery man shall bee rewarded according to his works because the faith of men is estéemed and estimated by their workes as the frée is knowne by the trust But there is no Text of scripture to shewe that any man is saued propter merita for his works or merits but many Texts of scripture to the contrary as before appeareth For when we haue done all that we can yet we must say as Christ commaundeth Wee are vnprofitable seruaunts Luke 17.10 And therefore the Papists which teach workes meritorious yea workes of supererogation availeable to saluation as well for others as for themselues holde not the right faith and consequently are not the true Church 8 But if I should shew all the corruptions of the Rómish Church I should be infinite neither am I able to number them I will therefore conclude all this discourse onely with this argument following The Pope of Rome being the head of that Church is that famous Antichrist that was foretold by Paull the Apostle and that is presignified in the reuelation of Saint Iohn Ergo it is impossible that the Church of Rome should be the true Church for the Church of Antichrist though it boast neuer so much cannot bée the true Church though it would faine bee so accounted as many an harlot desireth to bee reputed an honest woman one marke of that Antichrist Paull sheweth to be this 2. Thes. 2.8 that he should exalt him selfe aboue euerie one that is called God hee doth not say aboue God but aboue euery one that is called God Iohn 10.34 Nowe those whome the Scriptures calleth God we know to be such as be the Iudges Magistrates of the earth Psa. 81.6 who for that they bee in the place of God and his Lieutenants are vouchsafed in Scripture this high and Honourable title is to bee called Gods That the Pope of Rome is such a one as doth exalt himselfe aboue any such God of the Earth namely aboue all Princes and Magistrates is a thinge so well knowne as I néede not to prooue it himselfe by his wicked practises and his Iesuits Seminaries and Patrons doe in their bookes manifest the same vnto the world 2 An other marke of Antichrist Paul setteth downe to be this namely 2. Thes. 2.4 that hee should sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe to be God And I pray what doth the Pope els but sit in the Temple of God as God When claiming the Apostolike Sea he taketh vpon him to bee the head of the Church and to rule it as he list to erect Princes and to depose them againe from their thrones that hee cannot erre that hee can forgiue sinnes matters that belong peculiarly to God and to no other What doth hee els but by these demonstrations shew himselfe to be God insomuch as hee arrogateth to himselfe most proudly the authority of God himselfe which things the Sixt booke of the Decretals the Clemantines and the Extrauagants doe abundantly testifie For these men were not content with that which Angelicus wrote in his Poetry the beginning whereof is Papa stupor mundi the Pope is the wonder of the world Nec Deus es nec homo sed neuter inter vtrumque Thou art not God ne art thou man But neuter mixt of both But these Popes were bold to take vnto themselues the verie name of God and to accept it giuen of others according as Pope Sixtus the fourth when he should first enter into Rome in his dignitie papall had made for him a Pageant of Triumph cunningly fixed vpon that gate of the Citie he should enter at hauing written vpon it this Blaspemous verse dedicated vnto him Oraclo vocis mundi moderaris habenis Et merito in terris crederis esse Deus By Oracle of thine owne voice the worlde thou gouernest all And worthy lie a God on Earth men thinke and doe thee call Yea shall I say more The Pope if any man in the world doth take vpon him such more than Luciferian pride howsoeuer to deceaue the worlde with wordes he calleth himselfe seruus seruorum Dei a seruant of the seruants of God that he exalteth himselfe aboue God himselfe and his worship for hee taketh vpon him to bée aboue the Scriptures and to dispense with them at his pleasure and to allow matters contrarie vnto them which God himselfe whose will is immutable and reuealed therein will not doe for he and his worde will not be contrarie Againe héereby it is manifest that he exalteth