invocate Saints in whom they do not beleeve and call on Some whom they are ignorant of whether they be in Heaven or Hell 3. Matth. 26.26 Whereas Christ hath commanded us to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in both kindes in his holy Institution as it is set downe in the holy Scripture They now sacrilegiously forbid the people under a Curse the Symboll of Christs precious Blood 4. Whereas holy Scripture testifie that marriage is honorable unto all men Heb. 13.4 1 Cor. 10.9 and che bed undefiled and Saint Paule teacheth it is better to marrie then to burne They now Teach Doctrines of Devills Gravius peccare sacerdotem si uxorem ducat quam si dâ—â—ni concubinam foveat Coster in enchrid cap. 17 â—rop 9. 1 Cor. 14. forbidding Marriage that it is better for a Priest to have a concubine then to marrie 5. Whereas Saint Paule teacheth us to pray in spirit and understanding They teach men to pray in an unknowne Tongue without understanding 6. Whereas the worship of Images is flatly forbidden by God in his morall Law under Gods curse Confounded be all they that serue graven Jmages They now command due worship and veneration to be given to Images under the Popes curse 7 Whereas God curseth all them that adde or diminish to his holy word Rev. 22.18.19 They have made many new Articles of Faith contrary to Gods holie word curse them that observe them not 8. Whereas holy Scripture teacheth us to relie onely on the Merits of Christ Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that trust in him Bell. de iustif 5â— l. cap. 7. which Bellarmine confesseth to be the safest way They joyne their owne Merits with Christs Merits 9 Whereas we are to build our Faith on the Scriptures which cannot erre Regula credendi certissima tutissima Bell. de verbo Dei lib 1. cap. 1. They on the Pope and his Church which doe erre 10 And whereas St. Paul telleth the Roman Church that they are not the Roote but a branch grafted into the Tree and bidds them take heed of Pride Yet the now Church of Rome will not acknowledge herfelfe to be onely a branch or member of Christs Church but will bee the Roote or Head of the holy Catholike Church teach that no man can bee saved unlesse he be a Member of that Chuch Thus you see how the latter Popes of Rome differ from the former Bishops in Title in Iurisdiction in Holinesse of Life and Doctrine so not worthy to be numbred amongst them or to be accounted their Successors To the Succession of Bishops I have added the Succession of the Emperors of Constantinople who have many of them opposed the Popes greatnesse and Doctrines and also the Emperours of Ethiopia who have never been subject to the Pope as farre as I can reade viz. The Emperors of Constantinople before the division Constantinus Constans Constantius Iulianus Apostata Iovintanus Valentinianus Gratianus Theodosius Arcadius Honorius Theoddosius 2. Martianus Leo Zeno Anastatius Dicorus Iustinus Iustinianus Fl. val Iustinus Tib. Constantinus Mauritius Cappa dox Phocas Heraclius Constantinus Constans Constantinus Pogo natuâ— Iustinianus Leontius Absimarus Philippus Bardanes Artemius seu Anastasius Theoaosius Leo 3 Isauricus Constantinus Co. Leo 4 pronymus Irene Emperors since the Division Nicephorus Michael Curopalates Leo Aâ—minus Michael Balbus Theophilus Michael Basilius Macedo Leo Philosophus Alexander Constantinus Romanus Nicephorus Phocas Ioan Cimifces Basilius Porphyrogenitus Constantinus Romanus Argyrus Michael Paphlago Michael Calaphates Zoe Constantinus Mononachus Theodora Michael Stratioticus Isacius Comnenus Constantius Ducas Romanus Diogenes Mich. Parapinacius Niceph. Boteniates Alexius Comnenus Caloioanes Manuel comnenus-Tryphon Andronicus Comnenus Isacius Angelus Alexius Angelus Alexius Iunior Baldninus Comes Flandriae Henricus Petrus Altisiodorensis Robe tus Balduinus Michael Palaeologus Andronicus Palaolog us Andronicus Iunior Ioannes Palaeologus Ioannes Cata. cuzenus Eminuel Palaeologus Ioannes Palaeologus Constantinus Palaeologus Emperors of Aethiopia Baazena Lacasa seu Candace cujus Eunuchus a Philippo fuit bapti-Zatus Baazena Mesve Sectua Agdala Agba Mali Able Dâ—dima Autetes Alda Zeahim de Rama Gafeles Beseseoch Azgua Agua Hherch Besane Guachena Hadas Saghell Affe Asgehba Asgueba Samra Aiba Stendhem Zacham San Igaam Alamida Achinna Abraham Azba fratres deinde solus Abraham Asfa Asba Albamedon Abra Sahell Ghebez Sekul Azba AbraÌ„ Adakana zaham Amida Sahan AZba Zahan Gabed Iacob Dabid frat Arma Zittahana Iacob Constantinus Beth Esrael Gabra Mafchall Nalek Bazen Bensaghed Bahar Saghed Gherma Aapher Saliuba Callula Sion Sargue Zarui Bagaharnaâ— Gianscheda Zeonechia Malgeres Sepharad Agdai Abraham Asbaha Asfa Afra Amsi Ahan Arcada Aladana Alameda Tabena Caleb Gabra Maschel Constantinus Beza Agher Asfa Arma Gianasfa Gianascheda Fressennai Adazahaz Aizar Delnahadan Madai Sahada regina Ambazandin Gemoasfare Girgas Degva Michael Bedegaz Arma Cullandin Sbinahanni Tredda Gabez regina Gabez filius Tredda Gabez Nep. Tredda St. Zalibala St. Zimra Naakutolah Icum Nuam Lach Iacba Hazcon Baazarda Ezbrahad Cadem Saghed Vdim Raah Amdezeon Sepharab Vdma Asfan David Theodorus Isaacke Andreas Hezbinaam Zarach Bethemariam Schender Amdezcon Nabud Helena Lebnadenghel danid cum matre Helena Asnasgahet Caudius Adamastus By what meanes the Papall Monarchie hath beene raised and how it hath been and is upheld CHAP. VI. THere was a Time when the Bishops of Rome were holy men painefully labouring in the Lords harvest Of the primitive estate of the Bishops of Rome many of them suffering Martyrdome And then they acknowledged our Lord Iesus Christ to be the onely Head of his Church Pope Pius the second testifieth that before the Nicen Councell Aeneas Silvius in epistola 301. Ante Nicenum concilium sibi quisque vivebat ad Romanam ecclesiam parvus habebatur Re spectus the Bishops of Rome had small or no respect That Councell divided the Regiment of the Church into foure Patriarchall Sees Rome Alexandria Antioch and Hierusalem They had all equall Authoritie given them in their owne Provinces as appeareth by eight Councells cited at large by Doctor Willet Afterward Synopsis pag. 148. there was a certaine Primacie of Order Can. 28. quia urbs illa imperaret granted to the Patriarch of Rome as To have the first place to sit first To give sentence first for that Rome was then the Imperiall Citie This reason is yeelded in the Calcedon Councell 2. For the Popes Title about the yeere 604. Boniface the third obtained with much contention of Phocas 2. Popes Title Egit is ab initie administrationis cum Phoca ut Romana Ecclesia esset omnium aliarum capnt nec sine multa contentione Apostolicae sedi datum Sabell Ennead 8. lib. 6 pag. 396. For this read Mouns Plesses his Historie of the Papacie who proveth it by many Testimonies who murthered his Master Maurice the Emperor the title of Vniversall Bishop and that the Church of Rome should be head of all Churches This Phocas murthered also
it hath new and different Articles and doctrines of Faith unknowne to the old Church and not to be found for such in the writings of any of the ancient Fathers for five hundred yeeres after Christ FOr the first The Church of Hierusalem is more ancient then the Church of Rome Hierusalem where our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ himselfe preached and offered himselfe a Sacrifice for our sinnes and where the Apostles and Disciples first preached for although they were sent to preach to all Nations yet they preached first to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel according to Christs Commandement This Church is most ancient St Iames was the first Bishop there The Law went out of Sion Matth. 10.6 the word of the Lord from Jerusalem This Citie was Emporium Isay 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Histor Eccles Lib. 5. cap 9. the Mart of Christian faith the mother of all Churches as Theodoret saith 2. 2. Antioch Acts. 11.26 The Church of Antioch in Syria where the Disciples were first called Christians Of this Church Saint Peter was Bishop some yeres before he went to Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad populum Antioch homil 3. and this Church is also more ancient then the Church of Rome Saint Chrysostome calleth this Church the Head of all the world 3. The Greeke Church was planted by Saint Paul 3. Graecians and Saint Andrew from whence and the fore named Churches the name of Christ flowed Eia igitur Graecia mater nostra cui id totum debet quod habet Latina Ecclesia Conc. Trid. orat Episc Bitont as from a spring over all the world and the faith was spread in all places and this the Bishop of Bitonto acknowledged in the Councell of Trent It is our mother Graecia to whom the Latine Church is beholding for that which she hath the Easterne Church was before the Church of Rome in Time and from thence the Church of Rome hath received Christianitie the new Testament the three Creedes the very name of Baptisme Eucharist Bishop Priest and Deacon 4. 4. Aethiopia Aethiopia received Christianitie from the Eunuch of Queene Candases Huic Philippus responsis Sancti Spiritus jussus primò ex omnibus Gentibus mysterium fidei sacramentum Baptismi tradidit velut quasdam eum Dee primitias omnium consecrat nationū Eusch Eccles histor lib. 2. cap. 1. to whom as Eusebius reporteth first of all the Gentiles Philip by the command of the holy Ghost delivered the mysterie of Faith and the Sacrament of Baptisme and consecrated him to God as the first Fruits of all nations Saint Matthew also preached to the Aethiopians 5. For the Antiquity of the Church of Rome both St Hierom and Eusebius testifie that St Peter came to Rome in the raigne of Claudius the Emperour 5. Rome Hierom Catalog Eccles script pag. 265. Euseb Eccles his lib. 2. c. 14.16 and in his second yeere saith Hierom. 6. The Church of England received Christianitie as some say from Joseph of Arimathea others from Simon Zelotes the Apostle 6. England Guildas Sapiens de excidio Britan. Christus suos radios id efl suapraecepta indulget tempore ut scimus sūmo Tiberij Caesaris quo absque ullo impedimento eius propagabatur religio Bibli vet Pat. tem 5. par 3. pag. 675. Britannia omniū provinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Sabel in Ennead 7. lib. 5. Guildas reporteth that our Island received Christianitie in the time of Tiberius Caesar who dyed in the yeere of our Lord 39. which if it bee so the Church of England received Christianitie before the Church of Rome some yeeres before Peter came to Rome which was in the time of Claudius who succeeded Tiberius And for the Honour of my Mother Church I speake that Christianity was first publickly professed by authority in this Kingdome about 130. yeeres before it was in Rome Lucius our King beeing as I reade the first Christran King in Europe who reigned about the yeere of our Lord 170. And moreover Constantine the Christian Emperour was borne amongst us who gave the first publique libertie of Religion to the Roman Church So that Rome was beholding for the publique liberty of Religion to Constantine Our country man Speedes histerie pag. 207. Also the inhabitants of Britaine as I reade were instructers unto others as frō hence was Netherland converted to Christianitie as testifieth the storie of Swithbertus Burgundie by our Columbanus saith Sigebert Swedia by Gallus as saith Petrus de Natalibus and Frisia by Wilfred as it is recorded by Beda and Matthew of Westminster The Franconians Hassians and Turingians by Winifred our Devonshire man The Norvegians by Nicolas Breakespere of Middlesex And the Lituanians by Thomas Walden of Essex and all the reformed Churches in Christendome derived their light from the learned Wickleffe of Oxford In regard of this Polidor Virgil doth rightly call England the Parent or Mother-Monasterie of all Europe And Peter Ramus termeth Britaine to be twice Schoolemistris to the Kingdome of France Terra Britanniae ante adventum Christi unius Dei consensit religionem hom 4. in Ezech. moreover Origen writeth that the Britaine 's received the religion of one God before the comming of Christ Secondly whereas the Church of Rome boasteth of Antiquity The Church of Rome since Boniface the 3 and the old Church of Rome planted by St Peter St Paul are not one and the same but are farre different The old Church of Rome as St Paul telleth us was a branch of that Tree whereof Christ Iesus was the root The now Church of Rome will bee no branch but the roote it selfe The ancient Church of Rome was but a member of the Catholique Church of God of which Iesus Christ was Head But the now Church of Rome is the Catholique Church it selfe of which the Pope is head and such a Church was never in Rome for 600. yeares after Christ for so long no Bishop of Rome durst presume to take upon him Christs title to be head of his Church husband of his spouse till Boniface the third with him began this Church Thirdly And as they have a new Church so they have a new Creede and Articles of Doctrine as for example sake 1. That the Pope the head of the Church cannot erre in the matter of faith 2. That all Ecclesiasticall power dependeth upon the Pope 3. That he hath power to canonize Saints 4. That he hath power to depose Kings 5. That the Popes pardons are requisite or usefull to release soules out of Purgatorie 6. That there is a treasurie of Saints merits and superabundant satisfactions at the Popes disposing 7. That the Priest can make his Maker 8. That the sacred Host made by the Priest ought to bee elevated and carried in solemne procession and adored 9. That the effects of the Sacrament dependeth upon the intention of the
Kingdome of the Lombards gave unto the Popes The Exarchate Vrbin Ancona Spoleto and many other Townes and Territories about Rome Sixtly That the Popes in all their Bulls or Charters expressed the date of them in these formall words Such a one our lord the Emperor reigning Seventhly That long after the translation of the Empire from France to Germany the Popes began to make open protestation that the Pontificall Dignity was rather to give Lawes to Emperors then to receive any from them Eighthly That being thus raised to an Earthly power they forgot the Saluation of Soules Sanctitie of Life and the Commandements of God Propagation of Religion and Charity towards men And to raise Armes to make Warre against Christians to invent new devices for the getting of Money to profane Sacred things for their owne ends and to enrich themselves their Children and kindred was their onely study and this is the substance of Guiccardine in that place an Author above all Exception Having thus a little glanced at the meanes by which the present demeasnes of the Church of Rome were first gotten and increased The policies by which the Popes keepe that which they have Let us consider by what Policies the Monarchie hath been held up in respect and magnificence The donation of severall Kingdomes to those that have no right or Title to them but from the Pope and in force of his Donation cannot but oblige them to him Their allowance of Marriages prohibited by God and Nature the issue of which cannot but uphold the Popes infinite Authoritie without whom their Birth is unnaturall and their persons not capable of their Estates Their dispensing with Oathes of Princes which both preserve their Credits in not beeing perjured as they thinke since allowed by the Church and also get somewhat for which they cannot be unthankefull to the Papacy Their State hath the firmest foundation of any as being laid in the Conscience of men by perswading them of their infallible Power and their Ecclesiasticall and temporall Iurisdiction which they have over Heaven Hell Earth and Purgatory The Choosing of younger Sonnes of potent Families into their Cardinall-ships by which meanes the whole Lineage are ready to support him as the chiefe staffe of their Brothers or Cozens preferment The innumerable Preferments of men of all sorts and humors as having well-nigh in their disposing all the Benefices and Bishopricks of Italie halfe in Spaine divers in France and Germany which keepe the Clergie in an infallible bond of Allegiance especially enjoying divers priviledges which they of the temporality are not capable of The multitude of Friers their spirituall Knights or Souldiers whose hopes depend upoÌ„ his safety are known to be more then a Million whereof halfe at the least would grow fit to be imployed in any Warlike service and all them are maintained at other mens costs themselves not disbursing a penny The readinesse of their Ministers to kill such as resist them cannot but deterre Princes from injuring them and constraine them to keepe their Friendships especially since by a Writ of excommunication they can arme the Subjects against the Soveraigne and without levying of a Souldier either utterly to destroy him or bring him to good Conformity The Severitie or Tyranny of the Inquisition crusheth not only the beginnings but the smallest suppositions in being contrarily affected To which I adde that the Church of Rome having beene conscious of their errors and Corruptions both in Faith and manners have sundry times pretended Reformation yet their great Pride and infinite Profit arising from Purgatory Pardons and such like hath hindred all such Reformations Therefore to maintaine their greatnesse errors and new Articles of Faith 1. They have corrupted many of the ancient Fathers and reprinting them Doctor Iames in his treatise of the Corruption of Scriptures Councels and Fathers c. make them speake as they would have them as Doctor Iames hath set downe at large 2. They have written many Bookes in the Names of the ancient Writers and forged many Decrees Canons and Councells to beare false witnesse to them As for example Whereas in the beginning of this Chapter you heare of Pope Pius the 7. his report that the Church of Rome was but of little esteeme before the Nicen Councell The answer of the now Archbishop of Arimagh to a Challenge made by a Iesuite pag. 12. You shall have as the Primate of Armagh relateth a Crafty Merchant Jsidorus Mercator I trowe they call him that will helpe the matter by counterfeiting Decretal Epistles in the name of the primitive Bishops of Rome and in bringing in Thirtie of them in a row as so many Knights of the Post to beare witnesse of that great Authoritie which the Church of Rome enjoyed before the Nicene Fathers were assembled If the Nicene Fathers have not amplisied the bounds of her Iurisdiction in so large a manner as shee desired shee hath had her well-willers that have supplyed the Councells negligence in that behalfe and made Canons for the purpose in the Name of the good Fathers that never dreamed of such a businesse As if the power of Judgeing all others will not content the Pope unlesse hee himselfe may bee exempted from being judged by any other Another Councell as antient at least as that of Nice shall be suborned wherein it shall bee concluded Concil Rom. Sub Syluest cap. 20. Nemo enim judicabit primam sâ—dem Concil Sinuessan circa finem by the consent of 284. Jmaginarie Bishops that no man may Iudge the first Seate And for failing in an elder Councell then that consisting of 300. Buckram Bishops of the selfe same making the like Note shall bee sung Quoniam prima sedes non judicabitur a quoquam The first Seate must not bee judged by any man Lastly if the Pope doe not thinke that the fulnesse of Spirituall power is sufficient for his Greatnesse unlesse he may bee also Lord Paramount in temporalibus hee hath his followers ready at hand to frame a faire Donation in the name of Constantine the Emperor whereby his Holinesse shall be estated not onely in the Citie of Rome but also in the Seigniorie of the whole West Jt would require a volume to rehearse the Names of those severall Tractates which have beene basely bred in the former dayes of Darkenesse and fathered upon the antient Fathers of the Church who if they were now alive would be deposed that they were never privie to their begetting 3. As they have expurged antient Writings so also the holy Commandements of God And lest the Lay people should smell their Idolatrie they leave out the second Commandement of the Ten out of 〈◊〉 Psalters and Catechismes and they are published by the Church of Rome in this manner following 1. I am thy Lord God thou shalt have no other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine 3. Remember to sanctifie the holy daies 4. Honour thy Father and Mother 5.