Amongst other he addeth these Lib. 1. de consid Euang. circa finē lib The Papacie is the deuills pasture Thou Pastour commest foorth inuironed with much golde If I durst speake it these are rather the pastures of diuels then of sheepe 19 And now though we graunt to the Bishop of Rome that excellencie which he had in time of Leo and Gregorie Graunt what doth this helpe the present Papacie I do not yet speake of the earthlie Lordship but of the spirituall gouernment wherof they make boast For these be the sayinges of the Bishops A deuelish decree Nicol in decret 17.9 3. C. Nemini Innoc. 9.9.3 cap. Nem◠God would determine the causes of other mē by men but hee hath reserued the Prelate of this Sea without question to his own iudgement* Again the facts of our subiects are iudged by vs but ours by god alone 20 And to the ende these decrees might haue more weight they did falsly cog in the names of old Bishops as if things had been so appointed and ordained since the beginning whereas it is most certaine that it is new and latelie forged whatsoeuer is giuen to the Bishop of Rome ouer and besides that which we haue said was giuen him by the old councels 21 If Gregories testimony ought to bee of force they declare there by that their Bishop is Antichrist Epist 92.4 ad Iohānem constant because they make him vniuersall* 22 Are not the Patrones of the Sea of Rome ashamed to defend the present estate of the papacie which is certainlie an hundred fold worse The papacie is at this daye worst and more corrupt then it was in the time of Gregorie Bernard Graunt 23 Last of all though all these things should be graunted yet there ariseth a fresh new strife for them For wee denie that Rome can be the mother of churches seeing there is no church at Rome that the Pope is Prince of Bishops seeing hee is no Bishop Why ther is no church at Rōe because he teacheth not the word of God he doth not minister the Sacraments neither doth hee keepe the people in their duetie by anie discipline 24 Yea the Popes do whatsoeuer they can to oppresse the pure doctrine of the Gospel The vertues of the popes Leo was cruel Clement blooddie Paul a fierce murtherer Shall hee be Christes vicar and Peters successour who by persecuting the Churche with furious indeuours Leo. Clement Paul An absurditie doeth openlie professe that hee is Antichrist 2. Thes 2.4 25 Wee speake as did Paul when wee say that Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God* That his kingdome shall bee placed in hautinesse of speech and blaspheming of God* Dan. 7.23 Also whereas Paule setteth out Antichrist by this marke that he shall take away from God his honour that he may take it to him selfe this is a principall token in seeking Antichrist especially when such pride procedeth to the publike scattering and destruction of the Church 26 God translated the Church which was at Ierusalē to Pella* That which was once done Euseb lib. 3. ca. 5. might be done oftener Therfore so to tie the honor of the supremacie to a place that an enemie of Christ The pops armes an aduersary of the Gospel a destroyer of the Church a butcher of the Sainctes should be Christes Vicar Peters successour the chiefe Bishop of the Church is too ridiculous 27 We haue spoken inough of the thing If we come to the men we shall find that Leo Clement Paule and almost all the rest were Atheistes and that they knewe nothing else in a manner concerning Christ but that which they learned in Lucian his scholes 28 And yet for all this the Romanistes auouch that the Pope cannot erre Though Iohn the xxij Pope did openly auouch that the soules of men are mortall* Iohn Gerson doth witnes this who lyued then that they die together with the bodies vntill the day of the resurrection 29 Therefore though Rome were in times past the head of Churches yet she is not worthie at this day to be counted one of the smallest toes seing she is made common to all kind of wickednesse 30 The Cardinals were in times past only priests of the church of Rome What Cardinals were in times past and farre inferiour to Bishops but such as they be nowe at this day they haue no true and lawfull office in the Church CHAP. VIII Touching the power of the Church as touching the articles of faith and with what vnbridled licentiousnesse it hath in the papacie bene wrested to corrupt all purenesse of doctrine Ecclesiasticall power 1 NOw followeth the third place touching the power of the church which consisteth partly in particular Bishops partly in Councels those either prouinciall or generall such power cōsisteth either in doctrine or in iurisdiction or in making lawes The first parts touchinge doctrine The place touching doctrine hath two parts authoritie to deliuer and teach articles and points of doctrine and to expound the same And let all things be done to edifying* That shall be if the authoritie of Christ 1 Cor. 10.8 13.10 the maister of the Church be kept safe and sound 2 Furthermore we must remember in this place that what authority soeuer the Scripture doth giue either to Priests or Prophets or Apostles or to the successours of the Apostles that is properlie giuen not to the men them selues but to the ministerie wherein they are placed Priests Deut. 17.10 It is sayd of the priestes* The lips of the priest shall keepe knowledge they shall require the Lawe at his mouth because he is the Angell of the Lord of hostes 3 The authoritie of the Prophets is described in Ezechiell The prophets are watchmen Sonne of man saith the Lord I haue made thee a watchman to the house of Israel Therfore thou shalt heare the word out of my mouth thou shalt tell it them from me* Ezech. 3.17 Apostles Mat. 5.13 4 The Apostles are called the light of the world* the salt of the earth they are to be heard in steed of Christ * Luke 11.26 Ioh. 20.13 5 And though there be but one the same doctrine yet according to the diuersitie of times the seruants of God had diuerse kinds of teaching The same doctrin but diuers manners of teachng◠It is true indeed which Christ saith that no man hath seene the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him* God vsed secret reuelations with the Patriarks these did he confirme with vndoubted signes The Patriarks cōueyed that vnto their sonnes they to their childrens childrē 6 When the Lorde raised vp a more manifest forme of the Church Reuelations The word written he would haue his word put in writing that the priestes might thence set that which they should teach the people and that all doctrine might
and more familiarly to him self to wit vpō the Iewes 1. Iewes 2. Gentiles Notwithstāding he did afterward make the same benefit cōmō to all nations 2 But whether God did make him self knowen to the fathers by oracles visions or he did inform them by the ministerie diligence of men of that which they should afterward deliuer to their posteritie as from hand to hand He reuealed himselfe to the fathers by oracles and visions yet it is out of all doubt that the firme certaintie of that doctrine was ingrauen in their harts so that they were perswaded did vnderstand that that which they had learned came from God The certainty of the propheticall Scripture For God did alwayes make vndoubted assurance for credit for his word which did farre surpasse all vncertaine opinion Therefore he enrolled his oracles in publike tables he published his Law whereto the Prophets were afterward added to be interpreters thereof 3 And because mans mind is very much enclined to forget God Naturall forgetfulnes Error because it is wonderfully bent toward all manner errors because the lust therof to forge newe kinds of religion is great we may see howe necessarie such enrolling of the celestiall doctrine was Boldnes lest either through forgetfulnes it should perish or through errour vanish away or be corrupt through mans boldnesse 4 Therefore after that the Prophet had sayde that the heauens declare the glorie of God * Psal 19.1 that the firmament sheweth his handiwork that the ordinate course of the dayes and nights set forth his maiestie de descendeth afterward to make mentiō of his word The Lawe of God saith he is vndefiled conuerting the soules c. Where he propoundeth the peculiar schoole of the children of God The schoole of Gods children which alone leadeth them vnto the true knowledge of saluation and without which we shall alwayes orre CHAP. VII Of the authoritie of the Scripture 1. THerefore because we haue not oracles daily from heauen the Scriptures alone are extant whereby alone it pleased the Lord to haue his truth continually kept in remembrance the same Scriptures are of full authoritie with the faithfull by no other meanes then when they be perswaded that they came from heauen as if the liuely voyces of God were heard there Obiect The Scripture hath as much authoritie and weight as is graunted vnto it by the consent of the Church The Scripture resteth not vpon mans authoritie An. The eternall and inuiolable truth of God resteth not vpon mans pleasure 2 Moreouer the Apostle saith that the Church is builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles * Eph. 2.20 Quest Howe shall we be perswaded that it came from God vnlesse we flie vnto the decree of the Church An. The Scripture sheweth in it selfe apparent sense of her trueth The first argument drawen from the testimonie of the holie Ghost which the Spirit of God doeth seale in our minds being firmely imprinted therin 3 Obiect Augustine saith I had not beleeued the Gospel vnlesse the authority of the Church had moued me * Lib contra epist fundamentalem Chap. 9. An. He had to deale with the Manichees which would haue men to beleeue thē without any gaine saying when they were perswaded that they had the truth but could not shewe it He demaundeth what they would do if they should light on a man which doth not beleeue euen the Gospell In the forth chap of the same booke After that he addeth and I truely would not beleeue the Gospell c. signifying that at such time as he was a stranger from the faith he could by no meanes be brought to embrace the Gospell as the certaine truth of God vntill hee was ouercome by the authoritie of the Church Quest Why then doth he oftentimes vrge the Manichees with the consent of the whole Church when he will proue the same Scripture which they refused An. He doth no where ayme at this to teach that the authoritie which we graunt the Scriptures to haue doth depende vpon the determination or decree of men but doth onely which was of great importance in the cause bring forth the iudgment of the whole Church wherein he had the vpper hand of his aduersaries 4 Therefore if we will well prouide for our consciences that they be not continually caried about with an vnstable doubting or that they do not wauer ne yet stay at euery small stop we must fet a perswasion further then either from mans reasons or iudgements or coniectures to wit frō the secret testimonie of the Spirit Quest By what reasons can it be prooued that Moses and the Prophetes were inspired by God to speake The testimony of the holie Ghost is more excellent then anie reason An. The testimonie of the Spirit doth surpasse all reason though there may manie argumentes be alledged whereby it may appeare that if there be God in heauen the Law and Prophecies Gospell came from him That doth I say as witnesse saying my Spirit which is in thee and the wordes which I haue put in thy mouth and in the mouth of thy seed shall not faile for euer * Isay 51.16.19 21. For the Spirit is the earnest seale to confirme the faith of the godly * 2. Cor. 1 22. Eph 1.13 because vntill he lighten their minds they do alwayes wauer amidst manie doubts There is no true faith without the illumination of the holie ghost 5 Therefore let this remaine firme that they whom the holy Ghost hath taught do rest soundly in the Scripture that that alone is the true faith which is sealed in our harts by his seale * Isay 54.13 CHAP. VIII Humane proofes which serue to establish the authoritie of the Scripture 2. Argument from the efficacye thereof 1. FVrthermore we see how great force the truth of the Scripture hath seeing there is no writing of man howe finely soeuer it be polished which is of such force to moue vs although the high mysteries of the kingdome of heauen be deliuered vnder a contemptible basenesse of words 2 Obiect Eloquence Some of the prophets did vse an elegant and fine kind of speach An. The holy Ghost meant to shewe by such examples that he wanted not eloquence whē he vsed in other places a plaine and homely stile Obiect Sathan doth craftilie sowe wicked errors in a rude and almost barbarous speech that he may more easilie deceaue sillie men An. Sathan is a counterfaytor of God in manie things Sathan a counterfayter of God but all those who are indued with meane vnderstanding do see howe vaine and filthie that curious counterfaiting is if they conferre mans inuentions and the word of God together 3 Besides those wherof I haue alreadie spoken 3. Argu. drawē from antiquity the verie antiquitie of the Scripture hath no small weight forasmuch as there is no monument of
daily Forgeue vs our debt* Mat. 6.12 39 And the old writers for the most part called satisfaction Ecclesiasticall satisfactions among those of old time not a recoÌ„pence to be rendred to God but an open declaration whereby they which had bene punished with excommunication did certifie the Church of their repentance when they would be receaued to the communioÌ„ For there were certaine fastinges appointed them and other thinges wherby they should testifie that they were weary in deede and from their hart August Enchir. ad Laur. cap. 65. or whereby rather they might blot out the remembrance of former things And so they were sayd to make satisfaction not to God but to the Church CHAP. V. Of the supplies which they adde to satisfactions namely indulgences and purgatorie 1 FVrthermore from this doctrine of satisfaction flowe indulgences What indulgences are For they dreame that that is by them supplied which is wanting in our owne abilitie to make satisfaction so that they define theÌ„ to be the dispensation or distribution of the merites of Christ and the martyrs which the Pope doeth deuide by his bulls 2 Hence commeth the treasure of the Church The treasure of the popish Church which containeth the merits of Christ of his Apostles and of his holy martyrs The principall custodie of this barne is committed to the Bishop of Rome The pope of the keeper of the barne The great authoritie of the Pope Epist 81. Psal 116. â—5 Note in whose power the distribution of so great goods is so that he may bestow them of him selfe appoint to others the iurisdiction to bestowe them 3 Leo Bishop of Rome writeth excellently to the Palestines against the sacriledges* Although saith he the death of manie Saints was precious in the sight of the Lord yet the death of no innocent hath bin the propitiation of the world Iust meÌ„ haue receaued not giuen crownes the examples of patience issued from the fortitude of the faithfull not the rewards of righteousnesse Obiect Paule saith* Coll. 1.24 What it is to fulfill the sufferinges of Christ I fulfill in my body those things which are wanting of the suffrings of Christ An. That is referred vnto the suffrings of Christ in his mysticall bodie which is the Church Obiect Peter Paule should neuerthelesse haue obtained the crowne of victorie if they had died in their beds What profite the Church hath by the examples of Martires But in that they did striue to bloud to leaue that barren vnfrutefull doth not agree with the righteousnesse of God An. The Church receaueth profit great inough in common that it is enflamed by their triumphes vnto zeale to fight Coll. 1.24 4 Obiect Paule affirmeth that he suffereth for the Church* An. Not for the redemption of the Church but for the edifying and increase thereof As he saith in another place that he suffereth all things for the electes sake that they may attaine to the saluation which is in Christ Iesus* 1 Tim. 2.10 1 Cor. 1.16 In Psal 16. Note Let vs heare what Augustine saith * The suffrings of Christ in Christ alone as in the head in Christ and the Church as in the whole bodie 5 Furthermore who taught the Pope to include the grace of Christ in leade and parchment which the Lord would haue distributed by the word of the Gospell* 2. Cor. 5.18 1 Cor. 1.17 6 But this Purgatorie which is the satisfaction which is made after death for sinne by the soules of the dead Fruites of purgatorie is inuented by curious rashnesse without the word of God Forasmuch as it maketh the crosse of Christ to be of none effect it layeth an vntollerable slaunder vppon the mercie of God it weakeneth and ouerthroweth our faith 7 Obiect When the Lord auoucheth that the sinne against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen either in this world or in the world to come* Mat. 12.32 Mar. 3.28 he giueth thereby an inkling that certaine sinnes shall be forgiuen in the world to come An. When the Lord did cut of all the hope of pardon from such an hainous wickednes he thought it not inough to say that it should neuer be forgiuen but that he might the more amplifie it he vsed a partition wherein he did both comprehende the iudgement which euerie mans conscience feeleth in this life and that last iudgement also which shall be geuen openly in the resurrection Obiect It is sayd* Mat. 5.25 Whence thou canst not come vntill thou shalt pay the vttermost farthing An. If the iudge in this place do signifie God the plaintife the deuill the sergeant the Angell the prison purgatorie I will gladly yeeld vnto them But if Christ doth shewe in that place into howe manie dangers they throw theÌ„selues which do obstinately pursue the extremitie of the Law to the end he may more earnestly exhort those that be his vnto concord I pray you where shall we find Purgatorie 8 Obiect Paul affirmeth that the knees of things in heauen in earth and vnder the earth Ph. 2.10 do bow to Christ Therefore there be soules lying in paine in Purgatorie An. In that place the Apostle meaneth by the bowing of the knee Bowing of the knee not the true worship of godlinesse but that Christ hath Lordshid graunted him vnder which all creatures must be brought Euen the verie deuils shall with terrour knowe him to be their iudge Thus doth Paule him selfe interpret it in another place* Rom. 4.10 Obiect I heard euerie creature which is in heauen and which is vpon the earth and which is vnder the earth and which is in the sea and those things which are in them I heard them all say Blessing and honor and glorie Apoc. 5.13 and power* be for euer and euer to him that sitteth vpon the throne and to the lambe An. It is affirmed that the chiefe partes of the world from the highest part of the heauen vnto the verie middle point of the earth euen the creatures which are voide of sense do after their maner declare the glorie of their creator 2 Mach 12.19.43 Obiect What meaneth the book of Machabees* An That booke is not reckened among the canonicall bookes And therefore the author him self craueth pardon* 2 Mach. 15.36 9 Obiect He him self shall be saued saith Paul but as by fire* 1 Cor. 3.12 What fire is that if not the fire of purgatorie An. He speaketh of fire by a similitude that doth the word as declare Therfore by fire we vnderstaÌ„d that the inuentions of man Fyre put for the tryal of the holy Ghost being not established by the word of God cannot abide the examination of the holie Ghost but they shall by and by fall to the ground and come to nought Prayer for the dead 10 Obiect It was a most ancient obseruation commonly receaued a thousand and three hundred yeares ago to
God doth play the wanton doth riot in giuing new lawes The Church doth not go without the word Obiect The prophecies are added to the Lawe An. There is no addition there but an expositiō 18 Obiect We haue from the Apostles the beginning of our traditions An. The whole doctrine of the Apostles trauelleth to this ende that the consciences may not be burdened with new obseruatiōs or that the worship of God may not be polluted with our inuentions Obiect The most of the Apostles decrees were receaued by vse and the manners of men The decrees of the Apostles are set downe in writing yet they were not put downe in writing An. They learned by the reuelatiō of the Spirit after Christ his ascension those thinges which they could not vnderstand when Christ was liuing and those things which were necessarie to saluatiō they left in writing 19 Therfore in all these things there is great simplicitie required such as we see appeare in the administratiō of the Supper in the Apostles time The next successors added somewhat which was not to be misliked But afterward came those foolish counterfaiters The making of the Masse who patching together diuers pieces now then made these gestures iettings of the Masse Obiect Augustine saith that those things which are done with one consent in all the whole church came first from the Apostles them selues An. We may vnderstand saith he * Epist 118. that those things which are kept in all the whole world were decreed either by the Apostles thē selues or else by generall councels whose authoritie is most wholesome in the Church But he speaketh of the obseruations of his time which were then very fewe 20 Obiect We haue holy water frō the Apostles An. Yea I wot not what Pope did pollute Baptisme with this strange and vnseasonable signe Holie water The decree of the Apostles 21 Obiect The Apostles and Elders of the primitiue Church established a decree besides the cōmandement of Christ wherin they commanded all the Gentiles to abstaine from things offred to idols Act. 15.20.29 from strangled and from bloud* An. The Apostles made no new Law but the diuine and eternall commaundement of God touching the not breaking of charitie Neither is anie iote of that libertie taken away but the Gentiles are admonished by what meanes they should temper them selues to their brethren that they abuse not their libertie to the offending of them 22 Like as if anie faithfull Pastours bearing rule in the Churches which are not as yet well ordered do forbid al those which are of their flocks that they eat no flesh vpon the Friday before those which are weake or that they work not openly vpō holy days 23 Obiect And yet it is needfull that being in subiection we suffer euē the hard commandements of our rulers An So they decree nothing that is contrarie to the truth of the word of God Ies 29.13 Mat. 15 9. For God reiecteth* and punisheth * 2 Kin. 17.24.32 1 Kin. 12.1 2 Kin. 16.10 the inuentions of men 24 Therfore both our owne wisedome and also the wisedome of all men must become foolishnesse in our eys that we may suffer God alone to be wise 25 Obiect Samuell sacrificed in Ramath and though he did that contrarie to the Law yet it pleased God 1 Sam. 7.17 An. He did not set anie second Altar against the onely Altar Samuels sacrifice but because there was not as yet anie place appointed for the Arke of the couenāt he appointed the citie where he dwelt for the sacrifices as being most commodious Obiect Menoha being a priuate man did offer a sacrifice contrarie to the Law* Iud. 13.19 Menohaes sacrifice Mat. 22.3 An. This was an extraordinare and particular example neither is it to be imitated 26 Obiect Christ would haue those burdens which were heauie which could not be born to be borne which burdens the Scribes and Pharises did binde together An. Christ would haue his disciples to beware of the leauē of the Pharisees The traditions of the pharises because they mixed their traditions with the doctrine of truth yet hee will haue them to bee hearde if they teache Moses his law 27 Obiect Then all the lawes are euill wherby the order of the Church is set in frame An. Lawes which serue to nourishe pollicie and peace are greatlie to bee obserued in Churches What ecclesiasticall lawes be good 1 Cor. 14.40 so they be made decentlie according to order 28 Which shal be if rites be vsed which may purchase reuerence to holy things That done if modestie and grauitie doe shine and appeare What thinges order requireth This is the first thing in order that those which rule know the rule how to rule well and that the common people be accustomed vnto the obedience and true discipline Lastlie that the state of the Church being set in good order the peace quietnes of the church be prouided for 29 And that is comelinesse which is so fit Comelinesse must de obserued in the church for the reuerence of holie mysteries that it is a fit exercise vnto godlinesse or at least such as shall serue to the conuenient garnishing of the action and that not without fruite Order in the church Such exercises of godlines leade vs directlie vnto Christe And order is placed in that framing which taketh away confusions and tumultes Paul giueth an example of the former that profane quaffing banquetting be not ioyned with the supper* 1 Cor. 12.21 In the other sort are the houres appointed for prayer and preaching Therefore the one sort of constitutions haue respect vnto rites and ceremonies the other to discipline and peace What constitutions be good 30 Furthermore I allowe those constitutions of men which are both grounded vpō the authority of God and also are taken out of the scripture and consequentlie are altogeather diuine Let kneeling in time of solemne praier be an example Quest If we must hear the Lord alone why hath he not described particularlie One forme of discipline doth not agree to all ages what we ought to folow in discipline and ceremonies An. Because they depend vpon the condition of times neither doth one forme agree to all ages Yet we must follow generall rules that that may be obserued which is comelie 1 Cor. 14.40 which order requireth* Quest What libertie of conscience can there be in so great obseruation and circumspection An. Yea it shall stand excellentlie well when we shall consider that the lawes are not stedfast continuall Rudiments of our infirmity whereto wee are bounde but externall rudiments of mans infirmitie which though all of vs do not neede yet all of vs doe vse because one of vs is bound to another to nourish loue Quest What Is there so great religion in a womans veile or in her silence or in kneeling that it cannot be