Spiritualls can bee judged by none in the world no nor by the world in a Councill whereby hee professeth that none in the world is absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without Law but the Pope Finally what the Canonâ—sts speake for slattery and the Writers of Controversies out of their judgement Gunther and Tiethgaudi Archbishops of Cullen and Morn Myst Iniqu Oppos 31. Trevers spake out of experience of and to Pope Nicholaus the first Quod tibi libet licet that is thou hast no law but thy lust All which doth but amplifie this title in my text that the Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawlesse like the Iudge Luk. 18. 2. that he feareth neither God nor man Though these bee plaine yet the plainest proofe of any mens positions is their owne practice let their tongues and pennes preach and publish what they will or can to the contrary To this purpose I say lawes are of two sorts divine and humane The first are given by God the second by Man The Law given by God is either a Law of constraint Primarie imposed the Scripture or a Law of Consent secondarie collected the Creed Againe the Humane Lawes also are twofold Oecumenicall and Oeconomicall Those are Publike for all Nations these private for all Families Now if I doe not make it appeare that the Practice of the Pope is lawlesse in all these particulars I will confesse that I doe him apparent wrong to call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Out-law and The Antichrist The great law is the law of God that great law of God is that of coÌ„straint the Scriptures which shold constraine every coÌ„science to awfull obedience But the Pope hath practised the contrary to that authority was it ever credible that that law giveÌ„ w th such consternation w th thunders and lightnings and a thicke cloud and the voice of a trumpet so that all the people trembled Exodus 19. 16. confirmed with such a protestation that Heaven and earth should passe before one jot or one â—ittle should passe from the Law Matth. 5. 18. and sealed with such a Commination I testifie vnto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the booke of life Revel 22 18. 19. So precious to the Iewes that they thought it their prerogative to keepe it Rom 3. 2. So highly esteemed by the Christians that they poured out their blood to professe it Heb. 11. Was it I say ever credible that this Sic dicit Dominus Thus saith the Lord should be changed into a Sic jubet servus servorum so commandeth the servant of servants That this Law of God should ever be vilâ—fied and nullified by a wretched man This is the Popes practice Is not the breach of Gods Law avouched by his dispensations and indulgences are not the bookes thereof checked by inhibitions and publike interdictions The Scripture indeed is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16. Gods streight rule to our crooked affections but the Pope doth bend it to his owne liking As their owne grosse phrase is he maketh it Lesbia Regula and Nasus Cereus a Leaden Hâ—â—â—us Pigâ—ius Rule and Nose of waxe which they may wrest and wring any wrong way according to their owne will and pleasure Or as Bellarmine Bellarm de P. Ro. lib. 3. c. 14. speaketh in a better phrase but to the same purpose the Pope doth Apostolorum praecepta positiva moderari ac mutare prout ecclesiae expedierit the Pope saith he doth moderate and change the positive praecepts of the Apostles as hee shall thinke it convenient for the commoditie of the Church But since that Bellarmines plaine mind Hist of Paul 5 and the Venetians lib. 4. pag. 198. is discovered by some of found judgement For anno 1606 he composed a little booke against the Treatises of Gerson wherein he aymed to exalt the authority of the Pope so farre as to make it equall to that of God That Law doth not constreine neither him nor his to keepe their bounds but he will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawlesse They make the Scripture in their owne base phrase mutum magistrum a dumbe Teacher to say nothing as their Trent phrase speaketh more mannerly secundum sensum quem ecclesia tenet to say nothing but according as the Church will understand it that is what the Pope prompteth In old time Demosthenes said that the Oracles of Apollo did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were taught to speake nothing but what pleased Philips Greatnes We may say in our time but God be blessed not in our Countrey not in our Church at the least that the Oracles of the Scriptures doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are taught to speake what doth please the Popes Holinesse To shut up this point with the wicked words of Hosius and with the witty words of Durandus ipsas scripturas facessere Iuell Apolog. pag. â—31 jubebimus wee will bid the Scriptures to bee packing said that blasphemous Papist But the Other speaketh in another veine male cum rebus humanis actum est ex quo Decretis alae accesserunâ— idest ex quo Decretales in ecclesia volare ausae sunt supra scripturas said that popish Canonists that is Christendome came into thraldome ever since the Law of the Lord hath beene troden downe by the Law of the Pope The last words of which sentence are too true if that Decree of Pope Steven 6 recorded by Gratian bee canonicall and categoricall Gratianus D 19 C Eniâ—â—â—râ— Quicquid Romana ecclesia statuit quicquid ordinat perpetno quidem irrefragabiliter observandum est Whatsoever the Church of Rome doth appoint whatsoever it doth ordainâ— it must be observed perpetually and without gainsaying Is not the Pope then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawlesse man that man of sinne indeed that very Antichrist Next to this great Law the Law of Constraint the scriptures is the Law of Consent a great law too the Creed which being collected out of the Scriptures the whole Christian world hath submitted it self to the authority therof as to the touchstone of their assertioÌ„s Now the Pope doth not onely oppose the old but saith that he can also compose a new Creed In the old Creed hee directly thwartheth three Articles that of Christs remaining in Heaven till the judgment bringing him down daily to the Earth by that monstrous miracle of Transubstantiation That of the forgiuenesse of sinnes by his presumptuous doctrine of merits And finally the third Article of the Catholike Church by inserting the word Romane which overthroweth the sense of the Article and is contradictio in adjecto an absurd contradiction as if we should terme Lewis
of the Church Christian Nay some say that at this day some of the Popish Church vid. divers in France doe hold The Pope to be Antichrist Thus these Ancients had a glimmering twilight of Antichrist the elder were before him the later under him To the first hee was as an object too distant from the eye to the other as an object too neere the eye Therefore neither could see him clearly as wee may and doe at this day Of them I may speake that sentence of our Saviour Matth. 13. 17. Verily I say unto you many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see these things which you see and have not seene them But to shew that he is and how he is revealed in our time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul saith Hee shall then be revealed to wit when the Emperour is ruined then shall Antichrist bee revealed This is Saint Hieromes prediction Quitcnebat Hieron â—â—ist ad Geront de Monogamiâ— de medio sit non intelligimus Antichristum appropinquare Hee who did with-hold is taken out of the way and conceive wee not that Antichrisâ— is at hand And this is Machiavells 〈◊〉 Hist Flo. cat lâ—â—â— collection The falling of the Emperour was the rising of the Pope Moreover betwixt the desolation of the Empire and the revelation of Antichrist Saint Paul ponit nullum medium as Niâ—â— Orâ—mus Biblia Pâ—◠〈◊〉 Orem well observeth no distance of time But the Emperour who heretofore had the power of Election Investiture Calling of Councills and Leâ—e 27 â—e Episc â—â— â— â—â— theodos of imposing Lawes on the Popes hath now nothing left him but nomen sinere the bare Name of the Emperour As the Emperour himselfe acknowledged Fredericke by name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Radevicus lib 2. cap. 31. it followeth then that Antichrist is come already Now I must reveale to you how God hath revealed him to us Revelabitur id est regnabit saith Carthusian Dimysius 〈◊〉 in 2. â—hes 2. 〈◊〉 in Bâ—ll 〈◊〉 4. Quaest 5. he shall bee revealed to the Church that is hee shall reigne in the Church Concerning which we must consider 3 points Quando Antichristus erat Natuâ— Revelatus Adornatus the Preparation RevelatioÌ„ ExaltatioÌ„ of his kingdome All Errours generally Prepared the way and â—shered in Antichrist In the 7 verse Saint Paul saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichristian mysterie was even then a working And Saint Iohn that there were many Antichrists in his time 1 Iohn 2. 18. who did prepare for the Comming of the maine Antichrist in our time Yet principally that errour of ascribing so much too much to St. Peter confounding Petra Petrus expouÌ„ding Mat. 16. 18. of the person of Peter which occasioned such arrogance to the pretended successours of Peter And this point decaÌ„tatur in versibus Ambrosij August Retract cap. 21. it was published in the Poems of S. Ambrose saith St. Augustine but St. Augustine did retract it as Erroneous At the least hee preferreth our exposition as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Bell. de Pont. Ro. lib. 1. cap. 10. ad August c. in that same place where he laboureth to retract this retraction of Saint Augustine Thus the Errour of the Church of Christ and the Pride of the Church of Rome were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the preparation to the birth of Antichrist in the first foure hundred yeares yea immediately after the birth of Christ The Elephant is said to goe with yong ten intire yeares but this Monster was halfe ten centuries 600. yeres before she teemed before Antichrist was borne into the world His Revelation could not but succeed his Preparation Et ecce duo gladij hic Luc. 22. 38. The Revelation of Antichrist hath two degrees or Times in regard of the twofold Monarchie he aspired unto Spirituall and Temporall In regard of his spirituall Monarchy the Pope was revealed to be Antichrist about 606 yeeres after Gregor lib. 4. epist 38. Christ Gregory a Pope called Iohn of Constantinople the Fore-runner of Antichrist onely because he did claime the Title of Vniversall Bishop Fidenter dico said hee in the fourth booke of his Epistles I conclude confidently and definitively the desinitive senteÌ„ce of a Pope could not be erroncous Erroncous therfore it caÌ„not be if we say that he who atchived that Title of vniversall Bishop was more than a Forerunner even Antichrist himselfe And I may annex the words of the same Pope in the same place Sacerdotum exercitus ei praeparatur an Army of Priests serve Antichrist as their Generall Hereupon sidenter diâ—o I peremptorily pronounce it that Antichrist began to be revealed about the yeare 606 when Phocas conferred upon Pope Boniface 3 the title of Vniversall Bishop that thereby hee might regaine the love of the people which he had lost by the murthering of his Master Mauritius so that Policy not Pietie or Equity gave it him But the Pope pretended sor this a certaine Constitution of the Emperor Iustmian wherin he commanded that the Bishop of Rome should have the Precedâ—nce and Prime Place in their Clergy-Convocations Which Preheminence of the Pope was afterwards ratifyed by the Pope in a solemne Synode celebrated at Rome under the said Boniface 3 in the yeare 607. After that also about 646 the Pope was saluted with as illustrious a title from a Councill out of Africa Rolloch in 2 Thes 2. Domino Apostolico culmini sublimato Sancto Patrum Patri â—heodoro Papae summo omnium Praesulum Principi That is To the Apostolicall Lord the â—â—â— best top and tip of the Church the holy Father of the Fathers the Prince of all Prelates Theodore the Pope Adde to this that observation of the religious and reverend Bishop Dounam Eâ—iâ—c Derensis de Antichrist lâ—â— 2. cap. 8. sect 5. of Dery The name Pope which before was communicated to all Bishops at this time began to be appropriated to the Bishop of Rome I may conclude in this time was the beginning of the Papacy In this time Antichrist beganne to be revealed In regard of his temporall Monarchy there are 2 famous numbers in the Revelation of S. Iohn and both in the Revelation of the Pope to bee Antichrist The first is in the last verse of Rev. 13. where the number of the Beast is said to be 666. And the second is in the second verse of Rev. 20. The Devill is bound a thousand years For the first whether it be the number of a name or of a time or of both I dispute not but it is admirable when in all senses it shall concurre in one man I say therefore the Pope was revealed to usurpe an Antichristian temporall Monarchy about the 666 when under Constantine the third Pope Vitaliane who in former times had beene Ambassador for the Emperour shaking off the yoake of a superiour authority usurped the government of Rome Then also began the Masse to be celebrated
Martyrologist concerning Pope Iulius the Marshall who cast the Keyes into Tyber and laid his hand on the Sword The succession of Popes for many yeares have made use of both to erect their Monarchy The Keyes 3 waies they have made their Picke-lockes to enter at the Posterne of the Church and as many waies they have used the Sword to cut down all opposition which shall interrupt 〈◊〉 Entrance and usurpation To which I will adde two more and then their projects are eight in number Excommunication Indulgence or dissimulation and Appellation are the acts of the keyes in regard of all which it seemeth Saint Peters keyes have hanged at the Popes girdle The Sword also they have permitted establishing and raising the Papacy by warres into which they suffered Christendome to fall Sometimes the Sword they submitted and secretly sowed discord in Christendome out of which they have sucked no small advantage And many times the Sword they have immitted and sheathed in the sides of their Soveraignes and other Princes whom they assaulted by the hand of Treason and open Rebellion To which adde their corrupting of Bookes and abusing of Favours received from Princes and Prelates as precedents of their right and we have the intire number of all the old Popish Mysteries I meane to instance in at this season First Excommunications of Princes especially have beene very advantageous for the advancing of the Papacy The first that I finde who made use of it in this kinde was Pope Platina Onuphâ—ius in vita Constantini Constantine who did excommunicate the Greeke Emperour Philippicus under the pretence of the heresie they termed Iconomachy or opposing Image worship which produced so fatall an effect that Arthemius incouraged thereby rebelled and deposed the Emperour anno 716. And then this audacity became afterwards hereditary many Popes excommunicating many Emperours and many other Princes Sigonius lib. 3. de Reg. Ital. By this meanes Gregory the second raised Ravenna and Venice in rebellion against Leo and expelled the Greeke Emperor out of the Italian territories By this Gregory the seventh caused those tragicall commotions against that noble Germane Emperour Henry the third Bar t. 9. an 726. Artic. 34. Pless Myster Opposit 40. which ended not but with his life I need not travell farre for examples our owne Princes Iohn Henry c. are the wofull patternes of this wicked subtlety Nor was the feare of those Princes in those dayes causelesse for probably the Popes excommunications caused three notable consequents First the Clergy would either withdraw themselves out of the Country or with-hold the execution of their Calling Hence the people yea and Peeres also would murmure yea and mutinie also that they were deprived of the exercise of their Devotions And finally their neighbouring Princes from this pretence had a faire cloke for their ambition and colour for their invasion Princes therefore in those dayes were compelled to keepe correspondence with the Popes for dread of their excommunications Secondly the hiding away of the keyes did sometime helpe them to keepe the stollen goods of the Primacy Thus Phocas having murthered Pless Myst Progress 22. his Master Mauritius being disallowed and deserving to be excommunicated by Cyriacus Patriarch of Constantinople the holy connivence of honest Boniface the third salved all and well was he rewarded for it For it he atchieved his glorious title of Vniversall Bishop Bastlius also having murthered Michael his Master who had assumed him into the societie of the Empire Photius the Patriark of Constantinople rejected the traiterous parricide from the Lords Table but hee was instantly Anastasius in Adriano 2. Baronius anno 869. Articulo 81 82. countenanced by Pope Adriane the second And verily he also had his reward for his sake Basilius called the eighth Vniversall Councill into which every man was inhibited entrance by his Imperiall authority unlesse hee did first subscribe to the point of the Popes Primacie 3. The third is neere of kinne to this second particular Vice or the vicious discord of the Clergie hath beene the cause of Appellation a prerogative so highly esteemed by them So the improbity of Apiarius and the Heresie of Caelestius a condemned Pelagian disordered Antonie Bishop of Fussala who was deprived by his comprovincialls in Africa and damned Eutiches himselfe all these ranne to the Church of Rome for refuge and found it a Sanctuary Zozimus Boniface Caelestine Dr. Sharp Papae speculum pag. 273. Pless Myst Oppos 10. 11. and Leo did not reject them but the last onely excepted they did accept incourage and defend those Appellants These are three wayes therefore the Pope hath used the Keyes whereby he hath entred into the Temple of God and there now Hee sitteth as God shewing himselfe that hee is God 4. Tam Marte quam Mercurio the Popes have not beene so cunning with the Keyes but they have beene as couragious with the Sword Full politikely did this prudent generation permit Princes to bleed under the Sword of their over-potent Adversaries that so they might be constrained to cast themselves into the armes of the Bishop of Rome for succour The Greeke Emperours were in a manner confined to the East either by the invasion of the Sarasins or by domesticall insurrections which did cause them not onely to use connivence to but to seeke and sue for correspondence with the Popes in the West Hence Iustinian the first did professe such Novel lib. 8. cap. de Sum. Trinitate Baron tom 7. Anno 533. Artic 31. c. Pless Myster Progress 26. Pless Myster Progress 27. solemne honour to the See Apostolike and to the holinesse of Pope Iohn the second And Iustinian the second communicated his owne majesticall honour to the entertainment of Pope Constantine that by his assistance and countenance hee might recover his Throne and revenge himselfe on his Rebells In the West he permitted Aistulphus King of Lumbardy to expell the Greeke Emperour out of Italie and afterwards excited Pipine to drive AISTVLPHVS out of Lumbardie not omitting his owne commoditie that part of his conquest should bee rendered to Saint Peter for his Patrimonie Sigonius de regno Ital. lib. 5. Platina in Sergio Pipine thus gratifying the Pope Steven 2 was rewarded in his off-spring by Pope Sergius the second who nourished the Papacy by nourishing discord betwixt Charles Lewis and Lotharius brethren till that the French were expelled out of Italy and the Empire translated to the Germanes And how the Germane Emperours have beene wearied with warres in the Holy Land and worried with warres in Christendome it is superfluous to relate The effect is this by them they are reduced to the meere shadow and bare name of the Romane Empire but the Romane Pope thereby hath substantially advanced his Primacy 5. If they cannot prevaile permittendo by permitting the sword to devoure such as being in peace might oppose them then submittendo did their subtlety assay secretly to send a sword
Apostates and seared Consciences set on worke by the powerfull working of Satan Onely for forbidding meats and Mariage I answer this is a sinne unchristian and Antichristian in an high nature being indeed a threefold Luciferian usurpation both upon the Creator and also upon the Creature 2 wayes upon the Creatures used the Creatures using 1 All Creatures are pronounced Good from the Creation of God 1 Tim. 4. 4. and the worke of Mariage good from the Institution of God Heb. 13. 4. Therefore to restraine what God doth permit is from Satan the doctrine of Devills Next the Creatures using meat and mariage are men on whom these usurpe interdicting them by a Law from things that are lawfull So dominiering over their Consciences according to one exposition and a true exposition this is to sit in the Temple of God as God the pitch of the pride of Antichrist Thirdly they urge this as the worship of God an audacious intrusion upon God himselfe who abominateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all willworship and inventions of men Colos 2. 13. And these are causes sufficient to give a name answerable to the crime that these impious inhibitions are doctrina Daemoniorum the doctrine of Devills and the very badge of Antichrist The Papists doe approve the position that to forbid meats and mariage is the doctrine of Devills but they decline the accusing of themselves by the appeaching of others This prophecy say they was of old time accomplished in the old heretikes in the Encratitae Tatiani Manichies and others of like sort Therefore the Church of Rome is guiltlesse of this imputation I answer to these also Iosephus Iosephus lib. 2. cap. 3. reporteth that certaine Ruffians who had committed a murther but in shew they seemed the most diligent to search out the murtherers that thereby they themselves might escape unsuspected So the Romanists have raysed a Cry against the Encratitae Tatiani Manichies and other old heretikes for teaching the doctrine of Devills that they themselves might goe unsuspected of that Doctrine But the truth is they fall under the same accusation I intreat therefore any understanding Papist to looke both forward and backward and so shall they easily see the unsoundnesse of their answer First for the Heretikes which have beene before them they may use the same answer If the Papists may say the Prophecy of the doctrine of Devills is accomplished in the Manichies and therefore Saint Paul doth not prophecy of them The Manichies may likewise say this Prophecy is accomplished in the Tatiani and therefore Saint Paul doth not prophecy of them and the Tatiani may also say it was accomplished in the Encratitae and therefore Saint Paul doth not speake of them The same answer which is proposed for the Papists doth justifie the Manichies and the Tatiani And therefore it is probable that it is a just answer for neither of them Againe for their owne pretended Antichrist which they themselves feigne shall come in the Evening of the world and muffled with the veile of Chastity Simulavit se non esse in concupiscent ijs foeminarum hee shall faigne that hee doth not regard the desire of women saith Sanders Sanderus De mon. 10. Simulabit castitatem he shall saigne chastitie saith Pererius and they quote for the Pererius in Dan. lib. 14. confirmation thereof Dan. 11. 37. and Saint Ierome on Dan. 11. 37. Now their owne answer putteth an un-answerable argument into his mouth If they shall say that they doe feare him to be Antichrist because of this one note amongst many Simulabit se non esse n concupiscent ijs foeminarum because he doth faigne himselfe to have no regard of women as Daniel did foretell or quia docet doctrinam Daemoniorum because hee shall teach the Doctrine of Devils forbidding Meates and Mariage according to the prophecie of Saint Paul May hee not crie out that they doe him notable injurie to Brand him with the Doctrine of Devils although hee doe forbid Meates and Marriage because the prophecie is already fulfilled in the Encratitae Tatiam and the Manichies To this we may adde the Manichies did impose this double Abstinence both from Meats and Marriage in the same manner that the Papists doe at this day Augustine maketh August de Morib Manich l b. 2 c. 14. mention of the Fast of the Manichies in his second book which he composed concerning the manners of the Manichies A Manichie saith hee Nil gustans Carnium nil Vini will touch no Flesh and tast no Wine wherein the Papist fall short of their Fast exquisitas peregrinas fruges multis firculis variatas largo pepere aspersas l. benter assumit but hee will have Varietie of Dainty Dishes spiced and of the farthest fetched finest fruit Bibit aut mulsum aut Caraenum passum nonnullorum pomorum expressos succos Vini specie satis imitantes sua vitate vincentes bibit non quantum sitit sed quantum libet and they drinke their skins full of a kinde of Sider Peary and Methegline no way inferiour to Wine For the second sort of Abstinence the same Author saith in the same booke Hic non dubito vos esse clamaturos Aug. de Morib Manic l. ◠c. 18. invdiamque facturos here I make no question saith he but you will exclaim Castitatē perfectam vos vehementer cōmendare non tamen nuptias prohibere that you doe indeed extraordinarily cōmend Chastitie but that notwithstanding you doe not forbid Marriage because your professors of whom there are two sorts not unlike the Ecclesiastikes and Seculars ducere ac nubere vxores non prohibentur their common professours whom they call Auditours are permitted to marry If wee knew not the Title of this Treatise we should take this to be the Apology of the Papists and not of the Manichies Tam bene conueniunt the same hand must cleere the Leopard which doth blanch the Aethiopian And the same penne must plead for the Manichies which doth perswade that the Papists doe not teach Doctrinam Daemoniorum the Doctrine of Devils The trueth is absolutely declared by Calvine on this place Paulus nō de Persona hic agit de Re-ipsà that is this prophesie of Saint Paul doth not speake of the Person but of the Action So that if there were an hundred seuerall Sects yet they all concurre in this one Point to Teach the Doctrine of Devils if they all forbid Meates and Marriage I say hee doth prophecie of all such generally but of the Papists principally And this appeareth unto me from these foure reasons First from the adversative particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the Spirit speaketh c. alluding to the precedent chapter 1 Tim. 3. 2 12. Bishops and Deacons have Wives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. But there will come those who shall forbid Bishops and Deacons yea all the Clergie to marrie Mee thinkes he doth as it were point at the
Church of Rome Secondly the phrase of Time doth exactly fit our Time and free the old time from accomplishing this prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the later Times but the old Heretiques the Encratitae Tatiani and the Manichies were in the Former Times their feined Antichrist as they say must bee in the Latest Times onely the Papists are in the Latter Times Therefore onely the Papist have fulfilled this prophecy Thirdly the word of proprietie in the second verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall injoyne this inhibition in Hypocrisie seemeth to bee a badge of distinction to the Pope onely The old haeresie was that Rhemists in 1 Tim. 4. 1. Meates were vncleane and that the very Act of Marriage was of Satan say the Rhemists These spake not Lyes in Hypocrisie but in open blasphemy But under the pretence of Holinesse Religion Chastity and Purity to forbid Meates and Marriage these are they of whom the Spirit speaketh expresly that they teach the Doctrine of Devils And this is proper to the Papists onely Finally the word of Authoritie Verse 3. Prohibentes forbidding doth constitute the fourth difference unto the Doctors of Rome that They teach the Doctrine of Devils Zanch. de Spons cap. 1. For he doth not say simply Docentes those that Teach but Prohibentes they which forbid Meates and Marriage that is by way of Authority Saint Paul therefore doth not onely nor principally speake of the Old Heretikes who did condemne and preach against Meates and Marriage but they had no authoritie to forbid Never any but the Church of Rome made a Law never any made such a Law against Meate and Marriage Therefore never any but the Church of Rome hath accomplished this Prophecy On these plaine evidiences I will bee bold to speake plaine English a Spade is a Spade the Latine Church imposing a Law forbidding Meats and Marriage doth Teach the Doctrine of Devils And those Doctors who doe maintaine it doe it through the working of Sathan in all power of Deceiveablenesse of Vnrighteousnesse This objection is best Abbot de Ant. cap. 12. inforced against the Papists by our worthy Bishop of Sarisbury Wherein I desiring to give to the Papists what I desire to receive from the Papists to heare both sides before either bee censured I sought satisfaction from their learned writers but especially from Eudaemon who undertooke to confute our Bishop in three bookes In all which as I remember from my first reading or sinde by my second review of them hee wisely silenced this point and spake not one word thereof It may be he did presage that treatise ominous that his name should have beene translated from Eudaemon to Cacodemon if he had Defended this Doctrine of Divels Since therefore this argument was declined by this papist and satisfied by no papist it made mee confident to conclude that Many Heretiques have taught the doctrine of Devils but the Church of Rome surmounteth them all Thus I have delivered this History how this Doctrine of Devils is practised in the Church of Rome Now I must shew you the Mysterie how the two branches thereof forbidding Meates and Marriage are the Sinewes of Antichrist and the maine Engine of the Mysterie of Iniquitie Concerning which let us consider two things the meanes by which and the motive for which they so eagerly pursue this double inhibition here termed the Doctrine of Devils First for marrying the meanes to countenance the forbidding thereof is that which in my Text is tearmed the Deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse that is a wonderfull seeming godlinesse Thus Bellarmine Bellarm de Monarâ—h cap. 34. Mason de Minâ—stâ— 2. 8. Suarez Apolog 5. cap. 18. nu 22. doth so farre extoll Virginity that he stileth the Marraige of Clerkes Sacrâ—ledge whom our Champnie also followeth in the like phrase Sacrilegium Ministers Marriage is Sacrilegious saith he Suarez calleth Continentiam statum perfectiorem a more Perfect Estate of life than Marriage Hence in the time and by the doctrine of Hildebrand the Annals of Aventine witnesse that the people in some places trode under foot the Hosts which were consecrated by married Priests And they daily upbraid us with the Angelicall continence of their Clergy as if our Ministers were incontinent and Carnall because they marry I say Roma amor est Nolo dicere plura scio I say no more But this intrusion of forced Continence hath insinuated it selfe into the Church in as Mysticall a manner as any point of Popery that one of the Primacy onely excepted Our learned Bishop of Sarisbury relateth Abbot de Antich cap. 1. the Originall thereof In the very age of the Apostles a certaine Asian Minister set forth a booke the title hereof was Periodus Pauli Teclae The progresse of Saint Paul and Teclae In which hee saigned that a noble Gentlewomen called Tecla was so affected with a Sermon preached by Saint Paul at Iconium concerning Virginity that shee renounced Marriage being Contracted and Vowed to remaine a Virgine For which she was apprehended and condemned to Dye but neither had the Fyre power to burne her nor the wild beasts to teare her and thereupon she became Saint Pauls Companion in his Pilgrimage But the Authour being afterward convented before and conuicted by Saint Iohn confessed that he had forged this story out of his affection to Saint Paul For which he was turned out of the Ministery and his booke condemned Notwithstanding this Legend was afterward revived againe by some of the Ancient Fathers which opened a faire entrance to this soule Tyrannicall intrusion Notwithstanding this was yet but the Praising of Single Life after that it was Perswaded by Siricius Bishop of Rome about the yeare 300. after him about the yeare â—60 it was urged and the Marriage of Priests pronounced Mâ—â—â— Myst Oppâ—s 37. to be Heresie by Pope Iohn 13 who was so much swayed by that famous Strumpet Theodora But it was finally imposed by Hildebrand or Pope Gregory 7. anno 1074. Now this Gregory 7. was the worst of all the Popes and it may be this was the worst of all his actions although his actions in this nature were Morn Myst Oppos 39. innumerable and incomparable To instance in that superlative wretchednesse at the same time he exiled maried Ministers froÌ„ their Ministery admitted Fornicators Adulterous Incestuous Priests to serve at the Altar Single life I acknowledg it Excellent most excellent in the Clergy if they all had that Gift of Continence which God hath given to Some and but to Some Such I suppose might give more time to their Studies more reliefe to their poore Neighbours and more Devotion to their God Although God bee blessed our Married Clergy cannot bee much touched for their defect in any of these particulars But considering that Ministers are Men to inforce them by a Law unto Single life is little lesse then frensie in the Inferiors and Tyranny in the Superiours There is a Disease
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all in one minde impossible to bee reclaimed All these make good this phrase of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were besotted with a strong delusion I have alreadie inverted my Methode I must moreover alter it againe that I may proceed in order as the points offer themselves naturallie to bee considered The next point is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Papists are the Deluded which indeed is a probable conjecture if not a plaine Demonstration that they are the limmes of Antichrist Bestiae character intelligi potest obstinata malitia Aquine saith that by the marke of the Beast wee may understand Obstinate malice Aquin. Su. 3. qu. 63. Art 3 ad 3. But none under heaven are more Obstinate for their side nor more malitious against their gainesayers that the Papists And Aquine saith this is the marke of the Beast let the Papists mark this This also doth S. Paul prophecie of the Papists in the 8 verse Marke saith our blessed Bishop Iewell marke S. Paul saith Antichrist Iewell in 2 Thes 2. 12. shall be Consumed not Converted From whence wee may conceive what hope there is of Reconciliation and Reformation from Rome which is the censure not of that Bishop alone but of all the Church of England The errour of Poperie Homilie of good works part 1 was so spred abroad that not onely the unlearned people but also the Priests and teachers partlie by glory and Covetousnes were corrupted and partlie by Blindnesse deceived with the same abominations that as Ahab having but one Elias but one Teacher to perswade him to the Truth of God but 450. false prophets to perswade him unto Baal So of the Papists both Priest and people are strongly deluded with Idolatrie This is the judgement of Our Church concerning their Church Wee may say of all Papists of our English Papists especiallie in them is fulfilled that fearefull prophecie Reuel 17. 6. They are made Drunke with the Golden cup of the whore of Babylon Idolatrie is spirituall whoredome And it is a Catholike grant that Rome is the Head of Image Adoration Concedimus Catholicae Suarez Apolog lib. 5. cap 18 num 20. doctrinae de Cultu Adoratione Imaginum Ecclesiam Romanā caput esse saith Suarez Whence wee inferre Therefore it is the Fountaine of Spirituall whoredome Againe the Pope doth not Sext. Decret lib 3. tit 23. de Jmmunitate Ecclesiae onelie terme himselfe the Head Caput but sponsum ecclesiae the Husband of the Church Which thing alone is a sufficient cause to cal Rome meretricem Babylonicam the whore of Babylon because the Romanists do teach that there is another Husband of their Church besides Christ the Pope By which inchanting Circe the ordinarie Papists are so bewitched that they take themselves to bee the Best of men the onely Catholikes when as indeed they are verie Homer Odys lib. 10. Beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made Drunk with palpable Idolatrie But so drunk and so stronglie deluded that wee may ignatius Epist 5 speake to the Romist that phrase of the greek father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lactantius may Lactantius lib. 7. cap 1. translate that of Ignatius into Latine ij sunt homines qui contra veritatem clausis oculis quoquo modo latrant these are the men who shut their eyes and then open their mouths in any manner to bark against the Truth Should wee in the yearning bleeding bowells of Christian compassion by Sermons Bookes or Arguments indeavour to draw them from Idolatrie Wee know our intertainement 2 Chron. 30. 10. They will laugh us to scorne mock the messengers of God and despise his words and misuse his Prophets Now this as I take it I may terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong delusion But that you may not suspect that I delude you by faining this Popish delusion when as they haue no such stupide obstinatnesse I will both referre the reader to the large and laboured treatise of Dr. Beard on this point And also render him present satisfaction by a present briefe catalogue of their owne Confessions Dr Beard of Antichrist part 3. Lessius de Antich part 1. Dem. 11. From Boniface to Vitaliane for the space of three score yeers the Church of Rome was wofully perplexed with a perpetuated misery by Plagues Famines Inundations Earthquakes and the Invasion of the Persians wherein fourescore and ten thousand Christians were slaine at one time by Seditions in the East the Heresie of the Monothelites and the Captiuitie and banishment of St. Martine the sacrilegious robbing of the Church Treasurie which had beene manie yeeres a gathering Finally in the time of Vitaliane Rome it selfe was Ransacked and the greeke Emperour tooke away all the Ornaments thereof Where note that the Beginning of the miserie of the Church of Rome was about the beginning of that arrogant usurpation of that title of Oecumenicall Bishop Well how was that Boniface moved with this Bonerges This Thundering Preaching by those Destroying miseries which smote them as thick and swift as Lightning prevailed not with the Pope to lay aside the pontificall title of Vniversall Bishop But to shew of whom St. Iohn did prophecie Rev. 9. 20. The Pope by these plagues repented not yet But from Pride they proceeded to superstition Boniface beganne with the Vniversall title and Vitaliane added unto it the Vniversall Latine Service And all these Plagues which went betweene for 60 yeeres of Fire Famine Blood c. could preach neither Penitence for the first nor Prevention for the later But still they persisted in their pride and superstition This I suppose is somewhat semblable to the phrase in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Strong Delusiō The particular profession of particular Philip. Nicolaus de Antich c. 15. papists is yet more pregnant thus writeth Luther of his Popish Devotion before hee was Converted The Authoritie of the Pope sayd hee was so potent with me that I thought it a crime demeriting Damnation vel in minimo dissentire ab illo to differ from him euen in the least thing And that conceit carryed me so farre that I esteemed Iohn Husse to bee so cursed an Heretike vt vel de eo cogitare sceleratum ducerem that I held it to bee a sinne but to thinke of him And in defence of the Popes authoritie I my selfe would haue carryed fire and faggots to have burned that heretike and therein I did perswade my selfe me summum praestare obsequium Deo that I shold have done God singular seruice His passion might bee built on that Catholike position Nullus homo potest se asserere in veritate christianum aut esse Turrecre lib. 3. c. 30. in statu salutis qui subesse renuit Romano Pontifici that is no man can affirme that hee is a true christian or that hee is in the state of saluation if he refuse to bee subject to the Pope of Rome Neither is
the Pope would be pleased to peruse his owne acts I doubt not but he would say that his servants made him a God that he cannot erre but he findeth himselfe a man and subiect vnto errour But that which is more admirable or rather more lamentable though they confesse the premises yet they hold the conclusion Though they say the Pope may erre and cannot but know that the Pope did erre yet they preach it as a principle in their faith that the Pope cannot erre I erre not surely if I say this is a strong delusion that they thus beleeve a lye The Chineses have a proverbe that they have Malvenda lib. 3. cap. 10. two eyes the inhabitants of Europe on eye and all the world beside never an eye The papists are more arrogant they vant themselves to have both eyes and all the world besides to have no eye Yea they make their Church to be totum caput all head the Pope and that head to be totus oculus all eye to see all things And all the world cannot see one mote in that eye Papa non potest errare the Pope cannot erre After the expulsion of the Iesuites out of Quarrells of Pope Paul 5. lib. 2. â— Padua were found many copies of a certaine writing conteining 18 rules under this title Regulae aliquot servandae ut cum orthodoxà Ecclesia verè sentiamus In the third wherof it Quarrels of Pope Paul 5. lib. 2. is ordained that men must beleeve the Hierarchicall Church although it telleth us that that is black which our eye judgeth to bee white To which blasphemous purpose the Rhemists Rhemists in 1 Tim. 3. 15. would wrest that harsh Greeke phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainely implying that they would have all to beleeve in the Romane Church Gregory de Valentia driveth the Nailea little further Greg. Valenâ—in in Thom. tom 3. Disp 1. quaest 2. punct 5. if you sinde saith hee but an Episcopall synode only affirming such a Doctrine to be the sentence of the Church you are bound to beleeve it though it be a lye Vnuses controversiarum Index Bellarmine telleth the Pope that he is the Bell ep Dedâ—c Sixt. 5. sole Iudge of all controversies to whose definitive sentence in all matters they wholy submit themselves saith our English Iesuite Nay Jesuite â—p Path-way sect 36. which might make their hearts tremble to speake it and our cares to heare it they constantly teach that the Pope is every jote insallible Suar Ap. l. 1 â— 22. nu 8. as the holy Scriptures themselves Answerable to which is the parenthesis of popish Authors avouching their bookes Orthodoxall unlesse his Holinesse desiâ—e otherwise As also that Popish distinction the Church say they is taken three wayes Essentialiter essentially for all beleevers Representativè representatively for a generall Councill and virtualiter virtually for the Pope So to affirme that the Church cannot erre or that a generall Councill cannot erre and that the Pope cannot erre are axiomatical and identicall propositions with most Papists Yea many Papists say more that a generall Councill may erre without the Pope but Bell. de Pâ—ont Rom. l. 4. c. 4. the Pope cannot erre although he bee without a generall Councill The Iewes have a tradition that God gave this grace and priviledge unto Elias that Malvenda 9. 2. there should be no Circumcision whereat he should not be present either visibly or invisibly Whereupon at every Circumcision they use to place two Seates one for him to sit in who held the Châ—ld the other empty wherein they suppose that Elias doth sit invisibly So the Papists thinke that God hath given that grace unto the Pope that no Truth can bee desined at the definition whereof the Pope is not present either visibly or invisibly And at the composition of every booke two Cathedrae two Chayres must be prepared one for the Author to give his judgement but the other to be left empty for the Pope who either visibly or invisibly either explicitely or implicitely must say Amen to every assertion Which is amply acknowleged by Malvenda at the end of his eleven bookes and twelve yeares labours Hence they terme this Papall prerogative Papae Apostolatus the Popes Apostleship To Bell. ep Dedic Sixt. 5. which we returne a replie in the words of the Revelation 2. 2. We have tryed them which say they are Apostles but are not and wee have found them lyers In the phrase of my Text strongly deluded that they beleeve a lye Hence also they teach that his desinition is petra in quam portae c. the Rocke against Bell. Praf de Pâ—nt Râ— Suar. Apol. lib. 1 cap. 6. nu 25. which the gates of Hell shall never be able to prevaile petra a cujus firmitate pendet in suo genere sirmitas Ecclesiae the Rock on whose stablenesse in its kinde dependeth the firmnesse of the Church They repeate it againe and againe that the Pope is a Rocke Indeed he is a Rock the Pope indeed is a Rock but the Lord preserve us from that Rock lest wee make shipwracke of faith and a good Conscience He is a Rocke Dum genus Aeâ—ea Capitoli immobile Saxum Accolâ—t Imperiumque Pater Romanus habebit The old Romanes said that their Empire was built upon an immoveable Rocke but it is perished The new Romanes say that their Church is built upon an immoveable Rock but I doubt not it shall perish and the world shall see their strong delusion that they doe beleeve a lye Finally sicut populos sic sacerdos both Priests and people also have this strong delusion to beleeve a lye they call it Fides implicita my text may translate it Faith in a lye Implicita Fides Iac. de Graf Decis lib. 2. c. 8. nu 16. est credere secunduÌ„ quâ—d Ecclesia credit Implicita faith is to beleeve as the Church doth beleeve If the Church do teach that which is false then doe the people beleeve even a lye This faith doth consist in Assensâ— not in notitia saith Bellarmine in their Assent not in their knowledge so for ought they know they may and doe beleeve a lye if it pleaseth their Church to put any such thing upon their credulitie They themselves instance in that famous Colliar chronicled by Staphilus that the Devill tempted him concerning his Faith How hee did beleeve who answered that hee did beleeve even as the Church did beleeve the Devill demanding how the Church did beleeve the devout Colliar answered rotundo ore very readily That the Church did beleeve even as hee did beleeve And so having conjured the Devill with this orbicular answere the Fiend could not enter his circle nor come within the compasse of his Catholike confession I should offer them more indignitie then wrong if I should apply the phrase of their Peter Lumbard unto them Peter Lumb lib. 3. dist 25. Simplices sunt Asinae in