Relatum where it is said Non enim sensum extrinsecus alienum extraneum debetis quaerere Sed ex ipsis Scripturis sensum capere veritatis oportet For yee ought not to seeke for a strange and forraine sence from vvithout but out of the verie Scriptures themselves yee must take the sence of the truth So that although the Church of Christ and the Bishops Pastors and Ministers therein be to expound the Scriptures yet wee see by what rule they are to be directed namely by the Scriptures themselves and not to expound it at randome or as they list If they wil have their expositions to be right and sound and such as shall be deemed to come from the holy Ghost 3 Yea the verie Church it selfe is also thus to be tried and decided namely by the Scriptures For so S. Augustine holdeth directly saying thus Let us not heare I say and thou sayest but let us heare Thus saith the Lord. There are verily the Lords bookes to the authoritie vvhereof vvee both consent vvee both beleeve vvee both serve There let us search the Church there let us discusse our cause And againe he saith That all that should be remooved vvhatsoever is alleaged on eyther side against other saving that vvhich commeth out of the Canonicall Scriptures And againe he saith Let them shevv their Church if they can not in the sayings and fame of the Affricanes nor in the determinations of their Bishops nor in any mans reasonings nor in false signes and vvonders for against all these vvee be vvarned and armed by Gods VVord but in the things appointed in the Lavv spoken before by the Prophets in the Songs of the Psalmes in the voyce of the Shepheard himselfe and in the preachings and painefulnesse of the Evangelists that is in the authoritie of the bookes Canonicall And a little after he saith againe thus To that eternall salvation commeth no man but he that hath the head Christ and no man can have the head Christ vvhich is not in his bodie the Church vvhich Church as also the head it selfe vvee must knovv by the Canonicall Scriptures and not seeke it in divers rumors and opinions of men nor in facts reports and visions c. Let all this sort of them be chaffe and not give sentence before hand against the vvheat that they bee the Church But this point viz. vvhether they be the Church or no Let them shevv no other vvay but by the Cononicall boâ—kes of the holy Scriptures For neither doe vvee say that men ought to beleeve vs because vvee are in the Catholike Church of Christ or because Optatus Bishop of Millevet or Ambrose Bishop of Millain or innumerable other Bishops of our Communion doe allâ—w this doctrine that vvee hold or becaâ—se in Churches of our Companions it is preached or because that through the vvhole world in those holy places vvhere our Congregations resorted so manie wonders either of hearings or of healing be done vvhatsoever such things be done in the Catholicke Church the Church is not thâ—refore proved Catholicke because these things bee done in it The Lord Iesus himselfe vvhen he vvas risen from death and offered his ovvne bodie to be seene vvith the eies and handled vvith the hands of his Apostles least they should for all that thinke themselves to bee deceaved hee rather iudged that they ought to bee established by the testimonie of the lavv Prophets and Psalmes shevving those things to be fulfilled in him that were there spoken so long before of him And hereupon a little after he saith againe These are the doctrines these are the stayes of our cause vvee read in the Acts of the Apostles of some faithfull men that they searched the Scriptures vvhether the things vvere so or no vvhich they had heard preached vvhat scriptures I pray did they search but the Canonicall of the Lavv and of the Prophets To these are ioyned the Gospels the Epistles of the Apostles the Acts of the Apostles The Revelation of S. Iohn Search all these bring forth some plaine thing out of them vvhereby you may declare that the Church hath remained onely in Affricke So farre Augustine Chrysostome also speaketh to the same effect saying VVhen you shall see the abhominable desolation stand in the holy place that is as he expoundeth it VVhen you shall see vngodly Heresie vvhich is the army of Antichrist stand in the holy places of the Church in that time let them which are in Iurie flie vnto the hills that is saith hee Let them that are in Christendome resort vnto the Scriptures for like as the true Ievv is a Christian as the Apostle saith he is not a Ievv vvhich is one outvvard in like manner the verie Ievvrie is Christianitie the hills are the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets But why doth hee command all Christians at that time to resort to the Scriptures Because in this time sithence Heresie hath prevailed in the Church there can bee saith hee no proofe nor other refuge for Christian men desirous to knovv the truth of the right Faith but onely by the Scriptures And the reason hereof he further sheweth For saith he such things as pertaine to Christ the Heretickes also have in their schisme They have likevvise Churches likevvise the Scriptures of God Bishops also and other orders of Clerkes and likevvise Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Eucharist and to conclude Christ himselfe vvherefore he that vvill knovv vvhich is the true Church of Christ in this so great confusion of things being so like hovv shall he knovv it but onely by the Scriptures And afterward againe he saith thus For if they shall looke upon anie other thing but onely the Scriptures they shall stumble and perish not perceiving vvhich is the true Church and so fall into the abhominable desolation vvhich standeth in the holy places of the Church So farre he Now then these being times of Schisme and heresie and of much contention and variance betweene the Protestants and the Papists and the great question betweene them being VVhether of them is the true Church Yea these being the times wherein the verie grand Antichrist himselfe with his armie of Bishops Priests and Clerkes hath place in the world as before in some sort but afterwards is more fully declared It followeth necessarily by this rule of his as also by the former Rule and direction of S. Augustine likewise that all people that bee desirous to know the truth in these times and which is the true Church must resort and betake themselves for the true tryall discerning and deciding hereof vnto the holy Scriptures only for all other waies and courses be uncertaine and unsure and such as whereby a man may possibly and easily be deceived as those ancient Fathers do there expresly teach and affirme And to give you some little tast here also that these be the times of Antichrist and that Antichrist is long sithence come and that the Pope of Rome
That there were few sons like their fathers 4 And here whilest I am speaking of the Canonicall Scriptures I must crave leave to tell you that the Popish Church holdeth divers Bookes to be Canonical Scripture which the old and ancient Church held not to be Canonicall as namely Tobias Iudith VVisedome Ecclesiasticus otherwise called Iesus the sonne of Sirach the Maccabees and the rest which the Protestants with that old ancient Church hold not to be Canonicall for so doth Athanasius affirme of them that non sunt Canonici they be not Canonicall Cyrill calleth them Apocryphall biddeth men reade those XXII bookes of the old Testament Cum Apocryphis vero nihil habeas negotij But with the Apocryphall bookes saith hee have nothing to doe Cyprian or if you will have it so Ruffinus after he had rehearsed the Canonicall Bookes of the old Testament saith Haec sunt quae Patres inim Canonem concluserunt ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones constare voluerunt Sâ—â—onâ—dunt tamen est quod alij libri sunt qui non sunt Canonici sed ecclesiastici à maioribus appellati sunt ut est sapientia Solomonis alia sapientia quae dicitur filij Sirach Eiusdem ordinis est liber Tobiae Iudith Macchabeorum libri Quae omnia legi quidem in Ecclesus voluerum non tamen proferri ad authoritate 〈◊〉 fidei confirmandam These be they saith he which our Fathers have included within the Canon out of which they would have the assertions of our faith to appeare But yet we must know that there be also other Bookes which be not Canonical but be called of our Ancestors Ecclesiasticall as is the wisedome of Solomon and the other wisedome which is called the sonne of Sirach otherwise termed Ecclesiasticus of the same sort is the Booke of Tobias and Iudith and the Bookes of the Maccabees All which they will indeed have to be read in the Church but not to be alledged to confirme out of them the authoritie of Faith Epiphanius likewise of the Booke of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus saith that Howsoever they have use and profit in them yet in numerum receptorum non referuntur they are not reckoned in the number of the received books S. Hierome likewise saith that the bookes of VVisedome Iudith Ihesus the sonne of Sirach and Tobias non sunt in Canone be not Canonicall And againe in another place he saith thus Sicut ergo Iudith Tâ—biae Maccabaeorum librâ—s legit Ecclesia sed eos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recipit sic haec duo volumina sapientiae Solomonis Syrach legit ad aedificationem plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum Dogmatum confirmandam As therefore the Church readeth Iudith and Tobias and the bookes of the Maccabees but receiveth them not for canonicall Scriptures so these two Bookes likewise namely the Wisedome of Solomon and Ihesus the sonne of Syrach doth the Church also reade for the edification of the people but not to confirme thereby the authoritie of anie Doctrines or positions in the Church And so also doth Lyranus Hugo the Cardinal affirme Yea and Gregory the great also of the Bookes of Macchabees saith That they be not canonicall And these bookes doth likewise the Councell of Laodicea repell and reiect from being canonicall Whereby observe that when you or anie of your Church alledge anie saying or sentence out of Tobias Ecclesiasticus or the Maccabees or out of anie other Apocryphall writing which is not Canonicall to confirme thereby anie point of Faith or Doctrine that is in question yee doe that which the old and ancient Church alloweth not but utterly disalloweth you to doe as is apparant But moreover the primitive and ancient Church would have the common Praiers and publique Service and Liturgie not in such a tongue as the people understood noâ— but in such a tongue as they might and did understand For Origen saith Graeci Graecis Romani Romanis singulique precantur in propria lingua Deumque celebrant pro viribus The Grecians use Greeke words and the Romanes Romane wordes and men of everie Nation pray and praise God with all their might in their owne mother tongue Yea it was the doctrine of that hereticke Elxay to teach praier in such words or in such a tongue as was not understood Nemo quaerat interpretationem sed solum in oratione haec dicat c. Let no man saith he seeke for the interpretation or understanding of the words but only in his praier let him say these words c. Chrysostome also saith that unlesse the unlearned understand vvhat thou prayest he is not edified nor can give consent to thy prayer But herein I shall not need to spend more time for Lyran himselfe acknowledgeth this point saying In primitiva Ecclesia benedictiones â—aetera communia fiebant in vulgari lingua In the primitive Church blessings and the rest of the common or publique Services were done in the vulgar tongue And accordingly wee all know that it is the rule of the Apostle Saint Paul that all things in the Church should be done to the instruction and edification of the people But in praiers or Service said or celebrated in Latin to such as understand not Latin or in Greeke to such as understand not Greeke or in anie tongue to such as understand not the tongue is no profite instruction or edification at all to the people unlesse it be afterwards interpreted unto them in such a tongue as they understand And yet whensoever it is so interpreted being so done it is but double labour and needlesse expence of time which might better be done and easily remedied by having at first as were fittest the Praiers and Service aswell as the Sermons in such a tongue as the people might understand 5 But why doth your Church of late times further proceed and accuse the holy divine and canonicall Scriptures themselves whereby all questions and controversies in Religion are to be decided and determined of falshood or corruption in the Originals and therefore preferreth the Latin translations which yee call S. Hieromes before those Originals of the Hebrew and the Greeke Be not these strange accusations And doe they not lay a foundation and ground-worke for Atheisme Nullifidianisme and all irreligion For if the Originals be corrupted false and untrue what certaintie is there then left for men on earth to build their faith upon Or can either your Translation which you call S. Ieromes or anie other Translation of the Scriptures be then assured to be right and sound For if the Fountaine de defiled and poisoned how shall cleere pure and sound water run and be found in the rivers that issue and streame from thence If you will say as Gregory Martin and other of your Teachers say that the Greeke Hereticks have corrupted the Greeke text and the Hebrew Heretickes the
of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh for Christs bodies sake vvhich is the Church that is whatsoever yet wanted or remained for him to suffer in whose sufferings or afflictions Christ himselfe is said to suffer and to be afflicted and persecuted for what affliction or persecution is done to anie of his members hee accounteth it as done to himselfe all those sufferings and afflictions whatsoever they were that yet remained for him to beare he was readie willingly to undergoe for Christs bodie sake which is the Church that is for the profit and edification of the Church that it might thereby receive encouragement comfort confirmation strength and boldnesse in the profession of the Gospel I say all this being thus to be intended and understood how iniurious and impious be the Rhemists and other Papists which wrest this Text of S. Paul to prove that one man may merit and satisfie for the sinnes of another supplie his defects in that point As though the sufferings of Christ in his owne person for our sinnes had anie want defect or imperfection in them or as though the sufferings of S. Paul or of S. Peter or of anie other Saints or Martyrs and their bloudshed could or did doe that which the bloud and sufferings of Christ could not or did not doe Is it not a shame and a most monstrous shame for anie so to speake thinke or teach 7 But they here alledge that praier for the dead is mentioned in the booke of Macchabees and consequently that they be tormented in Purgatorie for why else should they be praied for I answer first that praying for the dead is there mentioned as the fact of one particular man onely namely of Iudas which can make no generall law or rule in this case And secondly there is likewise mentioned as by way of approbation in the same booke of the Macchabees the fact of one Razis that killed himselfe and yet for all that it is not of anie godly man to be followed or imitated And therefore as the one is disallowable so likewise may the other be disallowable notwithstanding the Approbation of it in that booke Thirdly Iudas himselfe did not there pray for the dead as thinking their soules to be punished and tormented in Purgatorie there is no such thing mentioned or appearing in the text but to shew that he had hope that they which were slaine and dead should rise again for to that end it was as the Text it selfe declareth But fourthly I answere that the book of the Macchabees is not canonicall Scripture and therefore is not of authoritie sufficient to prove a point of faith necessarily to be beleeved because that booke speaketh it That it is not canonicall appeareth before by the testimonie of the old Church and it doth also appeare by the testimonie even of the Author himselfe that wrote the Booke in that in the end of it he excuseth himselfe and as it were craveth pardon if he have written slenderly meanely Which apparantly sheweth that hee wrote by an humane and not by an undoubtedly divine spirit For the spirit of God is not wont nor needeth to crave pardon nor to excuse himselfe as though he wrote slenderly or meanely Lastly against that your conceit of tormeÌ„ting Purgatorie grounded out of that Booke I may and doe oppose the Booke of VVisedome where it is said directly The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them If no torment shall touch them then doe they not come into anie of your supposed Purgatorie torments Yea although S. Augustine praied for his mother and some other also for their friends departed it is no proofe of your Purgatory inasmuch as such praiers do manie times proceed out of natural humane affection only be used as a token of love wel-wishing to friends departed without anie such beleefe of Purgatorie Which may doth appeare even by S. Augustine himselfe who though he praied for his mother beleeved neverthelesse that she was in peace and rest free from all paine and torment S. Ambrose likewise praied for Theodosius Valentinian and Gratian whom neverthelesse he beleeved to be in peace and rest and in heavenly happinesse You see then that praying for the dead is no prooâ—e for your Purgatorie Howbeit this praying for the dead hath also no commandement example or warrant for it in anie of the canonicall Scriptures and besides it appeareth by the premisses that it can doe the dead no good and therefore it is in vaine in respect of anie good thereby to be done to the dead As for the apparitions of soules which they likewise somtimes alledge to prove their Purgatorie it is a verie Toy and a fable For S. Chrysostome saith it is not the soule of anie dead person but a Divel which faineth himselfe to be the soule of such a one to deceive those to whom he appeareth and he calleth them Vetularum verba Pâ—erorum ludibria Old womens Tales and Childrens toyes And so S. Augustine likewise telleth you that it was not Samuel in verie deed but a Divell in his likenesse which appeared to the witch in King Sauls time And therfore he pronounceth of these things that they be either the Cousenages of Deluding men or vvonders of Deceitfull Devils with which therefore none ought anie longer to be bewitched or deluded CAP. VI. Of workes done upon a good Intention as they be called without a commandement or warrant from God or his word Of workes de Congruo and de Condigno And of workes of Supererogation and how unpleasing they all bee in Gods sight and censure howsoever in respect of men that have use and profit by them they be and may be called good and beneficiall workes SVndrie there be who thinke anie worke of their owne Invention or of others devising to bee a good worke acceptable to God and a point of good service performed to him so long as they have a good meaning or a good intention in it though the worke bee not commanded from God nor warranted by his word But God will not have everie man to doe what seemeth to himselfe good or right in his owne Eyes But vvhatsoever I command you that saith he observe to doe Yea that and That onely must yee doe as your owne latine Translation is Againe he saith I am the Lord your God vvalke yee in my statutes and kâ—epe my iudgments and doe them And nothing doth he more dislike or condemne in his service or worship then when men will be so presumptuous as out of their owne imaginations to suppose and devise what shall bee well pleasing to him For what is this else but for people to goe a vvhoring vvith their ovvne inventions as the Scripture speaketh My thoughts are not your thoughts nor your vvayes my vvaies saith the Lord for as the heavens are higher then
the people in the world may aptlie be divided The Vnchristian people be those that make no profession at all of Christ or Christianitie of which sort be Iewes Turkes and other Infidels of the world The Christian people revera and indeed of which in this distribution I speake be those that professe Christ and beleeve in him and addict themselves onelie to his religion and the rules and waies of it as it is described and set downe in the sacred and canonical Scriptures The Antichristian people be those that professe Christ in words in outward shewes and semblance but yet neverthelesse denie or oppugne him in deeds or in doctrine or in both Whence is concluded that neither the Turke nor Mahomet as I said before nor anie of the rest of the Infidells of the world can properly and according to the Scripture phrase and sense bee tearmed Antichrists or Antichristians fith they make no profession of Christ at all but such are properly to be termed Vnchristian and not Antichristian people and consequently it remaineth that Antichrist and Antichristian people bee onely to bee found within Christendome and amongst those that professe Christ. And who these be within Christendome is easily to be discerned for that the Pope of Rome and his followers be this kinde of covert masked and disguised adversaries and opposites to Christ and that under the name and profession of Christ his church and religion I thinke there is none but doth or may verie readilie perceive But would you know it further and in some particulars For you must indeed come to particulars with them inasmuch as otherwise in general termes and words they will make great profession of Christ and of the rights honors prerogatives to him his Church belonging and yet in the meane time in particulars and indirectlie and by consequent they will oppugne him Inasmuch therefore as he hath the name of Antichrist chiefelie by reason of his opposition unto Christ in this covert and disguised manner let us see how that is verified in the Pope and Papacie For which purpose let us consider our Lord Iesus Christ as he is to be considered namelie in respect of his person and in respect of his offices committed to him from his Father In respect of his person he is both God and Man in respect of his offices he is a Prophet a Priest a King unto us Now in everie of these respects doth the Pope and Papacie oppugne Christ. For first what a God doe they make Christ to be when they preferre the Virgin Mary above him and acknowledge authoritie in her to command him For thus they speake unto her Iube natum Iure Matris Impera redemptori monstra te esse Matrem That is Command thy Sonne and by thy motherly authority command the Redeemer and shew thy selfe to be a mother Is he God and the creator and supreame commander of all things that is thus made subiect to the authoritie and commandement of a creature But doe they not further oppugne his Godhead verie manifestlie when they hold that everie Priest of theirs after breathing of a few words out of his mouth can create and make Iesus Christ his maker for so they say as is before shewed that Sacerdos est Creator creatoris sui The Priest is the Creator or maker of his maker Now then is he a God that can be thus made by men And what doe they else but oppugne his Manhood also verie manifestlie whilest they make his bodie to be multi-present that is present in manie places at one time For they say it is both in heaven and in earth at once yea in so manie places as their Masse is celebrated or their Host reserved at one and the selfe same time which is contrarie to the nature and propertie of a true bodie which we are sure Christ Iesus hath Yea as they hold his Body to be carnallie eaten in the Sacrament with the bodily mouth so doe they hold it also to be void of dimensions and quantitie and to be uncircumscribed and invisible and no way sensible which is likewise as much as to make him to have no true bodie at all When againe they hold that his bodie is made out of the substance of a peece of bread for so much that their verie word of Transubstantiation importeth which was indeed not so made but of the substance of the Virgin Mary doe they not verie cleerelie oppugne his humanitie and the veritie of his bodie You see then how they doe oppugne the person of Christ both in respect of his Deitie and also of his humanitie verie apparantlie Let us now likewise briefelie consider how they oppugne Christ in his three offices namelie as he is a Prophet a Priest and a King unto us The Prophecie of Christ whose voice and instruction as of a Prophet and Teacher all-sufficient we are commanded to heare and obey they oppugne first by teaching that the sacred and Canonical Scriptures be imperfect and insufficient for a Christian mans instruction and salvation without their Traditions secondlie by adding not onlie their owne Traditions but the Apocryphal Bookes and Decretal Epistles also to the Canon of the Bible and stablishing them to be of equall authoritie reverence with the Canonical Scriptures themselves thirdlie by equaling also the determinations of their Popes and the Decrees of their Councels and Church which they say cannot erre unto the divine and canonical Scriptures they holding them to be as undoubtedlie the voice oracle of the Holie Ghost as anie thing is which is contained in those Scriptures fourthlie not onlie in equaling but which is more and much worse in preferring magnifying and advancing of their Pope and Church and their authoritie above the authoritie of the Scriptures and therefore doth Silvester Prierias Master of the Popes Palace affirme that Indulgences bee warranted unto us not by the authoritie of Scripture but by the authoritie of the Church and Pope of Rome which saith hee is a greater Authority Againe hee saith Whosoever resteth not on the doctrine of the Roman Church and Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of God à qua sacra Scriptura robur trabit authoritatem from which the sacred Scripture draweth her strength and authoritie hee is an Heretick And so saith Eckius likewise that Scriptura nisi Ecclesiae authoritate non est authentica The Scripture is not authenticall but by the authoritie of the Church and sundry such waies doe they oppugne the all-sufficient written word doctrine and instruction of Christ our Prophet His Priesthood they also oppugne which consisteth chiefly in these two things viz. in sacrificing himselfe once for all his people upon the Crosse to take away their sinnes and in making intercession for them Now this his onely-propitiatory and only-bodily and all-sufficient Sacrifice they oppugne by erecting of another Sacrifice in their abominable Masse wherein they say their Priests
Collections are extant upon S. Paules Epistles although I have forborne hitherto to use anie of his testimonies because I have some reason to doubt whether he were the same with our Sedulius or no. But Coelius Sedulius whatsoever countreyman he was intimateth plainly that the things offered in the Christian sacrifice are the fruit of the corne and of the vine Denique Pontificum princeps summusque Sacerdos Quis nisi Christus adest gemini libaminis author Ordine Melchisedech cui dantur munera semper Quae sua sunt segetis fructus gaudia vitis or as he expresseth it in his prose the sweet meate of the seed of vvheat and the lovely drinke of the pleasant vine Of Melchisedek according to whose order Christ and he onely was Priest our owne Sedulius writeth thus Melchisedek offered wine and bread to Abraham for a figure of Christ offering his body and blood unto God his father upon the Crosse. Where note that first hee saith Melchisedek offered bread and wine to Abraham not to God and secondly that he was a figure of Christ offering his body and blood upon the crosse not in the Eucharist But we saith he doe offer daily for a commemoration of the Lords passion once performed and our own salvation and elsewhere expounding those words of our Saviour Do this in remembrance of me he bringeth in this similitude used before and after him by others He left a memory of himselfe unto us even as if one that were going a farre journey should leave some token with him whom he loved that as oft as he beheld it he might call to remembrance his benefites and friendshippe Claudius noteth that our Saviours pleasure was first to deliver unto his disciples the sacrament of his body and blood and afterwards to offer up the body it selfe upon the altar of the crosse thereby plainely distinguishing the sacrament from the body represented thereby and for the sacramentall relation betwixt the one and the other he yeeldeth this reason Because bread doth confirme the body and wine doth worke blood in the flesh therfore the one is mystically referred to the body of Christ the other to his blood Which doctrine of Claudius Scotus that the sacrament is in it owne nature bread and wine but the body and blood of Christ by mysticall relation was within fiftie or threescore yeares afterwards so fully maintayned by Iohannes Scotus in a booke that he purposely wrote of that argument that when it was alledged and extolled by Berengarius Pope Leo the ninth with his Bishops assembled in Synodo Vercellensi ano. Domi. 1050. which was 235. yeares after the time that Claudius wrote his commentaries upon S. Matthew had no other meanes to avoyde it but by flatt condemning of it Of what great esteeme this Iohn was with king Alfred may be seene in William of Malmesbury Roger Hoveden Matthew of Westminster and other writers of the English historie The King himselfe in the preface before his Saxon translation of S. Gregories Pastorall professeth that hee was holpen in that worke by Iohn his Masse-priest By whom if he did meane this Iohn of ours you may see how in those dayes a man might be held a Masse-priest who was farre enough from thinking that he offered up the very body and blood of Christ really present under the formes of bread and wine which is the onely Masse that our Romanists take knowledge of Of which wonderfull point how ignorant our elders were even this also may be one argument that the author of the book of the wonderful things of the holy Scripture who is accounted to have lived here about the yeare of our Lord DCLVII passeth this quite over which is now esteemed to be the wonder of all wonders And yet doth he professe that hee purposed to passe over nothing of the wonders of the Scripture wherein they might seeme notably to swerve from the ordinary administration in other things Only when he commeth to the apocryphall additions of Daniel he telleth us that what is reported touching the lake or denne and the carrying of Abackuk in the fable of Bel and the Dragon is not therefore placed in this ranke because these things have not the authoritie of divine Scripture as also when he commeth to the Maccabees In the books of the Maccabees saith he howsoever some wonderfull things be found which might conveniently be inserted into this ranke yet will vvee not weary our selves with any care thereof because we onely purposed to touch in some measure a short historicall exposition of the wonderfull things contayned in the divine Canon Which two last sentences I thought good not to pretermitt because thereby men may see that in the distinction of the apocryphall books from the Canonicall wee still retaine the tradition of our ancestours which the late Romanists have openly forsaken Who as they have increased the Canon of the divine Scriptures by addition of other books not received into that ranke by the ancient Church so have they augmented the number of the Sacraments by intruding into that reckoning five new ones to wit Confirmation Penance which carrieth sacramentall Confession and Absolution with it Matrimony Orders and Extreme Vnction Of the last of which I finde no mention at all of the next to that very frequent mention but no where as of a sacrament in anie of our writings that may appeare to have beene written before the Hildebrandine times Touching the rest Bernard reporteth that Malachias in his time which was after Hildebrands dayes did of the new institute the most wholsome use of Confession the sacrament of Confirmation and the contract of marriages all which he saith the Irish before were eyther ignoraÌ„t of or did neglect Which for the matter of Confession may receive som further confirmation froÌ„ the testimonie of Alcuinus who writing unto the Scottish or as other copies read the Gothish coÌ„mending the religious conversation of their laity who in the midst of their worldly employments were said to leade a most chaste life condemneth notwithstanding another custome which was said to have continued in that countrey For it is said quoth he that no man of the laâ—tie will make his confession to the Priests whom we beleeve to have received from the Lord Christ the power of binding and loosing together with the holy Apostles They had no reason indeed to hold as Alcuinus did that they ought to confesse unto a Priest all the sinnes they could remember but upon speciall occasions they did no doubt both publikely and privately make confession of their faults aswell that they might receive counsaile and direction for their recoverie as that they might be made partakers of the benefite of the keyes for the quieting of their troubled consciences Whatsoever the Gothish did herein sure we are that this was the practise of the ancient Scottish and Irish. So we reade of one Fiachna or Fechnauâ—
assurance of salvation or in the doctrine of redemption or in any point of the religion of the Protestants but the cleane contrary pag. 99 100 c pag. 153 154. c. pag. 125 c pag. 404 c Lay persons may and ought to reade the Scriptures and thereby to examine and try the doctrines of men vvhether they be right or no pag. 73 74 75 76. c. See also the Preface It is impossible for meere men by and in their owne persons perfectly to fulfill the Law of the ten Commandements and so to be iustified yea the Law vvas given to other uses and ends pag. 108 c No such place as Limbus Patrum pag. 130 131 132 M MIracles signes or vvonders done in the antichristian Church pag. 98 99 pag 306 307 pag 280 281 Mens Merits deserve not salvation but damnation p. 110 111 112 113 c. pag 366 367 N THe Name of Christians the most ancient and the most honourable See the Preface toward the end The Name of Catholicks to vvhom it rightly and properly belongeth pag. 63 64 O THe Oath of Supremacie to the King explaned and declared to be iust and lawfull pag 1 2 3 4 c. to the end of that chapter P THe Pope got his supremacie over Emperors and Kings partly by fraude and partly by force pag. 27 28 The Ecclesiasticall supremacie vvhen it vvas first affected by a Bishop vvas oppugned even by some of the B. of Rome themselves p. 13 14 15. Divers generall Councils also against it p 16 17 The Popes Supremacie vvhat a vvicked founder it had and how vvickedly it is still maintayned and upheld pag. 12 Three Texts of Scripture usually alledged for maintenance of the Popes supremacie abused answered p. 11 12 p. 291 292 c Excommunication and the power of the Kâ—yes abused by the Pope for establishing maintenance of his supremacie p. 299 300 301 Divers vvritings forged under the names of Clemens Anacletus Evaristus and other ancients for the upholding of the Popes new Supremacie pag. 12 The Donation of Constantine also forged for that purpose ibid. Miracles signes or wonders also done for that end p. 341 342 c Poperie is a corruption of the most ancient and Christian Religion and is to the Church as an infection or disease is to the body of a man or as a plague or pestilence is to a Citie pag. 38 Pope and Poperie exclaymed against long before Luther or Calvin vvere borne pag. 42 43 44 45 46 c The Popes excommunications and curses to be contemned pag. 44 45 299 Popes of Rome have erred and may erre even in matter of faith and iudicially pag 51 52 53 54. See the Preface also No such place as Popish Purgatorie pag. 125 126 c. to the end of that chapter That there is a Predestination is confessed both by Protestants and Papists the doctrine vvhereof being rightly understood is verie sweet and comfortable and is so farre from introducing any inconvenience licentiousnesse or impiety as that it inferreth the cleane contrary pag. 153 154 155 156 157 158 Predestination dependeth not upon the vvill of men but upon the vvill of God pag. 178.179 180 c Vocation iustification sanctification and all saving graces be consequents and effects of Election or Predestination to life everlasting pag. 154 c pag. 198 c Predestination dependeth upon Gods foreknowledge and vvhat that foreknowledge is pag. 194 195 196 c Faith foreseene and good vvorkes foreseene be not the cause of Predestination but the effect and a consequent thereunto ibid. The doctrine of Predestination teacheth no dissolutenâ—sse or carelesnesse but the cleane contrary pag 154 155 c. p. 199 200 c Predestination teacheth no man utterly to despaire though he be exceedingly vvicked and impious for the present inasmuch as there is a possibilitie to be converted so long as life lasteth as likewise it teacheth no man rashly or unadvisedly to presume p. 157 158 198 200 c The Popish Masse and Popish Priesthood thereto belonging both abominable pag. 217 218 219 c VVhat maner of Primacie it vvas that Peter had amongst the Apostles pag. 295 296 c Popish Priests be not the Ministers of Christ but of Antichrist and therefore to resort to them as if they had commission or authoritie from Christ to give absolution or forgivenesse of sins is vvicked and in vaine pag. 302. c. Q ALl Questions and controversies concerning faith and religion to be decided and determined by the sacred and canonicall Scriptures pag. 49 50 c. See also the Preface throughout R THat there is a Reprobation aswell as an Election and vvhat it is pag. 165 c Reprobation and Election both at one time and the cause vvhy this man in particular vvus chosen and that man refused is Gods own meere will and pleasure pag. 196 197 198 None can certainly determine of himselfe before-hand that hee is a reprobate though he be for the present exceedingly vvicked and ungodly because God may possibly call and convert him before hee dye p. 157.158 p 199 200 Rome apparantly proved to be the vvhore of Babylon p. 246 o. Bellarmine himselfe other Papists confesse Rome to be the whore of Babylon pag. 247 The evasion they make that onely heathen Rome is there intended is shewed to be very vaine and false pag. 247 248 249 c Some special spiritual whoredomes that is Idolatries of the Romish Church pâ—g 258 259 260 c VVho is the Rock and foundation vvhereupon the Church is builded pag. 292 293. c. S THe Spirit that speaketh in the sacred Scriptures is not a private or humane spirit but a divine spirit even the Spirit of God And by this Spirit speaking in those Scriptures is every spiriâ— speaking in men to be tryed pag. 53 54 Exposition of one place of Scripture must be such as agreeth vvith the rest of the Scriptures pag. 58 59 A rule to kâ—ow vvhen a man speaketh by a private Spirit of his owne and vvhen not pag. 53.54 The true Church to be tried and knowne by the sacred and canonical Scriptures pag. 59 60 61 62 Some bookes held by the Papists to be canonicall Scriptures which the ancient Church held not to be so pag. 65 66 The publicke prayers and Service in the Church should be in such a tongue as the people might understand pag 67 The originals of the Scripture incorrupt and to be preferred before that vvhich is called S Hieromes Translation and all other Translations vvhatsoever pag. 67 68 69.70 The English Translation of the Scripture is rightly iustified against the uniust exceptions of Papists pag. 71 Not any humane learning or private spirit of any man but God only and his Spirit is the opener and unfolder of the true sense of the divine Scriptures pag. 73 74 Lay people may and ought to reade the Scriptures pag. 73 74 75 76 77. See also the Preface That there be
he changeth the good lawes and establisheth his owne he prophaneth he raveneth he spoyleth he defraudeth he massacreth even that man of perdition doth this vvhom they are wont to call Antichrist in vvhose forehead this name of blasphemy is written I am a God I cannot erre He sitteth in the Temple of God and Ruleth farre and wide c. Petrus Blessensis likewise verie earnestly adviseth all good men to depart from Rome as from the midst of Babylon And Sigebertus also witnesseth that for the most part all that were good just open hearted ingenuous and plaine-dealing men held That the kingdome of Antichrist vvas then and in those dayes About which time also the VValdenses and Albigenses in France did openly sequester themselves from the Romish Church holding and maintayning amongst other articles as the bookes of their adversaries themselves doe witnesse That Popish Rome is the Babylon mentioned in the Revelation and that the Pope is the very Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures And about the yeare 1230 one VVilliam Bishop of Paris likewise feared not to call Rome Babylon Egypt Sodome and her Prelates Profaners and spoylers of the True Spouse of Christ that established Lucifer againe in the heaven of Christs Church Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne Sebaldus Archbishop of Yorke and Probus Bishop of Thoul did in their times also mightily inveigh against the Pope One Haiabalus a Franciscan preached openly in Avinian That the Pope and his Cardinals were Antichrist and that the Popish Church was the VVhore of Babylon mentioned in the Revelation And being sent for by Pope Clement the sixt he affirmed that he was commanded from God to publish it and that hee could not otherwise doe Francis Petrarch Archdeacon of Parma and a Chanon of Padua who lived about the yeare 1350 and who for all kinde of learning might be called the light of his age not onely in his Sonnets but even in his Epistles also exclaimeth against the Pope his Court and Church saying That the Popes Chayre is the Chayre of lying that it is a Defection a Revolt an Apostasie of a people that under the Standard of Christ rebell against Christ and fight for Sathan That the Papacy and no other is the Babylon the mother of all the vvhoredomes of the earth c. Nicholaus Oresmus also who lived about the yeare 1364. feared not to say before Pope Vrban the fift That the Church of Rome vvas vvorse then vvhilom vvas the Iewish Synagogue That the Time of Antichrist spoken of in 2. Thess. 2 vvas come seeing the Romane Empire vvas desolated and that betweene the desolation thereof and the comming of Antichrist there vvas no middle time thereby signifying plainely enough that Antichrist then was in being and had his seate in Rome Which thing also Iohannes de Rupe scissa a Franciscan Frier was bold to affirme before Pope Vrban the sixt for which hee was prisoner a long time in Avinion These to pretermit sundrie other Authorities and Testimonies which might be further cited if need were sufficiently declare that manie hundreth yeares before King HENRY the Eight or LUTHER or CALVIN were borne the Pope of Rome was held published to be Antichrist and the Beast spoken of in the Revelation and that Popish Rome was the Whore of Babylon as also they shew where our Church was all that while untill they made an actuall separation from the Pope and Poperie And where it hath been ever since is a thing so well knowne and apparant that it needeth not to be shewed And thus much may suffice to have spoken generally Now let us proceede to other matters FINIS LIBRI PRIMI THE SECOND PART of the BOOKE CHAP. I. Wherein that point concerning the infallible Iudge of these controversies is amplified and further debated and declared And what Scriptures be Canonical and what not Of the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scriptures without Traditions That the Church is to be tryed and decided by the Scriptures And who be the right Catholikes That the Scriptures in their originals be incorrupt and to be preferred before that which is called S. Hieromes Translation and before all other Translations whatsoever That the publique Service should be in such a Tongue as the people may understand That Lay-people may and ought to reade the Scriptures And whence all right exposition of them is to be had AS wee are all under one God and under one King and the same a most worthie learned vertuous and Christian King so were it very consonant and convenient if by anie good meanes it might be brought to passe that we did all hold and professe one and the selfe same true faith Christian Religion For indeed not anie unitie or agreement in falshood or errors but an unitie or agreement in the truth and true Religion is the thing that ought of all to be sought after and desired But now which is that one true Christian Religion which all ought to embrace is that which is made the great Question namely whether it be Protestancy or Papistry inasmuch as both these lay claime unto it Wherein if God speaking in his owne sacred and Canonicall Scriptures may be as is most fit he should be allowed to bee the Iudge then is this which is made so great a question soone decided and at an end it being by him there cleerely resolved that not that which is called Papistry but that which is called Protestancy is the right and true Christian Religion For what be Protestants as they be in this Controversie distinguished against Papists but such as professe to build their Faith and Religion wholly and altogether upon that undoubted word of God the sacred and Canonical Scriptures And what is Papistry on the other side but a profession of such a Faith and Religion as is not so grounded but relieth partly upon unwritten Traditions partly upon the determination of the Popes partly upon the Decrees of their Councels and voice of their owne Church and Teachers and upon such like strengthes and staies as whereby they may easily be deceived Howbeit what cause is there why the pretended Catholicks should not allow God speaking in his divine and Canonical Scriptures to be the Iudge in these Controversies For is there or can there be anie higher better juster or surer Iudge to trust unto then hee or is there anie equall to him or comparable with him What meane they herein Would they have their owne Church Clergie Councels and Pope to be the Iudge That were not fit nor equall yee know that such as be parties should also be the Iudges in their owne cause Yea if their Councell of Constance and Councell of Trent or anie other of their Councels were much better then they be as they be indeed none of the best sort yet were they not to be held for sure or infallible Iudges in this case for anie to build his faith upon or to trust unto them
Hebrew text wee may as well say unto you that the Latin Hereticks have corrupted the Latin text and so by such kind of reasoning no Scripture should be found pure sound and sincere But thankes be to God who so preserved them the Scriptures in their originals remained pure amongst the Iewes unto the verie time of Christ and were not corrupted by anie of those Hebrew Heretickes as some Papists affirme of them for otherwise it had beene in vaine for Esay or anie other of the Prophets of God to bid the people goe for their assured direction To the Law and to the Testimony or for Christ himselfe to bid the people as hee did To search the Scriptures for their assured guidance in the truth Yea S. Peter would then never have said as he did VVee have a most sure vvord of the Prophets to the vvhich yee doe vvell that yee take heed as to a Light that shineth in a darke place For if it had beene corrupted and falsified it had not beene a sure vvord to trust unto Arias Montanus himselfe affirmeth and maintaineth the puritie and incorruption of the Hebrew originals saying further that there was no word nor letter nor point but it was reserved in that Treasory which they call Mazzoreth and therefore hee calleth that Treasorie fidam custodiam a faithfull or sure keeper of them Iohn Isaac likewise and Franciscus Lucas Burgensis as well as Arias Montanus doe also uphold maintaine and defend even unto their times the puritie and incorruption of those Hebrew Originals alwaies preferring them before all Latin Translations whatsoever And must it not needs bee so when as Christ Iesus himselfe saith that Till heaven and earth perish one Iot or one Tittle of the Law shall not perish till all things be fulfilled Yea what doth Christ Iesus else but further shew the puritie and incorruption of the Hebrew originals unto his time when it is written of him thus that He began at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted unto them in all the Scriptures the things that vvere vvritten of him And when againe after his resurrection likewise hee saith in the same Chapter thus These are the words that I spake unto you whilst I was yet with you that all must be fulfilled which are vvritten of me in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Yea the originals in the old Testament be and remaine pure and incorrupt to this day and so doe also the originals of the new Testament insomuch that S. Hierome as in one place he derideth them which said the Hebrew books were falsified so doth he in another place pronounce them to be impudent and foolish people that affirme the same of the Greeke originals For thus he writeth unto one Tibi stultissime persuasisti Graecos codices esse falsaâ—os Thou hast most foolishly perswaded thy selfe that the Greeke bookes bee falsified And againe he saith Tu mira impudentia haec in Graecis cod cibus falsata esse dicis Thou with vvonderfull impudency affirmest that thâ—se thinâ—s be falsâ—fied in the Greeke Bookes And as this was the error of Helvidius against whom S. Hierome writeth so was it also the error of the Manichees against whom S. Augustine writeth And is it not now gâ—owne to bee the error or heresie of Papists But what reason have you to preferre that Latine Translation which yee call Saint Hieromes before the Originals of the Hebrew and Greeke For first yâ—e cannot proove that Translation to bee S. Hieroms which yee so boldly affirme to be his And secondly what likelihood is there it should be his considering that in divers and sundrie places S. Hierome readeth otherwise then that Translation is yea sometimes he findeth fault with that Translation and reproveth it as for example the word â—say that is found in that translation in Marke the 1. verse 2. he thinketh to bee added by the negligence of the Librarie keepers and vpon Math. 6 he correcteth the word exterminant which neverthelesse is also in that vulgar translation And divers other such faults S. Hierome espieth and findeth in that which you call his Translation wherefore there is no likelihood it should be his And that it is not S. Hieroms translation may further appeare by the discourse which Munster hath set upon it Yea Erasmus also doth flatly affirme that this translation is neither Cyprians nor Hillaries nor Augustines nor yet Hieroms seeing his reading is divers from it and that it is much lesse that which he corrected seeing there be found in this things that hee condemneth not onely as touching the words but as touching the sence also But admit it were S. Hieroms translation whereof neverthelesse there is no likelihood yet thereupon it followeth not that therefore it is to be preferred before the originals of the Greeke and Hebrew For as there were manie translations in S. Hieroms time which were not so well liked so even of that translation which S. Hierome himselfe made and was the Author of himselfe speaketh thus I doe not thinke saith he that the Lords words are to be corrected but I goe about to correct the falsenesse of the Latin bookes which is plainly proved by the diversitie of them and to bring them to the originall of the Greeke from which they doe not denie but they were translated who if they mislike the water of the most pure fountaine they may drinke of the myrie puddles And againe he saith That as the bookes of the old Testament are to be examined by the Hebrew so the bookes of the new Testament require the triall of the Greeke And in divers other places he likewise preferreth the originals of the Hebrew and Greeke before all Latine translations whatsoever And to this effect doth Gratian also cite a sentence as â—f it were S. Augustines And indeede S. Augustine speaketh to that very purpose saying directly that VVee ought rather to beleeve that tongue from which it is by Interpretors translated into another And Lodovicus Vives also upon this place declareth the same And agreeably hereunto speaketh also S. Ambrose saying expresly That the authority of the Greeke bookes is to be preferred Bee not those men then much deluded which contrarie to the direction and iudgement of the old Church and ancient fathers and also of all right reason doe preferre that Latin translation before the originals of the Greeke and Hebrew Yea even Lyndanus a popish Bishop writeth of that latin translation that it hath manie and sundrie corruptions in it and therefore it cannot be the best and safest way to trust unto it 6 But when they must needs yeeld if they will be reasonable to the preferring of the originals of the Hebrew and Greeke before all latine translations yea and before all translations whatsoever Then they fall to another course accusing our English translations to be false and untrue and not
aliquid errasse firmissimè credam I have learned to yeeld this reverence and honour to the canonicall Scriptures Onely that I most firmely beleeve no Author of them to have erred any thing in their Writing Yea the Writings of all others he saith are to be read non cum credendi necessitate sed cum judicandi libertate not with a necessitie to beleeve them but with a libertie to judge of them For The Authoritie of the sacred Scriptures cannot deceive And by those Bookes saith hee de caeteris literis fidelium vel Infidelium liberè judicemus We may freely judge of the Writings of all other men whether they be Christians or Infidels And this freedome or libertie S. Augustine againe challengeth to himselfe in quorumlibet hominum Scriptis in the Writings of all men vvhosoever and addeth this reason once more Quia solis canonicis debeo sine ulla recusatione consensum because I owe my consent without any refusall saith hee to the canonicall Scriptures onely Yea it is manifest that not onely singly or severally but iointly also with one consent manie ancient Fathers together have erred For example with S. Cyprian in his error of rebaptization manie of the ancient Fathers then living yea even great Councils also tooke part Againe did not all these Iustine Irenaeus Papias Tertullian Victorinus Lactantius Severus Apollinaris and others hold the Chiliastick error otherwise called the Error of the Millenarians In the Question also concerning Antichrist although verie manie ancient Fathers with one ioynt consent held he should come of the Tribe of Dan yet doth Bellarmine himselfe for all that hold this to be an opinion not certaine because it is not well and sufficiently proved by the Scriptures for the texts of Scripture which are wont to be alledged for maintenance of that opinion himselfe answereth and sheweth that they prove no such matter And therefore Turrecremata also saith thus The Writings of the Doctors are to be received vvith reverence yet they binde us not to beleeve them in all their opinions but wee may lawfully contradict them vvhere by good reason it appeareth that they speake against the Scripture or the truth And thus also speaketh Marsilius that he will receive whatsoever they bring consonant to the Scripture but what they bring dissonant from it hee will reject with reverence upon the Authoritie of Scripture vvhereunto he will leane Yea whereas some suppose that the ancient Fathers because they lived much neerer to the times of the Apostles then the late Writers did therefore see more and further into truth then the late Writers Andradius holdeth the contrarie saying God hath revealed manie things to us that they never saw Agreeably whereunto Dominicus Bannes another learned Popish Writer likewise saith thus It is not necessarie that by how much the more the Church is remote from the Apostles times by so much there should be the lesse perfect knowledge of the mysteries of faith therein because after the Apostles time there were not the most learned men in the Church which had dexteritie in understanding and expounding the matters of faith We are not therefore involved in the more darkenesse by how much the more in respect of time vve be distant from them but rather the Doctors of these later times being godly and insisting in the steps of the ancient Fathers have attained more expresse understanding in some things then they had for these be like children standing on the shoulders of Giants vvho being lifted up by the tallnesse of the Giants no marvaile though they see further then they Seeing then the ancient Fathers have erred and may erre even in the opinion of Papists as well as of Protestants it must be concluded that therefore they also cannot be this infallible Iudge What then May-Traditions not written or not specified in the sacred Scriptures alledged to be Apostolicall be held to be anie infallible Iudge or anie infallible rule of Faith I answer no. For first how can a man be assured that those Traditions be Apostolical which be alledged and affirmed so to be when he seeth no proofe or evidence for them in anie of the Writings of the Apostles or in anie of the sacred and canonicall Scriptures If you say that some of the ancient Fathers do testifie them to be Apostolicall That is no sufficient proofe that therefore they came originally and assuredly from the Apostles because even those ancient Fathers themselves taking them upon report of others might possibly be deceived And so pretious is mens faith and so deare unto them is and ought to be the salvation of their soules as that in those regards no Authoritie or testimonie of men without the Authoritie and testimonie of God therewith concurring can give them an undoubted or assured satisfaction For our Faith is not to be builded upon the credite Authoritie or testimonie of men but upon the testimonie and Authoritie of God himselfe Irenaeus in Eusebius declareth what maner of Traditions those were which Polycarpus delivered and said he had heard and received from the Apostles and testifieth of them that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all consonant to the Scriptures Traditions of this sort namely which be consonant and agreeable to the holy Scriptures we refuse not but willingly embrace but such Traditions as be dissonant and repugnant to those holy Scriptures there is ever iust reason to refuse or if they be not thereby warranted none is necessarily tyed or bound to beleeve them to be undoubtedly divine and Apostolicall It was not therefore without good cause that S. Paul himselfe gave caveats even touching Traditions and matters delivered as comming originally from the Apostles because sometimes some things were reported to come originally from them which indeed did not so come A cleere example wherof Eusebius sheweth in Papias who was himselfe so deceived under the name and supposition of Apostolicall Traditions and thereby also occasioned others to be deceived This Papias was schollar to Iohn the Apostle schoole-fellow to Polycarpus before mentioned and for the credit of his Traditions said thus I am not delighted with them that make mention of strange precepts and commandements but in them that teach those things that be true and bring such things as are delivered by the Lord to our fidelitie and came from the truth it selfe So vvhen anie came that was a Disciple of the Elders I enquired the vvords of the Elders What Andrew What Philip What Thomas or anie other of the Disciples of the Lord said and he saith moreover that hee laid up all those things well in his remembrance Howbeit notwithstanding all this his care diligence and vigilancie about Apostolicall Traditions he brought in as Eusebius saith sundry paradoxes and strange opinions and such as vvere full of fables amongst which was the Chiliastick opinion Yea this great liking and affection to unwritten Traditions deceived not onely Papias but as Eusebius witnesseth
not verie ancient as being given of later times to those Christians that have protested against the errors abuses in Poperie yet that hindreth not but that the Faith Religion by them professed may be nevertheless as it is the most ancient Apostolick Catholick Christian Divine As likewise the name of Papists is not verie ancient as being also of later times given by their adversaries unto them for that they depend so much upon the Pope his doctrine decrees designes yet do the Papists neverthelesse hold the faith and religion which they professe to be verie ancient yea the most ancient and the Apostolick Catholick and Christian. Howbeit both these Religions they being so repugnant contradictorie one to the other cannot be right but one of them must needs be wrong and that is Poperie as this Booke declareth That which wee meane and comprehend under the name of Poperie being nothing else but the errors heresies and corruptions which the Church of Rome holdeth and be accrued and growen unto it since the first institution and planting of it by the Apostles For what the Church of Rome rightly holdeth or beleeveth the Protestants impugne not nor have cause to impugne but they onely impugne her errors heresies and corruptions As for the terme of Catholicks which Papists have put upon themselves their calling themselves so doth not therfore prove them to be so for the Arrians in times past likewise called themselves Catholicks who were neverthelesse not so but Hereticks in verie deed But as we dislike not but well approve of that name of Catholicks when it is rightly used and applyed and given to those to whom it properly belongeth so doe wee preferre the name of Christians before it as being indeed the more ancient and the more honourable name it being derived from Christ himselfe the Head of his Church and the Author of the Christian religion Who be the right Catholicks and the true-Christians who not yea which be the Christian and which be the un-Christian and which be the Antichristian people doth afterward appeare that so every man may know what name doth rightly properly belong unto him and may ranke himselfe in his due place For whosoever knoweth Antichrist well wil abhorre detest him and will love honour and adhere unto Christ the puritie of his religion so much the more If then the Pope of Rome shall here appeare unto you to be as hee is the grand Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures I doubt not but you wil speedily renounce him his Antichristian Supremacie his Antichristian Religion together with all his seducing and Antichristian Teachers and wicked and Antichristian courses against the Church of God For no true-Christians ought nor will give anie better respect to Antichrist especially after that they once know him have him discovered manifested unto them God therefore open reveale his truth more more unto us all and incline all our hearts and affections to embrace it evermore to walke in the wayes of it AMEN An Alphabeticall Table of the principall matters handled in this Worke following A ANtichristianisme a mysterie of iniquitie and not any open hostilitie or professed enmitie against Christ and Christianitie pag. 208. pag. 39. p. 61.62 pa. 285.286 pag. 394 395. c. Antichristianisme began in the Apostles dayes pag. 280.321 VVhat maner of adversarie the speciall and grand Antichrist is pag. 285.286 and pag. 394 395.396 pag. 334.335 Antichrist is the falseâ—Prophet amongst Christians and not amongst the Turkes and other Infidels of the world pag. 341. c Miracles signes and wonders done in the Antichristian Church to seduce and deceive people with all pag. 280.281 VVhat maner of miracles or vvonders they be that be done in the Antichristian Church pag. 280.281.282 pag. 306.307 pag. 341. pag. 98.99 A difference betweene Christian un-Christian and Antichristian people pag. 286 Antichrist is not one singular or particular man that shall continue iust three yeares and an halfe but is a State or succession of men that is to have continuance for many hundreth yeares in the world pag. 312.313.314 315.316.317.318.319.320.321 c. Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God that is in the Church and amongst those that professe Christ and Christianitie p. 283.284 The speciall and particular place vvhere the grand Antichrist is to sit is not Constantinople nor Hierusalem nor any other Citie but Rome pag. 283.284.285 pag. 246.247.248 p. 377. c That the Pope of Rome is the grand Antichrist shewed out of 2. Thes. 2. pag. 279.280.281 c The Pope of Rome further shewed to be Antichrist out of Rev. 13. pag. 325.326.327.328.329.330.331.332 c Againe the Pope shewed to be Antichrist and the Popish Church to be the Antichristian out of 1. Tim. 4. verses 1 2 3 4 5. pa. 353 354.355 c Sundry obiections of the Papists concerning Antichrist answered pag. 377.378.379 380 381.382 c. That Papall or Popish Rome is the vvhore of Babylon shewed out of Revel 17 pag. 244.245.246 c The Romane Empire standing in the height and glory vvas the let or impediment that Antichrist could not shew himselfe in his height untill that impediment vvas removed pag. 304.305 pag. 391.392 393 That Antichrist is come long sithence pag. 391.392.393 394. pag. 43.44 c. pag. 61.62 Antichrist the man of sinne the sonne of perdition pag. 396.397.398 399.400 c. The reason vvhy men are so seduced and misled by Antichrist pag. 307.308 The most fearefull and vvofull estate of those vvho receiving many admonitions to the contrary vvill neverthelesse live and dye in obedience to Antichrist and his religion pag. 309 and p. 397 c. Assurance of salvation in this life and how it is 〈…〉 and mâ—y be obteyned pag. 158.159 160.161 c B IN vvhat sense some ancient Fathers call Peter Bishop of Rome and vvhether he vvere properly so to be called pag. 90 91 92 How unlike the Bishop of Rome is to S. Peter pag 92 93 94 c VVho that Beast is that is mentioned in Rev. 13 and in diverse other places of the Revelation pag 308.309 pag 325 326 327 328 c. and pag. 249.250.251.252.253 C WHere our Church vvas during the raigne of Poperie pag. 36.37 38 Councels aswell generall as Provinciall may erre in matter of Faith as vvell as in matter of fact pag. 50 51 52 54 c. See also the Preface VVhat Church that is vvhereof it is said that it cannot erre and vvhen and how farre it may erre and how farre not pag. 81 82. See also the Preface Concerning universalitie antiquitie perpetuitie visibilitie unitie succession of Bishops and doing of miracles vvhether all these be in the Popish Church and vvhether they be inseparable markes of the true Church pag. 83.84 85. c. to the end of that chapter Chastisements and afflictions in this life be sent of God upon his children out of his love toward them for other
good ends and purposes and not to satisfie the severity of his Iustice by that meanes for their sinnes and the punishment thereto belonging p. 125. c There is no iust cause to be shewed vvhy the pretended Catholicks should refuse to take the oath of Supremacy or refuse to come to our Churches Their obiections and reasons answered p. 1 2 c p. 407 c. See also throughout the vvhole booke for this purpose Concerning auricular Confession and to vvhom confession of sinnes is to be made and that it ought to be free and voluntarie and not forced or compelled pag. 302 303 c. pag. 253 254 D FOr vvhom Christ Dyed and to vvhom hee is a Redeemer pag. 187 188 189 c Every sinne Deadly in his owne nature although all sinnes be also veniall and remissible in respect of Gods mercie grace and bounty except the sinne against the holy Ghost pag. 114 115 E THe Emperor in ancient time had the Supremacy and not the Pope pag. 30 The Emperor in times past had power to place and displace Popes pag. 27 The Emperor in ancient time banished imprisoned and otherwise punished aswell Bishops of Rome as other Bishops pag. 22 Hee did make Lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall causes and religion pag. 24 As also Commissioners in an Ecclesiasticall cause and the B. of Rome himselfe vvas one of those Commissioners pag. ibid. An appeale to the Emperor in an Ecclesiasticall cause pag 24 Generall Councils in ancient times called by the Emperor and his Authoritie pag. 24 The Christian Emperor did and vvas to meddle in matters of the Church and concerning Religion pag. 25 The Christian Emperor in ancient time did nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces and even the Bishop of Rome himselfe pag. 25 Emperors in ancient time did ratifie the decrees of Councils before they vvere put in execution pag 28 Miltiades Leo and Gregory all Bishops of Rome in their severall times subiect to the Emperor and at his command pag 24.26 Ancient Fathers Popes of Rome and Councils aswell generall as provinciall may erre even in matter of faith aswell as in matter of fact pag. 49 50 51 52. c See also the Preface for this point The Romane Empire dissolved ever since the Emperors have ceased to have the soveraigne command and rule of Rome and that the Popes have gotten to be the heads and supreme Rulers of that City and to be above the Emperors pa. 331.332 and pag. 391.392.393 The Pope of Rome hath no power or authoritie from Christ to Excommunicate any pag. 299 c Excommunications be they never so iust and lawfull be by Gods law and appointment of no force to depose from Earthly kingdomes or to dissolve the dutie and allegeance of subiects pag. 299 300 301 c F OVr Forefathers and ancestors not to be followed in any vices or errors they held pag 34 35 Foretold in the Booke of God that an apostacie from the right faith and a mysterie of iniquitie otherwise called an Antichristianisme should come upon the Church and that so the Church by degrees should grow corrupted and deformed pag. 35 36 280 Foretold also how long the Church should lye in those her corruptions and errors and vvhen she should begin to be clensed and reformed pag. 35 36 VVhat is to be thought of our Forefathers that lived and dyed in the time of Popery pag 39.40 41 42 Foretold that a strong delusion to beleeve lyes shouâ—d possesse them of the Antichristian Church because they received not the love of the truth extant in the divine Scriptures pag. 307 308 Men are iustified in Gods sight and before his tribunall by Faith only and good vvorkes be the fruits and declarations of that faith pag. 99 100 101 c. to the end of that chapter and pag. 116 117 118 c. to the end also of that chapter G God is not the author of sinne pag. 168 169 c. H NOt Protestants but Papists be the Heretickes pag. 72. and Schismaticks pag. 37 38. pag. 413.414 c Not the Pope but Christ onely is the Head of the universall militant Church as well as of the triumphant pag 94 95 96 97 98 I VVHo is to be the infallible Iudge of controversies in religion or vvhich commeth all to one effect in the conclusion vvhat is the infallible Rule vvhereby men must iudge and be directed for the finding out of truth in those controversies pag. 49 50 51 c. See also the Preface for this matter The Implicita fides of Papists reproved pag 78 79 80 K KIngs have the Supremacie over all maner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill vvithin their own Dominions pa. 1. to p. 5 Their Supremacie in all kinde of causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill pag. 5 c Kings and Princes although they have the Supremacie yet thereby claime not nor can claime to preach to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate absolve or to consecrate Bishops or to doe any other act proper to the function of the Ecclesiasticall ministers pag. 32 c Kings and Princes be notwithstanding their Supremacies under God and subiect to him and his vvord pag. 33 Even heathen Kings may command and make Edicts and Proclamations for God and his service pag. 7. c Christian Kings and Queenes are by Gods appointment to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church and Religion p. 7. The authoritie of a Christian King in respect of contemptuous disorderly and unruly persons requisite and necessary in the Church as vvell as in the Common-weale pag. 6 c Kings and Princes may command and compell their subiects to externall obedience for God pag. 6 7 8 9 10 Christian Kings may make lawes about matters Ecclesiast p. 7 8.24 Hee may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes pag. 24 He may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiastical ib. He may nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces pag. 27. Councels and Convocations to be assembled by his authoritie and the decrees thereof by him to be ratified and confirmed before they be put in execution pag. 26 27 28 Christian Kings doe punish offendors in Ecclesiasticall causes not Ecclesiastically but Civilly pag. 6 7.32 Subiects ought not to rebell against their Kings and Princes though they be adversaries to the Christian Religion and though subiects have power force enough to do it pa. 20 21 22.299 300 Kings of Rome did sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Ambassadors pag. 22 How thankefull subiects ought to be unto God for Christian Kings and Princes pag. 33 The power of the Keyes most grossely abused by the B of Rome to vvorke his owne exaltation above Kings and Princes pag 299 300 301 c The Keyes of the kingdome of heaven no more given to S. Peter then to the rest of the Apostles pag. 292 293 294 295 L NO Licentiousnesse or impiety in the doctrine of Iustification by faith or in the doctrine of predestination or
things forbid evill things not onely such things as belong to humane societie but such things also as belong to Gods Religion Can anie thing be more plainely or more directly spoken for this purpose 4 It is true that the Oath of Supremacy conteyneth in it not onely an affirmative clause that The King is the onely supreme Governor of this Realme and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and countreyes c. but a negative clause also viz. that No forraine Prince person Prelate State or Potentate hath or or ought to have anie Iurisdiction power superioritie preeminence or authoritie Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall within this Realme c. And why should wee not all frankely and freely acknowledge this For beside that the effect of this negative clause is included in the former affirmative what hath anie forraine Prince or Prelate to doe within anie the Kings Dominions without his leave and licence For as touching the Bishop of Rome otherwise called the Pope concerning whom all the scruple is made his authoritie is by Act of Parliament directly banished and abolished out of all his Maiesties Dominions So that by anie humane Law or constitution of force in this kingdome he neither hath nor can challenge anie authoritie at all much lesse a supremacy amongst us How then doth he claime it Or which way can he have it Is it by anie Divine Institution That hath been often pretended I know but could never yet be proved nor ever will be For as for those three Texts of Scripture which be usually alledged namely the one in Matth. 16 Tu es Petrus super hanc Petâ—â—â— c. and Luk. 22. Oraâ—i pro te Petre c. and Ioh. 21. Pasce oves meas c. They have beene often heretofore as they be againe afterward examined and cleerely shewed to make nothing for him in respect of anie supremacy eyther Civill or Ecclesiasticall In the meane time will you be pleased to heare what some great learned men even of former times when Poperie was not altogether so grosse and bad as it is in these daies have written of this matter Cusanus a Cardinall did himselfe dispute in his time against them that thought the Pope to have more power and authoritie then otger Bishops Oportet primum si hoc verum foret Petrum aliquid à Christâ— singularitatis recepisse Papam in hoc successorem esse sed scimus quod Petrus nihil plus potestatis à Christo accepit alijs Apostolis First if this were true then must Peter have received something singular from Christ and that the Pope be his successor therein but we know saith he that Peter received from Christ no more power or authoritie then the rest of the Apostles Aeneas Silviaâ— likewise who was afterward himselfe a Pope of Rome hath written a Booke of the Acts and proceedings of the Councell of Basil and first handling that Text Tu es Petrus super hanc petram c. he saith thus A quibus verbis ideo placuit eâ—ordiri quod aliqui verba haec ad extollendam Romani Pontificis authoritatem solen◠〈…〉 sed ut statim patebit alius est verborum Christi sensus Of which words it therefore pleased mee to begin for that some are wont to alledge these words for the extolling of the authoritie of the Pope of Rome but as shall by and by appeare there is saith he another sense or meaning of those words of Christ. Iohn Gerson also Chancellor of the Vniversitie of Paris inveighing against flatterie and flatterers of the Pope saith That this offence was given by such as would prove his Iurisdiction from certaine Texts of Scripture as Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram c. and Oravi pro te Petre c. and such like which Texts saith he bee taken by these flatterers grosse non secundum regulam Evangelicam grossely and not according to the rule of the Gospell Observe well these speeches for they tell you how much these Texts of Scripture both heretofore have beene and still be herein abused it being indeed a thing certaine that neither to the civill Supremacie nor yet to the ecclesiasticall the Pope can make anie good title In times past he claimed the one or at least a great part of the Empire by a pretended gift or donation of Constantine the Emperor But that supposed donation and conveyance hath beene long since shewed to be a forged and counterfeit thing and that not onely by Protestants but by Papists also as namely by Valla by Volateran by Antoninus Catalanus by Canus also loc Theol. lib. 1. cap. 5. and by Pope Pius the second as Balbus witnesseth and by sundrie others In like manner he claimed in ancient time an ecclesiasticall supremacie by a supposed Canon of the Councell of Nice but that was also upon examination found to be a forged and counterfeit Canon and so discovered and made evident to the world by the sundrie Bishops of those times assembled in Councels And divers other forged Authors they likewise alledge for this purpose as for example certaine Decretall Epistles under the nameâ— of Clemens Anacletus Evaristus Sixtus Teleâ—phorus Higiâ—s Pius Anicetus Victor c. of which Epistles Bellarmine himselfe speaking saith Nec indubitatas esse affirmare audeam that neither durst he affirme them to be undoubted or uncounterfeit Such forged suspicious and counterfeit writings therefore can make no good or sure title to the Pope but contrariwise doe make the matter the more evident and the more odious against him Yea even the title appellation of universall Bishop wherin consisteth the summe and substance of the ecclesiasticall Supremacie he claimeth did two Bishops of Rome themselves in ancient time oppugne stand against when it was first affected by Iohn the Bishop and Patriarch of Constantinople for first Pelagius and then Gregory the great both Bishops of Rome withstood it Let no Patriarch saith Pelagius use so prophane a Title Againe he saith God forbid that it should ever fall into the heart of a Christian to assume any thing unto himselfe vvhereby the honour of his brethren may be debased for this cause I in my Epistles never call any by that name for feare lest by giving him more then is his due I might seeme to take away even that which of right belongeth to him For saith he The Divell our adversary goeth about like a roaring Lyon exercising his rage upon the humble and meeke hearted and seeking to devoure not now the sheepe-coats but even the principall members of the Church And againe hee saith Consider my brethren vvhat is like to ensue c. For he commeth neere unto him of whom it is written This is he which is King over all the children of Pride which words I speake with griefe of mind in that I see our brother and fellow Bishop Iohn in despite of the commandement of our Saviour the precepts of the Apostles
Priests Teachers and Leaders unlesse they be sure that they direct and teach aright for there be false Teachers as well as true Teachers and some that be blinde leaders of the blinde who cannot therein excuse the People because They both as Christ himselfe affirmeth in that case doe fall into the Ditch Neither is it a sure or sufficient ground for anie of them to build upon to say that their Religion of Popery is of a great long continuance in the world For Paganisme and Mahometisme have beene likewise of verie great and long continuance in the world and yet are they never the truer for all that A Custome therefore or Prescription or Continuance though it be for manie hundreth yeares in the world nor anie Antiquity ye can alledge though you could alledge it never so truely is not sufficient in this case unlesse it be the most ancient antiquitie extant in the daies of the Apostles and from their times deduced and in the sacred and Canonical Scriptures to be seene and there approved For there is an Antiquitie in Error and wickednesse as well as in Pietie and right Religion and a Mysterie of Iniquitie as well as a Mysterie of Godlinesse and an Antichristianisme as well as a Christianisme and a growth succession and proceeding in them both they both growing together as Wheate and Tares doe in a field untill they be separated Which Mystery of Iniquity otherwise called Antichristianisme that yee may know of what Antiquitie it is S. Paul telleth you that it began to work in the Apostles daies even in his time And so also doth S. Iohn expresly testifie although it then climbed not to that great growth and height that afterward by little and little and by degrees it ascended unto So that Mysticall Iniquity or which is all one Antichristian Errors and heresies began as you see verie early and went on forward endevoring to corrupt and infect Gods Church and his Religion and in continuance of time so encreased and prevailed as that at last like a Leprosie it overspread the whole Body miserably defiling polluting and deforming it and that for sundrie Ages even untill the time appointed of God came wherein Antichrist and that mysterie of Iniquitie were to be discovered and that the Church and Religion thereupon were to be reformed by the Booke of the Holy Scriptures opened and the true doctrine thereout once againe preached and delivered to the world which was not to come to passe untill the Sixt Angell had begun to blow his Trumpet as is shewed in the Revelation of S. Iohn that is not till toward the latter end of the world For under the blowing of the Trumpet by the seventh Angell the world is to end as appeareth in the same Revelation Now then what cause hath anie knowing and considering these Prophesies in the Booke of God concerning the state of the Church to marvaile or wonder that the Church and religion had such corruptions and so manie errors by degrees accrued unto it and continued so long in them or where our Church and Religion was all that while For this Prophecy and foretelling of these things thus to come to passe namely that the Church was to have these corruptions to grow upon it and to be continued therein for so long a time and that it was not to begin to be reformed or purged of them untill the blowing of the Trumpet by the sixt Angell giveth a full answer solution and satisfaction to all those demands and requireth everie one to cease questioning marvailing or wondering anie longer in that behalfe Would anie then know where our Church was all that while and untill they made an actuall separation from the Popish Assemblies The answer is verie easie and apparant namely that it was where those corruptions were and even where the Papacy and Antichristianisme was For Gods people doe sometimes dwell and be even where Sathans Throne is yea Antichrist himselfe being at length mounted aloft and placed in his Throne did then as was foretold he should doe sit in the Temple of God domineering over it So that Protestancie and Poperie that is true Christianitie and Antichristianisme were then mingled together with much griefe and sorrow to the true Christians untill they afterwards through the crueltie and persecution of their enemies and in detestation of their abhominations were forced to make and did make an actuall separation from them Which thing also was foretold that so it should come to passe for a voice sounding from heaven commanded them to Come from them to a more pure and heavenly-minded Church and to Goe out from amongst them lest being partakers of their sinnes they should also receive of their plagues When they were thus commanded to depart and to separate themselves and to goe out from amongst them it is evident that before and untill this their departure and going out from them they were amongst them and intermingled with them Yea even in those times namely under the blowing of the Trumpet by the sixt Angell when the Temple came to be measured it is apparant that the false Christians there noted under the name of Gentiles were the most and greatest number and did tread the rest that were the true Christians under foot so that even then as there appeareth there were some that were right and true worshippers of God in that Temple Yea euen during the time that they were thus intermingled together did God neverthelesse distinguish put a difference betweene them for he would have one part namely Atrium that is The Court or outer part under which those false Christians that is the Antichristian people are comprehended which outwardly pretended to worship God aright and yet were not the right and true worshippers of him indeed to be excluded and not to be measured or reckoned as anie part of the holy Citie or holy Temple that is of the true Christian Church Which I here observe the rather because some upon this That Antichrist was to sit in the Temple of God verie inconsequently and no lesse untruely inferre that therefore the Popish or Antichristian Church or people be the true Church For you see them here directly excluded from being anie part of the holy Citie or true Church Albeit therefore both Protestants and Papists were in those times thus intermingled together yet was not the Papacie the true Church as is here apparant For indeed Poperie to the Church is but as a corruption contagion or disease is to the bodie of a man or as a plague or pestilence is to a Citie and therefore they that made a separation from Poperie separated themselves not from the Church of God but from the disease corruption and contagion of the Church and from the plague and pestilence in that Citie and consequently cannot but most uniustly be termed Schismatickes especially considering that they also made this their separation by the warrant
according to these originals And herein Gregorie Martin and the Rhemists have chiefely shewed their skill but Doctor Fulke that great Linguist and excellent Scholler in all kinde of learning especially in Theologie hath fully and sufficiently answered them both in his defence of the English Translations against Gregorie Martin as also in his Answer to the Rhemists and their Annotations Wee defend not anie translations in anie point wherein they can be shewed to be wrong and not according to those originals For wee abhorre such wilfull and wicked perversnesse but wherein soever our translations be right and true and according to those originals we have ever good reason so far forth to defend and maintaine them against the frivolous and vaine exceptions either of Gregorie Martin the Rhemists or of anie other whosoever And I could wish and doe indeed wish and earnestly desire you that as yee read the Rhemes Testament so ye would also read the Answer unto it and to the severall Annotations of it And as ye read anie Popish Writer in anie point of controversie whatsoever you would likewise search and see what Answer the Protestants make unto it that so seeing and hearing both sides without partialitie and without preiudice yee may bee the better able to iudge iustlie and rightly in the cause and to give both to your selves and others a sufficient and sound satisfaction For so long as yee heare and read but one side onely and will not heare and read the other side to understand what answer is made thereunto it is impossible ye should be held for good indifferent or equall Iudges or Censurers or that you can give either to your selves or others anie sufficient resolution or sound satisfaction in that case 7 But you will say peradventure that your Church alloweth you not to read the Bookes of Protestants whom therefore they call and account to be Heretickes As for their accounting and reckoning us Heretickes we regard it not For wee know how far their iudgments are blinded and that they mightily mistake and misreckon because not we but they in verie deede be the Heretickes if they had eies to see it But it is no marvaile that the true most ancient Catholicke and Apostolicke faith and religion conteined in the sacred and Canonicall Scriptures which wee professe hold should be by them tearmed Heresie for we finde that it was so likewise reputed and tearmed Heresie even in Saint Pauls time Such hath ever beene the wickednesse both of unchristian and Antichristian Spirits against it But whilst your Church is so politicke and wily for her selfe and her owne safetie as to forbid you the reading of Protestant Bookes lest ye thereby discerning her errors and heresies should be mooved to turne from her unto us haue yee not good cause at the least to suspect and mistrust such a Church For if their cause were the truth truth is ever able to stand against all encounters and needeth not to feare the opposition of anie adversaries But indeed their cause appeareth to be naught For what is Poperie if it bee well considered but an Hotchpot or Bundle of errors and heresies aggregate and patched together to make one bodie of that profession Yea what is their whole Church and religion if ye rightly consider it all together but revera the Antichristian as this Booke amongst others doth sufficiently declare And will anie then be so unwise as to subiugate hin selfe and to yeeld his obedience to the voice decrees statutes and commandements of such a Church I would wish you to be more considerate and better advised then to be so farre deceived For the difference between a Protestant and a Papist is not small being no lesse then this that the one holdeth of Christ wholly and altogether and the other of Antichrist which being a difference so great and of such importance it standeth upon the salvation of Soules for all persons duely to consider it But yet further why will not your Church permit the lay people to reade the holy Scripturs themselves without a speciall licence from their Priests or Bishops For is not Gods licence sufficient for them in this case Chysostome exhorteth all people and even secular men by name to get them Bibles and at least the new Testament And S. Hierome likewise saith that Married men Monkes and silly Women in his time used to strive and contend who should learne most Scripture without booke S. Augustine also exhorteth all men in their private houses either to read the Bible themselves or to get some other to read it for them Is not your Church then herein directly contrarie to the ancient Church Yea wherfore is it that God hath given unto men that precious Pearle and inestimable Iewel of his will and word in the Scriptures conteined but to the end they should take notice of it and be directed by it so that it is to be as the Psalmist speaketh a Lanterne unto their feet and a light unto their paths Doth not S. Peter speake even to the lay people as well as to others telling them that they doe well to take heede to the most sure word of God as unto a light that shineth in a darke place Will anie earthly King forbid his Subiects the reading of his lawes and Statutes whereby they are to bee ruled and governed Doubtles if ever it were necessary for men to read search studie and often and againe and againe to revolue the Scriptures and booke of God now is the time in the midst of so manie errours and diversities of opinions as be in the world to be most diligent in that behalfe For amongst them all there can be but one right religion and how shall wee yee or anie other know for certaine which is that one right religion which God hath instituted and allowed of but by the Scriptures Let no man therefore forestall or preiudicate himselfe with supposing that he cannot understād the Scripturs For first how can he tell whether he can understand them or no untill he have made tryall Secondly it is well known that God helpeth forward a willing and industrious minde that is earnestly desirous to know his will and religion therein delivered and seeketh it out in his feare and with an humble affection and a sincere purpose to observe it and to walke in the waies of it For so the Psalmist witnesseth That them that be meeke God vvill guide in iudgement and teach the humble his vvay And againe he saith VVhat man is hee that feareth the Lord him shall hee teach the vvay that he shall choose And againe he saith The secret of the Lord is revealed to them that feare him and his covenant to give them understanding And againe it is said that God resisteth the proude but giveth grace to the humble And againe To him will I looke saith God even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth
yee cannot so much as shew the points of your religion wherein yee differ from us by the testimonie of the sacred and Canonicall Scriptures to have beene in the Apostles times and taught or approved by them as wee can doe ours And as touching Perpetuitie your Church hath it not but ours verie clearely hath it as having beene not onely in the times of the Apostles but in all succeeding ages also and posterities as is before sufficiently and plainely declared in the first part of this booke Chap. 2. For the true Church is builded upon so strong and invincible a Rocke namely upon Christ Iesus himselfe whom Peter confessed as that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it If all the power of hell and divels as is here manifest cannot prevaile against the Church of God that is the companie of Gods Elect and the number of his true and right Worshippers It is evident that this Church that is a companie of right and true worshippers of him must be granted to be perpetuall and to have continued throughout all ages and generations especially considering what God himselfe further speaketh saying thus I will makâ— this my covenant with them my spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seede nor out of the mouth of thy Seedes seede saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever Yea that our Church was in Esse and had continuance even during the hottest rage of the raigne of that Romish Antichrist besides all other arguments this is a manifest one namely because the Popish Church still molested pursued and persecuted our Church under the names of Berengarians VValdenses Albigenses VVickâ—evists Lutherans Calvinists Lollards Heretickes Scismatickes and such like And yet very true it is that such may be sometime in some place the state of the Church by reason of rageing persecution against it as that even a right godly man and true worshipper of God may thinke himselfe to bee left alone without anie followers or copartners with him there in the right service of God As for example Elias complained in his time and of that place where he then lived that hee was left alone and That they sought to take avvay his life also And yet for all that was not Elias left alone although he so supposed and spake for God told him that he had even there namely in Israell where Elias then was reserved unto himselfe Seven thousand right worshippers of him which had not bowed their knee to Baal If the Companie of Gods chosen Church and elect people and right Worshippers of him be as is here evident sometime in some place unknowne even to a right godly man and Prophet of God no marvell is it though they sometimes lye hid and be unknowne to their enemies and persecutors to whose devowring pawes and bloodie hands without urgent cause they had no reason to shew themselves It is therfore no good argument which Papists make when they say that at some times during the raigne of Poperie they neither saw nor knew nor could heare of anie Protestants for if it were so as they say that they could finde none nor knew of anie at sometimes yet even then might there bee and were there also some such true and right worshippers of God albeit they lay hid from them and kept themselves as they had reason from their knowledge and mercilesse crueltie The reason then which they make against the continuance and perpetuitie of our Church because it was not as they say at all times seene of the world nor had their exercises of Religion at all and singular times publikely knowne to the world appeareth to be verie idle and of no force As for the answer which the Rhemists make to the former complaint of Eâ—ias that the faithful in his time were forced to keep close by reason of the persecution of Achab Iesabel which was onely in the Kingdome of the ten Tribes that is in Israell and yet neverthelesse that at the verie same time in Ierusalem and in all the Kingdome of Iudah the externall worship and profession of faith was openly observed well known even to Elias himselfe Admit all this were true which is not proved yet what will they then say to this that the Church at other times hath beene so hidden that there was no open or publike exercise of Religion to be sâ—ene no not in Iuda or Ierusalem it selfe no more then in those ten Tribes of Israell as namely in the daies of Ahas the sonne of Iotham King â—f Iuda of whom it is said that hee walked in the way of the Kings of Israâ—ll yea and made his Sonne to goe through the fire after the abhominations of the Heathen and in whose time the Altar of God was removed and an Idolatrous altar by the high Priests consent 〈…〉 Yea in the daies also of Hoseah King of Israell it is testified that not onely Israell but Iuda also kept not the Commandements of the Lord their God but walked according to the fashion of Israel vvhich they vsed How was the Church then visible in that sort and sense that wee speake of that is to say was it such a Church as had publike exercises of Gods religion splendently seene and openly apparant to the world Againe in the daies of Manasseth King of Iuda when Hee did evill in the sight of the Lord after the abhomination of the Heathen and erected altars for Baall and worshipped all the hoast of heaven and served them and when hee also built Idolatrous altars in the house of the Lord yea when it was recorded that this King Manasseh led the people out of the way to doe more wickedly then did the heathen and made Iuda also sinne vvith his Idols I say when Iuda became thus corrupted and Idolatrous aswell as Israell Had then the Church her outward practise of Religion according to Gods commandement and appointment to bee openly seene of the world And was it not so likewise in the daies of Amon King of Iuda Sonne and successor to Manasseh vvho did evill in the sight of the Lord as his father Manasseh did for he walked in all the waies his father walked in and served the Idols that his father served and worshipped them Thus you see that the Church of God was sometimes not openly seene but lay hidden and that as well in Iuda and Ierusalem as in the ten Tribes But perceiving this Church of Iuda and Israell to make against them then they flie to another devise and say that the Christian Church hath better promises then the Church of the Iewes Howbeit they can shew none as touching this point better for the one then for the other Yea for the Church of the Ievves to continue untill the first comming of Christ there be as strong as good promises to be seene as for
your selfe neither eate nor drinke Bee not such grosse impieties and palpable absurdities iustlie worthie for ever to be abhorred and detested FINIS SECVNDAE PARTIS THE THIRD PART of the BOOKE CHAP. I. That the Authoritie of the Church is not above the Authoritie of the Scriptures That Popish Rome is the Whore of Babylon and therein of some special spiritual Whoredomes or Idolatries of the Romish Church BVt yet when they further say that the Authoritie of the Church is above the authoritie of the holy Scriptures what is this but to exalt men their authoritie above the authoritie of God himselfe and to magnifie the creature above the creator and to advance the wife in authoritie above her husband and his will and commandement The Church is the spouse of Christ and therefore is to be in subiection to him as to her head and husband as the wife is to be in subiection to her head and husband for so S. Paul declareth If then the Church be as is evident in subiection to Christ it is cleere shee can claime no superioritie or authoritie over him or his will or word in the Scriptures conteined yea it is the note and marke of an harlot and dishonest woman to challenge and usurpe authoritie over her husband And therefore what doth this position else prove but that the Romish Church is and must needs be the proud insolent false and dishonest Church even the vvhore of Babylon as shee is called in the Revelation of S. Iohn For what may not that Church doe or dare to doe be it never so wicked or ungodly which holdeth her authoritie to be above the authoritie of the Scriptures Is not this a dore that openeth a way to all licentiousnesse and wickednesse and to devise decree and doe in matters concerning Religion whatsoever pleaseth her selfe The right and true Church is of another and a better disposition and is ever content and desirous to live in subiection and in obedience to Christ and to his word will and pleasure and accounteth that as indeed it is her greatest honour And so also Christ Iesus himselfe sheweth that this is her chaste and godly disposition for thus he saith My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow mee and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands Marke that hee saith that his sheepe heare His voyce and follow Him and therefore they follow not others nor their owne unbridled humors lusts or pleasures but desire and endevour evermore to obey him and to doe as he hath willed and commanded them Againe the Church of Christ is expressely charged to observe all those things which Christ Iesus her Lord head and husband hâ—th commanded and therefore is to keepe her selfe within those her limits and bounds and not licentiously to wander or to goe beyond them Wherefore S. Paul also saith thus that the Lord Iesus shall shew himsâ—lfe from heaven vvith his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that know not God and vvhich obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ vvhich shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power vvhen hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvailous in all them that beleeve Doe you not here likewise see how great subiection and obedience unto the Gospel of Iesus Christ and to his word and will is required of all men Yea what great peril and punishment they are to undergoe which will not subiect themselves unto it namely that such shall be punished with everlasting perdition Take heed therefore and with as much good hast as ye can declare your subiection and obedience to the Gospel and word of God in the sacred Scriptures conteyned without anie further neglect of it or opposition to it As for the reason that some make that because the Church telleth us that This is the Scripture therefore the Authoritie of the Church is above the Scripture it is but a verie weake and an idle reason and no better then if it should be said that you had not knowne that this were the King but that such a man told you and shewed him to you Ergo this man is above the King Were not this a verie ridiculous and a most absurd inference The Church is by her Ministerie bound and according to her duetie ought to tell testifie and declare the word of God and what Scriptures be canonical and what not to teach the truth in those Scriptures conteyned but this office sheweth rather service and subiection in the Church then anie Soveraigntie or Superioritie in her above the Scriptures Schollers in a Schoole can tell a stranger who is the Master of the Schoole yet is not their authoritie therefore above the authoritie of their Maister Whilest then the Popish Church holdeth that her authoritie is above the authoritie of the Scriptures it is manifest she is not guided as shee vanteth by the holy Ghost but contrariwise with a spirit of pride and licentiousnesse and of opposition against God and his authoritie word and will in those his Scriptures declared And what then can such a spirit be but the spirit in verie deed of Antichrist and consequently what can such a Church be but the erring and Antichristian Church 2 For further proofe whereof give mee leave now to shew unto you that The Popish Citie of Rome from whence as from their mother Church all Papists receive their bane is that very vvoman even that VVhore of Babylon as I said before which is mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn with vvhom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and vvith the wine of vvhose fornication the Inhabitants of the earth have beene made drunken Which Woman is there further said to be arayed in purple and scarlet and gilded vvith gold and pretious stones and to have also outwardly a Cup of gold in her hand full neverthelesse within of abominations and filthinesse of her fornications and all this to entise and allure Lovers and friends unto her Now if wee would know certainely and assuredly who this woman was which S. Iohn thus saw in vision the Angel telleth us precisely saying The vvoman vvhich thou sawest is the great Citie that raigneth over the Kings of the earth But the great Citie that then raigned over the Kings of the earth in the daies of S. Iohn and had the Empire was not Constantinople nor anie other citie but only the citie of Rome as all men know and therefore only the citie of Rome and not anie other citie is and must needs be there meant under the name of the woman there otherwise called the VVhore of Babylon But for more explication who this woman was it is there further said that there were seven hills or Mountaines vvhereon the vvoman sate Now it is
wrought in anie sort by mans hand should be worshipped Adoratione latriae with that worship that is properlie belonging to God himselfe May not those men that be thus enamored with Images and that hold these opinions be therein supposed to be as senselesse as the verie Images themselves For what is this else but to worship stockes and stones and the worke of mens hands with divine honour And can there be a greater or a more grosse Idolatrie committed Yea S. Augustine noteth it as the heresie of the Carpocratians that they vvorshipped the Images of Iesus and of Paul Whereas some therefore say that the honor which is given to the signe or Image doth ever redound and is given to the Prototypon to that whose signe or Image it is and consequentlie that the honour given to the image of God and of Christ is honour done to God himselfe and to Christ himselfe this appeareth not to be true Yea even amongst men if the respect that is yeelded to the picture or Image of a friend or of anie great man shall be accepted as honour due to the man himselfe whose picture and Image it is intended to be it must be with these conditions viz. first that it be a right and true picture and image of the man for if it be nothing like him but more like some other man or some other creature hee hath no reason to take it for his picture or image much lesse to thinke himselfe thereby honored Secondlie it must have an allowance or at least no disallowance in respect of him to whose honour he intendeth to make it if he meane that the other shall accept and take it as an honour done unto him for if he to whose honor it is intended disallow it or signifie his minde that he will not have his picture drawne or his image made to be so honoured it can be no honour acceptable to him in that case but it will rather move offence and be ill taken if it be done How much more then will God be offended with these things For beside that no man can make a true and perfect picture or Image of him that is both God and Man God hath further directlie disallowed and forbidden these Images and all Images and Similitudes whatsoever to be vvorshipped In Gregories time Images were not allowed to be worshipped yea Pope Gregory himselfe well liked of Serenus Bishop of Massilia in this point viz. for that he forbad Images to be vvorshipped As for that second Councell of Nice therefore which was after Pope Gregories time gathered under Irene the Empresse inasmuch as it was assembled to overthrow the former godlie Councels of Constantinople and Ephesus which decreed against Images and the worshipping of them it ought to carrie no credite or esteeme and the rather because that second Councell of Nice was also afterward againe further condemned in the West by another Councell held at Frankford Which thing Carolus Magnus himselfe in his booke made against Images doth also testifie The same is likewise testified by sundrie other Authors Yea Epiphanius in his daies would not allow so much as an Image of Christ or of anie Saint to be at all in Churches for comming to a Church at Anablatha and there seeing in a Vaile an Image painted as it vvere of Christ or of some Saint he affirmed it to be contrary to the Authority of the Scriptures to have anie such Image in a Christian Church and therefore caused it to be taken down And the Councell of Eliberis also decreed the like against the having of Images in Churches How much more then would these men have condemned the Worship of the verie Images themselves 6 A sixt point of Idolatrie in the Popish Church is that they worship the Crosse also and pray unto it saying O Crux ave Spes unica hoc passionis tempore auge pijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam Hayle O Crosse our onely hope in this time of the passion Increase righâ—eousnesse to the godâ—y and give pardon to the guilty Yea Thomas Aquinas their Angelical Doctor as they call him saith the Crosse is to be worshipped with latria and giveth two reasons of this Adoration saying thus Crux Christi in qua Christus crucifixus est tum propter repraesentationem tum propter Membrorum Christi contactum latria adoranda est The Crosse of Christ vvhereon Christ vvas crucified both because of the representation and also for that it touched the members of Christ is to be vvorshiped with latria that is with that vvorship that is proper and due unto God But be these reasons sufficient in this case The Gospel was so cleerely preached to the Galathians as if there had beene a lively Image of Christ crucified set before their eies was therefore the verie Ministerie or Preaching of the Gospel whereby Christ crucified was thus depainted out to be adored or worshipped with that worship that is due and proper to God The breaking of the Bread in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper doth represent unto us the breaking crucifying of Christ his Body upon the Crosseâ— and the pouring out of the wine in the same Sacrament representeth also the shedding or effusion of his Bloud upon the same Crosse for us shall therefore the breaking of the Bread or the pouring out of the vvine be adored and worshipped with that worship that is due unto God And yet is the Preaching and Ministerie of the Gospel as likewise the administration of the Sacraments of Gods owne institution but no institution commandement or warrant from him can be shewed for making a wooden Crosse or anie kind of Crosse to be a representatioÌ„ of Christ crucified And yet if such an institution could be shewed for the Crosse it followeth not that therfore it is to be worshipped with that worship that is proper and due unto God no more then VVater in Baptisme or Bread and VVine in the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper are so to be worshipt although they be Gods institutions or no more then the Brazen Serpent which was also Gods institution in times past amongst the Iewes was therefore so to be worshipped What Is the vvooden Crosse or anie Crosse whatsoever become a God that it should thus be worshipped As for the other reason if because the Crosse touched Christ it be therefore to be worshipped why should not also the Nailes and the Crowne of Thornes and the Speare or Lance wherewith he was pierced be likewise so adored or worshipped or why should not Iudas Iscariot who likewise touched Christ betraying him with a Kisse and those wicked Iewes that apprehended and tooke him and that Woman also that vvashed Christs feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head yea and the Pinnacle of the Temple whereon Christ was set and all those manie places of ground whereon Christ stood and all those sundrie persons which he touched and which
thereby declaring that it shall not bee anie open hostilitie or professed Enmitie against Christ and his Gospell such as is amongst Turkes and Iewes and other Infidells of the world but an hidden close and covert Iniquity not easie to be discerned to be Iniquitie it should carrie and convey it selfe so subtillie and under such shewes and pretences of godlinesse and Christianitie And least wee should deceive our selves in the time or thinke that this Mysterie of Iniquitie vvas to rise to his height and fulnesse on a sodaine or all at once or not till some few yeares beâ—ore the end of the world behold S. Paul telleth us that it was then in working eveÌ„ in his daies so that even then namelie in S. Pauls time it began to worke in such sort as it could going on and creeping forward by little and little and by degrees untill at last it came to his full stature and highest tallest growth And further the text sheweth that in this Apostacie or mystical Iniquitie there should bee signes vvonders and lying Miracles wrought for the better prevailing and fortification of it and for the stronger alluring of people thereunto and confirming them therin Now they bee called lying Miracles or lying wonders partlie for that they bee false and counterfeit and partlie for that they lead men into falshood and errors as Chrysostome expoundeth those words And likewise S. Augustine sheweth that they be called lying signes and wonders either because hee shall deceive the senses of mortal men by counterfeit shewes and apparances that he may seeme to do that which hee doth not or else because they shall draw unto lies such as shall beleeve that they could not be done but by the power of God they not knowing the power of the Divell For the Divell sometimes interposeth himselfe to worke these miracles And even in this verie place also to the Thessalonians they are said to bee done by the operation or vvorking of Satan Consider then whether these things bee not found verified in the Papacie As touching the Miracles which are said to bee done in Poperie there be as that learned and reverend Bishop D. Dovvnam hath distinguished set them downe three degrees or three sorts of them the one such as bee merelie fabulous and devised by lying Companions whereof their Legends Festivalls and other their Bookes have good store of examples some of them being so notoriouslie incredible as that none except he were miserablie intoxicated and bewitched could or would beleeve them which lowd and lewd lies and no better then Poetical Fictions were neverthelesse in so high esteeme in the Popish Church that they were both publickelie and privatelie read in the vulgar tongue when as the sacred and Canonical Scriptures were closed up and kept from the people in an unknowne language And as this first degree of Miracles is of such as never were indeede not so much as in apparance but in the opinion onelie of men besotted and given over to beleeve incredible untruths So the second degree or second sort of their Miracles is of such as be in shew or apparance onelie or artificial conveiances of deceitful men or iugling trickes of Legerdemaine of which sort are the nodding or moving the smiling or frowning the sweating or speaking of Images and such like The third sort of their Miracles bee such as bee done by the power of the Divell working by natural causes and naturall meanes although so closelie covertlie stilie and speedilie sometimes as that they draw ignorant people that perceive not the reason of those things into a great admiration and conceit that they are true miracles indeed when as neverthelesse though they bee done yet they surpasse not the strength of nature as those doe that bee true and divine Miracles For those that bee true Miracles indeed bee supernatural and beyond the power of all natural causes whatsoever and are done onelie by the omnipotent power of God Neither is the Pope nor all his partakers able to produce anie one such true Miracle wrought by a Divine power and by the finger of God for confirmation of anie pointe of their New Religion wherein they differ from us although they pretend divers Yea some of their owne writers doe ingenuouslie confesse that sometimes there is verie great deceiving of the people by Miracles fayned by the Priests or their adherents for temporal gaine sake And another of them saith directly thus That in the Sacrament appeareth flesh sometime by the conveyance of men sometime by the operation of the divell Another of them saith likewise that Miracles bee sometimes done to men that flocke to Images by the operation of Divells to deceive inordinate worshippers God permitting it and the infidelitie of such men requiring it Irenaeus even in his time also telleth of a certaine man called Marke which in the Sacrament of the Eucharist mightilie deceived the people by changing the colour of the wine in such sort as that it seemed to bee blood All which kinde of deceiveable practises it is good that all those that bee so much devoted and wedded to Poperie and to listning after Miracles should take special notice of and thereby learne to take heede of such Impostors and Deceivers in time All the great wonderfull and supernatural Miracles which have beene done by Christ and his Apostles and in those ancient former and elder times be sufficent for confirmation of that old and most ancient faith and religion which wee hold namely which is conteined in the sacred and Canonical Scriptures neither doe wee desire anie moe or thinke anie more requisite or necessarie For as S. Augustine saith Quisquis adhuc prodigia ut credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credente non credit VVhosoever still seeketh after wonders that hee might beleeve is himselfe a great wonder who when the world beleeveth beleeveth not Yea if the Papists had not these their signes wonders and miracles amongst them they could not bee as here wee see the Antichristian Church But there bee no people of the world that so much obiect and boast of them as they As for the Iewes they have them not The Turkes and Mahometists disclaime them professing that their religion is to bee propagated and promoted not by miracles but by force and armes and by the sword The true Christians which bee the Protestants urge them not nor require them onelie the false Christians that is the Antichristians which bee the Papists doe urge and require them and glorie and vaunt of them and none so much as they nor anie like to them and therefore this note or marke of Antichristianisme touching Miracles is verie evident and most apparant amongst them 2 Againe this text of S. Paul sheweth that this great Antichrist who is the head of this Apostatical Church which thus aboundeth with false and lying Miracles and Wonders should sit in the Temple of GOD that
by this Beast cannot be intended the Romane Heathen Empire although that was also a verie great persecutor of the Saints and peole of God because the Romane Heathen Empire was in Esse and being as everie one knoweth in S. Iohns time and at the time of this Revelation given and so was not this Beast there most specially taken and intended For it is said of this Beast that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascensura est it should afterward arise Secondly this Beast there most specially spoken of and intended to take away all maner of doubt in the case is expressely notified and affirmed in the verie Text it selfe to be the Eight head of the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is octavus est s. Rex and therefore is he farre remote from the time of those old Heathen persecuting Emperors Thirdly consider that this Beast is said to come ex abysso out of the bottomlesse pit and therefore it is the same Beast that is likewise mentioned to come out of the same bottomlesse pit in Rev. 11.7 which persecuted the two witnesses there spoken of and put them to death after the blowing of the Trumpet by the sixt Angell This circumstance of time wherein this Beast was and persecuted the two witnesses being after the blowing of the Trumpet by the sixt Angell even so neere toward the end of the world for under the blowing of the seventh Angell the world is to end Rev. 10. and 7. Rev. 11.15 c. doth also declare that it cannot be intended the Romane Heathen Empire which was before the blowing of the sixt Angell and is so long since ended and expired For the Emperors ceased to be Heathens and became Christians about 300 yeares after Christ in the daies of Constantine the first Christian Emperor Fourthly consider that the second Beast under which Antichrist in respect of his false doctrine counterfeit holinesse miracles and other his spiritual actions is more specially described is all one with him which is often otherwise called in the same Revelation the false-Prophet and remember withall that both the first Beast and this second Beast otherwise called the false-Prophet lived together and were both destroyed together So that the first Beast appeareth to be such a one as is to have a continuance in the world untill the destruction of the second Beast which is the false-Prophet Antichrist and therefore hee cannot possibly be intended the old Roman Heathen Empire no nor yet the hereticall Arian Empire for neither of these were of that long continuance yea they both be long since ended and determined and yet is not Antichrist that false-Prophet destroied Fiftly here observe that this chapter of Rev. 13. and the things therein conteined concerning the Beast be brought in and mentioned after that the seventh Angell had blowne his Trumpet during the continuance of whose blowing the Church of Christ is mightily to prevaile and to be reformed and the Gospell of the kingdome of Christ to flourish and get the upper hand against all adversaries to the conversion at length both of Iewes and Gentiles unto Christ and his religion Wherewithall you may perceive what is the chiefe drift and scope of the whole Booke of the Revelation as touching things future in the Church namely that it is to discover these two things first the estate of the Church as it grew by degrees deformed and corrupted comprised in the blowings of the Trumpets by the first five Angels and untill the sixt Angell also had begun to blow his Trumpet and secondly the estate of the Church as it grew againe by degrees reformed and restored to her first and most ancient puritie Which happie reformation and cleansing of the Church after so long a deformitie and corruptions growne in it did not begin nor was to begin as this Prophecie sheweth untill after the time that the sixt Angel had begun to blow his Trumpet for then and not untill then was the book of the holy scriptures everlasting Gospel opened the truth of Gods religion therin conteined preached Once againe in the world to discover detect the before-hidden fraudes false doctrines and impieties of Antichrist Whereupon followed a measuring of Gods Temple and of the right worshippers therein and some VVitnesses also of Gods truth and religion which did openly shew themselves and were put to death for profession and defence of the same truth After which and after the blowing of the Trumpet by the seventh Angell the reformation and restoring of the Church formerly begun is prosecuted and further augmented and much more and mightily enlarged and to be enlarged Insomuch that the Church of Christ is after this blowing of the Trumpet by the seventh Angell verie splendently described and that shee brought forth masculine and strong children unto God of whom shee travailed in birth untill Christ were formed in them such as neither fraude nor furie of the great red Dragon the Divell could daunt dismay or discourage of which sort were the Albigenses in whose times were verie famous and splendent Churches of valiant and couragious Christians that tooke part with Michael and fought against the Dragon and his Angels in the warres of those times Yea notwithstanding all that those great malignant adversaries of the Church namely the Dragon the Beast and the false-Prophet did or could devise to doe yet for all that did the Church of Christ continue still and encrease and with the Lamb Christ Iesus were there seene standing upon mount Sion 144000 which took part with him and would not remove their station nor be withdrawne from him And after this againe is there record and mention made of these increasing and couragious Christians that still got the victorie over the Beast and his Image and his marke and the number of his name and that sung the song of Moses with much praise and thankesgiving unto God therefore And in the rest of the Chapters following namely in the 16 17 18 19 of the Revelation not onely the true Church is shewed to prosper and prevaile but to the enemies and adversaries thereof be threatned and doe befall the Viols of Gods wrath calamities miseries and destruction in their appointed times But thus it appeareth which was my purpose to shew that the Beast here mentioned as it is most specially and most restrictively taken cannot be meant of the old Romane Heathen Empire nor yet of the hereticall Arrian Empire because both these kind of Empires ceased and were ended long before this time of the blowing of the Trumpet by the seventh Angell Now let us see whether the Germane Empire can be here intended and it is verie manifest also that it cannot for although the Emperor of Germanie be called King of the Romanes and hath the title of Emperor yet hath he not Rome the seate of the old Romane Empire neither hath hee anie Principalitie Headship or Soveraignetie there How then
could not so long as that flourished appeare in his height And therefore well saith Optatus Cum super Imperatorem non sit nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem certè qui se super Imperatorem extollit iam quasi hominum excesserit metas se ut Deum non Hominem aestimat Seeing there is None above the Emperor but God only which made the Emperor certainly he that exalteth himself above the Emperor as one that hath gone beyond the bounds of men esteemeth himselfe not now any longer as a Man but as God You must then ever remember to distinguish betweene these two which Irenaeus also observeth namely betweene him that is God indeed and essentially and those that be called Gods Non super hunc extolletur Antichristus sed super eos qui dicuntur quidem uon autem sunt Dij Not above Him that is God indeed shall Antichrist be exalted saith he but above those that he called Gods and are not Anselmus doth also so distinguish and saith Antichrist shall be exalted super omne quod dicitur Deus id est super illos qui nuncupativè non essentialiter sunt Dij Deus enim dici aliquando homo potest c. above all that is called God that is saith he above those that be Gods nuncupatively but not essentially For even a man may sometime be called God And so likewise doth Remigius Remensis Peter Lombard Bruno Thomas Aquinas and Dionysius Carthusianâ—â— distinguish writing upon this Text of 2. Thess. 2. And therefore observe well the difference and forget not withall that the Pope is exalted above all these namely above all Emperors Kings Princes and other Potentates of the earth But you will say that not onely Princes on earth but Angels also in heauen be in Scripture called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Gods as appeareth by conferring Psal. 8.5 with Heb. 2.7 and Psal. 97 7. with Heb. 1.6 c. and that therefore the Pope must have an exaltation above Angels also if he shal be Antichrist But first what necessitie is there that these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super omnem should extend anie further then to Every man for he is but a man himselfe of whom that Text speaketh namely Antichrist the man of sinne and is it not sufficient to declare his pride and elation that he is exalted above everie one of his owne kinde that is above Every Man on Earth be he never so sacred regal or Imperial or never so high or Maiestical But if these words be to be extended to Angels in heaven also then hath Innocentius the fourth told you that to the Pope subdita est omniâ— creatura Every creature is subiect Antoninus saith that His power is greater then all other created powers extending it selfe to things celestial terrestrial and infernal Augustinus Triumphus likewise saith that All knees must how unto him both of things in heaven and things in earth and things infernal Againe it is said that the Pope Vicariatum Christi gerit non tantum in terrenis coelestibus infernis sed etiam in super Angelos bonos malos beareth the Vicarship of Christ not onely in earthly heavenly and infernal things but also over and above the Angels both good and bad Yea it is there said that Potestatem habet maiorem quam omnes Angeli adeo ut ipsos excommunicare possit He hath greater power then all Angels so that he may excommunicate them And therefore it is further said that Papa Angelis habet imperare the Pope hath to doe to command the Angels And againe Papa habet Imperium in Angelos Daemonas The Pope hath command over Angels and Divels And againe Papa Angelis praecipit The Pope commandeth the Angels And the Pope hath accordingly actually commanded the Angels For Pope Clement the sixt in that his indulgent Bull in the yeare of Iubiley commandeth the Angels that they should carrie the right way to heaven the soules of them that purposed to goe on pilgrimage to Rome if being confessed they chanced to die by the way Mandamus prorsus Angelis paradisi quatenus animam à purgatorio penitus absolutam in paradisi gloriam introducant VVee straightly command the Angels of Paradise saith he that they bring the soule being altogether absolved from Purgatory into the glory of Paradise So that you see the Pope of Rome is exalted even above the Angels also which be in Scripture called Gods What then now hindreth but that he should be the undoubted grand Antichrist Yea by thus exalting himselfe above the Angels what doth he else but so shew himselfe as if he were God For by this argument doth the Apostle prove Christ to be God in that he is superior to the Angels As for the Idolls or gods of the Gentiles if anie doe vilipend and contemne them it is not to be imputed to him for a fault for all those Gods be as the Psalmist saith of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 res nihili things of no account or esteeme Yea the sacrifices which the Gentiles offered unto them were made not unto God but unto Divels as S. Paul affirmeth And therefore when the Apostle saith of Antichrist as taxing therein his pride and alledging it as a matter highly faultie and blame-worthie in him that he did exalt himselfe above all that is called God it is manifest that it cannot be meant of the Idols or false gods of the Gentiles which it is no fault for anie man to debase or depresse but it must be intended of his exaltation above such as be called gods by Gods own good liking and approbation of which sort are Kings Princes and the other Potentates of the earth And so also for the same reason must the Sebasma mentioned in this Text be intended not of the Idols or superstitious worship used amongst the Pagans Heathens or Gentiles although they be also called Sebasmata but of such a Sebasma as God in his censure and word alloweth Now it is expressely evident that the Emperor is called and that by way of approbation in Gods Booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Sebastos Augustus consequently the reverence worship and honour that was given unto him might well be called Sebasma And yet if this Text were to be understood of anie false gods or superstitious Sebasmata used in the Popish Church we see that the Pope is in that Church exalted above them all Is not the Altar a sacred and venerable thing unto them Yet when the Pope is once chosen he is exalted above the Altar and the Altar is made his seate to sit upon Is not the Crosse also another great and venerable Sebasma amongst them They say it is to be worshipped with divine honour even with Latria that is with that worship that is due and proper unto God and yet is this Crosse laid under the Popes feete and carried before him as
heathen Rome but of Rome also after it had forsaken heathenisme and had received the faith of Christ and turned againe from that unto Antichristianisme Obiect 9. But although those Iesuits do meane that Rome shall become Antichristian and bee ruled by Antichrist yet they doe not meane that it shall bee so untill some few yeres before the end of the world Ans. They meane as they must needs that Rome should become Antichristian in the dayes and times of the Grand Antichrist who is come long sithence For wheras they have a conceit that this Antichrist is not yet come and that when hee commeth hee shall raigne but three yeares and a halfe therein is their great error and mistaking For what was it that hindred or letted his appearing was it not the Romane Empire Onely bee which now letteth shall let untill hee bee taken out of the way and then shall that wicked man bee revealed saith S. Paul Hereupon Tertullian in his Booke of the Resurrection of the flesh Chapt. 24 saith thus Onely hee which now letteth must let till hee bee abolished VVhat is this but the Romane Empire Chrysostome in his fourth Sermon upon the second to the Thessalonians is of the same opinion and so is the Greeke Scholiast And so doth S. Augustine also expound it in his twentieth Booke and ninteenth Chapter of the Citie of God and Primasius also S. Hierome likewise saith the same in th 11 Question to Algasia and addeth That the Apostles durst not say in expresse termes that the Romane Empyre should be abolished for feare of drawing persecution upon the Church Howbeit this needeth no proofe at all because the Adversaries themselves doe also teach that the impediment to Antichrist mentioned by S. Paul was the Romane Empire But the Romane Empire which was the Onely let or impediment of Antichrist his appearing is now long sithence taken out of the way Ergo long since was the time of Antichrist his comming and appearing That the Romane Empire which was so flourishing in S. Pauls time is now long sithence abolished or taken out of the way is before prooved by the expresse testimony of the Historiographers themselves affirming the same as namely by Machiavell who dedicateth his Florentine Historie to Pope Clement the seventh by Guicciardine in the fourth Booke of his history and by Augustinus Steuchus and by Lipsius c. And so also is it testified in Synodo Reginoburgensi that Romani Maiestas Populi qua olim orbis regebatur Sublata est de terris Imperator vana apellatio sola umbra est The Maiestie of the Romane people whereby the world in times past was governed is taken from the earth The Emperor is now a vaine title and a shadow onely And so likewise affirmeth Lyranus that Ab Imperio Romano recesserunt quasi omnia Regna negantia ei subijci redditionem Tributi All Kingdomes in a manner have departed from the Romane Empyre denying to bee subiect to it and to pay it tribute And hee further addeth saying I am a multis annis Imperium illud caruit Imperatore Now manie yeares sithence hath that Empyre wanted an Emperor This also appeareth by Sigonius in his historie of the Kingdome of Italy lib. 3. where shewing by what meanes it was that the Emperors lost all their right in Rome hee concludeth thus saying By this meanes Rome and the Dukedome of Rome came to be in the Popes power But what neede anie proofes by histories or Authors of a matter so cleere and evident For doth not everie mans knowledge eies and eares tell and testifie unto him without anie more adoe that he that is called the Emperor at this day is the Emperor of Germanie and that the Emperor of Germanie howsoever hee bee entitled is not for all that Emperor of Rome For hee hath not the headship or Soveraigne rule there Yea the Pope is hee that now is long hath beene to the eies and view of the whole world the head and Soveraigne ruler of that Citie If then the Pope be at this day as none is so simple or ignorant but he knoweth it the head and Soveraigne Ruler of Rome then is not the Emperor of Germanie nor anie other the head supreame Governour of it Yea the Emperor of Germanie is so farre from having anie chiefe or supreame rule there that cleane contrarywise hee acknowledgeth subiection to him that hath the Headship and Soveraignetie there namely to the Pope to whom for that purpose he giveth an oath of homage fealtie or allegeance The ample and Soveraigne rule of the Emperors then which they had appeareth to bee long sithence abolished and taken away and the Popes have succeeded in their place at Rome and have gotten the headship and Soveraigne rule there And therefore also the grand Antichrist who by this direct Prophesie of S. Paule was then to appeare hath accordingly appeared long sithence even ever since the time that the headship and supreame rule and government of that City was taken from the Emperors and exercised by the Popes For there bee two or three degrees of the appearing of that grand Antichrist the one when hee became an universal Bishop over all Bishops and was made head over all the Christian Churches in the world The second when after that his Episcopal and Ecclesiastical supremacie obtained he attained to a Temporal supremacie or terrestrial Monarchie which hee also got by the decay and ruins of the Empire But an other cleere and demonstrative argument of this matter hath also S. Iohn given us in Rev. 17.3.7.9 10 c. Shewing that the state of Rome from the beginning of it to the end of it is to have but seven sorts of Soveraigne Rulers or Heads of it which bee Kings Consulls Decemvirs Tribunes Dictators Emperors and Popes For though an eight head bee there mentioned yet is that eight expresly affirmed to bee one of the seven Rev. 17.11 Rev. 13.3 Now then if Rome be to have in all but these seven heads as is apparant and that Rome at some one time or other before the end of the world is to become Antichristian and to bee ruled and governed by Antichrist as the Adversaries also themselves confesse How can they choose but grant that Antichrist is alreadie come and hath long since ruled and raigned in Rome and at this day there ruleth and raigneth inasmuch as the Popes visibly and undeniably appeare to bee the seventh and consequently the last head of that Citie Yea this the Rhemists themselves confesse and doe say the seventh head is Antichrists state which shall not come so long as the Empire of Rome standeâ—h And Bellarmine likewise writeth Antichristum fore ultimum qui tenebit Romanum Imperium tamen sine nomine Romani Imperatoris That Antichrist shall bee the last head who shall hold the Empyre of Rome and yet vvithout the name of the Romane Emperor Seeing then the Empire of Rome is dissolved
be conditions of his person as he was in sacrifice and oblation But our ancestours in the use of their Sacrament received the Eucharist in both kindes not being so acute as to discerne betwixt the things that belonged unto the integritie of the sacrifice of the sacrament because in verie truth they tooke the one to be the other Thus Bede relateth that one Hildmer an officer of Egfrid king of Northumberland intreated our Cuthbert to send a Priest that might minister the sacraments of the Lords body and blood unto his wife that then lay a dying and Cuthbert himselfe immediately before his owne departure out of this life received the communion of the Lords body and blood as Herefride abbat of the monasterie of Lindisfarne who was the man that at that time ministred the sacrament unto him made report unto the same Bede who elsewhere also particularly noteth that he then tasted of the cuppe Pocula degustat vitae Christique supinum Sanguine munit iter least anie man should think that under the formes of bread alone he might be said to have beene partaker of the body blood of the Lord by way of Concomitance which is a toy that was not once dreamed of in those dayes So that we need not to doubt what is meant by that which we reade in the booke of the life of Furseus which was written before the time of Bede that he received the communion of the holy body and blood and that he was wished to admonish the Pastors of the Church that they should strengthen the soules of the faithfull with the spirituall food of doctrine and the participation of the holy body and blood or of that which Cogitosus writeth in the life of S. Brigid touching the place in the Church of Kildare whereunto the Abbatesse with her maidens and widdowes used to resort that they might enjoy the banquet of the body and blood of Iesus Christ. which was agreeable to the practise not only of the Nunneries founded beyond the seas according to the rule of Columbanus where the Virgins received the body of the Lord and sipped his blood as appeareth by that which Ionas relateth of Domna in the life of Burgundofora but also of S. Brigid her selfe who was the foundresse of the monasterie of Kildare one of whose miracles is reported even in the later Legends to have happened when she was about to drinke out of the Chalice at the time of her receiving of the Eucharist which they that list to looke after may finde in the collections of Capgrave Surius and such like But you will say these testimonies that have beene alledged make not so much for us in proving the use of the communion under both kindes as they make against us in confirming the opinion of Transubstantiation seeing they all specifie the receiving not of bread and wine but of the body and blood of Christ. I answer that forasmuch as Christ himselfe at the first institution of his holy Supper did say expressely This is my body and This is my blood hee deserveth not the name of a Christian that will question the truth of that saying or refuse to speake in that language which hee hath heard his Lord and Master use before him The question onely is in what sense and after what maner these things must be conceived to be his body blood Of which there needed to be little question if men would be pleased to take into their consideration these two things which were never doubted of by the ancient and have most evident ground in the context of the Gospell First that the subject of those sacramentall propositions delivered by our Saviour that is to say the demonstrative particle THIS can have reference to no other substance but that which he then held in his sacred hands namely bread and wine which are of so different a nature from the body and blood of Christ that the one cannot possibly in proper sense be said to be the other as the light of common reason doth force the Romanists themselves to confesse Secondly that in the predicate or later part of the same propositions there is not mention made onely of Christs body and blood but of his body broken and his blood shedd to shew that his body is to be considered here apart not as it was borne of the Virgin or now is in heaven but as it was broken and crucified for us and his blood likewise apart not as running in his veynes but as shedd out of his body which the Rhemists have told us to be conditions of his person as he was in sacrifice and oblation And least we should imagine that his bodie were otherwise to be considered in the sacrament then in the sacrifice in the one alive as it is now in heaven in the other dead as it was offered upon the crosse the Apostle putteth the matter out of doubt that not only the minister in offering but also the people in receiving even as often as they eate this bread and drinke this cup doe shew the Lords death untill he come Our elders surely that held the sacrifice to be given and received for so we have heard themselves speake as well as offered did not consider otherwise of Christ in the sacrament then as he was in sacrifice and oblation If here therefore Christs body be presented as broken and livelesse and his blood as shedd forth and severed from his body and it be most certaine that there are no such things now really existent anie where as is confessed on all hands then must it follow necessarily that the bread and wine are not converted into these things really The Rhemists indeed tell us that when the Church doth offer and sacrifice Christ daily he in mysterie and sacrament dieth Further then this they durst not go for if they had said he died really they should thereby not only make themselves daily killers of Christ but also directly crosse that principle of the Apostle Rom. 6.9 Christ being raysed from the dead dyeth no more If then the bodie of Christ in the administration of the Eucharist be propounded as dead as hath bin shewed die it cannot really but only in mysterie and sacramēt how can it be thought to be contayned under the outward elements otherwise then in sacramēt mysterie and such as in times past were said to have received the sacrifice from the hand of the Priest what other body and blood could they expect to receive therein but such as was sutable to the nature of that sacrifice to wit mysticall and sacramentall Coelius Sedulius to whom Gelasius Bishop of Rome with his Synod of LXX Bishops giveth the title of venerable Sedulius and Hildephonsus Toletanus of the good Sedulius the Evangelicall poët the eloquent orator and the catholick writer is by Trithemius and others supposed to be the same with our Sedulius of Scotland or Ireland whose
great house he doth not understand the Church as some have thought which hath not spot nor wrinkle but the world in which the tares are mingled with the vvheate that yet in the holy Church also the evill are mingled with the good and the reprobate with the elect and that in this respect it is resembled unto the wise and foolish virgins as also to the Kings marriage by which this present Church is designed wherein the good and the bad doe meet together So that in this Church neyther the bad can be without the good nor the good without the bad whom the holy Church notwithstanding doth both now receive indifferently and separate afterwards at their going from hence They taught further that the Church sometimes is not only afflicted but also defiled with such oppressions of the gentiles that if it were possible her redeemer might seeme for a time utterly to have forsaken her and that in the raging times of Antichrist the Church shall not appeare by reason that the wicked persecutors shall then exercise their cruelty beyond all measure that in those times of Antichrist not onely more often and more bitter torments shall be put upon the faithfull then before were wont to be but which is more grievous the working of miracles also shall accompany those that inflict the torments as the Apostle witnesseth saying Whose comming is after the working of Satan with all seduction signes and lying wonders namely juggling ones as it was foretold before They shall shew such signes that if it were possible the very elect should be deceived by such a phantasticall power as Iamnes and Mambres wrought withall before Pharao What unbeleever therefore say they will then be converted unto the faith and who is hee that already beleeveth whose faith trembleth not and is not shaken vvhen the persecuter of piety is the worker of wonders and the same man that exerciseth crueltie with torments that Christ may be denyed provoketh by miracles that Antichrist may be beleeved And vvhat a pure and a single eye is there need of that the way of wisdome may be found against which so great deceivings and errors of evill and perverse men doe make such a noyse all which notwithstanding men must passe through and so come to most certaine peace and the unmoveable stabilitie of vvisedome Hence concerning Miracles they give us these instructions First that neyther if an Angell should shew himselfe unto us to seduce us being suborned with the deceipts of his father the Divell ought he to prevayle against us neyther if a miracle should be done by any one as it is sayd of Simon Magus that he did flye in the ayre neyther that signes should terrifie us as done by the Spirit because that our Saviour also hath given us warning of this before hand Matth. 24.24 25. Secondly that the faith having increased miracles were to cease forasmuch as they are declared to have been given for their sakes that beleeve not and therefore that now when the number of the faithfull is growen there be many within the holy Church that retayne the life of vertues and yet have not those signes of vertues because a miracle is to no purpose shewed outwardly if that be wanting which it should worke inwardly For according to the saying of the Master of the Gentiles Languages are for a signe not to the faithfull but to infidells 1. Cor. 14.22 Thirdly that the working of miracles is no good argument to prove the holinesse of them that be the instruments thereof and therefore when the Lord doth such things for the convincing of infidels hee yet giveth us warning that vvee should not be deceived thereby supposing invisible wisedom to be there where we shall behold a visible miracle For he saith Many shall say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out Divels and in thy name done many miracles Matth. 7.22 Fourthly that hee tempteth God who for his own vaine glory will make shew of a superfluous and unprofitable miracle such as that for example was whereunto the Divel tempted our Saviour Matt. 4.6 to come downe headlong from the pinnacle of the Temple unto the plaine every miracle being vayne vvhich vvorketh not some profite unto mans salvation Whereby wee may easily discerne what to judge of that infinite number of idle miracles wherewith the lives of our Saints are everie where stuffed manie wherof we may justly censure as Amphilochius doth the tales that the Poëts tell of their Gods for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fables of laughter worthy and of teares Yea some of them also we may rightly brand as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnseemely fables and Divells documents For what for example can be more unseemely and tend further to the advancement of the doctrine of Divels then that which Cogitosus relateth in the life of S. Brigid that she for saving the credite of a Nunne that had been gotten with childe blessed her faithfully forsooth for so the author speaketh and so caused her conception to vanish away without any deliverie and without any paine which for the saving of S. Brigids owne credit eyther Hen. Canisius or the friars of Aichstad from whō he had his copie of Cogitosus thought fit to scrape out and rather to leave a blanke in the book then to suffer so lewd a tale to stand in it But I will not stirre this puddle anie further but proceede on unto some better matter And now are we come at last to the great point that toucheth the Head and the foundation of the Church Concerning which Sedulius observeth that the title of foundation is attributed both to Christ and to the Apostles and Prophets that where it is said Esai 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a stone etc. it is certaine that by the rock or stone Christ is signified that in Ephes. 2.20 the Apostles are the foundation or Christ rather the foundation of the Apostles For Christ saith he is the foundation who is also called the corner stone joyning and holding together the two walls Therefore is he the foundation and chiefe stone because in him the Church is both founded and finished and we are to account the Apostles as ministers of Christ and not as the foundation The famous place Matth. 16.18 whereupon our Romanists lay the maine foundation of the Papacie Claudius expoundeth in this sort Vpon this rock will I build my Church that is to say upon the Lord and Saviour vvho granted unto his faithfull knower lover and confessor the participation of his own name that from petra the rock he should be called Peter The Church is builded upon him because only by the faith and love of Christ by the receiving of the sacraments of Christ by the observation of the commandements of Christ vve come to the inheritance
literaâ— Petiliani lib. 2 cap. 38. Aug. ad Vincen. Epist. 48. Retract 2.5 Christian kings may compell their subiects though not to faith yet to the outward meanes of faith And it is the body only and not the soule or conscience that they coÌ„mand and compell August in Epist. 50. 204. August Epist. 48. Retract lib. 2. cap. 5. August contra Crescon lib. 3. cap. 51. Seâ— these Texts fully answered in the third part of this booke Cap. 2. sect 5. Cusanus de Cath. Concord lib. 2. cap. 13. Aeneas Sil. li. 1. de gestis Basil. Concil Gerson Serm. pro viagiâ— Reg. Rom. direct 1. Valla. Cont. Don. Constant. Volateran in vita Const. Antonin 1. part l. 8. c. 2. Ser. iniquit Catal. in practic cancel Apostol Balbus de Coron ad Carol. 5. Concil Carthag 6. c. 3. Concil Affâ—is c. 101. 105. 92. Concil Milevit c. 22. Bellarm de Rom. pont lib. 2. cap. 14. 2. Tom. Concil in Decret Pelag 2. Tom. 2 Concil edit Bin. pa. 693. Gregor lib. 4. Epist. 34. â—pist 32. Epist. 36. Epist. 34. 38. Epist. 24. Observe well this reason amongst the rest Lib. 6. Ep. 30. Paul Diacon lib 4. de gestis Longobard cap. 37. Ab. Vsperg Chronic. Platin. Boniface 3. Otho Frising li. 5. c. 8. Chron. c. Bellarm. de pont Rom. cap. 17. Iustinian in Epist. ad Ioh. 2. Idem Co de sacros Ecc. Iustin. Co de summa Trinit lib. 7. De Episcop audientia 2. certissime Novel 3.5.7 Idem Novel 2. sequent Concil Calced Concil Nic. 2. Act. 2. Conc. Nic. ca. 6.7 Conc. Constant. 1. can 5. Conc. Chalced. Actio 16. The Decrees of ancient generall Councels against the Popes Supremacie Concil Constantinopol 1. canon 5. Concil Constantinopol 6. canon 36. Cusan Concord li. 2. c. 34. 20. The Popes Supremacie over Councels is of a verie late standing condemned by Councels Naucl. gener 47 Gerson de Au Papae Câ—â—â—il Constan. Sess. 5. Concil Basil. Sess. 38. 33. The Popes Supremacie over Kings Princes most abhominable Prov. 8.15 Dan. 4.29 Revel 19.16 Matth. 16.19 Aug in Psa. 124. Bellarm lib 5. ca. 7. de Râ—m Pont. Râ—m 13.5 Tertull. in Apolog cap. 37. Tertull. Apolog. cap. 30. Sigebert Chron. An. Dom. 1088. New Trayterous opinions Vincent in spec Histor. lib. 15. cap. 84. Gre. Vesper haeretico polit pag. 159. Marian. de rege regis Institut cap. 6. c. Theod. hist. lib 2. ca. 16. Niceph. lib. 26. ca. 17. Platina Sigeâ—ertus t. Theodor. lib. 1. cap. 19. Rom. 13.4 Grego Ep. lib. 2. cap. 100. 10â— Gregory the great Bishop of Rome subiect to the Emperor and at his command Anastatius Platina Lib. pontif Diaconus Optat. contra Parm. lâ—b 3. It is a point of madnesse to say or hold that a Christian King may not deale in matters Ecclesiastical by the testimonie of Optatus August Ep. 50. A Christian King maâ— make Lawes concerning matters Ecclesiasticall A Christian King may make CoÌ„missioners in Ecclesiasticall causes Optat. lib. 1. August Ep. 162. 16â— Euseb. lib. 10. cap. 5. A Christian King may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiasticall Miltiades a Bishop of Rome subiect to the Emperor at his command Act. 25.11 12. Concil Affrican cap. 92. Appeales in ancient time not allowed to be made to the Bish. of Rome Concil Milevit cap. 22. Malmesbury lib. 1 de gest pont Angliae Hoveden Hen. 2. Theod. lib. 5. c. 7. Sozom. lib. 7. c. 7. Theod. li. 1. c. 7. General Councels called in ancient time by the Christian Emperors and not by the Popes Evagr. l. 1. c. 3. Conc. Calc Act. 1. zon tom 3. pag. 39. Cusan de Concor lib 2. cap. 25. Socrat. lib 5. in Prooemio Bellar. de Concil lib. 1. cap. 13. Leo Epist. 9. Leo Epist. 24. Epist. 26. Epist. 23. Leo Epist. 59. Leo a Bishop of Rome subiect to the Emperor and at his command 1. Kin 2.27.35 Zozom l. 7. c. 8. Plat. Sigeb A Christian King may nominate appoint Bishops of Diocesses Provinces Malmesbur de gestu Pont. Angl. lib. 1. pag. 205. Ibidem lib. 1. pag 205. Lib. 1. pag 204. Malmesb. de gest Reg. Angl. lib. 2. pag 45. De gestis Pont. Angl. lib. 2. pag. 242. p. 257. Metrop Grantz lib. 2. cap. 29. The Christian Emperors in ancient time had power to place and displace Popes The Act is of 1. Eliz cap. 1 in England and of 2. Eliz. cap. 1. in Ireland Euseb. in vitae Const. lib. 3. Conc. Const. 5. Conc. Chalced. Actio 3. Emperors and consequently Kings within their Dominions are to ratifie and confirme the Decrees of Councels before they be put in execution Aser Menevensis praefat ad Alfred Concil Mogunt in praefat Bin. t. 3. p 462. Bin. t. 3. p. 631. Concil Emerit ex Garsia Louisa sect 23. Bin. t. 2. pag. 1183. Gars in not in Concil Emer Calvin in Amos 7.13 Praefat. in Centur 1 Sam. 15.17 Chrysost. ad pop Antioch hom 2. Statute of 5. Eliz cap 1. Ract Crowne 8. 1. Thess. 5 12. Heb 13.17 2. Cor 5.20 Matth. 28.20 Ezech. 20.18 19. 2. Kin. 18.40 41. Matth. 7.15 1 Ioh. 4.1 Matth. 15.14 2. Thess. 2.3 4 5 6 7 8. 1. Tim. 3.16 Matth. 13.30 2. Thess. 2.7 1. Ioh. 2.18 1. Ioh. 4.3 2. Ioh. 7. 2. Thess. 2.8 Revel 10.2.8 9 10 11. Rev. 9.13 c. Rev. 10.2.8 9 10 11. Rev. 10.7 Rev. 11.15 16 17 18. Revel 2.13 2. Thes. 2.4 Revel 11.12 Rev. 18.4 Rev. 11.12 c. Rev. 11.2 M White in his his Booke called The way to the true Church In opere imperf in Matth. 49. 2. Sam. 16.11 1. Tim. 1.13 Cyprian in Psalmo Ad quid justificationes meas assumis testamentuÌ„ meum per osâ— tuum c. In vita Bernard Bern. in Cantic Card Contaren Tract de Iustificatione Pigâ— de fide Iustificatione Colon. in Antidag 1. Cor. 3.10 11 12 13 14 15. Aug. lib. 1. cont Iulian. Pelag. cap. 6. Greg Niss de hom opific. ca. ult Luke 23.40 41 42 43. Bellar. de Iustificat lib. 5. c. 7. Bern. de cons. ad Eugen. lib. 2. cap. 2 lib. 6. cap. 3 cap. 8. Epist 42 ad Hen. Archiepisc. Seâ—onensis apud Hugon in postill super Iohan cap. 1. Epist. 125. Concil Rhemens sub Capeto eius filio Epist. Leodiensis Ecclesiae ad Paschalem 2. in 2. volumine Conciliorum Acta vita Paschalis Sigon lib. 9. de regno Itâ—l Radevie in Appendice Frisingensis Avent in Boiâ—rum histor In oratione Archimistae ad Proceres Imperij Petrus Blessens in Epist. ad queÌ„dam officialem Sigeb â—onach Gemblacens apud Aventin de Tyran Pontificiâ— Guilielm Episc. Paris lib. de Collat. Benefic Henric. de Erphordia de Haiabalâ— circa Ann. 1345. Petrarch lib. Epist 14 epist. 17. epist. 19. Nicho. Oresmus in Orat. habit coram Papa Vrban 5. Iohan. de rup sciss in lib. prophetico cui