Mass pag. 51 Of their manifold Errours concerning the Church How the Papists devise many notes whereby their Church is described pag. 53 Of Antiquity pag. 71 Of Universality pag. 76 Of Succession pag. 79 Of Unity pag. 80 Of the Power of working Miracles pag. 82 Of the Gift of Prophecy pag. 87 Of Prosperity pag. 89 XX Errours concerning the Members of the Church the Clergy and Laity pag. 97 XI Errours concerning justifying Faith pag. 102 XXX Errours concerning Repentance which they call Penance pag. 104 Five kinds of Indulgences a sixfold profit of them pag. 113 Of the Disposition required to be in those that receive Indulgences shewed in Six things pag. 116 How the Papists hold that Indulgences are profitable for the Dead shewed in Seven things pag. 117 XI Errours concerning Fasting pag. 119 Of their dispensing with Fasts pag. 123 XVII Errours concerning Oaths and Vows pag. 127 XII Errours concerning Marriage Of their divers Rites and Ceremonies in Marriage pag. 131 VII Errours touching Extream Unction Of the Rite and Ceremony used by the Priest therein pag. 135 VI Errours concerning their Sacrament of Order pag. 137 VII Errours concerning Confirmation Their manner of administring the Sacrament pag. 139 Of their Corruptions in Worship pag. 144 Of their Latin Service pag. 145 Of praying for the Dead pag. 148 Of the Canonizing of Saints and the manner of Canonization pag. 149 Of Invocation of Saints of the several persons that are invocated in their Litany pag. 152 Of their Distinction of the two kinds of Worship Latria and Dulia 155 Of Image-Worship of the manner of Worship they give to Images Of the manner of making and way of Consecration of Images 157 Of the Image of the Cross 160 Of Reliques XII errours and abuses noted in the Papists by Chemnitius with divers other things 163 Of the Vigils annexed to Festival-days 172 Of their Wax-Candles and Tapers 173 Of their Holy Water 175 Of their Pilgrimages 177 Of the Agreement between Paganism and Popery shewed in Three and Twenty particulars 181 Of the Papists imitating the Jews and Pharisees shewed in Ten particulars 205 How the Church of Rome now varieth from the old Church of Rome shewed in Twenty particulars and how the Doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is contrary to the Doctrine of the present Church of Rome THE ANATOMY OF POPERY CHAP. I. THat all men may take a full view of the Papacy and see how it hath encroached upon Heaven and Earth let us consider the Fraud that hath been used by the See of Rome by bringing in Corruptions in matter of Doctrine and Worship Popery is not a single Heresie like that of â—utyâ—hes Arius or Nestorius but a System of Heresies and a common sink of abominable Errours and therefore called Ἀπστασία a general revolt Their Errours about the Scripture are 1. Vid. Turnb Tetrag c. 2. That the Church doth regulate the Scripture and is not regulated by it so making the Church the Rule of Faith That the holy Scriptures are not the only and whole Rule of our Faith and Life in all matters necessary to Salvation 2. That the Church hath Authority to alter as well the things contained in holy Scripture as those that are delivered in the Church by Apostolical Tradition yea the Papists affirm that it is in the power of the Church to alter that which God commandeth in Scripture that is to make Commandements contrary to Gods Commandements And they are divided in the main viz. what this Church is which is the infallible Judg Bâ—xters Sate Religion whether it be the present Church or the former Church whether it be the Pope only at least in case of difference between him and his Council or whether it be a general Council although the Pope agree not as the French and Venetians say yea whether it be the Clergy only or the Laity also that are this Church 3. Bellarm. l. 3. c. 3. They also assert that it is lawful to allegorize Scripture both in the Old and New Testament 4. Ecchii Enchirid. loc de authorit Eccles Pigg l 1. de Hierarch â—ccl s That the Pope is the supreme Judg of all Controversies and that the Scripture hath no authority in respect of us but what is granted to it by the Church For adding some Books to the Scripture which were not from the beginning The Papists being bold upon the Decree of the Council of Trent will that among these the Books of Tobit Judeth Wisdom Ecclesiasticus the first and second of Macchabees should be Canonical likewise the Additions to Esther Baruch with the Epistle of Jeremiah and the Additions to Daniel these they call δευτεÏοκανονικοὶ Canonical in a second degree 5. Stapl. tâ—n l. 3 c. 36 That the Canon of Scripture is imperfect wanting many Divine Revelations therefore some Books have been received as Canonical at one time and not at another some some have been received as Canonical in some Churches not in other Vid. Downham 6. They prefer the Faith and Judgment of the Church of Rome which they say is the internal Scripture written by the hand of God in the heart of the Church before the holy Scripture 7. Bellarm. de verb. Dei l. 1. c. 2. That unwritten Traditions are to be equally believed and to have as great authority as the Scripture that Traditions which they call the unwritten Word are the Rule of Faith 8. They contend that the Customes and unwritten Opinions of the Church of Rome are most certain Apostolical Traditions 9. Blondel Dalaeus They number the Popes Decretal Epistles with the holy Scriptures when yet it is most cleerly proved by Blondel in a just Volume that abundance of them are forgeries and Dalaeus proves it particularly of the Clementines 10. Wide Downham Catal. They say it is Heresie for any to say that it is not altogether in the power of the Church or Pope to appoint Articles of Faith 11. That the Scripture is not sufficient for the refuting of all Heresies as if there were any Heresiebut what is against Scripture 12. Id ibid. That the Church is ancienter than the Scripture that is than the Word of God which is now written because it is ancienter than the writing of it as if it were not the same Word of God which was first delivered by voice that is now in writing 13. That it is not necessary nor convenient for the common People to read the Scriptures but rather dangerous and hurtful 14. That the translating of the Scriptures into vulgar Languages is the fountain of Heresies and they that do it deserve ill of Christian Religion 15. That the Hebrew Copy of the Old Testament the Greek of the New Testament is not authentical 16. Bâ—llaâ—me de verbo Dei l. 3. That the Scriptures are very obscure and hard to be understood even in things necessary 17. That it belongeth not to all the faithful to search into the meaning
in the Sacrifice of the Mass the better to discern the Body of Christ There are other Ceremonies Bâ—llâ—m l. 2 de Missa c. 14 15. which they observe and use in the very action it self and celebration of the Mass as the diverse Gestures of the Priest to lift up his Eies and cast them down again and so lift them up the second and the third time sometimes to cast abroad his hands to close them again to warble with his fingers to bow to bend to duck to turn on this side Concil Trid. Sess 22 Can. 7 and on that now on the right hand again on the left to sigh to smite upon his breast to lift up the Chalice and shew it to the people and set it down again as also the dividing of the Host into three parts which signifies three parts of the Church in Heaven in Earth in Purgatory the rinsing of part thereof in Wine and eating of part dry the washing of his fingers before Consecration kissing of the Altar the Patten the Book the Paxe sprinkling of holy Water censing of Odours crossing the Chalice the Bread their Mouth Breast and Face which sign of the Cross they make above twenty times during one Mass Add also unto these their tedious and irksom Songs the rude noise and unedifying sound of strange Instruments and the whole course of their Mass-Musick set forth in a strange Language and endited to the honour of Saints Sledian doth briefly describe this fink of Ceremonies speaking of the tumult that was raised at Strasburg Sleidan Hâ—st lib 21 because of the Mass There was saith he a great concourse of men especially of the youth for in his time it was to them a rare spectacle and there not heard of before that many with shaven Crowns cloathed after a new fashion should sing together such things as no man understood that Candies and Torches should burn as the saying is at noon-day that smoak and perfumes should be raised up with frankincense that the Priest with his attendants should stand at the Altar pronounce words in an uncouth Language use divers bowings and gestures bend downward with his hands close shut one while fling abroad another while pull back his arms ever and anon turn himself one while cry aloud another while mutter over some things with great silence cast his eyes on high look groveling to the ground stand in no one place turn himself now to the right part now to the left part of the Altar wagg with the fingers breath upon the Chalice and lift it up on high and after set down in certain places name sometimes the living sometimes the dead break unleavened Bread and dip it in the Chalice strike his breast with his first sigh make as though he slept with his eyes shut awake again eat one part of the Bread and drink up the other whole with the Wine lest any drop should be left wash his hands shew to the people with his back toward them and his hand stretched out the gilded Patten move the same to his forehead and breast kiss one while the Altar another while an Image enclosed in some matter or mettal Thus He. 14. They say they have the form of their Mass by Tradition from the Apostles and that by Masses Souls are delivered out of Purgatory Many Errours and Blasphemies that are to be found in the Canon of the Mass as touching the Matter collected by Doctor Andrew Willet 1. THe Priest saith We pray thee accept these gifts these holy and unspotted sacrifices Thus he maketh Bread and Wine the Sacrifices of the Gospel 2. The Priest speaking of the Bread and Wine thus saith Which we offer unto thee for thy holy Catholick Church and again afterwards Which we offer for the Redemption of our Souls What great blasphemy is this to offer Bread and Wine for the Redemption of the Church for the which Christ in great love offered himself up and so make his death of no force 3. The Rubrick of the Mass willeth that the Priest should pray for his own Bishop only and for himself and his special friends but Charity would that he should pray for all Bishops Pastors and Ministers and Christ biddeth us not only pray for our friends but also for our enemies 4. The Priest prayeth first for the Pope then for his own Bishop lastly for the King but Saint Paul would have Prayers made first of all for all men but especially for Kings 1 Tim. 2.2 The Papists in their Mass and other Praiers prefer the Pope before their Prince and acknowledg him to be their Pope and Bishop 5. The Priest saith worshipping the memorial of the Virgin but Christ instituted the Sacrament to be kept in remembrance of himself and not of her 6. By whose merits and praiers namely the Saints grant we may be defended but Saint John saith if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 7. In the second Prajer of the Canon they pray by vertue of the Oblation of Bread and Wine to be delivered from eternal damnation for as yet the elements are not consecrated 8. We beseech thee saith the Priest to receive this Oblation which we beseech thee in all things to make blessed Here the Priest is made a Mediator between Christ and his Father desiring God to sanctifie the Body and Blood of his Son Thus beginneth the third Praier of the Canon 9. Who the next day before he suffered but the Scripture saith the same night For this is my Body Here they have put in enim of their own and left out Quod pro vobis datur which is given for you Such is their boldness that they are not ashamed to change the words of our Saviour Christ 10. Take ye c. Why then doth the Priest take it alone seeing Christ appointed it to be taken of many 11. Eat ye c. Why then do they hang it up in a Pixe seeing Christ would have it eaten 12. Drink ye all of this Why then doth the Priest drink it alone seeing by Christs institution all are to drink of it 13. He saith further in the fourth Prayer The holy Bread of eternal life which vouchsafe thou with a pleasant countenance to behold Whereas the Bread of eternal life is Christ himself if this be He how dare they presume to offer him up to his Father Diverse other things there are of like sort 14. Afterward the Priest praieth Command thou this to be brought by the hands of thy holy Angel unto the high Altar in Heaven What an absurd thing is this that he should desire that to be carried into Heaven which he eateh and devoureth And if this be the Body of Christ what need the help of an Angel to carry it up to Heaven Is not Christ able to lift up his own Body 15. As many of us as shall receive thy Sons Body and Blood And yet for the most part none receive but the
Priest and when the people do communicate the Wine they have not 21. Remember O Lord the Souls of thy Servants which rest in the sleep of peace and grant them a place of refreshing and rest Here they pray for the dead and the Praier also is contrary to it self for first he saith they rest in peace and yet afterward praieth for their refreshing Thus beginneth the fifth Praier of the Canon 22. Deliver us by the blessed intercession of the Virgin What then is become of Christs Mediation and Intercession who ever liveth to make Intercession for us Hebr. 7.25 23. Let this mingling together of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ be unto me salvation of Mind and Body Then is not Christs Blood shed upon the Cross the full sufficient and perfect Salvation of Mankind if there be another Salvation beside And if it be the very Body and Blood of Christ how can they be mingled together seeing the very Body and Blood of Christ cannot be divided 24. Grant me so worthily to take this Body and Blood that I may merit to receive forgiveness of sins O sinful man how canst thou merit to receive that which is Christs only gift 27. Let the Priest bow himself to the Host saying I worship thee I glorifie thee I praise thee What monstrous Idolatry is this thus to worship a piece of Bread 28. Let us worship the sign of the Cross What I pray you will not these Idolaters worship 29. Respect not my sins but the Faith of the Church By this reason one may be profited by anothers Faith which is contrary to the Scripture The just shall live by his Faith by his own and not anothers Rom. 1.17 I shall pass by diverse other Errours and come to the last 30. In the end of the Mass according to the use of Sarum there is annexed the from of blessing or consecrating the Paschal Lamb with this Praier Vouchsafe to sanctifie this Paschal Lamb that as many of thy people as do cat thereof may be replenished with all heavenly Benediction c. What gross Superstition is this that they should still retain the use of the Paschal Lamb which cannot be but to the great derogation of the true Paschal Lamb Christ Jesus that the Body being come the shadow should be still retained Other Errours in the manner of celebrating Mass 1. ALl is done and said in the Latin tongue not understood of the people and often not of the Priest himself which is not to edification 2. They use many irksome tedious and frivolous repetitions of the same words as Benedicamus Domino is sung ten several times together and Ite missa est is sung thirteen several times with long and tedious notes 3. The Priest is charged in the Rubrick to say divers Praiers privatim secretly to himself as that Praier Deliver us from all evil past present and to come c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamb of God that takest away â—he sins of the world These and many other words must be pronounced secretly to himself contrary to Saint Paul who would have Praiers so said that they may be understood and thereunto Amen answered by the people 1 Cor. 14.16 4. The Priest is taught by the Rubeick to make thirty several Crosses at the least upon the Bread the Cup the Altar his Forehead but no such crossing is to be found in Christs Institution which they profess to follow 5. Their Gesture in saying of Mass is so changeable so ridiculous so affected that a man would think a Plaier were coming forth upon the Stage when the Priest addresseth himself to the Mass nay Rossius was not so full of action as the Massing-Priest is of gesture varying and changing it at least forty or fifty times during the celebration of the Mass Their Errours concerning the Church 5. THey assert that the Catholick Church is always visible Canis c. de fide symb art 18. and not seen only unto the members of the Church but notoriously known to the whole world neither do they mean any particular Church so to have been visible but the universal Catholick Church which they define to be a visible Congregation of all faithful men 2. Bellarm. lib. 3. de Eccles That the Catholick Church is no other than the Roman or that which the Roman Pope is over Bellarmine defining the Church makes this one part of the definition to be subject unto the Bishop of Romes Jurisdiction and therefore they conclude that they are out of the Church and no better than Hereticks that do not acknowledg the Pope to be their chief Pastor So they make the Roman Faith and Catholick to be all one 3. That the Catholick Church cannot possibly err not only in matters absolutely necessary to Salvation but not in any thing which it imposeth or commandeth whether it be contained in the Word of God or not yea that it cannot err in those things which beside the Word of God are commanded But because the Papists endeavour to invest the Popes and the Roman Church with an infallible Perfection Dr. Du Moulins Auswer to Card. Perron for King James it will be expedient to shew by invincible proofs that the Roman Church hath erred and doth err I shall therefore only produce the Errours approved by their Popes and Councils as the learned Doctor Du Moulin in his answer to Cardinal Du Perron hath set them down In the year of our Lord 787 a Council was assembled which the Roman Church approveth and reckoneth among the universal Councils there sate the Legates of Pope Adrian who wrote a Book purposely for the defence of that Council 1. In the seventh action that Council commandeth the Adoration of Images upon pain of Anathema in these words We hold that the Images of the glorious Angels and of all Saints must be adored and saluted but as for him that hath not the will so to do but staggereth and is doubtful about the adoration of the venerable Images this holy and venerable Synod doth anathematize him In the fourth Action of the same Synod these words are found Images are of equal worth with the Gospels and the venerable Cross And in the same place the Image is greater than the Word and the Praier In the fifth Action the Council declareth that Angels are corporal that there may be a ground for making Images of Angels The same Council to prove the Adoration of Images corrupteth the Scripture in diverse places In the year 869. a Council was held at Constantinople which our Adversaries call the eighth General Council The third Canon of that Council is in these words We decree that the sacred Image of Jesus Christ be adored with the same honour as the Book of the holy Gospels and the Figure of the precious Cross In the year of our Lord 1059. Pope Nicholas the second assembled a Council against Berengarius where it was declared that the Bread and Wine which is put upon the
multitude of people that have received the Romish Faith and their Church say they hath replenished the greatest part of the world They would prove this by the Propagation of the Church in the Apostles time in Tertullian Irenaeus Hierom Augustine yea and afterward in Gregories days yea and now also besides many great Countries in Europe they have their Church in India America and the unknown parts of the world saith Bellarmine But the truth is not always to be measured by the judgment or opinion of the multitude The greatest part is not the best Christ calleth his Flock a little Flock Besides the Papists have nothing to do with the Church that was propagated in the Apostles time nor for the space of five or six hundred years after Christ and the most of their Errours are more lately sprung up than so The Popes Jurisdiction in Europe is much diminished And for the Indians and Americans it is well known what cruelty the Spaniards used to win that simple people to Christ as Benzo the Italian hath related it and there are few or none of their Popish Catholicks in those Countries but of their own brood that have been sent thither Universality unless it be joyned with verity is no sufficient note of the Church saith Mr. Fox Of Succession THey boast much of the long and perpetual Succession of their Popes from the Apostles for the space of these 1500 years and more condemning all Churches which cannot shew the like order of Succession But the Bishops of the Churches of Antioch and Rome and Alexandria boast themselves to be Successors of Saint Peter and yet are dissenting and separate in Communion The Bishops of Constantinople fetch their Succession from the Apostle Saint Andrew as Nicephorus goeth about to prove in the eighth Book of his Chronology Chapter 6. yet these Bishops by the Judgment of the Roman Church are Schismaticks and Hereticks Whence it appears that the Succession of Chairs cannot be a fit mark for the true Church since it is found in Heretical Churches In the Papal See some Schisms have been and divers times many Popes together excommunicating one another and reciprocally calling one another Antichrist and of those Antichrists the worst commonly overcame So according to the very Canons of the Roman Church factions and corruptions in the creation of Popes have frequently made their election void and therefore have broken the thread of that Succession Of Unity THe Papists boast much of Unity Flac. Ilyric but it is without ground of truth and yet they have many Dissentions Illyricus hath written a Book to the purpose concerning the several Sects and Divisions amongst them The Scotists and Thomists differ about meritum condigni congrui about Original sin in the Virgin Mary about a solemn Vow and a single life Great Differences there are between their Canonists and School-men Albertus Pius dissented from Cajetan Thomas from Lombard Scotus from Aquinas Occam from Scotu Alliancenses from Occam The first Nicene Council allowed Priests Marriage and the Communion in both kinds The Councils of Basil and Constance forbad the Laity the use of the Cup the same Councils decreed likewise that the Pope should be subject to General Councils Many Antipopes have there been at one and the same time Much also might be said of the great Diversity of their Monks and Friers in their Food Habits Shaving and the like Various are their Opinions likewise touching the Controversie of the Sacrament The Papists are very Schismatical engrossing the Title of Catholicks whereby they would imply both truth of Doctrine and universality of Consent to be found only with them but as one well observeth upon no better grounds than the Turks arrogate the Title of Mussulmannâ— that is Crocks Hypâ—â—â— Orthodox and Iâ—annâ— that is at Unity It is not their number that excuseth them from Schism no more than the revolt of the ten Tribes from the house of David could make the two Tribes that clave to it guilty of that rent and themselves to be innocent Unity must be in the truth else the saying of Nazianzen will take place Better is Discord bringing Light Greg. Nazianz Orat 1. de â—â—ace Than Vnity without all right Though Popery appear to have in it Unity yet the same is Vanity and Antichristianity and not in Christs Faith and Verity Of the Power of working Miracles BEllarmine doth greatly upbraid our Church for the defect of Miracles saying Hereticos non potuisse extorquere Miracula neque à Deo neque à Diabolo that Hereticks meaning the Protestants do neither extort Miracles from God nor from the Devil But do they take a pride that the Devil is forward in advancing their Cause and so backward to do us any kindness we will rest content with such Miracles as our Saviour and the Apostles wrought at the propagating of the Gospel but when we dissent from Christs Doctrine we will cast about for new Miracles I. A Miracle is a marvelous The pretended Miracles of Saint Francis reported by Vincentius Antâ—rine Bâ—naventure and Suâ—ius are more than marvelous sensible real Work above the vertue of natural causes wrought for good ends especially for the promoting of Gods Glory and Mans Salvation It is a work of wonder Act. 2.22 Luk. 8.25 Act. 7.30 31. So it is said of Simon Magus he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the Miracles and Signs which were done Îξίστατο he was transported beyond himself with admiration It is true many things may cause wonder which are not miraculous as 1. Other great Works 2. False and seeming Miracles wrought by the power and subtilty of Satan But here I speak of such Works as afford just cause of wonder such Works as deserve admiration from the wisest of men false Miracles are wonders in shew only II. True Miracles are sensible Works apparent to some or other of the Senses and therefore that pretended Popish Miracle of Transubstantiation is but an absurd fancy a thing denied by the Senses the Smell the Taste the Eye all with one consent say it is Bread and Wine and not Flesh and Blood When our Saviour turned Water into Wine there was a sensible change it had the colour and taste of Wine and that so evident that the Governour of the Feast preferred it above any they had drunk before When Melancton was a young Scholar at the University he heard one Lempus a Popish Doctor who would take upon him to draw a Picture of Transubstantiation and so to present a shadow of it to the Eye though it were invisible yea and impossible in it self but Melancton though he was then but a youth instead of wondering at the supposed Miracle admired the dotage and sottishness of the Doctor III. A Miracle is a true and real Work false Miracles are deceitful appearances many Popish Miracles are meer cheats of some lewd persons couzening tricks of deceitful men or wonders of lying spirits IV. True Miracles are above
sacrificer for the Rain which were called Aquilicia For the same use is the Shrine of St. Genovefa at Paris V. The Jubilee was instituted after the Imitation of the Roman secular Games as Onuphrius acknowledgeth it Lib. de ludis secularibus VI. The Pagans suffered not any Male to enter into the Temple of Bona dea So into some Popish Chappels women enter not as the Chappel of St. Laurence at Rome without the Walls as the Book of the Roman Indulgences sheweth it and the Quire of the Lateran Church at Rome VII Agnus Deis hang'd about the Neck saith Baronius have been instituted after the imitation of those Brooches called Bullae which the Pagan Boys wore about their Necks to avert Charms VIII The Pagans had their Convents of sacred Virgins as the Vestals and the Faustinian Virgins instituted by Marcus Antoninus Pius as Julius Capitolinus saith in his Life IX The Lacedemonians would whip themselves as the Penitents at Rome do now This custom came from the Luperci of the old Rome for when they celebrated the Lupercal Games they went naked and masked through the Town and smote with whips such as they met in the way There are many other things also which will shew the Agreement between Paganism and Popery 1. The Pagan Emperours caused themselves to be called Gods Caligula gave his feet to Pompeius Pennus to kiss as Seneca testifieth Julius Capitolinus saith the same of the young Emperour Maximinus Pomponius Laetus saith the same of Dioclesian The same Emperours caused themselves to be adored and the Roman Senate had the right of Canonizations The Pope having usurped the place of the ancient Emperours of Rome hath also usurped these Honours and is also called God on earth He offereth his Foot to be kissed by the greatest Princes Kings and Emperours Hence it is said of him Ense potens gemino cujus vestigiae adorant Caesar aurato vestiti murice Reges Great Caesar with victorious Kings Who Golden Crowns do wear They do adore his footsteps who The double Sword doth bear And another saith of him The Princes of the world adore and worship the Pope as perpetual Dictator the Successor not of Caesar but of Peter the Fisher It is said of Charles the eighth King of France that he made a vow suppliciter adorare humbly to adore the Pope and performed it it is said of him adoravit Pontificem projectus casting himself down he adored the Pope And of that potent Prince Charles the fifth King of Spain and Emperour it is said I lle pie inflexo genu pronus exosculato pede Pontificem adoravit he piously bending his knee and bowing himself down worshipped the Pope kissing his foot Yea it is said that in the Lateran Council under Pope Leo the tenth this passage spoken of Christ by the Prophet was blasphemously applied to the Pope The Kings of the Earth shall worship him all Nations shall serve him Yea and in divers ages before in the time of Alexander the third It seemeth that Gregory the seventh in his Bull of excommunication against Henry the fourth pretending to honour Peter and Paul but intending to exalt himself as their Successors giveth them the Title of Christ's The Kings of the Earth stood up and the Princes Secular and Ecclesiastical Courtiers and common people assembled together against the Lord and you his Christs or his anointed ones saying let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Yoke from us And that which the Prophet Isaiah saith Isai 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner-Stone a sure foundation c. applied to Christ by the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.6 this place was applied to the Pope It is said of Pope Innocent the third that he said thus of himself He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom Am not I the Bridegroom who have the noble rich comely chast gracious sacred Church of Rome which by Gods Ordinance is the Mother and Mistress of all the faithful So in a flattering Oration directed to Pope Leo the tenth in the Council of Lateran Stir up thy self arise compass about Sion our Mother and thou Spouse her do thou embrace But St. Paul acknowledgeth no other Bridegroom or Husband of the Church but Christ only 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ See the audacious wickedness of Antichrist assuming to himself the honour and dignity proper unto Christ Again whereas our Saviour saith Matth. 28.18 All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth It is said in the Council of Lateran under Pope Julius that it was said to the Pope All power is given to thee of the Lord in Heaven and in Earth So in the Book of Ceremonies concerning the blessing or consecrating of a Sword this Papal Sword figureth the supream temporal power bestowed by Christ upon the Pope his Vicar in Earth according to that All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth And elsewhere He shall rule from Sea to Sea and from the River to the ends of the Earth Again it is said in the Council of Lateran under Pope Leo that these words were belched out Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Root of David And it seemeth it was said of the See of Rome This is she alone which shutteth and none openeth and openeth and none shutteth So it is recorded of Pope Martin the fourth They cried unto him Thou that takest away the Sins of the world have mercy upon us And again Thou that takest away the Sins of the world have mercy upon us And the third time Thou that takest away the Sins of the world grant us peace Boniface said we declare that it is necessary to Salvation that every humane creature be subject to the Pope of Rome Another saith the power of the Pope excelleth all power 2. Papal Dignity was brought into the Church from among the Heathens The Idolatrous Romans had their superiour and subordinate Priests They had their Salii Flamines Diales their Augures Pontifices and above them all there was a Pontifex maximus the same Title which the Pope assumeth A Dignity esteemed it seemeth by their greatest Nobles such as Fabius maximus Crassus Aemilius Lepidus and Caesar himself And Sozomen writeth Sâ—zom l. 5. ca. 1. ca 15. when Julian the Emperour had revolted from the Christian Religion to heathenish Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he called himself a chief-Priest And in the same Book and 15 Chapter he copieth out an Epistle written by this Heathenish Apostate Emperour to Arsacius whom he stileth chief-Priest of Galatia and enjoyneth him to censure and if need be to deprive the inferiour Priests of their Office or Functions So the Pope to this day hath the very same Title of Pontifex maximus which was the proper Title of the chief-Priest in Rome while
a peculiar form of sanctifying it dipping therein as Athenaeus tells us a firebrand taken off from the Altar whereupon they offered their Sacrifices So likewise have they a peculiar manner of making this exorcising the salt first then the water and after that both of them being mixed together which being done both the Papists and the Gentiles do think that it purgeth away sins Of the Papists imitating the Jews and Pharisees in many things 1. THe Pharisees boasted of Moses's Chair as the Church of Rome doth of that of S. Peter and of an imaginary succession 2. The Pharisees were strict maintainers of Traditions and unwritten Word as the Papists are These were strict burdens they laid upon the people Matth. 15.4 They perswaded the people that these Traditions were as necessary as the Scriptures The Jewish Rabbines affirm that during the forty days that Moses was in the Mount Sinai to learn the Law Almighty God taught him in the day-time Sepher Thorah the Book of the Law and by night for want of Candle-light the Law not written or orales Traditiones oral Traditions which they call Simanim and the Thorah without this they say is imperfect And this as well as the Law written Chemnit haâ—mâ—n Eâ—aâ—g ca. 79. they say was delivered by God himself to Moses by Moses to Joshua by Joshua to the Elders of Israel by them to the Prophets from the Prophets to a great Council whose Register and chief Notary they say was Esdras the Scribe who as they affirm committed many of them to writing and gathered them into seventy two Books which they kept till their City and Temple was destroyed and themselves dispersed Afterwards one Rabbi Judas Ben-Simon an holy man as they say having saved that Book gathered the Sum of it into one Book whence afterwards all the Talmudists and Cabbalists took their ground The Papists borrow their esteem of unwritten vanities and traditions from the Jews they tell us they have many things by Tradition from the Apostles themselves who taught them viva voce when they bring never a word out of the Scriptures for the confirmation of them 3. The Scribes taught that children might neglect their duty to their Parents under pretence of a religious Corban that is that whosoever should be liberal toward their Treasury in the Temple and offer freely with this protestation that he meant it not only for his own good but also for his Parents should herein sufficiently discharge his duty to his Parents and owe them no other Service so that by this means it may seem they provided well for their own purses and exempted Children from those duties towards their Parents which the Commandment of God tyed them to perform So do the Papists allow Children to give their Means to Monasteries though their Parents starve for want of maintainance 4. The Jews boasted of the Temple of the Lord crying up the Temple of the Lord and in the meantime profaned it by an evil life Jer. 7. The carnal Jews were much affected with pomp in matters of Religion and many of them men of dissolute lives So it is among the Romanists in those Cities and Countries wherein is most wickedness of life there is also most cost in the Temples and most publick superstitious worshipping of God and the Saints What stately Churches Chappels and Cloisters are in Rome what Fastings what Processions what appearances of Devotion and yet on the other side what Whoredomes Sodomies and Profanations are committed in it so that it was the saying of a certain Frier that there were more Atheists in Rome than in any other City in the world But no where doth sin and wickedness so abound as in Mexico and yet no such people in the world toward the Church and Clergy who in their life-time strive to exceed one another in their gifts to the Cloisters Nuns and Friers some erecting Altars to their best devoted Saints worth many thousand Duckets others presenting Crowns of Gold to the Virgin Mary others Lamps others Gold-chains others building Cloisters at their own charge others repairing them others at their death leaving to them two or three thousand Duckets for an annual Stipend 5. The Jews boasted that their Prophets and Priests could not err saying Jerem. 18.18 The Law shall not err from the Priest and the Council from the antient This is also the boasting of the Church of Rome that the Pope as Pope cannot fall into errour and that the Church of Rome cannot err 6. The Pharisees used vain repetitions in Prayer after the manner of the Heathen thinking to be heard for their much speaking for which our Saviour taxeth them Mat. 6.7 repeating the same things over and over again not out of affection but out of affectation The same doth the Church of Rome repeating the same Prayers while they turn their Beads and binding themselves to a certain number of reiterated words The Pharisees preached Justification by the Works of the Law and the Jews were forestalled with that Doctrine which made S. Paul so careful to confute that Errour in the Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians establishing Justification by Faith without the Works of the Law In this the Papists agree with them teaching Justification by Works 8. Our Saviour taxeth the Scribes and Pharisees for their Hypocrisie They pretended great love to the antient Prophets Matt. 23.29 whom their fore-fathers had persecuted and slain and to shew this they used both words and actions They professed that if they had lived in the days of their fore-fathers they would not have joyned with them in their persecution and murther of the Prophets They bestowed cost in adorning the Sepulchres wherein they were entombed But now in the mean-time they hated to death and bitterly opposed Christ then living among them to whom all those Prophets bear witness Thus may you see in the Papists their bitter hatred against the Preachers of the Gospel together with their pretended love to the ancient Doctors their proud conceit of Merit with their glorious outward Performances their gross Idolatry covered under a shew of much reverence to the Saints 9. The Jews were most strict in matters of smallest moment they would pay Tythe of Mint Annis and Cummin but neglected the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith Math. 23.23 So doth the Church of Rome exactly observe distinction of meats and amuse the people about a thousand petty Ceremonies of Candles Pilgrimages Crossings c. and let Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost stand by unsaluted yet therein doth the Kingdome of God consist Thus the superstitious Priests among the Jews made no scruple to hire a Traitor to suborn false Witnesses to Apprehend to Bind to Smite to Scourge to Blaspheme to Condemn the Innocent Lamb of God and to Crucifie the Lord of glory yet made great Conscience not to step over the Threshold into the Judgment-Hall of an Heathen-Judg lest forsooth they should be defiled