lost when this Kingdome shakt off his tyrannicall yoake and therefore for regaining hereof Reu. 16.13 hee blowes ouer whole Iesuites like Apricocks heretofore here and there one succored in a great Mans house now you may haue them in euery Countrie village I. D so that wee may say I feare me of them as Rob. Grosthead a good B. of Linâ— in Hen. 3. dayes said of the Popes Legats So many disguised daily come into the Realme that the very names of them recited wold be tedious for any man to heare Fox Mar. p. mihi 326. swarmes of these Locusts into England where sitting theeuishly in blind corners of our streets they entrap the simple folke and lurking in their secret dens of darknesse they ensnare the poore and wauering minded making them being once caught in their grin Mat 21 15 two times more the Chidren of darknesse then they themselues are Which indeed how can it otherwise fall out sithence their doctrine and their doings bee both of darknesse The Doctrine of the Papists a doctrine of darknes Their doctrine as it is a hotchpotch of beggerly rudiments like a beggers cloake full of patches some of Iudaisme some of Turcisme some of Paganisme some of Pelagianisme and in some what is it else but a Vt quicquid passim in variis regionib est sordiuÌ„ tandeÌ„ per diuer so flumina in mare vnum deportatur it a quicquid blasphemia ruÌ„ in variis ac diuersissimis sectis reperitur totuÌ„ id confluxit in RomanaÌ„ colluuiem Tilleman Hesbus compound of errours so in nothing more does it bewray it selfe to be raked out of the pit of darknesse then that it will not abide the light of Gods Word to bee tryed by For what 2 Cor. 6.14 Communion hath darkenesse with light are not these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heereupon well knowing what would betide them Iuel Apolog pag 116. The ReligioÌ„ of Papistrie is like a Curtaine made to keepe out the light B.R. if the Gospell should cleerely shine forth in al mens hearts they muffle the vnderstanding of the simple people giuing them to wit that all is Oracles that they speak not giuing them once leaue or leasure yea which is more interdicting them to search the holy Scriptures with the Act. 17.11 Noblemen of Beraea and to see whether those thinges bee so as they speake them Let our late worthies who haue descried the imposture of the Church of Rome let them speake in this case and heare their verdict Nos luci fidimus saith blessed Apolog. ecclesiae Anglic pag. 147. Iewell isti tenebris Wee trust and desire to bee tried by the light of Gods Word they put their confidence in darkenesse Vt latro crucem ita isti horrent verbuÌ„ Dei Iuel wherupon it is that a thiefe stands not in more feare of the Gallowes then they doe of the Scriptures We labour to plant knowledge in all saith the reuerend and my much honoured My Lord of Chichester in his Preface to his Booke entituled Directions to know the true Church Lord of Chichester and are desirous that euery man may know the things needfull for his saluation they labour to hold all in ignorance their hope is not in the goodnesse of their cause for they see the ruines of Babylon falling eueryday onely their care is to blind you and keepe you Ignorant Jf the light of knowledge might freely shine to the world Popery would soone bee ashamed of it selfe saith D D. Halls Que vadis p. 3â— 1. Edâ—â— another worthy in our Church And not to bee infinite in this kinde M. Anton. de Dominis who was once welcommed by vs from the Tents of Antichrist and is ours still if couetousnesse the roote of euill and hypocrisie the colour of good hath not put out both his eies confesseth in that little book wherein he expresseth the reason of his departure out of the Ch. of Rome the Prodromus to his larger and more fruitfull labours that this closing vp of the Scripture from the people gaue him occasion to suspect their Religion and to feare his estate and to thinke on conuersion freely professing there in these tearmes Scripturae summa apud nos ignoratio M. Anton. de dominis Archiep. Spalat that there is nothing whereof the Papists are more ignorant then of the Scriptures Nay a certaine Bishop of Italy was not ashamed to tell Claudius Espencaeus Master Sheldon ex Claud. Espenc Coment in cap 1 Epist ad Titum a famous Pontifician that the learned men of Italy it selfe were afraid to study the holy Scriptures least thereby they should become Heretiques and that therefore they employed themselues in commenting vpon the Popes Law bookes Decrees and the Decretalls the which Booke though full of lies contradictions impertinences yet because it is the Popes booke it must bee respected whilest the holy Scripture lieth as it were in the streets neglected And therefore to barre their â—educed followers vtterly from this godly exercise of reading they beare them in hand that to reade the Scripture is very perillous Quia experimento manifestuÌ„ est si sacra Biblia vulgari lingua passim sine Discrimine permittantur plus inde ob hominum temeritatèm ditrimenti quam vtilitatis oriri idcirco c. Index lib. prohibit confect a deput Concilii Trident. reg 4. Quid quod populus non solum caperet fructum ex Scripturis sed etiam caperet detrimentum acciperet enim facillime occasionem errandi tum in doctrina fidei tum in praeceptis vitae morum Bellarmin Lib. 1. de verbo Dei cap. 15. see DD. Hakewells Answer Likewise to D D. Car. second letter Pag 11. and the cause of erring from the faith Sed execratione ac detestatione dignior est ista vox quam responsione Hiper de quotid â—lectione S. Script lib. 1. pag. 175. Wicked impostores as if God our heauenly Father who hath made his Will and Testament and hath reuealed it by writing vnto vs his Children would not haue it Vehementer ab istis disseÌ„tio qui nolint ab idiotis legi diuinas literas in vulgi linguam transfusas fiue quasi Christus taÌ„ inuoluta docuerit vt vix â pauculis theologis possint intelligi siue quasi religionis Christanae prasidium in hec situm fit sinesciatur c. Erasm in Paracles ad Christian philosophiae studiuâ— read and vnderstood bâ— vs Blasphemous wrethes â— if God who can neither bâ— deceiued nor deceiue caâ— sing his holy Will to be peâ—ned both as touching hâ— owne Worship and also â— touching the meanes of maâ— Saluation and that so poweâ—fully and yet plainely witâ— all that hee should seeke herâ— by to Neque adeo 〈◊〉 humanus suit Deus vt voluerit huius rei ignorâ— tione per omnes aetates homines torqueri cum 〈◊〉 que vllum in Sacris Scripturis passus est esse locuâ— quem si accuraté pensitemus interpretari non posâ—mus Aug. Steuchius in Genes cap. 2. entrap
Christ Jesus But what saith the Scripture Non prohibet Euangelium nisi cupiditatem non praecipit nisi â—haritatem The Gospel saith Austin doth not prohibit any â—hing more then incroaching coâ—â—etousnesse it enioynes nothing so much as dilating charitie It is â— poore center of a mans action Himselfe Jt is right earth as a â—reat Scholler speaketh Whereâ—ore let vs attend then to the Apostles rule who wils that euery â—â—e should seeke anothers wealth he prescribes vs no other rule â—â—en that he himselfe walked in Non quaero quid mihi vtile â—ed quid multis I seeke not â—ine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saued By him that desires thy profit and proficiency in knowledge and godlines T.V. The Contents I. A monitâ— it Preface to Catholiqueâ— II. A Manuduction to Theologie III. Briefe directions for Communicants IV. The Summe of Diuiniâ—ie V. The Controuersie touching Fâ—â—will VI. A plaine and profitable methâ—â— of Peaching VII The Gospell of Saint Thomas A GODLY AND â—euout Treatise teachâ—ng with what due prepaâ—ation wee ought to come to the holy Communion which is indeed an Abbrigement of the Systeme of Diuinity and may serue for a Catechisme of Christianitie WHat is Christian Religion De Religione Zanch tom 4. in fol pag. 263. Seqq. It is that worship and seruice which euery good â—odly men ought by vertue of â—ond and obligation to tender â—nto God himselfe Wherein is chalked out vnto vs thâ— way as well of liuing here â—â—nestly Thologia disciplina est non contemplatrix sed practica Syst Theol. pag. 2. Is diuinas scripturas recte legit qui vertit verba in opera Ber. Hoc Philosophia genus in affectibus situÌ„ verius quam in Syllogismis vita est magis quaÌ„ disputatio c. Eras in Paracel ad studium Christian Philosoph as liuing hereafâ— happily as Augustine saiâ— in his Booke of true Religioâ— the first Chapter The oâ— course of liuing well and happâ— consists in true Religion wherâ— we know the onely true God â— worship him in holy purenesâ— For by Religion the soule â— man which before by sinâ— was seperate from God beiâ— now reconciled is againe â—ed and re-vnited to God froâ— whence Religion hath its â—ry name For when we â—lige as it were that is oblâ— and bind ouer againe oâ— soules vnto God thou wâ— empty our selues of all supeâ—stitious worship contrary â— God 's seruice So saith Lactâ—â— lib. 4. cap. 28. Syst Theol. pag. 4. and lib. 6. cap. â— Wee are by the tye of Religiâ—â— bound and obliged vnto Gâ—â— whereupon it is called re-ligion Calu. Instit l. 1. c. 12. §. 1 not as Cicero will haue it of relection but of religation in as much as God doth hereby binde vs ouer to his seruice whom it is our part to serue as our Lord and to obey as our Father For in very deed this is the duty of man wherein the summe of all and the suâ—mitie of a blessed life doth consist This is the very first step in wisdome Omnes promiscuè venerantur Deum â—aucissimi reuerentur Cal. Instit l. 1. c. 2. §. 2. to know what it is for God truly to be a Father vnto vs and him with all sanctity to worship and reuere obeying his will and wholy deuoting our selues to his seruice Which bee then the principall parts wherein Christian Religion or the speciall actions wherein the worship of God standeth There bee three of them First The meditation of the word of God and consequently of faith in Christ our Sauiour which is especially compreheÌ„ded in the word of God to whom wee must referre all in our meditation Secondly The vse of the Sacraments instituted by Christ Thirdly Inuocation of Gods holy name ioyned with the loue of God and our Neighbour Of the former and last part of Christian Religion we haâ—â— spoken else where and at another time at this opportunitie it is our purpose only tâ— treat of the middle or seconâ— Branch of Christian Religion or the seruice of God anâ— therein touching the vse oâ— the pâ—incipall Sacrament oâ— the New Testament namelâ— the Lords Supper which is called commonly the holy Communion as also the Eucharisâ— that is a most eminent sacrifice of thankesgiuing to Christ our Sauiour Wherâ—in consisteth the true vse and due preparation to the holy Communion In two things to wit in Knowledge and Deuotion Of what sort is that Knowlege which appertaineth to our commendable preparation vnto and our lawfull vsing of the holy Communion It is of two sorts Generall â—nd Particular Of how many kinds is our generall knowledge Of two either it is Primaâ—y and indepentant or Secondary and arising from the â—ormer How many parts hath the former kinde It consists of a double doâ—trine the one of God the oâ—her of Gods Word What is God 1. Syst Theol p. 10. 2. Ibid. p. 93. 3. Ibid. p. 105 seqq 4. Ibid. p. 116 5. Ibid. p. 117 Zanch. CoÌ„fess p. 483. Loc. Comun Theol. 1. de diuinis nominibus proprietatibus Zanch. tom 2. detribus Elohim in Illud Ioannis 1 Ioh 5.7 copiosissimé Zan. tom 1. Si non est vnus non est Tertul Deus est vnus imo si dici potest vnissimus Bern. Syst Theol. p. 14. contra Tritheitas Manichaeos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin Mar. Damasc Syst Theol. pag 19. De Deo loqui etiam vera periculosissimuÌ„ est Arnoâ— Syst Theol. p. 55. 58. God is a spirituall Essence First before all most perfect eternall Secondly infinite Thirdly Almighty of incomprehensible wisedome goodnâ—sse Fourthly mercy Fiftly Iustice subsisting in three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost What are wee to consider â— God Two things the Essence aâ—â— Person What and of what sort is â— Essence of God It is most simple and oneâ— one so that God in regardâ— his Essence is simply onâ— as â—he Scripture witnesseâ— Deuter. 6. vers 4. Heareâ—â— Jsrael the Lord our God is â— God 1. Tim. 2. v. 5. One Gâ—â— and one Mediatour What is the Person It is the manner of being God whereby Gods Essence is made relatiue and respectiue which relation notwithstanding neither multiplieth the Essence nor diuides it into parts which may in some sort appeare by the degrees of light and heate For in the Sunnes light there are certaine degrees as morning or twi-light and noone-light or perfect sunne-shine And yet for all those degrees the light is the same So in heate luke-warme and scalding hot though they make two degrees yet they make vp but one mumericall caliditie Ibid. p. 16. which in a higher degree is in boyling water now before being in the same water inclining to feruent heate in a lower degree So then that we may apply this instance to our present purpose in some resemblance the Persons of the Deitie In Dei est alius alius non aliud aliud Vint.
earth the state of the Church was a most corrupt state so that beside Christ and his Apostles there were very few members of the true Church yea and before Christs birth a little Mary Ioseph Zachary and Elizabeth and a few more which lay so secret that there was no shew of them to any man made vp the true Church Such like vnto these was that estate of the Church those 600 yeares vnder the Papacie of which time there was expresse prediction before Reuel 12.6 that the time to wit should come that the Church should be obscure as it were hid in the wildernesse But therefore can any conclude that there was no Church No surely no more then it doth follow This man is hid therefore hee is not a man There were in that most thicke darkenesse of Poperie and vnder the Kingdome of that Antichrist of Rome Syst Theol. pag. 408. true members of the Church although by reason of that cruell tyranny of the Pope they lay hid neither was there so few of them as the Papists faine which at that very time vnder Popery had the pure doctrine and the Sacramēts but there were very many of them euen whole Countryes that were not defiled by the corrupt Doctrine of the Papists as the Albin genses and the Valdenses and they of Picardie who propagated the holy Truth in Bohemia and Polonia in spite of all the Popes resistance As also a hundred yeares before Luther Et si Papatus non sit ecclesia voluit tamen Deus in Papatu seruare ecclesiam Theod. Beza there were the Hussites Brethren of Bohemia who maintained the true Doctrine of the Gospell as those times would giue them leaue Yea and further in all and euery of those yeares there were by Gods working continually raised vp Witnesses and Teachers who openly and before all shewed their detestation of the Pope and Popish errours which Witnesses of the Truth euen in the time of Papacie they are all gathered together in a Book most worthie the perusing which wee ought alwaies to oppose to the Papists which hath for its Title Catalogus testium veritatis that is A Catalogue of the Witnesses of the Truth The third Note the Papists doe make vniuersality Obiect because forsooth the Church dispersed ouer all the world Syst Theol. pag. 404. ought to be Catholike I answer That the Papists here doe contradict themselues when they say the Church of God must be Catholicke and yet the Romish Church must bee that Church of God which is all one as if I should say the Church must be the vniuersall Dantiscan Church or the vniuersall Cracouiun Church or a particular vniuersall Church for to be the Romish Church and to bee a particular one is all one Againe wee answer that we do not denie that the Church ought to bee Catholike in that sense wherein the word is vsed in the Creed as afterwards it shall be made plaine And we say that our Church hath alwaies beene and now also is Catholike because that after the Apostles had gathered the Church out of all Nations there did alwaies from time to time remaine some reliques of the true Church in all Nations although those reliques were hid and obscured as that book Catalogus testium veritatis which we haue a little before cited doth testifie that in the very time of Poperie there was alwaies in Greece Italy Spaine Germany Bohemia Polonia some found that opposed and resisted the Pope But whereas the Iesuites obiect vnto vs that in America and in the East Indies there are no Protestant Preachers of the Gospell as yet but all Papists and especially Iesuites labouring the conuersion of the people I answer them first that the Pharisies also did runne about both by Sea and Land to draw men vnto their faith and yet for all that their Religion was not true Secondly I say that the Papists haue slaine moe in the Jndies then they haue conuerted as you may see by a place which I haue cited in my Politiques l. 1. c. 4. that in a very short time a hundred and fortie thousand men were murdered by them Thirdly I am sure the Diuell also goes a compassing the whole world and seduceth many yet is he for that neuer a whit the better Fourthly I auerre that our Ministers also haue taught the true Gospell in America inasmuch as Caluin sent thither two Ministers of the Church from Geneua the one whereof was Joannes Lerius who committed that story to writing And at this day there are Orthodoxe Ministers in the East Jndies which doe publikely preach the true doctrine of the Gospell carried ouer thither by the Merchants of the Low-Countryes And doubtlesse toward the end of this world the true Religion shall be in America as God now is preparing the way for it by the English and Low-Countrie Merchants that that of Christ may bee fulfilled Matth. 24.14 The Gospell shall bee preached throughout the whole World that it may bee a witnes to all Nations For GOD in in all his workes is wont to effect a thing successiuely and therefore first hee sends vnto those Nations some light of his Essence and his Truth by the Papists and afterward will make these things shine more cleerely vnto them by the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel Obiect The fourth note the Papists say is vnitie and good agreement Solut. I answer Vt est ecclesia Dei vna sic est Diaboli vna Babylō Aug. Consent and vnitie is but so farre a marke of the Church as the consent is in truth and goodnesse and not in euill and falsehood for such an agreement in euill and falsitie is among the very Deuills and what greater agreement and consent then among robbers so also among the Turkes there is very great consent so that Mahometisme is farre and heare by them propagated yet doth it not hence follow that Mahometisme is the true Church Secondly I answer that in our Church there is great consent in the truth for howsoeuer after Luthers time there arose many Churches the Diuell being alwaies busie to cast his plots against the true Church and to stirre vp in it diuers Sects yet the Orthodoxe Professours are at good agreement about the Articles of Faith as that excellent Booke called the Harmony of Cōfessions doth testifie wherein it is manifestly prooued that there is exceeding great consent betwixt the Churches of France England Scotland Bohemia and those which are in Germany neere vnto Rhene and in other Provinces For that disagreement which is betwixt the Lutherans and the Orthodoxe Professours doth not straight way quite dissolue the vnity which is betwixt the members of the true Church Thirdly I deny that there is so great agreement in the Romish Church as they boast of for it can bee easily showne that the Popish Writers agree not in any one Article among themselues as it doth appeare out of Bellarmine who ordinarily disputeth against other Papists alleageth
their oppositiōs cōtradictions to thēselues this may further appeare by Joh. Pappius and Matthias Illyricus his Book of the Sects Dissentions cōtradictiōs among Popish Doctours printed at Basil 1565 whereunto the Papists haue not as yet answerd Andr. Chrastouius likewise hath written a Booke hee cals Bellum Iesuiticum The good agreement the Iesuites haue among themselues who neither is as yet confuted In the Bodleian Library at Oxford That same Book of Chrastouius was printed at Basil in quarto 1593 and it containes 205 Iesuiticall contradictions Which is that bare or secondary propriety of the Church To the Church of the New Testament Syst Theol. pag. 404. this propriety doth also agree that it is Catholicke and that first in respect of places not because it possesseth many Kingdomes but because it is scattered ouer the whole world and not tyed to any one certain place to any determinate countrey or city Secondly in respect of men because it doth consist of men of all sorts gathered out of the condition of al men of all Nations Act. 10.35 Thirdly in respect of times because it shall continue all times euen vnto the end of the world as it is said Matt 28. I will be with you euen vnto the end of the world Fourthly in respect of vnitie because the Catholicke Church is at all times but one to wit in the vnity of doctrine and consent in that doctrine And thus much we haue spoken of the proprieties of the Church Now if we shall examine and try the Popish Church by these proprieties it will appeare to bee no pure Church but to be very corrupt euen as a rotten apple is an apple corrupted and no otherwise then a man that is infected with the plague is a man but no sound man And that the Popish Church is not the pure Church I will prooue it by two manifest reasons the first An idolatrous Church is not the true and pure Church but such a one is the Popish Church Ergo. The proposition is euident because God doth abhorre nothing more then Idolatrie therefore hee saith Flie from Idols and No Idolater shall be saued The assumption I confirme thus That Church which giues that honor which Dauid giues vnto God the Creator in the very same words vnto the creature to wit the Virgin Mary that same Church is idolatrous But the Church of Rome doth so goe now that the Church of Rome doth attribute that honour which is due vnto God vnto the Virgin Mary I proue it by a most euident testimony out of that same Psalter of Marie the Virgin which was compiled by Bonauentura who liued 250 yeares agoe and canonized of the Pope of Rome so that hee is accounted among the Saints and the title of a Seraphicall Doctour which is more then Angelicall giuen vnto him This same Psalter was by the permisson of the higher powers printed in Latin at Brixia and Bononia in Italy eight yeares since being before printed at Ingolstadium in the Dutch tongue some 20 yeares agoe in the Preface whereunto it is expresly said that it was compiled the holy Ghost inditing and dictating it And further that very Psalter is in speciall vse in the Romish Church but especially it is currant among the Monkes of Saint Bennets Order which are called Cistercians Now in this Psalter all those things which Dauid attributes to the high most mightie God Ye haue this Psalter in Bonauētures works printed in seauen Tomes at Rome 1588 vol. 6. pag. 502 in Latin in English yee haue diuers passages of it and amongst the rest these in Foxes Martyrology printed 1583. fol 1600. Missale Roman edit Salmanticae A D. 1588. feria 6. in parasceue p. 223. are by them put vpon the Virgin Marie as Psal 51. Haue mercy vpon me O Lady and cleanse me from all mine offences But that of all other is most blasphemous which they apply vnto her out of the Psal 109. according to that distinction The Lord said to my Lady sit thou mother mine at my right hand where Mary is made the mother of God the Father as though the Father had beene incarnate and made man that I may not say further that to be set on the right hand of God is to haue a like power and equall glory with God himselfe Againe that the Romish Church is an Idolatrous assembly I prooue it out of the Romish Masse booke where in the Seruice appointed for Good-Friday it is said that the Priest so soone as he hath put off his shoos then approacheth to adore the Crosse shall kneele 3 times before hee kisse the Crosse and then afterward the Ministers of the Altar they must also kneele and three times adore the Crosse II. Arg. That Church which approueth manifest crimes is not the pure Church but the Church of Rome is such Ergo. The Proposition is herein manifest for that the Papists themselues doe yeeld sanctity and holinesse of manners to be a note of the Church The assumption I cōfirme 1. for that the Pope doth dispence for Incest Sodomy and other most grieuous crimes See the Taxes Fines or Nundinations of the Court of Rome described at large in Musculus his Common Places 2. It is confirmed out of Costers Enchiridion Coster Enchirid c. 5. propos 9. where you shall finde it written that a Priest committing fornication or keeping a concubine in his house does not so grieuously sinne as he that doth marrie This doth Gretzer allow of in his History of the Iesuiticall order pag. 115. Most truly wrote our Coster Gretzer Ingolstad A.D. 1594. that a Priest should not so grieuously offned if hee should commit Fornication as if hee should marry And he addeth Yea it is truly spoken that a Priest doth lesse sinne in committing Adultery then in marrying a Wife Bellar. 2. lib. de Monach. cap. 30. Jt cannot truly be said of a Nun that hath vowed continencie that it is better to bee married then to burne for both in her is euill to be married and to burne yea worse it is to bee married then to burne whatsoeuer our aduersaries say to the contrary that it is written 1 Cor. 7. It is better to marrie then to burne Here that is worthy marking which Sleidan sets downe in his first booke that a certaine Italian Bishop Casa by name hath written a whole Booke in the praise of filthy Sodomy Where wee may note for a conclusion that although all those things be granted to the Papists which they most gloriously dispute about the Church yet they can gaine nothing hereby because they ought to make it plaine first vnto vs that the Popedome is the true Church which in that they haue not as yet prooued nor shall euer be able to proue it they doe but delude themselues with a vaine title of the Church And whereas they say that it is absurd before the point of the Church bee discussed to take in hand to dispute of