Thou shalt not kill 6. Thou shalt not commit adultery 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse 9. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife 10. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours goods 4. And that which is worst of all they forbid the Reading of the holy Scriptures Haeresin esse si quis dicit necessarium esse ut scripturae in vulgares linguas convertantur Sander visib monar lib. 7. hares 191. Credo institutum hoc a Diabelo esse inventum Peresius de Trad. par 1. Assert 3. pag. 47. Characteres mortui Lindan Lib. 2. Stromat cap. 3.6 traducing them and blaspheming them viz. that it is 〈…〉 that it is the Devils in vention to permit the Laitie to reade them that they are dead Characters and not to be permitted Which if they should be suffered to be read they would casily discover their new Articles of Faith to bee blasphemous their Image-Worship to bee Idolatrie and their not erring Bishop to bee a meere Imposture and Deceiver 5. And also to breede an Antipathie and hatred betweene the Papists and Protestants they are taught to beleeve that the Protestants are Blasphemers of God and all Saints That in England Churches are made Stables and that the people are growne barbarous To these they have wilfully feyned many scandalous lies of us and the Reformers set downe by learned Doctor Hall In his scrious disswasive from Poperie pag. 37. now Lord Bishop of Exeter as of Wickliffs Blasphemies of Luthers advice from the Devill of Tindalls communitie of Calvins blasphemous death of Bucers breaking his necke of Beza's Revolt of the blasting of Hugonites of Englands want of Churches and Christendome of our putting English Catholikes into beares skinnes and casting them to dogges to be baited of the Lutherans nightrevelling of Scories drunken or dination of our Bishops in a Taverne of the casting of the remaine of our Sacraments to Doggs of Mounsier Plessis overthrow and the like And lately they have published two Bookes commonly sold in Jtalie and in France one of them of the late Right Reverend Father in God Doctor King late lord Bishop of London his Apostacie the other containing a relation of Gods Iudgement showne upon a sort of Protestant hereticks by the fall of a house in Black-fryers London in which they were assembled to heare a Geneva Lecture Octo. 26. Anno. Dom 1623. By which the simple people were made to beleeve that Iudgement to bee upon the Protestants which God sent upon the Papists and as they scandall us so also the other Christians not subject to them Thus you may see in the Church of Rome Religion to be Metamorphised into Policie and all their Policie tending to maintaine their atchieved Majesty and greatnesse The Conclusion TO Conclude in this little Treatise you may see the Church of God not to be in Rome onely but to bee Catholike and dispersed over the face of the whole Earth Here is also set downe the large habitations and dwellings of the Christians not subject to the Pope and how they doe agree with the Protestants in the mayne Points in difference and the Harmony of the Protestants amongst themselves with the differences in the Roman Church Also the Antiquitie of some of these Churches with a succession of Bishops in some of their Churches not subject at all to the Pope nor acknowledging the Papall Iurisdiction And as these Churches agree with us so you may see what Correspondency they have with the Bishops of Rome The Greeke Church excommunicateth yerely the Pope and his Church for Schismatickes The Muscovites account him an Hereticke The Christians under the Patriarch of Musall call the Pope the reprobate Bishop as before The Churches of Asia answered Pope Iohn the 23. who wrote to them that hee was the alone Head of the Church and Christs Vicar after this manner Wee firmely beleeve thy great authority over them that are subject to thee we cannot indure thy great pride and ambition we cannot satisfie thy great Covetousnesse c. And whereas Pope Gregory as before calleth him Antichrist and Lucifer who shall but in the pride of his heart desire to be called universall Bishop what would hee say if hee lived now to see the Pope lifted up above Kings and Emperors and the whole Catholike Church To conclude I wish every man that hath a care of his Soule to follow the grave and divine instruction of that excellent Light of the Church Saint Augustine for establishing of his Conscience to performe our Saviours Commandement Search the Scriptures 1. Now search diligently whether you can finde in holy Scripture that Christ made Saint Peter and his Successors his alone Vicars 2. Or gave them dominion over the other Apostles 3. Or gave them power to depose Kings 4. Or to dispence with oathes made Sacred by Gods holy name 5. Or to license incestious marriages 6. Or to give pardons for money 7. Or to release Soules out of Purgatory 8. Or whether in holy Writt marriage is forbidden to Priests 9. Or the reading of the Scriptures to the Laiety 10. As also the Symbol of Christs blood in the holy Sacrament 11. Or power given to a Priest to make his Maker 12. Or to Communicate alone And if thou canst finde none of these things in holy Scripture remember what Saint Paul saith Gal. 1.9 if any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that you have received let him be accursed And whereas our Adversaries boast and make a great cry of the Catholike Church here you may see how the Catholike Church of God agreeth with us Now to put an end to this Treatise I thanke God for his truth revealed unto us and his Church and most humbly intreate his divine Majesty to open the eyes of them that erre and have gone astray that they may returne to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their Soules and for them that are in darkenesse that they may also know the great Mystery of Salvation in Iesus Christ Now to Him that is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke to Him be Glory in the Church by Iesus Christ throughout all ages world without end Amen Literae à Patriarcha Alexandrino ad Archiepiscopum Cantuariensem ex Aegypto in Britaniam transmissae ex autographo Cyrilli graeco in Latinum jussu Archiepiscopi traductae à Daniele Featleyo eidem Archiepiscopo à sacris Inscriptio literarum Beatissimo magnificentissimo Domino Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi totius Angliae Primati Metropolitano Georgio Abbati mihi multis nominibus colendissimo officiose cum honore debitâ reverentiâ in Britaniam tradantur istae Subscriptio Cyrillus dei gratia Papa Patriarcha magnae urbis Alexandriae Iudex oecumenicus Exemplar Literarum BEatissime amplissime Archiepiscope Cantuariensis totius Angliae Primas Metropolitane Domine Georgi Domine frater charissime Exopto amplitudini vestrae prosperam valetudinem ademolumentum
in EVROPE Protestants Greekes and Muscovites Secondly in ASIA The Christians under the Patriarch of Ierusalem Antioch The Armenians The Georgians The Mengrellians The Cinassians The Christians in Asia the lesse Muscovite Christians in Asia Christians under the Patriarch of Musall The Jacobites Christians of St. Thome The Maronites Besides the Curdi Morduites Drusi and the Christians of Taprobana Thirdly in AFRICA The Cophti under the Patriarch of Alexandria The Abassines or Ethiopian Christians The contents of the second Chapter The severall habitations of these Christians in Europe Asia and Africa The contents of the third Chapter The Vnitie and how these Churches agree with us in the principall points wherein wee differ from the Church of Rome Jn this chapter is set downe 1 The principall differences betweene the Church of Rome and us 2 The points in which these Churches agree with us with some of their Liturgies 3 That I finde these Churches are not hereticall but orthodox in the maine 4 Of the harmony of the Protestants among themselves 5 Of the differences and want of Vnity amongst the Romanists 6 Our Vnity with the ancient East West and South Churches and especially with Gregory who is pretended to be the founder of the Romish Religion amongst us 7 Our agreement with the ancient Britans our forefathers 8 The lives and conversations of those Churches comparatively The Contents of the fourth Chap. Of the Antiquity of these Churches 1 Some of them are more ancient then the Romish Church 2 The old Church of Rome and the now church are not one but different 3 The now church of Rome as it is a new church so likewise it hath new Articles of Faith c. The Contents of the fift Chapter A Succession of Bishops in Hierusalem Antioch Alexandria Rome for 600. yeeres In Constantinople for some yeeres The Metropolites and Bishoprickes of Constantinople Antioch Hierusalem Africa The Bishops of Constantinople from Stachys to this day That the Roman Bishops since Gregory differ in Title Iurisdiction Life and Doctrine from the former A Succession of the Emperors of Constantinople and of Aethiopia The Contents of the sixt Chapter By what meanes the Papall Monarchie hath beene raised and how it hath been and is upheld in which is set downe 1. The primitive estate of the Roman Bishops 2. How they got the title of head of all other Churches and how they increased their Jurisdiction 3 The Popes Temporalties 4 How the Pope got Superiority above the Emperors 5 Of their inventions to get money 6 Of the Popes state and magnificence 7 Of the Popes munificence and gifts 8 Guicchardines relation of the Popes rising 9 How the Popes keepe that they have Jn giving of Kingdomes to Princes In dispensing with marriages and oathes Their Corrupting the Fathers Suppressing the reading of holy Scriptures Their inventing scandalous lies and Bookes c. The Conclusion A letter sent from the Patriarch of Alexandria to the late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and his Answer to the same CHRISTIANOGRAPHIE or the description of the sundrie sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope AMongst the usuall and false pretences wherewith our Adversaries of Rome have long gone about to deceive the simple and ignorant One of the principall is the Paucitie of the Professors of the Reformed Religion and the Multitude and Amplitude of them and their Religion as if all the Christian Kings Emperouns and Bishops before King Henry the Eight and Archbishop Cranmer and also the whole Church of God had beene subiect to the Bishop of Rome but onely a few Protestants shut up in an obscure corner of Europe To discover the falshood of these their vaine and glorious boasting I purpose to set downe 1 The Churches of Christians in the world not subiect to the Pope or differing in Religio from him 2 The places of their Dwellings and large Habitations 3 Their VNITIE and how they do agree with us in the principall points in Controverfie betweene the Church of Rome and its 4 The ANTIQVITY of these Churches some of them being more ancient then the Church of Rome 5 A SVCCESSION of Bishops in some of their Patriarchall Churches and other Episcopall Sees 6 How the Church of Rome hath beene advanced above other Churches and how it hath beene since supported and held up The seuerall sortes of Christians In the world not subiect to the Pope or differing in Religion from him CAP. I. CHristianity is not confined to one Countrey or Nation but it is dispersed over the face of the whole Earth Our Lord and Saviour being ready to ascend into Heaven commanded his Apostles Mat. 28 19 saying Goe yee and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost And this his commandement the holy Apostles put in execution Mar. 16.20 They went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them In the Ecclesiasticall histories the contries Nations are named in which and to whom they preached Peter preached in Iudea Pererius ad Roman cap. 30 sect 27. ANTIOCH Galatia Cappadocia Pontus in Asia Bithinia and Rome James The sonne of Zebedee in Iudea and Spaine Iohn in Iudaea and Asia the lesse ex Origene Dorotheo En sebio Hierony mo Isidore aliisque Andrew in Scythia Europea in Epirus Thratia and Achaia Iames the brother of our Lord in Hierusalem Philip in Scythia and Phrygia Bartholmew in the farther India and Armenia the great Matthew in Ethiopia Thomas to the Parthians Medes Persians Brachmans Hircanians Bactrians and Jndians Simon in Mesopotamia Judas in Aegypt and both after in Persia Matthias in the higher Ethiopia Also Paul and Barnabas in many countries of Europe and Asia All these published the same faith for substance Per Dei voluntatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et columnā fidei nostrae futuram Co len 1625. Irenaeus advers haeres lib. 3. cap. 1 Mat. 28.20 which we at this day professe in the Church of England for they taught those things that Christ commanded them which are set downe by the will of God in holy Scripture to be the pillar and foundation of our faith as Irenaeus writeh And although men are generally perswaded that these Churches are perished or become Hereticks yet according to Gods promise of assistance not onely to themselves viz Lo I am with you alway but also to their Successors preaching after them even to the latter end of the world Christianity remaineth in many of these Regions to this day maugre the cruelty of the Tyrants and malice of the divel as will appeare afterwards by the testimony of Historiographers and other unreproveable Authors Some make but six sorts of Christians in the world First the East Church which challengeth to her selfe the first place in regard of her prerogatives and priviledges as having almost all the Apostolicke Sees The greatest number of Patriarcks the Maiesty of the Empire of
killing but by dying not by crueltie but by patience not by wickednes but by faith c. For their Chastitie among the Russes adulterie is severely punished and the Aethiopians punish all fornication and lust and none of the Patriarches of these Churches allow brothel-houses or Stewes that I reade of Whereas the Pope of Rome howsoever they pretend Chastity yet they onely of all Christians Patriarches allow stewes brothelhouses where a father Sixtus pontiâ—ex maximus Romae nobile admodunlupanar extruxiâ— Agrippa de van taâ—e scientiarum cap. 64. Atque utrique sexui assignavit Zeg spec ponti pag. 79. Dici nequit quaâ— incredibili Christianorum tum pâ—dore tum etiam â—orum qui vere tales sunt cordolio ut Iudae filiae scortari non liceaâ— Dei filiae liceat his sonne and his brother may commit uncleannesse with one whore yea Sixtus the fourth built a famous Stewes in Rome for both Sexes This wickednes is not unpunished among the Iewes themselves Bishop Espensous reporteth to the great shame of Roman Christians of a Iew maide who renounced her Religion and turned Romish Christians that she might freely exercise the art of Ribandie not permitted by herown Religion his words are It cannot bee spoken but with incredible shame of Christians with the great heart griese of them that are the like that it is not lawfull for a daughter of Judah to commit fornication but lawfull for the daughter of God Imo Israe is filia meretricari non aliter ante possit quam facta per BaptismuÌ„ sanctuÌ„ Christi soror filia yea the daughter of Jsrael may not otherwise play the whore before shee bee made by holy baptisme sister and daughter of Christ c. Moreover he writeth that we cannot but be offended to see so many Stewes in one Citie and that it may be almost said of Rome Christian as of Rome Ethnick that the whole Citie is one stewes Againe these Patriarches and Bishops sell no pardons to deliver soules out of Purgatorie nor allow the sale of any Sacrament that I reade wheras the Roman Church maketh infinite gaine of their Masses Romana scorta in singulas hebdemadas juliuÌ„ poudent Pontifici Agrippa loco citat Zeg loco Citat Taxa Cancell Apostolicae Parisiis 1613. Pardons and Dispensations yea the Popes themselves have a rent out of the brothell houses every whore paying weekely a Iulie to his holines which rent is more some yeeres then 40000. Duckets In the booke of taxes of the Apostolike Chancerie and sacred penitentiaries you may see the prises and rates of all dispensations and absolutions as for murthers of all kindes as of Clergie men Lay men of Father Mother Sonne Brother Sister Wife c. For impoisoning inchantment witchcraft sacriledge simony c. for fornication adultery incest without any exceptioÌ„ or distinction c. Also for dispensations for oathes vowes and many things more although there be many sinnes raigning amongst these Christians and us yet they are not allowed by them and us and so they are not the sinnes of the Churches as fornication is one of the sinnes of the Roman Church as before To put an end to this some of their sinnes are not only personall but Cathedrall from whence they seeme to have a liberty of sinning to use their own distinctioÌ„ their veniall sins are easily done away with a short shrift as for mortal sins a man may have for money a warrant dormant Anton. sum par 3 tit 1. cap. 11. Crantzius saxon lib. 5. cap. 8. Quid enim hodie per dispensationem Apostolicam non obtinetur Quinta causa dissidij Graecorum credipotest species austerioris vitae quaein eorum Hiere monachis Metropolitis Archiepiscopis at que episcopis frequenter cernitur Haec igitur austerioris vitae ratio Latines contemnendi praebuit occasionem c. Tho. a Iesis de convers p. 284. or dispensation to commit sinnes against nature as to marie his Aunt his brothers wife his neece his own daughter for which Pope Martin the fift gave a dispensation as Antonius reporteth and what saith Crantzius their own writer cannot be gotten by dispensation To conclude Thomas the Iesuite confesseth that the fift cause of difference betweene the Greekes and Latins may bee thought to be the shew of a more austere life which is often seene in their holy Monkes Metropolites Archbishops and Bishops this their more austere life causeth the Greeks to contemne the Latins c. But the Greekes are to know that Christian righteousnes doth not consist chiefly in macerating the body but in Charity Faith Hope Humility and Patience and other vertues WHereas there is come to my hands a booke of Possevins the Iesuit written against Chytraeus in which he challengeth these Churches for agreeing with them In praying for the Dead invocating Saints worshipping Images having of Monkes c. I answer that I finde these Churches in these things also to differ from the Papists 1. As in praying for the dead they pray not to deliver Soules out of Purgatorie nor from any temporall punishment as the Papists do but for their generall resurrectioÌ„ Field of the Ch. pag. 59. publicke acquital c. 2. For their invocating of Saints some doe it not at all pag. 109. of this booke as the Aethiopians as before but I will not justifie all these Churches in their invocations 3. For Imageworship Nullas habent sanctorum imagines Iosephus Indus cap. 133. some have none at all as the Indians others have Pictures onely to which they give no undue reverence as the Aethiopians yet will I not justifie some of them in this point 4. For their Monks Singuli pro sui Monasterij oeconemia sustinenda laborant alij vineas fodientes c. Bellon obser lib. 1. cap. 35. they are not idle bellygods or beggers but live on their labour as before For other things mentioned the Iesuit hath a streame of witnesses against him And last of all if these Churches agree with the Roman Church why doe most of them excoÌ„municate the Pope and his clergie as before And more especially to shew their disagreement with the Aethiopian Church Godign de Abass rebus pag. 225. the Bishop of Sydonia gave new orders to Tecla Maria an Aethiopian Priest in the Chapell of the Cardinall of Saint Severin by the coÌ„mandement of the Pope and advice of the Cardinals Of the Antiquitie CHAP. IIII. WHereas the Church of Rome boasteth of her Antiquity I purpose to set downe in this Chapter three things 1. That some of these Churches are Churches more ancient then the Church of Rome and that the ancient Church of Rome received Christianitie from them or some of them 2. That the now Church of Rome and the ancient before Boniface the third are not one and the same Church but different 3. As the now Church of Rome is a new Church and a different from the old so