during those fiery fiue moneths mentioned in the 5. Reuelat. 9.5 verse of the 9. chap. of the Reuelation which some of the learned doe interpret to be those last 500. yeeres before Luthers time in which Antichrist was growne vp to his full height and power and euen then did God stirre vp a great company of corragious Champions to withstand the Pope and openly and boldly to write speake and preach against him and his proceedings till well towards the rising of Luther a great part of which we will now produce as they thus follow in particular 3 About the yeare of our Lord 1158. which was almost foure hundred yeares before Luthers daies Garhardus and Dulcinus Nauarenses did earnestly preach against the Church of Rome and taught that the Pope is Antichrist that the Clergie and Prelates of Rome were reiected and were become the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the booke of the Reuelation These as the histories doe testifie came into England The two witnesses as they follow are sayd to be two because thâ—y bear witnesse to the two TestameÌ„ts and brought certaine others with them who were by the King and the Prelaetes burned in the foreheads and sent out of the Realme and afterwards were put to death by the Pope In the yeare 1160. * Waldus Waldus one of the chiefe Magistrates of the Citie of Lyons in Fraunce was terrified at the sight of one that fell downe dead suddenly he shewed great fruits of repentance both by exercising the workes of mercie in relieuing the poore and also by instructing himselfe and his family in the word of God and in exhorting all that resorted vnto him to the same and by translating certaine places of Scriptures into the French tongue which he declared vnto many He and a great number that receiued instructions by him maintained the same doctrine drawne out of the holy Scriptures which we doe now condemning the Masse to be wicked the Pope to bee Antichrist and Rome to be Babylon c. They were threatned and by violence of persecution scattered into many places and some of them remained long in Bohemia In the yeare 1212. An hundred burned in one day the Pope caused an hundred persons in the Country of Alsatia whereof diuers of them were Noble men to be burned in one day for maintaining doctrine against the Romish Church About the yeare of Christ 1230. The Graecians renounced the Church of Rome almost all the Church of the Graeciaens renounced the Church of Rome because of their execrable Simony and such like abominable wickednesse In the time of the Emperour Frederike the second about the yeare 1240. there was in the Countrey of Sweuia many Preachers which preached freely against the Pope and his Prelates affirming that they were Heretiques Simonackes and such like About the yeare 1250. rose vp Arnoldus de nona villa a Spaniard Arnoldus a man famously learned and a great Writer hee impugned the errours of the Popish Church and taught Guilielmus that the Pope led the people to hell About the same time Guilielmus de sancto Amore a maister of Paris and chiefe ruler of that Vniuersitie applied all the testimonies of Scripture which are touching Antichrist against the Popish Clergie About the yeare 1290. Laurence an Englishman Laurence and a maister of Paris mightily proued the Pope to be Antichrist and the Synagogue of Rome to be Babylon the Pope after his death caused his bones to bee taken vp and burned Robert Gallus At the same time Robert Gallus a man of noble parentage impugned the Pope of Rome and his Clergie calling the Pope an idol Robert Grostid Also about the same time Robert Grostid Bishop of Lincolne a man famously learned in three tongues wrote diuers Inuectiues against the Pope prouing him to be an heretike after his death the Pope would haue had his bones digged vp but was terrified by a Vision About the yeare 1350 the Lord raised vp diuers learned men Gregory Arminensis which openly and boldly impugned the Pope and the Church of Rome Gregory Arminensis who layed open the abuses of the Romish Synagogue and confuted the Popish doctrine of free-will In Germany a Preacher taught likewise Petracha Franciscus Petracha at the same time called Rome The whoore of Babylon the Sanctuary of heresie and Schoole of errour Johannes derupe Scissa And a little before that Iohannes derupe Scissa was cast into prison for rebuking the Popish Prelates for their detestable enormities and for that hee called the Church of Rome The Whoore of Babylon the Pope the Minister of Antichrist and the Cardinalls false Prophets And being in prison hee wrote a booke prophecying of the afflictions which hanged ouer the heads of the Romish Clergie Couradus Hager Also there was maister Conradus Hager who taught more then twenty yeares against the Masse hee was afterwards shut vp in prison Gerardus Ridder Michael Cesenas Petrus de Carbona Iohannes de Poliaco Also one Gerardus Ridder wrote a booke against the Monkes and Friers which he entituled Lachrime ecclesiae About the same time Michaell Cesenas and Petrus de Corbona and Iohannes de Poliace were condemned by the Pope and his adherents The said Michaell wrote a booke against the pride tyrannie and primacie of the Pope accusing him to be Antichrist and the Church of Rome Babylon That whoore drunke with the blood of the Saints He left behind him many followers of whom a great part were slaine by the Pope and some of them were burned Two Friers About the same time two Friers were put to death in Auinion for matters which they had against the Pope one of them was called Iohannes Rochetailiada who did preach that the Church of Rome is Babylon the Pope and Cardinalls Antichrist About the yeare 1360. was set forth a writing against the Pope and his Clergie The Plowmans complaint Armachanus called the Complaint of the plow man About the same time Armachanus an Archbishop in Ireland was raised vp against Antichrist he was a man of great learning and godlinesse his troubles were many and his deliuerances great by Gods prouidence In the yeare of Christ 1364. Nicolas Orme Nicolas Orme preached a Sermon before the Pope and his Cardinalls in which he rebuked the Popish Prelates and affirmed their destruction not to be farre off About the yeare 1370. liued Mathew Parisiensis a Bohemian Math. Parisiensis who wrote a large booke of Antichrist and noteth the Pope to be the same About the yeare 1384. Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica Nilus wrote also a large booke against the Romaine Church About the yeare 1390. many were put to death for the Gospell refusing the doctrine and worship of the Church of Rome as at Bringa there were burned sixe and thirty Citizens of Maguntia Many put to death for refusing the Romish religion In the prouince of Narbone there
Church And bid them now bragge of the visibilitie of their Church and of the standing state it alwaies had since it was a Church because thou canst not deny it them but withall giue them to vnderstand that euen thereby is our Church proued that true Church which the Angel in that chapter foretold should be driuen from home and dispierced abroad and theirs to be the tyrannicall and persecuting Church which should driue it out of her Countrie And thus much for the prouing when their Church first began and how farre it did extend it selfe as also the first beginning of vniuersall Popes to bee sixe hundred and sixe yeares after Christ whereby both their antiquitie and vniuersalitie is vtterly ouerthrowne Now to the conclusion of all 8 Forasmuch as we which now are distinguished from them by the title of Protestants confesse that in this their Romish iurisdiction we had no Church left at the rising of Luther they demaund of vs from whence our Bishops had their callings and how our Ministers which they haue ordained euer since can haue lawfull callings seeing there was then no Protestant Bishops to ordaine them neither that by the Apostles euer any Christians had that title giuen them We answer For the title Protestant wee stand not vpon for wee graunt that in the time of the Apostles there was not any Christians called by that name no more then there was any called by that name Catholique The onely title proper to the professours of Christ was giuen by the Apostles in the Citie of Antioch which was to be called Christians as appeareth in the 11. of the Acts of the Apostles but afterwards when as counterfait professours of Christ as the Arians Macedonians Eunâ—nians were growne to be Sectaries and Heretiques and each of them to challenge vnto themselues the title of the true Church There was another sort in Rome called Homousians which were indeede of the true Church these to distinguish themselues from those counterfait Christians intituled themselues Christian Catholiques Whereupon as Socrates testifieth k Socrates lib. 5. cap. 10. that worthie Prince Theodosius hearing thereof caused these foure sorts of Christians to be brought before him and euery Sect to bring their seuerall opinions in writing which when hee and his Bishops there assembled had throughly pervsed and examined he tore in pieces the Papers of the three Heretiques and approued onely of the Homousians finding it onely to agree with the Doctrine of the Scriptures And thereupon made this Decree All people subiect to our Empire How and when the name Catholique was giuen to Christians we will haue to continue in that Religion which Saint Peter the Apostle deliuered to the Romans as the faith kept from his time to this day doth declare and the which it is euident Bishop Damassus and Peter Bishop of Alexandria a man of Apostolique sanctitie doe professe to wit that according to the Apostolique and Euangelique Doctrine wee beleeue one Godhead of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost of like maiestie in sacred Trinitie The obseruers of this Law we commaund to be taken for Christian Catholiques the rest as mad and frantike we adiudge to beare the reproach of Heretiques which must looke to feele first the vengeance of God and next such penalties as the motion of our hearts directed from aboue shall appoynt And this was about two hundred yeares before the Papists had a Church therefore this act being done onely in our Church it is without all contradiction we onely must needs be of that sort of Christians vnto whom the title Catholique was then giuen and consequently of the true and most auncient Catholique and Apostolique Church So likewise afterwards when as the West part of the Church did vnder the title of Christian Catholiques professe Christ after an Antichristian manner then certaine true Christians withstanding them protested a contrary manner of Christian profession agreeable to the auncient Catholique Faith and Religion and by their protesting did distinguish themselues from that counterfait companie which they then saw as we now haue declared at large in our former Chapters were cleane swarued from the true Faith and Religion And from thence we following their true Faith and religion retain the same title to distinguish our selues from our most counterfait Christian Catholiques But would God both these new titles were laid away and that both sorts might be called by their owne proper titles to wit Christians and Antichristians for so the Church of Christ should the better be knowne from the Church of Antichrist 9 Now for the lawfulnesse of our Bishops callings wee say that when the time drew neere that the Gospel which Antichrist had suppressed in the Romish iurisdiction should be set vp againe according to that old Romish prophesie intituled Stimulus diuinae contemplationis written I know not how many hundred yeares agoe bearing that after the yeare of Christs Incarnation 1534. In an olde Booke Good Law good Religion good peace together with Faith Truth and sound Doctrine should returne againe into the World in their proper shape and true likenesse then about that time when by the meanes of that man of Cod Luther some Bishops were conuerted to true Christianitie againe and that others had time to conuerse with them concerning the present necessitie of electing and ordaining Christian Ministers then they entered by the olde ordinances of those Christian Bishops which were before Poperie was and so ordained ministers by the rules and authoritie of the first Apostolicke order which had alwaies continued in those other parts of our Churches which as wee shewed were neuer members of the Popish Church For otherwise had they not bin first conuerted they and all the Ministers which they haue ordained should haue been the seruants of Antichrist euen as those were before and at this day are which haue their calling from Antichrist the Pope For so their S. Bernard speaking of Bishops and Ministers which haue their calling from and by the Popes ordination saith l Bernard supra cant Serm. 33. They serue Antichrist Also their Albertus Magnus saith m Albert in Jehn 10. They bee the Ministers of Antichrist and the vnderminers of the flocke of Christ. And therefore whether it be likely that our Ministers which be ordained by Bishops of an ordinarie calling from the Apostles of Christ haue lawfull callings or such as haue their calling from Antichrist the Pope let the Christian Reader iudge And the more to inlighten his iudgement and better discerning the truth hereof let him consider these fruits and effects of their calling Their Saint Bridgit bringeth in Christ thus complayning of the Romish Clergie n Bridgit lib. 1. cap. 56. They faine themselues to be mine and in the meane time they worke wickedly against mee Their Saint Elizabeth bringeth in Christ thus reporting of them o Elizabeth against the corruptions of Rome lib. 3. cap. 14. They that walk vnder my name doe not feare to
who perceiuing that the Church was like to haue a new Husband to wit an Vniuersall Bishop to be made and to become her head in stead of Christ He confessed with teares that the state of the Church was like to fall to ground For said he k Gregorie lib. 4. Epist 52. 55. Seeing the order of Priesthood is falne within it cannot now stand long without And thus much concerning the fall of the Church especially of that part vnder the Patriarkedome of Rome before there was an Vniuersall Pope established in Rome Now it remaineth that wee see how it grew to perfection vnder Vniuersall Popes in these foure principall poynts Doctrine Faith Religion and generall Apostacie Which God willing shall bee made euident by their owne Writers also 13 Touching the first point their Saint Vincent sayth l Vincent in his Treatise of the latter end The religious orders are become vnto mens soules the way of perdition And a little after hee sheweth the reason to bee this For saith he the most part of Preachers preach now adayes not the simplicitie of the Gospell but the subtiltie of Aristotle Their S. Bridgit speaking in the person of Christ saith m Bridgit lib. 4. cap. 133. They annull and make of no effect my Word they affirme and teach their owne lies and denie my truth c. n In lib. 6. of her Reuelation chap. 26. My Word is vnto them intollerable and my wisdome and doctrine in their account but vaine Therefore o Lib. 4. cap. 132 They doe not preach and publish to the people my Word neither doe they teach my doctrine c. p Lib. 6. of her Reuelat. cap. 26. They follow their owne fancie so that their owne inuentions are vnto them a Law c. q Lib. 6. Reuelat cap. 15. They say â—nd doe boast that they vnderstand my Law and yet it is but for the deceiuing of others c. r Lib. 4.132 For of the vpright man they make a wicked man of the simple they make a Deuill And this commeth to passe as then Cardinall Beno sheweth because Å¿ Beno de vita gesâ—s Hudeb They are led by the spirit of errour and doctrines of Dâ—uâ—ls Whereby as their Bishop Cornâ—luâ—s saith t Cornelijorat Trident. The sauour of life is turned to the sauour of death So as their Matthew Paris the Monke saith u Paris in Henrico 2. sub 1160. Whence Christians were wont to fetch the water of Righteousnesse there they finde a poysoned puddle And euen thereby doth their Abbot â—oacham proue the Pope and his Clergie to be that Whore of Babylon mentioned in the seauenteenth Chapter of the Reuelation which offereth to the World the Abomination and Filthinesse of her Fornication in a golden Cup. * Ioacham vpon the 37. chap. Jere. The moderne Vicars of Christ saith he doe neglect Incense and Myrrhe but they seeke after Gold that they may with Babylon the great Ladie of the World fill vnto men Wine in a Golden Cup to infect their followers with their abomination Now therefore I demaund of our Romane Catholickes how it is possible for Doctrine to grow vnto any greater perfection of corruption then to be squared by the spirit of errour and Doctrines of Deuils whereby good men are made wicked men and simple men made Deuils 14 Touching the second poynt namely Faith their Saint Bridgit in her fourth Bâ—oke finding Rome to haue seduced the Romish Church from her primitiue puritie calleth her a wretched and an vâ— happie Citie And a little after shee saith x Bridgit lib. 4. cap. 30. Maruaile not that I called Rome an vnhappie and a wretched Citie because of the aforesaid abuses and others the like much contrarie to the Statutes of the Primitiue Church Wherefore it is to bee feared lest the Catholike Faith doe shortly sayle Their Saint Hildegard a Nunne hauing in a vision seene the Pope in the shew of a great and vgly Monster and other fearefull sigues ouer the Church of Rome wrote thus of the head thereof y Hildegard in her second booke of her Sciuias The sonne of perdition shall endeuour through a most wicked deceipt to seduce men for a time sweetely and smoothly by making crooked the path-way of the Christian Faith That Astrologian Ruth speaking of the state of the Romish Church when the Pope should be installed in his Seate wrote thus z Ruth in his 3. chap. of his Booke When as he shall enter into his House then shall the Romans stumble in the Faith Their Abbot Ioacham saith a Ioacham vpon the first and second of Ierem. The Pope considereth not in how peruerse a manner the Lyon of Faith is throwne downe And a little after he saith The religious orders doe defile the Faith by their errours teaching peruersly If in the head saith he is not the soundnesse of Faith much lesse is there in the heart the sinceritie of hope and yet further off from the foote is the diligence of doing charitable deedes And albeit the Faith of Rome was of olde published through the whole World yet afterward her Faith hath beene turned into perfidie and heresie Againe speaking of the whole Church of Rome hee saith b Jbidem This is the Synagogue of Sathan and his Seate This is that Figge-tree which is dried vp in the Faith by the meanes of the curse of transgression c. euen the latter Church the Ship of Saint Peter Their Bishop Cornelius saith c Oratio Cornelij Trident. Would to God they were not falne with one consent from Faith to Infidelitie and from Christ to Antichrist To conclude Ioacham yet sheweth of a more admirable perfection of falling from the true Faith in Christ in that he saith d Ioacham vpon the first and second chap. of Ieremie They haue chosen Antichrist for Christ the Deuill for God and Hell for the Kingdome of Heauen Wherefore whether it be possible for men to fall from the Faith in any greater measure let the learned Reader judge 15 Touching the third poynt to wit Religion Their Saint Bernard bewayling the desperate estate of Religion in his time saith e Bernard supra Cant. Ser. 33. gest Hildebrand Behold these times very much defiled with the worke that walketh in darkenesse Woe be to this generation because of the leauen of the Pharises which is hipocrisie If it may be called hypocrisie which is now so rife that it cannot and so shamelesse that it seeketh not to be kept secret A rotten contagion creepeth at this day through the whole body of the Church And a little after The wound of the Church is inward and incarable Their Cardinall Beno saith f Beno Cardinalis de vita gestis Hildeb Their Religion sauoureth nothing but of traiterousnesse and couetousnesse beeing led by the spirit of Errour and Doctrines of Deuils Their S. Elizabeth thus cryeth out against the Romish Clergie
which the gates of hell should not preuaile 8 Furthermore if Peter had beene that Rocke against which the power of the Deuill should not haue preuailed how was it that Saint Paul found him a desembler in Religion for which himselfe saith Gala. 2. Gala. 2.11.12.13 hee reproued him before all men in the Citie of Antioch Also if he had been that Rock against which the power of hell should not preuaile whence was it then that hee became an Apostata by cursing himselfe if euer he knew Christ and by denying him with an oathe Matth. 26.72.73.74 Therefore it is euident hee was not that maine Rocke against which the Gates of hell should not preuaile nor on which Christ said he would build his Church yea the very expresse words of the Text declareth that he did not meane vpon Peter for the words are not vpon thee Matth. 16.18 but vpon this Rocke That is saith Saint Augustine q August in his 3. Sâ—r. vpon Matthew vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this Rocke which thou hast acknowledged saying Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God I will build my Church I will build thee vpon mee and not mee vpon thee for men willing to build vpon men said I hold of Paul I am of Apollo and I holde of Peter But others that would not build vpon Peter but vpon the Rocke said I holde of Christ And this interpretation of Saint Augustine their Doctor Beda so approueth of r Beda vpon the 1. Cor. the first chap. that in his interpretating the same words hee obserueth Augustines words verbatim Likewise their Docter Haymo thus expoundeth the same words Å¿ Haymo of Peter and Paul Because saith he thou hast professed mee truely to be the sonne of the liuing God vpon this Rocke that is vpon me whom thou hast confessed to be the sonne of the liuing God I will build my Church Thus then wee see that Christ himselfe is that Rocke on which hee said hee would build his Church and not Peter And the rather because it is not any where found in all the Scriptures that the power of hell did euer any way preuaile against him but may euidently be proued it did more preuaile against Peter then against any other of all the Apostles therefore it is without all contradiction that Christ himselfe is that maine Rocke yea the same on which Saint Hierome witnesseth Peter himselfe did helpe to build the Church For he complaining how the Christian Doctrine was then in his time corrupted in Rome said t Hierome idem aduersus Iouianum Was there none other place in all the World to receiue this voluptuous Doctrine but that which Peters preaching had built on the Rocke Christ Declaring thereby that Christ was that maine Rocke and not Peter 1. Cor. 3.11 And therefore it was that Saint Paul 1 Cor. 3.11 speaking of the maine Rocke or Foundation concludeth hereof thus Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ 9 But heere now perhappes they will obiect and say Did not Christ say to Peter thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation a Rocke or a Stone We answere Hee did For if wee speake of the Ministeriall foundation no man can deny but that Peter was therein a Rocke or a Stone as the Prophets and the other Apostles were for that Saint Paul speaking of the ministeriall foundation Ephesians 2.20 saith plainely Ephes 2.20 It is built to wit the Church vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone But in that hee bringeth in Christ among them and ascribeth vnto him onely the prerogatiue of singularitie it is cleare that euen in the ministeriall foundation hee allowed none singular but Christ alone And therefore that prerogatiue of singularitie which the Pope would claime by right from Peter is euen flat forgery and a foolish fantasie 10 I am not ignorant what a shuffling they keepe with Saint Hierome to proue Peter one singular in the ministeriall foundation but if it be possible for any man to speake plainer words to the contrary then these let the Reader iudge v Hieron lib. 1. aduersus Iouian Yee will say said hee the Church is founded vpon Peter notwithstanding in another place the same thing is done vpon all the Apostles and all receiued the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church is founded equally vpon them all And hereof it is which Saint Origen saith * Origen in 16. Matth. tract 1. If onely vpon Peter thou thinke the whole Church to be built what wilt thou say to Iohn and euery of the Apostles And a little after For if this speech To thee will I giue the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen be common to all why then should not all that which goeth before and that which followeth after as spoken to Peter be common to them all By which we see plainly that seeing Peter is not a Singular in the Ministeriall foundation the Pope very vniustly challengeth that prerogatiue from him 11 Sixtly they say For Peter the prayer was made as though Christ had not praied aswel for the other Apostles as for him But for the blowing away of this miste I referre the Reader to the seauenteenth chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell where he shall see that Christ prayed as well for all the other Apostles as for Peter whereupon it was that Saint Augustine wrote thus against those Heretikes of his time x Augustine in his first booke of his quâ—stion vpon the Old and New Testament the 75 question Did Christ pray but for Peter and not for Iames and Iohn It is manifest that all the Apostles were meant in Peter because in another place hee saith I pray for them whom thou hast giuen me and I will that where I am they may be also 12 Lastly they say thus Peter had an ordinary power from whence all the other Apostles receiued their power and authority For answere whereof and for breuitie sake I am compelled also to referre the Reader to these places of Scripture Iohn 20.21.22.23 Matth. 18.18.19 and 10.5.6.7.8 and 28.18.19.20 Iohn 14.26 Acts 2.1.2.3 which doth plainely proue that all the Apostles in generall and euery particular of them receiued their power and authority immediately from Christ as Peter himselfe did And hence it was that Saint Cyprian knitteth vp the conclusion thus y Cyprian of the simplicitie of Prelates Christ gaue to all his Apostles like and equall power and authority And where then was that ordinary power of Saint Peter that the Pope should challenge from him that prerogatiue to haue a singular power and principalitie to giue power and authoritie to all Bishops Pastours and Ministers iust no where to be found For albeit our Sauiour Christ seeing Peter so forwards aboue the rest and fore-seeing also how prone ready he was to
THE POPES deadly Wound Tending to resolue all men in the Chiefe and principall Points now in controuersie betweene the Papists and Vs. Written by T. C. and published by Master Doctor BVRGES now Preacher to the English troopes in the Pallatinate 2 TIMOTH Chap. 3. Verse 8.9 As Iannes and Iambres withstood MOSES so doe these also resist the Truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the Faith But they shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shall be euident to all men as theirs was REVELAT Chap. 18. Verse 2. It is fallen it is fallen Babilon the great Citie and is become the habitation of Deuils and the holde of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull Bird. REVELAT Chap. 14 Verse 9.10 If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or on his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God LONDON Printed by T. S. for Nath. Newberie and are to be sould at the signe of the Starre vnder S. Peters Church in Corne-hill and in Popes-head-Alley 1621. To the Christian Reader HEE that vndertakes to commend another mans writings vnto the view and reading of men aduentures his owne reputation therein as Merchants doe their stocke in other mens ships And there be two sorts of men that doe and may aduenture more boldly then others either goods or credit First such as haue so much to spare as that the losse of their aduenture will not pinch them or such as haue so little to aduenture as no losse can hurt them much Yet is there a middle sort that doe aduenture in hope of good returnes J take my selfe a man not vtterly desperate yet of poore estate knowing nothing in my selfe that might procure respect vnto another mans writings vnlesse perhaps my acquaintance with many men of sundry places the purchase of my troublesome pilgrimage or the louing fauour which God of his goodnesse hath giuen mee with many far beyond my worth But if I had more reputation in the Church of God and my Countrey then euer J shall haue I would not feare to aduenture all mine owne praises in the praise of this little Booke and the Author thereof The Author thereof Master Thomas Clarke one of my parishoners in Sutton-Coldfield I know to be a man of much grauity piety and honesty for one of his sort to be admired for his vnwearied paines in reading such Authors as hee could gathering out of them the pith of their discourses or disputes and labouring to improue all not onely to the setling of his owne iudgement but also to the staying and satisfying of others popishly inclined by conference or by writing wherein also his successe hath exceeded the haruest of many other men better languaged and more learned then be Touching this his booke it is true that onely the moulding of the Arguments against Popery is his owne fitter perhaps for the vulgar sort then more exquisite pieces The matter it selfe is to be found in the writings of our learned Countreymen dispersed in large or many bookes whereof some are not so easie to be had But here is compiled and compacted together in this popular forme and in a stile so farre as I can iudge neither curious nor dissolute but well becomming the man and the matter The end and ayme of this good man I perswade my selfe to be honest and holy not applause of men nor gaine of money but a true desire to informe his countreymen that cannot or will not heare often or reade much in the knowledge of the truth which detayning or reclayming them from Popery or confirming them in true religion established in our Land might yeeld them better Christians better Subiects better Neighbours Many haue long called for this Booke vpon sight of some part of it or report of others these I suppose will gladly reade it such as neuer heard of it or of the man may please to make a tryall whether or no they may finde in it that which may refresh the memory of learned and diligent men in much breuity or bring light vnto the ignorant with as much perspicuity which is I confesse my opinion of the Booke God quicken vp our hearts to more zeale for the Gospell and against popery the zeale whereof in our aduersaries should prouoke vs to more zeale or will condemne vs though it helpe not them God also blesse this good old-Man that hath spent himselfe for common good aad blesse all meanes that may any way aduance the Kingdome of our Lord Iesus whether the scepter of Gouernement the sword of Warre the preaching of the Gospell or Pen or Print of wel-aduised and wel-affected persons Farewell Thine to serue thee in the Lord IOHN BVRGES Parson of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire and now Preacher to the English troopes in the seruice of the KING of Bohemia for the defence of the Pallatinate vnder the command of Sr. Horatio Veere Knight Lord General THE PREFACE TO the Christian Reader WEE reade Christian Reader in the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians 2. cap. 3 verse of a generall apostacie or departing from the true Faith which the great Antichrist should bring to passe before the comming of Christ and before hee should be reuealed or made manifest to the world And wee read also in the 3. chap. and 10. verse of the Reuelation of S. Iohn of a generall temptation or triall that shall come vpon the world to trie them that dwell vpon the earth And in the 17. chap. wee reade by whom this temptation shall be made especially in the 4. and 5. verses where it is said of Romish Babylon that she offered to the world In a cup of Gold to wit in the golden name of Christ the abhomination and filthinesse of her fornication And in the 3. verse of the 18. chap. that she made all nations to drinke thereof And in the second verse of the 17. chap. that shee made the inhabibitants of the earth drunke therewith And therefore it is that the Angell in the 5. verse calleth Christian Rome Babylon The mother of whordomes and abhominations of the earth and for which as appeareth in the 2. verse of the 19. chap. the Lord hath condemned her Now by this filthinesse of her fornication all the learned doe know is meant her whorish religion as idolatrie superstition and heathenish worship which very many that are yet liuing doe know did ouerflow this Land a great part of the Christian world before the daies of King Henry the eight when as God had appointed the effectuall beginning of the reformation and restoring againe of the true Faith and Religion as may appeare by a Prophecie written in an olde booke I know not how many hundred yeeres agoe Intituled Stimulus diuinae contemplationis which saith After the yeere of Christs incarnation 1534. good Religion good Lawes good Peace together with Faith Truth and sound Doctrine shall returne into the world
not fully sufficient to proue the Pope that great Antichrist foretolde by Saint Hierome c Hierome ad Algasia Quest 11. that should sit in the Church as if hee were Christ the Sauiour But for asmuch as they deny it and that the whole Church of Rome at this day dependeth vpon Bellarmines iudgement out of whose workes as it is verily supposed Parsons hath published to the view of the world and deluding of many tenne seueral Obiections for the clearing the Pope from being Antichrist it resteth that in the next Chapter we answere those obiections that so all doubts may be remoued And heerein as the originall Authour I will vse onely the name of Bellarmine In the meane time I demaund what hope of comfort we can looke to haue at these Popish Gods and Sauiours seeing their owne Saint Bridget whom Boniface the ninth Pope of that name canonized saith d Bridget in her first booke c. 41 All their followers and fauourers shal be cut off dis-ioynted and pulled in pieces like vnto a wall that is a casting downe where is not left one stone standing vpon an other neyther shall my loue and mercie euer warme them nor build them vp againe into eternall mansion And as we see the question resolued what will be the end of those that depend vpon these Gods and Sauiors so shall wee see heereafter what will bee the end of those Gods and Sauiours CHAP. II. Contayning tenne seuerall Obiections for the clearing if it had beene possible the Pope from being Antichrist set forth vnder the letters N. D. with answeres thereunto THou shalt vnderstand Christian Reader that whom Saint Iohn in his first Epistle chap. 1 Iohn 2.22 2. called Antichrists in the 22. verse hee declared to haue meant certaine Disciples which were fallen from the fellowship of the Apostles and others that by their meanes went abroad teaching doctrine whereby Christ was denyed to be the true Messias So that because such Antichristian teachers were then crept into the church by whom the great mystery of iniquity was begunne which when the great Antichrist should come should be fully perfected hee did not sticke to say but that Antichrist was then come whereas notwithstanding the great Antichrist was not then come 2 Thess 2.7 For as Saint Paul declared to the Thessalonians Epist 2. cha 2. there was then an impediment that did stay his comming which said He shall let till hee be taken out of the way Which as Tertullian Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome expoundeth was the Roman Emperor and likewise Saint Hierome in these words a Hierome to Algasia The Romaine Emperour which now keepeth all Nations in subiection must first be ouerthrowne and then shall Antichrist come the fountaine of iniquity By which it is cleare that by Saint Iohns Antichrists we cannot vnderstand the great Antichrist therefore the question is who the great Antichrist should be we say he is the Pope of Rome they say he shall be a Iew of Ierusalem but this is but our yea and their nay and how then shall it be tried who is in the right Bellarmine supposed in his Wardword the answere to Sir Francis Hastings Watchword page 91.92 hath set downe tenne seuerall Obiections to prooue him a Iew which God willing by these our Answeres shall be proued a Gentile THE FIRST OBIECTION 2 First then saith Bellarmine That the Popes of Rome be Antichrist or the man of sinne whereof the Prophet Daniel our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles do speake and that Rome is Babylon in that sense that these good fellowes doe meane that is Rome christened is a meere iest For that as the true Christ was one singular man so shall the true Antichrist be one singular man also and not a succession of men one after another as the Popes of Rome are And this is euidently gathered by the auncient Fathers out of the words of holy Scriptures namely Daniel 7. and 11. Iohn 5.2 2 Thessalonians 2. 1 Iohn 2. Apocal 13. and 17. THE ANSWERE 3 Heere Christian Reader seemeth a very great likelihood that by the great Antichrist should be meant onely one person seeing he produceth no lesse then seauen places of Scripture to testifie the same But it is a wonder to see that a man learned and seeming deuout should so apparently wrest the Scriptures For it is without all contradiction that not any one of his places doe proue his assertion The likeliest place is the 2. 2. Thess 2.3 Thessal 2. in which Saint Paul calleth Antichrist The man of sinne but doth it therefore follow that he meant onely one man no no more then by calling him in the same chapter The sonne of perdition he meant one person For in the Scriptures it is very apparant that by such like titles are not alwayes meant one singular person Esay 43.27 seeing we finde in the 43. chapter of Esay 27. verse is meant a great number of men included in the name Father Exod. 4.23 Rom. 9.27 Dan. 11. And in Exodus the 4. chap. 23. verse all the Israelites whose number Saint Paul saith Rom. 9.27 are as the sandâ— of the Sea are included in the title of a Sonne And in Daniell 11. the whole succession of Kings in their seuerall kingdomes are included in the person of one King And therefore seeing that vnder the title of a Man or a Sonne is included more thousands then the Popes are hundreds Bellarmines ignorance in the manner phrase of the Scriptures is laid open and his mouth stopped for accusing vs of ignorance in including all the Popes in the person of the man of sinne or Sonne of perdition And the rather because they themselues ordinarily vse also the like phrase of speech as when they call the whole succession of Popes that one head of Christs Church Therefore if the Scriptures had not taught vs so to speake we might yet haue learned of them how to call the whole succession of Popes that one head of Antichrists church 4 And whereas to dazle the eies of the ignorant he produceth the Fathers vpon his places of Scriptures as though they by Antichrist had meant one proper person Let him heare therefore how they haue vsed to speake of him Saint Hierome said b Hierome in his booke vpon Matth. 24. The abomination of desolation shall stand in the Church vntill the consummation of time and shew himselfe as God Now it is cleare he could not meane this of one particular person for that he knew as well as we no one man could liue to the consummation and end of time Also that auncient Writer Eusebius speaketh of Antichrist in the plurall number thus c Eusebius in his 7. book of Preparation This is a token not that he but that they hate God for that they will haue themselues called by the name of God Againe their Saint Bridget saith that she was commanded in a vision to signifie to d Bridget in her
6. booke of Reuelat chap. 8. Mathias of Sueden the Gloser of the Bible that Antichrist consisted of many persons that so he might giue Notes to the Church of Rome that Antichrist is not a singular but a pluralitie of persons By which therefore we see that the Fathers did also speake of Antichrist as well in the plurall number as in the singuler Wherefore seeing that by Antichrist they did not meane one singular person why may not all the Popes be that great Antichrist The man of sinne But they say no and who then shall be iudge betweene vs that shall these two testimonies of their writer Auentine in whose Chronicle there is extant this complaint of Fredericke the second e Auentine printed at Ingoâ—stad 1554. in the Epistle which he wrote to Otho Duke of Bauaria The Popes of Rome doe seeke after Lordship and diuine power namely that they may be feared of all no otherwise yea more then God for it is euident that there be many Antichrists among the Romanists So then we see that as there are many Popes there are many Antichrists and yet as there is at no time but one Pope there is but one Antichrist 5 Secondly in the same booke Auentine himselfe complayning of the whole incorporate body of Popes saith f Ibidem The chiefe Priests of Babylon desire to raigne alone they cannot abide any equall Thus in the plurall number and a little after in the singular number thus g Ibidem That wicked man whom commonly they call Antichrist in whose forehead is written a name of Blasphemie I am a God I cannot erre By which wee see it most euident that the whole succession of Popes and euery particular of them in their times and places one after another is that great Antichrist the man of sinne and sonne of perdition prophecied of by the Prophet Daniel our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles and therefore it is not as Bellarmine saith a iest so to say but a very stale iest to say the contrary And now whether christian Rome be Babylon in that sense that our good fellowes doe meane our next Chapter shall plainely demonstrate THE SECOND OBIECTION 6 Moreouer the Iewes shall receiue the true Antichrist for their Messias as they refused Christ and so Christ saith plainely Iohn 5.43 I came in my fathers name and yee receiued me not if another come in his owne name him shall yee receiue but it is not likely that the Iewes will receiue the Popes of Rome for their Messias and much lesse so many Popes as are already dead THE ANSWERE 7 These words of Christ Christian Reader wee see hee would apply to the Iewes of the latter end of the world to proue that a little before his comming to iudgement they should receiue the great Antichrist for their Messias and that we should belieue Antichrist to be one singular person hee citeth those words of Christ in Iohn chap. Iohn 5.43 5. as though Christ by those words had meant some one singular person whereas indeed the word Him is an indiffinit speech like as in Esay 57.17.18.19 Esay 57.17.18 Hosea 13.13 and 14.5 Hosea 13.13 and 14.5 where the word Him doth include an infinite number or many persons So Christ sheweth vnder the word Him that they would be more ready to receiue any him that would goe about to seduce and draw them from him then to receiue him whom the Father had sent to draw them vnto him that they might be saued But if they will haue those words to be vnderstood in their sence namely that Christ therein did appose himselfe against Antichrist and that hee should seduce the Iewes onely yet must they of force vnderstand it to be of that seducement that was in the Apostles times and of Saint Iohns Antichrists who were the chiefe meanes of keeping backe the Iewes from imbracing Christ and of bringing their whole posteritie into the state of infidelitie into which they fell yea of force I say because the Scriptures not any where at all mentioneth any other alteration of the Iewes state to come but that onely which Saint Paul speaketh of in Romanes the 10.19 Rom. 10.19 and 11.11 and 11.11 which there hee sheweth shall be their conuersion to Christ in which state all sides doe graunt they shall continue to the end Againe Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. 2 Thessa 2. declareth as plainely that the great Antichrist shall not with-hold Iewes from receiuing Christ and the Christian faith but shall cause Christians to fall from the faith they had receiued as wee shall proue at large in our third Chapter the Pope hath done so that hee shall not delude Iewes but Christians And this is it which S. Chrisostome saith h Chrisost 49. Hom. vpon the vnperfect work Matthew Antichrist is therefore called the abomination of desolation because hee shall cause the soules of many Christians to be desolate and forsaken And which S. Hillarie saith contra Auxentium Antichrist shall bee contrarie to Christ vnder a colour of preaching the Gospel Ergo c. 8 But whereas we say that in our third Chapter wee will proue the Pope to be that seducer and deluder in the meane time they will deny it and who then shall be Iudge betweene vs that shall these three learned Doctors Erasmus their Bishop Cornelius and their Albertus Magnus Erasmus saith i Erasmus on the 13. chap. of the Reuela This Kingdome of the Papacie whereof the Pope is the Head tooke vpon it all the power of the first Beast the Romane Emperour and compelled the Christians to Idolatry and seruice of false gods vnder a priuate colour and secret pretence as to further the true Faith Cornelius saith k Cornelius Oratio Cornelij Epist bitonti 3. dominica aduent in Concil Trid. habita Would to God they were not falne with one consent from Religion to Superstition from Faith to Infidelitie and from Christ to Antichrist Albertus saith l Albertus in Iohn cap. 10. Those which now rule in the Church be for the most part theeues and murtherers rather oppressours then feeders rather spoylers then tutors rather killers then keepers rather peruerters then teachers rather seducers then leaders These be the Messengers of Antichrist and the vnder-miners of the flocke of Christ And for the Pope himselfe which is the Ring-leader in this horrible seducement I will conclude this poynt with these words of Saint Bridget spoken vnto Pope Gregorie the Eleuenth in the person of Christ m Brigit in her 4. Booke 142. chap. Thou pluckest from me violently innumerable Soules and sendest to Hell-fire almost all those that come to thy Court. And in another place speaking also in the person of Christ she saith n In her 6. Booke of Reuela 15. chap. They doe say and boast that they vnderstand my Law and yet it is but for the deceiuing of others By which then wee see the Pope that spirituall Head-gouernour
by the direction of God himselfe as appeareth in the foureteenth chapter of Numbers to Moses and the fourth chapter of Ezekiel where the Lord said vnto him Thou shalt beare the iniquity of the house of Iudah fortie yeares I haue appoynted thee a day for a yeare euen a day for a yeare So that euen by this rule must we count the time of Antichrists reigne euen by these Angels daies Angels daies I say for as the sayd O siander saith * Osiander in his booke of coniccture of the end of the world time of Antichrists raigne page 10. Notwithstanding with vs which be concluded vnder the heauens the course of the Sunne from East to West finisheth our day in foure and twenty houres yet with the Angels that dwell aboue the Circles and orbes of the planets their day finisheth her course whiles the Sunne moueth in her Zodiacke from the South to the North and agayne from the North to the South which is not finished but in one of our yeares Therefore it is certaine there be Angels dayes and those dayes are yeares Daniel 12.12 Reuelat. 13.5 Angâ—ls yeeres An Angels yeere doth containe 360. yeeres after 30. daies to a moneth which the Greeke Astronomers call a Time Now an Angels moneth we finde in the twelfth chapter of Daniel to containe iust thirtie of those Angels dayes and by the fortie two moneths in the 13. chapter of the Reuelation which Bellarmine citeth we find that an Angels yeare doth containe twelue of those Angels moneths for that three times twelue is 36. and sixe moneths for the halfe yeare makes iust 42. which make iust three Angels yeares and an halfe which albeit they be not by the Angel in the twelfth chapter of the Reuelation nor by Daniel in his seauenth chapter called yeares in expresse words but A Time times and halfe a time yet may wee truely gather by Daniels words in his fourth chapter that by times he meant yeares for that hee there calleth Nebuchadnezzars seauen Yeares seauen Times By which then wee see that as in that chapter by Times he meant Yeares so in the seauenth chapter he and likewise the Angel in his twelfth chapter of the Reuelation by Angels times meant Angels yeares one of which containes iust 360. of our yeares after thirâ—ie dayes to a moneth which the Greeke Astrologians also call a Time 29 Now then the time of Antichrists reigne being set downe to be three yeares and an halfe it is cleare they be Angels yeares and not three of our yeares and an halfe And the rather because the Angel in the 3. verse of the 11. chap. and 6. verse of the 12. chapter hath set downe that those yeares by which we must count must contayne iust 1260. daies which ours doe not but hath 17. daies and an halfe ouer which if it were but the halfe day would marre their whole matter Therefore seeing those three Angels yeares and an halfe do containe iust those 1260. dayes and that so many of those dayes are so many of our yeares after 30. dayes to a moneth Antichrists reigne shall continue rising and falling 1260. yeares of which counting from Boniface the 3. in whom Antichrist first rose which as we proued before in the third answere was in the yeare of Christ 607. Antichrist hath now reigned a thousand and twelue yeares and two hundred forty and eight are yet to be accomplished if God with the shortning of the world as some vnderstand for her iniquity doe not also shorten his time for his iniquity 30 But now notwithstanding wee haue thus plainely proued the Pope to be hee that shall reigne fourty two moneths and consequently to be Antichrist yet as their manner is I know they will deny it and who then shall decide the matter Truely Bellarmine himselfe shall be one Saint Bernard another their Robertus the Dominican Frier another Bellarmine howsoeuer in all his former obiections hee laboured to proue a Iew to be Antichrist that should domintere ouer that one nation of the Iewes onely yet heere hee wresteth the Scripture to haue vs to vnderstand that Romish Gentile mentioned in the thirteenth chapter of the Reuelation vnto whom the Text sayth Power was giuen ouer euery kinred tongue and nation to be he So that heereby he hath proued all his former Obiections but very fond coniectures and meere fables Also whereas the Text sayth that vnto the same beast Was giuen a mouth to speake blasphemy and to keepe warre with the Saints their Saint Bernard also vnderstanding this of the great Antichrist sayth thus of the Pope x Bernard in his 25. Epistle That beast that is spoken of in the booke of the Râ—uelation vnto which beast is giuen a mouth to spâ—ake blasphemy and to keepe warre with the Saints is now gotten into Peters Chaire and there sitteth as a Lyon prepared to his prey Againe speaking of the Popish Priests and Ministers he saith plainly thus y Supra canâ—â— serm 33. They serue Antichrist Ergo the Pope is Antichrist Their Dominican Frier saith z Rovertus in his 3. vision I sawe in a vision in the Pallace of Lateraine and in the Porch before the Chaire of Prophero where triall is made whether the Pope be a man or not how that an huge Serpent tumbled it selfe vpon a thicke and great reed making a great noise and the Spirit sayd vnto me This Serpent is Antichrist and his condemnation is at hand To conclude this matter their Bishop Cornelius bewayling the miserable estate of both Spiritualtie and Layetie in the Romish â—urisdiction sayth a Cornelius oratio Cornelij Epistle Bnon 〈◊〉 3. Domâ—â—â—ca aduent in Conâ—â—l Trident. habita Would God they were not fallen wholy with one consent from Religion to Superstition from faith to infidelitie and from Christ to Antichrist Ergo the Pope is Antichrist by their owne confession 31 But now whereas wee affirmed Antichrist first to arise in Boniface the third Bâ—shop of Rome of that name because in him was the order of vniuersal Bishops established by the Emperour Phocas let vs heare what their Saint Vincent saith hereof b Vincent in his Treatise of the end of the World amongst other things fore-shewing of two kinde of Antichrists one to be an open professed enemie to Christ and all sorts of Christians the other he said shall be a mixed kinde of Antichrist And this said he shall be an euill Pope made by an euill Prince of great power who shall place his euill Pope in the Prouince of Babylon And to this mixed Antichrist saith he many Prelates shall adhere Also their Saint Bridgit hauing declared the great ruine of the Church vnder the Popes and the desolation of many soules by their meanes saith c Bridgit 3. Booke 27. Chapter Yet know for all that that betweene the time of humble Peter and the time that Boniface did mount vp to sit in the seate of Pride many did ascend into Heauen Which is
man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition a diuell not onely of the day but also of the noon-day Likewise their Writer Holcote complayning of the Romish Priests and Prelates in his dayes sayth p Holcot in lib. Sapientiae lectro 182. They bee like the priests of Baall they resemble the priests of Dagon they are the priests of Priapus and Angels of hell So then heereby wee see that the Pope and his Prelates are the chiefe of those diuells of whom the Angell sayth Rome is become the habitation Now let vs see also who be those foule spirits vncleane and hatefull birds 10 Their Writer Auentine sayth q Auent analiuÌ„ Boierum lib. 6. I am ashamed to say what manner of Bishops wee haue with the reuenues of the poore they feed horses hounds I neede not to say whoores Saint Bernard sayth r Bernard sup Cant. serm 33. Sermo ad Clerum c. It is a shame to name those things which our Bishops doe in secret Their Mantuan sayth Å¿ Mantuan Calamitatum lib. 3 It is in euery mans mouth Cities and Countries talke of it and the very bruite thereof hath quenched all care of vertue Also their Bishop Cornelius sayth t Oratio Cornelij Epist Bitonti 3. With what monsters of filthinesse with what channell of vncleannesse with what pestiferous contagion are not both priests and people defiled make your selues Iudges and beginne at the Sanctuary of God Also their Palingenius saith v Paling Marcell Paling Zodiaci vita lib. 5. in Leon. Let no Frier Monke or any other Priest come within thy dores take heede of them no greater mischiefe they are the dregges of men the fountaines of Folly the sinkes of sinne Wolues vnder Lambes skinnes deceiuing the simple with a false shew of honesty and vnder the shaddow of Religion hide a thousand of vnlawfull acts Jdem lib. 6. in Virgine Idem lib. 9. Sagittario committers of Rapes abusers of boyes the Priests and Monkes that should be chaste spend night and day eyther openly with whoores or closely with boyes O shame sayth hee can the Church endure such hogges Whereupon their Platine saith * Platine vita Marcellini What shall we thinke will become of this our age wherin our vices are growne to that height that they haue scant left any place with God for mercy how great is the lechery of all sortes among the priests and especially among the chiefe Rulers To conclude Mantuan giueth the definitiue Sentence and plainely affirmeth that they of the Church of Rome are onely those foule spirits vncleane and hatefull birds for sayth hee x Mantu Calamitatum lib. 3. They are hatefull to heauen and loathsome with vncleane lusts alas in vaine attempt they sacred rites with incestuous hands they rather kindle and prouoke God then appease him Therefore sayth he againe y Jbid. Neuer hope for helpe so long as such pray for you And thus as wee sawe proued before by their owne testimonies who were those diuells so heere also we see as plainely proued by their owne Writers who bee those foule spirits vncleane and hatefull birds whereof Rome and her regiment in her latter dayes is become the habitation And thus much for the prouing that by the fall of Babylon is meant the great fall of the Christian Church of Rome vnder the Popes of Rome Now let vs see the time when shee beganne to fall and her full perfection whereunto she fell 11 Touching the first point Tertullian seemeth to be the first that maketh any mention thereof hee liued about two hundred yeares after Christ who then bewayling the declined estate of the Christian part of Rome thus exclaimed against it z Tertull. in Apologitico O Rome how much art thou changed from olde Rome thou which wast once the chiefe in all the World art now become the chiefe in all naughtinesse Also about one age after that Saint Hierome perceiuing how she beganne to be corrupted in doctrine thus exclaimed against her a Hierom. idem aduersus Jouianum lib. 2. Was there sayth hee none other place in all the World to receiue this voluptuous doctrine but that which Peters preaching had built on the Rocke Christ Againe hee sayd to the maintainers of this doctrine b To Pammachius Thou that art a maintainer of this new doctrine spare thy Romaine eares spare thy faith which is so commended by the Apostles owne mouth to this day the Christian world hath euer beene without this doctrine And agayne hee sayth c Jdem praefact in lib. Dydimi de spiritu sancte Whiles I stayed at Babylon and was an inhabitant of that purple whoore and liued among the Romaines Beholde the pot which was seene in Ieremie from the North beganne to seethe and the Senate of Pharises made an vproare and the whole faction of rude and ignorant as it were in defiance of learning conspired against me Furthermore hee crying out against the idolatry which was then crept into the Church and also against the Idole-makers saith d In his 11. booke 10. chap. vpon Ieremy He adorneth his Image with siluer and golde that by the shine and glittering of both mettalls he may deceiue the simple which errour sayth he is now crept in among vs. Also within lesse then twenty yeares after that Saint Augustine declareth how their idolatrie was defended by the Idolaters to be no Idolatrie namely because they tooke not their Image for God but sayd hee e Augustine in his sermon vpon Matth. Let no man say to me the Image is no diuine power they know it is not God I would to God saith he they so knew it as we know it but what they haue and in what sort they haue it and what they doe about it the Altar beareth witnesse Therefore from hence it was which in another place he saith f Augustine in psal 44. They haue made vs the Citizens of Babylon we haue left our Creatour and haue worshipped the creature we haue left him that made vs and haue worshipped that which we haue made our selues Wherefore their Ambrosius Ansbertus thus concluded euen of Christian Rome saying g Ambro. in Apâ—calip lib. 6. Rome is the second Babylon 12 Furthermore about some thirtie yeares after that Saint Christostome speaking of the decaying estate of the Christian Church saith h Christ in 1. ad Corinthi Hom. 36. The Church at this day is like vnto a Woman that hath quite lâ—st her olde modestie that is her sober and chaste behauiour towards her Husband Christ and doth begin to wax wanton towards new Louers with whom whiles she dalted rose vp a spokesman to make a match betweene Ancichrist and her which was Iohn Bishop of Constantinople whom Gregory the Great therefore called i Gregorie in his 6. Booke Epist 30. The fore-runner of Antichrist But as Pelagius before Gregories daies stayed the marriage from being solemnized so did Gregorie during his dayes
the state of the Church the vniuersall Church is in danger 4 But now notwithstanding they come in yet with another obiection and say that Gregory hath also these words * Gregory in their answer to me Page 1. Whosoeuer he be that desireth to be Priest alone or the onely Priest By which they would inferre that the Bishop of Constantinople would haue beene Bishop alone without any others neuerthelesse it is cleare by these his words that follow He exalteth himselfe aboue other Priests he meant that he whosoeuer exalted himselfe for to be vniuersall Bishop or supreame head ouer all other Bishops would be Priest alone because hee would not admit any equall with him And for this cause in the words going before hee compared Iohn of Constantinople to Lucifer who he doth not say would haue had no Angels but himselfe for that had beene more then hee could haue proued And therefore we see it is onely this kinde of Priesthood which Gregory meant that would admit no manner of equality which we shall see anon he said would be the downefall of the ancient order of Priesthood 5 But now in the meane time wee may not let passe to answere another Obiection which happily may arise out of our English Catholikes words which before wee cited For in that they say The Title which the Bishop of Constantinople tooke vpon him was the Bishop of Romes right and auncient Title they would beare the world in hand that Gregory condemned it for vnlawfull in the Bishop of Constantinople onely but allowed it in the Bishop of Rome for their right and lawfull Title for to this effect indeed did they alleadge these very words Howbeit we shall see plainely by Gregories testimonies following that he condemned the Title to be as vnlawfull in the Bishop of Rome as in the Bishop of Constantinople For hee writing to the Emperour against his Bishop for his arrogant pride in taking vpon him the Title of Vniuersall Bishop said m Gregory lib. 4. Epist. 32. O my gracious Lord doe I heerein quarrell for mine owne right * Lib. 6. 30. Epist. I speake it boldly whosoeuer calleth himselfe Vniuersall Bishop or desireth so to be called is in the pride of his heart the forerunner of Antichrist and more then so he saith n Gregor libr. 4. Epist. 38. He is Antichrist that shall claime to be called Vniuersall Bishop and shall haue a guard of Priests to attend vpon him Yea it is cleare that he knew both the Title and Office to be odious euen in the Bishops of Rome else would hee not haue sought to haue purged all before his time from it as from a Title of shame setting downe the manner of his purgation thus o Gregor libr. 4. Epist. 32. 36. None of my predecessours Bishops of Rome euer consented to vse that vngodly name no Bishop of Rome euer tooke vpon him that name of singularitie wee the Bishops of Rome would neuer receiue this honour being offered vnto vs. Also in that Eulogius his fellow Patriarke of Alexandria seeing the Bishop of Constantinople so willing to haue taken the Title vpon him would rather that Gregory then Bishop of Rome should haue had it and therefore to vrge him to haue taken it vpon him in the superscriptions of certaine Letters which he wrote vnto him offered him the Title but Gregory to declare his detestation thereof not onely besought him to offer it him no more but because he saw hee would not giue ouer vrging him he thus flowted him for his folly p Gregor lib. 7. Epist. 30. Ecce saith he behold euen the Title of your Letter yee haue written the proud poesie meaning mee the Vniuersall Pope notwithstanding I haue forbidden it I beseech your Holinesse doe so no more for whatsoeuer is giuen to any aboue reason is taken from your selues Also when as he saw that such an Officer was like to be established in the Church as should be made Prince of all Christian Priests he counted that his rising to that dignitie would be the deadly downfall of the olde and auncient order of Priesthood and therefore said q Gregor lib. 4. Epist. 52. 55 Seeing the order of Priesthood is fallen within it cannot now stand long without By which he plainely declareth that it was contrary to the auncient order of Priesthood that one should be vniuersall head of all Priests Againe to declare how dangerous a thing it would be if one should be made supreame head of the whole vniuersall Church he said further thus r Gregor libr. 4. Epist. 32. Admaueri If we haue but one head the fall of that head is the fall of the Whole Church If any man presume to take vpon him the name of Vniuersall Bishop the whole Church falleth downe from her estate when hee falleth which is called Vniuersall but farre may that name of blasphemie be from all Christian mindes 6 So that hereby Christian reader we see the case to stand cleare that notwithstanding Gregory the great Bishop of Rome allowed the order of Bishops in the vniuersall Church yet did he acknowledge it vtterly vnlawfull for himselfe or any other Christian Bishop to take vpon him the title of vniuersall Bishop and to be supreame head of the vniuersall Church condemning it for vngodly blasphemous and Antichristian and therefore dehorteth all true Christians to be farre from that minde And here wee may further note that forasmuch as himselfe would none of it he condemneth that brag for a very fond fable that the title and dignity of vniuersall Bishop descended to the Bishops of Rome by succession from S. Peter the Apostle Gregorie condemneth that for a fable that the title of vniuersall Bishop descended to the Bishop of Rome from S. Peter Also seeing he confesseth as we heard before that Peter himselfe was not called vniuersall Apostle he doth acknowledge it could not come from him And thus much for the prouing that the Papists had no Church for the first 605. yeeres after Christ For as no husband no wife so no vniuersall Pope no vniuersall spouse of the Popes And therefore the most auntient and Apostolike Church next after Christ was the same true Catholique Church yea the very selfe and same whereof we are now which as now so then it had no other vniuersall head but Christ Iesus onely and alone euen as Gregory also maketh it most manifest in that when as he reproued Iohn of Constantinople for seeking to be head of the vniuersall Church asked him as we heard right now how he could answere that point at the dreadfull day of iudgement to Christ the head of the vniuersall Church as did S. Augustine before his dayes as appeareth in his booke of the vnity of the Church cap. 2. cap. 3. cap. 16. 7 Now it remaineth that we speake of the other yeere to make out our number of 606. Decretall Know yee that next after Gregory succeeded Sabinianus who
was to the number of an hundred and fortie which chose rather to suffer all torments than to receiue the Romish religion and so to deny the truth of the most glorious Gospell And a good while before this time there was foure and twentie put to death at Paris there were foure hundred noted to be heretikes foure score beheaded Prince Armericus was hanged and the Lady of the Castle was stoned to death In the daies of King Edward the third about the yeare 1371. beganne Iohn Wickliffe of Oxenford Wickliffe openly to deale against the Pope and Popish doctrine The times were then very grieuous the Popish kingdome of Antichrist being risen vp vnto a very great strength and crueltie King Edward himselfe being very well learned a valiant Prince greatly withstood Popery hee much fauoured and defended Wickliffe and so did diuers Noble-men insomuch that M. Wickliffe and others preached against the Church of Rome the Pope and his Prelates doing what they could were not able to hurt him After the death of King Edward he was greatly supported by the Londoners and so escaped the hands of his aduersaries still proclaiming the holy and heauenly doctrine of the Gospel against the Romish Antichrist It pleased God by his preaching and by his bookes to giue light to many in the Land sundry were put to death The Lord Cobham of whom the Lord Cobham was one and diuers fled out of the Land because they would not deny the truth which they had learned of him That Popish Councell of Constance fortie one yeares after his death condemned his doctrine and caused his bones to be digged vp and burned And as Wickliffes doctrine tooke place heere in England and spread farre so were some of his Workes carried into Bohemia where they did more preuaile Iohn Husse for about the yeare 1410. rose Iohn Husse who taught in Bohemia with diuers others the holy Gospell of Iesus Christ which a multitude zealously imbraced and thereupon renounced the Church of Rome He was cited to appeare before the Pope which he auoyded and about the yeare 1414. hee was charged againe to appeare then he was excommunicated and much molestation followed but he continued a faithfull witnesse of Christ and openly impugned the Romish Church and Synagogue vntill the Councell of Constanoe where he was condemned as an heretike Hierome of ' Prage and burned In the same Councell Hierome of Prage a worthy seruant of Christ for resisting the Romish Harlot was condemned and burned These men were put to death but Antichrist and all his power could not roote out the Gospel in Bohemia God raised them vp a valiant Captaine Iohn Zisca Iohn Zisca and they put to flight great armies of the Papists that came against them About this time there followed great persecutions in England and many were put to death whom they called Lolards Veselus Gronigensis God also raised vp one Veselus Gronigensis he was so worthy a man that hee was called Lux mundi the light of the world He disputed mightily boldly against Popery and proued their doctrine false and wicked and that the Popes Keyes doe not open but shut heauen Gates This man ended his daies in the yeere of Christ 1499. Sauonarola In the yeare 1500. Hieronomus Sauonarola a Monke in Italie with two other Friers Dominicke and Siluester Dominicke and Siluester were condemned to â—eath at Florence they taught and maintained against the Popish doctrine the things which we doe now 4 And thus hauing slaine and put to death all within the Romish iurisdiction that did any way gaine say them The two witnesses are both slaine they haue now gotten all in quiet possession leauing none that would not be conformable to Antichrists lore And this is it which Saint Augustine did find by the Scriptures the great Antichrist should bring to passe as may plainely appeare by these his words For that wee beleeue that Antichrist shall come vnto such an height of vaine-glory it shall be lawfull for him to doe such things both towards all men and also towards the Saints of God that many weake men shall thinke God hath forsaken the care of the world And also wee see that prophesie heere fully verified in the 13. chapter of the Reuelation which saith thus of the Romish spirituall gouernour He caused that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed That is all that would not be conformable to al the old Heathenish ordinances set vp againe by the Pope and preach and professe the same should be killed So that herein also is fulfilled that prophesie in the eleauenth chapter of the same booke concerning the killing the two witnesses whom the tenth verse of the same chapter declareth The 9. and 10. verses sheweth that by the 2. Witnesses are meant all the Preachers that should vex Antichrists vvholâ— kingdom which in the sixt verse of the 14. chap. are included in the person of one Angell with all other throghout Christendome should vexe Antichrists whole kingdome for which cause hee should slay them But whereas Bellarmine would haue them to be onely two persons and that they should containe themselues within that one nation of the Iewes the Text is plaine to the contrarie in that it saith And they of the people and kinreds and tongues and Gentiles shall see their corpes three dayes and an halfe and shall not suffer their carkeises to be put in graues and they that dwell on the earth shall reioyce ouer them and be glad and send gifts one to another for these two Prophets vexed them that dwelt on the earth Now in that the text declareth that the two witnesses were slaine among the Gentiles in diuers nations of the earth and that those nations euery where saw their dead corpes lie among them which they counted not worthie to be buried in Christian mens moulde as they call it it is cleare they were not two persons but all those Preachers which euery where bare witnesse to the truth of the two Testaments whereby they vexed Anticâ—rist and the Antichristians wheresoeuer they did inhabite vpon the face of the whole earth 5 But now in that it is said They lay dead three dayes and an halfe and in the words following After three dayes and an halfe the spirite of life comming from God shall enter into them and they shall stand vpon their feete This is to be vnderstood of the time from the killing the last of the witnesses to the rising againe of the first of them and not of the 1260. dayes the whole time of Antichrists reigne mentioned in the third verse of the 11. chapter of the Reuelation as some doe vnderstand it for it is very absurd to say that the witnesses should lie dead during the whole time of their prophecying and yet prophecie too Now for that we finde that the next that rose after their death to oppose themselues against
persecute mee in my members Their Prophetesse Mathilde saith p Mathilde in a prophesie of hers They are falne from Christ and become rauening Wolues deuouring and cutting the throats of Christs Sheepe 10 And that the vnpartial Reader may yet be the more fully resolued that these Priests which haue their callings from the Pope are not the Priests of Christ their Saint Bridgit bringeth in Christ thus disclaiming them vtterly saying q Bridgit lib. 1.47 Behold such Priests are not my Priests but very traytours for they both sell mee and betray mee like Iudas Wherefore notwithstanding they carrie the name of the Priests of Christ as Iudas carried the name of an Apostle of Christ yet the Reader may plainely see they are but counterfaits and as verie traytours to Christ as Iudas himselfe was And thus much for the answering these obiections namely that their Church was the most ancient and Apostolique Church That the succession of Popes descended from Saint Peter That wee had no Church till Luthers time That our Protestant Bishops and Ministers haue no lawfull callings Now it resteth in the next Chapter to trie whether the Popes owne calling be proued a lawfull calling by generall consent of Councels and Fathers as they avow or whether it be not a meere illusion of Antichrist so to say CHAP. VII Tending to resolue all men that the Papists great boasting of their generall consent from Saint Peters time is but a very Antichristian illusion that their antiquiy of the Popes vniuersall Supremacie is but a fallacie that the succession of vniuersall Popes descended from Saint Peter is without veritie and all of them together flat forgeries euen as wee haue already proued their other Principles to be and as in this Chapter God willing we shall proue them all to be FIrst N. D. in his Wardword Bellarmines assertion the Answere to Sir Frances Hastings Watchword page 102. wherof Bellarmine is supposed to be the originall Authour to enduce vs to beleeue that from Saint Peters time the Popes vniuersall Supremacie was approued of by all Councells and Fathers saith All the Christian world hath euer made this most certaine and infallible deduction that Christ gaue not to Saint Peter these imminent prerogatiues of authoritie and superioritie for himselfe alone but for his posterity and successours also that should ensue him in his seate and charge ouer the Church of Christ to the worlds end For this cause haue they reuerenced and respected so much the Bishops of Rome as by all generall Councels and Fathers and Ecclesiasticall Histories appeare THE ANSWERE 2 First as touching the ground of his Argument namely Peters Supremacie we shall proue at large in our next Chapter that it was but the same that the other Apostles had and therefore from him the Pope cannot claime any such prerogatiue of authoritie to be called vniuersall Bishop Christs Vicar generall or head of his vniuersall Church Secondly we haue already proued in our fifth Chapter that for the first 606. yeres next after Christ there was no vniuersall Pope approued of nor established Thirdly their great Doctour Maister Harding saith a Harding Apolog cap. 4. diuis 2 affirmeth the first supreame gouernement to be by foure therefore not by one In great Cities where the Highest courts for iustice were kept and where the chiefe pagan Priests of the Latines named Primi Flamines were resident before the comming of Christ there after the comming of Christ were Patriarkes or Primates placed by whom the weighty matters of Bishops should be decided Which if they will haue vs graunt to be true then must they graunt that from the Apostles times the first supreame gouernement that was ouer Bishops and their great and weightie matters was by certaine head Bishops and not by one and how then can that be true that from Saint Peters time the Bishop of Rome was supreame head ouer all 3 The first of all the Prelates that beganne to insult ouer other were the Bishops of Rome for that more honour beganne to be giuen to the Bishop of that Sea partly because Rome was then the most famous for Religion and partly also because it was then the Seate of the Emperour of the world they beganne proudly to vsurpe authoritie ouer their fellowes the first of which was Victor whose arrogancie when other Bishops espied they opposed themselues against Amongst whom was Policrates and Irenaeus who most sharpely reprehended him for it as Eusebius witnesseth b Eusebius And this was about the yeare of Christ 189. and therefore how is the consequent of Bellarmines assertion true that by the testimonies of all Histories the Christian world euer approued of the Popes superioritie aboue all 4 To the yeare of Christ 205. Euery Bishop sateâ— chiefe in his owne Citie or neare thereabout were holden these chiefe Synodes or Councels The first in Rome the second in Caesarea the third in Pontus the fourth in France the fifth in Ostroena and the sixt in Ephesus of which if they can proue the Bishop of Rome to sit as chiefe in any but in that of his owne Citie the victorie shall be theirs But it is euident by all these testimonies of Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 21. 22. 23. 24. lib. 1.21 and other places of his bookes that the Bishop of Rome sate as chiefe onely in his and the other in theirs wherefore how can that be true that all Councels and Fathers from Saint Peters time euer approued of the Popes chiefâ—tie 5 About the yeare of Christ 254. a Councell was holden at Carthage in which Saint Cyprian being Bishop of the same Prouince sate as chiefe who openly thus inueighed against the superioritie which Stephen then Bishop of Rome beganne to claime from Saint Peter and also thus cleared himselfe and the other Bishops there assembled from that arrogancie saying c Cyprian in sententijs Concilij Carthag ad Quirinum None of vs maketh himselfe a Bishop of Bishops neyther was Peter so arrogant to take things so insolently vpon him as to aduance himselfe as Primate and one vnto whom the rest as Nouices and Punies should be subiect Now therefore seeing Peter neuer had that prerogatiue of Superioritie and that so soone after Saint Peters death this Councell condemned the Bishop of Rome for attempting to aspire to that height of pride how is Bellarmines allegation true that all Councels and Fathers euer approued of the Popes Supremacie and the rather for that Saint Cyprian reprouing Cornelius Bishop of Rome for receiuing Appeales from others iurisdictions wrote thus vnto him d Cyprian lib. â— Epist. 3. Those that be vnder vs must not runne thus about to Rome vnlesse perhappes a few desperate and loose companions take the authoritie of the Bishops of Affrica to be lesse then at Rome Now then if those in that time so neare the Apostles which counted the authority of the Roman Bishops higher then the Affrican Bishops were accounted but as the offscomes of
Popes principality and supremacy which he challengeth from Peters authority is fabulous For it is cleare that if Christ would haue had vnder him any such singular vniuersall head ouer his Church now by reason of this present occasion had been the onely time to haue made it knowne but in that he said in so plaine and expresse words It shall not be so among you he made it plaine to the contrary Hence it was that Saint Bernard applyed these words of Christ and also the words of Peter himselfe against that false challenge of the Pope saying a Bernard 2. Booke of consideration Peter could not giue that he had not did he giue Lordship heare what he saith Not as ouer Gods heritage but being a patterne to the flocke And least said he to the Pope thou thinke it to be spoken onely in humility and not in truth it is the voyce of the Lord in the Gospell The Kings of the nations raigne ouer them but you shall not be so It is plaine saith he the Apostles are forbidden Lordship therefore goe thou and vsurpe greedily vnto thy selfe either Lording it Apostleship or being Apostolike Lordship thou are flatly forbidden either All which most euidently declareth that the Popes vniuersall supremacy which he claimeth from Saint Peter is flat forgery 3 Secondly they say To Peter onely Christ committed the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen For the clearing of which point we are first to make knowne what those Keyes are for by that the most ignorant may the more easily iudge whether to the rest of the Apostles Christ did not also giue the Keyes Luke 11.52 Christ himselfe in the 11. Chapter of Saint Lukes Gospell Matthew 16.19 declareth the first key to be Knowledge and in the 16. Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospell the second to be Power For the first key to wit knowledge it is cleare by Saint Iohn in his 17. Iohn 17.8 Chapter of his Gospell that Christ gaue it as well to the other Apostles as to Peter For in praying for them all in generall he vttered these words to his Father I haue giuen thy words vnto them which thou gauest me Iohn 15.15 and they haue receiued them Againe Chapter 15. speaking to all his Apostles in generall he said All things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne vnto you Likewise in the 14. Iohn 14.26 Chapter speaking to them all in generall he said These things haue I spoken vnto you being present with you but the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I haue told you So that hereby it plainly appeareth that Christ gaue this first key to all the Apostles in generall and therefore not to Peter alone 4 Now touching the second key namely the power of binding and loosing remitting and retaining sinnes it is as cleare that Christ gaue it indifferently to all the Apostles Matthew 16.19 For as Saint Matthew in his 16. Chapter sheweth that he said to Peter Whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest in earth shall be loosed in heauen Matth. 18.18 so in the 18. Chapter he declareth that Christ spake these very same words to all the Apostles saying Whatsoeuer ye bind in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen And likewise Saint Iohn in his 20. Chapter witnesseth that he said also to them all in generall Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted vnto them Iohn 20.23 whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained Therefore it is manifest that Christ gaue this key also to all the other Apostles as well as to Peter And therefore it is which Saint Origine saith b Orig. in first Treatise on Matthew This saying to thee will I giue the Keyes is common to all the rest of the Apostles and the words that follow as spoken to Peter are common to all Likewise Saint Augustine saith c August 124. Treatise vpon Iohn When they were all asked Peter alone doth make answer and it was said vnto him And I will giue thee the keyes as though he alone had receiued authority to bind and loose whereas he had spoken that for them all and receiued this as bearing in himselfe the person of vnity Wherefore in another place reprouing those Romane heretikes of his time who would needs haue those words to be spoken to Peter alone and him to be the Rocke on which Christ said he would build his Church said d Augustine in his Booke of the troubles of the Christians Wretched men whiles in Peter they vnderstand not Christ that is the Rocke and whiles they will not beleeue that the keyes are giuen to the Church they haue quite lost the Keyes out of their hands e In his Treatise vpon Iohn For said he if this was said onely to Peter to thee will I giue the Keyes thou the Church hath them not And thus much touching the second point But now before I come to the third point I must craue pardon to digresse a little for that because the Pope challengeth from the authority of the keyes to haue an absolute power to forgiue sinne and to giue the kingdome of Heauen I thinke it very needfull to open that mistery of the vse of the Keyes and how farre their powers doe extend 5 Thou knowest Christian Reader that the vse of Keyes are to open and to shut to let in and to keepe out such as are not meete to come in Now from these metaphors and their properties haue the spirituall keyes their titles and resemblances of properties and doe in this manner both open and shut to wit by the sentence of the Law to shut the locke of excommunication against open offenders and by the sentence of the Gospell to open it againe to those that openly repent confesse their sins And this is it which their Haymo saith f Haymo in Homely vpon the feast of Peter and Paul By Keyes we must vnderstand knowledge and power to discerne between good and bad that those whom thou seest to abide in the true faith thou shalt iudge them worthy of Heauen and those whom thou seest to depart from the true faith thou shalt iudge them worthy of hell fire The Bishops saith he g Ibidem binde men when they separate them from the society of the Church and keepe them from receiuing the body and bloud of Christ he looseth them when as after repentance made he receiueth him in againe into the fellowship of the Congregation and admitteth him to the Lords Table And this is now all the power the Church hath by the two Keyes as for sinne Christ himselfe hath said Matthew 16.19 18.18 it is both bound and loosed in heauen by God himselfe Howbeit we denie not that it is done
called the forme of the Crosse a Sacrament c Aug. in Serm. De Sanctis 19. Leo called the Vowe of Virginitie a Sacrament d Leo inter Decreta Leonis cap. 14. Saint Bernard hee called the washing of feete The Sacrament of daily sinnes e Bern. in Serm. de Coena Dom. And yet besides these other fiue were many moe called Sacraments Saint Hillarie f Hilar. in Mat. Cannon 11.12 23. in diuers places of his writings calleth Prayer a Sacrament Fasting a Sacrament Weeping a Sacrament and the whole tenure of the Scriptures a Sacrament For as the Iewes before the comming of Christ had brought into a custome to call their Oblations and whatsoeuer tended to the worship and seruice of God Sacrifices So after the comming of Christ had the Christians brought into a custome to call almost all whatsoeuer tended to the worship and seruice of Christ Sacraments Saint Augustine speaking of these and other such new deuices which were then crept into the Church saith g August in his 219. Epistle Albeit they be not against the faith yet with seruile burdens they so oppresse our very religion which God of his mercy would haue to be free vnder few and most manifest Sacraments of diuine seruice that the state of the Iewes is much more tolerable for the Iewes notwithstanding they knew the time of libertie yet were they subiect onely to the pacts and burdens of the Law of God and not to the deuices of men Againe hee saith h In his third Booke of Christian Doctrine 6. cap. Our Lord and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a few Sacraments instead of many and the same in doing most easie in signification most excellent in obseruation most reuerend as is the Sacrament of Baptisme and the celebration of the Body and Bloud of our Lord. Againe in another place hee saith i De Symbolo ad Catechumenos These be the two Sacraments of the Church If these two then not Scauen 2 Furthermore that it may plainely appeare that the true Christian Church is to be knowne onely by hauing two Sacraments and not Seauen Let vs heare what Saint Chrysostome saith his words be these k Chrysost of the Workâ— vpon Matth. hom 49. All those things which appertained to Christ indeede haue the Heretikes in their Schismes Churches the Scriptures of God Bishops and other order of Clerkes likewise Baptisme and the Sacrament of thankesgiuing and to conclude Christ himselfe So that hereby we see it plainly proued that to Saint Chrysostomes time which was about two hundred yeeres before the Papists had a Church the true Church of Christ was knowne by hauing two Sacraments and not Seauen and therefore the Popish Church by retaining seauen Sacraments is apparently knowne to be not the true Church of Christ That man of God Martin Luther which before had beene a Papist speaking of this matter saith thus l Luth. Babilonicall Captin In proper speach those we call Sacraments which are promises with signes annexed the rest that haue no signes are bare promises wherefore speaking hereof precisely and strictly there are onely two Sacraments in the Church of God Baptisme and the Bread forasmuch as in these onely we find the signes ordayned of God and also the promise of remission of sinnes But here because it may be they will obiect and say that Luther was but of a latter hatch and but of lesse then one hundred yeers standing let them heare what he saith that liued but in one age next after the Apostles Tertullian by name thus he wrote against Martion the Heretike m Tertull. lib. 4. against Marti How doest thou breake marriage neither coupling the man and the woman together nor being coupled otherwise admitting them to the Sacrament of Baptisme and thankesgiuing Note saith the Translatour how he striketh away fiue of the Popish Sacraments which of their owne heads they haue deuised Yea and let them heare what hee saith that liued in the next age after that S. Cyprian by name thus hee saith n Cypr. lib. 2. Epist 1. ad Stephan Then may they be throughly sanctified and become the children of God if they be new borne by both the Sacraments Now in that hee saith both it is cleare that hee acknowledged but onely two Sacraments But why should wee trouble the Reader any longer about this matter seeing the question is resolued by these two Writers of their owne Bessarion and Paschasius Bessarion saith o Bessa of the Euchar. We reade that these onely two Sacraments were deliuered vs plainely in the Gospell Paschasius saith p Pascha of the Supper of our Lord. These be the Sacraments of Christ in the Catholique Church Baptisme and the Body and Bloud of our Lord. Therefore forasmuch as by Scripture they cannot proue their fiue ceremonies to be Sacraments nor by the auncient Fathers before the rising of Antichrist the number of Seauen onely and that we haue proued that for foure hundred yeeres next after Christ there was but onely our two Sacraments in the Christian Church that must needes be a counterfeit Christian Church and of a latter hatch that will be knowne to be the true Catholique Church by retaining more then two nay then three times two Sacraments And that indeed it may more plainely appeare that by retaining more then two it is not the true Church one of the Popes owne Pen men describing the true Church by her owne notes and markes saith thus * Nicol. Cusanus De potestate Ecclesiae Romanae Epist. 1. In this sensible world that is heere beneath wee must learne by sensible Tokens to know the very Church of Christ for otherwise we are not able to reach the truth And a little after This Church standeth of them that declare by sensible and outward tokens that they be partakers of Christ as they be that confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God And therefore this Church hath certaine holy Tokens or Sacraments ordained to that end that thereby wee may know them that be of Christ so farre forth as by such Tokens coniecturall knowledge may be gathered Therefore I say That this Church of Christ by this coniecturall iudgement is counted holy notwithstanding wicked men and Hypocrites couer themselues vnder the same outward tokens And what those tokens are he expresseth in these words following And receiue Baptisme and the Lords Supper as well as the Godly And thus much for this point Now let vs see what wee can say to the Sacrament of the Altar or Masse 3 Their Masse they would beare the world in hand was the ordinance of Christ and formed and framed by the Apostles and that Saint Peter said their Masse at Rome and Saint Iames at Ierusalem But how true this is these words of their Iohannes Boemos will plainly demonstrate q Iohan. Bohem. In his Booke of the beginning of things cap. 1â— The Masse saith hee so call they the Sacrifice was
first vsed to be done in such simple sort as is yet accustomed on Good-Friday and Easter euen with certaine Lessons before it But then Pope Celestinus put to the office of the Masse Thelesphorus Gloria in excelsis But Hilarius of Pictauia made Et in terra Samachus ordayned it to be sung The Salutations which by the tearme of Dominus vobiscum be made seauen times in the Masse were taken out of the Booke of Ruth by Clement and Anaclet and put in in their places Galasius made vp all the rest to the Offertory in the same order they be vsed except the Sequences and the Creede whereof Nicholas put to the first and Damassus the next according to the Synode of Constantinople Another added the Confiteor Gregory linked on the Offertory Leo the Preface Gelasius the great Cannon and the lesse The Sanctus blessed Sixtus and Gregory the Pater noster Sergius tacked on Agnus and Gregory the poste communion The closing vp of all with Ite missa est Benedicamus Deo gratias was Leoes inuention Now forasmuch as themselues witnesse that their Masse was but the inuention of man and not fully framed and finished of more then sixe hundred yeares after the decease of all the Apostles How vntrue must it needes be that Saint Peter and Saint Iames said this Masse or that the antiquitie thereof came from Christ and his Apostles Now that wee may see also whereunto it tendeth and know the better how to answer vnto it let vs obserue their owne definition thus they define it A propitiatory Sacrifice a Sacrifice to satisfie Gods iustice for sinne and to reconcile him and his people together by the daily or often offering the body of Christ for the sinnes of the quicke and dead 4 Now touching this definition wee are aduisedly to consider how it can possibly stand with the truth for if it be of necessity vnto saluation to haue the body of Christ daily or oftentimes offered for sinne then is it certaine that Christ by the Sacrifice of his death vpon the Crosse did not take it away and then are all these Scriptures confounded which denie it needfull to haue any more oblations for sinne or the body of Christ any more offered for the same namely where the Authour to the Hebrewes saith Chapter 10.14 Heb. 10.14 Heb. 10.1 Heb. 9.26 For with one oblation hath he consecrated for euer them that be sanctified and where hee also saith Chapter 10.10 We are sanctified euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once made and againe where he further saith Chapter 9.26 Now in the end of the World hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 10.18 and also where he concludeth of this point thus Chapter 10.18 Where remission of these things is there is no more offering for sinne Wherefore if it be true that of necessity Christ must continually be offered for sinne then are these testimonies most vntrue but in that they are yea and Amen they most truly declare the definition of their Masse to be false and that the necessity of daily sacrificing for sinne is not grounded vpon the truth Also seeing that vnder the Gospell there must not onely be but one onely oblation for sinne but also but once offered and that by Christ himselfe the Papists are condemned for notorious heretikes that will haue so many thousand oblations and so many times offered by others For doe they not thereby make that one Sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse as insufficient for the taking away of sinne as the daily sacrificing the bodies of beasts and shedding the bloud of Calues in Moses Law which were daily offered because they serued onely for sinnes past and not for sinnes to come and therefore as the holy Ghost saith Hebrewes 10. made nothing perfect Wherefore who seeth not but that the bringing into the Church the necessity of daily sacrificing for sinne bringeth in with it the vtter ouerthrow of the efficacie of Christs death and bloud-shedding But forasmuch as the holy Ghost speaking of the daily offering of Christ for sinne saith Hebrewes 7.27 Which needed not daily as those high Priests to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe their daily sacrificing for sinne is not onely superfluous and vaine but also most hereticall and blasphemous 5 But what shall we say now haue they nothing to answere yea verily for thus in effect they say r Thomas of Aquine De venerable Sacra Alter cap. We acknowledge and confesse that Christ by the sacrifice of his death freed vs from the guilt of originall sinne that is from that one sinne of Adam but for the malediction of all our actuall transgressions that to be taken away by the blessed sacrifice of the Masse which being true then are wee more beholden to their sacrifice then to Christs sacrifice For if Christ by his sacrifice tooke away onely the guilt of that one sinne and left vs guilty of many thousand sinnes what hath he done for vs but the sacrifice of the Masse 1. Epistle of Iohn 1. chap. 7 verse which taketh away the whole multitude of our sinnes that is it which wee are beholden to indeede But how true it is that Christ by the sacrifice of his death and bloud-shedding cleansed vs but from that one sinne onely these words of Saint Iohn will make it plaine where hee saith 1 Epistle 1 Chapter 7 verse The bloud of Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne and also these words of Saint Paul Titus 2 Chapter 14 verse Titus 2 chap. 14 verse He redeemed vs from all iniquity and likewise these words where hee speaking of our condemnation by originall sinne and the restoring vs againe by Christ saith Romans 5 Chapter 16 verse om 5.16 ver Neither is the gift so as that which entred in by one that sinned for the fault came of one offence to condemnation but the gift is of many offences to iustification 5 Againe if it be true that the suffering and death of Christ serued but for the healing the wound of originall sinne and not also for our actuall transgressions then is not this true which the Prophet Esay saith Chapter 43.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Therefore it is very cleare that if the Papists doctrine be true the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles are meerely false But if we shall beleeue them that Christ by his sacrifice vpon the Crosse did satisfie the wrath and iustice of God for one part and they by their sacrifice vpon the Altar for another part and so Christ with them and they with Christ as fellow-helpers and copartners together doe fully satisfie Gods iustice for all sinne how shall we beleeue the Prophet in another place where in
a manner to beare the persons of the things themselues that they signifie So the Apostle saith The Rocke was Christ for that the Rocke whereof it was spoken signified Christ And thus we see the matter made as cleare as the Sunne that shineth at noone day that those words of Christ in calling bread his body and wine his bloud were onely but figuratiue speeches and therefore the bread and wine are onely but figures of his body and bloud But yet forasmuch as the Antichristians haue so besotted the multitude in making them to beleeue that after the words of consecration the bread and wine is transubstantiated into the naturall body and bloud of Christ let vs heare a little further what the Fathers say more fully to this point 10 Saint Ambrose hereof saith thus z Ambrose in his Booke of those things that are declared by the mist ries the last Chap. Before consecration another kinde is named but after consecration the body of Christ is signified Theodoret saith a Thâ—odo in his 1. Dialogue Christ did honour the visible tokens with the names of his body and bloud not changing the nature but adding grace vnto nature Againe he saith b In his 2. Dialogue The sacramentall signes goe not from their owne nature after sanctification Also Saint Chrisostome saith c Chrisost ad Caesatium Monachum The bread before it be sanctified is called bread but when it is sanctified by the meanes of the Priest it is deliuered from the name of bread and is exalted to the name of the Lords body yet the nature of bread doth still remaine And therefore in another place he saith plainly thus d In his 11. Hom. vpon Mathew The very body of Christ it selfe is not in the holy vessels but the mistery or sacrament thereof is there contained But that which is more then all this the Pope himselfe saith euen Gelasius by name e Gelasius against Eutiches There leaueth not to be the substance of bread and wine or the nature of wine and indeed the image or representation of the body and bloud and the likenesse thereof is published in the ministration of the misteries Therefore it is which their Bishop Fisher saith f Fisher against Luther No man shall be able to proue by the very words of the Gospell that there is the true presence of Christs flesh and bloud in our Masse To conclude Saint Augustine saith g August in his Booke of profit of repentance It is a dangerous matter and a seruitude of the soule to take the signe instead of the thing that is signified And here haue we sufficient experience in the Papists who by taking the signe for the thing it selfe commit most horrible idolatry in adoring the bread for Christ CHAP. XI Tending to resolue all men that wee ought not to pray to Saints but to God onely neither to worship Saints but God alone And that it is Sacriledge to doe either 1. A Great part of the World Christian Reader hath of long time been carried away with the multitude of Popish delusions amongst which this is one Namely to say We must goe to God by the mediation of Saints as by noble men we goe vnto a King Hereby haue they drawne the people to impart the glory of the Creator to the creature euen to pray to Saints whereas they should pray onely to God For so hath the Lord commanded vs saying Psalme 50. Psalme 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me Now therefore seeing the Lord commandeth vs to come vnto him why should we goe first to any other yea first or last Againe seeing the Lord accounteth it a part of his glory to be prayed vnto is it not a stealing from him a chiefe part of his glory to pray vnto others yea verily And therefore all those that make any intercessioÌ„ to Saints can no more look to obtaine any good at the hand of God then theeues can looke to obtaine good at the hands of those from whom they robbe and steale 2 Our Sauiour saith Matthew 23. One is your Doctor Matthew 23.8 Acts 3.22 1 Cor. 1.30 euen Christ Saint Luke saith Chap. 3. Him must wee heare in all things Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 1. He is our wisedome Now if Christ be our Doctor and Teacher and him whom wee must heare in all things and also our wisedome by which we are to be directed then ought we to learne of him both to whom we should pray and also the manner how to pray And hereof haue we a plaine example in the Apostles who knowing that the whole World was to be taught by him desired him to teach them how to pray Luke 11. â— Master said they teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples and Christ being as willing to teach them as they were to learne began thus to instruct them not onely in the manner how but also to whom they ought to pray When ye pray said he pray vnto your Father which is in secret and he shall reward you openly Againe said he After this manner pray ye Matthew 6.9 Our Father which art in Heauen c. Now if Christ were wise enough to teach his Apostles then are wee to learne by his directions not onely not first to goe to Saints but not at all but onely to God the Father of Heauen Wherefore then this vtterly condemneth the Papists of most wretched impiety that will teach men first to goe to Saints Also it flatly condemneth them of arrogancy in taking vpon them to be wiser then Christ who in his heauenly wisedome knew best how to instruct Gods children in the right way for the most speedy and surest obtaining their petitions 3 It was not without great cause Christian Reader that St Paul said Christ is our wisedome For had â—e sent vs to the Saints departed yea had hee picked out of all the Patriarks and Prophets Abraham the Father of the faithfull to haue prayed vnto that by his mediation we might haue come to God what had it auayled seeing the Prophet Esay saith Chap. Esay 63.16 63. Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Yea seeing Salomon the wise saith The dead know nothing at all But therefore wee see Christ did it not otherwise hee should haue condemned himselfe of Popish ignorance in sending vs to seeke helpe at their hands who are ignorant of vs and knoweth not how to doe vs any good Saint Augustine reprouing those heretikes of his time which sought for helpe of the dead declared plainely vnto them that they did but delude themselues and spend their labour in vaine for said he a August in his Book of the spirit soule 29. The soules of them that be dead are there where they doe not see nor heare what things are done or chance in this life Such is the care they haue for the
but saue his life For if Saint Paul should haue spoken those words to haue maintained a place of purging sinne then should hee haue vtterly confounded all his owne doctrine throughout all his Epistles where he so laboureth to proue that our sins are wholly purged by the bloud of Christ onely For first in the third Chapter to the Romans he saith thus of Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 And in his 5. Chapter thus Being now iustified by his bloud we shall be saued from wrath through him And in the first to the Colossians thus Colos 1.13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and hath translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne in whom wee haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes And in the same Chapter Verse 19.20 For it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in Heauen And for a full conclusion of this point namely that wee are absolutely made perfect by Christs death and bloud he saith verse 22. In the body of his flesh Verse 22. through death he made vs vnblameable and without fault in the sight of God Now then this being true to wit that we are fully and wholly reconciled to God by faith in the bloud of Christ and our sinnes cleane washed away thereby so as that we are made vnblameable and without fault in Gods sight how absurd had it beene for Saint Paul to haue taught any other kinde of purgation Therefore it is cleare that those his words in the third Chapter to the Corinthians cannot be vnderstood of Purgatory 9 Furthermore as touching the truth of this doctrine namely that our sinnes are washed and cleansed onely by the bloud of Christ Saint Paul is not singular in this point for as we heard before out of the seauenth Chapter of the Reuelation that it was confirmed to Saint Iohn by the Angell of God from Heauen so likewise whosoeuer will reade the first Chapter of that Booke shall finde these words set downe concerning Christ Vnto him that loued vs Reuel 1.5.6 and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father be glory and dominion for euermore Amen And in the 1 Chapter to the Hebrewes thus Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnesse of the glory and the ingraued forme of his person and bearing vp all things by his mighty Word hath by himselfe purged our sinnes And in the first Epistle and the first Chapter of Saint Iohn thus Iohn 1. Epist 1. chap. 7. The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne Wherefore then seeing that of the bond slaues of Sathan we are made Kings and Priests to God by the bloud of Christ and that Christ of himselfe and by himselfe hath so purged our sinnes as whereby wee are made vnblameable and without fault in Gods sight why should we nay rather how dare we beleeue it is done by Purgatory Againe seeing the holy Ghost saith By the bloud of Christ Verse 9. wee are cleansed from all sinne and in the verses following From all vnrighteousnesse And that Saint Paul saith Titus 2. Titus 2.14 He redeemed vs from all iniquitie why should we suffer our selues to be so deluded to thinke that there is any sinne vnrighteousnesse or iniquity at all left to be purged by their imagined Purgatorie or that there can be any vse at all thereof or be any such place 10 Saint Cyprian speaking of the matter of our purging saith thus m Cyprian of Christs passion Thy bloud O Lord seeketh no reuenge thy bloud washeth our sinnes and pardoneth our trespasses Also to shew that there can be none other purgation nor any place for the purging of sinne after this life he saith else-where n In his first Treatise against Demetrian After we be once departed out of this life there is no more place of repentance there is no more effect or working of satisfaction life is here either lost or wonne Also to the very same effect are those words of Saint Augustine o August vpon the 25. Psalme Let onely the price of the bloud of my Lord auaile me to the perfection of my deliuery And in another place thus p In his 10. Booke 22 Ch. of the City of God The victory is gotten in his name that hath taken man vpon him and that hath liued without sinne that in him and through him being both the Priest and the sacrifice remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes should be obtained and giuen that is to say saith he by the Mediatour of God and man that man Iesus Christ by whom the purging of our sinnes being made we are reconciled vnto God Well then if onely the bloud of Christ be auaileable to the perfection of our deliuerance from sinne and that the purgation thereof be so effectually made thereby as that our sinnes are washed away and all our trespasses pardoned and wee reconciled vnto God in this life and that here in this life euerlasting life is either lost or wonne and that after this life repentance comes too late and no satisfaction can be made to what end should God prouide a place after this life for the better perfecting of our saluation But therefore it is which Saint Augustine in another place saith q In his 54. Epistle to Macidonius There is no other place to correct our manners and conditions but onely in this life euery man shall haue that which he hath purchased vnto himselfe in this World And what vse then can there be of Purgatory Saint Ignatius saith r Ignatius in his 6. Epistle Alwayes reason requireth that whiles we haue space and time we should amend and correct our faults whiles in this life wee haue occasion giuen of repentance for it is truly said after death there is neither time nor place to confesse our sinnes And why then should wee beleeue that there is both place and time Saint Ambrose saith s Ambrose vpon good death He that here in this life receiueth not remission of his sinnes shall not be there in the life to come meaning Heauen Also Saint Hierome speaking of the same point saith thus t Hierome in his Booke vpon the 95. of Esay He that doth not obtaine remission of his sinnes whiles he yet liueth in the body doth perish to God and abideth to himselfe vnto euerlasting damnation And what auaileth Purgatory after this life then Saint Chrisostome likewise speaking of the same point saith u Chrisost in his 2. Sermon of Lazarus Whiles we be yet here we haue a godly hope but as soone as we are departed hence it lieth no more in vs for to repent nor
Corint 1. 1. Cor. 1.30 saith also thus of Christ God hath made him vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written Hee that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. But it seemeth that Cardinall Allen liketh not of this kinde of reioycing for as we heard before hee cheareth vp his Chickens to reioyce in their owne righteousnesse assuring them that that is it which before hand in this life maketh sure worke for the purging of sinne and after this life for the deliuering the soule from death and for lifting it vp into euerlasting life And therefore if their doctrine be true they haue as great cause to reioyce in their owne strength of saluation as in all whatsoeuer Christ hath done for the strength of mans saluation and in themselues as in the Lord. Neuerthelesse besides this which wee haue already alleadged our Sauiour himselfe hath stricken downe their proude peacockes tayle in saying Luke 17. Luke 17.10 Matth. 25.30 When yee haue done all those things which are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruants And Mathew 25. Cast therefore that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Shewing plainely what is our due by our owne deseruings And thus much by proofe of Scripture concerning this poynt also Now let vs heare the auntient Fathers 22 Saint Bernard saith a Bernard in his booke of Free-will Who is he that is ignorant of the righteousnesse of God He that iustifieth himselfe Who is hee that iustifieth himselfe He that presumeth of merites any other where than of the grace of God Saint Augustine saith b Augustine in his Booke of Predestination of Saints the 1. chapter I do confesse that I am grieued that there is no place giuen to so many and manifest authorities of Gods word whereby the grace of God is commended which is vtterly no grace if it be giuen for our merites Saint Bernard againe saith c Bernard 67. sermon vpon the Canticles There is no meane for grace to enter where merites keepeth and occupieth place Therefore saith Saint Augustine d Augustine 31. psalme If thou wilt be a stranger from the grace of God boast thou of thine owne merites Againe he saith e Vpon the 70 psalme Thou art nothing of thy selfe call vpon God thy sinnes are thine owne merites are of God punishment is due vnto thee Whereby wee see all our iustifiers condemned First of ignorance Secondly of presumption Thirdly of blasphemy in making grace no grace by affirming it to be giuen vnto vs for our merites Fourthly of most palpable peruersenesse by thrusting in their corrupt merites whereby the grace of God is vtterly excluded out of the worke of iustification Fiftly by boasting and bringing in their merites into the worke of iustification they haue thrust themselues out of the fauor of God Lastly for that they dare stand out with God to claime remission of sins and eternall life by their merites and to seeme vnto themselues to be that which they are not such as vnto whom by desert the kingdome of heauen is due they shall receiue their due which as Saint Augustine saith is punishment to wit destruction both of soule and body And therefore how true it is that they will either be saued by that meanes whereby they shall be condemned or else they will not be saued let the Reader iudge 23 Saint Augustine reprouing such Heretiques as would looke to be rewarded with euerlasting life for their merites said thus vnto them f Augustine 70 psalme When the reward shall come he will crowne his owne gifts not thy merites That is after wee haue gotten possession of heauen by the onely meanes of faith then according to the measure of grace which God did giue to euery man in this life to worke his will and to set forth his glory hee will crowne them with degrees of glory Luke 19. And this is it which Saint Paul saith 2 Cor. 5 We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things that hee hath done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill At which time Saint Augustine saith g August in his Booke of the Spirit and the Letter Cha. 33. God will crowne with fauour and mercy that shall be done at the last iudgement whereas when the iust King shall sit in his Throne to render to euery man according to his workes who shall boast that hee is cleane from sinne or who shall boast that his heart is chaste Therefore saith he it was needfull to make mention of the mercy of our Lord. Indeed he may well say God will then crowne with fauour and mercy and not according to our deserts For whereas that iust man Iob Chapter 9. saith thus of man If God should dispute with him he could not answere him one thing for a thousand yet at the day of iudgement as plainely appeareth in Saint Matthew 25. the Lord will repeate the things which the faithfull had well done not once mentioning any one thing they had ill done were the actions neuer so vile And there also in that Chapter is plainely demonstrated vnto vs what sort of Christians shall be saued and what sort damned Those that shall be saued doe vtterly disclaime their owne righteousnesse and those that shall be damned doe iustifie themselues by challenging to themselues the performing of all those Christian duties which Christ required to be done to his members Now therefore Christian Reader be thou iudge of which of these two sorts the Papists are Also in that Chapter is plainely declared that men are not saued by the bare name of faith but by the true faith that hath the true fruites 24 They will not in any case be saued by that way whereby we seeke to be saued namely by endeauouring to the vtter most of our powers to obserue and doe all whatsoeuer we are commanded and then when wee haue done our best ro confesse the truth against our selues that we are vnprofitable seruants as our Sauiour himselfe commanded and to relie wholly vpon the mercy of God in Christ but they will be saued by fulfilling the Commandements or else they will not be saued Neither will they doe their good workes to the end whereunto God ordained and appointed them to be done as we doe First to shew our loue to God in walking as it becommeth his children Iohn 14.15 Secondly by them to glorifie God Matthew 5.16 Iohn 15 8. Thirdly to make our election certaine to our selues 2 Peter 1.10 Fourthly to winne others to Christ by our godly conuersation 1 Peter 3.1 Lastly to assure our selues for certaine that by hauing the true fruits of the true faith wee haue that faith whereby we shall be saued Iames 2.14 But they will doe their good workes first to purge their owne sinne Secondly by the ouerplus of good workes to purge