good ends and purposes and not to satisfie the severity of his Iustice by that meanes for their sinnes and the punishment thereto belonging p. 125. c There is no iust cause to be shewed vvhy the pretended Catholicks should refuse to take the oath of Supremacy or refuse to come to our Churches Their obiections and reasons answered p. 1 2 c p. 407 c. See also throughout the vvhole booke for this purpose Concerning auricular Confession and to vvhom confession of sinnes is to be made and that it ought to be free and voluntarie and not forced or compelled pag. 302 303 c. pag. 253 254 D FOr vvhom Christ Dyed and to vvhom hee is a Redeemer pag. 187 188 189 c Every sinne Deadly in his owne nature although all sinnes be also veniall and remissible in respect of Gods mercie grace and bounty except the sinne against the holy Ghost pag. 114 115 E THe Emperor in ancient time had the Supremacy and not the Pope pag. 30 The Emperor in times past had power to place and displace Popes pag. 27 The Emperor in ancient time banished imprisoned and otherwise punished aswell Bishops of Rome as other Bishops pag. 22 Hee did make Lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall causes and religion pag. 24 As also Commissioners in an Ecclesiasticall cause and the B. of Rome himselfe vvas one of those Commissioners pag. ibid. An appeale to the Emperor in an Ecclesiasticall cause pag 24 Generall Councils in ancient times called by the Emperor and his Authoritie pag. 24 The Christian Emperor did and vvas to meddle in matters of the Church and concerning Religion pag. 25 The Christian Emperor in ancient time did nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces and even the Bishop of Rome himselfe pag. 25 Emperors in ancient time did ratifie the decrees of Councils before they vvere put in execution pag 28 Miltiades Leo and Gregory all Bishops of Rome in their severall times subiect to the Emperor and at his command pag 24.26 Ancient Fathers Popes of Rome and Councils aswell generall as provinciall may erre even in matter of faith aswell as in matter of fact pag. 49 50 51 52. c See also the Preface for this point The Romane Empire dissolved ever since the Emperors have ceased to have the soveraigne command and rule of Rome and that the Popes have gotten to be the heads and supreme Rulers of that City and to be above the Emperors pa. 331.332 and pag. 391.392.393 The Pope of Rome hath no power or authoritie from Christ to Excommunicate any pag. 299 c Excommunications be they never so iust and lawfull be by Gods law and appointment of no force to depose from Earthly kingdomes or to dissolve the dutie and allegeance of subiects pag. 299 300 301 c F OVr Forefathers and ancestors not to be followed in any vices or errors they held pag 34 35 Foretold in the Booke of God that an apostacie from the right faith and a mysterie of iniquitie otherwise called an Antichristianisme should come upon the Church and that so the Church by degrees should grow corrupted and deformed pag. 35 36 280 Foretold also how long the Church should lye in those her corruptions and errors and vvhen she should begin to be clensed and reformed pag. 35 36 VVhat is to be thought of our Forefathers that lived and dyed in the time of Popery pag 39.40 41 42 Foretold that a strong delusion to beleeve lyes shouâ—d possesse them of the Antichristian Church because they received not the love of the truth extant in the divine Scriptures pag. 307 308 Men are iustified in Gods sight and before his tribunall by Faith only and good vvorkes be the fruits and declarations of that faith pag. 99 100 101 c. to the end of that chapter and pag. 116 117 118 c. to the end also of that chapter G God is not the author of sinne pag. 168 169 c. H NOt Protestants but Papists be the Heretickes pag. 72. and Schismaticks pag. 37 38. pag. 413.414 c Not the Pope but Christ onely is the Head of the universall militant Church as well as of the triumphant pag 94 95 96 97 98 I VVHo is to be the infallible Iudge of controversies in religion or vvhich commeth all to one effect in the conclusion vvhat is the infallible Rule vvhereby men must iudge and be directed for the finding out of truth in those controversies pag. 49 50 51 c. See also the Preface for this matter The Implicita fides of Papists reproved pag 78 79 80 K KIngs have the Supremacie over all maner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill vvithin their own Dominions pa. 1. to p. 5 Their Supremacie in all kinde of causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill pag. 5 c Kings and Princes although they have the Supremacie yet thereby claime not nor can claime to preach to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate absolve or to consecrate Bishops or to doe any other act proper to the function of the Ecclesiasticall ministers pag. 32 c Kings and Princes be notwithstanding their Supremacies under God and subiect to him and his vvord pag. 33 Even heathen Kings may command and make Edicts and Proclamations for God and his service pag. 7. c Christian Kings and Queenes are by Gods appointment to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church and Religion p. 7. The authoritie of a Christian King in respect of contemptuous disorderly and unruly persons requisite and necessary in the Church as vvell as in the Common-weale pag. 6 c Kings and Princes may command and compell their subiects to externall obedience for God pag. 6 7 8 9 10 Christian Kings may make lawes about matters Ecclesiast p. 7 8.24 Hee may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes pag. 24 He may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiastical ib. He may nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces pag. 27. Councels and Convocations to be assembled by his authoritie and the decrees thereof by him to be ratified and confirmed before they be put in execution pag. 26 27 28 Christian Kings doe punish offendors in Ecclesiasticall causes not Ecclesiastically but Civilly pag. 6 7.32 Subiects ought not to rebell against their Kings and Princes though they be adversaries to the Christian Religion and though subiects have power force enough to do it pa. 20 21 22.299 300 Kings of Rome did sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Ambassadors pag. 22 How thankefull subiects ought to be unto God for Christian Kings and Princes pag. 33 The power of the Keyes most grossely abused by the B of Rome to vvorke his owne exaltation above Kings and Princes pag 299 300 301 c The Keyes of the kingdome of heaven no more given to S. Peter then to the rest of the Apostles pag. 292 293 294 295 L NO Licentiousnesse or impiety in the doctrine of Iustification by faith or in the doctrine of predestination or
and to declare the Supremacie of the Emperor then this that the Emperor in ancient time exiled banished imprisoned and otherwise also by his Authoritie punished even some of the Bishops of Rome themselves as well as other Bishops and when the Emperor said moreover thus that If anie did grow tumultuous or unruly Illius statim audacia Ministri Dei hoc est mea executione coercebitur his boldnesse shall forthwith be repressed by the sword or execution of Gods Minister that is of my selfe For as S. Paul saith the Emperor King or Prince or anie of those higher powers that beare the civill sword is Gods Minister and a revenger unto VVrath to him that doth evill whosoever he be Yea such was the demeanour and loyaltie which even Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome performed to the Emperor that when the Emperor had commanded a law to be published which Gregory himselfe misliked yet neverthelesse he obeyed the Emperors commandement as a good subiect unto him Ego quidem iussioni tuae subiectus eandem legem per diversas Terrarum partes transmitti feci I being subiect to your command saith hee have caused the same law to bee transmitted through diverse parts of the earth By which one example of Gregory if there were no more spoken you may perceive that for the space of manie hundred yeares after Christ even unto his time and in his time the Bishops of Rome themselves were subiect to the Emperors and at their commands Which doth yet further appeare by this thaâ— even Kings of Rome did also sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Embassadors as for example King Theodorick sent Iohn Bishop of Rome Embassador to the Emperor Iustinian And King Theodatus about the yeare 537 sent Pope Agapetus as his Embassador likewise to the Emperor about a Treatie of peace But yet together with the Supremacie of Emperors let me shew unto you more fully their Authoritie in Ecclesiasticall things or causes for of their Authoritie in civill or temporall causes there is no question made 8 When the Donatists therefore alledged that Emperors were to meddle onely with civill causes and not with Ecclesiasticall or concerning Gods Religion Optatus held this to be a point of madnesse in Donatus and those his followers Ille solito furore accensus in haec verba prorupit Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia Donatus inflamed with his accustomed furie or Madnesse saith he brake forth into these words What hath the Emperor to doe with the Church Where you see he calleth it expressely a Madnesse to hold that opinion And this S. Augustine likewise censureth and condemneth accounting it an absurd thing for anie to say thus unto kings Take yee no care in your kingdomes vvho oppugneth the Church and vvho defendeth it vvho is religious and vvho sacrilegious c. For if the King be to regard and punish by civill punishment the offences done against the second Table as disobedience to parents murder theft trespasses wrongs and iniuries done by one man against another is hee not much more to regard and punish by civill punishment the greater offences namely those that be done immediately against God being breaches of the first Table as Atheisme Idolatry false vvorship vvrong relâ—gion heresie schisme blasphemy breach of the Sabbath and such like For is there anie comparison or proportion betweene Man and God But to declare this matter yet further by some particulars The Christian Emperors in ancient time made lawes for God and his Religion and caused them to be executed and so dealt in matters Ecclesiasticall as well as civill as beside that which is before spoken is further evident even by the Titles of the Civil law it selfe viz. De summa Trinitate fide Catholica De sacrosanctis Ecclesijs De Episcopis Clericis De Haereticis c. They likewise made Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes For when Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage was accused by Donatus and some other of that faction Constantine the Emperor commanded Caecilianus to come to Rome with a certaine number of Bishops that accused him And by his Commission extant in Eusebius authorised and appointed Miltiades the then Bishop of Rome and some others with him for the hearing and ending of that matter These Commissioners condemned Donatus who appealed from their sentence to the Emperor himselfe which Appeale also the Emperor at last received Where beside that you see that this Christian Emperor made Commissioners in this Episcopall and Ecclesiasticall cause observe withall that Miltiades the then Bishop of Rome was one of those Commissioners and therewithall you may note that the Bishops of Rome were then verie cleerely subiect and not superior to the Emperor So that a Christian King or Prince not only may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes but may also have Appeales made unto him as is here apparant Yea even S. Paul himselfe Appealed not unto Peter which no doubt hee would have done if Peter had then had the Supremacie but unto Caesar. The Councell also of Affrick would allow of no Appeales to the Pope of Rome or beyond the Sea but made a Decree directly against it appointing Presbyters Deacons or other inferior Clerkes if they were grieved with the sentence of their owne Bishop to resort to the next Bishops Quod si abâ—ijs provocandum putaverint non provocent nisi ad Affricana Concilia vel ad Primates Provinciarum suarum Ad Transmarina autem qui putaverit appellandum à nullo intra Affricam in Communionem suscipiatur And if they shall think fit to Appeale from them let them not appeale but to Councels within Affrick or to the Primates of their owne Provinces But he that shall thinke it fit to appeale beyond the Sea let him be admitted to the Communion by none within Affrick This Canon which was thus established in the Affrican Councell purposely for the defeating and disanulling of the ambitious courses and claimes of the Bishops of Rome is againe repeated and confirmed in the Milevitane Councell In the time likewise of King VVilliam Rufus Anselmus the Archbishop of Canterbury would have appealed to Rome But not onely the King but the Bishops of England also were therein against him And afterwards in the dayes of Henry the second King of England this Law was made Si quis inventus fuerit c. If anie shall be found bringing letters or a mandate from the Pope c. Let him be apprehended and let Iustice be done upon him vvithout delay as upon a Traytor to the Law and kingdome Againe it is there said Generaliter interdictum est ne quis appellet ad Dominum Papam That it was generally given in charge that none should Appeale to the Pope Moreover the Christian Emperors in ancient time had the authoritie of summoning and calling Councels as for example the first generall Councel of Nice was assembled by Constantine
literaâ— Petiliani lib. 2 cap. 38. Aug. ad Vincen. Epist. 48. Retract 2.5 Christian kings may compell their subiects though not to faith yet to the outward meanes of faith And it is the body only and not the soule or conscience that they coÌ„mand and compell August in Epist. 50. 204. August Epist. 48. Retract lib. 2. cap. 5. August contra Crescon lib. 3. cap. 51. Seâ— these Texts fully answered in the third part of this booke Cap. 2. sect 5. Cusanus de Cath. Concord lib. 2. cap. 13. Aeneas Sil. li. 1. de gestis Basil. Concil Gerson Serm. pro viagiâ— Reg. Rom. direct 1. Valla. Cont. Don. Constant. Volateran in vita Const. Antonin 1. part l. 8. c. 2. Ser. iniquit Catal. in practic cancel Apostol Balbus de Coron ad Carol. 5. Concil Carthag 6. c. 3. Concil Affâ—is c. 101. 105. 92. Concil Milevit c. 22. Bellarm de Rom. pont lib. 2. cap. 14. 2. Tom. Concil in Decret Pelag 2. Tom. 2 Concil edit Bin. pa. 693. Gregor lib. 4. Epist. 34. â—pist 32. Epist. 36. Epist. 34. 38. Epist. 24. Observe well this reason amongst the rest Lib. 6. Ep. 30. Paul Diacon lib 4. de gestis Longobard cap. 37. Ab. Vsperg Chronic. Platin. Boniface 3. Otho Frising li. 5. c. 8. Chron. c. Bellarm. de pont Rom. cap. 17. Iustinian in Epist. ad Ioh. 2. Idem Co de sacros Ecc. Iustin. Co de summa Trinit lib. 7. De Episcop audientia 2. certissime Novel 3.5.7 Idem Novel 2. sequent Concil Calced Concil Nic. 2. Act. 2. Conc. Nic. ca. 6.7 Conc. Constant. 1. can 5. Conc. Chalced. Actio 16. The Decrees of ancient generall Councels against the Popes Supremacie Concil Constantinopol 1. canon 5. Concil Constantinopol 6. canon 36. Cusan Concord li. 2. c. 34. 20. The Popes Supremacie over Councels is of a verie late standing condemned by Councels Naucl. gener 47 Gerson de Au Papae Câ—â—â—il Constan. Sess. 5. Concil Basil. Sess. 38. 33. The Popes Supremacie over Kings Princes most abhominable Prov. 8.15 Dan. 4.29 Revel 19.16 Matth. 16.19 Aug in Psa. 124. Bellarm lib 5. ca. 7. de Râ—m Pont. Râ—m 13.5 Tertull. in Apolog cap. 37. Tertull. Apolog. cap. 30. Sigebert Chron. An. Dom. 1088. New Trayterous opinions Vincent in spec Histor. lib. 15. cap. 84. Gre. Vesper haeretico polit pag. 159. Marian. de rege regis Institut cap. 6. c. Theod. hist. lib 2. ca. 16. Niceph. lib. 26. ca. 17. Platina Sigeâ—ertus t. Theodor. lib. 1. cap. 19. Rom. 13.4 Grego Ep. lib. 2. cap. 100. 10â— Gregory the great Bishop of Rome subiect to the Emperor and at his command Anastatius Platina Lib. pontif Diaconus Optat. contra Parm. lâ—b 3. It is a point of madnesse to say or hold that a Christian King may not deale in matters Ecclesiastical by the testimonie of Optatus August Ep. 50. A Christian King maâ— make Lawes concerning matters Ecclesiasticall A Christian King may make CoÌ„missioners in Ecclesiasticall causes Optat. lib. 1. August Ep. 162. 16â— Euseb. lib. 10. cap. 5. A Christian King may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiasticall Miltiades a Bishop of Rome subiect to the Emperor at his command Act. 25.11 12. Concil Affrican cap. 92. Appeales in ancient time not allowed to be made to the Bish. of Rome Concil Milevit cap. 22. Malmesbury lib. 1 de gest pont Angliae Hoveden Hen. 2. Theod. lib. 5. c. 7. Sozom. lib. 7. c. 7. Theod. li. 1. c. 7. General Councels called in ancient time by the Christian Emperors and not by the Popes Evagr. l. 1. c. 3. Conc. Calc Act. 1. zon tom 3. pag. 39. Cusan de Concor lib 2. cap. 25. Socrat. lib 5. in Prooemio Bellar. de Concil lib. 1. cap. 13. Leo Epist. 9. Leo Epist. 24. Epist. 26. Epist. 23. Leo Epist. 59. Leo a Bishop of Rome subiect to the Emperor and at his command 1. Kin 2.27.35 Zozom l. 7. c. 8. Plat. Sigeb A Christian King may nominate appoint Bishops of Diocesses Provinces Malmesbur de gestu Pont. Angl. lib. 1. pag. 205. Ibidem lib. 1. pag 205. Lib. 1. pag 204. Malmesb. de gest Reg. Angl. lib. 2. pag 45. De gestis Pont. Angl. lib. 2. pag. 242. p. 257. Metrop Grantz lib. 2. cap. 29. The Christian Emperors in ancient time had power to place and displace Popes The Act is of 1. Eliz cap. 1 in England and of 2. Eliz. cap. 1. in Ireland Euseb. in vitae Const. lib. 3. Conc. Const. 5. Conc. Chalced. Actio 3. Emperors and consequently Kings within their Dominions are to ratifie and confirme the Decrees of Councels before they be put in execution Aser Menevensis praefat ad Alfred Concil Mogunt in praefat Bin. t. 3. p 462. Bin. t. 3. p. 631. Concil Emerit ex Garsia Louisa sect 23. Bin. t. 2. pag. 1183. Gars in not in Concil Emer Calvin in Amos 7.13 Praefat. in Centur 1 Sam. 15.17 Chrysost. ad pop Antioch hom 2. Statute of 5. Eliz cap 1. Ract Crowne 8. 1. Thess. 5 12. Heb 13.17 2. Cor 5.20 Matth. 28.20 Ezech. 20.18 19. 2. Kin. 18.40 41. Matth. 7.15 1 Ioh. 4.1 Matth. 15.14 2. Thess. 2.3 4 5 6 7 8. 1. Tim. 3.16 Matth. 13.30 2. Thess. 2.7 1. Ioh. 2.18 1. Ioh. 4.3 2. Ioh. 7. 2. Thess. 2.8 Revel 10.2.8 9 10 11. Rev. 9.13 c. Rev. 10.2.8 9 10 11. Rev. 10.7 Rev. 11.15 16 17 18. Revel 2.13 2. Thes. 2.4 Revel 11.12 Rev. 18.4 Rev. 11.12 c. Rev. 11.2 M White in his his Booke called The way to the true Church In opere imperf in Matth. 49. 2. Sam. 16.11 1. Tim. 1.13 Cyprian in Psalmo Ad quid justificationes meas assumis testamentuÌ„ meum per osâ— tuum c. In vita Bernard Bern. in Cantic Card Contaren Tract de Iustificatione Pigâ— de fide Iustificatione Colon. in Antidag 1. Cor. 3.10 11 12 13 14 15. Aug. lib. 1. cont Iulian. Pelag. cap. 6. Greg Niss de hom opific. ca. ult Luke 23.40 41 42 43. Bellar. de Iustificat lib. 5. c. 7. Bern. de cons. ad Eugen. lib. 2. cap. 2 lib. 6. cap. 3 cap. 8. Epist 42 ad Hen. Archiepisc. Seâ—onensis apud Hugon in postill super Iohan cap. 1. Epist. 125. Concil Rhemens sub Capeto eius filio Epist. Leodiensis Ecclesiae ad Paschalem 2. in 2. volumine Conciliorum Acta vita Paschalis Sigon lib. 9. de regno Itâ—l Radevie in Appendice Frisingensis Avent in Boiâ—rum histor In oratione Archimistae ad Proceres Imperij Petrus Blessens in Epist. ad queÌ„dam officialem Sigeb â—onach Gemblacens apud Aventin de Tyran Pontificiâ— Guilielm Episc. Paris lib. de Collat. Benefic Henric. de Erphordia de Haiabalâ— circa Ann. 1345. Petrarch lib. Epist 14 epist. 17. epist. 19. Nicho. Oresmus in Orat. habit coram Papa Vrban 5. Iohan. de rup sciss in lib. prophetico cui
Paschall the second would have warre made upon the Emperor promising to give remission of sinnes and assurance of everlasting life to all that would doe it and on the other side to excommunicate all those that would shew obedience to him They say thus Because VVee keepe the Law of God they obiect against us that vvee transgresse their new Traditions But God saith unto them vvhy do you transgresse the commandements of God by your Traditions God commandeth to give unto Cesar the things vvhich are Cesars and to God that which is Gods which S. Peter and S. Paul doe lâ—kewise teach honour the King let every soule be subiect to the hâ—gher powers Hee that commands every soule to doe this whom doth hee exempt from this earthly power Because therefore wee honour the King and serve our Lords and Maisters in the simplicitie of our hearts are wee therefore excommunicated c vvho can reprehend a Bishop for keeping his faith and loyaltie to his Prince and yet they that teare in sunder the kingdome and Priesthood with new Schismes and new Traditions promise to absolve them from the sinne of periurie that breake their faith to their king Suppose say they our Emperor vvere an hereticke yet is he not to be repelled as such a one by us by taking armes against him yea they alledge that the Prophet Ieremy praied for Nebuchadnezzar and S. Paul for Nero and adde further VVhich of the Popes of Rome hath by his Decrees given authoritie that a Bishop should use the sword of vvarre against any offendors All from Gregory the first used the spirituall sword alone unto the last Gregory vvho was the first that armed himselfe and by his example others vvith the sword of warre against the Emperor c You say that if a man be excommunicate for vvhat cause soever if he dye in that estaete hee is damned But the Authoritie of the Church of Rome say they helpeth us in this point vvho teach that the Bishop of Rome hath power to absolve any that is uniustly excommunicated by others If then the Bishop of Rome may doe this vvho will say that God cannot absolve whomsoever the Pope hath uniustly excommunicated yea the Popes curse of Excommunication they make no reckoning of but contemne and despise it but above all say they vvee feare that which the spirit of God by the mouth of the Psalmist hath said viz. Cursed are all they that decline from his commandements That Curse of excommunication vvhich Pope Hildebrand Odoardus and this Third have by a new Tradition indiscreetely brought in vvee vvholly reiect and vvee hold and reverence those first holy Fathers unto this day vvho by the motion of Gods spirit not carried vvith their owne affections have otherwise ordeyned c. forasmuch therefore as vvee sticke to the Ancient rule and are not carried away vvith every winde of Doctrine we are called Excommunicates false Clerkes c. Howbeit let Pope Paschall lay aside his spirit of presumption and let him advisedly consider vvith his Counsaylors how from Silvester to Hildebrand the Popes have obtayned the chaire at Rome vvhat and how manie outrages have beene committed by the Ambition of that Sea c. As for those Legats à latere vvho run through the world to fill their purses vve say they wholly reiect them according to those Councels of Affricke held in the times of Zozimus Caelestinus and Boniface for that vve may know theraby their fruits there proceeeds from their legations no correction of manners or amendment of life but the slaughters of men and the spoyle of Gods Church c. That there should be such desolation of the Church such oppression of the poore and vvidowes such crueltie such rapine and vvhich is worse such effusion of bloud without respect of good and evill and all this and worse then all this Done by the Commandement of the Pope vvho would beleeve it if his owne mouth had not spoken it VVee remayne astonished at the novelty of these things and vvee enquire from vvhence this new Example should come That the Preacher of peace with his owne mouth and the hand of another man should make vvarre against the Church of God c. Where further they directly affirme Rome to be Babylon and say that the Apostle so calleth it as foreseeing by a Propheticall spirit The confusion of that dissention vvherewith the Church at this day is torne in pieces c. And a great deale more is spoken in that Epistle of theirs which though it be long and large is worthie the reading over And this no doubt moved the Bishop of Florence also in the yeare 1106 publiquely to preach that Antichrist was borne and then in Esse which Pope Paschall understanding of and being much grieved therewith tooke the paines to goe himselfe in person to Florence to stop the mouth of this Bishop And fearing as it seemes to stirre in the matter too much contented himselfe onely to admonish him to desist from this bold enterprise lest otherwise indeed the truth of that matter should more strongly breake out But yet further about the yeare 1150. The letters of the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossa to the Princes of Germany be sufficiently knowne wherein he sheweth unto them that the Pope had no other drift but to set his foot upon the Emperors head that so hee might the more easily overcome the members And upon this it was saith Radevicus That the Pope vvas not ashamed to maintaine that the Emperor vvas his man and held the Empire of him Yea the Popes are gone so farre saith Aventinus that they affect both domination and deitie so that they vvill be feared of all as God yea more then God pretending that they are not bound to give account of their Actions to any That amongst them be many Antichrists and that indeede there be none more pernicious to the Christian Religion then the Popes The same Emperor in his letters to King VVencislaus saith that the high Bishops of Babylon that is of Rome doe sit long over the Temple of God and seise upon the divinity that to please the desire of these false Christs thâ— Princes doe ruinate one another and all states be in a combustion That they be blinde vvhich see not that they be cruel vvolves which under sheepes cloathing spoyle the flocke of Christ. And that this was the Iudgement also even of sundry of the Germane Church as wel as of the Emperor appeareth by the oration of an Archbishop to the States of the Empire for saith he He that is the servant of servants as if he vvere God coveteth to be the Lord of Lords hee disclaymeth the counsell of his brethren or rather of his Lords He feareth lest hee should be forced to give account of that vvhich he doth and usurpeth every day over the lawes Hee uttereth great things as if he vvere God Hee coyneth new devises in his minde to appropriate the Empire to himselfe
without further search and examination For all their Councells bee they never so generall consist of men and of such men as may possibly fall into error and be themselves deceived either through ignorance and want of sufficient knowledge or through corruption partialitie or through some one meanes or other Their Councels I am sure are not better then those that were in Gregory Nazianzens time nor altogether so good and yet he saith out of his owne observation of the Councels of his time that The lust of strife and desire to beare rule did raigne there many times And Eusebius saith likewise of those times that The chiefe Rulers of the Church forgetting Gods commandements vvere enflamed one against another vvith contention emulation pride malice and hatred And therefore it appeareth to be a thing possible enough even for general Councels aswell as for Provincial sometime to erre and goe astray For example They remember the general Councels wherein the Arrian heresie was established whereof that of Arimine was one as also the second Ephesine Councell which decreed for the Nestorians Did not these generall Councels erre that even in matters of Faith I am sure they will grant that they did for so the Rhemists and other Papists themselves confesse Why then may not their generall Councels likewise erre which make decrees in maintenance of their Poperie as those other did which decreed in maintenance of their Arrianisme and Nestorianisme The Rhemists answer That those Councels wanted the Popes assent assistance or confirmation and therefore they erred howbeit that is not the reason why they erred but the true reason and cause of their error was because they decreed not according to the holy and Canonical Scriptures but contrarie thereunto For even Councels also which had the Bishop of Romes assent were not therefore priviledged from error as appeareth by the second Councell of Nice which decreed that Angels and mens soules also be corporeall for this the Papists themselves cannot denie to be an error Yea how is it possible that by the Popes assent or confirmation anie Councell should or can be ever the more priviledged from error when even the Popes themselves have no such priviledge in that behalfe For it is well knowne that Pope Liberius erred and that not onely personally but iudicially also and definâ—tively and in a matter of Faith when hee subscribed to the Arrian heresie as testifieth Athanasius Apolog. 2. ad solitariè vitam agentes S. Hierome in Catalogo Damasus in Pontificali Marianus Scotus Petrus Damianus epist. 5. cap. 16. c. Honorius also Pope of Rome was a Monotbelite and did not onely fall into that heresie but in a Decretal Epistle did also publish and confirme the same as is proved by the Councel of Constantinople the sixt where he was condemned Constant. 6. act 13. Pope Innocentius likewise erred in a matter of Faith when he held that Infants could not bee saved unlesse they received the Communion for this the Papists themselves confesse to be an error and yet Pope Innocentius held it as S. Augustine witnesseth cyting the Decretal Epistle of the same Pope to the Bishops of Numidia for proofe thereof cont duas epistol Pel. ad Bonifac. lib. 2. cap. 4 cont Iul. lib. 1. cap. 2. If Popes then may erre and become Heretickes as both here and before and afterwards also is verie evident it is thereby manifest that their assenting subscribing or confirming of Councels can give the same Councels no more priviledge from error then formerly they had But they then alledge that the Holy Ghost is promised to Councels and therefore they cannot erre I demand of them whether the Holy Ghost is not promised to Provincial Councels as well as to General They cannot denie but he is And yet the Rhemists and other Popish Teachers grant that a Provincial Councel may erre in matter of Faith notwithstanding this promise of the Holy Ghost whence is rightly inferred that a General Councell may by the same reason likewise erre in matter of Faith as well as a Provincial notwithstanding that promise For you must ever remember that it is not in respect of a greater Number or Multitude but in respect of the promise of the Holy Ghost that this priviledge from Error is pretended and supposed But yet further observe that the holy Ghost the spirit of truth is promised and given to everie particular godly Pastor Doctor and Minister of Christ as well as to Councels yea everie true Christian and faithfull member of Christ hath also the holy Ghost to guide and direct him as the Scriptures doe plainly testifie By vertue then of this reason drawn from the promise or giving of the holy Ghost I may as well conclude that no godly particular Pastor or Doctor or other Minister of Christ can possibly erre in a matter of Faith yea inasmuch as the holy Ghost the spirit of sanctification is also promised and given to everie godly man I may aswell conclude that no godly man therefore can possibly erre at any time as touching life conversation for the holy Ghost is as well able to guide a man continually in a good and not erring life as in a right not erring faith But touching this matter S. August saith That eveÌ„ general Councels which are gathered out of all the Christian world be oftentimes corrected the former by the latter when by any triall of things that is opened which before was shut that is known which before lay hidden And therefore also was it appointed that even in a general Councel it selfe they should pray unto God that hee would Ignorantiae ipsorum parcere errori indulgere spare their ignorance and pardon their error Doth not this cleerly declare that even a General Councell may also possibly erre as well as a Provinciall Yea your selves doe grant that a Generall Councell may erre in matters of fact notwithstanding this promise why then wil you not grant that it may by the same reason possibly erre also in a matter of faith For is not the holy Ghost promised to a General Councel as powerfull to preserve and keepe from error in the one case as in the other No question but hee is Concerning this point therefore ye must not forget that which I said before namely that although most true it is that the Holy Ghost cannot possibly erre nor anie men or Councels so long as he guideth them that they follow his directions yet because Men and Councels be not alwaies guided and directed by him but be suffered sometime to follow their owne conceiâ—s fancies and affections for the Holy Ghost may at his owne good pleasure and doth sometimes leave men to themselves not extending nor shewing forth his strength vertue force and efficacie at all times In such cases and at such times it is a most easie matter for men and Councels to erre sinne and goe astray Wherefor S. Chrysostome
the Church of the Gentiles to continue untill the second comming of Christ. It is true that the Church of Christ shall never bee extinguished But is there anie such promise that the Church of Christ shall never be hidden For persecutions even of the Christian Church have sometimes beene so great and cruell as that the Christians by reason thereof have beene enforced to lye hid and to be unseene and unknowne to the wicked world as in the daies of Dioclesian and Maximian persecuting Emperors who impiously boasted that they had utterly abolished the superstition of Christ and name of Christians The like divelish boasting also made Nero in his time Yea it is indeed expresly foretold in the Scriptures that such should be the state of the church sometime as that shee should be enforced to flie into the desert or wildernesse where shee should have a place prepared of God to cherish hide and keepe her from all her persecutors And therefore the church is not alwaies conspicuous and openly shining and shewing her selfe to the malignant world Neither doth that Text which yee alledge of Dic Ecclesiae tell it to the Church prove the church to bee alwaies openly conspicuous to the ungodly world It onely sheweth an order of Ecclesiasticall discipline for sinnes and offences how they should be proceeded in amongst brethren and such as professe one and the selfe same religion of Christ which order of discipline may well be observed even in a Christian church and among themselves though the wicked world neither see them nor the exercises of their religion nor know where they are But you say that if they make profession of their faith and religion as all Christians ought then the world cannot choose but take notice of them It is true that they are to make profession of their faith with their Mouth when cause so requireth aswell as to beleeve with their heart yea and to answer everie one in authoritie before whom they shall be convented and called and that with mildenesse and reverence concerning the same their faith and hope as S. Peter declareth But it doth not continually evermore so fal out that Christians be brought before Kings Princes and Magistrates of the earth to be examined and to make answer of their faith but at sometimes it so falleth out and at some other times againe it sufficeth that they make profession of their faith among themselves Neither were it indeed safe or a pointe of christian wisdome in them whom Christ willeth To bee as wise as Serpents though as innocent as Doves and to whom hee giveth an expresse caveat to take heede of men rashly or unadvisedly or without good and urgent cause to manifest and lay open themselves unto the view rage and furie of the malicious and persecuting world But you alledge further that Christ said to his Disciples Yee are rhe light of the world A Cittie that is set on a hill cannot be hid Neither doe men light a candle and put it under a Bushell but on a candlesticke and it giveth light to all that are in the house But none of these words doe proove the Church to be alwaies and evermore apparant to the eies of the wicked world though sometimes it bee For first though it be called the Light of the world yet thereupon it followeth not that therefore it is alwaies and at all times to bee seene Inasmuch as the Sunne and the Moone which be the great lights of the World and so appointed of GOD in the begining be not alwaies brightshining and appearing unto us but are sometimes unseene and covered with clouds and darkened and suffer strang Eclipses And therefore doth S. Augustine compare the Church to the Moone which is often obscured and hid yea he acknowledgeth that the Church may be so hid and secret as that the very members therof shal not know one another And whereas ye further alledge that it is like a Citty set upon a hill neither doth it thereupon follow that it is alwayes to be seene For in a great Mist or a darke night an Hill or Mountaine be it never so great will not be seene So if men be stricken with blindnesse it cannot be seene of them as the Aramites were that could not see the mountaine that was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha nor knew that they were in the midst of Samaria till God opened their eies Likewise though a Candle be set on a Candlesticke and giveth light to all that are in that house yet neither doth it give light to them that be in another house nor to anie that be blinde or shut their eies against it And yet the candle-light it selfe also will somtimes be much dimmed darkned with sundrie occurrents accidents that doe befall it When therfore the world either by reason of their own blindnesse or by reason of fierce and terrible persecutions or by reason of clowdie smoakie and mistie errors raised up bee not able to see and discerne the Church of Christ Is that anie iust cause for anie to quarrell against her as if therefore she had no being at all Yea when the fift Angell blew the Trumpet and the Bishop of Rome being in that time as a Starre fallen from heaven to the earth had no longer the keies of heaven in his custodie but the keies of hell even of the bottomlesse pit and that the smoake of the pit arose as the smoake of a great furnace so that the Sunne and the ayre were darkened by reason of the smoake Is it anie marvaile that the Church was then obscured Your selves doe grant that in the daies and times of the grand Antichrist foretold by S. Paule the church should lye obscured and be hidden And wee say and proove vnto you that those daies and times be come long since and therefore this ought not to seeme anie new or strange thing unto anie in these dayes Yea in the Revelation of S. Iohn you further reade that the Temple of God that is his Church which is there said to be in heaven because from thence she is descended and hath her minde treasure and affection there with Christ her head Phil. 3.20 Coloss. 3.1.2 was sometime shut and sometime opened For in that it is there said sometime to be opened therein is included that it was at other sometimes shut and closed and not open to the view of the world So that the Church of God is not alwaies openly and splendently seene to the persecuting World but is sometimes patent and sometimes latent as I trust you now sufficiently perceive and withall I trust you perceive that the Church was then in esse and had a continuance even when it was most latent For unlesse they even then had been in esse and in being they could not have beene à latent oppressed or persecuted Church Now as touching unitie I must tell you
no mo at once that is watchfull sober apt to teach hath all those other vertues and good qualities mentioned in that Text is the man that is meete to be made a Bishop S. Ambrose in 2. Cor. 11. saith That all the Apostles except Iohn and S. Paul had vvives Chaeremon Bishop of Nilus fled with his wife in persecution Euseb. lib 6. cap. 42. Demetrianus an excellent Bishop of Antiochia had a sonne called Doranus that was made Bishop in stead of Paulus Samosatenus the Heretique Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. Spiridion was a famous Bishop in the Councel of Nice that was married and had a daughter called Irene Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 5. Gregory Bishop of Nazianzen was a notable Bishop and father of the other Gregory that succeeded him as appeareth by the Oration he made in praise of his father Gregory Bishop of Nissa was an excellent Bishop and was also married Niceph. lib. 11. cap. 19. S. Germanus was a notable Bishop in Africa and was likewise married having a daughter called Leontia that was afterward martyred by the Arrians Victor Vticens hist. lib. 3. Yea Fabianus and Hormisda Bishops of Rome were married and manie other Bishops of Rome were Priests sonnes as Pope Damasus himselfe in his Pontifical doth testifie And although it be true that manie holy men were unmarried also yet you see it to be untrue which the Rhemists say that no holy men ever used their wives after they were in holy Orders For Socrates further mentioneth divers holy Bishops of the East Church in his time that begat lawfull children of their lawfull wives after that they were Bishops Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. And so doth Athanasius ad Dracontium affirme that hee knew manie Bishops unmaried and againe Monkes to be fathers of children as on the other side you may see saith he Bishops to be fathers of children and Monkeâ— that have not sought libertie of generation And good it had beene if this freedome and libertie to marry as it was left by God had so continued to all sorts of men and women without anie restraint or prohibition for be not the Clergie men in Poperie that be thus restrained and prohibited to marrie and likewise the Monkes Friars Nunns and the rest thereby occasioned or may they not thereby be occasioned to be like those old hereticks called Origeniani turpes Filthy Originists Who as Epiphanius testifieth of them Reiected mariage yet lust ceased not amongst them but they defiled their body and minde vvith wantonnesse for some of them be in the habite of Monkes that live solitarily and some of the vvomen are in the habite of women that live solitarily but they are for all that saith he corrupt performing their lust in their bodies And againe he saith of them that They studie not for chastitie but for fained chastitie and that which hath the name onely of Chastitie Clemangis a Doctor of Paris that lived above two hundred yeares agon concerning Monkes and Abbeyes speaketh thus VVhat can I say of them that is commendable they being so slippery indisciplinated dissolute unquiet running up and downe into common and dishonest places And touching Friars hee saith They be worse then the Pharisees ravening VVolves in Sheepes â—â—othing who in words pretend the forsaking of the world and in deedes vvith all possible fraudes deceipt and lying hunt after it making semblance in outward shew of austeritie chastitie humility holy simplicitie but secretly in exquisite delicates and variety of pleasures going beyond the luxuriousnesse of all vvorldly men and though not vvith their wives yet vvith their Bratts filling themselves greedily vvith wine and good cheere and polluting every thing vvith lust whose heate burneth them And concerning Nunnes hee saith Shame forbiddeth me to speake of them lest I should mention not a companie of Virgins dedicated to God but stewed deceiptfull impudent vvhores with their fornications and incestuous vvorkes For vvhat I pray you are Nunneries now-adayes but the execrable Brothel-houses of Venus the harbours of vvanton men where they satisfie their lusts that now the veyling of a Nunne is all one as if you prostituted her openly to be a VVhore So farre Hee 3 The sixt general Councel therefore assembled at Trulla to make Canons hath an expresse ordinance concerning this point of the mariage of Ministers in the 13 Canon in these words Forasmuch as vvee have understood that it hath bin ordeyned for a rule in the Church of Rome that vvhosoever vvill be a Deacon or Priest must first protest that he vvill never 〈◊〉 more after that have to doe vvith his vvife 〈◊〉 following the Apostolical order and discipline vvill that the lawfull marriage of Clergie men be for ever avayleable by no meanes separating them from their vvives nor forbidding them to come together at convenient times VVherefore if any one shall be thought vvorthy to be chosen a Subdeacon Deacon or a Priest let him not be hindred from mounting to this degree because he dwells together vvith his lawfull vvife and let it not be exacted of him in the day of his election to renounce the company of his lavvfull vvife lest by this meanes vvee be constrayned to disgrace mariage vvhich vvas first in instituted by God and blessed by his presence seeing that the Gospel cryes out that no man should separate that vvhich God hath ioyned together The prohibition of mariage then in the Popish Church to such as by Gods law be not prohibited yea which are directly allowed yea which are required and commanded in case they have not the gift of continencie to marrie rather then to burne appeareth verie cleerely to be wicked and abominable and consequently the Popish Church as touching this point must bee concluded to be the undoubted Antichristian Church And so much the rather for that they have made this prohibition in meere hypocrisie they pretending that they doe it for religion sake and that Clergy-men should be the more holy and chaste when the cause thereof indeed is another matter namely the preservation of Church goods and lest a Bishop or Priest if he were married should pare away something from them and employ it to the use of his wife and children for this a Pope of Rome himselfe hath discovered and manifested in the 28. Distinction and Canon de Syracusanis where he saith that the reason why hee did refuse to admit of a certaine Bishop was because hee had a wife and children by whom the Church goods use to be endangered And yet notwithstanding at the urgent request of the people of Syracusa he did receive him upon condition that his wife and children should not have to doe with the goods or profits of the Church Let them not therefore blind the eies of the world anie longer as though care of chastitie sanctitie and holinesse in Clergie-men were the cause of this prohibition when the true cause in verie deed appeareth to be meerely politicke worldly and earthly namely a respect and
of the doctrine of faith calleth Pope Gregory the 13 Supremum planè Supremum in terris Numen The supreme verily the supreme god upon earth And Steuchus the Popes Librarie keeper in his Booke of the Donation of Constantine saith that Constantine the Emperor held Pope Silvester for a god â—doravit ut Deum and worshipped him as God And the Councell of Lateran in the 3 and 10 Sessions further telleth you saying The Pope ought to be worshipped of all people and is most like unto God and least you should thinke that he speaketh of a civill kinde of worship it is there told you what manner of worship it is namely that it is with that kinde of worship or adoration that is mentioned in the 72 Psalme Adorabunt eum omnes Reges terrae All the Kings of the earth shall worship him where by worship the highest kinde of worship is meant which is due to the Sonne of God as Tertullian also teacheth in his 5 Booke and 7 Chapter against Marcion Againe Leo the 10 in the Councell of Lateran before cited is called the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah the roote of David the Saviour of Sion And Bellarmine in the Preface of his Book calleth the Pope the Corner-stone a tried stone a precious stone All which bee titles proper and peculiar to the Son of God And in the 25 Cause 1 quaest it is said that to violate his Canons and ordinances is to blaspheme against the holy Ghost which is a sinne not to bee forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Againe he calleth his decrees and Canons by the name of Oracles Now an Oracle signifieth an heavenly answer proceeding from the mouth of God Rom. 3.2 11.4 Sutably whereunto hee saith That his decretal Epistles are to bee numbred amongst the Canonical Scripturs in the 19 distinction in the Canon In Canonicis Againe what can bee more said of God then that which the before cited Councell of Lateran in the 9 and 10 Sessions attributeth to the Pope namely that hee hath all power aboue all Powers both in heaven earth And himselfe speaketh asmuch of himselfe in the first Booke of holy Cerimonies saying thus This Pontifical Sword representeth the Soveraigne temporal power that Christ hath given the Pope his Vicar upon earth as it is written All power is given mee both in heaven and in earth and elsewhere His dominion shall bee from Sea to Sea and from the River to the ends of the earth And Pope Paul the 5. in his holy Register calleth himselfe a Vice-god the Monarch of the Christian world and the upholder of the Papal Omnipotencie So that if the words of S. Paul in 2 Thes. 2. concerning Antichrist had beene as they are not that hee should expresly say and affirme that hee is god you perceive by that which is before spoken how it might have beene verified and withall in what sort and sence it is that the Pope hath the verie name of God given unto him For it appeareth to bee given him in a farre other sense then it is to Kings and Princes and yet in verie deede Kings and Princes and such like Magistrates of the earth and not Bishops bee the men that in Scripture bee called Elohim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Gods And they are called Gods as Christ himselfe declareth in respect that the word of God was committed to them not as it is to Bishops and Pastors publikely to preach in the Congregations but by their authoritie to establish and promote it to command obedience to it and to punish the violators of it and to countenance and encourage the professors and observers of it For to this end is it committed to their charge and custodie And for this cause are they called Custodes utriusque Tabulae The keepers of the two Tables wherein the Lawes of God were written And for this cause also was it an Institution from God and accordingly an observation in the Church of the Iewes that at the Coronation of a King the Booke of Gods Law should bee delivered unto him When therefore the Bishops of Rome take upon them this title to be called gods they take that which God in his Scriptures doth no where give them but when further they take upon them to be adored as God they doe that which is in them most intolerably blâ—sphemous And when you suppose out of this Text that Antichrist shall call himselfe God you see how much you are mistaken and that the Text affirmeth it not Obiect 7. Yea Antichrist must bee exalted even above God himselfe 2. Thes. 2.4 Ans. How proove you that For in the verie Text it selfe the highest degree and step of the pride and aspiring minde of Antichrist is discribed and set forth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So that hee shall sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that hee is God Hee doth not say that such shall bee his pride and elation as that he shall sit in the Temple of God aboue God or so shew himselfe as if hee were aboue God but onely that hee doth sit in the Temple of God as God and so shew himselfe as if hee were God The pride of the Divell himselfe is noted to be such as that he would bee onely as God or like the most high but not above Him And when the Divell tempted the first man Adam being in state of Innocencie and Integritie unto pride and ambition it was not to anie such pride or elation as to be above God but to be onely as God knowing good and evill It were therefore strange if the pride of Antichrist should be supposed to exceed or goe beyond the pride of the Divell his Master Yea indeed how can it enter into the conceit of anie creature to thinke it anie way possible for him to be exalted above God his creator when nothing can be conceived or imagined greater nobler or higher then Hee who is God over all blessed for ever But secondly observe that the words be not as you suppose viz. that Antichrist shall be exalted above God but above all or everie one that is called God for the words in the Greeke Text be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super omnem qui dicitur Deus aut Sebasma that is above everie one that is called God and above every one also that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sebasma .i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est Augustus for so Pausanias interpreteth that word and so is it likewise taken and used in the New Testament it selfe So that the meaning of those words is that the grand Antichrist should be exalted not only above Kings Princes and other Magistrates but even above those also that be Emperors and have an Imperial command and authoritie For it was indeed this Imperial State that was the hinderance or impediment that Antichrist
Christ slept a long time For from the yeare 870 to the yeare 1050 whom doe you see but Necromancers but Adulterers and Murtherers and Infamous persons prâ—ferred to the Papacie Platius in the life of Benedict the fourth speaketh the like and giveth the reason of all this saying thus This libertie of sinning saith hee hath begotten us these Monsters and Prodigies vvho by ambition and corruption have rather usurpt then possest the holy chaire of Peter there being no Prince to represse the vvickednesse of these men Yea Platina though the Popes Servant and Secretarie yet well knowing their vices and the vices of the people under his government doth in a manner speake as if himselfe despaired of their salvation for thus bee his words Our vices saith hee bee grovvne to thaâ— height that they vvill hardly ever finde mercie in the sight of God But observe yet further how horrible and wicked their reproachings slanderings and defamings heretofore have beene and yet still bee of Gods church people their religion calling them usually Heretickes Schismatickes and by such other odious names laying sometimes most notorious slanders and most impious false accusations to their charge perswading as if our religion were a religion allowing licentiousnesse a condemner and disallower of all good works and as though wee approoved of all dissolutenesse and were enemies to the Virgin Marie to all Saints as though we made God the Author of sinne and evill other such like things which we utterly detest dislike and abhorre and which hee cleane contrary to our opinion and to the doctrine of our Religion Yea they not onely thus dishonour wrong the true Church and people of God upon earth but even the Church triumphant and Saints also in heaven For is it not a great wrong and dishonour to the glorified Saints in heaven to turne them into Idols or to make them instruments of Idolatry or of dishonouring God by invocating praying unto them when as Praier and Invocation is a service worship and honour properly and onely belonging to God Againe do they not much dishonour the Saints when they imploy them about base offices commending the keeping of their Hogs to one of their horses to another the curing of the Scurffe to a third c. Yea even concerning that most chast blessed glorious Virgin Mary Doe they not extreamely dishonour her when they make her to favour Immodestie uncleanenesse For there is an Italian book entituled Miracoli dâ—ella gloriosâ— Virgine Maria printed at Millan in the yere 1547 which saith that a certaine Abbesse being with Child the holy Virgin being willing to cover her crime did in her stead present her selfe before the Bishops in forme of the Abbesse and shewed him by an ocular demonstration that shee was not with Child Caesarius also in his seventh Booke Chapt. 35 reports that the Virgin Marie for twelve whole yeares did supplie the place of a certaine Nunâ—â— called Beatrice whilst shee lay in the Sâ—ewes till at last she came backe again to take her place and freed the Virgin from being in her roome any longer But consider yet further the most terrible cruell barbarous and bloodie persecutions of Gods Church and people committed by Papists About 400 yeares since Pope Innocent the third within the space of a few monthes made more then 200000 of the faithfull to bee slaine whom they called Albigenses In S. Bartholomewes Massacre in the yeare 1572 more then 80000 men were slaine in cold blood In a Massacre in France within a few dayes were murthered 70000 persons And how execrable beyond all measure abhominable and damnable was that their late Plot of Gunpowder-Treason for the overthrow of the whole State of England in Parliament at a blow and God knoweth of how many States and Kingdomes beside Yea what meaneth their Holy League as they call it not long since made for the extirpation and rooting out of all Protestancie Doe they not by all these shew themselves to bee utter enemies and that in the worst sort that can bee to all Civill States Kings and Kingdomes which reiect the Popes usurped Supremacie and his depraved and Antichristian Religion Why else also have they decreed that Faith is not to be kept with Heretickes And why else doe they hold that before Hereticall Iudges and Magistrates as they call them it is lawfull for them to sweare with Equivocations and Mental reservations and in a false deluding and deceitfull manner And why else doe they dislike and disallow Subjects not onely to take the Oath of Supremacie but the Oath also of Allegeance when in very deede and of right neither of both ought to bee refused What also meaneth the resort and comming of Popish Priests and Iesuits into Protestant Kingdomes under colour and pretence of Religion Is it not to make a partie for the Pope or some of his confederates against a fit time And doth it not also tend to sedition and treason in a Common-weale What doth the Popes claime to depose Kings and to give away their Kingdomes when and to whom hee list tend unto but to the setting of Princes together by the Eares aswell as Subiects to rebell against their lawfull Soveraignes Doe not all these things tend to the overthrow aswell of civill States and civill Iustice as of Religion and of Kingdomes and Common-weales aswel as of Gods Church and which maketh the matter yet more and indeede most odious all this they doe under pretence of Christianitie and of a Catholicke cause when it is nothing so but cleane contrarywise extreamely divelish and Antichristian Let then everie equal person now judge whether the Pope of Rome that thus wrongeth God his Church and Religion and not onely Bishops but all Kings Princes and Emperors also their People Kingdomes and Common-wealths and that thus intolerably abuseth the whole Christian world and yet for all that inflexibly persisteth therein without anie remorse or repentance shewed yea which with all his power and strength iustifieth upholdeth defendeth all those his wrongs errors abuses and impieties boasting glorying and delighting in them bee not rightly affirmed to be The Man of sin the Sonne of perdition and the verie undoubted Grand Antichrist in all respects THE CONCLVSION to the same pretended CATHOLIKES NOw then it appearing verie cleerely by the premisses that the Pope of Rome whom his blinded followers so much adore and reverence is the verie grand Antichrist and that the Popish Citie of Rome whereof he is the Head and Ruler is undoubtedly the VVhore of Babylon mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn What scruple or doubt should you or anie of you conceive to make all the good hast yee may to forsake that grand Antichrist that his Concubine the whore of Babylon and all his Priests Iesuites Bishops Monks Friars Nunns and the rest of that his Antichristian rabble and to betake and apply your selves with us to the embracing and following of Christ and
of his most holy and most pure Religion and ordinances delivered in the sacred and canonical Scriptures the Infallible rule of Truth For doe you thinke that ever Christ and Antichrist will agree together VVhat hath the chaffe to doe vvith the vvheate saith the Lord. Or VVhat fellowship as S. Paul speaketh hath righteousnesse vvith unrighteousnesse vvhat communion hath light vvith darkenesse vvhat concord hath Christ vvith Belial vvhat part hath the Beleever vvith the Infidel vvhat agreement hath the Temple of God vvith Idols In some things I grant the Popish Church holdeth rightly and in all things such is the mysterie of Iniquitie maketh a semblance and pretence of pietie and Christianitie But take heed and be not here with deceived for beside that it is the nature and maner of Hypocrisie so to doe you now I hope doe sufficiently understand that neither the Pope of Rome could be Antichrist nor his Church be the Antichristian vnlesse they did make this semblance of pietie outward shâ—w and pretence of Christianitie yea cleerely they should be altogether Vnchristian and not Antichristian people if they made no semblance or profession at all of Christ. But all is not gold that glistereth nor that ever right and true Christianitie that seemeth to be so The Divell himselfe will hold some things rightly and will sometimes utter and tell some truths but it is to the end to gaine credite and beleefe to himselfe at other times and in other things when and wherein he speaketh lies And this craft and subtiltie have all Antichristian and false teachers learned and do practise being as S. Paul calleth them False-Apostles deceiptfull vvorkmen transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvaile saith he for Satan also himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light Therefore it is no great thing though his ministers transforme themselves as though they vvere the Ministers of righteousnesse vvhose end shall be according to their vvorkes Now then concerning the Kings Supremacy and his Authoritie in all kinde of causes and over all sorts of people aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill you see what it is and you understand I trust the cleere lawfulnesse of it within his owne Dominions For a time there was as before is shewed when the Bishop of Rome was limited his precincts and bounds aswell as other Bishops and had no more Supremacy or Authoritie over other Bishops then they had over him Yea a time there was when Bishops in a Councell assembled had authoritie over the Pope of Rome and might and actually did depose him and when also the Bishops of Rome were subiect to the Emperor and at his command as is likewise before declared So that the best title which the Bishop of Rome at anie time had to his Supremacie within anie Kingdome appeareth to be not by anie institution or law of God but by an humane constitution onely and a positive law And seeing that this his Supremacie was afterward put downe againe dissolved and abolished within this Kingdome as also in all the rest of his Maiesties Dominions by as high and as good authoritie as at anie time it was erected and established in the same namely by Act of Parliament made within those Realmes Everie subiect to his Maiestie now standeth tied and bound in duetie utterly to renounce and forsake it If yet yee alledge as ye sometimes doe that for the space of divers hundreth yeares in the later times the Kings and Princes in Christendome submitted themselves to this Supremacie of the Pope I answer first that it is apparant that Non fuit sic ab initio it vvas not so from the beginning and that the most ancient Precedents be to the contrarie Secondly that this was to fulfil a prophecie in the Scripture which foretold that so it should come to passe namely that these Kings should vvith one consent submit or give their Kingdome unto the Beast untill the vvords of God vvere fulfilled Yea these Kings not onely submitted themselves and their Kingdomes to this Supremacie of the Pope but to the adulterated Religion likewise of that Whore of Babylon the Papal Citie of Rome to fulfill the like Prophecie which saith that vvith her have committed fornication the Kings of the earth and the Inhabitants of the earth have beene made drunken vvith the vvine of her fornication Inasmuch then as these things be thus foretold in holy Scripture to come to passe what marvell should it now be to anie to see and know them to have beene accomplished accorcordingly But yet thirdly observe that although these kings did for so long time yeeld and submit themselves and the people of their kingdomes to this Beast vvhore of Babylon yet the later part of this Prophecie remaineth to be fulfilled which is this that Tenne of these Kings that were so long enchanted and bewitched with this Whore and seduced and abused by her shall afterward discerne and espie her fraudes and wickednesse and thereupon shall detest and hate her make her desolate and naked eate her flesh and shall burne her vvith fire Which Prophecie as it is alreadie begun to be performed in some of these Kings which have fallen from her hating and detesting both her authoritie and her adulterated religion so shall it in all the parts and points of it in the due time appointed of God be fully and actually performed and accomplished The long continuance then of Pope and Poperie in the world is no argument or proofe of the lawfulnesse or allowablenesse of them for beside that it was foretold to be of that long continuance Mahometisme Paganisme heresie and error drunkennesse adulterie and sundrie other sinnes and vices be also verie ancient and of long continuance in the world yet doth not that make them therefore to be ever the more lawfull or allowable Yea the longer the Popes Supremacie and his adulterated Religion have continued the greater wrong and iniurie hath been done all that while not onely to all other Bishops in the world and to all Emperors Kings and Princes likewise but also to the whole Church and religion of God and even to God himselfe And therefore this maketh not for the upholding or confirmation but for the further and greater detestation and condemnation of them both 2 So that no sufficient cause or reason can anie of you shew why ye should refuse to be of our Religion or why yee should not all come to our Churches assemblies and ioine with us in the right and true service of God For first where yee suppose Ours the Protestant Religion as it is called to be false and heretical and yours the Popish to be the onely Catholike right it hath before bni made verie manifest unto you cleane contrariwise that Ours is the right Apostolike Catholike most ancient religion that yours comming in afterward is the new adulterate heretical false Antichristian and that those be not the children of the right and
yee First it is well knowne that S. Peter was a contemner of the pompe and pride of the world and a disregarder of the wealth riches thereof insomuch that hee said to one that asked almes of him that he had neither silver nor gold but the Pope of Rome is not so but contrariwise hath the pompe pride glorie and riches of the world in verie high and chiefe esteeme and aboundeth with them Againe Peter was subiect to Emperors Kings and Princes and taught all Christians to be likewise subiect to them but the Pope is so far from being subiect to them that contrariwise hee claimeth soveraignetie and supremacie over them all and taketh upon him to depose Kings Princes and Emperors at his pleasure and to disannull and dissolve the allegeance of subiects when and as often as he listeth Peter would not allow Cornelius though but a Captaine of the Italian band to fall downe at his feete but bad him arise but the Pope of Rome doth well allow not only Captaines but Kings Princes and Emperors to fall downe and kisse his feet Yea hee hath not beene ashamed with his feete to tread upon the necke of some of the Emperors Peter was a godly earnest and diligent Preacher of the Gospel in his owne person according to that commandement of Christ so often repeated saying unto him Pasce Pasce Pasce feed my lambes feed my sheepe feed my sheepe But the Pope of Rome like an idle pompous and slothfull man in his owne person seldome or never Preacheth Peter was content and well endured to be reproved at the hands of S. Paul when there was cause He also patiently suffered himselfe to be accused and contended against by certaine Christians and mildely and modestly answered to those their exceptions against him for their satisfaction But the Pope of Rome though he be never so worthie of reproofe will neverthelesse not suffer himselfe to be reproved nor accused or contended against nor will have his doings examined questioned censured or iudged by anie men such is his unmeasurable pride and unmatchable loftinesse Againe S. Peter did acknowledge S. Paul S. Matthew S. Andrew S. Iames and the rest of the twelve to be Apostles aswell as himselfe albeit they had no ordination or calling to that their Office of Apostleship from him for that they all had an immediate calling to that their Apostleship from Christ Iesus himselfe and not from Peter is a thing undeniably manifest But the Pope contrariwise acknowledgeth none to be a Bishop except he be ordeyned and made a Bishop by him or by his authoritie Moreover they were accounted and held to be Presbyters and Ministers of the Church which were made and ordeyned by other Apostles though they were not made or ordeined by Peter nor by anie authoritie derived from him But the Pope of Rome acknowledgeth none to be Presbyters or Ministers of the Church which be made by other Bishops except they be made and ordeined by him or by authoritie originally derived from him Yea S. Peter did acknowledge the rest of the Apostles to be his fellowes or Equals as well knowing that Christ Iesus himselfe did directly forbid them to beare Princely authoritie one over another insomuch that Peter aswell as Iohn was content to bee sent by the rest of the Apostles into Samaria and did goe thither at their sending But the Bishop of Rome acknowledgeth not other Bishops to be his fellowes or Equalls nor will be content to be sent as their Messenger to anie place but most proudly challengeth a Princely Primacie and king-like superioritie over them all If the Pope will needes be Peters successor it were reason and a thing equall and iust that he should claime no more authoritie over other Bishops then Peter had over the rest of the Apostles yea if hee will make Peter his patterne and president to follow as it were a happie thing for him if he were in verie deed so wel affected he must then utterly give over his triple Crowne and all his Papal worldly pompe and pride and be cleane reformed and become altogether another man in all respects wherein he is so exceedingly degenerated and unlike unto him And then together with the relinquishing of his most proud Popedome he must also forsake renounce and detest his Poperie and Popish Religion for S. Peter cleerely was such a one as we call a Protestant that is to say one that both held and taught that Religion that wee hold namely that which is conteined in the Booke of GOD the sacred and canonicall Scriptures Yea S. Peter died a Martyr for the testimonie of this faith and religion and the Pope of Rome is contrariwise a persecutor of those that professe this faith and religion For that the Papists be the cleere and undoubted persecutors of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus is afterward manifested by a direct and most evident testimonie thereof in the Revelation of S. Iohn to the end ye should not hereafter bee mistaken in that point as usually yee be nor deceive your selves anie longer therein Furthermore S. Peter was content and held it honour enough to be a member of the bodie of Christ which is his Church acknowledging with S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles that Christ onely was and is the head therof But the Pope of Rome is not content unlesse he intrude himselfe into this his verie royal prerogative taking upon him to be the verie head of the whole militant church We know that the Church of Christ is but one body as the Scripture speaketh and witnesseth though there be manie members of it and one bodie is to have but one head why then or by what right or reason doe they make this bodie of Christ which is his Church to have two heads namely one in heaven which is Christ Iesus another on earth which they say is the Pope They confesse that of the Church in heaven which is to us invisible Christ is indeed the head but of the visible Church on earth the Pope say they is the head and that such a visible head for the visible church is requisite and necessarie And here they have a distinction that Christ is indeed Caput vitale the vital head from whence all his members have and derive their life but that the Pope is Caput ministeriale visibile the ministeriall and visible head And thus they boldly speake frame and devise matters and distinctions according to the fancie of their owne braines But first what Patent conveyance warrant or commission from God can the Pope of Rome shew whereby he is thus authorized to be either Christ his special or onely Vicar Deputie or Lievetenant over his whole universall church here upon earth or to be this speciall and onely visible and ministeriall head Iust none at all doe they or can they shew for it And is it
cleere that there was then no citie in the world noted knowne by these seven hills or mountaines but Rome onely and therefore doth Virgil say of it Pulcherrima Roma Septem quae una sibi muro circumdedit arces That Rome onely hath seven hills vvithin her vvall For which cause also it is commonly termed Septicollis that is the seven hild City And Propertius also saith of it that it is Septem urbs alta Iugis toti quae praesidet orbi A City high vvith seven Hills that ruleth over all the world The names also of the seven hills are to this day knowne namely Palatinus Caelius Capitolinus otherwise called Ianiculus Aventinus Quirinalis Viminalis and Esquilinus Seeing then there was in that time of S. Iohn no citie in the world that was noted and knowne by the seven Hills and which also in those daies raigned over the Kings of the earth and had the Empire but Rome onely even by these two markes and demonstrations conioyned it is infalliby manifest that not anie other citie in the world but Rome onely is and must needs be the Woman and vvhore of Babylon there described And this is so cleere and evident that the Papists themselves confesse it to be Rome But then for an evasion Bellarmine some other Papists say that thereby onely Heathenish Rome and such as it was in the time of Infidelitie and before it embraced the Gospel and Religion of Christ is signified and intended but how untrue and vaine an evasion this is let all men iudge that have anie iudgement or indifferencie in them For first why is that woman that is the citie of Rome there called an Whore but to shew that shee was once an honest chaste and obedient spouse of Christ and that she afterward revolted and became an Whore and so fell from that obedience saith and true Religion which shee had formerly professed and embraced For is anie called an Whore but shee that was once an honest woman And doth not that word Whore import that shee was now at this time when shee thus became an Whore departed from that her former faith and fidelitie And indeed most true it is that the citie of Rome did once embrace the faith and religion of Christ and was an honest dutifull and true spouse unto him as S. Paul himselfe and other Ecclesiastical Histories doe witnesse But afterward in processe of time Ambition Pride Covetousnesse and Licentiousnesse growing in the Church and Churchâ—men and an Apostasie or departure from the right faith and religion being also foretold to come into the world for the neglect and contempt of the Gospel it came to passe that the once faithfull and Christian citie of Rome departed from that her former true faith and obedience and became an Harlot or Whore so that now and long sithence it may be said of Rome as God himselfe sometime spake of Hierusalem saying How is the faithfull City become an Harlot It being therefore manifest and a thing confessed even by the Papists themselves that by this Woman the citie of Rome is intended thereupon must needs be further granted that inasmuch as the Woman afterward became an Whore that is that Rome afterward became an Adulteresse against Christ her head and husband not the Heathen and Infidell citie of Rome but Rome after it had once received the Christian faith and religion and afterward fell from it to follow her owne false doctrine and religion is to be understood For how could the citie of Rome whilest it was Heathenish and before it ever embraced Christianitie be properly or rightly termed an Harlot or Whore that is a violater or breaker of anie faith formerly plighted by her unto Christ Iesus when as yet whilest shee was Heathen shee had plighted no such faith unto him The citie of Rome therefore which S. Iohn thus saw beforehand in vision to be such a one as should afterwards become an Whore and a great VVhore even the vvhore of Babylon as shee is entitled must needs be intended of Papal or Popish Rome for with the Heathen Rome that had never betrothed her selfe to Christ and consequently could for that time be no Whore or violater of her faith unto him it hath no fit or apt coherence and agreement Secondly as touching the Heathenish estate of Rome in that respect and for that purpose S. Iohn needed not anie Revelation at all for he knew it otherwise sufficiently even by his owne banishment into Pathmos and other daily experiments that Rome was then Heathenish and governed by Heathen Emperors and was by that meanes a great persecutor of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus but that the same citie should be afterward governed by Popes and so fall into the spiritual whoredome of Poperie that hee could not foresee or foreknow or foretell without a Revelation and therefore hath he a Revelation given him of that matter And hereat the Text also saith that He vvondred and that with great marvaile This great vvondering of S. Iohn also Thirdly declareth what maner of Rome this was for even thereby likewise appeareth that not the Heathen citie of Rome at whose persecutions they being so frequent and common in those dayes he had no cause at all to wonder but the once true Christian citie of Rome which afterward revolted from that her true Christianitie to her Antichristian and persecuting courses whereat there was indeed iust cause to wonder is the thing there meant and intended Fourthly Rome governed by the Emperors is in that Chapter distinguished from Rome as it was afterward governed by the Popes yea Rome as it was governed by the seven heads or principal Rulers of it from the beginning of it to the end is there decyphered For this vvhore or vvhorish vvoman is not onely there said to sit upon a scarlet coloured beast with which kinde of colour the Romish Popes aswell as the Romane Emperors were and are delighted as appeareth in the Decret dist 96. but it is there further said that this beast that is this State or Dominion for so by the Beast is understood a State or Dominion as afterward is shewed which thus bare up and supported this woman the citie of Rome had seven Heads ten Hornes The seven Heads be in the Text it selfe expounded to be seven Hills or mountaines which are before named and mentioned And they be also there further said to be seven Kings that is seven sorts of principal or soveraigne Rulers whereby Rome hath beene governed namely by Kings Consuls Decemvirs Dictators Tribunes Militarie with consular Authoritie Emperors Popes Five of these were fallen saith the Text in the dayes of S. Iohn namely Kings Consuls Decemvirs Dictators Tribunes and one is saith hee that is the governement by Emperors For then in S. Iohns time was Rome governed by Emperors and one is yet to come saith the Text that is the governement by Popes For as yet the
and consequently this Apostacie and prohibition of Meates and Marriage in hycrisie that is under colour and pretence of sanctitie pietie and religion when revera there appeareth to be no sanctitie pietie or good religion in them being to fall out and to be accomplished neither in the primitive first or elder times nor yet in the last times but in the latter times as it were betweene them both doth for that reason also more aptly and fitly agree to these latter Hereticks the Papists then to those old and ancient Heretickes before mentioned And therefore it still appeareth by this Text and Prophecie of S. Paul to Timothy that the Church of Rome is the undoubtedly Apostaticall and Antichristian Church and consequently that the Pope the head thereof is the undoubted grand Antichrist CHAP. V. Answering certaine Objections of the Adversaries concerning Antichrist OBIECTION I. THE Bodies of the two witnesses that were slaine did lie in the streets of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified Rev. 11.8 Ansvver By the great Citie there is meant not Hierusalem as you suppose but Rome otherwise called Babylon which throughout the whole Booke of the Revelation is called the great Citie as namely Rev. 14.8 Rev. 16.19 Rev. 18.10.16.18 19.21 and Rev. 17.18 c. except onely once that this Title is given to Hierusalem but then also not to the earthly but to the new and heavenly Ierusalem which will advantage your cause nothing at all Rev. 21.10 Neither indeed was our Lord crucified within the Citie of Hierusalem but without Heb. 13.12 Now Rome is said to bee the City where our Lord was crucified both because by Authoritie of that City it was that Christ himselfe was put to death for hee suffered under Pontius Pilate the Romane Emperors Deputie and also because there and from thence it is that hee still suffereth and is persecuted in his Members For the persecution done to anie of his members is by him accounted as done to himselfe Act. 9.4 And therfore also be those two Martyres or witnesses of Christs Truth said to be slaine and to have their bodies lye in the streets of the great City that is within the compasse and precincts of Romes authoritie and dominion Againe that great Citie Rome is there called Sodome for her pride and monstrous vncleannes and Egypt for her Idolatrie and crueltie towards Gods people and Babylon for her so long and miserable deteyning them in spiritual captivitie S. Hierome also herein is directly against you who Ep. 17. ad Marcellam earnestly contradicteth your opinion contending and maintaining that it cannot bee meant of Hierusalem in Iewry It therefore still remaineth firme that not Hierusalem but Rome is the Seat of Antichrist Obiect 2. I am come saith Christ to the Iewes in my fathers nume and yee receive mee not If an other come in his ovvne name him yee vvill receive Ioh. 5.43 Ans. This Text also maketh nothing for you For you expound it as if Christ had spoken definitely of one singular man to bee Antichrist whom the Iewes should receive whereas Christ speaketh indefinitely of any False-teacher whosoever that should come in his owne name that is not sent of God And sure it is that the Iewes have received more then one of such as have come in their owne name as namely Theudas Iudas Galilaeus Barcocabas c. In the text it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indefinitely and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definitely as it is used in Ioh. 18.16 and Ioh. 20.2 3 4 And therfore also doth Nonnus in his paraphrase upon this place expound those words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if anie other come whosoever hee bee c. Yea the very words of Christ bee directly Hypothetical or conditional If another come and not Categorical or affirmative of Antichrist or of anie other in particular as ye conceive and mistake And further whereas Christ speaketh of those Iewes that were then and there present to heare those his words you understand him to speake of such Iewes as should bee by your opinion a little before the end of the world at which time it is and not before that you suppose Antichrist shall come Howbeit the purpose of Christ in that place is not to foretell what manner of people the Iewes should bee so long after namely toward the end of the world but how in respect of their present disposition they were then at that time affected namely that him that came in his fathers name that is that was sent from God they refused and yet if anie should come in his owne name that is not sent of God him they were readie to receive But lastly why should you thinke that the Iewes before the end of the world shall receive Antichrist for their Messias when as S. Paul contrariwise hath foretold and assured us that the Iewes before the end of the world shall bee converted to Christ and his religion Yea it is before verie evident that Antichrist shall not bee a Iewe nor an observer of the Iewish religion but a pretended Christian and such a one as shall sit in the Temple of God and bee the head of the Apostacie apostated and revolted Christians of which sort and number the Infidels and unbeleeving Iewes cannot be For how can they bee said to bee Apostataes or to make anie apostacy or departure from Christ who never formerly embraced him nor received the profession of him Obiect 3 Christ is one certaine and singular man therefore Antichrist must bee so also Ans. It followeth not yea howsoever there is but one true Christ yet are there many Antichrists as S. Iohn expreslie affirmeth 1. Iob. 2.18 and many false Christs and false Prophets as Christ himselfe declareth which shal Shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect Mat. 24.24 And yet also since the time that the Pope got the headship and Soveraignetie of Rome is Antichrist one as the Pope of Rome is one that is not in number and nature as one certaine and singular man but one at once by law and institution though successively so manie as since that time have enioyed the same Popedome Obiect 4. Hee is Antichrist which denieth the Father and the Sonne 1. Ioh. 2.22 Ans. The Pope and Popish Church also denie the Father and the Sonne in such sort as belongeth to Antichrist and Antichristian people to doe that is to say not openlie and professedly but in a covert and disguised manner For VVhosoever denyeth the Sonne the same hath not the Father saith the same S. Iohn 1. Io◠2.23 The like testifieth Christ Iesus himselfe in Iob. 5.23 So that to denie the Sonne is to denie the Father also inasmuch as the one cannot be denied without denial of the other And that the Pope and Papacie do denie the Sonne namely Christ Iesus viz. in respect of his Person and in
the rest of their best works they doe be in them turned to sinne as being poysoned with a conceit of their owne merits and of making satisfaction to Gods Iustice for their sins by that means And be not even their Praiers also and Invocations which they make unto GOD poisoned become wicked and abhominable whilst they pray to bee heard and their petitions to bee granted them for the merit or merits of such a Saint or such a Saint or of all Saints or for the Intercession-sake of such a Saint or such a Saint or of all Saints and not for the merit or Intercessions sake of Iesus Christ only Yea doe they not direct and make their praiers manie times and too often not unto God himselfe as they ought but to his Creatures as namely to the blessed Virgin Mary and to other Saints and to Angells which is a most intolerable impietie Yea doe they not also suffer and allow a Psalter commonly called the Psalter of Bonaventure made in honour of the Virgin Marie For in that Booke sundrie parts of the Psalmes of David bee applied to the Virgin and her name put in the place of Gods name most audaciously blasphemously As for example in the 110 Psalme where it is said in Davids Psalter The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand c. In that Psalter it is thus Dixit Dominus Dominae nostrae c. The Lord said to our Ladie sit thou at my right hand c. Againe the words in 130 Psalme be in that Psalter made thus De profundis claâ—â—avi ad te Domina c. Out of the deepe places have I cryed unto thee O Ladie O Ladie heare my voyce c. and sundrie such like whereby doth appeare that they not onelie verie dishonourablie and iniuriouslie to God praie to the Virgin Marie but further also falsifie and misturne the words of holy Scripture to serve their own bad humors and fancies There is moreover a Booke called Liber Taxarum or Taxa Cancellariae Aposâ—â—lica their Taxe-booke Printed at Paris with priviledge sub sole aureo which sheweth what intolerable Licentiousnes and Wickednesse is permitted and dispensed with in the Papacie For even Murthers Incests Sodomitrie and other most grosse sinnes be there rated and taxed at a certaine price which being paid the Popes Pardons Indulgences Licenses dispensations bee permitted to have passage in those cases Where together with this licentiousnesse permitted you may observe a most horrible licentiousnesse in the Pope and his Clergy For poore men that have not wherewithall to pay may not bee partakers of anie of those favours as appeareth by a note in the 23 leafe of that Booke in the Chapter of Matrimoniall causes where it is said thus Nota diligenter c. Note diligently that these favours and dispensations are not granted to the poore because they have not wherewithall and therfore they cannot receive consolation And there you may observe further that even the most monstruous sinnes as Incest Sodomitry Dealing with beasts sins not meet to be named or heard of amongst Christians bee not taxed at so high a rate as those bee that bee committed against the Popes lawes and the Commandments of his Church as the eating of White-meates of Butter of Flesh upon daies and times by them forbidden c. So that intolerable pride ambition ioyned with unmeasurable avarice and covetousnesse in the Pope and his Clergy together with abhominable licentiousnesse permitted to the people by reason of the Stewes Priests absolutions Popes pardons Indulgences Dispensations and such like and a great deale of Hipocrysie also under pretext of Pietie therewithall intermingled may and doe appeare to be the Founders Pillers Supporters and Vpholders of all Popery If a man feared Purgatorie either for himselfe or his friends though hee had done all the villanies of the world yea though hee had deflowred the Virgin Marie for such were the wicked and execrable speeches of Teceleus and other Preachers of the Popes Indulgences in times past yet so soone as ever hee had cast the money into the Bason the Soules were presently said to bee set at libertie The Abbot of Vsperge in the life of Philip the Emperor pag. 321 writeth in this sort Scarce is there saith hee any Bishopricke or Ecclesiastical dignitie or Parish Church remayning that is not made litigious and the cause by an appeale brought to be heard at Rome But it is in vaine to goe thither with an emptie hand Reioyce O Mother Rome because the floudgates of earthly treasures bee laid open unto thee that whole Rivers and heaps of silver might come flovving upon thee in great aboundance Reioyce thou because of the iniquities of the sons of Men for they pay thee a price in recompence of all their transgressions Reioyce thou because of Discord which is profitable for thee shee comming out of the bottomelesse Pit to beape store of money upon thee Thou hast that now which thou hast desired a long time Sing a Song because that by the wickednesse of men and not by any vertue of thy religion thou hast overcome the world Theodorick de Nihem also in his 6 Tractat. chap. 32 speaketh to the like purpose saying thus The Apostolicke Chamber is like to the Sea into which all Rivers doe runne and yet it doth never overflow For thither from most parts of the vvorld are there great suâ—â—es of gold caried by thousands and yet it is never full There is a generation in that place that have svvords instead of teeth for to devâ—ure the poore of the earth There are also many Hâ—rsleecheâ— vvhich cry Bring Bring And a little after hee saith thus O iust Men vvho if you had your right should have your portion with the Harpies infernal Furies and Tâ—â—talâ—â— that can never be satisfied Likewise Aeneas Sylviâ—â— afterward called Pope Pius Secundus in the 66 Epistle to Iohn Peregall speaketh to the same effect The Court of Rome saith he gives nothing vvithout mâ—ny yea the imposâ—â—ion of hands the gifâ—s of the holy Ghost hee sold And the remission of sâ—nnes is communicated to none 〈◊〉 haue not vvherevvithall to pay for it Never was there man that did more prostitute himselfe to uphold the ruinous and tottering Papacie then Baronius yet behold his owne words upon the yeare 912 and 8 Article VVith vvhat face saith hee did the Church of Rome then looke and hovv ill-favouredly Then vvhen famous Queâ—nes levvde Strumpets did domineerâ—â— Rome at vvhose pleasure Church livings vvere bestovved Bishoprickes vvere given and that vvhich is horrible to heare and not to bee spoken their Lovers false Popes thrust into the seate of Peter And then afterward hee addeth saying VVhat Priests Deacons Cardinal doe yee thinke vvere chosen by these Monsters There hee complaineth that Iesus Christ did sleepe But he speaketh of such a number of vitious and wicked Popes that it should seem by his reckoning that Iesus
the Archbishop vvas dead Calomagnus the King of Scotts and the troupe of his Officers with the under-courtiers and the concourse of all that countrey with the same affection of heart cryed out that the holy Priest Livinus was most worthily to be advanced unto the honour of this order The King more devoute then all of them consenting thereunto three or foure times placed the blessed man in the chayre of the Archbishoprick with due honour according to the will of the Lord. In like maner also did king Ecgfrid cause our Cuthbert to be ordayned Bishop of the Church of Lindisfarne and king Pipin granted the Bishoprick of Salzburg to our Virgilius Duke Gunzo would have conferred the Bishoprick of Constance upon our Gallus but that hee refused it and caused another upon his recommendation to be preferred thereunto As the Pope intermedled not with the making of our Bishops so neyther can we finde by any approved record of antiquitie that anie Visitations of the clergie were held here in his name much lesse that any Indulgences were sought for by our people at his hands For as for the Charter of S. Patrick by some intituled De antiquitate Avalonicâ wherein Phaganus and Deruvianus are said to have purchased ten or thirtie yeares of Indulgences from Pope Eleutherius and S. Patrick himselfe to have procured twelve yeares in his time from Pope Celestinus it might easily be demonstrated if this were a place for it that it is a meere figment devised by the Monkes of Glastenbury Neyther doe I well know what credite is to be given unto that stragling sentence which I finde ascribed unto the same author for I will still deale fairely and conceale nothing that I meet withall in anie hidden part of antiquitie that may tend to the true discoverie of the state of former times whether it may seeme to make for me or against me If any questions doe arise in this Iland let them be referred to the See Apostolick Onely this I will say that as it is most likely that S. Patrick had a speciall regard unto the Church of Rome from whence he was sent for the conversion of this Iland so if I my selfe had lived in his dayes for the resolution of a doubtfull question I should as willingly have listened to the judgement of the Church of Rome as to the determination of anie Church in the whole world so reverend an estimation have I of the integritie of that Church as it stood in those good dayes But that S. Patrick was of opinion that the Church of Rome was sure ever afterward to continue in that good estate and that there was a perpetuall priviledge annexed unto that See that it should never erre in judgement or that the Popes sentences were alway to be held as infallible Oracles that will I never beleeve sure I am that my countreymen after him were of a farre other beleefe who were so farre from submitting themselves in this sort to whatsoever should proceed from the See of Rome that they oftentimes stood out against it when they had little cause so to do For proofe whereof I need to seeke no further then to those verie allegations which have beene lately urged for maintenance of the supremacie of the Pope and Church of Rome First Mr. Coppinger commeth upon us with this wise question Was not Ireland among other countries absolved from the Pelagian heresie by the Church of Rome as Cesar Baronius writeth then he setteth downe the copie of S. Gregories epistle in answer unto the Irish Bishops that submitted themselves unto him and concludeth in the end according to his skill that the Bishops of Ireland being infected with the Pelagian errour sought absolution first of Pelagius the Pope but the same was not effectually done untill S. Gregory did it But in all this the silly man doth nothing else but bewray his owne extreme ignorance For neyther can he shew it in Cesar Baronius or in anie other author whatsoever that the Irish Bishops did ever seek absolution from Pope Pelagius or that the one had to deale in any businesse at all with the other Neyther yet can he shew that ever they had to doe with S. Gregory in anie matter that did concerne the Pelagian heresie for these be dreames of Coppingers own idle head The epistle of S. Gregory dealeth onely with the controversie of the three chapter◠which were condemned by the fifth generall Councell whereof Baronius writeth thus All the Bishops that were in Ireland with most earnest studie rose up jointly for the defence of the Three Chapters And when they perceived that the Church of Rome did both receive the condemnation of the Three chapters and strengthen the fifth Synod with her consent they departed from her and clave to the rest of the schismaticks that were eyther in Italy or in Africk or in other countries animated with that vaine confidence that they did stand for the Catholick faith while they defended those things that were concluded in the Councell of Chalcedon And so much the more fixedly saith he did they cleave to their error because whatsoever Italy did suffer by commotions of warre by famine or pestilence all these unhappy things they thought did therefore befall unto it because it had undertaken to fight for the Fift Synod against the Councell of Chalcedon Thus farre Baronius out of whose narration this may be collected that the Bishops of Ireland did not take all the resolutions of the Church of Rome for undoubted oracles but when they thought that they had better reason on their sides they preferred the judgement of other Churches before it Wherein how peremptorie they were when they wrote unto S. Gregory of the matter may easily be perceived by these parcells of the answer which he returned unto their letters The first entry of your epistle hath notified that you suffer a grievous persecution which persecution indeed when it is not sustayned for a reasonable cause doth profite nothing unto salvation and therefore it is verie unfit that you should glory of that persecution as you call it by which it is certaine you cannot be promoted to everlasting rewards And whereas you write that since that time among other provinces Italy hath beene most afflicted you ought not to object that unto it as a reproach because it is written Whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne that he receiveth Then having spoken of the booke that Pope Pelagius did write of this controversie which indeed was penned by Gregory himselfe he addeth If after the reading of this book you will persist in that deliberation wherein now you are without doubt you shew that you give your selves to be ruled not by reason but by obstinacie By all which you may see what credite is to be given unto the man who would beare us in hand that this epistle of S. Gregory was sent
here useth is taken among authors oftentimes in contrarie senses eyther to signifie a great while since or else but lately or erewhile In the former sense it must be here taken if it have relation to the time wherein Bede did write his book and in the latter also it may be taken if it be referred to the time whereof he treateth which is the more likely opinion namely to the comming of Bishop Aidan into England which fell out within a yeare or little more after that Honorius had sent his admonitorie letters to the Irish. who as hee was the first Bishop of Rome we can reade of that admonished them to reforme their rite of keeping the time of Easter so that the Irish also much about the same time conformed themselves herein to the Romane usage may thus be manifested When Bishop Aidan came into England from the iland Hy now called Y-Columkille the colledge of monkes there was governed by Segenius who in the inscription of the epistle of the clergie of Rome sent unto the Irish is called Segianus Now there is yet extant in Sir Robert Cottons worthy librarie an epistle of Cummianus directed to this Segienus for so is his name there written abbot of Y-Columkille wherein he plainly declareth that the great cycle of DXXXII years and the Romane use of celebrating the time of Easter according to the same was then newly brought in into this countrey For the first yeare saith he wherein the cycle of DXXXII yeares began to be observed by our men I received it not but held my peace daring neyther to commend it nor to disprayse it That yeare being past he saith he consulted with his ancients who were the successors of Bishop Ailbeus Queranus Coloniensis Brendinus Nessanus and Lâ—â—gidus who being gathered together in Campo-lene concluded to celebrate Easter the yeare following together with the universall Church But not long after saith he there arose up a certaine whited wall pretending to keepe the tradition of the Elders which did not make both one but divided them and made voyde in part that which vvas promised whom the Lord as I hope will smite in whatsoever maner he pleaseth To this argument drawne from the tradition of the elders he maketh answer that they did simply and faithfully observe that which they knew to be best in their dayes without the fault of anie contradiction or animositie and did so recommend it to their posteritie and opposeth thereunto the unanimous rule of the Vniversall Catholick Church deeming this to be a very harsh conclusion Rome erreth Ierusalem erreth Alexandria erreth Antioch erreth the whole world erreth the Scottish only and the Britons doe alone hold the right but especially he urgeth the authoritie of the first of these Patriarchicall Sees which now since the advancement therof by the Emperour Phocas began to be admired by the inhabitants of the earth as the place which God had chosen whereunto if greater causes did arise recourse was to be had according to the Synodicall decree as unto the head of cities and therefore he saith that they sent some unto Rome who returning backe in the third yeare informed them that they met there with a Grecian and an Hebrew and a Scythian and an AEgyptian in one lodging and that they all and the whole world too did keepe their Easter at the same time when the Irish were disjoyned from them by the space of a whole moneth And vve have proved saith Cummianus that the vertue of God was in the relicks of the holy martyrs and the scriptures which they brought with them For we saw with our eyes a mayde altogether blinde opening her eyes at these relickes and a man sicke of the palsie walking and manie divells cast out Thus farre hee The Northren Irish and Albanian Scottish on the other side made little reckoning of the authoritie either of the Bishop or of the Church of Rome And therefore Bede speaking of Oswy king of Northumberland saith that notwithstanding hee was brought up by the Scottish yet hee understood that the Romane was the Catholick and Apostolick Church or that the Romane Church was Catholick and Apostolick intimating thereby that the Scottish among whom he received his education were of another minde And long before that Laurentius Mellitus and Iustus who were sent into England by Pope Gregory to assist Augustin in a letter which they sent unto the Scotts that did inhabite Ireland so Bede writeth complayned of the distaste given unto them by their countreymen in this maner When vve knew the Britons vve thought that the Scotts were better then they But we learned by Bishop Daganus comming into this Iland and abbot Columbanus comming into France that the Scotts did differ nothing from the Britons in their conversation For Daganus the Bishop comming unto us would not take meate with us no not so much as in the same lodging wherein we did eate And as for miracles wee finde them as rife among them that were opposite to the Romane tradition as upon the other side If you doubt it reade what Bede hath written of Bishop Aidan who of what merit hee was the inward Iudge hath taught even by the tokens of miracles saith he and Adamnanus of the life of S. Colme or Columkille Whereupon Bishop Colman in the Synod at Strenshalch frameth this conclusion Is it to be beleeved that Colme our most reverend father and his successors men beloved of God which observed Easter in the same maner that we do did hold or doe that which was contrary to the holy Scriptures seeing there were very many among them to whose heavenly holinesse the signes and miracles vvhich they did bare testimony whom nothing doubting to be Saints I desist not to follow evermore their life maners and discipline What Wilfride replyed to this may be seene in Bede that which I much wonder at among the many wonderfull things related of S. Colme by Adamnanus is this that where he saith that this Sainct during the time of his abode in the abbay of Clone now called Clonmacnosh did by the revelation of the holy Ghost prophecie of that discord which after many dayes arose among the Churches of Scotland or Ireland for the diversity of the feast of Easter yet he telleth us not that the holy Ghost revealed unto him that he himselfe whose example animated his followers to stand more stiffely herein against the Romane rite was in the wrong and ought to conforme his judgement to the tradition of the Churches abroad as if the holy Ghost did not much care whether of both sides should carrie the matter away in this controversie for which if you please you shall heare a verie prettie tale out of an old Legend concerning this same discord whereof S. Colme is said to have prophecyed Vpon a certaine time saith my Author there was a great Councell of the people of Ireland in the