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cause_n	bishop_n	church_n	rome_n	6,168	5	7.0527	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13155	An abridgement or suruey of poperie conteining a compendious declaration of the grounds, doctrines, beginnings, proceedings, impieties, falsities, contradictions, absurdities, fooleries, and other manifold abuses of that religion, which the Pope and his complices doe now mainteine, and vvherewith they haue corrupted and deformed the true Christian faith, opposed vnto Matthew Kellisons Suruey of the new religion, as he calleth it, and all his malicious inuectiues and lies, by Matthevv Sutcliffe.	Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629.	1606 (1606)	STC 23448; ESTC S117929	224,206	342

and that none taught in those countries beside S. Peter and such as he sent a lie directly repugnant to Scriptures which testifie that S. Paul preached in those countries being appointed by God thereto and not by man and refuted by diuers ancient histories and fathers who write that diuers others preached there beside S. Peters priests and messengers S. Augustine epist 162. sheweth that the Gospel came into Aphrike out of other countries then those that belonged to the church of Rome Gregory the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. saith that all bishops causes and the discussing of matters of religion belongeth to the See of Rome and that religion tooke her beginning from thence a matter apparantly false for religion began at Hierusalem and not at Rome and Councels in ancient time determined the differents in causes of Religion and not the bishop of Rome who was as well subiect to the decision of the general councell as other bishops Anacletus c. in nouo dist 21. saith that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince which is contradicted by the Papistes themselues that deriue Peters authoritie from Christ. Nicolas dist 22. c. omnes telleth vs that Christ gaue to Peter the right of the kingdome both of heduen and earth but of this earthly kingdome belonging to Peter this is the first man that euer told newes Anacletus dist 22. c. sacrosancta affirmeth that both Peter and Paul were crowned with martyrdome in one day and at the some time but this leasing is refuted by Prudentius peri stephan Hymno 12. Arator in act Apost lib. 2. Augustine serm 18. de sanctis and others Innocent the 4. c. ad apostolicae de sent re iudicat affirmeth that Sicily is the speciall patrimony of Peter est speciale patrimonium Petri. but no where doe were reade where either Christ gaue or Peter claimed this patrimony Clement the fifth c. Romani Clem. de iureiurando most boldly and impudently writeth that Emperors hauing the crowne set vpon their heads sweare fealty to the Pope a matter certes which Bellarmine the Popes proctor would blush to affirme for albeit he would willingly gratifie the Pope whith any thing yet dare he not say that the Roman Empire is holden in fee of the Pope and thus the Popes runne on headlong heaping priuileges on Rome and building the tower of Babel by lies The same is also practised by Bellarmine as I haue shewed in diuers discourses written against him by Baromus as my speciall exceptions taken to his volumes fraught with lies and fables do declare by Parsons and Kellison as by my answeres to their bookes it may appeare Turrecremata lib. 3. sum c. 9. affirmeth that Helena and 3000. Iewes were conuerted to Christian religion in a councell at Rome vnder Siluester but other more true stories report that she was alwares a Christian and holpe to conuert her sonne Constantine Lib. 2. sum c. 300. he saith that Paul did some things which he afterward retracted quaedam fecit quae postea reuocauit The Emperor Henry the fourth by the Romanists is most vniustly standred as if he had prostituted his owne wife to his sonne and done other such like abominable actes matters merely deuised by the Popes agents Fridericke the 2. was a most noble Prince and greatly praised by the Cardinall of Cusa Aegidius Romanus and others yet was he most vniustly reuiled and standred by Gregory the 9. Innocent the 4. and their agents as it doth appeare by the testimony of Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. Capgraue telleth how a hundred and fifty of Ioseph of Arimathaea his company sailed out of France into great Britany vpon Iosephes shirt a small barge certes for so many passengers Antoninus hist part 3. reporteth how an innumerable troupe of the order of Dominske were seene in heauen couered vnder the blessed virgins gowne Stapleton in his prompruarie dominica 2. aduentus brocheth vs a barrell of lies first he saith that Sebastian a certeine musician was put in prison for demaunding liberty of conscience by the last Queene and that one Gifford was imprisoned by her likewise for the same cause after he had enterteined the Queene very bountifully at his house and that Shelley was committed for presenting a request in the behalfe of the papists matters meerely imagined and deuised by lying companions and foolishly reported by him the two first we cannot learne euer to haue beene committed the third was imprisoned for plaine treason The Papists accused the people of Zuricke for teaching that the virgine Mary had more sonnes then one and that Iames died for them as we may reade in Sleidan lib. hist. 4. and Bellarmine lib. 4. de iustific c. 1. saith we little regard good works and lib. 2. de amiss grat c. 1. he accuseth the Albrgians as they are called and Caluin for holding the error of the Manichecs which they alwaies renounced and detested In his bo●ke de Matrimonio c. 2. he blusheth not to charge them whom he calleth Lutherans and Caluinists with holding that matrimonie is not of God a point expresly denied by them Finally it is an easie matter to shew that the foundation of Popery is laid vpon lies and that the charge which Papistes giue vpon their aduersaries is ordinarily enforced by most wicked imputations and standers CHAP. XLIIII That the cause of Popery is mainteined by fire and sword MVch are simple people abused by calumniations deuised against good men and hardly are Christians able to discerne falshood from truth and to iudge what is truely alledged what falsly vntill such time as matters be duly examined yet neither can trueth be vtterly suppressed nor do lies passe alwaies for good paiment Those therefore whom they cannot abuse with lies and false allegations the Pope and his complices seek cruelly to destroy with fire and sword The holy Ghost Apocalyps 17. sheweth vs that the purple whoore should be drunke with the blood of the saints and Apocalyp 13. that the 2. beast should kill such as would not worship the image of the beast that is that the Pope should persecute to the death such as would not submitte themselues to the kingdome of Antichrist in which the image of the Roman Empire was after a sort reuiued and this wee see verified by experience in the cruell gouernement of the Popes of Rome and their adherents Their lawes against all such as dissent from them in opinion concerning the sacraments are most rigorous they are degraded and deliuered ouer to the secular power to be burned as it appeareth by the law ad abolendam de haereticis nay they punish such as are suspected if they cannot cleere themselues with no lesse rigor then the rest all that communicat with them receiue them or succor them are in great danger such as giue them counsell are reputed infamous as is determined c. si aduersus de haereticis the goods of heretikes are adiudged confiscate neither are they punished only while they liue but also

rest also may reuoke their errours see their deformities returne with a sincere heart to Gods true church and so be saued CHAP. LV. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and an exhortation both to Papistes and true Christians THus we see and I pray God all Christians may diligently consider what is meant by popish religion briefly it is a collection of diuers corruptions and errors mainteined by the Pope and his adherents either contrary or aboue the Apostles doctrine this religion we haue shewed to haue beene built vpon weake vncerteine and salse foundations and auerre that it is contrarie to the doctrine of Gods law and of true faith and iustification through Christ the same also teacheth erroneously of the Gospell and diminisheth the merits of Christ our mediator and redeemer Further it hath corrupted the doctrine of the sacraments and brought in many old and new heresies it is compacted of diuers impieties blasphemies and idolatries and neuer came from Hierusalem it was neuer taught by the Prophets or Apostles nor professed by ancient Christian Kings It is not that religion to which the ancient Britans and English were conuerted nor doth it deserue to be called Catholike or ancient it is found to be repugnant to ancient councels and to the faith of the ancient fathers It is a religion diuers from that of the ancient Martyrs of Christ Iesus A religion deuised by man and not deriued out of holy scriptures A religion whose founders defenders doe wickedly wrest and abuse scriprures fathers and other writers A religion consisting of heathenish and Iewish obseruances A religion full of contradictions and contrarieties A religion steined with many fooleries and absurdities A religion keeping Christians in ignorance of true pietie and loosing the reines to all voluptuousnesse and disorder A religion deuoid of good workes and piety A religion that maketh a base accompt of Gods people and teacheth doctrines of Diuels A religion of whose grounds and doctrines the professors thereof haue no assurance A religion repugnant to lawes of nations of kinred alliance and common ciuilitie A religion preiudiciall to the authority of Kings and dangerous in regard of their states and persons A religion that laieth greeuous burthens on mens consciences and eateth vp Christians through manifolde exactions A religion without true bishops and priests and wholy mainteined by false allegations forgeries calumniations lies fire and sword periury and breach of couenant A religion whose chiefe founders and mainteiners haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men A religion more absurd in diuers points and that oppresseth Christians more greeuously then Mahometry A religion by whose practise the empire of Christians is decaied the power of the Turke enlarged A religion professed by degenerated Romans neither for faith nor life comparable to their ancesters and by a church that was neuer visible vntill of late time nor can shew better markes or bring better motiues to induce men to embrace her doctrine then the Turks and Paynims To conclude a religion whose professors can neither be esteemed true subiects nor true Christians nor iustlie pretend either assurance or hope of their saluation I doe therefore exhort all true Christians as they desire either that the true faith of Christ Iesus may be publikely receiued or that doctrines contrary to piety Christian charity policy reason and common humanity may be suppressed to beware of the leuain of Popery to concurre with those which both teach and set forward the true Catholike faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and which seeke to resiste all corruptions false doctrines sects and heresies and to roote vp the seeds of all trecherie and rebellion On the other side I beseech all Papists to cast away all preiudice and passion and diligently to consider of the premisses that as they professe themselues true subiects wel affected to Catholike the ancient religion of the church of Christ so they may abhorre their former treasons and rebellious detest the masse-priests and powder-men their consorts reiect all heresies errors and false doctrines masked with glorious titles of vniuersality and antiquity and set foorth by the Pope and his complices teaching a late particular faith and finally endeuour to be gathered together into that society whereof Christ is the head and without which there is no saluation The God of all truth confirme and establish all true Christians in truth and discouer all trecheries and errors that such as now are disloially minded and wander astray may acknowledge their former disloialties and errors and embrace the true Catholike faith and that such as stand may be confirmed in the truth that so both they and we iointly may liue loyally vnder our Princes and truely serue one true and euerliuing God and glorifie his holy name through Christ our Lord to whom together with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God we render all praise and honour now and for euer A briefe note of the contents of euery Chapter of the former discourse Chap. 1. VVHat is ment by Popery or popish religion in this whole treatise Chap. 2. Of the grounds and foundations of popish religion Chap. 3. Of the wicked doctrine of Papists concerning the law of God and the performance thereof Chap. 4. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification Chap. 5. What Papists doe meane speaking of the Gospel Chap. 6. Of the impious doctrine of Papists concerning Christ our Sauiour Chap. 7. The strange contradictory and false opinions of Papists concerning the Sacraments Chap. 8. That Popery is a mixture of old and new heresies Chap. 9. A catalogue of diuers notorious impieties and blasphemies conteined not onely in popish bookes but also in the corps of popish religion Chap. 10. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry Chap. 11. That popish religion neuer came from Hierusalem Chap. 12. That Popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the apostles of Christ Iesus Chap. 13. That Popery was either condemned or not know ●s by kings professing Christian religion in old time Chap. 14. That the ancient Britanes and English were not first conuerted to popish religion Chap. 15. That popish religion is most falsly termed catholike religion and papists Catholikes Chap. 16. That popish religion is not the ancient religion of the primitiue church Chap. 17. That Popery is repugnant to ancient Councels Chap. 18. That popery is not the faith of the ancient fathers of the church Chap. 19. That popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs Chap. 20. That popery is a meere humane denise and not in any sort to be deduced or proued out of holy scriptures Chap. 21. That popish religion in diuers points is directly contrarie to holy scriptures Chap. 22. That the founders and desenders of popery doe most wickedly abuse holy scriptures Chap. 23. That the Pope and the principall proctors of his cause are great forgers and falsifiers of fathers profane writers and of publike records Chap. 24. That Popery standeth much vpon heathenish obseruances and customes Chap. 25. That popery borroweth also diuers fashions from the Iewes Chap. 26. That popish religion is full of contradictions and contrary opinions Chap. 27. That popery is a most absurd and foolish religion Chap. 28. That popery keepeth Christians in blindenesse and ignorance of God and godlinesse Chap. 29. That popish religion giueth the reines to licentiousnesse of life leadeth Christians the broad way to destruction Chap. 30. That popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruites that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes Chap. 31. That in popery a base accompt is made of princes and all lay-men Chap. 32. That popery is a doctrine of diuels Chap. 33. That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion Chap. 34. That popery is repugnant to the lawes of nations Chap. 35. That popery dissolueth the bonds of kinred all 〈◊〉 and ciuilitie Chap. 36. That popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authority of kings and princes Chap. 37. That Kings professing popish religion are either no kings or but halfe kings Chap. 38. That kings liue not in any security of their lines where popery is professed by their subiects Chap. 39. That Popish religion laieth grieuous burthens on mens consciences Chap. 40. That popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the popes and the Masse-priests manfolde taxes and exactions Chap. 41. That the popish church hath no true bishops nor priests Chap. 42. That popery cannot be mainteined without forgerie and falshood Chap. 43. That popery cannot be wel vpholden without calummations and lies Chap. 44. That the cause of popery is not mainteined without fire and sword Chap. 45. That the practises and treaties of popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted Chap. 46. That the chiefe founders and mainteiners of popery haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men Chap. 47. That popery in many points is more absurde and abominable then the doctrine of Mahomet Chap. 48. That christians are lesse oppressed vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope Chap. 49. That the ambition couetousnesse contention practise of popes is the principall cause of the decay of the Christian empire and a great occasion of the good successe of the Turkes Chap. 50. That the moderns church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romaines Chap. 51. That the Romish church that now is was inuisible in old time Chap. 52. That the markes of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alle dged by Turkes and infidels Chap. 53. That true Papists cannot be true nor loiall subiects Chap. 54. That such Papists as positiuely holde all the hereticall and false doctrines of the mederne church of Rome cannot possibly be saued Chap. 55. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and art exhortation both to Papists and true Christians

we shall haue further occasion to speake hereafter Secondly seeing the Papistes are not certaine of their grounds it must needes follow that the religion of Papists is most vncertaine that they cannot be certain of their grounds diuers arguments declare for neither are they certaine whether Clement Leo or any other sitting in the Popes chayre be true Pope nor canne they assure themselues whether the decretales which goe vnder the names of Popes were indeed their decretales whose names they cary Antonius Contius a learned Papist in a certaine annotation of his added to the ch sancta dist 15. in Plantins edition saith that all the decretales set out vnder names of Popes before Siluester are false and this he saith he hath shewed manifestly further it cannot be proned that all the determinations of the Popes are right and equall nay contrarie we haue by diuers most certeine demonstrations prooued that both concerning scriptures faith the law sacraments praier the worship of God and diuers pointes of faith they haue determined contrary to the rule of saith as shall hereafter more particularly appeare Thirdly it were plaine impudencie to say that the Apostles instituted the consecration of the Paschal Lambes the forme of hallowing of churches salt water and all Popish trinkets the form of praying vpon beades and the rest of the Romish traditions neither shall Kellison euer be able to iustifie all those reportes which his teachers haue receiued by tradition and publikely heretofore set forth and now read out of their legendes Fourthly diuers of those 84. canons which goe vnder the names of the Apostles are disclaymed by the Papists themselues and the rest cannot be proued that they were made by the Apostles of the actes of the Nicene Councell the Papists themselues haue no certainty Most confesse 20. as Ruffin and Pope Stephen others in c. vigint dist 16. Gratian vnder the testimony of Athanasius telleth vs of 70. c. septuaginta dist 16. now one Alphonsus a pisa a Iebusite hath published 80. canons the acts of the councell supposed to be held vnder Siluester Bishop of Rome are all conterfeit as the barbarous stile and strange forme of gouernment represented in those acts and diuers barbarous names and other arguments doe signifie sometimes Peter Crabbe the collector of councels doth set downe diuers actes of councels not only differing but also repugnant one to another fiftly diuers bookes are set foorth vnder the name of fathers that no man can certeinly say were written by the fathers whose names they cary Nay some of them doe containe doctrine contrary to the faith professed by the fathers sixtly they are not certaine either what is the sense of the Romane church diuers doctors yeelding diuers interpretations of scriptures or what is the old Latine translation for Sixtus Quintus setteth out the old vulgar Latin translation after one sort and Clement the eight after another and he that alloweth the translation of Sixtus Quintus must nedes condemne that of Clement the eight contrariwise finally seeing diuers Papists assigne diuers grounds of their faith and scarce two of many doe agree in all points concerning their foundations and the assurance of them how can they pretend either vnity or certainty in their religion Thirdly the foundations of Popery being laid vpon false decretals and lying legends hardly shall our aduersaries be able to deny their religion to be false and full of lies that the Popes doe in their decretales report notorious lyes it is apparent by the decretale set out vnder the name of Innocentius c. quis nesciat dist 11. where he denieth that anie taught or gathered churches in France Spaine Afrike Italy beside S. Peter and those which were sent by him and his successors and likewise by the decretale of Gregorie the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. where it is said that all causes are to be referred to the church of Rome as to the head and from thence to receiue direction from whence it receiued his beginning and by the chapter in nouo dist 21. where it is said that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince and infinit others that the legendes which are the ground and receptacle of many traditions are ful of lies I haue shewed els where if Kellison the Suruey or deny this let him proue vnto vs that S. George killed a dragon ready to deuour the kings daughter of Silena and conquered Palestine that Catharine ouercame 50. Philosophers and conuerted the Empresse and the general of the emperors army and broke a wheele with her praiers that with turning killed 4000. pagans that S. Nicholas being an infant fasted Wednesdaies and Fridaies that Bernacus yoked harts that Saint Brendan sayled into Paradise that a crucifixe of wood resaluted Bartilmew a monke of Durrham that the blessed Virgins body was caried into heauen by Angels that her house was carried ouer the seas first into Dalmatia and then into Italy and lastly to Loreto and the rest of those tales Fourthly the Pope being the foundation of the church it followeth that as oft as the Pope dieth the church is without foundation it followeth also that the Pope going to hell as it appeareth by the chap. Sipapa dist 40. that he may the foundation of the Church should lie in hell that the Pope falling into heresie as Liberius Honorius 1. Iohn the 22. and diuers others haue done that the Church should faile which be matters absurd and impious to affirme Fifthly feeing diuers old traditions are now out of vse as for example that of celebrating baptisme at Easter and praying standing betwixt Easter and Whitsontide and of praying with our faces turned to the East and such like it must needes be granted that the foundations of Popery are ruinous for why may not the like happen to other traditions as to these and if traditions be temporary and ruinous which they make equall to holy scriptures what can they alleadge for the continuance and perpetuity of the Popes decretales which are not only contrarie to holy Scriptures but also repugnant one to another Sixthly the old translation differing from it selfe in the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the eigth and others set out at Colein Louain and Antwerpe and much more from the originall bookes of the old Testament in Hebrew and new in Greeke and the interpretations of the scriptures being so diuers in the chiefe doctors of the Romish church and so repugnant to the meaning of the holy Ghost it doth necessarily follow that Popish religion is composed of contrary pieces and cannot be the faith of Christ which is one and hath onely one firme foundation Finally there can bee no consent or vnity in the points of Popish doctrine for that the same consisteth of contrary opinions of Popes and is grounded vpon contrary traditions contrary legends contrary interpretations of fathers and schoolemen and either of traditions or decretales contrary to scriptures or of sentences of fathers contrary to

Bishops of Rome or else he must know that whatsoeuer he fableth of his three supposed conuersions the same will make for the destruction of Popery and the ouerthrow of the cause which he mainteineth Secondly we are able to prooue that all these corruptions of doctrine superstitious deuises impieties blasphemies which we refuse haue beene receiued and established in the synagogue of Rome not onely since the Apostles times but also since the time of Eleutherius and Gregory the first the idolatrous worship of images was first confirmed by the second coūncell of Nice vnder the Empire of Irene and by little and little brought into the Westerne church being long oppugned by the bishops of France Germany and Britain That the images of the crosse and Trinity should be worshipped with latria was not allowed in that idolatrous councell but first taught by Thomas Aquinas and his followers and grounded not vpon Gods word but vpon this rule of Philosophy that the same motion is directed to the image and the thing imagined which rule by him is mistaken being meant of the species or representation of things in our vnderstanding and not of materiall images that come not within our vnderstanding The Popes authority began to be established first by the rebellion of Gregory the second and Gregory the third that caused Italy to reuolt from the Emperour vnder pretence of worship of images and afterward the same was confirmed by Gregory the seuenth and his successors that by force and violence ouerthrew the empire and made way by the diuisious of Christendome to the victories and conquests of the Turkes and Saracens Boniface the third obteined of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches Boniface the 9. as Theodoric à Niem in his booke of schisme testifieth by fraude vsurped first the temporall gouernment ouer the Citie and territorie of Rome which before that belonged either to the emperor or to the citizens and thus by fraud and violence the Pope made himselfe great and by little and little exalted himselfe in the church and erected the kingdome of Antichrist The carnall eating and presence of Christs body in the sacrament was first decreed by Nicolas the second in the Chap. ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat for there we read first that Christs true body is handled with the hands of Priests broken and torne with the teeth of the faithfull his words prescribed to Berengarius are verum corpus sanguinem domini nostri Iesu Christi esse sensualiter non solum sacramentum sed in veritate manibus sacerdotum tractari frangi fidelium dentibus atteri Transubstantiation got reputation first by the decree of Innocent the 3. as we read in the chapter Firmiter de sum Trin. fid cath for there he decreeth that the bread is transubstantiate into the body and the wine into blood by the power of God but yet two inconueniences will heere fall out if we yeeld to his words for there he saith that Christ is both the priest and the sacrifice and that this transubstantiation is wrought by the power of God whereof the first ouerthroweth the priesthood of the polshorne priests of Baal the second doth take away the efficacie from these wordes hoc est enim corpus meum and hic est sanguis meus and ascribeth all to the power of God absolutely In the conuenticle of Constance we finde it first resolued that the accidents of bread and wine doe remaine without subiect and that the Pope is Christs immediate vicar and sess 13. that although Christ did institute the eucharist in bread and wine yet lay-men were onely to receine it vnder one kinde Auricular confession was established by Innocent the 3. in the chap. omnis vtriusque sexus de poenit remiss for before that it was free to confesse or not to confesse the doctrine of confession was enlarged by the canonistes and schoole-men In the conuenticle of Florence we reade that the forme of ordring masse-priestes of popish confirmation and extreme vnction and of other popish sacraments was then first setled by law there also Purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was first enacted by force of law Clement the 6. in the chapter vnigenitus extr de poenit remis did first deuise the treasure of indulgences Boniface the 8. and Sixtus the 4. ordred the Popish Iubiley That the Pope is aboue the Councel it was first decreed in the councel of Lateran vnder Leo the 10. who also begā first to thunder out his excommunications against M. Luther Finally the conuenticle of Trent gaue finall complement to the Popish doctrine of Traditions of the Latine vulgar translation of concupiscence of formal iustification by charitie and works of seuen sacraments of the sacrifice of the masse of purgatorie and indulgences of framing the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost and the rest of their heresies and abuses for what before the schoolemen had taught vainlie that began now by the decrees of the Pope and his complices to be established and held for law then also the missals breuiaries offices and other rituall bookes began to be confirmed by the Popes authoritie Thirdly it is an easie matter to prooue that the doctrine of S. Peter and of the times wherein Ioseph of Arimathaea Eleutherius and Gregory the first liued is direct contrarie in diuers points to popish religion S. Peter 1. ep 2. exhorted all Christians to submit themselues to kings and gouernors but the Pope commandeth subiects to rebell and take armes against princes and excommunicateth such as refuse so to doe as appeareth by the excommunication of Paul the 3. against king Henry the 8. and of Pius the fift against Queene Elizabeth both which are extant in Sanders his libell de schismate S. Peter 1. ep 1. would haue Christians to trust perfectly on gods grace the Papists teach their disciples to distrust gods grace and to doubt of their saluation and to trust rather in their owne works and merits he saith we are not redeemed with corruptible things but with Christes most precious blood these teach that men are redeemed after a sort by indulgences and by the satisfaction and merites of Saints to whom Bellarmine in his booke of indulgences doubteth not to giue the title of redeemers S. Peter exhorteth Christians to desire the sincere milke of Gods word that they may grow thereby the papistes barre men from hearing Gods word in tongues which they vnderstand and send them to beleeue the traditions of the church of Rome and the impure trash of the schoolemen and the Popes decretales he excludeth the lordship of Popes ouer Gods inheritance these false teachers enforce it he exhorteth vs to make our election sure these fellowes teach that Christians cannot be assured of their election or make it sure Ioseph of Arimathaea and the godly bishops that liued in his time and diuers hundred yeeres after him continued we doubt not in

Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. doth testifie Alexander the third sent the soldan Fridericke Barbarossaes portrayt then seruing against the Saracens persuading him to kill him if he would settle his affaires Gregory the 9. inuaded the emperors dominions in Italy and drew Fridericke the 2. out of Asia to defend his owne possessions at home when he was almost in possession of the victory abroade Lastly it is publikely knowne that they haue set French and Spanish together about the quarrell of the kingdome of Naples Innocent the thrid by his excommunication of king Iohn set both his subiects and the French against him and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Iulian the Cardinall set the Germans against the Bohemians Paul the third was the principall motiue of the warres of Charles the sift against the Germans and to shut vp this discourse in few words not only Nicholas Machiauel in his Florentine history affirmeth but also all histories testifie that the Popes of Rome haue beene the principall causes of all the warres and stirres of Europe that haue beene for this 4. or 5. hundred yeres last past they are the causes of the massacres of France of the troubles of the low-countries of the late rebellions in England Scotland and Ireland of the contentions betwixt French and Spanish in Italy of the persecutions in Germany and Spaine and other countries Fourthly the Popes of Rome by deuising and confirming many orders of Monkes and friers by admitting such swarmes of idle lozels into orders and mainteining them by chanting of Masses for soules forcing them to forsweare mariage haue not only caused many vnnatural murders but also hindred the propagation and increase of men they haue also withdrawne men from defence of the common-wealth and placed them in dennes of licentious idlenesse and laid the charge of the common defence vpon few Fiftly exempting both the goods and the persons of religious men and clerkes from common charges of the common-wealth they haue weakened the states of princes and laid all the burthen vpon the weakest part Finally by their idolatries they haue displeased God and by their periuries haue made good the leud cause of the Turkes Therefore we are not to maruell if the Christians haue not prospered in their expeditions into the holy land for what successe could Christians looke for considering the notorious abuses cōmitted in the army by worshipping idoles blaspheming Gods holy name violating Christs institution of the Eucharist by celebration of prophane masses Could Ladislaus king of Poland and his army preuaile against the Turkes hauing begun the warre contrary to articles of peace solemnely sworne but let vs mainteine the religion of Christ and not of antichrist and let vs abolish the idolatrous worship of images and the inuocation of saints and let vs abandon the damned Masse and serue God as he hath appointed and finally let vs not violate our promises and oathes nor abuse gods holy name and then no doubt but we shall prosper in all our enterprises against the Turke or other enemies of the Church for hitherto not the Turks forces but the multitude of the sinnes idolatries blasphemies and other abuses of Christians haue made them flie before their enemies and ouerthrowne their armies CHAP. L. That the moderne church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romans THe Church of Rome when Paul wrote vnto it excelled in all pietie and vertue and was famous throughout the world but as al things else so both faith and vertue through tract of time fainted and in the end began to faile in that citie of late time we finde that neither that zeale in matters of religion nor that integritie and honesty of maners which was in the ancient Romanes doth continue in their posterity Adrian the 6. in his instructions giuen to his legate that was sent into Germany confesseth freely that many and grieuous offences for many yeeres haue beene committed at Rome and from the toppe of the Popes crowne passed downe to the inferior gouernors of the church and that no man did his dutie but that all went astray and none was voide of faults Plurimis nunc annis saith he grauiter multisque modis peccatum est Romae inde à Pontificio culmine malum hoc atque lues ad inferiores omnes ecclesiarum prafectos defluxit neminem enim esse qui suum faciat munus aberrasse omnes ne vnum quidem ex omni numero vacare culpa Duarenus in praefat in lib. de eccles minist benefic confesfeth that the manners of such as were called church-men were decaied and that the later constitutions of Popes were woorse then the first illud saith he fateri velinuiti cogimur mores hominum ecclesiae titulo insignitorum ita paulatim degenerasse vt posteriores constitutiones Pontificumfere anterioribus cedant Guicciardine lib. hist 2. sheweth how the authority of Christian religion grew euery day lesse and lesse by reason that in the affaires of the church men were altogether departed from ancient customes Le cose della chiesa saith he allontanatesi totalmente dalli antichi costumi faceuano ogni di minore l'authoritâ della Christiana religione Machiauel in his Florentine history directed to Clement the 7. confesseth that by reason of the mutation that had hapned in Christian religion great scandales and discords had growne in the world Many of the chiefe rulers of the church saith Picus Mirandula in orat ad Leon. x. after whose example others ought to conforme themselues haue either little or no religion no order in their liuing no shame nor modesty apud plerosque religionis nostra primores ad quorum exemplum componi formari plebs ignara debuisset aut nullus aut certè exiguus deicultus nulla bene viuendi ratio atque institutio nullus pudor nulla modestia Platina in Gregor 4. wisheth that Lewes Pius in his time had beene aliue so much did the church stand in neede of his lawes Res pietatemiampridem perdidimus saith Auentinus lib. 3. annal Boiorum virtuti nullus est honos inuicem inuidere fraudare fallere longinqua consuetudo est that is we haue long since lost our substance and pietie there is no honor giuen to vertue we haue vsed to enuy one another and to practise fraud and deceit a long time together Primitiui Theologi saith Petrus de Aliaco lib. de reformat eccles ecclesiam aedificauerunt quam nunc quidam Baritatores destruxerunt the Diuines of the Primitiue Church built the church but now certaine later barators haue destroied it And that this is true it may be prooued by diuers particulars in time past the bishops of Rome suffered for true religion now they cut the throats of all such as professe truth The ancient bishops of Rome fed Christs flocke and were subiect to Christian Emperours now the Popes kill Christs lambes and set their feete vpon the neckes of emperors In the