Christ that broke the covenant made between himselfe and the Emperour yet afterward he recalled all that he done and cursed the Emperour who was fain to resign his priviledge for peace sake Next succeeded Gelasius the second without the Emperours consent Henry the fifth Then followed Calixtus the second who compelled the Emperour to yield to his election and ordained that the people should not put away any of their Bishops for their life time Then followed Pope Honorius the second in whose time one Arnulphus came to Rome and preached against the Clergies errors pride and avarices for which they secretly drowned him Innocentius the third succeeds In his time the people grew weary of the Popes Tyranny resolved to be governed by consuls This Pope therefore made an ordinance that whoever laid violent hands upon any of the Clergy he should be excommunicated and not absolved by any man but the Pope only And also Pope Eugenius by cursings and force brought all the Senators of Rome under subjection to himselfe and to receive such into their society as he thought fit Adrian the fourth that was choaked with a flie as he walked made the Roman people submit themselves absolutely to his government Frederick the first Emperour held his stirrop yet he excommunicates the same Emperour Alexander the third succeeds who would not appear at any Councill The Emperour Frederick the first called to decide the stickling between him and Victor for the Popedome and therefore Victor was chosen but Alexander fled into France and in a Councill at Claremount excommunicated the Emperour and Victor After Victors death Frederick the Emperour led an army to Rome This Pope excited all Princes to persecute the Waldenses Pope Alexander flieth to Venice Otto the Emperours son followeth him but encountring the Venetians contrary to his Fathers command was taken captive and so for his sons redemption he was fain to go to Venice and crave the Popes absolution in St Marks Church where kneeling down this proud Pope set his foot on the Emperours neck saying Psal 91.13 thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Dragon In this Popes daies Thomas Becket Bishop of Canterbury was slaine in his own Chappell by some of King Henry of Englands followers But he purged himselfe before the Pope who because he found the Kings anger was the cause thereof he enjoined Henry that he should hinder no appeals to Rome and that none should be declared King of England without the Popes consent Now England begins to be chained by Rome In this age which was about the 1200 years after Christ it pleased God to give more divine light to many men to see and discern Christ from Antichrist and to professe it openly and practically as well as many other Doctors had done in writing The chiefe of these was one Waldus a Merchant of Lyons in France who seeing one of his company in their walking fall down dead he laied it so to heart that he repented earnestly of his former life and became very charitable to the poor and studious of the Scriptures and also to instruct his own family and others that came to him in those tenets which the Protestants afterward held and hold still For which the Bishops that adhered to Rome threatned them with excommunication but they went on and endured much persecution Mathe. I pray what were their tenets Phila. The same which the Protestant now hold As 1. That only Scripture is to be beleeved in matters pertaining to salvation and that it containeth all things necessary thereunto 2. That there is but one Mediator for man to God i. Christ Jesus and Saints are not to be invocated as mediators 3. They denied purgatory and masses sung for the dead rejected traditions as unnecessary to salvation 4. That constrained fast daies difference of meats superfluous holy daies variety of orders of Priests Friers Nuns hallowing of creatures vowes and pilgrimages and humane ceremonies were to be abolished 5. They denied also the Popes supremacy over all Churches States and governments and denied that any degrees should be received into the Church save Bishops Priests and Deacons 6. That the Church of Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist Also they rejected the Popes pardons 7. They allowed the marriage of Priests 8. And they that hear and beleeve the true word of God are the true Church 9. And the communion was to be eaten and not reserved for shew or worship Many of them for these opinions endured persecutions by Pope Alexander the third who excited all Christian Princes to persecute them with fire and sword Third persecution by the Roman Christians Mathe. What other Popes persecuted good Christians Phila. Innocentius the third who did excommunicate King John of England because he would not admit Stephen Langton to be Archbishop of Canterbury approved by the Pope and brought him so far under his power that he was faine to resigne his Crown to the Pope and receive it back again from him for the paiment of a thousand Marks by the year Honorius followed who excommunicated the Emperour Frederick the second who at his coronation had bestowed great gifts upon him yet because he did but expostulate with Thomas one of the sons of Innocentius the third who fled to the Pope about his treason this Pope excommunicates him Honorius the third succeeds and the excommunicates the said Emperour also Gregory the ninth succeeds him and he excommunicates the Emperour Frederick because going against the Turks he returned into Europe to recover himselfe of his sicknesse Innocentius the fourth likewise excommunicated the Emperour Frederick and deposed him and gave away his Empire to William Count of Holland Then followed Alexander the fourth who excommunicated Marfred King of Sicily and burnt the books of one William desancto amore because he writ against the order of begging Fryers Next was Vrbanus the fourth who gave the Kingdome of Sicily from Marfred to Charls Duke of Anjou together with Apulia to be held of him from the Pope by a quitment so Sicily became the Frenches however all afterward destroied by the Sicilians in the time of Pope Martin the fourth Clemens the fourth succeeds him in place and manners He made the said Charls King of Jerusalem paying 40000. crowns yearly to the Chair of Rome He caused him to slay Marfred and the son of Conrade who came into Italy to claim his right and title Next followed Gregory the tenth who interdicted the Church of Florence from all divine service And after him Pope Nicolaus the third took from Charls King of Sicily whom his predecessors bad advanced Hetruria and the dignity of being a Roman Senator and did bring Flaminia Bononia and Ravenna from under the Emperours subjection to himselfe Martinus the fourth succeeded who took the said Charls into favor again but restored to him nothing but the title of a Roman Senator He excommunicated Peter the King of Arragon for laying claim to the Kingdome of Sicily to which
was learned He like some schismaticks now accounted humane learning heresie and so they may see their error is popish while they condemn learning as if it were popery Next comes Sixtus the fourth Innocentius the eight Alexander the sixt who imprisoned and banished many Cardinals Then followed Pius the third and next Julius the second who by the Emperour Maximilian and the King of Spain and France's aids spoiled the Venetians of many territories yet he received them again into favor and so discontented the Emperour and the King of France that they thought to depose him by their Councill at Pisa But he called another Councill at Rome which disanulled all they did at Pisa He lived in wars all his time Leo the tenth succeeds him He endevoured to suppresse Martin Luther but could not Adrianus the sixt followed and threatned the Duke of Saxony for maintaining Martin Luther Clement the seventh succeeds who poisoned many and was poisoned himselfe Paulus the third followeth whose authority in England was abrogated by King Henry the eighth who called himselfe supreme head in his own dominions in all causes Ecclesiastick and Civill He cursed King Henry the eighth of England therefore and interdicted the Kingdome ratified the order of Jesuites and called a Councill at Trent where the Protestants would not appear because they said that Councill was not lawfully called and the Pope sate Judge who was the party they were to accuse of errors and abusing the Church He carried the Councill to Bononia Iulius the third followed who brought it back again to Trent and sent in Queen Maries daies Cardinall Pool to absolve England from the interdiction of Paul the third But havock was made in England of Protestants Paulus the fourth followed who hated Charls the Emperour who resigned his government to his son Ferdinand and died in a Monastery The Pope approved not this election but Ferdinand esteemed not of his approbation Pius the fourth followed In his time the Councill of Trent called by Paul the third was dissolved which had sate six yeers only of eighteen But before that he sent an Embassador into England to invite the Clergy to that Councill but Queen Elizabeth would not suffer him to land Nor would the Germans send any Scotland also revolted from popery He massacred Protestants at Montalto in Italy to the number of eighty because they met at an house to hear a Sermon They were drawn out one by one and their throats cut but none recanted their Religion Pius the fifth followed who with the Venetians and the King of Spain and his own aids overcame the Turks at Lepanto under the conduct of John of Austria Gregory the thirteenth followed He founded a new Colledge for Jesuites and gave it great revenues to bring up schollers to convert the Germans The Guises faction and the Queen Mother made an horrid massacre in Paris of the Protestants whom they called Huguenots 1572. Which act this Pope commended and sent Charls King of France 40000. Duckats to set forward the war against them This Pope set forth a new Kalender Sixtus the fift followed who excommunicated the King of Navar and the Prince of Condie both Protestants Now was Henry the third killed by a Frier Clement the eighth absolved Henry the fourth King of France from the excommunication of Sixtus the fifth upon his abjuration of the protestation by his Orators which King was slain by a proselyte of the Jesuits called Ravilack Mathe. I desire to know how the Protestant Religion came in and whether it be ancient and how it hath been persecuted by the Pope his adherents whether Princes or Prelates and by what heresies opposed for the Papists still upbraid us that our Religion was begun by Luther who began an innovation in the time of Pope Leo the tenth Against whom Henry the eighth of England did write and obtained the title from the Pope of Defender of the faith Phila. You are to understand that the substantiall points of the Protestant Religion are the same which are grounded upon Scripture and maintained from the Primitive times by the Church Christian but obscured in tract of time by divers heresies and popish traditions which like tares and weeds over-grew the good seed which yet still appeared in divers places of the field of the Catholike Church plain enough to prove a visible being both of the truth and professors of it till the Protestants made a more full declaration of it by refining the old truths from the drosse of heresie and popish superstition Mathe. I desire to have a more plain view of those hereticks that turned from Gospell truths And secondly how the Pope sell off being that the Roman Church did oftentimes excommunicate those hereticks And thirdly how the Protestants came to reform themselves they being once in the bowels of the Romish Church Phila. You know I have shewed many already among the persecuting hereticks yet it shall not be irksome to me if it be not to you to view them a little better especially the Manicheans who sprung up before Arrius with which heresie Augustine was entangled but the Lord God that bringeth good out of evill converted him by the pains of Ambrose Bishop of Millain and he became a great light to Gods people and a confuter of that cursed heresie Manicheus opinions were that there were two beginnings one evil and the other good which is all one as to say there be two Gods No wonder if their patron Manes called himselfe the Holy Ghost Maniches as Montanus did if he proceeded from such principles This Manes forbade flesh and wine neglected the old Testament ascribed the sin of man not to his free will Vid. Aug. cont Mani but necessity because he said mans body was made of the substance of the Prince of darknesse He died a fearfull death Theo. l. 4. c. 4. For as Arrius voided his guts at a draught-house before he came to dispute against the truth so this Manes was sent for being a Persian by the King of Persia to cure his son who died in his hands and he was imprisoned but escaped yet heard of in Mesopotamia was taken and flead Socrat. l. 1. c. 21. and his skin stuffed and set up at the gate of the City Mathe. Sir lest it be too much trouble to you and no great benefit to me to recite all the heresies I desire only the chiefe of them which do directly oppose true Religion Phila. I intend so and therefore first I will shew you the ancient heresies and then the modern that you may see how far the latter are raked out of the former We find some holding God to be like a man because Gen. 1.21 God is said to make man after his image Anthropomorphites but that in the soule and the endowments thereof wisedome and righteousnesse The Author of this heresie was one Ardaeus a Syrian Then followed the Messalians called Euchitae because they thought the whole duty of
in the same and heareth not the voice of strangers 2. It makes no Lawes without Gods word 3. That the traditions of the Church cannot bind conscience except they be consonant to Gods Word 4. That Christ hath made full satisfaction for sin and he that saith there is any other way to salvation or to abolish sin denieth Christ 5. That Christ is not received corporally in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 6. That the Masse offered up for the quick and dead is contrary to the Word of God and disgracing the sacrifice of Christ 7. That Christ is only to be invocated as Mediator between God and man 8. That the Scripture sheweth no such place as Purgatory for the purging of soules after death and therefore all popish Ceremonies as Dirges Lamps and Tapers profit not the dead at all 9. That pictures and images of Saints are not to be set up in Churches or to be worshipped 10. That Matrimony is not denied to any order of men but by the word of God permitted to all men and because fornication is forbidden therefore single life is not to be forced upon people All which propositions were defended by Oecolampadius Bucer and others against all opposers and therefore ratified by the Senate and it was decreed that Masses Altars and Images should be abolished In memoriall of this Reformation they caused a pillar to be set up engraven with golden letters with the time when it was done namely 1528. many other Cities as Strousbrough Basil and Geneva followed their example But many other Towns popishly affected did side with Ferdinand the Emperours brother and Deputy in Germany to suppresse this Reformation in Berne and Zurik These Towns were the Lucernates Vrani Suitenses Vnternaldii and Tugiani who much abusing the Reformed Tigurines and Bernatas made them so angry that they stopped the waies to those five Towns that no victuals could come to them Upon this the five unreformed made war upon them and had the better in which skirmishing Zuinglius was slain and his body abused cut in pieces and burned yet the Reformed continued in their religion and peace was concluded by the mediation of the King of France and some Cantons of Switzerland Mathe. But how came England to be Protestants Phila. Henry the seventh King of England had two sons Arthur and Henry Prince Arthur the eldest married Katherine daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain and died without issue Then Henry the eighth his brother being King of England by the advice of his Counsellors and Nobles married the said Lady Katherine that so her dowry might not be carried out of England Which match though contrary to Gods Word was dispensed withall by Pope Julian the second and so continued twenty years Now Charls the fifth Emperour being in England promised to marrie the Lady Mary daughter to Henry the eighth by the said Queen Katherine which the Emperours Councill misliked because that the Lady Mary was begotten by King Henry and his brothers wife and so illegitimate therefore the Emperour forsook the match and married the King of Portugals daughter called Isabel Upon this King Henry's mind began to be troubled and the more because he foresaw that there could be no firm succession to the Crown by children so begotten He propounded therefore this question to all the Universities of Christendome viz. whether his marriage were lawfull they all agreed it was not therefore the King sought a divorce and desired the Popes consent The Pope sent Cardinall Campeius into England who together with Woolsey Cardinall of York was by his authority to judge the businesse Woolsey was inclined to the divorce till he perceived the Kings mind was bent to marry Anne Bulloin who was a Lutheran Of which he advertizing the Pope he sent for his Embassador Campeius who returned to Rome without determining the Kings cause But the King by Doctor Cranmers advice and the Civilians had Queen Katherine divorced therefore the Pope cursed King Henry and his Kingdome of England And the King abolished the Popes authority and tyranny in his Kingdome and enjoined that he should in his dominions only be called Bishop of Rome and that himselfe should be acknowledged supreame head of the Church of England This was the beginning of Reformation of popish abuses as in dissolving of Abbies and Monasteries in England and Wales though Henry the eighth continued in Romish doctrines To the number of 645. vid. Cambden Mr Fox his Martyro p. 2. and many blessed Martyrs were put to death in his time for professing the contrary even after he had abolished the Bishop of Romes authority as Lambert condemned by King Henry himselfe and also of many others by his authority and ministers such as Collins Cowbridge Leiton Puttedew Peke do testifie as also his setting out the six Articles maintaining page 1296. 1. Transubstantiation And secondly that the communion in both kinds is not necessary to be received And thirdly against Priests marriage And fourthly for vowing single life And fifthly Anno 31. regni H. 8. for maintaining the Masse and also sixthly auricular confession to be necessary Which Articles were commended to Commissioners to be put in execution and many good men suffered who held tenets contrary thereunto as Doctor Barns Heirom Garret Marbeck Filmer Testwood and Person and Bennet Kerby Clark Mendelsham and Mistrisse Anne Askew and others burned at Windsor and Ipswich in London and Kent all which shew that though King Henry the eighth did abolish the power of the Pope in Civill and Ecclesiastick matters in England yet popish doctrine was still maintained Mathe. I pray tell me how the Pope came to have such great authority in England in Civil and Ecclesiasticall affairs 2. How Englands Religion came to be corrupted which at first it seems was pure Rom. 1.8 as Romes faith was before the Pope turned Antichristian 3. How the Reformation went on which was revived by King Henry the eight so far as abolishing popish jurisdiction Phila. For the first you may find that the Pope came in by connivance of peaceable and quiet Princes who not discerning the Popes policy after Phocas the Emperour had made him universall Bishop how he did work upon Princes of weak judgement as also upon such as he found to be superstitious or that were litigious and stood in need of his help and so did wind himselfe by intrusion and used his possession with tyranny But this intrusion could never be warranted by any just claime through possession or submission to him in tract of time by custome or prescription the foundation of his first authority being surreptitious for we cannot find any Brittish or Saxon Kings that have obliged themselves or this Kingdome submissively to the Pope But you may find that when Austin the Monk was sent into England by Pope Greg. 1. to bring the Clergy to the ceremonies and service of the Roman Church not to make Christians in England which was done many hundred years before
King Henry the eighth to imitate his successors by abolishing his authority in England Now then to your third Question How Reformation went on after King Henry the eighth I have shewed you though that King did write against Luther and abolished the Popes power yet he persecuted the Protestants and those that professed Luthers doctrin of which there were many by reason of his books dispersed in England Luther himselfe was much troubled The Pope sends forth his roaring Bull against him he answereth it and appeals to the next generall Councill But his doctrine was very acceptable to good Christians generally though in some points they differed from him He died in Islebia in the County of Mansfelt Febr. 17. 1546. where he was born Mathe. How thrived the Protestant Religion after Luther Phila. Beyond the seas fell out great troubles A Councill was called at Ratisbone to end controversies of Religion but no agreement and so the Emperour referred the controversie to the next generall or provinciall Councill of Germany but still the popish side desired to suppresse Luthers doctrine but yet decrees against Protestants were suspended yet the fire of malice broke out against them for Henry Duke of Brunsick invaded their Cities the Duke of Saxony resists him in the name of all the Protestants confederate at Smalcaldy and won all his dominions The Emperour and the King of France make peace and both covenant to join to restore the Romish Religion which cost France and Germany great troubles for the King of France sent Minerius Governor of Provence against the Waldenses of whom you have heard who dwelt in some part of that Countrie as in Merindol and Cabriere They of Merindol for fear fled into the woods He spoiled and burned their Towns left desolate Cabriere was delivered upon composition but yet none were spared but some killed in Churches some burned in barns some smothered in caves others sent to the Gallies others starved in the woods But God strook Minerius with a sad disease a fire scorched him within his limbs rotted made bloody urine and died in torments The Emperour Charls the fifth by policy suppresseth these Princes that upheld the Protestants as the Duke of Saxony and others as the Landgrave of Hesse About the year 1546. when the Councill of Trent was gathered to convene where the Emperour and the Pope made a league against the protestants and the Pope gave 200000 Crowns to make war against them to the Venetians and maintained an army for a while to cut them off The Emperour laboured hard with many of the Princes to submit to the Councill of Trent as also the free Cities and in hope they would he desired that the Councill of Trent which was carried from Trent to Bononia might come to Trent again which they refused upon which the Emperour disanulled all they did at Bononia and said he would take care of Religion himselfe And to this end consulted with Princes and Bishops about it who drew out a book of Reformation called Interim to which few would consent and many fled away to other Countries because they would not allow it As Musculus preacher of Ausburgh fled to Switzerland Brentius from Suere to the Duke of Wirtembergh Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius from Germany to England The Pope himselfe would not allow it without correction because it allowed the marriage of Priests and the use of the Sacraments in both kinds though it maintained the rest of the Roman Religion But especially the City of Magdeburgh withstood the book nor acknowledged the Councill of Trent Mathe. How went things now in England Phila. King Edward the sixth now reigning the masse was there forbidden by Parliament and a Book of Common Praier set forth in the English tongue with an order of administration of Sacraments Bonner Bishop of London and Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for their obstinate defence of Romish doctrine were imprisoned But King Edward dying Queen Mary let them out and made great havock of the Protestants and restored the Popes supremacy and the masse in England and got the Parliament to crave absolution of the Pope and Cardinall Pool to absolve the Realm See Fox his Martyrology She neither spared Bishops Ministers nor common people nor spared those who had set her forward to obtain the Crown Her persecution was sharp but God shortned it by her death and Queen Elizabeth whose death was intended succeeded her Mathe. How thrived the Protestants cause now in England and other Countries Phila. In England popish Religion was abolished and the Popes supremacy disanulled King Edwards profession followed Anno 1. Eliza. and his Book of Common Praier allowed again by Parliament But Ferdinand the Emperour succceeding Charls the fift would endure no alteration of Religion and Henry the second King of France would not admit it neither but moved persecution but he being killed by the splinter of a spear at Tilting Francis the second his son succeeds and marrieth Mary Queen of Scots of the Guisian Family which Family endeavoured to abolish the Protestant Religion in France and sent an army into Scotland too for the same purpose which by the aids of Queen Elizabeth was forced to retire This King of France by the advice of the Guisians called a nationall Councill at Orleance under colour to settle Religion But there the Prince of Condie was seized upon and accused of practise against the King But this King shortly died and the Prince of Condie was cleared by a Parliament at Paris and young King Charls the ninth was committed to the care of the Queen Mother and the King of Navar. These governors appoint a disputation by the advice of the States of the Realme at Poyssie 1561. which was four years before Calvin died where Theodore Beza preacher of Geneva and Peter Martyr and Marlorat and the protestant party had the better and the popish side as the Cardinall of Lorain and others concluded with them that Christians do eat in the Sacrament spiritually by faith the body of Christ which died for for us although the Doctors of Sorbon would not agree thereto and so that disputation broke off After which the number of protestants increased and much fear there was of uproars But the Queen Mother assembled the estates at St Germane and made an Edict in January that the professors of the reformed Religion should assemble to hear sermons without the Town and unarmed which grieved the Guisian and popish faction who sought to get the King and Queen Mother into their hands and prevented the King of Navar from the reformed Religion upon hope to have the Kingdome of Navar restored to him againe by Philip King of Spain at the Popes mediation In the mean time the Duke of Guise raiseth an army First Civil war in France and murdered 1500. hundred poor unarmed protestants at Church in the Town of Vassiace neer Champaign Then came to Paris and seized on the King and Queen Mother at Forteblew and
by the Church they must not be suspected by the children that their mother the Church would put poison in their milk or else they must try by learning the first language Hierom. in lib. cont Helvid Aug. lib. 15. de Civitate Dei cap. 13. whether it so or no and in the mean time receive them thankfully as they be and as doubts arise inquire for satisfaction And if this rule be not kept we shall beleeve either many or not any and be of many religions or of none Truely it is a lamentable case that children should suspect parents and more for the Church to give them cause to suspect her Deut. 17. For God commands the Jewes to sit down silent upon the definitive sentence of the Priests and no doubt so must we upon the Churches unlesse we mean to beleeve our selves more then either Church or Scriptures The variety in translation makes no considerable difference in the sense but like descant in Musick makes the ground plain note seem more grave and full or like the variation of the compasse makes the Pilot more studious to steer his course Mathe. Of what antiquity is the translation among us Christians Phila. Long before printing Bed lib. 1. hist cap. 1. For Bede tels us it was in five languages of the Britains And Vphila Bishop of the Goths translated it for his people Such Copies were among the Armenians Russians Socrat. lib. 4. c. 33. Eccius cap. de miss Lati. Agrip. de vanit scientiarum Ethiopians Dalmatians and Muscovites And these translations were allowed by the Nicen Synods decree that no Christian might want a Bible in his house So Chrysostom exhorteth people of his time Hom. 9. in Epist Colos and rightly cals them the physick for the soul And therefore we were better to lay out monie then want health and sell our cloak then want a Bible and have as good opinion of the Churches translation as of a Physitians prescription or an Apothecaries composition In this case we must beleeve our selves or some body else and why not the Church thy mother and thy nurse It is a great judgment of God upon men when they suspect the learned whose lips preserve knowledge and beleeve the ignorant and so the blind leads the blind I know some say the Apostles were ignorant men so they were at first but after Christ and the Spirit had taught I think they were the most learned men in the world In vain do men therefore preserve ideots before him to whom God hath given the tongue of the learned or to suspect antiquity and trust novelty and love to hear no more then they know already and so bring the Scriptures into question the Churches doctrin into suspition and the true knowledge of God to be disregarded For we have little reason to mistrust the Churches translation except she be notoriously proved to be a deceiver and a patronesse of adulterous faith or maintain opinions contrary to the truth of which the Church of Rome was guilty and from which the Protestant Church is refined of whose fidelity if we now doubt we must either fall to Atheisme or back Papisme or be overrun with Barbarisme Mathe. But how shall we find the sense of Scripture Phila. If you mean in things necessary to faith and manners Esa their sense is plain to an ordinary capacity as was prophecied If you mean the sense of difficult places there if we use diligence and yet fall into error there is no danger in it because it is not necessary and therefore he that erreth and he that erreth not may both be saved holding the points necessary to faith and fact If men therefore would look upon Scripture not as the tree of knowledge with the eie of curiosity but as the Tree of Life affording all things necessary to their salvation John 15.26 the saving sense would soon be found especially if men when they read would pray for the spirit who can best explaine his own writing Mat. 11.25 for they are indeed spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.12 So if they would lay by carnall thoughts and selfe opinion and receive it with meeknesse as a little child or a new born babe purged from the corruption of our naturall birth by repentance and preparednesse to beleeve the Gospell for no other end then for gods glory and one souls happinesse not desiring so much to increase as to better conscience Mathe. But if I doubt of thesense who shall be judge Phila. If the Scripture be a perfect rule to judge there needs no other judge of it And if it be not a perfect rule who can one trust to judge in matters of faith having no perfect rule to judge by The sense therefore is found by analogy and lying parallel with other parts of Scripture and with those axioms collected therefrom and generally agreed upon Therefore if any sense that I gather from it run contrary to the Lords Praier in matter of devotion or to the Commandements in matter of action or to the Creed in matter of faith I may suspect it so if that sense crosse any other place of Scripture evidently that sense may justly be thought to be adulterate Surely S. Paul aimed at some such thing when he bad Timothy hold fast the form of sound words which if men do they may hold both peace and truth For as a naturall man finds out a truth by reason so doth a Christian find out saving Truth true Religion and a true Church by the Scripture which is the perfect rule for that purpose and so it may be a judge of those things now Rom. as well as it shall be at the last day and as well as mans reason nature or by art may be a rationall though not a personall judge of other things Mathe. What need have we then of Preachers Phila. 1. To remember people of what they have been taught 2. Heb. 2.1 2 Pet. 1.13 To stir them up to do what they have not practised 3. To confirm and establish them in what they have beleeved Acts 8.14 and cap. 14.21 22. 4. To convert those that are not converted 5. To edifie and build them up farther in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ Acts 20.32 6. To explaine difficult places of Scripture 7. To confute the adversary to truth Isa 54.13 For though it be prophecied they shall be all taught of God which John 6.45 Christ makes good and expounds it ver 46. not that any one hath seen the Father that is immediatly taught of the Father but by that more clear medium the Son of God and his Ministers which the world never knew before which ministry must stand to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 till the mystery of God be finished and the number of the elect be accomplished It is a great presumption for men to think themselves above Ordinances They may be in higher forms of knowledge and holy experience then some
by the help of some Jewes and Sergius the Nestorian Heretick that denied the personall union of two natures in Christ and also by the help of John of Antiochia an Arrian Heretick who made it a medlie of the Pagan-Jewes and Christian Religion Saracen per. to the acknowledging of which Mahomet ordained all whom he conquered should be compelled by fire and sword which proved a terrible plague to many Christians Mathe. But what other persecutions arose from one Christian to another Phila. As they suffered from the Arrians and Eutychians so they did afterward from the Roman when ambition and covetousnesse had made the Bishop of Rome rich potent and universall Therefore you must know that after the Empire began to stand like Nebuchadnezzars image on two legs the East and West part much decaied till Pope Leo the third perceiving the decay of the East proclaimed Charls the great Emperour in the West Mathe. How did the Pope first get to such an height to proclaim the Emperour Phila. You must know that before the reign of Constantine most of the Bishops of Rome were Martyrs or Confessors to the number of thirty from Linus the first Bishop who began to govern the Church of Rome after Peter and Paul had suffered But after the reign of Constantine and his sons the Bishops of Rome grew in higher esteem more and more First in being made Patriarchs together with the Bishops of Alexandria and Antiochia by the generall Councill of Nice for the timely suppressing of heresies But he got the start of them all and was accepted as the prime Bishop both in regard of the antiquity of his See and also because his seat was in the most ancient imperiall City Rome But he began to encroach and usurp authority exceedingly as others did who succeeded him But when I say such an one succeeded next I mean not alwaies the next in person but in regard of his office though some came between for my intent is not to make an absolute direct chronology or catalogue of them but to shew which of them was most active in advancing Antichristian Tyrauny though here and there some of them were of better condition Therefore as Pope Zepherinus before the Emperour Constantine Popes pride begins to appear Zepherinus Innocent Caelestius would have no Bishop condemned till his cause was heard by the Bishop of Rome So afterward Innocentius the first the predecessor to Zozimus writ to the Councill of Carthage that no Decree could be firm till allowed by the Chair of Rome whom Caelestinus followed and urged submission of the Church of Carthage to the Chair of Rome and therefore they should receive Appiarius whom they had excommunicated for appealing from his own Bishop to the Bishop of Rome but they regarded him not Faelix the third did also excommunicate Acacius Bishop of Constantinople because he absolved Petrus Moggux the Eutychian heretick without his leave upon which Acacius did as much for him But Gelasius his successor was more peremptory Gelasius for he plainly declared that the Church of Rome should be the Judge of all Churches but be judged by none nor would be reconciled to the Eastern Bishops except they would excommunicate Acacius and raze his name out of the catalogue of Bishops He also made bold to excommunicate the Emperour Anastasius for favouring the Eutychian heresie which example was by his successors put in execution upon Emperors without being hereticks So Faelix the fourth excommunicated also Athanasius Patriarch of Constantinople for heresie And Bonifacius the second Faelix upheld the authority of the Roman See against the Church of Carthage and Hippo and maintained Eutalius appeale to Rome against Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and Augustine Bishop of Hippo and a Councill of two hundred reverend Fathers so much did Rome affect superiority And by all these proud Prelates Vigilius had got stomack enough to resist the Emperour and his fifth generall Council of Constantinople though he came in not by the door but by means of Theodora a wicked Empresse who had caused Silverius Bishop of Rome to be banished who succeeded Boniface the second and placed Vigilius for bribes and base promises in his Chaire Pelagius the first that succeeded Vigilius was more crafty then peremptory for though he was vexed at Honoratus Bishop of Millain because he ordained Paulinus to succeed Macedonius Bishop of Aquileia without his leave yet he put it as a contempt of the Emperour Justinian in his relation of it to Narses the Emperours generall hoping to creep into sovereignty the more securely under colour of respect to the Civill Magistrate John the third and Benedict the first did not stickle much because the Lombards at that time much oppressed Italy Pelagius the second was elected without the knowledge of the Emperour but that was excused by the Popes Embassadour Gregory because that Rome was so strictly besieged that no messenger could be sent unto him This Gregory the first succeeded Pelagius by the choice of the Clergy and people of Rome he seemed unwilling to accept it and wrote letters to the Emperour to refuse their choice which were intercepted and other letters sent to desire the Emperours condescension He first set up the stile that the Popes use still in their title the servant of the servants of God in opposition to John the foster-Patriarch of Constantinople Servus servorum Dei who usurped the stile of universall Bishop and called him the forerunner of Antichrist yet he basely flattered Phocas the Emperour in his Epistles who had murthered his Lord Mauritius his wife and children This Gregory forbad spirituall men to marry Marriage forbidden to the Clergy but was forced to recall it because of their fornication and murthering of young infants so begotten But though this Pope did declaime against the title of universall Bishop and Fabianus his successor did not claim it yet his next successor Boniface the third did obtain it of Phocas by absolving him the murther of Mauritius namely to be Bishop of Bishops and that the Church of Rome should be the head of all Churches After him came Boniface the fourth obtained of Phocas the heathen Temple called Pantheon because it was built to the honour of all the heathen gods and dedicated it to all Saints and appointed an holiday to be kept in their honour so Idolatry crept in which afterward was the cause of much persecution for he took it from the heathen gods and by it made gods of the Saints Theodalus succeeds him and brings in Antichrist by an Ordinance that none should marry that woman that had been witnesse with him at Baptisme which was never forbidden by Gods Law or Gospell So Boniface the fifth who succeeded him constitutes that no man who took sanctuary for any crime should be violently taken out from thence Popes usurpation over civill power Here was usurpation over the Civill power After him followed Honorius the first in whose time some
Religion or to set fasting in absteining from flesh for conscience sake and yet at the same time to eat that which is far more delicious is meer hypocrisie yet we agree in the end of fasting that it is profitable to make the soule more attentive in Gods service that the rebelliousnesse of our flesh may be subdued and to professe our unworthinesse of Gods creatures and to testifie in humiliation for the aversion of judgements which we either feele or fear So they teach that a man may not only do all the Commandements of God but also do more than they require which they call works of supererrogation But it is said that by nature we are not subject to the law neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 and by grace we cannot do it of our selves but Christ is the end of the Law to them that beleeve and so we do the law only by faith in Christ Gal. 2.16 and thereby are justifi'd Again they adore and worship Saints and yet they know not what knowledge the Saints have of them Isa 63.16 Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel doth not acknowledge us said Isaiah We may have a reverend remembrance of them and give God thanks for their patterns and lights of godlinesse to us and we ought to imitate their examples but to give them civill worship now they are absent is simplenesse and to give them religious worship is idolatry I know they pretend they intercede for us and present mens praiers to God which if it could be proved it might perswade some men to give them a petition in speciall as to a Kings favourite to prefer our suits But we know of no mediator between God and man but the man Christ Jesus So they say that if one beleeve the generall points of faith it is enough we are for the doctrins built thereupon to believe as the Church believes which beliefe is called implicit faith It is true that at first we do assent to truth out of respect and regard to the Church that relates it as the Samaritans did believe at first for the womans sake but at last for Christs sake So they hold praying for the dead John 4.42 because they hold also there is a purgatory where men are purged by pains which satisfie for veniall sins and for their temporall punishment of their mortall sins But we know of but one satisfaction for sin the least of which we cannot be freed from but by the infinite merit of the blood of Jesus Christ therefore no particular man being dead can lawfully be praied for because he is determined of God in his condition So they hold the Pope supreme over all causes and persons Kings and Bishops and all because he was they say Peters successor yet Peter was not Bishop of Rome and so his succession is surreptitious nor would the Greek Church ever acknowledge the Pope of Rome to be supreme but only the Bishop of the chiefe See because Rome was the imperiall City So they say that Sacraments do not only represent to us Christ and his benefits and instruments whereby God conveies them to us but also that they have a physicall force to give grace and also that the very administration giveth grace as it is a work done which doth much invade Gods prorogative So they make repentance a meritorious cause of remission of sin but how can a temporall penance or a finite sorrow merit for an infinite transgression let them shew that and they shall make many an Esau glad and a sullen Ahab to rejoice The next turbulent people are the Papists called Jesuits Jesuits Their order began in the time of Pope Vrban the fift Their patron or founder was Ignatius Loyala a Spanish souldier they pretend to Visions and Revelations like the Anabaptists and say that the Virgin Mary appeared to this Ignatius with Jesus in her arms and perswaded him to erect this order upon which it seems they call themselves Jesuites though they supplant his Gospell wheresoever they come This order was confirmed by Pope Paul the third and Pope Gregory the thirteenth gave them a place in Rome to build them a Collegde which cost a vast sum of monie Some say 25 tun of gold They have a Governor called their Generall who hath power to command them what he please and they respect his commands as divine oracles and to send abroad his Emissaries who transform themselves like Proteus into all shapes of professions to do mischiefe Their errors are very destructive to policie and piety for they hold the oath of allegiance unlawfull but lawfull to lay violent hands on Kings and Princes Vid. Mariana adv Anticot if the Pope do but frown upon them by his curse or excommunication They say that the Pope is only a Bishop by divine right and that all Bishops hold their power and office from him But some Cardinals and Bishops that be Papists Vid. Hist of the Councill of Trent are not of that mind but hold just contrary These are by their learning the chiefe maintainers of Antichrist and all its abominations Index Expurg and have corrupted the writings of the Fathers and makes them speak what they list They have been the fathers of all foule plots and treasons the most vile cozening imposters that ever were as you may read of their presenting the head of a dead man to the King of the Georgians Hist of Grego Hieromonachus 1626. making him to beleeve that it was his mothers head who was taken and slain by the Persians because she spake against Mahomet Another disturber of the Churches peace in these latter times were the Familists Familists whose patron or founder was David George of Delfe who called himselfe John of Bridges and affirmed that he was the true David that should restore the Kingdome to Israel That the Scriptures were only to keep men in order till his comming but he was able by his doctrine to save those that would beleeve him and that he was the right Messias and that the spirit of Christ was given to him and that the Church of Christ must not be built up by patience and suffering but meeknesse and love and that whosoever spoke against his doctrine should never be forgiven He died in August 1556. though he had promised he should never die After him appeared Henry Nicolas born at Amstelrodam in Holland who maintained the same doctrine in his own name He was called the New man or the Holy nature Vid. Disco of Anab. errors p. 89. They teach that Adams state of perfection may be attained in this life and that all of their Family of Love are as innocent as ever Adam was and that the resurrection of the body is fulfilled in them and they acknowledge no other like Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.17 His followers accounted him the Son of God that was to come to judge the world and whosoever obeieth not his doctrine shall
in the Primitive time the people stood up at praier every Lords day from Easter to Whitsontide to argue their belief of Christs resurrection which is not now enjoin'd or used So the French prophecie or preach with their heads covered to shew their dominion of teaching their people are uncovered to shew their subjection to his doctrin which is contrary to the Apostles order to the Corinthians All ceremonies are not so fit for all times the Church hath liberty to settle or abrogate them as shee seeth cause which liberty no wise man ever denied the Church but holdeth significant ceremonies to be profitable for the people Calv. opusc p. 344. Calv. instit lib. 4. cap. 10. Chem. Exam. part 4. tract de Imag. p. 13. Zeppe Leg. Mos l. 4. c. p. 312 Juni cont lib. 4. p. 283. Chem. Exam. part 2. p. 32. so that such a mean be kept that Christ be illustrated not obscured I beleeve upon this ground it is that Luther Chemnitius and Calvin allow of pictures in the Church done by way of historicall narration both for ornament and remembrance without any superstition So Holydaies are and may be celebrated in remembrance of some speciall benefit received from God about that time or by some eminent person that he hath emploied for the Churches good And indeed none of these things were thought superstitious till opinion of merit and of efficacious operation was annexed to them But to conclude if ceremonies of humane institution being significant to some duty which Gods worship requireth be unlawfull I see not but men may refuse to take a lawfull oath because ones laying their hand on the book and kissing it Deut. 6.13 signifieth a worshipping God the author of that book in taking the oath and that one doth aver the truth of his conscience towards man as well as his faith towards God in so doing Nor can a man keep the Lords day religiously if it be not a mystical and significant sign to him of the resurrection of Christ past Heb. 4.9 and of our spiritual rest from sin of that eternal rest which is promised to the people of God Nor do I see how people can have any religious respect to Churches if they take them not as signs or shadowes of the celestiall Temple Zanch. de Redemp l. 1. tract de tempt col 703. where the spirits of the faithfull are collected together praising the Lord. Nor can we keep any festivall without casting an eie upon what it relates to in his signification And truly if ceremonies had no signification they were the more fit to be cast out of the Church as unprofitable and as such as the Papists use that want sign and sense Mathe. But having been superstitiously abused they ought rather to be abolished then used in the Church services Phila. Yet in Josh 6.19 the spoile of Jericho is commanded by Joshua to be brought into Gods treasury And Gideon was commanded to take the wood of the idolatrous grove and offer sacrifice Judg. 6.26 We find also that those things which the Jewes abused was continued by godly men Bishops of Jerusalem in the Primitive times as Circumcision though not as a Sacrament but as a sign to shew they came of the line of Abraham So the Feast of Easter was kept by many reverend and worthy Bishops and Martyrs before the Councill of Nice on the same manner and day as did the Jewes but not with the same end as the Jewes did So the Councill of Nice did not abolish the feast of Easter but changed it into the Lords day So the Papists have abused the Lords Supper by erroneous opinions and idolatrous adorations of it which sheweth many good things may be abused and yet are not therefore to be disused this were to deny the use of the Sun because Absalom lay with his fathers concubins in the open light Surely a ceremony washed from superstitious dirt may be used in the Church by mutation or correction Clem. Exam. p. 34. c. 1. Zanc. de Red. in 4. precept p. 678. without utter abscission for they being thus purged are sanctified to holy use And so the Church of England only retained three the Surplice to warn the Minister of purity the Crosse to warn Christians of constancy and kneeling to admonish communicants of humility We know the Papists have abused these and others to superstition but abuse makes nothing evill which is not evill in it selfe And therefore the best reformed Divines have concluded even as ancient fathers have done before them who did not demolish all that was dedicated to idolatrie Calv. opuscul tracb de vitand superst p. 78. but converted them to better use So neither doth Mr Calvin approve of that morosity in men who because some ceremonies of the Papists may not be observed therefore none may yea some non Conformists have written that though the Papists have dedicated Churches to idolatry yet there being a good use for them among us they may be retained as also Popish vestments may be altered and make ornaments for the Church And surely they say well in that and it were good if the rest would not wrest away the liberty of the Church in such things which may make a lawfull use of indifferent ceremonies for conveniency without offence to God Mathe. But yet they are offensive to many good men and therefore to be left off Phila. First we must consider whether they be offensive in themselves or made offensive by the intention of the Church Theo. l. 3. c. 16. as Julian the Apostate set up his image in the Market place among the images of the heathen gods that he that gave eivill respect to his image might be thought also to do honour to them or if they did no respect then they might seem to despise both the gods and the Emperour So he set an Altar neer his throne with a fire upon it and incense upon a table Sozo l. 3. c. 17. and all Officers of his army that came to receive his largesse of gold did first cast some incense into the fire by which many were scandalized or caused to stumble So he caused all the fountains in the region of Antioch to be dedicated to the heathen goddesses and all the meat in the Market to be sprinkled with heathenish holy water yet the Christians were so wise as not to avoid their drink and meat knowing that to the clean all things are clean Tit. 1.15 and also bought what was sold and made no scruple as 1 Cor. 10.25 Then next we must consider whether the offence arises not from our own ignorance and weaknesse and so we be not straitned by the Church but in our own bowels and so like little children that complain their cloaths are to little when their bellies are too full The offence must lie in one of these If it lie in the Agent it is either directly evill as Davids matter of Vriah 2 Sam.