ann 1059 that the Pope shall afterward be created by the suffrages of the Cardinall bishops of Rome with the consent of the rest of the cleargie and people and the Emperour himselfe and all Popes are excommunicate accursed as Antichristes that enter otherwise as al now doe Ioachimus Abbas saith Antichrist was long since borne in Rome and shall be yet aduanced higher in the APOSTOLIC◠SEE Petracrh saith Once Rome now Babylon And Ireneus booke 5. chap. last said before all these that Antichrist should be Lateinus a Romane Again this cōmandemēt must not so much be vnderstoode of a bodily departure in respect of cohabitatiō presence as of a spirituall seperatiō in respect of faith religion And the meaning of the holy Ghost is that men must depart from the Romish Church in regard of Iudgememt and doctrine in regard of their faith and the worship of God Thus then wee see that the words containe a commandement from God inioyning his Church and people to make a separation from Babylon Whence I obserue That all those who will be saued must depart and seperate themselues from the faith and religion of this present Church of Rome And whereas they are charged with scisme that seperate on this manner the truth is they are not scismatikes that doe so because they haue the commandement of God for their warrant and that partie is the scismatike in whome the cause of this separation lieth and that is in the church of Rome namly the cup of abomination in the whores hand which is their hereticall and scismaticall religion Nowe touching this dutie of seperation I meane to speake at large not standing so much to prooue the same because it is euident by the text as to shew the manner and measure of making this separation therin I will handle two things First how farforth we may ioyne with them in the matter of religion secondly how farforth and wherein wee must dissent and depart from them And for this cause I meane to make choice of certaine points of religion and to speake of them in as good order as I can shewing in each of them our consent and difference the rather because some harpe much vpon this string that a vnion may be made of our two religions and that we differ not in substance but in points of circumstance The first point wherewith I meane to beginne shall be the point of Freewill though it be not the principall 1. Our consent Free will both by them and vs is taken for a mixt power in the minde and will of man whereby discerning what is good and what is euill he doth accordingly choose or refuse the same I. Conclus Man must be considered in a foure-fold estate as he was created as he was corrupted as he is renewed as he shalbe glorified In the first estate we ascribe to mans will libertie of nature in which he could will or nill either good or euill in the third libertie of grace in the last libertie of glorie All the doubt is of the second estate and yet therein also we agree as the conclusions following will declare II. Conclus The matters where about freewill is occupied are principally the actions of men which be of three sorts naturall humane spirituall Naturall actions are such as are cōmon to men with beasts as to eate drinke sleepe heare see smell taste and to mooue from place to place in all which we ioyne with the Papists and holde that man hath free will and euen since the fall of Adam by a naturall power of the minde doth freely performe any of these actions or the like III. Conclus Humane actions are such as are common to all men good and bad as to speake and vse reason the practise of all mechanicall and liberall artes and the outwarde performance of civill and ecclesiasticall duties as to come to the Church to speake and preach the worde to reach out the hande to receiue the sacrament and to lende the eare to listen outwardly to that which is taught And hither we may referre the outward actiōs of civill vertues as namely Iustice temperance gentlenes liberalitie And in these also we ioyne with the church of Rome say as experience teacheth that men haue a naturall freedome of will to put them or not to put them in execution Paul saith Rom. 2. 14. The Gentiles that haue not the law doe the things of the law BY NATVRE that is by naturall strength and he saith of himselfe that before his conuersion touching the righteousnes of the law he vvas vnblame able Phil. 3. 6. And for this externall obedience naturall men receiue rewarde in temporall things Mat. 6. 5. Ezech. 29. 19. And yet here some caueats must be remēbred I. that in humane actions mans will is weake and feeble and his vnderstanding dimme darke and thereupon he often failes in them And in all such actions with Augustine I vnderstand the wil of man to be onely woūded or halfe dead II. That the will of man is vnder the will of God and therefore to be ordered by it as Ieremie saith chap. 10. v. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke or direct his steppes IIII. Conclus The third kind of actions are spirituall more neerely concerning the heart and conscience and these be two fold they either concerne the kingdome of darknes or else the kingdome of God Those that concerne the kingdome of darknes are sinnes properly and in these we likewise ioyne with the Papists teach that in sinnes or euill actions man hath freedome of will Some peraduenture will say that we sinne necessarily because he that sinneth can not but sinne and that freewill and necessitie can not stand togither Indeede the necessitie of compulsion or coaction and freewill can not agree but there is another kinde of necessitie which may stand with freedome of will for some things may be done necessarily and also freely A man that is in close prison must needes there abide and cannot possibly get forth and walke where he will yet can he mooue himselfe freely and walke within the prison so likewise though mans wil be chained naturally by the bonds of sinne therefore cannot but sinne and thereupon sinneth necessarily yet doth it also sinne freely V. Conclus The second kind of spirituall actions or things concerne the kingdome of God as repentance faith the conuersion of a sinner new obedience and such like in which we likewise in part ioyne with the Church of Rome and say that in the first conuersion of a sinner mans freewill concurres with Gods grace as a fellowe or co-worker in some sort For in the conuersion of a sinner three things are required the word Gods spirit and mans will for mans will is not passiue in all and euery respect but hath an action in the first conuersion and change of the soule When any
touching the meanes of purgation They say that men are purged by suffering of paines in purgatorie whereby they satisfie for their veniall sinnes and for the temporall punishment of their mortal sinnes We teach the contrarie holding that nothing can free vs from the least punishment of the smallest sinne but the sufferings of Christ and purge vs from the least taint of corruption sauing the bloode of Christ. Indede they say that our sufferings in themselues considered doe not purge and satisfie but as they are made meritorious by the sufferings of Christ but to this I oppose one text of scripture Hebr. 1. 3. where it is saide that Christ hath purged our sinnes BY HIMSELFE where the last clause cuts the throat of all humane satisfactions and merits and it giueth vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer thing purgeth vs from our sinnes is not to be found in vs but in Christ alone otherwise it should haue bin saide that Christ purgeth the sinnes of men by themselues as well as by himselfe and he should merit by his death that we should become our owne Sauiours in part To this place I may well referre prayer for the dead of which I wil propound two conclusions affirmatiue and one negatiue Conclus I. We hold that Christian charitie is to extend it selfe to the very deade and it must shew it selfe in their honest buriall in the preseruation of their good names in the helpe and releefe of their posteritie as time and occasion shall be offered Ruth 1. 8. Ioh. 19. 23. II. Conclus We praie further in general manner for the faithfull departed that God would hasten their ioyfull resurrection and the full accomplishment of their happinesse both for the bodie and soule and thus much we aske in saying Thy kingdome come that is not onely the kingdome of grace but also the kingdome of glory in heauen Thus farre we come but nearer the gates of Babylon we dare not approch III. Conclus To pray for particular men departed and to praie for their deliuerance out of purgatorie we thinke it vnlawfull because we haue neither promise nor commandement so to doe The eighteenth point Of the supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall Our consent Touching the point of supremacie Ecclesiasticall I will set downe how neare we may come to the Romane Church in two conclusions Conclus I. For the founding of the primitiue Church the ministerie of the word was distinguished by degrees not onely of order but also of power and Peter was called to the highest degree Ephes. 4. vers 11. Christ ascended vp on high and gaue gifts vnto men for the good of his Church as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors Now howsoeuer one Apostle be not aboue another or one Euangelist aboue another or one pastour aboue another yet an Apostle was aboue an Euangelist and an Euangelist aboue all pastours and teachers And Peter was by calling an Apostle and therefore aboue all Euangelists and Pastors hauing the highest roome in the ministerie of the new Testament both for order and authoritie Conclus II. Among the twelue Apostles Peter had a threefold priuiledge or prerogatiue I. The prerogatiue of authoritie II. Of primacie III. Of principalitie For the first by the priuiledge of authoritie I meane a preheminence in regard of estimatiō wherby he was had in reuerence aboue the rest of the twelue Apostles for Cephas with Iames and Iohn are called pillers and seemed to be great Gal. 2. v. 6 9. Againe he had the preheminence of primacie because he was the first named as the forman of the quest Math. 10. 2. The name of the twelue Apostles are these THE FIRST IS Simon called Peter Thirdly he had the preheminence of principality among the twelue because in regard of the measure of grace he excelled the rest for when Christ asked his disciples whome they said he was Peter as beeing of greatest abilitie and zeale answered for them all Math. 16. 16. I vse this clause among the twelue because Paul excelled Peter euery way in learning zeale vnderstanding as farre as Peter excelled the rest And thus neere we come to popish supremacie The difference The Church of Rome giues to Peter a supremacie vnder Christ aboue all causes and persons that is full power to gouerne order the catholik Church vpon the whole earth both for doctrine regiment This supremacie stands as they teach in a power or iudgement to determine of the true sense of all places of Scripture to determine all causes of faith to assemble generall councells to ratifie the decrees of the said councels to excommunicate any man vpon earth that liues within the Church euen princes and nations properly to absolue and forgiue sinnes to decide causes brought to him by appeale from all the parts of the earth lastly to make lawes that shall binde the conscience This fulnes of power with one consent is ascribed to Peter and the Bishops of Rome that follow him in a supposed succession Nowe we holde on the contrarie that neither Peter nor any Bishop of Rome hath any supremacie ouer the Catholike Church but that all supremacie vnder Christ is pertaining to kings and princes within theire dominions And that this our doctrine is good theirs false and forged I will make it manifest by sundrie reasons I. Christ must be considered of vs as a king two waies First as he is God and so is he an absolute king ouer all things in heauen and earth with the Father the holy Ghost by the right of creation Secōdly he is a king as he is redeemer of mankinde and by the right of redemprion he is a soueraigne king ouer the whole Church and that in speciall manner Now as Christ is God with the Father and the holy Ghost he hath his deputies on earth to gouerne the worlde as namely kings princes who are therefore in scriptures called gods But as Christ is Mediatour and consequently a king ouer his redeemed ones he hath neither fellow nor deputie No fellow for then he should be an imperfect mediatour No deputie for no creature is capable of this office to doe in the roome and stead of Christ that which he himselfe doth because euery worke of the Mediatour is a compound worke arising of the effects of two natures concurring in one and the same action namely the godhead and the manhood and therefore to the effecting of the said work there is required an infinite power which farre exceedes the strength of any created nature Againe Heb. 7. 24. Christ is said to haue a priesthood which cannot passe from his person to any other whence it followes that neither his kingly nor his propheticall office can passe from him to any creature either in whole or in part because the three offices of mediation in this regard be equall Nay it is a needlesse thing for Christ to haue a deputie to put in exequution any part of his mediatourship considering a deputy
man is conuerted this worke of God is not done by compulsion but he is conuerted willingly and at the very time when he is conuerted by Gods grace he wils his coÌ„uersion To this ende saide Augustine He vvhich made thee without thee will not saue thee without thee Again that is certen that our wil is required in this that we may do any goodthing wel but we haue it not from our owne povver but God workes to will in vs. For looke at what time God giues grace at the same time he giueth a will to desire will the same grace as for exaÌ„ple when God works faith at the same time he workes also vpon the will causing it to desire faith willingly to receiue the gift of beleeuing God makes of the vnwilling will a willing will because no man can receiue grace vtterly against his will considering will constrained is no will But here we must remember that howsoeuer in respect of time the working of grace by Gods spirit and the willing of it in man goe togither yet in regard of order grace is first wrought and mans will must first of all be acted and mooued by grace then it also acteth willeth and mooueth it selfe And this is the last point of consent betweene vs and the Romane church touching freewill neither may we proceede further with them II. The dissent or difference The point of difference standeth in the cause of the freedome of mans will in spirituall matters which concerne the kingdome of God The Papists say mans will concurreth worketh with gods grace in the first conuersion of a sinner by it selfe and by it owne naturall power and is onely helped by the holy Ghost We say that mans will worketh with grace in the first conuersion yet not of it self but by grace Or thus They say will hath a naturall cooperation we denie it say it hath cooperation onely by grace beeing in it selfe not actiue but passiue willing well onely as it is mooued by grace whereby it must first be acted and mooued before it can act or will And that we may the better conceiue the difference I will vse this comparison The Church of Rome sets forth the estate of a sinner by the condition of a prisoner and so do we marke then the difference It supposeth the said prisoner to lie bound hand and foote with chaines fetters and withall to be sicke and weake yet not wholly dead but liuing in part it supposeth also that being in this case he stirreth not himselfe for any helpe yet hath abilitie and power to stirre Herevpon if the keeper come and take away his bolts and fetters and hold him by the hand and helpe him vp he can and will of himselfe stand and walke and goe out of prison euen so say they is a sinner bound hand and foote with the chaine of his sinnes and yet he is not dead but sicke like to the wounded man in the way betweene Ierico and Ierusalem And therefore doeth he not will and affect that which is good but if the holy Ghost come and doe but vntie his bands and reach him his hand of grace then can he stand of himselfe and will his owne saluation or any thing els that is good We in like manner graunt that a prisoner fitly resembleth a naturall man but yet such a prisoner must he be as is not onely sicke and weake but euen starke dead which cannot stirre though the keeper vntie his boltes and chaines nor heare though he sound a trumpet in his eare and if the said keeper would haue him to mooue stirre he must giue him not onely his hand to help him but euen soule and life also and such a one is euery man by nature not onely chained and fettered in his sinnes but starke dead therein as one that lieth rotting in the graue not hauing any ability or power to mooue or stirre and therefore he cannot so much as desire or doe any thing that is truly good of himselfe but God must first come and put a newe soule into him euen the spirit of grace to quicken and reuiue him and then beeing thus reuiued the will beginneth to will good things at the very same time wheÌ„ god by his spirit first infuseth grace And this is the true difference betweene vs and the Church of Rome in this point of free will III. Our Reasons Now for the confirmation of the doctrine we hold namely that a man willeth not his owne conuersion of him selfe by nature either in whole or in part but by grace wholly and alone these reasons may be vsed The first is taken from the nature and measure of mans corruption which may be distinguished into two parts The first is the want of that originall righteousnes which was in man by creation the secoÌ„d is a prones and inclination to that which is euill and to nothing that is truely good This appeareth Gen. 8. 21. The frame of mans heart saith the Lord is euill euen from his childhood that is the disposition of the vnderstanding will affections with all that the heart of man deuiseth fâ—rmeth or imagineth is wholly euil And Paul saith Rom. 8. 5. The wisdome of the flesh is ENMITIE against God Which wordes are very significant for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated vvisdome signifieth that the best thoughts the best desires affections and indeauours that be in any naturall man euen those that come most neare to true holines are not onely contrary to God but euen enmitie it selfe And hence I gather that the very heart it selfe that is the will and minde from whence these desires and thoughts doe come are also enmitie vnto God For such as the action is such is the facultie whence it proceedeth such as the fruite is such is the tree such as the branches are such are the rootes By both these places it is euident that in man there is not onely a want absence or deprivation of originall righteousnes but a prones also by nature vnto that which is euill which prones includes in it an inclination not to some fewe but to all and euery sinne the very sinne against the holy Ghost not excepted Hence therefore I reason thus If euery man by nature doe both want originall iustice and be also prone vnto all euill then wanteth he natural free-will to will that which is truly good But euery man by nature wants originall iustice and is also prone vnto all euil Ergo Euery man naturally wants free-will to will that which is good Reason II. 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man PERCEIVETH NOT the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither CAN HE KNOVVE them because they are spiritually discerned In these wordes Saint Paul sets downe these points I that a naturall man doeth not so much as thinke of the things reuealed in the Gospell II. that a man hearing and in minde conceiuing them
yet is it made ours by imputation For as his righteousnesse is made ours so are his merits depending theron but his righteousnes is made ours by imputation as I haue shewed Hence ariseth an other point namely that as Christs righteousnes is made ours really by imputation to make vs righteous so we by the merit of his righteousnes imputed to vs doe merit and deserue life euerlasting And this is our doctrine In a word the Papist maintaineth the merits of his owne workes but we renounce them all and rest onely on the merit of Christ. And that our doctrine is truth and theirs falshoode I will make manifest by sundrie reasons and then answer their arguments to the contrarie Our reasons The first shall be taken from the properties and conditions that must be in a worke meritorious and they are fowre I. A man must doe it of himselfe and by himselfe for if it be done by another the merite doth not properly belong to the doer II. A man must doe it of his owne freewill and pleasure not of due debt for when we doe that which we are bound to doe we doe no more but our dutie III. The worke must be done to the profit of an other who thereupon must be bound to repay the like IV. The reward and the worke must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not a reward of desert but a gift of good will Hence followes a notable conclusion That Christs manhoode considered a part from his godhead cannot merit at Gods hand though it be more excellent euery way then all both men and angels For being thus considered it doth nothing of it selfe but by grace receiued from the godhead though it also be without measure Secondly Christs manhoode is a creature and in that regarde bound to doe whatsoeuer it doth Thirdly Christ as man cannot giue any thing to god but that which he receiued from God therfore cannot the manhoode properly by it selfe merit but onely as it is personally vnited vnto the godhead of the Sonne And if this be so then much lesse can any meere man or any angel merit yea it is a madnes to thinke that either our actions or persons should be capable of any merit whereby we might attaine to life eternall Reason II. Exod. 20 8. And SHEVV MERCIE vpon thousands in them that loue me and keepe my commandements Hence I reason thus where reward is giuen vpon mercie there is no merit but rewarde is giuen of mercie to them that fulfill the law therefore no merit What can we any way deserue when our full recompence must be of mercie And this appeares further by Adam if he had stood to this day he could not by his continuall and perfect obedience haue procured a further increase of fauour at Gods hand but should onely haue continued that happie estate in which he was first created Reason III. Scripture directly condemneth merite of workes Rom. 6. 23. The vvages of sinne is death but THE GIFT OF GOD IS eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The proportion of the argument required that S. Paul should haue said The reward of good workes is eternall life if life euerlasting could be deserued which cannot because it is a free gift Againe Tit. 3. 5. We are saued not by vvorkes of righteousnes which vve haue done but according to his mercie he saued vs. And Ephes. 2. v. 8 10. By grace you are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them If any workes be crowned it is certen that the sufferings of Martyrs shall be rewarded now of them Paul saith Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of this life are NOT VVORTHY of the glorie to come Where then is the value dignitie of other works To this purpose ` Ambr. saith The iust man though he be tormented in the brasen bull is still iust because he iustifieth God and saith he suffereth LESSE THEN HIS SINNES DESERVE Reason IV. Whosoeuer will merit must fulfill the whole law but none can keepe the whole law For if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues 1. Ioh. 1. And he that sinnes against one commandement is guiltie of the whole law And what can he merit that is guiltie of the breach of the whole law Reason V. We are taught to pray on this manner Giue vs this day our daily bread Wherein we acknowledge euery morsel of bread to be the meere gift of God without desert and therefore must we much more acknowledge life eternall to be euery way the gift of God It must needes therefore be a satanicall insolencie for any man to imagine that he can by his workes merit eternall life who cannot merit bread Reason VI. Consent of the auncient Church Bernard Those which we call our merits are the way to the kingdome and not THE CAVSE OF RAIGNING August Manuali cap. 22. All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my MERIT IS THE PASSION OF THE LORD I shall not be voide of merits so long as Gods mercies are not wanting Basil. on psal 114. Eternall rest is reserued for them which haue striuen lavvfully in this life not FOR THE MERITS of their doings but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God in which they trusted August on ps 120. He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits And psal 142. Lord thou wilt quicken me in thy iustice not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast compassion Obiections of Papists Obiect I. In sundrie places of Scripture promise of reward is made to them that beleeue and doe good workes therefore our works doe merit for a reward and merit be relatiues Ans. Reward is twofold of debt and of mercie Life euerlasting is not a reward of debt but of mercie giuen of the good will of God without any thing done of man Secondly the kingdome of heauen is properly an inheritance giuen of a father to a child and therefore it is called a reward not properly but by a figure or by resemblance For as a workeman hauing ended his labour receiueth his wages so after men haue lead their liues finished their course in keeping faith and good conscience as dutifull children God giueth them eternall life And herupon it is tearmed a reward Thirdly if I should graunt that life euerlasting is a deserued reward it is not for our works but for Christs merit imputed to vs causing vs thereby to merit and thus the relation stands directly betweene the Reward and Christs Merit applied vnto vs. Obiect II. Christ by his death merited that our works should merit life euerlasting Answ. That is false all we finde in Scripture is that Christ by his merit procured pardon of sinne imputation of righteousnes and life euerlasting and it is no where saide in the word of
onely serueth to supply the absence of the principall whereas Christ is alwaies present with his Church by his word and spirit for where two or three be gathered together in his name he is in the middest among them It may be saide that the ministers in the worke of the ministerie are deputies of Christ I answer that they are no deputies but actiue instruments For in the preaching of the word there be two actions the first is the vttering or propounding of it to the eare the second is the inward operation of the Holy Ghost in the heart which indeede is the principall and belongs to Christ alone the action of speaking in the minister being onely instrumentall Thus likewise the church of God in cutting off any member by excommunication is no more but an instrument performing a ministerie in the name of Christ and that is to testifie and pronounce whome Christ himselfe hath cut off from the kingdome of heauen whome he also will haue for this cause to be seuered from the company of his own people till he repent And so it is in all ecclesiasticall actions Christ hath no deputie but onely instruments the whole intire actioÌ„ being personal in respect of Christ. This one conclusion ouer throwes not onely the Popes supremacy but also many other points of popery Reason II. All the Apostles in regard of power and authoritie were equall for the commission apostolicall both for right and exequution was giuen equally to them all as the very wordes import Math. 28. v. 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them c. and the promise I will giue to thee the kâ—â—es of the kingdome of heauen is not priuate to Peter but is made in his person to the rest according as his confession was in the name of the rest Thus saith Theophylact. They haue the power of committing binding that receiue the gift of a bishop as Peter And Ambr. saith What is said to Peter is said to the Apostles Therfore Peter had no supremacy ouer the rest of the Apostles in respect of right to the coÌ„mission which they say beloÌ„ged to him onely and the execution thereof to the rest But let all be granted that Peter was in commissioÌ„ aboue the rest for the time of his life yet hence may not any superioritie be gathered for the Bishopps of Rome because the authoritie of the Apostles was personall consequently ceased with them without being conueyed to any other because the Lord did not vouchsafe the like honour to any after them For first of all it was the priuiledge of the Apostles to be called immediatly and to see the Lord Iesus Secondly they had power to giue the gift of the holy ghost by the imposition of handes Thirdly they had such a measure of the assistance of the spirit that in their publike sermons and in writing of the word they could not erre and these things were all denied to those that followed after them And that their authoritie ceased in their persons it stands with reason also because it was giuen in so ample a manner for the founding of the Church of the new Testament which being once founded it was needfull onely that there should be pastours and teachers for the building of it vp vnto the ende of the world Reason III. When the sonnes of Zebedeus sued vnto Christ for the greatest roomes of honour in his kingdome deeming hee should be an earthly king Christ answers them againe ye knovv that the Lords of the Gentiles haue dominion and they that are great exercise authoritie over them but it shall not be so vvith you Bernard applieth these very wordes to Pope Eugenius on this maner It is plaine saith he that here dominion is forbidden the Apostles Goe to then dare if you will to take vpon you ruling an Apostleship or in your Apostleship rule or dominion if you will haue both alike you shall loose both Otherwise you must not thinke your selfe exempted from the number of them of vvhome the Lord complaineth thus they haue raigned but not of me they haue beene and I haue not knowne them Reason IV. Eph. 4. mention is made of gifts which Christ gaue to his Church after his ascension whereby some were Apostles some prophets some Euangelists some pastours and teachers Now if there had beene an office in which men as deputies of Christ should haue gouerned the whole Church to the ende of the world the calling might here haue beene named fitly with a gift thereto pertaining and Paul no doubt would not here haue concealed it where he mentioneth callings of lesser importance Reason V. The Popes supremacie was iudged by sentences of Scripture and condemned long before it was manifest in the world the spirit of prophesie foreseeing and foretelling the state of things to come 2. Thess. 2. v. 3 4. The man of sinne which is that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God c. Now this whole chapter with all the circumstances thereof most fitly agrees to the sea of Rome and the Head thereof and the thing which then staied the reuealing of the man of sinne vers 6. is of most expounded to be the Romane Emperour I will alleadge one testimonie in the roome of many Chrysostome saith on this place As long as the Empire shall be had in awe no man shall straitly submit himselfe to Antichrist but after that the Empire shall be dissolued Antichrist shall invade the state of the Empire standing voide and shall labour to pul vnto himselfe the Empire both of man and God And this we finde now in experience to be true for the See of Rome neuer flourished till the Empire decaied and the seat thereof was remooued from the citie of Rome Againe Rev. 13. mention is made of two beasts one comming out of the sea whome the Papists confesse to be the heathenish Romane Emperour the second coÌ„ming out of the earth which doth all that the first beast could doe before him and this fitly agreeth to the Popes of Rome who doe and haue done all things that the Emperour did or could doe and that in his vety sight Reason VI. The iudgement of the auncient Church Cyprian saith Doubtlesse the same were the rest of the Apostles that Peter was indued vvith EQVAL fellowshippe both of honour and of POVVER but a beginning is made of vnitie that the Church may appeare to be one Gregorie saith If one be called vniversall Bishop the vniversall Church GOETH TO DECAY And chap. 144. I say boldly that whosoeuer calleth or desireth to call himselfe vniuersall priest in his pride is a FORERVNNER OF ANTICHRIST And Beholde in the preface of the Epistle which ye directed vnto me you caused to be set a PROVVD TITLE calling me vniversall Pope Bernard Consider that thou art not a lord of Bishops but one of them Churches are MAIMED in that the Romane Bishop draweth all povver to himselfe Again Gregorie himselfe being
Pope saith to the Emperour I which AM SVBIECT TO YOVR COMMANDEMENT haue euery way discharged that which was due in that I haue performed mine allegiance to the Emperour and haue not concealed vvhat I thought on Gods behalfe And Pope Leo the fourth after Gregorre 200. yeares acknowledged the Emperour Lotharius for his soueraigne prince and professed obedience without gainsaying to his Imperial commandemeÌ„ts To conclude whereas they say that there is a double head of the Church one imperiall which is Christ alone the other ministerial which is the Pope gouerning the whole Church vnder Christ I answer this distinction robbeth Christ of his honour because in setting vp their ministeriall head they are faine to borrow of Christ things proper vnto him as the priuiledge to forgiue sinnes properly and the power to gouerne the whole earth by making of lawes that shall as truly binde conscience as the lawes of God c. The nineteenth point Of the efficacie of the sacraments Our consent Conclus I. We teach and beleeue that the sacraments are signes to represent Christ with his benefits vnto vs. Conclus II. We teach further that the sacraments are indeede instruments whereby God offereth and giueth the foresaid benefits vnto vs. Thus farre we consent with the Romane Church The difference The difference betweene vs standes in sundrie points First of all the best learned among them teach that sacraments are phisicall instruments that is true and proper instrumentall causes hauing force and efficacie in them to produce and giue grace They vse to expresse their meaning by these comparisons When the scriuener takes the pen into his hande and writes the action of writing comes from the penne mooued by the hand of the writer and in cutting of wood or stone the diuision comes from the sawe mooued by the hand of the workman euen so the grace say they that is giuen by God is conferred by the sacrament it selfe Nowe we for our parts holde that Sacraments are not physicall but meere voluntarie instruments Voluntarie because it is the will and appointment of God to vse them as certen outward meanes of grace Instruments because when we vse them aright according to the institution God then answerably conferres grace from himselfe In this respect only take we them for instruments and no otherwise The second difference is this They teach that the very action of the Minister dispensing the sacrament as it is a worke done giues grace immediatly if the partie be prepared as the very washing or spâ—inkling of water in baptisme and the giuing of bread in the Lords supper euen as the orderly moouing of the penne vpon the paper by the hand of the writer causeth writing We hold the contrarie namely that no action in the dispensation of a Sacrament conferreth grace as it is a worke done that is by the efficacie and force of the very sacramentall action it selfe though ordained of God but for two other waies First by the signification therof For God testifies vnto vs his will and good pleasure partly by the word of promise and partly by the sacrament the signes representing to the eyes that which the word doth to the eares beeing also types and certen images of the very same things that are promised in the worde and no other Yea the elements are not generall and confused but particular signes to the seuerall communicants and by the vertues of the Institution for when the faithfull receiue the signes from God by the handes of the Minister it is as much as if God himselfe with his owne mouth should speake vnto them seuerally and by name promise to them remission of sinnes And things said to men particularly doe more affect and more take away doubting then if they were generally spoken to an whole companie Therefore signes of graces are as it were an applying and binding of the promise of saluation to euery particular beleeuer and by this meanes the oftener they are receiued the more they help our infirmitie and confirme our assurance of mercie Againe the sacrament conferres grace in that the signe thereof confirmes faith as a pledge by reason it hath a promise annexed to it For when God commaundes vs to receiue the signes in faith and withall promiseth to the receiuers to giue the thing signified he bindes himselfe as it were in bonde vnto vs to stand to his owne word euen as men binde themselues in obligations putting to their handes and seales so as they cannot go backe And when the signes are thus vsed as pledges that often they greatly increase the grace of God as a token sent from one friend to another renews and confirmes the perswasion of loue These are the two principall waies wherby the sacraments are said to conferre grace namely in respect of their signification and as they are pledges of Gods fauour vnto vs. And the very point here to be considered is in what order and manner they confirme And the manner is this The signes and visible elements affect the senses outward and inward the senses conuay their obiect to the minde the minde directed by the holy Ghost reasoneth on this manner out of the promise annexed to the sacramenâ— He that vseth the elements aright shall receiue grace thereby but I vse the elements aright in faith and repentance saith the minde of the beleeuer therefore shall I receiue from God increase of grace Thus then faith is confirmed not by the worke done but by a kind of reasoning caused in the minde the argument or proofe whereof is borrowed from the elements beeing signes and pledges of Gods mercy The third difference The Papists teach that in the sacrament by the worke done the very grace of iustification is conferred We say no because a man of yeares must first beleeue and be iustified before he can be a meete partaker of any sacrament And the grace that is conferred is onely the increase of our faith hope sanctification c. Our reasons Reason I. The word preached and the sacrameÌ„ts differ in the maÌ„ner of giuing Christ and his benefits vnto vs because in the word the spirit of God teacheth vs by a voice convaied to the minde by the bodily cares but in the sacraments annexed to the word by certen sensible and bodily signed viewed by the eye Sacraments are nothing but visible words and promises Otherwise for the giuing it selfe they differ not Christ himselfe saith that in the very word is eaten his owne flesh which he vvas to giue for the life of the vvorld and what can be saide more of the Lords supper Augustine saith that beleeuers are partakers of the bodie blood of Christ in baptisme and Hierome to Edibia that in baptisme vve eate and drinke the bodie and blood of Christ. If thus much may be saide of baptisme why may it not also be saide of the word preached Againe Hierome vpon Ecclesiastes saith It is profitable to be filled with the bodie
coniurations by holy water by the ringing of bels by lighting tapers by reliques and such like For these things haue not their supposed force either by creation or by any institution of God in his holy worde and therefore if any thing be done by them it is from the secret operation of the deuill himselfe The fift sinne is that in their doctrine they maintaine periurie because they teach with one consent that a Papist examined may answer doubtfully against the direct intention of the examiner framing an other meaning vnto himself in the ambiguitie of his words As for example when a man is asked whether he saide or heard Masse in such a place though he did they affirme he may say No and sweare vnto it because he was not there to reueale it to the examiner whereas in the very lawe of nature he that takes an oath should sweare according to the intention of him that hath power to minister an oath that in truth iustice iudgement Let them cleare their doctrine from all defence of periurie if they can The sixt sinne is that they reuerse many of Gods commaÌ„dements making that no sinne which Gods word makes a sinne Thus they teach that if any man steale some litle thing that is thought not to cause any notable hurt it is no mortall sinne that the officious lie and the lie made in sport are veniall sinnes that to pray for our enemies in particular is no precept but a counsell and that none is bound to salute his enemie in the way of friendship flat against the rule of Christ Matth. 5. 47. where the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth all manner of dutie and curtesie that rash iudgement though consent come thereto is regularly but a veniall sinne that it is lawfull other whiles to faine holines that the painting of the face is ordinarily but a veniall sinne that it is not lavvfull to forbid begging whereas the Lord forbad there should be any begger in Israel Againe they teach that men in their choller when they are chiding and sweare vvounds and blood are not indeede blasphemers Lastly their writers vse manifest lying to iustifie their doctrine They plead falsly that all antiquitie is on their side whereas it is as much against them as for them and as much for vs as them Againe their manner hath bin and is still to prooue their opinions by forged and counterfait writings of men some whereof I will name 1 Saint Iames Liturgie 2 The Canons of the Apostles 3 The bookes of Dionysius Ariopagita and namely De Hier archia Ecclesiastica 4 The Decret all Epistles of the Popes 5 Pope Clements workes 6 Some of the Epistles of Ignatius 7 Origens booke of repentance His homelies in diversos sanctos Commentaries on Iob and booke of Lamentation 8 Chrysostomes Liturgie 9 Basils liturgie and his Ascetica 10 Augustines booke de 8. quest Dulâ—itij A booke of true and false repentance Ser de festo commemorationis animarum booke de dogm Ecclesiast Sermon ad fratres in Heremo Sermon of Peters chaire Booke of visiting the sicke c. 11 Iustin Martyrs Questions and Answ. 12 Athanasius epistle to Pope Foelix 13 Bernards sermons of the Lords Supper 14 Hieromes epistle ad Demetriadem sauouring of Pelagius 15 Tertullian de Monogamia 16 Cyprian de Chrismate de ablutione peâ—um 17 In the Councel of Sardica the 3 4 and 5 canons are forged 18 In the Councel of Nice all saue 20. are forged 19 Certaine Romane Councels vnder Sylvester are forged For he vvas at this time dead and therefore could not confirme them Sozom. lib. 2. 20 To the sixt canon of the Councel of Nice are patched these words That the Romane Church hath alwaies had the supremacie 21 Lastly I will not omit that Pope Sozimus Bonifacius ana Coelestinus falsified the canons of the councell of Nice to prooue appeales from all places to Rome so as the Bishops of Africke were forced to send for the true copies of the saide Councell from Constantinople and the Churches of Greece I might here rehearse many other sinnes which with the former call for vengeance vpon the Romane Church but it shall suffice to haue named a few of the principall Now in this reason our Sauiour Christ prescribes another maine dutie to his owne people and that is to be carefull to eschewe all the sinnes of the Church of Rome that they may withall escape her deserued plagues and punishments And from this prescribed dutie I obserue two things The first is that euery good seruant of God must carefully auoide contracts of marriage with professed Papists that is with such as hold the Pope for their head and beleeue the doctrine of the Councel of Trent For in such matches men hardly keepe faith and good conscience and hardly auoide coÌ„munication with the sinnes of the Romane Church A further ground of this doctrine I thus propound In Gods worde there is mentioned a double league betweene man and man countrie and countrie The first is the league of concord when one kingdome bindes it selfe to liue in peace with an other for the maintenance of traficke without disturbance and this kinde of league may stand betweene Gods church and the enemies thereof The second is the league of amity which is when men people or countries binde themselues to defend each other in all causes and to make the warres of the one the warres of the other and this league may not be made with those that be enemies of God Iehosaphat otherwise a good king made this kinde of league with Ahab and is therfore reprooued by the prophet saying wouldest thou helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord 2. Chron. 19. 2. Now the mariages of protestants with Papists are priuate leagues of amitie betweene person and person and therefore not to be allowed Againe Malac. cap. 2. vers 11. the Lord saith Iudah hath defiled the holines of the Lord which he loued and hath married the daughters of a straunge god where is flatly condemned marriages made with the people of a false god nowe the Papists by the consequents of their doctrine and religion turne the true Iehova into an idol of their owne braine as I haue shewed and the true Christ reuealed in the written word into a fained Christ made of breade Yet if such a marriage be once made and finished it may not be dissolued For such parties sinne not simply in that they marrie but because they marrie not in the Lord beeing of diuers religions The fault is not in the substance of marriage but in the manner of making it and for this cause the Apostle commaunds the beleeuing partie not to forsake or refuse the vnbeleeuing partie beeing a very infidel which no papist is if he or she will abide 1. Cor. 7. 13. The second thing is that euery seruant of God must take heede how he trauells into such countries where popish religion is stablished