I am the lesse moued with their speaches because it is the custome of lamed creeple men to be mounted vp on horsebacke an euil cause supporteth the own infirmitie by the loude trumpet of rayling wordes yet haue they not cleared to the world that wee maintaine obstinatly any point of doctrine repugnant vnto the articles of true faith and vnto the principall grounds of Christian religion preached by Christ and committed to write by the holy Apostles Let them be as prodigall in their curses as they please crying out against vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I answere with simplicitie of a humble mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a thing hanged vp in the Lordes Temple and dedicat to God Haue we not seene with our owne eyes deepe woundes made in the flesh of man that haue beene needled by skilfull Chirurgians and in end cured and healed and the skinne of man cutted in twaine by the sword vnited againe by the needle medicinable plasters That doctrine which endenoureth to needle the wounded world and to vnite it againe vnto that holy doctrine taught by the Apostles and Euangelistes and professed in the first hundreth yeere of our Lord shall we call it hereticall Shall we be so babish that wee cannot discerne the sword from the needle conjunction from separation healing from hurting welfare from woe If we knew Christ Iesus and the power of God working by his word we had not so rashly condemned the trueth of God The Iewes spake as confidently against Christ as euer the Councill of Trent hath spokeÌ„ against vs We hâ—…ue a law according to our lawe hee ought to de because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God Ioh. 19. ver 7 Vnder pretence of zealous keeping of the Law made against blasphemers Leuit 24. 15. they condemned the holy One of God as a blasphemer But his father by loosing the sorowes of death receiuing him into heauen placing him at his owne right hand annulled ipso facto that rash sentence giuen out in earth against the innocent Lamb of God Euen so the Lord in his owne appointed time by receiuing our soules into those celestiall mansions prepared for his owne Saintes shall vndoe the rash decreetes that are giuen out against vs in the earth In all ages this matter hath bene contrauerted and Heretiques haue obstinatly maintained their bad and reprobat opinions and as obstinatly refused the odious and vile name of Heretiques and this question in our dayes is like to a flame of fire which no aboundance of water can sloken The definition of an heresie we haue alreadie set downe in the 3 chap resteth nowe in this treatise to ponder the name it selfe to consider the ground of heresie the propagation and preuailing power of it at sometimes the greater and more preuailing power of the curse of God making heresie in end to wither as the figge tree did that was cursed by Christ And finally to declare what should be the cariage both of Pastours magistrats and people toward Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the Greeke language and very ample in signification for it signifieth a choosing Now it is certaine that it is no fault to a man to take a choise when God doth offer it vnto him as when it was offered to SALOMON to aske what hee liked best he choosed rather to craue wisdome then riches from God 1. Reg. 3. and when DAVID choosed rather to fall into the hands of God then of man 2. Sam. 24 ver 14. DAVID in choosing the pest rather then the sworde or famine tooke a choice which was offered vnto him by God And the pondering of the generalitie of the worde may declare that in things indifferent wherinto God hath granted vnto men a libertie free choice such as eating of flesh or abstinence from it marying or not marying a man may take his choice in these things at such times as he findeth it granted by God as well as DAVID and SALOMON and a man is not to be called an Heretique because he marieth because God hath giuen him libertie to marie or not to marie as a man listeth best prouiding alwayes he seeke counsell of God to dispose him in such indifferent things that way whereby he shall be most meete and able to glorifie God For true it is that the Euangelist writeth No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God who is in the bosome of his Father he hath reueiled him Ioh. 1 which words plainly doe testifie that in matters of faith God hath not giuen vnto a man a free choice to embrace what opinion he pleaseth but God hath tied bound vs in matters of faith to the mouth of his deare Sonne to the ende we should thinke no other thing of God then Iesus Christ hath reueiled vnto vs. Now anent the ground of heresie I followe the opinion of AVGVSTINE in his booke of exposition of some places of the epistie to the Galathian wherein hee compareth Heretiques to the sonnes of KETVRA whome ABRAHAM maried after the death of SARA Gen. 25. These children were procreated of an old father and of a yong mother euen so Heretiques pretending antiquitie of Scripture but forging vnto them a new yong sense whereinto Scripture was not written they become defenders of a false opinion The words of S. AVGVSTINE are these Ex occasione antiquaeveritatâ—…s in novitio temporalique nati sunt mendacio that is through occasion of antiquitie of the trueth they are borne into the noveltie of a temporall lie so that AVGVSTINE his judgement soundeth to this that Heretiques pretend antiquitie of scripture for their father but they are more like to KETVRA then ABRAHAM following rather the noueltie of error then the antiquitie of veritie In this maner IRENEVS thinkèth that heresies do spring vp of a false vnderstanding of holy Scriptures vsing the comparison of men who breake the golden image of the king after it is molten againe fashion it according to the similitude of a Foxe now it can not be called the kings image any longer albeit it be composed of that selfe same golde whereof the kings image was made euen so when wordes of Scripture are drawen to a new false hereticall sense count that new sense heresie not Scripture Iren adversus Ualent lib. 1. cap. 1. Now these opinions of IRENEVS and AVGVSTINE concerning the originall ground of heresie do well agree with the word of Christ himselfe written in holy Scripture Are ye not therefore deceiued because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Marc 12. 24. The Sadduces knew wel eneugh the wordes of scripture but not the right sense and meaning of them And therfore it is great wisdome to mixe our reading with prayer to the ende that the Lorde who guided the
Socrates also in his Ecclesiasticall Historie writeth of Eusebius Emisenus an Arrian Heretique vnder the reigne of Constantius who had the gift of working miracles And Platina writeth of miracles wrought at the sepulchre of Rhotaris king of Lombardis an Arrian prince Yea and the Apostle Paul saieth if I had all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Nowe what wisedome is it to count working of miracles one of the principall notes of the true Church of Christ. which is found also in the kingdome of the Antichrist and amongst Heretiques amongst them who in the sight of God are counted nothing if we taught a doctrine either in substaÌ„ce or forme different from the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles it were good reason that we should confirme it with new miracles But if wee teach no doctrine except the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles then is that ancient doctrine alreadie sufficientlie confirmed by ancient miracles wrought by Christ his Apostles Nowe let vs set forward to the purpose and let vs speake of the false miracles whereby the kingdome of the Antichrist was aduanced and that through the mightie operation of Sathan for like as Achab is saide to haue consented to the death of Naboth because the letters which procured his death were sealed with his ring Euen so Sathan liked well the aduancement of the Antichrist because he set himself to worke by many lying miracles to aduance the kingdome of the Antichrist Before the 600. yeere of our Lord when the way was preparing for the Uniuersall Bisshop was not the worshipping of the Crosse confirmed in Apamea by the fiâ—…e which shined about Thomas bishop there and burned him not The towne of Edessa was thought to bee saued by the picture of Christ dipped in water which picture was alledged to haue beene sent to King Agbarus The towne of Sergiopolis to haue beene sâ—…ued by the reliques of the martyr Sergius But after the 600. yeere of our Lord false miracles were so multiplied that it would be tedious to reade the shortest abridgement of them that could bee compiled The miracles wrought by the reliques of Sainct Oswald King of ENGLAND written by Beda The miracles wrought by the reliques of Iohn Baptist written by Sigebertus and of S. Sebastian written by Paulus Diaconus The miracles of the popes Deus dedit and pope Agatho written by Platina The miracles of S. Dionyse S. Maurice and S. Martine who miraculously deliuered the soule of Dagoberius King of France out of the handes of euill spirites written also by Platina The miracle of Immas a captiue and a prisoner in ENGLAND whome no bandes could binde because his brother beeing a Priest and supposing that Immas had beene slaine in the battell and that his soule had beene in purgatorie hee made prayers to GOD and saide Masse oft times for reliefe of his brothers soule the benefite whereof as Beda supposeth redounded to the weale of Immas soule and bodie O foolishe fable and yet thought worthie by master Brestow by a newe coÌ„memoration thereof to be kept in continuall remembrance To bee short the Legendes Portuses Festiuals Promptuaries Sermones and other bookes of the Romane Church which are all stuffed so full that nothing almoste is thought to bee sufficiently proued that is not confirmed by a number of false and friuolous miracles all these I saye clearely prooue in what account false miracles were and are in the kingdome of the Antichrist Euery man who is a judicious Reader may consider that I leaue this point not for lâ—…cke of aboundance of matter but for feare to offende the Reader with superfluitie of miracles vnworthie to bee rehearsed The thirde cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist is set downâ—… in the 10. verse in these wordes In all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perishe In which wordes the Apostle pointeth out vnto vs three thinges First that the marke and butte whereat the Antichrist shooteth is vnrighteous Secondly the meanes whereby hee endeuoureth to attaine vnto his intended purpose are deceitfull and thirdly that the deceitfulnesse of the Antichrist shall not hurt the elect of God but onely them that perish The principall butte and ende whereat they aimed continually was superioritie and preheminence aboue their brethren The deceitfull meanes whereby they attained to that preheminence were flatterie lies and fâ—…lse accusations of good men They flattered the Emperours Phocas and Basilius They falsified the actes of the Councell of Nice for excessiue desire to bee counted judges of appellations They accused the bishops of Rauenna moste falsely of the Heâ—…esie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not content with superioritie ouer their brethren they aimed continually at the honour due to Christ that is to bee law-giuers in the Church of God This was a matter of greater difficultie to bee brought to passe for albeit a man may climbe vp vnto the toppe of the highest mountaine in the worlde yet can hee not reach his hand aboue the Sunne and Moone and the glistering lightes of the firmament Euen so when all the Bishops in the worlde are casten vnder the feete of the Bishops of ROME howe dare they presume with sacrilegious boldenesse to make themselues companions to CHRIST and to bee Lawe-giuers in the Church By deceiueable meanes also this vnrighteousnesse behooued to bee brought to passe for a false opinion was setled in the heartes of the people That in matters of Faith the Bishop of ROME coulde not erre So ignorant people bewitched with vaine hopes without all due examination receiued all their ordinances howe repugnant soeuer they were to the ordinances of CHRIST The last cause wherefore the ANTICHRIST shall preuaile so mightilie is the power of the wrath of GOD justlie punishing the contempt of His trueth in the worlde The contempt of mercie deserueth punishment and the contempt of great mercie deserueth great punishment Nowe it is certaine that amongst all the rich treasures of the mercie of GOD CHRIST is the greatest with whome and for whose sake all other thinges are giuen as the Apostle PAVL speaketh in the eight Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes and the thirtie and two verse And seeing CHRIST is manifested to the worlde by the preaching of the Gospell the contempt thereof is an vtter rejecting of CHRIST And what wonder is it that GOD suffer them to bee deluded with errours who will not belecue the trueth of His worde The strong delusions or efficacie of errour as the GREEKS worde soundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather to bee referred to the ostentation of signes and wonders than to the power of the doctrine that shall bee vnder the ANTICHRIST for it is saide In the Gospell according to Sainct MATTHEW in the twentle and fourth Chapter and the twentie and fourth verse thereof There shall arise false christes and false prophets and shall shewe great signes and wonders so that if it
argumentes whereby the seconde Councell of Nice endeuoured to approue the adoration of images are all refuted in the Councell of Frankford as I haue declared alreadie in a Treatise concerning worshipping of Images Concerning the argument taken from the authotitie of Epiphanius who in his booke called Panarium reckoneth not the worshippers of images in the roll of Heretiques it is answered by the Councell of FRANKFORD that incase Epiphanius had counted the haters of the worshippers of images Heretiques hee had likewise inferted their names in the catalogue of Heretiques but seeing hee hath not so done the Councell of Nice had no just cause to triumph so much in this friuolous argument which maketh more against them that it maketh for them More-ouer in the Councell of FRANKFORD the Epistle of Epiphanius written to Ihonne bishop of Hierusalem was read wherein hee disalloweth the verie inbringing of images into Churches and this Epistle was translated out of Grieke into the Latine language by Ierom. The Epistle is worthie to bee read Reade it in the Magdeburg Historie Cent. 8. Chap. 9. TREATISES Belonging to the VIII CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of Transsubstantiation SATHAN is a vigilant enemie setting himselfe in most opposite manner against euerie thing that is a comfort and refreshment vnto the sheepe-folde of God Now the principall comforts of the sheepe of God are the pastures wherein they feede and the waters wherewith they are refreshed Doubtlesse these two comforts are the preaching of the word and the ministration of the Lordes holy Sacraments If Sathan by any meanes can hinder the true preaching of the worde and the right ministration of the Sacramēts then his malice against Gods people is descried as the malice of the Philistimes of olde against Isaac and his cattell was manifested when they stopped with earth the foūtaines of water which Abraham had digged whereof the cattell of Isaac were accustomed to drink It cannot bee sufficiently expressed in words what malice Sathan hath born against the true preaching of the word of God the right ministration of the Sacraments The sixt persecution of Ethnick Emperoures was so directly set against the Preachers of Gods worde as the worlde might easily discerne that the intention of Maximinus was to vndoe the sheepe-folde of God for lacke of pastures and of refreshing waters For this cause let not our cogitations be rauished with admiration when we heare or reade that manie questions haue beene mooued concerning the holie Sacrament of the Lords Supper If there were not plenty of spirituall consolation to bee receiued by the right participation of this holy Sacrament Sathan had neuer busied himselfe so earnestly against it as if the throate of his kingdome were cut if this Sacrament be rightly ministred by the Preachers rightlie receiued by the people Let the Christian Reader remember that of olde vnder the tenne persecuting Emperoures the receiuing of the holy Sacrament of the Lordes Supper was called the banquet of Thyestes This proceeded from none other ground but from the malice of the Deuill hating the Lords holy banquet Secondly the Manichean heretiques so peruerted the Lords holy Sacrament that Augustine to whom their secret mysteries were not vnknowne was compelled to call their Communion Execramentum and not Sacramentum that is an execrable thing and not a Sacrament Thirdly the Donatists in ministring the Lords Sacraments were in an opinion That the Sacrament was onely effectuall when it was ministred by one of their owne number But seeing the malice of Sathan is an infinite thing and hath not a period wherein it endeth For defacing of the right vse of the holy Sacrament Sathan filled the heart of an hereticall Monke called Damascene with a lewde opinion to affirme That the bread in the holy Sacrament was transsubstantiate into the body of Christ and that the wine was transsubstantiate into His blood Which opinion I may justly call a Noueltie because it was neither in worde nor writ hearde before the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord. But it is the custome of Papists to follow Nouelties and in the meane time to bragge of Antiquitie What abuses of the holy Sacrament followed after the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord God willing shall bee declared in its owne time for the present thus much I say That vpon a time I saw the images of Cain and Abel pictured by an vnlearned painter with such habite as the Germanes are appareled with in our dayes These pictures made mee not to thinke that the Germane habite was in vse in the dayes of Cain and Abel but rather that the painter was a foolishe man destitute of vnderstanding Euen so when I reade the works of Damascene albeit I was at that time but young in yeeres yet I thought not that the opinion of Damascene was agreeable to Apostolicke doctrine but rather that Damascene was a foolishe and doating Monke and somewhat ambitious also desiring to be coūted the author of some new opinion which no man had maintained before him IN this TREATISE I shall first declare God willing what it is that they call Transsubstantiation secondly howe absurde an opinion it is and thirdly with what relùctation it was insinuated into the bosome of the Latine Church but euer vntill this daye was rejected of the Grieke Church Nowe Transsubstantiation as they saye is an euanishing of the substance of bread and wine after the wordes of consecration and a substitution of the bodie blood of Christ in place of the euanished substance of bread and wine the accidents of bread and wine alwayes remaining without inherence into anie subject Albeit the worde Transsubstantiation seemeth to import a change of one substance into another and the moste part of them define it to bee a chaunge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie yet some of them doe forsee a great inconueniencie if Transsubstantiation be defined to a chāge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie namely this that Christes bodie in heauen cladde with a most glorious and celestiall brightnesse and Christes bodie in earth ouershaddowed with the accidentes of bread and wine shall not bee counted one and the selfe same bodie in respect that the bodie of Christ that is in heauen was formed by the holy Spirit of the substance of the Virgine Marie and the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament woulde bee founde to bee made of the substance of bread This is the cause wherefore they who are more subtile than the rest abstaine from the grosse definition afore-saide Howsoeuer concerning the word Transsubstantiation I admonish the Reader that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an euanishing or disparition hath no affinitie with Damascenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a change of one thing vnto another thing that is better so that there is no good agreement amongst themselues concerning the signification of the word Transsubstantiation Concerning consecration of the elementes there are diuerse opinions The
that he himselfe was sent from aboue to saue the worlde and by vertue of his Baptisme men should bee made immortall euen in this world in such sort that they should neither waxe olde nor taste of death Euseb eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 26. This heresie EPIPHANIVS compareth to Aspido-gorgon in Egypt a great serpent inclosed into a vessel of lame with many other serpents after he hath deuoured all the rest of the serpents he beginneth to gnaw his owne taile for hunger and to destroye himselfe Epiph. contrahareses so did this heresie vndoe it selfe by promising great things which MENANDER could not performe neither in himselfe nor in others In this age also sprang vp EBION who denied the diuinitie of Christ and saide hee was onely a man begotten betweene IOSEPH and MARIE and that the obseruation of MOSES Law was necessarie to eternall life his followers were called Ebionites either by the name of their master EBION or else as EVSEBIVS thinketh for their poore beggerly opinion they had of Christ supponing him onely to be a man for EBION in the Hebrewe language signifieth one that is poore Euseb. eccles hist lib. 3 cap. 27. These Ebionites damne all the epistles of PAVL and count him an Apostat from the law and they admit no part of the Newe Testament for canonicke Scripture except the Gospell of MATTHEW CERINTHVS about the same time was the author of strange reuelations which he said he had receiued from Angels that after the resurrection from the dead Christ should haue an earthly kingdome in this world and that the subjectes of Christes Kingdome should eate and drinke and marie and keepe holy dayes and offer sacrifices for hee himselfe was a man giuen to fleshly lustes and he imagined that the pleasures of Christs Kingdome shuld consistin fulfilling the concupiscence of the flesh Euseb. eccles hist lib. 3. cap. 18. Likewise in this age sprang vp the errour of the Nicolaitanes vpon this occasion as CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS doth write Strom. 3. One of the Deacons chosen by the Apostles to haue the ouersight of the poore Acts 6. had a beautifull woman to his wife was accused of ouer great jealousie To purge himselfe of all suspition of that fault hee brought his wife into the mids of his brethren and said he was content that any man should marrie her Of which wordes many tooke occasion to liue promiscuously like beastes no man hauing his owne proper wife but making them common Howbeit NICOLAVS is said to haue liued himselfe in matrimoniall chastitie contenting himselfe with his own wife alanerly Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 29. Noght the lesse his foolish and vnaduised speaches were the occasion of a most wicked damnable errour of the Nicolaitanes whereof the Lord speaketh in the Reuelation of IOHN that he hated it Apoc. 2. This is that heresie which GREGORIE the seuenth imputed to all married priestes but with what equitie marriage ordeined by God and honorable among all men can be called an heresie hated of the Lord let the Christian reader judge Of Antiquitie TO the historie I haue adjoyned certaine Treatises containing contrauerted questions in our time for decision whereof it is necessarie to haue recourse to the writings of the Apostles the custome of the Primitiue Church adhering to the Apostolicke doctrine firmely euen vnto the death Our first treatise Godwilling shall be of Antquitie Now this doctrine is to be spread out into foure branches First we shall speake Godwilling of Antiquitie of veritie next of Antiquitie of errour thirdly of Antiquitie of custome and fourthly what is the best way to discerne betweene the ancient veritie and the olde lie Antiquitie of veritie is the way of saluation pointed out by the finger of God from the beginning of the world of this way speaketh IEREMIE cap. 6. ver 16 Seeke out the ancient wayes and walke in them ye shall find rest vnto your soulâ—… Antiquitie of errour is an adding pairing altering or contradictioÌ„ to the ancient way pointed out into this word of God and of this Christ speaketh in the Gospell of Matthew Ye haue heard it said of old Thou shalt not slay c. but I say vnto you he who is angrie with his brother without a cause is worthy of iudgement Mat. 5. ver 21. and 22. Whereby Christ declareth that the false interpretation of the law whereby the spirituall lawe was drawen to a corporall and a grosse sense and meaning yet was this errour ancient and was heard of old time but the verie description of antiquitie of errour declareth that it is not so ancient as the trueth forsomuch as it is a depravation marring of the afore-existent trueth either one way or other The third sort of antiquitie is antiquitie of custome that is certaine customes that crept in into the Church of God partly in the dayes of the Apostles partly soone after their dayes such as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is feastes of loue epist. lude ver 12. and after the Apostles dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is three dippings in water in the sacrament of Baptisme These customes were neither authorized by Apostolicke precept and commandement neither abrogated by Apostolicke prohibition but tolerated into the Church vntill the time they were abused as we see clearely 1. Cor. 11. ver 20. 21 22. Now as concerning antiquitie of veritie first we shall declare where it should be sought secondly when it is found what is the vertue and power of it thirdly how it ought to be reuerenced loued and followed of vs. And first antiquitie of veritie is to be sought as the Apostle S. IOHN and beloued disciple of Christ sought it to wit out of the mouth of him who was from the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thing which was from the beginning Iohn 1. ver 1. as if hee would say I present vnto you no newe doctrine but that which I receiued from the mouth of Christ himselfe who was existent albeit not manifested in the flesh euen from the beginning of the world In the beginning was the word c Iohn 1. ver 1. If this way we seeke antiquitie wee assuredly finde the ancient way of God whereinto wee should walke and get rest vnto our soules Ierem 6. ver 16. Antiquitie is not to be sought as PSAMMETICHVS King of Egypt sought it from new wained babes keeping them in in secret custodie without hearing any articulate voyce or intelligible speech whereby he might discerne what people and language was most ancient HERODOT EVTERP this was a follish seeking out of antiquitie from them that were not ancient Next when we haue found out the ancient trueth consider the vertue and power of it It is strong and mightie in operation like vnto Christ the author of it whose hnmilitie and apparent weaknesse bruiseth and dasheth in pieces all the glorious strong and stately things of the world that are
Canon containing a rehearsal of the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture it declareth the book to be supposititious wherein the 3. bookes of Maccabees are comprehended as bookes of the old Testament And againe among the bookes of the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note the preeminent dignitie it reckoneth the two epistles of CLEMENT and his precepts giuen to Bishops comprehended into 8. bookes which were not to be published to all men in respect they contained some secret mysteries Canon Apost cap. 84. Is then the epistles of CLEMENT the 8. bookes of his precepts written to Bishops the actes of the Apostles written by him Canonicke Scripture books of the new Testament equall to the writings of the Apostles yet dited for the most part as secret mysteries to Bâ—…shops to be concealed and hid from the people when as the Apostle PAVL by the contrarie writing to TIMOTHIE and TITVS writeth vnto them wholsome precepts to be communicat to the people And the Apostle IOHN writeth to the Angels of the seuen Churches of Asia nothing but wholesome precepts to be imparted and communicat to the 7. Churches Apoc. 2. 3. such a candle that shall be hid vnder a bushel and not set vpon a candlesticke to giue light vnto the houshold of God I dare not imagine that either the holy Apostles or yet CLEMENT one of the Apostles faithfull successours did euer light such a candle The allowance which these Canons of the Apostles got in the sixt generall Councill Anno 681. whereof GREGORIVS HOLOANDER the conuerter of them out of Greeke into Latin glorieth so much was vpon an occasion whereof the Romaine Church hath cause to blush and to be ashamed rather then to glorie much First because in that generall Councill HONORIVS 1. sometime Bishop of Rome was condemned of heresie Secondly because in that Council the Bishop of Constantinople was ordained to be in equall authoritie with the Bishop of Rome And thirdly because the constitutions of the Latin Church forbidding men who were in ecclesiasticall offices to marie these constitutions I say were vtterly disallowed and the 5. chapter of the Canons of the Apostles gote better allowance because in it it was statute and ordained that the Bishop Elder or Deacon who repudiateth his own wife vnder pretence of religion shall be excommunicat and if he continue so doing he should be deposed Now this generall Councill making in so many principall points against them and onely gracing the supposititious booke of the Canons of the Apostles of purpose to disgrace the constitutions of the Romaine Church if HOLOANDER had remembred what he had bene doing he had bene more sparing in alledging the authoritie therof The shortnes of the treatise wil not permit me to make plaine to the reader how the Council gathered by CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS and the fathers of that same Councill gathered againe by IVSTINIAVNS 2. to perfite the worke they had immediatly afore begun both constitute but one generall Councill Alwayes if any thing seeme to be made vp against vs by the alledgance of a testimonie out of the booke of the Canons of the Apostles remember in what time this testimonie is alledged namely in the 68 1 yeere of our Lord. If IVSTINVS MARTYR or IRENEVS or any ancient father neere vnto the Apostles dayes had cited a testimonie out of this supposititious booke it had bene more likly that the Apostles had giuen command to CLEMENT Bishop of Rome to write that booke As touching the third maske of antiquitie to wit the decretall epistles in the first Tome of Councils and the distinctions of GRATIAN falsly ascribed to the ancient Bishops of Rome I hope in the mercy of God to remember a few of them specially in the 3. Centurie but not to the honour of impudent and vnlearned fellowes who haue forged these decretall epistles as if the world in all ages could produce no broods of better spirits then the asses compositours of these decretall epistles As concerning the accurate speculations of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA who was neuer rauished vp vnto the third heauen as PAVL was neither sawe things that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is things that cannot be spoken and which are not possible for any man to vtter as PAVL did 2. Cor. 12. ver 4. I say of him onely two things First if he had beene so ancient a writer as Papistes speake and the disciple whom PAVL conuerted by his preaching in Mars street Acts 17 then ancient writers had made mention of him such as IVSTINVS IRENEVS and CYPRIAN and such others but of his writings no mention is made in the greatest antiquitie Secondly I say with that reuerent Doctour of our own nation Mr THOMAS SMETON that the books giuen out vnder the name of old DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA sunt prorsus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are altogether fecklesse impertinent frivolous books Of Heresie EPIPHANIVS Bishop of Cyprus when hee writeth against Heretiques he intituleth his booke Panarium that is a medicinable boxe or shrine whereinto are contained sauing medicaments against the venome oflying doctrine albeit heresie be a poysonable and hurtfull thing yet treatises of heresie haue bene compiled not to hurt any man but to giue warning to eschewe the pernicious snares of the deuil Like as learned men who haue written of the nature of herbes haue not onely written of such herbes as are meete for food and of such as haue a medicinable vertue to cure diseases but of those also that are venemous and poysonable to the end that men beeing warned of the perill that is in eating of them they may escape danger and be kept in safetie In all ages wicked men haue bene like vnto IVDAS when hee entred into the garden of Gethsemane where Christ was praying and sweating bloodie teares for the saluation of mankinde he stepped in into the garden only of purpose to betray his master so doe wicked men in our daies read the holy Scriptures diligently walking as it were in the middes of the garden of God but onely of intention to betray Christ Iesus and to gainsay his euerlasting trueth On the other side it becommeth vs well when we are driuen either by necessity or by some honest occasioÌ„ to be in places where Satan hath set vp his throne to be walking as it were through the garden that Satan hath planted then let vs mark diligently the abominatioÌ„s of the deuill the multitude of serpents and vipers that are lurking there and giue warning to poore soules who are intangled with error to leaue that habitation of Dragons to come forth out of that comfortlesse den to the end their soules may be refreshed with the delectable flowres of the garden of God I hope in the mercy of God so to speake of heresy as I shal moue no man to be an Heretique And as concerning the rayling words of the aduersaries of the truth who haue with opeÌ„ mouth proclaimed vnto the world that we are Heretiques
life Is there any euill that wee haue done that is not written with a penne of Yron and with the point of a Diamond in the booke of the conscience Ierem. 17. ver I These two bookes are perfite Ho but the thirde booke of the Lawe and written Worde of God is not perfite In the day of the Lordes blessed appearance wee shall finde it perfite containing all that wee should haue either done or beleeued Secondly they say that the Scriptures are difficill to be vnderstand and therefore should not bee reade by common people And indeede the Apostle PETER granteth that some places of the Epistles of PAVL are hard to bee vnderstood 2. Pet. 3. but hee biddeth no man for this abstaine from the reading of PAVLS Epistles To ouercome difficulties there are better remedies The blessed virgine the mother of our Lord when she vnderstood not Christes wordes she kept and pondered them in her heart Luc. 2. IVSTINVS MARTYR was admonished by an ancient and reuerent Christian to joyne prayer with reading that God would please to open the ports of light and vnderstanding that he might conceiue the true sense meaning of that he read Iustin dialog Tryphen CHRYSOSTOM in his preface vpon the Epist. to the Romanes declareth that if a man would acquaint himself familiarly with the scriptur by continuall exercise of reading he should the more easily vnderstand Scripture as he who is familiarly acquainted with his friend wil know by his nod or becken what is his meaning AVGVSTINE likewise saith that as there is difficill places in Scripture to exercise the vnderstanding of the strong so likewise there is plaine and easie passages of Scripture as pleasant medowes whereinto babes may securely walke August Aboue all the rest our master Christ Iesus hath taught vs by his owne example to confer Scripture with Scripture Math. 4. to the end we be not deceiued by Satans false glosses and commentaries vpon Scripture This is better then vpon occasion of difficultie to reject and cast away from vs a thing so necessarie Thirdly they say that the reading of Scriptures is dangerous to simple people because they may easily fall into an errour for fault of vnderstanding the right meaning of that which is reade I might answere compendiously that by this argument no man should reade sacred scripture neither learned nor vnlearned men For many learned men by reading Scripture and not vnderstanding it aright haue beene patrons of heresie such as ARRIVS MACEDONIVS NESTORIVS EVTHICHES and diuers others Also the very Monkes whose solitarie life and continuall exercise in reading and praying might seeme to exeeme them more then others from errour and heresie yet by mistaking the places of Scripture that spake of the eyes the nostrels the face of God the breath of God the arme of God they supponed God to bee fashioned according to the likenesse of a man And so both learned and vnlearned Priestes and people men liuing in townes and lurking in cottages of the wildernes haue erred through misvnderstanding of Scriptures Yet Scriptures must be reade by all true Christians and our meditation night and day must be vpon the Lawe of God Psal. 1. ver 2. Let vs here consider that some things are not necessarie vnto eternall life and when they are abused it is not amisse that they bee remooued and put out of the way such as the brasen serpent which HEZEKIAS brake in pieces and called it Nebustan 2 Reg. cap. 18. ver 4. But other things are so necessarie vnto eternall life that albeit they were a thousand times abused yet they cannot be forsaken such as is that foode that feedeth our soules vnto eternall life Ioh 6. for the which we are commanded continually to labour And like as when many thousands are poysoned in meate or drinke as it fell out in the armie of CONRADVS 3. yet necessitie compelleth men to cate and drinke cuen so we must reade and meditate vpon the written worde albeit infinit numbers of people haue beene miscatied by not taking vp the right sense and meaning of Scripture Now the cause wherefore so many accusations are forged against Scripture is this because it is the powerfull instrument of God whereby teachers of lying doctrine are conuicted and confounded Places of holy Scripture are like vnto the smooth stones that DAVID tooke out of the brooke and fastened one of them into the head of GOLIAH 1 Sam. 17. ver 49. Euen so Heretiques are so confounded by the testimonies of Scripture that aboue all things they hate Scripture This IRENEVS toucheth shortly spealing of Heretiques in these words Cùm ex Scripturis arguuntur in accusationem convertuntur ipsarum Scripturarum lib. 3. cap. 2. that is When they to wit Heretiques are argued by Scriptures they turne themselues to the accusation of Scrip tures Thieues do hate the light and traitours the face of a ludge and Heretiques hate Scripture the very axe that is laid to the root of their tree that it may be hewed down cast into the fire and vtterly abolished Notwithstanding of all these false accusations let vs fast adhere to the written Word The fathers that liued in the time of these ten persecutions counted the volume of holy Scripture so precious a treasure that they could willingly offer their bodies to bee burned with fire for the faith of Christ but they would not giue one page of the holy Scripture to be burned and if any man did it he was called proditor that is a betrayer and was counted a companion to the traitour IVDAS who betrayed his master which custome was the ground of that great and long-lasting controuersie betwene CECILIANVS B. of Carthage the Donatists For the Donatists alledged that he had admitted to an ecclesiasti cke office a man who in time of persecution had bene proditor had deliuered a volume of holy Scripture to be burned If we will not followe the zeale of ancient Christians I will set downe a more familiar example of an ancient and honourable Lady of blessed memorie My eares heard her call the Scripture the charter of our heauenly inheritance because we haue no right to heauen but only by the promises contained in the Scriptures of God No man wil be content to haue their charter rest out of their hande If any difficil question arise by reading of it they will send for a wise Lawier and seeke resolution at him but they will assuredly keepe and reade their owne charter Euen so saith the foresaid nobleLady Gods people should not haue bene debarred from reading the holy Scriptures of God the very true charter of their heauenly inheritance This written word is the shepherds staffe of Christ wherby we are comforted in our life vpholden euen when wee walke through the shadowe of death Psal. 23. ver 4. Which staffe Christe holdeth in his hande not for his owne sake as other shepherdes doe to rest vpon it and to relieue their
it that is vile and filthie as hee did vnto the Priests of the succession of AARON If any man wil obstinatly contend that the promise made to the Apostles and their successours was absolute and not conditionall consider the inconuenients that will follow Seeing this promise was not made to PETER onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their successours then as none of the Romaine Bishops can erre in religion because they are the successours of PETER as they alledge so in like maner the Bishops of Ierusalem Alexandria Antiochia Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica Corinth diuerse other places are all exeemed from errour because the Apostles and Euangelists preached and constitute Churches in all-these places they are successours to the Apostles in that same sense that the Bishops of Rome are successours to PETER And if none of all these can erre what priuiledge hath the church of Rome aboue all other Churches Or how can that be performed which was foretolde by the Apostle concerning apostasie that should fall out the reuelation of the man of sinne childe of perdition 2. Thess. 2 For all the successours of the Apostles beeing exeemed from error what place could be giuen to the Antichrist or what doore could haue bene opened to MAHOMET by whose delusions the Orientall Church hath bene so miserably abused But seeing the Apostles had some extraordinarie things such as calling gifts and prerogatiues They were called immediatly by Christ and were taught immediatly by his Spirit and mouth Gal. 1. They receiued from heauen the gift of tongues and languages to vtter this celestiall knowledge to all tongues nations Act. 2. They had power by imposition of hands to conferre to others the gift of the holy Spirit Act 8 With these extraordinarie giftes they had also extraordinarie prerogatiues that in teaching the doctrine receiued from Christ they should not erre Now these who cal themselues successors to the Apostles they dare not clame to the Apostles immediat calling nor yet to their extraordinarie gifts but that which of all the rest was most extraordinarie to the Apostles viz. to be exeemed from errour in teaching and writing that is so fast adhered vnto that it is one of the principal grounds of the Romaine faith in our dayes that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in faith and religion Yea so infortunate are the Bishoppes of Rome of late dayes that they would climme vp to the highest top and preeminence of Apostolicke dignitie to be exeemed from errour when as in things of lesse importance they cannot attaine as we speak to the Apostles garters This proud conceit of Apostolick succession with power of binding and loosing exemption from errour made some of the Bishops of Rome so high minded so vaine and ridiculous that learned fathers conueened together in Councils thought their pride more worthie to be receiued with scoffing wordes then with prolixe refutations Example whereof wee haue in a Councill gathered at Rome in the time of the Emperour OTTO the first about the yeere of our Lord 956. In which Councill IOHN 13. Others write Pope IOHN the 12. hee fled for feare of the Emperour OTTO Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against him such as incest murther saeriledge playing at dice and drinking to the deuill admitting of boyes to be Bishops for money with many other villanous things ouâ—…r and beside his perfidie in assisting BERENGARIVS and his sonne ALBERTVS against the Emperour OTTO contrarie to his promise and oath made before to the Emperour Libertie being granted to Pope IOHN to compeare without feare to answere to the accusations objected against him he beeing conuict in conscience would not compeare but he sent a short letter to the Council bearing that he was PETERS successor and had power of binding loosing by vertue of this power hee band them vnder paine of cursing that they should not proceede to his deposition To this proud letter the Councill gathered at Rome returned this answere that Christ gaue power of binding loosing to all his disciples as well as to PETER but one of them to wit IVDAS by abusing his power lost his power only he retained some power of binding to wit he had libertie to binde his owne necke to the gallous In which wordes they call him IVDAS and biddes this vile beast goe and hang himselfe if he lift Hist. Magdeb urg Cent. 10. cap. 9. PLATINA callâ—…th IOHN 13. homo sceleratissinus a most wicked man ONVPHRIVS the aduocate of all wicked causes blusheth and dare not stand at the barre to pleade the cause of IOHN 12. the predecessour of LEO the eight for both are one man he whom PLATINA calleth 13. and he whome ONVPHRIVS counteth 12. The Bishops of Rome might haue bene admonished by this one example if there were no mo not to be high minded not to cum to the supreame top of Apostolicke preeminence In a worde the Bishops of Rome of late yeeres are moâ—…e like to the successours of CAIAPHAS who would needes haue Christe to stand before his judgement seat judge of Christ his doctrine disciples Ioh. 18 ver 19. then they are like to the successours of PETER for I can see no inexcusable boldnes in CAIAPHAS damning Christs doctrine but I grope the like in the Romaine church that vsurpeth authoritie ouer the written word ouer Councils and consequently ouer Christ himselfe To conclude this treatise I will compare succession wherof the Romaine church braggeth so much to the way that lay betweene Samaria and Jerusalem this way led the people of Ephraim Manasse Jssachar Zabulon Nephthali and Aser to Jerusalem when they set their face Southward when they went vpward but the same way againe led them from Jerusalem when they turned their faces Northward when they went downward Euen so if a man set his face toward heauenly Ierusalem he shal finde a number of holy successors of the Apostles in puritie of doctrine honestie of conuersation patience in suffering that shall leade him to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem but againe it is as certaine if a man will set his face Northward to defection to backsliding and to preferre the traditions of men to the ordinances of God there shall not inlacke a number of guiders in the roll of personall successours as they call it to the Apostles who shall lead him from Jerusalem to Samaria from the mountaine of God to the valley of Benhinnon Therefore while we are in the way take heed what way our faces are set whether to Ierusalem or to Samaria and if they be set to Ierusalem let vs followe these sure guides who were true successours to the Apostles and they shall indeede leade vs to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem and to the glory which in heart and minde we waite for whereunto God lead vs for his Christs sake Amen CENTVRIE III. Chap. 1. Seuerus AFter PERTINAX and IVLIAN SEVERVS gouerned 17 yeeres 8. months
EVSEBIVS reckoneth onely 12. yeeres lib. 6. cap. 12. He stirred vp the fift persecution against the Christians The crimes objected against the Christians beside those that were objected in the former persecution were these Rebellion against the Emperour sacriledge murthering of infants worshipping of the sunne and worshipping the heade of an Asse which last calumnie was forged against them by the malice of the Jewes This persecution raged most seuerely in the townes of Alexandria and Carthage like as the former persecution had done in Lions and Vienne in France Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 1. LEONIDES the father of ORIGEN was beheaded his sonne being but yong in yeeres exhorted his father to perseuere in the faith of Christ constantly vnto the death POTAMIEA a yong beautiful virgin in Alexandria was by the judge condemned to death and deliuered to a Captaine called BASILIDES who stayed the insolencie of the people that followed her to the place of execution with outrage of slanderous and rayling worde crying out against her for this cause shee prayed to God for the conuersion of BASILIDES to the true faith and was heard of God in so much that he was not onely conuerted to the faith of Christ but also sealed it vp with his blood and had the honour of martyrdome Euseb. lib. 6. cap 5. ALEXANDER who was fellow-labourer with NARCISSVS in Ierusalem escaped many dangers yet was he martyred in the dayes of DECIVS the 7. great persecuter Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 39. Of this Emperour the Senat of Rome said Aut non nasci aut non mori debuisse that is Either hee should neuer haue beene borne or els should neuer haue tasted of death So it pleased the Lorde by his wise dispensation to suffer the dayes of TRAIAN ANTONINVS Philosophus SEVERVS Emperours renoumed in the world to be more cruell against his owne people then the dayes of NERO DOMITIAN CALIGVLA or COMMODVS to the ende the poore Church might learne to be content to be spoyled of all outward comfort and to leane vpon the staffe of the consolations of God alanerly Many that were brought vp in the schooles of ORIGEN suffered martyrdome such as PLVTARCHVS SERENVS HERACLIDES HERON and another hauing the name of SERENVS also Euseb. lib 6. cap. 4. Among women RHAIS was burned with fire for Christs sake before she was baptized with water in Christs Name Euseb. ibid. Innumerable moe martyrs were slaine for the faith of Christ whose names in particular no ecclesiasticall writer euer was able to comprehend therfore it shall suffice to heare the names of a few The rest whose names are not expressed enjoy the crownes of incorruptible glory as wel as those doe whose names are in all mens mouths It is the comfort of our hearts to remember that the Apostles and Euangelists sealed vp with their blood the doctrine which they taught and committed to writ and no other doctrine and the holy martyres immediatly after the Apostles dayes sealed vp with the glorious testimonie of their blood that same faith which we now professe which they receiued froÌ„ the hands of the Apostles but they were not so prodigall of their liues to giue their blood for the doctrine of worshipping of images inuocation of Saints plurality of mediators of intercession the sacrifice of the Masse both propitiatory and vnbloody expresly against the wordes of the Apostle Heb. 9. ver 22. and such other heades of doctrine vnknown to antiquitie The Romaine Church in our daies is a persecuting and not a persecuted Church more fruitfull in murthers then martyrdomes glorying of antiquitie and follow ing the forgerie of new inuented religion This Emperour SEVERVS was slaine at Yoâ—…ke by the Northerne men Scots Bassianus Geta. SEVERVS who was slaine at Yorke left behind him two sonnes BASSIANVS and GETA BASSIANVS slewe his brother reigned himselfe alone 6. yeres so that the whole time of his gouernment both with his brother and alone was 7. yeeres 6. months Euseb. lib 6. cap 21. He put to death also PAPINIANVS a worthie lawyer because he would not pleade his cause anent the slaughter of his brother before the people but saide that sinne might be more easily committed then it could be defended Bucolc Hee tooke to wife his own mother in law IVLIA a woman more beautifull then chaste In all his time as he confessed with his owne mouth hee neuer learned to doe good and was slaine by MACRINVS Macrinus with his son Diadumenus MACRINVS and his sonne reigned one yeere alanerly Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. Antoninus Heliogabalus ANTONINVS HELIOGABALVS reigned after MACRINVS 4. yeeres Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. He was a prodigious belly-god a libidinous beast an enemie to all honestie and good order Func Chron. So many villanous things are written of him that scarcely if the Reader can giue credite to the historie that euer such a monster was fashioned in the belly of a woman At his remouing in his progresse oftimes followed him 600. chariots laden onely with baudes and common harlots His gluttonie filthinesse excessiue riotousnes are in al mens mouthes Hee was slaine of the souldiers drawen through the citie and cast into Tiber. Alexander Seuerus ALEXANDER SEVERVS the adopted sonne of HELIOGABALVS reigned 13. yeeres Euseb lib. 6. cap. 28. Chron. Func He delited to haue about him wise and learned counsellers such as FABIVS SABINVS DOMITIVS VLPIANVS c. This renowmed Lawyer VLPIANVS was not a friend to Christians but by collecting together a number of lawes made against Christians in times bypast he animated the harts of judges against them And this is a piece of the rebuke of Christ that Christians haue borne continually to be hated of the wise men of the world hist. Magdeburg Cent. 3. Hereof it came to passe that in this Emperours time albeit hee was not so bloodie as many others had bene before him and therefore his Empire was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnbloodie yet not a few suffered martyredome euen in the dayes of ALEXANDER such as AGAPETVS a young man of 15. yeere old at Praeneste a towne of Italie Hee was assaied with many torments and finally with the sword he was beheaded The judge who gaue out a sentence of death against him fell out of his judiciall seat and suddenly died The martyredome of CECILIA if by her trauailes VALERIAN her espoused husband and TIBVRTIVS his brother 400. moe had bene conuerted to Christ secretly baptized by VRBANVS B. of Rome immediatly before her death I maruel that no mention should be made by EVSEBIVS of such a rare miraculous worke Senatours and noble men at Rome such as PAMMACHIVS SIMPLICIVS and QVIRITIVS with their wiues and children died for the faith of Christ with many others Hist. Mag. Cent. 3. The fauour that this Emperour shewed to Christians against whom the very sloobering cookes did contend challenging vnto themselues the right of a place whereinto Christians were accustomed to
no mention of the fornication of Athanasius of the hande of Arsenius of the Table Cuppe and bookes aboue mentioned but they forged newe accusations against him whereunto the Emp. gaue too hastie credite and banished Athanasius to Triere Immediately after the Councill of Tyrus many bishops were assembled at Hierusalem for the dedication of the Temple which the Emp. Constantine had builded at the place of the LORDS sepulchre Anent the Councill of Antiochia wherein the Arrians deposed Eustatius and the Councill of Arles wherein Cecilianus was absolued from the accusation of the Donatists no further discourse is needefull then is conteined in the historie of the liues of these two Bishops Gangra is a towne of Paphlagonia In this towne were assembled certaine Fathers to the number of 16. about the yeere of our LORD 324. The occasion of their meeting was the Heretique Eustatius who admiring the Monasticke life or as others affirme fauouring the Heresie of Encratitae and the Manicheans he spake against Marriage against eating of fl◅sh he damned the publicke Congregations of GODS people in Temples and said a man could not be saued except he forsooke all his poss◅ssions and renounced the wo◅lde after the forme of monkish doing These opinions were damned in the Councill of Gangra The subscriptions of the Fathers of this Councill after their Canons are worthie to be remarked These things say they haue we subscribed not vituperating them who according to Scripture chooseth vnto themselues an holy purpose of a continent life but them onely who abuseth the purpose of their minde to pride extolling themselues against the simpler sort Yea and damne and cut off all those who contrary to Scripture and Eccl◅siasticall rules bring in new Commandements But we admire humble Virginity and wee approue continencie that is vndertaken with chastity and Religion And wee embrace the renounciation of seculare businesse with humilitie And we honour the chast band of Mariage And we despise not riches joined with righteousnesse and good workes And we commend a simple and cou◅se apparrell used for couering the body without Hypocrisie Likewise wee reject loos and dissolute g◅rments And we honour the houses of GOD and assemblies that are in them as holy and profitable Not debarring men from exercises of pietie in their owne priuate houses But places builded in the name of the LORD wee honour and Cong◅egations assembled in the same places for the common utilitie we approue And good workes which are done to poore brethren euen aboue mens habilitie according to the Ecclesiasticall traditions we blesse them And we wish all things to be celebrated in the Church according to holy Scriptures and the ordinances of the Apostles In the time of the reigne of Constantine in Eliberis a towne of Spaine were assembled 19. Bishops and of preaching Elders 36. The ende of their meeting was to reforme horrible abuses both in Religion and maners which in time of the tenne Persecutions had preuailed in Spaine And nowe in time of peace such enormities and festered maners co◅lde hard◅ly bee amended Manie Ecclesiasticall Canons were made in this Synode to the number of 81. Whereof wee shall rehearse but a fewe and such as clearely pointeth out the principall ende of their meeting They ordained that Heathnicke sacrificing Priests called of olde Flamines if they were content to absteine from sacrificing to Idoles and to learne the groundes of Christian R◅ligion after three yeeres repentance they shoulde bee admitted to baptisme Likewise they ordained that Christian Virgines shoulde not bee giuen in marriage to Pagans lest in the flou◅e of their youth they should bee entangled with spirituall whoredome In like maner that Bishops should receiue no rewarde from men that did not communicate with the Church They ordained that nothing that is worshipped shoulde be pictured on the wall And that in priuate houses no Idoles should be founde And incase the maisters of houses were afraide of the violence of their s◅ruantes at least they should keepe themselues pure and cleane which if they did not they shoulde bee counted strangers from the fellowship of the Church And that if any man happen to bee slaine in the action of breaking downe images his name shall not bee enrolled in the catalogue of Martyres because it is not written in the history of the Gospell that the Apostles used any such forme of reformation whereby they sig◅isie that by wholsome doctrine images should be castē out of the hearts of mē rather then broken with popular violence with the tumultuary attempts of priuate men Any judicious man may perceiue by these Canons both the time when and the cause wherefore this Council was assembled They who count the first Councill of Carthage to bee that Councill whereinto Cyprian with aduise of many other bishops of Numidia Lybia and other partes of Africke ordained men who were baptized by Heretiques to bee rebaptized againe they commit a great ouer-sight to recken the first Councill of Carthage to bee holden vnder the reigne of Constantine whereas it is certainely knowne that Cyprian was martyred in the dayes of Valeriane the eight persecuting Emperour But the first Councill of Carthage that was kept in CONSTANTINES dayes was that Councill whereinto the Donatistes condemned Caecil◅anus Bishop of Carthage whose innocencie afterwarde was tryed by manie Iudges In it there was no matter of great importance concluded and therefore I ouer-passe it with few wordes as an assemblie of li◅tle account All these Councils aboue mentioned were assembled in the dayes of CONSTANTINE the Great Now followeth Councils gathered in the dayes of his sonnes The cause pretended for the gathering of the Councill of A◅t ochi◅ in the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine was the dedication of the Church of Antiochia which albeit C◅nstantine had builded yet fiue yeeres after his death and in the seuenteenth yeere after the foundation of this Temple was laide CONSTANTIUS his sonne finished and perfected the worke And vnder pretence of dedication of this Temple as saide is this assemblie of Antiochia was gathered ANNO 344. but indeede of purpose to supplant the true Faith To this Assemblie resorted manie Bishops to the number of 90. But Maximus Bishop of HIERUSALEM and ◅ulius Bish◅p of Rome neither came they to the Councill neither sent they any me◅enger in their name fearing as the trueth was that they were gathered for euill and ◅ot for good At this time Placitus the s◅ccessour of Euphronius gou◅rned Antiochia Now when they were met together many accus◅tions were heaped vp against Athanasius First that hee had accepted his place againe without aduise of other Bishops Secondlie because at the time of his r◅turning backe againe to ALEXANDRIA there fell out great commotion amongst the people and some were slaine others were contumeliouslie beaten and violently drawne before justice seates Mention also was made of the decrete of the Councill of Tyrus against
word of GOD and therefore their ordinances were worthie to bee obeyed because the warrand of the Holy Spirit and the warrand of the Holy Scripture and Apostolicke authoâ—…itie all concurring together gaue a full grace to the Councill of Hierusâ—…lem For this cause in the famous Councill of Nice all their constitutions haue not a like reuerence the sentence pronounced against Arrius was well confirmed by testimonies of holâ—…e Scripture but in appointing Patriarches in attributing vnto them jurisdiction and power to conuocate Councils within thâ—…ir owne bounds for timous suppressing of Heresies they bring no testimonie of Scripture but in stead of Scripture they set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let ancient customes haue place The Councill of Nice in this point did as Iosua did who 〈◊〉 a couenant with the Gibeoniâ—…es but consulted not wâ—…th thâ—…m 〈◊〉 of the LORD Euen so the Counâ—…ill of Nice in 〈◊〉 â—…o gâ—…eat preâ—…eminence to a few men they consulted not with Holy Scripture which warnâ—…th Pastors to feede the flocke of GOD which â—…ependeth vpon them And the issue declared that Gâ—…D gaue not such a blessing to the constituting of Patriarchâ—…s as hee gaue to the condemnatour sentence pronounced against Aâ—…rius For whereas they imagined that these Patriarches 〈◊〉 great authoritie shoulde timously gather Synodes and suppresse Hâ—…reticall doctrine it fell ouâ—… by the contrary that the Patriarches were the chiefe Hereâ—…iques themselues and chiefe defenders of Heresie such as Macedonius and Nestorius Patriarches of Constantinoâ—…le both damned for Heresie the one in the Counciâ—…l of Constantinople the other in the Council of Ephesus In like maner Honorius Patriarch of Rome Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia with Sergius Pyrhuâ—… and Paulus Paâ—…riarches of Constantinople were al condemned of Heresie in the sixt Generall Councill holden at Constantinoâ—…le ANNO 681. Oâ—… this that I haue already spoken it is euident that the best way whereby Generall or Nationall Councils may maintaine tâ—…eir authoritie and bee reuerently regarded is this if in all tâ—…eir determinations they set before them the bookes of Holie Scripture and conforme all their definitiue sentences to the wisedome which they haue learned out of the volume of those holy bookes following the example of the Church of Antiochia who remitted the decision of harde questions wherewith they were troubled to the mouthes of the Apostles of IESUS CHRIST And seeing wee haue not the Prophets and Apostles personallie present in our time the next is to haue recourse vnto the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles whereby the LORD speaketh nowe to vs as hee spake of olde time by the personall presence of the Prophets and Apostles to our Fathers And it is certaine that these of Antiochia went vp vnto Hierusalem not for any prerogatiue the towne had but because the Apostles were in Hierusalem And wheresoeuer wee see the Apostolicke doctrine vnuiolably obserued in that place let vs seeke resolution of all our doubtes and if the Apostolicke doctrine be departed from Hierusalem it selfe it is but a denne of theeues as CHRIST saieth Matth. 21. 13. and if it bee departed from Rome then is Rome it selfe spirituall Babylon it is an habitation of Deuils and the Hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane hatefull bird and the constitutions that come from Rome are not to bee regarded Notwithstanding of this the Councils that hath casten the Apostolicke doctrine behinde their backe they haue guarded themselues with another kind of armour and they indeuour to haue credite and reuerence by the multitude of Princes people and learned Doctors assenting to the determinations of their Councils by the multitude of Anathemaes more in number then those that were pronounced out of mount Eball whereby they deliuer to the Deuill and that in most prodigall forme all those that will not assent vnto their Decretes By these meanes I say such like they purchase authoritie reuerence and credite to their late Councils Neuerthelesse there is one curse in Holy Scripture more to bee feared then all the curses of the Councill of Trent namely that which Paul pronounceth in these wordes But though that wee or an Angell from Heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed And like as Aarons rod deuoured the Serpents of the Sorcerers of Aegypt albeit in number they were many euen so this one curse swalloweth vp all their curses pronounced against innocent people because they will not depart in a jot from the rule of wholsome Apostolicke doctrine In like maner it is said by Moses Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Lawe to doe them Consequently blessed are they who firmely adhereth vnto the Law of GOD. And by no authoritie of Princes Nations Councils or Doctors will bee withdrawne from the Law of GOD. And this BULLINGER hath wisely obserued in these wordes Tametsi caeat totus hic mundus minime tamen potest creatura quâ—…quam contra verbum creator is statuere neque decreta DEI aeterni abrogare Neque valet hic eruditio aut multitudo aut sanctitas aut ulla denique authoritas nam loquente DOMINO DEO universorum merito conticescit omniâ—… caro SAMUEL certe dicebat loquere DOMINE quoniam audit servus tuâ—…s that is albeit all the uniuersitie of this worlde shoulde bee assembled together yet the creature can ordaine nothing against the worde of the Creator neither can they abrogate the Decretes of the Eternall GOD neither can learning multitude holynesse or anie kinde of authoritie auaile in this matter for when the GOD of all creatures speaketh then justly all flesh shoulde keepe silence SAMUEL indeede saide Speake LORD for thy seruant heareth Likewise hee bringeth in a worthie sentence of PANORMITANE a famous Iurist saying that greater credite shoulde bee giuen to a Laike-man speaking the trueth according to Holie Scripture then to a whole Generall Councill speaking a lye contrarie to Scripture Moreouer albeit there were worthie Assemblies holden in SILO MISPAH and CARMEL in the dayes of the Prophets yet the Prophets are verie sparing to use argumentes tâ—…ken from the authoritie of these Assemblies but the Prophets leade the people continuallie to the Lawe of GOD as to the right grounde and Fountaine of all lawfull Councils so that their ordinarie speach is this This saieth the LORD and not this saieth the Assemblie gathered at MISPAH SILO or CARMEL they were so farre from equalling Councils to the Lawe of GOD that whensoeuer they did desire reformation of the people then they laide before them the Law of GOD but not the authority of Councils whose authority is nothing els but borrowed from the Law of GOD and therefore whosoeuer aduancâ—…th Câ—…uncils so high that they would equall Councils to Holy Scripture in my opinion they are not well acquainted with the Scriptures of GOD. In the new Testament mention is
conuocate the Generall Councill of Lateran wherein Popish Transsubstantiation did get allowance the like whereof no Pope preceeding his time euer persumed to doe Now I demande of these who defende the Popish Religion and herewithall continually bragge of Antiquitie whether or no this bee an ancient custome that the Bishops of Rome should conuocate Generall Councils The Historie is so euident and cleare that hee who is not altogether effronted will grant that it was not an ancient custome that the Bishop of Rome shoulde conuocate Generall Councils and no Pope did it before Innocentius the thirde Gratianus according to his foolish and flattering forme of writing bringeth in the testimonie of Iulius the first affirming that no Councill is or shall bee firme and sure without the allowance of the chaire of Rome What shall wee then say of the Councill of Hâ—…erusalem holden by the Apostles before there was any Bishop of Rome to giue allowance vnto it Notwithstanding euen Pope Iulius himselfe when hee writeth to the Bishops gathered in the Councill of Antiochia hee blameth them with manie faultes yet hee chargeth them not with this that they had assembled themselues together without licence obtained from him but rather for this that they had not required him or his messengers to be present at their assembly Whereby it is euident that it was not an ancient custome that the Bishop of Rome shoulde conuocate all Generall and Nationall Councils With the like arrogancie the Bishops of Rome tooke vpon themselues to bee Moderators of Councils from thee yeere of our LORD 1215. vntill our dayes And this is another noueltie which the Romane Bishop coulde not bring in vntill hee had troden the Emperours authoritie vnder foote In the Councill of Nice Eustatius Bishop of Antiochia was Moderator In the second Generall Councill holden at Constantinople Gregorius Bishop of the great Towne at that time was President In the third Coun. conueened at Ephesus Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria was Moderator In the fourth conueened at Chalcedon in Bithinia Lucentius Pascasianus and Bonifacius messengers sent from Leo Bishop of Rome had the presidencie This is the first time whereinto the B. of Rome either in his owne person or by his Agent moderated any Generall Councill And at this time who can say that the Counc of Chalcedon was assembled by the commandement of Leo B. of Rome When as in the very frontespice of the Councill it is written Ex Decreto piissimorum fidelissimorum Imperatorum Valentiniani Martiani c. Moreouer it is euident by reading the Epistles of Leo that hee intraited for this fauour at the Emperours hand that the Generall Councill might haue beene conueened in Italie which hee needed not to haue done if by his owne authority he had power to conuocate Generall Councils It is well obserued by that worthy and learned writer of France Philip Morney that Baronius for excessiue desire hee hath to proue that Leo had power to assemble Generall Councils he changeth the Orthographie of the Latine language and in stead of Consilium Synodi Generalis indiximus hee citeth Concisilium Synodi Generalis injuximus It is true that Leo B. of Rome gaue aduice and counsell both to Theodosius and to Martianus to gather a Generall Councill but he had no power to appoint command that it should bee kept But this power belonged to the Emperour Baronius will not proue his purpose so easilie as by stealing in the letter C in place of the letter S. The fiâ—…t Generall Councill was assembled in Constantinople by the commandement of the Emperour Iustinian and not by the commandement of Vigilius B. of Rome neither was Vigilius Moderator in this Councill but Eutychius B. of Constantinople gouerned the Assemblie The sixt Generall Councill was assembled by the commandement of the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus and was perfected by the commandement of Iustinianus the second his sonne Sergius Bishop of Rome did not appoint this Councill to be keeped neither woulde hee giue allowance to the determinations of this Councill because in it the constitutions of the Romane Church concerning prohibition of Marriage were disallowed Notwithstanding his Agent who was present in Constantinople and compeared in his name gaue consent and subscribed the Acts of the sixt Generall Councill but stolide saieth Platina that is foolishly writing with flattering stile pleasant things to the Bishops of Rome For dâ—…cision of the question concerning worshipping of Images 3. great Councils were gathered one by Constantinus Copronymus at Constantinople another by the Empresse Irene at Nice the third by the Emperour Carolus Magnus at Francfâ—…ra which of them soeuer shall bee founde the seuenrh Generall Council alwayes none of these three was gathered by the commandement of the Bishop of Rome neither was hee Moderator in anie of them The eight Generall Council was assembled by the commandement of Basilius Emperour of Constantinople but the Ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome Hadrian the seconde had the gouernament of the assemblie and they began early to manifest the portraict of their tyrannous gouernament No man was admitted to giue vote in the Generall Councill saue hee onely who woulde consâ—…nt and subscribe to the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome Adoration of Images did get full allowance in this Councill and this was a fore-running messenger of the tyrannie that followed heereafter from the 1215. yeere of our LORD vntill our time Now the Bishop of Rome conuocateth Generall Councils gouerneth them by himselfe or his substitute and maketh ordinances flatly repugnant to the written worde of GOD. No cause is so impious and vngodly that euer wanted an aduocate but this I repeat againe that hee is verie impudent who dare affirme that the Bishop of Rome of olde time did conuocate Generall Councils and was Moderator in them By conference with persons of the Romane Religion I vnderstand that they will not giue full credite to any Assemblie but to such a one as is lawfully conuocated holden and lawfully ended They count it lawfully conuocated when the Bishop of ROME by his Edict hath gathered it lawfully holden when the Bishop of ROME or els his substitute is Moderator of the Assemblie and lawfully ended when hee who is Moderator continueth in his office vntill the ende of the assemblie Such deepe instructions Papistes of our Nation haue receiued from their teachers and alas an ignorant person is soone shooueled out of the way but cursed bee hee that makeâ—…h the blinde to goe out of the way and all the people shall say So bee it Are not these Doctors of lyes ashamed at some times to commend the first foure Generall Councils with excessiue praises and againe to giue such instructions to their disciples as shall make the fiâ—…st foure Generall Councils to bee of no account because none of them was conuocated by the Edict of the Bishop of ROME but by the commandement of the Emperours CONSTANTINE THEODOSIUS VALENTINIAN and MARTIANUS
true God and his Saints and to bring in a more ancient testimonie Clemens Alexandrinus taketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for one and the selfe-same thing Concerning the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First vnderstand that the word â—…perdulia inuented for the adoration to be done to the virgine MARIE is not a word vsed by any approued Author who writeth in the Greek language the scholastick Doctors who had already lost the puritie of the Latine language when they speake vncouth Greeke they expone themselues to the derision of all learned men They who are acquainted with scripture language knowe there is no difference betwixt the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In one verse the seruice of GOD and the seruice of an Idole are both called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In like maner the worship done to the Gentile gods is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Ye serued them who indeed were not gods The generalitie of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extended both to the seruice of God man no man is ignoraÌ„ of it who is acquainted with the Greeke language yea a seruile girle may in proper language be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Councill of Frankford I grant putteth a difference betwixt Idoles Images yet in such wise that they forbid adoration of Images and they count Images worshipped to be Idoles The Gâ—…ntiles liked Idolatrie the better because it was a bâ—…ood inuented by the imaginations of their own heâ—…rts according as the Apostle speaketh They became vainâ—… in their owne cogitâ—…tions The Images of the Gentiles are damned by the Prophet HABACCVK in these words What profiteth the Image for the maker of it hath made it an Image and a teacher of lies though hee that made it trust therâ—…s when he maketh dumbe Idoles The Prophet damneth the Images of the Gentiles for many causes First because they are profitable for nothing they cannot benefite their friend neither can they noy their enemies yea and they cannot helpe themselues when they are hewed downe with Persian axes and the massie lumpes of their golde is laide vpon the backes of Camells groaning vnder the heauie burthen because they can make no support to themselues The Gentiles contended with no lesse obstinacie of incorrigible mindes than the Papistes in our dayes doe that their images were profitable for some good vse albeit there was no diuinitie in them because they led them to a rememberance of their gods but Augustine affirmeth the contrarie that Images lead not people vnto their gods but rather from their gods In witnesse whereof when the Image of the Sunne was placed in the temple albeit the Sunne it selfe did shine clearly at the window yet the Pagans turned their backes to the Sunne and their faces toward the Image of the Sunne so were they not led to the worshipping of their gods but rather from their worshipping by Images The substance of their Images was gold siluer wood stone or some other corruptible matter the forme was fashiomed according to the pleasure of the craftesman who made them For the most part the gods of the Gentiles had the similitude of men and for this cause the portrature of Iupiter fashioned by an artificer in Lybia was as farre different from the portrature of Iupiter formed by an European craftesman as the men of Lybia in colour haire grandure of lippes and amplenesse of breathing partes they are different from the men of Europe so were the gods of Lybia blacke in colour with curling haire the gods in Europe had the colour haire proportion of European men Better it had bene to haue renued men according to the likenes of GOD than to haue fashioned their gods according to the likenesse of men yea greater vanity than this was in forming their gods at sometime the similitude of a man was mixed with the similitue of a beast to furnish out the effigie of their gods Iupiter Amminius was formed with the body of a man but with the head of a Ramme Dagon whome the Philistims worshipped had the similitude of a man in the vppermost partes but the similitude of a fish in the lower partes of his body And Pan the god of shepheards was pictured with hornes in his head with the seete of goates and rough in all iâ—… body as if he had beene ouerlapped with the skinne of an vnshorne Ram. They became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse Yea as the Prophet speaketh the makers of them were like vnto them that is senslesse blinde and dead hearted and so were the worshippers of them Against the Gentiles who were Idolaâ—…ers a woe is pronounced by the Prophet in these words Woe be to him that saith to the wood awake and to the dumbe stone arise vp c. Let vs take diligent attendance to these words because GOD hath spoken them by the mouth of his Prophet The Gentiles excused their Idolatrie so did the Iewes theirs and the Papistes will seeme to honour GOD and his Saints in their Images but leâ—… all fl sh be dumbe and silent heare what the LORD speaketh from his Sanctuary Woe be to him that saith to wood awake The Pagans Iewes and Papists are like vnâ—…o Adoniiah Ioab and Abiathar These were all banqueâ—…ting together euery one of them strengthened another in their foolish course and they all said with one consâ—…nt God saue King Adonniah But there was another kind of conference in the chamber of King DAVID which did vndoe all their conferences aud appointed that SALOMON should reigne â—…n so notwithstanding of all the fool sh excuses wherewith Gentiles Iewes and Papistes excuse their Idolatrie GOD is like vnâ—…o hiâ—…elfe and he 〈◊〉 a wâ—…e against it Tâ—…e â—…stes thinke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fully sâ—…tisfied both GOD and good men when they grant there is no diâ—…initie in the Image and in substance it is a corruptible thing and the portrature of it is fashioned by the hand of the Craftsmen Did not the Genâ—…les as much Did not Plato count the Images of most precious substance most vnprofitable to the people Did not Fabius Maximus despis the Idoles of Tarentum as angrie Images against their owne people who depended vpon them Did not the Poet grant that it lay in the artificers hand either to make a bench or a god of the wild fig tree that came into his hands the verses are vulgarly knowne and in all mens mouthes Olim truncus eram ficulinus inutile lignum Cùm faber incertus scamnum facerétne Priapum Maluit esse Deum Yea Marcus Varro whose testimonie August citeth lib. 4. de Civitate Dei hee saide Qui primi civitatibus simulachr a invexerunt metum dempserant errorem addiderunt that is to say The first in bringers
yeere of Tiberius The Senat of Rome refuseth to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ. Pilat killeth himselfe Caius would be counted a god The Iewes abhorred the vpsetting of the image of Caius in their Temple The petition of Agrippa The bloodie letter of Caius written to Petronius his Deputie The hypocrisie of Agrippa Contention betweene the Iewes and Grecians who dwelt at Alexandria New Iupiter in worse case then old Iupiter The famine foretold by Agabus The Council of Jerusalem ANNO 48. Romaine deputies The ten persecuting Emperours wrestled against God The first persecution ANNO Chr. 65 The martyrdome of Peter Paul Romain Deputies Contention betweene Agrippa and the Iewes The martyrdom of Iames surnamed Iustus The ground of the warre betweene the Iewes and the Romanes Foreranning tâ—…kens of the destruction of Ierusalem The destruction of Ierusalem ANNO Chr. 71. The flood of Noe the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem types of the great iudgement to come The second persecution AN. Chr. 96. The banishment of the Apostle John Domitian afraide by rumors of the Kingdome of Christ. Apostles Euangelists The true successours of the Apostles Bishops of Rome Linus Ignatius Papias Heretiques Simon Magus Menander Ebion Cerinthus Nicolaitansâ—… A Treatise of antiquitie Antiquitie of veritie Antiquitie of errour Antiquitie of custome Where veritie is to be â—…ound The power of the veritie The reue rence that should be câ—…ried to the veritie The more the veritie is despised in the world the more ardently it should be loued Antiquitie is no honoar to errour Errour in religion an execrable thing Errour repugneth to itselfe Both ancient and late errours magnifie creatures With the diminution of the glory of the Creator The trueth is not to be judged by outward appearance Antiquitie of custome differeth from antiquitie of commandement How ancient truth may be discerned from ancient lies Foure counterfaite masks of antiquitie in Poperie Wicked men reade holy Scripture of intention to gainesay the trueth of God †Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confident speaking without a sure ground is not to be regarded What the word heresie doth signifie The grounâ—… of heresie Similitudeâ—… Pride accompanying ignorance The propagation of herâ—…sie Heresie strengthened by the arme of manalanerly The curse of God vpon Heretiques heresies and places of their meetings How Heretiques should be dealt with by the Pastours HAV the magistrate should deale with Heretiques Similitude How the people should deale with Heretiques The word foundation taken properly 〈◊〉 oâ—…ly to Christ. Take heede to the demonstrations of God and beware of Satans demonstrations The similttude of a stone frequently vsedin Scripture The seconâ—… comfort An wholsom admonition In what sense the doctrine of the Prophets c. is called the foundation â—…imilitude Faith is called afoundation The offices of Christ declare that he is a true foundation Christ is a liuing fâ—…undation Similitude The contempt of men cannot impaire the glory of Christ. Similitude We drawe nere to Christ by faith Of Emporours The thirde persecution ANNO Chr. 108 The martyrdome of Simon the son of Cleopas The letter of Plinie 2. written to Traian Gregorieâ—… prayed for the soule of Traian Barcochebas a false prophet seduced the nation of the lewes Adrianus his intention to builde a Church for the honour of Christ. The fourth persecution ANN. Ch. 168. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and Iustinus Slanderous speeches against Christians The Romain armie supported by the prayers of the Christians Contrarie lâ—…wes Bishops of Rome Martyre Mâ—…tyre Maâ—…tyre Martyre The rashnes of Victor Of other Doctours and Preachâ—… Agrippas Castor Hegesippus Melito Iustinus Martyr Polycarpus Ireneus Clemens Alexandrinus Of Heretiques Gnostici Valentinuâ—… Marcus Cerdon Marcion Tatianus Encratitae Montanus Cataphryges Aquila and Theodosion rathâ—…r Apostatstben Heretiques Sacred scripture cannot be sufficiently commended Similitude It is perillous to separat the booke of the worde from the booke of the workes Similitude The spirit the word are not to be separated The Word of God is to bee found in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles The Prophets and Apostlâ—…s added nothing to Moses Similitude Three inturies done to the Written Word by reueiencing of traditions False accusations of holy Scripture Vnsufficiencie Difficultie Perill Things necessarte are to be kept al-beit they be abused Similitude Why Heretiques doe hate the Scripture Similitude The care of Christians of olde to keepe the scripture from burning A remarkable speech of an old honorable Lady Scriptures belong to the sheepe of Christ as their proper treasure Reformation of religion made according to the Written word The cause wherfore the Apostles put in write the summe of their doctrin Be not deceiued with the generalitie of the word tradition Similitude The true meaning of the words of Paul 2. Thess. 2. 15. Constancie differeth froÌ„ wilfulnesse The testimome of Ireneus abused Papists will not binde themselues in all points to old traditions The value of tradition in the fâ—… age In the Second age In the last age The word therefore to be considered 2. Thess. 2. ver 15. Christ doth great honour to the Scriptures Defection in the visible Chuâ—…ch no new thing Differences betweene the ancient fathers and Papists of our time con cerningmeats and mariage The Council of Ancyra Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria a maried man The Council of Gangra The probibition of meats and mariage is an apostasie from the faub. Our seruice to God should be a reasonable seruice The Popish church speak lies in hypocrisie rather then old Heretiques What is meant by a consâ—…ence seared with an hote yron Forbidding and biddâ—…ng wordes of authoritie We ought to hearken vnto the voyce that commeth downe from heauen Similitude Great arrogancie in prohibition of meates Arrogancie mixed with foolishnesse Similitude Similitude The last age of the worlde more senslesse then the first Similitude Both blasphemie and hypocrisie in the matter of mariage and meats is condemned by the Apostle The Papistes more subtle â—…en the Manicheis were The grace of thanksgiuing witnesseth that we enjoy both the gift and the giuer We ougâ—…t 〈◊〉 be ruled by Gods word iâ—… all things both corporat spirisuali The conscience is subject to the yocke of God The cause wherefore the succession of Romam Bishops was magnified of old The succession of Dauid The succession of Aaron The succession of the Prophets The succession of the Apostles The alledged succession of the Romaine Church spotted with heresie schisme and idolatry The heresie of the Collyridians renued increased by the chaire of Rome Eugenius 4. B. of Rome a notable schismatick The chaire of Rome defiled with idolatrie Lkeerrours haue like grounds The Romain church like to the successours of Aaron What inconuenients follow if the promise made to the Aposâ—…les successors be absolute The Apostles had calling gâ—…es prerogatiues extraordinarie The fist persecution ANN. Ch. 205. Leonides the father of Origen Alexander fellow laboureâ—… with Naâ—…cislus Rhais a mar tyre hrunt before she
that terrible pit whereinto there is not one drop of consolation soChrist hath found out to vs by his suffering foresaid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle saith Heb. 9. ver 12 that is euerlasting redemption This is the true sense of that place for scripture conferred with scripture will find out the right meaning of scripture but the wresting of scripture to the conceits of our minde is a perpetuall deteining of vs in blindnesse and ignorance To this agreeth wel the exposition of August decivit Dei lib. 18. cap. 35. and Theodoret in Zach. cap. 9. In like maner in the prophecie of Malach. Behold I will send my messinger and he shall prepare the way before mee and the Lord whome yee seeke shall speedely come to his temple euen the messinger of the couenant whome ye desire behold he shall come saith the Lord of hostes But who may abide the day of his comming and who shall endure when he appeareth for he is like a purging fire and like fullers sope And hee shall sit downe to trie fine the siluer he shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as golde and situer that they may bring offerings vnto the Lord in righteousnesse Malac. 3. ver 1. 2. 3. If we credite the holy Euangelists this is spoken of Christs first comming and of IOHN Baptist his forerunner and of the effectuall ministrie of the Gospel in purging sinne Mat 11. ver 10. Marc. 1. ver 2 Luc. 1. ver 76. But Papistes not conferring scripture with scripture whersoeuer they find fire or darknesse or a deepe pit and dungeon or a terrible tempest there they thinke mention is made of Purgatorie as I could easily prooue by many other places but let these suffice for examples of the old Testament wrested and abused In the new Testament it is said And whosoeuer shall speake a wâ—…d against the Son of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer shall speake against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the world to come Mat. 12. ver 32. Ofthese words it is inferred that some faults shal be forgiuen in the world to come albeit the finne against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen The true sense and meaning of these words is set down by the Euangelist MARKE in these words But he that blasphemeth against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse but is culpable of eternall damnation Marc. 3. ver 29. What needeth further requisition when the spirit of God hath interpreted his owne meaning Againe it is is said in the new Testament For other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Icsus Christ And if any man build on this foundation golde siluer pretious stones timber hay or stubble Euery mans worke shall bee made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall bee reueiled by the fire and the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is If any mans worke that he hath built upon abide he shall receiue wages If any mans woâ—…keburne hee shall lose but he shall be saued himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were by the fire 1. Cor. 3. ver 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. The last of these verses is brought foorth as a testimonie of scripture proouing Purgatorie fire so much the rather because S. AMBROSE doeth so expone the foresaide verse Let vs therefore with AMBROSE agree vpon all the rest and contrauert onely vpon the last verse The foundation of Christ the golde siluer and precious stones is true and solide doctrine the timber hay and stubble is friuolous doctrine the triall by day and fire is a triall by the worde of God full of light as the day and mightie in operation as the fire In this triall hee whose doctrine is authorized and not ouerthrowne by the worde hee hath double vantage first his worke standeth next himselfe shall be rewarded as a good builder But if in the triall a mans doctrine be found friuolous albeit not hereticall hee shall sustaine double losse First hee shall see his doctrine ouerthrowne by the light and fire that is by the worde of God next albeit himselfe shall be saued because hee adhereth by faith to the foundation yet because hee hath beene a slouthfull teacher in teaching friuolous things with a glorious shewe of eloquence of in steade of solide and necessarie things hee shall bee saued by fire that is as wee say hee shall be cast into the fornace of temporal troubles to learne repentance and amendement in this life wherein onely is time and place of repentance But the Papistes thinke that men after their death shall bee cast into the fire of Purgatorie there to satisfie for their fault and after satisfaction to be purged and saued Here first note that the Apostle vttering by a continuated allegorie the estate of those who build vpon the right foundation any kinde of doctrine either solide or friuolous in the end he perfiteth his allegorie comparing the chastisements of God sent for our amendement vnto a fire This agreeth better then to interpret all the rest allegorically and the last words into a simple meaning without any figure to father that opinion vpon PAVL whereof neither hee nor any other Apostle maketh mention in their writings Next consider that they would seeme to be followers of the interpretation of AMBROSE when as their conscience I meane of those that are learned amongst them knoweth the contrarie that AMBROSE meaneth of that fire at the latter day whereof ORIGEN writeth but not of that Purgatorie fire immediatly after the issue of this life whereof the Papistes speake Indeed if Purgatorie fire should be set forth as an article of Christian faith it should bee grounded not vpon allegories or obscure places of scripture but vpon cleare and plaine places as all the ancient fathers in one voyce doe consent but this place of scripture is an allegorie and an obscure place ORIGEN and AMBROSE take it in one sense the Papistes take it in another sense we take it in the third sense and some of their owne scholasticke doctors are so dashed with the varietie of diuerse interpretations that they dare determine nothing certainely but say that either with the fire of Purgatorie or with the fire of tribulation or with the fire that goeth before the face of the great Iudge men who haue committed veniall sinnes shall be purged and saued THOMAS AQVINAS in 1. Cor. 3. When their owne scholasticke Doctours are in such doubts there was no time to step forwarde and to make it an article of their faith The chiefe place cited out of Apocrypha bookes is Macab 2. cha 12. froÌ„ the 40 ver to the end of the cha in these words Now vnder the coates of euerte one that was slâ—…ine they found jewels that had bene consecrated to the idvles of the Famnites which thing is forbidden the Jewes by the Law Then euerie man
saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slaine And so eucrie man gaue thanks vnto the Lord the righteous Judge which had opened the things that were hid And they gaue themselues to prayer and be sought him that they should not be destroyed for thefault committed Besides that noble Iudas exhorted the people to keepe themselues from sinne for so much as they sawe before their eyes the things that came to passe by the sinne of those that were slaine And hauing made a gathering through the companie sent to Ierusalem about two thousand drachmes of siluer to offer for a sinne offering Hitherto doth the author of that booke write the history of that fact which was done by IVDAS MACCABEVS and his souldiers First they were about to burie the dead bodies of their brethren who were slaine in the battell fighting against GORGIAS Secondly they found secretly couered vnder their garments jewels consecrated to idoles Thirdly they acknowledged this to be a sinne and to haue beene the cause of the destruction of their brethren Fourthly they thanked God who discouered this secret for the punishment of their slaine brethren was an admonition to them that were aliue to absteine frō the like fault Fiftly they gaue themselues to praier fearing lest the whole army should be plagued by God for the fault committed by a few number of the armie as the fault of ACHAN troubled the whole hoste in the dayes of IOSHVA Ios. 7. Sixtly to prayer is added an exhortation of IVDAS to abstaine from the like faults Seuenthly a collection is gathered to be sent vp to Ierusal◅m that a sin-offering might be offered not for the deade but for the liuing who had not searched out the faultes of the host diligently as became them And therfore there was some guiltinesse also in them The rest that followeth is the opinion of the author of that second booke in these words Doing very well and honestly that he thought of the resurrection for if hee had not hoped that they which were slaine should rise againe it had beene superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead And therefore he perceiued that there was great fauour laid vp for those that died godly It was an holy and a good thought So he made a reconciliation for the dead that they might be deliuered from sinne When I read this opinion of the author of the second booke of the Maccabees I am nothing moued with it first because it seemeth to be a lie that IVDAS MACCABEVS sent to Ierusalem to offer sacrifice for the dead Hee knewe the law of God and fought fo the law of GOD wherein was no sacrifice for the deade nor yet example in all the old Testament that any man did offer sacrifice for the dead but this author bringeth in IVDAS fighting with his sworde for the lawe and with his alledged sacrifice against the lawe And it is lesse inconuenient to rub this foule spot vpon the vnwise writer then vpon that wise valiant and godly man IVDAS MACCABEVS And I am the bolder to rub this fault vpon the writer rather then vpon the valiant Captaine of whome hee writeth because in other places also he taketh boldnes to commend things forb◅dden in the Lawe of God as namely the fact of RHASIS in slaying of himselfe 2. Macab cap. 14. ver 46. Likewise I am emboldened to do it because I read this same historie in other authours more worthie then this man is who impute no such fault to IVDAS MACCABEVS as namely Ioseph antiq lib. 12. cap. 12. If any man shal think me presumptuous in charging the writer of the booke rather then the worthy gouernour with a fault let him vnderstand that the veritie of God is in nothing empared albeit there had bene a fault in both that is in IVDAS doing a thing repugnant to the Law and in the authour praysing a thing done contrarie to the law For like as there was no grace in DAVID that could grace his adulterie euen so therewas no gift in IVDAS MACCABEVS that could excuse his offering of a sacrifice for the deade which no man did before him in the old Testament and no man is found to haue followed him in the new Testament as saith CHEMNICIVS In the next place arguments are brought out of ancient fathers to proue Purgatorie by their prayers for the deade For after this maner they reason If soules of men departing from their bodies went straight wayes either to heauen or hell what needed prayers for the deade for they who are in heauen are in glorie and rest and they who are in hell cannot be supported by prayers But say they the ancient fathers praied for the dead whereby it is cleare that they beleeued a third place to wit Purgatory whereinto the soules of some men are tormented and haue neede of the support of the liuing but the consequence is very false for they cannot be ignorant that in CYPRIANS daies the name◅ of holy martyres were mentioned in prayers atthe ministration of the holy sacrament lib. 3. epist. 6 yet no man thought that the martyrs were pained in Purgatorie In like maner AMBROSE affirmeth that hee will pray for the soule of VaLENTINIAN the second of whome he said before aternae vitae fruitur voluptate that is he enjoyeth the pleasure of eternal life Ambros. de obitu Valentiniani And NAZIANZEN prayeth for his brother CESARIVS of whose rest with God hee had the like hope Nazianz. ◅rat 7. All these prayed for the dead without any opinion of Purgatorie And therefore LINDANVS for all his confident assertion that Purgatorie is fully prooued by the testimonies of AVGVSTINE and CHRYSOSTOME who make mentiō of the praiers for the dead the one calling it a custome vsed by the whole Church August serm 32. de verbis Apostolt the other calling it a traditiō of the Apostles Chrysost. homil 3. ad Philippenses yet I say neither of these two beleeued Purgatorie AVGVSTINE doubted of it as said is and CHRYSOSTOME knew it not as shall be declared Godwilling Lindan lib. 4. cap. 63. But now let vs examine these two places whereunto LINDANVS leaneth as infallible grounds and surer then that any exception can be taken against them August serm 32. de verbis Apostolt It is not to be doubted that the deade are helped by the prayers of the holyChurch by the healthful sacrifice almes deedes that are bestowed for their spirits in such wayes that God dealeth more gently with them then their sinnes haue d◅serued First I doubt if this be a sermon of AVGVSVINE It seemeth rather to be a sermon of BEDA who liued long after AVGVSTINE because al this sermon is found in BEDA writing vpō 1 Thess Next like as AVGVSTINE doubted of Purgatorie so likewise he doubted if it was lawful to pray for the dead as his own words testifie August Confess lib 9. cap. 12. after that he had prayed for the soule of his mother MONICA he subjoyneth
is the true bread The doctrine of Transsubstantiation importeth also accidentes without a subject as hath beene touched in a part before in the definition of Transsubstantiation This is admirable that the Scholasticke Doctors who make Aristotle to be Master Caruer of this most holy banquet who haue acquainted themselues better with his Preceptes than with the heauenlie doctrine of the Apostles yet in this point they haue forgotten euen the doctrine of their Schoole-master Aristotle who saieth that accidentes can haue no subsistence but into a subject as if a man bee talking of blindnesse hee must also talke of eyes that are blinded and if hee talke of deafenesse hee must also talke of the eare and if hee talke of lamenesse hee must talke of some member of the bodie that is maimed and finallie if hee talke of a disease hee must also talke of some bodie either of man or beast that is diseased and this hee must doe either expressely or couertly because accidentes haue no subsistence without a subject There can bee nothing imagined more absurde more repugnant to reason than to talke of whitenessâ—… roundnesse and rednesse and in the meane time to saye there is nothing that is white round or redde The recourse which they haue to the Omnipotent power of God who is able to make accidents to subsist without a subject declareth that they neuer rightly considered the cause wherefore the Omnipotent power of GOD is mentioned in holie Scripture to wit to bee one of the strong pillars of our faith which faith commeth onely by hearing Then let this order bee kept First let GOD speake in His owne worde Secondlie let vs beleeue the worde of GOD by faith Thirdlie let the assured pillars of the Omnipotent power and infalâ—…ible trueth of GOD vpholde our faith as it did the faith of ABRAHAM But let vs not grounde vpon the Omnipotent power of GOD in matters whereof wee haue no assurance in His written worde as some of the wise men of PERSIA did who assured both themselues and others that incase they woulde distribute all their goods to the poore and throwe themselues headlonges from eminent places then their soules shoulde bee transported immediatelie to Heauen This madnesse fell out about the yeere of our LORDE and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST 759. What was this leaning of theirs to the Omnipotent power of GOD without assurance of his word but only the conceits of braine-sicke men And so let Papistes talke what they please In this purpose that God by his Omnipotent power can make accidentes to subsist without a subject I will conclude that the Omnipotent power of God is ordained to bee a confirmation to our faith and not to be a citie of refuge to foolish fables The doctrine of Transsubstantiation also importeth that the body of Christ at one time may bee in infinite places which repugneth vnto the nature of a true body which like as it is circumscribed and may be seene so likewise at one time it is onely in one place as Augustine writeth to Dardanus in these wordes Tolle spatia locorum corporibus nusquam â—…runt nec â—…runt that is to say Take from bodies the rowmes of places and they shall be no where and consequently they shall not bee at all And Theodoretus prooueth that the body of Christ is a true humane body albeit it be glorified euen in the latter daye when hee commeth to judge the quicke and the dead because it shall bee seene according as it is written Matth. 26 64. Yee shall see the sonne of man comming in the cloudes of heauen and like as it may be seene so likewise it is circumscribed and consequently it is in a place and is not turned into his diuine nature which is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it cannot be seene and it cannot bee circumscribed as the humane nature is It is well remarked by that learned Preacher Du Moulin that in the last edition of S. Augustines workes at Parise anno 1571. a notable place of the foresaid epistle of Augustine to Dardanus is vtterly left out by aduice of the Fathers correctors of the writings of the Auncientes namely this Destrai naturam humanam Christi si non detur ei certum spatium quo more aliarum rerum corporearum contineatur that is The humane nature of Christ is destroyed if a certaine place be not attributed vnto it wherein it is contained according to the custome of other corporall thinges What credite is to bee giuen vnto Popishe Doctors when they cite testimonies of auncient Fathers after they are deprehended to be deceitfull deprauers of their bookes Ancient Fathers a long â—…ime before the question of Transsubstantiation of the substance of the elementes in the holy Supper came in head they were reâ—…soning of the two natures in Christ to wit the diuine and humane nature and that the one nature was not turned into the other they could not find a fitter similitude than that which is borrowed from the Sacrament as I haue alreadie declared Alwayes they thinke that if any man shall imagine that by vertue of these wordes This is my body the substance of bread was chaunged into the substance of Christes body as many doe thinke euen vntill this day then in steade of one Transsubstantiation of the substance of bread into the substance of Christs body there should be two Transsubstantiations and the substance of Christs body should againe be turned into bread for like as Christ speaking of bread saith This is my body euen so Christ speaking of his body calleth it corne of wheat in these words Verily I say vnto you except wheat corne fall into the grounde and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth foorth much fruit If by vertue of the former wordes bread bee changed into the substance of Christes body then in like manner by vertue of these words for both are spoken out of one blessed mouth the body of Christ should be turned into the substance of corne of wheat I grant there is a difference betwixt a Sacrament and a metaphore yet in neither of them is there such vertue in the word is to change the substance of any thing IN the last head let vs consider with what strife and reluctation this erronious doctrine was intruced vpon the Church I holde the Monke Damascene to bee the first author thereof who perceiuing that his opinion was repugnant to the doctrine of ancient Fathers namely to the doctrine of Basilius Magnus who calleth the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is figures of the body and blood of Christ. He forgeth a friuolous shift to excuse his contradiction to Basilius because saieth hee Basilius calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the wordes of the blessing but after the pronouncing of the wordes of the blessing they are no longer figures but the very body and
blood of Christ. It is hard to bee a prolocutor for an euill cause for it is like vnto a bulge in a wall which falleth and bruiseth him who woulde sustaine it which cannot sustaine it selfe It is certaine that the bread and wine are not types and figures of Christs body before the words of consecration for it is after the words of blessing that the elements receiue this great honour to be called Christs bodie and blood that is signes externall wherewith Christes bodie and blood is spiritually exhibited vnto vs. And therefore Sainct Ambrose calleth the bread before the wordes of consecration panis usitatus that is common bread but it is after the wordes of consecration that they receiue this honour to beare the names of things represented by them as Theodoreius in expresse words writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is â—…ee hath honoured the visible signes with the appellation of his bodie and blood not changing their nature but adding grace to nature Which place clearly prooueth that the elementes obtaine not that great honour to bee called Christes body or types of his blessed body vntill the time that by diuine grace they bee consecrated to that holy vse Mailrosius Scotus liued vnder the reigne of Charles the Great about the yeere of our Lord 800. and likewise RABANVS Bishop of Mentz these two had so acquainted themselues with the doctrine of Augustine that they could in no manner of way giue allowance to the doctrine of Transsubstantiation And about the yeere of our Lord 840. Carolus the second the sonne of Ludouicus Pius and brother to Lotharius and Ludouicus Germanicus he writ to Bertramus a Presbyter to haue his resolution concerning the mysterie of the Sacrament and after what manner of way the body and blood of Christ was present in the Sacrament To whome hee returned this answere That in the Sacrament of the holy Supper there were some thinges that were perceiued with bodily senses other thinges were taken holde of onelie by faith And the bread and the wine were to vs the body blood of Christ as MANNA and the waters of the spirituall rock were Christs body and blood to the people of the Iewes in the wildernesse This opinion aggreeth well with the doctrine of Paul that the Fathers in the wildernesse ate that same spirituall food which we eat which they could not doe by corporall manducation of Christs flesh because as yet the word was not made flesh So this opinion of Transsubstantiation did no sooner put out its head but assoone also contradiction was made vnto it About the yeere of our Lord 1020. Berengarius maintained the opinion of Augustine and other auncient Fathers hee was a presbyter of Angiers in Fraunce and denied the doctrine of Transsubstantiation and the Romane Bishops were coÌ„mooued with great indignation as appeareth by the number of Councels assembled against one poore man who durst presume to speake against the opinion once embraced by the Romane Church Leo the ninth gathered a Councel at Rome in the which he condemned the opinion of Berengarius and excommunicated him euen before he was warned to be present at the Councell and before hee was heard Hee assembled also another Councell in Vercellis about the yeere of our Lord 1051. in the which Borengarius was not present but Messengers who came to pleade his cause were imprisoned and casten into bands and the booke of Ioannes Scotus Mailrosius De Eucharistia was condemned By the way if any equitie had beene kept in these Councels looke by what reason they condemned Ioannes Scotus whose opinion Berengarius followed by the like reason they shoulde haue condemned Augustine Bishop of Hippo whose opinion Ioannes Mailrosius followed But the Romane Church cannot erre ' Another Councell was assembled by Pope Victor the successor of Leo the ninth in the which the Decree of the CouÌ„cell of Vercellis was allowed Yet all this coulde worke no contentment in their heâ—…rtes because the people of Angiers and Towrs in Fraunce liked the doctrine of Augustine Mailrosius and Berengarius about the Sacrament of the Supper Therefore another Councell was assembled at Rome by Pope Nicolaus the seconde anno 1058. in the which Berengarius yeelded to the opinion of the Pope and his Councell and his weaknesse strengthened the errour already receiued in the Romane Church mightily But the number of them who abhorred this newe found out doctrine was exceeding great therefore the Romane Church after the yeere of our Lord 1079 and after the dayes of pope Gregorie the seuenth put hand to worke And being now mightie strong they stirred vp Kings and Princes to persecute with fire and sword and all kind of hostilitie as heretiques all those that spake against worshipping of Images corporall presence and manducation of the body of Christ in the Sacrament of the holy Supper So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transsubstantiation was mightily contradicted vntill the dayes of pope Innocentius the third who in the Councell of Laterane anno 1215. gaue full allowance thereunto But when all this is done râ—…member that the vniuersall Catholicke Church dwelleth not in one countrey or city When the Romane Church was miserably infected with this miserable scabbe of pestilent errour what consent gaue the Churches of Asia and all the Grieke Churches They euer disâ—…ssented from this doctrine vntill this daye as appeareth by the last Sessions of the Councell of Florence anno 1439. Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as they please the doctrine of Transsubstantiation shall neuer be found an ancient doctrine but a doctrine newe false absurd and borne out more by might of the preuailing authoritie of men than power of argumentes grounded vpon holy Scripture God teach them to returne to the ancient trueth from which they haue sliden To whom be praise and glory for euer Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Pennance IN this CENTVRIE it was a receiued custome to men to confesse their sinnes secretly to Presbyters and to receiue from them such forme of injunctions as they counted satisfactions for their faultes as appeareth clearly by the Councell gathered in Fraunce anno 742. in the which Bonifacius bishop of Mentz was Moderator In the first Canon of that Councell it was statuted and ordained That no man of the Clergie should put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two bishops with their presbyters and chaplens to prescribe pennance vnto them who should happen to confesse their sinnes By this it is euident that the custome of secret confession of sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius which was excluded out of the Church in the dayes of Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople yet it returned againe and it was in vse in the VIII CENTVRIE Now in the inseription of this TREATISE I call it a SacrameÌ„t as the Romane church in our dayes call it not as though I were in the opinion that in this age the number of seuen Sacramentes