Constantinople for above 1000 yeeres which hath withstood Paganisme and Mahometisme and of the Empire of Trebizonde and Mosco for some 100 of yeeres the authority of Seven Generall Councells held amongst them the Syrian language in which the Sonne of God delivered his holy Oracles and the Hebrew and Greeke tongues in which they were registred and which hath had not onely all the holy Apostles and Disciples but Christ himselfe when he was in his flesh preaching amongst them Of the communion of this Church are the Grecians the Muscovites the Georgians the Mengrellians the Circassians the Syrians or Melchites and others The second They make the Church of Rome in the west whose Bishops were for some 100 of yeares many of them holy men and Martyrs Now their cheife is the Pope who pretendeth himselfe to be Christs alone Vicar and Head of the Church and to have all power not onely spirituall above Councells and the whole Church of God but also Temporall above all Princes Kings and Emperours and that he alone hath the Keyes of Heaven Hell and Purgatory and he hath in his Treasury the good deedes or workes of Supererogation and Superabundant satis factions of all Saints and Martyrs to bestow them upon whom he list and that he in cathedra cannot erre and that none can besaved but those that are under his Iurisdiction Of this Church Italy Spaine and many other Regions are members as afterwards more largely is set downe The third is the South or Meridional Church in Egypt under the Patriarch of Alexandria and the Abassins in Ethiopia under their Abunna The fourth are Christians falsely called Nestorians under the Patriarch of Musall in divers parts of Asia who are accused to hold the Heresie of Nestorius which they have revoked The fifth are the Armenians in Armenia and dispersed in Europe Asia and Africa The sixt are the Protestants of the Reformed Churches who inhabite a greate part of Europe But that you may the better take notice of these severall sorts of Christians not subiect to the Pope I purpose to set them downe according to their habitations in the severall parts of the world The whole world may be divided into two parts the Old and the New The one is called the Old because it was inhabited many yeares before the New was heard of amongst us either of these may againe be subdivided into three parts The old in to Europe Asia and Africa The new into America and the North and the South unknowne continents Europe the first part of the old world EVROPE Travelors breviat as I read hath in longitude from the farther part of Ireland west unto the River Tanais East both places having 52 degrees for latitude 2166 miles And in latitude from Morea in Graecia South in the degree 35 to 72 North 2220 or thereabouts This is the least part of the world but the best being best inhabited and the inhabitants thereof excelling in Arts and Sciences And moreover Christian Religion flourisheth in Europe more then any part of the world else There are foure sorts of Christians in EVROPE 1 The PROTESTANTS or Reformed Churches under their severall METROPOLITANS or Superintendents The Papists under the Pope of Rome 3 The Grecians under the Patriarch of Constantinople 4 The Muscovites under their Patriarch of Mosco Asin the second part of the old world measuring it with a right line from the River Tanais ASIA to the promontory Tamos both places having 50 degrees of latitude it hath in longitnde 4284 miles and measuring it with a right line from the 150 degree of Eoplin octiall unto The promontory Tabin it hath in North latitude 76 degrees which being multiplied by 60 makes 4560 miles allowing 60 miles for each degree This part of the world is famous in regard of the great Monarchies as of Persians Medes Assyrians and Babylonians but indeed most celebrated in holy writt for the CREATION of man in it for the giving of the law for the Invention af Acts and Sciences It being the place also in which our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ was borne lived wrought his Miracles offered himselfe a sacrifice for our sins In Asia are these severall sorts of Christians following 1 The Christians in PALESTINE under the Patriarch of Hierusalem 2 The Syrians or MALCHITES under the Patriarch of Antioch 3 The ARMENIANS under their two Catholique Patriarchs 4 The GEORGIANS under their Metropolitan 5 The MENGRELLIANS under the Patriarch of Constantinople 6 The CIRCASSIANS under the Patriarch of Constantinople 7 The CHRISTIANS of Asia the lesser under the Patriarch of Constantinople 8 Some Christians in Asia under the Patriarch of Mosco 9 The Christians under the Patriarch of MVSALL 10 The Iacobites under their Patriarch 11 The Christians of St. Thomas 12 The Maronites under their Patriarch Also to these Christians I might add divers others in Asia as the Curdi the Morduits and the Christians inhabiting the great Isle of Traprobana with the Ilands nere therunto Theinhabitants of the which Iles never acknowledged nor their fathers the Popes of Rome Cos lib. 10. cap. 15 as Thomas a Iesu reporteth Africa the third part of the old world AFRICA is all compassed with the Seasaving in one place where it is by an istmos divided from Asia measuring it from Gambra on the West to Cape Gardafu on the East both places having ten degrees North latitude hath in longitude 4155 miles and in latitude from the Cape of good Hope to the Mediterranean Sea about 4020 miles conteining 67 degrees or thereabouts In Africa are these Christians following 1 The Egyptians or Cophti under the Patriarch of Alexandria 2 The Abassins or Ethiopian Christians Quandoquidem hodie multi sunt qui cum nihil sciant scire omnia velint asscrentes nullos in his max imis regionibus usque ad Indiam inveniri Christianos Id quod veruÌ„ non est sed ubique Christus in mundo suoshabet cultores Id quidem verum est omnes Christia nos transmarinos â—usa Armenos under their Abunna or Patriarch of Ethiopia Thus you shall finde it to be true that Brochardus the Monke writeth of the easterne countries although there are many now adaves who knowing nothing would seeme to know all things affirming that there are no Christians to be found in these great Regions evon 10 â—â—lia which is not true for Christ hath his worship â—â— in all places but it is true that all the Christ is bâ—â—â— yond the feas viz the Armenians Cappadocians Greeks Chaldeans Medes Parthians Indians Nubeans Iabeans Asians Georgians EVROPA All these severall sorts of Christians before named in Europe Asia and Africa are not subiect to the papall iurisdiction or differ from the Pope in religion except the Papists and some of the Indians Maronites who also differ in some things from the Papists The severall habitations of the Christians before named and first in Europe CAP. II. The Protestants THE Protestants inhabit the
the Venetian territories The Dukedome of Vrbin the State Luca and others The Pope hath in Jtalie the citie of Rome The Pope Campania part of the Maremâ—na part of Tuscan the Dutchie of Spolet Marca Ancona part of Romagnia the citie of Bononia in Naples Benevent and in France Avignion containing 4 cities and 80 walled townes Mirae lib. 2. page 67. de notit Eprscop For his clergie under him Miraeus reckoneth 28 Cardinalls Priests 18 Cadinall deacons 6 Cardinall Bishops beside many Metropolitans and Bishops and to make his Iurisdiction seeme greater then it is he giveth titles to his followers of the Patriarchships and Bishopricks with which he nor they haue nothing to doe withall of which I will speake of afterward The Venetian signiorie is but part of it in Italy as in Lombardie The Venetians Relat of the most famous kingdomes pag. 342. Marca Trevisana Frivili in which are beside Venice the Cities of Brescia Verona Padoa Bergamo And others Dominions they have also out of Italy as Istria Slavonia Dalmatia Albania or at least some partes of them Mirae pag. 178. lib. citat And also the Ilands of Corfu Cephalonia Zante Candie and some others In this signiorie are two Patriarkes fiue Archbishops and above forty Bishops The Papists inhabite these countries but mingled with Protestants and Greekes Part of the Netherlands Part of the Netherlands as the Dukedomes of Limburg Brabant the Marquisate of the holy Empire The Earledomes of Flaunders Artoys Hainault and Namurce and the Barony of Macklyn excepting as before excepted as part of Brabant and Flaunders in which the reformed Religion is publikely professed Part of Switzerland Part of Switzerland as Lucerne Vrania Vnderwaldt Soluze Switts Zugh and Friburg in some of these Cantons they are some Protestants mingled with the Papists Germany In Germany the Papists inhabite the Dukedome of Bavaria and part of Cleve and other places of lesse note and also they live mingled with Protestants Maginus fol. 79. There are in GermaÌ„dy seven Archbishops and above 40 Bishoprickes many of which are also in the Protestants hands The Archdukes of Austrias countrey and Grats his the kingdomes of Hungaria Bohemia Austria and others are Papists mingled with Protestants as before In Polonia a great part are subiect to the Pope and in this country there are 2 Archbishops Polonia Magin fol. 151. 16 Bishops beside the 8 Greeke Bishops and the Armenian Bishop before named The Papists have also other places in Europe of lesse note in the continent and also some Ilands and so also have the Protestants And thus much of the Protestants and Papists in Europe and their habitations Whereas it may be obiected that there are many Papists in England and other Protestant kingdomes in secret I confesse it to be true And so also there are many Protestants even in Spaine it selfe against whom although all lawes and witts are strongly bent yet notwitstanding there were thought to have beene a great number in Civill it selfe who were in hart that way affected Sr. Ed. Sands lib. cit sect 44. whom the Inquisitors for numbers sake were commanded to forbeare The Grecian Christians THE Grecian Christians some of them acknowledge obedience to the Patriarch of Constantinople Brer Enquir pag. 125. Bot. rel univ part 3. li. 1. la iurisdiction di questo Patriarch e grandissi ma. whose jurisdiction is very great having under him in Europe the Christians of Greece Macedon Epirus Thrace Bulgaria Rascia Servia Bosnia Walachia Moldavia and Podolia together with the Ilands of Aegean Sea and others about Greece as farre as Corfu besides a good part of the kingdome of Polonia and those parts of Dalmatia Croatia and Hungaria that are subiect to the Turkish dominion besides most of Asia the lesse Boter rel par 2 grand Turco In these places the Christians make more then two third parts at least of the Inhabitants for the Turke Brer pag. 68 his inquir so that Christians pay him his yearely tribute which is one fourth part of their Increase and a sultany for every Poll and speake nothing against the Religion and sect of Mahomet permitted them the libertie of their religion there are in Constantinople the very feate of the Turkish Empire about 20 Churches of Christians and in the Citie of Salonica or Thessalonica about 30 Churches Chytrae pag. 9 de stat eccle whereas in the latter the Mahometants have but three Temples or meskites In the Calcedon Councell Concil Calced can 28. Mirae notit episcop lib. 1 cap. 10. 28 Provinces were assigned or confirmed to the Primitive Authoritie of this Patriarch In the Emperour Leos time Anno 1386. The Patriarch of Constantinople had 81 Metropolitans subiect to him and about 38 Archbishops The Patriarches of Constantinople As of dignity so they have beene before the Turkish conquest men of great estate as Alexander the Patriarch died worth 800000. Crownes in the yeere 1043. and Theophilack kept 2000 horse Anno 956. The Patriarch is now elected by his Metropolitans and Archbishops Chytrae pag. 158. de statu eccles Idem pag. 159. according to the Ecclesiasticall Cannons Being elected hee is confirmed by the Vizier Basse For his authority with the Grand Signiors hee is admitted the Emperours presence and hath the same freedome as the Ambassadors of Christian Princes have bringing presents to him For Metropolitans he hath now under him 74 who have under them divers Bishops Christopâ— Angâ—â—â—â—â—â—e institutiâ— Graeâ—orâ—â— cap. 44. Chyt pag. 4 â—9 lib. â—itâ—â— As Thessalonica hath tenne Bishops under him Athens hath 6 Bishops under him Corinth hath 4 Bishops c. The Patriarch hath a Senate or Colledge of 12 noble and learned men Chyt pag. 9. liâ—câ—e Pag. 45. with whose advice he governeth and ruleth the Church under him for his mainteinance he hath above 20000. dollers yearely The Greekes have Monks Christoph Angeâ—â— lib citat but onely of the order of St. Basil the great they be not Idle beggars nor belligods but live on their labour except onely the Priests who applie their Spirituall function The Moscovite MOscovite Christians inhabit Moscovia or Russia the whole countrie is of great length and bredth Muscovia The Russe common wealth Do Fletcher Cap 1. Do Fletcher from the furthest part westward one the Narve side to Siberia Eastward is 4400. verst or there abouts a verst is lesse by one quarter then an English mile from East to west about 3300 english miles from the North to the south from Cola to Astracan about 4260 verst and the Emperor hath more territories northwards farre beyond Cola Muscouia lyeth part in Europe and part in Asia The Provinces of Moscovia are Volodomer Mosco Nisnovograd Plesko Smolenso Novograd Velica Rostove c. And the two kingdomes of Cazan and Astracan all which are reduced into foure Iurisdictons which they call Chetfyrds that is Tetrarchies or fourth parts
saith inhabited the greater part of Asia some of them lived amongst the Saracens others had their owne proper countries as in Africa Nubia and a great part of Aethiopia and all the regions unto India containing as they report more then 40 kingdomes These Christians were converted by St. Matthew and other Apostolike men to the faith of Christ The Jacobites now are dispersed in the cities of Mesopotamia Babylonia and Syria and of other places for their Ecclesiasticall government they are subiect to a Patriarch of their owne whose patriarchall Church is in the monastery of Saphran neere to the City Merdin in the North parts of Mesopotamia but hee keepeth residence in Caramite the ancient Metropolis of Mesopot amia Eutichae errores uno cum suo authore condemnant qui duas naturas in â—nâ—m confundebat at ipsi contrâ— haâ—c opinionem asserunt duas in Christo naturas esse unitas unamque factam naturâ—m personatam de duab us natur is non personatis sine mixtione tamen aut confusione apud Tho a Iesu de conuer lib 7 par 1. cap. 14. These Iacobites as Leonard Bishop of Sidon visiter to Pope Greg the 13th in the East regions doe condemne Eutiches and his error who confounded the two natures of Christ And they affirme two naturs to be united in Christ one personated nature to be made of the two natures not personated without mixtion or confusion They renounce Eutiches and honor Dioscorus The Maronites THE Maronites are found in Alepo Damascus Tripoli of Syria and Cyprus Mirae not Episco lib 1 cap. 19. but their maine habitation is in the Mountaine of Lebanus which conteineth in circuite aboue 700 miles and is possessed only by the Maronits who for that privileidge namely Tho. a Iesu lib. 7. pâ—â— 1. cap. 22. de convers omni gâ—nt to keepe themselues free from the mixture of the Mahometans pay the Turke large Tribute The Patriarch of the Maronites hath under his iurisdiction 8 or 9 Bishops and keepeth residence for the most part in Lebanus keeping ever the name of Peter Their Patriarch hath lately communion with the Pope as before Boter rel pa. 3. lib. 2 de maronitis sonoda minima natione Christina dâ—orieâ—te but with some reservation Boterus writeth that the are the least Cristian Nation of the East whether Maronites inhabiting Damascus Alepo Cyprus and other places have also Communion with the Pope or no I doe not find Christians under the Patriarch of Musall falsely called Nestorians THese Christians inhabit mingled with Mahometans and Pagans a great part of the Orient for besides the countries of Babjlon Assyria and Mesopotamia Parthia and Media wherein very many of them are found Brerwood pag. 139 enquir These Christians are scattered farre and wide in the East both Northerly in Cataya and Southerly to India Boter relat par 3 lib. 2. de Nestorâ— So that in Marcus Paulus Venetus his historie of the East Regions and others we find mentioned of them and of no sort of Christians but them in very many parts and provinces of Tartaria as namely in Cassar Samarchan Carcham Chinchitalas Tangut Cariam Mangi Tenduc c. In so much that beyond the River Tigris Eastward there is not any other sort of Christians to be found for ought I have read except the Portugales and the Convents made by them in Indâ—a and the late Migration of the Armenians into Perfia Vitriac histor Orient cap. 77. pag 149. hi nestoriam cum Iacobinis longe plures esse dieuntur quam latini vel graeci the Cardinall Vitriacus a man well experienced in some parts of the orient hath left registred that these Christians with the Iacobites exceeded in multitude the Christians of the Greeke or Latine Churches About 400 yeeres agoe Bote loco citat The King of Tenduc a Christian ruled farr and wide in the Northeast part of Asia as having under his dominion besides Tenduc which was his owne native and peculiar kingdome All the neighboring Provinces which were at that time for a great part Christians but after that his Empire was brought to ruine and he subdued by Chinges a rebell of his owne Dominion and the first founder of the Tartarian Empire which happened about the yeere Marcus Paulus Venetus lib. 1. cap. 64 maior pars provintiae observat fidem Christianam et bi Christiani primas tenent in hac provincia 1190 the state of Christian religion became in short time altered in those parts for I finde in Marcus Paulus who lived within 50 yeares after Vitriacus and was a man of more experience in those parts then he as having spent 17 yeeres together in Tartaria and partly in the Emperors Court and partly in travelling over those regions about the Emperors affaires that except the Province of Tenduc 20 whereof Marcus Paulus confesseth the greater part to have professed the Christian religion at his being in Tartaria the rest of the Inhabitants being partly Mahometans and partly Idolators and Christians but a few Dico pauci comparatione priorum temporum non in se nam sunt nobis latinis multo plures compend cosmograp pag. 69 Postell writeth that they are but a few in comparison of former times not of themselues they being many more then the Latins are Borchardus who lived since Paulus Venetus hath left record that in some of those parts there were more Christians then Mahometans And he speaketh of his owne experience that in Cilicia and Armenia subiect to the Tartars that he found in a manner at the Inhabitants meere Christians William de Rubriquis also reports that these Christians inhabit fifteene Cities in Cathay and that they have a Bishop in the Citie Segin Gulielm us de Rubriquis lib. 27. cited by Parchas and that they have also a Patriarch in Balduc Thom. a Iesu lib. 7 par 1. cap. 4. pa. 358. de conv omn. gent. in Persia Thomas a Iesu also writeth that under one of these Patriarchs there are many Nations two and twenty Bishopricks sixe hundred Territories and more c. Their cheife Patriarch is the Patriarch of Musall Mirae notitia epis lib. 1 cap 16. in which Citie is recorded the Nestorians to reteine fifteene Temples and the Iacobites three which Citie was in times past Seleucia To the Bishop whereof was assigned the next Place of session in councell after the Bishop of Jerusalem which name and authority in those parts the Bishops of Musall now hath There is one Church of these Christians in the great Citie of Quinsay in China Paul Venet de regi orient lib. 2. cap. 64. Haiton King of Armenia was himselfe in Tartaria and hath wrtten a booke thereof and of the aid he had from the great Cam who was a Christian and of the taking of Mesopotamia Babylon and Syria by the Tartars from the Sasens In former time the heresie of Nestorius prevailed much in these parts of the world
a tempore Innocencii 3. retinuerunt that the Maronites of mount Lybanus only of the East kept faith to the Church of Rome And this may serve to confute them that would empale the Church of God within the limmits of the Roman Church and pretend that all the Christians of the world are subiect to the Pope but only a few Protestants in Europe for here you may see that the Church of God is not tied to Rome onely but that it is Catholike and vniversall dispersed vpon the face of the whole earth and as God hath been mercifull to vs and caused his face to shine vpon vs so his wayes are knowne vpon earth and his saving health amongst all Nations therefore let the earth prayse thee O God yea let all nations praise thee To this relation of the habitations of the Christians not subiect to the Pope I thinke good to give the Reader this Caveat towit The Pope to make his Iurisdiction to shew greater then it is giveth many titles to his followers of those Churches which he hath not to doe with all As to one he giveth the title of the Patriarch of Constantinople to another of Aethiopia Bermudes was called Patriarch of Aethiope Smith of Calcedon Fleming Archbishop of Dublin c. so also he gives the title of other Bishopricks in Greece England and Ireland c. So also their writers in some of their bookes Write false stories tales to make his Iurisdiction Church seeme greater then it is as for example In a booke printed at Coloin intituled Relationes historicae duae duaruÌ„ illustrium legaticuum c. Cardinall Baronius writeth a booke and therein publisheth to the world the submission of the Patriarch of Alexandria and of the Aegiptians and Aethiopians which never was which Treatise is intituled A relation of the Legats of the Church of Alexandria to the Apostolike See The Cardinall in the beginning of the said booke setteth downe the great providence of God in governing his Church for whereas a few franticke people had forsaken the Roman See now the Patriarch of Alexandria and all the Provinces of Aegipt and Aethiopia had submitted themselves to the Roman Church and he setteth downe the submission of the Patriarch in these words In the name of the Father Sonne and holy spirit of one God In the name of God most compassionate and mercifull Everlasting glorie be to God salvation is from the Lord O God give vs thy Salvation Humble Gabriell by the grace of God servant of the See of Saint Marke in the Citie of Alexandria in Aegipt and in all other places thereunto adjoyning in the south Maritime and in Ethiopia the 97 of the Patriachs successor to S. Marke the Evangelist wisheth health and offereth the spirituall kisse to the Father Lord Father of Fathers Prince of Patriarchs being the 13 of the Apostles of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ And of the Evangelist the fifth Successor to St. Peter the Apostle He after setteth downe his submission at large in this Treatise which is published by it selfe and also set downe in the latter end of his sixt Tome of his Annalls Thom a Iesu de conv omn gent lib. 7. pa. 1. cap. 6. pag. 363. Tempore Clementis 8 legatio ficta Alexandrinae ecclesiae ad Romanum pontificem de lataest quae Marcus Patriarcha et cuÌ„â—o omnes Aegipti provintiae aliaeque sibi coniunctae ipsum ut par est summum ecclesiae caput universasemque agnoscebant PastoreÌ„ ut late in fine 6 Tom. Annal. Cardinalis Baronius scripsit Re tamen postea diligentius examinata cuiusdam Bartouis impostoris fuisse mendatium ac figmentum apparuit which historie is meere false and feigned as Thomas the Iesuit saith In the time of Pope Cement the 8. a feigned embassage was brought from the Church of Alexandria to the Roman Bishop in which the Patriarch and all the provinces of Aegipt and others adjoyning did acknowledge him as it was fitting the cheife and universall Pastor of the Church as Cardinall Baronius hath writton in the end of his 6 to me but the matter being more dilligently examined appeared to be a meere lye and a fiction of a certeine Imposture Bartouis In Africa are The Cophtie Vnder the Patriarch of Alexandria And the Abassin christians in Aethiope Vnder theire Abunna or Patriarch America and the Christians therein AMerica was discovered about 142 yere ago discovered Anno 1492. in which the King of Spaine hath four regions with some Ilands the Regions are new Spaine Castilla del Oro Peru and part of Brasile which are supposed to be a sixt part of America In the first 40 yeare after the discoverie thereof these regions with the Ilands were almost depopulated the Natives being either slaine consumed in the mines Nos autem pro certo affirmare aâ— demus iis quadraginta annis quibus Iberi cruentam suam tyr annidem 〈◊〉 ercuerunt ultra dâ—odecim milliones hominum fato sunctos esse in narratione reruÌ„ indicarum pag 7. or carred into captivitie Bishop Casaus in his booke to Philip Prince of Spaine writeth of the consumption of 12 millions of men and that in Hispaniola there were not 300 natives left and of a very small remaine in the other Ilands and in New Spaine it selfe Complaint being made to the noble Emperor Charles the fift he by his proclamation freed these Indians from slaverie and gave them the state of free men For the conversion of these Christians it seemeth to be coact Oviedo histor Indiae occidental's lib. 1 cap 4 Oviedo reporteth that in Cuba there was scarce any one or but vey few that became Christians willingly And what manner of Christians these were you may iudg by Benzos report of New Spaine Benzo histor novi orbis lib. 2 cap. 19 apud Brer viz that they had nothing almost belonging to Christianitie but onely the bare name of Christians I hope it is better now This Church is Governed by foure Archbishops and foure and twentie inferior Bishops In America there be divers plantations of the English Dutch and French and there are now more English in Virginea onely then were left of the Natives in New-Spaine after the depopulation before named I reade of abovt eight thousand Natives remaining there then CHAP. III. THESE Christians agree with us in the maine points of religion they are all baptized in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost c. And in the principall points of controversie betweene the Roman Church you shall see how they agree with us and differ from them In this Chapter I will set downe therefore 1 The principall differences betweene vs the Church of Rome 2 How the Churches before named agree with vs in the cheife points in controversie 3 I find these Churches not Hereticall but Orthodoxall in the maine 4 Of the agreement of the Protestants among themselves 5 Of the difference amongst the Papists 6
Mr. Birckbeck hath written a catalogue who acknowledgeth Doctor Featlies great furtherance in it as I also doe but most especially I acknowledge my selfe bound unto your Lordship for your helpe and incouragement which imboldened me both to write and publish this Treatise Now although the contents of the former writing have beene sufficiently answered againe and againe and neede nothing of mine being one of the meanest of all my brethren Yet I shewed them that brought it me that in stead of a Catalogue of Names I would shew them a Catalogue of Churches in which there now are and have beene many millions of Christians who have generally borne witnesse and now doe to the truth professed by us and our Religion in the principall points in controversie betweene the Roman Church and us as the Greeke Church which hath foure great Patriarches The first of Constantinople whose succession I have set down from Saint Andrew to Cyrill the now Patriarch which succession The Cophti have also a Patriarch of Alexandria Alexandria was inhabited with Greekes and also many other great Cities and Provinces both Africa and Asia have at this day many Greekes in them hath not beene so interrupted with so many Schismes as the Romish succession hath beene The second of Alexandria The third of Antioch The fourth of Hierusalem which Greeke Church is much bigger then the Romish Church in Europe and more ancient The Romish Church having received Christianity from them Againe the Moscovite or Russe Christians who inhabit many countries not onely in Europe but also in Asia as the great Kingdomes of Casan and Astracan and other great Provinces all which together are of greater extent then all Europe besides As also the Christians under the Patriarch of Musall in Asia which Christians Vitriacus the Cardinall reporteth to live in severall Vt de his qui seorsum habitant quorum infinitus est numerus taceamus inter Saracenos non pauciores ut dicitur sunt Christiani infidelibus Vitria histo orient cap. 77. in infinite numbers with their King and also where they live mingled with Saracens they are not fewer then they and howsoever some say that these Christians are decayed since Vitriacus time yet Postell reporteth idem pag. 76. de Iacobitis that they are yet more then the Latine Church Postel Compend Cosmog pag. 69. Dico pauci comparatione priorum temporum â—on in se namsunt nobis latinis multo plures As also the Jacobites dispersed in fortie Kingdomes The Armenian Christians in Europe Asia and Africa who have a thousand Bishops as Cardinall Baronius reporteth out of Otho Frisigensis and also the Abissin Christians in Aethiopia under their Emperour who hath many great Kingdomes of Christians vnder him All these and many more hereafter set downe as they doe agree with us in the maine points of Religion being all baptized in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost c. so also 1. They deny the Popes Supremacie some of them excommunicating him yeerely for an Hereticke or Schismaticke accounting him and his Church hereticall 2. They receive the Communion in both kindes 3. They have no private Masse 4. They hold no Transubstantiation 5. They offer no sacrifice for the quicke and the dead in their Liturgies 6. Married Priests doe administer amongst them 7. They know no Purgatorie nor use any Prayers nor sell any Pardons to release soules from thence 8. Most of them have their Service in their owne tongues Now howsoever the Romanists account no more of the testimonies of these Christians then of the testimonies of Iewes Turkes and esteeme them damned persons as they doe us yet let them know that these Christians are baptized beleeve in Christ and also live devoutly to God obediently to Princes and sincerely to men yea many of them suffer very much for Iesus Christs sake which they might free themselves of if they would renounce their Religion and obtaine great honour and estate for the Turkes Janisaries and Basha's are most of them renegado Christians but these poore Christians account their Saviour more deere to them then all the honours and riches of the world Therefore farre bee it from any Christian Soule to account these men damned as the Romanists doe onely for not being subiect to the Bishop of Rome Bonif. 8. in extrar de major obedi cap. unam sanctam c. according to their Tenet That every Soule must of necessity of Salvation be subject to the Bishop of Rome As for the Dedication in regard I have received many kindnesses from your Lordship both when you were my neighbour and since I am bold to present this Treatise to your Lordship desiring your patronage and protection and also most humbly intreating Almighty God to multiply his blessings upon you to your owne Comfort and good of his Church Your Lordships most humbly devoted EPHRAIM PAGITT Parson of the Church of St. Edmonds the King in Lombardstreet London To the Reader THat which J intend in this treatise is to shew that there are many Christian Churches as well in Europe as in the other parts of the world that doe not adhere to the Roman Church nor acknowledge the Pope for their head Invaine therfore and to no purpose doe many of that party run up and downe the world and cry up the Church of Rome for that one holy catholicke Church which is so assisted by the holy Ghost that it cannot erre wheÌ„ she is indeed but a member and no sound one neither of that body as being miserably infested at this day which also the learned and sober men amongst themselves cannot deny with many new fond opinions and with superstitious practices not a few The Greeke Church may for ought I know by the same reason say that she is that one infalible Catholicke Church that all are Schismatickes that coÌ„municate not with her that out of that church there is no salvation to be had One thing Iadde by way of caution J haue cited many of the opinions practices of those Christians that live in the Easterne and other remote parts of the world but J doe not undertake to justify them in every particular J would not be so understood it sufficeth for my present purpose to shew that many Millions of Christians in the world differ from the Papists J and that in the most of those things wherein they and we do disagree which is the maine of all that few or none of all these doe acknowledge the Church of Rome for their Mother or have any dependance on her The God of peace make peace in Christendome and grant that all they that confesse his holy name may agree in the truth of his holy word and live in unity and godly love Amen So prayeth Thine in our common Saviour The Contents of the first Chapter THe severall sorts of Christians in the World not subject to the Pope or differing in Religion from him First
in EVROPE Protestants Greekes and Muscovites Secondly in ASIA The Christians under the Patriarch of Ierusalem Antioch The Armenians The Georgians The Mengrellians The Cinassians The Christians in Asia the lesse Muscovite Christians in Asia Christians under the Patriarch of Musall The Jacobites Christians of St. Thome The Maronites Besides the Curdi Morduites Drusi and the Christians of Taprobana Thirdly in AFRICA The Cophti under the Patriarch of Alexandria The Abassines or Ethiopian Christians The contents of the second Chapter The severall habitations of these Christians in Europe Asia and Africa The contents of the third Chapter The Vnitie and how these Churches agree with us in the principall points wherein wee differ from the Church of Rome Jn this chapter is set downe 1 The principall differences betweene the Church of Rome and us 2 The points in which these Churches agree with us with some of their Liturgies 3 That I finde these Churches are not hereticall but orthodox in the maine 4 Of the harmony of the Protestants among themselves 5 Of the differences and want of Vnity amongst the Romanists 6 Our Vnity with the ancient East West and South Churches and especially with Gregory who is pretended to be the founder of the Romish Religion amongst us 7 Our agreement with the ancient Britans our forefathers 8 The lives and conversations of those Churches comparatively The Contents of the fourth Chap. Of the Antiquity of these Churches 1 Some of them are more ancient then the Romish Church 2 The old Church of Rome and the now church are not one but different 3 The now church of Rome as it is a new church so likewise it hath new Articles of Faith c. The Contents of the fift Chapter A Succession of Bishops in Hierusalem Antioch Alexandria Rome for 600. yeeres In Constantinople for some yeeres The Metropolites and Bishoprickes of Constantinople Antioch Hierusalem Africa The Bishops of Constantinople from Stachys to this day That the Roman Bishops since Gregory differ in Title Iurisdiction Life and Doctrine from the former A Succession of the Emperors of Constantinople and of Aethiopia The Contents of the sixt Chapter By what meanes the Papall Monarchie hath beene raised and how it hath been and is upheld in which is set downe 1. The primitive estate of the Roman Bishops 2. How they got the title of head of all other Churches and how they increased their Jurisdiction 3 The Popes Temporalties 4 How the Pope got Superiority above the Emperors 5 Of their inventions to get money 6 Of the Popes state and magnificence 7 Of the Popes munificence and gifts 8 Guicchardines relation of the Popes rising 9 How the Popes keepe that they have Jn giving of Kingdomes to Princes In dispensing with marriages and oathes Their Corrupting the Fathers Suppressing the reading of holy Scriptures Their inventing scandalous lies and Bookes c. The Conclusion A letter sent from the Patriarch of Alexandria to the late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and his Answer to the same CHRISTIANOGRAPHIE or the description of the sundrie sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope AMongst the usuall and false pretences wherewith our Adversaries of Rome have long gone about to deceive the simple and ignorant One of the principall is the Paucitie of the Professors of the Reformed Religion and the Multitude and Amplitude of them and their Religion as if all the Christian Kings Emperouns and Bishops before King Henry the Eight and Archbishop Cranmer and also the whole Church of God had beene subiect to the Bishop of Rome but onely a few Protestants shut up in an obscure corner of Europe To discover the falshood of these their vaine and glorious boasting I purpose to set downe 1 The Churches of Christians in the world not subiect to the Pope or differing in Religio from him 2 The places of their Dwellings and large Habitations 3 Their VNITIE and how they do agree with us in the principall points in Controverfie betweene the Church of Rome and its 4 The ANTIQVITY of these Churches some of them being more ancient then the Church of Rome 5 A SVCCESSION of Bishops in some of their Patriarchall Churches and other Episcopall Sees 6 How the Church of Rome hath beene advanced above other Churches and how it hath beene since supported and held up The seuerall sortes of Christians In the world not subiect to the Pope or differing in Religion from him CAP. I. CHristianity is not confined to one Countrey or Nation but it is dispersed over the face of the whole Earth Our Lord and Saviour being ready to ascend into Heaven commanded his Apostles Mat. 28 19 saying Goe yee and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost And this his commandement the holy Apostles put in execution Mar. 16.20 They went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them In the Ecclesiasticall histories the contries Nations are named in which and to whom they preached Peter preached in Iudea Pererius ad Roman cap. 30 sect 27. ANTIOCH Galatia Cappadocia Pontus in Asia Bithinia and Rome James The sonne of Zebedee in Iudea and Spaine Iohn in Iudaea and Asia the lesse ex Origene Dorotheo En sebio Hierony mo Isidore aliisque Andrew in Scythia Europea in Epirus Thratia and Achaia Iames the brother of our Lord in Hierusalem Philip in Scythia and Phrygia Bartholmew in the farther India and Armenia the great Matthew in Ethiopia Thomas to the Parthians Medes Persians Brachmans Hircanians Bactrians and Jndians Simon in Mesopotamia Judas in Aegypt and both after in Persia Matthias in the higher Ethiopia Also Paul and Barnabas in many countries of Europe and Asia All these published the same faith for substance Per Dei voluntatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et columnā fidei nostrae futuram Co len 1625. Irenaeus advers haeres lib. 3. cap. 1 Mat. 28.20 which we at this day professe in the Church of England for they taught those things that Christ commanded them which are set downe by the will of God in holy Scripture to be the pillar and foundation of our faith as Irenaeus writeh And although men are generally perswaded that these Churches are perished or become Hereticks yet according to Gods promise of assistance not onely to themselves viz Lo I am with you alway but also to their Successors preaching after them even to the latter end of the world Christianity remaineth in many of these Regions to this day maugre the cruelty of the Tyrants and malice of the divel as will appeare afterwards by the testimony of Historiographers and other unreproveable Authors Some make but six sorts of Christians in the world First the East Church which challengeth to her selfe the first place in regard of her prerogatives and priviledges as having almost all the Apostolicke Sees The greatest number of Patriarcks the Maiesty of the Empire of
The cheife Cities are Mosco Cap. 4. Novograd Rostoue Volodomer Plesko Smolensko Cazan Astracan c. The Citie of Mosco is reported to be bigger then London twise as bigge as Pragnes Math. a Micheu de sarmat lib. 2 cap 52 bis maior quam Praga Fletcher cap. 16. The Emperors title is Theodore Iuanowich by the grace of God great Lord and Emperor of all Russia great duke of Volodemer Mosco and Novograd King of Cazan King of Astracan Lord of Plesko and great duke of Smolensko of Twerrig Ioughoria Permia Vadska Bulghoria and others Lord great duke Novograd of the low countrie of Chernigo Rezan Polotskoi Rostoue Yaruflaveley Bealozera Liefland Oudoria Obdoria and Condenfa and commaunder of all Siberia and of the North parts and lord of many others countries Ioann Faber pag. 170 de Theolog Moscovit For their Ecclesiasticall government they were subject to the Patriarch of Constantinople but since the time that the said Patriarch hath bin under the Mahometan tyranny they haue a Patriarch of their own at Mosco to whoÌ„ are subject two Metropolitans one of Novogrod Fletcher cap. 21 some say 4 metropolites the other of Rostove Four Archbishops towit of Smolensco Cazan Vobsko and vologda and their Bishops are six whom they call Vladikey their Priests they call Papaes The late Patriarch Theodore was father to Michael the now Emperor of Moscovia The Bishops live upon tithes as God hath commanded and they use lordships given to them and also possesse farmes and castles Ioan. Faber pag 172 Decimis queÌ„ admodum a Deo decretum est qâ—oque vivunt Episcopâ— Their Renes and reuenues to mainteine their dignities are some what large The Patriarches yeerely rents out of his lands besides other fees is about 3000 Rubbells or Markes The Metropolites and Archbishops have about 2500. The Bishops have some 1000. some 800 some lesse The matters perteining to their jurisdiction are the same in manner that are used by the Clergie in other parts in Christendome for beside their authority over the Clergie and matters meere ecclesiasticall their Iurisdiction extendeth to all testamentarie causes matters of marriage and devorcements and some pleas of iniuries c. This Countrie conteineth two Kingdomes 15 Dukedomes Imperior mund catalog pag. 51 Bot relat univer par 3 lib. Moscovia and 16 Provinces They have in so great reverence the holy Scriptures that they touch them not without many bowings of their heads and making the signe of the Crosse and the like reverence they shew to the foure first generall Councells The Russians in Polonia finding that they could not have recourse to the Patriarch of Constantinople as was fit being subiect to the tyranny of the Turke in the yeere 1591 fell from his jurisdiction but yet retaine the Greeke religion Churchces in Asia Hierusalem THe Christians subiect to the Patriarch of Hierusalem Inhabite mingled with Turks and others Palestine Microcosme pag. 380. The Patriarch doth keepe his residence in Hierusalem In which there are now remaining about 10 Churches of Christians Chytr destatu 〈◊〉 clesiarum pag 24. The Patriarcall Church is the Church of St. Sepulcher in Hierusalem and his house is neere unto it Tyrius histor bellisacri lib. 14. cap. 12. There did belong to this Patriarch the three Palestines Tyrius addeth more two Provinces to wit Rubensis and Beritensis He also relateth five Metropolitans to have belonged to this Sea and about 101 Bishops This Countrie of Palestine is called the holie land because the holy One dwelt and was borne there who beareth up all things by the power of his word Antioch The Christians under the Patriarch of Antioch are called Syrians Niceph histor eccles lib. 18. cap. 52. of the place of their cheife habitation And Melchites because their Bishops have alwayes followed in faith and in the councells the example and authority of the Emperors of Constantinople Boterus relat univers par 3. lib. 1. de melchiti per che questi nella fede e ne concilii hanno sempre seguito l'essempio el autorita de gl Imperatori Constan â—in â—olitani Idem Ibâ—â—em e â—i tima che questa siaâ—la piu numerosa na time Christiana diâ—evante Tyrius in Histor Bells sacri lib. 14 cap. 12 pag. 247. Their Patriarch is the Patriarch of Antioch who now keepeth his residence at Damascus They inhabite mingled with Mahometants part of Syria Beritus Tripolis Alepo and other places in Asia these are one of the greatest sort Christians in the Orient This Patriarch had fifteens Provinces allotted to him and Tyrius reckoneth Metropolitans Archhishops and Bishops belonging to Antioch 142 The Syrians do boast themselues to be the first Christians of the world because St. Peter had his seat 7 yeare in Antioch before he went to Rome which is the reason that the Syrians would never submit themselues to the Church of Rome The Georgians THe Georgians Chytreus de stat ecclesiarum pag. â—1 inhabit the Countrie that was antiently named Iberia betwixt the Euxine and the Caspian seas They haue on the North Cancasus on the West the Mengrellians on the East and on the South the Armenians All their Bishops being 18 professe absolute obedience to their Metrapolitan without any other higher dependance these christians liue severally by themselues without any mixture of Mahumetans or pagans under their owne King or Prince They are a very warlike people valian in Bataile of great strength and might with an innumerable multitude of Soulders very terrible to the parazens As often as they come to visit the Lords Sepulcher they enter into the holy Citie with their Standards exected not paying any tribute As it is reported by Vitriacus the Cardinall And in their standerds they beare St Gâ—orge In the yeere 1614. Teimurazes being Prince of the Georgians the Persian armie entred into Georgia and spoiled divers Cities and carried away many prisoners and amongst others Cetaba the Princes mother was taken in the Citie Cremen and caried into Persia which Cetaba refusing to be come a Mahumetan and to leave Christianty was put to death and martyred by the Tyrant and her body cast out into the feilds unburied But Moacla who had beene a servant of the Queenes and then slave to a Persian got leave of her Master to bring home the body in the night telling her master what profit he might receive by it her sonne ransoming it The bodie she imbalmed and put into a Coffin There were at that time certaine Iesuits in Persia who seeking the body and finding it not being perswaded that it was devoured by wild beasts got another dead mans head and imbalming it and wrapping it in lynnen travelled towards Georgia and drawing neere sent a Messenger to the Prince to tell him that there were certaine Roman Christians come out of Persia who had brought with them the head of the holy Martyr Cetaba his Mother which had delivered them out of many great dangers
who held that Christ had two persons as well as two natures and they would not yeeld that Mary was the Mother of God The Christians now called Nestorians acknowledge Christ to be perfect God and perfect man from the first moment of his conception and that Mary might be rightly said to be the mother of the Sonne of God Although they have revoked Nestorius heresie yet they are still called by his odious name The Pope hath a titular Patriarch of Musall The Christians of St. Thomas THe Christians of St. Thomas are vulgarly so called Brere enq pa. 144 because by his preaching they are supposed to have beene converted to Christian religion and his body as it is thought remaineth buried in the City of Matiapar on the Coast of Coromondall some of these Christians inhabit on the neere point of India namely in that great Promontory Boter relat pag. 3. lib 2. della vecchia Christianita dell ' India whose base lying betweene the outletts of the River Indus and Ganger stretcheth out the sides farre towards the South well nigh 1000 miles till meeting in the point of Comari in the more Southerly part of the great Promontory neere to Cape Comori about the Cities of Coulan and Cranganar on the westside and about Maliapar and Negapatan on the East side and their habitation is thickest about Angamale 15 miles from the City Cochin Northward where their Archbishop keepeth residence Now as touching the Ecclesiasticall government of these Indians their Archbishop till 20 yeeres since or litmore acknowledged obedience to the Patriarch of Musall Mirae denotit Episcop lib. 1. pag. 57. cap. 21. but since it is reported that he he hath submitted himselfe to the Pope reade miraeus de notitia Episcopatuum But it is very likely that these Indian Christians were forced to submit to the Pope for Osorius writeth that the Portugalls tooke Cranganor by force and also they have Maliapar and other places in which these Christians doe dwell Lib. 3. pag. 107. de rebus Emanuclis Lusitaniae regis Vesputius writeth that there were many godly Bishops in East India Americus Vesputius noted by Bishop Iuel pag. 35 defence of the Apolog and also sundry whole Countries converted and christened long before the Portugalls came thither who never heard of the Pope of Rome Josephus Indus borne in Cranganor in East India reporteth that there are many Kings in India who know Christ Iosep Ind navigtiones inter relationes novi orbis pag. 145 And also that there are Christians from the river Indus where Jndia beginneth to the Iles Ormus Westward neere the Persian gulfe He also reporteth that these Christians have over them a Prelate to whom 12 Cardinalls are subiect beside two Patriarchs Hi populi habent magnum Antistitem cui adstant duodecim Cardina les patriarchae duo Archiepiscopi episcopi complures lib. 2. epistol 3. cited by Bishop Morton Apol. Cath. p. 345. Historia Aethiop traduzido en Castellano per el Padre Fray Thomas de Padilla and many Archbishops and Bishops The great I le of Socotorie is also inhabited by those Christians of St. Thome St. Thomas also preached in the Kingdome Sinas and converted a great company to Christianity there as Xaverus the Iesuite writeth Also the Portugalls found an infinite number of Christians in China The Christians in Africa under the Patriarch of Alexandria THE Christians called Cophti are no other then the Christians of Aegipt who have beene called Aegophti or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Touching their Ecclesiasticall government they are subiect to the Patriarch of Alexandria whose Patriarchall seat is at this present translated Cbyt de stat Eccles pag. 26. Scalig. de emendat tempor lib. 7. pag. 679. and so hath long beene to the Citie of Caire In times past all Africa from the mouth of Nile to the Gaditane streits and from the Tirrhen sea North to the Equinoctiall line south Was planted with Churches and Cities of Christians belonging to the said Patriarch Christianitie so florished in Africa Concil Carthag 4. Concil Carthag 6. Vict. lib. 1. de persecutione Vandalec that we read of Synods of 200 Bishops to have beene gathered there and of some hundred of Catholick Bishops to have beene their expelled by Gensericus King of the Vandalls and in one Province alone zengitana by name which is that where Carthage stood to have been 164. Bishops under one Metropolitan In this North part of Africa Christianitie is in a manner decaied for want of teachers To this Batriarchs Iurisdiction are now belonging not onely the Christians of Aegipt Brer pag. 161. but also the Christians that are found about the bay of Arabia And in mount Sinai Eastward and also in Africa as farre as the syrtes westward Likewise the Christians of Aethiopia have acknowledged obedience to this Patriarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chyt de stat eccles pag. 84. Cyrill the now Patriarch of Constantinople was Patriarch of Alexandria The title of this Patriarch is Cyrill by the grace of God Pope and Patriarch of the great citie of Alexandria and Iudge of the world he is said to weare two Crounes St. Morke was the first Bishop of Alexandria The Abassin Christians THE Abassin Christians inhabit the Ahassin Empire in Aethiopia Quadus in Compend univers lib. cap. 20. Postel compend Cosmog pag. 63. Matthias Quadus boundeth the Abassin Empire on the North with Nubia et Bugia on the East with the red sea and Barbarick Gulph to the Kingdomes of Aiana and Dangali on the south to the mountaines Lunae on the west with Manicongo the floud Niger the kingdome of Nubia and Nilus Some report this Emperors dominion to be as great as Europe But Mr. Brerewood maketh it equall in dimension with Germany France Spaine and Italy For the Emperour he is called Commonly Presbiter Iohn or Negus but of the Abassins Ioaanes Belul Zaga Zabo apud damian a Goes pag 241. pretious Iohn or high Iohn he is the most potent Prince of Africa The title of this great Emperour runneth after this manner David supreme of his kingdomes and beloved of God the pillar of faith sprong from the stocke of Iudah the sonne of David the sonne of Salomon the sonne of the pillar of Sion the sonne of the seed of Iacob the sonne of the hand of Mary the Sonne Nahu after the flesh the sonne of Saint Peter and St. Paul by grace Emperour of the higher and lesser Aethiopia and of the most large Kingdomes Dominions and Countries of Goa Caffares Fatigar Angola Barn Baliguazae Adea Vangne Goyam where are the fountaines of Nile Amara Baguamodri Ambea Vanguci Trigremaon Sabaim the birth place of the Queene of Saba Barnagassum and the Lord of all the Regions vnto the confines of Aegypt They conceive themselves to be deseended from Salomon and the Queene of Suba Maqueda The Armes of the Kingdome are reputed to be the same with those of the
tribe of Iudah the Lyon Rampant in the feild Or and their motto is The Lion of the tribe of Iudah shall overcome It is written the Emperour to have set before him at his meaâ—e Godignus cap. 6 pag 25 de Abass rebus a vessell full of Ashes to put him in minde of his Mortality The Abassins reckon a succession of Christian Emperours from Abraham called the Saint Who was Emperor Anno 470. Alvares cap. 13. in Purchas The Prets or Emperours dwell in a movable citie of tents on festival dayes he vseth red tents About 50000 Mules attend the Prets campe to remoue his carriages They call themselues as we do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ithiopia wian In Arabike are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elhabaschi vulgarly the Abassines _____ presbiter signifieth Apostolike in Arabike Scaliger de Emen de temporum pag. 680. For their Ecclesiasticall government Ecclesiasticall government Myrae de notitia episcop lib. 1 cap. 21 pag. 56. They are subiect to a Patriarch of their owne whom they call Abunna Their Abunna when Alvares was in Aethiopia was called Marke Aluares cap. 14. a Reverend old man aged about 110 a man very gracious in his speech never speaking without blessing God and giving thankes his apparell was white his upper garment like a Cardinalls cloake buttoned before When he goeth out of his tent he rideth upon a Mule well attended having a Crosse in his hand and three crosses carried on staues about him Some do report that there are in Ethiopia 127 Archbishops Godig de Abassin rebus lib. 1. cap. 32. pag. 195. Aluares reporteth in Macham Celacem which is the Church of the holy Trinitie Alvares cap. 14. he saw 200 mitred preists together and 64 Canopies carried over them Their Churches are builded round and very rich with hangings of cloth of gold Velvet and plate They have many goodly Monasteries to the Monasterie of the vision of Iesus belongeth about 3000 Monks Alva cap 2. In Europe there was litle knowledge of these Abassine Christians untill the Portugalls had footing in the East Indies Damia Goes de Aethiopum moribus Idem pa. 161. about the yeare 1486. Iohn King of Portugall sent Alphonsus a Pavia and Petrus a Covilham to Prester Iohn They saild to Caire like marchants agreed one of them to goe into India and the other into Aethiopia Peter having seene Goa and Calecut and other places in India returneth to Caire to meete Alphonso where he heard of his death and receaved also letters from the King of Portugall that they should not returne without seeing Prester Iohn Peter writing back what he had seene in India traveleth into Ethiopiae to the Emperour and delivereth King Iohns letters to him but could never get leaue of the said Emperour to returne but lived richly there Afterwards the King of Portugall sent divers men Idem pag. 169. and amongst others Francis Alvares his Chapline who remained in Ethiopia 6 yeeres and hath written a booke of the religion and and customes of the Ethiopians This Aluares returning brought letters from the Emperour of Ethiopia to the Pope which were delivered to him in Bonnonia in the presence of the Emperour Charles the 5. An 1533. Damia Goes pag. 171. Vpon the receipt of which letters there was great Ioy and a report of a great Countrie of Christians in Africk as bigg as all Europe that had submitted themselves to the Pope and especially in that time when dyuers Princes in Germanie Tum primum lusitanos adijsse Aethi opidni cum fidem ca tholicâ—m Lutherus deserâ—â—t Godig de Abass rebus lib. 1 pag. 145 cap 23. Dam. a Goes pa. 203. de AethiopuÌ„ moribus and King Henry the eight had with drawne themselves from the Roman Church David Emperour of Aethiopia sent a learned Bishop called Zabazago into Porgall a man of admirable faith learning and Eloquence whose confession of Faith is set downe by Damianus a Goes The Pope sendeth a Patriarch with others into Aethiopia one Johannes Berniudes a Spanish Frier there went with him 400 shot and some pioners out of the Portugall Jndies their commander was Don Christopher a Gama who arrived in Aethiopia anno 1538 and was suffered their to remaine vntill Precious Iohn had vanquished the King of Adell by the help of the said Portugalls But the said Patriarch was compelled to returne being accused of Sacriledge for stealing a vessell of gold out of a Church and with this message that the Emperour would not submit himselfe to the Bishop of Rome Afterwards their were 13 Iesuits chosen by Ignatius Eoiola Godig de abass reb lib. 2. cap. 15 and others to be sent into Ethiopia of which one of them had the title of Patriarch to wit Joannes Nonius Barrtius and two of Bishops the Patriarch dyed and never saw Aethiopia to whom one of the Bishops Androas Orviedo succeeded in his Patriarch all title be failing with the Portugal shipps to Goa in the East Indies the vice-roy sent a Messenger first into Aethiopia to know whether the Emperour would receive some learned men Portugals sent to him from the Pope and the King of Portugall which he refused not Where vpon the Vice-roy sent the said Patriarch Andreas with some Iesuits and twentie attendants according to the dignitie of his person who landed at a Port in the Red Sea neere to the Citie of Arquick in the yeare 1557. From whence he went to a Citie called Baroa where an Ethiopian King called Barnagasses received the Patriach with great honour from thence the Patriach was 50 dayes going to the Emperour Claudius who receiving his letters told him that he would never yeild obedience to the Bishop of Rome he gave him leave to teach the Portugals but forbad him to speake on word to his Abassines and that he would not suffer the Roman yoke to be layd on him or his Claudius the Emperour dying Adamas succeeded who banished the said-Patriarch Andreas All these Christians before named are not subiect to the Pope except before excepted In Europe the Papists inhabit somewhat above a fourth part The Protestants Muscovits and Greeke Christians inhabit the rest of it with some Turkes who are mingled with the Greeks and make one third part with them some say much lesse Bellonius writeth the Greek Rites Asserlmus Graecauica Ecclesia ritus latius patere quaÌ„ latina lib. 1 cap. 35. to extend farther then the Latine which may be true of the Latins in Europe onely In Asia the second part of the old world and Africa the third part the last whereof is three times bigger than Europe and Asia bigger then the other both The Pope hath very little Possevine the Iesuit writeth In apparatu de Maronitis Maronitae Libani Montis in Syria incolae sub corum Patriarcha pietatem et fidem erga RomanuÌ„ ponti ficem et sedem Apostolicam uni ex omnibus Orientis populis sat integraÌ„
Of the agreement of the Ancient Roman East and South Church with vs in the points set downe and also of Gregorie the great Bishop of Rome who sent Austen into England 7 Of the Religion of the Antient Brittans and of their differences from the now Roman Church 8 Of the Pietie and Devotion of the Christians before named 1 The principall differences betweene the Romanists and us THE maine difference betweene the Church of Rome and us consists in certaine points which they of Rome hold for important and necessary Articles of the Christian faith which we doe not beleive or receive for such For the things which we beleeue are verities cleerely founded upon Scripture and summarily set downe in the Creed and vnaminously received by all Orthodoxall Christianes This Creed which the Antients thought compleat enough seemeth to the Romanists defective and therefore they have adioyned and added to the same many new Articles yea to those twelue which the Apostles set downe for a sufficient Summary of wholesome doctrine The Articles of their New Creed and Doctrines are Their Apocryphall Scriptures Their Dogmaticall Traditions which they equall with the holy Scriptures Their Transubstantiation Their Communion in one kinde Their Purgatorie Their Invocation of Saints Their Worship of Images Their Obedience to the Pope without which no salvation Their Latine Service Their Trafique of Indulgences These and other new doctrines are Canonized in their late meeting at Trent and vpon these and the like is the contestation betweene the Romanists and vs these are obtruded by them as vndoubted verities and to be believed under the Popes curse These are reiected by vs as human inventions some of them cunningly devised to advance their ambition avarice without any solid ground or countenance of Scripture or Antiquitie He that desireth to see mere of the differences betweene the Romanists and us let him reade Doct. Field of the Church Doct. Field of the Church Booke 3. cap. 7. pag. 83. 2 The Agreement of the Churches before named with us in the chiefe Points in Controversie following Of the Greeke Church AS the writings of the Greeke Fathers for above five hundred yeares space after Christ give testimonie to our Religion in the maine Points thereof So also the Churches at this day in those parts doe hold with us and we and they against the now Romish Church As 1 The Greekes deny the Popes Supremacie Cyrill Patriarch of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 10. pag. 28. Wee beleeve that no mortall man can be Head of the Church and that our Lord IESVS CHRIST is the alone Head Marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concilium Ptorens pag. 721. Binius Archbishop of Ephesus We account the Pope as one of the Pariarks if he be Orthodox Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica The Greeke Church though it never denied the Primacie of Order to the Pope of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nilus de Primatu pag. 101. yet their assumed predominancie of Authoritie they have alwayes resisted The Emperour Ioannes Paleologus submitted himselfe to the Pope in the Councell of Florence 1436. in hope of Aide against the Turke Paulus Aemilius cited by Bishop Iewell Defence of the Apolog. pag. 411. for which he was so hated of his people that being dead they denied him Christian buriall Jsodore Archbishop of Kiovia returning from the sayd Councell because he began Hunc Moscovitae obedientiam Romanam praedicantem spoliaverunt in necem extremam impulerunt Mathias à Michou de Sarmatia lib. 2. cap. 1. for unities sake to move the people to submit themselves to the Pope was deposed from his Bishopricke and put to death 2 They account the Pope and his Church Schismaticall The Patriarke of Constantinople doth yearely upon the Sunday In Praefaclene ante acta screpta Theelogorum Wirtembergensium Patriarchae Constantinopolitani Dom. Hieremiae An. Dom. 1576. called Dominica invocavit solemnely excommunicate the Pope and his Clergie for Schismaticks Summum antem Pontisicem Christi Vicarium omnesque Latinos pre excemmunicatis babens Elench Alphab omnium Hareseum lib. 7. pag. 202. Prateolus The Graecians account Christs Vicar the Pope and the Latines excommunicate persons 3 Concerning Transubstantiation Cyrill the Patriarch of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 17. pag. 60. In the administration of the Eucharist we doe confesse a true and reall presence of Christ but such a one as Faith offereth us not such as devised Transubstantiation teacheth For we beleeve the faithfull to cate Christs body in the Lords Supper not sensibly champing it with their teeth but partaking it by the sence of the soule for that is not the body of Christ which offereth it selfe to our eyes in the Sacrament but that which Faith spiritually apprehendeth and offereth to us Hence it ensueth that if we beleeve we cate and participate if we beleeve not we receive no profit by it Hierimi the Patriarch teacheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Respons 1. pag. 101. a change of bread into the body of Christ which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a transmutation which is not sufficient to inferre a Transubstantiation because it may signifie onely a mysticall alteration which the Patriarch in the same place plainely sheweth saying the body and blood of Christ are truely mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Patriar Respons cap. 10. pag. 86. not that these saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are changed into humane flesh but wee into them for the better things haue ever the preheminence Neither was the flesh saith he of our Lord. which he carried about him given to his Apostles for meate not his blood for drinke neither now in the holy mysteries doth the Lords body descend frō heaven this is blasphemie Ganlterus The Greeks say Malos dum consecratum panem accipiunt non accipere corpus Iesu Christi hoc ipsum perpeino Calvini Ministri in ore habent In Tabula Chronograph pag. 604. de Photio 19. that the wicked eating the consecrated bread doe not receive Christs body This also the Calvinists Ministers have alwayes in their mouthes 4 They celebrate the Eucharist in both kinds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Patriar Respons de Abusib pag. 129. Hieremie the Patriarch You say the holy Supper ought to be received in both kindes and you say well so also doe we when we doe receive those venerable Mysteries Cyrill the Patriarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill cap 17 pag 61. As the Institutor speaketh of his body so also of his blood which Commandement ought not to be rent a sunder or mangled according to human Arbitrement but the Institution is to be kept intire as it is delivered to us Prateolus Item esse necessario sub vtraque specîe panis scilicet et vini communis andum adeo quidem vt qui vna specie tantum communicat etiamsi laicus sit peccare dicatur quod ut aiunt
seeme to agree with us in iudgement though they differ in words as also Thomas a Iesu writeth Lib. 6 pag. 248. solis verbis differre But for full satisfaction in this point reade the Conference betweene the most Reverend father in God the Lo Archbishop of Canterburie his grace my honorable Patron and Fisher the Iesuit bound with the Lo Bp. of Elies booke against Fisher Secondly in questions touching the Pope his power Priviledges and authoritie the said Azorius affirmeth that the Greekes have no other opinion then Gerson and the learned men of Paris held who were yet never accounted Heretiques nor Schismatikes either for they yeild a Primacie to the Pope if he be Orthodox but no Supremacie They acknowledge him as Patriarch over his owne Iurisdiction but they deny as the French doe that his power is Supreme or his iudgment is infallible and and affirme that he is subiect to a Councell All which things were defined in the Councell of Constance and Basil and the contrary positions condemned as Hereticall Neither wants there at this day many worthy divines living in the Communion of the Roman Church who strongly adhere to the Councells before named as the whole king dome and State of France admitted these and reiect the Councells of Florence Trent who would no lesse with drawe themselues from the Communion of the Roman Church if they were pressed to acknowledge the Popes power and authoritie is Supreame that he cannot erre and that he may depose Kings and dispose of their Kingdomes as the Iesuits and other flatterers affirme and defend wherefore the Greekes are no Heriticks as Azorius resolveth So that the Romanists have done the Greekes infinite wrong in condemning to hell so many millions of Christian soules redeemed with the precious bloud of his deerest Son for this point onely Andr Fric de Ecclesia lib 4 cap 2. Andreas Fricius also saith that there are some who thinke that the Russians Armenians and other Christians of the East part perteine not to Christs Church but seeing they use the same Sacraments which we do seeing they professe to fight under the banner of Christ Crucified and reioyce in their sufferings for his sake farr be it from us ever to thinke that they should be cast out and reiected from being fellow Citizens with the Saints who have endured the heate of the day so many ages in the vineyard of the Lord Nay rather I thinke that there can be no perfection nor union of the holy Church without them Many of these Christians live under the Turke and Pagans and suffer very much for Iesus Christs sake which they might quit themselves of if they would renounce their religion and also might enioy many immunities and priviledge which they are for their religion only deprived of as before The lamentable Calamities of these afflicted and distressed Churches should cause all true hearted Christians in true sence and compassion of their miseries to make their prayers and humble petitions to Almighty God to cast downe his pitifull eyes upon them And farr be it from us to boleive that all these Christians are excluded heaven and plunged into hell for not submitting themselves onely to the Bishop of Rome Also although the greatest part of Christians in Assyria Persia Tartaria and other Easterne Provinces are called by the odious and hatefull name of Nestorians yet they hold nothing Onuphr in vit Iulii 3. hi Nestoriani nomen potius Nestorij haeretici quam errores retinuisse mihi videntur nam nihil plane quod ad illam sectam referat comperio Thom a Iesu couvers lib 7. part 1. cap. 3 et 4. savouring of the Nestorian heresie as Onuphrius writeth and the same appeareth also by the confession of Elias their Patriarch of Musall sent to Rome which was found Orthodox and right as Leonardus Bishop of Sidon reporteth Also the Aâ—menians are Iudged by many to be Eutichian heretickes for that they received not the Councell of Calcedon which they refused to subscribe unto upon a false suggestion and appreheÌ„sion that in that CouÌ„cell the heresie of Nâ—â—torius conde mned in the Councell of Ephesus was againe revived Genebrard Cron ad Annum 1153. of this imputatioÌ„ Genebrard also cleereth them The Christians of Aegypt Asserunt duas in Christo naturas esse vnitas vnamque factam naturam personatam de duabus naturis non personatis fine mixtione tamen et confusione apud Tho a Iesu lib citat cap 14. and Aethiopia with the Jacobits of Syria are thought also to be infected with the heresio of Eutiches whom they curse for an hereticke as Leonardus Bishop of Sidon reporteth for the confounding the two Natures of God and Man in Christ but yet affirmed that the two natures are so vnited that there is one personated nature arising of the two natures not personated without mixtion or confusion Likewise Mr. Brerwood writeth Brerw Enquirie pag 183. That the Christians of the East haue disclaimed and abandoned those Hereticall phantasies touching our Saviour wherein by their misleaders they haue been auntiently plunged doth manifestly appeare first of the Iacobites Secondly of the Nestorians by their severall Confessions Translated out of the Syrian tongue by Masius extant in Bibliotheca veterum Patrum Thirdly of the Armenians by their owne Confession translated by Pretorius Fourthly of the Cophti by their owne Confession of faith mentioned by Baronius also by Tho a Iesu and of the Abassines by the Relation of Zaba Zago Moreover the Romanists scandall these Churches with false imputations as Guido the Carmelite and Prateolus impute unto the Graecians sundry errours which Lucinianus of Ciprus Possevin Biblioskâ— lib 6. cap 1. a Bishop and a learned Dominican and a worthy man as Possevin accounteth him sheweth to be fasly ascribed unto them 1. As first simple fornication to be no sinne 2. That they condemne second Mariages which he sheweth to be untrue 3. That they thinke that the contract of mariage may be broaken and the band dissolved at the pleasure of the parties whereas contrary he affirmeth they allow no divorce to permit a secoÌ„d mariage while both parties live 4 They are said to affirme that the Sacrament consecrated on Maunday Thursday is of more force vertue and efficacy then consecrated any other day wherin he sheweth that they are wronged as in the other imputations 5 They are charged to teach that it is no sin to lend upon usury and that it is not necessary to make restitution of things uniustly taken away 6 They are said to thinke that if a Priests wife die he ceaseth to be a Preist any longer which is as meere a slander as the rest were So that it is true that Thomas a Iesu saith that one of the principall things that maketh the Graecians so averse from the Latins is that they are wronged by them by untrue reports and uniust imputations And as they use them so also us and the reformed
Churches and many others whom they scandall and accuse of divers heresies and errors which we and they abhorre and detest This point I will conclude with Doctor Fields observations First Doct. Field of the Church lib 3. cap. 1. that by the mercifull goodnesse of God all these different sorts of Christians though distracted and dissevered by reason of delivering certaine points of faith mistaking one another or variety in opinion touching things not Fundamentall yet agree in one substance of faith and are so farre forth orthodox that they reta in a saving profession of all divine verities absolutly necessary to salvation and are all members of the true Catholicke Church of Christ The second that in the principall controversies touching matters of Religion betweene the Papists and those of the reformed Churches they give testimonie of the truth of that which we professe As Docter Field also hath collected 1 They all denie and impugne that supreame universalitie of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction which the Bishop of Rome claimeth 2 They thinke him subiect to error as other Bishops are 3. They deny that he hath any power to dispose of principalities kingdomes of the world or to depose Kings 4 they acknowledge all our righteousnesse to be imperfect and that it is not safe to trust thereunto but to the meere mercy and goodnesse of God 5 They adâ—nit not of the merit of Congruence condignitie nor works of Superrogation 6 They teach not the doctrine of satisfactions as the Romanists doe 7 They beleeue not Purgatorie and pray not to deliver men out of temporall punishments after this lfie 8 They reiect the Romish doctrine touching Indulgences and pardons 9 They beleeve not that there are seven Sacraments 10. They omit many ceremonies which the Roman Church useth in Baptisme as spittle c. 11. They haue no private Masses 12. They minister the Communion in both kindes to all communicants 13 They beleeve not transubstantiation nor the now reall sacrificing of Christ They have their divine service most of them in their owne tongue 15. Their Preists are married and although they permit theÌ„ not to marrie a second wife without dispensation yet if any do they do not avoid or dissoluethe mariage 16. They make no image of God 17 They have no Massy Images but pictures onely 18. They think that properly God onely is to be invocated and howsoever they have a kinde of invocation of Saints yet they thinke that God onely heareth them and not the Saints And thus much of the Vnity of these Churches with us 4 The Vnitie of the Reformed Churches appeareth by their severall Confessions OF Auspurge Set downe in a booke called the Harmonie of ConfessioÌ„s of the faith of the Chrislian Reformed Churches Printed Cambridge 1586. which was first presented in the Germaine tongue at the Citie of Auspurge in the yeare 1530 to Charls the fift being Emperor by certaine most renowned Princes of Germanie and other States of the sacred Empire whoÌ„ they call Protestants Of Straugsborough Constance Meminga Lindan presented to the said Emperour Of Basill called also the Confession of Millaine Of the Helvetian Churches Of the Saxon and Meissen Churches Of Wirtemberge presented by the Ambassadours of Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge and Tecca Earle of Mountbelgard presented to the Councell of Trent the 24 of the Month of Ianuary Anno. 1552. Of the French Confession which was in the yeare 1559. presented to Francis the second King of France Of the latter Confession of the Helvetian Church which was written by the Pastors of Zurich in the yeare 1566. Of Belgia which was published in French in the name of all the Churches of Belgia in the yeare 1566 and in the yeare 1579. In a publique Synod held at Belgia it was repeated confirmed and turned into the Belgian tongue Of Bohemia published in divers places was also approved by common testimonie of the Vniversitie of Wirtembergâ— published in the yeere 1532. Of Scotland subscribed by King James of famous memorie and the States thereof to the glory of God and good example of all men At Edenborough the 28 day of Ianuary 1581 and in the 14 yeere of his Maiefties Raigne Although some private men led more by passion and their owne selfe pleasing conceipt then by the sacred rules of piety and truth have laboured to sow the tares of dissention in the vineyard of the Lord and have made Crooked some branches cleaving unto them as Anabaptists Brownists and others yet the generall societies of these Orthodox Churches in the publique confessions of their faith do so agree that there is a most sacred har mony betweene them in the more substantiall points of Christian Religion necessary to salvation as touching the Holy Scripture the Sacred Trinitie the person of the Sonner of God God and man The providence of God Sinne Freewill the Law the Gospell Iustification by Christ faith in his name Rogeneration the Catholique Church and supreme head thereof Christ the Sacraments their number and use the state of Soules after death the Resurrection Doctor Potters wantâ— of charitie pag. 93. Doct Field of the Church pag 819. and life eternall They differ rather in Phrases and formes of speech concerning Christs presence in his holy Supper other things then in substance of doctrine and also in Ceremonies And to manifest preface to Mr. Brerwoods enquiries this their unity The first Act in the Polonian Synods of which they have had divers lately as before in which assembly are Protestants embracing Bohemick Augustan and Helvetique confessions The first Act is a religious confession of their unfeined consent in the substantiall points of Christian faith necessary to Salvation and also that all disputation should be cut of concerning the manner of Christs presence All of them beleeving the presence it selfe and that the Eucharisticall elements are not naked and emptie signes but doe truely exhibite to the faithfull receiver that which they signifie and represent And for as much as they all accord in the substantiall veritie of Christian doctrine they professe themselves to be content to tollerate diversities of ceremonies according to the divers parctise of their particular Churches 5 Of the differences and want of unitie in the Roman Church WHereas our Adversaries boast much upon unitie and thinke it to be the glorie of their Church as Coster writeth that the Catholickes in the world are under one Pope whom they all obey and constantly retaine one faith they speake one thing they thinke one thing and beleeve one and the same in all things so that they disagree not in the least point of Religion Yet for all this their want of unitie will appeare not onely in the want of concord and love one to another but also in their difference in opinions amongst themselves and moreover they in their new doctrines differ from all the true Catholike Churches of the world yea even from holy Scriptures it selfe Their want of concord and unitie
Schismes may appeare in their severall schismes of which there have been 26 In Chronolog as Cardinall Bellarmin reporteth in which there have beene 2 or 3 Popes at a time of whom the strongest in Battaile wore the triple crowne what want of concord was in the Church of Rome in those times you may guesse by the Cruell and bloody battailes fought onely betweene Pope Vrban the sixt and Pope Clement in which many 1000 of Christians were slaine the French and others held with Clement and our Nation and others with Pope Vrban this scisme continued above 40 yere one residing in Rome and the other in Avignion This Vrban Platin in vita Vrban after that he had tormented 5 of his Cardinalls he cut of their heads and cast them into the River Tiber. Also their want of concord Bellum pontificium and unitie may be seene in the cruell and hatefull warr betweene the Popes and the Emperors called Bellum Pontificium wherein the Popes not onely thundred out their excommunications against the Emperors but also absolved their subiects from their oathes made unto them stirring them up against their Princes yea sometime their owne Children against their naturall Parents as Henry and Conrade against their naturall Father Henry the 4 who was taken against oath given as he was going to a Dier and imprisoned where he miserably ended his daies And after his death by the Popes command he was ungtaved and kept above ground 5 yeares Their want of concord and Vnitie may appeare Crueltie of one Pope to another Platin in vit horum Pontifie by the crueltie of one Pope to another as about the yeare 900. Pope Stephen the 6 abrogated all the decrees of his predecessor Pope Formosus and not contented with that tooke his dead body out of his grave and cut of two of his fingers After him succeeded Pope Romanus who abrogated the decrees of Stephanus Pope Theodore the 2 and Pope Iohn the 10 who all confirmed Pope Formosus doings But after them succeeded Pope Sergius who not onely dissanulled the former Popes Acts but also againe tooke up the body of the said Pope Formosus cut of his head and cast his body into the River Tiber. Their want of Vnity also may appeare by the bitter contentions betweene the Franciscans and Dominicans Differences betweene the Dominicans c. about the Virgin Mary whether she was conceived in sinne or no As also by the qnarrells betweene the Dominicans and Iesuits about grace and freewill Their want of unitie may appeare Different opinions Bish Halls peace of Rome in their different opinions Doct Hall now Lord Bishop of Exeter in his booke called the peace of Rome setteth down 300 contradictions or differences of opinions mainteined in the Popish Church set downe by Cardinal Bellarmine himselfe And also 60 differences of opinion amongst their doctors in the point of confession onely set downe by Navarr Doct Doct Willets 4 pillar of Papistrie Willet also setteth downe the like with one hundred contradictions in their canons which are the very synewes and marrow of Popery And their differences are not onely amongst private men Differences Nationall but Nationall as the French and Venetians differ from other Popish Nations in opinion For the French French decree 1611. besides their pragmaticall sanction by a publique decree Anno 1611. expelled the Iesuits except they approved these 4 Articles 1 That the Pope hath no power to depose Kings 2 That the Councell is aboue the Pope 3 That the Clergy ought to be subiect to the civil Magistrat 4 That consession ought to be revealed if it touch the Kings person Cardinall Bellarmines booke of the Popes power in temporalls was condemned in the Parliament of Paris Ano 1610 and with Marianaes booke de Rege et Regis institutione cast into the fiar by the hands of the hangman You may see also Varia tamfaculta tis theologicae et curiae Parisiensis quam aliorum Theologorum et Iureconsultorum opuscula decreta et censurae Item commoncsactiones et postulata Regioruâ—â— in Gallia the arrest of the Parliament of Paris against Cardinal Bellarmines booke in a booke intituled the workes and decrees and censures of the Theologicke faculty of the Court of Paris and of other divins Lawyers in which the cheife head of the Iesuits faith is overthrowne to wit of the Popes power over Kings and Princes and their subiects and Principalities Cognitorum quibus primarium Ie suiticae fides caput de Remani Pontificis super omnes Reges et Principes corumque sub ditos Regna et principatus evertitur and of the lawfull power of secular Magistrates over persons Ecclesiasticall Amongst others there is a treatise in that booke called Ius Regum written by Mr. I Bedaeus advocate of the Parliament of Paris against Cardinall Bellarmine and other lesuits who do extoll the Pope as he saith not onely above all that is called God in spiritualities but also in Temporalities Moreover the Kingdome of France doth acknowledge the Councell of Constance assembled by Sigismond the Emperor with a concurrent consent of other Christian Princes decreeing a generall Synode to be superior to the pope to be a true Councell and so likewise the Councell of Basill And affirmeth that the assembly of Trent to be no lawfull Councell and the Canons thereof to be esteemed the Popes decrees they being made by the Popes Creatures c. And for the Venetian difference reade the full satisfactorie answere to the late and unadvised Bull thundred by Pope Paul the fift against the renowned state of Venice by father Paul a Frier of the order of Servie Moreover their want of Vnity will appeare in the manifold difference betweene Pope and Pope Betweene Pope Pope Councell and Councell contradicting one another Greg imagines adorare omnibus modis devita lib 9 ep 2 Zeged specul pont pag 36. For the Popes Gregorie the 1. forbad Image worshipers Pius the 4 commands it by his bull Gelaâ—ius Hillary taught against Transubstantiation Innocent the 3 and Pius the 4 stood for it Reade doctor Iames his Bellum papale Bellum papale of the difference between Pope Sixtus the 5. and Clement the 8 the one commanding one bible onely to be used the other another and no other under their curses In which treatise the author before named setteth downe the manifold aditions and contradictions betweene the two Popes in their bibles in which one of them must needs err By which the Roman Catholickes are involved into a miserable necessity either to use no bible at all or to under goe the Curse of Pope Clement if they use Sixtus bible or of Sixtus if they used Clements The like difference appeareth in their Councells wherof some forbid Image worship as the councel of Toledo Councels Canon 2. others command it as the 2 Councell of Nue The Calcedon Conncell condemned Eutiches the Ephesine
people as when they must enjoy the Reverend Mysteries Againe But one Body one Cup is given to all Cassander It is sufficiently manifest Consult de utraque specie pag. 1025. Eccle. orientalis in hunc usque diem occidentalis verò five Romana mille amplius annis continuis non aliliter quam sub duplicispecie in conventu Ecclesiae sacramentum hoc Dominici corporis sanguinis administrasse legitur c. that the universall Church to this day and the Westerne or Roman Church for more then a thousand yeeres did exhibit the Sacrament in both kindes to all the members of Christs Church 8. Merit of Workes Gregorie There are some which glorie that they are saved by their owne strength The old Roman Church In 28. Iob. lib. 18. cap. 25. sunt nonnulli qui salvos se suis viribus exultant suisque prâ—cedentibus meritis redemptos esse gloriantur quorum assertio invenitur sibimet ipsis contraria quia dum innoceâ—â—â—â— se asserunt redemptes hoc ipsum in se redemptionis nomen evacnant brag that they are redeemed by their owne precedent merits but herein they contradict themselves whilest that they affirme that they are innocent and yet redeemed they frustrate the name of Redemption in themselves Chrysostom Although we die a thousand times Chrys de Compunct cordis lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if wee fulfill all the vertues of the minde yet wee doe nothing worthie to those things which we have received of God Saint Augustine God Crowneth in us the gifts of his mercy In Ioh. tract 13. Tom. 9. Coroâ—at in nobis Deus dona misericordiae suae The old Roman Church Adorare imagines omnibus modis devita lib. 9 epist. 9. 9. Worshipping of Images Gregory The Adoration of them avoid by all meanes The ancient Greeke Church long withstood Images which was a principall cause of the division of the Empire The Popes excommunicating Leo Constantine and others of the Greeke Emperors who were against Images and the weakenesse of the Christians divided was a great cause of the Mahumetan conquests and greatnesse To the Iewes and Mahumetans the worship of images is abominable And wheras the Turkes know much of Christ Postel Compend Cosmograp p. 76. as that hee was borne of the Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Ghost received by the Christians being the Christ promised in the Iewes Law who is in heaven in body soule and that he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead with just judgement yet the image-worship used by some Christians is so offensive to them that it may bee supposed to bee a hindrance of their conversion The South Church De morib Eccle. lib. 1. cap. 34. Augustine I know certaine worshippers of Tombes whom the Church condemneth Thus as you have seene the agreement of the Moderne Churches beforenamed with us as also of the old antient Roman East South Churches in the points before named which doctrines then taught by Saint Gregory Saint Auâ—â—eâ— Saint Chrysostome and others are not now owned by the Roman Church but by them disallowed and anathematized VII The Religion of the Antient Britaines and the differences from their now Roman Church THe Ancient writers testifie that most of the points before named were the Tenets of the Britains both before and also after the comming of Austen for although the the Romanists pretend that at the comming of Austen Christianity was lost amongst us yet Historiographers witnesse the contrarie Bed Eccle. hister lib. 2. cap. 2. as Beda testifieth that at the comming of the said Austen which was about the yeere 600. there were here 7. Bishops one Archbishop and above 2000. Monkes of Bangor and many learned men And also the Queene was then a Christian and that Christianitie was amongst us before Bishop Iewellâ— Defen pag. 11. Bishop Iewell proveth out of Saint Chrysostome who lived about the yeere 400. and Saint Hillarie who lived about the yere 360. And Origen who lived about the yeere 240. And Tertullian who lived about the yeere 230. Haec epistola communiter habetur inter leges divi Edvardi Antiq. Britan. pag. 5. in margine And this will also appeare by the letter of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome to our King Lucius then a Christian and as the inhabitants were Christians as before so the antient writers testifie that they were them differing from the now Romish Religion in their new Articles For the sufficiency of Scriptures Tantum ea quae in Propheticis EvaÌ„gelicis Apostolicis literis discere poterant observantes Bed lib. 3. hist cap. 4. Omnes aut legendis Scripturis aut psalmis discendis operam dare Bed Eccl. hist lib. 3. cap. 5. Beda recordes the Successors of Columkelle that they observed onely those things which they could learne in the Propheticall Evangelicall and Apostolicall writings They had them also in their owne language and Beda reporteth amongst others of a translation made by the appointment of King Adelstan The Clergie and Laitie were bound to read the holy Sciptures and they accounted them their chiefe riches according to that of Columbanus Sint tibi Divitiae divinae dogmata legis Beda also commendeth Altfrid the King for a most learned man in the Scriptures Alfrit vir in scripturis doctissimus lib. 4. cap. 26. and also their service was in their owne language as Bishop Iewell proveth in his replie Bishop Iewell pag. 142. For the Doctrine of Sacrament of the Lords Supper the same was taught then which wee teach now Hom. in die sanctae pascae pag. 17. As you may see in the Homilie of Elfrick approved by divers Bishops in their Synods This booke is subscribed by the two Archbishops of Canterbury and of Yorke and 13. other Bishops and appointed to be read upon Easterday before the receiving of the Communion who saith There is a great difference betwixt the bodie wherein Christ suffered and the body which is hallowed housell The body truely that Christ suffered in It was borne of the flesh of Mary with blood with bone with skin and with sinne wes in humane limmes with a reasonable soule living And his Ghostly bodie which wee call the housell is gathered of many cornes without blood and bone without lymbe without soule and therefore there is nothing to be understood bodily Beda in vita Cutberti cap. 15. pag. 163. Vt mittas Presbyterum qui illam priusquam moriatur visitet â—ique Dominici corporis sanguinis Sacramenta ministret Antoninus archi Florent cronic 2. par pag. 623. Northmanni autem confessioni peccatorum vacantes mane Dominico corpore sanguine communicaverunt Mat. Paris in Harald Normani mane Dominici corporis sanguinis munimine saginati c. pag. 3. but it is ghostly or spiritually to bee under stood And this Doctrine also Scotus our Country-man did teach for the Communion in both kindes Beda also reporteth in the life
of Cuthbert that one Hildmar an officer of Egfrid King of Northumberland intreated Cuthbert to send a Priest that might minister the Sacrament of the Lords body and blood unto his wife that then lay adying Antoninus Archbishop of Florence writeth that William the Conqueror and his whole Armie received the Communion in both kindes And Mathew Paris saith the same to wit the Normans the morning before they fought with Harald strengthened themselves with the body and blood of Christ For the marriage of Priests it was accounted as lawfull then as now Anselme was the first that made a decree against Priests marriage in this Kingdome Hon. Hunting lib. 7. pag. 378. Anselmus prohibuit uxores sacerdotibus Anglorum ante non prohibitas as Henry of Huntington reporteth Anselme saith he held a Synode in London in which he forefended Priests to have wives which they were not inhibited before to have which was about the yeere 1104. It seemeth that the Priests kept their wives after Anselmes time by the Decree made by the Cardinall of Cremen in the yeere 1131. against Priests marriage who having in a long oration commended Chastitie and in a Synod in London made a Decree against the marriage of Priests was himselfe that night found in bed with a whore as Mathew of Paris reporteth to the no little shame of the Clergie What Anselme or the Cardinall did against Priests marriage proceeded from the Pope Gregorie the seventh who under the colour of Chastitie forbad marriage His Bull is to be seene against Priests mariage which the Germans and French resisted what a holy man this Gregory was appeareth by the sentences of the Councell of Wormes and Brixia in which the said Gregory was deposed for his perjurie for necromancy for beeing a Conjurer and many other crimes Ordâ— Baptizandi visitandi For Merit reade a booke set foorth by Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury to be used in his province called the order of Baptizing and visiting the sicke in which are these words Dost thou beleeve that none can bee saved by his owne merits but by the merits of Christs passion to which the sicke partie was taught to make answer all this I beleeve And the Priest concluded Goe to therefore as long as thy soule remaineth in thee place thy whole confidence in his death onely c. And for the Supremacy what did King Henry the eighth assume more then Bishop Eleutherius gave to Lucius our King and that the antient Kings of the Britans assumed to themselves Of these points and others you may reade more in the most learned discourse of the Religion antiently professed by the Irish and British written by the most reverend Father in God Iames Vsher Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland And thus you may see how King Henry the eight or King Edward brought in no new Religion amongst us but restored the old ancient Religion suppressed for some yeeres by the Church of Rome By this it manifestly appeareth that most of the Doctrines before named now taught and urged for Catholike in the Roman Church were neither the Doctrines of the other Christians in Europe Asia and Africa nor the antient Roman Easterne Southerne Churches nor of Gregory the great Bishop of Rome who sent Austen hither nor of the antient Britaines our forefathers And whereas inquirie is made for the visibilitie of our Church or for any one professing our Religion before Luther heere you may see the whole true Catholike Church of God upon the face of the Earth of the which these Churches are members professing the same faith with us For which common Vnion we have greate cause to rejoyce Hieremie as the Greeke Patriarch having seene the Tenets of some of the reformed Churches congratulateth with them after this manner Wee give thankes to God the Author of all grace and wee rejoyce with many others especially in this that in many things your Doctrine is agreeable to our Church So let us thanke God for the holy harmony and agreement of these Churches with us in the point before mentioned in controversie betweene the Roman Church and us and let us endeavour to keepe the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace VIII Of the Devotion and pietie of these Churches BRochardus the Monke telleth us Brochard Monac that he found the Nestorians Jacobites Maronites and Georgians and such others whom they judge to bee heretickes to bee for the most part honest and simple men living sincerely towards God and man men of great abstinency attentively hearing the word of God And that the Armenians and Georgians have for their Prelats men of the best conversation going before them aad teaching them as by word so also by example Devotion Godignus de Abass rebus p. 133. In oratione frequentanda non facile similes reperiri censeo omni namque diluculo cuncti corum toto corpore in pulverem ipsuÌ„ prostrati orationes ad Deum fundunt Faber in Relig. Moscovit p. 180. These Christians use great reverence in their Churches no man is allowed to walke talke or sitt in them the old and weake may leane against the walls Godignus reporteth that the Aethiopians doe allow the old weake crutches to sustaine them withall as before and Faber reports of the Russes that hee hath not seene of them the like for their frequenting prayers and devotion in their prayers which lying prostrate on the ground they poure out unto God They touch not the holy Scriptures but with great reverence and place the Bible in their houses in the most honorable place The Greekes much blame the Latines for their unreverent sitting in their Churches and suffering Lay men with Bootes and Spurres to sit by the Priests at time of Divine Service and also for not keeping dogges out of their Churches as before Of these Churches I may say although wee thinke them not to be so learned as we are they wanting the meanes that we have yet they are more devout For their Fasts Their Fasts these Christians tast nothing at all till Sun sett The Aethiopians doe so macerate themselves in their Lent-fasts which they begin tenne dayes before ours that their enemies commonly set upon them at the end of their Fasts hoping then to finde them feeble and weake in their Fasts especially upon good-friday beside their great abstinence they goe like mutes not saluting one another with their countenances dejected The Greekes also blame the Latines for drinking in their Fasts Irineus Râ—dâ—ginus pag. 15. and that some of them are drunke before their fasts are ended and that when their fasts are ended generally they eate and fill their bellies plentifully For their obedience to Princes Obedience to Princes their Patriarches and Bishops although they are subject to many greivous pressures yet they submitt themselves to their Kings and Princes that God hath placed over them according to that of Lactantius Religion is to bee defended not by
killing but by dying not by crueltie but by patience not by wickednes but by faith c. For their Chastitie among the Russes adulterie is severely punished and the Aethiopians punish all fornication and lust and none of the Patriarches of these Churches allow brothel-houses or Stewes that I reade of Whereas the Pope of Rome howsoever they pretend Chastity yet they onely of all Christians Patriarches allow stewes brothelhouses where a father Sixtus pontiâ—ex maximus Romae nobile admodunlupanar extruxiâ— Agrippa de van taâ—e scientiarum cap. 64. Atque utrique sexui assignavit Zeg spec ponti pag. 79. Dici nequit quaâ— incredibili Christianorum tum pâ—dore tum etiam â—orum qui vere tales sunt cordolio ut Iudae filiae scortari non liceaâ— Dei filiae liceat his sonne and his brother may commit uncleannesse with one whore yea Sixtus the fourth built a famous Stewes in Rome for both Sexes This wickednes is not unpunished among the Iewes themselves Bishop Espensous reporteth to the great shame of Roman Christians of a Iew maide who renounced her Religion and turned Romish Christians that she might freely exercise the art of Ribandie not permitted by herown Religion his words are It cannot bee spoken but with incredible shame of Christians with the great heart griese of them that are the like that it is not lawfull for a daughter of Judah to commit fornication but lawfull for the daughter of God Imo Israe is filia meretricari non aliter ante possit quam facta per BaptismuÌ„ sanctuÌ„ Christi soror filia yea the daughter of Jsrael may not otherwise play the whore before shee bee made by holy baptisme sister and daughter of Christ c. Moreover he writeth that we cannot but be offended to see so many Stewes in one Citie and that it may be almost said of Rome Christian as of Rome Ethnick that the whole Citie is one stewes Againe these Patriarches and Bishops sell no pardons to deliver soules out of Purgatorie nor allow the sale of any Sacrament that I reade wheras the Roman Church maketh infinite gaine of their Masses Romana scorta in singulas hebdemadas juliuÌ„ poudent Pontifici Agrippa loco citat Zeg loco Citat Taxa Cancell Apostolicae Parisiis 1613. Pardons and Dispensations yea the Popes themselves have a rent out of the brothell houses every whore paying weekely a Iulie to his holines which rent is more some yeeres then 40000. Duckets In the booke of taxes of the Apostolike Chancerie and sacred penitentiaries you may see the prises and rates of all dispensations and absolutions as for murthers of all kindes as of Clergie men Lay men of Father Mother Sonne Brother Sister Wife c. For impoisoning inchantment witchcraft sacriledge simony c. for fornication adultery incest without any exceptioÌ„ or distinction c. Also for dispensations for oathes vowes and many things more although there be many sinnes raigning amongst these Christians and us yet they are not allowed by them and us and so they are not the sinnes of the Churches as fornication is one of the sinnes of the Roman Church as before To put an end to this some of their sinnes are not only personall but Cathedrall from whence they seeme to have a liberty of sinning to use their own distinctioÌ„ their veniall sins are easily done away with a short shrift as for mortal sins a man may have for money a warrant dormant Anton. sum par 3 tit 1. cap. 11. Crantzius saxon lib. 5. cap. 8. Quid enim hodie per dispensationem Apostolicam non obtinetur Quinta causa dissidij Graecorum credipotest species austerioris vitae quaein eorum Hiere monachis Metropolitis Archiepiscopis at que episcopis frequenter cernitur Haec igitur austerioris vitae ratio Latines contemnendi praebuit occasionem c. Tho. a Iesis de convers p. 284. or dispensation to commit sinnes against nature as to marie his Aunt his brothers wife his neece his own daughter for which Pope Martin the fift gave a dispensation as Antonius reporteth and what saith Crantzius their own writer cannot be gotten by dispensation To conclude Thomas the Iesuite confesseth that the fift cause of difference betweene the Greekes and Latins may bee thought to be the shew of a more austere life which is often seene in their holy Monkes Metropolites Archbishops and Bishops this their more austere life causeth the Greeks to contemne the Latins c. But the Greekes are to know that Christian righteousnes doth not consist chiefly in macerating the body but in Charity Faith Hope Humility and Patience and other vertues WHereas there is come to my hands a booke of Possevins the Iesuit written against Chytraeus in which he challengeth these Churches for agreeing with them In praying for the Dead invocating Saints worshipping Images having of Monkes c. I answer that I finde these Churches in these things also to differ from the Papists 1. As in praying for the dead they pray not to deliver Soules out of Purgatorie nor from any temporall punishment as the Papists do but for their generall resurrectioÌ„ Field of the Ch. pag. 59. publicke acquital c. 2. For their invocating of Saints some doe it not at all pag. 109. of this booke as the Aethiopians as before but I will not justifie all these Churches in their invocations 3. For Imageworship Nullas habent sanctorum imagines Iosephus Indus cap. 133. some have none at all as the Indians others have Pictures onely to which they give no undue reverence as the Aethiopians yet will I not justifie some of them in this point 4. For their Monks Singuli pro sui Monasterij oeconemia sustinenda laborant alij vineas fodientes c. Bellon obser lib. 1. cap. 35. they are not idle bellygods or beggers but live on their labour as before For other things mentioned the Iesuit hath a streame of witnesses against him And last of all if these Churches agree with the Roman Church why doe most of them excoÌ„municate the Pope and his clergie as before And more especially to shew their disagreement with the Aethiopian Church Godign de Abass rebus pag. 225. the Bishop of Sydonia gave new orders to Tecla Maria an Aethiopian Priest in the Chapell of the Cardinall of Saint Severin by the coÌ„mandement of the Pope and advice of the Cardinals Of the Antiquitie CHAP. IIII. WHereas the Church of Rome boasteth of her Antiquity I purpose to set downe in this Chapter three things 1. That some of these Churches are Churches more ancient then the Church of Rome and that the ancient Church of Rome received Christianitie from them or some of them 2. That the now Church of Rome and the ancient before Boniface the third are not one and the same Church but different 3. As the now Church of Rome is a new Church and a different from the old so
it hath new and different Articles and doctrines of Faith unknowne to the old Church and not to be found for such in the writings of any of the ancient Fathers for five hundred yeeres after Christ FOr the first The Church of Hierusalem is more ancient then the Church of Rome Hierusalem where our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ himselfe preached and offered himselfe a Sacrifice for our sinnes and where the Apostles and Disciples first preached for although they were sent to preach to all Nations yet they preached first to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel according to Christs Commandement This Church is most ancient St Iames was the first Bishop there The Law went out of Sion Matth. 10.6 the word of the Lord from Jerusalem This Citie was Emporium Isay 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Histor Eccles Lib. 5. cap 9. the Mart of Christian faith the mother of all Churches as Theodoret saith 2. 2. Antioch Acts. 11.26 The Church of Antioch in Syria where the Disciples were first called Christians Of this Church Saint Peter was Bishop some yeres before he went to Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad populum Antioch homil 3. and this Church is also more ancient then the Church of Rome Saint Chrysostome calleth this Church the Head of all the world 3. The Greeke Church was planted by Saint Paul 3. Graecians and Saint Andrew from whence and the fore named Churches the name of Christ flowed Eia igitur Graecia mater nostra cui id totum debet quod habet Latina Ecclesia Conc. Trid. orat Episc Bitont as from a spring over all the world and the faith was spread in all places and this the Bishop of Bitonto acknowledged in the Councell of Trent It is our mother Graecia to whom the Latine Church is beholding for that which she hath the Easterne Church was before the Church of Rome in Time and from thence the Church of Rome hath received Christianitie the new Testament the three Creedes the very name of Baptisme Eucharist Bishop Priest and Deacon 4. 4. Aethiopia Aethiopia received Christianitie from the Eunuch of Queene Candases Huic Philippus responsis Sancti Spiritus jussus primò ex omnibus Gentibus mysterium fidei sacramentum Baptismi tradidit velut quasdam eum Dee primitias omnium consecrat nationū Eusch Eccles histor lib. 2. cap. 1. to whom as Eusebius reporteth first of all the Gentiles Philip by the command of the holy Ghost delivered the mysterie of Faith and the Sacrament of Baptisme and consecrated him to God as the first Fruits of all nations Saint Matthew also preached to the Aethiopians 5. For the Antiquity of the Church of Rome both St Hierom and Eusebius testifie that St Peter came to Rome in the raigne of Claudius the Emperour 5. Rome Hierom Catalog Eccles script pag. 265. Euseb Eccles his lib. 2. c. 14.16 and in his second yeere saith Hierom. 6. The Church of England received Christianitie as some say from Joseph of Arimathea others from Simon Zelotes the Apostle 6. England Guildas Sapiens de excidio Britan. Christus suos radios id efl suapraecepta indulget tempore ut scimus sūmo Tiberij Caesaris quo absque ullo impedimento eius propagabatur religio Bibli vet Pat. tem 5. par 3. pag. 675. Britannia omniū provinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Sabel in Ennead 7. lib. 5. Guildas reporteth that our Island received Christianitie in the time of Tiberius Caesar who dyed in the yeere of our Lord 39. which if it bee so the Church of England received Christianitie before the Church of Rome some yeeres before Peter came to Rome which was in the time of Claudius who succeeded Tiberius And for the Honour of my Mother Church I speake that Christianity was first publickly professed by authority in this Kingdome about 130. yeeres before it was in Rome Lucius our King beeing as I reade the first Christran King in Europe who reigned about the yeere of our Lord 170. And moreover Constantine the Christian Emperour was borne amongst us who gave the first publique libertie of Religion to the Roman Church So that Rome was beholding for the publique liberty of Religion to Constantine Our country man Speedes histerie pag. 207. Also the inhabitants of Britaine as I reade were instructers unto others as frō hence was Netherland converted to Christianitie as testifieth the storie of Swithbertus Burgundie by our Columbanus saith Sigebert Swedia by Gallus as saith Petrus de Natalibus and Frisia by Wilfred as it is recorded by Beda and Matthew of Westminster The Franconians Hassians and Turingians by Winifred our Devonshire man The Norvegians by Nicolas Breakespere of Middlesex And the Lituanians by Thomas Walden of Essex and all the reformed Churches in Christendome derived their light from the learned Wickleffe of Oxford In regard of this Polidor Virgil doth rightly call England the Parent or Mother-Monasterie of all Europe And Peter Ramus termeth Britaine to be twice Schoolemistris to the Kingdome of France Terra Britanniae ante adventum Christi unius Dei consensit religionem hom 4. in Ezech. moreover Origen writeth that the Britaine 's received the religion of one God before the comming of Christ Secondly whereas the Church of Rome boasteth of Antiquity The Church of Rome since Boniface the 3 and the old Church of Rome planted by St Peter St Paul are not one and the same but are farre different The old Church of Rome as St Paul telleth us was a branch of that Tree whereof Christ Iesus was the root The now Church of Rome will bee no branch but the roote it selfe The ancient Church of Rome was but a member of the Catholique Church of God of which Iesus Christ was Head But the now Church of Rome is the Catholique Church it selfe of which the Pope is head and such a Church was never in Rome for 600. yeares after Christ for so long no Bishop of Rome durst presume to take upon him Christs title to be head of his Church husband of his spouse till Boniface the third with him began this Church Thirdly And as they have a new Church so they have a new Creede and Articles of Doctrine as for example sake 1. That the Pope the head of the Church cannot erre in the matter of faith 2. That all Ecclesiasticall power dependeth upon the Pope 3. That he hath power to canonize Saints 4. That he hath power to depose Kings 5. That the Popes pardons are requisite or usefull to release soules out of Purgatorie 6. That there is a treasurie of Saints merits and superabundant satisfactions at the Popes disposing 7. That the Priest can make his Maker 8. That the sacred Host made by the Priest ought to bee elevated and carried in solemne procession and adored 9. That the effects of the Sacrament dependeth upon the intention of the
Thou shalt not kill 6. Thou shalt not commit adultery 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse 9. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife 10. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours goods 4. And that which is worst of all they forbid the Reading of the holy Scriptures Haeresin esse si quis dicit necessarium esse ut scripturae in vulgares linguas convertantur Sander visib monar lib. 7. hares 191. Credo institutum hoc a Diabelo esse inventum Peresius de Trad. par 1. Assert 3. pag. 47. Characteres mortui Lindan Lib. 2. Stromat cap. 3.6 traducing them and blaspheming them viz. that it is 〈…〉 that it is the Devils in vention to permit the Laitie to reade them that they are dead Characters and not to be permitted Which if they should be suffered to be read they would casily discover their new Articles of Faith to bee blasphemous their Image-Worship to bee Idolatrie and their not erring Bishop to bee a meere Imposture and Deceiver 5. And also to breede an Antipathie and hatred betweene the Papists and Protestants they are taught to beleeve that the Protestants are Blasphemers of God and all Saints That in England Churches are made Stables and that the people are growne barbarous To these they have wilfully feyned many scandalous lies of us and the Reformers set downe by learned Doctor Hall In his scrious disswasive from Poperie pag. 37. now Lord Bishop of Exeter as of Wickliffs Blasphemies of Luthers advice from the Devill of Tindalls communitie of Calvins blasphemous death of Bucers breaking his necke of Beza's Revolt of the blasting of Hugonites of Englands want of Churches and Christendome of our putting English Catholikes into beares skinnes and casting them to dogges to be baited of the Lutherans nightrevelling of Scories drunken or dination of our Bishops in a Taverne of the casting of the remaine of our Sacraments to Doggs of Mounsier Plessis overthrow and the like And lately they have published two Bookes commonly sold in Jtalie and in France one of them of the late Right Reverend Father in God Doctor King late lord Bishop of London his Apostacie the other containing a relation of Gods Iudgement showne upon a sort of Protestant hereticks by the fall of a house in Black-fryers London in which they were assembled to heare a Geneva Lecture Octo. 26. Anno. Dom 1623. By which the simple people were made to beleeve that Iudgement to bee upon the Protestants which God sent upon the Papists and as they scandall us so also the other Christians not subject to them Thus you may see in the Church of Rome Religion to be Metamorphised into Policie and all their Policie tending to maintaine their atchieved Majesty and greatnesse The Conclusion TO Conclude in this little Treatise you may see the Church of God not to be in Rome onely but to bee Catholike and dispersed over the face of the whole Earth Here is also set downe the large habitations and dwellings of the Christians not subject to the Pope and how they doe agree with the Protestants in the mayne Points in difference and the Harmony of the Protestants amongst themselves with the differences in the Roman Church Also the Antiquitie of some of these Churches with a succession of Bishops in some of their Churches not subject at all to the Pope nor acknowledging the Papall Iurisdiction And as these Churches agree with us so you may see what Correspondency they have with the Bishops of Rome The Greeke Church excommunicateth yerely the Pope and his Church for Schismatickes The Muscovites account him an Hereticke The Christians under the Patriarch of Musall call the Pope the reprobate Bishop as before The Churches of Asia answered Pope Iohn the 23. who wrote to them that hee was the alone Head of the Church and Christs Vicar after this manner Wee firmely beleeve thy great authority over them that are subject to thee we cannot indure thy great pride and ambition we cannot satisfie thy great Covetousnesse c. And whereas Pope Gregory as before calleth him Antichrist and Lucifer who shall but in the pride of his heart desire to be called universall Bishop what would hee say if hee lived now to see the Pope lifted up above Kings and Emperors and the whole Catholike Church To conclude I wish every man that hath a care of his Soule to follow the grave and divine instruction of that excellent Light of the Church Saint Augustine for establishing of his Conscience to performe our Saviours Commandement Search the Scriptures 1. Now search diligently whether you can finde in holy Scripture that Christ made Saint Peter and his Successors his alone Vicars 2. Or gave them dominion over the other Apostles 3. Or gave them power to depose Kings 4. Or to dispence with oathes made Sacred by Gods holy name 5. Or to license incestious marriages 6. Or to give pardons for money 7. Or to release Soules out of Purgatory 8. Or whether in holy Writt marriage is forbidden to Priests 9. Or the reading of the Scriptures to the Laiety 10. As also the Symbol of Christs blood in the holy Sacrament 11. Or power given to a Priest to make his Maker 12. Or to Communicate alone And if thou canst finde none of these things in holy Scripture remember what Saint Paul saith Gal. 1.9 if any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that you have received let him be accursed And whereas our Adversaries boast and make a great cry of the Catholike Church here you may see how the Catholike Church of God agreeth with us Now to put an end to this Treatise I thanke God for his truth revealed unto us and his Church and most humbly intreate his divine Majesty to open the eyes of them that erre and have gone astray that they may returne to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their Soules and for them that are in darkenesse that they may also know the great Mystery of Salvation in Iesus Christ Now to Him that is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke to Him be Glory in the Church by Iesus Christ throughout all ages world without end Amen Literae à Patriarcha Alexandrino ad Archiepiscopum Cantuariensem ex Aegypto in Britaniam transmissae ex autographo Cyrilli graeco in Latinum jussu Archiepiscopi traductae à Daniele Featleyo eidem Archiepiscopo à sacris Inscriptio literarum Beatissimo magnificentissimo Domino Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi totius Angliae Primati Metropolitano Georgio Abbati mihi multis nominibus colendissimo officiose cum honore debitâ reverentiâ in Britaniam tradantur istae Subscriptio Cyrillus dei gratia Papa Patriarcha magnae urbis Alexandriae Iudex oecumenicus Exemplar Literarum BEatissime amplissime Archiepiscope Cantuariensis totius Angliae Primas Metropolitane Domine Georgi Domine frater charissime Exopto amplitudini vestrae prosperam valetudinem ademolumentum
Abbat by the divine providence Archb. of Cant. Primate of all England Ad verbum most holy Bis ad ver Pope which title was anciently given to all Bishops and and is retained this day in the Greeke Church and Metropolitan to Cyrill his most honoured Lord and brother the Bishop and Patriarke of Alexandria and judge ccumenicall sendeth greeting in Christ AS in many things else the sympathy of the catholique Church and the most sweet communion among her members manifesteth it selfe so at this time especially it appeareth to me in this that I haue opportunity to salute your brotherhood whose face I neuer saw and embrace as it were with both armes a person distant from me many 100. miles severed by a large tract both of land sea yet the unity of faith joyneth us and the bond of charity tyeth us fast together through one and the same spirit Professe ad ver we both breath By which we worthily magnifie one Christ whom we both profesle hartily congratulate the peace of your Church troubled with no schisme as you intimate nor other intestine evill Also we rejoyce together with you for your outward tranquility and after a sort halcyon dayes which you enioy and though even amidst the sworne and most implacable enemies of the Christian faith Psal 110.2 whereby the words of the Kingly Prophet are concerning Christs king dome accomplished in you be thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies We in like manner Ad verb pietie beseech your Grace to blesse God with us for the manifold gifts of his bounty liberally bestowed upon our Churches of great Britaine wherein that which your Chrysostome spake of old concerning our brittish Islands is verified at this day every where a man may heare the people discoursing of the scriptures strangers indeed in speech yet of the houshold of faith in tongue barbarians but in conuersation drawing neerer unto Saints for the Christian Laitie in our Churches which is not permitted in the Romane walketh in the most cleare light of the Gospell and drinke their fill of the pure streames of the water of life in Scripture none driving them from thence but rather encouraging them there abundantly to quench their thirst And for discipline which is not so in other reformed Churches wee retaine the most antient forme of Church governement and distinct orders and degrees in the clergie in every Diocesse The fountaine of all goodnes continue these blessings unto us still though wee such is the corruption of our nature by reason of our sinnes especially the staine of ungratefull hearts have long agoe deserved that our golden Candlestick should be removed and we left in the dark utterly destitute of all comfortable light of Gods word for farre be it from us to ascribe these extraordinary blessings of God to our merits which we know are none at all But first we attribute them to Gods merey next to the singular love which he beareth to his anointed our Soveraigne King Iames the choise instrument of his glory Heire to Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie aswell in her Religion as in her Realmes both which he establisheth by Law and is a principall ornament to both by his princely example for he is not onely a constant hearer of Sermons and a most devout pertaker of the Sacrament and religious observer of the festivals of the Church But which is beyond example and most to be admired in so great a King who alone beares the burthen of so weightie affaires he strongly maintaines argument with his Bishops best versed in controversies about the most intricate points of Schoole Divinity Moreover we are indebted to his Royall pen for many excellent Treatises written by him and lately printed by speciall command wherein he fortifieth the orthodox faith and demolisheth the Romish forts newly erected against it I am exceeding glad that your Grace hath purchased unto you the friendship of such and so great a Monarch who most curteously returnes your Salutations and speakes all good of you and in testimony of his great good will unto you gave mee charge to make much of your Metrophanes whom I receive from you as a pledge of your love and most precious pawne of our indissoluble friendship and accordingly I will see him provided of all things fitting And for the present I have set that noble plant takeÌ„ out of your Greeke Nurserie in a most fertile garden to the end it may grow the faster and more kindly and maturely beare fruit among us I meane the Vniversity of Oxford beautified with seventeene Colledges fairely built and a Library furnished with infinite variety of Bookes in which Academie as in the Prytaneum of Athens a multitude of learned Students is maintained at the publique charge into which number your Metrophanes is admitted who as soone as hee shall grow ripe and fructifie among us as your wisedome shall thinke fit and it shall stand with the good of your Church either his Root shall bee fixed with us here or hee shall bee returned backe to bee transplanted in his native soyle For conclusion wee most earnestly desire your affectionate prayers most holy brother for our Brittish Churches as we also shall not cease to offer up our fervent devotions for your Greeke Church that you together with all the members of the Catholique Church may bee compassed with the Divine custodie as with a of brasse and may bee established in Truth and Peace together and withall that you may bee freed from those prying innouators you speake of who undermine as well Christian verity as liberty among whom you are chiefly to beware of a sort of Monkes newly come out of the Romish forge assuming to themselues the most venerable name of our Saviour who prefesse themselves to follow peace yet trouble all the Christian world and they would seeme to teach onely the truth yet deliver doctrinally the art of lying even with implied perjurie under the name of equivocation from these Foxes and rauenous Wolues Ad verb. Pietie the great Shepheard of the sheepe preserve his flocke and in it your Grace crowning you with his manifold favors and perpetuall felicity London November the 17. Your Graces most loving brother and fellow servant in Christ Ad verbum Your blessednes GEORGE CANT IN the Epistle pag. 11. Line 13. The Armenians have not so many Bishops as the Card. reports Jn the Contents pag. 19. line 16. r. most of them p. 4. l. 21. To be aded Part â— read Ierusalem and others pag. 10. line 23. in England 4. ships for one pag. 20. line 19. adde Luxenburg and part of Guelders pag. 22. line 1. Some of the Grecians p. 32. l. 27. Meotis and Tanais p. 33. l. last reade one of p. 44. l. 9. Alexandria hath two Patriarchs one a Cophite the other a Greeke p. 130. l. 2. r. most p. 152. l. 14. for these r. some of these p. 154. Espens de continent l. 3. c. 4. Margent Nicephorus setteth downe most ofthem p. 40 l. 16. some of the. p. Part 2. 41. l. 14. r. 1000. 1000. p. 44. l. 11. r. some Psalters p. 55. l. 2. in the margent put Microcosme the same pag. 50. l. 12. p. 52. l. 19. Zeged speculum pontif Pag. 1. l. 9. of the Epistle r. their Church p. 14. l. 5. r. Wit temberg p. 18. l. 3. r. Errata Part 1. 100000. margent adde extendit p. 19. in the margent for numbers univers p. 22. l. 5. r. Bulgaria Rascia p. 44. mar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 49. l. 13. for called r. of p. 59. mar 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 6. mar r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 63. mar read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 66. mar r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 94. marg r. non reperiatur Ibid. for vas r. uvas p. 136. l. 25. r. Navaret p. 137. mar r. consensit p. 141. mar r. pascitur potatur p. 139 mar for Hester r. Paster p. 146 for Andrew â—â—stusten Page 9 l. 16. for desmadell Damasus p. 10. l. 3. for Silverius r. Liberius l. 6. add Felix p. 11. l. 20. r. Philipi p. 12. l. 21. for Caria r. Stauropolis l. 2. adde Creta Errata Part 2. 4. Rhegium 10. for Euchania r. Achaia p. 42. l. 6. for Henry the Seventh reade Henry the Second p. 52. l. 10. r. as before p. 56. l. 13. for sudolis r. subdolis Other literall faults mend with thy pen. Protestants Papists Papists Protestants Greekes mingled with Turkes Moscovites