pretence doe reiect the old translation or vse any interpretation contrary to the Romish Churches meaning they condemne Stapleton in his booke intituled Principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs seuen grounds or principles of his religion the first is the Church the second the Pope the third the means vsed by the Pope in iudgement the fourth the Popes infallibility in iudgement the fifth his power in taxing the canon of Scriptures the sixth his certaine interpretation of Scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written these I say are his grounds and principles absurdly deuised confusedly disposed and ridiculously propounded as God willing shall be shewed otherwhere now it is sufficient to declare that whatsoeuer he bableth elsewhere of scriptures councels fathers yet heere they are all suppressed in this diuision or at the least concealed vnder the name of the Church or Pope which in his preface to Gregory the 13. hee calleth supremum numen in terris that is the supreme God of the world and who to him is all in all likewise in his preface to his relection of doctrinall principles hee seemeth directly to exclude the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis apostolicis euangelicis uliud that is we haue another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the Apostles Prophets if he exclude not scriptures yet he admitteth them no otherwise than according to the interpretation of the Pope and his complices nay without the Popes declaration he doth tediouslie discourse that Christians are not to receiue the canon of scriptures The decretale epistles of the Pope no doubt they admit for the foundation of their faith for in the rubricke of their decrees c. in canonicis dist 19. they doe determine that the Popes decretales are to bee numbred among canonicall scriptures inter canonicas scripturas say they decretales epistolae connumerantur likewise Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. defineth that the Popes decretale epistles are to bee receiued with veneration In the same decretale Gelasius authoriseth the Romane martyrologe or legends of martyrs neither can Kellison or his kettle companions deny this to be one of the grounds of his rammish I would say Romish religion seeing these martyrologes and legendes conteine diuers traditions which the conuenticle of Trent will haue all Papistes to receiue with equall affection to scriptures Canus lib. 1. loc theolog c. 1. assigneth tenne places out of which he saith diuines are to draw arguments the first is the authority of scriptures the second the authority of traditions not written the third is the authority of the catholike church the fourth the authority of councels the fifth the authority of the church of Rome where wee are to note that more honestly than his companions hee maketh the church of Rome to differ from the Catholike church the sixth is the authority of ancient fathers the seuenth the authority of Romish schoole doctors the eighth naturall reason the ninth the authority of Philosophers the tenth the authority of writers of stories so wee see how hee buildeth his faith vpon men as well as vpon God and matcheth traditions not written with the most diuine writings of the Prophets and Apostles and conioyneth the authority of councels and fathers nay of schoolemen and Philosophers with the testimony of holy scriptures framing to vs rather an humane then a diuine foundation of Christian faith Martin Perez a plaine dealing Papist knowing that all those points of doctrine which are in controuersie betwixt his fellowes and vs are grounded rather vpon tradition then scripture doth entitle his whole discourse of these matters de traditionibus that is a discourse of traditions Finally Bellarmine lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 31. doth call the Pope the foundation of the building of the church Fundamentum aedisicij ecclesiae and in his preface before his bookes de pontisice Rom. he saith that the seat of Peter or the Popes chaire is the approued stone the corner and pretious stone placed in the soundation of which the Prophet I say speaketh c. 8. and 28. and with him concurreth Sanders in his booke of the Rocke of the church Stapleton also declareth the matter most plainely in praefat in relect princip doctr where he saith that the foundation of the knowledge of Christian religion is necessarily placed in the authority of the Pope teaching vs in whom he saith he heareth God speaking to vs. his wordes are in hac docentis hominis authoritate he speaketh of the Pope in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscenda fundamentum necessariò pom credimus and this others must necessarily also hold for they hold him to be the supreme interpreter of scriptures and an infallible Iudge of all controuersies of religion and a law-giuer to our consciences binding all mens consciences by his lawes which is the common opinion as Bellarmine lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. c. 16. saith of all casuistes a pitifull case therefore it is wherein the Papistes stand whose consciences are chained with so many bondes This then being found in the suruey of the grounds of Popish religion let vs also consider what conclusions may be hence inferred that we may as well suruey the conclusions as the premisses First it followeth that these grounds being blasphemous both in regard of the spirit of God which is the enditer and author of holy scriptures and also in regard of Christ Iesus the foundation of the church and finisher of our saith the doctrine and religion of Popery cannot be cleere of blasphemie for to match Popish decretales with holy scriptures and the Popes determination with Gods law is derogatory to Gods holy spirit and a plaine disparagement to Gods holy law likewise it is blasphemous to accuse the holy scriptures of insufficiencie and imperfection and to attribute more certaintie and perspicuitie to the decretales of the Pope then to the lawes of God it is also blasphemous either to remoue Christ out of the foundation of the church or at the least to ioyne the Pope with him in the foundation and that as a more necessary foundation for the knowledge of Christian religion as Stapleton saith the same also is directly contrary to the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. Ephes 2. and of S. Iames. c. 4. in the first of which places we finde that no other foundation can be layd of the church but Christ Iesus in the 2. we reade that the Church is founded vpon the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the cheefe corner stone in the 3. we vnderstand that there is only one Law-giuer and Iudge which is able to saue and destroy it is finally very impious and blasphemous to assirme that the Pope is a more certaine and superiour Iudge then God himselfe speaking to vs in scriptures or then the Apostles and Prophets that were ledde into all truth by the spirit of God of other blasphemies of Popery
for it Ambrose Catharine tractat de imaginibus saith God prohibited images simply but that this prohibition was positiue others deny both images to be forbidden and the second commandement to be positiue Occham Maior and Richardus are of opinion that a sacrament cannot be defined Scotus in 4. dist 1. q. 2. holdeth that it may be defined imperfectly Ledesma in tract de sacrament in genere q. 1. art 2. saith it may properlie bee defined Finally to shew the contradictions of Papists we need to seeke no further than to Bellarmine who in euery controuersie bringeth in different opinions of men of his side Gardiner a pillar of popery did oftentimes contradict himselfe and his fellowes sometimes hee swore against the Popes supremacy sometime like a forsworne creature hee stood for it somtime he consented to the dissolution of monasteries as sinkes of Sodomy and all tibaldrie and villany sometime be spoke for them his booke entituled Marcus Constantius is full of contradictions M. Foxe hath scored vp great multitudes The contradictions of Robert Parsons in his book of three Conuersions I haue noted in my answeare to that treatise The whole masse also of Poperie doth consist of contrary pieces as I haue shewed in the contradictions of the doctrine of the Masse of purgatory of indulgences of the Pope and diuers other principall points and haue proued the same in treatises of that argument For example they say the Masse is an vnbloudy sacrifice and yet teach that euerie Priest doth really offer and drinke Christs bloud Sometime they say the sacrifice is but one sacrifice yet in the canon they say sacrifices in the plurall number Sometime they say the Priest only offereth this sacrifice but in the canoÌ„ they make the people to offer sacrifices In the canon they pray that Angels may carry Christs body vnto Gods high altar but all confesse that Christs body is in heauen before There also they make the Priest a mediatour for Christ. but where they speake soberly they make Christ a mediator both for the Priest and others In heauen they say Christ is visible and palpable on the altar they make him inuisible and impalpable They say the Masse is an externall sacrifice yet no man euer yet could see Christs body externally sacrificed In purgatorie they say soules suffer extreme paines but in the Masse they saie they slâ—epe in peace They teach that Christians may performe the law of God perfectly but they will not grant that they may liue without sinne which is all one Talking of auricular confession they make it necessarie but in the chap. Petrus doluit and lachrymae dist 1. de poenit they denie it The Pope calleth himselfe seruant of seruants yet doth he take vpon him as lord of lords Order they say is one sacrament yet they teach also that there are seuen Orders and euerie one of them a sacrament which is as much as if they should make one seuen and seuen one The Pope they saie is head of the Church but that is as much as if they should teach that their Church in the vacatio nis headlesse If then the catholicke faith be one and those that professe the faith agree in one then cannot popery be the true Catholicke faith that containeth so many contradictions CHAP. XXVII That popery is a most foolish and absurd religion AS the lawes of God are full of wisedome and giue vs a true vnderstanding so when man of his owne braine vndertaketh to adde vnto his commandements the same in proofe falleth out to be nothing but vanity and foolery the same wee sind verified in the additions of the superfluous religion of Papists for although it haue a shew of wisedome as the voluntarie worship of Angels had of which the Apostle Coloss 2. speaketh yet compared with the wisedome of God reuealed in the Gospell it is meere foolery For first what is more foolish then to forsake the liuing springs of holy scripture out of which do sally waters of life and to follow after the puddle streams of Romish traditions of scriptures we are assured that they are the word of God but no man can affirme that of Romish traditions or the Popes decretales that either professeth piety or loueth truth is it not then strange that any Christians should bee so foolish as to match the word of man with Gods word and where we haue a certaine rule to seeke for a broken vncertaine and crooked rule Againe it is most absurd not to beleeue the scriptures without the Popes warrant but to say that Christians are not to beleeue in God nor in Christ Iesus nor to receiue the rest of the articles of our Creed vnlesse the church of Rome doe deliuer them vnto vs is not only a peece of great foolery but also a very high streine of madnesse and yet this is the doctrine of Popery for Stapleton saith that the church must needes consigne the scriptures vnto vs and the authoritie of the church both he and others giue to the Pope likewise in their catechisme the Papists signifie that faith is of things onely proposed to vs by the church so that if the church propose not the articles of faith we are not to beleeue them if these men teach truth further this sheweth the Romish church to consist of a packe of infidels for if the same beleeued not without the authority of the church then did she beleeue nothing of Christ seeing the Papists acknowledge no other Church but that of Rome and no church can teach it selfe Finally this is as much as if they should say that the law of the Prince is not to be receiued vnlesse it be proposed by the crier or other such like officer The Masse-priests of Trent sess 4. most absurdly prefer the old Latin vulgar translation of the Bible before the originall text which is as much as if they should preferre S. Hierome and other interpreters before the Prophets and Apostles and the streames before the fountaines Generally they forbid scriptures to bee read publickely in vulgar tongues but they permit most fabulous legends to bee read publickely The holy scriptures they will not permit to bee read in vulgar tongues of the multitude without licence but they are content that any of their followers should reade the Popes decretales or the miracles of their god of paste or the history of our Lady of Loreto and other such lying legends without licence To say that the Pope is the head of the vniuersall church is meere foolery for grant that and it will follow that the Church is sometime without head as in the time of vacation of the papacy and sometime a monster with two or three heads as when two or three Popes reigne at once and sometime a mad Church as hauing a mad and franticke head The church they say albeit catholicke yet is alwaies visible but this being granted it followeth that vniuersall things may be the obiect of sense and that the church of
syncerely than they albeit we detest and renounce all Popery but all those errors and corruptions in doctrine both concerning faith and manners which the synagogue of Rome her louers by colour of the Popes authority and by his perswasion and enforcement from time to time baue receiued professed and taught either contrary to the doctrine institution of Christ and his Apostles or else aboue the same and aboue the faith of the ancient primitiue church Neither doe wee otherwise single Popery from Christian religion than the ancient Catholickes did distinguish Arianisme Macedonianisme Nestorianisme Eutychianisme Pelagianisme and other heresies from the true faith for although the Arians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians Pelagians and other heretickes did hold in termes the articles of the faith yet for that the first denied the diuinity of the sonne of God the second the diuinity of the holie ghost the third the vnion of the two natures in the person of Christ the fourth the verity of Christes humane nature the fift the necessitie of Gods grace and added diuers nouelties to the ancient faith they were reputed heretickes and by their heresies ancient Christians vnderstood not any point of Christian faith but their singuler opinions which they maintained obstinately against the faith The Apostles in the Primitiue Church did teach that doctrine which they had receiued from Christ Iesus and deliuered the same to their successours and they to others the first Christians likewise receiued the same pure and without corruption but as the enuious man while the men of the house slept sowed tares among good corne as wee read Matth. 13. so false Apostles and heretickes from time to time haue gone about with their cockle and tares to corrupt the syncere doctrine of the faith abusing the negligence of true teachers to their owne aduantage but yet none more cunningly and fraudulently than the Popes of Rome and their complices for other heretickes were soone espied by their opposition to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christs true Church timely bewraying themselues but these vnder the titles of Apostolicke men and Catholickes haue corrupted the Apostolicke and Catholicke faith and vnder the name and title of the Church haue vndermined the foundations and doctrine of the Church and vnder their sheepes clothing haue couered their rauening and wooluish natures and so haue they lurked many yeeres mingling their traditions and inuentions with the doctrines of faith and for truth deliuering erroneous and superstitious doctrines and vnder the name of Christ endeuouring to erect the kingdome of Antichrist At the first they clogged religion with diuers superfluous and superstitious ceremonies loaded Christians with the burthen of their decretales and censures but in the end they corrupted both the worship of God the doctrine of faith Boniface the 3. obtained of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches and this was the beginning of the Popes supremacy In the wicked assembly vnder Irene that semipagan empresse at Nice the doctrine of the worship of images began first to be established this the Popes of Rome willingly embraced vsing this occasion to establish their own kingdome to free themselues from the gouernment of the Emperour then also the superstitious worship of Saints reliques began to be authorised and vnwritten traditions vnder the title of Apostolicke authority to be commended as appeareth in the third action of that synode The French king Charles the great and his father Pipin and other their successors endowed the church of Rome with great temporall possessions which made them strong and powerfull Nicolas the 2. in a certein synode at Rome first decreed that Christes body was present in the eucharist and handled with the priests hands and pressed with the teeth and this fell out about the yeare of our Lord 1059. Gregory the 7. first beganne to handle the temporall sword and manifestly to oppose himselfe against the Roman emperor before his time saith Otho Frisingensis we doe not read of any Emperor excommunicated by the Pope Nether did euer anie Bishop of Rome presume to depose the emperour before him some alledge Ambroses example but that sheweth that bishops neuer tooke vpon them to depose princes but only to refrain from communicating with them that which Gregory the seuenth beganne that in the end his successors obteined for by their practises they subdued the emperor and gaue way to the Turke The doctrine of transubstantiation was first established by Innocent the third in a synode at Lateran about the yeare of our Lord 1215. then also came in the necessity of auricular confession The communion vnder one kind was brought in first by the synode at Constance about the yeare of our Lord 1414. there also it was decreed that the accidents in the eucharist did subsist without a subiect In the conuenticle of Florence about the yeare of our Lord 1439. the doctrine of purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was decreed by the authority of the synode there also the doctrine of the 7. sacraments was first propounded to the Armenians as proceeding from the synode neither doe we read of the forme of extreme vnction and other Popish sacraments there set downe before this time The rest of the errors and superstitions of Popery were established and confirmed in the conuenticle of Trent about the yeare of our Lord 1564. for before that time the schoolemen disputed pro and contra but since that they haue made it vnlawfull to hold otherwise then that synode prescribeth in matters there newly determined Now they haue as it were giuen a perfect forme and full authoritie to that doctrine which before was not either perfectly knowen of all or in all pointes allowed of all so that whatsoeuer the Papistes vant of the antiquitie of their doctrine yet it is most euident that the full establishment of it as it is now deliuered cannot be proued or shewed before this conuenticle then their missals Breuiaries and offices receiued a great alteration or rather a new forme then they innouated diuers points of doctrine both concerning faith and manners To relate all the particular errors and abuses of the Romish Church were a matter infinite for there is no point almost wherein the Papists varie not from the auntient Church the article concerning the holy Trinitie excepted beside that they vary in their doctrine and practise dailie but the principall points of Popery wherein we charge them to haue digressed from the doctrine of the Apostles and primitiue Church of Christ are these First they haue taught nouelties and false doctrine concerning the verie grounds of faith the Apostle teacheth vs that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the Cheefe corner stone but they beleeue the church to be built vpon the Pope Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 1. saith that the Apostles did first preach the Gospell and afterward deliuer the same in scriptures that they might be a
foundation and pillar of our faith they doe make the traditions of the church not written equall to the scriptures and vpon them nay vpon the decretales of Popes and practise of Massepriestes doe build their faith all antiquitie esteemeth holy scriptures to be the canon of our faith and therefore calleth them canonicall But the Romanists esteeme them to be an vnperfect canon without their traditions and the Popes decretales and determinations Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei c. 4. saith they are neither necessary nor sufficient without traditions The fathers neuer accounted the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees equall to the bookes of the law and Prophets extant originally in Hebrew as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Athanasius in synopsi of Nazianzen in carm of Epiphanius and diuers others old and new writers the Papists in the synode of Trent decree them to be of equall authoritie with the rest the auncient catholikes euer esteemed the Hebrew text of the old testament and the Greeke of the new to be more authentical then anie translation the conuenticle of Trent hath made the old latin vulgar translation of the bible authenticall and doth not giue that honor to the originall bookes of the bible the canonicall scriptures we say receiue their force from the author of them and this is to be prooued by the consent of fathers and by arguments from scriptures law and reason they say that scriptures receiue force and authoritie in respect of vs from the Church or rather from the Pope Papists are neither willing that scriptures be turned into vulgar tongues nor will permitte them to be read of the vulgar sort without licence or publickly read in vulgar tongues in the church finally they say they are obscure and hard to be vnderstood and speake what they can in their disgrace Secondly they teach erroneously concerning Christs naturall body and concerning his office the body of Christ they beleeue to be both in heauen and on earth on euerie altar at one and the selfe same time they also hold that his body is really vnder the accidents of bread and wine giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor in any sort like to ours they teach further that his body is in diuers places where it filleth not the places and that his one body hath relation to diuers places they beleeue that the soules of the faithfull before Christes comming were in hell or at least in Limbo which is a part of hell and were thence deliuered by Christes going to hell as if his crosse had wrought nothing for them they teach that Christ as man is omniscient and per consequent omnipotent and that he was vir perfectus that is a perfect or growne man from the first instant of his conception his office of mediation they giue to the virgin Mary to Angels and to Saints they make also Saints our redeemers teaching that by their merits Christians obteine their desires and are deliuered out of purgatorie to Masse-priests they giue priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech and say that they offer vp Christs body and blood really for quicke and dead finally they make the Pope head spouse and monarke of the Church Neither doe they teach more catholikely of Christes mysticall body then of his naturall body for they subiect the same to the Pope and exclude all from Christ that are not subiect to the Pope the true members thereof they persecute and make heretikes and reprobates and such as liue without order or law professing their religion outwardly true members of Christes body the Church say they is alwaies so conspicuous and visible that euery one may see it and discerne it the true markes of the church that is true doctrine and the sincere administration of Sacraments and holinesse of life they denie assigning most common and vncerteine markes as vnitie vniuersalitie antiquitie succession and such like The Pope they make a most certeine and infallible interpreter of Scriptures and iudge of matters of faith they giue him authoritie to make lawes for the whole Church and power to binde mens consciences they make him more souereigne then a generall Councell and say that his power in giuing indulgences reacheth into purgatorie they say he hath power to excommunicate and depose kings and to giue away their kingdomes to others Betwixt the Catholicke church and Roman church they make no difference equalling a part to the whole they say also that the Roman church can neither erre nor faile The worship of God consisteth in spirit and trueth but they place the same in certeine externall rites and ceremonies and in meere humane inuentions and deuices nay for God they worship creatures not onely giuing diuine honour to the Sacrament but also to crucifixes and images of the Trinitie made of wood stone and colours they doe also adore not onely saints but rotten bones and ragges they know not of whom to Saints they pray they make vowes they confesse their sinnes to saints they erect churches and altars to their images they burne incense and present diuers oblations and finally in the honour of Saints haue deuised particular masses and offices transforming the Psalmes and wordes of Scriptures to Angels and Saints Their doctrine concerning the Sacraments is most exorbitant for they doe not onely adde vnto water in Baptisme salt spittle oile and diuers other ceremonies partly idle partly superstitious but also vnto the two Sacraments instituted by Christ they equall confirmation matrimonie penance orders and extreme vnction making them Sacraments as well as Baptisme or the Lords Supper in Confirmation they haue deuised both a new signe and new wordes in extreme Vnction they haue deuised new formes in the ordring of Priestes they say accipe potestatem offerendi sacrisicium in ecclesia pro viuis mortuis that is receiue power to offer sacrifice in the church for quicke and dead in Penance they vrge a necessity of confession strange formes of whipping and vncerteine hopes and new deuices of satisfaction from Matrimonie they exclude Priestes monkes and friars and make it a Sacrament albeit they know neither certeine signes nor words of the institution of it but the institution of the Lords supper they haue quite abolished for that which Christ ordeined to be receiued of the Communicants that the masse-priest doth offer for quicke dead and in the honour of Saints and Angels of which there is not one worde spoken in the institution our Sauiour in bread and wine instituted his last supper these neither leaue bread nor wine but make Christians eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood like the canibals Cyclopes Christ ordeined this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion these make of the same a sacrifice in honour of Angels and Saints the cup of the new testament they take from Christians abrogating as much as in them lieth the new testament established in Christs blood and
contulit saith the author of that donation vt in toto orbe Romani pontifices velâ—saecendotes ita hunâ— caput habeant sicut iudices regem so it appeareth that the preeminence of Roman bishops ouer all Priests proceeded from the Emperours grant and not from any ordinance of Christ or diuine authority Likewise we read that the councels of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon were called by the authority of Emperours and that their acts and decrees were ratified by them and not by the bishops of Rome more than other bishops as is pretended Further in the confessions of faith published by those councels and receiued by Theodosius Martianâ—â—s and other Christian Emperours there is not one article of popery so much as mentioned nay albeit the bishops of Rome oppugned the decree of the councell of Chalcedon concerning the priuiledge of the Church of Constantinople yet preuailed they not lastly the condemnation of Eutyches in the councell of Chalcedon doth ouerthrow the popish reall presence of Christs body in the sacrament and transubstantiation for if Christ haue a true body that is circumscriptible solide then is not Christs body really in euery consecrated host and if that according as after the vnion of the natures both remaine so the bread and wine remaine after consecration as the fathers of that councell pretend then awaie flieth the fancy of popish transubstantiation Recaredus King of Spaine assembled the third councell of Toledo chased Arianisme out of his dominions published a confession of the faith which all Christian bishops of that countrey receiued and gouerned and confirmed the councell publico regis edicto confirmatum est concilium the councell was confirmed by publicke proclamation of the king saith the compiler of the acts of that councell finallie in all the acts there is not one article of popery confirmed but the 21. canon that alloweth Psalmes to be sung at burials doth vtterly ouerthrow dirges and masses for the dead and the doctrine of purgatory for how can they chuse but sorrow for the dead that beleeue their friends soules to be in purgatorie the 22. canon forbiddeth dances and immodest songs on holy daies the 16. canon is directed against the worship of idols the 11. canon reproueth Priests that absolue publike sinners without due acts of repentance which is an abuse very common in the masse-priests finally in this synode the Spaniard followed the rules of the Church of Constantinople and not of Rome as appeareth by the second canon Iustinian the Emperour as is reported in the law inter claras Cod. de sum Trin. published a confession of faith which he commanded to be receiued throughout his dominions but therein is not any article of popery mentioned nay diuers of his lawes concerning the ordination of bishops the ordering of Churches and other ecclesiasticall matters declare that vnto his time the gouernment of the Church belonged to kings and princes and that yet the Pope had not vsurped his generall authoritie nor excluded temporall Princes he decreed that the sacraments should be administred contrarie to the Popish forme in an audible voice and in atongue that might be vnderstood Gregory the first acknowledged himselfe subiect to the Emperour and willing to execute his commandements which sheweth that the Emperour as yet held his authority and would not yeeld it to the bishop of Rome his faith also was the same which other Emperours professed for as yet Antichrist had not gained the primacy Gregory himselfe in his epistle to Serenus of Massilia praiseth him for that hee suffered not images to be adored and no man needeth to doubt but that Maurice the Emperour concurred with him in matters of faith Leo the fourth in the chapter de capitulis dist 11. professeth that he will see the Emperours orders by all meanes kept de capitulis vel praeceptis imperialibus vestris c. irrefragabiliter custodiendis saith he quantum valuimus valemus Christe propitio nunc in aeuum nos conseruaturos modis omnibus profitemur this therefore is an argument that the christian faith as yet was maintained by the authority of the Emperours that the bishops of Rome had then made no alteration by their decretales as not hauing as yet setled their supreme and tyrannicall authority in the Church in the time of this Leo neither was transubstantiation nor the necessity of auricular confession in the Priests eare for all sinnes nor communion vnder one kind heard of Beda in the Preface of his Ecclesiasticall historie praiseth king Ceolulphus for that he heard the wordes of holy Scriptures diligently but now among papists lay-men are not commended for hearing scriptures at that time neither were the 7. sacraments confirmed nor the Popes doctrine of Purgatorie and indulgences once deliuered Irene though a semipagan Empresse and a worshipper of images yet did not giue diuine worship to the crucifix or images of the Trinitie Charles the great in a synod at Francford condemned the idolatrous decrees of the 2. Nicene synode assembled vnder Irene Ansegisus lib. 2. c. 19. sheweth that he decreed that nothing should be read in the church beside canonicall scriptures the same author reporteth diuers lawes made by him and his sonne Ludouic contrarie to the practise of the moderne Romish church Kellison therefore should worke a woonder if he could prooue that either of these Emperours beleeued that the bishop of Rome was head of the church and had both the swordes and ruled both on earth and in Purgatorie neither shall he be able to shew that they beleeued that publike seruice and sacraments were to be celebrated in a tongue not vnderstood or that those were the Apostles successors that neither preached nor administred the Sacraments Before the conuenticle of Laterane Christian kings and princes knew now what transubstantiation ment neither did they receiue the doctrine of the communion vnder one kinde before the synode at Constance in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenues the 4. the doctrine of the seuen Sacraments of Purgatorie of the Popes supremacie began to be in more reputution the rest of their heresies the Pope and his complices could not procure to be authorized before the conuenticle of Trent and yet the French refused to admit the actes of that conuenticle and the Emperor Charles the fift by his agents protested against them the Queene of England king of Denmarke Princes of Germany and manie other States resolutely reiected and contemned them So we see that the doctrine of the Romish church was nener receiued by many Christian princes especially this forme of doctrine that is prescribed by the conuenticle of Trent the Popes excommunications prouisions rapines violence and tyranny we finde to haue beene of most Christian kings resisted when the Popes of Rome began to lift vp their heels against the Easterne Emperors Leo Isauricus and others and to excommunicate them they neglected their censures and in the Easterne parts were obeied as before Henry the 4. emperour of Rome
Platina saith obteined of Phocas the Emperour that the church of Rome should be called and holden the head of other churches The councell of Rome that authorised the Popish real presence of Christs body and blood in the Sacrament was celebrated vnder Pope Nicolas the 2. some 1050. yeares after Christ the 2. Nicene Councell that established the worship of images in some sort was assembled long before vnder the reigne of Irene but the actes of the councell could not bee receiued in the Westerne church till long after the councel of Lateran that decreed transubstantiation was assembled in the times of Innocentius the 3. the councell of Constance that first brought in the communion vnder one kind and the subsistence of accidents without subiect was summoned about the yeare of our Lord 1414 the synode of Florence that first established the 7. sacraments and beganne to talke of their formes and confirmed the Popes supremacy and Purgatory published her decrees about the yeare of our Lord 1439. the actes of the conuenticle of Trent that made vp a complete body of Popery were confirmed by Pius the 4. in the yeare of our Lord 1564. and this is the antiquity of those conuenticles that doe principallie confirme the doctrine of Popery The scholemen crept into the church about the yeare of our Lord 1200. the father of them al was Peter Lombard that flourished some 1140. yeares after Christ The canonists began after the times of Gregory the ninth that liued and flourished about the yeare of our Lord God 1230. The chiefe founders of Popery were the Popes by their authority the Cardinals by their counseill the Monkes and Friers by their bookes and preaching the Masse-priests by their massing and practising the dinel himselfe by his craft malice and violence the Popes authority in ecclesiasticall canses was not great before the times of Boniface the third nor in temporall matters before Gregory the seuenth Boniface the ninth as Theodoric à Niem testifieth by craft entered vpon the temporall inrisdiction of Rome The cardinals were but parish priests vntill such time as the Pope of a Priest became a Prince the monkes in the West church are descended from Benet of Nursia that liued about the yeare of our Lord 530. the Friers arose out of the bottomlesse pit about the yere of our Lord 1230. their first fathers were Francis and Dominicke the last brood of Friers flew abroad into the world vnder the leading of Ignatius Loyola a lame souldier anno Dom. 1540. the diuell being bound vp for a thousand yeere counting from the time of Constantine began to be loosed againe about the time of Innocent the third and by all fraud to worke in the heads of Popes Friers Monkes and Masse-priests and with violence to make opposition against all those that preached the truth The foundation therefore of Poperie being so lately laid and the chiefe founders thereof beginning to stirre so long after the times of the Apostles and ancient fathers it were great simplicitie if we should affirme poperie to be ancient But the same doth most clearely appeare by the particular doctrines of poperie which the Popes factours maintaine against vs. first they hold that holy scriptures are imperfect and no sufficient rule of faith Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei c 12. affirmeth that they are onely apart of the rule but none but heretickes in ancient time did derogate from scriptures 2. They teach that holy scriptures and the traditions of the church are to be receiued with equall affection but that was first determined in the 4. session of the conuenticle of Trent 3. In that wicked conuenticle also they first determined that the old Latine vulgar translation of the Bible should be authenticall 4. That the bishop of Rome is souereigne iudge of al controuersies of religion and the principall interpreter of scriptures is a point taught of late since Friers began to steele their faces with a double maske of impudency 5. Before the late conuenticle of Trent wee neuer read but that concupiscence was sinne both in the regenerat and vnregenerat as being contrary to the law of God 6. Stapleton in his preface to his relection of doctrinall principles is the first man that euer taught that wee heare God speaking in the Pope and that the church is founded vpon his authoritie 7. The first that euer called the Pope a God on the earth are the Popes canonists they likewise began first to call him the head and spouse of the church an vniuersall bishop 8. The Papists of late time only began to prohibit scriptures to be read publickely in vulgar tongues and to repine at Gods people that desire to reade them in those tongues for the ancient fathers exhort men to reade scriptures 9. Since Dioclesians time wee do not reade of any that burned bookes of scriptures besides Papists neither did any since his time hold out his feet to be kissed 10. Of late time Papists beleeue no Catholicke church but that which is subiect to the bishop of Rome whereas in time past the Catholicke church was held to bee dispersed through all nations and not vniuersally subiected to other head than Christ 11. The Romish church now obserueth not the old canons of the Apostles as they are commonly called ex 84. Apostolicis canonibus sayth Medina de sacror hom continent c. 105. quos Clemens Romanus pontifex eorundem Apostolorum discipulus in vnum coegit vix sex aut octo Latina Ecclesia nunc obseruat Martin Perez also de tradit part 3. c. de authorit cc. Apost confesseth that the Apostles canons now are not well obserued 12. The ancient Christians did neuer confesse their sinnes to the blessed virgin to S. Michael to Peter and Paul and other saints as the Romish Masse-priests do 13. Of late the Clerke at Masse hath taken vpon him to absolue the Priest and to pray for him a matter both strange and absurd 14. The confession of the faith set out by Pius the fourth concerning Romish traditions instification by works the seuen sacraments the sacrifice of the masse indulgences and such like points of Popery was neuer heard of before the time of that wicked Pope 15. The Papists can not shew that any Christian before of late durst cut out the second commandement out of the first Table as they haue presumed to do in their short Catechismes This they did knowing themselues to be guilty in worshipping images of the breach thereof 16. The decree of Sixtus the fourth concerning the conception of the blessed virgin without originall sinne is but a late deuice 17. It is not long since the Papists taught that veniall sinnes are done away with holy water 18. He should be very shamelesse that would say that Christians in time past did whip themselues either going in procession or before the crucifix as now Papists doe hoping to redeeme their sinnes with their owne blood 19. Ancient Christians neuer beleeued that it was sinne to transgresse
thus saith Campion and great crackes doe others also make when they come once to mention councels but if councels doe make so much for the Popes cause as these Popish agents praetend what is the reason why the Pope is so much afraid when he doth but ouce he are the name of councels Gaguine in Carolo 7. saith that the Popes resuse to assemble generall councels searing lest their large authority should be restrained by their decrees Petrus de Alliaco also in his treatise de reformat ecclesiae sheweth that many supposed that the Popes were negligent in gathering councels that they might more fully rule at their pleasure and vsurpe the right of other churches the author also of the booke entitled onus Ecclesiae doth alledge the same reason why councels were so slowly assembled experience certes teacheth vs that nothing is more fearefull to the Pope then the name of a lawfull and christian councell Gregory the 12. and Petrus de Luna as Theodorio à Niem testifieth by all meanes delaied the assembly of a councel and Martin the fifth notwithstanding the decree of the councell of Constance for assembling councels from euery ten yeares to ten yeares would no more heare of the matter of late time Clement the 7. reiected the petition of diuers princes requiring a generall councell and Paul the third would not yeeld to haue one before such time as he had so setled his affaires that no man should dare to speake the truth freely or to touch his authority Nay albeit Trent were no indifferent place for vs yet did not Iulius the third thinke himselfe safe inough there nor did he rest vntill such time as he had remoued the councell to Bononic lastly whatsoeuer they heere speake magnifically of the councell yet otherwhere they say the Pope is aboue the councell and that without his confirmation the actes of the councell are of no force and so they bring the authority of councels to a low price But admit the authority of councels to be as great as the Papists would haue them yet neither doe they esteeme much of councels nor doe councels make much for them For the time of assembling prouinciall councels we find diners canons the councell of Nice c. 5. decreed that prouniciall conncels should be assembled twise euery yeare visum est per singulos annos in singulis prouincijs bis in anno concilium episcoporum sieri the like course we finde taken in the 20. canon of the councell of Antioch but the Pope regardeth neither The councell of Constance sess 39. an 1417. decreed that from thence foorth generall councels should be celebrated vt amodò concilia generalia celebrentur and that the first should beginne within siue yeares after the end of the councell the second 7. yeares after that and that so from tenne yeares to tenne yeares councels should perpetually be celebrated deinceps de decennio in decennium perpetuò celebrentur but the Popes haue made a scorne of this decree The cannons of the Apostles decree that a bishop should be ordeined by two or three bishops but the Pope supplieth the roome of Bishops oftentimes with Abbots tituler bishops as is proued by practise confessed in part by Bellarmine the sixth canon excommunicateth bishops and Priests that vnder pretence of religion put away their wiues the Masse-priests separate such violently from their wiues and forbid men to marie vpon pretence of religious vowes The ninth and tenth canons determine them worthy to be excommunicated which being present at the oblation of the eucharist doe not communicat qui facta oblatione non communicauerint and againe qui sacram communionem non percipiunt the Papists esteem them that heare masse only good Christians and doe little regard these canons The seuenteenth Canon pronounceth him vnworthie nay vncapable to bee Bishop or Priest that keepeth a concubine which is a plaine sentence against most of the Romish clergie The 28. canon forbiddeth Bishops and Priests to strike Christians offending but popish prelats cut Christian mens throats albeit they offend not The 36. canon prescribeth bishops their limits and forbiddeth them to ordeine clerkes out of their iurisdiction but this is not obserued by the Pope nor his complices that ordaine certaine Priests of Baal and send them for England where they haue no iurisdiction The 83. canon deposeth him that shall vse reprochfull words against the Emperour or Magistrate qui imperatorem aut magistratum contumelia affecerit yet doe Popes raile vpon Emperours and Magistrates that displease them at their pleasure The 84. canon leaueth Iudith and Tobia Wisedome out of the catalogue of holy bookes of scripture the conuenticle of Trent reckoneth them in the canon as well as the best When diuers in the councell of Nice went about to prohibite the vse of wiues to Bishops Priests and Decons Paphnutius resisted their determination and the synode consented vnto him as Socrates lib. 1. c. 8. Sozomen lib. 1. hist c. 22. Nicephorus lib. 8. hist c. 9. doe testifie There it was determined also c. 5. that those which by one bishop were excommunicated should not bee receiued of others vt hi qui ab alijs excommunicantur ab alijs ad communionem non recipiantur all which notwithstanding the Pope separateth married Priests from their w iues receiueth most infamous offenders being e xcommunicated when they appeale to him The Pope also manifestly breaketh the 6. canon which boundeth his iurisdiction and giueth like iurisdiction to the bishop of Alexandria and Rome The 18. Canon forbiddeth clergy-men to follow filthy gaine and to put out their mony to vsury all which notwithstanding the Popes taske rents of publike whores at Rome as is publikely knowen and testified to the world and ordinarily haue their b ankes of vsury called by them monti di pietà where men may borow mony at 12.10.8 and sixe in the hundred as Onuphrius witnesseth in the liues of Iulius the 3. Paul the 4. and Pius the 4. In the councell of Ancyra c. 10. deacons protesting that they would mary and could not conteine were permitted to continue in the ministery aster mariage hopostea si ad nuptias venerint maneant in ministerio the same councell c. 16. condemneth Sodomits that liue against reason to 15. yeares penance and can 20. putteth adulterers to 7. yeares penance and c. 23 inflicteth vpon soothsaiers or magicians 5. yeares penance but the Pope as he neglecteth the punishment of adulterers Negromancers Sodomites which in Rome and Italy aboūd as euery trauailer knoweth that is acquainted with the manners of that country so he forbiddeth the mariage of deacons and separateth such as mary notwithstanding any protestation they can make The councell of Neocaesarea can 2. condemneth her that shall mary two brethren yet doe the Papists accompt the mariage of Queene Catherine to prince Arthur and Henry the 8. King of England his brother lawfull because the Pope dispensed with that mariage so we see
was summoned by K. Recaredus who by his authority proposed a forme of faith which was allowed by the councell the same also followed the forme of the Easterne church all which the synagogue of Rome now misliketh In the 6. synode the Emperour presided as appeareth by diuers acts of that synode there it was decreed c. 13. that Priests and Deacons should not bee separated from their wiues that none should fast on Sundaies or Saturdaies in Lent that Christ should not be painted in the similitude of a lambe and that the communicants should receiue the sacrament with their hands all which canons condemne the moderne practise of the synagogue of Rome The 2. Nicene councell saith that God is not to bee formed and Act. 7. that the crosse and other images are not to be worshipped with latria which is direct contrary to the doctrine of Papists The councell of Lateran vnder Innocent the third mentioneth onely two sacraments in the chap. Firmiter de sum Trinit fid Cath. there also somewhat is saide of penance but the same is not reckoned there as a sacrament If then later councels make sometime against Papists little are they to hope for proofe of their heresies out of the first ancient councels the popish sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Christ conteined really in the eucharist the communion vnder one kind transubstantiation the adoration of the sacrament the Popes supreme power in dispensing against lawes or rather in breaking lawes the popish worship of images Angels and Saints and the rest of their heresies shall neuer be prooued out of ancient councels but easilie may they be reprooued by them CHAP. XVIII That Popery is not the faith of the ancient fathers of the Church TO handle this point fully would require a large volume but we will onely alleadge a few arguments for proofe of our assertion referring the Reader for the rest to our larger disputes against the Papists wherein we challenge them that in no one point of faith in controuersie betwixt them and vs they iumpe with the fathers and that may appeare in a generality first for that in most points and that of greatest difference they are destitute of fathers as for example where they go about to proue the booke of Machabees and others not found in Hebrew to bee equall to the bookes of the 4. Euangelists that scriptures are to bee read publickely in a tongue not vnderstood of the hearers that the Latin vulgar translation is more authenticall than the originall bookes in Hebrew and Greeke that Christs body may be both visible and inuisible at one time and is in many places also at once that the body and bloud of Christ is really and carnally conteined and offred for quick and dead in the masse that Christians not consecrating are to receiue the communion onely vnder one kind that in purgatory soules satisfie for temporall paines of sinnes remitted that the Pope by dispensing the merits of Saints by indulgences is able to deliuer soules from the paines of purgatory that charity is the forme of faith and is that grace that maketh vs acceptable to God and diuers other doctrines of that nature Secondly they oftentimes acknowledge the fathers errors Bellarmine de gratia primi hominis c. 16. taxeth Theodoret and Procopius for their opinion concerning the cherubim set for the guard of Paradise haec opinio saith he tam est inepta ridieula c. like wise lib. 2. de concilijs c. 8. he reprehendeth Irenaeus Cyprian Chrysostome and Oecumenius Canus lib. 7. loc theol c. 7. rehearseth diuers of the fathers and namely of those which beleeued that Adams soule was created before his body and that Angels were created before the world and that denied that the soules of the faithfull doe see God before the last iudgement generally they taxe Origen for diuers heresies and nouelties Eusebius for fauouring Origen and Arius Papias and Irenaeus for holding the heresie of the Millenarians Cyprian for rebaptizing heretickes Hilary for teaching that Christ in his passion felt not any paine as wee may see in Lombard seut lib. 3. dist 15. Russine for maintaining both the errors of Origen and Pelagius in these points therefore and such like they follow not the fathers by their owne confession Thirdly diuers bookes are published vnder the name of the fathers that were neuer written by them as for example the decretales that beare the names of the ancient Bishops of Rome the canons of the Apostles diuers actes of the Nicene councell of the councell of Sinuessa Neocaesarea Rome vnder Syluester and diuers others the commentaries vpon Iob set out vnder the name of Origen certaine treatises of Sion and Sina and of the inuention of S. Iohn Baptists head set out vnder the name of Cyprian a sermon de assumptione beatae Mariae set out vnder the name of Hierome diuers sermons and epistles set out vnder the name of Ambrose Chrysostome and other fathers diuers legendes condemned by Gelasiuâ— c. sancta Romana dist 15. and some of these the aduersaries themselues deny not to be counterfet as doth appeare by the censure of Gelasius aboue mentioned of Erasmus Caietan Sixtus Senensis and other Popish writers now they that bring foorth counterret and basterdly writings of heretikes and men vnlearned in liew of the testimonies of fathers must first proue that the writings alledged by them are authenticall before they can say that they alledge fathers Fourthly the fathers were not all of one opinion Chrysostome homil 18. in Genes Nyssenus de creat hommis c. 18. Hierome lib. 1. in Iouinianum and others suppose that if Adam had not fallen neither woman should haue beene subiect vnto man nor should mankind haue beene propagated by mariage but S. Augustine lib. 14. de ciuit dei c. 21. and lib. 9. de Genes ad lit c. 3. and Eucherius and others are of a contrarie opinion Hierome in c. 1. Eccles and others doe hold that Salomon repented himselfe of his sinnes Augustine in Psal 126. thinketh otherwise concerning the beginning of soules and their estate also after this life the fathers are diuided some thinke that after diuorce the party innocent may marry others thinke contrary great difference also there was in the beginning about the feast of Easter the fast of Saturday and Lent these therefore that alledge a father or two where the soundest and best learned thinke otherwise cannot say that fathers make for them Finally albeit all the fathers should speake against the Pope yet doe not the Papists value them at any thing si totus mundus sententiaret contra Papam c. if all the world should giue sentence against the Pope saith a canonist yet are we to stand to the Popes determination commonly the Papists make as light accompt of fathers as any men if they speake against them Caictan in the beginning of his commentaries vpon Genesis signifieth that he goeth against the streame of the doctors in expounding scriptures The
Popes regard them not one straw if they talke against their triple crowne two swords or glorious and pompous state as may appeare by the light accompt made of S. Bernardes bookes de consideratione ad Eugenium all of them if the Pope defineth otherwise reiect the fathers with great facility Bellarmme lib. 1. de verb. dei c. 3. declaring his opinion of the new testament departeth from the exposition of Chrysostome Theodoret and other fathers Generally in the accompt of the bookes of canonicall scriptures of the old testament they reiect the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Ruffine in the exposition of the Creede of the councell of Laodicea c. 59. of Athanasius in synopsi of Gregory Nazaanzen in his verses of Epiphanius lib. de ponderib mensuris and diuers other fathers and will haue the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees to bee of equall authoritie with the law and the Gospell in despight of all the fathers Contrarie also to their opinion they preferre the old Latine vulgar translation of the bible before the Hebrew text of the old and the Greeke text of the new testament that is the standing puddles before the cleare fountaines of holie scriptures The fathers exhort Christians the Papists dehort them from reading and hearing scriptures read in tongues vnderstood Origen homil 2. in Isaiam wisheth that all Christians would performe that which our Sauiour Christ speaketh of searching scriptures Hierome writing vpon the Coloss c. 3. heere saith he it is shewed that lay-men ought to haue the word of Christ not only sufficiently but also abundantly and that they ought to teach and admonish one another Ghrysostome also in his 9. homily in 1. ad Corinth attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the Apostle doth command you also to read the scriptures aboue all and that not lightlie and careleslie but with great diligence That the Pope should be aboue all councels it neuer entred into the fathers thought nay all of them haue recourse in matters of doubt concerning faith not to the decretales of Popes but to the determination of generall councels next after holy scriptures The bishop of Rome oftentimes consulted with learned fathers concerning the interpretation of scriptures and no learned bishop did in time past attribute more to the bishop of Rome then to other bishops the Papists therefore making the Pope that is often blind in matters of religion supreme interpreter of scriptures digresse from all the fathers and haue not so much seuce heerein as litle children that know that blinde-men cannot iudge of colours The conuenticle of Trent determining that traditions and holy scriptures are with equall affection to be receiued digresse from all the fathers that make not traditions but the scriptures to be canonicall and of sacred authority The Papists that say that scriptures are not authenticall to vs without the determination of the Pope and Romish church are of an opinion contrary to all the fathers who deriue their authoritie and credit from God and not from man Bellarmine lib. 3. de eccles c. 16. saith that Hierome Apollinaris and Hippolytus were deceiued in the exposition of the ninth chapter of Daniel concerning the times of Antichrist In his 2. booke de Purgatorio c. 1. he reiecteth the opinion of Ambrose Hilary Lactantius Hierome and Aleuinus that teach that as well good as bad neede to be purged In the number of 7. Sacraments the conuenticle of Trent departeth from the opinion of all the fathers for not one can be alledged that saith there are iust 7. Sacraments and neither more nor lesse Ambrose in his books de Sacramentis and de initiandis in myster mentioneth onely two so doth Iustine Martyr long before him in his 2. apology S. Augustine lib. 3. de doctr Christ c. 9. reckneth only the Sacrament of baptisme and of the body and blood of Christ where he talketh of sacraments he saith also Christ left but few and easie but Popish sacraments are many and hard to be performed The fathers no where mention spittle salt blowing light and such ceremonies as the Pope hath added to baptisme These words this is my body are expounded figuratiuely by Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion Origen in leuit Chrysostome homil 46. in Ioan. Augustine contra Adimantum and lib. 3. de doctr c. 16. in comment in psal 3. but the Papists in this exposition forsake all the fathers Gregory dial lib. 2. c. 43. willeth those to depart that communicate not si quis non communicet saith he det locum the Apostles canons doe excommunicate him that departeth before communion the same is also confirmed by the chap. si quis dist 2. de consecrat the Masse-priests therefore in the practise of their priuate Masses depart from the canons of the Apostles and all the fathers Innocentius the third lib. 4. de myster missae c. 6. thought that Christ consecrated without words others beleeue hee consecrated by praier the moderne Papists reiect both Bellarmine lib. 4. de eucharist c. 26. maketh the best proofe hee can for the communion vnder one kind but it appeareth by his silence that the fathers are all aduerse to him Gelasius in the chap. comperimus de consecrat dist 2. condemned those of sacriledge that receiuing one kind abstained from the cup. and Lyra in 1. Cor. 11. declareth that in the primitiue Church all Christians receiued both kinds The fathers speaking of the sacrifices of Christians call them sacrifices of praise and spirituall sacrifices and signifie that the eucharist is a commemoration of Christs only sacrifice on the crosse that is confirmed by the testimony of Iustin in dialog cum Tryph. of Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion of Eusebius lib. 1. de demonstr euangel of Cyprian aduers Iudaos c. 16. of Basil in Isaiae c. 1. and others this is proued partly by the same authours and by Chrysostome in Psal 95. in epist ad Hebr. homil 13. and Theodoret. in epist ad Heb. c. 8. 10. and by diuers others amplie cited by mee in my bookes de missa against Bellarmine all which doe shew that the Papists bringing an external and reall sacrifice of Christs body and bloud actually offered as they teach by euerie Masse-priest into the church are departed quite from the doctrine of the fathers Canus lib. 7. loc Theol. c. 1. confesseth that all the fathers which speake of the Virgin Maries conception teach that she was conceiued in originall sinne as Ambrose in Psal 118. ser 6. Augustine in Psal 34. Chrysostome Eusebius Emissenus Remigius and others yet most of the Popes proctors especiallie the Franciscans reiect these fathers The fathers with one confent teach that we are not to fast between Easter and Pentecost nor vpon Sundaies as Bellarmine de bon oper in part c. 23 consesseth yet doth he reiect their authority and all Papists doe contrarie Leo in epist ad Rusticum Narbonensem and
assumptae praecepit enim Dominus Mosi c. and againe noster Pontifex plura quà m octo induit vestimenta quamuis Aaron non nisi octo habuisse legatur quibus moderna succedunt From thence also the Masse-priests haue borrowed their altars sacrifices and priesthood for in the Gospell wee find none of these things instituted as they vse them Alexander the first did institute the consecration of holy water in imitation of the aspersion of the ashes of the red cow The burning of incense by Durand rat lib. 4. c. 8. is drawen from the manner of the Priests of the law and out of the 30. chapter of Exodus The salutation Dominus vobiscum is borrowed from Boos Ruth 2. who with like words saluted his reapers as if the Masse were onely to bee said in haruest time and among mowers and reapers The feasts instituted in the dedication of churches are deriued from the first of Machabees c. 4. because the Iewes did keepe holy the day of the dedication of the temple Durand rat diuin lib. 6. c. 6. proueth the foure ember fasts by the example of the Iewes nam Iudaei saith he quater in anno ieiunabant and hee alleadgeth a braue reason for it viz. for that the foure elements of the body being corrupted by these foure fasts may be purged In the later end of the missale the Papists shew how the paschale lambe is to be consecrated which is is a ceremony sauouring of the reliques of the Leuiticall law not yet sufficiently purged out of popery The heauing and lifting of the sacrifice the masse-priests borrow from the ceremoniall law wherein a heaue offering was prescribed and from thence also commeth the swinging of the chalice about the priests head Garret from the testimonie of Auerroes and other Rabbines goeth about to prooue the popish real presence of Christes body and blood in the Sacrament Robert Parsons in his booke of 3. conuersions endeuoureth to prooue praiers for the dead by the corrupt custome of the Iewes Finally it were an easie matter to shew that many other popish cymbales and ceremonies are drawne partly from the Gentiles and partly from the Iewes but by this which I haue already brought it appeareth sufficiently that Popish religion is either grossely heathenish or ceremoniously Iewish or at the least corruptly and stiffely hereticall CHAP. XXVI That Popish religion is full of contradictions and contrary opinions AS truth is alwaies consonant to it selfe so in falshood there is much iarring and contradiction to specifie this matter by examples we need to seeke no further then in the corrupt and false religion and doctrine of Papistes for notwithstanding their crackes and bragges of vnitie hardly shall you name any point of doctrine wherein the chiefe founders and defenders of Popery hold not singular opinions and varie one from another nay whosoeuer hath leysure to peruse the whole corps of their doctrine shall finde that it conteineth strange peeces and points one contradicting another In the article of the Trinitie wherein we agree with the common doctrine of Papistes they are so curious and contentious that they agree not almost in any point among themselues First they contend about the distinction of the diuine attributes whether it be real or formal or imaginary or rationis Dionysius Richel in lib. 1. sent dist 2. saith that this is one of the chiefe difficulties of diuines and that about it there is great dissention and contention hee telleth further how Aegidius doth heerein lance Thomas and others runne vpon both Aegidius in lib. 1. sentent dist 2. would haue the persons of the Trinitie distinguished by a certeiue thing in one that is not in another which displeaseth the rest of his consorts Most of the schoolemen deny the examples and similitudes of the master of sentences lib. sent 1. dist 3. brought to illustrate the vnitie of the essence Trinitie of the persons and that which one affirmeth another misliketh Bonauenture saith that a man may atteine to the knowledge of the holy Trinitie by the light of reason others say contrarie The Scotistes lib. 1. sent dist 5. inueigh against Henricus de Gandauo for his singular opinion about the eternall generation of the sonne of God Aegidius holdeth that the sonne of God is able to beget another sonne which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange diuinitie Thomas Aquinas 1. q. 32. art 4. holdeth that doctors may hold contrary opinions cire a notiones in diuinis he teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the father then from the sonne which others mislike If then they agree not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie what little hope can we conceiue that they will better accord in other matters Durand denieth Theology to be scientia Thomas and Richard hold that it is About the words vti and frui there is great varietie of opinions some dissenting from their master others one from another as their disputes in 1. sent dist 1. doe testifie Pighius lib. 1. de eccles hierach c. 2. saith that Scriptures are not aboue our faith but subiect vnto it Stapleton lib. doct princip 12. c. 15. teacheth that the church and scriptures are of equall authoritie Eckius in enchirid loc com c. de ecclesia determineth that the Scriptures are not authenticall without the authority of the church Bellarmine thought best to passe ouer this question without resolution Nicholas Lyra Hugo de S. Victore Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo cardinalis Thomas de vio and Sixtus Senensis lib. 1. biblioth S. reiect the last seuen chapters of the booke of Hester as not canonicall Scriptures the conuenticle of Trent and most popish doctors of later times hold them to be canonicall Iohn Driedo lib. 1. de scriptur ecclesiast dogm denieth the booke of Baruch to be canonicall scripture Bellarmine lib. 1. de verb. Dei and most of his sellowes be of a contrary opinion Caietan and Erasmus in their Commentaries vpon the Epistles to the Hebrewes of Iames Iude the second of Peter and the 2. and the third of Iohn doe dissent from the rest of their fellowes and that partly concerning the authors and partly concerning the authoritie of those epistles Iames bishop of Christopolis in praefat in Psal and Canus lib. 2. loc theolog c. 13. affirme that the Iewes haue depraued and corrupted the originall text of the old restament an opinion false blasphemous therefore contradicted by Bellar. lib. 2. de verb. dei and by diuers of his consorts Sanctes Pagnmus in Praefat. interpret suae biblior and Paulus bishop of Foro Sempronio lib. 2. c. 1. de die passionis domini deny that the vulgar Latin translation of the Bible was made by Hierome Austen of Eugubium and Picus Mirandula hold contrarie Bellarmine and Dâ—sedo say that it is part his and part others Alexander Hales and Durand hold that the diuine attributes are not distinguished but in respect vnto creatures Henricus and Albertus
woluish inquisitors before haue condemned Finally they take from Princes all command and authority in the church not suffering them either to make ecclesiasticall lawes or to meddle with ecclesiasticall persons as for other Christians they doe excommunicate them curse them burne them massacre them and set them together by the eares that one may teare another if they repugne against their commandements Can we then esteeme Popery to be Christian religion that holdeth Christians in so base accompt and will Christians indure this yoke of bondage put vpon their neckes by the Popes faction that endeuoreth to take all liberty from Christians CHAP. XXXII That Popery is a doctrine of diuels THe diuel being the author of all vntrueth and falshood it may well be said that all the lying and false doctrine of papists is of the diuel but beside this there are particular reasons why we call Popery the doctrine of diuels for first diuers points of popish doctrine are specially said to proceed from the diuell and next the best proofes and meanes which our aduersaries haue to maintaine their doctrine are from the diuell The Apostle 1. Tim. 4. calleth the prohibition of marriage and lawes of abstinence from certaine meates doctrines of diuels for speaking of doctrines of diuels afterward he specifieth the same saying forbidding to marry and commanding to absteine from meats which God hath created but Papists by law expressely forbid marriage to priests and others that haue vowed single life and the eating of flesh on fasting daies and white soule in lent neither can they excuse themselues for that they doe not condemne marriage as simply euill or flesh as vncleane for Thcodoret sheweth that such came within the compasse of the Apostles censure as by law prohibited these things further neither did the Encratites or Manichees absolutely forbid marriage as vncleane but as not fitting such as tende to perfection Epiphanius in haeres 79. esteemeth the superstition of those women that offred the sacrifice of a cake in the honour of the virgin Mary to be diabolicall totum hoc opus est diabolicum spiritus immundi doctrina but Papists doe offer their masse cakes in the honour of our Lady and of Saints Likewise he calleth it a doctrine of diuels to giue diuine worship to dead men but this is a common practise among Papistes for by Saints they sweare and to them they confesse their sinnes and in honour of them they build churches and altars and say masses all which are speciall points of diuine honour Further he sheweth that the desire that men haue in making grauen images is a diuelish indeuor simulachrificum studium diabolicus conatus but where is there more labour bestowed in making images then in the synagogue of Rome S. Chrysostome homil 9. in epist ad Coloss saith that the diuel first brought in the superstitious worship of Angels diabolus superstitionem angelorum introduxit heere then we vnderstand whence the Papists haue their worship of Angels From the diuell also hath the Pope learned to aduance himselfe aboue al that is worshipped and to take vpon him as if he were God Apocalyps 9. we read that the smoke that darkned the sunne and the aire came out of the bottomlesse pit and that locustes came out of this smoke but this smoke is nothing else but the fumes of the errors of Popery which haue long darkned the brightnesse of the truth and the locustes are the monks and friers which with their poysoned doctrine drawne from hell haue infected the mindes of simple people About the yeere of our Lord 1256. as Matthew Paris testifieth the friers published a booke entituled Euangelium aeternum composed of certaine dreames of abbot Ioachim and this say they exceeded the gospel written by the foure Euangelists as farre as the Sunne the Moone or the kernell the nut but the author of the Romant of the Rose where he speaketh of the hypocrisie of friers testifieth that this booke came from the great diuell Fut or baille c'est chose voire saith he Pour bailler commun exemplaire Vn liure de par le grand diable Dit l'euangile perdurable That the Popes haue serued the diuell it appeareth by Iohn the 12. that called vpon the diuell as he plaid at dice by Syluester the 2. and Benet the 9. that were necromancers by Gregory the 7. that 2 Matt. Paris in With. Conq. confessed at his death that by the counsell of the diuel he had stirred vp Gods anger against the world and diuers others but seruing the diuell it is not likely but they learned somewhat of him Delrius lib. 4. de Magia c. 1. q. 3. § 5. testifieth that the diuell appeared to a certaine abbot in forme of an Angell and commanded him to say Masse but he would not haue perswaded it vnlesse he had well liked it Dibdale a Masse-priest in England coniured the diuell to tell him whether Christes body was present in the Sacrament or no. he said it was and this was a great satisfaction to the Papists present as is said in a booke of miracles that passeth from hand to hand In the 2. Nicene councell act 4. a certaine monke prooneth the worship of Images by the testimony of the diuel I sengrenius in libro de Maria in veteri ottinga prooueth that the virgin Mary was to be worshipped by the witnesse of the diuel that said his aue Maria. In the 2. booke of conformities fruct 2. they make proofe by the diuels testimonie of the vertue of indulgences granted to the church of Assisium by the meanes of S. Francis Likewise lib. 3. conformitatum fruct 8. a certaine â—iâ—el tolde one as is said how Angels were present at the death of S. Francis daemon dixit cuidam angelos interfuisse in transitu B. Francisci another told how S. Francis his soule passed through Purgatory by the testimony of another diuel they prooue that S. Francis had Christs wounds imprinted in his body and that he and Christ onely of all that were in heauen had these markes the wordes of the booke of conformities are these diabolus dixit quod Christus videns quod Franciseus sibi datus esset pro signisero tanti ordmis ipsi suorum vnlncrum stigmata impressit and againe diabolus adiuratus à quodam sacerdote de veritate dicenda post plura per os mulieris apud Ranennam morantis nomime Zantese sic inquit in coelo sunt tantum duo signati scilicet Christus slomachosus Franciscus Baronius in his 4. tome prooueth Iohn and Paul to be martyrs by the diuels testimony daemones clamantes ex corporibus obsessorum Ioannem Paulum martyres esse testabantur so heere we see whence the Papists haue the worship of Saints In the 77. lombard legend it is said that Dioclesians sonne being possessed with a diuel the same diuel cried out that he wold not dislodge before Vitus came lo heere a braue testimonie of the holinesse of S. Vitus Finally the
massacres and cruell executions done by the Papistes of late yeeres vpon the Saints of God haue proceeded from no other fountaine then from the malice of the diuel for he was a murderer from the beginning and Apocalyps 12. we read that the great red dragon that is the diuel persecuted the woman which was a figure of the church of God and caused her to flie into the wildernesse from the same fountaine also doe issue all the forgeries lies and calumniations of Papists whereby they haue gone about to suppresse the truth for the diuell is the father of lies and from their father the diuel the lying friers and Masse-priests haue learned their lying deuises who then is of God must needs hate this religion that is partly inuented and partly mainteined by the diuell CHAP. XXXIII That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion OF the trueth of our Christian faith we are assured for the articles thereof were deliuered by Christ taught by the Apostles and Prophets conteined in Scriptures and confessed by the catholicke church of all times but it is not so with Popery for neither did Christ deliuer it nor the Apostles and Prophets teach it nor is the same conteined in Scriptures or confessed by the catholike church of all times but dependeth partly vpon traditions not written and partly vpon the Popes determinations and partly vpon the opinions of schoole-men and canonistes and the monkes and friers now what assurance I pray you can any Papist haue of these doctrines First no man yet could euer tell what these traditions are which the Priests of Trent would make equall to Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei talketh at randon but he dare not come to particulars nor directly expresse them Secondly they dare not define where these traditions are to be found if they say in the decretales then all future traditions are cut off and former traditions founded on the Popes opinions if they say in the legends their traditions will prooue lies and fooleries for such are the legends if they tell vs of the pure fountaines of traditions of Caesar Baronius as Pope Sixtus the fift doth they will be laughed at that were not auised of their groundes before the time of this babling and confused Cardinal Thirdly they cannot shew why some traditions should be obserued and others not but if traditions were to be receined with equall affection to holy Scriptures then might none be abolished As for the determinations of Popes they can alledge no reason why they should be true if they bring the wordes of Christ to Peter they concerne them nothing that are so vnlike to Peter if they bring Christs promises to his church they concerne them much lesse for they are rather enemies then members of the church but were they members yet what man is priuiledged so that he cannot erre but those which for writing of holy Scriptures were led into all truth by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth Finally there is such contention betwixt the schoolemen and canonists and such diuersity of opinions among the seuerall Doctors of both the sides that it is bard to say whether any of them teacheth truly and most certaine that many of them teach falsely nay scarce any point of doctrine is deliuered by schoolemen wherein they dissent not one from another Now if they say their faith is founded not only vpon the Popes determinations and Apostolike traditions but also vpon holy scriptures yet holding as they doe this shall not any whit releeue them For first they cannot assure themselues that the Latine vulgar translation of the Bible is more true then the originall text in Hebrew and Greeke for all the fathers with one consent preferre the original fountaines before all versions Secondly they must needes stand in doubt which is the old Latine vulgar translation for if they allow that which was set out by Clement the 8. then cannot they allow of that which was set out by Sixtus Quintus the one so much differing from the other nor if they approue this can they follow that Thirdly they doe not beleeue the scriptures because God speaketh in them nor the traditions because they are Gods worde as they hold but because the church doth tell vs which are canonicall scriptures and consigneth them vnto vs and doth further deliuer vnto vs these traditions not written for this is Stapletons opinion in his bookes de doctrinalibus princip and authorit ecclesiast defens and is confessed of most Papists but if the authoritie of scriptures and traditions in respect of vs doth so depend vpon the church that no man can be assured of either without the authority of the Church then doth the faith of Papists rest vpon the Pope who as they say is chiefe gouernor of the church the which will bring the Papists to great vncertainty for who is so mad as to beleeue that a blind Pope can well iudge of colours or so senselesse as not to beleeue Gods word without the Popes warrant Fourthly they receiue not the articles of the faith because they are contained in scriptures but because they are deliuered vnto vs by the Pope Thomas Aquinas 2.2.9.1 art 10. saith that the ordring of matters of faith and the publication of the articles of the Creed belongeth to the pope that Athanasius his Creed was receiued because it was allowed by the Pope and this by others is deliuered in more grosse termes Stapleton in his doctrinall principles saith that the last resolution of matters of faith is in the Popes desinitiue sentence and Bellarmine lib. 3. de verb. dei c. 4. goeth about to shew that the Pope is the supreme iudge to whom the interpretation of scriptures and last resolution of all controuersies of religion is to bee referred But the papists can neither assure thomselues that he that sitteth at Rome is true Pope and S. Peters true successor nor that his determinations are certeine or true That the Pope is S. Peters true successor it will be hard to proue considering that he preacheth not as S. Peter did nor S. Peter weare a triple crowne and command temporall Princes as he doth it is very hard also to know whether he bee true Pope or no after the common vnderstanding of Papists for vnlesse he bee baptized and truly ordred and chosen he is no true Pope but it is hard to know whether he were baptized which dependeth vpon the Priests intention which is vncerteine and hidden it is also more hard to vnderstand whether he were truly ordred or not for if he were not baptized then is he not capable of Priest-hood as Innocentius saith c. ventens de presbytero non baptizato and if he that ordred him had no intention to doe it then receiued he no orders lastly it is a matter most difficult to know whether the Pope was rightly chosen or else by Simony or violence or other meanes intruded so it is alwaies most
doe not see in what danger they stand either to be disgraced or dispossessed of their crownes disgrace it is to acknowledge any in earth their superiour and an euident danger to fall out with the Pope where the subiects are affected to Popery CHAP. XXXVII That Kings professing Popish religion are either no Kings or but halfe Kings BVt were not Kings in danger to lose their crownes and Kingdomes liuing vnder the Pope yet haue they no reason to take vpon themselues as free Kings and Princes or to beleeue that they can enioy all the right that belongeth to lawfull Kings and Princes For first no King can freely dispose of matters belonging to his gouernement that acknoledgeth any man to be his superior as for example Herode and other Kings that ruled vnder the Romans who could proceed no further then pleased the Emperors and people of Rome if then the King of Spaine or France or other nations do acknowledge the Pope to be his iudge and superior he may not refuse his iudgement or resist his authority Secondly we find that Kings before Christs comming in the flesh gaue lawes both to the chiefe priests and to all their people and not the chiefe priest either to the Kings of Israel and Iudah or to the people as may appeare by the lawes of Moyses Iosue Dauid Salomon Hezekia Iosiah we do also read that Constantine other Christian Kings vntill the times of Charles the great and long after gaue lawes to the Bishops of Rome and other clergy-men as may be euidently proued by the lawes yet extant Cod. de sum trinit sid cath de episc Cleric de episcop audient de haereticis and in diuers other titles and books but where any bishop of Rome all this time made any law to bind either kings or their subiects we find not vnlesse we list to admit counterfet decretales for currant lawes which no man of any vndestanding will doe nor any modest Papist can require wherefore taking vpon them authority to make lawes to binde both Kings and their subiects the Popes plainly declare that Kings lining vnder the confusion of Antichrists tyranny are no kings Thirdly Bellarmme lib. 1. de pontif Rom. c. 7. determineth that temperall Princes are no gouernors of the Church and generally both the Pope and his complices teach that kings haue no power either to make ecclesiasticall lawes or to reforme abuses of doctrine or to settle matters ecclesiasticall finally the Papists of England in their glosing petitions to his Maiesty wherein they pray his fauour yet will allow him no authority saue only in temporall and ciuill causes doth it not then manifestly appeare that Papists take from kings halfe their authority and giue the same to forreiners and publike enemies Fourthly in temporall matters which they are content to leaue to the disposition of Kings they restraine them in such sort that they wil not haue them either to rest in peace when the Pope commandeth them to make warres or to make warres further then the Pope permitteth Bomface the eight in c. vam sanctam extr de maiorit obed sheweth how princes are to vse their swords ad nutum patientiam sacerdotis that is at the Popes beck as long as he listeth to suffer it Fiftly the Pope shareth halfe the kings reuenues claiming tenths first fruits subsidies and other rights out of ecclesiasticall liuings he doth also claime the disposition of diuers ecclesiastical liuings in diuers cases and right to confirme bishops and getteth great summes of money for pardons licences and other rescripts and faculties Sixtly if a king need a dispensation against an ecclesiasticall law or an absolution from an offence he is sent to Rome to obteine it if be can and oftentimes such faculties and absolutions cost full deare King Henry the 8. spent great summes of money to be diuorced from his brothers wife and yet failed of his purpose Fredericke the 2. could not be absolued from his excommunication by Gregory the 9. but it cost him 125. M. ounces of gold as Nauclere and Iuan de Pineda a Spaniard doe signifie Iohn the king of England to obteine absolution was forced to resigne his crowne Seuenthly Alex. inder the fourth in the chapter quia nonnulli de immunit eccles in 6. exempteth the possessions and goods of clergie men from tolle and custome Finally Bomface the 8. in the chapter clericis de immunitat eccles m 6. doth excommunicate both kings and others that impose taxes and subsidies vpon the clergy and this is the common doctrine of the Popes agents Bellarmine de exemptione clericorum c. 1. setteth downe these propositions that clerkes in ecclesiasticall causes are free from the command of secular Princes by the law of God and againe that clerkes are not to be iudged of secular iudges albeit they transgresse temporall lawes and lastly that Princes in respect of clerkes are not soueraigne Princes Emanuel Sa in his Aphorismes for confessaries first printed and alledged by him that wrote the Franke discourse hath these wordes clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesaemaiestatis quia non est subditus regi the rebellion of a clerke against the king is no treason because he is not the kings subiect nay of late both the masse-priests and their firie followers haue thought it meritorious to rebell against the king And consonant to this doctrine is the practise of papists for in matters of contention betwixt the Pope and their kings they take part with the Pope and rebell against their kings as the rebellions of the Germaines and French in time past of the English and Irish against king Henry the 8. and Queene Elizabeth of the leaguers of France against king Henry the 3. and 4. doe manifestly declare When the Pope doth giue law to Princes they take themselues bound to execute it and vpon euery excommunication rise in armes against them and seeke to depose them In ecclesiasticall causes they runne for direction to the Pope and care not a straw for the ecclesiasticall lawes of their kings When the Pope commandeth a Prince to execute his bulles they are ready to follow the warres if he command them to surcease they forsake their kings in the midst of his conquests If the Pope leuy tenthes or subsidies vpon the clergy or Monkes or Friers they willingly beare all burthens and to him they runne for dispensations and all faculties Kings also seeke to the Pope in their owne cases for dispensations and absolutions where the Popes law saith they are necessarie Finally both the possessions and persons of clergy men are the Popes to dispose as may appeare for that he layeth what charge he listeth on their possessions and sometimes alienateth them to mainteine his warres and findeth their persons prest to doe him seruice If then kings beare themselues as inferiors to the Pope and receiue lawes at his hands and are excluded from all disposition and rule in ecclesiasticall causes and
say as much and greatly complaineth of Roman Caursins and vsurers Are not then our moderne Papists simple to continue vnder the gouernment of Antichrist where they are pilled both aliue and dead and spoiled by diuers fraudes and brought to extreme pouerty through manifold oppressions and exactions CHAP. XLI That the Popish church hath no true Bishops nor Priests THe gouernment of the Popish church being so burdensome and dangerous cannot well be tolerated by rules of policy but if the same be against both scriptures and canons of the church then as repugnant both to religion and Christian policy it is to be abandoned of all Christian common-wealthes let vs then consider what allowance it may haue either of scriptures or ancient canons The Apostle Act. 20. saith that the holy ghost hath appointed Bishops to gouerne the Church of God in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere ecclesiam dei saith he speaking of the Bishops of Asia but the popish church hath no true Bishops and that is prooued first for that bishops cannot be orderned but by true Bishops but the prelats of the Romish church are ordeined by the Pope that is no Bishop the proposition is granted of the assumption the first part is not denied in the second part our aduersaties insist firmely and affirme the Pope to be a true bishop but how can he be a Bishop that neither preacheth nor can preach nor administreth the Sacraments nor succeedeth the Apostles in their Apostolicall office the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. sheweth that the office of a bishop consisteth in the worke and not in the title qui Episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat Secondly antichrist can ordeine no true bishops but that the Pope is antichrist I haue declared in my fist booke de Pontif. Rom. and it is apparent in that he teacheth doctrine contrary to that which we haue receined from Christ Iesus and is plainly described in the Reuelation by the whoore of Babylon Apocalyps 17. and by the beast like a lambe rising out of the earth Apocalyps 13. which are figures of Antichrist Thirdly none but the successors of Christs apostles can ordaine true bishops but the Pope succeedeth Iulius Caesar rather then Simon Peter for Simon Peter fed Christs flocke he murdreth Christs lambes Fourthly neither heretikes nor simoniacall persons haue power to ordeine bishops as the master of the sentences lib. 4. dist 25. prooueth by the authoritie of Cyprian Innocent the first and Leo. and this is the practise of the Romish church at this day who refuseth to allow them for bishops that are ordred by such as they repute heretikes or schismatikes some determine otherwise but they repugne against the Romish churches practise Finally no woman can ordeine bishops but Pope Ioan was a woman and therefore all ordeined by her and their successors are no bishops by the confession of the aduersaries themselues Howsoeuer it is the Papists cannot assure themselues that they haue any bishops for no man is ordeined bishop vnlesse he that ordeined him had an intention to order him a bishop but of this intention no man can assure himselfe Furthermore the Popish synagogue hath no true priests for their priests are all ordred to sacrifice for quicke and dead The forme of priesthood say the Masse-priests assembled at Florence is this accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in ecclesia pro vinis mortuis and this is prooued also by their rituall bookes and by Bellarmines confession lib. deord c. 9. but such priests were neuer appointed by Christ or his Apostles neither is there any footestep of such an ordination to be found in ancient fathers Secondly no true priests can be ordeined by other then true bishops and the Apostles successors but such bishops the synagogue of Rome wanteth Lastly true priests and ministers of the Gospell are ordeined to preach Gods word truely and to administer the Sacraments sincerely but popish priests are not ordered to this end If then that cannot be the church that wanteth priests and bishops then are we not to looke for the true church among the papists but Hierome in dialog contr Lucifer denieth that to be the church that hath no priests and Cyprian lib. 4. epist 9. teacheth that the church is a people or flocke vnited to the bishop Againe if all the ordination of bishops and priests in the Romish church dependeth vpon the Pope and the Pope be not mentioned either Ephes 4. or 1. Cor. 12. where all the ministers of the church giuen to the same by Christ are mentioned then doth the ordination of Roman priests and prelates take his beginning not from Christ but from Antichrist Lastly if the function of masse-priests doth consist in saying Masse and the Masse be prooued to be an humane inuention then is the Romish priesthood an humane inuention but otherwhere we haue sufficiently declared that the Masse was by little and little peeced togither and is a meere humane inuention nay an inuention contrarie to Christs institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAP. XLII That Popery cannot be mainteined without forgery and falshood THis point of it selfe alone would require a large discourse if we should prosecure particularly and distinctly whatsoeuer our aduersaries haue herein offended for whether we respect the diuers kinds of forgeries or the places of authors forged and falsified by them it were a great worke to comprehend them all we will therefore choose out some few examples out of many whereby all true Christians may haue cause sufficient to suspect them in the rest First then we charge them with falsity for that as much as in them lieth they haue gone about to suppresse Gods eternall word comprised in the old and new testament that this is falsitie it is apparent by the law qui testamentum ff ad legem corneliam de falsis for by that law they are condemned qui testamentū amouerint celauerint that is which shall amooue or conceile a testament but the Pope and his complices forbid expressely all translations of the new testament made by our doctors and only grant certaine translations made by themselues and that with hard conditions as is declared in the index of forbidden bookes reg 3. and 4. but publikely they will not haue scriptures red in vulgar tongues Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretense of false translations but the law formerly cited doth pronounce him a falsarie that shall abolish or cancell or burne a mans testament the words of the law are these si quis testamentum deleuerit that is if any shall cancell a testament Thirdly it is falsity to cancell or breake the seales of a testament as the practise of the law of this land declareth how then can the Popish synagogue of Rome excuse it selfe that depriueth the lords people of the cup which our sauiour Christ calleth the new testament in his blood is not this all one as if the same should breakē the seales of Gods testament
Fourthly they haue added their owne traditions to the old and new testament receiuing with like affection and reuerence both scriptures and traditions as they write sess 4. synod trid Bellarmine speaketh no otherwise of traditions then as if they were the word of God not written but to adde to a mans testament is forgery hominis testamentum saith the Apostle Galat. 3. nemo spernit aut superordinet no man despiseth a mans testament or taketh vpon him to adde vnto it Fiftly they haue added to the canon of the old testament the bookes of Tobia Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome the Machabies and certaine fragments not extant in the originall bookes of scriptures but to ascribe bookes to the spirit of God which were not published by the authority of Gods spirit is an audacious kind of falsity that they are not canonical scriptures it is proued by the testimony of the councell of Laodicea of Hierome in prologo Galeato Athanasius in synopsi Nazianzen in carminibus and diuers others Sixtly certaine Friers anno D. 1256. in Paris for Christs gospell published an other gospell which they termed eternall fratres noua quaedam praedicabant legebant docebant deliramenta ex libris Ioachim abbatis incipitque eorum liber Euangelium aeternum as Matthew Paris testifieth but no greater falsitie by men pretending Christianity can be committed then in exhibiting a false Gospell S. Paul Galath 1. pronounceth such teachers accursed Finally the conuenticle of Trent hath committed an egregious falsity in making the old Latine translation of the bible authenticall for the same in many places dissenteth from the orginall bookes as by conference it appeareth and as Isidore Clarius in his preface to the translation of the bible Erasmus Caietane and diuers other learned interpreters confesse and declare diuers editions also of this Latine translation doe much differ as appeareth by the bibles set foorth by Sixtus quintus Clement the eight and diuers others but that cannot be true that discordeth with it selfe quod dissonat verum esse non potest neither can they excuse themselues of falsity that exhibit a false copy for the true originall and authenticall bookes of scriptures Likewise haue our aduersaries corrupted and falsified both the acts of councels and the writings of the fathers for first they suppresse the true acts of many councels and the true bookes of many fathers such especially as touch the authority of the bishop of Rome Posseuin in his select bibliotheke counselleth his consorts to keepe the Greeke originall bookes of councels and fathers from the view of yong students but to suppresse the depositions of witnesses all law adiudgeth falsity Secondly they haue set foorth diuers false actes and canons vnder the names of the Apostles of the synode of Nice of Rome vnder Siluester of Neocesaria Sinuessa and other synods which themselues cannot denie to be diuersly falsified Isidore c. canones dist 16. and Leo c. Clementis dist ead and Gelasius c. sancta Rom. dist 15. doe number these canons among apocryphall writings the canons themselues condemne the baptisme of heretikes c. 45. and once dipping in baptisme c. 49. and Saterdaies fast c. 65. and alloweth the 3. booke of Machabees and Clements epistles for canonical scriptures and yet pope Adrian c. sextam synodum dist 16. alloweth them Russin in his history and Stephen Bishop of Rome c. viginti dist 16. allowe only 20. canons of the councel of Nice others in c. septuaginta ead dist say there are 70. one Alphonsus of Pisa of late in his summe of councels hath set out 80. canons of that councell Sozimus in the 6. councell of Carthage was taken alleaging a false canon of that councell for appeals to Rome Paschasius or some vnder his name corrupted a canon of that councell as if the same had decreed that the Church of Rome had alwaies had the primacy Pius the fifth in certaine letters of his to the Emperor alledgeth that the councell of Nice made the Pope of Rome gouernor of all Christian Princes the falsification is notorious and is extant in his letters set out by Hierome Catena Of the acts of the councell of Sinnessa there are 3. copies extant in Surius and different each from other they contradict themselues also for where in the latter end it is said that the first See shall not be iudged of any the fathers of that councell notwithstanding condemned Marcellinus damnauerunt eum extra ciuitatem The actes of the councels of Neocaesarea and Ancyra are so simple and so repugnant to the state of those times that blindemen albeit void of sight may feele them to be counterfet in ancient stories there is no mention of them nay in times of persecution and before Constantines time it is not likely that so many bishops could meete or would make such acts and canons as are imagined to be made in those councels The synode supposed to be assembled at Rome by Siluester contemeth diuers fabulous points as namely the report of Constantines leprosy of Nunnes professing virginitie after the age of 72. yeres The bishops names are barbarous the stile is Gothike the number of bishops there assembled is incredible it is therfore meere impudency to affirme the acts of that synode to be authenticall The 18. canon of the councell of Chalceden and the 36. canon of the 6. synode that giueth equall authority to the see of Constantinople and Rome is falsified both by Gratian and Gregory the 13. in his new edition of the canon law for vnder colour of those canons they determine quite contrary to canons that the Church of Constantinople should not be equall to Rome The fift councell of Carthage c. 3. determineth that bishops priests and deacons should absteine from their wiues in the time of their turnes or seruice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Romanistes dist 33. c. placuit haue falsified this canon by adding subdeacons and excluding bishops priests and deacons from their wiues at all times The councell of Mileuis c. 22. forbiddeth Priests and inferiour clerks to appeale to Rome but Gratian falsifying the canon addeth these words nisi forte sedem Rom. appellauerint which is direct contrarie to the meaning of the councell In the 35. canon of the councell of Laodicea the worship of Angels is termed idolatrous and expressely forbidden but Carranza in his summe falsifieth the canon and for Angelos writeth Angulos Bellarmine lib. 1. de sanct beatitud c. 19. sheweth that in latter editions of councels his consorts haue established the inuocation of Saints by the 7. canon of the 6. synode but all ancient copies declare both him and his consorts to be notorious forgers of false canons It were an easie matter to shew the falshood of our aduersaries in diuers other canons but the breuitie of this discourse will not permit any larger number of witnesses in this point Thirdly vnder the names of fathers they haue set out diuers counterfet treatises and haue falsly both translated the Greeke fathers and
Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. doth testifie Alexander the third sent the soldan Fridericke Barbarossaes portrayt then seruing against the Saracens persuading him to kill him if he would settle his affaires Gregory the 9. inuaded the emperors dominions in Italy and drew Fridericke the 2. out of Asia to defend his owne possessions at home when he was almost in possession of the victory abroade Lastly it is publikely knowne that they haue set French and Spanish together about the quarrell of the kingdome of Naples Innocent the thrid by his excommunication of king Iohn set both his subiects and the French against him and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Iulian the Cardinall set the Germans against the Bohemians Paul the third was the principall motiue of the warres of Charles the sift against the Germans and to shut vp this discourse in few words not only Nicholas Machiauel in his Florentine history affirmeth but also all histories testifie that the Popes of Rome haue beene the principall causes of all the warres and stirres of Europe that haue beene for this 4. or 5. hundred yeres last past they are the causes of the massacres of France of the troubles of the low-countries of the late rebellions in England Scotland and Ireland of the contentions betwixt French and Spanish in Italy of the persecutions in Germany and Spaine and other countries Fourthly the Popes of Rome by deuising and confirming many orders of Monkes and friers by admitting such swarmes of idle lozels into orders and mainteining them by chanting of Masses for soules forcing them to forsweare mariage haue not only caused many vnnatural murders but also hindred the propagation and increase of men they haue also withdrawne men from defence of the common-wealth and placed them in dennes of licentious idlenesse and laid the charge of the common defence vpon few Fiftly exempting both the goods and the persons of religious men and clerkes from common charges of the common-wealth they haue weakened the states of princes and laid all the burthen vpon the weakest part Finally by their idolatries they haue displeased God and by their periuries haue made good the leud cause of the Turkes Therefore we are not to maruell if the Christians haue not prospered in their expeditions into the holy land for what successe could Christians looke for considering the notorious abuses cōmitted in the army by worshipping idoles blaspheming Gods holy name violating Christs institution of the Eucharist by celebration of prophane masses Could Ladislaus king of Poland and his army preuaile against the Turkes hauing begun the warre contrary to articles of peace solemnely sworne but let vs mainteine the religion of Christ and not of antichrist and let vs abolish the idolatrous worship of images and the inuocation of saints and let vs abandon the damned Masse and serue God as he hath appointed and finally let vs not violate our promises and oathes nor abuse gods holy name and then no doubt but we shall prosper in all our enterprises against the Turke or other enemies of the Church for hitherto not the Turks forces but the multitude of the sinnes idolatries blasphemies and other abuses of Christians haue made them flie before their enemies and ouerthrowne their armies CHAP. L. That the moderne church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romans THe Church of Rome when Paul wrote vnto it excelled in all pietie and vertue and was famous throughout the world but as al things else so both faith and vertue through tract of time fainted and in the end began to faile in that citie of late time we finde that neither that zeale in matters of religion nor that integritie and honesty of maners which was in the ancient Romanes doth continue in their posterity Adrian the 6. in his instructions giuen to his legate that was sent into Germany confesseth freely that many and grieuous offences for many yeeres haue beene committed at Rome and from the toppe of the Popes crowne passed downe to the inferior gouernors of the church and that no man did his dutie but that all went astray and none was voide of faults Plurimis nunc annis saith he grauiter multisque modis peccatum est Romae inde à Pontificio culmine malum hoc atque lues ad inferiores omnes ecclesiarum prafectos defluxit neminem enim esse qui suum faciat munus aberrasse omnes ne vnum quidem ex omni numero vacare culpa Duarenus in praefat in lib. de eccles minist benefic confesfeth that the manners of such as were called church-men were decaied and that the later constitutions of Popes were woorse then the first illud saith he fateri velinuiti cogimur mores hominum ecclesiae titulo insignitorum ita paulatim degenerasse vt posteriores constitutiones Pontificumfere anterioribus cedant Guicciardine lib. hist 2. sheweth how the authority of Christian religion grew euery day lesse and lesse by reason that in the affaires of the church men were altogether departed from ancient customes Le cose della chiesa saith he allontanatesi totalmente dalli antichi costumi faceuano ogni di minore l'authoritâ della Christiana religione Machiauel in his Florentine history directed to Clement the 7. confesseth that by reason of the mutation that had hapned in Christian religion great scandales and discords had growne in the world Many of the chiefe rulers of the church saith Picus Mirandula in orat ad Leon. x. after whose example others ought to conforme themselues haue either little or no religion no order in their liuing no shame nor modesty apud plerosque religionis nostra primores ad quorum exemplum componi formari plebs ignara debuisset aut nullus aut certè exiguus deicultus nulla bene viuendi ratio atque institutio nullus pudor nulla modestia Platina in Gregor 4. wisheth that Lewes Pius in his time had beene aliue so much did the church stand in neede of his lawes Res pietatemiampridem perdidimus saith Auentinus lib. 3. annal Boiorum virtuti nullus est honos inuicem inuidere fraudare fallere longinqua consuetudo est that is we haue long since lost our substance and pietie there is no honor giuen to vertue we haue vsed to enuy one another and to practise fraud and deceit a long time together Primitiui Theologi saith Petrus de Aliaco lib. de reformat eccles ecclesiam aedificauerunt quam nunc quidam Baritatores destruxerunt the Diuines of the Primitiue Church built the church but now certaine later barators haue destroied it And that this is true it may be prooued by diuers particulars in time past the bishops of Rome suffered for true religion now they cut the throats of all such as professe truth The ancient bishops of Rome fed Christs flocke and were subiect to Christian Emperours now the Popes kill Christs lambes and set their feete vpon the neckes of emperors In the
of Christ and that for the merits of the blessed virgin of Cosmas and Damianus and other saints but where such a wicked and blasphemous company as make not onely saints but also the idolatrous Masse-priests mediators for the body and blood of Christ haue beene reputed the church of Christ and was visible before these wicked missals were framed we find not in any ancient record 10. The Romish church worshippeth the crosse and the images of the Trinity with Latria or diuine worship but such a church for a thousand yeares was neuer visible in the world 11. In the missals breuiaries and other rituall bookes of the Romish church we finde diuers praiers and confessions to Angels to the virgin Mary and other saints nay to the crosse and the image giuen to Veronica and these praiers are both practised and defended by the church of Rome but if all the Popes lanterne-bearers and disciples were set to seeke for such a church in the time of the ancient fathers they should but lose their labour and spend their wits in vaine 12. The Apostles canons as is said doe excommunicate such as doe not communicate being present at the celebration of the Eucharist we may not therefore thinke that the Romish synagogue was visible in those times seeing they thinke it sufficient for their disciples to be present at the Masse although they receiue nothing 13. In the primitiue church no man euer heard that Christians gaped and gazed on the priest administring the Lords supper or that they receiued the one kinde and not the other the Popish church therefore in those times was inuisible 14. In those times also neither was the Eucharist celebrated nor the Scriptures read in tongues not vnderstood of the multitude nor did the people pray in strange toongs which they vnderstood not the missificall congregation therfore of papists which pray not knowing what they say and being present at the reading of Scriptures and celebration of Sacraments in strange tongues vnderstand nothing was not yet crept out of Cacus his denne nor apparent in the world 15. The moderne Papistes beleeue that such as in this life satisfie not for their sinnes committed after Baptisme are to satisfie for the same in Purgatorie They beleeue also that the Pope by his indulgences is able to redeeme soules out of Purgatory and to remit all the temporall paines due for sinnes but such a church as this was neuer to be seene for a thousand yeeres after Christ To abridge this discourse it were an easie matter by diuers other points of faith and diuers other customes in administring the Sacraments and diuers other formes of gouernment all newly inuented practised and maintained by the synagogue of Rome to declare and proue that the same is a new model of a church neuer seene nor knowne to antiquitie but by these few particulars the same doth most cleerely appeare already If the Papists then seeke to bring vs backe to the formes of the ancient church then must they abandon the Pope and his adherents embracing the moderne faith and doctrine of sacraments lately broched by the idle school-men and confirmed in the late conuenticle of Trent and adhere to the church of England which as it professeth the Apostles doctrine published by ancient councels of the church so it renounceth all heresies and nouclties brought in by Papists and other heretikes and as it renounceth their false doctrine so it detesteth their treacherous practises CHAP. LII That the marks of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alledged by heathen men and Turkes as by them AL this notwithstanding the Papists challenge to themselues the name title and authority of the church and bring foorth a whole squadron of motiues to draw simple soules to like of their sect and to intangle them with their errors Bellarmine de notis eccles c. 3. saith that the proper markes of the church are these the name of Catholikes antiquitie continuance vniuersality succession of Bishops consent in doctrine miracles prophecies temporall felicity and such like others bring vnity vniuersality holinesse of life and such like Bristow in his Motiues standeth vpon the names of Catholiks and Heretikes miracles visions scriptures traditions fathers martyrs going out rising afterward succession immutability vnitie iudges infallible obedient subiects visibility and other markes of like nature But as well may the Turkes and idolatrous heathen nations alledge these markes and motiues as the Papists and some of them doe better agree to Turkes and idolatrous Paynims then to idolatrous and hereticall Papists For as Papists call themselues Catholikes and giue the name of heretikes to others so doe the Turkes cal themselues Musulman or true beleeuers and heathen idolaters called themselues Pious worshippers of the gods and in regard of themselues both Turkes and Paynims take Christians to be impious persons and heretikes the Turkes call Papists idolaters and the heathen in time past called Christians Atheists As for antiquitie it agreeth farre better to Paynims and Turkes then to Papists for heathen idolatry was long before the doctrine of Popery and the Alcoran is more ancient then the Popes decretales that being published by Mahomet within 630. yeares after Christ these being commended and confirmed by Gregory the 9. who entred an D. 1227. 3. Idolatry as it beganne soone after the flood so it hath euer since continued the blasphemous religion of Turkes harâ— continued euer since the time of Mahomet but Popery neuer receiued a perfect forme before the conuenticle of Trent and in most places now is decaied 4. The heathen idolaters alledge for themselues amplitude and vniuersality as well as the Papists and so may the Turkes also for in time past all nations worshipped idoles faue the Iewes and in our times farre more nations are deluded by Mahomet and his priests then by the Pope and his Masse-priests the Popes doctrine being confined within a few nations of Europe Mahometisme poslessing the greatest part of Asia and Afrike and no small parts of Europe 5. The Turkes euer since Mahomet haue had a succession of Caliphaes and priests and among the heathen there neuer wanted a discent of sacrificing idolaters but the Papists cannot deriue their succession from the Apostles eitheir in doctrine or discent of Popes for neither is their doctrine apostolicall nor are the Popes the Apostles successors beside that they are vncerteine both who were true Popes and which succeded after Peter and diuers bishops and Popes of Rome 6. The Paynims with one consent in time past worshipped idoles neither did any one among them call the matter in question the Turks are so resolute in religion that they will haue no disputing against any point of their doctrine but Popish schoolemen call all points of their religion in question neither doe they so well agree in any article but there be some that hold singular opinions the Scotists differ from the Thomistes and diuers opinions are holden by
therefore thinke that either the Christians there made the images of God the father and the holy ghost or else worshipped and burnt incense to them and very absurd it were if any man should suppose that the Popish inuocation and worship of Saints and Angels is to be proued by their practise Philo in legat ad Caium saith the Iewes thought it impious either in picture or grauen worke to represent God that is inuisible inuisibilem Deum pingere aut singere nefas duxerunt maiores nostri saith he neither if we runne through the Bible shall wee find any precedent of the popish inuocation and worship of Saints vsed in the Romish church Finally if the Church of Hierusalem had knowen or suspected that S. Peter or his successors had been designed Christs vicars general and monarchs of the Church and appointed to giue lawes to the whole world then would they neuer haue suffered him to depart from Hierusalem The Pope and his complices therefore must seeke some other place than Hierusalem whence to deriue their doctrine lawes ceremonies and formes of gouernment or else they will neuer find out the true descent of their church In Babylon certes they shall rather find out these matters than in Hierusalem CHAP. XII That popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the Apostles of Christ Iesus FAithfull Christians as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephes 2. are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and this the Papists must needs confesse although much to their griefe vnlesse they will denie the words of the Apostle but popery is built vpon the Pope and vpon his decretales and determinations and supported stoutly by his purple Cardinals and the merchants of Babylon the Masse-priests and neither vpon Christ nor the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sheweth that the scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation and are giuen of God that the man of God may be absolute and made perfect vnto all good workes but Papists teach that they are an imperfect rule and without traditions vnsufficient for that is the doctrine of Bellarmine and all his consorts they doe also raile against holy scriptures and call them a dead and killing letter The holy Prophets brought no message to those nations to whom they were sent but they confirmed the same by the testimony of God that sent them saying thus saith the Lord. and the Lord hath spoken it but the conuenticle of Trent confirmed their doctrine by their owne pleasures for the most part and albeit sometime the same alleadgeth scriptures yet their best and common argument was placet nobis their schoole doctors also for matters controuersed doe more commonly alleadge the Popes decretales than holy scriptures Rom. 10. we read that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God but Camsius in his catechisme de sid symb signifieth that we are not to beleeue Gods word reuealed vnlesse the same be also propounded by the church and by the church he vnderstandeth the Pope and his adherents Peter and Iohn Act. 4. shew that God is rather to be obeied than man but the Romish church doth excommunicate all that hearken not to the Pope whatsoeuer is contained in the scriptures to the contrary The conuenticle of Trent Sess 4. teacheth vs that we are to imbrace traditions not written with equall affection to traditions and holy scriptures but this doctrine was not knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets nay Moyses doth teach quite contrary ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you nor shall ye take ought therefrom saith he Deut. 4. and S. Paul Galat. 1. if any man preach vnto you otherwise than that ye haue receiued saith he let him be accursed this curse therefore doth fall on the Friers and Masse priests that preach the Popes doctrines which they shal neuer proue to haue beene receiued from the Apostles though they read vntill their eies drop out of their heads The religion of Papists doth for the most part consist in praiers to Saints Masses and offices in the honour of Angels the Virgin Mary martyrs confessors and the Popes canonized creatures in erecting of crosses and crucifixes and other images in burning incense before images nay they giue diuine honour to creatures which themselues cannot denie to bee idolatrous cum Christus adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quòd cius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda seeing Christ saith Thomas Aquinas p. 3. q. 25. art 3. is worshipped with latria or honour properly belonging to God it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with the adoration of latria or diuine worship either therefore must our aduersaries shew that the Prophets and Apostles offered sacrifices in honour of Angels and Saints and made praiers vnto them and set vp images to be worshipped in temples and vsed to burne incense vnto them and to honor them after the manner of Papists or else they must confesse that their religion proceedeth not from the Prophets and Apostles how hard this proofe will bee it may appeare in this that Gods lawes Deut. 4. and Exod. 20. directly forbid the making of grauen images after the likenesse of God and the worship of idols and Christ ordeined the eucharist to be receiued in commemoration of his death and passion and neuer so much as mentioned the offering of his owne body and bloud or other sacrifices in the honour of Saints and Angels The Masse-priests that plotted the ruine of religion at Trent sess 6. ascribe mans iustification to his workes and exclude iustification both by Christs iustice and by faith apprehending Christ and beleeuing in him but both the Prophet Abacuc chap. 2. and S. Paul Rom. 1. affirme that the iust do liue by faith the Apostle also 1. Cor. 1. saith that our Saour Christ is made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto vs. which if it were wrought by our workes then should we haue beene made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto our selues nay the Apostle Rom. 3. saith if Abraham were iustified by workes that then he had wherein to reioice but not with God Popish religion consisteth most in externall ceremonies as for example in salt holy water holy candles incense ringing of sacring belles adoring crosses and images greasing of sicke men and masse-priests shauing of crownes vowes Monkish rules and such like toyes but these fooleries were neuer knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets Nay our Sauiour Matth. 15. teacheth that in vaine they seeke to worship God that teach for doctrines the precepts of men he sheweth also Iohn 4. that true worshippers worship God in spirit and truth and the Apostle Coloss 2. condemneth such as put religion in touching fasting and such like vaine ceremonies The Masse-priests call the Pope the spouse and head of the church but if he meane to deriue his authoritie from the writings of the Prophets and
Apostles he shall declare himselfe to want both head and braine for in the Canticles c. 2. and Ephes 5. the title of spouse of the church is declared to belong to Christ and him only the scriptures declare to be head of the Church Gregory lib. 4. ep 38. ad Ioan. Constantinopol sheweth that neither Paul nor Andrew nor Iohn nor Peter was the head of the vniuersall church but all members of the church vnder one head The Prophets and Apostles doe teach vs that the church of God consisteth of sheepe and lambes and such was Peter commanded to feede God saith by his Prophet Isay c. 11. that there shall be no hurting nor killing in all his holie mountaine and that the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the pard he with the kidde but the Romish Church is full of blood and wholy vpholden by cruelty in France the Pope and his complices haue caused aboue two hundred thousand persons to be murdered for the profession of the true faith the fires and butchers axes of their executioners haue consumed also infinit Christians in Italy Spaine England Scotland Germany and the Low countries very ignorant therefore he is of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that supposeth that the massacring Romish church is founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Prophet Daniel doth prophecy how a certaine king shall arise that shall speake words of blasphemy against the most high and consume his Saints and that shall thinke that he may change times and lawes the Apostle also 2. Thess 2. sheweth that there shall come a departing and that the man of sinne shall be disclosed and exalt himselfe against all that is called God and that he shall sit in the temple of God S. Iohn also in his Apocalypse sheweth that Antichrist shall rise after the decay of the Roman Empire and giue life to that state and that the great whore shall sit vpon the seuen hils and haue her garments died red in the blood of Saints but this argueth that the Pope is Antichrist and that Popish religion is not Christian religion grounded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets but rather Antichristian heresie founded vpon the Popes decretales and schoolemens fond and foolish inuentions Finallie it is not only desperate ignorance but also meere madnesse to affirme that the grounds doctrines heresies and blasphemies which before we haue spoken of are deriued out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles would Kellison the Popes grand surueier vndertake to prooue vnto vs all the Popes traditions concerning the Masse the dirges and offices for the dead purgatory indulgences holy water holy candles paschal lambes rascall Friers and Monkes and such like trash by the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets he should but lose his labour and percase his wits too for in their diuine writings such fond superstitious and impious doctrines haue no defence nor shelter but if hee meane to find their true beginning then must he search the Popes decretales the writings of schoolemen and canonists and other the Popes adherents and there he shall not only find out the first authours but also the rest of the nouelties fooleries and impieties of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. XIII That poperie was either condemned or not knowen by Kings and Princes professing Christian religion in old time THe Popes Agents when they are vpon their owne dunghils and among their owne disciples and fauorers doe make great crackes as if the Popish religion which is now taught at Rome were the only religion professed by ancient kings princes and emperors of Rome that made profession of the Christian faith but who so list to read the ancient confessions of Christian kings and the lawes made by them both for mainteinance of the Christian faith and for the repressing of diners errors shall finde that the grounds doctrines impieties absurdities of Popery were either disallowed by them or vnknowen vnto them The first Christian king of Britaine if we may beleeue Bede and others of latter times for in more auncient histories there is no record of such a king or such matters as then passed was Lucius but we doe not finde that the Popish Masse was then hatched or that Eleutherius bishop of Rome pretended the vniuersall monarchy of the Church nay wee read that Irenaeus doth make as great account of other churches as of Rome albeit the same be first placed in regard of the splendour and authority of that citie furthermore Lucius neither had images nor worshipped them nor did he giue Latria to the crosse of Purgat one and indulgences he could not heare any thing for that Eleutherius as yet tooke not vpon him to deliuer soules out of Purgatory nor to grant pardons a poena culpa finally if Kellison seeke to prooue the articles of Popery before mentioned by the testimony of Lucius you shall soone see that the man will be at a stand The first Christian Emperour of Rome was Constantine the great but many actes of his declare that he was neither a slaue of the bishop of Rome nor a professor of Popery for first by his authority both was the councell of Nice assembled and the actes thereof established as Enschius in vita Constantini and other ecclesiasticall writers doe testifie secondly that faith which the councell of Nice published he professed but therein is not one article of Popery established but rather diuers refuted as namely the doctrine of Papists concerning Christs humanitie and the Popish reall presence and dissoluing priests mariages for if Christ be true man then is not his body inuisible and impalpable in the Sacrament againe if Christs body be ascended into heauen then is not the same in euery pixe if the same be to come from heauen then is not the same to creepe out of a pixe if mariage of Priests be honorable and not to be dissolued as was decreed in the counceil of Nice by the aduice of Paphnutius then doe the Papists teach doctrines of diuels that condemne such mariages and separate Priests from their wiues thirdly all the actes of that councell were confirmed and not only receiued by Constantine but that sheweth that the Bishop of Rome then had no more authoritie in his prouince then the Bishop of Alexandria in his as the sixth canon of the Nicene councell testifieth the 4. canon sheweth that the Bishop of Rome had no greater authority in ordeining bishops then other metropolitans the fifth canon equalleth his power in excommunication to that which other Bishops had to abridge this matter we finde that the Bishops of Rome were as well subiect to the canons of the councell of Nice as other Bishops finally we finde that Constantine made lawes for church gouernment in his time and not the Bishops of Rome Nay the bishops of Rome as is said in the counterfet donation of Constantine had their priuileges from Constantine and not contrariwise priuilegium Romanae ecclesiae pontifici
sereno vultu respicerâ— digneris c. vpon which vouchsafe saith the Priest speaking of Christs body and blood to looke with a propitious and serene countenance but true Catholikes do hope that God will looke vpon them fauourably for the sacrifice once offred on the crosse by their Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus 38. They compare the sacrifice of Christs body blood in the Masse with the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beastes which no Catholike euer did 39. They make God an intercessor to Saints praying to him that by the intercession of saints they may obteine their desires and saying that God reueleth our thoughts to saints which is farre from the doctrine and beleefe of Catholikes 4. True Catholikes neuer added these words aterni and mysterium sidei to the words vsed by Christ in the consecration of the cuppe as the Papists doe in the Masse 41. True Catholikes beleeue that Christ was once onlie offered to his father for the sinnes of the world the Apostle Hebr. 9. saith that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many but the Papists say that Christ offered himselfe twise and that euery priest doth offer him vp and cat him vp continually in the Masse 42. True Catholikes neuer confessed their sinnes in the celebration of the Lords supper to the Virgin Mary to Michael the Archangell and to other Angels and Saints let Kellison but name vs one Catholike father that made such a confession or els we must needes conclude that he and his consorts be idolatrous Masse-priests 43. True Catholikes neuer beleeued that they could doe pennance by a procurato or atturnie as the Papists beleeue they may 44. Neither did they euer beleeue that no Christians could be absolued from their sinnes without auricular confession and the Priests absolution as the false Romish Catholikes doe 45. The false catholikes beleeue that the Popes are the successours of Peter but true Catholikes neuer beleeued or thought them to be successors of that holy apostle that neither taught nor administred the sacraments and in liew of feeding cause Christs sheepe to be massacred and killed 46. True Catholikes are often persecuted but persecute none Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen speaking of himselfe and his fellow catholikes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man but the Papists like cruel wolues persecute all that are not of their owne opinions 47. Catholikes keepe their words and performe thehir promises yea though it bee to their hindrance Papistes teach that faith is not to be kept with heretikes and burned Iohn Husse in the conuenticle of Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct and faithfull promise 48. In the 13. session of the conuenticle of Trent the masse-priests curse al that shal affirm that the principall fruit of the eucharist is remission of sinnes which falleth vpon al Catholikes that shall beleeue Christs words Matth. 26. this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes 49. Christ taught true Catholickes to pray to the father in his name neither euer do we read that true Catholickes did pray thus aue maris stella Dei mater alma atque semper virgo foelix coeli porta solue vincula reis profer lumen caecis or that they hoped to come to heauen or to haue remission of sinnes by the Virgin Maries praiers and intercession 50. True Catholickes neuer said to a crucifixe of wood thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father nor did they pray to the crosse as the Papists doe saying ô crosse of Christ protectâ—mâ— nay Ambrose de obitu Theodosij sheweth that Helen finding the crosse did not worship it but Christ that hanged vpon the crosse 51. True Catholickes neuer consecrated anie paschall lambes as the Masse-priests are prescribed to doe in their missals 52. True Catholickes neuer said any Psalter in the honor of our Lady nor repeated an hundred and fifty aue Maries and after euery fifty aue Maries one creed and after euerie tenne Aue Maries one Paternoster as he Papists doe after the prescription of their ladies psalters and rosaries 53. Neuer did true Catholikes deuise new religions nor allow the swarmes and sects of Iebusites Franciscans Dominicans and the filthy rable of Friers which we see in the Romish church Finally all those deuises trickes fooleries nouelties and impieties of Popery which we refuse were neuer admitted by true Catholikes or allowed in the practise of Catholike religion CHAP. XVI That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church ID verius quod prius saith Tertullian lib. 4. contra Marcionem that is true that is former and that is former that was from the beginning and that was from the beginning that came from the Apostles Hierome also epist. 65. ad Pammach Ocean said to a certaine newly vp-start teacher in his time cur profers in medium quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why dost thou now bring foorth that which neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach if then Popish religion were that auncient religion which the Apostles first published then had the Papists cause to reioice but if Popery be nothing els but cockle that hath beene by heretikes and others the diuels ministers sowen in the Lords field since the first plantation of the Gospel and if the principall points thereof prooue new deuises brought in by the Pope and his complices many ages since the Apostles time then I hope euery Christian will reiect the same as nouelties and Papists hereafter will blush to talke of antiquitie That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church it may be proued first by the grounds of Popery that are of a later standing next by the founders and cheese authors of this sect that are not ancient thirdly by the particular points of Popery whose originall is found in later authors and lastly by the repugnance betwixt the doctrine of Popery and Christian religion The principall grounds of Popery are the Popes decretales the acts of certain late councels the disputes of schoolmen and glosses and commentaries of the Popes canonists and proctors but the Popes decretales had no authoritie of law before the time of Gregory the ninth who first published them and authorized them before his time Gratian and others had made diuers rapsodies and collections of the Popes decrees but the canonistes themselues doe not allow them for law beside that not one of the Popes before the time of Gregory the 7. who is the first that tooke vpon him to giue law to the whole church and whose epistles are first recorded in the great bullary took vpon him to publish his decretales for lawes if any decretales be set out before his time vnder the names of auncient bishops of Rome the stile arguments simplicity and fooleries conteined in them bewray them to be counterfet The Popes authority beganne to flourish about the times of Boniface the 3. who as