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
of all men and not to be iudged of any Againe where we read in the Gospell behold heere are two swords he presumeth the meaning of those words to be that the Pope hath two swords he doth also in the same place abuse the words of God Hierem. 1. ecce constitut te hodie super gentes regna in the same manner that Innocentius did as is shewed before In the chapt per venerabilem qui filij sunt legitimi Innocentius concludeth that Deuteronomy is to be obserued of Christans because Deuteronomium importeth as much as the second law By the place which the Lord hath chosen spoken of Deut. 17. he vnderstandeth the Popes see locus quem elegit dominus Apostolicasedes esse cognoscitur saith he By the priests of the stocke of Leui he vnderstandeth the Cardinals his words are these sunt sacerdotes leuiticâ— generis fratres nostri Vocaberis Cephas id est caput thou shalt be called Cephas that is a head saith Anacletus in a certaine decretale epistle and c. sacrosancta dist 22. Suscitabo super eos pastorem vnum saith God by his prophet Ezech. c. 34. that is I will set ouer them a shepherd and he prophecieth of Christ but Turrecremata lib. 2. sum c. 2. applieth these words to the Pope The priest sprinkling himselfe and the altar with holy water as is conteined in the missale in the consecration of holy water saith thou shalt sprinkle me o Lord with hysope and I shall be cleane as if the Prophet had prophesied of holie water When a church is consecrated the Bishop without saith attollite principes portas vestras and then answereth a certein quidamet fellow within quis est ille rex gloriae and then out steppeth a fellow with a mitre and saith I am the king of glory thus doe they play with the words of holy scripture and blasphemously applie the words spoken of Christ to a mumming Masse-priest Alexander the third treading vpon the Emperours necke vttered these words of the 91. Psalme to his disgrace thou shalt walke vpon the Lion and Aspe and Boniface the eigth for these words remember man that thou art dust said to the bishop of Genua remember man thou art Gibelline and with them thou shalt be beaten to dust The canonists in the chapter translato c. de constitutionibus beleeue that the Pope hath power to make lawes because the Apòstle saith translato sacerdotio necesse est vt legis translatio siat but in these words the Apostle speaketh not of the Pope but of Christ and his priesthood Turrecremata lib. 1. sum c. 90. finding these words 2. King 7. I will establish the seate of his kingdome for euer imagineth that this prophecy sheweth how the Popes kingdome shall endure for euer and lib. 2. sum c. 80. by the faithfull seruant set ouer the whole family Luke 22. hee vnderstandeth the Pope which as hee saith is set ouer the whole Church and lib. 1. c. 8. expounding these words Apocalyps 4. sedes posita est in coelo supra sedem sedens in circuitu eius sedil 〈◊〉 24. super thronos 24. seniores by the seat he vnderstandeth the Popes see and by heauen the church of Rome and by him that sate vpon the seat the Pope and by the 24. elders the Cardinals Isay 40. we reade quis appendit tribus digitis molem terrae and by these words Hosites confess Petricou c. 10. supposeth to bee meant that the signe of the crosse is to bee made with three singers Bellarmine in his preface vnto his booke de Pontif. Rom. doth wrest the words of scripture spoken of Christ the corner stone laid in the foundation of the Church and draweth them most impudently to the Pope These words of the Prophet adducentur regi virgines post eam which are meant of the church the synagogue of Rome in their missal vpon the feast of S. Catherine wrest so as if they had beene meant of her On the feast of Clement in their missall they apply these words thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech to Clement On the feast of Cecilia likewise in the missall these words audi filia vide inclina aurem tuam c. which are spoken of the church they applie to Cecilia These words ego ex ore altissims prodiui primogenita ante omnem creaturâ—â—â— they applie in their breuiaries to the Virgin Mary as if she were the first borne before all creatures Thus it were an easie matter to bring infinite examples out of the bookes of our aduersaries and to make it apparent that they make no conscience of wresting scriptures but these are sufficient for this first taste CHAP. XXIII That the Pope and the principall proctours of his cause are great forgers and falsifiers of fathers profane writers and of publicke records SEing then they make so little scruple to wrest the words of holy scriptures wee may not thinke that our aduersaries will be scrupulous in falsifying either publicke records or the writings of the fathers and other authors for first wee find diuers counterfet writings auouched by them which were neuer written by those who are pretended to be the authours vnder the names of the Apostles they haue set forth canons which conteine diuers errors in the 46. canon they condemne the baptisme of heretickes in the 84. canon Ezdras and Nehemias is omitted and Clements epistles put among canonicall scriptures Leo c. Clementis dist 16. and Isidore c. canones in the same distinction and Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. doe reckon them among apocryphall writings which they would not doe vnlesse they were counterfet 2. They haue also falsified the acts of councels of the acts of the councell of Sinuessa Peter Crabbe setteth out 3. copies neuer a one agreeing with the other the stile is so simple that it can no way agree with the forme of speech of those times the like falsitie is committed in the acts of the councell of Rome supposed to bee assembled vnder Syluester Russine reporteth onely 20. canons made in the councell of Nice and Stephen bishop of Rome c. viginti dist 16. confirmeth his saying but Gratian vnder colour of the authority of Athanasius saith there are 70. as appeareth by the chap. septuagint dist 16. now one Alphonsus of Pisa a Iebusite hath published 80. canons of that councell translates as he saith out of Arabicke In the sixth councel of Carthage Sozimus bishop of Rome was conuicted manifestly to haue falsified a canon of the Nicene councell concerning appeales to the bishop of Rome Paschasius one of the Popes agents in the 16. action of the Councell of Chalcedon thrust in a peece of counterfeit stuffe into a canon of the councell of Nice as if that councell had said that the church of Rome had alwaies the primacie this he did or at the least some vnder his name as appeareth in the acts of that councell Likewise Bellarmine lib. 2. de
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
was onely auaileable to cut away former sinnes so likewise doe Papists teach against them both Theodoret de diuin decret c. de baptismo teacheth that baptisme is the earnest of future graces and the communication of Christs passion and againe non vt dicunt amentes Messaliani baptismus nouaculam imitatur quae praecesserunt peccata auferens hoc enim ex superabundanti largitur likewise both Papists and Messalians mumbled ouer their praiers and thought to be heard for their much babling the Papists for saying the ladies rosary and certaine number of creeds and pater nosters haue many indulgences giuen them by their holy father 19. The Angelikes were condemned for worshipping and praying to Angels Synodus quae conuenit Laodiceae saith Theodoret in Coloss 3. lege prohibuit ne precarentur angelos this is also testified by S. Augustine de haeres c. 39. Epiphanius haeres 38. condemneth the Caians for inuocating Angels and Tertullian de praescript aduers haeret sheweth that this heresie proceeded from Simon Magus this condemnation of the Angelikes therfore serueth against the Papists that inuocat worship and say Masses in the honour of Angels 20. S. Augustine taxeth the Seuerians for their forged miracles Philumena one of that sect as he testifieth de haeres c. 24. did worke a strange miracle drawing a loafe of bread out of a narrow mouthed glasse but all their miracles are nothing to the popish miracles reported in legends Bellarmine maketh miracles a marke of the Church heerein therefore they resemble heretickes 21. The Tatians and Encratites condemned mariage as not so pure as single life so likewise Papists thinke that it cannot stand with the perfection of orders in the chap. proposuisti dist 82. they call mariages fleshly pollutions and in their legends account them corruptions 22. As the Manichees condemned mariage in their Priests called electi so do the Papists they abstained from the cup in the eucharist as Leo ser 4. de quadrages doth testifie and as it may be gathered out of the chap. relatum and comperimus dist 2. de consecrat and so doe the Papists the Manichees giue Christ no solide body and place it in diuers places this heresie therefore is also common with them to the Papists lastly both Manichees and Papists abstaine from flesh in their fasts but vse other delicate and banqueting dishes 23. From Montanus the Papists haue receiued their laws of fastings and learned to aduance their vnwritten traditions from him also they haue borrowed their sacrifices for the dead and their doctrine of purging small sinnes after this life S. Augustine epist 86. ad Casulanum sheweth that he found not in any commaundement of Christ or his Apostles what daies we are to fast and what not as Apollonius Eusebius write li. hist 5. c. 57. he did first appoint lawes for fasting Tertullian montanizing in his booke de corona militis derineth sacrifices for the dead from tradition and from his Paraclet and in his booke de anima teacheth that small sinnes are done away after this life Epiphanius in haeres 48. sheweth that Montanus disputed that the scriptures were not perfect and with him in this point do Papistes concurre 24. The Papists take Rome to be their Hierusalem as the Pepuzians did the town of Pepuza and both of them admit women to baptize nay among the Papists we read of a woman that was Pope which was a degree aboue the Pepuzians that neuer made a woman chiefe priest 25. With the Catharists the Papists bragge of their merits purity and perfection further they will not admit heretickes relapsed lastly as the Catharists so Papists sometime vse rebaptization as the histories of France and Flanders testifie against Papists 26. The Iacobites and Armenians were condemned for heretikes for making the images of God the father and God the holy ghost Imagines saith Nicephorus lib. hist 18. c. 52. patris spiritus sancti effigiant quod est perquam absurdum yet doe the Papists offend therein and giue these images diuine honour which is more than those heretikes did 27. The worshippers of the crosse called Chazinzarij were reputed heretikes as Nicephorus hist lib. 18. c. 54. testifieth crucem tantum saith he adorare colere dicuntur yet is either tantum added or else he meaneth they worshipped no images but the crosse for if he should say they worshipped not God then had they beene pagans with them also the Papists concurre for they adore the crosse and pray to it which I doubt whether those foolish heretikes did 28. The Collyridian heretikes worshipped the Virgin Mary and offered cakes in her honour how then can the Papists shift their hands of this heresie that worship the Virgin and more deifie her then they did offering their consecrated cakes nay offring Christ himselfe as they say in her honour some say they worshipped her as a God but that doth not appeare by any presumption some say they offered triangular cakes as if Epiphanius did allow round cakes and onely condemne triangular cakes whose whole purpose was to shew that she was not to bee adored she was a virgin saith he and honorable but not to be adored he sheweth that to giue adoration to creatures is idolatrie and gentilisme non dominabitur nobis saith he haeres 79. antiquus error vt relinquamus viuentem adoremus ea quae ab ipso facta sunt 29. The councell of Franck ford vnder Charles the great condemned the second Nicene councell vnder Irene and all that worshipped images set vp in churches which is a plaine condemnation of the error of the Papists in this behalfe they pretend that this councell was disallowed by Adrian the Pope but what if Liberius should haue condemned the councell of Nice when he ioined with the Arians and what if Marcellinus when he sacrificed to idols should haue condemned Christian religion shall all Christianity depend vpon one mans pleasure 30. S. Augustine de haeres c. 68. telleth vs of an heresie of certaine fellowes that went barefooted est alia haeresis saith he nudis pedibus semper ambulantium the barefooted friers therefore and such as go on pilgrimage barefooted are to take his report as a sentence pronoūced against themselues 31. The Apostolikes were condemned as heretikes for that they receiued none into their communion that had wiues or possessed goods in propriety for Clergie men and Monkes in those daies had both wiues and goods in property as S. Augustine de haeres c. 40. sheweth Apostolici quise isto nomine arrogantissime vocauerunt saith he non receperunt in suam communionem vtentes coniugibus res proprias possidentes quales habet Ecclesia Catholica monachos clericos plurimos see therefore I pray you how he excludeth Papists with the Apostolikes out of the Catholike Church 32. The Heraclites saith Isidore orig lib. 8. c. de haeres were heretickes that receiued onely Monkes and excluded maried folkes out of their company monachos tantum recipiunt coniugia
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
neither the Pope nor his complices regard councels if they make against their profit or pleasure Bishops Priests Deacons committing adultery and practising vsury are greuously punished by the councell of Eliberis c. 18. and 20. but now these offences are common among Masse-priests and the Pope sheweth them by the chapter si clerici d◠indicijs and by his example how little he regardeth the actes of councels against these sinns in the same synode can 34. Christiās are forbidden to light candles in the churchyarde in the day time and c. 36. to set vp pictures in Churches cereos per diem saith the councell placuit in coemiterio non incendi and againe placuit picturas in ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus deping atur yet Papists do superstitiously set vp lightes in church yards and fill their churches with images and pictures Those which accuse their brethrē falsly by the first councel of Arles c. 14. are shut from the communion to then dying day de his qui accusant fratres suos placuit saith the councell cos vsij ad exitum non comunicare the same councel decreeth that no bishop should tread downe his fellow Bishop yet the Popes and their complices doe hire parasites and scrrilous companions to traduce and falsely to accuse their brethren and all good bishops are now troden downe by the Pope The Councell of Gangra condemneth those that dispraise mariage or doe taxe him that eateth flesh or that despise the oblation of a maried priest or make meetings without the church qui extra ecclesiam scorsim conuentus cilebrat or that take a pride in virginity or vse peculiar habits and despise those that vse common apparell or depart from their parents vpon praetence of religion quicumque silij à parentibus praetextu diuini culius abscedunt the same likewise condemneth those women which cut their haire propter dminum cultum for religion sake or that contrarie to scriptures and ecclesiasticall canons shall b ring in new precepts but Papists despise matiage as pollutions and fleshly life and esteeme monkes that eate no flesh more holy and perfect then other Christians they despise also the oblations of married Priests Monks and Friers haue their conuenticles apart further the Masse-priests extoll their pretended virginity and Monkes and Friers vse peculiar habits and despise such as vse common apparrell Children among them depart from their parents and creepe into monasteries and nunnes cut their haire when they vow to enter into religious houses finally according to the diuersity of monkish sects they obserue diuers rules and precepts without warrant of holy scriptures or ecclesiasticall canons and doe many things contrarie to holy scriptures The second councel of Arles c. 23. pronounceth that Priest to be sacrilegious that shall suffer men superstitiously to light candles or to worship trees fountaines or stones and those that worship such things are condemned as Infidels and yet maste-priests suffer Christians at Candlemas and in diuers processions to goe about with candles and great pilgrimages are made by their followers to stockes and stones and welles after a paganicall fashion The councell of Laodicea c. 35. condemneth such as worship Angels or assemble together to honour them and c. 36. that vse exorcismes or enchantments or that read bookes in the church that are not canonicall the same excludeth the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees out of the canon the which acts forasmuch as they condemne the superstitious worship of Angels the coniurations of Masse-priests in casting out of Diuels and the reading of lying legendes and the false canon of the conuenticle of Trent are no more regarded by Papists then as if there neuer had beene any such made The councell of Constantinople c. 2. restreineth the ambition of Bishops that began to stretch forth their hands to the diocesses of their neighbours and c. 5. giueth the next place of dignity after the Bishop of Rome to the bishop of Constantinople which also was confirmed by the authority of the councell of Chalcedon that councell also addeth this reason because Constantinople was called new Rome but the pope neither regardeth the acts of this councell nor the reasons thereof but encrocheth vpon euery bishops iurisdiction calling himselfe vniuersall bishop and challenging his authority not from the priuiledge of the city but from Christs institution The 3. councell of Carthage c. 24. decreeth that nothing more be offered in the sacrament of the Lords body and blood then he hath appointed to wit bread and wine mingled with water but this ouerthroweth the masse vtterly wherein the Masse-priests say they offer neither bread nor wine but Christs body and blood the same synode decreeth that the bishop of the metropolitan see shall not be called the Prince of Priests or cheefe priest or any such title which ouerthroweth the pride and arrogance of the Pope that will needes be called the cheefe Priest the head and monarch of the church and other farre more arrogant titles The formes of ordring Priests and deacons prescribed by the fathers of the fourth councell of Carthage the Popes complices in the synod of Florence haue quite altered likewise haue they abolished those canons of the councell that concerne his house apparell study preaching nay they accompt him now a bishop sufficient that preacheth not if he be formally greased and apparelled in the 100. canon women are forbidden to baptize mulier baptizare non praesumat the Popes decretales contrariwise allow women to baptize The fist councel of Carthage c. 14. reproueth altars erected by vaine reuclations and dreames and it meaneth such as are supposed to be made ouer some martirs reliques but that is the case of many Popish altars who are erected for the most part vpon supposall of reliques and vaine dreames By the 4. canon of the first councell of Toledo it appeareth that subdeacons married wiues the same synod condemneth those that receiue the eucharist and cat it not and which beleeued Christ to haue an imaginarie body such as that is which the Papists suppose to be in the eucharist The councell of Mileuis c. 22. forbiddeth appeales to Rome ad transmarina qui putauerit appellandum à nullo infra Africam in communionem suscipiatur this canon therefore cannot stand with the Popes supremacy The councell of Agatha c. 13. forbiddeth Nunnes to bee vailed before the age of forty yeares the synagogue of Rome admitteth them before twenty and few after forty the same councell separateth the monasteries of men and women the Papists put them neere together The councell of Orevge pronounceth them guilty of Pelagianisme that say the liberty of the soule remained after the fall of Adam and that a man can doe that which is good of himselfe The 8. canon of the councell of Turon sheweth that bishops had wiues dwelt with them although they are commanded to vse them as sisters The 3. councell of Toledo
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
to them and seruing them they shew themselues to haue a tacke of heathenish idolatrie It appeareth both by scriptures and practise of the church that to burne incense to grauen images hath beene reputed idolatrous the idolatrous Iewes 2. Paral p. 30. are noted as burning incense to their idols Marcellina burned incense to the images of Iesus Paul Homer and Pythagoras and is therefore taxed by S. Augustine de haeres neither did the heathen Emperours require more at the hands of Christians than that they should offer certaine graines of incense to their Gods but euery man knoweth how the Papists place images on their altars and continually offer incense vnto them they burne also incense in the honour of Angels and Saints and set vp lights before their images They that offer sacrifice to creatures are idolaters for sacrifice is the highest honour that is done to God and this the Papists themselues confesse but the Masse-priests offer the sacrifice of praiers and praises to Angels and Saints and incense to their images they offer also the body and bloud of Christ as they say in honour of them neither can they excuse themselues by saying that they offer not the sacrifice of the Masse to Angels or Saints for in the time of the law no sacrifices were offered in the honour of any creature neither is there any difference betwixt offering to God and in the honour of God Saint Ambrose teacheth vs that to worship the crosse or crucifixe is plaine idolatrie and paganisme Inuenit Helena crucem Domini saith he a De obitu Theodosij regem adorauit non lignum vitque quia hic gentilis error sed adorauit illum qui pependit in cruce Helena found the Lords crosse and adored her king not the wood for that is the error of the gentiles but she adored him that hung vpon the crosse the Papists therefore adoring the wooden crosse naie adoring euery sticke put a crosse are grosse idolaters and like the gentiles if Ambrose may sit iudge Epiphanius haeres 79. sheweth that the diabolicall inuention of images hath adulterated the seruice of God and brought in spirituall fornications The councell of Francford vnder Charles the great sheweth that images being worshipped in Churches are idols as may be gathered out of these words that are in his booke de imaginibus non nos imagines in basilicis positas idola nuncupamus sedne idola nuncupentur adorare colere eas recusamus we doe not call images placed in great Churches idols but wee refuse to worship and adore them least they should bee called idols Hierome in Abacuc 2. writeth that all peruerse opinions which of the inuenters thereof are adored are grauen images and by that he meaneth idols but I haue shewed that Papists maintaine many hereticall opinions Finally their owne confession doth testifie against them for Bellarmine doth confesse lib. 2. de imaginib c. 5. that an idol is a false similitude and representeth that which is not but Papists worshipping S. George that killed the dragon and S. Catherine that broke the wheele and the image of God the father worship false images for neither shall they proue that God is like an old man or that the images of George Catherin expresse any truth they say also that it is idolatry to giue diuine honour to creatures but they giue diuine honour to the sacrament to the crosses and to the images of the Trinity which I hope they will not deny to be creatures Neither doe they bring any better excuses then the heathen idolaters Bellarmine lib. 2. de imaginibus c. 24. saith that images are not worshipped by them per se propriè that is for themselues and properly but well could the gentiles say as much Againe he saith they worshippe not images as Gods so likewise did the gentiles answere as Lactantius sheweth instit lib. 2. c. 2. non ipsa inquit timemus c. we doe not feare them say the idolaters speaking of images but them to whose likenesse they were made and for whose sakes they were consecrated the same may be prooued by the testimonie of S. Augustine in psal 113. Lastly they say they put no trust in images but neuer did the gentiles trust so much in the images of Iupiter or Iuno as the Papists trust in the images of our Lady of Loreto Iames of Compostella the Rood of Mantua and such like CHAP. XI That Popish religion neuer came from Hierusalem TRue Christian religion was first preached in Hierusalem and from thence was deriued throughout all nations vnto the endes of the world ye shall be witnesses vnto me saith our sauior to his Apostles Act. 1. both in Hierusalem in all Iudaea and in Samaria and to the ends of the world and herein was the Prophesie of Isay c. 2. fulfilled that told vs long before how the law should goe foorth out of Zion and the word of the Lord out of Hierusalem neither neede we insist much vpon this point for Stapleton in his relection of doctrinal principles contr 1. q. 5. confesseth so much and euery odde Masse-priest that taketh vpon him to handle these matters is still talking of the beginning of religion at Hierusalem but little wot they poore soules how little aduantage this bringeth to their cause for if they be not either impudent or desperate they will neuer say that these grounds these doctrines these heresies and idolatries which before are mentioned came from Hierusalem but should they runne beside themselues with fury yet will they neuer be able to proue their assertion To giue them further particular instances gladly would I haue Kellison the surueior or because he is bu◠a kettler newly come foorth with the droppings of Diuinity out of Stapletons tubs and Aquinas his water barrels the stoutest champion of the Pope to proue the principall pillars of Popery to haue come from Hierusalem Petrus Fontidonius in a Sermon of his in the conuenticle of Trent told his auditory that the two principal pillers of the Roman church were the Masse and the Pope let vs then see whether any of thē can shew that these two came from Hierusalem we haue inuincible reasons to the contrarie for first Missa is a Latine word as Bellarmine de missa and the lernedst of the aduersaries confesse but it is not likely that Latine Masses should come from Hierusalem secondly the Latine Masse doth differ much from that of S. Iames both in the canon and other parts thirdly Gregory saith the Apostles consecrated saying only the Lords praier fourthly the massemonger Priests confesse that Celestine made the introit and Gelasius Gregory other parts which were no bishops of Hierusalem but of Rome fifthly the Easterne church to this day defieth the Latin Masse which it is not like it would haue done if it had come from Hierusalem sixthly there is no probabilitie that in Hierusalem these words aeterni and mysterium fidei were added in the consecration of the cup.
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
the Popes lawes as the resistance of the churches of Asia against Victor of the churches of Afrike against Sozimus and other Popes declare 20. Of late time friers especially the Capucins haue attired themselues like chimney sweepers burners of houses 21. The rules of monks and friers are diuers from the rules of Christian religion and can not be elder then the orders of monkes and friers 22. Gregory the seuenth as Otho Frisingensis sayth was the first that did excommunicate the Emperour and taught that he had power to assoile subiects from the others of obedience to Princes 23. The vse of priuate masses without communion is but new as the old ordinall of Rome that hath no masses of that nature declareth the canons of the Apostles forbid Christians to depart before they receiued the communion 24. Innocent the third in the chap. omnis vtriusque de poenit remiss did first bring in a necessity of auricular confession he also was the first father of the monster transubstantiation as we find by the chapter firmiter de sum Trinit fid Cathol 25. Purgatory for satisfaction for temporall paines of sinnes whose guilt before was remitted was first deuised by schoolemen 26. The Iubiley among Christians was first deuised by Boniface the eigth he also decreed first that all temporall princes and others vpon paine of damnation must bee subiect to the Pope 27. Popish indulgences are but of a late stampe and the schoole doctrine thereof much latter the Papists themselues being as yet not fully resolued what to thinke of them 28. Clement the sixth first deuised the treasure out of which indulgences are supposed to be granted as appeareth by the chap. vnigenitus extr depoenit remiss 29. The doctrine of cases reserued to the Pope is not once spoken of in the writings of the fathers and yet the Masse-priests make a great matter of them 30. The doctrine of the Popes penitentiarie taxe for dispatch of pardons for murders incest sodomie and all villanies I thinke Kellison will not contend to bee verie ancient 31. Bellarmines doctrine lib. 1. de verb. Dei c. 3. concerning the new Testament where he saith it is nothing else but the loue of God shed into our harts by the holy Ghost is new for it contradicteth Chrysostome Theodoret and others in 2. Cor. 3. who teach that the new Testament is God grace remitting sinnes 32. The prohibition of mariage betweene spirituall gossips is a late deuice of the Pope for gaine 33. The separation of maried couples for religion before consummation of mariage without consent of both the parties is both new and wicked 34. The popish ceremonies vsed in baptisme are of a late inuention as for example salt spittle candles and popish exorcismes 35. Of late they haue begun to exorcise salt in salutem credentium for the saluation of the faithfull and holy water to cast our Diuels and to driue awaie discases these consurations are not found in the old Romish ordinals 36. The Masseppriests haue now gotten a new tricke to sprinkle the altar with holy water and to say thou shalt sprinkle mee with hyssope and I shal be clensed applying the scriptures contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost 37. Honorius the third in the chapter sane cum olim de celebr miss did first ordaine that the sacrament should bee worshipped and safely kept and caried with light to those that are sicke 38. Halfe communions are direct contrary to Christs institution and the practise of the church and first established in the conuenticle of Constance 39. The Masse cannot be old for that Nauclerus Platina Polydore and others confesse is was innented by diuers authors long after the Apostles times 40. The praiers for the dead now found in the Masse are not to be seene in the booke called Ordo Romanus 41. In old time the fathers neuer beleeued that Christ had a body inuisible and incircumscriptible and that might bee in heauen and earth and many places at one time 42. The godly bishops of old time did neither swinge the chalice about their head nor make crosses about it when they celebrated the eucharist 43. The saying of seruice and administration of Sacraments in tongues not vnderstood is a foolish noueltie 44. Now in the Roman Catechisme they teach that euery Masse-priest consecrating worketh three miracles but in old time they were neuer taken for such workers of miracles 45. The Papists after their Pater noster say their aue Maria and pray to our Lady which practise is neither ancient nor Apostolicall 46. The Psalter of our Lady and her peculiar offices and Masses in honour of Saints will not be iustified by ancient precedents 47. Hardly will the Papists bring a precedent of 300. yeers old to prooue that Christians praied to the crosse for encrease of iustice and remission of sinnes 48. In the missall of Sarum the Priest saith to the sacrament aue or haile and boweth to it contrarie to all ancient practise 49. The worship of Papists must needs be new for that both their Saints are new and their praiers and offices new 50. The missals breuiaries and offices of our Lady haue their antiquity from the conuenticle of Trent 51. Popish idolaters worship the sacrament and the crosse with diuine honour but they shall neuer bring allowance of antiquitie for this practise 52. They burne also incense to dumbe images kisse them and bow to them but these vnchristian trickes were not knowen in old time 53. Of late time they haue decreed that the Pope is aboue the councell but it is since the councell of Constance 54. Now the Pope pretendeth right to handle the temporall sword but that did not the Bishops of Rome for a thousand yeeres after Christ 55. Of late time the Pope hath troden vpon the necks of Emperours but in ancient time the bishops of Rome were subiect to Emperours 56. In time past the bishops of Rome were persecuted and martyred now the Popes of late time persecute and martyr others Finally all the points of doctrine differing from the faith o this church which the Pope and his complices seeke now to thrust vpon Christians are for the most part nouelties And this doth clearely appeare in this for that they are contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as before hath beene particularly declared the same is also coutrary to the doctrine of the fathers and ancient churches practise as we shall declare heerafter Further the Papists haue turned the whole seruice of God into a massing mommery Finally for God they worship Saints and dumbe images the institution of Christ Iesus in the eucharist they haue altered new sacraments they haue deuised are they not then ashamed to call popery ancient Christian religion CHAP. XVII That Poperic is repugnant to auncient councels MVch doc Papists bragge of councels Campion saith the first last and midst are his concilia generalia mea sunt generall councels saith he are all for me
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
all the fathers almost denie publicke penance to Priests and Deacons fallen into notorious crimes but the popish faction regardeth them not one iote Bellarmine lib. 1. de eucharist c. 11. saith that Augustine did not well weigh these words of Luke I will drinke no more of the fruit of the vine Augustine lib. 22. de ciuit Dei c. 10. saith that Christians doe not worship martyrs or erect remples in their honour lib. 1. de morib eccles c. 3. he denieth that we are to adore any ereature Hierome also ioineth with him in this opinion mepist ad Riparium but the popish sect doth not regard what they say nor followeth their doctrine Finally it were an easie matter to shew the fathers to bee aduerse to popery in all materiall controuersies but what shall wee neede to doe it seeing their late corruptions and false allegations of fathers doe plainlie testifie that they doe not hope for victory if the fathers may be truely alleadged of late they haue set out indexes expurgatory teaching Printers how to falsifie fathers Sixtus Senensis inepist ad Pium 5. ante biblioth sanct sheweth how that Pope had caused the fathers to bee purged or rather corrupted expurgari fecisti omnium authorum catholicorum saith he praecipuè veterum patrum scripta Pameluts hath most shamefully corrupted Cyprian and the like course all Papists take with the bookes of the fathers lately set foorth Somtime also they confesse the corruption of fathers Aeneas Sylu. lib. 1. de gest concil Basil sheweth how Popes stand vpon these words vocaberis Cephas and lanch into the deepe and such like neglecting the exposition of all the holy doctors posthabitis omnino omnium sanctorum expositionibus Alan Chartier saith they reiect the holy doctrine of fathers sanctâ—â— patrum doctrine reiectae posthabitae sunt Matth. Paris in Wilhelmo Conquest speaking of Hildebrandes decree against maried Priests saith it was made without consideration and against the iudgement of holy fathers inconsiderato iudicio contra sanctorum patrum sententiam CHAP. XIX That Popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs STrange it were if the martyrs of Christ should turne from Christ and testifie for Antichrist yet because the aduersaries of truth doe boast of ancient martyrs and Bristow in his 15. motiue doth place Martyrs as setters foorth of the Popes glorious kingdome we are briefly to shew that the testification of Martyrs maketh nothing for popish religion and that appeareth first for that the Papists refuse to bee tried by the doctrine of the Apostles which were principall Martyrs Secondly we haue shewed that the principall points of Popery were neither taught nor receiued during the time of the primitiue Martyrs nor many ages after and that many points now taught and receiued among Papists were then refused as heresies Thirdly Papists adore idols and burne incense vnto them but the ancient Martyrs were therefore martyred cruelly put to death because they would not consent to the worship of idols nor burne incense to them Fourthly the practises of Papists declare that they are more like to the heathen Emperors and persecutors of Christians then to the ancient martyrs of Christs church for as they massacred Christians for maintenance of the Apostolike faith so do the Popes and their complices massacre all that stand for the same as they by sword and fire sought to vphold idolatry so doe these as they hated them deadly which taught the true faith so doe these Finally the confession of the faith published by Pius the fourth and that doctrine which the conuenticle of Trent hath of late confirmed and commanded to be taught and beleeued is in many points contrarie to the faith of ancient martyrs and in all points of controuersie betwixt Papists and vs vtterly vnknowne to them The holy Apostles commend scriptures and so doe ancient martyrs but Papists accuse them of insufficiencie obscuritie flexibility and call them a nose of waxe and a killing letter Ancient martyrs were burned and put to death because they would not deliuer holy scriptures to be burnt the Papists doe burne scriptures and suspect such for heretikes as reade them in vulgar tongues The Apostles and Primitiue martyrs beleeued the scriptures because they came from God the Papists will not haue scriptures to bee belecued vnlesse they be deliuered by the Pope They taught neither heresie nor impiety nor noueltie but Popish religion as before is declared is full of heresies impieties nouelties In ancient time the Bishops of Rome were martyrs now those that call themselues their successors doe murder Gods Saints and make them martyrs Ancient martyrs taught that one God was to bee adored the Papists giue diuine honour to the crosse and crucifixe and call the Sacrament their Lord and God Ancient martyrs did breake downe images now the Papists erect them fall downe before them and worship them Finally ancient martyrs neuer beleeued that either doggs or hogs could eate Christs body or that the same was in any place where it could neither be felt nor seene or that the same was both in heauen and earth and euery pixe at one time or that bread is transubstaÌ„tiated into Christs body or that Christians do with their teeth eate mans flesh or with their throats swallow mans blood or that the bishop of Rome is lord and monarch of the church or that he can fetch souls out of Purgatorie or that there is a treasure of Saints merites out of which indulgences are granted or that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction or eating fish and such like Popish deuises Neither is it materiall that these holy martyrs are put in Popish calenders for the Iewes bragged of their father Abraham and adorned the sepulchers of the Prophets although they neither abode in the faith of Abraham nor followed the doctrine of the Prophets Further Bristow telleth vs that S. Stephen helped all those that sought vnto him but his proofes are drawne out of legendes and certeine counterset sermons of S. Augustine in his 22. chapter de ciuit dei c. 8. there is no such matter and yet these reports that are there inserted seeme to be none of S. Augustines but suppose certein superstitious persoÌ„s should pray to S. Stephen yet S. Stephen neuer taught them so to do nor allowed such formes of praiers Lastly he talketh of Fisher More the Charterhouse monks and diuers that died in king Henry the 8. the late Queens reigne for the Popes cause and telleth vs that they were of his religion but it is first denied that they were martyrs and next that Fisher and More were of the moderne Romish religion the first is proued for that they died for the Pope and not for Christ Secondly they died as traitors either by open rebellion or by ouert act oppugning the Princes authoritie the second is euident for that diuers of them died before the conuenticle of Trent which hath now published a new forme of faith and decreed many things
holdeth that the Pope cannot fall into heresie nor be deposed Turrecremata lib. 4. sum p. 2. c. 20. saith that the Pope falling into heresie ipso facto is deposed before God there he addeth also that the Pope neither for manifest nor for secret heresie is deposed Caietane in tract de authorit Pap. concilij c. 20. 21. saith that the Pope prouing a notorious heretike is not deposed ipso facto but that he may and ought to be deposed by the church Bellarmine lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 30. holdeth that if the Pope be a notorious hereticke he then of himselfe ceaseth to be Pope Hostiensis in c. nouit de iudicijs and Austen Triumphus in summa de potest eccles q. 1. art 1. and others very triumphantly affirme that the Pope by the Law of God hath full power ouer the whole world and that as well in ciuill as ecclesiasticall causes Turrecremata Driedo Sotus Sanders and others reckoned by Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 1. are content to abate somewhat and say that directly the Pope hath not power ouer all the kingdomes of the whole world Petrus De Alliaco Gerson Almain and others in their treatises de potestate ecclesiae hold that a generall councell is aboue the Pope Turrecremata lib. 2. sum c. 99. 100. confesseth that the councell of Constance and Basil decreed that the councell is aboue the Pope and so must it needes be or els neither was Iohn the 23. or Petrus de Luna rightly deposed nor Martin the sift rightly chosen others notwithstanding hold that the Pope is aboue the councell as Iacobatius de concilijs Sanders de visibili monarchia and Bellarmine lib. de concilijs others auerre that although the Pope be aboue the councels yet he hath power to make the councell aboue himselfe as may be gathered out of the glosse in c. non si 2. q. 7. and in c. in synod dist 63. In the chap. in nouo dist 21. it is said that Peter was made Pope by these words thou art Peter but in the chapter considerandum and Fidelior dist 50. the contrary thereof is determined In the chapter secundum dist 19. it appeareth that Anastasius not only held opinions contrarie to other Popes but also published contrarie decretales contra decreta praedecessorum successorum suorum haec rescripta dedit saith Gratian likewise Stephen did annull the acts of Formosus and Iohn the 9. cancelled the acts of Pope Stephen Turrecremata lib. sum 2. c. 111. saith that Iohn the 22. did publish a decretale contrary to that which Nicolas the 3. determined concerning Christs pouertie and in his third booke c. 57. he proueth that a Pope may define against the canons of his predecessors Euaristus determined that all mariages not consecrated by a priest were incestuous as Platina and Genebrard in Chronolog doe testifie but now the current opinion is otherwise Concerning the kingdome seat and proceedings of Antichrist Papists hold different opinions as may appeare by the disputes of Bellarmine Iansenius denieth that the comming againe of Helias can be proued out of Ecclesiasticus c. 48. Bellarmine lib. 3. de pentif Rom. wondreth that he should be of that opinion Francis victoria relect 2. de potestate eccles q. 2. and Alphonsus a Castro de haeret iust punit saith that as well bishops as Apostles did immediatly receiue iurisdiction from God Turrecremata lib. 2. Sum. c. 54. and Iacobatius de concilijs hold that the Apostles receiued their iurisdiction from Peter and other Bishops from Peters successor Caietane in tract de auctorit Papae Dominicus a Soto in 4. dist 20. and Hernaeus de potestate Papae teach that the Apostles receiued their power from God and all other bishops from the Pope and this is also Bellarmines opinion The Romane catechisme in the exposition of the Creed Waldensis lib. 2. c. 9. Turrecremata lib. 1. c. 3. and others doe shut out excommunicat persons from being members of the church but this is misliked by others as Bellarmine lib. de eccles milit c. 6. confesseth Alexander Hales 3. p. q. vlt. art 2. and Turrecremata lib. 1. de eccles c. 30. affirme that in the time of Christes passion only the Virgin Mary had true faith Bellarmine lib. 1. de eccles milit c. 17. maruelleth at them for it and condemneth their opinion Maior in 4. dist 24. q. 2. saith that by Gods law Priests are forbidden to marry with him also doth Clichtouey concurre de continent sacerd c. 4. but Thomas in 2.2 q. 88. art 11. and Bellarmine holdeth that the vow of continency is annexed to Priest hood by the lawes of the church only Gregory the first forbad mariage within the 7. degree Yet without the 4. degree schoolemen commonly hold mariages lawfull likewise they haue contrary opinions as touching affinity and mariages betweene gossips as may appeare by their disputes in 4. sent dist 40. 41. Innocentius the 3. permitted men in Liuoma to marry their brothers wiues as appeareth c. sin de diuortijs but I thinke few Papists now will allow this for law the Master of sentences in 4. dist 2. saith that mariage doth not conferre grace alia in remedium tantùm sunt saith he speaking of sacraments vt coniugium his disciples teach all contrary In time past mariage contracted by words of the present time might bee dissolued though Alexander decreed contrarie in c. licet de sponsa duorum Thomas Aquinas 3. q. 52. art 2. saith that the soule of Christ as touching the essence descended to limbus patrum Bellarmine lib. 4. de Christ c. 16. faith the soule of Christ did for three daies passe through limbus puerorum and the place of the damned Thomas 3. q. 76. art 5. saith Christs body is in the sacrament but not as in a place Bellarmine saith it is there locallie The master of the sentences in 4. dist 13. holdeth that heretickes and schismatickes consecrate not the schoolemen in this point are aduerse to him The master of the sentences would not yeeld that Christs body is deuoured by mise or brute beasts but the masters of Paris in this point censure their master for it and say magister hic non tenctur Marsilius de Padua writeth that Clerkes are subiect to secular princes the canonists in c. tributum 23. q. 8. and in c. quamuis de censibus in 6. hold that both their persons and their goods are exempted Francis victoria relect 1. q. vlt. de potest eccles and diuers others cut the controuersie in the midst and hold that they are free for their persons and their goods partly by the law of God and partly by priuiledges of princes and partly by neither How the soules of Saints departed do know what we say or doe Bellarmine bringeth in three diuers opinions lib. de cult sanct c. 20. Caietan in Exod. c. 20. taketh an image and an idole for one thing Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 7. reproueth him
by frequent excommunications is growne contemptible hee complaineth also of the multitude of irregularities adde hereunto the greeuances proceeding of suspensions and interditements and then the burthen must needs seeme more greenous Fiftly such as doe not in matters of faith or Sacraments iumpe with the Romish church they pronounce heretikes as appeareth by the chap. ad abolendam de haereticis they giue them also ouer to the secular power to be put to death Sixtly they make Kings and Princes their butchers and executioners sorcing them by sentence of excommunication to cut the throat of Christes lambes whom they most wrongfully haue pronounced heretikes Seuenthly they burthen their clergy their religious orders both of men and women with a vow of single life albeit they finde themselues most vnable to performe it they force also the monkes friers and nunnes to obserue monkish rules which are oftentimes full of fooleries and stande for the most part vpon externall ceremonies Finally like to Scribes and Pharisees they haue brought into the church infinite traditions and ceremonies nay the conuenticle of Trent doth paragon and make equal vnwritten traditions to Gods written worde and yet no Papist euer yet could tell what those traditions were or in what bookes they were to be found In baptisme they vse salt spittle blowings lights and greasing in the Masse the priest turneth heaueth skippeth swingeth the chalice to and fro moppeth moweth ducketh speaketh sometimes high sometimes lowe and maketh no end of ceremonies the consecrating of salt holy-water oyle paschal lambes new houses new shippes is not done without many ceremonies in hallowing and rehallowing of churches saying of canonicall houres and offices many ceremonies passe but few to purpose the Bishop in consecrating a church walketh round about it as if there were no entrance in and in the end abusing a versicle of a psalm saith attollite portas principes vestras and entring maketh the Greeke and Latine alphabet and setteth lights before crosses made on walles and greaseth stones the yeare of Iubiley aboundeth with ceremonies the Pope knocketh first at S. Peters church dore with a golden hammer shewing that no man obteineth indulgences but he must spend gold then the Priests shew their wares and ignorant people goeth about visiting certeine churches and reliques of which we neuer read word in the Gospell or writings of the fathers The Papists therefore are intangled with a miserable yoke of bondage and are vtterly ignorant of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free God open their eies that they may see and giue them grace that they may feele their burthens and shaking off the yoke of Antichrist may in the end bee partakers of the light of the Gospell and submit themselues only to Christs yoke that is easie and light CHAP. XL. That Popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the Popes and Masse-priests manifold taxes and exactions IT followeth now that we shew how the Pope and his pole-shorne crew doth aswell pole Christian mens purses as greeue their consciences wherein I neede not to vse any long discourse seeing the same is apparent not only by practise but also by confession of the Papists themselues commonly they buy the papacy in grosse and therefore no maruell if they sell it by retaile Vendit Alexander saith one of Alexander the sixt Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius But this was not his fault alone Benet the 9. sold the Papacie for 1500. pound of gold to Gregory the 6. as Beno testifieth Benedictus 9. Papatum saith he pro libris mille quingentis vendidit Gregorio 6. and no man now obtaineth that place but for great summes of mony and large promises as the discourses of diuers late conclaues testifie Therefore no maruell if they seeke mony greedily both before and after they come to sitte in the Popes chaire Brigit in her reuelations saith the Pope hath turned all Gods commandements into this one viz. giue mony conuertit decem praecepta in hoc vnum da pecuniam for mony they sell churches priest-hood altars masses crownes fire incense praiers yea heauen and God himselfe Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura Preces caelum est venale deusque Fridericke the 2. for one absolution paied to Gregory the 9. an hundred twenty fiue thousand ounces of gold as is recorded in the pontificall or 120. thousand as Naucler epitome rerum German Iohn of Pineda and others doe recken Iosephus Angles in 4. sentent c. de indulgentijs signifieth that the King of Spaine paieth sometime to the Pope a hundred thousand duckets for one indulgence Leo the 10. gaue such a scandale by the sale of indulgences in Germanie that men beganne to examine more narowly these popish commodities and the rather for that the profit of this sale came to Magdalene the Popes honest sister Boniface the ninth as Theodoric à Niem testifieth lib. 2. de schism c. 11. sold benefices as he was hearing Masse in missarum solennijs benesicia vendidit Mitred prelates sell imposition of hands ecclesiasticall liuinges church censures and whatsoeuer is reserued to their office as the Germans complaine in their grieuances Theodoric Trudo complaineth that Christs sheepe-foldes were broken downe with hammers of siluer Malleus argenti consregit ouilia Christi The rascall Masse-priests sell Masses dirges sacraments sacramentall ceremonies and other Romish wares euerie man according to the faculties giuen him by the Pope Brigit in her reuelations bringeth in Christ complaining how Priests dealt worse in selling him then Iudas for that he sold him for monie they for euery commodity deteriores sunt Iuda qui pro solis denarijs me vendidit illi autem pro quouis mercimonio the Papists themselues know that the Masse-priests and Iebusites sent from the Pope into England liue vpon sale of their faculties Of these pillages diuers haue complained from time to time and yet we find that the Popes would neuer abide any reformation Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. speaking only of the rapines of one Popes legate saith he had extorted more then was remaining behind in England excepting the church ornaments nec remansit eadem hora saith he vt veraciter dicebatur tantum pecuniae in Anglia exceptis sanctorum vasis ornamentis ecclesiarum quantum à regno extorserat Anglicano he compareth the Kingdome at that time to a vine-yard spoiled by euery one that passed by and rooted vp by the wild bore of the wood he saith that the court of Rome like a gulfe swallowed vp euery mans reuenues quae curia instar barathri potestatem habet consuetudinem omnium reditus absorbendi Boner in his preface before Gardiners booke de vera obedientia saith that the Popes pray or spoiles in England were equall almost to the Kings reuenues the Emperor as Matth. Paris testifieth in Henrico 3. reprehended the king of England for suffering his country to be empouerished so shamefully by the Pope imperator
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
primitiue church holy scriptures were read in the church and taken only for the word of God but now in the Romish church lying legends and fables are read in the church and lying and vncertaine traditions are made equall to scriptures In time past it was accompted folly to reade scriptures in tongues vnknowen and the Apostle sheweth that it is vnprofitable to pray in a strange language but now the Romanists both reade scriptures and pray in languages not vnderstood of the multitude and yet defend it as well done In ancient time no man euer beleeued either that the scriptures were made to vs authenticall by the Popes determination or that the Popes determinatiō in matters of faith was certeine now all is turned vpside downe scriptures are made vncerteine and obscure and the Popes determination is made most liquide and certeine The ancient bishops of the church preached diligently liued vprightly dealt with their people mercifully now the Popish bishops preach not nor leade their liues according to their profession but contrariwise liue scandalously and are the only bouchers to murder all that shall either reprehend the abuses of the church or their corruptions in manners and the powdermen and vndermining Papists follow their steppes Ancient Christians suffered most cruell torments and death because they would not worship images now the Romanists put all to death that will not worship images The ancient Romans according to S. Paules doctrine beleeued not to be instified by the workes of Gods lawe the late Romanistes hope to bee iustified by the workes of the Popes Lawes They looked for no peace by their owne satisfaction but by the redemption wrought by Christ Iesus these moderne fellowes beleeue that they can satisfie for their owne sinnes and trust in the redemption procured them by the Popes indulgences The Romans vnto whom S. Paul wrote were obedient to Kings these loose the bonds betweene kings and their subiects and stirre vp traytors to blow vp their princes They diligently obserued Christs institution in administring the sacraments and neither spit in the faces of Christians baptized nor stole away the cup from the communicants the moderne Romish priests spit on those whom they baptize and refuse to administer the cup to others then themselues Finally they are digressed from the ancient Romans in all those particulars both concerning faith and maners wherein I haue shewed that they differ from ancient Catholikes and haue deuised meere nouelties CHAP. LI. That the Romish Church that now is was inuisible in old time MVch doe our aduersaries boast of the visibility of the Romish church supposing because the scriptures speake much of the glory of the kingdome of Iesus Christ that al that honor belongeth to the church of Rome of late times but while they mistake things spirituall for things corporall and externall and suppose things vntrue all this their boast and glory will turne to their great preiudice and shame for first the beauty of the church consisteth rather in inward vertues then in outward shewes and apparell Secondly be it that the church is alwaies seene and apparent to the true members of the church yet the moderne Romish church and the glory thereof was neuer seene either of the Apostles or ancient fathers of the Church or of ancient Christians For what I pray you is the church of Rome but a multitude of people professing the moderne saith of the Romish synagogue communicating with the same in sacraments and subiecting themselues to the Popes holinesse this is confirmed by the testimony of Bellarmine in his booke de ecclesia and of Canisius in his catechisme c. de fide symbolo and I hope will not be denied by any Papist but such a church shall neuer bee shewed in ancient time and that we shall proue by inuincible reasons for first we finde not during the time of the Apostles any such head of the church as the Pope nor any such sholders as the Cardinals nor any such rotten members as the chantery priests singing Masses for soules departed as Monkes liuing in heards like swine as friers begging for fashion sake and yet abounding in all things necessary 2. The Pope with his triple crowne two swordes crossed pantofle and his guard of Suizars and purple Cardinals following him began onely of late time to be visible if such a sight had appeared in the time of the ancient fathers they would haue woondred at it as a thing most monstrous and vnbeseeming him that pretendeth to be the successor of Peter 3. While S. Peter liued no man euer saw a church persecuting of Christes disciples and deliuering them ouer to haue their throates cut by the secular power nor did either the bishops of Rome or the ancient fathers for more then a thousand yeeres after Christ imprison torment or kill such Christians as were not of their faction and opinion 4. The ancient church of Christ did neither excommunicate kings nor assoile their subiects from their obedience commanding them vpon paine of excommunication to rise vp in armes against them and to depose them the Romish church therefore which doth all these things was not then visible neither can any Masse-priest shew vs where in old time miners and powder-men sought to blow vp the principall men of the state 5. So long as the primitiue church continued in the doctrine and steppes of the Apostles and ancient fathers the same was ruled by the holy Scriptures and canons of councels and then the decretales of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. Iohn the 22. and other later Popes were not in the world who can then say that the Roman church ordred by these decretales was then visible 6. The moderno Romish church beside the two Sacraments instituted by Christ beleeue other 5. Sacraments and hope as well to be saued by greasing when they lie a dying as by Baptisme and the Lordes Supper but such a church was altogether inuisible both in the Apostles time and long after 7. Now Papistes beleeue that Christians receiuing the Sacrament swallow downe Christes body into their stomacke nay they teach that dogs hogs and brute beasts eating consecrated hostes doe also deuoure Christs bodie but such a company of Canibals and blasphemers against Christian religion were neuer taken for Christes church for more then a thousand yeares after Christ 8. The Roman church commandeth Christians to keepe the feast daies of monkes and friers and other saints to heare Masse vpon ember daies in Lent and fridaies to absteine from flesh to goe to auricular confession at the least once a yeare and not to celebrate marriage vpon certaine daies but if all the monkes and friers in the world were set to seeke such a church and if the Masse-priests of the Romish church were ioyned with them yet could they not finde such a church for a thousand yeeres after Christ 9. In the Romish missals the priest praieth that God would be pleased to accept of the body and blood
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
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