reasons set down in so easie a stile that the most simple may understand the same and when you have considered my doctrine J am assured you shall finde it Orthodox and truly Catholike altogether conformable to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and his Apostles which is the onely Catholike veritie and the onely intent of this Discourse Now I having lived so long time and converted amongst the Romish Church and had so many occasions and imployments to perceive and discover all the inventions subtilities abuses and deceits thereof I doubt not but J shall speak many things unknowne to those who have not lived amongst them and many even of those who lives amongst them are ignorant of and many whereof an infinite multitude of persons otherwise of good natures and well bred take no notice at all and many things which most men know sufficiently and deplore following the same onely by a forced necessitie and many things also which divers maliciously dessemble and desire them not to be divulged And if the light of the truth which I purpose to set downe here be hurtfull to the eyes of any man questionlesse that will onely be to the bleere-eyed who have their sight troubled with some malignant humour and I am assured where it offendeth one it will please thirtie Although the Owles which delight onely in the night and darknesse cannot indure the light of the pleasant Sunne which God maketh to shine upon us he leaveth not off for that to display his beames upon the earth whence daily we see he produceth an infinite number of rare and marveilous effects and none can deny but that the Owles themselves receive often much good thereby J beseech the great God of light that the truth which I desire to write may be profitable both to the sicke and the whole to the eyes well disposed and those that are not and that this little Treatise which is written for all may be profitable to all J beg from my heart the grace and blessing of God to that end without which J acknowledge and confesse 1 Cor. 3.7 he who planteth or he who watereth is nothing nor can doe nothing To him therefore who is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end be all honour and glory Amen THE CHRISTIAN AND CATHOLIKE VERITIE CHAPTER I. How the Romish Church acknowledgeth no other Judge in matters of faith but the Pope ONe of the points which ever troubled my spirit most when I was of the Romish Church and ought certainly to move every wise and judicious man is that they make the Pope of Rome alone infallible Judge of that faith which hath been taught preached to us by Christ and his Apostles for howsoever they say and preach often to the simpler sort that it is the Church they hold for Judge yet they confesse that that Church is principally seene in generall Councells and that without the Pope of Rome of the Councells neither are nor make up the Church and have no power certaintie nor infallibilitie but by the Pope alone For although all the Bishops Patriarchs and Cardinalls yea all the Christians of the world were assembled they make not up they say a Church if the Pope be not present himselfe or by Deputy because holding him for head of the Church they are members without a head which cannot make up a body nor by consequent a Church and though they were all of one opinion in any point or Article of faith all will be errour if the Pope be of a contrary minde and all that the Pope declares to be or not to be a point of faith ought to be holden infallible even though the rest of the Church and Christians be of a different opinion And this is the common beliefe of the Romish Church which is to be seene in those Bookes they hold Orthodox and preached in their publick Sermons and though I know that many Prelates among them of great learning and even so many famous Universities grudge mightily thereat yet to publish or preach the contrary is declared a matter of Excommunication and Anathema Where yee may observe that it fareth not with the Councells of the Romish Church which they affirme to be the true Congregation of the faithfull as it doth with Parliaments or generall meetings of the States of Kingdomes where he that precedeth hath but one voice or two at the most and can neither pronounce sentence nor make any act but by the pluralitie of voices and suffrages of the Assembly so that whatsoever is ordered or enacted is justly said to be ordered and enacted by the Parliament or Assembly But it is not so in their Councells for although they discusse it may be and examine the question or point of beliefe all that neverthelesse is but in shew and ceremony for the Pope is not obliged to stand to the opinions and voices of the rest but he alone pronounceth the sentence maketh the act the point or Article of faith after his own fancy and mind so that whatsoever is concluded and enacted in matter of faith can onely be said to be concluded by the Pope alone the rest having neither power to hinder contradict or censure him nor refuse his ordinances except they will be reputed schismatickes and heretiques for as he saith of himselfe he is the Vicar of God on earth hath all the power of Jesus Christ and the Councell of Lateran ascribe to him that of our Saviour in Mat. 28.18 Mat. 28.18 All power is given to me in heaven and earth So it is wrongfully when they say the Church is Judge in matters of faith but they should say it is the Pope alone for such indeed is their common doctrine without which men must beleeve amongst them none can be saved Thus you see how all the faith of the Romish Church is grounded on no other foundation than the head and judgement of the Bishop of Rome who for the most part is wickedly chosen by indirect courses as simony and force having often times proved ignorant ungodly abhominable or at least politique and wise worldlings which is now adayes the condition most requisite to make a Pope who as I shall most cleerly shew hereafter hath no superioritie nor primacy over the Church nor infallibilitie promised by the word and institution of the Son of God to be a competent Judge in that as many great Bishops and Universities of the Romane Church acknowledge sufficiently and I my selfe have heard it of them and beleeve there is no man of good understanding in the world to whom this doctrine doth not seeme altogether extravagant and voyd of all sense and reason yet it is the beliefe of the Church of Rome without which they say none can be saved For my part I am perswaded that whosoever of the Romish Church will consider this point especially without passion and interest and sincerely seeke the truth and his owne salvation he cannot choose but yeeld as I have
desire a dispensation and verily it seemeth that the doctrine of the Romish Church aimeth onely at greatnesse and profit so was the doctrine of indulgencies purgatory invocation of Saints and confession founded with others the like which we shall explain more amply hereafter Furthermore they say the Scripture is a dumb rule and therefore insufficient to be Judge which is a great injury done to the word of God and against both reason and practise for although the Kings edicts be in paper and have no voice notwithstanding they have as great power amongst the good subjects as if they were pronounced out of the Kings mouth and there is no man of understanding who will esteem them lesse for that to be sufficient rules and judges for matters contained therein When God commandeth to have no other gods but him nor to have no strange gods before his face is this a dumbe rule and hath it not as great power as when God pronounced it to the Prophet Moses upon Mount Sinai certainly a law hath as much or more force being put in writing and signed with the Kings hand or his Secretaries as if it were pronounced out of his mouth and if the King write or pronounce an act it is ever the same act and hath the like force It is therefore wrongfully and without reason they tax the word of God as an insufficient rule or judge because it is onely written for it hath the same power and force as if God did pronounce it every day from his mouth and so ought we to receive and respect it Now let us see if the commandment not to reade the Scriptures be just or not for the consideration thereof is of great importance CHAP. IV. That the holy Scripture is given us by God to read and meditate in the same and that the Prohibition of the Pope to read it is altogether unjust and contrary to the will of God A Malefactour who knoweth his fact to be condemned by the law apprehendeth nothing more than that the Judge cast his eye upon that Law wherein he knoweth his condemnation to be written so I perceive that the Pope seeing there is nothing that condemns his doctrine so much as the holy Scripture and the word of God feareth nothing more than that this Scripture come to be knowne and considered for which cause he hath done all he was able and planted his fiercest Batteries to hinder the reading thereof And in the last generall Councell at Trent where many Canons were made concerning bad and dangerous Books and many clausses and degrees of those Books the holy Scripture is placed in the first clausse and in the first Chapter as one of the most pernicious and dangerous Books in the world and by those Canons they who shall reade it in the vulgar tongue must incurre as great and greater malediction and Anathema as those who should kill their father and mother or reade the Alkoran or the most wicked filthy and detestable Booke in the world for a simple Priest or a Bishop can absolve a man from excōmunication for other things but to read the Bible in a vulgar tongue that is in English French Spanish or Dutch there is none except the Pope himselfe or his Deputy can absolve him and to have it in his house or to reade it in Spaine Italy or where the Inquisition reigneth is a fact that deserveth burning and the permission can be given by none but by the Pope so neither the Priests nor Doctors of the Universities nor all the Bishops of the world who call themselves the successours of the Apostles nor the Cardinalls of Rome themselves have power to reade the Scriptures and give License to others there is but one in the world to wit the Pope who hath that power because he holdeth that none but himselfe in the world can understand it well and know the meaning of it this seemeth to me a strange policy Now because the Pope who is but a man and is thought ordinarily to be inclined to his pleasures as much as any man in the world will not be troubled with those who aske License to reade the Scriptures he hath appointed at Rome a certaine company of Cardinalls called the Congregation of Cardinalls in matters of faith to whom he hath given permission to reade it and power to give License to those who aske and whom they shall thinke capable through the whole world So those of France Spaine England Hungary and Poland yea even of the East and West Indies who would have License to reade the Scriptures must according to the Canon of that Councell write or send to Rome either by themselves or by exchange and obtaine License in writing for that condition is expressed in the Prohibition and I my selfe had it in that sort which doubtlesse cannot be had in remote Countryes without great paines charges and time so that by this means the poore though they were the most capable and judicious the most zealous and affectionate Christians in the world are deprived of reading the Word of God it may be for ever in the Romish Church I know indeed a great many Bishops in that Church scorne that prohibition as altogether unjust and ridiculous and calling themselves the successors of the Apostles thinke they have sufficient authoritie by their office and dignitie to reade the Scriptures and to give license to those of their Diocesse whom they esteeme capable without sending to the Pope whom many among them hold onely for their equall But such is the order of that Councell held by them to be generall and called most holy and hath been confirmed since and made stricter by an expresse Bull such is also the practise of all the Orders and the resolution of their Canonists and the absolute will of the Bishop of Rome so that if he be universall Bishop and have power to command over all Christians as they affirme in the Romish Church this ought to have place and be obeyed by the Papists under paine of eternall damnation and Anathema This is also so exactly observed almost every where among them that hardly shall a Bible be found in an hundred houses yea there are many Priests and Pastors in whose houses it is not to be seene it may be was never seen and who have never read it I say not onely not wholly but who have never read one whole Chapter if it be not perchance in their Brevier or in the Booke of the Masse or other Books where some little parcells may be found If there be any Christians found who reade it in the vulgar tongue which they understand best besides the curses and Anathemaes that are thundred against them by the Romish Church they are imprisoned and in danger of death where the Inquisition is in force and are accounted commonly every where as heretickes or people who have an evill opinion of the Church although it were an impression and translation approved by themselves Thence out
and Judge As for example to prove that the Metamorphosis of Ovid is not an Article of faith we are not bound to produce a formall and cleare passage the Metamorphosis of Ovid is not a point of faith or the Fables of Esop appertaine not to faith but it is sufficient that neither the one nor the other is to be found in Scripture and so to shew that the primacy of the Pope and of St Peter over the whole Church and over all Christians is not a point of faith it sufficeth that it cannot be proved nor shewed out of the holy Scripture and that all the passages they bring are insufficient to prove it Neverthelesse we shall deale favourably with our Adversaries in this point and shew the negative out of the Scripture and demonstrate also from thence by the grace of God that our Saviour had never any intention to make St Peter head of the Church nor leave any Vicar nor successour in his place and that the Apostles did never beleeve nor thinke it nor the ancient Primitive Church ever held the Pope of Rome for universall Bishop generall head of the Church and I perswade my selfe if one will compare with a judgement void of passion the reasons which prove this negative with those the Romish Church bring to prove the affirmative he will questionlesse judge the first a great deale cleerer and stronger than those of the Romish Church It were a thing too tedious both for the Reader and for the intention of my shortnesse here to set downe all the passages of the holy Scripture they of the Romish Church produce to prove this but I take God to witnesse I shall produce all the strongest reasons they use as I promise sincerely and truely in all other points to doe Mat. 16.17 The first objection I shall produce is this drawn out of Mat. 16.17 Jesus came saith he into the coasts of Cesarea and Philippi and asked his Disciples saying whom doe men say that I the son of man am and they said some say thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the Prophets he saith unto them but whom say yee that I am and Simon Peter answered saying thou art Christ the Son of the living God and Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it This is the passage that they esteeme of the greatest force and strength to prove the primacy of St Peter and of the Pope as also the infallibilitie of his doctrine his primacy by those words and upon this rock I will build my Church and his infallibilitie by the words following And the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Which we shall also by Gods grace examine hereafter and for the solution of the first point We answer first that Christ Jesus by those words And upon this rock c. meanes not to speak of the person of St Peter but of the confession of St Peter which he had done so worthily in saying that he was the Christ the Son of the living God as doth cleerly appeare by the ensuing words And the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it for if this was understood of the person of St Peter who should be called a Rock Petra those following words would not be found to be true seeing since Christ Jesus had said this the gates of hell did prevaile against Peter for he denied and offended his Master yeelding to the temptation of Sathan but Christ hearing the true and faithfull beliefe of St Peter said to him that he was called Peter and making an allusion to the word Peter said to him that upon his confession which was a most sure rock he would build his Church and the gates of hell should never prevaile against it the truth of the Son of God being eternally to indure and triumph over the power of hell I am assured this exposition will seeme best and most reasonable to all men of good understanding and it is confirmed by a great number of ancient Authors Chrysost Hom. 55. in 16. Matth. Id. Serm. sup Pent. Aug. tract 10. in Ioan. for so doth St Chrysostome understand it in his 55 Homily on the 16 of Matt. Upon this Rock that is saith he upon the faith of his confession And in his Sermon of the Pentecost he saith upon this rock and not upon Peter for he hath not founded his Church upon men but upon the faith And St Augustin in his tenth Treatise on St John what meaneth that upon this rock I will build my Church upon this faith upon that which was said Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God We answer secondly that although we should grant that our Saviour had founded his Church upon St Peter and that St Peter was the foundation of the Church it would not follow thence that he was head and superiour for there is great difference betwixt the foundation and top of an house betwixt the feet which are as the basis and foundation of the body and the head that is above and governeth all the rest nor because St Peter was called the foundation of the Church can any pretend therefore that he should be the head and governour for the Apostles and Prophets are also called the foundation of the Church and of the Saints Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forrainers Eph. 2.20 but fellow Citizens with the Saints and houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone that is to say that the Apostles and Prophets have planted the Church and laid the first foundation by their doctrine and by their faith which is the same truth neverthelesse none of the Prophets or other Apostles have been therefore esteemed to have had an universall supremacy over the whole Church and whereof they be called the foundations it is not meant of the persons but of their doctrine and faith for certainly the Church was never founded upon mortall men It was before St Peter and the Apostles and did not change its foundations at the coming of St Peter or the other Apostles And if it had been founded upon their persons St Peter and the Apostles being dead the foundation of the Church behoved to have changed and that much to the worse there never having been any equall to them since and wee are not grounded upon another foundation than that whereon St Peter was grounded now he was not founded upon himselfe but on Christ Jesus who not onely in his doctrine but also in his proper person is the fundamentall and head-stone of the corner The second Objection of the Papists which I shall produce for proofe
unto him goe and governe my subjects well what foole is there in the world will beleeve that by these words the King giveth him an ample unlimited power over all his Kingdome subjects and createth him thereby his successour in all his estates after his death would not he be thought to be hypocondriacally affected who would make himselfe beleeve it the King understandeth questionlesse thereby his people and subjects which are in the Province and place where he is sent as Governour and not those who are in other places If a Bishop send a Priest to governe a Parish or a Church and say to him goe I recommend my people and my sheep unto you teach them well and instruct them faithfully take great care to feed my flock with good doctrine ought this Priest therefore to imagine with himselfe that all the people in his diocesse are subject to him and that the Bishop giveth him ample power over all his Bishopricke and maketh him his successour by those words Let him perswade himselfe as much as he can as doe the Hypocondriaques but I beleeve he should finde some to speake withall if he would undertake the exercise of such authoritie without some other Commission for by that it is sufficient he beleeves that the Bishop recommendeth to his charge the sheep which he hath committed to his guard and leading So it is without sence and reason they imagine to inferre by those words that Christ hath given all power over the Church to St Peter and established him his Vicar and Successour in his place but onely he commandeth him to preach and declare the Gospel every where as he did in other places to all the other Apostles without distinction of Jewes or Gentiles Countreyes or Estates but generally in every place where they should be sent And after this manner doth the Romish Church use the holy Scripture to prove the Articles of their beliefe Another objection of the Church of Rome is Our Saviour cōmanded St Peter Mat. 17.27 Mat. 17.27 To take the first fish he could catch and take a piece of money out of its mouth and pay the tribute for them two therfore he made him his successour after his death and hath given him the Primacy over the whole Church and over the other Apostles See here the meaning of this history some Collectour or Publicane cometh to St Peter who was with our Saviour as the first he found it may be or perhaps the most ancient and considerable of all and said unto him that their Master did pay no tribute to the Prince St Peter telleth it to Christ who commandeth him to go to the sea and the first fish he could catch to take a piece of money which he should find in his mouth and pay for him and himself to the publicane to eschew scandalls hereby it appeareth that he maketh him his successour and vicar after his death and that he hath the Primacy and superiority over all the other Apostles and Christians Is not this a consequence handsomely deduced by wise men and neverthelesse it is one of the Romish Church The publicans and collectours for the Prince come to a noble man to ask of him some subsidy and tribute they addressed themselves to the first they met withall or to some old servant and tell him that his Master hath not paid the subsidies the servant goeth and telleth it to his Master who commandeth him to go to such a place and take money to pay for him and himself which he doth to shunne noise and scandall this servitour ought he here for to presume with himself that he will succeed to all the goods and estate of his Master and that thereby preheminence is given unto him over all his other companions and fellow-servants and should he not shew himself altogether ridiculous who would maintain the same to draw such consequences and to found one Article of faith and the most important of them all upon so frivolous conjectures and weak proofs is to make fools of men there must be other proofs and more authentique and clearer declarations to pretend lawfully the greatest power and most advantagious succession in the world Take here yet another parcell of the same dough or rather more frivolous St Peter say they was the first who was called to the Apostleship therefore Christ made him his Successour and Vicar and gave him after his death the superiority over his fellows and the whole Church St John saith that Andrew having found Jesus Christ Ioh. 1.41 went and told his brother Simon and brought him to Christ so that by that means Andrew should be the first of the Apostles who found the Messiah and knew Christ but put the case it were Peter and that he was the first chosen of the Apostles and called to the Apostleship will it follow thence that Christ Jesus made him his Successour The first souldier that is inrolled in a Company by his Captain is he for that his Successour after his death must he have the superiority after his Captains death over all the rest without other declaration or title at all especially the Captain having never declared any thing that way but provided other waies for the government and leading of his company there is certainly neither rhyme nor reason for deducing such consequences so all this serveth onely to deceive the simple and weaker spirits but every man of judgement seeth well enough their weaknesse to believe or give credit thereto Now I protest they are the strongest arguments the Romish Church produceth out of the holy Scripture to prove the primacy of St Peter and consequently that of the Pope for there is nothing spoken of the Pope in the holy Scripture nor doth he pretend any right thereto but so farre as he termeth himself the Successour of St Peter and if they be attentively considered as they ought I perswade my self there is no man in the world provided he hath any sparks of common reason who will not judge them too small and weak to prove so important a doctrine which is the foundation of all the Romish belief and this certainly is more then sufficient to shew that the power of the Pope is usurped that he hath not the authority he pretendeth over the Church and that wrongfully he calleth himself the universall Pastour over all Christians and Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth he not being able to shew or prove his succession and power by any passage of Scripture which hath any strength or likelihood But I minde not to stay there not for any obligation but for greater satisfaction of those who are desirous of salvation and the truth I will prove the negative by Scripture and thereby shew that our Saviour had never intention to leave St Peter nor any other Successour or Vicar in his place and that the Apostles never acknowledged S. Peter nor any other for universall Pastour but Christ we shall also see hereafter how the
Pope of Rome was above three or foure hundred yeares without being acknowledged for generall Bishop and universall Pastour of the Church which next we shall shew how this usurpation was brought into the world and how it hath been maintained in such an ambitious greatnesse CHAP. IX Proved from holy Scripture that Christ had never intention to leave S. Peter or any other Apostle for his Successour or generall Vicar after him ALthough it be sufficient to prove the usurpation of any authoritie that no authentique nor credible titles can be produced so to prove the authority the Pope pretendeth over the Church to be usurped it is sufficient that he cannot produce any passage of Scripture which sheweth with any appearance that that authority was given him by Jesus Christ Neverthelesse I shall shew the contrary out of the holy Scripture and evidence cleerely by the same that it was never the intention of Christ Jesus to leave St Peter nor any other of the Apostles as generall Vicar in his place or superiour over the whole Church assuring the Reader that if he will be but an indifferent Judge in this point and examine this with sinceritie and without passion he shall finde my reasons stronger for the negative which none is obliged to prove than those of the Romish Church for the affirmative of the most important article of their beliefe Our Saviour saith St Luke being neere the time of his suffering did advertise his Disciples of his death telling them that the Son of man should be delivered into the hands of men Luk. 9.49 Mark 9.33 and that they should slay him and put him to death and that he would rise againe the third day after his death They understood not say the Evangelists these words and that mystery neverthelesse hearing him speake of his death they dreamed of a succession and primacy after his death and fell into dispute among themselves who should be the greatest among them and who should command after his death If Christ Jesus had had any desire to leave any Successour after his death for universall head over them all and the whole Church that was a very fit occasion to declare his will None dare say that he forgot himselfe for the Disciples gave him sufficient occasion to thinke of it Moreover he being the eternall Wisdome he did remember all things he had to doe neither was there ever in him defect of remembrance or memory St Peter was present with the others if he had a desire to leave a Successour there is no man in the world who will not thinke that this was a faire occasion to declare himselfe there anent his death being neere or then take some other time to leave a successour to them and neverthelesse he never spake so much as one word neither at that time nor any other onely he reproved and checked greatly their ambition in that and setting a little childe in the middest of them exhorted them all to submission and to the contempt of domination to imitate the humble thoughts of that little childe which were questionlesse far from ambition And observe that they did even dispute of that primacy after our Saviour had said to St Peter Thou art Peter Mat. 16.13 and upon this rock c. and the other words which the Romish Church bring for the primacy of St Peter and if they understood those words as the Romish Church saith they must be understood how commeth it to passe that they disputed yet still among themselves for the primacy Luk. 22.26 Was not that to oppose themselves to the Lords command And Christ saith not unto them why dispute yee for the primacy doe yee not well remember that I have already given the superioritie to Peter if it was given as they pretend this was the answer he behoved to make but he exhorteth them onely to humilitie and to the contempt of all primacy And as they disputed yet another time the night before his death he said to them The Kings of the Nations exercise Lordship over them but it shall not be so amongst you Now seeing Christ hath not left a Successour neither at that time nor at any other it is an evedent signe that he would not that it was never his intention and that it is to conjecture without reason to thinke the contrary Further our Saviour being neere to his death yea a few houres before he was taken he desired being with all his Disciples together to sup with them and celebrate the Passeover Ioh. 14.4 after Supper he riseth from the Table and laying aside his garment girdeth himselfe with a linnen cloath putteth water into the Bason himselfe and washeth the feet of his Apostles beginning it is true at St Peter it may be as one of the ancientest and being of a lively spirit and a bold he was questionlesse one of the most considerable amongst them nor must we marvell if our Saviour spoke often to him and that St Peter speaketh sometimes for all the rest not by office nor dignitie but possibly through confidence of facilitie in discoursing but this by the way he doth the same to the other Apostles and washeth their feet he resumeth his garments and sitteth down to the Table againe and beginneth a long exhortation to them as being the last of all both to bid them farewell and declare to them his last Will. It is out of all doubt at this time that he should speak to them of a Successour if he have any intention to leave one after him he exhorteth them by his owne example to humilitie to puritie and patience to charitie and to love one another he speaketh to them of his deitie and of eternall life of the persecutions and tortures which he and they were to suffer In a word he telleth them a number of things which may be seen at large in St Joh. chap. 13. but he speaketh not one word to them of a Successour Ioh. 13. nor of leaving a Vicar in his place or an universall head after his death And is it not a most evident signe if he have not done it that he would not doe it for that was his last exhortation before his death knowing that they should not conveene nor he see them any more together to speake to them He speaketh indeed of Peter and to him when he spoke of his inconstancy that he should deny him three times but he speaketh never a word to him of primacy or leaving him as his Vicar on earth he saith often that he is to depart from them and promiseth he will not leave them Orphans but that he will send them the holy Spirit to abide eternally with them to comfort them and teach them in all truth but he saith not to them that he will leave them another Master in his place a generall Vicar or head and superiour whom they must obey after him There are none who will not judge that if he had intention to
from some other Bishops in France or Italy Further St Paul saith Gal. 2.16 that the preaching of the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed to him as that of the Circumcision to St Peter and when James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace saith he that was given unto mee they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that is they received mee for companion that we should goe unto the brethren and they unto the Circumcision Here if you please you may observe that he attributeth no more to Peter than to John and James but calleth them all three Pillars and nameth not Peter but James first which shewed that he acknowledged no superioritie amongst them above the rest and saith further that the right hand of association was given him that is they received him for companion to goe and preach to the Gentiles as they to the Jewes Is there any Bishop in the world who dare write himselfe companion to the Pope and the charge to preach to the Gentiles was it not the most honourable and greatest and most fit to the universall Pastour of the world which if St Peter had been it was to him rather than to St Paul to whom it did belong it being also said that he hath been Bishop of the chiefe Citie of all the Gentiles although there be no proofe or likelihood of it fit in the Scripture but of this hereafter Gal. 2.11 And a little after in the same chap. When Peter saith he was come to Antioch I withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed for before that certaine came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew and separated himselfe fearing them which were of the Circumcision and the other Jewes dissembled likewise with him in so much that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel I said unto Peter before them all If thou being a Iew live also after the manner of the Gentiles and not as doe the Jewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as doe the Iewes Here you see how Paul saith that he withstood Peter to his face because he was to be blamed yea and reproved him sharply for his dissimulation and evill example if Paul had acknowledged Peter for his superiour and head over all Christians it is out of all doubt a great fault in Paul to resist his superiour to his face and so to write and if he did acknowledge in him that infallibilitie whereof the Pope braggeth how saith he that he was to be blamed and faulty there can be no other thing answered to this but that Paul did not acknowledge any superioritie or infallibilitie in Saint Peter otherwise there is none of good judgement in the world who would not think Paul guilty of a fault and crime of contempt and yet no man even to this day nor any Pope durst ever condemne this fault in Paul and did also he onely acknowledge Peter as his equall and fellow-Apostle whom he was bold to reprove and I beleeve that every man who is not interessed and is void of passion will judge with me by those passages of Scripture and with the orthodox belief that the Apostles did never acknowledge this superiority and Primacy in Peter and that it is in vain to the Pope to vindicate the same to himself Peter having never had it Finally if Saint Peter himself did think he had this universall authority over all the Apostles and all Christians and all the Churches of the world I marvell he never made it appear nor used it at any time and that there is nothing spoken of it in the Acts of the Apostles which are the history of the Apostles for more then 20 years I marvell also that he did not addresse some Epistles to all the Christians in the world but contented himself to write onely to some Jewes who were dispersed by the persecution of Saint Steven and I marvell yet most of all he did not put some titles before his Epistles to make known his Primacy he doth not write Peter Bishop of Bishops or universall Pastour of the Church or great Vicar of Christ on earth 1. Pet. 1. nor any such thing but onely Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers which are scattered in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia there is not so much as one word in both those Epistles that favoureth of his Supremacy his words are not the words of a Master nor of a Superiour or Soveraign doth a Soveraign ever write long letters to his subjects and never speak to them as a Soveraign how humble soever he be without using any word of Lord and Master or giving any commandement It appeareth then hereby and by that which we spoke before that the Apostles did never acknowledge this Primacy of Saint Peter nor did he ever acknowledge it himself and I beleeve I have sufficiently proved this by Scripture to be judged by any man of judgement that those arguments of Scripture to prove this negative to wit that Saint Peter had no Primacy are beyond all comparison stronger than those which the Romish Church doth produce to prove the affirmative of this Doctrine to wit that Saint Peter was Head of the Church I know that the Doctours of the Romish Church want not explications in their favour upon those passages whether found out by them or some of the auncients for there is no errour that may not finde some colourable pretext but we shall give sufficient answers thereto in the next chapter and J protest I never found satisfaction nor I beleeve shall any man of sound judgement find satisfaction therein for this truth is too clear and evident to be contradicted Now let us see if the Bishop of Rome who calleth himself Successour of Saint Peter was acknowledged by the primitive Church and those first ages to have had this Primacy and universall superiority over the whole Church CHAP. XI That although Saint Peter had had the preeminence the Pope hath no right to challenge it to himself and that the Primitive Church never acknowledged this universall Superiority in the Bishop of Rome THe first question to be cleared here should be whether Saint Peter were ever Bishop of Rome or if he ever was at Rome for the Pope of Rome pretendeth onely his Primacy by succeeding Saint Peter in the Sea of Rome to which saith he is annexed the generall chair and universall power over all christians If any truth may be drawn from the Scripture in this point it is out of all doubt more probable yea and more certain that he was never Bishop nay that he was never there then otherwise for it was a strange and hard thing to beleeve that he was there and founded that Church established there his Sea and chair which the Pope esteemeth the first
in the world it being not so much as once mentioned in the holy Scripture as well as that of Antioch where Peter is said to have been nor did Paul being aâ— Rome ever speak of Peter who should have been there at the same time he was and often recommending the faithfull saith nothing of the chief amongst them to wit Peter Moreover writing from Corinth to the Romans whom he had taught he saluteth a multitude of Saints and christians at Rome naming them particularly but greeteth not Saint Peter at all who should have been Superiour and Master to Paul and all the faithfull so from the reading and consideration of the holy Scripture a strong proof may be drawn to prove that Saint Peter was never Bishop of Rome nor ever was at Rome But I think not the question of so great importance as to detain longer the eyes and minds of the Reader thereupon for though we grant that he was both at Rome and was Bishop at Rome it can give no superiority to the Pope of Rome Saint Peter having never had it as you have sufficiently heard and although he had had it is not an infallible consequence to make an article of faith that the Bishop or Pope of Rome should have it also Moses was established by God in the office of Priest Lawgiver and Prince in Israel but he left no Successour in that office and dignitie for God did not command it Saint Iohn the Baptist also had no Successour in his office nor the Apostles in their Apostleship although then we should grant that Saint Peter was generall Pastour and Head of the Church why should we give him a Successour in that chardge seeing God hath given no such command in his word And when Saint Peter writeth to the Christians he doth not command them to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for his Successour after his death was there ever any Kingdome or Soveraignty temporall or spirituall in the world established without there were some Laws made about the Succession or form of Election here appeareth no such thing nor any declaration of the will of God upon this subject wherefore then doth the Pope claim this without the word of God and make it an article of faith Further if Peter was established universall Head of the christian Church it was then when the Church was small and the chardge was easie but it being now grown great and christians spread over all the world what shoulders are strong enough to support such a burthen Now if after the death of Saint Peter there behoved a Successour and Head of the universall Church to be chosen let all men who have but the least spark of judgement judge if that office ought not to appertain either to James or John whom Paul to the Galathians calleth the pillars of the Church who lived a long time after Saint Peter or to some other of the Apostles rather then to deferre it to Linus Saint Pauls disciple of whom nothing is extant but his name or to Clement of whom they produce onely some writings which because they contain too ridiculous things to be beleeved are rejected as Apocrypha or to Cletus or Anacletus for it is uncertain to which of those thice Or at least they ought to have honoured those excellent Apostles so farre as to call them and ask their advice for the choosing an Head of the Catholick Church who will beleeve that even in the time of the Apostles a small number of christians at Rome some of them converted Jews some Gentiles should have had the credit to give a Head and Pope to the Catholick Church meerly of their own authority without communicating with the Apostles or other Christians of Ephesus Corinth Jerusalem Asia and the rest who were beyond comparison in greater number and more considerable than themselves being converted before them and auncienter Christians many of them having seen and heard the Sonne of God preach and been his Disciples Where is that word of God which giveth this power to the City of Rome which besides the person of the Emperour who at that time did live there ruling in all cruelty and wickednesse had nothing more considerable than those of other Cities to give a chief Priest a Prelate and a Superiour to all the Apostles then living and to all the Bishops whereof many were Disciples of Jesus Christ and his Apostles and to all Christians dispersed in many provinces and kingdomes he must be very blinde who will perswade himself of such a thing without the word of God or some other authentique priviledge for it out of the Gospel the Acts of the Apostles their Epistles or some other books worthy of belief But if Peter was at Rome and was Bishop which is not likely he that succeeded him might succeed in the office and dignitie of Bishop but not in that of Apostle which was personall neither in the charge of universall Bishop and Head of the Church which Peter never had Nor do we find the first three or foure hundred years and more after the death of our Saviour that any Bishop or other writer did ever give to the Bishop of Rome the title of universall Bishop of generall head and Superiour or any such thing nor that ever any of the Romish Bishops durst lay claim to it We find indeed that many Bishops from diverse places did write to them concerning sundry points of Religion not as referring the determination to them but to ask their advice not as from Judges but as from Doctours and fellow-Bishops who having their chair in the chief Citie of the world might justly be esteemed men of capacitie and merit so we see they are content in their Epistles to call them fellow-Bishops or brethren and companions never Superiors nor Masters nor universall Bishops or Pastours or any such thing It would be too tedious to set down all the Epistles which bear these titles and although I should cite them yet would some men affirm I had left out those in which the title of universall head is found But for an irreprehensible proof of this before any reasonable man let them but read the lives of the Popes written by Popish authours especially by one Du Chesne a modern writer who doth not forget nor omit any thing to prove the Primacy and power of the Popes of Rome there yee may see in the life of every Pope the name and subject of all those who write to him and whereof any knowledge could be had and this man thinketh to draw great advantage for the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome from the multitude of letters written to him from so many places which was onely done for the reason alleadged before but not so much as one word is there to be seen of Superiour or universall head of the Church or any such like thing but onely of fellow-Bishop brother companion coequall or some such thing which shewed no Superiority or Primacy but onely equality as for
the word Pope which is as to say Father or if ye will Father of fathers Pater patrum it was a name common in ancient time to all Bishops and when they called him Bishop that was neither universall nor yet of Rome nor Romane but very seldome but onely Bishop of the Citie of Rome to shew that in those times his Jurisdiction extended not without the walls and suburbs of the Citie of Rome Whence it may be observed that in much probability the Bishops yet of those times were no more than the Pastours of parishes as it is certain they were at the first institution there being not yet at that time speech of diocesse nor of Pastour that had authoritie over many Pastours or Churches and the number of Christians being but small every where one Pastour did serve and was sufficient for the greatest Cities who was called Bishop using the aid and assistance in his charge of the Presbyters that is to say Elders and out of the number of the Elders was ordinarily chosen the Bishop which is to say Intendent or overseer of the flock but this by the way Now to return to the Bishop of Rome it is true that some times they were transported with flattery or by way of civility and complement to give him some titles and Epithites of praise savouring more of flattery than truth extolling either his learning or holinesse beyond all christian modesty and appearance of truth but by a speciall providence of God who would conserve this pure doctrine for his elect or because that was too great a prejudice for them they were never induced to give him any title which might any way shew that Primacie or generall superiority and that without any contradiction of the whole Romish Church to the time of Sylvester which is about 300. yeers and a long time also after him Which if the Bishop of Rome had had or thought to have had it was highly to wrong him in writing to him and not giving him those titles of honour which were due unto him Nor was it a good way to obtain satisfaction in that which they asked to refuse him those qualities of superioritie his subjects did owe him especially in so teetling and important a thing Is there any Prince in the world that would not have reason to be offended if one of his vassals writing to him should call him comrade and companion writing nothing in his letter to shew his submission and the dependence he hath on his Lord and yet in those first ages we read not of any Pope that was offended with any Bishops who writ to them for calling them brother fellow Bishop or companion or for denying him the title of Universall Head This therefore is a manifest proofe that no Bishops did beleeve the Pope of Rome to be universall head of the Church and that the Bishops of Rome did not think it of themselves if this consequence be not reasonable I know not what may be thought reasonable in the world Judge thou indifferent Reader with a spirit of sinceritie and void of passion They of the Romish Church it may be will produce against all that we have cleerly alledged and proved from the Scriptures or otherwise a number of passages out of some Fathers men of the first ages for since Sylvester that the greatnesse of the Bishop of Rome did begin we must not marvell for the reasons alledged which seem to give the Primacy to St. Peter and the Bishop of Rome but the answer is brief in this and other points if they produce ten seeming testimonies for them I shall produce a dozen to the contrary taken out of the same Fathers a great deale stronger cleerer and of greater force than others But not to stay any longer upon their needlesse things let them shew us the true manuscripts written by those ancient Fathers and we will take the pains to read them and examine their opinions although nothing ought to be opposed to the holy Scriptures But to alledge us books written eight or nine hundred yeers after the Autographs and written or printed after a thousand copies and under the highest power of the Church of Rome there is no reason we should trouble our brains with them and also those books being laid together can in nothing equall nor come neer the authoritie of the holy Scriptures which are avowed and acknowledged of all men and speak most cleerly and manifestly in this point And so for the Fathers in this and other matters because I will say no other thing than that which I have said in the seventh Chapter of this book I intreat the Reader to see it there But how cometh it to passe that the Pope of Rome hath possessed himself of so great an authority and maintaineth the same in so high a degree for so many ages CHAP. XII In what manner and at what time the Bishop of Rome usurped the Primacie THose who will read and consider attentively the History of the Christian Church especially the life and history of the Popes written by Popish Authors themselves will cleerly see that the first 300. yeers after the death of our Saviour to the time of Pope Sylvester the Bishop of Rome did pretend no authoritie over the Bishops nor did any give him the title of Universall Head and Bishop in any of the Epistles which were written unto him the Bishop and Church of Rome afflicted with the persecutions and tyrannies of the Emperours imploying their thoughts rather for the conservation of the faith in the practise of humility and patience than in ambition and usurpation of any authoritie which belongeth no wayes unto them But as honours change manners and seldome to the better Constantine the Emperour having been baptized by Sylvester then Bishop of Rome and made the first Christian Emperour by an excessive zeal of devotion to the great prejudice since of all Christendome transferred his Court to Constantinople leaving the City of Rome to Sylvester with a donation of many Lands Lordships and rents so by that gift the Bishop of Rome became the richest and greatest Lord and most considerable without comparison of all the Bishops of the Christian Church it being knowne through the world that the sole Emperour and Monarch of the world had left him his imperiall Citie and inriched and gratified him with so great wealth and honour for him and his successors the Bishops of Rome and howsoever this good Bishop did see himselfe possessed of all this wealth yet did he never usurpe any primacy nor title of head and superiour over other Bishops or Christians himselfe nor his successours for two hundred yeares after his death It is true that being made the richest potentest and most considerable amongst all the Bishops many began to honour him more and write to him with greater respect which ever followeth riches and greatnesse and being thus eminent among all Christians if there were any Bishop who was persecuted by other Bishops or
excommunicated by his Patriarch or Metropolitan or by any Councell either justly or unjustly he went presently to Rome addressing himselfe to the Bishop as the richest of them all to assist him and the most powerfull and of greatest authoritie to protect him against his adversaries and as necessitie and extremitie passe often all the limits of truth many amongst them to captivate his good will and favour strove to give him as great titles as their industry could suggest and although they who gave them and they to whom they were given knew sufficiently that it was wrongfully and without reason or the Word of God neverthelesse the extremitie and necessitie of the one made them submit even in that point depriving themselves of somethings which justly belonged to them to give them to the Bishop from whom they expected assistance and the vanitie which did creep in and diffuse it selfe in the hearts made many Popes receive those titles without contradiction at least apparant or opposition that was capable to hinder the progresse In Sylvester his time indeed it did cleerly appeare that the greatnesse and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome did grow and increase mightily Neverthelesse the title of general Pastour or universall head of Bishops or Vicar of Christ Jesus on earth was not yet in use nor was it given or usurped by any and the first Bishop of Rome in whose time the title of universall Bishop began to be spoken of was Gregory who lived above an hundred and fiftie yeares after Sylvester between the fifth and sixth age I call them and others Saints after the manner of the Romish Church that it may the better be knowne of whom I speake I having no purpose here to question their holines seeing also the Apostle calleth all Christians Saints and although it is apparant that the puritie of the Church was already much changed under this Pope yet he had modesty enough pertinently to refuse this title which was offered him and to reprove and blame the same severely in the Bishop of Constantinople who challenged and usurped that which hitherto had been attempted by none other And however my resolution be not to overcharge this Treatise with passages of Fathers I hope notwithstanding that it shall not be amisse to set downe St Gregories own words on this subject which even those of the Romish Church confesse to be true and not Apocrypha and shew so neere as I can the summe of the History There was at that time in Constantinople a Bishop named Iohn a man exceeding ambitious desiring to extend the limits of his Diocesse as far as was those of the Empire and usurpe the title of universall Bishop over the whole Church even as the Emperour who had his residence in that Citie was generall and universall Monarch of the world a title which before him no Bishop durst usurpe which Gregory Bishop of Rome seeing and considering how great consequence prejudice it was to his See and all other Bishops he as the most potent and remarkable among them for the causes I have already set downe opposeth stoutly labouring violently to repell the boldnesse and temeritie of this usurper Greg. l. 4. Epist 76. without complaining therefore that John had therein incroached upon any priviledge appertaining to him and all the Bishops of Rome but he couragiously maintaineth that title to be prophane sacrilegious and a presage of the comming of Antichrist Idem l. 4. Epist 78. see the 76 Epistle 4 Book And in the 78 Epistle of the same Book It is saith he a thing too hard to indure that our brother and fellow-Bishop should be alone called Bishop in contempt of all the rest and what other thing doth his arrogance portend but that the time of Antichrist approacheth already in so far as he imitateth him who disdaining the company of Angells assayed to ascend to the top of singularitie In the 80 Epistle of the same Book he saith Idem l. 4. Epist 80. None of my predecessours would use this prophane word because if one will call himselfe universall Patriarch the name of Patriarch is stolne from others but far be it from a Christian soule that any should falsly ascribe to himselfe that whereby he diminisheth any thing from the honour of the brethren to consent to that unjust speech is no other thing than to fall from the faith one thing wee owe to the unitie of faith and another thing to suppresse pride and I say boldly that he who calleth himselfe Pastour universall or desireth so to be called surpasseth the Antichrist in pride because by pride he exalteth himselfe above others Idem l. 6 Epist 188. In his 188 Epistle of the sixt Book see his words I have said that he could not have peace with us if he corrected not the vanitie of that superstitious and ambitious word which hath been invented by the first Apostat and to speak nothing of the injury done to your honour if a Bishop be called universall that universall once falling the universall Church must also fall downe Thus much saith St Gregory of the arrogance of John Patriarch of Constantinople Idem l. 1. Epist 30. who would appropriate this title to himselfe he blameth his insolence and applieth not to himselfe that which he denieth to him but rather refuseth it being offered in those words in the thirtith Epistle of his seventh Book Behold saith he in the Preface of the Epistle yee have sent unto mee I having forbid it yee have wrote a word full of ambition calling mee universall Pope which I intreat you yee would use no more for it is taken from you which is given to any other more than reason requireth As for mee I account it no honour to see the honour of my brethren diminished for my honour is the honour of the universall Church and the solid authoritie of my brethren Now if your sanctitie call mee the Pope universall you deny your selfe to be such in calling mee universall And thus much St Gregory in those places for the condemning of that title as well in his owne person as in John who would not for all submit thereto but persisted still in his presumption nor would his successour after him for any intreaty part with any thing Judge by those testimonies if in those times the Bishop of Rome was thought or did thinke himselfe generall Pastour and Head of the Church his power and authoritie being already very great but not yet come to the presumption of usurping that dignity and primacy for that seemed to be an usurpation of such consequence and prejudice to all other Bishops that he durst not attempt it publikely for feare of a generall oppositiō from all other Bishops who might also have interposed the authoritie of the Emperour And howsoever the Bishop of Rome at that time did shew a great inclination to their primacy for perfecting of their greatnesse yet did they never dare to ascribe the same to themselves
before it was given them by the wicked and perfidious Emperour Phocas who having overcome and taken Maurice succeeded in his place and because he was freely and without any contradiction crowned at Rome in recompence would oblige the Romans and ordained that the Church of Rome should thereafter be chiefe of all the Churches and that Boniface the third then Pope should be universall Bishop and so was the controversie determined by the power and authoritie of the Emperour If after all this the title of head universall and generall Bishop ought to be thought of divine right and of divine and Apostolique institution given to the Bishop of Rome I have done beleeving that the gift and declaration of a wicked Emperour maketh not the Institution divine Thus you may perceive friendly Reader that Christ never gave it to St Peter and that the Apostles never beleeved any such thing nor did St Peter himselfe ever imagine to have it or make use of it Yee see how almost six hundred yeares were finished which questionlesse is a long time after the death of our Saviour before either the Bishop of Rome was esteemed or did esteeme himselfe generall Bishop and Superiour over the whole Church and now to say that it is the institution of Jesus Christ is it not to thinke men fooles and beleeve they are geese void of all sense and reason not to perceive the imposture Nor is there any but simple and weake wits will beleeve it in the Romish Church and if it be any Article of faith as the Pope his adherents preach and as the Councell of Trent declareth there is none by that reason in the Romish Church but weake judgements who are in the paths of salvation CHAP. XIII How the Bishop of Rome hath and doth labour to maintaine his usurped Primacy and after what manner the Pope is elected at this present I Know the Cardinall Baronius a man otherwise learned and of great authoritie in the Church of Rome in his Ecclesiasticall History hath endeavoured above all things to shew the primacy of the Bishop of Rome as being the principall end and cause of all his painfull labours but I protest that he saith nothing contrary to all I have spoken here of the History of the Popes except onely that he striveth to draw more advantageous consequences for the Bishop of Rome but with what sinceritie and ground the indifferent Reader may judge And because he sheweth that which I have granted that Letters were written from divers places and from many Churches to the Bishop of Rome since St Peters death either to have his advice in matter of faith or clearing of some doubts in Religion or composing of some differences risen amongst the Bishops as to one of their fellow-fellow-Bishops and brethren who had great authoritie amongst them as being the Bishop of the Metropolis of the world where the Emperour did reside he concludeth every where the primacy but with very bad consequences as doe many more of his fellowes who taking pay of the Romish Church either for feare to loose the Benefices they have or in hope to obtaine better and greater doe all that lyeth in their power to extoll the same dissembling often those errours they perceive and labouring to cloake and excuse that which they cannot deny Certainly there is no man who reading the Cardinall Baronius with a minde void of passion will not cleerly perceive that he proceedeth after that manner and indeed according to the policy and wisdome of this world which is neverthelesse foolishnesse before God he could not doe otherwise for he was wise enough to see and foresee if he wrote otherwise than in the favour of his Holines and the Romish Church he could never have aspired to the Cardinalship which he obtained thereby nor to the honours and gratifications the Pope imparted to him thereafter for having maintained so advantageously his authoritie and pretended rights Now to returne to my purpose the Bishop of Rome having once obtained the title of universall Bishop and generall Pastour of the Church by the donation and investure of the Emperour he being already in possession of great authoritie and abundance of great riches it was not hard for him to maintaine and conserve it in despite of all oppositions that were raised from time to time by Bishops who had not so much riches and authoritie as he nor a backe strong enough to contest it against him and make him quit the title but rather hath laboured to exalt himselfe more and more taking occasion from the weaknesse and necessitie or the simplicitie and devotion of Princes to augment his authoritie and estate And he who by the meanes and beneficence of the Emperours was invested in the possession of his greatnesse primacy and riches rose in a small time to that point as to strive to depose them from their thrones and usurp the right of creating and crowning them make them kisse and adore his feet nay even to set his feet upon their necke abusing those words of the Psal 91.13 Thou shalt walke upon the Aspe Basilisque Psal 91.13 and the Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread under-foot as did Alexander the third to the Emperour Fredericke Barberousse and his sonne Henry the sixt saith Baronius being brought to the feet of Pope Innocent the third there to receive the Imperiall Crowne upon his knees and it being set upon his head as he was on his knees before the Pope who was on a throne he beat it off with his foot saying to him with an unsupportable arrogancy Know that as I have had the power to set the Crowne on thy head so have I to take it from thee and deprive thee thereof at my pleasure But they took their time and opportunitie of the infirmity and misery of those afflicted Princes to exercise upon them the usurpation of their Empire And no man of understanding will peruse the History but he may see that as the Emperours had invested the Bishops of Rome in the title and qualitie of Head of the Church so for a long time after they reteined the authority to create and install them in their See and depose and turne them out neither was any admitted on received but by consent of the Emperour And if in the absence and distance of the Emperour the Romanes at any time medled themselves with the choosing of the Pope they sent continually to the Emperour to have his consent which sometimes he gave and other times refused And because time altereth and changeth all things that which sometime before was done by all the Romane people with the aforesaid conditions became by little and little to be reduced to the Clergie alone which as the Pope grew greater and richer did also augment their revenues and power gathering the crummes from a Table so excessively furnished as was that of the Pope and so the consent of the Emperour began by little little to be neglected but principally then
when the Emperours were far distant and taken up in other places with warres and troubles and had neither meanes nor power to oppose or contradict that Election And when they did oppose themselves it had often divers successes and occasioned many sad Histories and lamentable Tragedies But in the end the power and riches of the Emperour diminishing by their dissolute life and the revolting of Princes their subjects and the Church of Rome growing continually in riches and wealth through the too simple devotion and liberalitie of many Princes the whole power of the Election of the Pope came to the Cardinalls who in the beginning were the chiefest and richest among the Clergy of the Citie of Rome and now are chosen out of divers Nations but more of Italy than of all the rest of the world together all of them bearing title of some Church in the Citie of Rome and by them alone at this present is the Pope chosen but with all the corruptions and abominations which can be imagined in the Election of a Potentate For when it is in question to make a new Pope there is no passion that is not set on worke there is no indirect means left unassayed no symony that is not committed The Pope being dead all is in disorder and confusion in the Citie of Rome every vice and crime is committed there without punishment or inquiry all revenge practised the Officers made by the defunct Pope having no more power there is sixteene or seventeene dayes allotted to the Cardinalls to conveene and enter into the Conclave which is a place furnished with Chambers and little roomes fitted for the Election Those who pretend to be Pope make commonly many faire promises to obtaine the voices of the Electors to some they promise their Pallaces to others Offices and Benefices to some the advancement of their kindred in a word all they can imagine profitable to themselves The Cardinalls Nephewes of the defunct Popes as the richest and most potent of the Romish Church being inriched and made great by the favour and power of their Unkles have each of them their factions and Caballs apart composed of those who are ingaged to them by benefits and curtesies received and pretended or in favour of the Cardinalls cap or some other gratifications given them by the Popes their Unkles not speaking of their alliances and other considerations of neernesse they have among them After that is the faction of Princes of the Emperour the King of France Spaine and Poland of the Princes and Reipublicks of Italy who by their Embassadours and Pentioners labour all of them to have a Pope that favoureth the greatnesse of their estates Last of all is the Faction which they call of spiritualls which are they that endeavour to choose for Pope him whom according to their conscience they thinke most proper and fit and whom they beleeve will be most profitable for the Church But this number is commonly very small and in the Election of Pope Vrban the eighth who at this present holdeth the chaire of the Bishop of Rome of fifty-three Cardinalls who were present in the Conclave for the Election a Gentleman of the Romish Church at that time residing at Rome who hath faithfully written the History which is publikely to be seen in the Booke of the Empires and States of the world saith that there were but three in all of the spirituall faction which aymed onely at the Election of the best without considering the Intrest of France or Spaine or any particular benefit or utilitie And also after the same or a worse manner have all the modern Elections been which I have read as yee may see more amply in the Books that are written thereof so common in the world as they need not be specified by me Now as the faction of those good and spirituall men who ayme onely to choose the best and most proper is questionlesse ever the least and weakest and as the worldly factions are ever the greatest and strongest it is needlesse to aske what doth ordinarily follow and it is a marvell if a good and impartiall and not factious be chosen for Pope I speak even according to the beliefe of the Romish Church They speak indeed a little of the holy Spirit and invoke his assistance but that is onely with their lips and for ceremony the holy Spirit shunning such corrupt company that is so little disposed to receive his motions thence cometh it that they are sometimes moneths yeares yea ten twenty thirty or forty yeares they cannot nor will not agree and some of them make one Pope others another this Pope creating his Cardinalls and Bishops and the other his with what disorder and scandall to all Christians I leave you to judge the Earth oftentimes bleeding at their execrations And I may truely say that almost all the Popes are created by symony for all the Princes well knowing by many experiences that the Election of the Popes is seldome according to the lawes of conscience but by corruption and favour they are obliged to entertaine expresly for that end Pentioners amongst the Cardinalls to whom they give yearly Pensions or some fat Benefices of their disposition and so buy their voyces that at the Election they may have a Pope of their faction The rich and powerfull Cardinalls who are commonly the Nephewes of the defunct practise the same with those who are poore labouring to gaine and possesse their Suffrages either by benefits received or hope to receive not indeed to be Popes because their families would become too great and eat up others but to reigne under the name of some other whom they caused to be elected The Cardinalls who pretend to be Pope spare nothing commonly to captivate to themselves voyces and friends and because oftentimes they be not very rich they are content to promise more than they have a minde to performe yea more than they are able So by all those fashions which are most common and ordinary there is almost not one who is not chosen by symony and consequently who entreth not in the Sheepfold not as a good Pastour by the doore but as a ravenous Wolfe breaking the wall to feed and fill himselfe with the bloud and substance of the Sheepe and not to feed them with the nourishment and food of life And because they use before the Election to reade some Bulls which thunder out the most fearfull excommunications and anathema's is possible against all those who proceed to this election by direct or indirect symony or any other crooked or unlawfull courses declaring them unfit and uncapable of any Ecclesiasticall Office or Benefice there are almost none of those elected who are not anathamatized with most terrible excommunications and by those Bulls made uncapable to keep the Office so that even thereby their election is voide and their possession of no force and unjust and all exercise of their power invalid but are even irregular so often as
they exercise any act of their charge or administer any Sacraments And neverthelesse they often continue so many years but as they imagine themselves to have all power to binde loose on earth so doe they quickly loose themselves from all those Anathema's being once Popes extending the same favour to all those who have assisted them in that mystery of iniquitie By such corrupt and diabolicall election it hath come to passe that such abominable Monsters the Earth hath seen sit in the chair of Rome that none can read the History of the Popes written by Papists themselves but their hair riseth with horrour it is not my intention here to set down the abhominations which are to be seen in those books howsoever written with all the moderation possible to a favourable Historian for I will not here be accounted invective and those who have not read those books should suspect me of that crime in producing such a multitude as hardly could they beleeve them being written by my hand But let those who will read there the life of Vrbanus the seventh who for a light suspition put to death eight of his Cardinals cruelly causing to be sowed five of them in one sack and did throw them into the Sea before his eyes he being present in the same ship Oh more than barbarous crueltie for a Church-man Let them see the life of Alexander the sixth sometimes called Borgia a native of Spaine who gave the Indies to the King of Spaine where he had nothing himself and gratified him â—â—â—ther with the brave title of Catholick King Let them but read I say the life of that good Pope and they shall see how many bastards he had and how loving one of them called Valentine excessively although the Murtherer of his own eldest brother to get his estate he had resolved to poyson all the richest Cardinals of his Court at one time at a feast he had prepared for them in the Countrey thereby to inrich his foresaid bastard with their spoils but that cruell designe was both prevented and punished by God for being thirstie before dinner the butler either ignorantly or by the just judgement of God taking the bottle with the poysoned wine for the wholesome the Pope having drunk of it died presently and that Valentine who drunk also with him being younger and stronger than he died not presently but languished the rest of his life An infinite number of such or the like actions little better if not worse are to be seen in their lives and histories where I rather wish the Reader to search them than that I should blot my book with them for if I should set them down here the simple and ignorant would beleeve I spoke with more passion than truth many of their actions surpassing all belief And if there be found any amongst those Popes well bred and of a courteous and wise disposition that hath seldome come to passe neverthelesse they have been guiltie some few excepted of the common crime of inriching their Nephews bastards and kinsfolks with the goods of the Church and the blood and substance of poore Christians so far as their power could extend it self and those have been the materials that have builded and cemented almost all the most potent families at this day in Italy But let us a little reflect upon the power of the Popes of Rome and their election for it is an important point CHAP. XIIII A notable reflection upon the usurped power of the Pope and his election and how much all Princes Prelates and Christians even Romanes are interressed therein I Have sufficiently shewne before that St. Peter never had the Primacy and how that which the Bishop of Rome pretendeth being usurped is unlawfull and of no force But let us suppose that Jesus Christ did establish St. Peter for his Vicar on earth and for Head of the Church after his death Nay suppose that St. Peter was Bishop of Rome it will not therefore follow that the primacie of the Church is bound to the Bishop of Rome and that he must be head of the Church who is created Bishop of the City of Rome or that the people of Rome have the priviledge to give a generall Head to the universall Church as those of the Romish Church are forced to confesse St. Peter say they was Bishop of Rome and erected his chaire at Rome therefore he hath placed and established the Primacie there I am sure that St. Peter also and first was Bishop of Antioch after the death of the Son of God therefore the seat of Primacie should be rather at Antioch Yes but he lived and died at Rome Our Saviour who was the chief Priest and Head of the Church without controversie died at Jerusalem at Jerusalem therefore rather should the Primacie and first chaire be and seeing Moses who was principall amongst the people and chief Doctor did exercise his office and die in the Wildernesse therefore ought the Israelites also to make the seat of their primacie and principalitie in the wildernesse They must then of necessitie say that the priviledge of primacie was personall and not locall given to the person of St. Peter and not to the City of Rome where he setled his last See they having as yet found no such passage in the holy Scripture commanding the primacie to be annexed to the Bishoprick of Rome If then the primacie of the Church was not bound to the Bishop of Rome what right have the Romanists had to give a generall head to all Christians as they have done a long time And although it had been annexed to him when it was a question to create a Primate by the course of election all Christians ought to be called to give their voice either themselves or by their deputies and chuse him whom they were to obey which never being done sheweth sufficiently that election was not lawfull and so other Christians were not obliged to obey him they having neither been called nor had voice in his election it being the Law of all Canonique election that all those who have interest be called to give their voice and suffrages either themselves or by their deputies But let us leave those ancient elections and see if that which is now adayes be surer and juster Here Oh Noble Princes and Prelates of the Romish Church I wish earnestly ye would onely lift up your eyes and consider how much ye are interressed in the election of the Popes practised now â—dayes When it is a question to create a generall and universall Pastor of the Church I beleeve that all Princes and Pastors yea and all Christians ought to be called to elect and chuse themselves or by their deputies him whom they must obey and who ought to keep and guide their souls and on whom all the good or evill of the Church dependeth But this is not observed they contenting themselves with the Cardinals who represent say they the Clergie of the Church Here I
which they are daily about to try and would gladly execute if they could he sendeth Agents and imployeth spyes and men disguised especially of some orders who goe secretly from house to house preaching his Indulgences and pardons to move the people to acknowledge him and restore his former revenues for this is the onely end of all his Inventions what ever pretext of faith and Religion he pretend but the carriers of those Indulgences are no more in request and are onely good for nothing but to cheat women and weak spirits the world hath had so many of his Bulls and pardons that they beleeve they will have no more need but may live without them the ages to come and wise Princes chose rather to keepe their moneys for the ease of their subjects and conservation of their estates than to send it to the Pope to maintaine his Court in riot and inrich his kindred the falsenesse of his doctrine appearing too cleerly now to be embraced by judicious and cleer-sighted men CHAP. XV. How absurd is and how little ground hath the pretended infallibilitie of the Bishop of Rome and that it is not without cause he is called Antichrist THe Bishop of Rome is not onely content to challenge the primacy and superioritie over the whole Christian Church but to strengthen and increase his credit he falleth into a folly insupportable to every wise and understanding man for he attributeth to himselfe the same infallibilitie and truth that God doth affirming and maintaining that he cannot erre no more than God when he pronounceth any sentence in matter of faith This seemed to me a cunning subtilty if it were as easily to be beleeved as invented for wanting the word of God and sufficient Scripture to establish his primacy and universall superioritie he hath resolved to attribute to himselfe the infallibilitie to make men receive the Scriptures according to his explication to ground his authoritie and establish his doctrine thereby And this Article of infallibilitie is at this day come to such a passe in the Romish Church that it must be beleeved as pertaining to faith and necessary to salvation it being forbidden under the paine of being holden for an heretique and Anathematized for preaching to the contrary and truely it is a doctrine which in policy ought to follow that of the primacy for the accomplishing of a perfect and absolute authoritie But as wee have shewen this primacy to be usurped and invalid so doe we beleeve we have sufficiently nullified all that followeth upon those prerogatives whereof this is the principall Notwithstanding for the greater satisfaction of the courteous Reader wee shall answer briefly the principall reasons they bring to prove this doctrine The first Objection is drawne out of a passage alledged before where it is said Mat. 16.18 Mat. 16.18 Thou art Peter and upon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it This say they being understood of St Peter is to say that errour and untruth shall not prevaile against Peter nor have victory over him and that he shall never be deceived nor erre nor consequently the Pope who tearmeth himselfe successour of St Peter Notwithstanding St Peter having erred after these words were pronounced and denied his Master which is the greatest fall that can be in the faith sheweth that those words are not understood of St Peter but of the faith and confession he made at that time which being most true and the truth it selfe shall never be overcome nor surmounted by the gates of hell but shall continue in strength eternally and so it is in vaine for the Pope to ground his infallibilitie upon words which are not spoken of St Peter nor consequently of him as is most manifest and as I have shewed before Another Objection which the Romish Church thinks stronger and more expresse is this Luk. 22.32 The Lord said to Simon Luk. 22.32 Simon behold Sathan hath sought to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and then when thou shalt be converted strengthen thy brethren For my part I perceive not what they would conclude thereby but that the faith of St Peter should never faile and yet wee see that it failed much and that St Peter did stumble and erre grossely in the faith having denyed his Master a long time after those words were spoken If then that be understood as they would have it the prayers of Christ should be of none effect which is blasphemy to thinke wherefore we must finde out a truer meaning of those words and say that is understood of small falling Christ Jesus saying to Simon Simon I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not finally that is to say if peradventure thou succombe and fall as thou wilt at least raise thy selfe and enter againe into the profession of faith and being converted by a true repentance thou must confirme thy brethren and let this fall make thee wiser in time to come and be a means to thee to confirme others and exhort them to take heed least they slide and fall as thou This is doubtlesse the true and lawfull meaning of those words as every understanding man may judge and not the explication of the Romish Church which every reasonable man will finde to be altogether absurd and invented of purpose to establish a false doctrine And although it could be proved that St Peter did never fall and we should confesse that the infallibilitie was given to him Will it therefore follow that it is given to all his successours also and that which was said to one person and of one person must be said to all his successours and of them all if they apply to the Pope all that was said to St Peter the Apostle and in his favour by Christ Jesus why doe they not apply as well all that was said to his disgrace and so the Pope must be called Sathan because Christ did call Peter so those words must also be applyed to the Pope Thou shalt deny mee as our Saviour spake them to St Peter This certainly hath too often falne out to the great hurt and scandall of Christian people although I confesse that our Saviour speaking to Peter did not meane it of those who should be thought his successours Now these are the strongest passages and arguments on which this pretended infallibilitie is grounded which is the whole foundation and basis of all the Romish Doctrine now in controversie which being proved to be usurped against reason and equitie as the primacy whereon it is grounded you see in what estate of errour and heresie that Church is in and how blinde and deceived they are that follow it It was thought formerly strange that the Pope of Rome was called Antichrist and I confesse it was long before I could be satisfied with the application of this name to the Pope thinking it was too rigorously spoken and with too small
ground but when I came to consider and examine the ground more narrowly I thought they had reason sufficient for so doing especially for attributing to himselfe the infallibilitie which is onely proper to God and which is the most execrable blasphemy Antichrist can commit and the greatest of his offences mentioned by St Paul in those words 2 Thess 2.4 Even to sit as God in the Temple of God and exalting himselfe above every thing that is called God for truely the Pope in this maketh himselfe as God appropriating to himselfe infallible truth which is onely proper to the Godhead and is the Godhead it selfe Making himselfe further to be adored as God yea more than God causing men to carry him upon their shoulders at the Procession of the Sacrament where that which they call the Hoast or body of the Son of God is onely carried on horsebacke causing Christians yea Nobles and Princes to kisse and adore his feete and laying the holy Scripture at his feete And when he celebrateth the Masse his Chaplaines use a great deale more reverence and ceremony about his person than they doe about the Altar and Hoast with an infinite number of other things proper to the sonne of perdition described by St Paul and by other Scriptures which to shunne tediousnesse I passe by remitting the Reader to those who have expresly and amply written on this subject CHAP. XVI The summe and conclusion of the former Discourse concerning the usurped Primacy and infallibilitie of the Pope YOu have seen good Reader how I have clearly shewed that the Romish Church which maketh the primacie and infallibilitie an Article of faith set down especially in the Confession of faith of the Councell of Trent can produce no passage of holy Scripture that proveth it with the least ground or reason you have seen how I not being obliged to prove the negative by Scripture have notwithstanding by the same word of God shewed cleerly enough that Christ Jesus had never intention to give that primacy to S. Peter as the Apostles did never beleeve nor acknowledge it and that S. Peter himself did never think it nor make use of it and consequently that it is falsly attributed to the Bishop of Rome although he were successour to S. Peter in the Bishoprick of Rome which is a great controversie You have also seen that the Bishop of Rome was never called nor acknowledged for head of the Church or universall Pastor the first 300. yeers without controversie yea for almost 500. yeers which is a very great and long time and further that he never assumed but rather rejected that title as wicked damnable and arrogant and proper to Antichrist never using that Authority It hath been shewed you how this usurpation was brought in and how it hath been maintained in what case it may be in at this present and by what unjust and tyrannicall means that unlawfull Authoritie reigneth in the world to the great prejudice of Princes and oppression of Prelates and to the great scandall and hurt of all poore and simple Christians Lift up therefore the eyes of your understandings and conclude with me that this power being usurped is unlawfull and void as it appeareth is in vain and without reason said to be the rule of faith that it appropriateth to it self the infallible explication of the holy Scripture and the priviledge to declare the Articles of faith It is in vain then that it sendeth us to its Synods and Councels which presume to have no authority but from him who hath none himself neither to call nor confirm them and all the Canons that were ever made under that unlawfull authoritie have neither force nor vertue neither can they oblige any Christians All the Canons and Constitutions therefore established and confirmed by the Popes of Rome and their Councels are of no force nor strength neither can they oblige any man Therefore all the Excommunications and Anathema's all the commandments and prohibitions issuing and coming from such an Authority which are numberlesse ought to be rejected and set at naught if they have no other authoritie from the Word of God as void and unlawfull and cruell burthens laid on mens shoulders to hold them in slaverie as those of the Pharisees condemned and accursed by God himself Compare I pray you courteous Reader the Commandments of God with those of the Church and Pope and you shall see that the Commandments of God are easie Mat. 11.30 and his yoke is light as he hath said and that the commandments of the Church which the Pope affirmeth to be of equall authoritie with Gods are insupportable burthens and cords to strangle the consciences and snares to precipitate them into hell Open therefore your eyes O ye people and behold your blindnesse and the captivitie in which ye live so miserable Isa 52.2 Loose the chains from off thy necke poore slave and captive daughter of Sion may I say unto you with Isaiah I know that many Bishops and Prelates men of great learning and honest conversation yea the most part of the Prelates of the Romish Church mourn and groan under the weight of that yoke and wish nothing more than the happy occasion to see themselves delivered complaining often amongst themselves and making their complaints resound in the eares of their trusty friends I know assuredly as having heard it from their mouthes that they are of the opinion of the ancient Bishops that the Apostles were equals according to the testimonie of the Scriptures and that the Bishop of Rome is no more than their equall their fellow Bishop and brother not their superiour although one of the greatest amongst them because of the greatnesse of the City of Rome where he resideth as they of the first ages did esteeme I know they see and acknowledge that it is nothing but an usurpation begun by the liberality of great Princes and brought in by the ambition of the Popes and the indiscretion of the wicked Emperour maintained by force during the weaknesse and calamities of the Emperours and the dissention and division of States and yet tontinue at this present by unlawfull policies and courses under the bountie of soveraigne Monarchs who suffer it All the learnedst and most judicious of the Romish Church see and deplore this miserie and tyranny but to open their mouth aloud and in publique is a thing which none dare attempt under the Popes authoritie for besides the excommunications and Anathema's which will not be wanting to terrifie the simpler besides the prisons and other corporall punishments where the Inquisition reigneth they must expect where the Pope hath any credit with Princes to be quickly deprived of all the Church Revenues they possesse and out of hope to get any more which verily are too strong motives to retain many who have not sufficient courage and who by pusillanimity and those temporall respects are forced to keep silence and yeeld as dumbe dogs which dare not barke
of all question doth proceed that great ignorance which is to be seen amongst the people in the Church of Rome there not being ten amongst an hundred instructed sufficiently to salvation or that can give a sufficient reason of their beliefe I say even according to the doctrine of their own Church This is specially to be seen in the Countrey Parishes and in many Cities also where though there be more frequent preaching the Communion and confession be oftner haunted yet the people are nothing the better instructed in the faith for all that nor know they sufficiently that which concerneth their salvation this defect can be imputed to no other cause but the forbidding the reading of the Scriptures which is the Booke of life appointed by God for the instruction and consolation of the faithfull for howsoever they make many Catechismes and the Preachers endeavour often to instruct the people in their beliefe they are but little the wiser or better instructed for all that for they nourish them not with the Book of life to wit the Word of God which is the true bread of the faithfull instituted by God for their instruction and comfort Where on the contrary in the Churches of the reformed Religion there is not one almost but he can give a reason of his beliefe if he have any judgement and is instructed in the faith though often they cannot reade but have onely heard the Scripture read and you shall finde in many places an infinite number of simple and ignorant people in humane learning who know the Bible a great deale better than many great Bishops in Popish Universities and famous Preachers among them which I protest I have often seen with great admiration as did many others also to the great confusion questionlesse of the Romish Church what ever they can alledge As for my part I confesse I could never finde any sufficient reason in that prohibition for reading the Scriptures for if the Scripture we call the Old Testament is the same Word of God that was left unto us by Moses by the Prophets and servants of God as is most certaine I see nothing more common in that Word than straight commands to reade heare meditate ruminate and observe the same to write it upon the posts of our houses and carry it tyed to our fingers that is to have it continually before our eyes and in our hearts I should make too large a volume contrary to my intention if I should cite all the passages which are clearly to be seen in it to this effect peruse but the Bookes of Deuteronomy and Numbers the Proverbs of Salomon the Psalmes of David and divers of the Prophets All those commandements and exhortations are given to all men as well the learned as the ignorant the poore as the rich which cannot be understood of the Bible onely in a strange tongue but in a language that is best understood of every one which is the vulgar That which is said of the old Testament may be more easily proved of the New which is as the last Will Christ Jesus our Father hath left us as his children by which we must know his intentions and that which he desireth us to doe to become worthy children of so good a Father and to possesse the inheritance he hath purchased for us through his merits and bloud Is there any man of judgement in the world who can beleeve that he hath left us his Commandements last Will and intentions as altogether needfull to salvation and not suffer us to reade the same and that there was but one man in the world to wit the Pope who had power to reade and explaine the same to others Where is that so important prohibition set downe Where is it so spoken have not we as much part in the inheritance of Christ Jesus as our Father the Pope By what right should Christians be deprived of the reading of the will and intentions of their Father the will of God and his holy Commandments which they ought to know and doe under paine of eternall damnation Is there any power or authoritie under heaven that can hinder them seeing God enjoyneth and commandeth the same the thing being of so great importance to them that none can be answerable for them in the day of Judgement Is there any power on earth that can dispence them No no this prohibition is altogether unjust and against both reason and the will of God Yes but some will say the intentions of God his Testament and the holy Scripture are made knowne to Christians by the sermons which they call commonly the Word of God It is true the preaching of the servants of God and Orthodox Preachers are highly to be esteemed for they may learne and profit much thereby but there is great difference betwixt a mans and the Word of God because the Word of God is altogether divine and holy and the infallible truth of which we cannot doubt and the Sermons of Preachers howsoever they be called the Word of God are not to speak properly the Word of God except onely that which is simply produced out of the holy Scripture the rest are onely humane words subject to faults and defects to passions and errors especially in the Romish Church where many among them cite oftner Plato Seneca Plutarch or some other than they doe the holy Scriptures and if they cite them it is so far from the true meaning thereof that they may rather be tearmed prophane than piously cited and sincerely explained Finally it is to deceive Christians to make them beleeve that Sermons should serve them in place of reading the holy Scriptures the Word of God is filled with a better spirit than all the best Sermons in the world for there it is the holy Spirit who speaketh to us whereof we ought not to doubt nor can we enter into any suspition of deception but Sermons being onely the words of men instituted to instruct and stirre us up to God wee ought indeed to respect them much and heare them willingly but we are not obliged to heare and receive them with so great respect as the holy Scriptures and we ought also to examine and confer them with the Scriptures as did those Noble Bereans having heard St Paul preaching to see if that which he said unto them was conformable to the Word of God as it is set downe Act. 17.11 neither did St Paul nor St Luke Act. 17.11 nor any other ever blame them for that action And our Saviour himselfe reproaching the Jewes that being sent from God his Father they would neither receive him nor beleeve in him saith to them Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 for in them yee thinke to have eternall life for they are they which testifie of me And in the History of poore Lazarus and the wicked rich man is written in St Luke chap. 16. Luk. 16.28 when this damned wretch desired that God would shew miracles and raise some
when Printing did begin they being either lost or consumed by fire or time or by the Wormes or a multitude of other accidents which we see doth eat and consume the very stones and Iron Now those first Manuscripts have been copied out by divers Writers and that from hand to hand from time to time to be dispersed and preserved from age to age and run over Kingdoms and after a multitude of Transcriptions passed by example since our Saviours time to us how many faults and what alteration have been made in those Books and in the doctrine of those Fathers for there is no man almost how able soever who can brag that he can transcribe a sheet of paper without committing some one or more faults how many will there be then in a great Volume as one of St Augustins or St Chrysostoms And as those Clerks or Transcribers who were called Amanuenses were for the most part mercenary and did all for money and profit living by that trade it is likely they took not much care but thought onely upon a quick dispatch that they might gaine the more and when they found any thing that seemed a fault to them whether it was really so or not they changed and corrected it according to their minde and passion it faring with faults as with balls of snow which the more they are rolled grow the bigger so far was their faults to be lesned by their Writers thav they were rather augmented and multiplied the old continuing or rather growing worse and daily more new ones being made so that some little time after it might be said of every Book that it was in a manner no more the same Book but altogether another being so much changed and altered And the Romish Church growing in power and authoritie when shee found any thing in those Books contrary to her doctrine and the increase of her greatnesse or against her designes and intentions shee did condemne the same as falsified and falsly attributed to the Fathers and correct it after her own minde and fancy and when Printing was come in use shee made choice of that which was most conformable to her doctrine or rather moulding and forming it by her agents and supporters to her own minde caused it so to be printed suppressing and forbidding other Copies as spurious and corrupted said they by some heretiques or malicious people or falsly attributed to their Authors and so who can now say in the world certainly that the writings fathered upon Irenaeus Cyrillus Augustin and other ancient Fathers are the true and genuine Writings of those Fathers not falsified or supposed And if it hath been so hard a matter to preserve the holy Scripture which is but a little Book in comparison of those others in its purity through so many ages when Printing was not in use What can we say of those great Volumes which were not in so great request nor so much respected and where the change and alteration was not of so great importance to care so much but where every one took often the authoritie to change according to his fancy and accommodate the Father to his minde to authorise his beliefe I think there is no man of good judgement in the world who seeth not cleerly the force and power of this so manifest truth and that it is impossible to ground any certaine beliefe such as that of faith ought to be upon so uncertaine grounds Besides that though they were most certaine yet being men subject to mistakes and errours wee were not obliged to make their opinions our Judges if they be not conformable to the Word of God which is the rule of all truth For which cause I shall not strive in this Booke to alledge many passages of Fathers but onely shew my opinion grounded upon strong reasons and upon the vertue of the Scripture My intention not being to make a great Volume but onely a little Book of small cost and little time and paines both for my selfe and the Reader CHAP. VIII Concerning the chiefe point of Controversie to wit that St Peter had no primacy in the Church and that the primacy of the Pope is an unlawfull usurpation AS I have ever beleeved that the chiefe and most important point among all the controversies betwixt the Catholique reformed and the Romish Church is that of the Primacy of the Pope and whether he be Vicar of Christ Jesus on earth universall and generall Bishop over all Christians and be head and superiour of the Catholique Church So it was the first motive of my conversion and that which I esteemed to have most need to be well considered and examined as being the ground of all the Romish beliefe which once over-turned shee must of necessitie fall to the ground And howsoever there be many other points of great importance this neverthelesse is as the Center where all the rest do meet and the axletree on which they all move and the foundation that upholdeth them because that whatsoever point of faith or Scripture is in controversie those of the Romish Church will have none but the Church for Judge or as I have shewed the Pope saying he is Vicar of Christ Jesus and head of the universall Church and consequently sole Judge in matters of faith And being the Pope of Rome pretendeth this authoritie onely so far as he vaunteth himselfe to be successour of St Peter to whom he saith that Christ Jesus hath given this power I have diligently examined the question to see what reason and ground the Doctors of the Romish Church have to maintaine the same and howsoever they reject the Scripture and will not admit it to be Judge of controversie they are neverthelesse necessitated to have recourse to it and receive it for Judge in this point For the question being of the Pope he must not be Judge and party and it would be an insufferable impertinency to goe about to prove the Pope by the Pope and maintaine that he is head of the Church because maintaineth he and affirmeth it he must then of necessitie declare and produce his other titles and shew by what vertue he posseseth this authoritie there being no proscription in matter of faith and conscience for otherwise the Religion of the Gentiles and Idolaters would have been thought the best and the doctrine of the Evangelists would never have been planted for which cause also he laboureth to prove this his Article by the Scripture And to that end we shall first set downe the strongest of his reasons by way of objection the weaknesse and nullity of which I shall shew And although it be sufficient enough for evidencing his power to be unlawfull and usurped making it appeare that his titles are false and of no force and that wee are not obliged to bring proofes out of the Scriptures for that which is not a point of our faith it being sufficient for us that it is not in the Scripture which we hold for sole rule
doe it it should especially have been at this time an occasion and if he hath not done it here nor elsewhere it is an infallible and certaine proofe that he will leave no other superiour over the Church but himselfe and the holy Spirit Mat. 28.20 and he saith that he would remaine and stay with them alwayes even to the end of the world Besides our Saviour being upon the Crosse recommendeth his Mother to St John and St John to his Mother if St Peter should have been his Successour and Vicar after his death he might even then have spoken something but neither did he it there nor before nor after he was risen although he was conversant amongst them and with his Disciples oftentimes for the space of fortie dayes is not this then a most manifest and cleere proofe that he would leave neither Successour nor generall Vicar in his roome and that it is without sence or reason to say he left St Peter If the testimony of all the men in the world should be found to contradict this same would it be of greater force and strength than this The Word of God ought to triumph over all neither should any thing be opposed to it and it is blasphemy to attempt it there needeth no glosses here for this is cleere enough but either must a man renounce all that is in the holy Scripture or acknowledge this doctrine and truth nor could ever I conclude otherwise having considered it Here you may see good Reader by the holy Scripture that Jesus Christ had never intention to leave any man for Successour and universall Vicar or generall head in his place and that he himself alone would be governour and director for ever and none other but himselfe Therefore it is wrongfully that the Pope of Rome groundeth and maintaineth his authoritie upon that Now let us see by the holy Scripture that the Apostles did never hold Peter for his Successour or universall head of the Church CHAP. X. Proved by the holy Spirit that the Apostles did never acknowledge St Peter for superiour and universall head of the Church IF St Peter hath been instituted by Christ generall Pastour of the Church and Superiour over all the Apostles and Christians I undoubtedly beleeve that the other Apostles did know it perfectly for although Christ should never have declared any thing to them yet the holy Spirit who instructed them in all truth would have taught them this so important a point So it is that it may be proved even by the Scripture it selfe that the Apostles did never acknowledge this superioritie and primacy in Peter and therefore we may safely conclude that he never had it I finde in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 15.7 that the first Councell of the Church after the death of our Saviour was holden at Jerusalem where St James was Bishop and not St Peter that Paul and Barnabas and others came expresly that the Apostles and Elders did assemble to confer about something touching Circumcision and after great debate Peter saith Luke rose up and spake and after him Paul and Barnabas declaring what signes and wonders God had done by them among the Gentiles and so soone as they had done St James answered saying Men and brethren hearken unto mee Simon hath declared how God c. Wherefore my sentence is that wee trouble not them which among the Gentiles are turned to God but that we write unto them c. Now judge I pray you by this passage if Peter may be thought chiefe in this so noble and famous action if there be any of the Apostles who may be thought superiour in this assembly it is questionlesse St James the Councell holding in his Citie and Church It is true St Peter speaketh after some dispute not first as is pretended for they had already disputed and spoken but St James pronounceth sentence in this assembly and as Judge and of most authoritie in the Councell it being done in his Church he imposeth silence to speak and pronounce the sentence as is the custome of the Judges and saith Wherefore my sentence is or now I Judge Ego autem Judico as St Jeroms translation hath it which questionlesse he did not as superiour to all but as Bishop of the place where the assembly was holden and to whom for that respect the first place and greatest authoritie was due as there is no Bishop in the world that giveth not place to another in his owne Church and within the bounds of his Jurisdiction But if Peter had had the primacy he would have pronounced the sentence as Judge and as Master and superiour over them all and it was his to say Ego Judico I marvell also that St James speaking to him if he thought him Vicar of Christ said not our Master Simon or the universall Vicar and Pastour or gave him not some great title such as is now given to the Pope it being a great over-sight to omit it but he saith onely Simon hath told if Simon was his superiour and universall head of the Church St James was greatly to be blamed in this point for some irreverence or little respect but knowing that there was but equalitie among them he useth him as his equall keeping onely the authoritie and dignitie of his own Sea It is said in the Acts chap. 11.1 that St Peter having converted and baptized Cornelius the Centurion and all those men who were Gentiles he came up againe to Jerusalem and being there they who were of the Circumcision that is the converted Jewes would have reproved him and contended with him saying Why wentest thou into men uncircumcised and didst eat with them Peter beginneth and declareth all the matter unto them in order and justifieth the action if St Peter was head of the Church and generall Pastour of all Christians and of all the world I marvell first how they had the boldnesse to reprove him for preaching to the Gentiles whose Pastour he was as well as of the Jewes and I admire also that St Peter seemeth to excuse himselfe before them upon a particular revelation and commission and did not rather tell them that being universall Pastour he had power over all soules and it belonged to him to preach the Gospell to every creature not onely to the Jewes but also to the Gentiles certainly he did not acknowledge as yet that generall power and universall primacy in himselfe nor yet did Christians acknowledge it in him for out of all question they would have spoken otherwise to him and he would also have answered in other tearmes especially if he had thought to have had that infallibilitie which the Pope of Rome vindicateth to himselfe which he saith he hath gotten by the succession and in the person of St Peter Moreover the Apostles sent Peter and John to preach in Samaria would the Pope now adayes receive any such commission Acts 8. and goe preach to the Indians or in Russia by Commission
Againe in preparing himselfe to saile and about to passe through the raging waves calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessell that carrieth him for verily desire of gaine devised that and the workman built it by his skill Judge I pray you if all this doth not agree and is not found in the simple people of the Romish Church and if there be not as great reason to condemne them of Idolatry as those of whom it is spoken in this place and are not they which place those Images and expose them to the people which authorise them by their doctrines and sollicite the people thereunto the causers and protectors of Idolatry But as the Booke of Wisdome saith in that place The desire of game hath devised that for it especially hath been the onely covetousnesse of Priests and Clergie to gaine and gather the money and offerings of the people which hath made them expose the Images and erect them in the Churches there being many of those Images worth great revenues to the Clergie and I know some worth above ten thousand Crownes yearely to their Priests and therefore we need not marvell that the Romish Clergie so carefully maintaine the doctrine of invocation of Saints and Images For as the people goe but seldome to God but by the Saints so doe they but seldome goe to the Saints but by the Priests to wit by their Masses Pilgrimages and other the like means and howsoever the saints in heaven take no money for their paines they having no need they neverthelesse which are on the earth can well take it refusing nothing although they have no hands but the Priests have hands enough for all for they take that which is offered them with one hand with the other that which is offered to their Images so they handsomely take as men commonly say two maulters of one sack and know how to flea the poore beast without noise caring little whether the people commit Idolatry or not provided they find their profit And howsoever the Priests know well enough that the people commit idolatry with the Saints and Images in rendring to them the honour that is due to God neverthelesse that doctrine being so profitable to them they are loath to preach against it or reprove it And as a notable and very learned Bishop of the Romish Church who is yet alive and whom I well know a man unblameable in his conversation did begin not long ago eagerly to preach and write against those great abuses against the congregations and Tiercers against pilgrimages and those artificiall superstitions and the Idolatries practised by the ignorant with vitious simplicities and invented of purpose by the Priests to snatch mens money those who were the more interressed rose up against him incontinent and prevailed so far by their practises with the greatest that he was forbidden to preach and write and hath been disgraced and banished these many yeers although he was esteemed for that of the most judicious and even of them who did solicite against him but profit and gain suffocate and strangle oftentimes the reason and truth especially in the Romish Church CHAP. XIX Of the Miracles of the Romish Church THe strongest reason they of the Romish Church have to authorise their invocation of Saints is an infinite multitude of Miracles which they say were done by the Saints at the prayers of the faithfull and the book of their miracles is of such credit at this day in that Church that it is their Word of God and holy Scripture and the book in greatest estimation among the people and where scarcely one Bible is to be found in an whole Parish an hundred books of the life and miracles of Saints are to be seen Truly for my part I once accounted of them as other men did and because there was many strange accidents surpassing the force of nature I took great pleasure in reading those histories for it is naturall to our spirits to be delighted with things which are not common thence cometh it to passe that there are but few that are not delighted with the reading of Romans although they know them to be fabulous and things invented of purpose to passe idle time but when I came to sound and examine the manner in which those things were left unto us I found there was but small reason to brag of those miracles or oppose them to the Word of God and practise of the Apostles and first Christians for there is none but they know that those books of the Saints and especially that which is most esteemed at this present and called the flowers of the Saints composed by Ribadeneyra a Spanish Jesuite hath been extracted out of the ancient Legends and lives of the Saints in which the most judicious of the Romish Church as the Cardinall Baronius and others acknowledge so many absurdities and lies that they are ashamed to hold them for authentique such is the Tripartite History Metaphrastus Nicephorus The life of the ancient Fathers and Hermites attributed to St. Jerome who never dreamed of it The golden Legend and many others of the same kind where it is certain the lives of many Saints are which were never in the world Notwithstanding the Moderns have not neglected to take out of all those books the things which seemed to them least absurd and they thought easiest to be beleeved and so have left it to the world not with more truth but with more likelihood of truth But I would willingly ask them who told them that those things which they have pickt out of those ancient books and old Legends esteemed to be Apocrypha are truer than the things they have left behind For they were not present to know it and all things which might have come to passe and been done are not therefore come to passe and if any Authors have written of them they have taken them one from another as divers Writers do So truly all those Authors old and moderne do not deliver them as holy Scripture or things certain and infallible and the more judicious through all ages have never given great credit thereto Notwithstanding because many Authors are cited in them who write those things which indeed they have never seen but read or learned from their predecessours or found in some Manuscripts wherein were written many lies and false histories to make them more plausible to the end they might sell better to the people and to make them the more credible they write them often under the name of some dead Saint or some grave Author who had been famous and the simpler which make profession to beleeve all that is moulded or printed especially being dazled with the name of so many Authors whereof some were accounted Saints receive that as Gospel firmly beleeving the same but not the more judicious and wiser amongst them And as for Miracles I am not inclined to incredulitie but I am of so easie beleefe in that point as a
did the same what then Will we be wiser than Jesus Christ and his Apostles the people in those dayes was more rude and lesse capable of mysteries than now adayes for they were but newly come out of Paganisme or Judaisme CHAP. XXII Of Auricular Confession THis point of Auricular Confession is also for the present holden to be of greater importance in the Church of Rome than the Masse and there is no vertue nor any other duty so much recommended at this day as a full and faithfull confession of all sins and even a generall confession of the whole life In a word all the perfection and excellency of all Christian doctrine at this day in the Romish Church aimeth at that point and although ye should give all your goods to the poore Concil Trident. Tolet. Lest Bonac and others and were the best man in the world and indued with all the excellent parts of bounty and vertue yet if ye confesse not often and exactly all your sins great and small all the adherent circumstances which aggravate the same and tell faithfully and punctually the number all the rest is nothing and without that say they it is impossible to be saved or please God in any fashion for those who have the occasion and commodity to do the same after they have sinned To prove this doctrine which is an Article of Faith in the Church of Rome they produce no passage of the Scripture that hath either force or reason for to alledge that of S. James Iam. 5.16 ch 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed is without sence or reason because that which is subjoyned and pray one for another sheweth clearly that as S. James recommendeth not prayer onely to the Priests so he commandeth none to confesse their faults to the Priests alone For as he speaketh of a reciprocall prayer and mutual assistance so speaketh he of a mutuall confession betwixt particulars after quarrels and offences as the Cardinall Caietan confesseth and acknowledgeth well in his Commentary in this Epistle it is not there spoken saith he of a sacramentall confession as appeareth because he saith Confesse one to another Now the sacramentall confession is not made one to another but to the Priests onely but it is spoken of the confessions by which we mutually confesse our selves to be sinners that they may pray for us and of the confession of faults which are done by one another to be mutually appeased and reconciled but there is no appearance that S. James speaketh here of Auricular Confession neither of confession to the Priests alone And although it were true that S. James did speak here of the confession to Priests it will not follow that he spake of Auricular confession for there is great difference and as it is very necessarie to salvation to confesse all our sins to God and profitable to confesse our sins publiquely also and before men in token of repentance and griefe and to edifie our neighbours so none can denie that it is both profitable and good to confesse our sins to the Priest not for any obligation they have to do it there being no commandment or Word of God but to discharge his conscience and seek remedie for his imperfections consolation in his infirmitie and counsell in the ordering of his life And howsoever the Priest may minister matter of comfort to a penitent and afflicted soul upon the assurance he may give him that his sins be forgiven him if he be truly penitent have a true faith in Christ notwithstanding he ought not presume to give a formall absolution but onely declarative or else deprecative nor think to pardon sins as do the Priests of the Romish Church there being none but God alone that can pardon sins Mark 2.7 as Mark. 2.7 but onely assure and declare thar if there be true faith and repentance there sins are remitted or pray to God that he will remit them And as for that which was said to the Apostles by our Saviour That whatsoever they should bind on earth should be bound in heaven and whatsoever they should loose on earth should be loosed in heaven It is clear from the consideration of the whole passage that it is onely understood of the exteriour power of excommunication which we ought to acknowledge in the Church not of the power to absolve from interiour and secret sins for see the passage which I exhort the Reader diligently to consider Mat. 18.15 c. If thy brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault betwixt thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee two or three more that out of the mouthes of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a Publican Verily I say unto you that whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Thereby it is evident that Christ meant onely to speak of the band of excommunication and ejection out of the Church and that all that the Apostles should bind on earth with the bands of excommunication should be thought and esteemed bound in heaven and before God and that which they should loose and absolve on earth restoring and reconciling them to the bosome of the Church should be holden absolved and restored before God and might partake in the prayers of the faithfull Neverthelesse many Priests in the Church of Rome holding themselves successours of the Apostles in that beleeve that from those words they have power given them to absolve from all sins indifferently without any reservation seeing that even the same words are said to them at their consecration But the Bishops give their glosses and exceptions upon and say that it is to them it belongeth being properly and especially the true successours of the Apostles and the Priests but by commission which they can amplifie and diminish at their pleasure in the absolution of sin limiting their power in certain causes and reserving others to themselves forbidding the Priests who are under their jurisdiction to absolve them and the Pope who tearmeth himself Bishop of Bishops and attributeth the whole and absolute power of the Church to himself clippeth the authoritie of the Bishops in this using them as they use the Priests forbidding they should give absolution for every thing but reserve certain causes to himselfe wherein he forbid them to meddle and as the Priests murmure against the Bishops for that so do the Bishops against the Pope beleeving no sin nor case whatsoever to be exempted from their jurisdiction according to the words of Christ and thus do they agree among themselves on the explication of those
their secrets are glad of this occasion to tell all their businesses and often those of their neighbours and declare their griefe to a man whom they thinke obliged to keep all secret and therefore we must not marvell if we see the women so much inclined to it and the Priests knowing them to be more tractable and consequently more liberall than men labour to keepe them in those exercises what ever disorders or discontentments may fall out from their husbands But finally there is no man of spirit who will not confesse that Christ and his Apostles have done wisely in having not instituted this fine mysterie The Bishops also themselves and other Pastours who have more intrest to conserve the divine service in their Churches and to have a care of the generall good than of the profit and particular satisfaction of their Priests begin as much to detest the use of this confession as they did ardently preach and recommend it heretofore for now they see the great disorders and inconveniences it draweth after it and their experience will be the cause they will not be sorry to see all re-established and restored to the primitive order in the time of our Saviour and his Apostles I passe over the great scandall occasioned by this confession whereof an infinite number of Cities and places can give too manifest testimony and which is the cause many judge well that it is surest and more profitable to discover and confesse our secrets to God alone according to his holy will and commandements than to Priests to obey the precepts of the Pope and I shall yet shew in another place that the confession is a snare which precipitates many into hell if the Maximes of the Romish Church be true CHAP. XXIII Of Purgatorie THe Church of Rome which hath founded her new doctrine not upon the Word and will of Christ but especially upon profit and greatnesse hath not contented her selfe in stead of two Sacraments instituted by our Saviour to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper to adde five more whereof the Pope the Bishops and the Priests can make good profit every one of them according to his degree and charge whether it be for the administration of them or the dispensations or other casuall things which concerne them and which fall out every foot But shee hath yet further bethought her to invent a Purgatory which shee saith is a place whether the soules of the faithfull departed in Gods favour doe ordinarily goe after their death there to be burnt and tormented many yeares nay even many hundreds and thousand yeares if they be not delivered by the good works of the living or by the prayers of good people or by application of the overplus of the merits of Christ and the Saints whereof the Pope calleth himselfe the sole Treasurer and Dispenser making profession to apply them by his Jubiles and Indulgences So that simple people to shun that terrible fire after their death wherewith the justest men are threatned have often spoyled themselves and their successours of many lands and great riches to give them to those who are reputed to be godlier than others to oblige them to pray for them after their death that they might not remaine so long in those paines and if those who are alive have any affections to their parents and good friends which are dead they often spare nothing to helpe and relieve them in this their necessitie by all the means which the Romish Church preacheth to be strongest and of greatest force whereof the most part are in the hands and disposition of the Clergie alone and the Monkes and they tell them if they be not helped they must satisfie the rigour of the justice of God and that they must pay to the last farthing and be burned in a fire as hot and scorching as that of hell not onely for the paines due to mortall sins but also for the least veniall sins they might have committed in their life of which every man hath questionlesse an innumerable number and because as they say ready money is good physicke they perswade them not to trust to their heires the payment of that debt who may be diverted by the motive of avarice but that they should provide while they are alive and in health for feare of being surprised by death and that the candle that goeth before giveth better light and is more profitable for that is the phrase of those Ghost like Fathers This doctrine is very profitable to the Clergie but exceeding fearfull and very terrible and strange and deserveth well to be cleerly grounded on the Word of God to be beleeved For to say that God hath sent his Sonne into the world to save mankinde and whose bloud was of an infinite price but neverthelesse hath not been sufficient to satisfie for the paines that a mortall sin doth merit or yet a veniall that I may use the tearme of the Papists or although it hath been sufficient enough and that he hath testified that he loveth mankinde more than doth a Father or Mother their children Notwithstanding he will not apply to them a graine of his satisfaction gratis but hath ordained a fearfull fire to burne them and torment them after their death though they be fully reconciled to him and have departed in his favour and that he esteeme and call them his deere children it is a thing that ought not to be beleeved by any Christian nor yet conceived by any man And is it possible to be beleeved that God hath promised Paradise to those who shall suffer persecution for his name and justice and comfort them who shall be afflicted in this world and shew himselfe to those who shall be of a pure and cleane heart account them blessed who shall dye in him that is to say in his favour that Christ hath promised to say Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world to them who have given meat and drinke to him in his poore when they are hungry or thirstie and to them whom he accounteth his loving children and that onely to satisfie the rigour of his justice and without any hope of amendment he will punish them after their death for many yeares with the same paines that the Devill and the greatest enemies of his honour and glory doe suffer except onely that those shall be tormented for ever and others shall have sometime an end it may be after many hundreds and thousands of yeares for they have invented yet of purpose more to terrifie the people certaine Stories which say that for every small sin they must borne at least seven yeares in Purgatory and what can they hope for who have hundreds and millions the frailty of man being but too great It is questionlesse to wrong the great mercy of God and rather deny his bounty it is to derogate from the infinite merits of the bloud of Christ it is too blasphemous against
to my choice and will besides the Medails and Benedictions which I might have another way to distribute to whom I would And I may truly say this of St. Paul 1 Cor. 13. in this point and others 1 Cor. 13. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childishnesse For I confesse to my confusion now that I was very superstitious towards those Indulgences and did make use of them very often as well for my self as for others and I did it so much the more willingly to others that howsoever I took never any monies nor made ever any temporall profit of them Neverthelesse I did perceive it was a strong mean to me to draw people after me and render them more affectionate to the doctrine which I would preach to them and I know by long experience there is almost nothing more efficacious to allure the people especially the simpler sort to do any thing they desire than the distribution of Indulgences And at what time the Popes did bethink themselves to make the people beleeve that by those Indulgences one might be delivered from the fire of Purgatory and free others also they found that doctrine to be exceeding profitable as well to fill their coffers with money at the Jubilees which were termed the Popes harvest as to leavie strong Armies of Souldiers to defend their estates and Territories and make warre against their enemies So that by the means of those Indulgences they have often got many Millions and leavied numberlesse armies of Christians which they sent out of their own countreys to barbarous and remote countreys where the most part lost both their lives and estates and that which in the beginning was onely done against the Turks as enemies of the Christian faith but especially great enemies of the wealth and revenues of the Bishop of Rome who can pretend nothing where there is no Christians was afterwards practised even against Christians for particular quarrels of the Pope often injust and passionate Now for that mystery of the Indulgences it is to seek the darknesse at noon day to think to find them proved and authorised by the holy Scriptures and I could never see any passage taken out of the old or new Testament that made any wayes for them The onely place they think to be strongest is that in St. Matth. 18.18 which serveth to prove all things Matth. 18.18 and on which the authority of the Popes is especially grounded the words are All that ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven c. which they extend even to the things under the earth to Purgatory to wit which they say is under the earth But this passage hath been sufficiently explained in the precedent Chapters of Auricular Confession and of the Primacie of St. Peter without staying any more upon it to which places I remit the Reader without further answer to shun prolixitie Onely telling them here that according to the letter of this passage if it should be understood as they will have it the full power of Indulgences should be given to all the Pastors who call themselves successours of the Apostles in their office and ministry but the Pope who cannot endure so many corrivals in his authoritie hath divided this power betwixt himself the Cardinals and the Bishops but very unequally So that the Bishops may give Indulgences but for fourty yeers the Cardinals for an hundred and he onely ample and full ones and for all the time and yeers a soul must be in Purgatory for its sin Notwithstanding they give them not continually full but sometime limiteth them to fourty yeers sometimes to an hundred and sometimes to a thousand as in the Treasure of Indulgences of St. Francis girdle there is an Item that hath for every day from the nativity of our Lady there are 800. sixtie and two thousand yeers and an hundred dayes of Indulgences and the remission of the third part of them this is certainly a long time and behold a fair Indulgence for all the time from the creation of the world to this time is nothing in comparison with this it being not six thousand yeers and here above eight hundred thousand and yet this is not the greatest besides the full ones for sometimes he gives Indulgence and pardon for eighteen or twenty thousand and some hundreds of yeers and so many fourty and odde dayes there wanteth nothing but some houres and minutes This Theology is not to be found explained in S. Augustine nor Athanasius nor others of the Ancients for it was not in use then yet many find and large Commentaries are to be seen amongst the Moderns to clear all the mysteries of those thousand yeers fourty dayes and the third part of sins but after reading them again and again and often times I could never understand any thing in it for the height and profoundnesse of the matter Now the thing that moved me to despise them and maketh all men of understanding in the Church of Rome vilifie them is that nothing of this is found taught by Christ nor practised by his Apostles and I marvell much if it was of divine institution they did not use it to the weale and profit of poore Christians which lived in their time and that they did not apply to them by Indulgences besides the merits of Christ the merits of Moses Abel Joseph Jacob and John the Baptist S. Stephen and of all just and holy men to deliver them all quickly out of the fire of Purgatory or hinder them from going thither and that when they did preach or passed through Cities they gave them not besides their benedictions a number of Indulgences as the Pope and the Bishops do now a dayes in visiting their Churches for they wanted not charity for the good and prompt happinesse of Christians and we may well say if that doctrine be true that the Christians of our times are more beloved of God and more fortunate than were they of the Apostles times and of the ages past for that Treasure of Indulgences whereof there was no mention made in their time is very liberally opened at this day and the Indulgences which at their first institution were but seldome given and onely for fourty or few yeers and at great solemnities as at the consecration of a Pope or a Bishop at the dedication of some mother Church or some like occasion are now almost ever given full and that to them indifferently who will honour the Pope so much as to ask them they make also great catalogues and Items of all sorts either in favour of the canonization of some new Saint or some Embassador or Prince or some such like occasion And if a young Gentleman go to Rome and have a desire to bring some thing to his Countrey that costeth not much whereby he may oblige his friends at his return if after he hath
kissed the Popes pantofle he ask him some Indulgences he will give him ten or twenty thousand without difficultie for there needeth but a word and an hundred thousand doth cost no more than two neither in the giving nor in the carriage if it were duckats he would not be so liberall Now it may be he will say to him I give you twenty thousand benedictions of such a Saint or Prince that is to say the power to apply twenty thousand Indulgences of such a Tenure to twenty thousand beads Medals Images or Crosses and the like in such sort that he who shall have one of those about him in saying some Pater or Ave or using some such devotion may deliver himself when he will from all the time he should be in Purgatory from his birth even to that day although he were an hundred yeers old and can often deliver the souls of his friends which are in Purgatory and do them that courtesie when they think least of it and the Gentleman when he returneth will give one half of them it may be to his Mistresse to oblige her and mark that it often doth and may fall out that he who can dispose of so great and considerable a portion of the treasure of the merits of Christ and the holy Martyrs and Confessors to deliver himself and many others out of Purgatory when it pleaseth him is an Atheist a blasphemer murtherer and a man given to all vices having neither God nor soul and who beleeveth neither an heaven nor hell neverthelesse according to that good doctrine it must take effect and be of force especially in others for such is the will disposition and resolution of the holy Father the Pope who can bind and loose how and when he will and dispose of the merits of Christ Jesus and the Saints as of the Cabage in his garden God knoweth and all men of any understanding in the Church of Rome I say nothing here but that which is commonly practised and which ought to be beleeved of all good Papists who are the true children of the Pope But if it be difficile to beleeve all this without the Word of God let them remember themselves they should have a blind faith and not be so curious nor to be disciples of Christ but to be disciples of the Pope CHAP. XXV Of the Congregations and religious Orders BEcause the learnedst and most judicious of the Romish Church confesse that the profession of the three Monasticall and religious vows is not an institution of Christ there being no such thing found in the holy Scripture nor practised by the Apostles but onely an humane invention which had its beginning many ages after and which by the industrie and diligence of the Popes who for their particular profit did take them almost from the beginning in their speciall protection have been augmented and maintained even to that degree wherein we see it at this day and because all those professions have their straightest obligation onely from the authoritie of the Pope who dispenseth on it when and to whom he will which sheweth he beleeveth not himself there is any divine obligation but onely humane having proved sufficiently in the former Chapters that this power of the Pope is void and usurped it is hereafter needlesse to trouble our selves any more to shew the nullity and invaliditie of those professions to oblige any one whatsoever so we shall content our selves to shun prolixity with this foundation which we have laid for this point and others the like and onely say here that as the Indulgences have served in former times the Bishop of Rome to inroll an infinite number of Souldiers under his Ensignes to make war for the conservation and augmentation of his revenues and estate they have been also very usefull to gather a multitude of Christians under a great number of fraternities congregations and other orders which the Pope having instituted and established under the name and at the instance of some particular persons especially for the defence and augmentation of his power and authoritie in time of peace against his enemies and evill willers hath shortly after furnished and gratified them with an infinite number of Indulgences priviledges and immunities as well to unite them and make them more affectionate to him gratifying them with so many favours as to allure to themselves more people under colour and pretext of the great number of pardons and graces both for themselves and their friends knowing that the greater and stronger those companies should be the stronger ane surer should be his partie And howsoever the Popes in the beginning did favour some companies and orders more than others either because they were taken from amongst them or for particular affections or other respects Neverthelesse they have been constrained in the end to avoid jealousie to make all common and make a great Bull to that effect which they have called the great Sea Mare magnum in which they have swallowed up all those favours and priviledges and made them common to all the orders so for the present they are all omnipotent on earth in matter of exemptions priviledges and Indulgences and there is not almost a simple Priest amongst them who hath not greater power than the whole body of Bishops together in that which concerneth their estate Those sweet and forcible inticements of Indulgences and priviledges have much served many Orders to allure an infinite multitude of followers and to win the affections of the people and oblige them to give great Alms and their means liberally that they may partake of their favours and Indulgences and the plentifull effects of this are to be seen in many Monasteries and Houses so rickly founded in Churches and Chappels so sumptuously builded and enriched and in an innumerable and insupportable multitude of Monks and religious persons which live there and are entertained in plentie although at the cost and almost generall complaint of all the Provinces republiques and Cities through the Christian world where they are and to the great discontentment of Bishops and prejudice even of secular Priests both because they run as they say on their Marches and being companies furnished with all sorts of spirits and appearance of holinesse know better how to snatch the substance of the people and because they are more prodigall of their Sermons often than they are desired they keep by that means the Priests and Pastors in ignorance and negligence there being few Priests and Pastors principally because of that in the Romish Church who imploy themselves in preaching as they ought where we see in the places and kingdoms where those orders or rather disorders are not almost all the Ministers give themselves to that Noble and commendable exercise and for the most part with great successe And for the great enterprises upon the rights of the Clergie grounded say they on their Buls there is at this day betwixt them the Bishops and Priests such a notable
dissention and strange scandall in the Church of Rome that they of that partie are ashamed and know not what to think on and it is probable that ere it be long the interchucks of those great and heavie clouds will make terrible thundrings I pray God the lightnings may be good and the effects happie But certainly it is not without subject if the Bishops complain so much to see the Pope of Rome whom they esteeme but their equall under pretext of his usurped authority send them fellow-helpers in their Diocesses without their consent and even against their will and inclination which say they have more power than themselves and brag they are exempted from their jurisdiction preaching in their Diocesse against their will and confessing in despight of them and all the Pastors and who by their Indulgences and Papall priviledges and other Monasticall allurements withdraw their sheep out of their Parish and common fold causing schismes in their Churches especially by the means of certain congregations and brotherhoods invented of purpose to bind the people to them and draw from them their wealth and possessions which is the drift and end of the mystery and truly it would vex a Saint as they say and if the Bishops power were answerable to their good will there would in a short time be no religious nor Monks in the world acknowledging at their own cost too late that institution never to have been of Christ nor his Apostles but onely a humane invention which the Popes have made use of to maintain their authoritie amongst the people especially against the contradictions of the Bishops and truly the Pope hath nor any stronger pillars at this present in the world for he maintaineth them by priviledges and immunities and they defend him by their tongue and writings so one hand scratcheth another Now if the Bishops complain so much seeing their authoritie so far wronged in and by them the kingdom republiques and Cities do no lesse at this present finding their shoulders loaded and their purses extremely lightned thereby for the most part of them are open or secret beggars who calling themselves voluntarily poore are shamelesse and beleeve mens whole estate belongs to them and that every one is bound to give them and who by their stratagems and importunitie can suck the very blood of families leaving often nothing but the bones for the poore children to gnaw for if you chase them out by the one dore they will returne by the other If they be refused by word they enter againe by friends and other inventions if you give them a flat deniall they calumniate you amongst your neighbours as an avaritious or ungodly man if yee give to one yee must give to twenty nay even to all for feare of incurring their disgrace and the bad effects of their tongues which are rather beleeved of the people when they lie than others when they speake truth and are Trumpets that sound every where it is impossible to content them all otherwise men must have the riches of Salomon Moreover they are insatiable so that an honest man that would maintaine his family in any good fashion and shew that his children may obtaine better matches if he cannot give those men proportionably to that which they see appeare outwardly he is often redacted to such extremities that makes him send a thousand complaints and sighes unto heaven against the institution and establishment of those kinde of men It is impossible to hinder them when they have a minde to settle themselves in any Citie or Bishopricke for being troopes composed of a number both of quick and dull spirits they finde easily friends strong and able enough to force and constraine the wills even of Princes and if Kings refuse them they set new inventions and practices on foote to move and stirre up Queenes to prosecute their designes so that it is not to be marveiled if they enter wheresoever they will and there maintaine themselves against the will and combination almost of all And which is worse there is almost no religious Order which hath not a desire to multiply inlarge and establish themselves every where to possesse and governe all themselves alone and when they are established they move heaven and earth to hinder least any companions should come and live neere them or be admitted not onely where they remaine but in all the Circumference and Sphere of their activitie I know a certaine Order which being established in a Towne hath to my knowledge assayed all meanes for divers yeares to hinder the Orders of Jesuits Recolects Penitents Minims Fathers Oratories Feuillants shod and bare-footed Carmelites Pyramidall Augustines and others to settle neere them Now if so much good commeth from those Orders as they make the people beleeve I would gladly aske wherefore they trouble and disquiet themselves so much to hinder others from being admitted and received with them to contribute to the Common good as they doe considering the spirits and inclinations of the people to be different and one will like one Order who will dislike another seeing also as they often preach there cannot be too many good men in the world but charitie say they beginneth at home or to speake the truth covetousnesse commandeth them as well as other passions especially vanitie and pride I remember I have heard many great Preachers and Doctors yea even Prelates of especiall learning and examplary life in the Romish Church apply to them in their Sermons the words spoken by our Saviour of the Pharisees and Scribes Mark 12.38 Mar. 12.38 Beware of the Scribes who love to goe in long cloathing and love salutations in the Market places and the chiefest seats in the Synagogues and the uppermost Roomes at feasts which devoure widdowes houses and for a pretence make long prayers those shall receive greater Damnation And many among them did confesse the application was good enough for the most part and they seemed to suffer it as persecution for Justice notwithstanding under-hand they left nothing unassayed whereby to be revenged and hinder them to preach any longer for feare they should reveale other things and discover more of their mysteries For my part it is not my designe here or desire to speake any thing either of particular persons or Congregations although it may well be beleeved that if I would open my mouth or move my pen I know many singularities concerning the disorders which have been committed and which are committed there every day to shame many but as I pretend nothing but the weale and conversion of soules not their confusion I desire rather to bury all in silence than discover any thing I will say no more of it except some froward and impertinent spirit as there are diverse will tax me of lying and imposture in this Discourse and give me occasion to explaine my selfe more cleerly and produce more evident examples and proofes to justifie my selfe of this crime and so constraine my nature and