multitude of people that have received the Romish Faith and their Church say they hath replenished the greatest part of the world They would prove this by the Propagation of the Church in the Apostles time in Tertullian Irenaeus Hierom Augustine yea and afterward in Gregories days yea and now also besides many great Countries in Europe they have their Church in India America and the unknown parts of the world saith Bellarmine But the truth is not always to be measured by the judgment or opinion of the multitude The greatest part is not the best Christ calleth his Flock a little Flock Besides the Papists have nothing to do with the Church that was propagated in the Apostles time nor for the space of five or six hundred years after Christ and the most of their Errours are more lately sprung up than so The Popes Jurisdiction in Europe is much diminished And for the Indians and Americans it is well known what cruelty the Spaniards used to win that simple people to Christ as Benzo the Italian hath related it and there are few or none of their Popish Catholicks in those Countries but of their own brood that have been sent thither Universality unless it be joyned with verity is no sufficient note of the Church saith Mr. Fox Of Succession THey boast much of the long and perpetual Succession of their Popes from the Apostles for the space of these 1500 years and more condemning all Churches which cannot shew the like order of Succession But the Bishops of the Churches of Antioch and Rome and Alexandria boast themselves to be Successors of Saint Peter and yet are dissenting and separate in Communion The Bishops of Constantinople fetch their Succession from the Apostle Saint Andrew as Nicephorus goeth about to prove in the eighth Book of his Chronology Chapter 6. yet these Bishops by the Judgment of the Roman Church are Schismaticks and Hereticks Whence it appears that the Succession of Chairs cannot be a fit mark for the true Church since it is found in Heretical Churches In the Papal See some Schisms have been and divers times many Popes together excommunicating one another and reciprocally calling one another Antichrist and of those Antichrists the worst commonly overcame So according to the very Canons of the Roman Church factions and corruptions in the creation of Popes have frequently made their election void and therefore have broken the thread of that Succession Of Unity THe Papists boast much of Unity Flac. Ilyric but it is without ground of truth and yet they have many Dissentions Illyricus hath written a Book to the purpose concerning the several Sects and Divisions amongst them The Scotists and Thomists differ about meritum condigni congrui about Original sin in the Virgin Mary about a solemn Vow and a single life Great Differences there are between their Canonists and School-men Albertus Pius dissented from Cajetan Thomas from Lombard Scotus from Aquinas Occam from Scotu Alliancenses from Occam The first Nicene Council allowed Priests Marriage and the Communion in both kinds The Councils of Basil and Constance forbad the Laity the use of the Cup the same Councils decreed likewise that the Pope should be subject to General Councils Many Antipopes have there been at one and the same time Much also might be said of the great Diversity of their Monks and Friers in their Food Habits Shaving and the like Various are their Opinions likewise touching the Controversie of the Sacrament The Papists are very Schismatical engrossing the Title of Catholicks whereby they would imply both truth of Doctrine and universality of Consent to be found only with them but as one well observeth upon no better grounds than the Turks arrogate the Title of Mussulmannâ— that is Crocks Hypâ—â—â— Orthodox and Iâ—annâ— that is at Unity It is not their number that excuseth them from Schism no more than the revolt of the ten Tribes from the house of David could make the two Tribes that clave to it guilty of that rent and themselves to be innocent Unity must be in the truth else the saying of Nazianzen will take place Better is Discord bringing Light Greg. Nazianz Orat 1. de â—â—ace Than Vnity without all right Though Popery appear to have in it Unity yet the same is Vanity and Antichristianity and not in Christs Faith and Verity Of the Power of working Miracles BEllarmine doth greatly upbraid our Church for the defect of Miracles saying Hereticos non potuisse extorquere Miracula neque à Deo neque à Diabolo that Hereticks meaning the Protestants do neither extort Miracles from God nor from the Devil But do they take a pride that the Devil is forward in advancing their Cause and so backward to do us any kindness we will rest content with such Miracles as our Saviour and the Apostles wrought at the propagating of the Gospel but when we dissent from Christs Doctrine we will cast about for new Miracles I. A Miracle is a marvelous The pretended Miracles of Saint Francis reported by Vincentius Antâ—rine Bâ—naventure and Suâ—ius are more than marvelous sensible real Work above the vertue of natural causes wrought for good ends especially for the promoting of Gods Glory and Mans Salvation It is a work of wonder Act. 2.22 Luk. 8.25 Act. 7.30 31. So it is said of Simon Magus he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the Miracles and Signs which were done Îξίστατο he was transported beyond himself with admiration It is true many things may cause wonder which are not miraculous as 1. Other great Works 2. False and seeming Miracles wrought by the power and subtilty of Satan But here I speak of such Works as afford just cause of wonder such Works as deserve admiration from the wisest of men false Miracles are wonders in shew only II. True Miracles are sensible Works apparent to some or other of the Senses and therefore that pretended Popish Miracle of Transubstantiation is but an absurd fancy a thing denied by the Senses the Smell the Taste the Eye all with one consent say it is Bread and Wine and not Flesh and Blood When our Saviour turned Water into Wine there was a sensible change it had the colour and taste of Wine and that so evident that the Governour of the Feast preferred it above any they had drunk before When Melancton was a young Scholar at the University he heard one Lempus a Popish Doctor who would take upon him to draw a Picture of Transubstantiation and so to present a shadow of it to the Eye though it were invisible yea and impossible in it self but Melancton though he was then but a youth instead of wondering at the supposed Miracle admired the dotage and sottishness of the Doctor III. A Miracle is a true and real Work false Miracles are deceitful appearances many Popish Miracles are meer cheats of some lewd persons couzening tricks of deceitful men or wonders of lying spirits IV. True Miracles are above
Priest and when the people do communicate the Wine they have not 21. Remember O Lord the Souls of thy Servants which rest in the sleep of peace and grant them a place of refreshing and rest Here they pray for the dead and the Praier also is contrary to it self for first he saith they rest in peace and yet afterward praieth for their refreshing Thus beginneth the fifth Praier of the Canon 22. Deliver us by the blessed intercession of the Virgin What then is become of Christs Mediation and Intercession who ever liveth to make Intercession for us Hebr. 7.25 23. Let this mingling together of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ be unto me salvation of Mind and Body Then is not Christs Blood shed upon the Cross the full sufficient and perfect Salvation of Mankind if there be another Salvation beside And if it be the very Body and Blood of Christ how can they be mingled together seeing the very Body and Blood of Christ cannot be divided 24. Grant me so worthily to take this Body and Blood that I may merit to receive forgiveness of sins O sinful man how canst thou merit to receive that which is Christs only gift 27. Let the Priest bow himself to the Host saying I worship thee I glorifie thee I praise thee What monstrous Idolatry is this thus to worship a piece of Bread 28. Let us worship the sign of the Cross What I pray you will not these Idolaters worship 29. Respect not my sins but the Faith of the Church By this reason one may be profited by anothers Faith which is contrary to the Scripture The just shall live by his Faith by his own and not anothers Rom. 1.17 I shall pass by diverse other Errours and come to the last 30. In the end of the Mass according to the use of Sarum there is annexed the from of blessing or consecrating the Paschal Lamb with this Praier Vouchsafe to sanctifie this Paschal Lamb that as many of thy people as do cat thereof may be replenished with all heavenly Benediction c. What gross Superstition is this that they should still retain the use of the Paschal Lamb which cannot be but to the great derogation of the true Paschal Lamb Christ Jesus that the Body being come the shadow should be still retained Other Errours in the manner of celebrating Mass 1. ALl is done and said in the Latin tongue not understood of the people and often not of the Priest himself which is not to edification 2. They use many irksome tedious and frivolous repetitions of the same words as Benedicamus Domino is sung ten several times together and Ite missa est is sung thirteen several times with long and tedious notes 3. The Priest is charged in the Rubrick to say divers Praiers privatim secretly to himself as that Praier Deliver us from all evil past present and to come c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamb of God that takest away â—he sins of the world These and many other words must be pronounced secretly to himself contrary to Saint Paul who would have Praiers so said that they may be understood and thereunto Amen answered by the people 1 Cor. 14.16 4. The Priest is taught by the Rubeick to make thirty several Crosses at the least upon the Bread the Cup the Altar his Forehead but no such crossing is to be found in Christs Institution which they profess to follow 5. Their Gesture in saying of Mass is so changeable so ridiculous so affected that a man would think a Plaier were coming forth upon the Stage when the Priest addresseth himself to the Mass nay Rossius was not so full of action as the Massing-Priest is of gesture varying and changing it at least forty or fifty times during the celebration of the Mass Their Errours concerning the Church 5. THey assert that the Catholick Church is always visible Canis c. de fide symb art 18. and not seen only unto the members of the Church but notoriously known to the whole world neither do they mean any particular Church so to have been visible but the universal Catholick Church which they define to be a visible Congregation of all faithful men 2. Bellarm. lib. 3. de Eccles That the Catholick Church is no other than the Roman or that which the Roman Pope is over Bellarmine defining the Church makes this one part of the definition to be subject unto the Bishop of Romes Jurisdiction and therefore they conclude that they are out of the Church and no better than Hereticks that do not acknowledg the Pope to be their chief Pastor So they make the Roman Faith and Catholick to be all one 3. That the Catholick Church cannot possibly err not only in matters absolutely necessary to Salvation but not in any thing which it imposeth or commandeth whether it be contained in the Word of God or not yea that it cannot err in those things which beside the Word of God are commanded But because the Papists endeavour to invest the Popes and the Roman Church with an infallible Perfection Dr. Du Moulins Auswer to Card. Perron for King James it will be expedient to shew by invincible proofs that the Roman Church hath erred and doth err I shall therefore only produce the Errours approved by their Popes and Councils as the learned Doctor Du Moulin in his answer to Cardinal Du Perron hath set them down In the year of our Lord 787 a Council was assembled which the Roman Church approveth and reckoneth among the universal Councils there sate the Legates of Pope Adrian who wrote a Book purposely for the defence of that Council 1. In the seventh action that Council commandeth the Adoration of Images upon pain of Anathema in these words We hold that the Images of the glorious Angels and of all Saints must be adored and saluted but as for him that hath not the will so to do but staggereth and is doubtful about the adoration of the venerable Images this holy and venerable Synod doth anathematize him In the fourth Action of the same Synod these words are found Images are of equal worth with the Gospels and the venerable Cross And in the same place the Image is greater than the Word and the Praier In the fifth Action the Council declareth that Angels are corporal that there may be a ground for making Images of Angels The same Council to prove the Adoration of Images corrupteth the Scripture in diverse places In the year 869. a Council was held at Constantinople which our Adversaries call the eighth General Council The third Canon of that Council is in these words We decree that the sacred Image of Jesus Christ be adored with the same honour as the Book of the holy Gospels and the Figure of the precious Cross In the year of our Lord 1059. Pope Nicholas the second assembled a Council against Berengarius where it was declared that the Bread and Wine which is put upon the
Acts of Foronosus his Predecessor John the ninth disannulled all the Acts of Stephen and Sergius the third all the Acts that Formosus had done and so that which John had done and approved the Acts of Stephen some of these must err In the 1408. in the Council of Pisa consisting of 1000 Divines and Lawyers two Popes were deposed at once viz. Gregory the eleventh and Benedict the thirteenth the Tenour of whose Deprivation calleth them Schismaticks Hereticks departed from the Faith scandalizing the whole Church unworthy the Papacy cut off from the Church And whereas Benedict continued Pope still for all this a second Council holden at Constance deposed him again commanding all men to esteem him as an Heretick and Schismatick John Gerson testifieth of Pope John the two and twentieth that he held that the Souls of just men separated from their Bodies do not see God nor rejoyce with him till the day of Judgment This was a publick Errour of his for he taught it publickly and commanded it to be held by all men But for this Errour of his he was condemned before the French King by the Divines of the University of Paris and made to recant it with Sound of Trumpet And Alphonsus a Castro saith that he saw a Decretal Epistle of Pope Celestine wherein he publickly erred in matter of Marriage Pope Pius the fourth decreed that it should be lawful for him to allow degrees of Marriage forbidden in Leviticus and to forbid what God allowed Eastern Bishops and antient Fathers have sharply reproved the Bishop of Rome as namely Polycrates the Bishop of Ephesus and as Irenaeus the Bishop of Lions did Victor for his rash proceeding against the Eastern Churches Antient Councils have withstood the Pope as that of Chalcedon wherein were six hundred and thirty Bishops withstanding Leo in the Question of Supremacy The sixth Council of Carthage of two hundred seventeen Bishops resisted three Popes one after another in that they would do contrary to the Council of Nice These judged that Popes may err Such have been made Popes that any wise man may think might err Some have been unlettered Ideots no Grammarians that could hardly write their Names in Latin some Lay-men as Constantius the second and Bennet the eighth and very Boys for age Bennet the ninth a Child of ten years old John the twelfth a Bastard a mad Lad about eighteen years old and one Woman as Pope Joan of whom Mantuan that elegant Poet writeth thus Hic pendebat adhuc sexum mentita virilem Faemina cui triplici Phrygiam diademate Mitram Extollebat apex c. lib. 3. Here did as yet in shew a Man a Woman sit Whose Head a costly Crown did fit Some Popes have been Blasphemers Dishonorers of Parents Sorcerers Adulterers Covetous breakers of Promises Pope Alexander the sixth upon Festival days gave himself to hear Plautus his Comedies and to be present at other Pâ—ays Pope Paul the third poisoned his Mother and his Nephew that the whole Inheritance of the Farnesians might come unto him 34. That Saint Peter was Prince of the Apostles and had a Primacy of power and authority above all the Apostles They assert that Saint Peter was Head of the Church that Saint Peter was the only Vicar of Christ here on earth Their Errours concerning the Sacraments in general 1. Rhem. Act. 22. Sect. 1. THat much is to be attributed to the bare outward Work that the Sacraments do confer Grace ex opere operato 2. That the Sacraments are not Seals of the Promises or Covenant of God nor instituted to confirm the Promise 3. That Circumcision was a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith only to Abraham 4. Vide Bp. Downham Catal. That Grace is contained in the Sacraments as in a vessel nay that the Sacraments are Physical instrumental causes of Grace and that they do work holiness by the power put into them by God as the heat of the fire is the cause of the burning of the Wood. 5. Bellarm. cap. 27. That there is necessarily required the intention of the Administrator to the truth of the Sacrament at least of doing what the Church doth 6. Vide Rhem. Aâ—mot in 2 Cor. 1 That in the Sacraments of Baptism Confirmation and Order there is imprinted in the Soul by God a character or certain spiritual and indelible sign or mark so that they cannot be reiterated In the other Sacraments viz. according to the Popish account there is only an ornament or dress imprinted instead of a mark or character 7. That the Observation of the Ceremonies which they use in the Administration of Sacraments though invented by themselves through will-worship is meritorious and part of Divine Worship 8. They add five Sacraments to the other two instituted by Christ Concil Trid. Sâ—ss 7. Can. 1. viz. Confirmation Penance Orders Extreme Unction And say they if any of these are not truly and properly Sacraments Rhem. Annot. Apoc 1. Sect. 3. or that they are not of Christs Institution let him be anathema or accursed Their Arguments are 1. The number of seven is mystical prophetical perfect The Prophet commanded Naaman to wash himself seven times The Altar must be cleansed seven days Exod. 29.37 So in the Apocalypse seven Churches seven Angels seven Stars seven Candlesticks seven Thunders c. And why not also seven Sacraments saith Bellarmine 2. Man hath seven Wounds to be healed ergo there ought to be seven Sacraments as Remedies against the same Baptism say they is a remedy against Original sin Penance against Actual sin Bellarm. l. 2. c. 26. Extreme Unction against the Reliques of sin Confirmation against infirmity of Faith the Eucharist against Malice Orders against Ignorance Their Errours concerning Baptism 1. Bellarm. lib. 1. de Baptism THey define Baptism to be a Sacrament of Regeneration by Water in the Word that is not which signifieth and sealeth unto us our Regeneration and assureth us of Remission of sins but actually justifieth and regenerateth us 2. Bellar. de Baptismâ— lib. 1. c. 3. They affirm that this form of Baptism to baptize in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is not fully concluded out of Scripture but delivered by Tradition for say they the Command of Christ to baptize in the name of the Trinity may be understood thus to baptize them into the Faith of the Trinity or by the authority of the Trinity 3. They affirm that Baptism is simply necessary to Salvation by Gods appointment Concil Trid. Sâ—ss 7. can 7. so that all which die unbaptized unless the want of Baptism be recompensed either by Martyrdom or Penance must needs perish and be deprived of eternal Life 4. They grant power to baptize Bellarm. c. 7. not only to any rank of men but even to Women in case of necessity they grant this also to Lay men and Pagans in like case 5. They affirm that the Baptism of Infants is grounded upon Tradition and
in the Sacrifice of the Mass the better to discern the Body of Christ There are other Ceremonies Bâ—llâ—m l. 2 de Missa c. 14 15. which they observe and use in the very action it self and celebration of the Mass as the diverse Gestures of the Priest to lift up his Eies and cast them down again and so lift them up the second and the third time sometimes to cast abroad his hands to close them again to warble with his fingers to bow to bend to duck to turn on this side Concil Trid. Sess 22 Can. 7 and on that now on the right hand again on the left to sigh to smite upon his breast to lift up the Chalice and shew it to the people and set it down again as also the dividing of the Host into three parts which signifies three parts of the Church in Heaven in Earth in Purgatory the rinsing of part thereof in Wine and eating of part dry the washing of his fingers before Consecration kissing of the Altar the Patten the Book the Paxe sprinkling of holy Water censing of Odours crossing the Chalice the Bread their Mouth Breast and Face which sign of the Cross they make above twenty times during one Mass Add also unto these their tedious and irksom Songs the rude noise and unedifying sound of strange Instruments and the whole course of their Mass-Musick set forth in a strange Language and endited to the honour of Saints Sledian doth briefly describe this fink of Ceremonies speaking of the tumult that was raised at Strasburg Sleidan Hâ—st lib 21 because of the Mass There was saith he a great concourse of men especially of the youth for in his time it was to them a rare spectacle and there not heard of before that many with shaven Crowns cloathed after a new fashion should sing together such things as no man understood that Candies and Torches should burn as the saying is at noon-day that smoak and perfumes should be raised up with frankincense that the Priest with his attendants should stand at the Altar pronounce words in an uncouth Language use divers bowings and gestures bend downward with his hands close shut one while fling abroad another while pull back his arms ever and anon turn himself one while cry aloud another while mutter over some things with great silence cast his eyes on high look groveling to the ground stand in no one place turn himself now to the right part now to the left part of the Altar wagg with the fingers breath upon the Chalice and lift it up on high and after set down in certain places name sometimes the living sometimes the dead break unleavened Bread and dip it in the Chalice strike his breast with his first sigh make as though he slept with his eyes shut awake again eat one part of the Bread and drink up the other whole with the Wine lest any drop should be left wash his hands shew to the people with his back toward them and his hand stretched out the gilded Patten move the same to his forehead and breast kiss one while the Altar another while an Image enclosed in some matter or mettal Thus He. 14. They say they have the form of their Mass by Tradition from the Apostles and that by Masses Souls are delivered out of Purgatory Many Errours and Blasphemies that are to be found in the Canon of the Mass as touching the Matter collected by Doctor Andrew Willet 1. THe Priest saith We pray thee accept these gifts these holy and unspotted sacrifices Thus he maketh Bread and Wine the Sacrifices of the Gospel 2. The Priest speaking of the Bread and Wine thus saith Which we offer unto thee for thy holy Catholick Church and again afterwards Which we offer for the Redemption of our Souls What great blasphemy is this to offer Bread and Wine for the Redemption of the Church for the which Christ in great love offered himself up and so make his death of no force 3. The Rubrick of the Mass willeth that the Priest should pray for his own Bishop only and for himself and his special friends but Charity would that he should pray for all Bishops Pastors and Ministers and Christ biddeth us not only pray for our friends but also for our enemies 4. The Priest prayeth first for the Pope then for his own Bishop lastly for the King but Saint Paul would have Prayers made first of all for all men but especially for Kings 1 Tim. 2.2 The Papists in their Mass and other Praiers prefer the Pope before their Prince and acknowledg him to be their Pope and Bishop 5. The Priest saith worshipping the memorial of the Virgin but Christ instituted the Sacrament to be kept in remembrance of himself and not of her 6. By whose merits and praiers namely the Saints grant we may be defended but Saint John saith if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 7. In the second Prajer of the Canon they pray by vertue of the Oblation of Bread and Wine to be delivered from eternal damnation for as yet the elements are not consecrated 8. We beseech thee saith the Priest to receive this Oblation which we beseech thee in all things to make blessed Here the Priest is made a Mediator between Christ and his Father desiring God to sanctifie the Body and Blood of his Son Thus beginneth the third Praier of the Canon 9. Who the next day before he suffered but the Scripture saith the same night For this is my Body Here they have put in enim of their own and left out Quod pro vobis datur which is given for you Such is their boldness that they are not ashamed to change the words of our Saviour Christ 10. Take ye c. Why then doth the Priest take it alone seeing Christ appointed it to be taken of many 11. Eat ye c. Why then do they hang it up in a Pixe seeing Christ would have it eaten 12. Drink ye all of this Why then doth the Priest drink it alone seeing by Christs institution all are to drink of it 13. He saith further in the fourth Prayer The holy Bread of eternal life which vouchsafe thou with a pleasant countenance to behold Whereas the Bread of eternal life is Christ himself if this be He how dare they presume to offer him up to his Father Diverse other things there are of like sort 14. Afterward the Priest praieth Command thou this to be brought by the hands of thy holy Angel unto the high Altar in Heaven What an absurd thing is this that he should desire that to be carried into Heaven which he eateh and devoureth And if this be the Body of Christ what need the help of an Angel to carry it up to Heaven Is not Christ able to lift up his own Body 15. As many of us as shall receive thy Sons Body and Blood And yet for the most part none receive but the
These few Proofs drawn out of the most authentick Rules of the Roman Church will be a pattern more than sufficient to shew to any man that is not resolved to lose himself and that seeks instruction that the Roman Church can err 4. Our Adversaries do devise many Notes whereby their Church is descried Driedo and P. a Soto would have three Hosius four Sanders six Michael Medina ten Cunerus twelve Bellarmine fifteen Socolovius twenty Doctor Favour chap. 4. one the true and oldest Antiquity But there are seven principal which they do most stand upon Antiquity Vniversality Succession Vnity the Power of Miracles the Gift of Prophecy Prosperity Of Antiquity THe Papists make great brags of the long continuance of their Church yea that they can shew the descent of their Church from Adam but they must come short of our Saviour Christ and the Apostles times by five or six hundred years for the most of the Opinions which they now hold The Romanists adulterate Antiquity because it is a Pearl of greatest price but a skilful Lapidary can soon espy the Alchymy it seemeth Gold yet is but brandished Brass it seems a Ruby one of the Stones in Aarons rich array or a Foundation of New Jerusalem where is no counterfeit but it is only a polished Garnet it beareth resemblance of a Diamond but it is digged out of Saint Vincents Rock as good as a Saint Martins Chain So many things are offered by the Papists for Antiquity which upon trial prove meer Novelty worse Vanity a plain Nullity The Roman Church in this point is intolerable for she boasteth of Antiquity but will not suffer the truth of her Doctrine to be examined she will have us to judg of the Truth by Antiquity whereas we ought to judg of Antiquity by the Truth and by Conformity to the Word of God which is the first Antiquity Anno 420. Zosimus Bishop of Rome challenged a prerogative above other Churches that it might be lawful to make appeals from other Churches to that See and to set the better colour upon it he falsly alleadged a Decree of the Nicene Council but there was no such thing found there wherefore it was decreed in the Council of Carthage at that time that none should appeal to Rome Boniface the third purchased of the wicked Emperour Phocas the Title of Universal Bishop Transubstantiation was first concluded against Berengarius anno 1062. under Pope Leo the ninth but not publickly enacted before anno 1216. under Innocentius the third The Dominick Friers were brought in at the same time Auricular Confession was brought in the year before under the same Pope Telesphorus brought in their Lenton Fast Calixtus instituted the four Ember Fasts Hyginus brought in Chrism It is easie to shew by whom every piece of their blasphemous Mass hath been patched together Marriage was first prohibited by Pope Nicholas the second Alexander the second Gregory the seventh The Communion in one kind forged urged and decreed in the Council of Constance not much above two hundred years agone The Church of Rome boasteth of Antiquity and yet as one saith brings new things every day she makes a shew of some old patched Clothes to make the world believe that she comes from far as the Gibeonites did but let a man examine her Doctrine by pieces he shall find she comes not from very far and almost all is new It cannot be proved that the antient Church in many ages after the Apostles excluded the people from the Cup or kept them from reading the holy Scripture or made Pictures of the Trinity or yielded veneration to the Images of Saints or call'd the Virgin Mary the Queen of Heaven or made mention of the Roman indulgences or of the power of the Pope to depose Kings and fetch Souls out of Purgatory c. In a word saith old Doctor Du Moulin as it is now another Doctrine so it is another Church because it is another Religion That true Antiquity is not of our Adversaries side 1. The Greek Church testifieth for the Grecians affirm that their Church is the Mother of the Roman Church and hath born the first prerogative in the orthodoxal verity The Syrians boast themselves to be the first Christians in the world because that St. Peter had his Seat seven year at Antioch before ever he went to Rome 2. The Eastern and Southern Churches do give the priority and priviledg of Antiquity unto the Church of Antioch before Rome Symmachus a Pagan Symmach writing to the Christian Emperours Valens Theodosius and Arcadius he desireth them to have a reverence for the Pagan Religion by reasonÌ„ of her Antiquity If saith he the length of time gives authority to Religion we must keep Faith to so many Ages and follow our Fathers who have so happily followed theirs Then he personates the old Pagan Rome thus speaking to the Emperours Good Princes Fathers of your Countrey respect my years unto which the pious Ceremonies have brought me permit me to use the Ceremonies of my Ancestors This Religion hath subjected the World unto my Laws these holy Services have beaten back Hannibal from the Wails and the Senones from the Capitol Have I been preserved unto this time that I should be rebuked in mine old age The Correction of old age comes too late and is injurious What could Ambrose and Prudentius answer who confuted that Epistle but that the Law of God is more antient than Numa Pompilius the Author of those Ceremonies and that all is new which is not from the beginning and that Errour cannot be authorized by the number of years Our Fathers received it of their Fathers August saith Cresconius sed errantes ab errantibus saith Saint Augustine Of Universality THe Papists say their Church is universal both in respect of time person and place it hath always been in the world and hath flourished in all Countries and Nations ergo it is the true Church That it is universal they first prove by the name of Catholick But if the name Catholick were an unchangeable mark or natural property of any real Church it should be of the Greek Church or Nation unto which the name of Catholick is prime and natural If the real property answering to this name had belonged to the Romish Church the Holy Ghost would have expressed it by a Roman Name and have called the Roman Church the Universal Church at least the Romanists should have called themselves Universals not Catholicks as the learned Doctor Jackson noteth It is easie to consider the vanity of this Assertion Jackâ—on de Eccl. that a Name should be an unseparable property proceeding of the nature of any reality But the Name of a Christian is a more honourable Title than the Name of Catholicks for this was used in the Apostles time Act. 11.26 and by the Apostles themselves allowed but it is not certain that the Name Catholick came from the Apostles Secondly they prove their Universality by the
hundred years we were never exempted from civil Wars Here many of our sacred Kings have been deposed and murthered by their near Blood and Kindred how much innocent Blood was shed for the space of five years in Queen Marys days and how many Popish Conspiraces were there in Queen Elizabeths days And this addeth exceedingly to his wickedness that the Pope pretendeth to be a common Father of Christians and the Vicar or Deputy of Christ and under this mask acteth so mischievously against Christ and Christians Other Errours are of the Papists concerning the Church That there are no Catholicks but those of the Roman Church That he is a Catholick who believes all that the Roman Church delivereth whether it be written in the Bible or not That there is no Salvation out of the Roman Church That the sincere preaching of the Gospel and lawful administration of the Sacraments Bp. Downham Caâ—al are not a certain note of the Church That to acknowledg the Roman Pope and to be under him as the Vicar of Christ the only Pastor the Head of the whole Church is a note of the true Church That the particular Roman Church is the Mother Mistress and Lady of all Churches yea the Mother of Faith That the Roman Church did obtain this Primacy from our Lord and Saviour himself That the Roman Church hath power of judging all neither is it lawful for any to judg her Judgment That the Roman Church as it cannot err much less can it fail That there is no sure ground for the authority of the Scriptures but the infallible testimony of their Pope and Catholick Roman Church But the true Church must be discerned by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the Church unless a man would in the dark seek to find out the candle by the candlestick whereas he should rather seek out the candlestick by the light of the candle for the Church is as the candlestick and the Scripture as the light or candle Finally the Papists assert that we are to be subject to the Church without limitation So when in the maintenance of their Opinions they are beaten off from the Scripture they fly to the Church and make use of its authority which is with them in effect the Pope whom they make the Head of the Church and whose Sentence among them giveth all force and authority to that which the Church is said to define Howsoever the Church doth but signifie such a Society as consisteth of Men and Women and therefore set the Pope aside to be absolutely subject to the Church what is it but to be the Servants of Men which Saint Paul forbiddeth and presseth his Prohibition with an argument drawn from the precious Blood of Christ the price of our Redemption And therefore when once Cochlaeus a Champion of Popish Superstition speaking for the gross Idolatry of worshipping Images used this reason Quod Mater Ecclesia hâc in parte audienda esset cui hoc visum fuisset that our Mother the Church herein is to be obeyed whose pleasure it is that Images should be worshiped Brentius a learned Divine is said to have answered Quid si Pater diversum praecipiat what if our Father forbid it no Command of our Mother the Church on Earth can bear us out if our Father which is in Heaven speak the contrary And therefore in yielding obedience to the Church we must except our duty to God and obey her no farther than her commands are allowed by him much more must we reject the tyrannical and presumptuous Mandates of the Whore of Babylon pretending her self to be the Spouse of Christ wanting that authority which belongeth to the Church and yet still challenging far more than the Churches right A great misery of so many millions of poor wretched souls it is to be thus enslaved and a most cursed practice it is of those who go about to bring them again into such Antichristian bondage who now are out of Babylon But among all other Papists how desperately wicked are the Jesuits and how slavish swearing absolute obedience to the General of their Society binding themselves by Oath to do whatsoever he commandeth them Vide Gages Survay of 〈◊〉 Wâ—st Indies without exception though it be to murther Kings and blow up Parliaments with Gunpowder and any such like villanies Of the Members of the Church THe Members of the Church considered severally are The Clergy The Laity Their Errours are 1. That to make a Member of the Catholick Church Bp. Downham Caâ—â—aâ— there is not required Grace or any internal vertue but a profession of Faith is sufficient 2. That the Clergy are not held under civil Laws by any coactive but only directive Bond that is that the Clergy are not subject to the civil Magistrate 3. That Clergy-men are not bound to keep and observe the positive Laws of Princes if they be contrary to the Canons of the Church neither ought they to be cited before the civil Magistrate for any cause or to be judged by him It is absurd saith Bellarmine that the sheep should judg the Shepherd 4. That the goods of the Clergy both ecclesiastical and secular are free from the Tribute and Taxe of secular Princes 5. That the election of Bishops dependeth upon the Pope and that they all receive Jurisdiction from the Pope 6. That single life is always joyned to holy Orders by divine right that Marriage in the Clergy is a greater sin than Whoredom 7. That men are to be prepared for holy Orders by the first shaving 8. That the Clergy-men of the first Order are Priests properly so called which they say are instituted to offer an external and real Sacrifice 9. That preaching is not necessary to the Priesthood and in the Roman Church the greatest part of Priests do not preach They must have some other Charge or Commission besides the Priesthood for to be Preachers 10. There is that which they call Irregularity that which hinders a man from being capable of the holy Orders or performing the Functions belonging thereunto after they have received them Ignorance maketh not a man uncapable of holy Orders Some of their Bishops could not read 〈…〉 l. 1. c. 61. but they give them a co-adjutor for they hold that a man may serve God by an Attorney Yea they confer the sacred Orders upon Infants in the Cradle as Cardinal Tolet the Jesuit teacheth No man can receive nor exercise the Priesthood that hath any notable defect in his Body especially if he hath lost one of the Fingers wherewith they handle the Host That man is irregular also that hath had two Wives An Hermophrodite is not irregular provided that the virile Sexe do prevail as Emanuel Sa in his Aphorisms teacheth Item that man is irregular that hath cut off a member from any other man An Heretick also though converted is uncapable of Orders his Children likewise and his Childrens Children yet in this nevertheless the Pope gives
a Dispensation Item a wilful Murtherer in which rank they are not placed that disclose an Heretick to the Inquisition for to put him to death nor those that carry wood for to burn him nor that man that gives a woman a Potion to drink for to kill a Child in her Womb as the same Jesuit there teacheth A married man is not admitted to any Order but he that whoreth or keeps at home a Concubine or more may be a Priest and perform the Functions belonging thereunto as Pope Innocent the third doth define in the Title de Bigamis And thereupon the Gloss of the Doctors addeth Whoredom hath more priviledge here than Chastity Vide the Jâ—usâ—â—s Morals yea a notorious Buggerer or Sodomite is not irregular or uncapable of holy Orders and may sing Mass as Navarrus teacheth who was the Popes Penitential and the most learned of all the Canonists 11. They hold that the Priests and all Spiritual persons ought to be rich because Saint Paul saith a Bishop must be given to Hospitality 12. That no Priest is to be deprived for Fornication 13. That Christians may be distinguished by divers Names and separated into various Professions of different Religions 14. That those Professions are the state of perfection 15. That publick exercises of Religion ought to be in an unknown Language 16. That private exercises are performed that way also in a more holy manner 17. That Kings enjoy their Kingdoms by the Popes favour 18. That the Pope hath right to give and take away and translate Kingdoms 19. That the Roman Church hath Cardinals for Sides-men to the Pope upon whom the universal Church is turned as upon hinges 20. That these are to be joined with the Pope in the Government of the universal Church and that those whether they be Bishops or Presbyters or Deacons are not only to be preferred before other Bishops Archbishops Primates Patriarchs but to be equalled even with Kings Their Errours concerning Justifying Faith 1. THat Faith hath its proper seat and place only in the understanding not in the heart and affection and that it is not an assurance or considence of the heart 2. That Faith is but a bare assent of the Mind without knowledg or understanding of that whereunto it assenteth That there is an implicit Faith which is the Faith of simple men who although they are not able to give good reason of their Belief yet it is enough for them to say they are Catholick-men and that they will live and die in that Faith which the Catholick Church doth teach Now this implicit Faith which they say is sufficient for common Catholicks is nothing else but to believe as the Church believeth though they know nothing themselves particularly 3. That it is not the property of Faith specially to apply to every Believer the Promises of God in Christ for this they boldly call presumption but generally to believe whatsoever is contained in Gods Word to be true 4. They affirm that an historical Faith a Faith of working Miracles and that Faith which justifieth are all one in substance That the Faith of Miracles differeth only from justifying Faith in an accidental quality of more fervour devotion and confident trust yea the Rhemists are more absurd that Faith say they which Saint James calls a dead Faith is notwithstanding a true Faith and the same which is called the Catholick Faith 5. That true justifying Faith may be separated from Love and other Christian vertues 6. That Faith doth not justifie as an Instrument in apprehending the Righteousness of Christ but as a proper and true cause it actually justifyeth by the dignity worthiness and meritorious work thereof 7. That Works are more principal than Faith in the matter of Justification 8. That we are said to be justified by Faith because Faith is the beginning only the foundation and root of Justification 9. That men are not justified by the only imputation of Christs Righteousness or by the Remission of sins or that we are not formally justified by the Righteousness of Christ 10. That our particular Salvation is not to be believed by Faith 11. That a man may fall away from the Faith which once truly he had and be altogether deprived of the state of Grace so that he may justly be counted among the Reprobates Their Errours concerning Repentance 1. THat Repentance which they call Penance is a Sacrament properly so called 2. That Repentance in the New-Testament is another thing from that Testament is another thing from that which it was in the old and also that in the New Testament which is after Baptism is another thing from that which is before 3. That these three are the true and proper parts of Penance Contrition Confession to the Priest and Satisfaction to God for our sins 4. Contrition which otherwise neither ought nor can be excluded from Repentance is required by our Adversaries not simply in Repentance but they teach that sins are blotted out and satisfied for by Contrition 5. They appoint a certain measure to Contrition and do teach that unless it be sufficient there is no Remission of sins granted 6. In reckoning the parts of Repentance they omit Faith and take away as it were the soul and life of true Repentance 7. That Repentance goeth before Justification by Faith and that it is a way rather unto Faith and Justification in the Remission of sins 8. That Contrition which is joined with an inward terrour of the Mind and proceedeth from the sight of our sins doth not appertain to the Law but to the Gospel 9. Some Papists affirm that in Contrition it is not necessary to have a formal that is a resolute and express purpose of newness of life but that this is always included in the detesting of sin which implicit or inclusive purpose is sufficient 10. They teach that Contrition ought to be perfect because it must proceed from the love of God which is the most perfect kind of love 11. They affirm that Contrition is a necessary means unto Justification and they make Contrition as a part of satisfaction for our sins so a cause of Justification and Remission of sins not only in disposing and preparing us thereunto but in that thereby we verily obtain and deserve Remission of our sins 12. Sâ— t li 4. 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 17. Contrition they say is not necessary for venial or small offences neither is a man bound thereunto Some think that a general Confession sufficeth for mortal sins which a man understandeth not 13. That there is a kind of Contrition that proceedeth only from the fear of punishment when a man leaveth to sin not for any love to God but only for fear of Hell 14. That it is necessary to Justification that sins all and every one as far as may be be confessed to the Priest as to a Judg. 15. That none can rightly seek for absolution at the Priests hands unless they confess particularly at least all their