negligence forgetfulnes of the things which concern our saluation that we shuld not forget the benefit of his death passion did institute the most holy sacrament of his precious body which he gaue vpon the crosse of his precious bloud which he shed in his passion which sacramēt he wold shuld be vnto vs a memoriall of al that which he suffred for vs of the benefit we receiue by his death passion As often as ye shal do this to wit as ye shall celebrate the holy Supper ye shal do it saith Christ in remembrance of me One only time was Christ offered and by this only offering he obtained for vs a generall pardon of all our sinnes But hee would we should alwayes remember this benefit And to help our memorie did he institute this sacrament and willeth wee not once but many times in our life receiue it The institution of this Sacrament the Euangelists Matthew Marke and Luke do declare but most largely Saint Paul in 1. Cor. chap. 11. and in the tenth chap. he beginneth also to intreate thereof He are wee then Saint Peul declare how Christ celebrated his holy supper wherein hee instituted the Sacrament of his body and of his bloud I receiued of the Lord saith Saint Paul that which I also deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it and said Take eate This is my body which is broken for you Do this in remembrance of mee Likewise also after supper he tooke the cup saying This is the new testament in my bloud Do this as often as you shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming Whosoeuer therefore shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let then a man proue himselfe and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For who so eateth and drinketh the same vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not considering the Lords body We haue heard how the Lord did celebrate his holy supper and instituted therein the most holy sacrament of his body and bloud The same order that Iesus Christ vsed in celebrating of it held his Apostles as often as they celebrated the same This selfe same order as we haue before shewed was for a thousand yeares space obserued in the Church Albeit true it is that before the thousand yeares were accomplished Sathan enuying the great benefite and comfort which we receiue with this sacrament began to alter it adding thereto many thinges touching rites and ceremonies But the thousand yeares passed the whole sacrament with furie hee cast to the earth and in place thereof aduaunced an idoll made of dough made betweene two irons which they adore and sacrifice vnto neither more nor lesse then if it were God himselfe that created heauen and earth But in all this time of so great ignoraunce and Idolatrie The Lord as we haue said did neuer vtterly forsake his Church For euer he raised vp some true prophet some holy man or men that with zeale of the Lordes house and nor accompting of the daunger whereunto they thrust their liues reproued the world Because through the Church of God was sold this so horrible idolatry But particularly in these our times hath the Lord shewed mercy raysing vp very many learned godly men Which being simple poore men haue with great zeale opposed them selues to the tyranny of Antichrist and to all the power of the world which was inchanted bewitched with the false Doctrine of Antichrist And so hath God blessed the labour of these men As he blessed in times past the labour of the Apostles meane simple people that they haue cast to the earth the Missa or Masse the breaden God which our aduersaries haue raysed vp and haue eftsoones restored the holy supper which the Lord Iesus the night before he should suffer celebrated with his disciples They that haue eyes to see Let them see and they that haue eares to heare Let them heare That seeing and hearing All the world may iudge if that be true which we say I will here set downe the order holden in our Churches which God by the meanes of these holy men hath in our time reformed when the holy supper is celebrated Hearken then O Spaine what in thine owne Language I speake that small and great learned and vnlearned may vnderstand me The forme which is holden in the reformed Churches of celebration of the holie supper of the Lord. It is to be noted That the Lords day before the supper is celebratae The minister doth warne the people that each one dispose and prepare himselfe to receiue it worthily and with such reuerence as is meete The second thing which is done is that youthes which haue now attayned to yeares of discretion doe not present themselues to receiue it before they he well instructed and taught in the Christian Doctrine and have made profession of their faith in the Church Thirdly if therebe any straungers or newe commers which be as yet rude and ignorant in religion that they come present themselues to be taught particularly in that which is meete for them to know the day on which they celebrate the same the minister at the end of the sermon toucheth somewhat concerning the misteries Or if neede require his whole sermon treateth of the Doctrine of the supper to declare to the people what the Lord by this mistery will say giue to vnderstand And how we ought to receiue it After that the minister hath publiquely prayed he saith the generall confession after the confession of faith made to witnes in the name of the people that they all wil liue die in the doctrin Christian religion The table being prepared the bread wine vpō it he thus aloud speaketh The institution of the holy supper of the Lord Let vs heare how Iesus Christ did institute vnto vs his holy supper according to that which S. Paule in the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians declareth I receiued of the Lord c. As we haue before recited The forme of excomunication and excluding from the holy supper of the Lord these which be not worthy to receiue it We haue heard brethren how the Lord celebrated the supper with his disciples and in that which he did he sheweth vnto vs that straungers to wit those which be not of the fellowship of his faithfull ought not to be admitted vnto it Following therefore this rule in the name by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ I excommunicate all Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God heretiques all Schismatiques which make sects a part to break the vnity of the Church all periured persons all that be
that it is not barren but full of works of charity which are the fruits of righteousnes of a true faith Heb. 11. 1. Gal. 5. 6. Philip. 1. 11. The new doctrin of men teacheth that the particular iustification of meÌ„ and much more the saluation is very vncertaine so that men must alwayes doubt of their saluation And that not to doubt of the grace and fauour of God is presumption Conc. Trid. Ses 6. Can. 13. Cens Colon. fol. 96. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our good workes for thaâ— they are imperfect can deserue nothing at Gods hand as saith the Prophet Esay 64 6. All our righteousnes is as a stained cloth And Christ our Lord saith Luk. 17. 10 When ye haue done all that is commanded you say ye are vnprofitable seruants The new doctrin of men teacheth that our good works deserue the grace of God and euerlasting life also that men may do works which they call of supererrogation that is to say ouer and aboue those which the Law of God commandeth whereunto the doers thereof are not bound and they are auailable to helpe others â—ellar de Purgatorio lib. 1. â— 8. censor colif 175. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the head Spouse of the Church which he gouerneth and teacheth by his word and Spirit that the dutie of the Church is to heare and obey the voyce of her Spouse and faithfull Pastor according to the commandement of the heauenly Father Mat. 17. 5. Heare him and as Christ Iesus also teacheth Io. 10. 27. My sheep heare my voyce I know them they follow me The new doctrine of men teacheth that the Pope is the head Spouse of the Church and Vicar of Christ vpon earth who hath the keyes of Paradice and of hell and can both saue condemne and therefore ought all men to obey his decrees and be subiect vnto him And that whosoeuer obeyeth obeyeth not but gainesaith his constitutions is an heretique In extraâ—ag Tom. 22. Tit. 5. In Gloss 2. lib. 1. Decret T it 7. C. 5. The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the pastors ministers of the Church ought to feed the Christian people with the true spiritual food which is the word of God and wholesome Doctrine of the Gospell As the ministers of Christ faithful Stewards of the misteries of God according to the commaundement of Christ Matth. 28. 20. Iohn 21. 16. 17. And following the stteps of the Apostle which taught the Church that which they had receiued of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 23. And that which was agreeable to the holy scripture Acts 26. 22. 1. Cor 15. 3. 4. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the ecclesiaâ—tical persons ought to sacrifice or say Masse sing and pray in the Latine tongue and to keepe the ceremonies and tradition of the Romane Church And to teach the people to obserue all that which the Popes and Councels determine coÌ„maÌ„d Albeit it agreeth not with the holy scripture CoÌ„ci Trid. Ses vltma c The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the vse of strange tongues albeit to the praise of God is vnprofittable in the Church to the ignorant auditory Therfore that they which teach pray or sing in the Châ—rch ought to vse the vulgar tongue vnderstood of the people for edification and exhortation and consolation of all 1. Cor. 14 3. 6. 7. 8. c. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of God ought to be vsed in the Latine tongue And that it should not be only vnprofittable but also to the common people hurtfull if the holy scripture in the Church should be read or sung in the vulgar tongue Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. â—5 The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the sacrameÌ„ts be instituted of Christ to imprint confirme in our harts the truth of the promises of God and that they may be healthful vnto vs it is of necessity required that we be faithful in the vse of them for as the word of God not beleeued doth not only not profit the hearers thereof but leaueth them condemned So haue the sacraments the same effect when by faith they are not receiued Matth 28. 19. 20. Rom. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 11. 27. 29. Heb. 4. 2. cap. 11. 6. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the sacrameÌ„ts of the new testament giue grace ex opere operato That is to say By the vertue of the worke wrought without any good motioÌ„ of his part that receiueth theÌ„ l. 4. se dist 1 The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ in the institution of the holy supper brake the bread and gaue it to his disciples and afterwardes the wine saying drink ye all of it without making difference The same teacheth the Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 11. 23. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the sacrameÌ„t of the altar ought to be giuen dispensed in bread and in wine to the priests onely But to the â—ayty the bread alone ought to be admonished Concil Trid. Sess â— The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that matrimony is honorable among all men Heb. 13. 4. And that it is better to marry then to burne â— Cor. 7. 9. Also that to forbid marriage is a doctrin of diuels 1. Tim. 4. 3. The new Doctrin of men doth teach that matrimony is a Carnal estate and therefore with such seuerity to be forbidden to the Clergy that more 〈◊〉 it should be for a prelate or ecclesiasticall person to liue in fornication th lawfully to marry according to the law of God for as saith Bellar it is a greater wickednesse for an ecclesiasticall person to marry then to commit fornication And adding the cause saith for that he which is so married is made vnable to keepe his vowâ— the which he that committeth fornication is not Bellar. de Monachis lib. 2. cap. 34. The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that that which entreth into the mouth defileth not a man Math. 15. 11. And that all meates be cleane creatures and that the faithfull may indifferently vse them with pure conscience and thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 4. Tit. 1. 15. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that it is not lawfull for a Christian vnder paine of mortall sinne to eate of all sorts of meates on all dayes and times As in Lent the foure times the frydayes the satturdayes and the vigils of some Saints Dist 4. cap. Statuimus The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that the duty of a godly man is to speake truth keepe his faith promise not to violate his oath although it were to his owne hindrance Psal 15. 2. 4. Zach. 1. 16. Eph. 4. 25. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that faith ought not to be kept with heretiques and that it is lawful to violate promise and oath in fauour of the Roman Church as it is coÌ„cluded in
the Councel of Constance with the death of Iohn Hus confirmed contrary to the publike faith false conduct The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that euery soule ought to be subiect to the higher powers which are the magistrates Ro. 13 1. Pet. â— â—3 The new Doctrine of men teacheth that ecclesiasticall persons are not subject to the secular power or politique magistrate but that all ought to be subiect to the Pope who compareth himselfe to the Sun and the Emperour to the Moone And therefore Emperours kings in token of subiection and obedience doe kisse his feete lib. Decret Gregor Tit. 33. The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God attributing to himselfe that which is proper to God â— Thess 24. And that the place of his sitting is the great City which hath 7 mountaines and raigned ouer the kings of the earth Apoc. 17. 9. 18. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that Antichrist is to come of the race of the Iewes of the tribe of Dan. And that the place of his kingdome or seat shal be in Ierusalemâ— Bellar de Roman Pontific lib. 3. cap 12. and 13. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that for those that depart out of this world there remaine but two wayes for the faithfull which passe froÌ„ death to life heauen Iohn 5. 24. And hell for the wicked and 〈◊〉 As Saint Iohn Baptist very expressly doth teach vs. Iohn 3. 36. He that beleeueth saith â—e in the Son hath euâ—â—lasting life But he that beleeueth not in the Son shal not see life But the wratth of God abideth vpon him And as is confirmed in Lazarus who was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And in the ritchman that was tormented in â—ell Luke 16â— 22 23. The new doctrine of men teacheth that there are many places for the soules after death To wit heauen hell the Lymbeâ— of the fathers and 〈◊〉 infants dying without Baptisme purgatorie and another place more honorable ioyning to purgatorie Bellar 〈…〉 By these Antitheses the Christian Reader shall easily vnderstand and iudge what doctrine he ought to beleeue follow to be saued To wit the ancient doctrine of God which cannot erre not lie which is the true mark of the Christian Catholique and Apostolique Church As contrariwise the new doctrine inuented by men is the true mark of the Antichristian Apostaticall Church which the godly ought to fly detest abhor as damnable a deceiuer Albeit she glory triumph with high titles and outward appearaunce But the almighty God beholdeth not the outward appearaunce but his eyes behold the truth in the inward part which he loueth Ier. 5. 3. Psal 51. 8. 1. Sam. 16. 7. Esaie 11. 3. Let princes and Magistrates be aduised what doctrine by their authorities they maintaine Least by inconsiderate zeale they persecute Christ in his members As in time past did Saule which afterwards was called Paule Acts 9. Let doctours teachers of the people also beware what doctrine they publish in the world that they be not of the number of deceiuers and euill laborers in the Lordes vineyard which vainely boasting of antiquity holinesse Multitude and power accuse the ancient doctrine of God of nouelty and shroude the new doctrine of men with the title and cloake of antiquity shewing themselues not the followers of Christ nor his Apostles But of the priests prelates ancients of Ierusalem which alwayes gloried of the fathers of the law the succession of Aaron of the Temple of it ornaments and priuiledges And notwithstanding did resist and persecute Christ and his Apostles accusing and condemning the doctrine of the Gospell for new and straunge As the Euangelists doe very clerely and largly witnesse And as S. Paul in the first Epistle Thess chap. 2. verse 18. 16. also declareth Woe vnto them that speake euill of good and good of euill which put darknes for light and light for darknesse Esaie 5. 20. Take heede that no man deceiue you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue many Mat. 24. 4. 5. An end of the booke to God be the glorie THe good Bishops of Rome continued almost 300. yeares The first of whom was Linus and the last Siluester pag. 23. The Archbishops of Rome continued 200 yeares To wit from the 320 yeare vnto the yeare 520. page 26. The Patriarkes of Rome continued from the 520. yeare vnto the 605 yeare page 26. The Popes began in the 605. yeare the first was Boniface 3. page 34. Whose tiranny to this day continueth As is seene by all the progresse of the former Treatise The names of the Popes follow after the order of their Alphabet Of whom mention is made in the former Treatise Adrian 1. pag. 40. Adrain 3. 50 Adrian 4. 73 Adrian 5. 90 Adrian 6. â—50 Agatho 37 Alexander 2. 64 Alexander 3. 75 Alexander 4. 87 Alexander 5. 112 Alexander 6. 113 Anastatius 2. 30 Anastatius 3. 52 Anastatiu 4. 73 B Benedict 2. 37 Benedict 3. 49 Benedict ◠〈◊〉 Benedict 6. or 5. 55 Benedict 7. or 8. 59 Benedict 9. or 8. 60 Benedict 10. or 9. 61 Benedict 11. or 9. â—3 Benedict 12. or 10. 102 Benedict 13. or 11. 111 Boniface 1. 30 Boniface 2. 31 Boniface 3. 34 Boniface 4. 35 Boniface 5. 36 Boniface 6. 50 Boniface 7. 55 Boniface 8. 92 Boniface 9. 110 Calistus 2. 71 Calistus 3. 123 Celestine 3. 79 Celestine 4. 85 Celestine 5. 92 Clement 2. 61 Clement 3. 68 Clement 4. 89 Clement 5. 96 Clement 6. 102 Clement 7 107 Clement 8. 111 Clement 9. or â— 150 Constantine 1. 37 Constantine â— 39 Comelius 26 Cunon 37 Damasus 1. 28 Damasus 2. 62 Deus dedit or Theodatus 35 Donus 55 Eugenius 2. 42 Eugenius 4. 120 Felix 2. Felix ◠〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 50 Gelasius 1. 30 Gelasius 2 70 Gregory 1. 32 Gregory 2. 37 Gregory 3. 37 Gregory 4. 42 Gregory 5. 56 Gregory 6. 60 Gregory 7. 65 Gregory 8. 71 Gregory 9. 83 Gregory 10. 89 Gregory 11. 105 Gregory 12. 112 Gregory 13. 196 Gregory 14. 200 Honorius 1. 64 Honorius 2. 71 Honorius 3. 82 Honorius 4. 92 Hormisda 30 Innocent 1. 30 Innocent 2. 72 Innocent 3. 80 Innocent 4. 86 Innocent 5. 90 Innocent 6. 104 Innocent 7 111 Iooncent 8. 130 Innocent 9. 200 Iohn 1. 30 Iohn 3. 32 Iohn 5. 37 Iohn 8. 43 Iohn 9. or 8 50 Iohn 11. or 10. 52 Iohn 12 or 11. 53 Iohn 13. or 12. 53 Iohn 14. or 13. 55 Iohn 16. or 15. 55 Iohn 17. or 16. 56 Iohn 18. or 17. 56 Iohn 19. or 17. or 18. 58 Iohn 20. or 18. or 19. 58 Iohn 21. or 14. or 20. 60 Iohn 22. or 20. or 21. 90 Iohn 23. or 21. or 22. 89 Iohn 24. 22. or 23. 114 Iulius 2. 143 Iulius 3. 163 Lando 52 Leo 2. 37 Leo 3. 41 Leo 4. 42 Leo 5. 51 Leo 8. 54 Leo 9. 62 Leo 10.
wit If the head of an horse be put to a humane body A distinction truly very rediculous Conclude we this matter with that which was ordeyned in the Councell of Eliberis in Spaine holden about the yeare of the Lord. 335. whose 36. Cannō was as Carranza noteth in his Summa Conciliariorum Placuit picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut odoratur in parietibus depingatur It pleaseth vs that pictures ought not to be in the Church lest that be worshipped or adored which is painted on the walles Eliberis where was celebrated this ancient Councell was a Cittie neare vnto that place where is now Granada Eliberis was destroyed and of the ruines thereof was Granada builded or augmented And there is one gate in Granada euen to this day called the gate Deluira corrupting the worde in steed of Elibera The gate is so called because men goe that way to Elibera Had this Cannon made in our countrie of Spaine 1263. yeares past bene obserued in Spaine there had not bene such Idolatrie in Spaine as now there is Vp Lord regard thine owne honour Conuert or confound not being of thine elect all such as worship Pesel grauen or carued Images or Temuna picttures or patternes All that whatsoeuer we haue sayd against Images is meant of those that are made for religion seruice worship and to honour serue and adore them Such Images are forbidden by the law of God And so the Arte of caruing grauing painting and patterne making not done to this end is not forbidden but lawfull The superstition and Idolatrie taken away the Arte is good If there be any people or nation that haue and doe commit inward and outwarde Idolatrie it is the Popish Church For what else see we in their Temples houses streetes and crosse-streetes but Idolles and Images made and worshipped against the expresse commaundement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image No nation hath bene so barbarous to thinke that which they outwardly beheld with their eyes to be God They supposed as before we haue said their Iupiter Iuno Mars Venus to be in Heauen whom they worshipped in the Images that did represent them Many of the Moores Turkes and Iewes would conuert vnto Christ were it not for the offence and scandall of Images in the Churches Therefore said Paulus Pricius a most learned Hebrew which became in a Christian Paue that it was very meet Images should be taken out of the Temple for they were the cause that many Iewes became not Christians The Popish Church doth not onely commit the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but farre exceed them also One Idolatrie it committeth which neuer Pagan nor Gentile euer committed It beleeueth the bread and wine in the Masse called a sacrifice celebrated by her Pope or a Priest made by the authoritie of the Pope to be no representation nor commemoration of the Lordes death but his very body and bloud the same Iesus Christ as bigge and great as he was vpon the crosse And so as very God doth worship it We will then in this first Treatise proue by the Lords assistance whose cause we now maintaine the Pope to be a false Priest and very Antichrist that such Idolatrie and other much more he hath inuented in the Church In the second Treatise we will also proue by the same assistance the Masse to be a false Sacrifice and great Idolatrie And because our chiefe purpose is not so much to beat downe falshood as to aduance the truth after we haue shewed the Pope to be a false Priest And the Masse a false Sacrifice we will shew also which is the argument of the Apostle in the Epistle written to the Hebrewes Iesus Christ to be the true and onely Priest and his most holy body and bloud which he offered vnto his father vpon the Crosse to be the true and only sacrifice where with the eternall father is well pleased and receiueth vs into his fauour and friendship iustifying vs by faith and giuing vs his holy spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba father and liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And so be glorified of him to reigne ' with him for euer Many will wonder that we with so great constancie or as they call it sawsinesse reiect condemne and abhore the Pope and his Masse And therefore doe slaunder and defame vs not among the common people onely but amongest the Nobles also and great Lordes Kinges and Monarches that we are fantasticke heady arrogant sedicious rebellious partiall and many other false reportes they raise against vs wherewith they fill and breake the eares of the ignorant and of all those that take pleasure to heare them To shew them then that it is no foolish opinion nor fantasie which doth lead vs neither any ambition vaine glory nor other passion that doth alter moue or transport our minds but a good zeale rather of the glory of God and feruent desire of the health of our owne soules A reason will we giue in this first Treatise vnto all that desire to heare vnderstand it of that which we beleeue hold concerning the Pope and his authoritie And chiefely if we be asked because as saith Saint Peter we ought to be ready with meekenesse and reuerence to make answere to euery one that demaundeth a reason of the hope which we hold The reason then which we giue for reiecting condemning and abhorring the Pope and flying from him as from the pestilence is his euill life and wicked doctrine Note also what the Doctors and ancient Councels the holy Scriptures in three wonderfull places chiefly for that purpose say concerning him In the second Treatise we will declare what wee thinke of the Masse and the holinesse thereof The Pope and Masse two pillers of the Popish church be very ancient For it is now a thousād yeares past since they first began to be buylded Their beginnings were very small but they dayly increased adorning and decking themselues vntill they attayned to the estate wherein we now see them For aswell the Pope as the Masse is holden and called God Without are they made very beautifull couered ouer with silke gold siluer cloth of gold rich stones but within is superstition hypocrisie and Idolatrie I haue often pondred with my selfe whether of these two pillers the Pope or the Masse were strongest and more esteemed The vertues excellencie holinesse and diuinitie which they say is in the Masse who can declare How profitable it is for al things liuing and not liuing quick dead By cōsideratiō hereof the Masse I supposed was chiefest and therefore ought to begin with it But the Pope vpon better aduisement mee seemed notwithstanding to be the chiefest piller The reasons mouing me so to beleeue are these that the cause in dignitie is before the effect the creator before the creature the maister before the seruant the Priest before the
the 2. to Timoth. cap. 4. 1. 2 which some what before his martyrdome he wrote the second time being prisoner in Rome and in the Epistle to Philemon verse 23. and 24. Also in the Epistle which he wrote to the Romanes he not once maketh mention of Saint Peter to whom no doubt he would haue sent salutations had hee bene in Rome and which is more Saint Peter being Bishop at Rome as they say 25. yeares Read the last chap. of this epistle and thou shalt see the catalogue which S. Paule maketh from the fift verse to the fifteenth he saith onely Salute such a one salute such a one c. without naming of Saint Peter Because he neither was Bishop of Rome nor yet was in Rome Also the Iewes which dwelled in Rome as reciteth S. Luke Act. 28. 21. 22. said to S. Paule when he came prisoner to Rome that they had not heard nor vnderstood any thing concerning him and prayed him to declare his opinion touching that sect which was gainsayd and euill spoken of in all places vnderstanding by this sect the Gospel which Saint Paule preached Who will beleeue that S. Peter which as they say was before come to Rome and a Minister of the Circumcision had not taught nor spoken ought vnto them of the Gospell These reasons taken out of holy Scripture are me seemeth as they be very sufficient to proue the common opinion holden of S. Peters being Bishop of Rome and that 25. yeares to be false Whereupon that of the Papists appeares plainely to be meere ignorance or which is worse extreame malice when they call the Pope Saint Peters successor Vicar of Iesus Christ as though hee were Saint Peter and therefore vniuersall Bishop Against the Primacie of the Pope we will speake in the end of this Treatise Seeing then Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome we place Linus for the first All the Bishops of Rome that were from Linus to Syluester who was in the time of the Emperour Constantine the great whom we will put in the first order were in generall trulie Bishops and holy men who with their good doctrine and holy life and conuersation wrought great fruit in the Church of God They were the salt of the earth the light of the world a Citie built vpon a mountaine a candle light and set vpon a candlesticke These be the titles wherewith Christ adorneth his apostles and ministers Math. 5. These were the Angelles of God according to the saying of Malachie speaking of Leuie and consequently of the good Ministers The lawe of trueth saith he was in his mouth and no iniquitie was found in his lippes In peace and equitie he walked with me and turned away from iniquitie For the priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Angell of the Lord of hosts Many more titles are comprised in the holy scriptures wherewith the true ministers are adorned which I will passe ouer to auoide tediousnes In the ende these good bishops of Rome sealed the Gospell which they had preached with their bloud and so were Martyrs of Iesus Christ Men they were poore in spirit and simple of heart strangers to couetosnes and ambition they were true bishops for the space of almost three hundred yeares And so the Church of the Lord hauing such ministers was then happie and rich in the sight of God albeit in the eies of men contemptible miserable such as the Apostle in the eleuenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes from the 36. to the 38. verse describeth Others saith he haue benetryed by mocking and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and imprisonment 37. Others were stoned others were hewen asunder Others were tempted others slayne with the sworde Others wandered vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goats skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented 38. whome the worlde was vnworthie of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaynes and dens and caues of the earth c. These Bishops caried on their heads not Miters but coifes not honor but dishonor not riches but pouerty following herein their Maister as Esaias the Prophet in his chapter 53. 3. doth liuelie describe him Despised and forsaken of men a man full of sorrowes hauing experience of infirmities and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not This was the outward apparance of the Primitiue Church and so hath it bene in our time sithens the reformation of the Church began these 70. or 80. yeers vnto this time how many haue bin burned drowned beheaded hāged banished shamefully disgraced and died of hunger Truly innumerable and that which is more admirable the more they burned and killed the more they increased and multiplied For the bloud of the Martyrs as saith Tertullian is the seed of the Gospell From the passion of the Lord vnto Saint Siluester which is the time of the first order were almost three hundred yeares wherein the Emperours of Rome became Lords of Spaine The Romanes in two hundred and so manie yeares that they conquered Spaine vntill the time of Augustus Caesar were neuer absolute Lords thereof Augustus was the first that vanquished the Montanists and Biscayes and made himselfe absolute Lord of all Spaine The Romists as those say they that haue held the command and staffe for many yeares to giue antiquitie and authoritie to their ceremonies and humane traditions haue falsly reported that manie of these good Bishops of Rome whom we place in the first order ordained them Clement the fourth Bishop of Rome say they ordained the confirmation of young children the Masse and holy garments wherewith the Priests are clothed They do not consider that he was a a man poore and for preaching of the Gospell banished into mines where he hewed Marble stones and tyed in the end to an anchor they cast him into the sea D. Illescas speaking of Pope Caius in his Pontificall historie saith He ordained that no laye man might bring a Clearke to iudgement That no pagan nor heretike might make accusation against a Christian c. How can this be true sith Caius liued and died in the time of the tenth persecution which as Illescas himselfe saith was of all the most cruell and lasted many yeares Let the Romists be ashamed and cease with lies to confirme their religion Now is it not the time that was wont to be when the blind led the blind c. So say they also that Euaristus Alexander and Sistus fifth sixth and seuenth Bishops of Rome made the popish decrees namely the ordering of the Clergie holy water and holy garmentes Telesphorus say they that was the eighth Bishop of Rome ordained three Masses to be sayd on the day of the Natituitie These good Bishops had other cares and embraced not such childish and superstitious toyes Saciety and idlenesse brought them forth O what euils haue riches wrought to the Church of God Wisely therfore said
Ambassadors which the Emperor sent for his excuse he would not heare He incited manie Princes against him which thing the Emperor seeing to auoyd the furie of the Pope he went to Palestina to make warre with the Souldan as the pope commanded But when the Emperor was passed the sea then the Pope made himselfe Maister of Pulla and would not consent that the crossed souldiers which were to go and serue the Emperour should passe the sea The Emperor went thither where so valiantly he behaued himselfe that he wan Ierusalem and other cities and made truce with the Souldan for ten yeares All which by his Embassadors he signified to the Pope supposing that the Pope would haue reioyced But so farre off was the Pope from reioycing at the newes that he commanded those which brought them to be slaine lest they should tell them to others and bruted it abroad that the Emperour was dead This did the Pope that those certaine citties of Pulla which were not yet rendered hearing of the Emperours death might yeeld themselues vnto him Herein the Pope shewed himselfe a murtherer and lyer the verie sonne of the diuell And that the Emperour might not returne the Pope by letteres requested the Soldan not to deliuer the holie land vnto him But the Emperour set all things in good order returned into Italie and recouered againe that which the Pope had vsurped in Pulla The Pope seeing this did excommunicate him againe obiecting against him that hee had made truce with the Souldan yet in the end by the mediatiation of the Princes the Pope absolued the Emperour prouided that he payd for his absolution an hundred thousand ounces of gold or as saith Hist Pontific vpon the life of this Gregory the ninth a hundred twenty fiue thousand ounces But Nauclerus Friar Iohn de Pineda Rerum Germanicarum Epitome and Carion lib. 5. say 120000. ounces of gold How deerely the Pope selleth his vile merchandise here appeareth There is no Mercer chapman nor Pedler which sell so deere their wares as the Pope selleth his inke paper waxe and leade When the Emperour was departed out of Italy hee vnderstood that the Pope and his confederates sought to depriue him of the Empire whereupon he returned into Italy and chastised the rebelles The Pope hearing thereof did eftsoones excommunicate the Emperour as then in Pauia who now vnable any longer to endure the couetousnesse sausinesse and tyranny of the Pope resolued to make them knowne to all faithfull Christians that they might fly from the error false religion of the Popes For this cause he commaunded a man well exercised in the Scripture to preach in his presence wherein he should intreate of Excommunication and the Roman Church And so it was The Sermon being ended the errours of the Romane Church were so discouered and the craft and subtiltie of the Popes so manifested that the Emperour wrote to the Pope these verses Roma diu titubans longis erroribus acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput To wit Rome that long time hath stumbled shall fall and cease to be the head of the world The which we see dayly more and more to be verified How many kingdomes haue cast off the Romane tyranny This Pope commaunded that at the Aue Maria the Salue Regina that so blasphemous Antheme against Christ which this Pope first cōmanded to be sung in the Churches and also at the eleuation of his pasted God the bel should be tolled To Saint Fraunces was this Pope very much deuoted and so commaunded that the faithfull should beleeue Saint Fraunces to haue had the fiue woundes Frier Iohn de Pineda as a Frier Franciscan libr. 22. cap. 23. ¶ 3. handleth this matter at large And in the 39. cap. ¶ 3 he intreateth of the Saints which he saith had the woundes as had Saint Fraunces which historie among the swarme of false miracles you shall find in the end of this booke This Pope as noteth Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 21. cap. 33. ¶ 3. compiled and ordained the Decretals The lawes of the Popes whereby the Cannonists be gouerned some are called Decretals which be as Pineda in the place alleaged doth note it determinatiue Epistles of some doubtful causes which the Pope alone or with the opinion of the Cardinals and consultation of some maketh A Decree is called that which the Pope establisheth by aduise of the Cardinals without request of any A Cannon is that which in an vniuersall Councell is established And this is a distinction of the Glose Cann Omnis Dist 3. vpon a Decree He addeth that the statute in matter of faith is called Dogma and that which consisteth in matters of vices or vertues Mandatum And if it be prohibitiue an Interdiction it is called without punishment assigned and Sancion is the member of the lawe that appointeth the punishment to transgressors c. And somewhat lower Other constitutions which other popes haue sithens inuented remaine in another volume which wee call Liber Sextus compiled and authorised by Pop Boniface the eight and in the Councell of Lyons in France by him published And Clement the fift made afterwards many others which are called Clementines c. Other Extrauagants many Popes made c. Extrauagants be they called because they are not put in the titles of the Law as other ordinarie ones be but each one apart by it selfe euery one intreating of it distinct matter euen as Quodlibets are so called because they be put amongst diuine questions handled apart by themselues euery one according to it matter I thought good seeing in this booke is handled the authoritie of the Pope to set downe here the names of the lawes wherewith the Pope gouerneth his Church Iesus Christ the only vniuersall head of his vniuersall Church with the word of God conteined in the old and new Testament which we call the Byble and our aduersaries so much abhor and detest as the pestilence and doctrine of diuels gouerneth his Church and therefore vnder such rigorous paine forbid they the reading thereof calling it a booke of heresies Arise ô Lord sleepe not disperse thine enemies and driue those away that abhorre thy holie lawe which thy Maiestie hath published by the mouth and writing of thine holy Prophetes and Apostles In the 1241. yeare this Gregorie 9. died Don Fernando 3. reigned in Castile Celestinus the fourth a Milanist assayed what he might to secute the good Emperour Fredericke but for that hee was Pope but eighteene dayes and as is sayd poysoned hee could not performe it In the election of this Celestine the fourth saith the historie an English Cardinall called Robert Somerton lest he should haue succeeded Gregorie the ninth was poisoned Celestine being dead because the Emperour tooke the Cardinals the popedome was voyd almost 21 moneths but in the end at the request of Baldwin Emperour of Constantinople and others
to be murdered For Conradino the sonne and heire of Conrade king of Sicilia sought to defend his right but Charles ouercame and tooke him prisoner together with Fredericke Duke of Austria neere vnto Naples and by the counsell of the pope did behead them For Charles wrote to the Pope what he should doe with Conradino his prisoner The Pope answered The life of Charles the death of Conradino c. After him Adrian 5. against this Charles demanded aide of Rodolph the Emperour The kingdome of Naples by meanes of this cursed Pope came to the French and the Dukedome of Sueuia tooke end In the 1270. yeere this butcher died The seat of Sathan was long time to wit two yeeres and nine moneths and two dayes voide And Don Alonso 10. then reigned in Castile Clement the fourth being dead the Cardinals which were 17. number to chuse a new pope assembled together Amongst whom so great discord arose that in almost three yeeres space they could not agree for euery of them pretended to be pope Philip king of France and Charles king of Sicill hearing of this great discord came to Viterbo where the Cardinals were and prayed them to dispatch and chuse a chiefe bishop but so great was the ambition of the Cardinals that all this trauell and sute of the two kings were to no purpose so they returned without any thing done When they were in the election inuocating the holy spirit bishop Iohn Cardinall Portuensis seeing the great forwardnesse of the Cardinals said vnto them My Lords let vs vncouer this chamber for the holy spirit through so great roofes cannot enter vnto vs. When the same Cardinall vnderstood that Gregory was Pope he cōpiled these two verses Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus vnus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum To wit an Archdeacon attained to the Popedom whom the discord of brothers made father of fathers All this reporteth Panuinus an Augustin Frier Behold here what the Romists thēselues report of the elections of their Popes behold here Ambition the holy spirit which in their election gouerneth Gregory 10. thus elected in the yere 1273. at Lyons in France did celebrate a Councell where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople who approued the doctrin of the Romaine church his predecessors hauing 12 times done the like as many times more reuoked the same was present In this councell it was ordeined that the Pope being dead the Cardinals shold shut thēselues in the Conclaue And that moreouer which Panuinus in the note vpon Platina vpon the life of this Gregory 10. saith He renued a fresh the warre of the holy land And in 5 yeres that he poped neuer saw Rome In the 1276. yere he died and Don Alonso 10. reigned in Castile Innocent 5. a Burgonion was the first begging friar that was made pope for which cause he much fauored his dominicks And hauing poped 6. moneths 2. daies the same yere with his predecessor he died Adriā 5. a Genoway was the nephew or as is thought the son of Innocēt 4. whē he was Pope he went frō Rome to Viterbo frō whence he wrote to Rodulph the Emperour to aide him against Charles king of Sicilia which Charles had the former popes against all right made king of Sicil as in the life of Clement 4. we haue noted but the Emperor occupied in the wars of Bohemia could not succor him He poped but one moneth 7 daies then died Iohn 22. or 21 or 20 before he was pope called in latin Petrus Hispanus was born at Lisbon by professiō a Phisition Albeit this mā was holden for very learned yet was he very vnskilfull to gouerne And as saith Platina wrought more domage thē profit to the popedom Many things he did which shew his folly lightnes One good property he had that whē he saw a yong man inclined to study with benefits money he would aide him This mā foolish as he was promised by the stars long life to himselfe so would tell it to all men But it farre otherwise happened to him for a certaine chamber which Valerius calleth a sporting chamber Estella calleth it a precious bed chamber which he had builded for his pleasure in the pallace of Viterbo at the end of 4. dayes fell suddenly to the ground the Pope was found betweene the timber the stones who hauing poped 8. moneths and 8. daies at 7. dayes end in the 1277. yere died Six moneths after the death of his predecessor was Nicholas 3. chosen for the Cardinals could not agree at the end of which time Charles king of Sicilia ruling as a Senator in the Conclaue Nicholas 3. was chosen who after he was pope began thē to persecute Charles he tooke frō him the vicaredge of Hetruria he tooke frō him also the power of Senator giuē him by Clement 4. he forbad that no king or prince thenceforth should dare to demand or administer that office tooke it to himselfe But Martin the 4. his successor did restore it vnto him For so agree the Popes that that which one doeth another vndoeth This Nicholas with great wars vexed Italy And the better to effect his purposes he perswaded Don Pedro king of Arragon to demand the kingdom of Sicilia seeing it was his in the right of his wife Constance This counsell much pleased Don Pedro which was afterwards the cause of much bloodshed In the yere 1381. died Nic. Martin 4. a Frenchman Panninus cals him 2. with great humanity receiued Charles king of Sicilia and restored him to the dignity of Senator that moreouer which his predecessor had taken frō him He excōmunicated Don Pedro king of Arragon who leuied a great armie to inuade Charles in Sicilia gaue his kingdome for a prey to the first that could take it absolued all his vassals from their oth to him made as their king c. yet Don Pedro of al this made no reckoning but passed into Italy aided by Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople wan Sicilia The Sicilians for their pride luxuritie bare great hatred to the French so that they conspired against Charles his frenchmen toulling the bels they issued out killed all nor sex nor age regarded yong old men and women albeit great with child they destroyed These be the Euensongs which the Sicilians call so famous After this Charles with his armie comming to Naples was vanquished taken as saith Platina sent into Arragon This Pope Martin tooke the concubine of his predecessor Nicholas 3. when Martin had 4. yeares and one moneth poped in the 1285. yeare he died of whom saith Platina that after his death he wrought great miracles Don Alonso 10. then raigned in Castile Honorius the fourth following the steps of his predecessor Martin 4. confirmed the excommunication and interdiction against Don Pedro which held
that he was poysoned with yoyson which Alexander caused to be giuen him This is he that to mainetaine his tyranny called the great Turke aforenamed against the king of France wherein he gaue example to Frauncis of Fraunce to call afterwardes the Turke against our king Don Charles the Emperour This is he which commaunded both the handes and tongue of Antonius Mancinellus a most learned man to be cut off for an elegāt oratiō which he made against his abhominable customes most filthie life and not heard of villanies But God who is iust gaue him his hire And thus it was that being at a banket which he made to certaine Cardinals and Senatos of Rome of purpose to poyson them with the selfe same poyson that he poysoned Geme the Turkes brother withall the seruitors ill aduised mistaking one flaggon for another vnwillingly gaue drinke to the Pope of that flaggon wherein was the poyson and so after he had 11 yeares Poped he and some of the seruants and Cardinals in the 1503. yeare died In the time of this Pope and the 1499. yeare Ieronymus Sauanarola a Dominican that excellent preacher a man admirable in life and doctrin with other his companions was burned in Florence He maintained the communion in both kindes condemned Indulgences sharply reproued the wicked life and great carlesenesse of the Pope Cardinals and moreouer of all the Clergie in their office denyed the Popes supremacie taught that the keyes were not giuen to Peter onely but to the whole Church He said that the Pope followed neither the life nor doctrin of Christ seeing he attributed more to his indulgence trifling traditions then to the merit of Christ He affirmed that the Popes excommunications were not to be feared foretold some things which were to happen namely the destruction of Florencr Rome the restoring of the Church which in our time haue come to passe For this cause the Count Franciscus Picus Mirandula called him an holy Prophet and defended him by writing against the Pope Marcillius in a certaine Epistle and Philippus Comineus in his French Historie say that he had a propheticall spirit and many other learned men defended his Innocencie D. Illescas in the life of Alexander 6. speaking of Sauanarola saith these wordes Many opinions there were and yet wantes there not some which iudge of the iustification of this fact This onely resteth to referre the same to the Iudgement of God who knoweth the secret of all things I heard the most learned father and maister Friar Mancius of the order of Saint Dominicke say that he heard it affirmed of a faithfull witnesse and familiar of Bishop Remolinus which afterwardes was Cardinall that it repented the Bishop all his life time to haue pronounced this sentence And that for satisfaction thereof before God he fasted three daies in the weeke And verily who so readeth some spirituall things which he left vs in writing would not deeme them to proceede from an hypocriticall but a true religious man Hitherto Illescas In the time of this Alexander Don Fernando and Dona Isabella reigned in Spaine In whose time about the yeare of the Lord 1492. somwhat more or lesse sixe notable things hapned in Spaine The 1. the Pope was a Spaniar dthe 2. Grananda was won The 3. the discouerie of the Indies The 4. The inquisitiō of Spaine The 5. the holy brotherhood And the 6. the disease called Bubo Abhominable as we haue seene was the Spanish Pope Alexander neuer good but great mischiefe did he to Spaine or any land of the world The taking of Granada wrought great good vnto Spaine in freeing it from continuall wars slaughters betweene the Christians the Moores and in banishing out of all Spaine the false sect of Mahomet The discouerie of the Indies that being well considered hath done more hurt then good to the soules of the Spaniards that went thither Casaos the bishop who was an eie witnes a natural Spaniards wrote a booke of the cruelties of the Spaniards towards the poore Indians would God those which went thither had had more zeale to teach augment the holy catholike faith conteyned in holy scripture then to enrich thē selues and for the enriching of themselues to murther and on all sides robbe as they say that simple people which had reasonable soules aswell as we and for whom Christ also dyed The Indians as Augustine de çarate complayning reporteth in his Historie of Peru said that the Spaniardes tooke from them their Idols and gaue them the Idols or Images of Spaine crosses the Virgin Marie c. to worship They said that the Spaniardes had taken from them their many wiues telling them that the lawe of Iesus Christ permitted but one onely wife and tooke them for themselues Had they taught them to worship God in spirit and truth as he saith that he will be worshiped no mention at all had beene made of Idols or Images seeing that God in the second commaundement of his holy law forbideth them And chiefly the Indians being so addicted to Idolatrie If the law of Christ permit but one only wife according to the first institution of mariage wherefore kept our Spaniardes many whores and concubines What manner of Doctrine was this If the blind leade the blind both fall into the ditch The which to our Spaniards and their Indians hath hapned God send them better teachers Of good zeale and intention was the Inquisition ordeyned and after some it was ordeyned before the warres of Granada by the same Don Fernando whiles Sistus Poped But be it as it was In the time of Alexander the fixt and after the wiuing of Granada was it trulie executed Then commanded king Don Fernando that all the Iewes should be Baptised which would liue in Spaine or otherwise depart and so as saith Sabellicus departed a hundred and twentie thousand The Inquisition then was instituted to teach the Christian religion to Iewes and Moores which were turned Christians and yet secretly returned to their olde customes But hauing now almost ceased with the Iewes and Moores from day to day hath it done more and more tiranny against the faithfull Catholique and true Christians who detesting Popish Idolatrie and vaine supersticions confesse that only God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost is in spirit and trueth to be worshipped Their manner or teaching them whome they suppose to erre is iniuries disgraces tortures whippinges and euill life Sanbenitos galleies perpetuall imprisonmentes and in the end Fier wherewith they burne those whom God by his mercie maketh constant in the confession of his sonne Christ Iesus Who so listeth to see the craftes deceites stratagemes and cruelties which the Lord Inquisitors or to speake better Inquinators of the faith vse with the poore sheepe of Iesus Christ appointed to the slaughter or furnace let him reade the booke intituled Inquisitio Hispanica translated into
of the Lord 1557. another memorable thing hapned also in the same citie of Seuill And this it was that one called Iulian Hernandez whom the French by reason of his small stature called Iulian le petit with the great desire and zeale that he had to doe some seruice to God and his countrie drewe out of Geneua two great drifattes full of Spanish bookes of those which before we haue said Doctour Iohn Peres to haue printed in Geneua Which bookes and moreouer all those that taught true Doctrine and Godlinesse had the Inquisitors forbidden because the ignorance and darkenes of Antichrist loueth not the wisedome and brightnesse of the Gospell of Christ for feare that their workes should be conuinced and reproued Iulian by Gods great miracle carried all these bookes and put and dispersed them in Seuill Yet so secretly could he not doe it but by meanes of a fearefull man an hypocrite which sould himselfe for a brother and was in deede a Iudas it came in the end to the Inquisitors eares and so they tooke Iulian and many others more So great was the takeing that they filled the prisons and some particular houses also There was eight hundred then taken for the Religion in Seuill a thing which astonished the Inquisitors themselues Among these prisoners and them also which were afterwardes taken were found many men excellent in life and doctrine As were Doctor Constantine maister White the licenciate Iohn Gonâ—ales the licenciate Christopher de Losada PhisitioÌ„ minister of the priuate Church in Seuil Christopher de Arellano Friar of S. Isidor a most learned man euen by report of the Inquisitors themselues maister Ieronimo Caro a Friar dominik Olmedo a man learned the beneficed çafra There were also people both men women rich of qualitie among whom was that truely illustrious in pietie and goodnes Don Iohn Ponce de Lyons brother to the Countie of Baylen and eldest sonne of the Duke of Arcos and Lady Iane wife of the Lord de la Higura to whom newly deliuered of childe the Inquisitors gaue the torment called del Borro in the Castle of Triana and such was the torment that thereof she dyed For the cordes pearced the very bones and marrow pipes of the armes of the muscles and of the legges And so tormented they caried her to her prison as dead casting out of her mouth bloud in great aboundance by reason that her intralles were broken in her bodie Eight dayes after this cruel torment without company or any assistance saue onely a young maide which a few dayes before was likewise tormented in the end she died Oh Inquisitors more cruell then wilde beastes how long shall the Lord suffer your tyrannies and cruelties O yee Spaniardes that so much loue your wiues and so zealously keepe them how long will ye suffer that these cursed Elders of Susanna should see your wiues and daughters in their smocks yea in a manner naked taking pleasure to behold them and after giuing them torments hauing sometimes formerly made loue vnto them ô that all that were knowne which in the Inquisition passeth A certaine Inquisitor there was which in merriment and iest said of his companion that he contented not himselfe to beate a cutle but also to eate it This said hee because the Inquisitor had whipped a faire young maid that was taken for a Iewe theÌ„ lay with her burned her afterwards By this subtillty may the rest be vnderstood which the Lords Inquisitors vse with the women which they hold prisoners Of this great number of prisoners where many burned by tweÌ„ties or fewe lesse it chaunced that they burned them The rest were vnhappily handled The house of Isabella de Vaena where the faithfull assembled to heare Gods word was plucked downe and sowne with salt that it should neuer be built againe and fot a perpetuall memorie that the faithfull Christians whom they called Lutheran heretiques there assembled In the middest thereof they placed a marble pillar The Licenciat Losada minister of Gods word was burned many deceassed were vntombed and burned namely Doctour Vargas and Doctour yeares was this Egidius in the Inquisition prisoner part of them in the castle of Triana and the rest in other places where they shut him vp D. Constantine who by infirmitie and ill intreatie was not long before dead in the castle of Triana and so knewe by such as were present at his death and ayded him in his sicknes was also vntombed which notwithstanding the sonnes of falshood bruted it abroad that Constantine murdred himselfe This so great a lie they inuented that the vulgar sort which neither know nor beleeue but that onely which the Inquisitors command them to know and beleeue should abhorre the religion and the preachers thereof sith being desperate like Iudas they killed themselues This D. Constantine was one of the most learned and eloquent men that of long time our country of Spaine yeelded confessor preacher he was to Don Charles the Emperor K. of Spaine thereby might if he had would haue attained to great dignities but as one that nought esteemed the vaine honors of this world he dispised them al and returned to Seuill where of the Inquisition he was taken therin died and by the same was afterwards burned About this same time or a little after began the great persecution in Vallodalid where Doctour Caçalla preacher to the Emperour the most eloquent as saith D. Illescas in the pulpit of any that preached in Spaine his mother brethren and sisters Don Charles a knight qualified aud many others were burned The sonne of the marques of Poza and others were disgraced and the house where they assembled was pulled downe and in like sort vsed as was that of Isabell de varna in Seuill The vulgar sort beleeued that they met by night in these houses and that the sermon ended they put out the candles and abused themselues together without respect of kindred or other of many other abhominations were they slaundred These lies be not newly stamped many yeares are since passed that to defame the Gospel and professors there of Sathan did innent them as by the apologies made by the fathers of the Church that then liued to Iustifie their cause doth appeare Read Iustine Martir lib 1. of his questions and the answeres to the 126 question Tertulian in his Appologie S. Ciprian against Demetrianus Origen against Celsus Arnobius in seuen bookes and chiefly in the first against the Gentiles Saint Ambrose Prudencius against Symachus much to the purpose S. Augustin in the 5 first bookes de Ciuitate Dei and Orosius lib. 7. Of the selfe same things that were the Christians in old time slaundered of the very same thinges are we now falsely slaundered About the sixty fiue yeare Nero caused Rome to be fired which burned nine dayes and the tyrant gaue it out that the Christians had done it About
same So comaunded he Iosua the Generall and most warlike captaine of the people of God saying vnto him The booke of this lawe shall neuer departe from thy mouth but daie and night shalt thou meditate therein that thou maist obserue and do according to all thinges that are written therein For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous And then shalt thou vnderstande God of his infinite goodnes giue to our king and Lord his captaines and gouernors the grace to reade the scripture which god hath comaunded them and the Pope hath forbidden that ruled thereby they may well gouerne his subiects Albeit by that we haue said it clerely appeareth the popes I meane from Boniface 3. which was in the yeare 605. vnto Clement the 8. or 10. which nowe tirannizeth to be of euill life and of worse doctrine by reason whereof they neither are nor in any wise can be successors of Peter nor vicars of Christ but truly Antichrists yet for better confirmation with reasons and notable sayinges of the doctors of the Church with Decrees of Ancient Councels cheifly with 3. passages of holy scripture admirable for this purpose we will confirme it not with standing But before we do this we wil set downe certaine ancient Spanish prouerbs declaring what are the liues of these ecclesiasticall persons and how we ought to flye them The Spanish toung is not only eloquent and copious but sententious also Many prouerbes it hath by vs called Refranes which be certen breife sayinges sentencious and true so by common consent and that of long time allowed To such prouerbes in all tongues aswell learned as vnlearned geue great credit because they be some cheife principles which the latines call Perse nota Contrary whereunto whosoeuer will speak shal be holden for vnlearned and ignorant That the Spanish toung is plenteous in prouerbes briefe sentences the booke called Celestina the first part I say for the rest is falsified a booke doubtlesse did it intreat of some other matter worthy to be read doth very euidently declare The book of Prouerbs which Hernan Nunes the ComeÌ„dador most excellent professor of Rhethoâ—icke and Greeke in Salamanca collected doth shew also the same Whose purpose was not only to collect so infinite a number of Spanish prouerbes but also would had not death preuented him haue glosed and commented vpon them as did Erasmus vpon the Latine prouerbes Verily had the Comendador effected his purpose our Spanish tongue should haue had a great treasure But to what end wilt thou say vnto me intreating of the Pope and his Clergie sayest thou this To great purpose I answere haue I sayd this because here I will alleage many Spanish prouerbes which very briefly and most truly do naturally with liuely colours paint out the life of the priests and Fryers and of all the other ecclesiastical persons from the little Nouice that helpeth to say Masse euen to the Pope himselfe Of the wicked life of the Clergie their deceits subtilties hypocrisies couetousnesse robberie whordoms ambition and simonie c. speake these vndoubted true prouerbes and so command vs to fly from theÌ„ All these prouerbes following are drawne out of the said book of the Comendador OF THE WICKED LIVES OF Ecclesiasticall men Sin Clerigoy palomar teruas limpio tu lugar Of priests and doues where is a want There 's cleannesse rife and foulnesse scant Siboo negocio trazedes frade podeys falar de la calle Potuguez Speake Frier if good it light doth craue If bad it darkenesse seekes to haue Entrays Padre sin licencia o os sobrà favor o falta verguenâ—a Here freely father entrest thou Or vnder leaue or shamelesse now Cregos frades pegas e choyas do à ordemo quatro joyas Gallego clerigos frayles picaâ—as y grajas do al diablo tales quatro alhajas â— joyas Priests Fryars Pyes Dawes and such like chaffer All iewels foure to the diuell I offer Frayle ni Iudio nunca buen amigo Nor Friar nor Iew euer friends true Hize ami hijo monazillo y tornoseme diablillo A nouice young my sonne do make For demi deuill do him take Quien quisiere su hijo vellaco del todo meta lo missario o moâ—o de corâ— Of knauery who listeth to haue his son heire Make him a Masse priest or youth of a Quire Moço missero y Abad ballastero y frayle cortes reniego de todos tres A massing youth a flattering Friar A hunting Priest a hatefull lyar Monja para parlar y frayle para negociar jamas se vido talpar A Nunne to prate a Fryer to proule Who ere two such hath seene so foule Ni amistad con frayle ni con monja que te ladre With flattering fryar nor puling Nunne No friendship els thou art vndone Ni fies en monje prieto ni en amor de nieto In coale blacke fryar haue thou no trust Nor rest on grandchilds loue thou must Ni à frayle descalço ni à hombre callado ni à muger baruuda no le des posada To barefoot Friar nor silent man Nor bearded shee subiect thee than Nunca vide de cosas menos que de Abrilee y Obispâ—s buenos Things lesse I neuer vnderstood Then Aprils faire and Bishops good Bendita la casa que no tiene corona rasa quiere dezir rapada Este Refran es tomado de Italiano Beata quella casa que non ha cheregarasa The dwelling house is surely blest Wherein no shaueling hath his nest This Prouerbe is taken from the Italian Beata quella casa que nen ha cherega rasa Ni fies muger de frayle ni barajes con alcayde No woman trust a holy Freyr Nor yet scolde with a Iudge for feare Ni mula mohina ni moça Marina ni poyo à la puerta ni Abad por vezino No Mule of colour sad Nor bench haue at thy doore Nor maid of Marians trade Nor priest for thy neighbour Ni fraylâ— por amigo ui Clerigo por vezino A Frier for friend see thou forsake And priest for neighbour do not make Ni buen frayle por amigo ni malo por enemigo No good Frier for a friend do choose Nor bad for foe els shalt thou loose Por las haldas del vicario sube la moça al campanario By Vicars skirts the mayd Vp to the Belfry goeth Yet nought at all afrayd What makes she there who knoweth Muchas vezes de hombres casados Clerigos y soldados no son amados Holy Priests and Souldiers then Are oft not lou'd of maried men Obispo dâ— Calahorra haze los asnos de Corona For bribes do bishops orders giue To Asses shorne ô that they liue Ni de frale ni de menja no esperar de recebir nada Of Frier nor Nunne ought to receiue The hope that is will sure deceiue Si con Monia quieres tratar cumplete de guardar If with a Nunne thou list to deale Stand on thy gard
tyranny subiected his companions to obey him Also he complaineth that the prophane Sismatikes withdrew themselues to the Bishop of Rome There was none saith he that would doe this but certaine lost and desperate men making men beleeue that the Bishops of Affrike had lesse authoritie thē he of Rome S. Ierome to this selfe same purpose saith Wheresoeuer a Bishop shal be be it in Rome or in Egubium be it in Constantinople or in Regium one selfe same dignity he hath and one selfsame priesthood riches nor pouertie either make him superiour or inferior And so the ancient Doctors as Ireneus Tertullian Hillarius Cyprian c. when they wrote to the Bishop of Rome they gaue him not the glorious titles which the flatterers of our times now giue him Most holy father most blessed Pope chiefe Bishop our Lord God vpon earth they called him brother fellow Bishop companion in office other such like titles which sauored of loue Christian simplicitie not of flattery pride wherewith the miserable Popes are puffed vp rest much contēted And if it seemed to those Fathers that the Bishop of Rome countermāded or in any thing faulted seeing he was a man either in life or doctrine they aduised him if need so required reproued him Thus not once by chance but many times that very sharply did Cyprian handle Stephen Bishop of Rome Ireneus reproued Victor for that through an impudent ambition he excōmunicated the Churches of Asia for the differēce in celebration of Easter Who should now dare to do this albeit the Pope were another Iohn 8. 12. 13. 14. 23. or 24. or were he another Boniface 8. another Syluester 2. another Gregory 7. another Alexander 6 Paule 3. 4. or Pius the fift By diuine law all Bishops are equall and so as brothers are to aduise and correct one another If any difference there bee of Maioritie or Minoritie by positiue lawe it commeth as the Cannonists themselues when the truth doth inforce thē confesse saying Quod omnis maioritas minoritas etiam Papatus est de iure positiuo That all maioritie and minoritie yea the verie Popedome it selfe is by the positiue law as much to say that men haue made it And yet go I further The maiority say I which the Pope hath vsurped ouer all the Churches being against the Lambe of the Apocalyps and against his Saints is not by diuine nor yet humane law I say it is de iure diabolico of the diuell that it is an infernall tyranny against which all the world is to rise vp as against a fire and generall burning which toucheth euery particular person Note here that which in the life of Iohn 24. we haue noted where the Pope by a decree of the Councell of Constance and Basile is proued to be subiect to the Councell and that more ouer which there we haue said Not bluntly and foolishly as they say but with good reason me seemeth do I say this as by the sayings of the Fathers and decrees of ancient Councels we haue sufficiently proued the same And had there bene none to haue said it yet their proper life and doctrine which we haue in the beginning mentioned are most euident testimonies to confirme our sayings By their liues may each one see if of wilfull ignorance he become not blockish foolish and blind the Popes which haue bin bishops of Rome from Boniface the third who was a creature of Phocas the Emperour an adulterer murderer and tyrant vntil Clement 8. or 10. which now tyrannizeth to haue almost bene al noted read their histories of terrible enormious and wicked vices and sinnes Witches they haue bene murtherers ill beloued tumultuous troublers of common wealths and kingdomes seditious reuengefull brothellers simonists sodomites periured incestuous Nigromancers sacrilegious wicked without God without religion They then being such we conclude them not to be successors of Peter but of Iudas not to be vicars of Christ but of the Diuell and verie Antichrist But now for more confirmation of that which is said we will alleage certaine passages of holy Scripture which the Papists themselue vnderstand and interpret of Antichrist we will consider if that which the Scripture saith Antichrist shall do and say the Pope doth and saith And seeing that the doctrine and life of the Pope is the very same which the scripture doth say shal be that of Antichrist by the Papists owne confession will we conclude the Pope to be Antichrist The first passage is taken out of Daniel the 11. chapter which saith And the king shall doe what he list By king aswell in this place as chapter 8. 23. and 24. is ment Antiochus a great persecutor of the people of God This Antiochus was a figure of Antichrist which is the Pope Antiochus burned the Bible aduanced his God Mauzim forbad marriage made Idols of gold and siluer adorned them with rich ornaments c. and the same doth the Pope Daniell proceedeth He shall exalt and magnifie himselfe against all that is God and shall speake marueylous thinges against the God of Gods and shall prosper till the wrath be accomplished for the determination is made Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers nor the desires of women nor care for any God for he shal magnifie himselfe against all c. Note here in Daniel 3. notable markes which saith he Antichrist shall haue In whomsoeuer then we shall see them hold we him for Antichrist The 1. is that he shall not acknowledge the God of his fathers 2. is that he shall not regard the loue of women 3. nor care for any God The cause of all this saith he is the excessiue pride The Pope being of the race of Christians which haue worshipped the true God father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought into the Church of God where he holdeth his seat Idolatrie and superstition commaunding men in afflictiō calamitie to inuocate another others then God contrary to the expresse cōmandemēt of God Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me and contrary to that which he commaundeth by his Prophet Call vpon me in the day of trouble There is no commaundement of God either in the old or new Testament that commaundeth vs to inuocate any other but God alone Neither is there any example of Patriarke Prophet or Apostle which hath called vpon any saue God alone For how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued as saith Saint Paule In one onely God we beleeue vpon him onely let vs call This new Doctrine hath the Pope brought into the Church to call vpon others then God alone Therefore is he Antichrist Who hath forbidden Christians to reade the law of the Lord the bookes of the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists The Pope Who burneth these holy bookes and those that for instruction of their conscience read them The Pope Who hath taken vppon him authoritie
that of the ruyne of the Romane Empire the Pope who is Antichrist by little and little hath erected his kingdome All this to one man cannot be applyed but to an estate and condition of men Antichrist is a Greeke word as much to say as contrary to Christ See wee then some thinges wherein the Pope doth oppose himselfe to Christ The people sought to make Christ a king but Christ would not For his kingdome he saiâ—h is not of this world The Pope without demaunding or seeking it of the people hath made himselfe vniuersall king ouer all the kings of this world and so at his fantasie doth place and displace them The second opposition Christ being God humbled himselfe and to saue vs became man reconcyling vs with the father The Pope being a man maketh himselfe God saying that in hell he hath authoritie and power casting into it whom soeuer he will and also drawing out from thence If he please as did Pope S. Gregorie say they drawe the soule of the Emperour Traian who was an Infidel persecutor of the Church Authoritie hee hath in purgatorie drawing soules from thence as say they hee doth dayly Hee hath authoritie in earth binding and loosing whomsoeuer hee will He hath authoritie also in heauen placing therein whom hee will commaunding the Angels to carrie the Soule of whomsoeuer he shall please without passing the paynes of purgatorie as by the bull which Pope Clement the sâ—xt graunted to such as comming to Rome to obteyne the Iubile should die by the way doth appeare All this saith the Pope that hee can doe And so also saith his Parasites Yet all is but lies to condemne and carry vs with him to the house of his Father the diuell The third opposition Christ doth commaund vs to search the scripture and giueth a reason for by them shall we know him The Pope vnder most greiuous payne commaundeth vs not to reade them nor looke vppon them least that wee knowing Christ by reading of the Scriptures may also know him to bee Antichrist And to busie vs with some thing hee commaundâ— vs to reade lying Legends he commaunds vs to pray the Rosarie which Alanus with so great falsehood and impietie as we haue said in the life of Sistus 4. renewed So many Paternosters and so many Aue Maries before a câ—â—â—â—fixe before the Image of the virgin Mary or of this or that other he or she Saints he commaunds vs to pray To a certaine great Lady called Isabell graunted Pope Leo pardon of all her sinnes if kneeling in her owne lodging before the Image of any he or she Saint she should say fiue Paternosters and fiue Aue Maries Behold what agreement is there betweene the Aue Marta and the Crucifixe or the Paternoster and the virgin Mary What maner of prayer is this when he that prayeth neither knoweth nor vnderstandeth what he prayeth Oh blindnesse Oh ignorance The fourth opposiâ—ion Christ calleth vnto him all those that trauell and be afflicted in conscience that he may refresh them The Pope commands vs to goe to the virgin Marie and to hee and she Saints What other thing is this but to leaue the fountaine of liuing water as saith Ieremias and to dig pooles that can hold no water Between Christ and the Pope are there many other opposicions yet will we set downe but the last of all that Christ with great triumph is ascended into heauen and there sitteth at the right hand of his father And shamefully the Pope descendeth into hell and to the depth of hell falleth in the company of Iudas whose successor hee is and there by his owne Father the diuell shal be euerlastingly tormented Yee see here that the Pope is an aduersarie and opposeth and lifteth vp himselfe against all that is God or that is worshipped and sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to bee God By that which the Apostle saith that Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God hee giueth to vnderstand that Antichrist shall neither bee Turke Moore Iewe nor Pagan but a Christian and that professeth Christian religion The Pope sitteth in Rome a City very ancient in Christian Religion where were so many good Bishops for almost the space of 300 yeares which sealed with their bloud the Doctrine which preached and nowe also in Rome notwithstanding the tyranny of Antichrist hath God his Church as hee had in Sodome where was Lot and his familie That which Saint Paule saith that the comming of Antichrist shal be with great power signes and lying woonders is to be noted and all this shall hee doe by the working of Sathan Here also it appeareth that the diuell worketh his miracles Which confirmeth the Spanish prouerbe Sease milagro y hagalo eldiablo Be it a Miracle and the diuell doth it but all to decâ—iue The mightie power of the Pope who is ignorant of That which Christ of himselfe saith dareth the Pope to say of himselfe Data est mihi omnis potestas all power is giuen vnto mee O blasphemy intollerable As touching his signes and lying wonders the world is full The very papists themselues that haue any vnderstanding are ashamed of them But the simple the Idiots the vulgar sort beleeue and holde them for true miracles and for them rather will die then for the Doctrine of the Prophetes or Apostles or Christ Iesus himselfe whereof they are wholly ignorant Oh ignorant blindnesse and blinde ignorance How many Images haue spoken How many haue sweate and that droppes of bloud The ignorant people beleeueth that the beard haires and nayles of the crucifixe of Burgos doe grow How many miracles say they doe the Images of our Lady of Guadalupe and that of Monsarrate How many Captiâ—es deliuer they How many dead doe they rayse againe How many blind giue they sight vnto c. Either this which they say is vntruth and not therefore to bee beleeued or else verily doe they these miracles if they doe them by the operation of Sathan that the vnbeleeuers â—hich wil not beleeue the truth may beleeue lies as in this selfe same chapter Saint Paule doth aduise vs not to beleeue such miracles as are â—or founded vpon the word of God In the Treatise of the Masse more shal be said concerning miracles Not to make an Image nor any likenesse c. Not to worship or do them reuerence doth God commaund vs. To make Images to worship and doe reuerence vnto them doth the Pope commaund vs that purgatory should be better beleeued O how many mâ—râ—cles howe many dreames visions apparitions haue there bene only one I will recite which is read in the Enchiridion of times composed by Friar Alonso Venero Thus then saith hee fol. 118. In the yeare of our Lord 1164. a certaine holy Hermit before deceased appeared in visioÌ„ to the bishop of LigoniuÌ„ said vnto him there dyed in all parts
remit they are remitted vnto them and whosesoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained To all equally doth Christ shewe mercy to all equally graunteth Christ the priueledge and giueth authoritie To thinke that Christ reserued matters for the sea Apostolique of Peter which neither Iohn nor Iames nor Paule nor any of the other Apostles were able to dispatch is meere mockerie and Impietie also In authoritie and dignitie were all the Apostles equall And long continewed this order in the Church among the ministers of the Gospell vntill couetousnesse and ambition crept in and confounded this good order making one greater and another lesse because one was more rich then another we speaking of the Primacy confirme this with the sayings of the ancient Doctours If Christ by these words Thou art Peter c. had appointed Saint Peter vniuersall Bishop and head of the whole Church as they say to what purpose did then the Apostles so often reason among themselues vpon this questioÌ„ of the Primacie who should be chiefe amoÌ„g them Saint Matthew from the 1 verse to the 5. of the 18 chapter maketh mention hereof S. Marke cap 9 from the 33. verse vnto the 37. S. Luke from the 46. verse vnto the 48. of the 9. chapter doth mention it S. Matth. 20. 20. saith That the mother of the sonnes of Zebedeus and as saith Saint Marke the sonnes themselues 10. 15. besought Christ that one might sit at his right hand and the other at his left for which cause as say both the Euangelists the tenne Apostles disdained at the 2. brethren Saint Luke cap 22. 24. telleth that there was a contention among the Apostles which of them should be greatest What answereth Christ Iesus to the demaund which the Apostles made Matth. 18. 1. who shal be the greatest c. He set in the middest of them a little child and said vnto them Whosoeuer shal humble himselfe as this little child he shal be the greatest c. S. Marke 9 35. saith he that will be the first he shal be the last seruant of al. S. Luke 9. 48. he that is least among you shal be great Christ reproueth the sonnes of Zebedeus for their ambitious demand He said vnto them ye know what yee aske c. the tenne were angry with them for this superioritie which they pretended Christ said vnto them that in a Politicall kingdome there it superioritie and so kings and princes holde authoritie ouer all But that in his kingdome which is spirituall wherein there neither is nor ought to bee superioritie it is not so But it shall not bee so saieth Christ among you c. Would our aduersaries well examine this they would be ashamed of their primacy and principalitie that they seeke to gâ—ue to their Pope which neither Saint Peter nor any other of the Apostles euer had For had Christ giuen the primacie to Saint Peter when hee heard them contend which of them should bee the greatest doubtlesse hee would haue said vnto them Wherefore striue you know yee not that I haue giuen the Primacy to Peter Doe yee not knowe that I haue made Peter the chiefest of you all Quiet then your selues and for such a one doe yee holde him The same also would Saint Peter haue said I am hee whom Christ hath appointed to bee the head of the whole Church c. But neither did Christ so say but rather for their ambition and affectation of the primacie reproued them Nor yet did Saint Peter alleage that Iesus Christ had said vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. The second place fundamental which our aduersaries doe alleage to mainetaine the primacy of the Pope is that Christ saide to Peter Louest thou mee c. Peter answered Yea Lord c. Then said Christ vnto him Feede my sheepe Here doe they inferre that seeing that Christ said this to Saint Peter and sayd it not to any other of the Apostles that by the same reason hee made him Prince of the Apostles The most high wisedome and loue of Christ in Peters confirmation and comfort they nothing consider There times had Peter denyed Christ And Christ three times demaunded if hee loued him Twise answered Peter Yea Lord but the third time he waxed sorrowfull and to comfort him Christ saide vnto him Feede my sheepe As if he should haue sayd Thou hast thrise denyed mee Peter but hast repented and with most bitter weeping craued pardon for the same Thy sinnes I pardon and restore thee to the same state thou wast formerly in Feede then my sheepe And to cheere him the more he said â—nto him that he should be constant should not denie him And gaue him to vnderstand as there saith the Euangelist with what death he should glorifie God The same charge and office of feeding gaue Iesus Christ to all the Apostles Mark chap. 16. vers 15. when he commanded them to goe through the world and preach the Gospell to euery creatuâ—e and when he said vnto them Receaue yee the holy Ghost Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit c. So that in this carried not Saint Peter any preheminence ouer the rest of the Apostles In dignitie and authoritie all are equall and principall members of the mysticall body of Christ which is his Church which body seeing it is no monster hath but one only head which is Christ And yet say I further suppose that Saint Peter had bene Prince of the Apostles and of much greater authoritie then they all yet not withstanding the Pope not being Peters successour nor the Vicar of Christ as already we haue proued shall not be prince of Bishops nor vniuersall Bishop ouer all Churches He should content himselfe to be Bishop of Rome nor is he yet so but Antichrist These two be the principall fundamentall places wherewith the Romists endeuour to maintaine their primacy And seing they proue not these thinges much lesse will they prooue the rest by them alleaged to which may be answered that which I haue before said One thing wil I demaund of them and this it is If it be necessary for a man to beleeue the Pope to bee the successour of Saint Peter Vicar of Christ and vniuersall head of all the Church as Boniface the eight ordeyned what shall become of the Greeke Church which neuer so beleeued what shal become of all those that liued in the time of Pope Ione what shall become of all them that liued in the time of Anastasius 2. Liberius and Felix 2. these three Popes were Arians Iohn the 24. an heretique For the which and other great abhominations proued against him in the Councell of Constance he was deposed What shall become of them which liued in the time of this Pope and other heretiques and of the Popes that by Armes or bribes or both armes and bribes ioyntly obteyned the Popedome Such according to the decrees of the Popes themselues be not Popes And yet notwithstanding is this almoste
the more thou of all other nations of the world in these last times hast abased and deiected thy selfe to serue and adore this monster this man of sinne this sonne of perdition this whore clothed with scarlet purple adorned with so great store of gold precious stoâ—s this beast this Antichrist this thy Pope this thy God vpon earth by so much the more holding thy selfe ashamed confounded for that which thou hast done because thou so much louest and more esteemest honor then other nations thou shalt abandon abhorre him and shalt practise his vtter ruine and destruction God giue thee that grace that quickly for the sacrifice sake which Iesus Christ his sonne our chiefe and only high Bishop our redeemer and Lord vnto him hath offered Amen For the healpe of memorie haue we heare placed a table wherein is plainely declared the Pope to be Antichrist which is the summe of of this first Treatise An end of the first Treatise A briefe table wherein most clearely euidently is declared who Antichrist is and by what markes he may bee knowne The necessitie of this Doctrine is first declared AS it behoueth the Christian Church and euery faithfull member thereof to know Iesus Christ the Lord and followe his Doctrine with all obedience So is it meete that euery faithfull Christian should perceiue and know what the holy scripture doth teach concerning Antichrist to the end that all the faithfull may truly know him and knowing him flie from him and beware his deceites And if the Apostles themselues in the Primitiue Church forewarned the faithfull of the daunger and comming of the great woolfe as in the 2. Thes 2. 3. 4. c. 1 Ioh. 2. 18. c. appeareth How much more now in this old age of the world wherein all iniquitie aboundeth the end of all thinges approcheth ought we to esteeme this Doctrine necessarie 2 Concerning the name of Antichrist and how the holie scripture speaketh touching the same Antichrist is a Greeke word and asmuch to say as contrarie to Christ For as Antipapa is hee who not beeing Pope attributeth to himselfe the whole authoritie and power of the Pope So is he Antichrist that opposeth himselfe to Christ attributing to himselfe that which is proper to Christ The holie scripture of Antichrist speaketh two manner of waies For as this word Christ or anointed is sometimes generally taken Psalme 105. verse 15. Touch not mine Annointed where by annointed all the faithfull that hold Communion with Christ are vnderstoode And properly againe when Christ our Lord is mencioned So by this word Antichrist is some time generally vnderstoode all such as in Doctrine oppose themselues to Christ 1. Iohn 2. 22. and cap. 4. 3. But then properly it mentioneth Antichrist when it noteth an head of an abominable kingdome which head lifteth vp it selfe against Christ as in 1. Ioh. 2. chap. 18. where the Apostle saith that Antichrist should come It is to be noted that as many things in the scripture foretold of Christ are applyed to some persons which were types and figures of Christ as Dauid Salomon Zerubbabel c. Which properly and truly are meant of Christ and in him accomplished so many things also foretold of Antichrist Dan. 7. 8. 20. 21. 25. chap. 8. 23. 24. 25. chap. 11. 36. and 1. Timoth. 4. 1. 2. 3. are applyed to certaine tyrants and heretikes as forerunners and types of Antichrist but properly to Antichrist in him are fulfilled 3 Whether Antichrist be come The Papists say that Antichrist is not yet come but shal come teach they of the race of the Iewes of the Tribe of Dan be borne in Babylon brought vp in Chorazain and Bethsaida and shall reigne in Ierusalem c. with sundrie such like inuentions of man not warranted by authoritie of holie Scriptures But wee say that Antichrist is alreadie come and that will wee prooue by the testimonies of the holy Scriptures For the same thing nowe is befallen the Papistes which in time past when Christ Iesus our redeemer did manifest himselfe in the world happened to the Iewes For as the Iewes with the Apostles did beleeue and confesse the Prophetes to haue spoken manie things touching the Messias but not beleeued nor confessed that the promised Messias then was come nor that Iesus borne of the Virgin Mary in Bethelem was that true Messiah Euen so doe the Papistes at this day fully confesse with vs that many thinges in holy Scripture are foretolde concerning Antichrist yet beleeue they not nor confesse that he is come but say he shall come as the Iewes did of the Messias We say then that Antichrist is already come Let vs see now who he is and by what marks he may be knowne 4 Who Antichrist is and by what markes he may be knowne This question in former time was hard and obscure but now Antichrist being reuealed is Verie cleere and easie For as this is the true Messias in whom all things foretold by the holie Ghost concerning the Messias are fulfilled So is and ought this to be truly Antichrist in whom all thinges foretold of Antichrist by the Prophets and Apostles do properly belong and are fulfilled Let vs then consider what the holie Ghost in holie scripture hath spoken of Antichrist which we will deuide into three points 1 Of the time of his reuelation 2 Of the place of his seate and being 3 Of his estate life and Doctrine The time of Antichrists reuelation is signified by Dan. cap. 7. 5. 8. when he saieth A litle horne arose vp among the other hornes in the heade of the fourth Beast The Prophet declareth that the kingdome of Antichrist should rise vp in the Romane Empire which was the fourth Monarchie signified by the fourth Beast The Apostle Saint Paule well noteth the time of the reuelation and comming of Antichrist when he writeth 2. Thestal 2. 3. Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first that that man of sinne bee disclosed euen the sonne of perdition Cleerely signifieth the Apostle that after an Apostasie Antichrist shall come True it is that from the Appostles time haue bene some forerunners of Antichrist of whom we read Io. 1. 18. 22 c. And that then the Mysterie of iniquitie did worke 2. Thes 2. 7. yet could not the kingdome of Antichrist increase whiles the Roman Empire flourished But when the Roman Empire should be weakened then should Antichrist be cheife as the same Apostle declareth when he saieth 2. Thes 2. 7. 8. Only he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the waie And then shall that wicked man be reuealed The place where Antichrist shall holde his seate is noted by Daniel â—1 45. when he sayth And he shall place the Tabernacles of his Palace betwene the seas Saint Iohn also in his Apoc. ca. 17. when he signified Antichrist by a woman arrayed with purple and
king of kings and vnder the name of Pastor he sheweth himselfe a rauening Wolfe and vnder pretence to be S. Peters successor he declareth himselfe the follower of Iudas For as Iudas with a kisse fayned friendship betrayed his Lord so with fayned holinesse and outward ceremonies doth the Pope draw the common people into the chaines and snares of ignorance and superstitions The said title therefore which Christ gaue vnto Iudas Ioh. 17. 12. the Apostle giueth to Antichrist 2. Thess 2. 4. A contemner of mariage when he esteemes it a carnall estate and therefore with such seuerity forbiddeth it to his Clergie that although fornicators and adulterers can easily purchase absolution of their sinnes no pardon remaineth for the Clergie that mary according to the ordinance of God but the same is reputed and punished by the Pope for an vnpardonable sinne Albeit the holy scripture teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 9. That it is better to marry then to burne And Hebr. 13. 4. Marriage is honorable among all men Also 1. Timoth. 3. 2. Euery Bishop must be the husband of one wife Insatiable is the couetousnesse of the Pope and extendeth into all parts For money he pardoneth sinnes selleth ecclesiasticall functions maketh marchandize of his Bulles indulgences Iubilies Reliques Masses praiers and sacraments and compelleth the miserable people to buy his marchandize not on such dayes onely as other marchants vse to traffique but also and principally on the feast dayes the Lords dayes and Sabboths when other men rest And raketh together euery day in the yeare and of all sortes of people euen of the Iewes and Curtesans of Rome A tyrant he is and persecutor of Saints being the cause of the sheding of so much Christiā blood inciting kings princes to persecute such as contradict him and abandon his Idolatries and superstitions to serue God according to his will and word whom the Pope condemneth for heretiques to be burned and least they should speake putteth a gagge in their mouthes And to fill vp the measure of his crueltie he spareth not Emperours nor kings being the Lords Annointed when they refuse to execute his tyrannies as histories plainely witnesse A deceauer he is sundry waies because he deceaueth the common people with false doctrine and vaine promises with high titles and fayned holinesse with bulles Pardons false miracles and illusions of the diuell c. He is full of impietie because he pleaseth and delighteth himselfe not only in sinne but causeth others also to sinne because he hath depraued the worship of God with idolatrie the authoritie of kings with tyrany The common faith with deceit and the life of his Clergie with shame and filthinesse occasioned by constrayned single life To conclud in the kingdome of the Pope is the fountaine and spring af all abhominations and slaunder according to the old prouerbe The neerer to Rome the worse Christian So the neerer to Antichrist the further from Christ By these demonstrations it appeareth plainely that the Pope is Antichrist whom the Holy scripture hath foretold and by whom the Church of Christ hath so much suffered The second Treatise of the Masse and the holinesse thereof WE haue passed by the Lords assistance the Laborinthe not of Creete but of Rome of the Pope and his Roman Court another much worse and for more intricate troublesōe The Pope haue we proued to be a false Preist and very Antichrist to be the man of sin sonne of perdition to be that whereof whom speaketh S. Iohn in his Reuelation This haue we proued by his euil life wicked Doctrine by the sayings of Doctors and ancient Councels and by three notable passages of holy scripture Now will we shew the Masse which is the second pillar that supporteth and vpholdeth the Roman Church to be a false sacrifice an inuention of the diuell and a profanation of the holy supper which Iesus Christ our redeemer instituted And if such bee the Masse as we will proue it to bee it followeth that wee ought to flie and detest it and so doe we flie and abhorre it as a thing condemned and abhominable before the face of God This done wee will shewe by the Lordes assistance without which we can doe no thing that good is Iesus Christ to be the true and onely priest and chiefe bishop And his propper body blood which he offered vpon the crosse to his father to be the true only sacrifice the memory wherof we shew forth so oftē as we celebrate his holy supper A table wil we place at the end of this Treatise wherein we will shew the conformity vnion and likenesse which the holy supper instituted by Iesus Christ holdeth with the holy supper in the reformed Churches celebrated And thē also wil we shew the differēce disconformity contrariety that the Masse which our aduersaries celebrate holdeth with the holy supper of Christ which is the same we now celebrate As the name of Pope is not found in the holy scripture as little also is there found the name of Masse And doubtlesse had it bene so necessarie for a Christian to beleeue the authoritie of the Pope and holinesse of the Masse without which faith say they it is vnpossible for a man to bee saued It is I say to bee beleeued that Iesus Christ or his Apostles would haue made some mention thereof For all whatsoeuer is necessary for our saluation doth Christ and his Apostles teach vs. Saint Paule speaking to the Ephesians saith Ye knowe that I keepe backe nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you and haue taught you openly and throughout euery house Witnessing both to the Iewes and Grecians the repentance and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ But this holy Apostle so diligent in teaching that which we ought to beleeue maketh no mention of the Pope nor of the Masse Hereuppon it followeth that to beleeue the authoritie of the Pope or holinesse of the Masse is no Article of faith But true it is will they saie vnto me that this word Masse is not found in the scripture but its equiualent is found the supper of the Lord And if we ought to admit the Lords supper thē must we admit this name Missa Whereunto we aunswere that most great Iniurie and wrong doe they to the holie supper which the Lord instituted in saying it to be the same that is their Masse which they haue imagined and forged For how great difference there is betweene Truth and Falshood Light and darkenesse God and Belial So great is the difference betweene the holy supper and the profane Masse Had the question bene concerning the name whether the holy supper were to be called Missa or no. It should not be of great importance Agree wee in the substance of the things and call it as ye list Albeit it bee il done when the holy spirit calleth a thing by such or such name that man dare call it by another name The Apostle calles it
Sadduces shamelesly denied the resurrection and allowed neither Angel nor spirit As by the disputation which they held with Christ about the woman that had seauen husbands appeareth Matth. 22. 22. and in the Acts 23. 8. The Essees apart had their opinions It was a people solitarie like the Charterhouse Monkes They had no wiues drunk no wine nor did they eat any flesh a people they were very austere and euery day fasted Whiles the Church was deuided into these sects when all was confused came the sonne of God into the world With such he conuersed And of such for preaching the truth vnto thē he was crucified When the light of the Gospel was come which Christ and his Apostles preached who allowed it not but rather killed and crucified those that preached the same The same people of God the Church of God chiefly the Scribes Pharisies priests and high priests These came togither held a Councell wherein they concluded that Christ should die and all those that should preach the same Doctrine They tooke him because they wanted authoritie to put any to death with false witnes they accused him before Pilate Deputy to the Emperour Tiberius and thisin the holy Ierusalem And so was he condemned for an euil doer for such a one was crucified O what a Church O what a Councell if the cheife Preist may erre and erred in dede The Lord by diuine power eftsoones raysed vpp who suborned his keepers to say that his disciples had stollen him away Who assembled a Councell to persecute the Apostles and commaunded them that they should not preach who caused S. Iames to be put to death Who made S. Peter to be taken to cause him to die had not the Angel of the Lord deliuered him The visible Church of God the scribes and Pharisies and high Priests Not without cause faid the Lord speaking of Ierusalem Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the prophets and stonest those that be sent vnto thee Afterwards the very same hath hitherto happened leauing former times spake we of these wherein we liue Who hath for the space of 70 or 80. yeares hitherto shed so much bloud of Martyres they that call themselues the Church of Iesus Christ chiefly the peeuish Friars Bishops chiefe Bishops and the same shal they doe vntill the end of the word And so Christ speaking of his second comming when he shall come to the vniuersall Iudgement saith Luke 18. 8. The son of man when he commeth shall he find faith vpon the earth As if he should say no. And in the XXIIII chapter of Saint Matthewe he maketh a discourse hereof verse 12. And because saith he iniquitie shal be increased the loue of many shal be cold And verse 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect And thinke we not these false Christs and false Prophets shal bee Turkes and Iewes Christians they shal be and for such shall they be holden Bishops and chiefe Bishops shal be the principally as at this day they be I haue sufficiently proued me thinketh by many examples and passages of the old and new Testament that the Church of God may erre and hath erred indeede which to our aduersaries seemeth vnpossible Now will we resolue a doubt and this it is If the Church bee such and subiect to fall into Errours superstitions heresies and idolatries as before we haue proued How shall that be vnderstood which the scripture saith That the Church is the body of Iesus Christ That the Church is the spouse of Christ That the Church is the pillar of truth founded vppon the sure foundation That the Churche is without spot or wrincle and wholy faire That the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her and other like commendations and prayses thereof the word of God witnesseth To this may we answere that both the one and the other may very well stand For God neuer suffered all his Church to fall togither into Error But rather hath alwayes reserued some good and some times also seauen thousand As said he speaking of Elias albeit in corners which neuer bowed the knees to Baal Such as these the common error dispatched wherewith all the Church was generally deceaued Against this Error such others of these spake preached and wrote and most times it cost them their liues and had each one of them had a thousand liues a thousand liues would each one of them haue lost for the same cause That Church wherein Catholiquely and vniuersally raigned that Errour or heresie shee and her Bishoppes did persecute condemned and kill them As by examples wee haue confirmed the same So that when the scripture saith All Israel all Iuda all the inhabitants of Ierusalem turned away from God committed Idolatrie c. Of such a manner ingenerall must wee vnderstand which hath it Exceptions for in the middest of these Errours and idolatries so Catholique fo vniuersall had alwayes God some particular men whom he reserued cleane and pure from that common errour So reserued God Moses and Iosua and some other particular persons also which worshipped not the calfe when all Israel ingenerall and Aaron the high Priest him selfe worshipped it The same will wee say of the time of the Iudges that God neuer forsoke his Church The same wee say also of the times of the kings of Israel and of Iuda When all committed Idolatrie God raysed vp an Esaias a Micheas a Ieremias an Ezechiel a Daniel c. Who reproued vices and false Doctrine and declared the truth But which of these did not the Church and her high priests persecute and kill So also reserued the Lord vnro himselfe at his first comming into the worlde A Simeon an Anna widdowe a Ioseph and his spouse the virgin Marie mother of our sauiour An holie Elizabeth and her sonne Saint Iohn Baptist which were Godly very well thought of the true religion and agreed neither with the Pharisies nor Sadduces nor Essees And so the Lord in so vnhappy times preserued his Church And so likewise vntill now hath he preserued the same And now also in these lest miserable times wherein neither faith Luk. 18 8. nor loue is found Matth. 24. 12. God reserueth some which oppose themselues to the tyranny of the Antichrist of Rome and to the common errour and Idolatrie of all the Romane Church ingenerall And so God hath not permitted that his Church hath wholly bene deceiued nor according to his promise I am with you vnto the end of the world Wil he euer permit the same Euer thē hath God reserued fome that haue not bene deceiued with the cōmon errour many from time to time be enlightened As by experience we haue seene it God of his infinit mercy increase them that the number of his chosen may be fulfilled so sinne may cease and only Christ
fourth domage which the Masse worketh Yet is there no other mediator but Iesus Christ alone The reason is this for he that is to be a Mediator must be in hand with both parties between whō he is made a mediator for if he be in hatred or is not welbeloued with one of the parties he shal neuer preuaile for suspected shal he euer be holden For this cause was it meere that man hauing offended God and being to be reconciled with God it was needfull I say that the reconcilour Intercessour aduocate and mediator should bee verie God and very man for had hee bene onely man hee should haue bene a sinner conceiued and borne in sinne and so should hue nought preuailed with God And had hee bene God and not man hee could not by dying haue satisfied the iustice of God as dyed our Mediatour and Intercessour Christ and dying satisfied and payd all whatsoeuer man ought to the iustice of God Like as sinne for being committed against the infinite God was infinite so was it meete that the wages of that sinne should be infinite and so the infinite God and man Christ perfourmed the same No other intercessour nor mediator is there to obtaine of the Father pardon of sinnes but Christ alone for as there is but one God so is there but one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus as sayth Saint Paul He onely is the Mediatour of the new testament as in many places of the Epistle to the Hebrues the Apostle doth witnesse The same which we said of inuocation say we also now that there is no commandement of God which commandeth to put the dead Saints for intercessours neither is there any example in the olde or newe Testament that anie of the faithfull hath put them for intercessors To seeke bread beyond wheate may we not goe for better bread then that of wheate cannot be Wee may not leaue a certaintie for a thing vncertain Assured we are by the word of God that Iesus Christ is our Intercessour that the Saints are the same wee see not by holy Scripture and it not appearing vnto vs yet doubting without faith will we put them for intercessours And whatsoeuer proceedeth not of faith is sinne as saith S. Paul to the Romans And writing to the Hebrues he saith Without faith it is impossible to please God Whereupon we conclude then that Christ onely wee ought to put for our intercessour and that the Masse doteth in putting for intercessour another besides Christ to obtaine remission of sinnes and not Christ onely in dying was our Mediatour But now also is he the same as Saint Iohn in his catholike Epistle saith Little children these thinges haue I written that yee sinne not And if anie man sin we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. Had there bene more Aduocates then one Saint Iohn would doubtlesse haue sayd We haue Aduocates and would haue named them But as hee certainely knew that there was but onely one Aduocate he sayd We haue an Aduocate and nameth him Iesus Christ and addeth The righteous By which tytle all other men he excludeth all which none excepted of their owne nature are the children of wrath conceyued and hardened in sinne in the belly of their mothers as that holie Prophet king Dauid witnesseth This doctrine so wholsome and full of consolation that Iesus Christ now is and hereafter wil be our mediator and Intercessor hath Sathan obscured and for many yeares buried it in the church Who was he that seeing himselfe in necessity and misery would remēber Iesus Christ to put him for an intercessor aduocate with his father Some ran to one he or she Saint others to other according to their zeale according to their foolish deuotion and sometimes put they those for Intercessors whose soules were burning in hell With the Popes is it no new thing to discannonize these whom other Popes haue canonized for Saints For example Pope Boniface 8. that discannonized Hermanus Ferrariensis comaunding him after he had 30 yeeres beene buried to be vntombed and burned during all which time he had bin holden for a Saint was inuocated of al contrariwise a Pope hath bin which cannonized him for a Saint whom others condemned for an heretike S. Ierome and Pope Damasus condemned for an Arrian Pope Liberius but Gregory 7. did cannonize him for a Saint Their Mule being sicke they call vpon S. Polonia when they haue fore eyes S. Lucie for the throate they inuocate S. Blase for the pestilence S. Roccus They go yet further and shamelessely for their filthy lusts put they Magdalen for intercessour the barren put for intercessour whom thinke you the great gyant Saint Christopher whose legend for being so fabulous Pope Pius the third commanded to be taken out of the Roman Breuiarie which he caused to be corrected as in the life of Marcellus the second before wee haue noted How many kingdomes how many prouinces how manie people how many houses how many persons there bee so manie protecting Gods haue they whom they put for their intercessours God our maker and Iesus Christ our redeemer sleepe Hereof complaine the Prophets and chiefly Ieremie when he saith For according to the number of thy cities vvere thy Gods ô Iudah Blessed be the Lord who by his great mercie hath pleased in these latter times to shew vs so great mercie as to renew and raise vp againe this doctrine so admirable and full of consolation the which in the time of darkenesse of ignorance and superstition was dead as it were and buried Here will I briefly recite a chaunce that vpon this matter happened It is now thirty sixe yeares past that one conferring with a graduate with a maister in Israell among other things sayd vnto him that Iesus Christ was now also our Aduocate The maister wondred at that which was said it seeming to him to be new doctrine for that neuer such had he heard or read The other seeing him wonder wondred at his wonder and for confirmation of that he had sayd alleaged vnto him the place of S. Iohn We haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ c. Saint Paul confirmeth this doctrin Rom. 8. 34. speaking of Christ he saith Who is at the right hand of God maketh request or intercession for vs. And Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore hee is able also euerlastingly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Well beleeued this Maister that the Saints were Aduocates but that Iesus Christ was the same he neither beleeued nor knewe If he being a Maister in Israel was ignorant of this what shall wee wonder if the ignorant people know it not What shall we maruell if silly old women do not knowe it That which I say that there is no other intercessour but Christ I meane it as touching the obtaining of remission of sinnes
our high priest offered with which wee being sinners and sonnes of wrath he reconciled vs to God Oh good newes Heare them then O Spaine and beleeue them In this Treatise I wil be short for many things which were here to be sayd haue we formerly sayd in the confutation of the false priestes which is the Pope and of the false sacrifice which is the Masse And there haue we sayd it for confutation of falshood For how can falshood be confuted but with the truth walke we then hence forth as Children of truth and light He that listeth to knowe who is this high priest and what is this his onely and eternall sacrifice Let him read the Epistle which the Apostle wrote to the Hebrewes there clerely shal hee find both the one the other And no booke there is in all the holie scripture which more to the purpose and more axcellently handleth this argument then this Epistle An Epistle truely worthie for each faithfull Christian to reade and reade againe and to retaine in memorie Seeing there in is handled a matter so necessary without the vnderstanding knowledge whereof it is impossible for mā to be saued For what thing is more necessary thē to know who my redeemer is how he hath redeemed me so to beleeue in him beleeuing in him to be thankful vnto him by liuing in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of my life His maiesty pardon our imperfections supply that much which is wanting But before we enter into this matter Let vs declare that which we beleue of Christ we confesse that Iesus Christ is truely God and truely man that in as much as he is God he is equall with the father with the holy Ghost in nothing inferior We confesse that in as much as he is man he is lesse then the father and lesse then the holy Ghost and in nothing equal We confesse these two so far different natures diuine humaine not to haue bin vnited nor conioyned for euer but in time as saith S. Paule when saith he the fulnes of time was come God sent his son made of a woman made vnder the lawe c. The same saith S. Iohn And the word was made flesh and dwelled among vs. So that from thenceforth is hee called and is true God and true man and so according to this coniunction Christ is lesse then the father For the father hath made him and giuen him vnto vs. For our king Prophets and priest Which three offices the name of Christ signifieth which is a Greeke word and is the same that is Messias in Hebrewe and Vngido in our Spanish tongue So also is it called because these three kindes of men were in olde time annointed And so doe wee read that Samuel annointed Saul for king Dauid also hee annointed Sadoc annointed Solomon c. Concerning the Prophets wee read that Elias annointed Eliseus Concerning the Priests annoynting it is seene in Exod. 30. 50. These 3. Offices doth the holie scripture attribute to Christ It calleth him king Psal 2. 6. I haue appointed to my selfe a king ouer Sion Also Luke 1. 33. And he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer his kingdōe shall haue no end Also Iohn 1. 49. 12. 15. Mat. 22. Al the places also which say Christ to be the head of the Church cōfirme Christ to be king a Prophet he is called Esaie 61. 1. Luk. 4. 19. Also Deut. 18. 15. It is promised that God wil raise vp a Prophet which place S. Peter in that excellēt sermō which S. Luke mentioneth vnderstandeth of Christ who is the Prophet of Prophets In the same maner vnderstādeth it S. Stephen A priest is hee called Psal 110. 4. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Which place in the Epistle to the Hebrewes is oftentimes alleaged where it calleth him the only euerlasting priest But the difference between the kings Prophets priests of the olde Testament Christ is this they were the figure of Christ and annointed they were with materiall visible oyle But Christ is the thing figured is annointed not with visible oyle but with the grace of the holy spirit As he himselfe Luk. 4. 18. doth witnes in declaring the prophesie of Esaie The spirit of the Lord c Of this kind of ointmēt thus speaketh the Psal 45. 7. Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated Iniquitie Wherfore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of goodnes aboue thy fellowes which place the Apostle vnderstandeth of Christ And Christ being annointed with the spirituall oyntment we vnderstand his kingdome not to be of this world his doctrine to be heauenly his priesthood to be euerlasting diuine Christ as king appointed of the father gouerneth his Church giueth her lawes which no prince nor the mightiest monarch of the world may disdaine or abolish For it is noted that all how mighty soeuer do acknowledge him for king of kings Lord of Lords For God as saith S Paul exalted Christ gaue him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee do bowe in heauen in earth and vnder the earth Christ as a prophet doth teach vs the will of his father doth shewe vs what we ought to fly what we ouht to follow Whō the father gaue vnto vs for our Doctour maisterand teacher whē he said This is my beloued sonne in whom I take delight heare him He wil we should heare another Doctrine albeit an Angel from heauen doe preach it If an Angel from heauen saith Saint Paul shal preach vnto you another gospel thē that which I haue preached vnto you the which he had learned of the Lord Iesus Let him be accursed The office of the priest is to appeare before the diuine Maiestie to appease his wrath and to obtaine grace for vs. The which he performeth Offering a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable vnto him This did Iesus Christ offering vp himselfe vpon the Crosse Which sacrifice one only time offered and neuer more reiteratetd For reiteration should shewe imperfection to haue beene in it was so sweete and so good a sauour vnto God that he was pleased and being pleased was reconciled with men So that he pardoned all our sinnes and sanctified vs for euer Of these three offices treateth also the epistle to the Hebrewes In the 1 chapter it sheweth the excellencie and maiestie of Christ aboue the Angels and consequently ouer all Creatures In which it deuoteth his kingdōe In the third chapter the Apostle calleth him the teacher of the will of God Which thing did the Prophets chapter 13. 20. he calleth him Great Pastor By Pastor he vnderstandeth a teacher And so in the 7. verse he said Remember your Pastors which speake vnto you the word of God c. That Christ is a
shal he vnderstand the Masse which our aduersaries at this day celebrete to haue no agreement with the holy supper of the Lord but in al by al to be opposit vnto it And so cōtrary that where the one is the other in no wise can be where the masse is there is not the snpper of the Lord where the supper of the Lord is there is not the masse For how can light and darknes be ioyned the table of the Lord the table of diuels God and Belial And that the Christian people of my nation for whose cause desiring to do them seruice I haue taken this paine if that may be called paine which the person with great content and desire to serue and doe some good taketh may easily vnderstand this I will here in a table set downe the agreement conformity and vnity which is betweene the holy supper by vs in our reformed Churches celebrated the holy supper of the Lord then will I set downe the difference disagreement contrariety which is between the holy supper by our Christ instituted and the prophane masse which Antichrist hath inuented and sold for mony to miserable people called Christians Hee whom God hath giuen vnderstanding to vnderstand Let him vnderstand the will of the Lord and doe the same The holie supper of the Lord. Iesus Christ alone ordained his holy supper and commanded his Church to celebrate the same As he himselfe had celebrated it The supper of the reformed Churches The supper is celebrated neither more nor lesse then Iesus Christ did celebrate it and after the same manner by him cōmanded to his Church as the Euangelists Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. 24 do declare Therefore is our supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Masse hath bene made by many Popes For one Pope made the confite or another the introit another the Kyri-elecson another the Gloria in excelsis another the Gradual another the Offertorie another the Cannon another the Memento another the Teigitur another the Cōmunicātes another ordayned that the bread in the Masse should be vnleuened another that water should be put into wine Another cōmanded that the bread shuld be worshipped saying it was not bread but God which made heauē earth c. Another made the Agnus Dei The same may also be sayd of whatsoeuer is done in the masse Christ made none of all these things nor cōmanded his faithfull to doe them Diuers Popes and at sundry times did inuent them Whereuppon it followeth that neuer Christ no not at all did institute the Masse nor his Apostles sayd it Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ entending to celebrate his Supper changed not his garments The Supper of the reformed Churches So also the Ministers when they celebrate the Supper change not their garments Therefore is our Supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest going to say his Masse doth nought els but cloth and vncloth and euery garment that hee putteth on how little soeuer carrieth great mysteries which they without the word of God to keepe the poore people still bewitched haue forged Moreouer the Priest saying Masse must haue his head beard shaued vpon his head a circle of haire which they cal a crown wherein they follow not Christ nor his Apostles who neuer did weare head nor beard shauen but they imitate the Priests of the Gentiles whom Baruch chap. 6. and 30. reporteth to haue had their heades and beardes shauen Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ vsed common bread serued at the table when hee supped with his Apostles The Supper of the reformed Churches We also do vse common bread therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest must expresly vse other maner of bread baked betweene two yrons which properly is no bread but wafers Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ made his Supper vppon a table The Supper of the reformed Churches We do also celebrate the Supper vpon a table and not vpon an altar An altar is for sacrifice and sacrifices ceased with the death of Christ Therefore neede we no altar A table is to suppe on Saint Paul cals it the Lords supper 1. Cor. chap. 11. 20. whereuppon it followeth that it being a Supper vpon a table and not an altar it is to be celebrated therefore is our supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest must haue an altar which he calleth consecrated An altar I say in a hole in the middest whereof which they call the Sepulchre is put a peece of some reliques and if the altar be not consecrate then must he haue a marble stone which they call a consecrate altar in the border whereof are little peeces of cloth which they cal Corporales All which Durandus in his booke intituled Rationale diuinorum hath diligently trauelled to declare therefore the Masse is not the Suppet of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ in celebrating his supper preached and taught his Apostels The supper of the refoumed Church The supper is neuer celebrated but the minister doth preach and teach those that communicate therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest mumbleth between his teeth certain praiers he turneth to and from the altar one while his backe another while his face to the people now goeth he from one part of the altar vnto another now he singeth with an high voyce now with a low voyce now liftes hee vp his armes now he casteth them downe he lifts vp the traine of his cope holding a candle or wax burning Briefly he seemeth to be nothing els but a man wholly madde not knowing what countenance to vse Let them shew when Christ or his Apostles did this or commāded the Church to doe the same Therfore the Masse is not supper of the Lord. The holy Super of the Lord. Christ in celebrating of his Supper spake in the vulgar tongue that all might vnderstand The Supper of the Reformed Churches All whatsoeuer is sayd when we celebrate the Supper is spoken in the vulgar tongue that all may vnderstand therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope In the Masse a strāge tongue is vsed which most of the Massing priests vnderstand not which is wholly contrary to S. Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 14. where hee sheweth that no tongue in the Church is to be vsed but that which may be vnderstood Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ in the Supper first brake the bread and then gaue it
to suffer also for this faith and confession whensoeuer he pleaseth with persecution to proue vs. Concerning that which men haue of their owne heades haue inuented That the Pope is our chiefe Bishop the successour of Saint Peter the vicar of Christ God vppon earth and that as such a one he pardoneth sinnes draweth out of hell and purgatorie what soules he will and what soules hee will hee placeth in heauen And that the Masse such as now they say is a sacrifice as satisfactorie as was the death and passion of Christ None of these things doth the holy scripture teach vs it is humane inuention and diuelish lies wherwith Sathan hath long time deceiued vs. The Apostle Saint Paul willing to correct the vices brought into the holy supper of the Lord in the Church of Corinth found no better remedy but to reduce it to the originall and first institution And so 1. Cor. 11 he saith I receiued of the Lord that which I haue giuen you c. so now do we also the same We restore the supper of the Lord and celebrate it according to it first institution as the Euangelists and Saint Paul doe declare vnto vs. And if so we do thē haue they no cause to hold vs for heretikes but for good faithfull and catholike Christians and for such do we hold our selues and such we are albeit is the many imperfections the Lord pardon them vnto vs. We confesse we hold beleeue that God through the merit of Christ is our father and the holy catholike or vniuersall Apostololike and true Church whē it is ruled by the word of God in the sacred scripture of the olde and new Testament reuealed For otherwise is she no mother but a Stepmother our mother And wo to that man which shall not be son of this father and this mother We confesse hold and beleeue all that which this our mother confesseth holdeth belieueth All which is conteyned in the bookes of the old new Testament For nothing there is which we ought either to do or belieue which is not writtē in these sacred bookes Therefore will we conclude this Treatise saying That whosoeuer albeit an Angell from heauen shall preach or beliue another Gospell another Doctrine besides that which Iesus Christ and his Apostles haue taught vs all which is written in the bookes which we call the holy scripture Let such a one be accursed and execrable Let him be as saith Saint Paule Anathema Thou hast hard Christian Reader the Enormious charges wherewith we charge the Pope as touching life Doctrine But chiefly touching the superstition and Idolatrie of the Masse which the sayd Pope of himselfe without the word of God hath inuented and brought into the Church Thou hast also heard the Enormious charges where with the Pope chargeth vs. Hee accuseth vs for proud contentious and arrogant that we will know more then all the whole Church He accuseth vs for disobedient to Magistrates disturbers of common-wealthes prouinces and kingdomes he accuseth vs for schismatiques and heretiques For the which as an accuser witnes and Iudge he concludeth that we are not worthy to liue in the world But it is not sufficient to accuse Of necessity must he proue that which hee saith and so conuince the accused Come we then to the proofe let a generall Councell be assembled which may heare both parts Let it graunt to euery part freedome of speech The Councell hauing heard both sides let it iudge according to the thing alleaged and proued without respect of any person poore or rich wise or ignorant ecclesiasticall or secular Let it only haue regard of iustice equity and truth Let the part conuinced by the Testimony of holy scripture and of the fathers also and ancient Councels As be the first foure generall be subiect to the censure which the Councell shall ordayne Let the Pope and his defendors appeare personally in the Councell not as iudges because they accuse vs and we accuse them but as accusers and accused Let vs also appeare seeing we accuse them and they accuse vs. Let this Councell be called As were the foure first generall Nicen 1. the Constantinople the Ephesian and the Chalcedonian This is the onely remedie to take away the dissentions and differences which are at this day in the Church as touching life and Doctrine This remedy in times past vsed the Church in like cases In the meane time beseech we our God to moue the hartes of the Emperour Christian kinges and Princes that they may take in hand such an Enterprise for the glorie of God quietnesse of his Church By the meanes of which Enterprise vice and false Doctrine superstitition here sie and Idolatrie may be condemned And vertue and wholesome Doctrine conteyned in holie scripture confirmed But our aduersaries will say vnto mee that all this in the last Councell of Trent was concluded and that therefore another Councell is not needefull Whereunto I answere that which so often in this booke I haue sayd And chiefly vppon the life of Pope Marcellus the second That this Councell was not free Sith to none whereof was had the least suspition in the world not to bee in all and by all slaue of the Pope and sworne to the Pope was it permited to speake therein The rest which haue there sayd to this purpose and that which is sayd in the foure hundred fifty and eight and foure hundred fifty and nine pages is to be noted besides this say we that this Councel was not generall For how shall the Councel of Trent be called an Ecumenicall vniuersall or generall Councell Sith in it was not found the hundreth part of Bishoppes of Christendome And that this is truth it is euidently seene For in it were found but fiue Cardinals Three of which were legats of the Pope foure Archbishops two of which were Archbishops in title or as we call them in Spaine de anillo of the ring namely Olaus magnus intitled Archbishoppe not of Hispall but of Vpsall people of Gocia that neuer acknowledged the Pope nor the Roman Church The other named Robert Venant called Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland vnder the Crowne of England A land that as litle acknowledgeth the Pope These two poore Archbishops Paul the third maintayned giuing to Olaus 15 crownes a month and another like thing gaue he to Robert 33 Bishops were found there all of them Spaniards or Italians except only 3. Then were also found betweene priests Friars 47. diuines Of whom all al most were Spaniards or Italians Thou seest here the great nomber of bishops with which the Trident Coūcell began which by times conteyned 18 yeares In which time were holden 25 Sessions In many of which nothing was done for want of appearence in the Councel And so in the 8 Session was nothing done but that the Italians transported the Councell to Bologna aland of the popes in Italy Where was held the
better proofes For dreames and false miracles are now nothing worth The time through the mercie of God is not now as wontedly it was when the Clergie easilie deceiued the people and made them to beleeue all whatsoeuer they listed Blessed bee the Lord for the light which in our times he hath giueÌ„ vs. His Maiestie giue vs grace to draw neere vnto it For the seruant that knoweth his maisters will doth it not shall be more punished then he that knoweth it not Besides this there is nothing in these his ten instructions which hath not already in the two precedent Treatises of the Pope and of the Masse bene sufficiently confuted To them I referre my selfe Our redeemer Iesus Christ when hee beganne to preach his Gospell confirmed the same with true miracles and departing from this world as Saint Marke in the last chapter of his Gospell declareth for the same effect to confirme the Euangelicall doctrine he left to his Church the gift of working miracles This gift in the Church I would say in some of the faithfull for all had it not as witnesseth Saint Paul 1. Cor. 12. where reckoning vp the giftes of the holy Spirit and how he distrributeth them amongst other hee saith And to another are giuen the gifts of holinesse by the same Spirit To another working of miracles c. for some time continued vntill the doctrine was confirmed and then afterwards ceassed Albeit God vsing his omnipotency leaueth not sometimes to do miracles But this is extraordinary and not common as then it was The Antichristians willing to be sold for Christians pretend and doe confirme their new and false doctrine with new and false miracles of which their bookes bee full For this is the chiefe proofe wherewith they confirme their doctrine Concerning that of the fiue wounds there is no word in all the new Testament nor in any of the ancient Doctours which for the space of one thousand and two hundred yeares liued in the Church of God that any of the Apostles no not Saint Iohn the dearely beloued Disciple nor yet the holy mother of our redeemer her selfe hath had them nor euer was it said anâ—e hee or shee Saint in all this time to haue had them for so much as I remember to haue read the first that they say had them was Saint Francis and this a few yeares before his death who died in the 1226. yeare The booke of Conformities fol â— demaundeth In which of the saints haue the miraculous wounds of Christ bene imprinted The same answereth In none but in the blessed our Father Saint Frauncis As witnesseth the Romane Church and commandeth the faithfull to beleeue it Afterwardes say same that in the 1340. yeare Saint Gertrude had them And holy Ludiuina say they but know not in what yeare also had them Also they say that S. Katherine of Sena who died in the 1380. yeare And in our dayes in the 1588. yeare was a publike voice and fame that the holy Nunne of Lisbon had them For so great a truth hold they that of Saint Francis that if anie beleeue it not or doubt it for an heretike is he â—olden and as an heretike ought he to be punished So that it is now one of their new articles of faith And so Pope Gregorie did commaund it to be beleeued The same commanded Pope Alexander the fourth and saith that with his owne eyes he saw theÌ„ as in his Bull he doth witnesse Another such like Bull gaue out Pope Nicholas 3 and Pope Bendict 12. who graunted besides this to the Franciscan Friars that they should celebrate the feast of the wounds of Saint Francis All this saith the booke intituled Of the Conformities of Saint Francis with Iesus Christ A booke full of blasphemies seeing it maketh him equall with Iesus Christ proueth S. Francis with many reasonles reasons to haue bin much more excellent then S. Iohn Baptist Amongst which he setteth these downe that he conuerted many more than Iohn that he preached repentance 18 yeares instituted the order of Penance S. Iohn but 2 yeares and some what more preached Iohn receiued of the Lord the word of repentaÌ„â—e Francis receiued it of the Lord of the Pope And which is more terrible blasphemie to adde ought to the infinit power of the Lord S. Iohn was a friend of the Bridegrome The like to the Lord Iesus Christ was the blessed S. Francis In holinesse to the world was Iohn most singular In conformitie of his wouâ—ds with Christ was Francis then all men more excellent S. Iohn is aduanced into the order of the Seraphins In the same Seraphical order seat of Lucifer is placed the blessed S. Francis c. If this be not to make a mockery of Christian Religion of the maiestie of the Son of God and of the holinesse of Saint Iohn Baptist what shall bee Friar Iohn de Pineda a Friar Franciscan part 3. lib. 22. cap. 23. ¶ 3. speaking of his holy Saint Francis saith thus A few yeares before his death fasting and praying vppon the Eue of Saint Michael the Archangell he receiued in his virginall bodie the wounds of Iesus Christ by the impression of the same Iesus Christ as say Vbertino and the Maister Pisano S Francis himselfe to haue reuealed the same hauing suffered most terrible paines when they were imprinted c. He confirmeth his saying with the sayings of Vbertino and the Maister Pisano who is the Author of that blasphemous booke of Conformities They say the same Of no great credit be these two Authors as easily as they speake it with the same facility will we condemne it It is sayd of Saint Francis that he couered the wounds of S. Katherine of Sene saith Antonius that she besought God they should not be shewed vpon her body Of S. Lyduuina saith Iohn Brugmano that to auoyd the applause of the world shee besought the same at God his hands Of S. Gertrude saith Surius that for manie dayes ran bloud from them 7. times euery day But of our holy Nunne of Lisbon say the Prouinciall and Friar Lewes de Granada and it was the publike voyce and fame that she had them and shewed them that they yeelded alwayes fresh bloud wherewith shee painted the small clothes which they gaue her The Prouinciall saith that the wound of the side on certaine dayes namely the fridayes opened that certaine drops of bloud issued from the same c. Surely this was much more shamelesse than all the others Saint Francis and the rest sayd to haue the wounds liued in the times of great ignorance aswell of good letters as of true and pure Christian religion when the Roman Antichrist was absolute Lord of all swayed both swords spirituall and temporall Then was there none that durst whisper against him nor that was so bold to say vnto him thou dost wickedly but it should cost him his life or litle lesse An easie thing was it then with such
of our Saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. No other willeth God for all his benefites but that we be thankfull and call vpon his name Thus shall the number of those whom God hath elected to life eternall encrease and so the kingdome of sinne death the diuell which is the kingdome of lies of false new doctrine confirmed with dreames false miracles and illusions of the diuell shal be destroied and that of grace life and of Christ which is the kingdome of truth the true and old doctrin confirmed with the word of God shal abide for euer To whom which is one God Father Sonne and holy Spirit who liueth and raigneth be perpetuall honâ—â— and glory Amen An Addition I In the moneth of Aprill 1588. Philip the second of that name king of Spaine pretending to send his inuincible fleet for the Conquest of England made choise by the aduise of the Prioresse of the monastery of the Anunciada whose name was Mary of the Visitacion as most worthie for her holinesse to blesse his Standard royall the which she did with vsing diuers other câ—remonies in the deliuery thereof to the Duke of Medina Sedonia who was appointed chiefe Generall she did pronounce openlie good successe and victory to the Duke in saying he should return a victorious Prince This standard was carried in procession by Don Francisco de Cordoua who was a Spaniard the tallest Gentl. that could be found he being on horse backe to the end it might be the better seen at the solemnzing wherof there was such a number of people assembled that diuers of them perished with the throng There was present the Archduke Albertus which then was Cardinall and Gouernor of the kingdom of Portugal the Popes Nuncio the Archbishop who was head inquisitor with diuers other Nobles Prelates Gentlemen This solemnization dured so long that Albertus fainted with fasting and this holy Nunne to comfort him caused a messe of the broth which was for her owne diet to be brought presenting it to him which he accepted most willingly coÌ„ming from the handes of so holy a Nun as then she was holden to be but about the beginning of DeceÌ„ber next after all her holines false miracles and great dissimulations was then found out and she condemned punished for the same according as is râ—bersed in this booke About the end of this yeare 1588 that this holy Nun was discouered in Lisbon there was also discouered in Seuil one father â—yon who was counted to be a most deuour and religious man but by his owne fellowes of his profession he was discouered to be a great hypocrite and a most vicious 〈◊〉 giuen to carnall lustes and for this and diuers other causes he was committed to the prison which is in the Cardinals house of 〈◊〉 A Table wherein by certaine Antitheses is declared the difference and contrarietie which is betweene the ancient doctrine of God contained in the holy scripture and taught in the reformed Churches and the new doctrine of men â—aught and maintained in the Roman or Popish Church Ierem. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein ye shall find rest for your soules THe ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the holy Scripture being the word of God diuinely inspired hath most sufficient authority of it selfe containeth all necessary doctrin to pietie and our saluation as S. Paul clearly teacheth 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The new doctrin of meâ— teacheth that the holy Scripture although it be the word of God should haue no authority were it not for the approbation of the Church and that it is an vnperfect and maimed doctrine which containeth not doctrine sufficient to pietie nor our saluation but that this defect must be supplied by vnwritteÌ„ traditions Belar de verb. Deâ— noÌ„ scrip l. 4. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that ignorance of the holy scriptures is the cause and mother of errors as Iesus Christ our Lord doth witnesse Mat 22. 19. saying to the Sadduces Ye erre because yee know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and therefore the duty of euerie faithfull Christian is to reade meditate and search the holy scripture as God commandeth his people Deut. 6. 7. chap. 12. 32. chap. 17. 19. Iosua 18. Esa 8. 20. And Christ our Lord in the new Testament Ioh. 5. 39. And as did the faithfull in the time of the Apostles Act 17. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The new doctrin of men doth teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and that to keepe religion safe it is needful to forbid the lay or secular men the reading of the holy scriptures seeing it is the cause of many heresies Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15 16. cens col f. 19. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that many deceiuers and false Prophets are gone out into the world and that the faithfull therfore are to proue the spirits whether they be of God 1. Io. 4. 1. And that the holy scripture is the touch whereby this proofe and examination ought to be made Ioh. 5. 39. Act 17. 11. So that all doctrine contrary and repugnant to holy Scripture be it of Councels Fathers Doctors old or new and that as saith the Apostle of himselfe or of an Angel from heauen ought not to be receiued nor taught in the Christian Church Gal. 1. 8. 1. Tim. 1. 3. chap. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 11. 2. Ioh. 10. The new doctrin of men doth teach that whosoeuer coÌ„tradict the Pope his decrees human traditions be false teachers that the Pope hath authority to iudge of all controuersies and of the true sense of holy Scriptures and that from his iudgment it is not lawfull to appeale Bellar. de verbo Dâ—â— interp lib. 3. cap. 3. c. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that we ought to serue God alone which is the Creator and gouernour of all the world following the doctrin of Christ which saith Matt. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The new doctrine of men doth teach that we ought not to serue God alone but also the Saints that they hold them for patrons of kingdoms people cities societies and infirmities Bellarm. de Sanct. beat lib. 1. cap 12. Cens Col. fol. 230. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the lawful worship of God is to be founded vpon the holy Scripture that God will be serued according to his will and word in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. and not after the opinion nor by the traditions nor customes of men as God by his prophet Eze. 20. 18. doth very expresly teach vs saying Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers nor obserue their lawes nor defile your selues with their idols I am the Lord your God Walke in mine ordinances and
keepe my statutes and do them The same teacheth Iesus Christ Mat. 15. 9 saying In vane do yee honor me teaching for doctrine the commandements of men The new doctrine of men doth teach that in the worship of God the traditions ceremonies and constitutions of the Roman Church ought to be obserued and that the Cannon law doth equall the constitutions of the Popes in value with the Gospell and that it is necessarie to keepe them for as saith Pope Leo 4. The Gospel cannot well be obserued if a man obey not iointly therewith all the decrees and constitutions of the Fathers Dist 15. cap. Sicut Dist 19. cap In canonicis Dist 20. cap. De libellis The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that the worship of images is a thing abominable Deut. 27. 15. Leuit. 26. 1. and expresly forbidden in the second commandement of the law of God Exod. 20. 4. and Deut. 5. 8. 9. also that the holy Spirit calleth images Teachers of lies and vanitie Ierem. 10. 8. Habac. 2. 18. And therefore in no wise to be allowed in the Temples of Christians in which Iesus Christ hath bene painted out before the eyes of the faithfull by the preaching of the Gospell Gal. 4. 1. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of images is well pleasing to God and verie necessarie and profitable for the Church And that images are the Bookes of the Laytie Hee therefore that teacheth the contrary is cursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Christians ought to imitate the faith godlinesse and good doctrine of the Saints as they imitated Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. Heb. 6. 12 cap. 13. 7. But that in no wise they ought to inuocate them nor put their confidence in them 1 Because inuocation is an honor due to God alone which he declareth by his Prophet Esay 48. 11. Mine honour will I not giue to another 2 Because the Saints being in this world will not receiue this honor neither the Angels As Act. ch 10. 26. chap 14. 14. Reuâ—â—â—s 19. 10. chap. 22 9. appeareth 3 Because they be ignorant and do not know vs as Esay 63. 16. doth very clearely teach saying Abraham hath forgotten vs and Israel doth not know vs Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer So that as the Israelites in the old Testament were idâ—laters and transgressours of the Law of God when they sacrificed to another then God alone So be all they at this day that inuocate Saints or Angels wherein they do contrarie to the doctrine of Christ Maâ— 6. 9. chap. 11. 28. Ioh. chap. 16. 24. And contrary to the example of all the Saints Psal 22. 6. Neâ—â—e 9. 27. Gen. 32. 9. Exod. 2. 25. cap. 17. 12. Iosua 10. 13. Psal 107. and 11. 8. 5. c. Act. 4. and 24. and cap. 16. 25. c. The new doctrine of men teacheth that Christians ought to inuocate the Saints and to be ayded by their intercession to God because they be his familiars Also that it is a false and wicked opinion to beleeue that the Saints pray not for men and that the inuocation of Saints is idolatrie contrary to the word of God and that he which so teacheth and beleeueth is accursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that Iesus Christ our Lord being true God and true man â—s the onely and perfect sauiour of the world who saith by his Prophet Esay chap. 63. 3. I haue troden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with me And of whom saith the Angell Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes And the Apostle Saint Iohn doth witnesse 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The new doctrine of men teacheth that Iesus Christ is not a perfect Sauiour for Christ saith it died onely for originall sinne And that by his death he satisfied for the fault but that God being iust will that man satisfie hâ—s iustice for the punishment Also that the purgation of sinnes is made by good works satisfactions Masses indulgences and Purgatorie Lib. 4. Sent. distinct 17. and 18. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediator between God and man and our Aduocate and Intercessor to the Father and that no other can be found nor ought to bee sought for 1. Because there is no saluation in any other but in him alone Act. 4. 12. 2. Because 〈…〉 other but Christ only can be sufficient for this office which hath all power in heauen and in earth and remaineth euer with his to the end of the world Math. 28. 18. 20. â— Because Christ hath loued vs and more loueth vs then anie other seeing he gaue himselfe for vs and hath made the purgation of our sinnes with his bloud in his owne person Heb. chap. 13. And so gratiously inuited vnto him all that trauell and are heauie laden Matth. 11. and 28. So that men haue no cause to doubt of his sufficiencie power and good will but that in all their afflictions they ought to flie vnto him alone who witnesseth of himselfe Iohn chap. 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me The new doctrine of men doth teach that Iesus Christ is not the onely Mediator but also the Saints which reigne with him in heauen and that Saint Mary also the mother of God is the Mediatrix and Aduocatrix of mankind lib. 4. Sâ—nt Distinct 45. in Mâ—ssale Paris in prosâ— Mâ—ssae de Anuntiat The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our Redeemer Iesus Christ by the perfect sacrifice of himselfe once offered vpon the crosse for the putting away of sinne hath reconciled all the faithfull with God his Father and hath found eternall redemption so that there remayneth now no more sacrifice for sin Heb. 9. 12. 26. and cap. 10. 12. 18. The new doctrine of men doth teach that the Masse is a sacrifice for the remission of sins of the quicke and the dead Concil Trid. Sess 6. Can. â— The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that we are iustified by faith in Iesus Christ without the works of the law Rom. 3. 24. 28. Gal â— 16. as witnesseth the holy Ghost of Abraham the Father of all beleeuers Abraham saith he beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. And the Apostle S. Paul expresly addeth that this was not written only for him but also for vs to whom faith shall also be imputed for righteousnes Rom. 4. 23. 24. The new doctrine of men doth teach that not faith only but works also do iustifie Concil Trid. Ses 6. can 11. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that faith is not doubtfull but assured of saluation which it hath by the bloud of Christ and