Archdeacon Anno 1167 he wrote a book very learnedly in which he proved Rome was that Babylon St. Iohn wrote of in the Apocalypse and that all their clergy were adversaries to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the very Calvs of Bethell and Dan and Baals Priests and Egyptian Idolaters they selling all things for monie S e Trethinius Gesnerus Peter Conster a Priest at Troyes a man of great learning Anno 1182. and an eloquent Oratour he wrote 20. books and sundry Sermons in which he doth prove the clergy neglect the Word of God and feed the people with their own inventions and that the Church goods which belong to the poore they consume wickedly he affirmeth them to be false brethren for which the wrath of God shall fall on them See Trethemius Vensâ—nttus I will now sett down some testimonies of some of those Of those which were banished suffered death Anno 1105. which did testify the Lords truth the time this idolatry was in hatching Before there was any generall Lawe to maintain this Transubstantiation I finde under the Bishop of Trare four persons banished and accompted hereticks for that they affirmed the bread and wine doe remain in their former substance at the Lords Supper after the words of consecration They denyed the Pope to have authority over other Churches See the Catologue of the Bishop of Trare Doctour Fulck in his answere to the Rhemish Testament See Reve 17.4 doth say that the church of Leedium before this was under great persecution under Pope Pascus for affirming him Antichrist Two Preachers in France one named Peter Breves Anno 1135. the other is called Hendrick van de Tollhouse they were well known in France and of good estimation for their great learning and they did much bewaile the Apostacy of the church and they spared no man of any degree whatsoever they were affirming that they were fallen from the estate of grace and from Christ and they affirmed the Pope to be the Prince of Sodom and the Citty of Rome to be the Mother of all abhomination that all the Bishops were cruel Wolves they detested the doctrine of Transubstantiation and affirmed the Masse prayer for the dead was Idolatrie before God and that Images the Crosse might not be prayed unto nor suffred in the Churches That the Priests manner of singing was mockery before God that praying to Saincts and vowing of Chastity and their manner of building Temples and observing of Holydayes were superstitious and wicked and all humane inventions in Gods worship wicked Idolatrie These men continued in their preaching twenty years and having great refort coming to their preaching of all sorts and estates at last they were apprehended by the Popes commaund by a Legate of his and Peter Brise was burned a St. Ioyls the other was apprehended committed to prison but what came of him we finde not but the followed great persecution many of their Disciples went to their death joyfully Look the 65. and 66. Letters of Barnod to the Earle of St. Ioylls There wrote against them Peter Abbott of Clugnam which Barnod did record and in likelyhood with envy See the Cronicle of Paulus Meriam Ilyricus in his boock Detesbus Anno 1158. speaketh of two called Gurhardus and Dulcinus who did preach diligently against the Church of Rome affirming that prayer was no better in one place then another and that the Pope was Antichrist and the Prelates and Clergy of Rome were rejected and the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the Apocalyps These two Preachers came into England and brougt with them thirty in the raigne of King Henry the Second and by means of the Prelats they were imprisoned and branded in the cheeck and banished the land and after putt to death by the Pope This yeare was Peter Waldus called in question Anno 1160. for that hee taught the truth of the Gospel against the Popes superstition The meanes of his conversion was this He being a rich merchant of Lions some say he was a Magistrate sundry of the Merchants being together merry suddenly one of them was strucken dead and so the rest being strucken with great feare he gave himselfe to prayer and reading the Scriptures good bookes and instructed his Familie in the grounds of Christian Religion shewing them the great superstition of the Romish Church so that they had forsaken the Heavenly Truth which the Apostles planted in steade thereof they did burdeÌ„ their consciences with superstition And hee being very rich gave much goods weekely to the poore instructed them well in the grounds of religion so that many came to his godly exhortations and to conferre with him concerning the truth of the Gospell He kept sundry learned men in his house he caused good bookes to be translated in the French language He himselfe was learned as doth appeare by a parchment writing of his owne hand in which he had collected the Fathers into a good forme as that writing sheweth First the Bishops and Priests sent unto him and forbad him to have any mo such meetings in his house upon payne of excommunication to which he gave this answer That it was his dutie to teach his houshould the grounds of religion wheras his neighbours came to heare him he did not find wher that he ought to forbid them but he was assured it was his dutye to teach his houshould he would obey the voice of Christ when he was called into question that which they layd to his charge was that hee affirmed that the Masse was abominable before God and that hee denyed any more Sacraments then Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that it was an abomination to offer for the dead and that Purgatory was the invention of men that there was no ground in the Scripture for it for the Faithfull go presently to joy after this life that honouring of Images praying to Saincts was idolatrie that the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon that Christians ought not to obey the Pope or the Bishops because they were no better then Wolves to destroy the Church and that they ought not to meddle with the temporall sword and that their additions of mo Sacraments then two was wicked Item that the Vowe of chastity was found to be Sodomitrie that the many orders of the Monks was the marke of the Beast abominable against Christ For friers were not then hatched that celebrated dayes for dead men all inventions of men in Gods worship were ungodly And because the Popes champion Bernard who is saincted for his worke Peter of Clumin write so spightfully of them charging them with sundry heresies and that they denie childrens baptisme I will set downe the testimonie of one who was a bloody persecutor of them as it is in a little booke that he wrote against the Waldenses about the yeare 1270. wherein when hee hath spoken all
the Archbishop for their conversion and they desired him to pray againe that it might returne to the former substance and presently he returned it into the same substance Now I would gladly know what was the reason that after this great miracle and the conversion of this clergie that this contrarie Doctrine should be taught and that an Archbishop Alfrecus should translate and write against this miracle doctrine and that all the Churches in England should with him teach against this Transubstantation and that for 90. yeares if not for a hundred and yet should not be excommunicated by the holy Father the Pope not once proceeded against seeing that 60. yeares after the clergie of England made a booke of constitutions to be governed by in which they did all approve that in the Lords Supper there remained bread wine and yet the faithfull receaved Christ spiritually and yet for all this the Pope did not proceede against them Againe what was the reason there were so many Latine sermons tolerated in the Church which taught against their superstitions and they not condemned by some generall councell for heresie if the Church had formerly concluded this Doctrine Againe what is the reason that these Latine Sermons are all made away except one and that that should have some words utterly razed out the same Sermon remaining in the Saxon language hath these words Notwithstanding this sacrifice is not the same body of his wherein he suffered for us nor the same blood of his which hee shed for us Anno 1141. but spiritually it is made his body and blood as that Manna which rained from heaven the water which did flow out of the Rock as Paul saith These words so razed out are restored againe by the same sermon in the Saxon language and is to be seene in a booke at Exeter Againe I marvell those clergie men were suffred to be so neare the Bishop at his celebrating of Masse and were not rather committed to ward like hereticks Againe I marvell that this Odo Popish Writer found falsh hee being a man of so great authoritie who had such extraordinary gifts in working miracles as never any Prophet or Apostle had yet that he would suffer those Latine sermons in the Church which Alfrecus did translate 46. yeares after him into the Saxon language and not he to have so much as writ against them and that heresie and to leave some testimonie of his detestation against it Againe I do marvell that Osbon doth not make mention of their singing to Deum seeing it was in the Cathedrall Church where so many singing men were That Jesuite who can cleare these Doubts shall do as great a miracle as Odo did when by his prayers caused a sword to come flying from heaven into King Ethelstanes scabard when he had lost his owne and he being in fight with Analnus Or as great a miracle as Odo did in making that all the time the roofe of the Chuch of Canterbury was a building hee caused that not one drop of raine fell in the Church nay that Iesuite deserveth a Cardinals hat All these reasons well considered do shewe that this Osbon did seeke to delude the people and his testimonie is found to be against them and to manifest the truth for us And this Doctrine was not established by generall consent till Innocent the 3. by the counsell holden at Rome Anno 1215. It was by 1300 Bishops and there they did decree that all must goe to confession once a yeare and come to the communion and this was made an Article of Faith About the year of our Lord 1280. lived Iohannes Scotus he is called Downes he was Master of Sciences in his 4. book he writes thus of the sacrament of the Lords Supper the scriptures might be expounded more easily more planely without Transubstantiation but the Church did choose this sence which is more hard being moved thereunto as it seemeth chiefly because of the Sacrament men ought to hold as the holy Church of Rome holdeth And in the same place he doth allude unto Jnnocent the 3. and the counsell holden in the Church at Rome called the Laterane counsell Erasmus on the 1. Corinth 7. saith The Church of Christ hath lately determined Transubstantiation in the Sacrament it was enough a lōg season to beleeve Christs body to be either under the bread consecrated or els to be present after any other manner this he wrote about an 120. yeares since He was as great a learned man as any lived in that age This Pope having as it is manifested altered the institution of the Lords Supper he having ordained a new faith and having chosen 4. orders of Fryers which brought forth a new Gospel called Cirillus by which they taught that God governed in the time of the Law the Sone in the time of grace but now by the comming of the 4. orders of begging Fryers the Holy Ghost began to raigne and should raigne till the end of the world and those which beleeved this new Gospell should be saved And if the Lord in mercy had not stirred up many witnesses Rev. 16.13 to withstand there croaking frogs they would have razed out all Christianity amongst which was that famous divine Gulielmus Master of Paris who proved by 39. Arguments that fryers are false teachers and all the Scriptures which are against Antichrist hee applyed against them See more in Mr. Fox This Innocentius the 3. came to be Pope Anno 1198. Hee was Pope 19. yeares and he having brought in many superstitions into the Chuch Hee commanded Almericum of Paris to be burned for an hereticke because he disallowed Transubstantiation and that whosoever did not goe to confession at least once a yeare should be excommunicate He ordained the Lords Supper should be celebrated without wine he ordained that the consecrated Hoste should be carryed to the sick by the Priest in a gorgeous habit with torches or candles light and a bell before him and so to goe to the sick and give him of it It is recorded this Pope was exceeding subtile and crafty he brought the Emperour under him and all the Kings in Europe as Abas Vespergincs saith Hee gott all the wealth in the world by his wicked devises He compelled king Iohn to receive his Crown of him See Fox 253. Hee decreed that whosever spake evill of the Pope should loose his life yea that hee should be tormented in hell sire This Pope did first institute the fowr orders of Fryers wheras the order of Monks were made first clergy men by Boniface the third in a counsell at Rome Anno 610. There it was decreed that the Moncks might preach and baptise excommunicate and absolve whereas before they did not attend any such office See Vencenee Belovanses Hist lib. 30. and it doth appeare that the Priests did much oppose them For I doe find that Pope Honorius after did conform them to those degrees To returne to
and places of the holy Scripture is said to bee the water the Stone also to bee Christ Even so the bread is said to bee his body which three places must be understood interpreted to bee sacred signes figures then when this very author said Christ Iesus uttered these words Hoc est Corpus meum this is my Body in presenting and breaking bread to his Disciples hee gave them the signe of his body for otherwise it should seeme to bee a thing both inhumane and unlawfull to devoure the pretious flesh blood of Iesus Christ if there were not the figure of the bread and wine for to keepe in memory his flesh and blood the body of Christ having beene sacrificed to God his Father for our life and eternall nourishment Againe the same Author used this interpretation Lib. 10. de Caut. des cap. 5. ea sacrificium de coÌ„sc dist 2 Tertul. lib. 1 3.4 Etiquid paras dentem ventrem crede maÌ„ducaâ—â— ea ut quid de consec dict 2 Aug. in lib. demmed paeniteud in Ioan. tra 25. cap. 6. The Sacrament visible is the new Testament that is to say The sacred signe of the invisible sacrifice the like interpretations are described by Tertullian against that hereticke Marcion Christus acceptum PanuÌ„ Corpus suum fecit dicendo Hoc est Corpus meum id est figura Corporis mei Wherefore then O Missalians have you not followed the authority of these holy Doctors of the Church which would not blaspheme against God by the Magick of transubstantiatioÌ„ bat have freelly and vertuously acknowledged the Sacrament to be a visible signe or sacred figure signifying by faith spirit that which is invisible Wherefore do you prepare the mouth the belly for to devoure the body and blood of Christ corporally really and carnally Why offer you not your selfes by true and lively faith for to eate worthily Christ Iesus Why have you not understood the manducation of the body of Christ by the notable distinction of that loarned Doctor St. Ierome saying S. Hieron in Epist ad Ephes Ca. dupliciter eadem distinct The flesh of Christ Iesus is to be understood carnally when it is spoken of the shedding his blood and crucifying of his body for our salvation but spiritually when it is said that his flesh is the meat for us to eate For another proofe S. Gelase against Entychius and Nestorius I will alledge that learned Prelate Gelase Bishop of Rome the which disputing against the heretickes Eutichines and Nestorians doth afirme the bread and wine consecrated and made Sacraments are neverthelesse in substance bread and wine but to be signes of the body and blood of Christ Iesus by the mystery of the Sacrament And if ye desire larger testimonies S. Ambrose in the book of Sacraments cap. 1. 11. S. Ambrosius upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Corhintians hath explicated and made manifest that the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine doth signifie the flesh and the blood of Christ Iesus offered for us Origen likewise in his Homilies Origen in Lev hem 7. teacheth the Sacraments to bee figures which wee ought to examine really and not carnally Because saith hee that those words Hoc est Corpus meum not understood spiritually kils the soule when he writes to eate the flesh of Christ Wherefore St. Chrysostome admonished the people to honour that holy Sacrament in offring himselfe his soule to God S. Chrysost hom 31. cap. 15. tont 1. for the which Christ Iesus was crucified and that by that holy Sacrament of bread and wine is signified to us the similitude of the body and blood of Iesus Christ For the resolution wee must follow and be ruled according to the instruction and interpretation of our holy Saviour Christ Iesus and his Apostles to honour and reverence his holy Sacraments instituted of him by extorior signes to lift up our hearts and raise our spirits and minds to Heaven Psa 12. for to comprehend that which by those signes is represented to us and not to esteeme hold and account them a vaine picture or apparitions but endevour to receive them worthily by lively faith and vertue of the Holy Ghost to the end to be fed and nourished with celestiall bread to the salvation of our soules thereby to attaine life eternall Let us then be assured in Christ Iesus as members of his body 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 12. that wee may be reduced and brought all into one unity for to communicate and eate the same bread drink the same wine compounded of many graines united together to the end that wee may say with the holy Apostle All wee faithfull are the body of Christ Iesus saved redeemed by his holy body crucified and pretious blood shed for us and so remaining permanent in faith in Christ Iesus in eating his body and drinking his blood to beleeve firmely to have beene crucified and risen from the dead D. August in Ioan. tract 30. Art 1. 3. ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father untill that hee returnes as hee is ascended with his humanity and neverthelesse his Almighty power and Divinity to be distributed to us and diffused in earth and in all places especially in his holy Sacraments which hee hath left us for a pledge and exteriour approbation of our faith for memory and recordation of the death and passion of our Saviour IESVS CHRIST FINIS Invincible proofes that Transubstantiation is but of late yeares gathered out of authentick Authours and confessed by the most learned of the Papists NOw to manifest that the Church of Christ taught none other doctrine coÌ„cerning the Lord Supper then the reformed Churches doe teach for one thousend years since Christ here I doe produce undenyable testimonies First the Book of Alfricus Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 996. in the raigne of Etheldred King of England which book doth remain in the Library at Exeter and a coppy of part of it dedicated to King Henry the 8. by Doctor Cranmer And by the same booke Alfricus having translated So. Sermons out of Latin into the Saxon tongue of which hee made two bookes and hee was of such learning and eloquence and of such worthy esteem in the Churches of England that wheras they made a book of Canons after his death to govern the clergy they did collect out of some generall counsells other ancient Fathers in which they did insert two of the Sermons in that book of Alfrieus his translation into the Saxon language the one was read in the church on Easterday before they received the Lords Supper and there anie may read it in the Saxon language or in English recorded by Mr. Fox and there are two of these books extant and one of them is to be seen in the Library at Exeter and the Italians and French did not understand the Saxon language I
the evill of them he could yet God who opened the mouth of Balaams Asse caused him to write these words of them They are saith he more pernitious against the Romane Church then all other hereticks for three causes The first is because they have bene of longer continuance for some say they have bene since Silvester others say they have bene since the Apostles time The second cause is because they are more generall for there is almost no land in which this sect doth not creepe The third cause is because all other sects do bring a horrour with the haynousnesse of their blasphemies against God but this secte of the Lioneses hath a great shewe of godlynes because they live justly before men and they beleeve all things well concerning God they beleeve all the Articles which are contayned in the Creede They blaspheme and hate only the Church of Rome This is to be found in a little Treatise of Renerius imprinted neere a hundred yeares since Who was a bloody Inquisitour and gave sentence of death against sundry of them The Iesuite saith that one Cesarius writes that the Doctrine of these Waldenses was spread in more then a thousand cities In a booke against Foxe 535. fol. and that they had an army of 70000. that were destroyed by Simon of Momford with a small armie but there is no mention of an armie which they had in the Cronicles Now we will shewe what the heresie was for which they were persecuted as Langfrank saith That the sacrifice of the Church consisteth of two things the one visible the other invisible that is of the Sacrament the the thing or matter of the Sacrament which is the body of Christ if it were here present before our eyes it were a thing visible and to be seene but being lift up to Heaven and sitting on the right hand of his Father to the time of restoring of all things as Peter saith It can not be called downe froÌ„ thence for the person of Christ consisteth of God and man The Sacrament of the Lords Table consisteth of bread and wine which being consecrated are not changed but remaine in their substances having a resemblance or similitude of those things whereof they be Sacraments See Langfrank The adversaries did teach this Faith following I beleeve the earthly substances The Popâ—â—â— Faith which upon the Lords Table are divinely sanctified through the ministratioÌ„ of the Priest to be converted unspeakably incomprehensibly and miraculously by the operation of Gods mighty power into the essence of the Lords body the outward formes only of the things themselves and certaine qualities reserved that for two respects The one lest the sight of the raw bloody flesh might otherwise make man to abhorre from eating thereof that they which beleeve things which they see not might have the greater merit for their beleefe The conversion of which earthly substances into the essence of the Lords body notwithstanding yet is the selfe same body of the Lord in Heaven there hath his essentiall being at the right hand of his Father immortall inviolate perfect undiminished and uncorrupted so that truely it may be affirmed the selfe same body both to be received of us and yet not the selfe same I meane as touching the essence propertie and vertue of his true nature So much of Langfrank Archbishop of Canterb. and yet not the selfe same as touching the formes of bread and wine other outward qualities occurring to our outward senses The Doctrine of Guimundus Archbishop of Aversam Those who will see further let the read the answer to the 6. Articl is as grosse as appeares by a Booke printed at Lovan which saith That the body of Christ is pressed and torne with teeth even like as it was feit and touched with the hands of Thomas And further he answereth an objection putt forth that it is not lawful for Christ to be torn in peeces with teeth he doubteth not to pronounce that whether we take tearing for bare biting it is not repugnant nor disagreeing but that by the will of God agreeing thereunto the body of Christ may be bâ—tten with mouth crushed yea divided in peeces with hard or soft pressing of the teeth that as he was brursed upon the crosse according to the Prophets laying hee was bruised for our iniquityes so the same body for the health of the faithfull may devoutly be torn tent with their teeth any thing to the contrary notwithstanding Cuimundus lib. Sacrament fol. 30. Let all which fear God observ now these doe oppose the word of God Exod. 12.46 which saith They shall not break a bone of him Thus I have shewed how this abhominable doctrine of TransubstantiatioÌ„ crept into the church that it was hatched by the Monks by the Histories wee may see how they confirmed it with miracles and their holy bishop Duaston did triumph over the Divell when hee would have enticed him to lust after a young Woman Hee got the Divell by the nose with a pair of red not tongs Such like miracles are to be read in their Legend Another miracle of a lewish Boy For which testimonie he was putt into the fire to be burned of his Father but the fire had no power to touch him for a beautifull woman whose the Child was kept the sire from him with her gown And this was the virgine Marie that said hee saw in the Church of the Christians a Child broken and divided And seeing the Papists do affirme that the Church of Christ did in all ages teach Transubstantiation to be a Catholike doctrine We will examine one of their Historie-writers who wrote in the time this idole was a hatching called Osbon who did write the lives of three Archbishops of Canterbury about the yeare 1076. in which Historie hee saith In the dayes of Odo certaine of the Clergy being seduced by wicked error did hould and maintaine that the bread and wine which are set upon the Altar after the consecration do remaine in their former substance are but only a figure of the body blood of Christ But saith hee that holy Father Odo did convert them which was about the yeare 951. Hee reciteth the means which Odo did use to convert them by a certaine miracle Hee saith These Clergie Men being before him hee perswaded them seeing they could not be convicted by argument yet he requested them to stay and see him say Masse to communicate which they did seeing after consecration breaking of the Hoste over the chalice the blood dropped out of the Hoste into the chalice Odo saith hee wept for joy to see his petition accomplished which hee so carnestly prayed for On the sight thereof he saith these clergie men behoulding and seeing were converted and blessed the Archbishop thanking God that he was borne to manifest his truth to them and thus they were converted to beleeve Transubstantiation and blessed
down uppon the earth out of the clouds and that by meanes of your false doctrine your wickednes lies slanders and detestable facts Then the people shall say unto them Out uppon you get ye packing hence you Captaines of mischiefe overturners of truth ye shunamitish brethren fathers of heresies false Apostles that counterfaited the life of the Apostles whereof ye have been imitators by no meanes You sonnes of iniquity we will not follow the manner of your wayes For pride and arrogancy have seduced you and insatiable covetousnes hath entangled your erring minds And seeing that you would needs ascend up higher then was meete and equall ye are fallen backe headlong into everlasting shame and reproch by Gods just judgment These things wrote Hildegard about the yeare 1146. It is recorded that the people were so opprest with them that they make suite that their number might be lesse for they were not able no maintain them all for they kept the people in feare of them so that they durst not displease theÌ„ for if they did they would excommunicate them or els accuse them to be hereticks those that did obey them they would flatter tell them they would pray and prevaile with the Saincts that they should not be tormented in Purgatory And if they were rich lay sick on their death-bed then they would perswade them to give to their order and house at least a childs portion that they might not be tormented in purgatory yea if they gave liberally they would promise them their soules should goe presently into Paradice and thus they did beguile the simple people and defrand their posterity of their inheritance so that in lesse then 400. years they had gott the third part of the wealth in the world To the like effect also prophecyed Catharine whom they have canonized for a Sainct She affirmed that all their Clergy were deceivers of the people and perverters of the truth And holy Bridget did affirme that most of the Popes were in Hell torments for their deceaving the people and perverting the truth of the Gospell This Pope sent his Legate into France with 12. Abbotts to suppresse the Waldenses which taught the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon and his ordinances wicked and their Masse full of abhomination contrary to Christ and his Gospell and never known to the Apostles And this Pope did first institute an inquisition which did condemn the poore lambs for hereticks the like they did in Spaine appointed Diedicus a Bishop there who did persecute them with all cruelty See the Cronicle of Paulus Merium Anno 1206. The Cronicle of Munster Anno 1210. written by Harmannia Mutye doth say that at Strausborow there was an hundreth putt to death in one day and 80. at another time and 39. at Ments These were burned for that they maintained the same doctrine against the Pope which the Waldenses did and in other countryes there suffred many as in Alvia and Langwedoc and Narbon Casan Record at the Tolehouse many suffered Mascias saith there suffred in the Provinces 140. and at Narborn they suffred great torments in the fire and at Paris suffred 24. And the year following as Masays testifieth there was 400. putt to death 80. beheaded Prince Americus hanged the Lady-of the Castle stoned to death I doe finde by those who doe record this some difference of the time that this was See Fox 420. fol. The Bishop of Narbon put in a Castle near the Tolhouse 224. of these Martyrs and burned them to death Anno 124 See the Creniele illius Temporis I have formerly shewed that these Locusts sting like Scorpions and those which live in countryes where Scorpions are doe say they are so bould that they will set upon a man and sting him and for the present he shall feele but litle paine but if hee have not cure within one houre it will so infect his flesh that with great anguish hee dieth whithin 2. dayes of it therefore the holy Ghost hath made a fit comparison Rev. 9. for these Locusts doe make shew their abominable Doctrine is not hurteful but those which doe receive it it doth so infect their soules that except they be cured in a short time they become worse then madde for it doth torment them unto eternall wo for evermore Or if wee doe understand it of the sting they gave of the faithful witnesses of the Gospell when they could not pervert them from the truth they would give out their stings that they held sundry grosse heresyes to make them odious to all indifferent men as doth appeare in their writings Rerum Francarum in scriptorum writeth Anno 128 there was of the Waldenses hereticks in all Christendom and that they were in all Cittyes and although they were slaundered to hold sundry heresyes yet I have formerly shewed that a bloody Inquisitour did confesse they beleeved all things well and their evill hee charged them with is they blaspheme the Church of Rome THE DOCTRINE Of the Church of Christ for one thousand years after his Ascention IRENEVS saith Anno 180. Ieven lib. 5. lib. 4. cap. 34. that the bread is broken and the cup next after the vocation or calling upon God ceasse to be common bread any more but are the Eucharist of the body and blood of Christ and he manifesteth how for faith hee the Eucharist consisteth of two things one being earthly which is bread and wine the other heavenly which is the body and blood of our Lord. And herunto Tertullian doth teach the Sacrament Anno 200. Tertul. lib. 4 to be a figure signe and memoriall of the Lords body And elswere he saith against Marcion He gave his body that is to say a figure of his body Dionisius calleth the Sacrament of Christs body Dionisius no otherwise then bread as Eusebius doth relate Ciprian saith Epist 6. lib. 1 3. lib. 2 in his last Supper hee gave bread wine and his body upon the Crosse He saith Christ drunk wine at his last Supper because hee would root out the heresy of certain who used water in administration Chrisostom saith Anno 350. Hom. 13. on Matth. that onely bread remaineth And Theodoretus in his first Dialogue bread remaineth still its former nature At a Counsell holden at Leadium Anno 364. in the 25. Article they decreed what they should doe with that remained in the celebration of the Lords Supper there they call them by the same names they were called before the consecration bread and how they should dispose it Hesichius Anno 500. Hesechius lib. 20. in Lev cap. 8. who was 500. years after our Lords passion saith of the mystery It is both flesh and bread that is the true beleever receiveth Christ and bread Emissenus compareth a man converted to Christ Emissen â—e Consee dist 2. quia corpus by regeneration unto the holy mysteries consecrated to the body and blood of Christ
THE ORIGINALL OF POPISH IDOLATRIE OR The Birth of Heresies Published under the name of CAVSABON And called-in the same yeare upon misinformation But now upon better Consideration Reprinted with ALOWANCE Being a True and Exacte Description of such Sacred Signes Sacrifices and Sacraments as have bene instituted and ordained of GOD since ADAM With a newe source and Anatomie of the Masse first gathered out of sundrie Greeke and Latine Authors as also out of diverse learned FATHERS Published by S. O. Printed in the Yeare of our Saviour 1630. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader this treatise came to my hande and I have perused it I saw it to be but a relation out of other ancient Histories how superstition was brought into the Church which made me to wonder that any who is not a lover of popery should suppresse it by reason it doth only shewe what others have written who lyved in those ages wherein they were brought into the Church I have therefore gott this treatise to be examined and viewed by sundry others who are not inferiour for giftes and learned artes to any who had a hand in suppressing this booke and all of them doe agree with me that those things which are related in it are to be found in the writtings of those Authors quoted in it therefore I take it that those which suppressed it if they be not Papists in their hearts yet they hould with the Papists that ignorance is the mother of devotion which is expresly against the Law of God And the Scriptures hould ignorance to be no better then Paganisme therefore the Apostle doth tell us that God shall come to judgment in flaming fyre rendring vengeance to all which knowe not God 2. Thes 1.8 Therefore those which contemne this means of knowing God much more they which suppresse the knowledge of God or his truth their end shal be wofull and accursed Our adversaries the Papists doe vanut much of antiquitie unto such as are not acquainted in ancient Histories saying that their religiō is the true religion of Christ which hath bene in all ages since the Apostles but this short treatise doth manifest otherwise if we search the Scriptures and ancient Histories we may find that all their boasting is mere delusion which doth vanish away and their Religion shal be found to be no other then the Scriptures have foretould to witt that Antichrist should arise in the Church of God and corrupt all the holy ordinances of God sett up his traditions command them to be observed above all the ordinances of God 2. Thes 2.3.4 Apoc. 12.11.12 1. Tim. 4. And although they have suppressed the testimonies of the faithfull witnesses of the truth which we produce against them yet we do find sufficient testimonies out of their owne writers that their religion was not receaved in many Churches till a thousand yeares after our Lords ascension and since brought to the height by Jnnocentius the third and Honorius Then by their owne Authors confession God did stirre up many thousands of wittnesses to his truth which we professe against their superstitions in all ages since the Lords truth hath not wanted some which did witnesse it even to the death by giving their lives for it And now this hundreth yeares the Lord hath given us in our land many excellent truthes to be maintained by lawes to be professed and embraced which many thousands have comfortably embraced and are departed this life in Christ and rest with him And now for our great sinnes the Lord doth beginne to take it away from our land as he hath done in other countries which have had it we see he hath sent them the sword with famine and great miseries and he hath shaken his rod against us to see if we will learne before it be too late and forsake all our great and haynous iniquities Christ tould the Iewes that those eighteene on whō the tower of Siloam fell were examples to them that except they did repent they should all perish so except wee reforme our great and crying transgressions we shal be ruinated and made an astonishment to all the world and although we are not the first who have drunk of this cup of Gods wrath yet we shall not receive the least part although the Lord have reserved the Dregges of his cup for the beast and his false teachers Wee may see the Angell of the Lord is executing of his wrath here and all the world is in an uproare round about us The whole frame of nature is out of order yet wee do not lament as we should therefore it doth prognosticate his plagues shall fall seven times heavier upon us The gospell of Iesus Christ is departing from us who can love his King and Country and not lament mourne feare least his fiere wrath should consume us all in this troublesome cruell desperate and bloodie age in which wee live now that warres rumoures of warres are sounding in every mans eares and Gods enemies make Havocke of his Churches and Servants and the Romane Antichrist doth prevayle Gods people at this day be grievously persecuted and murdered yea some consumed and devoured Alas it wil be too late to bring water to quench the fyre when the house is burnt to ashes This short treatise is to manifest the originall of the superstitions crept into the Churches how most of them came from the old heathenish Romanes except their Transubstantiation which is a grosser kind of Idolatrie thē ever was invented by any Pagane Christian Reader if you doe observe this treatise you may have wherewith to stop the mouthes of the Papists and behold whence their idolatrous Masse is derived I have in the end added some thing of my owne collecting most out of their owne Authors to shew the truth how long it is since their idol of their Breaden God came first into the Church S. O. THE AVTHORS EPISTLE TO THE READER MOst Christian Reader Considering the Controversies and bloudy hatred grown betwixt those who professe themselves Christians about religion for they aspiring to retain these vaine superstitions proceeding from their predecessors and many also not contented do invent new Sects Schisms and Heresies Others least in number divinely inspired and of God elected desire to extirpate the Darknesse of Ignorance thereby to cause resplendently to shine the Light and claritie of Truth But it seemes that the most dangerous Poyson that Satan useth to entoxicate men with the Venym of sedition and cruell contention and hatred derives chiefly from the Masse disguised with some good meaning masked and covered peradventure with a good intention And although that many heretofore have by sundry faithfull descriptions endevoured to discover to the world the deceitfulnes error blindnesse thereof yet could they not prevaile nor give light to their duskish and heavy sight Therefore now without any passion I have faithfully extracted and lively drawne out from the Volumes of ELASOPOLITANS
COMMENTARIES It is a large and faithfull description whereof the second Volume treates of the Constitutions of great Pontiss Soveraigne Priests and Sacrificers as have been ordained since the beginning of the World and their true Number Power Riches and Authority all for thy only benefit this sincere Summary of the Sacrifice called the Masse In this Treatise though little in appearance are designed set downe all such Sacred Signes Sacrifices and Sacraments ordained of GOD from time to time As also the Corruptions that have grown successively in the Church of GOD whereby I doe evidently shew the Birth of all Heresies and Jdolatries and especially the true Originall of the Masse for the which the world is in great strifes bloody Contentions cruell Divisions Hatred and lamentable Civile Warres for some do Invectivate and Inveigh against it alledging that it is newly divised and invented others defend it by prescription and long possession and thus by such like altercations the Christian Church is sore afflicted with the yoke and Terror of Sedition But if thou art a Christian beloved Reader of what Sect soever Papist or Euangelicall I pray thee heartily for thine owne good to have patience to read this Worke for by it thou mayest evidently know and plainly discover the very truth of whatsoever thou standest in doubt of what Sacrifices Sacraments and Sacred Signes have beene instituted of GOD since ADAM what is the Masse and Originall thereof who were her Founders Augmenters Inventers to the end thou mayest firmely beleeve with assurance all the Contents herein mentioned have recourse to those Authors out of whose Bookes workes I have drawne end derived it their Names and Bookes are quoted in the Margent So ayming at GODS glory and thy owne Benefit I rest with my prayers to GOD to inspire thee with his Holy Spirit by the intercession of our onely Saviour Redeemer and Mediatour Iesus Christ AMEN THE TRANSLATOR TO THE COVRTEOVS READER wisheth all Saving health in Iesus Christ. WIse Politicians favourable Reader in their Jnstitutions and Government of Common-wealths do hold for an infallible maxime that to reforme Corruptions and abuses in States better course cannot be taken then often to reduce things to their primitive Originall Because Lawes at first enacted with good and profitable intention in the Revolution of few yeeres by mens instability and inconstancie of minde or the peculiar interest of Avarice by Injustice are abrogated and neglected The Venetians beeing a people at this day celebrous and famous for their Governement have a supreame Magistracie which they call A Syndicate that once in a few yeeres survey all the Offices and Dignities in their Common-wealth the Duke himselfe not there excepted to looke in the abuses and preuent their deepe roote and plantation that so all things may continue and stand entire according to the rules and precepts of their first Constitutions and ordinances Also a Garden-plot though never so curiously drawne or distinguished into borders and set with all manner of odoriferous flowers and wholesome herbes yet every showre of raine brings foorth new weedes the which if they be not carefully and dayly supplanted will soone overgrow the good plants and bring the same to a wilde and savage plot of ground And though the inevitable depravation and corruption of mans nature carry so strong a hand in things transitory and mutable yet one would thinke they should be more stable and provident in those courses tending to eternall salvation and soules reprobation in observing those Lawes and CoÌ„mandments uttered by GOD himselfe commanded to all Posteries for a square Rule whereby to measure our faith actions Notwithstanding men are more prone to Declination Corruption in that from the very beginning and first institution of the Law Mosaicall till the present times that for many ages have received the cleere and manifest Truth and doctrine Euangelicall Heresies have ever crept in and caried too powerfull a hand as Verity it selfe like gold in the bowels and entralls of the earth is encombred with a wonderfull deale of oare drosse which is not like to be sâ—parated till the last sire of tryall which shall prove every mans worke and cast out the drosse to be trampled troden under foote Wherefore Christian Reader for the better satisfaction and generall good of all Gods Church I have laboured to translate this curious and admirable Master peece most worthy and necessary to be observed and read for thou mayest as in a Mirror cleerely see and discover the Birth and the Originall of this foule Monster Heresie in the Church even from the first ages before the written Law as also during the force and efficacie of the Mosaicall Sacrifices and now in these later times more pertinent under the Law and precepts of Christs holy Gospel wherein are deduced the Authors and Founders of the Romane Masse And what conformity it holds with the Ethnicke-Rites and ceremonies and how farr a digression it hath made from the doctrine life and practise Apostolicall and the ages of the Primitive Church wherein the Author ever hath abandoned all passion and partiality and in full proofes cited none but either approved and authentike Authors as the ancient Doctors and Writers of the Church that lived before the present Inundations of superstitions Traditions Bring them to the Text of Gods Word compare them with the example of the Prophets and Apostles observe the customes of the Primitive churches thus by reducing theÌ„ to their beginnings it will be easie to judge whether they stand still in that unspotted integritie or have not adulterously prophaned the sincere worship of GOD with many and meere humane inventions If thou doest but vouchsafe the diligent and carefull reading hereof I make no doubt but it will yeeld great comfort to thy Conscience confirmation to thy Faith as that which will cleerely delucidate many hidden passages that have not hitherto been revealed and if it may take this happy effect I shall thinke my paines sufficiently requited and recompensed in all things ayming at Gods glory and not mine owne And thus I rest ABR DARCIE THE ORIGINALL OF POPISH IDOLATRIES c. Published under the name of Casaubon Anno Domini 1624. Called in the same yeer upon misinformation But now upon better consideration reprinted with allowance Together with the Originall and true Anatomie of the Masse As also the corruptions and abuses of all these holy things from the beginning CHAP. I. Of Sacred Signes IN the time preordained of God by his inscrutable and incomprehensible Wisedome when hee had created man to his true Image and likenesse the better to move and incite him to feare and obedience as also to make him partaker of his blessings he gave him sme exercise of vertue whereby hee might acknowledge him his Almighty God and omnipotent Creatour were ordained many Signes Sacrifices and Sacraments First to our first Father Adam to whom with his Successors corporall men God allotted corporall
that they might eate and communicate of the flesh of victimes in their sacrifices especially the sheepe Blond lib. 1. de Rom. triumph the Sow the Goate and the Oxe which was first instituted by Evander King of Arcadia Wherefore that the Missalians might not degenerate from the idolatry of their predecessors they must needs follow this coÌ„munion of flesh they are not content with their little round azimall hosts consecrated and printed with images Hosts made of flower transubstantiated into flesh the wine into blood but with time they have invented a new magicke to transubstantiate their little hosts of flower into flesh and bones the bread being no more bread but an accident without substance and by this meanes to convert the round host of flower into a carnall sanguinolent host The wine also offered in their Missall Chalices to bee transubstantiated into blood the wine being no more wine but an accident without substance Detestable Heresie Was there ever a more abominable magicke or a more detestable Heresie then this Missaline transubstantiation When the people of Israel murmured against God because they were weary of eating Manna and celestiall bread calling for flesh was the Manna transubstantiated into flesh An. Christ. 1062. in Chronol Io. Volateran bones and blood When the ancient Romane Idolaters meant to change their round hosts of flower or meale and grew to eate flesh in their facrifices did they use this magicke of transubstantiation Wherefore I freely averre that this Missall addition was lately invented by the Missalians more then a thousand yeares after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ This Heresie began to spread very much of a Nicholaiâ—an Antichrist climbing up to the Romane Pontificacie by the monopoly suggestions of Hildebrand expelling by force the other elected Pope Lanfrac de sat which was Benedict the second of that name in the yeare of Iesus Christ 1062. Afterwards by a Monopoly held in Saint Iohn Lateran in Rome it was advanced during the ecclesiasticall tyranny of Innocent the third of that name about two hundred years after the Palinodie canonized by Berengarius Deane of S. Maurice in Angiers Against which abominable magick and heresie we must briefly by forme of a recapitulation compare the institutions of the Sacraments ordained by God First of all Against Transubstantion Tree of life the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill forbidden to our first father Adam as sacred signes and sacraments of feare and obedience whereon depended life or death were they transubstantiated or converted into knowledge or into death to leave their nature of beeing trees or fruits reduced to an accident without substance The celestiall Manna Celestiall Manna The Rocke flowing out water and the Rocke gushing out lively water sacraments that had reference to the holy Sacrament of the supper were they transubstantiated into an accident without substance The unspotted Lambs immolated by Abel Lambs immolated by Abel in his acceptable sacrifice to God were they transubstantiated into any other nature The Fore-skinne circumcised for a note marke of covenant to the good Patriarche Abraham and his posterity Circumcision was it converted into an accident without substance The blood of the Paschall Lamb Paschall Lamb. for an assurance of Israels salvation was that converted into any other substance The flesh of the immaculate Lambe to bee eaten on the day of the Passeover having reference to the holy Sacrament of the supper was it transubstantiated into an accident wiâ—hout substance The brazen Serpent which being only beheld Brazen serpent health was granted to the sicke did it not continue a Serpent of brasse was that transubstantiated being ordained for a Sacrament sacred signe to the people of Israel Victiâ—nes offered in sacrifice both of beasts of the earth Victimes sacrificed azimall loaves with other sacred signes ordained by God for holy signes sacraments of expiation salvation for the people of Israel were they ever transubstantiated into accidents without substance All sacred signes ordained by God in the Israelitish Church though they sacramently represented that which was by them figured and not as a simple picture without reall effect yet did there never live so detestable an heretique which invented or added thereunto this Magicke of transubstantiation And neverthelesse O Missalians you must needs coÌ„fesse that the good and holy Fathers of Israel were adopted engrafted and regenerated by faith in Iesus Christ begotten before all ages that they were nourished purchased eternall life by Iesus Christ that they and we have but one God one onely Iesus Christ one Mediator and Redeemer That by faith they sacramentally communicated and participated spiritually of the blood of Iesus Christ for their salvation and eternall life Comparison of the faith of the ancient fathers of Israell with ours That there is no difference touching God betweene them who did precede the incarnation of Iesus Christ and us that were since his incarnation but both they and wee are equally the Church of God redeemed by the blood of the just and unspotted Lambe Christ Iesus For the rest they had a faith of the future promise and observed the holy Sacraments and sacred Symboles of the Sacrifice which should be consummated by Iesus Christ D. Aug. contra Faust 20. cap. 21. cap. 14. l. 19. contra Petilian li. 2. ca. 37.77 1. Cor. 10. August in Psal and wee in the new law celebrate the memoriall and remembrance of the sacrifice now finished by Iesus Christ having a fruition of the promise accomplished If then the Israelites eate the same celest all bread drunke the same saving drinke which we doe by faith in one onely Iesus Christ If they had sacred signes to represent actually and really the future death of Iesus Christ even as we retaine sacred signes of his present or past death they for the future we for that which is past why did the Missalians invent this new magicke to convert an holy Sacrament ordained by God into a magicke of transubstantiation and into an accident without substance Against miracles alleaged by the Missalians Exod. 7. Exod. 8. Exod. 14. If God to approve his power and to manifest the hardnesse obstinacy of Pharaoh was pleased to performe wonderfull things by Moses and Aaron by converting a Rod into a Serpent water of the river into blood and into frogs the dust of the earth into lice and then to make the navigable sea dry performing many other miracles can we by this infer a transubstantiation of the little round azimall host printed with images into an accident without a substance In what place of the holy Scriptures when mention is made of sacred signes and Sacraments or sacrifices ordained by God is it said that the signe or sacrament was transubstantiated But on the contrary Gods will accommodating it selfe to mans infirmity he ordained from time to time common signes for notes
take it that was the cause they did not suppresse it as they did others For Mr. Fox doth shew there how they have rased out of some of the Latin sermons which are to be seen in those of the Saxon tongue and thence he doth shew that they were such words as made against their superstition So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transubstantion was not received in the Churches of England for fifty years after for this book of constitutions was in use till Langfrank was Archbishop it doth appeare that sermon was read in those Churches untill William the Conquerour came into England had raigned there some years in likely hood till the year 1070. Capgrave and William Mamsbery who were History writers doe both of them affirm that this Alfricus was Archbishop of Canterbury about the year 996. And by the rehearsed booke of Canons constitutions it doth appear that this Alfricus was holden for a man of found judgment and a Catholike writer and this booke of constitutions was given unto the Church of Worcester by William Bishop of Worcester for an especiall treasure as doth appeare in the same booke Besides this book there is another booke given to the Church of Exeter by Leofrious the first and famous Bishop of that Sea which hath those two Epistles before rehearsed Manie other proofes ye may see in Mr. Fox for the truth of this Authour And it doth appear that Langfrank did alter this doctrine for before hee came into England I doe finde that hee was one of the four Henry Bulling de ongine erroris cap. 10. Counsell Vercellense doe say manie French stood with him WilliaÌ„ Mauâ—â—usbury affirme the same which did dispute against one Beringarius Archdeacon of Angreas in France who was turmoiled persecuted by four Popes for defending in the Lords Supper Bread and Wine did remain and that the faithfull received Christ spiritually and not with their carnall mouths his last recantation hee made under Pope Hildebrand named Gregory the 7. Anno 1079. Vpon which hee with griefe and sorrow did give away his living and all his goods to the poore and wrought for his living in his old age after hee had been persecated thirty years one Authour doth say hee did repent his forsaking of the truth before his death These with manie other testimonies are to be seen in the answere to the 6. Articles recorded by Mr. Fox And Osbon who did write an History at the appointment of Langfrank Archbishop of Canterbury doth say that at that time certain of the Priests and Clergy were deluded and seduced by wicked errour did hold and maintain that bread and wine which are sett upon the Altar after the consecration doe remain in their former substances and are but a figure of the body and blood of Christ Thus was the manner of the Popish Priests thus to deprave wher it is certain by that before rehearsed this herafter testified that this was the judgment of the Church the reasons he used to shew what made them alter their mindes are certain false miracles which are common in their Legendaries may be read in the forenamed History which if I should rehearse would be thought lying for the Whetstone Whilst this abhominable doctrine was in hatching See how many thousand witnesses the Lord did stirre up to maintain his truth even by their own Authors confessed See rerum Francicarum scriptores about the yeare 1283. Hee saith the heresye of the Waldenses spread throughout Europe Look a Rayling Booke written against Mr. Fox his Booke printed 1603. in the 528. Section he saith the doctrine of the Waldenses was spread in more then a thousand Cityes speaking of the yeare 1200. There is a Cronicle of Lambertus a Monk of Hersfield Anno 1078. hee writt from the beginning of the World to this yeare in which hee doth much complain of the Clergy but most of the Monks hee affirmeth them to be proud and ambitious destroyers of the Lords Vineyard by their ungodly life and great iniquityes by which they have polluted the whole Church The Bishop of Florence did teach and preach that Antichrist was then manifested as Gabellicus testifyeth Anno 1101. Vpon this Pope Pascalos called a counsell and putt him to silence condemned his books And Blondus Platina testifieth he also disalowed of many Ceremonies for which the Pope deprived him of all his goods See the two former testmonies A counsell holden at Rome Anno 1124. where was assembled one thousane Bishops Abbotts there they did ordaine that this transubstantion should be put for an Article of faith yet it doth appeare that it was opposed for Innocent the 3 did 86 years after enact it in a counsell but here by this connsel the Pope sent his Cardinall to the Monks of Caslam that they should acknowledge the Church of Rome had received power from St. Peter and hee had delivered it from the mouth of Christ that all Churches and Cloysters are to be planted and established by the Sea of Rome and all ought in conscience to be obedient to that Sea and to acknowledge that he hath received power to open the gates of Heaven to whom he would and also to shurt them against any and that the Romain Church was builded on the Sone of God which all ought to beleeve and this is builded on the faith of Peter that Peter and Paul did plant the Church at Rome with their blood and that it was the Mother church of all other Churches and those which did oppose that Church did oppose the Word of God See the counsell of Cissinences At this time was Arnulphus Bishop of Ludom Anno 1127 a zealous man he rebuked the wicked life of the clergy their much pride and he exhorted all to follow Christe in poverty as his Apostles did in holynes of life This man for his holy life and godly preaching was well accepted of the Nobility and of the Cittizens but the Cardinall and clergy hated him and sought to make him away privately But he having a revelation before what death he should dye he declared unto them in his teaching that he knew the clergy would murther him privately because he told them the truth in blaming their pride and wicked living and therefore they were offended with him he protested he was commanded of God to cry out against their great sins It doth follow that the clergy murthered him there is a book of his doth inveigh against many superstitions printed at Collen The Archbishop of Ments Anno 1131. Hildebertus a man of great learning did earnestly preach and write against the Sea of Rome against the abhominable wickednes He affirmed them to be Tyrants the sink of all iniquity that they banished away all goodnes out of the Church for this doctrine hee is sent up to Rome and there cruelly handled and imprisonned See Rainul in poli Chrocit Peter Blesensis
admitted to the ministry before they did dispute and could defend their ordinances and that they must take their oath to teach no Doctrine contrary to the Romish Church Remegus Anno 884. Bishop of Attexerre in France was accounted of great learning in sundry languages in his writeings he proveth that no man is made righteous by his owne workes but onely by laying hould on Iesus Christ by a lively faith He doth affirme no man since Adams transgression have freewill to doe good Faith if we take the word amply and largely signifieth a certaine knowledg and resolving of the assurance of witnesses which cannot deceive Iustifying faith is a knowledge which a man doth firmly assent to every word God hath revealed unto him resolveth that the promises of Gods graces through Christ belongeth unto him and he hath a full perswasion and confidence in the favour of God towards him so he overcomming all fâ—are and pensivenes For the confidence of justifying faith is a motion of the will and heart consisting of a joy conceived for the certainly of the present grace of God toward him and of the Hope of our future delivery from all evils There is no faith but that which resteth on the will of God revealed in his word All true faith is wrought in man by the Holy Ghost either by the voice of Gods heavenly Doctrine or by his imediate revelation and seeing God will kindle frame and confirme ordinary faith in us by the Doctrine of the Church all are bound to heare it and meditate theron Faith alwayes in the ellect is imperfect in this life sometime languisheth yet howsoever he feeleth in his heart an earnestnes against doubts which arise in his minde yet he doth certainly resolve hee is indued with true faith This true faith being once kindled in our hearts although often it languisheth and is darkened for a time yet it is never wholy extinguished for by faith onely we apply the promises of grace and we obtaine the promises of grace receiving righteousnes before God and the participation or communion of Christ with all his benefits Soe true faith is the perswasion of the heart whereby the soule is truely assured of redemption and remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnes through Iesus Christ Let us hereto observe what our Saviour saith Mat. 7.22 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he which doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven And hereto saith the Apostle Make an end of your salvation with feare and trembling And therefore saith the Apostle Iames What availeth it my Brethren if a man saith he have faith when he hath no works Phil. 2.12 Iemes 2.14 can that faith save him That is it cannot save him All which have this true faith doe daily judge examine themselves of those sinnes they have fallen into and they are truely sorye for them they doe humbly beseech the Lord not onely for pardon but they doe instantly begge of him for streÌ„gth of his grace that he may subdue his naturall corruptioÌ„s which is an especiall worke of true faith therefore Christ saith Come unto me all ye which labour and are laden Mat. 1â— 29 and I will ease you For all which have the spirit of regeneration doe not allow that which they doe for they labour to doe that which they are unable to performe therefore they doe as little Children doe who wheÌ„ their Father bids bring them somthing they are unable to doe and performe yet if the Child doe his best to doe it his father doth accept it as well if he had performed it So is it betwixt us and the Lord if we subdue our corruptions and be sory for our faults and be earnestly sueing to the throne of grace for strength of his Spirit that we may subdue them then are we those Christ speake of Blessed are those which mourne for they shal be comforted If wee have these effects then are we those the Apostle speaketh of saying He which is borne of God 1. Iohn 3.9 sinneth not The consideration of this caused the Apostle to charge the servants of God to mortify their lusts because the time is come that judgement doth begin at the house of God And he saith If it doe beginne with us what shall the end be of those which obey not the Gospell of God for if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare For if Christ raigne not in our hearts then hee is not our Lord Luk. 19.27 therefore hee saith Those mine enimies which will not have me raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me For every tree which bringeth not forth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire Thus I have pointed at the true justifying faith which the ancient Church did maintaine But if I should explicate it it would require a quyer of paper to manifest it But I hasten to other things The Iesuite saith in 484. folio That wrote against Mr. Fox that the true Church is universall and perfect and doth hault in no one point of beleâ—fe From his owne affirmation I conclude their Church is false by reason their faith was not knowne the first thousand years nay nor till Jnnocent the 3. who was the first Father of it although there were sundry Popes before him in hatching it 250. yeares yet was it not brought forth till the Counsell of Latteran Aº 1215. where there was decreed sundry other superstitions and as I have before shewed a new faith was inacted which Langfrank Archbishop of Canterbury did hatch and bring forth against Baringaris The Iesuite doth vaunt that Rome is the Mother-Church that she had converted Brittaine before Paul came to Rome which is very false by the testimony of records for St. Luke doth tell us that at the persecution of Steven there was great persecution Bâ—nardus Precoris faith there was put to death 200â— and the Church was all scattered except the Apostles And some write that there fled out of Ierusalem 15000 upon this persecution some of them fled into many nations preaching the Gospell And that this persecution was very great Paul saith He went into every house drew out both men and women and put them in prison and thus he did even in strange Cityes And to this end I will shew what three of the Fathers have written Tertullian who lived about one hundreth yeares after saith That the faith of Christ was received in the raigne of Tiberius of the Medes Persians Messapotanians Iurie Cappadocia See his booke contra Ildos Pontus Asia Egypt Pamphilia Morians Spaine France Brittaine Denmarke Germany Suhia Hee saith in all these Countryes Christ is received And Gildas saith The faith of Christ was received in Brittaine the raigne of Tiberius Gregory speaking of the multitude which fled out of Ierusalem upon the persecution when
which wee shall doe well to take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day starre arise in our hearts Seing the Lord hath charged us Deut. 4.2 not to adde any thing unto his word which hee commands us neither may wee take any thing from it which hee hath appointed or commanded and hee hath protested that all which shall adde unto his word hee will adde unto him those plagues Revel 22.18.19 which are written in his books and if any shall take away or diminish any thing of his word then will take away his part from the booke of life and from the holy City of God For the Fathers themselvs doe desire not to be followed but as they follow Christ Therefore when the Donatists alledged Ciprian Augustine for to prove a doctrine against Augustine Hee answered thus Wee doe Ciprian no wrong when wee distinguish any of his writings from the Canonicall Scriptures and therefore was the Ecclesiasticall Canon of the Scriptures soe carefully appointed contrary to which wee dare not judge according unto which wee may freely judg all other writings August cont Crescon lib. 2. cap. 31. And hee saith I am not hound to the authority of Cyprians Epistles for I esteeme not it as Canonicail but hexamine him by the Canonicall as it agreeth with the authority of the Divine Scriptures I receive with his praise and what accordeth not with it I refuse with his leave Ibid. cap. 32. And when hee disputed against an Arian hee saith Now must not I alledge the Councell of Nice nor you the Councell of Arimine as to prejudice either for I am not bound to the authority of the one nor you of the other Wee are bound to the authority of the Scriptures which are wittnesses not peculiar unto any but common to us both Let the matter cause and question betweene us be discussed Contra Maxim lib. 3. cap. 14. Also hee saith Let us not bring deceiptfull waights by which wee may weigh what we will as wee will at our pleasure but let us bring the Divine Ballances out of the holy Scripture as out of the Lords treasure Yea let us not weigh but let us acknowledg the things already weighed of the Lord. D. baptist contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 6. Also he saith Whether it be concerning Christ or the Church or any other matter which belongs to our faith and life there we may find what wee ought to doe if an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise then wee have received from the Scriptures let him be accursed Contra Petil. lib. 3. cap. 6. Chrifostome saith When the wicked heresy which is the army of Antichrist hath prevailed in the Churches there can be no proofe of the Christian Religion nor any other refuge for Christians that would know the true faith but the Divine Scriptures Whosoever would know which is the true church of Christ how shall he know it but by the Scripture onely Whereupon the Lord knowing that there should come such confusion of things in the last dayes doth injoyne the Christans which would have assurance of the true faith Chrisest on Matth. 24. Homil. 49. they must cleave to nothing but the Scriptures otherwise if they looke to any other thing they shal be offended and perish And having written on Iohn the 10. hee saith On Iohn 50 Homdis The Scriptures will not suffer us to go astray By this doore must both the Pastors and all others of us enter in for whosoever useth not the holy Scriptures but climeth up other waies that is by a way not appointed hee is a theefe and those are false Christs and Antichrist And in another place hee saith It is not absurd to tell mony and count it after another hath told it to us and yet for matters farre greater some are so simple to follow the opinions of others which hee doth note for great folly seeing we have an exact ballance rule out of the Scriptures wherefore I entreat beseech you to leave of what this man or that man thinketh and enquire all out of the Scriptures Chris on the 2. Corin. 13. homil Hierom saith many Fathers both Greek and Latins have erred Hieron in an Epist Dammach whose names I need not mention Now seeing I doe simply acknowledge their erring I will so read them as the rest because they erred as the rest After hee saith Why dost thou bring forth that which Peter and Paul would not deliver Again whatsoever things brought in by any although otherwise holy and learned since the Apostles let it be cutt of and have no place on the 86. Psalm Tertullian saith Tertul. None can prejudice the truth not the continuance of times nor the superiority of persons nor the priviledges of Countryes for by means of these is custome made commonly of ignorance and succession of time made strong to be used against the truth Christ our Lord calleth himselfe Truth not custome If then Christ be allwaies and before all the Truth then it is a thing perpetuall and ancient Let them therefore looke unto it to whom that is new which to him is old Lib. de Virgin Veland Again he saith As for us we may not please ourselvs in any thing of our own cōceits neither may we choose that which others bring in of their own Will The Apostles of the Lord we have for Authours who did not themselvs choose to bring-in any thing of their own will but did faithfully assigne to the Nations the discipline they received of Christ therefore although an Angell from Heaven should speak otherwise wee should say he were accursed Ibid. cap. 6. FINIS A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE CHap. 1. Of Sacred Signes Fol. 1 Chap. 2. Of Sacrifices Fol. 5 Chap. 3. Of Corruptions Fol. 9 Chap. 4. Corruptions punished Fol. 16 Chap. 5. The ceremoniall Law accomplished by Iesus Christ Fol. 18 Chap. 6. Of Sacraments ordained by Iesus Christ himselfe Fol. 20 Chap. 7. Of the corruption of the Sacrament of Baptisme Fol. 23 Chap. 8. Of the corruption of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fol. 25 Chap. 9. The ancient religiō of the Roman Empire Fol. 31 Chap. 10. How the Bishops of Rome began their corruptions in the Church Fol. 34 Chap. 11. The first greatnesse of Popes proving Antichrists bringing in the sacrifice of the Masse Fol. 38 Chap. 12. Of the Masse in particular with her true originall from whence it came first Fol. 41 Chap. 13. The Masse divided with the true nature of holy Water derived from the heathens Fol. 47 Chap. 14. The Procession of the Masse Fol. 50 Chap. 15. The third part of the Masse that is the Altars and Candles lighted Fol. 53 Chap. 16. Of Incense and Offertories with other parts of the Masse Fol. 57 Chap. 17. Of the round Hoste with the consecration of the same Fol. 61 Chap. 18. Of divers parts and sundry ceremonies belonging to the Masse Fol. 63 Chap. 19. Against Idolaters antiquity and long possession of the Masse as also what times the Masse was by peeces brought into the Church Fol. 67 Chap. 20. Against the Idolatrie of the round Hoste Fol. 70 Chap. 21. The invention of Transubstantiation with confutation of that Labyrinth of Idolatry Fol. 73 Chap. 22. Comparison berween the two H. Sacram. Fol. 85 Vndeniable proofes that the church of God rejected Transubstantiation for 1000. years after Christ Fol. 95 All the faithfull did oppose it the time it was in hatching Fol. 97 What their bloody Persecutors confessed on thē Fol. 102 A new Faith invented Fol. 103 A Popish Writer examined and found false Fol. 104 It is confessed of Popish Writers that Transubstantiation was concluded but of late yeares Fol. 106. A new Gospell Fol. 107 That great Idolatrie was then brought into the church Fol. 108 The Prophecy of Hildegardus Fol. 109 The great murthering of the Faithfull Fol. 112 What Faith the true Church did maintaine Fol. 114 The Roman Church got dominion over other lands by tyranny Fol. 122 Christian Reader impute not Literall faultes FINIS
that is outwardly nothing is changed but all the change is inwardly Augustin saith The bread doth not loose his first nature after the consecration but it receiveth another quality wherby it differeth from common bread And against Maximinus hee saith Sacraments are figures Anno 400. August lib. 3 cont Maxins being one thing indeed yet shewing forth another thing And in another place he saith There are no other sacrifices then prayer praises and thanksgiving Gelasius saith The Sacraments which we receive Anno 492. are divine things yet ceasse they not to be bread and wine in nature Beda writing on the 21 th Psalme hath these words Anno 730. Poore men despisers of the world shall eate indeed really if it be referred to the Sacraments and shal be filled eternally because they shall understand in bread in wine being visible before him a thing invisible to wit the true body blood of Christ are true meat and true drink which filleth not the belly but the minde is nourished Haymo about 850. taught the same Doctrine Now to observe the Article of our Faith He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God Augustin saith Aug. supper lean tract 30. tract 50. The Lord is above even to the end of the world and yet the verity of the Lord is here also for this body wherin he rose againe must needs bee in one place but his verity is spread abroad every where Elsewhere he saith Let the godly receive also that Sacrament but let them not be carefull for the presence of his body for as concerning his Majesty his providence is invisible unspeakable graces for these words are fullfilled which hee spake I am with you to the end of the world But according to the flesh which he took upon him when hee was born of the Virgin and was apprehended of the Iewes and was fastened to a tree taken down again from the Crosse lapped in linnen clothes was buried rose again appeared after his resurrection so ye shall not have me alwaies with you why Because as concerning his flesh The conclusion of Doctor Ridlye He was couversant with his Disciples 40. daies and they accompanied him seeing him but not following him for he went up to Heaven and is not here for he sitteth at the right hand of God his Father yet hee is here Math. 28. because hee is not departed hence as concerning the presence of his Diuine Majesty Mark well what Augustine saith he is aseended into heaven and is not here saith hee therefore beleeve not them which say hee is here still upon the earth Also hee saith doubt not but that Iesus Christ as concerning the nature of his manhood is there from whence hee shall come remember well beleeve the profession of a Christian man Aug. Ep. 57 that he rose from the dead and ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father and from that place and none other not from the altars shall hee come to judge the quick and and the dead and he shall come as the Angell said as he was seen to goe up into heaven that is to say in the same form and substance unto which hee gave immortality but changed not nature after this form meaning his humane nature wee may not think that it is every where And in the same Epistle he saith take away froÌ„ the bodyes the limitation of places and they shal be no where and because they are no where they shall not be at all Vigilius saith Vigil contra Vryche lib. 4 If the word the flesh be both of one nature seeing that the word is every where why then is not the flesh also euery where for when it was on earth then verely it was not in heaven And now when it is in heaven it is not surely in earth and it is so certaine that it is not on earth that as concerning the same wee looke for him from heaven whom as concerning the word wee beleeve to be with us in earth These few testimonies I have produced to shew that in the maine differences of our Religion betwixt the Papâ—sts and us we have proofs not onely from the Scriptures and authentick Fathers but also froÌ„ the confession of the Popish writers themselves and that for one thousand yeares since the Ascention of our Lord. And for these points I have related I could produce as many more but I hasten to be breefe In the next place I will shew the Fathers Iudgment concerning our Iustification by the free grace of God That we are justified freely by tho grace of God apprehended by Faith is a Doctrine taught by the Apostles testified by the ancient Fathers And now this Doctrine was opposed by the Pelagians Anno 420. against which Augustine wrote snndry large volumes And twelue yeares after his death Comentary on the Proverbs of Salomen wrote Salomus Bishop of Viennen who used these words No man is chosen to Salvavation of God for any foreseene goodnes hee did see in him nor any man is chosen of God for his good works but onely by his grace and mercy and of his meere love See of him Sidonius in an Epistle on Salloman lib. 7. and Providentia Prosper his Cronicle And the yeare following there was a councell houlden in the City Arragon against the Pelagians which denied this doctrine and maintained freewill and it was condemned in this Synode Venerable Beda departed this life when he was 72. Anno 734. yeares ould in his time he wrote much And on the 21. Psalm hee affirmeth Wee are justified by the grace of God and not by works He dissalowed Images praying to Saints He translated the Gospell of S. Iohn into English This Doctrine was maintained by sundry other Fathers Anno 776. as Falcanus a man of great learning Anno 780. the Patriarcke of Aquilla and Haymo Anno 850. At a Councell houlden at Ments against Godsaeldius Anno 848. a Priest of Belgica where he was charged by the Bishop of that place Rabinus to hould Erroneous doctrine in that hee affirmed That no man is chosen of God for any foreseene goodnes hee saw in man but wee are saved freely by the grace of God Which doctrine hee did maintaine very learnedly there did dispute against him fowr and because they could not pervert him for to give over they did banish him See the Counsell of Anelaus Apetheajedict frodurdes lib. 3. cap. 13. And it doth appeare this Doctrine was not yet established For there was a Counsell houlden at Valence in France Anno 855. concerning this Doctrine Which certaine Scottishmen did defend this Doctrine in the said Counsell the whith Godsaldun had defended before and was banished Yet wee find not there was any proceeding against them neither did they conclude any thing there against this Doctrine but there they decreed that none should be