not then a shame for him if he had any shame in him thus to intrude himselfe into such an high and soveraigne Authoritie without anie commission or warrant from Christ the King of his church Besides themselves acknowledge and that rightly that the companie of the glorious and invisible Saints in heaven and the companie also of the visible Saints on earth do all make but one church and one Bodie to Christ Iesus though their states be differing that is to say though the one sort be triumphant and the other militant Inasmuch then as they all make but one church one bodie unto Christ Iesus how can it be shifted or avoided but that Christ Iesus must be the head aswell of the saints on earth as of the saints in heaven aswell of the visible militant company as of the invisible triumphant Yea Bellarmine himselfe will not allow anie Christian to bee tearmed or called a member of the Pope How then can the Pope rightly be the head of the church for if all true Christians vpon earth bee and be to be termed the members of Christ and not of the Pope it must be granted that not the Pope but Christ onely is their head for the head and the members be relatives And whereas in this matter they talke of a ministeriall head which is not vitall it is also but a phantasticall and vaine distinction For there can be no head in true and proper appellation to this one bodie of Christ which is his Church but that which is vitall The Pope as appeareth even by this their owne distinction is but a dead head and hath no life in him to give to anie of the members of Christ or wherby vertue grouth nourishment or increase may distil or be derived from him as from the head to anie of the members What then should the bodie of Christ doe with such a livelesse and dead head or what good profit or benefite can anie reape or receive from thence A dead bodie is fittest for such a dead head but the living and mysticall bodie of Christ hath and requireth another manner of head namely that which is vitall which is Christ Iesus onely of whose fulnesse they have all received as S. Iohn speaketh Neither is there anie such necessitie as they also vainely fancie for the visible and militant Church to have such a visible head for albeit Christ Iesus be absent from his church militant here upon earth in respect of his bodily presence which he hath carried with him into heaven yet in his Deitie and by the power of his spirit is he alwaies present with the same his church For so himselfe witnesseth saying I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world And therefore alwaies doth S. Iohn testifie that notwithstanding the manhood and bodily presence of Christ be in heaven and there remaining yet neverthelesse by his almightie power and spirit he walketh and is in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes that is In the midst of the seven Churches for so the text it selfe expoundeth the Candlestickes saying thus The seven Candlestickes be the seven Churches Vnder the name of which seven churches be also all other churches upon earth shadowed out unto us as Augustine Primasius Haymo Beda Thomas Aquinas and others affirme Seeing then that Christ Iesus notwithstanding his bodily presence remaining in heaven is neverthelesse by his almightie power and spirit present with all the true Christian churches in the world and walketh in the midst of them to guide governe comfort teach order rule susteine uphold and direct them and give all gifts and graces requisite It is manifest that he is sufficiently present with them in the church militant to doe all the offices of an head unto them so that they need not in anie sort the Pope to become an head unto them for anie of those uses or ends Yea is it not a verie great absurditie for anie to suppose or imagine that the Pope or anie one man mortall whosoever being on earth can better rule order guide and governe the whole militant church then Christ Iesus himselfe can doe being in heaven by his wisdome almightinesse and power of his Spirit But yet further when Christ in his manhood was to ascend up into heaven he promised neither the Pope nor anie one Bishop over all the rest to be his Vicar on earth or to supplie his roome and absence but the holy Ghost onely For thus he saith I tell you the truth It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away that Comforter will not come unto you And this comforter is the Holy Ghost the spirit of truth as is there expresly affirmed And againe he saith that After his departure they shall have another Comforter that shall abide with them for ever even the spirit of Truth vvhom the vvorld cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Doe not these texts verie plainely shew that the holy Ghost is and is to be accounted Christs Vicar upon earth ever since his departure into heaven that is to say is in his stead and place unto the militant Church and to abide with it for ever And therefore doth Tertullian say accordingly that Christus misit Vicariam vim spiritus sancti qui credentes agat Christ sent the power of the holy Ghost to be his Vicar or in his steed to leade and direct the beleevers Howbeit if some Bishop will needes be so intituled namely Christs Vicar as being an Ambassador for Christ and in Christs steade yet let him then know that he is not so alone but that all godly and faithfull Bishops and Ministers be so likewise For which cause it is that the ancient Fathers doe call them all alike Vicarios Christi the Vicars of Christ But S. Paul yet further sheweth that not Christ himselfe tooke upon him this honour to be head of the church without his fathers appointment and constitution If therefore the Pope will take it upon him it is good reason he should likewise shew where God hath so constituted and appointed him which he is not able to doe Yea S. Paul sheweth againe That onely he is head of the Church vvhich is farre above all principalitie and povver and dominion and might and every name that is named not onely in this vvorld but in the vvorld to come And therefore this is such a high peerelesse and supereminent an honour and prerogative as that it is proper to Christ Iesus onely and not communicable to anie creature Lastly you may perceive by S. Paul that Christ is so the head of the Church as the husband is the head of his wife And is there anie honest wife that will bee content to have two heads that is two husbands though for distinction sake you should terme the one a ministeriall head or howsoever else you would please to call him 6 Now touching Miracles
Christ slept a long time For from the yeare 870 to the yeare 1050 whom doe you see but Necromancers but Adulterers and Murtherers and Infamous persons prâ—ferred to the Papacie Platius in the life of Benedict the fourth speaketh the like and giveth the reason of all this saying thus This libertie of sinning saith hee hath begotten us these Monsters and Prodigies vvho by ambition and corruption have rather usurpt then possest the holy chaire of Peter there being no Prince to represse the vvickednesse of these men Yea Platina though the Popes Servant and Secretarie yet well knowing their vices and the vices of the people under his government doth in a manner speake as if himselfe despaired of their salvation for thus bee his words Our vices saith hee bee grovvne to thaâ— height that they vvill hardly ever finde mercie in the sight of God But observe yet further how horrible and wicked their reproachings slanderings and defamings heretofore have beene and yet still bee of Gods church people their religion calling them usually Heretickes Schismatickes and by such other odious names laying sometimes most notorious slanders and most impious false accusations to their charge perswading as if our religion were a religion allowing licentiousnesse a condemner and disallower of all good works and as though wee approoved of all dissolutenesse and were enemies to the Virgin Marie to all Saints as though we made God the Author of sinne and evill other such like things which we utterly detest dislike and abhorre and which hee cleane contrary to our opinion and to the doctrine of our Religion Yea they not onely thus dishonour wrong the true Church and people of God upon earth but even the Church triumphant and Saints also in heaven For is it not a great wrong and dishonour to the glorified Saints in heaven to turne them into Idols or to make them instruments of Idolatry or of dishonouring God by invocating praying unto them when as Praier and Invocation is a service worship and honour properly and onely belonging to God Againe do they not much dishonour the Saints when they imploy them about base offices commending the keeping of their Hogs to one of their horses to another the curing of the Scurffe to a third c. Yea even concerning that most chast blessed glorious Virgin Mary Doe they not extreamely dishonour her when they make her to favour Immodestie uncleanenesse For there is an Italian book entituled Miracoli dâ—ella gloriosâ— Virgine Maria printed at Millan in the yere 1547 which saith that a certaine Abbesse being with Child the holy Virgin being willing to cover her crime did in her stead present her selfe before the Bishops in forme of the Abbesse and shewed him by an ocular demonstration that shee was not with Child Caesarius also in his seventh Booke Chapt. 35 reports that the Virgin Marie for twelve whole yeares did supplie the place of a certaine Nunâ—â— called Beatrice whilst shee lay in the Sâ—ewes till at last she came backe again to take her place and freed the Virgin from being in her roome any longer But consider yet further the most terrible cruell barbarous and bloodie persecutions of Gods Church and people committed by Papists About 400 yeares since Pope Innocent the third within the space of a few monthes made more then 200000 of the faithfull to bee slaine whom they called Albigenses In S. Bartholomewes Massacre in the yeare 1572 more then 80000 men were slaine in cold blood In a Massacre in France within a few dayes were murthered 70000 persons And how execrable beyond all measure abhominable and damnable was that their late Plot of Gunpowder-Treason for the overthrow of the whole State of England in Parliament at a blow and God knoweth of how many States and Kingdomes beside Yea what meaneth their Holy League as they call it not long since made for the extirpation and rooting out of all Protestancie Doe they not by all these shew themselves to bee utter enemies and that in the worst sort that can bee to all Civill States Kings and Kingdomes which reiect the Popes usurped Supremacie and his depraved and Antichristian Religion Why else also have they decreed that Faith is not to be kept with Heretickes And why else doe they hold that before Hereticall Iudges and Magistrates as they call them it is lawfull for them to sweare with Equivocations and Mental reservations and in a false deluding and deceitfull manner And why else doe they dislike and disallow Subjects not onely to take the Oath of Supremacie but the Oath also of Allegeance when in very deede and of right neither of both ought to bee refused What also meaneth the resort and comming of Popish Priests and Iesuits into Protestant Kingdomes under colour and pretence of Religion Is it not to make a partie for the Pope or some of his confederates against a fit time And doth it not also tend to sedition and treason in a Common-weale What doth the Popes claime to depose Kings and to give away their Kingdomes when and to whom hee list tend unto but to the setting of Princes together by the Eares aswell as Subiects to rebell against their lawfull Soveraignes Doe not all these things tend to the overthrow aswell of civill States and civill Iustice as of Religion and of Kingdomes and Common-weales aswel as of Gods Church and which maketh the matter yet more and indeede most odious all this they doe under pretence of Christianitie and of a Catholicke cause when it is nothing so but cleane contrarywise extreamely divelish and Antichristian Let then everie equal person now judge whether the Pope of Rome that thus wrongeth God his Church and Religion and not onely Bishops but all Kings Princes and Emperors also their People Kingdomes and Common-wealths and that thus intolerably abuseth the whole Christian world and yet for all that inflexibly persisteth therein without anie remorse or repentance shewed yea which with all his power and strength iustifieth upholdeth defendeth all those his wrongs errors abuses and impieties boasting glorying and delighting in them bee not rightly affirmed to be The Man of sin the Sonne of perdition and the verie undoubted Grand Antichrist in all respects THE CONCLVSION to the same pretended CATHOLIKES NOw then it appearing verie cleerely by the premisses that the Pope of Rome whom his blinded followers so much adore and reverence is the verie grand Antichrist and that the Popish Citie of Rome whereof he is the Head and Ruler is undoubtedly the VVhore of Babylon mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn What scruple or doubt should you or anie of you conceive to make all the good hast yee may to forsake that grand Antichrist that his Concubine the whore of Babylon and all his Priests Iesuites Bishops Monks Friars Nunns and the rest of that his Antichristian rabble and to betake and apply your selves with us to the embracing and following of Christ and
yee First it is well knowne that S. Peter was a contemner of the pompe and pride of the world and a disregarder of the wealth riches thereof insomuch that hee said to one that asked almes of him that he had neither silver nor gold but the Pope of Rome is not so but contrariwise hath the pompe pride glorie and riches of the world in verie high and chiefe esteeme and aboundeth with them Againe Peter was subiect to Emperors Kings and Princes and taught all Christians to be likewise subiect to them but the Pope is so far from being subiect to them that contrariwise hee claimeth soveraignetie and supremacie over them all and taketh upon him to depose Kings Princes and Emperors at his pleasure and to disannull and dissolve the allegeance of subiects when and as often as he listeth Peter would not allow Cornelius though but a Captaine of the Italian band to fall downe at his feete but bad him arise but the Pope of Rome doth well allow not only Captaines but Kings Princes and Emperors to fall downe and kisse his feet Yea hee hath not beene ashamed with his feete to tread upon the necke of some of the Emperors Peter was a godly earnest and diligent Preacher of the Gospel in his owne person according to that commandement of Christ so often repeated saying unto him Pasce Pasce Pasce feed my lambes feed my sheepe feed my sheepe But the Pope of Rome like an idle pompous and slothfull man in his owne person seldome or never Preacheth Peter was content and well endured to be reproved at the hands of S. Paul when there was cause He also patiently suffered himselfe to be accused and contended against by certaine Christians and mildely and modestly answered to those their exceptions against him for their satisfaction But the Pope of Rome though he be never so worthie of reproofe will neverthelesse not suffer himselfe to be reproved nor accused or contended against nor will have his doings examined questioned censured or iudged by anie men such is his unmeasurable pride and unmatchable loftinesse Againe S. Peter did acknowledge S. Paul S. Matthew S. Andrew S. Iames and the rest of the twelve to be Apostles aswell as himselfe albeit they had no ordination or calling to that their Office of Apostleship from him for that they all had an immediate calling to that their Apostleship from Christ Iesus himselfe and not from Peter is a thing undeniably manifest But the Pope contrariwise acknowledgeth none to be a Bishop except he be ordeyned and made a Bishop by him or by his authoritie Moreover they were accounted and held to be Presbyters and Ministers of the Church which were made and ordeyned by other Apostles though they were not made or ordeined by Peter nor by anie authoritie derived from him But the Pope of Rome acknowledgeth none to be Presbyters or Ministers of the Church which be made by other Bishops except they be made and ordeined by him or by authoritie originally derived from him Yea S. Peter did acknowledge the rest of the Apostles to be his fellowes or Equals as well knowing that Christ Iesus himselfe did directly forbid them to beare Princely authoritie one over another insomuch that Peter aswell as Iohn was content to bee sent by the rest of the Apostles into Samaria and did goe thither at their sending But the Bishop of Rome acknowledgeth not other Bishops to be his fellowes or Equalls nor will be content to be sent as their Messenger to anie place but most proudly challengeth a Princely Primacie and king-like superioritie over them all If the Pope will needes be Peters successor it were reason and a thing equall and iust that he should claime no more authoritie over other Bishops then Peter had over the rest of the Apostles yea if hee will make Peter his patterne and president to follow as it were a happie thing for him if he were in verie deed so wel affected he must then utterly give over his triple Crowne and all his Papal worldly pompe and pride and be cleane reformed and become altogether another man in all respects wherein he is so exceedingly degenerated and unlike unto him And then together with the relinquishing of his most proud Popedome he must also forsake renounce and detest his Poperie and Popish Religion for S. Peter cleerely was such a one as we call a Protestant that is to say one that both held and taught that Religion that wee hold namely that which is conteined in the Booke of GOD the sacred and canonicall Scriptures Yea S. Peter died a Martyr for the testimonie of this faith and religion and the Pope of Rome is contrariwise a persecutor of those that professe this faith and religion For that the Papists be the cleere and undoubted persecutors of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus is afterward manifested by a direct and most evident testimonie thereof in the Revelation of S. Iohn to the end ye should not hereafter bee mistaken in that point as usually yee be nor deceive your selves anie longer therein Furthermore S. Peter was content and held it honour enough to be a member of the bodie of Christ which is his Church acknowledging with S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles that Christ onely was and is the head therof But the Pope of Rome is not content unlesse he intrude himselfe into this his verie royal prerogative taking upon him to be the verie head of the whole militant church We know that the Church of Christ is but one body as the Scripture speaketh and witnesseth though there be manie members of it and one bodie is to have but one head why then or by what right or reason doe they make this bodie of Christ which is his Church to have two heads namely one in heaven which is Christ Iesus another on earth which they say is the Pope They confesse that of the Church in heaven which is to us invisible Christ is indeed the head but of the visible Church on earth the Pope say they is the head and that such a visible head for the visible church is requisite and necessarie And here they have a distinction that Christ is indeed Caput vitale the vital head from whence all his members have and derive their life but that the Pope is Caput ministeriale visibile the ministeriall and visible head And thus they boldly speake frame and devise matters and distinctions according to the fancie of their owne braines But first what Patent conveyance warrant or commission from God can the Pope of Rome shew whereby he is thus authorized to be either Christ his special or onely Vicar Deputie or Lievetenant over his whole universall church here upon earth or to be this speciall and onely visible and ministeriall head Iust none at all doe they or can they shew for it And is it
good ends and purposes and not to satisfie the severity of his Iustice by that meanes for their sinnes and the punishment thereto belonging p. 125. c There is no iust cause to be shewed vvhy the pretended Catholicks should refuse to take the oath of Supremacy or refuse to come to our Churches Their obiections and reasons answered p. 1 2 c p. 407 c. See also throughout the vvhole booke for this purpose Concerning auricular Confession and to vvhom confession of sinnes is to be made and that it ought to be free and voluntarie and not forced or compelled pag. 302 303 c. pag. 253 254 D FOr vvhom Christ Dyed and to vvhom hee is a Redeemer pag. 187 188 189 c Every sinne Deadly in his owne nature although all sinnes be also veniall and remissible in respect of Gods mercie grace and bounty except the sinne against the holy Ghost pag. 114 115 E THe Emperor in ancient time had the Supremacy and not the Pope pag. 30 The Emperor in times past had power to place and displace Popes pag. 27 The Emperor in ancient time banished imprisoned and otherwise punished aswell Bishops of Rome as other Bishops pag. 22 Hee did make Lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall causes and religion pag. 24 As also Commissioners in an Ecclesiasticall cause and the B. of Rome himselfe vvas one of those Commissioners pag. ibid. An appeale to the Emperor in an Ecclesiasticall cause pag 24 Generall Councils in ancient times called by the Emperor and his Authoritie pag. 24 The Christian Emperor did and vvas to meddle in matters of the Church and concerning Religion pag. 25 The Christian Emperor in ancient time did nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces and even the Bishop of Rome himselfe pag. 25 Emperors in ancient time did ratifie the decrees of Councils before they vvere put in execution pag 28 Miltiades Leo and Gregory all Bishops of Rome in their severall times subiect to the Emperor and at his command pag 24.26 Ancient Fathers Popes of Rome and Councils aswell generall as provinciall may erre even in matter of faith aswell as in matter of fact pag. 49 50 51 52. c See also the Preface for this point The Romane Empire dissolved ever since the Emperors have ceased to have the soveraigne command and rule of Rome and that the Popes have gotten to be the heads and supreme Rulers of that City and to be above the Emperors pa. 331.332 and pag. 391.392.393 The Pope of Rome hath no power or authoritie from Christ to Excommunicate any pag. 299 c Excommunications be they never so iust and lawfull be by Gods law and appointment of no force to depose from Earthly kingdomes or to dissolve the dutie and allegeance of subiects pag. 299 300 301 c F OVr Forefathers and ancestors not to be followed in any vices or errors they held pag 34 35 Foretold in the Booke of God that an apostacie from the right faith and a mysterie of iniquitie otherwise called an Antichristianisme should come upon the Church and that so the Church by degrees should grow corrupted and deformed pag. 35 36 280 Foretold also how long the Church should lye in those her corruptions and errors and vvhen she should begin to be clensed and reformed pag. 35 36 VVhat is to be thought of our Forefathers that lived and dyed in the time of Popery pag 39.40 41 42 Foretold that a strong delusion to beleeve lyes shouâ—d possesse them of the Antichristian Church because they received not the love of the truth extant in the divine Scriptures pag. 307 308 Men are iustified in Gods sight and before his tribunall by Faith only and good vvorkes be the fruits and declarations of that faith pag. 99 100 101 c. to the end of that chapter and pag. 116 117 118 c. to the end also of that chapter G God is not the author of sinne pag. 168 169 c. H NOt Protestants but Papists be the Heretickes pag. 72. and Schismaticks pag. 37 38. pag. 413.414 c Not the Pope but Christ onely is the Head of the universall militant Church as well as of the triumphant pag 94 95 96 97 98 I VVHo is to be the infallible Iudge of controversies in religion or vvhich commeth all to one effect in the conclusion vvhat is the infallible Rule vvhereby men must iudge and be directed for the finding out of truth in those controversies pag. 49 50 51 c. See also the Preface for this matter The Implicita fides of Papists reproved pag 78 79 80 K KIngs have the Supremacie over all maner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill vvithin their own Dominions pa. 1. to p. 5 Their Supremacie in all kinde of causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill pag. 5 c Kings and Princes although they have the Supremacie yet thereby claime not nor can claime to preach to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate absolve or to consecrate Bishops or to doe any other act proper to the function of the Ecclesiasticall ministers pag. 32 c Kings and Princes be notwithstanding their Supremacies under God and subiect to him and his vvord pag. 33 Even heathen Kings may command and make Edicts and Proclamations for God and his service pag. 7. c Christian Kings and Queenes are by Gods appointment to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church and Religion p. 7. The authoritie of a Christian King in respect of contemptuous disorderly and unruly persons requisite and necessary in the Church as vvell as in the Common-weale pag. 6 c Kings and Princes may command and compell their subiects to externall obedience for God pag. 6 7 8 9 10 Christian Kings may make lawes about matters Ecclesiast p. 7 8.24 Hee may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes pag. 24 He may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiastical ib. He may nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces pag. 27. Councels and Convocations to be assembled by his authoritie and the decrees thereof by him to be ratified and confirmed before they be put in execution pag. 26 27 28 Christian Kings doe punish offendors in Ecclesiasticall causes not Ecclesiastically but Civilly pag. 6 7.32 Subiects ought not to rebell against their Kings and Princes though they be adversaries to the Christian Religion and though subiects have power force enough to do it pa. 20 21 22.299 300 Kings of Rome did sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Ambassadors pag. 22 How thankefull subiects ought to be unto God for Christian Kings and Princes pag. 33 The power of the Keyes most grossely abused by the B of Rome to vvorke his owne exaltation above Kings and Princes pag 299 300 301 c The Keyes of the kingdome of heaven no more given to S. Peter then to the rest of the Apostles pag. 292 293 294 295 L NO Licentiousnesse or impiety in the doctrine of Iustification by faith or in the doctrine of predestination or
some have done that the King is therein called Supreme head of the Church they are deceived The words of the Oath at this day to take away all offence that any might conceive in that point being not supreme HEAD but supreme GOVERNOR And as touching this Title of Governor within his owne Dominions none can with anie reason gainesay it inasmuch as beside that which is before spoken King Alfred reigning long sithence was likewise called Omnium Britanniae Insulae Christianorum Rector The Governor of all the Christians vvithin the Isle of Britanny The Councell also held at Mentz in Germanie the yeare 814 in the time of the Emperor Charles the great and Pope Leo the third calleth likewise the Christian Emperor Carolus Augustus Governor of the True Religion and Defendor of the holy Church of God c. And a little after they say thus VVee give thankes to God the Father almighty because he hath granted unto his holy Church a Governor so godly c. In the yeare 847. there was also held another Councel at Mentz in the time of Leo the fourth and Lotharius the Emperor where they againe call the Emperor Verae Religionis strenuissimum rectorem a most puissant Governor of the true Religion The like was ascribed to King Reccesumthius in a Councell held at Emerita in Portugale about the yeare 705 in these words VVhose vigilancie doth governe both secular things vvith very great piety and ecclesiasticall by his vvisedome plentifully given him of God Where you see it expressely acknowledged that the King is a Governor both in causes secular and ecclesiasticall And this Councell of Emerita had also good allowance of Pope Innocent the third in his Epistle to Peter Archbishop of Compostella as Garsias witnesseth So that the Title of Governor even as touching matters ecclesiasticall as well as civill or secular attributed to the King he governing in them after a Regall manner and not in that Ecclesiasticall manner which Bishops and Clergie men use can no way justly be misliked but must in all reason be well approved and allowed Howbeit I grant that King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixt had that Title of Head in their times given unto them but not of the universal Church upon earth as the Pope hath but of the Church onely within their owne Dominions and not within their owne Dominions neither in such sort and sense as the Pope taketh upon him to be Head over all the Churches in the world that is to rule and governe them at his own pleasure and as he lift himselfe Indeed Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester when he was in Germanie upon the Kings affaires was there a very ill Interpretor of that Title Supreme head of the Church vvithin his owne Dominions given to King Henry the eight reporting that the King might thereby prescribe and appoint new ordinances in the Church concerning faith and doctrine as namely forbid the marriage of Priests and take away the use of the Cup in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and in things concerning Religion might do what he listed This manner of declaring the Kings power and authoritie under that Title did so much offend the reformed Churches that Calvin and the writers of the Centuries did complaine of it and that iustly and worthily bearing that sense but in no other sort or sense did they dislike it Yea even that Title of Supreme head being rightly understood needed not to have offended anie for they had iâ— in no other sort or sense then the King of Israel likewise had the title of Head of the Tribes of Israel of which Tribes the Leviticall Tribe was one Or then Theodosius that Christian Emperor had the like within his Empire of whom Saint Chrysostome saith that non habet parem super terram He hath no peere or equall upon earth and affirmeth moreover of him that hee was summitas Caput omnium super terram hominum the Head and one that had the Supremacy over all men upon earth Yea by the Title of supreme Head attributed to King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixt was no more meant but the verie same that was afterward meant to the late Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie or to King Iames our now Soveraigne Lord under the title of Supreme Governor for that they are both to be taken intended in one the selfe same sense is verie manifest even by a direct clause in an Act of Parliament viz. the Statute of 5. Eliz. cap. 1. in which also is declared how the Oath of Supremacie is to be expounded And the words of that Statute be these Provided also that the Oath viz of Supremacie expressed in the said Act made in the said first yeare of her raigne shall be taken and expounded in such forme as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions published in the same first yeare of her Maiesties raigne that is to say to confesse and acknowledge in her Maiestie her heyres and successors none other authoritie then that vvhich vvas challenged and lately used by the noble king Henry the eight and king Edward the sixt as in the said Admonition more plainly may appeare Where first you may observe the Authoritie attributed to King Henry the eight and to King Edward the sixt and to Queene Elizabeth as touching this point intended and declared to be all one And secondly you see it enacted how the Oath of Supremacy is to bee expounded namely that it is to be taken expounded in such forme as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queens Majesties Iniunctions published in the same first yeare of her Raigne The words of which Admonition therefore as more amply conteyning the explanation of the same Oath I have here thought good to adde for your better and most full satisfaction in this matter The Title whereof is this An Admonition to simple men deceived by the malicious HEr Maiesty forbiddeth all her subiects to give eare or credite to such perverse and malicious persons vvhich most sinisterly and maliciously labour to notifie to her loving subiects how by the vvordes of the Oath of Supremacy it may be collected that the Kings or Queenes of this Realme possessioners of the Crowne may challenge authoritie and power of Ministery of Divine offices in the Church vvherein her said subiects be much abused by such evill disposed persons for certainly her Maiestie neyther doth nor ever vvill challenge any other authority then that vvhich vvas of ancient time due to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme that is to say under God to have the Soveraignety and rule over all maner of Persons borne vvithin these her Maiesties Dominions and Countries of vvhat estate eyther Ecclesiasticall or Temporall soever they be So as no forraine Power shall or ought to have any superioritie over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sense of the
he changeth the good lawes and establisheth his owne he prophaneth he raveneth he spoyleth he defraudeth he massacreth even that man of perdition doth this vvhom they are wont to call Antichrist in vvhose forehead this name of blasphemy is written I am a God I cannot erre He sitteth in the Temple of God and Ruleth farre and wide c. Petrus Blessensis likewise verie earnestly adviseth all good men to depart from Rome as from the midst of Babylon And Sigebertus also witnesseth that for the most part all that were good just open hearted ingenuous and plaine-dealing men held That the kingdome of Antichrist vvas then and in those dayes About which time also the VValdenses and Albigenses in France did openly sequester themselves from the Romish Church holding and maintayning amongst other articles as the bookes of their adversaries themselves doe witnesse That Popish Rome is the Babylon mentioned in the Revelation and that the Pope is the very Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures And about the yeare 1230 one VVilliam Bishop of Paris likewise feared not to call Rome Babylon Egypt Sodome and her Prelates Profaners and spoylers of the True Spouse of Christ that established Lucifer againe in the heaven of Christs Church Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne Sebaldus Archbishop of Yorke and Probus Bishop of Thoul did in their times also mightily inveigh against the Pope One Haiabalus a Franciscan preached openly in Avinian That the Pope and his Cardinals were Antichrist and that the Popish Church was the VVhore of Babylon mentioned in the Revelation And being sent for by Pope Clement the sixt he affirmed that he was commanded from God to publish it and that hee could not otherwise doe Francis Petrarch Archdeacon of Parma and a Chanon of Padua who lived about the yeare 1350 and who for all kinde of learning might be called the light of his age not onely in his Sonnets but even in his Epistles also exclaimeth against the Pope his Court and Church saying That the Popes Chayre is the Chayre of lying that it is a Defection a Revolt an Apostasie of a people that under the Standard of Christ rebell against Christ and fight for Sathan That the Papacy and no other is the Babylon the mother of all the vvhoredomes of the earth c. Nicholaus Oresmus also who lived about the yeare 1364. feared not to say before Pope Vrban the fift That the Church of Rome vvas vvorse then vvhilom vvas the Iewish Synagogue That the Time of Antichrist spoken of in 2. Thess. 2 vvas come seeing the Romane Empire vvas desolated and that betweene the desolation thereof and the comming of Antichrist there vvas no middle time thereby signifying plainely enough that Antichrist then was in being and had his seate in Rome Which thing also Iohannes de Rupe scissa a Franciscan Frier was bold to affirme before Pope Vrban the sixt for which hee was prisoner a long time in Avinion These to pretermit sundrie other Authorities and Testimonies which might be further cited if need were sufficiently declare that manie hundreth yeares before King HENRY the Eight or LUTHER or CALVIN were borne the Pope of Rome was held published to be Antichrist and the Beast spoken of in the Revelation and that Popish Rome was the Whore of Babylon as also they shew where our Church was all that while untill they made an actuall separation from the Pope and Poperie And where it hath been ever since is a thing so well knowne and apparant that it needeth not to be shewed And thus much may suffice to have spoken generally Now let us proceede to other matters FINIS LIBRI PRIMI THE SECOND PART of the BOOKE CHAP. I. Wherein that point concerning the infallible Iudge of these controversies is amplified and further debated and declared And what Scriptures be Canonical and what not Of the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scriptures without Traditions That the Church is to be tryed and decided by the Scriptures And who be the right Catholikes That the Scriptures in their originals be incorrupt and to be preferred before that which is called S. Hieromes Translation and before all other Translations whatsoever That the publique Service should be in such a Tongue as the people may understand That Lay-people may and ought to reade the Scriptures And whence all right exposition of them is to be had AS wee are all under one God and under one King and the same a most worthie learned vertuous and Christian King so were it very consonant and convenient if by anie good meanes it might be brought to passe that we did all hold and professe one and the selfe same true faith Christian Religion For indeed not anie unitie or agreement in falshood or errors but an unitie or agreement in the truth and true Religion is the thing that ought of all to be sought after and desired But now which is that one true Christian Religion which all ought to embrace is that which is made the great Question namely whether it be Protestancy or Papistry inasmuch as both these lay claime unto it Wherein if God speaking in his owne sacred and Canonicall Scriptures may be as is most fit he should be allowed to bee the Iudge then is this which is made so great a question soone decided and at an end it being by him there cleerely resolved that not that which is called Papistry but that which is called Protestancy is the right and true Christian Religion For what be Protestants as they be in this Controversie distinguished against Papists but such as professe to build their Faith and Religion wholly and altogether upon that undoubted word of God the sacred and Canonical Scriptures And what is Papistry on the other side but a profession of such a Faith and Religion as is not so grounded but relieth partly upon unwritten Traditions partly upon the determination of the Popes partly upon the Decrees of their Councels and voice of their owne Church and Teachers and upon such like strengthes and staies as whereby they may easily be deceived Howbeit what cause is there why the pretended Catholicks should not allow God speaking in his divine and Canonical Scriptures to be the Iudge in these Controversies For is there or can there be anie higher better juster or surer Iudge to trust unto then hee or is there anie equall to him or comparable with him What meane they herein Would they have their owne Church Clergie Councels and Pope to be the Iudge That were not fit nor equall yee know that such as be parties should also be the Iudges in their owne cause Yea if their Councell of Constance and Councell of Trent or anie other of their Councels were much better then they be as they be indeed none of the best sort yet were they not to be held for sure or infallible Iudges in this case for anie to build his faith upon or to trust unto them
is he besides that which is before spoken doe but consider what the Abbot Ioachim long sithence told King Richard the first King of England namely that Antichrist was then alreadie borne and had his seat at Rome and was to be advanced in that Apostolicall Sea And he further saith Non nulli sub specie sedis Dei id estâ— universalis Ecclesiae Facti sunt sedâ—s Bestiae quae est regnum Antichristi regnantis ubique in membris suis c. Sundrie saith he under pretence of Gods seat that is of the universall Church are become the seat of the Beast vvhich is the Kingdome of Antichrist raigning everie vvhere in his members consisting as he there further saith in the Cleargie men in the Monkes and Monasteries Againe he saith that Rome est in spiritu Babylon Rome is the spirituall Babylon And againe he saith Negotiatores terrae sunt ipsi sacerdotes qui vendunt orationes missas pro Denarijs facientes domum orationis Apothecam Negotiationis The Merchants of the earth be the Priests themselves vvho sell Prayers and Masses for money making the house of Prayer a shop of Merchandize Yea sundrie both Princes and Bishops of Germanie long agon have affirmed and published the Pope to be Antichrist as appeareth in Aventinus But I leave this to be as I said more fully handled afterward In the meane time if anie would know who be the right Catholikes as Papists verie boldly but verie uniustly take upon them that title let him consider these two sentences of Vincentius and conferre and ioyne them together The first is this Id teneamus quod VBIQVE quod SEMPER quod ab OMNIBVS creditum hoc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum Let us uphold that vvhich hath beene beleeved everie vvhere and at all times of all persons for this is rightly and properly Catholicke The second is this where he saith Ille est verus Germanus Catholicus qui quidquid universaliter ANTIQVITVS ecclesiam Catholicam tenuisse cognoverit id solum sibi tenendum creder dumque decernit He is the true and right Catholicke who iudgeth that he is to hold beleeve onely that which he knoweth the Catholicke Church to have formerly held universally in the old time This Vincentius lived above 1200. yeares sithence so that this Antiquitùs this old time whereto he referreth everie man that will be a right Catholicke cannot be intended the age and time wherein himselfe lived much lesse can it he supposed anie of those manie hundreth yeares that came after him and are sithence his time gone and past but it must needs be intended of an old time passed long before the time wherein hee lived and wrote these things which old time therefore which he so called what can it be but the Primitive and Apostolicke times If then yee will prove your selves to bee Catholickes and your Church to bee the Catholike Church by this rule and definition of Catholikes out of Vincentius then must you not take your patterne and proofe from that Councell of Trent nor from the late Councell of Constance nor anie of the times after Vincentius but you must transcend and goe to the times that were in the old Time long before the daies of this Vincentius even to the primitive and Apostolike times which were indeed the best and purest times and from thence must you take the patterne of your Church and Religion For that which alwayes formerly and every vvhere and of all Christians in That Old Time was held and beleeved is the thing that he accounteth and defineth to be Catholicke and such to be Catholickes which hold and beleeve only so much and no more Which faith doctrine and religion of those old Primitive and Apostolicke times was at first delivered by word of mouth by the Apostles but was afterwards as Irenaeus hath before enformed us committed to VVriting that so it might be for ever that The foundation and pillar of our Faith Yea this even Vincentius also himselfe teacheth saying Scripturarum canon sufficit ad omnia satis superque the canon of the Scriptures doth suffice for all matters sufficiently and more then sufficiently that is abundantly and overflowingly By this rule then and definition of a Catholike given so long agon by Vincentius it is evident that not yee but wee are to be held for the right and true Catholikes inasmuch as not yee but wee doe beleeve and hold that faith doctrine and Religion which those old and first Christians universally held in those ancient primitive and Apostolick times and which was afterwards written and is omni-sufficiently conteined in that written word of God the sacred and canonicall Scriptures Yea that and onely that wee hold and beleeve as Vincentius saith right and true Catholikes ought to doe and so doe not you therefore whether yee or wee be the right Catholiks is a verie easie and apparant matter to be decided Aufer Haereticis quae cum Ethnicis sapiunt ut de scripturis solis Quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt Take from the Heretickes saith Tertullian those things wherein they savour of Heathen wisedome so as that they bring their Controversies to bee decided onely by the Scriptures and they be not able to stand In which wordes men that will not suffer their Controversies to bee decided onely by the Scriptures may see themselves ranged within the compasse of Hereticks and so termed and entituled by him so farre are they off from being the right and true Catholikes And yet Papists have I grant for some of their errors a kinde of Antiquitie but it is an Antiquitie of a later date and it is not that most ancient Antiquitie which Vincentius and the rest of the ancient Fathers direct you unto and which should be in request For that is the True whatsoever is the first and that which is later or commeth in after the first is the adulterate or corrupted as Tertullian againe expressely affirmeth Yea he saith further Hoc mihi proficit Antiquitas praestructae divinae Literaturae Herein doth Antiquitie availe me if it be builded upon the divine Scripture Wherefore if yee will be good and right Catholikes ye must go and take the patterne and president of your Faith and Religion from those most ancient primitive and Apostolike times as we doe because as Eusebius also out of Egesippus noteth the Church so long as the Apostles lived remayned a pure Virgin for that if any vvent about to corrupt the holy rule vvhich was preached they did it in the Darke and as it vvere underneath the earth But after the death of the Apostles and that generation was past which God vouchsafed to heare the divine wisedome with their own eares the placing of wicked error saith he began to come into the Church For which purpose to shew that corruptioÌ„ grew in those after succeeding times ClemeÌ„s also alledgeth the proverb
the sacred and canonicall Scriptures this is not as Papists affirme to make a private spirit or anie private man but a Divine spirit even God himselfe speaking in those his sacred and canonicall Scriptures to be the Iudge in the matter To whose voice and judgement all Churches Men Angels and all creatures must stoope and obey And therefore as I said before all the insolencie and most intollerable pride and arrogancie that is in this case is not in those who for their owne safetie and securitie make search and examination but in such Bishops Pastors and Teachers as will not endure this triall and examination of their doctrines by those Scriptures Pure and uncounterfeit gold will endure the Touch-stone but no marvaile though the drossie corrupt and unsound doctrine of Poperie will not admit of such a course 2 But you say the Church cannot erre that therefore you may boldly and confidently relie and build thereupon without anie further search or examination Howbeit you should first find out and know which is the Church that cannot erre before you relie so confidently upon it For you will easily and readily grant that the false Church may erre And indeed the Text that you alledge where S. Paul calleth the Church Columnam firmamentum veritatis the Pillar and ground of Truth sheweth that he speaketh not of anie false but of the True Church namely as himselfe expresseth of that which is the Church of the living God His words put all together be thus These things I vvrite unto thee saith hee to Timothy trusting to come shortly unto thee But if I tarry long that thou mayest yet know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the house of God vvhich is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of Truth In these words thus rehearsed by mee that ye might the better observe them consider that Timothy who was the Teacher and overseer of this Church at Ephesus had his direction and instruction from the writings of S. Paul the Apostle for so he saith These things I vvrite unto thee c. The Church then which is the ground and Pillar of Truth appeareth even by this verie Text to be such a one as receiveth her instructions and directions from the sacred and canonicall Scriptures whereof those Apostolicall writings of S. Paul to Timothy be a part From whence therefore you may rightly conclude this which we hold namely that so long as anie Church followeth and is guided by these holy and canonicall Scriptures it is the pillar and ground of Truth and doth not erre or goe astray but if it decline from them and goe another way it doth and must then needs fall into error Howbeit if when you say The Church cannot erre you meane it of the whole universall Church of Christ that is of all and everie one of the faithfull members thereof it is true that cannot erre totally nor fundamentally that is to say All and everie one of those faithful members of Christ as Panormitan and the Glosse also upon the Canon Law have before told us cannot erre in such points as be necessarily required to salvation for Gods Church shall never utterly perish or be extinguished but that in some or other it shall continue to the worlds end and consequently so must the saving faith thereto belonging But if you meane it of anie visible particular Church such as is the church of Rome the Church of Ephesus the Church of Corinth or anie such like it is as cleere that may erre and goe astray yea and fall from God to Idolatry and false worship Were not the people of Israel in times past the true Church of God and yet did even that Church erre fal verie grievously even unto Idolatrie and false worship when they and Aaron also the high Priest with them made the Golden Calfe and did worship before it And manie sâ—ch declinings and falls from God to Idolatrie and false worship in that people are sundrie other times likewise to be found in the old Testament But besides what is now become of the seven Churches in Asia mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn which were once the true Churches of Christ Hath not Turcisme and Paganisme overflowed and drowned manie that in former times were famous Christian Churches Yea did not God himselfe also sometime complaine even of that Church and Citie of Ierusalem saying thus How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot No marvaile then is it though Rome which was once a faithfull Citie and a true spouse of Christ be now long since fallen away and become an Harlot even the vvhore of Babylon as was long agon prophesied and foretold of her that she should be For neither was it anie more impossible for her to degenerate into Antichristianisme then it was for sundrie other Christian Churches and cities to degenerate and to be turned into Turcisme or Paganisme Yea S. Paul also hath long since prophesied and foretold of this great Apostasie or departure from the right faith and religion which hath now of a long time so amply prevailed in the world under the head of that Apostaticall and Antichristian kingdome the Pope of Rome and therefore this ought not now to seeme anie new or strange thing unto anie Christian. 3 Howbeit ye usually alledge these namely universalitie antiquitie perpetuitie unitie succession of Bishops and doing of Miracles or vvonders amongst you to bee markes of the true Church But first if by universalitie ye meane that faith doctrine and religion which was taught universally in the world by the Apostles of Christ and at his appointment Wee tell you that yee are farre from that universalitie For that faith doctrine and religion which was taught universally in the world by the Apostles is comprised in the sacred and canonicall Scriptures and is the same that wee hold and not you as appeareth by conferring and comparing both the religions with those Scriptures But moreover remember that the great Whore of Babilon as shee is called sate upon many waters that is ruled over manie people and multitudes and nations and tongues as the text it selfe expoundeth it And it is further said that with that VVhore the Kings of the earth have committed fornication that the Inhabitants of the earth were drunken with the wine of her fornication Yea it is again said That all Nations have drunke of the vvine of the vvrath of her fornication the Kings of the earth have committed fornication vvith her Behold here the universalitie belonging to your Church which being thus foretold the event being correspondent none should with such universality be any longer deluded As for Antiquitie unlesse truth and true religion be ioyned with it which is not in the Popish Church it is but Vetustas erroris Antiquitie of errors as S Cyprian rightly calleth it Yea Antiquity of the ancientest date our religion hath and not yours for
ever since the Emperor ceased to have any Soveraigne command in that Citie and that the Pope hath gotten the soveraigne rule and command there is apparantly become the seventh so the last Head of Rome How can it bee avoided but that Antichrist must needs be come long sithence and that the Pope of Rome undoubtedly is hee and that there is none other to bee expected Obiect 10. Antichrist is to be an open oppugner of Christ and a direct and professed enemie to all manner of Christianitie Ans. You are mightilie deceived if you thinke so For first the Scripture telleth us of manie Antichrists of one grand Antichrist above the rest According whereunto Origen saith Generaliter unus est Antichristus species illius multae c. Generally there is one Antichrist but there bee manie sorts of him c. For as all the true Prophets had relation to Christ By whose spirit they spake as S. Peter sheweth so have all the false teachers and false prophets in the Church relation to Antichrist by whose spirit they speake as S. Iohn affirmeth in the Church relation to Antichrist by whose spirit they speake as S. Iohn affirmeth For which cause S. Cyprian saith that Novatianus the Schismatick is to be reckoned amongst the Antichrists And so saith S. Hierome that all Arch Hereticks be Antichrists and againe there bee so manie Antichristâ— saith hee as there be teachers of false doctrine in the Church Yea this they might learne of S. Iohn himselfe in his Epistles who likewise calleth those that were hereticks and false Teachers in the Church so manie Antichrists And this also Saint Augustine teacheth saying Hide quibus Iohannes Epist. 1 Antichristi sunt ad illum novissimum pertinentes c. These Antichrists of vvhich Saint Iohn speaketh in his first Epistle be belonging to that last the grand Antichrist Againe Quisquis Christum qualis est ab Apostolis praedicatus negat Antichristus est VVhosoever saith Saint Hillary denyeth Christ to be such a one as he vvas preached to be by the Apostles is an Antichrist Irenaeus affirmeth that Valentinus Basilides and Câ—rinthus vvere Antichrists Antichrist saith Origen hath nothing but the name of Christ for hee neyther doth the vvorkes of Christ nor teacheth his doctrine Christ is the very Truth and Antichrist is the disguiser or counterfeyter of Truth The mysterie of that Antichristian Iniquitie wrought even in S. Pauls time as hee himselfe affirmeth He vvell calleth it saith S. Chrysostome a mysterie of Iniquitie because he shall not come like a Nero by open force and vvithout all maner of shame c but entisingly and underhand This Mysterie saith Theodoret signifieth the heresies by vvhich the Divell maketh vvay for Antichrist S. Gregory saith that Antichrist seduceth the people by his Preachers the ministers of lying He hath two hornes like to those of the Lamb Rev. 13.11 that is saith S. Augustine hee hath the two Testaments like to those of the Lamb inasmuch as under the name of Christ he doth covertly infuse the venome of the Dragon And for this cause is he called the false-Prophet diverse times in the Revelation by reason of the false Religion and false doctrines he teacheth in the world under the name of Christ and Christian verities Yea this Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God amongst Christians within Christendome and not without it amongst Turkes Iewes and such like Infidels of the world for he must pretend himselfe to be a chiefe Christian as S. Hierome also sheweth which none of those so much as pretend themselves to be yea they utterly disclaime to be anie Christians at all so that those be rightly and properly to be termed unchristian but not Antichristian people Within Christendome then and no where else is Antichrist to be sought and found Now then within Christendome where shall we finde him Can Protestants be hee No for they professe not to confirme their doctrine and religion nor any point thereof with miracles signes and wonders done by them as this Antichrist and his complices doe neither doe anie of their Bishops or Pastors exalt themselves against or above all Kings Princes Emperors Magistrates of the earth which be called gods in the Scripture as this Antichrist also doth neither doe they teach that doctrine of Divels as S. Paul calleth it which consisteth in prohibiting of Meates and Marriages for conscience and religion sake as this Antichristian and Apostaticall Church likewise doth Protestants then verie cleerely appeare to be such as belong not to this Antichristian crew or companie Who then within Christendome or outwardly professing Christianitie is more likely or so likely to be or possibly can be this grand Antichrist but he onely that exalteth himselfe not onely against but above all Kings Princes Emperors and Potentates of the world and that obtrudeth vaunteth and boasteth of so manie miracles signes and wonders done in his Church and by him and his Clergie and people for confirmation of his religion and that teacheth also that doctrine of Divels aforesaid consisting in prohibition of Meates and Marriage that is to say the Pope of Rome For there is no other within Christendome to be named to whom these things doe thus fitly agree Yea Hee and onely hee in all the world hath all the markes of the grand Antichrist upon him And therefore he and onely he and no other is to be held of all for the undoubted grand Antichrist Obiect 11. The grand Antichrist is The man of sinne the sonne of perdition 2. Thess. 2.3 But shall anie be so bold to affirme these things of the Pope of Rome especially doth it not seeme to be a rash and uncharitable thing to affirme of him that he is the sonne of perdition Answ. It is never anie rashnesse or uncharitablenesse to affirme what God in his word affirmeth It were rather incredulitie not to beleeve it and impietie not to affirme it For if the Pope of Rome be that grand Antichrist and the man of sinne doth it not well agree unto him that he should also be the sonne of perdition as well as Iudas Iscariot who likewise pretending to be a friend to Christ did neverthelesse betray him He that under the like pretence of being a special friend to Christ and under colour of Christianitie destroieth himselfe and others and that without check of conscience remorse or repentance at anie time shewed is he not worthily and iustly called the sonne of perdition Yea doth not the Scripture directly say of him that hee is in Hebrew Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon that is in English a destroyer And must not hee needs be deemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sonne of Perdition who together with himselfe thus destroyeth others For all those that be led by him and maugre all admonitions will neverthelesse irremoveably adhere unto him and follow him be answerably
as an answer unto the Bishops of Ireland that did submit themselves unto him whereas the least argument of anie submission of theirs doth not appeare in anie part of that epistle but the whole course of it doth clearely manifest the flat contrary In the next place steppeth forth Osullevan Beare a wilde Beare indeed rather then a Christian man who in his Catholick Historie of Ireland for so he stileth his trayterous and barbarous Collections lately published would have us take knowledge of this that when the Irish Doctors did not agree together upon great questions of faith or did heare of any new doctrine brought from abroad they were wont to consult with the Bishop of Rome the Oracle of truth That they consulted with the Bishop of Rome when difficult questions did arise wee easily grant but that they thought they were bound in conscience to stand to his judgment whatsoever it should be and to intertaine all his resolutions as certaine Oracles of truth is the point that we would faine see proved For this he telleth us that when questions and disputations did arise here concerning the time of Eâ—ster and the Pelagian heresie the Doctors of Ireland referred the matter unto the See Apostolick Whereupon the error of Pelagius is reported to have found no patron or maintayner in Ireland and the common course of celebrating Easter was embraced both by the Northren Irish and by the Pictes and Britons as soone as they understood the rite of the Romane Church Which saith hee doth not obscurely appeare by the two heads of the Apostolick letters related by Bede lib. 2. cap. 19. But that those Apostolick letters as he calleth them had that successe which he talketh of appeareth neither plainly nor obscurely by Bede or anie other authoritie whatsoever The error of Pelagius saith he is reported to have found no patron or maintayner in Ireland But who is he that reporteth so beside Philip Osullevan a worthy author to ground a report of antiquity upon who in relating the matters that fell out in his owne time discovereth himselfe to be as egregious a lyar as anie I verily thinke that this day breatheth in Christendome The Apostolick letters he speaketh of were written as before hath beene touched in the yeare of our Lord DCXXXIX during the vacancie of the Romane See upon the death of Severinus Our countreyman Kilianus repayred to Rome 47. yeares after that and was ordayned Bishop there by Pope Conon in the yeare DCLXXXVI The reason of his comming thither is thus laid downe by Egilwardus or who ever else was the author of his life For Ireland had beene of old defiled with the Pelagian heresie and condemned by the Apostolicall censure which could not be loosed but by the Romane judgement If this be true then that is false which Osullevan reporteth of the effect of his Apostolicall Epistle that it did so presently quassh the Pelagian heresie as it durst not once peepe up within this Iland The difference betwixt the Romanes and the Irish in the celebration oâ— Easter consisted in this The Romanes kept the memorial of our Lords resurrection upon that Sonday which fell betwixt the XV. and the XXI day of the Moone both termes included next after the XXI day of March which they accounted to be the seat of the Vernall aequinoctium that is to say that time of the Spring wherein the day and the night were of equall length and in reckoning the age of the Moone they followed the Alexandrian cycle of XIX yeares whence our golden number had his originall as it was explained unto them by Dionysius Exiguus which is the account that is still observed not only in the Church of England but also among all the Christians of Greece Russia Asia AEgypt and AEthiopia and was since the time that I my selfe was borne generally received in all Christendome untill the late change of the Kalendar was made by Pope Gregory the XIIIth The Northren Irish and Scottish together with the Pictes observed the custome of the Britons keeping their Easter upon the Sonday that fell betwixt the XIIII and the XX. day of the Moone and following in their account thereof not so much the XIX yeares computation of Anatolius as Sulpicius Severus his circle of LXXXIIII yeares for howsoever they extolled Anatolius for appointing the bounds of Easter betwixt the XIIII and the XX. day of the Moone yet Wilfride in the Synod of Strenshalch chargeth them utterly to have rejected his cycle of XIX yeares from which therefore Cummianus draweth an argument against them that they can never come to the true account of Easter who observe the cycle of LXXXIIII yeares To reduce the Irish unto conformitie with the Church of Rome in this point Pope Honorius the first of that name directed his letters unto them Exhorting them that they would not esteeme their owne paucitie seated in the utmost borders of the earth more wife then the ancient or moderne Churches of Christ through the whole world and that they would not celebrate another Easter contrary to the Paschall computations and the Synodall decrees of the Bishops of the whole world and shortly after the clergie of Rome as we have said upon the death of Severinus wrote other letters unto them to the same effect Now where Osullevan pardon me if I honour the rake-hell too much in naming him so often avoucheth that the common customeâ— sed by the Church in celebrating the feast of the Lords resurrection was alwayes observed by the Southerne Irish and now embraced also by the Northren together with the Pictes and Britons who received the faith from Irish Doctors when they had knowledge given them of the rite of the Church of Rome in all this according to his common wont hee speaketh never a true word For neyther did the Southerne Irish alwayes observe the celebration of Easter commonly received abroad neyther did the Northren Irish nor the Pictes nor the Britons manie yeares after this admonition given by the Church of Rome admit that observation among them to speake nothing of his folly in saying that the Britons received the faith from the Irish when the contrarie is so well knowne that the Irish received the same from the Britons That the common custome of celebrating the time of Easter was not alwayes observed by the Southerne Irish may appeare by those words of Bede in the third booke of his historie and the third chapter Porrò gentes Scottorum quae in australibus Hiberniae insulae partibus morabantur jamdudum ad admonitionem Apostolicae sedis antistitis Pascha canonico ritu observare didicerunt For if as this place clearely proveth the nations of the Scotts that dwelt in the Southerne parts of Ireland did learne to observe Easter after the canonicall maner upon the admonition of the Bishop of Rome it is evident that before that admonition they did observe it after another maner The word jamdudum which Bede