yeelded that no man hath power to set to a seale but he whose the writing is Sacraments then being the seales of Gods gracious euidences whereby hee hath conueyed to vs eternall life can bee instituted by no other then the same power that can assure and performe life to his creature In euerie Sacrament therefore must bee a diuine institution and command of an element that signifies of a grace that is signified of a word adioyned to that element of an holy act adioyned to that Word Where these concurre not there can bee no true Sacrament and they are palpably missing in these fiue Adiections of the Church of Rome Lastly The Sacraments of the new Law as Saint Austen often flowed out of the side of Christ None flowed thence but the Sacrament of water which is Baptisme and the Sacrament of bloud in the Supper Whereof the Author saith This cup is the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you The rest neuer flowing either from the side or from the lips of Christ are as new and mis-named Sacraments iustly reiected by vs and we thereupon as vniustly censured CHAP. XVI The newnesse of the Doctrine of Traditions THe chiefe ground of these and all other errours in the Church of Rome is the ouer-valuing of Traditions which the Tridentine Synode professeth to receiue and reuerence with no lesse pious affection then the Bookes of the Old and New Testament and that not in matter of Rite and Historie only but of faith and manners also Wherein as they are not vn willing to cast a kind of imputation of imperfection vpon the written Word so they make vp the defects of it by the supply of vnwritten Traditions to which indeed they are more beholden for the warrant of the greater part of their super-added Articles then to the Scriptures of God Both which are points so dangerously enuious as that Antiquitie would haue abhorred their mention Neither is any thing more common with the holy Fathers of the Church then the magnifying the complete perfection of Scripture in all things needfull either to be beleeued or done What can be more ful and cleere then that of Saint Austen In his quae apertè c. In these things which are openly laid forth in Scripture are found all matters that containe either faith or manners Cardinall Bellarmines elusion is not a little preiudiciall to his owne cause He tels vs that Saint Austen speakes of those points which are simply necessary to saluation for all men All which hee acknowledges to be written by the Apostles But besides these there are many other things saith hee which wee haue only by Tradition Will it not therfore hence follow that the common sort of Christians need not looke at his Traditions That commonly men may be saued without them that Heauen may bee attained though there were no Traditions Who will not now say Let mee come to Heauen by Scripture goe you whither you will by Traditions To which adde that a great yea the greater part if wee may beleeue some of their owne of that which they call religion is grounded vpon only Tradition if then Tradition bee only of such things as are not simply unnecessary to saluation then the greater part of their mis-named Religion must needs be yielded for simply vnnecessary to all men And if wee may bee saued without them and bee made Citizens of Heauen how much more may we without them be members of the true Church on Earth As for this place Saint Augustines words are full and comprehensiue expressing all those things which containe either faith or manners whether concerning Gouernours or people If now they can finde out any thing that belongs not either to beleefe or action wee doe willingly giue it vp to their Traditions but all things which pertaine to either of those are openly comprized in Scripture What can bee more direct then that of holy Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The holy Scriptures inspired by God are in themselues all-sufficient to the instruction of truth and if Chemnitius construe it All truth this needs not raise a cauill The word signifies no lesse for if they bee all-sufficient to instruction they must needs be sufficient to all instruction in the truth intended Tertullian professes openly Adoro Scripturae pleniâ—udinem c. I adore the fulnesse of Scripture Let the skill of Hermogenes show where it is written if it bee not written let him feare that woe which is pronounced against those that adde or detract Thus he Who can but feare that the Cardinall shifts this euidence against his owne heart For saith he Tertullian speakes of that one point That God created all things of nothing and not of a pre-existent matter as Hermogenes dreamed now because this truth is clearely expressed in Scripture therefore the fulnesse of Scripture as concerning this point is adored by Tertullian And for that Hermogenes held an opinion contrarie to Scripture he is said to adde vnto Scripture and to incurre that malediction Now let any reader of common sense iudge whether the words of Tertullian be not generall without any limitation and if the first clause could bee restrained the second cannot Scriptum esse doceat c. Whatsoeuer therefore is not written by this rule may not be oberuded to our beleefe Neither doth he say If it be written against but If it be not written and his challenge is nusquam legi that the words are no where read as if this were quarrell enough without a flat contradiction to what is read So as the Cardinals glosse meerely corrupts the Text How easie were it for me to tire my reader with the full suffrages of Origen Cyprian Chrysostome Basil Cyrill Epiphanius Hierome Ambrose Theodoret Hilarie Vincentius Lirinensis and in a word with the whole streame of Antiquitie which though they giue a meet place to Traditions of Ceremony of historie of interpretation of some immateriall verities yet reserue the due honour to the sacred monuments of Diuine Scriptures Our learned Chemnitius hath freely yeelded seuen sorts of Traditions such as haue a correspondence with or an attestation from the written word the rest we do iustly together with him disclaime as vnworthy to appeare vpon that awfull Bench amongst the inspired Pen-men of God SECT II. Traditions against Scripture IT is not to be imagined that the same word of God which speakes for all other truths should not speake for it selfe how fully doth it display it 's owne sufficiencie and perfection All Scripture saith the Chosen Vessell is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse Profitable saith the Cardinall but not sufficient Many things may auaile to that end whereto they suffice not So meat is profitable to nourish but without naturall heat it nourisheth not Thus hee Heare yet what followeth That the man of God may bee perfited and thorowly
and seduction And if any of our people loath this Manna because they may gather it from vnder their Feete let not their palates be humourd ic this wanton nauseation They are worthy to fast that are wearie of the Bread of Angels And if herein we bee curious to satisfie their rouing appetite our fauour shall be no better then Iniurious So wee haue seene an vndiscreete Schoole-master whiles he affects the thankes of an ouerweening Parent marre the progresse of a forward Child by raysing him to an higher forme and Author ere he haue wel learned his first rules whence followes an emptie ostentation and a late disappointment Our fidelitie and care of profit must teach vs to driue at the most sure and vniuersall good which shall vndoubtedly bee best attained by these safe and needfull ground-workes From these tender pastures let mee leade you and you others to the still Waters Zeale in the Soule is as naturall heat in the body there is no life of Religion without it but as the kindliest heat if it bee not tempered with a due equalitie of moysture wasts it selfe and the body So doth zeale if it be not moderated with discretion and charitable care of the common good It is hard to bee too vehement in contending for maine and euident truthes but litigious and immateriall verities may soone be ouer-striuen for in the prosecution whereof I haue oft lamented to see how heedlesse too many haue beene of the publike welfare Whiles in seeking for one scruple of truth they haue not cared to spend a whole pound-weight of precious Peace The Church of England in whose motherhood wee haue all iust cause to pride our selues hath in much wisdome and pietie deliuered her iudgment concerning all necessary points of religioÌ„ in so compleat a body of Diuinitie as all hearts may rest in These wee read these we write vnder as professing not their truth onely but their sufficiencie also The voice of God our Father in his Scriptures and out of these the voyce of the Church our Mother in her Articles is that which must both guide and settle our resolutioÌ„s Whatsoeuer is besides these is but either priuate or vnnecessarie and vncertain Oh that whiles we sweat and bleed for the maintenance of these oracular truthes we could be perswaded to remit of our Heat in the pursuit of opinions These these are they that distract the Church violate our peace scandalize the weake aduantage our enemies Fire vpon the Hearth warmes the body but if it be mis-placed burnes the house My brethren let vs bee zealous for our God Euery heartie Christian will powre Oyle and not Water vpon this holy flame But let vs take heed least a blind selfe loue stiffe preiudice and factious partialitie impose vpon vs in stead of the causes of God Let vs be suspicious of all New verities and carelesse of all vnprofitable And let vs hate to thinke our selues either wiser then the Church or better then our superiors And if any man thinke that he sees further then his fellowes in these Theologicall prospects let his tongue keepe the counsel of his eyes Least whiles he affects the fame of deeper learning he embroyle the Church and rayse his glory vpon the publike ruines And ye worthy Christians whose soules God hath entrusted with our spirituall Guardianship be ye alike minded with your teachers The motion of their tongues lyes much in your eares your modest desires of receiuing needfull and wholsome truthes shal auoide their labour after friuolous and quarrelsome curiosities God hath blessed you with the reputation of a wise and knowing people In these diuine matters let a meeke sobrietie set bouÌ„ds to your inquiries Take vp your time and hearts with Christ and Him crucified with those essentiall truthes which are necessarie to saluation Leaue al curious disquisitions to the Schooles and say of those problemes as the Philosopher did of the Athenian shops How many things are here that we haue no need of Take the neerest cut yee can yee shall finde it a side way to heauen yee need not lengthen it with vndue circuitions I am deceiued if as the times are yee shall not find worke enough to beare vp against the oppositions of professed hostility it is not for vs to sqander our thoughts and houres vpon vse-lesse janglings Wherewith if we suffer our selues to be still taken vp Satan shal deale with vs like some craftie cheater who whiles he holds vs at gaze with trickes of iugling pickes our pockets Deare brethren what euer become of these worthlesse driblets bee sure to looke well to the free-hold of your saluation Errour is not more busie then subtile Superstition neuer wanted sweet insinuations make sure worke against these plausible dangers Suffer not your selues to bee drawne into the net by the common stale of the Church Know that outward visibilitie may too well stand with an vtter exclusion from saluation Saluation consists not in a formalitie of profession but in a soundnesse of beliefe A true body may be ful of mortall diseases So is the Romane Church of this day whom we haue long pitied and laboured to cure in vaine If she will not bee healed by vs let not vs be infected by her Let vs bee no lesse ielous of her Contagion then she is of our Remedies Hold fast that precious Truth which hath been long taught you by faithfull Pastors confirmed by cleare euidences of Scriptures euinced by sound reasons sealed vp by the bloud of our blessed Martyrs So whiles no man takes away the Crowne of your constancie yee shall be our Crowne and reioycing in the day of the Lord Iesus To whose all-sufficient grace I commend you al and vow my selfe Your common Seruant in him whom we all reioyce to serue IOS EXON The Contents CHAP. I. THe extent of the differences betwixt the Churches Fol. 1. CHAP. II. The Originall of the differences Fol. 7. CHAP. III. The Reformed vniustly charged with noueltie heresie schisme 14. CHAP. IV. The Roman Church guiltie of this schisme 22 CHAP. V. The newnesse of the Article of Iustification by inherent righteousnesse 27 SECT II This doctrine proued to be against Scripture 36 SECT III. Against reason 42 CHAP. VI. The newnesse of the doctrine of merit 45 SECT II Against Scripture 48. SECT III. Against reason 50 CHAP. VII The newnesse of the doctrine of Transubstantiation 53 SECT II Against Scripture 62 SECT III. Against reason 67 CHAP. VIII The newnesse of the Halfe-Communion 71 SECT II Against Scripture 75 SECT III. Against reason 77 CHAP. IX The newnesse of the Missall Sacrifice 79 SECT II Against Scripture 81 SECT III. Against reason 84 CHAP. X. The newnesse of Image-worship 87 SECT II Against Scripture 94 SECT III. Against reason 98 CHAP. XI The newnesse of Jndulgences and Purgatorie 100 SECT II Against Scripture 108 SECT III. Agaiâ—st reason 112 CHAP. XII The newnesse of Diuine Seruice in an vnknowne tongue 114 SECT II Against Scripture 120 SECT III.
power to make a fundamental point of faith It may explane or declare it cannot create Articles Thirdly Only an errour against a point of faith is Heresie Fourthly Those points wherein wee differ from the Romanists are they which only the Church of Rome hath made fundamentall and of Faith Fiftly The reformed therefore being by that Church illegally condemned for those points are not heretickes Hee is properly an Hereticke saith Hosius who being conuicted in his owne iudgement doth of his owne accord cast himselfe out of the Church For vs we are neither conuicted in our owne iudgement nor in the lawfull iudgement of others We haue not willingly cast our selues out of the Church but howeuer wee are said to be violently eiected by the vndue sentence of malice hold our selues close to the bosome of the true Spouse of Christ neuer to bee remoued As farre therefore from Heresie as Charitie is from our Censures Only wee stand conuicted by the doome of good Pope Boniface or Syluester Prierius Quicunque non c. Whosoeuer doth not relie himselfe vpon the Doctrine of the Romane Church and of the Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of faith from which euen the Scripture it selfe receiues her force he is an Hereticke Whence followes that the Church of Rome condemning and eiecting those for Heretickes which are not is the authour of this wofull breach in the Church of God I shall therefore I hope abundantly satisfie all wise and indifferent Readers if I shall show that those points which wee refuse and oppose are no other then such as by the confessions of ingenuous authors of the Romane part haue beene besides their inward falsity manifest vpstarts lately obtruded vpon the Church such as our ancient Progenitours in many hundreds of successions either knew not or receiued not into their beliefe and yet both liued and dyed worthy Christians Surely it was but a iust speech of Saint Bernard and that which might become the mouth of any Pope or Councell Ego si peregrinum c. If I shall offer to bring in any strange opinion it is my sinne It was the wise Ordinance of the Thurians as Diodorus Siculus reports that he who would bring in any new Law amongst them to the preiudice of the old should come with an halter about his necke into the assembly and there either make good his proiect or die For howeuer in humane Constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the later orders are stronger then the former yet in Diuinity Primum verum The first is true as Tertullians rule is The old way is the good way according to the Prophet Heere wee hold vs and because we dare not make more Articles then our Creedes nor more sinnes then our Ten Commandements we are indignely cast out Let vs therefore addresse our selues roundly to our promised taske and make good the noueltie and vnreasonablenesse of those points we haue reiected Out of too many Controuersies disputed betwixt vs we select only some principall and out of infinite varieties of euidence some few irrefragable testimonies CHAP. V. The newnesse of the Article of Iustification by inherent righteousnesse TO begin with Iustification The Tridentine Fathers in their seauen moneths debating of this point haue so cunningly set their words that the errour which they would establish might seeme to be either hid or shifted Yet at the last they so far declare themselues as to determine that the only formall cause of our Iustification is Gods Iustice not by which he himselfe is Iust but by which he makes vs iust wherewith being endowed by him wee are renewed in the spirit of our mindes and are not only reputed but are made truly iust receiuing euery man his owne measure of Iustice which the Holy Ghost diuides to him according to each mans predisposition of himselfe and cooperation And withall they denounce a flat Anathema to all those who shall dare to say that wee are formally iustified by Christs righteousnesse or by the sole imputation of that righteousnesse or by the sole remission of our sinnes and not by our inherent Grace diffused in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Which termes they haue so craftily laid together as if they would cast an aspersion vpon their aduersaries of separating the necessitie of sanctification from the pretended Iustification by faith wherein all our words and writings will abundantly cleare vs before God and men That there is an inherent iustice in vs is no lesse certaine then that it is wrought in vs by the Holy Ghost For God doth not iustifie the wicked man as such but of wicked makes him good not by meere acceptation but by a reall change whiles hee iustifies him whom hee sanctifies These two acts of Mercie are inseparable But this Iustice being wrought in vs by the holy Spirit according to the modell of our weake receit and not according to the full power of the infinite agent is not so perfect as that it can beare vs out before the Tribunall of God It must bee onely vnder the garment of our elder Brother that wee dare come in for a blessing His righteousnesse made ours by faith is that whereby wee are iustified in the sight of God This doctrine is that which is blasted with a Tridentine curse Heare now the historie of this doctrine of Iustification related by their Andrew Vega de Iustif l. 7. c. 24. Magna fuit c. Some ages since saith hee there was a great concertation amongst Diuines what should bee the formall cause of our Iustification some thought it to be no created iustice infused into man but only the fauour and mercifull acceptation of God In which opinion the Master of Sentences is thought by some to haue beene Others whose opinion is more common and probable held it to bee some created qualitie informing the soules of the iust This opinion was allowed in the Councell of Vienna And the Schoole-doctors after the Master of Sentences deliuered this not as probable only but as certaine Afterwards when some defended the opposite part to be more probable it seemed good to the holy Synode of Trent thus to determine it So as till the late Councell of Trent by the confession of Vega himselfe this opinion was maintayned as probable only not as of faith Yea I adde by his leaue the contrary was till then most currant It is not the Logick of this point we striue for It is not the Grammer it is the Diuinitie What is that whereby wee stand acquitted before the righteous Iudge whether our inherent Iustice or Christs imputed Iustice apprehended by faith The Diuines of Trent are for the former all Antiquity with vs for the latter A iust Volume would scarce contayne the pregnant Testimonies of the Fathers to this purpose Saint Chrysostome tels vs it is the wonder of Gods mercie that hee who hath sinned confesseth is pardoâ— secured and suddenly appâ—â—st Iust
but how The 〈◊〉 â—ooke away the Curse saith beâ—â—ost sweetly Faith brought in Righteousnesse and Righteousnesse drew on the Grace of the Spirit Saint Ambrose tels vs that our carnall infirmitie blemisheth our workes but that the vprightnesse of our faith couers ours errours and obtaines our pardon And professeth that hee will glory not for that he is righteous but for that hee is redeemed not for that he is void of sinnes but for that his sinnes are forgiuen him Saint Ierome tels vs then wee are iust when we confesse our selues sinners and that our righteousnesse stands not in any merit of ours but in the meere mercie of God and that the acknowledgement of our imperfection is the imperfect perfection of the Iust Saint Gregorie tels vs that our Iust Aduocate shall defend vs righteous in his iudgement because we know and accuse our selues vnrighteous and that our confidence must not be in our acts but in our Aduocate But the sweete and passionate speeches of Saint Austen and Saint Bernard would fill a Booke alone neither can any reformed Diuine either more disparage our inherent Righteousnesse or more magnifie and challenge the imputed It shall suffice vs to giue a taste of both We haue all therefore Brethren receiued of his fulnesse Of the fulnesse of his mercie of the abundance of his goodnesse haue we receiued What Remission of sinnes that we might be iustified by faith And what more Grace for Grace that is for this Grace wherein we liue by faith we shall receiue another saith that diuinest of the Fathers And soone after All that are from sinfull Adam are sinners all that are iustified by Christ are iust not in themselues but in him for in themselues if ye aske after them they are Adam in him they are Christs And elsewhere Reioyce in the Lord and bee glad O yee righteous O wicked O proud men that reioyce in your selues now beleeuing in him who iustifieth the wicked your faith is imputed to you for righteousnesse Reioyce in the Lord Why Because now yee are iust and whence are yee iust Not by your owne Merits but by his Grace Whence are yee iust because yee are iustified Who shall lay any thing to the â—harge of Gods Elect It sufficeth â—â—ee for all righteousnesse that I haue that God propitious to mee against whom only I haue sinned All that he hath decreed not to impute vnto mee is as if it had not beene Not to sinne is Gods Iustice mans iustice is Gods indulgence saith Deuout Bernard How pregnant is that famous profession of his And if the mercies of the Lord be from euerlasting and to euerlasting I will also sing the mercies of the Lord euerlastingly What shall I sing of my owne righteousnesse No Lord I will remember thy righteousnesse alone for that is mine too Thou art made vnto me of God righteousnesse should I feare that it will not serue vs both It is no short Cloake that it should not couer twaine Thy righteousnesse is a righteousnesse for euer and what is longer then eternitie Behold thy large and euerlasting mercie will largely couer both thee and mee at once In mee it couers a multitude of sinnes in thee Lord what can it couer but the treasures of pittie the riches of bountie Thus he What should I need to draw downe this Truth through the times of Anselme Lombard Bonauenture Gerson The Manuell of Christian Reâ—igion set forth in the Prouinciall Councell of Coleyne shall serue for â—ll Bellarmine himselfe grants them â—erein ours and they are worth â—ur entertayning That Booke is â—ommended by Cassander as marâ—ellously approued by all the learâ—ed Diuines of Italy and France â—s that which notably sets forth the â—umme of the iudgement of the Ancients concerning this and oâ—her points of Christian Religion â— Nos dicimus c. Wee say that a â—an doth then receiue the gift of â—ustification by faith when being â—â—rrified and humbled by repenâ—â—nce hee is againe raysed vp by â—â—ith beleeuing that his sinnes are â—â—rgiuen him for the Merits of Christ who hath promised remission of sinnes to those that beleeue in him and when he feeles in himselfe new desires so as detesting euill and resisting the infirmitie of his flesh he is inwardly inkindled to an indeauour of good although this desire of his be not yet perfect Thus they in the voyce of all Antiquitie and the-then-present Church Only the late Councell of Trent hath created this opinion of Iustification a point of faith SECT II. The errour hereof against Scripture YEt if age were all the quarrelâ— it were but light For thougâ— newnesse in diuine Truths is a iuâ— cause of suspition yet wee doe noâ— so shut the hand of our munificeâ— God that he cannot bestow vpon â—is Church new illuminations in â—ome parcels of formerly-hidden â—erities It is the charge both of â—heir Canus and Caietan that no â—an should detest a new sense of Scripture for this that it differs â—rom the ancient Doctors for God â—ath not say they tyed exposition â—f Scripture to their senses Yea if we may beleeue Salmeâ—on the later Diuines are so much â—ore quick-sighted they like the Dwarfe sitting on the Gyants â—houlder ouer-looke him that is â—arre taller then themselues This â—osition of the Romane Church is â—ot more new then faultie Not â—â— much noueltie as Truth conâ—inceth Heresies as Tertullian We â—ad beene silent if wee had not â—und this point besides the lateâ—esse erroneous Erroneous both â—gainst Scripture and Reason Aâ—â—inst Scripture which euery where â—acheth as on the one side the â—â—perfection of our inherent righteousnesse so on the other our perfect Iustification by the imputed righteousnesse of our Sauiour brought home to vs by faith The former Iob saw from his dung-hill How should a man bee iustified before God If hee will contend with him hee cannot answere one of a thousand Whence it is that wise Salomon askes Who can say My heart is cleane I am pure from sinne And himselfe answers There is not a iust man vpon earth which doth good and sinneth not A truth which besides his experience hee had learned of his Father Dauid who could say Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant though a man after Gods owne heart for in thy sight shalâ— no man liuing bee iustified And iâ— thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand For wee are all as an vncleane thing we saith the Prophet Esay including euen himselfe and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges And was it any better with the best Saints vnder the Gospell I see saith the chosen Vessell in my members another law warring against the law of my minde and leading mee captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members So as in many things wee sinne all And if we say that we haue no sinne we doe but deceiue our selues and
beseeching him that no such pictures may be hanged vp contrarie to our religion Though by the way who can but blush at Master Fishers euasion that it was sure the picture of some profane Pagan When as Epiphanius himselfe there sayes it had Imaginem quasi Christi vel sancti cuiusdam the Image as it were of Christ or some Saint Surely therfore the Image went for Christs or for some noted Saints neither doth he find fault with the irresemblance but with the Image as such That of Agobardus is sufficient for vs Nullus antiquorum Catholicorum None of the ancient Catholiques euer thought that Images were to be worshipped or adored They had them indeed but for historie-sake To remember the Saints by not to worship them The decision of Gregory the Great some six hundred yeeres after Christ which he gaue to Serenus Bishop of Massilia is famous in euerie mans mouth and pen Et quidem quia eas adorari vetuisses c. Wee commend you saith hee that you forbade those Images to bee worshipped but we reproue your breaking of them adding the reason of both For that they were onely retained for historie and instruction not for adoration which ingenuous Cassander so comments vpon as that he showes this to be a sufficient declaration of the iudgement of the Roman Church in those times Videlicet ideo haberi picturas c. That Images are kept not to bee adored and worshipped but that the ignorant by beholding those pictures might as by written records be put in minde of what hath beene formerly done and bee thereupon stirred vp to pietie And the same Author tells vs that Sanioribus scholasticis displicet c. the sounder Schoole-men disliked that opinion of Thomas Aquine who held that the Image is to be worshipped with the same adoration which is due to the thing represented by it reckoning vp Durand Holcot Biel. Not to spend many words in a cleere case What the iudgement and practice of our Ancestors in this Iland was concerning this point appeares sufficiently by the relation of Roger Houeden our Historian Who tells vs that in the yeere 792. Charles the King of France sent into this Isle a Synodall Booke directed vnto him from Constantinople wherein there were diuers offensiue passages but especially this one that by the vnanimous consent of all the Doctors of the East and no fewer then 300. Bishops it was decreed that Images should be worshipped quod Ecclesia Deiexecratur saith he which the Church of God abhorres Against which errour Albinus saith he wrote an Epistle maruellously confirmed by authoritie of diuine Scriptures and in the person of our Bishops and Princes exhibited it together with the sayd Booke vnto the French King This was the setled resolution of our Predecessours And if since that time preuailing superstition haue incroached vpon the ensuing succession of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the old rules stand as those Fathers determined Away with nouelties But good Lord how apt men are to raise or beleeue lies for their owne aduantages Vspergensis and other friends of Idolatrie tell vs of a Councell held at London in the dayes of Pope Constantine Anno 714. wherein the worship of Images was publiquely decreed the occasion whereof was this Egwin the Monke after made Bishop had a vision from God wherein hee was admonished to set vp the Image of the Mother of God in his Church The matter was debated and brought before the Pope in his See Apostolike There Egwin was sworne to the truth of his vision Thereupon Pope Constantine sent his Legate Boniface into England who called a Councell at London wherein after proofe made of Egwins visions there was an act made for Image-worship A figment so grosse that euen their Baronius and Binius fall foule vpon it with a facile inducimur c. we are easily induced to beleeue it to be a lie Their ground is that it is destitute of all testimony of Antiquitie and besides that it doth directly crosse the report of Beda who tells vs that our English together with the Gospell receiued the vse of Images from their Apostle Augustine and therefore needed not any new vision for the entertainment thereof Let vs inquire then a little into the words of Beda At illi but they Augustine and his fellowes non daemoniaca c. came armed not with the power of Deuils but of God bearing a siluer Crosse for their Standard and the image of our Lord and Sauiour painted in a Table and singing Letanies both for the saluation of themselues and of them whom they came to conuert Thus he This shewes indeed that Augustine and his fellowes brought Images into England vnknowne here before A point worthy of good obseruation but how little this proues the allowed worship of them will easily appeare to any reader if hee consider that Gregorie the first and Great was he that sent this Augustine in England whose iudgement concerning Images is cleerely published by himselfe to all the world in his fore-cited Epistle absolutely condemning their adoration Augustine should haue been an ill Apostle if he had herein gone contrarie to the will of him that sent him If withall he shall consider that within the verie same centurie of yeeres the Clergie of England by Albinus Bedes Scholler sent this publique declaration of their earnest disauowing both of the doctrine and practice of Image-worship SECT II. Image Worship against Scripture AS for Scripture We need not to goe further then the verie second Commandement the charge whereof is so ineuitable that it is very ordinarily doubtlesse in the guiltinesse of an apparent checke left out in the deuotionall Bookes to the people Others since they cannot raze it out would faine limit it to the Iewes pretending that this precept against the worship of Images was only Temporall and Ceremoniall and such as ought not to be in force vnder the Times of the Gospell Wherin they recal to my thoughts that which Epiphanes the sonne of Carpocrates answered When his lust was checked with the command of Non concupisces True said hee that is to be vnderstood of the Heathen whose Wiues and Sisters wee may not indeed lust after Some more modest spirits are ashamed of that shift and fly to the distinction of Idols and Images a distinction without a difference of their making not of Gods Of whom we neuer learned other then that as euery Idoll is an Image of something so euery Image worshipped turnes Idoll The Language differs not the thing it selfe To be sure God takes order for both Yee shall make you no Idoll nor grauen Image neither reare you vp any standing Image neither shall you set vp any Image of stone in your Land to bow downe to it Yea as their owne vulgar turnes it Non facies tibi c. statuam Thou shalt not set thee vp a Statue which God hateth The Booke of God is full of his