stones The golden lights (y) Those seven Churches were represented by seven golden Candlesticks Apoc. 1.20 of Saint Johns age Are now become even Sathans cage Prove thou that Rome hath not declind From th' ancient Church by Pauls resind And then I 'le say thou hast done more Then ever Papist did before But for first turning of our Nation I trow thou nam'st it but for fashion For they that look in History Thereof can find no certainty Simon Zelotes as some say (z) Niceph. lib. 2. cap. 40. Did first Christs Gospel here display Even whilst that Emperour did reign By whom our Saviour Christ was slain (a) Gildas Lib. de victoria Aurelii Ambrosii Some say that he of Arimathy (b) Joseph who buried Christ In the year of grace sixty three From France by Philip (c) Philip the Apostle was sent over To us the faith for to discover (d) So saith Gildas also Hereto agreeth a learned man That ancient Clark Tertullian That by th' Apostles Britany Was turn'd to Christianity (e) Tertul. in his book against the Jewes amongst other places converted by the Apostles reckoneth divers parts of France and Britain So doth Origen Hom. 4. upon Ezechiel Pope Elutherius long agoe (f) About the year of Christ 180. As his Epistle plain did show (g) This Epistle hath been found out of the ancient Records of the Kings of England Unto King Lucius hither sent Ere Ethelbert was king of Kent (h) Which was about 600. years after Christ We hold the faith that then was taught But you the same do set at naught (i) Eleutherius referred King Lucius to the Scriptures clean against the Papists course now and called him Gods Vicar in his kingdom which title the Pope alone doth now challenge When Rome the Truth doth once forsake Then we of Rome our leaves must take If that our Church were Catholick To come to Church thou wouldst not stick If of the word thou knewst the sence Thou soon would'st leave that fond pretence Our Church that truth doth firm embrace Which all those hold in every place Who leaving mens traditions clean Upon the Scriptures onely lean (k) That is truly Catholick which every where alwayes and by all viz. true Christians is believed Vincen. cont Haer. c. 3. Let Papists prove that the word Catholick being taken in that sence ours is not a Catholick Church Popish Rime Prophets SO saith the Prophet Malachy There should be offered far and nigh A clean Oblation or Sacrifice (l) When you read Altar and Sacrifice you think streight that makes for Mass not knowing or not seeming to know the language of the Scripture From place where now the Sun doth rise To the going down of the same And what is that I pray thee name If it be not the holy Mass I will be a Protestant as I was (m) If thou hadst been of us thou wouldst have continued with us 1 John 2.19 In the eighteenth Psalm I found The whole world should hear their sound (n) Namely of the Apostles and their Doctrine prove our Doctrine to disagree with theirs And if this mark you do not want Presently I will recant Protestants Answer Prophets THou cit'st a text of Malachy (o) Mal. 1.11 Hoping to prove thy Mass thereby Alas the reason is but small And helps that Idol not at all In it God threatneth the Jews †The opening of the place of Malachy Who their great priviledge did abuse And thought the Lord was tied to them And unto their Jerusalem The Prophet tells that God elsewhere Will find out those which shall him fear And in an order without blame Shall call upon his holy Name Speaking to their capacity The Legal tearms he doth apply (p) So Joel 2.28 The holy Ghost foretelling the Spiritual enlightning which the people shall have under Christ doth deliver it under the names of Visions and Dreams which notwithstanding were not ordinary in the times of the Gospel And calls our Gospel like Service A pure and spotless (q) Pure in Christ being accepted of God through him 1 Pet. 2.5 Sacrifice What ground is here then for the Mass It still remaineth as it was A gross device defaming Christ Who is our true and onely Priest (r) See more of this hereafter in speaking more directly of the Mass The speech of David of the Skies (Å¿) Psal 19.3 But according to their account Psal 18. Into the Apostles Paul applies (t) Rom. 10.18 And saith their sound went far and near As in the stories doth appear Tell me I pray what good to you This place you have alledg'd can do It maketh nought for Popery Or for your idle trumpery Indeed the infamous Fame is spread Of Antichrist your hideous head And all God's Children him do see The man of sin (r) 2 Thes 2.3 alone to be Th' Apostles Faith was far disperst And here in England was rehearst â—ith then our Doctrine is the same â—o it belongs part of their fame Popish Rime Continuance THis is another mark most sure The Faith of Christ must still endure †Christs Faith must endure therefore Rome is the true Church A hot argument as though the Christian Faith could endure no where but at Rome According as our Saviour said When for Saint Peter he had pray'd Simon thy faith shall never fail The gates of Hell shall not prevail †True the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church of Christ but Christ in despight of the Devil will have a Church upon earth what makes this for Rome The holy Ghost your comforter Shall remain with you for ever And I my self your surest friend Will be with you unto the end Saint Paul hath the like speech There shall be alwayes men to preach Apostles (p) Some say they are Apostles and are not Rev. 2.2 Doctors and the like In the Church Catholick If this be not the Church of Rome (q) Because you say it we are bound to believe it Then will I be converted soon Protestants Answer Continuance YOu say Christs faith must still endure I yield that nothing is more sure And alwayes God a Church will have Though thereat Satan rage and rave (Å¿) Mat. 16.18 And that is the uttermost which can be collected out of that place It glads my heart that Christ hath praid Thereby I know my Faith is staid (t) Luke 22.32 Christs prayer there belongs to all believers as well as to Saint Peter John 17.20 The comfort of Gods holy Sp'rit Is each good Christians sole delight This proves there still a Church shall be And herein thou and I agree To prove the Church tied to one Sea Requireth yet a better Plea The Faith of Christ may still abide Though Rome should into Tibur slide Gods Spirit is free and is not bound (u) John 3.8 Within the lists of Romish ground
when Christ comes to judge us all Then faith on earth shall be but small (z) Luke 18.8 How is the Church a City then (a) Mat. 5.14 Rais'd on a mount and seen of men And how a light set up on high That all that will may it espie How shall we to the Church complain (b) Mat. 18.17 If of the Church no shew remain This is thy Popish reasoning And Scriptures plain misconstruing The true meaning of those places Christ doth th' Apostles counsel give Soundly to preach and well to live Because their places were in sight And 't was their Office to give light They erring many might mislead Which in their steps might hap to tread If that their Doctrine were unsound In falshood many might be drown'd It was in vain for them to ween In doing ill not to be seen You are saith Christ upon a Mount To be well mark't make full account (c) Thus Chry. and Theophilact expounded this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This shews wherein our duty stands And what God looks for at our hands Who call'd are to the Ministry To labour in God's Husbandry (d) 1 Cor. 3.9 But from hence how may proved be The Churches visibility This place affords a slender proof And little for the Popes behoof Yet you perhaps will urge it still The Pastors are set on a hill And called Light even so say I But all men can them not descry For those which want spiritual eyes (e) Ephes 1.13 Nor are by searching (f) John 5.39 Scripture-wise (g) Ephes 5.15 17. This mounted City cannot see Nor where these lightsome Pastors be (h) This was the Answer of Aug. to the Donatists Tract 1. in Epi. Johan Christ bids us we the Church should tell If things be not reformed well By Church he means all such as be Indued with Authority (i) The same which Paul calleth Presbyterian 1 Tim. 4.14 The Eldership These Office-bearers all men see In times of setled Sovereignty Yea and among themselves th' are known †This answer the Papists cannot mislike for they make use of it for themselves Rhem. in Apoc. 12.6 The error of this Popish Argument When th' outward state is overthrown When that was said in special You turn to Church in general Thereby you may deceive some fools But soon it will be seen in Schools This argument of outward state Which for a mark you intimate Against that thing doth strongly make Which you to prove do undertake Romes state hath sometimes been obscur'd And hath disgraces foul endur'd Burnt (k) By the Goths 547. sackt (l) By Charles Duke of Burbon in the dayes of Pope Clement the seventh whereupon was made tâ—… clause in the Letany Sancta Maria c. O holy Mary pray for Pope Clement c. some Popes imprisoned (m) John 14. Boniface 8. about the year 1304. Some glad to fly (n) John 17. fled to Hetruria some banished (o) Vigilius 18. and Gregory the ninth about the year 1227. Where did your glorious Church abide When Popes were glad themselves to hide Peace peace no more of this for shame Rome saith you will her clean defame †Succession Succession commeth next in place Whereby thou seek'st thy Church to grace Your turn Succession cannot serve If from the Truth Succession swerve The Jewish Church from Aaron A just descent might stand upon Even when they crucifi'd our Lord And hated all that lov'd his Word If we shall say that Church was true Consisting of so vile a crue We cast Christ and the Apostles out Among the base and damned rout The Grecian Churches at this day For their defence as much can say (p) At Constantinople there hath been a perpetual succession from Saint Andrew Nicep At Alexandria from Saint Mark Yet you of them do give this doom That in Gods Church they have no room Yet if Succession were a sign Which your grand Captain Bellarmine Dares not avouch (q) Bellarmine saith it followeth negatively that where there is no succession there is no Church but not affirmatively that where there is succession there is a Church Lib. 4. de Eccl. cap. 8. I fain would see How Rome can prove her pedigree You call your Church Saint Peters Chair As though the Pope were Peters Heir But if that ground we once deny What Papist can it verifie You cannot prove by holy Writ Peter at Rome did Bishop sit The onely place which you do name (r) 1 Pet. 4.13 The Rhemists say that thereby Babylon is meaned Rome and so they confess Rome to be Babylon Returneth to your greatest shame The things you fetch from Historie Touching this point do not agree (Å¿) Orosius saith Peter came to Rome in the beginning of Claudius reign Hierom in the 2d year others in the 4th year other the 13. year Damasus saith he came thither in Neroes reign so that there is no certainty in that which they make an undoubted principle And what our part hath herein sed By Papists stands unanswered But if he Bishop were indeed Tell me who next did him succeed Some Clement (t) The Popes decrees hold so and some Linus hold (u) Dorotheus Euseb lib. 3. cap. 4. Thus your succession is control'd Once was a Pope suppos'd a man †John 8. Platina The womans name was Gilbertia a Dutch woman of Burguntium But prov'd in time a Curtezan Then either your Succession shrank Or you must put her in the rank When Popes there were some 2. (x) Two Popes together Anno 1083. Anno 1058. and 1062. or 3. (y) Bened. 9. Silvest 3. Greg. 6. all at one time and at another time Ben. 1. a Spanish Pope Greg. 12. a French Pope and John 23. an Italian Pope Where then might your succession be One Schisme held almost forty year (z) 39. years Pope against Pope as doth appear (a) Let their own Authors speak One Council (b) The Council of Constance did these Popes put down And to another gave the Crown When these false Popes the place possest I think you 'l say Succession ceast Popish Rime Unity ANother mark there is truly The Church must have Unity As our Saviour hath foretold One Shepheard and one fold One is my Spouse one is my Love One is my Darling and my Dove This is his Spouse and at some time He doth resemble it to a Vine His Father is the Husbandman A Branch is every Christian This is his Body Mystical The which he doth his Kingdom call Whereof Saint Peter had the Keys (c) What became of the Keys when Pope Julius the second threw them into Tyber And his Successors have alwayes (d) As though no body did succeed Peter but the Pope who is rather the successor of Romulus then Peter as Pope Hadrian the fourth said when he died And likewise Saint Paul saith One Baptisme and one
Haeres 19. It accounteth marriage unclean with Tatianus Hae. 46. and condemneth wedlock in their Priests as the Manichees did in their chosen ones Aug. Ep. 74. With the same Hereticks it useth bread onely in the Communion Leo Ser. 4. de Quad. and placeth fasting in the destinction of meats Aug. de Morib Eccl. Manich l. 2. cap. 23. It thinks that all necessary doctrine is not contained in the Scripture with Montanus Ep. Haer. 48. It brageth of inherent righteousness with the Cathari Isid Etym. lib. 8. cap. de Haer. Christ It worshipeth Angels with the Angelici Aug. ad Quodvult cap. 39. It denyeth the preaching of the Word to be a note of the Church with the Donatists Aug. in variis locis and with them tyeth the Church to one set place Cass in Psal 60. It worshippeth the Cross with the Armenians Euthimius in Panoplia Thus in many other points it partaketh with the ancient Hereticks On them she puts a fairer Name But in effect they are the same You raz'd have the foundation Of all Truth and Religion You chang'd have the sincerity Of all the Grounds of Piety †As for example first the Article of Justification the efficient cause of our Salvation and Righteousness by the Scripture is Gods Love and Grace onely 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 2.11 Ephes 1.5 John 3.16 The Papists say God is moved by our preparing works So held Malvend in his Disputation with Bucer at Ratisbone so Bonaventure lib. 1. sen dist 41. Quaest 1. Touching the matter of our Justification the Scripture propoundeth nothing but Christs obedience Rom. 5.19 10.4 The Papists place our Righteousness before God in our own works and merits Con. Trid. s 6. c. 7. For the form as Schollars call it of Justification it is by the Scriptures the imputation of Christs Righteousness 2 Cor. 5.21 The Papists place it in our merits Rhemist 2 Tim. 4. s 4. Secondly It is a ground of Christian Religion that the Law cannot be fulfilled by us and that no man is to expect Righteousness or Salvation by it Rom. 8.3 Acts 15.10 Gal. 2.15 16. 3.10 The Papists maintain that men may keep the Law Con. Trid. s 6. c. 11. Yea and that they may perform more then the Law binds unto whence are sprung the works of Supererogation and Indulgences which that Council so highly prizeth Sess 21. c. 9. A third ground of Religion overthrown by them is that eternal death is due to every sin This the Scripture avoucheth Rom. 5.12 6.23 Ezek. 18.14 The Papists teach some sins to be in their own nature pardonable not deserving death Con. Trid. ses 6. c. 11. From which opinion arose Purgatory A fourth ground of Religion is the certainty of Salvation that Believers may be certain of Salvation is the Doctrine of the Scripture Rom. 8.38 Heb. 11.1 Luke 10.20 The Papists deny and say We can but have hope onely Con. Trid. s 6. c. 9. And yet therein they confound themselves for true hope cannot be deceived Rom. 5.5 It is the Anchor of the Soul Heb. 6.19 A fifth ground is that we cannot satisfie God for our least sins The Scripture ascribeth all satisfaction to Christ Heb. 1.3 1 Pet. 2.24 Rev. 1.5 The Papists maintain that we may and must satisfie making satisfaction a part of Penance Con. Trid. s 14. c. 13. A sixth ground is That the Scripture contains al Doctrine necessary for our Salvation so saith the Scripture 2 Tim. 3.16 the ancient Church Aug. lib. 3. cont lit Petil. c. 6. and others The Papists equal Traditions to the Scripture Con. Trid. s 4. A seventh ground is that the knowledge of the Scripture is needful to people unto Salvation and ought to be read of them thereto accords the holy Text John 5.39 Col. 3.16 The Ignorance therein is the cause of all error Mark 12.24 The Papists forbid the people the use of the Scripture Rhemists Preface and do all in the Church Service in an unknown Tongue Eighthly the Scripture teacheth us to worship God alone Mat. 4.10 The Papists Worship Angels and Saints yea their Images and Reliques their distinction of Latria and Dulia will not serve them for they pray to Creatures and that is Latria and they acknowledge that which they call Latria to be due to the Cross Tho. p. 3. sum Quaest 25. art 4. and Andrad lib. 9. Orth. expl Ninthly It is the Doctrine of the Scripture that Christ â—…ding to his humane Nature is onely in Heaven Acts 3.21 Papists say He is bodily present in the Eucharist Con. Trid. s 13. c. 6. Tenthly Christ ordained the Communion in both kinds commanding to do as he did 1 Cor. 11.24 Papists take the Cup from the Laity Con. Trid. s 21. c. 1. Thus as in these particulars so in many other it were easie to shew how the Church of Rome hath overthrown the main points of Holy Droctrine and have nothing left but the name of the Church and a title and shew of Religion Thou fall'st now to a railing vain And would'st by this thy Pope maintain Leave idle terms and shew some reason Else all these words come out of season Shew thou what Sects we do devise And wherein we deliver lies And prove it so that all may see Lest thou thy self the Lyar be Foxes and Dogs and Wolves thou nam'st And Thieves wherein thy self thou sham'st Or prove all this in us is true Else we return it back to you They call'd Saint Paul an Heretick (x) Acts 24.14 A Blabler (y) Acts 17.18 and a Schismatick (z) Acts 24.5 28.22 They said our Saviour was possest (a) John 8.24 And of his preaching made a Jest (b) Luke 16.14 Yet Paul no Heresie did teach Nor in the Church made any breach Nor yet our Saviour had a Devil He never did or preached evil Let Scripture try wherein we erre We crave no other Arbiter Convict us once by such a Judge We will not at your railings grudge Now that thy store is almost spent Thou com'st t'an old worn Argument Where was your Church some years ago Before the World did Luther know If briefly now I should deny The Churches Visibility It were a word sufficient To overthrow this prattlement Yet this I say and will maintain That even when blindness most did reign Our Church a certain being had Though not with outward Beauty clad Like to that holy portion (c) 1 Kings 19.18 In that great superstition Which over whelm'd all Israel After the Tribes from David (d) Davids Line fell Or as some Ears of purer seed Amidst a field of noysome weed So God had some even at that time When Antichrist was in his prime And now and then oat brake the Light Even in that long and irksome night Like as the Sun in lowring days Sometime sends forth his glittering Rays Long time ere Luther yet was born Whom you our Founder name in scorn There were which shew'd