Alexander Farnesius his nephew of his base sonne Petrus Aloisius Guido Asâ—anius Fran. Fâ—rza another Nephew of his base daughter Constantia the one sixtene yeares of age the other 14 two tall striplings I wis his fatherhood creates for Cardinals answering those that obiected their tender yeares that himselfe now in his decrepite agâ— would easily recompense in his olde yeares what was therein wanting to them And so to this goodly issue came all this solemne Reformation But perforce at length all is devolved vpon the Councell of Trent an Assembly of many learned Doctors sufficient if any to invent some salue for Babylons sores And they say pretily to it for in that Councell you shall find no lesse then eleven or twelue very solemne and formall Decrees de Reformatione And when all is done nothing is Reformed Thus is verified that of the Prophet Ieremy Wâ— would haue cured Babylon but shee would not be cured Nay to shew her case is desperate that Councell comes with her Index expurgatorius wherewith to expunge and purge out all such bookes as either descry the nature of her diseases or prescribe remedies for the same Thus to this day from the time of Luther we see grievous sores stick close to that whole Pontifician body Although the corruptions of the Church of Rome were not altogether vndiscovered before Luthers time God still raising vp some from time to time to cry out against Babylon as Iohn Wickliffe in his workes writt against her manifold errors and abuses for which they merited the fire at the Councell of Constance but they never came so to be ransacked and ript up as by Luther and since his time He began to search their sores to the quick and laide them open with a witnes that it is impossible so much as ever to drawe the least skin over them to hide or cover them much lesse to cure them As for the bodily sores which fell vpon those of the Church of Rome vpon the pouring forth of this first Viall I list not to touch them Erasmus complaineth of Luther for two things that he touched too much the Bishops Myters and the Monks bellyes And surely a â—rievous sore fell vpon many of them in this kind maâ—y a Bishop lost his Miter and many a Monks fatt belly â—egan now to pinch for it Nor are we willing to touch â—hose Cardinals sore backs being beaten and pitifully 〈◊〉 vp and downe the streets of Rome by the Caesareanâ—ouldiers â—ouldiers who then had surprised it while their head â—as beating his braines how to get out of prison where 〈◊〉 was now pent and all this done within the time â—f the powring out of this Vial. I list not I say bee a â—aile in such sores Enough is said to cleare the powring â—ut the first Viall both when and how by whom and â—pon whom it began to be poured The second Viall powred out out And the second Angell poured out his Viall vpon â—he Sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and â—uery living soule died in the Sea As in the former Viall we haue seene Romes spirituall â—ores so here we are to search for spirituall seas It is vâ—all in Scripture to which for interpretation this Proâ—hecy all along sends vs to shadow out the doctrins of 〈◊〉 word of God by waters As Eze 47.3 4 5. The waters 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary by degrees became a huge OceaÌ„ Esay applies and expounds it Chapter 11.9 speaking of the light of the Gospell in Christs time he sayth The earth shall beâ— full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the Sea So Abac 2.14 And Esay 55.1 In Exod. 15. Yee haue 12. fountaines typing the doctrine of the 12. Patriarchs and 12. Apostles Now as seas are in the good part taken for the doctrines of Christ in the forecited places so here in the evill part for the corrupt doctrines of Antichrist At the blast of the second Trumpet the third part of the sea is turned into blood here the whole Sea Which notes the difference betweene the state of Romes doctrines before the Councell of Trent while as yet they were in their growing and as now they became in and after the Councell of Trent Before the Councell of Trent there was some fresh water to be found in the doctrines of that Church some truth some meanes of â—alvation left for those that could search and find it out and follow it seperating the fresh and cleare water of truth from the blood of her abominable idolatries and other impious doctrines while as yet the rule of faith to wit the Scriptures remained intire but in and after the Councell of Trent wherein the Rule of faith is altered humane Traditions and inventions comming in for an equall share with the Scriptures and shouldering them for the wall and driving them into the very Kennell now the Sea is turned altogether into blood In this Councell the whole doctrine of the Gospell is turned vpside downe The iustifying and saving faith is vtterly excluded abandoned and accursed Iustification by workes takes place The Masse a new propitiatory vnbloody sacrifice for all sinnes for quicke and dead foysted in for Christs onely sacrifice once made yea humane satisfactions in stead thereof All Idolatries are ratified The Sacramentall Cup the liuely resemblance of Christs blood shed for our sinnes without which is no redemption no lifâ— in vs is for ever most sacrilegiously cut off from Christs sacred institution No man must read the Scriptures but the sworne vassalls and that according to the sense of the Church of Rome whose Oracle is the Popes brest and that variable as may best sute to the present occasion and commodity of that Church The vulgar Latine Translation though in comparison but a blundered streame is preferred before the pure originall fountains the Hebrew and Greeke though it containe many absurdities and falsities which may not be corrected The Index Expurgatorius established in that Councell is to quench all truth Therein mans free will is established and Gods free grace abolished Predestination and Election vndermined and overthrowne And the â—ike Thus is that Sea altogether blood yea as the blood of a dead man corrupt filthy gore whereof every living soule in that Sea dieth So that vpon the powring out of the second Viall vpon the Sea of Romes doctrines â—oncluded vpon in the Councell of Trent they are beâ—ome altogether mortall and deadly bainefull to the â—oule yea whereof every living soule in that Church diâ—th This began euidently to appeare by the Learned Chemnitius his Examen and other learned Ministers of â—he Gospell since that time by whose preaching and writings and opening of the word of God that Church 〈◊〉 convinced to be now altogether Apostaticall as King â—ames calls her For in that Councell she hath altogeâ—her denied the faith and that with Anathema so as she 〈◊〉 become worse then an Infidell vtterly excluded from â—ll communion with Christ for
we go to their Baptisme the only Relique esteemed of some sufficient to marke Rome for a true Church yet even that by Romes owne Doctrine and confession will not proue so For the efficacy of Baptisme as of all their Sacraments they hang vpon the Priests Intention at the words of Consecration Now because no man can be certain of the Priests Intention Vega who was a great stickler in the Councell of Trent therevpon inferreth that no man can be certain of his salvation because he is not certain whither he was rightly Baptised or no in regard of the vncertainty of the Priests IntentioÌ„ From whence I conclude thus That which no one Papist can demonstrate not all Papists together can demonstrate But not â—ny Papist can demonstrate himselfe to be a true member of â—he Church because he cannot demonstrate whether he be â—â—uely Baptised or no or whether the Sacrament of Baptisâ—e was a mere nullitiâ— vnto him for want of the Priests Intention therefore not all Papists together can demonstrate themselues to be of the true Church and consequently the Church of Rome consisting of so many particular members cannot demonstrate her selfe to bee a true Church Yea it may come to passe also that in one age the Church of Rome may quite loose the Essence of a Church for asmuch as her Sacrament of Ordination depends vpon the Ordainers Intention which if wanting the whole Ordination is frustrate and so his whole Ministry and so downward And that which may befall one may befall all So that to helpe all there is need of a great deale of charity to hope well of the Priests Intention and so the best yet of the Church of Rome But passe we to the rest It is alledged Neither for the chaffe doe we leaue the floore of God neither for the bad fishes doe we breake his Netts Answer But if the floore be not now Gods floore but Antichrists floore wherein nothing is to be found but chaffe and if the Netts be no other but such as catch onely the bad fishes which is not the propertie of Gods Netts then such a floore such netts are altogether to be abandoned And whither that floore or those netts be Antichrists only and not Gods shall appeare more fully anoneâ— Againe it is alledged All truth wheresoeuer it is found is Gods not ours as the Kings coine is currant though it be found in any impure chanell Answer All truth is Gods True But when the trutâ— of God is turned into a lye and this lye put for Gods truth the case is altered Againe if a man take the Kings coyne and beate it into a thinne leafe vsing it only to guild over brasse or some other base mettâ—l which he stamps with the Kings counterfetted Image or superscription oâ— the one side and with the Image and superscription on the Kings emulous enemy on the other side what good subiect of the King will take it for currâ—nt and not rather appeach him for a Traytor that shall wittingly tender or much more obtrude avouch it for the Kings coyne And only such coyne is currant in the Church of Rome We know that Gods coyne his pure silver and gold haue they taken and melted in the Popes Test and haue beaten it into thinne leaues for no other vse nor purpose but only to overlay their drosse or base metall to make it the more currant with the world one side being stampt with Christs Image and superscription and with Antichrists on the other yet so as the Pope is the only King by whose authority such coyne is made currant Who knows not that the Pope denyeth authority to the Scripture in all things saving in the matter of Christs Vicarship or Peters supremacy This vsurpation he can be content to father vpon the authority of Scripture though the Scripture vtterly disclaimes it And what is all this but to guild over all those his base metals of false Doctrines that so they may passe for the more currant catholicke coyne Thus Gods truth is vsed but as a bare pretence to colour over the Popes lyes They alledge againe another comparison Fundamentall truth is like that Maronaean wine which if it be mixed with twenty times so much water holds his strength Answ. The comparison is pretty if it did hold water But what if into the Maronaean wine twentie times so much poyson be put What strength then will be fouÌ„d in it but that the drinker shall find it a potion of strong poyson Again Take the Maronaean wine and extract the spirits out of it and what is it then but a dead vappa Such is that truth which is now in the Church of Romes keeping the nature force and strength of it is quite abolished by their mixing of twenty times so much of poysoned humaine or rather diabolicall Inventions with it yea they haue in their Romish Limbeck so extracted all the life-spirits out of the pure wine of Gods word as they haue left it a meere dead Vappa full of their dreggs and Lees. For haue they not guelt the Scriptures of their divine authority natiue sense of the spirit of God no other spirit breathing in them but such as blowes from Roman Eâ—lus his breast Another comparison The Sepulchre of Christ was overwhelmed by the Pagans with earth and râ—bbish and more then so over it they built a Temple to their impure Venus yet still in spight of malice there was the Sepulchre of Christ and it is a ruled case of Papinian that a sacred place looseth not the holinesse with the demolished walls no more doth the Roman loose the claime of a true visible Church by her mâ—nifold and deplorable corruptions Answere Indeed at Rome was once the true spirituall Temple of Christ as once the materiall in Ierusalem but how the Church of Rome may be proved to be a true visible Church because once it was so by this comparison I see not As for Papinians ruled case of a place once sacred but now ruined yet because once still sacred it may serue a simple Papist to feed his superstition withall to whom all sacred Reliques are so relishable but how a sound Christian may edifie his faith vpon such a comparison I cannot savour True it is Ierusalem and Iudaea is still called the Holy Land but is it therefore still sacred because so called or because so adored of superstitious Pilgrimes Bethel was once a Holy place when Iacob erected there his Altar for Gods worship was it therefore holy still when Ierobâ—ams golden Calfe was erected there Do not all sound Divines know that places are not further nor longer sacred then the vse remaineth whereupon at first they began to be sacred Put off thy shooes from thy feet said the Lord to Moses for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Now what made it holy ground Was it not the Lords presence shadowed in the burning Bush But after that the Lord disappeared and Moses was sent away
childe of this famous Church doth not reuerence and submit to the authoritie of this his Mother But who shall be the Church of Englands interpreter Any priuate spirit Or who dare say that the doctrine of the Church of England is any other then the doctrine of the Scriptures For once diuide the doctrine of our Church from the Scripture and then we shall quickly come to that passe to belieue as the Church belieueth or as the Church of Rome belieueth And how is that As the Scriptures teach No but as the Pope teacheth and interpreteth or as the Pope belieueth How belieuest thou as the Church of England How is that As such or such a learned great man or great learned man perhaps as great in conceit in the Church of England as the Pope in Rome belieueth or interpreteth But it was the custome of the ancients in case of controuersie in faith to call Ad fonâ—es they went not to the cesterne but to the fountaines the Scriptures If any therefore should presume to interpret the words of the Church of Englands doctrines to any other sense then the Scriptures teach is worthy at least of his Mothers rod if not of his fathers high displeasure But do not the Scriptures put an infinit difference betweene Gods loue to his owne elected ones and others who are none of Christs sheepe Read John 13.1 The father loued his owne And 2. Tim. 2.19 And Iohn 17.2.9.11.12 24. Yea and doth not our Mother Church of England reduce Gods loue to mankinde in redeeming of vs to his elect people in sanctifying of them by his spirit I would such great Rabbies were a little better versed in their Catechisme before they vented such nouell Aphorismes We haue to answere touching our Creed Thirdly I belieue in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God This is our Mothers doctrine according to the voice of her Husband Iohn 17. Prou. the sixt verse vnto the end of the chapter Enough to put to silence all Arminian vniuersalists Read also the 17. Article of Predestination which fully cleared the Church of Englands minde in this point But thirdly he will proue that God loues all men alike because all men are alike redeemed by his Sonne And this he will also proue from the doctrine of the Church of England Which is answered as before The Scripture saith in matter of censure heare the Church but in matter of faith and doctrine heare him that is Christ. The Church must euer submit her doctrines to the touchstone of the Scripture And so the Church of England doth I am sure And what saith the Scripture of the redemption by Christ and for whom Read Ioh. 10.5 I lay downe my life for whom for the sheepe And Act. 20.28 The Lord hath with his owne blood purchased whom The Church of God But other Scriptures say that Christ died for all men Those all must be reduced to all Christs sheepe being scattered ouer all the world for these onely he laid downe his life these onely he purchased with his blood these onely he prayes for whom he laies downe his life for Joh. 17.9 read the place and marke it well and consider But in this point we need no other opposition but the Authors Tenet then his owne contradictory confession He saith Nothing can make the Creature hatefull or odious to the Creator besides its hatred or enmity of that loue by which it was created and by which he sought the restauration of it when it was lost Nor is it saith he euery degree of mans hatred or enmity vnto God but a full measure of it which vtterly exempts man from his loue Vpon whomsoeuer he would father this doctrine sure wee are the Apostle saith that by nature we are borne the children of wrath as well as other Doe we not then bring enough with vs into the world to pull Gods hatred vpon vs besides the height of malice against God contracted in the world Doth not the least sinne deserue Gods hatred and wrath vpon vs But this hee contradicteth againe saiyng That Christ onely receiued our infirmities and originall disease and not the contempt of him and his law Now if Christ did receiue our infirâ—â—ties onely and originall disease yet euen those then cost Christ his pretious blood yea and made him a curse for vs and to cry My God My God why hast thou forsaken me And was there euer any sorrow like to his sorrow But you say Christ receiued not the contempt of him and his law You meane then that Christ died not for contemptuous sinners And if Christ died not for the rebellious contemner what shal be become of a great many in these daies that not onely contemne but oppose and seeke to oppresse the knowne truth Surely the state of such is very exceeding dangerous yet I dare not say desperate which yet should be desperate if Christ died not for the greatest sinnes euen sinnes of rebellion and presumption as well as of infirmity Was there not in the law a Sacrifice as well for sinnes of presumption as of infirmity And was not that Sacrifice a type of Christ. And doth not God in the 50. Psalme preach repentance euen to the contemner of his knowne word But if he repented how should he be pardoned vnlesse Christ tooke vpon him the centempt of him and his law But I hope some of the Authors conâ—orts at least will discipline him well fauourdly for such a doctrine as no lesse vncomfortable then vnsound In vaine else doe Preachers beat the ayre in preaching repentance to habituated contemners if Christ bore not all kind of sinne vpon him We read of no sinne but it is pardonable sauing that against the holy Ghost and that also say the Fathers if a man could repent of it were pardonable and if pardonable vpon faith and repentance no doubt but Christ tooke even that vpon him also Indeed if a man runne on in sinne with a high hand hating to bee reformed contemning the Ministry of the word and so persist and dye in his impenitency it is euident that Christ the Lambe of God hath not taken away the sin of that man But in the fourth place he saith That God loues all men vnfainedly as they are men or as men which haue not made vp the full measure of iniquity But hauing made vp that or hauing their soules betrothed vnto wickednesse he hates them His hate of them as reprobates is no lesse necessary or vsuall then his loue of them as men But though he necessarily hates them being once become reprobates or hauing made vp the full measure of iniquitie yet was there no necessitie laid vpon them by his eternall Decree to make vp such a measure of iniquitie So he yet a little before where he saith God vnfainedly loueth all men God doth not loue but hate the Reprobate although they be men yea the greatest part of men I well hoped