for it Ambrose Catharine tractat de imaginibus saith God prohibited images simply but that this prohibition was positiue others deny both images to be forbidden and the second commandement to be positiue Occham Maior and Richardus are of opinion that a sacrament cannot be defined Scotus in 4. dist 1. q. 2. holdeth that it may be defined imperfectly Ledesma in tract de sacrament in genere q. 1. art 2. saith it may properlie bee defined Finally to shew the contradictions of Papists we need to seeke no further than to Bellarmine who in euery controuersie bringeth in different opinions of men of his side Gardiner a pillar of popery did oftentimes contradict himselfe and his fellowes sometimes hee swore against the Popes supremacy sometime like a forsworne creature hee stood for it somtime he consented to the dissolution of monasteries as sinkes of Sodomy and all tibaldrie and villany sometime be spoke for them his booke entituled Marcus Constantius is full of contradictions M. Foxe hath scored vp great multitudes The contradictions of Robert Parsons in his book of three Conuersions I haue noted in my answeare to that treatise The whole masse also of Poperie doth consist of contrary pieces as I haue shewed in the contradictions of the doctrine of the Masse of purgatory of indulgences of the Pope and diuers other principall points and haue proued the same in treatises of that argument For example they say the Masse is an vnbloudy sacrifice and yet teach that euerie Priest doth really offer and drinke Christs bloud Sometime they say the sacrifice is but one sacrifice yet in the canon they say sacrifices in the plurall number Sometime they say the Priest only offereth this sacrifice but in the canoÌ„ they make the people to offer sacrifices In the canon they pray that Angels may carry Christs body vnto Gods high altar but all confesse that Christs body is in heauen before There also they make the Priest a mediatour for Christ. but where they speake soberly they make Christ a mediator both for the Priest and others In heauen they say Christ is visible and palpable on the altar they make him inuisible and impalpable They say the Masse is an externall sacrifice yet no man euer yet could see Christs body externally sacrificed In purgatorie they say soules suffer extreme paines but in the Masse they saie they slâ—epe in peace They teach that Christians may performe the law of God perfectly but they will not grant that they may liue without sinne which is all one Talking of auricular confession they make it necessarie but in the chap. Petrus doluit and lachrymae dist 1. de poenit they denie it The Pope calleth himselfe seruant of seruants yet doth he take vpon him as lord of lords Order they say is one sacrament yet they teach also that there are seuen Orders and euerie one of them a sacrament which is as much as if they should make one seuen and seuen one The Pope they saie is head of the Church but that is as much as if they should teach that their Church in the vacatio nis headlesse If then the catholicke faith be one and those that professe the faith agree in one then cannot popery be the true Catholicke faith that containeth so many contradictions CHAP. XXVII That popery is a most foolish and absurd religion AS the lawes of God are full of wisedome and giue vs a true vnderstanding so when man of his owne braine vndertaketh to adde vnto his commandements the same in proofe falleth out to be nothing but vanity and foolery the same wee sind verified in the additions of the superfluous religion of Papists for although it haue a shew of wisedome as the voluntarie worship of Angels had of which the Apostle Coloss 2. speaketh yet compared with the wisedome of God reuealed in the Gospell it is meere foolery For first what is more foolish then to forsake the liuing springs of holy scripture out of which do sally waters of life and to follow after the puddle streams of Romish traditions of scriptures we are assured that they are the word of God but no man can affirme that of Romish traditions or the Popes decretales that either professeth piety or loueth truth is it not then strange that any Christians should bee so foolish as to match the word of man with Gods word and where we haue a certaine rule to seeke for a broken vncertaine and crooked rule Againe it is most absurd not to beleeue the scriptures without the Popes warrant but to say that Christians are not to beleeue in God nor in Christ Iesus nor to receiue the rest of the articles of our Creed vnlesse the church of Rome doe deliuer them vnto vs is not only a peece of great foolery but also a very high streine of madnesse and yet this is the doctrine of Popery for Stapleton saith that the church must needes consigne the scriptures vnto vs and the authoritie of the church both he and others giue to the Pope likewise in their catechisme the Papists signifie that faith is of things onely proposed to vs by the church so that if the church propose not the articles of faith we are not to beleeue them if these men teach truth further this sheweth the Romish church to consist of a packe of infidels for if the same beleeued not without the authority of the church then did she beleeue nothing of Christ seeing the Papists acknowledge no other Church but that of Rome and no church can teach it selfe Finally this is as much as if they should say that the law of the Prince is not to be receiued vnlesse it be proposed by the crier or other such like officer The Masse-priests of Trent sess 4. most absurdly prefer the old Latin vulgar translation of the Bible before the originall text which is as much as if they should preferre S. Hierome and other interpreters before the Prophets and Apostles and the streames before the fountaines Generally they forbid scriptures to bee read publickely in vulgar tongues but they permit most fabulous legends to bee read publickely The holy scriptures they will not permit to bee read in vulgar tongues of the multitude without licence but they are content that any of their followers should reade the Popes decretales or the miracles of their god of paste or the history of our Lady of Loreto and other such lying legends without licence To say that the Pope is the head of the vniuersall church is meere foolery for grant that and it will follow that the Church is sometime without head as in the time of vacation of the papacy and sometime a monster with two or three heads as when two or three Popes reigne at once and sometime a mad Church as hauing a mad and franticke head The church they say albeit catholicke yet is alwaies visible but this being granted it followeth that vniuersall things may be the obiect of sense and that the church of
not possible a man should be saued vnlesse he beleeue the catholike faith but this catholike faith the Papists beleeue not intirely for neither doe they giue to Christ humane flesh nor make him a perfect man thrusting his body into a small piece of bread or rather into the accidents of bread where it is neither seene nor felt as other mens bodies are further they doe not beleeue his ascension or that he shall come from heauen to iudge quicke dead as is conteined in that Creedo making their followers beleeue that his body is vpon euery altar and not being able to deny that he shall come out of the pixe seeing they teach he is there Our Sauiour Christ Matth 15. teacheth vs that such worship God in vaine as teach for doctrines mens precepts but the doctrine of Popery as it addeth to ancient Catholike religion is nothing but a masse of humane inuentions deuises and precepts their decretales are the Popes deuises their formes of worship conteined in the missals and breuiaries are merely humane From mans deuise proceeded the popish worship of Angels Saints Images the most part of the resolutions of cases of consciences is grounded on the Popes lawes finallie the turnings skippings heauings greasings spittings and other ceremonies of Masse-priests and their followers proceede from mans inuention Popery therefore by Christs rule is nothing but wearinesse and vexation of mens soules while they seeke to serue God by those meanes By the chapter si Papa dist 40. we learne that the Pope may be remisse and negligent in his office and silent in teaching and leade innumerable people with him into hell but if the Papists are to adhere to the Pope and to follow him how can they escape when he leadeth them into hell that they runne not headlong into hell themselues also If then they will not beleeue scriptures nor fathers yet their owne decrees may teach them that following the Pope innumerable Papists runne hedlong into hell Besides the testimonies of scriptures and fathers and the confession of Boniface in the chapter si Papa dist 40. diuers reasons teach vs that the Papists holding firmelie and positiuely the erroneous doctrine of the moderne church of Rome cannot be saued for first no man can come vnto the father but by Christ Iesus as he testifieth of himselfe Iohn 14 he sheweth also that he is the way the truth and the life the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. teacheth vs that there is no mediator betwixt God and man but the man Christ Iesus but the Papists as they pretend come to God not only by Christ but also by the Virgin Mary by Angels and Saints they seeke out also new waies content not themselues with such as Christ taught vs. finally they beleeue that the Pope by his indulgences and euery Masse-priest by his Masses is able to redeeme mens soules Secondly he that buildeth his faith vpon other foundation then the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets doth build vpon sand and not vpon a firme foundation but the Papists build their faith vpon the Popes decretales vpon vnwritten and vncerteine traditions vpon the doctrine of the Romish church vpon miracles and prophesies reported in the Romish legends and such like fables doe they not then build vpon rumous foundations Thirdly the papists hope to be iustified by the law and to be saued by their workes But the Apostle Rom. 3. teacheth vs that man is iustified without the workes of the law and Rom. 6. that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Fourthly the law of God pronounceth him accursed that abideth not in all the words of the law to doe them and a plaine matter it is that no man can be saued that wilfully breaketh Gods law and neuer soroweth nor craueth pardon for his transgression but the Papistes teach doctrine contrary to Gods law and enforce their followers to breake it and that in diuers points God commandeth vs to haue no other gods but him but they honour the Sacrament and the images of the Trinity and crosse with diuine worship they doe also impart Gods worship to the virgin Marie and to saints he forbiddeth the taking of Gods holie name in vaine the Popes of Rome doe dispense with oathes and enforce men oftentimes to breake them God commandeth vs to honour our parents the Pope setteth the children against their parents finally they allow publike stewes and set vp shops of vsury and massacre innocent Christians directly against Gods commandement and that without all remorse of conscience or feeling of their sinnes Fiftly papistes hope to obteine remishon of sinnes by their owne satisfactions by indulgences by the paines of Purgatorie by masses by auricular confess on and popish absolution of Masse-priestes and diuers humane deuises but relying vpon these broken reedes there is no hope for them to be saued for without the onely sacrifice of Christ Iesus applied to vs by true faith there is no hope of remission of sinnes Sixtly without true faith it is not possible to please God but their peruerse doctrine of faith and the innumerable heresies of papists do declare that they haue no true faith Seuenthly the Prophet Dauid Psal 15. demanding who shall rest vpon Gods holy mountaine answereth among other things he that slandreth not with his tongue nor doth euil to his neighbour but the Papists as is formerly shewed haue no other meanes to vphold their ruinous state but by lies and slanders treasons rebellions murders and massacres of innocent Christians Finally it is not possible they should be saued that are ignorant of the meanes of their saluation and hold heresies repugnant to the apostles doctrine of the law of the gospel of repentance from dead workes and other articles of the faith but the Papists beleeue that Christ is only the meritorious cause of their saluation as if he had merited only that they might sause themselues they teach also that men are iustified formally by their owne works that their supposed sacraments and their pilgrimages and voluntary obseruances of the precepts of the Romish church and works performed according to the Popes decretales and conuenticle of Trent do iustifie Lastly they teach and beleeue doctrine contrary to the law to the gospel to the Apostles doctrine of repentance and good works are they not then in miserable case Now if any man aske what is then become of all those that either now die or in time past are dead in places where Popery is or hath beene professed I answer that of those that held the foundation and liued well we hope well but we denie that such as liued before the conuenticle of Trent held Popery positiuely we hope also that many there are among the papists now which conform themselues to them in outward ceremonies and yet beleeue not the errors of Popery positiuely but hold themselues to the old Apostolike saith and of these mens saluation we haue no cause to despaire God grant that the
Suruey of Popery and to draw home this idle wandring Surueyer Searcher of other mens matters to a carefull consideration of his owne desperat cause His Treatise is most foolishly titled A Suruey of the new religion for neither shall he euer prooue that one article of our religion is new nor doth he dispute against any grounds held by vs but only telleth of certaine extrauagant speeches partly falsely imputed to Luther Caluin Zuinglius and other priuat men and partly falsely gathered out of their words by false constructions but had they held any priuat opinions that iustly might be censured what is that to vs our religion certes is not grounded vpon Luther Caluin or any late Teacher but vpon the Prophets and Apostles neither is our faith that which is found in priuat mens writings but that which is founded vpon holy Scriptures and conteined in our publicke confessions he might therefore with more reason haue called it a surfet of his owne fooleries and fantasticall deuices and calumniations then a suruey of our religion Against this idle inuention of Kellison I haue I hope opposed a more diligent and certeine suruey of Popery for I haue not deuised any thing of mine owne but truely reported the doctrine which they teach and herein I do not obiect whatsoeuer is taught by Scotus Aquinas Durandus Biel Stapleton Harding Bellarmine or which other Doctours do holde singulerly nor that which Sanders Parsons or such idle fellowes babble in their trifling books but only that which is either defined in some Councell or determined by some Pope or generally taught or practised by all or most or best of our aduersaries and which I thinke Kellison will not deny And by these grounds doctrines and practises I hope to ouerthrow the whole frame and building of Popery being layd vpon weake grounds and consisting of many wicked and false doctrines and being mainteined by most leud and wicked meanes and practises This Discourse I first deuised for a priuat friend whose wauering for I will not say defection vntill I see surther I do much lament and whose settlement I doe much desire but because I doe thinke the same may doe good to many who not knowing the trueth we hold nor the errours heresies superstitions idolatry and impietie of Popery do runne headlong vpon occasion either of malcontentment or desire of innouation in matters of State which they consider may soonest be stirred by quarrels about religion into strange courses I haue beene perswaded to make it common the same also may serue to reclaime the most haggard Papists if they doe not wilfully shut their eyes and stoppe their eares against the trueth thirdly this may serue to stoppe the mouth of the slandrous Iebusites and Masse-priests that imputing to vs wicked opinions and practises no way defended are vnable to defend their owne doctrines and practises which they publikely professe and commend sinally I hope wise Christians may learne by these collections of ours neither to trust the aduersary who maketh no conscience of lying or slandring nor to condemne innocent men before they be heard and conuicted Vouchsafe therefore gentle Reader to reade our Discourse with attention and to iudge without partialitie and then I doubt not but thou wilt beware both of the impious doctrines and of the iniurious and leud practises of Popery If any be offended with this surueying course let him impute the fault to Kellison who of a drunken butler is now become a mad surueyer and if he finde not texts or proofs sufficient to satisfie his humour in proofe of euery allegation in this Treatise let him thinke that the matters are of that nature that either they will be confessed of the aduersary or els are notoriously knowen to the world though impudently denied by the polshorne packe of Antichrist Finally as there is but one Faith one Baptisme one God so there is but one true religion which euery one is to know and to embrace if he will be saued And this is grounded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone but as Athanasius orat 2 contr Arianos sayth of the Arians Pro Christo apud illos Arius est that is They follow Arius as if he were Christ so we may say of the Papists The Pope is their Christ their head their lodestarre their Northpole and all in all This one true religion is also Apostolicke and Catholicke and most ancient Tertullian lib. 1. contr Marcionem teacheth vs Whatsoeuer doctrine hath beene brought into the Church after the first publication of the Gospel that the same is to be reputed heresie Haeresis deputabitur sayth he quod postea inducitur but Popery neuer came from the Apostles but from the Pope neither was the same vniuersally or anciently receiued but onely taught and embraced by the Popes faction of late times and within certeine limits finally this true and apostolicke religion is of God and not of the inuention of Popes or their polshorne Priests Monks or Friers Embrace therefore that religion that is deriued from the Apostles and Prophets that is truly Catholicke Apostolicke and most ancient and finally which hath no authour but God and beware of all profane nouelties and Popish inuentions and then as thou walkest by faith in this life so thou shalt atteine to the vision of the face of God in the life to come and also reigne with God euerlastingly through Christ which is the Way the Truth and Life The Abridgement or Suruey of Poperie Conteining a briefe and plaine declaration of the grounds doctrines beginnings proceedings impieties falsities and other manifold abuses of the Popish sect CHAP. I. What is meant by Popery or Popish religion in this Discourse ensuing TO teach aright saith Plato in Cratylo we are diligently to expound the termes or words we treat of and Tully in his first booke of Offices saith that euery instruction that is vndertaken rightly ought to begin with a desinition of matters which we are to discourse of because therefore I would not be mistaken nor haue our aduersaries to take either an occasion of quarrell or a pretence of euasion it shall be neeedfull before we passe any further to define and declare what wee meane in this discourse by popery or popish religion and so much the rather for that the Papistes doe hold and professe the articles of the Creed and diuers other points deduced of them or consonant vnto them which both the Apostles and ancient fathers and wee also beleeue and professe and vnder colour whereof they abuse simple soules recesuing their puddle waters of Popery made sweete with some truth for the pure streames of Christian doctrine By popery therefore wee vnderstand not any point of Christian doctrine generally holden of all Christians or the doctrine of the Prophets or holy Apostles professed generally by the ancient fathers and truly termed Catholike for that we hold and professe as well as the Papistes and farre more
foundation and pillar of our faith they doe make the traditions of the church not written equall to the scriptures and vpon them nay vpon the decretales of Popes and practise of Massepriestes doe build their faith all antiquitie esteemeth holy scriptures to be the canon of our faith and therefore calleth them canonicall But the Romanists esteeme them to be an vnperfect canon without their traditions and the Popes decretales and determinations Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei c. 4. saith they are neither necessary nor sufficient without traditions The fathers neuer accounted the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees equall to the bookes of the law and Prophets extant originally in Hebrew as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Athanasius in synopsi of Nazianzen in carm of Epiphanius and diuers others old and new writers the Papists in the synode of Trent decree them to be of equall authoritie with the rest the auncient catholikes euer esteemed the Hebrew text of the old testament and the Greeke of the new to be more authentical then anie translation the conuenticle of Trent hath made the old latin vulgar translation of the bible authenticall and doth not giue that honor to the originall bookes of the bible the canonicall scriptures we say receiue their force from the author of them and this is to be prooued by the consent of fathers and by arguments from scriptures law and reason they say that scriptures receiue force and authoritie in respect of vs from the Church or rather from the Pope Papists are neither willing that scriptures be turned into vulgar tongues nor will permitte them to be read of the vulgar sort without licence or publickly read in vulgar tongues in the church finally they say they are obscure and hard to be vnderstood and speake what they can in their disgrace Secondly they teach erroneously concerning Christs naturall body and concerning his office the body of Christ they beleeue to be both in heauen and on earth on euerie altar at one and the selfe same time they also hold that his body is really vnder the accidents of bread and wine giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor in any sort like to ours they teach further that his body is in diuers places where it filleth not the places and that his one body hath relation to diuers places they beleeue that the soules of the faithfull before Christes comming were in hell or at least in Limbo which is a part of hell and were thence deliuered by Christes going to hell as if his crosse had wrought nothing for them they teach that Christ as man is omniscient and per consequent omnipotent and that he was vir perfectus that is a perfect or growne man from the first instant of his conception his office of mediation they giue to the virgin Mary to Angels and to Saints they make also Saints our redeemers teaching that by their merits Christians obteine their desires and are deliuered out of purgatorie to Masse-priests they giue priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech and say that they offer vp Christs body and blood really for quicke and dead finally they make the Pope head spouse and monarke of the Church Neither doe they teach more catholikely of Christes mysticall body then of his naturall body for they subiect the same to the Pope and exclude all from Christ that are not subiect to the Pope the true members thereof they persecute and make heretikes and reprobates and such as liue without order or law professing their religion outwardly true members of Christes body the Church say they is alwaies so conspicuous and visible that euery one may see it and discerne it the true markes of the church that is true doctrine and the sincere administration of Sacraments and holinesse of life they denie assigning most common and vncerteine markes as vnitie vniuersalitie antiquitie succession and such like The Pope they make a most certeine and infallible interpreter of Scriptures and iudge of matters of faith they giue him authoritie to make lawes for the whole Church and power to binde mens consciences they make him more souereigne then a generall Councell and say that his power in giuing indulgences reacheth into purgatorie they say he hath power to excommunicate and depose kings and to giue away their kingdomes to others Betwixt the Catholicke church and Roman church they make no difference equalling a part to the whole they say also that the Roman church can neither erre nor faile The worship of God consisteth in spirit and trueth but they place the same in certeine externall rites and ceremonies and in meere humane inuentions and deuices nay for God they worship creatures not onely giuing diuine honour to the Sacrament but also to crucifixes and images of the Trinitie made of wood stone and colours they doe also adore not onely saints but rotten bones and ragges they know not of whom to Saints they pray they make vowes they confesse their sinnes to saints they erect churches and altars to their images they burne incense and present diuers oblations and finally in the honour of Saints haue deuised particular masses and offices transforming the Psalmes and wordes of Scriptures to Angels and Saints Their doctrine concerning the Sacraments is most exorbitant for they doe not onely adde vnto water in Baptisme salt spittle oile and diuers other ceremonies partly idle partly superstitious but also vnto the two Sacraments instituted by Christ they equall confirmation matrimonie penance orders and extreme vnction making them Sacraments as well as Baptisme or the Lords Supper in Confirmation they haue deuised both a new signe and new wordes in extreme Vnction they haue deuised new formes in the ordring of Priestes they say accipe potestatem offerendi sacrisicium in ecclesia pro viuis mortuis that is receiue power to offer sacrifice in the church for quicke and dead in Penance they vrge a necessity of confession strange formes of whipping and vncerteine hopes and new deuices of satisfaction from Matrimonie they exclude Priestes monkes and friars and make it a Sacrament albeit they know neither certeine signes nor words of the institution of it but the institution of the Lords supper they haue quite abolished for that which Christ ordeined to be receiued of the Communicants that the masse-priest doth offer for quicke dead and in the honour of Saints and Angels of which there is not one worde spoken in the institution our Sauiour in bread and wine instituted his last supper these neither leaue bread nor wine but make Christians eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood like the canibals Cyclopes Christ ordeined this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion these make of the same a sacrifice in honour of Angels and Saints the cup of the new testament they take from Christians abrogating as much as in them lieth the new testament established in Christs blood and
commit fornication in thought than to marry the Popes of Rome haue not onely coueted but also vsurped diuers parts of the Empire and thus hoping to be saued by the law the Papists not onely by their practise but also by their doctrine ouerthrow the law the Pope by his dispensations annulleth and frustrateth the law his complices more regard the Popes decretales than the eternall law of the liuing God This law of God they say may bee persectly performed by the assistance of Gods grace and as touching the substance of the action they hold that it may be performed without grace ex quo efficitur saith Bellarmine lib. 5. de lib. arbit c. 9. tot am Dei legem absque auxilio gratiae quoad substant iam actionis ab hominibus recte seruari posse in the same booke c. 2. hee saith that without any speciall helpe of God man may know veritatem moralem or the morall law with the circumstances thereof which is not onely contrary to scriptures declaring mans weakenesse and blindnesse but also ouerthroweth the necessity of Gods grace for if man without grace both knoweth the truth and is able according to the substance of the action to performe the law then is he not dead in trespasses and sinnes as the Apostle saith nor doe the Papists beleeue in Christ which saith without mee you can doe nothing doth it not then appeare that popery is false erroneous and repugnant to Gods law the ancient faith in the doctrine of the law CHAP. IIII. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification THe Apostle teacheth vs that the iust shall liue by faith but the Papists doe so handle the doctrine of faith that the same cannot quicken any but is like rather to be the occasion of the fall and death of many first they teach that iustifying faith is nothing else but a firme assent to the word of God but if a firme assent to euery word of God do iustifie then are Christians iustified by beleeuing that there is a Diuell as well as beleeuing that there is a God and as well are they iustified by beleeuing the curses of the law as beleeuing that grace and mercy is offered them in Iesus Christ nay as well may the Diuels haue iustifying saith as faithfull Christians for they do giue their assent to the word of God and beleeue that hee is truth but these are most damnable doctrines Secondly they say that Christians are as well to beleeue the traditions of the church not written as the holy scriptures the doctors of Trent will haue both receiued with equall affection the authors of the censure of Colleinsol 91. teach Christians to beleeue not only such things as are reuealed in scriptures but also such points as are deliuered from hand to hand but if this be granted then will it follow that Christians are as wel to beleeue the Pope or the Church of Rome as God himselfe and that faith is built vpon mans word and not onely vpon the word of God and lastly that faith is built not only vpon vncertainties but also vpon falshood for such are the traditions of the church of Rome many are vncertaine and some very false and erroneous as is particularly shewed in diuers treatises against Romish traditions Thirdly they teach that faith is a gift and light by which a man being illustrated doth firmly assent adhere to those things which are reuealed by God and proposed to vs by the Church est Dei donum lumen saith Canisius Cathechismi c. 1. quo illustrat us homo firmiter assentitur atque adhaeret ijs quae vt credantur sunt diuinitus reuelata ab Ecclesiae nobis proposita now by the church they vnderstand the Pope and church of Rome but of this it followeth first that the Church of Rome hath no faith for how can a Church propose and teach matters to itselfe this doth vtterly destroy the nature of relations and therefore I thinke the learned Romanists will hardly confesse this to be true it followeth next that Christians are neither to beleeue in Christ nor to professe the articles of the faith vnlesse the Pope and Church of Rome propose them vnto vs. but this is most absurd and impious for we beleeue in God and not in the Pope nor in the Church adhering to him that these consequents are good it is euident because they no lesse require that the articles of faith be proposed to vs by the Church of Rome than that they be reuealed by God Fourthly as well doth Canisius require that Christians beleeue that the whole body of Christ be contained in the eucharist as Papists do hold it as the article of the Trinity the creation of the world and Christes incarnation for all these articles he ioineth together Catech. c. 1. § 4. but hee could not say worse if he meant to ouerthrow the whole Christian faith for the Popish real presence of Christs body bloud in the sacrament is contrary to Christs meaning to words of scriptures exposition of fathers the nature of sacraments and to humane reason and fense as at large is iustified in my bookes de missa against Bellarmine Fifthly they teach that the wicked and reprobate nay that the diuels of hell may haue true faith but our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 3. that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life so it followeth by the doctrine of Papists that the reprobate and the diuels of hell may be saued Sixthly they affirme that charity is the forme of faith but the Apostle teacheth vs that the iust doe liue by faith of which it followeth that faith hath a forme of it selfe whereby it quickneth vs. furthermore it is an absurd thing to make one vertue or habit the forme of another and if this were tolerable that one qualitie were the forme of another yet would it seeme farre more probable that faith should be the forme and life of charity and workes for that without faith it is not possible to please God than that charity should be the forme of faith which doth follow of faith Seuenthly the Iebusites of Collein fol. 122. teach that faith is onelie of generall propositions and hope of particulars so it followeth of their doctrine that no Christian ought to beleeue that he or any other particular person hath his sinnes forgiuen or is of the body of the church or shall be saued but if this were true then do not the Iebusites beleeue that themselues shall rise againe or appeare in iudgement further then can they not beleeue that Pope Clement or Leo or Paul is the head of the church or that they are to subiect themselues vnto him or that this particular Church of Rome is the true Church and such other particular propositions Eightly they teach that we are not iustified by the remission of sinnes or by imputation of Christs righteousnesse but the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. sheweth that Christ is made to
respuunt they beleeued not also that children dying yong should possesse the kingdome of heauen and doe not all sects of Monkes and Friers among the Papists exclude married folkes out of their cloisters doe not the Masse-priests also exclude all children dying before baptisme yea where it was much desired out of the kingdome of heauen 33. Priscillian saith Augustine haeres 70. disioined married folkes his words are coniuges disiungens his followers to hide their filthie opinions and beastlinesse make no account to forsweare themselues propter occultandas contaminationes turpitudines suas habent in suis dogmatibus iura periura secretum prodere noli they refuse also to eat flesh as vncleane meat and come not the Papists neere them in these points that separate Monkes and Priests that doe marrie from their wiues and teach their schollers to forsweare themselues the Rhemistes in Act. 23. say that oathes taken against Papists which they falsly call Catholikes may and must be broken vnder paine of damnation this periury is also allowed by 2. rinegued English traitours Allen and Parsons in their resolutions of cases of conscience wherein they teach their schollers to play the villaines and to periure themselues with a good popish conscience the Carthusians also and diuers Monkes forsweare eating flesh which they cannot doe in reason but that they thinke it lesse cleane than fish 34. The Helcesaites make Christ in heauen to differ from Christ on earth as Theodoret. de haeret fab c. de Helcesaeis doth testifie Christum non vnum dicunt saith he sed hune quidem supernè illum infernè so Papists aboue make Christ visible and palpable but in the Sacrament neither visible nor palpable 35. The Eutychianistes deny that Christ after the vnion of the two natures had a true body but as Leo signifieth ser 6. de teiumo 7. mensis a body without shape dimensions or circumscription they said also that Christ was both in heauen and earth at one time against whom Vigilius disputing lib. 4. contr Eutych c. 4. saith that the flesh of Christ when it was on earth was not in heauen and being now in heauen is not on earth and these points of Eutychianisme the Papists haue reteined for they say Christs body is really in the eucharist where no shape nor dimensions of a body do appeare they saie also that Christs body is both in heauen and earth at one time which taketh away all circumscription from Christs body and is contrarie to the doctrine of Vigilius Theodoret also Dial. 2. doth refute this heresie by similitude of the eucharist for that the substance of bread remaineth in the Sacrament after consecration 36. The Papists also in many points conspire with the enemies of Gods grace the Pelagians Augustine de haeres c. 88. saith that they hold that without grace a man may performe all Gods commandements and Bellarmine de grat lib. arb lib. 5. c. 5. 9. hath these words solis naturae viribus posse aliquem ad breuissiâ—uÌ„ tempus omnia sernare scilicet diuina mandata he shifteth off the matter by adding quoad substantiam operis but the Pelagiani no doubt being pressed would say so much nay if man haue freewill as well to obserue the law as to breake the same then must he needes be able alwaies to performe all the law by force of his freewill The Pelagians beleeue that a man may bee without all sinne so likewise doe the Papists in effect for they say that euery man hath freewill to abstaine from all sinne and Bellarmme lib. 4. de iustific c. 11. saith that man is able to performe the law of God perfectly of which it followeth necessarily that he may be without sinne for he that performeth the law of God perfectly is without all sinne They teach that concupiscence by baptisme is sanctified and being before euill doth afterward beginne not to be euill as may be collected out of S. Augustine lib. 6. contr Inlianum c. 6. and their argument is for that the guilt of concupiscence is remooued by baptisme the Papists also hold that concupiscence after baptisine is no sinne and of this it followeth that concupiscence is sanctified by baptisme The Pelagians say that we haue a strong and firme freewill not to sinne and the censurers of ColeinÌ„ and Bellarmine in diuers places affirme that sinne is subiect to our will and that man by freewill hath power to doe good and to abstaine from euill he that list to fee diuers other points of concordance betwene Papists and Pelagians let him read my last challenge Andradius handling the point of freewill saith that Philosophers by force of their freewill were able to atteine true faith and iustice by which they might be saued doe not then Papists come neere Pelagians 37. The Donatistes as S. Augustine saith haeres 69. beleeued that Christs church was confined in Afrike and remained in the faction of Donatus quod ecclesia Christian Africa Donati parte remanserit they rebaptized also catholike Christians the Papists likewise confine the church within the iurisdiction of Rome and saction of the Pope they presume also to rebaptize better Christians then themselues 38. As the Circumcellions so the Papists thinke it meritorious to kill all that are opposite to their sect as the practises of Pius the fifth Sixtus the fifth and other Popes against Queene Elzabeth the French King Henry the third and fourth Prince Maurice and diuers other Christian Kings and Princes the massacres of France and Flanders doe shew Sixtus Quintus did commend the execrable murder committed by Iames Clement a Dominican Frier Iohn Ghineard a Iebusite was hanged for mainteining the bloody doctrine of murdring Princes excommunicat by the Pope 39. Sigebertus Gemblacensis doth accompt it an heresie to beleeue that the Pope can assoile subiects from their obedience or excommunicat such as will not rebell against Princes haresis saith he pestilentissima populuÌ„ percellit yet this heresie doe Papists mainteine both by their doctrine and practise 40. The Audeans or Anthropomorphites did imagine God to haue a shape and figure like to a man which if the Papists doe not beleeue then why doe they worship God the father in the similitude of an old man and if this bee not the likenesse of God but of an apparition why doe they giue Gods honor to their owne fancies 41. Origens heresie was that he beleeued that the damned might in the end be saued as Augustine de haeres c. 43. sheweth from this they digresse not far that beleeue that Traiaus soule was fetched out of hell by the praiers of Gregorie furthermore if Purgarorie be in hell why may not soules as wel be fetched out of other partes as that part of hell 42. Eunomius taught that so a man were of his religion it skilled not greatly what sinnes he committed asseuerabat saith S. Augustine de haeres c. 54. quod nihl cuiquam obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum
for Christ vsed them not neither are they Hebrew but Latine seuenthly in Hierusalem it was neuer beleeued that Christ either did eat vp himselfe or offer himselfe to his father at his last supper or that he offered himselfe twise or that there was any priest after the order of Melchisedech but Christ for the Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth contrarie finally we neuer read that the Christians in Hierusalem beleeued that some Masses were wet some dry some in the honor of Angels some in the honour of Saints some in the honor of confessors some good for pigges others for horses some for quicke some for dead or that all those trickes and skips are commendable which the Masse-priests vse at the altar or that Christ ordeined either the consecration of Churches with the alphabet in Greeke or that Priests were to vse those ceremonies which now are frequented in the church of Rome in the celebration of the Masse That the Pope came not from Hierusalem it appeareth first for that among al the ministers of the church described Eph. 4. and 1. Cor. 12. there is no Pope nor monarch of the church expressed we read of Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and others but the Pope is quite forgotten which is most vnlikely especially considering that he is by the Papists supposed to be the head and foundation of the church secondly the name is rather Latine then Hebrew or Syriake for some deriue it from papè because the Pope is the wonderment of the world some from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some from the 2. syllables of pater patrum Thirdly at Hierissalem neuer was there any termed by the name of Christs vicars general or that wore a triple crowne and had a gard of Switzars attending vpon him fourthly Saint Peter neuer tooke vpon him to depose kings or to translate kingdomes from one to another which the Pope now vsurpeth fifthly the Popes decretales and decrees which conteine the Popes office and authority and the marrow of his religion haue proceeded from Rome and not from Hierusalem sixthly we read that the law of God and not the Popes lawes came from Hierusalem finally the faith and doctrine of the Pope for the most part hath beene inuented and published since Hierusalem came to bee subiect to the Saracens and Turkes if then it came from the Turkie Hierusalem it must needes be rather Turkish then Christian the decretales are rather like the Alcoran then the new testament the force that the Pope vseth against Christians proceedeth rather from Mahomet then from S. Peter The pilgrimages to Rome are like the pilgrimages to Mecha lastly both Turkes and Papists worship Saints and pray for the dead alike To proceede a little further the Romish fine Sacraments added to the Sacrament of baptisme and the Lords supper had neuer allowance by the Apostles remaining at Hierusalem for albeit mariage Priesthood and repentance were alwaies practised by the people of God vnder the law yet were they not vsed as Sacraments neither in these matters did either the people of God vnder the law or the first Christians vse the Popish orders and formes or Sacraments now at Rome frequented in time past neither were Priests prohibited to marry nor were there any times limited for mariage nor was it deemed vnlawfull for gossips to marry In Hierusalem neuer was any such forme of ordering of Priests knowen as is vsed in popery where they say receiue power to offer sacrifice for quicke and dead Nor did the Christians of Hierusalem beleeue that there were seven orders and euery one a Sacrament and yet but one Sacrament in all or that Priests were to haue shauen crownes To thinke that the first Christians at Hierusalem confessed their sinnes euery yeere at the least in the Priests care is most absurd likewise to say that the forme of absolution that is now vsed was then knowen thirdly Christians then did neither lash themselues nor thinke to satisfie for sinnes by eating saltfish or going barefoote lastly they neither beleeued that Christians were to satisfie for their sinnes in purgatory nor that the Pope caried the keies of purgatory and could deliuer soules from thence by indulgences This forme of Confirmation signo te signo crucis confirmo te Chrismate salutis c. was by authority first established in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenius the 4. a Venetian and not by any that came from Hierusalem he also ordered that oile and balme should be the matter of this Sacrament Bonauenture and Alexander Hales affirme that Confirmation was instituted at Melda popish confirmation is far degenerated from that Confirmation that was vsed in the primitiue church and which we retaine in England The forme also matter of extreme vnction was there appointed by Eugenius the doctrine of the character and effectes of extreme vnction are not to be found but in the frapling schoolemen Now he that should seeke for the originall of holy water and holy salt and holy candles at Hierusalem he should but seeke to draw water out of a flint and as well might he light a candle in the sea water in the Roman missal we find these words I exorcise or coniure thee thou creature of water and exorcizo te creatura salis and such like but Stapleton should shew these things out of some Hebrew or Syriake missal The eating of Paschal lambes I confesse was vsed at Hierusalem but not by Christians but by Iewes obseruing the ceremonies of Moyses his law The Romish missals breuiaries our ladies Psalters the rosaries and such like bookes and ceremonies came out of the closet of the Popes breast and not from Hierusalem as I thinke our aduersaries will confesse if they bee put to the question In Rome vpon good Friday they make agnus Dei of holy wax and holy chrisme and these they say do defend Christians from lightning and tempest hiagnia fulgure tempestate fideles credentes defendunt saith Durand rational diumor lib. 6. c. 79. but this ceremony came neuer from Hierusalem neither did the Christians there beleeue anie such doctrine When a church is consecrated the bishop sprinkleth the wals with holy water knocketh at the dore and saith attollite principes portas vestras then he maketh crosses on the pauement and describeth all the Greeke and Latin alphabet as Durand sheweth lib. 1. rat diuin c. 6. but if popery had come from Hierusalem it is more likely hee should describe the Hebrew alphabet such abuses of scripture and foolish ceremonies certes neuer came from the Christians of Hicrusalem but from the followers of Antichrist at Rome The conuenticle of Trent maketh the old Latin vulgar translation authenticall but if the same had hoped to proue the Romish religion by the practise of the Church of Hierusalem the same would neuer haue neglected the Hebrew text The Church of Hierusalem diligently obserued Gods commandement concerning the making and worshipping of granen images and the whole worship of God we may not
contulit saith the author of that donation vt in toto orbe Romani pontifices velâ—saecendotes ita hunâ— caput habeant sicut iudices regem so it appeareth that the preeminence of Roman bishops ouer all Priests proceeded from the Emperours grant and not from any ordinance of Christ or diuine authority Likewise we read that the councels of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon were called by the authority of Emperours and that their acts and decrees were ratified by them and not by the bishops of Rome more than other bishops as is pretended Further in the confessions of faith published by those councels and receiued by Theodosius Martianâ—â—s and other Christian Emperours there is not one article of popery so much as mentioned nay albeit the bishops of Rome oppugned the decree of the councell of Chalcedon concerning the priuiledge of the Church of Constantinople yet preuailed they not lastly the condemnation of Eutyches in the councell of Chalcedon doth ouerthrow the popish reall presence of Christs body in the sacrament and transubstantiation for if Christ haue a true body that is circumscriptible solide then is not Christs body really in euery consecrated host and if that according as after the vnion of the natures both remaine so the bread and wine remaine after consecration as the fathers of that councell pretend then awaie flieth the fancy of popish transubstantiation Recaredus King of Spaine assembled the third councell of Toledo chased Arianisme out of his dominions published a confession of the faith which all Christian bishops of that countrey receiued and gouerned and confirmed the councell publico regis edicto confirmatum est concilium the councell was confirmed by publicke proclamation of the king saith the compiler of the acts of that councell finallie in all the acts there is not one article of popery confirmed but the 21. canon that alloweth Psalmes to be sung at burials doth vtterly ouerthrow dirges and masses for the dead and the doctrine of purgatory for how can they chuse but sorrow for the dead that beleeue their friends soules to be in purgatorie the 22. canon forbiddeth dances and immodest songs on holy daies the 16. canon is directed against the worship of idols the 11. canon reproueth Priests that absolue publike sinners without due acts of repentance which is an abuse very common in the masse-priests finally in this synode the Spaniard followed the rules of the Church of Constantinople and not of Rome as appeareth by the second canon Iustinian the Emperour as is reported in the law inter claras Cod. de sum Trin. published a confession of faith which he commanded to be receiued throughout his dominions but therein is not any article of popery mentioned nay diuers of his lawes concerning the ordination of bishops the ordering of Churches and other ecclesiasticall matters declare that vnto his time the gouernment of the Church belonged to kings and princes and that yet the Pope had not vsurped his generall authoritie nor excluded temporall Princes he decreed that the sacraments should be administred contrarie to the Popish forme in an audible voice and in atongue that might be vnderstood Gregory the first acknowledged himselfe subiect to the Emperour and willing to execute his commandements which sheweth that the Emperour as yet held his authority and would not yeeld it to the bishop of Rome his faith also was the same which other Emperours professed for as yet Antichrist had not gained the primacy Gregory himselfe in his epistle to Serenus of Massilia praiseth him for that hee suffered not images to be adored and no man needeth to doubt but that Maurice the Emperour concurred with him in matters of faith Leo the fourth in the chapter de capitulis dist 11. professeth that he will see the Emperours orders by all meanes kept de capitulis vel praeceptis imperialibus vestris c. irrefragabiliter custodiendis saith he quantum valuimus valemus Christe propitio nunc in aeuum nos conseruaturos modis omnibus profitemur this therefore is an argument that the christian faith as yet was maintained by the authority of the Emperours that the bishops of Rome had then made no alteration by their decretales as not hauing as yet setled their supreme and tyrannicall authority in the Church in the time of this Leo neither was transubstantiation nor the necessity of auricular confession in the Priests eare for all sinnes nor communion vnder one kind heard of Beda in the Preface of his Ecclesiasticall historie praiseth king Ceolulphus for that he heard the wordes of holy Scriptures diligently but now among papists lay-men are not commended for hearing scriptures at that time neither were the 7. sacraments confirmed nor the Popes doctrine of Purgatorie and indulgences once deliuered Irene though a semipagan Empresse and a worshipper of images yet did not giue diuine worship to the crucifix or images of the Trinitie Charles the great in a synod at Francford condemned the idolatrous decrees of the 2. Nicene synode assembled vnder Irene Ansegisus lib. 2. c. 19. sheweth that he decreed that nothing should be read in the church beside canonicall scriptures the same author reporteth diuers lawes made by him and his sonne Ludouic contrarie to the practise of the moderne Romish church Kellison therefore should worke a woonder if he could prooue that either of these Emperours beleeued that the bishop of Rome was head of the church and had both the swordes and ruled both on earth and in Purgatorie neither shall he be able to shew that they beleeued that publike seruice and sacraments were to be celebrated in a tongue not vnderstood or that those were the Apostles successors that neither preached nor administred the Sacraments Before the conuenticle of Laterane Christian kings and princes knew now what transubstantiation ment neither did they receiue the doctrine of the communion vnder one kinde before the synode at Constance in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenues the 4. the doctrine of the seuen Sacraments of Purgatorie of the Popes supremacie began to be in more reputution the rest of their heresies the Pope and his complices could not procure to be authorized before the conuenticle of Trent and yet the French refused to admit the actes of that conuenticle and the Emperor Charles the fift by his agents protested against them the Queene of England king of Denmarke Princes of Germany and manie other States resolutely reiected and contemned them So we see that the doctrine of the Romish church was nener receiued by many Christian princes especially this forme of doctrine that is prescribed by the conuenticle of Trent the Popes excommunications prouisions rapines violence and tyranny we finde to haue beene of most Christian kings resisted when the Popes of Rome began to lift vp their heels against the Easterne Emperors Leo Isauricus and others and to excommunicate them they neglected their censures and in the Easterne parts were obeied as before Henry the 4. emperour of Rome
draue Gregory the 7. out of his seate and appointed another in his place Henry the 5. his sonne tooke Paschalis prisoner and made him sweare to certeine articles he broke them afterward I confesse but that is rather an argument of the Popes perfidiousnesse then a proofe against the Emperours authoritie neither did the Emperors succeeding for many yeares cease to defend their right against the Popes encrochments and vsurpation vntill such time as the Popes by force of armes and rebellion of subiects had preuailed against them and when they could not by force resist yet did they often publish their complaints as appeareth by the message of Maximilian the first to the Pope by certeine memorials of Charles the fift concerning wrongs offered by the Pope by the greenances collected by the princes of Germany presented to Adrian the 6. by the apologies of the Bohemians English French and other nations Philip the French king writing to Boniface the 8. vsed these wordes Sciat tua maxima fatuitas nos in temporalibus nulli subesse I do thy great foolery saith he writing to him to wit that for temporall matters we are subiect to none the same king did also handle the Popes nuncioes according to their deseruing Henry the 2. as Matthew Paris testifieth forbad the paiment of Peter pence and such as appealed to the court of Rome he coÌ„mitted to prison appellantes ad curiam Rom. mandauit custodiae afterward writing to the bishop of Colein he threatueth to impugne the Pope and to thrust out of his kingdom all his fauourers Papam omnes suos saith he manifestè impugnabimus quicunque in terra mea inuentus fuerit qui Papae posthac adhaerere voluerit expelletur è regno happie had he beene if he had alwaies persisted in this purpose the kings of England afterward by their lawes against prouisions restrained the Popes authoritie and in the end that famous and worthy Prince King Henrie the eight did vtterly exclude the Pope and his Agents from all iurisdiction within his kingdome Furthermore albeit some princes were so sencelesse that they felt not the wrongs offered them by the Pope yet did such as loued the honour of their country neuer cease to complaine thereof Alan Chartier sheweth that Priests in the eies of the people were become most vile and that the hearts of men were alienated from the Popes obedience corda hominum ab obedientia scilicet Papae alienata Iulian the cardinall writing to Eugenius the fourth sheweth it was to be feared lest the laitie should fall vpon the clergy ne irruerent in ecclesiasticos laici The Germans in the end of their grieuances say that they neither would suffer nor could indure the wrongs offered them by the Pope Dixerunt Germani Principes saith he that reported their grieuances se onera Papae nec perferre velle nec tolerare posse Nicholas de Clemangis sheweth that both Princes and others murmured against the Popes exactions Charles the French king inueying against Benet the 13. signifieth that God would displace the Popes out of their seates for oppressing and spoiling Christs sheepe facti sunt greges mei in rapinam c. propterea cessare eos faciam vt non pascant vlterius gregem meum these words Charles applied against the Pope the English being excommunicated in king Iohns time called the Popes agents marcidos ribaldos that is rotten rascals and signified that they would not indure their tyranny Petrus de Ferrarijs in form resp rei conuenti bewaileth the miserie of Christian princes that indured so many wrongs at the Popes hands and made themselues his slaues and yet prouided no remedy for it heu miseri imperatores principes seculares saith he qui haec alia sustinetis vos seruos Pontificum facitis mundum per eos infinitie modis vsurpari videtis nec de remedio cogitatis Christian Princes and Kings therefore haue alwaies abhorred the Popes tyranny refused his religion and the more christian they haue shewed themselues the more resistaÌ„ce they haue made both against his corruptions in doctrine and his vsurpations and abuses in gouernment Vlrichus Vttenus in his preface to Laurentius Vallaes treatise against the counterfet donation of Constantine doth thus exclaime against the Popes as enemies and spoilers of all Christians annon fuerunt Christianorum hostes illi pontifices qui omnium ad se opes attraxerunt onmibus liberis seruitutem moliti sunt qui imper to reges peâ— unia ciâ—es deâ—l aliabant were not the Popes enemies of Christians which drew vnto themselues the wealth of all and endeuoured to oppresse all free men which spoiled kings of their gouernement and the subiects of their monie CHAP. XIIII That the auncient Britans and English were not first conuerted to Popish religion LEt that abide in you saith S. Iohn 1. epist 2. which you haue heard from the beginning so likewise we say let vs abide in that faith and let that faith abide in vs that was first preached by the Apostles schollers and successors in this Iland and let vs not be caried away by the poleshorne crew of the Pope to beleeue popish nouelties and fables that the auncient Christians of this land whether Britans English or Scots were not conuerted to popish religion that is now predominant in the kingdome of antichrist we haue three most euident demonstrations to assure vs. Frst those doctrines and grounds of Popery which before I haue mentioned will neuer be proued to haue beene taught by the first planters of Christian religion in this land and very absurd it were to suppose them to haue beene the authors of those heresies impieties and blasphemies which are so rife in Popery If S. Peter or S. Paul or any of their schollers did plant religion heere we must not thinke that they taught one thing and wrote another or that the schollers preached otherwise then they had learned from their masters If Ioseph of Arimathaea did first conuert the Britans and Fugatius and Damianus confirme them in the faith or if Austen the Monke and his fellowes did first conuert the Saxons or English yet can it not bee shewed that any one of these did teach that the traditions of the church of Rome and holy scriptures were with equall affection to be receiued or that the doctrine of Popish holy water paschall lambes tosaries images and such like traditions is the word of God or that Christs true body is torne with teeth and receiued downe into the belly and may be eaten of dogges and hogges or that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction or eating saltfish and redherrings vpon fridaies and fasting daies or that incense is to be burnt to images or the Sacrament adored for God and caried about in procession or the rest of the points of Popery before mentioned either therfore let Parsons shew vs that the seueral points of Popery before touched were taught by S. Peter the Apostle and Eleutherus and Gregory
the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and therefore we may not thinke that they taught that Christ had a bodie inuisible or inpalpable or that his body was in heauen and earth at one time and yet not continued to it selfe or that his soule was omnipotent or omniscient or that Christians were to beleeue that dogges and hogges did eat Christs body and yet that all the communicants saue the Priest were to be excluded from the cup of the new Testament or that Christ is onely the meritorious cause of our iustification and saluation and that formally we are iustified and saued by our owne workes or that remission of sinnes cannot be obtained vnlesse we come to auricular confession and haue the Masse-priests absolution or that the Pope by his indulgences out of superfluous merits of Saints is able to deliuer soules from purgatory or other popish heresies and wicked doctrines before mentioned for these doctrines are contrarie to the holy scriptures in which the summe of the Apostles preaching is conteined Gregory the first lib. 4. epist 32. doth dislike the title of vniuersall bishop and calleth it sacrilegious and prophane he doth also condemne the worship of images lib. 7. epist 109. and lib. 9. epist 9. and commendeth Serenus the bishop of Massilia for reproouing the adoration of images neither doth he allow any more than the historicall vse of them that Purgatory which Gregory the Dialogist speaketh of differeth much from popish purgatory being rather designed for veniall sinnes than for satisfaction for temporall paines after the fault remitted lib. moral 19. c. 16. hee sheweth that the bookes of the Machabees are not canonicall scriptures and lib. 14. moral c. 32. that Christs body is solide and not like a spirit and lib. 4. dial c. 55. that things aboue in the eucharist are vnited to things below summa imis consociantur of which it followeth that there is no such presence as the Papists imagine nor any transubstantiation for if the bodie of Christ residing aboue be vnited to things below then is not Christs body included within the accidents of the host nor is the bread and wine abolished Augustine the Monke brought with him a crosse and the image of our sauiour in a table and did sing litanies as Bede testifieth lib. 1. hist Angl. c. 25. but we doe not read that hoe filled Churches with images or that hee worshipped Christs image or the crosse with latria or that in his litanies he called vpon Saints or Angels Bede saith they praied to God litanias canentes c. domino supplicabant If then we cannot find the points of popery which we refuse in the writings of the Apostles or in any record mentioning the doctrin of Ioseph of Arimathaea Eleutherius Gregory or Austen but rather find them to bee opposite to their doctrine and denised afterwards then vnlesse we meane to remooue the ancient limits and bounds set downe to vs by our fathers and to refuse the counsell of the holy ghost Prouerb 22. wee may not returne to popery forasmuch as the first conuerters of the inhabitants of this land were no authours nor fauourers of popish superstition heresies impieties and blasphemies CHAP. XV. That popish religion is most falsely termed Catholike religion and Papists Catholickes CAtholicke religion as Vincentius Lirinensis in his commonitory chap. 3. doth teach vs is that which alwaies hath beene beleeued and of all Christians wee are to hold saith he that which alwaies hath beene beleeued of all Christians for that is properly Catholicke but the faith of the Romish church conteined in the Popes decretales and disputes of the canonists and schoolemen hath not alwaies beene beleeued of all Christians their faith therfore is not catholike the assumption is proued not onely by the nouelties of the decretales glosses of Canonists and summes and resolutions of the schoole diuines but also by the falsehood and contrarieties of the doctrine therein conteined Nicholas in his decretale ego Berengarius de consecrat dist 2. teacheth that Christs body sensually is handled with the hands of Priests and torne with teeth but this is contrary to scriptures fathers and truth Innocent in the chapter firmiter de sum trinit fid cath saith that the bread is transubstantiat into Christs body which is false for Christ saide of bread which hee tooke this is my bodie The Canonists honour the Pope as a God on earth as the head foundationmonah rcand spouse of the Church the schoolemen brabble one with another and sometimes change their owne opinions Bellarmine lib. 2. de purgat c. 3. confesseth that Thomas Aquinas changed his opinion concerning the merit of soules in Purgatorie most schoole-men build doctrines of faith vpon Philosophicall grounds and vary both from scriptures and fathers in their doctrine of the diuine attributes of Christs body and soule of merits of sacraments and diuers other points how then can we repute these doctrines to be catholike It is the Property of Catholikes saith Vincentius Lirinensis commonit c. 34. to keepe the doctrine committed to them and left with them by the auncient fathers and to auoid profane nouelties but the doctrine of schoolemen concerning the diuine attributes concerning the examples of the persons of the Trinitie brought by the master of sentences the eating of Christs body by brute beasts and diuers other points is ful of profanenesse and nouelties their reasons also are more philosophicall and sophisticall then Apostolicall all the points in controuersie betwixt vs and them are mere nouelties as the decretales whereon they depend declare Leo epist 81. saith that there is one true only perfect and inuiolable faith whereto nothing can be added and from which nothing can bee taken but vnto this faith the Popes haue added their determinations concerning traditions the carnall reall presence of Christs body and blood in the sacrament of the Lords supper transubstantiation the communion vnder one kind the Popes vicarship generall and vniuersall power purgatory indulgences the worship of images and diuers other pointes of doctrine doth it not then appeare that popery is nothing else but a corruption of doctrine comming in after the publication of the Christian Catholike faith and added vnto it Furthermore as the Apostolike doctrine is catholike and vniuersall so hereticall opinions are particular and peculiar to certaine sects and persons and times but wee haue shewed that Popery is nothing else but a packe of old and new heresies Lastly by many particulars it may be proued that the doctrine of Papists hath neither beene taught at all times nor imbraced of al christians nor spred ouer al the world which doth plainly declare that neither the doctrine is catholike nor the professors thereof truely termed Catholickes First they teach that the scriptures are an imperfect rule and vnsufficient without traditions and speake lewdly of them calling them a nose of waxe a killing and dead letter a matter of strife and what else they list to deuise in their
of her image there to be idolatrous 14. They celebrate the feast of our Ladies conception and of the assumption of her body into heauen as appeareth by their missals and breuiaries but Catholickes drslike both as grounded vpon apocryphall fables and lying legends S. Bernard epist 174. speaking against the feast of her conception saith she needed no false honours 15. Catholickes neuer beleeued that Christ had a body inuisible impalpable and not comprehended in a place S. Augustine de essentia diuinitatis saith that Christ according to his humane nature is visible corporal and local but our aduersaries teach that his true body is in the sacrament where it is neither seene felt nor circumscribed in a place 16. They speake reuerentlie of Christs body and hold it blasphemy to say that the same may be cast into the fire or eaten of dogs or hogs or other brute beasts but the Papists doe not so much as goe about to cleare themselues of this blasphemy 17 They teach that Christ had a body like to ours in all things sin except the Papists beleeue that his body is really in the sacrament and conteined in the compasse of a consecrated host and that the same is inuisible and able to penetrat other solide bodies without the dissolution of their substance but such abodie no man euer yet had nor by nature can haue 18 They beleeue that euery body is continued to it self or as Logicians call it continua quanutas but Papists beleeue that Christs body is in heauen and earth and euery altar and yet not in the middle places whereby it followeth that Christs head in heauen is not continued to his feet being in a consecrated host in earth 19. Vigilius lib. 4. cont Eutych saith that Christs body being now in heauen is not on earth and that is the faith of Catholickes but the false and pretended catholickes beleeue that his body is both in heauen and earth and diuers distant places at one time 20. Catholickes beleeue that Christ only is our redeemer for so the Apostle teacheth vs Rom. 3.1 Cor. 1. and diuers other places but Bellarmine in his first booke of indulgences teacheth vs that saints and others may be called redeemers all his consorts also teach that the Pope by his indulgences redeemeth soules out of purgatorie 21. Catholickes acknowledge that Christ is our iustice for so the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. expresly saith they beleeue also that we are iustified by faith in him as we read Rom. 5. but Kellison in his suruey and his consorts teach that he is onely the meritorious cause of our iustification and that we are formally iustified and saued by our owne workes 22. Catholickes doubt not to make their election sure and being iustified by faith haue peace with God and are perswaded that nothing shall separate them from the loue of God for all this is Apostolike doctrine but Papists teach their followers to doubt of their election and of the grace of God towards them and depriue them both of peace of conscience and of all assurance of Gods grace 23. Catholickes beleeue that Christ was wounded for our transgressions and that he hath borne our infirmities and that by his stripes we are healed for so the Prophet Isay cap. 53. teacheth vs. but the pretended popish catholickes do lash themselues and hope by their owne stripes to heale their sinnes and to satisfie for them and without this satisfaction they beleeue that no man can obteine remission of sinnes 24. Catholickes euer spared their owne bodies but certaine heretickes and idolaters did vsually afflict their bodies and lash themselues before their idols in lashing of themselues therefore the Papists imitate the Priests of Baal and not true Catholickes 25. Catholickes beleeue that their sinnes are purged by the bloud of Christ as we read Hebr. 1. but Papists beleeue that their sinnes are purged in purgatory and by their owne satsifactions 26. The Greekes to this day neuer beleeued Purgatory neither doe any of the ancient fathers beleeue that after our sinnes are remitted Christians are to satisfie for temporall paines either in this life or in purgatory the doctrine therefore of purgatorie will neuer be proued Catholicke 27. The Apostles and ancient fathers neuer knew nor heard of the doctrine and treasure of the Popes indulgences this doctrine of Papists therefore is to bee abolished as not Catholicke 28. True Catholickes neuer beleeued that Christians were iustified by mariage the master of the sentences saith it is onely a remedy against sinne but Papists hold they are iustified by marriage aswell as by other Sacraments 29. The doctrine of the conuenticle of Florence concerning the forme of priesthood popish confirmation extreme vnction and their number of seuen sacraments cannot bee proued to be Catholicke 3. Bellarmine lib. 2. de effectu sacrament c. 3. and other his consorts affirme that Christians are instified by the sacraments ex opere operato or by their owne act and worke wrought whereby it followeth that they are iustified by greasing crossing and such like acts but this doctrine is not catholicke the Greekes to this day acknowledge no such doctrine nor is any such thing to bee found in ancient writers 31. The Greekes to this day renounce the Popes supremacy the ancient fathers neuer heard of a triple crowned Pope with a crossed slipper and a guard of Suitzers the doctrine therefore of the Popes generall vicarship taught by Bellarmine in his bookes de pontisice Rom. and by others is not Catholicke 32. Papists teach that some sinnes are done away by holy water and without repentance and that such sinnes deserue not death but the Apostle Galat. 3. sheweth him to be accursed that abideth not in all the words of the law to doe them and Rom. 6. saith that the wages of sinne is death this is also the faith of all Catholickes but of the efficacy of holie water to doe awaie sinnes true Catholickes say nothing 33. Papists offer the sacrifice of the masse pro redemptione animarum suarum for the redemption of their soules but Catholikes doe not hope for redemption but by the sacrifice of Christ once offered vpon the crosse 34. They make Christians eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood really and literally as their words in the chapter ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat do import but our Sauiour saith that the spirit quickeneth and Saint Augustine tract 25. in loan sheweth that Christs flesh is not to be receiued with our mouth or teeth vt quid paras dentem saith he why doest thou prepare thy teeth 35. They make their Priests creators of their creator as Innocentius in his bookes de myster missae stella Clericorum and Boner in his speech to the Priests in Queene Maries time in expresse words doe declare but Christians and Catholikes abhorre to heare Priests called creators or God to be made a creature 36. They make the Priest to intercede for Christs bodie and blood saying supra quae propitio
of Christ and that for the merits of the blessed virgin of Cosmas and Damianus and other saints but where such a wicked and blasphemous company as make not onely saints but also the idolatrous Masse-priests mediators for the body and blood of Christ haue beene reputed the church of Christ and was visible before these wicked missals were framed we find not in any ancient record 10. The Romish church worshippeth the crosse and the images of the Trinity with Latria or diuine worship but such a church for a thousand yeares was neuer visible in the world 11. In the missals breuiaries and other rituall bookes of the Romish church we finde diuers praiers and confessions to Angels to the virgin Mary and other saints nay to the crosse and the image giuen to Veronica and these praiers are both practised and defended by the church of Rome but if all the Popes lanterne-bearers and disciples were set to seeke for such a church in the time of the ancient fathers they should but lose their labour and spend their wits in vaine 12. The Apostles canons as is said doe excommunicate such as doe not communicate being present at the celebration of the Eucharist we may not therefore thinke that the Romish synagogue was visible in those times seeing they thinke it sufficient for their disciples to be present at the Masse although they receiue nothing 13. In the primitiue church no man euer heard that Christians gaped and gazed on the priest administring the Lords supper or that they receiued the one kinde and not the other the Popish church therefore in those times was inuisible 14. In those times also neither was the Eucharist celebrated nor the Scriptures read in tongues not vnderstood of the multitude nor did the people pray in strange toongs which they vnderstood not the missificall congregation therfore of papists which pray not knowing what they say and being present at the reading of Scriptures and celebration of Sacraments in strange tongues vnderstand nothing was not yet crept out of Cacus his denne nor apparent in the world 15. The moderne Papistes beleeue that such as in this life satisfie not for their sinnes committed after Baptisme are to satisfie for the same in Purgatorie They beleeue also that the Pope by his indulgences is able to redeeme soules out of Purgatory and to remit all the temporall paines due for sinnes but such a church as this was neuer to be seene for a thousand yeeres after Christ To abridge this discourse it were an easie matter by diuers other points of faith and diuers other customes in administring the Sacraments and diuers other formes of gouernment all newly inuented practised and maintained by the synagogue of Rome to declare and proue that the same is a new model of a church neuer seene nor knowne to antiquitie but by these few particulars the same doth most cleerely appeare already If the Papists then seeke to bring vs backe to the formes of the ancient church then must they abandon the Pope and his adherents embracing the moderne faith and doctrine of sacraments lately broched by the idle school-men and confirmed in the late conuenticle of Trent and adhere to the church of England which as it professeth the Apostles doctrine published by ancient councels of the church so it renounceth all heresies and nouclties brought in by Papists and other heretikes and as it renounceth their false doctrine so it detesteth their treacherous practises CHAP. LII That the marks of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alledged by heathen men and Turkes as by them AL this notwithstanding the Papists challenge to themselues the name title and authority of the church and bring foorth a whole squadron of motiues to draw simple soules to like of their sect and to intangle them with their errors Bellarmine de notis eccles c. 3. saith that the proper markes of the church are these the name of Catholikes antiquitie continuance vniuersality succession of Bishops consent in doctrine miracles prophecies temporall felicity and such like others bring vnity vniuersality holinesse of life and such like Bristow in his Motiues standeth vpon the names of Catholiks and Heretikes miracles visions scriptures traditions fathers martyrs going out rising afterward succession immutability vnitie iudges infallible obedient subiects visibility and other markes of like nature But as well may the Turkes and idolatrous heathen nations alledge these markes and motiues as the Papists and some of them doe better agree to Turkes and idolatrous Paynims then to idolatrous and hereticall Papists For as Papists call themselues Catholikes and giue the name of heretikes to others so doe the Turkes cal themselues Musulman or true beleeuers and heathen idolaters called themselues Pious worshippers of the gods and in regard of themselues both Turkes and Paynims take Christians to be impious persons and heretikes the Turkes call Papists idolaters and the heathen in time past called Christians Atheists As for antiquitie it agreeth farre better to Paynims and Turkes then to Papists for heathen idolatry was long before the doctrine of Popery and the Alcoran is more ancient then the Popes decretales that being published by Mahomet within 630. yeares after Christ these being commended and confirmed by Gregory the 9. who entred an D. 1227. 3. Idolatry as it beganne soone after the flood so it hath euer since continued the blasphemous religion of Turkes harâ— continued euer since the time of Mahomet but Popery neuer receiued a perfect forme before the conuenticle of Trent and in most places now is decaied 4. The heathen idolaters alledge for themselues amplitude and vniuersality as well as the Papists and so may the Turkes also for in time past all nations worshipped idoles faue the Iewes and in our times farre more nations are deluded by Mahomet and his priests then by the Pope and his Masse-priests the Popes doctrine being confined within a few nations of Europe Mahometisme poslessing the greatest part of Asia and Afrike and no small parts of Europe 5. The Turkes euer since Mahomet haue had a succession of Caliphaes and priests and among the heathen there neuer wanted a discent of sacrificing idolaters but the Papists cannot deriue their succession from the Apostles eitheir in doctrine or discent of Popes for neither is their doctrine apostolicall nor are the Popes the Apostles successors beside that they are vncerteine both who were true Popes and which succeded after Peter and diuers bishops and Popes of Rome 6. The Paynims with one consent in time past worshipped idoles neither did any one among them call the matter in question the Turks are so resolute in religion that they will haue no disputing against any point of their doctrine but Popish schoolemen call all points of their religion in question neither doe they so well agree in any article but there be some that hold singular opinions the Scotists differ from the Thomistes and diuers opinions are holden by