to suffer also for this faith and confession whensoeuer he pleaseth with persecution to proue vs. Concerning that which men haue of their owne heades haue inuented That the Pope is our chiefe Bishop the successour of Saint Peter the vicar of Christ God vppon earth and that as such a one he pardoneth sinnes draweth out of hell and purgatorie what soules he will and what soules hee will hee placeth in heauen And that the Masse such as now they say is a sacrifice as satisfactorie as was the death and passion of Christ None of these things doth the holy scripture teach vs it is humane inuention and diuelish lies wherwith Sathan hath long time deceiued vs. The Apostle Saint Paul willing to correct the vices brought into the holy supper of the Lord in the Church of Corinth found no better remedy but to reduce it to the originall and first institution And so 1. Cor. 11 he saith I receiued of the Lord that which I haue giuen you c. so now do we also the same We restore the supper of the Lord and celebrate it according to it first institution as the Euangelists and Saint Paul doe declare vnto vs. And if so we do thē haue they no cause to hold vs for heretikes but for good faithfull and catholike Christians and for such do we hold our selues and such we are albeit is the many imperfections the Lord pardon them vnto vs. We confesse we hold beleeue that God through the merit of Christ is our father and the holy catholike or vniuersall Apostololike and true Church whē it is ruled by the word of God in the sacred scripture of the olde and new Testament reuealed For otherwise is she no mother but a Stepmother our mother And wo to that man which shall not be son of this father and this mother We confesse hold and beleeue all that which this our mother confesseth holdeth belieueth All which is conteyned in the bookes of the old new Testament For nothing there is which we ought either to do or belieue which is not writtē in these sacred bookes Therefore will we conclude this Treatise saying That whosoeuer albeit an Angell from heauen shall preach or beliue another Gospell another Doctrine besides that which Iesus Christ and his Apostles haue taught vs all which is written in the bookes which we call the holy scripture Let such a one be accursed and execrable Let him be as saith Saint Paule Anathema Thou hast hard Christian Reader the Enormious charges wherewith we charge the Pope as touching life Doctrine But chiefly touching the superstition and Idolatrie of the Masse which the sayd Pope of himselfe without the word of God hath inuented and brought into the Church Thou hast also heard the Enormious charges where with the Pope chargeth vs. Hee accuseth vs for proud contentious and arrogant that we will know more then all the whole Church He accuseth vs for disobedient to Magistrates disturbers of common-wealthes prouinces and kingdomes he accuseth vs for schismatiques and heretiques For the which as an accuser witnes and Iudge he concludeth that we are not worthy to liue in the world But it is not sufficient to accuse Of necessity must he proue that which hee saith and so conuince the accused Come we then to the proofe let a generall Councell be assembled which may heare both parts Let it graunt to euery part freedome of speech The Councell hauing heard both sides let it iudge according to the thing alleaged and proued without respect of any person poore or rich wise or ignorant ecclesiasticall or secular Let it only haue regard of iustice equity and truth Let the part conuinced by the Testimony of holy scripture and of the fathers also and ancient Councels As be the first foure generall be subiect to the censure which the Councell shall ordayne Let the Pope and his defendors appeare personally in the Councell not as iudges because they accuse vs and we accuse them but as accusers and accused Let vs also appeare seeing we accuse them and they accuse vs. Let this Councell be called As were the foure first generall Nicen 1. the Constantinople the Ephesian and the Chalcedonian This is the onely remedie to take away the dissentions and differences which are at this day in the Church as touching life and Doctrine This remedy in times past vsed the Church in like cases In the meane time beseech we our God to moue the hartes of the Emperour Christian kinges and Princes that they may take in hand such an Enterprise for the glorie of God quietnesse of his Church By the meanes of which Enterprise vice and false Doctrine superstitition here sie and Idolatrie may be condemned And vertue and wholesome Doctrine conteyned in holie scripture confirmed But our aduersaries will say vnto mee that all this in the last Councell of Trent was concluded and that therefore another Councell is not needefull Whereunto I answere that which so often in this booke I haue sayd And chiefly vppon the life of Pope Marcellus the second That this Councell was not free Sith to none whereof was had the least suspition in the world not to bee in all and by all slaue of the Pope and sworne to the Pope was it permited to speake therein The rest which haue there sayd to this purpose and that which is sayd in the foure hundred fifty and eight and foure hundred fifty and nine pages is to be noted besides this say we that this Councel was not generall For how shall the Councel of Trent be called an Ecumenicall vniuersall or generall Councell Sith in it was not found the hundreth part of Bishoppes of Christendome And that this is truth it is euidently seene For in it were found but fiue Cardinals Three of which were legats of the Pope foure Archbishops two of which were Archbishops in title or as we call them in Spaine de anillo of the ring namely Olaus magnus intitled Archbishoppe not of Hispall but of Vpsall people of Gocia that neuer acknowledged the Pope nor the Roman Church The other named Robert Venant called Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland vnder the Crowne of England A land that as litle acknowledgeth the Pope These two poore Archbishops Paul the third maintayned giuing to Olaus 15 crownes a month and another like thing gaue he to Robert 33 Bishops were found there all of them Spaniards or Italians except only 3. Then were also found betweene priests Friars 47. diuines Of whom all al most were Spaniards or Italians Thou seest here the great nomber of bishops with which the Trident Coūcell began which by times conteyned 18 yeares In which time were holden 25 Sessions In many of which nothing was done for want of appearence in the Councel And so in the 8 Session was nothing done but that the Italians transported the Councell to Bologna aland of the popes in Italy Where was held the
to be murdered For Conradino the sonne and heire of Conrade king of Sicilia sought to defend his right but Charles ouercame and tooke him prisoner together with Fredericke Duke of Austria neere vnto Naples and by the counsell of the pope did behead them For Charles wrote to the Pope what he should doe with Conradino his prisoner The Pope answered The life of Charles the death of Conradino c. After him Adrian 5. against this Charles demanded aide of Rodolph the Emperour The kingdome of Naples by meanes of this cursed Pope came to the French and the Dukedome of Sueuia tooke end In the 1270. yeere this butcher died The seat of Sathan was long time to wit two yeeres and nine moneths and two dayes voide And Don Alonso 10. then reigned in Castile Clement the fourth being dead the Cardinals which were 17. number to chuse a new pope assembled together Amongst whom so great discord arose that in almost three yeeres space they could not agree for euery of them pretended to be pope Philip king of France and Charles king of Sicill hearing of this great discord came to Viterbo where the Cardinals were and prayed them to dispatch and chuse a chiefe bishop but so great was the ambition of the Cardinals that all this trauell and sute of the two kings were to no purpose so they returned without any thing done When they were in the election inuocating the holy spirit bishop Iohn Cardinall Portuensis seeing the great forwardnesse of the Cardinals said vnto them My Lords let vs vncouer this chamber for the holy spirit through so great roofes cannot enter vnto vs. When the same Cardinall vnderstood that Gregory was Pope he cōpiled these two verses Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus vnus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum To wit an Archdeacon attained to the Popedom whom the discord of brothers made father of fathers All this reporteth Panuinus an Augustin Frier Behold here what the Romists thēselues report of the elections of their Popes behold here Ambition the holy spirit which in their election gouerneth Gregory 10. thus elected in the yere 1273. at Lyons in France did celebrate a Councell where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople who approued the doctrin of the Romaine church his predecessors hauing 12 times done the like as many times more reuoked the same was present In this councell it was ordeined that the Pope being dead the Cardinals shold shut thēselues in the Conclaue And that moreouer which Panuinus in the note vpon Platina vpon the life of this Gregory 10. saith He renued a fresh the warre of the holy land And in 5 yeres that he poped neuer saw Rome In the 1276. yere he died and Don Alonso 10. reigned in Castile Innocent 5. a Burgonion was the first begging friar that was made pope for which cause he much fauored his dominicks And hauing poped 6. moneths 2. daies the same yere with his predecessor he died Adriā 5. a Genoway was the nephew or as is thought the son of Innocēt 4. whē he was Pope he went frō Rome to Viterbo frō whence he wrote to Rodulph the Emperour to aide him against Charles king of Sicilia which Charles had the former popes against all right made king of Sicil as in the life of Clement 4. we haue noted but the Emperor occupied in the wars of Bohemia could not succor him He poped but one moneth 7 daies then died Iohn 22. or 21 or 20 before he was pope called in latin Petrus Hispanus was born at Lisbon by professiō a Phisition Albeit this mā was holden for very learned yet was he very vnskilfull to gouerne And as saith Platina wrought more domage thē profit to the popedom Many things he did which shew his folly lightnes One good property he had that whē he saw a yong man inclined to study with benefits money he would aide him This mā foolish as he was promised by the stars long life to himselfe so would tell it to all men But it farre otherwise happened to him for a certaine chamber which Valerius calleth a sporting chamber Estella calleth it a precious bed chamber which he had builded for his pleasure in the pallace of Viterbo at the end of 4. dayes fell suddenly to the ground the Pope was found betweene the timber the stones who hauing poped 8. moneths and 8. daies at 7. dayes end in the 1277. yere died Six moneths after the death of his predecessor was Nicholas 3. chosen for the Cardinals could not agree at the end of which time Charles king of Sicilia ruling as a Senator in the Conclaue Nicholas 3. was chosen who after he was pope began thē to persecute Charles he tooke frō him the vicaredge of Hetruria he tooke frō him also the power of Senator giuē him by Clement 4. he forbad that no king or prince thenceforth should dare to demand or administer that office tooke it to himselfe But Martin the 4. his successor did restore it vnto him For so agree the Popes that that which one doeth another vndoeth This Nicholas with great wars vexed Italy And the better to effect his purposes he perswaded Don Pedro king of Arragon to demand the kingdom of Sicilia seeing it was his in the right of his wife Constance This counsell much pleased Don Pedro which was afterwards the cause of much bloodshed In the yere 1381. died Nic. Martin 4. a Frenchman Panninus cals him 2. with great humanity receiued Charles king of Sicilia and restored him to the dignity of Senator that moreouer which his predecessor had taken frō him He excōmunicated Don Pedro king of Arragon who leuied a great armie to inuade Charles in Sicilia gaue his kingdome for a prey to the first that could take it absolued all his vassals from their oth to him made as their king c. yet Don Pedro of al this made no reckoning but passed into Italy aided by Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople wan Sicilia The Sicilians for their pride luxuritie bare great hatred to the French so that they conspired against Charles his frenchmen toulling the bels they issued out killed all nor sex nor age regarded yong old men and women albeit great with child they destroyed These be the Euensongs which the Sicilians call so famous After this Charles with his armie comming to Naples was vanquished taken as saith Platina sent into Arragon This Pope Martin tooke the concubine of his predecessor Nicholas 3. when Martin had 4. yeares and one moneth poped in the 1285. yeare he died of whom saith Platina that after his death he wrought great miracles Don Alonso 10. then raigned in Castile Honorius the fourth following the steps of his predecessor Martin 4. confirmed the excommunication and interdiction against Don Pedro which held
and lyars will the Lord abhorre Returne we now to Paul the third who approued sanctified aduaunced and extolled such monsters in nature Paule 3. hauing Poped 15 yeares in the 1549. yeare dyed In whose time Don Charles the Emperour raigned in Spaine Iulius 3. an Aretinian after great discord had among the Cardinals was chosen who for that by the ancient custome he might giue his hat where his listed gaue it to a youth called Innocent whom he had fauoured being Legate in Bologna so made him Cardinall and receiued him to his ancient office This pleased not the Cardinals And albeit one of them spake freely vnto the Pope saying what saw your holinesse in this young man for which he ought to be placed in so great dignitie The Pope answered what saw yee in me that ye elected me chiefe Bishop So that seeing it is the play of fortune which aduaunceth whom she pleaseth as your aduaunced me without desert of mine we aduaunce this young man and make him Cardinall and so he was This Innocent the Romans called Ganimedes and the Pope they called Iupiter The Fable of Iupiter and his Ganimedes is filthy and therefore will I passe it ouer When the same Iulius was merry he said of his Innocent that he was very laâ—ciuious c. O what a vicar of Iesus Christ ô what a holy father D. Illescas albeit the Popes parasite vttereth these wodes Iulius 3. gaue his hat with the tittle of Cardinall de monte to a youngling of 15 or 16 yeares whom he held with him and mostâ— strangely affected him He shortly made him rich Caesar holpe him with sufficient pensions and all this to gaine the fauour of the chiefe Bishop that the Councell should eftsoones returne and be holden in Trent hitherto Illescas vpon the life of Iulius 3. Iulius was a great blasphemer very filthie in his wordes and much more filthie in his deedes the same blasphemyes he vsed that the desperate souldiers and horsekeepers are accustomed to vse which for that it is so much against the maiestie of that good God that with so great patience suffereth the blasphemy of him who boasteth to be his vicar calleth himself most holy father A sathanicall father I call him I omit to write them Swines flesh peacoks he greatly loued which flesh is euill for the gout therefore his Phisitions forbad them to be set on the table but notwithstanding he would haue them And when vpon a time they failed to set them on the table the Pope missing them demaunded where the porke was become And when the steward answered that the Phisitions had commanded not to set it on the table he cursed with his cursed mouth dispiting God with the same words which ruffians villaines in Italie blaspheme saying that they should bring him the porke Another time as he was eating they brought vnto him a peacocke which was vntouched and the Pope commanded they should reserue it for supper And when he saw not at supper that cold peacoke albeit he had hot peacokes he was terribly enraged blasphemed as he was wont A certaine Cardinal which supped then with him said Let not your Holinesse be so angry for a thing of so small importance whom Iulius answered If God would be so angry for an apple that he cast our first pareÌ„ts out of Paridice why shall it not be lawful for me that am his vicar to be angry for a peacocke seeing a peacocke is a thing of greater importance then an apple If this be not to profane the scripture what shal be So wicked was Iohn of the house of Florence Archbishop of Beneuent Deane of the Chamber Apostolike and this Iulius his Nuncio in Venice that he compiled a booke in prayse of the wicked sinne which booke was printed at Venice in the house of Troyano Nauo Behold if the abhominations of the Ammorits be come to the height Awake Lord remember and iudge thine owne cause behold for thy Churches sake that swine doe destroy her Qual Abad Aizen tal Monazillo such Abbot say they such nouice An abhominable Sodomite was Pope Iulius an abhominable Sodomite was his Nuncie which sat to Iudge the cause of Christians Open thine eyes O Spaine Vpon the money made by Iulius he put this circumscription Gens quae non seruierit tibi peribit The people that will not serue thee shall perish Wherein Iulius 3. appeareth to be another Nabuchadnezzer K. of Babilon of whom these words are spoken Ier. 27. 8. In the 1555. yeare he died In whose time the Emperour Don Charles reigned in Spaine Marcellus 2. a Tuscan changed not his name who being meanely learned in humanitie was made maister of Grammer and afterwards Paul 3. made him tutor of Alexander his grandchild whom he had made Cardinall being a youth of 12 yeares old What a pillar of the Church was this Thus by little and little came Marcellus to be Cardinal afterwards to be Pope He was one of the three Legats whom Paul 3. sent to the CouÌ„cell of Trent This man as he whom the Pope most trusted the Pope commaunded that nothing in the Councell shoud be suffered to be spoken which might any way preiudice the Maiestie of the seat Appostolique that all those which any such thing attempted should be expulsed the Councell and when Iacobus Nachiantes Bishop of Clodia Fossa said that he could not approue the decree which said That traditions ought to be receiued and kept with the same Godly affection and reuerence as the Gospell which was written This Marcellus was the cause that the said Bishop was expulsed the Councell and when Gulihelmus venetus a Dominican Friar said in the CouÌ„cel that the Councel of Constance was aboue the Pope This Marcellus sent for him and most sharply reproued him and when the Friar answered that experience shewed the Councell to haue bene aboue the Pope sith it desposed him Marcellus answered it is not so For that the Pope willingly depriued himselfe said moreouer that this he could proue by a bul of lead and so commanded him to depart the Councell Petrus Paulus vergerius Bishop of lustinople was at this time come to the Councell some held this man suspected in doctrin For that he had bene often the Popes Legate in Almaine The other two Cardinals Legats of the Pope Poole monte the Cardinall of Trent himselfe and Pachecus would haue permitted the fore named Vergerius to haue entred the couÌ„cel this lest in should be said the Councell was not free if they chased away Vergerius a man well knowne in Germany But Marcellus the Popes third Legate neuer stayed vntill hee saw him forth of the Councell Many Bishopes hearing that the purpose was to expulse Vergerius The Councell agreed to write to the Pope that in no wise he should suffer such a thing to be done because many would say the Councell was not free
and answered to the prayers in it was neither the sacrament of the bread nor wine adored But in the Masses of our aduersaries are all things contrarie wherein the people do not but once in the yeare communicate this once that they do communicate they take from them halfe by the middle they take frō them the sacrament of the bloud of Christ which Christ cōmanded that all should drink their Masses they say in a strange tongue which the people vnderstand not and oftentimes he himselfe that saith it neither knoweth nor vnderstādeth that which he saith The people are silēt as though they shuld heare an Enterlude The people adore the bread wine as though it were Christ and not the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ That which Iesus Christ instituted was his holy supper he commanded his Apostles who represented the vniuersal or catholike Church that they shuld afterwards do the same which they had seene him do Do this saith he in remembrance of me And S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians among whō Satan had already bestirred himself bringing some abuses into the Church concerning the supper of the Lord saith For I receiued of the Lord that which also I deliuered vnto you That the Lord the night c. And what agreemēt hath the masse with this which the Apostle saith Nothing at all Let our aduersaries then cease to cōfoūd things togither Let them cease to change their names Let thē not call the supper of the Lord the Masse nor the Masse the supper of the Lord Because it is not so This supper of the Lord a very smal time cōtinued in it being perfection For euen thē whiles the Apostles yet liued arose vp dissentions scismes heresies about the same The which S. Paul willing to reforme reduced the supper to it first institution as the Lord had instituted celebrated it cōmanded that the faithful shuld celebrate the same After these times came others the busines went frō il to worse Men not cōtented with the simplicity wherwith the Lord had celebrated his supper sought to be famous shewing thēselues more wise more prudent and aduised thē Christ himself And so they began to ad diminish in the supper of the Lord. But notwithstāding al this for a 1000. yeares space the substāce of the supper was not touched Albeit as touching outward shew they vsed many ceremonies which Christ Iesus neuer vsed attired themselues with other then cōmon ornaments the which Christ nor his Apostles neuer did The 1000. years passed mē dared to touch the to quick the substance of the holy supper They begā to say that the bread was not bread and that the wine was not wine but that they were cōuerted trāsformed transsubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ And this gainsaying the holy Scripture and the Fathers as well of the Greeke as Latine Church which wee will afterwards very sufficiently proue The matter thus going in the Councell of Vercele Leo the ninth being Pope Transubstantiation was concluded This Pope condemned the doctrine of Berengarius as speaking of the fourth domage we will afterwards declare Berengarius beleeued what the holy scripture had taught him and in the Fathers hee had read to wit that the Sacrament of the Lords supper in two things consisted in matter as they cal it and in forme the matter is that which is seene touched tasted which is the bread and wine The forme is that which is not seene but beleeued the body and bloud of Christ You see here the great herefie of Berengarius which the Pope and the Councell gouerned by the Pope condemned Afterwards speaking against transubstantiation by manifest authorities of the Scripture and by the sayings of ancient Doctors will we proue true bread and true wine visible and tangible to be in the Sacrament and the true body and bloud of Christ to be iuuisible and beleeued by faith And albeit the Pope commanded that Transubstantiation should be beleeued and the Councell decreed it yet were there in those times manie learned and godly men who giuing credit to that which the holy Scripture and ancient Doctors said nought esteemed that which the Pope and his Councell commanded And yet as constantly passed they further they wrote against such doctrine as impugning the word of God and the Fathers Afterwards in the yeare of our Lord 1200. Pope Innocent 3. confirmed this decree and Vrban 4. in honor of this sacrament at the request of a recluse with whom in times past he had bin ouermuch familiar inuented the solemne feast which they call Corpus Christs Read the life which we haue written of this Vrban 4. And the diuel not contented to haue so euilly intreated the most holy Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ nor to haue giuen it so mortal a wound passed yet further He cut off the sacrament half in halfe he took away say I the sacramentall wine which represented sealed and ioyntly gaue receiuing it by faith the bloud of Christ And so was it decreed in the Councell of Constance where were three Popes deposed that the Sacrament not sub vtraque specie in both kinds but in one only should be giuen True it is they yeeld their excuses why they departe from the institution of Christ that which in the Church was vsed but their excuses be very friuolous to be laughed at As more hereafter we shall see intreating of the sixt domage which the masse causeth And a faire thing it is that they condemne those for heretiques which in both kinds receiue the Sacrament according to the Institution of Christ himselfe If they seeke antiquitie This manner of communicating sub vtraque specie vnder both kinds continued in the Church for the space almost 400. yeares Their communion in one kinde is newe and hath not bene but 180 yeares for so long is it since was held the Councell of Constance One thing had I forgotten that it is many yeares sithence they began to say their Masse without cōmunicating of the People for the priest alone eateth and drincketh it vp all without giuing any parte thereof to any How can this be said to be the supper of the Lord a communion a common banquet set forth and prepared for all the faithfull These maner of Masses call they priuie Masses and with fauor speaking very priuie True it is that many Canons and decrees haue bene made against these priuie Masses but behold how they are kept The priuies haue so evilly smelled that each one thought good to stoppe their noses and passe by them Priuate be these Masses called not for that they be priuately or secretly said which publiquely are in the Churches and hearing of all men that will But so they are called Because not the people but the Priest alone doth communicate And yet haue they gone further The Pope giueth license to say these priuie Masses in the corners of
Sadduces shamelesly denied the resurrection and allowed neither Angel nor spirit As by the disputation which they held with Christ about the woman that had seauen husbands appeareth Matth. 22. 22. and in the Acts 23. 8. The Essees apart had their opinions It was a people solitarie like the Charterhouse Monkes They had no wiues drunk no wine nor did they eat any flesh a people they were very austere and euery day fasted Whiles the Church was deuided into these sects when all was confused came the sonne of God into the world With such he conuersed And of such for preaching the truth vnto thē he was crucified When the light of the Gospel was come which Christ and his Apostles preached who allowed it not but rather killed and crucified those that preached the same The same people of God the Church of God chiefly the Scribes Pharisies priests and high priests These came togither held a Councell wherein they concluded that Christ should die and all those that should preach the same Doctrine They tooke him because they wanted authoritie to put any to death with false witnes they accused him before Pilate Deputy to the Emperour Tiberius and thisin the holy Ierusalem And so was he condemned for an euil doer for such a one was crucified O what a Church O what a Councell if the cheife Preist may erre and erred in dede The Lord by diuine power eftsoones raysed vpp who suborned his keepers to say that his disciples had stollen him away Who assembled a Councell to persecute the Apostles and commaunded them that they should not preach who caused S. Iames to be put to death Who made S. Peter to be taken to cause him to die had not the Angel of the Lord deliuered him The visible Church of God the scribes and Pharisies and high Priests Not without cause faid the Lord speaking of Ierusalem Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the prophets and stonest those that be sent vnto thee Afterwards the very same hath hitherto happened leauing former times spake we of these wherein we liue Who hath for the space of 70 or 80. yeares hitherto shed so much bloud of Martyres they that call themselues the Church of Iesus Christ chiefly the peeuish Friars Bishops chiefe Bishops and the same shal they doe vntill the end of the word And so Christ speaking of his second comming when he shall come to the vniuersall Iudgement saith Luke 18. 8. The son of man when he commeth shall he find faith vpon the earth As if he should say no. And in the XXIIII chapter of Saint Matthewe he maketh a discourse hereof verse 12. And because saith he iniquitie shal be increased the loue of many shal be cold And verse 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect And thinke we not these false Christs and false Prophets shal bee Turkes and Iewes Christians they shal be and for such shall they be holden Bishops and chiefe Bishops shal be the principally as at this day they be I haue sufficiently proued me thinketh by many examples and passages of the old and new Testament that the Church of God may erre and hath erred indeede which to our aduersaries seemeth vnpossible Now will we resolue a doubt and this it is If the Church bee such and subiect to fall into Errours superstitions heresies and idolatries as before we haue proued How shall that be vnderstood which the scripture saith That the Church is the body of Iesus Christ That the Church is the spouse of Christ That the Church is the pillar of truth founded vppon the sure foundation That the Churche is without spot or wrincle and wholy faire That the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her and other like commendations and prayses thereof the word of God witnesseth To this may we answere that both the one and the other may very well stand For God neuer suffered all his Church to fall togither into Error But rather hath alwayes reserued some good and some times also seauen thousand As said he speaking of Elias albeit in corners which neuer bowed the knees to Baal Such as these the common error dispatched wherewith all the Church was generally deceaued Against this Error such others of these spake preached and wrote and most times it cost them their liues and had each one of them had a thousand liues a thousand liues would each one of them haue lost for the same cause That Church wherein Catholiquely and vniuersally raigned that Errour or heresie shee and her Bishoppes did persecute condemned and kill them As by examples wee haue confirmed the same So that when the scripture saith All Israel all Iuda all the inhabitants of Ierusalem turned away from God committed Idolatrie c. Of such a manner ingenerall must wee vnderstand which hath it Exceptions for in the middest of these Errours and idolatries so Catholique fo vniuersall had alwayes God some particular men whom he reserued cleane and pure from that common errour So reserued God Moses and Iosua and some other particular persons also which worshipped not the calfe when all Israel ingenerall and Aaron the high Priest him selfe worshipped it The same will wee say of the time of the Iudges that God neuer forsoke his Church The same wee say also of the times of the kings of Israel and of Iuda When all committed Idolatrie God raysed vp an Esaias a Micheas a Ieremias an Ezechiel a Daniel c. Who reproued vices and false Doctrine and declared the truth But which of these did not the Church and her high priests persecute and kill So also reserued the Lord vnro himselfe at his first comming into the worlde A Simeon an Anna widdowe a Ioseph and his spouse the virgin Marie mother of our sauiour An holie Elizabeth and her sonne Saint Iohn Baptist which were Godly very well thought of the true religion and agreed neither with the Pharisies nor Sadduces nor Essees And so the Lord in so vnhappy times preserued his Church And so likewise vntill now hath he preserued the same And now also in these lest miserable times wherein neither faith Luk. 18 8. nor loue is found Matth. 24. 12. God reserueth some which oppose themselues to the tyranny of the Antichrist of Rome and to the common errour and Idolatrie of all the Romane Church ingenerall And so God hath not permitted that his Church hath wholly bene deceiued nor according to his promise I am with you vnto the end of the world Wil he euer permit the same Euer thē hath God reserued fome that haue not bene deceiued with the cōmon errour many from time to time be enlightened As by experience we haue seene it God of his infinit mercy increase them that the number of his chosen may be fulfilled so sinne may cease and only Christ
keepe my statutes and do them The same teacheth Iesus Christ Mat. 15. 9 saying In vane do yee honor me teaching for doctrine the commandements of men The new doctrine of men doth teach that in the worship of God the traditions ceremonies and constitutions of the Roman Church ought to be obserued and that the Cannon law doth equall the constitutions of the Popes in value with the Gospell and that it is necessarie to keepe them for as saith Pope Leo 4. The Gospel cannot well be obserued if a man obey not iointly therewith all the decrees and constitutions of the Fathers Dist 15. cap. Sicut Dist 19. cap In canonicis Dist 20. cap. De libellis The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that the worship of images is a thing abominable Deut. 27. 15. Leuit. 26. 1. and expresly forbidden in the second commandement of the law of God Exod. 20. 4. and Deut. 5. 8. 9. also that the holy Spirit calleth images Teachers of lies and vanitie Ierem. 10. 8. Habac. 2. 18. And therefore in no wise to be allowed in the Temples of Christians in which Iesus Christ hath bene painted out before the eyes of the faithfull by the preaching of the Gospell Gal. 4. 1. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of images is well pleasing to God and verie necessarie and profitable for the Church And that images are the Bookes of the Laytie Hee therefore that teacheth the contrary is cursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Christians ought to imitate the faith godlinesse and good doctrine of the Saints as they imitated Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. Heb. 6. 12 cap. 13. 7. But that in no wise they ought to inuocate them nor put their confidence in them 1 Because inuocation is an honor due to God alone which he declareth by his Prophet Esay 48. 11. Mine honour will I not giue to another 2 Because the Saints being in this world will not receiue this honor neither the Angels As Act. ch 10. 26. chap 14. 14. Reuâ—â—â—s 19. 10. chap. 22 9. appeareth 3 Because they be ignorant and do not know vs as Esay 63. 16. doth very clearely teach saying Abraham hath forgotten vs and Israel doth not know vs Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer So that as the Israelites in the old Testament were idâ—laters and transgressours of the Law of God when they sacrificed to another then God alone So be all they at this day that inuocate Saints or Angels wherein they do contrarie to the doctrine of Christ Maâ— 6. 9. chap. 11. 28. Ioh. chap. 16. 24. And contrary to the example of all the Saints Psal 22. 6. Neâ—â—e 9. 27. Gen. 32. 9. Exod. 2. 25. cap. 17. 12. Iosua 10. 13. Psal 107. and 11. 8. 5. c. Act. 4. and 24. and cap. 16. 25. c. The new doctrine of men teacheth that Christians ought to inuocate the Saints and to be ayded by their intercession to God because they be his familiars Also that it is a false and wicked opinion to beleeue that the Saints pray not for men and that the inuocation of Saints is idolatrie contrary to the word of God and that he which so teacheth and beleeueth is accursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that Iesus Christ our Lord being true God and true man â—s the onely and perfect sauiour of the world who saith by his Prophet Esay chap. 63. 3. I haue troden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with me And of whom saith the Angell Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes And the Apostle Saint Iohn doth witnesse 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The new doctrine of men teacheth that Iesus Christ is not a perfect Sauiour for Christ saith it died onely for originall sinne And that by his death he satisfied for the fault but that God being iust will that man satisfie hâ—s iustice for the punishment Also that the purgation of sinnes is made by good works satisfactions Masses indulgences and Purgatorie Lib. 4. Sent. distinct 17. and 18. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediator between God and man and our Aduocate and Intercessor to the Father and that no other can be found nor ought to bee sought for 1. Because there is no saluation in any other but in him alone Act. 4. 12. 2. Because 〈…〉 other but Christ only can be sufficient for this office which hath all power in heauen and in earth and remaineth euer with his to the end of the world Math. 28. 18. 20. â— Because Christ hath loued vs and more loueth vs then anie other seeing he gaue himselfe for vs and hath made the purgation of our sinnes with his bloud in his owne person Heb. chap. 13. And so gratiously inuited vnto him all that trauell and are heauie laden Matth. 11. and 28. So that men haue no cause to doubt of his sufficiencie power and good will but that in all their afflictions they ought to flie vnto him alone who witnesseth of himselfe Iohn chap. 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me The new doctrine of men doth teach that Iesus Christ is not the onely Mediator but also the Saints which reigne with him in heauen and that Saint Mary also the mother of God is the Mediatrix and Aduocatrix of mankind lib. 4. Sâ—nt Distinct 45. in Mâ—ssale Paris in prosâ— Mâ—ssae de Anuntiat The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our Redeemer Iesus Christ by the perfect sacrifice of himselfe once offered vpon the crosse for the putting away of sinne hath reconciled all the faithfull with God his Father and hath found eternall redemption so that there remayneth now no more sacrifice for sin Heb. 9. 12. 26. and cap. 10. 12. 18. The new doctrine of men doth teach that the Masse is a sacrifice for the remission of sins of the quicke and the dead Concil Trid. Sess 6. Can. â— The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that we are iustified by faith in Iesus Christ without the works of the law Rom. 3. 24. 28. Gal â— 16. as witnesseth the holy Ghost of Abraham the Father of all beleeuers Abraham saith he beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. And the Apostle S. Paul expresly addeth that this was not written only for him but also for vs to whom faith shall also be imputed for righteousnes Rom. 4. 23. 24. The new doctrine of men doth teach that not faith only but works also do iustifie Concil Trid. Ses 6. can 11. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that faith is not doubtfull but assured of saluation which it hath by the bloud of Christ and
the Councel of Constance with the death of Iohn Hus confirmed contrary to the publike faith false conduct The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that euery soule ought to be subiect to the higher powers which are the magistrates Ro. 13 1. Pet. â— â—3 The new Doctrine of men teacheth that ecclesiasticall persons are not subject to the secular power or politique magistrate but that all ought to be subiect to the Pope who compareth himselfe to the Sun and the Emperour to the Moone And therefore Emperours kings in token of subiection and obedience doe kisse his feete lib. Decret Gregor Tit. 33. The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God attributing to himselfe that which is proper to God â— Thess 24. And that the place of his sitting is the great City which hath 7 mountaines and raigned ouer the kings of the earth Apoc. 17. 9. 18. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that Antichrist is to come of the race of the Iewes of the tribe of Dan. And that the place of his kingdome or seat shal be in Ierusalemâ— Bellar de Roman Pontific lib. 3. cap 12. and 13. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that for those that depart out of this world there remaine but two wayes for the faithfull which passe froÌ„ death to life heauen Iohn 5. 24. And hell for the wicked and 〈◊〉 As Saint Iohn Baptist very expressly doth teach vs. Iohn 3. 36. He that beleeueth saith â—e in the Son hath euâ—â—lasting life But he that beleeueth not in the Son shal not see life But the wratth of God abideth vpon him And as is confirmed in Lazarus who was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And in the ritchman that was tormented in â—ell Luke 16â— 22 23. The new doctrine of men teacheth that there are many places for the soules after death To wit heauen hell the Lymbeâ— of the fathers and 〈◊〉 infants dying without Baptisme purgatorie and another place more honorable ioyning to purgatorie Bellar 〈…〉 By these Antitheses the Christian Reader shall easily vnderstand and iudge what doctrine he ought to beleeue follow to be saued To wit the ancient doctrine of God which cannot erre not lie which is the true mark of the Christian Catholique and Apostolique Church As contrariwise the new doctrine inuented by men is the true mark of the Antichristian Apostaticall Church which the godly ought to fly detest abhor as damnable a deceiuer Albeit she glory triumph with high titles and outward appearaunce But the almighty God beholdeth not the outward appearaunce but his eyes behold the truth in the inward part which he loueth Ier. 5. 3. Psal 51. 8. 1. Sam. 16. 7. Esaie 11. 3. Let princes and Magistrates be aduised what doctrine by their authorities they maintaine Least by inconsiderate zeale they persecute Christ in his members As in time past did Saule which afterwards was called Paule Acts 9. Let doctours teachers of the people also beware what doctrine they publish in the world that they be not of the number of deceiuers and euill laborers in the Lordes vineyard which vainely boasting of antiquity holinesse Multitude and power accuse the ancient doctrine of God of nouelty and shroude the new doctrine of men with the title and cloake of antiquity shewing themselues not the followers of Christ nor his Apostles But of the priests prelates ancients of Ierusalem which alwayes gloried of the fathers of the law the succession of Aaron of the Temple of it ornaments and priuiledges And notwithstanding did resist and persecute Christ and his Apostles accusing and condemning the doctrine of the Gospell for new and straunge As the Euangelists doe very clerely and largly witnesse And as S. Paul in the first Epistle Thess chap. 2. verse 18. 16. also declareth Woe vnto them that speake euill of good and good of euill which put darknes for light and light for darknesse Esaie 5. 20. Take heede that no man deceiue you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue many Mat. 24. 4. 5. An end of the booke to God be the glorie THe good Bishops of Rome continued almost 300. yeares The first of whom was Linus and the last Siluester pag. 23. The Archbishops of Rome continued 200 yeares To wit from the 320 yeare vnto the yeare 520. page 26. The Patriarkes of Rome continued from the 520. yeare vnto the 605 yeare page 26. The Popes began in the 605. yeare the first was Boniface 3. page 34. Whose tiranny to this day continueth As is seene by all the progresse of the former Treatise The names of the Popes follow after the order of their Alphabet Of whom mention is made in the former Treatise Adrian 1. pag. 40. Adrain 3. 50 Adrian 4. 73 Adrian 5. 90 Adrian 6. â—50 Agatho 37 Alexander 2. 64 Alexander 3. 75 Alexander 4. 87 Alexander 5. 112 Alexander 6. 113 Anastatius 2. 30 Anastatius 3. 52 Anastatiu 4. 73 B Benedict 2. 37 Benedict 3. 49 Benedict ◠〈◊〉 Benedict 6. or 5. 55 Benedict 7. or 8. 59 Benedict 9. or 8. 60 Benedict 10. or 9. 61 Benedict 11. or 9. â—3 Benedict 12. or 10. 102 Benedict 13. or 11. 111 Boniface 1. 30 Boniface 2. 31 Boniface 3. 34 Boniface 4. 35 Boniface 5. 36 Boniface 6. 50 Boniface 7. 55 Boniface 8. 92 Boniface 9. 110 Calistus 2. 71 Calistus 3. 123 Celestine 3. 79 Celestine 4. 85 Celestine 5. 92 Clement 2. 61 Clement 3. 68 Clement 4. 89 Clement 5. 96 Clement 6. 102 Clement 7 107 Clement 8. 111 Clement 9. or â— 150 Constantine 1. 37 Constantine â— 39 Comelius 26 Cunon 37 Damasus 1. 28 Damasus 2. 62 Deus dedit or Theodatus 35 Donus 55 Eugenius 2. 42 Eugenius 4. 120 Felix 2. Felix ◠〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 50 Gelasius 1. 30 Gelasius 2 70 Gregory 1. 32 Gregory 2. 37 Gregory 3. 37 Gregory 4. 42 Gregory 5. 56 Gregory 6. 60 Gregory 7. 65 Gregory 8. 71 Gregory 9. 83 Gregory 10. 89 Gregory 11. 105 Gregory 12. 112 Gregory 13. 196 Gregory 14. 200 Honorius 1. 64 Honorius 2. 71 Honorius 3. 82 Honorius 4. 92 Hormisda 30 Innocent 1. 30 Innocent 2. 72 Innocent 3. 80 Innocent 4. 86 Innocent 5. 90 Innocent 6. 104 Innocent 7 111 Iooncent 8. 130 Innocent 9. 200 Iohn 1. 30 Iohn 3. 32 Iohn 5. 37 Iohn 8. 43 Iohn 9. or 8 50 Iohn 11. or 10. 52 Iohn 12 or 11. 53 Iohn 13. or 12. 53 Iohn 14. or 13. 55 Iohn 16. or 15. 55 Iohn 17. or 16. 56 Iohn 18. or 17. 56 Iohn 19. or 17. or 18. 58 Iohn 20. or 18. or 19. 58 Iohn 21. or 14. or 20. 60 Iohn 22. or 20. or 21. 90 Iohn 23. or 21. or 22. 89 Iohn 24. 22. or 23. 114 Iulius 2. 143 Iulius 3. 163 Lando 52 Leo 2. 37 Leo 3. 41 Leo 4. 42 Leo 5. 51 Leo 8. 54 Leo 9. 62 Leo 10.
which another vndid one commanded that another forbad In his time the Armenians became Christians and Athanagilda now raigned in Spaine After Iohn 3 succeeded Benedict and Pelagius 2. Pelagius 2. a Romane the citie being inuironed contray to the wonted custome and without the Emperours commaund was made cheife Bishop For which cause he sent Gregorie who after him was Bishop to Constantinople to satisfie and appease the wrath of the Emperour In the 590. yeere died Pelagius and then Leonogildo reigned in Spaine Gregorie 1. a Romane was of best life and more learned then any of the Patriarkes his predecessors yet very ceremonious as by so many suprestitions by him brought into the Church appeareth He was the first that granted Indulgences to such as at certaine times wold come to the church Pardons he granted but sold them not as his successors for money He brought backe from Hell saith Damascen the Soule of the vnfaithfull Emprour Traian O horrible lie Pero Mexia vpon the life of Traian saith that which is said of the soule of Traian to be a fabulons Iest Illescas vpon the life of Gregorie 1. holdes it for a very trueth and condemneth Pero Mexia In the following treatise of the Masse wil we speake of this matter This good did Gregorie that both by wordes and deedes he was mortall enemy to the Primacie and so wrote against the name of vniuersall bishop as we will afterwardes declare against which he called himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants which title haue his successours but hypocritically holden seeing that calling themselues seruanth they haue made themselues lordes of the worlde and kinges Emperours and Monarkes kisse their feete and if the Pope will doe them that grace and fauour they holde themselues happie Gregorie much complained that in the worlde were so many Priestes and so few prachers of the Gospel Of this S. Gregory Huldricke Bishop of Augusta in an Epistle sent to Pope Nicholas 1. reciteth a notable historie the summe whereof is this That Saint Gregorie commaunded priestes should not marry but afterwardes vnderstanding they secretle committed great filthinesse and for that cause much murder ensued by commaunde he disanulled his decree affirming it better to marry then to giue occasion of murther Wherfore sending vpon a time to fish they found in a fishe poole or pond 6000. heads of young children that had there bene drowned Which Gregorie seeing to proceede of constrained single life sorowing and sighing from his hart he then reuoked his decree For that not only as saith the same Huldricke they had not abstayned from maydes and married women but defiled themselues also with their kinred with males and brute beastes Such are the fruites of Popish chastitie and their Angelicall life These thinges considered by Pope Pius 2. with great reason said he he forbad Priestes marriage but with much more reason he ought to restore it them againe And in another place It shall not happilie be worst that the greater parte of priestes doe marry for many are saued in their marry priesthood which in their barren priesthood are cōdemned The same Pius 2. as witnesseth Celius 2. supressed certain Monasteries of Nuns of Saint Bridgit and S. Clares order commaunding them thence to depart and no longer to burne in lust lest they shrowded a whore vnder a religions habite In the 604. yeares dyed Saint Gregorie at this time Leonigildo the Arrian that martyred Herminigildo his sonne raigned in Spaine Sabinianus successour of Gregorie 1. was the last Patriarke of Rome a man very simple and so much hated Gregorie his predecessour that he caused his bookes to be burned Onely will I here set downe a fable of the death of this Sabinian reported by Bergomenso for a very truth Saint Gregorie saith he being dead three times appeared to Sabinianus and sharply reproued him for seeking to defame him but his speach could nothing a mend Sabinianus which seeing S. Gregorie he gaue such a blowe vpon the head of Sabinianus that he made him die miserably Mon. eccl part 3. lib. 17. cap. 10. ¶ 1. hereof is made mention If this be true then one Pope killed another In the 605. yeare dyed Sabinianus This Sabinianus saith Illescas was the first that set an order in prayer deuiding the Office into the 7. Canonicall houres the same said he of of Pelagius 1. At this time reigned in Spaine Recaredo king the Gothes who destroyed the Aryan heresie which most parte of the Gothes maintained The third and last order conteyneth those Bishops which we properly call Popes and be very Antichristes As Boniface 3. began this order vntill Clement 8. who now tyranizeth hath continewed and in the last Pope shall take end Whom Christ will destroy with the spirit of his mouth as he destroyed his prodecessours And so shall the end come The Bishops of the first order were the Angels of God holy in life and Doctrine These of the second were men subiect to falling but these truly of the 3. are diuels incarnate Not by any figure Hiperbole or exaggeratiō but plainely doe I speake this I know it to be so as by their liues we will afterwardes proue Boniface 3. and first in this Catalogue was a most ambitious deuill And being Patriarke of Rome was made Pope by meanes of Phocas the Emperour who was an adulterer murtherer and tyrant A murtherer I call him for that to make himselfe Emperor as he did he murthered Mauricius his Lord and Christian Emperour This Boniface 3. by many requestes and giftes which breake the very rockes much more Phocas obteyned of Phocas that the Roman seate should be called the head of all Churches Three miserable thinges at this time happened the most noble Empire began to fall the Popedome to arise and Mahometisme to spring vp Of the ruines of the empire these two beastes arose which so much haue harmed the Church of Christ And by how much the more the Empier decayed by so much the more these two beasts increased It is now almost 1000. yeares since that by superstition and false Doctrine the light of the Gospell began to be darkened This miserable first Pope before a yeare of his Popedome was fully ended went to visite the Diuell the Father of ambition and with him there remayneth And albeit this first Pope was so ambitious and in his Ambition obstinately dyed Yet Panuinus calles him Saint Boniface notwithstanding At this time in Spaine the most Catholique Recaredo 1. reigned Boniface 4. succeeded Boniface 3. who as saith Platina obteyned of Phocas the Emperour the Temple which they called Pantheon to wit of all the Gods because it was dedicated to Sibylla and all the others Gods This Temple did Boniface dedicate vnto the blessed virgin and all the Martyrs which now is called S. Maries the round And thus far Platina Don Alonso of Carthagena Bishop of Burgos vpon
Ambassadors which the Emperor sent for his excuse he would not heare He incited manie Princes against him which thing the Emperor seeing to auoyd the furie of the Pope he went to Palestina to make warre with the Souldan as the pope commanded But when the Emperor was passed the sea then the Pope made himselfe Maister of Pulla and would not consent that the crossed souldiers which were to go and serue the Emperour should passe the sea The Emperor went thither where so valiantly he behaued himselfe that he wan Ierusalem and other cities and made truce with the Souldan for ten yeares All which by his Embassadors he signified to the Pope supposing that the Pope would haue reioyced But so farre off was the Pope from reioycing at the newes that he commanded those which brought them to be slaine lest they should tell them to others and bruted it abroad that the Emperour was dead This did the Pope that those certaine citties of Pulla which were not yet rendered hearing of the Emperours death might yeeld themselues vnto him Herein the Pope shewed himselfe a murtherer and lyer the verie sonne of the diuell And that the Emperour might not returne the Pope by letteres requested the Soldan not to deliuer the holie land vnto him But the Emperour set all things in good order returned into Italie and recouered againe that which the Pope had vsurped in Pulla The Pope seeing this did excommunicate him againe obiecting against him that hee had made truce with the Souldan yet in the end by the mediatiation of the Princes the Pope absolued the Emperour prouided that he payd for his absolution an hundred thousand ounces of gold or as saith Hist Pontific vpon the life of this Gregory the ninth a hundred twenty fiue thousand ounces But Nauclerus Friar Iohn de Pineda Rerum Germanicarum Epitome and Carion lib. 5. say 120000. ounces of gold How deerely the Pope selleth his vile merchandise here appeareth There is no Mercer chapman nor Pedler which sell so deere their wares as the Pope selleth his inke paper waxe and leade When the Emperour was departed out of Italy hee vnderstood that the Pope and his confederates sought to depriue him of the Empire whereupon he returned into Italy and chastised the rebelles The Pope hearing thereof did eftsoones excommunicate the Emperour as then in Pauia who now vnable any longer to endure the couetousnesse sausinesse and tyranny of the Pope resolued to make them knowne to all faithfull Christians that they might fly from the error false religion of the Popes For this cause he commaunded a man well exercised in the Scripture to preach in his presence wherein he should intreate of Excommunication and the Roman Church And so it was The Sermon being ended the errours of the Romane Church were so discouered and the craft and subtiltie of the Popes so manifested that the Emperour wrote to the Pope these verses Roma diu titubans longis erroribus acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput To wit Rome that long time hath stumbled shall fall and cease to be the head of the world The which we see dayly more and more to be verified How many kingdomes haue cast off the Romane tyranny This Pope commaunded that at the Aue Maria the Salue Regina that so blasphemous Antheme against Christ which this Pope first cōmanded to be sung in the Churches and also at the eleuation of his pasted God the bel should be tolled To Saint Fraunces was this Pope very much deuoted and so commaunded that the faithfull should beleeue Saint Fraunces to haue had the fiue woundes Frier Iohn de Pineda as a Frier Franciscan libr. 22. cap. 23. ¶ 3. handleth this matter at large And in the 39. cap. ¶ 3 he intreateth of the Saints which he saith had the woundes as had Saint Fraunces which historie among the swarme of false miracles you shall find in the end of this booke This Pope as noteth Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 21. cap. 33. ¶ 3. compiled and ordained the Decretals The lawes of the Popes whereby the Cannonists be gouerned some are called Decretals which be as Pineda in the place alleaged doth note it determinatiue Epistles of some doubtful causes which the Pope alone or with the opinion of the Cardinals and consultation of some maketh A Decree is called that which the Pope establisheth by aduise of the Cardinals without request of any A Cannon is that which in an vniuersall Councell is established And this is a distinction of the Glose Cann Omnis Dist 3. vpon a Decree He addeth that the statute in matter of faith is called Dogma and that which consisteth in matters of vices or vertues Mandatum And if it be prohibitiue an Interdiction it is called without punishment assigned and Sancion is the member of the lawe that appointeth the punishment to transgressors c. And somewhat lower Other constitutions which other popes haue sithens inuented remaine in another volume which wee call Liber Sextus compiled and authorised by Pop Boniface the eight and in the Councell of Lyons in France by him published And Clement the fift made afterwards many others which are called Clementines c. Other Extrauagants many Popes made c. Extrauagants be they called because they are not put in the titles of the Law as other ordinarie ones be but each one apart by it selfe euery one intreating of it distinct matter euen as Quodlibets are so called because they be put amongst diuine questions handled apart by themselues euery one according to it matter I thought good seeing in this booke is handled the authoritie of the Pope to set downe here the names of the lawes wherewith the Pope gouerneth his Church Iesus Christ the only vniuersall head of his vniuersall Church with the word of God conteined in the old and new Testament which we call the Byble and our aduersaries so much abhor and detest as the pestilence and doctrine of diuels gouerneth his Church and therefore vnder such rigorous paine forbid they the reading thereof calling it a booke of heresies Arise ô Lord sleepe not disperse thine enemies and driue those away that abhorre thy holie lawe which thy Maiestie hath published by the mouth and writing of thine holy Prophetes and Apostles In the 1241. yeare this Gregorie 9. died Don Fernando 3. reigned in Castile Celestinus the fourth a Milanist assayed what he might to secute the good Emperour Fredericke but for that hee was Pope but eighteene dayes and as is sayd poysoned hee could not performe it In the election of this Celestine the fourth saith the historie an English Cardinall called Robert Somerton lest he should haue succeeded Gregorie the ninth was poisoned Celestine being dead because the Emperour tooke the Cardinals the popedome was voyd almost 21 moneths but in the end at the request of Baldwin Emperour of Constantinople and others
that he was poysoned with yoyson which Alexander caused to be giuen him This is he that to mainetaine his tyranny called the great Turke aforenamed against the king of France wherein he gaue example to Frauncis of Fraunce to call afterwardes the Turke against our king Don Charles the Emperour This is he which commaunded both the handes and tongue of Antonius Mancinellus a most learned man to be cut off for an elegāt oratiō which he made against his abhominable customes most filthie life and not heard of villanies But God who is iust gaue him his hire And thus it was that being at a banket which he made to certaine Cardinals and Senatos of Rome of purpose to poyson them with the selfe same poyson that he poysoned Geme the Turkes brother withall the seruitors ill aduised mistaking one flaggon for another vnwillingly gaue drinke to the Pope of that flaggon wherein was the poyson and so after he had 11 yeares Poped he and some of the seruants and Cardinals in the 1503. yeare died In the time of this Pope and the 1499. yeare Ieronymus Sauanarola a Dominican that excellent preacher a man admirable in life and doctrin with other his companions was burned in Florence He maintained the communion in both kindes condemned Indulgences sharply reproued the wicked life and great carlesenesse of the Pope Cardinals and moreouer of all the Clergie in their office denyed the Popes supremacie taught that the keyes were not giuen to Peter onely but to the whole Church He said that the Pope followed neither the life nor doctrin of Christ seeing he attributed more to his indulgence trifling traditions then to the merit of Christ He affirmed that the Popes excommunications were not to be feared foretold some things which were to happen namely the destruction of Florencr Rome the restoring of the Church which in our time haue come to passe For this cause the Count Franciscus Picus Mirandula called him an holy Prophet and defended him by writing against the Pope Marcillius in a certaine Epistle and Philippus Comineus in his French Historie say that he had a propheticall spirit and many other learned men defended his Innocencie D. Illescas in the life of Alexander 6. speaking of Sauanarola saith these wordes Many opinions there were and yet wantes there not some which iudge of the iustification of this fact This onely resteth to referre the same to the Iudgement of God who knoweth the secret of all things I heard the most learned father and maister Friar Mancius of the order of Saint Dominicke say that he heard it affirmed of a faithfull witnesse and familiar of Bishop Remolinus which afterwardes was Cardinall that it repented the Bishop all his life time to haue pronounced this sentence And that for satisfaction thereof before God he fasted three daies in the weeke And verily who so readeth some spirituall things which he left vs in writing would not deeme them to proceede from an hypocriticall but a true religious man Hitherto Illescas In the time of this Alexander Don Fernando and Dona Isabella reigned in Spaine In whose time about the yeare of the Lord 1492. somwhat more or lesse sixe notable things hapned in Spaine The 1. the Pope was a Spaniar dthe 2. Grananda was won The 3. the discouerie of the Indies The 4. The inquisitiō of Spaine The 5. the holy brotherhood And the 6. the disease called Bubo Abhominable as we haue seene was the Spanish Pope Alexander neuer good but great mischiefe did he to Spaine or any land of the world The taking of Granada wrought great good vnto Spaine in freeing it from continuall wars slaughters betweene the Christians the Moores and in banishing out of all Spaine the false sect of Mahomet The discouerie of the Indies that being well considered hath done more hurt then good to the soules of the Spaniards that went thither Casaos the bishop who was an eie witnes a natural Spaniards wrote a booke of the cruelties of the Spaniards towards the poore Indians would God those which went thither had had more zeale to teach augment the holy catholike faith conteyned in holy scripture then to enrich thē selues and for the enriching of themselues to murther and on all sides robbe as they say that simple people which had reasonable soules aswell as we and for whom Christ also dyed The Indians as Augustine de çarate complayning reporteth in his Historie of Peru said that the Spaniardes tooke from them their Idols and gaue them the Idols or Images of Spaine crosses the Virgin Marie c. to worship They said that the Spaniardes had taken from them their many wiues telling them that the lawe of Iesus Christ permitted but one onely wife and tooke them for themselues Had they taught them to worship God in spirit and truth as he saith that he will be worshiped no mention at all had beene made of Idols or Images seeing that God in the second commaundement of his holy law forbideth them And chiefly the Indians being so addicted to Idolatrie If the law of Christ permit but one only wife according to the first institution of mariage wherefore kept our Spaniardes many whores and concubines What manner of Doctrine was this If the blind leade the blind both fall into the ditch The which to our Spaniards and their Indians hath hapned God send them better teachers Of good zeale and intention was the Inquisition ordeyned and after some it was ordeyned before the warres of Granada by the same Don Fernando whiles Sistus Poped But be it as it was In the time of Alexander the fixt and after the wiuing of Granada was it trulie executed Then commanded king Don Fernando that all the Iewes should be Baptised which would liue in Spaine or otherwise depart and so as saith Sabellicus departed a hundred and twentie thousand The Inquisition then was instituted to teach the Christian religion to Iewes and Moores which were turned Christians and yet secretly returned to their olde customes But hauing now almost ceased with the Iewes and Moores from day to day hath it done more and more tiranny against the faithfull Catholique and true Christians who detesting Popish Idolatrie and vaine supersticions confesse that only God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost is in spirit and trueth to be worshipped Their manner or teaching them whome they suppose to erre is iniuries disgraces tortures whippinges and euill life Sanbenitos galleies perpetuall imprisonmentes and in the end Fier wherewith they burne those whom God by his mercie maketh constant in the confession of his sonne Christ Iesus Who so listeth to see the craftes deceites stratagemes and cruelties which the Lord Inquisitors or to speake better Inquinators of the faith vse with the poore sheepe of Iesus Christ appointed to the slaughter or furnace let him reade the booke intituled Inquisitio Hispanica translated into
seeing that the Bishops were expulsed the same Ierâ—nimus Vida Bishop of Cremona had in the name of the other Bishops indited the letter to the Pope Which knowne to Marcellus with most vehement words he warned Vida in no wise to send the letter to the Pope For that it should be a thing euill in example that the Bishops assembled in the Councell should write such letters to the high Bishop as though they would seeme to prescribe him a law which would be so great a mischiefe that they should be holden for suspected Vida vanquished with this saying so tempered with the other Bishops that the letter was not sent When Vergerius was to departe the Councell he went to speake with Marcellus and among other thinges that he sayd vnto him he demaunded for what cause he did cast him from the Councell and what Articles he could obiect why he would exclude him from the company of the other Bishops To this answered Marcellus because I haue heard thou hast sayd the Legends of Saint George and Saint Christopher were not true Vergerius answered so it is I sayd so and so I say still For I relie vpon the authoritie of Pope Paul 3. who hauing commanded that both the one and the other Legends should be spunged out of the Roman Breuiarie In the preface of the said Breuiarie he had commaunded saith he the Legends which were not true to be taken away Marcellus thus caught answered that they ought not to be holden for good men that seeme in the least thing to consent with the Lutheranes and so said he vnto him depart then from our Councell This haue I said that it may appeare what hope is to be had of the Councelles where the Pope and his Legates gouerne If there be any that will speake with good zeale of Gods glorie his mouth they will stoppe and if he will not yet be silent cast him out of the Councell Behold how free is that Councell where each one is not suffered to speake that is meet Such a one was Marcellus before he was Pope and such and worse being Pope would he haue bene had not God taken him from the world when he had Poped but twenty three dayes and some say that hee dyed of Poyson Paul 4. a Neapolitane before called Iohannes Petrus Carafa Cardinall Chietino or Theatino in the 1555. yeare with ful consent of the Cardinals who desired to please Henry the French king was chosen Pope He being in Venice before he was Pope with his hypocrisie and fayned holynesse did Institute or reforme the new order of the fellowship of diuine loue which of him that was Bishop of Chiety was called Chietinos or Theatinos as we haue said vpon Paul 3. He forsooke this order by him instituted or reformed and being ready to depart Venice his religious consort demaunded whither he went Whether I goe answered he can ye not come giuing them to vnderstand that he went to Rome to be Pope if he might He gaue it out before he was Pope that he nought else desired but reformation of the Church and so of this argument wrote a booke which he dedicated to Paule the third But when he was Pope he for nothing lesse cared Who listeth to read this booke shall see that almost he confirmeth those Articles whereof we accuse the Papists To wit that so ruyned is the Church among them that it is not now the Chuch of Christ but of the diuels The Popes saith he hauing itching eares haue heaped vp Maisters which entertaine them in their lustes and concupiscence That through the Cardinals and Bishops the name of Christ is blasphemed among the Gentiles That the power of the keyes serueth onely to â—ake together money That wicked men are ordeyned That nothing but Symony is seene in the Church That the Prelates bee verie ambitious and couetous That in monasteries are committed enormious offences That Rome is full of whores These thinges and other such doth this booke conteyne of wicked customes and life it onely speaketh but not once intreateth of the false doctrine Idolatrie and superstition which is taught in Rome nor yet of the tyranny of fire bloud wherewith such are handled as indeauor to serue God in spirit and truth doth it speake But when he was Pope how did he amend it As did Benedict 13. Pius 2. Pius 4. his predecessors and others who before they were Popes much spake of the dutie of the Pope but being Popes did the like or worse then the rest euen so did he For the cause of Religion certaine Augustine Friars many Bishops and a great nomber of the faithful he imprisoned tormented and did them in the end what euill he could Not for that they were adulterers nor Incestuous persons Simonists nor blasphemers was all this but for the Christian religion which they professed Reformation then cast aside he was occupied in the warres against Don Phillip our king and the Spanish blood Deny him then O Spaine for father who from the sonne taketh the cloake The which this Paul from the king Don Phillip and Clement 7. from Don Charles the Emperour indeauoured to take as in the life of Clement 7. we haue before declared This Paul being a Neapolytan and so vassall to the king was to him a traitor teacher taking part with Frauncis his kinges enemy His great seruant Panuinus saith that ayded by the French Swizzars he raised great warres against king Phillip and renewed the old hatred For the Spanish name had he long before detested that as saith Panuinus for publique and particular Iniuries and so the Neapolitanes he well hoped would haue risen against their king When he was Cardinall he perswaded Paule 3. to warre against the Imperials in the kingdome of Naples promising him his seruice and the ayd of many Neapolitans of whom he had many friends said he within that kingdome But Paul 3. was more wise and refused his Councel Then Duke Dalua vnderstanding that this Pope Paul 4. conspired against the king to take Naples with a great camp came vpon Rome and sent a letter to the Pope wherein he shewed all that sithens he was Pope he had practized against the king c. and vehemently exhorted him to peace warning him that if hee said not and that quickly what he would doe touching warre or peace that he should be assured the warre was proclamed To the Colledge of Cardinals he wrote also to the same purpose and after fifteene dayes when the Duke perceiued that the Pope prolonged the time he entred vpon the Church lands and very many of them tooke which he kept said he for the Church and the succeeding Pope All this notwithstanding would not the Pope yeeld to peace vntill he heard newes of the great victorie which the king in the yeare 1557. hadhad against the French at the taking of Saint Quintanes wherein all the nobilitie almost of France and Saint
spripture The same God which of old made Saint Paule to speake the same made Valer also to speake And as Paule was holden for a Preacher of Nouelties and foolish for such another was Valer held also The newe Pharesies seeing themselues thus handled demaunded whence he had such wisedome and knowledge of holy thinges whence being a secular man not hauing studied nor giuing himselfe to vertue but so euill spent his youth in vanities proceeded his bouldnesse so vnreuerently to handle the ecclesiasticall persons which be pillars of the Church By what authoritie demaunded they did hee this Who had sent him What signe had he of his callings The selfe same demaundes made the old Pharesies to Iesus Christ and his Apostles when they could not deny their villanies nor well be silent when he shewed them their wickednesse Behold how the old Pharesies and the new be all one and the sonnes of the deuill To these demaundes excellently and with great constancy answered Valer This knowledge of holy thinges he had obteyned said he not of his owne stincking pudles but of the spirit of God which maketh flowing riuers of wisedome runne from the harts of those which truly beleeue in Christ He told them that God and the cause he had in hand gaue him courage and bouldnesse that the spirit of God was not tyed to any estate how ecclesiastical soeuer the ecclesiasticall state especially of any other being the most corrupted and neerest to destruction That the spirit of God in old time made of secular vnlearned and fishermen Apostles that they might clerely shew the blindnesse ignorance of all the Synagogue so well instructed in the law and call by their preaching the That Christ had sent him That in the name and authoritie of Christ he did that he did But the adulterous generation said he which hath long time degenerate from the true race of the sons of God seeing that darknesse to be much manifested by the light and reshining of the sunne demaundeth a signe In conclusion for so liberall and constantly speaking was he called before the Inquicisitors valiantly did Valer dispute of the true Church of Christ her markes and signes of the Iustification of man and other like chiefe points of Christian religion the knowledge whereof Valer had obteyned without any ministery or humane helpe but by the pure and wonderfull reuelation of God His foolishnesse as the Inquisitors called it did then excuse him and so first confiscating all that hee had they sent him away To take away his goods pleasant meanes to reduce a mad man to his sence Valer notwithstanding this losse of goods ceased not to prosecute what he had begun A few yeares after for the selfe same cause they called him againe and yet supposing that he was a foole indeede they burned him not but made him to recant or deny not in open audience but to himselfe alone in the great Church betweene the two quiers For all his foolishnesse they condemned him to continuall wearing of a great Saint Benito or diuels coate and to perpetuall prison From this perpetuall prison euery Lords day they carried him with many other penitents to heare masse and sermons in the Church of Saint Sauiour where set to heare the Sermon albeit a prisoner he oft times rose vp before all the people and when he preached false Doctrine gaine said the preacher But the Inquisitors as then not so wicked with conceit of his folly excused him Much did it also auaile Valer to haue bene an old Christian and not descended of the Iewish or Morish race The Inquisitors in the end drew him from this perpetuall prison in Seuill and sent him to a monasterie in Saint Lucas called of our Lady of Barrameda where being 50 yeares old and vpwardes he died By the meanes of this Valer many that heard and conferred with him had knowledge of the true religion chiefly that famous and good Doctor Egidius Cannon preacher in the great Church of Seuill that so much good did in Seuill both with his good good life and Doctrine I haue long dwelled vpon discourse of this Historie of Valer but pardon me for this Valer was the first that openly and with great constance discouered the darkenesse in our time in Seuill After this persecution of Rodrigo de Valer many others were persecuted some of whom escaped as Doctor Iohn Perez who came to Geneua where he imprinted the new Teament other bookes in the Spanish tongue others aboade there stil of whom many perseuered And others of the Inquicitions conceiued such feare that they denyed the truth and which is worse were persecutors therof as was doctor Herman Rodriguez maister Garci Arias whom commonly they called maister White But God shewed mercy vpon White and of a woulfe made him a lamb so was he with great constancie burned This White when God had made him truly White said freely vnto the Inquisitors whē they examined him in the audience that they were fitter to follow a droue of asses then to sit and Iudge matters of faith which they nothing vnderstood In the 1555. yeare seuen persons men and women went out of Seuill and came to Geneua where they made their aboad In the 1557. yeare happened maruelous things in Seuill worthy of perpetuall memorie namely that in a monasterie called S. Isidor the most famous and rich in all Seuil the busines of true religion went so so plainely forward that vnable with good conscience there to stay longer 12 of the Friars in short time departed some one way and some another al which within a yeare came to Geneua whither at their departure they determined to goe None of thē there was that passed not great dangers perils but from all these perils God did free them with a mighty hand brought them to Geneua Thees that abode in the monasterie for it is to be noted that almost al those of the monasterie albeit they went in woulues habits had knowledge of Christiā religion suffered great persecution taken they were tormented disgraced very hardly cruelly intreated and in the end many of them burned and in many yeares almost was there no act of Inquisition in Seuill in which there went not more or lesse out of this monasterie Among those that went out and came to Geneua was the Prior vicar procurator of S. Isidor with thē the Prior of the Vale of Ecija of the same order And God with his mightie arme did not only deliuer these 12 from the cruel grype es the Inquisitors before the great persecution began in Seuill but afterwards also in the time of the great persecution deliuered other 6 or 7 from the same monasterie making foolish and of no worth nor effect all the stratagems Councels subtelties craftes deceits of the Inquisitors that sought but could not find them for who shall destroy whom God wil preserue In the same yeare
the more thou of all other nations of the world in these last times hast abased and deiected thy selfe to serue and adore this monster this man of sinne this sonne of perdition this whore clothed with scarlet purple adorned with so great store of gold precious stoâ—s this beast this Antichrist this thy Pope this thy God vpon earth by so much the more holding thy selfe ashamed confounded for that which thou hast done because thou so much louest and more esteemest honor then other nations thou shalt abandon abhorre him and shalt practise his vtter ruine and destruction God giue thee that grace that quickly for the sacrifice sake which Iesus Christ his sonne our chiefe and only high Bishop our redeemer and Lord vnto him hath offered Amen For the healpe of memorie haue we heare placed a table wherein is plainely declared the Pope to be Antichrist which is the summe of of this first Treatise An end of the first Treatise A briefe table wherein most clearely euidently is declared who Antichrist is and by what markes he may bee knowne The necessitie of this Doctrine is first declared AS it behoueth the Christian Church and euery faithfull member thereof to know Iesus Christ the Lord and followe his Doctrine with all obedience So is it meete that euery faithfull Christian should perceiue and know what the holy scripture doth teach concerning Antichrist to the end that all the faithfull may truly know him and knowing him flie from him and beware his deceites And if the Apostles themselues in the Primitiue Church forewarned the faithfull of the daunger and comming of the great woolfe as in the 2. Thes 2. 3. 4. c. 1 Ioh. 2. 18. c. appeareth How much more now in this old age of the world wherein all iniquitie aboundeth the end of all thinges approcheth ought we to esteeme this Doctrine necessarie 2 Concerning the name of Antichrist and how the holie scripture speaketh touching the same Antichrist is a Greeke word and asmuch to say as contrarie to Christ For as Antipapa is hee who not beeing Pope attributeth to himselfe the whole authoritie and power of the Pope So is he Antichrist that opposeth himselfe to Christ attributing to himselfe that which is proper to Christ The holie scripture of Antichrist speaketh two manner of waies For as this word Christ or anointed is sometimes generally taken Psalme 105. verse 15. Touch not mine Annointed where by annointed all the faithfull that hold Communion with Christ are vnderstoode And properly againe when Christ our Lord is mencioned So by this word Antichrist is some time generally vnderstoode all such as in Doctrine oppose themselues to Christ 1. Iohn 2. 22. and cap. 4. 3. But then properly it mentioneth Antichrist when it noteth an head of an abominable kingdome which head lifteth vp it selfe against Christ as in 1. Ioh. 2. chap. 18. where the Apostle saith that Antichrist should come It is to be noted that as many things in the scripture foretold of Christ are applyed to some persons which were types and figures of Christ as Dauid Salomon Zerubbabel c. Which properly and truly are meant of Christ and in him accomplished so many things also foretold of Antichrist Dan. 7. 8. 20. 21. 25. chap. 8. 23. 24. 25. chap. 11. 36. and 1. Timoth. 4. 1. 2. 3. are applyed to certaine tyrants and heretikes as forerunners and types of Antichrist but properly to Antichrist in him are fulfilled 3 Whether Antichrist be come The Papists say that Antichrist is not yet come but shal come teach they of the race of the Iewes of the Tribe of Dan be borne in Babylon brought vp in Chorazain and Bethsaida and shall reigne in Ierusalem c. with sundrie such like inuentions of man not warranted by authoritie of holie Scriptures But wee say that Antichrist is alreadie come and that will wee prooue by the testimonies of the holy Scriptures For the same thing nowe is befallen the Papistes which in time past when Christ Iesus our redeemer did manifest himselfe in the world happened to the Iewes For as the Iewes with the Apostles did beleeue and confesse the Prophetes to haue spoken manie things touching the Messias but not beleeued nor confessed that the promised Messias then was come nor that Iesus borne of the Virgin Mary in Bethelem was that true Messiah Euen so doe the Papistes at this day fully confesse with vs that many thinges in holy Scripture are foretolde concerning Antichrist yet beleeue they not nor confesse that he is come but say he shall come as the Iewes did of the Messias We say then that Antichrist is already come Let vs see now who he is and by what marks he may be knowne 4 Who Antichrist is and by what markes he may be knowne This question in former time was hard and obscure but now Antichrist being reuealed is Verie cleere and easie For as this is the true Messias in whom all things foretold by the holie Ghost concerning the Messias are fulfilled So is and ought this to be truly Antichrist in whom all thinges foretold of Antichrist by the Prophets and Apostles do properly belong and are fulfilled Let vs then consider what the holie Ghost in holie scripture hath spoken of Antichrist which we will deuide into three points 1 Of the time of his reuelation 2 Of the place of his seate and being 3 Of his estate life and Doctrine The time of Antichrists reuelation is signified by Dan. cap. 7. 5. 8. when he saieth A litle horne arose vp among the other hornes in the heade of the fourth Beast The Prophet declareth that the kingdome of Antichrist should rise vp in the Romane Empire which was the fourth Monarchie signified by the fourth Beast The Apostle Saint Paule well noteth the time of the reuelation and comming of Antichrist when he writeth 2. Thestal 2. 3. Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first that that man of sinne bee disclosed euen the sonne of perdition Cleerely signifieth the Apostle that after an Apostasie Antichrist shall come True it is that from the Appostles time haue bene some forerunners of Antichrist of whom we read Io. 1. 18. 22 c. And that then the Mysterie of iniquitie did worke 2. Thes 2. 7. yet could not the kingdome of Antichrist increase whiles the Roman Empire flourished But when the Roman Empire should be weakened then should Antichrist be cheife as the same Apostle declareth when he saieth 2. Thes 2. 7. 8. Only he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the waie And then shall that wicked man be reuealed The place where Antichrist shall holde his seate is noted by Daniel â—1 45. when he sayth And he shall place the Tabernacles of his Palace betwene the seas Saint Iohn also in his Apoc. ca. 17. when he signified Antichrist by a woman arrayed with purple and
scarlet guilded with golde and decked with pearles and precious stones c. In the 9. verse he plainely mentioneth 7 mountaines whereon the woman sitteth adding afterwards in the 18. verse That great citie which reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth And Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. saith that Antichrist shal sit in the temple of God Largely writeth Daniel chap. 7. 5. 8. concerning the estate life and doctrine of Antichrist where Behold saith he there came vp another litle horne and then addeth That in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And in the 20. and 21. verses And he appeared greater then any of his fellowes And I beheld and the same horne made war against the saints and ouercame them And verse 25. And hee spake wordes against the most high and shall consume the Saintes of the most high and thinke that he may change times and lawes And chap. 8. vers 23. 24. 25. There shall rise vp a king of fierce countenance and vnderstanding darke sentences and his power shall increase but not in his owne strength and shall destroy wonderfully and prosper and practise and shall destroy the mightie and holy people and through his policie also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand and he shall extoll himselfe in his heart and by peace shall destroy many He shall stand vp against the Prince of Princes but he shall be broken downe without hand Also in the eleuenth chap. vers 36. And the king shall doe what he lifteth he shall exalt himselfe and shall magnifie himselfe against all that is God and shall speake maruellous thinges against the God of Gods and shall prosper till the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made vers 37. Neither shall hee regard the God of his Fathers nor the loue of women nor care for anie God for he shall magnifie himselfe aboue all vers 38. But in his place shall he honour his God Mauzim A God whom his fathers knewe not shall he honour with golde and vvith siluer and with precious stones and thinges of great price vers 39. This shall hee doe in the strong holds of Mauzim vvith a strange God whom hee shall acknowledge hee shall increase his glorie and shall cause them to rule ouer many and shall diuide the land for gaine The Apostle Saint Paule in the second epistle to the Thessal chap. 2. 4. saith that this man of sinne and sonne of perdition shall exalt and lift vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is vvorshipped So that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God And in the ninth verse Who shall come by the effectuall working of Sathan vvith great power signes and lying wonders and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse Also 1. Timoth. chap. 4. vers 2. 3. Which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences seared vvith an hoteyron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created Also in the Apoc. 13. 11. And I beheld another beast comming vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the Lambe but spake like the Dragon And cap. 17. 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of saints and with the bloud of the martyrs of Iesus These prophesies doe teach vs that Antichrist must bee a king who from meane estate shall become exceeding great and mightie and prosper That he shall bee also a blasphemer an Idolater a sacrileger exceeding proud subtill an hypocrite a contemner of marriage couetous a great Tyrant a persecutor of the Saints a deceiuer full of impietie Examine we now these testimonies of holy scripture which wil appear to be most properly belōging to the Pope of Rome So as by these prophesies we are warned as it were with the finger of God from heauen that the Pope is Antichrist Therfore the time of his reuelation considered the Popes reigne began in the fourth monarchie and want of the Romane Empire For about the yeare 606. Pope Boniface the 3. receiued of Phocas the Emperour who was a tyrant and murthered Mauricius his Lord with his wife and children the title of Vniuersall Bishop and Head of the Church which once being graunted the Popes whole endeuors were to lift vp themseues with the Empire of Rome and the whole world besides For the seat of Antichrist it is cleare and to all men knowne that the Pope sitteth at Rome which is a city scyted betweene the two seas Thyrren and Adriartike hath 7 mountains reigned ouer all the kings of the earth which cannot be said of any other city in the world And seeing Rome is in Europe neither in India Asia nor Africa it plainly appeareth that Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God to wit in Christendome as Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. declareth Meane at the beginning was the estate and condition of the Pope but it mightily and with great successe increased So that he holdeth not authoritie and one crowne as a king onely but three crownes declaring thereby his power to be greater then that of all kings and Emperours As he attributeth also to himselfe the two swords or powers spirituall and temporall figured by the two hornes Apoc. 13. 11. A Blasphemer is the Pope in saying he is Christs Vicar head of the Church that he can pardon sinnes may not be iudged of any cannot erre in conclusion that he is God in the earth can change nature holdeth an heauenly power and the fulnes of power and of vnrighteousnesse can make righteousnesse See lib. 1. Decret Gregor tit 7. Can. 5. An Idolater he is when he commandeth Image-worship inuocation of Saints maketh of the Sacramēt an Idol of Mauzim a God whom neither the Apostles nor their fathers knew because they worshipped and honoured one only God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 23. A Sacriledger he sheweth himselfe to bee when he robbeth the Church of the second commandement of Gods law the lay people of the cup in the Lords supper and forbiddeth Christian people to reade the holy scripture contrary to the doctrine and expresse commandement of Christ Ioh. 5. 39. Most proud he appeareth when he is carried on mens shoulders as they carryed in time past the Arke of the Lord vppon the shoulders of the Leuites when hee calleth himselfe most holy Father and Holinesse it selfe dares to breake and change the ordinances of God and impose new lawes vpon mens consciences compareth himselfe to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone lib. 1. Gregor tit 33. and both Emperors and kings do kisse his feet Subtill hee is in all his kingdome but then chiefly when by meanes of auricular confession he diueth into the hearts of all men not of the common sort onely but also of the greate States of the world vnderstanding thereby all secrets A manifest hypocrite hee is when vnder the title of Seruant of seruantes hee ruleth as
Christ waxed olde and lost it collour it being and worth Thus commeth one and casteth a peece vnto it afterwards commeth another and casteth vnto it c. So that now it is not the Supper of the Lord but the Masse of the Pope now it is not the robe of an honourable man but a cloake of a shamelesse begger By that which is said haue we answered to the second and third reasons wherewith our aduersaries doe confirme their Masse The fourth reason with which our aduersaries suppose to mainetaine their Masse is That all the Church Catholique from the death of Christ vntill this day with most great reuerence hath celebrated the Masse This their reason they confirme saying that God who loueth his Church as his spouse would neuer suffer it so long time to be deceaued especially with so great superstition and idolatrie as the Masse wee say is This fourth reason of our aduersaries in two thinges consisteth In antiquitie And in that God who loueth his Church as his spouse would not suffer c. concer-cerning the first of the Antiquitie of the Masse In answering to the second and third reasons of our aduersaries wee shewed that Iesus Christ neuer instituted the masse nor his Apostles euer said it and that the Church Catholique for the space of a thousand yeares neuer celebrated the Masse which our aduersaries now celebrate But the holy supper was celebrated with some humaine traditions and ceremonies inuented by man Notwithstanding all this the holie supper as touching it substaunce was euer in it beeing conferued by the space of a thousand yeares For fiue hundred yeares space hitherto the supper hath ceassed to bee a supper and hath euery day more and more bene conuerted into the Masse such as nowe wee see and chiefly since transubstantiation and the Communion in one kind were commaunded to be beleeued as an Article of faith Then fell wholy the holy supper not in name onely calling it the masse but also in substaunce as before we haue said Concerning the second part which they bring for confirmation of the first namely That God who loueth his Church would not permit that his Church so long time should liue deceaued To this I answere praying them to read the Histories of the olde and newe Testament Wherein they shall finde if they well consider that the Church faulted and mainteined errours and that no meane ones The people of Israel was the people of God the Church of God and the spouse of God and dearly beloued but for all this the same people fell into many errours superstitions heresies and Idolatries and not once by chaunce but oftentimes and of deliberate purpose Read that notable song which Moses the man of God made written in Deuteronomy There I say shall yee find that that people and that Church of God fell into idolatrie verse ninth Hee saith For the Lordes portion is his people Iaakob is the line or lot of his Inheritaunce And in the tenth verse hee saith that God kept this people as the apple of his eye And in the eleuenth God carried this people vppon his back like the Eagle c. But behould what hee saith in the same chapter and verse fifteene of this people so deare and so beloued Behould if they fell to idolatrie And hee forsooke saith hee God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation They prouoked him with their straunge Gods and made him angry with their abhominations They sacrified to diuels and not to God But to Gods whom they knewe not new Gods newly come vpp whome their fathers feared not c. And in the two and thirtith chapter of Exodus it is said that the people of Israell pluct of their golden Earnings c. And that Aaron tooke them and made of them a moulten calfe And when the calfe was seene Israel sayd These be thy Gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt And when Aron sawe that Hee built an altar before it c. As wee haue sayd in the beginning of the first Treatise Here may yee fee How all the people of Israel and Aaron their chiefe Priest committed idolatrie Let vs proceede furâ—her When the people of Israel were entred into the land of promise How behaued they themselues they also committed Idolatrie Read in the booke of Iudges and chiefly the second chapter and the eleuenth verse And the children of Israel saith hee did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baal And verse nineteenth But when the Iudge was dead they turned and corrupted themselues more then their fathers following other Gods seruing them and bowing downe before them They ceased not from their owne inuentions Nor from their rebellious way All this booke is full of examples hereof The Iudges ended and this people of God gouerned by kinges How was it then As ill or worse then before Let them read the Prophets which they call great and small This people of God their Priestes and Princes condemned the good Doctrine and persecuted the holie Prophets that preached the same So obstinate was this people in turning away from God That God in indignation commaunded Esaie to say these wordes vnto the people in hearing heare and not vnderstand In seeing see and not perceaue The heart of this people is waxed fatte and their hearing dull and their eyes are blinded least they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares c. The prophet Ieremy protesteth to all the people of Iuda and to all the Inhabitantes of Ierusalem the diligent care which the Lord had vsed to conuert them from Idolatrie to himselfe and the small profect they receaued thereby Hee had this said hee preached vnto them by the space of twentie and three yeares and they heard him not Note what the Prophet saith in the second verse that hee spake this to all the people of Iuda and to all the inhabitantes of Ierusalem And note that onely this Hebrewe people and no other in all the world was then the Church of God And behould if the Church erred Who wounded and imprisoned Ieremy for his sermons Pashur the chiefe Priest of the people of God What was the state of the people of Israel when Elias supposed that there was none but hee that worshipped the true God of Israel S. Paul alleageth this place Rom. 11. 13. Let this suffice concerning the Church of the old Testament Come wee nowe to the newe When the diuine word taking flesh came into the world How found he his spouse the Church All to be smeared with dirt and sootte The Scribes and Pharisies priests and high priests with their traditions had wholely corrupted her As nowe doe the Priestes and Fryars Bishoppes and Popes So great then was the corrupption in Doctrine among the people of God that there was their principall sects of the Pharifies sadduces Essees The Pharises great hypochrits corrupted the scripture with their traditions The
the first in an Epistle to the Clergy and people of Constantinople affirmeth this distribution to be mysticall to be spirituall meate and that therein wee receiue a celestiall power to passe or bee conuerted into the flesh of Christ who for vs tooke vpon him our flesh Ciril lib. 4. cap. 14. vpon Saint Iohn saith So to the faithfull disciples gaue he peeces of bread saying Take c. Also in an Epistle to Calosyrius he sayth It was meete that by meanes of his holy flesh and precious bloud he shoud in a certaine maner vnite or couple himselfe with our bodies which by the liuely blessing in the bread and wine we receiue Hesychius lib. 20. vpon Leuit cap. 8. saith By this he commandeth to eat the flesh with the bread that we might vnderstand hee called it a mysterie which is bread and flesh ioyntly togither Gelasius doth witnesse against Eutiches that in the Eucharist the substance and nature of the bread and wine in no wise ceaseth to hold their being And that moreouer which before we haue said Gregorie the first in his Register saith When we receiue as wel the bread without leauen as the leauened wee are made the body of the Lord our Sauiour Bertram in the booke which hee made of the bodie and bloud of the Lord speaking of the nature of the Symbols sayth that according to the substance of creatures the symbols which be the bread and wine bee the same after consecration that before they were But why alleage I one place of Bertrams booke sith the whole booke doth purposely handle this argument and concludeth the same that we now affirme with the holy Scripture and many sayings of the Fathers Ambrose Ierome Augustine Fulgentius c. confirmeth Bertram his doctrine and confirming his doctrine which is the same with ours it weakeneth and ouerthroweth that of our aduersaries which sayth the bread and wine in the sacrament to bee the very same body and bloud of Christ in flesh bones and sinewes which was borne dyed and rose againe c. But the bodie of Christ saith Bertram is in two maners one in flesh and in bones c. which was borne and dyed c. and the other spirituall which is that which is giuen in the sacrament and also he saith that the spirituall body of Christ and his spirituall bloud vnder the couerture of the corporall bread and of the corporal wine remaine At the request of Charles the Great wrote Bertram this booke as he himself in the end of his book speaking of Charles the great to whom he dedicated the same saith The occasion he had so to didicate it was for that As Bertram saith in the beginning of the booke Charles the Great had demanded of him whether the body and blood of Christ which in the Church is receiued with the mouth of the faithful be in mistery or really in truth receiued So that it is now aboue 760. yeeres past sithens this booke was written Iohannes Trithemius giueth this Testimony of Bertram Bertram was saith Trithemius much conuersant in the holy scripture very learned in humane science eloquent he was and no lesse excellent in life then in Doctrine S. Bernard is the sermon of the supper of the Lord by the similitude which he putteth of a ring sheweth that he is wholy for vs. Now to close vp this band of the fathers which against transubstantiation of diuerse times diuerse regions we haue alleaged we will set downe one most learned godly This is Theodoret bishop of Cyr that wrote the ecclesiastical historie He flourished about the yeare of our Lord 451. For he was present in that famous Councell of Chalecdon in the company of 630. bishops which condemned Diâ—scorus These bishops with great curtesie honorable titles did honor Theodoret being present in the Councel calling him catholique true pastor Doctor of the Church The same witnesseth Leo 1. Bishop of Rome in an epistle which he wrote to the foresaid Theodoret. And it is to be beleeued that had not Theodoret rightly thought of so high a mystery As is the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ that a Councel and one of the most famous that hath bin wherin were 630. bishops wold not haue called Theodoret catholike true pastor of the church c. In the 2. Councel of Ephesus was this Theodoret vniustly depriued from his bishopirck because he would not take parte with the heretike Eutiches But in the Councell of Chalcedon with great honor praise was his bishopricke restored If that which Theodoret then thought taught touching the Doctrine of the sacrament were catholike the same also shall it now be for the same which then was truth is now truth Very truely spake this Theodoret against transubstantiation in a booke God would should be printed in Rome for the greater confusion of the Romists which cannot deny that Theodoret is wholly for vs. But they excuse him with saying that this question of transubstantiation the Church had not yet determined Thus may the Pope for he is all in all cause that the Doctrine which in old time was catholike true be now hereticall wicked and that which then was hereticall and wicked be now catholike and good But if an Angel from heauen saith S. Paul shall preach another Gospel other Doctrine then that which he had taught such a one should be cursed Theodoret in his Dialogues bringeth in 2 persons which dispute of good things of thinges touching Christian religion The one called Orthodoxo and the other Eranistes Then saith Orthodoxo dost thou know that God hath called the bread his proper bodie Eran. I knowe it Ortho. knowest thou also that in an other place his flesh he calleth wheate Eran. This doe I also knowe c. And a little lower Ortho. In the same distribution of the misteries The bread he calleth bodie the cuppe mingled blood Erannist So doth he suerly call them Ortho. But also hath power to be called a bodie according to it nature his bodie surely and his blood Erannist It is clere Ortho. But the same our sauiour chaungeth the names and giueth vnto his bodie the name of symboll and contrariwise to the Simboll giueth hee the name of bodie After the same manner also when he had said of himselfe that he was a vine the same blood called he a Symboll Eranist This hast thou well spoken But I would learne also the cause why the names are chaunged Ortho. This is the marke whereat those ayme which professe religion For I would not that they which be partakers of the diuine misteries should settle their minds vpon the nature of those things which are seene but that by the change of the names they may beleeue that transmutation which is wrought by grace For hee which called his natureall body wheate and bread and called also himselfe a vine he himself honoreth the
eate this is my bodie And when he gaue the wine he said Drinke ye all of this This is my blood In giuing the wine he addeth that not without great mistery this word all for with this word All doth the Lord preuent arme vs against the heretikes which were afterwardes to arise saying Drinke not all of the wine Our aduersaries cannot deny the Lord to haue said Drinke yee all of this They cannot deny that all those which haue receaued the bread haue not drunke of the wine And so saith S. Marke And they all dranke thereof As litle also can they deny that they themselues coÌ„mand contrary to the coÌ„mandement of God that all do not drinke thereof What shall we hereupon conclude That they be heretikes Albeit they deny it because they falsify and clip the most holy sacrament which Christ did institute If the lawes commaund that he which falsifieth or clippeth the coyne bearing the figure of the king or the Lord of the land shal die What punishment shal he deserue that falsifieth clippeth the sacrament which hath not only the figure of Christ but his proper body bloud As in bread wine Iesus Christ did celebrate his supper Euen so did his Apostles celebrate it afterwards Read the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthes where S. Paule intreateth of the celebration of the holie supper But the space of one thousand yeares was the selfe same order touching the substaÌ„ce of the supper obserued in the Church vntil false prophets arose that brake this good order which Christ did institute and his Apostles the Church did long time after obserue These would shew theÌ„se lues to be more wise theÌ„ Christ so coÌ„maÌ„ded they that no Christian were he not a priest shuld receiue wheÌ„ they coÌ„municated the coÌ„secrated wine And their reasons they yeeld but very friuolous ridiculous why they so commaund The first is because there is no difference betwene the priest and the people Great pride arrogancy is this euer haue they pretended to keepe Christian people in subiection So are they called the Clergie for being as they say The Lot of the Lord. As though the people for whom Christ died were the lot of the diuell The second cause is the danger of shedding the bloud by the beardes if the people should drink it If this bee the cause why giue they it not to womeÌ„ seeing they haue no beards why giue they it not to many which either by nature or shauing or cutting haue no beards Why command they not that all Christians should be beard shauen Why permit they the Pope and many Cardinals Bishops in Italie to nourish their beards and so no danger should be The third say they that receiuing the forme of the bread they receiue the body of Christ and by consequence as they call it receaue they the bloud And thus say they that vnder one forme they receaue both thinges the bodie and bloud of Christ Oh learned men Oh great wits The Lord commandeth that all shuld drink They countermaÌ„d saying That all shal not drinke that to receaue one kind is sufficient And a faire thing is this that they coÌ„demne those for heretikes which receiue the supper in both kinds As Christ did celebrate as the Apostles all the Church for more then a thousand so many yeares celebrated the same They see not that in condemning vs they condemne Christ his Apostles all the Church for so many yeares Let theÌ„ shew me one Church that comunicated in one kind for the space of 1000. yeres after the death of Christ Tehâ—s reasons all whatsoeuer they can imagine and in their fantasie forge wil not suffice to diminish nor defeat the order which Christ ordayned in his Church In bread aud wine did Christ institute this sacrament so distributed it to his Apostles and commanded them so to doe the same S. Paul as a good disciple obedient to his maister did so celebrate the holy supper distributing the bread which is the sacrament of the body and the wine which is the sacrament of the bloud Ye saith he cannot drinke the cup of the Lord the cup of diuels c. And a little before by the cup he had made mention of the coÌ„munion of the bloud of the participation of his bodie by the bread Also as often as ye shal eate this bread drinke this cup c. So that whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drink this cup of the Lord vnworthyly c. Let euery one therefore proue himselfe so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. Also for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthyly c. Of all those that did communicate spake S. Paul and not of the priests alone This selfe same order of communicating in both kindes was for many yeares obserued in the Church As in the ecclesiastical histories writings of the fathers some of whom I wil here alleage appeareth Our flesh saith Tertullian is fed with the flesh bloud of Iesus Christ that the soule may be nourished of God Oftentimes doth S. Cyprian make mention of this coÌ„munion in both kinds in bread wine Read his sermon intituled Delapsis In which not once but 5 or 6 times he maketh mention thereof Also he saith that those which did coÌ„municate receiued the sacrament with the hand giueth a reason why we ought to coÌ„municate in both kinds the which is of other touch then those which our aduersaries giue why we should not in both kindes coÌ„municate How shal we exhort saith S. Cyprian the people to shed their bloud for the confesion of Christ if when they enter the combate we deny them the bloud of Christ Or how shall we make theÌ„ capable to drink the cup of martirdome If we admit theÌ„ not first to drink the cup of the Lord Also that which we said of the same S. Cyprian coÌ„cerning the young Infant wheÌ„ we spake of the miracles that in both kinds receiued the sacrament Chrisostome saith We are not as in the olde lawe where the priest toke his portion and the people had the rest but one selfe same body is here giuen to all and one selfe same cup and all whatsoeuer is in the Eucharist is common both to priest and people Chrisostome in this sacrament putteth not the difference that our aduersaries doe betweene the priest the people That the priest in both kindes communicate and the people only in one But we will shew for greater confusion of our aduersaries all those foure Doctors As they call them of the Church to bee for vs. As great credit giue they to the Doctrine which these foure Doctours with one common consent doe teach As they giue to the Gospell it selfe Saint Ambrose As Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 17. reporteth speaking with the Emperour Theodosius 1. a naturall Spaniarde of Italica which we now call olde Siuill one
league distant from Siuill They said vnto him How darest thou I pray thee stretch out thy handes stayned with vniust slaughter and bloud to receaue with the same the holy bodie of the Lord Or thou that moued with the fury of wrath so much bloud so wickedly hast spilled how wilt thou apply to thy mouth his venerable bloud depart then c. Sozomenus lib. 7. cap. 24. maketh also mention of this Historie The same S. Ambrose in the funerall oration which he made at the death of Theodosius maketh mention of Theodosius his repentaunce Were there many Ambroses There would bee many Theodosies The cause will I here briefly tell why Saint Ambrose depriued him of the holy supper They of Thessalonica murdred a Tribune in a popular tumult the Emperour Theodosius hearing it was so highly offended that hee caused seuen thousand men to bee slayne Pero Mexia writing the life of this Theodosius applyeth this to his Masse which is so much against it Hee saith that Theodosius the day following would go to the Temple to pray and heare Masse as he was saith he accustomed c. And note the affected malice of Pero Mexia That he alleaged not the author of this his saying That Theodosius went to heare Masse which he would haue done had any said it Maliciously he concealeth the name of Theodoret because it made against his Masse which he so much adored Two things may we note in this saying of S. Ambrose First that he which did communicate toke the sacrament with his handes and not with his mouth a childe when they giue it pappe This sacrament is not for Infants which cannot eate strong meates but it is for people that haue discretion can eat a peece of bread and drinke a boule of wine And so saith Christ vnto them Take eate Take drinke He saith not Open thy mouth receaue therewith the bread The second thinge which we are to note in this saying of Saint Ambrose is that the sacrament to the faithful was giuen in both kinds in bread wine For to eate without drinking what doth it profit the body Both the one the other haue we noted in the place of S. Cyprian before aleaged Also lib. 4. De sacramentis cap. 5 these words saith the same S. Ambrose In the distribution of the bodie bloud of Christ the priest said Take the body of the Lord Take the bloud of Christ Whereunto the commucant answered Amen The second Doctour is Saint Ierome Where speaking vppon the second chapter of Malachy saith The priest which consecrateth the bread of the supper and distributeth the blood of the Lord to the people Saint Augustine is full of notable sayings confirming our Doctrine of the communion in both kindes Of which I will alleage one or two to auoyd tediousnesse How saith Saint Augustine lib. 5. Hypognost Tom. 7. dost thou promise the life of the kingdome of heauen to Babes not regenerate of water and the holie Ghost nor nourished with the flesh nor watered with the blood of Christ c. Also in the first Epistle to Ianuarius Some saith he doe euery day communicate the body and the bloud of Christ others c. This is most certaine that in the time of S. Cyprian and of S. Augustine and long time also after the Eucharist was giuen in both kindes and that to Infants As Erasmus noteth it The fourth Doctor which is S. Gregory now remayneth whom we may iustly intitle the last bishop of Rome and his successor Boniface 3. may we call the first Pope because he would be wholy Pope calling himselfe by the ayd of that murderer Phocas vniuersall Bishop Saint Gregorie then saith you haue learned what the bloud of the Lambe is and this not by hearing but by drinking his bloud to wit as often we haue said the sacramēt of his bloud is shed into the mouths of the faithful Here you see al the foure Doctors of the Church confirme our Doctrine Why then doe our aduersaries deny it And what say I of foure doctors reade they all the ancient Doctors as wel Greeks as Latins all are found to be for vs. And many years also after Saint Gregorie when all things as it were went to ruine this custom continued not as a custome but as a law inuiolable was it holdē for the reuerence of the diuine institution was yet on foot in it being to separate those things which God hath ioyned they doubted not to be sacrilege So said Gelasius Bish of Rome as de Consecratione dist 2. cap. Comperimus it is alleaged we haue vnderstood saith he that some hauing only taken the body of the Lord doe absent themselues from the cuppe who for as much as they sinne of superstition must bee compelled to receiue entirely the whole Sacrament or to abstaine from the whole For the diuision of this misterie cannot be without great sacrilege Our aduersaries then in diuiding this mysterie by the saying of Gelasius be superstitious Church-robbers In the 3. Councell of Toledo 2. Cannon And in the conclusion of the sayd Councell the symbol of our faith is commaunded to be said before the communion of the body and bloud of Christ according to the custome of the East the reason which the Councell giueth is that the people should confesse that which they beleeue and so hauing hearts purified by faith are said to receiue the body and bloud of Christ In this Councell was present the Catholike king Ricaredo as by the prayers which hee made in the Councell appeareth The 7. Domage that the Masse causeth is that suppose the Masse were good celebrated as it ought to be celebrated yet in a strange tongue is it sayd that the people vnderstand it not sometimes also be himself that faith it vnderstandeth not that which he saith which is against the commandement of S. Paul who commandeth that all be done with comelinesse order And what comelines or order is there where the people heare a language which they vnderstand not and so know not whether the Priest doth blesse or curse them The same Apostle saith that the vse of tongues not vnderstood albeit to the praise of God is vnprofitable in the Church And therefore without interpretation of that which is said ought not to be vsed Read 1. Cor. 14. 8. where he saith If the trumpet shall giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell So likewise you by the tongue except ye vtter words that haue signification how shall it be vnder flood that which is spoken For ye shall speake in the aire c. And therefore in the 19. verse he sayth I would rather speake fine words in the Church with vnderstanding that is to say that may be vnderstood thereby also to instruct others then tenne thousand wordes in a tongue to wit that the people vnderstand not The same Apostle in the 27. verse commandeth that if
of our Saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. No other willeth God for all his benefites but that we be thankfull and call vpon his name Thus shall the number of those whom God hath elected to life eternall encrease and so the kingdome of sinne death the diuell which is the kingdome of lies of false new doctrine confirmed with dreames false miracles and illusions of the diuell shal be destroied and that of grace life and of Christ which is the kingdome of truth the true and old doctrin confirmed with the word of God shal abide for euer To whom which is one God Father Sonne and holy Spirit who liueth and raigneth be perpetuall honâ—â— and glory Amen An Addition I In the moneth of Aprill 1588. Philip the second of that name king of Spaine pretending to send his inuincible fleet for the Conquest of England made choise by the aduise of the Prioresse of the monastery of the Anunciada whose name was Mary of the Visitacion as most worthie for her holinesse to blesse his Standard royall the which she did with vsing diuers other câ—remonies in the deliuery thereof to the Duke of Medina Sedonia who was appointed chiefe Generall she did pronounce openlie good successe and victory to the Duke in saying he should return a victorious Prince This standard was carried in procession by Don Francisco de Cordoua who was a Spaniard the tallest Gentl. that could be found he being on horse backe to the end it might be the better seen at the solemnzing wherof there was such a number of people assembled that diuers of them perished with the throng There was present the Archduke Albertus which then was Cardinall and Gouernor of the kingdom of Portugal the Popes Nuncio the Archbishop who was head inquisitor with diuers other Nobles Prelates Gentlemen This solemnization dured so long that Albertus fainted with fasting and this holy Nunne to comfort him caused a messe of the broth which was for her owne diet to be brought presenting it to him which he accepted most willingly coÌ„ming from the handes of so holy a Nun as then she was holden to be but about the beginning of DeceÌ„ber next after all her holines false miracles and great dissimulations was then found out and she condemned punished for the same according as is râ—bersed in this booke About the end of this yeare 1588 that this holy Nun was discouered in Lisbon there was also discouered in Seuil one father â—yon who was counted to be a most deuour and religious man but by his owne fellowes of his profession he was discouered to be a great hypocrite and a most vicious 〈◊〉 giuen to carnall lustes and for this and diuers other causes he was committed to the prison which is in the Cardinals house of 〈◊〉 A Table wherein by certaine Antitheses is declared the difference and contrarietie which is betweene the ancient doctrine of God contained in the holy scripture and taught in the reformed Churches and the new doctrine of men â—aught and maintained in the Roman or Popish Church Ierem. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein ye shall find rest for your soules THe ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the holy Scripture being the word of God diuinely inspired hath most sufficient authority of it selfe containeth all necessary doctrin to pietie and our saluation as S. Paul clearly teacheth 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The new doctrin of meâ— teacheth that the holy Scripture although it be the word of God should haue no authority were it not for the approbation of the Church and that it is an vnperfect and maimed doctrine which containeth not doctrine sufficient to pietie nor our saluation but that this defect must be supplied by vnwritteÌ„ traditions Belar de verb. Deâ— noÌ„ scrip l. 4. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that ignorance of the holy scriptures is the cause and mother of errors as Iesus Christ our Lord doth witnesse Mat 22. 19. saying to the Sadduces Ye erre because yee know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and therefore the duty of euerie faithfull Christian is to reade meditate and search the holy scripture as God commandeth his people Deut. 6. 7. chap. 12. 32. chap. 17. 19. Iosua 18. Esa 8. 20. And Christ our Lord in the new Testament Ioh. 5. 39. And as did the faithfull in the time of the Apostles Act 17. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The new doctrin of men doth teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and that to keepe religion safe it is needful to forbid the lay or secular men the reading of the holy scriptures seeing it is the cause of many heresies Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15 16. cens col f. 19. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that many deceiuers and false Prophets are gone out into the world and that the faithfull therfore are to proue the spirits whether they be of God 1. Io. 4. 1. And that the holy scripture is the touch whereby this proofe and examination ought to be made Ioh. 5. 39. Act 17. 11. So that all doctrine contrary and repugnant to holy Scripture be it of Councels Fathers Doctors old or new and that as saith the Apostle of himselfe or of an Angel from heauen ought not to be receiued nor taught in the Christian Church Gal. 1. 8. 1. Tim. 1. 3. chap. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 11. 2. Ioh. 10. The new doctrin of men doth teach that whosoeuer coÌ„tradict the Pope his decrees human traditions be false teachers that the Pope hath authority to iudge of all controuersies and of the true sense of holy Scriptures and that from his iudgment it is not lawfull to appeale Bellar. de verbo Dâ—â— interp lib. 3. cap. 3. c. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that we ought to serue God alone which is the Creator and gouernour of all the world following the doctrin of Christ which saith Matt. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The new doctrine of men doth teach that we ought not to serue God alone but also the Saints that they hold them for patrons of kingdoms people cities societies and infirmities Bellarm. de Sanct. beat lib. 1. cap 12. Cens Col. fol. 230. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the lawful worship of God is to be founded vpon the holy Scripture that God will be serued according to his will and word in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. and not after the opinion nor by the traditions nor customes of men as God by his prophet Eze. 20. 18. doth very expresly teach vs saying Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers nor obserue their lawes nor defile your selues with their idols I am the Lord your God Walke in mine ordinances and
that it is not barren but full of works of charity which are the fruits of righteousnes of a true faith Heb. 11. 1. Gal. 5. 6. Philip. 1. 11. The new doctrin of men teacheth that the particular iustification of meÌ„ and much more the saluation is very vncertaine so that men must alwayes doubt of their saluation And that not to doubt of the grace and fauour of God is presumption Conc. Trid. Ses 6. Can. 13. Cens Colon. fol. 96. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our good workes for thaâ— they are imperfect can deserue nothing at Gods hand as saith the Prophet Esay 64 6. All our righteousnes is as a stained cloth And Christ our Lord saith Luk. 17. 10 When ye haue done all that is commanded you say ye are vnprofitable seruants The new doctrin of men teacheth that our good works deserue the grace of God and euerlasting life also that men may do works which they call of supererrogation that is to say ouer and aboue those which the Law of God commandeth whereunto the doers thereof are not bound and they are auailable to helpe others â—ellar de Purgatorio lib. 1. â— 8. censor colif 175. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the head Spouse of the Church which he gouerneth and teacheth by his word and Spirit that the dutie of the Church is to heare and obey the voyce of her Spouse and faithfull Pastor according to the commandement of the heauenly Father Mat. 17. 5. Heare him and as Christ Iesus also teacheth Io. 10. 27. My sheep heare my voyce I know them they follow me The new doctrine of men teacheth that the Pope is the head Spouse of the Church and Vicar of Christ vpon earth who hath the keyes of Paradice and of hell and can both saue condemne and therefore ought all men to obey his decrees and be subiect vnto him And that whosoeuer obeyeth obeyeth not but gainesaith his constitutions is an heretique In extraâ—ag Tom. 22. Tit. 5. In Gloss 2. lib. 1. Decret T it 7. C. 5. The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the pastors ministers of the Church ought to feed the Christian people with the true spiritual food which is the word of God and wholesome Doctrine of the Gospell As the ministers of Christ faithful Stewards of the misteries of God according to the commaundement of Christ Matth. 28. 20. Iohn 21. 16. 17. And following the stteps of the Apostle which taught the Church that which they had receiued of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 23. And that which was agreeable to the holy scripture Acts 26. 22. 1. Cor 15. 3. 4. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the ecclesiaâ—tical persons ought to sacrifice or say Masse sing and pray in the Latine tongue and to keepe the ceremonies and tradition of the Romane Church And to teach the people to obserue all that which the Popes and Councels determine coÌ„maÌ„d Albeit it agreeth not with the holy scripture CoÌ„ci Trid. Ses vltma c The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the vse of strange tongues albeit to the praise of God is vnprofittable in the Church to the ignorant auditory Therfore that they which teach pray or sing in the Châ—rch ought to vse the vulgar tongue vnderstood of the people for edification and exhortation and consolation of all 1. Cor. 14 3. 6. 7. 8. c. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of God ought to be vsed in the Latine tongue And that it should not be only vnprofittable but also to the common people hurtfull if the holy scripture in the Church should be read or sung in the vulgar tongue Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. â—5 The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the sacrameÌ„ts be instituted of Christ to imprint confirme in our harts the truth of the promises of God and that they may be healthful vnto vs it is of necessity required that we be faithful in the vse of them for as the word of God not beleeued doth not only not profit the hearers thereof but leaueth them condemned So haue the sacraments the same effect when by faith they are not receiued Matth 28. 19. 20. Rom. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 11. 27. 29. Heb. 4. 2. cap. 11. 6. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the sacrameÌ„ts of the new testament giue grace ex opere operato That is to say By the vertue of the worke wrought without any good motioÌ„ of his part that receiueth theÌ„ l. 4. se dist 1 The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ in the institution of the holy supper brake the bread and gaue it to his disciples and afterwardes the wine saying drink ye all of it without making difference The same teacheth the Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 11. 23. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the sacrameÌ„t of the altar ought to be giuen dispensed in bread and in wine to the priests onely But to the â—ayty the bread alone ought to be admonished Concil Trid. Sess â— The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that matrimony is honorable among all men Heb. 13. 4. And that it is better to marry then to burne â— Cor. 7. 9. Also that to forbid marriage is a doctrin of diuels 1. Tim. 4. 3. The new Doctrin of men doth teach that matrimony is a Carnal estate and therefore with such seuerity to be forbidden to the Clergy that more 〈◊〉 it should be for a prelate or ecclesiasticall person to liue in fornication th lawfully to marry according to the law of God for as saith Bellar it is a greater wickednesse for an ecclesiasticall person to marry then to commit fornication And adding the cause saith for that he which is so married is made vnable to keepe his vowâ— the which he that committeth fornication is not Bellar. de Monachis lib. 2. cap. 34. The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that that which entreth into the mouth defileth not a man Math. 15. 11. And that all meates be cleane creatures and that the faithfull may indifferently vse them with pure conscience and thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 4. Tit. 1. 15. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that it is not lawfull for a Christian vnder paine of mortall sinne to eate of all sorts of meates on all dayes and times As in Lent the foure times the frydayes the satturdayes and the vigils of some Saints Dist 4. cap. Statuimus The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that the duty of a godly man is to speake truth keepe his faith promise not to violate his oath although it were to his owne hindrance Psal 15. 2. 4. Zach. 1. 16. Eph. 4. 25. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that faith ought not to be kept with heretiques and that it is lawful to violate promise and oath in fauour of the Roman Church as it is coÌ„cluded in