syncerely than they albeit we detest and renounce all Popery but all those errors and corruptions in doctrine both concerning faith and manners which the synagogue of Rome her louers by colour of the Popes authority and by his perswasion and enforcement from time to time baue receiued professed and taught either contrary to the doctrine institution of Christ and his Apostles or else aboue the same and aboue the faith of the ancient primitiue church Neither doe wee otherwise single Popery from Christian religion than the ancient Catholickes did distinguish Arianisme Macedonianisme Nestorianisme Eutychianisme Pelagianisme and other heresies from the true faith for although the Arians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians Pelagians and other heretickes did hold in termes the articles of the faith yet for that the first denied the diuinity of the sonne of God the second the diuinity of the holie ghost the third the vnion of the two natures in the person of Christ the fourth the verity of Christes humane nature the fift the necessitie of Gods grace and added diuers nouelties to the ancient faith they were reputed heretickes and by their heresies ancient Christians vnderstood not any point of Christian faith but their singuler opinions which they maintained obstinately against the faith The Apostles in the Primitiue Church did teach that doctrine which they had receiued from Christ Iesus and deliuered the same to their successours and they to others the first Christians likewise receiued the same pure and without corruption but as the enuious man while the men of the house slept sowed tares among good corne as wee read Matth. 13. so false Apostles and heretickes from time to time haue gone about with their cockle and tares to corrupt the syncere doctrine of the faith abusing the negligence of true teachers to their owne aduantage but yet none more cunningly and fraudulently than the Popes of Rome and their complices for other heretickes were soone espied by their opposition to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christs true Church timely bewraying themselues but these vnder the titles of Apostolicke men and Catholickes haue corrupted the Apostolicke and Catholicke faith and vnder the name and title of the Church haue vndermined the foundations and doctrine of the Church and vnder their sheepes clothing haue couered their rauening and wooluish natures and so haue they lurked many yeeres mingling their traditions and inuentions with the doctrines of faith and for truth deliuering erroneous and superstitious doctrines and vnder the name of Christ endeuouring to erect the kingdome of Antichrist At the first they clogged religion with diuers superfluous and superstitious ceremonies loaded Christians with the burthen of their decretales and censures but in the end they corrupted both the worship of God the doctrine of faith Boniface the 3. obtained of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches and this was the beginning of the Popes supremacy In the wicked assembly vnder Irene that semipagan empresse at Nice the doctrine of the worship of images began first to be established this the Popes of Rome willingly embraced vsing this occasion to establish their own kingdome to free themselues from the gouernment of the Emperour then also the superstitious worship of Saints reliques began to be authorised and vnwritten traditions vnder the title of Apostolicke authority to be commended as appeareth in the third action of that synode The French king Charles the great and his father Pipin and other their successors endowed the church of Rome with great temporall possessions which made them strong and powerfull Nicolas the 2. in a certein synode at Rome first decreed that Christes body was present in the eucharist and handled with the priests hands and pressed with the teeth and this fell out about the yeare of our Lord 1059. Gregory the 7. first beganne to handle the temporall sword and manifestly to oppose himselfe against the Roman emperor before his time saith Otho Frisingensis we doe not read of any Emperor excommunicated by the Pope Nether did euer anie Bishop of Rome presume to depose the emperour before him some alledge Ambroses example but that sheweth that bishops neuer tooke vpon them to depose princes but only to refrain from communicating with them that which Gregory the seuenth beganne that in the end his successors obteined for by their practises they subdued the emperor and gaue way to the Turke The doctrine of transubstantiation was first established by Innocent the third in a synode at Lateran about the yeare of our Lord 1215. then also came in the necessity of auricular confession The communion vnder one kind was brought in first by the synode at Constance about the yeare of our Lord 1414. there also it was decreed that the accidents in the eucharist did subsist without a subiect In the conuenticle of Florence about the yeare of our Lord 1439. the doctrine of purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was decreed by the authority of the synode there also the doctrine of the 7. sacraments was first propounded to the Armenians as proceeding from the synode neither doe we read of the forme of extreme vnction and other Popish sacraments there set downe before this time The rest of the errors and superstitions of Popery were established and confirmed in the conuenticle of Trent about the yeare of our Lord 1564. for before that time the schoolemen disputed pro and contra but since that they haue made it vnlawfull to hold otherwise then that synode prescribeth in matters there newly determined Now they haue as it were giuen a perfect forme and full authoritie to that doctrine which before was not either perfectly knowen of all or in all pointes allowed of all so that whatsoeuer the Papistes vant of the antiquitie of their doctrine yet it is most euident that the full establishment of it as it is now deliuered cannot be proued or shewed before this conuenticle then their missals Breuiaries and offices receiued a great alteration or rather a new forme then they innouated diuers points of doctrine both concerning faith and manners To relate all the particular errors and abuses of the Romish Church were a matter infinite for there is no point almost wherein the Papists varie not from the auntient Church the article concerning the holy Trinitie excepted beside that they vary in their doctrine and practise dailie but the principall points of Popery wherein we charge them to haue digressed from the doctrine of the Apostles and primitiue Church of Christ are these First they haue taught nouelties and false doctrine concerning the verie grounds of faith the Apostle teacheth vs that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the Cheefe corner stone but they beleeue the church to be built vpon the Pope Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 1. saith that the Apostles did first preach the Gospell and afterward deliuer the same in scriptures that they might be a
commit fornication in thought than to marry the Popes of Rome haue not onely coueted but also vsurped diuers parts of the Empire and thus hoping to be saued by the law the Papists not onely by their practise but also by their doctrine ouerthrow the law the Pope by his dispensations annulleth and frustrateth the law his complices more regard the Popes decretales than the eternall law of the liuing God This law of God they say may bee persectly performed by the assistance of Gods grace and as touching the substance of the action they hold that it may be performed without grace ex quo efficitur saith Bellarmine lib. 5. de lib. arbit c. 9. tot am Dei legem absque auxilio gratiae quoad substant iam actionis ab hominibus recte seruari posse in the same booke c. 2. hee saith that without any speciall helpe of God man may know veritatem moralem or the morall law with the circumstances thereof which is not onely contrary to scriptures declaring mans weakenesse and blindnesse but also ouerthroweth the necessity of Gods grace for if man without grace both knoweth the truth and is able according to the substance of the action to performe the law then is he not dead in trespasses and sinnes as the Apostle saith nor doe the Papists beleeue in Christ which saith without mee you can doe nothing doth it not then appeare that popery is false erroneous and repugnant to Gods law the ancient faith in the doctrine of the law CHAP. IIII. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification THe Apostle teacheth vs that the iust shall liue by faith but the Papists doe so handle the doctrine of faith that the same cannot quicken any but is like rather to be the occasion of the fall and death of many first they teach that iustifying faith is nothing else but a firme assent to the word of God but if a firme assent to euery word of God do iustifie then are Christians iustified by beleeuing that there is a Diuell as well as beleeuing that there is a God and as well are they iustified by beleeuing the curses of the law as beleeuing that grace and mercy is offered them in Iesus Christ nay as well may the Diuels haue iustifying saith as faithfull Christians for they do giue their assent to the word of God and beleeue that hee is truth but these are most damnable doctrines Secondly they say that Christians are as well to beleeue the traditions of the church not written as the holy scriptures the doctors of Trent will haue both receiued with equall affection the authors of the censure of Colleinsol 91. teach Christians to beleeue not only such things as are reuealed in scriptures but also such points as are deliuered from hand to hand but if this be granted then will it follow that Christians are as wel to beleeue the Pope or the Church of Rome as God himselfe and that faith is built vpon mans word and not onely vpon the word of God and lastly that faith is built not only vpon vncertainties but also vpon falshood for such are the traditions of the church of Rome many are vncertaine and some very false and erroneous as is particularly shewed in diuers treatises against Romish traditions Thirdly they teach that faith is a gift and light by which a man being illustrated doth firmly assent adhere to those things which are reuealed by God and proposed to vs by the Church est Dei donum lumen saith Canisius Cathechismi c. 1. quo illustrat us homo firmiter assentitur atque adhaeret ijs quae vt credantur sunt diuinitus reuelata ab Ecclesiae nobis proposita now by the church they vnderstand the Pope and church of Rome but of this it followeth first that the Church of Rome hath no faith for how can a Church propose and teach matters to itselfe this doth vtterly destroy the nature of relations and therefore I thinke the learned Romanists will hardly confesse this to be true it followeth next that Christians are neither to beleeue in Christ nor to professe the articles of the faith vnlesse the Pope and Church of Rome propose them vnto vs. but this is most absurd and impious for we beleeue in God and not in the Pope nor in the Church adhering to him that these consequents are good it is euident because they no lesse require that the articles of faith be proposed to vs by the Church of Rome than that they be reuealed by God Fourthly as well doth Canisius require that Christians beleeue that the whole body of Christ be contained in the eucharist as Papists do hold it as the article of the Trinity the creation of the world and Christes incarnation for all these articles he ioineth together Catech. c. 1. § 4. but hee could not say worse if he meant to ouerthrow the whole Christian faith for the Popish real presence of Christs body bloud in the sacrament is contrary to Christs meaning to words of scriptures exposition of fathers the nature of sacraments and to humane reason and fense as at large is iustified in my bookes de missa against Bellarmine Fifthly they teach that the wicked and reprobate nay that the diuels of hell may haue true faith but our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 3. that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life so it followeth by the doctrine of Papists that the reprobate and the diuels of hell may be saued Sixthly they affirme that charity is the forme of faith but the Apostle teacheth vs that the iust doe liue by faith of which it followeth that faith hath a forme of it selfe whereby it quickneth vs. furthermore it is an absurd thing to make one vertue or habit the forme of another and if this were tolerable that one qualitie were the forme of another yet would it seeme farre more probable that faith should be the forme and life of charity and workes for that without faith it is not possible to please God than that charity should be the forme of faith which doth follow of faith Seuenthly the Iebusites of Collein fol. 122. teach that faith is onelie of generall propositions and hope of particulars so it followeth of their doctrine that no Christian ought to beleeue that he or any other particular person hath his sinnes forgiuen or is of the body of the church or shall be saued but if this were true then do not the Iebusites beleeue that themselues shall rise againe or appeare in iudgement further then can they not beleeue that Pope Clement or Leo or Paul is the head of the church or that they are to subiect themselues vnto him or that this particular Church of Rome is the true Church and such other particular propositions Eightly they teach that we are not iustified by the remission of sinnes or by imputation of Christs righteousnesse but the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. sheweth that Christ is made to
therefore thinke that either the Christians there made the images of God the father and the holy ghost or else worshipped and burnt incense to them and very absurd it were if any man should suppose that the Popish inuocation and worship of Saints and Angels is to be proued by their practise Philo in legat ad Caium saith the Iewes thought it impious either in picture or grauen worke to represent God that is inuisible inuisibilem Deum pingere aut singere nefas duxerunt maiores nostri saith he neither if we runne through the Bible shall wee find any precedent of the popish inuocation and worship of Saints vsed in the Romish church Finally if the Church of Hierusalem had knowen or suspected that S. Peter or his successors had been designed Christs vicars general and monarchs of the Church and appointed to giue lawes to the whole world then would they neuer haue suffered him to depart from Hierusalem The Pope and his complices therefore must seeke some other place than Hierusalem whence to deriue their doctrine lawes ceremonies and formes of gouernment or else they will neuer find out the true descent of their church In Babylon certes they shall rather find out these matters than in Hierusalem CHAP. XII That popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the Apostles of Christ Iesus FAithfull Christians as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephes 2. are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and this the Papists must needs confesse although much to their griefe vnlesse they will denie the words of the Apostle but popery is built vpon the Pope and vpon his decretales and determinations and supported stoutly by his purple Cardinals and the merchants of Babylon the Masse-priests and neither vpon Christ nor the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sheweth that the scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation and are giuen of God that the man of God may be absolute and made perfect vnto all good workes but Papists teach that they are an imperfect rule and without traditions vnsufficient for that is the doctrine of Bellarmine and all his consorts they doe also raile against holy scriptures and call them a dead and killing letter The holy Prophets brought no message to those nations to whom they were sent but they confirmed the same by the testimony of God that sent them saying thus saith the Lord. and the Lord hath spoken it but the conuenticle of Trent confirmed their doctrine by their owne pleasures for the most part and albeit sometime the same alleadgeth scriptures yet their best and common argument was placet nobis their schoole doctors also for matters controuersed doe more commonly alleadge the Popes decretales than holy scriptures Rom. 10. we read that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God but Camsius in his catechisme de sid symb signifieth that we are not to beleeue Gods word reuealed vnlesse the same be also propounded by the church and by the church he vnderstandeth the Pope and his adherents Peter and Iohn Act. 4. shew that God is rather to be obeied than man but the Romish church doth excommunicate all that hearken not to the Pope whatsoeuer is contained in the scriptures to the contrary The conuenticle of Trent Sess 4. teacheth vs that we are to imbrace traditions not written with equall affection to traditions and holy scriptures but this doctrine was not knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets nay Moyses doth teach quite contrary ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you nor shall ye take ought therefrom saith he Deut. 4. and S. Paul Galat. 1. if any man preach vnto you otherwise than that ye haue receiued saith he let him be accursed this curse therefore doth fall on the Friers and Masse priests that preach the Popes doctrines which they shal neuer proue to haue beene receiued from the Apostles though they read vntill their eies drop out of their heads The religion of Papists doth for the most part consist in praiers to Saints Masses and offices in the honour of Angels the Virgin Mary martyrs confessors and the Popes canonized creatures in erecting of crosses and crucifixes and other images in burning incense before images nay they giue diuine honour to creatures which themselues cannot denie to bee idolatrous cum Christus adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quòd cius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda seeing Christ saith Thomas Aquinas p. 3. q. 25. art 3. is worshipped with latria or honour properly belonging to God it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with the adoration of latria or diuine worship either therefore must our aduersaries shew that the Prophets and Apostles offered sacrifices in honour of Angels and Saints and made praiers vnto them and set vp images to be worshipped in temples and vsed to burne incense vnto them and to honor them after the manner of Papists or else they must confesse that their religion proceedeth not from the Prophets and Apostles how hard this proofe will bee it may appeare in this that Gods lawes Deut. 4. and Exod. 20. directly forbid the making of grauen images after the likenesse of God and the worship of idols and Christ ordeined the eucharist to be receiued in commemoration of his death and passion and neuer so much as mentioned the offering of his owne body and bloud or other sacrifices in the honour of Saints and Angels The Masse-priests that plotted the ruine of religion at Trent sess 6. ascribe mans iustification to his workes and exclude iustification both by Christs iustice and by faith apprehending Christ and beleeuing in him but both the Prophet Abacuc chap. 2. and S. Paul Rom. 1. affirme that the iust do liue by faith the Apostle also 1. Cor. 1. saith that our Saour Christ is made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto vs. which if it were wrought by our workes then should we haue beene made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto our selues nay the Apostle Rom. 3. saith if Abraham were iustified by workes that then he had wherein to reioice but not with God Popish religion consisteth most in externall ceremonies as for example in salt holy water holy candles incense ringing of sacring belles adoring crosses and images greasing of sicke men and masse-priests shauing of crownes vowes Monkish rules and such like toyes but these fooleries were neuer knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets Nay our Sauiour Matth. 15. teacheth that in vaine they seeke to worship God that teach for doctrines the precepts of men he sheweth also Iohn 4. that true worshippers worship God in spirit and truth and the Apostle Coloss 2. condemneth such as put religion in touching fasting and such like vaine ceremonies The Masse-priests call the Pope the spouse and head of the church but if he meane to deriue his authoritie from the writings of the Prophets and
draue Gregory the 7. out of his seate and appointed another in his place Henry the 5. his sonne tooke Paschalis prisoner and made him sweare to certeine articles he broke them afterward I confesse but that is rather an argument of the Popes perfidiousnesse then a proofe against the Emperours authoritie neither did the Emperors succeeding for many yeares cease to defend their right against the Popes encrochments and vsurpation vntill such time as the Popes by force of armes and rebellion of subiects had preuailed against them and when they could not by force resist yet did they often publish their complaints as appeareth by the message of Maximilian the first to the Pope by certeine memorials of Charles the fift concerning wrongs offered by the Pope by the greenances collected by the princes of Germany presented to Adrian the 6. by the apologies of the Bohemians English French and other nations Philip the French king writing to Boniface the 8. vsed these wordes Sciat tua maxima fatuitas nos in temporalibus nulli subesse I do thy great foolery saith he writing to him to wit that for temporall matters we are subiect to none the same king did also handle the Popes nuncioes according to their deseruing Henry the 2. as Matthew Paris testifieth forbad the paiment of Peter pence and such as appealed to the court of Rome he coÌ„mitted to prison appellantes ad curiam Rom. mandauit custodiae afterward writing to the bishop of Colein he threatueth to impugne the Pope and to thrust out of his kingdom all his fauourers Papam omnes suos saith he manifestè impugnabimus quicunque in terra mea inuentus fuerit qui Papae posthac adhaerere voluerit expelletur è regno happie had he beene if he had alwaies persisted in this purpose the kings of England afterward by their lawes against prouisions restrained the Popes authoritie and in the end that famous and worthy Prince King Henrie the eight did vtterly exclude the Pope and his Agents from all iurisdiction within his kingdome Furthermore albeit some princes were so sencelesse that they felt not the wrongs offered them by the Pope yet did such as loued the honour of their country neuer cease to complaine thereof Alan Chartier sheweth that Priests in the eies of the people were become most vile and that the hearts of men were alienated from the Popes obedience corda hominum ab obedientia scilicet Papae alienata Iulian the cardinall writing to Eugenius the fourth sheweth it was to be feared lest the laitie should fall vpon the clergy ne irruerent in ecclesiasticos laici The Germans in the end of their grieuances say that they neither would suffer nor could indure the wrongs offered them by the Pope Dixerunt Germani Principes saith he that reported their grieuances se onera Papae nec perferre velle nec tolerare posse Nicholas de Clemangis sheweth that both Princes and others murmured against the Popes exactions Charles the French king inueying against Benet the 13. signifieth that God would displace the Popes out of their seates for oppressing and spoiling Christs sheepe facti sunt greges mei in rapinam c. propterea cessare eos faciam vt non pascant vlterius gregem meum these words Charles applied against the Pope the English being excommunicated in king Iohns time called the Popes agents marcidos ribaldos that is rotten rascals and signified that they would not indure their tyranny Petrus de Ferrarijs in form resp rei conuenti bewaileth the miserie of Christian princes that indured so many wrongs at the Popes hands and made themselues his slaues and yet prouided no remedy for it heu miseri imperatores principes seculares saith he qui haec alia sustinetis vos seruos Pontificum facitis mundum per eos infinitie modis vsurpari videtis nec de remedio cogitatis Christian Princes and Kings therefore haue alwaies abhorred the Popes tyranny refused his religion and the more christian they haue shewed themselues the more resistaÌ„ce they haue made both against his corruptions in doctrine and his vsurpations and abuses in gouernment Vlrichus Vttenus in his preface to Laurentius Vallaes treatise against the counterfet donation of Constantine doth thus exclaime against the Popes as enemies and spoilers of all Christians annon fuerunt Christianorum hostes illi pontifices qui omnium ad se opes attraxerunt onmibus liberis seruitutem moliti sunt qui imper to reges peâ— unia ciâ—es deâ—l aliabant were not the Popes enemies of Christians which drew vnto themselues the wealth of all and endeuoured to oppresse all free men which spoiled kings of their gouernement and the subiects of their monie CHAP. XIIII That the auncient Britans and English were not first conuerted to Popish religion LEt that abide in you saith S. Iohn 1. epist 2. which you haue heard from the beginning so likewise we say let vs abide in that faith and let that faith abide in vs that was first preached by the Apostles schollers and successors in this Iland and let vs not be caried away by the poleshorne crew of the Pope to beleeue popish nouelties and fables that the auncient Christians of this land whether Britans English or Scots were not conuerted to popish religion that is now predominant in the kingdome of antichrist we haue three most euident demonstrations to assure vs. Frst those doctrines and grounds of Popery which before I haue mentioned will neuer be proued to haue beene taught by the first planters of Christian religion in this land and very absurd it were to suppose them to haue beene the authors of those heresies impieties and blasphemies which are so rife in Popery If S. Peter or S. Paul or any of their schollers did plant religion heere we must not thinke that they taught one thing and wrote another or that the schollers preached otherwise then they had learned from their masters If Ioseph of Arimathaea did first conuert the Britans and Fugatius and Damianus confirme them in the faith or if Austen the Monke and his fellowes did first conuert the Saxons or English yet can it not bee shewed that any one of these did teach that the traditions of the church of Rome and holy scriptures were with equall affection to be receiued or that the doctrine of Popish holy water paschall lambes tosaries images and such like traditions is the word of God or that Christs true body is torne with teeth and receiued downe into the belly and may be eaten of dogges and hogges or that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction or eating saltfish and redherrings vpon fridaies and fasting daies or that incense is to be burnt to images or the Sacrament adored for God and caried about in procession or the rest of the points of Popery before mentioned either therfore let Parsons shew vs that the seueral points of Popery before touched were taught by S. Peter the Apostle and Eleutherus and Gregory
Bishops of Rome or else he must know that whatsoeuer he fableth of his three supposed conuersions the same will make for the destruction of Popery and the ouerthrow of the cause which he mainteineth Secondly we are able to prooue that all these corruptions of doctrine superstitious deuises impieties blasphemies which we refuse haue beene receiued and established in the synagogue of Rome not onely since the Apostles times but also since the time of Eleutherius and Gregory the first the idolatrous worship of images was first confirmed by the second coūncell of Nice vnder the Empire of Irene and by little and little brought into the Westerne church being long oppugned by the bishops of France Germany and Britain That the images of the crosse and Trinity should be worshipped with latria was not allowed in that idolatrous councell but first taught by Thomas Aquinas and his followers and grounded not vpon Gods word but vpon this rule of Philosophy that the same motion is directed to the image and the thing imagined which rule by him is mistaken being meant of the species or representation of things in our vnderstanding and not of materiall images that come not within our vnderstanding The Popes authority began to be established first by the rebellion of Gregory the second and Gregory the third that caused Italy to reuolt from the Emperour vnder pretence of worship of images and afterward the same was confirmed by Gregory the seuenth and his successors that by force and violence ouerthrew the empire and made way by the diuisious of Christendome to the victories and conquests of the Turkes and Saracens Boniface the third obteined of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches Boniface the 9. as Theodoric à Niem in his booke of schisme testifieth by fraude vsurped first the temporall gouernment ouer the Citie and territorie of Rome which before that belonged either to the emperor or to the citizens and thus by fraud and violence the Pope made himselfe great and by little and little exalted himselfe in the church and erected the kingdome of Antichrist The carnall eating and presence of Christs body in the sacrament was first decreed by Nicolas the second in the Chap. ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat for there we read first that Christs true body is handled with the hands of Priests broken and torne with the teeth of the faithfull his words prescribed to Berengarius are verum corpus sanguinem domini nostri Iesu Christi esse sensualiter non solum sacramentum sed in veritate manibus sacerdotum tractari frangi fidelium dentibus atteri Transubstantiation got reputation first by the decree of Innocent the 3. as we read in the chapter Firmiter de sum Trin. fid cath for there he decreeth that the bread is transubstantiate into the body and the wine into blood by the power of God but yet two inconueniences will heere fall out if we yeeld to his words for there he saith that Christ is both the priest and the sacrifice and that this transubstantiation is wrought by the power of God whereof the first ouerthroweth the priesthood of the polshorne priests of Baal the second doth take away the efficacie from these wordes hoc est enim corpus meum and hic est sanguis meus and ascribeth all to the power of God absolutely In the conuenticle of Constance we finde it first resolued that the accidents of bread and wine doe remaine without subiect and that the Pope is Christs immediate vicar and sess 13. that although Christ did institute the eucharist in bread and wine yet lay-men were onely to receine it vnder one kinde Auricular confession was established by Innocent the 3. in the chap. omnis vtriusque sexus de poenit remiss for before that it was free to confesse or not to confesse the doctrine of confession was enlarged by the canonistes and schoole-men In the conuenticle of Florence we reade that the forme of ordring masse-priestes of popish confirmation and extreme vnction and of other popish sacraments was then first setled by law there also Purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was first enacted by force of law Clement the 6. in the chapter vnigenitus extr de poenit remis did first deuise the treasure of indulgences Boniface the 8. and Sixtus the 4. ordred the Popish Iubiley That the Pope is aboue the Councel it was first decreed in the councel of Lateran vnder Leo the 10. who also begā first to thunder out his excommunications against M. Luther Finally the conuenticle of Trent gaue finall complement to the Popish doctrine of Traditions of the Latine vulgar translation of concupiscence of formal iustification by charitie and works of seuen sacraments of the sacrifice of the masse of purgatorie and indulgences of framing the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost and the rest of their heresies and abuses for what before the schoolemen had taught vainlie that began now by the decrees of the Pope and his complices to be established and held for law then also the missals breuiaries offices and other rituall bookes began to be confirmed by the Popes authoritie Thirdly it is an easie matter to prooue that the doctrine of S. Peter and of the times wherein Ioseph of Arimathaea Eleutherius and Gregory the first liued is direct contrarie in diuers points to popish religion S. Peter 1. ep 2. exhorted all Christians to submit themselues to kings and gouernors but the Pope commandeth subiects to rebell and take armes against princes and excommunicateth such as refuse so to doe as appeareth by the excommunication of Paul the 3. against king Henry the 8. and of Pius the fift against Queene Elizabeth both which are extant in Sanders his libell de schismate S. Peter 1. ep 1. would haue Christians to trust perfectly on gods grace the Papists teach their disciples to distrust gods grace and to doubt of their saluation and to trust rather in their owne works and merits he saith we are not redeemed with corruptible things but with Christes most precious blood these teach that men are redeemed after a sort by indulgences and by the satisfaction and merites of Saints to whom Bellarmine in his booke of indulgences doubteth not to giue the title of redeemers S. Peter exhorteth Christians to desire the sincere milke of Gods word that they may grow thereby the papistes barre men from hearing Gods word in tongues which they vnderstand and send them to beleeue the traditions of the church of Rome and the impure trash of the schoolemen and the Popes decretales he excludeth the lordship of Popes ouer Gods inheritance these false teachers enforce it he exhorteth vs to make our election sure these fellowes teach that Christians cannot be assured of their election or make it sure Ioseph of Arimathaea and the godly bishops that liued in his time and diuers hundred yeeres after him continued we doubt not in
the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and therefore we may not thinke that they taught that Christ had a bodie inuisible or inpalpable or that his body was in heauen and earth at one time and yet not continued to it selfe or that his soule was omnipotent or omniscient or that Christians were to beleeue that dogges and hogges did eat Christs body and yet that all the communicants saue the Priest were to be excluded from the cup of the new Testament or that Christ is onely the meritorious cause of our iustification and saluation and that formally we are iustified and saued by our owne workes or that remission of sinnes cannot be obtained vnlesse we come to auricular confession and haue the Masse-priests absolution or that the Pope by his indulgences out of superfluous merits of Saints is able to deliuer soules from purgatory or other popish heresies and wicked doctrines before mentioned for these doctrines are contrarie to the holy scriptures in which the summe of the Apostles preaching is conteined Gregory the first lib. 4. epist 32. doth dislike the title of vniuersall bishop and calleth it sacrilegious and prophane he doth also condemne the worship of images lib. 7. epist 109. and lib. 9. epist 9. and commendeth Serenus the bishop of Massilia for reproouing the adoration of images neither doth he allow any more than the historicall vse of them that Purgatory which Gregory the Dialogist speaketh of differeth much from popish purgatory being rather designed for veniall sinnes than for satisfaction for temporall paines after the fault remitted lib. moral 19. c. 16. hee sheweth that the bookes of the Machabees are not canonicall scriptures and lib. 14. moral c. 32. that Christs body is solide and not like a spirit and lib. 4. dial c. 55. that things aboue in the eucharist are vnited to things below summa imis consociantur of which it followeth that there is no such presence as the Papists imagine nor any transubstantiation for if the bodie of Christ residing aboue be vnited to things below then is not Christs body included within the accidents of the host nor is the bread and wine abolished Augustine the Monke brought with him a crosse and the image of our sauiour in a table and did sing litanies as Bede testifieth lib. 1. hist Angl. c. 25. but we doe not read that hoe filled Churches with images or that hee worshipped Christs image or the crosse with latria or that in his litanies he called vpon Saints or Angels Bede saith they praied to God litanias canentes c. domino supplicabant If then we cannot find the points of popery which we refuse in the writings of the Apostles or in any record mentioning the doctrin of Ioseph of Arimathaea Eleutherius Gregory or Austen but rather find them to bee opposite to their doctrine and denised afterwards then vnlesse we meane to remooue the ancient limits and bounds set downe to vs by our fathers and to refuse the counsell of the holy ghost Prouerb 22. wee may not returne to popery forasmuch as the first conuerters of the inhabitants of this land were no authours nor fauourers of popish superstition heresies impieties and blasphemies CHAP. XV. That popish religion is most falsely termed Catholike religion and Papists Catholickes CAtholicke religion as Vincentius Lirinensis in his commonitory chap. 3. doth teach vs is that which alwaies hath beene beleeued and of all Christians wee are to hold saith he that which alwaies hath beene beleeued of all Christians for that is properly Catholicke but the faith of the Romish church conteined in the Popes decretales and disputes of the canonists and schoolemen hath not alwaies beene beleeued of all Christians their faith therfore is not catholike the assumption is proued not onely by the nouelties of the decretales glosses of Canonists and summes and resolutions of the schoole diuines but also by the falsehood and contrarieties of the doctrine therein conteined Nicholas in his decretale ego Berengarius de consecrat dist 2. teacheth that Christs body sensually is handled with the hands of Priests and torne with teeth but this is contrary to scriptures fathers and truth Innocent in the chapter firmiter de sum trinit fid cath saith that the bread is transubstantiat into Christs body which is false for Christ saide of bread which hee tooke this is my bodie The Canonists honour the Pope as a God on earth as the head foundationmonah rcand spouse of the Church the schoolemen brabble one with another and sometimes change their owne opinions Bellarmine lib. 2. de purgat c. 3. confesseth that Thomas Aquinas changed his opinion concerning the merit of soules in Purgatorie most schoole-men build doctrines of faith vpon Philosophicall grounds and vary both from scriptures and fathers in their doctrine of the diuine attributes of Christs body and soule of merits of sacraments and diuers other points how then can we repute these doctrines to be catholike It is the Property of Catholikes saith Vincentius Lirinensis commonit c. 34. to keepe the doctrine committed to them and left with them by the auncient fathers and to auoid profane nouelties but the doctrine of schoolemen concerning the diuine attributes concerning the examples of the persons of the Trinitie brought by the master of sentences the eating of Christs body by brute beasts and diuers other points is ful of profanenesse and nouelties their reasons also are more philosophicall and sophisticall then Apostolicall all the points in controuersie betwixt vs and them are mere nouelties as the decretales whereon they depend declare Leo epist 81. saith that there is one true only perfect and inuiolable faith whereto nothing can be added and from which nothing can bee taken but vnto this faith the Popes haue added their determinations concerning traditions the carnall reall presence of Christs body and blood in the sacrament of the Lords supper transubstantiation the communion vnder one kind the Popes vicarship generall and vniuersall power purgatory indulgences the worship of images and diuers other pointes of doctrine doth it not then appeare that popery is nothing else but a corruption of doctrine comming in after the publication of the Christian Catholike faith and added vnto it Furthermore as the Apostolike doctrine is catholike and vniuersall so hereticall opinions are particular and peculiar to certaine sects and persons and times but wee haue shewed that Popery is nothing else but a packe of old and new heresies Lastly by many particulars it may be proued that the doctrine of Papists hath neither beene taught at all times nor imbraced of al christians nor spred ouer al the world which doth plainly declare that neither the doctrine is catholike nor the professors thereof truely termed Catholickes First they teach that the scriptures are an imperfect rule and vnsufficient without traditions and speake lewdly of them calling them a nose of waxe a killing and dead letter a matter of strife and what else they list to deuise in their
massacres and cruell executions done by the Papistes of late yeeres vpon the Saints of God haue proceeded from no other fountaine then from the malice of the diuel for he was a murderer from the beginning and Apocalyps 12. we read that the great red dragon that is the diuel persecuted the woman which was a figure of the church of God and caused her to flie into the wildernesse from the same fountaine also doe issue all the forgeries lies and calumniations of Papists whereby they haue gone about to suppresse the truth for the diuell is the father of lies and from their father the diuel the lying friers and Masse-priests haue learned their lying deuises who then is of God must needs hate this religion that is partly inuented and partly mainteined by the diuell CHAP. XXXIII That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion OF the trueth of our Christian faith we are assured for the articles thereof were deliuered by Christ taught by the Apostles and Prophets conteined in Scriptures and confessed by the catholicke church of all times but it is not so with Popery for neither did Christ deliuer it nor the Apostles and Prophets teach it nor is the same conteined in Scriptures or confessed by the catholike church of all times but dependeth partly vpon traditions not written and partly vpon the Popes determinations and partly vpon the opinions of schoole-men and canonistes and the monkes and friers now what assurance I pray you can any Papist haue of these doctrines First no man yet could euer tell what these traditions are which the Priests of Trent would make equall to Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei talketh at randon but he dare not come to particulars nor directly expresse them Secondly they dare not define where these traditions are to be found if they say in the decretales then all future traditions are cut off and former traditions founded on the Popes opinions if they say in the legends their traditions will prooue lies and fooleries for such are the legends if they tell vs of the pure fountaines of traditions of Caesar Baronius as Pope Sixtus the fift doth they will be laughed at that were not auised of their groundes before the time of this babling and confused Cardinal Thirdly they cannot shew why some traditions should be obserued and others not but if traditions were to be receined with equall affection to holy Scriptures then might none be abolished As for the determinations of Popes they can alledge no reason why they should be true if they bring the wordes of Christ to Peter they concerne them nothing that are so vnlike to Peter if they bring Christs promises to his church they concerne them much lesse for they are rather enemies then members of the church but were they members yet what man is priuiledged so that he cannot erre but those which for writing of holy Scriptures were led into all truth by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth Finally there is such contention betwixt the schoolemen and canonists and such diuersity of opinions among the seuerall Doctors of both the sides that it is bard to say whether any of them teacheth truly and most certaine that many of them teach falsely nay scarce any point of doctrine is deliuered by schoolemen wherein they dissent not one from another Now if they say their faith is founded not only vpon the Popes determinations and Apostolike traditions but also vpon holy scriptures yet holding as they doe this shall not any whit releeue them For first they cannot assure themselues that the Latine vulgar translation of the Bible is more true then the originall text in Hebrew and Greeke for all the fathers with one consent preferre the original fountaines before all versions Secondly they must needes stand in doubt which is the old Latine vulgar translation for if they allow that which was set out by Clement the 8. then cannot they allow of that which was set out by Sixtus Quintus the one so much differing from the other nor if they approue this can they follow that Thirdly they doe not beleeue the scriptures because God speaketh in them nor the traditions because they are Gods worde as they hold but because the church doth tell vs which are canonicall scriptures and consigneth them vnto vs and doth further deliuer vnto vs these traditions not written for this is Stapletons opinion in his bookes de doctrinalibus princip and authorit ecclesiast defens and is confessed of most Papists but if the authoritie of scriptures and traditions in respect of vs doth so depend vpon the church that no man can be assured of either without the authority of the Church then doth the faith of Papists rest vpon the Pope who as they say is chiefe gouernor of the church the which will bring the Papists to great vncertainty for who is so mad as to beleeue that a blind Pope can well iudge of colours or so senselesse as not to beleeue Gods word without the Popes warrant Fourthly they receiue not the articles of the faith because they are contained in scriptures but because they are deliuered vnto vs by the Pope Thomas Aquinas 2.2.9.1 art 10. saith that the ordring of matters of faith and the publication of the articles of the Creed belongeth to the pope that Athanasius his Creed was receiued because it was allowed by the Pope and this by others is deliuered in more grosse termes Stapleton in his doctrinall principles saith that the last resolution of matters of faith is in the Popes desinitiue sentence and Bellarmine lib. 3. de verb. dei c. 4. goeth about to shew that the Pope is the supreme iudge to whom the interpretation of scriptures and last resolution of all controuersies of religion is to bee referred But the papists can neither assure thomselues that he that sitteth at Rome is true Pope and S. Peters true successor nor that his determinations are certeine or true That the Pope is S. Peters true successor it will be hard to proue considering that he preacheth not as S. Peter did nor S. Peter weare a triple crowne and command temporall Princes as he doth it is very hard also to know whether he bee true Pope or no after the common vnderstanding of Papists for vnlesse he bee baptized and truly ordred and chosen he is no true Pope but it is hard to know whether he were baptized which dependeth vpon the Priests intention which is vncerteine and hidden it is also more hard to vnderstand whether he were truly ordred or not for if he were not baptized then is he not capable of Priest-hood as Innocentius saith c. ventens de presbytero non baptizato and if he that ordred him had no intention to doe it then receiued he no orders lastly it is a matter most difficult to know whether the Pope was rightly chosen or else by Simony or violence or other meanes intruded so it is alwaies most
not possible a man should be saued vnlesse he beleeue the catholike faith but this catholike faith the Papists beleeue not intirely for neither doe they giue to Christ humane flesh nor make him a perfect man thrusting his body into a small piece of bread or rather into the accidents of bread where it is neither seene nor felt as other mens bodies are further they doe not beleeue his ascension or that he shall come from heauen to iudge quicke dead as is conteined in that Creedo making their followers beleeue that his body is vpon euery altar and not being able to deny that he shall come out of the pixe seeing they teach he is there Our Sauiour Christ Matth 15. teacheth vs that such worship God in vaine as teach for doctrines mens precepts but the doctrine of Popery as it addeth to ancient Catholike religion is nothing but a masse of humane inuentions deuises and precepts their decretales are the Popes deuises their formes of worship conteined in the missals and breuiaries are merely humane From mans deuise proceeded the popish worship of Angels Saints Images the most part of the resolutions of cases of consciences is grounded on the Popes lawes finallie the turnings skippings heauings greasings spittings and other ceremonies of Masse-priests and their followers proceede from mans inuention Popery therefore by Christs rule is nothing but wearinesse and vexation of mens soules while they seeke to serue God by those meanes By the chapter si Papa dist 40. we learne that the Pope may be remisse and negligent in his office and silent in teaching and leade innumerable people with him into hell but if the Papists are to adhere to the Pope and to follow him how can they escape when he leadeth them into hell that they runne not headlong into hell themselues also If then they will not beleeue scriptures nor fathers yet their owne decrees may teach them that following the Pope innumerable Papists runne hedlong into hell Besides the testimonies of scriptures and fathers and the confession of Boniface in the chapter si Papa dist 40. diuers reasons teach vs that the Papists holding firmelie and positiuely the erroneous doctrine of the moderne church of Rome cannot be saued for first no man can come vnto the father but by Christ Iesus as he testifieth of himselfe Iohn 14 he sheweth also that he is the way the truth and the life the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. teacheth vs that there is no mediator betwixt God and man but the man Christ Iesus but the Papists as they pretend come to God not only by Christ but also by the Virgin Mary by Angels and Saints they seeke out also new waies content not themselues with such as Christ taught vs. finally they beleeue that the Pope by his indulgences and euery Masse-priest by his Masses is able to redeeme mens soules Secondly he that buildeth his faith vpon other foundation then the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets doth build vpon sand and not vpon a firme foundation but the Papists build their faith vpon the Popes decretales vpon vnwritten and vncerteine traditions vpon the doctrine of the Romish church vpon miracles and prophesies reported in the Romish legends and such like fables doe they not then build vpon rumous foundations Thirdly the papists hope to be iustified by the law and to be saued by their workes But the Apostle Rom. 3. teacheth vs that man is iustified without the workes of the law and Rom. 6. that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Fourthly the law of God pronounceth him accursed that abideth not in all the words of the law to doe them and a plaine matter it is that no man can be saued that wilfully breaketh Gods law and neuer soroweth nor craueth pardon for his transgression but the Papistes teach doctrine contrary to Gods law and enforce their followers to breake it and that in diuers points God commandeth vs to haue no other gods but him but they honour the Sacrament and the images of the Trinity and crosse with diuine worship they doe also impart Gods worship to the virgin Marie and to saints he forbiddeth the taking of Gods holie name in vaine the Popes of Rome doe dispense with oathes and enforce men oftentimes to breake them God commandeth vs to honour our parents the Pope setteth the children against their parents finally they allow publike stewes and set vp shops of vsury and massacre innocent Christians directly against Gods commandement and that without all remorse of conscience or feeling of their sinnes Fiftly papistes hope to obteine remishon of sinnes by their owne satisfactions by indulgences by the paines of Purgatorie by masses by auricular confess on and popish absolution of Masse-priestes and diuers humane deuises but relying vpon these broken reedes there is no hope for them to be saued for without the onely sacrifice of Christ Iesus applied to vs by true faith there is no hope of remission of sinnes Sixtly without true faith it is not possible to please God but their peruerse doctrine of faith and the innumerable heresies of papists do declare that they haue no true faith Seuenthly the Prophet Dauid Psal 15. demanding who shall rest vpon Gods holy mountaine answereth among other things he that slandreth not with his tongue nor doth euil to his neighbour but the Papists as is formerly shewed haue no other meanes to vphold their ruinous state but by lies and slanders treasons rebellions murders and massacres of innocent Christians Finally it is not possible they should be saued that are ignorant of the meanes of their saluation and hold heresies repugnant to the apostles doctrine of the law of the gospel of repentance from dead workes and other articles of the faith but the Papists beleeue that Christ is only the meritorious cause of their saluation as if he had merited only that they might sause themselues they teach also that men are iustified formally by their owne works that their supposed sacraments and their pilgrimages and voluntary obseruances of the precepts of the Romish church and works performed according to the Popes decretales and conuenticle of Trent do iustifie Lastly they teach and beleeue doctrine contrary to the law to the gospel to the Apostles doctrine of repentance and good works are they not then in miserable case Now if any man aske what is then become of all those that either now die or in time past are dead in places where Popery is or hath beene professed I answer that of those that held the foundation and liued well we hope well but we denie that such as liued before the conuenticle of Trent held Popery positiuely we hope also that many there are among the papists now which conform themselues to them in outward ceremonies and yet beleeue not the errors of Popery positiuely but hold themselues to the old Apostolike saith and of these mens saluation we haue no cause to despaire God grant that the
foundation and pillar of our faith they doe make the traditions of the church not written equall to the scriptures and vpon them nay vpon the decretales of Popes and practise of Massepriestes doe build their faith all antiquitie esteemeth holy scriptures to be the canon of our faith and therefore calleth them canonicall But the Romanists esteeme them to be an vnperfect canon without their traditions and the Popes decretales and determinations Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei c. 4. saith they are neither necessary nor sufficient without traditions The fathers neuer accounted the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees equall to the bookes of the law and Prophets extant originally in Hebrew as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Athanasius in synopsi of Nazianzen in carm of Epiphanius and diuers others old and new writers the Papists in the synode of Trent decree them to be of equall authoritie with the rest the auncient catholikes euer esteemed the Hebrew text of the old testament and the Greeke of the new to be more authentical then anie translation the conuenticle of Trent hath made the old latin vulgar translation of the bible authenticall and doth not giue that honor to the originall bookes of the bible the canonicall scriptures we say receiue their force from the author of them and this is to be prooued by the consent of fathers and by arguments from scriptures law and reason they say that scriptures receiue force and authoritie in respect of vs from the Church or rather from the Pope Papists are neither willing that scriptures be turned into vulgar tongues nor will permitte them to be read of the vulgar sort without licence or publickly read in vulgar tongues in the church finally they say they are obscure and hard to be vnderstood and speake what they can in their disgrace Secondly they teach erroneously concerning Christs naturall body and concerning his office the body of Christ they beleeue to be both in heauen and on earth on euerie altar at one and the selfe same time they also hold that his body is really vnder the accidents of bread and wine giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor in any sort like to ours they teach further that his body is in diuers places where it filleth not the places and that his one body hath relation to diuers places they beleeue that the soules of the faithfull before Christes comming were in hell or at least in Limbo which is a part of hell and were thence deliuered by Christes going to hell as if his crosse had wrought nothing for them they teach that Christ as man is omniscient and per consequent omnipotent and that he was vir perfectus that is a perfect or growne man from the first instant of his conception his office of mediation they giue to the virgin Mary to Angels and to Saints they make also Saints our redeemers teaching that by their merits Christians obteine their desires and are deliuered out of purgatorie to Masse-priests they giue priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech and say that they offer vp Christs body and blood really for quicke and dead finally they make the Pope head spouse and monarke of the Church Neither doe they teach more catholikely of Christes mysticall body then of his naturall body for they subiect the same to the Pope and exclude all from Christ that are not subiect to the Pope the true members thereof they persecute and make heretikes and reprobates and such as liue without order or law professing their religion outwardly true members of Christes body the Church say they is alwaies so conspicuous and visible that euery one may see it and discerne it the true markes of the church that is true doctrine and the sincere administration of Sacraments and holinesse of life they denie assigning most common and vncerteine markes as vnitie vniuersalitie antiquitie succession and such like The Pope they make a most certeine and infallible interpreter of Scriptures and iudge of matters of faith they giue him authoritie to make lawes for the whole Church and power to binde mens consciences they make him more souereigne then a generall Councell and say that his power in giuing indulgences reacheth into purgatorie they say he hath power to excommunicate and depose kings and to giue away their kingdomes to others Betwixt the Catholicke church and Roman church they make no difference equalling a part to the whole they say also that the Roman church can neither erre nor faile The worship of God consisteth in spirit and trueth but they place the same in certeine externall rites and ceremonies and in meere humane inuentions and deuices nay for God they worship creatures not onely giuing diuine honour to the Sacrament but also to crucifixes and images of the Trinitie made of wood stone and colours they doe also adore not onely saints but rotten bones and ragges they know not of whom to Saints they pray they make vowes they confesse their sinnes to saints they erect churches and altars to their images they burne incense and present diuers oblations and finally in the honour of Saints haue deuised particular masses and offices transforming the Psalmes and wordes of Scriptures to Angels and Saints Their doctrine concerning the Sacraments is most exorbitant for they doe not onely adde vnto water in Baptisme salt spittle oile and diuers other ceremonies partly idle partly superstitious but also vnto the two Sacraments instituted by Christ they equall confirmation matrimonie penance orders and extreme vnction making them Sacraments as well as Baptisme or the Lords Supper in Confirmation they haue deuised both a new signe and new wordes in extreme Vnction they haue deuised new formes in the ordring of Priestes they say accipe potestatem offerendi sacrisicium in ecclesia pro viuis mortuis that is receiue power to offer sacrifice in the church for quicke and dead in Penance they vrge a necessity of confession strange formes of whipping and vncerteine hopes and new deuices of satisfaction from Matrimonie they exclude Priestes monkes and friars and make it a Sacrament albeit they know neither certeine signes nor words of the institution of it but the institution of the Lords supper they haue quite abolished for that which Christ ordeined to be receiued of the Communicants that the masse-priest doth offer for quicke dead and in the honour of Saints and Angels of which there is not one worde spoken in the institution our Sauiour in bread and wine instituted his last supper these neither leaue bread nor wine but make Christians eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood like the canibals Cyclopes Christ ordeined this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion these make of the same a sacrifice in honour of Angels and Saints the cup of the new testament they take from Christians abrogating as much as in them lieth the new testament established in Christs blood and
pretence doe reiect the old translation or vse any interpretation contrary to the Romish Churches meaning they condemne Stapleton in his booke intituled Principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs seuen grounds or principles of his religion the first is the Church the second the Pope the third the means vsed by the Pope in iudgement the fourth the Popes infallibility in iudgement the fifth his power in taxing the canon of Scriptures the sixth his certaine interpretation of Scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written these I say are his grounds and principles absurdly deuised confusedly disposed and ridiculously propounded as God willing shall be shewed otherwhere now it is sufficient to declare that whatsoeuer he bableth elsewhere of scriptures councels fathers yet heere they are all suppressed in this diuision or at the least concealed vnder the name of the Church or Pope which in his preface to Gregory the 13. hee calleth supremum numen in terris that is the supreme God of the world and who to him is all in all likewise in his preface to his relection of doctrinall principles hee seemeth directly to exclude the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis apostolicis euangelicis uliud that is we haue another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the Apostles Prophets if he exclude not scriptures yet he admitteth them no otherwise than according to the interpretation of the Pope and his complices nay without the Popes declaration he doth tediouslie discourse that Christians are not to receiue the canon of scriptures The decretale epistles of the Pope no doubt they admit for the foundation of their faith for in the rubricke of their decrees c. in canonicis dist 19. they doe determine that the Popes decretales are to bee numbred among canonicall scriptures inter canonicas scripturas say they decretales epistolae connumerantur likewise Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. defineth that the Popes decretale epistles are to bee receiued with veneration In the same decretale Gelasius authoriseth the Romane martyrologe or legends of martyrs neither can Kellison or his kettle companions deny this to be one of the grounds of his rammish I would say Romish religion seeing these martyrologes and legendes conteine diuers traditions which the conuenticle of Trent will haue all Papistes to receiue with equall affection to scriptures Canus lib. 1. loc theolog c. 1. assigneth tenne places out of which he saith diuines are to draw arguments the first is the authority of scriptures the second the authority of traditions not written the third is the authority of the catholike church the fourth the authority of councels the fifth the authority of the church of Rome where wee are to note that more honestly than his companions hee maketh the church of Rome to differ from the Catholike church the sixth is the authority of ancient fathers the seuenth the authority of Romish schoole doctors the eighth naturall reason the ninth the authority of Philosophers the tenth the authority of writers of stories so wee see how hee buildeth his faith vpon men as well as vpon God and matcheth traditions not written with the most diuine writings of the Prophets and Apostles and conioyneth the authority of councels and fathers nay of schoolemen and Philosophers with the testimony of holy scriptures framing to vs rather an humane then a diuine foundation of Christian faith Martin Perez a plaine dealing Papist knowing that all those points of doctrine which are in controuersie betwixt his fellowes and vs are grounded rather vpon tradition then scripture doth entitle his whole discourse of these matters de traditionibus that is a discourse of traditions Finally Bellarmine lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 31. doth call the Pope the foundation of the building of the church Fundamentum aedisicij ecclesiae and in his preface before his bookes de pontisice Rom. he saith that the seat of Peter or the Popes chaire is the approued stone the corner and pretious stone placed in the soundation of which the Prophet I say speaketh c. 8. and 28. and with him concurreth Sanders in his booke of the Rocke of the church Stapleton also declareth the matter most plainely in praefat in relect princip doctr where he saith that the foundation of the knowledge of Christian religion is necessarily placed in the authority of the Pope teaching vs in whom he saith he heareth God speaking to vs. his wordes are in hac docentis hominis authoritate he speaketh of the Pope in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscenda fundamentum necessariò pom credimus and this others must necessarily also hold for they hold him to be the supreme interpreter of scriptures and an infallible Iudge of all controuersies of religion and a law-giuer to our consciences binding all mens consciences by his lawes which is the common opinion as Bellarmine lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. c. 16. saith of all casuistes a pitifull case therefore it is wherein the Papistes stand whose consciences are chained with so many bondes This then being found in the suruey of the grounds of Popish religion let vs also consider what conclusions may be hence inferred that we may as well suruey the conclusions as the premisses First it followeth that these grounds being blasphemous both in regard of the spirit of God which is the enditer and author of holy scriptures and also in regard of Christ Iesus the foundation of the church and finisher of our saith the doctrine and religion of Popery cannot be cleere of blasphemie for to match Popish decretales with holy scriptures and the Popes determination with Gods law is derogatory to Gods holy spirit and a plaine disparagement to Gods holy law likewise it is blasphemous to accuse the holy scriptures of insufficiencie and imperfection and to attribute more certaintie and perspicuitie to the decretales of the Pope then to the lawes of God it is also blasphemous either to remoue Christ out of the foundation of the church or at the least to ioyne the Pope with him in the foundation and that as a more necessary foundation for the knowledge of Christian religion as Stapleton saith the same also is directly contrary to the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. Ephes 2. and of S. Iames. c. 4. in the first of which places we finde that no other foundation can be layd of the church but Christ Iesus in the 2. we reade that the Church is founded vpon the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the cheefe corner stone in the 3. we vnderstand that there is only one Law-giuer and Iudge which is able to saue and destroy it is finally very impious and blasphemous to assirme that the Pope is a more certaine and superiour Iudge then God himselfe speaking to vs in scriptures or then the Apostles and Prophets that were ledde into all truth by the spirit of God of other blasphemies of Popery
we shall haue further occasion to speake hereafter Secondly seeing the Papistes are not certaine of their grounds it must needes follow that the religion of Papists is most vncertaine that they cannot be certain of their grounds diuers arguments declare for neither are they certaine whether Clement Leo or any other sitting in the Popes chayre be true Pope nor canne they assure themselues whether the decretales which goe vnder the names of Popes were indeed their decretales whose names they cary Antonius Contius a learned Papist in a certaine annotation of his added to the ch sancta dist 15. in Plantins edition saith that all the decretales set out vnder names of Popes before Siluester are false and this he saith he hath shewed manifestly further it cannot be proned that all the determinations of the Popes are right and equall nay contrarie we haue by diuers most certeine demonstrations prooued that both concerning scriptures faith the law sacraments praier the worship of God and diuers pointes of faith they haue determined contrary to the rule of saith as shall hereafter more particularly appeare Thirdly it were plaine impudencie to say that the Apostles instituted the consecration of the Paschal Lambes the forme of hallowing of churches salt water and all Popish trinkets the form of praying vpon beades and the rest of the Romish traditions neither shall Kellison euer be able to iustifie all those reportes which his teachers haue receiued by tradition and publikely heretofore set forth and now read out of their legendes Fourthly diuers of those 84. canons which goe vnder the names of the Apostles are disclaymed by the Papists themselues and the rest cannot be proued that they were made by the Apostles of the actes of the Nicene Councell the Papists themselues haue no certainty Most confesse 20. as Ruffin and Pope Stephen others in c. vigint dist 16. Gratian vnder the testimony of Athanasius telleth vs of 70. c. septuaginta dist 16. now one Alphonsus a pisa a Iebusite hath published 80. canons the acts of the councell supposed to be held vnder Siluester Bishop of Rome are all conterfeit as the barbarous stile and strange forme of gouernment represented in those acts and diuers barbarous names and other arguments doe signifie sometimes Peter Crabbe the collector of councels doth set downe diuers actes of councels not only differing but also repugnant one to another fiftly diuers bookes are set foorth vnder the name of fathers that no man can certeinly say were written by the fathers whose names they cary Nay some of them doe containe doctrine contrary to the faith professed by the fathers sixtly they are not certaine either what is the sense of the Romane church diuers doctors yeelding diuers interpretations of scriptures or what is the old Latine translation for Sixtus Quintus setteth out the old vulgar Latin translation after one sort and Clement the eight after another and he that alloweth the translation of Sixtus Quintus must nedes condemne that of Clement the eight contrariwise finally seeing diuers Papists assigne diuers grounds of their faith and scarce two of many doe agree in all points concerning their foundations and the assurance of them how can they pretend either vnity or certainty in their religion Thirdly the foundations of Popery being laid vpon false decretals and lying legends hardly shall our aduersaries be able to deny their religion to be false and full of lies that the Popes doe in their decretales report notorious lyes it is apparent by the decretale set out vnder the name of Innocentius c. quis nesciat dist 11. where he denieth that anie taught or gathered churches in France Spaine Afrike Italy beside S. Peter and those which were sent by him and his successors and likewise by the decretale of Gregorie the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. where it is said that all causes are to be referred to the church of Rome as to the head and from thence to receiue direction from whence it receiued his beginning and by the chapter in nouo dist 21. where it is said that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince and infinit others that the legendes which are the ground and receptacle of many traditions are ful of lies I haue shewed els where if Kellison the Suruey or deny this let him proue vnto vs that S. George killed a dragon ready to deuour the kings daughter of Silena and conquered Palestine that Catharine ouercame 50. Philosophers and conuerted the Empresse and the general of the emperors army and broke a wheele with her praiers that with turning killed 4000. pagans that S. Nicholas being an infant fasted Wednesdaies and Fridaies that Bernacus yoked harts that Saint Brendan sayled into Paradise that a crucifixe of wood resaluted Bartilmew a monke of Durrham that the blessed Virgins body was caried into heauen by Angels that her house was carried ouer the seas first into Dalmatia and then into Italy and lastly to Loreto and the rest of those tales Fourthly the Pope being the foundation of the church it followeth that as oft as the Pope dieth the church is without foundation it followeth also that the Pope going to hell as it appeareth by the chap. Sipapa dist 40. that he may the foundation of the Church should lie in hell that the Pope falling into heresie as Liberius Honorius 1. Iohn the 22. and diuers others haue done that the Church should faile which be matters absurd and impious to affirme Fifthly feeing diuers old traditions are now out of vse as for example that of celebrating baptisme at Easter and praying standing betwixt Easter and Whitsontide and of praying with our faces turned to the East and such like it must needes be granted that the foundations of Popery are ruinous for why may not the like happen to other traditions as to these and if traditions be temporary and ruinous which they make equall to holy scriptures what can they alleadge for the continuance and perpetuity of the Popes decretales which are not only contrarie to holy Scriptures but also repugnant one to another Sixthly the old translation differing from it selfe in the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the eigth and others set out at Colein Louain and Antwerpe and much more from the originall bookes of the old Testament in Hebrew and new in Greeke and the interpretations of the scriptures being so diuers in the chiefe doctors of the Romish church and so repugnant to the meaning of the holy Ghost it doth necessarily follow that Popish religion is composed of contrary pieces and cannot be the faith of Christ which is one and hath onely one firme foundation Finally there can bee no consent or vnity in the points of Popish doctrine for that the same consisteth of contrary opinions of Popes and is grounded vpon contrary traditions contrary legends contrary interpretations of fathers and schoolemen and either of traditions or decretales contrary to scriptures or of sentences of fathers contrary to
Apostles he shall declare himselfe to want both head and braine for in the Canticles c. 2. and Ephes 5. the title of spouse of the church is declared to belong to Christ and him only the scriptures declare to be head of the Church Gregory lib. 4. ep 38. ad Ioan. Constantinopol sheweth that neither Paul nor Andrew nor Iohn nor Peter was the head of the vniuersall church but all members of the church vnder one head The Prophets and Apostles doe teach vs that the church of God consisteth of sheepe and lambes and such was Peter commanded to feede God saith by his Prophet Isay c. 11. that there shall be no hurting nor killing in all his holie mountaine and that the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the pard he with the kidde but the Romish Church is full of blood and wholy vpholden by cruelty in France the Pope and his complices haue caused aboue two hundred thousand persons to be murdered for the profession of the true faith the fires and butchers axes of their executioners haue consumed also infinit Christians in Italy Spaine England Scotland Germany and the Low countries very ignorant therefore he is of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that supposeth that the massacring Romish church is founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Prophet Daniel doth prophecy how a certaine king shall arise that shall speake words of blasphemy against the most high and consume his Saints and that shall thinke that he may change times and lawes the Apostle also 2. Thess 2. sheweth that there shall come a departing and that the man of sinne shall be disclosed and exalt himselfe against all that is called God and that he shall sit in the temple of God S. Iohn also in his Apocalypse sheweth that Antichrist shall rise after the decay of the Roman Empire and giue life to that state and that the great whore shall sit vpon the seuen hils and haue her garments died red in the blood of Saints but this argueth that the Pope is Antichrist and that Popish religion is not Christian religion grounded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets but rather Antichristian heresie founded vpon the Popes decretales and schoolemens fond and foolish inuentions Finallie it is not only desperate ignorance but also meere madnesse to affirme that the grounds doctrines heresies and blasphemies which before we haue spoken of are deriued out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles would Kellison the Popes grand surueier vndertake to prooue vnto vs all the Popes traditions concerning the Masse the dirges and offices for the dead purgatory indulgences holy water holy candles paschal lambes rascall Friers and Monkes and such like trash by the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets he should but lose his labour and percase his wits too for in their diuine writings such fond superstitious and impious doctrines haue no defence nor shelter but if hee meane to find their true beginning then must he search the Popes decretales the writings of schoolemen and canonists and other the Popes adherents and there he shall not only find out the first authours but also the rest of the nouelties fooleries and impieties of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. XIII That poperie was either condemned or not knowen by Kings and Princes professing Christian religion in old time THe Popes Agents when they are vpon their owne dunghils and among their owne disciples and fauorers doe make great crackes as if the Popish religion which is now taught at Rome were the only religion professed by ancient kings princes and emperors of Rome that made profession of the Christian faith but who so list to read the ancient confessions of Christian kings and the lawes made by them both for mainteinance of the Christian faith and for the repressing of diners errors shall finde that the grounds doctrines impieties absurdities of Popery were either disallowed by them or vnknowen vnto them The first Christian king of Britaine if we may beleeue Bede and others of latter times for in more auncient histories there is no record of such a king or such matters as then passed was Lucius but we doe not finde that the Popish Masse was then hatched or that Eleutherius bishop of Rome pretended the vniuersall monarchy of the Church nay wee read that Irenaeus doth make as great account of other churches as of Rome albeit the same be first placed in regard of the splendour and authority of that citie furthermore Lucius neither had images nor worshipped them nor did he giue Latria to the crosse of Purgat one and indulgences he could not heare any thing for that Eleutherius as yet tooke not vpon him to deliuer soules out of Purgatory nor to grant pardons a poena culpa finally if Kellison seeke to prooue the articles of Popery before mentioned by the testimony of Lucius you shall soone see that the man will be at a stand The first Christian Emperour of Rome was Constantine the great but many actes of his declare that he was neither a slaue of the bishop of Rome nor a professor of Popery for first by his authority both was the councell of Nice assembled and the actes thereof established as Enschius in vita Constantini and other ecclesiasticall writers doe testifie secondly that faith which the councell of Nice published he professed but therein is not one article of Popery established but rather diuers refuted as namely the doctrine of Papists concerning Christs humanitie and the Popish reall presence and dissoluing priests mariages for if Christ be true man then is not his body inuisible and impalpable in the Sacrament againe if Christs body be ascended into heauen then is not the same in euery pixe if the same be to come from heauen then is not the same to creepe out of a pixe if mariage of Priests be honorable and not to be dissolued as was decreed in the counceil of Nice by the aduice of Paphnutius then doe the Papists teach doctrines of diuels that condemne such mariages and separate Priests from their wiues thirdly all the actes of that councell were confirmed and not only receiued by Constantine but that sheweth that the Bishop of Rome then had no more authoritie in his prouince then the Bishop of Alexandria in his as the sixth canon of the Nicene councell testifieth the 4. canon sheweth that the Bishop of Rome had no greater authority in ordeining bishops then other metropolitans the fifth canon equalleth his power in excommunication to that which other Bishops had to abridge this matter we finde that the Bishops of Rome were as well subiect to the canons of the councell of Nice as other Bishops finally we finde that Constantine made lawes for church gouernment in his time and not the Bishops of Rome Nay the bishops of Rome as is said in the counterfet donation of Constantine had their priuileges from Constantine and not contrariwise priuilegium Romanae ecclesiae pontifici
Popes regard them not one straw if they talke against their triple crowne two swords or glorious and pompous state as may appeare by the light accompt made of S. Bernardes bookes de consideratione ad Eugenium all of them if the Pope defineth otherwise reiect the fathers with great facility Bellarmme lib. 1. de verb. dei c. 3. declaring his opinion of the new testament departeth from the exposition of Chrysostome Theodoret and other fathers Generally in the accompt of the bookes of canonicall scriptures of the old testament they reiect the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Ruffine in the exposition of the Creede of the councell of Laodicea c. 59. of Athanasius in synopsi of Gregory Nazaanzen in his verses of Epiphanius lib. de ponderib mensuris and diuers other fathers and will haue the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees to bee of equall authoritie with the law and the Gospell in despight of all the fathers Contrarie also to their opinion they preferre the old Latine vulgar translation of the bible before the Hebrew text of the old and the Greeke text of the new testament that is the standing puddles before the cleare fountaines of holie scriptures The fathers exhort Christians the Papists dehort them from reading and hearing scriptures read in tongues vnderstood Origen homil 2. in Isaiam wisheth that all Christians would performe that which our Sauiour Christ speaketh of searching scriptures Hierome writing vpon the Coloss c. 3. heere saith he it is shewed that lay-men ought to haue the word of Christ not only sufficiently but also abundantly and that they ought to teach and admonish one another Ghrysostome also in his 9. homily in 1. ad Corinth attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the Apostle doth command you also to read the scriptures aboue all and that not lightlie and careleslie but with great diligence That the Pope should be aboue all councels it neuer entred into the fathers thought nay all of them haue recourse in matters of doubt concerning faith not to the decretales of Popes but to the determination of generall councels next after holy scriptures The bishop of Rome oftentimes consulted with learned fathers concerning the interpretation of scriptures and no learned bishop did in time past attribute more to the bishop of Rome then to other bishops the Papists therefore making the Pope that is often blind in matters of religion supreme interpreter of scriptures digresse from all the fathers and haue not so much seuce heerein as litle children that know that blinde-men cannot iudge of colours The conuenticle of Trent determining that traditions and holy scriptures are with equall affection to be receiued digresse from all the fathers that make not traditions but the scriptures to be canonicall and of sacred authority The Papists that say that scriptures are not authenticall to vs without the determination of the Pope and Romish church are of an opinion contrary to all the fathers who deriue their authoritie and credit from God and not from man Bellarmine lib. 3. de eccles c. 16. saith that Hierome Apollinaris and Hippolytus were deceiued in the exposition of the ninth chapter of Daniel concerning the times of Antichrist In his 2. booke de Purgatorio c. 1. he reiecteth the opinion of Ambrose Hilary Lactantius Hierome and Aleuinus that teach that as well good as bad neede to be purged In the number of 7. Sacraments the conuenticle of Trent departeth from the opinion of all the fathers for not one can be alledged that saith there are iust 7. Sacraments and neither more nor lesse Ambrose in his books de Sacramentis and de initiandis in myster mentioneth onely two so doth Iustine Martyr long before him in his 2. apology S. Augustine lib. 3. de doctr Christ c. 9. reckneth only the Sacrament of baptisme and of the body and blood of Christ where he talketh of sacraments he saith also Christ left but few and easie but Popish sacraments are many and hard to be performed The fathers no where mention spittle salt blowing light and such ceremonies as the Pope hath added to baptisme These words this is my body are expounded figuratiuely by Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion Origen in leuit Chrysostome homil 46. in Ioan. Augustine contra Adimantum and lib. 3. de doctr c. 16. in comment in psal 3. but the Papists in this exposition forsake all the fathers Gregory dial lib. 2. c. 43. willeth those to depart that communicate not si quis non communicet saith he det locum the Apostles canons doe excommunicate him that departeth before communion the same is also confirmed by the chap. si quis dist 2. de consecrat the Masse-priests therefore in the practise of their priuate Masses depart from the canons of the Apostles and all the fathers Innocentius the third lib. 4. de myster missae c. 6. thought that Christ consecrated without words others beleeue hee consecrated by praier the moderne Papists reiect both Bellarmine lib. 4. de eucharist c. 26. maketh the best proofe hee can for the communion vnder one kind but it appeareth by his silence that the fathers are all aduerse to him Gelasius in the chap. comperimus de consecrat dist 2. condemned those of sacriledge that receiuing one kind abstained from the cup. and Lyra in 1. Cor. 11. declareth that in the primitiue Church all Christians receiued both kinds The fathers speaking of the sacrifices of Christians call them sacrifices of praise and spirituall sacrifices and signifie that the eucharist is a commemoration of Christs only sacrifice on the crosse that is confirmed by the testimony of Iustin in dialog cum Tryph. of Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion of Eusebius lib. 1. de demonstr euangel of Cyprian aduers Iudaos c. 16. of Basil in Isaiae c. 1. and others this is proued partly by the same authours and by Chrysostome in Psal 95. in epist ad Hebr. homil 13. and Theodoret. in epist ad Heb. c. 8. 10. and by diuers others amplie cited by mee in my bookes de missa against Bellarmine all which doe shew that the Papists bringing an external and reall sacrifice of Christs body and bloud actually offered as they teach by euerie Masse-priest into the church are departed quite from the doctrine of the fathers Canus lib. 7. loc Theol. c. 1. confesseth that all the fathers which speake of the Virgin Maries conception teach that she was conceiued in originall sinne as Ambrose in Psal 118. ser 6. Augustine in Psal 34. Chrysostome Eusebius Emissenus Remigius and others yet most of the Popes proctors especiallie the Franciscans reiect these fathers The fathers with one confent teach that we are not to fast between Easter and Pentecost nor vpon Sundaies as Bellarmine de bon oper in part c. 23 consesseth yet doth he reiect their authority and all Papists doe contrarie Leo in epist ad Rusticum Narbonensem and
all the fathers almost denie publicke penance to Priests and Deacons fallen into notorious crimes but the popish faction regardeth them not one iote Bellarmine lib. 1. de eucharist c. 11. saith that Augustine did not well weigh these words of Luke I will drinke no more of the fruit of the vine Augustine lib. 22. de ciuit Dei c. 10. saith that Christians doe not worship martyrs or erect remples in their honour lib. 1. de morib eccles c. 3. he denieth that we are to adore any ereature Hierome also ioineth with him in this opinion mepist ad Riparium but the popish sect doth not regard what they say nor followeth their doctrine Finally it were an easie matter to shew the fathers to bee aduerse to popery in all materiall controuersies but what shall wee neede to doe it seeing their late corruptions and false allegations of fathers doe plainlie testifie that they doe not hope for victory if the fathers may be truely alleadged of late they haue set out indexes expurgatory teaching Printers how to falsifie fathers Sixtus Senensis inepist ad Pium 5. ante biblioth sanct sheweth how that Pope had caused the fathers to bee purged or rather corrupted expurgari fecisti omnium authorum catholicorum saith he praecipuè veterum patrum scripta Pameluts hath most shamefully corrupted Cyprian and the like course all Papists take with the bookes of the fathers lately set foorth Somtime also they confesse the corruption of fathers Aeneas Sylu. lib. 1. de gest concil Basil sheweth how Popes stand vpon these words vocaberis Cephas and lanch into the deepe and such like neglecting the exposition of all the holy doctors posthabitis omnino omnium sanctorum expositionibus Alan Chartier saith they reiect the holy doctrine of fathers sanctâ—â— patrum doctrine reiectae posthabitae sunt Matth. Paris in Wilhelmo Conquest speaking of Hildebrandes decree against maried Priests saith it was made without consideration and against the iudgement of holy fathers inconsiderato iudicio contra sanctorum patrum sententiam CHAP. XIX That Popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs STrange it were if the martyrs of Christ should turne from Christ and testifie for Antichrist yet because the aduersaries of truth doe boast of ancient martyrs and Bristow in his 15. motiue doth place Martyrs as setters foorth of the Popes glorious kingdome we are briefly to shew that the testification of Martyrs maketh nothing for popish religion and that appeareth first for that the Papists refuse to bee tried by the doctrine of the Apostles which were principall Martyrs Secondly we haue shewed that the principall points of Popery were neither taught nor receiued during the time of the primitiue Martyrs nor many ages after and that many points now taught and receiued among Papists were then refused as heresies Thirdly Papists adore idols and burne incense vnto them but the ancient Martyrs were therefore martyred cruelly put to death because they would not consent to the worship of idols nor burne incense to them Fourthly the practises of Papists declare that they are more like to the heathen Emperors and persecutors of Christians then to the ancient martyrs of Christs church for as they massacred Christians for maintenance of the Apostolike faith so do the Popes and their complices massacre all that stand for the same as they by sword and fire sought to vphold idolatry so doe these as they hated them deadly which taught the true faith so doe these Finally the confession of the faith published by Pius the fourth and that doctrine which the conuenticle of Trent hath of late confirmed and commanded to be taught and beleeued is in many points contrarie to the faith of ancient martyrs and in all points of controuersie betwixt Papists and vs vtterly vnknowne to them The holy Apostles commend scriptures and so doe ancient martyrs but Papists accuse them of insufficiencie obscuritie flexibility and call them a nose of waxe and a killing letter Ancient martyrs were burned and put to death because they would not deliuer holy scriptures to be burnt the Papists doe burne scriptures and suspect such for heretikes as reade them in vulgar tongues The Apostles and Primitiue martyrs beleeued the scriptures because they came from God the Papists will not haue scriptures to bee belecued vnlesse they be deliuered by the Pope They taught neither heresie nor impiety nor noueltie but Popish religion as before is declared is full of heresies impieties nouelties In ancient time the Bishops of Rome were martyrs now those that call themselues their successors doe murder Gods Saints and make them martyrs Ancient martyrs taught that one God was to bee adored the Papists giue diuine honour to the crosse and crucifixe and call the Sacrament their Lord and God Ancient martyrs did breake downe images now the Papists erect them fall downe before them and worship them Finally ancient martyrs neuer beleeued that either doggs or hogs could eate Christs body or that the same was in any place where it could neither be felt nor seene or that the same was both in heauen and earth and euery pixe at one time or that bread is transubstaÌ„tiated into Christs body or that Christians do with their teeth eate mans flesh or with their throats swallow mans blood or that the bishop of Rome is lord and monarch of the church or that he can fetch souls out of Purgatorie or that there is a treasure of Saints merites out of which indulgences are granted or that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction or eating fish and such like Popish deuises Neither is it materiall that these holy martyrs are put in Popish calenders for the Iewes bragged of their father Abraham and adorned the sepulchers of the Prophets although they neither abode in the faith of Abraham nor followed the doctrine of the Prophets Further Bristow telleth vs that S. Stephen helped all those that sought vnto him but his proofes are drawne out of legendes and certeine counterset sermons of S. Augustine in his 22. chapter de ciuit dei c. 8. there is no such matter and yet these reports that are there inserted seeme to be none of S. Augustines but suppose certein superstitious persoÌ„s should pray to S. Stephen yet S. Stephen neuer taught them so to do nor allowed such formes of praiers Lastly he talketh of Fisher More the Charterhouse monks and diuers that died in king Henry the 8. the late Queens reigne for the Popes cause and telleth vs that they were of his religion but it is first denied that they were martyrs and next that Fisher and More were of the moderne Romish religion the first is proued for that they died for the Pope and not for Christ Secondly they died as traitors either by open rebellion or by ouert act oppugning the Princes authoritie the second is euident for that diuers of them died before the conuenticle of Trent which hath now published a new forme of faith and decreed many things
doe not see in what danger they stand either to be disgraced or dispossessed of their crownes disgrace it is to acknowledge any in earth their superiour and an euident danger to fall out with the Pope where the subiects are affected to Popery CHAP. XXXVII That Kings professing Popish religion are either no Kings or but halfe Kings BVt were not Kings in danger to lose their crownes and Kingdomes liuing vnder the Pope yet haue they no reason to take vpon themselues as free Kings and Princes or to beleeue that they can enioy all the right that belongeth to lawfull Kings and Princes For first no King can freely dispose of matters belonging to his gouernement that acknoledgeth any man to be his superior as for example Herode and other Kings that ruled vnder the Romans who could proceed no further then pleased the Emperors and people of Rome if then the King of Spaine or France or other nations do acknowledge the Pope to be his iudge and superior he may not refuse his iudgement or resist his authority Secondly we find that Kings before Christs comming in the flesh gaue lawes both to the chiefe priests and to all their people and not the chiefe priest either to the Kings of Israel and Iudah or to the people as may appeare by the lawes of Moyses Iosue Dauid Salomon Hezekia Iosiah we do also read that Constantine other Christian Kings vntill the times of Charles the great and long after gaue lawes to the Bishops of Rome and other clergy-men as may be euidently proued by the lawes yet extant Cod. de sum trinit sid cath de episc Cleric de episcop audient de haereticis and in diuers other titles and books but where any bishop of Rome all this time made any law to bind either kings or their subiects we find not vnlesse we list to admit counterfet decretales for currant lawes which no man of any vndestanding will doe nor any modest Papist can require wherefore taking vpon them authority to make lawes to binde both Kings and their subiects the Popes plainly declare that Kings lining vnder the confusion of Antichrists tyranny are no kings Thirdly Bellarmme lib. 1. de pontif Rom. c. 7. determineth that temperall Princes are no gouernors of the Church and generally both the Pope and his complices teach that kings haue no power either to make ecclesiasticall lawes or to reforme abuses of doctrine or to settle matters ecclesiasticall finally the Papists of England in their glosing petitions to his Maiesty wherein they pray his fauour yet will allow him no authority saue only in temporall and ciuill causes doth it not then manifestly appeare that Papists take from kings halfe their authority and giue the same to forreiners and publike enemies Fourthly in temporall matters which they are content to leaue to the disposition of Kings they restraine them in such sort that they wil not haue them either to rest in peace when the Pope commandeth them to make warres or to make warres further then the Pope permitteth Bomface the eight in c. vam sanctam extr de maiorit obed sheweth how princes are to vse their swords ad nutum patientiam sacerdotis that is at the Popes beck as long as he listeth to suffer it Fiftly the Pope shareth halfe the kings reuenues claiming tenths first fruits subsidies and other rights out of ecclesiasticall liuings he doth also claime the disposition of diuers ecclesiastical liuings in diuers cases and right to confirme bishops and getteth great summes of money for pardons licences and other rescripts and faculties Sixtly if a king need a dispensation against an ecclesiasticall law or an absolution from an offence he is sent to Rome to obteine it if be can and oftentimes such faculties and absolutions cost full deare King Henry the 8. spent great summes of money to be diuorced from his brothers wife and yet failed of his purpose Fredericke the 2. could not be absolued from his excommunication by Gregory the 9. but it cost him 125. M. ounces of gold as Nauclere and Iuan de Pineda a Spaniard doe signifie Iohn the king of England to obteine absolution was forced to resigne his crowne Seuenthly Alex. inder the fourth in the chapter quia nonnulli de immunit eccles in 6. exempteth the possessions and goods of clergie men from tolle and custome Finally Bomface the 8. in the chapter clericis de immunitat eccles m 6. doth excommunicate both kings and others that impose taxes and subsidies vpon the clergy and this is the common doctrine of the Popes agents Bellarmine de exemptione clericorum c. 1. setteth downe these propositions that clerkes in ecclesiasticall causes are free from the command of secular Princes by the law of God and againe that clerkes are not to be iudged of secular iudges albeit they transgresse temporall lawes and lastly that Princes in respect of clerkes are not soueraigne Princes Emanuel Sa in his Aphorismes for confessaries first printed and alledged by him that wrote the Franke discourse hath these wordes clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesaemaiestatis quia non est subditus regi the rebellion of a clerke against the king is no treason because he is not the kings subiect nay of late both the masse-priests and their firie followers haue thought it meritorious to rebell against the king And consonant to this doctrine is the practise of papists for in matters of contention betwixt the Pope and their kings they take part with the Pope and rebell against their kings as the rebellions of the Germaines and French in time past of the English and Irish against king Henry the 8. and Queene Elizabeth of the leaguers of France against king Henry the 3. and 4. doe manifestly declare When the Pope doth giue law to Princes they take themselues bound to execute it and vpon euery excommunication rise in armes against them and seeke to depose them In ecclesiasticall causes they runne for direction to the Pope and care not a straw for the ecclesiasticall lawes of their kings When the Pope commandeth a Prince to execute his bulles they are ready to follow the warres if he command them to surcease they forsake their kings in the midst of his conquests If the Pope leuy tenthes or subsidies vpon the clergy or Monkes or Friers they willingly beare all burthens and to him they runne for dispensations and all faculties Kings also seeke to the Pope in their owne cases for dispensations and absolutions where the Popes law saith they are necessarie Finally both the possessions and persons of clergy men are the Popes to dispose as may appeare for that he layeth what charge he listeth on their possessions and sometimes alienateth them to mainteine his warres and findeth their persons prest to doe him seruice If then kings beare themselues as inferiors to the Pope and receiue lawes at his hands and are excluded from all disposition and rule in ecclesiasticall causes and
of Christ and that for the merits of the blessed virgin of Cosmas and Damianus and other saints but where such a wicked and blasphemous company as make not onely saints but also the idolatrous Masse-priests mediators for the body and blood of Christ haue beene reputed the church of Christ and was visible before these wicked missals were framed we find not in any ancient record 10. The Romish church worshippeth the crosse and the images of the Trinity with Latria or diuine worship but such a church for a thousand yeares was neuer visible in the world 11. In the missals breuiaries and other rituall bookes of the Romish church we finde diuers praiers and confessions to Angels to the virgin Mary and other saints nay to the crosse and the image giuen to Veronica and these praiers are both practised and defended by the church of Rome but if all the Popes lanterne-bearers and disciples were set to seeke for such a church in the time of the ancient fathers they should but lose their labour and spend their wits in vaine 12. The Apostles canons as is said doe excommunicate such as doe not communicate being present at the celebration of the Eucharist we may not therefore thinke that the Romish synagogue was visible in those times seeing they thinke it sufficient for their disciples to be present at the Masse although they receiue nothing 13. In the primitiue church no man euer heard that Christians gaped and gazed on the priest administring the Lords supper or that they receiued the one kinde and not the other the Popish church therefore in those times was inuisible 14. In those times also neither was the Eucharist celebrated nor the Scriptures read in tongues not vnderstood of the multitude nor did the people pray in strange toongs which they vnderstood not the missificall congregation therfore of papists which pray not knowing what they say and being present at the reading of Scriptures and celebration of Sacraments in strange tongues vnderstand nothing was not yet crept out of Cacus his denne nor apparent in the world 15. The moderne Papistes beleeue that such as in this life satisfie not for their sinnes committed after Baptisme are to satisfie for the same in Purgatorie They beleeue also that the Pope by his indulgences is able to redeeme soules out of Purgatory and to remit all the temporall paines due for sinnes but such a church as this was neuer to be seene for a thousand yeeres after Christ To abridge this discourse it were an easie matter by diuers other points of faith and diuers other customes in administring the Sacraments and diuers other formes of gouernment all newly inuented practised and maintained by the synagogue of Rome to declare and proue that the same is a new model of a church neuer seene nor knowne to antiquitie but by these few particulars the same doth most cleerely appeare already If the Papists then seeke to bring vs backe to the formes of the ancient church then must they abandon the Pope and his adherents embracing the moderne faith and doctrine of sacraments lately broched by the idle school-men and confirmed in the late conuenticle of Trent and adhere to the church of England which as it professeth the Apostles doctrine published by ancient councels of the church so it renounceth all heresies and nouclties brought in by Papists and other heretikes and as it renounceth their false doctrine so it detesteth their treacherous practises CHAP. LII That the marks of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alledged by heathen men and Turkes as by them AL this notwithstanding the Papists challenge to themselues the name title and authority of the church and bring foorth a whole squadron of motiues to draw simple soules to like of their sect and to intangle them with their errors Bellarmine de notis eccles c. 3. saith that the proper markes of the church are these the name of Catholikes antiquitie continuance vniuersality succession of Bishops consent in doctrine miracles prophecies temporall felicity and such like others bring vnity vniuersality holinesse of life and such like Bristow in his Motiues standeth vpon the names of Catholiks and Heretikes miracles visions scriptures traditions fathers martyrs going out rising afterward succession immutability vnitie iudges infallible obedient subiects visibility and other markes of like nature But as well may the Turkes and idolatrous heathen nations alledge these markes and motiues as the Papists and some of them doe better agree to Turkes and idolatrous Paynims then to idolatrous and hereticall Papists For as Papists call themselues Catholikes and giue the name of heretikes to others so doe the Turkes cal themselues Musulman or true beleeuers and heathen idolaters called themselues Pious worshippers of the gods and in regard of themselues both Turkes and Paynims take Christians to be impious persons and heretikes the Turkes call Papists idolaters and the heathen in time past called Christians Atheists As for antiquitie it agreeth farre better to Paynims and Turkes then to Papists for heathen idolatry was long before the doctrine of Popery and the Alcoran is more ancient then the Popes decretales that being published by Mahomet within 630. yeares after Christ these being commended and confirmed by Gregory the 9. who entred an D. 1227. 3. Idolatry as it beganne soone after the flood so it hath euer since continued the blasphemous religion of Turkes harâ— continued euer since the time of Mahomet but Popery neuer receiued a perfect forme before the conuenticle of Trent and in most places now is decaied 4. The heathen idolaters alledge for themselues amplitude and vniuersality as well as the Papists and so may the Turkes also for in time past all nations worshipped idoles faue the Iewes and in our times farre more nations are deluded by Mahomet and his priests then by the Pope and his Masse-priests the Popes doctrine being confined within a few nations of Europe Mahometisme poslessing the greatest part of Asia and Afrike and no small parts of Europe 5. The Turkes euer since Mahomet haue had a succession of Caliphaes and priests and among the heathen there neuer wanted a discent of sacrificing idolaters but the Papists cannot deriue their succession from the Apostles eitheir in doctrine or discent of Popes for neither is their doctrine apostolicall nor are the Popes the Apostles successors beside that they are vncerteine both who were true Popes and which succeded after Peter and diuers bishops and Popes of Rome 6. The Paynims with one consent in time past worshipped idoles neither did any one among them call the matter in question the Turks are so resolute in religion that they will haue no disputing against any point of their doctrine but Popish schoolemen call all points of their religion in question neither doe they so well agree in any article but there be some that hold singular opinions the Scotists differ from the Thomistes and diuers opinions are holden by
yet they say Christians sinne mortally if they heare not Masse euery Sunday and holiday Of grace they speake as men deuoid of grace and knowledge for by grace by which we are saued and made acceptable to God they vnderstand nothing else but either charity or a habit not distinct from Charity so that albeit they exclude not grace from the worke of our saluation yet making grace a habit or vertue they ouerthrow grace and ascribe the merit of our saluation not to Gods mercie through Christ nor to the merit of his Passion but properly to our owne workes and merites diuers of them saie that men are predestinated for their merites foreseene and all hold that men were reprobated for their sinnes foreseene before they say further that the vnregenerat hath freewill as well as the regenerat and that not onely in matters of this life but also to doe workes of piety and other supernaturall effectes The doctrine of faith they haue also much corrupted for they make Charity the forme of faith as if faith were without forme or life of it selfe and as if the iust man did not liue by faith to this purpose they say that not onlie wicked and reprobat men but also the diuels of hell maie haue true and iustifying faith they hold further that by faith we are not onely to hold whatsoeuer is conteined in holy scriptures but also whatsoeuer is deliuered by tradition or determined by the Pope and lastly that no man is to beleeue that he shall assuredly be saued but rather to hold that he that is truly iustified may be damned Concerning the law of God they teach both contrary to reason and law for first they cut out the 2. commandement in their offices of our Lady and their primers because it cannot well stand with the Popish worship of images secondly they teach that concupiscence without our consent is not sinne albeit the law say non concupisces thirdly they say that it is sinne as well to transgresse the Popes decrees as Gods lawes fourthly they beleeue that the Pope is able either to dissolue the law as for example where he absolueth subiectes from their obedience to princes and children from their duty to parents or at the least to dispense with the transgressors of the law as for example with periured persons adulterers Sodomites murtherers assassinors theeues sacrilegious persons and such like fiftly they beleeue that a man is able perfectly to fulfill the law of which it followeth that man is able to liue without all sinne which as Augustine sheweth lib. 4. de bono perseuerat c. 2. 5 and Hierome aduers Pelag. is flat Pelagianisme In their doctrine of praiers they offend much yet is the practise of Papists farre worse than their doctrine in this point our Sauiour teacheth vs to goe to his father in his name they go to God by the intercession of Saints nay oftentimes they run to Saints Angels and the blessed Virgin without once thinking of God especially if they thinke no more than they vtter in their praiers they pray in a tongue which they vnderstand not which is rather prating than praying they pray for remission of sinnes for the dead not knowing whether they bee damned or no. they pray before stockes and stones nay they put their trust in them for if this were not so why should they hope for better successe at the image of our Lady of Loreto or Monserat than at any other image or forme of our Lady They beleeue that almes satisfie for sinnes and that those are best bestowed that are giuen to Monkes and Friers and such idle vagabonds and plagues of states whereas the first ouerthroweth Christs merits and satisfaction the second is an occasion of all the mischiefes brewed by these mothes of religion and blemishes of state They teach that it is mortall sinne not to fast on Saints vigiles embre daies and other times appointed by the Pope and that fasting standeth in eating fish and abstaining from our suppers and such obseruances and finally that such fasts doe not only satisfie for sinnes but also merit heauen Conscience they know not for they make no conscience to cut Christian mens throats for not yeelding to all their abhominations and thinke it conscience to obey the Popes decrees though very vnlawfull Neither can they well auoid sinne that know not what sinne is The virgin Mary by most of them is acquited from originall sinne and they define sinne to bee not onely the transgression of the law of God but also euery transgression of the law of the Pope nay euery breach of the law of man which vtterly taketh away the difference betwixt the lawes of God and man Of the state of soules departed they seeme to know little truly although some say they know too much for they do not say as we doe that there are two waies after this life the one of the faithfull to eternall life the other of the wicked to eternall death but they say that some go into purgatorie and others into limbus puerorum and out of purgatory they say soules are deliuered partly by masses and partly by indulgences All these points of erroneous false doctrine and all others which either contrarie or beside the word of God the Pope and his complices haue inuented and brought into the church of Rome we call Popery and this is the subiect of this discourse and the doctrine against which we dispute let no man therefore thinke because the Papists maintaine many points of Christian religion that either we reprehend that truth which they and we defend or that they can defend the errors of Popery because they hold some trueth but either let them iustifie their errors or else they shall bee forced to confesse that the proper doctrine of Popery is wicked and erroneous CHAP. II. Of the grounds and foundations of Popish religion AS Popery is diuers from Christian religion so hath the same other foundations than Christian religion The doctors of Trent in the fourth session of that synode hauing pronounced them anathema that shall not receiue all the bookes of the Bible as they are found in the old Latin vulgar translation and read in the church of Rome for holy and canonicall or that shall wittinglie contemne the traditions of that church doe signifie that this is the foundation of the confession of faith which they meant to publish so it appeareth they ground their faith beside canonicall scriptures vpon apocryphall writings of Tobiah Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees and diuers fragments of books not found in the Hebrew text of the Bible and vpon traditions not written but deliuered from hand to hand from the Apostles as they say and so come to their hands but where they speake of scriptures it is to be obserued that they doe not simply allow them but as they are contained in the old vulgar translation and as they are expounded by the Church of Rome those which vnder any
wormes to be engendied if it be long kept and that both the kinds are corrupted but it is blasphemous to say that either Christs body and blood are corrupted or that wormes can issue and be engendred thereof to auoid this inconuenience they say they are engendred of the accidents or of the bread and wine returning againe For the engendring of wormes of meere accidents is absurd and for the returne of bread and wine they can bring foorth no words of scripture 29. Thomas Aquinas p. 3 q. 77. art 7. confesseth that Christs body is not broken in the Sacrament and gladlie would he shew how the accidents there may be broken but he traueileth with vanitie and bringeth foorth nothing but foolerie 30. Commonly Masse-Priests say that Christ at his last supper did eat himselfe and drinke his owne blood before it was shed matters that imply manifest contradiction and dissolue rules of reason 31. Now the spaniards will not denie but they are canibals and eaters of mens flesh that eate the same whether rosted broiled baked or otherwise dressed why then should not the Masse-priests be auoided as eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood as they say themselues albeit they eate Christs flesh and drinke his blood prepared vnder other formes 32. The fathers say that Christs bodie is meate for the soule and not to be eaten with the teeth but Nicholas the second will haue it torne with teeth as his words import c. ego Berengarius de consecrat dist 2. others will haue it swallowed into the belly 33. Christians abhorre to heare that Christs bodie should be eaten and his blood drunken of brute beastes but Papists teach and confesse both 34. Christ gaue his disciples the cuppe of the new testament the Pope and his complices sacrilegiously take the same from Gods people 35. Christ said take and cate the Masse-priests suffer them that haue them to gape and gaze and giue them often nothing to eate 36. Christians beleeue that they receiue the same Sacrament that Christs disciples receiued at his last supper but Thomas Aquinas 3. p. q. 81. art 3. saith the disciples receiued it passible and such as it then was but now no man can receiue his true body but he must receiue it as it is in heauen that is as it is glorified and impassible 37. They say that the eucharist is both a Sacrament and a sacrifice and for those two ends instituted but that implieth a plaine contradiction for as the sacrifice is offred to God so the Sacrament is ordeined and giuen to men 38. If poison after consecration be mingled in the Sacrament Thomas Aquinas 3. p. q. 83. art 6. will haue the same kept among Saints reliques but what Christian will rescrue poison for a relique 39. The Apostle saith Christ was once offred the Masse-priests say he is offred continually and that for quicke and dead a matter vnknowen to Christs Apostles 40. Our Sauiour instituted this Sacrament for a remembrance of his death and passion but the Masse-priests offer the Sacrifice of his bodie and blood for quicke dead for sicke for hole for sailers for trauellers in the honor of Sainte and Angels for peace and good successe in all things which bee matters neuer thought vpon in the institution of this Sacrament Finallie they haue no lesse strange false and contrary positions in their doctrine of matrimony order penance and extreme vnction which they make Sacraments but by this it may appeare sufficiently how litle they regard either the institution of Christ or the doctrine of the ancient catholicke church in the matter of Sacraments I shall also haue occasion otherwhere to touch these pointes particularlie CHAP. VIII That poperie is a mixture of old and new heresies IT were long to insist vpon euery article of Popish doctrine I will therefore rather in a generality shew the qualities proceedings and practises thereof running through the whole then dilate the absurdities and falsities of euery particular standing vpon euerie small point now then that I haue touched the grounds and certaine principall doctrines of Popery I haue thought good to shew that the rest is nothing but either old or later heresies They glory in their workes and hope to bee iustified by the law as may be gathered out of Bellarmines disputes de iustificatione and also out of diuers of their treatises of good workes the Iebusites of Collein censur fol. 22. say that all their life and saluation consisteth in the precepts of the law whose fulnesse is loue they doe also extoll the merits of their workes but the Apostle Rom. 2. taxeth them that glory in the law and Galat. 3. condemned those false Apostles that taught iustification by the law 2. They make Gods law void by their traditions of worshipping images maintaining publike stewes banks of vsury and such like practises the which is noted as an error in the scribes and pharisies reprobastis mandatum Dei saith our Sauiour Marc. 7. per seniorum vestrorum traditionem and as they had their Talmud so haue the Papists their decrees and decretales which they follow as the law of God 3. The Monks and Iebusites are also like to Pharisies dicebantur pharisaei saith Epiphanius haeres 16. ante Christum co quod separati essent ab alijs propter spontaneam superfluam religionem apud ipsos receptam the Pharisies were so called for that they were separated from others for voluntary and supersluous religion receiued by them they compassed also sea and land to make Proselytes and when they had won them they made them twise more the children of hell then they were themselues as our Sauiour Matth. 23. teacheth vs. so likewise for a spontaneous and superfluous shew of religion these irreligious Iebusites and Monkes do separate themselues from others and take great paines to winne Proselytes to the synagogue of Rome and in the end abuse many and make them much worse than themselues 4. In their supersophisticall exposition of the law and their often washings and affectate holinesse they imitate the scribes who for this cause by Epiphanius haeres 15. ante Christum are enrolled in the catalogue of heretickes 5. By their often washing in holy water the Papists hope to wash awaie sinnes as the Hemerobaptists among the Iewes which for this were reputed heretiks as Epiphanius sheweth haeres 17. ante Christum but there he telleth them that neither drops nor riuers of water nor the whole ocean can wash awaie sinnes 6. The Dositheans were reputed heretickes for their affectation of virginity and abstinence from mariage and punishing their bodies why then should not the like accompt be made of those Papists that runne into the same errors not sparing their bodies more than they did whom the Apostle Coloss 2. reprehendeth 7. Iohn the 23. was condemned in the councell of Constance for denying the immortality of the soule the like opinion as Zegedinus in spec pontif and others report had Alexander the sixth Leo
si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset so likewise the Popes grant indulgences to all those that fight for their sect whatsoeuer outrages and villanies they haue committed neither do Priests refuse absolution to any of their sect if they be ruled by them Bellarmine lib. 2. de eccles c. 2. requireth neither faith nor vertue in a Christian if he professe outwardly the Romish faith 43. The Apostle 1. Tim. 4. doth condemn them as heretiks that forbad men to mary entoined them abstinence from certaine meats recte posuit prohibentium nubere saith Theodoret in 1. Tim. 4. neque enim caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt but Papists by lawes forbid the mariage of Priests and of such as haue vowed single life and haue made diuers lawes against eating flesh burning all that teach otherwise 44. The heretikes called Anomi were condemned for corrupting the law of God but I haue shewed that the Papists by their irregular doctrines and traditions haue not only corrupted it but also disanulled it for the most part 45. Irenaeus aduers haeres c. 2. rangeth them among heretikes that accuse scriptures as if they were not right or not of authority or diuersly to be vnderstood or not sufficient without tradition quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia variè sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem all which qualities are incident to the Papists for they complaine of their flexibility and insufficiency and without the churches determination make them to vs of no authoritie Tertullian lib. de praescrip aduers haeret saith some heretikes by their hand others by expositions peruert scriptures alius saith he mancel scripturas alius sensu expositiones interuertit the Papists excell in both for by their additions and false versions they haue falsified scriptures and their commentaries in cases controuersed are nothing but peruersions and false expositions of scriptures Turrian writing against that worthy seruant of God Master Sadeel doth call the scriptures delphicum gladium or an instrument seruing to diuers purposes others call them a nose of waxe or a shipmans hose some esteeme them a matter of strife 46. Isidore lib. 8. orig c. de haeres doth declare them to be heretikes that doe otherwise vnderstand the scriptures then the meaning of the holy ghost requireth quicunque aliter scripturam sacram intelligit saith he quà m sensus spiritus sanâ—â—i flagitat licet de Ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus potest appellari but this is a common fault of Papists throughout all their bookes of controuersies and commentaries 47. As the Herodians did giue the title and honour of Christ to Herode and were therefore reputed heretickes by Damascene lib. de haeres so the Papists do giue Christs titles and honour to the Pope calling him the head and foundation and spouse of the Church yea the king of kings and Christ why then should they not be called papall heretickes aswell as the other Herodian heretickes 48. Damascene accounteth them heretickes that were enemies to the knowledge of Christians and misliked their study of scriptures Gnosimachi saith he omni Christianorum cognitioni ac scientiae ita aduersantur vt vanum minus necessarium laborem esse dicant corum qui in diumis scripturis aliquam exquirunt scientiam the Papists likewise condemn lay-men that read study scriptures especially in vulgar tongs and commend ignorance they doe also speake high commendations of a colliars faith and thinke it sufficient without more adoe that they beleeue as the Church doth 49. The Ethnophromans are likewise put in the role of heretickes for that they brought in diuers heathenish dustomes into the church as we may read in Damascene de haeresibus if then the Papists haue their right they are there also for their carnenal candle bearing holie water censing of images and infinite such trickes to bee calendred among heretickes 50. The dislike of second mariages expressed c. de his 31. q. 1. and for that they debarre such from Priesthood is borrowed from the Montanists 51. In the Roman Cathechisme part 1. in exposit 3. art fid they teach that our Sauiour passed out of his mothers wombe as the raies of the sunne do pearce through the substance of glasse quomodo solis radij concretam vitri substantiam penetrant but this heresie doth quite ouerthrow the article of the natiuity of our Sauiour 52. The conuenticle of a sect 6. Trent teacheth vs alwaies in this life to doubt of Gods fauour towards vs and of our own saluation but this heresie sheweth that the Papists teach infidelity rather then true faith 53. Finally if heresie be an opinion contrarie to faith as Ocham saith or to scriptures as Robert Grosthed affirmeth apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. or to conclusions deduced out of scriptures as the councell of Basil signifieth apud Aen. Sylu. de gest concil Basil lib. 1. then are all the opinions of Papists condemned by the church of England for heresies as being repugnant to canonicall scriptures and the faith deduced out of them And these heresies albeit anciently condemned are yet generally holden by the Papists but if I should rehearse the particular heresies of Popes and their chiefe doctors there would be no end of the rehearsall Gelasius the Pope in his epistle to the Bishops of Picenum saith that the substance of man is depratied by originall sinne which importeth rather the destruction of nature than the losse of grace according to his opinion The master of sentences lib. 2. dist 31. teacheth that the flesh only and not the soule is made vncleane by originall sinne Likewise lib. 1. dist 24. he saith that names of number put nothing in the Trinity which ouerthroweth the real distinction of the three persons in the Trinity Againe lib. 1. dist 17. he saith that the holy ghost is nothing but charity whereby we loue God his addendum saith he quòd ipse idem spiritus sanctus est amor siue charitas qua nos diligimus Deum proximum which ouerthroweth the subsistence of the holy ghost Iohn the 22. as we read in the letters of Michael Cesenas placed after the workes of Occham denied the personall distinction of the father the sonne and the holy ghost he denied also that the soules of the faithfull do see God before the day of iudgement The abbot Ioachim as we read in the chap. damnamus de sum trin sid cath saith that the father the sonne and the holy ghost are one non vnitate essentiae sed collectionis tantum not by vnity of essence but by vnity of collections as diuers citizens make one people which ouerthroweth the vnity of the diuine essence Albert vpon the first booke of sentences dist 9. and Thomas Aquinas in scripto confesse that speaking of the persons of the
for Christ vsed them not neither are they Hebrew but Latine seuenthly in Hierusalem it was neuer beleeued that Christ either did eat vp himselfe or offer himselfe to his father at his last supper or that he offered himselfe twise or that there was any priest after the order of Melchisedech but Christ for the Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth contrarie finally we neuer read that the Christians in Hierusalem beleeued that some Masses were wet some dry some in the honor of Angels some in the honour of Saints some in the honor of confessors some good for pigges others for horses some for quicke some for dead or that all those trickes and skips are commendable which the Masse-priests vse at the altar or that Christ ordeined either the consecration of Churches with the alphabet in Greeke or that Priests were to vse those ceremonies which now are frequented in the church of Rome in the celebration of the Masse That the Pope came not from Hierusalem it appeareth first for that among al the ministers of the church described Eph. 4. and 1. Cor. 12. there is no Pope nor monarch of the church expressed we read of Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and others but the Pope is quite forgotten which is most vnlikely especially considering that he is by the Papists supposed to be the head and foundation of the church secondly the name is rather Latine then Hebrew or Syriake for some deriue it from papè because the Pope is the wonderment of the world some from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some from the 2. syllables of pater patrum Thirdly at Hierissalem neuer was there any termed by the name of Christs vicars general or that wore a triple crowne and had a gard of Switzars attending vpon him fourthly Saint Peter neuer tooke vpon him to depose kings or to translate kingdomes from one to another which the Pope now vsurpeth fifthly the Popes decretales and decrees which conteine the Popes office and authority and the marrow of his religion haue proceeded from Rome and not from Hierusalem sixthly we read that the law of God and not the Popes lawes came from Hierusalem finally the faith and doctrine of the Pope for the most part hath beene inuented and published since Hierusalem came to bee subiect to the Saracens and Turkes if then it came from the Turkie Hierusalem it must needes be rather Turkish then Christian the decretales are rather like the Alcoran then the new testament the force that the Pope vseth against Christians proceedeth rather from Mahomet then from S. Peter The pilgrimages to Rome are like the pilgrimages to Mecha lastly both Turkes and Papists worship Saints and pray for the dead alike To proceede a little further the Romish fine Sacraments added to the Sacrament of baptisme and the Lords supper had neuer allowance by the Apostles remaining at Hierusalem for albeit mariage Priesthood and repentance were alwaies practised by the people of God vnder the law yet were they not vsed as Sacraments neither in these matters did either the people of God vnder the law or the first Christians vse the Popish orders and formes or Sacraments now at Rome frequented in time past neither were Priests prohibited to marry nor were there any times limited for mariage nor was it deemed vnlawfull for gossips to marry In Hierusalem neuer was any such forme of ordering of Priests knowen as is vsed in popery where they say receiue power to offer sacrifice for quicke and dead Nor did the Christians of Hierusalem beleeue that there were seven orders and euery one a Sacrament and yet but one Sacrament in all or that Priests were to haue shauen crownes To thinke that the first Christians at Hierusalem confessed their sinnes euery yeere at the least in the Priests care is most absurd likewise to say that the forme of absolution that is now vsed was then knowen thirdly Christians then did neither lash themselues nor thinke to satisfie for sinnes by eating saltfish or going barefoote lastly they neither beleeued that Christians were to satisfie for their sinnes in purgatory nor that the Pope caried the keies of purgatory and could deliuer soules from thence by indulgences This forme of Confirmation signo te signo crucis confirmo te Chrismate salutis c. was by authority first established in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenius the 4. a Venetian and not by any that came from Hierusalem he also ordered that oile and balme should be the matter of this Sacrament Bonauenture and Alexander Hales affirme that Confirmation was instituted at Melda popish confirmation is far degenerated from that Confirmation that was vsed in the primitiue church and which we retaine in England The forme also matter of extreme vnction was there appointed by Eugenius the doctrine of the character and effectes of extreme vnction are not to be found but in the frapling schoolemen Now he that should seeke for the originall of holy water and holy salt and holy candles at Hierusalem he should but seeke to draw water out of a flint and as well might he light a candle in the sea water in the Roman missal we find these words I exorcise or coniure thee thou creature of water and exorcizo te creatura salis and such like but Stapleton should shew these things out of some Hebrew or Syriake missal The eating of Paschal lambes I confesse was vsed at Hierusalem but not by Christians but by Iewes obseruing the ceremonies of Moyses his law The Romish missals breuiaries our ladies Psalters the rosaries and such like bookes and ceremonies came out of the closet of the Popes breast and not from Hierusalem as I thinke our aduersaries will confesse if they bee put to the question In Rome vpon good Friday they make agnus Dei of holy wax and holy chrisme and these they say do defend Christians from lightning and tempest hiagnia fulgure tempestate fideles credentes defendunt saith Durand rational diumor lib. 6. c. 79. but this ceremony came neuer from Hierusalem neither did the Christians there beleeue anie such doctrine When a church is consecrated the bishop sprinkleth the wals with holy water knocketh at the dore and saith attollite principes portas vestras then he maketh crosses on the pauement and describeth all the Greeke and Latin alphabet as Durand sheweth lib. 1. rat diuin c. 6. but if popery had come from Hierusalem it is more likely hee should describe the Hebrew alphabet such abuses of scripture and foolish ceremonies certes neuer came from the Christians of Hicrusalem but from the followers of Antichrist at Rome The conuenticle of Trent maketh the old Latin vulgar translation authenticall but if the same had hoped to proue the Romish religion by the practise of the Church of Hierusalem the same would neuer haue neglected the Hebrew text The Church of Hierusalem diligently obserued Gods commandement concerning the making and worshipping of granen images and the whole worship of God we may not
contulit saith the author of that donation vt in toto orbe Romani pontifices velâ—saecendotes ita hunâ— caput habeant sicut iudices regem so it appeareth that the preeminence of Roman bishops ouer all Priests proceeded from the Emperours grant and not from any ordinance of Christ or diuine authority Likewise we read that the councels of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon were called by the authority of Emperours and that their acts and decrees were ratified by them and not by the bishops of Rome more than other bishops as is pretended Further in the confessions of faith published by those councels and receiued by Theodosius Martianâ—â—s and other Christian Emperours there is not one article of popery so much as mentioned nay albeit the bishops of Rome oppugned the decree of the councell of Chalcedon concerning the priuiledge of the Church of Constantinople yet preuailed they not lastly the condemnation of Eutyches in the councell of Chalcedon doth ouerthrow the popish reall presence of Christs body in the sacrament and transubstantiation for if Christ haue a true body that is circumscriptible solide then is not Christs body really in euery consecrated host and if that according as after the vnion of the natures both remaine so the bread and wine remaine after consecration as the fathers of that councell pretend then awaie flieth the fancy of popish transubstantiation Recaredus King of Spaine assembled the third councell of Toledo chased Arianisme out of his dominions published a confession of the faith which all Christian bishops of that countrey receiued and gouerned and confirmed the councell publico regis edicto confirmatum est concilium the councell was confirmed by publicke proclamation of the king saith the compiler of the acts of that councell finallie in all the acts there is not one article of popery confirmed but the 21. canon that alloweth Psalmes to be sung at burials doth vtterly ouerthrow dirges and masses for the dead and the doctrine of purgatory for how can they chuse but sorrow for the dead that beleeue their friends soules to be in purgatorie the 22. canon forbiddeth dances and immodest songs on holy daies the 16. canon is directed against the worship of idols the 11. canon reproueth Priests that absolue publike sinners without due acts of repentance which is an abuse very common in the masse-priests finally in this synode the Spaniard followed the rules of the Church of Constantinople and not of Rome as appeareth by the second canon Iustinian the Emperour as is reported in the law inter claras Cod. de sum Trin. published a confession of faith which he commanded to be receiued throughout his dominions but therein is not any article of popery mentioned nay diuers of his lawes concerning the ordination of bishops the ordering of Churches and other ecclesiasticall matters declare that vnto his time the gouernment of the Church belonged to kings and princes and that yet the Pope had not vsurped his generall authoritie nor excluded temporall Princes he decreed that the sacraments should be administred contrarie to the Popish forme in an audible voice and in atongue that might be vnderstood Gregory the first acknowledged himselfe subiect to the Emperour and willing to execute his commandements which sheweth that the Emperour as yet held his authority and would not yeeld it to the bishop of Rome his faith also was the same which other Emperours professed for as yet Antichrist had not gained the primacy Gregory himselfe in his epistle to Serenus of Massilia praiseth him for that hee suffered not images to be adored and no man needeth to doubt but that Maurice the Emperour concurred with him in matters of faith Leo the fourth in the chapter de capitulis dist 11. professeth that he will see the Emperours orders by all meanes kept de capitulis vel praeceptis imperialibus vestris c. irrefragabiliter custodiendis saith he quantum valuimus valemus Christe propitio nunc in aeuum nos conseruaturos modis omnibus profitemur this therefore is an argument that the christian faith as yet was maintained by the authority of the Emperours that the bishops of Rome had then made no alteration by their decretales as not hauing as yet setled their supreme and tyrannicall authority in the Church in the time of this Leo neither was transubstantiation nor the necessity of auricular confession in the Priests eare for all sinnes nor communion vnder one kind heard of Beda in the Preface of his Ecclesiasticall historie praiseth king Ceolulphus for that he heard the wordes of holy Scriptures diligently but now among papists lay-men are not commended for hearing scriptures at that time neither were the 7. sacraments confirmed nor the Popes doctrine of Purgatorie and indulgences once deliuered Irene though a semipagan Empresse and a worshipper of images yet did not giue diuine worship to the crucifix or images of the Trinitie Charles the great in a synod at Francford condemned the idolatrous decrees of the 2. Nicene synode assembled vnder Irene Ansegisus lib. 2. c. 19. sheweth that he decreed that nothing should be read in the church beside canonicall scriptures the same author reporteth diuers lawes made by him and his sonne Ludouic contrarie to the practise of the moderne Romish church Kellison therefore should worke a woonder if he could prooue that either of these Emperours beleeued that the bishop of Rome was head of the church and had both the swordes and ruled both on earth and in Purgatorie neither shall he be able to shew that they beleeued that publike seruice and sacraments were to be celebrated in a tongue not vnderstood or that those were the Apostles successors that neither preached nor administred the Sacraments Before the conuenticle of Laterane Christian kings and princes knew now what transubstantiation ment neither did they receiue the doctrine of the communion vnder one kinde before the synode at Constance in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenues the 4. the doctrine of the seuen Sacraments of Purgatorie of the Popes supremacie began to be in more reputution the rest of their heresies the Pope and his complices could not procure to be authorized before the conuenticle of Trent and yet the French refused to admit the actes of that conuenticle and the Emperor Charles the fift by his agents protested against them the Queene of England king of Denmarke Princes of Germany and manie other States resolutely reiected and contemned them So we see that the doctrine of the Romish church was nener receiued by many Christian princes especially this forme of doctrine that is prescribed by the conuenticle of Trent the Popes excommunications prouisions rapines violence and tyranny we finde to haue beene of most Christian kings resisted when the Popes of Rome began to lift vp their heels against the Easterne Emperors Leo Isauricus and others and to excommunicate them they neglected their censures and in the Easterne parts were obeied as before Henry the 4. emperour of Rome
sereno vultu respicerâ— digneris c. vpon which vouchsafe saith the Priest speaking of Christs body and blood to looke with a propitious and serene countenance but true Catholikes do hope that God will looke vpon them fauourably for the sacrifice once offred on the crosse by their Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus 38. They compare the sacrifice of Christs body blood in the Masse with the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beastes which no Catholike euer did 39. They make God an intercessor to Saints praying to him that by the intercession of saints they may obteine their desires and saying that God reueleth our thoughts to saints which is farre from the doctrine and beleefe of Catholikes 4. True Catholikes neuer added these words aterni and mysterium sidei to the words vsed by Christ in the consecration of the cuppe as the Papists doe in the Masse 41. True Catholikes beleeue that Christ was once onlie offered to his father for the sinnes of the world the Apostle Hebr. 9. saith that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many but the Papists say that Christ offered himselfe twise and that euery priest doth offer him vp and cat him vp continually in the Masse 42. True Catholikes neuer confessed their sinnes in the celebration of the Lords supper to the Virgin Mary to Michael the Archangell and to other Angels and Saints let Kellison but name vs one Catholike father that made such a confession or els we must needes conclude that he and his consorts be idolatrous Masse-priests 43. True Catholikes neuer beleeued that they could doe pennance by a procurato or atturnie as the Papists beleeue they may 44. Neither did they euer beleeue that no Christians could be absolued from their sinnes without auricular confession and the Priests absolution as the false Romish Catholikes doe 45. The false catholikes beleeue that the Popes are the successours of Peter but true Catholikes neuer beleeued or thought them to be successors of that holy apostle that neither taught nor administred the sacraments and in liew of feeding cause Christs sheepe to be massacred and killed 46. True Catholikes are often persecuted but persecute none Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen speaking of himselfe and his fellow catholikes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man but the Papists like cruel wolues persecute all that are not of their owne opinions 47. Catholikes keepe their words and performe thehir promises yea though it bee to their hindrance Papistes teach that faith is not to be kept with heretikes and burned Iohn Husse in the conuenticle of Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct and faithfull promise 48. In the 13. session of the conuenticle of Trent the masse-priests curse al that shal affirm that the principall fruit of the eucharist is remission of sinnes which falleth vpon al Catholikes that shall beleeue Christs words Matth. 26. this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes 49. Christ taught true Catholickes to pray to the father in his name neither euer do we read that true Catholickes did pray thus aue maris stella Dei mater alma atque semper virgo foelix coeli porta solue vincula reis profer lumen caecis or that they hoped to come to heauen or to haue remission of sinnes by the Virgin Maries praiers and intercession 50. True Catholickes neuer said to a crucifixe of wood thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father nor did they pray to the crosse as the Papists doe saying ô crosse of Christ protectâ—mâ— nay Ambrose de obitu Theodosij sheweth that Helen finding the crosse did not worship it but Christ that hanged vpon the crosse 51. True Catholickes neuer consecrated anie paschall lambes as the Masse-priests are prescribed to doe in their missals 52. True Catholickes neuer said any Psalter in the honor of our Lady nor repeated an hundred and fifty aue Maries and after euery fifty aue Maries one creed and after euerie tenne Aue Maries one Paternoster as he Papists doe after the prescription of their ladies psalters and rosaries 53. Neuer did true Catholikes deuise new religions nor allow the swarmes and sects of Iebusites Franciscans Dominicans and the filthy rable of Friers which we see in the Romish church Finally all those deuises trickes fooleries nouelties and impieties of Popery which we refuse were neuer admitted by true Catholikes or allowed in the practise of Catholike religion CHAP. XVI That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church ID verius quod prius saith Tertullian lib. 4. contra Marcionem that is true that is former and that is former that was from the beginning and that was from the beginning that came from the Apostles Hierome also epist. 65. ad Pammach Ocean said to a certaine newly vp-start teacher in his time cur profers in medium quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why dost thou now bring foorth that which neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach if then Popish religion were that auncient religion which the Apostles first published then had the Papists cause to reioice but if Popery be nothing els but cockle that hath beene by heretikes and others the diuels ministers sowen in the Lords field since the first plantation of the Gospel and if the principall points thereof prooue new deuises brought in by the Pope and his complices many ages since the Apostles time then I hope euery Christian will reiect the same as nouelties and Papists hereafter will blush to talke of antiquitie That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church it may be proued first by the grounds of Popery that are of a later standing next by the founders and cheese authors of this sect that are not ancient thirdly by the particular points of Popery whose originall is found in later authors and lastly by the repugnance betwixt the doctrine of Popery and Christian religion The principall grounds of Popery are the Popes decretales the acts of certain late councels the disputes of schoolmen and glosses and commentaries of the Popes canonists and proctors but the Popes decretales had no authoritie of law before the time of Gregory the ninth who first published them and authorized them before his time Gratian and others had made diuers rapsodies and collections of the Popes decrees but the canonistes themselues doe not allow them for law beside that not one of the Popes before the time of Gregory the 7. who is the first that tooke vpon him to giue law to the whole church and whose epistles are first recorded in the great bullary took vpon him to publish his decretales for lawes if any decretales be set out before his time vnder the names of auncient bishops of Rome the stile arguments simplicity and fooleries conteined in them bewray them to be counterfet The Popes authority beganne to flourish about the times of Boniface the 3. who as
the Popes lawes as the resistance of the churches of Asia against Victor of the churches of Afrike against Sozimus and other Popes declare 20. Of late time friers especially the Capucins haue attired themselues like chimney sweepers burners of houses 21. The rules of monks and friers are diuers from the rules of Christian religion and can not be elder then the orders of monkes and friers 22. Gregory the seuenth as Otho Frisingensis sayth was the first that did excommunicate the Emperour and taught that he had power to assoile subiects from the others of obedience to Princes 23. The vse of priuate masses without communion is but new as the old ordinall of Rome that hath no masses of that nature declareth the canons of the Apostles forbid Christians to depart before they receiued the communion 24. Innocent the third in the chap. omnis vtriusque de poenit remiss did first bring in a necessity of auricular confession he also was the first father of the monster transubstantiation as we find by the chapter firmiter de sum Trinit fid Cathol 25. Purgatory for satisfaction for temporall paines of sinnes whose guilt before was remitted was first deuised by schoolemen 26. The Iubiley among Christians was first deuised by Boniface the eigth he also decreed first that all temporall princes and others vpon paine of damnation must bee subiect to the Pope 27. Popish indulgences are but of a late stampe and the schoole doctrine thereof much latter the Papists themselues being as yet not fully resolued what to thinke of them 28. Clement the sixth first deuised the treasure out of which indulgences are supposed to be granted as appeareth by the chap. vnigenitus extr depoenit remiss 29. The doctrine of cases reserued to the Pope is not once spoken of in the writings of the fathers and yet the Masse-priests make a great matter of them 30. The doctrine of the Popes penitentiarie taxe for dispatch of pardons for murders incest sodomie and all villanies I thinke Kellison will not contend to bee verie ancient 31. Bellarmines doctrine lib. 1. de verb. Dei c. 3. concerning the new Testament where he saith it is nothing else but the loue of God shed into our harts by the holy Ghost is new for it contradicteth Chrysostome Theodoret and others in 2. Cor. 3. who teach that the new Testament is God grace remitting sinnes 32. The prohibition of mariage betweene spirituall gossips is a late deuice of the Pope for gaine 33. The separation of maried couples for religion before consummation of mariage without consent of both the parties is both new and wicked 34. The popish ceremonies vsed in baptisme are of a late inuention as for example salt spittle candles and popish exorcismes 35. Of late they haue begun to exorcise salt in salutem credentium for the saluation of the faithfull and holy water to cast our Diuels and to driue awaie discases these consurations are not found in the old Romish ordinals 36. The Masseppriests haue now gotten a new tricke to sprinkle the altar with holy water and to say thou shalt sprinkle mee with hyssope and I shal be clensed applying the scriptures contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost 37. Honorius the third in the chapter sane cum olim de celebr miss did first ordaine that the sacrament should bee worshipped and safely kept and caried with light to those that are sicke 38. Halfe communions are direct contrary to Christs institution and the practise of the church and first established in the conuenticle of Constance 39. The Masse cannot be old for that Nauclerus Platina Polydore and others confesse is was innented by diuers authors long after the Apostles times 40. The praiers for the dead now found in the Masse are not to be seene in the booke called Ordo Romanus 41. In old time the fathers neuer beleeued that Christ had a body inuisible and incircumscriptible and that might bee in heauen and earth and many places at one time 42. The godly bishops of old time did neither swinge the chalice about their head nor make crosses about it when they celebrated the eucharist 43. The saying of seruice and administration of Sacraments in tongues not vnderstood is a foolish noueltie 44. Now in the Roman Catechisme they teach that euery Masse-priest consecrating worketh three miracles but in old time they were neuer taken for such workers of miracles 45. The Papists after their Pater noster say their aue Maria and pray to our Lady which practise is neither ancient nor Apostolicall 46. The Psalter of our Lady and her peculiar offices and Masses in honour of Saints will not be iustified by ancient precedents 47. Hardly will the Papists bring a precedent of 300. yeers old to prooue that Christians praied to the crosse for encrease of iustice and remission of sinnes 48. In the missall of Sarum the Priest saith to the sacrament aue or haile and boweth to it contrarie to all ancient practise 49. The worship of Papists must needs be new for that both their Saints are new and their praiers and offices new 50. The missals breuiaries and offices of our Lady haue their antiquity from the conuenticle of Trent 51. Popish idolaters worship the sacrament and the crosse with diuine honour but they shall neuer bring allowance of antiquitie for this practise 52. They burne also incense to dumbe images kisse them and bow to them but these vnchristian trickes were not knowen in old time 53. Of late time they haue decreed that the Pope is aboue the councell but it is since the councell of Constance 54. Now the Pope pretendeth right to handle the temporall sword but that did not the Bishops of Rome for a thousand yeeres after Christ 55. Of late time the Pope hath troden vpon the necks of Emperours but in ancient time the bishops of Rome were subiect to Emperours 56. In time past the bishops of Rome were persecuted and martyred now the Popes of late time persecute and martyr others Finally all the points of doctrine differing from the faith o this church which the Pope and his complices seeke now to thrust vpon Christians are for the most part nouelties And this doth clearely appeare in this for that they are contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as before hath beene particularly declared the same is also coutrary to the doctrine of the fathers and ancient churches practise as we shall declare heerafter Further the Papists haue turned the whole seruice of God into a massing mommery Finally for God they worship Saints and dumbe images the institution of Christ Iesus in the eucharist they haue altered new sacraments they haue deuised are they not then ashamed to call popery ancient Christian religion CHAP. XVII That Poperic is repugnant to auncient councels MVch doc Papists bragge of councels Campion saith the first last and midst are his concilia generalia mea sunt generall councels saith he are all for me
for it Ambrose Catharine tractat de imaginibus saith God prohibited images simply but that this prohibition was positiue others deny both images to be forbidden and the second commandement to be positiue Occham Maior and Richardus are of opinion that a sacrament cannot be defined Scotus in 4. dist 1. q. 2. holdeth that it may be defined imperfectly Ledesma in tract de sacrament in genere q. 1. art 2. saith it may properlie bee defined Finally to shew the contradictions of Papists we need to seeke no further than to Bellarmine who in euery controuersie bringeth in different opinions of men of his side Gardiner a pillar of popery did oftentimes contradict himselfe and his fellowes sometimes hee swore against the Popes supremacy sometime like a forsworne creature hee stood for it somtime he consented to the dissolution of monasteries as sinkes of Sodomy and all tibaldrie and villany sometime be spoke for them his booke entituled Marcus Constantius is full of contradictions M. Foxe hath scored vp great multitudes The contradictions of Robert Parsons in his book of three Conuersions I haue noted in my answeare to that treatise The whole masse also of Poperie doth consist of contrary pieces as I haue shewed in the contradictions of the doctrine of the Masse of purgatory of indulgences of the Pope and diuers other principall points and haue proued the same in treatises of that argument For example they say the Masse is an vnbloudy sacrifice and yet teach that euerie Priest doth really offer and drinke Christs bloud Sometime they say the sacrifice is but one sacrifice yet in the canon they say sacrifices in the plurall number Sometime they say the Priest only offereth this sacrifice but in the canoÌ„ they make the people to offer sacrifices In the canon they pray that Angels may carry Christs body vnto Gods high altar but all confesse that Christs body is in heauen before There also they make the Priest a mediatour for Christ. but where they speake soberly they make Christ a mediator both for the Priest and others In heauen they say Christ is visible and palpable on the altar they make him inuisible and impalpable They say the Masse is an externall sacrifice yet no man euer yet could see Christs body externally sacrificed In purgatorie they say soules suffer extreme paines but in the Masse they saie they slâ—epe in peace They teach that Christians may performe the law of God perfectly but they will not grant that they may liue without sinne which is all one Talking of auricular confession they make it necessarie but in the chap. Petrus doluit and lachrymae dist 1. de poenit they denie it The Pope calleth himselfe seruant of seruants yet doth he take vpon him as lord of lords Order they say is one sacrament yet they teach also that there are seuen Orders and euerie one of them a sacrament which is as much as if they should make one seuen and seuen one The Pope they saie is head of the Church but that is as much as if they should teach that their Church in the vacatio nis headlesse If then the catholicke faith be one and those that professe the faith agree in one then cannot popery be the true Catholicke faith that containeth so many contradictions CHAP. XXVII That popery is a most foolish and absurd religion AS the lawes of God are full of wisedome and giue vs a true vnderstanding so when man of his owne braine vndertaketh to adde vnto his commandements the same in proofe falleth out to be nothing but vanity and foolery the same wee sind verified in the additions of the superfluous religion of Papists for although it haue a shew of wisedome as the voluntarie worship of Angels had of which the Apostle Coloss 2. speaketh yet compared with the wisedome of God reuealed in the Gospell it is meere foolery For first what is more foolish then to forsake the liuing springs of holy scripture out of which do sally waters of life and to follow after the puddle streams of Romish traditions of scriptures we are assured that they are the word of God but no man can affirme that of Romish traditions or the Popes decretales that either professeth piety or loueth truth is it not then strange that any Christians should bee so foolish as to match the word of man with Gods word and where we haue a certaine rule to seeke for a broken vncertaine and crooked rule Againe it is most absurd not to beleeue the scriptures without the Popes warrant but to say that Christians are not to beleeue in God nor in Christ Iesus nor to receiue the rest of the articles of our Creed vnlesse the church of Rome doe deliuer them vnto vs is not only a peece of great foolery but also a very high streine of madnesse and yet this is the doctrine of Popery for Stapleton saith that the church must needes consigne the scriptures vnto vs and the authoritie of the church both he and others giue to the Pope likewise in their catechisme the Papists signifie that faith is of things onely proposed to vs by the church so that if the church propose not the articles of faith we are not to beleeue them if these men teach truth further this sheweth the Romish church to consist of a packe of infidels for if the same beleeued not without the authority of the church then did she beleeue nothing of Christ seeing the Papists acknowledge no other Church but that of Rome and no church can teach it selfe Finally this is as much as if they should say that the law of the Prince is not to be receiued vnlesse it be proposed by the crier or other such like officer The Masse-priests of Trent sess 4. most absurdly prefer the old Latin vulgar translation of the Bible before the originall text which is as much as if they should preferre S. Hierome and other interpreters before the Prophets and Apostles and the streames before the fountaines Generally they forbid scriptures to bee read publickely in vulgar tongues but they permit most fabulous legends to bee read publickely The holy scriptures they will not permit to bee read in vulgar tongues of the multitude without licence but they are content that any of their followers should reade the Popes decretales or the miracles of their god of paste or the history of our Lady of Loreto and other such lying legends without licence To say that the Pope is the head of the vniuersall church is meere foolery for grant that and it will follow that the Church is sometime without head as in the time of vacation of the papacy and sometime a monster with two or three heads as when two or three Popes reigne at once and sometime a mad Church as hauing a mad and franticke head The church they say albeit catholicke yet is alwaies visible but this being granted it followeth that vniuersall things may be the obiect of sense and that the church of
vncertaine whether the Pope be S. Peters successor and a lawfull Pope yea or no. In the Popes determinations also there is great vncerteintie and doubt for neither can the Papists that were not present in the Popes consistory beleeue for certeine that the Pope hath thus or thus determined vnlesse they will beleeue either this or that Masse-priest that telleth him so or the notary that subscribeth the decretale or the decretale it selfe nor can they assure themselues that the Popes determination is true If they beleeue euery Masse-priest or Notarie then is the faith of Papists built vpon euery pild pated Priests report or notaries subscription if they beleeue the Popes decretales because they find them written then doe they giue more credit to the Popes decretales then to holy scriptures which is most absurd and impious that the Pope determineth infallibly true how can they assure themselues seeing the scriptures pronounce all men liers and subiect to infirmities furthermore we reade that the chiese Priests vnder the law erred diuerssie as the offence of Aaron in making the golden calfe of Vriah the Priest that made an altar after the forme of that of Damascus of Annas and Caiphas that condemned Christ Iesus doth plainlie declare Peter also erred in denying his master and dissuading his passion and in Iudaizing and dissembling his religion the bishops of Rome haue erred as Lyra confesseth in Matth. 16. and may erre as Adrian lib. de sacrament c. de cōsirmat determineth The examples also of Marcellinus Liberius Felix Anastasius the 2. Vigilius Honorius the first Iohn the 23. and other Popes doe proue the same S. Augustine epist 19. doth testifie that the writers of canonical scriptures only are priuiledged so as they cannot erre of other writers he thinketh otherwise and this is also the opinion of other fathers finally reason may perswade vs to acknowledge this truth for we see no more in the bishops of Rome then other bishops and lesse then in other learned men but other bishops and learned men both haue erred and may erre if they say that Peters chaire is priuiledged then must they shew that the bishops of Antioch Alexandria which haue as much right to Peters chaire as Rome haue neuer erred but this they know cannot be done Thus we see that neither in the Romish traditions nor in the Popes decretales there is any certainty all depending of the Popes supposed determinations of which no certaintie can be had the same also may be shewed by the contrarie opinions of popish doctors in euery point of controuersie and for that all their errors are plainly conuinced both by scriptures and fathers but because they place their principall defence in the sacrifice of the Masse we will only shew their want of assurance in this point First then no Papist in the world is able to shew that either the whole Masse or the canon was instituted by Christ or the Apostles nay we see plainly words newly thrust into the forme of consecration of the cup and popish doctors themselues confesse that diuers parts of the Masse haue beene made by seuerall Popes Secondly they cannot shew for a thousand yeeres after Christ that any Priest was ordeined to offer Christes bodie and blood really for quicke and dead Lastly suppose the Masse were lawful the Priest lawful and all the rest of the lawlesse and superstitious tricks lawful yet can no man assure himselfe that the Priest hath truely consecrated for first no man can tell whether the man at the altar be a Priest vnlesse he know that he was baptized and that the bishop ordring him had an intention to doe it Secondly no man can assure himselfe that either he had an intention to consecrate or pronounced the wordes of consecration or not for they are pronounced softly Are not the Papistes then miserable who are so vncertaine of their Masse and know not whether they worship bread or God whether they serue God or creatures whether they be Christians or idolaters CHAP. XXXIIII That Popery is repugnant to the lawes of Nations BVt could the Papists perswade themselues that their Massing sacrifice were lawfull and the rest of their religion were true yet who would not abhorre that religion which is grounded on such foundations and conteineth such impieties heresies and false doctrines and is so repugnant both to Catholike religion and all antiquity Further we finde that it ouerthroweth the lawes of nations dissolueth the bands of alliance and kinred preiudiceth the authoritie of Kings and Princes hazardeth their liues and persons oppresseth the liberty of Christians both for matters of conscience and their temporall estate and is maintained by lies calumniations forgeries periuries fire and sword and most dishonest and wicked means The lawes of nations require that oathes promises compactes leagues and treaties of trade and commerce be obserued and kept but all these bonds neither Popes nor Papists regard Formosus being deposed from his bishopricke swore that he would neuer resume the same againe yet regarded he not his oath Gregorie the 7. was made Pope contrarie to his oath as appeareth in the life of Henrie the 4. Paschal the 2. solemnely swore to Henry the Emperor to obserue certeine articles agreed vpon betwixt them but he was no soner out of his hands but he broke his oath rebelled against the Emperor and excommunicated him Charles the French King as Theodoric a Niem testifieth tract nemor vnion 6. c. 14. chargeth Gregory the 12. and Benedict the 13. with violating their oathes vowes and promises Violarunt sidem saith he fregerunt votum promissum non tenucrunt Omiphrius chargeth Alexander the 6. with more then Punicke persidiousnesse persidia plus quam punica Guicciardin in his history speaking of Clement the 7. saith he regarded his oath but little era di poca sede he sheweth also how Iulius the second endeuored to prooue that the church that is the Pope as he meant was not bound by any oath and that appeareth to haue beene most currant doctrine by diuers perfidious prankes plaied by Leo the 10. Clement the 7. and diuers other Popes mentioned by Onuphrius and diuers of the Popes owne friends and parasites Neither doe they only breake oathes themselues but perswade all their complices to doe the like the Bishop of Verdune as we reade in Conradus Traiectensis relateth how Gregory the 7. esteemed faith to be sacrilege and them to bee loyall that broke their othes to the emperor periuria sidelitatem dicit fidem sacrilegium sacit Henry the 4. also as we read in Helmoldus complained that his subsects by the instigation of the Pope rebelled against their lord and broke their saith and solemne oathes lenarunt manus contra dominum regem suum violauerunt sidem iuramentorum sacramenta In the councell of Constance the Pope and his complices persuaded the emperor most dishonorably to violate his safe conduct granted to Iohn Husse there also it was decreed that faith was
Paris sheweth that in the times of Innocent the third Christians were accused by a writing sent from heauen for shewing no pity vpon widowes and orphans and shewing lesse mercy then did the pagans viduae orphani ad vos clamant quotidie saith that writing quibus nullam facitis miscricordiam pagani habent misericordiam at vos non habetis but much more reason haue we to vse these words to the moderne Iebusites and their complices for they are more mercilesse then Turkes the Turkes suffer Christians to inioy their religion and these doe not therefore the Italians as Natalis Comes in his history testifieth say it is better to liue vnder the Turke then vnder the Spaniards and Popes inquisitors and for this cause the kingdome of Hungarie and principality of Transiluania hath chosen rather to seeke for succor at the hands of Turkes then to endure the cruell and trecherous executions of the Pope and his bloody inquisitors vp then o Lord and scatter these thy bloody enemies that seeke to scatter and massacre the sheepe of thy pasture and let not those preuaile any further that make warres against the Lambe and all that follow him and constantlie professe his truth these wolues haue conspired and sworne the destruction of the professors of religion At Bayon anno 1585. a league was concluded betwixt France Spaine and other Princes the articles were these as is euident by the French histories The Spanish king shall warre vpon the king of Nauarre the dukes of Ferraria and Sauoy with the aid of German horsemen shall translate the wars into France the Germans shall hinder all succor to come to them of the religion the Cantons of Suizzerland that adhere to the Pope shall oppresse the other Cantons Monkes shall giue their names for souldiers and all shall endeuor to kill the Lutherans so you see that the finall end of their designes is murder and cruelty their meanes fire sword and gunpowder their contentment wast and desolation What reason then haue Christians to slugge and sleepe when danger is so neere them doe they thinke that papists want gun powder or poison or that they wil not hurt if they recouer strength as well they may thinke that wolues wil cease from crueltie and Serpents cast away their poison and tyrants prooue gentle foster fathers and Turkes turne Christians Nay such Princes as are not Papists are not much to trust them if they satisfie not the Popes will in all things Gregory the 7. killed and empoisoned all that were opposite to his deseings he excommunicated the emperor Henry the fourth because he would not suffer him quietly to sell ecclesiasticall prelacies his successors made warres vpon Henry the sift Fridericke the 1. Philip Otho and Fridericke the 2. for that they could not bee suffered to dispose of the landes of the Empire Lewis of Bauier was persecuted for no other cause then for that he would not receiue his crowne at the Popes hands for this cause also Harold King of England became enemy of the Clergy because he tooke the crowne before it was deliuered by Popish prelates Philip the faire King of France was persecuted by Boniface the 8. for that he would not acknowledge himselfe to be the Popes subiect and yet did they not know any other religion then that which the Pope then professed Finally Henry the 3. of France albeit superstitiously addicted to popery yet could he not escape the butcherly hands of the popish leaguers that suborned a Dominican Frier to kill him for that he would not at their appointment make warres vpon his subiects To conclude therefore this point there is no way of security for Christians against the Popes cruelty and his adherents practises then manfully to resist their vsurpations warily to take heede of their mines and gunpowder and neuer to trust their sweete words and guilefull promises with clemency they are not to bee mitigated but with resolution and iustice they may easily be subdued CHAP. XLV That the practises and treaties of Popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted THe Prophet describing a wicked man saith he laid hands on such as were at peace with him and broke his couenant Among heatheÌ„ people the Thracians were very infamous for breaking their oathes and promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in times past a common prouerbe but neither among heathen people nor among such as professe to know God doe we reade of any more foedifragous or periurious sect then the Popes of Rome and their complices Others percase breake both oathes and promises but no man in time past euer taught that faith and oathes giuen to others ought to be broken as doe the Romanistes in the conuenticle of Constance they not onely made void the Emperours charter of faseconduct giuen to Iohn Husse but also by publike act determined that saith was not to be holden with heretikes They absolue subiects from their oathes of allegeance which as Sigebert in his Chronicle saith sauoureth of heresie Pius quintus not onely absolued the late Queenes subiectes from their allegeance but also denounced them excommunicate that continued firme in their allegeance Iulius the second went one point further and disputed that the church was not bound with othes as Guicciardine in his historie reporteth now euery man knoweth that by the church he vnderstood the Pope With this wicked doctrine their execrable practise very well accordeth Gregorie the 7. by a publike sentence of a synode was declared periured Paschal the 2. confirmed certeine couenants betwixt himselfe and the Emperor by solemne chartres seals and othes literis sigillis inramentis saith Otho Frisingâ—nsis lib. 7. but immediately he brake all Fridericke the 2. as Matthew Paris testifieth accused Gregory the 9. for teaching persidiousnesse and periury quod persidiam periurium doceret and yet his disciples hold that the Pope when he teacheth cannot erre in matters of faith Gregory the 12. as Theodoricke a Niem tract vnionis 6. c. 29. writeth was charged to be a publike forsworne person and by him called periurus publicus lib. 3. de schism c. 3. he saith he deceiued the world with his oathes and vowes votis iuramentis suis decepit mundum likewise he saith tract 6. c. 39. vnionis that Innocentius would not admit the vnion of the Papacy albeit he had before vowed and sworne to doe it Charles the French King chargeth both him and Peter de Luna with breaking their oathes as Theodoric a Niem writeth tract nemoris vnionis lib. 6. c. 14. The Bohemians for this persidious dealing of the Popes complices would not come to the councell of Basil without good pledges Alexander the 6. was more perfidious then any Carthagigian as in his life Onuphrius testifieth perfidia plus quà m punica When Iulius the third was in petition he swore both to the French and Spanish as is testified in Pelegrino Inglese but performed neither to the one nor to the other The Masse-priests of Trent
Gods worship and persecuted their enemies like most cruell tyrantes that afterward they might with more security satisfie their lusts when there was none to controll them Ioannes Marius de schism part 3. c. 5. testifieth that all the euils of christendome haue proceeded from the malice ambition and auarice of wicked Popes a malitia ambitione auaritia sceleratorum paparum omnia mala in mundo proueniunt Robert Grosted as Matthew Paris testifieth in Henrico 3. did bitterly inueigh against the couetousnesse vsury simony rapines excesse and luxuriousnesse of the court of Rome neither doth Budaeus de Asse or Valla contra Donationem Constantini say lesse against the Popes then he Next to the Popes the Cardinals Masse-priests Monks and Friers and of late yeares the Dominicans Franciscans and Iebusites are the chiefe aduancers teachers and defenders of Romish heresies of which if we say litle men may suppose there is no more to be said if we say what they deserue and is in authenticall bookes reported of them it would exceede the proportion of this short Suruey onlie thus much we say of many things that may be said Brigit in her reuelations testifieth that Cardinals are excessiue in pride couetousnesse al delights of the flesh 4. Brig 49. cardinales extenti effusi sunt ad omnem superbiam cupiditatem delectamentum carnis Pelaguis lib. 2. de planct eccles art 16. saith they are encreased in riches but much diminished in pietie aucta est possessio diminuta religio The same man lib. 2. de planct leccles art 20. saith the prelates of the church haue declared their sinnes like Sodome Peccatum suum sicut Sodoma praedicauerunt Mantuan Alphonsi lib. 6. saith that the priests hate their flocks and care not to feed them but to poll them and mocke them Pastores saith he odere pecus nec pascere curant Sed tondere greges pecorique illudere tonso Catherine of Siena c. 125. saith that religious men pretend angels liues but for the most part are woorse then diuels Religiosi collocati sunt in religione velut angeli sed quam plurimi sunt daemonibus deteriores What the Iebusites are I report me to the French carechisme of Iesuites set out by a Papist and a learned man and to the discourses of the secular priests against them they shew they are couetous false proud cruell malicious and diuels incarnate for the rest I referre them ouer to the 2. booke 2. chap. of my answer to Rob. Parsons his Warn-word a man in whom most of the capitall vices of the Iebusites may be specified The chiefe mainteiners of Popery in our times if we speake of lay men were Charles the 9. of France Henry the 3. his brother Philip the 2. of Spaine the duke of Alua the duke of Guise and his brethren the earle of Westmerland the head of the rebellion in the North. but if we seeke all histories we shall hardly finde woorse men Charles the 9. was a notorious sweater a perfidious and licentious prince Henry the 3. was superstitious and altogether giuen to carnall delights What Philip the 2. was his wiues and sonne and the innocents done to death by him for religion will speake one day the Duke of Guise and Alita were cruell and bloodie men perfidious and wicked atheists the first more giuen to pleasure the second to auarice Charles of westmerland was a rebell to his prince and a man consumed with his own delights and pleasures Is it not then a matter ridiculous that Masse-priests should so excessiuely commend this religion that had such founders and fauorers as these are and which as we see was inuented and confirmed by wicked men and vpholden by fraude and force CHAP. XLVII That Popery in many points is more absurd and abominable then the doctrine of Mahomet THe impieties and abominations of Turkish religion are so many that hardly can we recount them and so odious and horrible that no Christian can take pleasure to heare them and yet if we please to looke into the secret mysteries of Popery and to examine all the odious and abominable doctrines of the Romish synagogue we may well make question whether of the two religions deserueth more to be abhorred and hated for first the Turkes do speake well of the law and the Prophets and handle books of scriptures with great reuerence Antonie Geoffrey in his 2. booke of Turkish ceremonies reporteth how the Turkes accompt the gospels among holy scriptures inter sacras literas habent nostra euangelia saith he but the Papists speake euill of scriptures and call them sometimes a dead and killing letter sometimes a matter of strife sometime a nose of waxe they doe also handle them very rudely and without respect Lastly they will not haue them to be authenticall in respect of vs without the Popes consignation and testimony The Turkes neuer burned their Alchoran or the writings of the Prophets and Apostles vpon pretence of false translations but the Papists haue often times burned holy scripturs as appeareth by the ecclesiasticall histories of France England Germany and other places Postell in his history of Turkes sheweth how they teach that perfection is conteined in the gospell and Gifford lib. Caluinoturcis 3. c. 9. confesseth that they beleeue all religion to be therein conteined but Papists doe rather hope to finde perfection in the rules of Monkes and Friers then in the gospell and therefore accompt rather the state of Monks to be a state of perfection then the liues of Christians after the rule of the Gospell the Masse-priests of Trent doe make traditions equall to scriptures and commonly they deny scriptures to be a perfect rule of life and doctrine The doctors of Turkish religion were neuer so simple as to thinke the traditions of their church to be equall to the Alchoran of Mahomet But the Masse-priests of Trent will haue traditions not written and holy scriptures to bee receiued with equall affection Such as blaspheme Christ are punished by the Turkes most seuerely but Papists teare him in pieces with their blasphemies and such are thought to be most cleare of heresie which sweare most wickedly and blasphemously Auerroes of all religions accompteth Popery to bee most absurd for that Papists worship a peece of a Masse-cake for their God and yet presently deuoure him and swallow him downe into their bellies No Turkes euer allowed the eating of mans flesh or beleeued that it were possible for a man to swallow downe a whole and perfect man without hurt or diminution or brusing of his body but Papists make their followers eaters of mans flesh and say that euery one eating the sacrament doth eate vp Christs body whole and entire and yet beleeue that they neither breake his flesh nor digest it Euery Mahometan albeit he beleeueth not Christ to be God yet would be ashamed to say that doggs and hogges and other brute beasts may eate Christs body but the Papists albeit according to the Christian faith they
primitiue church holy scriptures were read in the church and taken only for the word of God but now in the Romish church lying legends and fables are read in the church and lying and vncertaine traditions are made equall to scriptures In time past it was accompted folly to reade scriptures in tongues vnknowen and the Apostle sheweth that it is vnprofitable to pray in a strange language but now the Romanists both reade scriptures and pray in languages not vnderstood of the multitude and yet defend it as well done In ancient time no man euer beleeued either that the scriptures were made to vs authenticall by the Popes determination or that the Popes determinatiō in matters of faith was certeine now all is turned vpside downe scriptures are made vncerteine and obscure and the Popes determination is made most liquide and certeine The ancient bishops of the church preached diligently liued vprightly dealt with their people mercifully now the Popish bishops preach not nor leade their liues according to their profession but contrariwise liue scandalously and are the only bouchers to murder all that shall either reprehend the abuses of the church or their corruptions in manners and the powdermen and vndermining Papists follow their steppes Ancient Christians suffered most cruell torments and death because they would not worship images now the Romanists put all to death that will not worship images The ancient Romans according to S. Paules doctrine beleeued not to be instified by the workes of Gods lawe the late Romanistes hope to bee iustified by the workes of the Popes Lawes They looked for no peace by their owne satisfaction but by the redemption wrought by Christ Iesus these moderne fellowes beleeue that they can satisfie for their owne sinnes and trust in the redemption procured them by the Popes indulgences The Romans vnto whom S. Paul wrote were obedient to Kings these loose the bonds betweene kings and their subiects and stirre vp traytors to blow vp their princes They diligently obserued Christs institution in administring the sacraments and neither spit in the faces of Christians baptized nor stole away the cup from the communicants the moderne Romish priests spit on those whom they baptize and refuse to administer the cup to others then themselues Finally they are digressed from the ancient Romans in all those particulars both concerning faith and maners wherein I haue shewed that they differ from ancient Catholikes and haue deuised meere nouelties CHAP. LI. That the Romish Church that now is was inuisible in old time MVch doe our aduersaries boast of the visibility of the Romish church supposing because the scriptures speake much of the glory of the kingdome of Iesus Christ that al that honor belongeth to the church of Rome of late times but while they mistake things spirituall for things corporall and externall and suppose things vntrue all this their boast and glory will turne to their great preiudice and shame for first the beauty of the church consisteth rather in inward vertues then in outward shewes and apparell Secondly be it that the church is alwaies seene and apparent to the true members of the church yet the moderne Romish church and the glory thereof was neuer seene either of the Apostles or ancient fathers of the Church or of ancient Christians For what I pray you is the church of Rome but a multitude of people professing the moderne saith of the Romish synagogue communicating with the same in sacraments and subiecting themselues to the Popes holinesse this is confirmed by the testimony of Bellarmine in his booke de ecclesia and of Canisius in his catechisme c. de fide symbolo and I hope will not be denied by any Papist but such a church shall neuer bee shewed in ancient time and that we shall proue by inuincible reasons for first we finde not during the time of the Apostles any such head of the church as the Pope nor any such sholders as the Cardinals nor any such rotten members as the chantery priests singing Masses for soules departed as Monkes liuing in heards like swine as friers begging for fashion sake and yet abounding in all things necessary 2. The Pope with his triple crowne two swordes crossed pantofle and his guard of Suizars and purple Cardinals following him began onely of late time to be visible if such a sight had appeared in the time of the ancient fathers they would haue woondred at it as a thing most monstrous and vnbeseeming him that pretendeth to be the successor of Peter 3. While S. Peter liued no man euer saw a church persecuting of Christes disciples and deliuering them ouer to haue their throates cut by the secular power nor did either the bishops of Rome or the ancient fathers for more then a thousand yeeres after Christ imprison torment or kill such Christians as were not of their faction and opinion 4. The ancient church of Christ did neither excommunicate kings nor assoile their subiects from their obedience commanding them vpon paine of excommunication to rise vp in armes against them and to depose them the Romish church therefore which doth all these things was not then visible neither can any Masse-priest shew vs where in old time miners and powder-men sought to blow vp the principall men of the state 5. So long as the primitiue church continued in the doctrine and steppes of the Apostles and ancient fathers the same was ruled by the holy Scriptures and canons of councels and then the decretales of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. Iohn the 22. and other later Popes were not in the world who can then say that the Roman church ordred by these decretales was then visible 6. The moderno Romish church beside the two Sacraments instituted by Christ beleeue other 5. Sacraments and hope as well to be saued by greasing when they lie a dying as by Baptisme and the Lordes Supper but such a church was altogether inuisible both in the Apostles time and long after 7. Now Papistes beleeue that Christians receiuing the Sacrament swallow downe Christes body into their stomacke nay they teach that dogs hogs and brute beasts eating consecrated hostes doe also deuoure Christs bodie but such a company of Canibals and blasphemers against Christian religion were neuer taken for Christes church for more then a thousand yeares after Christ 8. The Roman church commandeth Christians to keepe the feast daies of monkes and friers and other saints to heare Masse vpon ember daies in Lent and fridaies to absteine from flesh to goe to auricular confession at the least once a yeare and not to celebrate marriage vpon certaine daies but if all the monkes and friers in the world were set to seeke such a church and if the Masse-priests of the Romish church were ioyned with them yet could they not finde such a church for a thousand yeeres after Christ 9. In the Romish missals the priest praieth that God would be pleased to accept of the body and blood
the canonists contrary to the schoolemen of late in England the Iebusites and secular priests did contend about diuers questions and now the difference is rather stopped then ended 7. In the Alchoran the Turkes pretend that Mahomet did diuers miracles we reade also that the gentiles tell of diuers woonders done by their gods and their sooth-saiers and Priests Nauius as Liuy telleth vs cut a whetstone in sunder with a razor the papists therefore haue no reason to stand so much vpon miracles 8. Mahomet also is said to haue foretold things to come and the gentiles alledge innumerable oracles of their gods concerning future matters which as they say were verified by the euents if you compare the prophecies of the legendary saints there is no reason why they should be preferred before the other 9. In temporall matters both Turks and heathen emperors haue had farre better successe then the Papists the Roman Emperors being pagans ruled the world and now the Empire of Turkes is more large then that of the Pope nay of late time the Popes haue made few attempts against the Turks that haue prospered if then we iudge of matters according to outward successe then are the Papists vtterly ouerthrowne 9. The Turkes and Paynims haue beene better vnited among themselues then the Popes of Rome and their adherents In the Romish church we reade of 27. or more schismes but neither haue the idolatrous priests nor the Caliphaes and priests of the Turkes beene so diuided 10. Neither if we looke among the Emperors of Rome or the Turkish priests shall we find more periured luxurious and abominable persons then Iohn the 12. Landus Sergius the third Gregory the 7. Sixtus the fourth Alexander the sixt Paul the second and third and the bougerly Monkes and Masse-priests holinesse therefore can no more bee a marke of the Romish church then of the Turkes and Paynims and their congregations nay among the Turkes and Paynims we neuer reade any such bloody execution as was intended by the popish faction in England against the king and his house and the whole state 11. The Paynims and Turkes being iudges the Papists will be taken for heretikes as well as others are condemned for heretikes by the Papists 12. It is before shewed that Turkes doe as well esteeme of scriptures as Papists and no lesse doe value their traditions then they The heathen also with great solemnity looked into their oracles and bookes of Sibylles and had them in more reuerence then the Papists haue their legendes and decretales 13. The Turkes no lesse esteeme their Saints and martyrs then the Papists esteeme such as died in the Popes quarrell heathen men also stoode alwaies much vpon their forefathers and had more reason to bragge of old customs then the Papists whose fashions for the most part haue but a late beginning 14. The Papists we know are a sect going out of Christs church and rising long after Christs time hauing not perfited the confused Babell vntill the times of the conuenticle of Trent but the heathen idolaters do fetch their pedegree from men that liued before Moyses his law and the Turkes pretend great antiquity and auerre that the idolatrous papists are gone out of the church of God and not they 15. The mutabilitie of Popery is easily proued by their change of Lawes alteration of gouemement variety of old and new missals breuiaries and other rituall bookes by the difference betwixt the doctrine of schoole-men and canonists and faith of the fathers by their mutable rites Saints Saints daies and calendars but the heathen alledge that they and their ancesters haue alwaies persisted in the worship of their gods and the Turkes doe firmely obserue their Alchoran without addition or detraction 16. Where the Papists talke of their infallible iudges the heathen idolaters and Turkes haue cause to laugh at them for who is so deuoid of sense to suppose that a Pope that is ignorant of matters of faith learning and vertue is a iudge of the mysteries of Christian religion and of matters of learning doe blind men iudge of colours or dease men of sounds the Turkes assure themselues that Mahomet is a farre better iudge then the Pope and the old Romans doubted not but that their Augures and Priests knew more in religion then the later Popes Finally while the Papists leaue the doctrine of faith consonant to holy scriptures and the administration of sacraments and worship of God according to Christs institution and other proper markes of the church standing wholy vpon the lustre of the world and outward markes and signes of their Satanicall Synagogue they alledge nothing which the very heathen idolaters and Turkes cannot bring with better reason then they CHAP. LIII That true Papists cannot be true nor loyall subiects AMong other markes of the Romish church and motiues to Popery Bristow alledgeth this for one that it maketh obedient subiects but if we looke either into the practises or lawes of the Romish church we shall rather finde this allegation to be a marke of the whorish impudence of that strumpet that hath abused the world with her false doctrines and abominations then obedience of subiects to be a marke of the Romish church For first who I pray you were they that diuided Italy from the easterne Empire and caused the Italians to withdraw their obedience and to sease on the Emperors reuenues were they not the Popes of Rome and their complices who vpon pretence of the Emperors dislike of the worship of images caused the Emperors subiects to rebell and began to aduance the authoritie credite and state of the Pope Againe who called in the French against the Greeks and Lombards but the Popes of Rome Thirdly who caused the sonnes of Henry the 4. and Fredericke the 2. and of Lewis the piteous to rebell against their parents but the Pope and Popish prelates Fourthly who stirred vp the subiects of Henry the 4. and 5. of Fredericke the 1. and 2. of Lewis of Bauier of Philip Otho and other Emperors to take armes against their soueraigne Lords but the Popes of Rome and their agents Finally who oppugned king Iohn of England and fought against the Emperors formerly named were they not all Papists and the Popes vassals and the former Emperors and kings subiects it cannot be denied For by the Popes excommunications they were deterred from their obedience and dutie and honoring antichrist for Christes vicar at his commandement they oppugned their lawfull princes To come neerer to our selues and our times we sinde that the rebels of Yorkeshire and Lincolneshire in king Henry the 8. his daies were papistes for their ensignes were chalices and masse-cakes and the fiue woundes and their principall stirrers were monkes and masse-priests and their leaders men superstitiously affected likewise the rebels in Deuonshire and Cornewall in king Edwards daies were men wholly addicted to Popery they would haue their Masses and their dirges their crosses and their banners their greasings and their Popish trinkets
rest also may reuoke their errours see their deformities returne with a sincere heart to Gods true church and so be saued CHAP. LV. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and an exhortation both to Papistes and true Christians THus we see and I pray God all Christians may diligently consider what is meant by popish religion briefly it is a collection of diuers corruptions and errors mainteined by the Pope and his adherents either contrary or aboue the Apostles doctrine this religion we haue shewed to haue beene built vpon weake vncerteine and salse foundations and auerre that it is contrarie to the doctrine of Gods law and of true faith and iustification through Christ the same also teacheth erroneously of the Gospell and diminisheth the merits of Christ our mediator and redeemer Further it hath corrupted the doctrine of the sacraments and brought in many old and new heresies it is compacted of diuers impieties blasphemies and idolatries and neuer came from Hierusalem it was neuer taught by the Prophets or Apostles nor professed by ancient Christian Kings It is not that religion to which the ancient Britans and English were conuerted nor doth it deserue to be called Catholike or ancient it is found to be repugnant to ancient councels and to the faith of the ancient fathers It is a religion diuers from that of the ancient Martyrs of Christ Iesus A religion deuised by man and not deriued out of holy scriptures A religion whose founders defenders doe wickedly wrest and abuse scriprures fathers and other writers A religion consisting of heathenish and Iewish obseruances A religion full of contradictions and contrarieties A religion steined with many fooleries and absurdities A religion keeping Christians in ignorance of true pietie and loosing the reines to all voluptuousnesse and disorder A religion deuoid of good workes and piety A religion that maketh a base accompt of Gods people and teacheth doctrines of Diuels A religion of whose grounds and doctrines the professors thereof haue no assurance A religion repugnant to lawes of nations of kinred alliance and common ciuilitie A religion preiudiciall to the authority of Kings and dangerous in regard of their states and persons A religion that laieth greeuous burthens on mens consciences and eateth vp Christians through manifolde exactions A religion without true bishops and priests and wholy mainteined by false allegations forgeries calumniations lies fire and sword periury and breach of couenant A religion whose chiefe founders and mainteiners haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men A religion more absurd in diuers points and that oppresseth Christians more greeuously then Mahometry A religion by whose practise the empire of Christians is decaied the power of the Turke enlarged A religion professed by degenerated Romans neither for faith nor life comparable to their ancesters and by a church that was neuer visible vntill of late time nor can shew better markes or bring better motiues to induce men to embrace her doctrine then the Turks and Paynims To conclude a religion whose professors can neither be esteemed true subiects nor true Christians nor iustlie pretend either assurance or hope of their saluation I doe therefore exhort all true Christians as they desire either that the true faith of Christ Iesus may be publikely receiued or that doctrines contrary to piety Christian charity policy reason and common humanity may be suppressed to beware of the leuain of Popery to concurre with those which both teach and set forward the true Catholike faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and which seeke to resiste all corruptions false doctrines sects and heresies and to roote vp the seeds of all trecherie and rebellion On the other side I beseech all Papists to cast away all preiudice and passion and diligently to consider of the premisses that as they professe themselues true subiects wel affected to Catholike the ancient religion of the church of Christ so they may abhorre their former treasons and rebellious detest the masse-priests and powder-men their consorts reiect all heresies errors and false doctrines masked with glorious titles of vniuersality and antiquity and set foorth by the Pope and his complices teaching a late particular faith and finally endeuour to be gathered together into that society whereof Christ is the head and without which there is no saluation The God of all truth confirme and establish all true Christians in truth and discouer all trecheries and errors that such as now are disloially minded and wander astray may acknowledge their former disloialties and errors and embrace the true Catholike faith and that such as stand may be confirmed in the truth that so both they and we iointly may liue loyally vnder our Princes and truely serue one true and euerliuing God and glorifie his holy name through Christ our Lord to whom together with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God we render all praise and honour now and for euer A briefe note of the contents of euery Chapter of the former discourse Chap. 1. VVHat is ment by Popery or popish religion in this whole treatise Chap. 2. Of the grounds and foundations of popish religion Chap. 3. Of the wicked doctrine of Papists concerning the law of God and the performance thereof Chap. 4. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification Chap. 5. What Papists doe meane speaking of the Gospel Chap. 6. Of the impious doctrine of Papists concerning Christ our Sauiour Chap. 7. The strange contradictory and false opinions of Papists concerning the Sacraments Chap. 8. That Popery is a mixture of old and new heresies Chap. 9. A catalogue of diuers notorious impieties and blasphemies conteined not onely in popish bookes but also in the corps of popish religion Chap. 10. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry Chap. 11. That popish religion neuer came from Hierusalem Chap. 12. That Popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the apostles of Christ Iesus Chap. 13. That Popery was either condemned or not know â—s by kings professing Christian religion in old time Chap. 14. That the ancient Britanes and English were not first conuerted to popish religion Chap. 15. That popish religion is most falsly termed catholike religion and papists Catholikes Chap. 16. That popish religion is not the ancient religion of the primitiue church Chap. 17. That Popery is repugnant to ancient Councels Chap. 18. That popery is not the faith of the ancient fathers of the church Chap. 19. That popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs Chap. 20. That popery is a meere humane denise and not in any sort to be deduced or proued out of holy scriptures Chap. 21. That popish religion in diuers points is directly contrarie to holy scriptures Chap. 22. That the founders and desenders of popery doe most wickedly abuse holy scriptures Chap. 23. That the Pope and the principall proctors of his cause are great forgers and falsifiers of fathers profane writers and of publike records Chap. 24. That Popery standeth much vpon heathenish obseruances and customes Chap. 25. That popery borroweth also diuers fashions from the Iewes Chap. 26. That popish religion is full of contradictions and contrary opinions Chap. 27. That popery is a most absurd and foolish religion Chap. 28. That popery keepeth Christians in blindenesse and ignorance of God and godlinesse Chap. 29. That popish religion giueth the reines to licentiousnesse of life leadeth Christians the broad way to destruction Chap. 30. That popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruites that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes Chap. 31. That in popery a base accompt is made of princes and all lay-men Chap. 32. That popery is a doctrine of diuels Chap. 33. That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion Chap. 34. That popery is repugnant to the lawes of nations Chap. 35. That popery dissolueth the bonds of kinred all 〈◊〉 and ciuilitie Chap. 36. That popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authority of kings and princes Chap. 37. That Kings professing popish religion are either no kings or but halfe kings Chap. 38. That kings liue not in any security of their lines where popery is professed by their subiects Chap. 39. That Popish religion laieth grieuous burthens on mens consciences Chap. 40. That popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the popes and the Masse-priests manfolde taxes and exactions Chap. 41. That the popish church hath no true bishops nor priests Chap. 42. That popery cannot be mainteined without forgerie and falshood Chap. 43. That popery cannot be wel vpholden without calummations and lies Chap. 44. That the cause of popery is not mainteined without fire and sword Chap. 45. That the practises and treaties of popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted Chap. 46. That the chiefe founders and mainteiners of popery haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men Chap. 47. That popery in many points is more absurde and abominable then the doctrine of Mahomet Chap. 48. That christians are lesse oppressed vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope Chap. 49. That the ambition couetousnesse contention practise of popes is the principall cause of the decay of the Christian empire and a great occasion of the good successe of the Turkes Chap. 50. That the moderns church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romaines Chap. 51. That the Romish church that now is was inuisible in old time Chap. 52. That the markes of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alle dged by Turkes and infidels Chap. 53. That true Papists cannot be true nor loiall subiects Chap. 54. That such Papists as positiuely holde all the hereticall and false doctrines of the mederne church of Rome cannot possibly be saued Chap. 55. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and art exhortation both to Papists and true Christians