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A13155 An abridgement or suruey of poperie conteining a compendious declaration of the grounds, doctrines, beginnings, proceedings, impieties, falsities, contradictions, absurdities, fooleries, and other manifold abuses of that religion, which the Pope and his complices doe now mainteine, and vvherewith they haue corrupted and deformed the true Christian faith, opposed vnto Matthew Kellisons Suruey of the new religion, as he calleth it, and all his malicious inuectiues and lies, by Matthevv Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629. 1606 (1606) STC 23448; ESTC S117929 224,206 342

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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
deposing Princes nay to assirme that this great authority is prositable for Princes Ghineard a Iebusite was hanged in Paris anno 1594. for writing and mainteining diuers seditious positions concerning the Popes authority in disposing the crowne of France and translating the same from the family of Bourbon Parsons in his warne-word p. 2. f. 127. alloweth the deposing of Henry the 3. of France neither would he haue desired that the Bull of Pius the sift against Queene Elizabeth might be suspended against the Papists but that he imagined that she was iustly deposed the same man in his seditious booke of titles lib. 1. c. 1. endeuoreth to proue that the succession in kingdomes by necrenesse of blood is by positiue lawes of the common-welth and may vpon iust causes be altered by the same in his third chapter he pretendeth that not only vnworthy claimers may be put backe but also that kings in possession may be chastised and deposed his drist in the fourth chapter is to shew that the people sometimes may lawfully proceed against princes is it not then strange that the factious schollers of this seditious teacher are still harbored in the bowels of this state William Rainolde a rinegat English-man in a certeine treatise set out vnder the name of William Rosse and titled de iusta reip Christianae supra reges impios haereticos authoritate c. doth in expresse termes defend the wicked league of the French rebels against the King and giue the people power to depose their kings the same man in the 2. chapter of that booke assirmeth impudently that the right of all the Kings and kingdomes of Europe is laid vpon this foundation that common-welthes or the people may depose their kings I us omnium Europae regum regnorum saith he hoc fundamento nititur quod resp possint suos reges deponere In all Europe therefore it will be hard to find more arrant traitors then himselfe and his complices Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. saith it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerat a king that is an insidell or an heretike if he goe about to draw his subiects to his heresie or infidelity non licet Christianis tolerare regem infidelem aut haereticum si ille pertrahere conetur subdit os ad suam haeresim aut infidelitatem a hard sentence against his Maiesty if Papists had power to iudge him Emanuel Sain his booke called aphorismi confessariorum holdeth these aphorismes in verbo princeps viz. that a prince may be deposed by the common-welth for tyranny and also if he doe not his duty or where there is iust cause and that another may be chosen by the greatest part of the people in the word tyrannus he affirmeth that a tyrant may be deposed by the people although they be sworne to bee obedient vnto him if being admonished he will not amend now to the Popish faction all are tyrants that will not admit their Popish superstition though otherwise they bee neuer so mild and gentle and so it appeareth they accompt of our gratious king whom of late they haue sought trecherously to murder If then we admitte this common doctrine of Papists of the Popes authoritie in deposing Kings and giuing them Law we diminish the authority of Kings and make them subiects to the Pope which is a matter abominable to be either taught or beleeued we doe also indanger not only the state of all Kings but also of their kingdomes for how can any King stand against the violence of the Pope if he haue authority to depose Kings by this vsurped authority Gregory the 7. wrought Henry the Emperor and his subiects many troubles Paschall the 2. made the sonne to rise against the father and the subiects against their Princes and in the end caused the en peror to be taken prisoner and to resigne his Empire the same man also as he subdued the father so quarreled he with the sonne and caused his subiects to take armes against him Innocent the 2. by force of armes thought to vanquish Roger King of Sicilia and in a pitched field had preuailed against him if the sonne had not succoured his father Roger. Adrian the 4. and Alexander the 3. did so farre preuaile against Fridericke the first that he held the stirrop to the first and was troden vpon by the second Celestin the 3. proudly demeaned himselfe against Henry the 6. casting the crowne from his head with his foote as he kneeled before him as we reade in Rogor Houeden Innocent the 3. brought the Emperors Philip and Otho to destructiō by his furious persequution the same man caused King Iohn of England to surrender his crowne and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Neither did he alone offer wrong to Iohn King of England for before his time king Henry the second had receiued a great scorne of the Pope in the cause of Thomas Becket Gregory the 9. and Innocent the 4. with great fury set vpon Friderike the 2. and emploied Christians that had made vowes to fight against the Saracens to the ruine of the Emperor Iohn the 22. Benet the 12. and Clement the 6. with implacable hatred prosequuted Lewes of Bauier and that for no other cause then for that he tooke on him as Emperor without the Popes allowance and for the same cause Harold encurred the Popes displeasure not submitting himselfe to receiue his crowne of the Popes faction Boniface the eight while he sought to subdue Philip of France and the houle of Colonna in Italy troubled both Spaine and Italy the Popes of late time haue caused all the stirres in Germany Italy France Flanders England and Scotland the leaguers of France were confirmed in their rebellion by the Pope and droue King Henry the third out of his pallace and killed him by a Dominican Frier as he beseeged Paris and long withstood the king now reigning Vpon the excommunication of Paul the third the papists of England rebelled against King Henry the eight in his bul of excommunication recorded by Sanders he commanded his subiects to resist him and to throw him out of his kingdome principibus viris ac ducibus Angliae saith he caeteraeque nobilitati praecipit vt vi armis se Henrico opponant illumque è regni sinibus eijcere nitantur by the Popes excommunications the rebellion was raised in the North of England by the Erles of Westmerland and Norththumberland and diuers tumults in Ireland against Queene Elizabeth nay albeit our King be not denounced excommunicat yet did the gun-pouder Papists seeke to blow him vp with the principall men of England neither had the Spaniards anno 1588. any better ground to inuade England then the Popes commandement and warrant Seeing then the Pope taketh vpon him a superiority ouer all Kings seeketh to depose all such as will not conforme themselues to his will it is much to be wondred that Christian princes that doe embrace his doctrine
both draw their swords and put them vp at his command and suffer him to taxe their subiects and run to him for faculties and dispensations and finally can neither dispose of the possessions of the church nor of the persons of church-men we may boldly say that Poperie either maketh kings no kings or but halfe kings CHAP. XXXVIII That Kings liue not in any securitie of their liues where Popery is professed by their subiects DAuid the man of God would not suffer any of his followers to lay his hands vpon Saul although God had appointed him to succeed in the kingdome and reiected Saul and great respect alwaies haue Christians had to their soueraigne Lords and Princes In the canons attributed to the Apostles c. 83. euery contumelious spech against the Emperour or magistrat is iudged worthy of punishment what are we then to thinke of the Popes of Rome and their complices that not only curse and raile against princes and magistrates but also stirre vp all the world against them if they will not yeeld to their Lordly will and pleasure such certes are the children of Belial and not the seruants of God I hope therefore Christian Princes will open their eies and euery day grow more wary in their dealings with the popes of Rome and their agents which are no lesse dangerous in respect of their liues and persons then their roiall estats and kingdomes For first they hold that is lawfull for the Pope to change kingdomes and to take from one and to giue to another as Bellarmine in expresse termes determineth l. 5. de pont Rom. c. 6. And this is declared by the continuall practise of Popes who these many yeares haue gone about to take from one and to giue to another now giuing the kingdome of Sicily and Naples to the French now to the Spanish now challenging it themselues the kingdome of Nauarre is holden from the French king by no better warrant then the Popes grant by the same also the Spaniards and Portingals haue diuided the Indians betwixt them Boniface the eight by his bull made Philip and the kingdome of France subiect to Albert. Philippum ciusque regnum Alberto regi subijcit saith Platina in Bonifacio 8. but what king doth not with his sword defend his state and chooseth not rather to loose his life then his kingdome Secondly they teach that the Pope is to iudge of Kings as is defined by the extranagant vnams inctam de maiorit obed they giue the Pope also power to depose kings and to take away their crownes but it were great simplicity to thinke that any magnanimous Prince will either lose his crowne or submit himselfe to be iudged by a pole-shorne Pope without force nay sooner will he hazard his life then either loose his crowne or submit himselfe to the Popes iudgement Finally both by their doctrine and practise it appeareth that the Popes and their agents haue sought to murder empoison and destroy such kings and princes as either were excommunicat by them or else were opposite vnto them Gregory the 7. watching the Emperor that was wont to pray in the church of S. Mary as Beno testifieth hired a fellow to place great stones vpon the beames or vault of the church right ouer the place where he praied which being throwne downe might kill him his words are these imperator solitus erat frequenter ire ad oration mad ecclesiam S. Mariae quae est in mente Auentino Hildebrandus autem cum per exploratores omma eius opera solicitè inquircret locum in quo frequentius imperator velstans vel prostratus orabat notari secit quendam promissa pecunia ad hoc induxit vt supra trabes ecclesiae occultè lapides magnos collocaret ita aplaret vt de alto super caput imperatoris demitteret ipsum contereret againe the same Beno saith that the Pope went about by secret traitors to destroy the emperor eisdem diebus parauit imperatorem perdere per occultos proditores and when by secret trechery he could effect nothing by publike force and armes he sought to subdue him Innocent the second hauing raised an armie fought with Roger King of Sicilia in a pitcht field thinking to destroie him Philip the Emperour and his successor Otho were both brought to their destructiō by the practises of Innocent the 3 about this time also Iohn king of England was poisoned by a Monke of Swinsted-abby for that he was supposed to be aduerse to the Popish faction his empoisonment is particularly set downe in Caxtons chronicle Henry of Lucemburg the emperour was poisoned in the Sacrament by a Dominican frier about the yeare of our Lord 1313. quidam religiosus saith Vrspergensis porrexit imperatori intoxicatam eucharistiam the same is also testified by baptista Igantius supplementum Chronicorum Textor in officina c. veneno extincti and diuers others Sleidanus saith the Frier was moued thereunto by Clement the fifth and the reason was for that the Emperour grew too strong in Italy this act committed by a Dominican Frier was the cause of the death of manie Friers of that order slaine by the Emperors souldiers Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. testifieth that Pope Innocent the 4. was charged with the empoisonment of Fridericke the Emperor by the meanes of Peter de Vinea and that the fame of the Pope was not a little stained by this foule fact obsorduit domini Papae fama saith he per hoc non mediocriter in the end he was murdred by Mansrede as is said not without the secret practise of the Pope Ioan the Queene of Naples being taken by her enemies was murdered with the priuitie and consent of Vrbane the sixth Charles the king of Naples by the bloody councell of Clement the 4. caused Conradmus and Frederike duke of Austria to be put to death vita Conradim mors Caroli said Clement which cost that yoong Prince his life Sixtus the fourth was the principall contriuer of that treason whereby Iulian de medic●s was slaine and his brother Laurence hurt in the church of Reparata at Florence at the elcuation of the sacrament conscio adinuante pontifice saith Volateran Geograph lib. 5. Alexander the 6. caused Gemes the Turkes brother to bee empoisoned being hired thereto by promises and mony by the great Turke so little conscience doe Popes make of murdring princes Paul the 3. in his bull against Henry the 8. King of England exhorted the Nobles and principall men of England to oppose themselues against him with force and armes and sent Cardinall Poole to forraine princes to stirre them vp against the king giuing him and his people as a pray to his enemies and by all meanes seeking to destroy him Pius the fifth excommunicated all that would not take armes against Queene Elizabeth our late dread Soueraign and by secret practise stirred her subiects against her Sixtus Quintus anno 1588. in his declaration against the foresaide Lady exhorteth her people to lay
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
Pontif. Rom. foisteth in the same words into the sixt canon of the Nicene councell but he may be conuinced of falsitie by the testimony of all ancient copies and of Russine and all that record the canons of Nice in their histories Pius the fist in certaine letters of his to the emperor Maximilian recorded in his life written by Hierome Catena alledgeth a false canon of the councell of Nice to prooue that the Pope is gouernor of all Christian Princes Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 19. doth falsifie the 7. canon of the sixth synod to prooue the inuocation of saintes and this falsification is also committed by those that haue lately published the actes of councels but they may bee conuinced by the originall copies in Greeke and by all ancient editions of that councell in Latin In the 35. canon of the councell of Laodisea Surius and Carrauza in their editions of the decrees and acts of councels for angelos write angulos least it should appeare that the worship of angels is condemned by that councel as idolatrous but this grosse falshood is discouered by Theodoret in Coloss 2. and Chrysostomes homilies vpon the same epistle and confessed by Bellarmine lib. 1. de cultu sanct c. 20. In the chapter renouantes dist 22. the 36. canon of the 6. synod is notoriously falsified for there it is ordred that the church of Constantinople shall not be magnified as Rome directly contrary to the sixth synodes meaning and contrary to the actes of the councel of Constantinople and Chalcedon Gratian hath corrupted the 22. canon of the councell of Mileuis adding these wordes nisi forte sedem Romanam appellauerit whereas expresly that councel forbad priests and deacons to appeale beyond the seas this appeareth by the chap. placuit 2. q. 6. The donation of Constantine is confessed to be counterfet by Cusanus Valla and diuers papists yet still mainteined by Gregory the 13. in his new correction and edition of the canon law The constitution also of Ludouicus dist 63. c. ego Ludouicus is manifestly forged as may appeare by the contradiction of the copies of Gratian and Volaterran Geograph l. 3. and for that it contradicteth the histories of those times The Popes agents haue also counterfeited two epistles vnder the name of Iustinian and Iohn bishop of Rome and thrust them into the code C. de sum trin fid cath l. inter claras Alciat parerg lib. 5. c. 23. testifieth they are not found in ancient copies and the contradictions and notorious falsities declare them to haue beene deuised of purpose for the aduancement of the church of Rome Alexander the 3. vpon colour of some counterfet grants doth in his registre affirme that the kingdome of England from the first time the same was conuerted to Christianitie was vnder the defence and subiection of the prince of the Apostles and that which belonged to him the Popes do now challenge as their owne proper right Boniface the 9. as Theodoric à Niem lib. 2. de schism c. 6. doth testifie would antedate any grant of his for money vendidit prioritates datarum plus offerentibus which is a notorious tricke of falshood Bellarmine lib. 3. de bonis operib in part c. 11. doth confesse that the epistle of Clement to Iames is counterfet and did he not confesse it yet may the same be prooued by most euident arguments The decretall epistles set out vnder the names of ancient bishops of Rome before Syluester are most shamefully forged the stile and repugnancie which they carie with the state of things in those times doe plainly conuince them to be such Contius also in his annotations in c. septuagint dist 16. doth confesse it and saith he hath prooued it Bellarmine lib. de monach c. 40. acknowledgeth that the epistle of Anicetus concerning shauing of crownes is not vndoubtedly authenticall he might as well haue said plainly forged Melchiades 12. q. 1. c. futuram telleth how Constantine was Christened and gaue his seate and other great possessions to the church of Rome yet it cannot be denied but that Melchiades was dead before the time of Constantines Christening Vnder the name of Clement they haue published certeine constitutions which they call Apostolicall yet Gelasius doth account them apocryphal vnder his name also passe certeine counterfet recognitions The bookes of Tertullian and Origen are often cited yet doth Gelasius note them as corrupted the commentaries vpon Iob set out vnder the name of Origan were written by an Arian heretike Diuers treatises set out vnder the names of Abdias Prochorus Martialis Africanus Egesippus Amphilochius and other ancient fathers were neuer written by the authors whose names they beare yet are they commonly alledged by our aduersaries Vnder the names of Cyprian Hierome Ambrose Chrysostome Basill Nazianzen Augustine and other fathers the Papists haue published diuers commentaries treatises sermons epistles praiers and fragments most vnworthy their piety and learning Bellarmine de bonis operib in partie lib. 2. c. 15. confesseth that the sermons d● tempore that goe vnder S. Augustines name were collected by a later author the sermons ad Eromitas are taxed by Paulus Langius in Chronico Citizensi and by Hilgerius his Manuall sauoreth of Pelagianisme his meditations in some editions are ascribed to Anselmus Bellarmine lib. 2. de missa c. 16. reiecteth certaine epistles that goe vnder the name of Hierome and Damasus as foolish and certes very foolish he must needes be that alloweth all the bookes set out vnder the names of these fathers as authenticall In their expurgatory indexes they put out and put in what they please in the bookes of diuers authors Sixtus Senensis in epist ad Pium 5. ante biblioth sanct saith he caused the writings of fathers to be purged Bertram is shamefully mangled and visibiliter changed into inuisibiliter Posseuin in his booke entitled selecta bibliotheca sheweth how Hermes Melito Cabasilas Anastasius and other authors are to bee corrupted for so we must say rather then corrected The writings of the fathers they alledge most falsely Bellarm lib. 1. de sanct beat c. 13. corrupteth a place out of Eusebius de praeparat euangel lib. 13. and another out of Eusebius de praeparat euangel lib. 13. and another out of Euscbius his history lib. 4. c. 14. and infinit places out of Origen Tertullian Hilary Hierome Augustine Chrysostome and other fathers as I haue particularly declared in my answers to his most corrupt allegations Adrian the Pope in his epistle alledged in the 2. synode of Nice citeth these words as out of Basil deiparam virginem sanctos Prophetas Apostolos martyres suscipio qui pro me apud deū supplicant c. which words are no where found in Basil Nay the terme of Deipara was first by act of the Ephesine Councell deuised to meet with the heresie of Nestorius which was celebrated long after Basils time To prooue that the Popes decretale epistles are to bee reckoned among canonicall scriptures Gratian
after their death being depriued of the communion of Christians and of buriall Alexander the 4. c. quicunque haereticos de haereticis in 6. excommunicateth and depriueth of Christian buriall all such as goe about to bury heretikes or their fauorers neither doe they admitte the repentance of such as are adiudged relapsed but deliuer them ouer to be burnt by their executioners as we may reade in the chapter super co de haereticis in 6. The spanish inquisition is yet more rigorous then the former laws of Popes for vpon any wicked or lewd fellowes accusation an honest man may be attached imprisoned tortured and if he acquite himselfe not the better either famished in prison or burnt most cruelly And by these lawes we finde that infinit Christians haue beene done to death in Spaine Italy France Flanders England Scotland Germany and other Christian countries Metera●● in his history of the troubles of the low countries reporteth that fiftie thousand persons were executed by the actes of iudges and inquisitors in the low countries during the reigne of Charles the fift In England during the times of Queene Mary they spared neither old nor yongue noble nor base learned nor vnlearned nor did they respect eithe sexe of women or the simplicitie of the common sort Pius quintus testifieth that Philip the 2. spared not his owne and onely sonne Charles being accused by the inquisitors in the daies of Gregory the 13. a gentleman of Valedolid in Spaine cut wood and set fire to burne two of his owne daughters condemned for the Gospell in that countrey called heresie and if king Henry the 8. had liued longer it is thought the Papists would haue perswaded him not to haue spared his Queene so cruel was the Popish faction in prosecuting the innocent nay if either Queene Mary had longer liued or Popery longer reigned in England this bloody crew had caused the daughter to disenterre her own father and to burne his bones as some haue reported Sometime without forme of law they murder infinit numbers of innocent persons for the least suspicion of doctrine contrary to the opinions of the church of Rome for this cause Innocent the 3. and his successors proclaimed open warre against the Albigians and Valdensians and ceased not vntill hee had destroied all that durst manifestly oppose themselues vnto their heresie and tyranny In Bohemia they had not the like successe their armies being often ouerthrowne by the poore people of the country which defended their liues against their cruelty but neuer did they cease to persecute that nation Paul the 3. sent great forces into Germany seeking by the armes of Charles the fift to reestablish his antichristian kingdome in that countrey the same Pope stirred vp rebels both in England and Ireland against Henry the 8. that had shaken off his heauie yoke Pius the fift in his Bull commanded Queene Elizabeths subiects to rebell against her and raised many troubles both in England and Ireland seeking to ouerthrow the state if he could the same man not preuailing by intestine sedition sought to set both French and Spanish vpon the English as we may reade in his life written by Hicrome Catena In the times of Gregorie the 13. that bloody massacre that for euer shall make Papistes insamous was committed in France Natalis Comes histor lib. 23. testifieth that sixtie thousand persons were massaacred at that time Circiter sexaginta hominum millia saith he varijs in locis per illud tempus trucidata suisse dicta sunt in Gallia and so extreme was their crueltie that like bloody wolues they neither spared sexe nor age nor qualitie vel puberes vel impuberes saith he trucidati sunt neque vllius sexits vel aetatis vel dignitatis habita est ratio Anno 1588. they brought vpon England great forces with fire and sworde seeking the vtter subuersion of this kingdome but the Lord from heauen blew vpon his enemies and dispersed them In France they conspired against the king and bound themselues by oath to exclude the house of Bourbon from the right of the crowne and to roote out all that should speake against the Pope his erroneous doctrine and for that cause raised great tumults and stirres as we may reade in the memorials of the league The like course for many yeeres haue they taken in the Low countries where the strength of Italy and Spaine hath beene consumed and a way made for the good successe of the common enemy of Christendome the Turke Finally the Popes and their emissaries the Iebusites doe delight in nothing more then in tumults warres seditions massacring and shedding of the blood of innocent Christians The massacre of Paris is painted in the Popes palace as a matter wherein he taketh chiefe delight The Iebusites albeit once banished out of France cease not to sound the alarme against such as are opposite to their faction Andreas Fabritius in praefat in harmon August confess set out 1576. speaking to the Emperor exhorteth him to gird his sowrd vpon his thigh and to subdue heretikes the most pernitious enemies of Christians accingatur gladio suo super femur potentissimus imperator haereticos christiani nominis pernitiosissimos hostes sub iugum mittat Pius Quintus as we may read in his life exhorted his Italian troups that went into France against them of the religion to kill all and to take none aliue Posseuinus also a cholerike Iebusite in a treatise entitled il soldato Christiano speaking vnto the same soldiers assirmeth that it is their duty to kill al professing our religion or otherwise that they shall betray their faith and lose all hope of saluation In England of late perceiuing themselues to be too weak to preuaile by plaine force certaine vndermining Papists set on and resolued by fiery Iebusites and murdrous Masse-priests conceiued such a treason as cānot be sampled by any former precedent nor found described in any old or new history their intention was at one instant with fire and gunpowder to consume the King the Queene the Prince the Prelates of the Church the Nobles Knights and Burgesses of the realme the Iudges and all that attended the honourable court of Parliament nay not content herewith they had a further practise to destroy the Kings roiall lignage to massacre all the professors of religion throughout the kingdome and to deliuer their country as a praie into the hands of Strangers The principall actors were Thomas Percy Catesby and Fauxe the principall counsellors Garnet Hall Baldwin and diuers other of the damned crew of Iebusites their aiders the damned crew of reconciled recusants Can we then thinke these men to belong to Christs flocke that vse this woluish cruelty longè diuersasunt carnisicina pietas saith Lactantius nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut institia cum crudelitate coniungi that is piety and butcherly cruelty are two diuers things and neither can truth with force nor iustice be coupled with crueltie Matthew
Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. doth testifie Alexander the third sent the soldan Fridericke Barbarossaes portrayt then seruing against the Saracens persuading him to kill him if he would settle his affaires Gregory the 9. inuaded the emperors dominions in Italy and drew Fridericke the 2. out of Asia to defend his owne possessions at home when he was almost in possession of the victory abroade Lastly it is publikely knowne that they haue set French and Spanish together about the quarrell of the kingdome of Naples Innocent the thrid by his excommunication of king Iohn set both his subiects and the French against him and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Iulian the Cardinall set the Germans against the Bohemians Paul the third was the principall motiue of the warres of Charles the sift against the Germans and to shut vp this discourse in few words not only Nicholas Machiauel in his Florentine history affirmeth but also all histories testifie that the Popes of Rome haue beene the principall causes of all the warres and stirres of Europe that haue beene for this 4. or 5. hundred yeres last past they are the causes of the massacres of France of the troubles of the low-countries of the late rebellions in England Scotland and Ireland of the contentions betwixt French and Spanish in Italy of the persecutions in Germany and Spaine and other countries Fourthly the Popes of Rome by deuising and confirming many orders of Monkes and friers by admitting such swarmes of idle lozels into orders and mainteining them by chanting of Masses for soules forcing them to forsweare mariage haue not only caused many vnnatural murders but also hindred the propagation and increase of men they haue also withdrawne men from defence of the common-wealth and placed them in dennes of licentious idlenesse and laid the charge of the common defence vpon few Fiftly exempting both the goods and the persons of religious men and clerkes from common charges of the common-wealth they haue weakened the states of princes and laid all the burthen vpon the weakest part Finally by their idolatries they haue displeased God and by their periuries haue made good the leud cause of the Turkes Therefore we are not to maruell if the Christians haue not prospered in their expeditions into the holy land for what successe could Christians looke for considering the notorious abuses cōmitted in the army by worshipping idoles blaspheming Gods holy name violating Christs institution of the Eucharist by celebration of prophane masses Could Ladislaus king of Poland and his army preuaile against the Turkes hauing begun the warre contrary to articles of peace solemnely sworne but let vs mainteine the religion of Christ and not of antichrist and let vs abolish the idolatrous worship of images and the inuocation of saints and let vs abandon the damned Masse and serue God as he hath appointed and finally let vs not violate our promises and oathes nor abuse gods holy name and then no doubt but we shall prosper in all our enterprises against the Turke or other enemies of the Church for hitherto not the Turks forces but the multitude of the sinnes idolatries blasphemies and other abuses of Christians haue made them flie before their enemies and ouerthrowne their armies CHAP. L. That the moderne church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romans THe Church of Rome when Paul wrote vnto it excelled in all pietie and vertue and was famous throughout the world but as al things else so both faith and vertue through tract of time fainted and in the end began to faile in that citie of late time we finde that neither that zeale in matters of religion nor that integritie and honesty of maners which was in the ancient Romanes doth continue in their posterity Adrian the 6. in his instructions giuen to his legate that was sent into Germany confesseth freely that many and grieuous offences for many yeeres haue beene committed at Rome and from the toppe of the Popes crowne passed downe to the inferior gouernors of the church and that no man did his dutie but that all went astray and none was voide of faults Plurimis nunc annis saith he grauiter multisque modis peccatum est Romae inde à Pontificio culmine malum hoc atque lues ad inferiores omnes ecclesiarum prafectos defluxit neminem enim esse qui suum faciat munus aberrasse omnes ne vnum quidem ex omni numero vacare culpa Duarenus in praefat in lib. de eccles minist benefic confesfeth that the manners of such as were called church-men were decaied and that the later constitutions of Popes were woorse then the first illud saith he fateri velinuiti cogimur mores hominum ecclesiae titulo insignitorum ita paulatim degenerasse vt posteriores constitutiones Pontificumfere anterioribus cedant Guicciardine lib. hist 2. sheweth how the authority of Christian religion grew euery day lesse and lesse by reason that in the affaires of the church men were altogether departed from ancient customes Le cose della chiesa saith he allontanatesi totalmente dalli antichi costumi faceuano ogni di minore l'authoritâ della Christiana religione Machiauel in his Florentine history directed to Clement the 7. confesseth that by reason of the mutation that had hapned in Christian religion great scandales and discords had growne in the world Many of the chiefe rulers of the church saith Picus Mirandula in orat ad Leon. x. after whose example others ought to conforme themselues haue either little or no religion no order in their liuing no shame nor modesty apud plerosque religionis nostra primores ad quorum exemplum componi formari plebs ignara debuisset aut nullus aut certè exiguus deicultus nulla bene viuendi ratio atque institutio nullus pudor nulla modestia Platina in Gregor 4. wisheth that Lewes Pius in his time had beene aliue so much did the church stand in neede of his lawes Res pietatemiampridem perdidimus saith Auentinus lib. 3. annal Boiorum virtuti nullus est honos inuicem inuidere fraudare fallere longinqua consuetudo est that is we haue long since lost our substance and pietie there is no honor giuen to vertue we haue vsed to enuy one another and to practise fraud and deceit a long time together Primitiui Theologi saith Petrus de Aliaco lib. de reformat eccles ecclesiam aedificauerunt quam nunc quidam Baritatores destruxerunt the Diuines of the Primitiue Church built the church but now certaine later barators haue destroied it And that this is true it may be prooued by diuers particulars in time past the bishops of Rome suffered for true religion now they cut the throats of all such as professe truth The ancient bishops of Rome fed Christs flocke and were subiect to Christian Emperours now the Popes kill Christs lambes and set their feete vpon the neckes of emperors In the