his treasures can keepe them Concerning the merites of CHRIST they say that there was such precious vertue in his blood that one droppe of it was sufficient to redeeme all the world now say they what shall become of all the rest of his blood which he shâ—…d in great abundance shall all this precious blood be lost and where can it be better kept than in the treasures of CHRISTS Vicar to be dispensated to the vtilitie of sinners when need requireth To this vaine assertion of Papistes I answere that the LORD nâ—…uer dealt sparingly neither with our bodies nor soules The LORD hath prouided greater abundance of aire for the refreshment of our bodies than all the breathing senses of men and beasts is able to draw in The LORD rained downe MANNA from heauen in greater plentie than might haue sufficed the people of the Ieweâ—… in the wildernesse euen so when the LORD is content to shed grâ—…at abundance of his precious blood he hath done it to set foorth the great riches of his mercie toward our soules but not to make a mortall man a dispensator of one drop of his blessed blood The chiefe questions betwixt vs the Romane Church anent Originall sinne are two First whether or no concupiscence which remaineth in the godly after their baptisme be in a proper acception called sinne or not for the Romane Church saith that it is called sinne by the Apostle because it came of sinne and it tendeth to sinne but not because it is sinne is a proper acception And the Council of Trent pronounceth an anathema against them who thinke otherwise than they haue determined The second controuersie is whether or no the naturall concupiscence mouing vs to euill can be called a sinne before wee giue the consent of our mind to it The Romane Church thinketh it no sinne vntill we yeeld the consent of our hearts vnto it The third question anent sinnes coÌ„mitted before after baptisme what way they are remitted because this question pertaineth more properly to another treatise I shal oueâ—…passe it at this time Now anent the first question I affirme that the Apostle Paul when he calleth concupiscence sin hee calleth it sin in a proper acception of the word sin Many names are giuen to sin in Scripture which expresseth what it is properly but especially these 3. names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concupiscence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a transgression of the Law as the Apostle manifestlly witnesseth when he sayeth I had not knowne lust except the Law had saide Thou shalt not lust therefore concupiscence is sinne in a proper acception In like manner concupiscence or originall sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and in exprâ—…sse wordes the Apostle speaking of Originall sinne sayeth Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned c. In this place concupiscence is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration from the Commandement of GOD and consequently a sinne in a proper acception of the worde sinne Remember also that the Apostle is speaking of all men yea and of himselfe also in the estate whereinto hee was presently when he wrote this epistle that is after he was baptized Then let vs marke the third word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a snappering and a falling to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and this word also is attributed vnto Originall sinne in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is through the offence of one man many bee dead so that all these three wordes concurring in one doe declare that concupiscence euen after baptisme in a proper sense is sin because it is a breaking of the Lawe an aberration from the Lawe and a falling from the Lawe Nowe the curses of the Councill of Trent which they cast out so prodigally against vs are not worthie one figge because they are not grounded in reason but are expresly repugnant to the written worde of GOD. The second question is this whether or no is concupiscence a sinne before we yeeld the consent of our heart vnto it To this I answere that if they vnderstood by concupiscence a bad inclination it is sinne euen in infants who doe not knowe what it is to consent either to good or euill but if they meane of the first motion or cogitation of sinne presented vnto the soule apparently this question belongeth rather to actuall than to originall sinne but whether it belongeth to the root of sinne or to the branches of sinne I shall produce three reasons wherfore the first motion of sinne is sinne euen before we yeeld vnto it the consent of our heart First because a consent is an indifferent thing called good or euill according to the nature of that thing whereunto we giue our consent and consequently the consent is euill because that motion of sinne whereunto wee consented was euill and if it had not beene euill in it selfe the consent of our heart giuen vnto it had neuer beene called euill Secondly Fathers from whome Papistes haue learned this Theologie that in them who are regenerated concupiscence is not to bee counted a sinne vntill a man giue the consent of his heart vnto it these same Fathers I say after they had pierced deeper into this question they corrected themselues as clearely appeareth by the wordes of Augustine against Iulâ—…anus a Pelagian saying Desiderium mali malum est etiamsi ci non consentiatur donec co perveniamus ubi nec habeatur that is the desire of euill is euill albeit consent be not giuen vnto it vntill wee attaine vnto that estate whereinto we shall be free of it Thirdly the Apostle IAMES when he damneth actuall sin he agreageth it by three circumstances to wit by the conception of it the birth of it and the punishment of it the conception of it is by concupiscence and this the Apostle setteth downe as the first circumstance of the amplification of sinne and not as a thing indifferent vntill wee giue consent vnto it how beit it is true that actuall sinne is not committed vntill consent be giuen to concupiscence yet in it selfe it is a sinne and the conception and root of sinne as the Apostle speaketh It is no point of wisdome to extenuate or to obscure and hide our sinnes for GOD can set them all in order before our face as the psalmist speaketh and if this bee all the gaine and aduantage wee haue by denying and obscuring a part of our sinnes it were better to lay all open before the great Phisitian of our soules to the end that in due time we may be cured by his medicinall plasters Augustine maketh rehearsall of three medicinall cures against concupiscence in these wordes In corpore mortis
as when the Romane doctrine was sounded in their cares that we are iustified partly by faith and partly by workes If by good workes theymeane workes of superstition such as leaning in their legacies rents to sacrificing Priestes for saying of soule Masses wee are glad that by the preaching of the Gospell superstition is somewhat abated like as the great d◅luge of waters beganne by degrees to bee diminished in the dayes of NOE and that by meanes of the winde which the LORD sent foorth to blow vpon the waters But if they meane by good workes such workes as GOD hath commanded in his holy law then I answere that the faults of some people are not to be imputed to the doctrine of the Gospell but to the corruption of mans nature continually repining against the knowne trueth of GOD. Like as when RACHEL left her fathers house and followed IACOB her husband and the ca◅ling of GOD and in the meane time shee stale her fathers Idoles with them polluted the house of IACOB Nowe who shall beare the blame of this fault whether the holy calling of GOD or IACOB the preacher of the LORDS calling to his wiues or RACHEL who followed not the calling of GOD aright Here I know euery man will lay the blame vpon RACHEL because shee left in outward appearance her fathers house yet she left not the corrupt maners of her fathers house In like maner in our dayes the feastred maners of the people are not to bee imputed to the Gospell neither to the true preachers of it but to the corrupt nature of man taking occasion by the Lawe to worke all kind of iniquitie And in like maner taking occasion by the Gospell to bee more bent to euill doing than euer it was before but let true Christians marke that albeit the doctrine of Iustification by faith only were a thousand wayes abused yet because it is the holy Apostolicke doctrine and necessare vnto eternall life it must needes be preached and beleeued of all the true disciples of CHRIST The Law and the Gospell goe not so in handes together as Iustification and Sanctification does but rather by the great prouidence of GOD the one standeth ouer against the other and either of them pointeth out the finger to the other The Law is a paedagogue to CHRIST and pointeth out the finger to the Gospell that in it wee may finde CHRIST and in CHRIST Saluation The Gospell on the other parte pointeth out the finger to the Law not to find in keeping of it saluation which we haue already found in CHRIST but to testifie our thankfulnes to GOD who hath freely forgiuen vs in CHRIST his sonne for what better testimonie of thankfulnesse can wee render to GOD than a voluntare obedience to his holy Commandements according as CHRIST saith If any man loue mee hee will keepe my Commandements and my Father will loue him and wee will come and dwell with him It may be demanded Can not the righteousnes of the Law the Gospell be mixed together in the matter of our Iustification the Apostle PAVL giueth a negatiue answere vnto this question that like as one woman cannot lawfully haue two husbands at one time but when the first husband is dead shee may be lawfully coupled to another who is liuing Euen so we cannot adhere to the righteousnes of faith in CHRIST vntill we giue ouer the righteousnes of the Law because in the matter of Iustification the Law is vnto vs like a dead husband of whome we can receiue no comfort so dead is our nature that the Lawe cannot quicken it but we must be coupled to CHRIST as vnto a liuing husband who by the righteousnes of faith shall bestowe vpon vs that comfort which the Law could not afford vnto vs. And in this Allegorie let vs consider that the Law is called the first husband not because it was anterior to the Gospel for the Apostle PAVL prooueth the contrare in his Epistle to the Galatians but because a man naturally seeketh first helpe in his own workes and seeketh not helpe in CHRIST vntill the time hee be vtterly denuded of all hope of the righteousnes of the Lawe that is of the righteousnes of his owne workes Surely ignorance is the mother of many errours and they who seeke righteousnes in the Law they are ignorant in many things First they knowe not the right end wherefore the Lawe was giuen to wit for transgression that is to manifest it but not to wipe it away Secondly they know not the nature of the Law that it is spirituall to the perfection whereof carnall men cannot attaine Thirdly they are ignorant of the strict condition of the legall Couenant which binds vs vnto a full obedience of all things commanded in the Law Fourthly they are ignorant of the perill that insueth vpon the seeking of the righteousnesss of the Lawe that they cannot submit themselues to the righteousnesse of GOD. When all these inconueniences doe follow vpō secking iustification by the Law or by works it were a wise course to seeke righteousnes where it may be found that is to say in faith which coupleth vs to CHRIST whome the father hath giuen vnto vs to be our wisdome our iustification our sanctification and our redemption and let it not be said that the fishers of Busphorus Tracius in seeking fish are wiser than we in seeki◅g the saluation of our soules For they spread not out their nets in the shallow coast of Chalcedone where no fish can bee found but in the deepe coast of Byzantium where abundance of fih are to bee found Euen so if wee bee wise let vs seeke saluation where it may be found In the thirde heade it is to be declared that neither in our owne workes neither in other mens works CHRITTS workes only excepted can a sauing power be found to worke our saluation Our workes are considered two maner of wayes First as they are before our regeneration altogether sinfull and no man doth affirme that such workes can saue vs either in whole or in part Secondly as they are after our regeneration and of these workes much is spoken namely that Christs death is so meritorious that by vertue of it he hath purchased a power to our workes after regeneration that they might merite good things at the hands of GOD. To this I will returne such an answere as Alamundarus prince of Saracens returned to the Eutychian Heretiques sent by Seuerus to perswade him to their opinion To whome hee replied that strange tythings were lately come vnto his eares namely that GABRIEL the Angell of GOD was dead When they answered that was impossible and repugnant to reasoun that an Angel should die Then the Prince subioyned that like as they would not r◅ceaue his information because it was repugnant to reason euen so hee would not receiue their instructions because they neither agreed with Scripture nor yet with good reason In
of the Gospell clearely shineth and pointeth out vnto vs the way of ancient veritie the Lord will not spare them who haue hypocritically professed his veritie but in their heart they loue the deceit of errour and lies as the people in IEREMIAS dayes did This is the condemnation saith theEuangelist IOHN that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenesse rather then light Iohn 3. ver 19. Antiquitie of custome which we haue before described lacketh many things that areto bee found in antiquitie of veritie For it is not authorized by any Apostolicke coÌ„mandement wherupon 3. things do follow First there is no necessitie vrging vs to keep things that are not coÌ„manded by Apostolick precept in matters coÌ„cerning religioÌ„ Secondly where there is no necessity of doing there is no feare or terror of coÌ„science in leauing the same vndone Thirdly where it is gone out of custome or vse there is no necessity to reduce it again as the feasts called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostlesown time the 3. dippings in Baptisme after the Apostles time Of these ancient customes we may boldly say foure things 1. That the Apostles gaue no commandement to obserue them 2. that there is no necessitie to keepe obserue these customes 3. there was no just cause of feare to the conscience where these customes were pretermitted or neglected 4. experience declareth that since vse and custome which brought in these exercises hath also obliterat and worne them away the Church in our time hath taken no regard of renewing these ancient customes againe Now anent the examples which I haue alreadie brought foorth there are many who will make no contradiction but as touching other ancient customes obserued of old in the Church without any written commandement if those bee touched and the like be saide of them also more sturre and greater adoe will be made Yet if I proue by ancient writers that the observation of Pasche day and the obseruation of Lent were rites introduced in the Church without warrand of any Apostolicke commandement it will followe that there is neither necessitie in keeping nor leauing these things vnkeeped wherefore consider what SOCRATES saith in his ecclesiastical history lib. 5. cap. 22. Nusquam igitur Apostolus nec ipsa Evangelia jugum ser vitutis illis imponunt qui ad praedicationem accedunt sed Paschatis festum alios dies festos ipsi homines suis quique locis propter remissionem laborum memoriam salutiferae passionis sicuti voluerunt ex consuetudine quadam celebrârunt neque Servator hoc aut Apostoli nobis lege aliqua observandum esse mandârunt Neque poenam nobis aut supplicium Evangelia vel Apostoli sicut Iudaeis Lex Mosi comminantur sed historico tantùm modo ad reprehensionem Iudaeorum quòd homicidium diebus festis exercuerint quòd Christus tempore Azymorum passus sit conscriptum est in Evangeliis That is Therfore no where doth the Apostle or the Euangell lay vpon them the yoke of bondage who come to the preached worde but the feast of Pasche day other festiuall dayes men euery one in their owne places for intermission of labour for the remembrance of the salutiferous passion they kept as liked themselues best these said feastes by a certaine custome Neither did our Sauiour or his Apostles by any law command vs to doe this thing neither did the Apostles or Gospel threaten a punishment against vs to wit if we leaue these things vndone according as the Lawe of MOSES doth against the Iewes but the historie onely for reprehension of the Iewes in the Gospell setteth downe in write that the Iewes vpon festiuall dayes practised murther and that Christ suffered in the dayes of vnleauened bread Here all that I haue spoken is clearely declared concerning the obseruation of the feast of Pasche day 1. no precept or commandement proceeding from Christ his Apostles to keepe it 2. no threatning pronounced against theÌ„ who kept it not 3. that it was brought in into the Church by custome but not by coÌ„mandement 4. that when men endeuoure to authorize by coÌ„mandements such ancient customes then they bring a yoke bondage vpon the consciences of men The like more also is written in that same chapter by SOCRATES concerning the obseruation of Lent before the feast of Pasche day that it was obserued with such diuersitie of customes both in number of dayes and also in diuersitie of meates from which men abstained in Lent as easily declared that the Apostles interponed no commandement in such matters but left such customes free indifferent to the discretion of Christians In the head of antiquitie of customes because I like not to be contentious in my judgement two extremities would be eschewed I. that we should not equall ancient customes to ancient commandements for the causes aboue-written which caueat SOZOMEN an ecclesiasticall writer not obseruing did affirme all these who are not thrise dipped in water to haue departed this life without the sacrament of Baptisme Sozom lib. 6 cap. 26. In which opinion he equalled an ancient custome to an olde commandement And yet this same SOZOMEN who is so precise in obseruation of an ancient custome of 3. dippings in Baptisme is not so precise in another ancient custome of abstaining from eating of flesh in Lent but commendeth SPIRIDION who gaue vnto a wearie stranger in time of Lent swines flesh to eate eated himself of it also affirming that to the cleane al things were cleane Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 1 1. Tit. cap. 1. ver 15. Thus we seee howe SOZOMEN confuteth himselfe at sometimes remembring that ancient customes are not equall to ancient commandements as abstinence from flesh in Lent and in other things forgetting himselfe making the ancient custome of thrise dipping in Baptisme absolutly necessarie 2. anciâ—…nt customes not directly repugnant to the worde if they be kept free of commandement necessitie and feare as is aboue specified should not be so hatefully impugned as ancient errours are impugned but if abuses fall into them these abuses should be timously reprehended as the Apostle PAVL reprooueth the abuses of the feastes ofloue in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 11. But aboue all things beware that we rent not for matters of no great moment the vnitie of the Church of God as VICTOR Bishop of Rome was purposed to haue done if he had not bene timously stayed by the prudent aduise of IRENEVS Bishop of Lions Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Now to conclude this short treatise of antiquitie of custome if a wise man would send a tongue to it to speake for it selfe it would be so far from matching and equalling itselfe with the ancient commandements that it would speake modestly and humbly to them as ELIZABETH the mother of IOHN Baptist spake to the blessed virgine the mother of our Lord. Andwhence commeth this to me saith she that the mother of my Lord should come vnto
me Luc 1 ver 43. So might old customes speake to olde commandements Whéce coÌ„meth this to me that coÌ„mandement my mistresse Lady wil tolerat me to be within the doores of the house of God wherein she hath such soueraignitie and swey In the fourth heade we are to intreate by what meanes ancient errours may be distinguished from ancient veritie And first veritie is not in all pointes like vnto an olde man whose strength is dayly abated by debilitie and weaknesse till at length the old man die goe to the graue yea rather veritie the older it be the vertue strength and vigour of it is the better knowne but errours when they waxe old they become weake they die and euanish and are vile as a filthy and stinking carion so as if any man in our dayes should open the graue of ARRIVS and renue his vngodly opinion he should see all Christians shake their heades stop their eares and grip after a maner their noses with their handes that the abominable flewer of that filthie carion should not be felt but by the contrarie the sweete smell of the ancient Veritie of Christ is like a precious oyntment powred out filling the house of God with no lesse delite now then it did of old when it was first preached by the Apostles in Ierusale Acts 2. And as the house of DAVID dayly waxed stronger the house of ISHBOSHETH dayly waxed weaker 2. Sam. 3. 1. such like is the estate of the Veritie and the lie Secondly veritie and errour are best distinguished when they are riped vp into the very ground and frivolous superficiall trialls are laide aside As NEHEMIA did when hee tried after the captiuitie who had a right of Priesthood to stand at the altar to offer sacrifices he commanded them to produce their writes and genealogies and make good their lineal descent from the loynes of AARON which right â—…ey who could not find out were put from the Priesthood Nehem. 7. ver 64 Euen so they who pretend veritie of ancient doctrine let them verifie clearely by the written word that this their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ his holy Apostles For as the procreation of AARON gaue a right to stand at the altar so also the doctrine that came froÌ„ the mouth of Christ and his Apostles hath an vndoubted right to be sounded in the Church of God Remember now that wise NEHEMIAH was not superficiall in his triall The sons of HABAIAH the sons of HAKKOZ the sons of BARZILLAI could haue shewed in write that they were come of the descent of LEVI and of the familie of COAH but that which was of greatest moment of all that they were descended from that branche of the familie of COAH which was separated to the scruice of the altar to wit from AARON Numb 16. ver 40. that they could not proue So the Papistes of our time can prooue that their doctrine hath had place sixe seuen or eight hundreth yeeres and more also before our dayes but that which is of greatest weight to wit that their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ and his holy Apostles in that probation they succumbe Thirdly let vs trie and discerne the lie from the veritie as AVGVSTVS CAESAR discerned him who falsly called himselfe ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD and the sonne in law of ARCHELAVS King of Cappadocia and husband of GLAPHYRA Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap 14. This ALEXANDER son of HEROD the great with his brother ARISTOBVLVS were both executed to the death by the commandement of their father But after the death of ALEXANDER an artificer bearing that same name and in stature beauty lineaments and all agreeing proportion so neerely resembled the very similitude of ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD that they who best knew HERODS son did most confidently affirme that this same artificer was he indeede and he himselfe affirmed that he was HERODS sonne and had escaped death by the fauour of the executioner Alwayes when he was brought to Rome to the Emperour AVGVSTVS would not be deceiued with the liklyhood of his face but groped his hand and found it to be hard like to the hand of an artificer and discerned him to be a deceiuing fellow and punished him This I grant may be applyed more properly to Christ then to vs. For albeit we be easily deceiued seduced with lies yet the great King of heauen Christ Iesus cannot be deceiued hee will not regard the brasen face of the lie calling it selfe trueth but he will wisely grope the hand of the lie examine what operations it hath wrought among the people it hath blinded mens vnderstanding it hath har dened their heartes it hath learned them to be proud obstinat contemners of the trueth of God finally it hath learned theÌ„ to honour creatures with impairing of the glory of the Creator Then wil the great King say O full of al deceit thy hand and thy operations that thou hast wrought amongst men testifieth that thou art not of God Neuerthelesse the members of Christ also in some meane measure may be groping the hand of the lie finding it to be hard dric voyde of all sap moysture of spirituall grace we may say in our harts O doctrine of lies barren withered within thy selfe and communicating no grace vnto thy hearers the Lord separat vs from thee thee from vs that we may adhere firmly vnto our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus vnto the end Finally when wee haue done all that we can doe to discerne the lie from the veritie yet let vs not liue in securitie as though wee could neuer be deceiued IOSVA that holy man of God was deceiued with old garments old bottels of wine old bread and shoes because he consulted not with the mouth of God Ios. 9. ver 14. Then aboue all things we should seeke counsell at the mouth of God by earnest prayer diligent reading of the written word attentiue hearing of godly sermons and if we seeke we shall finde and if wee knocke it shall be opened vnto vs. And the Lorde direct vs both in seeking and finding with the gratious conduct of his holy Spirit Heere I purposed to haue finished my treatise of antiquitie but when I remember with whome I haue to doe and that they will say I haue purposely passed by the principall demonstration of antiquitie in the Romaine Church therefore I haue subjoyned the foure forged fained and counterfaite maskes of antiquitie in Poperie which will neuer proue them to be an ancient church The false interpretation of Scriptures the booke of the Canons of the Apostles the decretall epistles falsly ascribed to the fathers of the first three hundreth yeeres of our Lord and the booke of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA Anent the false interpretation of Scriptures Godwilling I shall speake in the treatise of heresie Anent the booke of the Canons of the Apostles if there were no more but onely the last
my couenant With you saith the Lord my Spirit which is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede saith the Lord from henceforth and for euer Isa. 59. ver 21 But the Anabaptists in our dayes brag of the reuelations of the spirit which reuelations notwithstanding agree not with the written word of God and therfore it is certaine that their reuelations are but fantasies and toyes of brain-sicke men This written word of God is to be read in the bookes of MOSES and the Prophets of whome Christ said Search the Scriptures for they beare testimonie of me Ioh. 5. And in the bookes written by the Apostles and Euangelists whome Christ commanded to tarie at Jerusalem vntill they were endued with power from aboue Actes 1. ver 8. This power wherewith they were endued from aboue was double First a power to knowe the sense and meaning of the Scriptures of God Secondly power to vtter boldly and couragiously in all languages and to all nations the trueth which they knewe This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguisheth the writings of the Prophets and Apostles from all other writings as THEODORETVS prudently hath noted de principio Serm. 2. The will of God saith hee is not to be sought in the bookes of PLATO who like as he knewe litle in matters concerning God so likewise hee was timorous and durst not vtter vnto the worlde boldly that litle sponke of knowledge which he had Hee knew there was onely one God but in his letters written to DIONYSIVS if they were serious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the beginning of the letter thâ—…t is oâ—…e God but if the letter was not serious nor dited froÌ„ the â—…ound of his heart then the beginning of the letter was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pluralitie of gods Who can giue vndoubted credite in maters pertaining to God to such men as know but a litle and the litle thing that they know they dare not presume to tell it to others But the Apostles were indued with strength from aboue they were taught by the Spirit of Christ in al trueth Iohn 16. they were not dashed with feare of the countenances of men Acts 4. but couragiously preached the truth of God to the great admiration of their hatefull aduersaries The word of God written by MOSES was so perfitly written that it was not lawfull to adde any thing vnto it nor to paire any thing from it Deut. 4. 12. Neither did the Prophets or Apostles adde any thing vnto the writings of MOSES but they were faithfull interpreters of MOSES bookes and vttered that same thing more clearely which was somewhat darkly shadowed into the ceremonies of the Law For like as a marchant man who hath fine cloth rolled vp in his shop if he shall lay it out in breadth and length vpon a table it remaineth the selfe same cloth it was before but it is better seene and knowne then it was before euen so the Apostles haue vttered the mysteries of the Kingdome of God more clearely then MOSES did but they haue said no more anent the saluation of man then MOSES saide before them This pure and perfite word of God should not be mixed with humane traditions for by this mixture three injuries are done to the written worde of God First by this meane the reuerence due vnto the written worde of God is impared and diminished Secondly traditions by time are equalled vnto the written worde of God and thirdly traditions are preferred vnto the written word of God And this beeing the last period whereunto the reuerence of humaine traditions tendeth to make the writâ—…n commandementes of God of none effect by their traditions as Christ clearely testifieth Mat. 15 ver 6. humane traditions are the lesse to bee regarded of all true hearted Christians to the end the written word of God may haue the owne due honour and reuerence Many false imputations against sacred Scriptures are forged by Papistes to transport the hearts of people from the perfite reuerence of scripture calling it imperfite vnsufficient and that it is obscure and that it is perillous to Laicke people to reade it lest they fall into errour The first accusation of Scripture is the vnsufficiencie of it The Bishop of Enereux that blasphemous man was bold to write a booke of the vnsufficiencie of Scripture and the greatest argument hee vseth if it were granted yet prooueth it not his purpose for he thinketh that wee haue not sufficiently by Scripture conuicted the Anabaptists who deny that children should be baptized till they be of perfite yeeres to giue a confession of their owne faith Wee suppone that all this were true yet it prooueth not vnsufficiencie in scripture but rather insufficiencie in vs to whome the mysteries of the booke of God are not sufficiently knowne There is a place of Scripture Exod 3. I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. In this place I say is an argument secretly latent and prooning the resurrection as Christ clearely declareth disputing against the Sadduces Mat. 22 ver 31. 32. yet no man before the manifestation of Christ himselfe euer perceiued that this argument was lurking in these words shall it be saide this argument was not in scripture because it was not perceiued by weake men to bee in scripture Truely it were good for this Bishop to follow the example of the Iudges that are in this Isle of Britaine when an act of Parliament is made and ratified the Iudges of our countrie decerne all causes according to the Acts but giue not out rash sentence against the Actes but when the Couenant of God is made and ratified by the bloode of Christe it were better to judge according to it then to giue out rash sentence against it Let vs consider what is written of the three bookes that shall be opened at the day of Iudgement and whereby the worlde shall be judged One of the three bookes is expresly nominat to wit the booke of life Apocal chap. 20. ver 10 the other two no man can denie to bee the Booke of the Lawe and the booke of the conscience because the Booke of the Lawe declareth all that wee should haue done and the booke of the conscience beeing opened manifesteth all that wee haue done whereupon the righteous Iudge of the worlde groundeth a just sentence of condemnation against vngodly men in this maner The booke of the Lawe manifesteth what yee should haue done the booke of your owne conscience manifesteth that yee haue done the contrarie and moreouer also your names are not found written in the Booke of life Therefore departe from mee into the fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels Nowe I demaund of Papistes concerning these three bookes that shall bee opened is any of them imperfite Is there any elect person whose name is not written in the booke of
owne infirmitie but onely for our sake who are sheepe of the sheepfold of Christe to guide vs by it to correct our wandering wayes and to holde vs in decent order Therefore of all things in the worlde let vs count Scripture a thing most pertinent to vs according to the saying of MOSES the secret thinges belong vnto the Lorde our God but the things reueiled belong to vs and our children for euer that wee may doe all the wordes of this Lawe Deut. 29. ver 29. to wit the Lawe written as is clearely declared Deut. 27. ver 2 and 3. When thou shalt passe ouer Iorden into the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shtli set up great stones and plaster them with plaster and Shelt witte upon them all the wordes of this Lawe c. Now if the writteÌ„ word be that very portion that belonged properly to our fathers to vs to our children we should sticke as fast to it as euer NABOTH did to his vineyarde remeÌ„bring euer these words of MOSES Things that are reuei led to wit in writ pertaine to vs to our children for euer According to the patterne of this written word were al reformations of religion made not according to the vncertaine report of traditions IOSIAS made reformation according to the booke of the couenant that was founde in the house of the Lord 2. Reg. cap. 23. ver 2. And therefore this worde of God ought diligently to be kept as the very patterne of all true reformation in religion if any abuse fall out at any time In our natiue countrie men are not so careful by diligent custodie to keep other measures as the measure whereby all other measures in the lande are measured one towne hath the weightes another hath the jug the third hath the furlot another hath the el-wand these are diligently kept because that bythem all faulty measures are corrected and reformed so aboue all things in this worlde the holy Scriptures should be most diligently kept Now before I speake of humane traditions the very end wherefore the Apostles committed to write the summe of their wholesome doctrine is a sore prejudice to tradition For some persons who hearde the Apostles preach went from Ierusalem to Antiochia and troubled the hearts of the Gentiles saying that they behooued to be circumcised and keepe the Law of MOSES to whome the Apostles gaue no such commandement Actes 15. Therefore the Apostles tooke occasion to put in write the summe of their doctrine Nowe if tradition was not a faithfull keeper of the Apostolicke doctrine in the very dayes of the Apostles and in the mouthes of them who heard the Apostles preach with their owne eares howe shall wee leane vnto the vncertaintie of traditions after the issue of sixteene hundreth yeeres The generalitie of the worde tradition is an occasion of errour to many for so soone as this word soundeth in their eares incontinent they thinke that all things necessarie vnto eternall life is not contained in Scripture but the want of Scripture must be supplied by traditions yet the Apostle calleth the very articles of our faith traditions namely that Christ died for our sinnes that he was buried and that he rose the third day againe 1. Cor. 15 ver 3. The Papistes take good heede to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say here mention is made of tradition but they obserue not so diligently the subsequent wordes albeit they be twise repeated by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Scriptures If they will needs obtrude vnto vs traditions at the least let them be agreable vnto Scriptures and then the controuersie will cease For I may boldly speake of Popish traditions that which CLEMENS speaketh of the Philosophie of the Grecians comparing it vnto a nut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all the nut is not meet to be caten the kirnell is for eating but the hard shels whereinto the kirnell is enclosed are not nourishing food euen so saith CLEMENS not all the Grecian Philosophie is to bee embraced and credited The like I say of Romaine traditions that we must not glut ouer their traditions shels and kirnell altogether but those that are agreable to Scriptures we receiue but traditions repugnant to Scripture such as worshipping of images which DAMASCENE granteth to be an vnwritten tradition we vtterly detest and abhorre The place of PAVLS Epistles that seemeth to fauour vnwritten tradition is this Therefore brethren stand sast keep the instruction which yee haue beene taught either by worde or by our epistle 2. Thess 2 ver 15. Heere I affirme that like as they who rehearsed Christs wordes and wrested the true sense and meaning of them they are called false witnesses against Christ Math. 26. ver 61. Christ spake these words indeede Destroy this Temple and within three dayes I wâ—…ll build it vp againe but not in that sense that the false witnesses reported Euen so they who cite a testimonie out of the Epistles of PAVL in another sense then PAVL writeth it they are false witnesses against PAVL for PAVLS tongue in preaching was guided by the holy Ghost and PAVLS hand and pen in writting was guided by the holyGhost that same selfe trueth he preached that same selfe trueth he committed to write to the ende that the faith of the Thessalonians might be the better confirmed and strengthened If they will obstinatly contend that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is disjunctiue I will constantly affirme with the most learned ANTONIVS SADEEL that in this place it is copulatiue in this sense Keepe that instruction which yee haue receiued both by word and epistle And in the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken 1. Cor. 13. ver 8. Whether prophecying shall be abolished or tongues shall cease that is both prophecying shall be abolished and tongues shall cease Stand fast and keepe the instruction 2. Thess. 2. ver 15 It is not the purpose of the Apostle in these wordes to exhort any man to wilfulnes and obstinacie but vnto constant adherence vnto the veritie of God For the Apostle PETER describing the qualities of false teachers calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men presumptuous standingon their own conceits 2. Pet. 2. ver 10. Wherfore a difference is to be noted betwene obstinat men constaÌ„t men It is obstinacie when a man walketh in his own wayes will not be corrected by the wisdome of God but it is constancie when a man walketh in the wayes of God and will not depart out of them for the fauour or feare of men CAIN was obstinat Gen 4. PETER and IOHN were constant Also to keepe fast the doctrine whereby they were taught both by word and Epistle is not onely to keepe it in memorie and to keepe the volume wherein scriptures are written but to keepe it indeede by the obedience of faith For men are thrise
credited that God hath suffered the world to goe astray in such wayes so long time and so many yeeres What is this but as a wette sacke wherewith a naked man is couered as a learned Pastor said it is so farre from arming him against the cold that it encreaseth his shuddering and grwing euen so this excuse vtterly vndoeth their cause they say God would not haue suffered his visible Church to haue erred so many yeeres but the Apostle PAVL saith otherwise that the Spirit speak th euidently that in the latter times some shal depart frō the faith so that it is not a wonderfull thing to see apostasie fall out in the bowels of the visible Church and the golden calfe to be worshipped by carnal israclites Exod. 32. But it is a wonderful thing indeede to see sinceritie of doctrine and puritie of maners to continue long among the very watchmen of the Church so prone and bent is the world to defection that sometime the ordinarie watchmen cannot declare where Christ is whom the soule of the Church loueth Cant. 3. ver 3. Secondly consider that the doctrine of prohibition of meates and mariage is called a defection from the faith a doctrine of deuils When these odious stiles are applied to Gnostici T atiani Or Encratitae Montanistae and Manichai and others all this is heard patiently without sturre and excesse of choler and why because the ancient fathers examining all these opinions according to the rule of the word of God haue found thē heretical opinions But whē we come neerer to say that the prohibition of mariage in some persons and the prohibition of meates at some times is also a doctrine of deuils and a defection from the faith O then it is cast in as a wal of brasse that the anciēt fathers who damned all the forenamed heresies yet liked very well of supplications prayers to be made to God euery Fryday and consequently of abstinencie from delicat meats for the furtherance of prayers in remembrance of the Lords suffering Sozomen lib. 1. cap. 8. And like wise that Priests should bee chaste and continent Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 9. And to damne these opinions also is all on◅ as if we should damne all antiquitie and imagine that the trueth was euer buried since the Apostles dayes vntill our time To this I answere that the fathers are not to be balanced with the Papistes of our dayes in the opinion of meates and mariage for many causes first because the fathers of the first 300. yeeres made no lawes and constitutions to astrict the consciences of men in matters of meate and mariage as the Papists of late dayes haue done The Councill of Ancyra which is a towne in Galatia clearely manifesteth vnto vs what was the custom of the ancient Church in admitting men to ecclesiasticke offices namely this If a man in time of his ordination did protest that he had not the gift of continencie but that hee was purposed to marrie and after his ordination hee maried a wife hee remained still in his ministetie But so many as in time of imposition of handes did professe continencie abstinence from mariage if afterward they maried they were debarred from their ministrie Tom. 1. Concil Here euidently appeareth that in the primitiue Church there was no lawe made anent prohibition of mariage to men in spirituall offices In like maner we reade vnder DECIVS the seuinth persecuting tyrant of whome mention will be made in the third Centurie that DIONYSIVS B. of Alexandria was a maried man and had children and that by the great prouidence of God both hee and his children escaped the hands of the cruell enemie who was laid in wait for him to take him Yea and after the Nicene Councill the assembly gathered at Gangra a towne in Paphlagonia detested the opinion of EVSTATIVS who admiring the monasticke life as a conuersation angelicall began to damne mariage and to perswade maried women to separate from the companie of their husbands and to perswade the people not to receiue the holy sacraments from the handes of maried preachers But when the fathers conueened in the Councill of Gangra pondered the opinion of EVSTATIVS in a just balance they found it to be cursed and execrable not only in the question of mariage but also anent his doctrine in prohibition of meates for he thought that a religious man who eated flesh by so doing was cut off from the hope of better pleasures which God hath laid vp for saintes in heaucn But let vs heare a fewe of the Canons of the Councill of Gangra Tom. 1. Concil CANON 1. If any person vituperat mariage and will detest a faithfull woman because the sleepeth with her husband and counteth her to be culpable and that shee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Let him be accursed CANON 2. If any man condemne him who in faith and religion eateth flesh that is neither mixed with blood nor sacrificed to idoles as if by such participation of slesh hee wanted hope Let him be accursed CANON 4. If any man make difference and will not receiue the oblation from a preachers hand when he ministreth it because he hath a wife Let him be accursed CANON 10. If any person keeping virginitie for the Lords sake extoll himselfe aboue those that are maried Let him be accursed In all these constitutions of the councill of Gangr◅ there is no vsurpation of authoritie ouer the conscience in matters of mariage and meates Secondly because euen at that time when custome without a ratified lawe had brought in an vse in the Church of God that vnmaried men should be admitted vnto Bishoprickes and spirituall offices rather then others Yet when such continent men could not be had GRATIANVS himselfe witnesseth that a maried man was admitted by PELAGIVS I. Ann. 556. to be Bishop of Syracuse Distinct. 28. Thirdly the fathers of ancient time spake reuerently of mariage but the Papistes of late dayes haue called it a worke of the flesh and the errour of the Nicolaitanes These two doctrines of the prohibition of meates and mariage are called an apostasie from the faith and endited by the spirit of errour Here it may be objected that the Apostle PAVL himselfe who writeth this in another place saith that the Kingdome of God is neither meate nor drinke but righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Spirit Rom. 14. ver 17. How then is that thing to be counted an apostasie from the faith wherein no matter is touched that pertaineth to the Kingdome of God To this I answere that there is a great difference betweene abstinence from meates and prohibition of meates for these whose conscience is weake will abstaine from many meates and content themselues with hearbes Rom. 14 ver 2. as it were contenting themselues with the foode of the beastes rather then that their mouth should eat that thing that should perturbe their conscience but such men as take vpon them
authoritie to forbid to eate meates that are created by God to the vse of men they vsurpe authoritie ouer the conscience of men binding where God hath loosed loosing where God hath bound and mixing heauen and earth through other as if men on earth should haue such absolute soueraignitie ouer the conscience euen as the God ofheauen hath This is called an apostasie from the faith not because all defection is finished in this but because all defection is grounded in this one point to set a mortal man in the chaire of God to attribut vnto him such absolut souerainitie ouer ourcoÌ„science as God had ouer the conscience of ADAM Gen. 3. as miserable experience hath clearely manifested in the Popedom Doth not the Apostle PAVL craue that the seruice that we offer to God should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a reasonable seruice Rom. 12. ver 1 But when we are led away either with the conceits of our owne hearts or yet when we cast off the yocke of God and stoupe downe the necke of our conscience vnder the lawes of mortall men in matters of religion what equitie of reason is kept in such doing to match and equall our selues or others to God Moreouer the A post PAVL foretelleth that these backsliders froÌ„ the faith should speake lies in hypocrisie hauing their conscience seared with an hot yron 1. Tim. 4 ver 2. These words cannot be properly applyed to the old Heretiques of whoÌ„ we haue spoken who ascribed the institution of matrimonie to Satan the creatioÌ„ procreatioÌ„ of mankindvnto the deuil because they spak not falshood in hypocrisy but in opeÌ„ blasphemy therfore they might haue bene easily discerned auoided yea in other heades of their doctrine concerning the natiuitie and death of Christ they were so blasphemous that in the worde putativé natus mamfestatus mortuus they were the very aduocats of the deuill lren lib 3. advérsus Valent. cap. 20. 39. But in the Popish church the lawes forbidding mariage to some men and meates at sometimes are so coloured with appearance of holynes that the forgers of such lawes in hypocrisie had neede to be pointed out by the finger of God in his worde to the ende that no maske nor visard put vpon vngodlinesse should peruert the vnderstanding of men But the more subtle hypocrisie that should be vsed the more vigilant and wakrife should the Lordes forewarned people be that they were not deceiued by lies spoken in hypocrisie Likewise the Apostle foretelleth that these deceiuers should haue their ' consuence seared or cut off with an hote yron In which wordes the Apostle alludeth to members of a body first feastered next senslesse and thirdly cut off with an hot yrone So are the conscience of those deceiuers fâ—…st cankered with errour next past feeling albeit wholesome admonitions be vsed for reclaiming them from errour last of all their conscience is a rotten thing and vtterly cut off Wherein it is to be marked that feeling of all senses is most necessarie a most vnseparable companion of the life begunne when the sensitiue life beginneth and ending when it endeth so that to be past feeling is all one as to be vtterly dead in body or conscience But let vs see to whom this can be justly applyed If we call to mind the obstinacie of the old Heretiques true it is that they were sensâ—…sse men of whom IRENEVS justly said that they counted themselues not ouercome by the power of the trueth so long as they adhered fast vnto their errour As if an impudent fellow who wrestleth and is ouerthrowne and is lying on his backe on the ground yet hee would denie that he is ouerthrowne because hee sticketh fast by the grip of his aduersaries garments Iren. lib. 5. adversus Valent. But apply this to the Papists of our dayes and we shall finde them tenfold more senslesse obstinat then the old Heretiques were for they haue found out meanes to harden their harts in error that when they are a thousand times conuicted by the clear shining light of the Gospell then the authoritie of their Church and opinion that it cannot erre doth locke them vp so fast in the bands of the deuill that all the trauell taken vpon them is spent in vaine they remaine senslesse hauing their conscience seared with the hote yron of Satan as the Apostle speaketh In particular the Apostle pointeth out two heades of doctrine that deceiuing teachers should maintaine to wit they should forbid mariage and they should command to abstaine from meates Marke these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is forbidding and commanding The word commanding is not in the Greeke text but EPIPHANIVS thinketh this ellipsis must be supplyed by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is commanding to abstaine from meates both these wordes are imperious and pointing out men in authoritie and practising their soueraignitie in all things wherinto the eminent power of a Soueraigne is manifested hee biddeth forbiddeth hee maketh lawes and constitutions the disobedience whereof bringeth the contraueeners vnder feare of great punishment euen so the deceiuers of whom the Apostle speaketh in matters of mariage meats should not be content to tell their opinion to allure by persuasiue reasons others to embrace their opinion but being mounted vp in high authoritie they should command to abstaine from meates and they should enterdite mariage to some persons with authoritie adding paines to the commandement that the contraueeners should be deposed from their office they should be counted Heretiques they should be condemned to hell beside all other ciuill punishments which magistrates addicted to their authoritie could inflict These wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is forbidding and bidding cannot be applyed to Gnostici Encratitae nor yet to the Manicheans of the next Centurie because they had no soueraignitie nor power to command Yea MANES himselfe was excoriat and put to death by the king of Persia as SOCRATES writeth lib. 1. cap. 22. and that for a light cause by reason hee could not cure his diseased sonne But the words of the Apostle clearely declareth that hee speaketh of men furnished with authoritie to bid abstaine from meates and to forbid mariage and this agreeth well with the Romaine Antichrist and his vsurped authoritie Notwithstanding of all these lawes made in the Romaine church and straite prohibition of mariage to the clergie we ought to follow the example of Christs disciples who after that they knew that celestiall voice that sounded from heauen in time of Christs Baptisme This is my welbeloued Sonne in whwÌ„ I am wel pleased heare him Mat. 3. They closed their eares and locked vp their hearts from hearkning to any voyce in the earth that spake the contrarie some said that he was ELI AS other said that hee was IEREMIAS or some of the olde Prophets but the disciples hearkning to the voyce that came downe from heauen said that he was
to be counted of according to the greatnes of the promises annexed to the succession as namely the succession of DAVID of whom God said His seede also will I make to endure for euer his throne as the dayes of heauen Psal. 89. 29 againe ver 35. 36. I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I will not faile Dauid saying his seede shal endure for euer and his throne shall be as the Sunne before me Here are ample promises to DAVID his succession confirmed by the Lordes oath by the Sun Moone as faithfull witnesses in heauen And that which was more then all the rest this succession of DAVID was a line leading to the great King Christ Iesus who should sit in the throne of his father DAVID of his kingdome there should be none end Luc. 1. for all these causes the succession of DAVID was greatly regarded Yet it is to be marked that all the promises othes testimonies honors did not carie with them a necessity that euery successour of DAVID should be in faith and religion like vnto DAVID but rather God foreseeing the contrarie faith If his ch◅ldren forsake my Law and walke not in my Judgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my ordinances then w◅ll I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitte with strokes ibid ver 30. 31. 32. I suppone that no succession euer had more glorious and ample promises then the succession of DAVID yet these promises inferred no necessitie that euery king sitting on the throne of DAVID should bee heire also of the religion and faith of DAVID as well as of his kingdome And therfore to inferre vpon this ground that ample promises are made to the Apostles their successours that euery one who succeedeth to the Apostolick chaire shall keepe the true faith of the Apostles it is but a foolish and impertinent conclusion If any man shall replie that this was a succession of ciuill gouernours but the question now contrauerted is anent succession of Bishops and men in a spirituall calling True it is that DAVIDS successors succeeded to a ciuill gouernment yet seeing this succession was ratified by the oath of God and led also to Christ who is soueraine Lorde both of soule and body whatsoeuer priuiledge of standing in a good estate can be alledged in any succession the patterne of it is to be found in the succession of DAVID But this priuiledge that the successors of DAVID cannot erre in the true faith is not found no not in the great succession of DAVID Now to come to ecclesiasticall succession The priesthood of AARON was institute by God Numb 17. ver 5. It was confirmed by the miracle of the budding rodde ibid. ver 23. The vsarpers of AARONS office without a calling were also miraculously destroyed by fire that came downe from heauen Numb 16. Others were debarred from it euen in the dayes of NEHEMIAH Nehem. 7. ver 64. This succession of AARON was personall the son succeeding to the father in the Priesthood except some mutilation of a member or impotencie did hinder or any such like cause After AARON ELEAZAR and his son PHINEAS ABISHVA PHINEAS son and BVKKI HVZZI ZERACHIA MERAIOTH AMARIA ACHITVB ZADOK AHIMAAZ 1. Chron. 6. ver 50. 51. 52. 53. Many others after them were Priests of the stock of AARON yet did not all keepe fast the faith and religion of AARON yea some Priestes of AARONS stocke were notable Idolaters men-pleasers such as VRIAH in the dayes of AHAZ king of Juda who set vp an altar at the kings commandement according to the similitude of the altar of Damascus and offered sacrifices thereon 2. Reg. 16. Anent the succession of the Prophets euen when one good man succeeded to another good man the historie of scripture clearely declareth that men pointed out by God himselfe successours to an office yet by this are they not made succ◅ssours to their giftes for ELIZEVS was pointed out by God as successor to ELIAS in his prophetical office 1. Reg. 19. ver 16. yet by this was he not successor to his gifts as ELIZEVS petition of a double measure of the spirit of ELIAS clearely declareth 2. Reg. 2 ver 9 If the gift did necessarly accompany the succession what needed ELIZEVS to be carefull of the gift seeing he was sure of the succession The holy Apostles of Christ haue had a successiō shal haue vnto the end of the world to whō belōgeth the promise of Christ Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20 But who are to be called true successors of the Apostles we haue declared already in the 1. Centurie taking our groūd out of scripture Act. 20 29. And out of Nazian in laudem Athanasii that darknes succeeding to light is not counted the true successor of lignt for the dissimilitude that is betweene darknes light But heere the question ariseth whether or not al Churches keeping the holy Apostolicke doctrine are bound to shew in write their succession from the Apostles◅ as the Priestes of the stocke of AARON after the captiuitie produced in write their lineal descent from AARON Nehem. 7. To this Tertul answereth lib. de pres◅ript adversus baret that Churches truely keeping the Apostolicke doctrine albeit they could not shew in write their succession from the Apostles yet are they to be counted Apostolicke Churches propter consang uinitatem doctrinae that is for their consanguinitie of doctrine But to come neerer and to examine whether the Romaine church hath kept Apostolicke doctrine in their succession without all spot of heresie as they affirme or not And first the chaire of Rome was not free of the heresie of EVTYCHES as clearly appeareth by the sixt generall Councill which was the third of those Councils which were gathered at Constantinople in the 12. yeere of the empire of CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS Ann. 681. Buco◅ In this Councill MACARIVS Patriarch of Antiochia and STEPHANVS his disciple stood vp pertinaciously defended the error of EVTYCHES were excommunicate by the Councill yet they had defended their opinion by the Synodicke letter of HONORIVS sometime B. of Rome written to SERGIVS B. of Constantinople Wherein it was clearely knowne that HONORIVS was infected with the errour of EVTYCHES for the which cause HONORIVS B. of Rome after his death in the sixt generall Councill was also excommunicat as an Heretique Tom Concil hist. Magdeb. This is not vnknown to some writers who notwithstanding defend this opinion that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in maters of ◅aith ONVPHRIVS saith that the Acts of the sixt generall Councill containing a condemnatory sentence against HONORIVS Bishop of Rome were corrupted by the Grecians and that the Canons of this Councill as they are set foorth are supposititious and false Forsooth ONVPHRIVS is a worthy aduocate to pleade such a bad and reprobat cause The faith of the Romanists leaning vpon two
this If any thinke I haue done wrong in praying in few words for her who prayed so ofi for me let him not mockeâ—…mee but if he hath great charitie let him weepe for my sins to the common father of â—…l Christs brethren If AVGVSTINE speake so doubtsomely of Purgatorie de civit dei lib. 21. cap. 26. and of prayer for the deade Confess 9 cap. 12. LINDANVS had no great ground to proclaime the triumph of victorie for this alledged sermon of AVGVSTINE The place cited out of CHRYSOSTOME writing vpon the first chapter of the Epistle of PAVL to the Philippians homil 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It was not in vaine that the Apostles constituted this as a law that in the reuerent mysteries a remembrance should be made of those that are departed For answere First I demande of LINDANVS if all these of his religion beleeue this that CHRYSOSTOME speaketh that prayer for the deade in time of celebration of the holy communion is an Apostolick tradition IS GREGORIVS 1. in that opinion who affirmeth that the Apostles in ministring that holy sacrameÌ„t vsed no other prayer but only the Lords prayer Gregor in regist lib. 7. epist. 63 IS PLTAINA in that opinioÌ„ who writing the life of XISTVS 1. saith thus Petrus enimubi consecr auerat oratione Pater noster usus est This being the opinioÌ„ of the most part of the Romaine Church that the Apostles vsed no other prayer but only the Lords praier before the ministration of the holy coÌ„munion howe can they adhere to this place of CHRYSOSTOME who calleth it an Apostolicke institution to make mention of the dead in these prayers Secondly I demande of LINDANVS if the passages in that same homilie be not excused by the figure hyperbole howe doth CHRYSOSTOME agree with himselfe when hee speaketh of them that are departed this life without Baptisme hee saith that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is They are without the palace with them who are appointed for paine and with them who are condemned Which opinion or rather hard and mercilesse sentence he would confirme by testimonie of scripture Except a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. ver 5. and yet a litle after for such hee biddeth distribute almes to the poore and this distribution of almes saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it worketh some refreshment vnto them What is this that CHRYSOSTOM speaketh persons whoÌ„ he calleth condemned perpetually excluded from the kingdome of heauen may haue some refreshment by the almes deedes done by their friends on earth In this CHRYSOSTOME neither agreeth with scripture nor with him selfe hee agâ—…eeth not with scripture because it is plainely saide that not so much as a drop of colde water can be ministred to those that are condemned Luc. 16. He agreeth not with himselfe in one word counting them perpetually excluded from the kingdome of heauen and soone after speaking of some refreshment that they may get by actions done by the liuing Are we more louing kinde and mercifull then ABRAHAM in whome loue and all true vertues are perfited yet he sawe no refreshment to a condemned man Thirdly I demand of LINDANVS and those that bee of his opinion if CHRYSOSTOME was as deepe in the opinion of Purgatorie as in the opinion of prayer for the dead CHRYSOSTOME neuer knew what Popish Purgatorie meaned because in his time men who died in the faith albeit not altogether faultlesse yet they were conueyed to the burial places with torches and hymnes and spirituall songs And wherefore were these funerall rites vsed saith CHRYSOSTOME Do we not conuey them saith he as victorious warriours Do we not praise God because hee hath crowned with glory him who is departed Chrysost. in cap. 2 epist ad Heb. homil 4 The funeral Psalme that was vsually sung was the 116. Psalme the 7. verse whereof is this Returne my soule vnto thy rest for the Lord hath bene beneficiall vnto thee This was not to Purgatorie but to endlesse rest But to speake freely what I thinke of that ancient father CHRYSOSTOME in calling prayer for the dead an Apostolicke tradition I think he hath spoken hyperbolically calling all these opinions Apostolick traditions which were deliuered to him by good men who kept the chiefe heads of Apostolicke faith and this amongst the rest albeit no article of faith yet beeing deliuered to him by Christians more ancient then himselfe he calleth it by a figure an Apostolicke tradition But the conceite of Popish Purgatorie neuer entred into the heartes of NAZIANZENVS BASILIVS ATHANASIVS albeit DAMASCENE falsly alledgeth his testimonie THEODORETVS CHRYSOSTOMVS and the ancient learned fathers of the Greeke Church as clearely appeareth by the first protestation giuen in at the Councill of Florence by the Gâ—…ecians there conueened Ann. 1439. How socuer weake râ—…en for hope of helpe from the West were feeble defenders of the truth yet they clearly knew that the opinioÌ„ of Popish Purgatorywas vnknown to their ancient orthodoxe fathers In end Purgatorie finding no sure allowance in scripture nor yet in the writings of ancient fathers began to creepe vnder the skirts of apparitions of dead men by dreames fables apparitions and foolish inuentions it was so strengthened that the verity of the Gospel was not so much regarded by a foolish bewitched people as the fables confirming Purgatorie It were tedious to rehearse all the fables of DAMASCENE in his sermons de defunctis Yet all are not to be past ouer with silence He saith that THECLA one of the first feminine mattyrs prayed for FALCONILLA after her death and obtained pardon to her albeit shee was an Ethnicke idolattesse and died without the knowledge of Christ. This woman behooued to be deliuered out of hell and not out of Purgatorie But who should lend his eares once to hearken to fables so repugnant to scripture Luc. 16. In like maner he saith that holy MACARIVS prayed night and day for the dead and in end he demanded at the dry pow or head of a deade man if hee felt any comfort by the prayers of the liuing and the dry pow or braine pan answered that they found some litle refreshment Likewise he bringeth in the fable of an ancient teacher whose name he expresseth not because fables delite to haue their head lapped vp in darknesse of shadowes and silence who had a disciple that liued licentiously in excesse and â—…iot all his dayes and so without repentance concluded his life the teacher made prayers night and day for his disciple and in end the Lord opened his eyes to see his disciple burning in flames of fire to the necke after this hee increased the earnestnesse of his prayers afterward he saw his disciple burning in fire vnto the middle part of his body Finally by the feruencie of multiplied prayers he was fully deliuered The fable of GREGORIVS 1. cited also by DAMASCENE goeth beyond
would send from the Heauen the diuine flame of his celestiall loue to the ende that the fleshly conceits of mens hearts may bee brunt vp and that they may bee fully perswaded that the LORD who made the Heauen and the Earth is hee alone to whom spirituall sacrifices are to bee offered and that through IESVS CHRIST to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee praise and glorie now and euer AMEN A TREATISE Of the authoritie of COUNCILS IN the first three hundreth yeeres of our LORD Councils were few in number and verie obscure and few of them had great authoritie except the Councill holden in HIERUSALEM by the Apostles yet was the first age after CHRIST the golden age whether wee consider doctrine or maners in doctrine more sincere in maners more vnreproueable then any age after following in so much that all the accusations forged against their doctrine and conuersation were but calumnies and lyes The banquets of Thyestes and the chambring of Oedipus perpetually objected to the Christians of the primitiue Church what were they but cauillations in thinges whereof they had no vnderstanding They knew not what the spirituall eating of the flesh of CHRIST did meane neither knew they how necessary it was for Christians to keepe holy assemblies in the night time when they had not libertie to doe it in the day time And they spake euill of things they could not nor would not comprehende as the Gracians and Romanes counted the Hebrues Barbarians because they had no regard to vnderstand their language But out of all question the first age was the golden age of the worlde after it was renewed by the comming of CHRIST in doing of good more willing in suffering of euill more patient then anie age that followed the first 300. yeeres of our LORD And that thing where into the primitiue Church seemeth to be inferiour to posteriour times to wit in number and splendor of Councils in that same point it hath a prerogatiue such as Iuda had ouer Israel there were more altars in Israel then in Iuda but that one altar in Hierusalem was better then all their altars And the Councill holden in Hierusalem by the Apostles in the dayes of the Emperour Claudius was better then all the Councils either Generall or Nationall that euer were gathered since those dayes Now before I speake in particular of thâ—… necessitie of Councils of their authoritie of the abuse of Councils and power to conuocate them and who should haue vote in Councils somewhat is to bee premitted concerning the name giuen vnto Gâ—…nerall or Nationall assemblies Gratianus busieth himselfe in manie vnnecâ—…ssarie thinges and in this also to secke out the Etymologie of the Latine word Concilium and hee deduceth it from the word Cilium called in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the eye lid and the compound word Concilium signifieth the companie of men who agree in one minde as the eye liddes doe when they couer the eyes they couer both together and when they open againe to giue place vnto the sight of the eyes they open both at once And so Gratianus thinketh that Concilium is Coelus consentientium that is a company of men who agree in one mind The fourth Councill of Garthage requireth beside consent and agreement in one minde a consent to the veritie and trueth of GOD therefore they say that the assemblie of Heretiques should not bee called Concilium but Conciliabulum But in acurate seeking out of Etymologies scarce can Plato himselfe in his Dialogue called Cratylus escape the blame of curiositie the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainer and is borrowed by the Latinists who usually call a Councill Synodus and it is used in this sence to betoken a meeting of men in spitituall offices for timous suppressing of corruptions either in Doctrine or maners springing vp into the Church The necessitie of Councâ—…ls may bee proued by these arguments following First those ordinarie meanes which the Prophets and Apostles who had their callinâ—… and gifts immediatly from GOD did use for suppressing of false doctrine and corrupt maners should of necessitie continue in the Church But so it is that conuentions assemblies was one of these ordinary meanes ergo they should continue in the Church The seconde part of the argument is proued by the example of the great assemblie gathered at Silo in the dayes of Iosua to suppresse the apparent defection of the Reubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasses from the true worship of GOD as seemed vnto them And this Assemblie had allowance of GOD forasmuch as it was ordered with wisedome the glory of GOD was onely respected and the ende of it was peace in ISRAEL Next the great assemblie of the ten tribes at mount Carmell procured by Helias the Prophet but gathered by the commandement of Achab the king of Israel declareth that assemblies of Church-men and others of chiefe authoritie was an ordinarie meane to reforme abuses in Religion albeit no reformation followed after this assemblie yet the enemies of the true Religion were conuicted in their consciences false teachers were disgraced and punished and the zeale of Helias toward the glory of GOD had allowance by a miracle of fire from Heauen In like maner Samuel by gathering a great assemblie of all Israel at Mizpah procured a reformation both in Religion and maners amongst them Dauid in transporting the Arke to the citie of Dauid Salomon in the dedication of the Temple both used the support of holie assemblies gathered to that effect And in the new Testament the Apostles Elders and Deacons met together in an holie assemblie at Hierusalem and timouslie suppressed the doctrine of false teachers who affirmed that the Gentiles could not bee saued by faith in CHRIST onely except they had also beene circumcised and kept the law of Moses All these examples and manie more contained in holy Scripture teach vs that the meeting of holie assemblies was an ordinarie meane to suppresse corruption in doctrine and maners and to aduance the kingdome of GOD. Secondlie that thing which godlie Emperours did for the suppressing of Heresies following the examples of the Prophets Apostles especiallie when no better meanes could be found out is necessarilie to bee obserued But so it is that the godlie Emperours Constantine Theodosius Valentinian the third and Theodosius the second the sonne of Arcadius and Martianus conuocated Councils for suppressing of the Heresies of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches and no better meanes could be found out neither as yet can bee founde out for suppressing of Heresies Therefore the custome of conuocating Councils at times requisite is necessarilie to bee obserued Other arguments albeit they haue not so necessarie a consecution as the former notwithstanding they proue that lawfull Councils are a terrour to the kingdome of the Deuill and that the instrumentes of Sathan such as Iulian the
contende with hatefull malice euerie one against the fame of another and laying aside diuine worship they follow the lusts of their owne hearts the more securelie because their is no man to restraine their inordinate desires This Platina writeth of them in the life of Sergius the third The moste part of them were like vnto Monsters whose natiuitie like as it breedeth sorow in the harts of their verie parents so in like manner it is some mitigation of their heartes griefe when the Monster hastily dieth This second comfort God g◅ue vnto the world Few of these ambitious auaritious and libidinous Monsters continued long in the popedome I will not anticipate the Historie but shortly I hope thus farre hath beene declared that the Romane Church sought this preheminence vnhonestly and abused it vilely by simonie idolatrie heres◅ treason tyrannie schisme and all kinde of inhumanitie which one of them could practise against another And that they haue casten behinde their backe that holie forme of preparation for entering into spirituall functions vsed of olde to wit that their spirituall senses were well exercised with seeing of Heauenlie sightes with hearing of Angelicall hymnes with feeling the opetatiue vertue of the coale taking from the Altar of God and touching their lippes and so being well prepared and furnished with celestiall grace they entered into spirituall callings assisted with the grace of God that commeth from aboue But now the preparation is turned to riches and money where with if a man be well surnished albeit he were like vnto Ioannes the thirteenth that is a man who is perjure the verie childe of the d◅uill the brother of Iudas and a man whose name will remaine in perpetual execration yet such a man furnished as said is with riches and money may bee promoted to the popedome Now is leuen eaten in time of the passeouer and hee who calleth himselfe the Vicare of Christ hee climbeth to that office by the leuen of sin And truely like as the types and figures of good thinges cannot equall in goodnesse the thinges that are figurated by them euen so the figures of euill things were not so much to bee abhorred as the euill things themselues represented by types figures He who commanded to purge the olde leuen to the end that wee might bee an holie lumpe hath vtterly forbidden vs to enter into holy callings by vile and vnhonest meanes NOw followeth the third head of this TREATISE as a preparation to the TREATISE following to prooue that the chaire wherein the Uniuersall Bishop sitteth is the chaire of the Antichrist which I prooue by this argument The chaire that extolleth it selfe aboue Christ is the chaire of the Antichrist but so it is that the chaire wherein the Uniuersall Bishop sitteth extolleth it selfe aboue Christ Ergo it is the chaire of the Antichrist The first part of the argument is proued by the wordes of the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians The second part of the argument I prooue by this reason That chaire which taketh vpon it power to dispense against the lawe of God extolleth it selfe aboue Christ but so it is the chaire of the Uniuersall Bishop arrogateth power to dispense against the lawe of God as namely in the matter of Marriage licentiating a man to marrie his brothers wife and others to marrie women of their nearest consanguinitie Ergo the chaire of the Uniuersall Bishop is the chaire of the Antichrist Heere let vs remember that no lawe can bee dispensed withall but either by the same authoritie by which it is made or by a greater But the lawe of God is manifestly annulled in many points corrected and dispensations giuē against it by the chaire of ROME as shall bee declared heereafter GOD willing what can bee saide of it then but that it is become the seate of the Antichrist Concerning the stile of the Antichrist which I minde to attribute to the bishop of Rome especially since the yeere of our Lord 666. I admonish the Reader that hee bee not deceiued with the generalitie of the worde Antichrist which albeit it may be attributed to Infideles Heretiques and to all them who obstinately contende against the doctrine of the person or office of Christ yet doeth this name most properly belong to the principall ring-leaders and authors of that great defection from the faith fore-tolde by the Apostle Paul 1. Tim. 4. For like as when Moses in Holy Scripture is called a Prophet and faithfull Pastors are called Angels this hindereth not Christ from being called the Great Prophet the Angell of the Couenant Euen so when Heretiques who gainsay the diuinitie of Christ or veritie of His humane nature are called Antichrists this hindereth not but the chaire which hath chiefely blinded the world with errours and hath poysoned kings and people with the cuppe of her fornications to bee called the seate of the Antichrist Nazianzenus in a generall sense counteth Arrius whom hee pointeth out by the stile of a recent Apostate and Nestorius by whose opinion the natures of Christ were diuided to be Antichrists But Chrysostome in a proper sense supposeth him to bee Antichrist who should treade vnder foote the Romane Empire like as the Romanes had subdued the kingdome of the Macedonians and ◅he Macedonians had subdued the kingdome of the Persians and the Persians had vndone the kingdome of the Babylonians Euen so saith Chrysostome the Antichrist shall vndoe the dominion of the Romanes and in ende the Antichrist shall bee consumed by the Spirit of Christs mouth and shall be abolished with the brightnesse of His comming Many thinges are written of the Antichrist who deceaueth people in errour so that they misknowe the Antichrist when hee is come no lesse than the nation of the lewes misknew CHRIST when He was manifested in the flesh They write that he should bee of the Tribe of DAN that hee shoulde bee borne in BABYLON and hee shoulde bee brought vp in CORASIM and BETHSAIDA that SATHAN shoulde ouer-shaddowe his mother and poss◅sse her that hee should re-edifie the Temple of HIERVSALEM and that the people of the IEWES should adher◅ vnto him But all these opinions are grounded partlie vpon a wrong interpr◅tation of Scripture and manie of them are sh◅owded ◅alselie vnder the name of AVGVSTINE Bisshop of HIPPO but it is knowne that RABANVS Archbishop of MENTZ was the compiler of that foolishe TREATISE De Antichristo whereinto the fore-mentioned opinions are contained and not AVGVSTINE More-ouer they say that the Antichrist shoulde bee one particulare man opposite to Christ whose continuance in fighting against the Saincts shoulde not exceede the space of three yeeres and an halfe But what madnesse is it to referre the secrete beginning the open tyrannie the reuelation and destruction of the Antichrist to the person of one singulare man which is a worke working from the dayes of the Apostles vntill the second comming of Christ The argument whereby some
like obedience the Rom. Antich demandeth to all his lawes ordinanâ—…es euen to such as are repugnant to the law of God as namely to inuocation of Saincts worshipping of images c. therefore he is justly counted the principall aduersary of Christ. The Antichrist is said to exalt himselfe against all that is called God or is worshipped because he taketh vpon him to dispense against the law of GOD which argueth that he arrogateth vnto himselfe authoritie aboue the lawe-maker for no lawe as I haue declared alreadie can bee dispensed withall but either by the same authority by which it is made or by a greater Against Christes Kinglie Priestlie and Propheticall offices hee aduaunceth himselfe in abrogating the institution of Christ concerning the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament of the Supper vnder both formes of bread and wine In prohibition of marriâ—…ge and meates and in setting vp a newe propitiatorie sacrifice in the Church as it were protesting the insufficiencie of the sacrifice of Christ once offered Let vs in this point marke the degrees of the defection of the visible Church not vnlike vnto the decaying estate of a diseased man First his naturall sappe and moysture decayeth Secondly corrupt humours doe abound Thirdly his blood is inflamed perilous feuers seazing vpon his bodie doe threaten death Euen so in the Church when holy exercises of prayer and preaching are intermitted this is a biginning of euill Next when superstitions rites and ceremonies seruing to no profitable vse doe abound in the Church as vitious humours in the bodie then is the defection increased But when the visible Church admitteth another Law-giuer than Christ and stoupeth vnder the yoke of his obedience then is the defection from the faith come vnto a ripenesse and the Antichrist then siueth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God and if the Lord had not kept vnto himselfe a remnant by his gracious election the visible Church had beene like vnto Sodome and Gomorrha In the 5. verse hee saieth Remember yee not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thinges This verse is not superfluously casten in to admonish the Thessalonians that the comming of the Antichrist was a matter of great moment and tending to the hurt of manie mens soules therefore it was needefull that timous premonition shoulde bee made vnto the Saincts to eschew the danger to come This is the Lordes customable dealing in matters graue weightie and serious to giue aduertisementes proportionallie agreeing with the nature of the thing fore-tolde But what shall wee speake of the lethargie and securitie of the worlde wee neuer read that men were so sluggishe and ouer-laide with so deepe securitie as when they were fore-warned of great thinges to come as if the loude sounde of the trumpet of God serued to none other vse but onelie to lull men into a heauie sleepe The deluge of waters the first comming of Christ the destruction of Hierusalem the comming of the Antichrist and the great tempest of the wrath of God that shall be reueiled at Christes second appearance all these things I say haue bene fore-tolde but the contempt of the warnings of God haue procured and will procure the heauie weight of Gods indignation Wee reade of Christes Disciples that when they sawe their master walking vpon the waters they supposed hee had beene a spirite or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a fantasie and delusion this they did onely at one time in fâ—…are and weaknesse but the wicked at all times and in the obstinacie of their vnbeleeuing heartes call both the promises and threatninges of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fantasies and delusions For this cause the Apostle both by worde and writ inculcateth this prophâ—…sie of the coÌ„ming of the Antichrist into the eares of the Thessalonians to the ende they should not lightlie regarde the fore-warnings of God as the sonnes-in-sonnes-in-law of Lot did in Sodome Now follow the 6. and 7. verses with the beginning of the 8. verse And now yee know what with-holdeth that he might beercueiled in his owne time for the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke onlie he who now with-holdeth shall let till he bee taken out of the way and then shall the wicked man be reueiled The naturall order requireth that in these wordes three things should bee entreated First howe the mysterie of iniquitie beganne to worke in Paules dayes Secondlie who is this that should bee a let and hinderance to the Antichrist And thirdlie when was it that hee was made out of the way so that he could hinder the Antichrist no longer The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke euen in the dayes of Paule because some Heretiques sprang vp at that time who denied the diuinitie of Christ such as Ebion and Cerinthus these appertained to the kingdome of the Antichrist because they were his fore-runners beginning with entising speaches to seduce men from the trueth of God And what was wanting in them except power and vncontrolled authoritie to bring to a full ripenesse the worke of defection alreadie begunne So Heresies and the doctrine of lies is the very first foundation of the kingdome of the Antichrist And like as an Eagle that buildeth her nest in the face of a steepie rocke the first sticke that shee carrieth to her nest belongeth to the masse thereof Euen so without all controuersie the Heretiques who prepared a way to the kingdome of the Antichrist they are members of the bodie of his kingdome If any man shall object that the chaire of Rome damned the olde Heresies of Ebion Cerynthus and of the Manichies and therefore such men cannot bee justlie reckoned to appertaine to his kingdome whome hee separated from his fellowship by detesting their opinions To this I answere That like as the golde and siluer the brasse and yron and likewise the claye of the great image which Nebuchadneser sawâ—… in his vision had no agreement one with another yet in this they agreede to constitute one stately image opposite vnto the little stone hewne out of the rocke without handes euen so heresies are repugnant one vnto another yet all belong vnto the kingdome of darknesse and to the throne of the Antichrist set vp against the glorious throne of the kingdome of Christ Yea and these Heretiques who impugned the true doctrine of the person of Christ they brake the yce as it were gaue example to others to impugne the doctrine of his office also In the second place by him that letteth Chrysostome vnderstandeth the Romane Empire which consisting into its owne integritie with vndiminished and vnbrangled authoritie the Romane Antichrist durst not attempt high things and thinges farre surmounting the modest carriage of subjects And heere by the way it is to bee marked that like as the Apostle by him who letteth and hindereth vnderstandeth not one particulare Emperour onely but an Empire wherein one Emperour succeedeth to another Euen so by him that is letted hee
a sufficient number of odious names Hee is called the Antichrist an aduersarie to God the man of sinne the childe of perdition and in other places the false prophet the beast that is worshipped great Babylon the mother of whoredomes which stile albeit they transfeâ—…re it vnto the Romane chaire when the tenne persecuâ—…ing Emperours compelled men to worship heathen gods yet the holy Scripture referreth it to that whore who braggeth that she is married to wit to Christ and shee is not a widowe Apocal. cap. 18. verse 7. And this agreeth better with the chaire of Rome wherein Popes doe sit than with the chaire of Rome when persecuting Emperours sate into it Besides all these odious names the Apostle addeth another hatefull name calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that lawlesse man who will bee subject to no lawe neither diuine nor humane but hee will bee aboue all lawes hee will judge all men and bee judged of no man what regarde hee hath of the lawe of GOD it maye bee knowne by this That the breaking of the Popes lawe is counted a greater sinne than the breaking of the Lawe of GOD for in matters of marriage and meates if the Popes lawe bee transgressed foorth-with a man is counted an Heretique But when the Lawe of GOD is broken for a small summe of money a pardon may be purchased Yea further I am bolde to saye that the moste discrepant Idiomes of the GREEKE language such as the ATTICKE and IONICKE Idiomes they differ not so farre as the lawes of CHRIST and ANTICHRIST differ one from another Albeit the Atticke Dialect delighteth in contractions and the Ionicke in resolutions yet notwithstanding one and the selfe same thing in substance and matter maye bee vttered in both these discrepant Idiomes But the Lawes of CHRIST and Antichrist are so opposite in matter and substance that they cannot both consist and stand namelie when the Lawe of CHRIST biddeth alloweth and approoueth and the lawe of the Antichrist in that same subject forbiddeth disalloweth and disapprooueth The Lawe of GOD Exod. 20. counteth worshippers of Images haters of GOD The lawe of the Antichrist counteth them good Catholiques The lawe of CHRIST in the doctrine of Faith Inuocation and Mediation sendeth vs onelie to the Creator The lawe of the Antichrist sendeth vs to the creatures also so that the Antichrist is justlie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a lawlesse man in respect hee will not bee obedient to the Lawes of CHRIST Concerning humane and ciuill ordinances Hee who dare assoyle subjectes from the oathe of alleadgeance to their soueraine lordes hee vndoeth all ciuill gouernement policie and lawes from the verie foundation I superceede to write further in this point In the second place let vs consider the time wherein the Antichrist shall bee reueiled pointed out in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and then shall the wicked man bee reueiled which wordes beeing relatiue to that which immediatelie passed before importeth that the Antichrist shoulde bee reueiled at that same time when the mightie Monarchie of the Romanes was trodden vnder his feete Then it seemed that all the nations of the worlde should adore and worshippe the beast continuallie and that the tongues of men shoulde haue bene locked vp in silence so that no man euer shoulde take boldnesse to speake one word against the whore of Babylon yea and the Holy Apostle describeth the great securitie of the mother of whoredomes saying in his heart I sit being a Queene and am not a widow and shall see no mourning Apocal. 18. 7. At this same time the vnchangeable decreet of the Almightie God appointed that this wicked one should first be reueiled and afterward should be destroyed Wherin it is to be noted with what patient expectation wee shoulde attende vpon the times and seasons wherein it should please the Lord to performe his owne works for like as Christ thought it more expedient more teÌ„ding to the aduancement of His owne glorie to raise Lazarus out of his graue Ioan. 11. rather than out of the bedde of his infirmitie Euen so the Lord thought meet to suffer the Antichrist to mount vp vnto the top of all his desired prehemineÌ„ce then the Lord put hand to work both to discouer to destroy him to the further manifestation of his own vnspeakeable power wisdome In the third place the meanes are to be considered whereby the Antich should be discouered namely by the sincere preaching of the Gospel by the mouthes of men holy zealous Apoc. 11. 3 in gifts not vnlike vnto Henoch Helias Now seeing the man of sin is to be discouered by the sincere preaching of the Gospell let vs consider what benefite redoundeth to vs by the true and sincere preaching of the Gospell of CHRIST it is like vnto the light of the daye which manifesteth euerie thing in its owne coloures The thing that is beautifull is seene to bee bee beautifull and the thing that is euill fauoured is seene to be such as it is where of the madnesse of some Heretiques such as Gnostici and Mâ—…nichet is clearly perceiued who rejected the Scriptures of God because in them is contained a commemoration of the faultes of the Patriarches Shall the light be despised because it manifesteth both beautie and desormitie both strength and debilitie both the perfection of a complete body and the imperfection of a dismembered and mutilate bodie In like manner the Holy Scriptures are to bee had in the more reuerende regarde when they describe euery thing in their own colours and manifesteth on the one part the riches of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ and on the other part the falsehood subtiltie hypocrisie and pride of the Antichrist to the end that Gods people maye eschewe the Antichrist and rejoyce in the sweete saluation of Christ Iesus This discouerie of the Antichrist in some weake measure began about the yeere of our Lord 1300. at what time learned men fearing the tyrannie of the Emperour of the Turks fled to Italie and restored the Grieke and Latine languages to their own puritie This vindicating of languages from the grosse barbaritie of those times opened a doore of knowledge and a desire of reading with a judicious consideration of that which was read whether or not it were a suppositious worke More-ouer God annointed the eyes of many learned men with the eye-salue of vnderstanding whose sight increasing by degrees in end manifested to the worlde that the chaire of Rome was the seate of the Antichrist Marsilius Patavinus in his booke called Defensor Pacis writeth that the Clergie of Rome is a denne of thiâ—…ues and that the doctrine of the Pope is not to bee followed because it leadeth vnto eternall death Franciscus Petrarcha a man famously learned calleth Rome the whore of Babylon the Schoole and mother of errour the temple of Heresie the nest of treacherie growing and increasing by the oppression of others
is a propitiation for our sinnes the sinnes of the whole world This ground being once laide that Christ is the only person in whom the Father is well pleased with vs and Christes sacrifice is the onely meanes whereby we are reconciled to God In the second place we shall consider wherefore the word of propitiation was in so frequent vse in the olde Testament The golden coucring of the Arke was called the propitiatorie likewise the tenth day of the seuenth moneth whereupon the High Priest entered once in the yeere within the Vaile and into the most Holy place it was called the daye of propitiation and the sinne-offeringes were called propitiatorie sacrifices To this doubt the Apostle answereth that the lawe hauing the shadowe of good thinges to come and not the verie image of the thinges can neuer with those sacrifices which they offer yeere by yeere continuallie sanctifie the commers thereunto By these wordes it is euident that the sinne-offering and the blood carried within the Vaile and the golden couering of the Arke had no power to purge the consciences of men from sinne onelie they were types and figures representing Christ in whome that was to bee actuallie performed which was represented by those figures And like as no prefiguration sacrifice in a proper sense could be called propitiatorie Euen so in like manner no commemoratiue sacrifice of Christes death can bee called a propitiatorie sacrifice except typically and figuratiuely The wordes of Augustine speaking of the sacrament of the Altar in the celebration whereof there was a commemoration of the names of manie men who were departed this life presenteth to Papistes some occasion of cauillation for they saye that Augustine thought the sacrament of the Altar to bee a propitiation for men who had beene of a middle-ranke that is neither of the best nor of the worst sort of people But they who are well acquainted with Augustines writinges will not bee easilie miscaried with such Amphthologies as lurke in wordes True it is that AVGVSTINE calleth the Sacrament a Sacrifice but in what sense A commemoratiue Sacrifice as hath beene declared alreadie And in the like sense hee calleth the Sacrament of the Altar propitiatio because in it there is a commemoration of the propitiatorie sacrifice which CHRIST offered vpon the Crosse. His distinction of men who are departed in three rankes some haue beene verie good men others haue beene verie badde men the third ranke haue neither bene the best nor the worst sort of people together with his doubtsome opinion cōcerning the estate of weake Christians who are departed this life presenteth no solide grounde to any man to build his argument vpon the testimonie of a doubting author The next worde of the definition is vnbloodie Howe repugnant this part of the definition is vnto the former part wherein it was called a propitiatorie Sacrifice GOD willing I shall declare in the last head concerning the absurdities of the Masse For one speciall respect Papistes shoulde speake sparinglie of their vnbloodie hostie for they haue made it bloodie by the cruell shedding of the blood of manie innocent people whome they haue persecuted to the death massacred tormented with formes of newe inuented crueltie circumueened by false and deceitfull promises and they haue excogitated horrible treasons the like whereof haue not beene hearde since the foundation of the worlde and these villanies were hatched in their hatefull heartes for the establishing of their Idolatrous Masse Vesperae siculae maye bee called an vnbloodie Euen-song and the sacrifices offered to DIANA in TAVRICA CHERSONESVS maye bee called vnbloodie sacrifices with better reason than the Popishe Masse can bee called an vnbloodie sacrifice because the seruice done to DIANA albeit it beganne with the shedding of humane bloode yet it ended with the shedding of the bloode of beastes But the crueltie of the Papistes will make no such exchange because they walke in the way of Cain The next part of the definition is this That in the Masse the Priest offereth the bodie of the Sonne of GOD to the Father No part of the definition is more vntollerable and more flatlie opposite to holie Sripture than this part for holie Scripture setteth downe CHRISTES bodie as the onelie propitiatorie sacrifice and CHRIST himselfe as the onelie High Priest who offered this sacrifice And to transferre this high honour onelie due to CHRIST vnto a sinfull man it is a thing vntollerable to true Christians who are affectioned to the glorie of IESVS CHRIST their Master and Sauiour But incase a mortall and sinfull man will take vpon him such boldnesse as to offer the bodie of the Sonne of GOD in a sacrifice to the Father let vs consider by what warrande of the calling of GOD dare hee presume so to doe Papists affirme that when CHRIST instituted the holie Supper at one and the selfe same time hee instituted both a Sacrament and a Sacrifice and consecrated his Apostles and their successours to bee Priestes of the newe Testament to offer vp the bodie of Christ vnto His FATHER vnder the formes of Bread and Wine and these were the wordes whereby they were consecrated to this Priesthood Doe this in remembrance of mee The Apostle Paule vnderstood the meaning of the words of Christ better than the whole Councell of Trent did and he expoundeth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Doe this referring them both to Pastors and people To Pastors when he saith That which I deliuered vnto you I receiued of the Lord to people when he saith As ost as yee drinke drinke it in remembrance of me Then the Pastors do this when they minister the Sacramēt expressely according to the institution of Christ and the people doe this when they eate and drinke at the Lordes Table in remembrance of the Lords death But the Apostle Paul doeth not expound the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Councell of Trent hath done More-ouer if CHRIST in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Doe this hee ordained his disciples to be Priests of the new Testament and to offer in sacrifice the bodie of Christ to his Father then Christ when hee ministred the holy Supper hee offered himselfe in a sacrifice to the Father for hee biddeth them doe that same thing which hee did and consequently hee offered himselfe at two diuerse times and behoued to suffer twise as the Apostle testifieth which is an absurd thing once to thinke such a thing Further I maye boldly affirme that the Leuiticall sacrifices were not so farre different from the sacrifice of Christ as the Masse is different from it The Leuiticall sacrifices differed in manie thinges from the sacrifice of Christ as namely in the order of priesthoode in the worthinesse of the Priest in the excellencie of the sacrifice in the preciousnesse of the Tabernacle in the glorie of the Vaile and moste Holy place and finally in the vertue
chap. 8. vers 3. For euerie high Priest is appointed to offer giftes and sacrifices wherefore it is necessarie that this man haue somewhat also to offer What is in this place that countenanceth the sacrifice of the Masse Like as euerie priest was furnished with an offering euen so the High priest and Bisshop of our soules CHRISTIESVS hee had an offering to wit his blessed bodie which hee offered for our sinnes But papists referre this place to an offering which euerie priest must offer presently so long as hee enjoyeth the honour of his priesthood and therefore saye they seeing CHRIST offereth no externall sacrifice in Heauen he must doe it in earth by the sacrifice of the Masse But the verie Grammer refuteth them for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a worde of the preterit and not of the present tense and importeth that CHRIST hath alreadie offered a sacrifice for our sinnes which hath no neede to bee iterated because it hath perpetuall vertue to saue them that beleeue Another place of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 13. vers 10. they abuse wherein it is saide Wee haue an altar whereof they haue no power to eat who serue in the tabernacle Here say they mention is made of an altar therfore in the Church there must not only bee a Communion table but also an altar in a proper sense to offer CHRISTES bodie vpon it To this I answere That in the newe Testament like as there is but one high priest and one propitiatorie sacrifice so in like manner there is but one altar euen Iesus Christ who is in Heauen and in whom our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable vnto God as the Apostle Peter saieth Bee you made a spirituall house an holie priesthoode to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. 1. Pet. chap. 2. vers 5. Of this Altar to wit Christ the Iewes who were miserablie addicted to the ceremoniall lawe they could not be partakers for by adhering to shaddowes they neglected to embrace the veritie represented by those shaddowes after it was indeede exhibited vnto the worlde In the booke of the Reuelation wee reade of an Altar in Heauen vnder which the soules of them who were slaine for the worde of GOD doe repose Apocal. chap. 6. vers 9. This is not a materiall altar because it is in Heauen but this Altar is Christ vnder whose shaddow the soules of the Godlie finde comfortable refreshment And Ireneus in expresse wordes saieth Est ergo Altare in Coelis illue enim preces nostrae diriguntur that is Therefore our Altar is in Heauen for thithertoe our prayers are directed The Romane Church woulde deceiue vs in this point as Zebul of olde deceiued Gaal the sonne of Ebed when Gaal sawe men comming from the mountaines Zebul answered The shaddowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee IVD CHAP. IX VERS XXXVI Euen so when holy Scripture speake of Christ the true Altar they would perswade vs that Scripture is speaking of a materiall altar such as is among them The fift absurditie of the Masse is a contradiction to it selfe In the description of the Masse there are two manifest contradictions First it is called a sacrifice propitiatorie and vnbloodie which two thinges are so opposite that they cannot consist together because the Apostle in the ninth chap. to the Hebrewes and the 22. verse saieth Without shedding of bloode there is no remission of sinnes Secondlie they saye that in the Masse the body of Christ is offered without suffering these two things also are so flatte contradictorie one to another that the Apostle continuallie joyneth suffering with offering in so much that hee saieth If Christ had offered himselfe often hee behooued also to haue suffered often Heb. chap. 9. vers 25. and 26. The sixt absurditie is a foolishe multiplication of vnprofitable ceremonies both before the Masse and in the celebration thereof with neglecting the essentiall rites of the Sacrament instituted by CHRIST himselfe such as breaking distributing eating c. for in their sacrifice that which they brake in three pieces to represent the threefolde estate of Christs bodie dead buried and risen againe from death by the ordinance of Pope Sergius the first this bread I saye which they breake they distribute not and the bread which they distribute in the Sacrament to the people they breake it not These essentiall rites beeing laide aside they haue inuented manie vnprofitable ceremonies as namelie before the celebration of the Masse Vestmentes Altars Altar-clothes Corporasses Paxes Torches and Candles and manie other preparations In the verie action and celebration of the Masse are diuerse histâ—…ionicall gestures of the Priest to lift vp his eyes and cast them downe againe to spreade abroade his handes and to close them againe to warble with his fingers to bow downe to bende vp to turne from the right hand to the left and from the left hand to the right with manie other vnnecessarie ceremonies All these they count ceremonies of signification representing viuelie the passion of CHRIST But it appertaineth vnto GOD to institute ceremonies of signification who can seale vp by them some inwarde grace in mens heartes The Church maye content themselues with ceremonies of order as the Apostle writeth in his first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS in the fourteenth chapter and fourtieth verse thereof where hee saieth Let all thinges bee done honestlie and by order The seuenth last absurditie is the vnhappie consequences of the Masse Albeit they bee manie yet at this time I reduce them to three heads First prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices is a consequent of the Masse for albeit in the Councell of NICE this matter was seriouslie vâ—…ged and IEROME in the furie of his disoutation against IOVINIAN speaketh not so reuerentlie of marriage as became him yet this prohibition preuailed not fullie vntill the sacrifice of the Masse was receiued and established Then it was thought meete that like as married persons for prayer and fasting I. CORINTH CHAPTER VII VERSE V. shoulde abstaine for a short time from matrimoniall fellowship In like manner these who are called to a continuall exercise of praying and sacrificing they shoulde also continuallie abstaine from the bed of marriage So that prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices attended the Masse as a Page doeth his master And Popes such as SIRICIVS CALIXTVS GREGORIVS the seuenth c. did vrge prohibition of marriage with no lesse vehemencie than they did the establishing of the Masse The seconde consequence of the Masse is a miserable abusing of the people of GOD because by this sacrifice for the moste part the people were bereaued of the preaching of the Worde and the ministration of the Sacramentes the verie ordinarie meanes whereby the Kingdome of GOD is builded amongst them The Worde was seldome preached and in verie vnfruitfull manner and mixed with fables and lying miracles borrowed out of legendes not worthie to bee read