the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. Who is truely holy but the Sonne of God who properly opened the wombe but he that opened it when it was shut but marriages open it to all therfore it was more opened because it was more shut When the Apostle saith not that Christ was borne of a virgin but of a woman he acknowledged the nuptiall passion of an opened wombe Thirdly Saint Hierome hath these words Soluâ— enim Christus clausas portas vuluae virginalis aperuit quae tamen clausae iugiter permanserunt Haec est porta orientalis clausa per quam solus pontifex ingreditur egreditur nihilominus semper clausa est For Christ only opened the gates of the virgins wombe that were shut which for all that were shutte continually This is the east gate which is shut vp through which the Bishoppe goeth in and out and for al that it is euer shut Fourthly Origen hath these words Quemcunque enim de vtero effusum marem dixeris non sic aperit vuluam matris suae vt Dominus Iesus quia omnium mulierum non partus infantis sed vâ—ri coitus vuluam reserat matris vero dominico tempore vulua reserata est quo partus editus For what man childe soeuer thou shalt name that is borne of a wombe he doeth not so open the matrice of his mother as doeth our Lorde Iesus For in all women not the birth of the child but the copulation of the man openeth the wombe Yet the wombe of the mother of our Lord was opened euen then when the childe was borne Fiftly S. Ambrose hath these expresse and plaine wordes Non enim virilis coitus vuluae virginalis secreta reserauit sed immaculatum semen inuiolabili vtero spiritus sanctus infudit Sequitur Hic ergo solus aperuit sibi vuluam Nec mirum hic enim dixerat ad prophetam priusquam te formarem in vtero noui te in vulua matris sanctificaui te qui ergo vuluam sanctificauit alienam vt nasceretur propheta hic est qui aperuit matris suae vuluam vt immaculatus exiret For the copulation of man opened not the secrets of the virgins wombe but the holy ghost poured the immaculate seede into the inuiolable wombe He therfore opened the wombe to himselfe alone And it is no maruell for he said to the prophet before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee and in thy mothers womb I sanctified thee He therefore that sanctified the wombe of another for the birth of his prophet is the very same that opened the wombe of his mother that he might come forth immaculate The second replie Holy Writ telleth vs that Christ was borne of a virgin to which all the â—ncient fathers accord yet should she haue beene corrupted and no virgin if her wombe had beene opened in the birth of Christ. For as the learned Phisition Fernelius writeth the losse of virginall integritie consisteth in the sole dilatation of the coniunct parts The answere I say first that not onely the holy scriptures but the ancient fathers also and other learned diuines are to be heard before all phisicions in the mysteries of our faith I say secondly that Fernelius maketh nothing for the papists as who speaketh only of the dilatation of the matrice and that after the natural and ordinary course I say thirdly that though Christs holy mother were a virgin both before his birth in his birth and after his birth as all the ancient fathers with vniforme consent doe witnesse yet was her wombe opened in his birth as is alreadie prooued For as their owne angelicall Doctour Aquinas saith whose doctrine sundrie Popes one after another haue confirmed virginitie is not lost by fraction of the signacle but by corruption of the mind and purpose of the will Saint Austen hath a learned and large discourse concerning this only point of doctrine wherein he sheweth grauely that the apertion of the matrice may be done sundrie waies to wit either by arte in the way of medicine or by violence of the corrupter or by other accidentall meanes and that virginitie this notwithstanding may be free from all corruption Much more might Christs owne mothers wombe be opened by his diuine power and neuerthelesse her most holy wombe still remaine inuiolable The fift conclusion The popish idololatricall masse is like vnto a clowted beggers cloake This conclusion will be manifest so soone as I shall proue sundrie Popes to haue ioyned piece vnto piece as if it were clowt vpon clowt The first Section Of consecration with the Lords prayer IN the primitiue and apostolicall church the masse or holy communion was administred with the Lordes prayer onely al superstitious ceremonies set apart This to be so doth witnesse Gregorie surnamed the Great sometime bishop of Rome himselfe whose testimonie no papist in the worlde can or will reiect These are his words Orationem autem dominicam idcirco mox post precem dicimus quia mos apostolorum fuit vt ad ipsam soluâ—modò orationem oblationis hostiam consecrarent And after other prayers we adde the Lords prayer for this end and purpose because the maner of the apostles was this to consecrate the oblation with that onely prayer The second Section Of the Masse said in the vulgar tongue IN the ancient church after the apostles time the holy coÌ„munioÌ„ was celebrated in the vulgar tongue which was known to all the people Iustinus Martyr hath these words Die solis omnium qui vel in oppidis vel ruri degunt in eundem locum conuentus fit commentaria apostolorum aut scripta prophetarum quoad tempus fert leguntur Deinde lectore quiescente praesidens orationem qua populum instruit ad imitationem tam pulchrarum rerum cohortatur habet Sub haec consurgimus communiter omnes precationes profundimus sicuti retulimus precibus peractis panis offertur vinum aquaâ— praepositus itideÌ„ quantuÌ„ pro virili sua potest preces grâ—tiarum actiones fundit populus fausté acclamat dicens Amen On the Sunday all that liue either in towne or countrey meete together in one place and then the epistles of the Apostles or writings of the Prophets are read according as the time requireth Afterward the reader ceaseth and the cheefe minister maketh an oration in which hee instructeth the people and exhorteth them to imitate that which is read vnto them These things being done we all arise togither and make our prayers and after our prayers the bread is offered with wine and water and the pastour as he is able prayeth and giueth thanks and the people with ioyfull acclamation say Amen Lo in the olde time the priest or minister said the communion together with the people and consequently they vnderstoode one another as also what was said whereas this day in the popish church the
which they termed Turkia And thus they continued till Zelimus the great Turke conquered Egypt and destroied the gouernment of the Mamaluchies which were christians that had denied their faith so it remaineth vntil this day vnder the Turke holding the new no religion of Mahomet as do all of the east for the greater part This kingdome or empire of the Turkes began about the yere of our Lord 1300. in the dayes of Othomannus the rich and mighty Turke for before it was of no reputation though it had some being The church of God flourished before this tyranny one ful thousand yeeres euen from the dayes of Constantine the great From this time the kingdome of Mahomet was called the empire of the Turkes THE THIRD PART of the originall of Poperie with the successiue Increments thereof and an euident confutation of the same The first Chapter containing certaine Preludes no lesse necessarie for the intelligence of the Chapters folowing then for the exact discouerie of long hidden Poperie The first Prelude POpery was not hatched al on one day moneth or yeere but crept into the church by little and little and that bicause the late bishops of Rome were not Lines Clements and Syluesters but naughtie and most wicked men For so saieth their owne deare frier and great schooleman Franciscus a Victoria Yea some of them beganne as foxes continued as wolues and ended as dogges This to bee so will witnesse with me Bartholomaeus Carranza their learned dominican doctor Yea Irenaeus who liued within 200. yeres of Christ auoucheth that before his time ignorance and negligence had brought many abuses into the Church And what may wee thinke then of abuses in our dayes Reade his wordes apud Eusebium histor lib. 5 cap. 24. The second Prelude MAny things may euidently be proued to haue beene done whereof for all that wee can yeeld no sound reason when where by whom they were done For first we know which the Papists can not denie that in the primitiue church infants receiued the holy communion yet neither we nor they can tel when where and by whom that vndiscreet custom first began was abolished it was usually practised in S. Austines time Secondly we know they know that the Lords supper in the Romish church is ministred vnder one kind contrary to Christs institution yet neither we nor they can tel when where and by whom that execrable custom first began Thirdly we know they know y t priuat masse hath bin long practised in the church of Rome yet can we neither tell when where nor by whom it first began But this we are assured of that it is repugnant to Christs institution wholy dissonant from apostolicall doctrine and vtterly condemned by all approued antiquitie Fourthly we know they know that their reformed Franciscans now commonly called Capuchens can tell right perfectly that their other dissolute Franciscans haue swarued fro their ancient order albeit they can neither tell when where nor by whom that dissolution first began but they proue it à posteriori by their ancient rules manifestly And euen so doe we proue by the holy scriptures the true touchstone of all veritie that the papists haue swarued from apostolicall doctrine albeit we could not as yet we can assigne the time place and persons when where by whom such antichristian alteration began The third Prelude THe vsual practise of papists in their commentaries bookse and glosses hath bin such so intollerable in wresting the holy scriptures as their owne deare brethren and great doctours cannot denie or conceale the same And because this may seeme strange vnto the reader their owne words shall beare me witnesse for besides this that Victoria confesseth their beggerly and vnlearned Canonists to haue wrested the scriptures in the behalfe and fauour of their Pope these are the expresse words of Polidorus Virgilius their owne professed sworne brother Non secus isti iurisconsulti aliquoties detorquent sacras literas quó volunt ac sutores sordidas solent dentibus extendere pelles These popish Legists Canonists do now and then so wrest and writhe the holy scripturs euen as coblers do gnaw with their teeth and stretch out their filthie skinnes Out of which words I note first that this Polidore was a great Papist himselfe and so his testimony must needes be forceable against the papists I note secondly that he speaketh not of the meanest and worst sort of Papists but euen of the best and of their renowmed doctors because he meaneth Hostiensis their grand famous doctor Thirdly that their mangling wresting of the holy scriptures is most intolerable that without the same they cannot possibly maintaine their wicked doctrine CHAP. II. Of the vsurped primacie in the Church of Rome About the yere 590. Iohn bishop of Constantinople sought by al means possible to haue y t primacy of al other bishops for that end termed himself vniuersal bishop This proud appellation to be called vniuersal bishop was so strange a thing in Christs church in those daies that S. Gregorie surnamed y e great the holy learned bishop of Rome stoutly withstood I. of Constātinople calling him antichrist the name antichristian And because his owne assertion plainly recited is most able to perswade the Reader I wil alleadge his words which are these Ego autem fidentèr dico quia quisquis se vniuersalem sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua antichristum praecurrit and I speake boldly that whosoeuer either calleth himselfe vniuersall priest or desireth so to be called is for his intolerable pride becom y e precursor of antichrist that bicause in his proud conceit he preferres himself before al other This notwithstanding Bonifacius the bishop of Rome and third of that name obtained of the emperor Phocas to be called the chief of al bishops and that Rome should be the head of all Churches for so soone as Boniface had inuaded Peters seate which was about 607. yeares after Christ and had with much adoe obtained of the bloudy and cruell tyrant Phocas who rauished many vertuous matrones and murdered the good Emperour Mauritius with his wife and children that Rome shoulde bee called the head of all churches euen then euen then doubles the beast of the reuelation began to prepare the way for Antichrist This point is so euident as their owne zealous papists renowmed chronographers Sigebertus Palmerius Platina Bergomensis Polydorus and others are enforced to confesse the same And for the better satisfaction of the reader I will alledge their owne wordes Thus therfore writeth their owne learned and beloued monke Marianus Scotus Hic impetrauit à Phoca Caesare vt sedes apostolica Romanae caput esset ecclesiae quum antea Constantinopolis primum omnium se scribebat This Bonifacius obtained of Phocas the emperour that the apostolike sea of Rome should be the head of the church
The suruey of Popery Wherein the reader may cleerely behold not onely the originall and daily incrementes of Papistrie with an euident Confutation of the same but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension contained in the first and second Part thereof and throughout the third Part Poperie is turned vp-side downe 1. Cor. 13.11 When I was a child I spake as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things LONDON Printed by Valentine Sims dwelling on Adling hill at the signe of the white Swanne 1596 To the right Honourable Lords Iohn the L. Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace one of her Maiesties most Honourable priuie counsell Matthew the L. Archbishop of Yorke Primate and Metropolitane of England Sir Thomas Egerton Knight the L. Keeper of the great Seale of England and to the right reuerend father in God Tobie the graue and learned Bishop of Durham Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. IF manie haue laudably emploied much time and studie right honourable and my very good Lordes and that onlie to attain skil in prophane stories much more doubtlesse are their studies commendable who haue spared no time no labour no watchinges no lucubrations to atchieue exact knowledge in the holie scriptures and histories ecclesiasticall verie necessarie for the accomplishment therof In which kind of neuer enough commended exercise sundrie vertuous learned men haue so profited the church of God as their worthie monumentes haue gotten theÌ„ immortal fame before God and al mortal men Yet such is the condition of our state during this pilgrimage of mortalitie that the best learned neither haue said neither can say so much but stil more very fruitfullie may be said therein For which cause very wisely wrote S. Austen that he did learn would learne daily euen to the last houre While I reuolued these matters deeplie with my selfe I found some writers tedious some obscure some confuse some abounding some wanting no one answerable to al desires In regarde whereof albeit I cannot bring gold siluer pearles hyacinths and pretious stones yet am I verie desirous to carrie morter to the building vp of the walles of Gods Sion not for that I thinke I can saie better then is alreadie saide by others as who acknowledge my selfe the meanest of manie thousandes but because I couet to supplie for the measure of my small talent such wantes for the common good of the simple sorte and of others who haue not store of bookes as heretofore I finde omitted in farre more learned workes What varietie what confusion what obscuritie what vncertaintie is amongst historiographers and Chronographers none doth know or can know sufficiently but he that doth studie the same seriously What is more necessary for the vnderstandig of the prophesie of Daniel then the perspicuous and exact enumeration of the 70 weeks theÌ„ the ready explicatioÌ„ of the 2300 daies theÌ„ the liuely purtraâ—te of the foure monarchies what helpeth more for the true vnderstaÌ„ding of the former latter prophets then to know when where of what matter and before whom they did pronounce their prophesâ—es What is more expedient then to know the two captiuities When where by whom and for what causes the Israelites and the Iewes were so afflicted what can yâ—eld greater solace to a christian heart then to behold as in a glasse of christal the original and daily incrementes of poperie liuely discouered before our eies when where and by whom and vpon what occasion al popish errors heresie and superstitions haue crept into the church what shal I saie of the time reignes and acts of the Emperours of Rome of their kings their Consuls their Dictators what of the kings of Babylon Ashur Egypt Macedonia Persia Syria what of the kings of Iuda and of Israel What of the birth of our sauiour Christ of his baptisme of his corporal conuersation among vs what of other infinite memorable actes recorded in the old and new testament what of manie excellent and golden lessons specified in the histories of the church All which and manie other important matters are compendiously and yet sufficientlie handled in this small volume and so contriued I hope as obscure things shal seeme plaine with such breuitie as nothing can be thought tedious with such plentie of matter as no necessarie point will be found wanting and with such methode as euerie childe maie with facilitie beare the same awaie The vsual maner is in al such kinde of exercises to make choise of some worthy personages for the honest and lawful protection of the same You my L. of Canturburie did harbour me a long time in your owne house There I enioyed euerie thing not as a prisoner but as a brother not as a stranger but as a deere friend not as a meane person but as one of farre better accompt then I either was then or yet am indeed You my L. of Yorke for rare curtesies receiued both of old and late daies haue made me greatly bound vnto your grace You my L. Keeper to speake nothing of your great zeale for the free passage of Christes gospel for the sincere preaching of his sacred word and for the common good of this realme haue aswel for your rare honourable fauour towards mine owne seelie selfe as for your late kinde acceptance of my treatise of vsurie deserued a far better thing at my hands You my L of Durham although as yet ye neuer saw my face haue neuerthelesse affoorded me such christian affection and rare benignitie as I haue not often found the like I therefore present vnto you my reuerend fathers and honourable Lordes all foure these fruites of my late studies as an infallible argument of my vnfeined good will for your honourable and manifold courtesies countenances and other benefites receiued at your handes Accept the present my honourable Lordes in good part respect not so much the person that giueth as the thing it selfe that is giuen not the value of the gift so much as the minde of the giuer not so much what is done as what the partie was willing to haue done who if it shal so please the Almightie will hereafter present larger giftes as time place and other circumstances shal affoord God vouchsafe to encrease his manifold good graces in you all and to multiply your daies vpon the earth for the free passage of his holy gospel and the peace of his church From my studie this tenth of August 1595. Your Lordships in all dutifull maner THOMAS BELL. To the Seminarie Priests in Wisbich Castle and else-where dispersed in this Realme TWo yeres are fully complete and expired since my booke of Motiues came abroad and was in your hands In it I promised to subscribe if either any one among you or other Papist in Europe whosoeuer could effectually confute the same Your owne Papists here at home greatly wonder at your silence in that
Ioatham Amos prophesied against the nations adiacent to them in the time of Ozias Esaias prophesied against Iuda and Iurasalem in the time of Ioatham Ioel prophesied to Iuda and Ierusalem in the time of Ozias Michaeas prophesied against Ierusalem and Samaria in the time of Ioatham Nahum prophesied to the Assyrians and Niniuites in the time of Ioatham Abacuc prophesied against Babylon and Nabuchodonosor in the time of Manasses Ieremias prophesied to the citie of Ierusalem in the time of Iosias and Zedechias Sophonias prophesied against Iurusalem and Iuda in the time of Iosias Ezechiel prophesied to the captiues in Babylon in the time of Ioachim Daniel prophesied to his countrey men in Babylon in the time of Ioachim Haggaeus prophesied to all the people in Ierusalem and Iuda in the time of Zorobabel Zacharias prophesied to the people of Ierusalem and Iuda in the time of Zorobabel Malachias prophesied to the people of Ierusalem Iuda in the time of in the end of the captiuitie 〈…〉 CHAP. X. Containing a particular description of the time of the Prophets called the greater The first section of the Prophet Esay THe Prophet Esay was the sonne of Amos not of that Amos who was the third of the 12. lesser Prophetes but of another Amos hauing different characters with the Hebrews Aug de ciuit libr. 18. cap. 27. Hier. in 1. cap Esaiae Esay prophesied to Ierusalem and Iuda that is to the two tribes of Beniamin and Iuda Hier. in 1. cap Esaiae Esay who was also called Azarias Osee Ioel Amos prophesied at the selfe same time in the daies of Osias Ioatham Achas and Ezechias kings of Iuda Hier. in princ Esaiae The wicked king Manasses caused the prophet Esay to be sawed in peeces with a wodden saw Wherefore that which the Epistle to the Ebrewes saith of the tortures of Gods Saintes that they were hewen in sunder is very fitly referred to the prophet Esay Hier. lib. 15. cap. 57. in Esaiam The second section of the prophet Ieremie Ieremie prophesied to y e two tribes of Iuda Beniamin he foretold their captiuitie in Babylon hee began his prophesie in the daies of Iosias he continued the same in the daies of Ioachim and vntill the eleuenth yeare of Sedechias in the time of the captiuitie Orig. hom 1. in Hier. Aug. de ciu lib. 18. c. 33. Betweene the time of Ieremias and Esaias were one hundred and fiftie yeares Hier. lib. 9. cap. 30. in Esaiam He was the sonne of Helkias the priest cap. 1. Iere. v. 1. the tradition of the Hebrewes is that whensoeuer the father or graundfather of any prophet is put in the title such a one was also a prophet himselfe Gloss. ordinar Sophonias prophesied at the same time with Ieremias Athanas in synop Aug. de ciu lib. 18. cap. 33. Iehoiakim king of Iuda burnt the book which Baruc wrote wrote at the mouth of Ieremias in which booke the prophet shewed what punishment God had determined to bring vpon Iuda and Israel if they would not returne euery man from his euill way and bring forth worthy fruites of repentance But Ieremie at Gods appointment wrote another book which contained the afflictions of Iuda and Israel in a farre larger maner Ierem. cap. 36. Where we may note by the way that the wicked do euer kicke against the preachers of Gods word especially when their sinnes are reprooued But at length they tast of the cup of Gods wrath for their great contempt and disobedience And our papistes are now become Iehoiakims as who both burne the writers of all bookes that reprooue their superstitions and idolatry and also cast the bookes into the fire Yea euen the holy bibles if they be once translated into the vulgar tongue Ieremie began to prophesie when he was a childe in the 13. yeere of Iosias king of Iuda hee continued his prophesie during the reigne of Iosias the sonne of Amon. 19. yeares and after that vnder Ioachim 11. yeres and vnder Sedechias 11. yeares who was the last king of Iuda The three moneths of Ioachaz and Iechonias are reckoned in the yeares afore named So that from the beginning of his prophesie vntill the captiuitie of Ierusalem in which himselfe was taken he prophesied 41. yeres ouer and besides that time in which he was carried away into Egypt and prophesied in Taphins Hier. in cap. 2. Ierem. at which Taphins in Egypt as some write hee was stoned to death But before that time he was put in a deep dungeon of myre Iere. 38. The third section of the prophet Ezechiel Ezechiel followed Ieremie and began to prophesie in the fift yeare of the transmigration of Iechonias which was the same yeare of the reigne of Sedechias Hier. lib. 5. cap. 29. in Ieremiam in the 30. yere after some of his age Ezechias c. 1. but as S. Hierome writeth the 30. yeares whereof the Prophet speaketh are not the yeares of the age of Ezechiel himself but the yeares from the 18. of king Iosias at what time the booke of the law was found vntill the fift yeare of the captiuity of Iechonias Hier. in cap. 1. Exech 2. Ezechiel was carried away captiue into Babilon togither with Iechonias Daniel and the three children Hier. in princ Ezech. Aug. de ciu lib. 18. cap. 34. This holy prophet foretold the destruction of Hierusalem and the captiuitie of the Iewes for their manifold sinnes and wickednesse earnestly exhorting them to repentance For which cause the Iewes were so exasperated against him as the wicked are this day against the preachers of Gods word that they trailed him on the ground amongst the stones till his braines went out Author oper imperf in Matt. cap. 23. hom 46. prop. finem A golden obseruation In the dayes of Iosias king of Iuda Helkiah the Priest found the booke of the lawe of the Lord giuen by the hand of Moses Which when the good king vnderstood hee gathered togither all the inhabitantes of Ierusalem and of Iuda and the Priests and the Leuites and all the people from the greatest to the smallest and he read in their eares all the words of the booke of the couenant that was found in the house of the Lord and the king caused all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to it and hee compelled all the people of Israel to serue the Lord their God 2. Par. 34.4 Kin. 22. Thus saith the holy scripture By which we see euidently that the ouersight of all persons in all causes aswell ecclesiastical as ciuill pertaineth to the king and that the king hath the charge of religion committed into his handes and also that he may compel priests and Leuites to doe their dueties in that behalfe On the other side we may note the intollerable impietie of our disholy fathers the late bishops of Rome Who most irreligiously and very impudently excommunicate christian kings and monarches because they appoint the word of God to be preached in their
dominioÌ„s read the holy bibles in their vulgar tongues and cause their subiectes to doe the like a thing neuer heard of by any writers of approoued antiquitie A doubt S. Peter saith that certaine places of S. Paules epistles be hard to be vnderstood and S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon Ezechiel saith that amongst the Iewes none could be permitted to reade the beginning of Genesis the Canticles the beginning and ending of Ezechiel vntill he were 36. yeres of age The answer I answere with S. Austen that whatsoeuer is necessary for mans saluation is plainly set downe in holy scripture and that which is obscure in one place is made manifest by another his words I haue alledged in my book of Motiues in the tenth chapter and second conclusion The fourth section of the Prophet Daniel Daniel was a prophet of the tribe of Iuda descended of noble parentage and being a childe was carried from Iurie to Babilon Epiphanius de vit interrit Prophet Of Daniel hee was called Balthazar Which name was giuen him either as Iosephus saith of king Nabuchodonozor or as Lud. Viues saith of the kinges Eunuche who had charge of the kinges children This is certaine that hee was called Balthasar in Babylon Orig. in Num. cap. 31. hom 25. Daniel preached in Babylon in the very time of the captiuitie Dan. 1. ver 7. Daniel departed out of this life in Babylon and was buried with great honour his sepulchre is this day to be seene in Babylon renowmed throughout the world Epiphanius vbi supra CHAP. XI Of the Prophets called the lesser The first section why some were called the greater and other some the lesser FOure to wit Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and Daniel were called the greater Prophets because they wrote greater and larger volumes Twelue to wit Osee Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Abacuc Sophonias Aggeus Zacharias Malachias were called y e lesser because they wrote smaller lesser volumes Aug. de ciuit lib. 18. c. 29. in princ Of these Prophetes as the latter were neerer the time of Christ so had they clearer reuelations of Christ then the former Gloss. in 1. Reg. 3. The second Section of Osee. Asarias who was also called Ozias of the stocke of Dauid reigned in Ierusalem ouer the two tribes which were called Iuda 52. yeares After him Ioatham his sonne reigned 16. yeares after Ioatham Achab his sonne reigned in like maner 16. yeares in the eleuenth yeare of whose reigne the ten tribes which were called Israel were taken of Salmanasar the king of the Caldees and placed in the mountaines of the Medes After Achas reigned his sonne Ezechias 28 yeres whereby it is cleere that when Osee Esay Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas and Micheas prophesied who were all at one time then was the kingdome of the ten tribes ended Which continued from Ieroboam the first king vntill Osee the last the space of 250. yeares The same time that Osias began to reigne ouer Iuda Ieroboam king Iehu his Nephewes sonne reigned the 12. yeare ouer Israel because God had promised that his seede should reigne vntill the fourth generation for smiting two wicked kinges of Iuda and Israel this I write 〈◊〉 S. Hierome to shew that Osee wrote both before and 〈◊〉 the captiuitie of Israel Hier. in 1. cap Osee. see the eight â—â—â—pter and sixt section per tot sect Osee prophesied that the Iewes should be conuerted at the latter end of the worlde He preached against the tenne tribes of their fornication and of the destruction of Samaria he spake something also of the other two tribes Gloss in princ 1. ca. Osee. Osee foretolde the comming of the Messias and that this should be the signe of his comming To wit if that oake in Selom be clouen of it selfe into twelue partes and be made so many oake trees and it came so to passe Epiphan de Prophet vit eter The third section of Ioel. The Prophet Iohel the sonne of Phatuel was borne in the territorie of Bethor descended of the tribe of Ruben He prophesied much of Ierusalem and of the consummation of the Gentiles He died in peace and was buried with honour in his owne countrey Epiphan vbi supr Like as in Osee vnder the name of Ephraim the prophesie is extended to the tenne tribes who are often called Samaria or Israel euen so whatsoeuer Ioel saith pertaineth to Iuda and Ierusalem Hier. in 1 cap. Ioel. Ioel prophesied in the daies of king Ioatham who succeeded king Ozias Aug. de ciuit lib 18. cap 27. but S. Hierome extendeth the time further euen to the reignes of Ozias Ioatham Achas and Ezechias Hier. in Ioel. The fourth section of Amos. Amos was borne in Thecue descended of the tribe of Zabulon he was father to Esay the Prophet so saith Epiphan de prophet vit inter but saint Austen and saint Hierome think otherwise as I haue shewed Amos was of Thecue six miles South from holy Bethlehem where our Sauiour Christ was borne Hier. in comment Amos. S. Basill saith that Amos was a shepheard but God instructed him with his holy spirite and so aduaunced him to the dignitie of a prophet Basilius Epist. 55. Amos prophesied in the daies of Ozias when Esaias began his prophesie Hier. in Esaiam lib. 3 cap. 7. Aug. de ciuit lib. 18 cap. 27 He prophesied also in the time of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel Hier. in 1. cap. Amos. The fift section of Abdias Abdias or Obadiah was the steward of king Achabs house the king of Israel 3. King 18. verse 3. he hid Gods prophets in caues and fed them with bread and water ver 4. he gaue ouer the kings court ioyned himselfe to the prophet Elias and became his disciple Epiphanius Hieronymus Abdias is briefe in wordes but pithie in matter because he hid the 100. prophets in caues he was aduaunced to the dignitie of a prophet and where before hee was the captaine of an armie he now became the captaine of Gods Church then hee fed a little flocke in Samaria nowe he feedeth Christes churches in the whole world Hier. in Abdiam yet saint Hierome vpon Osee maketh Abdias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Esaias which seemeth verie probable The sixt section of the Prophet Ionas The prophet Ionas was appointed of God to preach to the Niniuites that the citie after three daies shoulde be destroied but he being afraid to preach to that great city of the Assyrians fled from the presence of the Lord and went downe into a ship that went to Tarshishe but when a great tempest arose the marriners cast Ionas into the Sea and hee was in the belly of a great fishe three daies and three nightes and after that he was deliuered out of the Whales bellie and brought to the dry land TheÌ„ the word of the Lord came to Ionas the second time he preached to the Niniuites and they by repentance appeased the wrath of God Ionas cap. 1. 3 Athanas.
the euerliuing God and not to blaspheme him as I did for which cause I made this miserable end being murthered by mine owne children Note heere that after Eusebius Senacherib was also called Salmanasar which I thinke consonant to the holy scriptures Assar-addon succeeded Senacherib his father but was not fortunate for the strength of the Assyrians began to decay euen while his father was yet liuing Besides this the mighty prince Merodach-baladan the Chaldee made wars both with him his father before him forthwith after the death of Senacherib hee wanne Babylon and enioyed it with other territories in Assyria vntill the death of Assar-addon from whose death hee possessed the whole Empire Hee raigned tenne yeares Merodach-baladan the first king of the Babylonians for the fame and memorie of the ancient kingdome of Assyria was called king of the Assyrians also as were likewise other kings that followed him He first transported the maiestie of the Assyrians to the Chaldees or Babylonians for the glorie of Niniue where the kings pallace was of olde was nowe translated to Babylon for which benefit Merodach after his death was honoured for a God of the Babylonians Ier. 50 ver 2. he raigned 40. yeares Ben-merodach the second king of the Babylonians was a milde and mightie Prince he raigned 21. yeares Nabuchodonosor the first or the old the third king of the BabyloniaÌ„s after Merodach was father to that Nabuchodonosor who subdued Hierusalem and erected the Babylonian monarchy he made two great battailes the one against Phaortes aliâs Arphaxad king of the Medes the other against Nechao the mightie king of the Egyptians Hee slew king Arphaxad in the mountaines of Ragau as the storie of Iudith maketh mention But Nechao ouercame him and enioyed all Syria he raigned 35. yeeres Nabuchodonosor the great sonne of Nabuchodonosor the first shortly after his fathers death wanne againe all Syria He was the mightiest king of all the kings of Babylon much spoken of in holy Writ Hee subdued the citie of Ierusalem and led away the inhabitants thereof captiues to Babylon This Nabuchodonosor as he was mightie in power so was he prowd in heart He made an image of golde and set it vp in the plaine of Dura in the prouince of Babylon Which done he commaunded all his princes nobles dukes iudges receiuers counsellers officers and all gouernors of his prouinces to come to the dedication of the image Hee appointed an herald to crie aloude that when they heard the sound of the cornet trumpet harpe sackebut psalterie dulcimer and other instruments of musicke then they should fall downe and worship the image And because the three holy Iewes Sidrach Misach and Abednego would not adore the image hee caused them to be cast into a very hote burning ouen from which fiery furnace God deliuered them myraculously In regarde whereof Nabuchodonosor magnified the liuing God made a decree that al people and nations which spake against the God of Sidrach Misach and Abednego shoulde bee drawen in peeces and their houses made a iakes Dan. 3.29 After this the king still swelled in pride so that he was cast out from his kingdome driuen from men ate grasse as oxen and his bodie was wet with the dew of heauen till his haires were growen as Eagles feathers and his nailes like birdes clawes Dan. 4. verse 30. After Nabuchodonosor magnus succeeded Euil-merodach after him Balthazar of which two see the first chapter in the fourth section CHAP. II. Of the destruction of Troy THe kingdome of Troy was of great antiquitie it began as sundrie Chronographers write a little before the death of Moses about the 32. yeare after the departure of Israel out of Egypt They write that Dardanus was the first king of the Troians and Priamus the last Alexander the sonne of Priamus surnamed Paris tooke away violently Helena wife to Menelaus king of the Lacedemonians which fact was the occasion of the most bitter and bloody battell of the Troyans This battel was fought of the most valiant people in Asia and Europe with mortall enmitie and inestimable losse on both sides with the bloud and destruction of many most flourishing regions Troy was taken burnt and vtterly destroyed 340. yeares before Rome was built in the age of the world 2935. From the captiuitie of Troy vntill the first Olimpias were complete 340. yeares albeit Liuiâ—s and some other haue their different supputations CHAP. III. Of the supputation of the Greeks THe olde Greekes did account as wee doe nowe by the yeres of our Lord the first Olimpias the second the third the fourth and so forth Some holde that Olimpias is the space of fiue yeeres but if thou wilt not be deceiued therin gentle reader reckon it but for the space of foure yeares The supputation of the Greeks by the Olimpiads is of all writers deemed true and therefore albeit before their Olympiads euerie one wrote as pleased himselfe yet after their Olympiads wee ought greatly to respect their account Africanus writeth that the first Olimpias was in the first yere of Ioatham king of Iuda and so it should be in the age of the world 3251. others dissent fro that computation affirme it to bee in the time of Ioas and then it chanced in the age of the world 3130. which supputation seemeth not so probable and therefore with Affricanus Eusebius and others I imitate the former but in reckoning the time of Iotham and Ioas I dissent from them both as is alreadie shewed CHAP. IIII. Of the citie of Rome ROme was builded in the end of the sixt Olympias in the age of the world 3218. after the destruction of Troy 340. before the incarnation of our sauior Iesus Christ about 729. yeares Romulus and Rhemus were brothers twinnes both of one age Contention and controuersie fell betweene them after whether of them the citie which they had newly built should be named The contention grew from words to tumults from tumults to strokes from strokes to bloudy battel insomuch as in the bickering Rhemus was slaine after his death Romulus enioyed the Empire alone of whome the City was called Rome Rome hath beene sundrie times sacked and ouerthrowne by the Gothes and Vandals first by Alaricus the Gothe in the yeare of our Lord God 412. This king besieged Rome and after burned it during which siege such famine was in the city that the mothers were constrained with hunger to eate their owne children It was besieged taken and sacked the second time by Gensericus the Vandal in the yeare of our Lord 456. It was besieged sacked and subuerted the third time by Totilas king of the Gothes in the yeare of our Lord 548. in the yeare after the citie was built 1300 in which siege as in the first the famine was exceeding great mothers were enforced contrarie to nature and kinde to kill and eate the flesh of their owne children Procopius Palmerius The same
they iterate their sinne in performing the same Who neuerthelesse shoulde haue sinned but once if after the making of their vngodly vowes they had ceased from the performance thereof For which cause holy Bernard aduiseth his sister grauely not to keepe and performe any ill vow Thus doth he write Rescinde fidem in malis promissis In turpi voto muta decretum Malum quod promisisti non facias Quod incautè vouisti nō impleas Impia est promissio quae scelere adimpletur Breake thy faith in euill promises chaunge thy purpose in vnhonest vowes doe not that euill which thou hast promised performe not that which thou hast rashly vowed That promise is wicked which is performed with wickednesse S. Isidorus hath the selfe same resolution concerning ill vowes as hee is alledged by Gratian. S. Bede after he had largely discoursed vpon euil promises and withall shewed that it is better euen to be periured then to performe naughtie and wicked promises alledged for the confirmation of his opinion the fact of holy Dauid in the death of Nabal These are his wordes Denique iurauit Dauid per Deum occidere Nabal virum stultum impium atque omnia quae ad eum pertinebant demoliri sed ad primam intercessionem Abigail foeminae prudentis mox remisit minas reuocauit ensemin vaginam neque aliquid culpae se pro taliperiurio contraxisse doluit Finally Dauid sware by God that he would kill Nabal a foolish wicked man that he would destroy all his both smal great yet so soon as Abigail Nabals wife a wife woman made her petition to him he abated his anger put vp his sword and nothing lamented the breach of his othe S. Ambrose hauing at large prooued by many golden testimonies that it was sinne to breake ill vows then to performe the same at length alleageth the ensample of Christ himselfe for that only purpose these are his words Non semper igitur promissa soluenda omnia sunt denique ipse dominus frequenter suam mutat sententiam sicut scriptura indicat Therefore all promises ought not to be kept at all times for euen our Lord God himselfe doeth oftentimes change his purpose as holie Writ beareth record S. Austen reputeth it a great point of wisedome not to do that which a man hath rashly spoken thus doth he write Magnae sapientiae est reuocare hominem quod male locutus est It is great wisedome for a man to call backe and not performe that which he hath spoken vnaduisedly Soter who himselfe was the bishop of Rome teacheth expresly that rash promises ought not to be kept these are his words Si aliquid incautius aliquem iurasse contigerit quod obseruatum in peiorem vergat exitum illud salubri consilio mutandum nouerimus magis instante necessitate periurandum nobis quam pro facto iuramento in aliud crimen maius diuertendum If any man shall sweare vnaduisedly which if it be performed bringeth greater harme that ought to be changed by prudent aduise for we must rather be periured if neede so require then for performance of our othe to commit a greater sinne so then it is euident that vngodly and vnlawfull vowes ought not to be kept But such is not the vow of single life say the papists This therefore must be examined The vow of single life is a godly vow and so liked of Saint Paul as he reputed them damned that kept not the same I answer that it is a wicked and vngodly vow to tie our selues from marriage al the daies of our life and I wil proue the same by the best approued popish doctours and by the doctrine established in the Romish church and that because the replie containeth such matters as is no lesse intricate then important I therefore say first that it is a verie wicked and vngodly act for a man to expose himselfe to sinne Thus much is granted by the vniforme consent of all learned Papists insomuch as all the Summists agree in this that those arts which can seldome or neuer be vsed without sin are altogether vnlawfull Gregorie surnamed the Great as hee was vertuous and learned so was he the bishop of Rome and for that respect of great account among the Papists though he were no papist in deede as now a daies papists are so knowne and called thus doth he write Sunt enim pleraque negotia quae sine peccatis exhiberi aut vix aut nullatenus possunt quae ergo ad peccatum implicant ad haec necesse est vt post conuersionem animus non recurrat For there be sundrie arts which can hardly or not at all bee practised without sinne therefore after our conuersion wee may not haue recourse to such as anie way draw vs to sinne Nowe let vs applie this to the matter in hand for it is most certaine that he exposeth himselfe to sinne that bindeth himselfe neuer to vse the remedie against sinne for example if a man should vow that hee would neuer vse the helpe of surgerie or phisicke that man shoulde doubtlesse expose himselfe to the perill of death none but senselesse bodies will or can this denie So in our case of single life because God hath appointed matrimonie for a remedie against sinne so saith the Apostle to auoide fornication let euerie one haue his wife and let euerie woman haue her husband For which respect Saint Gregorie Nazianzene saith that marriage is not so subiect to perill as single life I say secondly that it is a great sinne to debarre and stop the course of naturall propension yea this is a thing so certaine as their angelicall doctour Aquinas proueth thereby the murdering of ones selfe to be sinne bicause it is against the inclination of nature Nowe let vs make application heereof for the propension to beget children is naturall as which was before sinne in the state of innocencie and so hee that maketh a perpetuall vow of chastitie feeling in himselfe this propension committeth a greeuous sinne I say thirdly that it is a damnable sinne to tempt God for it is written in Gods booke yee shall not tempt the Lorde your God Vppon which words the glosse receiued of all papists saith thus Deum tentat qui habens quid faciat sine ratione committit se periculo hee tempteth God who hauing ordinarie meanes committeth himselfe to daunger without cause This exposition is so agreeable to the text as Aquinas willingly admitteth the same Nowe let vs applie it to the matter in hande He that refuseth ordinarie meanes and so committeth himselfe to perill tempts God grieuously as both the popish glosse and Aquinas grant but the ordinarie meanes to auoide fornication is marriage saith the Apostle therefore he that voweth neuer to marrie exposeth himselfe to the danger of fornication thereby tempteth god grieuously and consequently his vow is wicked and damnable I say fourthly
and Aquinas saw the force of this reason and grauely vrged the same Yea the holy virgin renounceth flatly their hereticall and hypocriticall doctrine in her humble thankes to God for her saluation My soule saith she doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my sauiour For this cause Bernard cryeth out in these words Non est hoc virginem honorare sed honori detrahere The virgin is not this way honored but greatly dishonored Secondly because as Bernard saieth Where lust is there must needs be sinne and therefore since the virgin was conceiued with lust or else as they dare not say by the holy ghost it followeth that she was conceiued in sinne Other reasons the same Bernard hath but these may suffice The second reply But saint Austen saith that hee will alway except the holy virgine Mary when he disputeth or reasoneth of sinners or sinne The answer I say first that saint Austen confesseth flatly as you haue heard that the blessed virgin was vndoubtedly conceiued in original sin I say secondly that originall sin is of infinite deformitie as is already proued and consequently that the blessed virgin being polluted therewith was neuer able to yeeld condigne compensation for the same howe great soeuer her holinesse was afterward the reason is afore yeelded for that the infinit malice of sin surmounteth the value of the finite actions of all creatures And if she were not able to satisfie for her own sinnes much lesse had shee any surplussage of satisfaction left which may serue to binde vp the popes pardons for the sins of others I say thirdly that albeit S. Austen would not for the honor of our Sauior as he saith call the blessed virgin into question touching sin yet doth he not affirm her to haue bin void of all actual sinne but seemeth rather to hold the contrary For he addeth these words Vnde enim scimus quod ei plus gratiae colla tum fuerit ad vincendum omni ex parte peccatum quae concipere ac parere meruit quem constat nullum habuisse peccatum For how know we that she had more grace giuen her to ouercome all sinne who did conceiue and beare him that certainely was free from al sin In which words S. Austen sheweth plainly that he can not tell whether the blessed virgin was voide of all actuall sinne or no yet is he vnwilling to call her into question for the honour of our Lord Iesus whose mother she was according to the flesh Yea Saint Austen in his questions vpon the new testament if it be his worke confesseth freely that she sinned for want of faith These are his expresse words Hoc vtique significauit quia etiam Maria per quam gestum est mysterium incarnationis saluatoris in morte domini dubitaret ita tamen vt in resurrectione firmaretur This verily is signified that Marie by whome was accomplished the misterie of the incarnation of our Sauiour doubted in the death of our Lord yet so as she was confirmed in his resurrection Thus hee writeth and yet knoweth euerie child that to doubt in matters of faith is no little sinne S. Basil dissenteth nothing from Saint Augustine when hee telleth vs that the blessed virgin standing by the crosse wauered and was doubtfull in her minde while shee behelde on one side what miserie hee suffered on the other side what wonders he had done Saint Chrysostome affirmeth so expressely that the blessed virgin sinned that their angelicall doctour Aquinas is enforced to vse this sillie shift for a colorable answere to his words to wit that hee was excessiue in his words But who wil not rather thinke that hee was presumptuous in his answere These are S. Chrysostomes expresse words Quae estmater mea fratres mei aiebat siquidem nō adhuc debitam de ipso opinionem habebant sed more matrum Maria iure omnia filio se praecepturam censebat cum tanquam dominum colere reuereri licebat ideo in hunc modum respondit who is my mother my brethren said Christ for they had not yet a right opiniō of him but Mary after the maner of mothers thought she might command her sonne to do all things albeit she might well haue honored him as her Lord therfore did he answer in this maner Againe he saith thus Optabat enim vt tam hominum gratiam conciliaret ipsa clarior filij gratia efficeretur fortasse aliquo humano afficiebatur affectu For she wished that now he would win the fauor of men that she might be more famous for his sake and perhappes she was touched with some humane affection Againe in another place he saith thus Ambitione quadam ac ostentatione commoti foris eum in praesentia omnium euocarunt vt viderentur facile ac magna cum potestate Christo imperare Infra vnde patet inani quadam gloria illos commotos fuisse nihil adhuc magni de ipso cogitantes quod apertius Ioannes significauit dicens quia neque fratres eius credebant in eum They being tickled with ambition and vaine glorie called him out in the presence of all that they might seeme to command Christ at their pleasure and with authoritie Whervpon it is cleare that they were tickled with vaine glorie hauing no great opinion on him as yet which Iohn signified euidently when he saide For neither did his brethren beleeue in him Saint Hierome shall conclude this point which I haue handled more at large because many stumble at it and fewe seeme to vnderstand it well these are his expresse words Conclusit Deus omnes sub peccato vt omnium misereatur absque eo solo qui peccatum non fecit nec inuentus est dolus in ore eius God hath shut vp all vnder sinne that he may shew mercie vnto all him onely excepting that sinned not neither was there guile found in his mouth The third replie She was Christs mother and therefore was more blessed then al other women The answere I confesse willingly that shee was blessed aboue all women and yet that shee was a sinner and had Christ not onely for her sonne but euen for her Lorde and Sauiour neither was it so great a grace simplie and barely to beare Christ as the Papists faine it to be but the holy fathers S. Austen and S. Chrysostome shal tel vs what they thinke therof S. Austen hath these expresse words Hoc in ea magnificauit dominus quia fecit voluntatem patris non quia caro genuit carnē Propterea cum dominus in turba admirabilis videretur faciens signa prodigia ostendens quid lateret in carne admiratae quaedam animae dixerunt foelix venter qui te portauit ille imò foelices qui audiunt verbum Dei custodiūt illud hoc est dicere mater mea quam appellatis foelicem inde foelix quia verbum
holy angels And Lodouicus Viues vpon the same place of S. Austen hath these wordes Et istos quoque supplicijs liberabat Origenes sicut ex sanctis angelis praecedente tempore diabolos faciebat quae illius erant vicissitudines These also did Origen deliuer from punishment as in processe of time he made of angels diuelles such was his changeable course of dealing Roffensis our late popish bishoppe of Rochester confesseth a trueth in this matter to wit that the Greekes did neuer beleeue there was a purgatorie Againe that purgatorie was not receiued in all places at once neither yet generally for many hundred yeeres His wordes I haue alleadged in the first booke of my Motiues in the seuenth preamble The first obiection I haue loosed thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water Ergo saith our Iesuite Bellarmine there is a purgatorie for out of hell none can be loosed The answer I answer that the prophet means nothing els but that God will deliuer his church out of all dangers howe great soeuer they seeme Againe this text may fitly be expounded of hell as Saint Hierome taketh it His wordes are these In sanguine passionis tuae eos qui vincti in carcere tenebantur inferni in quo non est vlla misericordia tua clementia liberasti Thou hast deliuered in the bloud of thy testament of thy free mercie those that were bound in the prison of hell where there is no mercy And indeed the merite of Christes bloud preserued vs from hell which otherwise was prepared for vs. This text may also be vnderstood of the captiuitie of Babylon from whence the church was deliuered The second obiection We went through fire and water and thou hast brought vs to a place of comfort or refreshing By this place it is cleere that there is a purgatorie The answere I say first that before hell had no water in it but now there is found both fire and water such is the constancie of popishe diuinitie I say secondly that by fire and water the prophet here vnderstandeth the victories which martyrs haue had in their manifold passions That is to say martyrs after all their crosses miseries and afflictions are brought to Christ their head and true comfort Thus doth S. Hierome expound this place whose expresse wordes are these Martyrum hic ostendit victorias quas in diuersis passionibus meruerunt ad vnum eos dicit refrigerium id est Christum Dominum per laqueos per cruces per verbera per ignes aestusq alia diuersa supplicia per quae holocaustum acceptum effecti sunt peruenisse Hee sheweth the victories of martyrs which they were worthie of in their manifold passions and hee saith they came to a place of refreshing that is to Christ our Lord through snares through crosses through beatinges through fire and heate and diuers other tortures through which they became an acceptable sacrifice S. Austen expoundeth it in the selfe same maner The third obiection They cried to the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them from their distresse Hee brought them out of darkenes and out of the shadowe of death and brake their bandes asunder Ergo there is a purgatory The answere I answere that the whole Psalme containeth in effect nothing els but thankes giuing to the Lord for his great mercie in that he hath deliuered them not onely from hell iustly deserued for their sinnes but also from the manifold dangers of this life So writeth S. Austen vpon this Psalme and S. Hierome is of the same opinion For these are his expresse wordes Vinctum enim erat genus humanum catenis criminum carceri diaboli mancipatum For mankinde was bound with the chaines of sinne and kept in prison as a slaue by the diuell The 4. obiection He shall fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as gold and siluer that they may bring offeringes vnto the Lord in righteousnesse Which fining say our papistes cannot be vnderstood but of purgatorie The answere I answere that the prophet Malachie speaketh flatly of the first aduent of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who by his bitter and sacred passion will purge his church from all her sinnes and then shall the faithfull offer vp the sacrifice of land and thankesgiuing Thus doth S. Hierome expound this text neither can any other glosse be consonant to the discourse of the prophet The 5. obiection S. Mathew saith that the sinne of the holy ghost shalbe forgiuen neither in this worlde neither in the worlde to come By which wordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that some sinnes are forgiuen in the world to come Ergo there is a purgatorie The answere I answere that Gods spirite knoweth best how to interpret the scripture and consequently that S. Mathew meaneth nothing els by these wordes neither in this world neither in the world to come but that the sinne against the holy ghost shall neuer be forgiuen For so doth S. Marke another Euangelist interprete this selfe same text These are the wordes hee that blasphemeth against the holy ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse but is culpable of eternal damnation Yea which is a confusion to the papists S. Mathew himself so expoundeth himselfe in the next verse aforegoing And so doth S. Chrysostome expound this place The 6. obiection Thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paied the vttermost farthing Ergo after satisfaction made or the popes pardon graunted thou maiest come out of purgatory The answere I answere with S. Augustine that the prison whereof S. Mathew speaketh is hell from whence there is no departure in deed For hee that is once committed thither for non payment must tarry there world without end because hee can neuer answere this infinite debt The replie When he saith vntill thou hast paied hee giueth vs to vnderstand that after a certaine time we shall come out I aunswere that the word vntill doth not connotate the end of imprisonment but the continuation thereof because so is the vsual acception of that terme in the holy scriptures For when S. Mathew saith he knew her not vntil she had brought forth her first borne sonne it followeth not that he afterward knew the blessed virgine So when it is said that Michol had no child to the day of her death it followeth not y t she had children after her death Thirdly when our Sauiour promised to be with his disciples till the worldes end it doth not import that he wil after forsake them Fourthly when the prophet saith as the eyes of a maiden looke vnto y e hands of her mistres so our eyes wait vpon the Lord our God vntill hee haue mercy vpon vs he meaneth not that our eies shal not afterward wait vpon the Lord. No God forbid Fiftly when God saith sit thou at my right hand vntil I make thine enemies
distinction could serue the papists to prooue their superstitious worship it might also haue serued the deuill against Christ and so Christs reason had bin of no force for the deuill might haue said to Christ albeit it be true as thou saiest that Latria is onely to be giuen to God yet mayest thou giue me Dulia and not offend his law I say fiftly that the worship which S. Iohn was prohibited to do in the Reuelation was not Latria but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these are the words of the angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adore thou God as if he had said religious worship can be giuen to none but to the euerliuing God alone I say sixtly that the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed in the old testament from whence this scripture is alledged by Christ signifieth seruice or seruitude in common without the difference of God or creatures I say seauenthly that as Latria is giuen to creatures so is Dulia applied to God and that is verie frequent not onely in prophane writers but euen in the new testament for S. Luke saith ye cannot serue God and riches or mammon where the greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Paul writing to the Rom. saith for they that are such serue not y e Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies In which place the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the same apostle writing to the Thessalonians saith howe they turned to God from idols to serue the liuing true God in which place the greeke is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Paul though in many places he call himself the seruant of God yet vseth he euer the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now then since Latria and Dulia be in greek as ensis and gladius in latin and since aswell y e one as the other is applied indifferently to God his creatures the gentle reader may clearely behold how vaine and ridiculous is popish dealing in this behalfe The first replie Yee protestants abuse the angels prohibition when he had S. Iohn to adore God for the angel neuer meant to denie religious worship to be due to angels but to signifie that Saint Iohn did mistake him and that hee was not God and consequently that he was not worthie of that diuine honour which Iohn thinking him to be God did then giue vnto him The answere I say first that if any religious worship had bin due to anie creature the angel would not haue saide absolutely and simply adore or worship God but thus Worship not me but God with this kind of worship I say secondly that S. Iohn knew wel inough that this angell was not God For first he knewe that this angell was one of the seauen angels that shewed him these things as appeareth by the 17 chap. Secondly he willed S. Iohn immediatly before to write thus Blessed are they that are called to the supper of the Lamb whoÌ„ S. Iohn knew right wel to be Christ by the vision which himselfe reported in the fift chap. Thirdly this was not him that said in the 1. chapter I am alpha omega for it was Christ himself that then appeared to S. Iohn I say thirdly that this angell professed himselfe in expresse tearmes not to bee God but the messenger of God for he said vnto S. Iohn these words of God are true not these words of mine are true and yet S. Iohn forthwith adored him and the angel forthwith controled him for the same The second replie S. Iohn being an holy and worthie apostle endued largely with the spirit of god could not be ignorant what worship was vnlawful and to be reprehended and so hee erred materially in knowledge of the person not formally in the kind of adoration The answere I answere that if any religious worship could haue bin giuen to any creature the angel should haue induced S. Iohn into an error bidding him worship God and yeelding the reason why he should not worship him to wit because hee was a seruant not the Lord a creature not God as if hee had taught that all religious worshippe ought to be giuen to God alone S. Iohn therefore stricken into an extasie of minde through the maiestie of the angel that told these things fell sodainely downe before his feete to adore him which yet he did not of ignorance for the resons aleaged but of forgetfulnes as the iteration of the worship declared For though he was forbidden before to adore any beside god yet did he y e second time adore the angel forgetting himselfe sodainely and what the angel had said vnto him Austen maketh so plaine a recitall of this adoration as more needeth not to a reasonable mind These are his words Quare honoramus eos charitate non seruitute nec eis teÌ„pla construimus noluÌ„â— enim se sic honorari à nobis quia nosipsos cum boni sumus templa summi Dei esse nouerunt recte itaque scribitur hominem ab angelo prohibitum ne se adoraret sed vnum Deum sub quo ei esset ille coÌ„seruus qui autem nos inuitant vt sibi seruiamus tanquam deos colamus similes sunt superbis hominibus quibus si liceat similiter coli volunt Sed istos homines perpeti minus illos vero colere magis periculosuÌ„ est Infra religet ergo nos religio vni omnipotenti Deo quia inter mentem nostraÌ„ qua illuÌ„ intelligimus patrem veritatem id est lucem inâ—eriorem per quam illum intelligimus nulla interposita creatura est We honor angels with charitie not with seruice neither do we build temples vnto them for they will not be so honoured of vs because they know that we our selues when we are good are the temples of the higest God rightly therfore is it written that a man was forbidden by the angell that hee should not worship him but one God onely vnder whom he was a fellow seruant with him But they that inuite vs to serue them and to worship them as gods are like to proud men who if they might would be likewise worshipped but to suffer these meÌ„ is lesse perilous and to worship the angell is more daungerous Let religion therefore bind vs to one God almightie because betweene our mind by which we vnderstand him to be the father the truth that is the inward light through which we vnderstand him no creature is interposed The replie The angel prophesied that the Iewes shuld fal down before the bishop of Philadelphia adore him Iacob adored the top of his rod. Abraham adored the angels that appeared to him Balaam adored the angel that stood before him with a drawen sword Iosue adored the angel falling flat downe before his feete and calling him Lord and the angel refused not that worship but required yet more of him Nabuchodonosor adored Daniel and did great offices of
to auoid the scandall of some persons that are either holy or troublous I dare not freely reprehēd many such things But I am very sory for this that many wholesome precepts in Gods bookes are little regarded and that all things are so full of presumptions that he is more sharply reprooued which toucheth the ground in his octaues with his bare foote then he that shall lye drunken in the streete All things therefore which neither are contayned in the holy scriptures neither in the decrees of bishops neither established by the custome of the vniuersal church but are infinitely varied by the diuersitie of maners in diuerse places so that seldome or neuer the causes can be knowen which men respected in the ordinance thereof I thinke they are to be taken away without any stop where power and authority is at hand For although it cannot bee found howe they make against the catholike faith yet doe they clog the religion with seruile bondage which our mercifull God would haue freely celebrated with verie few and manifest sacraments so that now the condition of the Iewes is more tolerable who though they haue not acknowledged the time of libertie yet are they subiect to legal burdens not to humaine presumptions Thus saith holy and learned Austen Out of whose words I note first that S. Austen for feare of scandall and other humaine respects durst not speake all he thought nor freely reproue euerie abuse as he wished in his heart I note secondly that al the bishops learned fathers of the church did not at all times like and approue all things which were publikely done in the church thogh they spoke not flatly and openly against the same Which point if it be wel noted doth more then a little gall our papists I note thirdly that Gods word was little regarded euen in Saint Austens time and that superstition in steede thereof raigned euerie where and therefore no maruell if so much Romish trumperie did after Saint Austens time abound in their visible church I note fourthly that euen in Saint Austens dayes odde conceits of superstitious trumperie were more regarded then the chiefest points of religion I note fiftly that manie superstitious errours haue crept into the church the causes wereof neither are nor can bee knowen and therefore by Saint Austens iudgement all such trumperie ought to bee cut off by the authoritie of the Magistrate I note sixtly that the church was brought into seruile bondagt by reason of beggarly ceremonies other superstition so as in S. Austens time the state of the Iewes was more tolerable then the condition of faithful christians I note seauenthly that the christian libertie of the new testament may not bee charged with superfluous ceremonies The second conclusion The bodies bones and reliques of Gods Saints and martyres are not to be contēned reiected or disdainfully cast away but to be buried honourably and esteemed reuerently as wel to giue a signe of our hope in the resurrection of our bodies and theirs as to signifie their true faith in the euerliuing God This conclusion may euidently be proued by many texts of holy writ Pretious in the sight of the Lord saith Dauid is the death of his saints Again in another place Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all he keepeth all his bones not one of them is broken Againe in another place Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord in another place the Psalmograph yeeldeth the reason why the bodies reliques of y e dead be honorable to wit for the hope of the resurrection that they shal once be glorified for my flesh saith he shall rest in hope and in the Hebrew more significantly shall dwell in hope to expresse the full assurance of the resurrection In this hope did S. Ioseph cause his fathers bodie be enbalmed being accompanied with al the seruants of R. Pharao both the elders of his house all the elders of the land of Egypt and with his brethren and others of his fathers house he went vp into the land of Canaā there to burie his father with great honour and solemnitie The prophet Daniel when he died was buried with great honor so was Micheas Ioel many others the prophets apostles seruants of the liuing god In regard wherof prudently said Syrach Let their bones flourish out of their place and their names by succession remaine to them that are most famous of their children All which Saint Austen comprised briefly in these golden words Nec tamen contemnenda abiicienda sunt corpora defunctorum maximèque iustorum atque fidelium quibus tanquam organis vasis ad omnia bona opera sanctus vsus est spiritus Si enim paterna vestis annulus ac si quid huiusmodi tanto charius est posteris quanto erga parentes maior extitit affectus nullo modo ipsa spernenda sunt corpora quae vtique multo familiarius atque coniunctius quam quaelibet indumenta gestamus Haec enim non ad ornamētum vel adiutorium quod adhibetur extrinsecus sed ad ipsam naturam hominis pertinent Neither are the bodies of the dead to be dispised and cast away specially the bodies of the iust and of the faithful whom the holie ghost hath vsed as instruments and vessels to all good workes For if the fathers garment and ring and the like bee so much the dearer to the posteritie by howe much our affection was greater to our parents then doubtlesse their bodies are no way to be contemned which are more familiar and nearer to vs thē anie garment for they pertaine not to the ornament or helpe which we vse externally but euen to the nature of man it selfe The third conclusion To goe from place to place on pilgrimage to learne experience ciuil maners customes and lawes of other countries or christianly to profit others therby is a godly act highly to be commended The painful godly peregrinatiōs of Christ him selfe and of his chosen vessels will make this conclusion euident For Christ was conceiued in Nazareth borne in Bethlehem the eight day presented in Hierusalem Hee fled into Egypt he returned and dwelt in Nazareth Being twelue yeres of age hee disputed in the temple at Hierusalem from whence he returned with his parents and came to Nazareth Being thirtie yeeres olde hee was baptized in Iorden tempted of the Deuill in the wildernesse placed on a Pinnacle of the temple and after that carried into an exceeding high mountaine In Cana of Galilee he was present at a marriage where he changed water into wine Hee abode a while at Capernaum with his mother and his friendes He went throughout Galilee teaching in the synagogues Besides the sea of Galilee hee calleth Simon Andrew Iames and Iohn From thence he came to the region of the Gerasenes where the swine were drowned in the
manifest if wee ponder deepely what famous popish doctours haue written herein Bernard hath these expresse wordes Sic non est quod iam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona praesertim cum audias apud prophetam non propter vos sed propter me ego faciam dicit dominus sufficit ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita So there is no cause that thou shouldest nowe aske by what merites we hope for glorie especially since thou hearest the prophet say I will doe it saieth the Lorde not for your sake but for mine owne It is sufficient to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient Thus saith deuout Bernard who though hee liued in the greatest mist of poperie and so was carried away with some errours of his time yet did hee teach most christian doctrine almost in all his workes and because hee was reputed a great papist with the papists his testimonie is euer most forcible against them and their proceedings Aquinas hath these expresse words Manifestum est autem quòd inter Deum hominem est maxima inaequalitas in infinitum enim distant totum quod est hominis bonum est à Deo Vnde non potest hominis à Deo esse iustitia secundum absolutam aequalitatem sed secundum proportionem quandam in quantum scilicet vterque operatur secundum modum suum Modus autem mensura humanae virtutis homini est à Deo ideo meritum hominis apud Deum esse non potest nisi secundum praesuppositionem diuinae ordinationis ita scilicet vt id homo consequatur à Deo per suam operationem quasi mercedem ad quod Deus ei virtutem operandi destinauit And it is manifest that betweene God man there is exceeding great inequalitie for they differ in infinit all the good that man hath is of God Wherefore mans iustice receiued of God cannot be according to absolute equalitie but after a certain proportion to wit in as much as either worketh according to his condition Now man hath the measure and condition of his vertue from God and therefore mans merite cannot be with God saue onely according to the supposal of Gods holy ordinance so to wit that man may attaine that at Gods hand by his working as reward to which God hath appointed his power of working Thus writeth the master papist Aquinas who vtterly ouerthroweth all popish merite as it is this day defended in the church of Rome For first marke well gentle Reader for this is a weightie point Aquinas telleth vs that where there is not perfert equalitie there can be no merite properlie Secondly hee graunteth that there is infinite inequalitie betweene God and man Thirdly hee confesseth that mans iustice is not absolute but imperfect Fourthly he granteth that maÌ„ doth merite nothing in Gods sight saue only by way of his free acceptation Fiftly he confesseth that eternall life is not properly hyre but as it were hyre by reason of the same acceptation Durandus their owne schooleman denieth euery mans works how iust or holie soeuer he be to be simply and properly meritorious but onely to merite in an vnproper and large kinde of speech Meritum inquit propriè de condigno est cui simpliciter debetur aequale virtute operis nullum autem opus nostrum aequale potest esse vitae aeternae neque illam largitur nobis Deus ex iustitia sed ex quadam liberalitate sane quia gratìs acceptat nostra opera Merite saith Durand is properly of the worthy to which that is simply due which is equall by the vertue of the worke but no worke of ours can be equall to eternall life neither doth God giue it vs of iustice but of meere liberalitie in that he freely accepteth our workes Gregorius Ariminensis Marsilius Thomas Waldensis Paulus Burgensis and Io. Eckius all being zealous papists doe for al that denie mans workes to be meritorious of eternal life how holy soeuer the man be And gentle Reader that thou mayest fully knowe howe the papists haue of late yeeres bewitched the world and vnder pretence of holy zeale seduced simple soules call to minde that they vse to wrest the scriptures as I haue already proued out of their owne doctors and to come new no distinctions to make their false doctrine good Which for thy better satisfaction I will prooue concerning this present controuersie of the merite of works out of Iosephus Angles a grey frier and learned popish bishop who euen in that booke which he dedicated to the pope himselfe so mightie is the truth writeth in these expresse words Diuus Chrysostomus ait Etsi millies moriamur etsi omnes virtutes animae expleamus nihil dignum gerâ—mus ad ea quae ipsi à Deo percipimus Eodem etiam modo coÌ„siderantes omnes alij doctores sancti naturalem solummodo bonorum operum valorem illum à valore iusta vitae aeternae aestimatione longissime distare perpendentes prudenter dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vita aterna Ex lege tamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera bona hominis cum adiutorio gratiae Dei fiunt aeternae vitae digna illi aequalia quae seclusa illa dei promissione quae passim in sacris literis repetitur fuissent tanto praemio prorsus indigna Saint Chrysostome sayeth though wee dye a thousand times and accomplish all vertue of the minde yet doe wee nothing worthie of those things which wee receiue of God And all other holy doctors considering after the same manner the naturall valure only of good words and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the valure and iust estimation of eternall life sayd wisely that our works are not meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Yet for the couenant and promise made with vs the good works of man with the help of Gods grace are worthy of eternall life and equall with it which for all that that promise of God which is frequent in the scriptures set aside were altogether vnworthie of so great reward Thus sayth our Popish Bishoppe and holy Frier who though he bestirre himselfe more then a little to establish the condigne merite of works yet doth he in his owne kind of reasoning vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he graunteth that not onely S. Chrysostome but all the rest of the holy Fathers with him affyrme good workes neyther to be meritorious nor worthy of eternall life Agayne he graunteth that workes considered in their naturall kinde are vnworthie of eternall life Thirdly he graunteth that good works euen as they proceede of grace and assistance of the holy Ghost are for all that vnworthy of eternall life if Gods promise and free acceptation be set apart Which three poynts doubtlesse are all that we desire to be graunted concerning the doctrine of good works And so though the Papists
Constantinople Sigebertus writeth in this maner Secunda synodus vniuersalis 150. patrum congregatur Constantinopoli iubente Theosio annuente Damaso papa quae Macedonium negantem spiritum sanctum Deum esse condemnans consubstantialem patri filio spiritum sanctum esse docuit The second general synode of an hundred and fifty bishops is assembled at Constannople by the commandement of Theodosius Damasus agreeing thereunto in which councell Macedonius who denied that the holy ghost was God was condemned the consubstantialitie of the holy ghost with the father and the sonne was confirmed in the same Nicephorus Theodoretus and Prosper teach the same doctrine whose words for breuitie sake I here omit The third conclusion The third generall councel being the first Ephesine of two hundred bishops was proclaimed by the commandement of the Emperour Theodosius the yonger against Nestorius denying the virgin Mary to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and affirming Christ to haue two persons prouing that two natures did subsist in one onely person of Christ Iesus in the yere of our Lord 433. Euagrius hath these words Haec nefaria Nestorij dogmata cum Cyrillus episcopus Alexandria vir c. When Cyrillus the bishop of Alexander a man of great renowned had distinctly confuted the wicked opinions of Nestorius and Nestorius for al that gaue no place to his writings neither obeyed Cyrillus nor the councell of Caelestinus the bishop of old Rome but licentiously powred out his poyson against the church then Cyrillus made sute to Theodosius the yonger who at that time was Emperour in the East that by his will and authortie a councell might be called at Ephesus The Emperour vppon this sent his letters to Cyrillus and to the other presidents of the churches appointing the assembly to bee vppon Whitsunday at what time the holy Ghost came downe vnto vs. Nicephorus hath these words Theodosius imperialibus literis suis in metropoli Ephesi locorū omnium episcopos conuenire iussit sacram c. Theodosius commanded by his imperiall letters that all bishoppes should meete in the metropolitaine church of Ephesus at the day of Pentecost which wee call Whitsunday for on that day the holy ghost came vppon the Apostles He added this to his letters that no man shoulde excuse himselfe either before God or the worlde but that euerie one should be there present at the day appointed Cassiodorus hath these words Non multo post tempore iussio principis episcopos vndique Ephesum conuenire praecepit No long time after the commandement of the Emperor Theodosius charged the bishops to come from euery place to Ephesus Sigebertus hath these words Tertia synodus vniuersalis Ephesina prima ducentorum episcoporum iussu Theodosii iunioris Augusti aedita est quae Nestorium c. The third general councel the first Ephesine of 200. bishoppes was celebrated by the commandement of the emperor Theodosius the yonger which councell iustly condemned Nestorius affirming Christ to haue two persons shewing that two natures in Christ did subsist in one person The fourth conclusion The fourth generall councel of Chalcedon against Eutiches who affirmed Christ to haue but one onely nature after the hypostaticall vnion although hee granted him to haue had two before the coniunction thereof was called by the commandement of the emperour Martian in the yeare of our Lord 454. Socrates hath these words Passimque in historia imperatorum mentionem propterea fecimus quod ex illo tempore quo Christiani esse coeperunt ecclesiae negotia ex illorum nutu pendere visa sunt atque adeo maxima concilia de eorundem sententia conuocata fuerunt adhuc cōuocantur I haue therfore made mention of the emperours in euerie place of my hystory because since that time in which they became Christians the affaires of the church depended vppon their good wil and pleasures in regard whereof most famous councels were then called by their appointment and are so caled euē to this day Out of these words I note first that Socrates was a famous greeke Historiographer I note secondly that hee liued aboue 400. yeares after Christs sacred incarnation I note thirdly that the end for which he made mention of the Emperours was to declare that the chiefest matters of the church did depend on their good pleasures I note fourthly that councels were euermore appointed by authoritie of the Emperors euen to the dayes of Socrates which was 400. yeares after Christ. These obseruations well marked this Corollarie followeth of necessitie that the vsual practise of the ancient Christian Apostolike and Catholike church doth flatly ouerthrow all Poperie and late Romish abhomination Nicephorus hath these words Earum rerum gratia imperatorum literis locorum omnium episcopis conuocatis synodus Chalcedone est coacta In regard of these matters a councell was called at Chalcedon and all bishops sent for thither by force of the Emperours letters Sigebertus hath these words Instantia Leonis papae iubent imperatore Martiano congregata habita est quarta vniuersalis synodus sexcentorum triginta episcoporum apud Chalcedonem The fourth generall councel of six hundreth thirtie bishops was holden in Chalcedon by the commandement of the Emperour Martian at the request of Pope Leo. Loe the Pope could but request to command was in the Emperours power Euagrius in the second booke and second chapter of his hystorie teacheth the selfe same veritie The 5. conclusion The Emperor euermore had the chiefest place in councels which thing is an euident confirmation of the former conclusions Sozomenus hath these words Vbi autem venit praestituta dies in qua c. And when the day appointed came that they shuld decide the cōtrouersies the bishops come together into the palace as the emperor had decreed that he might consult with them of the matters And when he came to the place where the priests were he passed by to the highest roome of y e assemblie and sate downe in a chaire prepared for him and commanded al that were present in the councell to sit downe Out of these words I note first that all the bishops came at the emperors appointment to attend his maiesty at the time place by him designed I note secondly that he consulted with them for and concerning the controuersies of religion as who knew right well that the vnitie and peace of Christs church pertained to his charge I note thirdly that he had the highest place in y e councel I note 4. that bishops did not sit down vntil the Emperour commanded them so to do The famous popish archbishop and Cardinall Panormitanus hath these golden words to the great comfort of all true Christians the confusion of al papists Ipse autem Imperator repraesentat totum populū christianum cū in eum translata sit iurisdictio potestas vniuersi orbis loco ipsorū hoc ergo populorum
amongst the holy popes of Rome This was done in the yeare 900. Pope Sergius the 3. caused Formosus who now had bin dead almost ten yeares to be taken out of his tombe to be set in a chaire with pontifical attire vpon his backe that done he commāded his head to be cut off to be cast into Tyber And what offence trow ye had this Formosus done doubtlesse because Formosus had kept him from the Popedom This was done in the yeare of our Lord 907. Iohn the 10. the sonne of Sergius the third sometime bishop of Rauennas came to the popedome by violent meanes and for that respect the people shortly after deposed him Ann. 917. Pope Iohn the 12. was made pope by violent means for his father Albericus being a man of great power might enforced the nobles to take an oth that after the death of pope Agapitus they would promote his son Octauianus to the popedome Which othe was accomplished and he was named Iohn He was a great hunter and a man of licentious life He kept women openly to the notorious scandall of the church Insomuch that some of the cardinals wrote to Otto king of the Saxons to come and besiege Rome Which the pope perceiuing commāded that Cardinals nose to be cut off that gaue the counsell and his hand that wrote the letters This pope being often admonished by the Emperor and clergie and neuer giuing any signe of amendement was deposed in the presence of the Emperor and pope Leo chosen in his stead in the yere of our Lord 968. The Romains chose another pope in the time of this Leo who named himselfe Benedictus the fift for which cause when the Emperour Otto besieged Rome Benedictus was deliuered to him whom hee banished and restored Leo to the popedome This Benedictus died in Saxony the place of his exile and was buried in Hamburge But Pope Iohn delighted still with adulterie died without repentance sodainely Pope Iohn the 13. was apprehended by Peter the Prefect of the city imprisoned in Pont-Angelo and after that driuen into exile into Campania 10. monethes and eighteene dayes being expired he returned to Rome by the assistance of the emperour and auenged himself of his persecuters wherof he slew some hanged other some and banished the rest into the confines of Saxonie in the yeare of our Lord 970. Pope Benedictus the sixt after he had been pope one yere 6. monthes was strangled with wormwood in Pont-angelo in the yere of our Lord 978. Pope Bonifacius the 7. was made pope by the Romanes after they had thratled Benedictus the sixt Who afterward not able to tarry in the citie robbed S. Peters church of al the treasure in it and fled to Constantinople At length he returned to Rome with a great summe of money and when hee coulde not preuaile he pluckt out a Cardinal-deacons eies in the yeare of our Lord 980. And here note by the way that some Cardinals are deacons some priestes some bishops neuerthelesse he that is but a deacon is of greater authoritie then any bishop or archbishop whosoeuer in the popish sect Pope Syluester the second was first a monke a Frenchman borne Gilbertus by name He promised homage to the deuill so long as he did accomplish his desires Who being very ambitious did so often expresse his desire to the deuill as he made homage vnto him He was first made archbishop of Rhemes then at Rauennas at the last pope of Rome For the diuel knowing his ambitious minde brought him to honour by degrees Being made pope hee must needes know of the diuell howe long he should liue in his pontificall glory The diuell answered him so long as he did not say masse in Hierusalem The pope receiuing that answere was verie ioyfull within himself hoping to be so farre from dying as he was farre in mind from going to say masse in Hierusalem beyond the sea It chaunced that in Lent the pope said masse in the church Sanctae crucis which they call in Hierusalem my self know the place It seemeth that the pope infatuated with pride and honour had quite forgot the name While he was at masse O holy sacrifice he heard a great noise of diuels and so both remembred the place and his death to be at hand Wherefore he wept although before most wicked disclosing his offence to all the companie and nothing doubting of Gods mercie Withal he commanded to cut away from his bodie all the members with which he had done sacrifice to the diuell He was buried in Lateran church in the yeare of our Lord 1007. Pope Benedictus the 8. was seene after his death as it were corporally riding vpon a blacke horse The bishop that saw him spake thus vnto him Art not thou pope Benedict whom wee know to be lately dead I am saith hee that vnfortunate Benedict But how is it with thee father saith the bishop I am now in great torment saith the pope and therefore woulde I haue some money to be giuen to the poore because all that I gaue the poore aforetime was gotten by robbery and extortion This was done in the yeare of our Lord 1032. Pope Benedictus the 9. was depriued of his popedome one Syluester placed in his roome This Syluester was deposed and Benedictus recouered the popedome againe Yet this Benedict was cast out again and another put in his place Which other was so ignorant that he could not say masse but as one did instruct him For which cause he was put out and another placed in his roome in the yeare of our Lord 1042. Pope Clemens the second came to his popedome by violent meanes in the yeare of our Lord 1058. Pope Damasus the second inuaded the popedome and had a sodaine death in the yeare of our Lord 1060. About the yeare of our Lord 1072. one Mathildis a moste mightie and rich countesse gaue all her landes goods and possessions to S. Peter which is by interpretatiō to the pope and it is this day called S. Peters patrimonie Such oblations as these made the pope so mightie as he is Pope Anastasius the 4. made a new pallace in Sancta Maria rotunda and gaue to the Lateran church a chalice of curious works abbut the weight of twentie markes in the yeare 1162. Thus popes wickednesse mischiefe and tyrannie I finde euery where but that any one pope since Bonifacius claimed the primacie which is more then 900. yeares since made any one sermon in all his life I cannot reade I might here speake of the vanitie of Romish cardinals as that one cardinall bestoweth yerely 4000. crownes for the keeping and vpbolding of his most curious garden at Tyuola It is foureteene English miles from Rome my selfe haue seene the same Free accesse is granted to all sortes of people such is his glory to
otherwise he should be contrarie to himselfe who affirmeth it to bee sinne in many places of his works as is alreadie prooued but hee onely laboureth to perswade the reader that it is neuer imputed to the faithfull that stoutly striue against it And that this is the true meaning of S. Austen I proue it by the iudgement of S. Ambrose concerning the selfe same matter Thus doth hee write Caro contra spiritum contra carnem spiritus concupiscit â—ec inuenitur in vllo hominum tanta concordia vt legi mentis lex quae membris est insita non repugnet Propter quod ex omnium sanctorum persona accipitur quod Ioannes apostolus ait si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus nosipsos seducimus veritas in nobis non est cum tamen idem ipse dicat qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit qoniam semen ipsius in eo manet non potest peccare quoniaÌ„ ex Deo natus est Vtrumque ergo verum est quia nemo sine peccato est in eo quod nemo est fine lege peccati qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit quia per legem mentis id est per charitatem quae Dei semen est peccatum non facit Charitas enim operit multitudineÌ„ peccatoruÌ„ the flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh neither is there found in any man such concord but that the lawe of concupiscence which is ingrafted in the members fighteth against the law of the mind And for that cause Saint Iohns words are taken as spoken in the person of all saints If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs when for al that the same apostle saith He that is borne of God sinneth not because his seed abideth in him and he cannot sinne because he is of God Therfore both are true because no man is without sinne for that no man is without the law of sinne that is concupiscence and he that is borne of God sinneth not bicause he sinneth not by the law of his mind that is by charitie which is Gods seede for charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Out of these words I note first that concupiscence moueth rebellion against the spirit in the holyest man vpon earth I note secondly that this rebellion of concupiscence is sinne in euerie one because S. Iohn speaketh of sinne indeede whose words saint Ambrose applieth heere to concupiscence I note thirdly that hee speaketh of originall concupiscence because he speaketh of that concupiscence which is in the saints that is in those that are borne of God I note fourthly that the faithfull sinne not because charitie couereth their sins So then S. Austen meaneth as S. Ambrose doth that they are without sin to whom sinne is not imputed Yea Aquinas himselfe granteth which is to be admired that the inordinate motion of sensualitie euen which goeth before the deliberation of reason is sinne though in a lowe degree These are his expresse wordes Dicendum quòd illud quod homo facit sine deliberatione rationis non perfectè ipse facit quia nihil operatur ibi id quod est principale in homine vnde non est perfectè actus humanus per consequens non potestesse perfectè actus virtutis vel peccati sed aliquid imperfectum in genere horum Vnde talis motus sensualitatis rationem praeueniens est peccatum veniale quod est quiddam imperfectum in genere peccati I answere that that which man doth without the deliberation of reason he doth it not perfectly because that which is the chiefe in man worketh nothing there wherefore it is not perfectly mans act and consequently it cannot be perfectly the act of vertue or of sinne but some imperfect thing in this kinde Whereupon such a motion of sensuality preuenting reason is a venial sinne which is a certaine imperfect thing in the nature of sinne The fourth replie Concupiscence at the most is but a little venial sinne as S. Thomas Aquinas truely saith therefore it cannot bring a man to hell neither debarre him of heauen The answere I answere that euerie sin is mortall vndoubtedly as which is flatly against Gods holy commaundements For that the transgression of Gods commandements is a grieuous mortal sinne no man euer did or will denie Cursed is euery one saith the apostle that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them Againe in another place The reward or wage of sinne is death And S. Iames saith Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole lawe and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all Nowe that euerie sinne aswel great as small is against Gods holy lawe I prooue sundrie waies First because the Apostle saith that al our thoughts words and works ought to be referred to the glorie of God for most certaine it is that no sinne at al is referred to Gods glorie For no sin no not the least of al is referrible to god but is of it own nature repugnant to his glorie Secondly because wee must yeelde an account to God for euerie idle word as Christ himselfe telleth vs and yet as euerie child can perceiue God most merciful and most iust wil neuer lay that to our charge which is not against his holy law Thirdly because the apostle saith of sin generally that the punishment thereof is death Fourthly because sinne in generall is defined by the fathers to bee the transgression of Gods law which definition could not bee true if anie little sinne could stand with his commaundement Fiftly because famous popish writers as Ioannes Gerson Michael Baius Almayn and our owne Bishop of Rochester doe all freely graunt that euerie sinne is mortall of it owne nature and deserueth eternall death their words I haue alleaged in my booke of Motiues Sixtly because Durandus and Iosephus Angles to whom the Schooles of the papistes this day accord doe sharpely impugne Aquinas his doctrine in that he teacheth Venials not to be against Gods law The 7. conclusion Although good works do not iustifie yet are they pretious in Gods sight and neuer want their reward Christ himselfe prooueth this conclusion when he promiseth that not so much as a cup of colde water giuen in his name shall passe without reward And in another place hee saith That whosoeuer shall leaue house parents brethren wife or children for his sake shal receiue much more in this world and in the world to come life euerlasting And in another place Christ telleth vs that when the sonne of man commeth in his glory and al his holy angels with him then will he pronounce them blessed that haue done the works of charitie to their poore neighbours God saith S. Paul will reward euery man according to his workes The Lord rewarded me saith holy
Dauid according to my righteousnesse and according to the purenesse of mine handes he recompensed me Yea it is a thing so certaine with God to reward y e good deeds of his faithful seruants that the best liuers giue great respect thereunto Moses saith S. Paul esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then y e treasures of Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of the reward Which reward neuerthelesse proceedeth of Gods meere mercie bountifull benignitie without all desertes of man Which the great papist frier Iohn de Combis wel obserued wheÌ„ in his theological SuÌ„me he wrote in this maner Deus nos punit citra condignuÌ„ remunerat vltra condignum God punisheth vs lesse then we be worthy and rewardeth vs farre aboue our deserts The first obiection S. Iohn saith Qui facit iustitiam iustus est He that doth iustice he is iust Therefore a man becommeth iust euen by doing of good workes The answere I say first that the contrary illation is more fitly gathered out of Saint Iohns assertion albeit the papistes thinke this a bulwarke for their iustification by good works For when he saith he that doth iustice is iust it is all one as if he had said when one doth good works it is a signe that he is iust because none can do good works vnlesse hee be iust For as a tree cannot bring forth good fruit vnlesse it first be good euen so cannot any man do good works vnles he first be the child of god The reason is euident bicause the effect must folow not go before the cause For as saint Austen grauely saith Opera sequuntur iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum Works follow him that is alreadie iustified but they goe not before him that is to be iustified I say secondly that hee that doth iustice is iust by inherent iustice but imperfectly as is alreadie prooued The second obiection Saint Iames saith that a man is iustified by good works and not by faith onely and he proueth it because Abraham was iustified by offering vp his sonne Isaac The answere I say first that Abraham was iustified indeede before he did any good worke and I prooue it by Saint Paul whose words are these For if Abraham were iustified by works he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God for what saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Nowe to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes euen as Dauid declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whome God imputeth righteousnesse without works Out of these words of the apostle I note first that whosoeuer ascribeth his iustification to works can haue no ioy with God I note secondly that righteousnesse was imputed to Abraham by reason of his faith not by reason of his works I note thirdly that if Abrahams works could haue iustified him his iustification shoulde haue beene of duetie and not by fauour or grace I note fourthly that the vngodly is freely iustified by faith in Iesus Christ without works I say secondly that Abraham offered his son Isaac not to worke his iustification by that fact but to giue a testimonie of his faith and that he was already the childe of God For as S. Paule saith that obâ—ation was for the triall of Abrahams faith These are the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By faith Abraham offered vp Isaac when hee was tried or prooued for so the Greek word doth significantly expresse And Moses maketh the matter more plaine in these wordes And after these things God did proue or try Abraham where the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to make triall And y e proofe followeth in these wordes Take nowe thine only sonne Isaac whom thou louest and get thee to the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering vpon one of the mountaines which I will shew thee Out of which words with the circumstances before and after recorded in the scripture I gather that Abraham was perfitly iustified before hee offered his sonne Isaac For first God had promised to blesse all nations in his son Isaac as it is written Sara thy wife shall beare thee a son in deede and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establishe my couenaunt with him for an euerlasting couenaunt and with his seede after him Again God appointed that sonne to be slaine in whom the promise was made Thirdly the sacrifice was the only sonne of Abraham euen the sonne which he loued most tenderly Fourthly Abraham himselfe was designed to be the butcher to his owne sweet childe Fiftly it passed mans reason how all nations could be blessed in the child that was presently to be slaine All this notwithstanding Abraham neuer once doubted of Gods promise but promptly prepared himselfe to execute Gods will Whereupon I conclude that Abraham was holy and iust in Gods sight before the oblation of his sonne otherwise he could neuer haue yeelded thereunto in such maner and with such alacritie of minde as he did I say thirdly that S. Iames speaketh of iustification before men which was nothing els but the testification of Abrahams righteousnesse to the world Which exposition came from heauen to Abraham in these wordes Lay not thine hand vpon the childe neither doe any thing vnto him for now I knowe that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Out of these wordes I note first that this offering vp of Abrahams sonne was to try Abrahams faith and obedience as I said before which I gather out of these wordes for now I knowe that thou fearest God I note secondly y t it was also to make known vnto the world that great faith feare and loue which Abraham had towardes God As if God had said I knew before thy faith and loue towards me but now I haue made the same knowne vnto the world The third obiection S. Iames saith plainly that a man may keepe the law perfitly and be iustified for so doing These are the words Whosâ— looketh in the perfite law of libertie and continueth therein hee not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the work shalbe blessed in his deed The answere I say first that no man can keep the law perfitly in this life as I haue alreadie prooued copiously I say secondly y t though the regenerate doe not fulfil the law exactly yet doe they continue therein so long as they striue against sinne and suffer not sinne to raigne in them For as S. Paule saith When wee doe that which we would not it is no more we that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in vs. Whereupon S. Austen saith very finely Ecce quemadmodum qui ambulant in vijs domini non operantur peccatum tamen