reason is given by Aquinas 2. part q. 97. Art 3. Because the Law of God proceedeth from the will of God and therefore may not be altered by Custome proceeding from the will of Man 7. In that regard very well doth S. Cyprian write lib. 2. Epist 3. ad Caecilium If only Christ is to be heard we ought not to regard what any before us hath thought fit to be done but what Christ who is before all hath first done For we must not follow the Custome of Man but the truth of God And in another place Custome without truth is nothing but Antiquity of Error Idem ad Pomp. cont Epist. Steph. Papae God alone is the Law-giver of his Church Nothing must be ordained concerning the Things which belong to Religion without the Word of God 1. THe Reason of that is because God alone is the Law-giver of his Church And the onely Author of the Doctrine Concerning Faith or Belief And Religious Worship That God is the onely Authour of the Doctrine concerning Faith or Belief we prove it by the following Arguments 1. THe 1. is taken from the Nature of Faith For all the Doctrines of Faith in regard of the matter which is to be believed must have a certain infallible and undoubted Truth Now it is the property of God alone to be infallibly true of his own nature Let God be true but every man a lyar saith S. Paul Rom. 3.4 And therefore God alone is the Author of the Doctrine of Faith 2. The 2. Argument is taken from the Quality of the Articles of Faith For the proper documents and Doctrines of Faith do exceed the capacity and apprehension of the Creature And therefore they could not be revealed but onely by the Creator Such is the Doctrine of the Trinity of the Persons in the unity of an Essence Such is the Doctrine of the Eternal Birth of the Son of God Such that of the Procession of the Holy Ghost And such that of the hypostaticall union of the two Natures of Christ Divine and Humane And such are all other Articles concerning Faith properly and strictly taken which in that they are above the naturall knowledge of the Creature cannot be known by us but by the supernaturall Revelation of the Creator Of all them this of Christ may be said Flesh and Bloud hath not revealed these things unto mankind but God the Father which is in Heaven Matth. 16.17 3. The 3. Argument is taken from the reward of Faith and the punishment propounded to unbelief and infidelity Which doe manifestly argue that it belongeth to God alone to frame and prescribe to Men Articles and dogmes concerning beliefe and Faith For the reward propounded to Faith is Eternall Life Iohn 3.36 And that is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6.23 And the punishment denounced against infidelity is Eternall Death Which punishment God alone is able to inflict Christ teacheth it Matt. 10.28 in these words Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell He teacheth it also John 3.36 when he sayes that he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him 2. That God is the onely Author of the Doctrine concerning Religious Worship We prove it by the following Arguments 1. THe 1. Argument is taken from the Relation which is between God And the Church God alone in the Spiritual Government of the Soul is Soveraign Monarch Is the Housholder Is the Husband In regard of his Church This Church in regard of her Relation to God Is Called The City of God The House of Cod The Spouse of God Now who should be so Impudent As to prescribe Laws to a Foreign City Concerning her Duties to her King Or to Another Mans Family Or to Another Mans Wife Concerning the Manner Of Obeying And Rendring Service To her Master Or to her Husband 2. The 2. Argument is taken From the Reward And Punishment Annexed to the Works of Divine Worship For the Works of Divine Worship Piously observed have from the Munificence of God a Promise of Eternal Reward But being Neglected or Contemned a Commination of Eternal Death From whence it may be Gathered That God Alone who is the Lord of Life and Death Hath the Power To Ordain such Works And to Injoin Them By the Empire of a Law-giver 3. The 3. Argument is drawn from the Prohibition of God For God himself by an Expresse Law hath attributed to Himself Alone The Authority to Ordain his Service Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to do it Thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it From whence also is that of our Saviour Matth. 15.9 But in vain they do worship me Teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men 4. The 4. Argument is Because the Works of Worship depend from the Will of God who is to be Worshipped Therefore God is not Worshipped at all by those Works By which he did not declare whether he would be Worshipped or Not. But in This None can know the Will of God unlesse he doth reveal it and Injoines it For who hath known the Mind of the Lord Or who hath been his Counsellour That is Confirmed by This That all whosoever did think to Worship God with their own Invented Works Did provoke him to Anger rather than honour him Nay they are found To have worshipped the Devil Or the Idols of their own heart rather than God They went a whoring with their own Inventions Therefore was the wrath of God kindled against his People Psal 106.39 40. §. The onely Ground and Rule of Faith And Divine Worship Is the Holy Scripture 1. NO Mortal Creature can Teach Religion 2. Nor Carnal Man can attain true knowledge unlesse God Instructs Him And his Spirit lead Him to the Truth 3. The Phrophets Agree to the Truth of this Doctrine Esa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony 4. So doth Christ Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me 5. And so do the Apostles calling the Scriptures a Rule As S. Paul doth Gal. 6.16 And as many as walk according to this Rule And Philip. 3.16 Let us walk by the same Rule 6. And so do the Ancient Fathers and Doctors Sequi Divinas Literas De fide ad Reginas c. To follow this Rule saith Cyrill is the Path unto Heaven And to be led by this Canon is the way to Salvation And S. Irene Non per alios Dispositionene Salutis cognovimus By the Scriptures we Learn to be saved §. Also The Holy Scripture ought to be among us the Supream Interpreter of Scriptures And the Judge of Controversies 1. FOr Confirmation of That this Language of the Reformed is to be noted and observed How better say They would it stand with
If they Remember how Christ promised his Spouse Perpetual Preservation Hos 2.19 I will even betroth thee unto me for ever Isa 59.21 As for me This is my Covenant with Them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee And my words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not Depart out of thy Mouth Nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed Nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever And Such Like Answer to this Third Objection 1. TO what Purpose doth this Objection serve the Popish Writers Or what Argument may the Perpetuity Of Christs Universal Church afford Them against our former Assertion 2. We Believe and Confesse to the Comfort of our Souls That Christs Church hath continued And shall never fail so long as the world endureth 3. And we account it a prophane Heresie to teach that Christs Universal Church hath Perished from the Earth at any Time For this Assertion shaketh the Foundation of all Faith and Religion 4. But the Popish Writers who makes this Objection Should prove by invincible evidence of Scripture That the Catholick Universal Church of Christ is nothing Else But the Outward Succession of the Roman See If They can Prove This They should Prove their Objection Soundly And should confute our Opinion Truely 5. But it is a Thing which They cannot Doe They cannot bring us Either Texts of Scriptures or Reasons To shew that Christs Church Either is the Popes Succession Or Else dependeth upon the same See 6. For as Touching External Shew And Succession of Churches The Scriptures have foretold Apoc. 12. and 13.16 That Antichrist shall Seduce Great and Small Rich and Poor Free and Bond And that the Church shall flie into the Wildernesse And there Remain Of all which no word could be true If the Catholick Church were tied To the Popes Chaire And the Popes Chaire were the Rock That cannot be removed 7. And yet notwithstanding this General Dispersion And the Flight of the Church under Antichrist The Catholick Church shall for all That Continue 8. Although not in that outward strength And Glory In which sometimes it hath appeared And Flourished 4. Objection Of the Popish Writers Against the above Exercitations That the Now Church of Rome is Changed And is not Now what it was in the Beginning What Impudence is This say the said Writers There was never Heresie that Assaulted the Church of Rome Of which it carried not the Victory As Over the Donatists Over Jovinian Over Pelagius the Britain And over Others Answer to this Fourth Objection 1. THe Triumphs of which the Popish Writers do boast of Are no more proper to the Now or Latter Church of Rome Then the Triumphs of old Rome Over Pyrrhus Over Annibal Over Perses Over Antiochus are to be esteemed the Triumphs of Rome Now Being 2. And for the pretended Victory over Pelagius the Britain we saw that he Triumphed over the Popish Kingdome For did he not Teach That Grace was imbred in Nature And the Popish Crew of Jesuites Defendeth the same Who seeth not then Pelagius sitting in the Popish Triumphant Chariot Popery is not of the first and Primary Antiquity That is many of the present Doctrines of the Church of Rome And in what Time Errors were received in it 1. PApists are not able to produce any Record Expresse and direct testimony Canon of Council or Ecclesiastical constitution For their burning Lights in the Church at noon day before the Decree of Pope Sabinianus in the year of our Lord 605. 2. Nor for Rome to be the Head of all Churches before Pope Boniface the Third in the year 606. 3. Nor for the Invocation of Saints in their Publick Lithurgy before Boniface the Fifth in the year 618. 4. Nor for their Latine Service thrust upon all Churches before Pope Vitalian in the year 666 which is the very number of the name of the Beast 5. Nor for the Cutting of the Host into three parts and offering one part for the Souls in Purgatory before Pope Seâ—gius in the year 688. 6. Nor for setting up Images in Churches Generally and worshipping them before Pope Adrian the First and the Second Council of Nice in the year 787. 7. Nor for Canonization of Saints departed before Leo the Third about the year 800. 8. Nor for the Orall Manducation of Christs Body in the Sacrament before Pope Nicholas the Second in the year 1053. 9. Nor for the entire number of seven Sacraments before Peter Lombard in the year 1140. 10. Nor for Indulgences before Eugenius the third in the year 1145. 11. Nor for Transubstantiation of the Bread into Christs body before the Fourth Council of Lateran in the year 1215. 12. Nor for the Elevation of the Host that the People might adore it before Honorius the Third in the year 1216. 13. Nor for any Jubilee before Pope Boniface the Eighth in the yeer 1300. 14. Nor for the Carrying the Sacrament in Procession under a Canopy before Pope Vrban the Fifth In the year 1262. 15. Nor for the Day and half Communion before the Council at Constance in the year 1416. 16. Nor for the suspending the Efficacy of Sacramental Consecration upon the Priests Intention before the Council at Florence in the year 1439. 17. Nor for the Popes Superiority to General Councils before the Sixt Council at Lateran under Leo the Tenth in the year 1517. 18. Nor the vulgar Latine Translation to be held for Authentical And upon no pretended Cause whatsoever to be reiected before the fourth Session of the Council of Trent in the year 1546. 19. Nor for the Second book of the Macchabees and the Apocryphal Additions to Hester and Daniel with the History of Bell and the Dragon which S. Jerome termeth a Fable to bereceived for Canonical Scripture before the said Session in the year above named 1. Fraude 1. These be the Principles and Grounds of Faith and Worship that the Church of Rome doth Produce 1. Scriptures 2. Traditions of the Apostles 3. The Catholick Church 4. General Councils 5. The Ancient Fathers 6. The Pope which she calls the Supream Pastour of the Church 2. These be the Fraudes of the Church of Rome Concerning all the Principles and Rules above Produced The 1. of those Fraudes is That the Church of Rome careth indeed for none of Them but for the last which is The Determination of her Pope 1. THe Scripture must not be Scripture in any other Sense then as the Pope will Expound So that the Scripture being the Meaning of the Scripture And the Meaing of the Scripture being the Popes Exposition Hereof it followeth That the Scripture is nothing else but the Popes Interpretation 2. So Likewise In Traditions In Doctors In Councils In Churches If any Thing Dissent from the Popes understanding and Determination It is Rejected Abolished Condemned 3. And Finally all Faith all Religion all Divinity of the Church of Rome is only the Popes Sacred will and pleasure
his sinnes punishment and death everlasting and cannot avoid the same if God will render to his works the reward that of due belongeth unto them 3. And therefore casting away all trust in his works will ask pardon and mercy not claim any debt or due reward of the Lord. 4. So though in their life time many of such Doctors be obstinately bent and have in their mouth nothing so much as good works Merits Reward Due Debt Recompence for their well doing Yet the time drawing neer when they must hold up their Hands at the Bar of the Lords Judgment Seat and there must make answer for themselves and their works must be tried by the Law of God They give over their former confidence They have no joy in themselves yea they distrust their own works They tremble and quake inwardly They are in fearful heavinesse and perplexity of mind They know not whither to turn themselves 5. And if God give such grace unto them that they see and forsake their Error of deserving Heaven then they confesse they are sinners and therefore guilty of Death 6. And then learn that Lesson in their end which afore in their life time they would not understand The Burden of Ceremonies which are now laid upon the Members of the Roman Church Is an Intolerable Burden 1. 1. SOme of the Fathers after the 300 years that they might more easily draw the Gentiles to Christianism did Tolerate and Admit with an alteration of the end and manner some Ceremonies of the Gentiles in Chiristian Religion 2. Wherein no doubt their intention was godly to wit 1. To use their Christian libertie in matters Adiaphorous and not Morallie evil according to the Apostles rule Tit. 1. v. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure Rom. 14. v. 14. There is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is so 2. And to amove a present offence and occasion which hindred Gentiles from receiving the Christian faith to wit the difference of outward Ceremonies and Customes 2. But in succeeding Ages when the Gentiles were converted and when the Church needed not further to accommodate it self to the weakness of the Heathen And that things at first admitted by way of toleration should rather have now been removed and worn out Superstitious persons contrary to this make daily addition and increase borrowing more and more from the superstition of Jews and of Gentiles until at length they overwhelmed Christianity with an intolerable burthen of ceremonies 3. 1. Making the easie yoak of Christs Gospel heavier then the state of Jews and of Gentiles 2. And by this means they obscured Gods truth and only made people ceremonious whereas they should have been made pious Of the false Worship of the Church of Rome 1. IN the Church of Rome there is a Religious worship and the devotion of many members of the same doth eat up their time and their estates too 2. But the Divine worship of the Church of Rome is not a true but a false worship 3. For the Papists devotion is not emploied and exercised in the true worship of God according to his word but according to mans will and invention 4. That is to say in praying to Saints In worshipping Images In suffrages for the dead In seeing Masses And adoring the Hoste And telling out a set number of Pater Nosters and of Ave Maries upon hallowed Beads In making superstitious Vows And going to Pilgrimage And abstaining from certain Meats And wearing Hair-cloth And whipping themselves And creeping on all four to a Crucifix and the like 5. Of all which we demand as God doth of the Jews by the Prophet Esay chap. 1. v. 12. Who required these things The Church of Rome is guilty of abominable Idolatry And in what it doth consist 1. VVHatsoever Church attributeth Divine honour to a creature is guilty of abominable Idolatry But the Church of Rome attributeth Divine honour to divers creatures as appeareth in the instances following 1. Do they not devote themselves dedicate Temples consecrate Altars appoint Offices make daily Prayers vow Pilgrimages and present Offerings to the blessed Virgin and do all such outward Acts us properly appertain to Latria Is not this to equalize her with her Son The same is also true in regard of the other Saints 2. Do they not make an Idol of the Cross of Christ when they profess that they worship it Cultu Latriae Gretser the Jesuit in his Book of the Cross saith we affirm according to the more common and received opinion in the Schools That the Cross of Christ is to be worshipped with Latry that is Divine worship 3. Do they not make an Idol of the Sacramental bread or the Host as they call it to which they pray and confess before which they fall down when it is carried in solemn Procession on Corpus Christi day 4. Lastly do they not make Idols of their Images and of the Relicks of Saints before which they burn Incense and bow down when they pray directing their prayers towards them and fastening their eyes on them 2. This Conclusion then justly and Rightly follows That the Church of Rome is guilty of Abominable Idolatry The Church of Rome is guilty of Idolatry IN six things the Church of Rome doth commit Idolatry 1. In worshipping the Host which the Priest holds and calling God that which is not God 2. In attributing to Saints the honour which belongeth onely to God 1. Praying to them 2. Calling them Mediators 3. Asking salvation of God by their merits 4. Believing that they know the hearts and thoughts of men 3. Particularly in calling the Virgin Mary Inventrix of Grace The Queen of Heaven The Lady of the World For Kingdome and Empire over all creatures belongeth onely to God 4. In the adoration and worship of Images 5. In the adoration of the Cross 6. In the adoration and worship of Bones of Rags and other relicks of the dead 1. The Papists do commit many things which the Heathen Idolaters did do and so are like unto them in those regards 2. In particular they put the Saints in the place of the Gods and Goddesses of the Pagans THough we forbear to fasten the name of Heathenish Idolaters upon Papists yet surely they do the same things as they did 1. The Heathen carried their Gods of Gold and Silver upon their shoulders Baruch 6.4 So do the Papists bear out their images and relicks inclosed in chasses of gold and silver in their solemn Processions on high dayes 2. The Heathen decked their images as if they were men and women with apparel and who knoweth not that Papists put costly apparel on their images Almost every Saint among them hath his Holy-day and his Working-day suit 3. The Heathen lighted Candles before their images though the image seeth not one of them And do not the Papists set Tapers before theirs 4. The faces of the Heathen Idols were blacked with smoak