glorifie him Thus farre Ferus Wherein he doth teach vs manie notable lessons First not to giue to Saints those things which belong to God Secondly that we maie honor the Saints too much which some I thinke at this daie do not beléeue Thirdly what is the minde of all Saints they cannot abide that they should be extolled for any of Gods gifts Fourthly that they are but Gods instruments and do nothing by their owne power as hath been taught and beleeued most commonly in the darknesse of Poperie when as men went a pilgrimage and offered to them as if they of their own power could helpe them Fiftly let all men in all wonderfull works acknowledge God the chiefe workman and giue him all the glorie and praise and magnifie him in his Saints as the first Christians did in Paul they did not magnifie Paul Gal. 1.24 Neither that they make anie of them equall with God The same Ferus manifestly refutes that same obiection which the Papists make commonly for their pictures and images of God Fer. in 2. Act. God say they hath appeared often times in many formes and shapes and why may we not then paint him according to that forme he appeared in Here first besides that this their picturing of God is manifestly against the second commandement and against the doctrine of the prophet Esay where God as it were euen reasons with these idolaters Esay 40.18 and saith To whom will ye liken me c. Ferus yéelds another reason of these appearances of God God saith he in himselfe is inuisible yet we reade that he hath oftentimes appeared And all such his appearances are for the most part as the matters required for the which hee appeared So Esay saw God sitting as a iudge for the iudgement of Israel was at hand He appeared to Moses in a bush burning and not consuming For then such like was the state of the people of Israel in Egypt for they were in the fire of aduersitie and were not consumed Also he shewed himselfe to the eies of man at the giuing of the law in thunder lightning cloud and an earthquake to declare that that law should be a fearfull lawe and should cause wrath So the Angell hauing a sword drawne in his hand shewed himselfe to Iosuah now ready to fight whereby he declared that he would fight against the enemies of the Iewes So to Zacharie Angels appeared like horsemen for it was a time of feare and trembling for the inuasions of the Persians So the holy Ghost was seene vpon Christ in the shape of a Doue that he might declare that singular and rare innocencie puritie and mildnesse which was in Christ For a Doue is a gentle simple and plaine creature without any gall So in the transfiguration of our Lord which is a type of the resurrection the holy Gost appeared in a bright cloud that he might declare that at the last resurrection shall want no comfort not glorie Here also the holy Ghost appeared in toongs and fire for the state of the matter then euen so required it The Apostles stood need of toongs but both of firie and heauenly toongs So Ferus giues these reasons of these apparitions and not that we should by them make images of all these things Ferus also concerning images quite dissents from M. Bellarmine Bellar. de imag lib. 2. cap. 12. M. Bellarmine writes thus We with the Church affirme that the images of Christ and the Saints are to be honoured if so be that as it is declared in the councell of Trent Sess 25. we put no trust in the images neither that we aske any thing of them neither that we thinke that there is any diuinitie in them And againe answering after the obiection of the golden calfe which the Israelites made he answeres Cap. 13. that the Israelites thought verily that they had receiued their deliuerance out of Egypt not of the God of Moses but of Apis the god of the Egyptians which they had seene in Egypt worshipped of the Egyptians and therefore to him they made the image of a calfe But Ferus is of another and better iudgement vpon these words Make vs Gods c. he writes thus Fer. in 7. c. Act. He shewes that they were not only rebellious against Moses but also against God By gods here they meane saith he some worship of God by which they might purchase his helpe For they were not so blockish that they beleeued that Aaron could make them a god And this prooues that which Aaron said Tomorrow is the holy day vnto the Lord therfore they worshipped the true God with this worship The which thing is euident also by their owne words These are the gods c. For they knew well enough that that calfe was not then when they came out of Egypt therefore no worship whatsoeuer pleaseth God which he himselfe hath not appointed Therfore they sinned herein two waies First in that they made an image against the first commandement of God Secondly in that they worshipped him with a worship deuised of themselues The true worship of God is in spirit and truth He worships God which beleeues in him trusts in him loues him feares him praiseth him and obeyeth him This worship is to be preferred aboue all others nor any other are auailable without this Images are therefore tolerated and borne withall in the Church that they may put vs in minde not that they should be worshipped otherwise they cannot at all be excused Here Ferus quite dissents from M. Bellarmine First he plainly affirmes that the Israelites as we doe teach did worship the true God vnder the image of the golden calfe and not Apis the God of the Egyptians as M. Bellarmine affirmeth Secondly that images are not to be worshipped at all And that their worship cannot be defended and yet M. Bellarmine goeth about to defend it Thirdly he teacheth that no worshippe whatsoeuer can please God which God himselfe hath not ordained Contrarie also to M. Bellarmines exposition Bell. de Imag. lib. 2 cap. 4. who expounds that place of the second to the Colossians thus I say secondly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntarie worship doth not signifie any voluntarie worship whatsoeuer not commanded of God or deuised of man but onely superstitious worship as our interpreter hath rightly translated it or false religion as S. Ierom expounds it in his Epistles in his tenth question to Algasia Therfore saith he Caluin must prooue the worship of reliques to be superstitious or false if he will haue it reprooued here of Paul Thus farre M. Bellarmine He affirmes that some worship of God deuised of man or besides that which God hath commanded so that it be not superstitious maie please God But Ferus plainly condemnes all worships of God whatsoeuer besides those which he hath appointed himselfe And to this purpose he writes thus after vpon these words Fer in 7. Act. Ye haue
taken the Tabernacle Moloch saith he was an Idol of the Ammonites The Iewes oftentimes desired to serue God with strange worships So they yeelded vnto the true God the worshippe wherewith Moloch was worshipped of the Ammonites in the meane while omitting that which he had commanded So Ieroboam appointed calues as though that had bin a more acceptable worship to God then that which Moses had prescribed so Achaz in the Temple placed an altar like that which he had seene at Damascus so Achab besides Ieroboams calues brought in the worship of Baal In that thing therefore wherein they thought greatly to please God they greatly offended him Therefore in the sacrifices of God a good meaning as they say is not sufficient vnlesse it agree with the word of God Ferus herein teacheth vs two things first that vnder the worship of Baal the Iewes worshipped the true God And to this his exposition séemes to agrée that place of Osea Osea 2.16 At that day saith the Lord thou shalt call me Ishi and shalt call me no more Baali And that spéech of Rabsake 2 king 18.22 But if you say vnto me we trust in the Lord our God Is not that he whose hie places and whose altars Ezechias hath taken away and hath said to Iudah and Ierusalem ye shall worship before this altar at Ierusalem Secondlie that all worship be it neuer so austere and sharpe in pinching themselues as was Baals or so costly of gold and siluer as was Ieroboams calues or so stately in building as was the high places which no doubt of their statelinesse tooke their name can please God if it bee not commaunded in his word and by himselfe ordained And after Ferus declares vnto vs the greatest thing that the Diuell takes pleasure in and what he labours most about I would to God all Catholickes would marke his lesson and not further the diuell in his worke Behold saith he the diuell hath euer gone about and goes about yet that the glorie of God omnipotent may be yeelded to creatures As on the contrarie Fer. in ca. 8. act the holy Ghost counsels vs to giue all glorie to God Of Idolatrie and what it is the same Ferus writes thus As God abhorres no other sin more then Idolatrie In cap. 17. act so thou shalt find the saints of God to haue beene moued to anger with no sin more then with Idolatrie Moses is a witnes hereof who for this sinne brake the tables written with Gods owne finger Helias is a witnes hereof who for this sinne slew many hundreds of the sacrificers Iosias also and Matathias is a witnes hereof who slue Antiochus seruant compelling the Iewes to Idolatrie so also Phinees c. For a godly man cannot patiently endure and see the contempt of God And surely he that can behold and endure this hath no religion in him So Paul was greatly moued when as he saw the citie most famous for learning and religion to be wonderfully giuen to Idolatrie Paul had trauelled thorow many cities yet it is reported of none of them that they were altogether giuen to Idolatrie but of Athens where learned men were So the olde prouerbe was verified The more learned the more wicked So amongst all the Iewes the inhabitants of Ierusalē were the worst So is it also now amongst vs. And after he sheweth what is Idolatrie thus Ye men of Athens It may be gathered out of the text that the Athenians were studious of Gods honour for so it is said before that Paul saw the citie giuen to Idols And after that they erected altars to vnknowen gods But Paul cals this worship not religion but superstition Then he proues that they are not to be called Gods which dwell in temples made with hands and stand need to be helped of others Religion is one thing and superstition is another yet many thinke it comes to passe that they which seeme religious to themselues before God are accounted nothing but superstitious To the vnknowne God This was the title To the Gods of Asia Europe and Africa straunge and vnknowne Gods Paul amends this title putting in the singuler number for that which they put in the plurall And he applies that title to the one true God who truly is the God of Asia Europe and Africa of all the earth but to that day vnknowen to the nations The which you ignorantly worshippe This is most truly said For the Apostle did not preach anie new God that which the Gentiles thought but they shewed the same God which al the Gentiles worshipped not knowing him for although they erected Images to themselues yet their mind was to worship the true God Here we may learne what a horrible sinne Idolatrie is Men account it as nothing but of all sinnes it is most grieuous And let vs take héed that we incurre it not againe now by sathans perswasions with the olde Paganes They worshipped in their hearts the true God to whom they made their images But that was Idolatrie saith Ferus And shall we commit the like The grieuousnes of the sinne should make vs verie carefull least by anie meanes we should come neere it And of that foolish pitie which mooues many simple mens hearts when they sée great buildings pulled downe or golden images defaced Fer. in 19. ca. act Ferus writes thus They which practised curious arts came and burned their bookes True charitie respects not the price nor losse of anie thing when she seeth that it is contrarie to Gods commaundements So Ezechias and Iosias destroyed the Altars and Temples although they were builded with great cost Againe a little after he writes thus For the ouerthrowing of Idolatrie of all other things the Apostles most suffered persecution Diana was the Moone which the Ephesians worshipped for her speciall influence which she hath towards these earthlie things The Temple of Diana the Goddesse of the Ephesians was 220. yeeres in building of all Asia It was 425. foot in length 220. in breadth It had 127. pillars in it euerie one of them built of a king threescore foot in height whereof 36. were engrauen To conclude this Temple was built in a marrish ground that it should not fal with earthquakes Here I beséech you mark how vngodlines spares no expēces costs in an euil superstitious matter whē as she is most niggardly to giue any thing to a good worke there are very many so superstitious amongst vs. That famous Church being so long in building built with such great cost Paul pulled down in two yéers by the word of the gospell Therfore great is the glorie force of the gospell Fer. in act 28. And againe vpon these words They said he was a God They said this of the vanitie of the Gentiles of their false opinion they had concerning the Gods The world can keepe no meane for it either ouermuch despiseth a man or else it attributeth too much vnto him But
faithfull Deborah a Princesse a great ladie in Israell Daniel and Elias great Prophets and yet by this their simplicities their dignities were not impaired We erre greatlie we thinke now adaies that honour estimation worship consists in outward things in apparel in houses such like no no it consists in the vertues of the minde as euen the verie Philosophers could teach Adam was more honourable in his leather coate then Diues in his purple and fine linnen Abraham in his tent then Ahab in his Iuorie house good king Iosiah in his simple pallace and little windowes Ier. 22.14.15 then his proude and couetous sonne Iechonias in his sieled parlours and great windowes Daniel with his pulse then Balthasar with his costlie banquet Dan. 5.1 Let vs euer remember our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ how that he made no accompt of his estate to profit vs Naie let vs remember what he did how he washed his Apostles feete and he commanded vs to do the like that is to do anie thing that we are possibly able for our brethren For this his most humble seruice containes in it all dueties and seruices whatsoeuer euen as the greater measure containes the lesser the quart the pinte But doe wee at this daie wash our brethrens feete Naie wee thrust them ouer the shooes as they saie naie ouer the eares into great sorrowes and cares by our excessiue rents and paiments to maintaine our pride so that as Dauid complaines Psal 69. the waters enter euen now into their soules Let vs remember also that same rich man who neglecting his brother was clothed in Purple and fine linnen and fared delicatelie euerie daie but when hee died hee went to hell for his labour It is an old saying and a true Happie is hee whome other mens harmes doe make to beware let vs beware least that if we follow his steppes in our life wee doe not lodge with him at our deathes That same Meditation of Granatensis is worth the marking Med. lib. 3. Med. 1. O man saieth he made of clay why art thou proude Why art thou arrogant O dust why delightest thou in praise O ashes whose conception is sinne birthe a punishment life a continuall toile and death an extreame necessitie why doest thou so daintily nourish thy bodie Why doest thou clothe it with such costly garments which within a while shall bee deuoured of wormes in the graue Why doest thou not rather adorne and make trimme thy soule with good works which shall be presented before the maiesty of God in heauen by the hands of Angels Why doest thou make so light accompt of thy soule and set so much by thy bodie O great shame and all thinges quite out of order The soule which ought to beare rule is seruant to the flesh and the flesh which ought to be the seruant she is the Mistresse Why doest thou suffer that the mistresse should become the seruant and that the seruaunt should take vpon hir the authority of the mistresse Doest thou not knowe that the flesh is a priuy enemy to the soule who vnder a faire shew of friendship is more cruelly set against thee then the cruellest enimy thou hast in the worlde when thou cherishest and makes much of her thou settest vp an enemy against thy selfe when thou pampers and adornes her thou armest thine enemie to cutte thine owne throate when thou clothest hir with costly garmentes and outlandish furres thou spoilest thy soule of all heauenly ornaments Thus farre Granatensis I would to God these Meditations could sinke into our hearts Thirdlie we maie learne heere to praie dailie Reioice in the Lord alwaies saieth the Apostle pray continually 1. Thes 5.16.17.18 and in all thinges giue God thanks We must euerie daie not forget to saie Giue vs this daie our daily bread naie we must with Dauid and Daniel euen pray thrise a daie if wée will be good schollers in the Lordes schoole Psal 55.17 Dan. 6.10 In the Morning and in the Euening and at mid day I will pray and that instantly saieth Dauid and thou shalt heare my voice and Daniel his window being open towards Ierusalem he kneeled on his knees three times a day and prayed and praised his God as he did afore time Oh holie custome manie are verie precise they will kéepe their olde customes they will doe as they haue beene woont to doe but I would to God they would learne here this good custome of Daniel and that they woulde praie thrise a daie and that they would learne that good custome also to knéele when they praie which custome now verie manie haue forgotten Wee must praie Giue vs this day our daily bread we are taught hereby also not to be ouer couetous of these worldlie goods Wée must not be like that other rich man Luke 12.16 who made him greater barnes and said to his soule now soule be at rest thou hast laid vp for thee in store for manie yeares Manie at this daie draw nigh to this couetous rich man by their ouermuch prouidence and worldy carefulnesse for themselues and their children They néede not saie Giue vs this daie our daily bread they haue laide vp in store for manie yéres as this couetous rich worldling had They are so carefull for their children that they will leaue nothing to doe for them Eral apophth Alexander being a youth when as he heard that Philip his father had conquered many countries and cities wept And being demanded why he did so seeing that all should be his hee answered that his father would leaue nothing for him to doe This mind was in him beeing a child that hee would doe some thing himselfe I would to God it were now the mindes of some fathers that they would leaue some thing also for their sonnes to doe that they would trie them how they would vse the talent God had bestowed vpon them that they would leaue God some thing to doe for them also God will not haue his so couetous so carefull hee will haue them alwaies depend of him hee will haue them be beholden to him And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. By this wee are taught to bee readie to forgiue the trespasses of our brethren doone to vs. Euerie daie wee offend God hainouslie and if wee will not forgiue our brethren which in small trifles offend against vs but be seuere in punishing and reuenging them how can wée hope for pardon our selues at Gods handes of our so manie and so grieuous sinnes Especially séeing our Sauiour hath not onelie with our owne mouthes made vs say thus that if we should not do so our owne mouthes might as it were condemne vs but also after this prayer hee onelie repeates this againe of all the other petitions as a lesson as should séem that greatly concerned vs and that many would hardlie learne Matth. 6.14 For if you do forgiue men their trespasses saith he your
to haue reuenged the griefe of his brotherly pity The purpose of a godly mind lookes for no reward but so hir reward hath the conscience of a good worke and the effecting and bringing to passe of a good deed Base minds are pricked forward with promises and are encouraged with the hope of wages but the good soule which takes vpon hir the battell without the obligation of Gods answere reapes to hir self double fruit of praise that she may lay vp in treasure both the grace of most valiant courage and also of most perfect deuotion Thus must all Abrahams Children doe all their workes euen venture their liues not respecting wages but of a free heart with their father Abraham And of God Ambrose after writes thus And also the iustice of God is herein cōmended who rewards godly minds not by the necessity of his promise but through the consideration of his equity thinking it worthy that they which warre without any reward of man should haue a reward laid vp in store in his goodnes for whose sake they haue ventured their soules c. Gods mercie is aboue his promises naie his mercie is aboue all his works Hée will most assuredlie reward all his Againe Ambrose speaking of the vse of the law writes thus But also the law yeelds me this commodity that we are not iustified of the works of the law Amb. de Iacob beat vit ca. 6 therefore I haue no cause why I should glory in my works I haue no cause why I should boast of my selfe and therefore I will glory in Christ I will not reioice in that I am iust but I will reioice in that I am redeemed I will not reioice that I am void of sinne but because that my sinnes are forgiuen mee I wil not reioyce because I haue doon God any seruice or that any other hath doone any thing for me but because Christ is become my Aduocate with the Father because Christs bloud is shedde for me My fault is now become to me the wages of my redemption by the meanes thereof I obtaine Christ For my sake Christ tasted death my fault profited me more then my innocency my innocency made me arrogant my fault made me humble Here thou maist see wherein the law profited thee c. Granatensis of workes and merites writes thus The second steppe to humility is if a man know that that which he hath from God if so bee that hee haue any thing hee hath not obtained it by his owne strength but by the meere grace and mercy of God Gran. de perfect amor dei cap. 16. that he hath receiued it There are found some that beeing well grounded on the first step confesse that all which they haue comes from God yet notwithstanding they nourish in their breasts a secret perswasion that they haue gotten all that they haue to themselues by their owne labour and merites or deserts when as it is most certaine that the merites themselues as well as that which is obtained by the merites to be the graces of God vvhen as we cannot haue a thought or one good desire that is not of God Furthermore also our works haue not the value and merite they haue of themselues but of the grace of God by which they are doone For euen as the value of any coine is not of the substance of the coine but especially of the Image and inscription that it hath so the merit of our workes doeth not so much proceede of the substance of the worke as of the grace of God which giues value to them And therfore as often as by them any grace is giuen vnto vs euen one grace is giuen for another euen as if a friend should giue thee a hundreth pieces of gold and for them afterwards should giue thee a horse Here were both a selling and a giuing gaine and grace Grace because thy friend gaue thee gaine because vvith the mony that he gaue thee thou boughtest the horse of him The Prophet doth couertly teach vs both these when hee saith Come and buy without money and without any exchange Wine and Milke That is meat and drinke both for the beginners and for those that are perfect In which words when as he biddes vs buy he declares our industry but when as he excludes Siluer and all exchange he shewes grace All this therefore declares that man hath nothing in himselfe whereof he may glory thinking that which he hath comes of himselfe yea rather he ought to thinke that he hath of himselfe infinite sinnes for which he deserues so many hels And that all things else whatsoeuer they are come from aboue from the Father of light and are bestowed on vs of grace when as merite it selfe is grace Thus far Granatensis who plainlie affirmes that all our merites are grace And surelie our wages that the best of vs is to looke for if wee bee worthie of anie is like the wages they receiued that came into the Vineyard at the eleuenth houre of the daie a wages also of grace and not of desert or merit But Granatensis goeth forward To this the fourth steppe is to be added for it is not sufficient that a man acknowledge himselfe poore and destitute of all good things but also it is necessary that he acknowledge how truly hee abounds with many euilles that is how greatly he loues himselfe and his owne will and stands in his owne conceit how liuely are all his euill affections and how perfect are all his wicked motions how inconstant he is in good purposes how lauish in his tongue howe carelesse in keeping of his heart what a louer he is of his owne profit and of the desires of his owne pleasures To know these things is the best knowledge in the world and also most profitable For other knowledges as the Apostle sayeth puffe vs vp but this onely makes vs humble And it is also true that to the obtaining of this knowledge our owne exercise onely sufficeth not but wee stand need also of the light of heauen that the mist of our owne selfe-loue do not blindfold vs which is a very blind iudge And for this cause euery Christian ought to aske of God this light and that as earnestly as Saint Frances did who very often in his prayers repeated these words O my God that I may know thee and that I may knowe me Neither is it sufficient for him that he account himselfe such a poore and grieuous sinner but let him imagine that he is the greatest sinner in the world and the most vile of al sinners And this is a degree higher then the former for as a certain doctor saith It shal hurt thee nothing to cast downe thy selfe at the feet of all men but it may hurt thee if thou preferre thy selfe before any one c. Thus Granatensis would haue euerie Christian humble himselfe And is not this the verie doctrine our Church teacheth Granatensis also of our sinnes and the satisfaction
be vnder his kingdom And sée how euidentlie in these fewe wordes hee describes this kingdome of Antichrist first It shal be nothing else but an abomination Secondly it shall make a desolation of true faith and religion Thirdly it shall sitte in the Church This abomination shall rest in the hearts of men that externally they shall séeme the temples of God but inwardly in stead of Christ an Idoll shall sit That is this abomination shall polish it selfe with a faire shew that it shall be able to beguile the saints vnlesse they were by Gods power preserued What can be more manifestlie sayde then this that there shal be in the Church of Christ such an abomination that shall quite ouerthrow all true religion and shall polish it selfe with a great shew of holines Doth not this plainly paint out poperie who will venter the health of his soule vpon the name of the Church wherein his abomination shall rest and that with such a great shew of holines But he goes forward When you shall see the abomination that is when that sonne of perdition shall make himselfe manifest For he shal bee made manifest Although his kingdome begun by and by in the Apostles time as Paul saith Now the mysterie of iniquitie worketh And Iohn saith Now there are many Antichristes yea euen as Christs kingdome began from that iust Abell so the kingdome of Antichrist from that wicked Caine yet in the end of the world that impietie shall manifestly discouer it selfe and of this Christ here puts vs in minde And Christ hath added He that readeth let him vnderstand By which word he giues vs to vnderstād that that abomination apostasie shall creepe in so secretly that none vnlesse he be verie attētiue watchfull shal be able to perceiue the same The which is most worthie of marking otherwise the same thing shall happen to vs with Antichrist as befell to the Iewes with the true Christ for they onely looked for in Christ promised an earthlie kingdome worldlie iurisdiction and peace This they gaped after and do as yet gape for In the meane while they knew not Christ being present amōg thē yea they cōdemned him as a wicked man to death who if they had cōpared Christs doctrine miracles to the scriptures might easilie haue knowne him So it falles out for the most part with vs we marke onely those thinges which are externally spokē of Antichrist which as long as we see not we liue carelesse And in the mean time no mā marks that this abomination in many things is fulfilled dayly which one shall easilie perceiue that compareth Christs doctrine to our times Marke therefore that as Christ came first secretly so that he was knowne but of a few neither did it appeare who he was before that he had ouercome the Diuell and Death but these being ouercome when as he raigned then at last he appeared to the world by the preaching of the Apostles All power saith hee is giuen to mee goe yee therefore and teach c. So the kingdome of Antichrist enters in secretly neyther shall it be perceiued till he hath gotten possession of the temple and then shall Antichrist himselfe appeare To conclude if Christ at the first had shewed who he had been all men would haue receiued him So the Deuill if in the beginning hee should haue shewed his wickednesse manifestly all would haue fled from him Againe as Christs kingdome began before hee appeared in the flesh for all the elect from Abel euen to the worlds ende belong to the kingdome of Christ and are one bodie with him So Antichrists kingdome began before he appeared himselfe as S. Paul saith the mysterie of iniquity worketh which shal be reueiled in his time yea all the wicked from Cain euen to the last of them doe belong to the kingdome of Antichrist are one bodie with him Let euery bodie nowe consider himselfe and search the Temple of his hart least peraduēture he find any thing of Antichrists kingdom abomination that is of Idolatrie in himselfe Which that thou maist the better doe Take with thee the first commaundement wherein wee are taught to haue but one God If thou findest any thing in thy selfe wherein thou trustest besides God whether it be any externall thing as to trust in thine owne righteousnes and merits now thou hast that abomination in thy heart and that true Antichrist For Christ teacheth contrarie thinges If thou hearest or seest any thing in the Church which is repugnant to the doctrine of Christ to his life that truly belonges to the kingdome of Antichrist for this is a true saying He that is not with me is against me Thus farre Ferus And secondlie here we may not that Antichrist shall come in closelie and priuilie that he shall possesse the temple that is the heart of man and that the onelie way to discouer him is by the scriptures that all doctrines contrarye to them are Antichristian And that this is a principall braunch of antichristian doctrine to taste of one for all to trust in our owne merits or righteousnes And is not this most euidentlie to affirme that the Church of Rome is the seate of Antichrist who hath taught and doth teach this doctrine Againe vpon these wordes Behold here is Christ or there Ferus writes thus Doe the false prophets preach Christ yea verelie for to preach Christ is to preach righteousnes sanctification forgiuenes of sinnes and redemption For Christ is become al these thinges vnto vs. And these thinges the false Prophets preach how we may obtaine righteousnes and redemption But they teach not that we must looke for and seeke these thinges onely from Christ and onely by Christ Yea they neglecting Christ doe teach to seeke for righteousnes and forgiuenes of sinnes in other thinges Behold say they here or there is Christ which in deede is to seduce and leade out of the way For these thinges are founde no where else but in Christ There is no other name vnder heauen by which wee must be saued Thus farre Ferus If this be true then let all the world iudge who be false prophets whether the Papists or wee who teach all men to trust onelie in Christ and by his meanes onely to séeke for all good thinges at Gods handes when as they teach men to trust in their owne works and to hope for remission of sinnes by the merits of their friers which things onlie are to bee founde in Christ saith Ferus and in nothing else This doctrine Ferus taught we teach But the latter edition of Ferus printed at Rome hath thus corrupted Ferus To preach Christ is to preach righteousnes sanctification remissiō of sinnes redemptiō for Christ is become all these thinges vnto vs. These thinges also the false prophets preach how we shall obtaine righteousnes and redemption but they teach not vs to obtaine these things by Christ his sacramēts and following his steps yea they
he did manie things very stately who in the end vanished away verie miserably And he gaue an example to all Prelates not to be high minded but being rather a patterne to their flocke that they would desire rather to be loued of their subiects then to be feared of them This is he of whom it is said that he entred as a Fox liued as a Lion and died as a Dog But not to make many words concerning this matter which hath beene so largely and learnedly handled of others I will but note the generall complaint which that author makes about that time Fascic temp Anno Christi 874. wherein the Popes began to climbe vp into their chaire of pride and into Antichrists seat Charitie saith he waxed verie cold about these times in all degrees and heresies for the most part now ceased But ambition couetousnes other vices being now set at liberty persecuted the Christian saith more then anie heresie Then Adrianus tertius decreede that the Emperor should in no wise meddle with the election of the Pope 884. Héere we may sée how Sathan after persecutions were ended persecuted the Church a fresh with pride and ambition And here the Popes pride began to sprout and shew it selfe A little after the same Author writes thus Oh good Lord how is the gold waxen dimme the glittering gold now is chaunged what offences do we read to haue chaunced about this time euen in the holy sea Apostolike which hitherto thou hast preserued with so great zeale What contentions and emulations sects enuies ambitions intrusions persecutions Oh wicked time wherein there was not one godlly man left and truth was decaied from among the sonnes of men But after these times there were some holy popes but not so in order nor so many as in the former times And a little after These eight Bishops following one after another 904. did sit but a short time I can say nothing worthie of commendation of them For I found nothing but scandalous things of them for the strange contentions which were in the sea Apostolike one against another and all of them euerie one against another c. These were not Pine trées but elder trees sauoring not pleasantly euen as we may sée in the noses of their friends But to come neerer to our daies since their pride began such hath been also their manners Paulus Iouius writes thus Tom. 1. lib. 1. Hist sin temp The people of Rome being deuided into two parts followed either the Colummans or the Vrsines The Sabellians mightie both for the antiquitie of their family and for the multitude of their petigree and valiant youths tooke the Colummans part and the Grapessians being Earles both for nobilitie and power as good as they tooke the Vrsines part On the Vrsine faction were famous then who became afterward both at home and abroad notable souldiers Verginius and Nicholas Vrsinus on the Columman faction Prosper and Fabritius were famous and Iacobus Comes Antonellusque Sabellus The Bishops of Rome as either the times or warres gaue occasions were euer enemies and against the wealthy powers of both these and they neuer studied for any thing more then to maintaine the one faction and to nourish their quarels that when both their powers were consumed with mutuall slaughters and domages they themselues hauing also extinguished the remainders of them might enioy their townes neere vnto the Citie This Iouius reports of the Bishoppes of Rome Here are peaceable and not couetous prelates as they would make the world beleeue that they are whom one of their owne friends reports that they maintaine a faction in Rome to the end to obtaine their townes and lordships when as they had one killed another by their meanes And after he writes The Romans also either mindfull of their olde worship and auncient libertie or els as they are troublesome and fierce of nature cannot with quiet minds endure the rule of Priests meaning the Popes because many of them rule not with moderation but couetously He confesseth that Popes are couetous And againe writing of Alexander the sixt he writes thus At this time Alexander the sixt was Pope a Spaniard Tom. 1. lib. 1. Histor who before was called Rodericus Burgia who being of a prowd nature and therefore both craftie and liberall hauing manifestly corrupted some of the chiefe Cardinals at the time of the election with briberie when as the better sort which would haue chosen the most worthy had taken the repulse gat to be Pope Thus we maie sée how euen latter Popes were ambitious and craftie as wel as the former And writing of Luther hee writes thus Tom. 2. lib. 20. Histor At the same time Charles the Emperor at Vangium neere to Rhemes called a councell of the nobles of Germanie for the report of the sturs about religion because Martin Luther a Frier of Saxonie had spoken against the Popes authoritie In that assembly Martin Luther had leaue giuen him to shew the causes why he thought by the law of Christ he might depart from the censure of the Pope And hee yeelded this cause especially that certaine couetous embassadours sent from the court of Rome taught that they selling the Popes pardons could deliuer the soules which were burning in purgatorie The Popes couetousnesse kindled Luther against him Thus we maie sée plainely how the Church of Rome is not built of pine trées but of rotten earthlie heauie and stinking wood of ambition couetous seditions diuelish and most wicked prelates euen as their owne histories and friends doe testifie 2. Thes 2.3 That therefore the Pope maie be truely called that man of sinne in whose chaire so manie and so notorious sinners haue sitten And therefore it is nothing like to the Arke of Noah which was built of pine trées The Church of Rome hath cels in her for the bodies but no nests for the soules of Christians to rest in She troubles mens consciences with her doubtfull doctrine of saluation and therefore in this respect also she is vnlike to the Arke of Noah Their Church also is farre vnlike the Arke of Noah in this respect she is higher then she is long or broad In the mysterie of their saluation how short was their knowledge in those daies yea and in their charitie whereof they bragge so much towards the soules of their brethren No pennie no pater noster was a common prouerb and true then no man reprooued the sinne of his brother Exod. 10.23 They liued as in the darkenesse of Egypt for the lacke of the light of knowledge of the lawe of the Lord no man sawe his brother no man reprooued his brother as all christians ought to doe as they are commanded Heb. 10.24 But their height was hautie she retched vp euen to heauen and tooke vpon her euen more then the sonne of God did to dispence with the law of God to trust in the works of her owne deuising and to promise