of godlines this seruice is prescribed by the religion of the Church of Rome which standeth onelie in outward and corporall ceremonies as the outwarde succession of Bishops garments vestures gestures colours choise of meate difference of daies times and places hearing seeing saying touching tasting numbring of Beades gilding and worshipping of Images building Monasteries rising at midnight silence in Cloisters abstaining frâ— flesh and whitmeat Fasting in Lent keeping Imber-daies hearing Masse and diuine seruice seeing and adoring the bodie in forme of bread receiuing holie water and holie breade creeping to the Crosse carrying Palmes taking Ashes bearing Candles Pilgrimage going censing kneeling knocking alâ—ers superalters candlestickes pardons In orders Crossing annointing shauing for swearing maâ—â—iâ—ge in Baptisme salting crossing spatling exâ—â—â—iâ—â—ng washing of hands at Easter confessioÌ„ 〈…〉 â—irge satisfaction and in receauing with 〈…〉 â—ew shauen to imagine a bodie where they 〈…〉 â—nd though he were there present to bee seene 〈…〉 â—he outwarde seeing and touching of him of 〈…〉 â—ithout faith conduceth no more then it did 〈…〉 Iewes At Rogation daies to carrie banners to follow the Crosse to walke about the fields after Pentecost to goe about with Corpus Christi plaie At Hallowmas to watch in the Church to saie a dirge or commendation and to ring for all soules to paâ—â— tithes truelie to giue to the high Altar And if a man will bee a Priest to saâ—e Masse and Mattens to serue the Saint of that daie and to lifâ— well ouer the heade In sickenesse to bee anneled to take his Rites after his death tâ—… haue Funerall and Obites saide for him anâ— to bee rong for at his Funerall Moneths minde and Yeare minde This is the summe oâ— the Catholique Religion standing in bodilie Actions not in anie motion or woorke oâ— the holie GHOST woorking in thâ— heart The Morall Lawe conteining perfect righteousnesse is flatte opposite to mans corrupt Nature therefore whatsoeueâ— Religion shall repeale and make of none effect the commaundements of the Morall Lawe that same Religion must needeâ— ioine handes with the corruption of Nature and stand for the maintenance of it This doth the Religion of the Church oâ— Rome it maie bee it doth not plaineliâ— repeale them yet in effect it doth anâ— if it shall frustrate but anye one pointe of anye one commaundement the whole commaundement yea the whole law therby is made in vaine 1 The first commandement requireth that wee haue the true Iehoua for our onely God the church of Rome maketh other gods beside this true God it maketh the bodie of Christ to be God because they hold it may be in many places in heauen in earth at the same time which thing is onely proper to God It maketh euery Saint departed to bee God because it holdeth that Saintes doo heare vs now being vpon the earth and that they knowe our thoughtes when wee praye to them which none but the true GOD can doo It maketh the Pope to bee God and that in plaine woordes Pope Nicholas saith Constat summum Pontificem à pio principe Constantino Deum appellari It is well knowne that the Pope of the godlie Prince Constantine was called GOD. Againe in the extrauagants of the same Cannon lawe it is written Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lorde GOD the Pope And againe Christopher Marcellus saide to the Pope Tu es alter deus in â—erris Thou art another God vpon earth the Pope toke it to himself As the Pope in plaine words is made God so the power giuen to him declareth the same Hee can make holie that which is vnholie iustifie the wicked and pardon sins hee maie dispense contrary to the saying of an Apostle he can change the nature of things and of nothing make somewhat What is all this but to place the Pope in Gods roome and to rob the Lord of his maiestie Againe the Church of Rome maketh Marie the Mother of Iesus to be as God In the Breuiarie reformed published at the commandement of Pius shee is called A Goddes in expresse words and she is further tearmed the Queene of heauen the Queene of the world the gate of heauen the mother of grace and mercie Yea shee is farre exalted aboue Christ and he in regarde of her is made but a poore vnderling in heauen for Papistes in their seruice vnto her they praie on this manner saying Shew thy selfe to bee a mother and cause thy sonne to receiue our prayers set free the captiues and giue light to the blinde Lastlie the verie Crosse is made as a God For they salute it by the name of their onelie hope and praie it to increase iustice to the godlie and to giue sinners pardon Wherefore the Church of Rome beside the one true God distinguished into three persons the father the sonne the holy Ghost maketh also manie other and so in truthe hath repealed this first commandement And they haue verie plainely repealed the second commandement in that they teach it lawfull to make images of the true God and to worship him in them For the flat contrarie is the verie scope of this commandement namelie that no image must be made of the true Iehoua nor any worship be performed vnto him in an image which appeareth thus In Deutronomie Moyses maketh a large commentarie of this commandement and this verie point he sets downe expresselie saying take heed to your selues for yee sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middest of the fire that yee corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of anie figure c. His argument I set downe thus As God appeared in mount Horeb so he is to be coÌ„ceiued and represented but he appeared in no image in mount Horeb onelie his voice was hard therefore he is not to be conceiued or represented in anie image but men are to bee content if they may heare his voice Againe that sinne to which the people of Israell were speciallie giuen euen that dooth the Lorde especially forbid but to this were the people of Israell speciallie giuen not so much to make Images of false Gods as to make Images of the true God and to worship him in them which I proue thus In the booke of Iudges it is saide that the children of Israell did wickedlye in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim Now these Baalim what are they Surely Idoles resembling the true God as the prophet Hosea declareth and at that daie saith the Lord thou shalt call me Ishai and shalt call mee no more Baali Heere it appeareth that the Israelites meaning was not to worship a false God but the true God in Baalim And Aaron when he made the golden Calfe proclaimed that the next daye should be holie daie not of anie false God but of the Lorde that brought them out of Egypt The prophet Esaie after
Father 10 It holdeth that in the Masse the Priest â—ffereth vp Christ to his Father an vnbloudie â—acrifice This is a thing impossible for if Christ in the Masse be sacrificed for sin theÌ„â—…e must die his bloud must be shed Heb. 9 〈…〉 2. And in the Scriptures these two sayings 〈…〉 Christ is dead Christ is offered vp in sacriâ—ice are all one So then the Papist when he â—upposeth that there maie be an vnbloudie sacrifice in effect he saith thus much therâ— is a sacrifice which is no Sacrifice 8 In the Canon of the Masse the church of Rome praieth on this wise We humblie beseech thee most mercifull father by Iesus Christ thy son our Lord y t thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations these holy Sacrifices which we thy Church offeâ— to thee c. where first they offer vp Christ to God the Father in the name of Christ so they make Christ to be his owne mediator Againe they desire God to blesse to accept his owne Sonne for they offer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his Father they make Christ a weak and imperfect Christ if hee neede not the blessing of his Father their praier is needelesse Also they desire GOD to accept not one gift or one sacrifice but in the plurall number these gifts and sacrifices whereas they hold that Christs body is one only bodie and therfore but one sacrifice And thus they are at variance with themselues 9 Papists in word they say that they beleeue and put their trust in God yet wheras they looke to be saued by their workes they set the confidence of their hartes in truth vpon their owne doings 10. They put such holines in Matrimoâ—ie that they make it one of their 7. Sacraâ—eÌ„ts which confer grace to the partakers â—f them yet they forbidde their Cleargie to â—arrie because to liue in marriage is to â—ue according to the flesh and the Counâ—el of Trent opposeth marriage chastitie 11. It teacheth that soules kept in Purâ—atorie maie bee redeemed by Sacrifices â—nd Suffrages Against this is a Canon of â—heir lawe taken out of Saint Hieromes We â—nowe that in this life wee maie helpe one â—nother either by Praiers or by good â—ounsell but when wee shall come beâ—ore the iudgement seate of Christ neiâ—her Iob nor Daniel nor Noe maie intreate â—or anie but euerie man to beare his owne burthen And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome Either there is no Purgatorie or the soules which goe thither shall neuer returne 12. And to conclude the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons as by searching may appeare in these examples 1. The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon them 2. Peter and Paule were two of the chieâ— Apostles and it is hard to saie which was aboue the other 3. Leo the fourth liuing in the yere 846â— acknowledged Lotharius the Emperour for his Prince 4. No Bishop maie be called vniuersall 5. The Church of Rome hath no more authority ouer other Churches than other Churches ouer it 6 A Priest and a Bishop were in timeâ— past all one 7 The Pope hath no power to giue oâ— sell Pardons 8. There can be no merite by fasting oâ— abstinence from flesh 9. The Masse is nothing but the forme of diuine sacrifice By this which hath beene saide it doth in part appeare that the religion of the Church of Rome is repugnant to it self and it could not so be if it were from the worde of God A Corollarie gathered out of the former assertion 1. A man beeing indued with no more grace then that which he maie obteine by the religion of the Church of Rome is still in the state of damnation ⧠A Dialogue containing the conflictes betweene Sathan and the Christian. Sathan OVile helhound thou art my slaue and my vassall why then shakest thou off my yoke Christian. By nature I was thy vasal but Christ hath redeemed me Sathan Christ redeemeth no Reprobates such as thou art Christian. I am no Reprobate Sathan Thou art a Reprobate for thou â—halt be condemned Christian. Lucifer to pronounce damâ—ation belongeth to God alone thou art no Iudge it is sufficient for thee to bee an accuser Sathan Though I cannot condemne thee yet I know God will condemne thee Christian. Yea but God will not condemne me Sathan Goe too let vs trie the matter Is not God a Lorde and a King ouer thee and maie he not therefore giue thee a lawe to keepe and punish thee with hell fire if thou breake it Christian. Yes Sathan And hast thou kept the lawe oâ— this thy Lord and King Christian. No. Sathan Let vs proceede further Is not the same Lord also a most righteous iudge therfore a most sharpe reuenger of sinne Christian. Yes truelie Sathan Why then wilt thou flatter thy selfe thou hypocrite God cannot winke aâ— thy sins except he should be vniust Wherâ—fore there is no remedie thou art sure to bâ— damned hell was prouided for thee now it gapeth to deuoure thee Christian. There is remedie inough to deliuer me from condemnation For God iâ— not onelie as thou affirmest a Lord and Iudge but also a sauing and a most mercifull Father Sathan But thou fire brande of hell fire and childe of perdition looke for no mercie at Gods hands because thou art a most grieuous sinner for 1. Originall sinne runneth whollie ouer thee as a lothsome botch or leprosie 2. Thy minde knoweth not the thinges that be of God 3. In the lawe of God thou art starke blinde sauing that thou hast a fewe principles of it to make thee inexcusable 4. The Gospel is foolishnes and madnes vnto thee thou makest no better accompt of it then of thine owne dreame 5. Thy conscience is corrupt because it flattereth thee and excuseth thy sinne 6. Thy memorie keepeth and remembreth nothing but that which is against Gods word but thinges abhominable and wicked it keepeth long 7. Thy will hath no inclination to that which is good but onelie to sinne and wickednesse 8. Thy affections are set onelie on wickednes they are as mighty Giants and Princes in thee they haue thee at commandement Remember that for verie anger thou â—ast beene sicke that the lust of thy flesh hath driuen thee to madnes forget not thy Atheisme thy contempt of Gods worde thy inward pride thy enuie hatred malice thy couetousnes and infinite other wicked desires which haue led thee captiue and made thee outragious in all kind of naughtines 10. Thy actuall sinnes committed partlie in secrete partlie in publike are most filthie and most infinite Remember howe in such a place at such a time thou didst commit fornication in another place thou diddest steale c. God saw this I warrant theeâ— yea all thy sinnes are written in his bookeâ— wherefore thou cursed wretch all hope of mercie is
this case in which thou art at this present Christian. Heerein thou prouest thy selfe to be a lying spirite for the Prophet Dauid â—aith of himselfe that he was foolish and as a beast before God and yet he euen then trusted in God And Paule was so led capâ—iue of sinne that he was not able to do the good he would but did the euill which hee â—ated and so in great pensiuenes of heart desired to be deliuered from this world that â—ee might bee disburdened of his corrupt â—â—esh Sathan Thou miserable wretch doest â—â—ou feele thy selfe gracelesse and wilt thou â—eare the face of a Christian and by thy â—ypocrisie offend God as thou art so shew â—â—y selfe to the world Christian. Auoide Sathan Christe hath anquished and ouercome thee for my â—ause that I might also triumph ouer thee â— am no hypocrite for whereas I haue had â—eeretofore some testimonie of my faith at his time I am lesse mooued though faith â—â—eme to be absent like as a man may seeme 〈◊〉 bee dead both in his owne sense and by the iudgement of the Phisition and yet maie haue life in him so faith maie bee though alwaies it doe not appeare Sathan But thou art a man starke dead in sin God hath now quite forsaken thee hee hath left thee vnto me to be ruled hee hath giuen me power ouer thee to bring thee to damnation he will not haue thee to trust in him anie longer Christian. Strengthen me good Lord remember thy mercifull promises that thou wilt reuiue the humble giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Sathan These promises concerne not thee which hast no humble and contrite but a froward and a rebellious heart Christian. Good Lorde forget not thy former mercies giue an issue to these temptations of mine enemie Satan And you my bretheren which know my estate praie for me that God woulde turne his fauourable countenance towards me for this I know that the ptaier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent Howe a man should applie aright the word of God to his owne soule I EVerie Christian containeth in himselfe two natures flat contrarie the one to the other the flesh and the spirite and that he may become a perfect man in Christ Iesus his earnest indeuour must bee to tame and subdue the flesh to strengthen and confirme the spirit II Answerable to these two natures are the two parts of Gods worde First the Lawe because it is the ministerie of death it fitlie serueth for the taming and maistering of the rebellious flesh and the Gospell containing the bountifull promises of God in Christ is as oile to powre into our wounds and as the water of life to quench our thirstie soules it fitlie serueth for the strengthening of the Spirite III Well then art thou secure Art thou prone to euill Feelest thou that thy rebellious flesh carrieth thee captiue vnto sinne Looke nowe onelie vpon the lawe of God applie it to thy self examine thy thoughts thy words thy deedes by it pray vnto God that he would giue thee the Spirit of feare that the law maie in some measure huÌ„ble terrifie thee for as Salomon saith blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but cursed is he that hardeneth his heart IIII In the Law these are most effectuall meditations to humble and bridle the flesh which follow First meditate on the greatnes of thy sinnes and of their infinite number and if it may be gather them into a Catalogue set it before thee and looke vnto it that thou think no sinne to be a small sin no not the bare thoughts and motions of thy heart Often with diligence consider the strange iudgements of God vpon men for their sinnes which thou shalt find partlie in the Scriptures partlie by dailie experience Doubtlesse thou must thinke that euerie iudgement of God is a sermon of repentance Thinke oft on the fearefull curse of the law due vnto thee if thou shouldest sin neuer but once in al thy life and that neuer so litle Remember that whensoeuer thou committest a sin God is present and his holie Angels that he is an eie witnes that he taketh a note of thy sin registreth it in a booke Thinke dailie of thy ende and know that God maie strike thee with sodain death euerie moment and that if then thou haue not repented before that time there is no hope of saluation Thinke on the sodain comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudgement let it moue thee continually to watch and praie If these will not moue thee think on this that no creature in heauen or in earth was able to pacifie the wrath of God for thy sins but his owne Sonne must come downe from heauen out of his Fathers bosome and must beare the curse of the lawe euen the full wrath of his Father for thee V When by these meanes thou art feared and thy minde is disquieted in respect of Gods iudgement for thy sin haue recourse â—o the promises of mercie contained in the â—ld and new Testament Is thy conscience stung with sin And doth the law make theâ— feele it With all speede runne to the braseâ— Serpent Christ Iesus look on him with the eie of faith and presently thou shalt be healed of thy sting or wound VI When thou doest meditate on the promises of the Gospell diligentlie consideâ— these benefites which thou enioiest by Christ. Through Adam thou art condemned to hell by Christ thou art deliuereâ— from it Through Adam thou hast transgreâ—sed the whole law in Christ thou hast fulfilled it Through Adam thou art before Goâ— a vile a lothsome sinner through Chriâ—â— thou doest appeare glorious in his eies Bâ— Adam euerie litle crosse is the punishmenâ— of thy sin and a token of Gods wrath by Christ the greatest crosses are easie profitable and tokens of Gods mercie By Adam thou diddest loose all thinges in Christ aâ— things are restored to thee again By Adam thou art dead by Christ thou art quickneâ— and made aliue againe By Adam thou art slaue of the Diuel and the childe of wratâ— but by Christ thou art the child of God 〈…〉 Adam thou art worse than a Toade moâ—… detestable before God but by Christ thoâ— art aboue the Angels For thou art ioined vnto him and made bone of his bone misticallie Through Adam sinne and Sathan haue ruled in thee and led thee captiue by Christ the spirite of God dwelleth in thee plenteouslie By Adam came death to thee it is an entrance to hel by Christ though death remain yet it is onelie a passage vnto life Lastlie in Adam thou art poore and blinde and miserable In Christ thou art rich and glorious thou art the King of heauen and earth fellow heire with him and shalt as sure be partaker of it as he is euen now Adam when he must needs tast