the Apostles and the faith imbraced by the children of God in all ages there may we obserue the antiquitie that yeeldeth to no nouelties there may we see the vniuersalitie that giueth place to no schisme or diuision there may we finde that consent that grounded in veritye is polluted with no error or iniquity Therefore S. Augustine rightly iudgeth that the catholike church is to be sought in the Scriptures his words are these contra Petiliani Donat epist Si autem Christi Ecclesia Canonicarum Scripturarum diuinis certissimis testimonijs in omnibus gentibus designata est quicquid attulerint vndicunque recitauerint qui dicunt ecce hic Christus ecce illic audiamus potius si ouer eius sumus vocem Pastoris nostri dicentis Nolite credere Illae quippe singulae in multis gentibus vbi ista est non inueniuntur Haec autem quae vbique est etiam vbi illae sunt inuenitur ergo in Scripturis sanctis eam Ecclesiam scilicet requiramus If the church of Christ throughout all nations be discerned by the diuine and infallible testimonies of the Canonicall scriptures whatsoeuer they shall bring and whencesoeuer they wil alledge which saye Lo heere is Christ Lo there is Christ Let vs heare rather if we bee his sheepe the voice of our shepheard saying Doe not beleue them for al those in many nations where the same is are not founde but this same which is euery where is also founde where they are therefore let vs seeke the same church in the holy scriptures And in his treatise de vnitate Eccles cap. 16. Ecclesiam in scripturis sanctis Canonicis debemus agnoscere non in varijs hominum rumoribus opinionibus factis dictis visis inquirere We are to acknowledge the church in the holye canonicall scriptures and not to seeke it in the sundrie rumors opinions doings sayings conceits of men And againe in his 166. epistle In Scripturis didicimus Christum in Scripturis didicimus Ecclesiam has scripturas communiter habemus quare non in ijs Christum Ecclesiam communiter retineamus In the Scriptures we haue learned Christ in the Scripturs we haue learned the church this scripture we haue common amongst vs wherefore doe wee not in them likewise reteine Christ and the Church Hereunto also accordeth Chrysostome in his 49. homily vpon Math Antea multis modis ostendebatur quae esset Ecclesia Christi nunc autem nullo modocognoscitur nisi per Scripturas Before by many means was it shewed whiche was the churche of Christ but nowe by no meanes is it knowne but by the Scriptures Thus by the iudgement of these Fathers and by the nature of the catholike church it selfe we see that the knowledge of it is to be deriued from the scriptures which so being what can be more cleare then that neither prayers for the dead nor inuocation of Saintes nor worshipping of images nor the Popes primacie ouer the church nor his superiority ouer princes and kingdomes nor his doctrine of Purgatorie nor his power there to release soules nor transubstantiation nor the halfe communion nor monastical vowes nor forbidding of marriage nor meritorious fastes nor workes of desert and supererogation nor sacrificing Christ euerie daye nor releasing subiects of their othes of allegiance nor dispencing with Princes for periuries and incest nor sale of pardons nor offering vnto reliques nor a thousand other doctrines practises and ceremonies of the Papisticall religion were euer grounded vpon the catholike church Let the whole volume of the scriptures be pervsed you shall see none of these thinges taught beleeued practized vsed or imbraced by the catholike church examine the faith doctrine writings and documentes of the patriarches the Prophets the Apostles Christ himselfe you shall finde these things either not conteyned in them or contraried by them Try them by antiquitye you shall proue them far younger then the time of the Apostles try them by vniuersalitie you shal perceiue that neither the church before the Lawe nor the church vnder the Law nor the purest churches vnder grace did euer embrace them trye them by consent you shall finde that neither the patriarches nor the Prophets nor the Apostles nor the faithfull by them taught in sundrie churches did euer agree in them or once beleeue them it must needes bee then that they are not grounded in the catholike church but are some later inuentions and doctrine of a particuler church from whose errors and corruptions they haue proceded which particuler church is the Church of Rome which we will briefly shewe neither to be the catholike church nor to haue beene for many yeeres any sounde member of the catholike church The catholike church as we before rehearsed conteyneth all them that haue beleeued doe beleeue or shall heereafter beleeue in Christ Iesus to the end of the world The church of Rome conteyneth not all those that haue beleeued for in the dayes of many of them it had no beeing at all nor all them that doe beleeue nor all them that shall beleeue Therefore the church of Rome is not the catholike church The catholike church conteineth all partes both of the church triumphant and militant The churche of Rome conteyneth no parte of the church triumphant nor all partes of the churche militant Therefore the church of Rome is not the catholicke church Within the catholike church Christ was borne and of a blessed member of the catholike church Christ was not borne in the church of Rome nor of any member of the church of Rome Therfore the church of Rome is not the catholike church The catholike church alloweth not the adoration or deuine worshipping of any creature The churche of Rome alloweth the adoration and deuine worshipping of creatures Therefore the church of Rome is not the catholicke church The maior is the expresse sentence of S. Aug in his 2. booke de moribus ecclesiae cath cap. 30. it is also the expresse doctrine of Christ in the 4. of Mathew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Him onely thou shalt worship And of the Angell in the 19. of the Reuelat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before God shalt thou fall downe The minor is proued by the Nicene councel which teacheth that the image of the Trinity and the crosse are to be adored worshipped with the same kinde of adoration and worship that the trinitye Christ himselfe are to be worshipped with and by Thomas of Aquine an approued Doctor of the Romain church in his third booke of sentences the second distinction by Nauclautus Clugiensis whose words are these Non solum fatendum est fideles in Ecclesia adorare coram imaginibus vt nonnulli ad cautelam forte loquūtur sed adorare imaginem sine quo volueris scrupulo quin eo illā venerari cultu quo Prototipon eius It is not onely to be yeelded vnto that the faithfull in the church do worship before images as some happely speak for a cautell
that you came of curtesie to see me I must thanke you and am right sorye my leisure did not serue me to haue further speches with you You deliuered vnto me two Propositions as the grounde-worke of your opinion the one that the principles of your doctrine are grounded firmelie vpon the catholike Church which antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent doe plainelie make manifest vnto you The other that the signes giuen of a true Church by theÌ„ of the reformed religion which are the sincere preaching of the worde the right administration of the sacraments religious prayers holesome discipline are no true signes of a true Church but so to affirme them is an error in Logique for that the Church is a signe of them and not they of the Church For your first proposition that the errors thereof may better appeare I will brieflie handle these 3. points First that neither the Catholike Church nor the doctrine antiquity vniuersality or consent thereof can otherwise be knowne then by the scriptures Secondly that sundry principles of your religion are not at all grounded vpon the catholike Church Thirdly that the Romaine Church vpon the which your principles are grounded is neither the Catholike Church nor a sounde member of the catholike church For your 2. proposition that the errors thereof may likewise be seene I will in few words deale with â—â—â—se three points First that of a particuler Church no better iudgement can be giuen whether it be sounde or vnsound or of two particuler Churches which is the sounder then by the worde and doctrine that they preach by the sacraments that they minister by the praiers that they vse and by the discipline that they exercise for where these are moste pureliest and perfectliest done that Church is to be thought the purest and perfectest member of the Catholike Church Where these are impurest and corruptest that Church is to be iudged the impurest and corruptest member where these are not at all there is to bee accompted no visible Church to be at all Thus to affirme is an error in Logike but a truth in diuinitie Secondly that of the truth of the doctrine of the right administration of the sacraments of the sinceritie and puritie of the praiers of the godly exercise of the discipline in any Church the onelye perfecte absolute and true touchstone is the holy scripture which ought diligently to be read of all men Thirdlie that for the true vnderstanding of the Scripture in those things that are necessarie the circumstance of the place the conference of other places the proportion of the doctrine the summary of our faith and the holy Ghost working in our harts doe sufficiently enable and enlighten vs. The holy Catholike Church wee define to bee the congregation companie and societie of all those that haue beleeued in Christ from the beginning of the world to this present time all that nowe beleeue in him and all that from henceforth shall beleue in him to the end of the world It is called Sancta holy because it is sanctified hallowed by the holy ghost it is called Catholica catholike or vniuersall because it conteyneth all ages all places al persons that beleeue it is called Ecclesia because it is a calling out or euocation of people out of ignorance and error vnto the faith and knowledge of God This Church is the misticall body of Christ who is the true and onely heade of it which gouerneth it in omnipoteÌ„cie and is ioyned vnto it in charitie Saint Augustine vpon the 56. psalme confirmeth this our definition of the Church Corpus Christi est Ecclesia non autem ista aut illa sed toto orbe diffusa nec ea quae nunc est in hominibus qui praesentem vitam agunt sed ad eam pertinentibus etiam ijs qui fuerunt ante nos ijs qui futuri sunt post nos vsque in finem soeculi tota enim Ecclesia constans ex omnibus fidelibus quia fideles omnes sunt membra Christi habet illud caput positum in coelestibus quod gubernat corpus suum si seperatum est a visione annectitur Charitate The body of Christ is the church yet not this church or that but that whiche is dispersed throughout the whole world neither yet that alone which is in men that liue at this present but that vnto which they likewise appertayned that haue bene before vs and that are to come after vs vnto the worlds end For the whole church consisteth of all the faithfull for all the faithfull are members of Christ hauing that head placed in the heauenly places which gouerneth his bodye though it be separate from the sight it is adioyned in charitie It is deuided into two parts the militant and triumphant the triumphant already in blisse and glory ineffable the militant hoping for the like happinesse and in the meane time vnder the banner of Christ Iesus warfaring heere on earth against the world the flesh and the Diuell This church for antiquitie so auncient for number so great for estate so diuers for situation so vniuersall no mans age coulde serue to knowe no mans knowledge were able to conceiue no mans conceit were of sufficieÌ„cy to comprehend if the holy Scriptures wherein the spirit of God hath deliuered these thinges for our instruction were not extant amongst vs. In them we are taught that the churche began in Adam that the first Martyr was Abel the first persecutor Cain that by the Breach of Gods commaundement mankinde fell into that miserable and corrupt estate that it was not able to performe that Law of perfect obedience and righteousnesse that GOD had giuen and grauen in the hartes and mindes of men by the accomplishment whereof they were to haue life and by the impeachment whereof they were to haue death eternall and that then GOD in his infinite goodnesse and mercie graunted a remedie for vs in the promised seed which should restore mankinde and treade down the serpents head which was the first preaching of the Gospell published by God himselfe apprehended by faithe beleeued by Adam Afterward of God reiterated to the holye Patriarches by them imbraced and taught to their children and families preached and foretolde by the Prophetes shadowed out in the Lawe written in the Leuitical ceremonies performed in Christ testified and published by the Apostles confirmed with signes and miracles beleeued of al nations maligned by the Deuill persecuted by the wicked in all ages and yet continued to the end of the worlde by Gods especiall grace prouidence These things wee plainely see conteyned from the first of Genesis to the last of the Reuelation which otherwise coulde neuer haue come to our knowledge In them wee may see the beginning increasing continuance and perpetuation of the church the estate and condition of it in tyme past at this present in time to come the doctrine deliuered by the holy Ghost to the Patriarches to the Prophets to
godly deuout and cōmendable If the discipline be according to the Law of God according to the direction of godly Magistrates according to the councel and commandements of the Apostles and according to the vse and practise of the purest churches whereof the holy scriptures are true records vnto vs we iustly may accompt it good and sincere Therefore hath God commaunded and all good men commended the studie search reading meditation of the scriptures In the 6. of Deuteronomie wee read Sunto verba ista in corde tuo eaque acutè ingerito filijs tuis ac loquitor de ijs cum sedes domi tuae cum ambulas per viam cum cubas cum surgis alligato ea in signum manui tuae inscribito ea postibus domus tuae portis tuis Let these wordes be in thy harte the same diligently teach vnto thy children and talke of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vpp binde them for a signe vppon thine hand write them vppon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gate And of the worde of God it is saide in the 4. of Deuteronomie Haec est sapientia vestra ante oculos populorum This is your wisedome before the eyes of the people Abraham saith Habent Mosen Prophetas audiant eos They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Christ saith Scrutamini scripturas search the scriptures S. Paule saith Tota Scriptura diuinitus inspirata vtilis est ad docendum ad arguendum ad corrigendum ad erudiendum in iustitia vt perfectus sit homo Dei ad omne opus bonum instructus The whole scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfecte instructed vnto euery good worke Irenaeus in his thirde booke the first chap. Euangelium in Scripturis Apostoli nobis tradiderunt columnam firmamentum fidei nostrae futurum The Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs the gospell in the scriptures to be the piller and vpholder of our faith Saint Augustin de Ciuitate Dei his 3 booke and first chapter Ciuitatem Dei dicimus cuius Scriptura testis est We call that the citie of God wherof the Scripture is witnesse Saint Ambrose vpon Luke Si qua est Ecclesia quae fidem respuat nec Apostolicae praedicationis fundamenta possideat deserenda est If there bee any church which reiecteth the faithe or possesseth not the foundation of the Apostolike preaching it is to be forsaken Saint Chrysostome vpon the 2. to the Thessalonians the third homely Omnia clara plana sunt in scripturis diuinis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifesta sunt All thinges are cleare and playne in the holie scriptures what thinges soeuer bee necessary are manifest Saint Augustine in his thirde epistle Sacra Scriptura ea quae aperta continet quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco ad cor loquitur indoctorum atque doctorum the holy scripture speaketh those things which it plainelye conteineth like a familiar freind without guile to the hart both of the learned and of the vnlearned And in his booke de vnitate Ecclesiae the 13. chapter Vtrum ipsi Ecclesiam teneant non nisi diuinarum scripturarum canonicis libris ostendant quia nec nos propterea dicimus nobis credere oportere quod in Ecclesia Christi sumus quia ipsam quà m tenemus commendauit Optatus vel Ambrosius vel alij innumerabiles Episcopi aut quia nostrorum Collegarum consilijs ipsa praedicata est aut quia tanta mirabilia fiunt aut quia ille somnium vidit ille spiritu assumptus audiuit Whether they holde the church let them not showe but by the canonicall bookes of the holy scriptures for neither do wee therefore say that we ought to be beleeued because that we are in the church of Christ because Optatus or Ambrosius or other innumerable Bishops haue commended the same which we holde or because it is praised in the counsel of our fellowes or because so great strange things are wrought or because such a one hath sene a dreame or suche a one taken vp in the spirite hath heard Saint Paule writing to the Colossians doth admonish them diligently to reade the scriptures Sermo Christi habitet in vobis copiosè in omni sapientia Let the worde of God dwell in you aboundantly in all wisedome Saint Chrysostome in his 19. homely thereuppon Audite quotquot estis seculares vxori ac liberis praeestis quemadmodum vobis det in mandatis maxime scripturas legere nec leuiter negligenter sed magno studio Heare you as manie as are seculer and haue gouernment ouer wife and children how he giueth you in charge chiefly to reade the scriptures not lightly and carelesly but with great studie Ierome vpon the same place Hic ostenditur verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter etiam Laicos habere debere docere se inuicem vel monere Here it is showed that the laye men also ought to haue the word of Christ not sufficientlye but aboundantly to teach or warne one another Origen vpon Esay the 2. homely Vtinam omnes faceremus illud quod scriptum est Scrutamini Scripturas Would to God we all did that is written searche the scriptures S. Chrysostome vpon Iohn the 13. homely Admoneo maiorem in modum rogo vt libros comparemus I warne and in earnest sort request that we get bookes And in an other place vpon the epistle to the Colossians the 9. homely Audite obsecro seculares omnes comparate vobis biblia animae pharmaca si nihil aliud vultis vel nouum testamentum acquirite Heare I praye you all the seculer prouide vnto your selues the bible the preseruatiue of the soule or the new testament if ye will nothing els And hom 3. de Lazaro Semper hortor hortari non desinam vt non hic tantum attendat is ijs quae dicuntur verum etiam cum domi fueris assiduè divinarum scripturarum lectioni vacetis quod quidem qui priuatim mecum ingressi sunt non destiti inculcare I stil exhorte and will not cease to exhorte that not onelye you attend heere vnto those thinges whiche are spoken but also when you shall bee at home that you would continually apply the reading of holy scriptures which thing I haue not lefte to exhorte those which haue professed themselues with me And againe Ne negligamus nobis parare libros Let vs not despise to get vs bookes And further Sume librum in manus lege historiam omnem quae not a sunt memoria te nens quae obscura sunt parumque manifesta frequenter percurre Take the book in thy hand reade al the historie and keeping in memory those thinges whiche are euident peruse often those that are obscure and lesse euident Of the
cheefe instrument in persecuting the members of the church those that haue the testimony of Iesus And to that end aduanceth his power throne and authoritie in this wicked world 3 And I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death and his deadly wounde was healed and all the world wondred at the beast These heades seeme vnto me to haue three significations two of them are laide downe by the Angell in the seauentienth chapter where they are expounded to bee mountaynes or hilles as heretofore we haue taken them and also kings or gouernors as hereafter we shall shewe them But in this place it semeth to bee taken neither for the one nor for the other but for a chiefe and principal parte of the estat euen for Roome and Italy it selfe Which aswell by the ciuill warres of Caesar and Pompey Augustus and Anthony as by the loose and execrable gouernments of Claudius Tiberius Caius Caligula Claudius the brother of Germanicus Nero the sonne of Domitius and Aulus Vitellius was as it were wounded and that most greeuously Which in the time of Flauius Vespasianus Titus Nerua Traiane and the Emperours succeding it recouered whereby the deadlye wound was healed And all the world wondred at the beast Such was the might and maiestie the force and fortune of the Romaine Empire that all men wondred and maruailed at it had it in admiration regarde and reuerence as an estate most happye sacred and in a manner diuine 4 And they worshipped the Dragon which gaue power vnto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying VVho is like vnto the beaste VVho is able to make warre with him By reason of the false religions and Idolatries of the Romaine Empire the Dragon that is to saye the Deuill was worshipped And by reason of the might and puissance of the forsaid estate it was of al nations feared and honored insomuch as they thought that none other was like vnto it nor any able to make warre against it 5 And there was giuen vnto him a mouthe that spake great things and blasphemies and power was giuen vnto him to doe 42. moneths The pride and blasphemye of the Romaine Emperors wee haue somewhat declared before The time of their persecuting power heere expressed by two and forty months is the same that in the former chapter is resolued and a thousand two hundred threescore daies which gathered into sabbaoths of yeares after the account of Daniell contayneth the whole time of the primitiue persecution from the first of Herod to the last of Licinius the particularities of their pride and blasphemies as to be called Gods to haue their images placed in temples and to haue diuine rites ceremonies done there in their honor The histories of their times doe disclose the sundry persecutions in great crueltye by them and their authority executed against the professors of the truth the Ecclesiasticall histories doe mention at large Whereby the interpretation of this place and of the verses following is very cleare and manifest 6 And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen The blasphemous speeches and actions of the Romaine Empire being corrupted with all kinde of Idolatry and impietie was bent first against the name of God secondly against his tabernacle thirdly against them that dwell in heauen Against the name of God that is to say against the essence maiestye worde and wisedome of God Whereas in steade of the creator they honored creatures in steade of one true God they serued many false Idols and adored them in corporall rites and ceremonies in steade of him that was to be worshipped in spirit and truth against his tabernacle that is to say his church for of the church it is spoken beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them and they shalle his people and God himself shalbe their God with them Against them that dwell in heauen that is to say against the members of the Church for that wee are no more forrenners and strangers but citizens wtih the Saintes and of the houshould of God And therefore may be well termed dwellers in heauen For that as the Apostle saieth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes In that we are members of the misticall bodie of Christ we are come to the mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing God the caelestiall Hierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And to God the iudge of all and to the Spirites of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Testament to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better thinges then that of Abel Wherefore as in the former chapter the Dragon that is to saye the Diuell persecuted first the man childe that is Christ Iesus Then the woman clothed with the Sunne which is the Church And lastlie the remnant of her seede which keepe the commaundementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus that is to saye the members of the church So this principall instrument of the Deuill the Romaine Idolatrous Empire blasphemeth gainsayeth and persecuteth first the name of God that is his worde and wisedome Christ Iesus Secondlie his tabernacle that is his church Thirdly those that dwell in heauen that is to say the faithfull that are the members and seede of the church 7 And it was giuē vnto him to make war with the saints and to ouercome them and power was giuen him ouer euerie kindred and tongue and nation They that before were tearmed dwellers in heauen are heere tearmed sainctes against whome this Romaine Empire hath made warre raysed persecution and preuailed in all cruell tormentes and rigorous kindes of death that not in one contrie or prouince alone but throughout all the worlde for the authoritie therof and power did reach in effect ouer euery kindred and tongue and nation 8 Therefore all that dwell vppon the earth shall woorshippe him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the worlde Such therefore as are not the elect of God whose eyes are not illumined with his heauenly light and whose mindes are not sanctified with his holy spirit whereby they may discerne trueth from falsehoode but are whollie led with earthly conceites worldly considerations and terrestriall appetites and therin doe as it were dwel and inhabite vnwilling any way to be weaned from it They shall worshippe obey reuerence and followe in all Idolatrie and naughtinesse this Romaine Empire iudging it to bee the best way for their saftie benefit and aduauncement although in truth it worke their ruyne ouerthrowe and euerlasting destruction 9 If any man haue an eare let him heare if any leade into captiuitie he shall goe into captiuitie if any kill with a sworde he must be killed by a sworde Here is the patience and
Senate seemeth to bee adorned that is they shall bee made counsellers and consulles and shall farther be decored with all other dignities imperiall and that as the imperiall warfare is decked so also the cleargie of the holy Romaine church shall be adorned and that as the imperiall poysance is garnished with diuers offices of chamberlaines of porters of watchmen and garders so the holye Romaine church shall likewise bee beautified and that the pontificall brightnesse maye shinne most amplye and largelye hee doth ordaine that the houses of the cleargye of the holye Romayne church shall bee garnished with skarfes and with lawnes that is of bright white and that they shall so ryde And that as the Senate doth vse showes with drawynges out that is to say decked with fyne whyte lynnen so the cleargy in lyke sort may vse And farther decreeth that Syluester and his successors shall vse the diademe that is to saye the Crowne of moste pure golde and precious stones which from his head he had graunted vnto him And for that the sayde moste blessed Pope was vnwyllyng vppon the Crowne of his Priesthoode which he weare to the glorye of Sainct Peter to vse that crowne of golde hee had put a miter shynynge with whyte bryghtnesse with his owne handes vppon his head ordayning that euerye one of the Popes successours in particular shall vse the same miter In their proceedinges to the imitation of the Empire which is all one as if hee had sayde as an Image of the Empire this I finde in effecte worde for worde in the Popes decrees collected certayne hundred yeares synce by Gratian and now lately with prefaces and priuileges recommended to the world by Pope Gregorie the thirtenth and printed in Paris the yeare of our Lord 1582. although this donation bee a very falsehood and forgerie in the opinions iudgements of sundry wise and learned men as Cardinall Cusanus Hieronimus Paulus Otho Frisingensis Krantzius Platina Laurentius Valla Carolus Molinaeus Andreas Alceatus and others Yet is it apparant to the eye that sith from the stampe of the Romayne cleargye this counterfecte did proceede they had hereby a good desire to make their Romayne Church an Image and representation of the olde Romayne Empire which is the beast that had the wounde of a sworde and did liue neither did they onelye endeuour to resemble it in dignitie authoritye and ceremonies of honor and maiestie but also in forme and manner of religion which is not vnknowne in the olde Romaine Empire to haue consisted in the multiplicitye of goddes they hauing a god for euerye countrie for euerye prouince for euery Citye for euery place and for euery thing and for these they had alters and Idols and sacrifices and oblations and ceremonies in theyr honour This the Romayne church represented in the multiplicitye of sainctes they hauing a sainct for euery countrie for euerye prouince for euery parishe for euerye place and for euerye thing and for these they had churches and Images and offeringes and prayers and kneelinges and what soeuer establisheth a diuine adoration Hence it was that they turned the temple of Pantheon to the church of all Sainctes Diana to our Ladie Mars into sainct George Aesculapius to S. Roche Romulus and Remus to Peter Paule and euery other god of the Romayne Empire to some other Sainct of the Romayne church Lastlye touching the lawes and manner of gouernment there is a verye great representation betweene the one the other the forme of the pollicy of the romaine empire seemed at the first sight to be an Arastocracie by reason of the autoritie of the Senate but in trueth was a most absolute monarchie by reason of the supreme power of the Emperours The forme of the policy of the Romaine church seemeth likewise to be an aristocracie by reason of the authoritie both of the Cardinals and councels but in verie deed it is a most absolute monarchie by reason of the most high and circumspect power of the Popes The lawes Imperiall by the which the Romaine Empire endeuoured to appease the controuersie that happened amongst men may appeare by the pandectes collected by Tri-bonian by the code of Iustinian and by the bookes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawes Papall by the which the Romaine church proceeded likewise to ende variaunces may be seene in the decretall Epistles writen to the verie likenesse and similitude of the Emperiall rescriptes being an Imitation repetition rehearsall and representation of the selfe same lawes that bare swaye in the Romaine Empire and so confessed by the Canonistes themselues If any will wade farther in the consideration hereof let them reade the collections of Iohannes Berthaclinus firmanus called his repertorie which treateth in seuerall great volumes of an infinite number of things wherein the lawes Ciuill and Canon doe accorde And although in his second to me there be inserted the collection of one Gwalnanus vnder the worde differentia touching the differences in diuers pointes betweene the Ciuill law and the Canon Yet are they so fewe in number in respect of the rest that they are nothing in comparison and such also as differ rather in matter of circumstance then of substaunce and some of them such sort of differences as may very well be betweene a body and his Image As for example the last difference sauing one by him is noted thus Secundum ius Ciuile in libello accusatorio ponuntur nomina Imperatoris consulum secundum ius Canonicum loco illorum ponuntur nomina Papae Episcopi 2.9.4 lib. ibi no. gl 1. per Archi. According to the Ciuill lawe in a libell of accusation the names are put of the Emperor and of the Consuls according to the Canon law in stead of thē the names are put of the Pope of the byshop 15 And it was permitted him to giue a spirite vnto the Image of the beast so that the Image of the beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed Euery bodie Politique and euerie state that is established to continue amongest men liue by their lawes and constitutions Insomuch that lawes are rightly tearmed the life of the common wealth And in al well ordered common wealthes these lawes are made and ordained by the assent of the most parte of the inhabitants and members of the same For as in the naturall bodie of lyuing creatures out of an harmonie and consent of euerie part and member there resulteth a certaine vitall spirite and vigor that giueth life and motion to the whole bodie and so long continueth the same in good health and estate as it enioyeth free and vninterrupted passage into euerie part and member thereof So in the bodie politicke of common wealthes and estates out of a consent and agreement of the partes and members therof there are produced lawes and ordinances which giue life and strength vnto the common wealth and so long continue