and their lawfull Princes he will not only pardon without exception but he will abette them in their deuilish deuised and perswade them forward in their damnable courses till at last when it is too late for them to repent they will if they take not good héed in time féele the â—â—art of it in hell tormentes together for euer What the religon of Rome is may appéere by this that any man for monie may get a pardoÌ„ for his sins then what sin néed rich men feare to commit when a Popes pardon will saiue all or how can it be otherwise than a religion of licentiousnes when for mony a man may haue a licence of dispensation against any sin whatsoeuer These things be such open blottes to the Romish religion as that worthily euery good and godly minde hath it in detestation doth iustly condemne it Yet further will I prooue that the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church possibly 1 The Church of Rome doth hold that the diuine and sacred Scriptures doo not containe all things necessarie to saluation but their vnwritten traditions must forsooth all bée receiued with equall and lyke authoritie for so hath theyr Councell of Trent determined And Pope Leâ— the fourth feareth not to pronounce with a loud voice That hee that receyueth not without difference the Popish Cannons as well as the foure Gospels beleeueth not aright nor holdeth the Catholike faith effectually The decretall Epistles also they number with the Canonical scriptures And Pope Agathe saith that all the sanctions and decrées of their Romish Sea are to bee taken as stablished by the diuine voice Which blasphemies who can abyde For heereby they make both the Scriptures imperfect and not so content doe further adde vnto those Scriptures Wherein they commit two notable sinnes first accusing the sacred and canonical scriptures that they containe not al matters necessary to saluation which is directly contrary to the testimonie of S. Iohn who saith that these things are written that ye may beleeue that in beleuing ye may haue life eternal and cleane contrary to the testimonie of Saint Paul who saith That the Scriptures giuen by diuine inspiration are profitable to reproue to teach to correct to instruct and perfect the man of God 2. Tim 3.15 Ergo the Scriptures or word of God written is a true sound and perfect whole doctrine containing in it selfe fully all things néedfull for our saluation Yea Saint Paule saith expressely to Timothie That the Scriptures are able to make him wise vnto saluation 2. Tim. 3.13 And therefore the Church of Rome béeing cleane contradictorie dooth marueilously erre and therefore also we néed none of theyr vnwritten traditions And againe how should we bée assured that those traditions which they call Apostolicall be Apostolicall considering them not written by the Apostles Augustine speaking hereof saith thus Si qua retinuit Iesus Christus quis nostrum dicet hoc vel illud esse Et si quis hoc dicat quomodo probabit That is If Iesus Christ haue kept any thing close which of vs shall say that it is this or that And if anie say it is this how wilâ— hee proue it For all the errors of the Church of Rome shrowd themselues vnder the harbour of traditions And Chrysostom saith flatly whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation is conteined in the Scriptures And againe hee saith All thinges bee cleare and plaine in the Scriptures and whatsoeuer thinges be needfull be manifest there And Ierome in the prologue of the Bible to Paulyne after hée had recited the bookes of the new Testament and the old saith thus I pray thee deare brother among these liue muse vpon these know nothing else seeke for none other thing And againe vpon the bookes of the olde and new Testament These writings be holie these bookes bee sound there is none other to bee compared to these whatsoeuer is beside these may in no wise bee receaued amongst these holy things And againe hée saith All other thinges which they seeke out or inuent at their pleasure without the authority testimony of the Scriptures as though they were the traditions of the Apostles the word of God cutteth off Let vs therefore stand fast to the written word of God and as for their traditions which they cannot prooue but obtrude vnto vs without testimonie of Scriptures let vs contemne them For as Athanasius saith the holy Scriptures inspired from God are sufficient to all instruction of the truth And as for the other point of the Papists in equalling and adding of their traditions their decretall Epistles and Canons to the pure and diuine word of God it is a blasphemy intollerable and who can indure it For doth not God say thus Yee shall put nothing to the word which I commaunde you neither take ought there from Deut. 4. And againe he saith whatsoeuer I commaund you that take heede yee doe onely to the Lord put nothing thereto not take ought therefrom And doth not S. Iohn in his Reuelation say that if any man adde to this thinge God shall adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke and shall take away his part out of the booke of life I conclude therefore that the Church of Rome which doth not content hir selfe with the sacred and Holie Scripture which the chast spouse of Christ euermore doth is not the true Church of God for there she sheweth hir selfe to beare the marke of a strumpet But when shée procéedeth and addeth hir owne traditions Decretall Epistles and Cannons to the word written and maketh them to be of as good and equall authoritie as the Canonicall and sacred Scriptures themselues What greater pride could haue bin shewed or what higher blasphemie But these are the right notes of an adulteresse to equall hirself with her husband Yea What should I say more They holde that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the Scriptures which sheweth fullie the notable pride and spirituall whoredome of their Church 2 The Church of Rome is Idolatrous and therfore it is not the true Church They fall downe before Idolls and Images as the heathen did and therfore commit Idollatrie as the heathen did I speake for the manner of their worship for the heathen how soeuer they worshipped not the true God yet they thought they worshiped the true God and their meaning was to worship the the true God in the Image or Idoll as the Papists likewise doo meane for they say they be not such fooles as to thinke or beléeue that an Image or Idoll made of wood or stone could bée God neither were the heathen so foolish as to thinke or beléeue that their Idolles or Images were God for they knew they were made of wood or stone or such like but as they tooke it they worshipped God in the Image as the Papists say they doo and therefore the case for the manner of worship is all
haue erred or may erre then they yéeld their cause in this behalfe I wish they would for their owne sakes for false Iesuits Seminaries doo but deceaue themselues others to their owne confusion in this world and except they repent in the world to come That generall Counsels may erre is manifest by Augustine who plainly teacheth that only the Scriptures cannot erre al other writers may erre Prouinciall Counsels may erre lastly hée saith Concilia quae fiunt ex vniuerso orbe Christiano priora posterioribus sape emendari cum aliquo experimento rerum aperitur quod clausum erat cognoscitur quod latebat That generall Councels which are gathered of all the Christian worlde are often corrected the former by the latter when by any triall of things that is opened which was shut and that is knowen which was hidden A generall Councell may be corrected saith Augustine Ergo it may erre And therfore Augustine speaketh plainly to Maximinian the Bishop of the Arrians Neither ought I to alledge the Councel of Nice nor thou the Councel of Arrimine to take aduantage thereby for neither am I bound nor held by the authoritie of this nor thou of that Set matter with matter cause with cause or reason with reason trie the matter by the authoritie of Scriptures not proper witnesses to any of vs but indifferent witnesses to vs both In the time of Constantine that Christian Emperour was the first and last Counsell of Nice wherin according to our Créede was decréed that Christ was God as well as man In the time of Constantius Constantinus sonne fauouring the errour of the Arrians it was decréed in the Counsell of Arimine that Christ was not God but onely man This Counsell of Arimine did erre and that grosely in a matter of faith Ergo it is palpable that a generall Counsel may erre euen in matters of faith Againe generall Counsels haue béene contrary one to the other and that in matters of faith as the Counsell of Constantinople condemned the setting vp of Images in the Church and the Counsell of Nice afterward allowed Images One of their being contrary must néeds be errours Ergo A generall Counsell may erre The generall Counsell confesseth of it selfe that it may erre For the whole Counsell prayeth in the end of a generall Counsell in a set forme of praier that iâ— appointed to bée saide after euery Counsell namely that God would Ignorantiae ipsorum parcere errori indulgere Spare their ignorance and pardon their errour Ergo a generall Counsell may erre The Pope of Rome whom the Papists holde for head of their Church may erre Ergo their whole Church may erre Augustine proueth it erres Beatae memoria Innocentius Papa sine baptismo Christi sine participatione corporis sanguinis Christi vitam non babere paruulos docet Behold Pope Innocentius of blessed memory doth teach that yong childreÌ„ cannot be saued except they receiue the baptisme of Christ and also the communion of the body and blood of Christ. But this is taxed for an errour Ergo the Pope of Rome can erre and consequently the whole Church vnder him except perchaunce members haue a priuiledge aboue the head But what shall I néed to stand hereupon their owne Cannon law as is euident in the decrées doth say expressely that if the Pope bee found negligent of his owne and his brethrens saluation yea thogh he lead innumerable people by heaps to the deuill of hell no mortall man may presume to reproue him because he himselfe béeing to iudge all is to bée iudged of none nisi deprehendatur a fide deuius except he be found erring from the faith wherby it appeareth that they thought hee might erre in matters of faith or else that exception was put in in vaine But the Pope is no other than a man as also all the members of his Church bée and humanum est errare all men are subiect to errour Let euery man take héed how he trusteth the Pope or any man mortall for it is written Iere. 17. Maledictus homo qui in homine confidit Cursed is that man that putteth his trust in man And why because as the kingly Prophet Dauid saith Psa. 116. All men are liers in their wordes and sinners in their works But when the doctrine of that man of Rome and of his Church is in diuers things clâ—ane contrary to the expresse word of God who can denie but it is an apparant erring Church As when it stablished ignorance to bée the mother of deuotion which Christ calleth the mother of errour saying Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures Math. 22. â—9 Who can chuse but think that it hath no good meaning in it but purposed onely to build vy the pride of the Pope of his Cardinals Bishoppes Priests Monkes and other their ecclesiasticall men Christ biddeth the people to search the Scriptures Iohn 5 39. â—â—is Antichrist forbiddeth them saying it is perâ—lous it causeth schismes sectes and heresies as though they were wiser than Christ. Againe the Apostle Paule commandeth That the word of God should dwell plenteously in the people whereby they might teach themselues Collos. 3.16 But the Pope of Rome and his Church alloweth not plentifâ—l knowledge of the word in them yea ignorance is the knowledge that hee would desire them to haue Who would not iustly suspect such a Church such a Religion yea condemne it when to maintaine and continue their Church in errours they would haue none of the people to search any scriptures whereby they might bée discouered Thus the sillie Papistes whom I pittie are lead like blind men they knowe not whither and with their implicita fides which is to beléeue for their part they know not what are lamentably seduced It is good themselues should sée know what they beléeue and that their faith and beléefe be right least at last they be through euer much trust of their teachers extremely deceiued The people of Berca were highly commended and it is noted to their praise that they searched the scriptures to sée whether those thinges were true or no which Paule himselfe teached Acts 17. For whosoeuer he bee yea though it were an Angell from heauen if hée teach matters contrary to the doctrine of the holy canonical scriptures we are to held him accursed yea and accursed againe as the Apostle of Christ Iesus S. Paule commandeth Gal. 1.8.9 Againe the Church of Rome when it taught and holdeth that the Scriptures were to bee made vnto the people or congregation in an vnknowne tongue what were the people the wiser Saint Paule would haue all thinges owne to ediffyng in the Church For sayth Saint Paeule Is qui supplet locum indoctiquomodo dicturus est Amen ad tuam gratiarum actionem quaâ— do quidem quid dicas nescit How shall hee that supplyeth the place of an vnlearned man saye Amen to thy thankes giuing when hee vnderstandeth not what thou
continuall intercession cannot possiblie be the true Church 6 The Papists in words will not denie but Christ is a King which hath all power in heauen and in earth But indéed it appeareth they doe exile and banish him out of his kingdome or at least leaue him but a small portion or rather none at all for in respect that hee is a spirituall King and the King of his Church he is also as Saint Iames speaketh the only law giuer thereunto and therefore-by his lawes only the Church is to be gouerned which they cannot abide for they adde their Popish cannons constitutions and customes whereby they will haue the Church gouerned yea they wil haue these take place though they vtterly displace the word of God for the maintenance of them Secondly Christ onely is to raigne in the consciences of men and yet the Pope claimeth power to binde mens consciences by his lawes statutes and decrees Thirdly hee claimeth most traiterously to be the head of the whole vniuersall Church which title by way of prerogatiue is giuen and attributed onely to Iesus Christ to whome it onely appertaineth But before I procéed anye further herein I demaund of the Pope and Papists when by what right he their proud Pope taketh vp on him this title to be head of the Church or vniuersall Bishop ouer all the Christian world by vertue of which title he taketh vpon him to rule as he list to doe what he list First to claime it as successor to Peter is impossible for that Peter the Apostle neuer had any such title prehemince or authoritie ouer the rest of the Apostles It is true that Christ sayd to Peter after hée had confessed Christ to be that Christ the sonn of the liuing God Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church These wordes hitherto giue no superioritie to Peter aboue the rest only they shew that the Church is builded non super Petrum sed super Petram not vpon the person of Peter but vpon the rocke and vpon what rocke namely vppon that Christ Jesus whom Peter confesseth to bée the sonne of the liuing God For that confession of Peter concerning Iesus to bée that Christ the sonne of the liuing God is the rocke whereupon the Church is builded for as Saint Paull expoundeth and affirmeth Other foundations can no man lay but that which is laid already namely Iesus Christ And in another place hée saith expressely that that rocke was Christ And Christ himselfe affirmeth likewise that he that heareth his wordes and doth them is likened to one that buildeth his house vpon a rocke shewing thereby that he and his words Doctrine be the rocke against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile Agreeably whereunto speaketh Saint Paull againe when hee saieth that the Church is builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus himselfe beeing the head stone in the corner Where then shall wee finde that Peter was made Prince of the Apostles to rule ouer all the rest as the Pope now doth The Papists answeare that in the next wordes when Christ gaue vnto Peter by speaciall name the keyes of binding loosing he thereby made Peter the Pâ—ince vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church But hereunto I say that Christ therein gaue no authoritye more to Peter than to the rest that is at this time The keyes were not giuen to him nor to the rest only there was a promise that they should be giuen for the wordes be not in the present tense Do tibi I giue vnto thee But in the future tense Dabo tibi I will giue vnto thee which promise of Christ was afterward truely performed and when it was performed the keyes that is the power of binding and loosing sinners was giuen not onely to Peter but to Peter and all the rest together as Saint Iohn in his Gospell cléerely declareth and avoucheth Now because Peter was the man that gaue answeare for himselfe and the rest and so both Cyprian and Augustine doe expound and declare it And therefore neither in the promise of the keyes nor yet in the receit of the keyes by Peter did he receaue any more authoritie or superioritye than the rest of the Apostles did I grant he was called Primus because he was of the first that was called to the Apostleship or because hee was the first of all the Apostles that confessed Christ to be the Messias and Sonne of the liuing God or because hée was readiest alwaies to speake and answere But all this doth not proue that hee had authoritie ouer the rest or a larger Commission than the rest Yea the words of their Commission doe shew the contrarie namely that they had all equall authoritie for it was thus made vnto them all indifferently without putting a difference namely Goe ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Math. 28.19.20 Runne ouer all that remaineth written and you shall finde that Peter was one of the twelue equall with the rest and their fellow but not their Lord Where was Peters superiority when Paul reprooued him to his fate Gallathians the second Chapter and the eleauenth verse when béeing accused hée pleadeth no priuiledge but for the clearing of himselfe and satisfaction of others hée aunswereth to that accusation Where was Peters authority ouer the rest when the rest sent him and Iohn into Samaria Acts the eleauenth Chapter the third and fourth verses and also in Acts the eighth Chapter and the fourtéenth verse In that hée went at their sending hée plainely sheweth that hée had no principalitie ouer them Where was his preheminence or authority when in a Councell held at Ierusalem where the Apostles were yet not Peter but Iames ruled the action and according to his sentence was the Decrée made Luke 22.25.26 c. Yea I say moreouer that when there was contention amongst the Apostles who should bée chiefe amongst the Christ told them plainely that kings of Nations might beare rule ouer their people and that great men vnder those kinges might likewise exercise authoritie ouer other but so might not they doe one ouer another Luke 25.26 c. But the greatest amongst them should be as the least as a seruant yea should bee the least and should be a seruant as it is declared in Matthew 20.25 26 and in Marke 10.42 43. If the greatest must be as the least what authoritie hath hée aboue the least For then hath the least as great authoritie as the greatest That is they bene all equall authoritie I meruaile therefore what the Pope and Papists meane contrary to the tenour of the Commission of Christ contrary to the practise of Peter himselfe and contrary to this decrée made by Christ of their equallity to say notwithstanding that Peter
was Prince of the Apostles and had authoritie ouer them all when as indéede it is manifest by all the Scriptures and course of his life he neither claimed nor had any authoritie ouer the rest more than the rest had ouer him and consequentlye the Pope of Rome can neuer claime that as successour to Peter which was neuer in Peter his supposed predecessour The Papists perceauing that the scriptures make nothing for them but against them because they would haue the matter coloured with some Antiquitie or shew of Antiquitie at the least haue deuised some counterfet and forged Authors as Amacletus and Amissetus and such like to speake somethinge for them But the falsehood of all those is discouered by other writers if they bee well marked In Cyprians time it was déemed a matter odious for any to take vpon him to be a Bishop of Bishops as appeareth by that voice which he cryed in the Counsaile of Carthage It was likewise decréed in the Affricans Counsell that none should be called Prieste of Priests or Archpriest or any such like The Counsel of Nice did decrée that the Bishop of Rome should kéepe himselfe within the compasse of his prouince and not excéed his bounds as likewise the Bishop of Antioch Ierusalem and Constantinople were â—â— doo the like Other Councells did affirme as much which because they are sufficiently knowne I néede not to recite But they all shewe that at those times the Bishop of Rome had no greater Jurisdiction than within his owne Prouince and that hée coulde not meddle within the Prouinces of other Bishops And Ierome of his time sayth that the Bishoppe of Engubium or any other the least Sea is equall to the Bishop of Rome The Title of Uniuersall Bishop was much desired of John Bishop of Constantinople and much contention there was about it But it was neuer obtained of the Bishop of Rome vntill the time of Boniface the third who procured that Title of Phocas that wicked Emperour of Rome after which the Bishops of Rome neuer ceased still to augment their dignitie and increase the pride of their Romish Sea And euen at that very first time when John Bishop of Constantinople sought to get that Title of Uniuersall Bishop to his Sea Gregorie then Bishoppe of Rome did himselfe stand against it mightily and affirmed that hée could bée no lesse than Antichrist whosoeuer did take vnto him that Title First therefore it is manifest that vntill the time of Gregorie Bishop of Rome an vniuersall Bishop was not heard of in the Church and Boniface the thirde was the first Bishop of Rome that got this title which was aboue 600. yeares after Christ. And besides how will the Bishop of Rome that now is avoid himselfe to be Antichrist Sith by the expresse determination of Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome his predecessour hée is condemned for Antichrist in as much as hée hath this Title and is not ashamed thereof For what is this else but to come in the place of Christ and consequently to bee Antichrist vsurping the prerogatiue Title of Christ Jesus But the Pope saith that though hée claime thus to bee the heade of the Church yet hee doth not name himsâ—lfe to bee otherwise than a Ministeriall head to bée Christs Vicar on earth But why will he be so arrogant as to challenge this Title without â—â—â—full â—onueyance made vnto him from Christ which hee cannot show For who dare take vppon him to bée a â—iâ—uetenant to an earthly Prince without Sâ—stâ—rs Pattents first had from the Prince Againe the Church of Christ on earth being as a chast Spowse to her Husband and head Christ Iesus neither can or ought to acknowledge any other for her head than that her husband to whom shée hath plighted her troth Lastly there can bee no successour but when the Predecessour is gone and absent but Christ is alwaies presente with his Church according to his owne words Beholde I am with you to the ende of the world Matthew 28.20 And therefor hée can haue neither Successour nor Vicar to represent his person or to guide his Church For his spirit since his bodily ascention is the guide and gouernesse of the Church in his roome Iohn 14. 15. 16. For no man mortall is appointed thereunto I conclude therefore that for all these causes the Church of Rome can not possibly be the true Church 7 The Church of Rome doth not ascribe Justification to faith in Christ Iesus onely but saith that mens works be meritorious and to them partly is Iustification to bée ascribed and so they make mens imperfect works to be causes of saluation which is a grosse errour euen in the foundation or fundamental point Saint Paul saith That all are iustified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 If they be Iustified gratis freely as hée affirmeth then are they Iustified withoot any desert of theirs And Saint Paul setteth downe the Axiome in the Conclusion VVee holde that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Rom. 3.28 And the Apostle in very many places whereof mention shall hée made hereafter doth expressely exclude Weekes from being any causes of our Iustification 〈◊〉 indéede they are the effects thereof And therefore it appeareth to bée a true position that Faith onely doth Iustifie in as much as Iustification is in the sight of God imputed to our Faith not to our Workes For Abraham beléeued God and that was imputed to him for righteousnes as Paul speaketh Rom. 4.8 And hée sheweth that Abraham was not iustified by Works before God for if Abraham were iustified by works then should hée haue wherein to glory but not before God and because hée had not wherein to glory before God therefore hée was not iustified in the sight of God I graunt that saint Iames in his seconde Chapter doth say that Abraham was iustified by his Works when hée offered vp his Son Isaac at Gods commaundement And likewise that hée saith that a man is iustified by Works and not by Faith onely But before whom is hée iustified by Works Not before God but before men that is to say his works doo declare vnto men that saith whereby hée is iustified before God And that this is the meaning of saint Iames may appeare by that his saying where he saith Shew vnto me thy Faith by thy VVorks thou saiest thou hast faith that is not inough thy words doth not proue it thy works will therefore saith hee shew me thy faith by thy workes This word Shew mee doth manifest what manner of iustification hée speaketh off namely that he speaketh of a iustification before men For it is God that respecteth the faith of a man whereby onely hée is iustified in his sight And it is men which respect the workes whereby indéede they testifie vnto the world their faith to be good before God For as saint Iames saith truely faith without works is but a dead faith and not good nor found nor
auaileable But faith and works must goe together and indéede where a true faith is there good works will shew themselues as the fruits thereof And thus Paul and Iames are to bee reconciled which thing Thomas Aquinas a schooleman of the Papists doth himselfe plainely testifie saying that Christ Iesus doth iustifie effectiuè effectually Faith doth iustifie apprehensiuè by taking hold of Christ and good works doo iustifie declaratiuè that is doo declare vnto men their iustification before God And so it is cleare that howsoeuer a true faith cannot bee without workes as fire cannot bee without light and heate yet our iustification before God is to bee imputed to our faith not to our works as warmth is to bee imputed to the heate of the fire not to the light of the fire For so saith saint Paul expressely That God imputeth righteousnes without works Rom. 4.6 And againe That it is by grace not of workes Rom. 11.6 And againe Not of workes Rom. 9.11 Againe saint Paul telleth the Saints at Ephesus that God hath ordained men to walke in good workes yet he saith that they may not trust to be saued by them for he affirmeth and assureth them That they are saued by grace and not by their works Eph. 28.9.10 Againe he speaketh in the person of himselfe of all the children of God and saith that wee are saued not by workes but by his predestination and grace 2. Tim 1.9 And againe God is our Sauiour not for any-workes which wee haue done but according to his owne mercie hee hath saued vs Tit. 3.5 And diuers other like places bée Wherefore saint Hillary hath these very words which we hold Sola fides iustificat Faith only doth iustifie And Ambrose among other sentences hath this Non iustificà ri hominem apud Deum nisi per fidem That a man is not iustified before God but by Faith Which is as much as Faith onely doth iustifie before God Saint Basil doth say that this is perfect and sound reioycing in God when a man doth not boast of his owne righteousnes but knoweth that he wanteth in himselfe true righteousnes and that he is iustified by faith onely And Gregory Nazianzen saith that to beléeue onely is righteousnes And therfore it is euident both by the expresse testimony of the Scriptures and of the Fathers that wee holde the truth in this behalfe and that the Church of Rome is in a maruellous errour It is true which is written that euery man shall bee rewarded according to his works because the faith of men is estéemed and estimated by their workes as the frée is knowne by the trust But there is no Text of scripture to shewe that any man is saued propter merita for his works or merits but many Texts of scripture to the contrary as before appeareth For when we haue done all that we can yet we must say as Christ commaundeth Wee are vnprofitable seruaunts Luke 17.10 And therefore the Papists which teach workes meritorious yea workes of supererogation availeable to saluation as well for others as for themselues holde not the right faith and consequently are not the true Church 8 But if I should shew all the corruptions of the Rómish Church I should be infinite neither am I able to number them I will therefore conclude all this discourse onely with this argument following The Pope of Rome being the head of that Church is that famous Antichrist that was foretold by Paull the Apostle and that is presignified in the reuelation of Saint Iohn Ergo it is impossible that the Church of Rome should be the true Church for the Church of Antichrist though it boast neuer so much cannot bée the true Church though it would faine bee so accounted as many an harlot desireth to bee reputed an honest woman one marke of that Antichrist Paull sheweth to be this 2. Thes. 2.8 that he should exalt him selfe aboue euerie one that is called God hee doth not say aboue God but aboue euery one that is called God Iohn 10.34 Nowe those whome the Scriptures calleth God we know to be such as be the Iudges Magistrates of the earth Psa. 81.6 who for that they bee in the place of God and his Lieutenants are vouchsafed in Scripture this high and Honourable title is to bee called Gods That the Pope of Rome is such a one as doth exalt himselfe aboue any such God of the Earth namely aboue all Princes and Magistrates is a thinge so well knowne as I néede not to prooue it himselfe by his wicked practises and his Iesuits Seminaries and Patrons doe in their bookes manifest the same vnto the world 2 An other marke of Antichrist Paul setteth downe to be this namely 2. Thes. 2.4 that hee should sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe to be God And I pray what doth the Pope els but sit in the Temple of God as God When claiming the Apostolike Sea he taketh vpon him to bee the head of the Church and to rule it as he list to erect Princes and to depose them againe from their thrones that hee cannot erre that hee can forgiue sinnes matters that belong peculiarly to God and to no other What doth hee els but by these demonstrations shew himselfe to be God insomuch as hee arrogateth to himselfe most proudly the authority of God himselfe which things the Sixt booke of the Decretals the Clemantines and the Extrauagants doe abundantly testifie For these men were not content with that which Angelicus wrote in his Poetry the beginning whereof is Papa stupor mundi the Pope is the wonder of the world Nec Deus es nec homo sed neuter inter vtrumque Thou art not God ne art thou man But neuter mixt of both But these Popes were bold to take vnto themselues the verie name of God and to accept it giuen of others according as Pope Sixtus the fourth when he should first enter into Rome in his dignitie papall had made for him a Pageant of Triumph cunningly fixed vpon that gate of the Citie he should enter at hauing written vpon it this Blaspemous verse dedicated vnto him Oraclo vocis mundi moderaris habenis Et merito in terris crederis esse Deus By Oracle of thine owne voice the worlde thou gouernest all And worthy lie a God on Earth men thinke and doe thee call Yea shall I say more The Pope if any man in the world doth take vpon him such more than Luciferian pride howsoeuer to deceaue the worlde with wordes he calleth himselfe seruus seruorum Dei a seruant of the seruants of God that he exalteth himselfe aboue God himselfe and his worship for hee taketh vpon him to bée aboue the Scriptures and to dispense with them at his pleasure and to allow matters contrarie vnto them which God himselfe whose will is immutable and reuealed therein will not doe for he and his worde will not be contrarie Againe héereby it is manifest that he exalteth
not staye the chiefe Magistrates pleasure for the establishing thereof nor yet allow vnto vs any Church in England but themselues But they for against them I deale you must vnderstand that a Church may bée yea a true Church may bée and is though it haue neither Elders nor Deacons nor Disciplines in it For wée reade in Act. 2. ver 41.42.43.47 of an assâ—mblie of people of Ierusalem that receaued the word of God and beléeued and which are expresly called a Church and who can or dare deny them to be the true Church of God sith the Holy Ghost doth so testefie of them yet at that time no Deacons were chosen nor consistories of Elders erected For they were not erected till afterward And therefore a true Church of God may bee though as yet it haue not these for this desired Discipline is not an essentiall part of the Church for it doth but resemble the wall of a Citie or an hedg or ditch about a vineyeard and it is a Citie though the wall be wanting and it is a vineyeard though the hedg or ditch be wanting though so much the lesse fortified I grant In asmuch therefore as wee haue the preaching of Gode holy word and the right administration of the Sacraments which bee the essentiall markes of the true Church None ought to forsake our Church for any other defect corruption or imperfection For there may bée corruptions both in Doctrine and Discipline some and yet the Church where they be the true Church of God Admit if they will that Ministers in the Church of England bee not rightly created and brought into the Church will they therefore count they be no Ministers By as good an argument they may sayâ— that hee that is brought and borne into the world not according to the right course or order of nature but otherwise as by ripping of his Mothers belly is no man for the one commeth as vnorderly into the world as the other doth into the Church I am sure the corrupt ordination of a Minister doth not proue him to bée no Minster Neither doth any other corruption in our Church take away the life and béeing of a Church for if a man bee diseased and full of corruptions Will any man therefore say he is no man They say wée doe not onely want the right Discipline but wee haue also put a wrong Discipline in the place thereof But what of thiâ— The error then I confesse is great but yet not such as doth make a Nullitie of our Church so long as it holdeth Christ Iesus the life and soule of his Church and is ready to reforme hir errour whensoeuer by good proofe it shall bee manifested vnto hir In the meane time their argument is nothing worth for if a man loose a legge or arme yet none will deny him to bée a man for all this blemish or defect yea though hee put a wodden legge instéede of his legge which hée wanteth yet he remaineth a man still because his principall parts remaine So though wée want that Discipline yet wée haue the principall parts of the Church namely the right preaching of the word of God and administration of Sacraments therefore a true Church of God vndoubtedly And if we haue a true Church though not a perfect church let the Brownists Barrowists consider from whence they are fallen for if the Church of Christ bée the body of Christ as Saint Paull affirmeth what 〈◊〉 they els but by their schisme and seperation sent theÌ„selues from the body of Christ and then let them remember whose members they be vntil they be â—â—â—nised Let them no longer for shâ—â—â—e charge ouâ— Church with Idolatry except they were better able to prooue it which neither they nor all the worâ— shall 〈◊〉 To say as they say that a set forme of prayer vsed in the Church and exhibited vnto God the prayer being framed according to the rule of Gods word is Idolatry is detestable For by as good reason they may condemne al prayer made vnto God by the Preacher or Pastor of the Congregation which they wil not doe And besides all the reformed Churcheâ— in Christendome haue a set forme of publike praiers for publike meetings and Congregations They say that we obserue Saints daies and dedicate Churches vnto them but they should shewe that wée doe these thinges in Honour of the Saints else haue they no reason to that 〈◊〉 our Church with Idolatrye as wickedly they doe for the Statute it selfe doth expresse that our Church doth call them Holy-daies not for the Saints sake but for the Holy exercises vsed vpon them in the publike assemblies Againe True it is that diuers Churches amongst vs are called by the name of those Saintes they are dedicated vnto But to say therefore wee doe Dedicate Churches vnto them is very ridiculous For when wee call Saint Peters Church or Saint Paules Church It is but to Distinguish them from other Churches by their names In Athens there was a place which bare the name of Mars and Saint Luke in Act. 17. calleth it Mars â—â—xeete so any 〈◊〉 â—â—â—eâ—â—re so foolish or so fond as to say therefore bee committeth Idolatry or that therefore bee Dedicated that place to that heathen God of battaile Done I thinke will bee so wicked or absurde Moreouer it is true that we obserue Fasting daies But therein we obserue no Romish fasts nor place therein the worshippe of God nor the Remission of our Sinnes nor the merits of Eternall life as the Papistes doe That the Politike lawes of this land which â—â—â—out that men shall not eate flesh vpon certaine daies doe it in respect of the Common-wealth as to maintaine Nauigation so much the better and for the spare of the breed of young cattell appointing moreouer a pennaltie for such as shall take the dayes to bee obserued as meritorious Romish fasts I therefore wish them to cease their slander against this Church to cease their damnable schisme to bée reconciled to that Church of ours from whence they haue foolishly departed for howe imperfecte a Church soeuer it bée whose imperfections God cure in his good time yet shall they neuer bée able to shew otherwise but that the Church of England is the true Church of God from which it is vtterly vnlawfull to make a seperation God for giue vs al and reconcile vs vnto him Amen FINIS ⧠Imprinted at London by Iohn Danter are to be sold by William Barley at his shop in Gratious street ouer against Leaden-Hall Cice. 〈◊〉 de natur Tertull in Apolog. Seneca lib. 1 de ira Sueton in calig 1.51 Dion in caligula Vide Plutarch de placit philos Aristotle Lib. 8. Aristotle lib de muÌ„do vide Plotin lib. de mundo Iustine in Apolog. Rom 1.20 Act. 17. â— â— Heb. 11.2 Gen. 1. Act. 14.17 Mat. 19.17 Iam. 1.17 Rom. 1.8.19 Psa. 14.1 Psal. 118 22 Esay 6. Deu. 28. Esay 65. Esay 53. Dan. 9. Dan. 2.39.44 1.
no where And therefore the Church is not alwaies visible and seene to the outward eye nor splendent in the faces and sight of men yet a true church notwithstanding as then it was for it is the Sumâ—e though it bee sometimes ouerwhelmed with a cloud and it is fire still though it bée sometime raked vp in Embers and so the true Church is and may bee although not séene or known to the worlde yea though it séeme ouerwhelmed with tyrannicall malice and hide it selfe as though it were cleane extinct 2 Let them tell mée where the Church was visible when béeing assembled at Ierusalem there arose a great persecution against it insomuch as they were all dispersed and scattered as the Text sheweth Or let them tell mee where or how the Church was visible when Christ was smitten and all the rest were scattered and hid and concealed themselues the face of the visible Church was then not in Christ his Apostles but in the Iewes among the Scribes Pharisées and therefore it visibility bee such a marke of the true Church then these who crucified Christ were the true church and not Iesus Christ his Apostles Which who dare affirme yea who will not denie yea when the shepheard was smitten and the shéep scattered and yet a true Church who can denie bâ—â— that a true Church may bée though it bée not apparantly visible and séene to the world What should I say more Doth not S. Iohn in his Reuelation testifie expressely That the Church of Christ signified there by a woman fugit in solitudinem fled into a desert or wildernes where shee had a place prepared for her of God and where she could not for a certaine season bée found of her persecutors Let them further shew mée how the Church was visibly in the time of Elias the Prophet when he complained that himselfe was left alone O Lord saith he they haue forsaken thy couenant they haue destroyed thine Altar slaine thy Prophets with the sword and I am left alone Elias did not thinke himselfe to be solus Propheta relictus as Campion answered in the Tower I say hee spake not of himselfe onely in that respect but in this respect that hée tooke him to bee the onely true worshipper that was left in Israell which is manifest by the answere which God gaue him namely that beside him he had seuen thousand true worshippers yet remaining which had not bowed their knée to Baall I demand of the Papists when Elias knew no other true worshippers of God but himself how the church was visible for whither hee should go to finde a true worshipper he knew not Againe it is written in 2. King 16. that vnder the raigne of Achas there was taken a patterne of the Altar of the Idolaters of Damasâ—us and that Vrias the high Priest remooued the Altar of the Lorde whereby it appeareth that the Priesthood was corrupted the Altar remoued consequently the sacrifices ceased c. What visibilitie of the true Church could there be in those daies either of Achas Manasses and other kings being Idolaters when the Temple it selfe where onely by the law of God the Iewes were to offer the sacrifices was polluted and defiled with heathenish Idolatry What Church or Congregation could any man in this case haue resorted vnto to haue performed a true and acceptable sacrifice vnto God in those times when the Temple of Ierusalem which was the place to worship at would admit no true worshippers but onely Idolaters It is therefore manifest that a true Church may be though they know not a congregation of God to resort to yea though it bée close and not séene or knowne one to the other nor yet to the world And consequently visibility which the Papists make a marke of the Church is no perpetuall marke thereof Yea if such visibility should be a marke of the true Church then were the Idolatrous people in the time of Elias in the time of Achas Manasses and many other kings of Israell that were Idolaters the true Church who indéede were the false Church And then were Elias and all other the true worshippers of God who had in those times no places left to sacrifice in the false Church which is absurde Chrysostom saith that in the times of the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Christ Iesus in Math. 24. that is in the time of wicked heresie which is the armie of Antichrist as he expoundeth it Nulla probatio potest esse Christianitatis neque effugium potest esse Christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fidei veritatem nisâ— scripturae diuinae No proofe can be made of Christianitie neither can there bee any other refuge for Christians which are desirous to knowe the truâ— faith but onely the diuine Scriptures And therefore I conclude which is apparant that the true Church sometime is in such a state as that visiblenes cannot discerne or proue it but only the diuine scriptures must demonstrate declare it And consequently it is demonstratiuely manifest that it is no true position of the Papists that the Church of God is alwaies and euermore visible seene and splendent to the outward eye and view of the world Wherefore the Papists do vs great iniury and bewray their owne ignorance when they would haue vs to shewe our Church in all times ages which notwithstanding perhaps may bée done for our Church was alwaies though it were not seene or knowne to them but lay bid and kept it selfe close from their fury and tyranny as the first and primitiue Churches did from their bloody persecutors Our Church was then persecuted in those times when it could not be séene many then like constant Martyrs endured the tyranny of that Romish religion so that some were banished others fled into other Nations some indured Martyrdome at home some other hid themselues but the whole Church generally was vexed and oppressed And therefore when our Church was thus persecuted it is a good argument I thinke to say Wée had our Church then and alwaies though a persecuted Church though a Church chased and pursued though a Church scattered though a Church not séene or visible to them yea though in it selfe it were inlightened from God many ages together Namely till the tyrranny eâ— Antichrist were ouerpast Secondly Another erronious position whereby they are miserably deceaued is this They hold the Church cannot erre And therefore suppose because the Church of Rome was once the true Church of God therefore it is so now and euermore As though there might not be an Apostacie in the Church which Saint Paul affirmeth there should Or as though a perticular Church for the Church of Rome is but a perticular Church could not erre Yea as though general Counsels which represent the whole Church could not erre for so they affirme but how truely let the world iudge And if it may be shewed that generall Counsels
one Againe if the Papistes doo not worshippe the Idoll or Image why doe they bowe downe vnto it God commaundeth saying Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image so that the verie making of Images to represent God withall who is a spirit eternall and invisible is Idollatry Againe hée saith Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them c. So that to bowe downe vnto them though they bée supposed to represent God 〈◊〉 Idollatrie for God must be worshipped in such sort as himselfe hath prescribed and not otherwise and that it is flat Idollatrie to worshippe God in any Image is expresse and manifest by the Children of Israell when they made the golden Calfe to bee a representation of God for the Tert sheweth that it was Idollatrie for which many of them were plagued punished and yet their meaning was to worship the true God in the Calfe for they were not so simple as to thinke or beléeue that that dead Idoll or Image was God and therefore the Idollatrie of the church of Rome is as grosse and wicked as theirs was Neyther can the Papists helpe themselues in their wonted distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affirming that they giue to Images but Duliam that is seruice and to God Latriam that is worship shewing thereby that both they worship God and serue Images But how agreeth the temple of God with Images saith Paull or what warrant haue they to serue Images beside God When Christ him selfe saith it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And Paull the Apostle doth likewise perswade expressly that men shuld turne from Idolls or Images to serue the liuing God where the word Dulia is vsed whereby the Apostle doth shew that there is such an opposition betwéene Images and the seruice of God that he that serueth the one cannot serue the other God himselfe disliketh Idolles and Images vtterly saying by his Prophet that they are so farre from being Lay-mens Bookes as the Papistes tearme them that they are no better than teachers of lies And Saint Iohn himselfe commaundeth all Christians to kéepe themselues from Idols Besides it is Idollatry to praye vnto any but God For Christ hiddeth when men pray not to call vppon the Uirgin Mary nor any other Saint departed this life but vpon God onely When yée pray saith hée say thus Our Father whinh art in heauen c. Againe Saint Paull saith howe shall they call vppon him on whom they haue not beleeued declaring therby that faith and prayer goe together Wee can call vpon none but we must consequently also beleeue on him But we are to beléeue none but God therefore wee may pray to none but God and therefore the Church of Rome calling vpon Saints departed committeth grosse Idollatry for the Scripture sheweth that God onely is to be prayed vnto Besides They that in their Idolatrous Masse or Sacrament of the altar as they tearme them after a certaine mumbling of wordes by the Priest there is no bread nor wine remaining but the very bodie blood of Christ and that péece of bread which is showed for bread it still appeareth to be for al their magicall mourning they commanded to bée adored and worshipped To adore or worship any creature such as bread is is Idolatrie the Papisticall Church doth the same Ergo it is Idolatrous I haue proued it before that it remaineth bread after consecration and that Christ cannot possiblie bee there as touching the bodilie substance because in that respecte he is ascended vp into heauen and there sitteth on the right hand of God his Father vntill he come to iudge the quicke and the dead if they will not beléeue Diuine testimonies therein Yet the authority of Cicero a heathen man might somewhat moue them for in one place he saith Quē tam Amentemesse putas qui illum quo vescator Deum credat esse That is Whome doe you thinke so mad as to beleeue that which he eateth to be God Insomuch therefore as the Church of Rome doth worship bread as if it were God It is manifest they be grosse Idollaters And consequently their Church cannot be the true Church of God on earth 3 The Papistes doe not denie Christ in wordes but if we examine them by perticulars we shall finde that in déede they doe as for example we know that the right faith beléeueth Christ Iesus to be both God and man which the Church of Rome in wordes will so affirme But vrge them in this point of the Sacrament and then they bewray themselues that they beléeue not Christ to haue a true bodie for when they are preassed with this that the bodie of Christ cannot be both in heauen and in earth at once and the selfe same time because it is against the nature of a true bodie so to bée then they become vbiquitaries and say that because the Godhead of Christ is euerie where therefore his humanitie is euerie where But this is no good consequent for the Godhead and humanitie are of seuerall nature And if his bodie and flesh were euerie where as his Godhead is howe is that true which the Angell spake saying surrexit non est hic He is risen he is not here For these wordes sheweth that his bodie and flesh is not euery where Againe if he were euery where in respecte of his humanitie how is it true that he ascended into heauen For that word ascention doth shew that his bodilie presence did remoue from one place to another and then was it not in that place from whence it did remoue Lastly it is the propertie of a Diuine nature to be euerie where and therefore whilest they defend this vbiquitie of the flesh of Christ It is as much as if they should say that the flesh of Christ is turned into God which is a groosse Herisie And thus it appeareth that the Papists doe with the Eutichians deny that Christ hath a true bodie when they holde that contrarie to the nature of a true bodie it may be in diuers places at once yea euerie where and therefore denying Christ to haue a true bodie they are not the true Church and somuch for their error concerning the person of Christ. 4 Now for the office of Christ for his person his office bee two chiefe thinges which we are all to regard The Papists will yéeld with vs that it consisteth in these thrée points namely that he is both a Prophet a Priest and a king This I say in words they will acknowledge but in déedes and veritie they doe not for in respect that Christ is our Prophet which should and did reueale his Fathers will vnto the world wee ought to bee content with his voice and search no further then hée hath reuealed in his Scriptures But the Papists are not so contented but they holde that their