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
sayest 1. Corinth 14. And in that whole Chapter bee vtterly disliketh seruice in an vnknowne tongue And therefore if the Church of Rome will not confesse their errour heerein she is past all shame and hath the impudent and shamelesse face of an harlot They haue all deuised and defende a place of Purgatorie wherein all that depart this life bée put and there punished béeing a punishing fire vntill they helpe to fetch them out with theyr Masses and other their inuentions and deuises which they wil not do nor thinke they haue reason to doe except they haue good currant coyne for the same And therefore it may bee well and iustly called Purgatorie pickepurse and it is manifestly apparant héereby that wealth and great riches of the Clergie was the onely marke they ayuâ—ed at For it hath no warrant in the Canonicall bookes of the scriptures yea the Canonicall bookes of the scriptures shew the contrary and so do the ancient Fathers Christ in the Gospel Luk. 16. sheweth only but two places namely heauen and hell saying that the rich mans soule which was vnmercifull to Lazarus went after his death to hell there was tormented that Lazarus soule béeing dead was caried into Abrahams bosom a place of ioy and comfort To the Théefe which was executed at the passion and suffering of Christ and beléeued in him Christ answered Hodiâ— eris mocum in paradiso This day shalt thou bee with mee in paradise Luk. 23.43 Which sheweth that the soules of the faithfull neuer come in Purgatorie fire to be boyled and punished for all their sinne is forgiuen and consequently the punishment incident to the same is forgiuen also and their soules passe from death to life and into paradise a place of comfort delectablenes all swéetnes namely heauen where Christ is Verely verely I say vnto you saith Christ he that heareth my word beleeueth him that sent me hath eternall life and commeth not into condemnation but passeth from death to life Iohn 5.25 What is become then of this Purgatorie Saint Paule sayth I couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 shewing thereby that presently after his dissolution he was to bée with Christ in glorie For wee know saith hée that when this earthly tabernacle of ours is dissolued wee shall bee a building not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Saint Iohn in his Reuelation saith Blessed are the dead which die in the Lorde from henceforth they rest from their labours and their workes followe them Reu. 14.13 If from the time of their death they haue blessednes and rest as he sheweth then are they not in any Purgatorie fire to bée scortched and molested Saint Peter telleth the Saints and children of God and assureth them of it That the ende of their faith is the saluation of their soules 1. Pet. 1.9 If saluation of their soules begin at the end of their faith which lasteth vnto the end of their life and no longer for then they haue the fruition and possession of that which they beleeue and hope for then is it manifest there is no Purgatorie Ambrose saith Qui hic non receperit remissionem peccatorum illic non erit is in coelo quia remissio peccatorum vita aeterna est He that heere in this life receiueth not remission of sinnes shall neuer come in the kingdome of heauen for life eternall is remission of sinnes Cyprian saith Quando â—stine excessum fuerit nullus iam locus poenitentiae nullus satisfactionis effectus hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur hic saluti aeternae cultu Dei fructu prouidetur And againe by and by he saith Tu sub ipso licet exitu vitae temporalis occasu pro delictis Deum roges quiverus vnus est venia datur confitenti credenti indulgentia salutaris ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur That is when men are once departed hence there is then no more place of repentance no effect of satisfaction heere life is eyther lost or kept heere prouision is made for eternall saluation by the worship of God fruits And thâ—refore saith he Doe thou call vpon God though it be at thy last gaspe and departure of this thy temporall life but call vpon that God which is one and true pardon is giuen thee if thou confesse thy sins and sauing forgiuenes if thou beleeue and from death presently thou shalt passe to immortalitie Ierome saith that the time of sowing their sáede for Christians is this present life that as soone as this life is ended they reape euerlasting life Augustine saith Primum fides catholicorum diuina authoritate regnum esse crescit calorum secundum gehennam vbi omnis Apostata vel a Christi fide alienus supplicia experitur Tertium peniâ—us ignoramus nec esse in scripturis sanctis reperimus The first place saith hee the faith of Catholickes doth by diuine authoritie beleeue to bee the kingdome of heauen the second hell a third place we are vtterly ignorant of neyther can we find any such in the holy scripturs And the same Augustine writeth in another place That they which beleeue a purgatory fiâ—e are much deceiued and that through an humane conceit How then can the Papistes be the true Catholicks which beléeue not the faith of the Catholicks which Augustine doth affirme They also hold that a man since the fall of Adam batl frée will of himselfe of his own power to câ—me vnto God and to do things acceptable wel pleasing in his sight Whereas God saith after that time that the imaginations of mens harts are onely euil euery day Gen. 6. If they be onely euill then haue they of themselues no affection to goodnes acceptable to him And Christ saith no man can come vnto me except my Father draw him Iohn 6.44.65 If her must bee drawne before he can come hee hath no procliuitie or willingnes of himself to come And therfore is it that the Prophet saith Conuert thou me and I shall bee conuerted Ier. 7. shewing that hee hath no power in himselfe to be conuerted And S. Paule sheweth that till God giue grace there is none that doth good no not one Rom. 3.10 c. For all the philosophicall vertues good deeds which men doe before they haue faith which is the gift of God are sinne not acceptable to God Iohn 6.29 For the Apostle witnesseth that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and that whatsoeuer is not of â—aith is sin Rom. 14.23 Christ himself again saith that except men be ingrafâ— into him they can bring foorth no fruit Iohn 15.1.2 c. Paule often teacheth that wee must be new men cast off the olde man Rom. 1.2 â— And againe hee biddeth to be renewed in the spirit of our minds 1. Cor. 2.14 And moreouer hee saith that the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that
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
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
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
vnwritten traditions and Popish Cannons must also bee receaued vpon like perill of damnation as before it shewed concerning the Priesthood of Christ. It consisteth in two things namely the offering vp of himselfe once for a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice And his intercession with his Father which yet remaineth also and shall doe to the worlds end Both these the Papists annihilates as I will proue First concerning the Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ there is noe doubt but béeing once done vpon the Crosse it was a most full perfect and satisfâ—ctorie Sacrifice to deliuer both a culpa pana from the guiltines and the punishment incident to that guiltines for otherwise how should Christ bée Iesus that is a Sauiour if he did not deliuer vs from the punishment as well as from the sin But the Papists hold that Christ hath obtained by his passion remission for our sins going before Baptisme but sinnes committed after Baptisme that his passion hath taken away only the guiltines but that the punishment remaineth notwithstanding which is to be paide in purgatorie as they say and to be redéemed by our owne satisfactions and so they make the punishment due to sinne which is indéed eternall in hell to bee but temporarie in purgatorie vpon satisfactions as they haue deuised But what can a man giue for the ransome of his soule And it appeareth before euen by the reporte of Augustine that the Catholicke faith beléeueth in Purgatorie such as they haue inuented For as Saint Iohn saith the blood of Christ is that which purgeth vs from all sinne and that his most pretious blood is the onelie Purgatorie wée holde and doth deliuer his people from the punishement due to sinnes aswell as from sinnes for our punishment was laide vppon him and with his stripes are wee healed as the Prophet Esay speaketh Againe the Papists doe saye they offer vp Christ in their Masse which Masse they saye is propitiatorie both for the liuing and the dead First for the dead it cannot bee propitiatorie nor doe good vnto for as the tree falleth so it lieth and as a man is found to die so bee goeth either to heauen or to hell A third place which the Papists call purgatorie there is not And if any bee in heauen their Masses can doo them no good for they inioy all good alreadie And if any bee in Hell wee know that Ex inferno nulla redemptio from hell there is no redemption And therefore for the dead it canot be propitiatory nor any thing els availeable And for the liuing it cannot be propitiatorie Yea it is blasphemo us derogatorie to the passion of Christ once for all for in asmuch as he is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck he is to die but once which he did vpon the Crosse whose obligation béeing perfect as the Author to the Hebrews speaketh néedeth not any other helpe as of maske or whatsoeuer els to make it perfect yea it is wicked grosse blasphemous and damnable to suppose any imperfection in the sacrifice and ablation of Iesus Christ for God twice cried with a voice from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased 5 As touching the other part of his Priesthood namely his intercession with his father whereby he maketh request vnto God for vs although the Papists ascribe them chiefly vnto Christ yet what doo they else but cleane robbe him of it when they associate others with him As namely the virgin Mary They call her the Queene of heauen the gate of Paradise their life and sweetenes the Treasurer of Grace the refuge of sinners and the Mediatrix of men I pray what doo they nowe leaue to Christ Yea when they say thus to her O felix puerpera nostra pians scelera iure matris impera Redemptori that is O happy mother satisfieng for our sinnes by thy motherly authority commaund the Redeemer What greater blasphemy to Christ coulde they haue vttered It is cleare that saint Paul saith there is but one God and one Mediatour betwéene God and men the Man Christ Jesus 1. Tim. 2.5 But the Papists bée not content with him but will haue many Mediatours Saint Paul saith moreouer that by him wée haue bâ—ldnes and accesse vnto God Eph. 3.12 And therefore what foolish feare is it of the Papists to appoint to themselues other Mediatours Sith therefore the Church of Rome doth not repute the once Oblation of Jesus Christ and his Intercession to bee perfect but accuse them of imperfection as appeareth by their doctrines it cannot possibly be the true Church Christ himselfe biddeth to aske in no other name than in his and promiseth that whatsoeuer shall bée asked in his name it shall bée done Ioh. 14.13.14 Chrysostome speaking of the woman of Canaan who though shée were a sinner was hold to come vnto Christ saith thus En prudentiam huius mulieris non precatur Iacobum non supplicat Iohanem non adit ad Petrum nec Apostolorum caesum respicit aut vllum eorum requirit sed pro his omnibus penitentiam sibi comitem adiungit ad ipsum fontem progreditur Behold the wisedome of this woman She doth not pray Iames shee doth not beseech Iohn shee goeth not to Peter shee looketh not to the companie of the Apostles neither doth request any of them but for all this shee taketh repentance for hir companion and goeth to the verie fountaine it selfe And againe he saith that to haue accesse vnto God Nihil opus est atriensi seruo vel intercessore sed dic miserere mei Deus is enim te audit quocunque sis loco vndecunque innocetur VV haue no need of any Courtly attendant or intercessor but say haue mercie vpon me O God for hee heareth thee in what place so euer thou art and from what place soeuer thou callest vpon him Ambrose likewise answeareth the carnall reason of the Papists solent saith he misera vti excusatione dicentes per istos posse ire ad Deum sicut per comites itur ad reges ideo ad regum per tribunos comites itur quia homo vtique est rex ad deum autem quem vtique nihil latet suffragatore non est opus sed mente deuota Vbicunque enim lelis locutus fuerit respondebit illi That is They are wont to vse a pityfull excuse saying by these Saints They may haue accesse vnto God as by Earles there is accesse to Kings Therfore is it that by Officers and Earles accesse is made to the King because the King himselfe is a man But to come to God from whom nothing is hid there is no neede of a spokesman but of a deuout minde for wheresoeuer such a one speaketh to him he wil answeare him The Church of Rome therefore which accounteth not of the sufficiencie perfection of that one Oblation of Christ nor of his