pretence doe reiect the old translation or vse any interpretation contrary to the Romish Churches meaning they condemne Stapleton in his booke intituled Principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs seuen grounds or principles of his religion the first is the Church the second the Pope the third the means vsed by the Pope in iudgement the fourth the Popes infallibility in iudgement the fifth his power in taxing the canon of Scriptures the sixth his certaine interpretation of Scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written these I say are his grounds and principles absurdly deuised confusedly disposed and ridiculously propounded as God willing shall be shewed otherwhere now it is sufficient to declare that whatsoeuer he bableth elsewhere of scriptures councels fathers yet heere they are all suppressed in this diuision or at the least concealed vnder the name of the Church or Pope which in his preface to Gregory the 13. hee calleth supremum numen in terris that is the supreme God of the world and who to him is all in all likewise in his preface to his relection of doctrinall principles hee seemeth directly to exclude the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis apostolicis euangelicis uliud that is we haue another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the Apostles Prophets if he exclude not scriptures yet he admitteth them no otherwise than according to the interpretation of the Pope and his complices nay without the Popes declaration he doth tediouslie discourse that Christians are not to receiue the canon of scriptures The decretale epistles of the Pope no doubt they admit for the foundation of their faith for in the rubricke of their decrees c. in canonicis dist 19. they doe determine that the Popes decretales are to bee numbred among canonicall scriptures inter canonicas scripturas say they decretales epistolae connumerantur likewise Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. defineth that the Popes decretale epistles are to bee receiued with veneration In the same decretale Gelasius authoriseth the Romane martyrologe or legends of martyrs neither can Kellison or his kettle companions deny this to be one of the grounds of his rammish I would say Romish religion seeing these martyrologes and legendes conteine diuers traditions which the conuenticle of Trent will haue all Papistes to receiue with equall affection to scriptures Canus lib. 1. loc theolog c. 1. assigneth tenne places out of which he saith diuines are to draw arguments the first is the authority of scriptures the second the authority of traditions not written the third is the authority of the catholike church the fourth the authority of councels the fifth the authority of the church of Rome where wee are to note that more honestly than his companions hee maketh the church of Rome to differ from the Catholike church the sixth is the authority of ancient fathers the seuenth the authority of Romish schoole doctors the eighth naturall reason the ninth the authority of Philosophers the tenth the authority of writers of stories so wee see how hee buildeth his faith vpon men as well as vpon God and matcheth traditions not written with the most diuine writings of the Prophets and Apostles and conioyneth the authority of councels and fathers nay of schoolemen and Philosophers with the testimony of holy scriptures framing to vs rather an humane then a diuine foundation of Christian faith Martin Perez a plaine dealing Papist knowing that all those points of doctrine which are in controuersie betwixt his fellowes and vs are grounded rather vpon tradition then scripture doth entitle his whole discourse of these matters de traditionibus that is a discourse of traditions Finally Bellarmine lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 31. doth call the Pope the foundation of the building of the church Fundamentum aedisicij ecclesiae and in his preface before his bookes de pontisice Rom. he saith that the seat of Peter or the Popes chaire is the approued stone the corner and pretious stone placed in the soundation of which the Prophet I say speaketh c. 8. and 28. and with him concurreth Sanders in his booke of the Rocke of the church Stapleton also declareth the matter most plainely in praefat in relect princip doctr where he saith that the foundation of the knowledge of Christian religion is necessarily placed in the authority of the Pope teaching vs in whom he saith he heareth God speaking to vs. his wordes are in hac docentis hominis authoritate he speaketh of the Pope in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscenda fundamentum necessariò pom credimus and this others must necessarily also hold for they hold him to be the supreme interpreter of scriptures and an infallible Iudge of all controuersies of religion and a law-giuer to our consciences binding all mens consciences by his lawes which is the common opinion as Bellarmine lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. c. 16. saith of all casuistes a pitifull case therefore it is wherein the Papistes stand whose consciences are chained with so many bondes This then being found in the suruey of the grounds of Popish religion let vs also consider what conclusions may be hence inferred that we may as well suruey the conclusions as the premisses First it followeth that these grounds being blasphemous both in regard of the spirit of God which is the enditer and author of holy scriptures and also in regard of Christ Iesus the foundation of the church and finisher of our saith the doctrine and religion of Popery cannot be cleere of blasphemie for to match Popish decretales with holy scriptures and the Popes determination with Gods law is derogatory to Gods holy spirit and a plaine disparagement to Gods holy law likewise it is blasphemous to accuse the holy scriptures of insufficiencie and imperfection and to attribute more certaintie and perspicuitie to the decretales of the Pope then to the lawes of God it is also blasphemous either to remoue Christ out of the foundation of the church or at the least to ioyne the Pope with him in the foundation and that as a more necessary foundation for the knowledge of Christian religion as Stapleton saith the same also is directly contrary to the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. Ephes 2. and of S. Iames. c. 4. in the first of which places we finde that no other foundation can be layd of the church but Christ Iesus in the 2. we reade that the Church is founded vpon the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the cheefe corner stone in the 3. we vnderstand that there is only one Law-giuer and Iudge which is able to saue and destroy it is finally very impious and blasphemous to assirme that the Pope is a more certaine and superiour Iudge then God himselfe speaking to vs in scriptures or then the Apostles and Prophets that were ledde into all truth by the spirit of God of other blasphemies of Popery
reprochfull humours but neuer did Catholickes so teach the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. saith they are able to make vs wise to saluation and that they are giuen of God to make the man of God perfect S. Augustine lib. 2. de doct Christ c. 9. saith that all things necessarily belonging to faith or manners are conteined in plaine places of scriptures the ancient fathers do euery where speake honorably of scriptures and Ireney saith it is the propertie of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to accuse them Secondly these are speciall points of Popery viz. that the Pope is the foundation head and spouse of the church that his decretales concerning matters of faith are infallible that vnwritten traditions are the word of God not written and equall to scriptures that the old Latine vulgar translation of the bible is authenticall for the most of this is deliuered and determined in the conuenticle of Trent sess 4. the rest is holden by the canonists and the Popes proctors these doctrines are contrarie to the wordes of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. who sheweth vs that no other foundation can be laid but Christ Iesus and Ephes 2 where it is said that the faithfull are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Irenaeus lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. sheweth that the scriptures are the pillar and foundation of our faith Chrysostome hom 6. in Matth. saith the church is Hierusalem whose foundations are laid vpon the mountains of the scriptures that the Pope should be the foundation of the church and not be subiect to error in determining matters of faith is contrary both to scriptures and fathers as I haue already shewed in my bookes de pontifice Rom. the diuersitie and contrarietie of diuers editions of the old Latine vulgar translation of the bible we haue proued heretofore that it differeth from the originall it is apparent and Arias Montanus Erasmus Caietan and diuers others acknowledge it the fathers in matters of doubt send vs to the originals the falshood of Romish traditions the repugnance betwixt them and scriptures I haue proued in my booke de scripturis against Bellarmine Thirdly the Papists allow no interpretations of scriptures against that sense Cont. Trident. sess 4. which the church of Rome holdeth contra eum sensum quam tenuit tenet sancta mater ecclesia and by the church they vnderstand the Pope principally but that was neuer the opinion of Catholikes nay the Pope and his followers allow diuers interpretations contrarie to the iudgement of all auncient fathers and catholikes they beleeue that these words of Christ feede my sheepe do properly belong to the Pope and that thereby he hath power to depose Princes these words Hiercm 1. I haue appomted thee ouer nations and kingdomes they transferre to the Pope Boniface the 8. in the chap. vnam sanctam extr demaior obed doth thereof conclude that the Pope hath power to iudge all earthly princes Innocent the 3. in the Chap. solitae de maior obed because it is said Genes 1. that God made a greater and lesser light in the firmament collecteth that the Pope is aboue the emperour Christ said do this in remēbrance of me they interpret it as if Christ had said offer vp my body and blood to my father and do it in remembrance of Angels and Saints Christ said search the scriptures and drinke yee all of this which they expound as if he had forbidden laie-men either to search scriptures or to receiue the cup. They haue also infinite other such like peruerse interpretations of scriptures contrarie to the exposition of Catholike fathers and yet stiffle maintaine them 4. Catholikes neuer allowed the legends of S. George S. Christopher S. Catherine S. Vrsula S. Cyprian the magician and such legends as the Papists reade in their churches publikely and beleeue them as traditions of their Elders and grounds of faith the legend of S. George of Cyricus Iulitta of Abgarus and of the inuention of the crosse is condemned by Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. 5. Tho. Aquin. opusc cont errores Graec. saith it is a matter of faith to beleeue the determinatiō of tho Pope in matters belonging to saith or maners a matter neuer beleeued by Catholikes 6. Bellarmine and others say that the Popes lawes doe bind vs in conscience but this neuer entred into the thought of Catholikes S. Iames. c. 4. saith we haue only one lawgiuer and iudge that can saue and destroy 7. They beleeue that images are to he made and worshipped and consequently fil euery corner of their churches with images they also thinke it lawfull to picture God the father like an old man and the holy ghost in the figure of a doue but the law of God expressely forbiddeth the worship of grauen images and all such similitudes and Lactantius lib. 2. instil c. 19. saith there is no religion where such images are S. Augustine de fid symbolo saith that it is impious to place the image of God in the church tale simulachrum deo nefas est Christiano in templo collocare 8. The Iebusites of Collem in their censure teach that we are iustified by the law and that our life and saluation doth consist therein but the Apostle teacheth vs that the law is the minister of death and Irenaeus testifieth lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 20. that the law being spirituall doth only manifest sinne and not kill it and so doe Catholikes beleeue 9. The conuenticle of Trent sess 5. teacheth that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerat but the Apostle Rom. 7. sheweth the concupiscence is sinne and all true Catholikes must needes confesse it seeing it is forbidden by the law 10 Bellarmine and his consorts beleeue that all Christians are able to performe the law perfectly but Catholickes beleeue that this sauoureth of Pelagianisme for if they be able to performe the law of God perfectly then may they liue without all sinne which Augustine and Hierome in their disputes against the Pelagians declare to be heresie 11 Papists beleeue that the Pope is able to dispence with oathes and to absolue subiects from their obedience and fealty to their Princes but Catholickes assure themselues that it is impious to take Gods name in vaine and to violate lawfull oathes vpon the Popes or any other mans warrant 12 Papists teach that the Virgin Mary was exempt from originall sinne as we may perceiue by Bellarmine lib. 4. de amiss grat c. 15. and by the decrerale of Sixtus 4. and this is the most common opinion but Catholickes thinke contrary for the Apostle Rom. 5. saith that through the offence of one all men are subiect to condemnation 13. They beleeue that the blessed virgins house was caried out of Galiley into Dalmatia and from thence into Italy by the ministery of Angels and that the same is now at Loreto but Catholikes laugh at such fables and esteeme the worship
assumptae praecepit enim Dominus Mosi c. and againe noster Pontifex plura quà m octo induit vestimenta quamuis Aaron non nisi octo habuisse legatur quibus moderna succedunt From thence also the Masse-priests haue borrowed their altars sacrifices and priesthood for in the Gospell wee find none of these things instituted as they vse them Alexander the first did institute the consecration of holy water in imitation of the aspersion of the ashes of the red cow The burning of incense by Durand rat lib. 4. c. 8. is drawen from the manner of the Priests of the law and out of the 30. chapter of Exodus The salutation Dominus vobiscum is borrowed from Boos Ruth 2. who with like words saluted his reapers as if the Masse were onely to bee said in haruest time and among mowers and reapers The feasts instituted in the dedication of churches are deriued from the first of Machabees c. 4. because the Iewes did keepe holy the day of the dedication of the temple Durand rat diuin lib. 6. c. 6. proueth the foure ember fasts by the example of the Iewes nam Iudaei saith he quater in anno ieiunabant and hee alleadgeth a braue reason for it viz. for that the foure elements of the body being corrupted by these foure fasts may be purged In the later end of the missale the Papists shew how the paschale lambe is to be consecrated which is is a ceremony sauouring of the reliques of the Leuiticall law not yet sufficiently purged out of popery The heauing and lifting of the sacrifice the masse-priests borrow from the ceremoniall law wherein a heaue offering was prescribed and from thence also commeth the swinging of the chalice about the priests head Garret from the testimonie of Auerroes and other Rabbines goeth about to prooue the popish real presence of Christes body and blood in the Sacrament Robert Parsons in his booke of 3. conuersions endeuoureth to prooue praiers for the dead by the corrupt custome of the Iewes Finally it were an easie matter to shew that many other popish cymbales and ceremonies are drawne partly from the Gentiles and partly from the Iewes but by this which I haue already brought it appeareth sufficiently that Popish religion is either grossely heathenish or ceremoniously Iewish or at the least corruptly and stiffely hereticall CHAP. XXVI That Popish religion is full of contradictions and contrary opinions AS truth is alwaies consonant to it selfe so in falshood there is much iarring and contradiction to specifie this matter by examples we need to seeke no further then in the corrupt and false religion and doctrine of Papistes for notwithstanding their crackes and bragges of vnitie hardly shall you name any point of doctrine wherein the chiefe founders and defenders of Popery hold not singular opinions and varie one from another nay whosoeuer hath leysure to peruse the whole corps of their doctrine shall finde that it conteineth strange peeces and points one contradicting another In the article of the Trinitie wherein we agree with the common doctrine of Papistes they are so curious and contentious that they agree not almost in any point among themselues First they contend about the distinction of the diuine attributes whether it be real or formal or imaginary or rationis Dionysius Richel in lib. 1. sent dist 2. saith that this is one of the chiefe difficulties of diuines and that about it there is great dissention and contention hee telleth further how Aegidius doth heerein lance Thomas and others runne vpon both Aegidius in lib. 1. sentent dist 2. would haue the persons of the Trinitie distinguished by a certeiue thing in one that is not in another which displeaseth the rest of his consorts Most of the schoolemen deny the examples and similitudes of the master of sentences lib. sent 1. dist 3. brought to illustrate the vnitie of the essence Trinitie of the persons and that which one affirmeth another misliketh Bonauenture saith that a man may atteine to the knowledge of the holy Trinitie by the light of reason others say contrarie The Scotistes lib. 1. sent dist 5. inueigh against Henricus de Gandauo for his singular opinion about the eternall generation of the sonne of God Aegidius holdeth that the sonne of God is able to beget another sonne which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange diuinitie Thomas Aquinas 1. q. 32. art 4. holdeth that doctors may hold contrary opinions cire a notiones in diuinis he teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the father then from the sonne which others mislike If then they agree not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie what little hope can we conceiue that they will better accord in other matters Durand denieth Theology to be scientia Thomas and Richard hold that it is About the words vti and frui there is great varietie of opinions some dissenting from their master others one from another as their disputes in 1. sent dist 1. doe testifie Pighius lib. 1. de eccles hierach c. 2. saith that Scriptures are not aboue our faith but subiect vnto it Stapleton lib. doct princip 12. c. 15. teacheth that the church and scriptures are of equall authoritie Eckius in enchirid loc com c. de ecclesia determineth that the Scriptures are not authenticall without the authority of the church Bellarmine thought best to passe ouer this question without resolution Nicholas Lyra Hugo de S. Victore Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo cardinalis Thomas de vio and Sixtus Senensis lib. 1. biblioth S. reiect the last seuen chapters of the booke of Hester as not canonicall Scriptures the conuenticle of Trent and most popish doctors of later times hold them to be canonicall Iohn Driedo lib. 1. de scriptur ecclesiast dogm denieth the booke of Baruch to be canonicall scripture Bellarmine lib. 1. de verb. Dei and most of his sellowes be of a contrary opinion Caietan and Erasmus in their Commentaries vpon the Epistles to the Hebrewes of Iames Iude the second of Peter and the 2. and the third of Iohn doe dissent from the rest of their fellowes and that partly concerning the authors and partly concerning the authoritie of those epistles Iames bishop of Christopolis in praefat in Psal and Canus lib. 2. loc theolog c. 13. affirme that the Iewes haue depraued and corrupted the originall text of the old restament an opinion false blasphemous therefore contradicted by Bellar. lib. 2. de verb. dei and by diuers of his consorts Sanctes Pagnmus in Praefat. interpret suae biblior and Paulus bishop of Foro Sempronio lib. 2. c. 1. de die passionis domini deny that the vulgar Latin translation of the Bible was made by Hierome Austen of Eugubium and Picus Mirandula hold contrarie Bellarmine and Dâ—sedo say that it is part his and part others Alexander Hales and Durand hold that the diuine attributes are not distinguished but in respect vnto creatures Henricus and Albertus
massacres and cruell executions done by the Papistes of late yeeres vpon the Saints of God haue proceeded from no other fountaine then from the malice of the diuel for he was a murderer from the beginning and Apocalyps 12. we read that the great red dragon that is the diuel persecuted the woman which was a figure of the church of God and caused her to flie into the wildernesse from the same fountaine also doe issue all the forgeries lies and calumniations of Papists whereby they haue gone about to suppresse the truth for the diuell is the father of lies and from their father the diuel the lying friers and Masse-priests haue learned their lying deuises who then is of God must needs hate this religion that is partly inuented and partly mainteined by the diuell CHAP. XXXIII That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion OF the trueth of our Christian faith we are assured for the articles thereof were deliuered by Christ taught by the Apostles and Prophets conteined in Scriptures and confessed by the catholicke church of all times but it is not so with Popery for neither did Christ deliuer it nor the Apostles and Prophets teach it nor is the same conteined in Scriptures or confessed by the catholike church of all times but dependeth partly vpon traditions not written and partly vpon the Popes determinations and partly vpon the opinions of schoole-men and canonistes and the monkes and friers now what assurance I pray you can any Papist haue of these doctrines First no man yet could euer tell what these traditions are which the Priests of Trent would make equall to Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei talketh at randon but he dare not come to particulars nor directly expresse them Secondly they dare not define where these traditions are to be found if they say in the decretales then all future traditions are cut off and former traditions founded on the Popes opinions if they say in the legends their traditions will prooue lies and fooleries for such are the legends if they tell vs of the pure fountaines of traditions of Caesar Baronius as Pope Sixtus the fift doth they will be laughed at that were not auised of their groundes before the time of this babling and confused Cardinal Thirdly they cannot shew why some traditions should be obserued and others not but if traditions were to be receined with equall affection to holy Scriptures then might none be abolished As for the determinations of Popes they can alledge no reason why they should be true if they bring the wordes of Christ to Peter they concerne them nothing that are so vnlike to Peter if they bring Christs promises to his church they concerne them much lesse for they are rather enemies then members of the church but were they members yet what man is priuiledged so that he cannot erre but those which for writing of holy Scriptures were led into all truth by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth Finally there is such contention betwixt the schoolemen and canonists and such diuersity of opinions among the seuerall Doctors of both the sides that it is bard to say whether any of them teacheth truly and most certaine that many of them teach falsely nay scarce any point of doctrine is deliuered by schoolemen wherein they dissent not one from another Now if they say their faith is founded not only vpon the Popes determinations and Apostolike traditions but also vpon holy scriptures yet holding as they doe this shall not any whit releeue them For first they cannot assure themselues that the Latine vulgar translation of the Bible is more true then the originall text in Hebrew and Greeke for all the fathers with one consent preferre the original fountaines before all versions Secondly they must needes stand in doubt which is the old Latine vulgar translation for if they allow that which was set out by Clement the 8. then cannot they allow of that which was set out by Sixtus Quintus the one so much differing from the other nor if they approue this can they follow that Thirdly they doe not beleeue the scriptures because God speaketh in them nor the traditions because they are Gods worde as they hold but because the church doth tell vs which are canonicall scriptures and consigneth them vnto vs and doth further deliuer vnto vs these traditions not written for this is Stapletons opinion in his bookes de doctrinalibus princip and authorit ecclesiast defens and is confessed of most Papists but if the authoritie of scriptures and traditions in respect of vs doth so depend vpon the church that no man can be assured of either without the authority of the Church then doth the faith of Papists rest vpon the Pope who as they say is chiefe gouernor of the church the which will bring the Papists to great vncertainty for who is so mad as to beleeue that a blind Pope can well iudge of colours or so senselesse as not to beleeue Gods word without the Popes warrant Fourthly they receiue not the articles of the faith because they are contained in scriptures but because they are deliuered vnto vs by the Pope Thomas Aquinas 2.2.9.1 art 10. saith that the ordring of matters of faith and the publication of the articles of the Creed belongeth to the pope that Athanasius his Creed was receiued because it was allowed by the Pope and this by others is deliuered in more grosse termes Stapleton in his doctrinall principles saith that the last resolution of matters of faith is in the Popes desinitiue sentence and Bellarmine lib. 3. de verb. dei c. 4. goeth about to shew that the Pope is the supreme iudge to whom the interpretation of scriptures and last resolution of all controuersies of religion is to bee referred But the papists can neither assure thomselues that he that sitteth at Rome is true Pope and S. Peters true successor nor that his determinations are certeine or true That the Pope is S. Peters true successor it will be hard to proue considering that he preacheth not as S. Peter did nor S. Peter weare a triple crowne and command temporall Princes as he doth it is very hard also to know whether he bee true Pope or no after the common vnderstanding of Papists for vnlesse he bee baptized and truly ordred and chosen he is no true Pope but it is hard to know whether he were baptized which dependeth vpon the Priests intention which is vncerteine and hidden it is also more hard to vnderstand whether he were truly ordred or not for if he were not baptized then is he not capable of Priest-hood as Innocentius saith c. ventens de presbytero non baptizato and if he that ordred him had no intention to doe it then receiued he no orders lastly it is a matter most difficult to know whether the Pope was rightly chosen or else by Simony or violence or other meanes intruded so it is alwaies most
foundation and pillar of our faith they doe make the traditions of the church not written equall to the scriptures and vpon them nay vpon the decretales of Popes and practise of Massepriestes doe build their faith all antiquitie esteemeth holy scriptures to be the canon of our faith and therefore calleth them canonicall But the Romanists esteeme them to be an vnperfect canon without their traditions and the Popes decretales and determinations Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei c. 4. saith they are neither necessary nor sufficient without traditions The fathers neuer accounted the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees equall to the bookes of the law and Prophets extant originally in Hebrew as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Athanasius in synopsi of Nazianzen in carm of Epiphanius and diuers others old and new writers the Papists in the synode of Trent decree them to be of equall authoritie with the rest the auncient catholikes euer esteemed the Hebrew text of the old testament and the Greeke of the new to be more authentical then anie translation the conuenticle of Trent hath made the old latin vulgar translation of the bible authenticall and doth not giue that honor to the originall bookes of the bible the canonicall scriptures we say receiue their force from the author of them and this is to be prooued by the consent of fathers and by arguments from scriptures law and reason they say that scriptures receiue force and authoritie in respect of vs from the Church or rather from the Pope Papists are neither willing that scriptures be turned into vulgar tongues nor will permitte them to be read of the vulgar sort without licence or publickly read in vulgar tongues in the church finally they say they are obscure and hard to be vnderstood and speake what they can in their disgrace Secondly they teach erroneously concerning Christs naturall body and concerning his office the body of Christ they beleeue to be both in heauen and on earth on euerie altar at one and the selfe same time they also hold that his body is really vnder the accidents of bread and wine giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor in any sort like to ours they teach further that his body is in diuers places where it filleth not the places and that his one body hath relation to diuers places they beleeue that the soules of the faithfull before Christes comming were in hell or at least in Limbo which is a part of hell and were thence deliuered by Christes going to hell as if his crosse had wrought nothing for them they teach that Christ as man is omniscient and per consequent omnipotent and that he was vir perfectus that is a perfect or growne man from the first instant of his conception his office of mediation they giue to the virgin Mary to Angels and to Saints they make also Saints our redeemers teaching that by their merits Christians obteine their desires and are deliuered out of purgatorie to Masse-priests they giue priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech and say that they offer vp Christs body and blood really for quicke and dead finally they make the Pope head spouse and monarke of the Church Neither doe they teach more catholikely of Christes mysticall body then of his naturall body for they subiect the same to the Pope and exclude all from Christ that are not subiect to the Pope the true members thereof they persecute and make heretikes and reprobates and such as liue without order or law professing their religion outwardly true members of Christes body the Church say they is alwaies so conspicuous and visible that euery one may see it and discerne it the true markes of the church that is true doctrine and the sincere administration of Sacraments and holinesse of life they denie assigning most common and vncerteine markes as vnitie vniuersalitie antiquitie succession and such like The Pope they make a most certeine and infallible interpreter of Scriptures and iudge of matters of faith they giue him authoritie to make lawes for the whole Church and power to binde mens consciences they make him more souereigne then a generall Councell and say that his power in giuing indulgences reacheth into purgatorie they say he hath power to excommunicate and depose kings and to giue away their kingdomes to others Betwixt the Catholicke church and Roman church they make no difference equalling a part to the whole they say also that the Roman church can neither erre nor faile The worship of God consisteth in spirit and trueth but they place the same in certeine externall rites and ceremonies and in meere humane inuentions and deuices nay for God they worship creatures not onely giuing diuine honour to the Sacrament but also to crucifixes and images of the Trinitie made of wood stone and colours they doe also adore not onely saints but rotten bones and ragges they know not of whom to Saints they pray they make vowes they confesse their sinnes to saints they erect churches and altars to their images they burne incense and present diuers oblations and finally in the honour of Saints haue deuised particular masses and offices transforming the Psalmes and wordes of Scriptures to Angels and Saints Their doctrine concerning the Sacraments is most exorbitant for they doe not onely adde vnto water in Baptisme salt spittle oile and diuers other ceremonies partly idle partly superstitious but also vnto the two Sacraments instituted by Christ they equall confirmation matrimonie penance orders and extreme vnction making them Sacraments as well as Baptisme or the Lords Supper in Confirmation they haue deuised both a new signe and new wordes in extreme Vnction they haue deuised new formes in the ordring of Priestes they say accipe potestatem offerendi sacrisicium in ecclesia pro viuis mortuis that is receiue power to offer sacrifice in the church for quicke and dead in Penance they vrge a necessity of confession strange formes of whipping and vncerteine hopes and new deuices of satisfaction from Matrimonie they exclude Priestes monkes and friars and make it a Sacrament albeit they know neither certeine signes nor words of the institution of it but the institution of the Lords supper they haue quite abolished for that which Christ ordeined to be receiued of the Communicants that the masse-priest doth offer for quicke dead and in the honour of Saints and Angels of which there is not one worde spoken in the institution our Sauiour in bread and wine instituted his last supper these neither leaue bread nor wine but make Christians eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood like the canibals Cyclopes Christ ordeined this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion these make of the same a sacrifice in honour of Angels and Saints the cup of the new testament they take from Christians abrogating as much as in them lieth the new testament established in Christs blood and
si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset so likewise the Popes grant indulgences to all those that fight for their sect whatsoeuer outrages and villanies they haue committed neither do Priests refuse absolution to any of their sect if they be ruled by them Bellarmine lib. 2. de eccles c. 2. requireth neither faith nor vertue in a Christian if he professe outwardly the Romish faith 43. The Apostle 1. Tim. 4. doth condemn them as heretiks that forbad men to mary entoined them abstinence from certaine meats recte posuit prohibentium nubere saith Theodoret in 1. Tim. 4. neque enim caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt but Papists by lawes forbid the mariage of Priests and of such as haue vowed single life and haue made diuers lawes against eating flesh burning all that teach otherwise 44. The heretikes called Anomi were condemned for corrupting the law of God but I haue shewed that the Papists by their irregular doctrines and traditions haue not only corrupted it but also disanulled it for the most part 45. Irenaeus aduers haeres c. 2. rangeth them among heretikes that accuse scriptures as if they were not right or not of authority or diuersly to be vnderstood or not sufficient without tradition quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia variè sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem all which qualities are incident to the Papists for they complaine of their flexibility and insufficiency and without the churches determination make them to vs of no authoritie Tertullian lib. de praescrip aduers haeret saith some heretikes by their hand others by expositions peruert scriptures alius saith he mancel scripturas alius sensu expositiones interuertit the Papists excell in both for by their additions and false versions they haue falsified scriptures and their commentaries in cases controuersed are nothing but peruersions and false expositions of scriptures Turrian writing against that worthy seruant of God Master Sadeel doth call the scriptures delphicum gladium or an instrument seruing to diuers purposes others call them a nose of waxe or a shipmans hose some esteeme them a matter of strife 46. Isidore lib. 8. orig c. de haeres doth declare them to be heretikes that doe otherwise vnderstand the scriptures then the meaning of the holy ghost requireth quicunque aliter scripturam sacram intelligit saith he quà m sensus spiritus sanâ—â—i flagitat licet de Ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus potest appellari but this is a common fault of Papists throughout all their bookes of controuersies and commentaries 47. As the Herodians did giue the title and honour of Christ to Herode and were therefore reputed heretickes by Damascene lib. de haeres so the Papists do giue Christs titles and honour to the Pope calling him the head and foundation and spouse of the Church yea the king of kings and Christ why then should they not be called papall heretickes aswell as the other Herodian heretickes 48. Damascene accounteth them heretickes that were enemies to the knowledge of Christians and misliked their study of scriptures Gnosimachi saith he omni Christianorum cognitioni ac scientiae ita aduersantur vt vanum minus necessarium laborem esse dicant corum qui in diumis scripturis aliquam exquirunt scientiam the Papists likewise condemn lay-men that read study scriptures especially in vulgar tongs and commend ignorance they doe also speake high commendations of a colliars faith and thinke it sufficient without more adoe that they beleeue as the Church doth 49. The Ethnophromans are likewise put in the role of heretickes for that they brought in diuers heathenish dustomes into the church as we may read in Damascene de haeresibus if then the Papists haue their right they are there also for their carnenal candle bearing holie water censing of images and infinite such trickes to bee calendred among heretickes 50. The dislike of second mariages expressed c. de his 31. q. 1. and for that they debarre such from Priesthood is borrowed from the Montanists 51. In the Roman Cathechisme part 1. in exposit 3. art fid they teach that our Sauiour passed out of his mothers wombe as the raies of the sunne do pearce through the substance of glasse quomodo solis radij concretam vitri substantiam penetrant but this heresie doth quite ouerthrow the article of the natiuity of our Sauiour 52. The conuenticle of a sect 6. Trent teacheth vs alwaies in this life to doubt of Gods fauour towards vs and of our own saluation but this heresie sheweth that the Papists teach infidelity rather then true faith 53. Finally if heresie be an opinion contrarie to faith as Ocham saith or to scriptures as Robert Grosthed affirmeth apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. or to conclusions deduced out of scriptures as the councell of Basil signifieth apud Aen. Sylu. de gest concil Basil lib. 1. then are all the opinions of Papists condemned by the church of England for heresies as being repugnant to canonicall scriptures and the faith deduced out of them And these heresies albeit anciently condemned are yet generally holden by the Papists but if I should rehearse the particular heresies of Popes and their chiefe doctors there would be no end of the rehearsall Gelasius the Pope in his epistle to the Bishops of Picenum saith that the substance of man is depratied by originall sinne which importeth rather the destruction of nature than the losse of grace according to his opinion The master of sentences lib. 2. dist 31. teacheth that the flesh only and not the soule is made vncleane by originall sinne Likewise lib. 1. dist 24. he saith that names of number put nothing in the Trinity which ouerthroweth the real distinction of the three persons in the Trinity Againe lib. 1. dist 17. he saith that the holy ghost is nothing but charity whereby we loue God his addendum saith he quòd ipse idem spiritus sanctus est amor siue charitas qua nos diligimus Deum proximum which ouerthroweth the subsistence of the holy ghost Iohn the 22. as we read in the letters of Michael Cesenas placed after the workes of Occham denied the personall distinction of the father the sonne and the holy ghost he denied also that the soules of the faithfull do see God before the day of iudgement The abbot Ioachim as we read in the chap. damnamus de sum trin sid cath saith that the father the sonne and the holy ghost are one non vnitate essentiae sed collectionis tantum not by vnity of essence but by vnity of collections as diuers citizens make one people which ouerthroweth the vnity of the diuine essence Albert vpon the first booke of sentences dist 9. and Thomas Aquinas in scripto confesse that speaking of the persons of the
contulit saith the author of that donation vt in toto orbe Romani pontifices velâ—saecendotes ita hunâ— caput habeant sicut iudices regem so it appeareth that the preeminence of Roman bishops ouer all Priests proceeded from the Emperours grant and not from any ordinance of Christ or diuine authority Likewise we read that the councels of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon were called by the authority of Emperours and that their acts and decrees were ratified by them and not by the bishops of Rome more than other bishops as is pretended Further in the confessions of faith published by those councels and receiued by Theodosius Martianâ—â—s and other Christian Emperours there is not one article of popery so much as mentioned nay albeit the bishops of Rome oppugned the decree of the councell of Chalcedon concerning the priuiledge of the Church of Constantinople yet preuailed they not lastly the condemnation of Eutyches in the councell of Chalcedon doth ouerthrow the popish reall presence of Christs body in the sacrament and transubstantiation for if Christ haue a true body that is circumscriptible solide then is not Christs body really in euery consecrated host and if that according as after the vnion of the natures both remaine so the bread and wine remaine after consecration as the fathers of that councell pretend then awaie flieth the fancy of popish transubstantiation Recaredus King of Spaine assembled the third councell of Toledo chased Arianisme out of his dominions published a confession of the faith which all Christian bishops of that countrey receiued and gouerned and confirmed the councell publico regis edicto confirmatum est concilium the councell was confirmed by publicke proclamation of the king saith the compiler of the acts of that councell finallie in all the acts there is not one article of popery confirmed but the 21. canon that alloweth Psalmes to be sung at burials doth vtterly ouerthrow dirges and masses for the dead and the doctrine of purgatory for how can they chuse but sorrow for the dead that beleeue their friends soules to be in purgatorie the 22. canon forbiddeth dances and immodest songs on holy daies the 16. canon is directed against the worship of idols the 11. canon reproueth Priests that absolue publike sinners without due acts of repentance which is an abuse very common in the masse-priests finally in this synode the Spaniard followed the rules of the Church of Constantinople and not of Rome as appeareth by the second canon Iustinian the Emperour as is reported in the law inter claras Cod. de sum Trin. published a confession of faith which he commanded to be receiued throughout his dominions but therein is not any article of popery mentioned nay diuers of his lawes concerning the ordination of bishops the ordering of Churches and other ecclesiasticall matters declare that vnto his time the gouernment of the Church belonged to kings and princes and that yet the Pope had not vsurped his generall authoritie nor excluded temporall Princes he decreed that the sacraments should be administred contrarie to the Popish forme in an audible voice and in atongue that might be vnderstood Gregory the first acknowledged himselfe subiect to the Emperour and willing to execute his commandements which sheweth that the Emperour as yet held his authority and would not yeeld it to the bishop of Rome his faith also was the same which other Emperours professed for as yet Antichrist had not gained the primacy Gregory himselfe in his epistle to Serenus of Massilia praiseth him for that hee suffered not images to be adored and no man needeth to doubt but that Maurice the Emperour concurred with him in matters of faith Leo the fourth in the chapter de capitulis dist 11. professeth that he will see the Emperours orders by all meanes kept de capitulis vel praeceptis imperialibus vestris c. irrefragabiliter custodiendis saith he quantum valuimus valemus Christe propitio nunc in aeuum nos conseruaturos modis omnibus profitemur this therefore is an argument that the christian faith as yet was maintained by the authority of the Emperours that the bishops of Rome had then made no alteration by their decretales as not hauing as yet setled their supreme and tyrannicall authority in the Church in the time of this Leo neither was transubstantiation nor the necessity of auricular confession in the Priests eare for all sinnes nor communion vnder one kind heard of Beda in the Preface of his Ecclesiasticall historie praiseth king Ceolulphus for that he heard the wordes of holy Scriptures diligently but now among papists lay-men are not commended for hearing scriptures at that time neither were the 7. sacraments confirmed nor the Popes doctrine of Purgatorie and indulgences once deliuered Irene though a semipagan Empresse and a worshipper of images yet did not giue diuine worship to the crucifix or images of the Trinitie Charles the great in a synod at Francford condemned the idolatrous decrees of the 2. Nicene synode assembled vnder Irene Ansegisus lib. 2. c. 19. sheweth that he decreed that nothing should be read in the church beside canonicall scriptures the same author reporteth diuers lawes made by him and his sonne Ludouic contrarie to the practise of the moderne Romish church Kellison therefore should worke a woonder if he could prooue that either of these Emperours beleeued that the bishop of Rome was head of the church and had both the swordes and ruled both on earth and in Purgatorie neither shall he be able to shew that they beleeued that publike seruice and sacraments were to be celebrated in a tongue not vnderstood or that those were the Apostles successors that neither preached nor administred the Sacraments Before the conuenticle of Laterane Christian kings and princes knew now what transubstantiation ment neither did they receiue the doctrine of the communion vnder one kinde before the synode at Constance in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenues the 4. the doctrine of the seuen Sacraments of Purgatorie of the Popes supremacie began to be in more reputution the rest of their heresies the Pope and his complices could not procure to be authorized before the conuenticle of Trent and yet the French refused to admit the actes of that conuenticle and the Emperor Charles the fift by his agents protested against them the Queene of England king of Denmarke Princes of Germany and manie other States resolutely reiected and contemned them So we see that the doctrine of the Romish church was nener receiued by many Christian princes especially this forme of doctrine that is prescribed by the conuenticle of Trent the Popes excommunications prouisions rapines violence and tyranny we finde to haue beene of most Christian kings resisted when the Popes of Rome began to lift vp their heels against the Easterne Emperors Leo Isauricus and others and to excommunicate them they neglected their censures and in the Easterne parts were obeied as before Henry the 4. emperour of Rome
Platina saith obteined of Phocas the Emperour that the church of Rome should be called and holden the head of other churches The councell of Rome that authorised the Popish real presence of Christs body and blood in the Sacrament was celebrated vnder Pope Nicolas the 2. some 1050. yeares after Christ the 2. Nicene Councell that established the worship of images in some sort was assembled long before vnder the reigne of Irene but the actes of the councell could not bee receiued in the Westerne church till long after the councel of Lateran that decreed transubstantiation was assembled in the times of Innocentius the 3. the councell of Constance that first brought in the communion vnder one kind and the subsistence of accidents without subiect was summoned about the yeare of our Lord 1414 the synode of Florence that first established the 7. sacraments and beganne to talke of their formes and confirmed the Popes supremacy and Purgatory published her decrees about the yeare of our Lord 1439. the actes of the conuenticle of Trent that made vp a complete body of Popery were confirmed by Pius the 4. in the yeare of our Lord 1564. and this is the antiquity of those conuenticles that doe principallie confirme the doctrine of Popery The scholemen crept into the church about the yeare of our Lord 1200. the father of them al was Peter Lombard that flourished some 1140. yeares after Christ The canonists began after the times of Gregory the ninth that liued and flourished about the yeare of our Lord God 1230. The chiefe founders of Popery were the Popes by their authority the Cardinals by their counseill the Monkes and Friers by their bookes and preaching the Masse-priests by their massing and practising the dinel himselfe by his craft malice and violence the Popes authority in ecclesiasticall canses was not great before the times of Boniface the third nor in temporall matters before Gregory the seuenth Boniface the ninth as Theodoric à Niem testifieth by craft entered vpon the temporall inrisdiction of Rome The cardinals were but parish priests vntill such time as the Pope of a Priest became a Prince the monkes in the West church are descended from Benet of Nursia that liued about the yeare of our Lord 530. the Friers arose out of the bottomlesse pit about the yere of our Lord 1230. their first fathers were Francis and Dominicke the last brood of Friers flew abroad into the world vnder the leading of Ignatius Loyola a lame souldier anno Dom. 1540. the diuell being bound vp for a thousand yeere counting from the time of Constantine began to be loosed againe about the time of Innocent the third and by all fraud to worke in the heads of Popes Friers Monkes and Masse-priests and with violence to make opposition against all those that preached the truth The foundation therefore of Poperie being so lately laid and the chiefe founders thereof beginning to stirre so long after the times of the Apostles and ancient fathers it were great simplicitie if we should affirme poperie to be ancient But the same doth most clearely appeare by the particular doctrines of poperie which the Popes factours maintaine against vs. first they hold that holy scriptures are imperfect and no sufficient rule of faith Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei c 12. affirmeth that they are onely apart of the rule but none but heretickes in ancient time did derogate from scriptures 2. They teach that holy scriptures and the traditions of the church are to be receiued with equall affection but that was first determined in the 4. session of the conuenticle of Trent 3. In that wicked conuenticle also they first determined that the old Latine vulgar translation of the Bible should be authenticall 4. That the bishop of Rome is souereigne iudge of al controuersies of religion and the principall interpreter of scriptures is a point taught of late since Friers began to steele their faces with a double maske of impudency 5. Before the late conuenticle of Trent wee neuer read but that concupiscence was sinne both in the regenerat and vnregenerat as being contrary to the law of God 6. Stapleton in his preface to his relection of doctrinall principles is the first man that euer taught that wee heare God speaking in the Pope and that the church is founded vpon his authoritie 7. The first that euer called the Pope a God on the earth are the Popes canonists they likewise began first to call him the head and spouse of the church an vniuersall bishop 8. The Papists of late time only began to prohibit scriptures to be read publickely in vulgar tongues and to repine at Gods people that desire to reade them in those tongues for the ancient fathers exhort men to reade scriptures 9. Since Dioclesians time wee do not reade of any that burned bookes of scriptures besides Papists neither did any since his time hold out his feet to be kissed 10. Of late time Papists beleeue no Catholicke church but that which is subiect to the bishop of Rome whereas in time past the Catholicke church was held to bee dispersed through all nations and not vniuersally subiected to other head than Christ 11. The Romish church now obserueth not the old canons of the Apostles as they are commonly called ex 84. Apostolicis canonibus sayth Medina de sacror hom continent c. 105. quos Clemens Romanus pontifex eorundem Apostolorum discipulus in vnum coegit vix sex aut octo Latina Ecclesia nunc obseruat Martin Perez also de tradit part 3. c. de authorit cc. Apost confesseth that the Apostles canons now are not well obserued 12. The ancient Christians did neuer confesse their sinnes to the blessed virgin to S. Michael to Peter and Paul and other saints as the Romish Masse-priests do 13. Of late the Clerke at Masse hath taken vpon him to absolue the Priest and to pray for him a matter both strange and absurd 14. The confession of the faith set out by Pius the fourth concerning Romish traditions instification by works the seuen sacraments the sacrifice of the masse indulgences and such like points of Popery was neuer heard of before the time of that wicked Pope 15. The Papists can not shew that any Christian before of late durst cut out the second commandement out of the first Table as they haue presumed to do in their short Catechismes This they did knowing themselues to be guilty in worshipping images of the breach thereof 16. The decree of Sixtus the fourth concerning the conception of the blessed virgin without originall sinne is but a late deuice 17. It is not long since the Papists taught that veniall sinnes are done away with holy water 18. He should be very shamelesse that would say that Christians in time past did whip themselues either going in procession or before the crucifix as now Papists doe hoping to redeeme their sinnes with their owne blood 19. Ancient Christians neuer beleeued that it was sinne to transgresse
Popes regard them not one straw if they talke against their triple crowne two swords or glorious and pompous state as may appeare by the light accompt made of S. Bernardes bookes de consideratione ad Eugenium all of them if the Pope defineth otherwise reiect the fathers with great facility Bellarmme lib. 1. de verb. dei c. 3. declaring his opinion of the new testament departeth from the exposition of Chrysostome Theodoret and other fathers Generally in the accompt of the bookes of canonicall scriptures of the old testament they reiect the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Ruffine in the exposition of the Creede of the councell of Laodicea c. 59. of Athanasius in synopsi of Gregory Nazaanzen in his verses of Epiphanius lib. de ponderib mensuris and diuers other fathers and will haue the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees to bee of equall authoritie with the law and the Gospell in despight of all the fathers Contrarie also to their opinion they preferre the old Latine vulgar translation of the bible before the Hebrew text of the old and the Greeke text of the new testament that is the standing puddles before the cleare fountaines of holie scriptures The fathers exhort Christians the Papists dehort them from reading and hearing scriptures read in tongues vnderstood Origen homil 2. in Isaiam wisheth that all Christians would performe that which our Sauiour Christ speaketh of searching scriptures Hierome writing vpon the Coloss c. 3. heere saith he it is shewed that lay-men ought to haue the word of Christ not only sufficiently but also abundantly and that they ought to teach and admonish one another Ghrysostome also in his 9. homily in 1. ad Corinth attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the Apostle doth command you also to read the scriptures aboue all and that not lightlie and careleslie but with great diligence That the Pope should be aboue all councels it neuer entred into the fathers thought nay all of them haue recourse in matters of doubt concerning faith not to the decretales of Popes but to the determination of generall councels next after holy scriptures The bishop of Rome oftentimes consulted with learned fathers concerning the interpretation of scriptures and no learned bishop did in time past attribute more to the bishop of Rome then to other bishops the Papists therefore making the Pope that is often blind in matters of religion supreme interpreter of scriptures digresse from all the fathers and haue not so much seuce heerein as litle children that know that blinde-men cannot iudge of colours The conuenticle of Trent determining that traditions and holy scriptures are with equall affection to be receiued digresse from all the fathers that make not traditions but the scriptures to be canonicall and of sacred authority The Papists that say that scriptures are not authenticall to vs without the determination of the Pope and Romish church are of an opinion contrary to all the fathers who deriue their authoritie and credit from God and not from man Bellarmine lib. 3. de eccles c. 16. saith that Hierome Apollinaris and Hippolytus were deceiued in the exposition of the ninth chapter of Daniel concerning the times of Antichrist In his 2. booke de Purgatorio c. 1. he reiecteth the opinion of Ambrose Hilary Lactantius Hierome and Aleuinus that teach that as well good as bad neede to be purged In the number of 7. Sacraments the conuenticle of Trent departeth from the opinion of all the fathers for not one can be alledged that saith there are iust 7. Sacraments and neither more nor lesse Ambrose in his books de Sacramentis and de initiandis in myster mentioneth onely two so doth Iustine Martyr long before him in his 2. apology S. Augustine lib. 3. de doctr Christ c. 9. reckneth only the Sacrament of baptisme and of the body and blood of Christ where he talketh of sacraments he saith also Christ left but few and easie but Popish sacraments are many and hard to be performed The fathers no where mention spittle salt blowing light and such ceremonies as the Pope hath added to baptisme These words this is my body are expounded figuratiuely by Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion Origen in leuit Chrysostome homil 46. in Ioan. Augustine contra Adimantum and lib. 3. de doctr c. 16. in comment in psal 3. but the Papists in this exposition forsake all the fathers Gregory dial lib. 2. c. 43. willeth those to depart that communicate not si quis non communicet saith he det locum the Apostles canons doe excommunicate him that departeth before communion the same is also confirmed by the chap. si quis dist 2. de consecrat the Masse-priests therefore in the practise of their priuate Masses depart from the canons of the Apostles and all the fathers Innocentius the third lib. 4. de myster missae c. 6. thought that Christ consecrated without words others beleeue hee consecrated by praier the moderne Papists reiect both Bellarmine lib. 4. de eucharist c. 26. maketh the best proofe hee can for the communion vnder one kind but it appeareth by his silence that the fathers are all aduerse to him Gelasius in the chap. comperimus de consecrat dist 2. condemned those of sacriledge that receiuing one kind abstained from the cup. and Lyra in 1. Cor. 11. declareth that in the primitiue Church all Christians receiued both kinds The fathers speaking of the sacrifices of Christians call them sacrifices of praise and spirituall sacrifices and signifie that the eucharist is a commemoration of Christs only sacrifice on the crosse that is confirmed by the testimony of Iustin in dialog cum Tryph. of Tertullian lib. 4. contr Marcion of Eusebius lib. 1. de demonstr euangel of Cyprian aduers Iudaos c. 16. of Basil in Isaiae c. 1. and others this is proued partly by the same authours and by Chrysostome in Psal 95. in epist ad Hebr. homil 13. and Theodoret. in epist ad Heb. c. 8. 10. and by diuers others amplie cited by mee in my bookes de missa against Bellarmine all which doe shew that the Papists bringing an external and reall sacrifice of Christs body and bloud actually offered as they teach by euerie Masse-priest into the church are departed quite from the doctrine of the fathers Canus lib. 7. loc Theol. c. 1. confesseth that all the fathers which speake of the Virgin Maries conception teach that she was conceiued in originall sinne as Ambrose in Psal 118. ser 6. Augustine in Psal 34. Chrysostome Eusebius Emissenus Remigius and others yet most of the Popes proctors especiallie the Franciscans reiect these fathers The fathers with one confent teach that we are not to fast between Easter and Pentecost nor vpon Sundaies as Bellarmine de bon oper in part c. 23 consesseth yet doth he reiect their authority and all Papists doe contrarie Leo in epist ad Rusticum Narbonensem and
Fourthly they haue added their owne traditions to the old and new testament receiuing with like affection and reuerence both scriptures and traditions as they write sess 4. synod trid Bellarmine speaketh no otherwise of traditions then as if they were the word of God not written but to adde to a mans testament is forgery hominis testamentum saith the Apostle Galat. 3. nemo spernit aut superordinet no man despiseth a mans testament or taketh vpon him to adde vnto it Fiftly they haue added to the canon of the old testament the bookes of Tobia Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome the Machabies and certaine fragments not extant in the originall bookes of scriptures but to ascribe bookes to the spirit of God which were not published by the authority of Gods spirit is an audacious kind of falsity that they are not canonical scriptures it is proued by the testimony of the councell of Laodicea of Hierome in prologo Galeato Athanasius in synopsi Nazianzen in carminibus and diuers others Sixtly certaine Friers anno D. 1256. in Paris for Christs gospell published an other gospell which they termed eternall fratres noua quaedam praedicabant legebant docebant deliramenta ex libris Ioachim abbatis incipitque eorum liber Euangelium aeternum as Matthew Paris testifieth but no greater falsitie by men pretending Christianity can be committed then in exhibiting a false Gospell S. Paul Galath 1. pronounceth such teachers accursed Finally the conuenticle of Trent hath committed an egregious falsity in making the old Latine translation of the bible authenticall for the same in many places dissenteth from the orginall bookes as by conference it appeareth and as Isidore Clarius in his preface to the translation of the bible Erasmus Caietane and diuers other learned interpreters confesse and declare diuers editions also of this Latine translation doe much differ as appeareth by the bibles set foorth by Sixtus quintus Clement the eight and diuers others but that cannot be true that discordeth with it selfe quod dissonat verum esse non potest neither can they excuse themselues of falsity that exhibit a false copy for the true originall and authenticall bookes of scriptures Likewise haue our aduersaries corrupted and falsified both the acts of councels and the writings of the fathers for first they suppresse the true acts of many councels and the true bookes of many fathers such especially as touch the authority of the bishop of Rome Posseuin in his select bibliotheke counselleth his consorts to keepe the Greeke originall bookes of councels and fathers from the view of yong students but to suppresse the depositions of witnesses all law adiudgeth falsity Secondly they haue set foorth diuers false actes and canons vnder the names of the Apostles of the synode of Nice of Rome vnder Siluester of Neocesaria Sinuessa and other synods which themselues cannot denie to be diuersly falsified Isidore c. canones dist 16. and Leo c. Clementis dist ead and Gelasius c. sancta Rom. dist 15. doe number these canons among apocryphall writings the canons themselues condemne the baptisme of heretikes c. 45. and once dipping in baptisme c. 49. and Saterdaies fast c. 65. and alloweth the 3. booke of Machabees and Clements epistles for canonical scriptures and yet pope Adrian c. sextam synodum dist 16. alloweth them Russin in his history and Stephen Bishop of Rome c. viginti dist 16. allowe only 20. canons of the councel of Nice others in c. septuaginta ead dist say there are 70. one Alphonsus of Pisa of late in his summe of councels hath set out 80. canons of that councell Sozimus in the 6. councell of Carthage was taken alleaging a false canon of that councell for appeals to Rome Paschasius or some vnder his name corrupted a canon of that councell as if the same had decreed that the Church of Rome had alwaies had the primacy Pius the fifth in certaine letters of his to the Emperor alledgeth that the councell of Nice made the Pope of Rome gouernor of all Christian Princes the falsification is notorious and is extant in his letters set out by Hierome Catena Of the acts of the councell of Sinnessa there are 3. copies extant in Surius and different each from other they contradict themselues also for where in the latter end it is said that the first See shall not be iudged of any the fathers of that councell notwithstanding condemned Marcellinus damnauerunt eum extra ciuitatem The actes of the councels of Neocaesarea and Ancyra are so simple and so repugnant to the state of those times that blindemen albeit void of sight may feele them to be counterfet in ancient stories there is no mention of them nay in times of persecution and before Constantines time it is not likely that so many bishops could meete or would make such acts and canons as are imagined to be made in those councels The synode supposed to be assembled at Rome by Siluester contemeth diuers fabulous points as namely the report of Constantines leprosy of Nunnes professing virginitie after the age of 72. yeres The bishops names are barbarous the stile is Gothike the number of bishops there assembled is incredible it is therfore meere impudency to affirme the acts of that synode to be authenticall The 18. canon of the councell of Chalceden and the 36. canon of the 6. synode that giueth equall authority to the see of Constantinople and Rome is falsified both by Gratian and Gregory the 13. in his new edition of the canon law for vnder colour of those canons they determine quite contrary to canons that the Church of Constantinople should not be equall to Rome The fift councell of Carthage c. 3. determineth that bishops priests and deacons should absteine from their wiues in the time of their turnes or seruice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Romanistes dist 33. c. placuit haue falsified this canon by adding subdeacons and excluding bishops priests and deacons from their wiues at all times The councell of Mileuis c. 22. forbiddeth Priests and inferiour clerks to appeale to Rome but Gratian falsifying the canon addeth these words nisi forte sedem Rom. appellauerint which is direct contrarie to the meaning of the councell In the 35. canon of the councell of Laodicea the worship of Angels is termed idolatrous and expressely forbidden but Carranza in his summe falsifieth the canon and for Angelos writeth Angulos Bellarmine lib. 1. de sanct beatitud c. 19. sheweth that in latter editions of councels his consorts haue established the inuocation of Saints by the 7. canon of the 6. synode but all ancient copies declare both him and his consorts to be notorious forgers of false canons It were an easie matter to shew the falshood of our aduersaries in diuers other canons but the breuitie of this discourse will not permit any larger number of witnesses in this point Thirdly vnder the names of fathers they haue set out diuers counterfet treatises and haue falsly both translated the Greeke fathers and
person and a firebrand of sedition and trouble he set the sonne against the father and the subiects against their princes hauing preuailed against the Emperor he would not suffer his body to be buried and hauing gotten into his hands the bodie of Clement the Antipope he caused the same to bee burned Alexander the 3. a great patron of the Popes authoritie betraied the emperor Friderike Barbarossa to the soldan sending his liuely portrait vnto him and perswading him to destroy him he trode most proudly vpon the Emperors neck and abused wordes of scripture most impiouslie to his purpuse Innocent the third that first established auricular confession and transubstantiation two principall bulwarks of the Popes kingdome and was a principall doer in the decretales raised bloody warres against the Christians in France that would not allow his authority caused the bones of Almericus to be burned for that he had preached against the worship of Images and shewed himselfe a bloody wolf and a deuourer of Christs flocke and an impure fellow Thomas Cantipratensis a Dominican Frier reporteth that this Innocent after his death appeared to S. Luitgard all burning in flames Honorius the third that first authorized the idolatrous worship of the Masse-cake as appeareth by the chapter sane cum olim de celebrat missar was proud cruell vitious and superstitious he forbad honest mariage to Priests and mainteined the filthy religion of Monkes and Friers Dominike and Francis and the locusts that came out of the bottomelesse pit of hell were first allowed by him his malice and anger were shewed vpon the Scots that had killed Adam Bishop of Catnesse for he caused 400. to be hanged among which many innocents were comprehended and caused their children to bee gelded that he might extinguish their race But one of the principall builders of this Romish Babylon was Gregorie the 9. for he gathered the decretales of Popes together and gaue then ferce of lawe as appeareth by his preface before the decretales some say he was the cosin of Innocent the third but his manners doe declare him rather to haue beene his sonne he excommunicated the Emperour Friderike that warred vpon the Saracens and stopped the good successe and the course of the victories of the Christians against them secretly he murdred the Emperors embassadors published lying decretales against him as we may read in Matthew Paris finally to enrich his nephewes or rather his bastards he set all Italy on a flame Boniface the eight Clement the sift and Iohn the 22. who made vp the body of the canon law which is the strength and sinewes of Popery did not degenerate from their predecessors of Boniface the eight it is said that he entred like a soxe reigned like a lyon died like a dog he caused his predecessor Celestine to renounce the papacie and afterward imprisoned and murdered him his owne friends confesse that he sought to subdue the world rather by force of armes then by religion his vnspeakable pride taking vpon him both as Pope and Emperor challenging power to translate kingdomes from one to another of his owne friends could not be dissembled he that continueth the history of Vrspergensis writeth that Clement the 5. was a notorious fornicator hic vt habet Chronicon Hermanni publicue suit Fornicator Villani also in his chronicle testifieth that he was a filthy fellow for the wickednesse and abominable life of Iohn the 22. Petrarch made the sonnet Fiammadal ciel wherein he beseecheth God that slames from heauen might streame down and consume the court of Rome It greeued him not a little that the Pope did keepe his sister hauing with a great price bought her of her brother Gerard. Iohn the 23. by whose authority the councell of Constance was assembled was conuinced to be an incestuous person a Sodomite and a most abominable atheist denying the immortality of the soule as appeareth by the acts of that councell and the appendix and yet this is the synode that condemned the doctrine of M. Wicklesse and established the communion vnder one kinde and the subsistence of accidents without substance and diuers other points of Popery The councell of Florence wherein the Popes supremacy purgatory and diuers points of popish doctrine concerning the sacrments were confirmed had his strength from Eugenius the fourth that by the councell of Basill was condemned as an hereticke and by the citizens of Rome driuen out of the city as a publike enemy he was the cause of the periury of Ladislaus that broke with the Turke and of the defait and slaughter of the Christians at Varna The three principall authors of the wicked decrees and anathematismes of the conuenticle of Trent were Paul the third Inlius the third and Pius the fourth whereof the first was a parricide a lechour a necromancer and an empoysoner as is testified by Vergerius Sleidan and other Iulius the third was a sensuall epicure and a filthy sodomite as is testified in a certaine preface before the story of Iouius and declared by certein rymes and verses made vpon him and Innocentius de Monte a boy made Cardinall by him Pius the fourth as the common report went died betwixt two concubines and was infamous for lechery and villany odious to the Romans for his vices To speake generally of later popes the only founders and belmelters of Popish religion we finde that they haue been the greatest scandales of Christian religion and the principall authors of the calamities of Christendome Bernard in serm 1. in conuers S. Pauli complaineth that iniquity taking his beginning from the Popes of his time was spred out ouer the world egressa est iniquitas saith he à senioribus iudicibus vicarijs tuis qui videntur regere populum tuum Petrarke in his epistles without title saith the court of Rome was not a city but a house full of diuels and wicked spirits and a sinke of vice and shame non ciuitas sed lemurum laruarum domus vt breuiter dicam scelerum dedecorum omnium sentina Iohn of Sarisbury in Polycrat lib. 6. c. 24. saith that Popes doe therefore die the faster least they should corrupt the whole church ideo mea opinione papae frequentius moriuntur ne totam corrumpant ecclesiam Warnerus in Martino 2. Adriano 3. Stephano crieth out heu heu quomodo obscuratum est aurum alas alas how is the golde obscured he compleineth also of the scandales that happened in the papacy and of their emulations sects and contentions and saith that truth failed among the children of men Theodoric a Niem de schism lib. 3. c. 42. saith that so much iniquity was gone from the Popes that the catholike faith was darkned thereby and religion suffered shipwracke and all vertues were departed from all sorts of men vt catholica fides obnubiletur omnis religio naufragium patiatur virtutes ab omnibus recesserint Platina in Sergio 3. saith that Popes getting their places by bribery neglected
of Christ and that for the merits of the blessed virgin of Cosmas and Damianus and other saints but where such a wicked and blasphemous company as make not onely saints but also the idolatrous Masse-priests mediators for the body and blood of Christ haue beene reputed the church of Christ and was visible before these wicked missals were framed we find not in any ancient record 10. The Romish church worshippeth the crosse and the images of the Trinity with Latria or diuine worship but such a church for a thousand yeares was neuer visible in the world 11. In the missals breuiaries and other rituall bookes of the Romish church we finde diuers praiers and confessions to Angels to the virgin Mary and other saints nay to the crosse and the image giuen to Veronica and these praiers are both practised and defended by the church of Rome but if all the Popes lanterne-bearers and disciples were set to seeke for such a church in the time of the ancient fathers they should but lose their labour and spend their wits in vaine 12. The Apostles canons as is said doe excommunicate such as doe not communicate being present at the celebration of the Eucharist we may not therefore thinke that the Romish synagogue was visible in those times seeing they thinke it sufficient for their disciples to be present at the Masse although they receiue nothing 13. In the primitiue church no man euer heard that Christians gaped and gazed on the priest administring the Lords supper or that they receiued the one kinde and not the other the Popish church therefore in those times was inuisible 14. In those times also neither was the Eucharist celebrated nor the Scriptures read in tongues not vnderstood of the multitude nor did the people pray in strange toongs which they vnderstood not the missificall congregation therfore of papists which pray not knowing what they say and being present at the reading of Scriptures and celebration of Sacraments in strange tongues vnderstand nothing was not yet crept out of Cacus his denne nor apparent in the world 15. The moderne Papistes beleeue that such as in this life satisfie not for their sinnes committed after Baptisme are to satisfie for the same in Purgatorie They beleeue also that the Pope by his indulgences is able to redeeme soules out of Purgatory and to remit all the temporall paines due for sinnes but such a church as this was neuer to be seene for a thousand yeeres after Christ To abridge this discourse it were an easie matter by diuers other points of faith and diuers other customes in administring the Sacraments and diuers other formes of gouernment all newly inuented practised and maintained by the synagogue of Rome to declare and proue that the same is a new model of a church neuer seene nor knowne to antiquitie but by these few particulars the same doth most cleerely appeare already If the Papists then seeke to bring vs backe to the formes of the ancient church then must they abandon the Pope and his adherents embracing the moderne faith and doctrine of sacraments lately broched by the idle school-men and confirmed in the late conuenticle of Trent and adhere to the church of England which as it professeth the Apostles doctrine published by ancient councels of the church so it renounceth all heresies and nouclties brought in by Papists and other heretikes and as it renounceth their false doctrine so it detesteth their treacherous practises CHAP. LII That the marks of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alledged by heathen men and Turkes as by them AL this notwithstanding the Papists challenge to themselues the name title and authority of the church and bring foorth a whole squadron of motiues to draw simple soules to like of their sect and to intangle them with their errors Bellarmine de notis eccles c. 3. saith that the proper markes of the church are these the name of Catholikes antiquitie continuance vniuersality succession of Bishops consent in doctrine miracles prophecies temporall felicity and such like others bring vnity vniuersality holinesse of life and such like Bristow in his Motiues standeth vpon the names of Catholiks and Heretikes miracles visions scriptures traditions fathers martyrs going out rising afterward succession immutability vnitie iudges infallible obedient subiects visibility and other markes of like nature But as well may the Turkes and idolatrous heathen nations alledge these markes and motiues as the Papists and some of them doe better agree to Turkes and idolatrous Paynims then to idolatrous and hereticall Papists For as Papists call themselues Catholikes and giue the name of heretikes to others so doe the Turkes cal themselues Musulman or true beleeuers and heathen idolaters called themselues Pious worshippers of the gods and in regard of themselues both Turkes and Paynims take Christians to be impious persons and heretikes the Turkes call Papists idolaters and the heathen in time past called Christians Atheists As for antiquitie it agreeth farre better to Paynims and Turkes then to Papists for heathen idolatry was long before the doctrine of Popery and the Alcoran is more ancient then the Popes decretales that being published by Mahomet within 630. yeares after Christ these being commended and confirmed by Gregory the 9. who entred an D. 1227. 3. Idolatry as it beganne soone after the flood so it hath euer since continued the blasphemous religion of Turkes harâ— continued euer since the time of Mahomet but Popery neuer receiued a perfect forme before the conuenticle of Trent and in most places now is decaied 4. The heathen idolaters alledge for themselues amplitude and vniuersality as well as the Papists and so may the Turkes also for in time past all nations worshipped idoles faue the Iewes and in our times farre more nations are deluded by Mahomet and his priests then by the Pope and his Masse-priests the Popes doctrine being confined within a few nations of Europe Mahometisme poslessing the greatest part of Asia and Afrike and no small parts of Europe 5. The Turkes euer since Mahomet haue had a succession of Caliphaes and priests and among the heathen there neuer wanted a discent of sacrificing idolaters but the Papists cannot deriue their succession from the Apostles eitheir in doctrine or discent of Popes for neither is their doctrine apostolicall nor are the Popes the Apostles successors beside that they are vncerteine both who were true Popes and which succeded after Peter and diuers bishops and Popes of Rome 6. The Paynims with one consent in time past worshipped idoles neither did any one among them call the matter in question the Turks are so resolute in religion that they will haue no disputing against any point of their doctrine but Popish schoolemen call all points of their religion in question neither doe they so well agree in any article but there be some that hold singular opinions the Scotists differ from the Thomistes and diuers opinions are holden by
therefore thinke that either the Christians there made the images of God the father and the holy ghost or else worshipped and burnt incense to them and very absurd it were if any man should suppose that the Popish inuocation and worship of Saints and Angels is to be proued by their practise Philo in legat ad Caium saith the Iewes thought it impious either in picture or grauen worke to represent God that is inuisible inuisibilem Deum pingere aut singere nefas duxerunt maiores nostri saith he neither if we runne through the Bible shall wee find any precedent of the popish inuocation and worship of Saints vsed in the Romish church Finally if the Church of Hierusalem had knowen or suspected that S. Peter or his successors had been designed Christs vicars general and monarchs of the Church and appointed to giue lawes to the whole world then would they neuer haue suffered him to depart from Hierusalem The Pope and his complices therefore must seeke some other place than Hierusalem whence to deriue their doctrine lawes ceremonies and formes of gouernment or else they will neuer find out the true descent of their church In Babylon certes they shall rather find out these matters than in Hierusalem CHAP. XII That popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the Apostles of Christ Iesus FAithfull Christians as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephes 2. are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and this the Papists must needs confesse although much to their griefe vnlesse they will denie the words of the Apostle but popery is built vpon the Pope and vpon his decretales and determinations and supported stoutly by his purple Cardinals and the merchants of Babylon the Masse-priests and neither vpon Christ nor the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sheweth that the scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation and are giuen of God that the man of God may be absolute and made perfect vnto all good workes but Papists teach that they are an imperfect rule and without traditions vnsufficient for that is the doctrine of Bellarmine and all his consorts they doe also raile against holy scriptures and call them a dead and killing letter The holy Prophets brought no message to those nations to whom they were sent but they confirmed the same by the testimony of God that sent them saying thus saith the Lord. and the Lord hath spoken it but the conuenticle of Trent confirmed their doctrine by their owne pleasures for the most part and albeit sometime the same alleadgeth scriptures yet their best and common argument was placet nobis their schoole doctors also for matters controuersed doe more commonly alleadge the Popes decretales than holy scriptures Rom. 10. we read that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God but Camsius in his catechisme de sid symb signifieth that we are not to beleeue Gods word reuealed vnlesse the same be also propounded by the church and by the church he vnderstandeth the Pope and his adherents Peter and Iohn Act. 4. shew that God is rather to be obeied than man but the Romish church doth excommunicate all that hearken not to the Pope whatsoeuer is contained in the scriptures to the contrary The conuenticle of Trent Sess 4. teacheth vs that we are to imbrace traditions not written with equall affection to traditions and holy scriptures but this doctrine was not knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets nay Moyses doth teach quite contrary ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you nor shall ye take ought therefrom saith he Deut. 4. and S. Paul Galat. 1. if any man preach vnto you otherwise than that ye haue receiued saith he let him be accursed this curse therefore doth fall on the Friers and Masse priests that preach the Popes doctrines which they shal neuer proue to haue beene receiued from the Apostles though they read vntill their eies drop out of their heads The religion of Papists doth for the most part consist in praiers to Saints Masses and offices in the honour of Angels the Virgin Mary martyrs confessors and the Popes canonized creatures in erecting of crosses and crucifixes and other images in burning incense before images nay they giue diuine honour to creatures which themselues cannot denie to bee idolatrous cum Christus adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quòd cius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda seeing Christ saith Thomas Aquinas p. 3. q. 25. art 3. is worshipped with latria or honour properly belonging to God it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with the adoration of latria or diuine worship either therefore must our aduersaries shew that the Prophets and Apostles offered sacrifices in honour of Angels and Saints and made praiers vnto them and set vp images to be worshipped in temples and vsed to burne incense vnto them and to honor them after the manner of Papists or else they must confesse that their religion proceedeth not from the Prophets and Apostles how hard this proofe will bee it may appeare in this that Gods lawes Deut. 4. and Exod. 20. directly forbid the making of grauen images after the likenesse of God and the worship of idols and Christ ordeined the eucharist to be receiued in commemoration of his death and passion and neuer so much as mentioned the offering of his owne body and bloud or other sacrifices in the honour of Saints and Angels The Masse-priests that plotted the ruine of religion at Trent sess 6. ascribe mans iustification to his workes and exclude iustification both by Christs iustice and by faith apprehending Christ and beleeuing in him but both the Prophet Abacuc chap. 2. and S. Paul Rom. 1. affirme that the iust do liue by faith the Apostle also 1. Cor. 1. saith that our Saour Christ is made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto vs. which if it were wrought by our workes then should we haue beene made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto our selues nay the Apostle Rom. 3. saith if Abraham were iustified by workes that then he had wherein to reioice but not with God Popish religion consisteth most in externall ceremonies as for example in salt holy water holy candles incense ringing of sacring belles adoring crosses and images greasing of sicke men and masse-priests shauing of crownes vowes Monkish rules and such like toyes but these fooleries were neuer knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets Nay our Sauiour Matth. 15. teacheth that in vaine they seeke to worship God that teach for doctrines the precepts of men he sheweth also Iohn 4. that true worshippers worship God in spirit and truth and the Apostle Coloss 2. condemneth such as put religion in touching fasting and such like vaine ceremonies The Masse-priests call the Pope the spouse and head of the church but if he meane to deriue his authoritie from the writings of the Prophets and
Apostles he shall declare himselfe to want both head and braine for in the Canticles c. 2. and Ephes 5. the title of spouse of the church is declared to belong to Christ and him only the scriptures declare to be head of the Church Gregory lib. 4. ep 38. ad Ioan. Constantinopol sheweth that neither Paul nor Andrew nor Iohn nor Peter was the head of the vniuersall church but all members of the church vnder one head The Prophets and Apostles doe teach vs that the church of God consisteth of sheepe and lambes and such was Peter commanded to feede God saith by his Prophet Isay c. 11. that there shall be no hurting nor killing in all his holie mountaine and that the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the pard he with the kidde but the Romish Church is full of blood and wholy vpholden by cruelty in France the Pope and his complices haue caused aboue two hundred thousand persons to be murdered for the profession of the true faith the fires and butchers axes of their executioners haue consumed also infinit Christians in Italy Spaine England Scotland Germany and the Low countries very ignorant therefore he is of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that supposeth that the massacring Romish church is founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Prophet Daniel doth prophecy how a certaine king shall arise that shall speake words of blasphemy against the most high and consume his Saints and that shall thinke that he may change times and lawes the Apostle also 2. Thess 2. sheweth that there shall come a departing and that the man of sinne shall be disclosed and exalt himselfe against all that is called God and that he shall sit in the temple of God S. Iohn also in his Apocalypse sheweth that Antichrist shall rise after the decay of the Roman Empire and giue life to that state and that the great whore shall sit vpon the seuen hils and haue her garments died red in the blood of Saints but this argueth that the Pope is Antichrist and that Popish religion is not Christian religion grounded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets but rather Antichristian heresie founded vpon the Popes decretales and schoolemens fond and foolish inuentions Finallie it is not only desperate ignorance but also meere madnesse to affirme that the grounds doctrines heresies and blasphemies which before we haue spoken of are deriued out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles would Kellison the Popes grand surueier vndertake to prooue vnto vs all the Popes traditions concerning the Masse the dirges and offices for the dead purgatory indulgences holy water holy candles paschal lambes rascall Friers and Monkes and such like trash by the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets he should but lose his labour and percase his wits too for in their diuine writings such fond superstitious and impious doctrines haue no defence nor shelter but if hee meane to find their true beginning then must he search the Popes decretales the writings of schoolemen and canonists and other the Popes adherents and there he shall not only find out the first authours but also the rest of the nouelties fooleries and impieties of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. XIII That poperie was either condemned or not knowen by Kings and Princes professing Christian religion in old time THe Popes Agents when they are vpon their owne dunghils and among their owne disciples and fauorers doe make great crackes as if the Popish religion which is now taught at Rome were the only religion professed by ancient kings princes and emperors of Rome that made profession of the Christian faith but who so list to read the ancient confessions of Christian kings and the lawes made by them both for mainteinance of the Christian faith and for the repressing of diners errors shall finde that the grounds doctrines impieties absurdities of Popery were either disallowed by them or vnknowen vnto them The first Christian king of Britaine if we may beleeue Bede and others of latter times for in more auncient histories there is no record of such a king or such matters as then passed was Lucius but we doe not finde that the Popish Masse was then hatched or that Eleutherius bishop of Rome pretended the vniuersall monarchy of the Church nay wee read that Irenaeus doth make as great account of other churches as of Rome albeit the same be first placed in regard of the splendour and authority of that citie furthermore Lucius neither had images nor worshipped them nor did he giue Latria to the crosse of Purgat one and indulgences he could not heare any thing for that Eleutherius as yet tooke not vpon him to deliuer soules out of Purgatory nor to grant pardons a poena culpa finally if Kellison seeke to prooue the articles of Popery before mentioned by the testimony of Lucius you shall soone see that the man will be at a stand The first Christian Emperour of Rome was Constantine the great but many actes of his declare that he was neither a slaue of the bishop of Rome nor a professor of Popery for first by his authority both was the councell of Nice assembled and the actes thereof established as Enschius in vita Constantini and other ecclesiasticall writers doe testifie secondly that faith which the councell of Nice published he professed but therein is not one article of Popery established but rather diuers refuted as namely the doctrine of Papists concerning Christs humanitie and the Popish reall presence and dissoluing priests mariages for if Christ be true man then is not his body inuisible and impalpable in the Sacrament againe if Christs body be ascended into heauen then is not the same in euery pixe if the same be to come from heauen then is not the same to creepe out of a pixe if mariage of Priests be honorable and not to be dissolued as was decreed in the counceil of Nice by the aduice of Paphnutius then doe the Papists teach doctrines of diuels that condemne such mariages and separate Priests from their wiues thirdly all the actes of that councell were confirmed and not only receiued by Constantine but that sheweth that the Bishop of Rome then had no more authoritie in his prouince then the Bishop of Alexandria in his as the sixth canon of the Nicene councell testifieth the 4. canon sheweth that the Bishop of Rome had no greater authority in ordeining bishops then other metropolitans the fifth canon equalleth his power in excommunication to that which other Bishops had to abridge this matter we finde that the Bishops of Rome were as well subiect to the canons of the councell of Nice as other Bishops finally we finde that Constantine made lawes for church gouernment in his time and not the Bishops of Rome Nay the bishops of Rome as is said in the counterfet donation of Constantine had their priuileges from Constantine and not contrariwise priuilegium Romanae ecclesiae pontifici