Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	word_n	write_a	3,648	5	10.7659	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13964	The trial of trueth or a treatise vvherein is declared vvho should be iudge betvvene the Reformed Churches, and the Romish in which is shewed, that neither Pope, nor Councels, nor Fathers, nor traditions, nor succession, nor consent, nor antiquitie of custome: but the onely written worde of God, ought to determine the controuersies of religio[n]: wherin also is declared which is the true religion, and Catholick church. Written for the pleasure of the Popes, Cardinalles, prelates, abbots, monkes: and speciallie the Iesuites, which of late were driuen out of Transyluania, by the states there. Published in Latine by a certaine Hungarian, a fauourer of the trueth: and translated into English by Richard Smith.; Oratio de constituendo iudice controversiorum religionis. English.	Smith, Richard, tr.	1591 (1591)	STC 24274; ESTC S100745	49,352	68

from thence to Florence whereas although Iohn Palaeologus the Emperour of the Grecians vpon hope of succour against the Turkes and the Russians also did promise obedience to y e Sée of Rome yet notwithstanding afterwards when they were returned whome the rest for good causes would not agrée to them there could be no peace concluded with the Pope At length also Iulius the second called a councel at Laterane and Paule the third at Trent in the which because they procéeded not according to the rules prescribed in the worde of God therefore the Gospellers affirme that they are not bound to their decrées By all which it appeareth what manner of councels haue béene kept in these later hundred yeares For as for the contrarietie of councels it is the easiest matter of a thousand to shew it For the councel of Chalcedon condemned Eutiches the councel of Ephesus alowed him the counsel of Nice condemned Arrius the councel of Sardice Smirna and Millan defended him The Councel of Africa whereof Cyprian was moderator decréed that those which had béene baptized by Heretikes should be baptized anew the Councell of Carthage forbade it The Councell of Ephesus celebrated when Celestinus was Pope allowed men to communicate both kindes in the Sacrament the Councell of Constance vnder Iohn the thrée and twentie and of Laterane vnder Innocentius the thirde did forbid it The Councel of Chalons confirmeth sacrifice for the dead the Councell of Carthage forbiddeth it The Councel of Anchira Nice Grangren Toledo and Illiberis allowe the mariage of Ministers the Councell of Neocesaria Chalcedon Agatha and sundrie others forbidde it The Councell of Toledoe permitteth Concubines the thirde Councell of Carthage and the Councell of Basill vnder Eugenius the fourth condemne them The Councell held by Alexander forbiddeth men to heare the masse of a priest that kéepeth a concubine but the Councell kept vnder Lucius the third tollerateth it The Councell of Gangrene condemneth those that thrust● newe ordinances vppon the people the sixth Councell of Constantinople alloweth it The Councell of Toledoe in the eleuenth Cannon forbiddeth Images the sixth Councell of Constantinople and many others confirme and approue them What needes more wordes The Councell of Africa disalloweth the Popes supremacie the sixth Councell of Chalcedon and diuers moe allowe it The Councell vnder Gelasius made a decree against Transubstantiation the Councell of Florence vnder Victor the seconde and of Laterane vnder Innocentius the thirde establish it Beholde the authoritie of Councels behold their agréement And these are the reasons why the Gospellers will not simply admitte the Councels for Iudges in the controuersies of Religion but as sworne witnesses and that too so farre foorth onelie as their depositions shall agrée with the déede of the will and the meaning of the will maker whiche is the Lord God Wherefore Augustine doth verie well aduise that in controuersies of the Churche wee followe not the authoritie of the Councell either of Nice or of Ariminum as a guide sith wee are not bounde thereunto but that rather matter may bee compared with matter cause with cause and reason with reason by the authoritie of the Scriptures For more credite is to bee giuen to a man of the common sorte that speaketh the trueth accordyng to the Scriptures then to a generall Councell that bringeth a lye against the Scriptures There remaineth the third kynde of Iudges namelie the auncient Fathers But the Gospellers say they can not absolutelie admitte these neither for Iudges For first they say that there are verie fewe that are verie auncient which notwithstanding haue also most plainlie declared that they may erre And againe they alledge that the age after ensuing was so generally ouertaken and stronglie possest with a false persuasion and opinion concerning prayer to the dead building of Churches superstitious celebrating the memoriall of martyrs allegoricall and misticall exposition of the Scriptures single life moncherie and a multitude of ceremonies that many Bishops partlie of ignoraunce partlie of couetousnesse partlie of vayne glorie and finallie partlie of méere wickednesse were so farre from stopping and repressing that they rather countenaunced and supported all these errours This might be proued by many examples but a fewe will serue for the clearing of the matter The godly imbrace Tertulliā so farre forth as out of the written word of God he confuted Marcion and Praxeas who denied both the Godhead and manhoode of Christ But in that hee maintaineth the errours of the Millenaries and condemneth second mariages therein they iudge that he erreth Cyprian was of sound iudgement in the doctrine of the holie Trinitie of the Baptisme of infants and vse of the Lordes Supper but he erreth in this that he decréed that those which had bene Baptised by heretickes should bee Baptiséd agayne and did too ouerlashinglie extoll virgiuitie and sette-penaunce Basill iudged aright of the Trinitie of repentaunce and iustification but herein hee is not without fault that hee first set vp societies of Monckes which are now thought to haue growen too farre out of kinde from their first institution Gregorie Nazianzene writ many thinges well but hee was ouershotte in this that hee seemeth to hold prayer to Saintes Chrisostome handled manie matters excéeding well but when hee stretcheth his eloquencie to extoll vowed Pilgrimages and prayer for the dead hee is iudged to erre Ambrose writ not a fewe things verie religiouslie of the Trinitie and of the doctrine of iustification but the reformed Church doth reiect those counterfeit and forged bookes which go abroad vnder his name Ierome did very good seruice to the Church when he disputeth that our regenation is not wrought by the strēgth of our frée will but not withstāding in the meane while he erreth most grossely shamefully in this that he so disprayseth mariage that hee calleth her a whore which marieth the second time Augustine the most sincere of all the old fathers deserueth very wel of the Church while he confuteth the Arriās Manicheis Donatists Pelagiās by the word of God but whereas he staggereth about Purgatory vowes therein he is thought not to haue takē counsell with y e word of God Gregory iudgeth rightly whē he said he was Antichrist that sought to be called Vniuersal Bishop but he erreth very fearefully while he pulleth asunder the lawfull mariages of the Ministers of Gods word when he saith it is vnlawfull to renounce a solitarie life and while hee is induced by night apparitious and visions to allowe of doctrines contrarie to thé word of God And now howe should the Gospellers absolutelie admitte the fathers for iudges when as the playntiefes them selues doe not allowe and obserue all their sayinges Ambrose saith that when we haue performed the duetie of common ciuilitie towardes the dead in burying them we should then let them alone Gelasius saith that the substaunce of

Christ But from Sluester the first vnto Sabinianus Thuscus there were thrée and thirtie mytired Bishops who although they were not the woorst yet by traditions and constitutions they prepared a seate for the great Antichrist All the rest euen vnto this present Pope they call Antichrists yet so that nine and thirtie of them from Boniface the third and fourth vnto Leo the fourth are reckoned to be in the Kingdome of the great beast one and thirtie of them from Iohn the eight to Iohn the eightéenth are numbred in the Kingdome of the great whore nine and thirtie of them vntill the time of Celestine the fourth belong to the Kingdome of the Dragon And from Innocentius the fourth vntill the present Pope that now is about threescore and foure of them are counted in the Kingdome of Locusts according to the order of the Prophecie which God would haue to be expressely set downe concerning the Kingdome of Antichrist Loe what force and authoritie succession hath Will agreement then in publick doctrine and outward woorship shew which is indéed the catholicke Church why if méer agréement did proue the true Church doubtles neyther the Iewes nor the Turkes nor Hereticks or Heathen of any other such litter would be kept out from the title of the true Church sith we sée that euen they also doo marueloustie agrée amongst themselues And we sée that oftentimes great men in the church haue fallen into hoat contentions amongst themselues Between Barnabas and Paule there arose such strife that they brake of companye one from another So Peter of Alexandria and Meletius so Epiphanius and Chrisostome so Ierome Augustine and Ruffinus So finally Cyrill Iohn of Antioch and Theodoret were at open variance and iarres one with another And in déed Clemens Alexandrinus writeth that the Iewes did vpbraid the Christians with their dissentions amongst themselues By all which it is moore cleare than the noone dayes that as a bare agréement and vnitie cannot prooue the truth of Religion so neither doe all dissentions proue a Religion to be false so that the foundation be not broken by the discorde Can the common Custome then of many ages direct vs where to séeke the true church Nay but God hath forbidden the faithful to suffer his euerlasting truth to be ouer ruled by any compasse of yeares any custome or at a word by any conspiracie of the whole world So Noye with his small family when he sawe that the whole world had conspired and agréed to the same wickednes confirmed by the custome of many ages before past yet chose rather to ioyne with a fewe in the true doctrine of God than to take parte with the whole world in wickednes Shall the Church then decide these controuersies of the Church yea but wee must first seuere the true Church from the Synagogue of the Malignant which can be done by no other meanes but by the word of God Shall then the holie scriptures be Iudge in this controuersie of heires at variance So in déede the Gospellers would haue it For they affirme with Austine Chrisostome and other of the Fathers that all things are contained in the written word of God that might suffice for the saluation of them that beléeue For as Augustine saith in another place To the bookes of the holy Scriptures onlye which are now called canonicall doo we owe this reuerence and honour that we assuredly beléeue that none of the writers therof could erre at all in writing them but as for others we so reade them that how excellent soeuer they be either for holines or learning we doo not therfore think it true because they thought so but because they haue béen able to assure vs therof either by the said Canonicall Scriptures or by probable reason notdisagréeing from the trueth Therfore saith he in an other place to the holy Scriptures alone doo we consent without gainsaying from other writings we may dissent but to the canonicall Scriptures euery man must yéeld euery man must subscribe whether he be Layman or teacher or King or Emperour let him giue place to the holy Scriptures then the which there is nothing in this world set foorth more deuine and more necessary What can be more religious what more cléer then these testimonies of Augustine And if the Gospellers can obtain thus much once that God may be iudge of the controuersies of religion by his woord comprehended in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles why then they doo not stick to admit either councels or Fathers or miracles or other such like for sworne witnesses so that first the true Church be distinguished from the Sinagogue of Sathan Fathers of sound credit from fond fellowes and heretickes lawfull councels from tirannicall couenticles right Bookes from counterfeits true miracles from coyned and forged ones the succession of Doctrine from the disguised succession of persons true agréement from obstinate conspiracie and finally the traditions of the Apostles from the inuentions of men Yea but saith the See of Rome how can this be doone by the written woord of God sith there is no heretick that doth not alleadge the Scriptures for himselfe The Gospellers aunswere that heretickes wresting the the Scriptures cannot be better confuted then by the written word of God which onelie is able to decyde all controuersies For Augustine sayd verie well that we in no case presume to iudge the bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles but y ● by them we iudge all other writtings both of Christians and Paganes So Christ by the Scriptures confuted the Phariseis Sadduces yea and the deuill him selfe 〈…〉 isalledging the Scriptures So Stephen and Apollos confounded the Iewes and Philippe conuinced the Eunuke of Quéene Candace by the Scriptures So the Apostles confirmed the Gospell by the writinges of the Prophetes The Iewes of Berea examined Paules doctrine by the doctrine and writing of the Prophetes So finallie the Councell of Nice cut downe Arrius the Councell of Constantinople Macedonius the Councell of Chalcedone Eutiches the Councell of Ephesus Nestorius Augustine Pelagius Tertullian Praxeas and all the Catholicke authours fanstaticall fellowes with the sword of the word of God Wherfore as Augustine saith let no man in controuersies too proudly obiect the writinges either of Fathers or of Councels bycause we take them not as Canonicall but rather examine them by the Canonicall writinges and that which in thē agréeth with the authoritie of the holy Scriptures we receiue with their commendation that which agréeth not we reiect with their leaue But say they the Scripture is heard darke doubtfull Augustine aunswereth that mē walke farre more safely by the Scriptures then by traditions which being ouershadowed darkned with figuratiue spéechs whē we go about to search out either let that be collected thence which is out of question or if it be in questiō let it be defined by testimonies gottē and

shall vnderstand these thinges with conscience and without partialitie I will not be against it but that you may imbrace and follow that which is better of these two As for the first point then of our discourse the contro●ersies of each side concerning the chéefe articles of ●aith doe stand thus 1. Of the Scripture The reformed Church professeth that there is nothing necessarie to saluation which is not contained in the canonicall Scriptures But the Church of Rome saith that the scripture is maimed vncertaine like to a nose of war to a leaden rule that without the authoritie of the Church it hath no more strength then Aesops fables that it is the cause of heresies applyable to time and that therefore the common people are to be restrained from it 2. Of Traditions The reformed Church beléeueth that neither a councel nor any of the Fathers no nor a company of Angels must be credited if they teach any thing contrary to the written doctrine of Christ The Church of Rome professeth that Traditions not written are to be receiued with the same reuerence that the holy scriptures be as the ground of faith without the which the authoritie of the scriptures would vanishe into smoake and were not woorth a straw 3. Of the Lawe The reformed Church affirmeth that men cannot performe the law of God but by the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ and that all things are sinnes which are committed against the said Law But the Church of Rome teacheth that the law may be so fulfilled that men may also doe superfluous and vndue works and that all which is against this law is not sinne as concupiscence 4. Of Sinne. The reformed Church beleeueth that both the want of originall righteousnes and concupiscence and whatsoeuer is contrarie to the lawe of God is sinne and maketh men guiltie of the wrath of God The church of Rome saith that concupiscence and originall sinne is not properly sinne neither deserueth the hatred of God or any smarting punishment and penance 5 Of free will The reformed church beleeueth that men haue no frée will left them in those things which belong to obteine saluation except God by his holy spirite doe againe stirre and quicken it The church of Rome saith that a man may by the pure powers of nature loue God aboue all and that also being in mortall sinne hee may by proportion deserue to haue grace powred into him 6 Of Iustification The reformed Church beleeueth that the elect are iusti●●ed by faith onely in Christ without the works of the law yet so that that faith be not naked and dead but liuely and effectuall by the workes of charitie The church of Rome denieth that men are iustified by grace alone and by the imputation of Christes righteousnes but that there is required thereunto as a necessarie meanes to obteine saluation the keeping of the law 7 Of the Mediator Iesus Christ The reformed church beleueth that there is one mediatour betweene God and man euen Iesus Christ God and man who by his death blotteth out the sins of the faithful by his resurrection purchaseth for them euerlasting life The Church of Rome affirmeth that Christ died onlie for originall sinne and that Christ alone is not the mediator but other he-saints and she-saints also 8 Of the sacrifice of Christ The reformed Church beleeueth that the faithfull ar● reconciled to GOD the Father by the onely Sacrifice of Christ The Church of Rome saith that the death of Christ is not the alone propitiatorie Sacrifice but the masse also is one which blotteth out the sinnes and taketh away the punishments both of quick and dead and is profitable to procure all spirituall and temporall blessings 9 Of Penance and repentance The reformed Church beleueth that such repentance is accepted of God wherein there is the mortifying of the old man and the quickning of the newe man proceeding from a liuelie faith The church of Rome teacheth that for the obteining of saluation there is such a repentance or penance requisite wherein there is a sufficient contrition of heart confession of mouth and satisfaction of worke by the which saluation may be gotten 10 Of the Church The Gospellers say that there is the true church where the word is purely taught the sacraments rightly administred and obedience yeelded to the outward Discipline The Romanists teach that the certaine markes of the Church are First agréement in publike doctrine and outward seruice secondlie the personal succession of Bishops Thirdly the acknowledging of the Pope 11 Of Councels The reformed Church denieth that shée is bound vnto Counsels but vnto the written word of God from which if Counsels and Fathers doe swarue they may be deceiued But the Church of Rome tieth her selfe to general counsels as to those which can neuer erre 12. Of the Sacraments The ref●●med Church acknowledgeth but two Sacraments ordained by Christ namely Baptism and the Lords Supper But the Church of Rome teacheth that there are seuen Sacraments which minister saluation by the bare performance of the outward action without any good affection in the receiuer and also patcheth vnto them Ceremonies vnknowen to the scriptures 13 Of Martirdome The reformed church teacheth that the afflictions of the Godlie are either corrections for certaine sins or troubles of triall or testimonies for confirmation of the truth But the Church of Rome teacheth that the martirdoms of the Saints are a sacrifice for sinne and that they deserue an easing of eternall paines and life euerlasting 14 Of the Magistrates The reformed Church techeth that the ciuil magistrate ought to procure not onelie outward benefites but also the saluation of his Subiects by true religion But the church of Rome teacheth that Ciuill Magistrates are to be with held from the care of religion as Laie men and that they are vnderlings to the Pope and Prelates 15. Of Mariage The reformed Church teacheth that marriage is honourable amongst all men the forbidding whereof is a doctrine of deuils But the church of Rome teacheth that maried persons liue in the flesh and that mariage is not lawfull for Ministers but that it is more to be borne with if that a Prieste as they speake keepe whores then for to enter into lawfull mariage 16. Of mens constitutions The reformed Church denieth that confirmation extreame vnction and such other constitutions of men are agréeable to the word of God The Church of Rome saith that more grace is conueied to the faithfull by confirmation then by baptisme that extreame vnction doeth minister spirituall grace 17. Of vowes The reformed religion affirmeth that a man is iustified by no other meanes but by faith in Christ The Romish religion saith that the vowes of chastitie pouertie and obedience doe deserue euerlasting life 18. Of holie dayes The reformed church teacheth that

themselues for iudges of the controuersies of the Churche For otherwise the Gospellers say that they will make the Popes that answere which long since Pope Iohn the 23. receiued from the Grecians vnto whom when he had written that he alone was the head of the Church and Christs Uickar they replyed thus bréefely We doe throughly beleue thy power to be soueraigne ouer thy Subiects Thy great pride we cannot brook thy vnsatiable greedines we are not able to satisfie The Deuill be with thee because God is with vs. It remaineth that the gospellers shewe why and how far foorth they acknowledge not the councels for iudges And they say that they do this moued thereunto with most waightie causes For first there haue béene many councels which haue wonderfully erred not onely in manners but also in poynts of doctrine And thereof it came that not afewe times prouinciall councels were amended by generall councels and contrarie wise Generall councels corrected by national councels Moreouer euen the best councels that haue béene haue not handled all the articles of the faith but onlye a few controuersies which specially were tossed beaten in their daies Besides this it is manifest out of stories that euen in those goldē times such was partlye the pride partlye the wilynesse partlye the ignorance and partly the wickednes of some Bishops that not the spirit of God but the spirite of discord may séeme to haue béen president in their councels Finallye we read that in these last times such councels haue been held wherin wicked opinions and either vnprofitable or hurtfull ceremonies haue béen brought in established not by reasons or authoritie of the woord of God but by force armes The which things least any man might say to be spoken slaunderously and falsely it may be shewed by a breefe bedroule of the councels For if a man shall peruse the stories of olde times he shal finde this to be most true that euen as according to the old tradition of the house os Elias the whole time of the vistble world is deuided by two thousands For there shall be sixe thousand yeeres and then the burning of all thinges two thousand voide two thousand vnder the Lawe two thousand the daies of Messias and for our sins which are manye and great there shall be wanting the yeeres that shall be wanting So likewise is the time of Messias deuided into thrée Circuits or portions within the which also almost all Kingdomes do féel an alteration Within these thrée circles the true religion and Catholick Church is found to weare and waxe like to the Moone For for the space of fiue hundreth yéeres after Christ although there fell out great contentions about the Sonne of God and other weightie matters by Ebion Cerinthus and others yet did the trueth preuaile and for the space of whole fiue hundred yéeres the Church flourished and continued as it were at the full moone For within this compasse there fel the four first Sinodes or assemblies of the Apostles and afterwards the foure generall councelles Wherof the first being called togither by Constantine the great condemned Arius The second helde at Constantinople assembled by Theodosius confuted the Macedonians The thirde kept at Ephesus summoned by Theodosius the second the Sonne of Archadius condemned Nestorius The fourth celebrated at Chalcedon commaunded by Martianus condemned Eutiches The créedes of these foure generall councels as expositions of the faith the reformed Church dooth willingly imbrace For they are grounded vpon the foundation of the holye Scriptures themselues But in the fiue hundred yéers next following errour did so wrastle with trueth that assoone as men had once stepped somewhat aside from the path of the Scriptures by and by many buddes of false opinions and hurtful ceremonies sprung vp and grew more and more For in the first general councell held at Constantinople assembled by the Emperour Iustinian they were confuted that said that the body of Christ was incorruptible In the sixt which Constantine the first surnamed Barbatus called together in the same place the Monothelites were condemned But the councels that afterwardes followed almost all of them decréee matters either childish or else flat contrarie to the word of God For in the seuenth general councel which at the commaundement of the Empresse was adiourned from Constantinople to Nice it was decreed not by the word of God but by mayne force of an armie leuied out of Thracia that images should be honoured and worshipped And in they eighth general councel which when Basilius was Emperour was assembled at Constantinople when Adrian Bishoppe of Rome had sent his deputies or Leuetenants thither and commaunded that the Church of Rome should be the head of other Churches and that the common people should be debard from all choise of their ministers there grew an inward grudge betwéene the Latin and Gréeke Churches for the supremacie which continueth euen vntill this day But in the other fiue hundred yeares that remayne there followed such councells wherein we see almoste no good thing but all wicked and fonde thinges rather established At the councell of Ments for let me out of each of these hundreds picke and cull foorth one sinod a péece for the manifesting of the matter whereat both the Pope and the Emperour were present with an hundred and thirtie Bishops there was consultatiō for the forbidding of priests marriage In the councel held at Brixia which was called by the Emperour Henry Gregorie the seuenth for his villanies before mentioned was deposed In the councell of Papia when the Emperour Fridericke would haue refourmed the election of the Popes there arose a schisme of twentie yeares continuance which lasted till the Pope had troad vpon the Emperours necke at Uenice In the councell of Lions Innocentius the fourth made an act against the Emperour Henrie the second and authorized the Cardinals to were red Caps and ride on horses At the counsel of Uienna in France Clemens the first did solemnly publish his Clementine constitutions which although at his death he had cōmaunded to be burned as those wherein he knewe there were many snares and errours yet Iohn the two and twentieth his successour did againe confirme and rati●●e them Sigismund the Emperour called a generall councell at Constance wherein Iohn the thrée and twentieth was deposed There were mooreouer burned at it contrarie to solemne promise Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage because they held the opiniō of Iohn wickliefe the Englishman who taught both many other pointes agréeable to the word of God and also that the Lordes supper should be ministred whole without the dreame of consubstantiation There was a councel assembled at Basil when the same Sigismund was Emperour wherein it was decréed that the Popes ought to be subiect to the councels Which whē it disliked Eugenius hee remoued the councell first to Bononia and then to Ferraria and

Christ according as he hath alwaies béene worshipped of all the godlie But they say that they haue departed from that Sinagogue which hath not kept the true faith in preferring mens inuentions before the word of God which would lay intollerable burthens vpon them which would beare rule ouer their brethren which would forbidde the sincere preaching of the word and right administration of the Sacraments which vseth euery yeare to curse and banne her together with the churches of Africa Egypt Syria the East churches the churches of Asia and Gréece which persecuteth the godlie and will admitte no reformation which hath corrupted those things which were necessarie in the church enioyned those thinges to be kept of necessitie which were frée and retained those thinges which were naught and hurtfull which hath tied the Catholicke church to Rome which hath wilfullie polluted her selfe with all kinde of abhominations And therefore they protest that they haue done this of necessitie namely that they might obey the commaundement of the Lorde and that their consciences might not be defiled with their Aduersaries corrupt doctrine and that they might not become subiect to those punishments which hang ouer them But where then will they say hath the Church layen hidden so long Or if the Church of Rome were not the true and Catholicke Church must then al men be damned The Gospellers answere first that their were alwaies some both in the East Churches and also in Poperie it selfe which misliked these corruptions of the Romish Synagogue and both by liuely voyce and also by writings inueighed against them For that they may say nothing of the Auncient fathers and the whole Primitiue Church which the Gospellers affirme to agrée with them in all poyntes in the Articles of faith they proue that euen in these later ages ther● were many that subscribed to this reformation of religion For Gregory the great although he bolstered vp manye foul errours yet in this he iudged rightly that he was antichrist which would suffer himselfe to be called the Cheefe Priest and Vniuersall Bishop Eberhardus Bishop of Salisburgh proued by a most pithie Oration in a councell at Reinburgh that the Popes were Antichrists the foundation of whose Kingdome Hildebrand had laied Ioachim of Calabria also at the very same time did in like manner call the Popes Hereticks Frauncis Petrarch both in other places of his writings and especiallye in his twentith Epistle dooth with great earnestnes crye out against the Popes Arnulph Bishop of Orleance in a councell helde at Rhemes did openly pr●nounce the Popes to be Antichrists Barnard in the yéere of our Lord 1550. inueighed against the Popes as the very Antichrists In y e same age Michael Centenas likewise openlye charged the Pope to be Antichrist Ierome Souaronola of Ferraria preched throughout all Italie both that the Pope was Antichrist and that his doctrine was wicked for the which cause he was burned at Florence by Alexander the sixt Thomas Rhedon did directly condemn y ● papacie and was for the sameburnd by Eugenius the 4. Laurentius Valla almost an hundreth yéeres agoe by calling Rome Babilon the Pope Antichrist and the donation of Constantine a forgerie of the Popes did couragiously set himselfe against them and being banished for the same was very honourablye entertained by the King of Naples Iohn Wickliefe did mightilye impeache and assault the papacie in England After him followed not long after Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage condemned to death at y e councell of Constance contrary to the Emperour Sigismundes publick warrant and there burned for the true religion vntill at length Martin Luther following them as it were wich the fatal field and last battell began more openlye and directlye both to vnfolde the trueth of religion and also to impugne the papacie The worlde would haue stopped his course by many meanes For Maximilian the Emperour at Ausburge in the yéere 1518. and Charles the fifth with Ferdinando and many other Kings and Princes first in the yéere 1521 at Woormes then in the yéere 1523. at Norimberge afterwardes in the yeere 1524. at Ratisbone and in the yéere 1529 at Spire moreouer in the yéere 1530. at Ausburgh againe in the yeere 1532. at Ratisbone and in the yéere 1540. at Hagano partly themselues heard the defence of Luther with his owne mouth and partlye caused his doctrine to be examined by their assignes But when they perceiued that they nothing preuailed by banishment imprisonment burning and all kinde of torments at length they were forced to hearken to the aduice of Gamaliel who counselled the Iewes to let the Apostles alone For i● this enterprice or busines were of men it would come to passe that it should shortly be brought to nought but if it were of God it could not be that it should be ouerthrowen Let all men therefore thinke the same of the religion of the Reformed church And in the meane while O ye kings and princes and inhabitants of the whole worlde which are desirous of euerlasting life rouse vp your selues deals wisely serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least he be angrie and ye perish in the way when his wrath shalbe but a litle kindled blessed are all those that trust in him The Conclusion THese were the things good Readers that loue your saluation which I thought good to write at this present concerning the appointing of a Iudge for the controuersies of religion and the finding out of the trueth of the right religion and Catholicke Church Wherin because I take it that I haue said nothing which I cannot make good by manifest proofes either of the holy Scriptures or Catholick Fathers or els euen of those authours themselues whose testimonies I haue truely alleadged Surely it is méete and right that all those that loue the trueth shoulde be stirred vp to séeke out the way of eternall life and without partiall iudgement to know the trueth of religion and of the church without the which saluation is not to be had And now that which remaineth let vs with all our hearts beséech our onely master the Lord Iesus Christ that wee may be taught many things more which wee knowe not by him from whom we haue receiued these things which we doe know let vs pray him that of his mercie preuenting vs and furthering vs he would teach vs those thinges which being to be knowen for our comfort wee are not ignorant of kéepe vs in those things which we knowe to be true strengthen vs in those things wherein we stagger being true and deliuer vs from those things which are false that so in our thoughts and words he may finde that which he doeth profitably geue vs and may cause those things to procéed from vs which may be acceptable to God and profitable to men Amen FINIS A Catologue of the authours whose Testimonies besides the Canonicall scriptures are alleaged and quoted