new testament thus h Rom. 3.23.24 There is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus 25. whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud c. In the seuenth Article there are three contradictories of the lying erring multitude of Rome vnto the true religion For they i Concil Trident sessi 5. sess 6. canon 18. 25. say that Concupiscence in the regenerate after baptisme is no sinne although they confesse Saint Paule calleth it sinne 2. That there is nothing in him displeasing God but he is pure innocent and immaculate 3. A iustified man can keepe all Gods commaundements If these men had learned and beleeued the true religion they would not dare to speake so directly contrarie to truth seeing God teacheth far otherwise First in the old testament where the church is directed to say k Esai 64.6 Wee haue bin all as an vncleane thing all our righteousnes as filthy clouts And in the new testament l 1. Ioh. 1.8 If we say we haue no sin wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Which two places being spoken of the people being by the sacrament of initiation or Baptisme entred into the Church do shew plainely that original corruption is a sinfull matter in the flesh of the regenerate by which they are made vnable to doe any one worke perfect much lesse to doe all Gods commandements at all times in thought word and deede a thing which euerie man 's owne conscience doth testifie if he bee not too much besotted with the looking vpon his fruitlesse peacockes taile In the eight Article they make additaments namely that a Concil Trid. sess 6. canon 24. 33. 20. good workes are also causes of the encreasing of iustification and truely deserue eternall life and encrease of glorie and that the obseruing of the commandements of God and the Church are the condition of the promise of eternall life to which the iustified man is bound if he will be saued By which while they robbe Christ of his merits and giue more honour to the corrupt life of man and lesse to the redeemer and lay an other burthen vpon Christians then that which God layeth and such as no man can beare they leade themselues so farre from religion that either by a vaine hope of that which is not they forsake their owne saluation or els by a greeuous desperate downe-fall finding themselues as the truth is vnable to fulfill the condition they lay themselues open to euerlasting perdition But God alloweth no such additamentes where he teacheth vs in the old testament to say vnto him b Psal 16.2 Thou art my Lord my well doing extendeth not to thee And in the new c Luc. 17.10 When ye haue done all those things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants c. And the condition of fulfilling the commandements is called d Act. 15.10 a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare and if it were possible to doe the commandements yet the holie Ghost teâ—â—eth vs that e Gal. 2.21 if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Against the ninth Article the Romists do diuersly oppose themselues shewing themselues to bee of no religion For first they adde the commandement of the church making it equall vnto Gods written worde saying f Gret decreâ— pars 1. dist 20. cap. de libellis They which receiue not indifferently their Canons they profitablie effectually and to purpose holde or beleeue neither the catholike faith nor the foure holy Euangelistes They adde moreouer that g Distinct 19. all the decretals constitutions of that sea yea though it decree things scarce to bee borne yet must they bee borne with a godly deuotion though there bee as h Decret abbreuiat in versibus they say in one booke of decrees aboue 3000. Againe they say that i Concil Trident sess 4. decret 1. pari pietatis affectu reuerentia Traditions pertaine to faith and maners and that they doe receiue and embrace them with equall godly deuotion and reuerence as they doe the holy scriptures Lastly they set the Church before the scriptures as that by k Test Rhem. note vpon Gal. 2. vers 2. 6. D. Smith briefe treatise cap 2. 3. it the scriptures are so farre made knowen to all Christians as they are not bound so to take them vnlesse by the authoritie of the Church they knew them And that the authoritie of holy scripture dependeth and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersall or catholike church and that there are many vnwritten verities left by Christ and his Apostles to be beleeued and obeyed vnder paine of damnation Here is the mouth of blasphemie if wee may beleeue the vndoubted word of God how hee teacheth vs to esteeme of the holy scriptures and of the Church for in the olde Testament hee saith l Esai 8.20 To the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them And in the new a 2. Tim. 3.13 The holy scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation c. Let then euery wise man iudge that if the scriptures bee able to make a man wise vnto saluation and that there is no light that is to say knowledge of truth and godlinesse in them which agree not to the holy scriptures what canons decrees decretals traditions or vnwritten verities can haue any authoritie vnlesse they agree to the written word of God or that they can containe in them any thing not written in the scripture which is of necessitie to saluation or which not to doe or beleeue is damnation Againe how can the scriptures take their authoritie from the church seeing that the church is of no light vnlesse it bee found agreeable to the scriptures and therefore no church except it bee approued by the scriptures and so the scripture is iudge ouer the church and not contrarie And if I say the scriptures can make a man wise vnto saluation it is the greatest follie in the world to clogge the people of God with so many thousand of needles canons decrees decretals traditions and vnwritten falsely called verities and so make the light and easie yoke of Iesus Christ most heauie and burdenous If these diuilish blasphemies were true alas who could be saued For who was euer found that did or could doe all the foresaid Canons and traditions Therefore in them is fulfilled which is said by the Lord of Hypocrites b Math. 23.4 They bind heauie greeuous burthens not to be borne and lay them on mens sholders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers Let vs abandon therefore these painted sepulchers and enemies of all true
which some call Tritheitae or Triformiani Anno 370. which make the three persons in the trinitie three Gods like as wee account and know Robert Richard and Nicholas to be three men So the Papistes not in wordes but in deedes do the verie same for in their roode crosses and glasse windowes they engraue or paint the likenesse of God like the image of a man and the three persons like two seuerall men an old and a yong and like a doue And when they a Hore in laud. beat virg Mar. giue the virgine Marie power to make men gentle chaste and of a pure life they haue too much resemblance vnto the heretickes called Melchisedechiani who thought that Melchisedeck was the power of God And what odds in substance of matter is there betweene them and the Simonians who hold Simon Magus for a God or as it is in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 8. the great power of God For they b Test Rhem. annot in Luk. cap. 15.10 Math. 22.10 say that our harts and inward repentance be open to the Saintes and that they can heare our prayers and helpe vs be they neere or afarre of Which to doe doubtles is not of any creature but onely of God Now when they make saints patrons of people and countries What doe they els but as the Tetratheitae make many Gods As Mahomet the hereticke ordained that it should be death if any man disputed against his pestilent lawes So the Popes canons forbid any man to iudge or dispute of the decrees of their falsely called Apostolicall sea The Pelagians denie predestination altogether and the papists denie it in regard of the reprobate The heretickes Basilidiani tie predestination to workes foreseene and so do the papistes The Priscilianistes tie mens actions to the gouernment of the starres and the Maniches make two beginnings one good and another bad vnto which two heresies the papists seeme to leane indeed though not in word when they shut out Gods decree from ordaining his prouidence from administring and ordering any thing which he cōmandeth not that God regarded what mans free wil would chuse in such things For either they make mans wil a first cause or chance or the stars or that euil beginning And so by their assertion there will bee some thing of equall power with God as an other beginning first cause of euil things wherin God medleth not Touching free wil original sin Pelagius said that grace is giuen vnto men that they might the more easily fulfill by grace those things which they are cōmāded to do by their free wil so the papistes say that free will is but moued stirred vp by the grace of God worketh together with his grace The Pelagians say that a man without grace may doe all the commandementes of God and the Papistes say that it is a Test Rhem. in Math. 12. vers 11. in margin in mans owne freewill to bee a good tree or a badde The Pelagians say that the grace of God by which wee are deliuered is giuen vnto vs according to our merites so the Papistes say when the sinner doth that which is in him hee deserueth of congruitie to be iustified As touching the recouerie of man out of the damnable estate of sinne all heretickes had their seuerall heresie wherein they put their trust and despised all other and the true way of saluation which is by Christ So the church of Rome as compact of all heresies hath diuers new meanes of recouerie out of damnation and many religions as of friers monkes and Heremites The Turkish Mahomet had his Alcoran and the papistes haue their canons decrees and decretalles of the church vnder paine of damnation There were certaine hereticks called Messaliani Euchetae who attributed all the power of the saluation of their soules vnto praier supplications So haue you with the papistes certaine praiers Auemaries creedes and psalmes to be numbred vp for the soules both of quicke and dead And an other sort of heretickes called Heracleonitae are said to redeeme their fellowes and associates by oyle balme water and prayers So these Romistes haue holy water to fright spirits and as their a Set forth by Pius 5. ordo ad faciend ' aquā benedictam masse booke saith they exorcise or coniure the salt which is put into the water for the saluation of beleeuers and that it should be to all who take it health of soule bodie They haue also extreame vnction where with ointing praier they promise the very like vnto a man that is at the point of death which the Euchatae did The Simonians called Simon Christ the Sethians Seth. The Ophilae and Maniches the serpent Elcesaitae made two Christs and many more are to be found of like heresie So the papistes haue many mediators or Christes The virgine Marie the Apostles and I cannot tell how many Martirs and Saints to whom they flie as vnto mediators There were heretickes called Artotyritae so called of their offering For they offered vp bread and cheese So the papistes haue the host of bread which they cal the forme of bread which they offer vp for a sacrifice The heretickes called Ebionites Cathari Donatists Pelagians diuers others held iustification by workes and not by faith onely and so do the papists most earnestly Heretickes called Hierarchitae said that little children pertaine not to the kingdom of heauen because there is not in them any merite of the combate or striuing by which vices should be ouercome So the papistes hold that concupiscence is left for the combate to striue withall that their actions might bee the more meritorious and they pronounce damnable sentence vpon children vnbaptised The heretickes called Iouianistes as Saint Austen saith in his yonger daies did hold that a man could not sin hauing receiued the lauer of regeneration that is to say Baptisme So the papists say that after Baptisme concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne and that there is nothing in him displeasing God The donatistes affirme of themselues that they liue a perfect righteous and angelicall life So the papistes say a regenerate man may do all Gods commandements and their religious men liue a seraphicall and angelicall life in their orders Concerning the worde of God a Euseb lib. 5. cap 13. there were heretickes called Appellitae which blamed the holy scriptures with verie painfull and earnest reprehension So doe the papistes call the scriptures a thing without life dumbe Iohn Sleid. coment lib. 23. Literi Clemētis de sinodo Trident. colligend and like a nose of waxe that may bee drawne euery way hauing no certaintie without the iudgement of the church The hereticks called Pepusiani made Christ author of their filthy reuelations So the papists make him author of their vnwritten verities And as the Tacians Maniches Mahomet equall their deuises traditions vnto the holy scriptures so do papists And as papists prefer
a protestant in diuers places about this matter denying transubstantiation with all the holie martyrs which suffered in Queene Maries time saying a Vpon Ps 98. Non hoc corpus quod videtis c. yee shall not eate this bodie which you see and drinke that bloud which they shall shead which shall crucifie mee I haue commended vnto you a certaine mysterie which beeing spiritually vnderstoode shall quicken you and againe b De ciuitate dei lib. 21. cap. 20. Non solo sacramento sed re ipsa manducauerunt corpus Christi in ipso eius corpore cōstituti They eate not in the Sacrament alone but in verie deede the bodie of Christ beeing set in his verie bodie shewing thereby that there is no way of eatinge Christ but spirituallie and that the wicked eate the Sacrament of Christs bodie but not Christs bodie indeede hauing no faith to bee set in him and as hee knewe no reall presence in the sacrament so he knew no adoration nor sacrifice but a memoriall of thanksgiuing as where he c Ad. P. diaconum saith In this sacrifice there is thanksgiuing and a remembrance of the flesh of Christ which he offered for vs and againe d Contra Faustum Manicheum per victimas similitudinum the flesh and bloud of this sacrifice before the comming of Christ was promised by the sacrifices of resemblances in the sacrifice of Christ by the truth of the same after the ascention of Christ it is celebrated by the sacrament of remembrance what a merueilous protestant was hee whose sacrifice was a remembrance his adoring was thankesgiuing and transubstantiation in a mysterie and not in deed But me thinketh father Barnard wil be a protestant also for he e De diligend Deo saith that these woords qui manducat carnem meam c. hee which eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life eternal is as much as to say who so doth meditate vpon my death and by my example mortifie his members which are vpon the earth hath eternall life that is if you suffer together you shall raigne together Transubstantiation came vp as yesterday But here I need not so much to trouble thee with fathers seeing this deuise of transubstantiation was hatched lesse then 400. yeres a goe and that f Anno 1215. Read the acts of the counsel and decreet all lib. 3. tit 41. cap. 5. in a counsell of Lateran vnder pope Innocent the 3. there you shall finde Francis and Dominicke the head springs of two religions to be great helpe to the pope there shalt thou find auriculer cōfession and mysterium fidei thrust into the institution in the masse Hereupon Honorius the 3. espying in looking vpon this new glasse of transubstantion that Christ was made to come out of heauen into the sacrament thought it reason to giue him reuerence therefore he a 16. cap. 10. deuised and ordained the Eucharist should be lifted vp and adored and reserued in reuerent maner But it is to be merueiled that Honorius was so hastie before it was perfectly resolued whether the water were transubstantiated with the wine For the forsaid Innocent the third b 16. cap. 6. illa probabilior iudicatur quae asserit aquam cum vino in sanguinem transmutari doth but probablie coniecture that it is so and he saith the schoolemen agree not whether it be so or no. But howsoeuer it is apparant by these testimonies that this filthie and abominable idoll of transubstantiation with his adoration is a new borne monster adored by them which turne the glorie of God into things corruptible Therefore God giueth them ouer into a reprobate sense to beleeue lies because they receiued not the loue of the truth to trust in those things which if they could see they would be a feard of their very table is made a snare and their prosperity their ruine The fourth foundamentall point is of the writings of the couenant 4. Of the scriptures namely the Holie scriptures inspired by Gods spirit Let vs heere what the auncient protestantes professed in the primatiue flower of the christian Churches among the Gentils Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France a verie auncient protestant c Aduers heres lib. 2. ca. 47 protesteth that the Scriptures are perfect for they are spoken by the woord of God and by his spirit and againe d lib. 3. cap. 12. The thinges which the Scriptures shewe or teach cannot bee shewed but by the Scriptures And hee teacheth that e lib. 5. No small punishment belongeth to them which adde or take away from the Scriptures And lastlie hee f lib. 3. cap. 2. sheweth that it is a shift of the heretikes when they are conuinced by the Scriptures to accuse the Scriptures and to say that by the Scriptures the truth cannot bee found of them which know not the tradition Heere you see that Irenaeus maketh these boasting papistes heretikes who vnder colour of the insufficiencie of Scripture do foist in their traditions affirming that they ought not to interpret the scriptures by their sence or magisteriall power but by the declaration of scripture it selfe and lastlie that they are to bee punished for adding vnwritten verities traditions canons and decrees and such like tumperie to the perfect Scriptures In the next age of protestants commeth vp that great scholer Origen and he a In Ezech. homil 7. protesteth against the popish doctrin thus They which teare the Scriptures sowing those things doe rent the words from the words and make feined points of doctrine doo serue idols c. and a little after Let vs follow no man and if we wil follow anie Iesus Christ is set before vs to be followed the acts of the Apostles are described and we know the doings of the prophets by the holy volums or writings that patterne is sure that example is sound which who so desireth to follow doth walke without danger In the next age of protestants standeth vp Basilius Magnus and with open mouth denounceth b De vera ac pia fide against the arrogant pride of Rome If the Lord be faithful in all his words and all his cōmandements faithful established for euer euer done in equitie and truth without doubt this wil be a most manifest argumēt of infidelity a most certain sign of prid if any man wil reiect any of those things which are writtē or bring in any of those things which are not written Seing our Lord Iesus Christ hath said my sheep here my voice a little before the same said they wil not follow a strāger but wil flie from him because they know not the voice of strangers In the next age Chrysostome steppeth forth protesteth for the sufficiēcy of the holy scriptures a Vpon Ioh. cap. 8. saying If we would diligētly search the scriptures wee might be able to attaine saluation But Saint Augustine a little before him beateth down
all writings of Bishops prouinces and generall counsels as vncertain and vnperfect and such as may be amended but lifteth vp the scriptures and writings of the new and olde testament as the onely sure and sufficient truth b De baptism contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. saying Who knoweth not that the holy scripture as well of the olde as of the new testament is contained within certaine boundes and the same to be preferred before all the letters of the bishops comming after as that there can be no doubt dispute of or about it But the letters of Bishops which haue bin written after the confirming of the Canon or are now written may be reprehended both by the speech perauenture more wise of any man more wise in the same thing and by the grauer authoritie of other Bishops prudencie of learned men and by counsels if perauenture any thing in them do erre frō the truth Also counsels which are holden in seuerall regions or prouinces are to giue place without any staggering to the authoritie of fuller counsels which are holden of all the Christian world and those verie fuller councels often the former may be amended by the latter when as by any experience of things that is made knowne which was hidden Cyrillus in that verie age sheweth himselfe in this matter a verie true protestant c Vpon Ioh. 20. cap. 68. saying All things which the Lord hath done are not written but those things which the writers haue thought sufficient as well for maners as doctrine that shining in a right faith and workes and vertue we may come to the kingdome of heauen through our Lord Iesus Christ And Theophilact one of the later writers of the Greekes condescendeth to this doctrine b Vpon 2. Tim. 3. and saith Nihil est quod nequeat scripturis dissolut There is nothing which cannot bee assoiled by the scriptures Here the Christian reader may see that the auncient Christian religion was the same of protestants holding the scripture for the onely Canon of faith the rule of righteousnesse containing all thinges necessarie to saluation most certaine and sure to discerne all truth and able to assoile all dobts and questions and that wee ought to follow no man because Bishops letters the most generall and fullest councels may be amended and that it is onely the holy scripture whereof there can bee no doubt or dispute so that it followeth that it is a new doctrine to say that the Churches authoritie is aboue the scripture or that the Church iudgeth the scripture and not the scripture the Church or that wee neede and must accept with equall reuerence traditions or vnwritten verities and canons of the church without disputing and such like blasphemies Gratian also the compiler of the decrees who c About Ann. 1160. liued in the chiefest growth of corruption did publish to all the world as an ecclesiasticall decree the soueraigntie of holy scripture For speaking of deuine lawes he sheweth the determination of ancient fathers to set the holy scriptures aboue all other lawes whatsoeuer And first aboue all customes in d Distinct 8. ca. Si solus Christus these wordes If Christ onely bee to bee hearde wee are not to regarde what any man before vs thought meete to bee done but what Christ who is before all hath first done For wee must not follow the custome of men but the truth of God seeing God speaketh by Esai the prophet and saith in vaine doe they worshippe mee teaching the commandements and doctrines of men Secondly that it is proper and peculier to the Canonicall scriptures e For so the glosse interpreteth the Canons of the distinction following of the olde and new Testament onely not to erre f Distinct 9. cap. Ego solit saying I haue learned to giue vnto those writinges onely which now are called Canonicall this reuerence and honour that I beleeue that none of them haue erred And againe g Cap. Noli frater Doe not desire brother to gather out of the writings of Bishoppes cauils against so many so excellent and vndoubted testimonies deuine c. Whether they bee ours or Hillarius or Cyprian and Agrippinus before the part of Donatus was seperated And first this kind of letters is to bee distinguished from the authoritie of the Canons for they are not so reade as though a testimonie were so brought out of them that it is not lawfull to thinke contrarie if in any place they vnderstood otherwise then the truth doeth require And againe Neither ought wee to account the disputations of any men whatsoeuer although Catholicke and reuerende men like vnto the Canonicall Scriptures that it shoulde not bee lawfull for vs sauing the reuerence due vnto these men to improoue some thing in their wrytinges and to reiecte it if happely wee shall finde that they thinke or imagine otherwise then the truth hath In the next age after Gratian I finde Bonauentura a Franciscan a man of great account in h De profect◠religiosorū cap. 6. He liued about Ann. 1280. his time with cleare tearmes to teach the doctrine of protestantes in these wordes Nam quod ratio nostra lippa facta est c. Whereas our reason is become as bleare eied our vnderstanding darkened through sinne that wee cannot finde the truth of our selues God came downe vnto vs least we should bee in error and gaue vs the knowledge of the truth in the scriptures which he would haue vs beleeue where we might find sufficiently and truely all thinges necessarie for vs vnto saluation that in them we should not follow our sence but humblie submit our sence vnto the rule of faith if we will not erre Nicholas Lyra in the a 1315. next age protesteth for the scripture in like maner b Vpon the Prouerb ca. 31. saying Sacra scriptura continet firmam c. The holy scripture containeth the firme and inuiolable truth as in a merchants shippe are caried diuers thinges necessarie for mans life so in scripture are contained all things necessarie to saluation But that I ouercloy not the reader with many testimonies for the authority of holy scriptures I wil now turne to the other side to trace the footsteps of the popish doctrine how it came vp that the scriptures hath lost their first authority and honour Surely by the witnesse of the papistes themselues not in 400. or 600. yeares after Christ For then saith the glosse vpon c Vpon distinct 9. cap. noli me 15. Gratian that about the times of Augustine Augustina scripta aliorū sanctorū patrum non erant autentica c. The writings of Augustine and of other holy fathers were not autenticall but d that is about Anno 1200. now they are commanded to be holdē to the vtmost Iod. And this Gratian e Distinct 15. cap. sancta Romana sendeth vs to Gelasius for the first founder of the authoritie of councels
worketh together with the grace of God vnto merit and deseruing of saluation S. Paul taught the Romanes that c Rom. 8.8 they which are in the flesh that is the vnregenerate can not please God And again d Cap. 3.12 They haue all gone out of the way they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And he openeth himselfe els where saying e Eph. 4.17.18 The Gentils walke in the vanitie of their mind hauing their cogitation darkened being straungers from the life of God through the ignoraunce that is in them c. that is to say their ignoraunce is so great that they cannot doe any thing but sinne which he confirmeth by this maxime to the same Romans f Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Therefore his doctrine to them is this that by their exceeding ignoraunce the vnregenerate did nothing but such as was sinne in Gods eye-sight These late Romistes doe g Concil trident Ses 6. canon 7. accurse this doctrine of Saint Paule and all them that say that all the workes of the vnregenerate to bee truely sinne Saint Peter taught the Iewes h Act. 4.12 That there is saluation in none other meaning none other but Christ for that there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued These degenerate pretenders of Peter place saluation in others as in merites satisfaction and workes of supererogation and say there bee other names by which wee must bee saued as diriges religious orders and vowes pilgrimage pardons relickes and many other names by them deuised Saint Paule taught the auncient Romanes that i Rom. 4.25 8.33.34 Christ dyed for our sinnes and rose to make vs righteous and being hereby iustified of God nothing can bee layed to our charge nor condemne vs. By which it appeareth that the obedience and suffering of Chryst was the perfect working of our saluation These bastarde Romanes doe saye that wee yet neede the sacrifice of the Masse for quicke and deade and that the doing and fulfilling of Gods commaundementes and the Church is the condition on our part S. Peters doctrine saith that all the faithful k 1. Pet. 2.5.9 are an holy priesthood To offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ These counterfet successors of Peter adde a new deuise saying that their priests haue an especial office to offer vp sacrifice namely their Hoste S. Paul taught the old Romanes that l Rom. 8.34 Christ sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs. These declined Romistes say that the virgin Marie Peter and Paul and the Saints are intercessors for vs. Saint Peter taught the Iewes that he the said a 1. Pet. 5.1.2 Peter was an elder as other elders ministers of Christ and that such elders should not be Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that Christ was the chiefe shepheard These stately prelates make themselues Lords of sea and land disdaining at the low estate of the Apostles and elders of the primitiue church Saint Paule taught the Christian Romanes that b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes These Antechristian Romanes say that by doing good workes a man is iust and iustified and not by faith alone Saint Paul taught the Christian Romans that c Rom. 7.7 Concupiscence in the regenerate was sinne and though he did will that which was good yet hee could not performe it These Antechristian Romanes do say that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerate after Baptisme but onely left for the spirituall battell to bee resisted Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith That we must doe good workes d 1. Pet. 2.12.15 to shew forth the vertues of God and to glorifie him and to put to silence the ignoraunce of foolish men The new learning of these men is that we must do good workes that we might winne heauen thereby Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith e 1. Pet. 1.23 2.1 epist 2. cap. 3.1.15 That the Gospell is the word of God by which we are borne again that it is sincere milke and commendeth vnto them his owne and also S. Paules epistles And S. Paule taught the faithfull Romanes f Rom. 1.2 16.26 That God promised the gospell before by his prophetes in the holy scriptures and that God commaunded that it should bee taught all nations by the scriptures of the prophets These Romanes of the new learning do say that the g Reade Martin Peresius Aila de traditionibus scripture can not teach all the gospell but we must learne somewhat touching faith and saluation by tradition canons and the magisteriall power of the Church and equall these with holy scripture to teach that which cannot be found and learned in the written word of God Saint Paul taught the Romans the vniuersalitie of the Church when he said a Rom. 10.12 there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian for hee that is Lord ouer all is right vnto all that call vpon him S. Peters doctrine agreeth thereunto where he saith b Act. 10.34.35 God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him These late builders place the Church in the citie of Rome and call it the Catholike Church of Rome S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith c 1. Pet. 1.3 2 5.17 that he prayed and blessed God and that the Christians should feare God and offer spirituall sacrifices vnto God And S. Paul d Rom. 1. 10 15. 16. taught the beleeuing Romanes by his own ensample in diuers prayers and by a generall example of the Church in these words whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord c. that they should worship and pray to God onely These new deuisers giue this honour of God to Saints relickes and images and teach men to serue worship and pray to them S. Paul taught the Romanes of the Primatiue Church that after e Rom. 4.11 iustification by faith the sacraments are signes to seale the righteousnes of faith and S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith that f 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth vs but not by the outward washing away of the filth of the flesh but by the spirit working in our hearts a good conscience to God 21. These new forgers of doctrine and sacraments make the sacraments in the worke wrought to containe to conferre grace and to iustifie together with faith and that without baptisme there happeneth no iustification Saint Paul and S. Peter wrote both in the Greeke tongue which was fittest for all nations to learne Gods word and wheresoeuer they gaue instructions a This appeareth Act. 2. all the whole storie following they did it in that language which might best be vnderstood of the people but these new religion makers deliuer instructions teach men
risen vp without Gods authoritie by men how where and when since the pure times of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christes church and religion yea and that in most of the particulers Wherin my purpose is not to enter so farre as might be spoken for I cannot make in so short a roome an exact treatise but onely as briefely as I can conueniently so far to shew the christian reader as he may sufficiently see and perceiue that poperie hath his originall from men and not from God that it came vp since and vnder the Christian religion like vnto the Iuie that commeth vp after the oke and taketh holde thereon and by little and little so ouerspreadeth it and couereth it from the sight of men that wee can scarse see or discerne the oke Histories differ in setting downe 〈◊〉 times And here I am to aduertise the reader that historie writers and reporters of antiquitie differ much in these causes about the times so as the cronologie writers finde themselues encombred howe to set downe the certaintie in manie things yet notwithstanding though the authors disagree about the certaine time yet the matter is made vndoubted when they all agree that it is found out to come in after the Apostles times Wherein I make choise to take our testimony from hartie and vnfained papists that the truth of this cause may the more appeare when themselues cannot but yeeld vnto vs sufficient warrant and proofe of their new borne superstition Two deuises to hide the newnes of poperie They haue two great helpes to maintaine the antiquitie of their follie First the authorising of counterfait writinges such as are the decretall Epistles of Clemens Anacletus and others of the primatiue Church which not onely disagreeing in stile and matter from the times they pretende but also telling of those thinges and persons which were many yeres after doo very much argue that when the papists are faine to runne vnder the shadowe of such muddie and vnsetled Wales of forged authoritie their foundation is not so deepe in their owne conscience as they would beare the worlde in hand Their second helpe is that they proine pare and loppe and engraft the writings of auncient fathers and others teaching them by a newe deuise called Index Expurgatorius hatched in the late Counsell of Trent Anno 1571. to speake as they thinke best for there sea of sinne and to holde their peace where they like not of their sayinges If they may thus authorise false witnesses to speake for their purpose as they list and gagge the toonges of the true witnesses they can speake no further but as they giue them leaue then may euerie simple man see in them that an euill conscience findinge themselues to haue no antiquitie of trueth doth cause them to inuent shiftes to colour and cloake their wicked forgeries and newe deuises by which they haue manie yeeres abused Gods people But GGD bee thanked who bringeth the hidden and secreate thinges of the wicked vnto light he hath confounded their wisedom that all this doth not hide their filthie and earthlie generation For the prophesie of Saint Paul concerning such peruerse and cursed speakers which haue a shewe of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof is now in the eyes and knowledge of all men come to passe For he a 2. Tim. 3.9 saith They shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shal be euident to all men 3. And this verily is brought to passe by the righteous iudgements of God causing their owne tongs to take them and making the counsell of the wicked to bee foolishnesse Marke therefore and consider how they confound the glorie of their inuentions ad deuises Martinus Peresius Aiala a Bishop and a verie zealous papist seeming to haue taken great paines in reading of antiquities writeth a b Printed at Paris 1549. booke of traditions dedicated to Phillip king of Spain where hee c In his preface nisi attramento mortuo in sacris codicibus expressū calleth the inspired scriptures of the worde of God Dead incke in the holy bookes and affirmeth that if we should follow onely the holy scriptures which he calleth a pestiferous opinion Christian religion and ecclesiasticall pollicie should vtterly be destroied auouching beside the canonical scriptures another kind of doctrine called Tradition the head seed plot as he saith of almost all controuersies betweene vs and if herein wee agreede all discord now in religion would quickly cease And in this booke he maketh d 3. pars assertio 6. fol. 6. Diuina authoritas magisterium apostolicum Episcop maxime Romanorum a Deo concessa authoritas three fountains of traditions First they call diuine authority that is such as Christ in their deuise instituted deliuered which were not laid vp in the scriptures the second fountaine they call the Apostolicall mastership where they haue traditions some in the canons Apostolicall some in holy mens writings the last fountaine is the mastership authoritie of the Bishops most of all of the Roman Bishops which they also cal the e pars 2. assert 5. fol. 44. mastership of the church Wherein is a power as they say to iudge and determine what is canonicall scripture and to make diuers lawes and ecclesiasticall discipline And this last giueth power to all the rest for here as they say wee know which is the true worde of God heere the authoritie of decretalles is made firme and this being a gift and priuiledge that cannot erre is of that autenticall authoritie if we beleeue them that no man must once reason against it Out of these fountaines they drawe their traditions of the rites of Baptisme of confirmation auricular confession and penitentiall satisfaction the tradition of order and his rites the fearefull sacrifice of the alter transubstantiation praier for the dead communion vnder one kind purgatorie extreame vnction worship and intercession of Saints worship of relickes images exorcismes Lent fastes single life vowes of chastitie and such like In handling of which traditions he b Postulat 3. fol. aut quia legi Dei repugnant proximae sunt occasiones peccandi c. giueth vs a rule to discerne humane traditions from diuine saying Traditions which are not good are either contrarie to the law of God and are verie neere occasions to sin or derogate to the glorie of Christ or they are friuolous burdensome and of no profit If it be lawfull for vs to follow these three rules we shal easily proue popery to be no good tradition but a meere humane inuention of their owne For the first rule I hauing before shewed that all their popish religion is contrary to the religion which God taught Abraham Moses and the Prophets taught the Iewes and Christ and his Apostles taught all nations and contrarie to the doctrine which Paule taught the auncient Romanes and which Peter taught the Iewes it must needes follow that these traditions being
as they confesse not found in holy scriptures cannot bee good if the first part of their rule be true Secondly if it be of the nature of the scripture as we haue proued to containe all things necessarie to saluation and some of these as their dreadfull sacrifice of the masse rites in baptisme confirmation purgatorie prayers for the dead c. are by popish doctrine necessarie to saluation and yet are not to be found in holy scriptures then it followeth that they are contrarie to the law of God when they stand vp to shew themselues auaileable to saluation because they falsely accuse the scripture not to containe all thinges necssarie to saluation yea they accuse the scripture of a lie when it saith c 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17 They are able to make thee wise vnto saluation and that the man of God may bee perfect and absolute vnto euerie good worke But what can bee more contrarie to the law of God then to make his inspired word written to tell a lie Here then by their owne rule fall downe their traditions forged vpon Christ and his Apostles and presumed by their Church and if the scripture bee true there can and ought to bee no such thing and therefore of necessitie by their owne doctrine these are but deuises of men traditions not good Now for the second part of this first braunch of their rule where they say that the naughtie traditions are verie neere occasions of sinne These traditions breake that rule also For beside that they are all sinne in that God neuer commaunded them and come vnder that checke d Math. 15.2 In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrines mans precepts they can neuer denie by any good reason but that by these traditions they giue occasions of sinne many waies As in Baptisme men cannot discerne the true worke of Baptisme for the multitude of ceremonies vnto which are giuen the verie power and operation of Baptisme by the sacrifice of the masse relickes images and praying to Saintes they are ledde vnto sinne being directly against that commandement which saith a Math. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And their vowes of chastitie and single life giue occasion of all filthinesse buggery and murder and sodomitrie But if in these traditions there be a direct and particular contradiction to holy scripture then where is their foundation as for example the holy scripture saith b Heb. 18. There remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne they say the sacrifice of the masse is for the quicke and the dead the holy scripture saith it is c 1. Tim. 4.1 a doctrine of deuils to forbidde meates and mariage These traditions make priesthoode vowes and holding the childe at Baptisme to hinder marrige and that Lent and ember daies must not see any flesh and that for conscience sake The scripture saith thou d Precep 2. Exod. 20. shalt make no image nor worshippe them and they say thou mayest and oughtest to worship them And there are a great many more as is before apparant to bee seene whereof I thought good to giue the reader a taste that hee might the better remember what hath beene before written For the second part of the rule to knowe a naughtie tradition to be of men and not of God they say it is naught if it bee derogatorie to the glorie of Christ I pray you looke vpon all and euerie of these traditions and you shall find that they are set forth for merite and remission of sinnes for satisfaction and iustification All which as is before proued are the glorie of Christ because there is e Act. 4.12 no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby a man may bee saued These being newe names challenging that which belongeth to him cause men to giue his glorie vnto others And therefore by this rule seeing they derogate from the glorie of Christ they are no good traditions but meere inuentions of men not sufferable in the Church of God Lastly they are friuolous and burdenous c. which is the third part of their rule to know traditions to be of man do but looke vpon the number If f Gratians decrees one booke can shew vs 3090. decrees whereof most of them be of these traditions and that there be besides these in decretall and extrauagants I cannot tell how many thousand more then how can they auoid the name of burden And as for their profite if wee may iudge by holy scriptures which teacheth that g Heb. 1.3 Christ by himselfe purgeth our sins What profit can there be in any or all of these except we may say that Christ hath not purged our sinnes But their owne conscience telleth them there is no need of them As for example when they can h Manipul curat cap. 8. de annex bapt say of all the rites of tradition in Baptisme that they are not of the essence of Baptisme because that without them Baptisme may bee well giuen in case of necessitie which hauing as great a warrant as any of the rest wee may verily conclude that they are all but friuolous and superfluous ouerspreading outslippes of mens deuises What shall we then determine of this goodly popish trash but that they cannot be ancient autentical after Gods word seeing they cannot agree to their owne rules whereby they would proue them to be of God Therefore that is most blasphemous that they call the worde of God as it is in the holy bookes dead incke in comparison of their tradition vnlesse it be warranted by tradition and vnderstood in the sence of the mastership of their church Wee are then come thus farre that poperie is a tradition not written with dead incke in Gods holy bookes but some other kinde of doctrine which by their owne rules cannot bee found worthy the name of a good tradition and therefore a meere deuise of mans foolishnesse that is to say verie fables much displeasing and abhominable in the holy eyes of almightie God 4 Now let vs looke into the particulers Heere come the a Antididagma printed at Louan 1544. reuerend Canons of Colen who in the generall ioyning with this great clearke Peresius in many things crie with him Traditum est or traditum tenemus that is it is a tradition or wee hold it a tradition And this they doe where they are to shewe their originall and in deede it is an easie matter to maintayne any foolish or wicked thing by such a deuise yet are these learned men of Colon content to tell vs one or two originalles First b Pag. 70. they say It is true that Christ gaue the Sacrament to his Apostles vnder both kindes of breade and wine and that the church obserued that order a long time after therefore they teach vs that to keep the cup from the common people is but new learning So also they c Pag. 143. say their holy daies reckning by name 22.
will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation He that beleeueth shall not make hast b Malack 4.2 Vnto you that feare my name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise and health shall bee vnder his winges c. The gospell more plainely sheweth that where Christ is not knowen c Math. 4.16 the people sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and that hee d Luc. 1.78.79 is the day spring from on high giuing light to them that sitte in darkenesse and in the shadow of death e 2. Tim. 1.10 And that hee bringeth life and immortalitie to light by the gospell And that God is so farre from allowing that any man should bee able in any other meane to attaine vnto righteousnes or saluation thus he speaketh expressely that there is no f Act. 4.11 Saluation in any other for among men is giuen no name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Now what confesseth the Church of England in this regarde Namely that g Artic. 18. they are to bee had accursed abhorred that presume to say that euery man shall be saued by law or sect that he professeth c. For holy Scripture doth set out vnto vs onely the name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued So that heere you see the faith of Abraham Moses the prophets Apostles determine one way of mans restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation and the verie same is the faith of the church of England The fift article of Iesus Christ the onely author ef our saluation What we ought to know and beleeue of him 5. Iesus Christ in regarde of his person is perfect God and perfect man in one person and in regarde of his office mediator betweene God and man of the couenant of mercie IN this article we embrace two things First what Christ is in himselfe where wee vnderstand not that God alone or man alone is Christ but God and man is one Christ By God we vnderstand the onely and euerlasting begotten son of God the second person in the trinitie by man we vnderstande that hee came of the seed of Abraham and Dauid and a very naturall man borne of the virgin Marie hauing bodie and soule and all faculties and qualities of mind and bodie as we haue onely sin excepted and that the two natures in Christ are not confounded nor seperated but vnited distinct as the body soul of a man hauing their seueral natures properties make but one thing which is a mā So the godhead of Christ assuming the manhood chāgeth not it selfe nor the nature of man assumed but God man vnited in one person make one Iesus Christ and Sauior who by his incarnation and obedience suffering death resurrection assention sitting at the right hand of God and lastly by his iudgement hath and will saue all the elect of God declare make manifest the iust condemnation of the wicked reprobate And these are the works of his office of mediatorship which office of mediator we thus vnderstand that where all mankind being dead in sin there whole nature corrupted vnder the wrath of God and damnation of bodie and soule had in himselfe as is before declared nothing sound being vnable to doe any thing that could please God for his restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation Christ by the will of his father and of his free loue came into the world and became a man that where man had sinned by man might come deliuerance from sinne But because we men were wicked void of strēgth he was also God that he might be able perfectly to saue vs And so being God and man he was a fit mediator to make peace that where by sinnes we were enemies to God he being righteous suffering for vs payd the ransome for our sins and as God being the son of God was apt to reconcile vs vnto his father being beloued of his father his doing and suffering set vs free from the curse of the law the wrath of God and brought vs so far into Gods fauor that by him we are made righteous adopted children to his father and heires vnder hope of his euerlasting kingdom in al things in and through faith in him our harts being purified God is wel pleased with vs. In which office he is a priest and a king In his priestly office first as a prophet he bringeth vnto vs the oracles and word of God and secondly performing perfect obedience he offereth himselfe an immaculate lambe a pure and vndefiled sacrifice for our sins and continually maketh intercession for vs As he is King he hath all power in his hands he is Lord and head of his church and ruleth it by his word and spirit and sitteth and raigneth at the right hand of the glorie of God til all his enemies which are the enemies of his church be destroied and al things being restored hee will deliuer vp his kingdome into the hands of his father that God may be all in all This person and office of Christ being thus briefely but faithfully described See we now whether it be not that ancient faith which was taught Abraham First for the godhead of Christ a Gen. 18. he appeared vnto Abraham in the plaine of Mamre where one of the three angels is called Iehouah which is proper vnto God onely And againe b Cap. 22. when he offered vp his son Isaack an angel called to him from heauen saying Now I know thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onley sonne this must needs bee vnderstood of the son of God for the father is no where entituled by the name of an angel but the son is c Esai 63.9 els where called The angel of Gods presence and by special name d Dan. 10.21 Michael our prince which is by interpretation who like God which fitly declareth his godhead for so is it said in the Psalmes e Psal 89.8 O Lord God of hosts who is like vnto thee a mighty God and thy truth is about thee Secondly the manhood of Christ to bee assumed by Christ in the fulnes of times was taught Abraham when God preached the Gospel to him saying In thy seed which argueth the incarnation of the sonne of God that he should be made man of the seed of Abraham as it is expounded by the holie ghost saying f Heb. 2.16.17 He in no sort tooke the angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham Wherefore in all thinges it became him to be like his brethren c. that is to say seeing he came to saue man whom he would make his brethren by adoption it became him to take the seed of Abraham that he might be a verie true and naturall man his office is directly taught in that All the families of the earth by him should bee made blessed that is deliuered out of that cursed estate of original
dignitie as they doo properly and naturally require Namely that it is a 1. Thess 4.3.4.5 Gods pleasure that they whom hee freely iustifyeth by his grace and clenseth by faith should not wallow in the puddle and filth of sin like the gentils who know not God but shew thēselues to be the redeemed of the Lord his saints and children by their godly life and honest conuersation And for this cause sanctifying those whom he iustifieth he would haue them approue their faith by their good works as it is written b Eph. 2.10 We are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them c 1. Ioh. 3.9 whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him c. In which two places first you may obserue our sanctification in the words creation and seed For by the one is signified our new birth and renewing of the holie ghost and by the other the spirit sanctifying which as seed beginneth a godly life in vs. Secondly our faith in being in Christ and gods children for we are no otherwise in Christ and gods children but by faith The doctrin of these places agreeth with the article that they which are made Gods children by faith are so farre sanctified and renued by Gods spirit that they walking a more vpright course of life then infidels do make manifest their faith by their workes and they which be otherwise haue no faith Heere me thinketh I see Abraham approouing himselfe to haue a liuely faith by a most constant change of life in following of God and attending vpon his worde First he frankely left d Gen. 12.1.3.8 Heb. 11.8.9 his countrie and kindred and forsooke all strange religions and idolatrie to follow God Secondly he contentedly abode in the land of Canaan as in a strange land and walking from place to place remained in tentes and in euerie place shewed his godly deuotion in making an altar and calling vpon the name of the Lord a Cap. 13.8 he kindly yeelded to his nephew Lot 14.19 for auoiding of contention 24.1 18.23 20.17 charitablie rescued him when hee was taken prisoner carefully prouided a wife for his sonne Isaack feruently intreated for the Citie of Sodom meekly praied for him that had taken away his wife 23. 25. decently prouided for his wiues buriall and wisely before his death set an order betweene his children concerning his substance according to Gods word And is b Cap. 18.19 honourably commended by God himselfe for his good instruction to his houshold children posteritie that they might walke in the waies of the Lord. But aboue all other he approued his fayth in this that vpon Gods commandement he so readily offered vp his sonne Isaack being after Ismaels expulsion his onely sonne his beloued sonne and concerning whom hee had receiued the promise of life and saluation and the establishment of the couenaunt by this worke hee made knowen to men and Angels that hee had a true and a liuely faith whereupon Saint Iames interpreting this fact of Abraham to be wrought by faith bringeth this example to proue that faith without workes is dead And thus hee speaketh c Iacob 2.20.21 But wilt thou vnderstande O vaine man that fayth without workes is deade Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes when hee offered Isaacke his sonne vppon the Altar Seest thou not that fayth wrought with his woorkes and through the workes the faith was made perfect and the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes c. Heere I am enforced because of S. Iames maner of speaking to clere a doubt before I can conclude this point For in as much as Saint Paul d Rom. 4. contendeth that Abraham was not iustified at all by workes but by faith without workes and heere saint Iames seemeth to auoutch the contrarie saying was not Abraham our father iustified through workes it is to be considered how these two may be reconciled For the clearing of which difference I aunswere that in deed they both vse one worde but not in one meaning nor to one and the same ende For Saint Paul by this woord iustified meaneth that God freely imputeth righteousnes vnto him as namlie Read Rom. 4.1.4.5.6.15.16 and cap. 3.24.25.28 iustified by faith in saint Pauls mind is as much as to say righteousnes is imputed vnto him for his beleefes sake and for nothing else And his end was to prooue that no man can be iustified by workes in the sight of God but that this blessednes to bee iuste before God commeth by faith without workes But Saint Iames hauing to doo with such as boasted of faith and tooke to them selues licence to sin had this end namely to proue that faith without workes was in deed no faith properly and in the sight of God but a dead faith and therfore by this word iustified meaneth onely this that by workes a man is declared and made knowen tn be iustified by faith that is that he hath not a vaine dead and fruitles faith And therefore seeing that Abraham was so iustified that is declared and made knowen to be a iust man of a true and liuely faith testified by such a notable woorke he being our father we must be found to haue such a woorking faith or els we cannot be knowen to bee any other but hypocrites of a dead and counterfait faith And that this is the true and proper meaning of Saint Iames First consider that this word iustified is diuersly vsed and to be taken in the holy scriptures as all other wordes be according to the scope and purpose of euerie place For Rom. 6. where he sayth a Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is iustified from sinne there it signifieth to be free as it is by som translated And in b Cap. 7.29 Luke it is said that the Publicans iustified God being baptized with the Baptisme of Iohn where it signifieth to praise God for his mercy goodnes and righteousnes In c Math. 11.19 Mathew it is said Wisedome is iustified of her children where it signifieth acknowledged or professed or declared iust In which places this worde of necessitie hath such sence and meaning as the scope of the seueral places aforde So here Saint Iames intention being to teach the vanitie of him that boasteth of faith and yet liueth wickedly by all reason must be vnderstood to meane by the word iustified the declaring of the righteousnes of his faith by his workes And this wil easilie appeare if you marke his propounding of this question the order of his reasoning and his conclusion First his proposition vers 14. What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes can the faith saue him where you may perceiue he speaketh against pratlers and hypocrites which say they haue
couenant of faith to be their God in the promise of Christ vpon this he requiring obedience in a godlie life doth insinuate that they which professe the faith that God is their God must declare their faith by obedience to his commaundements and therefore he saith in an other place e Deut. 6.11 Beware thou forget not the Lorde thy God not keeping his commandements c. which sheweth plainlie that where disobedience is there is no faith for how can he haue faith that forgetteth him in whom hee should beleeue Hereupon all their disobedience rebelling and prouoking of God in the wildernes is said to be this a Psal 78.22.32 Heb. 4.1 They beleeue not God And this doth Moises aime at when hee saith Thou hast set vp the Lord this day to be thy God and to walke in his waies and to keepe his ordinances c. whereby it appeareth that vnto faith in couenanting with GOD this is an inseperable consequent that if we embrase God by faith we ought to follow his commandements by our deeds and he that doth not this latter bewraieth that he hath not with a true hart and faith receiued the former Therefore the prophets which expound the law in the person of God say thus a Mat. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his Master If then I bee a father where is my honour and if I be a master where is my feare c. Nowe we know that wee are sonnes no way but by faith Therefore this prophet intendeth that we are not ioined to the Lorde by faith either as his people children or seruants or that hee is our God father and Lorde except our deedes shew the vnfainednes of our faith in honor and feare Therefore saith an other prophet b Psal 116.10 I beleeued and therefore I spake making it a most assured thing that a liuely faith cannot bee secrete and idle but will shewe it selfe by the outwarde deedes and namely profession Therefore a iust and righteous man in the prophets is thus described a Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his tongue will talke of iudgement for the law of his God is in his heart c. Who is righteous but the beleeuer and how are we righteous but by faith this teacheth then that the beleeuer hauing the law of his God in his heart cannot but bring foorth good workes both in worde and in deed euen as the vnbeleeuer cannot bring forth any other but euill deeds therefore by the prophetes euill doers and beleeuers are made contraries as it is written b Verse 9. Euill doers shall be cut off but they which waite vpon the Lord shall inherite the lande And againe c Psal 32.10 Many sorrowes come to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercie shal compasse him But the Gospell doeth shewe this yet more brightly as namely where it is said d Gal. 5.6 In Iesus Christ neyther circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue that is to say faith doeth not onely take holde on Christ for righteousnes but also buddeth out before God and man the sweet blossoms of loue in the workes of pietie and honestie And therefore Christ challengeth them for no beleeuers in him which walke disobediently saying e Luk. 6.46 Why call ye mee master master and do not the things that I speake Whereupon the blessed Apostle is not afeard to say that he which is not a new man in holines righteousnesse but runneth greedily after his lusts in wickednesse hath not f Eph. 4.10.11 learned Christ as the truth is in Iesus And S. Iohn speaking of the hope of Gods children what they shal be at the ioyful appearance of Christ constantly affirmeth that i 1. Ioh. 3.3 euerie man who hath this hope purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure And againe k Vers 10. In this are the children of God knowen the children of the Deuil whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother So that as clearely as the sunne is seene to shine in the middest of the day it is most apparant both by Abraham Moses and the prophetes and also by Christ and his Apostles that our faith and doctrine taught in England touching workes is most sound and catholicke namely that works necessarily follow faith declare it to be a true and a liuely faith and he that liueth licentiously and wickedly hath not faith The ninth Article of the meanes of religion which is the word of God 9 The word of God is the onely perfect rule of religion teaching all things whatsoeuer is necessarie vnto saluation and the same is fully wholy and onely contained in the holy and canonicall scriptures of the old and new testament IN this Article it is first necessary to know distinctly what is this word of God For some men confound this with the second person in the trinitie because the sonne of God is called the word by the holy Euangelist a Ioh. 1.1 1. Ioh. 5.7 S. Iohn Where they are to know that we consider in God two things what hee is in himselfe and what outwardly he doth or commeth from him Now the worde which is the sonne of God which is the second person in the trinitie is alwaies in God verie God as we truely say The father the word or the sonne and the holy ghost are ouer the same God But the word of God which wee heere speake of is the knowledge and reuelation of Gods wil touching godlinesse therfore called Gods word because it commeth not nor can come by the will or vnderstanding of man or any creature but by God himselfe is deliuered to his saintes as it were spoken by Almightie God as wee see in our first parente b Gen. 3. Adam after his fall hee was deade in sinne he had no will wit nor vnderstanding touching saluation till God called him and taught him by his word and gaue him the promise of Christ saying The seed of the woman should breake the serpentes head For which cause it is called c Eph. 1.9 Colos 25.26 The mystery of Gods will Which God in diuers maners in diuers times hath reueiled to his church d Numb 12. c. 7.8 2. Pet. 1.21 In darke speeches by dreames and vision openly and plainly as vnto Moses and by inspiration of the holy Ghost Of which it is thus written e Heb. 1.1.2 At sundrie times in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the prophetes in these last dayes he hath spoken to vs by his son And therfore these phrases in the prophets are plentifull The f Esai 1. Hier. 1. Lord hath said The word of the Lord came c. And many such like as all men know â—hich are acquainted with the holy scripture Now this being vnderstood we are to obserue
statutes and iudgements Here you see that the prophets hauing the same spirite of truth to leade them and their pen which Moses had in his writings auouch the perfection of Gods word in Moses bookes so farre as they would be vnderstood to doe or speake nothing that should not agree vnto that worde so written and whosoeuer did otherwise had not the light in him Now because Moses and the prophets agreed in their writinges in declaring and making manifest the same truth and word of God which he would haue to be the knowen canon and rule of religion Our Sauiour Christ reiecteth all c Math. 15.3 new deuises writing traditions and customes of men sendeth vs to the d Luk. 16.29 cap. 24.44 law and the prophets bidding vs to e Ioh. 5.39 search the scriptures Which also to bee a most certaine rule Saint Peter saith We haue a most sure worde of the prophets And Saint Paul a 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach vs that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes What can be a more perfect rule or touchstone then that which is most sure inspired of God profitable euery way in righteousnes by which a man may be absolute perfect vnto all good workes And hereof it commeth that the writinges of the new testament are not a new Canon or additament of rule in religion but onely a more plaine reuelation fulfilling of that which was before taught by Moses and the prophetes and therefore you shal find that Christ and the Apostles euery where do approue their doctrine by the testimonies of the scriptures of the olde testament Wherefore Paul acknowledgeth that b Rom. 16.26 God commanded the preaching of the gospell to bee by the scriptures of the prophets and Peter c Act. 3.22.24 appealeth to Moses and to all the prophets from Samuel and thenceforth that they foretold of those daies that is of the time of the gospell and the things which should bee manifested therein And therefore Paul protested that he d Cap. 26.22 witnessed both to small and great no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Wherefore the whole scriptures of the olde and new testament is one and the same rule of religion Although peraduēture as is before declared there may be some difference in ceremony and maner of gouernment yet is the first euen in those thinges a witnesse of the last and the last a true and faithfull expounder and fulfiller of the first Hereof it is that Mathew and the other Euangelists do confirme all the doctrine and doings of Christ by seuerall scriptures Yea those thinges which in forme order differ are yet proued that so they ought to be by Moses and the prophetes as the ministerie of a Math. 3.3 Iohn Baptist b Act. 2.16 and of the Apostles c Heb. 7.1.12 the priesthood of Christ and his changing of the lawe d 1. Cor. 9.9.13 prouiding for the ministerie though not by tithes and many such like But as for the most substantiall parts of the doctrine of faith and saluation I hope it shal appeare to the godly Christian by reading this Chapter throughout that there is but one canon and rule of truth Therefore to conclude let the reader obserue that this writing of Gods word is done by the spirit of God to this vse and ende that we might bee sure to know and how to trie and finde out what is the worde of God by examining all things wee heare by the Canon of the scripture As did e Act. 17.11 the noble men of Berea Wherefore Saint f Cap. 1.3.4 Luke affirmeth that the ende of this writing was that wee might acknowledge the certaintie of those thinges whereof wee haue beene instructed And Saint Paule saith that for the Church g Philip. 3.1 it was a sure thing and this sure thing is expounded by the Euangelist who sayth h Ioh. 20.21 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Therefore as Moyses which first wrote shewed the absolutenesse of this Canon of Gods worde written by i Deut. 4.2 forbidding all adding to and taking from So the last booke of this Canon sealeth vp all the writinges of God with the like admonition saying e Reuelat. 22.18 I protest to euerie one that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Now in both partes of this Article agreeing to all these testimonies of holy scripture is the iudgement and profession of the Church of England For we say b Artic. 20. of the authoritie of the church It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods worde written c Articl 6. the doctrine of holy scripture Holy scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite and necessarie to saluation c. d Apolog. cap. 9. diuis 1. We receiue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures both of the old and new testament c. they bee the verie sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried Whether the Church do swarue or erre and whereunto all ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to bee called to account and that against these scriptures neyther law nor ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard c. In all which wee doe acknowledge this most absolute canon of Gods word agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles The tenth Article of the people who follow the right religion that is the Church of God 10 There is but one Church of God and the same is catholike and spread ouer all the world holding onely the true faith of Christ and it is made visible and knowne by the profession of the same faith which is in the preaching of the pure word of God and right administration of his holy sacraments IN this Article is a double description of Christes Church first in regard of the nature and second in regard of the visible markes The nature is in three things vnitie and vniuersalitie and faith The markes are declared by their profession which is preaching and administring the word sacraments By vnitie wee vnderstand that God hath not diuers Churches of diuers sectes in diuers places or times but howsoeuer times and places may haue some externall and temporal differences yet in all times and places the people whom God alloweth and accepteth to bee his church are but one misticall bodie wherof Christ is the head and as
to worship God onely and namely to praie to him alone THis article is plaine needing no explanation And we may see it clerely in the story of Abraham that he being called from the b Iosh 24.2.3 woorship of strange Gods for euer after woorshipped the onely true and liuing God c Gen. 12. ver 14. 15. 17. c. to him he made his alter and called vpon his name swore by his name and in all religious woorship as sacrifice circumcision and vowes he did stil keepe himselfe alwaies to worship God onely Such is the minde of the church of England For we say d Artic. 22. of purgatorie The Romish doctrine concerning purgatorie pardons worshipping and adoration as well of images as of reliques and also inuocation of Saints is a fond thing vainely fayned and grounded vpon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God For hereby we vnderstande that the Scripture teacheth that wee should worship God onely and pray to him onely and therefore we condemne al woorship and praiers which are not made giuen and directed to God onely and therefore we commaunde the ten commandements to be read in our churches to teach men to acknowledge one god and him onely to worship Moses also if we will heere him sheweth the same truth First in the affirmatiue he saith e Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and sweare by his name which wordes our Sauior Christ f Matth. 4.10 alleaging in their meaning sheweth that they commaunde vs to worship and serue God onely And in the negatiue Moses a Deut. 4.14 c. cap. 12.2.3 c. cap. 13. 21.8 Num. 6.24 testifying that God shewed the people no image of the likenesse of any thing whatsoeuer forbiddeth them the making of all images of the likenesse of any thing whatsoeuer and the worshipping of any such image or likenesse of any thing whatsoeuer directing them in all causes to turne to him to pray to him and to blesse in his name To this also accorde the Prophets in whom God speaketh on this maner b Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee c. c Esai 42.8 I am the Lord this is my name and my glorie will I not giue vnto an other neither my praise to carued images d Cap. 45.23 I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne That euerie knee shall bow vnto me and euerie toonge shall sweare by mee And therefore on the one side hee reprooueth them e Zepan 1.5 which woorship and sweare by the Lord and Malcham that is doe any way communicate Gods worship to others and on the other side teacheth vs to pray onely to God as it is written f Psal 62.8 Trust in him alwaie yee people power out your hartes vnto him for GOD is our hope g Psal 95.6 Let vs vvorship and fall downe and kneele before the Lorde our maker And this is also the rule of the Gospell as where our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray h Matth. 6.9 Our father which art in heauen c. saying when yee pray pray after this maner there you may perceiue all other excluded For wee cannot say to any other Our father which art in heauen or Thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie therefore if this be the maner of prayer wee must pray to none other but to God And the Apostles in their doctrin i Act. 14.15 1. Thess 1.9 called men from dumme idols to worship and serue the liuing God And that I may not vse many wordes in so manifest a matter I onely obserue this that this phrase k Reuel 19.10 22.9 Act. 10.25.26 Rom. 1.23.25 Worship GOD in the newe Testament shutteth out all creatures men and angels from all maner of religious worship which seruice being due to him should bee giuen or done to none other And so it is verie apparant that in this article wee are of the most auncient and Catholike faith with Abraham Moses c. The twelfte article of certaine speciall exercises of religion and markes of the church that is the Sacraments 12. A Sacrament is a signe and a seale ordained of God to assure vs of the couenant of mercie which is in Christ Iesus And there be two Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. The first is a signe and a seale of our first entrie into the fellowship of God and his church and of our adoption and regeneration The seconde is a signe and a seale of the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ continually strengthning vs and confirming vs in all the graces of God vnto eternall life IN handling of this article if I declare two things First that these three times of the fathers of the law of the gospel agree in the description of the nature of a sacrament and herein that these two Baptisme and the Lords supper are only for the new Testament and namely according as they are here described no otherwise And secondly that herein the church of England agreeth with the holie scriptures of all these times as a true obseruer of Gods woord therein I shall sufficiently prooue that the church of England holdeth the most auncient true and catholike faith In the first there are three things to be shewed the nature the number and the special difference of the sacraments In the nature wee see what is general and common to all Sacraments and this is in two points who made them and whereof they consist the first is they are ordained of God and this is so farre off the nature of a sacrament that none can be so without God be the author for who can giue man a special signe and seale of Gods fauor c. but God himselfe amongst men he is guilty of treason that will make a seale of a princes letters patents in the kings name except he haue the seale deliuered him by the prince for that purpose So and much more for so much as God is more excellent and honorable then any prince of the earth and his will more vnsearchable and the freedom and glory therof more hie and heauenlie no man may or can ordaine a sacrament to assure vs of Gods good will whereof he hath no warrant or authority from God For if as the Apostle saith No man doth knowe the things of God 1. Cor. 2.11 but the spirit of God surely much lesse can any man ordaine a Sacrament which is such a thing as by it we may be assured of Gods free grace and mercie in Iesus Christ Therefore you shall find that in all times the church so long as it was obedient and not idolatrous neuer aduentured to make a Sacrament as you may see in Abraham who had sacrifices and circumcision although we may be assured that by the spirit of prophesie he was instructed in these things yet shall
the holie ghost doth vse as holy misteries to stirre vp and quicken and encrease all good graces and the worke of faith in vs according to Gods free promise in the couenant Now for the number of sacraments That in the new Testament there are and should bee but two Sacraments of the couenant This will appeare if it be shewed that the old testamēt did shadow out these two onely and that the new Testament commands no more First for Baptisme Saint Peter saith that the a 1. Pe. 3.20.21 Arke of Noe was a figure of our Baptisme and Saint Paule b Colos 2.11.12 auowcheth that our Baptisme is come in the roome and place of circumcision Secondly touching the Lords supper Christ instituting it after he had eat the passouer did thereby declare that the same succeeded the passouer and that the passouer being fulfilled and finished by his death should giue place vnto his supper or holy communion which is confirmed by the practise of the Apostles who euer after instructed the church to receyue this and leaue out that as in the constituting of the seueral churches it doth may appeare Againe that place 1. Cor. 10.1.2 comparing the cloud going through the read sea the manna and rocke vnto our two Sacraments sheweth plainely that the equitie of Gods proceeding which vnder the law was figured in these two sacraments should bee preserued Namely one for the first entrie into the couenant and an other for the confirmation of the same that although there were many yet they had no more but the substance of these two and therefore these two were to remaine perpetuall and be in as great value and vse vnto vs as if they were manie And I am fully perswaded that no honest man by any learning can shew any place pregnant either in the olde or new Testament for any other third or fourth or more to be shadowed out in like maner as these two Now in the new Testament it is apparant that these two are cōmāded by that which is alreadie spoken But that there bee no other let a man examine whatsoeuer is or may bee pretended by this diffinition of a Sacrament and the holy scriptures wherein and whereby I haue declared and approoued the same hee shal find they come short and beside the marke for either they lack a commandemēt from god or els an outward signe or els are not declared signes of the couenant As for example if any would make penance a Sacrament he shall find that God commanded not penance by satisfaction but onely the satisfaction which is made alreadie by the bloud of Christ and there is no signe appointed by God thereunto if any other will make orders a sacrament he shall finde their wants the couenant of mercie for that imposition of hands in orders is a signe of the grace of the ministerie and not of the couenant of saluation If some other should set foorth matrimonie for a sacrament there wants a commandement to make it a signe secondly it is in no place any otherwise but as infinite other things a comparison and similitude or metaphore And so it may be truely said of any thing else which is colourablie thrust vpon the church by the name of a sacrament Nowe lastly the difference betweene Baptisme and the Lords supper in sealing of the couenant is that Baptisme is for the first sanction of the couenant and entring into the church A seale of our adoption regeneration this was circumcision to Abraham and his seed and the cloud and read sea was this vnto all Israel who were led by the hand of Moses And that Baptisme might be for the first sanction of the couenant and entring into the church the Apostles were a Matth. 28. commanded to preach and to receiue such as beleeued by Baptisme into the church and so b Act. 2. 8. 10. 13. 14. c. they by this marke seperated the christians from others whē they first wonne them to the gospell as all examples of their practise do shew so well knowen as I neede not to reherse them But for the other part you haue for regeneration these woords c Tit. 3.5 The washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holie ghost and for adoption these woords d Gal. 3.26.27 Ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus for all ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. Where the putting on of Christ by Baptisme being alleaged to shew our being Gods sons by faith teacheth that Baptisme is a seale of our adoption And for this also Baptisme is but once ministred because we once enter into the church and are but once borne againe and adopted to be Gods children Then as for the Lords supper that it is a seale of our communion in the couenant these words directly shew e 1. Cor. 10.16.17 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ the bread which we break is not the cōmunion of the body of Christ for we that are many ar one bread one body because we al are partakers of one bred where it is called communion c. because by this sacrament we are confirmed in the participation of Christ as by a true seale of the couenant and assured to be of his mysticall bodie As touching the continual strength we haue hereby the often receauing doth notifie the same and the kindnes of creatures the maner of applying and the nature of working For we being dailie subiect to sinne and weakenes are here on as on a banket to feede for our dailie inward strengthning and bread and wine familiarly shew vs that Christ is the bread from heauen and his bloud is the ioyfull wine to glad mans hart which when Christ biddeth vs to vse in remembrance of him what is it else but that by the taking eating drinking of these things for such an end we should stirre vp our harts in the assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes and of the continuall grace and mercie of God 1. Cor. 11. which Paul confirmeth when he saith we shew the Lords death c. For by it we are confirmed so that we thereby professe before all the world 1. Cor. 10. that so we beleeue and are assured that our sauiour will come againe to receiue vs into glorie And in that it is called as before a communion with Christ what other woorking can it haue 1. Cor. 12. but to strengthen our faith and to encrease in vs euerie good gift by the spirit And hereof the Apostle saith we are made to drinke into one spirit as if he should say as we drink wine to cherish our fleshie hart so here we haue a spirituall drinking of Christs blood to cherish our soules vnto eternal life Thus you see the sweet consent of the old new Testament touching the holie Sacraments what they are in nature how
time and with the preaching of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles is most comfortablie sealed vp and confirmed the Lords name be praised therefore The Lords name I say be praised who hath bin so mercifull and gratious vnto this little Ileland that passing ouer many greater richer and mightier nations hath set such an especial loue vpon vs as he hath vouchsafed to preferre and exalt our nation aboue many other to be of his holie and catholike church of the blessed communion of his saints and a true member of his visible people vpon whom his name is called That we may truely iustly and boldly say that the religion which we follow and the faith and doctrine which wee confesse is the faith of Gods elect the knowledge of the truth according to godlines vnder the hope of eternall life the verie true and onely way of saluation which God and not man teacheth Which he hath taught al the fathers before the law was giuen or any part of Gods woord written during the space of 2517. yeeres In the ende of that time Abraham our father euen the father of all beleeuers 430. yeeres before Moses when the world began to be corrupted receaued and professed for al nations which should be after him Which Moses and the Prophets proclaimed and maintained some 1445. yeeres vntill the blessed time of Christes holie incarnation And which the same Iesus Christ the glorious son of God euen the Lord of life preached in his owne person and his holie Apostles which heard him and saw al his great works did witnes and publish to all the gentils and was confirmed by gods holie testimonie from heauen with great signes and wonders and gifts of the holie ghost And which the same euerlasting God euen the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ commanded to be taught vnto all people out of the holie Scriptures of Moses the Prophets and Psalmes and hath opened and made manifest by the holie inspired writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles and left and commended vnto his Church for the saluation of his elect vnto the worlds end By which al gods people ar to be known by which God will be glorified in his saints and out of which no man hath been shall be or can be saued I say therefore againe the Lords name be praised for euer Amen CHAP. IIII. Where is declared First that antiquitie vniuersalitie and visible succession is no perfect marke of the church much lesse of the popish Synagogue which is but of yesterday 2. The measure order of the visible succession of the Church from Christs time forward is shewed by the Scripture 3. Therefore the papists do prooue themselues to be no church when they ground themselues on this false principle the church cannot erre 4. How the true religion hath shewed it selfe by manie witnesses from the Apostles time euen vnto our dayes THE Synagogue of Rome claimeth antiquitie vniuersality and succession visible from the time of Christs Apostles to be vndoubted markes of the church of God and so of the pure religion addinge thereunto as it were the sinewes and ioints to make them all holde together the faithfull and constant grace of the church visible vnder the ghospell namly this false principle that It cannot erre And therfore when they are convicted to haue fallen from the true christian religion and find themselues openly bewraied being tried by the perfect touchstone of Gods holie written woord to be lately vpstart and of a new deuised religion doctrine and faith brought forth into the world by the fanatical and superstitious humor of heretical prauitie and humaine follie and begotten by the cunning insinuations and coulorable suggestions of him which vseth all spirituall craftines and profoundnes of wisedom to bruse the heele of the womans seede and to darken the glorious light of the heauenlie faith of Gods chosen least happely they should not be found the very true Antechrist after the maner of him that trāsformeth him selfe into an angel of light they would beare downe the world with the vaine titles and goodly shew of antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession of the vnerring and vnchangeable persistance of the visible church in the truth and leaue out altogether that which is indeede the very nature and foundation of the church the true religion faith and doctrine of Apostles and Prophets of God But alas these are but the figge leaues of Adam which cannot couer their shame for as all men knowe that the serpent cannot proue himselfe a man by his auncient continuance and remaining in the world vnlesse hee had those essential properties of bodie and soule whereof euery man doth naturally consist So for so much as all these things antiquitie vniuersalitie c. are such as heretikes Ethnikes did and could claime from Caine and Cham or Iaphet as wel as Christians from Seth and Shem and that the true nature of the church cōsisteth in the fellowship of the true religion doctrine and faith the sygnogoge of Rome vnlesse it hold the true faith and religion cannot for these things be the true visible church of God For no antiquitie vniuersalitie or succession can make the whore of Babel to be the true and chast spouse of Christ And who knoweth not that Caine was before Sheth and that their two posterities were the two churches one which is of Caine called the children of men because their religion came of a runnagate man the other was called the childrē of God because their religion was giuen and taught them of God Likewise in the Apostasie of the time of Abraham the nations were almost setled vpon the dregges of their filthie idolatry when Abraham was now but newly called Ismael and Esaue which fell out of the church and house of Abraham became goodly states and monarkes before Iacob was established and the people of Israell were gathered into a knowen and visible floorishing forme of a church which was 430. yeeres after the calling of Abraham Lastlie the gentils continued in that apostasie and idolatrie ouerspreading all the world from the time of Abraham vntil Christ eighteene hundred yeeres when the Church was but in a little corner of the world the land of Canaan and of that a great space in the territories of Iuda and Hierusalem onely Because Caine Ismael and Esaie calling antiquitie and visible succession before Sheth and Isaack and Iacob is their religion the true religion or were they the true church or shall the Gentils iustifie thē selues to be the true worshippers of God or to haue the true God because they can brag ouer the Iewes christiās with al these termes of antiquity vniuersality succession visible c. therfore he that readeth the stories shall find how they scoffe at the Iewes christians euen as the papist do at vs because that although they haue no truth on their side yet they thinke these painted paper walles and leaden weapons of long continuance and open appearance and flowrishing in
the world doth sufficiently couer and defende their filthie follie Whereas they foolishlie know not and consider not or at the least thorough maliciousnes and hardnes of hart wil not know that an ill thing the more vniuersall the longer the larger the stronger the more in custome vse authoritie and open familiaritie of men the more dangerous infectious incurable and deadly it is And this gentilisme and poperie are so much the more stronge in dilusion for the damnation of soules by howe much they being void of godlines and truth are and haue been ancient vniuersal visible c. And therefore it hah cost the more sweat and bloud vnto the faithfull seruants of Christ to cure the infected people and to bring them againe into the bosom of Abraham and arcke of Noe the folde and church of Christ We may then boldlie say that such ministers are to be obeied who as an a Ian. lib. 4. cap. 43. auncient father saith together with the succession of their Bishopricks according to the good will of God the father haue receaued the certaine gift of the truth which while the church of Rome that now is hath not done because they doo not beleeue in those things which are they are fallen into those things which are not hauing forsaken the pure and chast nature and beutifull ornaments of the true spouse of Christ which is the sincere doctrine of holie scripture they are faine to array themselues in the counterfait and comon whorish apparel of al the filthy idolaters of the world the vaine pretence of antiquitie vniuersalitie c. But yet this suit of apparel will not serue them no more then that can fit a childe borne yesterday which is large and wide for a man of a great and full stature For how doo these termes agree to that apostalical sea of Rome which is one of the last lowest borne children of superstition begotten of the diuell in this last furie of his old age euen now he knoweth his time is verie short For as it shall appeare in the latter part of this booke through Gods gracious assistance the synagogue of Rome wil want at the least 4500. yeres of that antiquitie vniuersality and visible succession which I haue here already shewed to appertaine to the true auncient catholike religion of Gods most holie vndoubted church founded in Adams promise seperated in Abrahams posterity published offered to all the world by Christs most blessed Apostles For an introduction into which matter I will in this Chapter through my Lord Christes fauour and grace shew vnto thee good Christian reader how this religion of ours now professed and openly maintayned in Englande which is manifestly proued alreadie in the Chapter going before to be the ancient true faith from the beginning of the world and namely and especially from our father Abraham now in these latter daies hath descended and continued by succession visible in the worlde from the Apostles time vnto ours For although wee bragge not of antiquitie and vniuersalitie yet wee doe humblie thanke our louing God and mercifull father in Iesus Christ that vnto vs the pure doctrine and true Christian religion is come and is fruitfull as euer it hath bin in any part of the world and we are made the children of Abraham through faith in Iesus Christ 2 And that you may vnderstand this the better you are to know the measure hereof by the holy scriptures of God which as a line being gone ouer all the worlde doth shew the tract and footesteppes of religion among the gentilles vnto the ende of the worlde In the 24. of Mathew the 17. and 21. of Luke and in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn is fore described the treading vnder feete of Hierusalem and the Iewes vntill the times of the gentils bee fulfilled and that in these times should arise false prophets and false Christes and deceiue many yea great chaunges and alteration in religion should be in all the Christian world The kings and princes of the earth should obey the will of the least and this obedience should be so vniuersall that no man should be permitted to buy or sell without his marke in their foreheades the prophetes and witnesses of Christ should bee slaine and there should bee the patience and triall of the Saintes Smoke comming out of the bottomlesse pitte couereth the aire and hideth the Sun Moone and stars What doth this shew but that the world should bee found a continuall enemie to the true religion and that the faith of Christ should not alway be vniuersally professed and maintained but that the Christian Churches should fall into errors and that the true religious and faithfull people of God should passe through the furnace of the fierie triall and bee as it were heere and there certayne scattered stones of a building that is witnesses standing vp for the truth testifying that there is a pure religion ordained and accepted of God And not that the Church shoulde bee alway a beautifull pauilion and goodly temple wherein the King dwelleth seene and admired and honoured of all men According to that of Christ a Math. 24.13 Because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall waxe colde And this coldnesse shall bee so great and so vniuersall that the true professors of Gods true religion b Vers 9. shall be hated of all men and men c Ioh. 16.1.2 shal thinke they do God seruice when they kill any of them And the ground of this Saint Paul sheweth saying d 2. Tim. 4.3 The time will come when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine c. And yet it seemeth to be more fully opened where hee foretelleth that there must bee an e 2. Thess 2.3 Apostasie or falling from the faith before the world could haue an ende and the man of sinne disclosed 4 which is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte as God in the temple of God And a little after 7 For the misterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke c. Wherein hee teacheth plainely foure thinges First that there should be a generall decay of religion in the Church Secondly that it should be by such an aduersarie of Christ as should raigne in the Church Thirdly that he should bee reuealed in his time And fourthly that this was an hidde and secret thing which did beginne to worke secretely euen in the Apostles time By which wee may perceiue the succession and vniuersalitie of the Church in the visible shew and flourishing of the true religion is not to bee found nor looked for in all the times of the gospell after the Apostles daies but that by little and little it should bee darkened corrupted and hidden For howe can that bee saide to bee the true visible Church of Christ where his aduersarie dwelleth and beareth all the rule aduauncing himselfe as God And whereas touching the true faith the people are
fallen into an Apostasie And the reason he giueth confirmeth it directly that it should vndoubtedly fall out and so come to passe for hee afterward affirmeth that it commeth of the righteous iudgement of God vpon the reprobate saying God shall sende them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lies that all they might bee damned Vers 12.12 which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse which thing if it be wel seen into vprightly waied it will cōuince the church of Rome to be of the false religion and antechristian church and their brauerie of profession their antiquitie vniuersalitie and visible succession to be the sitting of the man of sinne in the temple of God that is the plague and running soare of the Church the damnation of many soules and that now within these few yeares the gospel teaching the true Christian religion hath reuealed their Apostasie and that so openly clearly as euerie man may see it if he doe not wilfully blind his owne eyes 3 Now if they say that the Church cannot erre and thereupon build their antiquitie vniuersalitie succession c. Namely that they must needes bee the true Church being so actiuely and vniuersally visible in their continued succession because it belongeth to the Church vnder the gospell as they say to bee as the Moone that neuer is ecclipsed nor couered vnder a cloud but alwaies appeareth glorious and beautifull vnto the world then doe they euidently declare and proue themselues to bee the false sinagogue of Sathan and their religion to bee his delusions and lies Because the worde of God doth so manifestly say there shall bee an Apostasie and falling away in religion and that the enemie of Christ should raigne in the place of Gods temple And least happily wee should bee deceiued in thus iudging euen in this one point of their religion that they hold that the church cannot erre they cōuince themselues to be Antechrist many wayes especially in that they make the authoritie of the Church aboue the scriptures that they might be iudges of it and not of them What do they herein more truely then professe to all the worlde that there sitteth amongst them the aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God for what is there in the whole world by which God is knowen or can bee knowen truely and rightly to bee God and by which God is exalted and all his honour truth and word magnified and his will wisedome and goodnesse glorified and worshipped but onely the inspired writinges of the blessed booke of God If they hauing no truth on their side to maintayne themselues to bee the Church of God they will foist in with a brasen face contrarie to euident scripture this vntruth that the church cannot erre and thereupon vsurpe authoritie ouer this booke of God and after it to haue no authoritie but such as they allow and to haue no other meaning or sence but such as they giue and so God and his holy law must looke for no other name credite and dignitie but as it pleaseth them being men to giue And so againe God and his word should not bee builders and describers of the Church but the Church builders and describers of God and his word doth it not then necessarily follow that they are verie Antechrist and the seate of Apostasie Moreouer if Christ say this Apostasie should bee so great that if it were possible a Math. 24.24 the verie elect should bee deceyued Are not they verie Antechrist to make the Church alwaies visible and not able to erre And let the godly Christian reader consider what vse there is of these rules precepts b Math. 7. 1. Ioh. 4.1.2 2. Ioh. vers 9. Beware of false prophets beleeue not euerie spirit c. hereby shall you know the spirit of God that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God c. Againe there is prophesied of a woman whose name is Reuelat. 17. 18. A misterie great Babilon the mother of whordoms abominations of the earth which is a great citie which raigneth ouer the kings of the earth and all nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication And God saith to vs Go out of her my people c. If the true vse of these scriptures teach vs two things first that we must trie and iudge the false prophets the spirits and whosoeuer may cal themselues the Church by the doctrine of Christ expressed in the scriptures and that vnder the time of the gospell a citie by false doctrine should poyson all nations and we ought to go out of that citie how can any man iudge the Citie of Rome which calleth her selfe the mother of all Churches and vsurpeth ouer all nations seeing that it hath forsaken the truth and yet claimeth vniuersalitie perpetual succession visible refuseth to be tried by the holy oracles of God these rules and Canons of holy scriptures how I say can any man iudge otherwise but that it is the verie seat of Antechrist And in this that it would bee maintained by saying it cannot erre it erreth most apparantly And therefore that onely is the true Church and house of God whether visible or inuisible a Heb. 3.6 Math. 18.20 which holdeth fast the true faith where two or three are gathered together in Christes name and not that which pretendeth visible succession and saith it cannot erre 4 Howbeit in all this time it was not as the church of Rome would beare vs in hand that our religion which is that auncient religion of Abraham had such an ecclipse that it cannot bee traced in these 1600. yeares after Christ for as before the comming of Christ it lay hidde in comparison of the vniuersalitie of the whole world in the house and posteritie of Abraham and sometime more then other appearing and shining forth when God made his glorious truth to cast the beames of light far and wide at such times as he made his saintes glorious by deliuerance as out of Egipt and Babilon And in subduing the Cananites in prospering Dauid Solomon Iehoshaphat Ezekiah and Ioshiah So in this time of Christianitie among the Gentils there hath beene as it were an ebbing and flowing and as I may say a morning and an euening For the gospell beginning with small degrees and like a grayne of mustard seede was persecuted by the vniuersall world at the first And yet preuailed mightely through all those bitter and intollerable persecutions of the first three hundred yeares in so much as in the first Christian Emperours dayes namely Constantine the great when hee summoned the first generall Councell of Nice for the cause of Arrius there came 318. Bishops and these were from all partes of the worlde West as farre as Spaine and North in a manner at the verie North Pole So that all the worlde stoode amased
at the glorious shining of the sonne of righteousnesse in those happie daies Yet men knowe that reade the stories of the church what whiles that blasphemous hereticke did worke how many friends abettors he had what great afflictions that good Catholike Bishop Athanasius had what persecution for many yeares together the true beleeuers endured after the death of that good Emperour by the ouerspreading of the Arrians and their followers Howbeit although that persecution much afflicted the faithfull and darkned the beautie of the Church and many heretickes inuaded them very sore and diuers liuing in wildernesse and solitarie places deuised strange formes and seruices of God yet for the space of sixe hundred yeares and more the vniuersall Church was not so much tainted but God raysed vp notable pillars of truth and lightes of his church by whom the truth of faith and found religion had all that time a most excellent witnesse For the Apostles ended at the death of Iohn the Euangelist Anno 99. Ignatius liued about Anno 110. hauing beene Iohns disciple and Bishop of Antioch Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and Iustinus martyr at Rome Anno 140. Iraeneus Bishop of Lions in France Anno 175. Tertullian in Africke flourished about Anno 190. Origin of Alexandria about Anno 210. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage Anno 255. Arnobius 310. Lactantius Firmianus 325. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt 340. Hilarius B. of Pictauia in Aquitania 360. Basilius B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia 370. Gregorius B. of Nazanzen Epiphanius B. of Cyprus Ambrose B. of Millain Hieronymus Stridonensis Augustine B. of Hippo Iohn Chrisostom B. of Constantinop Possidonius Prosper Fulgentin Casiodonus Gregorius first of that name B. of Rome These verie many more verie good writers beside infinite others liued in that first 600. yeres and som after by whom the light of Gods truth and the pure religion was defended against diuers and sundrie sorts of heretikes and declared by sermons and godly interpretations of holie scripture which may euidently appeare euen vnto him that can but read the English toonge if hee peruse the writings of our reuerend Bishops and teachers of this lande First the challenge was made by master Iewel in a Sermon preached at Paules crosse Anno 1560. the Sonday before Easter that for 600. yeeres after Christ our religion might be defended by the writings of fathers and counsels secondlie the defence was most truelie and fullie performed by the same master Iewell against Harding by master Horne against Fecknam master Pilkington against the man of Chester master Punet against Th. Martin as also by master Noel against Dorman master Edward Deering to Hardings reioinder master Calfils answer to Marshals defence of the crosse master Fulke against Allin Sanders Bristow c. and by the conference in the Tower with Campion and that of master Reinolds with Hart. In these and diuers others very notable english bookes all points of our Christian faith are not onely maintayned by the writinges of the foresayde auncient Fathers and Counsels of the first sixe hundred yeeres but also by diuers other wrighters and Counsels followinge in other ages yea by diuers Papistes as the Schoolemen popishe decrees decretals and historiographers But wee doo frankely confesse that sixe hundred yeeres after Christ beeing past the visible church not so well seasoned nor the true faith so openly vniuersally faithfully maintained but more and more decaied obscured and darkned vntill the reuelation of Antechrist which hath been since Luther Neither doo we take it to be any derogation to the truth seeing that these last nine hundreth yeres were the daies of darknes and the time of the punishment of God that they which regarded not to know God should be giuen ouer to lyes and fables as is before manifestly prooued by the scriptures Notwithstanding in all this time it was not so obscure hidden but that the stories of these mystie daies doe affoord vs sufficient matter and markes whereby we may find where how and in what sort the true faith and religion stroue with the foolish and vnthankfull hart of man offering him in all this declining and apostatical generations the ioifull light of truth and the right way of peace and saluation but they would not but they fought against it and herein I will not stande to rehearse all particulers which would aske a great volume but onely mention that which is most generall and notoriously knowne vntill this 600. yeeres the churches by east and west were in vnitie and the christian faith continued his vniuersall and visible succession but shortlie after by reason that Bonifacius the thirde obtained the supremacy ouer all Bishops brought it into the sea of Rome there grew discontentments which continued vp and downe vntill Hildebrande came vp about An. 1237. all which time the Greeke church eastwarde held the auncient catholike faith as we now doo but by meanes that the Greeks condiscended not to the vnmeasurable pride of the popes there was made a seperation and so the faith was found onely in the Grecians amongst whom it also remained as it may appeare by this that in the time of the counsell of Basill about An. 1440. Engenious the fourth in a priuate conuocation at Florence laboured the grecians to condescende to the latin church to allow of purgatorie of the popes supremacie of vnleauened bread in the communion and of transubstantiation so that the east churches which containe not only Grecia but also the Ethiopians Syrians and many other great nations did in some good measure hold out the true faith vntill this time Now in the west parts there were certain men called Waldenses or Albigences and Pauperes de Lugduno who first at Lions in France and after in diuers other places as Meridoll and Cabriers and in many townes of the countrie of Piemont in great numbers shewed themselues from An. 1160. till the time of Luther Iohn Wickliefe and his fellowes and with them the good christians called Lollards did shew themselues in England in the time of Edwarde the third about the yere 1371. and thenceforth and in the time of Richard the second whereof followed great persecution many yeres Iohn Husse and Hierom of Prage with the countrie of Bohemia were famous for the true religion at the counsell of Constance about Anno 1413. and many yeres after So that when Luther came vp he found not the gospell and true religion without witnesse in diuers places Therefore leauing out Berthramus in France Iohn Scotus in England and verie many notable men in diuers countries whom God stirred vp heere and there euen in these euil daies of darknes som by writing some by preaching some by suffering and by death to giue testimonie in these west parts and vnder the Popes nose I may boldlie conclude this Chapter with humble and hartie thankes to God that the religion which wee holde and professe in Englande is the onely true auncient catholike and vniuersall religion wherein and
whereby God hath been truely serued and worshipped his elect saued and the true faith confessed from the beginning of the world and namely from Abraham euen vnto our daies which is now 5528. yeeres and the gates of hell could never preuaile against it no power of men subdue it no heresies ouerthrow it no wisdom or learning confute it no persecutions destroy it no pollicie nor crueltie subuert it no tract of time weare it out no changes or subuersions of kingdoms countries or states ouer whelme it no lawes edicts counsels canons cursses decrees or decretals put it down or banishe it Magna est veritas preualet Great is the truth and preuaileth Blessed be the God of truth And herein is fulfilled that which the prophet saith a Psal 19.9 102.27.28 The feare of the Lord is cleane and endure for euer And thou O God art the same and thy yeeres faile not the children of thy seruants shall continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight The second part of the newnes of Poperie CHAP. I. How the Romish superstition disagreeth with the true auncient catholike religion and faith of Gods elect where is declared 1. How manie waies in this sort disagreement is to bee founde 2. And that in all the former fifteene articles they disagree very greatly THere are two things which doo euidently argue the new and late begetting and birth of Romish heresie The Ante-christianitie or disagreement it hath with the pure holie and old faith which God hath once giuen to the Saints and the conformitie and agreement it hath with all heretical prauitie For seeing that all men know and the papists themselues must needs confesse that it is come foorth within these last times of the world for the face thereof neuer sawe the sonne before if it agree not with the wholsome truth of the inspired scriptures of God and so not of the auncient catholike faith of Gods chosen but resembleth and beareth the expresse and indeleble charecter of filthie new borne heresie it must needs leese those dainty terms of vnitie antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession and of the olde and catholike religion And so the truth is For as then the Popes of Rome became most loftie and proud and aduanced themselues aboue all estates when they vsed in their stile the lowlie termes of seruus seruorum Seruant of Seruants so seased they then to bee truely and in deed Catholike or vniuersall when cutting of themselues from the true vniuersall church and religion they tyed the name and honor of Catholicke church to one place calling it contrarie to the holie creed The catholike church of Rome Therefore as I haue in the former part shewed the auncient and vnchangeable religion what it is and how it hath continued vnto this our age so now I doubt not but that it shall appeare through Gods grace to euerie honest conscience of any reasonable capacitie not forestalled with the preiudice of willful blindnes that the church of Rome and the religion thereof is not of the same generation hath no affinitie with God and his truth but is altogether earthly sensual and diuelish And first of the disagreement it hath with the true faith that is what it is not then of the agreement with heresie that is what it is In the first part the reader is to vnderstand that disagreement is in diuers sortes sometime direct and plaine contrarie as light and darkenes sometime contradictorie where one saying is the destruction of an other as to say A man is a reasonable creature and to say a man is not a reasonable creature Sometime they disagree by hauing a differing nature though not so directly set on against an other as a stone an egge and a tree differ from a man sometime the disagreement is hidden and vnderhand when there is a shewe to maintaine the truth in words and yet in deeds comming in by some hidden and closely carried circumstance men ouerthrew the same truth 2. Sam. 3.27 As Ioab spake with his mouth peaceable vnto Abner and with his hand he smote him vnder the fift ribbe that hee died And there is yet an other difference which is expresly named in holie scripture that is wheÌ„ in a matter taught in the scripture definitiuely men either take awaie something and make it too short or too little or else adde something and make it too long or too great Wheresoeuer there is any of these disagreements they cannot be said to be one and the same and so the church of Rome in all points of Christian religion differing in some one of these kindes cannot be said to bee of the true catholicke religion As in the first kinde the true religion a 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3 saith It is the spirit of errors and doctrine of diuels to forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats The sea of Rome say directly contrarie that by the holie ghost and spirit of truth they forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats In the second kind the true religion saith b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes they say A man is not iustified by faith without workes In the thirde kind the true religion saith c Heb. 1.3 Iesus Christ hath by himselfe purged our sins they say we are purged also by satisfaction purgatorie indulgences and diuers other things In the fourth kinde the true religion saith that d Iacob 1.21 the woorde of God is able to saue our soules The synagogue of Rome do so say also in words but in deed they cut the throat of Gods word by equalling or preferring of traditions canons decrees decreâ—als and humaine customes euen as Christ e Matth. 15.6 speaketh of the pharisees who also in woords pretended Gods woord that they make the woord of God of no effect or authoritie by their tradition But as touching the last disagreement that shameles whoore of Babilon diminisheth and taketh from Gods word when they keepe the cup from the comon people and adde vnto Gods word when they cause the sacrament to be lifted vp and adored and verie many such things they doo Therefore if I shew that in al parts of religion they disagree from the truth in one of these kinds it will be sufficient to prooue that their abhominations are nothing sauouring of the true auncient religion 2. And this I will do God willing in two sorts First in this Chapter by shewing how they disagree with the articles taught out of Gods word in the former part and secondly in the next Chapter howe dissent from the doctrin of S. Paul S. Peter whoÌ„ they say to haue bin at Rome and to bee planters of that church in this first I must desire the reader to looke vpon euerie article as before cap. 2. and he shal easilie see the disagreement for I wil but a little open and briefely point out their error and the disagreement will bee manifest of it selfe Marke therefore
godlinesse which burden Gods house with such great volumes of new laws made by men contrary to the true faith religion when God telleth vs expressely that his c Psal 19.7 Deut. 4. law written in his word is perfect and conuerteth the soule and that to it nothing is to be added or taken away In the tenth Article the contradiction is manifest to the whole worlde for all men see that they restraine the worde Catholike to one place and that the whole Church should be ruled by her square the whole vniuersall worlde made catholike by one citie wheras one city cannot be the vniuersal church of the whole world which containeth the meanest and smallest part of the whole Besides this they doe not hold professe the onely true catholike faith but do most earnestly fearsely and cruelly persecute Christ his members stand only vpon vain titles of antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession other false grounds which are common to all the wicked pagans which notwithstanding their brags can not be found in their sinagogue and profession And as is their faith such is their preaching mans traditions and deuises altogether strangers from the life of God their sacraments as they handle the matter are not only ful of vnclean mixtures but also peruerted without authority from God All which to him that considereth will bee found true in the examination of the articles going afore following after namely that they haue nothing in doctrine or practise of the nature of the true Church of God nor yet those visible marks which do indeed truely shew discerne and make knowne the true church and chast spouse of Christ In the eleuenth Article there need but few words for when they worship the Roode and other idols relickes of Saints and the sacrament and when they pray to the virgine Marie to the Apostles and all canonized Saints of that sea euerie man may by by perceiue that they worship not God onely And if they would shift vs off with their blind distinction of Latine doulia hyperdoulia it is not the daliance of termes that can helpe the matter except the word of God made such a difference Againe they themselues a Preceptoriū Nider precept 1. cap. 6. Latria idem est quod seruitus Deo exhibita c. teach that latria which themselues say is a worship due and proper to God alone may be done and might lawfully be done to these namely to the trinitie of the persons diuine to the three Angels whom Abraham saw to the done appearing vpon Christ to the voice of the father to the wordes of the holy scripture in as much as they proceede from God to the manhoode of Christ vnited to his Godhead to the crosse of Christ to the image of Christ to the sacrament of the Eucharist to the garments nailes and speare of Christ If here the proper honour and worship of God bee not giuen to creatures and that these things be not disagreeing to the holy and ancient religion allowed by God I know not what is Let it be tried by that which God saith in the old testament b Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the new Christ speaketh in the minde and meaning of the old c Math. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue In the twelfth Article there are many disagreementes of Romish superstition and idolatrie from the true catholike religion First in the generall nature of a sacrament they add a further power namely that the sacraments containe grace giue grace and a Concil trident ses 7. that of the worke wrought yea and this alway and vnto all on the part of God and that without them or the vow of them a man doth not receiue of God the grace of Iustification and that the intent of the Minister is required at least according to the generall intent of the Church In which are two manifest cut-throats of the nature of a Sacrament for by conteyning grace c vnderstanding that grace is in the outward signe and so by the only outward ministerie as it is wrought by the Minister grace is giuen this maketh it more then a signe and a seale of the couenant and giueth that to the outward signe worke wrought of man which is due to the spirit of God And secondly the necessity of the Priests intention is made an efficient bearding outfacing the institution of God as though that the being of the Sacrament depended not onlie and wholly vpon Gods ordaining and institution but that it must haue the intent of the minister to make it a Sacrament And here they are to be vnderstood of the Sacraments of the new testament therfore let vs heare how God in the new law of the gospel doth teach the contrarie For he applyeth the vertue of both Sacraments to the spirit saying b 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are wee all baptized into one body whether wee be Iewes or Grecians whether wee be bound or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit therefore the power is not in the outward signe or worke but onlie in the spirit because that c Ver. 4. 11. the diuersities of gifts come of the same spirit and he distributeth them to euerie one seuerallie as he will And as for the Priests intent he saith in the same chapter a Ver. 6. There are diuersities of operations but God is the same which worketh all in all If then God worke all where is the ground of the Priests intent and if the spirit distribute as hee will where is the worke wrought c There is yet a third addition namely that they lay vpon these sacraments the grace of iustification which God saith euidently is imputed to faith without any workes euen as b Rom. 4.1.2.3 11. c. Gal. 3.6 Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Secondly for the number the presuming sea addeth fiue matrimonie orders confirmation penance extreame vnction not one of them hauing the true nature of a sacrament for they are no where ordeined and commaunded of God to any such purpose except we would childishly say as they doe namely c Manipul curat cap. 1. de instit sacra that hee ordained confirmation when he laid his hands vpon children and said suffer little children to come vnto me and orders when he said Doe this in remembrance of me penance when he said to leapers Go shew your selues to the Priest and extreame vnction when hee sent his Apostles to anoint and heale the sicke that he made matrimony a sacrament when in the wombe of the virgin M. he would ioyne our nature to the diuine in the vnity of person c So might wee make a multitude of sacraments making of clay to
heale the blind his stooping downe to the ground to write washing his Disciples feet and many such like Thus might we play the fooles with Guilhermus Durandus in his rationale diuinorum turning all things into mysteries make trifling and prophane sport with the schoole men turning vpside downe the true sence of holy scripture by allegoricall morall and anagogicall interpretations and when we haue done come as neere the meaning of God as the east is to the west But if they be sacraments ordayned of God for his Church they ought to bring forth the commaundement of God such as is for Baptisme d Math. 28.19 1. Cor. 11.23 Baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and for the Lords supper Do this in remembrance of me Secondly let thē shew out of Gods booke the signe in penance and the rest that they pertaine to the generall couenant of grace and promise of Christ As that matrimonie is anie more but a similitude or allegorie or that confirmation was any more but the taking of the children vnto him at one time to blesse them particulerlie or that orders is any more but for the grace of the estate of the ministrie their vnction was but for the bodie that they might liue and not for the soule at the very point of death therfore here is great presumption to father vpon God their owne beastly inuentions Thirdly in that which is speciall in either of the two sacraments they commit very great absurdities by most ridiculous idolatrous additaments First in Baptisme they thrust in a strange e Looke Manipul curat c. 8. de Anex Bapt. Catechising a filthy exorcising In the first they put the finger in his eare to signifie that his eare should be apt to heare Gods word and spit in his mouth that hee may be prompt to speake of faith 2. He crosseth him in his breast that in breast mouth he confesse the faith of Christ crosse him in the forehead that he be not ashamed of the faith of Christ 3. He putteth salt in his mouth signifying wisdom His filthy exorcisme is to coniure the diuell that he depart frō the soule of the party to be baptized giue place to the holy ghost And in baptizing they make three other crosses in declaring whereof I am lost to defile this paper they are so foolish so greatly derogatorie to Christs holy institution for on the one side they dash baptisme out of countenance with so many goodly shewes vses and secondly they blaspheme God to coniure especially in the place time of Gods worship but one bable I may not omit that they a Ib. cap. 7. Godfather Godmother may not marry together by Poperie giue baptisme such a power to make a spirituall cosonage namelie that it hindreth matrimonie breaketh a contract See here if Antechrist presume not as God nay aboue God for they make that vnlawfull b Heb. 13.4 Math. 19.6 which God hath made honorable among al men put asunder thē whom God hath coupled together But yet there are more abhominations heretical presumptions For in the sacrament of the Eucharist they amende the signe and put water to the wine secondly they take away one of the signes from all the communicants sauing him that maketh the sacrament thirdly they driue away both the signes altogether by their fiction of transubstantiation set in the roome therof if we may beleeue them the body soule Godhead of Christ that very body which was borne of the virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontious Pilate and so being chaunged they giue godly honor vnto it they lift it vp and carrie it in procession and hold it forth to be publikely worshipped of all men they offer it vp for a sacrifice for the quicke the dead and keepe it very deuoutly in the pix to be readie at all times to comfort them that need Surely it should seeme that Christ his Apostles were but children vnto those both in wisdome and in power For they neuer once dreamed of these things and being matters of very great importance it is meruaile they neuer had leisure to commit at the least some of them vnto writing that it might be found in holy scripture but being not found there they haue their holie traditions of equall reuerence with Gods word or els the plenarie power of their Apostaticall sea sufficientlie to warrant whatsoeuer to them whom God hath giuen ouer to beleeue lies This is the profoundnes of Sathan good Lord God and mercifull father keepe it euer out of this land that it neuer deceiue thy people any more First the mingling of wawith the wine is c Concil trident ses 6. ca. 7. brought in vpon three goodllie reasons 1. Christ is thought to haue done so 2. water came out of his side 3. water in the Apocalips signifieth people therefore it sheweth the misterie of vnion of the faithfull people with Christ Loe here a forgerie of a new misterie why might they not put in nailes or stakes that might signifie the fastning of Christ to his people because the d Eccl. 12.11 preacher speaketh of such a misticall fastening If men may add thus vpon coniectures and set Anathema and a curse as they doe vpon all that consent not how shall wee finde the measure of truth or how shall they auoide the curse of God which saith Reuel 22. cursed is he that addeth to this booke But alasse poore men how little effect this deuise hath brought forth For by and by as soone as it is a sacrament for before the words of consecration as they call them it is no sacrament the wine is cleane gone they say where is thē their new misterie How can they represent which haue no being in rerum natura in the world Againe how can it signifie this to the people when they keepe it from them and blesse them with the emptie cup. This is a second presumption against the expresse commandement of Christ which saith a Math. 29.27 Mark 14.23 drinke yee all of this and they dranke all of it Thirdlie in transubstantiation see how many monsters they feed First wee must beleeue there is no wine or bread though wee see them and taste them though they haue the same quantities and qualities and effects they had before though they corrupt and putrifie as before and we must beleeue that Christ God and Man is vnder those formes quantities and qualities though wee can see heare or feele no forme quantitie or qualitie of a true or naturall bodie or man Here is a monsterous mā which if you look vpon him is all ouer couered with a little roūd peece of starch not surmounting the greatnes of a mans hād Here be al the properties of bread and wine and their naturall operations but they are not bread nor wine but a man here one subiect hath accidents and essentiall qualities
of an other subiect And accidents are and haue a being without their true substance proper and naturall subiect A bodie which is a thing circūscriptible and by the diuine law of Gods creation prouidence is alway and can be but in one place at one time is here made and set in diuers places yet still one the same and that at one time in heauen and earth at Constantinople at Ierusalem at Rome at Carthage euery where But how cā they shift here the making of God to assume these formes as they call thē into the vnity of his person that so God man the formes of bread wine make not one Christ for by their doctrine these formes haue no being but in Christ Christ is vnder thē I quake to write it yet say they we must beleeue this chāge for nothing is vnpossible to God They must not so blinde our eies for it is vnpossible to God to haue already done that which he neuer did nor neuer will doe such is this transubstantiation of theirs It is impossible for God to deny himself such is this transubstātiation it is impossible for God to lie such is this transubstātiation Againe how can this be a sacrament when the outward signes be gone and a remembrance of him that is present but rather that himself is the signe of himself a remembrance of himself present neither yet is this so for we cannot see him feele nor vnderstand how he is present that he might be a signe or a remēbrance of himselfe but a third thing is present the accidents or forms of bread wine this is a new learning to teach Christ and his Apostles to goe to schoole nay this is the monster of all mōsters Teach we the Indians that this is the God of the christians may they not think rather the sunne or moone more likely to be God to haue a more expresse maiestie of a God may not the diuel laugh in himself that he hath so far passing measure bewitched the wise and graue learned mē to beleeue that which a child may easily perceiue to be meere folly Infinit is the blood that hath bin shed to maintaine this fansie and who would not willingly spend all the blood in his heart rather thē to yeeld to such blasphemie But the diuel is not herewithal content but that he might lead thē euery way as slaues in triumph against God and his Christ he maketh thē to worship these formes and host as they call it and carrie it about in procession that all men might adore it as God And this a Concil trident Ses 6. Septemb. 17. 1562. Cap. 1. ses 3. canon 5. they build vpon these words of Christ Doe this in remembrance of mee for by them as they say the Priest hath power to make a sacrifice propitiatorie and then being turned into God they say it is meet and fit that hee should be worshipped whom God bringing into the world commaunded the Angels to adore But herein first they gainesay the Scripture which teacheth the end of all sacrifices by the Priesthood of Christ as is by many arguments proued from the sixt till the eleuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Secondlie when they cause it to be worshipped and yet God instituted it to be taken and eaten onelie what doe they but peruert the ordinance of God and they say wee must worship the sacrament or els Christ in the sacrament If they say the sacrament then they cannot say Christ because he is not the sacrament but the sacrament is a signe of him or els the sacrament is no sacrament I so they say in the sacrament thē they say no thing because that by their doctrine there is no such thing but only the formes of bread and wine for the bread and wine is turned into Christs body and blood as they say and so there is nothing left to be the sacrament Yet if it were so as they say what man can appoint a new forme of worship to be performed vnto God without his expresse commandement or authoritie Math. 15. Looke in the Masse booke ordinarium Missae For Christ saith that all such worship as is by the precept of men is in vaine And lastly consider how this can agree when they offer the sacrifice they desire God to accept that sacrifice againe when they shew it the people they cause them to worship it a strange and new kind of God that must be prayed for and praied to But howsoeuer it is a manifest thing that the popish sacrament and sacrifice is not the same which Christ instituted and therefore not of the exercises of the true Catholike religion For if Saint Paul when there was among the Corinthians but a little abuse in the mixture of eating 1. Cor. 11.20 in the congregation at the time of the celebration of the Lords supper whereupon there was discontentment betweene rich and poore if I say hereupon hee called them to the plaine and simple institution saying I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you c. And therein addeth nothing to that which is written in Mathew Marke and Luke what doth he inferre but that it should be obserued without all additions and therfore vpon this ground forbiddeth their eating in the church What would he haue done if he had seene such swelling boiles filthy bunches standing vp so abhominablie as these Romish additaments which altogether take away the verie forme of Christes institution This sheweth how little these men haue of the gospell of Christ the teachers whereof are enioyned to teach the church to doe b Mat. 28.19 1. Tim. 6.4 whatsoeuer he commaunded And to keepe this commandement without spot and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore wee are not bound to c 1. Cor. 11.1 follow them any otherwise but as they follow Christ In the thirteenth Article the sea of Rome is directly contradictory to the christian religion For they say a Concil Trident de sacris ling. peregrin cap. 8. Et si missa contineat populi fidelis eruditionem c. Although the masse containe great instruction of the faithfull people yet it seemed not conuenient to the fathers that it should be celebrated euerie where in the vulgar tongue And their masse booke which containeth prayers celebration of sacraments reading of holy scriptures c. is set forth to bee vsed in the latine tongue But saith b Manip curat cap. 10. de rit quo deb miss celebra one of that side Sciendum quod missa tribus linguis c. It is to be vnderstoode that the masse is celebrated in three languages that is to say Hebrew Greeke and Latine For Alleluya Amen Osanna Sabaoth are taken of the Hebrew Kyrie eleeson Christe eleeson are taken of the Greeke all the rest are Latin The masse is said in these three manners because
the title of Christ hanging on the crosse was written in Hebrew Greeke and Latine Where you may see three strange thinges to bee done of these holy fathers first to celebrate that in an vnknowne tongue which containeth great instruction to the faithfull people as if it were meete in their eies that the meate which was good and appointed for them ought to bee kept out of their sight Secondly that this order must be learned of Pontius Pilate who put Christ to death a verie good an Apostle for an Apostaticall Church Thirdly this is expressely repugnant to holy scripture which saith c 1. Cor. 14.26.28 Let all things be done to edification and that hee which speaketh in a strange tongue should keepe silence in the Church In the foureteenth Article they bee also contradictorie to the truth And first touching matrimony they haue three degrees of contradiction d Concil trid sess 8. canon 9. First absolutely forbidding all preestes and ecclesiasticall persons to marie e Canon 11. Secondly they forbidde mariage certaine times in the yeare as in Lent c. And f Canon 3. thirdly take vpon thē to dispence with the order of God g Cap. 18. in Leuiticus touching the degrees of kindred prohibited also to adde and ordaine moe degrees to be prohibited which God hath not forbidden And whosoeuer doth maintain the Christian libertie herein they pronounce him Anathema accursed Forgetting what h Act. 10.15 Reuelat. 3.7 God said to Peter That God hath purified pollute thou not and that Christ the head of his Church hath the keye of Dauid that openeth and no man shutteth c. Wherefore seeing that Christ hath made i Heb. 13.4 Tit. 1.15 mariage honourable for all men and that by his ordinance To the cleane all things are cleane doe they not herein bewray their apostatical presumption to challenge authoritie more then euer Peter durst euen aboue Christ when they make mariage dishonourable in certayne times and persons and dispence by giuing libertie where Christ forbiddeth and making restraint where hee giueth libertie Now in the authoritie of the magistrate how vnlike the Pope is vnto Peter euerie man seeth For cleane contrarie to all religion and honestie hee taketh vppon him not onely to bee vniuersall Bishoppe aboue all Bishoppes but also vniuersall ministeriall head in earth aboue all power and potentates kinges and Emperours that is aboue all that is called k Psal 82.1 The Pope aboue all called God God Therefore we need not vse many wordes in this place seeing the Pope vsurpeth that which Christ himselfe neuer did in his owne person neyther gaue to any other after him For he meekely submitted himselfe to the ciuill power saying directly a Ioh. 18.36 Mark 10.43 My kingdome is not of this world and forbidding others he saith It shall not be so among you In the fifteenth Article the disagreement by addition that where the true religion by holie scripture haue this hope of the bodies rising at the last day The sea of Rome teach another arising namely of the soule out of Limbus Patrum out of purgatorie and out of Hell before that great day of iudgement come As first that b Test Rhem. annot Luc. 16.22.26 Dorbel distinct 2 sent 4. In miss quotid pro defund offert Christ descended into Hell deliuered the fathers some out of Limbus some out of purgatorie which had lien there till that time And that in hell a man may suffer part of his temporall penance which being ended hee is free from thence and therefore they pray in their Masse Domine Iesu c. O Lord Iesu Christ deliuer the soules departed c. Which dreaming additament of hope concerning the dead bewrayeth it selfe to disagree from the Christian religion in as much as God doth teach men that after death the faithfull doe onely rest till the last day First in the olde testament thus c Esa 57.2 Dan 12.13 He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot at the end of the daies And in the new Testament d Reuelat. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours If they rest and that till they stand vp then no translation out of Limbus Purgatorie or Hell And if they rest then no penance in hell or purgatorie for the faithfull Therefore I may conclude in this place that the popish superstition hath verie little or no affinitie with the true ancient and catholike religion but it hath verie many great intollerable disagreements from the same CAP. II. Of the disagreement that popish superstition now taught in Rome hath with the religion which Saint Paul taught the Romans and with the doctrine Saint Peter taught the Iewes IT will also appeare how new the superstition of poperie is if we find they keep not the doctrine of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christs Church Saint Paule and Saint Peter vpon which two they father all their authoritie and doings and call them founders and protectors and patrons of the church of Rome If then they be fallē from the faith which these two holy Apostles taught by the spirit of truth they must needs be accounted vpstarts of an apostatical new borne generation Marke therefore good Reader and consider Saint Paul taught the Romanes that it was an hethenish wickednes a Rom. 1.23 to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man The sea of Rome that now is cleane contrarie to that doctrine doth make images to represent the Trinitie and to represent God the father by the likenesse of an olde corruptible man The doctrine which Saint Peter taught the Iews saith that b Act. 2.23 Christ was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God to bee crucified and slaine by the handes of wicked men The sea of Rome that now is doth say that God did onely foresee but not determine or ordaine any thing which he commandeth not and it is certaine he commanded not the Iewes to crucifie Christ therefore in these two points they agree not with Paul Peters doctrine S. Paul taught the ancient Romanes that a Rom. 8.7 The wisedome of the flesh that is to say the knowledge and will of man as it is infected by original corruption before we be regenerate is enmitie against God and that it is not subiect to the law of God neither in deed can bee And the doctrine of Peter to the Iewes is that wee b 1. Pet. 1.22.23 cap. 2. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 3.5 are borne againe as new borne babes shewing that without the spirit of God we haue not one good thought But these new Romistes say that mans will onely stirred vp by the grace of God can prepare it selfe to the grace of iustification and doeth workes of congruitie pleasing God and
praiers in an vnknowne tongue giue them images to be their bookes Saint Peters doctrine touching mariage appeareth that he being b 2. Cor. 9.5 1. Pet. 5.2 an Elder had a wife as the other Apostles laid no other burden vpon Elders but to feed the flocke of God and yet these new law makers forbid mariage to the which Peter called elders S. Paul taught the Romans that c Rom. 13.1 1. Pet. 2.13 euery soule should be subiect to the higher powers and S. Peter commaundeth submission to all maner ordinance of man But these proude vsurpers take vpon them to dispence with the oth obedience of subiects bringing all superiour power vnder their seruant the Pope of Rome S. Peter taught d 1. Pet. 5.9 to resist the diuell stedfast in faith these afterwitted men teach vs to do it by coniuring by crosses and by holie water Saint Paul taught the first childe of the Romanes that e Rom. 14.2.3.4 in meate and dayes men should not iudge and condemne one another these men vnder the name of the Church forbid and commaund iudge and condemne men in meates and in dayes and that vnder paine of damnation S. Peter taught the Iewes f 1. Pet. 1.5 that wee are kept by the power of God thorough faith vnto saluation these mē say that faith without hope charity cannot performe it S. g 2. Pet. 3.18 1. Pet. 3.15 Peter would haue euery man grow in the knowledge of our lord Iesus Christ and to be so far instructed in the gospel that hee might be able to giue a reason of his faith These Antipetrians would haue men to content thēselues with ignorance to beleeue as the church beleeueth by this colour that ignorāce is the mother of deuotion they kepe the common people frō knowledge of the scriptures S. Peters doctrine doth say h Act. 3.2 that the heauens must containe Christ vntil the time that al things be restored S. Paul taught the Romanes i Rom. 8.24 that Christ is at the right hand of God yet say these shameles forgers that Iesus Christ very God and very man is really locally by the intention of a Priest vttering certaine wordes which they call cōsecration is in the sacrament as they cal it of the Aulter Saint Peter taught the Iewes that it was k Acts. 15.10 a tempting of God to binde Gods people to keepe the law because it is a yoke that neyther we nor our fathers were able to beare These presumptuous backesliders doe say that it is a condition of our saluation and righteousnesse to doe the commaundements of God and the Church that a man is able to fulfill the commaundements of God Saint Peter l Act. 10.25.26 Math. 17.24 forbad Cornelius a Captaine of a band when he fell downe at his feete and worshipped him saying that hee himselfe was a man and being directed and commaunded by our Sauiour Christ hee paide tribute and pollemonie vnto Caesar But the Pope the counterfeit successour of Peter refuseth no kinde of honour euen to the kissing of his feete done by Kinges or Emperours and taketh tolle and tribute out of all lands whom he can make his vassals and vnderlings Saint * Act. 3.12 Peter in the good works which he did renounced in plaine tearmes his owne power and godlinesse and laboured by all meanes to set forth the name of Christ that Christ onely might be glorified These filthie changelings haue no end in aduancing the power of Peter and therein of the name authoritie and glorie of the Pope Saint Peter neither a Act. 8. 11. 15. hauing nor taking vpon him any soueraigntie aboue other Apostles or aboue any estate was sent by the Apostles at Ierusalem to doe some Apostolicall worke in his ministrie and S. Iohn equallie with him and he obeyed his bretheren submitted himselfe to giue an account of his doings for his going to the Gentils and gaue place to Iames to determine the controuersie touching circumcision and the law of Moses to be imposed vpon the Gentils had no greater title in the counsell nor in any place of scripture then Simeon Peter or Cephas seruant and Apostle of Iesus Christ or Elder Also hee b Gal. 2.7.8.9.11 acknowledged the same authoritie in Paul ouer the Gentils which he had ouer the Iewes and therefore hee meekelie suffered reproofe for his weakenesse at the hands of Paul and c Act. 5.40.41 with all patience and ioyfulnesse tooke stripes with the rest of the Apostles for the name of Christ The Pope his pretended successor taketh vpon him farre otherwise namely the Primacie aboue all Bishops and Patriarkes aboue all Princes Magistrates and maketh Cardinals and Archbishops his Embassadors and Legattes disdaineth to giue an account of any thing and taketh vpon him to confirme all counsels and to annihilate whatsoeuer is concluded without his consent and authoritie entituling himselfe Bishop of Bishops cheefe Pastour head of the vniuersall Church of Christ He is so far from being reprooued that hee will iudge all men but himself be iudged of no man and that his determinations must not be reasoned nor disputed vpon and not onely ouer the Iewes but also ouer all nations he vsurpeth authoritie and is so farre from meek bearing of reproof or stripes for the name of Christ that he raiseth vp sedition rebellion and cruell wars against the lawfull superiour putteth downe Emperours and Kings for his owne name sake maintenance of his owne pride and vsurped iurisdiction In all the storie which is in the new testament concerning Paul and Peter we haue not one word that Peter should be head of the Apostles much lesse head of the vniuersall Church or ouer Princes neither is there any direct or indirect collection to be made out of holy scripture that if Christ had giuen him such authority the same should haue descended and gone to his successors And if to his successors yet it would be doubtfull whether Babilon or Samaria or Ioppa or Ierusalem might not be the place of succession for at these places it is expreslie said hee was and remained And as for Rome there is great reason to thinke that hee was neuer there or at the least some verie little while and if he were there at all yet neuer was hee Bishop of Rome First it is cleare that S. Peter kept at Ierusalem till the conuersion of Saint Paul a Act. 8. 9. 10. 15. which was sometime after the Apostles had begun the planting of the Church of Ierusalem and the Martyrdome of Steuen the Deacon Then b Gal. 1.18 three yeeres after Paul visited Peter at Ierusalem and c Gal. 2.1 fourteene yeeres after that he communicated with Peter Iames and Iohn at Ierusalem and then after this d Act. 12.1.2.3 was Peter cast into prison by Herode after the martirdom of Iames the brother of Iohn after e
the authority of their Church before the holy scripture so these allow so much and so far of holy scripture as serueth for their purpose deuised wickednesse And as the heretikes called Nazarai did confirme their dotages by reuelations false miracles so traditions much ragged stuffe in poperie bee made warrantable by miraculous operations apperitions The heretikes aforenamed Pepuziani do send al men to a city in vpper Phrigia called Pepuza naming it the celestiall Ierusalem the citie whereof the prophets spake as though there were no other heauen So the papists cal vs to the church of Rome as though the vniuersall Church were tyed to one place out of which there is no saluation or way to heauen As concerning the worship of God Simon Magus the root of heretikes caused his owne image and of his harlot to bee worshipped of his disciples So the papistes set vp images of their canonized Saints to be adored Angelici were heretikes which worshipped Angels So the papists haue a b Missa votina de Angelis speciall masse of the Angels pray vnto Angels Marcellina companion of these heretikes called Carpocracians worshipped the images of Christ and Paul c. So do the papists Collyridiani worshipped the virgin Marie the Sethians worshipped Seth. The Abelonites worshippe Abell and diuers others doe the like according to their sect So the papistes according to their sect praye vnto all their canonized Saints and worship them The heretikes Armenij worshipped the crosse of Christ and so doe the papistes Concerning the sacraments the heretickes called Donatistes measure the power and effect of the sacraments by the dignitie holinesse and hand of the minister So the papists assigne the power of the sacraments to the worke wrought of the priest and that the intent of the minister is necessarie to make it a religious action And as the papists permit weomen to baptize cloistering their holy and religious nunnes So their progenitors the heretickes Pepuziani admitted weomen to the ecclesiasticall ministerie and the Marcionites taught that weomen might baptise The heretikes called Messalians say that the force of baptisme pertayneth onely to the signes and so do the Papistes And as the papists in Baptisme haue salte spittle crossing and other annexed ceremonies with coniuration by which it is as it were chaunged into a new thing So did the Simonians and Marcitae olde heretickes their naturall fathers defile and in a manner blot out baptisme In the Lordes Supper the heretikes Aquarij were not content with the two outwarde signes of bread and wine but added also water So do the papists mingle water with the wine in the cup. And the Marcitae aforesaid professed that by words and incantations they changed the wine in the cup into the bloud and bring the grace of God into the same cuppe so the papists professe that the sacrament is changed by their words of consecration and coniuring into the verie bodie bloud of Christ and that grace is contained in the sacraments And here they resemble the Apollinarians which made Christes bodie to bee heauenly and not earthly for the papistes say that it is the bodie of Christ though it be not seene felt nor heard and they are like the Marcionistes which accounted Christes bodie fantasticall so these will haue men beleeue the sacrament to bee his body though it haue no quantities nor qualities of a bodie And they are like the Timotheans which confound the two natures of Christ and the Euticheans who affirme the humane to be swallowed vp of the deuine and to the Nestorians who make his manhood equall to his Godhead For the papistes say that the same bodie or man is in heauen and in earth and that in as many places of the world at one and the same time as it is or may bee at once consecrated made by their priest which propertie of being in many places at once is not of the nature of man but of God therefore herein they are neere in affinitie with these heretickes The heresie of Vincentius Victor hath this amongst others that the sacrifice of Christians that is the sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Christ is to be offered for them which being not baptised are departed out of the bodie So the papistes haue their sacrifice for the dead The Maniches refuse the olde testament and partly mangle and curtoll and partly cast away the new So the papist though in woordes they acknowledge both yet in truth they refuse both keeping them from Gods people and reading them in a strange toong that the people cannot vnderstande which vnto them is as good as if they were cast away The Heracleonites make a superstitious calling vpon God with strange and vnusuall words especially to driue away diuels such is the masse of the papistes all in a strange toong and their exorcismes are of the same fashion The heretikes called Taciani Origeniani Hierarchita Saturniani and diuers others make mariage an vnholie and vncleane thing and of the diuel and shut it out of their congregation So the papists not onely preferre a single life before mariage but also with such like tearmes make it as an vncleane thing not meete for their priestes and allure both men and weomen to the vowe of chastitie as a purer and holier life then matrimonie and therein they are also like the Eustachians who despised the maried priestes And as the papistes haue their Friers Monckes and Nunnes of a straunge and differing habite from other men and weomen and that seruants vpon a vowe may leaue their Masters and some of these vowed persons professe the renouncing of worldlie ritches and worldly dooings to walke a more neere course to heauen so these heretikes the Eustachians had their differing habite from other men seruauntes by this habite despised their Masters and ritche men which did not renounce all which they possessed were accounted without hope towardes God also these heretikes counted the eating of flesh vnlawfull euen as the papistes doo And as the papistes forbid flesh and as they call it white meat so their graundfathers the Maniches abstained from fleshe egges and milke And there were heretikes which put religion in going barefoot and therfore called of some Nudipedants so are the franciscans and others amongst the papistes of such religion The donatistes denie the magistrates authoritie in matters of religion and namely in punishing of heretikes So the papistes shut out the magistrate in causes ecclesiasticall and as the papist giue the pope the primacie aboue the magistrates in all causes and at their pleasure put them downe with their great curse so these their predecessours the heretikes called donatistes doo most vilelie raile against magistrates beate them downe with menacing words These donatistes had manie vile thinges in them wherein they fitly father the papistes they were circumcellions and counterfaited an austere life like the popish monkes heremites and friers liuing in caues and selles They ran vpon christians whom
they met or came by euen as wee read of rhe papist in France in our daies most cruelly murdering Gods beloued Saints And as the papists haue their coniurations of their holy waters and Agnus dei and exorcismes in Baptisme so these wicked donatistes with those abominable heretikes called Basilidians and Eunomians had their enchantments and coniurations These filthie heretikes the donatistes together with that horrible heresie of Arius did so far account themselues the holie and catholike church that they would baptise againe them which were of the true church making thēselues only the catholike church And there were other heretiks called Apostolici that is apostolike which so termed thēselues because they thoght thēselues more apostolike then others namly because they receaued not into their cōmunion maried persōs such as possessed goods proper to them selues So find we among the papists these vnmaried persons religious without proprietie of goods the papists call themselues the holie mother church of Rome the Catholike and apostolike church and are in deed verie like their fathers these heretikes hauing in deed no more but the name of the holie catholike and apostolike church banishing from them and by fire and sword persecuting the true religion and doctrine and faithfull members of the holy catholike apostolike church But what should I endeuour to shewe all the popish stocke linage and kindred what neere affinitie they haue with Iudaisme in plentie and maner of ceremonies traditions of elders meritorious righteousnes and fained holines what bastardlie conformitie they haue with all pagainisme in innumerable idols and sorts of religions and in sundrie patrons of saints and Gods of countries and nations what perfect consanguinitie they haue with Mahumetisme making vp as it were one entire bodie of Antechrist engendred bread compact and compound of all heresies religions superstitions and rudiments of this world whatsoeuer by east and by west raysing vp wars seditions and all maner of vilaines to put downe the glorious and blessed name and gospell of Christ by their owne Alcorans lawes decrees and decretals with innumerable forgeries that they them selues may raigne as the chiefe prophets of GOD and head of his church Only this one thing would be remembred that after Anno domini 600. these two monstrous twins began to come foorth into the open sight and light of the world and to shew them selues blasphemous against God and his Christ being engendred with the cursed seed of Sathan and of a long breeding in those former heretikes euen from the Apostles times of which times and generation it is said by Saint Paul the blessed seruant of Christ 2. Thess 2. The mysterie of iniquitie doth alreadie woorke Therfore one of their owne popes Gregorie whom they call the great the first of that name and Pelagius his predecessor resisted most mightelie Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople for presuming to take vnto him the name of vniuersall patriarke priest of priestes or Bishop of Bishops affirming that hee which so did was the forerunner of Antechrist And so indeed it fell out for it was not long after that Mahomet came forth in the East and began to supplant the church of Christ with his abominations And pope Boniface the 3. which in a few yeres after this Gregorie got this vniuersall title of Bishop of Bishops and so began Antechrists first birth in the open eies of the world And these two brothers haue since growen to their perfection and the more they haue growen the lesse hath been the honour and name of Christ and the knowledge of his gospell amongst the sons of men Till now it hath pleased God of his gracious goodnes and free fauour to make them knowen what they are and by the breath of his mouth to consume thē Now the glory of Christ crucified and the truth of his gospel beginneth like the morning light to take holde on the corners of the earth The Lord our God and merciful father be blessed and praised therefore Amen CHAP. IIII. Of the original of poperie Wherein is declared 1. that by the precedent Chapters it may appeare to be of a late birth 2. That neither the difference os calculation in stories nor forging of writinges nor managing of good authors doo hinder the knowledge of their new birth 3. Their owne toongs and traditions proue poperie new 4. Many particulers are rehearsed out of popish authors and the former counsels 5. Fiue foundamentall points more largelie examined by antiquitie 6. The latter ouergrowing and lopping and dailie now sprowting of poperie 7. That popery is not yet a perfect bodie of his fulshape proportion and members NOw am I come to the arising of poperie how it therein agreeth with heresie For if it may be plainly and directly shewed how poperie had his beginning both in regard of the author thereof and of the time wherein it bread and came forth diuerse and a disagreeing and seperate from the true religion whose authoritie and time came from God that it is of a later generation and off-spring then euerie wise christian will readily see and acknowledge that it is borne in these last times with other filthie heresies and that it cannot be the true ancient catholike religion but new borne and late vpstarted superstitious and counterfeit like as a 1. King 3.16 she that pleded for her selfe to be mother of the liue child was foūd by wise Salomon to be in deed the mother of the dead child And this by gods grace I doubt not but to make manifest to euery honest man who wil not wilfully blind his eies against the knowne truth And this I may so much the more boldlie affirme because that vnto him that marketh it well it doth alreadie sufficientlie and plainely appeare by that which is written before And that by foure arguments of great demonstration in my conscience First because that the true religion is the same which is now in England and this is proued to haue beene from the beginning of the worlde by Gods ordinance set foorth in holie Scripture and because by the learned men of this lande it is euidently taught and defended in the chiefe and maine heads thereof out of the fathers for 600. yeeres after Christes incarnation and by historie knowne to haue remained in the greeke church and in diuers partes of the west till our time Secondly because the religion of Rome is directly contrarie and disagreeing thereunto And thirdly that they follow not the doctrine taught by Saint Paul and Peter and lastlie that they agree with the heretikes of the primatiue Church and be as it were compact of many heresies which sprang vp in the first 600. yeeres which foure thinges being apparant in the former Chapters of this booke there needeth no more to proue the new learning of popish superstition to bee of a late off-spring and generation 2. Howbeit I wil here adde a fift argument which is this that popery may be shewed how it is
to haue beene celebrated aboue a thousand yeares which yet they cannot say to bee enioyned the Church but by a counsell of Lions which they can hardly shewe or by Gregorie the ninth about the yeare of the Lord 1210. There is another verie learned man deuoutly giuen to the sea of Rome called Iohannes Stephanus Durantus who hauing taken great paynes in a d Printed at Rom. 1591. booke Deritibus ecclesiae dedicated to Pope Gregorie the 14. doth mightily labour to shew the ancient originall of the popish worship and seruice of God searching authorities both olde and new yet is hee faine to sing the same song with others of Traditum est and to alledge many corrupt and partial authors Howbeit he is an helpe to vs in many thinges that we may know by their confession that they worship God in many things by the precept of men Namely that in e Lib. 1. Sap. 1. Sectio 8. the gospell and vnto the time of Irenaeus priests were called Presbyteri patres that is elders and fathers Secondly he can tell vs that f Cap. 8. sect 5. Lactantius lib. 6. cap. 2. and after him the counsell Elibert cap. 37. And Hierome against Vigilantius haue taught men to deride the vse of candles in the church namely that they taught that to light candles for the honour of martirs appertaineth vnto the ignoraunce and simplicitie of seculer men and of religious women which haue indeed a zeale but not according to knowledge Hee would haue vs know that g Cap. 11. sect 2. Zepherinus the 16. Pope ordained a dish of glasse to say masse in and that Vrbanus the 18. Pope made them of gold And the h Cap. 12.3 corporall to bee of linnen to wrap the bodie of Christ he will haue vs thinke to bee ordained by Eusebius And as for the a Cap. 16.9.10 reseruing of the hoste hee woulde haue vs to beleeue the late Counsell of Trent to haue good cause to affirme that the custome is auncient reaching to the Councell of Nice though himselfe cannot find it in the councell nor in Gratian but only in Rufinus As for baptisme he confesseth b Cap. 19.2 that in the beginning it was vsed simply in riuers or fountaines but processe of time bringing foorth more honour to religion these goodly fontes and ceremonies now vsed in the Church of Rome by degrees came vp Also notwithstanding this he would haue vs thinke that c Cap. 21.2 Alexander the fift Pope from Peter did command water sprinkled with salt to be blessed to sprinkle the Christian people withall This man would haue vs fet the d Cap. 22.6 hallowing of bels at the Synode of Colon vnder Pope Iulius the first Anno 338. that the deuill might bee made afeard by the noise of belles calling Christians to praiers The worthie e Lib. 2. ca. 1. 6. name of the masse hee telleth vs out of Burchades decretals to bee verie auncient euen from Euaristus the third Pope of Rome Concerning the f Cap. 2.2 sacrifice of the masse the first strength he would haue vs take out of the Canons falsely tearmed the Apostles and out of the councell of Nice and of diuers fathers because they make mention of offeringes and sacrifice Who in deed haue no such meaning but onely vse these termes by allusion to the old law to signifie our thanksgiuing and memorie of Christes sacrifice in which sence it may be called an offering or sacrifice but you should not find them say that their priest did really and truely offer vp vnto God his son or the whole man Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine for the quick dead therfore this is but a new deuise of their own Howbeit his first g Cap. 4.1.4 inuention of publike masse hee layeth vpon the counsel of Carthage about Anno 389. and the priuate masse as they now vse it when the priest alone doth communicate he would haue vs thinke though he shew no reason to belong before Gregories time that is An. 606. yet if men beleeue him this masse publicke and priuate is but new learning as he teacheth it whereof neither Christ nor his Apostles can be prooued authors but men who liued after their time Hereof it is that although he boldly affirme many patches of the masse to be auncient euen from the Apostles time which no man that reuerenceth the holie Scriptures as hee ought can doo in such maner as hee doth yet is hee willing to teach vs the beginning of some of them Namelie that the confession Cap. 12.4 which is made in the beginning of the masse is of a doubtfull parentage whether of Damasus or Pontianus But b Cap. 14.1 Gloria in excelsis he saith Talesphorus 7. Pope from Peter to haue ordained c Cap. 21.1 of the tract hee careth not if we beleeue Gelasius to be the author or els Celestinus and that hee made the gradnale d Cap. 27.1 Alexander the fifth hee sayth appointed wine mingled with water and the e Cap. 28.6 washing of handes in the masse hee teacheth out of Thomas Aquinas a newe writer to bee as it were instituted of the Church as a certaine conuenient thinge The f Cap. 32.1 37.1 Canon of the masse which hee saith is the lawfull and reguler making of the sacrament he coniectureth to be long before S. Gregorie because that S. Ambrose as he saith maketh mention of Benedicta ascripta rata rationabilis c. so that he teacheth that before Ambrose time there is no proofe of any vnlawfull and reguler making of their sacrament and therefore it is not of God but of man especially seeing that to a reasonable man this is but a streined proofe of antiquitie Ambrose mentioneth these termes therefore the Canon was in his time before Gregories time which being so I meruaile how g Cap. 38.1 Alexander the first being fift pope could as he saith adde that part of the Canon Quipridie when the auncient Canon was long after him yet he gesseth that h Cap. 38.6 the cōsecrating of the bread round like a penie is not new because he findeth in Gregorie oblationum coronas the crownes of the offerings and such like sandie foundations i Cap. 42.9 Leo the first he saith addeth this particle Sanctum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam The k Cap. 43.2 memorie of the dead in the masse he warranteth by the second prouincial counsell called Concilium Arelatense holden vnder pope Siluester Anno 320. The l Cap. 47.1 preface before the Lords praier Oremus preceptis salutaribus moniti hath his testimonie from the ancient time of Charles the great Anno 880. This man thinketh that m Cap. 51.8 Albertus was deceaued to thinke that Sergius ordained the breaking of the host he would haue us looke hyer but so as we may see it was of some man a 53. 1. Pacis osculum in the masse he
clay If we reade the warres sedition tumults bonefires massacres rebellions treasons murders and all manner of hurly burly betweene Pope and pope Cardinall and Cardinall betweene pope and Cardinals Emperors kinges and people betweene citie and citie subiect against their Lords and one nation against another From the first arising of Hildebrands fire which he brought from hell vntill our time which haue beene raised procured maintayned and continued by that wicked generation wee may well say of them as the prophete Esay speaketh of the wicked b Cap. 57.20 The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt But he that would reade Clemangis Sigebert Aeneas Siluius Sigonius Mathie Parrisius and other such writers which liued in those times shall find a great many more monsters new borne in the church of Rome then in this shorte treatise I am able to set downe yet for the further helpe of the reader I will leade him a worde or twaine from these storie writers to the Counsels If happely wee may finde some of this new broode of poperie by them The c Canon 6. Anno 330. The primacie of Bishops Nice councel summoned by Constantin the great consisting of 318. Bishops out of all the parts of the world ordained according to the custome of the church in those daies that the Patriarch of Alexandria and of Antioch shold haue the like authority in their Bishoprickes as the Bishops of Rome in his This was as Gratian saith the first generall counsell Therefore when the pope is gotten to an higher presumption he is in this respect of a new religion About this time the counsell of Ancyra d Canon 14. eating of flesh condemned those ministers that did account flesh vncleane and abominable And the counsell of e Canon 2. Gangrena a little after calleth them Anathema acursed which condemne a man for eating flesh in faith But this late counsell of Trent and Synagogue of Rome doe commaund abstinence from flesh vpon rewarde or vengeance of God and their practise of seueritie in punishing such for heretickes as eat flesh in daies by them deuised and canonized we well know and remember The same councell of Gangrena f Canon 4. 9 10. single life doth accurse whomsoeuer that put difference between a maried prieste or any other touching the seruice in the ministerie and also such as for virginitie sake iudge mariage abhominable But all men know that the Romish Harlot is of a new learning putting more holinesse in single life and vowes of chastity especially in their priests then in honest and honorable wedlock A counsel at Antioch somwhat after a Canon 2. the sole communion ordained such to bee cast out of the Church which entred the Church and heard the scriptures and did not tarrie to receiue the communion with the rest of the people And the like you may finde to be the order of the church in ancient time b Anno 480. Canon 18. in the counsell of Agatha a citie of Fraunce But now our new sinagogue hath deuised a priuate masse that the priest should blesse the people with the cup make them to worship his idoll and he himselfe eate all alone A councell at Laodicea c An. 368. Canon 16. 59. iudged that the gospels and other scriptures were to bee read on the Sabbaoth daies and that of the vnlearned there ought not to be said in the Church Canonicall scriptures only to be read in the church psalmes made and vulgar which as I iudge were balads neither to reade books which are out of the canon but onely the canonicall bookes of the old and new testament and there they reckon vp the bookes which we hold for canonicall But wee know that the Romish Apostasie hath afterward brought in legends and other Apocrypha writings to iustle out the holy scriptures of God keeping them secret in an vnknowen tongue The 4. counsell of Carthage saith Mulieres baptizare c. Let not women presume to baptize Women bapt But we know by what deuise the sea of Rome haue brought in women to baptise In the sixt counsell of Carthage Anno 430. Appeales to Rome wherein was S. Augustine Bishop of Yppo and Legate of the prouince of Numidia it was tried and found out that it was not as Bonifacius Bishop of Rome would haue vsurped lawful by the councell of Nice to appeale to Rome out of other Bishops prouinces Epist Concil Africk ad lestinum but that they saw most wiselie and iustly that all busines was to bee ended where it was begun neither should the grace of the holie spirit be wanting to any prouince whereby equitie might be wisely seene of Christs priests and constantly holden And after that the Mileintane counsell a Canon 22. forbad all people to appeale ouer the sea out of their prouince but only to the counsel of Africk the primates of their prouinces and who so did otherwise shold not be receiued to the cōmunion in al Africk But we know that since that time the pride of that wicked whore of Rome hath vsurped iurisdiction ouer al lāds that by any means they cold bring vnder their feet receiue appeals from whom soeuer insomuch that we b Polydor hist Ang. li. 20 Rich. 2. read of a Synode in England An. 1391. which because many were vexed for causes which could not be knowen at Rome ordained that the authority of the pope of Rome should stretch no farther then to the Ocean sea that who so appealed to Rome beside excōmunication shold be punished with losse of all their goods perpetual imprisonment In the same counsel of Mileintane Anno 420. c Canon 5.6.7 It was decreed against Pelagius that without the grace of Christ we can do nothing and that euerie man should know he hath sin in him Free will and iurisdiction by workes as saith Saint Iohn Epist 1. cap. 1. and that in many things wee sin all and that we must confesse with the Psalme enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shal no mā liuing be iustified which thing is opened by an d Epist 72. Epistle of Aurelius B. of Carthage vnto the Bishops of the prouince of Bizanzena and Arzignitanta where hauing shewed the error of Pelagius he declareth the faith of the Catholikes to be thus Sixtly to confesse the grace of God and his helpe to be giuen vnto all singuler acts and the same not according to our merits that it may be true grace that is freely giuē by his mercie who said I wil haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie c. And ninthlie to confesse when wee fight against tentations and vnlawfull concupiscences although we haue there euen our owne will yet not by that but by the mercie of God we haue our saluation because otherwise it shall not be true which the Apostle saith
it is not of the willer nor of the runner but that we be saued it is of God which hath mercie Tenthly to confesse that pardon is geuen to them that aske according to the grace and mercie of God not according to their merites seeing the Apostle sayth that repentance it selfe is the gift of God where he saith of certaine men least God should giue them repentance which catholike faith is contrary to the new religion of Rome in those things First for the preparation vnto grace and workes of condignitie for they say then grace were no grace Secondly for the concurrence of free will to worke with the grace of God so to merite for they giue all to Gods grace and all pardon and saluation to Gods free mercie Loe here christian reader thou seest that the papists can tell vs of the particuler originall of the most part of their trumperie that the old christian churches in their counsels determinations were protestants touching the authoritie of Bishops and prouinces touching mariage eating of flesh priuate masse and receiuing the communion touching the holie scriptures and the reading of them touching weomens Baptisme and appeales to Rome and touching the grace of God freewill and merite therefore the heresie of the church of Rome being gathered since those primatiue times must needs be of a new generation lately sprong vp and come abroad into the worlde 5 And that thou maist yet further see Poperie hath lost the life breath of christianitie how they haue lost the verie life and breath of all religion and so are cleane fallen away from being any member in Christs church and to haue no part in the communion of Saints as in any sort to be called Gods visible people I wil shew thee fiue other points which are fundamentall and so farre of the foundation of christian religion that without them no man can be a mēber visible nor inuisible of the catholike church wherein thou shalt see that the protestant was the ancient true primatiue christian church of God Fiue fundamental points of christianity rased by poperie the papist a verie apostata comming in deed of a contrarie race euen of the very stocke of antechrist The first is of adoring God only the second of the condition of the couenant with God on our behalfe the third of the seales of the couenant the fourth of the writings of the couenant the fift of the soueraigntie and headship of Christ ouer his church And that these are foundamental consider with me that in the * 2. Idolatrie first they breake the spiritual wedlocke with God which giue his worship and honor to idols and images as thou mayst see God in a Cap. 16. Ezechiel complaining and saying Thou hast taken thy faire Iewels of my gold and of my siluer which I had giuen thee and madest to thy self images of men and diddest commit whooredom with thē c. * Merits of workes 2. In the second when they ioine workes and the fulfilling of the commandements with faith for they shut themselues from the righteousnes in the couenant whereby they should reioice with God as the Apostle saith b Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioice but not with God yea they abrogate the grace of God and make Christ die in vaine as the same Apostle teacheth saying c Gal. 2.21 I doo not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnes be by the law then Christ died without a cause * 3. Sacramēts In the third they annihilate and ouerthrow Christs institution in the seales of the couenant by their transubstantiation and vnbloudie sacrifice adored and make but a fanatical body of Christ and an imaginatie manhood where as Christ saith d 1. Cor. 11.24.25.26 Doe this in remembrance of me and Saint Paul expoundeth it saying As often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lords death till he come For if he bee contained in heauen as Saint Peter e Act. 3. 21. saith till the restoring of al things and that this sacrament is to remember and shewe his death till hee come what is it but a newe institution when they say it is turned into his person and adore him as present and what can that bodie or manhood which is in heauen bee in the sacrament really and corporally any otherwise but in fansie and imagination seeing in the same till he come to iudgement he is in heauen In the * 4. Scriptures fourth they blot out the writinges of the couenant when as Christ a Mat. 15. sayth They make the lawe of God of none effect by their traditions while they equall their own deuises with the written word of God make it in sufficient to saluation and set the church which shoulde bee ruled by it and obedient to it to be aboue it the people aboue the lawe and the ladie vnder the handmaide * 5. Supremacy Lastlie they commit treason against the person of Christ when they set the pope in his place without his assignement that a mortall man shoulde bee head of the vniuersall Church and bodie of Christ For Christ onely is called b Eph. 1.22.28 1. Cor. 3.11 The head in all thinges ouer his Church and the foundation thereof excluding all other Nowe then seeing that there can bee no foundation of Christianitie nor Church of God where the couenant is broken by spirituall whooredome and where there is no reioicing with God and the grace of God and Christ death is made vaine and where the seales of Gods letters patentes and his glorious image which is Christ is defaced and his holie writinges blotted and abased and man aduanced in the chaire of the son of God and office of Christ it must needes followe that they being guiltie in these thinges there cannot bee any part of the visible Church of Christ amongest them I thinke it therefore good to take some more paines in these fiue points that thou maist see howe that in the first primatiue ages the Catholike truth was to be founde amonge the Christian protestants and that the popishe heresie in these pointes came vppe afterwardes to bee openlie seene and closelie grewe vnder them Consider therefore good Christian reader what I say and the Lord giue thee the spirit of true discretion and wisedome in all that thou readest First in the question of adoring God the papist thinke they doo not commit fornication because they haue a fine shift to say they doe not adore the image as to account it their God to put their trust in it but onely reuerence it as a representation of God by bowing before it kissing it praying before it c. they adore him which the image representeth And they thinke themselues verie wel discharged from idolatry seeing their images are not dedicated vnto diuels and false Gods but vnto the true God Christ and his Saints
and that vnawares a thing that Christian men suspected not the diuell had vnder hande a more cunning and sure way to ouerthrow the faith namelie he draue men into the wildernesse and solitarie places which partlie happened by persecution and partlie by a blinde deuotion and so sowed the seeds of munkerie in the Church of Christ which as farre as I can d Polydor virgil de inuent rerum lib. 7. cap. 1. cap. 3. Histor Ecclesiast tripertit lib. 1. cap. 11. About Anno 300. read first e began in the deserts of Aegyt These men gaue them selues to holie meditation and religious contemplation of Gods workes and leauing the perfect booke of God written in the holy scriptures they read in an other booke like the heathen as nature and reason which is blinde in Gods causes did lead them and made a newe Philosophie hauing this principle Veram beatitudinem in cultura dei legum eius obseruatione that is True happinesse to consist in the seruice of God and keeping his commandements which while men perceiued not howe it beat vpon the foundation they began to cast their eies vpon themselues and by little and little because by nature we are prone to thinke too wel of our selues and as men fond of their owne children we admire our deuises christians fel in loue with this new trade of life the pearcing reflex of the glittering beams of their great and rare holines and new religious deuotion daseled the eies of all sorts of men Insomuch as very excellent men and great clearkes Basilius magnus Hierom and Augustine diuers other leaned toward this new religion and began to make rules for the same And so the diuel comming as an angel of light made his first entrance and their priuelie stale in this iustifying by workes vn espied For these and other godly fathers in plaine and euident places of scripture being by their conscience constrained they frankly acknowledge the truth of Christ Iesus and auow it against heretikes yet oftentimes their eies looking backwarde like the peacocke vpon their owne goodly rules and obseruations doe with the left hand robbe Christ of that which they so thankfully ascribe vnto him with the right Yet this meriting by workes was not so bolde and brauely attired in the first six hundred yeres to assume and take such open authority and hie glory in the church as it was afterwarde when peace and wealth made men by wantonnes to seeke many deuises Some as the climing popes set vp decrees and decretals and made themselues men of renown some by the knowledge of lawes and canons stroue for the lawrell crowne of glory some by schoole learning made themselues admirable who drawing in Aristle and Philosophie to make grounds in diuinitie taught the reasonable way of righteousnes by workes and the congruitie and condignitie of freewil some as fryers and cloysters by rules and orders made new religions and waies of saluation here commeth vp purgatorie pardons pilgrimage praiers for the dead and a thousand new things of rare holines meritorious deuotion By all these did the diuel make vnto him selfe many mightie legions of resolute warriers to face wearie out Christ that he might leaue the church that he by his eldest sonne Antechrist might raigne and rule alone and so he easily thrust out faith onely for righteousnes and the true way of saluation And brought in infinit traditions vnwritten verities obseruations customes mysteries deuotions and reuelations If you would read Guillerimus Durandi rationale diuinorum with Guido manipulus curatorum Bonauentura de profectu religiosorum Hieremias Buchius of the conformities of S. Frauncis with Christ with such like and ioine there vnto the counsell of Trent with their masse and all the bookes appendents in seruice to their Ladie and Saints and heape vnto them the thousands of commandements of the church in decrees decretals and canons brought in by popes scholemen canonists ciuilians it would make a mans hart to bleed to think how little regard is had of Christ and of his righteousnes wisedome sanctification redemption name glorie And that the christian reader may the better perceiue these things let him marke but this one thing which is yet fresh in memorie When Luther stoode vp for the gospell and tooke into his hand the spiritual sword of Gods word and stroke and hewed at one of the last growing sproutes of this new way of righteousnes namely pardons and indulgencies and finding great resistance by the warriers before named hee began to arme himselfe with the armor of God and by little and little both learning and teaching the article of iustification by faith onely in Christ by and by all this braue baggage and counterfeit galantnes and earthlie glorie of righteous by mens doeings like a thicke mystie cloud couering the aire did vanish away in the conscience of many thousands by the bright shining power of the true sunne of righteousnes Iesus Christ in and by faith alone And of this we haue had almost one hundred yeres experience that as a 1. Sam. 5. Dagon of the Philistims could not stand before the arke of God So all the whoorish deuises of Romish Babilon could not stande before the doctrine of faith onely in Iesus Christ the Lord be praised 3. of the Sacraments Now looke we on the third point of the sacraments and seales of the couenant of mercie and let vs here whether the auncient fathers of the primatiue church were not protestants First Tertullian offereth him selfe a verie b He liued about Anno 230. auncient father hee telleth vs c Contra Martiō lib. 4. onely of two sacraments and of the Lordes supper d lib. 1. hee saith Non reprobauit panem quo ipsum corpus suum representat he refuseth not bread whereby he representeth his bodie Loe Tertullian an auncient protestant in the matter of the sacraments Cyprian likewise sheweth him selfe a protestant e De caena domini saying Mansio nostra in ipso c. our abiding in him is eating and drinking and as it were a certaine incorporation c. and a little after That which meat is to the flesh this faith is vnto the soule that which is meat to the bodie that is the woord to the spirit and in his conclusion hee addeth As oft as wee doo these thinges wee doo not wheat our teeth to byte but with a sincere faith wee breake the holie bread and deuide it while wee distinguish and seperate that which is deuine and that which is humaine c. Origen steppeth in betweene them both and protesteth with vs f vpon leuit homil 7. saying There is also in the newe Testament a letter which killeth him who marketh not those thinges which are spoken spiritually For if thou according to the letter followe this same which is said vnlesse you eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud this letter killeth Saint Augustine followeth after and sheweth him selfe
fathers and decretals epistles so that by the papistes owne account and confession the holy scriptures raigned alone many ages together after Christs ascention as Lady Queene to bee the onely law to rule iudge and know the Church and whatsoeuer necessarie to saluation And the Church presumed not ouer the scriptures but was squared ordered by them This Gratian sheweth vs f Distinct 16. Cap. Canons that the Canons of the Apostles were pronounced by g He liued Anno 530. Isidorus not to haue bene receiued of the Church nor of the holy fathers because they were knowne to be made of heretikes vnder the name of the Apostles After he h Distinct 19. cap. Si Romanor Ann. 865. telleth vs that Pope Nicholas giueth autenticall authoritie to the decretall Epistles of his predecessors And that i Distinct 19. cap. sic omnes Anno. 680. Pope Agatha first breathed out this blasphemie that all sanctions of the Apostolicall sea are to be receiued as confirmed by the deuine voice of Peter And k Distinct 20. cap. de libellis Anno 850. Leo the 4. followed him in the same rebellion of Gods word pronouncing that they who do not receiue al their canons indifferently do not beleeue the Apostolicall faith and the foure Euangelists effectually as they should And here the maker of the glosse is touched in conscience for the East churches that did not receiue these decretalles all this while whether they were not heretikes Much about this time came in the Legenda aurea which is l Bernard de Girard hist Franc. lib. 4. Albert. Krant Saxonia lib. 2. fathered vpon Carolus Magnus And after this others in these things kept on this new deuotion and presumption But the battell was not full and strong till Gratian himselfe m Anno. 1160. came vp and set them in aray by compiling the booke of decrees containing more then halfe a legion the Ciuilians and Canonistes muster themselues to make the first squadrant then Lombardus his brother bringeth forth a second in foure bookes of sentences and in the reare warde march n Anno 1270 Thomas Aquinas and o Ann. 1295. Scotus Duns with many Franciscans and Dominicans and make a strong battell of distinctions questions philosophie Aristotelians and all the forces of reason a Anno 1230. Gregorie the 9. bringeth forth his barbed horsemen of decretall as flanckers to make incursions in fiue troopes or bookes well armed with Apostaticall ordinaunce and Boniface the eight added a sixth Then come in the light horsemen of Clementines and extrauagantes readie for many seruices amongst whome there commeth in a monstrous huge b Seruice in a strange tonge came in after the adoring of Eucharist Anno 1220. read Lyra vpō 1. Cor. 14. beast to make way for the rest called Lingua Latina seu peregrina that is seruice and scriptures in an vnknowen tongue which casteth such a mist into the eyes of Gods people that they are brought vnder the antechristian bondage and from the glorious lawe of libertie which is the gospell of Christ Iesus before they be aware By all these there came vp such great and vniuersall studie of the Canon and Ciuill lawes and such honour of schoole learning amongst all the learned and wise men on the one side and such palpable ignorance in the common people that it was impossible that the worde of God could haue his primatiue dignitie witnesse the councell of Trent c Reade Caesar Baron vpon the Martyrolog Non Martij who often clapped handes and gaue great applause to Thomas Aquinas And that when Luther beganne to preach the gospell his greatest aduersaries fought against him eyther by Canons decrees of some scholasticall conclusion and witnesse the conscience and knowledge of all men that haue looked into the estate of religion Thus is it easie to see what a strong force the deuill had by this meanes to bring the holie scriptures of God into a base and low remembraunce and how in tracte of time hee hath made his owne lawes traditions decrees and counsels not onely equall but far aboue them And as iustly complaineth Anthonius de Rampegolis a man of their owne side who as Tritte then d De scriptoribus ecclesiasticis writeth flourished personally in the counsel of Constance e Figurae bibliae cap. de sacra scriptura Sacram scripturam in honorantes trahunt in obsequium philosophiae faciunt ancillā dominam de domina ancillam many dishonoured the holy scripture and made it obedient to philosophie causing the handmaid to be mistresse and the mistresse to be handmaid and thus was fulfilled that which Hilarius wisely obseruing did f Aduersus Arianos Et facta est fides temporum potius quā Euangeliorum say in his time When the vse of writing innouating of faith beganne to bee in vre after it did rather beginne to make new thinges then keepe that which it had receiued it neither maintained the old nor confirmed the newe and so faith became to bee of the times rather then of the gospels That is to say men leauing that which they receiued and learned by the scriptures and writing themselues opinions and decrees of their owne it came to passe in time that the faith of the Church was not that which the Gospell of Christ teacheth but such as liked men of the seuerall ages and times such as counselles decreed and Bishoppes ordained Which thing Erasmus being a great Scholler did see to be happened vnto the Church of Rome and thereof giueth admonition to a great Bishoppe and amongst other thinges touching humane constitutions g ad Christoph Episcop Basil de interdicto esu carmum c. he saith Haec primum obrepant honesti specie c. These thinges first creepe in by a colour of honestie after they ouerflow more aboundantly then after a while being confirmed by vse they raigne as tyrants c. 5. Of the supremacie Now let vs come to the last foundation of popery and banishing of Christ and his lawes Namely the royal primacie of the Pope clyming into the seat of Christ and aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God And let vs examine whether it be Euangelicall and of the Christian religion and ancient profession of the primatiue Church First it is manifest and cleare that the first sixe hundred yeare neuer knew him but they were all protestants allowing no vniuersall Bishop but Christ onely and honouring the Emperors and kinges where they liued as Lordes and supreame gouernors ouer all persons ecclesiasticall ciuill euen as they had learned of Saint Paule who did commaund a Rom. 13.1 euerie soule to bee subiect to the higher power and of Saint Peter b 1. Pet. 2.13 who would haue them submit themselues to the king as the superior And herein I will call for the papistes themselues to be my witnesses First Gratian c Distinct 21. cap.
cleros telleth vs out of Isidorus that among the auncient fathers a priest and a Bishop were all one And the same thing he d Distinct 93. cap. legimus affirmeth out of Hierome with many reasons drawne from holy scripture and he sheweth that the first rising of one Bishop ouer another was deuised for a remedie against schisme And as concerning the preheminenc of the citie of Rome he addeth Si authoritas quaereretur c. if authoritie be sought for the authoritie of the world is greater then that of one citie wheresoeuer there is a Bishop at Rome or at Engubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium or Alexandria or at Thebes or at Guarmatia it is of the same merit it is of the same priesthood which the glosse there doth interpret that discreete learned and wisemen esteeme all alike but ideots and the comon people despise a Bishop of a smale or litle citie And a litle after e Distinct 95. cap. olim he saith As the elders or priestes knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him which is set ouer them So let the Bishops know that they are greater then the prists rather by custome then by the truth of Gods ordinance and that they ought to rule in comon Cesar Baronius by the cōmandement of pope Gregory the 13. making a new legend called Martyrologiums after the order of their new callender in his notes vpon that booke f Ian. 20. pag. 22. at the letter c. teacheth vs that this word Papa pope was first accounted to come of the greeke word Pappas signifying a father and in the same sence came to be a name of dignitie that the reuerend clerkes or clergie men were called by that name Afterward the same name began to be peculiar vnto Bishops that they were called Papae that is popes or fathers vntil An. 850. then it began to grow to fasten only vpon the head of the pope of Rome at the length pope Grerory the 7. An. 1071. in a synod ordained that there should be but one name of Pope in all the Christian world This man also a Quint. ad April pag. 160. 161. witnesseth that it was in times past the old custome of the church that the Bishops were not onelie called Pontifices prelates but also summi pontifices chiefe or hiest prelates because that the office of a Bishop was called the chiefe priesthood this hee proueth by expresse examples vntill the 6. counsel b About An. 645. of Toletane and he bringeth in Saint Augustin saying those wordes what is a Bishop but the first elder that is the hyest priest briefely hee calleth them no otherwise then fellowe Elders and his fellow priestes But after Baronius addeth that the latter custome obtained that the Bishop of Rome should bee called summus maximus pontifex the hiest and greatest prelate or Bishop Polydor vergill c De inuentorrer lib. 4. ca. 10. telleth vs that the first honour that was giuen to the Bishop of Rome was this that he might change his name when he is created Pope if his name be not handsome and the author of this deuise was Sergius whose name was called os porci that is the mouth of an hogge But more neere to our matter Platina d In vita pelagij deinceps sheweth that the commandement of the Emperour did sway all the matter in the choise of the pope vntill the time of * Pelagius the second About Anno 600. So that when by the extreame fall of waters they could not go to the Emperor the pope was faine to send Gregorious to make his excuse because the election was nothing woorth without the Emperors approbatiō And after him in the election of Gregorious the clergie people desired the Emperor that it would please him to cōfirme the election which was made concerning Gregorius And where as Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople obtained by a Synod the title Ecromenicus that is of vniuersall Bishop Gregorie resisted him not because as Platina saith it belongeth to Peters sea as they falsly call Rome but because it was a new and blasphemous name and such as none before them did euer allow of or take vnto him selfe As Gregorious himselfe in diuers letters both to the Emperor the Empresse to diuers Bishops to Iohn himselfe doth write whereof you shal heare some part First to the Emperour he among other things a Epist lib. 4. cap. 29. Mauritio August Epist 32. saith Quis est iste c who is this that against the statutes of the gospel against the decrees of the canons presumeth to vsurpe to himselfe a new name Would to God that without the diminishing of others there were one which desireth to be called vniuersall and a little after But be it far from the harts of Christians this blasphemus name wherein the honour of all priests is taken away while it is madly arrogated of one vnto himselfe And b Constantie August Epist 34. to the Empresse It is a verie heauie thing that it should be patiently born that al being despised my foresaid brother fellow-bishop goeth about to be called Bishop alone but in this his pride what other thing is shewed but onely that the times of antechrist be at hand And vnto c Epist 36. Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria and Anastasius Bishop of Antioch None of my predecessors haue euer consented to vse this so prophane a terme or word Because forsooth if one be called vniuersal patriarch the name of patriarch is taken from others vnto which if you ioine that of the sixt counsell of Carthage That all matters should be ended in the prouince where they began And that of the Milenitane counsell that no appeale should be made out of the prouince ouer the sea you may easilie plainly perceiue that vnto this 600. yeres after Christ it doth so far appeare that the Pope had no supremacy ouer kings or Emperors that his authoritie was not so much as ouer any minister or priuate man out of his owne diocesse or prouince and that to claime any such title as to be vniuersall Bishop was new blasphemous the ouerthrow of priesthood not sufferable and a fore-running of Antechrist How the pope brought vnder the ciuill power by growing ouer the ecclesiasticall And here thou maist obserue that in all this time there was not yet any question of superioritie ouer the superior ciuil magistrate but ouer the Bishops them selues But how they came to crow ouer the ciuill magistrate the storie of the time following doth declare wherin I might spend much time of the seed of these things as the aduancing of the honor of Peter cunningly pretended to draw on the primacy vpon the pope of Rome his counterfeit successor Constantine forged donation but I shal not need to rip vp euery circumstance For if neither these nor any other were able to cōpasse this infernal primacy in
is betweene the Sunne and the Moone so much is there betweene the King and the pope h Gratian distinct 34. cap. lector in gl distinct 82. cap. presbit in gl caus 15. quest 6. cap. authoritatem in gl the pope dispenseth against the lawe of nature and against the Apostle i Distinct 96. cap. satis euidenter the Pope can not bee loosed at all nor bound by the seculer power seeing he is called God and it is manifest that God cannot bee iudged of men And they k Decretal Greg. lib. 1. de elect tit 6. cap. 4. arrogate that no counsell should set a law vnto the Romish Church seeing as they say all counsels are both made and receiue strength after the authoritie of the Romish church and in their statutes the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome is particularly excepted Where the wise Christian reader may see a maruellous ouerspreading growth euen the image of Antechrist made equall with God and set farre aboue all power amongst men aduauncing it selfe aboue all that is called God The noysomnesse of which ouer ranck and shadowing braunches keeping the earth bare and the Sunne from shining the papistes themselues found to bee most grieuous and intollerable and therefore they are faine to lop top it and to pare away many vntimely boughes and shaddowing boughes For that I speake nothing of the imperiall English or Frence lawes if you reade the counsels of a Ann. 1413. Constance and of b Anno. 1431. Basill thou shalt find many proynings and cuttinges of this monstrous bryer First three Popes at once as vnprofitable heades chopped of and cast by The papall dignitie made to stoope vnder the generall counsell translations procurations exemptions vnions fruit gathering simony dispensations tenthes and other burdens of the Church excommunications interdictions appeales annuattes possessions reseruations and collaions of benefices with the number and qualitie of Cardinalles partly lopped partly proined partly set in order limited as the wisedome of that erring generation being by much vexation and miserie compelled did thinke for their owne peace and worldly safetie to be most conuenient But all this did but little hinder his monstrous ouerspreading for by and by c Anno 1455. Calixtus the 3. maketh a law that no man appeale from the Pope to the general counsel And d Anno 1470. Paulus the second sprowteth out this new sprig of blasphemie that in the chest of his breast all right and law did rest to ordaine and abolish decrees as he listed About Ann. 1512. And Pope Iulius the second and Leo the 10. in a counsell held at Lateranum vndo al again and set this brier to his climing And that we may plainely see that this is the verie apostasie of which the scripture speaketh f Reade Baleus de act pontif This Iulius being a great warrier and going out of the citie with his armie cast the keye of Peter into the riuer Tiber with these words Because the keye of Saint Peter is no more of worth let the sword of Paul preuaile And this Leo the tenth being put in mind of the gospell of Christ by a certaine Cardinall called Bembus answered according to his place and said How much that fable of Christ hath profited vs and our fellowship it is sufficiently knowen to all ages What Iew what Turke what Heathen what Atheist could euer haue beene more blasphemous But here God ariseth to maintaine his owne cause and by Luther Melancthon and many others hee bloweth and blasteth consumeth and beateth downe the beautie and blossomes of this presuming bramble with the powerfull and pearcing breath of his own mouth which is his gospell contained in the holy scriptures of the old and new testament Wherein wee may see the deuine prouidence of our most wise and gracious God taking the matter into his owne hand in a fitte and necessarie time for now when they began like the tower of Babilon to reach vp vnto heauen then did he confound them make their madnes openly seene to all the worlde whereof Erasmus giueth a verie good aduertisement who liuing himself in the same time affirmeth saying g Annotat. Erasm vpon 1. Pet. 5. Now the common sort of Bishops heareth nothing of their learned flatterers but lordships dominions swordes keyes powers and hereof the statelinesse of some is more then of a king and their crueltie more then tyranicall Now wee flatter the bishop of Rome with great volumes giuing vnto him a power equal to Christ whereby it commeth to passe that the Christian world one day will scarce abide the rule and ruffling and scarce suffice the couetousnesse of him and his Cardinals And this Erasmus although the papistes hold him as their owne a Vpon 1. Tim. 1. complaineth not a little of the ouerspreading of this newe learning For hee sheweth that they spent their whole time in friuolous and vnnecessarie which were more pertaining to learning to bee vnknowen then knowen For the Diuines of those times made great adooe about both friuolous and wicked questions Friuolous as whether the grace wherewith God doth loue and draw vs and wherewith wee loue him againe be the same grace And how it can be that the fier wherewithall the soules of the wicked shal be tormented seeing it is materiall can worke vpon a thing without bodie And wicked questions touching God and touching the Pope touching God whether God can command euerie euill thing euen the hatred of himselfe and forbid euerie good thing euen the loue and worshippe of himselfe Whether hee can in acte bring foorth an infinite thing according to euerie dimension Whether hee could from euerlasting make this worlde better then hee hath made it Whether hee could bring foorth a man who by no meanes could sinne Whether God in any thing from himselfe distinct be one Whether this proposition be possible God the father hateth God the sonne Whether the soule of Christ might bee deceaued and many such like c. Now of the power of the bishop of Rome men dispute hee saith in a maner more busily then of the power of God While they doe enquire of his double power and whether he bee the vniuersall head of the whole Church and whe he be aboue the generall counsell and whether he may abrogate that which is decreed in the Apostles writings Whether he may ordaine any thinge contrarie to the doctrine of the gospell whether he may make a new Article in the creede Whether he haue greater power then Peter or equall Whether he may command the Angels whether he may take away purgatorie as they call it altogether Whether he be a simple man or as God or participate both natures with Christ Whether hee bee more mercifull then Christ was seeing that hee is not read to haue called any man out of the paines of purgatorie Sixe hundred things saith Erasmus of that sort are disputed in great published volumes and that by great diuines
their decrees framed and ordained Beside this all these latter counsels haue not beene made with vniuersall consent but the church hath been deuided into two parts East and West vntill the time of this counsell of Basill and then it was sewed together with rotten threed and presently rent in peeces againe as it were in a moment and there was one counsel at Basill and an other set against it a Florence Now I say seeing these counsels of Constance Basil Trident in which the most part and chiefest of Popery hath been in the most generall maner determined published for the acts and determination of the church were but a verie smale part of the vniuersall church Namely of the Westerne parts I know not howe they can assure vs that in them we haue the churches determination except they could proue these counsels ecumenical and vniuersall of all Christian churches as was the first general counsell of Nice vnder Constantine the great Againe the counsels for sixe hundred yeeres after Christ did not decree as they haue done since and the faith of the church was not the determination of the Church but the sentence of holie scriptures and many points of faith haue been since determined not by but without holie Scriptures what should wee esteeme the auncient primatiue Churches to haue erred in faith or that they knew not or held not the true faith because that in verie many articles they lacked the ecclesiastical determination Lastly seeing that euerie day they bring foorth new deuises and sanctions and the latter many times contrarie to the former who can tell when he is in the truth or out of the truth or when the Church hath made her true and right determination Hee that readeth ouer Gracian and the Tomes of the counsels with the histories of the liues of the Popes or doo but well marke and consider that little which I haue penned out of them in this Chapter shall easilie perceiue that they are euer learning but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth they dote about questions which are endles and strife of woords there is no certaintie in their religion little trueth and vncessant innouation Therefore I may conclude that as this monster is of a later generation and a new continuall conception so no mortall man can tell when hee will come to his full birth and bee a perfect bodie or when he will haue his certaine determination right shape and proportion and finall growth and compleate stature I will leaue him therefore to the high Iudge and Lord of all flesh vntill that great and fearefull day a Reuel 19.20 When the beast shall bee taken and with him the false prophet and they both cast aliue into the lake of fire which burneth with brimstone Come Lord Iesus come quickly CHAP. V. Heere is shewed that all men ought to flie poperie First because of the exceeding daunger it bringeth to them selues to their seede and countrie Secondlie It is of all heresies and Apostasies the most pernitious Thirdlie It is not tollerable or to bee wincked at in any Christian common wealth Fourthly We of England haue great cause to praise God that we haue nothing to do with it NO sooner had my penne concluded the former Chapter but that me thought I hearde the great comaunder of all the worlde calling vnto all Christians concerning the Romish religion and saying a Esai 52.11 Departe depart go out from thence and touch no vncleane thing For seeing that poperie is so directly and manifold differing from the true ancient and catholike religion so agreeing with all filthie heresies and lately sprung vp out of the vncleane brood of humane inuention and diabolicall suggestion bearing downe all puritie of faith and true holy worship of God that hereby the Romish Church is certainly found to approue it selfe to bee that great Babilon which is become the habitations of deuils and the hold of foule spirits and a cage of euerie vncleane and hatefull bird I can no otherwise vnderstand the duetie of all Christians but that they bee obedient to that heauenly voice which els where calleth vs out of that prophane sinagogue of Rome saying b Reuelat. 18.4 Go out of her my people that ye bee not partakers in her sinnes that ye receiue not of her plagues It behoueth therefore euerie soule to consider wisely of this thing because of the daunger that may happen to himselfe to his seed and to his countrie For as it was no pleasant thing to Noe to liue among those proud and cruell people of the first worlde whose destruction hee knew to be most certainly approching and as Lot dwelling at the gate of Sodom vexed his righteous soule in hearing and seeing their vnlawfull deeds his verie life was hazarded in the destruction of the wicked if God had not beene singularly mercifull vnto him So all men that feare God cannot but know that such wicked and filthie heresie as poperie is must needes bee as a canker that fretteth euen vnto destruction of the soule For it not onely draweth vs vnto many noysome and hereticall prauities but also to most abhominable idolatrie and the verie ouerthrow of the couenaunt of grace and true faith by which we stand in the fauour of God and haue the hope of eternall life by Iesus Christ They which speake most fauourablie for papists seeme willing to haue them in some sort of the visible Christian Church doe endeuour the same by making their apostasie to bee no greater then the apostasie of the ten tribes of Israel after their falling away from the house of Dauid vnder the hand of Hieroboam At which time they left the temple at Hierusalem and the pure worship word of God and made them calues in Dan and Bethel and worshipped God as it pleased the kinges of Israel But if men would consider the a 1. King 2. 2. Cron. 18. 19. storie of that good king Iehoshaphat when hee ioyned affinitie with Ahab they might easily see this thing how neere hee was to leese his life for such fellowship what losse hee had of shippes and how God rebuked him saying Wouldest thou helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is vppon thee Loe heere the Israelites are counted wicked the haters of God and such as for whose fellowship Gods wrath commeth vppon his children Therefore seeing the papistes are much more worse it must needs bee verie daungerous to haue any fellowshippe with them And if the soule bee farre more precious then the bodie then is the hazarde the greater And doubtlesse no man is able to expresse the greatnesse of the mischiefe which that wicked broode may bring vpon a man for so much as they transgresse the worde of God and follow not the doctrine of Christ and haue chosen their owne waies and their soule delighteth in their owne abhominations For it is written b 2.
1. § 21. there neuer was a greater scisme in the Church in the time of any heresie few men keeping themselues chaste some feyning continencie for gaine and boasting and many encreasing their incontinencie with periurie and diuers sortes of adulterie c Balaeus de Act. Rom. Pont. de Greg. Christianis It is recorded that Gregorie the first did among the first commaunde single life vnto priests but after finding that they did commit filthinesse secretly that thereof many children conceiued were murdred he did abrogate that commādement and said it was better to marry then to giue cause of slaughter For when on a time hee sent to fish in a ponde there were found in the same sixe thousand heades of drowned children which hee seeing to come of this constrained single life mourning and sighting from the depth of his heart did forthwith reuoke his decree Hee that readeth the liues of popes if it were onely in popish writers or could trauell and learne the guise of Rome or could but vnderstand what the commishioners of King Henry the eight of noble memorie found and saw in putting downe of Abbies hee would easily in this point beleeue the papist d Metropol lib. 9. cap. 34. Krantius where hee saith That in the cittie of Rome Continencie is more rare then a white Swanne among seculer men And this soare is growne grieuous that euerie where it is complained of So that their a Campegius reade Ioh. Sleid. coment lib. 4. verie champions and defenders are forced to confesse that the popish bishops doe not onely wincke at the beastly filthinesse of their priestes but also take money to suffer such wickednesse yea they are not ashamed to face it out with this whoorish boldnesse as to say Shrift foster father of filthinesse It is a much more grieuous sinne for a priest to haue a wife then to keepe many whoores at home This sinne of vncleannesse shall you also finde to bee nourished by shrift For beside many other things we b Histor tripart lib. 9. cap. 35. reade that Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople finding by experience how apt this confessing to a priest was to breed and nourish whoordome tooke it vtterly away in those Greeke Churches But in the Latine churches remaining still one example may suffice to shew what a rich and fatte dunging vnto a single life this shrift hath beene and is to bring forth such vncleane and beastly fruit We c Discouerie of the holy inquisition of Spaine printed at Londō 1569 reade of the Spanish inquisition that on a time it pleased the Lords inquisitors of the holy house to cause proclamation to bee solempnly pronounced in the prouince of Siuill that whosoeuer knew of their certaine knowledge or by report that any Monks or other religious or spirituall persons had abused their holy sacrament of confession to any such abhominable vse or that any ghostly father had dealt in any such sort with their shrift children they shall signifie it to the house of inquisition But this proued to be so great and plentifull an haruest to that holy house for so many so sundrie women of all sortes yea of the grauer matrons were touched in conscience to enforme the holie fathers as obedient children that they were faine for verie shame to leaue it of as they began and secreatly to hang vp these holie men which heard confession by their purses whom they durst not for the multitude call into open question for their adulterous and filthie liuing But this shrieft The greatest policie in the world did the pope compasse by the setling of auriculer confession if you marke it is not onely naturally fit to foster this kinde of filthinesse but also all treasons and sedition and all licence to euerie kinde of wickednes noisome to the common wealth For howe thinke you was the Pope able to wrestle with the Emperours and Kings of the worlde if hee had not all the ghostlie fathers at commaundement who vnder Benedicite might and did lead the people whither they list and who is it that being so easilie as by confession pardoned of all his sins which would not be encouraged to run after the like or greater exces Moreouer what thing could be kept secreat from his beastlie holines when his seruants were the princes confessors councellors To maintain theeues Sanctuaries for maintenance of euill doers murderers and traitors they haue sanctuaries cloisters and monasteries to hide keep them from the ciuil power Their imagery keeping their seruice in an vnknowen tong with conceiling of holy scriptures kept the people in such awe and motherly deuotion that they might easily carie the people not onely against their liege Lords on earth but euen against the Lord God of heauen Their holie daies and fasting daies grewe to such numbers that the meaner people could not tell howe to liue Their merites praiers for the dead oblations sacrifice of the masse and such like superstitions stale away the ritches of the comminaltie and made manie good heires begge a crust at their religious monasteries Of all these things not onely stories and experience Polydor verg hist Angl. li. 7. Lex ad Manumortua but also the Lawyers can certifie by the statutes that haue been made against incest buggerie appeales holie daies and dead mens deuotions But the thing that I will specially stand vpon is this that beside all these which doo naturally in that religion afflickt and keepe vnder the comely and honorable estate of the common wealth there are other things in the lordlynesse and spirituall preheminence of the prelacie and especially of the Pope that make the ciuill state as no state except as a meere slaue and they tread vnder foote all earthlie kingdoms First I obserue the popish doctrine as it was suffered by the Emperour Poperie ouerthrew the east Empire by his ouergrowing to haue wayed downe the imperiall authoritie namely by graunting to Boniface the third the title of vniuersall Bishop he lost his authoritie ouer the pope and cleargie as is before at large declared And when in the second Councell of Nice the Empire condescended to images it was presently so weake that it had no more power to holde out in Italie And lastlie when the Greekes agreed more generallie vnto poperie at the Councell of Basill The Turke by and by ouercame Constantinople and so the Empire of the East was vtterly abolished Secondly though Charles the great rose vp about that time Emperour in the West and so from thencefoorth the Pope hath seemed to allow and maintaine an Empire in the west yet all men knowe that the warres raysed against the Emperours by the Popes for the Primacie in their inuesting of Prelates and such like hath made it a verie poore thing for that it was in the daies of the said Charles For though poperie vse the ciuill sworde for her defence yet it suffereth not the glorie and power of the