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A18947 The Popes deadly wound tending to resolue all men, in the chiefe and principall points now in controuersie betweene the papists and vs. Written by T.C. and published by Master Doctor Burges, now preacher to the English troopes in the Pallatinate. Clarke, Thomas, of Sutton Coldfield.; Burges, John, 1561?-1635. 1621 (1621) STC 5364; ESTC S108050 185,964 236

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condemned for his sinne by the Law he should not despaire because hee himselfe had fulfilled the Law for him and as Saint Paul saith Colossians 2. Colos 2.14 Colos 1.22 Hath put out the hand-writing that was against him And thereby Colos 1.22 Hath made him vnblameable and without fault in the sight of God So that hee hauing made the Law so light a burden vnto him as that although he cannot but breake it yet it shall not condemne him nor presse him downe to hell the spirituall taste whereof must needs be sweete vnto him And this I take to be the true sense and meaning of Christ For if Christ had meant that the Law had beene easie for vs to fulfill then could we haue disburdened our selues of our sinnes and needed not at all to goe for any ease to him 1 Epist 5.3 And whereas Saint Iohn saith after their Translation His Commandements be not heauie If he did meane that a regenerate man can actually and absolutely fulfill the Law then it is cleare he did meane that a regenerate man may be without sinne but then how doth this agree with his owne words Chapter 1. where he saith of himselfe and such as himselfe then was 1 Epist 1.8 If wee say wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth it is not in vs. And Chapter 3. Sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 Epist 3.4 Therefore hee did not meane that a regenerate man can fulfill the whole Law And that indeede it may appeare yet more plainly they cannot let vs see what wee can proue by the Scriptures Rom. 7. Fathers and their owne Writers 4 The Apostle Saint Paul Romans 7 Chapter verses 14.15 describing in his owne person the state of all the regenerate saith For we know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall The state of all the regenerate sold vnder sinne for I allow not that which I doe for what I would that doe I not but that I hate that I doe And Verse 18.19 For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good For I doe not the good thing that I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Againe Verses 21.22.23 I finde then by the Law that when I would doe good euill is present with me for I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the Law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death So that in the person of this regenerate man the case is made cleare that no regenerate man is able so to fulfill the Law as that he may duly claime to be iustified by it And hereof haue we also most manifest examples of the old Patriarkes euen from Noahs time Gen. 7.1 amongst whom albeit the Scripture Genesis 7. report of him to be the onely regenerate man of the last age of the first World The Patriarkes guilty of the breach of the Law yet in the 10. Chap. it is plainely declared he brake the Law of God by being drunke Also notwithstanding Lot be said to be a iust man and the onely regenerate man among the Sodomites yet it is recorded Gen. 19.33 34. Genesis 19. that he most wickedly brake the Law of God by committing incest with his owne two Daughters Abraham although he be said to be the Father of the faithfull Rom. 4.16 Romans 4. yet it is reported Genesis 12. and Chap. 20. Gen. 16.2 that he brake the Law of God twise by lying Isaac his sonne also brake the Law by lying Genesis 26. so did Iacob Isaaks sonne Gen. 12.13 Genesis 27. Also albeit the sonnes of Iacob were the Patriarkes of the 12. Tribes of the Children of Israell Gen. 35.2 yet they committed Idolatry Genesis 35. And Ruben the eldest of them committed adultery with his Fathers Concubine Gen. 35.22 Gen. 34.25 Genesis 35. Simeon and Leui committed a great murther Genesis 34. Iudah of which Tribe Christ came committed adultery with Thamar his daughter in Law Gen. 38.18 Gen. 37.18 Gen. 42.15 Exod. 4.24.25 Num. 11.10 to the 15. Genesis 38. and most of them consented to haue murthered their brother Ioseph Gen. 37. Ioseph committed idolatry by swearing by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. Moses brake the Law by not circumcising his sonne the eight day Exod. 4. He murmured against the Lord Numbers 11. Aaron consented to Idolatry Exodus 32. Exod. 32.2 2 Sam. 11.4.15 Dauid committed both adultery and murther 2 Samuel 11. And the whole Nation of the Iewes amongst whom were many thousand regenerate persons yet euen of the generall did our Sauiour say vnto certaine of them Iohn 7. Iohn 7.19 Did not Moses giue you a Law and yet none of you keepeth the Law 5 Wherefore vnlesse the Papists can proue that the regenerate in these dayes haue a greater measure of the spirit of grace then the Patriarkes and Prophets had and all the regenerate Iewes had nay then he whom they faine to be their founder and the chiefe regenerate man of all the Apostles had they can neuer proue that any regenerate man can liue so without sinne but that if he seeke to be iustified by fulfilling the Law hee shall bring himselfe within the curse and condemnation of it for that it saith Cursed be he that fulfilleth not all And it is most certaine Deut. 27.26 that if a man could liue so as that hee deserued to be called righteous Noah iust Lot or faithfull Abraham and to be said of him to haue walked in all the Commandements of God without reproofe and in respect of men to be a iust man before God as it was said of Zacharias and Elizabeth his wife Luke 1.6 yet shall hee finde in himselfe to haue broken the Law in some one point or other for which he had neede of a sacrifice as Zacharias had who offered continuall sacrifice as well for his owne sinnes as for the rest of the peoples as is proued in Leuiticus 16. Luke 1. and Hebrewes 7. Nay I say further Leuit. 16.6 Luke 1.8.9 Heb. 7.27 Iob 1.8 that if God himselfe should say of him as he said of that iust man Iob None is like him in the earth an vpright and iust man one that feareth God and escheweth euill Yet if he will be accepted of God as Iob was hee must confesse with Iob Iob 39.37 Iob 14 17. Iob 9.3 and say Behold I am vile Chap. 39. Mine iniquities are sealed vp as in a bag Chap. 14. If I would iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me If I would be perfect hee shall iudge me wicked Chapter 9. By which it is most euident that all
him should euer possibly attaine vnto heere by this plaine demonstration they may bee resolued for that they find not any-where in all the Scriptures nor by any auntient Writers that any man nay that Lucifer himselfe euer aspired to mount vp to that great height of dignitie as they see here the Pope hath done And therefore it is which their Saint Bridgit in the person of Christ sayth thus to the Pope q Bridget in her first booke 41. chap. Thou art worse then Lucifer Wherefore to professe one God after this Antichristian manner namely to haue the Pope and euery Pope in his time and place to be Not a pure man but a true God To be the cause of causes and consequently an eternall God To haue power to fetch out of hell as many soules as he will and place them in heauen and consequently to be an almightie God To haue power ouer the Angels in heauen and his Lawes and Decrees aboue the Lawes and Decrees of God and to be said of him The Pope is all and aboue all and consequently the highest God of all is as Saint Hilary sayth r Hilar. in Psa 1. To deuise fancies of God and as horrible as to say there is no God and doubtlesse as in plaine and expresse termes to deny God For it is cleare that if there be any more celestiall Gods then one there is iust none at all And thus much to shew how little the Papists agree with the Protestants in the profession of one God now let vs see how they doe agree in the profession of one Sauiour and Mediator Iesus Christ 8 VVe Protestants professe as is sayd one onely Sauiour and Mediatour both of redemption and intercession euen Christ Iesus Diuers of the Popish writers seeme to holde the letter of the Scriptures that there is none other name whereby we are saued but onely by this name Iesus But as Saint Hilary foretold of Antichrist s that Hee should be contrary to Christ vnder a colour of preaching the Gospell so that our Lord Iesus Christ shall then be denyed when a man would thinke he were preached Euen so falleth it out with the Romish profession whereby hee is as plainely denyed as he was of the false Apostles in the time of Saint Paul who taught Christ to be the Sauiour but not truely partly by denying some vertue of his passion and partly coupling others with him as fellow-Sauiours in like manner as the Popish writers doe For they distinguishing sinnes into originall and actuall hold and write t Thó of Aquin. de Venerabil sacra Alter cap. 1. Catharinus De Jn●ruento sacrificio Noui. that Christ saued onely from the guilt of originall sinne that is of that one transgression of Adam which we our selues neuer committed in act and left vs guilty of all our transgressions which through our whole life we commit which is as much as if one had payed a penny for his friend which lay in prison for more then he was euer able to pay 9 The holy Apostles Saint Paul and Saint Iohn vnpartiall Iudges in this question teach otherwise Rom. 5.16 Paul in the 5. to the Romaines sayth plainely that Adams transgression was one and spread ouer all to condemnation but the gift of God through Christ is in iustification of many offences vnto life eternall And vnto Titus thus he writeth Tit. 2. vers 14. Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs not from originall sinne only but from all iniquitie And so Saint Iohn 1. Iohn 1.7 The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne By which it is most euident that the Romish Doctors are worthy to bee accounted among the false Apostles which for their worldly gaine and filling their bellies avowe in writing v Card. Allen. in Fulk pag. 154. That by the great wisedome of God the power of Christs death was limited and full power left to the Church and principall Pastours thereof to release sinne and that * Ibidem the death of Christ doth not discharge vs of satisfaction for our owne sins and of procuring our owne saluation by good workes Hereupon they haue found out and doe openly professe many Sauiours for actuall sinnes whose number may bee reduced into fiue heads 10 The first is of the Saints whereof some are truely Saints but abused by them and set vp to be Sauiours others are counterfeit and of their owne canonizing of whom we may well doubt whether they themselues be saued or no seeing Pope Gelasius sayth x Gela. in the 2. Canon de co●secra dist 1. cap. Placu Churches are built in their names who for ought I can learne were not altogether good and faithfull men Of the true Saints they haue specially abused the blessed Virgine whom they thus extoll y Lipomanus pag. 289. Behold how mighty is the Mother of God and how no man can be saued but by her Againe z O happy Mother which doest purge vs from our sinnes Yea more abusedly a Wee must flee from the court of Gods iustice to the court of his Mothers mercie For no mercie commeth from heauen to the earth but what passeth through the hands of Mary shee is the mediatour of our saluation iustification reconciliation and participation Againe b In a prayer Thou art the mediatour of God and man Also c In a prayer Our hope and trust is in thee O blessed Virgine Mary defend vs euerlastingly And againe d Thou art the Lady of Angells thou art the Queene of heauen commaund thy sonne shew thy selfe to be a Mother To conclude the Scriptures and Prophecies spoken of Christ are by them applyed vnto her e Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden I will ease you Math. 11. I am the doore Iohn 10. c. The rest of the Saints are lesse mentioned or not so often in their Liturgies but no lesse extolled f In Liturgie They call Mary Magdalen The purchaser of their saluation They say g In a prayer By Saint Swithen our sinnes are done away And of the whole multitude in generall how they beleeue it appeareth in their Masse booke first where they pray * In the Masse booke That by the merits of all Saints they may receiue remission of sinnes Secondly in their Iesus psalter where they desire the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyrs Confessours Virgines Widdowes Matrons and Innocents to offer them their merits And that by the merits and intercession of Peter Paul Iohn Augustine Anne Katherine Barbara and all other Saints that hath bin or yet are to come they may obtaine Gods mercie 11 Concerning their new coyned Saints Founders of certaine Sects among them Augustine Dominicke Francis Becket Swithen and others they write so honourably of them pray so confidently vnto them extoll them with such prayses and seeme to beleeue so certainely in them that not onely all the other Saints but
euen Christ himselfe seemeth to giue place to these and these mens rules and orders be preferred aboue the Gospell Dominike say they h Anth. bishop of Florence in hi●● Par. 3. tit 23. 24. shead his bloud daily both for those that were conuersant in earth and for those that are in Purgatory and therefore it is that they also say their church singeth thus of Dominike i Pag 187. O wonderfull hope that thou hast giuen Of Frances thus k Conformities Frances whom typicall Iesus wee call the Captaine and Ruler of Minorities all graunt vs in heauen places perpetuall And they say that whereas Christ endured the torment of nayles in hands and feete but a few houres hee endured nailes in his hands and feete for vs full two yeares Of Becket thus l Becket in a prayer booke By the blood of Thomas which for thee he did spend make vs O Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend Of Swithen they say m In Liturgy By him our sinnes are done away 12 Thus doe they make many mediatours of Redemption vnto whom may be added their faith in the Pope and his pardons For he whosoeuer for the time being is in the second ranke or order of whom they write and beleeue that he is a Sauiour as Simon Begnius Bishop of Modrusia sayd thus to Pope Leo n Concil Later Sect. 6. pag. 601. O blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our Sauiour Neither is this pressed vpon him but willingly receiued as his due as may appeare in that the Pope himselfe suffered the Ambassador of Cicilia to lie prostrate on the ground before him and to pray o Paulus Aemilius lib. 7. O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs Thou that takest away the sinnes of the world giue vs peace And to proue that the Pope is of sufficient power to saue an other writeth thus p Bull of Clement the 6. and Anthon. of Fle● The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in Hell that hee may deliuer by his Indulgences and place in heauen as many soules as he will Thus they avowe not onely that euery soule must be saued vnder the Pope but that the Pope must be their Sauiour Neither hee himselfe alone but those also that he will authorize For as one saith q Cardinall Allen in Fulby answere to a false catholike p. 71. The chiefe and principall Pastors by their soueraigne authority may wholly discharge offenders from all paines to come And yet further that Christ might bee quite shut out and there might be many Aberrations they haue set vp for Mediatours and helpers vnto saluation Images prayers to Images Dirges Almes-deedes and Purgatory Vnto the Image of the Crosse thus they pray ſ In a prayer booke All haile O Crosse our onely hope in this time of thy passion in faithfull people grace increase and graunt of sinne remission 13 Also notwithstanding hee whom they faine to be their Founder 1. Pet. 1.18 Saint Peter sayth Wee are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold but with the pretious blood of Christ Directly contrary they teach and say t Allen in Fulke pa. 202. 174. By almes we may redeeme our sinnes and theirs that are in Purgatory also And againe u In th● same booke pa. 239. Good workes cleanseth before hand deliuereth the soule from death and lifteth it vp to eternall life And lastly * Ibidem Regard not the iangler that will say good works do not purge sin and winne heauen 14 Last of all to the intent that we should finde more sufficiencie else-where then in Christ they further write x Allen in Fulke pag. 202. The Sacrifices done by vs that are aliue do wipe away the sins of those that be dead Againe y The Popish Doctors The sacrifice of the Masse doth take away the sinnes of the quicke and dead And againe z Allen in Fulke 92. Purgatory paynes doth not onely serue Gods iustice for the punishment of sinne but also cleanseth and quallifieth the soule of man defiled Moreouer a Allen pag. 133 In Purgatory we must be holden from life and libertie till we haue payed the vtmost farthing the toleration of which bonds shall recompence the debt And to knit vp all in a word to the Image of Christ they haue intituled a prayer beginning thus b In a prayer booke O Maker of heauen and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords which of nothing diddest make mee to thine owne similitude and likenesse and diddest redeeme mee with thy owne bloud whom I a sinner am not worthy to call vpon I desire thee c. And so forwards for all things needefull both for soule and body 15 Wherefore then if the doctrine of the Church of Rome be true namely that Christ by his death and bloudshedding saued vs but from the guilt of that one sinne of Adam and that wee are saued from the malediction of the multitude of all our transgressions by the Popes and their principall Pastours and by the infinite number of true and false Saints and so many names of other means How doe they truely hold that which Saint Peter saith Acts 4.12 Acts 4.12 That among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued but onely by the name of Iesus Or which the Prophet Esay in the person of Christ saith 63.3 Esay 63.3 I haue troden the Wine-presse alone and of all people there is none with me Or if Christ cannot or doth not saue without all other or other helpes why then said the Authour to the Hebrews 1.3 Hee hath purged our sinnes by himselfe Hebr. 1.3 Acts 13.39 Or why said Saint Paul thus of Christ Acts 13.39 By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Or why did the Angell commaund the Virgine to call her Sonne Iesus but because as he said Math. 1.21 Matth. 1.21 He should saue his people from their sinnes If he then he alone and why then should wee seeke for so many he and she Sauiours Wherefore howsoeuer they seeme in the outward letter of the Scriptures to confesse Christ to be the onely Sauiour yet wee see it is none otherwise then they confesse God to bee the onely God which is instead of one to haue many To conclude it is a true consequent that so many Sauiours so many Christs so many Christs so many faiths so many faiths so many baptismes Therefore whether professing one God one Lord Iesus Christ one Faith and one Baptisme after this Antichristian manner be to hold the foundation sound or not soundly and vtterly to ouerthrow the foundation let the Christian Reader iudge as also whether there bee so neere a coniunction in our profession that they and we may be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ as also whether this be
the person of Christ he saith Esay 63.3 Chapter 63.3 I haue trodden the Wine-presse alone and of all people there is none with me Or that which the Authour to the Hebrewes saith of Christ Heb. 1.3 Chapter 1.3 He hath purged our sinnes by himselfe or that which he saith Heb. 9.26 Chapter 9.26 He hath put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe Wherefore as I said if we must imbrace their doctrine for truth then must we reiect the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as erroneous But what saith Saint Ambrose to this partnership in taking away sinne euen thus he saith ſ Ambrose in his 9. Booke 76. Epistle The Lord remaineth alone for no man can be partner with God in forgiuing of sinnes this is Christs onely office that hath taken away the sinnes of the World Therefore to restraine the power of Christs sacrifice to that onely one sinne of Adam that so the multitude of our transgressions might be done away by the sacrifice of their Masse is vtterly to ouerthrow the proper prerogatiue of Christ and the whole vertue of his death and passion in which the matter of remission of sinnes iustification and saluation doth onely consist For as the Apostle Saint Paul saith Colossians 1.22 Colossians 1.22 In the bodie of his flesh through death he made vs holy and vnblameable and without fault in the sight of God and set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen Wherefore to bring in any other sacrifice for sinne but onely the oblation of Christs body broken and his bloud shed and that offered by himselfe once for all is vtterly to ouerthrow all whatsoeuer Christ hath done for mans redemption to cast mens mindes into a doubtfull wauering of their saluation to proue the Prophets and Apostles false witnesses and finally to dissolue the whole harmony of the Scriptures both Propheticall and Apostolicall Hebrewes 9.14 For in that the holy Ghost saith Hebrewes 9.14 Christ offered vp himselfe it is cleare that no sacrifice can serue for sinne but where Christ himselfe is the Priest Also seeing hee saith verse 22. Without shedding of bloud there is no remission of sins Cap. 9.22 if Christ himselfe should come amongst vs and offer himselfe neuer so often and not shed his bloud it could doe vs no good Againe seeing hee saith likewise thus of Christ Verse 25. Not that he should offer himselfe often Cap. 9.25 for then must he often haue suffered since the foundation of 〈…〉 he offering himselfe neuer so often without as 〈…〉 death could doe vs as little good Therefore w●●●●eeth not but that the sacrifice of the Masse whereat Christ is not the Priest nor in which the bloud of Christ is shed nor he suffering death how often soeuer it be celebrated for our sinnes profiteth iust nothing at all nor doth any good Nay rather who seeth not what hurt it doth in that men are induced to looke for that there which indeede is not there to be had For whereas they make the multitude to beleeue that they sacrifice in their Masse the very body of Christ for their sinnes the Scripture denieth him to be there or any where else but in heauen Heb. 10.12 For as the Authour to the Hebrews saith Chap. 10.12 This man after hee had offered one Sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer at the right hand of God and from thence tarrieth till his enemies bee made his foote-stoole which as Saint Luke sheweth Acts 3.21 is till the end of the World and therefore how can they come by his body to offer in their Masse As for that they say it is easily to be come by because by the words of consecration the bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ and the wine into his bloud is easily confuted by Saint Chrysostome Theodoret Pope Galasius and their Bishop Fisher Chrisostome saith t Chrisostome Ad Caesatima Monachum The bread when it is sanctified by meanes of the Priest it is exalted to the name of Lords body yet the nature of bread doth still remaine Againe he saith v Hom. 11. on Matthew The very body of Christ it selfe is not in the holy vessels but the mistery thereof is there contained Theodoret saith * Theo. in Diologue 1. The sacramental signes goe not from their owne nature after sanctification Pope Galasius saith x Gala. against Eutiches There leaueth not to be the substance of bread and wine nor the nature of wine Their Bishop Fisher saith y Fisher against Luther No man shall proue by the very words of the Gospell that any Priest in these our dayes doth consecrate the very body and bloud of Christ And a little after hee saith Neither is there any word found here meaning in the new Testament to proue that there is the true presence of Christs flesh and bloud in our Masse So that by this who seeth not how impiously they delude the ignorant in making them to beleeue that they haue the body of Christ in the Pixe or Priests boxe to sacrifice for their sinnes and cause them also to commit idolatry in adoring the bread for Christ 6 Now therefore Christian Reader forasmuch as thou heardest before that the holy Ghost maketh it a necessitie that so often as Christ is offered for sinne hee must as often be crucified to death it is cleare that the Papists necessitie of daily offering bringeth in with it a necessitie of daily crucifying and killing of Christ Wherefore in ordayning an order of daily sacrificers of Christ what else doe they but establish an order of daily crucifiers and killers of him in which therefore it is euident they shew themselues much more horrible and vile then Iudas did in betraying of Christ For notwithstanding Iudas for filthie lucre deliuered his Maister to be crucified yet did he not seeke to procure an order for the continuall crucifying of him neyther to iustifie his action did hee contend with the gaine sayers but with great horrour of conscience condemned it as euill and after a sort repented and brought againe the money the hier of his fact and deliuered it backe to the owners but these murtherers not onely contend for the necessity of that they doe but also haue receiued great summes of money oftentimes to sacrifice and consequently to crucifie Christ and yet haue they not by restoring any part thereof shewed so much as that signe of Iudas his outward repentance Moreouer it is very cleare that this their doings hath a farre worse effect then Iudas his action had for Iudas his action in respect of Gods determinate counsell furthered mans saluation but the necessitie of daily sacrificing for sinne vnder the Gospell vtterly ouerthroweth mans saluation Malac. 1.11 And yet notwithstanding they sticke not to say that this is that Sacrifice of the New Testament which the Prophet Malachie fore-tolde God had appoynted the Christian
of the matter and the meanes saith * Ambrose vpon 1 Cor. first Chap. In Christ Iesus is grace giuen for as much as this with GOD is decreed that who so beleeueth in Christ is saued sola fide by faith onely without workes receiuing freely forgiuenesse of sinnes And thus wee see the case to stand cleare that faith without workes is the onely meanes of iustification and saluation 18 Now then Christian Reader this doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ without workes being so easie and clearely to bee proued the truth is it not a Worlds wonder to see that so many wise and learned men should impugne it And that a Cardinall one of the Popes Pen-men Master Allen should ascribe so much vnto good workes as to say x In D. Fulkes answere Page 239. They cleanse before hand stayeth the soule from death and lifteth it vp vnto eternall life Regard not the iangler that will say mens workes doe not purge sinne and winne heauen Which doctrine being true what is it but that wee are iustified and saued by the workes of the Law whereby not onely all those testimonies of the ancient Fathers are proued false but also all those Scriptures which before we cited are confounded and these that follow which shew that we are iustified and saued onely by faith in Christ without workes are to no purpose 19 Saint Paul Ephesians 2. saith Ephes 2.8 For by grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should glorie in himselfe Also Galatians 2. he saith We which are Iewes by nature Galat. 2.15.16 and not sinners of the Gentiles know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and not by the workes of the Law Galat. 3.23.24.25.26 because that by the workes of the Law no flesh shall be iustified And chap. 3. he saith Before faith came wee were kept vnder the Lawe and shut vp vnto the faith which should afterwards be reuealed wherefore the Law was our Schoolemaister to bring vs to Christ that wee might be made righteous by faith But after that faith is come wee are no longer vnder a Schoolemaister for ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus And therefore as he saith Romans 4. Roman 4. If they which are of the Law bee heires faith is made voyde and the promise of God is made of none effect And yet as he saith Galatians 2. I doe not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnesse be by the Law then Christ died without a cause So that by the doctrine of the Romish Church we see plainely that faith is made voyde the promise of God made of none effect the death of Christ needlesse and the whole matter of our iustification and saluation to consist onely in our owne deseruings And indeede to the very same effect are these words of their Cardinall Allen y Allen in Fulke pag. 154 The death of Christ doth not discharge vs of satisfaction for our sinnes nor of any other good worke whereby a man may procure his owne saluation Also the Pope saith thus in Bernardine Rosetus * Bernard We can demerite eternall life with works Therefore we ought to presume and hold for a certaintie that after this life wee shall assuredly haue eternall life for the reward of good workes And in the Summary de Grat. Sanct. Good workes demerite three things namely eternall life increase of grace and remission of sinnes 20 Truely I cannot but admire to see that men which would faine be saued will either be saued by that onely meanes whereby they shall be damned or else they will not be saued For by the workes of the Law wee see they will procure their owne saluation purge their soules from sinne deliuer them from death and lift them vp into euerlasting life And therefore as they depend vpon the Law so they must looke to haue the reward of the Law which is the curse and condemnation of it For as Saint Paul sayth Galat. 3.10 Galatians 3. As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law Galat. 5.4 to doe them And chapter the fift he sayth Yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from grace Rom. 9.30.31 And Romans 9. he sheweth this to be the cause of the condemnation of the Iewes For sayth he What shall wee say then that the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse 32. haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnesse which is of faith but Israel which followed the Lawe of righteousnesse could not attaine to the Law of righteousnesse Wherefore sayth hee because they sought it not by faith 33. but as it were by the workes of the Law for they haue stumbled at the stumbling stone as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a Rocke to make men fall and euery one that beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed But therefore the same iudgement is fallen vpon them Iohn 9.39 which Christ sheweth Iohn 9. himselfe came to inflict vpon those obstinate Iewes and Scribes and Pharises who sought saluation by the workes of the Law and not by faith in him I am come sayd he vnto iudgement into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blinde And this blindnesse we see to be now in the Papists For notwithstanding the Apostle Saint Paul saith plainely thus of Christ 2 Corinth 5. God made him to be sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him they cannot see how this righteousnesse should serue the turne For as their Cardinall Allen sayth y In the said booke pag. 154 The death of Christ doth not discharge vs of satisfaction for our sinnes nor of any other good worke whereby a man may procure his owne saluation And further for those that cannot attaine vnto satisfaction the second part of our first Chapter doth shew that the want that is in them is made out by the ouer-plus of the righteousnesse of others For as the sayd Cardinall saith z In the said book pag. 239. The Church of God hath instructed thee that all workes whereby man may procure helpe to himselfe or others be the workes of the faithfull And thus we see that the same iudgement which Christ laid vpon the Iewes Scribes and Pharises he hath laid vpon them that they so little accounting of him should trust to be made righteous by themselues and others that so they might be depriued of his righteousnesse 21 Againe the Apostle Saint Paul 1.
first vsed to be done in such simple sort as is yet accustomed on Good-Friday and Easter euen with certaine Lessons before it But then Pope Celestinus put to the office of the Masse Thelesphorus Gloria in excelsis But Hilarius of Pictauia made Et in terra Samachus ordayned it to be sung The Salutations which by the tearme of Dominus vobiscum be made seauen times in the Masse were taken out of the Booke of Ruth by Clement and Anaclet and put in in their places Galasius made vp all the rest to the Offertory in the same order they be vsed except the Sequences and the Creede whereof Nicholas put to the first and Damassus the next according to the Synode of Constantinople Another added the Confiteor Gregory linked on the Offertory Leo the Preface Gelasius the great Cannon and the lesse The Sanctus blessed Sixtus and Gregory the Pater noster Sergius tacked on Agnus and Gregory the poste communion The closing vp of all with Ite missa est Benedicamus Deo gratias was Leoes inuention Now forasmuch as themselues witnesse that their Masse was but the inuention of man and not fully framed and finished of more then sixe hundred yeares after the decease of all the Apostles How vntrue must it needes be that Saint Peter and Saint Iames said this Masse or that the antiquitie thereof came from Christ and his Apostles Now that wee may see also whereunto it tendeth and know the better how to answer vnto it let vs obserue their owne definition thus they define it A propitiatory Sacrifice a Sacrifice to satisfie Gods iustice for sinne and to reconcile him and his people together by the daily or often offering the body of Christ for the sinnes of the quicke and dead 4 Now touching this definition wee are aduisedly to consider how it can possibly stand with the truth for if it be of necessity vnto saluation to haue the body of Christ daily or oftentimes offered for sinne then is it certaine that Christ by the Sacrifice of his death vpon the Crosse did not take it away and then are all these Scriptures confounded which denie it needfull to haue any more oblations for sinne or the body of Christ any more offered for the same namely where the Authour to the Hebrewes saith Chapter 10.14 Heb. 10.14 Heb. 10.1 Heb. 9.26 For with one oblation hath he consecrated for euer them that be sanctified and where hee also saith Chapter 10.10 We are sanctified euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once made and againe where he further saith Chapter 9.26 Now in the end of the World hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 10.18 and also where he concludeth of this point thus Chapter 10.18 Where remission of these things is there is no more offering for sinne Wherefore if it be true that of necessity Christ must continually be offered for sinne then are these testimonies most vntrue but in that they are yea and Amen they most truly declare the definition of their Masse to be false and that the necessity of daily sacrificing for sinne is not grounded vpon the truth Also seeing that vnder the Gospell there must not onely be but one onely oblation for sinne but also but once offered and that by Christ himselfe the Papists are condemned for notorious heretikes that will haue so many thousand oblations and so many times offered by others For doe they not thereby make that one Sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse as insufficient for the taking away of sinne as the daily sacrificing the bodies of beasts and shedding the bloud of Calues in Moses Law which were daily offered because they serued onely for sinnes past and not for sinnes to come and therefore as the holy Ghost saith Hebrewes 10. made nothing perfect Wherefore who seeth not but that the bringing into the Church the necessity of daily sacrificing for sinne bringeth in with it the vtter ouerthrow of the efficacie of Christs death and bloud-shedding But forasmuch as the holy Ghost speaking of the daily offering of Christ for sinne saith Hebrewes 7.27 Which needed not daily as those high Priests to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe their daily sacrificing for sinne is not onely superfluous and vaine but also most hereticall and blasphemous 5 But what shall we say now haue they nothing to answere yea verily for thus in effect they say r Thomas of Aquine De venerable Sacra Alter cap. We acknowledge and confesse that Christ by the sacrifice of his death freed vs from the guilt of originall sinne that is from that one sinne of Adam but for the malediction of all our actuall transgressions that to be taken away by the blessed sacrifice of the Masse which being true then are wee more beholden to their sacrifice then to Christs sacrifice For if Christ by his sacrifice tooke away onely the guilt of that one sinne and left vs guilty of many thousand sinnes what hath he done for vs but the sacrifice of the Masse 1. Epistle of Iohn 1. chap. 7 verse which taketh away the whole multitude of our sinnes that is it which wee are beholden to indeede But how true it is that Christ by the sacrifice of his death and bloud-shedding cleansed vs but from that one sinne onely these words of Saint Iohn will make it plaine where hee saith 1 Epistle 1 Chapter 7 verse The bloud of Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne and also these words of Saint Paul Titus 2 Chapter 14 verse Titus 2 chap. 14 verse He redeemed vs from all iniquity and likewise these words where hee speaking of our condemnation by originall sinne and the restoring vs againe by Christ saith Romans 5 Chapter 16 verse om 5.16 ver Neither is the gift so as that which entred in by one that sinned for the fault came of one offence to condemnation but the gift is of many offences to iustification 5 Againe if it be true that the suffering and death of Christ serued but for the healing the wound of originall sinne and not also for our actuall transgressions then is not this true which the Prophet Esay saith Chapter 43.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Therefore it is very cleare that if the Papists doctrine be true the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles are meerely false But if we shall beleeue them that Christ by his sacrifice vpon the Crosse did satisfie the wrath and iustice of God for one part and they by their sacrifice vpon the Altar for another part and so Christ with them and they with Christ as fellow-helpers and copartners together doe fully satisfie Gods iustice for all sinne how shall we beleeue the Prophet in another place where in
but saue his life For if Saint Paul should haue spoken those words to haue maintained a place of purging sinne then should hee haue vtterly confounded all his owne doctrine throughout all his Epistles where he so laboureth to proue that our sins are wholly purged by the bloud of Christ onely For first in the third Chapter to the Romans he saith thus of Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 And in his 5. Chapter thus Being now iustified by his bloud we shall be saued from wrath through him And in the first to the Colossians thus Colos 1.13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and hath translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne in whom wee haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes And in the same Chapter Verse 19.20 For it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in Heauen And for a full conclusion of this point namely that wee are absolutely made perfect by Christs death and bloud he saith verse 22. In the body of his flesh Verse 22. through death he made vs vnblameable and without fault in the sight of God Now then this being true to wit that we are fully and wholly reconciled to God by faith in the bloud of Christ and our sinnes cleane washed away thereby so as that we are made vnblameable and without fault in Gods sight how absurd had it beene for Saint Paul to haue taught any other kinde of purgation Therefore it is cleare that those his words in the third Chapter to the Corinthians cannot be vnderstood of Purgatory 9 Furthermore as touching the truth of this doctrine namely that our sinnes are washed and cleansed onely by the bloud of Christ Saint Paul is not singular in this point for as we heard before out of the seauenth Chapter of the Reuelation that it was confirmed to Saint Iohn by the Angell of God from Heauen so likewise whosoeuer will reade the first Chapter of that Booke shall finde these words set downe concerning Christ Vnto him that loued vs Reuel 1.5.6 and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father be glory and dominion for euermore Amen And in the 1 Chapter to the Hebrewes thus Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnesse of the glory and the ingraued forme of his person and bearing vp all things by his mighty Word hath by himselfe purged our sinnes And in the first Epistle and the first Chapter of Saint Iohn thus Iohn 1. Epist 1. chap. 7. The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne Wherefore then seeing that of the bond slaues of Sathan we are made Kings and Priests to God by the bloud of Christ and that Christ of himselfe and by himselfe hath so purged our sinnes as whereby wee are made vnblameable and without fault in Gods sight why should we nay rather how dare we beleeue it is done by Purgatory Againe seeing the holy Ghost saith By the bloud of Christ Verse 9. wee are cleansed from all sinne and in the verses following From all vnrighteousnesse And that Saint Paul saith Titus 2. Titus 2.14 He redeemed vs from all iniquitie why should we suffer our selues to be so deluded to thinke that there is any sinne vnrighteousnesse or iniquity at all left to be purged by their imagined Purgatorie or that there can be any vse at all thereof or be any such place 10 Saint Cyprian speaking of the matter of our purging saith thus m Cyprian of Christs passion Thy bloud O Lord seeketh no reuenge thy bloud washeth our sinnes and pardoneth our trespasses Also to shew that there can be none other purgation nor any place for the purging of sinne after this life he saith else-where n In his first Treatise against Demetrian After we be once departed out of this life there is no more place of repentance there is no more effect or working of satisfaction life is here either lost or wonne Also to the very same effect are those words of Saint Augustine o August vpon the 25. Psalme Let onely the price of the bloud of my Lord auaile me to the perfection of my deliuery And in another place thus p In his 10. Booke 22 Ch. of the City of God The victory is gotten in his name that hath taken man vpon him and that hath liued without sinne that in him and through him being both the Priest and the sacrifice remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes should be obtained and giuen that is to say saith he by the Mediatour of God and man that man Iesus Christ by whom the purging of our sinnes being made we are reconciled vnto God Well then if onely the bloud of Christ be auaileable to the perfection of our deliuerance from sinne and that the purgation thereof be so effectually made thereby as that our sinnes are washed away and all our trespasses pardoned and wee reconciled vnto God in this life and that here in this life euerlasting life is either lost or wonne and that after this life repentance comes too late and no satisfaction can be made to what end should God prouide a place after this life for the better perfecting of our saluation But therefore it is which Saint Augustine in another place saith q In his 54. Epistle to Macidonius There is no other place to correct our manners and conditions but onely in this life euery man shall haue that which he hath purchased vnto himselfe in this World And what vse then can there be of Purgatory Saint Ignatius saith r Ignatius in his 6. Epistle Alwayes reason requireth that whiles we haue space and time we should amend and correct our faults whiles in this life wee haue occasion giuen of repentance for it is truly said after death there is neither time nor place to confesse our sinnes And why then should wee beleeue that there is both place and time Saint Ambrose saith s Ambrose vpon good death He that here in this life receiueth not remission of his sinnes shall not be there in the life to come meaning Heauen Also Saint Hierome speaking of the same point saith thus t Hierome in his Booke vpon the 95. of Esay He that doth not obtaine remission of his sinnes whiles he yet liueth in the body doth perish to God and abideth to himselfe vnto euerlasting damnation And what auaileth Purgatory after this life then Saint Chrisostome likewise speaking of the same point saith u Chrisost in his 2. Sermon of Lazarus Whiles we be yet here we haue a godly hope but as soone as we are departed hence it lieth no more in vs for to repent nor
Corint 1. 1. Cor. 1.30 saith also thus of Christ God hath made him vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written Hee that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. But it seemeth that Cardinall Allen liketh not of this kinde of reioycing for as we heard before hee cheareth vp his Chickens to reioyce in their owne righteousnesse assuring them that that is it which before hand in this life maketh sure worke for the purging of sinne and after this life for the deliuering the soule from death and for lifting it vp into euerlasting life And therefore if their doctrine be true they haue as great cause to reioyce in their owne strength of saluation as in all whatsoeuer Christ hath done for the strength of mans saluation and in themselues as in the Lord. Neuerthelesse besides this which wee haue already alleadged our Sauiour himselfe hath stricken downe their proude peacockes tayle in saying Luke 17. Luke 17.10 Matth. 25.30 When yee haue done all those things which are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruants And Mathew 25. Cast therefore that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Shewing plainely what is our due by our owne deseruings And thus much by proofe of Scripture concerning this poynt also Now let vs heare the auntient Fathers 22 Saint Bernard saith a Bernard in his booke of Free-will Who is he that is ignorant of the righteousnesse of God He that iustifieth himselfe Who is hee that iustifieth himselfe He that presumeth of merites any other where than of the grace of God Saint Augustine saith b Augustine in his Booke of Predestination of Saints the 1. chapter I do confesse that I am grieued that there is no place giuen to so many and manifest authorities of Gods word whereby the grace of God is commended which is vtterly no grace if it be giuen for our merites Saint Bernard againe saith c Bernard 67. sermon vpon the Canticles There is no meane for grace to enter where merites keepeth and occupieth place Therefore saith Saint Augustine d Augustine 31. psalme If thou wilt be a stranger from the grace of God boast thou of thine owne merites Againe he saith e Vpon the 70 psalme Thou art nothing of thy selfe call vpon God thy sinnes are thine owne merites are of God punishment is due vnto thee Whereby wee see all our iustifiers condemned First of ignorance Secondly of presumption Thirdly of blasphemy in making grace no grace by affirming it to be giuen vnto vs for our merites Fourthly of most palpable peruersenesse by thrusting in their corrupt merites whereby the grace of God is vtterly excluded out of the worke of iustification Fiftly by boasting and bringing in their merites into the worke of iustification they haue thrust themselues out of the fauor of God Lastly for that they dare stand out with God to claime remission of sins and eternall life by their merites and to seeme vnto themselues to be that which they are not such as vnto whom by desert the kingdome of heauen is due they shall receiue their due which as Saint Augustine saith is punishment to wit destruction both of soule and body And therefore how true it is that they will either be saued by that meanes whereby they shall be condemned or else they will not be saued let the Reader iudge 23 Saint Augustine reprouing such Heretiques as would looke to be rewarded with euerlasting life for their merites said thus vnto them f Augustine 70 psalme When the reward shall come he will crowne his owne gifts not thy merites That is after wee haue gotten possession of heauen by the onely meanes of faith then according to the measure of grace which God did giue to euery man in this life to worke his will and to set forth his glory hee will crowne them with degrees of glory Luke 19. And this is it which Saint Paul saith 2 Cor. 5 We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things that hee hath done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill At which time Saint Augustine saith g August in his Booke of the Spirit and the Letter Cha. 33. God will crowne with fauour and mercy that shall be done at the last iudgement whereas when the iust King shall sit in his Throne to render to euery man according to his workes who shall boast that hee is cleane from sinne or who shall boast that his heart is chaste Therefore saith he it was needfull to make mention of the mercy of our Lord. Indeed he may well say God will then crowne with fauour and mercy and not according to our deserts For whereas that iust man Iob Chapter 9. saith thus of man If God should dispute with him he could not answere him one thing for a thousand yet at the day of iudgement as plainely appeareth in Saint Matthew 25. the Lord will repeate the things which the faithfull had well done not once mentioning any one thing they had ill done were the actions neuer so vile And there also in that Chapter is plainely demonstrated vnto vs what sort of Christians shall be saued and what sort damned Those that shall be saued doe vtterly disclaime their owne righteousnesse and those that shall be damned doe iustifie themselues by challenging to themselues the performing of all those Christian duties which Christ required to be done to his members Now therefore Christian Reader be thou iudge of which of these two sorts the Papists are Also in that Chapter is plainely declared that men are not saued by the bare name of faith but by the true faith that hath the true fruites 24 They will not in any case be saued by that way whereby we seeke to be saued namely by endeauouring to the vtter most of our powers to obserue and doe all whatsoeuer we are commanded and then when wee haue done our best ro confesse the truth against our selues that we are vnprofitable seruants as our Sauiour himselfe commanded and to relie wholly vpon the mercy of God in Christ but they will be saued by fulfilling the Commandements or else they will not be saued Neither will they doe their good workes to the end whereunto God ordained and appointed them to be done as we doe First to shew our loue to God in walking as it becommeth his children Iohn 14.15 Secondly by them to glorifie God Matthew 5.16 Iohn 15 8. Thirdly to make our election certaine to our selues 2 Peter 1.10 Fourthly to winne others to Christ by our godly conuersation 1 Peter 3.1 Lastly to assure our selues for certaine that by hauing the true fruits of the true faith wee haue that faith whereby we shall be saued Iames 2.14 But they will doe their good workes first to purge their owne sinne Secondly by the ouerplus of good workes to purge
the sinnes of others Thirdly to stay their soules from death Fourthly to purchase Heauen And lastly to lift vp and place their soules in Heauen They will haue all by their owne deseruings or they will haue none all by merits or else no bargaine therefore let vs see what wee can say further vnto them touching this point 25 Our Sauiour Christ Matthew 5. saith Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Now this word Poore is a metaphor taken from a man that is so very poore as that hee hath not wherewith to sustaine his owne life but is faine to seeke to others for succour And such are they which finde themselues so greatly destitute of soules sustenance as that they are glad to seeke to others for reliefe euen to God for his mercy and to Christ for his merites 26 Such a blessed poore man was Saint Basil as may appeare by these his words h Basil vpon the 32. Psalm He that trusteth not in his owne good deeds nor hopeth to be iustified by his workes hath the onely hope of his saluation in the mercies of God Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Augustine as appeareth by these his words i Aug. vpon the 142. Psal Lord for thy name sake shalt thou quicken mee in thy righteousnesse Not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast mercy on me Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Hierome as appeareth by these his words k Hier. 64. of Esay If we behold our owne merits wee shall be driuen to desperation Yea and notwithstanding Saint Bernard acknowledgeth himselfe also to be one of these poore Publicans in that he saith of himselfe l Ber. vpon the Psal qui habitat My merites is the mercy of God yet they will rather be condemned with the proud Pharises then be iuslified with the poore Publicans To be briefe whereas their Master Harding saith m D. Harding in his booke A direction of sundry soule errours lies c. in fol. 357. Wee are iustified freely without workes that may deserue the grace that God giueth Here he hath condemned their doctrine of iustification by workes to be most false and erroneous but in that that hee includeth that workes may deserue the grace that God giueth he hath proued himselfe a notable heretique For as Saint Augustine saith n Aug. in his 46. Epistle Vnderstand that the forenamed Epistle to Sixtus an Elder of the Church of Rome is written against the Pelagians the new heretiques which affirme the grace of God to be giuen according to merits that he that glorieth should not glorie in the Lord but in himselfe that is in man and not in the Lord. And therefore in another place hee saith o In the same Epistle Let no man say that for the merits of his workes or for the merits of his prayers or for the merit of his faith the grace of God is giuen vnto him And so that which those heretiques say be counted true namely that according to our merits the grace of God is giuen then the which nothing can be more false But as he saith in another place p In his booke of predestination of Saints chap. 9. They that glorie should not glorie in their owne merits which they perceiue to be like vnto the merits of them that shall be damned but should glorie in the Lord. Whereupon saith Saint Ambrose q Ambrose in his 1. booke and 5. chapter of the calling of the Gentiles Like as there is none so detestable outragious as can restraine the free gift of grace so can there be no worke so excellent that this which is freely giuen should be due vnto them by action of debt for then the redemption of Christ should in deed be no thing worth neither should the worthinesse of mans workes be inferiour to the mercie of God Whereupon their Writer Waldensis saith r Walden in his booke against Wilelesse I take him therefore to be the sounder Diuine the faithfuller Catholique and more agreeable to the holy Scriptures that vtterly denieth all such kinde of merits And thus much for the conclusion of the twelue Chapters referring the whole matter to be iudged by all that shall reade them Whether they can possibly be true Catholique Christians which in stead of one God will haue hundreds as appeareth in our first Chapter and in stead of one Sauiour to haue many thousands as appeareth in the same Chapter That will haue the Pope to be the very Vicar of Christ whom in our second Chapter wee proued to be that great Antichrist shewed by Saint Paul 2 Thessa 2. to be the Arch-enemie of Christ and all true Christians That will haue Rome to be the Mother of all Christian Churches which in our third Chapter we proued to be that Babylon which the Angel in the seauenteenth Chapter of the Reuelation calleth The mother of Whordomes and abhominations of the earth That will haue his Church as it is now Christian to be the true Church of Christ Which in our fourth Chapter we proued to be the same idolatrous Church professing Christ mentioned by the Angell in the 13. Chapter and 17. Chapter of the Reuelation That will haue their Church to be the most auncient Apostolique and Catholique Church which in our fifth Chapter we proued had no being at all for the space of sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ That will haue the succession of Vniuersall Popes to descend from Saint Peter which we proued in our sixth Chapter to descend but from Boniface the third Bishop of Rome of that name made Vniuersal Pope by that Murtherer Phocas ●he Emperour in the yeare of Christ 607. In which yeare the first Vniuersall Pope being made the Popish Church must needes first begin For as before Christ was there could be no Christian Church so before there was an Vniuersall Pope there could be no Popish Church Therefore their Church hauing her first beginning but sixe hundred and seauen yeares after Christ the antiquity thereof is ouerthrowne our Church proued to be more ancient by sixe hundred and sixe yeares That will haue the Popes supreame title and dignitie approued of by generall consent of Councells and Fathers which in our seauenth Chapter we proued to be gain said and withstood by Councells and Fathers till the yeare of Christ 607. That will haue Peter to be made supreame Head of all the Apostles by Christ himselfe the contrary whereof wee proued in our eighth Chapter by Christs expresse Commaundement and therefore the Pope cannot claime his Supremacie from Peter That will haue the true Church knowne by retaining seauen Sacraments which in our ninth Chapter we proued that to Saint Chrisostomes time which was about foure hundred yeares after Christs Incarnation it was knowne by retaining onely two Sacraments and afterwards no Christian Church knowne by the iust number of seauen till Antichrist was borne in Rome That will haue the idolatrous Masse to be the ordinance of Christ which in the same Chapter we proued cannot be because it tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of the power of Christs death and passion as also because it was not begun to be framed till about one hundred and nineteene yeares after Christ and not finished of more then sixe hundred yeares after And confessed by their Iohannes Boemos to be inuented by certaine Bishoppes of Rome whose names wee haue produced in the same Chapter as himselfe nominated them That will haue those words in the sixt chapter of Saint Iohns Cospel touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud to bee meant of a corporall kinde of eating which heresie wee proued in our tenth Chapter Christ reproued the carnall Capernaites for As also will haue those words in the sixe and twentieth Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospel Take eate this is my Body to be literally vnderstood that they might worship the bread for Christ and make an Idoll of it That will haue Saints prayed vnto and worshipped which as we proued in our eleuenth Chapter is to robbe God of two speciall parts of his glory Lastly that will haue men to make a better satisfaction for sinne then Christ hath made for them be better purged from their sinne in the fire of Purgatory then Christ hath by his bloud or be holden from life and libertie for euer which as we proued in our twelfth Chapter tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of all that Christ hath done for the saluation of man kinde To conclude we see in this Chapter of Conclusion they will haue men to seeke iustification by the workes of the Law that so they might be brought vnder the curse and condemnation of it for not fulfilling all that the Law requireth They will haue men to purchase heauen by their owne deseruing thereby to proue his death to be needlesse and faith in him of none effect And notwithstanding that case to stand cleare that these be pa●● of those Antichristian lies wherewith Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. shewed the great Antichrist should deceiue those that loued not the truth But had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse They bash not to say The Pope cannot be holden with any Religion of a lie FINIS