the Image of God original and actual sin and free will 3. Their opinions concerning the Law of God concerning Christ Faith Iustification and good works 4. Their Tenets concerning pennance fasting prayer and almes 5. Their opinions concerning the Sacraments and Ceremonies used in those controverted 6. What they believe concerning the Saints in Heaven 7. Their Doctrine concerning the Church 8. What they hold concerning Monks Magistrates and Purgatory 9. Wherein the outward worship of the Church of Rome consisteth and first part of their Masse 10. Their dedication of Churches and what observable thereupon 11. Their Consecration of Altars c. 12. The Degrees of Ecclesiasticall persons in the Church of Rome Their sacred orders office of the Bishop and what colours held Sacred 13. Wherein the other parts of the Masse consisteth 14. In what else their outward worship doth consist 15. Wherein consisteth the seventh part of their worship and of their holy days 16. What be their other holy-days which they observe canonical hours and processions 17. Wherein the eighth part of their worship consisteth their ornaments and Vtensils used in Churches dedicated to Christ and the Saints their office performed to the dead SECT XIII Quest. 1. WHat is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome at this day and first of the Scriptures A. Though they maintain the same Scriptures with us the same Commandments the Lords Prayer and the three Creeds of the Apostles of Nice and of Athanasius yet in many points they differ from other Churches which briefly are these 1. They hold that Apocrythal Books are for regulating our faith and manners of equal authority with the Canonical Scripture such are Iudith Tobias third and fourth of Esdras the Book of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Baruch the Epistle of Ieremie the thirteenth and fourteenth Chapters of Daniel the Books of Macchabâ—es and that part of Hester which is from the tenth verse of the third Chapter 2. They preferr the vulgar Latine Edition to the Hebrew and Greek Texts 3. They hold that there is no necessity to translate the Scripture into Vulgar languages 4. That the Scripture is not to be read of Lay-people except of such as are discreet judicious and learned and are authorised by the Ordinary 5. That the Masse is not to be celebrated in the Vulgar tongue 6. That the sense and interpretation of the Scripture depends upon the Churches approbation 7. That the Scriptures by reason of their difficulty and obscurity are not fit to be read by the Laity or to be judges of controversies 8. That the Scriptures have four different senses namely the Literal Allegorical Tropological and Anagâ—gical which are to be expounded according to traditions written and unwritten according to the practise of the Church the consent of Fathers and interpretation of Councels confirmed by the Pope 9. That the Scriptures are not of absolute necessity for the being of a Church seeing there was a Church from Adam to Moses for the space of two thousand years without any Scripture being onely guided and instructed by traditions without which the Scriptures are not perfect as not containing all Doctrines necessary to salvation Q. 2. What are their Tenets concerning predestination the Image of God Original sin and Actual and Free-will A. 1. They hold election mutable because the Elect may totally fall from faith and righteousnesse 2. That sin foreseen was the cause of reprobation in respect of the positive act of condemnation and some of them hold that foreseen works were the cause of election 3. concerning the Image of God they hold that it consisteth most in charity and that this is Gratia gratum faciens Grace which makes us acceptable and that it is a habit infused whereas they say that Gratia gratis data is the gift of Miracles 4. That man in the state of innocency did not stand in need of any special assistance by which he might be excited to good workes 5. That original sin is not in the understanding and will but in the inferiour part of the soul onely which they call the flesh that concupiscence and ignorance are onely infirmities and remainders of original sin That the Virgin Mary was without original sin That Infants dying in original sin onely are punished with the paine of losse not with the paine of sense That original fin is taken away by baptisme and that in the regenerate it is remitted and not imputed or to be called a sin but onely as it is the cause and punishment of sin that some actual sins are of their own nature veniall and some mortal That the sin against the holy Ghost is pardonable 6. They hold that in free-will is required not onely a liberty from coaction but also from necessity that an unregenerate man can by his own strength without Gods special help perform some moral good in which there may be no sin found That an unregenerate man hath freedom of will in matters of salvation though not without the help of grace so that he may hinder or further his conversion and may by his natural power cooperate with grace Q. 3. What are their opinions concerning the Law of God concerning Christ faith justification and good works A. 1. They divide the two Tables so that they make but three commandements in the first and seven in the second making one commandement of the first two and two of the last They hold that Idols and Images are not the same and that the Images of Christ and of the Saints may be worshipped without Idolatry That equivocation may be used in some cases and an officious lye 2. Concerning Christ they hold that he was not ignorant of any thing and that he did not attain to knowledge by learning That he descended truly into Hell in respect of his soul and there preached to the Fathers in prison and delivered them from their Limbus so that they had nor as yet entered into Heaven till Christ by his death had opened the gates thereof which Adam shut by his sin That Christ did merit by his sufferings not onely for us but also for himself that glory which he enjoyes after his Ascension 3. Concerning faith they say that Historical miraculous and saving faith are one and the same that the special application of the promises of grace belongs not to faith but to presumption That faith hath its residence onely in the intellect and not in the will That faith is an assent rather then knowledge That justifying faith may be totally lost in the regenerate That true faith may be without charity That we are not justified by faith alone That man by the natural strength of free-will can prepare himself for future justification being assisted by the holy Spirit In his preparation are contained these acts namely Fear Hope Love Repentance a purpose to receive the Sacrament a resolvtion to live a new life and to observe Gods Commandements 4. Concerning justification they say that the first is
from the Father and the Son not by way of Generation or Conception but of Eternal and Spiritual dilection he also taught that it was injustice to punish any man for opinions in Religion or Heresie The Whippers taught that whipping of themselves with rods full of knots and sharp pricks did more expâ—â—te and abolish sin then confession that this their voluntary whipping was before Martyrdom which was inflicted by outward force that now there was no use of the Gospel nor of the Baptisme of Water sith the Baptisme of Blood was better that holy water was â—â—â—iesâ—e that no man could be saved who did 〈…〉 himselfe They also held perjury lawful The 〈◊〉 whose author was one Hermannus Italus held community of Wives lawful which Doctrine they put in practise at their meetings to pray then putting out their lâ—ghts â—hey used promiscâ—ous copnlation and the children born of such commixtion they put to death They taught that all things amongst Christians should be in common that Magistracy did not consist with Christianity and that the Saints did not see God till the day of judgement Gerardus Sagarellus of Parma whose Disciples were named Pseudâ—-apostoli that is false Apostles because they bragged that they did imitâ—te the Apostles poverty therefore they would not take or keep money or reserve any thing for the next day he taught that to make vows or to swear at all was unlawful that marriages might be dissolved by such as would embrace their Religion and that they were the onely Christians they were enemies to Tythes and to Churches which for prayer they accounted no better then Hogs Styes Q. 7 What were the opinions in Religion the feurteenth Century A. The Beguardi who professed a Monastical life taught that we might attaine to as much perfection and beatitude in this life as in Heaven that all intellectual natures were blessed in themselves not in God that it was a sin to kisse a Woman but not to lie with her because nature inclined to this but not to that That perfect and spiritual men were freed from obedience to superiours from fasting praying and good works and that such men could not sin nor encrease in grace being perfect already They would have no reverence to be used in the Eucharist nor at all to receive it for that did argue imperfection The Beguinae professed the same Tenets and withal were against vows and voluntary poverty The Beguini taught that wealth consisted not with Evangelical perfection and therefore blamed Pope Iohn 22 for permitting the Franciscans to have corn in their barns and wine in their cellars They held that the state of Minorites was more perfect then that of Bishops that they were not bound to give an account of their faith when they were demanded by the Inquisitors and that the Pope had no power to dispense with Vows The Lolhards so called from Walter Lolhard their author held that Lucifer was injuriously thrust out of Heaven that Michael and the blessed Angels should be punished eternally that Lucifer should be saved that the blessed Virgin lost her Virginity after Christs birth and that God did neither see nor would punish sins committed under ground therefore they gave themselves to all uncleannesse in their vaults and caves Richardus Armacanus taught that voluntary poverty was unlawful and that priests could blesse and confer orders as well as Bishops One Ianovesiâ—s taught that in the year â—â—60 on Whitsunday Antichrist would come who should pervert all Christians and should mark them in their Hands and Foreheads and then should be damned eternally and that all Iewes Saracens and Infidels who were seduced by Antichrist should after his destruction be converted to Christ but not the Christians that fell off from Christ. The Turelupini taught that we should not be ashamed of those members we have from nature and so like the Cynicks they gave themselves openly to all uncleannesse they held also that we were not to pray with our voice but with the heart onely Q. 8. What were the Tenets of the Wicklevits who lived in this Centurie A. They were so called from Iohn Wickliffe an Englishman and taught that the substance of bread and wine remained in the Sacrament that neither Priest nor Bishop remaining in any mortal sin could consecrate or ordain that the Mass had no ground in Scripture that outward confession was needlesse where there was true contrition that a wicked Pope had no power over the faithful that Clergy-men should have no possessions that none should be excommunicate by the Church but he who is first excommunicate by God that the Prelate who excommunicates a Clerk appealing to the King is a traitorâ— and so is he that being excommunicate refuseth to hear or to preach that Deacons and Priests may preach without authority of the Bishop that the King might invade the Churches Revenues that the people may punish their Kings that the Laity may detain or take away the Tytâ—es that special prayers for any man were of no more force then general that religious orders were unlawful and that such should labour with their hands that it was a sin in Constantine and others to enrich the Church that the Church of Rome was Satans Synâ—gogue they rejected also the Popes election by Cardinals Indulgences decretal Epistles the Popes excommunications and his supremacy they held also that Austin Benet and Bernard were damned for instituting religious orders that God ought to obey the Devil that he who gives almes to Monasteries should be excommunicate that they are Simoniacks who pray for their Parents or Benefactors that Bishops reserved to themselves the power of Ordination Confirmation and Consecration for lucres sake that Universities Degrees and Schools of Learning were hurtfull to the Church These and such like Tenets of Wickliff are let down in the Councel of Constance where they were condemned Other opinions are fathered upon him to wit that man had no free will that the sins of the Predestinate were venial but of the Reprobate all mortal that the Saints were not to be invocated nor their reliques kept nor the Crosse to be worshipped nor images to be placed in Churches they rejected also Vows Canonical hours Church-Musick Fasting Baptizing of Infants Benedictions Chrism and Episcopacy He held also that the Brother and sister might marry that every creaâ—ure may â—e called God because its perfection is in God Q. 9. What opinions were taught the fifteenth Century A. Iohn Hus of Bohemia publickly maintained the Doctrine of Waldus and Wickliffe and withal taught that Saint Peter was never head of the Church that the Church is onely of the predestinate that Saint Paul when he was a persecutor was not a member of Satan that the Divinity and the Humanity made up one Christ whereas the personal union consisted indeed not between the two Natures but between the Person of the Word and the Humane Nature That the Pope was subject to Cesar that the Pope
Some of them deny the souls immortality and doubt whether there be any other Deity except Heaven and Earth 21. The Family of Love whose author was one Henry Nicolas a Hollander They reject all Sacraments and the three last petitions of the Lords prayer They say that Christ is onely the image of God the Fathers right hand and that mans soule is a part of the divine essence 22. Effroâ—tes so called from shaving their foreheads till they bleed and then anoint them with oyle using no other baptisme but this they say the holy Ghost is but a bare motion inspired by God into the mind and that he is not to be adored all which is directly repugnant to Gods word which proves that the holy Ghost is true God Thou hast not lyed saith Saint Peter unto man but unto God meaning the holy Ghost This Sect took up their station in Transylvania 23. Hosmanists these teach that God took flesh of himself whereas the Scripture saith that Christ was made of a Woman They deny pardon to those thaâ— relapse into sin and so they abridge the grace of God who wills us to repent and thereupon receives us into â—avour 24. 〈◊〉 so called from one Gaspâ—â— Schewenkfeld a Silesian he taught that the Scripture was needlesse to Salvation and with the old Mâ—nichees and Valentinians that Christ was not conceived by the holy Ghost in the Virgins Womb but that God created a man to redeem us and joyned him to himselfe and that this man became God after he ascended into Heaven they confound the Persons of Father and Son and say that God did not speak these words This is my beloved Son That faith is the very essence and nature of God That all Christians are the Sons of God by nature procreated of the divine essence That the Sacraments are uselesse that Christs body is every where Of these Sects and many more of lesse note see Florimundus Raymundâ—s hence we may see what a dangerous Gap hath been made since Luther began to oppose the Church of Rome for the little Foâ—â—es to destroy Christs Vineyard what multitudes of Taâ—es have grown up 〈◊〉 the good Corn in the Lords field what troublesome Frogs worse then those of Egypt have crawled into mâ—st mens houses what swarmes of Locusts have darkened thâ— Sun of righteousnesse whilst â—e was â—â—ining in the Firmament of his Church Q 13. What other opinions in religion were maintained this age A. Carolostadius Arch Deacon of Witâ—berâ— and Oecolâ—â—padius Monk of the Order of S. Bridges opposed Luthers Doctrin in the point of the real presence shewing that Christ was in the bread onely sacramentally or significatively The Libertius whose author was one Quintious a Taylor of Piâ—cardy taught that whatsoever good or evil we did was not done by us but by Gods Spirit in us that sin was nothing but an opinion that in reproving of sinners we reproved God himself that he onely was regenerate who had no remorse of conscience that he onely reâ—euted who confessed he had committed no evil that man in this life may be perfect and innocent that the knowledge we have of Christ and of our Resurrection is but opinion that we may dissemble in Religion which is now the opinion of Master Hobbs and lastly they slight the Scriptures relying on their own inspirations and they slight the Pen men of the Holy Ghost calling Saint Iohn a foolish young man Saint Matthew a Publican Saint Paul a broken vessel and Saint Peter a denyer of his Master Zuinglius Canon of Constance held the Doctrine of Câ—rolostadius against Luther concerning the real presence David George a Glasier in Gaunt taught that he was God Almighties Nephew born of the Spirit not of the flesh the true Messiah and third David that was to reign on Earth that Heaven was void of inhabitants and that therefore he was sent to adopt Sons for that heavenly Kingdom He denied Spirites the Resurrection and the last judgement and life eternal He held promiscuous copulation with the Adamits and with the Manichees that the soul was not polluted with sin that the souls of Infidels shall be saved and the bodies of the Apostles as well as those of Infidels shall be burned in Hell fire and that it was no sin to deny Christ before men therefore they condemned the Martyrs of folly for shedding their blood for Christ. Melaâ—â—ctâ—on was a Lutheran but not altogether so rigid so was Bucer except in the point of Christs real presence Westphalus also but he denied original sin and the Holy Ghosts procession from the Son and that Christs did not institute the Lent Fast nor was any man tied to keep it Q. 14. What were the chief Heads of Calvins Doctrine A. That in this life our â—aith is not without some doubtings and incredulity that the Scriptures are sufficient without traditions that an implicite faith is no faith that the Books of Tobias Iudith a part of Hester The Wisedome of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Baruch The History of Bell and the Dragon and the books of Macchabees are not parts of the Canonical Scripture that the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament is only authentical and so the Grek of the New Testament that the Scripture in Fundamentals is clear of it selfe and is a sufficient judge of controversies that the Elect have saving faith onely which can never totally and finally be lost that predestination to life or death dependeth not on mans foreseen merits or demerits but on Gods free will and pleasure that no sin comes to passe without the will of God that the Son of God received not his Essence of the Father nor is he God of God but God of himselfe that Christ in respect of his humaniâ—y was ignorant of some things that the Virgin Mary was obnoxious to divers sins and infirmities that Christ is our Mediaâ—or in respect of both natures that Christ was in the state of damnation when he suffered for us but did not continue in it that Christ by his suffering merited nothing for himselfe that he descended not truly into Hell but by suffering the pains of Hell on the Crosse that there is no Limbus Patrum nor Purgatory that our prayers avail not to the dead that the torments of the evil Angels were deferred till the day of judgement that Christ came not out of the grave whilest it was shut that the true Church of God consisteth onely of the Elect and that it is not visible to men that the Church may erre that Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome nor the Pope his successor but that he is Antichrist that the Church and Magistrate cannot make Laws to bind the conscience that caelibat and the monastical life is unlawful consequently the vows of chastity poverty and obedience that man hath not free will to goodnesse that concupiscence or the first motions before the will consents are sins that all sins are mortal and none in themselves venial that in
Pontanus his Catalogue of Heresies who makes one Iohn Agricola the author of this Sect Anno 1535. Q. 5. What is the Religion of the Socinians A. Faustus Socinus an Italian of Siena placed all Religion in these old condemned Heresies so greedily embraced by his Disciples 1. That man before his fall was naturally mortal 2. That no man by the light of nature can have any knowledge of God 3. That man before his fall had not original righteousnesse 4. That there is no original sin in us as it imports concupiscence or deformity of nature 5. That there is a free-will to goodnesse in us and that we may here fulfil the Law 6. That God hath no foreknowledge of contingencies determinately but alternatively 7. That the causes of predestination are not in God but in us and that he doth not predestinatâ— to salvation any particular or certain person and that predestination may be frustrated 8. That God could justly pardon our sins without any satisfaction 9. That Christ by his death did not satisfie for us but onely obtained power for us to satisfie for our selves by our faith and obedience 10 That Christ died for himselfe that is not for his sins for he was without sin but for the mortality and infirmities of our nature which he assumed 11. That Christ became not our High Priest nor immortal nor impassible before he ascended into Heaven 12. That Death Eternal is nothing else but a perpetual continuance in death or anniâ—ilation 13. That everlasting fire is so called from its effect which is the eternal extinction or annihilation of the wicked which shall be found alive in the last day 14. That Christs incarnation is against reason and cannot be proved out of Scripture 15. That Christ is not truly God 16. That the Holy Ghost is not God that there is not a Trinity of Persons in one God 17. That the Old Testament is needlesse for a Christian man These opinions are but renovations of old Hâ—resies broched by Eâ—ian Photinus Arrius Samosatenus Sabellicus Servetus Anâ—â—triniâ—arians and others Q. 6. What be the Armimans Tenets A. Iames Arminius Divinity Reader in Leyden Anno 1605. published and taught five Articles which have occasioned great troubles in Holland being eagerly maintained by his Followers called Remonstrantes They hold 1. that election to life is the will of God to save such as will believe and persevere in obedience that men may be elected to faith and yet not elected to salvation that election is sometimes absolute sometimes conditional that the act of faith is chosen as a condition to salvation and that in election to faith the condition of using the light of reason is required That faith and obedience are foreseen by God as already performed by those who are to be chosen peremptorily and compleatly That election sometimes is changible and some elect may finally perish and consequently no certainty of our elections immutability That God hath not decreed to leave any man in the state of sin and damnation meerly out of his will and pleasure and consequently it is not Gods meer will that one Nation should receive the Gospel and not another but a fore-sight of the goodnesse and worth of one Nation above another 2. They teach that God so ordained his son to dye that he did not determin to save any particular man expresly so that Christs death was powerful and sufficient in respect of impertation though there had been no actuall application thereof to any particular man that Christ did not establish a new Covenant of grace by his blood but onely procured a right to his Father to make with men any Covenant whatsoever that Christ by his satisfaction did not merit faith and salvation to any man in respect of effectual application but onely obtained power that the Father might make what conditions he pleased with man the performance whereof depends upon his free will that the Covenant of grace consisteth not in being justified and saved by faith in Christ but in this that God esteemeth our imperfect faith and obedience as meritorious of life eternal as if we had fulfilled the Law that all men are received into the Covenant of grace and all freed from original sin that Christ died not for those whom God elected and highly loved seeing such stood in no need of Christs death 3. They teach that original sin of it self was not sufficient to condemn man kind to temporal or eternal punishment that an unregenerate man is not totally dead in sin nor destitute of all strength to spiritual good things but that he may hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and life that a natural man can by using the gifts of nature rightly obtain saving grace and salvation and that God affordeth sufficient means to bring men to the knowledge of Christ. 4. They teach that holinesse and righteousnesse could not be seated in mans will when he was created and therefore in his fall could not be separated from it that in spirituall death spiritual gifts were not separated from the will of man seeing the will of it self was never corrupted but intangled by the darknesse of the intellect and unrulinesse of the affection that in mans conversion no new gifts are infused and therefore the faith by which we are converted is not a quality infused but onely an act of man that the grace by which we are converted is onely a gentle perswasion so that Morall grace makes naturall men become spiritual and that God by moral reason produceth the consent of the will that God in mans conversion doth not use his omnipotent power to bend the will infallibly so that man may and doth oftentimes resist and hinder his own conversion that grace and free will are comperating causes in our conversion so that grace in order of causality doth not precede the action of the will 5. They teach that perseverance is not the effect of election but a condition of the new Covenant to be performed on mans part before his peremptory election and that by his own free-will that God furnisheth the faithfull man with sufficient means to persevere yet it is in the choice of mans will to persevere or not to persevere that regenerate men may and do fall totally and finally from grace and salvation and that they may sin against the Holy Ghost that no assurance of perseverance can be had in this life without speciall revelation that the Doctrine of assurance is hurtfull to all holy exercises and a means of presumption and security whereas doubting is commendable that temporary and true justifying faith differ onely in continuance that it is no absurdity if man be oftentimes regenerated his former regeneration being extinct that Christ never prayed for the faithfuls infallible perseverance in faith These are the five Articles of Arminianisme as they are set down in the Book called The Iudgement of the Synod of Doâ—t Q. 7. What are the opinions of the new Church of
dispersed Anchorites into one body and built them a Monastery on the top of the Hill near the Well of Elias by which stood an ancient Chappel of our Lady Perhaps from this Chappel the Carmelites were called the Virgins Brothers The same Almericus translated into Latine the Book concerning the institution of the first Monks written in Greek by Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem for the benefit of these Carmelites and placed over them a Latine Governour in the time of Pope Alexander the third who began this Popedom Aâ— 1170. The Governours name V as â—ertholdus Aquitanus some think this Order was instituted 40. years after to wit in the Papacy of Innocent the third Their second Governour was Brochard of Ierusalem who made them a rule much after the rule of Saint Basil which in the year 1199. was abridged and confirmed by Albert Patriarch of Ierusalem who tied them to fasting silence and canonical hours and the Lay-Brothers to Peter the Eremites Beads or Prayer and to our Ladies Psalter They were as yet tied to no Vow but that of obedience to their Superiour They came into England about the year 1240. Ralph Fresburn was their first Governour here and Hunfrid Nektâ—n the first Carmelite that read School Divinity in Cambridge and was of that order the first Doctor of Divinity This order came into Lituania Anno 1427. Whilst they were in Syria their Garment was a striped cloak of party colours which they say was used by the Prophet Eliah but Pope Honorius the third or as some say the fourth took from them this habit as not beseeming or agreeable to Religion and instead thereof gave them a white cloak and a white hood and under a coat with a scapulary of hair-colour The use of the white cloak was confirmed by Pope Nicholaus the fourth Whilst they used the former habit they were highly esteemed by the Egyptians and maintained by the Sultan but when they began to wear the Popes new Livery he expelled them out of Egypt and burned down their Monastery and Chappel Honorius the fourth exempted them from the jurisdiction of Princes and Bishops Gregory the ninth forbade them to injoy possessions or revenues but to beg from door to door Honorius the fourth will have them called instead of Carmelites Brothers of the Virgin Mary Alexander the fourth allowed them prisons to punish their apostates and Iohn 23. took them into his immediate protection and by a vision was warned to keep them 〈◊〉 of purgatory Many of the Carmelites fell off from their first strictnesse of life and gave themselves to all 〈◊〉 and voluptuousnesse whereupon they were divided into two Sects the one were called Observantes the other Non Observantes to undertake this order is hâ—ld meritorious and three years indulgence is promised to him that shall at any time call them brothers of Saint Mary In many of their Cloysters they have the picture of Iohn Baptist in their habit because he is named Eliah and they say that Eliah did wear this habit they have changed now I mean the Non Observantes their hair-coloured coat into black Q. 13. What were the Dominicans A. These were so called from Dominicus a Spaniard their first Author they sprung out of the Humiliali and were instituted by Innocent the third Anno 1205. the chief end of their institution was to write expound and preach the word of God whence they are named Praedicantes or Praedicatores Dominicus was by Pope Innocent the third Anno. 1207. imployed with twelve Abbots of the Order of Cisterâ—iaeâ—s to preach down the Doctrines of the Aâ—â—igenses He by his preaching so incensed the Princes against them that they took arms and killed above One hundred thousâ—nd of them Dominicus with twelve more accompanied by Fulce Bishop of â—oledâ— went to Rome where he petitioneth Innocent the third to confirm his order who was somewhat averse till he dreamed that he saw Dâ—minicus supporting with his shoulders the Church of Lateran that was ready to fall down hereupon he adviseth Dominick to pitch upon some rule and he would ratifie it Dominick returns presently to his Disciples being sixteen together acquaints them with the Popes intention they all resolve to professe the rule of Saint Austin the preacher In the interim Innocent dieth Honorius the third succeeded 〈◊〉 confirmed their rule and institution Dâ—â—inick added some things to Saint Austins rule He divided his Monastery into three parts one for himself and contemplative Brothers the other for contemplative Sisters the third was for both sexes that were given to the active life these were called Brothers and Sisters of Saint Dominick or the Souldiers of Jesus Christ for as Dominick with the spirituall so these with the corporal sword were to subdue Hereticks The Dominicans are tied to reject all kinde of wealth money and possessions that their work of preaching may not be hindred To hold every year a general Chapter To fast seven moneths together namely from holy 〈◊〉 day in September till Easter and at all other times on Friday to abstain from flesh except in times of sicknesse To lye in Blankets not in Sheets nor on Feather-beds To be silent To wear a white coat under a black cloak which they say was prescribed by the Virgin Mary to one Rheginaldus in his sicknesse To have low-built Monasteries answering to their poverty and humility To be content with the title of Friers Praedicants whereas before they were stiled Friers of the blessed Virgin Mary To celebrate on every Saturday the Office of the Virgin Mary except in Lent and on Festival days To disperse themselves through all parts of the world for preaching the Gospel To choose them a Generall Master whose subordinate Prelates should be called Priors but not Abbots The first that was elected Master Generall was Dominious himself Anno 1220. who died the next year after The 〈◊〉 do not promise to live according to their rule or to keep it because not to performe such a promise is a mortall sin but onely to obey according to the rule because in this case omission or transgression obligeth not to the sin but to the punishment as they think For Dominick's good service against the 〈◊〉 he is made by Hâ—â—â—rius the third Master of thâ— sacred Palace And so the Dominicans are ordinaâ—â—â—â— mâ—sters of this place And because a Dominican poysoned Henry the seventh Emperor in the Eucharist therefore the Pope inflicted this punishment on thâ—â—â—der that their priests should ever after in the Eucharist use their left hand Antoninus writes that Dominick received a Staff from Peter and a Book from 〈◊〉 with â— command to preach the Gospel every where hereupon his disciples dispersed themselves into all parts Dominick himself went to Rome where by the concession of the Pope and Cardinals he gathered together in one Covent all the Nuns dispersed through divers places of the City where they had the Church of Saint Sabina assigned them 44 of them met together
this life our sinnes are still inherent in us though they be not imputed to us that wee are justified by faith without works and that faith is never without charity that the best of our works deserve damnation that here we may be assured of our justification and salvation that the Church Liturgy ought not to be read in Latin but in the vulgar tongue that faith is a more excellent vertue then charity that there is no merit in us that in this life we cannot possibly fulfil the Law that to invocate the Saints to worship Images and Reliques or the Crosse is Idolatry that usury is not altogether unlawful that Lent and other set Fasts are not to be kept that there be onely two Scaraments Baptisme and the Lords supper and that the Sacraments cannot justifie or confer grace that the Baptisme of water is not of absolute necessity nor depends the efficacy of it from the intention of the Minister nor ought it to be administered by private men or women in private houses That Christ is not corporally in the Eucharist that in the want of Bread and wine other materials may be used and that Wine alone without Water is to be used that there is no Transubstantiation nor ought to be any adoration of the Bread that the â—up should be administred to all that Extream Unction was onely temporary in the Church that the Clergy ought to marry He rejected also the Church-Hierarchy and Ceremonies and exorcisms Penance also Confirmation Orders Matrimony and Extream Unction from being Sacraments Q. 15. What other opinions in Religion were held this age A. Servetus a Spaniard who was burned at Genevâ— taught with the Sabellians that there was but one Person in God and that there was in Christ but one nature with Eutychees he denied the holy Ghost and Baptisme to Infants which he would have to be deferred till the thirtieth year of their age He held also that God was Essential in every creature Brentius a Lutheran taught that Christs body after its ascension is every where whence sprung up the Vbiquitaries Castelliâ— a School-Master in Geneva held that the Canticles was not Scripture but a Love Ballade between Solomon and one of his Concubines One Postellus taught that men of all Sects and Professions should be saved by Christ. Oâ—iander held that we were justified not by â—aith but by the Essential righteousnesse of God which he said was the formal cause of our justification One 〈◊〉 a Maâ—tuan taught that Christ justified us not as he was God but as he was man Amsdorphius wrot a Book to prove that good works were pernicious to salvation One George Maiâ—r taught that Infants could not be justified for want of good works Iohn Agricâ—â—â— affirmed that the Law was altogether needlesse and that Christians were not tied to the observation thereof Hence sprung up the Antinomians One Steunbergetus in Morâ—via denyed the Trinity the Divinity of Christ the holy Ghost and Virginity of Mary he rejected also Baptisme and the Lords day affirming we had no command in Scripture to keep that but the Sabbath onely One Oâ—inus taught that â—olygamy or multiplicity of Wives was lawful One Valentinus Gentilâ—â— of Naples denied the Trinity and rejected the Creed of Athâ—â—â—â—ius One 〈◊〉 of Cracovia in â—oland denyed also the Trinity and thâ—â—ty of Essence and taught that neither the Second nor Third Person were God that Satan was created evil that mans intellect is eternal that our free will was a passive power moved necessarily by the appetite that God was the Author of sin and that the will of man in sinning was conformable to the will of God that it was not adultery to lie with another mans Wife that we must belive nothing but what is evident to sense or reason that the same body which dieth riseth not again that the soul perished with the body that there should be no care had of burial that separated souls could not suffer corporeal fire and that God being a Spirit should not be invocated by our mouth but by our heart One Swenkfeldius taught that the Scripture was not the Word of God nor that our faith depended on it but it rather on our faith That Christ brought his body with him from Heaven That Christs humanity became God after his ascension that every man was endowed with the same essential vertues of justice wisdom c. which were in God That the power and efficacy of Gods word preached was the very Son of God In Moravia there started up some professors called Nudipedales because they went bare-footed these in imitation of the Apostles forsook houses Lands Businesse and Children and lived together in common avoiding the society of other people Another Sect sprung up which called themselves Free Men teaching that they were freed from obedience to Magistrates from Taxes Tythes and other duties that after baptisme they could not sin That they were not onely like God but already deified And that it was lawful among themselves but no where else to have women in common Q. 16. Were there no other opinions held this Century A. Yes many more so vain and luxuriant are the wits of men in finding out many inventions and shaping to themselves forms and Ideas of Religions every one esteeming his own the best and as much in love with his own imaginations as Narcissus was with his shadow in the Water or Dercalion with his own picture Some reject Scriptures others admit no other writings but Scriptures Some say the Devits shall be saved others that they shall be damned others that there are no Devils at all Some hold that it is lawful to dissemble in Religion others the contrary Some say Antichrist is come some say not others that he is a particular man others that he is not a man but the Devil and others that by Antichrist is meant a succession of men some will have him to be Nero some Caligula some Mahomet some the Pope some Luther some the Turk some of the Tribe of Dan and so each man according to his fancy will make an Antichrist Some onely will observe the Lords day some onely the Sabbath some both and some neither Some will have all things in common some not Some will have Christs body onely in Heaven some everywhere some in the Bread others with the bread others about the bread others under the Bread and others that Christs body is the bread or the bread his body And others again that his body is transformed into his divinity Some wil have the Eucharist administred in both kinds some in one some not at all Some will have Christ descend to Hell in respect of his soul some onely in his power some in his divinity some in his body some not at all some by Hell understand the place of the damned some Limbus Patrum others the wrath of God others the state of the dead others the grave Some wil make Christ two Persons some give him but