So that we may most truely affirme that there is no one tenent of our Church but we haue a plaine place of Scripture for it but it may truly be retorted vpon you that you haue not one plaine place for any one of your tenents or practices so that ye are faine miserably to wrest and straine any text hence alledged and when that will not doe to fly to Apochryphall bookes traditions and ridiculous fables Elym Are all these sayings in your Bible if they bee it is more then I know but sure I am that there are sentences plainly teaching the same that we doe For what else is that saying of our Sauiour This is my body and my flesh is meat indeed and blood drinke indeed and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and to thee will I giue the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen and againe Peter feed my sheepe And touching the Church Math. 18.17 1 Tim 3.15 If he heareth not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnicke and the Church is the ground and pillar of truth Touching other points we need none other Scripture seeing to the Church it is promised Ioh. 16.13 When he is come which is the spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth Wherefore the Church cannot erre and whatsoeuer is by her propounded as matter of faith or practice must needs then be right But bee it knowne vnto you that wee want not plaine places for particular points Touching iustification Iam. 2.24 A man is not iustified by faith onely but by workes Touching prayer for the dead There is a sinne vnto death I say not that yee should pray for it 1 Ioh. 5.16 Iam. 5.14 Luke 7.47 Math. 25. Touching extreame vnction They shall pray for him and anoint him in the name of the Lord. Touching the merit of workes Many sinnes are forgiuen her because shee hath loued much and Come ye blessed c. for I was hungry and yee fed me c. For time would faile me if I should go on to alleage all the places that plainly make for vs. Paul You doe well so to slieglit our euidences brought out of the holy Scriptures because they are so plaine that they cannot bee answered neither indeed doe your sect much acquaint your selues with the Bible for there are some students in Diuinity of many yeares that neuer read the Bible To your places therefore How doth the speech of our Sauiour make for Transubstantiation without altering or adding It is meat indeed we confesse but he saith not is meat for the body nor yet in explaining himself afterwards hath he one word intimating a bodily substance that he would giue to be fed vpon but the clean contrary for he saith Ioh. 6.63 the flesh profiteth nothing my words are spirit and life Againe for those sayings vnto Peter there is nothing plaine for Peters supremacy for his bearing vp all as a foundation and much lesse for his pretended successours the Bishops of Rome For plainly to teach these things had beene to haue said vpon thee and thy successours will I build my Church and to thee and to him that shall succeed thee in thy Bishopricke at Rome I will giue authority ouer all others But so far is the Lord from this that when there was iust occasion offered vpon the motion of the mother of Zebedees children to declare the supreme when they contended about it amongst themselues hee speaketh no word to settle the supremacy vpon any one but altogether to stop the mouth of any from once challenging it But I haue spoken sufficiently of this before so that I shall not need to adde any thing about his commission to feed his sheepe It is maruaile that when all chiefe points of faith are so plainely expressed that this which is so much stood vpon as inferiour to none should be so obscurely passed ouer Touching the Church there is nothing plainely spoken that it shall be alwayes visible but onely it may be implyed that as long as there are Christians to doe those mutuall offices of reproouing one another for sinne there shall be a discipline exercised in the Church how corrupt soeuer for the chastisement of such as are complained of as manifest transgressors of the Law the iust proceedings whereof notwithstanding the corruptions are of force to the terror of malefactors For that saying tell the Church at that time had reference to a most corrupt Church of Scribes and Pharisees whose authority was yet by the Lord established saying Math. 23.1 whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe So that from hence nothing more can be rightly taught no not by inference but that there shall alwayes be some visible Church good or bad which we also acknowledge But in case that there bee two such Churches together who doubteth forsaking that which is corrupt to goe to the best and soundest Touching error from which you seeke to exempt your Church because the Church is called the gound and pillar of truth what is this to the present Church of Rome the sinke of most grosse errors and superstitions The true Church indeed such as it was in those dayes founded vpon the Prophets and Apostles Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner slone Ephes 2.20 was the ground of truth because therein the truth was preserued and vpheld and wheresoeuer it is so at this day that Church is likewise the ground and pillar of truth But it doth not necessarily follow that wheresoeuer the Church is whether sound or corrupt it is the ground of truth for so much as the truth held and eleaued vnto in all things maketh the Church the pillar and ground of truth and not the Church that to be true whatsoeuer she shall think good to propound For otherwise Christ the Prophets Apostles with their dictates institutions and writings should not bee a ground vnto men succeeding and inferiour to them but these men should bee a ground vnto them which were absurd And the same I answer to that promise of the spirit it was peculiar to the Apostles and special instruments stirred vp for those times to be so guided into all truth as not to erre because what came from them was to bee a ground to the faithfull in all succeeding ages and it is most palpably wrested to your Church now And if your fundamentall places be thus impertinently alledged the rest will fall without any labour at the least most worthy Sergius you may be able to iudge hereof by that which hath beene already spoken in laying open the faith of the reformed Church Serg. Paul When these places were first alledged by Elymas I thought it impossible to answer them and therefore did begin to incline to thinke better of the Roman Church then you had perswaded me but now I see that they are but the painting and colouring of a deformed face being without all true beauty And for the places omitted I haue them
are admitted to their offices they should vow chastity Yea it was a thing so generally receiued euen from the Apostles times as that till of late yeares all were single without contradiction Paul That is a notorious lye For in the first Councell after the Apostles times which was held at Ancyra in Galatia Anno 308 it was ordained that Deacons pâ—ofessing at the time of their ordination that they had not the gift of continency might afterwards marry And in the Councell of Nice Anno 330 the mariage of such as were in holy orders comming in question againe Socrat. Lib. 1.6 11. Paphnutim Bishop of a towne in Thebaids being himselfe single so perswaded to leaue euery man to his owne liberty that nothing was then concluded against these mariages And in the 2 Councell of Tolledo it was ordained Con. Toll Con. 1. as in the Ancyran Councell before Now I pitcht vpon later times because then the debating of the question is set forth and vpon what grounds your Church proceeded which is omitted in Councels foregoing But I am glad that you can goe no higher in this point then the second Carthag Councell wherein neither were their mariages condemned but continency commended so that we haue two Councels before you that left mariage free to all men that could not containe Serg. Paul You haue said enough touching this matter and it is most likely that the Dewill spake in the Councell of Canter â—ury on Dunstans side against Prusts mariages because as I remember you shewed me before that to forbid mariage is the doctrine of Denils Proceed therefore to some other point Paul The reall presence so much stood vpon shall bee the next This was neuer determined nor the word transubstantiation heard of till the Councell of Lâ—â—eran vnder Pope Innocent the third Anno 1215 and the Councell held at Rome vnder Leo the ninth Anno 1050 against Berengarius who seeing that such an opinion began to take place impugned it and was therefore condemned and in another Councell vnder Pope Nicholas the second brought to recant but hee afterwards wrote againe to iustifie the same truth and to shew his repentance for his recantation Elym Herein you doe notoriously abuse the world It is true indeed that before Berengarius his opposition because no man withstood the doctrine of transubstantiation it was not in a Councell determined But doth it follow therefore that it was not before this time maintained Haue not all the Fathers that liued before from time to time as they had occasion to treat of the Masse taught with one consent a secret conuersion by the Priests consecration Ambr. vseth the very word conuersion mutation Lib. 4. de sacram v. 4. Hom. 5. de Pascale Euseb Emissenus sayth that the Priest by a secret power doth turne the visible creatures into the substance of Christs body blood what should I here reckon vp more Bellarmine hath numbred 32 Fathers speaking to the same effect Paul Although the Fathers doe vse the words conuersion mutation and making yet it is true that I sayd before they neuer taught transubstantiation yea after that Leo the ninth and his Councell had condemned Berengarius Peter Lombard one of your Schoole-men that liued Anno 1145 Lombard Sent. 1.4 dist 11. scanning vpon this conuersion saith If it be enquired what manner of conuersion it is whether formall or substantiall or of any other kind I am not able to define And after the determination of the Lateran Councell diuers others of your learnedest Schoolc-men haueing enuously acknowledged that the faith of the transubstantiation is founded only vpon the determination of the Church as Scot. in 4. Dist â—1 〈◊〉 3 art 1. and Biâ—llect 41. in Caâ— Misse Petrâ—â— de Aâ—aco in 4 Sem. qu. 5. art 2. Conc. 2. with diuers others To those sayings of the Fathers I answer that they meant not any alteration of the substance of the bread wine but that it still remaining they became in a wonderfull manner Christs very body and blood to the faithfull receiuer For thus Ambrose expresseth himselfe Amb. de sâ—â—ram 1.4 c. 4 â—ial 2. Gel in Eutych saying They are the things which they were and are changed into another thing And Theodoret saith These mysticall signes doe not gâ—â— from their nature after their sanctification And Gelasius against Eutychcs saith The signes remaine in the propriety of their nature And Drâ—thmarus that liued about An. 800 writing vpon these words ' Doe this in remembrance of mee Drutb in â—iet 26. saith the Lord turning the bread spiritually into his body the wine into his blood hath commanded vs to do the same that hereby we might remember what he hath done for vs. Augustine saith The Lord doubted not to say This is my body August Cont. Adim c. 12. when he game a signe of his body I could also reckon vp many more who haue taught that the very bread in the Sacrament is Christs body and not some other substance vndâ—r the appearance of bread as Iren. Iust in Martyr Cyprian Chrysostome Origen Nazianzen c. Elym These are your shists for though you bee vrged with places and sayings most plaine you will still haue some euasion or other Is it likely that if transubstantiation though not in word yet in effect had not beene generally receiued before Leo or the Latoran Councell that all the world without any opposition but onely of one Berengarius would haue at once yeelded vnto it Paul I wonder that you can without blushing speake of such a generall consent of all when as the whole Greeke Church withstood it tooth and nayle for howsoener they agreed vnto the Church of Rome in other things yet in this point such as were present of them at the Councell of Flerence vnder Eugenius the 4 Anno 1439 could neuer bee brought to consent yet because Eugenius was desirous of a consent for the credit of his Sea hauing drawne them to subscribe to his supremacy the proceeding of the Holy Ghost the vse of vnleauened bread in the sacrament and to Purgatory he caused a Bull to be published called Bulla consensus notwithstanding their constant opposition in the point of transubstantiation but euen in other things wherein they yeelded such distast was taken at them by the rest of the Greeke Churches at their returne home that they were publikely execrated therefore and prohibited Christian buriall And for others that opinion of the Spirits guiding the Church in the truth did so preuaile with them as that they yeelded to transubstantiation because it was in the Lateran Councell determined as appeareth by the confession of the Schoolemen before cited Scot. in 4 dist 11 qu. 3. art 1. the first of whom Scotus sayth If it be enquired why the Church hath chosen this so hard an vnderstanding of this article about transubstantiation when as the words of the Scripture might be expounded safely according to a more easie and
true sense in appearance I answer that the Catholike Church hath expounded the Scripture by the same Spirit of truth whereby it was at the first deliucred Elym All this will not elude the antiquity of this doctrine For if transubstantiation were not alwayes held why was the Masse called a sacrifice the table an altar the Minister a Priest why hath it alwayes beene shewed to the people to be worshipped and offered in one kind to the people and carryed about with that reuerence and the remainder of it kept for the same purpose in a Pixe to be ready vpon all occasions Paul Wee doe acknowledge that very anciently these names of sacrifice Altar and Priest were vsurped but not in your sense The table of the Lord was called an altar because the offerings of Christian people comming to the holy Communion which were brought for the reliefe of the poore were layd vpon it according to Ireuaus who sayth Lib. 2. Cap. 32. that Christ by taking bread and wine taught the Disciples a new oblation of the new Testament the first fruits of his creatures In those Cannons which are sayd to be the Apostles Can. 4. it is orâ—â—yned that nothing should be offered vpon the alter but eares of corne and frankinscense and in the 3 Councell of Carthage Can. 24. that nothing should bee offered but fruits of come and grapes And hence partly came the name sacrifice for almes are a sacrifice to God and partly because of the representation of Christs sacrifice made hereby seeing it is vsuall to call the thing representing by the name of the thing represented Lomb 1.4 dist 12. And so Peter Lombâ—rd sayth that it is not properly called a sacrifice but because it is a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse And lastly for the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing then offered vnto God That Christians had not altars properly so called is most plaine from Arnobins Arnob. lib. 6. contra gant Orig. lib. 8. cent Cals who sayth that the Gentiles accused the Christians because they had no altars and from Origen who acknowledgeth that Christians had neither altars nor images And therefore as it is called an altar so sometime it is also called a table See August cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 47. Touching adoration it was not vsed till Honorius the third Anno 1220 fiue yeares after the Councell of Laterans Touching the administration in one kinde that was neues vsed Def. lib. de offic py viri till 1000 yeares after Christ as Cassauder sheweth and it was first decreed in the Councell of Constance vnder Pope Iobu the 23 Anno 1414 Touching the reseruation of the remainder there was a long time no such vse for they burnt it in the fire Hesych lib. 2. in Leuit â— 8. as Hesych testifieth and if sometime it was reserued it was by priuate persons who caryed it home with them but was not so generally approued and after more consideration in Councells condemned as in the Councell called Caesar Augustau Cap. 3. If any bee preued not to haue conformed the Eucharist receiued in the Church let him be anathema And in the first Tolletan Councell Cap. 14. If they shall remaine â—ill the morrow let them not be any longer reserued but by the diligence of the Clerciks consumed The name of your Masse is very ancient but then the Masse or missa was a dismissing of the Catecumeni when others remained to receiue and thus it continued to Anno 600 according to I sidor lib. 6. Orig. c. 19. The Masse therefore in your Church now is new and so are all your vsages of it and iustly by Christians to be exploded Serg. Paul I thinke this point hath beene so seanned that there needs no more to be sayd for mine owne part you hour giuen we such light into these things as I neuer had before for the ancient name of the Masse and Sacrifice and Altar c. made still some scruple in my minde that transubstantiation was a most ancient tenent of the Church But seeing I am now fully satisfied proceed to some other point Paul The next new thing is the Latine tongue wherein the Masse is offered and prayers are made and the Scriptures are kept This was not but where Latine was vnderstood till the dayes of Vitalian Pope An. 666 Osâ—â—d Cont. 7. in vvhose time Latine was first vsed in Constantinople Neither doth your Nauclerus much differ For hee assigneth it to the time of Pope Agatho Anno 675. In the other Countreys which vnderstood Latine as in France Britaine and in Africa it was vsed more anciently for the Latine tongue was familiar to them for the space of 700 yeares and vpwards as appeareth in one passage of the third Councell of Tours Cap. 17. Anno 770 wherein it is appointed that Homilies should bee turned into a rusticke Latine tongue or Theotiske that they might the better be vnderstood So that if the seruice vvas more anciently performed in the Latine tongue it vvas because they commonly vnderstood it best but since it not being vnderstood it is an absurd noueltie to vse it Elym It is necessarie that seeing Christs Church is one the seruice should be vniforme and for the Scriptures great reason to keepe them in an vnknowne tongue to preuent error Paul It is necessarie indeed as conducing to establish the Latine Monarchy but it were more necessary for edification to haue all in a knowne tongue as anciently it was wont to be as may be gathered from Chrysostom who saith Hom. 18. in 2. Cor. that common prayers are made both by the Priest and the people and Isidor When Psalmes are sung they ought to be sung of all De Ecst. off ib. 1. cap. 10. when Prayer is made let it be made by all and when there is reading let silence be made that all may heare And for your pretended feare of heresie that may be an excuse but seeing anciently all had the Bible in their owne languages it cannot but passe for a nouclty Serg. Paul Be there any more points the antiquitis whereof you can disprous as you haue done these Paul Yes the doctrine of Purgatory and praying for the dead came in also long after the Apostles The first that make mention of Purgatory are Tertullian and Origen whose authoritie is not so great because the one was a Montamst Hereticke and the other was condemned for many errours In Augustines time which was 400 yeares after Christ it was spoken of but doubtfully Tnchit c. 67.69 Whether there shall bee such a thing or no it may be enquired and either be found out or be kept secret from some faithfull persons In Esa l. 28. c. 〈◊〉 saith Augustine And Ierome saith that these things are to be left to the iudgement and knowledge of God Grog in Iob 13. c. 20. And Gregory the first Bishop of Rome who was after
him the punishment and not the fault hath done away both fault and punishment Aug. de verb. Dom. Scr. 37. and elsewhere more expresly Christ had two good things righteousnesse and immortality wee two euill things sinne and wortality the one hee tooke vpon him the other he did not and by taking vpon him the one he freed vs from both As for satisfaction required of vs it is not as he sheweth for punishment but to shew our repentance by our outward actions So that according to August wee are deliuered from mortality as a punishment and not only from hell fire Elym Howsoeuer you seeme to make these learned Fathers to speake it is plaine that they meant onely eternall punishments borne by Christ for vs. And therefore they doe vsually speake of works of penance and almes as hauing force to purge and wash away sinne Chrysostome sayth Hom. 1. in Gen. The common Lord of vs all desirous to haue all our sinnes washed away hath inuented this cure which is made by fasting Lib. de promis prad part 2. c. 2. Hom. 1. And Prosper saith Almes cleanse the whole man And Cesarius sayth that a man who by sinning hath lost himselfe doth agains redeeme himselfe by his satisfaction Paul Where is there a word in all these touching satisfaction for temporall punishments It may rather bee inferred if these speeches be strictly taken that wee are able to doe something to deliuer our selues from sinne both in respect of guilt and punishment temporall eternall Wherefore it must needs bee yeelded that these things were spoken improperly that being ascribed to the instrument or meanes which is proper vnto Christ Satisfaction therefore as it is now taught in your Church is rather to bee referred to the Lateran Councell Anno 1215 wherein the sacrament of penance was established an appendix whereof is satisfaction Elym Because you haue spoken of the sacrament of penance first appointed in the Lateran Councell I will lay hold vpon the occasion to put you to proue the nouelty of the seuen sacraments for if seuen haue beene anciently acknowledged this is not so new as you would make the world beleeue Paul I am very willing to follow you herein and let the issue rest vpon my prouing your seuen Sacraments to be nouelties I say then that this number was not knowne nor acknowledged by antiquity but was first taught by Peter Lombard and the Schoole-men following him aboue 1000 yeares after Christ Epist 118. Saint Augustine sayth the Sacraments of the New Testament are most few in number Isidorus An. 600 sayth Lib. 6 Originum c. 19. Pasc de Caena The Sacraments are Baptisme and Chrisme and the body and blood of Christ And Pascasius Anno 900 sayth likewise Elym They say these two are the chiefe indeed but they exclude not the rest Hugo de Sancto Victore teacheth seuen sacraments and of them he saith some are the principall wherein saluation standeth Lib. de sacram 7. part 9. c. 6. viz. Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the rest though they bee not so necessary yet they profit vnto sanctification And I could easily shew that the ancientest Fathers haue called euery of these Sacraments Paul I grant you without shewing that they called them sacraments and so they called any holy signe according to Augustines definition August Epist 5. Euery holy sigue is a Sacrament But that there are any more then two properly so called they neuer taught and euen your Hugo who acknowledgeth 7 can be no ground for your 7 for he reckoneth not penance for one but the water of aspersion And the very Schoolemen deny the rest to be sacraments Lib. 4.26 properly so called P. Lombard denyeth Matrimony to be a Sacrament properly and vniuocally with the other sacraments and Durand likewise vpon that place Lib. 4. dist 24. The same Lombard denyeth ordination to bee properly a sacrament and Alexander de Hales and Thomas Aquinas vpon that place c. Serg. Paul This your dispute about the Sacraments hath brought to my mind another point yet â—â—toucht about the holy Scriptures and Traditions Can you shew that it is a noueliy is hold that together with the Canonical Scriptures Apocryphall bookes are to be receiued and vnwritten traditions as a rule of our saith or hath it euer beene held thus Paul It is a nouelty to hold that the Scriptures doe not containe in them all things necessary to saluation and that Apocryphall bookes are to be receiued as Canonicall and that traditious are necessary to saluation For the Fathers sought to hold all men onely to the Scriptures Hom. 1. in Psal 95. Chrysostome saith If any thing bee spoken without Scripture the thought of the bearers limpeth sometimes yeelding and sometime doubting And againe If ye hears any saying I haue the holy Spirit Serm. de S. Sp. but not speaking out of the Gospell bee speaketh of himselfe and the holy Spirit is not in him So Basil reg Mor. 8. 28. Epist 80. And touching Apocryphall books Cyril Hierusalym sayth Haus nothing to doe with Apocryphall bookes Catee 4. but read the canonicall which are considently read in the Church The Apostles and first Bishops were much wiser and more religious then thou who deliuered the scriptures vnto vs. Doe not thou therefore seeing thou art a child of the Church ges beyond their bounds Athen in Synop. Athanasius sayth There are 22 bookes of the old Testament Canonicall but there are other bookes which are not Canonicall which are onely read of the Catecumeni as the booke of Wisdome Ecclesiasticus c. Ierom calleth the History of Susamus Prafat in Den. of Bel and the Dragon fables and saith the same was the opinion of Eusebius Apollinarius Methodius c. Baruch was not receiued as Canonicall till the Councell of Florence Anno 1439. And touching vnwritten traditions they receiued none of old but either such as were consonant to the holy Scriptures which were written in sense though not in word according to Augustine of which was the baptisme of Infants and not to rebaptize De Gen ad lit lib. 10 c. 23. Tertul de Coron c. 23. or customes in indifferent things according to Tertullian who saith Dost thou not thinke that it is lawfull for euery faithfull Church to conceiue and constituent that which agreeth to God 〈◊〉 to diseiplione and profireth 〈◊〉 solnation And these by the prestice of your owne Church may be left off again For the thrice dipping in Baptisin standing in time of prayer vpon the Lords day tasting of milke and honcy in Baptisme c. anciently receiued are now abrogated and not held to bind Elym I could reioyne with you about this argument and bring many passages of the Fathers shewing their high esteeme of traditions but lest these disputes should proue tedious to this noble person and that he may not being fascinated with that which you haue said incline
AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST POPERY Confected out of Scriptures Fathers Councels and Histories WHEREIN DIALOGVE-wise are shewed the points grounds and antiquitie of the Protestant Religion and the first springing vp of the points of Popery together with the Antichristianisme thereof Being alone sufficient to inable any Protestant of meane capacitie to vnderstand and yeeld a reason of his Religion and to incounter with and foyle the Aduersary By Iohn Mayer B. D. and Pastor of the Church of little Wratting in Suffolke LONDON Printed by M. F. for Iohn Grismand and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Alley at the signe of the Gunne 1625. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY JAMES BY THE grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Dread Soueraigne AFter that I had compiled this ensâ—ing Dialogue I thought your Maiestie the most fit Maecenas for it both in respect of the matter and manner The matter is a Dispute about Religion both Protestant and Popish the manner is by vsurping certaine names occurring in the Acts of the holy Apostles and accommodating them so as may best befit these times amongst which the chiefe is Sergius Paulus before whom Paul and Elymas enter the lists with an ayme chiefely at the ouercomming of this honourable person The issue is according to Pauls desire the setling of Sergius Paulus in the truth so that with him there was no more place now for Elymas Your Maiestie hath beene much conuersant in disputations and now at length I vvill not say being setled for it appeareth sufficiently that there hath euer been a setlednesse and resolution in your Royall brest but not thinking good to lend an eare any longer to the friuolous arguments of such as haue sought your auersion from the Truth your MAIESTIE hath prouided that they shall haue no more copÄe of disputing within your whole iurisdiction The Worke I confesse is too sleighty to bee presented before so large an vnderstanding and the Author too meane to presume to so high a patronage Epistle Dedicatory vpon the Lords Prayer But forasmuch as your Maiestie hath acknowledged it to haue beene your owne course to dedicate your royall writings to fit persons with whom each Tract might best suite my hope is that my boldnesse shall haue pardon if in following so worthy an example I haue aspired to this dedication It hath bred much sollicitude in your Maiestie as your late directions touching preachers and preaching doe testifie to consider the dayly increase of Popish superstition euen within your Maiesties Dominions And wee your faithfull subiects cannot but haue a sympathy herein for which cause wee highly applauding that direction of instructing in the Principles of Religion doe apply our selues diligently to this Catecheticall kinde of teaching if haply the mobile vulgus might thus bee faster grounded And for mine owne part according to that slender skill which GOD hath giuen mee I haue by vvriting endeauoured to further this kinde of teaching English Catechisme and to hold to the patterne of the lesser authorized Catechisme for the auoiding of confusion by an vniforme proceeding wherein I haue not beene altogether frustrated of my end neither there being many Reuerend Diuines and others amongst whom this labour of mine hath beene so accepted as that it hath long agoe come to the third impression Now if my coniecture deceiue mee not another good helpe to preserue from this infection would bee some Antidote of our tenents and grounds and of Popish tenents and practices in the worship of God without all ground set vp either by aduantage taken of the darknesse or by force there beeing none able to make resistance in seuerall times and ages of the world especially if it might bee perspicuous and plaine to any capacitie and briefe for euery ones leisure and abilitie And such is this which I here present vnto your Sacred Maiestie the which or the like vnto which I could wish that euery one who is not furnished with better would make his vade mecum That Reuerend and learned Bishop of Meath hath lately put out a Worke in answere to a Iesuite of the noueltie of Poperie in so complete a manner as that a man would thinke as it was said of the answer of our blessed Sauiour none should dare to aske that question any more If this of mine comming after it should seeme superfluous my apologie is that our Church besides the greater hath also the lesser Catechisme Babes must haue their prouision as well as those that are stronger Your Maiesties care of the good of this Church committed vnto you herein like to that of Constantine in the matter of Arâ—ianisme as it hath much reioyced my heart and the hearts of many thousands that pray for the prosperitie of Sion so it hath incouraged mee to presse into your Sacred presence with this my Goates-haire not being able to bring better Your Maiestie I know hath no need of such Tracts but many of vs that bring presents in this kinde may bee glad to learne from your Pen and to receiue knowledge from your lips yea 1 King 10. â— blessed are they that stand alwayes in thy presence to heare thy wisedome Yet vouchsafe I beseech your Maiestie to suffer it to passe vnder the protection of your countenance to your people and I doubt not but the Protestant Religion shall hereby appeare vnto them as it is so amiable and rightly grounded and the Religion of the Church of Rome so corrupt and peruerting the grounds as that thousands which shall attentiuely and without preiudice reade it shall herein blesse God for you some that were ignorant of the differences of these religions and so standing indifferently affected being better informed some that were wauering through the seeming truth of that heresie being confirmed and some that were simply seduced and gone from vs being againe to the truth reduced to the great glory of God and to the fulfilling of the number of most loyall and faithfull subiects in whom the heart of your Maiesty may most safely trust The Father of lights who hath so enlightned your knowledge the Son that life who hath so viuified your heart and the Spirit that sire who hath so inflamed your zeale for the truth increase confirme and prosper this your knowledge life and zeale to the benefiting of many soules and to the ioyfull giuing vp of your Maiesties Accounts at the great day of reckoning Amen praieth he who is Your Maiesties most humbly deuoted subiect and seruant IOHN MAYER To all that conscionably inquire after the Truth that they may be saued both of the reformed Religion and of the Romane Catholike COurteous Reader thou mayest haply blame mee for my ouer-diligence in writing-so much and now vpon a subiect so throughly canuased already in diuers bookes of learned Authors But know that I haue beene drawne to doe this by the sollicitation of others being lâ—th of my selfe to interrupt my course in another tract
Betweene Anno 1200 Hist Magd. Cent. 13. c. 2. and 1300 Gulielm de Sancto amers was banished for an heretike and had his bookes burnt and Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne greatly opposed the Pope Between An. 1300 and 1400 was Iohn Wickliffe professor of diuinitie in Oxford who opposed the Pope in sundry points Hist Magd. Cent. 14. And out of Greece came diuers by reason of the Turkish tyranny amongst whom Marsilius Patauinus was of most note he maintained that the Pope had no power ouer other Bishops much lesse ouer Kings Armachanus an Archb. in Ireland and Iohannes de Rupeseissa were of the same opinion also And after this Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague with almost all the country of Bohemia were famous for standing for the truth Serg. Paul But these were but a few in an age neither could they make a Church how hapned it that there were no more till Wickliffes time Paul Where Bishops and learned teachers haue been stirred vp to stand for the truth there is no doubt but as lights of the world they did inlighten many more though they be to vs vnknowne Neither was the mysterie of iniquity growne to that height till about Wickliffes time and the dayes of the succeeding Worthies so that the Romane religion was not altogether so dangerous but now they being almost quite gone from Christ their superstitious deuotion increasing towards the Virgin Mary and the rest of the Saints satisfying for a mans owne sins in part being taught and the merit of workes and freedome of will set vp and the assurance of faith condemned and such horrible idolatry with the Masse more then euer committed they which had the Spirit of God in any measure within them could no longer forbeare but in great companies vtterly separate from the Church of Rome lest whilst they would bee worshippers of Christ they should become limmes of Antichrist to the destruction of their soules Elymas Nay rather are ye now become limmes of Antichrist by following Martin Luther a Monke that brake his Vow and maried a Nunne was of a notorious wicked life and had consultation with the Deuill and so went to the Deuill at the last and by following King Henry 8 a man so sensuall and tyranicall for these and such like were your leaders to this Schisme and not any good Spirit as yee pretend Paul In seeking to wound the truth through the sides of these men you doe but according to your accustomed manner it being one of the Pillars of your Religion to lay slanderous imputations vpon your Aduersaries as a late Writer of ours hath notably shewed Willet Tetrastul Papismi But as for Martin Luther it is well knowne that he was a man of great zeale for the truth and succeeded accordingly your Pope and all your power not being able to lay violent hands vpon him but that hee was preserued to dye in peace If there were any thing taxable in him in what holy man hath there not beene likewise it is no preiudice to the truth which hee stood for no more then Saint Pauls forepassed persecuting and blaspheming was to the Gospel And for King Henry 8 God can vse any instrument to beat down the pride of such an enemy as the Pope as be vsed Nebuchadnezzar to chastice idolatrous Iudah and the Syrian Presidents and Romane Emperours to destroy Christs enemies and to abrogate the legall seruice by burning vp the Temple and yet this made nothing the more for the credit of the Iewes Religion or discredit of the Christian thus aduanced But because you haue giuen mee so iust occasion I say that if the wickednesse and miscrable ends of chiefe erectors of any Religion be an argument of a bad religion as vndoubtedly it is the Religion of the Church of Rome is abundantly conuinced to bee such seeing so many Poper haue beene so notoriously wicked and perished so miserably and such apparant iudgements haue beene executed vpon others that hath holpen to aduance it Gregory the third who drew vp the Popedome to such a high pin was a most wicked man for when Phocas who had murthered Mauricius Platina and was therefore greatly taxed by the Patriarke of Constantinople for which hee was much offended with him hee sent his image to Rome and Gregory receiued it honourably and flattereth with this parricide but inioyed not long the honour of vniuersall Bishop thus attained for he dyed within nine moneths after And Phocas the founder of the primacy proued soone after a slothfull beast Pompon Latus Paul Diacon cruelly murthering many of the Nobles rauishing many Matrons and Virgins wallowing in dayly drunkennesse and acocrdingly was rewarded For hee was taken by Priscus and Heracleon and his hands being fast cut off then his priuy member he was beheaded and his body burnt in a brazen Bull R. Barus supplem Chron. Nancl. and all his posterity destroyed with him Siluester the second was a Coniurer and was slaine by the Deuil Iob. Marius when he was saying Masse in the Chappell of the Crosse of Ierusalem Iohn the 13 committed Incest with two of his Sifters and was slaine at the last in the act of Adultery Gregory the seuenth put out the eyes of Iohn the 15 and killed him with famine in the Castle of Saint Angelo that he might reigne in his stead and hauing laboured mightily to aduance the papall Sea he was shortly cut off by a sudden death and his body was drawne by the feet through the streets Fascic Temp. Otho 1. and pierced with speares by the Romanes Whereupon the History called Fosciculus temporâ—â— noreth that the Bishops of Rome were now adayes slaine as in the Primitiue Church but were not made Martyrs as they there was the like death but not the like cause thy suffered as wailde lambes following the Lambr Christ Plat. vit pontif these as ranâ—â—ing Wolues an empting a new Empire Gregory the ninth dyed in despaise Boniface the eighth dyed of madnesse Paul the second hauing yoted as much as euer did Hesiegabalus dyed of an Apoplexy Alexander the sixt committed Incest with his owne daughter whom also he maried to his sonue Pasquil Natal comes Hist l. 4. and was at the last poysoned by him Pius the fourth dyed in the very bosome of his Concubine Paul the third when he had waxed old in a filthy course of life dyed crying out my sinne is alwayes against mee And what should I reckon vp more whoso desireth to read further of them let him looke into Pelanus Dan. part 2. p. 467 and Parker of the Grosse who sheweth what whores and Ganimedes by name seuerall Popes haue had Sergius had Marozia Gregory the seuenth Matildis Alexander the sixt Lucretia all their daughters or Sisters Sextus the fourth had for his Ganimede Riarius Iulius the second Germanus Leo the tenth Hypolitus Iulius the third Innocentius c. And Napier who in his exposition vpon the Rouelation