that it is not barren but full of works of charity which are the fruits of righteousnes of a true faith Heb. 11. 1. Gal. 5. 6. Philip. 1. 11. The new doctrin of men teacheth that the particular iustification of meÌ„ and much more the saluation is very vncertaine so that men must alwayes doubt of their saluation And that not to doubt of the grace and fauour of God is presumption Conc. Trid. Ses 6. Can. 13. Cens Colon. fol. 96. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our good workes for thaâ— they are imperfect can deserue nothing at Gods hand as saith the Prophet Esay 64 6. All our righteousnes is as a stained cloth And Christ our Lord saith Luk. 17. 10 When ye haue done all that is commanded you say ye are vnprofitable seruants The new doctrin of men teacheth that our good works deserue the grace of God and euerlasting life also that men may do works which they call of supererrogation that is to say ouer and aboue those which the Law of God commandeth whereunto the doers thereof are not bound and they are auailable to helpe others â—ellar de Purgatorio lib. 1. â— 8. censor colif 175. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the head Spouse of the Church which he gouerneth and teacheth by his word and Spirit that the dutie of the Church is to heare and obey the voyce of her Spouse and faithfull Pastor according to the commandement of the heauenly Father Mat. 17. 5. Heare him and as Christ Iesus also teacheth Io. 10. 27. My sheep heare my voyce I know them they follow me The new doctrine of men teacheth that the Pope is the head Spouse of the Church and Vicar of Christ vpon earth who hath the keyes of Paradice and of hell and can both saue condemne and therefore ought all men to obey his decrees and be subiect vnto him And that whosoeuer obeyeth obeyeth not but gainesaith his constitutions is an heretique In extraâ—ag Tom. 22. Tit. 5. In Gloss 2. lib. 1. Decret T it 7. C. 5. The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the pastors ministers of the Church ought to feed the Christian people with the true spiritual food which is the word of God and wholesome Doctrine of the Gospell As the ministers of Christ faithful Stewards of the misteries of God according to the commaundement of Christ Matth. 28. 20. Iohn 21. 16. 17. And following the stteps of the Apostle which taught the Church that which they had receiued of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 23. And that which was agreeable to the holy scripture Acts 26. 22. 1. Cor 15. 3. 4. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the ecclesiaâ—tical persons ought to sacrifice or say Masse sing and pray in the Latine tongue and to keepe the ceremonies and tradition of the Romane Church And to teach the people to obserue all that which the Popes and Councels determine coÌ„maÌ„d Albeit it agreeth not with the holy scripture CoÌ„ci Trid. Ses vltma c The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the vse of strange tongues albeit to the praise of God is vnprofittable in the Church to the ignorant auditory Therfore that they which teach pray or sing in the Châ—rch ought to vse the vulgar tongue vnderstood of the people for edification and exhortation and consolation of all 1. Cor. 14 3. 6. 7. 8. c. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of God ought to be vsed in the Latine tongue And that it should not be only vnprofittable but also to the common people hurtfull if the holy scripture in the Church should be read or sung in the vulgar tongue Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. â—5 The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that the sacrameÌ„ts be instituted of Christ to imprint confirme in our harts the truth of the promises of God and that they may be healthful vnto vs it is of necessity required that we be faithful in the vse of them for as the word of God not beleeued doth not only not profit the hearers thereof but leaueth them condemned So haue the sacraments the same effect when by faith they are not receiued Matth 28. 19. 20. Rom. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 11. 27. 29. Heb. 4. 2. cap. 11. 6. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the sacrameÌ„ts of the new testament giue grace ex opere operato That is to say By the vertue of the worke wrought without any good motioÌ„ of his part that receiueth theÌ„ l. 4. se dist 1 The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ in the institution of the holy supper brake the bread and gaue it to his disciples and afterwardes the wine saying drink ye all of it without making difference The same teacheth the Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 11. 23. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that the sacrameÌ„t of the altar ought to be giuen dispensed in bread and in wine to the priests onely But to the â—ayty the bread alone ought to be admonished Concil Trid. Sess â— The ancient Doctrin of God doth teach that matrimony is honorable among all men Heb. 13. 4. And that it is better to marry then to burne â— Cor. 7. 9. Also that to forbid marriage is a doctrin of diuels 1. Tim. 4. 3. The new Doctrin of men doth teach that matrimony is a Carnal estate and therefore with such seuerity to be forbidden to the Clergy that more 〈◊〉 it should be for a prelate or ecclesiasticall person to liue in fornication th lawfully to marry according to the law of God for as saith Bellar it is a greater wickednesse for an ecclesiasticall person to marry then to commit fornication And adding the cause saith for that he which is so married is made vnable to keepe his vowâ— the which he that committeth fornication is not Bellar. de Monachis lib. 2. cap. 34. The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that that which entreth into the mouth defileth not a man Math. 15. 11. And that all meates be cleane creatures and that the faithfull may indifferently vse them with pure conscience and thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 4. Tit. 1. 15. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that it is not lawfull for a Christian vnder paine of mortall sinne to eate of all sorts of meates on all dayes and times As in Lent the foure times the frydayes the satturdayes and the vigils of some Saints Dist 4. cap. Statuimus The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that the duty of a godly man is to speake truth keepe his faith promise not to violate his oath although it were to his owne hindrance Psal 15. 2. 4. Zach. 1. 16. Eph. 4. 25. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that faith ought not to be kept with heretiques and that it is lawful to violate promise and oath in fauour of the Roman Church as it is coÌ„cluded in
scarlet guilded with golde and decked with pearles and precious stones c. In the 9. verse he plainely mentioneth 7 mountaines whereon the woman sitteth adding afterwards in the 18. verse That great citie which reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth And Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. saith that Antichrist shal sit in the temple of God Largely writeth Daniel chap. 7. 5. 8. concerning the estate life and doctrine of Antichrist where Behold saith he there came vp another litle horne and then addeth That in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And in the 20. and 21. verses And he appeared greater then any of his fellowes And I beheld and the same horne made war against the saints and ouercame them And verse 25. And hee spake wordes against the most high and shall consume the Saintes of the most high and thinke that he may change times and lawes And chap. 8. vers 23. 24. 25. There shall rise vp a king of fierce countenance and vnderstanding darke sentences and his power shall increase but not in his owne strength and shall destroy wonderfully and prosper and practise and shall destroy the mightie and holy people and through his policie also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand and he shall extoll himselfe in his heart and by peace shall destroy many He shall stand vp against the Prince of Princes but he shall be broken downe without hand Also in the eleuenth chap. vers 36. And the king shall doe what he lifteth he shall exalt himselfe and shall magnifie himselfe against all that is God and shall speake maruellous thinges against the God of Gods and shall prosper till the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made vers 37. Neither shall hee regard the God of his Fathers nor the loue of women nor care for anie God for he shall magnifie himselfe aboue all vers 38. But in his place shall he honour his God Mauzim A God whom his fathers knewe not shall he honour with golde and vvith siluer and with precious stones and thinges of great price vers 39. This shall hee doe in the strong holds of Mauzim vvith a strange God whom hee shall acknowledge hee shall increase his glorie and shall cause them to rule ouer many and shall diuide the land for gaine The Apostle Saint Paule in the second epistle to the Thessal chap. 2. 4. saith that this man of sinne and sonne of perdition shall exalt and lift vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is vvorshipped So that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God And in the ninth verse Who shall come by the effectuall working of Sathan vvith great power signes and lying wonders and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse Also 1. Timoth. chap. 4. vers 2. 3. Which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences seared vvith an hoteyron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created Also in the Apoc. 13. 11. And I beheld another beast comming vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the Lambe but spake like the Dragon And cap. 17. 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of saints and with the bloud of the martyrs of Iesus These prophesies doe teach vs that Antichrist must bee a king who from meane estate shall become exceeding great and mightie and prosper That he shall bee also a blasphemer an Idolater a sacrileger exceeding proud subtill an hypocrite a contemner of marriage couetous a great Tyrant a persecutor of the Saints a deceiuer full of impietie Examine we now these testimonies of holy scripture which wil appear to be most properly belōging to the Pope of Rome So as by these prophesies we are warned as it were with the finger of God from heauen that the Pope is Antichrist Therfore the time of his reuelation considered the Popes reigne began in the fourth monarchie and want of the Romane Empire For about the yeare 606. Pope Boniface the 3. receiued of Phocas the Emperour who was a tyrant and murthered Mauricius his Lord with his wife and children the title of Vniuersall Bishop and Head of the Church which once being graunted the Popes whole endeuors were to lift vp themseues with the Empire of Rome and the whole world besides For the seat of Antichrist it is cleare and to all men knowne that the Pope sitteth at Rome which is a city scyted betweene the two seas Thyrren and Adriartike hath 7 mountains reigned ouer all the kings of the earth which cannot be said of any other city in the world And seeing Rome is in Europe neither in India Asia nor Africa it plainly appeareth that Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God to wit in Christendome as Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. declareth Meane at the beginning was the estate and condition of the Pope but it mightily and with great successe increased So that he holdeth not authoritie and one crowne as a king onely but three crownes declaring thereby his power to be greater then that of all kings and Emperours As he attributeth also to himselfe the two swords or powers spirituall and temporall figured by the two hornes Apoc. 13. 11. A Blasphemer is the Pope in saying he is Christs Vicar head of the Church that he can pardon sinnes may not be iudged of any cannot erre in conclusion that he is God in the earth can change nature holdeth an heauenly power and the fulnes of power and of vnrighteousnesse can make righteousnesse See lib. 1. Decret Gregor tit 7. Can. 5. An Idolater he is when he commandeth Image-worship inuocation of Saints maketh of the Sacramēt an Idol of Mauzim a God whom neither the Apostles nor their fathers knew because they worshipped and honoured one only God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 23. A Sacriledger he sheweth himselfe to bee when he robbeth the Church of the second commandement of Gods law the lay people of the cup in the Lords supper and forbiddeth Christian people to reade the holy scripture contrary to the doctrine and expresse commandement of Christ Ioh. 5. 39. Most proud he appeareth when he is carried on mens shoulders as they carryed in time past the Arke of the Lord vppon the shoulders of the Leuites when hee calleth himselfe most holy Father and Holinesse it selfe dares to breake and change the ordinances of God and impose new lawes vpon mens consciences compareth himselfe to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone lib. 1. Gregor tit 33. and both Emperors and kings do kisse his feet Subtill hee is in all his kingdome but then chiefly when by meanes of auricular confession he diueth into the hearts of all men not of the common sort onely but also of the greate States of the world vnderstanding thereby all secrets A manifest hypocrite hee is when vnder the title of Seruant of seruantes hee ruleth as
of our Saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. No other willeth God for all his benefites but that we be thankfull and call vpon his name Thus shall the number of those whom God hath elected to life eternall encrease and so the kingdome of sinne death the diuell which is the kingdome of lies of false new doctrine confirmed with dreames false miracles and illusions of the diuell shal be destroied and that of grace life and of Christ which is the kingdome of truth the true and old doctrin confirmed with the word of God shal abide for euer To whom which is one God Father Sonne and holy Spirit who liueth and raigneth be perpetuall honâ—â— and glory Amen An Addition I In the moneth of Aprill 1588. Philip the second of that name king of Spaine pretending to send his inuincible fleet for the Conquest of England made choise by the aduise of the Prioresse of the monastery of the Anunciada whose name was Mary of the Visitacion as most worthie for her holinesse to blesse his Standard royall the which she did with vsing diuers other câ—remonies in the deliuery thereof to the Duke of Medina Sedonia who was appointed chiefe Generall she did pronounce openlie good successe and victory to the Duke in saying he should return a victorious Prince This standard was carried in procession by Don Francisco de Cordoua who was a Spaniard the tallest Gentl. that could be found he being on horse backe to the end it might be the better seen at the solemnzing wherof there was such a number of people assembled that diuers of them perished with the throng There was present the Archduke Albertus which then was Cardinall and Gouernor of the kingdom of Portugal the Popes Nuncio the Archbishop who was head inquisitor with diuers other Nobles Prelates Gentlemen This solemnization dured so long that Albertus fainted with fasting and this holy Nunne to comfort him caused a messe of the broth which was for her owne diet to be brought presenting it to him which he accepted most willingly coÌ„ming from the handes of so holy a Nun as then she was holden to be but about the beginning of DeceÌ„ber next after all her holines false miracles and great dissimulations was then found out and she condemned punished for the same according as is râ—bersed in this booke About the end of this yeare 1588 that this holy Nun was discouered in Lisbon there was also discouered in Seuil one father â—yon who was counted to be a most deuour and religious man but by his owne fellowes of his profession he was discouered to be a great hypocrite and a most vicious 〈◊〉 giuen to carnall lustes and for this and diuers other causes he was committed to the prison which is in the Cardinals house of 〈◊〉 A Table wherein by certaine Antitheses is declared the difference and contrarietie which is betweene the ancient doctrine of God contained in the holy scripture and taught in the reformed Churches and the new doctrine of men â—aught and maintained in the Roman or Popish Church Ierem. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein ye shall find rest for your soules THe ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the holy Scripture being the word of God diuinely inspired hath most sufficient authority of it selfe containeth all necessary doctrin to pietie and our saluation as S. Paul clearly teacheth 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The new doctrin of meâ— teacheth that the holy Scripture although it be the word of God should haue no authority were it not for the approbation of the Church and that it is an vnperfect and maimed doctrine which containeth not doctrine sufficient to pietie nor our saluation but that this defect must be supplied by vnwritteÌ„ traditions Belar de verb. Deâ— noÌ„ scrip l. 4. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that ignorance of the holy scriptures is the cause and mother of errors as Iesus Christ our Lord doth witnesse Mat 22. 19. saying to the Sadduces Ye erre because yee know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and therefore the duty of euerie faithfull Christian is to reade meditate and search the holy scripture as God commandeth his people Deut. 6. 7. chap. 12. 32. chap. 17. 19. Iosua 18. Esa 8. 20. And Christ our Lord in the new Testament Ioh. 5. 39. And as did the faithfull in the time of the Apostles Act 17. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The new doctrin of men doth teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and that to keepe religion safe it is needful to forbid the lay or secular men the reading of the holy scriptures seeing it is the cause of many heresies Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15 16. cens col f. 19. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that many deceiuers and false Prophets are gone out into the world and that the faithfull therfore are to proue the spirits whether they be of God 1. Io. 4. 1. And that the holy scripture is the touch whereby this proofe and examination ought to be made Ioh. 5. 39. Act 17. 11. So that all doctrine contrary and repugnant to holy Scripture be it of Councels Fathers Doctors old or new and that as saith the Apostle of himselfe or of an Angel from heauen ought not to be receiued nor taught in the Christian Church Gal. 1. 8. 1. Tim. 1. 3. chap. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 11. 2. Ioh. 10. The new doctrin of men doth teach that whosoeuer coÌ„tradict the Pope his decrees human traditions be false teachers that the Pope hath authority to iudge of all controuersies and of the true sense of holy Scriptures and that from his iudgment it is not lawfull to appeale Bellar. de verbo Dâ—â— interp lib. 3. cap. 3. c. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that we ought to serue God alone which is the Creator and gouernour of all the world following the doctrin of Christ which saith Matt. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The new doctrine of men doth teach that we ought not to serue God alone but also the Saints that they hold them for patrons of kingdoms people cities societies and infirmities Bellarm. de Sanct. beat lib. 1. cap 12. Cens Col. fol. 230. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the lawful worship of God is to be founded vpon the holy Scripture that God will be serued according to his will and word in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. and not after the opinion nor by the traditions nor customes of men as God by his prophet Eze. 20. 18. doth very expresly teach vs saying Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers nor obserue their lawes nor defile your selues with their idols I am the Lord your God Walke in mine ordinances and
the 170. yeare the Gentiles forced with tormentes the seruants of the Christians to say of their maisters many abhominations and among others that they eate their owne children Celsus the Gentile Philosopher accused the Christians for disloyall and traytors and said that their religion they had taken from the Barbarians and Iewes Origen defended the Christians with 8 bookes which he wrote against this Celsus In the time of S. Augustine were great calamities and wars the which Symachus an orator and many other imputed to the Christians saying that whiles the Roman Empire adored their Gods it prospered The like Historie reciteth Ieremy that when they worshiped the Queene of heauen then all thinges prospered Read the bookes intituled of the citie of God where Saint Augustine wrote against this slaunder in defence of the Christians In the time of the glorious martyr Saint Ciprian who many yeares liued before S. Augustine there was a Proconsull in Africa called Demetrianus a great enemy of the Christians he and others such like with him said that all the wars famine and pestilence wherewith the world was then afflicted ought to be imputed to the Christians because they did not worship the Gods Against this Demetrianus wrote S. Cipriā saying that not the Christians but the Gentiles were the cause of these calamities because vnwilling to worship the true God they adored false Gods and afflicted the Christians with so great and so vniust persecutions not that they should confesse God but that they should denie him The weakenesse of their Gods he shewed them seeing they could not defend themselues c. Al this in our time fully passeth For the selfe same causes are we at this day slaundered and vniustly to the most cruell and shamfull kind of death condemned The same state of the Church is now as it was in the time of Saint Ciprian and of the other Saintes by vs named And as they were defended against the Gentiles So we against the Antichristians doe now make our defence We tell them that God sendeth in our dayes so many calamities of wars famine and pestilence because they haue profaned the diuine worship and in the place of the creator they honour the creatures They worship not God as he hath commaunded in spirit and truth but after the doctrines and commaundements of men and God alone doe they not worship but also the Saints their Images and pictures They adore not will they tell me the Images but that which they represent albeit their second Nicen Councell not the first which is holy and good commaundeth Images with the same adoration to be worshiped as that which they represent as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue declared Also our aduersaries seing themselues in some affliction inuocate the saints of Paradise without any commandement or example in al the holy scripture so to do where they ought to inuocate none but God alone Also wheras ther is but one only mediator Intercessor aduocate betwixt God mā which is Christ Iesus as the Apostle calleth him they not contented with the only Intercessiō of Christ for were they cōtented Christ is sufficient for thē many mediators do they inuent each one maketh choice of one for himself Also they take away ad to the law of God he which so doth being cursed of God so take they away the 2. cōmandement against Images to fil vp the number of ten of the tenth doe they make two commandements Also we read in holy scripture that the Lord in his catholike church did institute but two sacraments baptisme the holy supper they haue made 7. They also say that neither the Pope nor Coūcel nor the Inquisition can erre hence commeth it that they giue so much credit to the decrees constitutions of the Popes Councels Inquisitors as if they were the word of God it selfe yet would God they gaue not more credit to them then to the word of God Very common are ignorance supersticion Idolatrie in the Romane Church This is the height of al their wickednesse that with fire bloud doe they persecute the true catholique Christiās because so instructed gouerned by the word of God they worship one only God in spirit truth because they hold Iesus Christ for the only and alone mediator and because they ad not nor ought diminish from the law of God nor his worde When our aduersaries shal then say that we trouble the world with our new doctrine we will make them the same answere that Elias inspired with the diuine spirit freely made vnto K. Achab. Art thou he saith Achab which troublest Israell Elias answered Not I but it is thou thy fathers house that trouble Israell because ye haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and followed Baall yee then will we say to our aduersaries are they that haue forsaken the commandements of Christ haue followed the traditiōs of Antichrist your father the Pope ye are they which worship not nor honour God but ye worship and honor Images against the expresse cōmandemēt of God Exod. 20. Deut. 5. with many other places Let our aduersaries at last vnderstand these others such like to be the cause why God afflicteth the world with so great wars famine pestilence diuers other calamities within our dayes we haue yet doe suffer His maiestie for his infinit mercy for his Christs sake opē their eyes that they may consider the works of God so may soften not harden their harts as did Pharo who by the more God did afflict him for his rebellion contempt by so much the more was he hardened against God the people of God But leauing ancient histories come we to that which in our dayes happened let vs come to our countrie of Spaine God by his iust iudgement hath many times in the space of 40 yeares afflicted Spaine with wars famine pestilence and other calamaties which began a little after that great persecution against the faithfull and catholique Christians This persecution beginning in Seuill hath stretched almost throughout all Spaine against the noble learned people as after we wil declare The priests of Baall in their pulpits cōfessiōs discourses do affirme all this of right to be imputed vnto those whom they cal Lutheran heretiques The common people which neither know nor other thing beleeue but that which these Baalamites tell them cōmand thē to beleeue doe beleiue it so to be For confirmation of my sayings I wil here recite that which D. Illescas cap. 31. vpon the life of Pius 4. saith His wordes be these In the 1561. yeare on Saint Mathewes day the 21 of September being the Saboth two howers before day in the morning aftre was kindled in the streete called Costanilla of Valladolid so terrible and fearefull that without hope of remedy in the 30. howers space it ruined aboue 400. of the most
for thine auaile El frayle que pide pan carne toma si se la dan. The holy Frier that bread doth craue Will take flesh if he it may haue De los biuos muchos diezmos de los muertos mucha oblada q. d. offrenda en buen ano renta y en mal ano doblado Of the quicke many tithes of the dead many oblations to wit offerings In a good yeere a good rent and in an euil yeare doubled Al cabo delano mas come elmuerto que el sano Esto se entiende por las offrendas q̄ los Eclesiasticos tienē por las animas de purgatorio At the end of the yeare eate the dead more then the whole This is meant by the offerings which the Ecclesiastical persons haue for the soules of Purgatory Andad diablos tras aquel finado que no mandò nada q. d. à los clerigos que lo entterrauan no dexó dinero para Missas c. The Deuil foule that corps do take Which gaue vs nought good cheere to make That is to say which left nothing to the Priestes for saying of Masses Hurtar elpuerco dar los pies por amor de Dios. To rob to spoyle to steale a swine And giue the feet for cause diuine Vnas de gato y habitos de beato Fell Wolfe in Lambe-skin queintly clad Like Cats nailes Frier though habit sad Cuentas de beato y unas de garauato A Friers beades a graple hooke A guilefull heart though holy looke La Cruz en los pechos y el diablo en los hechos The holy crosse vpon the breast Yet there the diuell hath his neast Haz lo q̄ dize el fraile y no lo q̄ haze Son pues phariseos hypocritas What saith the Frier that do what doth he that do not They be then hypocriticall Pharisies Sease milagro y hagalo el Diablo A miracle is it and the deuill doth it La carcely la quaresma para los pobres es hecha The prison and lent for the poore are meant Camino de Roma ni mula coxa ni bolsa floxa Q. D. que el que va à Roma por algun beneficio o por meior dezir maleficio ha de tener buena cavalgadura para bolar si pudiesse de medio quo otro no se adelante y se lo coja Y no basta ir presto es menester tambiē llevar la bolsa fornida para comprar el beneficio lo qual es Simonia Neither a halting mule nor emptie purse is the way to Rome To wit he that for any benefice or to speak better malefice goeth to Rome must haue a good horse to flie if he could lest another come before him catch it vp And to go speedily is not sufficient a purse well stuffed must he carie also to buy the benefice which is Simony Roma Roma la que à los locos doma y à los cuerdos no perdona Rome Rome which tameth fooles And spareth not the wise To prie and proule for gaine Hath Linx his piercing eyes Quien tiene pie de altar come pausm amassar Idle Masse of the Altar Eate the fruit of others labour No ay casa harta sino donde ay Corona rapada No house there is that 's fitly stored Which wants a crowne not finely shared Quien es Conde y dessea ser Duqut metasc frayle en Guadalupe Who so is an Earle and would be a Duke Put he himselfe Friar in Guadelupe Que la fortuna como ellos llaman y no el espirtitu santo elija al papa That fickle fate not Spirite diuine Doth choose the Pope they say in fine Rey por natura y Papa por ventura A king by nature and a Pope by aduenture That we ought to fly these Ecclesiastical persons by that which is said and this prouerbe appeareth A frayle hueco soga verde y almendro seco A hollow hearted Fryar A rope that 's very greene A withered Almond tree Are neuer gainefull seene This thē being so as these most true prouerbs affirme blessed are they that knowing them depart from them and do that which God by Ieremy commandeth Fly sayth hee out of the middest of Babylon and deliuer euery one his owne soule lest ye perish by reason of her wickednesse c. And feare not pouertie for God is the God of all the roundnesse of the earth he will prouide for you For if saith Dauid it be God that giueth food to the beasts and to the yong rauens which cal vpon him according to that which God himself demādeth of Iob Who pre pareth saith he for the Rauen his meat whē his birds crie vnto God wandering for lacke of meat If God then take care for beasts rauens and young rauens and feedeth them how much more shall he feed man made to his owne likenesse and bought with the bloud of our Christ his sonne chiefly if such a man abhorring superstition and idolatrie desire in holinesse righteousnesse to serue his creator I haue bene yong saith Dauid well experienced in the power and mercies of God and now am old yet neuer saw I the righteous for saken nor their seed begging their bread The godly will he neuer faile seeing he neuer faileth the beast from whom by this or that meanes their need is satisfied For example the Rauens that brought bread and flesh to Elias and the pottage brought by Habacuc to Daniel in the den of the Lyons Notwithstanding all that I haue said touching the wicked life of the Cergie I confesse as the truth is that there be some good honest desirous to serue God among them which more offend of ignorance then malice who when the Lord shall shew them mercie to know the vices both in life doctrine will reproue them and if that suffise not go out from among thē As the Lord in all times hath euer preuented some in our time chiefly and hath made them notable preachers of the Gospell of his son Iesus Christ His Maiestie shew the same mercy to the rest that the kingdom of Antichrist may wholly fall to the earth and that of his Christ be exalted Let vs now come to the reasons Two Roman Empires haue bene the first will we call the old and the second the new Of verie mean beginnings began the one and the other by little and little so greatly climbed that they became the greatest most mightiest Empires that euer were or shall be in the world The first tooke beginning in two shepheards Romulus and Remus his brother who made a receptacle of euill doers and offendors and a gate as it were whereby they retyred and escaped of that multitude was a citie buylded which they called Rome Romulus not brooking a competitor in the Empire slew Remus his brother From this citie did they great violence and outrage to their neighbour nations not only robbing them of their goodes but of their
Rector and that by my will Councell consent nor exhortation he shall loose neither life member nor honour which he holdeth And I shall not make in Rome any decree or ordynation of all that to his holinesse or to the Romans perteyneth without your consent And all that of Saint Peters landes which shal be in our power we shall then restore and to whom soeuer I shall deliuer ouer the gouernement of Italiâ— I shall cause him sweare to be an ayder of his holinesse to defend to his power the landes of Saint Peter as God me helpe and by these holy Gospells of God c. After this 2. oath Don Charles was made a Chanon of Saint Peter and after a knight of Saint Peter These two oathes shall ye find in the Historie and 10. booke of the marquesse of Pescara Here may yee see how the world goeth contrary The Pope of a subiect to the Emperour hath made himselfe his Lord. This which I haue sayd touching the originall and growing vp of the Pope in an information presented to the princes and states of the Empire in the time of Don Charles the Emperour our king and Lord is handled more at large Hence will we conclude that the authoritie which the Pope boasteth to hold is neither by diuine nor humane right but diabolicall with subtilty he thrust himselfe into it with straunge force as saith Daniell he doth and shall maineteine the same vntill God destroy him with the force and power of his word By which saying it appeareth that the Popedome built as it is vppon hypocrysie craft auarice ambition and tyranny is not builded vppon the firme rocke which is Iesus Christ whom Saint Peter confessed saying Thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And if the Popedome be not founded vpon Christ much lesse is the Pope the head or vniuersall Bishop of the Church of God but of the deuill And that he is not vniuersall Bishop I will confirme it prouing with short and apparant reasons that Saint Peter whose successor they say the Pope to be was not vniuersall Bishop of the Church The first reason Saint Clement Bishop of Rome writing as say our aduersaries to Saint Iames called him the brother of the Lord Bishop of Bishops Gouernour of the Church of Ierusalem and of all others through the whole world If this be true it followeth that so was not Saint Clement albeit he were Bishop of Rome 2. Also in the first Christian Councell whereof Saint Luke in his Historie maketh mention not S. Peter as vniuersall Bishop but S. Iames gouerned Who heard each one and among them S. Peter and when all had spoken Saint Iames as President concluded in the 19. verse saying wherefore my sentence is c. Read the chapter and you shall see that which I say to be truth Notwithstanding all this D. Illescas the Popes parasite in his part 1. fol. 20. saith That Saint Peter as chiefe Bishop was president in this Councell 3. Also the Apostles as reporteth Saint Luke hearing that Samaria had receiued the doctrin of the Gospell to teach and more fully instruct them sent Peter Iohn thither But who shall now send the Pope to preach Suerely the Counsell wil not be so bould and though the CouÌ„sel so should yet would not the Pope do it saying he is Immediate from God The Apostles sent Peter and Peter as a faithfull member of the. Church obeyed went and preached 4. Saint Paule reproued Saint Peter because faith Saint Paule he so deserued Saint Peter listened thereto and allowed the reprehension That he was imediate from God that he was vniuersall Bishop and therefore greater then he answered he not neither did he answere that none ought nor could reproue him nor yet demaund account of him why he did so or so as the Popes nowe and many yeares also to kings Emperours yea and generall Councels haue answered So shamelesse are some of our aduersaries that notwithstanding Saint Paule saith that beeing come to Antioche I withstood Peter to his face c. And verse 14. hee saith whom when I saw that they walked not rightly according to the truth of the Gospell I said to Peter before all c. yet say they that Saint Paul reproued not S. Peter but another which was called Cephas Read D. Illescas part 1. fol. 21. Whose words be these Before that S. Peter say they came to Rome he held equality with S. Paul in Antioch c. Illescas beleeueth not that which S. Paul witnesseth of this equalltie and therefore as one doubting saith They say what credit shall we giue to such a one that doubteth of that which Saint Paul affirmeth That Antichrist whosoeuer he shal be which Saint Paul calleth the sonne of perdition man of sinne shall sit in the temple of God and as addeth S. Iohn in the citie situate vpon 7 mountaines This citie as S. Ierome and many others declare is Rome Only the Pope sitteth in the Temple of God in the citie of seauen mountaines which is Rome Therefore onely the Pope is that Antichrist 6. Also in the first Councell of Nice assembled by Constantine that good Emperour to confound and destroy the heresie of Arrius who with this blaspheamous mouth tooke away the diuinitie of Iesus Christ the Legats of the Bishop of Rome not in the 1. 2. nor 3. but in the 4. place did sitte Ergo the Bishop of Rome was not then head nor vniuersall Bishop of the Church In this Nicen Councell the Limits of the Patriarkes were bounded to whom the same authoritie ouer their Churches was giuen as held the Bishop of Rome ouer his neighbour Churches The Papists as they knowe which haue read Histories haue endeauoured what they could to falsifie this decree Reade for this purpose the sixt Councell of Carthage whereof we will afterwardes make mention Cardinall Cusanus alleaging the Nicen Councell shewed the rialtie of the truth saying as followeth The Bishop of Rome of the ancients is often called Patriarke or Archbishop and like authoritie was giuen him in the Councell of Nice as to the other Patriarkes Here wee see what great authoritie hath the Pope newly in our times vsurped more then that which the holy and ancient constitutions gaue him and all this by continuance and custome of slauish obedience Neither Iuâ—us who then was Bishop of Rome nor his Legates which were in this Councell gaine sayd this decree And that which more is the same decree was afterwareds in the Councell of Antioche and in the Councell of Constantinople confirmed In the first Councell of Ephesus Cyrillus In the 2. Dioscorus Patriaches of Alexandria did gouerne albeit the Legats of the the Bishop of Rome were there present In the 5. CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„stantinople Menas as patriarke of the city where the Councel was holden gouerned In the General Councell holden in Aquilea S. Ambrose bishop of Milan was president not the
displaceth and placeth kings and transferreth kingdomes from one nation to another Ergo say they the Pope hath authoâ—iâ—ie to dispose kingdomes giuing them to whom he will and taking them from whom he listeth Herehence came it that kinges and Emperours began striâ—ingly to kisse their feete beeing present or by their Embassadous being absent Hence it is that the Emperour himselfe â—erueth him for a horse boy holding the stirrop to his Sathanship when he mounteth on horsebacke And yet brawleth the Pope if he hold not the stirrop featly So shamelesse was Pope Boniface 8. that he made an Article of faith without which there could bee no saluation That the Pope aswell in the temporalltie as spiritualltie is absolute Lord presenting himselfe in the Iubile to the viewe of all men with a keye in the one hand and a Sword in the other His successor Pope Clement the sixt not contenting himselfe to commaund kinges and Emperours dared in a bull to commaund the Angels In the Popes Rota which is his Chauncerie was it concluded and determined that whatsoeuer the Pope doth God holdeth for good and approueth it That the will of the Pope is the rule of all lawe and Iustice That the Pope may doe absolutely in this world all whatsoeuer God doth Seeing that he is all and aboue all thinges And that if hee chaunge his opinion it ought to be presumed that God also hath chaunged That ableit the Pope should send many thousands of soules to hell none can reproue him That the power extendeth to heauen earth and hell it selfe That from him may no man appeale to God That he may dispence and commaund against the Epistles of S. Paul as hee that is greater then Paul The same may he doe against the old Testament as hee that is greater then the authors of the old Testament And yet haue they gone further they haue disputed whether the Pope might dispence against the Gospell Whether the Pope hath more power then Saint Peter Whether the Pope be simple man or as God Briefly the deuill hath so farre further proceeded that a little before the comming of Luther and afterwards also it was disputed in the schooles whether the Pope did participate as did Iesus Christ of the â— natures to wit diuine and humane Better should they haue demaunded if the Pope were an Hermophrodit which well may be because a woman hath bene Pope Read Erasmus Annot. 1. caput 1. Epistle ad TimotheuÌ„ They also disputed to vse their proper Latine An mille Angels possint saltare in summitate digiti To wit whether a thousand Angels might daunce one the end of a fingar Item an Christus sub forma scarabei posset saluare genus humanum Whether Christ in forme of a beetle could saue mankind Item whether the Pope were more mercifull then Christ O blasphemy they conclude yea The reason which they giue is this That it is not read in all the scripture That Iesus Christ drewe any soule out of Purgatorie But the Pope of his great pietie and mercy an infinite number of Soules doth daily deliuer And yet go they further and in their disputations conclude that the Pope hath power to kindle and quenche the fire of Purgatorie Flattering the Pope conclude they in all these questions lying against their owne consciences and making no reckoning of the honour onely due to God nor of his onely sonne Christ Iesus And Ca. Quoniam de imunit in 6. the Pope saith we not willing to contemne our Iustice nor that of our spouse the Church The Church is well knowne to haue no other spouse but onely Christ The Pope passeth further Hee saith and commaundeth that so it be said and preached and that we also so beleeue the vertue and holinesse of his seate to be such and so great that what wicked man soeuer how impious periured and abhominable hee be which shall sit therein euen then in a moment for hauing sitten therein is altered and changed to another man and is made holy But heare we the selfe same words which the beast himself speaketh as in Ca. Non nos dist 41. they be written and these they be The blessed S. Peter transferreth to his successors together with the inheritance of innocency an euerlasting dowery of merits That which to him was granted by the light of his workes pertaineth to those that be lightened with like clerenesse of conuersation For who may doubt him to be holy which is lifted vp to the height of dignitie wherein if he want goods gotten by his owne merit those that are giuen by the predecessor of the place suffice c. If this were truth then no Pope should be euill either in life or Doctrine sith that in being Pope he is learned and holy and in a word to speake all he is God vpon earth and so all whatsoeuer he doth God approueth it in heauen But the liues of the Popes by vs recited and the same liues also which the Popes parasites haue written doe shew vs the contrary This is that seate papall this is the heritage which one Pope inheriteth of another that one sitting therein were he not so euill before he is made euill And if he were euill he becommeth most euill and in the end each one is made the sonne of perdition and man of sinne opposing and lifting vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped So that as God he sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God All these things which here we haue gathered together concerning the doctrine of the Pope are blasphemies such as were the diuell himselfe clothed with humane flesh he could not speake greater nor more horrible yet for all this art thou blind ô Spaine and seest not nor yet knowest thou Antichrist whom supposing thou doest seruice to God and honour to Iesus Christ his sonne thou adorest and honorest God shewe thee his mercie and open the eyes of thine vnderstanding that thou maist reade heare and vnderstand the will of God which his Maiestie hath reuealed in his holy Scriprure without the reading or meditation whereof vnpossible it is for a man to attaine to the truth Search saith Iesus Christ the Scripture for they be those that testifie of me so by consequence of Antichrist also When with the Spirit of humilitie thou shalt well haue read and meditated vpon them thou shalt then vnderstand how great hath bene thy blindesse and ignorance Then turning thy selfe hartily to the true God that created redeemed and sanctified thee thou shalt abhorre the idols of siluer and the Idols of gold which thy sinfull hands as saieth Esaie haue made And thou blind and ignorant supposing thou didst great seruice to God diddest honor and adore them Then shalt thou cast them from thee stampe them in peeces and consume them so greate shall be thy hatred against Idolatrie Then then by how much
the first in an Epistle to the Clergy and people of Constantinople affirmeth this distribution to be mysticall to be spirituall meate and that therein wee receiue a celestiall power to passe or bee conuerted into the flesh of Christ who for vs tooke vpon him our flesh Ciril lib. 4. cap. 14. vpon Saint Iohn saith So to the faithfull disciples gaue he peeces of bread saying Take c. Also in an Epistle to Calosyrius he sayth It was meete that by meanes of his holy flesh and precious bloud he shoud in a certaine maner vnite or couple himselfe with our bodies which by the liuely blessing in the bread and wine we receiue Hesychius lib. 20. vpon Leuit cap. 8. saith By this he commandeth to eat the flesh with the bread that we might vnderstand hee called it a mysterie which is bread and flesh ioyntly togither Gelasius doth witnesse against Eutiches that in the Eucharist the substance and nature of the bread and wine in no wise ceaseth to hold their being And that moreouer which before we haue said Gregorie the first in his Register saith When we receiue as wel the bread without leauen as the leauened wee are made the body of the Lord our Sauiour Bertram in the booke which hee made of the bodie and bloud of the Lord speaking of the nature of the Symbols sayth that according to the substance of creatures the symbols which be the bread and wine bee the same after consecration that before they were But why alleage I one place of Bertrams booke sith the whole booke doth purposely handle this argument and concludeth the same that we now affirme with the holy Scripture and many sayings of the Fathers Ambrose Ierome Augustine Fulgentius c. confirmeth Bertram his doctrine and confirming his doctrine which is the same with ours it weakeneth and ouerthroweth that of our aduersaries which sayth the bread and wine in the sacrament to bee the very same body and bloud of Christ in flesh bones and sinewes which was borne dyed and rose againe c. But the bodie of Christ saith Bertram is in two maners one in flesh and in bones c. which was borne and dyed c. and the other spirituall which is that which is giuen in the sacrament and also he saith that the spirituall body of Christ and his spirituall bloud vnder the couerture of the corporall bread and of the corporal wine remaine At the request of Charles the Great wrote Bertram this booke as he himself in the end of his book speaking of Charles the great to whom he dedicated the same saith The occasion he had so to didicate it was for that As Bertram saith in the beginning of the booke Charles the Great had demanded of him whether the body and blood of Christ which in the Church is receiued with the mouth of the faithful be in mistery or really in truth receiued So that it is now aboue 760. yeeres past sithens this booke was written Iohannes Trithemius giueth this Testimony of Bertram Bertram was saith Trithemius much conuersant in the holy scripture very learned in humane science eloquent he was and no lesse excellent in life then in Doctrine S. Bernard is the sermon of the supper of the Lord by the similitude which he putteth of a ring sheweth that he is wholy for vs. Now to close vp this band of the fathers which against transubstantiation of diuerse times diuerse regions we haue alleaged we will set downe one most learned godly This is Theodoret bishop of Cyr that wrote the ecclesiastical historie He flourished about the yeare of our Lord 451. For he was present in that famous Councell of Chalecdon in the company of 630. bishops which condemned Diâ—scorus These bishops with great curtesie honorable titles did honor Theodoret being present in the Councel calling him catholique true pastor Doctor of the Church The same witnesseth Leo 1. Bishop of Rome in an epistle which he wrote to the foresaid Theodoret. And it is to be beleeued that had not Theodoret rightly thought of so high a mystery As is the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ that a Councel and one of the most famous that hath bin wherin were 630. bishops wold not haue called Theodoret catholike true pastor of the church c. In the 2. Councel of Ephesus was this Theodoret vniustly depriued from his bishopirck because he would not take parte with the heretike Eutiches But in the Councell of Chalcedon with great honor praise was his bishopricke restored If that which Theodoret then thought taught touching the Doctrine of the sacrament were catholike the same also shall it now be for the same which then was truth is now truth Very truely spake this Theodoret against transubstantiation in a booke God would should be printed in Rome for the greater confusion of the Romists which cannot deny that Theodoret is wholly for vs. But they excuse him with saying that this question of transubstantiation the Church had not yet determined Thus may the Pope for he is all in all cause that the Doctrine which in old time was catholike true be now hereticall wicked and that which then was hereticall and wicked be now catholike and good But if an Angel from heauen saith S. Paul shall preach another Gospel other Doctrine then that which he had taught such a one should be cursed Theodoret in his Dialogues bringeth in 2 persons which dispute of good things of thinges touching Christian religion The one called Orthodoxo and the other Eranistes Then saith Orthodoxo dost thou know that God hath called the bread his proper bodie Eran. I knowe it Ortho. knowest thou also that in an other place his flesh he calleth wheate Eran. This doe I also knowe c. And a little lower Ortho. In the same distribution of the misteries The bread he calleth bodie the cuppe mingled blood Erannist So doth he suerly call them Ortho. But also hath power to be called a bodie according to it nature his bodie surely and his blood Erannist It is clere Ortho. But the same our sauiour chaungeth the names and giueth vnto his bodie the name of symboll and contrariwise to the Simboll giueth hee the name of bodie After the same manner also when he had said of himselfe that he was a vine the same blood called he a Symboll Eranist This hast thou well spoken But I would learne also the cause why the names are chaunged Ortho. This is the marke whereat those ayme which professe religion For I would not that they which be partakers of the diuine misteries should settle their minds vpon the nature of those things which are seene but that by the change of the names they may beleeue that transmutation which is wrought by grace For hee which called his natureall body wheate and bread and called also himselfe a vine he himself honoreth the
nor his Apostles who in all simplicitie did celebrate the holy supper The wisdome of the flesh being enemy to God hath brought them into the Church to make vs forget the memorie of the benefite of Christs death and passion Moreouer we wil cite certaine histories by which the Christian Reader shall clearely see what account the Pope and his Cleargie make of their Sacrament of the Altar which they affirme to be God Gregory 7. for that he demanded a reuelation of the Host against the Emperour and had no answer cast it into the fire burned it Victor 3. died of poyson which his subdeacon in saying of Masse put into the chalice A Dominicke Friar gaue poyson in the Sacrament to the Emperour Henry 7. Sixtus 4. commanded that at the time of the eleuation the-murder should begin and so it was performed at Florence A certaine Inquisitor at Barcelona called Molon clipped the Host with a paire of sheers Foure Augustine Friars which were hanged at Seuill said Masse without any intention of consecration The same haue many other Priests done also and so by their owne Cannons haue caused all that heard their Masse to commit idolatrie That being as it is true which we haue said and proued of the Masse with very iust title and good and sound conscience do we detest it as a prophanatiō of the holy supper of the Lord There is then no cause why any shuld condemne vs for sedicious heretikes or schismatikes if abhorring the Masse flying the same we follow and imbrace the holy supper which Iesus Christ iustituted his Apostles and our forefathers for the space of a thousand yeares celebrated Would God for that onely sacrifice sake which his sonne our high and onely Priest offered vnto him that all our Spaniards would know as other nations do already know what the Pope is what things are his Buls which be nought els but mockeries which he maketh of vs what is his authoritie which is nought els but vanitie wherewith he hath many yeares deceiued vs that they would know that when the Pope curseth vs then God doth blesse vs would God they would know the holinesse of the masse to be diuelishnesse seeing it is a prophanation of the holy Supper of the Lord. Very hard will it be for them I know well to do this because they haue bene borne brought vp growne old in the contrary But if the holy spirit giue them grace to reade compare conferre cōfront that which we haue sayd in these two Treatises with the holy Scripture which is the word of God very easie it shall be vnto them wherby euery faithfull and catholike Christian in particular and the whole Church in generall ought to be ruled gouerned Our Spaniards in this should imitate those of Berea who as saith S. Luke in his history of the Acts of the Apostles searched the Scriptures to know if that which Paul preached were the word of God or no. If that wee haue said be the word of God no time no custome how ancient soeuer ought to preuaile against it And if for our sins lies falshood and error haue for a little or long time oppressed and darkened the truth the errour ought to giue place as maugre the same it shall giue and so truth iure Postliminij as say the lawes shall reenter his possession And albeit an olde custome is very hardly left yet none ought to preferre such custome to reason and truth do euer exclude and expell custome Therefore when with reason and truth for reason and truth we constraine and conuince our aduersaries In vaine do they oppose ancient custome vnto vs saying in this were our forefathers brought vp in this did they die In this were wee borne and brought vp in this then will we die As if custome were greater then the truth This is euen like the saying of another A Moore was my father a Moore also will I be hauing no other reason to giue but custome Custome without truth is an olde errour and errour the elder the more dangerous it is Therefore leauing as saith Saint Cyprian in his epistle ad Pompeium errour let vs follow the truth knowing as saith Esdras Truth ouercommeth as it is written Truth doth shall euer preuaile and liue and raigne eternally And then saith the same S. Cyprian Blessed be the God of truth The which truth Christ shewing in his Gospell vnto vs saith I am the Truth wherefore if we be in Christ and haue Christ in vs if we abide in the truth and the truth abide in vs. Let vs hold that which is the truth And a little lower If the truth in any thing shall stagger or seeme doubtfull meete it is that we runne backe to the originall which the Lord ordained and to the Euangelicall and Apostolicall instruction and thence ariseth the reason of that which wee doe from whence the order and originall was raised And as he himselfe in another place saith What men haue formerly done ought wee not to looke but to that which Christ who is the first of all hath done The holy Scripture is the most certaine and infallible rule and squire whereby all our actions ought to be ruled and squired as witnesse these places which we will alleage and manie others Dauid Psal 119. vers 105. sayth Thy word is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes Esay chap. 8. and 20. we are commanded to repaire to the Law and to the testimonies and sayth that they which do not so it is because there is no light in them It is because they be in darkenesse it is because they are blind and as blind men goe groping Saint Peter speaking of the word or doctrine of the Prophets saith Whereunto yee shall doe well to giue eare as to a candle burning in an obscure place c. The holy Scripitures doe teach vs that Iesus Christ is our high and onelie Priest It teacheth vs that hee once offered vp himselfe with which sacrifice being of infinite vertue he sanctifieth vs for euer And teacheth vs that there is no other sacrifice nor was nor shal be but this alone by which remission of sinnes is obtained it teacheth vs that whosoeuer shall offer another sacrifice be sides this or reiterate this doth most great iniurie to Christ As though his sacrifice which was Christ himselfe were insufficient It teacheth vs that Iesus Christ ordained his holy supper which he commandeth vs to celebrat in remembrance of that sacrifice which he one only time offered to the father all this in generall and euery thing in particuler by the grace of God to him be the glory haue we sufficiently proued This is the trueth for it is the word of God This then we beleeue his Maiestie graunt vs grace not onely with the heart to beleeue this which he in his holy Gospell he hath reuealed vnto vs but also strength and constancie with the mouth to confesse it and
our cause which is his because it is the vndeceiueable truth which his maiesty in his holy Scripture hath reuealed Concerning the lies false doctrine of the authority of the Pope the holines of the Masse which our aduersaries maintaine persecuting with fire bloud all those that beleeue it not nor worship it therefore trouble they the world as at this day we see it troubled We assuredly know that it shall perish According to that which the Lord saith Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the roote And we haue the axe which is the word of God put to the root of the two trees the Pope the masse to cut them downe I beseech the Lord our God Christian reader which hath giuen thee a desire and will to be informed to know the causes why we subiect not our selues to the Pope nor wil heare his Masse but rather detest and abhor the one the other that he would please to lighten thine vnderstanding that thou maist comprehend what in these two Treatises haue bin said confirmed not with the sayings of men but of God himselfe of his holy Scripture giue thee such a mind and strength that thou maist wholly depart out from this wicked Babylon which is Rome deliuer thee from all the enormities abominations horrible superstitions and detestable idolatries which Rome hath inuented among which the principal is the Masse These idolatries without doubt be the chiefe cause original and fountaine of all miseries calamities and warres where with they that are called Christians be at this day afflicted For if God in the primitiue Church plagued with infirmities death the Corinthians for the abuses which they had brought into the holy supper the Apostle S. Paul yet liuing which he reporteth in his first epistle that he sent them what shal we say this selfe same Lord wil now do when the malice impiety superstition idolatry haue so greatly increased that the holy supper of the Lord which he instituted and commanded vs in remembrance of him to clebrate haue they wholy conuerted into the prophane Masse of the Pope Truly the abuses of the Corinthes as touching the Supper had no agreement by far with the erronious intollerable abuses which those that are called Christians commit at this day in their Masse And notwithstāding all this Saint Paul speaking to the Corinthians saith vnto thē For which cause many ef you are infirmed and weake many sleepe he wold haue sayd are dead We are not then to maruel if God strong iealous of his honour do chasten at this day such an idolatry as is that which in the Masse is committed with such great warres famine pestilence and which is worse and lesse perceiued a reprobate sense And no other mean there is Christian reader to obtaine pardon for these superstitions passed idolatries to get and keepe the grace of God of whom thou oughtest not only to expect all prosperity goodnesse but to endeuour by all possible meanes to serue him honour him applying thy selfe with all thine heart to all that which pleaseth him which is that which his Maiestie hath ordained and instituted in his holy word flying contrariwise all whatsoeuer may displease offend him and especially all kinds of idolatrie which he more detesteth abhorreth then all other sinnes abhominations and as such doth punish it as in the beginning of the first Treatise we haue declared Such is the Masse fly then from it follow the holy institution which Iesus Christ our king prophet and onely high Priest ordained This is the holy Supper as the Euangelists and S. Paul do shew Do this thē which Iesus Christ ordained commanded vs to doe in remembrance of him as by the mercy of God with all simplicity without all superstition or idolatrie is celebrated in our reformed Church and thou shalt walke aright All they that do otherwise erre God giue thee grace to walk aright that thou be not with this world coondemned And this do he for the vertue merit of the sacrifice with our high and only Priest Christ one onely time offered vnto him To whom who liueth and reigneth with the Father and the holy Spirit be euerlasting glorie and perpetuall power Amen A SWARME OF FALSE MIRAcles and Illusions of the diuell wherewith Maria de la visitacion Prioresse de la Anuntiada of Lisbon deceiued very manie and how she was discouered and condemned Anno. 1588. FOr confirmation of that which in these two Treatises so often I haue said that the Papists confirme their religion with false miracles inuēted by their ecclesiasticall persons or wrought by the Art of the diuell I will here set downe a most true historie deliuered in two popish bookes which by the prouidēce of God came to my hands Out of which with all faithfulnesse as he that must appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ giue an account not only of that hee hath done and said but of that also which he hath thought I haue taken that which I will deliuer Hee that will not beleeue me let him reade the two bookes from whence I haue taken that which I say I name the Authours of these bookes the Printers the yeare and place where they were imprinted as a litle after you shall see Our Aduersaries I wot well would haue buried all these thinges for they open a dore to men to seeke to vnderstand and the truth And that they may vnderstand it I haue put it in writing The Lord which knoweth my desire blesse my trauaile Our Aduersaries hauing no sound proofe to confirme their new articles of faith which they haue made as in very truth there is none haue confirmed them with dreames with fained apparitions and visions of Phantasmes of spirits and of soules come as they say from another world Now I hauing met with a new great and thicke swarme of such things which I found in a Portugal hiue me seemed I should do well by a new familiar and domesticall example which be they that most moue and that none can denie seeing it happened in our countrey of Spaine in the yeare 1588 truly to manifest the same that all the world and chiefly my countrimen the Spaniards for whom I haue taken this paine may hasten to know them and knowing them may abhorre them so may turne to the holy catholike faith true religion of Iesus Christ which is written in holy Scripture This hiue is Maria de la Visitacion Prioresse of the Monastery de la Anunciada in Lisbon who was held so certainly for holy whose hypocrisie false miracles were discouered publikely condemned as we shall after see I hearing much talke of the great holinesse admirable life and maruellous miracles of this womā whom for excellency they called The holy Nunne aduised my countrimen the Spaniards in a booke which I published in the
keepe my statutes and do them The same teacheth Iesus Christ Mat. 15. 9 saying In vane do yee honor me teaching for doctrine the commandements of men The new doctrine of men doth teach that in the worship of God the traditions ceremonies and constitutions of the Roman Church ought to be obserued and that the Cannon law doth equall the constitutions of the Popes in value with the Gospell and that it is necessarie to keepe them for as saith Pope Leo 4. The Gospel cannot well be obserued if a man obey not iointly therewith all the decrees and constitutions of the Fathers Dist 15. cap. Sicut Dist 19. cap In canonicis Dist 20. cap. De libellis The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that the worship of images is a thing abominable Deut. 27. 15. Leuit. 26. 1. and expresly forbidden in the second commandement of the law of God Exod. 20. 4. and Deut. 5. 8. 9. also that the holy Spirit calleth images Teachers of lies and vanitie Ierem. 10. 8. Habac. 2. 18. And therefore in no wise to be allowed in the Temples of Christians in which Iesus Christ hath bene painted out before the eyes of the faithfull by the preaching of the Gospell Gal. 4. 1. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of images is well pleasing to God and verie necessarie and profitable for the Church And that images are the Bookes of the Laytie Hee therefore that teacheth the contrary is cursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Christians ought to imitate the faith godlinesse and good doctrine of the Saints as they imitated Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. Heb. 6. 12 cap. 13. 7. But that in no wise they ought to inuocate them nor put their confidence in them 1 Because inuocation is an honor due to God alone which he declareth by his Prophet Esay 48. 11. Mine honour will I not giue to another 2 Because the Saints being in this world will not receiue this honor neither the Angels As Act. ch 10. 26. chap 14. 14. Reuâ—â—â—s 19. 10. chap. 22 9. appeareth 3 Because they be ignorant and do not know vs as Esay 63. 16. doth very clearely teach saying Abraham hath forgotten vs and Israel doth not know vs Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer So that as the Israelites in the old Testament were idâ—laters and transgressours of the Law of God when they sacrificed to another then God alone So be all they at this day that inuocate Saints or Angels wherein they do contrarie to the doctrine of Christ Maâ— 6. 9. chap. 11. 28. Ioh. chap. 16. 24. And contrary to the example of all the Saints Psal 22. 6. Neâ—â—e 9. 27. Gen. 32. 9. Exod. 2. 25. cap. 17. 12. Iosua 10. 13. Psal 107. and 11. 8. 5. c. Act. 4. and 24. and cap. 16. 25. c. The new doctrine of men teacheth that Christians ought to inuocate the Saints and to be ayded by their intercession to God because they be his familiars Also that it is a false and wicked opinion to beleeue that the Saints pray not for men and that the inuocation of Saints is idolatrie contrary to the word of God and that he which so teacheth and beleeueth is accursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that Iesus Christ our Lord being true God and true man â—s the onely and perfect sauiour of the world who saith by his Prophet Esay chap. 63. 3. I haue troden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with me And of whom saith the Angell Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes And the Apostle Saint Iohn doth witnesse 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The new doctrine of men teacheth that Iesus Christ is not a perfect Sauiour for Christ saith it died onely for originall sinne And that by his death he satisfied for the fault but that God being iust will that man satisfie hâ—s iustice for the punishment Also that the purgation of sinnes is made by good works satisfactions Masses indulgences and Purgatorie Lib. 4. Sent. distinct 17. and 18. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediator between God and man and our Aduocate and Intercessor to the Father and that no other can be found nor ought to bee sought for 1. Because there is no saluation in any other but in him alone Act. 4. 12. 2. Because 〈…〉 other but Christ only can be sufficient for this office which hath all power in heauen and in earth and remaineth euer with his to the end of the world Math. 28. 18. 20. â— Because Christ hath loued vs and more loueth vs then anie other seeing he gaue himselfe for vs and hath made the purgation of our sinnes with his bloud in his owne person Heb. chap. 13. And so gratiously inuited vnto him all that trauell and are heauie laden Matth. 11. and 28. So that men haue no cause to doubt of his sufficiencie power and good will but that in all their afflictions they ought to flie vnto him alone who witnesseth of himselfe Iohn chap. 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me The new doctrine of men doth teach that Iesus Christ is not the onely Mediator but also the Saints which reigne with him in heauen and that Saint Mary also the mother of God is the Mediatrix and Aduocatrix of mankind lib. 4. Sâ—nt Distinct 45. in Mâ—ssale Paris in prosâ— Mâ—ssae de Anuntiat The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our Redeemer Iesus Christ by the perfect sacrifice of himselfe once offered vpon the crosse for the putting away of sinne hath reconciled all the faithfull with God his Father and hath found eternall redemption so that there remayneth now no more sacrifice for sin Heb. 9. 12. 26. and cap. 10. 12. 18. The new doctrine of men doth teach that the Masse is a sacrifice for the remission of sins of the quicke and the dead Concil Trid. Sess 6. Can. â— The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that we are iustified by faith in Iesus Christ without the works of the law Rom. 3. 24. 28. Gal â— 16. as witnesseth the holy Ghost of Abraham the Father of all beleeuers Abraham saith he beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. And the Apostle S. Paul expresly addeth that this was not written only for him but also for vs to whom faith shall also be imputed for righteousnes Rom. 4. 23. 24. The new doctrine of men doth teach that not faith only but works also do iustifie Concil Trid. Ses 6. can 11. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that faith is not doubtfull but assured of saluation which it hath by the bloud of Christ and
the Councel of Constance with the death of Iohn Hus confirmed contrary to the publike faith false conduct The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that euery soule ought to be subiect to the higher powers which are the magistrates Ro. 13 1. Pet. â— â—3 The new Doctrine of men teacheth that ecclesiasticall persons are not subject to the secular power or politique magistrate but that all ought to be subiect to the Pope who compareth himselfe to the Sun and the Emperour to the Moone And therefore Emperours kings in token of subiection and obedience doe kisse his feete lib. Decret Gregor Tit. 33. The ancient Doctrine of God doth teach that Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God attributing to himselfe that which is proper to God â— Thess 24. And that the place of his sitting is the great City which hath 7 mountaines and raigned ouer the kings of the earth Apoc. 17. 9. 18. The new Doctrine of men teacheth that Antichrist is to come of the race of the Iewes of the tribe of Dan. And that the place of his kingdome or seat shal be in Ierusalemâ— Bellar de Roman Pontific lib. 3. cap 12. and 13. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that for those that depart out of this world there remaine but two wayes for the faithfull which passe froÌ„ death to life heauen Iohn 5. 24. And hell for the wicked and 〈◊〉 As Saint Iohn Baptist very expressly doth teach vs. Iohn 3. 36. He that beleeueth saith â—e in the Son hath euâ—â—lasting life But he that beleeueth not in the Son shal not see life But the wratth of God abideth vpon him And as is confirmed in Lazarus who was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And in the ritchman that was tormented in â—ell Luke 16â— 22 23. The new doctrine of men teacheth that there are many places for the soules after death To wit heauen hell the Lymbeâ— of the fathers and 〈◊〉 infants dying without Baptisme purgatorie and another place more honorable ioyning to purgatorie Bellar 〈…〉 By these Antitheses the Christian Reader shall easily vnderstand and iudge what doctrine he ought to beleeue follow to be saued To wit the ancient doctrine of God which cannot erre not lie which is the true mark of the Christian Catholique and Apostolique Church As contrariwise the new doctrine inuented by men is the true mark of the Antichristian Apostaticall Church which the godly ought to fly detest abhor as damnable a deceiuer Albeit she glory triumph with high titles and outward appearaunce But the almighty God beholdeth not the outward appearaunce but his eyes behold the truth in the inward part which he loueth Ier. 5. 3. Psal 51. 8. 1. Sam. 16. 7. Esaie 11. 3. Let princes and Magistrates be aduised what doctrine by their authorities they maintaine Least by inconsiderate zeale they persecute Christ in his members As in time past did Saule which afterwards was called Paule Acts 9. Let doctours teachers of the people also beware what doctrine they publish in the world that they be not of the number of deceiuers and euill laborers in the Lordes vineyard which vainely boasting of antiquity holinesse Multitude and power accuse the ancient doctrine of God of nouelty and shroude the new doctrine of men with the title and cloake of antiquity shewing themselues not the followers of Christ nor his Apostles But of the priests prelates ancients of Ierusalem which alwayes gloried of the fathers of the law the succession of Aaron of the Temple of it ornaments and priuiledges And notwithstanding did resist and persecute Christ and his Apostles accusing and condemning the doctrine of the Gospell for new and straunge As the Euangelists doe very clerely and largly witnesse And as S. Paul in the first Epistle Thess chap. 2. verse 18. 16. also declareth Woe vnto them that speake euill of good and good of euill which put darknes for light and light for darknesse Esaie 5. 20. Take heede that no man deceiue you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue many Mat. 24. 4. 5. An end of the booke to God be the glorie THe good Bishops of Rome continued almost 300. yeares The first of whom was Linus and the last Siluester pag. 23. The Archbishops of Rome continued 200 yeares To wit from the 320 yeare vnto the yeare 520. page 26. The Patriarkes of Rome continued from the 520. yeare vnto the 605 yeare page 26. The Popes began in the 605. yeare the first was Boniface 3. page 34. Whose tiranny to this day continueth As is seene by all the progresse of the former Treatise The names of the Popes follow after the order of their Alphabet Of whom mention is made in the former Treatise Adrian 1. pag. 40. Adrain 3. 50 Adrian 4. 73 Adrian 5. 90 Adrian 6. â—50 Agatho 37 Alexander 2. 64 Alexander 3. 75 Alexander 4. 87 Alexander 5. 112 Alexander 6. 113 Anastatius 2. 30 Anastatius 3. 52 Anastatiu 4. 73 B Benedict 2. 37 Benedict 3. 49 Benedict ◠〈◊〉 Benedict 6. or 5. 55 Benedict 7. or 8. 59 Benedict 9. or 8. 60 Benedict 10. or 9. 61 Benedict 11. or 9. â—3 Benedict 12. or 10. 102 Benedict 13. or 11. 111 Boniface 1. 30 Boniface 2. 31 Boniface 3. 34 Boniface 4. 35 Boniface 5. 36 Boniface 6. 50 Boniface 7. 55 Boniface 8. 92 Boniface 9. 110 Calistus 2. 71 Calistus 3. 123 Celestine 3. 79 Celestine 4. 85 Celestine 5. 92 Clement 2. 61 Clement 3. 68 Clement 4. 89 Clement 5. 96 Clement 6. 102 Clement 7 107 Clement 8. 111 Clement 9. or â— 150 Constantine 1. 37 Constantine â— 39 Comelius 26 Cunon 37 Damasus 1. 28 Damasus 2. 62 Deus dedit or Theodatus 35 Donus 55 Eugenius 2. 42 Eugenius 4. 120 Felix 2. Felix ◠〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 50 Gelasius 1. 30 Gelasius 2 70 Gregory 1. 32 Gregory 2. 37 Gregory 3. 37 Gregory 4. 42 Gregory 5. 56 Gregory 6. 60 Gregory 7. 65 Gregory 8. 71 Gregory 9. 83 Gregory 10. 89 Gregory 11. 105 Gregory 12. 112 Gregory 13. 196 Gregory 14. 200 Honorius 1. 64 Honorius 2. 71 Honorius 3. 82 Honorius 4. 92 Hormisda 30 Innocent 1. 30 Innocent 2. 72 Innocent 3. 80 Innocent 4. 86 Innocent 5. 90 Innocent 6. 104 Innocent 7 111 Iooncent 8. 130 Innocent 9. 200 Iohn 1. 30 Iohn 3. 32 Iohn 5. 37 Iohn 8. 43 Iohn 9. or 8 50 Iohn 11. or 10. 52 Iohn 12 or 11. 53 Iohn 13. or 12. 53 Iohn 14. or 13. 55 Iohn 16. or 15. 55 Iohn 17. or 16. 56 Iohn 18. or 17. 56 Iohn 19. or 17. or 18. 58 Iohn 20. or 18. or 19. 58 Iohn 21. or 14. or 20. 60 Iohn 22. or 20. or 21. 90 Iohn 23. or 21. or 22. 89 Iohn 24. 22. or 23. 114 Iulius 2. 143 Iulius 3. 163 Lando 52 Leo 2. 37 Leo 3. 41 Leo 4. 42 Leo 5. 51 Leo 8. 54 Leo 9. 62 Leo 10.