sinne of vnbelieff Whom els where * the Scriptures are sayd to haue concluded vnder sinne Whence it followeth That the Authoritie of GOD and of the Scriptures is all one Therefore if GODS Authoritie bee aboue the Church then the Scriptures Authoritie must bee so lykewyse and not the contrary And who believeth not GOD speaking in the Scriptures otherwyse then for the Authoritie of another That is the Churches hee believeth the Church more than GOD and so believeth not GOD simplie for himself but as is sayd 1. Iohn 5. 10. maketh GOD a liar Therefore sayeth Augustine being sure and secure of the Trueth of holy Scripture I will reade the same as being placed in the very highest and most heavenly top or pinnacle of Authoritie 4. That the Scripture is perfect in it self without vnwritten traditions ROM. 15. 4. Whatsoever thinges were written aforetyme were written for our instruction that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures may haue hope Whence it followeth That if the Scripture serveth as sayeth the Text both for instructing in thinges intellectuall and begetting in vs all saving graces as things morall and which are able to vphold vs in deepest distresses as is Patience Comfort and Hope That therefore the same is perfect contayning all doctrines in it needfull to Salvation Whence it is sayeth Augustine in these places which are clearly set down in Scripture All these things are found which contayn both Fayth and Manners CHAP. II. Of the CHURCH SECTION 1. That the holy Cotholick Church spoken of in the Creed is only of them who are predestinated to eternall glory ROM. 8. 30. Moreover whom Hee did predestinate them also He called and whom He called them also Hee justified and whom Hee justified them also He glorified Whence wee reason thus The holy Catholik Church of CHRIST is that which at last is to bee glorified But none are to bee glorified but the predestinate c. Therefore the predestinate only are the holy Catholik Church of CHRIST Whence it is That Pope Gregorie the first sayeth well The Church is rightlie called a Garden inclosed sayeth hee because on all sydes it is fenced with the hedge of Charitie lest any reprobate should enter in amongst the number of the Elect. And yet for this poynt was Iohn Huss condemned burnt at the Councell of Constance because he defyned the True Church of CHRIST to bee the company of these who are predestinate elect vnto Eternall Lyf 2. That the Church of true Professours is not alwayes to all conspicuous ROM. 11. 2. 3. 4. Wot ye not what the Scripture sayeth of Eliab how hee maketh intercession to GOD against Israell saying LORD they haue killed thy Prophets and digged down thyne Altars and I am left aelone and they seek my lyf But what sayeth the answer of GOD vnto him I haue reserved to MySelff seven thousand who haue not bowed the knee to Baall Where wee see that the true Church in Israel that consisted of such a number of true worshippers was not visibly conspicuous even to the true Prophet of GOD let be to her persecuting enemyes Ahab and Iesabell Whence it is That Augustin sayeth Sometymes the Church lyke the Moon may be hid and obscured that her own very members may not know one another 3. That true doctrine is the essentiall note of the true Church ROM. 16. 17. Now I beseech you brethren mark them who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and avoyd them For they that are such serue not the LORD IESUS Whence it followeth If they should bee avoyded as no true servants of CHRIST IESUS or members of His Church who teah or practise Contrary to true doctrine That on the contrary these therefore who teach and practise conform to true doctrine contayned in the Scriptures are the true servants of CHRIST IESUS and members of His Church and consequentlie that true doctrine and practise in GODS worship conform is the essentiall note to know CHRISTS Church thereby Therefore there is the true Church sayeth Ierom where true fayth is and they are good catholicks only sayeth Augustin who follow the right fayth 4. That vnity is no note of the true Church except in the trueth and profession thereof ROM. 15. 5. 6. Now the GOD of patience and consolation grant you to be alyke mynded one towards another according to CHRIST IESUS that yee may with one mynd and one mouth glorifie GOD Whence it followeth That the vnitie which the Apostle prayeth that it may be in this Church of Rome and whereby they may bee knowne to bee the true Church of CHRIST is the Unitie of trueth according to CHRIST IESUS being of one mynd in believing and of one mouth in professing the same to the glory of GOD 5. That Multitude is no Note of the True Church ROM. 11. 3. 5. LORD they haue killed thy Prophets and digged downe thyne Altars and I am left alone and they seek my lyf c. And even so at this present tyme also there is but a remnant according to the election of grace sayeth the Apostle Whence it followeth If at this tyme whereof the Prophet speaketh in this Church of the Iewes there was such a paucitie of true worshippers that Elias thought that hee only was left alone the multitude having made defection to idolatrie And that at this tyme also whereof the Apostle speaketh in the Christian Church was but a remnant only according to the election of grace in comparison of others Therefore it followeth clearly that multitude is no evident note of the true Church Wherefore sayeth Ierom the multitude of associates shall no wyse show thee to bee a Catholik but rather an Heretick 6. That the Church of Rome is not infallible but may erre ROM. 11. 20. Because of vnbelieff they were broken off to wit the Iewish Church and thou standest by fayth be not highmynded but fear Whence wee see 1. That any such highmyndedness is forbidden to the Church of Rome as to say that shee cannot erre and 2. Altho for the present she stood by fayth yet shee is exhorted to fear lest shee fall from the Fayth Which exhortation were altogether needless if shee could not erre or fall from the Fayth And agayn sayeth the Apostle Rom. 11. 21. 22. For if GOD spared not the naturall branches take heed lest hee spare not thee Behold therefore the goodness and severitie of GOD on them which fell severitie but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwyse thou shalt also be cut off Whereby the Apostle showeth That the Church of Rome may fall away from the Trueth and bee cut off as well as other Churches otherwyse if shee only had bene priviledged with infallibility this exhortation fore-named and this commination subjoyned had bene altogether needless neither should he spoken conditionally thus If thou continue but particularly excepted her as one that could
thus sayeth GREGORIE Quando non maneret apud eos qui ascensurus erat coelum promitit dicens Ecce ero vobiscum vsque ad consummationem soeculi sed Vcrbum incarnatum manet recedit recedit corpore manet divinitaete apud eos ergo tunc se mansisse perhibet quia qui invisibili semper potestate presens erat corporali jam visione recedebat That is When Hee was not to abyde with them who was to ascend to Heaven Hee promised saying Behold I am with you vnto the worldes end But this incarnate Word Hee both abydeth with vs and is departed from vs Hee is departed in His Bodie but Hee abydeth in His Deitie Hee sayd therefore that Hee should abyde with them Because by His invisible power Hee was ever present who in His corporall presence was to depart out of their sight As also That the Bread in the Sacrament of the Supper remayneth still in its former substance after Consecration POPE GELASIUS clearly doth testtifie saying Certè Sacramenta quae sumimus Corporis Sanguinis CHRISTI divina res est propter quod divinae per eundem efficimur consortes naturae tamen esse non desinit substantia vel natura Panis Vini c. That is Surelie the Sacrament of CHRISTS Bodie and Blood which wee take is a Divine thing Because wee are made partakers there-in of the Divine Nature And yet not-with-standing The Substance or Nature of Bread and Wyne departeth not or leaveth not off to remayn CHAP. X. Agaynst with-holding of the Cup from the People or Half-Communion CONCERNING this thus sayeth GREGORIE Quid sit Sanguis Agni non jam audiendo sed bibendo didicistis And agayn Ejus Sanguis non jam in manus fidelium sed in ora fidelium infunditur That is What the Blood of the Lamb is yee haue learned now not by hearing there-of but by Drinking the same And this His Blood is not given into the handes of the Faythfull Communicants but it is Powred in into their mouthes Also thus sayeth POPE IULIUS Ubi Apostolus corpus sanguinem commendavit seorsim Panis seorsim Calicis commendatio memoratur Last of all sayeth POPE GELASIUS Comperimus quod quidam sumpta tantummodo corporis sacri portione à Calice Sacri cruoris abstineant qui proculdubio quoniam nescio qua superstitione docentur obstringi aut integra Sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur quia divisio vnius ejusdemque mysterii sine grandi sacrilegio non potest provenire That is sayth IULIUS Where the Apostle recommendeth the Bodie and Blood of CHRIST to bee taken Hee mentioneth the taking of the Bread apart by it selff And the taking of the Cup in lyke manner apart by it selff not having known then Popish Concomitance Also wee fynd sayeth GELASIUS That there are some who take onlie a part of the Sacred Body of CHRIST but abstayneth from the Cup of His Sacred Blood who truelie because ◠know not by what superstition they are bound vp and taught so Therefore they must either receaue the whole Sacrament or bee debarred from the whole Because the division of one and the same mystery can not bee without the commtiting of a great Sacriledge FINIS A TABLE Of the Controversies contained in this Treatise I. Of SCRIPTURE Where-in 1. THat the Apocrypha books are not Canonicall Scripture Pag. 29. and 75 2. That People should not be debarred from reading the Scriptures 30. and 77 3. That the Authority of the Church is not aboue the Scriptures 31 4. That the Scripture is perfect without vnwritten Traditions 32. and 76 II. Of the CHURCH Where-in 1. THat the Holy Catholik Church is only of the Elect. Pag. 33. and 79 2. That the Church of true Professours is not ever and alyke conspicuous 34. 3. That True Doctrine is the Essentiall Note of the True Church 35 4. That Unitie except in Trueth is no Note thereof Pag. 36 5. That Multitude is no Note thereof 37 6. That the Church of Rome may erre 38 7. That Separation from Her is no Schism 39 III. Of the Head of the Church Where-in 1. THat CHRIST is only the Head and Husband there-of Pag. 40. and 81 2. That the Pope as Bishop of Rome is not Peters Successour 41 3. That the Pope ought to be subject to the Civill Magistrate 43. and 88 4. That CHRIST only and not the Pope is that Rock whereon the Church is built 78 IV. Of the Churches worship Where-in 1. THat GOD only is to be invocated Pag. 44 2. That CHRIST is our only Mediatour 46 3. That all Images of the godhead are idolatrous 47 4. That no Image is to be bowed vnto nor worshipped 48. and 93 5. That the worship of Dulia or Service is due to GOD only 49 V. Of the Churches true doctrine Where-in 1. OF Sinne That Concupiscence in the Godly is sinne properly Pag. 5◠2. That no Sinne is Veniall But all Mortall 5◠3. That the Virgin Mary was not conceave◠without Sinne 5◠4. Of Election That it is not for fore-seen Fayth or Works 53 5. Of our Calling That there are no Merits of Congruity 53 6. That in our first conversion we haue no Free-will 54. and 95 7. Of Iustification That it is by Fayth only 55 and 97 8. That Iustifying Fayth is not an vncertayn conjecture 56 9. Of the certaynty of Salvation agaynst Popish doubting 58 10. That no Implicite Fayth sayeth 59 11. Of Sanctification That no man can perfectly keep GODS Law Let be Supererogate 60. and 99 12. Of Glorification That Good works are not meritorious of Eternall Lyff 61. and 103 13. That there are no Satisfactory Penall Works in this lyff 62. and 101 14. Neither any Satisfactory Sufferings after this lyff Pag. 36 15. Of Perseverance That the Sayncts can not totally finally fall away 64 16. Of Meats That none are to be abstayned from for conscience sake 65 VI Of the Sacraments Where-in 1. THat Sacraments conferre not Grace ex opere operato Pag. 66 2. That Baptism is not absolutely necessary to Salvation 67 3. That in the LORDS SUPPER there is no Transsubstantiation 69. and 106 4. That the Mass is no Propitiatory Sacrifice 71 5. That the Cup should not be with-holden from the people 107 VII Of PURGATORIE THat there is no Fyre of Purgatorie after this lyff Pag. 72. and 105 FINIS ERRATA Pag. lin. for reade 11 1 it it it is 42 14 that can that he can 65 13 judge him not judge him 80 19 within without 88 4 Pope hath hath not 100  responderi respondere Rev. 17. 4 Rev. 13. 11. Isai. 1. 20 Math. 19 8. Iude 3. 4. Ier. 6. 16. 1. King 1◠21. Greg. l. 4. regist. epist. 39. Platina in vita Bonifacii 3. Card. Cus l. 1. de Cōcordan cathol. c. 15. Amb. cath in Gal. 2. Lyra in Mat. 16. Erasm. in 1. Cor. 7. Consil.
THE OLD ROMAN CATHOLIK As at first he was taught by PAUL In opposition to The new Roman Catholik As of latter he is taught by the Pope The one being Apostolicall the other Apostaticall Descrived and proven only out of the Epistle of PAUL TO THE ROMANES Wherevnto is added a clear probation that the same also was the doctrine of the Primitiue Bishops of Rome for the space of fyue hundreth years and aboue and chiefly of Gregorie the first whom they Surnamed The Great Discovering to all clearly the Apostasie of that Church from the ancient Roman Fayth and Puritie thereof to the Noveltie of Gross Heresie and Idolatrie and sufficient to convince if non convert any Papist that is not wilfully obdured REV. 18. 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receaue not of her plagues By W. GUILD Principall of the kings Colledge of Old Aberdene Printed in Aberdene by E. Raban 1649. The Epistle Dedicatorie To the Right Worshipfull and Worthy of all Honour Sr THOMAS BURNET Of LEYES KNIGHT BARONET IT is no small admiration to the Professours of the Christian name in common that the Iewes who haue the Old TESTAMENT amongst their hands and dayly therein readeth the Prophesies of the true MESSIAS but that they may see them in every particular long ago fulfilled in IESUS CHRIST whom they did crucifie were not that it is playnlie tolde vs that there is a vaile over their hearts and vntill the tyme that this be taken away and the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in that of the Prophet shall be accomplished in them that they shal haue eys to see not see ears to hear not hear and hearts to know and yet not vnderstand Even so amongst these agayn who are called Christians in common It is no small admiration in lyke manner to such who profess the Trueth in the Reformed Churches of EUROPE that these of the Roman Church having both the Old and New Testament in their hands and reading the doctrine contayned therein Especially in that Epistle written of old by the Apostle to the Romanes But that they may in lyke manner clearly see how grosly in every poynt of Controversie between them and vs they haue swerved from that Ancient Trueth delyvered therein to the Noveltie of latter sprung vp Errour quyte controdictor thereto whereby as Isaiah speaketh Chap. 1. verss 21. the faythfull Citie is become an Harlot Were not in lyke manner that there is a vaile over their hearts and as is fore prophesied of such That their Errour is not only the deceavableness of vnrighteousness in them that perish but such a strong delusion 2. Thess. 2. that they are inebriated or made drunk therewith And so the delusion being strong is not easily overcome nor can they be made sinsible thereof so long as their drunkenness is vpon them more nor Naball could be of his trespass agaynst David as wyse Abigail well knew til his wyne was gone from him 1. Sam. 25. The same being also a mysterie of Iniquitie and mysteries not beeing known as David telleth vs till the eyes be opened Psal. 119. 18. Even so no marvell that this mysterie bee not seen by deluded soulls altho as at Sauls conversion the light shyne as bright about them as at noon day Act. 9. till lykewyse the LORD open their eyes and make the scales of their former ignorance and errour in mercy to fall off And as in curing of Sauls blyndness it pleased the LORD to vse the Ministrie of a Disciple Ananias rather than a great Apostle Even so it hath pleased the LORD sometymes for curing the blyndness of poore seduced soulls by Poperie to vse the Ministrie of some who are but weak instruments That so the greater glory may be his own amongst whom as one as it hath pleased GOD before now to haue blessed my weak endevours for that end So I haue taken the ensuing paynes to see as yet if by HIS BLESSING I may reclayme but one poore soull to come out of Babell and gayn it to CHRIST wherein if the success bee according to my hearty and charitable desyre I shall bless the LORD whose only work is the bringing back of the strayed sheep and conversion of a simple soull But if it be otherwyse and that the wilfull ignorant seduced say as their predecessours did when the LORD by His Prophet Ierem. 6. 20. did exhort them to stand in the wayes and see and ask for the old paths which is the good way and walk therein and they should fynd rest to their soulls But they sayd we will not walk therein then it shall bee sufficient to mee that my work is with my GOD altho with Ieremie chap. 6. 29. I may say that the bellowes are burnt the lead is consumed in the fyre the founder hath melted in vayn and they haue proven reprobate silver These pains then Sir which I haue taken herin I haue dedicated to Your W. as for diverss other reasons so for this as a main one that You haue joined with piety the verbal Profession of the Trueth such Fruits of Charitie and reall expression of a true Fayth as is rare now-a-dayes In founding three Burses of Philosophie in that Universitie wherein You had Your breeding wherof I haue the Charge which will tend next to GODS Glory the Poors Comfort and enlargement of that Seminarie to the Eternall Honour Lykewyse and Memory both of You and of Your Honourable Houss whereof You are Head So that as Your Arms are the Ever-green Holline Leaues with a blowing Horn and this Diton VIRESCIT VULNERE VIRTUS So shall this Your Munificence sutablie bee Ever-green and fresh to all ages in memory and whyle this Houss standeth Your Prayse and Commemoration amongst Her chief Benefactours will ever alowd bee sounded therein with this Diton VIRESCIT MUNERE VIRTUS Go on then Sir in an Happy Progress of Well-doing And as You sow in Righteousness You shall reap in Mercy Which with the Addition of all Honour and Happiness here shall be the hearty wish of Your VVorships in all respectiue and affectioned duety W. GUILD THE EPISTLE To the Ingenuous and Impartiall Reader IT it not without cause that the Whore of Babylon spoken of in the Revelation is sayd to haue her abominations and filthiness of her fornications covered in a golden cup and that the Beast that speaketh lyke the Dragon the more cunningly to deceaue taketh vpon him to be horned lyke the Lamb yet being his direct opposit Also That devouring wolues are fore-told to be found most dangerous when they are in sheeps cloathing Satan ever that Prince of Darkness prevailing most when hee changeth himself into an Angell of Light and foulest practises being most vsually masked lyke these of Simeon and Levies Ioabs and Iudases with fayrest pretences which may be seen most clearly by all who haue eyes to see in the crafty seduction of many
rather to bee a Protestants speach of Rome now-a-days than Ieroms words of Rome in his tyme To whom I wil adjoyn amongst many others but one of latter tymes that famous Florentine and so much extolled Petrarcha who lived in the 1300 year of CHRIST and who out of experience speaketh thus of Rome wryting to his Freind saying Behold now thou seest with thyne eyes groapest with thyne hands what a Citie this last spoken of Babylon is hot and burning in Lust c. And therafter there thou maist see a people not only an enemy to CHRIST but which is worss vnder the Banner of Christian Profession rebelling agaynst CHRIST militating for Satan drunk with the blood of the Members of CHRIST for what I pray thee is not dayly done amongst these enemyes of CHRIST the Pharesees of our tymes For do they not here on earth buy and sell and make merchandise of CHRIST Himself whose Name night and day they with high prayses extoll whom in His images they cloathe with Purple and Gold decketh with precious stones and whom they salute and worship and yet they blyndfold as it were the same CHRIST as if Hee could not see they crown Him with the thorns of their ill gotten goods they pollute Him with the spittinges of their most vnclean mouth with their viperous mockings they persecute Him they pearce Him agayn with the speare of their poysonable actions and so farre as in them lyeth sayeth hee mocked naked poor whipped they draw Him agayn to Calvaerie and by a wicked conspiracie they crucifie Him over agayn O shame O grief O indignitie Of such men consisteh Rome this day as I haue sayd Where Iudas himself shall bee admitted if hee bring with him the thirtie pieces of silver the pryce of blood and poor CHRIST shall be thrust out of doors which thing to bee notourlie true there is no Christian but may know and yet none lamenteth it and none revengeth CHRISTS quarrell And where the head thereof the Pope acteth not sayeth he the part of an Apostolick but of a robber nor is famous for signes of vertue or miracles but for militarie ensigns and is stored with threatning legions as if thou wouldest think him another Hanniball nor a successour of PETER With which Petrarcha notably jumpeth also Platinae the Popes own Secretarie speaking of the Popes and Romane Clergie in the lyf of Marcellinus Gregory the fourth and Paull the second where he sayeth That by Envy Pryde and Malice they exercysed rather Tyrannie nor the Office of Priesthood altogether having forgotten Christianitie and prophaning holy mysterie And vnto whom I could adjoyn a cloud of mo witnesses of their own most famous wryters as Baptista Mantuanus de calamitatibus temporum Nicolaus Clemangis de corrupto Ecclesiae statu Marsilius Patavinus in his Defensor Pacis AEneas Sylvius Afterward Pope by the name of Pius secundus in his Epistolae familiares and of late Claudius Espencaeus a Spanish Bishop and others But what hath bene adduced may bee sufficient to such who without a prejudice agaynst Trueth haue not wedded themselues so to Errour that lyke Babell they will not be cured being so inebriated with that bewitching cup of the Filthiness of the Whores Fornications that as the Apostle sayeth GOD hath sent them strong delusion to belieue a lie because they would not receaue the loue of the trueth that they may be saved But as for others concerning whom the LORD hath a purpose in Mercie to call out of Babell as he had to Abraham whom hee called from idolatrous Ur of the Chaldees I doubt not but such following the Berean practise without prejudice wil yeeld an obedient ear to hear and heart to belieue that Ancient Roman Fayth which they fynd so clearly set down in Scripture and especially that Epistle written to the Romanes that so they may bee truely esteemed Catholick and Apostolick Romanes indeed and no more followers of that Beast horned lyke the LAMB but who speaketh lyke the Dragon to their own perdition And as for vs to whom the LORD hath revealed His Trueth and preserved from the deceavableness of Errour as the Apostle speaketh we are bound alwayes to prayse the LORD That Hee hath chosen vs from the beginning vnto Salvation thorow Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Trueth wherevnto He hath called vs by the Gospell of CHRIST Of the which Blessing the LORD grant wee may walk worthie adorning our Profession by an holy lyff to the Glory of GOD good example of others and the Salvation of our own soules in the day of our account AMEN The Old Roman Catholik Religion taught to them by PAULL In opposition to The New Roman Catholik Religion taught them by the Pope The one beeing APOSTOLICALL the other Apostaticall CHAP. I. OF SCRIPTURE SECTION 1. That the Apocrypha books are not Canonicall Scripture ROM. 3. 2. Vnto them to wit the Iewes were committed the Oracles of GOD That is as all expound the Canonicall Scriptures of the Old Testament which CHRIST comprehendeth only in Moses and the Prophets wrytings Luke 24. 27. of whom Malachi was the last But vnto them were never committed these Books as the Oracles of GOD or Canonicall Scripture which are called Apocrypha nor were they ever acknowledged by the Iewes to be such as Bellarmine and others confesseth being written after Malachi who was the last of the Prophets as is already sayd Therefore it followeth That these Books are not Canonick Scripture Whence it is That Ierom sayd in his tyme The Church indeed readeth these Books sayeth he but receaveth them not amongst Canonicall Scriptures 2. That people should not be debarred from reading of the Scriptures ROM. 15. 4. What-so-ever things were written aforetyme were written for our instruction that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may haue hope Whence it followeth If the Scriptures were written for the instruction of all Christians and that they may attayn by them to Patience Comfort and Hope that therefore for this end they should bee read and perused by them But so it is That they were written as sayeth this Text for that end Therefore for the same end they should bee read by GODS people and perused diligently Agayn Rom. 1. 7. The Apostle directeth his Epistle To all that bee in Rome sayeth hee beloved of GOD called to be Saincts Whence it followeth If the Apostle directeth his Epistle as a part of divyne Scripture To all Christians in common that were at Rome Therefore that all such were permitted to reade the same and consequently that no Christian should bee debarred from reading holy Scripture Wherefore sayeth Chrysostom say not that it is the part only of religious persons to reade the Scriptures for it is the part of every Christian so to do 3. That the Authoritie of the Church is not aboue the Scriptures ROM. 11. 32. It is sayd That GOD concluded them all vnder the
excludeth all other gods besyde So doeth the word One Mediatour exclude all other mediatours besyde Wherefore sayeth Augustine As for all Christian men they commend each other in their Prayers to GOD But He for whom no man prayeth but He Himself for all men this is the only and true Mediatour CHRIST IESUS 3. That all Images made to represent GOD are heathnish and idolatrous ROM. 1. 23. They changed the glory of the incorruptible GOD into an image made lyke to corruptible man sayth the Apostle of the idolatrie of the heathen Gentiles But so it is That the Papists do the same whyle as they represent GOD the Father by an old gray haired man c. Therefore they are guilty of the lyke â—dolatrie Whence it is That Augustine giveth his as the reason Why it is not lawfull for any Christian to make any such Image of GOD Lest we fall into that same Sacriledge sayeth hee whereby the Apostle maketh them execrable who change the glorie of the incorruptible GOD into the similitude of a corruptible man 4. That to bow the knee to any Image or any other creatures in a religious act is meer and gross idolatry ROM. 11. 4. But what sayeth the answer of GOD to him to wit Eliah I haue reserved to my self seven thousand who haue not bowed the knee to the image of Baal Where wee see That the bowing of the knee to an image is counted idolatrie And therefore all such bowing before or to any image what-so-ever is expressly forbidden in the Word of GOD Rom. 14. 11. For it is written Every knee shall bow to Mee and every tongue shall confess to GOD To wit in the act of religious worship and the religious bowing of the knee is as proper to GOD only as the confessing of sinnes to Him for pardon Wherefore sayeth Theodoret The LORD showeth here that both are impious to wit to make an image to represent GOD thereby to bow down or worship it Seing he saith Thou shalt not bow down before them nor worship them 5. That the sort of religious worship which the Papists call DULIA or SERVICE is due to GOD only and to no creature ROM. 1. 25. Speaking of the heathen their idolatrie the Apostle sayeth Who changed the Trueth of GOD into a lie and worshipped and served the creature c. Where we see That the religious service which they gaue to the creature is counted a doctrine of lies and the practise thereof grossest idolatrie And therefore the same doctrine and practise amongst the Papists of giving religious service to creatures must bee counted in lyke manner the same sinne to wit a doctrine of lies and practise of idolatrie contrary to which the Apostle teacheth saying Rom. 1. 9. For GOD is my witness whom I serue with my spirit in the Gospell of His Sonne that without ceassing I make mention alwayes of you in my prayers Where wee see That this religious Service is given by the Apostle vnto GOD allanerly Which hee challengeth frequently as an idolatrous act when it was given to any other saying to the Galations before their conversion when they knew not GOD that they did service to them which by nature were no gods And thereby implying That no religious service is to be done but to Him only who is the true GOD allanerly Wherefore sayeth Augustine Let religious service tye you to the Omnipotent God only And so to no saint or creature CHAP. V. Of the Churches True Doctrine SECTION 1. That Concupiscence in the regenerate is sinne properly and not improperly only as the Councell of Trent hath decreed because it commeth of sinne and inclyneth to sinne ROM. 7. 7. Nay I had not known sinne but by the Law for I had not known concupiscence except the Law had sayd Thou shalt not covet Whence we reason thus That which expressly is forbidden by the law and is properly a transgression thereof is sinne properly and so called by the Apostle even in himself being regenerated as verss 17. But such is concupiscence in the regenerate Therefore it is sinne properly Wherefore sayeth Augustine Concupiscence of the flesh agaynst which the good spirit warreth is sinne because it rebelleth agaynst the law of the mynd whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7. 23. 2. That all Sinnes are Mortall by Nature and no Sinne veniall ROM. 6. 23. For the wages of sinne is death Whence wee reason thus What deserveth death as the wages thereof is mortall But sinne deserveth death as the wages thereof if it bee once sinne by the nature thereof of what-so-ever sort or degree it be as the Apostle affirmeth Therefore the same is mortall Wherefore sayth Ierom These which we think to be smallest sinnes do exclude vs from the kingdom of GOD 3. That the Virgin Marie was not conceaved without sinne ROM. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned Where we see That of all man-kynd procreate by ordinary generation none are excepted from being free of originall sinne and therefore neither the Virgin Marie Wherefore sayeth Bernard Shee can not be free except one would say That shee was conceaved of the Holy Ghost and not of man and so we should attribute as much to the Mother as to the Sonne But this were not to honour the Mother sayeth hee but to dishonour her And therefore hee concludeth thus saying Therefore our LORD IESUS alone is such being conceaved of the Holy Ghost and because he was holy even before his conception 4. That our Election is neither for our fore-seen fayth or good works ROM. 9. 15. For Hee sayeth to Moses I will haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie and I will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassion so that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of GOD that showeth mercie Whence it followeth If the LORDS Election of vs be so free that there is no reason to be given thereof on our part but only His own free grace and good-will because it pleaseth Him to haue compassion and show mercie vpon vs Therefore that there is no fore-seen fayth or works on our part that is the cause thereof Wherefore sayeth Fulgentius If the cause be asked of the Predestination of the godly there is none other but the only free mercie of GOD to be found 5. That there are no fore-going preparations in vs naturallie vnto our effectuall calling by grace as merits of congruitie ROM. 8. 7. For the carnall mynd is eninimitie agaynst GOD for it is not subject to the law of GOD neither indeed can bee Whence it followeth If the carnall mynd of the vnregenerate man bee such an eninimitie how can it prepare it self to GODS calling to which it is eninimitie or sit it self to be subject to the law of GOD to which it is so repugnant