fallen into an Apostasie And the reason he giueth confirmeth it directly that it should vndoubtedly fall out and so come to passe for hee afterward affirmeth that it commeth of the righteous iudgement of God vpon the reprobate saying God shall sende them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lies that all they might bee damned Vers 12.12 which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse which thing if it be wel seen into vprightly waied it will cōuince the church of Rome to be of the false religion and antechristian church and their brauerie of profession their antiquitie vniuersalitie and visible succession to be the sitting of the man of sinne in the temple of God that is the plague and running soare of the Church the damnation of many soules and that now within these few yeares the gospel teaching the true Christian religion hath reuealed their Apostasie and that so openly clearly as euerie man may see it if he doe not wilfully blind his owne eyes 3 Now if they say that the Church cannot erre and thereupon build their antiquitie vniuersalitie succession c. Namely that they must needes bee the true Church being so actiuely and vniuersally visible in their continued succession because it belongeth to the Church vnder the gospell as they say to bee as the Moone that neuer is ecclipsed nor couered vnder a cloud but alwaies appeareth glorious and beautifull vnto the world then doe they euidently declare and proue themselues to bee the false sinagogue of Sathan and their religion to bee his delusions and lies Because the worde of God doth so manifestly say there shall bee an Apostasie and falling away in religion and that the enemie of Christ should raigne in the place of Gods temple And least happily wee should bee deceiued in thus iudging euen in this one point of their religion that they hold that the church cannot erre they cōuince themselues to be Antechrist many wayes especially in that they make the authoritie of the Church aboue the scriptures that they might be iudges of it and not of them What do they herein more truely then professe to all the worlde that there sitteth amongst them the aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God for what is there in the whole world by which God is knowen or can bee knowen truely and rightly to bee God and by which God is exalted and all his honour truth and word magnified and his will wisedome and goodnesse glorified and worshipped but onely the inspired writinges of the blessed booke of God If they hauing no truth on their side to maintayne themselues to bee the Church of God they will foist in with a brasen face contrarie to euident scripture this vntruth that the church cannot erre and thereupon vsurpe authoritie ouer this booke of God and after it to haue no authoritie but such as they allow and to haue no other meaning or sence but such as they giue and so God and his holy law must looke for no other name credite and dignitie but as it pleaseth them being men to giue And so againe God and his word should not bee builders and describers of the Church but the Church builders and describers of God and his word doth it not then necessarily follow that they are verie Antechrist and the seate of Apostasie Moreouer if Christ say this Apostasie should bee so great that if it were possible a Math. 24.24 the verie elect should bee deceyued Are not they verie Antechrist to make the Church alwaies visible and not able to erre And let the godly Christian reader consider what vse there is of these rules precepts b Math. 7. 1. Ioh. 4.1.2 2. Ioh. vers 9. Beware of false prophets beleeue not euerie spirit c. hereby shall you know the spirit of God that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God c. Againe there is prophesied of a woman whose name is Reuelat. 17. 18. A misterie great Babilon the mother of whordoms abominations of the earth which is a great citie which raigneth ouer the kings of the earth and all nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication And God saith to vs Go out of her my people c. If the true vse of these scriptures teach vs two things first that we must trie and iudge the false prophets the spirits and whosoeuer may cal themselues the Church by the doctrine of Christ expressed in the scriptures and that vnder the time of the gospell a citie by false doctrine should poyson all nations and we ought to go out of that citie how can any man iudge the Citie of Rome which calleth her selfe the mother of all Churches and vsurpeth ouer all nations seeing that it hath forsaken the truth and yet claimeth vniuersalitie perpetual succession visible refuseth to be tried by the holy oracles of God these rules and Canons of holy scriptures how I say can any man iudge otherwise but that it is the verie seat of Antechrist And in this that it would bee maintained by saying it cannot erre it erreth most apparantly And therefore that onely is the true Church and house of God whether visible or inuisible a Heb. 3.6 Math. 18.20 which holdeth fast the true faith where two or three are gathered together in Christes name and not that which pretendeth visible succession and saith it cannot erre 4 Howbeit in all this time it was not as the church of Rome would beare vs in hand that our religion which is that auncient religion of Abraham had such an ecclipse that it cannot bee traced in these 1600. yeares after Christ for as before the comming of Christ it lay hidde in comparison of the vniuersalitie of the whole world in the house and posteritie of Abraham and sometime more then other appearing and shining forth when God made his glorious truth to cast the beames of light far and wide at such times as he made his saintes glorious by deliuerance as out of Egipt and Babilon And in subduing the Cananites in prospering Dauid Solomon Iehoshaphat Ezekiah and Ioshiah So in this time of Christianitie among the Gentils there hath beene as it were an ebbing and flowing and as I may say a morning and an euening For the gospell beginning with small degrees and like a grayne of mustard seede was persecuted by the vniuersall world at the first And yet preuailed mightely through all those bitter and intollerable persecutions of the first three hundred yeares in so much as in the first Christian Emperours dayes namely Constantine the great when hee summoned the first generall Councell of Nice for the cause of Arrius there came 318. Bishops and these were from all partes of the worlde West as farre as Spaine and North in a manner at the verie North Pole So that all the worlde stoode amased
at the glorious shining of the sonne of righteousnesse in those happie daies Yet men knowe that reade the stories of the church what whiles that blasphemous hereticke did worke how many friends abettors he had what great afflictions that good Catholike Bishop Athanasius had what persecution for many yeares together the true beleeuers endured after the death of that good Emperour by the ouerspreading of the Arrians and their followers Howbeit although that persecution much afflicted the faithfull and darkned the beautie of the Church and many heretickes inuaded them very sore and diuers liuing in wildernesse and solitarie places deuised strange formes and seruices of God yet for the space of sixe hundred yeares and more the vniuersall Church was not so much tainted but God raysed vp notable pillars of truth and lightes of his church by whom the truth of faith and found religion had all that time a most excellent witnesse For the Apostles ended at the death of Iohn the Euangelist Anno 99. Ignatius liued about Anno 110. hauing beene Iohns disciple and Bishop of Antioch Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and Iustinus martyr at Rome Anno 140. Iraeneus Bishop of Lions in France Anno 175. Tertullian in Africke flourished about Anno 190. Origin of Alexandria about Anno 210. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage Anno 255. Arnobius 310. Lactantius Firmianus 325. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt 340. Hilarius B. of Pictauia in Aquitania 360. Basilius B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia 370. Gregorius B. of Nazanzen Epiphanius B. of Cyprus Ambrose B. of Millain Hieronymus Stridonensis Augustine B. of Hippo Iohn Chrisostom B. of Constantinop Possidonius Prosper Fulgentin Casiodonus Gregorius first of that name B. of Rome These verie many more verie good writers beside infinite others liued in that first 600. yeres and som after by whom the light of Gods truth and the pure religion was defended against diuers and sundrie sorts of heretikes and declared by sermons and godly interpretations of holie scripture which may euidently appeare euen vnto him that can but read the English toonge if hee peruse the writings of our reuerend Bishops and teachers of this lande First the challenge was made by master Iewel in a Sermon preached at Paules crosse Anno 1560. the Sonday before Easter that for 600. yeeres after Christ our religion might be defended by the writings of fathers and counsels secondlie the defence was most truelie and fullie performed by the same master Iewell against Harding by master Horne against Fecknam master Pilkington against the man of Chester master Punet against Th. Martin as also by master Noel against Dorman master Edward Deering to Hardings reioinder master Calfils answer to Marshals defence of the crosse master Fulke against Allin Sanders Bristow c. and by the conference in the Tower with Campion and that of master Reinolds with Hart. In these and diuers others very notable english bookes all points of our Christian faith are not onely maintayned by the writinges of the foresayde auncient Fathers and Counsels of the first sixe hundred yeeres but also by diuers other wrighters and Counsels followinge in other ages yea by diuers Papistes as the Schoolemen popishe decrees decretals and historiographers But wee doo frankely confesse that sixe hundred yeeres after Christ beeing past the visible church not so well seasoned nor the true faith so openly vniuersally faithfully maintained but more and more decaied obscured and darkned vntill the reuelation of Antechrist which hath been since Luther Neither doo we take it to be any derogation to the truth seeing that these last nine hundreth yeres were the daies of darknes and the time of the punishment of God that they which regarded not to know God should be giuen ouer to lyes and fables as is before manifestly prooued by the scriptures Notwithstanding in all this time it was not so obscure hidden but that the stories of these mystie daies doe affoord vs sufficient matter and markes whereby we may find where how and in what sort the true faith and religion stroue with the foolish and vnthankfull hart of man offering him in all this declining and apostatical generations the ioifull light of truth and the right way of peace and saluation but they would not but they fought against it and herein I will not stande to rehearse all particulers which would aske a great volume but onely mention that which is most generall and notoriously knowne vntill this 600. yeeres the churches by east and west were in vnitie and the christian faith continued his vniuersall and visible succession but shortlie after by reason that Bonifacius the thirde obtained the supremacy ouer all Bishops brought it into the sea of Rome there grew discontentments which continued vp and downe vntill Hildebrande came vp about An. 1237. all which time the Greeke church eastwarde held the auncient catholike faith as we now doo but by meanes that the Greeks condiscended not to the vnmeasurable pride of the popes there was made a seperation and so the faith was found onely in the Grecians amongst whom it also remained as it may appeare by this that in the time of the counsell of Basill about An. 1440. Engenious the fourth in a priuate conuocation at Florence laboured the grecians to condescende to the latin church to allow of purgatorie of the popes supremacie of vnleauened bread in the communion and of transubstantiation so that the east churches which containe not only Grecia but also the Ethiopians Syrians and many other great nations did in some good measure hold out the true faith vntill this time Now in the west parts there were certain men called Waldenses or Albigences and Pauperes de Lugduno who first at Lions in France and after in diuers other places as Meridoll and Cabriers and in many townes of the countrie of Piemont in great numbers shewed themselues from An. 1160. till the time of Luther Iohn Wickliefe and his fellowes and with them the good christians called Lollards did shew themselues in England in the time of Edwarde the third about the yere 1371. and thenceforth and in the time of Richard the second whereof followed great persecution many yeres Iohn Husse and Hierom of Prage with the countrie of Bohemia were famous for the true religion at the counsell of Constance about Anno 1413. and many yeres after So that when Luther came vp he found not the gospell and true religion without witnesse in diuers places Therefore leauing out Berthramus in France Iohn Scotus in England and verie many notable men in diuers countries whom God stirred vp heere and there euen in these euil daies of darknes som by writing some by preaching some by suffering and by death to giue testimonie in these west parts and vnder the Popes nose I may boldlie conclude this Chapter with humble and hartie thankes to God that the religion which wee holde and professe in Englande is the onely true auncient catholike and vniuersall religion wherein and
wee may beleeue him in this time was found out the gowne of Iesus Christ which fell by lot vnto one of the soldiers when Christ was crucified in a village called Zaphat For wee must suppose that Christ woare durable cloathing which woulde not waste in 600. yeares and that the soldier kept it as some holy relicke and gaue it or sold it to some Christian But I will not trouble the reader with such bables onely let him obserue and marke that here ignoraunce and blind deuotion began to spring and to draw men away from the pure truth of the gospell This Platina tels vs that Theodatus ordained that the sonne of the godfather Godfathers not to marie should not marie the daughter which his father held at the font this is a new kindred Boniface the 5. Sanctuarie for offendors ordained that one shold not be drawen out of the church by force but the church shold bee a place of refuge for offenders Organs musicke in the church The pax Vitalianus ordayned organs in the church and musicall instruments Leo the second founded the Pax to be giuen the people in the masse time A strange chaire This Platina telleth of a new and strange chaire at Rome called Sedes Stercorea wherin the new created Pope sitteth and vnderneath the last deacon trieth him whether he be a man which newly came vp by this occasion that Pope Iohn 8. Anno 855. as he went to the Church of Lateran Masse for the dead was deliuered of a child and therefore the Popes after that going to that Church passe not that way are thus tried Benedict 3. ordained that the priestes deacons and the Pope should bee present at the funerall of a Bishop to giue honor to the corps and to pray for the dead mans soule and commanded all priests to say masse when the Pope died In the time of Formosus which was about Anno 890. Hee saith The Emperors Popes holinesse lost at one time that he could not tell for what cause in one time the truth of the Emperours and of the Popes their holines was lost and abolished Steuen the sixt brought vp this new custome that one Pope did vndo and annihillate the doings and decrees of his predecessors wherein the Christian reader by the way may consider that wee are to beleeue them when they make the Popes decrees equall with the scripture seeing themselues can so easily put downe such authentical doings And here is not to bee omitted how grieuously Platina a In the life of Sargius and of diuers others complaineth in rehearsing the liues of many wicked popes about this time calling them cursed and bastardes from the vertues of the good Popes Of Iohn the 16. he saith that hee conuerted the goods of the Church to the vse of his kindred brothers parentes and carnall friendes and of that sprang a custome which the Popes comming after did obserue and keepe that not for the faith and deuotion of Christianitie but for the treasures of the Church the Popes sought that honour namely to enrich themselues and their friends brothers sisters cosens nephewes c. About which time a Booke 6. Anno 990. Polydor Virgill in his storie of England obserueth that the Monkes degenerated and the priestes into tyranny by meanes of their riches This Platina can tell you that Syluester the second came to his popedom by negromancie and that Benedick the 8. after his death appeared vpon a blacke horse for hiding vp money that was giuen for the poore And Benedick the 9. sold his Popedome and so also after his death appeared like a monster horrible idoll Syluester the third through mony became Pope Anno 1000. also Gregorie the 6. for at this time this new learning was ruled by money and friendes Damasus the second occupied that roome by force without the consent of the people and cleargie so the custome was that the ambitious obtained the papacie This Platina commendeth Gregorie the seuenth although for that he telleth of him hee might rightly bee called Hellbrand for his presumption ouer his Lord the Emperor for his hellish and blasphemous bulles wherein he maketh Peter his God saying O glorious Peter prince of the Apostles incline thine eare heare thy seruant whom thou hast nourished vp from his infancie preserued kept from the hands of his enemies vnto this present time c. And in his statutes a little after he describeth the man that doth as appertayneth to a Christian by this To feare God S. Peter To feare God and S. Peter And in another curse he saith to Peter Paul I haue not chosen you but you haue chosen me laid this most greeuous burden vpon my shoulders c. By these and such like he vttereth wordes of great dishonour to God maketh Peter in vertue power worship equal to God Christ which are new broached errors fearefull in the eares of true Christians And such as Peter would earnestly haue detested if hee were aliue a Act. 10. Cap. 14. who rebuked Cornelius in a lesse matter And Paul would haue rent his cloathes said O men why doe you these things we also are men subiect to the like passions as you are He can tell vs also of Vrban the second that he began the wares against the Sarasines and Turkes And that from thencefoorth the cheefest labours of Popes haue beene in wars for Peters patrimony deposing kinges and Emperours and translating of kingdomes and dignities Out of which goodly roote there sprang vp the bloudie factions of the Guelphes and Gibellins Florentines Venetians Genenois Cecilians c. The b Anno 1260. Romanes refuse to obey Vrban the 4. And these garboiles grew so strong that the Popes were faine to bee nonresidents for seuentie foure yeres beginning at c Anno 1310. Clement the fifth vntill Gregorie the eleuenth Then out of this engendred an other newe thinge d 1380. a scisme of nine and thirtie yeares wherein were someime two sometime three Popes at once till the councell of Constance And so this time in warres canonizing of Saints breeding and enlarging of pardons and many other trumperies continued vntil the time of Luther Here I ouerskip Boniface the 8. with his two swordes and his angels be set in the night to perswade Celestinus to surrender his pope seate and Iohn 23. a deuisor of new thinges he would make and vnmake Bishops of Abbots and Abbots of Bishops new canons dignities in the church and by and by in another fashion And thus haue they handled the religion of Christ Like vnto a potter turning his wheele who maketh the clay now of one fashion and now of an other that no certainty of truth and ancient godlinesse can be found in that sea But as the Prophet Esay saith a Cap. 29.19 Your turning deuises shall it not bee as the potters
cleros telleth vs out of Isidorus that among the auncient fathers a priest and a Bishop were all one And the same thing he d Distinct 93. cap. legimus affirmeth out of Hierome with many reasons drawne from holy scripture and he sheweth that the first rising of one Bishop ouer another was deuised for a remedie against schisme And as concerning the preheminenc of the citie of Rome he addeth Si authoritas quaereretur c. if authoritie be sought for the authoritie of the world is greater then that of one citie wheresoeuer there is a Bishop at Rome or at Engubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium or Alexandria or at Thebes or at Guarmatia it is of the same merit it is of the same priesthood which the glosse there doth interpret that discreete learned and wisemen esteeme all alike but ideots and the comon people despise a Bishop of a smale or litle citie And a litle after e Distinct 95. cap. olim he saith As the elders or priestes knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him which is set ouer them So let the Bishops know that they are greater then the prists rather by custome then by the truth of Gods ordinance and that they ought to rule in comon Cesar Baronius by the cōmandement of pope Gregory the 13. making a new legend called Martyrologiums after the order of their new callender in his notes vpon that booke f Ian. 20. pag. 22. at the letter c. teacheth vs that this word Papa pope was first accounted to come of the greeke word Pappas signifying a father and in the same sence came to be a name of dignitie that the reuerend clerkes or clergie men were called by that name Afterward the same name began to be peculiar vnto Bishops that they were called Papae that is popes or fathers vntil An. 850. then it began to grow to fasten only vpon the head of the pope of Rome at the length pope Grerory the 7. An. 1071. in a synod ordained that there should be but one name of Pope in all the Christian world This man also a Quint. ad April pag. 160. 161. witnesseth that it was in times past the old custome of the church that the Bishops were not onelie called Pontifices prelates but also summi pontifices chiefe or hiest prelates because that the office of a Bishop was called the chiefe priesthood this hee proueth by expresse examples vntill the 6. counsel b About An. 645. of Toletane and he bringeth in Saint Augustin saying those wordes what is a Bishop but the first elder that is the hyest priest briefely hee calleth them no otherwise then fellowe Elders and his fellow priestes But after Baronius addeth that the latter custome obtained that the Bishop of Rome should bee called summus maximus pontifex the hiest and greatest prelate or Bishop Polydor vergill c De inuentorrer lib. 4. ca. 10. telleth vs that the first honour that was giuen to the Bishop of Rome was this that he might change his name when he is created Pope if his name be not handsome and the author of this deuise was Sergius whose name was called os porci that is the mouth of an hogge But more neere to our matter Platina d In vita pelagij deinceps sheweth that the commandement of the Emperour did sway all the matter in the choise of the pope vntill the time of * Pelagius the second About Anno 600. So that when by the extreame fall of waters they could not go to the Emperor the pope was faine to send Gregorious to make his excuse because the election was nothing woorth without the Emperors approbatiō And after him in the election of Gregorious the clergie people desired the Emperor that it would please him to cōfirme the election which was made concerning Gregorius And where as Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople obtained by a Synod the title Ecromenicus that is of vniuersall Bishop Gregorie resisted him not because as Platina saith it belongeth to Peters sea as they falsly call Rome but because it was a new and blasphemous name and such as none before them did euer allow of or take vnto him selfe As Gregorious himselfe in diuers letters both to the Emperor the Empresse to diuers Bishops to Iohn himselfe doth write whereof you shal heare some part First to the Emperour he among other things a Epist lib. 4. cap. 29. Mauritio August Epist 32. saith Quis est iste c who is this that against the statutes of the gospel against the decrees of the canons presumeth to vsurpe to himselfe a new name Would to God that without the diminishing of others there were one which desireth to be called vniuersall and a little after But be it far from the harts of Christians this blasphemus name wherein the honour of all priests is taken away while it is madly arrogated of one vnto himselfe And b Constantie August Epist 34. to the Empresse It is a verie heauie thing that it should be patiently born that al being despised my foresaid brother fellow-bishop goeth about to be called Bishop alone but in this his pride what other thing is shewed but onely that the times of antechrist be at hand And vnto c Epist 36. Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria and Anastasius Bishop of Antioch None of my predecessors haue euer consented to vse this so prophane a terme or word Because forsooth if one be called vniuersal patriarch the name of patriarch is taken from others vnto which if you ioine that of the sixt counsell of Carthage That all matters should be ended in the prouince where they began And that of the Milenitane counsell that no appeale should be made out of the prouince ouer the sea you may easilie plainly perceiue that vnto this 600. yeres after Christ it doth so far appeare that the Pope had no supremacy ouer kings or Emperors that his authoritie was not so much as ouer any minister or priuate man out of his owne diocesse or prouince and that to claime any such title as to be vniuersall Bishop was new blasphemous the ouerthrow of priesthood not sufferable and a fore-running of Antechrist How the pope brought vnder the ciuill power by growing ouer the ecclesiasticall And here thou maist obserue that in all this time there was not yet any question of superioritie ouer the superior ciuil magistrate but ouer the Bishops them selues But how they came to crow ouer the ciuill magistrate the storie of the time following doth declare wherin I might spend much time of the seed of these things as the aduancing of the honor of Peter cunningly pretended to draw on the primacy vpon the pope of Rome his counterfeit successor Constantine forged donation but I shal not need to rip vp euery circumstance For if neither these nor any other were able to cōpasse this infernal primacy in
whereby God hath been truely serued and worshipped his elect saued and the true faith confessed from the beginning of the world and namely from Abraham euen vnto our daies which is now 5528. yeeres and the gates of hell could never preuaile against it no power of men subdue it no heresies ouerthrow it no wisdom or learning confute it no persecutions destroy it no pollicie nor crueltie subuert it no tract of time weare it out no changes or subuersions of kingdoms countries or states ouer whelme it no lawes edicts counsels canons cursses decrees or decretals put it down or banishe it Magna est veritas preualet Great is the truth and preuaileth Blessed be the God of truth And herein is fulfilled that which the prophet saith a Psal 19.9 102.27.28 The feare of the Lord is cleane and endure for euer And thou O God art the same and thy yeeres faile not the children of thy seruants shall continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight The second part of the newnes of Poperie CHAP. I. How the Romish superstition disagreeth with the true auncient catholike religion and faith of Gods elect where is declared 1. How manie waies in this sort disagreement is to bee founde 2. And that in all the former fifteene articles they disagree very greatly THere are two things which doo euidently argue the new and late begetting and birth of Romish heresie The Ante-christianitie or disagreement it hath with the pure holie and old faith which God hath once giuen to the Saints and the conformitie and agreement it hath with all heretical prauitie For seeing that all men know and the papists themselues must needs confesse that it is come foorth within these last times of the world for the face thereof neuer sawe the sonne before if it agree not with the wholsome truth of the inspired scriptures of God and so not of the auncient catholike faith of Gods chosen but resembleth and beareth the expresse and indeleble charecter of filthie new borne heresie it must needs leese those dainty terms of vnitie antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession and of the olde and catholike religion And so the truth is For as then the Popes of Rome became most loftie and proud and aduanced themselues aboue all estates when they vsed in their stile the lowlie termes of seruus seruorum Seruant of Seruants so seased they then to bee truely and in deed Catholike or vniuersall when cutting of themselues from the true vniuersall church and religion they tyed the name and honor of Catholicke church to one place calling it contrarie to the holie creed The catholike church of Rome Therefore as I haue in the former part shewed the auncient and vnchangeable religion what it is and how it hath continued vnto this our age so now I doubt not but that it shall appeare through Gods grace to euerie honest conscience of any reasonable capacitie not forestalled with the preiudice of willful blindnes that the church of Rome and the religion thereof is not of the same generation hath no affinitie with God and his truth but is altogether earthly sensual and diuelish And first of the disagreement it hath with the true faith that is what it is not then of the agreement with heresie that is what it is In the first part the reader is to vnderstand that disagreement is in diuers sortes sometime direct and plaine contrarie as light and darkenes sometime contradictorie where one saying is the destruction of an other as to say A man is a reasonable creature and to say a man is not a reasonable creature Sometime they disagree by hauing a differing nature though not so directly set on against an other as a stone an egge and a tree differ from a man sometime the disagreement is hidden and vnderhand when there is a shewe to maintaine the truth in words and yet in deeds comming in by some hidden and closely carried circumstance men ouerthrew the same truth 2. Sam. 3.27 As Ioab spake with his mouth peaceable vnto Abner and with his hand he smote him vnder the fift ribbe that hee died And there is yet an other difference which is expresly named in holie scripture that is wheÌ„ in a matter taught in the scripture definitiuely men either take awaie something and make it too short or too little or else adde something and make it too long or too great Wheresoeuer there is any of these disagreements they cannot be said to be one and the same and so the church of Rome in all points of Christian religion differing in some one of these kindes cannot be said to bee of the true catholicke religion As in the first kinde the true religion a 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3 saith It is the spirit of errors and doctrine of diuels to forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats The sea of Rome say directly contrarie that by the holie ghost and spirit of truth they forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats In the second kind the true religion saith b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes they say A man is not iustified by faith without workes In the thirde kind the true religion saith c Heb. 1.3 Iesus Christ hath by himselfe purged our sins they say we are purged also by satisfaction purgatorie indulgences and diuers other things In the fourth kinde the true religion saith that d Iacob 1.21 the woorde of God is able to saue our soules The synagogue of Rome do so say also in words but in deed they cut the throat of Gods word by equalling or preferring of traditions canons decrees decreâ—als and humaine customes euen as Christ e Matth. 15.6 speaketh of the pharisees who also in woords pretended Gods woord that they make the woord of God of no effect or authoritie by their tradition But as touching the last disagreement that shameles whoore of Babilon diminisheth and taketh from Gods word when they keepe the cup from the comon people and adde vnto Gods word when they cause the sacrament to be lifted vp and adored and verie many such things they doo Therefore if I shew that in al parts of religion they disagree from the truth in one of these kinds it will be sufficient to prooue that their abhominations are nothing sauouring of the true auncient religion 2. And this I will do God willing in two sorts First in this Chapter by shewing how they disagree with the articles taught out of Gods word in the former part and secondly in the next Chapter howe dissent from the doctrin of S. Paul S. Peter whoÌ„ they say to haue bin at Rome and to bee planters of that church in this first I must desire the reader to looke vpon euerie article as before cap. 2. and he shal easilie see the disagreement for I wil but a little open and briefely point out their error and the disagreement will bee manifest of it selfe Marke therefore
all writings of Bishops prouinces and generall counsels as vncertain and vnperfect and such as may be amended but lifteth vp the scriptures and writings of the new and olde testament as the onely sure and sufficient truth b De baptism contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. saying Who knoweth not that the holy scripture as well of the olde as of the new testament is contained within certaine boundes and the same to be preferred before all the letters of the bishops comming after as that there can be no doubt dispute of or about it But the letters of Bishops which haue bin written after the confirming of the Canon or are now written may be reprehended both by the speech perauenture more wise of any man more wise in the same thing and by the grauer authoritie of other Bishops prudencie of learned men and by counsels if perauenture any thing in them do erre frō the truth Also counsels which are holden in seuerall regions or prouinces are to giue place without any staggering to the authoritie of fuller counsels which are holden of all the Christian world and those verie fuller councels often the former may be amended by the latter when as by any experience of things that is made knowne which was hidden Cyrillus in that verie age sheweth himselfe in this matter a verie true protestant c Vpon Ioh. 20. cap. 68. saying All things which the Lord hath done are not written but those things which the writers haue thought sufficient as well for maners as doctrine that shining in a right faith and workes and vertue we may come to the kingdome of heauen through our Lord Iesus Christ And Theophilact one of the later writers of the Greekes condescendeth to this doctrine b Vpon 2. Tim. 3. and saith Nihil est quod nequeat scripturis dissolut There is nothing which cannot bee assoiled by the scriptures Here the Christian reader may see that the auncient Christian religion was the same of protestants holding the scripture for the onely Canon of faith the rule of righteousnesse containing all thinges necessarie to saluation most certaine and sure to discerne all truth and able to assoile all dobts and questions and that wee ought to follow no man because Bishops letters the most generall and fullest councels may be amended and that it is onely the holy scripture whereof there can bee no doubt or dispute so that it followeth that it is a new doctrine to say that the Churches authoritie is aboue the scripture or that the Church iudgeth the scripture and not the scripture the Church or that wee neede and must accept with equall reuerence traditions or vnwritten verities and canons of the church without disputing and such like blasphemies Gratian also the compiler of the decrees who c About Ann. 1160. liued in the chiefest growth of corruption did publish to all the world as an ecclesiasticall decree the soueraigntie of holy scripture For speaking of deuine lawes he sheweth the determination of ancient fathers to set the holy scriptures aboue all other lawes whatsoeuer And first aboue all customes in d Distinct 8. ca. Si solus Christus these wordes If Christ onely bee to bee hearde wee are not to regarde what any man before vs thought meete to bee done but what Christ who is before all hath first done For wee must not follow the custome of men but the truth of God seeing God speaketh by Esai the prophet and saith in vaine doe they worshippe mee teaching the commandements and doctrines of men Secondly that it is proper and peculier to the Canonicall scriptures e For so the glosse interpreteth the Canons of the distinction following of the olde and new Testament onely not to erre f Distinct 9. cap. Ego solit saying I haue learned to giue vnto those writinges onely which now are called Canonicall this reuerence and honour that I beleeue that none of them haue erred And againe g Cap. Noli frater Doe not desire brother to gather out of the writings of Bishoppes cauils against so many so excellent and vndoubted testimonies deuine c. Whether they bee ours or Hillarius or Cyprian and Agrippinus before the part of Donatus was seperated And first this kind of letters is to bee distinguished from the authoritie of the Canons for they are not so reade as though a testimonie were so brought out of them that it is not lawfull to thinke contrarie if in any place they vnderstood otherwise then the truth doeth require And againe Neither ought wee to account the disputations of any men whatsoeuer although Catholicke and reuerende men like vnto the Canonicall Scriptures that it shoulde not bee lawfull for vs sauing the reuerence due vnto these men to improoue some thing in their wrytinges and to reiecte it if happely wee shall finde that they thinke or imagine otherwise then the truth hath In the next age after Gratian I finde Bonauentura a Franciscan a man of great account in h De profect◠religiosorū cap. 6. He liued about Ann. 1280. his time with cleare tearmes to teach the doctrine of protestantes in these wordes Nam quod ratio nostra lippa facta est c. Whereas our reason is become as bleare eied our vnderstanding darkened through sinne that wee cannot finde the truth of our selues God came downe vnto vs least we should bee in error and gaue vs the knowledge of the truth in the scriptures which he would haue vs beleeue where we might find sufficiently and truely all thinges necessarie for vs vnto saluation that in them we should not follow our sence but humblie submit our sence vnto the rule of faith if we will not erre Nicholas Lyra in the a 1315. next age protesteth for the scripture in like maner b Vpon the Prouerb ca. 31. saying Sacra scriptura continet firmam c. The holy scripture containeth the firme and inuiolable truth as in a merchants shippe are caried diuers thinges necessarie for mans life so in scripture are contained all things necessarie to saluation But that I ouercloy not the reader with many testimonies for the authority of holy scriptures I wil now turne to the other side to trace the footsteps of the popish doctrine how it came vp that the scriptures hath lost their first authority and honour Surely by the witnesse of the papistes themselues not in 400. or 600. yeares after Christ For then saith the glosse vpon c Vpon distinct 9. cap. noli me 15. Gratian that about the times of Augustine Augustina scripta aliorū sanctorū patrum non erant autentica c. The writings of Augustine and of other holy fathers were not autenticall but d that is about Anno 1200. now they are commanded to be holdē to the vtmost Iod. And this Gratian e Distinct 15. cap. sancta Romana sendeth vs to Gelasius for the first founder of the authoritie of councels
of truth Vnto which the Pope by a speciall bull gaue him licence prouided that of euery house be paid vnto Peter the yerely pension of a pennie and the foundation of this graunt in the said bull is builded vpon this that the Pope therein most arrogantly without any authoritie from God challengeth saying Sane omnes insulas c. Surely all Ilands vpon whom the sunne of righteousnesse shineth haue receiued the doctrine of the Christian faith without doubt doth appertain to the right of S. Peter of the holy church of Rome Behold a wōderfull arrogancie a maruellous awe of a king to a proud prelate And not onely was he thus in awe of the pope a thing abhorrent from a free kingdome but also c Pag. 134. so forward Thomas Archb. of Canterbury being one of his own subiects did verie greatly curbe him For beside many other crosse dealing whereas An. 1164. the Archbish Bishops Abbots priors the cleargie Earles Barons and all the nobilitie did sweare and firmely promise in the word of truth to keepe and obserue to the king his heires in good sooth without any ill meaning for euer sixteene points of customes or liberties recognised and acknowledged to be to him and namely of the auncestors of the king for the auoiding of dissentions and discord often arising betweene the cleargie and the Iustices of the Lord the king and the peeres of the Realme which were as touching aduowsons and presentations of Churches of Clearkes accused or conuicted of the going of Archbishops Bishops c. out of the land without the kinges licence of excommunication and of lay men accused to be done by lawful and honest accusers and witnesses that such as helde of the king should not bee excommunicated or interdicted without the kinges knowledge that appeales should not go further then the Archbishop without the kinges consent that Archbish Bishops and all persons holding lands of the king in Capite should haue their possession as a baron and doe seruice therein as other Barons accustomablie did and such like This Thomas after his solemne oath repenting himselfe without the kings licence or knowledge trauelleth and maketh suite to the Pope of Rome not onely to be discharged of his oath but to ouerthrow the whole libertie of the realme and that against both the king nobles prelates and the whole state of the land and of them he excommunicateth many causeth verie great disturbance to the king and all the realme Thereof are many appeales diuers meetings of cleargie states sometime of Cardinals sometime of the French king to compound or determine the cause At length by the meanes of the French king the matter being taken vp Thomas sent peaceablie home was no sooner warme in his seate but by bulles from the Pope hee fell to excommunicate and curse the other Bishoppes and others who had offended him Whereupon there was kindled such indignation and wrath in the heart of certaine resolute persons that because hee remained obstinate in his former crossing of the king as they tooke it laid violent hands vpon him as vpon the kings enemie and slew him The king hearing thereof being much greeued did humble himselfe in sackcloth and ashes protesting by solemne oath his ignorance and innocencie of the fact sending Embassadors to Rome of his defence submission to the order of the Church which had such strange entertainment that neither the first nor second messengers could come into the popes sight and had much adoe to keep the land from interdicting but at the length by swearing that the king would stand to the iudgement of the Pope his Cardinals that great curse was auoided Howbeit the king although by oath he sware earnestly that he was not priuy nor acquainted with the fact yet because in his anger he had spoken some wordes vnaduisedly and had brought vp such wicked soldiers as would be reuenged vpon the kinges traitor the Archbishop and so slew him therefore the king for remission of his sins was enioyned by the Pope to giue so much money as would maintaine 200. soldiers a yeare and suffer appeales and let go all his customes and liberties of his ancestors before spoken of and recognised by oath of all his subiects And after this a thing not be seeming any Christian much lesse a king returning into England and comming neere to the cittie of Canterburie he alighted from his horse and putting off all kingly maiestie barefoote like a pilgrim penitent and supplyant with sighes groanes and teares he commeth to the tombe of this Thomas casting himselfe downe in all his bodie spreading his hands to heauen remained in praiers and after other popish ceremonies because of his vnaduised words he tooke vpon him this penance hee asked absolution of the Bishops then and there present laying open his naked skin to the discipline of rods he receiued of euerie religious man whereof there was a great multitude three or fiue ierkes Let any wise man knowing the word of God consider whether this were not a shamefull slauerie both of body soule king and kingdome a Math. Paris hist Ang. pag. 254. The king appealeth from his subiect King Richard the first going about to fortefie the out borders of his countrie in Normandie was maruellously confounded and ouerstreightned by the Archb. of Roan his subiect Who therefore interdicted all the countrie so that mens bodies being dead lay vnburied in the streetes of the cities and villages very greatly annoying the liuing with their stinch yet had the king no way to relieue himselfe but by appeale to the court of Rome loe here the king appealeth from his subiect by whom it was ordered that by exchange of so much for so much as belonged to the Archb. chapter of Roan the interdiction was staied and the Archbishop appeased toward the king And who hath not heard of the vnspeakeable thraldome that king Iohn was wrapped in because hee allowed not the choise of an Archbishop made by the pope without his consent but vsed his royall authoritie against them which agreed to such choise wherein his Maiestie was excluded First his land was accursed so that no Churches opened to their manner of seruice Secondly he was excommunicated and lastly deposed of his kingdome and his kingdome giuen to the French King to winne from him by force of armes And by this he was driuen to commit himselfe to the Popes pleasure and to resigne his crowne and kingdome into the Popes hands receiued it againe in fee and vnder homage paying a thousand markes yearely swearing himselfe the Popes vassall for euer What a lamentable case was it in England when b Mathew Paris histor Ang. pag. 703. king Henrie the third being humblie moued by his subiectes to stand vpon his priuiledge that his people should not bee made a pray to the Romish exactions did answere directly and say Neither will I neither dare I gainsay the Pope in