THE NOVELTIE OF POPERIE Discovered and chieflie proven by Romanists out of themselves IER. 6. 16. Ask for the old path's where is the good way and walk therein TERT. L. 2. CONT. MARCION Omnino res Christiana sancta antiquitate constat nec ruinosa rectiùs reparabitur quà m si ad originem reducatur By William Guild D. D. and Preacher of Gods word ABERDENE Printed by IAMES BROWN 1656. TO The worshipfull and worthie of all respect DAVID WILKIE Dean of gild of Edinburgh Worshipfull Sir THere are two remarkable points of Policie which are used by the enemies of the Trueth the Papists for bearing down the same and for upholding the Dagon Diana of their idolatrous worship The first is the claime of venerable Antiquitie to be only on their side being herein like the Gibeonites who tho they dwelt near hand yet preteÌ„ded that they wer come froÌ„ a far or like the Pharisees who deryved the leaven of their new and corrupt doctrine from the verie chayre of Moses it self The second is the imputation of Noveltie to us and laying that foule aspersion on the faire face of trueth and of our profession as tho like Elihues confession of himself Iob 32. 6. the same were but young and of yesterday but theirs like Iobs other friends wâ—r onlie old or ancient which imputation indeed is no new tricke of enemies to the Trueth seing we see the same aspersion cast on our Saviours and his Apostles doctrine Act 17. 19. and whereby also Pagans laboured to make the Christian religioÌ„ at first odious to the world But we are content to be tryed by Antiquitie the old way as Ieremieâ—â—eakes 6. 16. being the only good way and as Tertullian sayeth cap. 4. ad praxeam That that onelie is trueth which is first and most ancient as that was the good seed onelie which was first sowen in the Masters field it being tares onlie which were sowen later by the envyous enemie Therfore we must distinguish between Antiquitie of Trueth which is like the Legitime first borne between Antiquitie of Errour which is later and of a bastard broode which made our Saviour to oppose to this Math. 5. it was said of old this other speech of his but from the beginning it was not so by which sort also of primitive antiquitie Ierusalem was somtimes a faithfull Citie as Isaiah calleth her 1. 21. but afterwards by the other sort became a Harlot as Ezekiel also speaketh 23. 43. waxed old in her adulteries even as Rome in likemanner was first famous for her faith throughout the world by holding the antiquitie of trueth But thereafter like Ierusalem making defection to errour and Idolatrie shee hath in likemaÌ„ner played the Harlot waxed old in her Adulteries Whose followers as Demetrius cryed up their great Diana of Ephesus or the Iewes the Temple of the Lord so tho they in likemanner cry up the holie RomaÌ„ Church Mother and Mistresse of all other yet justlie we may reply as is said of her Revel. 17. 5. That shee is a mother indeed but the Mother of harlots and abhominations of the earth and so old indeed but as Ezekiel speaketh old in adulteries and who because of the multitude of her whoredomes as the Prophet Nahum speaketh 3. 4. is the mistres of witch-crafts whose skirts the Lord hath discovered upon her face and will more and more shew the Nations her nakednes and the Kingdomes her shame who at last shall hate the Whore as Revel. 17. 16. make her dosolate eate her flesh and burne her with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her Howsoever therefore they upbraid us with Noveltie who are of that Apostaticke Church of Rome and synagogue of Antichrist yet it shall bâ—e seene God willing by this ensueing Treatise That 〈◊〉 Potiphars wife was onlie guiltie of that foull aspersion wherwith shee accused innoceÌ„t Ioseph so that they in likemanner are onelie guiltie of that aspersion of Noveltie which they impute to us and to our profession and that their doctrine is neither that first sowen seed in the Lords field by his Apostles whereanent Paul sayeth Gal. 1. 8. If an Angell from heaven should â—each any thing beside that which we haue taught let him be accuâ—sed nor yet consonaÌ„t thereunto but altogether disagreeable and dissonant therefra and like the supersemination mixture of the tares by the envyous enemie in the LORDS field Which paines I haue Dedicate to you Sir as a pryme lover of the Trueth and promover of learning to whom by Divine providenoe as the patronage of six Bursers of Philosophie in the Vniversitie of Saynt Andrewes Leonardin Colledge thereof now belongeth founded by that worthie and never to be foregotten Principall thereof Master ROBERT WILKIE of happie memorie So your godlie care and conscientious manageing therof with your loue to that place which oweth so much to you and to your surname hath moved mee in this barren age of encouragements to vertue and learning to single you out as fittest and most worthie to whom my pen and paines may contribute their best respects the increase of whose prosperitie and happinesse everie way I shall ever wish who am Sir Your's most affectionatlie devoted William Guild The Noveltie Of POPERIE CHAPTER I. That the most Auncient Religion is onelie true and Catholicke THERE can bee no better direction in matter of Religion than that of the Prophet saying Stand in the wayes and see and aske for the olde way which is the good way Neyther can there bee a greater prescription agaynst Hereticall pravitie than that of our SAVIOVR'S from the beginning it was not so Or can there bee a surer preservatiue agaynst the seduction of those who speake lies in Hypocrisie than that which is set downe by the Apostle S. IVDE to wit Earnestlie to contende for that Fayth which was once delyvered to the Saynctes to wit at the beginning and therefore who are sayde to bee built onelie as the Apostle speaketh vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets IESVS CHRIST Himselfe beeing the Corner-stone Therefore as it was PAVL'S Protestation to the CORINTHIANS That what hee receaved of the LORD that onelie hee delyvered vnto them So it was his precept to TIMOTHIE and TITVS To holde fast that forme of sound doctrine and word of Fayth which they had beene taught and had heard of him It was the primitiue Churcheâ— practise in lyke-manner next to these Apostolicall tymes as witnesseth Lyrinensis not to delyver their owne inventions to posteritie but to holde fast onelie that which they receaved from their Predecessoures so that as anie one more flowrished in Religion sayeth hee the more hee with-stood ever anie newe inventions Whence it is that the Church was called a diligent and warie preserver of these doctrines of Fayth which were concredit vnto her without changing anie thing ever therein without diminishing therefrae or adding anie thing thereto sayeth the same Father
Fathers then vsed for convincing of Heretickes to wit the holie Scriptures but also in these ancient Heretickes is seene the true picture of our new Romanistes who when they are in lyke-manner convinced by Scripture they fall out lyke-wyse into the accusation of the Scriptures that they are not rightlie translated by vs and are not of sufficient authoritie of themselues without the Churches declaration that they are also ambiguous and obscure and that the trueth in all poynts of Doctrine can not be had out of them without vnwritten Tradition bringing also for the mayntayning thereof this same place of Scripture adduced by these ancient Heretickes The same doeth Tertuâ—â—ian lykewyse testifie of the Heretickes in his tyme who would not graunt sayeth hee that the Apostles revealed all thinges to all men but some thinges they taught secretlie and to a few even as Bellarmine speaketh which were to bee preserved from age to age by vnwritten Tradition for which cause the Apostle sayeth to TIMOTHIE O Timothie keepe that which was committed to thee The Author also of that Booke de Vnitate Ecclesie thought to bee Waltram Bishop of Naâ—â—â—rg showeth that this â—aven spâ—ed most and prevayled in the Romane Church wâ—en the Papacie came to an hight in Hildibrandes tyme about the yeare 1072 by the monasticall sort of that age of whom hee beeing living in that same age sayeth That despysing these doctrines that are of GOD to wit in holie Scripture they affect other doctrines sayeth hee and bringeth in into the Church commandementes of humane institution And agayne hee showeth why they suffered not their Novices as they ought to exercise themselues diligentlie in Scripture to wit that their vnpolished myndes might bee fedde with the huskes of Devils which are sayeth hee the customes of the traditions of men And which thing was so farre contratie to the ancient custome vsed at first in Monasteries that their owne Duarenus testifieth they were nothing else but Seminaries of Divinitie wherein they studied sayeth hee diligentlie the Scriptures and out of which as out of a Seminarie these were chosen and taken out for vndergoing Ecclesiasticall charges who were amongst them of best lyfe and learning Whence it is lyke-wyse that venerable Beda testifieth that this was the exercyse of those who were in that Famous and Religious Monasterie of our Land called Colmekill to wit that they might onelie learne these Doctrines which were in the Propheticall Evangelicall and Apostolicall Scriptures sayeth hee Which thing is farre different from the Doctrine of the Romane Church now who teacheth that the Scripture is the least part of revealed trueth and the farre greater part of the Gospell is come to vs by vnwritten tradition as sayeth Hosiâ—s of which sort Petrus à Soto granteth these to bee to wit the sacrifice of the Masse invocation of Saynctes the Popes Supremacie Prayers for the Dead the fiue Sacramentes beside Baptisme and the LORD'S Supper Wherevnto their Canisius joyneth worshipping of Images and their Bishop Lâ—ndanâ—â— addeth Transubstantiation the Communion vnder one kynde Indulgences and Purgatorie so that by their owne confession the mayne bodie of Poperie is not built vpon the sure foundation of Propheticall and Apostolicke writ as on the Rocke but vpon the sandie and vnsure foundation of pretended vnwritten tradition CHAPT. IV. That these Doctrines of Fayth for which the Romanistes pretende onlie vnwritten tradition as their warrand are not onelie beside but also plainly contrarie to the written word by their own confession and so can not bee but the latter sowne Popple in the Lord's Field BELLARMINE in his fourth Booke of the Word of God professeth in the name of all Romanistes saying That such traditions as are repugnant to Scripture we never doe defende sayth hee seeing there-fore hee renounceth such and abdicateth them both from his profession and patrocinie Let VS inquyre concerning some poynts of Poperie by their owne confession whether they bee Babels babes or the brood of such a bastard birth And first wee know that publicke prayer and performing of divine worship in an vnknowne tongue to the People is a doctrine and practise of Poperie having no ground but vnwritten tradition But if it bee asked whether this bee agreeable to Scripture 1. COR. 14. or contrarie thereto their owne Cardinall Cajetane on that place will tell vs saying By this doctrine of S. Paull it is to bee helde that it is farre better for the edifying of the Church that publicke prayers which are vttered in the hearing of the people bee said in a language common and knowne both to the Clergie and people And agayne sayth their owne Benedictus Montanus altho the Apostle would haue prayers sayde in a language that is vnderstood yet notwithstanding it is to bee helde that the Church to wit of Rome for most just causes hath decreed and ordayned the contrarie Heere then wee see that the Romane Church can decree clean contrarie to the doctrine of the written Word Agayne wee know that the prohibition of people to reade the Scriptures is a doctrine and practise of Poperie having no warrand but the Churches tradition but if it bee asked whether this bee agreeable to Scripture or no and especiallie to COLOSS. 3. 16 their owne Bishop Espenceus will tell vs saying It is manifest by the doctrine of the Apostle to the Colossians 3. 4. and by the practise of the Church sayeth hee that of olde the vse of the Scriptures was permitted to the people Therefore sayeth the Iesuit Azorius wee confesse that in S. Ierome and Chrysostomes tymes the Laicke people were exercysed in reading of the Scriptures because they were written in these Languages which they did vnderstâ—d and so sayeth also their Alfonsus à Castro Agrippa and others Lyke-wyse wee know That the making the Image of GOD the Father after the likenesse of an olde man is a doctrine and practise of Poperie having no warrand but the tradition of the Romane Church But if it bee asked whether this bee agreeable to Scripture EXOD. 20. 4. and DEVT. 4. 15. a clowde of witnesses of their owne Doctors will tell vs the contrarie as Bellarminâ— confesseth Abulensis to bee Durand and Perésius to whom wee may joyne also the late Iesuit Vasquez and others Wherefore Iohannes Ragusius in his Oration at the Councell of Basil is forced to confesse That altho in the olde Law the visible Images of GOD and of his Saynctes were forbidden by the Law of GOD and no libertie was graunted since eyther in the Olde or New Testament to make anie such yet the Church taught forsooth by the holie Ghost sayeth hee hath not onelie permitted but decreed and ordayned the contrarie Where wee may see a strange libertie assumed by the Church and a farre stranger inspiration of her by the holie Ghost hee to bee contrarie to himselfe and shee to trangresse GOD'S expresse command in Scripture by his
Cardinall Cusanus Whereâ—ore Theodores telleth vs clearlie That the mysticall signes after consecration departe not fâ—om their owne nature but remayne in their former substance figure and forme and may bee seene and touched as before Yea their owne Pope Gelaesius wryting agaynst Eutyches sayeth expreslie That tho in the Sacrament wee receaue a divyne thing to wit the Bodie and Blood of CHRIST yet the substance and nature of the bread and wine ceasseth not to remaine sayeth hee And if anie speaches of Fathers would seeme to sound other ways their owne Cassander telleth vs That the late Schoole men doe acknowledge these speaches to bee figuratiue whereby the signe is called by the name of the thing which is signified and is present also in the Sacrament So that justlie sayde the elder Schoolemen as Suarez reporteth of them that the doctrine of Transsubstantiation is not verie ancient This errour then was first broached in the East by Damascene in the time of Gregoriâ— the third Anno 740 and opposed then chiefelie by the Councell of Constantinople consisting of 338 Bishops Anno 754 who declared That the bread in the Eucharist was the true resemblance of Christs naturall bodie and consequentlie not the bodie it selfe About an hundreth yeares there-after in the tyme of Gregorie the fourth the same also began to bee propounded in the West by one Amularius Bishop of Lions who was censured and opposed by the Councell of Carifiacum wherein it was declared by the Bishops of France That it was to bee vnderstood that the bread and wine were the bodie and blood of CHRIST after a spirituall manner onelie Heere-after howsoever sundrie helde this grosse opinion of Transsubstantiation Paschasius Radbertus a Deacon Anno 850 who to that purpose wrote a Booke to Placidus of the bodie and blood of CHRIST yet others stoutlie mayntayned the trueth in the contrarie as Rabinâ—s Mâ—â—rus who at the same tyme opposed Paschasiâ—s and wâ—oâ—e thereof to Abbâ—t Egilo whereby arose great disputes by sundrie vpon both sides wherevpon Carolâ—s Calvus then King of FRANCE willing to haue these differences composed amongst his people and the trueth of the matter cleared singled out one Bertram a Priest and Mâ—nke of Corbey as * a man mâ—st famous in those tymes both for learning and pietie and reqâ—yred him to wryte to him his judgement in that matter which hee accordinglie did in his booke yet extant written Anno 876 wherein hee declareth and proveth That the bread and wine are Christs bodie and blood figuratiuelie onelie or by representation according to the naâ—ure of Sacramentes and sacramentall speaches taking so the name of that which they signifiâ— but for the substance of the creatures or elementes themselues they are the same after consecration as they were before sayeth hee for which cause the Romanisâ—es in the Belgicke expurgatorie Index wish that this Booke had altogether perished the Iesuit Turrian giving the reason thereof Because the citing of it declareth that Calvine's Heresie is not new About which tyme also of Bertrams wryting a famous countrey-man of ours also Iohannes Scotus wrote a * booke of the same matter and to the same sense who for his extraordinarie great learning in those tymes was surnamed Iohn the wyse And in ENGLAND in the dayes of Aeifricke an Abbot Anno 975 there was an auncient Homilie which the sayde Aelfricke at the command of Wâ—lfstane Arch-bishop of Yorke translated out of Latine and Saxâ—n into Englâ—sh synodicallie appoynted to bee read to the people for their instruction at everie Easter before the receaving of the holie Housell as he calleth the Sacrament wherein the verie same doctrine set downe by Bertram and professed now by vs is clearlie set downe as the sayde Homilie at large may bee seene in Master Iohn Foxe his Booke of Martyres Yet at last errour in the times of ignorance and Papall vsurpation so farre prevailed that Anno 1215 it was established as an Article of fayth so that as Scotus affirmeth truelie before the Councell of Laterane it was no doctrine of fayth sayeth hee CHAPTER XIX The Noveltie of halfe Communion or with-holding the Cuppe from the people FOR the cleare detection of the Noveltie of this sacrilegious errour first their owne Canonized Aquinas and with him Lyra and others declare according to the custome of the auncient Church all the people as they did communicate of the bodie of Christ so did they also of His blood sayeth hee And if wee aske at their owne Cassander how long this custome did continue in the Church of Christ hee will tell vs saying It is sufficientlie certayne that the vniversall Church of Christ even vnto this day did celebrate the Sacrament vnder both kyndes and that the Westerne or Romane Church more than a thousand yeares after Christ chiefelie in the solemne and ordinarie celebration of this Sacrament did giue the same in both kyndes both of breade and wine to all the members of the Church of Christ which is manifest sayeth hee out of the innumerable Testimonies both of Greeke and Latine Fathers And if then wee inquyre when this custome of communicating in one kynde began in the Romane Church generallie to be receaved their owne Gregorte de Valentia in lyke-manner will tell vs That it was but a little before the Councell of Constance which was helde in â—nno 1414. There-after if wee come to the Councell of Constance it selfe where it was first decreed and inquyre of the Noveltie thereof they are forced to confesse that Christ instituted this venerable Sacrament in both kyndes of bread and wine gaue it so to His Disciples say they as also that in the primitiue Church the same was receaved by the faythfull in both kynds and that for eschewing some perills and scandalls this custome was thought fit to bee altered Next after the cleare and confessed Noveltie of this poynt both in altering and mayntayning of Christs institution if wee will examine out of their owne confessions whether it bee best to adheare to Christs institution who gaue it in both kyndes or not Bellarmine will teach vs a generall rule saying It can not bee doubted of but that is best sayth hee and most fit to bee done which Christ Himselfe did But to subsume Christ gaue the Sacrament of His bodie and blood vnder both kyndes therefore inevitablie it followeth that without doubt it is fittest and best to giue it as yet in both kyndes Wherefore in expresse wordes not onelie did Ruardus Tapperus Deane of Lovane say that it were better and more covenient to giue it so as beeing more agreeable to the institution of Christ His example and Fathers of the primitiâ— Church but also their owne Cassander setteth downe the particular and pregnant reasons why it is better to giue it so vnder both kyndes and why the primitiue Church ever so gaue it I. because of the institution and example of
it is most evident that GOD is to bee prayed vnto sayeth hee yea GOD onelie as the authour of all good giftes 11. Wee say that after this lyâ—e tâ—ere is Heaven prepared for the godlie who die in the LORD and Hell fo the wicked who die not in the LORD Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 12. §. resp ad liâ—eram and so sayeth BELLARMINE Calling the South whereinto the tree is sayde to fall in ECCLESIASTES Hâ—aven and by the North that Hell is vnderstood 12. Last of all in a word wee belieue the holie Trinitie and whole Articles of the Creede which contayne the whole summe of the Christian fayth so that heere by the Antiquitie of our doctrine and Religion and in all the fore-named positiue poynts thereof may bee cleaâ—lie seene beside which what-so-ever doctrines of fayth since haue beene vented and invented in Popeâ—ie as the lâ—tter supersemination of Tares is branded with that Apostolicall Anathema and is to bee rejected Therefore for our part wee say with Vincentius Lyrinensis Let that vessell of election to wit PAVLL crye and that teacher of the Nations and that trumpet of the Apostles that preacher of the World and who had knowledge of the verie Heavens Let him I say crye and crye over and over agayne and vnto all men and ever and everie where let him by his letters proclayme If anie man shall teach anie doctrine of fayth which is new let him bee accursed AN ANSWERE Then 1. to that vsuall and customable Question Whereby the Romanistes aske vs where was our Religion before Luther HAving therefore ininstanced the positiue poynts of our doctrine which are the verie foundamentall poyntes of Christian Religion helde ever and mayntayned as truethes in the verie bosome of the Romane Church even vnto this day as is cleare by their former confessions wee see how easie it is to answere to their vulgar question whereby they aske where was our Religion before Luther Indeede as that woman descrybed in the REVELATION Thorow the furie and crueltie of that red Dragon was driven for aâ—time into the Wildernesse which the Râ—emistes themselues expone to bee the true Churches lurking for a season in time of persecution so this hath beene the condition of the professoures of the trueth sundrie tymes to bee brought to a verie few number and by persecution made lyke-wyse to lurke in the tyme of errouâ—es pâ—evayling Hierâ— dialogadvâ— which wee may see clearlie in that tyme whereof S. IEROME speaketh when the whole world groaned Luciferianos Athanasius ad so litariaÌ„ vitam ageÌ„tes and wondred that it was turned Arrian and of which tyme Athanasius thus complaineth What Church now doeth freelie worship sayeth hee seeing if it bee holie and true it lyeth vnder manie dangers and if there bee in anie place faythfull servantes of CHRIST as there bee yet they are hid Stapleton l. 2. princip. doâ—ctrina lium c 18. Pererius in Dan. l 15. in 〈◊〉 veniet teÌ„pus Abbas in Revel. â— 2. lyke that great Prophet ELIAS So that the profession of the Orthodoxe fayth sayeth Stapleton was then but with a few and those lyke-wyse living in exyle As also the verie Romanistes themselues giue vs to vnderstand that the same shall bee the estate of the true Church in the time of their pretended Antichrist to wit that then the true worship sayeth their Iesuit Pereriuâ— shall bee onelie in private and the whole Congregation of of the godlie shall bee hid sayth Ioachim Abbas For so shall the Elect bee wyse vnto themselues that they shall not presume to practise openlie because that darknesse shall prevayle and as the Rhemistes affirme Rhem annot in 2. Thess. 2. 3. The externall â—ate of the Romane Church and publicke intercourse of the saythâ—ull with it is lyke to ceasse and the communion of Christians with the fame shall bee onelie in heart say they and their worship in private Thereâ—ore what was the estate of true Religion and the proâ—essoures thereof in the time of Arrianisme prevayling or to bee â—n the tyme of their pretended Antichrists prevayling it were â—ot absurde for vs to say that the â—ame was the estate of true Religion and professoures thereof in the tyme of the prevayling of Poperie which wee count Antithristianisme But yet to come nearer them in answering to this question wee say that as it is easie to answere fit were asked in lyke-manner Where were GOD'S people before they came out of BABELL Revel 18. 4â— by replying thus that they were even in BABELL it selfe even so our Religion which consisteth in the mayne positiue poyntes forenamed and wherein wee agree the same was in the bosome of the Romane Church it selfe as hath beene showne helde by the Doctoures thereof and preached and preserved by them in the verie tyme of erroures greatest prevayling the same beeing in their mouthes as the vncorrupted text of the Law and sound doctrine of the Iewish religion in manie thinges conforme thereto was in the mouthes of the Scrybes and Pharisees who in that respect were sayde to sit in Moses Chayre and the people were commanded by our SAVIOVR to heare them But in so farre as those Pharisees lyke the Romanistes joyned their owne traditions to the Law of GOD teaching them for doctrines and put false Glosses vpon the Law it selfe in that respect our SAVIOVR declared â—â—em to be blinde guydes and wilâ—â—d all men to beware of the leaven â—f their false doctrine Agayne if they aske in these â—oyntes wheerein wee disagree â—nd oppose them where was our â—eligion before Luther wee anâ—were that the same was proâ—â—ssed taught and mayntayned â—y the Romane Church her selfe â— her purer integritie and by the â—â—ncient Fathers both in the â—reeke and Latine Church and â—anie of their owne latter Doâ—oures who lived manie hunâ—reth yeares long before Luâ—â—er The particular places are noted and the words set down after as 1. That the Bookes of APORYPHA are not Canoniâ—kâ—â—cripture not onelie doeth Athaâ—asius Hilarie Ruffinus and â—amascen declare bâ—t also S. â—rome and with him Lyra telleth â—s That the whole Church in â—hose tymes helde so long before â—uther 2. That all doctrines of fayth â—nd manners necessarie to salvation are contayned in Scripture the particular poynts of doctrine handled orderlie as they lye in the first part of this Treatise and in the witnes sing of Antiquitie subjâ—yned in everie poynt to the without vnwritten traditions Athanasius and Augustine with dyverse others haue taught long before Luther 3. That the Scripture is plaine in all thinges necessarie to salvation and therefore should bee read by the people and nowayes with-holden from them Augustine Chrysostome Theodoret with sundrie others mayntayned this long before Luther 4. That the true Church or number of Orthodox professours hath beene redacted sometymes to a verie few who haue beene made to lurke for a tyme because of cruell persecution S. Ierome Ambrose and Athanasius haue demonstrate long before