the sacred and canonicall Scriptures this is not as Papists affirme to make a private spirit or anie private man but a Divine spirit even God himselfe speaking in those his sacred and canonicall Scriptures to be the Iudge in the matter To whose voice and judgement all Churches Men Angels and all creatures must stoope and obey And therefore as I said before all the insolencie and most intollerable pride and arrogancie that is in this case is not in those who for their owne safetie and securitie make search and examination but in such Bishops Pastors and Teachers as will not endure this triall and examination of their doctrines by those Scriptures Pure and uncounterfeit gold will endure the Touch-stone but no marvaile though the drossie corrupt and unsound doctrine of Poperie will not admit of such a course 2 But you say the Church cannot erre that therefore you may boldly and confidently relie and build thereupon without anie further search or examination Howbeit you should first find out and know which is the Church that cannot erre before you relie so confidently upon it For you will easily and readily grant that the false Church may erre And indeed the Text that you alledge where S. Paul calleth the Church Columnam firmamentum veritatis the Pillar and ground of Truth sheweth that he speaketh not of anie false but of the True Church namely as himselfe expresseth of that which is the Church of the living God His words put all together be thus These things I vvrite unto thee saith hee to Timothy trusting to come shortly unto thee But if I tarry long that thou mayest yet know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the house of God vvhich is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of Truth In these words thus rehearsed by mee that ye might the better observe them consider that Timothy who was the Teacher and overseer of this Church at Ephesus had his direction and instruction from the writings of S. Paul the Apostle for so he saith These things I vvrite unto thee c. The Church then which is the ground and Pillar of Truth appeareth even by this verie Text to be such a one as receiveth her instructions and directions from the sacred and canonicall Scriptures whereof those Apostolicall writings of S. Paul to Timothy be a part From whence therefore you may rightly conclude this which we hold namely that so long as anie Church followeth and is guided by these holy and canonicall Scriptures it is the pillar and ground of Truth and doth not erre or goe astray but if it decline from them and goe another way it doth and must then needs fall into error Howbeit if when you say The Church cannot erre you meane it of the whole universall Church of Christ that is of all and everie one of the faithfull members thereof it is true that cannot erre totally nor fundamentally that is to say All and everie one of those faithful members of Christ as Panormitan and the Glosse also upon the Canon Law have before told us cannot erre in such points as be necessarily required to salvation for Gods Church shall never utterly perish or be extinguished but that in some or other it shall continue to the worlds end and consequently so must the saving faith thereto belonging But if you meane it of anie visible particular Church such as is the church of Rome the Church of Ephesus the Church of Corinth or anie such like it is as cleere that may erre and goe astray yea and fall from God to Idolatry and false worship Were not the people of Israel in times past the true Church of God and yet did even that Church erre fal verie grievously even unto Idolatrie and false worship when they and Aaron also the high Priest with them made the Golden Calfe and did worship before it And manie sâ—ch declinings and falls from God to Idolatrie and false worship in that people are sundrie other times likewise to be found in the old Testament But besides what is now become of the seven Churches in Asia mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn which were once the true Churches of Christ Hath not Turcisme and Paganisme overflowed and drowned manie that in former times were famous Christian Churches Yea did not God himselfe also sometime complaine even of that Church and Citie of Ierusalem saying thus How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot No marvaile then is it though Rome which was once a faithfull Citie and a true spouse of Christ be now long since fallen away and become an Harlot even the vvhore of Babylon as was long agon prophesied and foretold of her that she should be For neither was it anie more impossible for her to degenerate into Antichristianisme then it was for sundrie other Christian Churches and cities to degenerate and to be turned into Turcisme or Paganisme Yea S. Paul also hath long since prophesied and foretold of this great Apostasie or departure from the right faith and religion which hath now of a long time so amply prevailed in the world under the head of that Apostaticall and Antichristian kingdome the Pope of Rome and therefore this ought not now to seeme anie new or strange thing unto anie Christian. 3 Howbeit ye usually alledge these namely universalitie antiquitie perpetuitie unitie succession of Bishops and doing of Miracles or vvonders amongst you to bee markes of the true Church But first if by universalitie ye meane that faith doctrine and religion which was taught universally in the world by the Apostles of Christ and at his appointment Wee tell you that yee are farre from that universalitie For that faith doctrine and religion which was taught universally in the world by the Apostles is comprised in the sacred and canonicall Scriptures and is the same that wee hold and not you as appeareth by conferring and comparing both the religions with those Scriptures But moreover remember that the great Whore of Babilon as shee is called sate upon many waters that is ruled over manie people and multitudes and nations and tongues as the text it selfe expoundeth it And it is further said that with that VVhore the Kings of the earth have committed fornication that the Inhabitants of the earth were drunken with the wine of her fornication Yea it is again said That all Nations have drunke of the vvine of the vvrath of her fornication the Kings of the earth have committed fornication vvith her Behold here the universalitie belonging to your Church which being thus foretold the event being correspondent none should with such universality be any longer deluded As for Antiquitie unlesse truth and true religion be ioyned with it which is not in the Popish Church it is but Vetustas erroris Antiquitie of errors as S Cyprian rightly calleth it Yea Antiquity of the ancientest date our religion hath and not yours for
by the controversies that are betweene the Protestants and the Papists how much even the learned professed Divines themselves be divided in opinions In this case what shall we doe that be Lay-men shall wee bee of no religion untill these be agreed But when will that be or what if in the interim anie of us in such a case should die were it not extreamely perillous or shall a man at all adventures betake himselfe to one of the two Religions not caring or not knowing whether it be right or wrong which he betaketh himselfe unto were not that over-great levitie a blinde resolution and a strange inconsiderate rashnesse Yea doe we not all say and hold that extra veram Ecclesiam non est salus out of the true Church there is no salvation There is then so farre as I perceive a direct necessitie laid upon as manie of us as be able to make search not onely to search but to finde out also whether of these be the true Teachers and which is the right faith and the true Church and to ioyne our selves thereunto For which purpose ought wee not studiously and diligently to reade and revolve the Scriptures For is there anie other sure rule of truth beside them or anie other infallible or better Iudge for the deciding of these controversies then God himselfe speaking unto us in those his sacred and divine Writings But to take away all doubts let it be examined Would anie then have the Church to be the Iudge Why the Church it selfe is the thing that is chiefly in question the grand and principall Question betweene the Protestants and the Papists being Whether of them is the true Church and when the Church it selfe is in question she is not to iudge but to be iudged as even Bellarmine also himselfe declareth Or would anie have Councils to be this Iudge Godly Councils that be assembled in the name of Christ and aime onely at truth and that have the Word of God onely for their rule and direction be I confesse much to be honoured and respected but Councils at all times follow not nor doe according to that rule whereupon it commeth to passe that they sometimes erre and goe astray and consequently cannot be infallible Iudges For first it is granted aswell by Papists as by Protestants that Provinciall Councils may erre even in matters of faith and why then may not generall Councils also possibly erre in matters of faith sometimes For is not the holy Ghost the spirit of truth if he so please as well able to keepe a Provinciall Councill at all times from erring as a generall What then is the difference or wherein doth it consist Will anie say it consisteth in this that in a generall Councill there is a greater number or multitude then is in a Provinciall But truth goeth not alwayes by multitudes or the greatest number but is somtimes found in the lesser number and in few against manie as in times past it was found in one Michaiah against foure hundreth For which cause it is also written Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill nor agree in a controversie to decline after manie to overthrow the truth Neyther indeed do the Popish Teachers themselves hold the reason of their supposed non-errabilitie of general Councils to be because of the greater number or multitude but because of the promise of the holy Ghost made unto them which holy Ghost they neverthelesse cannot denie to be promised aswell to a Provinciall as to a generall Councell yea Where but Two or Three be gathered together in my Name saith Christ there am I in the midst of them Seeing then it is granted that a Provinciall Councill may erre notwithstanding this promise of the holy Ghost it must be granted that a generall Councill may sometime also erre by the same reason that a Provinciall may notwithstanding that promise For as touching the reason that some bring that if a general Councill may erre then the whole Church may erre faile in faith it is no consequent inasmuch as all the Bishops and Pastors within Christendome without exception be not alwayes present at a generall Councill much lesse be all the faithfull throughout the whole world there present and therefore also doth even Panormitan himselfe reiect that reason and inference as frivolous For saith he though a generall Councill represent the whole universall Church yet to speake truth the universall Church is not there precisely but by representation because the universall Church consisteth of All the Faithful and this saith he is the Church which cannot erre Wherby it is not un-possible that the true faith of Christ may abide in one person onely therefore the Church is said not to faile or not to erre if the true faith remaine in anie one And thus saith Pighius also though an Arch-Papist Certum est Concilia non esse universalem Ecclesiam it is a thing certaine that Councils be not the vvhole or universall Church Where he further affirmeth those two Councils of Constance and Basil to have erred notwithstanding they were generall Councils Yea this is so cleere a case with him that Generall Councills may erre even in matter of Faith that hee saith againe most directly and expressely thus In fidei definitionibus errasse etiam universalia sanctorum Patrum Concilia comperimus Testimonio sunt de universalibus Concilijs imprimis Ariminense Vniversale haud dubie c. Insuper Ephesinum secundum ipsum Vniversale c. Testimonio inquam haec sunt errare posse etiam universalia Concilia etiam legitimè congregata We finde that even generall Councils of holy Fathers have erred in their decrees or determinations of matters of faith Witnesse hereof concerning generall Councils is especially the Councill of Arimine a generall Councill without doubt c. And moreover the second Ephesine Councill which was likewise a generall Councill c. These I say be Witnesses that even generall Councils may erre though they be never so lawfully assembled For although most true it is that the holy Ghost cannot possibly erre and that the same holy Ghost is promised and given to godly Councills as likewise he is to everie godly man faithfull member of Christ yet it pleaseth the holy Ghost not to extend and shew forth his vigor force and power at all times but sometimes to withhold it and so to leave men to themselves in which case it is then a verie easie matter for Councils either Generall or Provinciall as also for anie other godly man or particular member of Christ to erre sinne or goe astray neither is it Gods Spirit which doth disagree from his Word And consequently whosoever teacheth anie thing concerning Faith and Religion not according to Gods Word but out of his owne braine and fancie must be supposed to speake not by Gods spirit whatsoever he pretendeth but by his owne as S. Chrysostome also informeth us Wherefore
not verie ancient as being given of later times to those Christians that have protested against the errors abuses in Poperie yet that hindreth not but that the Faith Religion by them professed may be nevertheless as it is the most ancient Apostolick Catholick Christian Divine As likewise the name of Papists is not verie ancient as being also of later times given by their adversaries unto them for that they depend so much upon the Pope his doctrine decrees designes yet do the Papists neverthelesse hold the faith and religion which they professe to be verie ancient yea the most ancient and the Apostolick Catholick and Christian. Howbeit both these Religions they being so repugnant contradictorie one to the other cannot be right but one of them must needs be wrong and that is Poperie as this Booke declareth That which wee meane and comprehend under the name of Poperie being nothing else but the errors heresies and corruptions which the Church of Rome holdeth and be accrued and growen unto it since the first institution and planting of it by the Apostles For what the Church of Rome rightly holdeth or beleeveth the Protestants impugne not nor have cause to impugne but they onely impugne her errors heresies and corruptions As for the terme of Catholicks which Papists have put upon themselves their calling themselves so doth not therfore prove them to be so for the Arrians in times past likewise called themselves Catholicks who were neverthelesse not so but Hereticks in verie deed But as we dislike not but well approve of that name of Catholicks when it is rightly used and applyed and given to those to whom it properly belongeth so doe wee preferre the name of Christians before it as being indeed the more ancient and the more honourable name it being derived from Christ himselfe the Head of his Church and the Author of the Christian religion Who be the right Catholicks and the true-Christians who not yea which be the Christian and which be the un-Christian and which be the Antichristian people doth afterward appeare that so every man may know what name doth rightly properly belong unto him and may ranke himselfe in his due place For whosoever knoweth Antichrist well wil abhorre detest him and will love honour and adhere unto Christ the puritie of his religion so much the more If then the Pope of Rome shall here appeare unto you to be as hee is the grand Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures I doubt not but you wil speedily renounce him his Antichristian Supremacie his Antichristian Religion together with all his seducing and Antichristian Teachers and wicked and Antichristian courses against the Church of God For no true-Christians ought nor will give anie better respect to Antichrist especially after that they once know him have him discovered manifested unto them God therefore open reveale his truth more more unto us all and incline all our hearts and affections to embrace it evermore to walke in the wayes of it AMEN An Alphabeticall Table of the principall matters handled in this Worke following A ANtichristianisme a mysterie of iniquitie and not any open hostilitie or professed enmitie against Christ and Christianitie pag. 208. pag. 39. p. 61.62 pa. 285.286 pag. 394 395. c. Antichristianisme began in the Apostles dayes pag. 280.321 VVhat maner of adversarie the speciall and grand Antichrist is pag. 285.286 and pag. 394 395.396 pag. 334.335 Antichrist is the falseâ—Prophet amongst Christians and not amongst the Turkes and other Infidels of the world pag. 341. c Miracles signes and wonders done in the Antichristian Church to seduce and deceive people with all pag. 280.281 VVhat maner of miracles or vvonders they be that be done in the Antichristian Church pag. 280.281.282 pag. 306.307 pag. 341. pag. 98.99 A difference betweene Christian un-Christian and Antichristian people pag. 286 Antichrist is not one singular or particular man that shall continue iust three yeares and an halfe but is a State or succession of men that is to have continuance for many hundreth yeares in the world pag. 312.313.314 315.316.317.318.319.320.321 c. Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God that is in the Church and amongst those that professe Christ and Christianitie p. 283.284 The speciall and particular place vvhere the grand Antichrist is to sit is not Constantinople nor Hierusalem nor any other Citie but Rome pag. 283.284.285 pag. 246.247.248 p. 377. c That the Pope of Rome is the grand Antichrist shewed out of 2. Thes. 2. pag. 279.280.281 c The Pope of Rome further shewed to be Antichrist out of Rev. 13. pag. 325.326.327.328.329.330.331.332 c Againe the Pope shewed to be Antichrist and the Popish Church to be the Antichristian out of 1. Tim. 4. verses 1 2 3 4 5. pa. 353 354.355 c Sundry obiections of the Papists concerning Antichrist answered pag. 377.378.379 380 381.382 c. That Papall or Popish Rome is the vvhore of Babylon shewed out of Revel 17 pag. 244.245.246 c The Romane Empire standing in the height and glory vvas the let or impediment that Antichrist could not shew himselfe in his height untill that impediment vvas removed pag. 304.305 pag. 391.392 393 That Antichrist is come long sithence pag. 391.392.393 394. pag. 43.44 c. pag. 61.62 Antichrist the man of sinne the sonne of perdition pag. 396.397.398 399.400 c. The reason vvhy men are so seduced and misled by Antichrist pag. 307.308 The most fearefull and vvofull estate of those vvho receiving many admonitions to the contrary vvill neverthelesse live and dye in obedience to Antichrist and his religion pag. 309 and p. 397 c. Assurance of salvation in this life and how it is 〈…〉 and mâ—y be obteyned pag. 158.159 160.161 c B IN vvhat sense some ancient Fathers call Peter Bishop of Rome and vvhether he vvere properly so to be called pag. 90 91 92 How unlike the Bishop of Rome is to S. Peter pag 92 93 94 c VVho that Beast is that is mentioned in Rev. 13 and in diverse other places of the Revelation pag 308.309 pag 325 326 327 328 c. and pag. 249.250.251.252.253 C WHere our Church vvas during the raigne of Poperie pag. 36.37 38 Councels aswell generall as Provinciall may erre in matter of Faith as vvell as in matter of fact pag. 50 51 52 54 c. See also the Preface VVhat Church that is vvhereof it is said that it cannot erre and vvhen and how farre it may erre and how farre not pag. 81 82. See also the Preface Concerning universalitie antiquitie perpetuitie visibilitie unitie succession of Bishops and doing of miracles vvhether all these be in the Popish Church and vvhether they be inseparable markes of the true Church pag. 83.84 85. c. to the end of that chapter Chastisements and afflictions in this life be sent of God upon his children out of his love toward them for other
good ends and purposes and not to satisfie the severity of his Iustice by that meanes for their sinnes and the punishment thereto belonging p. 125. c There is no iust cause to be shewed vvhy the pretended Catholicks should refuse to take the oath of Supremacy or refuse to come to our Churches Their obiections and reasons answered p. 1 2 c p. 407 c. See also throughout the vvhole booke for this purpose Concerning auricular Confession and to vvhom confession of sinnes is to be made and that it ought to be free and voluntarie and not forced or compelled pag. 302 303 c. pag. 253 254 D FOr vvhom Christ Dyed and to vvhom hee is a Redeemer pag. 187 188 189 c Every sinne Deadly in his owne nature although all sinnes be also veniall and remissible in respect of Gods mercie grace and bounty except the sinne against the holy Ghost pag. 114 115 E THe Emperor in ancient time had the Supremacy and not the Pope pag. 30 The Emperor in times past had power to place and displace Popes pag. 27 The Emperor in ancient time banished imprisoned and otherwise punished aswell Bishops of Rome as other Bishops pag. 22 Hee did make Lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall causes and religion pag. 24 As also Commissioners in an Ecclesiasticall cause and the B. of Rome himselfe vvas one of those Commissioners pag. ibid. An appeale to the Emperor in an Ecclesiasticall cause pag 24 Generall Councils in ancient times called by the Emperor and his Authoritie pag. 24 The Christian Emperor did and vvas to meddle in matters of the Church and concerning Religion pag. 25 The Christian Emperor in ancient time did nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces and even the Bishop of Rome himselfe pag. 25 Emperors in ancient time did ratifie the decrees of Councils before they vvere put in execution pag 28 Miltiades Leo and Gregory all Bishops of Rome in their severall times subiect to the Emperor and at his command pag 24.26 Ancient Fathers Popes of Rome and Councils aswell generall as provinciall may erre even in matter of faith aswell as in matter of fact pag. 49 50 51 52. c See also the Preface for this point The Romane Empire dissolved ever since the Emperors have ceased to have the soveraigne command and rule of Rome and that the Popes have gotten to be the heads and supreme Rulers of that City and to be above the Emperors pa. 331.332 and pag. 391.392.393 The Pope of Rome hath no power or authoritie from Christ to Excommunicate any pag. 299 c Excommunications be they never so iust and lawfull be by Gods law and appointment of no force to depose from Earthly kingdomes or to dissolve the dutie and allegeance of subiects pag. 299 300 301 c F OVr Forefathers and ancestors not to be followed in any vices or errors they held pag 34 35 Foretold in the Booke of God that an apostacie from the right faith and a mysterie of iniquitie otherwise called an Antichristianisme should come upon the Church and that so the Church by degrees should grow corrupted and deformed pag. 35 36 280 Foretold also how long the Church should lye in those her corruptions and errors and vvhen she should begin to be clensed and reformed pag. 35 36 VVhat is to be thought of our Forefathers that lived and dyed in the time of Popery pag 39.40 41 42 Foretold that a strong delusion to beleeve lyes shouâ—d possesse them of the Antichristian Church because they received not the love of the truth extant in the divine Scriptures pag. 307 308 Men are iustified in Gods sight and before his tribunall by Faith only and good vvorkes be the fruits and declarations of that faith pag. 99 100 101 c. to the end of that chapter and pag. 116 117 118 c. to the end also of that chapter G God is not the author of sinne pag. 168 169 c. H NOt Protestants but Papists be the Heretickes pag. 72. and Schismaticks pag. 37 38. pag. 413.414 c Not the Pope but Christ onely is the Head of the universall militant Church as well as of the triumphant pag 94 95 96 97 98 I VVHo is to be the infallible Iudge of controversies in religion or vvhich commeth all to one effect in the conclusion vvhat is the infallible Rule vvhereby men must iudge and be directed for the finding out of truth in those controversies pag. 49 50 51 c. See also the Preface for this matter The Implicita fides of Papists reproved pag 78 79 80 K KIngs have the Supremacie over all maner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill vvithin their own Dominions pa. 1. to p. 5 Their Supremacie in all kinde of causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill pag. 5 c Kings and Princes although they have the Supremacie yet thereby claime not nor can claime to preach to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate absolve or to consecrate Bishops or to doe any other act proper to the function of the Ecclesiasticall ministers pag. 32 c Kings and Princes be notwithstanding their Supremacies under God and subiect to him and his vvord pag. 33 Even heathen Kings may command and make Edicts and Proclamations for God and his service pag. 7. c Christian Kings and Queenes are by Gods appointment to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church and Religion p. 7. The authoritie of a Christian King in respect of contemptuous disorderly and unruly persons requisite and necessary in the Church as vvell as in the Common-weale pag. 6 c Kings and Princes may command and compell their subiects to externall obedience for God pag. 6 7 8 9 10 Christian Kings may make lawes about matters Ecclesiast p. 7 8.24 Hee may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes pag. 24 He may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiastical ib. He may nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces pag. 27. Councels and Convocations to be assembled by his authoritie and the decrees thereof by him to be ratified and confirmed before they be put in execution pag. 26 27 28 Christian Kings doe punish offendors in Ecclesiasticall causes not Ecclesiastically but Civilly pag. 6 7.32 Subiects ought not to rebell against their Kings and Princes though they be adversaries to the Christian Religion and though subiects have power force enough to do it pa. 20 21 22.299 300 Kings of Rome did sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Ambassadors pag. 22 How thankefull subiects ought to be unto God for Christian Kings and Princes pag. 33 The power of the Keyes most grossely abused by the B of Rome to vvorke his owne exaltation above Kings and Princes pag 299 300 301 c The Keyes of the kingdome of heaven no more given to S. Peter then to the rest of the Apostles pag. 292 293 294 295 L NO Licentiousnesse or impiety in the doctrine of Iustification by faith or in the doctrine of predestination or
of Gods owne voyce and commandement from heaven enioyning them thereunto as is before declared Neither would they have departed or gone out from them that is from the Papists but that they namely the Papists had first departed and gone from the soundnesse truth and sinceritie of the most ancient primitive and Apostolike Churches Well therefore doth one use this similitude that as when a faire poole of water becommeth in time corrupted weedes doe grow mudde increaseth and Frogs be ingendred in it the owner thereof cutteth a channel and leaving the corruption drawes the water to another place and so useth it without danger and the Frogs remaining can take no iust exception for this departure and separation of the water from them nor can claime the water to be theirs so neither can the Papacie accuse us for our departure or going out of their defiled and deformed Church sith God the Lord and owner of his Church would have us so to doe and so long as we left nothing behinde us but the mudde frogges and weedes and that which was the cleere and pure water before their comming we still possesse hold and retaine You now see then I hope where our Church was in all times and ages even during all the time of the raigne of the Papacie and untill wee made an actuall separation from it And much more I trust you perceive it since our separation For the Protestants reformed Churches have ever sithence that time been verie visible and still be thanks be to God verie splendent even to the eyes of the most malignant world 2 If anie doe further aske as they are sometime wont to doe what is become of our forefathers and ancestors that lived and died in the time of Poperie As wee doe and must leave them unto God whose secret counsels and judgements it is not fit for us to search into or to determin of yet this we say That we hope well and make no doubt of the salvation of manie of them First because for a long time there were in the Papacie both true Christians and false Christians right worshippers of God and false worshippers intermingled together namely untill that time aforesaid of an actuall separation yea the holy Scriptures and Sacraments the publique Ensignes of Gods Church were there though much corrupted abused Which Ensignes being displayed in the Popish Church nothing but Christianitie there pretended though indeede there was also direct Antichristianisme intermingled it was an easie matter for manie simple soules that were not able to iudge and discerne of these things thereby to be deceived For as Chrysostome or whosoever was the Author of the imperfect worke saith Antichrist sitting in the holy places of the Church and possessing the Churches vvas to have all that in shew vvhich the Church of Christ hath in Truth viz. Churches Scriptures Bishops Clerkes Baptisme Eucharist c. So that manie no doubt in those dayes under colour of those Ensignes and shewes were as they be also at this day deceived and thinking all to be well followed the Pope and Papacie like those two hundreth who in simplicitie of heart followed Absolon from Hierusalem knowing nothing of his treason and rebellion intended Or like as if a close and hidden Traytor being once and of a long time formerly in good grace and esteeme with his King should under colour and pretence of the King his Maisters service summon all his true subiects to follow him pretending a Commission from him for that purpose which neverthelesse included no such matter in it as he pretended In this case even some good subiects not knowing of his treason and beleeving his Commission to be true and to import as much as he divulged it for and the pretender of it to be a right honest and loyall man and to be still in good grace esteeme with his King receiving no advertisement to the contrarie might possibly so farre be deceived as to follow him for a while untill the Treason were discovered and therein might so farre forth in some sort be held pardonable So concerning such as in those times followed the Bishop of Rome who was once a good Bishop pretending himselfe to be made Head Ruler and Monarch of the whole and universall Church upon earth and that by warrant and Commission from Christ when indeed whatsoever hee pretended hee had no such Commission from him In this case so long as they followed him but in ignorance and simplicitie thinking all things to be right and well and as they ought to be and receiving no advertisement to the contrarie God might and we hope he did receive manie of those to mercie But such as knew the Pope to be an usurper and a traytor to Christ the onely and true King and Head of the universall Church or being advertised thereof would neverthelesse make no regard of anie such advertisement or admonitions but would maugre all admonitions wilfully persist and adhere unto him and to his false and Antichristian doctrine and designes be not so excusable And this kind of difference S. Cyprian maketh when he saith thus If any of our predecessors or Ancestors either of ignorance or of a simplicity have not held and kept that which our Lord taught them by his authoritie and example him the mercy of our Lord might have pardoned and forgiven But vve saith hee for our parts may not hope for the like favour because vvee are now admonished and instructed by him But secondly wee answer That though this mysterie of Iniquity did cast into the doctrine and Religion of Christ a great deale of Poyson so that it hath infected with his venome the most daintie meates that God hath given for the spirituall nourishment of his people yet did God give grace to some to abstaine from it to some others to cast it up againe to others to dissever it from the sound meate to others to overcome it 〈◊〉 that manie escaped the danger of it For example how manie of the common people were in those times never acquainted with those pestiferous distinctions of Merits de Congruo and de Condigno or with that distinction of Doulia and latria and huper doulia c or understood them not or else beleeved them not For even at this day they understand not these distinctions Yea manie of the common people will at this day say that they serve God onely and not Images in anie sort howsoever their great Rabbies and Maisters in these distinctions doe otherwise teach As likewise manie of them at this day will say that they doe not beleeve to be saved by anie merits of their owne but by Gods mercie onely whatsoever Friers Monkes Priests or Iesuites teach or write to the contrarie Yea even amongst the learned themselves also as well as amongst the vulgar and common people there were some that held that fundamentall point of their salvation to be onely of Gods meere mercie and through faith
the Scriptures sentences misunderstood out of the vvritings of Bishops eyther of ours or of Hillary or of Cyprian Bishop and Martyr of the Church for vve must put a difference betwixt this kinde of vvriting and the Canonicall Scriptures for these are not so to be read as though a Testimony might be alledged out of them in such sort as that no man might thinke otherwise if they happen to iudge otherwise then the truth requireth And againe he saith VVe ought not to allow the reasonings of any men whatsoever they be be they never so Catholike and Prayse-worthy as the Canonicall Scriptures so that it shall not be lawfull for us saving the reverence that is due to those men to reprove and refuse any thing in their writings if it fall out that they have iudged otherwise then the truth is the same Truth being by Gods helpe understood either of other men or of us For I am even such a one in other mens vvritings as I vvould men should be in mine And againe he speaketh thus If any question be eyther concerning Christ or concerning his Church or concerning any other matter vvhatsoever which belongeth to our faith and life I will not say If vvee but that which the Apostle further addeth in Gal. 1. 8.9 If an Angel from heaven should preach unto you any other thing praeterquam quod in scripturis legalibus Evangelicis accepistis Anathema sit Beside that which ye have received in the scriptures of the Law and the Gospel let him be accursed Ambrose likewise upon that Text before mentioned of Gal. 1.8.9 giveth this observation The Apostle saith he doth not say If they preach contrary but if they preach any thing beside that which vve have preached that is if they adde any thing to it at all hold him accursed And therefore Si quid dicatur absque Scriptura Auditorum cogitaâ—io claudicat If any thing be spoken vvithout the Scripture the cogitation of the Hearer halteth saith Chrysostome Yea To leane to the Divine Scriptures which is the certaine and undoubted Truth is saith Irenaeus to build a mans house upon a sure and strong Rocke But to leave them and to leane to anie other Doctrines vvhatsoever they be is to build a ruinous house upon the shattering gravell vvhereof the overthrow is easie Here then you may prrceive that even those unwritten Traditions also which yee obtrude unto us under the name of Apostolicall that bee not specified nor found written in Gods booke the sacred and Canonicall Scriptures are iustly refusable as being unassured uncertaine and unwarranted stuffe For so also doth S. Ierome say All that ever vvee speake wee ought to prove it by the Scriptures And so also speaketh Chrysostome saying Therefore neither are they to be beleeved at all except they speake those things which be agreeable to the Scriptures To that which Faustus put forth upon the birth of Mary that shee had a certaine Priest to her father named Ioachim S. Augustine answereth Because it is not Canonicall saith he it doth not bind mee The like answer giveth Tertullian to Appelles which said that the Angels had a bodily substance which they tooke of the Stars There is no certaintie saith he in this matter because the Scripture declareth it not And indeed who can assure such Traditions to be undoubtedly Divine or to be originally and infalibly Apostolicall which have onely Men for the witnessing of them and whereof there is no testimonie in the Apostles writings or in Gods booke to be found For if they be not there specified who as S. Augustine speaketh can say That these and these they are Or if he dare be bould to say so hovv will he prove it But moreover we neede none of those Traditions as I said before inasmuch as the Scriptures themselves bee fully sufficient for us and for our direction and instruction in all things necessarie expedient for us For beside the Scriptures which declare so much Tertullian likewise saith Adoro scripturae plenitudinem I adore the compleatnes or the fulnes of the Scriptures And S. Basil also saith Manifestum est infidelitatis arrogantiae crimen vel reijcere aliquid quod scriptum est vel addere aliquid quod non est scriptum That it is a manifest fault of infidelitie and arrogancie either to reiect anie thing of that which is written or to bring in anie thing of that which is not written Yea such is the sufficiencie fulness perfection and compleatness of the Scriptures in all points and respects that as you heard before S. Augustine denounceth him accursed that shall preach or teach anie thing beside them or which is not therein conteined or thereby warranted And therefore also doth Scotus himselfe say Patet quod scriptura sufficienter continet doctrinam necessariam viatori It is evident the Scripture sufficiently conteineth all doctrine necessarie for a wayfaring man that is for a man whilst he liveth and travelleth in this world 2 But moreover even expositions also of Scripture are to be framed warranted by the Scriptures to be found consonant with them or otherwise they are likewise refusable For it is not any humane or private spirit as S Peter sheweth but it must be a divine spirit even the Spirit of God the holy Ghost from whence all true sence and right interpretation of the Scriptures is to be derived And this S. Paul also declareth saying that As no man knovveth the things of a man but the spirit of man vvhich is in him so no man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God If therefore wee would know who they be that have this onely right interpreting Spirit that is the holy Ghost for their guide in that behalfe wee may know it by this If their expositions be such as bee sutable and agreeable to the Canonicall Scriptures without repugnancie of anie one place to another Therefore also doth Origen speake thus VVee must needes saith he call the holy Scriptures to vvitnes because our sences and expositions vvâ—thout those vvitnesses have no credite And so saith Irenaeus Secundum scripturas expositio legitima et diligeus sine periculo sine blasphemia est That is the right and legitimate exposition and the diligent and vvithout danger and vvithout blasphemie vvhich is according to the Scriptures Chrysostome likewise saith Scriptura seipsam exponit auditorem errare non sinit The Scripture expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the learner to erre And this rule namely to expound Scripture by Scripture and by conferring one place with another giveth also S. Augustine Darke places ' are to be expounded by plainer places This is saith he the sure vvay to expound one scripture by another The same doth S. Augustine againe teach in other places as namely De doctrina lib. 2. cap. 6. 26.27.28 c And Clemens Epist. 5. and Dist. 37.6
Relatum where it is said Non enim sensum extrinsecus alienum extraneum debetis quaerere Sed ex ipsis Scripturis sensum capere veritatis oportet For yee ought not to seeke for a strange and forraine sence from vvithout but out of the verie Scriptures themselves yee must take the sence of the truth So that although the Church of Christ and the Bishops Pastors and Ministers therein be to expound the Scriptures yet wee see by what rule they are to be directed namely by the Scriptures themselves and not to expound it at randome or as they list If they wil have their expositions to be right and sound and such as shall be deemed to come from the holy Ghost 3 Yea the verie Church it selfe is also thus to be tried and decided namely by the Scriptures For so S. Augustine holdeth directly saying thus Let us not heare I say and thou sayest but let us heare Thus saith the Lord. There are verily the Lords bookes to the authoritie vvhereof vvee both consent vvee both beleeve vvee both serve There let us search the Church there let us discusse our cause And againe he saith That all that should be remooved vvhatsoever is alleaged on eyther side against other saving that vvhich commeth out of the Canonicall Scriptures And againe he saith Let them shevv their Church if they can not in the sayings and fame of the Affricanes nor in the determinations of their Bishops nor in any mans reasonings nor in false signes and vvonders for against all these vvee be vvarned and armed by Gods VVord but in the things appointed in the Lavv spoken before by the Prophets in the Songs of the Psalmes in the voyce of the Shepheard himselfe and in the preachings and painefulnesse of the Evangelists that is in the authoritie of the bookes Canonicall And a little after he saith againe thus To that eternall salvation commeth no man but he that hath the head Christ and no man can have the head Christ vvhich is not in his bodie the Church vvhich Church as also the head it selfe vvee must knovv by the Canonicall Scriptures and not seeke it in divers rumors and opinions of men nor in facts reports and visions c. Let all this sort of them be chaffe and not give sentence before hand against the vvheat that they bee the Church But this point viz. vvhether they be the Church or no Let them shevv no other vvay but by the Cononicall boâ—kes of the holy Scriptures For neither doe vvee say that men ought to beleeve vs because vvee are in the Catholike Church of Christ or because Optatus Bishop of Millevet or Ambrose Bishop of Millain or innumerable other Bishops of our Communion doe allâ—w this doctrine that vvee hold or becaâ—se in Churches of our Companions it is preached or because that through the vvhole world in those holy places vvhere our Congregations resorted so manie wonders either of hearings or of healing be done vvhatsoever such things be done in the Catholicke Church the Church is not thâ—refore proved Catholicke because these things bee done in it The Lord Iesus himselfe vvhen he vvas risen from death and offered his ovvne bodie to be seene vvith the eies and handled vvith the hands of his Apostles least they should for all that thinke themselves to bee deceaved hee rather iudged that they ought to bee established by the testimonie of the lavv Prophets and Psalmes shevving those things to be fulfilled in him that were there spoken so long before of him And hereupon a little after he saith againe These are the doctrines these are the stayes of our cause vvee read in the Acts of the Apostles of some faithfull men that they searched the Scriptures vvhether the things vvere so or no vvhich they had heard preached vvhat scriptures I pray did they search but the Canonicall of the Lavv and of the Prophets To these are ioyned the Gospels the Epistles of the Apostles the Acts of the Apostles The Revelation of S. Iohn Search all these bring forth some plaine thing out of them vvhereby you may declare that the Church hath remained onely in Affricke So farre Augustine Chrysostome also speaketh to the same effect saying VVhen you shall see the abhominable desolation stand in the holy place that is as he expoundeth it VVhen you shall see vngodly Heresie vvhich is the army of Antichrist stand in the holy places of the Church in that time let them which are in Iurie flie vnto the hills that is saith hee Let them that are in Christendome resort vnto the Scriptures for like as the true Ievv is a Christian as the Apostle saith he is not a Ievv vvhich is one outvvard in like manner the verie Ievvrie is Christianitie the hills are the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets But why doth hee command all Christians at that time to resort to the Scriptures Because in this time sithence Heresie hath prevailed in the Church there can bee saith hee no proofe nor other refuge for Christian men desirous to knovv the truth of the right Faith but onely by the Scriptures And the reason hereof he further sheweth For saith he such things as pertaine to Christ the Heretickes also have in their schisme They have likevvise Churches likevvise the Scriptures of God Bishops also and other orders of Clerkes and likevvise Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Eucharist and to conclude Christ himselfe vvherefore he that vvill knovv vvhich is the true Church of Christ in this so great confusion of things being so like hovv shall he knovv it but onely by the Scriptures And afterward againe he saith thus For if they shall looke upon anie other thing but onely the Scriptures they shall stumble and perish not perceiving vvhich is the true Church and so fall into the abhominable desolation vvhich standeth in the holy places of the Church So farre he Now then these being times of Schisme and heresie and of much contention and variance betweene the Protestants and the Papists and the great question betweene them being VVhether of them is the true Church Yea these being the times wherein the verie grand Antichrist himselfe with his armie of Bishops Priests and Clerkes hath place in the world as before in some sort but afterwards is more fully declared It followeth necessarily by this rule of his as also by the former Rule and direction of S. Augustine likewise that all people that bee desirous to know the truth in these times and which is the true Church must resort and betake themselves for the true tryall discerning and deciding hereof vnto the holy Scriptures only for all other waies and courses be uncertaine and unsure and such as whereby a man may possibly and easily be deceived as those ancient Fathers do there expresly teach and affirme And to give you some little tast here also that these be the times of Antichrist and that Antichrist is long sithence come and that the Pope of Rome
according to these originals And herein Gregorie Martin and the Rhemists have chiefely shewed their skill but Doctor Fulke that great Linguist and excellent Scholler in all kinde of learning especially in Theologie hath fully and sufficiently answered them both in his defence of the English Translations against Gregorie Martin as also in his Answer to the Rhemists and their Annotations Wee defend not anie translations in anie point wherein they can be shewed to be wrong and not according to those originals For wee abhorre such wilfull and wicked perversnesse but wherein soever our translations be right and true and according to those originals we have ever good reason so far forth to defend and maintaine them against the frivolous and vaine exceptions either of Gregorie Martin the Rhemists or of anie other whosoever And I could wish and doe indeed wish and earnestly desire you that as yee read the Rhemes Testament so ye would also read the Answer unto it and to the severall Annotations of it And as ye read anie Popish Writer in anie point of controversie whatsoever you would likewise search and see what Answer the Protestants make unto it that so seeing and hearing both sides without partialitie and without preiudice yee may bee the better able to iudge iustlie and rightly in the cause and to give both to your selves and others a sufficient and sound satisfaction For so long as yee heare and read but one side onely and will not heare and read the other side to understand what answer is made thereunto it is impossible ye should be held for good indifferent or equall Iudges or Censurers or that you can give either to your selves or others anie sufficient resolution or sound satisfaction in that case 7 But you will say peradventure that your Church alloweth you not to read the Bookes of Protestants whom therefore they call and account to be Heretickes As for their accounting and reckoning us Heretickes we regard it not For wee know how far their iudgments are blinded and that they mightily mistake and misreckon because not we but they in verie deede be the Heretickes if they had eies to see it But it is no marvaile that the true most ancient Catholicke and Apostolicke faith and religion conteined in the sacred and Canonicall Scriptures which wee professe hold should be by them tearmed Heresie for we finde that it was so likewise reputed and tearmed Heresie even in Saint Pauls time Such hath ever beene the wickednesse both of unchristian and Antichristian Spirits against it But whilst your Church is so politicke and wily for her selfe and her owne safetie as to forbid you the reading of Protestant Bookes lest ye thereby discerning her errors and heresies should be mooved to turne from her unto us haue yee not good cause at the least to suspect and mistrust such a Church For if their cause were the truth truth is ever able to stand against all encounters and needeth not to feare the opposition of anie adversaries But indeed their cause appeareth to be naught For what is Poperie if it bee well considered but an Hotchpot or Bundle of errors and heresies aggregate and patched together to make one bodie of that profession Yea what is their whole Church and religion if ye rightly consider it all together but revera the Antichristian as this Booke amongst others doth sufficiently declare And will anie then be so unwise as to subiugate hin selfe and to yeeld his obedience to the voice decrees statutes and commandements of such a Church I would wish you to be more considerate and better advised then to be so farre deceived For the difference between a Protestant and a Papist is not small being no lesse then this that the one holdeth of Christ wholly and altogether and the other of Antichrist which being a difference so great and of such importance it standeth upon the salvation of Soules for all persons duely to consider it But yet further why will not your Church permit the lay people to reade the holy Scripturs themselves without a speciall licence from their Priests or Bishops For is not Gods licence sufficient for them in this case Chysostome exhorteth all people and even secular men by name to get them Bibles and at least the new Testament And S. Hierome likewise saith that Married men Monkes and silly Women in his time used to strive and contend who should learne most Scripture without booke S. Augustine also exhorteth all men in their private houses either to read the Bible themselves or to get some other to read it for them Is not your Church then herein directly contrarie to the ancient Church Yea wherfore is it that God hath given unto men that precious Pearle and inestimable Iewel of his will and word in the Scriptures conteined but to the end they should take notice of it and be directed by it so that it is to be as the Psalmist speaketh a Lanterne unto their feet and a light unto their paths Doth not S. Peter speake even to the lay people as well as to others telling them that they doe well to take heede to the most sure word of God as unto a light that shineth in a darke place Will anie earthly King forbid his Subiects the reading of his lawes and Statutes whereby they are to bee ruled and governed Doubtles if ever it were necessary for men to read search studie and often and againe and againe to revolue the Scriptures and booke of God now is the time in the midst of so manie errours and diversities of opinions as be in the world to be most diligent in that behalfe For amongst them all there can be but one right religion and how shall wee yee or anie other know for certaine which is that one right religion which God hath instituted and allowed of but by the Scriptures Let no man therefore forestall or preiudicate himselfe with supposing that he cannot understād the Scripturs For first how can he tell whether he can understand them or no untill he have made tryall Secondly it is well known that God helpeth forward a willing and industrious minde that is earnestly desirous to know his will and religion therein delivered and seeketh it out in his feare and with an humble affection and a sincere purpose to observe it and to walke in the waies of it For so the Psalmist witnesseth That them that be meeke God vvill guide in iudgement and teach the humble his vvay And againe he saith VVhat man is hee that feareth the Lord him shall hee teach the vvay that he shall choose And againe he saith The secret of the Lord is revealed to them that feare him and his covenant to give them understanding And againe it is said that God resisteth the proude but giveth grace to the humble And againe To him will I looke saith God even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth
that unlesse you ioine veritie and the truth of Gods Religion with it which is not in the Popish Church it is no better then a wicked and plaine conspiracie against the Truth which kind of unitie being amongst them is indeed a marke not of the true but of the false erring and Antichristian Church For so is it accordingly recorded of those that followed the Beast That they were of one minde or of one consent 4 And as for the Succession ye talke so much of That Succession in place to so manie good Bishops of Rome which were Orthodoxe and of the right Religion can no way serve to iustifie and defend those degenerate and Apostaticall Bishops of Rome which have sithence that time for the space of manie hundreth yeares succeeded no more then the Succession of manie wicked and Idolatrous Kings in a kingdome unto divers godly vertuous rightly religious Kings which were their predecessors is able to iustifie and defend those ungodly and degenerate successors Those high Priests which conspired and consented to put Christ to death were never the lesse wicked nor anie jot the more to be commended or allowed because they succeeded diverse godly Priests which were their predecessors The vertue then and right religion of anie predecessors can no way serve to countenance and defend the vice and false religion of the successors Non locus sanctificat hominem nec Cathedra facit Sacerdotem The place sanctifieth not the man nor doth the Chaire make the Priest saith Chrysostome Neque sanctorum filij existimandi sunt quicunque tenent loca sanctorum sed qui exercent opera eorum Neyther are they to be esteemed the children of the Saints vvhosoever hold the places of the Saints but they vvhich exercise their vvorkes saith Hierome Qui praesunt ecclesijs non ex loci aut generis dignitate sed morum nobilitate non ex urbium claritate sed fidei puritate debent innotescere They vvhich be rulers of the Churches ought to be knowne not by the dignitie of their place or ancestors but by the noblenesse of their manners not by the famousnesse of their Cities but by the puritie of their faith saith Gregory Albeit therefore the Pope otherwise called the Bishop of Rome succeedeth in place to manie godly and vertuous Bishops that were his predecessors in former and ancient times yet what doth all this make for him except he were like unto them and did succeed them in veritie pietie humilitie right faith and true religion aswell as in place The local succession without the other is nothing worth but serveth rather to shame reprove and condemne the successors then anie way to commend or allow of them when they be so exceedingly degenerate and unlike to those their good and godly predecessors 5 And here they are wont to alledge that Peter was Bishop of Rome and that the Pope is his Successor But first it is not true that Peter was Bishop of Rome in that sense they speake of that is to say He was not tied limited and restrained to that citie of Rome as to his particular Diocesse or Province as Bishops in these daies be for it is cleere that S. Peter was by his proper office and function one of the Apostles of Christ who by their office of Apostleship were not restrained to anie particular place as a Bishop is to his Diocesse or Province but were permitted to goe into anie part of the world and to preach the Gospel as the verie commission given unto them from Christ Iesus himselfe doth plainly declare Againe it is well knowne that ancient Writers doe also call S. Paul Bishop of Rome as well as S. Peter and therefore Peter is in no other sense to be accounted Bishop of Rome then S. Paul was Yea S. Ambrose calleth all the Apostles Episcopos that is Bishops And Iudas the Apostle is also said in the verie Scripture it selfe to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopatum that is a Bishoprick You see then that whosoever either in the Scripture or in the ancient Fathers is said to be a Bishop is not by and by to be supposed a Bishop restrained to a particular place as a Bishop of a Diocesse or Province is For this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and Episcopus in Latin commonly Englished a Bishop signifieth in the originall nothing else but an Overseer or one that hath anie charge to looke to in which ample and generall signification it is rightly attributed to anie of the Apostles whosoever and consequently well might S. Peter though he were by his proper office and function an Apostle be called by some of the ancient Fathers a Bishop in respect of that his Apostolicall charge and Ministerie which he performed But thereupon to inferre that he was Bishop of Rome in this sense namely as a Bishop affixed and restrained to that place as to his proper and peculiar Diocesse or Province and as though he might not goe from thence into other parts of the world to performe the Office of an Apostle aswell as thither is besides the inconsequencie of it verie absurd Whatsoever stay or abode then either S. Peter or S. Paul made at Rome or elsewhere or wheresoever they lived or died it is manifest that they were Apostles and executed everie where that their Apostolicall office and function and lived and died Apostles and therefore are not in proper and strict appellation to be termed and deemed Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces For neither can he that is by Christ his Lord and Maister designed and appointed to be an Apostle lawfully forsake that his office and calling of Apostleship and at his owne or other mens pleasure become of another and that an inferior degree and calling as namely to be a Bishop tied restrained to a Diocesse or Province But admit Peter had beene Bishop of Rome in that strict signification of the word yet then secondly was he farre from being Bishop of the whole world for to be Bishop of one Citie in the world or of one particular Diocesse or Province in the world is not all one with this namely to be Bishop of the whole world or to be universall Bishop over all the Churches in the world for Episcopus orbis and urbis doe farre differ Yea thirdly let us admit if you will that S. Peter was Bishop of Rome and that by being Bishop of Rome he was also Bishop of the whole world or of all the Christian Churches in the whole world which neverthelesse is verie absurd to be admitted yet what would all this advantage the Bish. of Rome that now is or any other of the Bishops of Rome that have beene in these later times for the space of diverse hundreth yeares that they be successors to him in place whom they are nothing like unto in conditions and vertues humilitie faith and religion For how unlike the Pope is to S. Peter iudge
such grosse Idolaters as to worship a peece of â—read for God Yea even that Heathen man Cicero could say Quem tam amentem esse putas qui id quo vescâ—tur Deum creda esse VVhom doe you thinke to be so mad as to beleeve that which he eateth to be God Is it not then high time for all that love their owne salvation utterly to forsake that monstrous and Idolatrous Church of Rome which is become thus extreamely degenerate and deformed 6 But the Popish Church hath yet further mangled and maimeâ— this sacrament of the Lords supper most audaciously and Sacrilegiously in that contrarie to the Institution of Christ and practise of the Apostolicke primitive Church it depriveth the Laie people of receiving anie consecrated wine As though the Laie people might not receive aswell the consecrate wine as the consecrate bread Did not Christ say Drinke yee all of this and doth not S. Paul shew directly that the Laie people in his time did aswell drinke of that Cup as eate of that Bread Yea the late Councell of Constance doth confesse that in the Primitive Church the Laie people did communicate in both kindes and received aswell the wine as the bread and yet for all that doe they there decree against it Must not this needs bâ— the spirit of Antichrist which dareth thus in their Councells to contradict and decree against the Institutions of Christ and the manifest and confessed practise of the primitive Church For feare of spilling some of them say the Laie people may not receive the consecrated wine As though the Priest might not also sometimes spill it upon some accident aswell as they or as though the like inconvenience of letting fall of the consecrated bread by some accident might not aswell bee feared But how commeth it to passe that the Popish Councell and Church taketh upon them to bee herein wiser then Christ and all his Apostles and then the Primitive churches For Christ ordained and so the Apostolicke and Primitive churches practised and observed that the Laie people should aswell drinke of the consecrated wine as eate of the consecrated bread without anie such feare of inconvenience or inconveniences as the Popish church hath sithence that time found out devised But they say that per concomitantiam by a concomitancie forsooth the blood is included in the bodie of Christ so that if the lay people receive the bread which say they after consecration is the verie natural bodie of Christ they do therein withall receive the blood of Christ because in the bodie say they the blood also is included And thus hath one error begotten another with them as is indeed the fashion of all errors to do for Vno absurdo dato sequuntur infinita But if this their doctrine of concomitancie be true then by the same reason also it may suffice the Priest to receive likewise the consecrated bread onely without the wine And why then doth the Priest drinke of the consecrated wine for is not the blood of Christ per concomitantiam by their concomitancie aswell included in the bread which they say is the body of Christ to him as to the lay people Can anie tolerable or allowable reason be yeelded by your Priests or Church for these things May they not then all bee ashamed thus grosly to abuse and delude the world But now if that which is confessed to bee the Primitive and Apostolike Church administred the Lords supper to Laie people in both kinds namely aswell in wine as in bread How can anie suppose the Popish church which hath decreed and observeth the cleane contrarie to be herein like unto that Primitive and Apostolicke Church And if that primitive and Apostolicke Church were as questionlesse it was guided by the holie Ghost the Spirit of Truth must not your Priests Teachers and Church observing teaching and decreeing the contrarie needs bee supposed â—o be led not by that but by another spirit And what other spirit then can it be but the spirit of Error of opposition to Christ even the spirit of Antichrist Yea farre degenerate even in this point also is the Church of Rome from that it was in the daies of Pope Gelasius in whose time it was decreed that All they should be excommunicated that would receive but in one kinde 7 But yet a further wound also hath the Papacy given to this Sacrament of the Lords Supper by diverting and turning it from a communion of the faithfull into a private Masse or into such an action as wherein the Priest eates and drinkes alone without anie Communicants with him the people onely looking on Did Christ thus celebrate his Supper alone and did the rest that were his Disciples onely looke on and not communicate Wee know that Christ willeth them both to eate and to drinke at that Table and not to bee lookers on onely And so in the Primitive and Apostolicke Churches not the Pastor alone but the people also together with him did communicate And in verie deede what is more absurd then to bid men to a Supper to looke on onelie and neither to eate nor drinke S. Chrysostome complaineth of this corruption beginning to creepe in in his time O custome saith hee O presumption In vaine is the daily Sacrifice offered in vaine doe wee stand at the Altar seeing no bodie communicateth And a little after hee saith thus The Lord saith these things to us all who stand by heree unwisely and rashly for everie one that partakes not of the Mysteries is unwise and rash in standing by And hee addeth further saying Tell mee If a man that is bidden to a feast wash his hands aâ—d be placed at the table and yet eates not doth hee not wrong him that â—ad him vvere it not better that such a one were not present So thou art present thou hast sung the Hymne and in that thou hast not retyred thy selfe with them that are unworthy thou hast made profession that thou art of the number of those that are vvorâ—hie Hovv then dost thou stay and not partake ef the Table thou art therefore unvvorthy also to partake of the Prayers Yea the rule even of the Church of Rome it selfe in ancient time said to bee Pope Agapets which is Dist. 2. de Consecra Can. peracta is delivered in these words VVhen Consecration is finished all that vvill not bee put out of the Church dore must Communicate for so the Apostles ordained and so the Church of Rome observeth Marke well these words for thereby you see how farre differing at this day the deformed and new Church of Rome is in this point also from that it was in former and ancient time But againe can anie be so besotted as to thinke that onely by looking on hee communicateth or that by the eating and drinking of another as namelie of the Priest himselfe can bee fed or nourished Can the eating or drinking of another preserve your life if
your selfe neither eate nor drinke Bee not such grosse impieties and palpable absurdities iustlie worthie for ever to be abhorred and detested FINIS SECVNDAE PARTIS THE THIRD PART of the BOOKE CHAP. I. That the Authoritie of the Church is not above the Authoritie of the Scriptures That Popish Rome is the Whore of Babylon and therein of some special spiritual Whoredomes or Idolatries of the Romish Church BVt yet when they further say that the Authoritie of the Church is above the authoritie of the holy Scriptures what is this but to exalt men their authoritie above the authoritie of God himselfe and to magnifie the creature above the creator and to advance the wife in authoritie above her husband and his will and commandement The Church is the spouse of Christ and therefore is to be in subiection to him as to her head and husband as the wife is to be in subiection to her head and husband for so S. Paul declareth If then the Church be as is evident in subiection to Christ it is cleere shee can claime no superioritie or authoritie over him or his will or word in the Scriptures conteined yea it is the note and marke of an harlot and dishonest woman to challenge and usurpe authoritie over her husband And therefore what doth this position else prove but that the Romish Church is and must needs be the proud insolent false and dishonest Church even the vvhore of Babylon as shee is called in the Revelation of S. Iohn For what may not that Church doe or dare to doe be it never so wicked or ungodly which holdeth her authoritie to be above the authoritie of the Scriptures Is not this a dore that openeth a way to all licentiousnesse and wickednesse and to devise decree and doe in matters concerning Religion whatsoever pleaseth her selfe The right and true Church is of another and a better disposition and is ever content and desirous to live in subiection and in obedience to Christ and to his word will and pleasure and accounteth that as indeed it is her greatest honour And so also Christ Iesus himselfe sheweth that this is her chaste and godly disposition for thus he saith My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow mee and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands Marke that hee saith that his sheepe heare His voyce and follow Him and therefore they follow not others nor their owne unbridled humors lusts or pleasures but desire and endevour evermore to obey him and to doe as he hath willed and commanded them Againe the Church of Christ is expressely charged to observe all those things which Christ Iesus her Lord head and husband hâ—th commanded and therefore is to keepe her selfe within those her limits and bounds and not licentiously to wander or to goe beyond them Wherefore S. Paul also saith thus that the Lord Iesus shall shew himsâ—lfe from heaven vvith his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that know not God and vvhich obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ vvhich shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power vvhen hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvailous in all them that beleeve Doe you not here likewise see how great subiection and obedience unto the Gospel of Iesus Christ and to his word and will is required of all men Yea what great peril and punishment they are to undergoe which will not subiect themselves unto it namely that such shall be punished with everlasting perdition Take heed therefore and with as much good hast as ye can declare your subiection and obedience to the Gospel and word of God in the sacred Scriptures conteyned without anie further neglect of it or opposition to it As for the reason that some make that because the Church telleth us that This is the Scripture therefore the Authoritie of the Church is above the Scripture it is but a verie weake and an idle reason and no better then if it should be said that you had not knowne that this were the King but that such a man told you and shewed him to you Ergo this man is above the King Were not this a verie ridiculous and a most absurd inference The Church is by her Ministerie bound and according to her duetie ought to tell testifie and declare the word of God and what Scriptures be canonical and what not to teach the truth in those Scriptures conteyned but this office sheweth rather service and subiection in the Church then anie Soveraigntie or Superioritie in her above the Scriptures Schollers in a Schoole can tell a stranger who is the Master of the Schoole yet is not their authoritie therefore above the authoritie of their Maister Whilest then the Popish Church holdeth that her authoritie is above the authoritie of the Scriptures it is manifest she is not guided as shee vanteth by the holy Ghost but contrariwise with a spirit of pride and licentiousnesse and of opposition against God and his authoritie word and will in those his Scriptures declared And what then can such a spirit be but the spirit in verie deed of Antichrist and consequently what can such a Church be but the erring and Antichristian Church 2 For further proofe whereof give mee leave now to shew unto you that The Popish Citie of Rome from whence as from their mother Church all Papists receive their bane is that very vvoman even that VVhore of Babylon as I said before which is mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn with vvhom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and vvith the wine of vvhose fornication the Inhabitants of the earth have beene made drunken Which Woman is there further said to be arayed in purple and scarlet and gilded vvith gold and pretious stones and to have also outwardly a Cup of gold in her hand full neverthelesse within of abominations and filthinesse of her fornications and all this to entise and allure Lovers and friends unto her Now if wee would know certainely and assuredly who this woman was which S. Iohn thus saw in vision the Angel telleth us precisely saying The vvoman vvhich thou sawest is the great Citie that raigneth over the Kings of the earth But the great Citie that then raigned over the Kings of the earth in the daies of S. Iohn and had the Empire was not Constantinople nor anie other citie but only the citie of Rome as all men know and therefore only the citie of Rome and not anie other citie is and must needs be there meant under the name of the woman there otherwise called the VVhore of Babylon But for more explication who this woman was it is there further said that there were seven hills or Mountaines vvhereon the vvoman sate Now it is
the Church of the Gentiles to continue untill the second comming of Christ. It is true that the Church of Christ shall never bee extinguished But is there anie such promise that the Church of Christ shall never be hidden For persecutions even of the Christian Church have sometimes beene so great and cruell as that the Christians by reason thereof have beene enforced to lye hid and to be unseene and unknowne to the wicked world as in the daies of Dioclesian and Maximian persecuting Emperors who impiously boasted that they had utterly abolished the superstition of Christ and name of Christians The like divelish boasting also made Nero in his time Yea it is indeed expresly foretold in the Scriptures that such should be the state of the church sometime as that shee should be enforced to flie into the desert or wildernesse where shee should have a place prepared of God to cherish hide and keepe her from all her persecutors And therefore the church is not alwaies conspicuous and openly shining and shewing her selfe to the malignant world Neither doth that Text which yee alledge of Dic Ecclesiae tell it to the Church prove the church to bee alwaies openly conspicuous to the ungodly world It onely sheweth an order of Ecclesiasticall discipline for sinnes and offences how they should be proceeded in amongst brethren and such as professe one and the selfe same religion of Christ which order of discipline may well be observed even in a Christian church and among themselves though the wicked world neither see them nor the exercises of their religion nor know where they are But you say that if they make profession of their faith and religion as all Christians ought then the world cannot choose but take notice of them It is true that they are to make profession of their faith with their Mouth when cause so requireth aswell as to beleeve with their heart yea and to answer everie one in authoritie before whom they shall be convented and called and that with mildenesse and reverence concerning the same their faith and hope as S. Peter declareth But it doth not continually evermore so fal out that Christians be brought before Kings Princes and Magistrates of the earth to be examined and to make answer of their faith but at sometimes it so falleth out and at some other times againe it sufficeth that they make profession of their faith among themselves Neither were it indeed safe or a pointe of christian wisdome in them whom Christ willeth To bee as wise as Serpents though as innocent as Doves and to whom hee giveth an expresse caveat to take heede of men rashly or unadvisedly or without good and urgent cause to manifest and lay open themselves unto the view rage and furie of the malicious and persecuting world But you alledge further that Christ said to his Disciples Yee are rhe light of the world A Cittie that is set on a hill cannot be hid Neither doe men light a candle and put it under a Bushell but on a candlesticke and it giveth light to all that are in the house But none of these words doe proove the Church to be alwaies and evermore apparant to the eies of the wicked world though sometimes it bee For first though it be called the Light of the world yet thereupon it followeth not that therefore it is alwaies and at all times to bee seene Inasmuch as the Sunne and the Moone which be the great lights of the World and so appointed of GOD in the begining be not alwaies brightshining and appearing unto us but are sometimes unseene and covered with clouds and darkened and suffer strang Eclipses And therefore doth S. Augustine compare the Church to the Moone which is often obscured and hid yea he acknowledgeth that the Church may be so hid and secret as that the very members therof shal not know one another And whereas ye further alledge that it is like a Citty set upon a hill neither doth it thereupon follow that it is alwayes to be seene For in a great Mist or a darke night an Hill or Mountaine be it never so great will not be seene So if men be stricken with blindnesse it cannot be seene of them as the Aramites were that could not see the mountaine that was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha nor knew that they were in the midst of Samaria till God opened their eies Likewise though a Candle be set on a Candlesticke and giveth light to all that are in that house yet neither doth it give light to them that be in another house nor to anie that be blinde or shut their eies against it And yet the candle-light it selfe also will somtimes be much dimmed darkned with sundrie occurrents accidents that doe befall it When therfore the world either by reason of their own blindnesse or by reason of fierce and terrible persecutions or by reason of clowdie smoakie and mistie errors raised up bee not able to see and discerne the Church of Christ Is that anie iust cause for anie to quarrell against her as if therefore she had no being at all Yea when the fift Angell blew the Trumpet and the Bishop of Rome being in that time as a Starre fallen from heaven to the earth had no longer the keies of heaven in his custodie but the keies of hell even of the bottomlesse pit and that the smoake of the pit arose as the smoake of a great furnace so that the Sunne and the ayre were darkened by reason of the smoake Is it anie marvaile that the Church was then obscured Your selves doe grant that in the daies and times of the grand Antichrist foretold by S. Paule the church should lye obscured and be hidden And wee say and proove vnto you that those daies and times be come long since and therefore this ought not to seeme anie new or strange thing unto anie in these dayes Yea in the Revelation of S. Iohn you further reade that the Temple of God that is his Church which is there said to be in heaven because from thence she is descended and hath her minde treasure and affection there with Christ her head Phil. 3.20 Coloss. 3.1.2 was sometime shut and sometime opened For in that it is there said sometime to be opened therein is included that it was at other sometimes shut and closed and not open to the view of the world So that the Church of God is not alwaies openly and splendently seene to the persecuting World but is sometimes patent and sometimes latent as I trust you now sufficiently perceive and withall I trust you perceive that the Church was then in esse and had a continuance even when it was most latent For unlesse they even then had been in esse and in being they could not have beene à latent oppressed or persecuted Church Now as touching unitie I must tell you