of eternall destruction to all them whosoeuer did receiue the marke of the beast in their forehead or hande By reason whereof behoueth vs to bee so much the more earnestly industrious to attaine by diligent search First what and what maner of beast this is next to shunne all his acquaintaÌ„ce familiaritie with our whole bodies soules whereby no man may â—out or bee ignoraunt hereof to wit in howe perillous a case they stande who cleaue so obstinately to their predecessors sâ—eppes that they allowe that thing onely not which is true in it selfe but which hath bene embraced by the well liking and custome of men Which sorte of men if any remaine amongst vs I doe most hartely desire that if they will not vouchsafe to heare or reade our wrytinges bookes they wil yet at least hearken vnto Cyprian Who speaking of custome sayeth on this wise that where truth is absent custome is nought els but an olde age of error Or at least let them hearken vnto Aâ—gustine who preferring truth before custome WheÌ„ truth is reuealed saieth he Let custome giue place let no man preferre câ—stome before reason and truth bicause reason and truth doth alwayes exclude custome Finally let them hearken vnto Christe him selfe who onely is to bee harkened vnto who hath saied I am the waye the truth and the life but neuer saied I am custome Therefore we may not respect what hath vsually byn accustomed but what ought to bee done not what hath beene done of olde but what is well done Neither ought truth of religion bee measured by continuance of time not by number of yeeres but by substance of arguments nor by Chronologie but by sâ—unde diuinitie not by computation arithmetical but by weight of reason substantiall And therefore Augustine saied very wel namely that in the stablishing of faith and authoritie of doctrine in the churche ought no accompt to bee made what men saye but what the Lorde him selfe onely sayeth in his worde Which when Ambrose likewise agreeing calleth all thinges newe whatsoeuer the Lorde Christ hath not taught and affirmeth that the same ought of right to bee condemned bicause sayeth he Christe is the waye to the faithfull Whereupon Cyprian doth admonish not vnfitly Let vs not regard what any of our forefathers thought good to do before time but what Christ hath done first who is before and aboue all others But bicause here commeth place to treate of antiquitie vpon the which the Romish religioÌ„ doth vaunt it selfe so gloriously let these honest men therefore bring foorth their bookes that they may by good proofe iustifie once at the length in deede y â— which they magnifie so mightily in wordes For I do heare what they braye abroade with open mouthes to wit that the boundes prefixed by our forefathers in olde time ought not be remoued and that their church is such a one as beeing established by the space of many yeeres now by ancieÌ„t custome of the forefathers by allowed authoritie of continuall custome and consent of most auncient fathers euen from the first beginning of the primitiue churche hath euer hitherto enioyed vndiscontinued possession Go to and what fathers be they a Gods name whose boundes they â—rie out ought not be remoued Surely if vnder the name of fathers they meane these first fathers the Prophetes Christ him selfe the Apostles we do reteine the same their bouÌ„des inuiolable as well as they if they vnderstand the order of fathers next vnto them namely Origen Tertullian Cyprian Augustine and others of the same sorâ— truly this may not be denied that very many things which be deliuered by vs are ratified with their agreable consentesâ— But bicause these same fathers did as men faile in some pointes we do by their own commaundemeÌ„t referre our selues ouer to the sacred â—ountaines of holy scriptures which must be beleeued without all exception But if vnder that name of fathers they will point vs to their popes skulles of shauelings muÌ„kes we make no reckoning of theÌ„ at al. For it is out of all ambiguitie by whose instruction most of theÌ„ did speake Amongst the number of whom if any happened to be of sounder iudgement yet coulde they not pearce into the bowels of the truth either through the vnlucky darkenesse of that age or through the cruel tyranny of other But if they meane the fathers to wit the grandfathers and great grandfathers of this later age I doe aunswere that there neuer wanted in this age some sithence this Romishe Anâ—ichriste began first to crawle alofte that did both write speake and set them selues againsâ— those wolues but being either surprised by violence or seduced by general errour could not vnâ—wyne them selues out of thaâ— laberinâ—h of darkenesse You haue heard now good men and brethren most faithful citizens of the churche and inhabitauntes of the Christian common weale as much as I thought good at this present to speake and necessarily too aduertise you touching the Pope of Rome and his imperiall lordlines And I dout not but it is apparaunt inough vnto you how the toppe gallant of this See hath climbed vp to all her stately power and lofâ—â—nesse at the first without all warrant of Gods lawe without any iust reason or grounde but cleane contrary to the expresse wordes of Christ contrary to the naturall and liuely purport of the Gospell contrary to the most auncient canons and contrary to the publique libertie and freedome of the church You do vnderstand if you wil make a iust coÌ„putation of the yeeres what â—ime and by whose practise this notorious Monarchie was erected at the first by what pollicies and driftes by what craftie kinde of deceiuablenes and hypocrisie by how manifolde flippery deuises it crawled vp vnto so monstruous a masse by litle and litle and being mounted aloft and by processe of time enthronized in state into howe incredible a mountaine of soueraintie it hath swollen and pufte it selfe vp You doe see how wickedly and treacherously the Pope of Rome his deere dearlinges the Cardinalles haue not only raked vp that kingdome which they doe most iniuriously deteigne but also to what end and with what affection they maintein the same at this present not that truth may raigne but that true religion may be brought to nought You do see that as long as this Monarchie may beare vniuersall controllership there is no place of refuge left for sincere religion for freedome of consciences nor yet for free couÌ„cell and sounde aduise in Churches You doe see that from the very first time that this detestable and deadly ambition of bearing rule burst out an open Roade into the churche with howe many and howe merciles â—laughters Christendome hath beene rent in peeces and into what narrowe straightes it is penâ— vp at this present with howe many and manifold conquestes with continuall successe almost the sauadgenesse of the Turke hath preuailed against vs. You doe see that nothing can
in the Synagogues and gape after greetings in the maâ—ket place and to bee called of men Rabby For there is but one maister but all you be brethren What coulde haue beene vttered by Gregorie more distinctly and more apâ—ly for the purpose of whose authoritie if you make any reckoning as reason is you shoulde why may not wee as lawfully vse the same authoritie ouer you and by the same woordes exhort you yee breâ—thren and fathers of Rome as wel as hee First that no vaine opinion conceaued of that Sâ—agelyke state make you stande too much vpon the Slippers of reputation as though the Chaire of estate which you chalenge to bee at Rome shoulâ—e make a difference betwixt your brethren and you for by the place sayeth Gregorie you bee all brethren Moreouer that you esteeme not so highly of your owne honour as that you become iniuâ—ious to the rest which are ioyned with you in the same felowshippe and equabilitie of dignitie but iniuried they bee by the testimonie of Gregorie when your aduauncement ariseth by the abacement of your brethren and when as the generall grace powred out vpon all indifferently is abridged by you Last of all wee doe admonishe you not without cause with Gregories owne woordes That you â—xalt not your state so arrogantly aboue the Starres of heauen that is to say That yee extoll not your selues so loftily with a presumptuous brauerie of superioritie aboue other Bishoppes least the olde Prouerbe maye bee verified of you at the length whereof Solomon maketh mention Hee that buildeth his house too high seeketh the ruine thereof But why do I vouch this one testimonie of Gregorie onely when as neuer any one so much of all Gregories predecessours was euer heard of which woulde take vppon him the name of vniuersall Bishoppe or the heade of the vniuersall Church But loe here a sodaine rebounde backe againe to Saint Peter not much vnlike the tale whereof report is made by Esope in his fables of an Asse wrapt in a Lions skinne looking as a Lion vpon other little beastes what say they was not Peter the chiefe placed Bishop amongest the Apostles Was not the principalitie ouer the rest graunted him by the Lorde himselfe whome wee doe succeede in the same succession of Sea Whereof hearken I pray you what Gregorie teacheth plainly Truly Peter the Apostle sayeth hee iâ— the first member of the holy and vniuersall Church Paul Andrewe and Iohn what els be they then parâ—icular heades of other seuerall Churches And yet vnder one head they be all members of the Churchâ— And to shut vpp all at a worde The holy ones before the lawe the holy ones vnder the lawe the holy ones vnder grace all these are members of the Church appointed to consummate make perfect the whole body of our Lord and there was neuer any one that durst presume to call him selfe vniuersall c. Heare therefore yea heare ye Popishe Prelate if credite may be giuen to Gregory that besides Christe there is no heade of the Churche that ought to bee reputed for vniuersall appliable neyther to Paul neyther to Peter nor to any other of all the Apostles And dare you yet challendge to your selfe that which Gregory dareth not yelde to the chiefest Apostles which also the scripture it selfe denieth vnto them Byd adue to those vaineglorious titles of proude hautinesse which doe as Gregory sayeth buddle from out that filâ—hie puddle of vanitie Let vs well consider of the matter it selfe And because the principall proppe of all your tottering Monarchie consisteth in Peter alone may wee bee so bolde as to parle a fewe woordes with you touching Peter him selfe whome to confesse as you doe to be a principle member of the Church and the first that was called by the name of an Apostle yet this wyll wee not graunt surely that hee was heade of the Churche or the vniuersall Apostle The one whereof Gregory doeth discharge him off the other the infallible trueth of the sacred Scripture doeth vtterly deny him For what can be more manifest or more substantiall then that true saying of Paule wherein he holdly pronounceth that the Apostleshyppe of Peter stretched not out generally ouer all but was streighted to the boundes of the Circumcised only limitted thereunto as it were by specially lotte and that vnto him selfe authoritie was geuen directly from the Lorde to bee an Apostle of the Gentiles which also Christe himself the holy Ghoste doe verifie to bee true by an vndoubted Oracle when as leauing Peter in his natiue Countrey hee commaunded Barnabas and Saule to bee separated vnto him for the woorke whereunto he had called them Nowe what kinde of woorke was this else but that they shoulde bee sente foorth a farre of vnto the Gentyles whereby appeareth without all controuersie that this generall charge and ouersight of the whole worlde was not more peculiarly layde vpon the shoulders of Peter then vpon Paule Barnabas and the other Apostles Heereof also came it that to bee the Apostle of the Gentyles was properly and peculiarly ascribed vnto Paule and not vnto Peter by the generall testimonie of all men In like maner Chrysostome making mention of Paul And he tooke vnto him as alotted the vniuersall Prouince of the whole and in him selfe hee bare all men c And where is nowe that speciall Prerogatiue of superioritie which you Romish Rutterkins so grosâ—y rake too your rotten Sea vnder the cloke of Peters authoritie whereupon also you vaunt your selfe altogeather as vnadvisedly God saith Paule doeth not accept of any person and will hee accept of any place Paule acknowledged no maner of Superiorie in Peter aboue the reste of the Apostles testifiyng plainly that he auayled him nothing at al and that they ioyned handes as fellowes of one societie And will the successor of Peter bee so foole hardie as to admit no mate in the ministery of Christes commission with him what horrible iugling lying and legerdemaine is this what more then shamelesse and whorish impudencie is this But to surceasse those vehement yet deseruedly imputable bitternesse of speache let vs deâ—le somewhat more mildely and I will nowe so frame my taâ—ke with you not after any clamorous and brawling maner wherewith neuerthelesse I might most iustâ—y exclaime against you as against the most sworne enemie of Christ but that I maye seeme too debate with you better then you doe deserue coldly as it were and with soft and calme woordes And â—irst this wyl iustifie against you That â—ur graunde Captaine and most woorthie Soueraigne Authour of our redemption left no such lawe custome nor President neither was of any suche minde at anye time that in his Churche any of his Ministers shoulde so stand vppon his Pantobles as presuming vpon any singularitie of Lordlinesse shoulde bee so bolde too enter alone vpon any soueraigntie or stately controulership ouer the other ministers and pastours of Christe If these woordes spoken by Christe
sithence very necessity exacteth it of you as of duty vnlesse ye had rather become slaues to this false counterfait Pope then seruauntes to Iesus Christ. Wherefore awake yee most puissant Princes and most renoumed Potentates let your wysedome rayse it selfe out of this slumber at the length Repulse this outrage and impudency If the dueâ—iful consideration of your honorable estates and of euery of your particular liberties may little preuaile with you yeeld you thus much yet at the least to your Christe vntoo whome yee owe all that you haue that yee take compassion of his poore distressed Churche that yee deliuer the lyues of your subiectes from bloody butchery and their consciences from heathnishe impiety and that yee willingly faster not within the bosome of your common weales woolues whelpes too the rauenouse deuouring of the same Your whole natyue country dooth humbly beseeche you the whole society of al the godly dooth desire you yea with salte teares doth request you that yee wil once at the length after so many and merciles slaughters and flammes of the godly vouchsafe too open the vowelles of your mercy towardes the preseruation of the trueth towardes the safe keeping of simple innocencyâ— towardes the free deliueraunce of sounde doctrine which hath beene long ynough nowe oppressed that beeing so by your bounâ—eous consideration freed from al feare they may bee recomforted and recouer courage againe It lyeth in your honours too assuage these franticke and furiouse tumultes For performance whereof wee doo not require you to rush vppon the common enemy reuenge the butchery of your subiectes with force of armes There hath bin of warlyke inuasions more then ynoughâ— there hath bene too too great an effusion of ChristiaÌ„ blood But the request that our humble petition maketh to your honors is this which wil neuerthelesse redounde in eche respect as glorious too your estimation as profitable for the general sauety of al the godly Namely that of your authorities royal and imperial yee will vouchsafe too let bee proclaimed a general Summons for a generall councel according too the example of your famous auncestors which assembly may proceade to the exact determination and voices of the best learned and grauest fathers with such vprightnesse and integritie as that the same councel may bee no lesse free then general In the which let the Pope of Rome bee enforced too iustifie his monarchicall chaleng and doctrine by due authorities and good proofes of doctrine Who if bee able to iustifâ—e by sufficient testimonies of holy scriptures let him enioy his souereignty but if hee faile in his proofes let him haue his deserte In this so forlorne a calamity of al thinges what can bee demaunded of you either more commodiouse or more commendable for your royal mindes but if there remaine no hope of such a general councel too bee assembled yet that euery of you with in your seueral dominions at the least will not disdaine too put that in vre which ought haue beene accomplished in that generall councel namely that erroures may bee amendedâ— that the pure and liuely welspringes of true and sincere doctrine may bee restored too their auncient integritie abandoning and banishing intoo vtter exyle all manner pilfe dregges and patcheries of the Romishe ryot that your subiectes may freely frame their conuersations and consciences according too the holy direction of sacred scriptures and not after the Popes decrees and that it may bee sufficient for the same subiectes too bee subiect too their owne natural and liege Lordes and Princes only For els I see nothing whervnto this Romishe Reueller may be emploied with in any your Prouinces vnles it be to stir vp seditioÌ„s vproares In case the state of the christiaÌ„ coÌ„moÌ„ weale were such at this present as it was of old wheÌ„ the church being as yet greene was in subiectioÌ„ vnder the authority of Ethnick princes then might the ayde of Bishoppes bee implored for the ordering of the matters apperteyning to the church But nowe sithence it hath pleased the heauenly maiesty too vouchsafe those same princes whome hee hath called intoo his Churche too become Christians as the which doo no lesse dutyfully mynister vnto Christe then the Bishoppes them selues I see no cause too the contrary why the same Christian princes which beare soueraignty in states politique shoulde not also beare souereignty in the congregation of Christians So that there may seeme no cause to remayne nowe why this pontificall monarchy shoulde so presumptuously vsurpe any such prerogatiue in any their dominions that ought not to become subiect to the laweful Magistrates in euery of their seueral prouinces And thus much hithertoo touching the requeste that I thought good to sollicite your most excellent maiesties That which nowe remayneth to bee spoken I wil turne too the residewe of the people of Christendome as many as be brethren and ioynt Cytiziens with me coupled togither in one and the selfe same fellowship of Baptisme al and euery of whome I doo likewyse pray and beseeche that they take heede againe and againe that they suffer not themselues too bee haled backwarde from the truthe by any suttle slye inveigling nor any gloriouse tytle of names bee they neuer so plausible As there is nothing more safe and more souereignable then syncere religion which dooth display abroade direct too the right way of the true vndoubted saluation so doth there no thing more easily deceaue and wounde more deadly then counterfait hypocrisie creeping vnder the couert of false fayned holines her cozen germaine Solemne superstition Euen as that lying Prince of darkenes doth neuer deceaue more dangerously then when hee putteth on the vysor of an Angel So that so much the more vigilant and careful we must bee lest being circumuented with rashe and temerarious foreiudgement more then enduced by stayed consideration of minde do wee embrace false doctrine for the truth Antichrist for Christe the slaying fleshly sense of the letter for the spirit and trueth Proue the spirites saith Paule whether they be of God and be not carried away with euery blast of doctrine Whereupon the matter it selfe doth require this point chiefly in deed that with the Euangelicall simplicitie we ioyne serpentine prudence which may be able too discerne spirites which may proue all thinges which may holde fast that which is good which vnderstandeth aptly to distinguish betwixt light and darkenesse betwixt falshood truth finally that may be so simple that wee offer fraude to no man and withall be so prouident that we may shunne the suttletie of the guylefull Nowe this will be brought to passe without any great difficultie if setting parcialitie and greedines of affections apart we depend wholy vpoÌ„ the mouth of our heauenly maister not vppon mens decrees nor vpon consent of multitude ne yet vpon commoÌ„ custome of times and people and if we do so reclayme our whole heartes to the scriptures that as Hillary doth giue
nothing to recompte the same fayth to bee the onelie and infallible shoote anker of saluation by what lawe then will he adiudge them as outcastes worthie to be banished from the Catholike and Apostolike Church which professe the self same fayth of Christ that the Apostles and other Catholike Churches did profeâ—â—e But the Pope I suppose will denie That to beleeue in Christ and to worship him in heauen as our onely heade sufficeth to true fayth and saluation vnlesse we doe withall professe the Pope of Rome to be chiefe heade of the Church here on earth and our selues generally all to be members of the same Church If it be so that the fayth of Christ be not suffâ—cient ynough for the faythfull vnto saluation except the pompe of the Pope bee propt vp togither with the Maiestie of God what can bee more agreeable with reason then to make vs here three Tabernacles one to Christ an other to the Pope and the thirde and good will to the Cardinals To conclude This also ministreth no small cause of maruelling why the Pope doth not require vs likewise to correct the fourme and wordes of our Baptisme for as much as the fayth which we haue vowed to Christ in our Baptisme auayleth nothing to enfranchise vs nor to make vs free denezens of the Catholike Church except to this necessitie of fayth be tyed withall an other tagge of humble obedience to the Pope of Rome That wee correct I say the wordes of our Baptisme That whosoeuer bee baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost be baptized also in the name of our most holy Lorde the Pope But if this bee true the cerâ—entie whereof cannot be denied That wee were neuer admitted into the participation of holy Churche in the Popes name and that the want thereof is no maner of Estoppell to barre vs any way from being vnited vnto Christ as members of his bodie howe dare that lying mouâ—h be so monstruously impudent as to condemne the seruaunts of Christ for Heretiques to exclaime agaynst vs as Apostataes and runnagates from the Church to accuse kinges and Queeâ—es to bee supporters of Heretikes Nay rather by what reason or Scripture will he defenâ—e himselfe so that all the worlde may not plainly perceyue him to bee the verie selfe same whome Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Thessalonians doth by most euident demonstration forewarne them shoulde come who sitting in the Temple of God shoulde keepe a sturre not as a minister of Christe but most arrogantly vaunt himselfe to be as a God Which woordes sithence doe so in all pointes accorde with the life and manners of the Pope as that they can not seeme to signifie any other Let the Pope bee throughly well aduised first howe hee may bee able to cleare himselfe before God before he accuse others before men But an other time shal serue more fit for this treaty hereafter more at large God willing THE POPE CONFVTED THE HOLY AND APOSTOLICAL CHVRCHE CONFVTING THE ERROVRS OF THE POPES DOCTRINE THE SECOND ACTION IT appeareth manifesâ—ly ynough I suppose by the former discourse that wee haue not departed from out the Church of Christ in that we haue sequestreâ— our selues from the Romish Sinagogue In this present action therefore nowe it may seeme conuenient that we render the reason that moued vs to renouÌ„ce that Romish route and set downe as briefly as we may the verie pointes withall wherein we swarue from them Wherein neuerthelesse shal not bee altogither amisse to aduertise the gentle Readers hereof chiefly That we entred into this controuersie agaynst the aduersaries not of anie set purpose to rayse contention and debate in the Church nor of any desire to quarell and contende nor yet of any euill affection that wee beare to the persons themselues agaynst whome wee maintaine argument nâ— yet for that we woulde not much more willingly bee coupled with them in one lincke of Christian vnitie and concord if the vnitie which they offered vnto vs were such as we might by any meanes yeeld vnto without preiudice of the fayth and glorie of Christ without staine of conscience without manifest treachery and Apostasie or without vnauoydable daunger of the safetie of our soule But the matter being now growne to this poynt that we can by no possible meanes be at vnitie with Christ if we partake with them what remaineth then at the length wherin they may eyther iustify agaynst vs or alledge for further defence in their owne behalfe If they accuse vs of Apostasie or falling from them let them then first by plaine demonstration make manifest the verie nature of right Apostasie Surely if those that haue seuered themselues from the Primitiue and true Catholilike Church and be reuolted from the first founders of Christian faith from the auncient Fathers from the Apostles from the infallible principles of the Euangelical doctrine to an other doctrine to mens traditions to forreine forged nouelties of Religion to worshipping of Idols to a strange Gospel altogether vnknowne to the Apostles to patter praiers in vnknowne and barbarous speeches may rightly be called plaine runnagates no men in the worlde deserue to be called Apostataes in my iudgement more properly and truly than this generation of Papists broode But here againe will some one of them replie that they stande vpon a good grounde of possession not able to be gainesayde which they holde of the holy and Catholike Church neuer discontinued since the verie age and time of the Apostles themselues from the which they say that wee being but fewe in number hedgecreepers as it were in corners through treacherous backsliding haue as it were abandoning our natiue Country shrowding our selues in the hil Auentine withdraweÌ„ our selues like rebels To stoppe those slaunders againe let this answere suffice First as concerning the number whether we bâ—e many or fewe it maketh little to purpose In the Church of Christ sayeth Augustine consideration must bee had of the grauitie of the matter and not of the number of voyces and it happeneth oftentimes that the greater number preuayleth agaynst the better by number of polles rather than by trial of trueth yea Christ himselfe viewing the number of his flocke pronounceth it to be very smal so also when hee confesseth that many bee called yet hee addeth foorthwith that the elect be not many but fewe in number in so much that he seemeth to doubt whether the same sonne of man shall finde fayth in the earth when hee shal come Yet for al this if a true computation may be yeelded of men of nations and people by the poll it self of al such as with al their hartes do detest the fraudes and contagion of the Romishe false religion there wil not so small a number appeare in their eyes as happly either they coniecture themselues or at lest ought to make so slender accompt of But as concerning the Churche it self let
as in very deed they were the broode of the deuil Neither wanâ—ed such like busibodies in the Apostles tyme whome S. Paul worthely reprouing spared not to cal false Apostles false brethren dogs euil workmen enemies of Christes crosse The Angel in the Apocalipse speaketh of theÌ„ on this wise they would be accompted Iewes but in very deede they be the synagogue of Sathan To conclude with what sort of people hath not only Christes churche but al commoÌ„ weales also bene pestered more at any time then with such kinde of naughtipackes which when either can not or wil not walke the right way to true renowme do foorthwith not only seeke pilladge of the people but procure also the hassard of their soules health couÌ„terfait hypocrites gloasing flattering the vulgar sort of people entraping the simple The like crafty colour vsed the sect of Mahomet who bicause would not seeme to be Agarenes coyned theÌ„ selues the name of Saracenes as though they were generation of Sara so deceaued the people And the beast mentioned in the Apocalips beeing nothing lesse then a Lambe did wonderfully bewitche men vnder the counterfaict face and hornes of a lambe But here again happly wil some friend of the Romish Churche take me vp for stumbling saying what a matter is this do ye on this wise compare so sacred a Sea to the Agarenes and Saracenes seeing that these do carry no shewe or any resemblance at all of the visible churche neither ought to be named by the name of ChristiaÌ„s On the other side though the Patriarke of Rome be not allowed amongst you as head of the church yet can he not be denied to bee a member of the visible churche and to haue a place amoÌ„gst the Christian congregation For as much then as this bishop hath his place of a Christian in the Christian church for this cause surely it doth not beseeme Christians to sâ—quester them â—elues from Christians What needeth longer answere hereto then at one worâ—e to answere with Cicero Why should I hearken to speeches when I see deedes Certes if he bee a Christian byshop as he requireth to be accompted his offence is so much the more haynous in this that vnder the visor of a Christian he executeth such outrage so furiously and so sauadgly breathing out slaughter vtter destruction of Christians as that no man may doute but that this Abadon hath murthered burnte and oppressed greater heapes of Christian carcasses then any one of all the heathenish sauadge which proclayme them selues to bee open enemies of Christianitie Yea by so much the more is he to be detested then the Saracenes by how much lesse an open enemy hurteâ—h in respect of the priuie lurking and domesticall Scorpion whereof the one may somewhat be preuented by foresight but this other doth â—urther at vnawares before any notice or warning giuen Moreouer to admitte also to be true that this same prelate hath the place of greatest preeminence not onely amongest the Christians but also in the very bosome of the visible churche howe farre forth I pray you will this aâ—ayle for as much as Antichriâ—t him selfe must plante his seate in the chiefest temple of God garded with so great a guarrison of humble attendauntes the multitude whereof is described vnto vs by the prophetical scripture in these woordes And hee made all bothe small and great ryche and poore free and bonde to receiue a marke in their right hande or their foreheades And that no man might buye or sell but hee that had the marke of the name of the beast or the number of his name c. Nowe therefore if a man doe shunne and flee from this poyson and venimous contagion though it be enshrined neuer so gloriously in the visible churche it foloweth not therefore hereupon necessarily that the same doth vtterly renounce the visible church of Christe No more is this true likewyse though the Pope with his shauelings and Cardinals be some part and portion of a visible church that therefore the state of the vâ—â—uersall churche consisteth wholy in them But they proceede neuerthelesse too their suttle â—ophismes What say they doth not the vniuersal church of Christe embrace the faith of Rome euery where Go to and what then I praye you Ergo he that seâ—ludeth him selfe from the faith of Rome can not choose but renounce the vniuersall church of Christe What answere shall I frame better too this suttle sophisme but too deny both partes thereof both the assumption and conclusion For the church did neither heretofore alwayes confesse the Romish faith that is now to be vniuersall neither doth the vniuersall churche of the whole worlde confesse the same at this present as the which groundeth her ankerholde vpon the Apostolike faith and not vpon the Romishe faith Neither we though we do not allowe but abrogate vtterly all singuler the assertions of the Romish religion being now in vre haue therefore renounced the vniuersal church Ouer besides to yelde thus much also y â— a great yart of the vnlettered multitude do at this preseâ—â— receiue the Romish ragges yet behoueth vs to haue consideration not of that which the common people do affectionate but what may be iustifiable by the touchstone of truth So neither must we regarde what the Romish faith is at this present rather we must be wel aduised what the first faith thereof was and what it ought to be now also That person surely which withdraweth him selfe from erroneous doctrine chopt into the churche through the ignorance and treacherie of some teachers doth not fall away from the church but rather â—oth seeke to salue the soares of the church If the Pope of Rome such as professe them selues to be pillers of the Romishe churche will make proofe vntoo vs that their Romishe church swarueth nothing from the Apostolike churche that their faith withal is not defiled with many filthy vnsauery dregges errors then let them condemne vs of Apostasy for our departure from them But if they be not able to do soâ— yea if they theÌ„ selues haue not by much more probable arguments renouncing the doctrine of the Apostles the discipline of the best approued church transfourmed them selues into a certein newfangled doctrine let the indiffereÌ„t reader iudge hereof whether they or we desâ—rue most iustly to be condemned of Apostasie But you were sometime militant in the same churche where we be now will they say from whence you are nowe fallen awaye and departed from vs. It is true in deede So did your predecessours agree once well and godly wiâ—h Christ with his Apostles with the ancient and godly fathers why haue you abandoned them and changed your tippeâ—tes theâ— If you may thinke it lawfull for you to raunge at randon out of â—he true track of religion wherein you did treade sometime a right and to suffer your sâ—lues to be carried away through rockâ—s and â—ragges
manly but brutyshe and sauadgely vnder what fourme so euer it bee couered and hydden Wherefore this loathesomnes doth not consiste in the rawenes but in the very humayne fleshe not in the beholding but in the nature of the thinge it selfe not in that which the eye doth beholde but in that which the heart doth conceyue For if according too the olde prouerbe the wolfe will not deuoure wolues fleshe nor the dogge dogges fleshe is there any man beeing of any manly nature that woulde not abhorre to bee fedde with mans fleshe vnder whatsoeuer fourme it were shrowded or doe ye thinke that Christe did euer conceiue any such matter as when hee helde the bread in his handes wherewith he determined to feede his disciples would therefore exclude bread quyte out of doores to the ende hee might gorge the mawes of men carnally with his naturall fleshe beeing both rawe and aliue contrary to nature without any necessitie without all cause altogether vnprofitable and frutelesse Wherfore you doe not by this meanes exclude lothsomenes from out the sacred mysteries Lombard when you turne the fourmes of bread and wyne into the fleshe of Christe but you choppe a loathsomnes in rather so that nowe this supper may seeme not honourable but horrible if so be that excluding bread and wyne this bee true that you speake that there remayneth nowe nothing to eate but the substaunce of flesh and blood which substance neuerthelesse ye will not vouchsafe to be seene in it owne kynde but vnder an other kynde Wherein ye become two maner of wayes iniurious to the sacrament coupling together therewith a twofolde absurditie First bicause you defraude the fourmes and accidentes of bread of their true and proper subiect Secondly bicause you doe in like maner robbe the very naturall substance of the body of his proper accidentes so that nowe there remayneth neither any substaunce of bread at all nor any fourme of a body on this wyse the Poetes as it seemeth were wonte to describe their Chymeres Neuerthelesse this is not spokeÌ„ to that end as though we would banishe Christe cleane out of the sacrament or that we might seclude our selues from partaking with the holy bodie of Christ in this heauenly Supper But for this reason chiefly y t this holy CoÌ„munion may be cleared from all grosse absurditie If you will demaunde by what meanes Ambrose will answere you verie learnedly who will tel you that ye drinke out of the holie cuppe not blood it selfe but the likenesse of blood rendering the reason why bycause it shall breede sayeth he no loathsomnesse to the stomack And againe in another place hee doeth beare vs witnesse that wee receyue the Sacrament in a likenesse That which Ambrose doth verifie of the likenesse others doe affirme in a figure in a mysterie in a Type in a memoriall Moreouer the same Ambrose writing of the Eucharist sayeth It is the memoriall of our redemption And bycause we be enfranchised by the death of the Lorde wee doe signifie our mindfulnesse of the same death in eating drinking the Lords blood which were offered for vs. And again in the same place The blood saith he is a testimonie of Gods great liberalitie in the Type whereof we doe receiue the mystical cuppe of the blood to the preseruation of bodie and soule Where he calleth the Mystâ—cal cuppe a Type Nowe who is so vnskilful that knoweth not that a Type doeth signifie nothing else than a forme a likenesse and an example Agaiâ—e who knoweth not what great diuersitie there is betwixt likenesse and trueth it selfe and that they bee so contarie eche to other that they cannot agree togither by any meanes Whereby you may learne two things Lombarde both that the horror is taken away and that the substaunce of breade and wine abydeth neuerthelesse still vnempaired All which beeing thus concluded vpon as appeareth by plaine demonstration before all that your lying and false assertion infringible as you tearme it is become windshaken altogither wherewith you mainteyne so stoute a combate for the kingdome of accidentes and your transubstantiation as that yee leaue no place nor space for breade and wine in the Sacrament but calling all backe to visible fourmes plant all your whole batterie of the materiall part of the Sacrament vpon these buttresses of shadowes onely Which fourmes though retaine still the names of the things which they were before yet doe ye denie them to be the very thinges themselues Wherevpon if at any time the names of breade and wine doe occurre in the holy Fathers of the Church the same ye teache to be vnderstoode on this wise To witte that they bee called breade and wine not in respect that they be so but bycause they were once so and that the very substance thereof is gone farre away and that therein is nought resiant nowe that is elemental besides the onely names of elementes and emptie fourmes onely of breade and wine the names whereof they doe reteyne still but haue vtterly lost the verie substaunces themselues and do conteyne nought else now besides the naturall and substanciall bodie of Christ by the which bodie neither bee the fourmes affected nor doth the bodie affect the fourmes Loe this nowe is your gay diuinitie in describing the Sacrament the which howe agreeth with the Scriptures with the iudgementes of the auncient Faâ—hers with the antiquitie of the purer primitiue Church â—nd with fayth it selfe nay rather howe farre and wide it is dissonant and diâ—crepant from all truth and reason it shall not bee amisse to discouer in fewe woordes for I thinke it not coâ—uenient to vse many wordes herein And first wheÌ„ we heare that saying of Paul Let a man proue himselfe and so let him eate of that breade and drinke of that cuppe c. May any man bee so boyde of reason to affirme this to be spoken touching the fourmes and not the materiall part of breade and wine for what shall we say may any man ymagine that to eate to breake to eate of the breade to drinke of the cuppe is to bee referred to emptie and bare shadowes of bread and wine onely and not to the naturall breade In the Decrees is a certaine â—entence extant vouched out of Hylarie whereof we made mention before The bodie of Christ sayth he that is receiued of the altar is a figure whiles the bread wine are apparantly seene with eyes but it is the very body when the inward fayth apprehendeth it for the bodie and blood of Christ. c. To the same effect and in like plaine phrase of speech writeth Cyprianus The Lorde sayth Cyprian did vouchsaâ—e to call wine by the name of his blood the liquor which was enforced by the presse out of the grapes and clusters and made into wine c. For what shal we say do we easily wring accidents of wine out of grapes clusters not rather the very substancial liquor of
counsell wee suspende our vnderstanding vppon the wordes of the Lorde and not imagine that to be written which our selues haue taken holde of before we reade it with our owne eyes nor that wee attributâ— so highly to the imaginations of our owne fansies as that with toothe and nayle wee defende that which wee haue once entred vpon but that we search first by carefull inqâ—isition those thinges which we do holde And therefore wee be commaunded to search the scriptures vnto the which it behoueth to assubiect al our determinations altogether not to wrest the scriptures to the fansies of our owne imaginations There may be many and sundrie persons so grossely blockishe and so bluntishe of iudgement who wil allowe of nothing at all but that which they haue receiued of their forefathers and which by olde custome hath beene frequented as though the forefathers coulde not possibly erre or as though truth were wont to be the mother and not the daughter of time Which order if we shal be enforced to obserue to wit that wee accept of nothing to bee safe and sounde in matters of religion but that which hath beene priuiledged by custome of elder yeeres after this rule surely neither Paul nor Peter neither any one of the Apostles at all should euer haue beene a Christian neither shall any the Turkes hereafter bee conuerted into our faith being so many yeeres enured nooseled vp in their owne errors Go to nowe I woulde faine learne of these felowes that doo so stoutly stande vpon the imitation of their forefathers what aunswere they will yelde touching Antichriste whether he is yet to come or when hee commeth where they will saye his kingdome shall bee planted If they will affirme that it shall bee in the Churche what seasons of that churche whyles Antichrist beareth swaye will they describe vnto mee whether it shal be the churche of truthe or of errour And howe can it otherwyse bee but that as long as Antichrist reigneth and possesseth the heartes of men the truth must bee suppressed for a season and errour must possesse the greater part of the churche And where will these men place the churche of Christ then Whether mounted aloft vpon the toppe of a hill which shal be famous and glorious in all mens eyes or shrowding close in some corner rather when as persecution surrounding al places with horror the woman cloathed with the sunne shal be faine to flee into the wildernes when the saintes must be ouercome when the strumpet being drunken with the blood of the saintes shall triumphe in her maiestie where shall nowe become this publique I saye this publique euerlasting victory of truth which many persuade them selues to enioy in the church What shall become of that churche which can not erre when the sainctes shal be slayne in the churche when that false Prophet shall rule the roste euery where when he shall defyle all places with the blood of the holy ones when as also the very elect shall be in great hasard to be seduced finally when as so merciles a gulf shall swallowe vp the godly that the very horrour of the perill shall procure the ende of all euils long before the determined tyme when as the childe of perdition shall be shryned in the temple of the Lorde all which if we see plainely accomplished alrâ—ady and that it can not bee denyed but that Antichrist hath sitten long sithence in the Temple of God and with all is reuealed what mad men are they nowe that goe about to persuade vs toothe vsages of the fathers and custome of the tymes which were subiect vnto the tyranny of Antichriste which also bragge so lustely vppoâ— their pontificall Papane succession neuer empayred nor vndiscontinued since the very age of the Apostles in as much as Antichriste hath reigned so many yeeres nowe in the Churche of God But if they wyl deny that this enemy of Christe is not as yet come O miserable and to much forlorne estate of seely Christians For if within these fewe yeeres synce the tyme that Crosses were fastened first vppon the garmentes of Christians namely in the tyme of Maximilian the Emperour so incredible hauocke hath beene made of Christian martyrs by the onely butchery of the Pope of Rome as is skarse credible too bee beleeued Certes if soo many thousandes of Christians haue beene swallowed vpp and deuoured with soo manye and soo monstruouse tortures heretofore for Christe and the Gospels sake in these peacible and calme regimentes of Christian princes what shall poore Christians expect to befall them hereafter vnder the tyranny of Antichriste Which beeing as you see more manifest then the sunneshine in midday plucke vp your heartes therefore you men and brethren and fellowe souldiours in Christe and according to your wisdomes atchieue an enterprise worthy your wisedomes not whereuÌ„to vnaduised custome doth entise you but which truth it self doth sweetely perswade you haue regarde vnto not that whereunto better and more considerat times doe prouoke you that yee may not seeme to be more willing to wander in the wayward course of their errours then with these to be endued with sounder vnderstanding and knowledge For here is matter of no smal emportaÌ„ce peril beleue me haÌ„dling in hande yea so much the more daungerous by howe much the more your insufficiency to attaine the knoweâ—â—dge of the truth is supported by great abundance of supply and helpe For albeit your forefathers did erre in olde time yet is their excuse more colourable then yours If they being at any time carried away by suttle practises of their Popes were affectionated to fables according to the barbarous grossenesse of those dayes either bicause they were not instructed more soundly or bicause those helpes and aydes of bookes and good literature was not as yet extant from out the Printers shoppes or els bicause that childe of perdition was not yet reuealed this may be lesse cause to maruell of your forefathers ignorance yet them selues also bee in that respect somewhat the more pardonable But now in this so cleare and orient a glasse of discouering all thinges so many helpes and aydes of speaking and hearing beeing already prepared for your behoofe sithence nowe the spirite of the mouth of Christ hath discouered displayed abroade and portrayed out this Antichrisâ—e in his very liniamentes and liuely colours as it were so that the eyes of all men may plainely discerne him and that there can not be any man so blinde except such a one as will of set purpose close his eyes fast but that hee must needes manifestly discerne this horrible traitour of Chrisâ—e Certes no man can possibly beare any zeale or fauour towardes him but he that will be a notorious creaâ—hour in deede and will likewyse partake with him in the selfe lake of perdiâ—ion And for this cause the Angell in the Apocalipse doth with so terrible a threatening call vs away from him denouncing the cup of Gods wrath and
be preserued from the bloody butchery and broyling of Christians wheresoeuer the Pope is receiued neither can I discerne any end of all â—hese mischieues any where vnlesse these proude Prelates will content them selues within their owne limites and listes yelde ouer the royalties and all their authoritie of soueraintie to Monarches and kinges and them selues resume againe that which is their owne namely the function of preaching teaching not the things that are of men but which are of God seeking not the thinges which are their own but which are of Iesu Christe If this could be obteyned of them with their good willes nothing could be more honourable But for as much as we may not so much as hope for any such thing at their handes the remedy hereof reboundeth back vnto you chiefly and aboue others to you that are princes that euery of you according to your auncient generositie authoritie and pietie doe first pacifie this troubled estate of religion within your owne dominions restore that which is crazed and ruinous and reforme that which is defiled and corrupte Next it toucheth you that be Bishops and Pastours that euery of you direct your particular flock carefully soundly and godly towardes the kingdome of God Last of all it concerneth you that be subiectes that euery of you doe dutifully acknowledge your humble obedience to your owne Princes and Magistrates in the Lorde Heere then you see that you be forewarned and admonished who neuerthelesse for your singular and most excellent wisdomes neede not any our admonition Therefore I make an ende here both of speaking and admonishing if I may be so bolde to adde hereto this our protestation If any man be able to produce one word so much out of the authoritie Euangelicall whereby the Lorde Iesus did yelde any maner of soueraintie or preeminence to his disciples I do not gainsay but they may yelde theÌ„ seluâ—s to the Popes authoritie whosoeuer will But if there be nothing in the whole scriptures that the Lorde him selfe doth either more carefully aduise or more earnestly forbidde then that any of his disciples by seeking any preeminence at all should raise him selfe aboue any his fellowes restraining theÌ„ by all maner of meanes froÌ„ all maner of superioritie whatsoeuer prouoking them to the humble example of his owne humilitie Do you then deliberatly and maturely determine in your heartes now whether you will rather march vnder the standard of the Lambe him selfe your grand captaine to the goale of euerlasting felicitie or receiuing the marke of the beast throwe your selues headlong into vnrecouerable perdition together with this most arrogant popish Prelate The Lord Iesus euen the same supercelestiall peacemaker of heauen and earth enspire your hearts and mindes with the spirite of his grace in the things that belong to his peace vnto the glory of his name the preseruation of his church the same Lorde Iesus also encrease your honourable estates and preserue you in all the waye of truth for euer and euer Amen FINIS IMPRINTED AT LONDON AT THE three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for Richard Sergier 1580. The vniuersall Churche dooth complainâ— or expoâ—â—ulate with the Bishopp of Rome The beast mentioned in the Apocalipse the 13â— 14. Chap The pompe of the Pope Ciâ—eâ—o against Catilinâ— A defence of the Church of England against the seditious Bulles of the Pope Pope Pius â—â—e fifâ—h raging against Elizabeâ—h Queen of Englande Pope Gregoâ—ie 13. enflamed against England and the Queene of Englande A complaint against the Popes of Rome 2. Cor. 1â—â— What the power of the Church is and how farre it stretcheth The Pope cruelly raging against the godly without all cause or reason Philip. 1. Ioâ—â— .1 Luke â—â— Christ can not be receaued vnlesse the Pope be banished Iohn .3 Chap. Epâ—e 4. 2. Câ—r 1. 1. â—eter 1. Sauâ—ders in his Ierarchical Monarchyâ— How the charge of a Sheapeheardâ— is limited and howe it ought to be discharged Rom. 13. One onely vniuerâ—all head of the vniuersall Church The vniuersall Ierarchie of the Pope serueth to no vse in the Church of Chrâ—sâ—e Cyprian the first booke the third Epistle The Church in respect of soueraigntie is aboue Apostles and Ministers 1. Cor. 3. 〈◊〉 1â— â—â—th 5. Deut. â—2 Roma 12. Actes 3. How great anâ— incomparable the state of the Romish sea was by the space of 500. yeares Domitian a moÌ„struous tyraâ—t The happie inuenâ—ion of the â—rt of printing The proppes aâ—d â—ilâ—ers of the Romish religion It is proouâ—d by plaine demoÌ„stratioâ—s that the ouerthrowe of the pâ—pishe Sea came not of mâ—n but froÌ„ God the vâ—â—ye author thereof William conquerour Henry the fâ—â—ste king of EnglaÌ„d Henry the 2. king of EnglaÌ„d Iohn king of England Henry the 3. Mathevv of Pâ—ris a chroniclâ—â— Diuines put to silâ—nce As many as gâ—â—â— saide the Pope were mâ—râ—yred with â—â—râ— or tortures Out of the chronicles of Henry of Euforde The Chronicle of Iohn Auenâ—â—â—e 7. booke Iohn Hus. Iâ—â—oâ—â— â—â— â—rage â— The decay of Romishe Sea to bee imputâ—d not to men but God only 2. Thes. 2. The prophesie of Iohn Hus against the pope In the yeere of our Lord 141â— Iâ— the yeeâ—â— of our Lord 1517 The Prophetical dreame of Iohn Hus concerning the Romish Sea The Art of printing beganne in the yere 1440 By what meanes and occasions the Churche of Christe waâ—re couered Errors and confusion in the popes doctrine The meanes that God vsed to ouerthrowe the Pope By what meanes the noblest science began to be reuealed in this later age The champioÌ„s of the christian warfare were â—aised vp by God The first appeâ—â—ng of Luther The Pope being the scourge of the Gospell setteth himselfe against Christe and his â—ospel Iohn .15 God himselfe fighteth against the outrage of the Pope The Popâ—s vproares in France aâ—d Flaunders The popâ—s practises against EnglaÌ„d Ioâ—nâ— 16. Apoca. 17. The lambe a â—onquerour The double conquest of Câ—riâ—â— One in his own person alrâ—adie past the other in the Saintes yet to come Henry the freÌ„ch king being hurt in the eye with a shiuer of a launce died Queene Mary of England The Pope procureâ— warre agaâ—â—â—t 〈…〉 Eâ—pâ—rour Iuâ—ian the Cardinall Cisca Capteine of the Bohemyans The example oâ—â—odâ—â—â—ngeaâ—â—ce 〈◊〉 Iulian the Caâ—dinall The Councell of â—asâ—â— The state of 〈◊〉 oftentymâ—â—â—eliuerâ—d frâ—m â—he â—oâ—es trecheâ—â—â—â— The siege of Rochel The Citizens of Rochel defeÌ„ded Rochel defending it self was for the kings behoofe not against the kâ—ng Apoca. 17. Martine Luther Acts .12 Cocleus In the historie of the Hussians 11â— booke Ex Tomo 14. Conc. pag. 66â— The Popeâ— pride â—â— Quest. ◠〈◊〉 De Maâ—â—ritaâ—e â—na Ex Tomo Concil in oratione Stephan Patraâ—â—â—â—â—â—is Luke 1â—â— The ancient fathers agaynst the Popes suâ—remacie Gregories testimony against the Popes supremacie Gregory in his seuenth booke the 30. Epistle to Eulogius Gregorie in the same place Gregorie in the 4. booke the 38 Epistle to the Bishop of Constantinople Pro.
17. Gregâ—ry in his 4 booke the 38 Epiâ—tlâ— to Luâ—oâ— Peter was neither head of the Church nor vniuersall Apoâ—â—lâ— Galat. 2. Chrysâ—st vpon Paules Epâ—stle to the Romanâ—s The vniuersall Iurisdiction of the Pope confuted Iohn .6 Luke .14 Iohn .13 Matth. 23. Luke .16 Matth. 5. In what sense Peter was calleâ— prince of the Apostles Peter called prince of the Apostles as Cicero was called prince of eloquence in reâ—pect of eâ—cellencie not of superâ—oritie Mat. 4. Luke 5. Iohn 21. Peter made fisher of men not prince of men Actes .8 Pope Alexander the 3. Hâ—stiensis Extrauagan dâ— eâ—ectâ— electi poâ—â—state Hadriâ—n Clâ—mâ—nt 5â— Honâ—rius 3. Gregory 9. Vrbanus 4. Innocent 4. Clement 4. All the French in Sicile yong and olde were slaine at the sound of a bell Martin 4â— Honorius 4. Nicholâ—s 4. Boniface 8. Clement .5 Iohn .22 Vrbane .6 Clement Martine .5 Pius .2 Sixtus .4 Iulius .2 Paulus .3 The succession of the Pope discouered and confuted 2. Quest. 7. Omnes Dist. 40. â—erome writing to Helyodore The councel of Constance The ordinary succession prefiteth nothing in the sight of God Maâ—asses Caiaphas The Iâ—wes Iohn .9 Mat. 3. Luâ—e 2. Mat. 23. Iames .1 Ephe. 5. No resemblaÌ„ce betwixt Peter and the Pope The state of the chayre of the Romish Monarchyâ— Betwixt the Pope and Peter Esay 5. 2. Ezechiel .34 It is not the chayre but the good life that maketh a man Apostolical Neanthus sonnâ— of Pittacus The continuance of succeeding Bishops in the Church is no sufficient cloke to coulor error The ordinary succession of popeâ— hath bin discontinued broken of The light of doctrine and trueth restoreâ— The Popâ—s Bullâ—s against the faithfâ—l sâ—ruants of Christâ— The slaunders of the Pope against the Queene of Englandâ— The Oration of Queene Elizabeth to the Pope Matth. 5. Lâ—â—ius The cause of the Popes malice against Elâ—zabeâ—h Queene of England How this saying without the Churche is no hope of saluation must be conâ—trued The Câ—tholâ—kâ— fayâ—h Athanasius Creede The Nycene Creede The Romish fayth Bâ—â—â—â— in his 78. Epiâ—â—le The Catholike church amongst the Grecians eâ—empt from the Church of Rome We read in our Creeâ— the holy and Catholike Church but not the Romain Church The onely faiâ—h and doâ—trine of Christ doth vnite Câ—ristiâ—â—s to the Câ—uâ—châ— Three Tabernacles â— Thessal 2. Luke â—2â— Matâ— 20. 2â—â— Luke 18. A compaâ—ison betwixt the auncieÌ„t church of Rome and the Romish prelates nowe The life and conuâ—rsation of the auncient aâ—d Apostolical â—hurche Great differeÌ„ce betwixt the biâ—hops of the ancâ—ent and the new churche of Rome Bernard in his Epistle to Eâ—genius â— The life of the Bishoppes of Rome may seeme lesse Apostolike then Apostatique The Popes doctrine conninced in nouelty The nouâ—lâ—y of the Popes docâ—ryne was in many things vnknown to the auncieÌ„t fathers In howe many how weighty matters the Apostolicke doctryne varyeth from the popes Tertullianusâ— Apocal. 2. Apoca. â—3 Cicero in his Tusculanes the 3. booke Apoc. 13. Though the Pope with his crew be part of the church yet be they not the vniuersall church The Popes arguments deducted from the vniuersalitie The Papiâ—â—â—â— obiection Two sortes of men in the visible Church A disagreement not a departure bâ—twiâ—t the protestantes and the Papistes Osâ—c â— The errours filthines of the Popes doctryâ—e A comparison betwixt the Iewes and the Romish catholikes The persecution of Christians by the pope and his papâ—sts The ceremonies of the Iewes and the Papistes compared together The superstitioÌ„ of the Romanists in defending their traditions is more than Iewish As the Iewes do looke for a worldly Messiâ—as so the Papists doe expect a worldly vicar Like Pope like Church The very pattâ—â—â—e â—â—age of the Romish Church The Papists do play the Iewes in establishing the doctrine of rightuousnesse by workes â—om 9 10â— How fayth is esteemed with the Papistes Only faith with out works â—oâ—h accomplish the whole worke of our iusâ—iâ—icatioâ— Oâ—orâ— agaynst Haddon pagâ— 94. Oâ—or in his Epistle to the Queene of England pag. 27. 32. Tridâ—â—â—in Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 7. How fayth dotâ— beget good workes Faith as oportunitie is offred can neuer cease from doing good working alwayes throâ—â— loue Fayth in iustification is onely and alone but in working is not alone Tridentin Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 16. The infallible doâ—trine of the Tridâ—ntine Councâ—ll Sâ—ssiâ— 6 Cap. 7 Ephesians 2. Iohn .6 Iohn .11 Euerlasting life promised to the beleeuers The diffeâ—ence betwixt the law and the Gospel The vse and duetie of the lawe Wherein the vse of the law consisteth properly The Euangelicall faith The preaching of faith * 2. Cor 3. Who hath made vs able ministâ—rs of tâ—e new Testament not of the letter but of the spirite The fruite and prayse of good workes Psalm â—5 In what respect good workes be auayleable and what they bring to passe Ianuensis is his booke called Cathoâ—ico Psal. 1â—â— From whence ariseth the welâ—spring of eternal life Iustificaâ—ion is proper to faith only Mark .9 Good woorkes do not procure a man to be iustâ—fiâ—d but bee fruites and effectes of him that is iustified alâ—eady August de graâ—ia 〈◊〉 Cap. 3. Romans 4â— Titus .3 Obiection The answeres of the Apostle Howe faith and good woorkes doe agree and disagree ech with other Tully in his orâ—tion for Milo The obiectioâ— is confuted Eâ—he 5. A brief Catalogue of the popish doctrine Osor. in his 7. booke de Iustitia â—ala 3. A comparison betwixt the preachers of the lawe and the Gospel and betwixt theÌ„ which plod vpon nothing els then the rightâ—ousnes of the lawe and workes The supremacâ— of the Pâ—pe confuted Luke 22.26 Inuocation of saintes confuted Hebr. 7. Pictures and images of saintes Uowes of vâ—maried life Masses and sâ—â—rifices Satisfactions â—or â—iâ—nes 1. Iohn 2â— Actes 1â— Osor. In his Epistle to the Queene of Englande Rightuousnes by faith Iustification free One only oblation The Papistes suppâ—r without wyne The holy ghost the vicar of Christ. Tertullian de praescrip aduersus Haereticos Being taken hence into heauen to the right hande of the father hee sent his vicar power of the holy Ghoste which might comfort the faithful Christ the ende of the lawe The ende and mark of romish doctryne Iohn .5 An vnknowne toung doth not edifie Mat. 24. Idolatroâ—s pilgrimages Peter the Apostle is denied to haue beene bishop of Rome The functions of Apostles and Bishoppes bee diuerse The Pope of Rome is falsely supposed to bee Peteâ—s successor How much the popes doctryne is swarued froÌ„ the disciplyne Apostolique 1. Peter .2 Of the sacramentes The abhominable corruptions of the papists in the Lordes supâ—er * Aug. ad Infantes is cyted by Bedâ— 1. Cor. 10. That which you see is bread and wine which also your eyes do declare maniâ—eâ—â—ly * Augustâ— de trinitate 3. booke cap. â— Myracles are properly applyed too declare to our senses some supernatural and heauenly power In the sacrament nothing
why may it not be as lawfull for vs to call our selues back into the true way of saâ—uatioÌ„ after so many our waÌ„drings maskings renouÌ„cing al by pathes of errors Now therfore beâ—hink your selues welâ— whether it staÌ„d w t more reason for vs that we should retourne into the right way or raunge at randon still with you Wee do assure our selues that it is not lawefull for vs to doe any other thing nor treade any other path then wee doe now by any meanes for as much as the authoritie of the scripture the truth of Christes Gospell doth binde vs hereto with a necessitie vnauoidable We were once of the same minde that you bee I confesse it stragglers I meane together in the selfe same couples of errours What theÌ„ If bicause we wandred in errours being yong men shall we not therefore bee refourmed beeing growen to more iudgemeÌ„t But so was Moses conuersant once in the familie of Pharao AbrahaÌ„ in Chaldea Loth amongst the Sodomites The children of Israel in Egipt Daniel the Prophets in Babylon Christ amongst the Iewes Paul with the Pharisees Peter amongest fishermen Augustine a Manychean All maner of departures therefore neither the departures of all persones ne yet from all societie of companies ought to bee accompted blameworthy Although wee forsake to be ioyned in the felloweship of some that are named Christians now yet are we not therefore fallen from the visible church But for as much as in the visible church be two sortes of men the one part of theÌ„ which occupie the functioÌ„ of teachers preachers the other of them which with the vnlettered multitude be hearers and learners We therefore do reproue certen assertions opinioÌ„s in some false teachers from whom we sequester our selues of very necessitie yet in such wise as we depart not at al froÌ„ the visible church in the which we haue our being and resiancie as well as they yea we be many times conuersant as Christians euen with our very aduersaries within one citie many â—imes also vnder one roofe And although we dissent froÌ„ the errors of certen particular persons yet doe we not otherwise but wisâ— will the best that may be to the persons them selues and recompt our selues rather forsaken of them then them forsaken of vs and are enforced to deparâ— from them rather by violeÌ„ce plaine thrusting out then of any our voluÌ„tary willingnesse so that to set down the matter in plaine termes it may be saide more properly that we do disagree and dissent from them rather then depart from them In which disagreement notwithstanding we do not so altogether reâ—de in pieces all the articles of their popes and deuines nor so altogether condemne them as though nothing were sound amongst thâ—m neither do we contend with al that church so as though there remained no shape of a visible church in all that citie of Rome for they haue baptisme there wherein they make a profession of the name of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost They haue also the law of God the Gospel yea they reteine the woâ—shipping of Christ professe the same articles of the Crede that we doe They retaine also after a certen sort the sacraments though they abuse them after a filthy maner All which do carry some prety shewe of Christianitie amongst men not much vnlike as the olde Iewes in times past whilest Christ liued were in possession of the holy citie wherin the most holy name of God was magnified in the which they obserued the worship of God together with the lawes ordinances after a certen outward resemblance wherein also those that sate in Moyses chaire taught many things peradueâ—ture not altogether amisse Whenas neuertheâ—esse vnder this coÌ„terfaite visor of religion lurked most abhominable hypocrisie treacherous treason against God him selfe Of whome spake God him selfe by the mouth of his Prophet You be not my people Semblably if eiâ—her the Romishe church or any other church whatsoeuer do obserue orderly and teache sincerely truely therein doe we not deâ—â— to partake with them But bicause the churche of Rome treading the track of the olde Synagogue hath yelded to be lead awaye blyndefolded into strange vnknowen by-pathes of doctrine into most horrible contagion of errors detestable absurdities idolatrous worshippings blasphemies impieties sectes and heresies from the platfourme of most true and infallible doctrine from the pure and sincere worshipping of God and the vndouted squarier of Christian religion from the principles of their owne profession from the practise meaning of the Aposâ—les from the examples and steppes of their predâ—cessourâ— and haue chalenged vnto it selfe câ—ief only and most absolute soueraintie ouer all other churches of Chrisâ—e fully fraught with crueltie bloodsheadings pillages heâ—ein if we do farre awaye seuer our selues from their societie who can be so senslesse or endewed with no conscience at all who seeing so many and so iust causes of departure wil not thinke that wee haue rather departed away too late then without good occasion namely sithence we are not whirled theretoo of any gyddy lightnesse as it wâ—re with a puffe of winde but enforced of very conscience not of any desire of nouelty but of meere necessitie not so much of any our voluntary affection as warranted to departe from amongst them by special commaundement of Gods owne mouth But some one wil make a question heere demaunde what kind of filthines what coÌ„tagiouse errors do remain in the popes doctrine Surely if the matter of it self were such as that it were altogither in couert and not openly manifest in the eyes of al men I wold think that I ought to bestow some large discourse for the better demonstration therof Yet somwhat to relieue the ignoraunce â—f the vnlettered let vs if we may apply somewhat in that behalâ— For I do see very many that being bewitched with a certain blind admiratioÌ„ of the popes popeholy religioÌ„ are caried away captiue into his erroures for none other cause but for that they wil not looke into the truth when they may see it Therefore remouing away those disguisings visours let vs prye somewhat narrowely into the things them selues and let vs throughly beholde this whole Romish Troiane horse not what it emporteth outwardly but what it crowdeth couertly and shrowdeth in the very closets thereof I am not ignorant that the name of the churche is a very plausible name that the names of Christe Peter and Paule be honorable that the remembraunce of ancient antiquitie is wonderfully well liked of that the authoritie of the fathers is much esteemed that the vniâ—ie Apostolique and catholique consent is of great valoure and that the keyes of the churche be of no small authoritie in deede if they bee true keyes but if they be not true nothing is more forcible to deceiue Therefore may not the Romish churche thinke it enough to vouche bare and fruitlesse titles it
must iustifie it selfe with substantiall matter I make no reckoning at all of their outward portely ambitious challenge This one thing do I seeke and craue to know what the truth it selfe doth make iustifiable in deede But in seeking what do I finde to conclude all in one word euen all thinges tourned topsy turuie vnder a lambes skynne shrowded rauening wolues vnder the attire of the spouse crept in the strompet of Babylon vnder poore beggerly weâ—des of Christian name conquerours warriours vypers monsters tyrantes scorpions enemies of Christes blood To be briefe nothing lesse then they resemble ouâ—wardly and expressing them selues in all their actions to nothing more neare then to the very I had almost sayde Iewes them selues In this that I name them Iewes let my woordes be condemned for vayne and vtterly voyde of all credit if the matter it selfe doe not approue this to bee true by most euident demonstration and proofe First like as the Iewes put the sonne of God to death long agoe pretending the name of God Euen so these vnder the name of Christe doe hale and drawe without measure without cause without mercy the members of Christe and the sonnes of the Churche in most horrible wyse with execrable crueltie and woluishe sauadgenes to slaughter to fagot and fier and to all maner of vnspeakeable tortures As the olde Iewes leauing the spirite did embrace only the letter which killeth coÌ„uerted all their expositions and interpretations to that vtter letter What doe our Romanistes at this present els then vrge plodde vpon and exact all things to the onely outward letter of the mysticall scripture as to the onely infallible rule of religion They regarde onely the outward speeches of the Gospell but make no reckoning nor any estimat at all of the Lordes meaning hidden vnder the veyle of wordes vnder figures and parables nor what the heauenly wisdome doth deliuer vnder them nor whereunto the holy Ghost doth direct vs thereby They gnawe vpon the outward huske and fleshly exposition of the scripture but aspire not too the spirituall sense neither pearce into the marowe sinowes of the scripture It is a wonder to see howe nimble and suttle witted how earnest whâ—t they be in colde and naked parings and trifles rotten elementes of this worldâ— but in the things which auaile most and be most profitable they be more blinde then beetels and skarce luke warme therein Amongest the Iewes all thinges were handeled with outwarde ceremonies and outwarde traditions Such was the state of that tyme. But if a man will nâ—we examine the shape of Papisticall doctrine accordingly aâ—d compare it to that plattefourme What shall he approue the Papistes to bee els then very naturall Iewes â—auing that the Iewes were exercised in the ce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presâ—ribed vnto them by Gods speciall commaundement But our Romanists hauing no such â—â—arrant from God nay rather being by expresse testimonies of scriptures commanded to raise themselues from these corporall exercises vnto the consideration of more high and heauenly matters yet contrarie to the expresse direction of the Apostolike doctrine they cleaue so amazedly to dumbe ceremonies that all things almost seeme to be transformed by them into colde ceremonies so that on this behalfe the state of the Iewes may seeme much more tollerable then the state of Christians It was counted a great fault amongst the Iewes in the olde time and that also sharply rebuked not without cause for that being so immoderately affected to their ceremonies and traditions they regarded not the commaundements of God and esteemed more of mens traditions than of Gods commandemeÌ„ts Make a comparison now betwixt these holy Prelates of the Romish Court with those Iewes what shall ye finde in theÌ„ that doth not onely resemble Iewishnesse in that kinde of superstition but also farre wonderfully exceede it For plaine demonstration whereof consider the streight iniunctions for breach of their decrees the mercilesse proceedings of their cruel iudgements the vntractable difficultie to obteine pardon for them that do transgresse the Popes lawes that breake their vowes offend in the decrees and traditions of men rather then for such as doe notoriously trespasse in the commaundements of God What should I speake of that wherein this glorious court of Rome doth so altogither agree with the Iewes y t ye shal be scarcely able to discerne whether the Papistes be verie Iewes or the Iewes verie Papists For euen as the Iewes did either heretofore long sithence or euen at this present nowe expect the comming of their Messiah which being furnished with worldly power as a most valiant conqueror garded with inuincible mighty garrisons of stoutest souldiours should with warlike puissaunce and dint of mightie sworde by most notable conquest establish for himselfe an Imperial throne here on earth yea such an Empire as should with inuincible and triumphant earthly pompe kingly royaltie riches dominion glorie and renowne of maiestie Imperiall enforce to be subiect vnto it all other Kings and Monarches of the world what do our holy Fathers of Rome I beseech you else then in like fantasticall drowsinesse wherewith the Iewes doe dreame of their fantastical Messiah forge vnto themselues a glorious worldly Uicar of Messiah whom they bedecke with golde beautifie with pearle and precious stones crowne with a triple diademe vaunce on stately and princely Palfray or rather support and carie abrode on mens shoulders blaze out with more than kingly anâ— Imperial titles endow with yearely reuenewes tributarie prouinces troupes of attendants highest chaire of maâ—estical state finally the verie fulnesse of most absolute power and what not Moreouer as they haue proclaimed this their Uicar of Messiah the chiefe heade Prince and Monarche of the vniuersal church after the same shape do they fashion vnto the same their Bishop a like bishoply church which least should not be in al poynts correspondent to her owne head must bee such as may glitter and shine in outwarde pompe magnificence and wel liking of the whole world which being garnished with â—arthly riches power made mightie and forcible with lawes may make both Prince and people stoupe at her countenance And for this cause to make the state of this their Churche more defensible the graue fathers haue decreed by a verie profouÌ„d Prouiso â— that Cardinals Patriarches and the other estates Syres ecclesiastical should be aduanced in highest honor and dignitie should glitter in golde and purple should abound in wealth possessions and pleasures should flourish in most gorgeous pompe and power princely palaces and courtes that by this meanes they might beautifie the maâ—estie of their glorious mother holy Church and make her to shine and seeme glorious in the eyes of the worlde This is that glorious Citie of God forsooth which is bâ—ilded vpon the holy hilles in the which appeareth neither wrinckle nor blemish in the which may neuer so litle a tytle of â—rrour possibly