Popish Glorying in Antiquity Turned to their Shame, To the reader – Encomium 3
To the Reader.
AS the Iewish People adorned the Burials of the ancient Prophets, as honourers of their memories; but in the meane time rejected that Great Prophet fore-tolde by them, and persecuted their successors: or, as that Romane Band; who crucified our Head, howsoever by wordes of salutation they seemed to giuegive Him honour & courtesie; yet they shew by their deeds they meant disgrace and crueltie. Even so the Romish brood of that lamed souldior, howsoever by words they would seeme to pleade for Antiquitie, yet their practises doe proclaime, that they are the defacers & defamers thereof in veritie. So that amongst them, (as Lyrinensis saith) Dum pro coelesti dogmate humanae superstitiones introducuntur, bene fundata antiquitas scelesta novitate subruitur, & nova cōtagio non tantū portiunculam, sed totam pariter Ecclesiam invasit: that is, While as humane superstitions are broght in for an heavenly point of Faith, well grounded Antiquitie is overthrowne by wicked Noveltie; and a new contagion hath broken in, not vponupon a little part, but vponupon the whole Church alyke.
As the Ephesians therefore tumultuously cried out,Acts 19. Great is Diana of Ephesus; so howsoever they in like manner crye, and appeale (as Paul did to Caesar) to Antiquitie, to Fathers and Doctors of the primitiue Church; yet when they are brought thither whither they hauehave appealed, they are seene evidentlie as much to reject their orthodox doctrine, as ever the Ievves did the Prophets, whose Tombes they were decoring; and as much to abuse them in their holie pains, as ever their truest successours were in their harmlesse persons;Genesis 38. and (like Iudah to Tamar) to be most guiltie themselues of what they vp-braide to others; straining out the Gnat, but swallowing the Camell.
Yea, as Salomō judged between the two Women, which of them was the mother of the living child; or as Saul confessed of David, 1. Samuel 24.that hee was more righteous than he: So everie judicious discerner may easilie here-by perceiue, which of vsus more righteouslie, or reverentlie dealeth with Antiquitie: for (beside the particulars ensuing in this Treatise) they thinke it no fault to appeale frō the Fathers, to the Popes judgement, and so to mans mouth*Plus uni pontif…i crederem, qu…m mille Augustinis. Corn. Mus, in Rom. 3.4.. But wee never appeale from them, but to Scripture, and so to GODS Mouth.
Againe, to reject their sayinges, when they are contrarie to Scripture, is thought piaculum in vsus: But to reject them, when they are contrarie to the Popes Decrees, is thought onelie pium to them †Turre…r. summa. lib. 2. c. 107 Also Stapicton, lib. 7. de doct. prin. c. 10. nec concilia, nec patres, nec ullus alius, nisi papa controversiarū …ex est.. In like manner, wee subject Councels, and their direction, onelie to Scripture, and so vntounto GOD: But they subject Councels, and their direction, to the Pope, and so to fraile man ‡Bellar. l. 2. de pont. c. 27. in fine.Wee esteeme likewise no man to bee exeemed from the authoritie of a lawfull Councell, nor no flesh to bee aboue the same: But they advance their papall Dignitie aboue Councels in authoritie, and exeeme the same there-frae; not only in suffering & correction, but also (as Terrecremata affirmeth *Turrecr. summa. lib. 2. c. 52. §. 9.) in matter of doing and direction.
The other particulars of their dealing with Antiquitie, I hauehave in some measure heere-after manisted more amplie; and especiallie cleared the same succinctlie out of their Grand Bellarmine, to avoyde thy distraction about manie Bookes, and that (Gentle Reader) thou mayest hauehave the evidence out of one of best account with them, and moste obvious to vsus, Et ut ex ungue Leonem, That thou mayest know the Lyon by his Paw, and rightlie consider, if so great evidence may bee had in one, or a fewe, how much more ample may bee had in the Writs of manie.
These paynes then, taken by mee heere-in for thine avayle, and excitation of others, accept thou graciouslie, censure charitablie, peruse profitablie, applie prudentlie, and the LORD giuegive thee the good, and His owne Name the Glorie.
Thine in CHRIST IESUS, W. Guild.
The Contents.
FATHERS.
OF Antiquitie, & what we bold of the severall sorts therof,
Chap. 1
What the Romanists say of all the Fathers in generall, both in exposition of the Scripture, and dogmaticall pointes of Fayth.
FATHERS.Chap. 2
How they reject them all, when they make not for them, altho consenting in one,
Chap. 3
1. In dogmaticall points of Faith.
2. In exposition of Scripture.
How they deale with the Fathers severallie, and first, with those of the Greeke Church,
Chap. 4
Howe they deale next with the Fathers of the Latine Church,
Chap. 5
Howe they hauehave corrupted the Fathers, & ancient Writers of both,
chap. 6
1. By adding vntounto them, (lyke coloquintida vntounto the wholesome Herbs) prooved by examples.
2. By purging, and pairing from them, and so making them Eunuches, by violent castration.
3. By altering their words, and so prooving vnfaythfull Messengers, by fraudfull relation.
Howe, manie vnderunder the name of Fathers amongst them, are eyther shameleslie counterfeit, or wofullie vitiate, (going masked, lyke Ieroboams wyfe, to deceiue:) and this thorowe the first fiue Ages, or Centuries of the Church,
Chap. 7
How (like those who vse divers weights in the Bag) they adduce Testimonies of some Fathers against vsus as true; whom they disclaime as counterfeit, and corrupt, when they are opposed against themselues,
Chap. 8
How (like those who cryed Osanna, and anone Crucifie,) they extoll and bring the Fathers for them in one place and point of Doctrine, and at their pleasure reject them in another,
chap. 9
Some notable Fraudes (like the Snares of that proverbiall Harlot) vsed by our Adversaries, in citation of the Fathers, where-of the Reader would carefullie beware,
Chap. 10
How they preferre the judgementes of their late Divines, to the Fathers, both in dogmaticall points of Fayth, and exposition of Scripture: as Rehoboam did the counsell of the young Men, to his Fathers Ancients,
Chap. 11
Last, by what partiall and corrupt rule, they admit, or reject, the Exposition of the Fathers,
Chap. 12
COUNCELS.
HOW, manie wayes, injuriouslie they deale with ancient Councels,
COVNCELS.Chap. 13
1. By corrupting them, themselues, and that diverslie.
2. By accusing them, when they make against them; eyther of ignorance and fraude in determination, or of after falsification.
3. Howe they admit Councels, onelie where-in they make for them; and disdainfullie reject them, where-in they make against them.
Popish avowed rejection in their late Councels of the most powerfull, principall, and Primitiue Antiquitie,
Chap. 14
HISTORIES.
LAst of all, how they deale with ancient Historiographers, and their owne Records,
Chap. 15
1. By giving them the Lie, verie vncivellie.
2. By alleadging them also to bee corrupt, when they make against them.
3. By admitting them onelie where-in they make for them: but other-wyse, without reason, roughlie rejecting them.
4. Howe them-selues hauehave formerlie corrupted those Recordes which were extant, and taken some wholie out of the waye: that, in matters of trueth, that maketh agaynst them, they hauehave left little to bee seene, and foysted in, in their place, manie contrarie Falsehoods.
TO THE AVTHOR.
THis late, not least embroydred Worke of Thyne,
With costlie Arras of a rich Engyne,
Argues, that Tullie did to thee bequeath
His flowing Tongue, when hee did lose his Breath.
Haere thou vnfoldest those Sophisticke Charmes
Of rayling pedant-Papistes, by strong Armes
Even of their owne Confession; making plaine
Their Wronges to Age, and their vnjust disdaine.
Heere thou mak'st cle…re, to all judicious Eyes,
That they, not wee, Antiquitie despyse.
Even from their sheathes thou doest vnsheath these Swords,
Which to vsus Lyfe, but Death to them affords.
Hence feare not then, fond Criticks, sharpe-vngrate▪
Thy Works beare proofe against the puffe of Ha…e.
M. WALTER FORBES.
TO THE PATRON.
IT is no wonder, tho the Learned Crue
Of Thee, and of none else, Protection sue;
Since Thou doest Vertue, Vertue doth Thee crowne,
With Bayes Eternall, of most high Renowne.
Then vntounto Thee, and to none else belong,
The IO PEAN'S of a Poets Song.
M. WALTER FORBES.
DE AUTHORIS INDUSTRIA.
IActat ROMA Patrum è placitis se posse tueri
dogmata, queis vitiat Solis utramque domum;
His assentiri, quod & his reverentia prima
Debetur, Patres pulpita tota sonent.
Ista tamen falso jactat; qui nesci…s haeret
GUILDUS erit dubiae Duxque Comesque viae:
Consulet hunc doctè monstrantem cuncta, videbit
ROMA probris laceret queis pia scripta Patrum.
TO THE AUTHOR.
LEarnd GUILD, how learndly div'st thou in the depth
Of Romish Errours, with the Lead of Skill!
And letst all see That hath not ev'r beene kept
As Truth, with which Rome now the World doth fil.
Scripture repugnes, the Fathers all repyne,
Antiquitie vntaynted doth declare,
How much Rome will from them in trueth declyne,
Although shee seeme to them still to adhere.
But if the Fathers were on Earth agayne,
With thanks, braue Guild, they would thy payns repay,
Because thou hast reliev'd them from that Stayne,
Which Rome would rubbe vponupon them everie day.
Goe forward, Guild, and feare not for Thy Foes,
To take such Payns, Romes Errours to discose.
M. W. C.