An Answer to a Popish Rhyme, Poem 2
The Proteſtants Anſwere.
I May not (Papiſt) ſuffer thée,
Becauſe thy Queſtions idle bée:
And if my counſell thou wilt take,
Then heare the Anſwere I will make.
Thou tell'ſt of Sects that doe appeare,
And ſéemſt the truth glad to enquire:
But euen in this I malice ſmell,
And ſee thy ſpitefull meaning well.
When thou theſe diuers ſects doeſt name,
Thou would'ſt therby our Church defame,aI hauehave reaſon ſo to thinke, becauſe the multitude of ſuppoſed ſects amongſt vsus, is a cōmon Imputation. See Briſt. Motiues, pag. 10.
And make fooles think that we them lou'd,
When as with vsus th'are not approu'd.
We doe not hang on Caluins ſléeue,
Nor yet on Zuinglius we beléeue:
And Puritanes we doe defye,
If right the name you doe apply.bViz. If eyther by that name, are vnderſtood thoſe anciēt Heretikes, called Cathari, who dreamed of a ſtate of perfectiō in this life: or elſe ſuch factious ones among vsus, which hauehave ſoght the ſpoyle & hauocke of the Church.
All giddy Sects among vsus crept,
We wiſh out of our Church were ſwept:
No name doe we delight in more,
Then that at Antioch giuen of yore.cChriſtians, Act. 11.26
But now what ſects you Papiſts hauehave,
I doe but thy owne witneſſe craue:
Some Capucines, ſome Franciſcanes,
And ſome bee called Dominicanes:
Some Ieſuites, ſome Seculars,dThe emulation & difference betwixt theſe 2. their Quodlibets doe ſhew.
Some gray, ſome black, ſome white Friars:
And that your ſtore may not be ſpent,
New Locuſts ſtill from Hell are ſent.eReu. 9.3. Thoſe Locuſts doe well repreſent the Popes Clergy: they were bred of the ſmoke of the Pit; ſo are theſe of Hereſy, Ignorance, and Superſtition: they deſtroy the fruites of the earth; ſo theſe ſpoyle the Church. The reaſon why the Church is called Catholike.
Thou ſayſt, thou wouldſt ye Church find out,
So that I ſée thou art in doubt:
And ſo indeede Vncertaynty
Is ſtill the fruite of Popery.
Catholike.
IN our Bible thou haſt read.
Tis well in ours, for yours is fled,
And lurketh in a tongue vnuſde,
Whereby poore people are abuſde.
The Church is Catholike, as you ſay,
And ſo ſay we: but why, I pray?
Becauſe to it, it were diſgrace,
To limit it to time or place.
It euer was, and ſo ſhall be,
Since Chriſt, excluding no degrée:fCol. 3.11. Acts 10.34, 35.
It once was tyed vntounto the Iewes,
But now no place gAuſtine ſayth, it is Catholike, becauſe ſpred ouer the world, Ep. 170. and thereto agreeth the Scripture, Acts 1.8.it doth refuſe.
It is a very fond ſurmiſe,
Which you the Papiſts doe deuiſe,
To ſhut the Church within Rome wall,
And yet to call it generall.hCatholike and General are all one; and therfore one of their owne Councels ſayeth, The Romane Church is not the Vniuerſall Church, but of the Vniuerſall Church, Baſil. Con. ſy. 3
The very name which you pretend.
Whereby your Church you would defend,
To all which doe the meaning know,
Doth quite your fancy ouerthrow.
You ſay, the charge, which Chriſt once gaue,
The Romiſts well performed hauehave:
But marke how thou thy ſelfe doeſt hurt,
And lay Romes honour in the curt.
That charge iViz. of preaching thorough the world.was giuen firſt to them,
Which liued at Ieruſalem,kThe Apoſtles, Mat. 28. Acts 1.
And thence the Goſpel iſſued out,lActs 8.1.
As Eſay told mIſai. 2.3.the world throughout.
By them the Nations turned were,nWe read in Hiſtories, as in Euſebius & others, how the Apoſtles deuided thēſelues into al the quarters of the world.
And thence of Chriſt Rome firſt did heare:
Yet now the place oIeruſalem.which others call'd,
To Turkiſh Empire is inthrall'd.
So though 'twere true, which is not ſo,
And neuer ſhalbe prou'd, I know,
That Rome to Chriſt the nations brought,
Yet this your reaſon were ſtarke nought.
But now (perhaps) Rome doth, youle ſay,
Bring home the wanderers to the way.
In déed the Spaniards louing Gold,
HaueHave brought the Indians to your fold.
The Frogs from Euphrates come out,pEuphrates was a great Riuer running neere the olde Babylon in Chaldaea, & was the defence of the City. Cyrus and Darius could neuer take the City, vntil by policy they dryed vp the riuer. Now in a ſpiritual ſence it doeth ſignify the honour, wealth and authority of Rome, which hath of later yeeres decayed exceedingly, and doth daily; & the frogs, mentioned in Apoc. 16.13. doe well reſemble the Ieſuites, who feeling Euphrates to dry vp, beſtirre themſelues, & are croaking like Frogs in eueryevery corner, labouring to maintayne the Popes authority.
I meane, the Ieſuited Rout
Do ſpread themſelues in each country,
To draw men to diſloyalty.
They counſell Subiects kill their kings,
Stabbings they vſe and poyſonings.qOur Countrey and times afford ſtore of examples to proue this.
Chriſt gaue no ſuch commaundement,
When firſt he his Diſciples ſent.
Of this Conuerſion, if you boaſt,
Whereby, poore ſoule, Hell hath engroſt,
I yéeld you full willyngly,
It well agréeth with Popery.
To draw Diſciples is no marke,
For ſo doeth many a fayned Clarke.r2. Pet. 2.1, 2. Acts 20.30.
The Church to trueth which doeth conuert,
We doe imbrace with all our heart.
Thou ſayſt, Romes Fayth once ouer all
The world was famous (ſo ſayth Paul)sRom. 1.8.
And Rome did firſt conuert our Land,
And hereupon you greatly ſtand.
Romes Fayth indéede once bare the bell,
And ſo it did deſerue it well:
But Rome's not now as heretofore;
The faythfull City's made a whoore.tIf. 1.21. So it was ſaid of Ieruſalem, which had more excellent particular promiſes, thē Rome can alledge any.
If new Rome now, were as the old,
Then we with Romaniſts would hold.
If Rome become Chriſts enemy,
Then we from Babylon muſt flye.uApoc. 18.4.
To ſay that Rome is therefore ſound,
Becauſe of old it was renownd,
It may a Papiſt ſatiſfie:
But men of iudgement it denye.
Paul neuer Rome did magnifie,
As he did thoſe of Theſſaly:wSee 1. Theſ. 1.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Yet now that Church is cleane defac'd,
And there the Turk himſelfe hath plac'd.
The Aſian Churches, xEpheſus, Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Leodicea, Apoc. 1.11.famous once,
Are turned to an heape of ſtones:
The golden lights yThoſe ſeuen Churches were repreſented by ſeuen golden Candleſticks, Apoc. 1.20.of Saint Iohns age,
Are now become euen Sathans Cage.
Proue thou, that Rome hath not declinde
From th'ancient Church by Paul refinde:
And then Ile ſay, thou haſt done more,
Then euer Papiſt did before.
But for firſt turning of our Nation,
I trow thou nameſt it but for faſhion:
For they that looke in Hiſtory,
Thereof can find no certainty.
Simon Zelotes, as ſome ſay,zNiceph. lib. 2. cap. 40.
Did firſt Chriſts Goſpell here diſplay,
Euen whileſt that Emperour did raigne,
By whom our Sauiour Chriſt was ſlayne.aGildas Lib. de victoria Aurelij Ambroſij.
Some ſay, that he of Arimathy,bIoſeph, who buryed Chriſt.
In the yeere of grace ſixty thrée,
From France by Philip cPhilip the Apoſtle.was ſent ouer,
To vsus the Fayth for to diſcouer.dSo ſayth Gildas alſo.
Hereto agréeth a learned man,
That ancient Clarke Tertullian,
That by th' Apoſtles, Brittanny
Was turn'd to Chriſtianity.eTertullian in his book againſt the Iewes, amongſt other places couerted by the Apoſtles, reckoneth diuers partes of France, and of Brittayne: So doth Origene Hom. 4. vponupon Ezekiel.
Pope Eleutheriuo long agoe,fAbout the yeere of Chriſt, 180.
As his Epiſtle plaine doth ſhow,gThis Epiſtle hath bin found out of the ancient records of the Kings of England.
VntoUnto king Lucius hither ſent,
Ere Ethelbert was king of Kent.hWhich was about 600. yeres after Chriſt.
We hold the Fayth that then was taught:
But you the ſame do ſet at naught:iEleutherius referred K. Lucius to the Scriptures, clean againſt the Papiſts courſe now, and called him Gods Vicar in his kingdome: which Title, the Pope alone doeth now challenge.
When Rome the Trueth doth once forſake,
Then we of Rome our leaues muſt take.
If that our Church were Catholicke,
To come to Church thou wouldſt not ſticke.
If of the word thou knewſt the ſenſe,
Thou ſoone would'ſt leaue that fond pretēce.
Our Church that Truth doth firme imbrace,
Which all thoſe hold in eueryevery place,
Who leauing mens Traditions cleane,
VponUpon the Scriptures onelyonly leane.kThat is truly Catholike which eueryevery where, alwayes, & by all (viz. true Chriſtians) is beleeued, Vincent. cont. Haer. cap. 3. Let Papiſts proue that ye word Catholike being takē in that ſence, ours is not ye Catholike church,
Prophet.
THou cit'ſt a Text of Malachy,lMal. 1.11.
Hoping to prooue thy Maſſe thereby.
Alas, the reaſon is but ſmall,
And helpes that Idol not at all.
In it God threateneth the Iewes,
Who their great Priuiledge did abuſe,
And thought the Lord was tyed to them,
And vntounto their Ieruſalem.
The Prophet telles, that God elſewhere
Will find out thoſe, which ſhall him feare,
And in an order without blame,
Shall call vponupon his holy Name.
Speaking to their capacity,
The Legall termes he doth apply:mSo Ioel 2.28. the holy Ghoſt foretelling the plenty of ſpirituall enlightening, which the people ſhall hauehave vnderunder Chriſt, doeth deliuer it vnderunder the names of viſions, and dreames, which notwithſtanding were not ordinary in the times of the Goſpell,
And calls our Goſpel-like Seruice,
A pure nPure in Chriſt, being accepted of GOD, through him, 1. Pet. 2.5and ſpotleſſe Sacrifice.
What ground is here then for the Maſſe?
It ſtil remayneth as it was:
A groſſe deuice, defaming Chriſt,
Who is our true and onelyonly Prieſt.oSee more of this hereafter, in ſpeaking more directly of the Maſſe.
The ſpeach of Dauid of the Skyes,pPſal. 19.3. But according to their account Pſal. 18.
VntoUnto the Apoſtles, Paul applyes,qRom. 10.18.
And ſayth, their ſound went farre and neere,
As in the ſtories doeth appeare.
Tell mee, I pray, what good to you,
This place you hauehave alledg'd can doe?
It maketh nought for Popery,
Or for your idle trumpery.
Indéed th' infamous Fame is ſpred,
Of Antichriſt your hideous head:
And all Gods children him doe ſée,
The man of ſinne r2. Theſ. 2.3.alone to bee.
Th' Apoſtles Faith was farre diſperſt,
And heere in England was reherſt.
Sith then our doctrine is the ſame,
To it belongs part of their fame.
Continuance.
YOu ſay, Chriſts Fayth muſt ſtill endure.
I yéeld that nothing is more ſure:
And alwayes God a Church will hauehave,
Though thereat Sathan rage and raue.sMath. 16.18.
It glads my hart, that Chriſt hath prayd:
Thereby I know my Fayth is ſtayd:tLuke 22.32.
The Comfort of Gods holy Sprite,
Is eche good Chriſtians ſole delight.
This prooues there ſtill a Church ſhal bée,
And herein thou and I agrée:
To prooue the Church tyed to one Sea,
Requireth yet a better Plea.
The Fayth of Chriſt may ſtyll abide,
Though Rome ſhould into Tibur ſlide:
Gods ſpirit is frée, and is not boundvIohn 3.8.
Within the Liſts of Romiſh ground.
When thou canſt proue by holy writ,
Chriſts Fayth to Rome by Charter knit,
Then ſhall thy tale ſome credit find,
Where now it turneth all to wind.
But yet Continuance is a Note
Of Gods true Church: & Paul hath wrote,
That there ſhould ſtill ſome teachers be:wEph. 4.11. &c.
In Rome we this fulfilled ſee.
I ſay, Continuance is no ſigne,
To proue a Church to be diuine;
We may not thinke eche doctrine ſure,
Which doth for many yeeres endure.xIt is true, that the truth ſhall continue, but yet it holdes not backwarde, that whatſoeuer continueth, is Trueth. The Deuill is a lyer from the beginning.
Muſt not the Tares be let to grow,
Till it be time the corne to mowe?yMath. 13.30.
And Antichriſt ſhall long time ſtay,
Euen till the very Iudgement day.z2. Theſ. 2.8.
The Arrian Hereſie yeeres did ſtand,
Two hundred more then one thouſand:aYea, and it was ſo generally receyued, that it was ſayd, the whole world was become an Arrian.
And ſo ſince Mahomet firſt was ſéene,
A thouſand yeeres hauehave nombred béene.
Romes name endures, but Rome is chang'd,
And hath from Chriſt it ſelfe eſtrang'd:
Quit thou Rome from Apoſtacy,
Or name not perpetuity.
Pauls wordes do prooue, bEphe. 4.11, &c.that certeinly
The Church ſhall hauehave a Miniſtry,
And that there ſhalbe ſome to féed
The Flocke of Chriſt at eueryevery néed.
But that theſe Paſtors here or there,
Shall alwayes ſit in beautie cléere,
This fond Conceipt, not one poore word,
The holy Scripture doth affoord.
In déed in Rome there diuers bée,
That beare the name of Prelacy:
Better we Pilates may them call,
Séeking the Churches funerall.
You call your Pope a Shepheard great:
But where is his Spirituall Meate?
I do not heare that hee doth preach:
That would his greatnes much impeach.
Such are his carnall Cardinals,
Or rather bloudy Canibals,cThe people, that liue vponupon mans fleſh.
They eate the Fatte, and ſkin the Flocke,
And liue vponupon the Churches ſtocke.
An idle ſigne, a Shepherds Crooke
In hand they beare, dTheir Paſtoral ſtaffe, made in faſhion of a Shepheards crooke.but can not brooke
To preach the word (a Paſtors grace)
That duty fittes not their high place.
The key of knowledge they withdraw,eLuke 11.52.
And from Gods people ſteale fIeremy, 23.30.Gods Law,
gThey teach traditions to be equally reuerēced as the Scriptures, Con. Trid. ſeſ. 4. dec. 1.And mens deuies on them thruſt,
Making them vntounto Fancies truſt.
Theſe are Romes Paſtors: wofull ſhéepe,
Which left are to the Wolues to kéepe.
Thou Shepheard great, & Byſhop chiefe,h1. Pet. 2.25. & 5.4.
Come quickly iReuel. 22.20.quell this Romiſh thiefe.
Viſible.
THou tell'ſt a tale incredible,
How that Gods Church is viſible:
And by the Byſhops Catalogue,
Wouldſt prooue thy Romiſh Synagogue.
The errors here together lap't,
By which the ſimple are entrap't,
All which your fained Church doth hold,
I meane in order to vnfold.
The Catholike Church defin'd aright,
Cannot be ſubiect to our ſight:
It is th' Elected Company,k1. Pet. 2.9.
And Chriſt his choſen Family.lEphe. 3.15.
Of this, one part in heauen liues,mCalled the Church Triumphant.
The other here with Sathan ſtriues,nTermed the Church Militant.
The part aboue (youle not deny)
With mortall eyes none can deſcry.
The ſame is true of that below,
It is vnſéene by vsus alſo:
How with mine eyes I might diſcerne,
And ſée th' Elect, faine would I learne.
VponUpon their perſons we may looke,
Whoſe names are written in Gods booke,oThe Booke of life, Phil. 4.3.
But as for their ſpirituall Being,
It is a thing doth paſſe our ſéeing.
Partes of Chriſts church, you Papiſts make
Euen thoſe whom God will quite forſake:pSo doeth Belarmine, lib. 3. de Eccl. Cap. 7. & the Rhemiſts in their annotations vponupon Io. 15.1.
Which if the matter well be ſcand,
Cannot with any Scripture ſtand.
Of the true Church Chriſt is the Head,qEph. 1.22.
In him can be no members dead,rThey are called liuing ſtones, 1. Pet. 2.5.
His Church a Garden sCant. 4.12.cloſed well,
In which no Reprobates can dwell:tSo Auguſt. applyeth the place, contra Creſ. Gram. lib. 2. and Gregory the great, who was a Biſhop of Rome, in his Commentary vponupon that place.
So that, if fitly we will ſpeake,
The ground you lay is very weake:
In calling it a Marke moſt cléere,
That Gods true Church muſt ſtill appéere.
Of Churches nam'd in ſeuerall,
In Cities, or els Nationall,
We yeeld ſometime they may be ſéene,
Though ſometime they are darkened cleane.
Sometime the Moone with chéerefull light
Shines in the height of Heauen bright:uAug. vſeth that Similitude in Pſalm. 9. and Epiſt. 48. and Ambroſe Hex. 4. C. 8.
Sometime with Cloudes tis ouerſpred,
And in the Wane cleane vaniſhed.
So is the Church in ſafety ſtill,
Although not alway viſible:
Sometimes it ſittes in glory great,
Sometime it hath no certaine Seat.
The Woman, which to Deſert fled,
From Sathans rage to hide her head,wApoc. 12.6.
By all the Learneds full conſent,
The Church on earth doth repreſent.
The famous Church of Iſrael,
Where God did promiſe ſtill to dwell,xPſal. 132.14.
Was drownd ſo in Idolatry,
And ſuperſtitious ſlauery,
That all true worſhip being gone,
Elias thought himſelfe alone:y1. King. 19.10.
And when Chriſt comes to iudge vsus all,
Then Fayth on earth ſhalbe but ſmall.zLuke 18.8.
How is the Church a City then,aMath. 5.14.
Raiſ'd on a Mount, and ſéene of men,
And how a light ſet vp on hye,
That all that will may it eſpye?
How ſhall we to the Church complaine,bMath. 18.17.
If of the Church no ſhew remaine?
This is thy Popiſh reaſoning,
And Scriptures playne miſconſtruing.
Chriſt doth the Apoſtles counſell giuegive,The true meaning of thoſe places.
Soundly to preach, and well to liue:
Becauſe their places were in ſight,
And 'twas their Office to giuegive light.
They erring, many might miſſe-lead,
Which in their ſteps might hap to tread:
If that their Doctrine were vnſound,
In falſehood many might bee drownd:
It was in vaine for them to wéene,
In doing yll not to be ſéene:
You are (ſayth Chriſt) vponupon a Mount,
To be well markt, make full account.cThus Chry. and Theophilact expound this place, Paideuſi antous enagonious einai, cai acribeis peri ton bion, os para panton blepeſthe mellontas.
This ſheweth wherein our duety ſtands,
And what God lookes for at our hands:
Who call'd are to the Miniſtry,
To labour in Gods Huſbandry.d1. Cor. 3.9.
But from hence how may prooued bée
The Churches viſibility?
This place affoords a ſlender proofe,
And litle for the Popes behoofe.
Yet you perhaps will vrge it ſtill,
The Paſtors are ſet on a Hyll,
And called Light: euen ſo ſay I,
But all men can them not deſcry.
For thoſe which want ſpirituall eyes,eEph. 1.18.
Nor are by ſearching fIohn 5.39.Scriptures wiſe,gEph. 5.15, 17.
This mounted City can not ſée,
Nor where theſe lightſome Paſtors bée.hThis was the anſwere of Aug. to the Donatiſts. Tract. 1. in Ep. Iohan.
Chriſt bids vsus we the Church ſhould tell,
If things be not reformed well.
By Church, hee meanes all ſuch as bée
Indued with Authority.iThe ſame which Paul calleth Preſbyterion, 1. Tim. 4.14. The Elderſhip.
Theſe Office-bearers all men ſée,
In times of ſetled Souerainty,
Yea, and among them ſelues th'are knowne,
When th' outward ſtate is ouerthrowne.
The Error of this Popiſh Argument.When that was ſaid in ſpeciall,
You turne to Church in generall.
Thereby you may deceiue ſome fooles:
But ſoone it will be ſéene in Schooles.
This Argument of outward ſtate,
Which for a Marke you intimate,
Againſt that thing doth ſtrongly make,
Which you to prooue do vndertake.
Romes ſtate hath ſometimes bin obſcur'd,
And hath diſgraces ſoule endur'd:
Burnt,kBy the Gothes, 547. ſackt, lBy Charles, Duke of Burbon, in the dayes of Pope Clement the 7. wherevpon was made ye clauſe in the Letany, Sancta Maria, &c. O holy Mary, pray for Pope Clement, &c.ſome Popes impriſoned,mIohn 14. Boniface 8. about the yeere 1304.
Some glad to fly, nIohn 17. fled to Hetruria.ſome baniſhed.oVigilius 18. & Gregory 9. about the yeere 1227.
Where did your glorious Church abide,
When Popes were glad themſelues to hide?
Peace, peace, no more of this for ſhame:
Rome ſayth thou wilt her cleane defame.
*Succeſsion.Succeſſion cometh next in place,
Whereby thou ſéekſt thy Church to grace:
Your turne Succeſſion cannot ſerue,
If from the Trueth Succeſſion ſwerue.
The Iewiſh Church from Aaron,
A iuſt deſcent might ſtand vponupon:
Euen when they crucifide our Lord,
And hated all that lou'd his Word.
If we ſhall ſay, that Church was true,
Conſiſting of ſo vile a crue,
We caſt Chriſt and the Apoſtles out,
Among the baſe and damned rout.
The Grecian Churches at this day,
For their defence as much can ſay:pAt Conſtantinople there hath beene a perpetuall Succeſsion from S. Andrew, Niceph. At Alexandria, from Saint Marke.
Yet you of them doe giuegive this doome,
That in Gods church they hauehave no ….
Yet if Succeſſion were a ſigne,
Which your graund captayne Bellarmine
Dares not auouch, qBellarmine ſayeth, it followeth negatiuely, yt where there is no ſucceſſion, there is no church: but not affirmatiuely, yt where there is ſucceſsion, there is a Church.I ſayne would ſée,
How Rome can proue her Pedigrée.
You call your Church Saint Peters chayre,
As though the Pope were Peters Heyre;
But if that ground we once deny,
What Papiſt can it verify?
You cannot proue by holy Writ,
Peter at Rome did Biſhop ſit:
The onelyonly place which you doe name,r1. Pet. 5.13. The Rhemiſts ſay, that there, by Babylon is ment Rome, & ſo they cōfeſſe Rome to be Babylon.
Returneth to your greater ſhame.
The things you fetch from Hiſtory,
Touching this poynt, doe not agrée,sOſorius ſayth, Peter came to Rome in the beginning of Claudius raigne; Hierome, in the 2. yere: others, in the 4. yere: other, the 13, yere. Damaſus ſaith, he came thither in Neroes raign; ſo yt there is no certainty in that which they make an vndoubted principle
And what our part hath herein ſed,
By Papiſts ſtands vnanſwered.
But if hee Biſhop were indéede,
Tell me who next did him ſuccéede?
Some, Clement, tThe Popes decrees hold ſo.and ſome, Linus hold.vDorotheus, Euſeb. li. 3. cap. 4. Hieron in Catalo.
Thus your ſucceſſion is controld.
Once was a Pope ſuppoſ'd a man,wIohn 8. Platina: The womans name was Gilberta, a Dutch woman of Maguntium.
But prou'd in time a Courtezan.
Then eyther your Succeſſion ſhranke,
Or you muſt put her in the ranke.
When Popes there were ſome two xTwo Popes together Anno 1083. & Anno 1058. & 1062.or thrée,yBened. 9. Silueſt. 3. Greg. 6. all at one time: and at another time, Ben. 13. a Spaniſh Pope, Greg. 12. a French Pope, and Iohn 23. an Italian Pope.
Where thē might your ſucceſſiō be?
One Schiſme held almoſt fourty yere,z39. yeeres.
From Pope to Pope, as doeth appeare.aLet their Anceſtors ſpeake.
One Councel bThe Councill of Conſtance.did theſe Popes put downe,
And to another gaue the crowne.
When theſe falſe Popes the place poſſeſt,
I thinke youle ſay Succeſſion ceaſt.
Vnity.
'TIs true, Chriſts Church is alwayes one,
Tyd vntounto him as Head alone:
The partes thereof do well agrée,cActs 4.23.
Like children of one Family.
But yet not eueryevery company,
Together linckt in Vnity,
Muſt by and by be called good.
If Trueth by them ſhalbe withſtood.
To make a Calfe they all agréed,dExod. 32.1.
All cry'd, Let Chriſt be crucifi'd:eMath. 27.22.
Great is Diana, with a ſhoute
At once the people all cry'd out.fActs 19.34.
Iohn ſayd, they ſhould yéeld to the Beaſt.
Euen from the greateſt to the leaſt:gApoc. 13.16.
As Chriſt his City is but one,
So is the Deuils Babylon.hVt eſt dei vna eccleſia, ſic eſt diaboli vn a Babylon, Aug. de Ciui. Dei.
The beſt ſometimes do diſagrée,iPeter and Paul, Gal, 2.11. Paul & Barnabas, Acts 15.39. Chryſoſt. Theophilact, and Epiphanius, Auguſtine and Hierome, Cyrill & Theodoret.
Each man hath his Infirmity:
Better the Diſcord bringing Light,
Then is agréement without right.kKreiſſon empathous omonoias he vper euſebeias diaſtaſis, Nazianz: Oratione prima de pace.
Yet by this Marke, if Rome be try'd,
It will fall hard vponupon your ſide:
Your ioynt-conſent we can not find,
Nor that you all are of one mind.
If we ſhall credit Hiſtory,
You can not bragge of Vnity:
Where twenty ſeueral ſchiſmes hauehave béen,lGenebrardus in Chro.
What Harmony may there be ſéene?
The Lawes which one determineth,
The Pope that follows cancelleth:mStephen 6. abrogated all his Predeceſſors decrees. Formoſus tooke vp his body, cut two fingers of his right hād off, and buried him agayne.
Yet things by him aboliſhed,
By next Popes are eſtabliſhed.nThe following Popes Theodorus 2. Romanus, Ioh. 10. confirmed all Formoſus his actes.
And yet another oAfter all, Pope Sergius diſanulled their acts, tooke vp Formoſus his body, & caſt it into Tibur, Ex. Poly. Chron.comes behind,
Who with the former fault doth find,
And all which they did quite diſplace,
Reduceth to the former grace.
Thus one ſage Counſell doth decrée,
Another ſayth it may not bée:pThe firſt Nicene Coū cell allowed Prieſts mariage, and the Communion in both kinds. The Councels of Conſtāce & Baſil forbade the Laity ye vſe of the cup. The coū cel of Trent forbiddeth both the Cup to the Laity, and marriage to the Clergy. The third Coū cell of Carthage pronoūced him accurſed, & called him the Forerunner of Antichriſt, whoſoeuer ſhould terme himſelfe Vniuerſal Biſhop; but now the Councel of Trent curſeth him, who ſhall deny the Pope of Rome to bee ye head Biſhop of the world. The general councel of Conſtantinople ouerthrewe Images. The ſecond Nicene councell decreed them to bee worſhipped. Againe, the Councell of Franckfort, vnderunder Charles the great, determineth it to be Idolatry, & accurſeth the Nicene councel. Many the like differences might eaſily be alledged.
That which one Sect qIn anno 1476. there was a great controuerſy betwixt the Franciſcanes & Dominicanes, touching ye conceptiō of ye virgin Mary, whether ſhe were cōceiued in ſin or not. The Do, held ſhe was, the Fra. the contrary: but the Pope ioyning with ye Fr. 4. of the other were condēned & burned at Berne.or Author rAlph. de Caſtro li. 1. c. 6. holds the Pope inferior to the Coūcel. The opiniō of al ye Ieſuites at this day, is, yt he is aboue the Councel. About the Euchariſt they hauehave a world of differēces amongſt thēſelues; as whether Chriſt did conſecrate whē he bleſſed ye bread & wine: or whē he ſaid, This is my body, whether ſo much bread as is taken onelyonly, be cōſecrated: whether ye ſubſtāce of the bread be turned to nothing, or chāged into ye ſubſtāce of Chr. whether there be a bodily motiō in the Sacra. whether the body of Chr. in the Sacr. can be touched: how the accidēts in the Sacr. are with out a ſubiect: whether they ſtick in ye aire, or in the body of Chr. or in ſome other ſubiect: whether the accidents can be broken: whether they can nouriſh: whether ye water mingled with the wine, be turned into Chriſts blood. Whence come wormes in the Hoſte.likes,
The ſame another cleane out ſtrikes.
I know, you Papiſts do agrée,
To worke the Churches miſery:
So Herode was made sLuke 23.12.Pilates frend,
To bring our Sauiour to his end.
Some yéeld, as fearing to reſiſt:
(Such is the power of Antichriſt:)
You may not call this Vnity,
But rather bloudy Tyranny.
Some ioyne, becauſe they do not ſée
The very depth of Poperie:
To build vponupon the Church beliefe,
Of lay-Religion is the Briefe.
Some for eaſe and bellies ſake,
Do to your Church them ſelues betake:
As Monkes, and ſuch as Loytryng louelove,
Whom none but Romiſts can approoue.
This is your Romiſh Concordance,
Among your ſelues at variance:
Though all for ſome reſpects are led,
To méete together in one Head.
In one point more, I néedes muſt ſtay,
Though nam'd of you but by the way:
Leſt with a Phraſe of Peters Keyes,
You dazell ſhould the peoples eyes.
By Keyes, is meant the power to preach,
And in Gods Truth the Church to teach:tLuke 11.52.
By it uViz. Preaching.Heauen's opened to receiue
All thoſe which truely do belieue.
It is the power to looſe and tye,
Which Chriſt gaue to the Miniſtry,wTherefore Miniſters are ſayd both to hauehave ye Miniſtery of Reconciliation, 2. Cor. 5.18. and the Miniſtery of Vengeance againſt diſobedience, 2. Cor. 10.6.
It was intended vntounto all,xOur Lord, in the perſon of one, gaue the keyes to all, to ſhew the Vnity of all, Cyp. de ſimp. praelatorum: and Leo, a Biſhop of Rome is of the ſame iudgemēt, In Sermone de Natiuitate.
Though ſpoke to one in ſeuerall.
When to beleeuers we giuegive Hope,
Then is the Gate of Heauen ſet ope:
When Mercies promiſe is repeal'd,
Then by the Keyes that Gate is ſeal'd.yTo bind and looſe, is no other thing, but to declare Gods ſentence, Hieron. in Mat. 16.
When Peter did his Fayth confeſſe,
Th' Apoſtles by dyd meane no leſſe:zAuſtine ſayth, he anſwered for all, Hom. in Ioh. 124. and elſewhere often: Vnus pro multis reſpondit: one made anſwere for all: and Lyranus, Confeſsio Petri, erat confeſſio alienorum.
And that which Chriſt to Peter ſpake,
We may not from the other take.aCuncti claues Regni, &c. All receyue the keyes of heauen, Hier. lib. 1. aduerſus Ioui.
Each true and faythfull Miniſter,
Is Peters rightfull Succeſſer:
Then ſpeake no more of Peters Keyes,
Except th' art ſworne the Pope to pleaſe.
Holy.Why the Church is called Holy.
THou ſayſt, the Church we holy call.
And ſo we do acknowledge all:
What in the Créede our mouthes confeſſe,
Our heartes within beléeue no leſſe.
The Purity decayed before,bBy Adams fall.
VntoUnto his Church Chriſt doth reſtore.
That which is here in leſſe degrée,
The ſame in heauen ſhall perfit bée.
If thou knewſt Romes Impurity,
Thou wouldſt bragge of Sanctity:
A ſincke of ſinne, a Sea of Euill,
A place poſſeſſed of the Deuill.cGallus Senonenſis wrote aboue 400 yeres ago, that Sathan was let looſe at Rome, to deſtroy the church. Th. Becket, a Romiſh ſaint, acknowledged the cōmon prouerbe to be true, yt there is no right at Rome. The B. of Worceſter, a Papiſt, told Philpot, that he thoght, the wickednes he ſaw in Rome made him an Heretike.
Your Popes beare names of Holynes,
But none more full of Wickednes:
Let Storyes ſpeake, enquire of them,
What Popes hauehave worne the Diademe.
Some Heretikes, dMarcellinus Pope, ſacrificed to the Idols of ye Painims: Platin. & Vola ter. Liberius Pope, an Arriā. Plat. & Hiero. in Catal. ſcrip. Eccl. & in Chro. Anaſt. 2. Pope, an Acatian. Plat. Vigil. an Eutchyan. Liber in breuiario. Honorius, a Monothelite, condēned by the Romane Councell, vnderunder Adrian 2.ſome Murtherers,ePope Alexander 6. poyſoned Gemes the great Turkes brother, committed to his cuſtody, Hiero. Marius, Munſt. lib. 4. Coſm. Pope Hildebrand hired one to kill the Emperor, Benno Cardinalis.
Inceſtuous ſome, fIohn 13. Pope, committed inceſt with his two ſiſters: Luith. prand. lib. 6. Hee was wounded in adultry, Platina. Alexander 6. lay with his owne daughter. Vol.ſome Sorcerers:gHildebrand: ſo ſayth Benno the Card. Pope Silueſter 2. gaue himſelfe to the Deuill, to bee Pope. Pla. Ioannes ſtella: many other were Magicians, as Iohn 21. Benedict. 9. &c.
Some noted for their Cruelty,hPope Alexander 6. cut off the hands & feet of one Mancinellus, becauſe he wrote againſt his filthineſſe. Iohn 13. cut off the hands and noſes of diuers Cardinals. Plat.
Some for their monſtrous Blaſphemy.iPope Hildebrand threw the ſacrament into the fire. Benno Card. Io. 22. derided ye goſpel, held ye ſoules to be mortal, & was therefore by the Councel of Conſtance, 1. 2. ſeſ. 11. called a Deuil incarnat. Leo 10. writing to Cardinall Bembus, calleth the ſtory of Chriſt, a fable. Io. 13. called the deuil to help him at dice, & drāk to him, Luith. p. lib. 6
One Pope kPope Sergius 3.a famous Leuimen lMarozia, wife to Guido.kept,
Whoſe Baſtard to the Popedome crept:mIohn 11. or as ſome count, Io. 12. See Plat. and Luithprand.
Another graunted Liberty,
To practiſe beaſtly Sodomy.nSixtus 4. granted liberty to the whole family of the Cardinall of Saint Lucy in the three hote moneths, Iune, Iuly, Auguſt, to vſe Sodomitry. Weſellus Groningenſis in a Treatiſe de Indulg. Papalibus, at the foote of the licence, was written, Fiat vt petitur: Be it as it is requeſted.
Who but the Pope receiueth rent,
Which from the Stewes to him is ſent?oEueryEvery commō harlot in Rome payd a Fee to Pope Sixtus 4. Agrippa in his declam. ad Louā.
Let Rome and Venice make report,
And all that thither doe reſort.
Who hath in Méeter vile expreſt
The ſinne, which nature doeth deteſt?
Let Beneuentum name the man:pThe Archbiſhop of Beneuentum, Iohannes a Caſa, Deane of the Popes chamber, vſed Sodomy, and commended it in Italian Meeter: the booke was printed at Venice, by Troianus Nauus: ſee the writing of Paulus Vergerius againſt this Archbiſhop.
Doe thou diſproue it, if thou can.
If this among your Heads be found,
How ſhall we thinke the members ſound?
Lord, bleſſe vsus from ſuch holy Popes,
And, Lord, make voyd all popiſh hopes.
Like to your Popes, your ſeruice is,Holy ſeruice.
Wanting no ſtore of blaſphemies:
Which, leſt the people ſhould eſpy,
You hyde in Latine ſecrecy.
I néede no better witneſſes,
Then your allowed Porteſſes,
Your Miſſals and your Letanies,
And all your forged Pſalteries.
What we to God alone muſt giuegive,
That to the Saints you doe deriue.
God will not from his glory part,qIſa. 48.11.
Yet you to creatures it conuert.
VntoUnto the Saints you prayers make,rThere is neither commaundement in the Scripture, that we ſhould pray to ſaints, nor promiſe, that if we doe pray to them, we ſhall be heard; vponupon which 2. eueryevery lawful praier muſt be built.
And beg ſaluation for their ſake:sIn their praiers vponupon the ſaints dayes, ſtil thoſe words come in, that by their merits we may hauehave profit, by their requeſts wee may be deliuered &c. And Lambard ſaith, the Saints do iunare nos merito, l. 4. diſt. 45. d. 10.
You do adore a piece of bread,tWhen it is carried in proceſſion; for though it were true, that the bread in the Sacrament is turned into the Body of Chriſt, yet the Sacramēt being ended, it muſt needs return to the former nature.
And make fond uThey are fond, becauſe touching th' eſtate of the dead, there is no certainty.prayers for the dead.
You knéele downe to a Croſſe of wood,wAll hayle, O Croſſe, our only hope, &c. encreaſe righteouſneſſe to the godly, and giuegive pardon to the guilty. In breniario infra, Heb. 4. Quad.
Thinking thereby to purchaſe good:
And for ſome things you would hauehave done,
You pray the Virgin, charge her Sonne.xRoga Patrem, iube natū; iure matris impera, &c. Pray the father, charge thy ſonne, commaund by the right of a mother: In officio beata Maria.
With Chriſt you do ſaint Frances ioyne,yThey ſay, that Saint Francis could ſaue all that ſhall liue after him to the end of the world, through his merits, from euerlaſting Death. Floſc. beati Franciſ. Conformit. ſ. Fran. Tho. lib. 4. diſt. 4. art. 3.
And ſo his glory doe purloyne:
One Mediator z1. Tim. 2.5. That place proueth, that there is but one Mediator, as well as that there is but one God.we doe know,
You hauehave ioynd with him many moe.aThe forme of Abſolution to Penitentiaries runneth thus: The paſsion of Chriſt, and the merites of the bleſſed Virgin, of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and of other hee and ſhee Saints, be vntounto thee in remiſsion of ſinnes.
We doe the Virgin Bleſſed call,bLuke 1.48.
And ſay ſhee paſſed women all:
But when you call her, Gate of Grace,cCoeli ſeneſtra: Regis al…i ian…a, &c.
We ſay, Chriſts honour you deface.
The thing which made her ſpirit glad,
Was, that ſhée ſuch a Sauiour had:dLuke 1.47.
Can ſhe on him commaundement hauehave,
Whoſe helpe ſhée néeded her to ſaue?
*What honour is due to the Saints.This honour to the Saints we giuegive,
We craue Gods grace like them to liue,e1. Cor. 11.1.
We care to keepe their memory,fHeb. 13.7.
And God in them we glorify.gGal. 1.23.
‡Holy Ceremonies.Your Ceremonies idle be,
And ſauour moſt of vanity:
You ſtand ſo much on out ward ſhow,
That you the ſubſtance ouerthrow.
With Images and Pictures gay,
You ſteale the peoples hearts away:
Well may you pleaſe the outward eye,
The Spirit you do not edifie.
A pretie play, to ſée a Prieſt
Toſſing his God betwéene his fiſt:
Such Geſtures, and ſuch Apiſh mowes,
Such warbling, and ſuch Anticke ſhowes:hWhoſo readeth the Canō of the Maſſe, ſhall there ſee a world of idle & ridiculus ceremonies.
Now bends, now ducks, now ſtands vpright,
Then turnes him to the peoples ſight:
Now ſighes, now twenty croſſes makes,
And 'ore his head the Wafer ſhakes:
Then waſheth, then the Challice lickes,
And ſhuttes his Idoll in the Pixe:
But ſtill the man is much afeard,
Leſt ought ſhould hang vponupon his beard.
Meane while, the vulgar in a maze,
VponUpon the Caky Idol gaze,
And knock and kneele, & thinke them well,
That they hauehave heard the ſacring Bell.
Tell mée, I pray thée, doth God will,
With ſuch fond Kites his Church to fill.
They neuer came into his thought:iIere. 19.5.
Tradition onelyonly hath them brought.kThey ſay indeed, that they hauehave the forme of ye Maſſe, by the traditiō of the Apoſtles. Rhem. 1. Cor. 11. ſ. 22. but the truth is, that it was now a piece and then a piece, patched vp by their own Popes, Sixtùs 2. broght in the Sanctus: Innocē tius 1. the Pax. Leo 1. added this clauſe (A holy ſacrifice and vnbloudy Hoſt:) Gelacius, the Prefaces, Collects, Gradualts. Symmachus, the Gloria in excelſis. Agapetus 1. the Proceſsiōs. Pelagius 2. nyne Prefaces before the Canon. Sergius 1. Agnus Dei: and Gregory 1. confeſſeth that one Scolaſticus made moſt part of the Canon. Holy maſſe or ſacrifice.
Your Rites and Maſſe do well agrée,
Both full of groſſe Idolatry:
Both are vnholy and vnſound,
Both wantyng holy Scripture ground,
You ſay that in the Euchariſt,
To God is offred by the Prieſt,
A Sacrifice in wine and bread,lRhem. Heb. 7. ſ. 8. Concil. Trident. ſeſ. 22. cap. 1.
Both for the liuing and the dead.mConc. Trid. ſeſ. 22. cap. 3.
Looke firſt what Chriſt did inſtitute,nMat. 26.26. Mat. 14.22. Lu. 22.19. 1. Cor. 11.24.
And that one place ſhall you refute:
What he did, we muſt do likewiſe,oThis do ye, 1. Cor. 11.25.
There's no word of a Sacrifice.
By this (ſayd Chriſt) Remember me.
That ſhewes he would not preſent pBodily.hi….
We keepe ſuch things in memory,
Which we behold not really.
The Prieſts of old did eueryevery day
Some Offring on the Altar lay.qHeb. 10.11.
Chriſts holy Offring is but One,
Performed by himſelfe alone.rHeb. 10.12.
If Chriſt ſhall often offred bée,
We ſhall his ſuffrings multiply:
As on the Croſſe he dyed not twice.
So there's no ſecond Sacrifice:sHeb. 9.25, 26, 27, 28.
There's now no ſacrificing Prieſt:
That Office reſteth vponupon Chriſt:tHeb. 7.23, 24.
It comes to none ſucceſſiuely:
'Tis his for all eternity.uThe office of a Prieſt, ſo far forth as we vnderſtād therby a Sacrificer, whom the Grecians call iereus, belongs onelyonly to Chriſt, and cannot paſſe frō him to any other, neither the name of Prieſt in that ſence: but as the name of Prieſt commeth from the Greeke word Preſbyteros, which ſignifieth an Elder, it can not ſimply be miſliked.
How can a Maſſe a Pardon bring,
Sith 'tis a bloud-leſſe Offering?wHeb. 9.22.
Chriſt hath procur'd Remiſſion:xHeb. 9.12.
What needs a new Oblation?yHeb. 10.18.
Sée then your holy Sacrifice,
A thing without all warantize
Of Scriptures, or of Writers ſage,
Which liued in the pureſt Age.zThe Maſſe, as it is now, was not in vſe in the Church, 1200. yeres after Chriſt: It neuer came to the full perfection (though it was in hatching before) vntill the Councel of Lateran, vnderunder Inno. 3.
*Holy Sacraments.The Sacraments in number twayne,
You …ek'd hauehave with a longer trayne,
The ſeuen-headed Romiſh Beaſt,aReuelation 17.8.
The Two to ſeuen hath encreaſt.
Both Baptiſme, bMathew 28.19.and that holy Feaſtc1. Cor. 11.24. &c.
Commaunded are by Chriſtes beheaſt:
Shew mée but one commaundement,
To prooue an other Sacrament.dNo Father within an hundred yeeres after Chriſt, acknowledged ſeuen Sacraments of the newe Teſtament: And Auguſtine ſaith, the Sacraments are, numero pauciſſima, feweſt in number, Ep. 118. now two is the leaſt number.
Two in the Old, eViz. Ordinary.two in the New:
fViz. The forme of Gods worſhip vnderunder the law.So ſhall we hauehave proportion true:
Name what in th' ancient Liturgy,
Your fiue falſe Symboles do ſupply.gThe Sacraments of the new Teſtament, ſucceed the Sacramēts of the old: if then they can name no Sacraments of the olde Teſtament, in the place whereof their fiue ſuppoſed Sacramēts ſhould come, then they cannot iuſtify them to be Sacraments.
Thoſe Sacraments which holy bée,
You ſtayn'd hauehave with your Pedlery:
In Baptiſme, oyle, lights, ſpittle, creame,
Your Exorciſme, and coniur'd ſtreame;
Were theſe inuented by Gods Spirit,
Or found you them in Holy Writ?
Whence had you all that rituous ſtore
Vſ'd in the Maſſe and nam'd before?
‡Holy dayes.You ſpeake next of Feſtiuities,
And Holy day Solemnities:
Thou thinkſt by this, with eaſines
To prooue thy Churches Holines.
Trueth is, mens Conſcience you enthrall.hBellarmine ſaith, men are bound in conſcience to keepe the Feſtiuities of the Church, lib. 3. ca. 10. prop. 3. and ſo doe the Rhemiſts, Gal. 4. ſ. 5.
To many an idle Feſtiuall:iVery neere 200. if wee put thoſe together which were determined of, Concil. Oxon. ſub Steph. & which we read in the marginall Notes vponupon the Rhemiſts Teſtament.
Youle hauehave them be as ſtrictly kept,
As Gods owne day by his precept.
Of Feaſtes ſome lowe, ſome higher bée,
Some great, ſome leſſer in degrée:
Some double more, ſome double leſſe:
A treble fault ſome to tranſgreſſe.
So with your doubling and redoubling ſtile,
The ſimple people you beguile:
The Lord is weary of your Feaſts,kIſay 1.14.
And likes not your deuiſed reſts.
All dayes are like in Holines,
None holy more, none holy leſſe:lThe difference betwixt dayes, is in obſeruation & vſe, and not in the nature of the day: if one day had bene in nature holyer thē another, the Sabboth might not hauehave bene altered.
Paul thought his labour was in vayne,
Where dayes diſtinctions did remaine.mGal. 4.10, 11.
Thou hoy'ſt to put vsus in ſome feare,
With ſpeaking of the Kalendere:nSaints canonized.
Thou aſk'ſt what Fayth all thoſe did hold,
Whoſe names are found therein enrold?
I tell thée plaine, 'tis nought to me,
What many a one there nam'd might bée:
My Fayth's not ſo ſet on the Racke,
To ſéeke ſtrength from the Almanacke.
Yet ſure I am, what we profeſſe,
Some that are there, beleeued no leſſe:oAs Peter, Paul, Mary &c. and ſome there named, which ſuffered perſecution in the ten firſt perſecutions of the Church.
Our Fayth and theirs doth well agrée,
And you with them at variance bee.
You Churches make and Holy dayes,
VntoUnto the Saints, and Martyrs praiſe:
But vsus which do bleéeue the ſame,
You ſeeke to kill and to defame.
Thou aſk'ſt who them canonized,
Whoſe names are there enregiſtred?
You ſay the Pope. I aſke againe,
Wilt thou that ſainting power maintaine?pThe cuſtome of Canonizing Saints, was not heard, till one thouſand yeres after Chriſt, in the dayes of Alexander 3. and Gregory 7.
Can any mortall Creature tell,
Who goes to Heauen, and who to Hell?
All Iudgement, Paul bid vsus forbeare,
Vntill the Lord himſelfe appeare.q1. Cor. 4.5.
In Heauen to ſitte or high or low,
Is it in mans power to beſtow?rMath. 20.23.
What Byſhop can, or Saints inueſt,
Or ſhutte men from eternall Reſt?
Some one Pope doth a Saint enſtall:
His graunt another doth recall:sBoniface 8. cauſed Hermannus Ferrarienſ, who had beene canonized for a Saint 30 yeres before, to bee taken out of his graue, and burned anno, 1300.
'Tis but a ſilly dignity,
That's Subiect to vncertainty.
Among your Saints euen thoſe are ſéene,
Which to their Prince hauehave traitors béen.tAs Thomas Becket, and Elizabeth Barton, called The holy Mayd of Kent.
Though that our Church ſuch Saints deſpiſe.
To it it is no preiudice.
Heretikes.
THe Caueat touching Heretikes,
Doth make againſt falſe Catholikes;
We know full well, that Popery
Is but a Maſſe of Hereſy.
Thoſe Errors which of old were hatcht,
Your Church together bath them patcht,wIt mayntayneth free will, and merit of works with the Pelagians. Auguſtine: The Pelagians held children to be without ſinne, Aug. contra Iul. lib. 3. cap. 5. So the Church of Rome ſayeth, Concupiſcence is no ſin. It holdes Imagery with the Simonians, Baſilidians, and Carpocratians: and with the two latter, they ſecret their Religion, Iren. lib. 1. cap. 23. Epiph. Hereſ. 24. It alloweth praying in an vnknown tongue with the Oſſeni, Epiph. Haere. 19. It accounteth mariage vncleane, with Tatianus, hae. 46. and condēneth wedlock in their Prieſts; as the Manichees did in their Choſen ones, Aug. Ep. 74. With the ſame Heretikes it vſeth bread onelyonly in the Communion, Leo ſer. 4. de Quad. and placeth faſting in the diſtinctiō of meats, Aug. de Morib. Eccl. & Manich. lib. 2. cap. 23. It thinks that all neceſſary doctrine is not contained in the Scripture, with Montanus, Ep. Haer. 48. It braggeth of inherent righteouſneſſe, with the Cathari, Iſid, Etym. lib. 8. cap. de Haer. Chriſt: It worſhippeth Angels with the Angelici, Aug. ad Quoduuli, cap. 39. It denyeth the preaching of the word to be a note of the Church, with the Donatiſts, Aug. in variis locis: and with them tyeth the Church to one ſet place, Caſſ. in Pſal. 60. It worſhippeth the Croſſe, with the Armenians, Euthymius in Panoplia. Thus in many other poynts it partaketh with the ancient Heretikes.
On them ſhe puts a fairer name,
But in effect they are the ſame.
You raz'd hauehave the Foundation
Of all Trueth and Religion:
You chang'd hauehave the Sincerity
Of all the Groundes of Piety.wAs for example, Firſt, the Article of Iuſtification, the efficient cauſe of our Saluation and Righteouſnes by the Scripture, is Gods louelove and grace onelyonly, 2. Tim. 1, 9. Tit. 2.11. Epheſ. 1.5. Iohn 3.6. The Papiſts ſay, God is moued by our preparing works. So held Maluend in his diſputation with Bucer at Ratisbone: ſo Bonauenture lib. 1. ſen. diſt. 41. Queſt, 1. Touching the matter of our Iuſtification, the Scripture propoundeth nothing but Chriſts obedience, Rom. 5.19. & 10.4. The Papiſts place our Righteouſnes before God in our owne works & merits, Con. Trid. ſ. 6. c. 7. For the Forme (as Scholers cal it) of Iuſtification, it is by the Scriptures, the imputatiō of Chriſts righteouſnes, 2. Cor. 5.21. The Papiſts place it in our merits, Rhemiſt 2. Tim. 4. ſ. 4. Secondly, it is a groūd of Chriſtian Religion, that the law cannot be fulfilled by vsus, & that no man is to expect righteouſnes of ſaluation by it, Rom. 8.3. Acts 15.10. Gal. 2.15, 16. & 3.10. The Papiſts maintayne, that men may keep ye law, Con. Trid. ſ. 6. c. 11. yea, & that they may perform more then the Law binds vntounto: whēce are ſprung the works of Supererogatiō, and Indulgences, which that Councell ſo highly prizeth. ſeſ. 21. ca. 9. A third ground of Religion ouerthrown by them, is, that eternal death is due to eueryevery ſinne. This the Scripture auoucheth, Rom. 5.12. & 6.23. Ezek. 18.14. The Papiſts teach ſome ſinnes to be in their owne nature pardonable, not deſeruing death, Con. Trid. ſeſ. 6. c. 11. From which opinion aroſe Purgatory. A fourth ground of Religion, is the certainty of Saluation. That beleeuers may be certayn of Saluation, is the doctrine of the Scripture, Rom. 8.38. Heb. 11.1. Luke 10.20. The Papiſts deny and ſay, we can but hauehave hope onelyonly, Con. Trid. ſ. 6. c. 9. and yet therein they confound themſelues, for true hope cannot be deceyued, Rom. 5.5. It is the Anchor of the ſoule, Heb. 6.9. A fift ground is, that wee cannot ſatiſfy God for our leaſt ſinnes: The Scripture aſcribeth all ſatisfaction to Chriſt, He. 1.3. 1. Pet. 1.24. Re. 1.5. The Papiſts maintayn that we may & muſt ſatisfy, making ſatisfaction a part of penance, Con. Trid. ſ. 14. c. 13. A ſixt groūd is, that the Scripture containes all doctrine neceſſary for our ſaluation. So ſayth the Scripture, 2. Tim. 3.16. and the ancient Church, Aug. lib. 3. cont. lit. Petil. c. 6. & others. The Papiſts equall traditions to the Scripture, Con. Trid. ſ. 4. A ſeuenth ground is, that the knowledge of the Scripture is needfull to the people vntounto ſaluation, & ought to be read of them. Thereto accords the holy Text, Ioh. 5.39. Col. 3.16. The ignorance therein is the cauſe of all error, Marke 12.24. The Papiſts forbid the people the vſe of the Scripture, Rhemiſts Preface: and do all in the Church ſeruice in an vnknown toung. Eightly, the Scripture teacheth vsus to worſhip God alone, Math. 4.10. The Papiſts worſhip Angels and Saints, yea their Images & Relikes: Their diſtinction of Latria and Dulia will not ſerue them: for they pray to creatures, & that is Latria: and they acknowledge that which they call Latria, to be due to the Croſſe, Tho. p. 3. ſum. Quae. 25. art. 4. & Andrad. lib. 9. Orth. expl. Ninthly, it is the Doctrine of the Scripture, that Chriſt, according to his humane nature, is only in Heauen, Act. 3.21. Papiſts ſay, he is bodily preſent in the Euchariſt, Con. Tri. ſ. 13. ca. 6. Tenthly, Chriſt ordained the Communion in both kinds, cōmaunding to do as he did, 1. Cor. 11.24. &c. Papiſts take the Cup from the Laity. Con. Trid. ſ. 21 c. 1. Thus, as in theſe particulars, ſo in many other, it were eaſy to ſhew, how the Church of Rome hath ouerthrowne the maine points of Holy Doctrine, & hauehave nothing left but the name of the Church, and a Title and ſhewe of Religion.
Thou fall'ſt now to a rayling vayne,
And wouldſt by this thy Pope maintayne:
Leaue idle termes, and ſhew ſome Reaſon,
Els all theſe wordes come out of ſeaſon.
Shew thou what Sects we do deuiſe,
And wherein we deliuer Lyes:
And prooue it ſo, that all may ſée,
Leſt thou thy ſelfe the Lyer bée.
Foxes and Dogges & Wolues thou nam'ſt,
And Théeues, wherin thy ſelfe thou ſham'ſt:
Or prooue all this in vsus is true,
Eis we returne it backe to you.
They call'd Saint Paul an Heretike,xActs 24.14.
A Babbler, yActs 17.18.and a Schiſmatike:zActs 24.5. & 28.22.
They ſayd, our Sauiour was poſſeſt,aIohn 8.48.
And of his preaching made a Ieſt,bLuke 16.14.
Yet Paul no Hereſy did teach,
Nor in the Church made any breach:
Nor yet our Sauiour had a Deuill,
He neuer did or preached euill.
Let Scripture try wherein we erre,
We craue no other Arbiter:
Conuict vsus once by ſuch a Iudge,
We will not at your raylings grudge.
Now that thy ſtore is almoſt ſpent,
Thou com'ſt to an old worne Argument:
Where was your Church ſome yeeres agoe,
Before the World did Luther know?
If briefely now I ſhould deny
The Churches Viſibility:
It were a word ſufficient,
To ouerthrow this prattlement.
Yet this I ſay, and will maintaine,
That euen when Blindneſſe moſt did raine,
Our Church a certaine beyng had,
Though not with outward Beauty clad:
Like to that holy portion,c1. Kings 19.8.
In that great Superſtition,
Which ouerwhelm'd all Iſrael,
After the Tribes from Dauid dDauids lyne.fell.
Or as ſome Eares of purer ſeed,
Amidſt a field of noyſome Weed,
So God had ſome euen at that time,
When Antichriſt was in his Prime.
And now and then out brake the Light,
Euen in that long and irkſome Night:
Like as the Sunne in lowring dayes,
Sometime ſends foorth his glittering rayes.
Long time ere Luther yet was borne,
Whom you our Founder name in ſcorne,
There were which ſhew'd their enmyty,
Againſt your vile Idolatry.eBertram wrote againſt Tranſſubſtantiation, anno 812. a Biſhop of Florence was condē ned for teaching, that Antichriſt was come anno 1114. Arnulph was murthered in Rome, for preaching againſt the Pope and his Clergy, anno, 1128. Henry, a Monke of Toloſe, was againſt prayer for the dead, pilgrimage, creme oyle, &c. anno, 1137. Io. of Salisbury, called the Clergy, Phariſes; the Pope, Antichriſt; and Rome, Babylon, 1151. Gerard and Dulcimus, which taught the Pope to bee Antichriſt, were burnt, with 30. more, about the yeeres, 1164. 1165. 1166. The Waldē ſes, which held in many poynts againſt the Pope, were in anno, 1167. & after increaſing in diuers places: Almaris a Biſhop burnt in Paris, for holding againſt Tranſſubſtantiation, Images, Altars, and praying to Saints, 1206. Many in Sueuia did preach the Pope to be an heretike, in the yeres 1236. 1237. 1238. Groſted Biſhop of Lincolne wrote againſt the Pope, anno 1246. Arnold de noua villa, againſt Maſſes, & Sacrifices for the dead, taught, that the Popes beliefe, was the deuils beliefe, anno 1259. All Hiſtories are ful of the like examples. Theſe few may ſerue for a taſte, to ſatiſfie an indifferent Reader, and to ſtop their mouthes, who ſay, none were heard of, of our Religion and Church, till Luther.
But now the Lord hath let vsus ſée
Your Antichriſts deformity,
That all men might him fully know,
Before his finall ouerthrow.
Our Paſtor chiefe f1. Pet. 5.4.in heauen did ſit,
And ſo doth ſtil, ſayth holy Writte:gActs 4.21.
On earth, a Vniuerſall Prieſt,
None dare be call'd but Antichriſt.hGregory the great, a Biſhop of Rome, ſayd, that whoſo calleth himſelfe, or deſireth to bee called Vniuerſall Biſhop, is the Forerunner of Antichriſt, Epiſt. ad Eulogium. lib. 7.
He that our Church and Keyes had ſought,
By tokens in the Scripture tought,
Our Church and Keyes he might hauehave found,
Euen when the world was moſt vnſound.
Building of Churches nothing makes
For that which héere thou vndertakes:
For then commend Demetrius,
Who builded Shrines at Epheſus.iActs 19.24.
Well may the Heathen people boaſt
Of Piramées and Churches coſt:
In houſes made, God doth not dwell,
As holy Scripture doeth vsus tell.kAct. 7.48.
Yet neyther all the Churches here,
Erected by the Papiſts were:
Nor are by vsus aboliſhed
Places where God is worſhipped.
If priuate men hauehave euill done:
For it, blame not Religion:
Thoſe men which do Church-ſpoyling louelove,
Our Fayth and Church doth not approoue.
Thoſe Celles and Dennes of Idlenes,
And Nurſeryes of wickedneſſe,
VponUpon good cauſes were diſplac'd,
As Baals Temples were defac'd.l2. Kings. 10.
*Touching Luthers Mariage.A Lawleſſe vow mIt is wel called a Lawleſſe Vow, becauſe it is of a thing which is not in mans power. If it be ſaid that by faſting & prayer it may be performed, & continency obtayned: I anſwere, the giftes of God are twofold: Some cōmon to all Beleeuers, as Faith, &c, Some peculiar to ſome onelyonly, as this of Continency. Now, if by faſting and Praier we labour for the firſt ſort, we ſhal in ſome meaſure receiue them: but we hauehave not the like aſſurance for the gifts of the latter ſort: becauſe (it may be) the Lord is pleaſed otherwiſe to diſpoſe, Now to make ſuch a Vow, is a ſinne: but to perſiſt in it, is a double euill,of ſingle life,
Luther well brake, and tooke a Wife.
Better the pure and Spot-leſſe Bed,nKoite amiantos, Heb. 13.4.
Then by vncleane luſtes to be led.o1. Cor. 7.9.
Better the marryed Chaſtity,pPapiſts doe oppoſe mariage & chaſtity: but Paul bids yong women to be chaſte & ſubiect to their Husbands. Tit. 2.4.5.
Then violent Virginity:
They ought not ſingle to remaine,
Who are not gifted, to containe.q1. Cor. 7.9.
Wedlocke it ſelfe can not defile,
It hath an Honourable Stile:rHeb. 13.4.
God doth it not to each man giuegive,
Without the marriage bonds to liue.sMath. 19.11. And it is allowed to a Biſhop, to be the Huſband of one wife, 1. Tim. 3.2.
The forced vowes of Singlenes
HaueHave brought foorth beaſtly Filthines:
Thou maiſt behold in Hiſtory
The fruits of Monkiſh Lechery.tThere were 6000. infants heads found in Pope Gregory his mote, as appeareth by the letter of Voluntianus, Biſhop of Carthage, or as ſome thinke, of Huldericus, Biſhop of Auguſta to Pope Nicholas, againſt the forbidding of Prieſts mariage.
Thy poyſoned Tongue doth further reach
The noble Saxon to impeach:
Becauſe to Truth he did encline,
Thou calleſt him a Libertine.
When God was pleaſ'd to let him ſée,
How Chriſt his Death hath made vsus frée,
Then did he déeme it ſlauery,
To beare the Romiſh tyranny.
Though Antichriſt did Rome poſſeſſe,
‡Who kept the Scriptures.You kept the Scriptures I confeſſe:
And in that long Apoſtacy,
Thoſe Bookes were in your cuſtody.
So I a Pirate falſe hauehave knowne,
To kéepe the goods were not his owne,
And in the Ship to rule and raigne,
When the right Owner hath bene ſlaine.
So did the Iewiſh Synagogue
Safely kéepe Moſes Decalogue,
And th'other Bookes, uViz. the Prophets & Pſalmes; for ſo is the old Teſtamēt diuided, Moſes, the Prophets, and Pſalmes, Luke 24.44.when cruelly
They did Chriſt Ieſus crucify.
§Touching the calling of Miniſters.The Paſtors, which did firſt reſtore
The Trueth which lay long hyd before;
Thereto were called lawfully,
And euen by your Authority.
You did them Prieſts and Doctors make,
And they from you this charge did take,wIn their admittance.
That they the Truth ſhould ſoundly preach,
And in the ſame the people teach.
Hereto you cauſed them to ſweare,
That to the Fayth they ſhould adheare,
And neuer ſhould errours endure,
That were againſt the Doctrine pure.
That whereunto you did them call,
Full well they hauehave performed all:
Trueth they hauehave ſought to propagate,
And Hereſyes to ruinate.
As we account your Baptiſme true,
And neuer do the ſame renue,
So may you make a lawfull Prieſt,
Yet be not the pure Church of Chriſt.
We know that now you wiſer bée,
And ſweare your Prieſts to Popery,xIn their othes and admiſſions, they put in this clauſe (The Catholike and Apoſtolike Church of Rome) which in elder times was not vſed.
And binde them to maintayne the ſtate
Of your thrée-Crowned Potentate.
Sée now (O Papiſt) thou recant,
Th'art anſwered by a Proteſtant.
I counſell thée, if thou be wiſe,
No new euaſions to deuiſe.
Thy tale of Ethelbert of Kent,
Is but a ſlender Argument:yIt is alſo anſwered before.
It ſails not whence the Fayth was brought,
Or who it firſt amongſt vsus tought.
Let vsus into the Scripture looke,zIſay 8.20.
And duely ſearch aIohn 5.39. Acts 17.11.that holy Booke:
Thence ſhal we know which Church to leaue,bWe hauehave found Chriſt in the Scriptures; there wee muſt alſo finde the Church, Aug. de Paſtoribus.
And vntounto which alone to cleaue.
Theſe ſwelling wordes c2. Pet. 2, 18.of Vnity,
Succeſſion, and Antiquity,
Are but poore groundleſſe fantaſyes,
To blind the ſimple peoples eyes.
Though that an Angell thou ſhouldſt ſée,
Let him (ſayth Paul) accurſed bée,dGal. 1.….
If from the Scripture he doth erre,
Account him not Gods Miniſter.
If one ariſe, and wonders ſhow,
Séeking the Trueth to ouerthrow,
Though that might ſéeme a motiue ſtrong,
Yet vntounto him death doeth belong.eDeut. 13.1, 2, 5.
If thréeſcore Byſhops here and thrée,
HaueHave bene with vsus ſucceſſiuely,
It eyther prooues our Church is true,
Or els that marke makes nought for you.
That Fayth, for which Peter was ſlayne,
Our Engliſh Church doth ſtill retayne,
We heare the voyce fIohn 10.27.of Chriſt Ieſu,
Who is the Sonne of God moſt true.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Hieron, An Answer to a Popish Rhyme (1604)