A Retractive from the Romish Religion, Motive 11

A Retractive from the Romish Religion · Motive 11

p. 370The XI. MOTIVE. That Religion which was neuer knowne nor heard of in the Apoſtles time, nor in the Primitiue Church, cannot be the truth: but ſuch is the Romiſh Religion in moſt points thereof: therefore that cannot be the truth.

1. THe Romaniſts triumph in no one thing ſo much, as in the antiquitie of their Church and Religion: and therefore they caſt euermore into our teeth, that our Religion is but vp-ſtart, and our Church of yeſterday, euen ſince Luthers time, being neuer extant in the world before. But herein they play but the Sophiſters: for if they ſpeake of true antiquitie, we will ioyne iſſue with them in this point, and doubt not but to prooue that theirs is the vp-ſtart Church, and their Religion the new Religion, in thoſe points wherein they differ from vsus: and that our faith and Religion was taught and profeſſed by Chriſt himſelfe, and his Apoſtles, and exerciſed and maintained in the pure and primitiue Age of the Church. For the cleere manifeſtation of which point, it is firſt to be obſerued, that there is a double antiquitie; one primary, another ſecundary: Primary is that, which was from p. 371the beginning, though diſcontinued and interrupted by the corruption of times. Secundary is that, which indeede is aged and gray-headed, but yet reacheth not to the ſpring head. Thus our Sauiour Chriſt controlleth the law of Diuorce Mat. 19. 8. though it was aged and of long continuance, euen two thouſand yeeres old; yet Nonſic fuit ab initio: It was not ſo from the beginning: where we ſee that Diuorce was old and full of yeeres, and yet farre from true antiquitie: for true antiquitie is that which is deriued ab initio, from the beginning. In regard of this, it is truely ſaid of Tertullian, Ʋerum Tertull.quod primum, falſum quod poſterius: That which is firſt, is alwaies true, and that which commeth later, is falſe: but in reſpect of the other, it is alſo as truely ſpoken of Saint Auguſtine, Eſtmos diabolicus, vt per antiquitatis traducem commendetur Aug. nou. & vet teſta. quaeſt. 114fallacia: It is a diuelliſh cuſtome, that error ſhould be commended by the deſcent of antiquitie. Secondly, it is to be obſerued, that no antiquitie, be it neuer ſo ancient and hoare-headed, is to be reuerenced or regarded, if it bee not grounded vponupon the truth of the Scriptures: and that which ſeemeth nouelty, if it bring Scripture for it warrant, is truely ancient, and hath true, certaine, and vnreſiſtable authoritie: the reaſon is giuen by Aquina…, Becauſe the Law of God proceedeth Aquin. 2. part. quaeſt. 97. art. 3.from the will of God, and therefore may not be altered by cuſtome proceeding from the will of man: whence it is, that no cuſtome ought to preuaile againſt the Law of God. To which purpoſe is that of Tertullian, Hereſies are to bee conuinced, not Tertull. lib. de …cland. virginib.ſo much by noueltis, as by verity: whatſoeuer ſauours againſt the truth, that ſhall bee hereſie; yea, though neuer ſo ancient. And of Cyprian, If onelyonly Chriſt is to bee heard, wee ought not to Cyprian. lib. 2. Epiſt. 3. ad Caecilium.regard what any before vsus hath thought fit to bee done; but what Chriſt, who is before all, hath firſt done: for we muſt not follow the cuſtome of man, but the truth, of God: and in another place,Idem ad Pompeia. cont. Epiſt. Steph. Papae. Clem. Alex. orat. ad Gent. pag. 41. Cuſtome without truth, is nothing but antiquitie of error. VponUpon this ground alſo Clemens Alexandrinus, in an Oration to the Gentiles, (who pretended antiquitie for their errors, as the Romaniſts now doe, ſaying, that they, and their Fathers before them, were borne and bred in that Religion, and therefore p. 372will not now giuegive it ouer, ſaith, Let vsus flye cuſtome as a rocke, or the threates of Charybdis, or the fabulous Syrenes, for it Aug. de baptiſme paruulorum.choaketh a man: it turneth from the truth, it leadeth from life, it is a ſnare, a helliſh gulfe, an euill fanne, &c. And Saint Auguſtine, Truth being knowne, cuſtome is not to be followed: for our Sauiour did not ſay, I am cuſtome, but, I am truth. Now vponupon theſe grounds wee offer to ioyne iſſue with them: Firſt, that they hauehave no true and primitiue antiquitie for their Religion: and ſecondly, though ſome of their opinions be of long continuance, yet being not warrantable by Scriptures, they ought not to preiudice, by a conceit of nouelty, that primitiue and Apoſtolicall truth, which by corrupt time hath beene interrupted. And this I hope to diſcourſe ſo plainely in this Argument following, that no indifferent reader, that ſeemeth not foreſtalled with preiudice, ſhall depart vnſatisfied.

2. Concerning the firſt propoſition, I take it to bee of anMaior. 2. vndeniable truth: for, without all queſtion, all truth was taught by the Apoſtles to the Primitiue Church, and no part thereof was left vnreuealed: for ſo Saint Paul ſaith in plaine tearmes to the Elders of Epheſus, I hauehave deliuered vntounto you Act 20.Acts 20the whole counſaile of God. Now if hee deliuered to them the whole counſaile of God, then no part of his counſaile, that concerned the myſterie of Chriſtian Religion, was vndeliuered. Beſides, it is as certaine that that Church, which next ſucceeded the Apoſtles, was the moſt pure and abſolute Church, whether for doctrine, or manners, matter, or forme, that euer was in the world: and therefore to degenerate from that, muſt needes be, to degenerate from the puritie and ſanctity of Religion. And againe, it cannot bee denyed, that though ſome hereſies were broached, euen in the Apoſtles times, and were coetaneae Apoſtolorum, as Tertullian noteth:Tertull praeſcrip. and though the primitiue age of the Church, after the Apoſtles, was moſt peſtered with Heretikes, yet euermore the truth preuailed, both in regard of birthright, and predominance. And therefore they that will plead antiquitie, muſt both preſcribe from the Apoſtles time, and muſt hauehave a good title alſo to hold by: for theſe two things are neceſſarily required p. 373to a iuſt preſcription, as the Lawyers ſpeake, Bonus titulus: A good title: and, Legittimum tempus: A lawfull time. A good title is that which is warranted by the diuine Law: and a lawfull time is that which is fetcht from Chriſt Ieſus and his Apoſtles: both theſe, concurring together, are an inuincible argument of the truth: The firſt propoſition therefore muſt needes be infallibly true.

3. And ſo I leaue it, and come to the ſecond propoſition:Minor. the truth whereof ſhall bee manifeſted in two poynts: firſt, in reſpect of the outward face and faſhion of their Church: and ſecondly, in reſpect of the principall doctrines, which are proper vntounto them, as they are the Romiſh Synagogue.

3. For the firſt. The outward face of the Church deuideth it ſelfe into three branches: firſt, into the perſons that exerciſe preeminence and authoritie in it: and ſecondly, into the iuriſdiction and authoritie exerciſed by thoſe perſons: and thirdly, into the outward ceremonies thereof. In all theſe the Church of Rome is degenerate from the Primitiue and Apoſtolicall puritie.

4. The principall perſons of the Romiſh Hierarchie are1. theſe. The Pope firſt, as the ring-leader: next, the Cardinals, his Counſellors of ſtate: then Archbiſhops and Biſhops, his aſſiſtants: and laſtly, the ſhaueling Prieſts his vaſſals: to which body may be added, as excrements, an infinite rabble of religious Orders▪ as Monks, Fryers, and He…mits, with ſuch like: and of Fryers, the Dominicanes, the Franciſcanes, the Auſtinians, the Ambroſians, the Minorites, the Gilbertines, the Croſſebearers, the Ciſterenſians, the Blacke, the White, the Gray, the Bare-footed, the Begging, with a number more: and to conclude, the Ieſuites, which as they are the taile of all the reſt for the time, ſo they are the head of all the reſt for vill▪nous conſpiracies, bloudy plots, diuel…iſh deuices, and helliſh practices. Now of all theſ… (Biſhops onelyonly excepted) wee finde not ſo much as any mention, neither in the writing of the Apoſtles, nor in the age next ſucceeding after them: for though the name Pope, Papa, being a word of the Syracuſan Language, and ſignifying as much as Pater, p. 374Father, be of great antiquitie, yet, as a Ieſuite of their owneAzor. Ieſuit. Inſtitut. moral. p. … l. 5. c. vlt. Maſſon praef. in l. 6. de vitis Pontif. p. 271. confeſſeth, with others, it was a common name to all Biſhops, as appeareth both in Cyprian and Ruffinus, till Gregory the ſeuenth, in an aſſembly held at Rome, decreed, that onelyonly the Biſhops of Rome ſhould bee called Popes. But as touching Cardinals, the matter is more groſſe: for the firſt birth and originall of that name can be deriued no higher, then eyther from Gregory the firſts time, or Pope Silueſter, or Marcellus, Azor. Ieſuit. Inſtit. moral. p. 2. l. 4. c. 1. Polid. Virgil. de inuent. rerum, l. 4. c. 270.or Pontianus, by their owne confeſſion: and therefore ſome of them ingenuouſly acknowledge, that the Order of Cardinals is not ex iure diuino, by Gods ordinance, though others, no leſſe fooliſhly, then impudently, would fixe their foundation vponupon theſe words of the Scripture, Domini ſunt Cardines terrae, The hinges or the pillars of the earth are the Lords. Therefore Cardinals are of God: which is as good a conſequent, as his that would prooue, that Heretikes ought to be put to death by Scripture, becauſe Saint Paul ſaid, Haereticum hominem deuita, &c. as hath beene ſhewed before. As for the name of Biſhops, wee deny not but it is found in Scripture, and ſo Archbiſhop may alſo be warranted by the ſame authositie, as ſignifying nothing elſe but a chiefe Biſhop: but how farre the Romiſh Archbiſhops and Biſhops are degenerate from their office, deſcribed by the Scripture, all the world can witneſſe: for the Scripture Biſhops were diligent Preachers, theſe are idle Prelates: they were perſecuted, theſe are perſecutors: they were humble perſons, theſe are proud Princes: they were holy men, ſeeking onelyonly the aduancement of the Kingdome of Chriſt, theſe are profane worldlings, ſeeking their owne gaine, and pompe, and carnall honours: all this is confeſſed of them, and lamented by Eſpenſaeus, one of the ſame ranke, who thus writeth, It was no leſſe a wonder in olde Eſpenſ. in 1. Tim. digreſ. l. 2. c. 2.times (ſaith he) to be called a Biſhop, and not to preach, then he is now as rare as a monſter, who is ſeen to performe that dutie: and againe, I know (ſaith he) ſome learned Biſhops, who ſtanding vponupon their Gentilitie, forſooth, and greatneſſe, hold it a matter of ſeruitude and baſeneſſe, to be exerciſed in preaching, becauſe their predeceſſors were not accuſtomed thereunto.

p. 3755. As touching Prieſts in the new Teſtament phraſe, allPhil. 4 18. 1. Pet. 2. 5. Reu. 6. 8. 15. 10Phil 4:181 Pet 2:5Rev 6:8Rev 6:15Rev 6:10 Chriſtians are called Prieſts: and they, whoſe office it is to diſpoſe the myſteries of the Goſpell, Miniſters, and Elders, and Paſtors: but now, none may hauehave that name, but their anoynted Shauelings, who (as they ſay) create their Creator, by fiue coniuring words, and offer him vp vponupon the altar, as a Sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead. For albeit the word Prieſt is deriued from preſbyter, which ſignifieth an Elder, and in that ſenſe might well be giuen to the Miniſters of the new Teſtament, yet, becauſe it is in common vſe of ſpeech, taken for one appointed to ſacrifice, which in Latine is Sacerdos, and in Greeke foreign: And becauſe the Miniſters of the Goſpell are not once named by theſe termes in the new Teſtament, therefore they that in this ſignification terme the Miniſters of the Goſpell by the name of Prieſts, degenerate from the true meaning of the Scripture: but what ſhould I ſpeake of the name, ſeeing the office of theſe Shauelings is ſo contrarie to that function which was practiſed by the Apoſtles and Diſciples of Ieſus Chriſt? for the Apoſtles are neuer ſaid to ſacrifice Chriſt on the Altar, as theſe Shauelings are pretended to doe. Their office was to miniſter foreign, but not to ſacrifice; they receiued of the Lord, and gaue vntounto the people: but theſe create a Sacrifice of themſelues, and then offer it vp to the Lord. Here then is a plaine declining of the Romiſh Prieſts from the true Miniſters of the Primitiue Church, both in name and office.

6. Laſtly, concerning Monkes, Fryers and Hermites, they are names neuer heard of in the Apoſtles time, nor in the purer age of the Church. The firſt Hermite was one Anthony, who liued three hundred yeeres after Chriſt, who taught others that ſtate of life, and learned it of none, as confeſſethBell. de Monach. lib. 2. cap. 5 Agrip. de vanit. ſcient. c. 62. Id. Ibidem. Bellarmine: Monkes had no being in the beſt times of the Church, ſayth Agrippa; though Bellarmine is not aſhamed to ſay, that the Apoſtles were the firſt Monks in Chriſtianity; who notwithſtanding liued not alone in cels, but went about the world preaching the Goſpell, & ſome of them had wiues alſo, both which are contrarie to the Monkiſh profeſſion, but p. 376Fryers are yet of a far later impreſſiō. The orders of Dominick & Francis ſprung vp vnderunder Innocent the third, in the time of the Laterane Councill, about the yeere 1220. For when Pope Innocent would not be perſwaded to confirme to Dominick his order of preaching Fryers, hee dreamed that the Church of Laterane was ready to fall, and that Dominick came in, and with his ſhoulders vnderunder-propped it. VponUpon which dreame he preſently ſent for Dominick, and granted his petition: and ſure not vaine was that dreame: for had not Fryers beene the vpholders and chiefe Pillars of the Popes Church, it had fallen longere this. The croutched Fryers, otherwiſe called the croſſe-bearers, ſprang vp about the ſame time for Pope Innocent, raiſing an army againſt the Albingenſes, whom the Pope accounted for Heretikes, cauſed the ſouldiers to be ſigned with a croſſe on their breſt, whereupon they were called croſſe-bearers, or croutched Fryers. All the other orders of Fryers, which amount, as ſome reckon them, to an hundreth at leaſt, are moſt of them of later inſtitution. And moſt true is the aſſertion of Wiclif, that Fryers were neuer knowne in the world, before the yeare 1200.

7. The Ieſuites tooke their beginning about threeſcore and fifteene yeeres ſince: For in the yeare 1540. their order was firſt confirmed by Pope Paul the third, to Ignatius Loyola the lame ſouldier, the chiefe Father and Patriarch of that viperous brood, at the requeſt and interceſſion of Cardinall Contarenus: ſo that they are not yet beyond the bounds of a mans age, and neuertheleſſe they are growne to ſuch maturity of craft and deceit, that all other orders are but nouices to them: they are the onelyonly fellowes of the world for ſubtill practices, and daring enterpriſes, and now the chiefeſt props of the Papall ſea: For Dominick was weary of bearing that burden, and for the eaſe of himſelfe, ſuffered Loyola to put vnderunder his ſhoulder; and ſo now all the burden lyeth vponupon him: let him hold vp ſtiffely therefore, or els all will goe to wracke.

8. But now to the purpoſe. Where were all theſe orders in the Apoſtles times, and in the Primitiue age of the Church? p. 377Then men reioyced to be called by the Name of Chriſt; now theſe fellowes glory to be called by the name of Dominick, or Francis; and as if Chriſtians was too baſe a name for them, they will be called Ieſuites, of Ieſus they ſay the Sonne of God: but more truely of Bar-Ieſus the Sorcerer, that withſtoodActs 13. 6.Acts 13:6 the preaching of Paul, & was a peruerter of the ſtraight wayes of the Lord: or of a French weapon called Geſu…, wherewith theſe ſame bloudy Traitours vſe to murther kings and Princes, if they withſtand their purpoſes: whereupon is that elegant Epigram:

—A Geſis ſunt indita nomina vobis,

Quae quia ſacrilegi Reges torquetis in omnes

Inde ſacrum nomen, ſacrum ſumpſiſtis & omen.

9. But to ſhut vp in one word all the villany of theſe monſtrous late-borne orders of Fryers, let Aretine an Italian Poet deſcribe them. Frate (ſayth he) in Italian is a Fryer: eueryevery letter of which word doth repreſent the nature of that generation: for Furfanto, a thiefe: Ribaldo, a filthy Ribald: Aſino, an aſſe: Traditore, a Traitour, & Eretico, an Heretike: All together make the true and perfect definition of a Fryer: Or as Lincolnienſis defineth him, A dead carcaſe riſen out of his graue, wrapped in a winding ſheet, and carryed among men by the Deuill. But my purpoſe is not to bring vponupon the ſtage their filthy andClemang. de ſtatu. eccleſ. pag. 47. 53. 56. Agrip. de vanit. c. 62. Polid. Virgil. de Inuent. l. 7. c. 5 Aluar. Pelag. de planct. l. 2. art. 2 & 73. 83 Paling. Leo. Virgo Sagit. Arioſt. Orland. furioſo. Cant. 14 ſtan. 65 2. abominable liues; hee that will ſee that, let him read Clemangis, in his booke of the ſtate of the Church, which hee wrote about two hundreth yeeres ſince: And Cornelius Agrippa, of the vanity of Sciences: And Polidore Virgill, and Aluarus Pelagius, and Palingenius, with Arioſto an Italian Poet, &c. and he ſhall finde matter not onelyonly of wonder and admiration, but alſo of griefe and lamentation, that the Church of God ſhould bee ſo long peſtered with ſuch filthy dregges; but it is ſufficient for this place to hauehave ſhowne, that neither their name nor orders were once heard of in the Primitiue Church.

10. Thus much touching their perſons. Now for the iuriſdiction exerciſed by theſe perſons, how not onelyonly tranſcendent, but repugnant it hath beene, and is at this day, to that of p. 378the Apoſtles and Primitiue Church, their both Lordly titles, and tyrannous practice doth clearely demonſtrate. For their titles, which of the Apoſtles either aſſumed to himſelfe (which they might hauehave iuſtly done, if it had beene their due) or receiued from others theſe titles: Vniuerſall Biſhop, Head of the Church: High Prieſt of the world: Prince of Prieſts, and Chriſts Johan. à Capiſtr. de Papa, & eccleſ. authorit. Extrauag. in Ioh. 22. Rod. Cupers de eccleſ. pag. 61. nu. 52. Chriſtop. Marel. in Concil. Later. Clement. in Prooem. in gloſſ.Vicar vponupon earth, &c? But the Pope of Rome doth challenge to himſelfe all theſe, yea, more then theſe, that he is, as it were a god vponupon earth, hauing fulneſſe of power, and yet more, aequè ac Chriſtus Deus, A God aſwell as Chriſt, a beeing of the ſecond intention, compounded of God and man, and yet more, Deus vindictae, a God of reuenge, and another god vponupon earth; and laſtly, Stupor mundi, the wonderment of the world, neither God nor man, but a neuter betwixt both. Could ſuch intolerable pride euer enter into the heart of a man? or could the tongue of any wight liuing dare to belch out ſuch horrible blaſphemies? Surely none but hee that is that man of ſinne, who ſitteth in the Temple of God, as God, and to whom is giuen a mouth to blaſpheme the God of Heauen, and in whoſe fore-head is written this name of blaſphemy, Deus ſum, errare non poſſum: Auentin. lib. 7.I am God, I cannot erre. But to the point; Did euer Peter, whoſe ſucceſſour the Pope claimeth to bee, challenge to himſelfe any ſuch titles? or did euer any of the other Apoſtles, or any Biſhop in the Primitiue Church, for the ſpace of three hundreth yeeres? Peter was ſo farre from this pride, that hee giueth charge to all Elders of the Church, that they ſhould not behaue themſelues as Lords ouer Gods heritage. And in1. Pet 5. 3.1 Pet 5:3 that very place hee equalleth himſelfe to the reſt, and the reſt to himſelfe, calling himſelfe a fellow Elder: and in anotherActs. 1. 15. Acts. 2. 29. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Lorinus com. ſuper Acta. pag. 62.Acts 1:15Acts 2:292 Pet 1:10 place hee calleth all the Diſciples his brethren; yea, all the Iſraelites his brethren, and all Chriſtians his brethren: behold his humility. But the Pope acknowledgeth no brethren, but the Cardinals, Patriarkes, and Archbiſhops: Emperours and Kings are his children, and not his brethren; behold his pride: neither did the reſt of the Apoſtles challenge to themſelues any ſuch titles of dignity. For they had learned of Chriſt their Lord and maſter, not to Lord it ouer others, but to humbleLuk. 22. 26.Luke 22:26 p. 379themſelues, that they might bee exalted. And let them name but one Biſhop of the Primitiue Church, that tooke vponupon him any of theſe glorious titles, yea, of the Biſhops of Rome themſelues.

11. Wee deny not, but that ſome of the ancients hauehave yeelded vntounto the Biſhops of Rome great and honorable titles, but firſt this was in reſpect of their vertue, learning and integrity, and not in reſpect of any preeminence of iuriſdiction. Secondly, wee find none of theſe titles which I ſpeake of, attributed vntounto them, but onelyonly the Apoſtles ſucceſſours, and Apoſtolicall Biſhops, not heads of the Church, vniuerſall Biſhops, high Prieſts of the world, &c. which the later Popes hauehave vſurped. And thirdly, if at any time they were, yet the ſame titles of honour which were aſcribed vntounto them, weeBaſil. epiſt. 55 Sidon. Apoll. in lib. 6. epiſt. 1 finde giuen to other Biſhops, aſwell as to the Biſhop of Rome, as to Saint Ambroſe by Saint Baſill; and to one Lupus a Biſhop in France, by Sidonius Apollinaris: And to Fontellus another Biſhop in France, by the ſame man: To Baſill by Nazianzene: To Athanaſius, who is ſaluted by the name of high Biſhop and chiefe Prieſt: And to Cyprian who was honoured with this ſtile, The Biſhop of the whole world. Neither can it bee denyed, but theſe titles grew by little and little to be attributed to the Biſhops of Rome, after the firſt three hundreth yeers of the Church, though they came not to perfection till the perfect reuelatiō of Antichriſt, in the Apoſtolical ſea: but this can neuer bee proued, that either in the Apoſtles times, or in two hundreth yeeres next ſucceeding after, euer any Biſhop arrogated to himſelfe, or any other aſcribed vntounto him any of theſe arrogant titles.

12. A ſufficient argument whereof is this, that Bellarmine Bell. de Rom. Pontif. l. 2. c. 31.propounding this as his laſt reaſon to proue the principality of the Pope, draweth it from the great and famous titles which are attributed vntounto him, and ſpending a whole Chapter in that purpoſe, alledgeth not one teſtimony older then Damaſus the Biſhop of Rome, who was elected to that ſea in the yeere 369. Surely if he could hauehave found out more ancient proofes, he would hauehave after his manner ſtuffed the Chapter p. 380with them: but in that hee produceth none, it is euident that hee knew none, & indeed that there were none to be known▪ Nay, Gregory the great, one of their owne Popes, that liuedGregor. epi. l. 4 c. 32. & l. 6. c. 24. & l. 4. c. 34 36 ſixe hundreth yeeres after Chriſt, not onelyonly execrated the name of vniuerſall Biſhop, which Iohn the Biſhop of Conſtantinople vſurped, calling it a name of blaſphemy, and a proud and ſuperſtitious title, and him that vſurped it, a fore-runner of Antichriſt; but alſo plainely auoucheth, that none of his predeceſſors vſed that prophane denomination: by which the proud times of Antichriſt were marked out. Alſo Platina, Platina▪ Naucler▪ vol. 2 gen. 20 Cuſpinian.Nauclerus, Cuſpinian, with many other Hiſtoriographers, affirme, that Boniface the third, and Gregory the ſecond, obtained of the Emperour Phocas, by great labour, the name of Head of the Church: A ſtrange and tyrannical title, neuer publikely vſurped, before that time, in the Church of God; but now new created by Phocas, who hauing killed his LordPaulus Diaconus de geſtis Longobard▪ c. 37 Mauritius, and his children, exerciſed a tyranny in the kingdome of the world, and begate this tyrannicall appellation in the kingdome of the Church. But of all other records of antiquity, moſt pregnant is the Canon of the Africane Council, to condemne the nouelty of theſe ambitious nominations: of which thus writeth our Roffenſis. Theſe are the words of the Councill: Let not any, no not the Romane, be called an vniuerſall Roſſen… ▪ in conſult▪ Aſſort▪ Luther▪ ver…t▪ 8Biſhop. For that age (ſayth he) which was neere to the Apoſtolicall times, ſtudied modeſty and humility; ſuch a glorious title pleaſed not that Councill.

13. Wherefore concerning theſe great titles of honour, wee may conclude with our Sauiour Chriſt, that It was not ſo from the beginning: They are new and vpſtart, in reſpect of true antiquity, enſignes of that pride and arrogancy, which reigned in the Prelates of the Church, in thoſe latter times,Balt. Caſtill. lib. … ▪ …. and badges of Antichriſts kingdome, where at Peter and Paul would bluſh for ſhame, if they were aliue, as it was merrily ſpoken by the Duke of Vrbanes Painter, when he had drawne their Pictures of a ruddy and high colour.

14. But leauing their titles, let vsus take a ſhort ſuruey of their practice: And firſt let it bee ſhowne, that Peter, or Paul, p. 381or any the reſt of the Apoſtles, or any Biſhop of Rome, or of any other place, did euer take vponupon them to depoſe Kings, and diſpoſe of their kingdomes, and to tranſlate them from one to another, and to abſolue ſubiects from their oath of alleageance, and children from the bond of obedience to their parents, to diſpenſe with the Law of God, to hauehave ſole power of deciſion of controuerſies, to challenge the right of appeales from all countreyes of Chriſtendome: And laſtly, to exerciſe not onelyonly ſpirituall, but alſo temporall coactiue iuriſdiction. But all this power hath beene in former times, and is at this day practiſed by the Biſhop of Rome, and that with that rigour and vehemency, that it is a wonder that they doe not bluſh, ſo much to degenerat from thoſe, whoſe ſucceſſors they claime to be: But no maruaile; for els he ſhould not ſhew himſelfe to bee that Antichriſt, except hee did aduance himſelfe aboue all that is called God on earth: For this is a ſpecial marke of that man of ſinne.

15. But let Hiſtory, the light of time, make cleare thisNaucler. 2. generat. 39. Helmold. chron. Slauor. l. 1. c. 81. point. Pope Hadrian the fourth reprooued Frederick Barbaroſſe the Emperour, of inſolency and arrogancy, in an Epiſtle written vntounto him, for ſetting his owne name before his, and checked him alſo very bitterly, for holding his ſtirrup on the wrong ſide; and when hee came vntounto him in the Church of Saint Marke in Venice, to bee abſolued from his excommunication, commanded him to proſtrate himſelfe vponupon the ground, and then ſet his foote on his necke, with theſe words, Super aſpidem, &c. Thou ſhalt walke vponupon the Aſpe and Cocatrice, and ſhalt tread vponupon the Lyon and Dragon. Did Peter euer doe the like? Gregory the ſeuenth cauſed Henry the …ourth, comming in all humility to ſubmit himſelfe vntounto him, with his wife and childe, to dance attendance at his gate, bare-footed, and bare-headed, for the ſpace of three dayes, ere hee would grant them any acceſſe vntounto him. Did Peter euer doe the like? Celeſtine the third, being about to crown Henry the ſixt Emperour, ſet the imperiall Diademe on his head (as ſome ſay) with his foote, and kicked it off with his foote againe. Did Peter euer doe the like… Innocent the ſecond cauſed his p. 382owne Picture with the Emperours, to bee ſet vp in the Palace of Laterane, himſelfe ſitting in his Pontificall Throne, and the Emperour kneeling before him, and holding vp his hands vntounto him, as vntounto God. Did Peter euer doe the like? Gregory Naucler. vol. 2. generat. 25.the third depoſed Leo, ſurnamed Iconomachus, for defacing Images ſet vp in Churches to bee worſhipped. Pope Stephen depoſed Childerick King of France, and ſet vp Pipin in his roome, for no haynous offence by him committed, but onelyonly becauſe hee was in his iudgement vnprofitable for the kingdome. Gregory the ſeuenth, called Hildebrand, would hauehave depoſed Henry the fourth, and hauehave aduanced Rodolph DukeAuent. l. 5. Veſper. an. 1080 Naucler. gener. 37. of Sueuia into his throne, but that Gods iuſtice preuented his purpoſe, by bringing Rodolph to an vntimely end, and the Pope himſelfe to a miſerable and fearefull deſtruction: yet afterwards the ſame Henry was ſurpriſed by his owne ſonne Henry the fift, at the inſpiration of the ſucceeding Popes, and depriued, and impriſoned, and brought to his graue. Hadrian the fourth diſcharged the ſubiects of William King of Sicilia, of their oath and alleageance, becauſe hee would not yeeld Apulia to the Pope, for inlarging of Saint Peters patrimony.Naucler. gener. 39. Alexander the fift excommunicated the Emperour Frederick, as alſo he had done his predeceſſour Hadrian, and thundred out great curſes vponupon him, and ſent letters abroad to all Princes and people, to raiſe tumults againſt him, for puniſhing ſome diſſolute perſons of the Clergy, and claiming by warre, ſome rebellious Cities in Italy, as they pretended. Innocent Idem gener. 40. Cuſpinian. vita Henrici & Philippi.the third excommunicated Philip, and raiſed vp Otho againſt him, ſeeking to diſpoſſeſſe him of his kingdome: and after, when Otho was inueſted with the Empyre, hee ſet vp Frederick the ſonne of Henry the ſixt againſt him, and depoſed Otho. Honorius the third perſecuted this Frederick, depriued him, and ſtirred vp his ſubiects againſt him, & abſoluted them from their faith, oath and alleageance: And the like alſo did Gregory the ninth, and Celeſtine the fourth, and Innocent the fourth, againſt the ſame man. After the ſame manner was ſerued King Iohn of England, by the fore-named Innocent the fourth, becauſe hee baniſhed the Monks that had choſen Stephen p. 383Langton to bee Archbiſhop of Canterbury, contrary to his minde.

16. What ſhould I reckon Raymundus Earle of Tholouſe? Or Conrade the ſon of Frederick the ſecond? Or Mamphred the baſtard ſonne of Frederick? Or Peter King of Arragon? Or Philip the faire, King of France? Or Henry the ſeuenth, who being perſecuted by Clement the fift, was at laſt poyſonedCuſpinian. Nauclerus. in the Euchariſt by a Iacobine Fryer, ſuborned to worke that feate? Or Lewes of Bauary, Charles the fourth, or Wenceſlaus, or George King of Bohemia, or Iohn King of Na…arre, all which were grieuouſly perſecuted, if not vtterly depoſed by ſundry Popes? And laſtly our late Queene of famous memory, whoſe life was not once or twiſe, but often aſſaulted by the Popes inſtruments, and her kingdome, ſo farre as lay in the Popes power, taken from her▪ and tranſlated to the Spaniſh faction? Did euer Peter doe the like?

17. But to deſcend from Kings to Biſhop… the Pope doth challenge to himſelfe the fulneſſe of power ouer all other Biſhops, & that the fountaine of iuriſdiction, & the authority of the keyes is reſident onelyonly in his perſon, and that all other Biſhops are ſubdelegate vnderunder him, and rece… their power from him, and that they ought to receiue their inueſtitures from him alone. Did Peter euer doe the like? No: Hee eſteemed all the reſt of the Apoſtles his equals: and ſo our Sauiour Chriſt inioyned an equality and parity to be among the Apoſtles,Mat. 18. 1. Mark. 9. 35. Luk. 9. 46. Iren…us l. 5. Cyp. epiſt. 75. & 69. Hierom. epiſt. ad Euagrium. Hierom. ad Euag. tom 2. Cypr. de vnit. eccleſ.Matt 18:1Mark 9:35Luke 9:46 albeit they had a ſuperiority ouer the ſeuenty diſciples▪ and all Biſhops are the vndoubted ſucceſſors of the Apoſtles, witneſſe Irenaeus, Cyprian and Hierome: and therefore muſt needs hauehave equall power of iuriſdiction, as thoſe from whom they receiued it were equall: this Saint Ierome auoucheth in direct termes, when hee ſayth▪ Vbicunque fu…rit Epiſcopus, &c. Whereſoeuer he be Biſhop, whether at Rome, or at Eugubium, &c. hee is of the ſame merit, and of the ſame Prieſthood. And Saint Cyprian: Epiſcopatus vnus eſt, cuius à ſingulis pars in ſolidum tenetur. The Biſhopricke is one, whereof eueryevery Biſhop hath a found and entyre part.

18. Againe, the Pope claimeth a Soueraignet…e ouer a p. 384Councell, and that not onelyonly to call it at his pleaſure, and to diſſolue it againe when hee will; but alſo to allow and approue what he luſteth, and to diſanull whatſoeuer is diſtaſtefull vntounto his humorous palate: in which reſpect it is ſet downeR. Cupers de Eccleſ. p. 31. nu. 28 Iohan. de turrecrem. ſum. lib. 3. cap. 64. as a ruled caſe amongſt them; that, Although in a generall Councell, the vniuerſall Church is repreſented, inſomuch that nothing is greater then a Councell, notwithſtanding, the Pope ſurpaſſeth the ſame in all manner authoritie; and therefore if the whole world ſhould giuegive ſentence againſt the Pope, yet the Popes ſentence is to be ſtood vntounto, and all other reiected: And the reaſonIdem. li. 2. ca. 26 is giuen, becauſe hee is of greater perfection then the whole bodie of the Church beſide. Did euer Peter doe the like? In that Councell of the Apoſtles and Diſciples in the eleuenth of the Acts, when as diuers Chriſtians of the Circumciſion contended againſt him for preaching, and baptizing Cornelius and his houſhold at Ceſarea, which were of the Gentiles, he did not arrogate this ſupereminencie to himſelfe, that he was their chiefe, and head, and therefore ought not to be called to an account by them: … that they ought to ſubiect themſelues to his power, as one that could not erre: no, he doth no ſuch matter, but meekly rendreth a reckoning of his carriage in this buſineſſe, and ſubmitteth himſelfe to their cenſure. So, Acts 15. when the Apoſtles, and Elders of the Church came together in a Councell to decide that great Controuerfie then mooued in the Church about Circumciſion, Peter behaueth not himſelfe as a Iudge, nor taketh vponupon him any authoritie aboue the reſt: but as one of the Apoſtles giueth his opinion, and the determination of the queſtion is ſet downe not vnderunder his name onelyonly, but in the name of the Apoſtles, Elders, and brethren, that were preſent; yea, Iames was preſident of that Councell, and not Peter, Gerſon. tom. 4. in prop. vtilit. ad exter. Schiſm. Lyr. in Acts 15. Chryſoſt. in Acts hom. 33.Acts 15if we will beleeue Gerſon, and Lyran of their owne, and Chryſoſtome of the ancients.

19. Againe, the Pope taketh vponupon him to exempt Clarks, though offending by Murder, Treaſon, Theft, Adulterie, or ſuch like, from all temporall Courts of Princes, and puniſhment of the Laytie, except the Church proceed againſt p. 385them firſt, and make them no Clarkes. Thus, Pope Nicholas Epiſt. Nich▪ ad Michael. Imper.the firſt wrote to Michael the Emperour. Chriſtian Emperors hauehave no right at all, to make any inquiſition for Monkes, vnleſſe it be in fauour to pittie them. Thus Thomas Becket, Archbiſhop of Canterburie, quarrelled with Henrie the Second, for this cauſe principally, as both Houeden, and Fabain report,Houeden. Hen. 2. Fab. par. 7. c. 237. for that the King went about to puniſh ſuch of the Clergie, as were malefactors, by the temporall Lawes of the Land: which the Archbiſhop vtterly denyed to be lawfull. For this he ſaid, that if a Clarke being within holy Orders, were accuſed of any crime, hee muſt bee iudged by Eccleſiaſticall Iudges; and if he were conuict, he ſhould loſe his Orders, and ſo being excluded from Eccleſiaſticall office and benefice, if after this he incurred the like fault, then might he be iudged at the pleaſure of the King and his Officers. This was that proud Archbiſhops challenge againſt his Soueraigne▪ Henry the Second, for defence whereof, as alſo for other trayterous demeanors, being tumultuouſly killed, hee was canonized a Saint at Rome.

20. And that you may ſee that this practice of theirs is agreeable to their Doctrine, Bellarmine himſelfe concludeth,Bellar. de Clericis cap. 28. That Kings are not Superiours vntounto Clarkes, and therefore that they are not bound either by Gods, or mans Law to obey them; ſaue onelyonly, in reſpect of Lawes directiue, and that the Imperiall Law ought in matters criminall to giuegive place to the Canon Law: which is as much as to ſay, that not the King, but the Pope is the Lord of the Clergie. Did Peter euer doe the like? No, he both in his owne perſon ſubmitted himſelfe to the temporall power, when he paid Tribute at his Maſters Commandement, and when he vnderunder-went ſtripes and impriſonment for the Goſpels ſ…ke, without making any ſuch challenge ofMat. 17. 36. Act. 4. 3. Act. 5. 40. 1. Pet 2. 13.Matt 17:36Acts 4:3Acts 5:401 Pet 2:13 exemption: and alſo when he gaue in charge to all others, euen his fellow Elders, to ſubmit themſelues to Kings and Superiours for the Lords ſ…ke. Sure it is, that hee which payd a Tribute of monie, much more ought to pay a Tribute of obedience: and he which commanded others to obey, would not in any wiſe bee refractorie himſelfe, leſt that olde Prouerbe p. 386ſhould be returned vponupon him▪ Phiſician, heale thy ſelfe: and leſt his practice ſhould looke one way, and his doctrine another, which was vnfit for any, much more for an Apoſtle.

21. Laſtly, did euer Peter challenge to himſelfe any ſuch power and preeminence aboue the Scriptures, as to diſpenſe with, the Law of GOD at his pleaſure, and to take away and abrogate what hee liſt in the ſame? But the Pope taketh vponupon him this alſo: for theſe be their owne poſitions: That the Pope may diſpenſe with the Law of God, and Michael. Medina. Chriſtian. paroeneſ▪ l. 7. c. 17 Grat. par. 1. p. 76 Abbas Panorm. extr. de diuortijs cap fin. Felin de conſtitut. cap. ſtat. Canon & de maio…t. & obedientia cap. fin.againſt the Apoſtle, and againſt the new Teſtament vponupon a great cauſ…, and that he may take away the Law of God in part▪ but not in whole. Yea, that hee can ex iniuſtitia facere iuſtitiam: turne ſinne into righteouſneſſe: and de facto. Some of them hauehave diſpenſt with diuers Commandements of the Law, with Inceſt, with Murther, with Theft, with Treaſon, Adulterie, and ſuch like; as hath beene before ſufficiently declared, and may further be prooued, if it were not a thing both knowne and confeſſed. To ſhut vp the poynt: certaine it is, that Peter neuer exerciſed any ſuch Iuriſdiction, eyther in part or whole, as here is claimed by the Popes: and if hee had it▪ and did not ſhew it eyther by doctrine or practice, he was not ſo carefull of the Church of God as hee ſhould bee, to hide from them ſo neceſſarie a truth: but if he had it not, then doe the Popes both vniuſtly deriue it from his chaire, and wrongfully vſurpe that which by no right belongeth vntounto them. Now in that which I ſay Peter neuer did the like, let Paul and Iames and Iohn and all the reſt of the Apoſtles, yea, the whole Primitiue Church be included within the ſame propoſition, and it is as fully true as in that one particular: and therefore it muſt neceſſarily follow, that the Romiſh Iuriſdiction hath no footing nor founding in the whole Primitiue Church, but is like a Monſter borne out of time, deformed and miſſhapen in eueryevery part thereof.

22. In the third place, if we cōſider the outward ceremonies3. now vſed in the Church of Rome, we ſhall yet more cleerely foe their declining from the Primitiue antiquitie; for a taſteBell. l. de verbo Dei, cap. …6. whereof, I inſtance firſt in their Latine Seruice, which Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth, was not in vſe in the Apoſtles p. 387times: and Lyranus goeth a ſtep further, and ſayth▪ that in theLyran. Com. in 1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14 Primitiue Church and long after, all things in the Church were performed in the vulgar tongue: the ſame is acknowledged by Aquinas, and Caietan writing vponupon the ſame place, and Caſſander as learned and iudicious a Papiſt as their ſide affordeth;Caſ. Leiturg. …8 & penult. yea, Platina himſelfe pointeth out the very time when, and perſon by whom this was firſt commanded, to wit, by Vittalianus the firſt, about the yeere ſixe hundred, threeſcore & ten. What need we more to euince the noueltie of this Ceremonie, ſeeing wee hauehave ſo many of their owne confeſſions? and no maruell, if they confeſſe it, ſeeing elſe they ſhould hauehave contradicted moſt of the ancient Fathers, whoſe teſtimonies are ſo cleere in this point, that they admit no exception, as the places quoted doe manifeſtly declare.Origen. contra Celſum. lib. 8. Aug. Epiſt. 121. ad Probum. c. 9. Amb. com. in 1 Cor. 14. Chryſoſt. in eundem locum. Baſil. in Pſal. 28. Aug. expoſ. 2. in Pſal. 18. Polydor. Virgil. l. 5. Inuent. c. 9 Speculum Roſar. Alan….1 Cor 14Ps 28Ps 18

23. Secondly, I inſtance in their praying vponupon beades: which came in, as Polidore Virgil affirmeth, in the yeere of our Lord, 1040. being the deuice of one Petrus a French Eremite; but the Roſarie was deuiſed by Fryer Dominick long after: that is, fiftie Aue Maries & fiue Pater noſters, for which purpoſe he framed fiue & fiftie ſtones▪ which were ſo hanged together on a ſtring, that betwixt eueryevery tenne ſmall ſtones, one big one was interpoſed; & this he called a Patriloquie. Out of which, as yet a later inuention ſprung, the Marie Pſalter; for three Roſaries, that is, an hundred and fiftie Aue Maries, and 15. Pater noſters make a Pſalter: becauſe, forſooth, Dauids Pſalmes were ſo many in number: theſe▪ are confeſſed nouelties, and therefore I neede not to inſiſt any longer in them.

24. Thirdly, I vrge their feſtiuall dayes, which as they are full of ſuperſtition, ſo are they of nouell and late inſtitution: as for example, the feaſt of the conception of the Virgin Marie, not that whereby ſhee conceiued Chriſt, but whereby ſhe was conceiued by her Mother, and alſo the feaſt of her aſſumption, and of her viſitation, and of her preſentation: the firſt whereof their Ieſuite Suarez confeſſethSuarez in Th…. par. 3 q. 27. art. 1. & 2. not to hauehave beene clearely knowne in the world fiue hundreth yeeres ſince, nor receiued by generall conſent, till almoſt three hundreth yeeres after: ſo that by his confeſſion p. 388it is not much aboue two hundreth yeeres old▪ and indeed it was publikely inioyned by Siſtus quartus, Anno 1480. TheSixtus Senenſis. Bibl. l. 2. …it. Mar…ae tran…it. Baron. annot. 48. nu. 9. ſecond, their Sixtus Senenſis confeſſeth, that it was not found among the Latine Fathers: and Baronius, that it is not confirmed either by Canonicall Scriptures, or by the writings of ancient Fathers: and in a conſtitution of the Council of Mentz, where it is named, this addition is with all ſound in the bookes of Charolus Magnus. (Touching the aſſumption of Mary, wee leaue it to bee queſtioned.) Now this Councill was in the yeere 800. whereby it is euident, that all that time it was no publike ordination of the Church. The third was inſtituted by Ʋrbanus Sextus, which though Antoninus affirmeth, was neuer receiued nor kept, yet it was the inuention of a Pope, and that of no great antiquity. And indeed why ſhould it not bee obſerued, if the Pope cannot erre? or if it be not fit to bee obſerued, how is it true, that the Pope erreth not in defining matters of Religion? The fourth was ordained by Paulus the ſecond, anno 1466. as they themſelues will not deny.

25. Beſides theſe of the Virgin Mary, they hauehave many other feſtiuall dayes, of the ſame nature and ſtampe: as the feaſt of Corpus Chriſti, of the inuention of the Croſſe, of the dedication of Churches, of All ſoules, and a number ſuch like: all which are confeſſed nouelties; for in the Apoſtles times and Primitiue Church, during the ſpace of foure hundred yeeres, none of theſe were once heard of. The feaſt of thePo…. Virg. l 6. In…t. c. 8. Croſſe was Gregory the fourths inuention, anno 828. and Corpus Chriſti day was firſt ordained by Pope Vrbane the fourth,Bell. de Euchar. l. 4. c▪ vlt. about the yeere 1264. as confeſſeth Bellarmine himſelfe▪ who of his Apoſtolicall power gaue ſpirituall wages and ſpecial pardon to all that ſhould perſonally obſerue the houres of this holy ſol…mnity, as at Mattens an hundred dayes pardon, at Maſſe aſmuch, and ſo at firſt and ſecond Euen-ſong, at theLegend▪ a…r…a …or. Sacram. houres of prime, of tierce, of ſixth, of noone, of complete, fourty dayes apiece: and thus in like manner for the whole weeke following.

26. The annuall ſea…ts of dedication of Churches grew p. 389from a ſiniſter imitation of Conſtantine the great, who becauſeEuſeb. de vita Conſtant. l. 14 hee kept a ſolemne day at the dedication of a certain Church, which hee had built, therefore it was receiued as a Law, (for Princes actions are the peoples directions) to ſolemnize eueryevery yeere a holy day vponupon the day of the dedication of their Church. And all Soules was the deuice of one Saint Odyll, who as they write, in Cicilia, in the Ile of Ʋulcane, heard the voyces & howlings of Deuils, which complained with great griefe, that the ſoules of them that were dead, were taken awayLegenda aurea. out of their hands by almes and prayers: whereupon this feaſt was ordained, wherein prayer ſhould be made for al Soules. And as for this, ſo for the other, they deuiſed ſtrange miracles to win credit vntounto them: which plainely argueth their nouelty, in that they ſtood in need of miracles to confirme them: as for example, touching the inuention of the holy Croſſe, they fable that it was firſt found in Paradiſe by Seth the ſon of Adam, to whom Michael the Angell gaue a branch of the forbidden tree, which hee planted vponupon the graue of his Father Adam, which tree beeing after found by Salomon in mount Libanus, was tranſlated vntounto his houſe, and there beeing worſhipped by the Queene of Saba, and foretold to bee the tree whereon the Sauiour of the world ſhould bee hanged, and by which Ieruſalem ſhould bee deſtroyed, was therefore taken downe, and buried deepe in the ground by Salomon: in which place afterward the Iewes diging a pit for a poole to water their cattell, found this tree, from which ſuch vertue aroſe to that poole, that the Angels deſcended to mooue the water, ſo that the firſt that bathed himſelfe therein after the motion, was healed of his diſeaſe whatſoeuer it was as wee read Iohn 5. Now vponupon this tree was Chriſt crucified, which being afterward buried againe in the earth, was found out by Queene Helene the mother of Conſtantine, through the diſcouery of one Iudas a Iew, who was conuerted to the Chriſtian faith, by the ſweet ſauour that aroſe from the Croſſe, and the quaking of the earth: and then that Croſſe was diſcerned from the two other Croſſes of the theeues, by reſtoring life to a dead corps, whereupon it was p. 390laide: and the Deuill cryed in the aire, that this Iudas had betrayed him as the other had done his Maſter Chriſt. By theſe ſtrange miracles they digniſy that holy feaſt, and indeed ſhew it to bee nothing els but a meere fable: and forſooth, all this they fetch out of the Goſpell of Nichodemus.

27. So, for the dedication of Churches, they tell vsus this miracle, that when a Church of the Arrians was hal owed by Chriſtian men, and the reliks of Saint Fabian, Saint Sebaſtian, & Saint Agathe brought into it, the people being aſſembled, heard ſuddenly the fearefull gronings & gruntings of an hog running vp and downe, inuiſibly, and ſeeking a paſſage out of the Church, and for three nights together, …umblu…g in the roofe with an hideous noiſe; which (ſay they) was nothing but the baniſhing of the Deuill out of that Church, by the hallowing and dedicating of it. Who would not then obſerue deuoutly this feaſt, ſeeing the benefit is ſo great, that commeth by the thing it ſelfe, whereof it is a memoriall? But let vsus leaue theſe tables to their golden, or rather leaden Legend of lyes, as their owne Canus termeth it, and ſhut vp the point, that both theſe heere named, and a number ſuch like feſtiuall dayes, more preciſely honoured and obſerued in the Romiſh Church, and with greater deuotion t…n Gods holy Sabbath it ſelfe, are new inuentions, as ſprung vp from ſuperſtition, ſo ordained to maintain the ſame, and hauehave no ground either of true antiquity to countenance them, or holy Scripture to vphold them, but Iewiſh fables, Apocrypha writings, old wiues tales and forged miracles.

28. Fourthly, I requi…e ſatisfaction for their ceremonies vſed in both the Sacraments, as firſt in the Euchariſt: their pompous circumgeſtation of it to bee ſeene, viewed and adored, which Caſſander acknowledgeth to hauehave beene (Praeter Caſſand. conſult. art. 22. Fell de Euchar. l 4 c. vlt. …. V…g. de Inuent. l. 5. c. 9. Durant. de Kit. l 2. c. 27.veterem morem & m…ntem haud longo tempore inducta….) Beſide the cuſtome and meaning of antiquity, and brought in of late time. And Bellarmine alſo, to hauehave beene firſt ordained by Ʋrbanus the fourth: their mixture of water with the wine, and ſeparation of leauen from the bread, came both in from Pope Alexander the ſeuenth, as witneſſe both Polidore Virgill p. 391and Durantius. Yea, and Bonauenture doth confeſſe, thatBona. in 4. ſent. diſt. 2. part. 2. dub. 5. this practice of mixing of water cannot bee read of in all the Scriptures, nor found in the firſt inſtitution of the Sacrament. Their not breaking the bread out of a loafe, but giuing it in ſmall cakes, Salmeron the Ieſuite acknowledgeth to be contrarySalmer. fel. in 1. Cor. 10. diſp. 17. Suarez. tom. 3. diſp. 73. ſect. 2 Sal. ibid. diſp. 1…1 Cor 10 to the ancient practice of the Church. Their dipping the conſecrated hoſte in the cup, Suarez another Ieſuite yeeldeth not to hauehave beene vſed by our Sauiour Chriſt, and therefore muſt needs bee an Innouation. Their putting the Sacrament not into the hands, but into the mouths of the communicants, the former Salmeron doth freely confeſſe to bee an action contrary to the firſt inſtitution. Laſtly, their various and ridiculous geſtures, murmuring, dopping, ſtaring, croſſing, &c. with the ſtrange garments vſed by the Prieſts, in the time of their adminiſtration. Six, of Prieſts in ſigne of perfection, becauſe in ſixe dayes God created Heauen and earth; nine for Biſhops, in token that they are ſpirituall, like the nine orders of Angels: and fifteene for both, in token of the fifteene degrees of Vertues: No man can bee ſo ſimple, but muſt needs ſee that they were neuer vſed by Chriſt himſelfe, or his Apoſtles, and therefore muſt of neceſſity be groſſe and palpable Innouations.

29. From the Euchariſt, let vsus looke backe to the ceremonies of Baptiſme: and firſt, to their baptizing of Bels, and of Gallies and Ships: ſecondly, exorciſme and exufflation: thirdly, anointing with oyle, and croſſing; and fourthly, ſalting and ſpittling; & laſtly, threefold Immerſion, or dipping the Infant:Alphonſ. de caſt. haereſ. l. 3 all which are palpable nouelties ſo confeſſed by the Romaniſts themſelues: neither can they euer ſhew that theſe ceremonies were either commanded by Chriſt, or practiſed by Iohn Baptiſt, or the Apoſtles: and though ſome of them, as the croſſe and anointing are of great antiquity, and were then and may bee ſtill lawfully vſed as things indifferent: yet in their Church, where ſuch an opinion of neceſſity is laid vponupon them, that Baptiſme is not effectuall without them, they are meere Innouations, no wayes warranted by any antiquity.

p. 39230. Laſtly, I propound as their feaſting, ſo their faſting dayes, together with the manner of faſting vſed amongſtAzor. Inſtit. moral. part. 1. l. 7 c. 12 Sozom. biſtor. l. 7 c. 19 them: as firſt, the Lent faſt of fourty dayes, which their Ieſuite Azorius confeſſeth not to bee of diuine ordinance; and the variableneſſe of the vſe thereof doth prooue no leſſe: ſome Churches continuing the ſame full ſixe weeks, as the Illyrians, Lybians, Egypt and Paleſtina: ſome ſeuen weekes, as they of Conſtantinople, with the nations adioyning: ſome but three weekes, and thoſe diſperſed within the ſix or ſeuen, as occaſion ſerued: ſome againe three weekes, immediatly going before Eaſter: and laſtly, ſome two onelyonly, as the followers of Montanus, all this is recorded by Sozomene in his Hiſtory: by which it is euidently euinced, that this faſt was no Apoſtolicall inſtitution, nor yet any childe of true antiquity; for if it had, there could not hauehave beene any ſuch variety in the obſeruation thereof.

31. Secondly, their faſt of 4. times, cōmonly called Ember weekes, was firſt deuiſed by Pope Calixtus, as would witnesPolid. Virg. Inuent. l. 6. c. 3 Platina in vita Calixti. fol. 27 Polidore Virgill, if he were not gelded by theſe ſtrange bookpurgers: but though he be ſilent, yet their own Platina telleth aſmuch. Thirdly, their tying of faſts to certaine ſet dayes, as the fourth and ſixt day of the weeke, was not allowed in Saint Auguſtines time; for hee thus writeth againſt Vrbicus, thatAug. epiſt▪ 86 ſtroue for the Saturdayes faſt: I read in deed that wee are commanded to faſt, but which ought to bee the dayes of our faſting, I finde not preſcribed in the Euangelicall or Apoſtolicall writings: nor in his ſcholler Primaſius his age; for thus ſayth he, TherePrimaſ. in Rom. 14 Socrat. l. 5. c. 22Rom 14 is no Law ſet down concerning faſting, but as eueryevery man can or will: nor in Socrates time, who liued about the yeere 440. for hee plainly teſtifieth, that the rites and obſeruations of faſting, were by the Apoſtles left to eueryevery mans free liberty and choyce.

32. Laſtly, their manner of faſting, which is, twice to refreſh their bodies on the faſting day at noone, by a ſmall dinner, and at night by a ſhort ſupper: Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſethBell. de bonis oper. in particul. l. …. c. 2 to bee contrary to the ancient cuſtome, which was, to eate but one meale on the faſt day, and that a ſupper: and p. 393doth alſo giuegive diuers reaſōs of this mutatiō: As firſt, that thogh it bee tolerated in their Church, yet it is not commanded: Secondly, that thoſe cuſtomes which are not grounded vponupon Gods word, may by eccleſiaſticall Lawes bee varyed according to the diuerſity of time & place: & thirdly, that when the ancients broke off their faſt at the ninth houre, they vſed to dyne at the ſixt, that is noone; and therefore when as many doe ordinarily dyne at the third houre, they may by like proportion breake off their faſt at the ſixt: theſe be Bellarmines reaſons to maintaine this Innouation: whereby we may both behold what ſilly props hee hath to vphold his rotten cauſe, and alſo that by his owne confeſſion this is a meere nouelty; and therefore he concludes, that notwithſtanding theſe forenamed reaſons, yet they doe better, who after the ancient cuſtome eate nothing till the ninth houre, and in Lent till the euening. And thus wee ſee how in the principall ceremonies of their Church, they hauehave degenerate from the vſage and cuſtome of all pure antiquity.

33. Thus much of the outward face of their Church: Now let vsus examine a little their doctrines, wherein they differ from vsus, which are the ſinewes and nerues thereof: & here I might referre the Reader ouer vntounto our learned and godly Countryman Doctour White, lately deceaſed, who in his high-way to the true Church, obiecteth eight points, wherein the moderne Church of Rome hath varyed from that which formerly was maintained: notwithſtanding I will alſo a little touch vponupon the ſame ſtrings, adding ſomewhat more both in points and proofes, then is there deliuered▪ that the Reader may hauehave alſo heere ſome ſatisfaction concerning theſe matters.

34. Firſt therefore it is an article of the Romiſh faith, thatConcil. Baſil. ſeſſ. 36 Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 5. & 6 Sixt. 4. c. cum praeexcelſa. Salmer. Ieſuit. Com. in Rom. 5 Diſp. 4…Rom 5 the Virgin Mary, whom wee honour as a bleſſed woman, and the mother of our Lord, was conceiued and borne without the ſtaine of originall ſinne. This doctrine was decreed … an article of faith in the Councill of Baſill, in the yeere 1431. and afterwards was approoued by the Councill of Trent, and by Pope Sixtus the fourth: yea, and all that take any degree in the profeſſion of diuinity in the vniuerſity of Paris, firſt, p. 394ſweare that they will defend this prerogatiue of the Virgin Mary. Now that this is a nouelty, appeareth, firſt becauſe it was not receiued as an article of faith, before the Councill of Baſill: Secondly, becauſe the Fathers generally, either vtterlyChryſ. in Mat. hom. 45. & in Ioh. h…m. 20 Bernard. epiſt. 174 denie it to bee a truth, or at leaſt doubt of it. Saint Chryſoſtome ſ…tly denyeth it. Saint Bernard calleth it in plaine termes, a nouelty. Caietane reckoneth fifteene fathers to hauehave beene of a contrary opinion, others two hundreth, others three hundreth, as witneſſeth Salmeron the Ieſuite; and laſtly,Salm. Ieſ. com. in Rom. 5. diſp. 51 Can. loc. l. 7. c. … & 3 Dom. Bannes. part. 1. in Tho. q 1. art 8. dub. 5 Turrecrem. de conſec. d. 4. nu. 2 Salm. quoſupra. Bell. de amiſſ. grat. & ſtat. pec. l. 4. c. 15Rom 5 Canus peremptorily affirmeth, that all the Fathers contradicted it. And it is to be noted, that whereas Bellarmine produceth twelue Fathers for the proofe thereof, not one of them doe directly affirme it, except one or two. Thirdly, becauſe the Elder Schoolemen with one conſent diſapprooued it, as Dominicus, Bannes, Turrecremata, Thomas Aquinas, Bonauenture and others, in ſo much that in this point they are driuen to this groſſe ſhift That yonger diuines are more apprehenſiue of truths, then were the more ancient Doctours. Bellarmine, I confeſſe, in this point accuſeth vsus of ſlendering their doctrine, becauſe hee ſayth it was neuer held in their Church as an article of ſaith, as wee ſay it is: but by his leaue, if it was the decree of one Councill, though not confirmed by the Pope, as he ſaith the Councill of Baſill was not, and was allowed by another Councill confirmed by the Pope, to wit, the Councill of Trent, as an holy opinion, and agreeable to the Catholike faith, and approued by diuers Popes, as hee confeſſeth, and defended generally in their Church, not onelyonly by doctrine, but by a ſolemne obſeruation of a feſtiuall day in memoriall thereof: then ſurely it cannot bee leſſe then an article of their faith: or if that terme miſlike him, a generall Romiſh opinion, which is enough for our purpoſe.

35. Againe, it is another article of the Romiſh faith, that2. diuine ſeruice ſhould bee in the Latin tongue: this to be contrary to all antiquity, I hauehave already declared a little before, and therefore I thinke it not needfull here to repeate it; onelyonly this is to bee marked, that till the Pope of Rome began to ſhew himſelfe to be Antichriſt, that man of ſinne, the myſtery p. 395of whoſe name is the number 666. which according to Irenaeus coniecture is foreign. Till then (I ſay) this Latine ſeruice was not publikely receiued, but euer ſince; as if the Pope would diſcouer himſelfe to bee that enemy, pointed at byConcil. Trid. ſeſſ. 22. c. 8. & 9 that Prophecy, hee will hauehave all the prayers of the Church to bee Latin, and hath fixed an Anathema vponupon eueryevery one that ſhall dare to affirme the contrary.

36. Againe, it is another doctrine of the Romiſh Religion,3. Index l. prohib. edit. a Concil. Trid. reg. 4. that the Lay people may not read the Scriptures, nor keepe them in their mother tongue: which to bee contrary to the ancient cuſtome of the Church, three reaſons demonſtrate. Firſt, their own confeſſion; for Azorius the Ieſuite confeſſeth,Azor. Ieſ. Inſtit. mor. p. 1. l. 8. c. 26 Bell. de verbo di. l. 2. c. 15 Azor. quo ſupra c. 28 Ledeſ. Ieſ. l. de diuin. ſcrip. c. 31 nu. 4 that the Scriptures in the Primitiue Church were to be publiſhed throughout all nations, and therefore were made common by the three moſt common and famous languages: and againe, Wee confeſſe (ſayth he) that in Ierome and Chryſoſtomes times, the Lay people were exerciſed in reading the Scriptures, becauſe they were written in thoſe languages which they vnderſtood. And Ledeſima another Ieſuite, that the Bible was tranſlated into the Latine tongue preſently after the Apoſtles times, and that to this end, that all might vnderſtand the Scriptures. And Eſpenſaeus ſayth,Eſpenſ. com. in Tit. c. 2Titus 2 that it is manifeſt by the Apoſtles doctrine, Col. 3. 16. and by the practice of the Church, that the publike vſe of reading the Scriptures, was then permitted to the people. And further, that the Iewes inſtructed their children at fiue yeeres of age in the Scriptures, and therefore that Chriſtians might bee aſhamed to be careleſſe therein: and this (hee ſayth) was not onelyonly his complaint, but the complaint of the ancient Fathers. And laſtly, Cornelius Agrippa affirmeth, that it was a decree in the Nicene Councill, Agrippa de vanitate c. 100that no Chriſtian ſhould be without a Bible. Thus we hauehave a quadron of their owne Doctors, acknowledging this to bee a nouelty.

37. Secondly, the generall conſent of the Fathers demonſtrate the ſame: for the Councill of Nice▪ as it is alledged before out of Agrippa decreed, that no Chriſtian ſhould be without a Bible: and Saint Auguſtine alloweth the vſe of the ScripturesEder. O…conom▪ b. bl l. …. p. 52 to all, when hee ſayth, that they are not ſo hard, but that p. 396eueryevery one by his ſtudy and diligence, may attaine to ſo much knowledge in them, as ſhall further him in his ſaluation: and Chryſoſtome in many places exhorteth all, both men and women,Chryſoſt. hom. 3 de Laza…o, & 9 in epiſt. ad Coloſ. & hom. 2. in Mat. & 10. in Ioh. Hierom. in Nahum. c. 3 Idem in Pſal. 86Nah 3Ps 86 learned and ignorant, yea very tradeſmen to get Bibles, and to read them; for though they vnderſtand not what they read, yet they gaine to themſelues ſome ſanctity by the reading of them. And Ierome perſwadeth not onelyonly men, but women, to fly to the mountaines of the Scriptures, ſaying, that though there be none to teach them. yet their indeuour ſhall bee accepted of God: and in another place hee ſayth, that Plato wrote not to the people, but to a few, for ſcarſe three vnderſtand his workes: but Chriſt our Lord wrote by his Apoſtles, not to a few, Orig. in Mat. 4. & contra Celſum.Matt 4but to the whole people. Origen compareth the Scripture to Iacobs Well, wherein drinke not onelyonly Iacob and his children, that is, the learned; but the ſheepe and oxen, that is, the rude and ſimple. Nazianzene affirmeth, that Chriſtians ought to read theNazian. hom. 4 Dom. Epiphan. Scriptures, or if through ignorance they cannot, then they muſt giuegive eare to others. Many other teſtimonies I could alledge; but theſe are I thinke ſufficient to ſhew, that in the age when theſe holy men liued, this doctrine was neuer hatcht, nor heard of, and therefore muſt needs bee an addle egge of a later layer.

38. Thirdly, & laſtly, the manifold tranſlations of the Bibles into ſundry languages proueth the ſame; for to what end were they tranſlated, if they might not bee read? This Saint Auguſtine Aug. de doctrin. Chriſt. l. 2. c. 5affirmeth, when hee ſayth, that the holy Scripture proceeding from one tongue, beeing through the diuers tongues of interpreters, farre and wide diſperſed abroad, became knowne to the Gentiles to their ſaluation. And Theodoret as plainely. The Theod. l. 5. de corrig. Gentium affecti…us.Hebrew bookes were tranſlated into all languages, which are at this day vſed in the world. Chryſoſtome is confeſſed to hauehave tranſlated ſome parts of the Scriptures into the Armenian tongue: and Vlphias into the Gothicke; Charles the fift cauſed them to be tranſlated into the French tongue: and Charles the great into the Germane: & Alfred, king of this Iſland, theGuliel. de Reg: Angliae. Pſalter into the Engliſh tongue: and at this day the Moſcouites, Armenians, Egyptians, & Ethiopians, hauehave their publike p. 397prayers and Scripture in their vulgar and knowne tongues. Now theſe ancient tranſlations doe euidently proue this Romiſh doctrine to bee an Innouation.

39. Againe, it is another doctrine in the Romiſh faith, that4. Concil. Trid. ſcſſ. 24. Caſſand. conſult. art. 23. Turria Ieſuit. de dogmat. charact. l. 2. …quin. 2. 2. q. 88 ar…. 2. Prieſts and Miniſters of the Goſpell ought not to marry, and that marriage is an inſeparable impediment to holy orders: ſome of them moſt groſly affirming, that the vow of ſingle life is ſo eſſentiall to Prieſthood, euen by the Law of God, as that it is no more lawfull for any perſon to permit the Clergy to marry, then to licenſe a man to ſteale. But they which ſpeake more remiſſely, ſay, that though it bee a poſitiue Law; yet it is Apoſtolicall, and therefore ought to bee obſerued in the Church, inuiolably; and the reaſon is giuen by Bellarmine; Bell. de Cler. l. 1. c. 18. & 19.Becauſe great purity and ſanctity is required in the office of ſacrificing, but in the act of marriage, there is mixed a certain impurity and pollution, which though it be not ſinne, yet it proceedeth from ſinne, and maketh a man carnall, and ſo vnfit for diuine offices.

40. This is their doctrine, which to hauehave no ground inGratian. Cauſ. 26. q. 2. Can. Sa…. 5. true antiquity: firſt their own confeſſions beare witneſſe: and ſecondly, the light of hiſtory. For their confeſſions: one of them ſayth, that marriage of Prieſts is not prohibited, either by Legall, Euangelicall, or yet Apoſtolicall authority, but by Eccleſiaſticall onelyonly: another, that many hundreth yeeres after the Apoſtles, Eſpenſ. Com in Tit. c. 1.Titus 1by reaſon of want of others, Prieſts were marryed: another, that if wee exclude the Church Lawes, and ſtand onelyonly to that which wee hauehave from Chriſt, it cannot bee prooued by any reaſon or authority, that ſpeaking abſolutely, a Prieſt ſinneth in Caietan. tom 1. tract. 27. Scot 4. d. 37. Polid Virg. Inuent. l. 5. c. 4. Coſter. E…. pag. 317. Paypus. Index ex…u…g. col. …8. Epiphan. de …. …. res l. 1.marrying, or that holy order is an hinderance to marriage, either as it is an order, or as it is holy: others, that in the moſt ancient times of the Church, and after the Apoſtles deaths, Prieſts had their wiues. And laſtly, their owne gloſſe and marginall obſeruation vponupon the ſame, (though they bee now both made dumbe by their expurging Index) ſpeake aſmuch: for in them we fiude this propoſition: Anciently Prieſts were permitted to marry.

41. For hiſtory, to omit the Prieſts and Prophets of the p. 398old Teſtament: Peter, whoſe ſucceſſours they claime to bee, carryed a wife about with him in his preaching, which was put to death at Antioch, for conſeſſing leſus Chriſt, as witnes both Clemens Alexandrinus, and Euſebius: which writers doClem. Alexand. ſ…m. l 7. Euſch. eccl. hiſt. l. 3. c. 30. Acts 21. 9.Acts 21:9 alſo affirme that Paul had a wiſe alſo, and left her at Philippos, a City of Macedonia, that hee might with leſſe cumbrance, preach the Goſpell abroad. That Philip the Euange liſt was marryed, Saint Luke teſtifyeth in the Acts of the Apoſtles, for it is ſaid there, that he had foure daughters which were Prophetiſſes: thus was it in the firſt age of the Church: then afterwardMantuan. Faſt. l. 1. Nazianz. Mo. nod. Syn…ſ. epiſt. ad Luopt. & Nicepher. l. 14. c. 55. Athanaſ. cpiſt. ad Dracont. Euſch. l. 4. c. 23. Gratian. diſt. 56 Rinius tom. 2. Concil. in vita Gregor. Papirius Maſſo. de Epiſ…. Rom. Platina. Vi…lius. we read, that Hilary a French Biſhop was marryed: and of Saint Baſils Father, that hee was a Biſhop, and in the ſtate of marriage held that function: and the like of Syneſius the Biſhop of P…olomais: and Athanaſius reports that Biſhops and Monks liued marryed, and had children: and Euſebius, that in the Eaſterne Churches it was counted a yoke too heauy to bee borne, to binde Church-men from marriage: yea Gratian boldly affirmeth, that except they will brand ſome of the Popes with baſtardy, and adultery, they muſt confeſſe that Biſhops were and might then bee marryed: for Gregory the firſt was grand-child to Pope Felix the third: and Alexander the ſixt had two ſonnes, begotten of his owne body: and Boniface, Felix, Gelaſius, and Agapetus were all ſonnes of Biſhops: yea their owne Vicelius reckoneth vp a number both of Biſhops and Prieſts, that in the Primitiue Church were marryed. In briefe, though in all ages the Deuill by his inſtruments laboured to bring diſgrace vponupon Gods holy ordinance of marriage, and by that meanes to make way to adulteries, fornications, and vnlawfull luſts; and ſome learned and godly fathers were too lauiſh in commending virginity before marriage; yet they were alwayes gainſaide by other ſome as learned & godly as themſelues, whō God ſtirred vp for the deſence of his own ordinance: neither was it euer propounded as a Law, vntill Pope Siricius time, who was the firſt that forbad, and interdicted Prieſts to marry; and afterwards Pope Nicholas the firſt, or as ſome thinke, the ſecond, about the yeere 867, did the like; againſt whoſe proceedings Haldericus p. 399the Biſhop of Auſbrough, wrote that learned and pithy Epiſtle, where of mention is made before: and yet it was not vniuerſally receiued, vntill the time of Pope Calixtus, about the yeere 1108. Hiſtory is ſo cleare for this matter, that it admitteth no iuſt exception: and thus both by their owne confeſſions, and by the light of hiſtory, this doctrine is conuinced of nouelty.

42. Another article of the Popes Creede is concerning Images,5. Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 25. Bell, de Imag. l. 2 Azor. Inſtit. mor. Ʋaſques. Ieſ. de adorat. lib. to wit, that God himſelfe may bee repreſented by, and worſhipped before an Image; and that the Images of Chriſt and the Saints are to be adored with the ſame worſhip which is due vntounto their p…tternes: or at leaſt wiſe that they are to be worſhipped in or at the Image: This is the generall doctrine of that Idolatrous Church: which that it hath no true warrant from antiquity, is ſo cleare, that none that is but meanely ſeene in ancient writers, can doubt thereof. For firſt, in the Church of the Iewes it was vnlawfull either to make any Image of God, beeing an inuiſible, and incomprehenſible eſſence, or to worſhip the Image of any other thing whatſoeuer: this was the preſcript of the ſecond Commandement, which was no ceremoniall Law: As Azorius and Vaſques, twoAzor. Inſſit. mor. p. 1 l. 9. c. 6. Vaſq. Ieſ. de ad. r. l. 2. d…ſt. 4. c. 4. Bell. de Imeg. l. 2. c. 7. Aug. de ciuit. l. 4 I…ſ…ph. A…tiq. l. 18. c. 2. Ieſuites, hauehave not aſhamed to auerre: but morall and naturall, as the grand Ieſuite Bellarmine confeſſeth, and may be further confirmed by the ſentence of Ʋarro, alledged by Saint Auguſtine in his fourth book de Ciuitate: who ſayth, that the Iewiſh nation worſhipped God without any Image, & that they had no Image in the Temple ordained for worſhip. Alſo Ioſephus doth write, that when Caius the Emperour would hauehave cauſed his ſtatue to hauehave been ſet vp by Petroni…s to be worſhipped in the Temple of Ieruſalem, the Iewes had rather expoſe themſelues to preſent death, then to admit that which was forbidden by the Law.

43 Secondly, in the age of Ieſus Chriſt, and the Apoſtles, there was no precept nor example for the worſhipping of Images, nei. her did they commend vntounto the Lay people Images and Pictures, as fitteſt bookes for their capacities, but the word preached and committed to writing, by which they p. 400ſhould bee brought to ſaluation. And when as they aboliſhed the worſhip of Idols, and brought in the worſhip of the true God, wee doe not read, that either they tranſlated thoſe Idolatrous ſtatues to the worſhip of the true God, or ſubſtituted other Images of God himſelfe, for of holy men to ſucceed in their roome; but taught that God who is a Spirit, ought to bee worſhipped in Spirit and truth. Now ſurely if it had beene ſo neceſſary as the Church of Rome maketh it, our Sauiour Chriſt and his Apoſtles would neuer hauehave concealed it from them.

44. Thirdly, the age alſo after the Apoſtles, was free from Images: for amongſt thoſe Eccleſiaſticall rites, which are recorded to hauehave been vſed in the firſt 300. yeeres after Chriſt, there is not ſo much as any mention made of Image-worship,Theodor. de haereſ. l. 1. except it bee amongſt thoſe that were condemned for Heretikes: as the followers of Simon Magus, who worſhipped his Image, and of his harlot Selene; and the Diſciples of Baſilides, whom Irenaeus affirmeth to hauehave vſed Images, andIren. l. 1. c. 23. Inuocations: and the Carpocratians, and Gnoſticks, who burned incenſe to the Images of Chriſt and Paul, Homer and Pithagoras, &c. as teſtifyeth Saint Auguſtine: but the trueAug. de haereſ. Church of God condemned theſe, and abhorred all ſuch kind of worſhip; and therefore amongſt the accuſations which the Heathen obiected to Chriſtians in that age, this was one, that they profeſſed a Religion without Images, as witneſſe both Clemens Alexandrinus, and Origen; the one whereof liuedClem. Alexand. ſtrom. l 6. Origen. contra Celſum. 200. yeeres after Chriſt, and the other 240. which trueth their Caſſander confeſſeth in direct words, that at the firſt preaching of the Goſpell, there was no publike vſe of Images in the Church.

45. Fourthly, in the next age of the Church, after the three hundreth yeere that Images were not approued, wee hauehave the witneſſe of the Councill of Eliberis, which decreedConcil. El. ber. …n 38. ſolid. Virg. l. 6. …. 13. Origen. contra Celſum. l. 7. that no Image ſhould bee made in the Church, leſt that ſhould be adored which is painted on walles: and of Ierome, who affirmed that it was condemned of all ancient Fathers: and of Origen, who called that worſhip, a fooliſh and adulterous profanation: and p. 401of Epiphanius, who finding a painted Image in a Church, rent it Epiphan. epiſt. ad Ioan.downe, and ſaid that it was againſt the authority of the Scripture, that any Image ſhould bee in the Church: and of Auguſtine, whoAug in Pſal. 114 & epiſt. 119. … Caſſand. conſult. art. 21.Ps 114 condemned the vſe of them in Churches as vnlawfull: and laſtly, of Gregory their owne Pope, who allowing onelyonly an hiſtoricall vſe of them, forbad them to bee worſhipped: as teſtifieth Agrippa. Indeed wee confeſſe that there was in theſeAgrip. de vanit. c. 70. Primitiue times of the Church, an hiſtoricall vſe of Images: as may appeare by that ſtatue of our Sauiour at Ceſarea, mentioned by Euſebius: and the Pictures of Peter and Paul in theEuſeb. l 7. c. 14. ſame author: and of the good ſhepheard ſeeking the loſt ſheepe, painted vponupon their Chalices, in Tertullian. But weeTertul. lib. de pudicitia. ſhall neuer finde in any good author, that either they were receiued into Churches, or worſhipped in any religious manner.

46. Laſtly, it is a knowne and confeſſed truth, that Images were neuer generally receiued & inioyned vponupon the Church, vntill the ſecond Nicene Council which was eight hundreth yeeres after Chriſt: and alſo that the decree of that Councill was abrogated by another Councill held at Frankeford, not long after; ſo that it is manifeſt, that the petigree of this baſtard is of no great continuance, not fetched from the Primitiue Church, which is the thing we hauehave in hand to prooue, but ſpringing vp in the more corrupt times, when ſuperſtition had darkned the light of true Religion, and almoſt baniſhed it out of the world.

47. Another article of their Religion is, that the Pope hath6. a ſupremacy of power ouer all, euen Princes, not onelyonly in ſpirituall matters, but euen in temporall: which to bee a late deuice, not warrantable by true antiquity, may be eaſily demonſtrated. For vponupon thoſe words of Saint Paul, Let eueryevery ſoule Chryſoſt. & Oecumen. in epiſt. ad Rom. c. 13. Aeneas Syluius in geſt. concil. Baſil. Eſpenſ. in tit. c. 3.Rom 13bee ſubiect to the higher powers. Chryſoſtome and Occumenius write thus: That whether it bee a Prieſt, or a Monke, or an Apoſtle, hee muſt bee ſubiect to the ciuill Magiſtrate: for this ſubiection doth not ouerthrow piety: and if an Apoſtle, then the Pope: as Aeneas Siluius who was after a Pope himſelfe, inferreth: yea Eſpenſaeus goeth further, and ſayth, that not onelyonly Chryſoſtome, p. 402but Theodoret, Theophilact, and all the Greeke Doctours: and in the Latine Church, Saint Gregory, and Saint Bernard did from that place teach, that eueryl Apoſtle, and Prophet, and Prieſt, was commanded to acknowledge ſubiection vntounto Emperours. Saint Ambroſe ſayth plainely, thatAmbroſ. orat in Auent. Aug. confeſſ. l. 3. c. 8. the Church lands, and Church men themſelues did pay tribute to the Emperour; and if tribute, then ſubiection: Saint Auguſtine ſayth, that it is generale pactum ſocietatis humanae, abedire Regibus ſuis: The generall couenant and bond of humane ſocietie, to obey Kings. If the Pope then bee a man, by Saint Auguſtines Gregor. l. 2. Indict. 11. c. 100.rule, hee muſt bee ſubiect: yea Gregory the firſt himſelfe auoucheth plainely, that power ouer all men is committed by GOD, Dominorum meorum pietati, to the piety of my Lords: where hee not onelyonly ſubiecteth all, none excepted to the Imperiall power: but alſo calleth the Emperour his Lord: but now the Pope is the Emperours Lord, and not the EmperourBell. de Cleric. c. 28. the Popes, as Bellarmine ſpeaketh without bluſhing, when he ſayth, Non ſunt ampliùs Reges Clericorum ſuperiores, &c. Kings are not any longer ſuperiours to Clerks: and therefore Clerks are not bound to obey them by Gods Law: and thus in generall, the Pope had not this ſupremacy, till Gregories time.

48. For particulars, one part of this ſupremacy is, that the Pope is abſolutely aboue a Councill, which notwithſtandingCuſan. l. 2 concord. c. 17. was condemned by the Councils of Conſtance, and Baſill. And as Cardinall Cuſanus confeſſeth, was not acknowledged in the dayes of Saint Auguſtine: Pope Gregory, and other Fathers and Councils, which liued before the firſt ſix hundreth yeere. Another part is, that appeales ſhould bee made to the Pope from all places, which the Councils of Chalcedon, Africke, Mileri, and Conſtantinople vtterly withſtood and interdicted. A third is, that peculiar caſes of conſcience ſhould bee reſerued to the Popes conſiſtory, which their owne Salmeran confeſſethSalmer. in 1. Pet. 5. diſput. 8.1 Pet 5 to hauehave not beene vſed in the time of Cyprian, who liued two hundreth and fourty yeeres after Chriſt. A fourth is the claime of Inueſtitures, which by conſent of hiſtory wasMalmſ de geſt. Reg. Angl. l. 3. brought in firſt by Pope Hildebrand, as witneſſe Malmſbury, p. 403Nauclerus, Sigibert with others. A fift, authority to depoſeNaucl. 2. geacr. 36. Sigebert, an. 774 Barclau… contra monarch. l. 6. c 26. Eſpenſ. in Tim. l. 2. Plat. Greg. 3. and moleſt Princes, which no Orthodoxall Father for the ſpace of 1000. yeeres, taught or approoued, as ſayth their owne Barclay; and the firſt Pope that practiſed this, was Hildebrand, ſurnamed Gregory the ſeuenth, as witneſſeth Eſpenſaeus; or at the higheſt Gregory the third, who attempted this rebellious practice againſt Les the Emperour, for defacing Images, as Platina confeſleth. A ſixt, a ſupereminent prerogatiue in calling Councils, and diſſoluing the Acts thereof at hisCard. Cuſan. concord. Cathol. l. 2. c. 25. Aenea. Sylu. de geſt. Concil. Baſil fol. 6. Fra. Victor. Relec. 4. pag. 182. Cuſan. concord. Cathol. l. 2. c. 20. Cyp. lib. de vnit. eccleſ. Hieron. ad Euag. tom. 2. pleaſure, both which are notorious nouelties: for the firſt eight generall Councils were called by Chriſtian Emperours, and the decrees of Councils were of ſo ſacred authority, that the better ſort of Popes in the purer times, put great Religiō in changing them, or varying from them in any reſpect: witnes Aeneas Siluius, Victorine, and Cardinall Cuſanus. Laſtly, a ſeuenth, the fountaine of Epiſcopall Iuriſdiction, challenged to reſide in the Pope alone, and from him to bee imparted to other Biſhops at his pleaſure, which was a doctrine not known in Saint Cyprians time, nor in Saint Ieromes as hath beene ſhewed before. In a word there is no colour of antiquity for any part of this tranſcendent Iuriſdiction, and yet the very ſoule and life of Popery conſiſteth therein.

49. Of the ſame ſtampe is their doctrine of receiuing the7. Sacrament vnderunder one kinde, and withholding the cup from the peoples this was firſt decreed by the Council of Conſtance, and afterward eſtabliſhed by the Trent conuenticle, and hath euer ſince beene practiſed in the Church of Rome, vnderunder paine of excommunication. But that it is a groſſe innouation, weeConcil. Conſtant. Seſſ. 13. Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 21. c. 2. Bell. de Eucher. l. 2 c. 24. & 28. Gerſon contra haereſ. com. ſub vtraque ſpec. tom. 1. nu. 17. Lyran. in 1. Cor. 11.1 Cor 11 need no further teſtimony then of the two foreſaid Councils, the one whereof ſayth, that in the Primitiue Church both kinds were receiued, and that this cuſtome of one kinde onelyonly came afterward in: and the other ſtriketh with anathema, all them that ſhall ſay that the Catholike Church hath not altered this cuſtome vponupon iuſt cauſes: by which words it confeſſeth, that there is an alteration of ancient cuſtome; now what the cauſes were of this alteration, I will not here report, let the Reader behold them in Bellarmine, Gerſon and Lyranus, and wonder p. 404that Chriſts ordinance, & the generall cuſtome of the primitiue Church ſhould be altered & annihiled vpō ſo ſleight, friuolous and fooliſh grounds: adde vntounto theſe Councils the wirneſſe of their owne Caſſander, who directly affirmeth, thatCaſſand. conſult. art. 22. this cuſtome of communicating vnderunder one kinde, inuaded not the Latin Church, vntill the yeere of our Lord, 1300. To the ſame purpoſe might bee alledged their owne ancient Lyturgies, the decrees of their owne Popes, and the generall doctrine of their ſchoole, and laſtly, the conſent of Fathers, all which doe moſt clearly proue this doctrine to be a nouelty, if not an hereſie:Lyturg. Mar. pag. 62. Conſlit. Clement. pag. 145. Their Lyturgies are plaine, that the cup was miniſtred to the people, and not appropriated to the Prieſts, as may be ſeene in them: Among their Popes Leo the firſt, Gelaſius, Gregory the great, and Gregory the third, doe all directly conclude the ſame doctrine: yea the laſt of the foure commandeth, thatLeo ſermon▪ quadrag 4. …. de conſecrat. D. 2. C. compe…imus. Gregor. Dialog. l. 4. c. 5. 8. Gregor. 3. in cpiſt. ad Boniface. Durand. Ration. l. 4. c. 53. Biel. in Can. lect. 52. Caietan. in 3. part. Thom. q. 80 art. 12. q. 3. Thom. Aquin. p. 3. q. 80. art. 12. euen Lepers, if they bee Chriſtians, which ſhould not bee admitted to our owne Tables, yet ſhould not bee barred from the participation of the body and blood of Chriſt. For ſchoolmen, Durand, Biell, Caietane, doe with one conſent auouch, that all without exception, were to drinke of the cup; becauſe God is no reſpecter of perſons, and that this cuſtome of communicating with both kindes, indured long in the Church. And whereas Thomas Aquinas ſayth, that to auoid irreuerence it is wiſely obſerued in certaine Churches, that the blood ſhould not be receiued of the people, but of the Prieſts onelyonly. It is to bee marked, firſt, that hee ſayth in certaine Churches, by which he confeſſeth, that it was not vniuerſally receiued in his dayes: and ſecondly, that it is wiſely obſerued, by which hee inſinuates, that before time it was not obſerued, but indiſcreetly neglected.

50. Laſtly, for the Fathers, it would bee too tedious to recite all their teſtimonies, onelyonly therefore I referre the Reader to the places quoted in the margent; or if he deſire to behold at one view all their opinions, to Pleſſeis firſt booke, & tenth Chapter of the Maſſe, where he ſhall finde a whole catalogue of them: I will content my ſelfe with one onelyonly ſaying of Chryſoſtome, in his eighteenth Homily, vponupon the firſt to the p. 405Corinthians, hee thus writeth: Sometime there is no difference Chryſoſt. hom. 18 in 1. Cor.betwixt the Prieſt and the people, as to wit, at the receiuing of the ſacred myſteries; for all are admitted to them alike: for though in the old Teſtament it was not lawfull for the people to eat of the ſame things with the Prieſts: yet the matter is otherwiſe now: for one body, and one cup is propounded vntounto all. This doctrine therefore is an Innouation by the iudgement of all theſe.

51. Tranſubſtantiation commeth in the next place, which8. though they labour tooth and naile to procue to bee of great antiquity; yet we hauehave the teſtimony of Scotus, of Tonſtall, Scot. Script. Oxen. 4. d. 10. 4.and of Biell, who affirme that before the Councill of Lateran, 1. Tonſtal. de verit. corp. & ſang. pag. 46 Bi…l. Canon. lect. 41. Lumbard. l. 4. 9. diſtinct. 2. a. Bell. de Euchar. l. 3. c. 23.which was in the yeere 1215. Tranſubſtantiation was no doctrine of faith, and that it was free for all men, till that time to follow their owne coniecture, as concerning the manner of of the preſence. Lumbard alſo ſayth, that he is not able to define what manner of conuerſion is in the Sacrament: and Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth, that the name tranſubſtantiation, was firſt found out, and brought into the world by the Laterane Councill: though hee labour to proue that the thing it ſelfe was beleeued long before. And thus howſoeuer this baſtard Babe was borne before, yet it is not denyed but that it was then Chriſtened.

52. And how long before was it borne I pray you? Marry Bellarmine alledgeth two Councils, both held at Rome; one vnderunder Nicholas the ſecond: the other vnderunder Gregory the ſeuenth: in both which Berengarius was conſtrained to abiure his hereſie (as he calleth it) and to ſubſcribe to this article, that the bread and wine after conſecration, are changed into the very body and blood of Chriſt: but concerning the Councill, vnderunder Gregory the ſeuenth, wee hauehave iuſt cauſes to doubt whether there were any ſuch or no: firſt, becauſe the acts ofSurius. tom. concil. 3. Benno Card. in vita & geſt. Hild…brandi. Bell. de Euchar. l. 2. c. 2. it are no where to bee ſound; and ſecondly, becauſe the ſame Pope Gregory is reported by Cardinall Benno, to hauehave doubted, whether the opinion of Berengarius, or of the Church of Rome were more ſound: And for the other Councill vnderunder Nicholas the ſecond, Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth, that Berengarius was conſtrained onelyonly to confeſſe the reall preſence p. 406and not tranſubſtantiation, and ſo indeed in both of them, not the manner of the preſence, which is tranſubſtantiation, but the realty thereof was in queſtion: But let it be granted that it was decreed in theſe two Councils, yet the antiquity is not very great, for the eldeſt of them was but in the yeere, 1059.

53. As for the opiniō of the Church, from the firſtage of it, vntill theſe times, thogh Bellarmine produceth many teſtimoniesSee Doctour Morton Proteſtant appeale, l. 2. c. 2. See Doctour white, pag. 347. of the Fathers, yet either they are counterfeit, or little to the purpoſe, or at leaſt wiſe miſapplied & vnderſtood: whereas the teſtimonies of the ſame Fathers, & others produced by vsus againſt this doctrine, are ſo plaine, direct and peremptory, that by no ſound reaſon they can be auoided. I may not ouerburden the Reader with a repetition of them, they may finde thē els-where at large diſcourſed: ſo that thogh the iuſt time cannot bee aſſigned when this errour ſprung in the Church: yet it is a nouell doctrine, borne ſince the purer times of the Goſpell, and growing in ſtature and ſtrength till the Laterane Councill, and then taking it name and full perfection.

54. Their priuate Maſſes may be ranked in the next place,9. I meane ſuch priuate Maſſes, wherein the Prieſt alone doth participate the Sacrament without the people. This is a doctrine and practice in the Church of Rome, as may appeareConcil Trid. ſeſſ. 6. c. 6. can. 8. Bell. de iniſſa. l. 2. c. 9. both in the Councill of Trent, where it is approoued for Catholike and lawfull: and in Bellarmine, and others, which hauehave their mouthes full of arguments to defend the ſame: but I will not meddle with their arguments, onelyonly my taske is to prooue it to bee a nouelty; which I may well doe by theſe three reaſons: Firſt, becauſe it is contrary to our Sauiours firſt inſtitution: Secondly, to the writing and practiſing of the Apoſtles: and thirdly, to the example of the Primitiue Church. That it is contrary to Chriſts firſt inſtitution, it is euident, becauſe Chriſt at his laſt Supper did not take the bread and wine alone, his Apoſtles beholding, and looking on, and conſecrate them, and ſo eat and drinke them himſelfe, but gaue both the Elements vntounto them all, and bade them eat and p. 407drinke them in remembrance of him: this was the firſt inſtitution of the Sacrament, which ought to be a patterne to the Church of God for euer. But Bellarmine ſayth, that it was butBell. de miſſa. l. 2. c. 10. an affirmatiue precept of our Sauiour, & therefore did bind no further then the circumſtance of time, place and perſon would permit; and that to communicate in the Sacrament, was no eſſentiall part thereof; and therefore might bee omitted vponupon occaſion. To which I anſwere, that though it bee falſe which hee ſayth, touching communicating in the Sacrament, that it is no eſſentiall part thereof: for the contrary may be prooued both by Scripture, which calleth the whole Sacrament a Communion, 1. Cor. 10. and by analogy of the Paſſeouer in the Law, which was to bee eaten of all: & by the confeſſion of their owne learned Schooleman Gabriel Piel, who ſayth,Gabriel Biel. in Canon. lect. 26. tit. …. that the conſecration in the Euchariſt is ordained for the vſe, which is, the eating of it, as vntounto the next end after a ſort: yet it is ſufficient for our purpoſe, that he confeſſeth that it is a variation from the firſt inſtitution, and therefore without queſtion an Innouation.

55. Secondly, that it is contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Apoſtles, appeareth by this, becauſe the Apoſtle Saint Paul ſometimes calleth the miniſtration of the Sacrament, a breaking of bread, and that through houſholds. By whichActs 2. 46.Acts 2:46 is neceſſarily inſinuated a diſtribution and diſpenſation of it1. Cor. 10. 16.1 Cor 10:16 to others, beſides the Prieſt: Sometimes the communion or communication of the body and blood of Chriſt. Yea the Apoſtle ſayth plainly, that wee that are many, are one bread, and one body; becauſe wee are partakers of one bread; but if it bee priuate, then there is no communion, neither are there many, and neither is the bread which is made of many graines of corne, nor the wine cruſhed out of many grapes, a repreſentation of the myſticall body of Chriſt, (as all diuines confeſſe) aſwell as of the naturall: if there bee no myſticall body, that is, no Congregation to participate. Laſtly, Chryſoſtome writingBiel. ibidem. vponupon 1. Cor. 11. ſayth, that this was the fault which the Apoſtle blameth in the Corinthians, becauſe they made that p. 408priuate which was the Lords: for the Supper of the Lord (ſayth hee) ought to bee common.

56. Thirdly, what the example of the Primitiue Church was after the Apoſtles, the ancient Lyturgies then in vſe doe declare: in none of which can wee finde any colour for this practice: which euidence cauſed iudicious Caſſander to confeſſeCaſſand. conſult. art. 24. that ſolitary Maſſes are moſt manifeſtly confuted by the ancient Greeke Lyturgies: and that which hee ſayth of the Greeke, may bee iuſtly auerred of all the other ancient miſſals, that were in vſe of the Church, and are extant in the writings of the Fathers, as Chryſoſtomes, Ambroſes, Gregories, and ſuch like: yea the Canon of the Romiſh maſſe it ſelfe is againſt this errour: for it is ſaid there: As many of vsus hauehave beene partakers: and Bleſſe O Lord theſe Sacraments to vsus, which wee hauehave receiued. Now how can this bee ſaid without mockage, when there is none preſent but the Prieſt.

57. But beſides thoſe Lyturgies, wee hauehave the plaine teſtimonies of ancient Fathers: one Chryſoſtome for breuities ſakeChryſoſt. hom. 3. in Epheſ. c. 1.Eph 1 ſhall ſtand inſteed of all: hee thus propoundeth the cuſtome of the Church in his time: The dayly oblation (ſayth he) is made in vaine, when there is none to participate: and again, Whoſoeuer is not partaker of the myſteries, ſtand by as a fooliſh and wicked man. This is flat contrary to the Romiſh practice, where the Prieſt maſſeth alone, & the people kneele, by knocking, their breſts, and lifting vp their eyes to their breaden God: you ſee then there was no ſuch cuſtome in Chryſoſtomes time: and this further may bee confirmed by the tenth Canon of thoſe that are called Apoſtolicall, which doth forbid any to be preſent, but ſuch as doe communicate; ſaying, that they are diſturbers of the order of the Church: the ſame Canon alſo isBell. de miſſ. l. 2. c. 10. Humbert. contra …b…l. Nica…. Monachi. Eraſm. de concerd. Eccleſ. Caſſand. conſult. art. 24. repeated and confirmed in the Councill of Antioch, cap. 2. And in the Councill Nax…tenſe, it is ſaid, that it is a ridiculous thing to murmure to the walles, that which ſhould belong to the people. Bellarmine himſelfe acknowledgeth, that it is a more perfect and lawfull Maſſe, where communicants are preſent, then where they are abſent: & ſo doth Cardinal Humbertus and Walaſred; all which laide together cauſed Eraſmus and Caſſander p. 409in expreſſe words to affirme this practice to bee a nouelty, not inſtituted by Chriſt, nor vſed either in the Apoſtles times, or in the Primitiue Church.

58. The next point may bee touching the ſacrifice in the10… Maſſe, for they teach, that there is offered vp by the Prieſt a true reall propitiatory ſacrifice for the quick and the dead: this is the direct doctrine of the Romiſh Church, canonized in the Councill of Trent: which doctrine how true it is, I willConcil. Trid. ſeſſ. 6. can. 3… not diſpute, onelyonly I am to ſhew how new it is, which may appeare: firſt, in that throughout all the new Teſtament, where there is any mentiō made of the Lords ſupper, there is not one word ſpoken of a ſacrifice: for neither doth our Sauiour himſelfe ſay, that hee offered a ſacrifice, when he firſt inſtituted it, neither doth Saint Paul call it by that name, when hee deliuers the full doctrine thereof to the Corinthians: neither doth Saint Luke affirme, that the Apoſtles offered a ſacrifice, when they put it in practice; but onelyonly that they broke bread from houſe to houſe: now if this had beene ſo eſſentiall a part of the Euchariſt, as the Romaniſts make it, yea if it had beene any part at all, our Sauiour Chriſt and his Apoſtles, would neuer hauehave concealed it from the Church.

59. If they obiect, that though a ſacrifice bee not mentioned, yet it was acted both becauſe Melchizedek was a type of Chriſt, and he offered bread and wine, and alſo becauſe theſe words, Hoc facite, Doe this: aſmuch as Sacrificate, ſacrifice: I anſwere, that neither did Melchizedek offer bread and wine; but brought it foorth onelyonly to the refreſhing of Abraham, and his fellowers; as the Chaldy Paraphraſe, the Greeke interpretours. Ioſephus, Cyprian, and Chryſoſtome doe interpret the place; and the words themſelues in the originall, doe import: neither doth the verbe facere ſignifie to ſacrifice in that place, ſeeing as eueryevery ſchoole-boy knoweth, then it ſhould bee conſtrued with an Ablatiue, and not with an Accuſatiue caſe, as heere it is: and this they themſelues doe euidently prooue, when they cannot agree among themſelues, in which action of the Sacrament conſiſteth the eſſence, and perfection of this ſacrifice: whether in the eleuation, which p. 410Sotus thought to belong vntounto it: or in the conſecration, as Suares; or in the oblation, as Ecchius; or in the intinction, as Canus; or in the diſpenſation and diſtribution, as others; or in the conſumption, as Bellarmine, and Ledeſima: and ſo they know not where to fixe the center thereof, hauing indeed no footing in the whole circle of our Sauiours example.

60. And as for the word foreign vſed by Saint Luke, Acts 13. 2.Acts 13:2it ſignifieth no more but Sacra adminiſtratio, the performance of holy duties, or the ſeruing of God in any ſort of religiousOccumen. ln loc. Chryſoſt. ibid. h…. 37. S…us ibid. Ly…an. ibid. Dionyſ. Carth…ſ. ibid. Ca…etan. ibid. Suidas in Lexico worſhip, as the Fathers doe all interpret the place: and not to offer a ſacrifice, as Eraſmus tranſlates it; or to ſay Maſſe, as our Rhemiſts would interpret it; for then the Angels ſhould ſay Maſſe in Heauen, becauſe they are ſaid foreign Heb. 1. which ſome of them are not aſhamed to ſay they doe: but I beleeue it all alike, as I doe that tale in their Legend of Bees, ſinging Maſſe in their Hyue about the hoſte, put in by 2 woman, to make her ſwarmes to thriue. Againe, of the like nature is that fond concluſion of Genebrard, who becauſe byGenebrard. in Lyturg. Apoſtol. c. 7. Leuit. 23. 16.Lev 23:16 the Leuitical Law God cōmanded Cakes of new corne to be offered vpō the day of Pentecoſt, which is there called, A new offering: therefore the Apoſtles ſung the firſt Maſſe vponupon that great day of Pentecoſt, Act. 2. and that Iames being Biſhop of Hieruſalem, was the chiefe actour therein. This is ſo groſſe, that it needs no refutation; and it ſheweth plainely the point I ayme at, that there is no colour for their Maſſe in the new Teſtament, ſeeing they are conſtrained to fetch it out of the old, eſpecially by ſo ridiculous and ſtrange a deduction.

61. Secondly, if wee conſult with the primitiue and pure antiquity, wee ſhall neuer finde any iuſt teſtimony for the Romiſh propitiatory ſacrifice, for the expiating, and purging away of ſinnes: for albeit the Fathers doe often call this Sacrament a ſacrifice, yet their meaning is not that it is a true, proper, and reall ſacrifice, but onelyonly either a commemoration, and repreſentation of the ſacrifice of Chriſt, finiſhed on the Croſſe, or an application, and obſignation of the ſame to the faithfull receiuers: which to bee their intendment, may p. 411be gathered, firſt, from their owne teſtimonies, which are ſo cleare and direct, that I ſhall not need, ſaue to referre the Reader to the places quoted in the margent. And ſecondly, byChryſoſt. hom 17 ad Heb…os. Theophilact. in 10. ad Heb…os. Aug. in lib. ſent. proſper. Idem de ſide ad Petrum, c. 18. Idem de ciuit. l. 10. Lumbard. lib. 4. diſtinct. 12. Lumbard their prime Schooleman, and profeſt Epitomizer of the Fathers, eſpecially of Saint Auguſtine, who ſayth expreſly, that that which is offered and conſecrated by the Prieſt, is called a ſacrifice and oblation, becauſe it is a commemoration and repreſentation of the true ſacrifice, made vponupon the altar of the Croſſe. And thirdly, by their conſtant aſcription to the ſole ſacrifice of Chriſt, the onelyonly power of propitiation and ſatisfaction for ſinnes: which if it be true, then when they call the Maſſe, A propitiatory ſacrifice, they muſt of neceſſity vnderſtand not a reall ſacrifice, but onelyonly a repreſentation, and application of that onelyonly true ſacrifice on the Croſſe, beſides which there is no other externall and corporall ſacrifice inLactant. epitom. diumor. I…t. the new Teſtament: as Lactantius plainely witneſſeth, when hee ſayth, that thoſe things which are wrought by the fingers, or done without a man, are not true ſacrifices.

62. Laſtly, if it bee granted, that many of the ancients did ſpeake of a proper and true ſacrifice, yet the theatricall pageant of the Romiſh Maſſe cannot bee vnderſtood by them, both becauſe in the ancient deſcription of the rites and orders of the Church, found in Iuſtine Martyr, Dionyſius, Chryſoſtome, Durand. l. 4. c. 1. Walaſred. de reb. eccleſ. c. 22. Platin. vita Sixti. 1. Rupert. de diuin. …ſſic. l. 2. c. 2.Auguſtine, and others, no ſuch hiſtrionicall repreſentation in ceremonies, geſtures, words, and acts is to be ſeene; and alſo becauſe the Romiſh Doctours themſelues confeſſe, that the rites and ceremonies therein vſed, were not in the Apoſtles times, but crept in by little and little, and were patcht together at diuers times, and by diuers perſons, as their fancies led them: now the ſinewes of the Maſſe conſiſteth in theſe; and therefore, theſe beeing confeſſed nouelties, how is it likely that the thing it ſelfe ſhould be of a different nature?

63. The fire of Romiſh Purgatory is a bird of the ſame11. feather, it was neither kindled in the Scriptures, neither is it found in ancient Councils, or in the writers of the Primitiue Church: nor yet in thoſe that next ſucceeded the age therof. I vnderſtand here Romiſh Purgatory, to wit, ſuch as is taught p. 412& maintained in the Church of Rome at this day, as an articleGreg. Ʋalent. lib. de Purgat. Bell. de Purgat. l. 1. c. 3. Concil. Trid. Seſſ. ſub Pio 4. of faith, and is thus deſcribed: A fire of hell adioyning to the place of the damned, wherein the ſoules of the faithfull departing in the guilt of veniall ſinnes, or for the more full ſatisfaction of mortall ſinnes already remitted, are tormented: which is nothing differing from the puniſhment of the damned, in reſpect of the extremity of the paine, but onelyonly in reſpect of continuance of time: the confeſſion of this Purgatory (ſayth Bellarmine) is a part of the Catholike faith, and it is decreed by the Council of Trent, to the ſame purpoſe.

64. Concerning this Purgatory, if wee conſult with the places of the ſcripture, alledged by them for the maintenance thereof, wee ſhall find them either friuolouſly, or falſly produced: for either they are allegories, which can affoord no ſtrong concluſion in reaſoning: or they are vtterly of another ſenſe, except they bee wrung and ſtretched beyond their …ether, which to bee true may appeare; Firſt, becauſe none of them directly ſay, that there is a Purgatory: ſecondly, the conſequence extracted from thē, is of ſo ambiguous an Interpretation, that if one interpreter conceiue them that way, two are of a contrary iudgment: thirdly, becauſe they croſſe one anotherIanſen. concord. in locum. Suarez tom. 4. in Thom. diſput. 45 Maldon. in loc. Perer. in Gen. 6. 13.Gen 6:13 in the Interpretation of them, as for example, Bellarmine obiects, Mat. 5. 25. which Ianſenius interprets cleane in another ſenſe, ſo Mat. 5. 22. produced by Bellarmine, is confuted by Suarez, and Maldonate, ſo 1. Cor. 3. 2. is not vnderſtood of Purgatory, by Pererius, and ſo of all the reſt: now how can an article of faith bee built out of theſe texts, when neither the words themſelues doe plainly affirme it, nor by neceſſary conſequence either in the opinion of Fathers, or ioynt iudgement of their owne Doctours, it can bee deduced from them: and thus there is no fewell for this fire to bee found in Scripture diuine.Nazian. in laud. Caeſar. Ambroſ. de obitu Theodo…. & Valentinii. Aug. confeſſ. l. 9. c. 13.

65. Touching Councils it is to be noted, firſt, that the ancienteſt Councill, which is alledged for the proofe hereof, is the third Councill of Carthage, which was about the yeere, 398. Secondly, the moſt of them ſpeake not of Purgatory, but of prayer for the dead, which might bee done, and was done, p. 413without any conceit of Purgatory: for they prayed for them of whoſe preſent poſſeſſion of Heauen, they doubted not, as hath beene ſhewed before. Thirdly, that the firſt Councils alledged to mention Purgatory, and decree it for a doctrineBell. de Purgat. l. 1. c. 5. of faith; were the Laterane vnderunder Innocent the third, the Flore…tine vnderunder Eugenius the fourth, and the Tridentine vnderunder Pius the fourth, in the yeere 1563. and this ſheweth directly, and from their own confeſſion, that it is an article of no great antiquity.

66. Laſtly, concerning the Fathers it cannot bee denyed, but that many of them ſpeake of a purging fire: but it is to be obſerued in them, that they moſt of them, intended not theHeb. cap. 6.Heb 6 Romiſh Purgatory; but the fire of the day of Doome, as the teſtimonies of Baſill, Ambroſe, Hilary, Origen, Lactantius, and Ierome, all alledged by Bellarmine doe euince, if wee will either examine them, by the contexts of the places themſelues, or giuegive credit to their owne Doctors, ſo expounding them; orƲide Doctour Morton Proteſtant appeale, l. 1. c. 2. pag. 17. to Bellarmine himſelfe, who in diuers places croſſeth himſelfe, and yeeldeth aſmuch as wee auouch: Beſides it is to bee obſerued, that many of the Fathers ſuppoſed that the Saints departed, did neither receiue reward nor puniſhment till the laſt day, but were kept in certaine hidden receptacles till that time: and therefore they could not dreame of Purgatory, which is an intermediall puniſhment, ending at the day of iudgement. Of this opinion were Irenaeus, Iuſtine Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, Lactantius, Clements, & many others of the greateſt ancients. Againe, it is to bee obſerued, that Auguſtine, whom they challenge for the greateſt patrone of this fire, yet defineth nothing determinately of it, but ſpeaketh doubtingly, and problematically; and if he affirme it in ſome one place, he leaueth it in ſuſpenſe in others, and vtterly denyeth it in a third: as for example, in his Enchiriden he ſpeaketh10. Aug. Enchir. c. 69. Idem de verbis Apoſt. ſerm. 18. thus waueringly: Such a thing is not incredible to bee after this life, but whether it be or no, it may be doubted: and in a ſermon hee ſeemeth vtterly to deny it, when hee ſayth: There are two places, and there is not a third, we are ignorant of a third, yea we finde in the Scripture that there is none ſuch. Againe, it p. 414is to bee obſerued, that thoſe Fathers which doe patronize this Purgatory, yet propound it not as an article of faith, but as a free opinion to bee receiued or contradicted, as men thought good, or ſaw reaſon; and theſe alſo were none of the moſt ancient: For Bellarmine climmeth no higher for it, then to Athanaſius Baſill, and Gregory Nazianzene: for as for Dyoniſius, all knew him to bee a counterfeit; but thoſe liued after the age of the Primitiue Church: as for thoſe Fathers which liued in thoſe purer times, there is not a ſillable found in them for the defence thereof. Laſtly, it is not to bee forgotten, that their owne Roffenſis doth auerre, that whoſeeuer… Roſſenſ. art. 18. contra Luther. ſhall read the Greeke Fathers, ſhall finde none, or very rare mention of Purgatory; and that all the Latine Fathers, did not at the firſt apprehend it: and that it was not a long time vniuerſally beleeued in the Church, but came in by little and little. Theſe things laide together, doe demonſtratiuely ſhew, that Romiſh Purgatory, was not an article of faith in the Primitiue Church, but a late deuice, brought in by a vaine feare, and falſe and lying apparitions, and maintained euer after by the ſmell of gaine and profit, which …accreweth thereby to the Popes purſe, and for the maintenance of his pompe and pride, which otherwiſe would ſoone fall to the ground.

67. Laſtly, to tye vp for breuities ſake many points in one12. bundle, prayer for the dead, as it is vſed in the Church of Rome, hath no ground of antiquity: For though it cannot be denyed, but that it hath beene an ancient cuſtome in the Church, and frequently vſed by the ancient Farthers, yet their manner of praying was not of that nature, as it is now in the Romiſh Synagogue: For firſt the Ancients prayed for thoſe whom they were perſwaded to bee already in bliſſe, as hath beene formerly declared: but the Romaniſts ſay, that ſuchBell. de Purgat. l. 2. c. 18. prayers are auaileable onelyonly for ſoules tormented in the fire of Purgatory, and that wee may not pray either for the bleſſed, or the damned. Secondly, many of the Ancients ſuppoſe that all ſoules were reſerued in a certaine ſecret place, from the preſence of God, which they called Abrahams boſome, p. 415Paradiſe, the port of ſecurity, the outward court of Heauen, &c. And therefore could not pray for their deliuerance from Purgatory, as the Romaniſts doe. Thirdly, when the Ancients did pray for the Saints departed, they did it (as Bellarmine Ibidem.confeſſeth) not in regard of any miſery wherein their ſoules were, but for the glorifying of their bodies in the day of the generall reſurrection: but the Romiſh prayers are onelyonly for thoſe that are in paines, that they might bee deliuered. Laſtly, the Ancients ſpeake of the matter doubtfully; as SaintAug. de ciuitat. l. 21. c. 27. Auguſtine, with a peraduenture, and as of a laudable cuſtome receiued in the Church, but not as a doctrine of abſolute neceſſity: but the Romaniſts obtrude it as an article of faith, and call them Heretikes that deny the ſame: and therefore though in generall, prayer for the dead bee ancient, yet Romiſh prayer is an Innouation declining from antiquity, both in the obiect and ſubiect, manner and end.

68. So auricular confeſſion is of like nature with the former:13. For we confeſſe that confeſſion was ancient, but Auricular Romiſh confeſſion is but a late vpſtart, both in reſpect of the abſolute neceſſity of it, which was brought in by Pope Innocent the third, beeing before accounted but onelyonly profitable, and not neceſſary, as in the Councill of Cabilon: ſecondly,Synod. Cabilon. 2 c. 3…. Maldonat. Sum. q. 20. art. 1. in reſpect of the priuateneſſe; for Maldonate a Ieſuite confeſſeth, that for a long time in the Primitine Church, there was none but publike confeſſion: thirdly, in reſpect of the exact enumeration of all finnes, with the circumſtances, which implyeth an impoſſibility: for their owne Rhenanus confeſſeth, thatRhenan. Argum. in Tertul. de p… nitent. this is a deuteroſis, or late inuention of the Schoolemen: neither indeed can a patterne bee giuen of it in all antiquity: And laſtly, in reſpect of the merite, which by the Church of Rome, i… aſcribed to the very act done thereof, of which there is not the leaſt mention in any of the Ancients: In a word what need wee ſeeke further, ſeeing wee hauehave the free confeſſion of their Gloſſe vponupon Gratian, who affirmeth, that this auriculaer confeſſion is more truely ſaide to hauehave beene ordained by a tradition of the Church, then by any authority, either of the old or new Teſtament.

p. 41669. So the exact number of ſeuen Sacraments, which is an14. Bulla p…i quart. pro forma Iuramenti, annexed to the Councill of Trent. Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 7. can. 1. Suarez Ieſ. tom: 3. diſput. 12. ſect. 1. Caſſand. conſult. art. 13. article of the Trentiſh Creede, fortifyed with the greateſt curſe againſt all that ſhall ſay, that there are either more or fewer, is indirectly confeſſed to bee a nouelty, by the Ieſuite Suarez; for hee ſayth, that the Council of Florence did but inſinuate this truth, and the Councill of Trent did expreſſely define it, by which it is euident, that it was but an inſinuation, in the Councill of Florence, and no article of faith, till the Councill of Trent, and therefore an Innouation: And directly by Caſſander, who ſayth, that vntill the dayes of Peter Lumbard, wee ſhall ſcarce finde any author, who ſet downe a certaine and definite number of Sacraments: and to put the matter out of doubt, it is confeſſed that this truth, (as they call it) is not found in the Scripture, but founded vponupon Eccleſiaſticall tradition:Suarez. quo ſupra. Bell. l. 2. c. 24. And although Bellarmine laboureth to prooue out of Scripture, them ſeuen, & none els to be properly Sacraments, yet it is with as euill ſucceſſe, as Tyraboſco the Patriarke of Ʋenice, did extract the iuſt number of ſeuen, from the miracle of fiue loaues, and two fiſhes: For firſt his owne Pew-fellowesDurand. in 4. diſt. 26. q 3. Bonauent. in 4. diſt. 3. art. 2. Gregor. de Valent. de num ſacram. ap. 3. Caſſand. conſult. art. 13. diſclaime, ſome one, ſome another of them; as Durand: doth Matrimony to bee properly a Sacrament, becauſe it hath not the vertue of conferring grace: and Bonauenture, extreame vnction to bee inſtituted by Chriſt: and Aleuſis, and Hol…ot, did the like, touching confirmation, and alſo becauſe his proofes are ſo friuolous oftentimes, that a recitation of them is a ſufficient refutation: as for example, to prooue that there is a promiſe of ſauing grace, in the conferring of orders, he alledgeth 1. Tim. 4. 14. and 2. Tim. 1. 6. where Timothy is charged and admoniſhed, not to neglect, but to ſtir vp the grace that was in him, which was giuen to him by prophecy, with the impoſition of hands of the Elderſhip. Here indeed is grace giuen to Timothy at his ordination: but firſt, it could not bee ſauing grace, becauſe hee was before that conuerted, and beleeued, as it appeareth, Acts 16. but rather is to bee thought to bee the extraordinary gift of the holy Ghoſt, as Saint Paul plainly inſinuateth, 2. Tim. 1. And ſecondly, though it ſhould bee ſauing grace, yet it is not promiſed to all others, though it p. 417were then giuen to Timotheus, neither were all that receiued holy orders, partakers thereof: for then Nicholas the Deacon ſhould hauehave beene ſanctified being an hypocrite. Who ſeeth no… then now weakely hee hath prooued this to bee a Sacrament out of holy Scriptures; and this may ſeeme for a taſte of the reſt of his proofes, which are moſt of them of the like nature.

70. Againe, the doctrine of Indulgences, to wit, that the15. Pope hath power out of the Churches treaſury, to grant relaxation from temporall puniſhment, either heere, or in Purgatory,Antonin part. 1. Sum …it. 10 c 3. Agrippa de vanuat c. 61. Roffenſ. in artic. 28. Luther. Caiet. tract. de Indulg. c. 1. Alphonſ. haereſ. verbo Indulg. is ſo new an article, that diuers of their own Doctors, doe confeſſe, that there is not any one teſtimony for proofe thereof, either in Scriptures, or in the writings of ancient Fathers, but that the firſt that put them in practice in that manner, as they are now vſed, was Pope Boniface the eight, anno 1300. neither could they bee any older then Purgatory, being extracted from the flames thereof: which hath beene already prooued to bee a meere nouell inuention: ſo that the child cannot be old, when as the Father is not gray-headed; and that the matter may bee without contradiction; reade Burchardus, who liued about the yeare of our Lord, 1020. And Gratian, and Peter Lumbard that came after, who all ſpeake of ſatisfaction and penance, and commutation, and relaxation of penance, but yet hauehave not a word of theſe Romiſh Indulgences: whereas if they had beene then extant, they would neuer hauehave paſſed them ouer in ſilence, eſpecially in the diſcourſing vponupon theſe points, whereupon they hauehave their neceſſary dependance.16. Viega de iuſtific. l. … ▪ c. 8. Bel. de liber. Arbit. l. 6. c. 5. Staplet. prompt: fer. 5. …o…. pa…ſ. Ambroſ. ſuper Pſal. 118. ſer. 20 Aug. confeſſ l. 9. c. 13. & in Pſal. 142.Ps 118Ps 142

71. Laſt of all, their doctrine, touching merite of workes, may bee branded with the ſame marke. For firſt, though the word merite bee often vſed by the Fathers, yet ordinarily it is not taken in that ſenſe, which the Romaniſts vſe it in, as witneſſe both Bellarmine, and Ʋiega, and Stapleton: and if they did not, yet manifold examples out of their owne writings, would prooue to be true: Secondly, the full ſtreame of their doctrine doth make againſt the proud conceit of merite: for they aſcribe all to Gods mercy, and Chriſts merits, eſteeming p. 418their owne beſt workings and ſufferings, vnworthy of the euerlaſtingCyprian martyr. Hieronym. eteſiph. Gregor. l 1. hom. 11. ſuper Ezech. Bernard. epiſt. 310. and celeſtiall reward: they neuer dreamt of that ambitious doctrine, taught in the Church of Rome, that our good workes are abſolutely good, and truely, and properly meritorious, and fully worthy of eternall life. Let their books be viewed, and nothing can bee more apparantly cleare then this is. Thirdly, the termes of congruity, and condignity, were deuiſed but of late dayes, by the ſubtill Schoolemen, who notwithſtanding could not agree among themſelues, touching the true definition & diſtinctiō of their own books, by whichViega de meritis, q 7. pag. 816. Bell. de iuſtif. lib. 2. cap. 1. Waldenſis ſacramental. tit. 1. c. 7 it appeareth, that it was not then any Catholike or vniuerſall truth. Laſtly, their owne Doctours terme the merite of congruity, a new inuention, and that other of condignity, no Catholike nor ancient doctrine, and the whole doctrine of meriting, to hauehave beene firſt made an article of faith, by the Councill of Trent: all which laide together, prooue it moſt clearely to bee of no great ſtanding, nor they of any vnderſtanding that were the firſt forgers and deuiſers thereof.

72. Thus wee hauehave ſixteene points, wherein the new RomiſhConcluſion. Religion hath degenerated from all pure antiquity, to which many more might bee added, but theſe are ſufficient to euince our concluſion, which is this, that ſeeing the Romiſh Church hath neither in matter nor forme, ſubſtance nor accidents, any ſure ground, either from Scripture, or the doctrine of the Primitiue Church; but is vtterly vnlike to it in many ſubſtantiall reſpects; therefore it cannot bee the true Church of God, but an harlot in her ſtead: and their Religion not of God, but of men; and conſequently, that wee in declining from them, and conforming our ſelues, both in doctrine and manners, to the Primitiue patterne, are not fallen from the Church, but to the Church, and that theirs is the new Religion, and not ours. And thus wee ſee what all their bragges and clamours, touching the antiquity of their Religion, and the nouelty of ours come vntounto; ſeeing there is no one thing more pregnant, to prooue the falſhood of their Religion, and the Apoſtacy, and Antichriſtianity of their Church, then this is. And to conclude, as wee would thinke him not well in his p. 419wits, that hauing beene long ſicke, and after regained health, ſhould ſay, that ſicknes was more ancient then health, whereas he ſhould rather ſay, that hee had recouered his old health, & that his new Inmate ſickneſſe was diſpoſſeſſed of his lodging, though it had kept it long; ſo in all reaſon it is madneſſe to thinke the reformation of the Church, and reducing of Chriſtian Religion to the ancient health to bee more nouell and new, then the horrible ſickneſſe and apoſtacy, wherewith it was long, not onelyonly infected, but almoſt ouer-whelmed. And this is iuſt our caſe with the Church of Rome, but I leaue them to bee healed by the heauenly Phiſitian himſelfe, Ieſus Chriſt our Sauiour, whoſe wholeſome Phyſicke muſt cure them, or nothing will.