Abrahams Faith — Josias Nichols

Abrahams Faith · Josias Nichols

CHAP. IIII. Of the original of poperie. Wherein is declared, 1. that by the precedent Chapters it may appeare to be of a late birth. 2. That neither the difference oſ calculation in ſtories, nor forging of writinges nor managing of good authors doo hinder the knowledge of their new birth. 3. Their owne toongs and traditions proue poperie new. 4. Many particulers are rehearſed out of popiſh authors, and the former counſels. 5. Fiue foundamentall points more largelie examined by antiquitie. 6. The latter ouergrowing, and lopping, and dailie now ſprowting of poperie. 7. That popery is not yet a perfect bodie of his fulſhape proportion and members.

NOw am I come to the ariſing of poperie, how it therein agreeth with hereſie. For if it may be plainly and directly ſhewed, how poperie had his beginning (both in regard of the author thereof, and of the time wherein it bread and came forth) diuerſe and a diſagreeing and ſeperate from the true religion, whoſe authoritie and time came from God: & that it is of a later generation and off-ſpring: then euerie wiſe chriſtian, will readily ſee and acknowledge, that it is borne in theſe laſt times, with other filthie hereſies, and that it cannot be the true ancient & catholike religion: but new borne and late vpſtarted ſuperſtitious and counterfeit like asa1. King. 3.16. ſhe that pleded for her ſelfe to be mother of the liue child, was foūd by wiſe Salomon, to be in deed the mother of the dead child. And this by gods grace I doubt not but to make manifeſt, to eueryevery honeſt man, who wil not wilfully blind his eies againſt the knowne truth. And this I may ſo much the more boldlie affirme, becauſe that vntounto him that marketh it well, it doth alreadie ſufficientlie and plainely appeare, by that which is written before. And that by foure arguments of great demonſtration, in my conſcience. Firſt becauſe that the true religion is the ſame which is now in England, and this is proued to hauehave beene from the beginning of the worlde by Gods ordinance ſet foorth in holie Scripture, and becauſe by the learned men of this lande it is euidently taught and defended in the chiefe and maine heads thereof, out of the fathers for 600. yeeres after Chriſtes incarnation, and by hiſtorie knowne to hauehave remained in the greeke church, and in diuers partes of the weſt till our time. Secondly becauſe the religion of Rome is directly contrarie and diſagreeing thereunto. And thirdly that they follow not the doctrine, taught by Saint Paul and Peter, and laſtlie that they agree with the heretikes of the primatiue Church, and be as it were compact of many hereſies which ſprang vp in the firſt 600. yeeres, which foure thinges being apparant in the former Chapters of this booke, there needeth no more to proue, the new learning of popiſh ſuperſtition, to bee of a late off-ſpring and generation.

2. Howbeit I wil here adde a fift argument, which is this, that popery may be ſhewed how it is riſen vp, without Gods authoritie, by men, how, where, and when ſince the pure times of the bleſſed Apoſtles, and founders of Chriſtes church and religion; yea and that in moſt of the particulers. Wherin my purpoſe is not, to enter ſo farre as might be ſpoken; (for I cannot make in ſo ſhort a roome, an exact treatiſe) but onelyonly as briefely as I can conueniently, ſo far to ſhew the chriſtian reader, as he may ſufficiently ſee and perceiue, that poperie hath his originall from men and not from God, & that it came vp ſince and vnderunder the Chriſtian religion; like vntounto the Iuie that commeth vp after the oke and taketh holde thereon, and by little and little ſo ouerſpreadeth it, and couereth it from the ſight of men, that wee can ſcarſe ſee or diſcerne the oke.Hiſtories differ in ſetting downe … times. And here I am to aduertiſe the reader, that hiſtorie writers and reporters of antiquitie differ much in theſe cauſes about the times: ſo as the cronologie writers finde themſelues encombred, howe to ſet downe the certaintie in manie things: yet notwithſtanding though the authors diſagree about the certaine time, yet the matter is made vndoubted, when they all agree that it is found out, to come in after the Apoſtles times. Wherein I make choiſe, to take our teſtimony from hartie and vnfained papiſts, that the truth of this cauſe, may the more appeare when themſelues cannot but yeeld, vntounto vsus ſufficient warrant and proofe of their new borne ſuperſtition.Two deuiſes to hide the newnes of poperie. They hauehave two great helpes to maintaine the antiquitie of their follie. Firſt the authoriſing of counterfait writinges, ſuch as are the decretall Epiſtles of Clemens, Anacletus and others of the primatiue Church, which not onelyonly diſagreeing in ſtile and matter from the times they pretende, but alſo telling of thoſe thinges and perſons, which were many yeres after, doo very much argue, that when the papiſts, are faine to runne vnderunder the ſhadowe of ſuch muddie and vnſetled Wales of forged authoritie, their foundation is not ſo deepe, in their owne conſcience, as they would beare the worlde in hand. Their ſecond helpe is; that they proine, pare, and loppe, and engraft the writings of auncient fathers and others, teaching them by a newe deuiſe called Index Expurgatorius, hatched in the late Counſell of Trent,Anno 1571. to ſpeake as they thinke beſt, for there ſea of ſinne, and to holde their peace where they like not of their ſayinges. If they may thus authoriſe falſe witneſſes to ſpeake for their purpoſe as they liſt, and gagge the toonges of the true witneſſes, they can ſpeake no further, but as they giuegive them leaue: then may euerie ſimple man ſee in them, that an euill conſcience, findinge themſelues to hauehave no antiquitie of trueth, doth cauſe them to inuent ſhiftes to colour and cloake their wicked forgeries and newe deuiſes: by which they hauehave manie yeeres abuſed Gods people. But GGD bee thanked (who bringeth the hidden and ſecreate thinges of the wicked vntounto light) he hath confounded their wiſedom, that all this doth not hide their filthie and earthlie generation. For the propheſie of Saint Paul concerning ſuch peruerſe and curſed ſpeakers, which hauehave a ſhewe of godlineſſe, but hauehave denied the power thereof, is now in the eyes and knowledge of all men come to paſſe: For hea2. Tim. 3.9▪ ſaith: They ſhall preuaile no longer for their madneſſe ſhalbe euident to all men.

3. And this verily is brought to paſſe by the righteous iudgements of God, cauſing their owne tongs to take them, and making the counſell of the wicked to bee fooliſhneſſe. Marke therefore and conſider how they confound the glorie of their inuentions ad deuiſes. Martinus Pereſius Aiala, a Biſhop and a verie zealous papiſt, ſeeming to hauehave taken great paines in reading of antiquities, writeth abPrinted at Paris 1549. booke of traditions, dedicated to Phillip king of Spain, where heecIn his preface. niſi attramento mortuo in ſacris codicibus expreſſū. calleth the inſpired ſcriptures of the worde of God: Dead incke in the holy bookes: and affirmeth that if we ſhould follow onelyonly the holy ſcriptures (which he calleth a peſtiferous opinion) Chriſtian religion and eccleſiaſticall pollicie ſhould vtterly be deſtroied: auouching beſide the canonical ſcriptures another kind of doctrine, called Tradition, the head & ſeed plot (as he ſaith) of almoſt all controuerſies betweene vsus, and if herein wee agreede, all diſcord now in religion would quickly ceaſe. And in this booke he makethd3. pars. aſſertio 6. fol. 6. Diuina authoritas, magiſterium apoſtolicum. Epiſcop. maxime Romanorum a Deo conceſſa authoritas. three fountains of traditions. Firſt they call diuine authority, that is, ſuch as Chriſt (in their deuiſe) inſtituted & deliuered which were not laid vp in the ſcriptures: the ſecond fountaine they call the Apoſtolicall maſterſhip, where they hauehave traditions, ſome in the canons Apoſtolicall, & ſome in holy mens writings: the laſt fountaine is the maſterſhip & authoritie of the Biſhops & moſt of all of the Roman Biſhops, which they alſo cal theepars 2. aſſert. 5. fol. 44. maſterſhip of the church. Wherein is a power as they ſay to iudge and determine what is canonicall ſcripture and to make diuers lawes and eccleſiaſticall diſcipline. And this laſt giueth power to all the reſt: for here (as they ſay) wee know which is the true worde of God, heere the authoritie of decretalles is made firme, and this being a gift and priuiledge, that cannot erre, is of that autenticall authoritie (if we beleeue them) that no man muſt once reaſon againſt it. Out of theſe fountaines they drawe their traditions, of the rites of Baptiſme, of confirmation auricular confeſsion and penitentiall ſatiſfaction, the tradition of order and his rites, the fearefull ſacrifice of the alter tranſubſtantiation, praier for the dead, communion vnderunder one kind, purgatorie, extreame vnction, worſhip and interceſsion of Saints, worſhip of relickes, images exorciſmes, Lent, faſtes, ſingle life, vowes of chaſtitie and ſuch like. In handling of which traditions hebPoſtulat. 3. fol. aut quia legi Dei repugnant & proximae ſunt occaſiones peccandi &c. giueth vsus a rule, to diſcerne humane traditions from diuine ſaying: Traditions which are not good, are either contrarie to the law of God, and are verie neere occaſions to ſin; or derogate to the glorie of Chriſt; or they are friuolous, burdenſome and of no profit. If it be lawfull for vsus to follow theſe three rules, we ſhal eaſily proue popery to be no good tradition, but a meere humane inuention of their owne. For the firſt rule: I hauing before ſhewed that all their popiſh religion, is contrary to the religion which God taught Abraham, Moſes and the Prophets taught the Iewes, and Chriſt and his Apoſtles taught all nations, and contrarie to the doctrine which Paule taught the auncient Romanes, and which Peter taught the Iewes: it muſt needes follow, that theſe traditions, being (as they confeſſe, not found in holy ſcriptures) cannot bee good: if the firſt part of their rule be true. Secondly, if it be of the nature of the ſcripture (as we hauehave proued) to containe all things neceſſarie to ſaluation, and ſome of theſe, as their dreadfull ſacrifice of the maſſe, rites in baptiſme, confirmation, purgatorie, prayers for the dead &c. are (by popiſh doctrine) neceſſarie to ſaluation, and yet are not to be found in holy ſcriptures, then it followeth that they are contrarie to the law of God, when they ſtand vp to ſhew themſelues auaileable to ſaluation: becauſe they falſely accuſe the ſcripture, not to containe all thinges necſſarie to ſaluation: yea they accuſe the ſcripture of a lie: when it ſaith,c2. Tim. 3.15.16.17. They are able to make thee wiſe vntounto ſaluation, and that the man of God may bee perfect and abſolute vntounto euerie good worke. But what can bee more contrarie to the law of God then to make his inſpired word written to tell a lie? Here then by their owne rule fall downe their traditions, forged vponupon Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and preſumed by their Church, and if the ſcripture bee true there can and ought to bee no ſuch thing: and therefore of neceſſitie by their owne doctrine, theſe are but deuiſes of men & traditions not good. Now for the ſecond part of this firſt braunch of their rule, where they ſay that the naughtie traditions, are verie neere occaſions of ſinne. Theſe traditions breake that rule alſo. For beſide that they are all ſinne, in that God neuer commaunded them, and come vnderunder that checke:dMath. 15.2. In vaine they worſhip mee, teaching for doctrines mans precepts: they can neuer denie by any good reaſon, but that by theſe traditions they giuegive occaſions of ſinne many waies. As in Baptiſme, men cannot diſcerne the true worke of Baptiſme for the multitude of ceremonies, vntounto which are giuen the verie power and operation of Baptiſme, by the ſacrifice of the maſſe, relickes, images and praying to Saintes they are ledde vntounto ſinne, being directly againſt that commandement, which ſaith,aMath. 4.10. Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue. And their vowes of chaſtitie and ſingle life giuegive occaſion of all filthineſſe, buggery, and murder, and ſodomitrie. But if in theſe traditions there be a direct and particular contradiction to holy ſcripture, then where is their foundation? as for example, the holy ſcripture ſaith,bHeb. 18. There remayneth no more ſacrifice for ſinne: they ſay the ſacrifice of the maſſe is for the quicke and the dead: the holy ſcripture ſaith it isc1. Tim. 4.1. a doctrine of deuils, to forbidde meates and mariage. Theſe traditions make prieſthoode, vowes and holding the childe at Baptiſme to hinder marrige, and that Lent and ember daies muſt not ſee any fleſh and that for conſcience ſake. The ſcripture ſaith thoudPrecep. 2. Exod. 20. ſhalt make no image nor worſhippe them, and they ſay thou mayeſt and oughteſt to worſhip them. And there are a great many more, as is before apparant to bee ſeene, whereof I thought good to giuegive the reader a taſte, that hee might the better remember what hath beene before written. For the ſecond part of the rule, to knowe a naughtie tradition, to be of men, and not of God: they ſay it is naught, if it bee derogatorie to the glorie of Chriſt: I pray you looke vponupon all and euerie of theſe traditions, and you ſhall find that they are ſet forth for merite and remiſſion of ſinnes, for ſatiſfaction and iuſtification. All which as is before proued, are the glorie of Chriſt, becauſe there iseAct. 4.12. no other name giuen vnderunder heauen whereby a man may bee ſaued. Theſe being newe names challenging that which belongeth to him, cauſe men to giuegive his glorie vntounto others. And therefore by this rule, ſeeing they derogate from the glorie of Chriſt, they are no good traditions, but meere inuentions of men, not ſufferable in the Church of God. Laſtly, they are friuolous and burdenous &c. which is the third part of their rule to know traditions to be of man, do but looke vponupon the number. IffGratians decrees. one booke can ſhew vsus 3090. decrees, whereof moſt of them be of theſe traditions: and that there be beſides theſe in decretall and extrauagants, I cannot tell how many thouſand more, then how can they auoid the name of burden. And as for their profite if wee may iudge by holy ſcriptures, which teacheth thatgHeb. 1.3. Chriſt by himſelfe purgeth our ſins. What profit can there be in any or all of theſe? except we may ſay, that Chriſt hath not purged our ſinnes. But their owne conſcience telleth them, there is no need of them. As for example, when they canhManipul. curat. cap. 8. de annex. bapt. ſay of all the rites of tradition in Baptiſme, that they are not of the eſſence of Baptiſme, becauſe that without them Baptiſme may bee well giuen in caſe of neceſſitie: which hauing as great a warrant as any of the reſt, wee may verily conclude, that they are all but friuolous, and ſuperfluous, ouerſpreading outſlippes of mens deuiſes. What ſhall we then determine of this goodly popiſh traſh? but that they cannot be ancient & autentical after Gods word ſeeing they cannot agree to their owne rules, whereby they would proue them to be of God. Therefore that is moſt blaſphemous, that they call the worde of God, as it is in the holy bookes, dead incke in compariſon of their tradition, vnleſſe it be warranted by tradition, and vnderſtood in the ſence of the maſterſhip of their church. Wee are then come thus farre that poperie is a tradition, not written with dead incke in Gods holy bookes; but ſome other kinde of doctrine, which by their owne rules cannot bee found worthy the name of a good tradition: and therefore a meere deuiſe of mans fooliſhneſſe, that is to ſay, verie fables much diſpleaſing and abhominable in the holy eyes of almightie God.

4 Now let vsus looke into the particulers. Heere come theaAntididagma printed at Louan. 1544. reuerend Canons of Colen, who in the generall ioyning with this great clearke Pereſius, in many things crie with him: Traditum eſt, or traditum tenemus, that is, it is a tradition, or wee hold it a tradition. And this they doe, where they are to ſhewe their originall: and in deede it is an eaſie matter to maintayne any fooliſh or wicked thing by ſuch a deuiſe, yet are theſe learned men of Colon content to tell vsus one or two originalles. FirſtbPag. 70. they ſay, It is true that Chriſt gaue the Sacrament to his Apoſtles vnderunder both kindes of breade and wine, and that the church obſerued that order a long time after: therefore they teach vsus that to keep the cup from the common people is but new learning. So alſo theycPag. 143. ſay their holy daies reckning by name 22. to hauehave beene celebrated aboue a thouſand yeares, which yet they cannot ſay to bee enioyned the Church, but by a counſell of Lions which they can hardly ſhewe, or by Gregorie the ninth about the yeare of the Lord 1210.

There is another verie learned man deuoutly giuen to the ſea of Rome, called Iohannes Stephanus Durantus, who hauing taken great paynes in adPrinted at Rom. 1591. booke Deritibus eccleſiae, dedicated to Pope Gregorie the 14. doth mightily labour to ſhew the ancient originall of the popiſh worſhip and ſeruice of God, ſearching authorities both olde and new, yet is hee faine to ſing the ſame ſong with others of Traditum eſt, and to alledge many corrupt and partial authors. Howbeit he is an helpe to vsus in many thinges: that we may know by their confeſſion, that they worſhip God in many things by the precept of men. Namely that ineLib. 1. Sap. 1. Sectio. 8. the goſpell, and vntounto the time of Irenaeus prieſts were called Presbyteri & patres, that is, elders, and fathers. Secondly he can tell vsus, thatfCap. 8. ſect. 5. Lactantius lib. 6. cap. 2. and after him the counſell Elibert cap. 37. And Hierome againſt Vigilantius, hauehave taught men to deride the vſe of candles in the church, namely, that they taught, that to light candles for the honour of martirs, appertaineth vntounto the ignoraunce and ſimplicitie of ſeculer men, and of religious women, which hauehave indeed a zeale, but not according to knowledge. Hee would hauehave vsus know thatgCap. 11. ſect. 2. Zepherinus the 16. Pope ordained a diſh of glaſſe to ſay maſſe in, and that Vrbanus the 18. Pope made them of gold. And thehCap. 12.3. corporall to bee of linnen to wrap the bodie of Chriſt, he will hauehave vsus thinke to bee ordained by Euſebius. And as for theaCap. 16.9.10. reſeruing of the hoſte, hee woulde hauehave vsus to beleeue the late Counſell of Trent, to hauehave good cauſe to affirme, that the cuſtome is auncient, reaching to the Councell of Nice: though himſelfe cannot find it in the councell, nor in Gratian but only in Rufinus. As for baptiſme he confeſſethbCap. 19.2. that in the beginning it was vſed ſimply in riuers or fountaines: but proceſſe of time bringing foorth more honour to religion theſe goodly fontes and ceremonies, now vſed in the Church of Rome, by degrees came vp. Alſo notwithſtanding this he would hauehave vsus thinke thatcCap. 21.2. Alexander the fift Pope from Peter, did command water ſprinkled with ſalt to be bleſſed, to ſprinkle the Chriſtian people withall. This man would hauehave vsus fet thedCap. 22.6. hallowing of bels at the Synode of Colon vnderunder Pope Iulius the firſt, Anno 338. that the deuill might bee made afeard by the noiſe of belles, calling Chriſtians to praiers. The worthieeLib. 2. ca. 1. 6. name of the maſſe hee telleth vsus out of Burchades decretals, to bee verie auncient, euen from Euariſtus the third Pope of Rome. Concerning thefCap. 2.2. ſacrifice of the maſſe, the firſt ſtrength he would hauehave vsus take out of the Canons, falſely tearmed the Apoſtles, and out of the councell of Nice, and of diuers fathers, becauſe they make mention of offeringes and ſacrifice: Who in deed hauehave no ſuch meaning, but onelyonly vſe theſe termes by alluſion to the old law, to ſignifie our thankſgiuing and memorie of Chriſtes ſacrifice in which ſence it may be called an offering or ſacrifice: but you ſhould not find them ſay that their prieſt did really and truely offer vp vntounto God his ſon or the whole man Chriſt, vnderunder the formes of bread and wine for the quick & dead: therfore this is but a new deuiſe of their own. Howbeit his firſtgCap. 4.1.4. inuention of publike maſſe hee layeth vponupon the counſel of Carthage about Anno 389. and the priuate maſſe as they now vſe it, when the prieſt alone doth communicate, he would hauehave vsus thinke (though he ſhew no reaſon) to belong before Gregories time that is An. 606. yet if men beleeue him, this maſſe publicke and priuate is but new learning, as he teacheth it, whereof neither Chriſt nor his Apoſtles can be prooued authors, but men who liued after their time. Hereof it is, that although he boldly affirme, many patches of the maſſe to be auncient euen from the Apoſtles time (which no man that reuerenceth the holie Scriptures as hee ought, can doo in ſuch maner as hee doth) yet is hee willing to teach vsus the beginning of ſome of them. Namelie that the confeſſion,Cap. 12.4. which is made in the beginning of the maſſe is of a doubtfull parentage, whether of Damaſus or Pontianus. ButbCap. 14.1. Gloria in excelſis he ſaith Taleſphorus 7. Pope from Peter to hauehave ordained:cCap. 21.1. of the tract hee careth not, if we beleeue Gelaſius to be the author, or els Celeſtinus, and that hee made the gradnale.dCap. 27.1. Alexander the fifth hee ſayth appointed wine mingled with water, and theeCap. 28.6. waſhing of handes in the maſſe, hee teacheth out of Thomas Aquinas a newe writer, to bee as it were inſtituted of the Church, as a certaine conuenient thinge. ThefCap. 32.1. & 37.1. Canon of the maſſe, which hee ſaith is the lawfull and reguler making of the ſacrament, he coniectureth to be long before S. Gregorie, becauſe that S. Ambroſe (as he ſaith) maketh mention of Benedicta aſcripta, rata, rationabilis &c. ſo that he teacheth that before Ambroſe time, there is no proofe of any vnlawfull and reguler making of their ſacrament, and therefore it is not of God but of man: eſpecially ſeeing that to a reaſonable man this is but a ſtreined proofe of antiquitie, Ambroſe mentioneth theſe termes, therefore the Canon was in his time before Gregories time, which being ſo I meruaile howgCap. 38.1. Alexander the firſt being fift pope, could (as he ſaith) adde that part of the Canon. Quipridie, when the auncient Canon was long after him: yet he geſſeth thathCap. 38.6. the cōſecrating of the bread round like a penie is not new, becauſe he findeth in Gregorie oblationum coronas, the crownes of the offerings, and ſuch like ſandie foundations.iCap. 42.9. Leo the firſt he ſaith addeth this particle Sanctum ſacrificium immaculatam hostiam. ThekCap. 43.2. memorie of the dead in the maſſe, he warranteth by the ſecond prouincial counſell called Concilium Arelatenſe, holden vnderunder pope Silueſter, Anno 320. ThelCap. 47.1. preface before the Lords praier, Oremus preceptis ſalutaribus moniti, hath his teſtimonie from the ancient time of Charles the great, Anno 880. This man thinketh thatmCap. 51.8. Albertus was deceaued, to thinke that Sergius ordained the breaking of the hoſt, he would hauehave us looke hyer, but ſo as we may ſee it was of ſome man.a53. 1. Pacis oſculum in the maſſe, he ſendeth vntounto Leo the ſecond or Innocent the firſt as fathers perhaps thereof. ThatbCap. 55.18. for the holie ſinguler reuerence of the myſterie, the lay people ſhould not touch with their hand; the Euchariſt, but the prieſt ſhould thruſt it into the mouth of him that eateth it, he ſaith the church ordained in an odd counſell of Rhotomag, As for theclib. 3. cap. 2. 7. canonical howers,Roane he would not hauehave vsus to beleeue Polidor and others which refer them to Hierom, or to Pelagius 1. or 2. but he hath found them out (as he ſaith) in Clement Baſill and other fathers; but wee looked to be ſhewen them in the oracles of God. ThedCap. 4.2. vigils hee would faſten vponupon Tertullian: and theeCap. 17.4. Antiphonae, that is, ſinging or ſaying by turnes and courſes he fathereth vponupon Ambroſe. So that the pope allowing this mans writing, wee may beleeue, all their worſhipping of God, maſſe, ſacrifice, and canon, to be mans deuiſe, earthly and diueliſh: a verie new learning in compariſon of the true worſhipping of God, taught by Chriſt and his Apoſtles.

Pope Grigorie the 13. hath holpen vsus to the knowledg of ſomthing, by hisfPrinted at Antwerpe 1589. new Martyrolege, reſtored (as it is intituled) to the truth of the eccleſiaſtical ſtorie. For there is toldgIan 1. pag. 2. that Odilo abbot of Clunia firſt commanded in his monaſterie, the commemoration of the faithfull being dead, to be the firſt day after the feaſt of all Saints, which rite afterwardes the whole church receauing did allowe, and this man died as they ſay, Anno 1048. And this booke dothhQuint id. Maij pag. 212. aſcribe vntounto Mammertius B. of Vienna, the daies of letanies, that is the rogations before aſcention, and after him, the church vniuerſal allowed it, he liued about Anno 460. yea this legendeiPrid. id. Maij pag. 217. doth father vponupon Pachomius an Abbot of Aegypt (who died as they ſay) Anno 406.) the rule of Munkes,Quam angelo dictante didicerat. & that we may know theſe trumperies came of the diuell they ſay, that he learned it at the mouth of an Angell. For ſo the Apoſtle Saint Paul teaching righteouſnes and ſaluation onelyonly by beleefe in Chriſt, chargeth vsus to hold him or an angell accurſed, that teacheth otherwiſe, therefore theſe things come not of God.

But Polydor virgill, a verie zealous patron of Romiſh ſuperſtition; For the honor of that ſea, ſearched many antiquities, therefore byaIn his booke De inuentoribus rerum. him we may be enformed of the birth of much of this new found doctrine, and ſeruice papiſtical, hebLib. 6. cap. 1. Auriculer cō feſſion. affirmeth that Innocentius the 3. who liued about An. 1200. did firſt ordaine auriculer confeſſion, to be at the leaſt once in the yere. But he would hauehave vsus thinke thatcLib. 5. cap. 3. Extreame vnction. Faelix the 3. being pope An. 526. commanded that men dying, ſhold be annointed: that is extreme vnctiō. And as touching mariage of prieſts he ſheweth how indLib. 5. cap. 4. Prieſts ſingle life. the weſt, it began to ceaſe, namely firſt that Syricius being pope about an. 387. forbad mariage vntounto prieſt and deacons, and that Pelagius the ſeconde cōming almoſt 300. yeres after decreed that ſubdeacons ſhold put away their wiues. But Gregory the firſt who ſucceeded him, thought that to be wicked, and therfore he bound the ſubdeacon, to promiſe chaſtitie before he were made ſubdeacon, after them many lawes & decrees were made about this matter, yet did it neuer preuaile, to be generally put in execution, till about An. 1074. when Gregory the 7. by great violēce & labor, brought it to paſſe. And this is a verie plaine thing in all ſtories, that the Biſhops after this time laboured mightely with their prieſts, to make them put away their wiues, and ſo by little and little one countrie after an other, yelded to this ſlauerie (as Polydor termeth it) of conſtrained chaſtity, which he auowcheth to be a ſhamefull blot: thinking it very good that the right of matrimony might one day, be reſtored againe vntounto prieſts. This man can tell vsus thateLib. 5. cap. 11 Many parts of the maſſe. in the beginning among the Apoſtles, all things were naked, and the myſteries ſimplie and plainly deliuered of Chriſt, all the order of ceremonies was naked, hauing more godlines then outward ſhew or decking. But after them other increaſed this holie myſteries, and diuers men in diuers ages added diuers things. Cleſtinus made introitam miſſae, Gregorie the ſaying of Curie nine times, and diuers other thinges, Leo the 3. that frankinſence ſhould be burnt on the alter, after the maner of the Iewes & heathen, & many other ſuch things he rehearſeth by their firſt parents (much like as is before ſaid by Durantus.) Therfore he affirmeth that the canon was neither made al of one man, neither digeſted into the ſame forme that it is now, vntounto which if we adde that of late, the maſſe is reſtored by the decree of the Counſell of Trent, & ſet foorth by Pope Pius the fift, we ſhal ſee that this kinde of maſſing, which is vſed in the popiſh Synagogue is a deuiſe of man, and of a newe and variable compoſition. This Polydor telleth vsus that,aLib. 4. cap. 7. that Caius being Pope about Anno 284. did firſt diſtinguiſh the orders of porters, readers, exorciſtes, acoluthes, ſubdeacons, deacons, prieſtes, and Biſhops, by which as by certaine ſteps they ſhould aſcende to a Biſhopricke. Alſo hee ſheweth thatbLib. 4. cap. 9. Cardinals. Cardinalles, were firſt certaine ſelected Prieſtes to burie and Baptiſe, therefore called Cardinall becauſe they had more ſpeciall charge then others, like as we call the foure windes great or cardinall winds,About Anno. 610. but after that Bonifacius the third obtained of Phocas to hauehave the prerogatiue aboue all Biſhops this name of Cardinal became more honourable, when ſuch as were of that companie were of the popes aſſiſtance and ſenate. And by little and little through the contention of the Emperors and people about the creating of the Pope, they got the prerogatiue and right of the chooſing of the pope, and ſo about Anno 1244. Pope Innocent the third decreed they ſhould ride vponupon an horſe, with a red hat, and ſo they came to their great dignitie, and grew more & more famous and attained that glorious eſtate they nowe take vponupon them:clib. 5. cap. 8. He maketh Alexander the firſt, pope of Rome, author of holie water to driue away diuels:lib. 6. cap. 12. And Stephen the firſt to hauehave ordained holy garments, and couerings after the maner of the Hebrewes, where as before they clad themſelues within with vertues, and tooke no care for outwarde veſtures in their holie miniſtration. But when this man ſpeaketh of Monkes, Nuns, and Friers, which as new religions are lately ſprong vp in this baſtardly kingdome of Abaddon, in many families, like ſwarmes of locuſtes filling the Chiſtian world, he verie honeſtlie affirmethalib. 7. cap. 1. Nouus & varius viuendi modus. that they are not of the goſpellike and apoſtolike life, but a newe and variable maner of liuing. And hee cuts off 400. yeeres auouching, that Paulus, Antonius, Hilarion, Baſilius, Hieronymus, and manie others in thoſe primatiue ages, had nothing like the popiſh monkes and friers. They were free, and tyed to no certaine rule of life,Veſtimentum honc ſtum. after the ceremonies that now Monkes obſerue, their garmentes were comely as to euerie man was fit: they had no bande of vowes, and were free to goe anie wheather and might leaue that order of life, if at any time they repented: and if ſaith he this kinde of Monkes might hauehave remayned vnuiolated, by the lawes of men: we ſhould hauehave had at all times verie holie Monkes, and theſe were giuen to prayers, faſtinges, watching, and ſtudie of learning, they liued hardly and excerciſing themſelues with their handes, gaue an example of well liuing to their poſteritie. But after growing into manie families, and euerie of them preſcribing a rule of life, it came to paſſe that the Chriſtian people, which embraced one law and one religion, was deuided into diuers ſectes and kindes of religion, and this came to paſſe (as he ſaith) becauſe the monaſticall lawes being humane, did not continue long vncorrupted:bCap. 2. Firſt out of Benedick, which was an hundred threeſcore and ſixe yeres after Anthonie, the Monkes of the order called Claniacenſis in Burgandie came vp, Anno domini 916. Secondlie the order called vallis vmbrenſis in Apenninum, Anno 1060. and the Montolinetenſis, Anno 1407. & Ciſtercienſes, Anno 1098. ThencCap. 3. he telleth of riſing of the Hieronymians, Canonick regulars, Augustinians, Catuſians, Carmelites &c. Cap. 4.After he ſpeaketh of two new fountaines of friers: Dominicke and Frauncis, one begetting the preaching and the other begging minorites Friers whoſe firſt appearing was in the time of Innocent the third, about Anno 1215. but what ſwarmes following there came out of theſe, he doth ſignifie ſaying: that the common people being aſtonied, ſuſpected that godlines was not ſo much beloued of manie as eaſe and idlenes. But of theſe religons I need not to ſpeake much: ſeeing the papiſt themſelues doo frankely acknowledge that they are new, & we can out of them ſhew how they rent the vnſeamed coat of Chriſts holy religion, into ſo many peeces, cullers and changes of religion, that it would require a great volume to handle their ſtory & ſeueral deſcriptions, rules, habits, diſſentions, riſing & fallings. Yet let vsus learnealib. 8. cap. 1. The yere of Iubilie, and pardons. of him the yeere of Iubilie, wherin the pope, giueth his indulgencies, ful remiſſion of ſins both from paine & guilt, vntounto thoſe that viſit the holy places of the Apoſtles at Rome, he teacheth that Boniface the 8. Anno 1300. did firſt of al ſet forth the Iubily to be eueryevery 100. yere; but fiftie yere after pope Clemēt the 6. eſtabliſhed the Iubily to be celebrated eueryevery 50. yere, ſeeing the age of a man would ſcarſe attain to the Iubily of an 100. yeres; and laſtly Sixtus the 4. brought the Iubilie to be eueryevery 25. yeres, and this was Anno 1475. and thus then the vſe of pardon, which they cal indulgencies began to be of great fame. Howbeit he would hauehave vsus think, that their originall came from Gregory, but being not certain by any good antiquitie: he maketh Iohn B. of Rocheſter in a worke againſt Luther, to ſpeake for him on this maner. Parauenture it moueth many not to turſt ſo much to theſe indulgēces, becauſe their vſe in the church ſeemeth ſomewhat new, and very lately found out among Chriſtians: to whom I anſwere, It is not certaine of whom they firſt began to be giuen, but there was ſome vſe of them as they ſay among the Romains in ancient times, which may be vnderſtood by the ſtations, and he after ſaith. Truely no catholike doubteth whether there be purgatorie,Purgatory not among the ancient fathers. of which notwithſtanding among the auncient fathers there was none or verie rare mention, and alſo the Grecians beleeue it not to this day. For as long as there was no care of purgatorie, no man ſought for indulgencies, for of it dependeth all the eſtimation of pardons, if you take away purgatorie, to what vſe ſerue indulgencies; therefore pardons or indulgencies beganne after men trembled a little while at the tormentes of purgatorie. So much the Biſhop.Quae tu forte, cum tanti ſint momenti, vt magis certa ex ore Dei expectabas. Now here ſaith Polydor to his reader theſe things: by which things thou peraduenture, ſeeing they are of ſo great waight, didſt looke for as things more certaine out of the mouth of God. Here wee may ſee, that theſe papiſtes when they ſpeake truth as their conſcience beareth them witneſſe, they can tell vsus that purgatorie is but a new inuention, and hath no certaine originall, and that theſe indulgencies and Iubilies and their after birth, are new borne bables, neuer comming out of the mouth of God. Which as the ſame Polydor further ſaith, being as greene corne grew by little and little after Gregorie, but very many ſometimes gather no ſmall harueſt thereof, as eſpecially Boniface the 9. in whoſe times ſuch pardons like other merchandiſe eueryevery day were ſold all abroad. So farre Polydor, in whoſe writinges thou mayeſt reade a great many more of popiſh deuotions, to bee new deuiſed toyes: ſome taken from the Iewes, and ſome from the heathen idolaters: wherein they forſake the auncient religion taught by the holie wrytings of GOD, and followe late vpſtarte ſuperſtition of mans deuiſing. Now let vsus go to another. Platina as zealous for poperie as who in his time was moſt, liuing in Rome, & in office vnderunder Pope Pius the ſecond, about Anno 1460. in the verie earneſt deuotion he hath to poperie,aIn his booke De vitis pontificum. ſheweth vsus moſt of the foreſaid inuentions to hauehave riſen ſince the time of Pelagius the ſecōd, who liued about Anno 600. in the time of Mauritius the Emperour, out of whom ſome few thinges I wil obſerue ouer and aboue the former. And firſt this Platina reckoneth vp many things in the maſſe deuiſed by Gregorie the firſt,In vita Gregorij. Pope next after Pelagius. And that he made the large ſupplications called the Letanies, and the ſtations of Rome, and namely them of Saint Peter, the day of the natiuitie of our Lord, the daies of the kinges the firſt ſunday of the paſſion, & of the aſcenſion, of Pentecoſt, of the natiuitie of the Apoſtle, the day of Saint Andrew, the day of the chaire of Saint Peter, when they ſay the great Letanies &c. yea he ſaith he made ſo many workes that one cannot reckon them. And if wee may beleeue him, in this time was found out the gowne of Ieſus Chriſt, which fell by lot vntounto one of the ſoldiers, when Chriſt was crucified, in a village called Zaphat. For wee muſt ſuppoſe that Chriſt woare durable cloathing, which woulde not waſte in 600. yeares, and that the ſoldier kept it as ſome holy relicke, and gaue it or ſold it to ſome Chriſtian. But I will not trouble the reader with ſuch bables, onelyonly let him obſerue and marke that here ignoraunce and blind deuotion began to ſpring, and to draw men away from the pure truth of the goſpell. This Platina tels vsus that Theodatus ordained, that the ſonne of the godfather,Godfathers not to marie. ſhould not marie the daughter which his father held at the font: this is a new kindred. Boniface the 5.Sanctuarie for offendors. ordained that one ſhold not be drawen out of the church by force, but the church ſhold bee a place of refuge for offenders.Organs & muſicke in the church. The pax. Vitalianus ordayned organs in the church, and muſicall inſtruments. Leo the ſecond founded the Pax, to be giuen the people in the maſſe time.A ſtrange chaire. This Platina telleth of a new and ſtrange chaire at Rome, called Sedes Stercorea, wherin the new created Pope ſitteth and vnderneath the laſt deacon trieth him whether he be a man, which newly came vp by this occaſion, that Pope Iohn 8.Anno 855. as he went to the Church of Lateran,Maſſe for the dead. was deliuered of a child, and therefore the Popes after that going to that Church paſſe not that way, & are thus tried. Benedict 3. ordained that the prieſtes, deacons, and the Pope, ſhould bee preſent at the funerall of a Biſhop, to giuegive honor to the corps, and to pray for the dead mans ſoule, and commanded all prieſts to ſay maſſe when the Pope died. In the time of Formoſus, which was about Anno 890. Hee ſaith,The Emperors & Popes holineſſe loſt at one time. that (he could not tell for what cauſe) in one time, the truth of the Emperours and of the Popes & their holines was loſt and aboliſhed. Steuen the ſixt brought vp this new cuſtome, that one Pope did vndo and annihillate the doings and decrees of his predeceſſors, wherein the Chriſtian reader by the way may conſider that wee are to beleeue them when they make the Popes decrees equall with the ſcripture, ſeeing themſelues can ſo eaſily put downe ſuch authentical doings. And here is not to bee omitted how grieuouſly PlatinaaIn the life of Sargius, and of diuers others. complaineth in rehearſing the liues of many wicked popes about this time, calling them curſed and baſtardes from the vertues of the good Popes. Of Iohn the 16. he ſaith, that hee conuerted the goods of the Church to the vſe of his kindred, brothers, parentes, and carnall friendes, and of that ſprang a cuſtome, which the Popes comming after did obſerue and keepe, that not for the faith and deuotion of Chriſtianitie, but for the treaſures of the Church, the Popes ſought that honour, namely to enrich themſelues and their friends, brothers, ſiſters, coſens, nephewes, &c. About which timeaBooke 6. Anno 990. Polydor Virgill in his ſtorie of England obſerueth, that the Monkes degenerated and the prieſtes into tyranny, by meanes of their riches. This Platina can tell you that Sylueſter the ſecond came to his popedom by negromancie, and that Benedick the 8. after his death appeared vponupon a blacke horſe, for hiding vp money that was giuen for the poore. And Benedick the 9. ſold his Popedome, and ſo alſo after his death appeared like a monſter & horrible idoll. Sylueſter the third through mony became Pope,Anno 1000. & alſo Gregorie the 6. for at this time this new learning was ruled by money and friendes. Damaſus the ſecond occupied that roome by force without the conſent of the people and cleargie: ſo the cuſtome was, that the ambitious obtained the papacie. This Platina commendeth Gregorie the ſeuenth, although for that he telleth of him, hee might rightly bee called Hellbrand, for his preſumption ouer his Lord the Emperor, & for his helliſh and blaſphemous bulles, wherein he maketh Peter his God, ſaying: O glorious Peter, prince of the Apoſtles, incline thine eare & heare thy ſeruant, whom thou haſt nouriſhed vp from his infancie, & preſerued & kept from the hands of his enemies, vntounto this preſent time &c. And in his ſtatutes, (a little after) he deſcribeth the man that doth as appertayneth to a Chriſtian, by this: To feare God & S. Peter. To feare God and S. Peter.And in another curſe he ſaith to Peter & Paul: I hauehave not choſen you, but you hauehave choſen me, & laid this moſt greeuous burden vponupon my ſhoulders, &c. By theſe and ſuch like he vttereth wordes of great diſhonour to God, & maketh Peter in vertue & power & worſhip equal to God & Chriſt, which are new broached errors, & fearefull in the eares of true Chriſtians. And ſuch as Peter would earneſtly hauehave deteſted, if hee were aliueaAct. 10. Cap. 14. who rebuked Cornelius in a leſſe matter. And Paul would hauehave rent his cloathes & ſaid: O men why doe you theſe things, we alſo are men ſubiect to the like paſsions as you are? He can tell vsus alſo of Vrban the ſecond, that he began the wares againſt the Saraſines and Turkes. And that from thencefoorth the cheefeſt labours of Popes, hauehave beene in wars for Peters patrimony, depoſing kinges and Emperours, and tranſlating of kingdomes and dignities. Out of which goodly roote there ſprang vp the bloudie factions of the Guelphes, and Gibellins, Florentines, Venetians, Genenois, Cecilians, &c. ThebAnno 1260. Romanes refuſe to obey Vrban the 4. And theſe garboiles grew ſo ſtrong, that the Popes were faine to bee nonreſidents for ſeuentie & foure yeres, beginning atcAnno 1310. Clement the fifth, vntill Gregorie the eleuenth. Then out of this engendred an other newe thinge,d1380. a ſciſme of nine and thirtie yeares, wherein were ſomeime two ſometime three Popes at once, till the councell of Conſtance. And ſo this time in warres canonizing of Saints, breeding and enlarging of pardons and many other trumperies continued vntil the time of Luther. Here I ouerskip Boniface the 8. with his two ſwordes, and his angels be ſet in the night to perſwade Celeſtinus to ſurrender his pope ſeate, and Iohn 23. a deuiſor of new thinges, he would make and vnmake, Biſhops of Abbots, and Abbots of Biſhops, new canons & dignities in the church, and by and by in another faſhion. And thus hauehave they handled the religion of Chriſt. Like vntounto a potter, turning his wheele, who maketh the clay now of one faſhion and now of an other, that no certainty of truth and ancient godlineſſe can be found in that ſea. But as the Prophet Eſay ſaith,aCap. 29.19. Your turning deuiſes ſhall it not bee as the potters clay? If we reade the warres, ſedition, tumults, bonefires, maſſacres, rebellions, treaſons, murders, and all manner of hurly burly: betweene Pope and pope Cardinall and Cardinall, betweene pope and Cardinals, Emperors, kinges and people, betweene citie and citie, ſubiect againſt their Lords, and one nation againſt another. From the firſt ariſing of Hildebrands fire which he brought from hell vntill our time, which hauehave beene raiſed, procured, maintayned and continued by that wicked generation, wee may well ſay of them as the prophete Eſay ſpeaketh of the wickedbCap. 57.20. The wicked are like the raging ſea, that cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt vp mire and dirt.

But he that would reade Clemangis, Sigebert, Aeneas Siluius, Sigonius, Mathie Parriſius, and other ſuch writers which liued in thoſe times, ſhall find a great many more monſters, new borne in the church of Rome, then in this ſhorte treatiſe I am able to ſet downe: yet for the further helpe of the reader I will leade him a worde or twaine from theſe ſtorie writers to the Counſels. If happely wee may finde ſome of this new broode of poperie by them. ThecCanon. 6. Anno 330. The primacie of Biſhops. Nice councel, ſummoned by Conſtantin the great, conſiſting of 318. Biſhops out of all the parts of the world ordained (according to the cuſtome of the church in thoſe daies) that the Patriarch of Alexandria and of Antioch, ſhold hauehave the like authority in their Biſhoprickes as the Biſhops of Rome in his. This was as Gratian ſaith the firſt generall counſell. Therefore when the pope is gotten to an higher preſumption, he is in this reſpect of a new religion. About this time the counſell of AncyradCanon. 14. eating of fleſh. condemned thoſe miniſters, that did account fleſh vncleane and abominable. And the counſell ofeCanon 2. Gangrena a little after calleth them Anathema acurſed, which condemne a man for eating fleſh in faith. But this late counſell of Trent and Synagogue of Rome, doe commaund abſtinence from fleſh vponupon rewarde or vengeance of God, and their practiſe of ſeueritie in puniſhing ſuch for heretickes, as eat fleſh in daies by them deuiſed and canonized, we well know and remember. The ſame councell of GangrenafCanon 4. & 9 & 10. ſingle life. doth accurſe whomſoeuer, that put difference between a maried prieſte or any other touching the ſeruice in the miniſterie: and alſo ſuch as for virginitie ſake iudge mariage abhominable. But all men know that the Romiſh Harlot is of a new learning, putting more holineſſe in ſingle life and vowes of chaſtity, eſpecially in their prieſts, then in honeſt and honorable wedlock. A counſel at Antioch ſomwhat afteraCanon 2. the ſole communion. ordained, ſuch to bee caſt out of the Church, which entred the Church and heard the ſcriptures, and did not tarrie to receiue the communion with the reſt of the people. And the like you may finde to be the order of the church in ancient time,bAnno 480. Canon 18. in the counſell of Agatha, a citie of Fraunce. But now our new ſinagogue hath deuiſed a priuate maſſe, that the prieſt ſhould bleſſe the people with the cup, & make them to worſhip his idoll, and he himſelfe eate all alone. A councell at Laodicea,cAn. 368. Canon 16. & 59. iudged that the goſpels and other ſcriptures were to bee read on the Sabbaoth daies; and that of the vnlearned there ought not to be ſaid in the Church,Canonicall ſcriptures only to be read in the church. pſalmes made and vulgar (which as I iudge were balads) neither to reade books which are out of the canon, but onelyonly the canonicall bookes of the old and new teſtament, and there they reckon vp the bookes which we hold for canonicall. But wee know that the Romiſh Apoſtaſie hath afterward brought in legends and other Apocrypha writings, to iuſtle out the holy ſcriptures of God, keeping them ſecret in an vnknowen tongue. The 4. counſell of Carthage ſaith: Mulieres baptizare &c. Let not women preſume to baptize. Women bapt.But we know by what deuiſe the ſea of Rome hauehave brought in women to baptiſe. In the ſixt counſell of Carthage,Anno 430. Appeales to Rome. wherein was S. Auguſtine Biſhop of Yppo, and Legate of the prouince of Numidia, it was tried and found out, that it was not (as Bonifacius Biſhop of Rome would hauehave vſurped) lawful by the councell of Nice to appeale to Rome, out of other Biſhops prouinces,Epiſt. Concil. Africk ad & leſtinum. but that they ſaw moſt wiſelie and iuſtly, that all buſines was to bee ended, where it was begun, neither ſhould the grace of the holie ſpirit be wanting to any prouince whereby equitie might be wiſely ſeene of Chriſts prieſts and conſtantly holden. And after that the Mileintane counſellaCanon 22. forbad all people to appeale ouer the ſea out of their prouince, but only to the counſel of Africk & the primates of their prouinces: and who ſo did otherwiſe ſhold not be receiued to the cōmunion in al Africk. But we know that ſince that time, the pride of that wicked whore of Rome hath vſurped iuriſdiction, ouer al lāds, that by any means they cold bring vnderunder their feet, & receiue appeals from whom ſoeuer; inſomuch that webPolydor, hiſt. Ang. li. 20 Rich. 2. read of a Synode in England, An. 1391. which becauſe many were vexed for cauſes which could not be knowen at Rome, ordained that the authority of the pope of Rome, ſhould ſtretch no farther then to the Ocean ſea: & that who ſo appealed to Rome; beſide excōmunication, ſhold be puniſhed with loſſe of all their goods & perpetual impriſonment. In the ſame counſel of Mileintane,Anno 420. cCanon 5.6.7It was decreed againſt Pelagius: that without the grace of Chriſt we can do nothing, and that euerie man ſhould know he hath ſin in him,Free will and iuriſdiction by workes. as ſaith Saint Iohn Epiſt. 1. cap. 1. and that in many things wee ſin all, and that we muſt confeſſe with the Pſalme, enter not into iudgement with thy ſeruant, for in thy ſight ſhal no mā liuing be iuſtified which thing is opened, by andEpiſt. 72. Epiſtle of Aurelius B. of Carthage, vntounto the Biſhops of the prouince of Bizanzena, and Arzignitanta, where hauing ſhewed the error of Pelagius he declareth the faith of the Catholikes to be thus. Sixtly to confeſſe, the grace of God and his helpe to be giuen vntounto all ſinguler acts, and the ſame not according to our merits that it may be true grace, that is, freely giuē by his merciemercy, who ſaid I wil hauehave merciemercy, on whom I will hauehave merciemercy &c. And ninthlie to confeſſe, when wee fight againſt tentations and vnlawfull concupiſcences, although we hauehave there euen our owne will, yet not by that, but by the merciemercy of God we hauehave our ſaluation: becauſe otherwiſe it ſhall not be true, which the Apoſtle ſaith; it is not of the willer, nor of the runner, but that we be ſaued, it is of God which hath merciemercy. Tenthly to confeſſe that pardon, is geuen to them that aske, according to the grace and merciemercy of God, not according to their merites; ſeeing the Apoſtle ſayth: that repentance it ſelfe is the gift of God, where he ſaith of certaine men, leaſt God ſhould giuegive them repentance: which catholike faith is contrary to the new religion of Rome in thoſe things. Firſt for the preparation vntounto grace and workes of condignitie: for they ſay then grace were no grace: Secondly for the concurrence of free will, to worke with the grace of God, & ſo to merite, for they giuegive all to Gods grace, and all pardon and ſaluation to Gods free merciemercy. Loe here chriſtian reader) thou ſeeſt, that the papiſts can tell vsus of the particuler originall of the moſt part of their trumperie, & that the old chriſtian churches in their counſels & determinations were proteſtants touching the authoritie of Biſhops and prouinces, touching mariage, eating of fleſh, priuate maſſe, and receiuing the communion; touching the holie ſcriptures and the reading of them; touching weomens Baptiſme and appeales to Rome, and touching the grace of God, freewill and merite: therefore the hereſie of the church of Rome, being gathered ſince thoſe primatiue times, muſt needs be of a new generation, & lately ſprong vp and come abroad into the worlde.

5, And that thou maiſt, yet further ſee,Poperie hath loſt the life & breath of chriſtianitie. how they hauehave loſt the verie life and breath of all religion, and ſo are cleane fallen away, from being any member in Chriſts church, and to hauehave no part in the communion of Saints, as in any ſort to be called Gods viſible people; I wil ſhew thee fiue other points which are fundamentall, and ſo farre of the foundation of chriſtian religion, that without them, no man can be a mēber viſible nor inuiſible of the catholike church: wherein thou ſhalt ſee that the proteſtant was the ancient true primatiue chriſtian church of God:Fiue fundamental points of chriſtianity raſed by poperie. & the papiſt a verie apoſtata, comming in deed of a contrarie race euen of the very ſtocke of antechriſt. The firſt is of adoring God only: the ſecond of the condition of the couenant with God on our behalfe: the third of the ſeales of the couenant: the fourth of the writings of the couenant: the fift of the ſoueraigntie and headſhip of Chriſt ouer his church. And that theſe are foundamental, conſider with me, that in the*2. Idolatrie. firſt they breake the ſpiritual wedlocke with God, which giuegive his worſhip and honor to idols and images: as thou mayſt ſee God, inaCap. 16. Ezechiel complaining and ſaying. Thou haſt taken thy faire Iewels of my gold and of my ſiluer, which I had giuen thee, and madeſt to thy ſelf images of men, and diddeſt commit whooredom with thē &c. *Merits of workes 2.In the ſecond when they ioine workes and the fulfilling of the commandements, with faith: for they ſhut themſelues from the righteouſnes in the couenant, whereby they ſhould reioice with God: as the Apoſtle ſaith:bRom. 4.2. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioice but not with God: yea they abrogate the grace of God, and make Chriſt die in vaine, as the ſame Apoſtle teacheth ſaying,cGal. 2.21. I doo not abrogate the grace of God, for if righteouſnes be by the law, then Chriſt died without a cauſe. *3. Sacramēts.In the third they annihilate and ouerthrow Chriſts inſtitution in the ſeales of the couenant, by their tranſubſtantiation and vnbloudie ſacrifice adored, and make but a fanatical body of Chriſt and an imaginatie manhood: where as Chriſt ſaith,d1. Cor. 11.24.25.26. Doe this in remembrance of me, and Saint Paul expoundeth it ſaying: As often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup ye ſhewe the Lords death till he come. For if he bee contained in heauen (as Saint PetereAct. 3. & 21. ſaith) till the reſtoring of al things: and that this ſacrament is to remember and ſhewe his death till hee come: what is it but a newe inſtitution, when they ſay it is turned into his perſon and adore him as preſent? and what can that bodie or manhood, which is in heauen, bee in the ſacrament really and corporally, any otherwiſe, but in fanſie and imagination, ſeeing in the ſame, (till he come to iudgement) he is in heauen? In the*4. Scriptures. fourth they blot out the writinges of the couenant, when as ChriſtaMat. 15. ſayth: They make the lawe of God of none effect by their traditions, while they equall their own deuiſes with the written word of God, & make it in ſufficient to ſaluation, and ſet the church which ſhoulde bee ruled by it and obedient to it, to be aboue it; the people aboue the lawe and the ladie vnderunder the handmaide.*5. Supremacy Laſtlie they commit treaſon againſt the perſon of Chriſt when they ſet the pope in his place, without his aſſignement, that a mortall man ſhoulde bee head of the vniuerſall Church and bodie of Chriſt. For Chriſt onelyonly is called:bEph. 1.22.28 1. Cor. 3.11. The head in all thinges ouer his Church: and the foundation thereof excluding all other. Nowe then, ſeeing that there can bee no foundation of Chriſtianitie, nor Church of God, where the couenant is broken by ſpirituall whooredome, and where there is no reioicing with God: and the grace of God and Chriſt death is made vaine: and where the ſeales of Gods letters patentes, and his glorious image which is Chriſt is defaced, and his holie writinges blotted and abaſed: and man aduanced in the chaire of the ſon of God and office of Chriſt: it muſt needes followe that they being guiltie in theſe thinges there cannot bee any part of the viſible Church of Chriſt amongeſt them. I thinke it therefore good to take ſome more paines in theſe fiue points, that thou maiſt ſee, howe that in the firſt primatiue ages, the Catholike truth was to be founde, amonge the Chriſtian proteſtants, and that the popiſhe hereſie in theſe pointes, came vppe afterwardes to bee openlie ſeene, and cloſelie grewe vnderunder them. Conſider therefore (good Chriſtian reader) what I ſay, and the Lord giuegive thee the ſpirit of true diſcretion and wiſedome in all that thou readeſt. Firſt in the queſtion of adoring God: the papiſt thinke they doo not commit fornication; becauſe they hauehave a fine ſhift to ſay, they doe not adore the image, as to account it their God, to put their truſt in it, but onelyonly reuerence it as a repreſentation of God, by bowing before it, kiſſing it, praying before it &c. they adore him which the image repreſenteth. And they thinke themſelues verie wel diſcharged from idolatry, ſeeing their images are not dedicated vntounto diuels and falſe Gods, but vntounto the true God, Chriſt and his Saints. But this is verelie, but a meere ſleight of Sathan: for the truth of chriſtian religion is not ſo, neither was it ſo reputed in the primatiue ages of the church: but that to make ſuch images to God and Chriſt was abominable, & the worſhipping in that ſort idolatrous. For to omit what Chriſt ſayth: thataIoh. 4.24. God is a ſpirit, and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and truth, and that of Saint Paul: bAct. 17.29.For as much as wee are the generation of God, we ought not to thinke that the godhead is like vntounto golde or ſiluer, or ſtone grauen by art and the inuention of man. Thereby teaching that both matter and forme in this cauſe is wicked and vnlawfull: what ſhall then the worſhip bee, but plaine idolatrie? Let vsus here the firſt fathers ſpeake. Irenaeus (who liued about Anno 170. being ſcholler to Polycarpus who was Saint Iohns diſciple:)cAduerſ. hereſ. lib. 1. cap. 24. condemneth the heretikes who called them ſelues Gnostici, hauing certaine images painted, and certaine alſo made of other matter ſaying that the forme of Chriſt was made by Pilate, and alſo hedCap. 23. taxeth the heretike Baſilides, for vſing images and incantations and inuocations: and hee calleth them Parerga: that is to ſay nothing to the matter: euen as the prophet ſaith:eEſai 44.10. Who hath made a God, or molten an image, that is profitable for nothing. But Origen which came ſomewhat after, namely about Anno 270.flib. 7. contra celſum. is more plaine and full in this matter. For hauing to doo with one Celſus who reprooued the Chriſtians (as the papiſtes doo vsus) becauſe they tollerated no images in Gods worſhip, accuſing them to be like, the moſt barbarous nations, the Scythians, Lybians, and Syrians, which were without God; and the Perſians he ſheweth that theſe nations might doo ſo, either becauſe they feared the diuels might lurke in ſuch places, and matter ſo framed and ſhaped, or for ſome other cauſe: but ſaith he: Christians and alſo Iewes, when they heare: Dominum deum tuum timebis &c. thou ſhalt feare the Lord thy God and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue, and thou ſhalt hauehave no ſtrange Gods, neither ſhalt thou make to thy ſelfe an idoll, nor the likenes of any thing &c. doo not onelyonly abhorre the temples, and alters and images of the Gods: but if need be they do come more readelie euen vntounto death, least by any exceſſe and wickednes they ſhould defile, that which they doo verie well and rightlie thinke concerning God: Then a little after he blameth Celſus, for the ſame (which papiſt pretende) that they doo not beleeue the images to bee God: becauſe the common people, by their example, whom they thought to be wiſe, did worſhip them as God, beleeuing them to bee Gods, which all men reuerence: ſo that they will not abide, to heare that any man ſhoulde denie that to bee God, which is worſhipped by it ſelfe. And where as Celſus affirmed that the images were not counted Gods, but dedicated to the Gods: hee aunſwereth that to do and affirme ſuch a thing, is verie plainely apparant, to belong vntounto men, which erre concerning the Godhead. But wee doo not ſo much as account thoſe images to bee of the diuine likeneſſe; becauſe that wee forme (or can forme) no image of God, who as hee is inuiſible ſo he is without bodie. And laſt of all hee taketh away the obiection, that God made man after his owne image, ſhewing that, that is vnderſtood in regarde of the vertues of the ſoule: Whereby you may perceiue that the doctrine of the Chriſtians in thoſe daies was, that no man could make any image and likenes of God, and therefore to make ſuch images of repreſentation, howſoeuer thereby to honour God, was farre from Chriſtians: not onelyonly left the people ſhould hauehave a godlie opinion of thoſe images, by wiſe mens example: but alſo that they might not defile their faith, in the knowledge of the inuiſible and incorporall God, the maker of all thinges: they were then, many degrees diſtant from our popiſh idolatrie and new refined imagerie, who would not ſo much as permit any ſuch images to bee made at all, leaſt they ſhould bee defiled: The like we finde inaDe orig. error. … lib. 2, cap. 2. Lactantius Firmianus, who liued about Anno 335. For hee ſheweth, that when the Chriſtians blamed the gentils, becauſe they feared their workes of their owne handes: the aunſwere of the Gentils was readie (euen the ſame of the Papiſtes) that they feared not thoſe images which they made, but them vntounto whoſe likeneſſe they were made, and to whoſe names they were conſecrated. Hereupon hee confuteth this popiſh ſhift, by theſe reaſons following. Firſt, that God being in heauen they ſhould lift vp their eies to heauen. Secondly, God being alwaies preſent euerie where, and the images ſeruing naturally to remember the abſent, they ſhould not worſhip images, then God being alwaies liuing, ſuch dead and inſenſible thinges, can not bee his image: and laſtly, that cannot bee the image of God which is framed with the fingers of men, out of ſtone, braſſe, or other matter, but man himſelfe. But what neede I to rehearſe many particulars, ſeeing the papiſtes themſelues confeſſe the antiquitie of the primatiue church to bee againſt them. Firſt Polydor VirgillaDe inuent. rerum. lib. 6. cap. 13. Omnes ferme veteres ſancti patres damnabant, &c. ſaith that Hierome teſtifyeth, That not onelyonly they were voide of our religion, but almoſt all the olde holy fathers, did condemne the worſhip of images, for feare of idolatrie, then which there can be no wickedneſſe more execrable. For ſeeing no man at any time ſaw God, as Iohn ſaith, what forme ſhall we giuegive vntounto him, &c. And ſo he diſputeth out of Moſes and others againſt ſuch images: which teſtimony of Polydor is confirmed by Eraſmus Roterodamus (whom Alphonſus de Caſtro, writing of heretickes, would by no meanes leaue out of the Romiſh fellowſhippe, but bringeth the facultie Theologicall of Paris to ſpeake for him,) for hebIn Catechiſ. ſaith, Vſque ad aetatem Hieronimi &c. vntounto the time of Hierome there were men of an approued religion, who ſuffered no images in the churches, neither painted, nor engrauen, nor wouen, no not ſo much as Chriſts image, as I thinke becauſe of the Anthropomorphites, yet by little and little the vſe of images crept into Churches. This Hierom liued about Anno 430. And to him ioyned Auguſtine, who liued as ſome thinke till An. 385. And after him liued Damaſcenus about An. 455. Of theſe two Steuen Durantus, writing from RomeaDe ritibus eccleſiae. lib. 1. cap. 5. ſect. 2. can tel. Firſt that S. Auguſt. de fid. & ſymbol. cap. 7. ſaith: that wee muſt not thinke that God the father is circumſcriptible with any humane forme. And againe: It is wickedneſſe to place ſuch an image vntounto God in a Chriſtian church. And Damaſc. lib. 4. Orthod. fid. cap. 7. Who is there which can make the image of God, who is inuiſible, & without body & circumſcription, & without figure? therefore it is extreme madneſſe, to counterfeit & faſhion the deuine power. Guillermus Durandi helpeth vsus a little further, vntill An. 480.bDe rational. diuin. lib. 1. de pictur. affirming that the councell of Agatha forbad pictures to bee made in the church, and that, that ſhould bee painted in the wales which is worſhipped & adored. Now thisc16. Durandi &dDe rit. eccleſ. lib. 1. cap. 4. ſect. 1. Durantus, with old father Gratian,eDe conſecrat. diſtinct. 3. cap. perlatum. do patiently abide and beare, that theſe images had little entertainment into the churches of Chriſtians vntill An. 600. But then they are bold to bring forth Gregorie, liuing about that time, that they might ſhew the firſt originall & decree of their error. Namely, that about this time there were images crept into the church, to bee lay mens bookes, but not to be adored. For this GregoriefLib. 7. epiſt. 109. reproueth one Serenus Biſhop of Maſſilia, for breaking images in the church whē he ſaw them worſhipped: but yet he commendeth him, that hee would not hauehave the people to worſhip them, wiſhing to teach the people not to ſinne by worſhipping them, and yet to learne the ſtorie in the wales, which they could not reade in bookes. So that it can not be found, that vntounto this time of 600. yeares images got any further honour: but to ſtand or to be painted in the church, as bookes to teach the rude people: and then they began about that time, to forget the ſcriptures of God, which ſaith:gHier. 10.15. Aback. 2. 19. They are vanitie and the worke thereof errors: there is no profite in them, but they are teachers of lies. But this Romiſh and hetheniſh idolatrous worſhip, which is now among the papiſtes, had ſo many enemies of godly Chriſtians, that from time to time it ſuffered the repulſe, till about the yeare 785. And then in the ſecond counſel of Nice it was hatched, hardened & made bolde, to come abroad into open light, and to beard & to face downe the pure adoration and ſeruice of God with this pretyhBy theſe two verſes Nam Deus eſt quod imago docet, ſed non Deus ipſa. Hanc videas, ſed mente colas, quod cernis in ipſa. deuiſe and colour to hide their idolatrie, that they honor not the image it ſelfe, but in it, they worſhip him, whom the image doth repreſent. A thing ſo manifeſtly condemned by the auncient Chriſtians, that this is the greateſt and the ſtrongeſt antiquity which the papiſts hauehave, for the grounding and firſt full birth of their idolatrie: as thou ſhalt verie well perceiue, if thou reade the aforeſaid authors of this matter, and the Antididagma of the reuerende canons of Colen, and B. Boner vponupon the 10. commandements, and the counſell of Trent or any other, that declare faithfully the true ſtorie of antiquitie. Therefore let the Chriſtian reader iudge if this bee not of a newe and late generation: and whether ſuch daintie cloakes of humane folly will ſhrowde them well, and ſafely agaynſt the powring ſhowers of the fierie wrath of God, whichiEſai. 45.23. hath once ſworne by himſelfe: ſaying, Euerie knee ſhall bow vntounto mee, and euerie tongue ſhall ſweare by mee. And againe hee ſaith:kCap. 42.8. I am the Lorde, this is my name, and my glorie will I not giuegive vntounto an other, 2. Faith onelyonly iuſtifieth.neither my praiſe vntounto grauen images. The ſecond foundation is of the condition on our part of the couenant with God: wherein becauſe the goſpell requireth no other condition, but onelyonly faith in Ieſus Chriſt, therfore the catholike religion, holdeth this principle: Faith in Ieſus Chriſt, onelyonly, & without workes doth iuſtifie. Which to be the ancient catholike beliefe of Chriſtians: Euſebius Pamphilus, a very learned diuine of the primitiue age doth teſtifie, he liued about Anno 325. who writing the ſtorie of the primitiue Church, ſheweth that this was the faith of the Chriſtians, from the Apoſtles vntounto that age. For ſpeaking of the hereſie of the Hebionites, (whoſe beginning was in the verie firſt age of Chriſtianitie) he calleth them poore (alluding to their name) in the knowledge of the glorie of Chriſt,Hiſtor. eccleſ. lib. 3. cap. 27. and he telleth, that they were reputed erronious in this, that they held, that the obſeruation of the law was to be kept, and that faith onelyonly in Chriſt was not ſufficient to ſaluation. Which is confirmed by Irenaeus whobAduerſ. hereſ. lib. 1. ca. 26 ſaith that Ebion refuſed Paul, calling him an Apoſtata from the law. Now if it were not the common and vniuerſall faith of the Church, that faith onelyonly iuſtifieth, how could Ebion all that 300. yeares bee accounted an hereticke for holding the contrarie? But this will more appeare, if we heare the auncient fathers and elder proteſtants, (both before and after Euſebius time) to ſpeake and vtter their profeſſion. CypriancAnno 255. before EuſebiusdEpiſt. 3. Caecilio. ſaith thus: Si Abraham Deo credidit &c. If Abraham beleeued God, & it was imputed to him for righteouſnes, truely whoſeouer beleeueth God and liueth by faith, is found righteous. OrigineAnno. 235. a little before him ſpeaketh thus, (vponupon the words of S. Paul Rom. 3. verſ. 27.28.)fIn epiſt. ad Rom. cap. 3. lib. 3. He ſaith, the iuſtification of faith onelyonly to ſuffice: So that whoſoeuer beleeueth onelyonly is iuſtified, although hee fulfill no part of workes. And to proue this he bringeth the example of the thiefe on the croſſe, namely: That no whit of good workes is declared to bee done by him in the goſpell, but for his faith onelyonly Ieſus ſaid vntounto him, this day ſhalt thou be with me in paradiſe. Hilariusg345. liued much about that time, or not long after Euſebius, andhCap. ſine Canon. 8. hee ſaith vponupon Mathew: Fide ſola iuſtificat, He iuſtifieth onelyonly by faith. Baſilius Magnus as it wereiAnno 370. preſently after him ſaith: The kde humilitateApoſtle ſaith, let him that glorieth glory in the Lord, where he ſaid that Chriſt is made of God vntounto vsus, wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption, that as it is written, let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord: for that is perfect & euerie way glorying in the Lord, when a man is not extolled for his owne righteouſneſſe, but acknowledgeth himſelfe indeed void of true righteouſneſſe, and to bee iuſtified by onelyonly faith in Chriſt. Ambroſe was not longl380. after, when hemEpiſt. 71. wrote to one Irenaeus ſaying: Let no man glorie in his works, becauſe no man is iuſtified by his doings, but he that is iuſt hath it giuen him, becauſe that after the waſhing he is iuſtified: therfore it is faith, which deliuereth by the bloud of Chriſt, becauſe he is bleſſed whoſe ſinne is remitted & pardoned. Hieromen390. ioyneth cloſe vntounto him andoVponUpon Rom. 4. ſaith: God iuſtifieth by faith onelyonly the wicked man, when he conuerteth, and not workes which hee hath not. And againe vponuponpVponUpon Gal. 3. theſe wordes, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteouſneſſe, (he ſaith) ſo alſo vntounto you, onelyonly faith is ſufficient vntounto righteouſneſſe. And a little after, Becauſe that in the law &c. becauſe no man keepeth it, therefore it is ſaid that by faith onelyonly the beleeuers are iuſtified. S. AuguſtinaAnno 400. homil. 6. VponUpon theſe words, louelove your enemies. ſtandeth vp as it were with him, and proteſteth: No man is made iuſt but of a ſinner, as wee hauehave often ſong: bleſſed are they whoſe ſinnes are forgiuen, hee ſaid not: bleſſed are they which not committed ſinne, but bleſſed are they whoſe ſinnes are forgiuen them. For if thou aske who hath not committed, thou ſhalt find no man. Whereby then ſhall any man be bleſſed, vnleſſe he bee pardoned that he hath done, and couered that hee hath committed. And a little after: Thinke not that by thy merites thou art made ſuch an one, becauſe the grace of God hath made thee ſuch an one. The Milenitane councell doethbAnno 420. cloſe vp this faith, when it will hauehave nothing giuen to mans will or workes, but aſcribeth all to the merciemercy & grace of God, as is ſhewed but a little before.cAnno 450. ſermo 30. Petrus Chryſologus expoūdeth this matter by the cauſe, where he ſaith: Non veni vocare iuſtos, (I came not to call the righteous but ſinners) he putteth not backe the iuſt, but becauſe that without Chriſt no man is counted iuſt in the earth: (I came not to call the righteous but ſinners) in ſo ſaying, hee putteth not backe the righteous, but becauſe hee findeth all men ſinners: harken to the Pſalmiſt: The Lord looked downe from heauen vponupon the ſonnes of men, that hee might ſee if there were any that vnderſtood or ſought after God: all hauehave gone out of the way &c. Let vsus bee brethren, let vsus be ſinners by our owne confeſsion, that by the pardon of Chriſt, we may not be ſinners. Theophilact. commethdAnno 760. ſome pretie while after, and yeeldeth to this veritie ſaying, vponuponeVponUpon 3. verſ. 11. theſe wordes, And that no man is iuſtified by the law in the ſight of God &c. he hath therefore ſhewed that men are made accurſed by the law, and are vnderunder the curſe: but the bleſsinges are heaped vp by faith: Now he doth plainely ſhew, that verie faith, yea euen alone, hath in it ſelfe the vertue of iuſtifying &c. The ordinarie gloſſe vponupon the bible, ioyned with Lyra, being offLyra wrote about 1320. later and more corrupted time, by euidence of truth is drawne to the ſame confeſſiongVponUpon Rom. 3 & 4. ſaying: Workes follow him that is iuſtified, but do not go before him that is to bee iuſtified: but by onelyonly faith without workes going before, a man is made iuſt. And againe: VntoUnto him who hath not time to worke, if he beleeue, onelyonly faith is ſufficient to righteouſneſſe. BernardhBernardus Clarenallenſis liued in Anno 1120. liuing ſome good time before this, finding the ſame truth in Gods booke, giueth like witneſſeiVponUpon Cantic. ſermon. 22. ſaying: Quiſquis propeccatis compunctus eſurit &c. Whoſoeuer being pricked for his ſinnes doth hunger and thirſt for righteouſneſſe, let him beleeue in thee, who doſt iuſtifie the wicked: & being iustified, onelyonly by faith, he ſhall hauehave peace with God. Here the Chriſtian reader may ſee, that proteſtantes flouriſhed in the primitiue church, and that the ages after did not want witneſſes of this truth. Now if I be asked how the opinion of righteouſneſſe by workes came into the Chriſtian ſocietie, and corrupted it, I deſire the reader to caſt his eies vponupon the matter it ſelfe, & conſider with me, that the way of ſaluation is Chriſt only, & he is made ours by faith, for vnleſſe wee learne & beleeue in Chriſt we can not be ſaued. The deuill therfore by all meanes hath laboured to keepe men from the knowledge of Chriſt: & firſt he drew away the wiſe & learned of al nations many ages together, that they thought themſelues happie, by their wiſdome, vertue, lawes & works, with other deuiſes, but knew not the true God and the righteouſnes & ſaluation which is by Chriſt: yet God hauing an eye to his elect whom he called, maugre the malice of ſathan, this was otherwiſe in the church of God. And God called and taught AbrahamaGal. 3.8. the goſpel, namely that men ſhould be righteous by faith onelyonly. Here the Deuil hath a new worke, and in proceſſe of time vnderunder colour of the righteouſnes of the law, he cauſed the church of the Iewes to fall from God, by forſaking faith and ſeeking to bee iuſt by their workes: for as Saint Paul witneſſeth,Rom. 9.31. Iſrael which followed the law of righteouſneſse, could not attaine vntounto the law of righteouſneſſe. Wherefore? Becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but as it were by the workes of the law. Heere God reſiſted Sathan, and opened the way of life vntounto all nations. For in the fulneſſe of time, when the promiſe of the goſpell vntounto Abraham, of iuſtifying the gentiles through faith was now to be accompliſhed, God ſent forth his ſonne to be the light of the world, and he & his Apoſtles preached repentance to all nations, and taught them righteouſneſſe & ſaluation by faith in Chriſt onelyonly. And then as S. Paul alſo teacheth:cVerſ. 30. The gentils which followed not righteouſneſſe attained vntounto righteouſnes, euen the righteouſneſſe which is of faith. Here the Deuil beſtirreth himſelfe, and firſt euen in the Apoſtles time, hee raiſeth vp the Iewes, who beingdAct. 21.20. zealous for Moſes, fight eagerly for the law,eGal. 3.1.2.3 and that the workes of Gods commandements be ioyned vntounto faith,f1. Theſſ. 2.14 15.16. or to bee aduanced aboue faith. Againſt which Saint Paule laboureth and writeth to the Romains and Galathians, moſt ſtrongly proouing, that onelyonly faith in Ieſus Chriſt doth iuſtifie, & that God had ſo decreed it by his word:cAct. 15. and the Apoſtles by a counſell determine that the Gentils are free from the law of Moſes. Afterward the diuel prepared diuers heretikes to this battaile who in diuers ſortes aſſayled this faith: ſome fighting againſt the perſon of Chriſt, as Simon Magus and Arius and their followers: ſome ſtroue for their owne perfection and righteouſnes: as Ebion, Pelagious, Donatus, Cathari, and ſuch like. Againſt all which God ſtirred vp learned, valiant and faithful men, who defended and maintained the faith, by the ſword of the ſpirit and kept it found many yeres, ſo that the heretickes preuailed not. But in this verie time, and that vnawares, a thing that Chriſtian men ſuſpected not, the diuell had vnderunder hande a more cunning and ſure way to ouerthrow the faith: namelie he draue men into the wilderneſſe and ſolitarie places, which partlie happened by perſecution, and partlie by a blinde deuotion, and ſo ſowed the ſeeds of munkerie in the Church of Chriſt, which as farre as I candPolydor virgil. de inuent. rerum. lib. 7. cap. 1. & cap. 3. Hiſtor Eccleſiaſt. tripertit lib. 1. cap. 11. About Anno 300. read firſt ^e began in the deſerts of Aegyt. Theſe men gaue them ſelues to holie meditation and religious contemplation of Gods workes, and leauing the perfect booke of God written in the holy ſcriptures they read in an other booke, like the heathen, as nature and reaſon which is blinde in Gods cauſes, did lead them, and made a newe Philoſophie, hauing this principle, Veram beatitudinem in cultura dei & legum eius obſeruatione, that is: True happineſſe to conſiſt in the ſeruice of God and keeping his commandements: which while men perceiued not, howe it beat vponupon the foundation, they began to caſt their eies vponupon themſelues, and by little and little (becauſe by nature we are prone to thinke too wel of our ſelues, and as men fond of their owne children, we admire our deuiſes) chriſtians fel in louelove with this new trade of life, & the pearcing reflex of the glittering beams of their great and rare holines, and new religious deuotion, daſeled the eies of all ſorts of men. Inſomuch as very excellent men and great clearkes, Baſilius magnus, Hierom, and Auguſtine, & diuers other, leaned toward this new religion, and began to make rules for the ſame. And ſo the diuel comming as an angel of light, made his firſt entrance and their priuelie ſtale in this iuſtifying by workes vn eſpied. For theſe and other godly fathers in plaine and euident places of ſcripture being by their conſcience conſtrained, they frankly acknowledge the truth of Chriſt Ieſus and auow it againſt heretikes: yet oftentimes their eies looking backwarde (like the peacocke) vponupon their owne goodly rules and obſeruations, doe with the left hand robbe Chriſt of that, which they ſo thankfully aſcribe vntounto him with the right. Yet this meriting by workes was not ſo bolde and brauely attired in the firſt ſix hundred yeres, to aſſume and take ſuch open authority and hie glory in the church; as it was afterwarde; when peace and wealth made men by wantonnes to ſeeke many deuiſes. Some (as the climing popes) ſet vp decrees and decretals and made themſelues men of renown, ſome by the knowledge of lawes and canons ſtroue for the lawrell crowne of glory; ſome by ſchoole learning made themſelues admirable, who drawing in Ariſtle and Philoſophie, to make grounds in diuinitie, taught the reaſonable way of righteouſnes by workes and the congruitie and condignitie of freewil: ſome as fryers and cloyſters by rules and orders made new religions and waies of ſaluation; here commeth vp purgatorie, pardons, pilgrimage, praiers for the dead, and a thouſand new things of rare holines & meritorious deuotion. By all theſe did the diuel make vntounto him ſelfe many mightie legions of reſolute warriers, to face & wearie out Chriſt, that he might leaue the church, that he by his eldeſt ſonne Antechriſt, might raigne and rule alone, and ſo he eaſily thruſt out faith onelyonly for righteouſnes, and the true way of ſaluation. And brought in infinit traditions, vnwritten verities, obſeruations, cuſtomes, myſteries, deuotions and reuelations. If you would read Guillerimus Durandi rationale diuinorum, with Guido manipulus curatorum, Bonauentura de profectu religioſorum, Hieremias Buchius of the conformities of S. Frauncis with Chriſt, with ſuch like and ioine there vntounto the counſell of Trent, with their maſſe, and all the bookes appendents in ſeruice to their Ladie and Saints and heape vntounto them the thouſands of commandements of the church in decrees, decretals and canons, brought in by popes, ſcholemen, canoniſts & ciuilians, it would make a mans hart to bleed, to think how little regard is had of Chriſt, and of his righteouſnes, wiſedome, ſanctification, redemption, name & glorie. And that the chriſtian reader may the better perceiue theſe things; let him marke but this one thing which is yet freſh in memorie. When Luther ſtoode vp for the goſpell, and tooke into his hand the ſpiritual ſword of Gods word, and ſtroke and hewed at one of the laſt growing ſproutes of this new way of righteouſnes, namely pardons and indulgencies, and finding great reſiſtance by the warriers before named, hee began to arme himſelfe with the armor of God, and by little and little both learning and teaching, the article of iuſtification by faith onelyonly in Chriſt, by and by all this braue baggage and counterfeit galantnes and earthlie glorie of righteous by mens doeings, like a thicke myſtie cloud couering the aire, did vaniſh away in the conſcience of many thouſands, by the bright ſhining power of the true ſunne of righteouſnes Ieſus Chriſt in and by faith alone. And of this we hauehave had almoſt one hundred yeres experience, that asa1. Sam. 5. Dagon of the Philiſtims could not ſtand before the arke of God: So all the whooriſh deuiſes of Romiſh Babilon could not ſtande before the doctrine of faith onelyonly in Ieſus Chriſt, the Lord be praiſed.3. of the Sacraments. Now looke we on the third point of the ſacraments and ſeales of the couenant of merciemercy, and let vsus here whether the auncient fathers of the primatiue church were not proteſtants. Firſt Tertullian offereth him ſelfe, a veriebHe liued about Anno 230. auncient father, hee telleth vsuscContra Martiō lib. 4. onelyonly of two ſacraments, and of the Lordes ſupperdlib. 1. hee ſaith: Non reprobauit panem quo ipſum corpus ſuum repreſentat, he refuſeth not bread whereby he repreſenteth his bodie. Loe Tertullian an auncient proteſtant in the matter of the ſacraments. Cyprian likewiſe ſheweth him ſelfe a proteſtant,eDe caena domini. ſaying. Manſio nostra in ipſo &c. our abiding in him is eating and drinking, and as it were a certaine incorporation &c. and a little after. That which meat is to the fleſh, this faith is vntounto the ſoule; that which is meat to the bodie, that is the woord to the ſpirit: and in his concluſion hee addeth. As oft as wee doo theſe thinges, wee doo not wheat our teeth to byte, but with a ſincere faith, wee breake the holie bread and deuide it, while wee distinguiſh and ſeperate that which is deuine, and that which is humaine &c. Origen ſteppeth in betweene them both and proteſteth with vsus,fvponupon leuit. homil. 7. ſaying: There is alſo in the newe Teſtament a letter which killeth him, who marketh not thoſe thinges which are ſpoken ſpiritually. For if thou according to the letter, followe this ſame which is ſaid (vnleſſe you eate my fleſhe and drinke my bloud) this letter killeth. Saint Auguſtine followeth after and ſheweth him ſelfe a proteſtant in diuers places about this matter, denying tranſubſtantiation with all the holie martyrs which ſuffered in Queene Maries time, ſaying:aVponUpon Pſ. 98. Non hoc corpus quod videtis &c. yee ſhall not eate this bodie which you ſee, and drinke that bloud which they ſhall ſhead, which ſhall crucifie mee, I hauehave commended vntounto you a certaine myſterie: which beeing ſpiritually vnderſtoode, ſhall quicken you, and againe:bDe ciuitate dei lib. 21. cap. 20. Non ſolo ſacramento, ſed re ipſa manducauerunt corpus Chriſti, in ipſo eius corpore cōſtituti. They eate not in the Sacrament alone, but in verie deede the bodie of Chriſt, beeing ſet in his verie bodie, ſhewing thereby that there is no way of eatinge Chriſt, but ſpirituallie, and that the wicked eate the Sacrament of Chriſts bodie, but not Chriſts bodie indeede, hauing no faith to bee ſet in him: and as hee knewe no reall preſence in the ſacrament, ſo he knew no adoration nor ſacrifice but a memoriall of thankſgiuing, as where hecAd. P. diaconum. ſaith: In this ſacrifice there is thankſgiuing and a remembrance of the fleſh of Chriſt, which he offered for vsus: and againe,dContra Fauſtum Manicheum per victimas ſimilitudinum. the fleſh and bloud of this ſacrifice before the comming of Chriſt was promiſed by the ſacrifices of reſemblances: in the ſacrifice of Chriſt by the truth of the ſame: after the aſcention of Chriſt it is celebrated by the ſacrament of remembrance, what a merueilous proteſtant was hee, whoſe ſacrifice was a remembrance, his adoring was thankeſgiuing and tranſubſtantiation in a myſterie and not in deed. But me thinketh father Barnard wil be a proteſtant alſo, for heeDe diligend. Deo. ſaith that theſe woords (qui manducat carnem meam &c. hee which eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my bloud hath life eternal) is as much as to ſay: who ſo doth meditate vponupon my death and by my example mortifie his members, which are vponupon the earth, hath eternall life, that is, if you ſuffer together you ſhall raigne together. Tranſubſtantiation came vp as yeſterdayBut here I need not ſo much to trouble thee with fathers ſeeing this deuiſe of tranſubſtantiation was hatched leſſe then 400. yeres a goe, and thatfAnno 1215. Read the acts of the counſel and decreet all lib. 3. tit. 41. cap. 5. in a counſell of Lateran vnderunder pope Innocent the 3. there you ſhall finde Francis and Dominicke the head ſprings of two religions, to be great helpe to the pope, there ſhalt thou find auriculer cō feſſion, and myſterium fidei thruſt into the inſtitution in the maſſe. Hereupon Honorius the 3. eſpying (in looking vponupon this new glaſſe of tranſubſtantion) that Chriſt was made to come out of heauen into the ſacrament, thought it reaſon to giuegive him reuerence; therefore hea16. cap. 10. deuiſed and ordained the Euchariſt, ſhould be lifted vp and adored and reſerued in reuerent maner. But it is to be merueiled, that Honorius was ſo haſtie, before it was perfectly reſolued, whether the water were tranſubſtantiated with the wine. For the forſaid Innocent the thirdb16. cap. 6. illa probabilior iudicatur, quae aſſerit aquam cum vino in ſanguinem tranſmutari. doth but probablie coniecture that it is ſo, and he ſaith the ſchoolemen agree not whether it be ſo or no. But howſoeuer, it is apparant by theſe teſtimonies, that this filthie and abominable idoll of tranſubſtantiation, with his adoration, is a new borne monſter, adored by them which turne the glorie of God into things corruptible. Therefore God giueth them ouer into a reprobate ſenſe, to beleeue lies, becauſe they receiued not the louelove of the truth, & to truſt in thoſe things, which if they could ſee, they would be a feard of, their very table is made a ſnare and their proſperity their ruine. The fourth foundamentall point is of the writings of the couenant,4. Of the ſcriptures. namely the Holie ſcriptures inſpired by Gods ſpirit. Let vsus heere what the auncient proteſtantes profeſſed in the primatiue flower of the chriſtian Churches among the Gentils. Irenaeus Biſhop of Lyons in France a verie auncient proteſtant:cAduerſ. hereſ. lib. 2. ca. 47 proteſteth that the Scriptures are perfect, for they are ſpoken by the woord of God and by his ſpirit: and againe:dlib. 3. cap. 12. The thinges which the Scriptures ſhewe (or teach,) cannot bee ſhewed but by the Scriptures. And hee teacheth thatelib. 5. No ſmall puniſhment belongeth to them which adde or take away from the Scriptures. And laſtlie heeflib. 3. cap. 2. ſheweth that it is a ſhift of the heretikes, when they are conuinced by the Scriptures to accuſe the Scriptures, and to ſay that by the Scriptures the truth cannot bee found of them which know not the tradition. Heere you ſee that Irenaeus maketh theſe boaſting papiſtes heretikes, who vnderunder colour of the inſufficiencie of Scripture do foiſt in their traditions, affirming that they ought not to interpret the ſcriptures by their ſence or magiſteriall power, but by the declaration of ſcripture it ſelfe, and laſtlie that they are to bee puniſhed for adding vnwritten verities, traditions canons and decrees and ſuch like tumperie to the perfect Scriptures. In the next age of proteſtants commeth vp that great ſcholer Origen, and heaIn Ezech. homil. 7. proteſteth againſt the popiſh doctrin thus: They which teare the Scriptures, ſowing thoſe things, doe rent the words from the words and make feined points of doctrine, doo ſerue idols &c. and a little after. Let vsus follow no man, and if we wil follow anie, Ieſus Chriſt is ſet before vsus, to be followed, the acts of the Apoſtles are deſcribed and we know the doings of the prophets by the holy volums (or writings) that patterne is ſure, that example is ſound, which who ſo deſireth to follow doth walke without danger. In the next age of proteſtants ſtandeth vp Baſilius Magnus, and with open mouth denouncethbDe vera ac pia fide. againſt the arrogant pride of Rome: If the Lord be faithful in all his words, and all his cōmandements faithful, eſtabliſhed for euer & euer, done in equitie and truth: without doubt, this wilbe a moſt manifeſt argumēt of infidelity, & a moſt certain ſign of prid, if any man wil reiect any of thoſe things which are writtē, or bring in any of thoſe things which are not written. Seing our Lord Ieſus Chriſt hath ſaid my ſheep here my voice & a little before the ſame ſaid, they wil not follow a ſtrā ger, but wil flie from him, becauſe they know not the voice of ſtrangers. In the next age Chryſoſtome ſteppeth forth & proteſteth for the ſufficiēcy of the holy ſcripturesaVponUpon Ioh. cap. 8. ſaying: If we would diligētly ſearch the ſcriptures, wee might be able to attaine ſaluation. But Saint Auguſtine a little before him beateth down all writings of Biſhops, prouinces, and generall counſels, as vncertain and vnperfect, and ſuch as may be amended; but lifteth vp the ſcriptures and writings of the new and olde teſtament, as the onelyonly ſure and ſufficient truthbDe baptiſm. contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. ſaying: Who knoweth not that the holy ſcripture as well of the olde as of the new teſtament, is contained within certaine boundes, and the ſame to be preferred before all the letters of the biſhops comming after? as that there can be no doubt & diſpute of (or about) it. But the letters of Biſhops, which hauehave bin written after the confirming of the Canon, or are now written, may be reprehended, both by the ſpeech (perauenture more wiſe) of any man more wiſe in the ſame thing, and by the grauer authoritie of other Biſhops, & prudencie of learned men and by counſels, if perauenture any thing in them do erre frō the truth. Alſo counſels, which are holden in ſeuerall regions or prouinces are to giuegive place without any ſtaggering, to the authoritie of fuller counſels, which are holden of all the Chriſtian world, and thoſe verie fuller councels, often the former may be amended by the latter, when as by any experience of things, that is made knowne which was hidden. Cyrillus in that verie age ſheweth himſelfe in this matter a verie true proteſtantcVponUpon Ioh. 20. cap. 68. ſaying: All things which the Lord hath done are not written, but thoſe things which the writers hauehave thought ſufficient, as well for maners as doctrine, that ſhining in a right faith and workes and vertue, we may come to the kingdome of heauen through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And Theophilact one of the later writers of the Greekes condeſcendeth to this doctrine,bVponUpon 2. Tim. 3. and ſaith: Nihil eſt quod nequeat ſcripturis diſſolut, There is nothing, which cannot bee aſſoiled by the ſcriptures. Here the Chriſtian reader may ſee, that the auncient Chriſtian religion was the ſame of proteſtants, holding the ſcripture for the onelyonly Canon of faith, the rule of righteouſneſſe containing all thinges neceſſarie to ſaluation, moſt certaine and ſure to diſcerne all truth, and able to aſſoile all dobts and queſtions, and that wee ought to follow no man, becauſe Biſhops letters, & the moſt generall and fulleſt councels may be amended, and that it is onelyonly the holy ſcripture whereof there can bee no doubt or diſpute: ſo that it followeth that it is a new doctrine to ſay, that the Churches authoritie is aboue the ſcripture, or that the Church iudgeth the ſcripture, and not the ſcripture the Church, or that wee neede and muſt accept with equall reuerence traditions or vnwritten verities and canons of the church, without diſputing, and ſuch like blaſphemies. Gratian alſo the compiler of the decrees whocAbout Ann. 1160. liued in the chiefeſt growth of corruption, did publiſh to all the world, as an eccleſiaſticall decree, the ſoueraigntie of holy ſcripture. For ſpeaking of deuine lawes, he ſheweth the determination of ancient fathers, to ſet the holy ſcriptures aboue all other lawes whatſoeuer. And firſt aboue all cuſtomes indDiſtinct. 8. ca. Si ſolus Chriſtus. theſe wordes. If Chriſt onelyonly bee to bee hearde, wee are not to regarde what any man before vsus thought meete to bee done: but what Chriſt who is before all hath firſt done. For wee muſt not follow the cuſtome of men, but the truth of God, ſeeing God ſpeaketh by Eſai the prophet and ſaith, in vaine doe they worſhippe mee, teaching the commandements and doctrines of men. Secondly, that it is proper and peculier to the Canonicall ſcriptureseFor ſo the gloſſe interpreteth the Canons of the diſtinction following. of the olde and new Teſtament onelyonly, not to erre,fDiſtinct. 9. cap. Ego ſolit. ſaying: I hauehave learned to giuegive vntounto thoſe writinges onelyonly which now are called Canonicall this reuerence and honour, that I beleeue that none of them hauehave erred. And againe,gCap. Noli frater. Doe not deſire (brother) to gather out of the writings of Biſhoppes, cauils againſt ſo many, ſo excellent and vndoubted teſtimonies deuine &c. Whether they bee ours or Hillarius, or Cyprian, and Agrippinus, before the part of Donatus was ſeperated. And firſt this kind of letters is to bee diſtinguiſhed from the authoritie of the Canons, for they are not ſo reade, as though a teſtimonie were ſo brought out of them, that it is not lawfull to thinke contrarie, if in any place they vnderſtood otherwiſe then the truth doeth require. And againe, Neither ought wee to account the diſputations of any men whatſoeuer, although Catholicke and reuerende men like vntounto the Canonicall Scriptures, that it ſhoulde not bee lawfull for vsus, ſauing the reuerence due vntounto theſe men, to improoue ſome thing in their wrytinges, and to reiecte it, if happely wee ſhall finde that they thinke or imagine otherwiſe then the truth hath.

In the next age after Gratian I finde Bonauentura a Franciſcan, a man of great account inhDe profect… religioſorū. cap. 6. He liued about Ann. 1280. his time, with cleare tearmes to teach the doctrine of proteſtantes in theſe wordes: Nam quod ratio noſtra lippa facta eſt &c. Whereas our reaſon is become as bleare eied, & our vnderſtanding darkened through ſinne, that wee cannot finde the truth of our ſelues; God came downe vntounto vsus, leaſt we ſhould bee in error, and gaue vsus the knowledge of the truth in the ſcriptures which he would hauehave vsus beleeue, where we might find ſufficiently and truely all thinges neceſſarie for vsus vntounto ſaluation, that in them we ſhould not follow our ſence, but humblie ſubmit our ſence vntounto the rule of faith, if we will not erre. Nicholas Lyra in thea1315. next age proteſteth for the ſcripture in like manerbVponUpon the Prouerb. ca. 31. ſaying: Sacra ſcriptura continet firmam &c. The holy ſcripture containeth the firme and inuiolable truth, as in a merchants ſhippe are caried diuers thinges neceſſarie for mans life, ſo in ſcripture are contained all things neceſſarie to ſaluation.

But that I ouercloy not the reader with many teſtimonies for the authority of holy ſcriptures, I wil now turne to the other ſide, to trace the footſteps of the popiſh doctrine, how it came vp, that the ſcriptures hath loſt their firſt authority and honour. Surely by the witneſſe of the papiſtes themſelues not in 400. or 600. yeares after Chriſt. For then ſaith the gloſſe vponuponcVponUpon diſtinct 9. cap. noli me 15. Gratian, that about the times of Auguſtine: Auguſtina ſcripta & aliorū ſanctorū patrum non erant autentica &c. The writings of Auguſtine and of other holy fathers were not autenticall, but dthat is about Anno 1200.now they are commanded to be holdē to the vtmoſt Iod. And this GratianeDiſtinct. 15. cap. ſancta Romana. ſendeth vsus to Gelaſius for the firſt founder of the authoritie of councels, fathers and decretals, epiſtles, ſo that by the papiſtes owne account and confeſſion the holy ſcriptures raigned alone many ages together after Chriſts aſcention as Lady & Queene, to bee the onelyonly law to rule iudge and know the Church and whatſoeuer neceſſarie to ſaluation. And the Church preſumed not ouer the ſcriptures, but was ſquared & ordered by them. This Gratian ſheweth vsusfDiſtinct 16. Cap. Canons. that the Canons of the Apoſtles were pronounced bygHe liued Anno 530. Iſidorus, not to hauehave bene receiued of the Church, nor of the holy fathers, becauſe they were knowne to be made of heretikes vnderunder the name of the Apoſtles. After hehDiſtinct. 19. cap. Si Romanor. Ann. 865. telleth vsus, that Pope Nicholas giueth autenticall authoritie to the decretall Epiſtles of his predeceſſors. And thatiDiſtinct. 19. cap. ſic omnes Anno. 680. Pope Agatha firſt breathed out this blaſphemie, that all ſanctions of the Apoſtolicall ſea, are to be receiued, as confirmed by the deuine voice of Peter. AndkDiſtinct. 20. cap. de libellis. Anno 850. Leo the 4. followed him in the ſame rebellion of Gods word, pronouncing, that they who do not receiue al their canons indifferently do not beleeue the Apoſtolicall faith and the foure Euangeliſts effectually as they ſhould. And here the maker of the gloſſe is touched in conſcience for the Eaſt churches that did not receiue theſe decretalles all this while, whether they were not heretikes. Much about this time came in the Legenda aurea, which islBernard. de Girard, hiſt. Franc. lib. 4. Albert. Krant. Saxonia lib. 2. fathered vponupon Carolus Magnus. And after this, others in theſe things kept on this new deuotion and preſumption. But the battell was not full and ſtrong, till Gratian himſelfemAnno. 1160. came vp and ſet them in aray by compiling the booke of decrees, containing more then halfe a legion; the Ciuilians and Canoniſtes muſter themſelues to make the firſt ſquadrant, then Lombardus his brother bringeth forth a ſecond in foure bookes of ſentences, and in the reare warde marchnAnno 1270 Thomas Aquinas, andoAnn. 1295. Scotus Duns, with many Franciſcans and Dominicans, and make a ſtrong battell of diſtinctions, queſtions, philoſophie, Ariſtotelians, and all the forces of reaſon,aAnno 1230. Gregorie the 9. bringeth forth his barbed horſemen of decretall, as flanckers & to make incurſions in fiue troopes or bookes well armed with Apoſtaticall ordinaunce: and Boniface the eight added a ſixth. Then come in the light horſemen of Clementines and extrauagantes readie for many ſeruices: amongſt whome there commeth in a monſtrous hugebSeruice in a ſtrange tonge came in after the adoring of Euchariſt. Anno 1220. read Lyra vpō 1. Cor. 14. beaſt, to make way for the reſt called Lingua Latina ſeu peregrina, that is, ſeruice and ſcriptures in an vnknowen tongue, which caſteth ſuch a miſt into the eyes of Gods people that they are brought vnderunder the antechriſtian bondage, and from the glorious lawe of libertie, which is the goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus before they be aware. By all theſe there came vp ſuch great and vniuerſall ſtudie of the Canon and Ciuill lawes, and ſuch honour of ſchoole learning amongſt all the learned and wiſe men on the one ſide: and ſuch palpable ignorance in the common people, that it was impoſſible, that the worde of God could hauehave his primatiue dignitie, witneſſe the councell of Trent,cReade Caeſar Baron. vponupon the Martyrolog. Non Martij. who often clapped handes, and gaue great applauſe to Thomas Aquinas. And that when Luther beganne to preach the goſpell, his greateſt aduerſaries fought againſt him, eyther by Canons decrees of ſome ſcholaſticall concluſion, and witneſſe the conſcience and knowledge of all men that hauehave looked into the eſtate of religion. Thus is it eaſie to ſee what a ſtrong force the deuill had by this meanes to bring the holie ſcriptures of God into a baſe and low remembraunce, and how in tracte of time hee hath made his owne lawes, traditions, decrees and counſels, not onelyonly equall, but far aboue them: And as iuſtly complaineth Anthonius de Rampegolis (a man of their owne ſide, who as Tritte thendDe ſcriptoribus eccleſiaſticis. writeth flouriſhed perſonally in the counſel of ConſtanceeFigurae bibliae. cap. de ſacra ſcriptura. Sacram ſcripturam in honorantes trahunt in obſequium philoſophiae, faciunt ancillā dominam & de domina ancillam.) many diſhonoured the holy ſcripture and made it obedient to philoſophie, cauſing the handmaid to be miſtreſſe, and the miſtreſſe to be handmaid, and thus was fulfilled that which Hilarius wiſely obſeruing didfAduerſus Arianos. Et facta eſt fides temporum potius quā Euangeliorum. ſay in his time: When the vſe of writing & innouating of faith beganne to bee in vre, after it did rather beginne to make new thinges, then keepe that which it had receiued: it neither maintained the old, nor confirmed the newe, and ſo faith became to bee of the times, rather then of the goſpels. That is to ſay, men leauing that which they receiued and learned by the ſcriptures, and writing themſelues opinions and decrees of their owne, it came to paſſe in time, that the faith of the Church was not that which the Goſpell of Chriſt teacheth: but ſuch as liked men of the ſeuerall ages and times, ſuch as counſelles decreed, and Biſhoppes ordained. Which thing Eraſmus being a great Scholler did ſee to be happened vntounto the Church of Rome, and thereof giueth admonition to a great Biſhoppe, and amongſt other thinges touching humane conſtitutionsgad Chriſtoph. Epiſcop. Baſil. de interdicto eſu carmum, &c. he ſaith: Haec primum obrepant honeſti ſpecie &c. Theſe thinges firſt creepe in by a colour of honeſtie; after they ouerflow more aboundantly then after a while, being confirmed by vſe, they raigne as tyrants &c.

5. Of the ſupremacie.Now let vsus come to the laſt foundation of popery and baniſhing of Chriſt and his lawes. Namely, the royal primacie of the Pope, clyming into the ſeat of Chriſt, and aduancing himſelfe aboue all that is called God. And let vsus examine whether it be Euangelicall and of the Chriſtian religion and ancient profeſſion of the primatiue Church. Firſt it is manifeſt and cleare, that the firſt ſixe hundred yeare neuer knew him, but they were all proteſtants allowing no vniuerſall Biſhop, but Chriſt onelyonly: and honouring the Emperors and kinges where they liued as Lordes and ſupreame gouernors ouer all perſons eccleſiaſticall & ciuill, euen as they had learned of Saint Paule, who did commaundaRom. 13.1. euerie ſoule to bee ſubiect to the higher power: and of Saint Peter,b1. Pet. 2.13. who would hauehave them ſubmit themſelues to the king, as the ſuperior. And herein I will call for the papiſtes themſelues to be my witneſſes. Firſt GratiancDiſtinct. 21. cap. cleros. telleth vsus out of Iſidorus, that among the auncient fathers a prieſt and a Biſhop were all one. And the ſame thing hedDiſtinct. 93. cap. legimus. affirmeth out of Hierome, with many reaſons drawne from holy ſcripture, and he ſheweth that the firſt riſing of one Biſhop ouer another, was deuiſed for a remedie againſt ſchiſme. And as concerning the preheminenc of the citie of Rome, he addeth: Si authoritas quaereretur, &c. if authoritie be ſought for, the authoritie of the world is greater then that of one citie: whereſoeuer there is a Biſhop, at Rome, or at Engubium, or at Conſtantinople, or at Rhegium, or Alexandria, or at Thebes, or at Guarmatia, it is of the ſame merit, it is of the ſame prieſthood: which the gloſſe there doth interpret, that diſcreete learned and wiſemen eſteeme all alike; but ideots and the comon people deſpiſe a Biſhop of a ſmale or litle citie. And a litle after eDiſtinct 95. cap. olim.he ſaith. As the elders (or prieſtes) knowe that they by the cuſtome of the church are ſubiect to him which is ſet ouer them: So let the Biſhops know, that they are greater then the priſts, rather by cuſtome then by the truth of Gods ordinance, and that they ought to rule in comon. Ceſar Baronius, by the cō mandement of pope Gregory the 13. making a new legend called Martyrologiums after the order of their new callender, in his notes vponupon that booke,fIan. 20. pag. 22. at the letter c. teacheth vsus that this word Papa (pope) was firſt accounted to come of the greeke word Pappas, ſignifying a father, and in the ſame ſence came to be a name of dignitie, that the reuerend clerkes (or clergie men) were called by that name: Afterward the ſame name began to be peculiar vntounto Biſhops that they were called Papae, that is popes or fathers, vntil An. 850. & then it began to grow & to faſten only vponupon the head of the pope of Rome, & at the length pope Grerory the 7. An. 1071. in a ſynod ordained, that there ſhould be but one name of Pope in all the Chriſtian world. This man alſoaQuint. ad April pag. 160. & 161. witneſſeth that it was in times paſt the old cuſtome of the church, that the Biſhops were not onelie called Pontifices, prelates: but alſo ſummi pontifices, chiefe or hieſt prelates: becauſe that the office of a Biſhop was called the chiefe prieſthood, this hee proueth by expreſſe examples vntill the 6. counſelbAbout An. 645. of Toletane, and he bringeth in Saint Auguſtin ſaying thoſe wordes: what is a Biſhop, but the firſt elder, that is the hyeſt prieſt? briefely hee calleth them no otherwiſe then fellowe Elders and his fellow prieſtes. But after Baronius addeth that the latter cuſtome obtained, that the Biſhop of Rome ſhould bee called ſummus & maximus pontifex, the hieſt and greateſt prelate or Biſhop. Polydor vergill cDe inuentorrer. lib. 4. ca. 10.telleth vsus that the firſt honour, that was giuen to the Biſhop of Rome, was this, that he might change his name, when he is created Pope, if his name be not handſome, and the author of this deuiſe was Sergius, whoſe name was called os porci, that is, the mouth of an hogge. But more neere to our matter: Platina dIn vita pelagij & deincepsſheweth, that the commandement of the Emperour, did ſway all the matter in the choiſe of the pope vntill the time of * Pelagius the ſecond.About Anno 600. So that when by the extreame fall of waters, they could not go to the Emperor, the pope was faine to ſend Gregorious to make his excuſe, becauſe the election was nothing woorth without the Emperors approbatiō. And after him in the election of Gregorious, the clergie & people, deſired the Emperor that it would pleaſe him, to cōfirme the election which was made concerning Gregorius. And where as Iohn Patriarch of Conſtantinople, obtained by a Synod the title Ecromenicus, that is, of vniuerſall Biſhop. Gregorie reſiſted him, not becauſe (as Platina ſaith, it belongeth to Peters ſea, (as they falſly call Rome) but becauſe it was a new and blaſphemous name; and ſuch as none before them did euer allow of, or take vntounto him ſelfe. As Gregorious himſelfe in diuers letters both to the Emperor, the Empreſſe, to diuers Biſhops, to Iohn himſelfe doth write, whereof you ſhal heare ſome part. Firſt to the Emperour he among other thingsaEpiſt. lib. 4. cap. 29. Mauritio Auguſt. Epiſt. 32. ſaith. Quis eſt iste &c: who is this! that againſt the ſtatutes of the goſpel, againſt the decrees of the canons, preſumeth to vſurpe to himſelfe a new name? Would to God that without the diminiſhing of others there were one which deſireth to be called vniuerſall: and a little after. But be it far from the harts of Chriſtians, this blaſphemus name, wherein the honour of all prieſts is taken away, while it is madly arrogated of one vntounto himſelfe. AndbConſtantie Auguſt. Epiſt. 34. to the Empreſſe. It is a verie heauie thing, that it ſhould be patiently born, that al being deſpiſed, my foreſaid brother & fellow-biſhop, goeth about to be called Biſhop alone: but in this his pride what other thing is ſhewed, but onelyonly that the times of antechriſt be at hand. And vntounto cEpiſt. 36.Eulogius Biſhop of Alexandria and Anaſtaſius Biſhop of Antioch: None of my predeceſſors hauehave euer conſented to vſe this ſo prophane a terme or word. Becauſe forſooth, if one be called vniuerſal patriarch, the name of patriarch is taken from others: vntounto which if you ioine that of the ſixt counſell of Carthage: That all matters ſhould be ended in the prouince where they began. And that of the Milenitane counſell: that no appeale ſhould be made out of the prouince ouer the ſea, you may eaſilie & plainly perceiue that vntounto this 600. yeres after Chriſt it doth ſo far appeare, that the Pope had no ſupremacy ouer kings or Emperors, that his authoritie was not ſo much as ouer any miniſter, or priuate man out of his owne dioceſſe or prouince, and that to claime any ſuch title as to be vniuerſall Biſhop, was new, blaſphemous, the ouerthrow of prieſthood, not ſufferable and a forerunning of Antechriſt.How the pope brought vnderunder the ciuill power by growing ouer the eccleſiaſticall. And here thou maiſt obſerue that in all this time, there was not yet any queſtion of ſuperioritie, ouer the ſuperior ciuil magiſtrate, but ouer the Biſhops them ſelues. But how they came to crow ouer the ciuill magiſtrate, the ſtorie of the time following doth declare, wherin I might ſpend much time of the ſeed of theſe things, as the aduancing of the honor of Peter (cunningly pretended to draw on the primacy vponupon the pope of Rome his counterfeit ſucceſſor) & Conſtantine forged donation; but I ſhal not need to rip vp eueryevery circumſtance. For if neither theſe nor any other were able to cōpaſſe this infernal primacy in 600. yeres, we muſt looke further for it, & to the diuels principal inſtrument: namely that after this time the emperor made the pope of Rome, high prieſt ouer al the Biſhops of the world: and the pope in tract of time by this very authority of being aecumenical Biſhop giuen them by the Emperor, rewarded him with this bleſſing and kindnes, to make the Emperor to kiſſe his feet and to wait vponupon him as his vaſſal. The dignity of Biſhops at this time was in iiij. patriarkes, till after the death of this Gregory, then preſently there aroſe a new cōtention, between Cō ſtantinople & Rome, which would be chiefe, & here Boniface the 3. by ſome ſweate & labor obtained of Phocas (whoſe hāds were yet blody with the ſlaughter of his L. Mauritius) to be this ſoueraigne & chiefe Biſhop of Biſhops, & then*Platina in vita Bonif. 3. came into the popes ſtile. We wil and command, and the next pope Boniface the 4. got of the Emperor the temple called Pantheon, & there made a church for the virgin Mary & al Saints, moſt liuely ſhewing that now they fell from God to al foule ſpirits, as the ſequele after declared. For theſe were the beginnings of all maner of corruptions, yet all this while, the honor of the Emperor ſtood ſtill, the firſt ſtep to pull of the Emperors crowne after this, was: that Conſtantinus then Emperour graunted toaAbout Anno 685. Benedick the ſecond, that whom ſoeuer the people and clergie choſe, ſhould thence foorth be pope. AfterbAnno 755. him Stephanus the 2. of rare louelove was caried vponupon the ſhoulders of the people, and ſo the Biſhops of Rome began to take that honour vntounto them. AndcAnno 710. Iuſtinianus a wicked Emperor, to flatter the pope was the firſt that kiſſed his feete, namelie of pope Conſtantine the firſt. Yet were not the popes aboue the Emperors, all this while. For after this the Empire of Conſtantinople, being weak and not able to defend the pope, and leauing them to the ſpoile of the Lombards, they fled for ſuccour vntounto France: Firſt to Carolus Martellus and Pipine, and after to Carolus MagnusdAnno 801. firſt Emperor of the weſt: to whom ſome ſaid the pope gaue the power of choſing & confirming the pope: buteBarnard. Girard. Tom. 1. lib. 4. Lois le papes nauoient aucune puiſcana in authoritie en le ville de Rome &c. the french Chronicle ſaith he wan it as he did the imperiall dignitie, by his ſword and law of armes. For then the popes had no power or authority in the citie of Rome, but medled only in the affaires of religiō, of ceremonies of the church & things pertaining to the ſoul. Therfore ſaith Polydor that the ſucceſſors of Charles the great did vſe to confirme the election of popes.De inuenter lib. 4. cap. 10. But laſt of allgAnno 1059. Pope Nicholas the ſecond brought the election from Emperor, people, and Clergie to the Cardinals onelyonly, and ſo the pope of Rome became head of the church (as he ſaith) by conſent of all nanations. And here indeed he began to treade downe the Empire, ForhAn. 1080. Hildebrand being called Pope Gregory the 7. depriued Henry the 4. of his imperial crowne. Then did the Emperors begin to learn new maners, as to a light from his horſe, and to do honor to the pope as to the vicar of Chriſt, as didiAnno 1155. Frederick to pope Adrian the 4. and being vnaccuſtomed to ſuch ſeruice (asaAlber. Krant. Saxon. lib. 6. cap. 16. ſome ſay) was blamed for holding the ſtirrop on the wrong ſide when the pope alighted from his horſe. And the conſuls of Rome learned to ſweare fealtie to the pope as tobAnno 1165. Alexander the 3. Then could the Pope allowe who ſhould bee Emperor, ascAnno 1200. Decretal. lib. 1. tit. 6. cap. 34. Innocent the 3. did Otho, anddAnno 1230. maketh it as a law, that the right and authority to examine a perſon elected to be king and to be promoted to the Empire pertaineth to the pope, who doth annoint him, conſecrate and crowne him. Then could the popes make the people croſſe themſelues to fight againſt their liege Lord the Emperour, as if it were againſt the Turke, vnderunder promiſe of eternal life. AsdAnno 1230. Gregorie the 9. againſt Freodorick the 2. And pope Innocent by decree and his counſell depriued him of his kingdome of Sicile, and ſo was eſtabliſhed the authority of popes to depoſe Emperors, Kings, and Potentates. But for the better enthroniſing of the pope in this freſh and new ſhining primacie, herewithalleRead Polydor de inuent. lib. 4. cap. 9. & lib. 8. cap. 2. Platina in vita Bonif. 8. & ſo forward: and Boniface 13. and his ſucceſſors, & Krant. Saxon lib. 5. & 6. & Aeneus Syluius de moribus Germanorum ad Martin Meyr. came vp the red hats and gay palfries and royall maieſtie and ſenate of Cardinals, the colledge of ſcribes and other officers (which Polydor for their rauening calleth Harpeis) and other annats and yerely ſcottes, peter pence, buls, prices of pals, pardons, aduowſons, diſpenſations, appeales, caſes papall, reſeruations, comendums, prerogatiues, and I cannot tell how infinite iuriſdiction in heauen, in earth, in purgatorie, & hell, they changed, inuented, renewed, put downe and lifted vp whom, what, and when they woulde. And ſo the eſtate of the pope became an imperiall maieſtie, far aboue all earthly monarkes and principalities, and thrones, and dominions. Now therefore good chriſtian reader thou maiſt here obſerue that the order of this ſupremacie came vp by degrees through the climing pride of the cleargie and had many yeeres in growing. Firſt contending for highnes in dignitie among themſelues, and namly Conſtantinople againſt Rome, and ſecondly, when the Emperour had granted the title of vniuerſall Biſhop to the pope of Rome, then he ſhifted the Emperors by little and little out of all dealing in Eccleſiaſticall matters, as namely and principally in the elections of Popes, and from this it grew to ſoueraigne authority ouer all, euen as a bramble, it tooke hold and grewe vp ouer the hyeſt ceders of Libanon and a fire came out of this bramble and conſumed the imperial glorie of the kingdom, and ouer grew the maieſty of the temporall power. Here ſhalt thou ſee a verie great change: Gregorie the firſt proclaimeth the title of vniuerſall Biſhop, to be blaſphemus and not ſufferable. Boniface the 3. and all his ſucceſſors take it vponupon them, and make it their principall ſtrength and glorie:aAnno 801. Antonius Archb. of Florens, hiſtor. pars 2. tit. 14. cap. 2. Adrian with a Synod of an hundred fiftie and three Biſhops gaue vntounto Charles the great (as the papiſts ſay) the right and power to chooſe the pope: and graunted him the Apoſtolicall ſea and dignitie of Senatorſhip, moreouer hee deſired that Archbiſhops and Biſhops through eueryevery prouince ſhoulde receaue of him their inueſting, and vnles the Biſhop be inueſted of the King: he ſhould be conſecrated of no man, and this decree was eſtabliſhed with a curſe & confiſcatiō of goods,b18. tit. 16. ca. 1. An. 1070. Gregory 7. hauing ſhuffled away the emperor in the election of popes: by a contrarie Synode of an hundred and ten Biſhops did accurſe all eccleſiaſtical perſons which receiued their inueſting by the hand of any ſeculer perſon.cPlatina in vita Paſcalis &c. An. 820. Paſcal the firſt being choſen pope without the Emperours conſent humblie excuſed himſelfe and craued pardon: And Gregorie the 4. as Platina ſaith was of ſo great prudency, and modeſtie, that he would not occupie the pontificall dignitie although he were choſen of all, vntill he were confirmed by the Emperor which was then Lodouicus king of France. But in aaAnno 865. while after pope Nicholas the firſt obtained of an other Emperour, that no ſeculer Prince or Emperour ſhould thencefoorth be preſent in the counſell of the Church vnleſſe in queſtion of the Chriſtian faith: AndbAnno 1115. Alber. Krant. Saxon. lib. 5. cap. 37.38. in time it came to paſſe that Pope Paſchal the 2. was faine to excuſe himſelfe from the ſtaine of hereſie for graunting by conſtraint, to the Emperor Henry the 5. his right in this cauſe. In this verie time god ſtirred vp the eloquent & learned pen of Bernhard to admoniſh the Pope how far he was fallen from God, amongſt many other things with theſe wordes, (where ſpeaking of wealth, ritches, and goods hee ſayth to thecAd engeniū pontif. maximi de conſideratione. About Anno 1149. Pope) vſus tamen horum bonus &c. yet the vſe of thoſe things is good, the abuſe euill: the care worſe, and the gaine more diſhoneſt, be it that thou maiſt challenge theſe things by any other way or reaſon whatſoeuer; but not by the apoſtolicall right. For hee could not giuegive vntounto thee that which hee had not; that which hee had, that he gaue, euen the care as I ſaid ouer the Churches. What did hee giuegive Lordſhip? heare him ſelfe ſpeake; not being Lords, (hee ſaith) in Gods heritage, but being made an enſample to the flocke: and leaſt thou ſhouldſt thinke it ſpoken onelyonly for humilitie, and not alſo for truth; there is the voice of the Lord in the goſpel. The kings of the nations do raigne ouer them, and they which hauehave rule ouer them are called gracious Lordes, and hee doth inferre, but you ſhall not be ſo. It is plaine, that the Apoſtles are, forbidden Lordſhip. Go thou then & dare thou to vſurpe to thy ſelfe either a Lordly Apoſtleſhip or an Apoſtolicall lordſhip. Thou art plainely forbidden both, if thou wouldeſt hauehave both alike, thou ſhalt looſe both: otherwiſe thinke not thy ſelfe exempted from the number of them of whom God complaineth: They hauehave raigned & not by me, they were princes and I knew them not. Now if it pleaſe thee to raigne without God: thou haſt glorie, but not with God. And the addition vponuponaVponUpon Reuelat. cap. 13. Lyra not a few yeares after affirmeth, that it is manifeſt, that in the primatiue Church from the time of the Apoſtles vntounto the time of Sylueſter the Pope, when the faithfull had no worldly power: then did the Church flouriſh moſt of all in ſpirituall thinges. And a little after: But when in proceſſe of time the faithfull obtained great ſecular power, theſe vertues, (meaning faith hope, and charitie) and if by the merciemercy of God they did not wholy decay, yet are they not commonly found to hauehave the ſame power as they had in the primatiue. But behold a maruellous chaungebDe moribus Germaniae. Aeneas Syluius affirming: Power, riches, and ſtrength to bee farre better in the Apoſtolical ſea then in any other ſeculer throne whatſoeuer. And he calleth the Pope of Rome as Emperour of the Chriſtian armie, and a wiſe king, & ſaith, That the Senate of the Cardinals doe beare the roome of the world. And again he ſaith: Chriſt appeared poore & humble, not that wee ſhould bee poore did he it, but that by that meanes hee might redeeme vsus &c. And a little after, Now the prelates of Rome ought to be rich men & potentates. after the ſame maner for our ſaluation: therfore hee is bolde to ſet foorth the earthly maieſtie of the Pope, aboue the glorie of all princes ſaying: And if thou didſt ſee the Biſhop of Rome to celebrate or to heare the diuine ſeruice, thou wouldeſt truely confeſſe, that there is no state, nor glorie and maieſtie, but onelyonly the Biſhop of Rome, when thou ſeeſt the Pope ſitting on high in his throne; the Cardinalles ſitting at the right hand, the great Prelates, Biſhoppes and Abbots, and protonotaries ſtanding at the left hand, and the Orators of kings hauehave their place, & the great ſtates theirs. There the Iudges and heere the Clearkes of the chamber: there the deputies of the ſtates, and heere the Subdeacons and Accoluthes, and the other multitude doe ſitte on the ground. Truely thou wouldſt ſay the court of Rome to bee like an heauenly Hierarchie, where all thinges are honourable, and all thinges ſet in order, by a preſcribed and ſetled manner. Loe heere thou ſeeſt a glorious throne, but not of God. For which Steuen the fift prouideth a ſquare ſtone whereon it might bee ſet, when he ordained,Anno 890. aGratian. decret. diſtinct. 19. cap. enimuero.That the lawes and decrees of the Church of Rome, ſhould be for euer and without diſpute to bee obſerued. bAnno 1300. Reade Iohn Baleus de act. Rom. Pontif.Clement the fift prouideth a ſtay for this throne, in that hee decreeth that, they which were diſsigned in Germanie to bee Caeſars, although they had the name of the King of the Romanes, yet ſhoulde they receiue of the Pope, the right and name of the Empire. AndcAnno 1338. Platina & Balaeus. Benedict the twelfth prepareth both matter and money: for on the one ſide, he challengeth the Emperiall power, in the vacancie of the Emperour till a new bee choſen, and on the other ſide vſurpeth to himſelfe and his ſucceſſours the bee ſtowing of Biſhoprickes prelacies and beneficies.

6. But ſee there ouergrowinges: for heere they ſtay not. For they make the dGrat. diſtinct. 12 cap. non decet & cap. preceptis.Church of Rome mother and head of all Churches, and confirmer of all religions: and vnderunder this powerePars 2. cauſa. 12. Queſt. 1. Cap. dilexiſſi. Allow mens wiues to bee common. And are not aſhamed of this blaſphemie: as by decree to ſay,fDiſtinct. 40. cap. Si papa. Though the Pope draw with him innumerable ſoules into hell, no mortall man may preſume to reprooue him, who is iudge of all men, and to be iudged of no man. gDecret. Greg. lib. 1. tit. 33. cap. 6.So much difference as there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone, ſo much is there betweene the King and the pope hGratian diſtinct. 34. cap. lector. in gl. diſtinct. 82. cap. presbit. in gl. cauſ. 15. queſt. 6. cap. authoritatem in gl.the pope diſpenſeth againſt the lawe of nature and againſt the Apoſtle iDiſtinct. 96. cap. ſatis euidenter.the Pope can not bee looſed at all nor bound by the ſeculer power, ſeeing he is called God, and it is manifeſt that God cannot bee iudged of men. And theykDecretal. Greg. lib. 1. de elect. tit. 6. cap. 4. arrogate that no counſell ſhould ſet a law vntounto the Romiſh Church, ſeeing (as they ſay) all counſels are both made and receiue ſtrength after the authoritie of the Romiſh church, and in their ſtatutes the authoritie of the Biſhop of Rome is particularly excepted. Where the wiſe Chriſtian reader may ſee a maruellous ouerſpreading growth, euen the image of Antechriſt, made equall with God and ſet farre aboue all power amongſt men, aduauncing it ſelfe aboue all that is called God. The noyſomneſſe of which ouer ranck and ſhadowing braunches keeping the earth bare, and the Sunne from ſhining, the papiſtes themſelues found to bee moſt grieuous and intollerable, and therefore they are faine to lop & top it, and to pare away many vntimely boughes and ſhaddowing boughes. For (that I ſpeake nothing of the imperiall, Engliſh or Frence lawes) if you reade the counſels ofaAnn. 1413. Conſtance, and ofbAnno. 1431. Baſill, thou ſhalt find many proynings and cuttinges of this monſtrous bryer: Firſt three Popes at once as vnprofitable heades chopped of and caſt by. The papall dignitie made to ſtoope vnderunder the generall counſell, tranſlations, procurations, exemptions, vnions, fruit gathering, ſimony, diſpenſations, tenthes, and other burdens of the Church, excommunications, interdictions, appeales, annuattes, poſſeſſions, reſeruations, and collaions of benefices, with the number and qualitie of Cardinalles, partly lopped, partly proined, & partly ſet in order & limited, as the wiſedome of that erring generation, being by much vexation and miſerie compelled, did thinke, for their owne peace and worldly ſafetie, to be moſt conuenient. But all this did but little hinder his monſtrous ouerſpreading, for by and bycAnno 1455. Calixtus the 3. maketh a law, that no man appeale from the Pope to the general counſel. AnddAnno 1470. Paulus the ſecond ſprowteth out this new ſprig of blaſphemie, that in the cheſt of his breaſt all right and law did reſt, to ordaine and aboliſh decrees as he listed. About Ann. 1512.And Pope Iulius the ſecond, and Leo the 10. in a counſell held at Lateranum, vndo al again, and ſet this brier to his climing. And that we may plainely ſee that this is the verie apoſtaſie of which the ſcripture ſpeaketh:fReade Baleus de act. pontif. This Iulius being a great warrier and going out of the citie with his armie caſt the keye of Peter into the riuer Tiber, with theſe words. Becauſe the keye of Saint Peter is no more of worth, let the ſword of Paul preuaile. And this Leo the tenth being put in mind of the goſpell of Chriſt by a certaine Cardinall called Bembus, anſwered according to his place, and ſaid: How much that fable of Chriſt hath profited vsus and our fellowſhip, it is ſufficiently knowen to all ages. What Iew, what Turke, what Heathen, what Atheiſt could euer hauehave beene more blaſphemous? But here God ariſeth to maintaine his owne cauſe, and by Luther, Melancthon, and many others, hee bloweth and blaſteth, conſumeth and beateth downe the beautie and bloſſomes of this preſuming bramble, with the powerfull and pearcing breath of his own mouth, which is his goſpell contained in the holy ſcriptures of the old and new teſtament. Wherein wee may ſee the deuine prouidence of our moſt wiſe and gracious God, taking the matter into his owne hand in a fitte and neceſſarie time: for now when they began like the tower of Babilon to reach vp vntounto heauen, then did he confound them, & make their madnes openly ſeene to all the worlde, whereof Eraſmus giueth a verie good aduertiſement, who liuing himſelf in the ſame time affirmeth ſaying:gAnnotat. Eraſm. vponupon 1. Pet. 5. Now the common ſort of Biſhops heareth nothing of their learned flatterers, but lordſhips, dominions, ſwordes, keyes, powers, and hereof the ſtatelineſſe of ſome is more then of a king, and their crueltie more then tyranicall. Now wee flatter the biſhop of Rome with great volumes, giuing vntounto him a power equal to Chriſt, whereby it commeth to paſſe, that the Chriſtian world one day will ſcarce abide the rule and ruffling, and ſcarce ſuffice the couetouſneſſe of him and his Cardinals. And this Eraſmus (although the papiſtes hold him as their owne)aVponUpon 1. Tim. 1. complaineth not a little of the ouerſpreading of this newe learning. For hee ſheweth that they ſpent their whole time, in friuolous and vnneceſſarie which were more pertaining to learning to bee vnknowen then knowen: For the Diuines of thoſe times made great adooe about both friuolous and wicked queſtions. Friuolous, as whether the grace wherewith God doth louelove and draw vsus, and wherewith wee louelove him againe, be the ſame grace. And how it can be, that the fier wherewithall the ſoules of the wicked ſhalbe tormented ſeeing it is materiall, can worke vponupon a thing without bodie. And wicked queſtions touching God, and touching the Pope: touching God, whether God can command euerie euill thing, euen the hatred of himſelfe, and forbid euerie good thing, euen the louelove and worſhippe of himſelfe. Whether hee can in acte bring foorth an infinite thing according to euerie dimenſion. Whether hee could from euerlaſting make this worlde better then hee hath made it. Whether hee could bring foorth a man, who by no meanes could ſinne. Whether God in any thing from himſelfe diſtinct, be one. Whether this propoſition be poſsible, God the father hateth God the ſonne; Whether the ſoule of Chriſt might bee deceaued: and many ſuch like &c. Now of the power of the biſhop of Rome, men diſpute (hee ſaith) in a maner more buſily then of the power of God. While they doe enquire of his double power, and whether he bee the vniuerſall head of the whole Church, and whe- he be aboue the generall counſell, and whether he may abrogate that which is decreed in the Apoſtles writings. Whether he may ordaine any thinge contrarie to the doctrine of the goſpell: whether he may make a new Article in the creede. Whether he hauehave greater power then Peter or equall. Whether he may command the Angels; whether he may take away purgatorie (as they call it) altogether. Whether he be a ſimple man or as God, or participate both natures with Chriſt. Whether hee bee more mercifull then Chriſt was, ſeeing that hee is not read to hauehave called any man out of the paines of purgatorie. Sixe hundred things (ſaith Eraſmus) of that ſort are diſputed in great publiſhed volumes, and that by great diuines, eſpecially famous men for profeſsion of religion, with theſe things are the ſchooles of diuines earneſtly occupied. Mark heere good reader, and conſider what an vgly and fearefull monſter this would hauehave beene, if God had not come downe and cut him off with this two edged ſword of his holy worde. For beſide all theſe before, how many other new thinges came forth in the ſame generation? Firſt becauſe Iohn Huſſe was put to death by the counſel of Conſtance againſt and contrarie to the Emperours letters pattentes of ſafe conduit: there came foorth this new head of blaſphemy: Fides non ſeruanda haereticis, promiſe is not to be kept with an hereticke. And no maruell, forbPlatina. Pope Alexander the ſixt, hauing by three Cardinals in Latine, French, & Italian, giuen full remiſſion of ſinnes to all the army of the French vnderunder Charles the 8. comming into Italie for the recouerie of Naples: againſt their returne did way-lay them to hauehave cut them off with Maximilian K. of the Romans, Ferdinand K. of Aragon, & Lodouich Sforce duke of Millan. Secondly, P. Pius the 2. made a new order of Scribes Abreuiators. Paul the 2. made a law that none ſhould weare ſcarlet bonets but the Cardinals, and gaue euerie Cardinall a peece of ſcarlet to couer their Mules. And he wold hauehave made their hattes of redde ſilke, but that ſome ſage Cardinals ſhewed him, that the encreaſe of the pompe of the Church deſtroyed the Chriſtian faith. Sixtus the 4. ordained and increaſed many feaſtes. The conception of the virgin Mary, and the preſentation, the feaſt of Anna the mother of Marie, the feaſt of S. Ioſeph, and of S. Francis.aBaleus in vita Clementis octaui. Nicholas Egmundanus, maſter of Louen and a Carmelite did teach and write, that the Pope was Lord of all thinges, in heauen, in earth and vnderunder the earth. And Paul the third Pope of that name, being an old man found out a new kind of religion, to the encreaſe of Gods worſhip he conſecrated a little bowle of wood with his Popall bleſſing, to gratifie a noble matron, that ſhe might carrie it, hanged it on her necke againſt diuers griefs. The late counſell of Trent hath hatched many new thinges. Firſt that thebSeſſ. 4. decret. 2. vulgar tranſlation in publike readings, diſputations, preachings, and expoſitions to bee autenticall, whereofcPreface of Teſt. Rhem. ariſeth great diſputation againſt the Greeke and Hebrew text, contrarie to the ancient decree whichdDiſtinct. 9. cap. vt veterū. Gratian auowcheth: That the truth of the old Teſtament ſhould be examined by the Hebrew, and of the new, by the Greeke. AndeSeſſ. 7. with an heauie and pittifull curſe they eſtabliſh theſe ſchoole trickes: 1. That the Sacraments of the new Teſtament conferre grace. 2. By Baptiſme, Confirmation, and orders a Charecter is imprinted in the ſoule. 3. The intention of the prieſt is required to the making of the Sacrament. 4. Iohns Baptiſme hath leſſe vertue then that which Chriſt commanded his Apoſtles and ſuch like: out of this forge commeth the newe forging of theePrinted at Paris Anno 1577. maſſe booke, ſet foorth by Pius the 5. and afPrinted at Paris An. 1583 newe Callender which was done by pope Gregorie the 13. wherein the times of the yere, and of the feaſtes, and the courſe of the Sunne is ſet in his right order that we may know nothing in heauen and in earth to be ſafe from the preſumption and proud arrogancie of this triple crowned beaſt, and this holie prelate hath made agPrinted at Antwerpe An. 1589. new Martyrologe or Legend according to this new Callender. And for the better garding and keeping of their high tower of confuſion, they hauehave a ſet watch called Index expurgatorius to charme all writers both newe and olde, and to fray them that they lift not vp their voice ſo much as one woord againſt their ſuperſtitious follie, andaRead Martin Remnicius ex amen concili. Triden. parti 1. pag. 1. and his booke called doctrinae Ieſui tarum pag. 1. &c. Baleaeus in vita Paul. 4. here withal ſprang vp a new religion of armed ſouldiers to fight their battails, breeding ſecretly about Anno 1536. but ſhewe themſelues openly in their colledge at Rome Anno 1553. and ſince in diuerſe places, and they goe into all nations to ſtirre vp the kings of the earth, the princes and people to make warre againſt the Saints our Engliſhe ſoile hath been aſſayled by this newe broode vnderunder the name of Ieſuits and Seminarie prieſts. But as the groweth of this monſter is ſtrange and fearefull, and that in it newe religions hauehave riſen vp ſodainly like padſtooles) asbDe inuentor. rerū lib. 7. ca. 3. Polydor virgill ſaith) ſo from 600. yeres after Chriſt vntill our time, it could not come to his full groweth, yea although the Trident Councell, ſeemeth to licke him and ſhape him as the beare doth his whealps to ſome handſome forme of perfection. For there are many things which are not yet come to their birth and many which ſtay at the verie birth and are not yet deliuered. As namely: firſt thoſe 14. controuerſies of thoſe two woorthie doctors of their popiſh Apoſtaſie, that is to ſay: the angelicall doctor Thomas of Aquine and the ſubtil doctor Scotus the Duns. For one ſaith: God is vntounto vsus an end ſuper natural, and the other ſaith: God is vntounto vsus an end Natural. The one ſaith that Bleſſednes is meerely an effect, ſuper natural, and cannot naturally be had. The other ſaith, that Bleſſednes may be had naturally, and that it is naturall, and ſuch like. WhichaF. Conſtantius Saruanus cōciliatio &c. printed at Rome 1589. a verie worſhipful Cardinall laboureth to reconcile, vntil the churches determination and minde may be knowen. And this verie Cardinall addeth a very great encreaſe of this newe ſpawne, called directorium theologicum, which hath many worthie conceits of Logick and Philoſophie, which perhaps one day may take life & being by their magiſteriall power. There are in theſe ſcholes deuines infinite and verie deepe queſtions, which their mother church hath not yet by determination brought forth and acknowledged as her children: as namely ſuch as this is,bPetri Tartareti reportata queſt. 2. diſtinct. 10. & deinceps. whether Chriſt being verie man, in the Ost or ſacrament in one place, can ſee him ſelfe when he is made, being the verie ſame Chriſt and man, in many other places, and whether that ſo many thouſands made at one inſtant in many places might not be an armie of men to meete and fight a battaile in one field &c. Don Iohn a Bononia profeſſor of diuinitie in hiscPrinted at Louan Anno 1554. booke of predeſtination and reprobation, dedicated to Charles the Emperor and king of Spaine, telleth vsus that the church hath not ſet downe what is to be beleeued or receiued of all Chriſtians, touching that doctrine, For there are many things which are not yet come which he thinketh it ought:Quo plus quā reliquis conſcientiae noſtrae perpetuo exagitantur. (being a point wherewith our conſciences are continually troubled, more then with other things) yet he doubteth not, but the maſters of the church, (when their determination ſhal be hatched) will embrace his opinion or ſome ſuch like. But I cannot a little merueile, that when in the ſame counſell of Trent, this mother Church brought foorth ſo many goodly impes, that it forſlowed the trauaile of ſo iolie a babe, as a verie ZealousaIo. Sleidan Com. lib. 23. Franciſcan did bring to the verie birth before them all, when in his preaching amongſt them and bitterly enueying againſt Luther, he did openly ſay to be S. Pauls meaning vponupon the ſecond to the Romains. Namely: that they who hauehave had no knowledge of Chriſt, and otherwiſe hauehave liued honeſtly hauehave obtained ſaluation. Heere commeth Durandi with his rationale diuinorum, Guidonius with his Manipulus curatorum, Guiliermus pariſienſis de ſeptem ſacramentis, tis, and infinite others both ſchoolemen, doctors and friers, (whoſe new learning I muſt needs confeſſe I hauehave not, neither hauehave I knowne the deepnes of Sathan) and theſe hauehave offered a merueilous great and goodly acceſſe and increaſe to his tale ſpreading mother of popiſh blaſphemie, but they hange in the birth, neither borne nor buried, waiting the good hower, when the churches determination (without whoſe midwifeſhip they cannnot be autentical children) ſhal acknowledge them & make them of their holie generation. Alfonſus de Castro, a learned minoritie, doth open vntounto vsus the reaſon of this matter namely:bAduerſus hareſes lib. 1. cap. 2. that we know many things now, which of the first fathers were either doubted or altogether vnknowen: by the change of things doth ſpring the change and varying of decrees: that the ſame which in times past was lawfull is now vnlawfull, but theſe innouations of decrees commeth not of the newneſſe of the things, but of the new knowledge of thoſe things, which being found, the church taught by the ſpirit of God doth define, which definition being geuen, it is not lawfull to doubt of that, where of it was before lawfull to doubt: and hee ſheweth an example ſaying in ^a an other place:Cap. 8. Some men ſay that the deuine perſons are ſet in a perſonall beeing (as they ſpeake) reſpectiuely: others affirme that they are ſet abſolutelie, others againe ſay that they are not ſet by any waie, but to be them ſelues perſons to them ſelues. Now ſaith hee: who ſeeth not, ſome one of theſe to erre, when yet euerie one of them ſticke to his owne opinion without puniſhment or note of hereſie, and a little after: yet if the Church taught by the holie gost ſhall define of that thing, without all doubt, the Church by her definition woulde not bring to paſſe that the perſons ſhoulde bee ſo or ſo ſet: but would teach vsus, that which although from euerlasting it were true, yet did not wee knowe it; After which definition of the Church, it ſhall not bee lawfull to affirme which before was lawfull: To whom accorde the wiſe RhemiſtbTeſt. Rhem. Annota. vponupon Act. 15. ſaying: It is to bee noted that the Biſhops ſo gathered in counſel repreſent the whole church, hauehave the authoritie of the whole church, & the ſpirit of God to protect thē from error as the whole church, and theſe make it a Maxime or ruled caſe: that all good chriſtians reſt vponupon the determination of a general Councel. Now gentle reader, if we may beleeue theſe great learned clarks, it muſt needs follow that Lombardus the father and all his children the ſchoolemen, and all other learned mens propoſitions, queſtions, and diſputations, are no further autenticall poperie, then as the Church of Rome hath all readie determined: and wee vnleſſe they tell vsus what is the Churches determination cannot tell what to beleeue, to bee of their religion. And this determination is harde to bee founde out, and verie doubtfull, whom to beleeue, that ſhall declare vsus the ſame. For it is not yet fully agreed amongſt them, weather the pope or the Councell bee the hyeſt, that we might certainly know where this determination reſteth. The counſels of Conſtance and Baſill take authoritie aboue the papall dignitie, whereby we might thinke with the Rhemiſtes and diuers others, that the determination is of the counſels. Pope Pius the ſecond, although he hauehave taken much paines for the honor and authoritie of the Councell of Baſill, yet hath hee ſett foorth a Bull, with the greateſt curſſe, forbidde and barre all appeales from the Pope to the generall Councels, as though the pope were aboue the Councels: and the Rhemiſtes do helpe himaVponUpon Act. 15. ver. 7. where they make the Councell to bee of no authoritie, which is not confirmed by the pope, and theybVponUpon Luke 22. ver. 31. ſay that the Pope cannot erre iudiciallie, although Alphonſus ſaie hee may erre in matters of faith, and Platina ſheweth that thoſe Baſtarde Popes who came after Formoſus, and altered by a newe and euill cuſtome the decrees of one another, did this by counſell iudicially: If a man marke well this contradiction, hee will hardely knowe where to finde their churches determination. Againe the counſell of Baſil,Platina in vita Eugenij Alber. Krant. Saxon. lib. cap. 20.21. &c. would not be put downe by Pope Eugenius, but conſtrained him for feare to confirme their authoritie; and after for his contumacie depoſed him, and verie orderly as Eneus Syluius ſaith choſe Faelix in his roome, but this Eugenius would not obey them, and ſo the ſciſme of two popes continued til Nicholas the fift: ſo that here was no obedience of the pope to the counſell, nor of the counſell to the Pope, what ſhall we thinke of their determination, where trow you. it may be found: may we not doo as the Germaine newters did: who neither followed the Pope nor the counſell, but appealed as they thought to an higher and more certain determination. And whereas the Rhemiſt and Alfonſus with others affirme, that the holie ghoſt teaching the coū ſell (which is in ſteed of the whole church) their definition is the determination of the church, to which men ought to ſtand, we are yet more in doubt, vponupon other further waightie reaſons and conſiderations. Firſt becauſe this is ſpoken but by priuate men; And thebHiſt. pars 3. tit. 22. cap. 10. §. 4. Archbiſhop of Florence is not a feard to tearme the counſell of Baſill a conuenticle and a ſynagogue of Sathan: Thirdly the laſt counſell of Trident cannot be found to be acBaleus in vita Marcelli 2. free general counſell, becauſe diuers men for ſpeaking freely were thruſt out, anddIoh. Sleidan Com. lib. 22. the holie ghoſt that guided all their definitions, was brought in a portmanteau from Rome, namely that as they had inſtructions from Rome, ſo were their decrees framed and ordained. Beſide this, all theſe latter counſels, hauehave not beene made with vniuerſall conſent, but the church hath been deuided into two parts Eaſt and Weſt, vntill the time of this counſell of Baſill, and then it was ſewed together with rotten threed, and preſently rent in peeces againe as it were in a moment, and there was one counſel at Baſill, and an other ſet againſt it a Florence. Now I ſay ſeeing theſe counſels of Conſtance, Baſil & Trident, (in which the moſt part and chiefeſt of Popery hath been in the moſt generall maner determined & publiſhed for the acts and determination of the church) were but a verie ſmale part of the vniuerſall church: Namely of the Weſterne parts, I know not howe they can aſſure vsus, that in them we hauehave the churches determination; except they could proue theſe counſels ecumenical and vniuerſall of all Chriſtian churches: as was the firſt general counſell of Nice vnderunder Conſtantine the great. Againe the counſels for ſixe hundred yeeres after Chriſt, did not decree as they hauehave done ſince: and the faith of the church was not the determination of the Church, but the ſentence of holie ſcriptures: and many points of faith hauehave been ſince determined, not by, but without holie Scriptures; what ſhould wee eſteeme, the auncient primatiue Churches to hauehave erred in faith? or that they knew not, or held not the true faith, becauſe that in verie many articles they lacked the eccleſiaſtical determination. Laſtly ſeeing that euerie day they bring foorth new deuiſes and ſanctions, and the latter many times contrarie to the former, who can tell when he is in the truth or out of the truth, or when the Church hath made her true and right determination? Hee that readeth ouer Gracian and the Tomes of the counſels, with the hiſtories of the liues of the Popes, or doo but well marke and conſider that little which I hauehave penned out of them in this Chapter, ſhall eaſilie perceiue, that they are euer learning, but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth, they dote about queſtions which are endles and ſtrife of woords, there is no certaintie in their religion, little trueth and vnceſſant innouation. Therefore I may conclude, that as this monſter is of a later generation, and a new continuall conception: ſo no mortall man can tell, when hee will come to his full birth, and bee a perfect bodie, or when he will hauehave his certaine determination, right ſhape and proportion, and finall growth and compleate ſtature. I will leaue him therefore to the high Iudge and Lord of all fleſh, vntill that great and fearefull day,aReuel. 19.20. When the beaſt ſhall bee taken and with him the falſe prophet, and they both caſt aliue into the lake of fire which burneth with brimſtone. Come Lord Ieſus come quickly.

Abrahams Faith, Part 2 · Chapter 4