Abrahams Faith, Part 2 · Chapter 3
CAP. III. Of the agreement of Popiſh doctrine with all kind of hereſie, where it is compared, how the popiſh hereſie, reſembleth the anciēt hereſies of the primitiue age of Chriſts Church.
HAuing ſhewed the newnes of poperie, in that it diſagreeth with the ancient religiō of God, his prophets and Apoſtles: and namely with that which Paul taught to the Romanes and Peter to the Iewes. It will bee an other euidence of their late ariſing and breeding, if it be made apparant, how they agree with the hereſies, which ſprang vp in the Apoſtles times, and in thoſe few ages following, which came neereſt to the Apoſtles, both in yeares and doctrine. And this is in two arguments: Firſt in the matter and forme of doctrine, and ſecondly in the order and courſe of time. For if they hauehave no better matter or forme of doctrine then heretickes, and riſe vp in the later times as heretickes did: then it muſt needes follow that they are not of the true auncient catholicke religion, but of a new vpſtart, hereticall prauitie and ſuperſtition. And firſt let vsus ſee in this Chapter, their agreement in the forme and matter of doctrine. Andiani heretickes about Anno 338. began to bee knowne, and after them Anthropomorphitae, creapt out of Monkiſh rudeneſſe: affirming that God was like vntounto the image of a corruptible man, hauing armes, feete, and eares, and other members like to a man. And there is another hereſie oppoſed vntounto Sabellius, which ſome call Tritheitae or Triformiani, Anno 370. which make the three perſons in the trinitie three Gods, like as wee account and know, Robert, Richard, and Nicholas to be three men. So the Papiſtes not in wordes, but in deedes do the verie ſame: for in their roode, croſſes and glaſſe windowes, they engraue or paint the likeneſſe of God, like the image of a man, and the three perſons like two ſeuerall men, an old and a yong, and like a doue. And when theyaHore in laud. beat. virg. Mar. giuegive the virgine Marie power to make men gentle, chaſte, and of a pure life, they hauehave too much reſemblance vntounto the heretickes called Melchiſedechiani, who thought that Melchiſedeck was the power of God. And what odds in ſubſtance of matter is there betweene them, and the Simonians who hold Simon Magus for a God, or as it is in the Actes of the Apoſtles,Act. 8. the great power of God. For theybTeſt. Rhem. annot. in Luk. cap. 15.10. & Math. 22.10. ſay, that our harts and inward repentance, be open to the Saintes, and that they can heare our prayers and helpe vsus, be they neere or afarre of. Which to doe doubtles is not of any creature but onelyonly of God. Now when they make ſaints, patrons of people and countries. What doe they els but as the Tetratheitae, make many Gods? As Mahomet the hereticke ordained that it ſhould be death, if any man diſputed againſt his peſtilent lawes: So the Popes canons forbid any man to iudge or diſpute of the decrees of their (falſely called) Apoſtolicall ſea. The Pelagians denie predeſtination altogether and the papiſts denie it in regard of the reprobate. The heretickes Baſilidiani tie predeſtination, to workes foreſeene: and ſo do the papiſtes. The Priſcilianiſtes tie mens actions to the gouernment of the ſtarres, and the Maniches make two beginnings, one good and another bad: vntounto which two hereſies the papiſts ſeeme to leane, indeed (though not in word) when they ſhut out Gods decree from ordaining, & his prouidence from adminiſtring and ordering any thing which he cōmandeth not: & that God regarded what mans free wil would chuſe in ſuch things. For either they make mans wil a firſt cauſe or chance or the ſtars, or that euil beginning. And ſo by their aſſertion there will bee ſome thing of equall power with God, as an other beginning & firſt cauſe of euil things, wherin God medleth not. Touching free wil & original ſin, Pelagius ſaid, that grace is giuen vntounto men, that they might the more eaſily fulfill by grace thoſe things which they are cōmāded to do by their free wil: ſo the papiſtes ſay, that free will is but moued & ſtirred vp by the grace of God, & worketh together with his grace. The Pelagians ſay that a man without grace may doe all the commandementes of God: and the Papiſtes ſay that it isaTeſt. Rhem. in Math. 12. verſ. 11. in margin. in mans owne freewill to bee a good tree or a badde. The Pelagians ſay, that the grace of God, by which wee are deliuered, is giuen vntounto vsus, according to our merites, ſo the Papiſtes ſay: when the ſinner doth that which is in him, hee deſerueth of congruitie to be iuſtified. As touching the recouerie of man out of the damnable eſtate of ſinne, all heretickes had their ſeuerall hereſie, wherein they put their truſt, and deſpiſed all other, and the true way of ſaluation which is by Chriſt. So the church of Rome as compact of all hereſies, hath diuers new meanes of recouerie out of damnation, and many religions, as of friers monkes and Heremites. The Turkiſh Mahomet had his Alcoran, and the papiſtes hauehave their canons, decrees and decretalles of the church vnderunder paine of damnation. There were certaine hereticks called Meſſaliani & Euchetae, who attributed all the power of the ſaluation of their ſoules vntounto praier & ſupplications. So hauehave you with the papiſtes, certaine praiers, Auemaries, creedes and pſalmes to be numbred vp, for the ſoules both of quicke and dead. And an other ſort of heretickes called Heracleonitae, are ſaid to redeeme their fellowes and aſſociates by oyle, balme, water and prayers. So theſe Romiſtes hauehave holy water to fright ſpirits, and as theiraSet forth by Pius 5. ordo ad faciend' aquā benedictam. maſſe booke ſaith: they exorciſe (or coniure) the ſalt (which is put into the water) for the ſaluation of beleeuers and that it ſhould be to all who take it health of ſoule & bodie. They hauehave alſo extreame vnction, where with ointing & praier they promiſe the very like vntounto a man, that is at the point of death, which the Euchatae did. The Simonians called Simon Chriſt, the Sethians Seth. The Ophilae and Maniches, the ſerpent, Elceſaitae made two Chriſts, and many more are to be found of like hereſie: So the papiſtes hauehave many mediators or Chriſtes: The virgine Marie, the Apoſtles, and I cannot tell how many Martirs and Saints, to whom they flie as vntounto mediators. There were heretickes called Artotyritae ſo called of their offering: For they offered vp bread and cheeſe. So the papiſtes hauehave the hoſt of bread, which they cal the forme of bread, which they offer vp for a ſacrifice. The heretickes called Ebionites, Cathari, Donatiſts, Pelagians & diuers others held iuſtification by workes, and not by faith onelyonly, and ſo do the papiſts moſt earneſtly. Heretickes called Hierarchitae ſaid that little children pertaine not to the kingdom of heauen, becauſe there is not in them any merite of the combate or ſtriuing, by which vices ſhould be ouercome. So the papiſtes hold that concupiſcence is left for the combate to ſtriue withall, that their actions might bee the more meritorious, and they pronounce damnable ſentence vponupon children vnbaptiſed. The heretickes called Iouianiſtes (as Saint Auſten ſaith in his yonger daies) did hold, that a man could not ſin hauing receiued the lauer of regeneration, (that is to ſay Baptiſme.) So the papiſts ſay, that after Baptiſme, concupiſcence in the regenerate is no ſinne, and that there is nothing in him diſpleaſing God. The donatiſtes affirme of themſelues that they liue a perfect, righteous, and angelicall life. So the papiſtes ſay a regenerate man may do all Gods commandements, and their religious men liue a ſeraphicall and angelicall life in their orders. Concerning the worde of God,aEuſeb. lib. 5. cap 13. there were heretickes called Appellitae, which blamed the holy ſcriptures, with verie painfull and earneſt reprehenſion. So doe the papiſtes call the ſcriptures a thing without life & dumbe,Iohn Sleid. coment. lib. 23. Literi Clemē tis de ſinodo Trident. colligend. and like a noſe of waxe, that may bee drawne eueryevery way, hauing no certaintie without the iudgement of the church. The hereticks called Pepuſiani, made Chriſt author of their filthy reuelations. So the papiſts make him author of their vnwritten verities. And as the Tacians, Maniches, & Mahomet, equall their deuiſes & traditions vntounto the holy ſcriptures, ſo do papiſts. And as papiſts prefer the authority of their Church before the holy ſcripture, ſo theſe allow ſo much and ſo far of holy ſcripture, as ſerueth for their purpoſe & deuiſed wickedneſſe. And as the heretikes called Nazarai, did confirme their dotages by reuelations & falſe miracles: ſo traditions & much ragged ſtuffe in poperie, bee made warrantable by miraculous operations & apperitions. The heretikes aforenamed Pepuziani do ſend al men to a city in vpper Phrigia called Pepuza, naming it the celeſtiall Ieruſalem, & the citie whereof the prophets ſpake, as though there were no other heauen. So the papiſts cal vsus to the church of Rome, as though the vniuerſall Church were tyed to one place, out of which there is no ſaluation or way to heauen. As concerning the worſhip of God, Simon Magus the root of heretikes, cauſed his owne image and of his harlot to bee worſhipped of his diſciples. So the papiſtes ſet vp images of their canonized Saints to be adored. Angelici were heretikes which worſhipped Angels. So the papiſts hauehave abMiſſa votina de Angelis. ſpeciall maſſe of the Angels, & pray vntounto Angels. Marcellina companion of theſe heretikes, called Carpocracians, worſhipped the images of Chriſt and Paul, &c. So do the papiſts. Collyridiani worſhipped the virgin Marie the Sethians worſhipped Seth. The Abelonites worſhippe Abell, and diuers others doe the like according to their ſect. So the papiſtes according to their ſect, praye vntounto all their canonized Saints and worſhip them. The heretikes Armenij worſhipped the croſſe of Chriſt, and ſo doe the papiſtes.
Concerning the ſacraments, the heretickes called Donatiſtes, meaſure the power and effect of the ſacraments, by the dignitie, holineſſe, and hand of the miniſter. So the papiſts aſſigne the power of the ſacraments to the worke wrought of the prieſt, and that the intent of the miniſter is neceſſarie to make it a religious action. And as the papiſts permit weomen to baptize, cloiſtering their holy and religious nunnes. So their progenitors the heretickes Pepuziani, admitted weomen to the eccleſiaſticall miniſterie: and the Marcionites taught that weomen might baptiſe. The heretikes called Meſſalians ſay, that the force of baptiſme pertayneth onelyonly to the ſignes: and ſo do the Papiſtes. And as the papiſts in Baptiſme, hauehave ſalte, ſpittle, croſſing, and other annexed ceremonies with coniuration, by which it is as it were chaunged into a new thing. So did the Simonians and Marcitae olde heretickes their naturall fathers, defile and in a manner blot out baptiſme. In the Lordes Supper the heretikes Aquarij were not content with the two outwarde ſignes of bread and wine, but added alſo water. So do the papiſts mingle water with the wine in the cup. And the Marcitae aforeſaid profeſſed that by words and incantations, they changed the wine in the cup, into the bloud, and bring the grace of God into the ſame cuppe: ſo the papiſts profeſſe that the ſacrament is changed by their words of conſecration and coniuring into the verie bodie & bloud of Chriſt, and that grace is contained in the ſacraments. And here they reſemble the Apollinarians which made Chriſtes bodie to bee heauenly and not earthly: for the papiſtes ſay, that it is the bodie of Chriſt, though it be not ſeene felt nor heard: and they are like the Marcioniſtes which accounted Chriſtes bodie fantaſticall: ſo theſe will hauehave men beleeue the ſacrament to bee his body, though it hauehave no quantities nor qualities of a bodie. And they are like the Timotheans, which confound the two natures of Chriſt: and the Euticheans, who affirme the humane to be ſwallowed vp of the deuine: and to the Neſtorians, who make his manhood equall to his Godhead. For the papiſtes ſay, that the ſame bodie or man is in heauen and in earth, and that in as many places of the world at one and the ſame time, as it is or may bee at once conſecrated & made by their prieſt, which propertie of being in many places at once is not of the nature of man, but of God: therefore herein they are neere in affinitie with theſe heretickes? The hereſie of Vincentius Victor, hath this amongſt others, that the ſacrifice of Chriſtians (that is the ſacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Chriſt) is to be offered for them, which being not baptiſed, are departed out of the bodie: So the papiſtes hauehave their ſacrifice for the dead. The Maniches refuſe the olde teſtament, and partly mangle and curtoll, and partly caſt away the new: So the papiſt, though in woordes they acknowledge both, yet in truth they refuſe both keeping them from Gods people and reading them in a ſtrange toong, that the people cannot vnderſtande, which vntounto them, is as good as if they were caſt away. The Heracleonites, make a ſuperſtitious calling vponupon God, with ſtrange and vnuſuall words, eſpecially to driue away diuels: ſuch is the maſſe of the papiſtes all in a ſtrange toong, and their exorciſmes are of the ſame faſhion. The heretikes called Taciani, Origeniani, Hierarchita, Saturniani, and diuers others, make mariage an vnholie and vncleane thing, and of the diuel, and ſhut it out of their congregation: So the papiſts not onelyonly preferre a ſingle life before mariage: but alſo with ſuch like tearmes, make it as an vncleane thing not meete for their prieſtes; and allure both men and weomen to the vowe of chaſtitie, as a purer and holier life, then matrimonie, and therein they are alſo like the Euſtachians who deſpiſed the maried prieſtes. And as the papiſtes hauehave their Friers, Monckes, and Nunnes of a ſtraunge and differing habite from other men and weomen, and that ſeruants vponupon a vowe may leaue their Maſters, and ſome of theſe vowed perſons, profeſſe the renouncing of worldlie ritches, and worldly dooings, to walke a more neere courſe to heauen: ſo theſe heretikes the Euſtachians, had their differing habite from other men, ſeruauntes by this habite deſpiſed their Maſters, and ritche men which did not renounce all which they poſſeſſed, were accounted without hope towardes God, alſo theſe heretikes counted the eating of fleſh vnlawfull euen as the papiſtes doo. And as the papiſtes forbid fleſh and as they call it white meat, ſo their graundfathers the Maniches abſtained from fleſhe egges and milke. And there were heretikes which put religion in going barefoot and therfore called of ſome Nudipedants: ſo are the franciſcans and others amongſt the papiſtes of ſuch religion. The donatiſtes denie the magiſtrates authoritie in matters of religion, and namely in puniſhing of heretikes: So the papiſtes ſhut out the magiſtrate in cauſes eccleſiaſticall: and as the papiſt giuegive the pope the primacie aboue the magiſtrates in all cauſes, and at their pleaſure put them downe with their great curſe: ſo theſe their predeceſſours the heretikes called donatiſtes, doo moſt vilelie raile againſt magiſtrates, & beate them downe with menacing words. Theſe donatiſtes had manie vile thinges in them, wherein they fitly father the papiſtes, they were circumcellions and counterfaited an auſtere life, like the popiſh monkes, heremites and friers, liuing in caues and ſelles. They ran vponupon chriſtians whom they met or came by, euen as wee read of rhe papiſt in France in our daies, moſt cruelly murdering Gods beloued Saints. And as the papiſts hauehave their coniurations of their holy waters and Agnus dei and exorciſmes in Baptiſme: ſo theſe wicked donatiſtes with thoſe abominable heretikes called Baſilidians and Eunomians, had their enchantments and coniurations: Theſe filthie heretikes the donatiſtes, together with that horrible hereſie of Arius, did ſo far account themſelues the holie and catholike church, that they would baptiſe againe them which were of the true church, making thēſelues only the catholike church: And there were other heretiks called Apoſtolici, that is apoſtolike, which ſo termed thēſelues, becauſe they thoght thēſelues more apoſtolike then others, & namly becauſe they receaued not into their cōmunion, maried perſōs & ſuch as poſſeſſed goods proper to them ſelues. So find we among the papiſts theſe vnmaried perſons & religious without proprietie of goods: & the papiſts call themſelues the holie mother church of Rome, the Catholike and apoſtolike church: and are in deed verie like their fathers theſe heretikes, hauing in deed no more but the name of the holie catholike and apoſtolike church: baniſhing from them, and by fire and ſword perſecuting the true religion and doctrine and faithfull members of the holy catholike & apoſtolike church. But what ſhould I endeuour to ſhewe all the popiſh ſtocke, linage and kindred? what neere affinitie they hauehave with Iudaiſme, in plentie and maner of ceremonies, traditions of elders, meritorious righteouſnes, and fained holines? what baſtardlie conformitie they hauehave with all pagainiſme, in innumerable idols, and ſorts of religions and in ſundrie patrons of ſaints and Gods of countries and nations? what perfect conſanguinitie they hauehave with Mahumetiſme, making vp (as it were) one entire bodie of Antechriſt: engendred bread compact and compound of all hereſies, religions, ſuperſtitions and rudiments of this world whatſoeuer: by eaſt and by weſt, rayſing vp wars, ſeditions and all maner of vilaines, to put downe the glorious and bleſſed name and goſpell of Chriſt, by their owne Alcorans, lawes, decrees and duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page decretals with innumerable forgeries; that they them ſelues may raigne as the chiefe prophets of GOD and head of his church? Only this one thing would be remembred, that after Anno domini 600. theſe two monſtrous twins, began to come foorth into the open ſight and light of the world, and to ſhew them ſelues blaſphemous againſt God and his Chriſt, being engendred with the curſed ſeed of Sathan, and of a long breeding in thoſe former heretikes, euen from the Apoſtles times, of which times and generation it is ſaid by Saint Paul, the bleſſed ſeruant of Chriſt:2. Theſſ. 2. The myſterie of iniquitie doth alreadie woorke. Therfore one of their owne popes, Gregorie (whom they call) the great, the firſt of that name and Pelagius his predeceſſor, reſiſted moſt mightelie Iohn Patriarke of Conſtantinople: for preſuming to take vntounto him the name of vniuerſall patriarke, prieſt of prieſtes, or Biſhop of Biſhops: affirming that hee which ſo did, was the forerunner of Antechriſt. And ſo indeed it fell out, for it was not long after, that Mahomet came forth in the Eaſt and began to ſupplant the church of Chriſt, with his abominations. And pope Boniface the 3. (which in a few yeres after this Gregorie) got this vniuerſall title of Biſhop of Biſhops, and ſo began Antechriſts firſt birth, in the open eies of the world. And theſe two brothers, hauehave ſince growen to their perfection; and the more they hauehave growen, the leſſe hath been the honour and name of Chriſt, and the knowledge of his goſpell amongſt the ſons of men. Till now it hath pleaſed God of his gracious goodnes and free fauour, to make them knowen what they are, and by the breath of his mouth to conſume thē; Now the glory of Chriſt crucified and the truth of his goſpel beginneth like the morning light, to take holde on the corners of the earth. The Lord our God and merciful father, be bleſſed and praiſed therefore. Amen.