Abrahams Faith, Part 2 · Chapter 2
CAP. II. Of the diſagreement, that popiſh ſuperſtition, now taught in Rome, hath with the religion which Saint Paul taught the Romans, and with the doctrine Saint Peter taught the Iewes.
IT will alſo appeare how new the ſuperſtition of poperie is, if we find they keep not the doctrine of the bleſſed Apoſtles and founders of Chriſts Church, Saint Paule and Saint Peter: vponupon which two they father all their authoritie and doings, and call them founders and protectors, and patrons of the church of Rome. If then they be fallē from the faith, which theſe two holy Apoſtles taught by the ſpirit of truth, they muſt needs be accounted vpſtarts & of an apoſtatical new borne generation. Marke therefore (good Reader) and conſider. Saint Paul taught the Romanes, that it was an hetheniſh wickednes,aRom. 1.23. to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God, into the ſimilitude of a corruptible man. The ſea of Rome that now is, cleane contrarie to that doctrine, doth make images to repreſent the Trinitie, and to repreſent God the father, by the likeneſſe of an olde corruptible man. The doctrine which Saint Peter taught the Iews, ſaith thatbAct. 2.23. Chriſt was deliuered by the determinate counſel and foreknowledge of God, to bee crucified and ſlaine, by the handes of wicked men. The ſea of Rome that now is doth ſay: that God did onelyonly foreſee, but not determine or ordaine any thing which he commandeth not: and it is certaine he commanded not the Iewes to crucifie Chriſt, therefore in theſe two points they agree not with Paul & Peters doctrine. S. Paul taught the ancient Romanes, thataRom. 8.7. The wiſedome of the fleſh (that is to ſay, the knowledge and will of man as it is infected by original corruption, before we be regenerate) is enmitie againſt God, and that it is not ſubiect to the law of God, neither in deed can bee. And the doctrine of Peter to the Iewes is, that weeb1. Pet. 1.22.23. cap. 2. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 3.5. are borne againe as new borne babes, ſhewing that without the ſpirit of God we hauehave not one good thought: But theſe new Romiſtes ſay, that mans will onelyonly ſtirred vp by the grace of God, can prepare it ſelfe to the grace of iuſtification, and doeth workes of congruitie pleaſing God, and worketh together with the grace of God vntounto merit and deſeruing of ſaluation, S. Paul taught the Romanes, thatcRom. 8.8. they which are in the fleſh (that is the vnregenerate) can not pleaſe God. And again,dCap. 3.12. They hauehave all gone out of the way, they hauehave beene made altogether vnprofitable, there is none that doth good no not one. And he openeth himſelfe els where ſaying:eEph. 4.17.18. The Gentils walke in the vanitie of their mind, hauing their cogitation darkened, being ſtraungers from the life of God, through the ignoraunce that is in them &c. that is to ſay, their ignoraunce is ſo great that they cannot doe any thing but ſinne, which he confirmeth by this maxime to the ſame Romans:fRom. 14.23. Whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſinne. Therefore his doctrine to them is this that, by their exceeding ignoraunce the vnregenerate did nothing but ſuch as was ſinne in Gods eye-ſight. Theſe late Romiſtes doegConcil. trident. Seſ. 6. canon. 7. accurſe this doctrine of Saint Paule, and all them that ſay, that all the workes of the vnregenerate to bee truely ſinne. Saint Peter taught the Iewes,hAct. 4.12. That there is ſaluation in none other (meaning none other but Chriſt) for that there is giuen none other name vnderunder heauen, whereby we muſt be ſaued. Theſe degenerate pretenders of Peter, place ſaluation in others, as in merites, ſatisfaction, and workes of ſupererogation: and ſay there bee other names by which wee muſt bee ſaued, as diriges, religious orders and vowes, pilgrimage, pardons, relickes, and many other names by them deuiſed. Saint Paule taught the auncient Romanes, thatiRom. 4.25. & 8.33.34. Chriſt dyed for our ſinnes, and roſe to make vsus righteous, and being hereby iuſtified of God, nothing can bee layed to our charge, nor condemne vsus. By which it appeareth that the obedience and ſuffering of Chryſt, was the perfect working of our ſaluation. Theſe baſtarde Romanes doe ſaye, that wee yet neede the ſacrifice of the Maſſe for quicke and deade, and that the doing and fulfilling of Gods commaundementes and the Church, is the condition on our part. S. Peters doctrine ſaith that all the faithfulk1. Pet. 2.5.9. are an holy prieſthood, To offer vp ſpiritual ſacrifices acceptable to God by Ieſus Chriſt. Theſe counterfet ſucceſſors of Peter, adde a new deuiſe, ſaying: that their prieſts hauehave an eſpecial office, to offer vp ſacrifice, namely their Hoſte. S. Paul taught the old Romanes, thatlRom. 8.34. Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God, to make interceſsion for vsus. Theſe declined Romiſtes ſay, that the virgin Marie, Peter and Paul, and the Saints are interceſſors for vsus. Saint Peter taught the Iewes: that he the ſaida1. Pet. 5.1.2 Peter was an elder as other elders & miniſters of Chriſt, and that ſuch elders ſhould not be Lordes ouer Gods heritage, but that Chriſt was the chiefe ſhepheard. Theſe ſtately prelates make themſelues Lords of ſea and land: diſdaining at the low eſtate of the Apoſtles and elders of the primitiue church. Saint Paule taught the Chriſtian Romanes, thatbRom. 3.28. A man is iuſtified by faith without workes. Theſe Antechriſtian Romanes ſay: that by doing good workes a man is iuſt and iuſtified, and not by faith alone. Saint Paul taught the Chriſtian Romans that,cRom. 7.7. Concupiſcence in the regenerate was ſinne, and though he did will that which was good, yet hee could not performe it. Theſe Antechriſtian Romanes do ſay, that concupiſcence is not ſinne in the regenerate after Baptiſme, but onelyonly left for the ſpirituall battell to bee reſiſted. Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes ſaith, That we muſt doe good workes d1. Pet. 2.12.15.to ſhew forth the vertues of God, and to glorifie him, and to put to ſilence the ignoraunce of fooliſh men. The new learning of theſe men is, that we muſt do good workes, that we might winne heauen thereby. Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes ſaith,e1. Pet. 1.23. & 2.1. & epiſt. 2. cap. 3.1.15. That the Goſpell is the word of God by which we are borne again, that it is ſincere milke, and commendeth vntounto them his owne and alſo S. Paules epiſtles. And S. Paule taught the faithfull Romanes:fRom. 1.2. & 16.26. That God promiſed the goſpell before by his prophetes in the holy ſcriptures, and that God commaunded that it ſhould bee taught all nations by the ſcriptures of the prophets. Theſe Romanes of the new learning, do ſay: that thegReade Martin Pereſius Aila de traditionibus. ſcripture can not teach all the goſpell, but we muſt learne ſomewhat touching faith and ſaluation by tradition, canons, and the magiſteriall power of the Church, and equall theſe with holy ſcripture, to teach that which cannot be found and learned in the written word of God. Saint Paul taught the Romans the vniuerſalitie of the Church, when he ſaid,aRom. 10.12. there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian; for hee that is Lord ouer all, is right vntounto all that call vponupon him, & S. Peters doctrine agreeth thereunto, where he ſaith:bAct. 10.34.35. God is no accepter of perſons, but in eueryevery nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteouſnes, is accepted with him. Theſe late builders place the Church in the citie of Rome, and call it the Catholike Church of Rome. S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes, ſaith,c1. Pet. 1.3. & 2 5.17. that he prayed and bleſſed God, and that the Chriſtians ſhould feare God, and offer ſpirituall ſacrifices vntounto God. And S. PauldRom. 1. & 10 & 15. & 16. taught the beleeuing Romanes, by his own enſample in diuers prayers, and by a generall example of the Church in theſe words: whoſoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord, &c. that they ſhould worſhip and pray to God onelyonly: Theſe new deuiſers giuegive this honour of God, to Saints, relickes, and images, and teach men to ſerue, worſhip, and pray to them. S. Paul taught the Romanes of the Primatiue Church, that aftereRom. 4.11. iuſtification by faith, the ſacraments are ſignes to ſeale the righteouſnes of faith: and S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes ſaith, thatf1. Pet. 3. Baptiſme ſaueth vsus, but not by the outward waſhing away of the filth of the fleſh, but by the ſpirit working in our hearts a good conſcience to God. 21.Theſe new forgers of doctrine and ſacraments, make the ſacraments in the worke wrought to containe & to conferre grace, and to iuſtifie together with faith, and that without baptiſme there happeneth no iuſtification. Saint Paul and S. Peter, wrote both in the Greeke tongue, which was fitteſt for all nations to learne Gods word, and whereſoeuer they gaue inſtructions,aThis appeareth Act. 2. & all the whole ſtorie following. they did it in that language which might beſt be vnderſtood of the people: but theſe new religion makers, deliuer inſtructions, & teach men praiers in an vnknowne tongue, & giuegive them images to be their bookes. Saint Peters doctrine touching mariage appeareth, that he beingb2. Cor. 9.5. 1. Pet. 5.2. an Elder, had a wife, as the other Apoſtles, & laid no other burden vponupon Elders but to feed the flocke of God: and yet theſe new law makers forbid mariage, to the which Peter called elders. S. Paul taught the Romans thatcRom. 13.1. 1. Pet. 2.13. eueryevery ſoule ſhould be ſubiect to the higher powers, and S. Peter commaundeth ſubmiſſion, to all maner ordinance of man. But theſe proude vſurpers, take vponupon them to diſpence, with the oth & obedience of ſubiects, bringing all ſuperiour power vnderunder their ſeruant, the Pope of Rome. S. Peter taughtd1. Pet. 5.9. to reſiſt the diuell ſtedfaſt in faith: theſe afterwitted men teach vsus to do it by coniuring, by croſſes and by holie water. Saint Paul taught the firſt childe of the Romanes, thateRom. 14.2.3.4. in meate and dayes, men ſhould not iudge and condemne one another: theſe men vnderunder the name of the Church, forbid and commaund, iudge and condemne men, in meates and in dayes, and that vnderunder paine of damnation. S. Peter taught the Iewes,f1. Pet. 1.5. that wee are kept by the power of God, thorough faith vntounto ſaluation: theſe mē ſay, that faith without hope & charity cannot performe it. S.g2. Pet. 3.18. 1. Pet. 3.15. Peter would hauehave eueryevery man grow in the knowledge of our lord Ieſus Chriſt, and to be ſo far inſtructed in the goſpel, that hee might be able to giuegive a reaſon of his faith. Theſe Antipetrians would hauehave men to content thēſelues with ignorance, & to beleeue as the church beleeueth, & by this colour that ignorāce is the mother of deuotion, they kepe the common people frō knowledge of the ſcriptures. S. Peters doctrine doth ſayhAct. 3.2. that the heauens muſt containe Chriſt, vntil the time that al things be reſtored: & S. Paul taught the Romanes,iRom. 8.24. that Chriſt is at the right hand of God: yet ſay theſe ſhameles forgers, that Ieſus Chriſt, very God, and very man is really & locally, (by the intention of a Prieſt vttering certaine wordes, which they call cōſecration) is in the ſacrament (as they cal it) of the Aulter. Saint Peter taught the Iewes, that it waskActs. 15.10. a tempting of God, to binde Gods people to keepe the law, becauſe it is a yoke that neyther we nor our fathers were able to beare. Theſe preſumptuous backeſliders doe ſay, that it is a condition of our ſaluation and righteouſneſſe, to doe the commaundements of God and the Church, & that a man is able to fulfill the commaundements of God. Saint PeterlAct. 10.25.26 Math. 17.24. forbad Cornelius a Captaine of a band, when he fell downe at his feete, and worſhipped him, ſaying, that hee himſelfe was a man, and being directed and commaunded by our Sauiour Chriſt, hee paide tribute and pollemonie vntounto Caeſar. But the Pope the counterfeit ſucceſſour of Peter, refuſeth no kinde of honour euen to the kiſſing of his feete, done by Kinges or Emperours: and taketh tolle and tribute out of all lands whom he can make his vaſſals and vnderlings. Saint*Act. 3.12. Peter in the good works which he did, renounced in plaine tearmes, his owne power and godlineſſe, and laboured by all meanes to ſet forth the name of Chriſt, that Chriſt onelyonly might be glorified. Theſe filthie changelings hauehave no end in aduancing the power of Peter, and therein of the name, authoritie, and glorie of the Pope. Saint Peter neitheraAct. 8. & 11. & 15. hauing nor taking vponupon him any ſoueraigntie aboue other Apoſtles, or aboue any eſtate, was ſent by the Apoſtles at Ieruſalem, to doe ſome Apoſtolicall worke in his miniſtrie, and S. Iohn equallie with him, and he obeyed his bretheren, ſubmitted himſelfe to giuegive an account of his doings, for his going to the Gentils, and gaue place to Iames to determine the controuerſie, touching circumciſion, and the law of Moſes to be impoſed vponupon the Gentils, & had no greater title in the counſell, nor in any place of ſcripture, then Simeon, Peter, or Cephas, ſeruant and Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt, or Elder. Alſo heebGal. 2.7.8.9.11. acknowledged the ſame authoritie in Paul ouer the Gentils, which he had ouer the Iewes: and therefore hee meekelie ſuffered reproofe, for his weakeneſſe, at the hands of Paul, andcAct. 5.40.41. with all patience and ioyfulneſſe tooke ſtripes, with the reſt of the Apoſtles for the name of Chriſt. The Pope his pretended ſucceſſor taketh vponupon him farre otherwiſe, namely the Primacie aboue all Biſhops and Patriarkes, aboue all Princes & Magiſtrates, and maketh Cardinals and Archbiſhops his Embaſſadors and Legattes, diſdaineth to giuegive an account of any thing, and taketh vponupon him to confirme all counſels, and to annihilate, whatſoeuer is concluded without his conſent and authoritie, entituling himſelfe Biſhop of Biſhops, cheefe Paſtour & head of the vniuerſall Church of Chriſt. He is ſo far from being reprooued, that hee will iudge all men, but himſelf be iudged of no man, and that his determinations muſt not be reaſoned nor diſputed vponupon: and not onelyonly ouer the Iewes, but alſo ouer all nations he vſurpeth authoritie, and is ſo farre from meek bearing of reproof or ſtripes for the name of Chriſt, that he raiſeth vp ſedition, rebellion and cruell wars againſt the lawfull ſuperiour, & putteth downe Emperours and Kings for his owne name ſake, & maintenance of his owne pride and vſurped iuriſdiction. In all the ſtorie which is in the new teſtament concerning Paul and Peter, we hauehave not one word, that Peter ſhould be head of the Apoſtles, much leſſe head of the vniuerſall Church, or ouer Princes: neither is there any direct, or indirect collection to be made out of holy ſcripture: that if Chriſt had giuen him ſuch authority, the ſame ſhould hauehave deſcended and gone to his ſucceſſors. And if to his ſucceſſors, yet it would be doubtfull, whether Babilon, or Samaria, or Ioppa, or Ieruſalem, might not be the place of ſucceſſion: for at theſe places, it is expreſlie ſaid, hee was and remained. And as for Rome, there is great reaſon to thinke, that hee was neuer there, or at the leaſt ſome verie little while, and if he were there at all, yet neuer was hee Biſhop of Rome. Firſt, it is cleare that S. Peter kept at Ieruſalem till the conuerſion of Saint Paul:aAct. 8. & 9. & 10. & 15. which was ſometime after the Apoſtles had begun the planting of the Church of Ieruſalem, and the Martyrdome of Steuen the Deacon. ThenbGal. 1.18. three yeeres after Paul viſited Peter at Ieruſalem, andcGal. 2.1. fourteene yeeres after that he communicated with Peter, Iames and Iohn at Ieruſalem; and then after thisdAct. 12.1.2.3. was Peter caſt into priſon by Herode, after the martirdom of Iames the brother of Iohn, aftereAct. 24.17. which time Paul met with Peter at Antiochia. NowfAct. 24.17. many yeeres after it was before that Paul was taken at Ieruſalem and ſent to Rome; whether when he came, thegAct. 28. holy ſtorie maketh mention of the brethren, that came to meete Paul, hearing of his comming neere vntounto Rome: and that Paul being committed to a Souldior to keepe, communed with the Iewes, and for two yeeres ſpace remained in an houſe hyred for himſelfe, and receiued all that came vntounto him and preached the kingdome of God: where there is no mention of Peter, who being ſo woorthie a perſon, no doubt it is likely, that in all this ſpace the Euangeliſt would hauehave ſaid ſomwhat of him if he had been at Rome. Now if as the ſtories ſay he and Peter died, the 14. or 12. yeere of Nero which was about the yeere of Chriſt aſcention 70. there might be as ſome calculate 37. yeeres of Paules preaching, from which diduct ſome 18. yeeres before he went to conferre with Peter, Iames, and Iohn, and adde the time that Iames was ſlaine at Ieruſalem by Herod, and after that the time that Peter was at Antioch; and laſtly thoſe many yeeres before Paul was taken and brought to Rome, and his being there two yeres, all which may eaſily make vp the other yeeres, and way there withall, that as ſome thinke his comming captiue to Rome Acts 28. was the eleuenth yeere of Nero, then ioine hereunto, that he wrote from thence as ſome thinke, the Epiſtle to the Galathians and to the Epheſians, making no mention of Peters being at Rome. But in the Epiſtles to thehCap. 4. Coloſſians, andiCap. 1. & 2. & 4. Philippians, where it appeareth plainely that Paule was at Rome in bondes, and had Ariſtarchus his priſon fellowe, hee maketh mention of Caeſars hoſhold, Tychicus, Oneſimus, Marcus, Luke and diuers others, & there is no word of Peter. Again hiskCap. 4. ſecond epiſtle to Timothy was written from Rome, when he was now ready to be offered, and the time of his departure (out of this life) at hand and he had finiſhed his courſe: he ſheweth that no man aſſiſted him in his anſwering, and there he maketh mention of Linus, Eubulus and Pudeus and diuers others, and telleth that Demas had forſaken him, and Luke only was with him. If a man ought to preferre the credit of the holy writings of God, before other ſtories, we may here plainely gather, that rather Peter was neuer at Rome, or elſe it was a verie little while: For doubtles if Peter had ſuffered with him, he had either been his priſon fellow, or elſe ſome way with him as Luke, and not Luke onelyonly, and he would as well hauehave aſſiſted Paul as reſiſted Simon Magus: therfore it is not without great reaſon to thinke that Peter was neuer at Rome. Moreouer adde hereunto, that he being an Apoſtle ouer the circumciſion that is to the Iewes, and Paul to the Gentils: and then ſtaying ſo longe at Hieruſalem, and after at Antioch, and laſt of all as himſelfe teſtifieth beeing atl1. Pet. 1. & 5. Babilon, hee wrote to the ſtraungers, that is, to the Iewes in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Aſia, and Bithinia, And in hisaCap. 1. ſecond Epiſtle, when hee knew his time at hand, to lay downe his tabernacle (that is his life) ſeeing that in all this there is no mention of the Romanes, nor ſcarce of the Gentils, ſo that he ſeemed preciſelie to attend vponupon his Apoſtleſhip ouer the Circumciſion, there can hardly be any good reaſon to proue he euer was at Rome: but that hee was Biſhop of Rome no reaſon at all. For ſeeing his Apoſtleſhip was ouer the Circumciſion they offer violence, that will draw him to be Biſhop of Rome, conſidering that one may trace him in the ſcriptures, vntill the time almoſt of his death, and no mention made of his being at Rome, nor of his care ouer the Romanes: his abode & his Epiſtles are directed to the Iewes. Further, if we conſider how vnfitting it is for an Apoſtle to be a Biſhop of one citie, who wasbMat. 28.19. equallie to go to all places, and to preach in all places (as indeed he trauailed to many places) toc1. Cor. 3.10. Eph. 2.20. lay the foundation, with the other Apoſtles, of Chriſts Church, and ſecondly how vnlikely it is that ſuch ſhould hauehave ſucceſſors, to whom it belonged tod1. Cor. 9.1. ſee Chriſt, to be calledeGal. 1.1. onelyonly and immediatly by Chriſt, from whom onelyonly the commandements of Chriſt ſhould be taught to al nations, to whoſe working it was adioyned tof1. Theſ. 4.2. 2. Pet. 3.2. doe wonders, & to ſpeake with ſtrange tongues, & whoſe worke eſpecially was to lay the foundation.Act. 2. & 8. If the Pope can ſhew ſuch markes of his ſucceſſion, hee were the more to be borne withall. But ſeeing the holy Ghoſt hath altogether neglected that ſea, and hidden the life of Peter from appearing in Rome, vnderunder the light of his inſpired writings: it ſeemeth vntounto me, and I am verily perſwaded, eſpecially vponupon the conſideration of the doctrine before examined and compared, that the good ſpirit of God would in no wiſe be acceſſarie to this great folly and Antechriſtian and diuiliſh apoſtaſie, of the papall pride and new deuiſed and vſurped primacie of the ſinagogue of Rome that now is, and hath bene in a conſumption euen foureſcore yeares. Praiſed be God, who hath withdrawne our ſhoulders from that moſt greeuous burden.