Christianography, Chapter 4
Of the Antiquitie.
CHAP. IIII.
WHereas the Church of Rome boaſteth of her Antiquity, I purpoſe to ſet downe in this Chapter, three things.
1. That ſome of theſe Churches, are Churches more ancient then the Church of Rome, and that the ancient Church of Rome received Chriſtianitie from them, or ſome of them.
2. That the now Church of Rome, and the ancient before Boniface the third, are not one and the ſame Church, but different.
3. As the now Church of Rome is a new Church, and a different from the old, ſo it hath new, and different Articles and doctrines of Faith, unknowne to the old Church, and not to be found for ſuch, in the writings of any of the ancient Fathers, for five hundred yeeres after Chriſt.
FOr the firſt, The Church of Hieruſalem is more ancient then the Church of Rome; Hieruſalem:where our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe preached, and offered himſelfe a Sacrifice for our ſinnes, and where the Apoſtles, and Diſciples firſt preached: for although they were ſent to preach to all Nations, yet they preached firſt to the loſt ſheepe of the houſe of Iſrael, according to Chriſts Commandement. This Church is moſt ancient; St Iames was the firſt Biſhop there The Law went out of Sion, Matth. 10.6.& the word of the Lord from Jeruſalem. This Citie was Emporium, Iſay 2.3. foreign, &c. Hiſtor. Eccleſ. Lib. 5. cap 9.the Mart of Chriſtian faith, & the mother of all Churches, as Theodoret ſaith.
2.2. Antioch. Acts. 11.26. The Church of Antioch in Syria, where the Diſciples were firſt called Chriſtians; Of this Church Saint Peter was Biſhop ſome yeres before he went to Rome; foreign ad populum Antioch. homil. 3.and this Church is alſo more ancient then the Church of Rome: Saint Chryſoſtome calleth this Church the Head of all the world.
3. The Greeke Church was planted by Saint Paul, 3. Graecians.and Saint Andrew, from whence, and the fore named Churches, the name of Chriſt flowed,Eia igitur Graecia mater nostra, cui id totum debet quod habet Latina Eccleſia. Conc. Trid. orat. Epiſc. Bitont. as from a ſpring, over all the world; and the faith was ſpread in all places; and this the Biſhop of Bitonto acknowledged in the Councell of Trent. It is our mother Graecia to whom the Latine Church is beholding for that which ſhe hath: the Eaſterne Church was before the Church of Rome in Time, and from thence the Church of Rome hath received Chriſtianitie, the new Teſtament, the three Creedes, the very name of Baptiſme, Euchariſt, Biſhop, Prieſt, and Deacon.
4.4. Aethiopia. Aethiopia received Chriſtianitie from the Eunuch of Queene Candaſes, Huic Philippus, reſponſis Sancti Spiritus juſſus primò ex omnibus Gentibus myſterium fidei & ſacramentum Baptiſmi tradidit, & velut quaſdam eum Dee primitias omnium conſecrat nationū. Euſch. Eccleſ. histor. lib. 2. cap. 1.to whom (as Euſebius reporteth) firſt of all the Gentiles, Philip (by the command of the holy Ghoſt) delivered the myſterie of Faith, and the Sacrament of Baptiſme, and conſecrated him to God, as the firſt Fruits of all nations. Saint Matthew alſo preached to the Aethiopians.
5. For the Antiquity of the Church of Rome, both St Hierom and Euſebius teſtifie, that St Peter came to Rome in the raigne of Claudius the Emperour,5. Rome. Hierom Catalog. Eccleſ. ſcript. pag. 265. Euſeb. Eccleſ. hiſ. lib. 2. c. 14.16. and in his ſecond yeere ſaith Hierom.
6. The Church of England received Chriſtianitie (as ſome ſay,) from Joſeph of Arimathea; others from Simon Zelotes the Apoſtle:6. England. Guildas Sapiens de excidio Britan. Chriſtus ſuos radios (id efl) ſuapraecepta indulget tempore, ut ſcimus ſūmo Tiberij Caeſaris, quo abſque ullo impedimento eius propagabatur religio. Bibli. vet: Pat. tem. 5. par. 3. pag. 675. Britannia omniū provinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Sabel. in Ennead. 7. lib. 5. Guildas reporteth that our Iſland received Chriſtianitie in the time of Tiberius Caeſar, who dyed in the yeere of our Lord 39. which if it bee ſo, the Church of England received Chriſtianitie before the Church of Rome, ſome yeeres before Peter came to Rome; which was in the time of Claudius, who ſucceeded Tiberius. And for the Honour of my Mother Church, I ſpeake, that Chriſtianity was firſt publickly profeſſed by authority in this Kingdome, about 130. yeeres before it was in Rome; Lucius our King beeing (as I reade) the firſt Chriſtran King in Europe, who reigned about the yeere of our Lord, 170. And moreover, Conſtantine the Chriſtian Emperour was borne amongſt us, who gave the firſt publique libertie of Religion to the Roman Church. So that Rome was beholding for the publique liberty of Religion to Conſtantine Our country man.Speedes hiſterie. pag. 207. Alſo the inhabitants of Britaine as I reade were inſtructers unto others, as frō hence was Netherland converted to Chriſtianitie, as teſtifieth the ſtorie of Swithbertus: Burgundie by our Columbanus, ſaith Sigebert: Swedia by Gallus, as ſaith Petrus de Natalibus: and Friſia by Wilfred, as it is recorded by Beda, and Matthew of Westminſter: The Franconians, Haſsians, and Turingians by Winifred our Devonſhire man. The Norvegians by Nicolas Breakeſpere of Middleſex. And the Lituanians by Thomas Walden of Eſſex, and all the reformed Churches in Chriſtendome derived their light from the learned Wickleffe of Oxford. In regard of this, Polidor Ʋirgil doth rightly call England the Parent or Mother-Monaſterie of all Europe. And Peter Ramus termeth Britaine to be twice Schoolemiſtris to the Kingdome of France: Terra Britanniae ante adventum Chriſti unius Dei conſenſit religionem. hom. 4. in Ezech.moreover Origen writeth, that the Britaines received the religion of one God, before the comming of Chriſt.
Secondly, whereas the Church of Rome boaſteth of Antiquity, The Church of Rome ſince Boniface the 3 and the old Church of Rome planted by St Peter, & St Paul, are not one, and the ſame, but are farre different. The old Church of Rome as St Paul telleth us, was a branch of that Tree whereof Chriſt Ieſus was the root: The now Church of Rome will bee no branch, but the roote it ſelfe.
The ancient Church of Rome was but a member of the Catholique Church of God, of which Ieſus Chriſt was Head: But the now Church of Rome is the Catholique Church it ſelfe, of which the Pope is head; and ſuch a Church was never in Rome for 600. yeares after Chriſt: for ſo long no Biſhop of Rome durſt preſume to take upon him Chriſts title, to be head of his Church, & husband of his ſpouſe, till Boniface the third; & with him began this Church.
Thirdly, And as they have a new Church, ſo they have a new Creede, and Articles of Doctrine: as for example ſake.
1. That the Pope, the head of the Church, cannot erre in the matter of faith.
2. That all Eccleſiaſticall power dependeth upon the Pope.
3. That he hath power to canonize Saints.
4. That he hath power to depoſe Kings.
5. That the Popes pardons are requiſite or uſefull to releaſe ſoules out of Purgatorie.
6. That there is a treaſurie of Saints merits, and ſuperabundant ſatisfactions, at the Popes diſpoſing
7. That the Prieſt can make his Maker.
8. That the ſacred Hoſt made by the Prieſt, ought to bee elevated, and carried in ſolemne proceſſion, and adored.
9. That the effects of the Sacrament dependeth upon the intention of the Prieſt.
10. That Infidels and impious perſons, yea ratts and miſe, may eate the body of Chriſt.
11. That the Laiety are not bound by Chriſts inſtitution to receive the Communion in both kindes.
12. That private Maffes, wherin the Prieſt ſaith Eat & drink ye all of this, & yet eateth & drinketh himſelfe only, is according to Chriſts inſtitutiō.
13. That extreme Vnction is a Sacrament properly ſo called.
14. That the publique ſervice of God in the Church, ought or may be celebrated in an unknowne tongue.
15. That wee may worſhip God by an Image, &c.
Theſe and other new Tenets and Doctrines defide, of the now Church of Rome, cannot be ſhewed to bee the Doctrines of faith of the old ancient Church of Rome.
To conclude this point, as there is Antiquity of Time, ſo alſo of Truth and Doctrine: for a people to receive Chriſtianity, & the true faith from the Apoſtles, or Chriſt himſelfe, profiteth nothing, except they doe ſtill retaine the ſaid Faith & Doctrine, as our Lord told the Phariſes boaſting of antiquity, that they had Abraham to their Father: That they were of their father the devill, not doing Abrahams workes. So it may be ſaid of them,Iohn 8. that boaſt only of Antiquity of Time, without Antiquity of Truth & Doctrine.