Christianography, Maps – To the reader
O Lord my God how excellent is thy name in all the world.
Proteſtants
Papiſts
halfe
CHRISTIANOGRAPHIE, OR The Deſcription of the multitude and ſundry ſorts of Chriſtians in the VVorld not ſubiect to the Pope.
With their Vnitie, and hovv they agree with us in the principall points of Difference betweene us and the Church of Rome.
Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt.
Mat. 28.19.
And they went forth, and preached every where: The Lord working with them.
Marke 16.20.
After this I beheld, and loe, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, ſtood before the throne & before the Lambe.
Rev. 7.9.
LONDON, Printed by T. P. and W. J. for Matthew Costerden, Stationer. 1635.
REcenſui Librum hunc cui titulus Chriſtianographie, &c. una cum Epiſtola Dedicatoria ad R. in Chriſto Patrem, Franciſcum Elienſem, Epiſcopum: qui quidem liber continet folia 88. in quo nihil reperio, quò minús cum publica utilitate Jmprimatur, modò intra ſex menſes proximè ſequentes typis mandetur.
Ex aedi. Londin. Octobris 30. Samuel Baker.
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD Francis Lord Biſhop of Elie, my very good Lord.
IT was an obſervation of our late Soveraigne Lord, King James: that VVheras the Romaniſts cannot confirme their Faith, either by ſacred Scripture, or ancient Traditions; Their manner is to crie up the Viſibilitie of the Church, and Authoritie of the ſame: And thereby they delude many of the ignorant and unlearned, bearing them in hand, that there was no ſuch thing in the world as a Proteſtant, before Luther: And that before his time, all the world beleeved as they doe: And that their Church hath not onelyonly beene viſible in all ages, and all times, but eminently conſpicuous, and illuſtrious. And to this purpoſe one of that Sect lately delivered to a perſon of qualitie, this writing following, viz. It is plaine in holy Scripture, and confeſſed by the Proteſtants, that the Church of God ſhould be alwaies viſible, and it was agreed by D. White, and D. Featly, to Mr. Fiſher, and Mr. Sweet, to proove a viſible ſucceſſion in the Proteſtant Church, that they both could and would in all ages, from Chriſt to Luther by name, out of good Authors produce Doctors and Pastors profeſsing the Religion, which the Church of England, and Proteſtants profeſſe. This was promiſed, This is now required, without ſhifts, and idle delayes, &c.
VVhereas in this writing, an abſolute promiſe is pretended to bee made by your Lordſhip, and D. Featley, to Maſter Fiſher, and Maſter Sweet: I finde in the relation of the conference (teſtified and ſubſcribed by Honorable perſonages, and others,) The ſaid promiſe to bee made but upon condition onelyonly:Conference. pag. 7. That the forenamed Ieſuites would ſhew viſible profeſſors of the intire Doctrine of the Romiſh Church, (as yet it is compriſed in the Councell of Trent) in all ages, and name them out of good Authors, eſpecially for the firſt 600. yeeres.
And in particular your Lordſhip required them to prove, by Chriſt and his Apoſtles,Conference. pag. 22. or by any of the Fathers for the firſt 600. yeeres, theſe ſixe Tenets of the Roman Church, viz.
1. That all power of Order, and Juriſdiction, in reſpect of the Churches, is to bee derived from the Church of Rome.
2. That no Scripture ſence, or Tranſlation thereof, is Authenticall, unleſſe the ſame were received from the Church of Rome.
3. That the Roman Church onelyonly was, and is the Authenticall Cuſtos of unwritten Traditions.
4. That all generall Councels were called by the ſole Authoritie of the Pope, and that hee might ratifie and diſanull whatſoever pleaſed him in them.
5. That the Pope hath power to Canonize Saints.
6. That the Pope had or hath power to depoſe Princes.
Likewiſe,Conference. pag. 7. Doctor Featley required of them, to produce out of good Authors, not any Empire or Kingdome, but ſo much as any Citie, Pariſh or Hamlet, within 500. yeeres after Chriſt, in which there was any Viſible aſſembly of Chriſtians to bee named, maintaining and defending either their Trent Creede in generall, or theſe points of Popery in ſpeciall,Conference. page. 9. to wit:
1. That there is a treaſurie of Saints merits, and ſuper abundant Satisfactions, at the Popes diſpoſing.
2. That the Laiety are not commanded by Chriſts inſtitution, to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in both Kindes.
3. That the publicke ſervice of God in the Church, ought, or may be celebrated in an unknowne tongue.
4. That private Maſſes wherein the Priest ſaith (edite & bibite ex hoc omnes) and yet eateth and drinketh himſelfe onelyonly, are according to Chriſts inſtitution.
5. That the Popes pardons are requiſite, or uſefull to releaſe ſoules out of Purgatory.
6. That the effect of the Sacrament dependeth upon the intention of the Miniſter.
7. That extreme unction is a Sacrament properly ſo called.
8. That we may worſhip God by an Image.
9. That the ſacred Hoaſt ought to bee elevated, or carried in ſolemne proceſsion.
10. That Infidels, and Impious perſons, yea Rats and Mice; may eate the body of Chriſt.
11. That all Eccleſiaſticall power dependeth on the Pope.
12. That hee cannot erre in matter of Faith.
13. That he hath power to cannonize Saints.
14. To inſtitute Religious orders.
15. To depoſe Kings, &c.
He alſo urged Maſter Fiſher, and Maſter Sweet, to name but one Father or one writer of note, who held the particulars above named, for 500. yeres after Chriſt: which they would not, nor could doe.
VVhereby any man may ſee, that they who call for a Succeſsion in our Church, cannot ſhew it in their owne.
Moreover, it is not a ſucceſsion of perſons, or catalogue of names, that maketh a true Apoſtolicke Church; But the true primitiue Faith once given to the Saints, ſet downe in holy Scripture.
Our Lord himſelfe telleth us, that he that is baptized, and beleeveth, ſhall be ſaved: Marke 16.16.now to perſwade ſuch a one that is baptized, & beleeveth, that he is no member of Chriſts Church, except he can alſo ſet downe a catalogue of the names of his ſpirituall parents, ſince Chriſt, is all one, as to perſwade ſuch a one that he is no man, becauſe he cannot reckon up his naturall parents, and fetch his pedigree from Noah or Adam.
Laſtly, whereas they clamour for a catalogue of names (as in this writing) without all ſhifts and idle delayes, they have catalogues plentie, written both by ſtrangers, as by Jllyricus, by Symon de Voyons, Mounſier Pleſsis, and others, and by our countrymen, as by B. Jewell for the firſt 500. yeeres, by the Primate of Armagh for the next 500. yeeres; and by the late Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, for the laſt 500. yeeres, with divers others, to which they have returned no anſwer, as I can heare of, but they lie upon their hands: alſo of late, Mr. Birckbeck hath written a catalogue, who acknowledgeth Doctor Featlies great furtherance in it, (as I alſo doe) but moſt eſpecially, I acknowledge my ſelfe bound unto your Lordſhip, for your helpe and incouragement, which imboldened me both to write, and publiſh this Treatiſe.
Now although the contents of the former writing have beene ſufficiently anſwered, againe, and againe, and neede nothing of mine, being one of the meaneſt of all my brethren: Yet I ſhewed them that brought it me, that in ſtead of a Catalogue of Names, I would ſhew them a Catalogue of Churches, in which there now are, and have beene many millions of Chriſtians, who have generally borne witneſſe, and now doe, to the truth profeſſed by us, and our Religion, in the principall points in controverſie betweene the Roman Church and us, as the Greeke Church, which hath foure great Patriarches.
The firſt of Conſtantinople, whoſe ſucceſsion I have ſet down from Saint Andrew to Cyrill, the now Patriarch: which ſucceſsion,The Cophti have alſo a Patriarch of Alexandria: Alexandria was inhabited with Greekes, and alſo many other great Cities and Provinces, both Africa and Aſia, have at this day many Greekes in them. hath not beene ſo interrupted with ſo many Schiſmes, as the Romiſh ſucceſsion hath beene.
The ſecond of Alexandria.
The third of Antioch.
The fourth of Hieruſalem: which Greeke Church, is much bigger then the Romiſh Church in Europe, and more ancient; The Romiſh Church having received Chriſtianity from them.
Againe, the Moſcovite or Ruſſe Chriſtians, who inhabit many countries not onelyonly in Europe, but alſo in Aſia, as the great Kingdomes of Caſan, and Aſtracan, and other great Provinces, all which together are of greater extent then all Europe beſides; As alſo the Chriſtians under the Patriarch of Muſall in Aſia, which Chriſtians Vitriacus the Cardinall reporteth to live in ſeverall,Vt de his qui ſeorſum habitant quorum infinitus eſt numerus, taceamus, inter Saracenos non pauciores, ut dicitur, ſunt Chriſtiani infidelibus. Vitria. hiſto. orient. cap. 77. in infinite numbers with their King, and alſo where they live mingled with Saracens, they are not fewer then they: and howſoever ſome ſay that theſe Chriſtians are decayed ſince Vitriacus time, yet Poſtell reporteth,idem pag. 76. de Iacobitis. that they are yet more then the Latine Church. Poſtel. Compend. Coſmog. pag. 69. Dico pauci, comparatione priorum temporum, …on in ſe, namſunt nobis latinis multo plures.As alſo the Jacobites diſperſed in fortie Kingdomes. The Armenian Chriſtians in Europe, Aſia, and Africa, who have a thouſand Biſhops, as Cardinall Baronius reporteth, out of Otho Friſigenſis; and alſo the Abiſsin Chriſtians in Aethiopia, under their Emperour, who hath many great Kingdomes of Chriſtians vnderunder him. All theſe, and many more hereafter ſet downe; as they doe agree with us in the maine points of Religion, being all baptized in the name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, &c. ſo alſo,
1. They deny the Popes Supremacie, ſome of them excommunicating him yeerely for an Hereticke, or Schiſmaticke, accounting him, and his Church hereticall.
2. They receive the Communion in both kindes.
3. They have no private Maſſe.
4. They hold no Tranſubſtantiation.
5. They offer no ſacrifice for the quicke, and the dead, in their Liturgies.
6. Married Priests doe adminiſter amongſt them.
7. They know no Purgatorie, nor uſe any Prayers, nor ſell any Pardons to releaſe ſoules from thence.
8. Moſt of them have their Service in their owne tongues.
Now howſoever the Romanists account no more of the teſtimonies of theſe Chriſtians, then of the teſtimonies of Iewes & Turkes, and eſteeme them damned perſons, as they doe us; yet let them know, that theſe Chriſtians are baptized, & beleeve in Chriſt; and alſo live devoutly to God, obediently to Princes, and ſincerely to men: yea many of them, ſuffer very much for Ieſus Chriſts ſake, which they might free themſelves of, if they would renounce their Religion, and obtaine great honour, and eſtate; for the Turkes Janiſaries, and Baſha's, are moſt of them renegado Chriſtians, but theſe poore Chriſtians account their Saviour more deere to them, then all the honours, and riches of the world.
Therefore farre bee it from any Chriſtian Soule to account theſe men damned, as the Romanists doe, onelyonly for not being ſubiect to the Biſhop of Rome, Bonif. 8. in extrar. de major. & obedi. cap. unam ſanctam, &c.according to their Tenet: That every Soule muſt of neceſsity of Salvation be ſubject to the Biſhop of Rome.
As for the Dedication, in regard I have received many kindneſſes from your Lordſhip, both when you were my neighbour, and ſince: I am bold to preſent this Treatiſe to your Lordſhip, deſiring your patronage and protection; and alſo moſt humbly intreating Almighty God to multiply his bleſsings upon you, to your owne Comfort, and good of his Church.
Your Lordſhips moſt humbly devoted, EPHRAIM PAGITT: Parſon of the Church of St. Edmonds the King in Lombardſtreet London.
To the Reader.
THat which J intend in this treatiſe, is, to ſhew that there are many Christian Churches as well in Europe, as in the other parts of the world, that doe not adhere to the Roman Church, nor acknowledge the Pope for their head. Invaine therfore, and to no purpoſe, doe many of that party run up and downe the world, and cry up the Church of Rome, for that one, holy, catholicke Church, which is ſo aſsisted by the holy Ghoſt that it cannot erre, whē ſhe is indeed but a member (and no ſound one neither) of that body; as being miſerably infeſted at this day (which alſo the learned and ſober men amongst themſelves cannot deny) with many new & fond opinions, and with ſuperſtitious practices not a few.
The Greeke Church may, for ought I know, by the ſame reaſon ſay, that ſhe is that one infalible, Catholicke Church, that all are Schiſmatickes that cōmunicate not with her, & that out of that church there is no ſalvation to be had. One thing Iadde by way of caution: J hauehave cited many of the opinions & practices of thoſe Chriſtians, that live in the Eaſterne, and other remote parts of the world, but J doe not undertake to juſtify them in every particular; J would not be ſo underſtood: it ſufficeth for my preſent purpoſe, to ſhew, that many Millions of Chriſtians in the world, differ from the Papiſts, J, and that in the most of thoſe things, wherein they, and we do diſagree, & which is the maine of all, that few, or none of all theſe doe acknowledge the Church of Rome for their Mother, or have any dependance on her.
The God of peace make peace in Chriſtendome, and grant that all they that confeſse his holy name may agree in the truth of his holy word, and live in unity and godly love. Amen. So prayeth
Thine in our common Saviour: