The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 48

The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity · Book 1 · Chapter 48

p. 126CHAP. 48. That the Roman Church oppoſeth her ſelf to the conſent of antient Doctors.

VVHen we put our Adverſaries in mind of the liberty which they give to themſelves to reprove the Fathers, they will anſwer, that indeed every Father hath his Errors, but that their conſent is an infallible rule; and that the Roman Church followeth the Fathers when they agree among themſelves. This deſerveth to be examined.

Firſt, If to come out of a difficulty in Religion, and to attain to Salvation, we muſt have the conſent of all the Fathers, I know not who can be ſaved, ſince of twenty thouſand Chriſtians, hardly ſhall one be found that hath read one half of the Fathers; and of thoſe that read them, few underſtand them. Beſides, Many Fathers of exquiſite learning and goodneſs have written no Books, whoſe opinion therefore is not known unto us upon every point of Religion. And of thoſe that have written, not one ſhall be found that ſaith his opinion upon the fourth part of the points which are now adaies controverted: For they are queſtions which for the moſt part are ſprung ſince their death. Yet let us ſee whether the Roman Church keep to that rule, and whether they contradict not many times a multitude of Fathers conſenting in one point?

I. Is there any thing in all Antiquity upon which the Ancients conſent more then upon the Communion of the People to the Sacrament under the two kinds? Can one example be found in all Antiquity of the Sacrament adminiſtred in the Church to a multitude of people, without adminiſtring the cup to any one of them? Shall it be found that ever they refuſed the Cup to any of the people that required it? Of that it were ſuperfluous to bring proofs, ſince the Council of Conſtance, which made that abominable Law, acknowledgeth in the XIII. Seſſion, that in the antient Church that Sacrament was received by the people under the two kinds, and that Jeſus Chriſt hath inſtituted it ſo.

II. How great is the conſent of the Fathers to put the Book of Maccabees among the Apocrypha, and to deny them a place among the Canonical Books? So did the Council of Laodicea determine it, and Amphilochius Biſhop of Iconium, and Melito Biſhop of Sardis, and Ruffinus in the Expoſition of the Symbole, and Athanaſius in his Synopſis, and Euſebius in his Chronicle upon the 117. Olympiad, and in the 3. Book of his Hiſtory, chap. 10. And Hierom in his Preface upon the Books of Solomon, and in his Prologus Galeatus, and Hilary in his Preface upon the Pſalter; and Gregory Nazianzen in his Verſes; and Epiphanius in the Book of meaſures, and Pope Gregory the I. in the 19. of the Morals upon Job; and many more, as we ſhall ſhew it**Infra c. 55. hereafter more exactly.

That conſent ſo general hath not hindred the Roman Church of our dayes to receive the Maccabees among the Canonical Scriptures.

III. The words of the Jeſuite Maldonat upon Joh. 6.53. are notable.(a)(a)Miſſam facio Auguſtini & Innocentii I. ſententiam quae ſexcentos circiter annos viguit in Eccleſia Euchariſtiam etiam infantibus neceſſariam. I leave (ſaith he) the opinion of Auſtin and Innocent the III. an opinion which had reigned in the Church for 600. years, or thereabouts, that the Euchariſt is necceſſary to Infants. Then an opinion received in the Church of Rome for the ſpace of ſix hundred years, is now rejected by the ſame Church.

To the works of Hinckmarus, an Epiſtle of Jeſſe Biſhop of Amiens is added,(b)(b)Noviſſimè corpore & ſanguine Chriſti confirmatur infans ut ejus poſſit eſſe membrum qui pro eo paſſus eſt. whereby it appears that at that time, that is, in the ninth age, that cuſtom was yet practiſed in Gaules, to give the Lords Supper to little children, preſently p. 127after Baptiſm. In the ſame place there is a Conſtitution of Riculfus Biſhop of Soiſſons of the ſame time, that ſuch as are baptized, ſhould receive the Lords Supper preſently after Baptiſm, becauſe the Lord ſaith, unleſs you eat the fleſh of the Son of man, &c. The Council of Trent, in the XX. Seſſion, made no difficulty to pronounce anathema to them that hold that opinion, without reſpecting Pope Innocent the I. and Saint Auſtin, who have been of that opinion. Caſſander in his conſultation to Ferdinand and Maximilian, p. 936. ſaith, that he hath often obſerved that practiſe in Antiquity; and M. du Perron acknowledgeth, that this practice continued yet in the time of Charlemagne and Lewis the Meek.(c)(c)Nicol. de Lyra in Joh 6. &c. Jeremias Patriarch. Conſt. lib. ad Germanos.John 6 The Greek Churches to this day obſerve that cuſtom; and(d)(d)Franciſ. Alvarez. hiſt. Aethiop. c 20. ſo do the Abyſſine Churches.

IV. Six hundred and thirty Biſhops aſſembled in the Council of Chalcedon, who have judged by an expreſs(e)(e)Can. 22. Concil. Chalcedon. Canon; that the Biſhop of Conſtantinople muſt be equal in all things to the Biſhop of Rome, are I hope a ſufficient number to authorize ſuch an order; yet that order was oppoſed by the ambition of the Popes.

V. How famous and received by the common conſent of ages, were the Letters(f)(f)Thoſe Letters are inſerted in the Codex of the Canons of the African Church, and in the firſt To…e of the Councils, in the end of the ſixth Council of Carthage, and in Balſamon, and Zonaras. of the ſixth Council of Carthage? wherein the Biſhops aſſembled out of all Africa, write to Celeſtin Biſhop of Rome, that from thenceforth he would abſtain from ſending Legats into Africa, and meddle no more to judge the cauſes already judged in Africa, or to receive appeals coming from Africa, becauſe cauſes ought to be judged in the places where they begun; warning him not to bring the famous pride of the world into the Church; and telling him that the pretended Canons of the Council of Nice, upon which he grounded his authority, are ſuppoſititious, and are not found in the Original. Nevertheleſs the Roman Church did oppoſe that. Baronius in the year 419. §. 78. ſaith, that the things contained in that Epiſtle,(g)(g)Sunt ſubduriuſcula, praecupuè vero quae dicunt Patres de non mittendis Legatis in Africam. are ſomewhat hard, eſpecially that which the Biſhops ſay of ſending no more Legats into Africa. Bellarmine in the twenty fifth chapter of the ſecond book de Pontifice, ſpeaking of thoſe African Biſhops, ſaith, that(h)(h)Respondemus Africanos Patres ex ignorantia deceptos, p. 476. thoſe African Fathers were deceived through ignorance. And Cardinal du Perron chap. 57. of the firſt book againſt his Majeſty of Great Britain, ſaith, that the wrath of contention hath fetcht ſo much out of their mouth.

VI. All the Fathers with common conſent exhort the people to read the holy Scripture carefully. Hierom in his Epiſtle to Lea, will have her Daughter Paula to read diligently the Old and the New Teſtament. Chryſoſtom in the third Homily concerning Lazarus, exhorteth to that Lecture the Tradeſmen, the Women, and the leaſt of the people. Athanaſius is very expreſs for that in the ſecond Tome, p. 248. and Auſtin Epiſt. 146. to the Virgin Demetrius, and in the ſixt book of his Confeſſions, chap. 5. The Roman Church by an example without example oppoſing that conſent hath forbidden the people to read the holy Scripture. We will hereafter ſet down the very terms of the prohibition.

VII. Generally the Fathers before Auſtin, and Auſtin himſelf in the beginning, believed, that God had predeſtined men to ſalvation according to his foreknowledge, that ſuch and ſuch ſhould do good works, and have ſaith. To that conſent, the Jeſuite Pererius upon Rom. 8. oppoſeth himſelf boldly, ſpeaking thus in his twenty ſecond Diſpute; The Greek Fathers and many Latin Doctors have believed and written, that the cauſe of the predeſtination of men to eternal life, is Gods fore-knowledge from eternity of the good works which they ſhould do, cooperating with his grace, and of the faith whereby they ſhould believe, &c. Nevertheleſs it is eaſie to ſhew by many and evident Texts of Scripture, that Gods fore-knowledge of faith is not the cauſe of the predeſtination of men. Bellarmine and the Jeſuites are of the ſame opinion.

VIII. It was a common opinion among the Ancients, that the Angels are fallen from their purity, by cohabiting with Women. It was the opinion of(i)(i)Juſtin. Apol. 1. foreign. Juſtin Martyr in his ſecond Apology, and of Clemens Alexandrinus, (k)(k)Clem. Alex. Strom. 3. foreign.3.5 & p. 128ſexto Stromaton, and of(l)(l)Angeli qui ad filios hominum de coelo ruerunt; item l. 5. Ambroſ. de bono mortis. Tertullian in the book of the behaviour of women, chap. 2. And of Auſtin, in the third book of the City of God, chap. 3. And of Cyprian, in the book of the behaviour of Virgins, chap. 11. and of(m)(m)Ambroſ. l. 1. de Virginibus; Caſtitas Angelū facit; qui eam ſervavit, ſanctus Angelus eſt; qui perdidit, Diabolus. Ambroſe, in the firſt book of Noah and the Ark; And of Irenaeus in the firſt book, chap. 70. and of Lactantius, chap. 15. of the ſecond book.

IX. Sixtus Senenſis in the ſixth book, in the annotation, 345. ſaith, that Juſtin Martyr, Lactantius, Victorinus, Prudentius, Aretas, the Pope John XXII. have held, that the ſouls of the righteous ſhall not before the day of Judgement enjoy the ſight of God. He might have added Irenaeus, Tertullian, Prudentius, Ambroſe, Auſtin, Chryſoſtom, and almoſt all the Grecians. He addeth, that it is the error of the Armenians, condemned by the Decretals of Innocent the II. and Benedictus the XI. and by the Council of Florence. See the Queſtions to the Orthodox, aſcribed to Juſtin Martyr in the anſwer to the ſixty and ſeventy fourth Queſtions.

X. In nothing the Fathers agree better, then in the opinion that all(n)(n)Tertul. lib. de Idololat. c. 11. Taceo de perjurio, quando ne jurare quidem licet. Euſeb. Hiſt. l. 6. c. 4. Hieron in Mat 5. Chryſoſtom. Hom. 8. & 9. in Acta Victor. …ticenſis, l. 3. Nazianz. foreign ſub finem Athan. lib. foreign. Juſtin. Dial. cum Tryphone, p 239. & 307. Vide Sixtum Senenſ lib. 6. Annot. 26.Matt 5 oaths are unlawful, and that no Chriſtian ought to ſwear for any cauſe whatſoever. The Roman Church ſwears not only by the name of God, but by the Saints and their relicks.

XI. Almoſt all the Fathers of the firſt ages, were Chiliaſts, that is, defining the duration of the reign of Chriſt to the ſpace of a thouſand years, with feaſting and earthly dainties; Pamelius in his notes upon the book of Cyprian, of the exhortation to Martyrdom, ſaith, that Tertullian, Lactantius, Victorinus, Severus, Papias, Juſtin, Irenaeus, Apollinaris, were of that opinion. Juſtin Martyr goes ſo far, as to ſay, that they that are truly Chriſtians, were of that belief. See Hierom in the book of Eccleſiaſtical Writers, where he ſpeaks of Papias. Sixtus Senenſis ſaith of Hierom, in the fifth book in the annotation 133. that he hath been doubtful about that point, and that Auſtin hath ſometimes inclined to that opinion, as it appears by the twentieth book of the City of God, chap. 7. The Church of Rome hath departed from that conſent.

XII. The Ancients believed, that the ſouls while they are ſeparate from the bodies, cannot be tormented. A certain proof that they believed not Purgatory, which the Roman Church now believeth. Tertullian, in the 48. chapter of the Apologetick,(o)(o)Ne que pati quicquam poteſt anima ſola ſine ſtabili materia. The ſoul alone cannot ſuffer any thing without ſolid matter, that is, without fleſh. He ſaith the ſame, in the book of the teſtimony of the ſoul, chap. 4. Gregory Nyſſen in the third Oration of the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt,(p)(p)Animam per ſe ſeparatam ignis nunquam attigerit, nec tenebrae quidem ei moleſtae fuerint, utpote quae oculis caret. The fire can never touch the ſoul ſeparate, and darkneſs cannot be troubleſom to it, ſeeing it hath no eyes. By theſe convenient reaſons, we are induced to believe the reſurrection of the dead. Ambroſe in the book of Penance, c. 17.(q)(q)Ne que animam ſine carne, ne que carnem ſine anima, cum ſint ſibi geſtorum operum conſortio copulatae, ſine conſortio vel poena eſſe vel praemii. The ſoul without the body, and the body without the ſoul, cannot be partakers of puniſhment and reward, ſeeing they are fellows in their actions.

Chryſoſtom ſaith the ſame, hom. 39. upon the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, (r)(r)foreign.The ſoul (ſaith he) ſhall not be puniſht without the body. Againſt that conſent, the Roman Church hath forged her Purgatory.

XIII. It was a generally received belief in the ancient Church, that the conſecration is done in the Euchariſt by Prayer, not by ſpeaking to the bread, but by ſpeaking to God. Juſtin Martyr in his ſecond Apology, cals that which is received in the holy Communion, a food conſecrated by prayer. Origen in the eighth Book againſt Celſus, We eat bread which by prayer is made a body, which is ſome holy thing. Baſil in the book of the holy Ghoſt, chap. 17. The words of invocacation, when one ſheweth the bread. Theodoret in the ſecond Dialogue, introduceth the Heretick ſpeaking thus; The ſigns of the body and the blood, are others before the invocation of the Prieſt, but after the invocation they are changed. The Roman Church in our days, makes conſecration by ſpeaking unto the bread, not unto p. 129God; contradicting her own Canons; Eſpecially the Canon(ſ)(ſ)Corpus & ſanguinem Chriſts dicimus illud quod de fructibusterrae acceptum, & prece myſtica conſecratum. Corpus Diſt. 2. of the Conſecration. We call the body and blood of Chriſt, that which being taken from the fruits of the earth, and conſecrated by myſtical prayer, is duly taken by us for the ſpiritual ſalvation in memory of the paſſion of the Lord.

XIV. It is the general opinion of the Ancients, that as ſoon as the dead are raiſed, they ſhall paſs through the flame, and ſhall be purged by the fire of the laſt Judgement, which they call a Baptiſm of fire, and the flaming ſword ſet at the gate of Paradiſe. Hilary upon Pſalm 118. upon the Letter Gimel, makes the Virgin Mary to paſs through that fire. And Ambroſe in the twentieth Sermon upon the ſame Pſalm, and in the third Sermon upon the thirty ſixth Pſalm, makes the Prophets and Apoſtles to go through it. Origen, Lactantius, Baſil, Gregory Nazianzen, Auſtin, Cyril of Jeruſalem, ſay the ſame: Of whom, we have(t)(t)In the Buckler of the Faith, Sect. 86. in another place ſet forth the words; and we ſhall ſpeak of this matter again(u)(u)In the third controverſie of the ſeventh book. in the laſt book of this work. But the Roman Church hath put out that fire, and kindled another more lucrative to the Pope and his Clergy.

XV. It was a received opinion by moſt of the Ancients, that children dead without Baptiſm, are eternally tormented in hell. Auſtin in the firſt book, de bono perſeverantiae, cap. 13. ſaith, that(x)(x)Parvulos non regeneratos, ad aeternam mortem; alios autem regeneratos ad aeternam vitam duci de hac vita. little children unbaptized, are led unto eternal dead. And in the firſt book of the merits of ſins and of remiſſion, chap. 28. diſpuſing againſt the Pelagians, who put the unbaptized children in a middle condition between hell and heavenly glory, he ſaith,(y)(y)Nec eſt ullus ulli medius locus ut poſſit eſſe niſi cum Diabolo qui non eſt cum Chriſto. Hinc & ipſe Dominus volens auferre de cordibus malè credentium iſtam neſcio quam medietatem quam conantur quidam parvulis non baptizatis tribuere, &c. ait, Qui mecum non eſt, adverſum me eſt. There is no place between both, where he that is not with Chriſt, may be in another place from the Devil. Wherefore alſo the Lord willing to take off from the hearts of the half believers, I know not what middle moſt condition, which ſome endeavour to attribute to unbaptized children, ſaid, He that is not with me, is againſt me. For at that time they did not believe the Limbus of children dead without Baptiſm. His Diſciple Fulgentius ſpeaks the ſame language, in his book of faith to Peter the Deacon, c. 27.(z)(z)Firmiſſimè tene, & nullatenus dubites, non ſolum homines ratione utentes, verum etiam parvulos qui ſive in uteris matrum vivere incipiunt & ibi moriuntur, ſive cum de matribus nati ſine Sacramento ſancti Baptiſmatis de hoc ſaeculo tranſeunt, ignis aeterni ſempiterno ſupplicio puniendos. Believe ſtedfaſtly (ſaith he) and doubt not at all, that not only men that have not the uſe of reaſon, but alſo the little children, which either have ſome beginning of life in their Mothers womb, and there die, or being born from their Mothers, go out of this world without the holy Sacrament of Baptiſm, ſhall be puniſht with the pain of everlaſting fire. That opinion hath long prevailed, and was alſo followed by Pope Gregory the I. who (if our Adverſaries may be believed) could not err in the faith. In the ninth book of his Morals upon Joh, chap. 16. he ſpeaks thus of little children dead without Baptiſm,(a)(a)Nonnulli prius praeſenti vitae ſubtrabuntur, quam ad profe…enda bona malave merita activae vitae perveniant. Quos quia à culpa originis, Sacramenta ſalutis non liberant, & hîc ex proprio nihil egerant, & illuc ad tormenta perveniunt. Some are gone out of this preſent life, before they can attain to the time of doing the good or evil merits of an active life, who becauſe they are not delivered from the original offence by the ſalutary Sacrament, and have not done here any good of their own, go yonder to be tormented. And a little after, By an occult and juſt judgement of God their plagues are multiplied without cauſe. That opinion is diſpleaſing to the Roman Church of this time, which makes theſe children to ſuffer an eternal puniſhment which they feel not, and in the day of Judgement puts them neither among the goats, nor among the Lambs. Theſe Doctors have not conſidered, that ſince Jeſus Chriſt hath ſatisfied for original ſin by ſuffering torments, it followeth, that original ſin deſerveth to be puniſht with pains which be really felt.

XVI. It is the general belief of the Fathers, yea of moſt part of the Doctors of the Roman Church which are not of this laſt age, that Jeſus Chriſt was the only man that ever was free of original ſin, and that even the Virgin Mary was not free of it. Auſtin in the ſecond book of the merits of ſins, chap. 24.(b)(b)Solus Chriſtus homo factus, manens Deus, peccatum nullum habuit unquam, ne que ſumpſit carnem peccati, quamvis de natura carnis peccati. Jeſus Chriſt alone being made man, remaining God, never had any ſin, neither did take the fleſh of ſin, although he had taken [his fleſh] from the nature of the fleſh of ſin, p. 130ſpeaking of the fleſh of his mother. And upon the 34. Pſal. Sermon, 2.(c)(c)Maria ex Adam mortua propter peccatum; Adam mortuus propter peccatum. Mary come from Adam, is dead by reaſon of ſin. Adam is dead by reaſon of ſin, and the fleſh of the Lord come from Mary is dead to take away ſins. Leo the I. in the firſt Sermon of the Nativity of Chriſt;(d)(d)Chriſtus ſicut nullum à reatu liberum reperit, ita pro liberandis omnibus venit. (d)(d)Solus per omnia ex natis de foemina D. Jeſus terrenae contagia corruptela, immaculati partus novitate, non ſenſerit.As Chriſt found no man free from guilt, ſo he is come to deliver them all. Ambroſe upon Luke 2. Jeſus Christ is every way the only among them that are born of women, that hath not felt the contagion of earthly corruption, by the newneſs of an immaculate birth. We ſhall ſee hereafter how Chryſoſtom accuſeth the Virgin Mary of raſhneſs and ambition. And Euſebius Emiſſenus in the 2. Sermon of the Lords Nativity, chap. 4. as Cajetan alledgeth him, ſaith,(e)(e)Ab originali nemo nexu liber extitit, neque ipſa genetrix Redemptoris. None hath been free from the original bond, no not the mother of the Redeemer. Bernard beſtoweth a whole Epiſtle upon that, which is the 174. to the Canons of Lyons, where he proveth that the Virgin Mary was conceived in ſin, and that the Feaſt of the Conception of the Virgin was ill-inſtituted. And which is more, Hilary upon Pſal. 118. on the Letter Gimel, ſaith, ſhe muſt paſs through the fire of the day of Judgement, by which ſins ſhall be purged. Anſelmus in the 2. Book, that ſheweth why God is man, chap. 16.(f)(f)Virgo tamen ipſa unde aſſumptus eſt Chriſtus, in iniquitatibus concepta eſt, & in peccatis concepit eam mater ejus, & cum originali peccato nata est, quia & ipſa in Adam peccavit. The Virgin herſelf from which Christ is ſprung, was conceived in iniquity, and her mother conceived her in ſin, becauſe ſhe alſo hath ſinned in Adam. Their reaſon is, becauſe Scripture hath concluded all under ſin, ſaying, that there is no man that ſinneth not. And becauſe Chriſt is dead for her, and ſhe had need of the remiſſion of ſins, and that ſhe is dead; now ſhe is not dead for the ſins of others; then for her own. Wherefore Auſtin in the Book of the perfection of righteouſneſs giveth this rule;(g)(g)Quiſquis eſſe vel fuiſſe in hac vita aliquem hominem vel aliquos putat, excepto uno Mediatore Dei & hominum, quibus neceſſaria non fuerit romiſſio peccatorum, contrarius eſt divinae Scripturae. Whoſoever thinks that there is or ever was in this life any man or men, excepting the only Mediator between God and men, to whom the remiſſion of ſins was not neceſſary, contradicteth the holy Scripture. And Fulgentius in the Book of the Faith to Peter the Deacon, Believe firmly and doubt not at all, that every man conceived by the copulation of man and woman, is born in original ſin.

That conſent of Antient Doctors hath not hindred the Roman Church of our time to hold the contrary, and to celeberate the Feaſt of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, though Bernard condemned that celebration. The Council of Baſil in the year 1439. in the 36. Seſſion, determineth and declareth, that the Virgin Mary was conceived without ſin, forbidding expreſly the holding of the contrary, and reneweth the Order for celebrating the feaſt of her Conception. Since in the year 1483.(h)(h)Sixtus IV. in Bulla cum Praecucelſa. Pope Sixtus the IV. granteth to them that have heard Maſs or cauſed Maſſes to be ſung on the day of the Feaſt of the Conception of the Bleſſed Virgin, inſtituted by Mr. Leonard de Nogarolles Clark of Verona, the like indulgences as to thoſe that celebrate or ſay Maſs on Munday, Thurſday, or Gods Feaſt. In which Bull the Virgin is called the Queen of heaven and the Mother of grace. By another Bull the ſame Pope declareth thoſe Hereticks, that ſay that the Virgin Mary was conceived in ſin, and excommunicates them, thereby excommunicating all the Antients that have ſpoken ſo. Wherefore the Jeſuits, although they ſay ſometimes that the Roman Church hath decided nothing as yet upon that point, yet maintaine ſtifly that the Virgin was conceived without ſin.(i)(i)Salmeron in c. 5. Ep. ad Rom. Diſp. 51. Vaſques in 3 ^am Thomae, Tom. 2. Diſp. 117. c. 1. Bellarm. De amiſſ. gratiae, & ſtatu peccati. lib 4. c. 15. Salmeron, Vaſques, and Bellarmin, inſiſt much upon that, not fearing to oppoſe antiquity. Bellarmin ſaying that the Church of Rome hath defined nothing about that (although the Council of Baſil hath decided it, and the Feaſt is celebrated) yet giveth one Chapter to that opinion. The title of the Chapter is, That the Bleſſed Virgin Mary was conceived without original ſin.

XVII. Hardly in any thing do the Fathers conſent more then in the enumeration of the Commandments of the firſt table of the Law; for (excepting Auſtin) no antient Author of any authority ſhall be found, that puts not four Commandments in the firſt Table, making of the Commandment about the images a Commandment p. 131by it ſelf, diſtinct from the firſt, Thou ſhalt have none other Gods before me.

The Jews writers that lived in the time of the Apoſtles, Philo and Joſephus, are in this point idoneous witneſſes; for they relate the Belief of the Church of the old Teſtament. Philo in the book of the Decalogue,(k)(k)foreign, &c. foreign, &c. foreign. The firſt five are the more worthy; The other five leſs. Thoſe firſt five more worthy, ſpeak of the Empire of one God over the world. 2. Of images and ſtatues, &c. 3. Of not taking the name of God in vain, &c.(l)(l)foreign, &c. foreign. Joſephus in the 3. book of Antiquities, chap. 4. The firſt Commandment teacheth us, that there is but one God, and that we muſt ſerve him alone. The ſecond forbids to make any image of any animal, and to worſhip it.

Clement in the 2. Book of the Apoſtolical Conſtitutions, chap. 36. according to the Greek, and chap. 40. in Latin, Have alwayes the fear of God before thine eyes, remembering his Commandments at all times. Love one only God with all thy ſtrength. 2. Apply not thy ſelf unto idols.

Origen in the 8. Homily upon Exodus, The firſt Commandment is, Thou ſhalt have none other Gods then me. And after that follows, Thou ſhalt not make unto thee any image or likeneſs: Then he reproveth thoſe that of theſe two make but one precept, ſaying, that by making theſe two precepts into one the number of ten Commandments ſhould not be compleat.

(m)(m)foreign.Athanaſius in his Synopſis, ſaith, that the book of Exodus contains theſe ten Commandments written in Tables. The firſt, I am the Lord thy God; The ſecond, Thou ſhalt not make any idol or reſemblance.

Gregory Nazianzen (n)(n)foreign.in his verſes, hath ſummed up the ten Commandments in verſes, which begin thus; God hath graven his ten Commandments in tables of ſtone, but write them in thy heart. Thou ſhalt acknowledge no other God; for the ſervice belongs to one only.

Thou ſhalt not ſet up vain reſemblance nor inanimate image.

Thou ſhalt never make mention of the great God in vain.

(o)(o)Cum conſtet primum mandatum ita contineri, Non ſint tibi Dii alieni praeter me. Deinde Non facies tibi ſimilitudinem ullam, &c. Tertium, Non ſumes nomen Domini tui in vanum.Ambroſe upon Eph. 6. It is a received truth that the Commandment is thus ſet down, Thou ſhalt have none other Gods but me. And next, Thou ſhalt not make any likneſs of the things that are above in heaven, nor in the earth below. The third, Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Hierom upon the ſame Chapter ſaith, that in the ſecond Commandment, which ſaith, Thou ſhalt make no idol, there is a promiſe added.

The ſame is found in the imperfect work upon St. Matthew, attributed unto Chryſoſtom, in the 33. and 49. Homilies, and in the book of Queſtions of the Old and New Teſtament, attributed to Auſtin, in the 7. chap. and in Severus Sulpitius, in the firſt Book of the Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory. Clemens Alexandrinus 7. Stromaton ſeems to confound the ſecond Commandment with the firſt; but he expounds himſelf afterwards, ſaying, that the fifth Commandment injoynes to honour father and mother, and that the tenth is of all ſorts of coveting.

From that conſent of the Antients the Roman Church of this time is departed; for her Doctors not contenting themſelves to mingle the firſt and the ſecond Commandement, endeavour to aboliſh the ſecond, having utterly(p)(p)Unum cole Deum, ne jures vana per ipſum. Un ſeul Dieu tu adoreras & aimeras parfaitement. Dieu en vain ne jureras ni de penſee ſeulement. See the Hours of our Lady, & the Catechiſm of the Jeſuits. razed it out of the Houres, Offices, Brevaries and Catechiſms, which are given to the people for their exerciſe and inſtruction. In the Council of Auſpurg held in the year 1548. the Commandments of God are put in German, where the ſecond Commandment is ſuppreſt, in which God forbids to make and worſhip images. Theſe men that make images of the Trinity, and bow down before the images of creatures, think to cover their crimes by ſuppreſſing Gods Law. But the original of the Law is in the Counſel of God, and cannot be blotted out by men. By that ſhall they be judged in the laſt day.

p. 132XVIII. This propoſition that man is juſtified before God by faith only, is odious unto the Roman Church, as a doctrine that ſlackens the zeal, and averts men from good works as uſeleſs. Yet it is the ordinary language of the Fathers. Origen upon Rom. 3. ſaith, that(q)(q)Apoſtolis dicit ſufficere ſolius fidei juſtificationem. the juſtification by faith only is ſufficient. Baſil in the Sermon of humility,(r)(r)foreign. Paul did acknowledge himſelf poor in true righthteouſneſs, and that he was juſtified by the only faith in Jeſus Chriſt. Hilary 8. Canon upon St. Matthew, Fides ſola juſtificat, Faith only juſtifieth. Hierom upon Gal. 3.(ſ)(ſ)Quia nemo legem ſervat, ideo dictum eſt quod ſolâ fide juſtificandi eſſent credentes. Becauſe no body keeps the Law, therefore it is ſayd that the believers muſt be juſtified. And in the ſame place, Vobis ad juſtitiam ſola fides ſufficit, To be righteous, faith only is ſufficient to you. And a little after,(t)(t)Ut ſola fide benedicerentur gentes in Chriſto. That the nations might be bleſſed in Chriſt by faith only. Ambroſe upon Rom. 4.(u)(u)Quomodo ergo Judaei per opera Legis juſtificari ſeſe putant juſtificatione Abrabae, cum videant Abraham non ex operibus legis ſed ſola fide juſtificatum? How do the Jews think to be juſtified by the works of the Law with the Juſtification of Abraham, ſince they ſee that Abraham was juſtified, not by the works of the Law, but by faith only? and a little after, Impius ſola fide juſtificatur apud Deum, The wicked is juſtified before God by faith only. Chryſoſtom upon Gal. 3.(x)(x)foreign. They ſaid, that he that ſtands upon faith only is execrable. But St. Paul ſheweth, that he that ſtands upon faith only is bleſſed. Austin 68. Serm. de Tempore, (y)(y)Ecce ſine operibus juſtificatur ex fide, & quicquid illi legali poſſet obſervatione conferri totum credulitas ſola donavit.Abraham hath been juſtified by ſaith without works, and that only belief hath given him that which might be conferred upon him by the obſervation of the Law. Theodoret, We have not obtained the myſtical goods by works, but by faith only. Bernard 21. Serm. upon the Canticles. Being juſtified by faith only he ſhall have peace with God.

Theſe Fathers teaching that man is juſtified before God by faith only, did nevertheleſs exhort unto good works; for they ſpake of another faith then that of the Church of Rome, which our Adverſaries ſay to be a belief that whatſoever God hath ſaid is true; a faith which the Devils alſo have. But they ſpake of a lively faith working by charity, fruitfull in good works; whereby a man reſting upon the promiſe of God in Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, is thereby induced to love and ſerve God.

XIX. We will ſhew hereafter, that in the thee firſt ages of the Chriſtian Church, and more then the half of the fourth, there was not any mention of calling upon the Saints; and that Tranſubſtantiation is contrary to the doctrine of the Antients, and that in the Temples of the firſt ages there was no picture, or ſtatue, or image of God, and that they worſhipped not images.

XX. None that hath ſome meaſure of knowledge in antiquity, but knows, that the form and the degrees of Penance obſerved in the Antient Church, are no more obſerved in the Roman, and that all the antient penitential Canons are aboliſht. Read the Epiſtle of Baſil to Amphilochius, and the Decree of Buchard, and all the penitential Canons that are found in the Councils, you ſhall find nothing in them, of that the Roman Church obſerveth in our dayes.

XXI We hope to ſhew towards the end of this Book, that private Maſſes (that is, without Communicants and aſſiſtants, and ſayd to the intention of him that payeth for them) are not only without precedent in the antient Church, but alſo are generally condemned by the antients, and by the very Orders of the old Roman Church. Bellarmin in his ſecond Book of the Maſs, chap. 9. doth freely confeſs it, ſaying, That no expreſs paſſage is found in all the Antients, which ſhew that ever they offered ſacrifice without the communion of ſome one or more with the Prieſt.

XXII. Who knows not, that in the antient Church the publick ſervice was celebrated in Italy in Latin, in Greece in Greek, in Armenia in Armenian; and that every one prayed in a language which he underſtood? That they made no elevation of the hoſt over the head, turning their back unto the people? and that the people adored not the hoſt; which was not a waſer, but ſome quantity of bread which was diſtributed unto the people? That in thoſe dayes the Biſhop of p. 133Rome had no Court, and was ſubject to the Emperors and Kings? That the Biſhops in their reception took no oath of allegiance and obedience unto the Pope? and that the Pope did not exerciſe a temporal domination over them by Annats, and the like oppreſſions? That they did not know what the treaſure of the Church was, which now is made up with the overplus of the ſatisfactions of Chriſt and of the Saints? That then the nations did not run from all parts to Rome to gain pardons? That the prayers of the Antients for the dead, were not to draw ſouls out of Purgatory? That then the images of Saints were not worſhipped, and they repreſented not the Trinity in ſtone or colours? That the Virgin Mary was not called Queen of heaven? In a word, that the face of the antient Church is altogether changed as well as the doctrine? How can now the Popes adherents be ſo deſtitute of conſcience, as to boaſt of the conſent of the Fathers after they have deſpiſed them and forſaken their doctrine?

The ſight and conſciouſneſs of this, makes them hold forth this doctrine; That the Roman Church can without the authority of the Fathers, and without the example of the antient Church, make new Laws about faith and manners; the Church of this time having no leſs authority then the Old. This Bellarmin teacheth in his Book againſt Barcklay, chap. 3. He judgeth not aright of the Church, that receiveth nothing but what he reads expreſly to have been written or done in the ancient Church: As though the Church of the laſt time had ceaſed to be a Church, or had not the faculty of expounding or declaring, yea alſo of ordaining and commanding the things that belong unto faith and manners. And the Bull Exurge, which is in the end of the laſt Council of Lateran, puts this among the errors of Luther, that he had ſaid, That it was not in the power of the Pope and the Roman Church to eſtabliſh Articles of Faith. See Alphonſus de Caſtro, a Franciſcan, in the firſt book againſt hereſies; where he maintains that the Roman Church of this time is far more inſtructed and better then the ancient Church. Should the Church (ſaith he) be always in the ſame caſe, ſo that ſhe can never grow better? God forbid, for ſhe is proficient as in vertue and goodneſs, ſo in ſcience and Doctrine. He addeth, That now many things are known of which the Fathers were altogether ignorant; and that becauſe of the Decrees which vary and alter, that which was in old time lawfull, is not ſo now. This is the eſteem that this Doctor hath of Antiquity.