A Protestant Antidote Against the Poison of Popery, Chapter 5

A Protestant Antidote Against the Poison of Popery · Chapter 5

p. 125CHAP. V. The Fifth Property is, The Novelty of Popery.

1. THe Fifth Character of the Romiſh Religion is the Novelty of it, for which it ought to be abhorred: The Romaniſts do indeed (but unjuſtly impeach us of Novelty,) which (in truth) is their own Crime. The Maxim is [Actori, non Reo incumbit probatio] the Plaintiff that affirms, not the Defendant that denyes, ſhould prove his Plea; they complain of our Novelty, we defend our Antiquity; they do ſcornfully call us Novellers, and ask where our Religion was before Luther; we anſwer, our Religion was always in the Sacred Scriptures, where their Religion could never be found: We can look beyond Luther, even to the true Catholick and Apoſtolical doctrine, wherewith ours holds conſonancy in all points; but their brags and boaſtings of Antiquity is no better than that Cheat which the Gibeonites put upon Iſrael, with their old Shooes and mouldy Bread, Joſh. 9.5. As they did work wilily, teaching their Tongues to lye, and covering their Falſhood with Rags of Antiquity, even ſo do the Romaniſts in our day with their old Shooes and clouted, with their old Sacks, p. 126old Bottles, and old Garments, to delude the World with their lying Doctrines; for when they are put to prove the Antiquity of their Religion, they can go no higher than about a thouſand years ago; and ſuch an upſtart Original as this, made great Athanaſius to deride Arrianiſm (the elder Siſter to Antichriſtianiſm) for its Novelty, becauſe it had no higher a Riſe than in ſuch an Emperors Reign: [non erat ſic ab initio] It was not ſo from the beginning, Matth. 19.8.

2. 'Tis a Romiſh Scoff, that Turkeys, Hops, and Hereſie came into England all together in one bottom, to wit, when Luther's Books and Tindal's Tranſlation of the Bible were brought hither; as if no ſuch Man as bleſſed Wickliff (with many other faithful Witneſſes to the Truth) had ever been heard of, and as if the Writings of that holy Martyr, John Huſſe, had never been brought hither, and wrought much good here above an hundred years before Luther's time; and might not the mockers of the Jewiſh Religion take up the ſame Taunt againſt the godly Jews after the great defection in their Captivity of Literal Babylon; ſaying, Where was your Religion before Ezra? and where was your Church before him? It might have been anſwered then, Our Religion is in the word of God, in the five Books of Moſes; but our Church hath been in the bondage of Babylon, from which God hath mercifully delivered it by his p. 127Servant Ezra: So we may anſwer, Our Religion hath been ever in Gods holy Word, and will ever remain ſo; but our Church hath been in the Bondage of Babylon Myſtical, (as they of Babylon Literal) which the Lord hath been delivering out of this many Years, by many of his Servants in many Ages: Yea, and might not the Scribes and Phariſees have made the ſame Objection againſt our Lord Chriſt (himſelf) and his Goſpel for an upſtart Religion: This is well Anticipated, 1 Joh. 2.7. This is the old Commandment which was from the beginning.

3. 'Tis true, the Scribes and Phariſees might have pleaded for their Traditions to be of more account than Chriſts own Inſtructions, (juſt as the Romaniſts do againſt us) becauſe of their Antiquity, Univerſality, &c. for aſſuredly their Traditions had been received in the Jewiſh Church, and had an univerſal Approbation amongſt that degenerate Generation long before Chriſt was born: Yea, and during his whole life, all the Jewiſh Clergy, the Prieſts, Levites, Scribes and Phariſees conſented together as one man to maintain their own Superſtitions, and to ſuppreſs the Religion of our Lord Jeſus; they having been (with the people that were their Proſelytes) time out of mind the viſible Church: Yet were theſe men nothing ſo profound in their ſpeculative Queſtions, as the Romaniſts are in our day, to require a Catalogue from Chriſt, of all the Names p. 128of ſuch as had from time to time profeſſed that ſame Religion which he preached (ſo contrary to theirs) to his own time. Had they required this, Chriſt muſt have confeſſed to them that for the laſt three hundred years at the leaſt, no ſuch Succeſſion could be demonſtrated; and yet our Lord rectifies the Extravagancies of thoſe blind Guides, by reducing them to the firſt Inſtitution (which is the beſt Rule of all right Reformations) telling them that from the beginning it was not ſo, Matth. 19.8. Yea and the beloved Diſciple (which lay in Chriſts Boſom) ſeems ſtudiouſly to decline all ſuſpicion of Novelty in ſaying; I write unto you no new Commandment, 1 Joh. 2.7. as if he would have us to have a jealous eye upon new Notions, ſeeing Truth is like Wine, the Older the Better. Luke. 5.39. Gods people are called the Antient People, Iſa. 44.7. that ſtand in the old way, Jer. 6.17. and walk in the antient Paths, Jer. 18.15. but Idolaters are ſaid to ſacrifice to New Gods, ſuch as came newly up, Deut. 32.17. And whether thoſe many he-Saints and ſhe-Saints which the Romaniſts do worſhip, be not ſo many new Gods that be newly come up, the Sequel may diſcover.

4. The Romiſh Religion being brought to the touchſtone of the Word, cannot juſtly become a Loadſtone unto any Souls (after a true tryal of it) to draw them after it; we ſhould prove all things, and hold faſt that which is good, p. 1291 Theſſ. 5.21. Now the beſt Religion is that which is truly the oldeſt Religion, according to that Axiom [Illud veriſſimum quod Antiquiſe ſimum] that Religion is the trueſt which is the ancienteſt; [foreign] new things are nothings, or at the beſt vain things, ſaith the Greek Proverb: Of Witneſſes Ariſtotle witneſſeth, that the more Ancient they are, the more Credible and Creditable they are, becauſe leſs corrupted: foreign, Ariſt. Rhet. lib. 1. Antiquity if it be right, is of great Authority; and hence Moſes ſends the Iſraelites to Antiquity: Remember the days of Old, Conſider the years of many Generations; Ask thy Father and he will ſhew thee, thy Elders and they will tell thee, Deut. 32.7. as indeed they did tell them, Judg. 6.13. and Pſal. 44.1, 2. Thus Bildad bids Job, Enquire of the former Age, Job 8.8 of their [Radmonim] as the Jews called their Anceſtors, whoſe heart (they ſaid) was as the Gate of the Temple, large and beautiful; but the heart of their Poſterity was as the Eye of a Needle, narrow and of no Receipt in compariſon, and therefore they are referred to their Progenitors for better Information.

5. Yet this Maxim [quod Antiquiſſimum Veriſſimum] that is trueſt which is Ancienteſt, muſt be taken [in ſano ſenſu, & cum grano ſalis] in a ſound ſenſe and with a grain of Salt; therefore did I affirm before the Authority of Antiquity p. 130with this caution, to wit, [when it is right Antiquity] 'tis the Noble ſaying of a Noble Writer, that Antiquity muſt have no more Authority than it can maintain with truth: Old Age (ſaith Solomon) is (indeed) a Crown of Glory; but 'tis only ſo, when 'tis found in the way of Righteouſneſs, Prov. 16.31. and not otherwiſe: Antiquity disjoyn'd from Verity is but a filthy Hoarineſs, and deſerveth no more Reverence than an old Fornicator or Malefactor, which becauſe old, is ſo much the more odious; and as Manna, the longer it was kept againſt the Command of God, the more it ſtank; ſo doth Error, Enormity, and Hereſie. Cuſtom without Truth is but mouldy Error; though the Romaniſts call their Religion the old Religion, (which is their common decoy) yet is it a mouldy, putrefied, and ſtinking Religion; having not the Salt of Truth to preſerve it, and it cannot truly be called the Old Religion, becauſe it cannot be found in the Scripture of Truth. This Bellarmine himſelf confeſſes to part of the Popiſh Religion, to wit, Invocation of Saints, ſaying; [Cum ſeriberentur ſoripturae, nondum caeperat uſus vovendi ſanctis.] there was no vowing (nor bowing) to the Saints departed, when the Scriptures were written. Bell▪ de Cult. Sanct. cap. 5.

6. Suppoſe it may be ſaid of Popiſh Superſtitions, as 'tis ſaid 1 Chron. 4.23. [Theſe are ancient things] old and obſolete, never a whit p. 131the better for that. 'Tis here at beſt as in Books, ſome of which are adoranda Rubiginis; of adored ruſtineſs, which are of more Antiquity than of Authority: Laban, the Idolater, pretends Antiquity for his Gods, in his Oath to Jacob, wherein he appealed to the Gods of Abraham, of Nahor, and of their Father Terah, (all which ſerved ſtrange Gods, Joſh. 24.2.) but Jacob (in his Oath) riſeth no higher than his Father, (ſwearing only by the fear of his Father Iſaac) Gen. 31.53. Though the Idolater pretended the Antiquity of his Gods, in his going ſo high as his Grandfather, &c. yet ſurely Jacob that pleaded it not, worſhiped the truer God and more rightly. Thus the Image at Epheſus (which occaſioned ſuch a tumult, Act. 19.) had its Antiquity, and could not be ſpoken againſt by any reaſon, as the Town-Clerk told the people: And why? becauſe it was wonderfully ancient, ſo ancient that though the Temple of Diana had been ſeven ſeveral times re-edifyed; yet this ſame Image was never altered, Pliny lib. 16. cap. 40. Yea ſo ancient, that though it was made by Canetias a certain Artificer as Records relate, yet for the great Antiquity of it, thoſe covetous and idolatrous Prieſts gave out, that it did fall down from Jupiter, to make it the more venerable amongſt the blind Heathens, Act. 19.35. And by a craft not much unlike this of thoſe Pagan Craftsmen, the Papagan or Popiſh Prieſts do p. 132now ſhew ſome ſhivers of the Croſs whereon our Lord ſuffered, yea ſome ſhreds of the tale of the Aſs, whereupon he rode to Jeruſalem: To go yet higher, ſinning and lying are ancient things, as ancient almoſt as the world; yet are they not the better but worſe for this Antiquity; neither doth Chriſt hereby commend the Devil in calling him a Murtherer from the beginning, John 8.44. All ancient things are not the beſt things.

7. But to come cloſer to the point, and to ſhew that the Romiſh Religion is ſo far from any true Antiquity, that it is no better than a Novice, Novelty, and a mere Innovation, and therefore the charge of Novelty the Romaniſts would faſten upon us, ought (indeed) to be retorted upon them; they do craſtily to call [Novellers] firſt, and it may be they learn'd this craft from Ahab (that ſold himſelf to work wickedly) who firſt called the Lords Prophet [Atroubler of Iſrael,] but the Prophet retorts it back upon him ſaying, Thou and thy Fathers houſe be the troublers of Iſrael, 1 Kin. 18.17. or rather, the Romaniſts might learn this craft from Korah and his Conſpirators, that accuſed Moſes and Aaron for taking too much upon them, when indeed it was their own Crime; and therefore 'twas juſtly charged (by way of retortion) upon them by Moſes, what they had unjuſtly charged upon him and Aaron, Numb. 16.3, 7. And thus our retorting upon Popery p. 133the charge of Novelty wherewith the Papiſts falſely reflect upon us, is warranted by Scripture. And here I cannot omit how Scaliger truly and trimly told the Jeſuits, [Nos non ſumus Novatores, ſed vos eſtis Veteratores.] we are not young Novellers, but ſure I am; you are old Cheaters. The truth of this learned mans Teſtimony will be more evident in handling the Jeſuits tricks in Chapter 6.

8. The Novelty of Popery appeareth in the ſequel more particularly, although we be able (as hath been ſaid) to look far beyond Luther, yet ſure I am, the Romaniſts (in their preſent faith) cannot look beyond Antichriſt, I mean the Weſtern Antichriſt, the Pope. Aſſuredly Popery roſe not until the Star [Wormwood] fell, which was not till the third Angel ſounded, Revel. 8.10. which muſt be after that great flood of Arrianiſm, that ſeemed to drown the World again, inſomuch that the good Father cryed out totus mundus fit Arrianus. Now this great Star, blazing Comet, or burning Meteor, muſt needs be that grand Apoſtate of Rome, whom Phocas (the Parricide) ſet up in his Chair of Peſtilence, and this great Star is called [Wormwood] not only becauſe he was in the Gall of Bitterneſs himſelf, but alſo becauſe he imbittered others, and proved exceeding bitter to others: He was the Son of Perdition (ſo called) both Actively and Paſſively, in working the deſtruction of others, and being for deſtruction p. 134himſelf at laſt. After Gregory the Great (in the ſixth Century) who was the worſt of all the Popes that went before him, and the beſt of all them that came after him: Boniface the Third was his immediate Succeſſor in whom there was a great fall from Primitive Integrity into the deepeſt Gulph of Impiety, and then aroſe the ſmoak of the Bottomleſs Pit, Revel. 9.1, 2. to wit, Heretical Opinions; inſomuch that all the old Hereticks were ſaid to flee and hide themſelves in the Popiſh Clergy. Then did the ſmoak of School-Divinity-Notions darken the Sun or light of the Goſpel, and this Star falling by degrees ſo far as to adore St. Ignorance ſo much, that the works of Bellarmine (their great Champion) and of Gregory de Valentia, were not allowed to be ſold in Italy, becauſe the Arguments which the Proteſtant Authors uſe in their own defence, are rehearſed in them. The longeſt look the Romaniſts can take, is at this blazing Star, that Lieutenant General to the Dragon who ſent forth whole bands of Locuſts, to wit, Monks, Fryars, Prieſts, and Jeſuits, both numerous and voracious, Rev. 9.3.

9. Even their own Bellarmine ſpeaks ſomething that hath a tendency to the gradual falling of this Star [Wormwood] ſaying, Ab eo tempore quo per vos papa Antichriſtus eſſe capit, non modo non erevit ejus imperium ſed ſemper magis ac magis decrevit, Bellarm. do Pap. Rom. lib. 3. p. 135cap. 1. Since (ſaith he) you Proteſtants began to call the Pope Antichriſt, he did not only not increaſe, but a great part of his Command and Commodity hath decreaſed, and is loſt. Whence I note by the way, 'tis not cautelouſly done by any of our Divines (in my judgment) ſo much as to doubt at this day who is the Antichelſt? Seeing we have here their own great Champion, [quaſi Reum penè ſi non planè confitentem] as if guilty almoſt if not altogether confeſſing the thing, and the rather becauſe he doth ſo ingeniouſly acknowledg that the very calling the Pope Antichriſt, hath been an Ordinance in Gods hand to bring down the Kingdom of the Beaſt and to make this bitter Star fall gradually: And how probable it is, that the Key of the bottomleſs Pit was given to this falling Star (falling from the heavenly doctrine of the Chriſtian Church at Rome in the Apoſtles time, and after down into the Carnal and Earthly Religion of the now Romiſh Antichriſtian Church) with which Key he lets into the bottom leſs Pit Souls innumerable, inſomuch that in the days of Hildebrand (that Pope which was called The Brand of Hell, alluding to his Name) ſome Letters were ſet forth as ſent from Hell, wherein the Devil and his Angels give the Popiſh Clergy many thanks for ſending them in ſo many Souls, as they never had in any Age before: Now if Popery began at this Star, then it cannot be accounted an ancient thing.

p. 13610. I know the Romaniſts uſe to beguile people, by telling them that men of their Religion built all the Churches, Colledges, Hoſpitals, &c. in all the world. To which I anſwer, 'twas not men of the Popiſh but of the Chriſtian Religion, that did moſt of thoſe things. Conſtantine built a Church on Mount Calvary, and Juſtinian built another at Conſtantinople, and our Ethelbert built Paul's here at London. Theſe were all done before the fall of the Star [Wormwood,] or before Popery was heard of in the World, and before the man of Sin (that miſtery of Iniquity) was revealed. 'Tis true indeed, Dolman, alias Parſons, doth labour in the very fire to defend the Antiquity of the Romiſh Religion here, making all the three Converſions of England to be from Rome and to the Romiſh Faith, but the abſurdity hereof appears out of their own Baronius. Who 1. confeſſes that Joſeph of Arimathea came into England nine years before Peter went to Rome, from whence it neceſſarily follows, that our Church muſt be ancienter than that at Rome by nine years. 2. The Chriſtians here kept their Eaſter after the Eaſtern manner upon the fourteenth day, which they would not have done had they received the faith from the Weſtern Church from Rome. 3. Pope Victor (in the ſecond Century) would have altered this cuſtom, had this Land been then under his Juriſdiction. 4. The Mother of Conſtantine [Helene] p. 137one of this Iſland, did not hold any ſuch points of Popery, as the Romiſh Church now holdeth.

11. To theſe add 5. Pelagius (one of this Iſland alſo) differed not from Auguſtine (in the Third Century) only in Freewill and Original Sin, no other Popiſh points were known to them or diſcuſſed between them. 6. Pope Elentherius did acknowledge our King Lucius to be Gods Vicar in his own Land, which was far from thoſe Ambitious Popes (his Succeſſors) who make themſelves Gods Vicars in all Lands: As to that pretended Converſion by Auſtin (that Arrogant Monk) which Dolman would defend; 'tis anſwered, that factious fellow found much oppoſition here about his impoſing upon our Anceſtors, thoſe Romiſh Rites of Eaſter day, Church-muſick, Letany, ſingle life of Prieſts, proceſſions, &c. (though at that time we read not a word of Pardons, Indulgencies, Tranſubſtantiation, the Sacrament in one kind, &c. all of them upſtart things.) Hereupon Auſtin the Monk (thus oppoſed) doth conſpire with King Ethelfred to cut off 1200 of his Oppoſers, to wit, the holy Monks of Bangor, who were altogether unlike the Monks in after Ages, for they lived by the ſweat of their brows, and by the labour of their hands, and gave themſelves to Faſting and Prayer, not only leſt the Chriſtian Britains ſhould be overrun by the heathen Saxons, but alſo leſt they ſhould be corrupted p. 138by the Romiſh Superſtitions, which this inſolent Auſtin (whom they diſcerned and diſowned, as no man of God, by his pride and ambition) would have (from Gregory in the ſixth Century) intruded upon them: hence Gregorii Vicarius was juſtly ſtiled Gregis Sicarius, and his Reformation (ſo called) was rather a Deformation; yea, his Converſion (as Dolman terms it) was rather a Perverſion; and, which is worſe (as much as in him lay) a plain Everſion, in the ſlaughter of thoſe holy men: ſo that, inſtead of a Prophet's Reward, he better deſerved the Puniſhment of a Murderer; Beda, lib. 2. cap. 2. Iſaac. Chronol, pag. 406. Fuller's Chur. Hiſt. 2. b. 10. Anno Dom. 605.

12. I might add many other Witneſſes, which all do witneſs that the Chriſtian Religion (which is the ſame that we Proteſtants do proteſt to profeſs and practice) was long before the Romiſh Religion (as now it is) found any footing amongſt us; and that many in this Iſland ſuffered Martyrdom for it in the time of Diocletian the Emperor, long before this Auſtin; Beda hiſt. lib. 3. Biſhop Ʋſher De Primord. Eccleſ. Britan, p. 102, and De Eccleſiae ſtatu & Succeſſu, at large; and Aicentinus in his Annals lib. 3. to ſay nothing of Pareus, Oſorius, or of the Magdeburg Centuriſts (whom Dolman ſcornfully calls a Quadrilio, or round Table, becauſe writ by four men; Illyricus, Vigandus, Judex and Faber) becauſe prejudiced againſt p. 139them. Their own Gregory of Monmouth confutes that fond opinion of Pope Gregory's ſending this Auſtin to plant the Chriſtian Faith in this Iſland, ſeeing it had been planted here above four hundred years before Auſtin's time, ſaying [In patria Britonum adhuc vigebat Chriſtianitas, qua ab Apoſtolorum tempore nunquam inter cos defecerat] it had never failed amongſt them ſince the Apoſtles times. And that Auſtin found many great places, all furniſhed with good religious men, Greg. Monmouth de Britan. Geſtis lib. 8. To ſay nothing of look beyond Luther at large, and of Dr. Humphrey, in his Prax. Jeſuitiſmi, fol. 17. who ſhews how many witneſſes Oxford hath afforded againſt the Romiſh Religion (which I ſpeak largely of in my Appendix to the Treatiſe of Antichriſt.) I ſhall conclude this Paragraph with ſetting Dolman againſt Dolman, who confeſſeth ingeniouſly (in his pag. 19.) that either Simon Zelotes (the Apoſtle) or Joſeph of Arimathaea (the Diſciple) brought Religion into this Land from Jeruſalem: Hence I Argue, if it came hither firſt from Jeruſalem, then it came not hither firſt from Rome, as he elſewhere ſaith.

13. Moreover, if we conſider either the name or the thing, the Novelty hereof will be more evident. 1. Conſider the name [Papiſt] 'tis but a novel name, and not found among the Ancients. What need any further Teſtimony of this, when their own Father p. 140Briſtow doth confeſs it; ſaying (in his eighth Demand) that the name [Papiſt] was never heard of till the time of Pope Lee, in the fifteen hundredth year of Chriſt: Habemus reum Confitentem, 'tis enough. The Teſtimony of an Adverſary againſt himſelf is unqueſtionable. Secondly, Conſider the thing [Popery] in its Popiſh Points; which are all novel Points, and not known to the ancient Church. We are able to ſhew the firſt Authors of their corrupt Doctrines, which were not received into the Church for ſix hundred years after Chriſt: and, though we could not do this, yet would it not follow that the Romiſh Church is the true ancient Church. For, firſt, Many Hereſies did ſpring up after the Apoſtles time, yet none knew how, 1 Joh. 2.18. and 4.1. yea, Popery (it ſelf) began to work at that time, 2 Theſ. 2.7. Secondly, The Head of ſome Errors may be as hard to diſcover as the Head of the River Nilus; and the rather, becauſe Satan (that Super-Seminator) ſows his Tares in the night, while men ſlept, Mat. 13.15. They are ſo privily and ſo creepingly brought in, Gal. 2.4. 2 Tim. 3.6. 2 Pet. 2.1. and Jude 4. But, above all, that Grand Error of Popery (in as much as it is called a Myſtery of Iniquity) was foiſted in leſs diſcernably. Thirdly, The Romaniſts themſelves do acknowledge, that there are many Errors crept into the Church, the firſt Authors whereof cannot be named. p. 141And Fourthly, It would be enough to diſcover the Novelty of Popery, by demonſtrating that it cannot be found in the Holy Scriptures, which is the trueſt Antiquity.

14. I have already diſcovered the Novelty of many Popiſh Points of the Romiſh Religion, in pag. 26. Paragraph. 65, 66. &c. of this Treatiſe. That they were not from the beginning, but are all additions by the man of ſin, and therefore accurſed, Revel. 22.18. My Additions therefore thereunto ſhall be ſuch only, as my brevity propoſed can admit; to ſay but little to their inferior practick Points; as of their Popiſh Beads, Holy Water, Miſſal Veſtments, Latin Service, &c. 1. The uſe of their Beads in their blind devotion, came not from Peter the Apoſtle, but from Peter the Hermit, that Trumpet to the Holy War (ſo called) who taught them the manner of praying with Beads, that thereby they might reckon their Prayers: as if God ſhould be verily in their Debt, for their ſo many Pater Noſters and Ave Maries; whereas true Devotion is not ſo much [Numeranda ut Ponderanda] numbered as pondered with the Lord: he will have weight and worth in right Prayer, and not Vain babbling, Mat. 6.3. Battilogia Pentificia vel ipſum Satanam pudeat. Their vain Repetitions are ſo groſs and ſhameleſs, that the Devil himſelf (had he any ſhame in him) would be aſhamed of them, faith learned Beza. 2. Their p. 142Holy Water Polidor Virgil makes Pope Alexander the firſt to be its Author, Anno Domini 118, or 121. ſee Prideaux his Introduction, pag. 69. I confeſs they may go to Nama Pompilius and other Heathens, for conſecrated Water (long before this Pope Alexander) for they had their foreign at their Idol-Temple doors; and their Baronius alledges Juvenal's ſixth Satyr for their Luſtral Water. Surely this is not an Antiquity for the Romaniſts to boaſt of, to borrow from Devil-worſhippers.

15. It muſt not be denied that if their Holy Water be derived from Numa Pompilins, it hath Antiquity in it, becauſe Numa was ſeven hundred years before Chriſt; a good Warrant for Chriſtian Holy Water: and in nothing better than in this, that Numa was a reputed Conjurer, and ſo a fitter Author of that conjured Water: It is truly called ſo from their own form of conſecrating this Holy Water; which is as followeth [I conjure thee, O thou Creature, Water, in the Name of God † the Father Almighty, and in the Name of Jeſus † Chriſt the Son, and by the power of the Holy † Spirit] with certain Prayers mumbled over it; then they blaſphemouſly equal it to the blood of Chriſt for purging away ſins, you may ſuppoſe 'tis only ſuch Sins as have no deep rooting in us, that a few drops of this Holy Water can waſh away. I wonder they p. 143ſhould overlook that Holy Water mentioned, Numb. 5.17. there's Antiquity indeed, (better than Baronius's ſixth Satyr of Juvenal. Baron, Annal. ann. 44.) but the miſchief is, that was an Holy Water that cauſed the Curſe, Num. 5.21. Water is indeed an Element that God hath given us, both for Natural and Celeſtial uſe: the firſt in Houſehold Affairs, the ſecond in the Sacrament of Baptiſm: theſe are truly ancient things; but the Romaniſts converting it (beyond all Divine Ordination) by their Exorciſms and Inchantments, to other Magick and Idolatrous Uſes: This is a mere Novelty and Nullity. The words of their Exorciſms run thus [Exorcizo te Aqua Benedicta, ut fias aqua exercizata, &c.] that thou maiſt have power to drive away Devils. Oh ridiculous. Much more might I ſay to this point, but my Book (intended little) ſwelleth much already.

16. So I muſt be abrupt in it, as likewiſe, 3. In their Miſſal Veſtments, wherein they do plainly Judaize; yea, more than ſo, or rather Heathenize it therein: For, 1. They cannot plead the Garments of the Levitical Prieſthood, ſeeing this were to ſend the Meſſiah to Moſes School, and ſo to deny that Chriſt is come in the Fleſh, Which is the ſpirit of Antichriſt, 1 Joh. 4.2, 3. for Chriſt, by his coming, changed the Law of the Levitical Prieſthood, Heb. 7.11. and, together with it, the p. 144Rites and Apparels; which glittering Garments could not congruouſly correſpond with the Simplicity of the Goſpel. 2. Popiſh Prieſts do more than Judaize, in as much as they abound more in their Holy Garments than ever the Moſaical Prieſts did; for the High Prieſts had but ſeven Garments appointed them, and the other Prieſts but two; yet the Popiſh Prieſts have ſix, their Popiſh Prelates nine more, Ration. Divin. Offic. lib. 3. cap. 1. and Bellarm. lib. 2. de Miſſ. cap. 14. And the Popes in their Pontificalibus (ſaid Eraſmus) may better be compared to Julius Caeſar, Alexander and Croeſus, than to Chriſt, or to any of his Apoſtles; Illyricus Catal. Teſt. Verit. pag. 2052. Yea, Bernard (long before Eraſmus) ſaid, that the Pope in his pomp was more like the Succeſſor of Conſtantine, than of Peter, Idem ibidem 163. Greg. Nazian. &c. 3. They do plainly Heathenize, which is worſt of all; for Tertullian ſaith (de Corona Militis) [mihi crede, hoc Rita, habitu & Apparatu Idolis immolatur:] In ſuch like Veſtments (believe me) the Heathens do ſacrifice to their Idols.

17. They do heathenize in their Holy Garments, in their Holy Water, and in many other things, if we believe Baronius; who ſaith, not only their Luſtral Water, and ſprinkling of Sepulchres may be found in Juvenal's ſixth Satyr (as before) but alſo, their Lights in Sepulchres are mentioned in Suetonius p. 145his Octavius; and their Lamps lighted upon Saturdays, in Seneca's 96th Epiſtle; and diſtribution of Tapers among the people, in Macrobius's Saturnals, &c. Good Warrants all; as if God had never ſaid to his people [Be not like unto the Heathen, do not conform to their cuſtoms] Matth. 6.8. not ſo much as to name their Gods (without abhorrency) Exod. 23.13. Pſal. 16.4. Yet Cardinal Bembus moſt groſly affirmeth of their St. Francis [Quòd in Numerum Deorum ab Eccleſiâ Romanâ ſit Relatus] that he was reckoned by the Romiſh Church among the number of the Gods. This muſt be the Heathen Gods, for Chriſtians know but one Only and True God, 1 Cor. 8.4, 5, 6. The Gods of the Heathen are good fellows (thirty thouſand of them in Heſiod's time, (as his Verſe ſnews) foreign) the Romaniſts have made them a great Army ſince that time, with their St. Francis, and many other Canonized Saints; much good may this good fellowſhip do St. Francis. It was the Devil's Grammar that firſt taught to decline Deum in the Plural Number [Ye ſhall be as Gods] Gen. 3.5.) but the true God is a jealous God, and will not ſhare his Glory with another, Iſa. 43.10, 11. and 45.5, 6, 14. and 48.11. But to return to their Prieſtly Veſtments.

Aſſuredly, ſuch Veſtments were not known in primitive times, nor were they reputed among p. 146neceſſary things in that firſt Council, Act. 15. wherein the Holy Ghoſt ſat Preſident. The neceſſary things are there mention'd, but not Garments; and Paul bids Timothy be content with Food and Raiment, 1 Tim. 6.6, 7. but he bids him not load himſelf with Pontifical Raiment, yet ſpeaks he of Women's Raiment in Chap. 2. The Novelty hereof therefore appears that it is not found in the Word, but only in the Synodal Acts of Anſelm in the eleventh Century, Anno Dom. 1106. as Authors ſhew.

18. Fourthly, their Latin Service is a mere Novel Novice Device, which hath the Inſcription of the Heathen Altar at Athens, Act. 17. upon it [to the unknown God.] It is not a getting under the Tree of Knowledge, and looking towards the Tree of Life; it is not a praying with the Ʋnderſtanding, and uſing [foreign, Words eaſie to be underſtood, 1 Cor. 14.9, &c. Thus its abſurdity appears; when a Popiſh Prieſt gets into a corner, and mumbles over his Latin Services, which the people cannot ſo much as hear, much leſs underſtand; but leaſt of all, how can they ſay Amen to it, as Chriſt (in his Apoſtle) commands, but Antichriſt forbids? Their own Commentators confeſs it were more to edifying, but the Church hath allowed it upon weighty Grounds. Why do they not preach in Latin as well as pray? Dr. Davenant Determ. pag. 185. and the Novelty of it appears in this, p. 147that Pope Vitalianus appointed Latin Service… in the year 666. the Number of the Beaſt, Rev. 13. laſt. Magdeburg. Cent. 7. cap. 6. pag. 141. and Oſian. Cent. 7. cap. 10. pag. 191. &c. Balaeus, Cent. 1.

19. The Concluſion, Thus might I enlarge in ſhewing the novelty of all the other inferior, yea, and ſuperior points of the Popiſh Doctrine and Practice; but to avoid prolixity, I ſhall only make a reference of them to Authors: the firſt Author is Dupleſſis, or Philip Mornaeus, De Sacrâ Euchariſtiâ who ſhews the Novelty of the foppery of Popery. He ſaith firſt, that about the year 340. they began to give [Panem Vino intinctum] Bread dip'd in Wine before they took away the Cup, pag. 270. which was not done till Thomas Aquinas time, pag. 257, 297, 298. the Eaſtern Church uſing both. 2. Worſhipping of Images began from the ſecond Lateran Council, which eſtabliſhed it, pag. 447. Which Council brought in alſo, 3. the Canon of the private Maſs, about the year 1200. pag. 605.4. Forbidding Prieſts Marriages (he ſhews) was from the Heathens, pag. 649, 667. and that Nicolaus Diaconus brought it into the Church, pag. 698. which was after confirmed by Pope Hildebrand (that Brand of Hell) who, notwithſtanding, kept his Whore [Matildah] pag. 706. which cauſed a World of wickedneſs, pag. 712. and 717.5. Their Purgatory (he ſhews) was from the p. 148Heathens, pag. 1003. and how it had its progreſs in the Romiſh Church, pag. 1059.6. Their Invocation of Saints was not known in the Church for four hundred years after Chriſt, pag. 1215.7. Their Tranſubſtantiation was not any Article of their Faith until the Trent Council, pag. 1666 8. He ſhews alſo the foppery of their Altars, Croſſes, &c. and that they were unknown till a thouſand years after Chriſt, pag. 382. Cum multis aliis, &c. The ſecond Author is famous Peter de Moulin; de Novitate Papiſmi. (both French Worthies, He and Du-pleſſis) whoſe Book ſtands unanſwerable to the everlaſting diſgrace of the Romiſh Religion. The third Author is honourable Biſhop Ʋſher, de Statu & Succeſſu Eccleſiae, which can never be anſwered. The fourth is Reverend Mr. Baxter, (both our own Countrymen) who hath challenged the Papiſts for Novelty in thirty two points, in his Key for Catholicks, pag. 143, 144. yet unanſwered. The fifth Author learned Dr. Willet in his Synopſis Papiſmi at large. The ſixth Author Godly Hilderſham upon John, pag. 37. and pag. 141. Numb. 46. To ſay nothing of their Monks, Fryars, and Nuns, (ſee Dr. Willet on Rom. pag. 711. Dr. Boy's Poſtil's in fol. pag. 572. Roſſe's Panſcheia, pag. 259. and many others of this and all other their fooleries, all which ſhew the Romiſh Religion is a Religion to be abhorred (as an upſtart Religion) of all ſober minds. p. 149The laſt Author is King James, in his Tortus lyes confuted, where he ſhows the Novel Doctrines thereof, with a brief declaration of their Novelty. See the Particulars.