And also we must wryte letters vnto our companions that the lawe of the Gospell and the doctrine of the Lorde be kept of euery one and that wee doe not goe backe from that the Christ hath taught and done c. Afterwardes he saithe If wee bee the priestes of God and of Christe I doe not finde that we ought to followe any other than God and Christ Forasmuch as especially he saith in the Gospell I am the light of the worlde he that followeth mee shal not walke in darkenesse but shal haue the light of life Lactantius Firmianus in the .6 booke of his godly institutions 8. Chapter We ought not to follow men but God. S. Augustine writing vnto Fortunatus 198. Epistle We ought not to holde or esteeme all the disputations of men as canonicall scriâ—tures although they haue bene made by learned men insomuch that it is lawefull for vs sauing the honor of men which is due vnto them to gainesay or reproue some thinges in their writinges if peraduenture we doe finde that they sauor otherwyse then the veritie conteyneth vnderstoode by others or of vs through the help of god I am such a one in other mens writings as I woulde that they shoulde be which doe vnderstand mine S. Augustine in his Prologue of the .3 booke of the trinitie Obey not my writinges as if they were the canonicall Scriptures but all that which thou shalt finde in them beleeue the same without doubting But giue no farther credit vnto myne than they do accorde and agree with them In the same booke I cannot denie but aswell in my greate workes as in my small workes there are many thinges which iustly and without any temeritie might be blamed S. Augustine in his Epistle vnto S. Ierome .19 Epistle .3 Tome folio .161 I doe confesse thorowe thy loue tâ—â—t I haue learned to beare that honor and reuerence only vnto the bookes of the holy Scriptures which are called canonicall And I doe beleeue most surely that no Authors of them writing them haue erred but if any thinges are found in them the which do seeme to be repugnant to the truth I doe esteeme it none otherwyse but that eyther the booke is euill written or that the interpreter hath euil vnderstode that which is saide therein or els that I doe vnderstande it nothing at all And as for others I doe reade them in such sort that with whatsoeuer holinesse or doctrine they be set and paynted forth yet I do not thinke that to be true which they saye bicause that they haue such an opinion but so farre as they coulde persuade me eyther by those canonical authors or by probable reasons which are not disagreing from the truth And as for thee my brother I doe thinke that thou thinkest none otherwise Yea I doe esteeme truly that thou wouldest not that we shoulde reade thy bookes as the bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles which haue written so certainly that it shoulde be a wicked thing to thinke that they haue erred or fayled in their wryting S. Augustine in the .112 Epistle written vnto Paulinus I woulde not that thou shouldest follow mine authoritie thereby to thinke that it is necessary for thee to beleue it bicause I haue spoken it but to the ende that thou beleeue the canonicall scriptures c. Saint Ierome vpon the Epistle vnto Titus .1 Chapter Without authoritie of the Scriptures babling and scoffing ought not to be beleeued Tertullian in his prescriptions agaynst the heretikes It is not in our desire or free will lawfully to bring in to chose or to alledge for witnesse that that another shall bring in or alledge for his will and pleasure For we haue the Apostles of the Lord for authors who haue brought in nothing for their pleasure neyther no newe thing but they haue faythfully taught vnto the people the discipline knowledge which they haue receyued of God. S. Augustine of one onely Baptisme in the Epistle vnto Vincent What is hee that knoweth not the holy scriptures c. My brother meddle not against so great heauenly things For the places are knowen by the Canon lawe of the Bishops Saint Augustine writing vnto Vincent in the .48 Epistle Gather not togither false accusations agaynst the brethren of the writings of the Bishops or of ours as of Hilarie or of that vnitie before that the part of Denatus be deuided or seperated as of Cyprian or Agrippin agaynst the heauenlye witnesses which are in so great number so cleare and not to be doubted First of al bicause that such kynde of letters ought to be discerned from the authoritie of the canonicall Scriptures For we do not read them after that sort as for to take witnes to whiche it is by no meanes lawfull to speake agaynst except peraduenture they haue perceyued any thing otherwyse than the truth requireth Immediatlye afterwarde he sayeth But neuerthelesse let vs walke in that in which we are come vnto that is to saye in that waye whiche is Christ For the integritie and the knowledge of letters of any Bishop howe noble and vertuous so euer he be cannot bee kept as the canonicall Scripture is kept through or by so many letters orders and tongues and through the susception of the ecclesiasticall celebration Against the which there are some notwithstanding who vnder the name of the Apostles haue inuented and imagined many things neuerthelesse it hath bene in vayne bicause that it is to well proued celebrated and knowen c. S. Augustine in his .2 booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes 3. Chapter You haue accustomed to put before vs the letters of Cyprian the sentence of Cyprian wherefore doe you take the authoritie of Cyprian for your schisme and do repeale and keepe backe his example for to trouble the churche And what is he but that he knoweth that the holy canonicall scripture aswel of the olde testament as of the newe is kept within his limits which are certaine and that the same is to bee preferred before all the writinges of the Byshoppes that are past insomuch that we must nothing doubt thereof neyther dispute to wete whither that all that which is written in the same be true But it is lawefull to rebuke the writinges of the byshops which haue bene written or whiche they haue written sithence the confirmation of the canonicall scriptures or by word peraduenture more full of wisedome of euery one better instructed in such things or by greater authoritie of other byshops or through the wisedome of the wyse or by the counsels if peraduenture they haue swarued in any thinge from the truth and also the counsels which are done through out euery region or prouince without all doubtes ought to giue place vnto the authoritye of the first counselles whiche are made through out all Christendome and the first generall determinations ought often times to be amended by those that follow after when through any experience of
Poet flourished in the time of Maximilian the first and Alexander the .6 Pope Marcus Antonius Coccius Sabellicus borne in the dominion of Venice a bishop flourished the yere 1501. vnder Maximilian Emperour and Pius the 3. Pope He wrate a large historie from the creation of the worlde to the yeare 1504. whiche is augmented by Gaspar Hedio Gesner Simler The order of the Councelles according to Pantaleon AT Carthage once very famous now ruinous and cleane destroyed a Citie in the kingdome of Tunes vnder the Turkes dominion were celebrated sixe Councelles The first in the yeare 360. Galienus being Emperor 32. in succession and Stephen the first Pope The seconde the yere 413. Honorius being Emperor The thirde in the yeare 429. vnder Theodosius the 2. The fourth fifth in the yeare 437. vnder the same Emperor The sixt by 217. Byshops in the yeare 459. vnder Martianus At Anticyra in Galatia was celebrated a Councell by Vitalis Bishop of Antioche the yeare 295. Diocletian being Emperour At Nice a Citie in Bithynia nowe called Nichea in Asia the lesse vnder the Turke were celebrated two Councels The first against the Arians the yeare 326. vnder Constantine the great where was established the Nicene Creede The seconde the yeare 781. vnder Constantine the sixt The Councell of Gangra nowe called Cangri in Asia the lesse was celebrated the yeare 333. vnder Constantine the great At Elyberis or Illyberis nowe called Granado in Spayne was celebrated a Coūsell in the yere 337. vnder Constantine the great by xix Bishops At Ariminum now called Rimino in the territorie of Flaminia nowe Romandiola in Italie was celebrated a Councell the yere 362. vnder Iulian the Apostata The Councell of Laodicea in Syria was celebrated the yeare 368. vnder Iulian the Apostata At Constantinople in Thrace sometime called Byzantium builded by Constantine the great nowe the chiefe seate of the Turke and called in his language Stambola were celebrated eyght Councelles The first the yeare 383. by 180. Bishops vnder Gratian the Emperour The seconde the yeare 448. vnder Theodosius the seconde The thirde in the yere 546. vnder Iustinian the first The fourth the yeare 576. vnder Iustine the seconde The fift the yeare 681. by 289. Bishops vnder Constantine the v. The sixt the yeare 695. vnder Iustinian the seconde The seuenth the yeare 726. by 330. Byshoppes vnder Leo the thirde Emperor The eyght the yeare 870. vnder Basilius Macedo Emperor of the East and Lewes the seconde of the West At Toledo in Spayne were celebrated 13. Councelles The first the yeare 393. vnder Arcadius and Honorius by 18. Byshops The seconde the yeare 470. vnder Leo the first The thirde the yeare 615. vnder Heraclius by 62. Byshoppes The fourth the yeare 632. vnder Heraclius The fifth and sixt the yeare 639. vnder Constantine the thirde The seauenth the yere 680. But according to Phrygio 640. by 30. Bishoppes vnder Constantine the fourth The eyght the yeare 666. by 59. Bishoppes vnder Constantine the fourth The ninth and tenth the yeare 675. by 16. Bishoppes vnder Constantine the fourth The xi xii xiii the yeare 692. vnder Constantine the fourth The Councell Mileuitan was celebrated at Mileuita in Aphrica against the Pelagians the yeare 418. vnder Honorius The Councell of Ephesus nowe called Epheso in Ionia in Asia the lesse was celebrated the yeare 430. by 200. Bishops agaynst the Pelagians and Nestorians vnder Theodosius the 2. At Orenge in France but excepted from the dominion of the Frenche Kings hauing a seuerall Prince were helde two Councelles The first the yeare 451. vnder Theodosius the seconde and Valentinian The seconde the same yere vnder the sayde Emperors The Councell of Chalcedon in Bythinia nowe called by the Turkes Scutari situated right ouer against Constantinople was helde the yeare 453. agaynst the Eutychians Manichees and Dioscorus by 600. Byshops vnder the reygne of Theodosius the 2. and Valentinian the 3. At Orleans in Fraunce were helde fiue Councelles The first the yeare 518. vnder Iustinus the first by 33. Bishops The seconde the yeare 550. vnder Iustinian the great The thirde the same yeare vnder the same Emperor The fourth the yeare 567. vnder Iustinus the second The 5. the yeare 572. vnder the sayde Emperour At Bracara now called Braga in Spain were helde three Councelles The first the yeare 555. vnder Iustinian the great The seconde and thirde the yeare 583. Martianus being Emperor The Laterane Councelles were seauen The first by Stephan the 3. the yere 767. vnder Leo. The seconde by Nicolaus the seconde the yeare 1058. vnder Constantine the 12. of the East and Henrie the 4. of the West The thirde by Innocentius the 2. the yeare 1138. vnder Caloioannes of the East and Lotharius the 2. of the West Emperors The fourth the yeare 1167. by Alexander the 3. vnder Emanuel of the East and Frederike of the West The fift the yeare 1205. by Innocentius the thirde in the presence of 7. Archbishoppes 412. Bishops 1300. Prelates vnder Henrie the 6. of the West and Balduine the first of the East The sixt the yeare 1446. by Eugenius the 4. vnder Frederike the 3. The seauenth the yeare 1510. by Iulius the 3. vnder Maximilian the first At Chalons in Fraunce were helde two Councelles The first the yeare 670. vnder Constantine the 4. The seconde the yeare 805. vnder Charles the first Emperour of the West and Nicephorus of the East At Wormes in Germany were 5. Councelles The first the yeare 868. vnder Lewes the seconde of the West and Basilius of the East Emperours The second the yere 1067. vnder Romanus the second of the East and Henrie the fourth of the West The thirde the yeare 1494. vnder Maximilian the first The fourth the yere 1520. vnder the sayde Emperour The fift the yeare 1536. vnder Charles the fifte FINIS The summe of the common places contayned in this Booke OF the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ Pag. 1. Of confession to God and of auricular confession Pag. 40. Of the power to binde and lose Pag. 46. Of free will. Pag. 51. Of merites and of good workes Pag. 70. and iustification by fayth Pag. 107. Of the Lawe Pag. 133. Of Purgatorie Pag. 147. Of the honouring of Saintes Pag. 174. Of one onely Mediator Pag. 191. Of Images whether they be lawfull in Churches of Christians or no. Pag. 201. Of fasting and meate Pag. 228. Of Mariage Pag. 243. Of Vowes Pag. 254. Of the Church and howe it may be knowen and the authoritie thereof Pag. 258. Of holy Scripture and that it is lawfull for all men to reade it Pag. 293. Of the assemblies and congregations of the faythfull Pag. 340. Of constraining no person to beleeue Pag. 347. Of persecuting Magistrates which vnder shadowe of religion doe persecute the faythfull and their torments of eternall paynes Pag. 368. Finis The Staffe of the Christian Faith. Of the holy Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ. I Am that liuing breade which came downe from heauen If any man eate
of time they will become rotten and corrupt and that ours shall dwell and abyde in the immortall soule as long as it shall haue any reasonable soule dwelling in it S. Cyprian wryting agaynst Demetrius first Treatise What beastlynesse of mynde is it or rather what blynde foolishe rage of madde men is it not to go from darkenesse for to come vnto the light And when those which are tyed and bounde with the bonds of eternall death will not receiue the hope of immortalitie and not to feare God threatening and saying that hee that doth sacrifice vnto anye Gods saue vnto the Lorde onely let him die without redemption Also They haue worshipped those which their hands haue made and fashioned and man did prostrate and humble himselfe before it and I will not pardon them Wherefore doest thou humble and bowe thy selfe before the false Goddes Wherefore doste thou bowe thy wretched body before Images that are filthye and that haue no vnderstanding and before the workes of the earth God hath made thee right and straight in comparison of other crooked creatures making them to looke downe on the earth Thou hast a hie looke and a face to beholde thy God beholde him fixe thine eyes on him seeke God on hie that thou mayst be exempted from the lowe hell lyft vp thine heart vnto celestiall and heauenly things Wherefore doste thou cast thy selfe agayne to the grounde in the fall of death with the serpent whom thou honourest why doste thou fall headlong in the ruine of the diuell throughe him Keepe the highnesse in the whiche thou art borne perseuere and continue to be such a one as thou wast made of God lyft vp thy hearte with the stature of thy bodye and the shape of thy visage that thou mayest knowe God knowe thy selfe first leaue and forsake Idols which mans error hath founde out Turne vnto God who will assist and helpe thee after when thou shalt call vpon him Beleeue in Iesus Christ whome the father hath sent for to quicken and amende vs c. Confounded be all they that worship Images and delite in their Idols Howe agreeth the temple of God with Images God did expressely forbid in the old lawe Images saying thus Thou shalt haue none other Gods in my sight Thou shalt make thee no grauen Image neyther any similitude that is in heauen aboue eyther in the earth beneath or in the waters that are beneath the earth See that thou neyther bowe thy selfe vnto them neyther serue them for I the Lorde thy God am a iealous God. Ezechias king of Iuda ordeyned that the Image of Christ shoulde bee burned that is to saye the brasen Serpent that God commaunded to be made in the wildernesse bicause that when it was borne about by the people they did burne sacrifice vnto it and honoured it yet the sayde Serpent was the image of Christ prefiguring him as he himselfe hath said in the Gospell Notwithstanding Ezechias brake it in peeces bicause that they abused it And he was greatly praysed for it of the Lorde Obiection The Canon lawe in the Chapter which beginneth Praelatum of consecration distinct 3. That which the Scripture doth vnto the readers the very same doth the payntor vnto the gasing fooles or Idiotes For in the same the ignorant people doe see that which they ought to followe in the same those doe reade which doe not know any letters Aunswere The Prophet Abacuc in his .2 chap. aunswereth to the same Canon What helpeth then the grauen images for the workeman hath left it it is molted and an image a thing shewing dreames and lyes Gregory writing vnto the Byshoppe Marsill in his .4 Epistle We had praysed thy doing if thou haddest forbidden to worship images which haue bene set in the Temple not for to worship but onely for to instruct the spirites of the ignorant c. The Prophet Ieremye in his .10 Chap. aunswereth vnto Gregory In that onely poynt they are altogither brutish and doe folishly for the wood is an instruction of vanitie Iesus Christe saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines the commaundementes of men For ye laye the commaundement of God aparte and obserue the tradition of men S. Ierome vpon the Prophet Esay 57. Chapter There was not a place that was left vndefiled with the filthinesse of Idolatrye in such sort that behind the doores and postes of their houses they haue set vp images whom they doe call their priuye and familiar Gods. And by and by after he saithe The Cities of many countreys and prouinces are in that error and doe keepe that wicked custome of the elders Yea and Rome the mistres of the worlde doth the like honouring the image of Ceres as their sauegarde through out euery house with torches and candels to the ende that they haue memorialls which should admonish them of their inuented error aswel in the comming in as at the going out of the house c. O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whom Iesus Christ before was descrybed in your sight and among you crucified Epiphanius the good Doctor in the Epistle written vnto Iohn Byshoppe of Ierusalem and afterwarde translated by S. Ierome out of Greeke into Latine Beside that that I haue heard saith he that some did murmure against me for asmuche as when we did goe vnto a holye place which is called Bethel to the ende that I might make there with thee some prayer according to the ecclesiastical custome and after that we were arryued to the village which is called Anablatha I sawe in passing by a Lampe burning and after I demaunding what place that was one aunswered to me it was a Temple And when I was entred in for to praye I found therein a vayle hanging at the gate painted hauing the image of Iesus Christ or of some kind of Saint For I doe not well remember whose image that was Then as I sawe in the churche of Iesus Christe an image of a man hanging against the authorytie of the holy Scriptures I did teare and rent it in peeces and gaue counsell vnto the keepers of the sayd place rather to wrappe some poore deade body in it and to carry it awaye They did murmure against me saying if he woulde haue cut it of were it not reasonable that he should giue an other vayle in change I hearing the same promised to giue one and to send it incontinent But there was a little time betweene them whilest that I searched for a certayne vayle of price for to sende in steade of the other For I dyd thinke that I must sende one of Cypres but nowe I haue sent one such as I could finde and I desire thee that thou doeste commaund the priestes of the saide place to receiue this vayle of this bringer which is sent from vs And to commaunde fromhenceforth in the Churche of Christe that they doe hang
there were brought vnto him more than sixe thousande heades of little children whiche had bene cast in there for to couer and hide the whoredome of the Priestes and other Ecclesiasticall persons Wherefore Gregorie seeing the same was constrayned to saye condemning the decree that he had made against the maryage of the ecclesiasticall persons The Apostle saithe it is better to marye then to burne And I say also for my part that it is better to mary then to giue occasion of death This Epistle was founde in a library of the towne of Hollande called Aldwater Of vowes S. Ambrose vpon the fyrst to the Corinthians 7. Chap. NO man ought to be constrayned least hauing forbid things that are lawfull he doe fall into thinges vnlawfull The counsell of Toledo .8 did permitte to breake the vowes and othes made against the faith Dauid sinned in swearing that he would put to death Nabal and all his men hee did very well to breake that vowe whiche was against God And therefore he praysed greatly God for that he letted him to shead bloud by Abigail Herode made a vowe to giue vnto the daughter of Herodias that daunced before him whatsoeuer shee would aske And she being before instructed of hir mother said giue me here Iohn Baptist his heade in a platter And the king sorowed neuerthelesse for his othes sake for their sakes which sat also at the table he commaunded it to be giuen hir He did euill in fulfilling that vowe against God. Saule did euill to vowe to put to deathe his sonne Ionathas who was hindred to accomplishe his vowe by the people God hath sayde and commaunded thou shalt not kill Iephtha vowed a vowe vnto the Lorde and sayde if thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into my handes then that thing that commeth out of the dores of my house against me when I com home in peace from the children of Ammon shall be the Lordes and I will offer it vp a burnt offring After the wars were ended he came home and see his daughter came out against him with Timbreles and daunces And when he sawe hir he rente his clothes and sayde Alas my daughter thou hast made me stoupe and art one of them that trouble me For I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lorde and cannot goe backe c. And he killed his daughter against the commandement of God which forbyddeth to kill Saint Cyprian the Martyr of Iesus Christ. 11. Epistle fyrst booke If the virgins haue giuen them selues with a good wil vnto Christ let them perseuere in chastitie not dissembling being so strong and constant that they attend the rewarde of their virginnitie if they will not or cannot perseuere it is better for them to mary then to be throwne hedlong into the fire through their pleasures The counsel of Arausique or Orenge the 11. chapter hath decreed that we can vowe nothing rightly vnto God but that which we haue receiued at his hand In asmuch as all thinges which we can offer vnto him are gyftes proceeding from him The counsell of Gangres in Galatia in a Canon and rule saith if any of those which keepe virginitie for the loue of Iesus Christe doe eleuate them selues against those that are maryed let them bee excommunicated or giuen to the diuell In an other Canon it is saide when a man bicause of dissembling countenance vseth strange apparell beleeuing that thereby he hath righteousnesse in him selfe and despiseth others which with honesty and reuerence doe weare caps and other comely apparell that he be excommunicated Iohn le Maire of the difference of schismes and of the counsels of the Churche Pope Gregory the seuenth was the first which made a lawe that priestes shoulde not mary Platyna in the life of Pope Pius .2 or Aeneas Syluius The Pope Pius borne at Senee aforenamed Aeneas Syluius among other prouerbes which he was wont to speake was accustomed also to saye by good right and by good cause they haue taken awaye maryage from priestes but for better cause they ought to restore it vnto them againe Iesus Christ sayth in vayne they worshippe me teaching for doctrines whiche are but mens preceptes All plantes whiche my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the rootes It is better to mary then to burne Of the church and howe it may be knowen and of hir authorytie Chrysostome vpon S. Mathewe .48 homily .24 Chapter THere be some who doe greatly seduce althoughe that it be through liyng yet neuerthelesse they doe preache Christe they declare the faith For they also haue orders and priestes aswell as the faithfull They doe also reade the holy Scriptures Also they doe thinke that they do giue the same Baptisme and the same Sacramentes of the body and of the bloud of Christe likewyse they doe honor the Apostles Martyrs and thereby doe cause the thoughtes of men greatly to erre not onely of the meane and simple people but also of the prudent and wyse Who shall he be whom Antechrist will not moue partly doing the workes of Christe and fulfilling al the offyces of the Christans before the Christians excepte it bee paraduenture hee which considereth that which the Apostle hath sayde Forasmuch then as Sathan himselfe is changed into the fashion of an angell of light Therefore it is no great matter though his ministers fashion them selues as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse whose ende shall be according to their deedes and not after the fayning and forme of their christianitie Chrysostome vpon S. Mathew 9. Homilie Chapt. 24. All the Christians in this present time ought to conferre themselues in the holye Scriptures For sithence the time that heresie hath obtayned and gotten hir churches men can haue no certayne proofe or triall of true christianitie And there can be no other refuge for the Christians who are willing to know the truth of the faith but the holy Scriptures Afterwardes he sayth Whosoeuer then will knowe what the true church of Iesus Christ is howe shall he knowe it but onely by the Scriptures Saint Augustine 2. Tome 166. Epistle In the holy Scriptures we haue learned Iesus Christ and in the Church we haue commonly those holye Scriptures Wherefore then is it that in them we kepe and holde not altogither in common both Iesus Christ and his Church S. Augustine .7 Tome in the Epistle against Petilian a Donatist Chapter 2. 3. 4. Amongst vs and the Donatistes is a question where the Church is What is it then that we shall doe Ought we to seke it in our wordes or in those of our heade Iesus Christ Truly we ought to seeke it in the wordes of him whiche is the truth and which also knoweth his bodie Chrysostome vpon Saint Mathewe 49. Homilie Chap. 24. Heresies are the bandes and troupe of the souldiers of Antichrist chiefly those whiche haue obtayned the place
good than to make them such For the wicked do profite nothing but the good doe very muche empayre Afterwardes hee concludeth Beholde the murmuring and common complaynt of all Churches they doe crie out that they are cut in peeces and dismembred There are very fewe or almost none whiche doe not feare the stroke or wounde Doest thou demaunde what The Abbots are drawen away from their Bishops the Bishops from their Archbishops It is great maruayle if one can excuse the same In doing so you doe shewe very wel that you haue fulnesse of power but not of Iustice You doe the same bicause that you can doe it but the question is whether you ought to doe it You are there constituted and placed for to keepe and preserue vnto euery one his honour and his degree and not for to beare him enuie and malice In the 34. distinction Chapter Lector Glose and distinct 82. Chap. Presbyter Glose And in the Canon of the Apostles .17 quest 4. Chapt. And distinct 40. Chapt. Si Papa And distinction .96 Chapt. Satis And Chapter Simplici And Incipitis It is written in those Canons that the Popes haue such power and authoritie that they may dispence agaynst the Apostolicall doctrine and agaynst the right of nature and consequently agaynst the Gospell and the worde of god For the Pope hath all the rightes as well diuine as humane in the inwarde partes of his brest wherefore he ought to iudge euerye man and ought to be iudged of none Insomuch that though he should lead a great number of people into hell yet no mortall man ought to presume to rebuke his faultes For he is God which cannot be iudged of men Saint Paule aunswereth vnto the same saying Let no man deceiue you by anye meanes for the Lorde commeth not except there come a departing first and that that sinnefull man be opened the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sitte as God in the Temple of God and shewe himselfe as God. Saint Hilary in his booke against Auxentius Whosoeuer denieth Christe to be suche as he hath bene preached by the Apostles he is Antechrist The property of the name of Antechriste is to bee contrary vnto Christe The Priestes doe saye that the Pope cannot erre neyther the counsels Iesus Christ hath sayde vnto S. Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Vnto the same their owne Canons doe aunswere in the .40 distinction Chap. which beginneth Si Papa If the Pope doe fall into an error in the in the faith and that he be an Hereticke one may very well rebuke and checke him in his faultes Pope Alexander the .6 speaking once vnto an Embassador of the king of Fraunce vnto whome he had these wordes this fable of Iesus Christe hath gotten vnto vs great riches Sanazarius an Italian Poet in his Epigrammes in the .2 booke Speaking of that Pope Alexander noting the inceste of him with his owne daughter Lucrecia and asking hir Lucrecia wil Alexander desire thee alwayes afterwardes aunswered O wicked case it is thy father Behold the witnesse whiche the writers of his time haue declared of that head of the churche Abbas Vrspurgensis reciteth of Gregory the .7 otherwise called Hildebrand That the common wealth of Rome and all the Churche hath bene vnder him in great danger through the error of newe schismes and not heard of and that he hath vsurped the Papall seate through tyrannye and not by lawfull election The counsell holden at Wormes in the yeere .1080 Affirmed of Gregory the seuenth that it is most true that he was not chosen of god but that hee exalted him selfe without all shame through disceit and money and that he hath turned vpside downe the ecclesiasticall order and that he hath troubled the kingdome of the Christian Empyre and that he hath attempted the deathe both of the bodye and soule of that Catholicke and quiet king and that he hath defended and holden vp the wicked and periured king and that he hath sowen discorde among those that agreed togither and strifes amongest the peace makers and offences amongest brethren and diuorcement betweene maryed folke and that he hath remoued and troubled all that was at reste quiet and in peace betweene the good lyuers We being assembled togither of God agaynst the sayde Hyldebrand preaching sacriledges and fires mayntayning periured persons and homycides or men slears putting in question or doubt the catholicke and Apostolicke faith of the body and bloud of the Lorde being an obseruer and keeper of diuinacion and coniuring and of dreames and a most manifest Necromancyer hauing familiar spirites and for that cause swaruing from the true faith we doe iudge that he ought to be canonically deposed driuen away banished and condemned perpetually if he doe not leaue of his seate after that he hath heard these thinges Benno Cardinall in the life of the sayde Gregorye Amongest many wickednesses that he alledged of him sayde that he alwayes vsed to beare about with him a booke of Necromancye the which was vnto him very familiar and that he did cast through his enchauntments the consecrated hoste into a fire that by that meanes he might faine to haue had a heauenly reuelation against the Emperor Henry Benno alledgeth for witnesse Iohn Byshop of Porta Secretary of the said Hildebrand Platyna in the lyfe of Iohn the 8. And Sabellicus lib. 1. of the 9. Ennead The woman called Iohn the eyght was borne in Englande and hir parents were of Mentz She followed in hir yong age a yong scholler in the studies of learning and profited so well at studie that she was esteemed at Rome amongst the wysest for which cause she was chosen to be Pope thinking that shee had bene a man and was chosen with as great consent as euer was Pope following still the studie that she had learned with hir studie felow At the time that she was chosen Pope she was founde with childe with one of hir owne seruants who perceiuing hirself big knewe so well to prouide for hir great bellye that none coulde perceiue it vntill such time as she trauayled of childe in the open streete and in the open procession vppon the shoulders of those that did beare hir dyed in the same trauayle the second yere after hir Papacie One maye nowe well see whether the Pope cannot erre Platyna in the life of Syluester And Sabellicus Lib. 2. of the 9. Ennead Syluester the 2. was a Monke in his youth afterwards did giue himselfe vnto the diuell as a right sorcerer vpon condicion that his bodie and soule should be his after his death Prouided that the diuell doe helpe to obtayne that that he desireth by which meanes he came afterwardes to be Pope Platyna in the life of Bennet 8. And Sabellicus lib. 2. of the 9. Ennead
Bennet the .8 appeared damned after his death in a monstruous and horrible likenesse hauing an heade and tayle like vnto an Asse and the residewe of the body like vnto a Beare saying that he did shew himselfe after such sorte bicause that being Pope he hath liued beastly The yeere 457. The counsell of Carthage was holden in which S. Augustine ruled In the same a lawe was made vpon the appellations in Ecclesiasticall iudgement The Pope required that it might be lawfull to euery one that woulde to appeale vnto his seate And to the end that he might obtayne that which he demaunded did committe falshode in alledging a decree of his owne inuenting the which sayd that it was made in the counsell of Nice After that the lye of the Pope was knowen through the doublenesse of the Councelles brought from Constantinople the request of the Pope was refused denied The counsell of Ariminum or Rimino which was holden by .60 Byshops was generall condemned the counsell of Nice And did erre with Arius who was before condemned by the word of God in the said counsell In like manner the .2 counsell of Ephesus hath erred with Eutyches and Dioscorus The counsell of Carthage in which that holy man Cyprian was present with .86 Byshoppes that is to saye almost all the Byshoppes of Africa Numidia and of Mauritania decreed that Baptisme ministred by the Heritickes ought not to take place but that those which haue bene baptised by them should be baptised agayne The whiche sentence was afterwardes condemned as it appeareth in the .5 distinction chapter Quare S. Augustine writing against Maximian bishop of the Arians Lib. 3. Chapter 14. I ought not to preferre the Councell of Nice nor of Ariminum as though I shoulde preferre them before the Scriptures For by the authoritie of the same I am not bounde neyther thou likewise by the other But by the authorities of the holy Scriptures and not of men what soeuer they be But witnesse vnto both a lyke as the thing with the thing the cause with the cause reason with reason c. We ought also to obserue the decrees of Pope Alexander the 3. of Gelasius of Nicholas the 2. of the Councell of Illyberis of Toledo of Carthage of Chalons of Calcedonia the Lateran the which haue forbidden to take money and gyftes for the satisfaction of sinnes for baptisme for the temples for the sacramentes and giftes of god And haue ordayned that none shoulde be promoted and ordained in the Church by money and rewardes and that he shoulde be holden for an Apostate and not for an Apostolike which shall obtayne the seate of Rome eyther with money or fauour The Councell of Orleans hath determined that the poore the sicke and the weake shoulde bee nourished and clothed by the Bishoppes and that the Monkes shoulde possesse nothing of their owne Iohn Gerson in his first part of the examination of doctrines The first veritie shoulde be so sure that euery simple man not authorised might be so well instructed in the holy Scriptures that one ought rather to beleeue his assertion in the cause of teaching than the doctrine of the Pope For it appeareth that rather we should beleeue the Gospell than the Pope If then such a man doe teache any veritie which is contayned in the Gospell there where the Pope cannot greatly erre it is manifest of whether one ought to preferre the iudgement By and by afterwardes he sayth If it shoulde happen that there shoulde be a generall Counsell assembled in which such a man were present which is well instructed in case the greatest part should declyne through malice or ignorance to the opposition of the Gospell such a lay man may be obiected agaynst the sayde generall Counsell Panormitan in his Chapter Significasti extra de electionibus who was present at the Counsell of Basill and of Constance In matters which concerne the fayth the saying of a lay man ought to be preferred before that of the Pope if his saying be more probable by better authoritie eyther of the olde or newe Testament than that of the Pope Thomas of Aquino in the somme 3. parte 46. addition 6. article Bicause that the church is buylded vpon faith and the Sacramentes it appertayneth not vnto the ministers of the church to make new articles of the faith or to make newe Sacramentes or to chaunge or take awaye those that are made for that is the excellency and puissance which appertayneth onely vnto Iesus Christe which is the foundation of the churche The counsell of Gangres in Galatia doth curse those which abide not in the faith of the Lorde and which doe make euery day newe constitutions The Canons and Decretals of the Popes in the .9 distinction chapter Noli and chap. Ego and chap. Negare and .24 Q. 1. chapter Non afferamus We must holde our selues vnto the holy Scripture and not vnto the sayinges of men how holy soeuer they be Origene vpon the Prophet Ieremy in the first homilye It is necessary for vs to call to witnesse the holy Scriptures for vnto our senses and allegations without those one ought not to beleeue S. Ierome vpon S. Mathewe That which is spoken without authorytie of the Scriptures through the like facilitie may be despised as it is saide Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn 46. treatise Chap. 10. Verily in sitting vpon Moyses seate if they doe teache the lawe of God it followeth that God teacheth by them but if they will teach that which is theirs heare them not neyther do them For truly such people do seeke the things which are their owne and not of Iesus Christ S. Cyprian vnto Cecill 2. booke of his Epistles 3. Epistle If you doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you I will not call you seruauntes but frendes and also that Christ ought to be onely hearde the father hath witnessed it from heauen saying this is my deare sonne in whome I delite heare him Wherefore if it bee so that Christ alone ought to be hearde we ought not to haue regarde what that is that others before vs haue thought good to be done but that which Christ which is before all hath don For we must not followe the custome of men but the veritie of God forasmuch as the Lorde speaketh by Esaye the Prophet saying They doe prayse me highly with their lippes teaching the commaundements and doctrine of men And againe in the Gospell ye haue made that the commaundement of God is without effecte through your tradition And therfore dere brethren if any of our predecessors either through ignorance or through simplenesse hath not obserued and kept that which the Lorde hath taught vs to doe by his example or doctrine the same maye be left of through the simplicitie therof and it may be pardoned him through the mercie of the Lorde But it cannot be pardoned vs which are now admonished and instructed of the Lorde
6. The diuels dvvell in the temples of Idolaters Leuit. 26. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 14. Exo. 22. Esay 2. Those vvhiche doe honor images doe honor the deuill Psal. 97. Those are cursed that vvorship Images 2. Cor. 6. Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Psal. 81. 4. Reg. 18. Ezechias did burne the Image of Iesus Christ bicause it vvas abused The Canon lavve permitteth those vvhich can reade to haue the scriptures Abac. 2. Iere. 10. Marc. 7. Esa. 57. Gala. 3. VVe haue a true Image of the crucifixe in the Gospell Epiphanine entring into a temple of the christians founde there the Image of Iesus Christ the vvhich he did teare in peeces The heretikes had thought that it had turned to their dishonestie if they had persecuted Epiphanius for his holy life 1. Tim. 4. Those vvho doe forbid mariage and to eate of certayne meates doe teache the doctrine of diuels Faith is necessarie and not the obseruation of meates 1. Cor. 10. Mat. 15. Behold the order of the Monkes in times past 1. Cor. 6. VVe ought to giue meates according to charitie Titus 1. Collos 2. 1. Tim. 4. Spiridion durst eate fleshe in Lent. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 8. Esa. 58. The true fast vvhich pleaseth god is to abstayn from all euils Math. 6. Col. 2. 1. Tim 4. Math. 9. Mar. 2. Luc. 5. Christian libertie is to fast alvvayes and not by obseruing of dayes VVe finde not in the Scripture in vvhat time vvee must fast Superstitious fastings The most strong fasting Iudg. 20. Zacha. 7. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 12 3. Reg. 21. Iudith 8. Hest. 4. Iere. 36. Math. 4. Esay 58. Ierem. 14. Luc. 21. Rom. 13. Gal. 5. 1. Tim. 4. Mat. 19. Genes 1. Genes 2. Ephes 5. 1. Cor. 6. No constraint from mariage Mat. 23. Pro. 18. Psal. 128. Tob. 6. Genes 9. The Apostles vvere maried Clement sayth that Saint Paule vvas maried Heb. 13. Iohn 2. Note vvhat chastitie is The Councell of Nice vvould not make a lavve that the Priestes shoulde not marie Priestes maried in France S. Hilarie bishop of Poictiers vvas maried 1. Tim. 3. S. Paule teacheth that the byshops may be maried The Deacons vvere maried in the primatiue church 1. Tim. 4. Titus 1. Naucler Albertus Crantzius Lambert Hirsued Genes 2. 1. Cor. 7. Virginitie not commanded but desired 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 7. Note the fruite vvhich came of the forbidding of mariage vnto Priests VVe maye breake the vovves made agaynst the fayth 1. Sam. 25 The vovve of Dauid Mat. 14. The vovve of Herode 1. Sam. 14 The vovve of Saule Exod. 20. Iudg. 11. The vovve of Iephtha If the virgins vvil not or cannot perseuere in their virginitie let them marie If the Mones do think themselues more holy than the maried folk they ought to be excommunicated or giuen vnto the deuill The prouerbe of the Pope Mat. 15. Math. 15. 1. Cor. 7. The vvicked haue Churches Preachers Orders and Clarkes 2. Cor. 11. The true Church knovvne by the holye Scriptures The Church is in the vvordes of Iesus Christ Heresie the troupe of the souldiers of Antichrist 2. thess. 2 For to haue the surenesse of the true fayth vvee must haue regard vnto the holy Scripture Mat. 24. Mat. 24. VVe must beleeue no men if they do not teach the scriptures Iudges of the Church in our time The Priestes are apparalled pompously like harlots and those that play in comedies or tragedies vvhen they doe their diuine office Esay 38. VVe ought to take hede of Antichrist for if vvee doe marke vvell the scriptures vve shall finde him in the Church Esa. 9. Mat. 20. Philip. 2. The Priests are shoren and shauen and doe all their ceremonies for couetousnes Esay 1. The heades of the Church doe persecute the Church The Pope sayth that he hath povver to make lavves against nature and agaynst the Gospell 2. Thes 2. Iudge yee novve vvho is Antichrist according to the Canon and according to the vvord of God. Luc. 22. Alexander .6 Pope .227 in the yeare of our Lorde 1492. Reade Guliel Bud. Beholde the enormitie of the Popes and their life more than diabolicall The Popes may verye vvell erre Gregorie .7 vvas not chosen of God. Gregorie hath put in question the catholike fayth and hath bene a coniurer necromancer Note the lyfe of Gregorie The Papesse Iohn 8. Pope 107. Yeare 855. Apoc. 17. Esay 3. Beholde the goodly stuffe that hath bene holden by the popes Syluester 2. Pope 147. Yeare 999. The Pope giueth himselfe to the deuill Benet 8. Pope 152. Yeare 1012. The Pope did shevve himselfe a diuell being aliue and the diuell appeared Pope after his death The Pope vvas founde in a lie and proued a lier The Councell of Ariminū hath erred neuerthelesse it vvas general The Councell of Carthage in vvhich Saint Cyprian vvas present hath erred VVe are not holden by the authoritie of Coūcels but by holy scripture A lay man vvell instructed in the Scriptures may be obiected against the Councell or the Pope if they erre Articles of the faith not to be altred VVhat it is to sit vpon Moyses seat Iohn 15. Mat. 17. Christ alone ought to be hearde Esay 29. Mat. 15. Those vvhiche doe reiecte the vvorde of God haue none excuse Iohn 8. The vvritings of holy men are not to be preferred before the canonicall scriptures Augustine vvoulde not that vvee should obey his vvritings as canonical There is no fault in the canonicall scriptures Augustines opinion VVe ought not to bring the faults of the auncient doctors againste so great number of vvitnesses of the holy scriptures Custome ought not to be follovved Iere. 7. Mat. 17. 2. Pet. 1. Deut. 18. Deut. 17. Deut. 12. Deut. 12. Deut. 4. Apoc. 22. Mans doctrine hath great apparance in it selfe but compared to the truth is confounded Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 7. Iohn 8. Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 12. Iohn 14. Iohn 20. Galat. 1. Iohn 4. Act. 20. Mat. 15. All mans traditions ought to be plucked vp by the rotes Apoca. 1. Luk. 11. Psal. 119. Eccle. 1. Iere. 15. Ephes 6. VVe ought not to forbid any man to knovve the truth The ignorance of the Christians is the cause that the infidels doe not acknovvlege their error 1. Pet. 3. VVe ought to be readie to giue a reason of our fayth vnto those that aske vs Colos 3. Prou. 10. Common vvordes to be simple Mat. 10. 4. Reg. 22 Iudges 4. Iudith 13 Hester 7. The slothfulnesse of Christians in not reading diligentlye the vvorde of God. A great number of those vvhich doe cal themselues christians haue oftener the tables and dyce in their hands than holy bokes Prou. 7. Scriptures to be grauen in our harts and the bokes diligently read ouer Iere. 31. Psal. 1. 1. Tim. 6. Neighbours ought to take holye scripture in their handes to sprinkle their soules Ephes 6. Reading of the scriptures maketh children obedient Collos 3. The lay people ought to haue the