and dispensation of selling Pardons and Indulgences to his Cardinals saying to them as Christ said to his Apostles Whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained As the Apostles truly were and are the root and foundation of the Christian Church and all jurisdiction so the Cardinals falsely pretend themselves to be and truly they are the very basis and foundation of the Romish Religion and Hierarchy and therefore the root and foundation of that superstition and impiety which being derived originally from Rome hath diffused it self into all the Christian world by them As 't is the priviledg of the 12 Apostles to be as it were 12 stars set in that crown which is mentioned Revel 12. so 't is the special priviledg of the Popes Cardinals to have their names written in the crowns of their Prince the Pope as witnesseth Jacobatius de Consil num 153. There was a twofold state and condition of the Apostles 1. They were Apostoli urbis affixed as it were to the City Jerusalem where they were to abide till * Till they received the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost they were endued with power from above but afterwards they were Apostoli Orbis So likewise the Cardinals in imitation and affectation of like honour are stiled Cardinales Vrbis Orbis They remain as it were affixed to the City of Rome until they are endued with power from above i. e. till they are sent out by the Pope as his Nuncio's and Legates into the Kingdoms of the World As the Apostles in respect of their spiritual Fatherhood are fitly answerable to the 12 Patriarchs who were the Fathers of all the Israelites according to the flesh so the Pope's Cardinals are called Patres spirituales Ecclesiae As the Apostles having supreme authority in the Church may in some sense be said to be the Judges of the world and to sit upon twelve Thrones to judg the twelve Tribes of Israel So the Cardinals make their Consistory of their Apostolical See to admit of no appeal but to be of such a Coelestial sublimity that 't is equal to the Tribunal-seat of God and therefore they are stiled Judices Orbis and they do exercise all Civil and Ecclesiastical power over the City and people of Rome which the Patriarchs did in the Literal or the Apostles in the spiritual Jerusalem There is not one of the Titles which the Apostles had but they are emulous of or else to be the image of that kind of Government which was before their lives remarkable in the City of Rome Both which Considerations are incident to the right discerning of that Antichrist who is not only to resemble some ancient Government of Rome but also to be that Synagogne of Satan mentioned Rev. 2. 2 9. which say they are Apostles but are not which say they are Jews but are the Synagogue of Satan The first number of Cardinals in their first institution is chiefly to be considered as that which doth most remarkably characterize Antichrist in his first original Now they were instituted as their own Authors * Gondisalnus de origine Cardinalatus Onuphrius Panvin de praecipuis urbis Romae Basilicis Pol. Virgil l 4. de inventoribus rerum c 9. Bibliothecarium Damasum Platina â—aron An. 378. say in the time of Pontiani Marcelli Rom. Pontif. but Isidore Muscovius saith of the Cardinals thus But others more warily have affirmed that they were first created in the time of Sylvester the first in the â—ear 314 who as they say ordained a Colledg of Cardinals according to the similitude of the Senators c. About which time the Pope divided the City and people of Rome into 25 Titles or divisions in each of which division * When these Parishes were made Diocesses then were these Priests made Cardinals saith Polidore Virgil by having a formal power and jurisdiction added to them as is apparent by like testimony of Volateranus there was a Parish-Church erected for the administration of Baptism and in every one of these Churches a several Presbyter was assigned and appointed who was called afterwards Cardinal When these Parish-Priests degenerated into Cardinals and were made a Colledg and corporation exercising a new kind of super-Episcopal jurisdiction in and over these Churches then was the birth of Antichrist then did Antichrist truly really and locally sit in these Christian Churches at Rome and from thence his Pseudo-Apostolical authority hath been obtruded and imposed upon other Churches There were in Rome according to the sense literal 25 Gates and according to the sense spiritual 25 Churches for Baptism and 25 Pastors placed in those 25 Churches and 25 Cardinals sitting and ruling in them and 25 Titles Tribes or Parishes belonging to them Jerusalem was in compass 1200 furlongs in which Christ did first and chiefly erect his Church and Hierarchy For the number 12 having 1000 of furlongs added to it is the true solid measure of an imaginary Cube which compass is equal to the compass of the City Jerusalem so the number 25 having 1000 of furlongs added to it is the true The number twenty-five notes the seat of Antichrist solid measure of that imaginary Cube whose compass is equal to the compass of the City of Rome 25000 Furlongs will make 14 miles and half and almost half a quarter which agreeth to Rome The Apostles creed which is the sum of the 12 Apostles Doctrine of Faith which Christs Church believes divides it self into 12 Articles the Papists have added 13 more and made the number of their articles of faith 25. For whether we take the Doctrine of the Council of Trent it self to be the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of Rome or that Creed which was composed by Pope Pius the fourth according to the Doctrine decreed in that Council in either of these the number of 25 is as remarkably applicable to the Romish Faith as the number 12 to the Apostles Creed And 't is their whole faith Sacrosancta oecumenica Tridentina Synodus ejus fidem confiteamur ejus decreta semper servemus Responsio patrum Semper confiteamur semper servemus Cardinal a Lothoringia Omnes ita credimus omnes id-ipsum sentimus omâ—â—s Acclamationes patrum in fine Concillii pag. 396. consentientes amplectentes subscribimus Haec est fides beati Petri Apostolorum haec est fides Patrâ—â— haec est fides orthodoxa Responsio Patrum Ita credimus ita sentimus subscribimus I pray mark this all along that the Pope of Rome divided the City of Rome into 25 Parishes and in thâ—â— placed 25 Presbyters which were first The number of Cardinals was 25 in St. Jerom's time as appears by his words upon Ezek. 11. 25. Hodie in Ecclesia quae est Dom. Dei called Parish-Priests afterward they were called Cardinal-Priests to whom was given a larger power and that these are parts of his body and his Apostles And I pray mark this
The first and third of these three Conclusions shew the reasons of the second and hold forth this truth That the works of unregenerated men done before they receive the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not good works and so pleasing unto God and that because they spring not from a lively faith in Christ but are evil because they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done And therefore they make not men meet to receive grace or deserve not grace of congruity at Gods hands 2. And this erroneous Doctrine of merit of congruity and preparing and disposing and making men meet and worthy to receive grace is also contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Engâ—â— in her Homily for Rogation-week T. 2. p. 3. p. 223. which saith thus Faith is the first entry into a Christian life without which no man can please God Faith is the giâ—t of God Ephes 2. 8. Charity wherewith we love our brethren is the work of God If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent who reacheth forth his merciful hand to raise us up if we have any WILL TO RISE it is HE that PREVENTETH OUR WILL AND DISPOSETH us thereunto If after contrition we feel our consciences at peace with God through remission of sins and so be reconciled to his favour and hope to be his children and inheritors of everlasting life who worketh these great miracles in us our worthiness our deservings and endeavours our wits and vertue Nay verily St. Paul will not suffer flesh and clay in such arrogancy and therefore saith all is oâ— God which hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ Lo here you see that your vertue wits endeavours deservings worthiness are excluded from being the efficient disposing much more from being the meritorious cause of the favour of God or grace of faith or love or repentance c. in us and that these are the gifts of God which he by his Spirit worketh in us And 3 't is contrary to the Church of England's Liturgy as Collect for the 17th Sunday after Trinity Lord we pray thee that thy grace may alway prevent and follow us and make us continually to be given to good works And in one of the Collects after the Communion Prevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in thee c. Wherein we acknowledg that Gods grace and favour must prevent us and go before our doing or beginning to do any good works and that his grace must follow and further us with its continual help else we shall not be able to begin nor continue to do good works acceptable to him And 4. 't is contrary to the tenth Article of the Church of England of Free-will The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ PREVENTING us that we may have a good will and WORKING with us when we have that good will 2. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland Articles 25 and 26. which accords with the Doctrine of the Church of England verbatim in her tenth and thirteenth Articles 3. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Scotland which also agreeth with the Doctrine of the Church of England to be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Edenburgh August 27 1647. Sess 23. c. 9. Art 3 4. c. 10. Art 1 2. c. 16. Art 2 3. 7. Now these Errors of the Papists are grounded upon two Errors more which they have received from the Pelagians 1. The first Error which is the ground of these is this That men in the state of corruption before they are endued with a lively faith in Jesus Christ can by the power of their own free-will do good works which Papists call dispositions or preparations of grace which they say do out of congruâ—â—y move God to bestow his grace upon them and prepare or make them meet and worthy to receive Gods grace Now though this error be sufficiently yea abundantly confuted before especially in the seventh Article of this Renunciation yet because 't is the ground of many others and 't is so much stood upon and 't is so pleasing to corrupt reason Give me leave to say something more against it here also And 1. I say that this Doctrine is condemned by the Synod of Dort Chap. 3 4. Error 3. before recited And also Error 5 We reject the Doctrine of them that teach that corrupt and natural man can so rightly use common grace by which they mean the light of nature or those gifts which are left in him after the fall that by the good use thereof he may attain to a greater namely Evangelical or saving grace and by degrees at length Salvation it self And God for his part sheweth himself ready in this manâ—er to reveal Christ to all men seeing he doth sufficiently and efficaciously afford to every man necessary means for the making Christ known and for faith and repentance They give not their reason there for their rejecting of the former part of this Error because that they had it done before in the third and fourth Error rejected But against the latter they say thus For this is convinced to be false as by the experience of all ages in the world so also by the Scriptures Psal 147. 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel he hath not â—ealt so with any Nation and as for his judgments they have not known them Act. 14. 16 God in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways Act. 16. 7 8. Paul and his company were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia and after they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia but the Spirit suffered them not And Error the ninth they reject the Doctrine of them that teach That grace and free-will are co-partening causes jointly concurring to the beginning of conversion and that grace doth not in order of causality go before the action of the will that is that God doth not effectually help mans will unto conversion before the will of man moveth and determineth or setleth it self thereunto For this Doctrine was long since condemned by the ancient Church among the Pelagian Errors out of the Apostles authority Rom. 9. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy And 1 Cor. 4. 7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Item Phil. 2. 13 It is God which worketh in you
for in King Hen. 8. and in the second of King Edward the sixths days the people were appointed to pray for their deliverance from the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and his detestable Enormities Now from this sound Doctrine of the Church of England I hope I may have leave without offence to our Heylinists to prove the Pope of Rome successively to be the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of As thus He that under the pretence of Religion being the Servant the Vicar of Christ and the Successor of Peter is the Inventor and setter up of Superstitious and Pharisaical Sects which are against the Word of God and the glory of his name that challengeth and exerciseth Princely dominion over Nations and people and dominion over the Church of Christ which is his Kingdom whose usurped authority hath no good ground in holy Scripture that produceth Antichristian fruits practises and doctrines affirming that a man can by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself and denying this Doctrine that a man is justified alone by faith That is the Babylonical beast that is the successor of the Scribes and Pharisees the spoiler and destroyer of Christs Church the instrument and minister of Satan the head of that Antichristian Babylonical Sect which say of Jerusalem that is the true Church of God Down with it even to the ground whose Religion is rebellion whose Faith is faction and whose practise is murdering of souls and bodies is not to be accounted a Christian man the Vicar of Christ the Successor of Peter but an adversary to Christ and his Gospel That is Antichrist the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of But the Pope of Rome successively is so and 〈◊〉 therefore he is the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of The major is the Doctrine of the Church of England The Minor is also very largely proved in every particular by Dr. Henry More in his Learned and Elaborate and Ingenious Book called The Mystery of Iniquity which deserves seriously to be read and compared with the Doctrine and practises of the Church of Rome The full proof of the Minor would take in the whole Body of Popery which is learnedly confuted by Dr. Ames in his Bellarminus Enervatus Festus Hommius in his seven Theological Disputations against the Papists and others Yet I shall take the pains to set down some of the heads and leave you to apply them 1. The Pope of Rome is not as he pretends to be Christs Vicar General here on earth 1. Papists do not prove that the Pope of Rome is Christs Vicar General either in Temporals or Spirituals by Sacred Scripture 2. Christ is such an Head of his Church that he needs not such a Vicar on Earth as the Pope pretends to be for Christ is God as well as Man and is ever with his Church and will be even to the end of the world Mat. 18. 20. Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you even to the end of the world 3. To set up the Pope of Rome to be Christs Vicar is to deny Christs presence with his Church For a Vicar is one that doth supply the place of one that is absent and it is to deny Christ to be the Monarch of his Church and saith in effect that he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes the Church of Christ monstrous Biceps having two heads 4. The Officers that Christ hath appointed in his Church are not his Vicars but his Ministers Stewards c. their Office is not Magisterial but only Ministerial 5. When Christ ascended up into Heaven he did not commit the Government of his Church Universal to one man but to the whole Colledg or company or society of his Apostles Joh. 20. 21. Christ said to all his Apostles except Thomas that were alive this As my Father sent me even so send I you c. Here Christ performed that which he promised to Peter Mat. 16. 19. And I will give thee c. That was but a promise of this gift here Christ performed it to him and to all his Disciples to whom in Peter the promise was made Read also for this Mat. 28. 18 19 20. And when the Apostles died they did not institute one particular man over the whole Universal Church of Christ on Earth but ordained fit men in every particular Church or Congregation of believers to rule it and gave them authority and a charge to govern it by common counsel as ye may see was the practise of two Apostles when they solemnly took their leave of the Churches which they had planted Act. 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your Hooker saith That the Apostles themselves ordained only in each Christian City a Colledg of Presbyters and Deacons to administer holy things Evaristus a Bishop of Rome about 112 years after the Birth of our Saviour begun the distinction of the Church into Parishes Ecclesiast Pol. l. 5. p. 433. And in the end of the same he saith That Presbyters and Deacons having been ordained before to exercise Ecclesiastical Functions in the Church of Rome promiscuously he was the first that tyed each one to his own station selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops as he there calls all the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Here you may see that the Government of the Church of Ephesus was committed not to one singular man alone over the flock and the Pastors too as Papists would have but to the whole Presbytery or company of Presbyters whom Paul sent for at Miletus Act. 20. 17. to whom he gave this authority and charge Read also I pray what St. Peter saith whose Successor the Pope pretends to be to the Elders that is the Presbyters of the Churches of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder he doth not say Bishop much less Bishop of Bishops but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-Presbyter and a witness of the sufferings of Christ also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed Feed the flock of God which is among you not far distant from you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords mark this over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock of humility holiness meekness righteousness patience constancy charity mercy c. not of pride prophaneness tyranny injustice cruelty beastiality covetousness c. And when the chief sâ—epherd Christ shall appear that is come to Judgment ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away Lo here again the Government of the Church is not committed to one man or Bishop but to the Presbyters of the Churches and they forbidden to Lord it over the flock much
also for it will prevent many scruples As the first foundation of that Ecclesiastical Hierarchy which Christ did build upon the 12 Apostles was laid by Christ before Christian Religion was remarkably apparent in the world and countenanced by supream civil authority 〈◊〉 the first foundation of the Popish Hierarchy was laid before the main erâ—â— of Popery were remarkably in the world and countenanced by supreme civil authority As the Doctrine of the Creed was laid before 't was gathered into one body so was the Doctrine of the Papacy laid before 't was gatheâ—â— into one body in the Council of Trent or put out by Pope Pius the fourth Obj. But there are Cardinal-Deacons and Cardinal-Bishops Ergâ—â— the number of Cardinals is above 25. Ans 'T is true there are more Cardinals now than there were 〈◊〉 first designed and instituted by Evaristus say some others by Mâ—â—cellus but others by Sylvester There were 25 in Jeroms time as appears by his Comment upon Ezek. 11. Which number he seems there 〈◊〉 apply to Rome Those 25 men in Ezek. 8. 16. who worshipped towards the East of whom the Spirit of God saith these are the men that give evil counsel in the City and that devise mischief they were types of the 25 Cardinals of the City and Church of Rome these are Popes Councellors who devise mischief against the Church of Christ And though their number was de facto increased yet 't was not de jure for in the time of Gregory who is said to reduce the Cardinals Titles to their ancient number there were 25 and no more as they are nominated by Onuphrius in his Book de Pontificum Cardinalium ratione Johannes Diaconus in vita Gregorii l. 3. c. 11. That as Jerusalem material had 12 material gates so had or hath Rome Literal 25 material Gates The Names of the 12 material Gates of material Jerusalem according to Villapardus Tom. 3. p. 68 69. were these 1. Porta Fontis 2. Porta Stercoris 3. Porta Vallis 4. Porta Anguli 5. Porta Vetus 6. Porta Ephraim 7. Porta Piscium 8. Porta Benjamin 9. Porta Gregis 10. Porta Aquarum 11. Porta Equorum 12. Porta Filcalis The Gates of the City of Rome according to Onuphrius are these 1. Porta Flumentana 2. Porta Collatina 3. Porta Quirinalis 4. Porta Viminalis 5. Porta Gabinia 6. Porta Esquilina 7. Porta Caelimontana 8. Porta Latina 9. Porta Capena 10. Porta Ostiensis 11. Porta Portuensis 12. Porta Janiculensis 13. Porta Sentiminiana 14. Porta Aurelia 15. Porta Querquetularia 16. Porta Piacularis 17. Porta Catularia 18. Porta Minutia 19. Porta Magionia 20. Porta Sangualis 21. Porta Naevia 22. Porta Randuscula 23. Porta Levercalis 24. Porta Libitinensis 25. Porta Triumphalis These Gates were actually existing between the times of Pliny and Justinian which doth very well agree with that time wherein Marcellus did erect 25 Cardinalships in Rome Those seven other which Pliny mentioned ceased to be Gates before his time and those two other which Onuphrius mentioneth were not common Gates of the City but one of them was of the Palace and the other of the Capitol As the Apostles Creed consisteth of 12 Articles so the Popes Creed consisteth of 25 Articles History of the Council of Trent l. 2. p. 130. which are these that follow 1. Credo in unum Deum patrem omnipotentem factorem coeli terrae visibilium omnium invisibilium The Popes Creed Concil Trident p. 558. 2. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum filiâ—â— Dei unigenitum ex patre natuâ—â— ante omnia saecula Deum de Deo lumen de lumine Deum verum de Deo vero genitum 〈◊〉 factum consubstantialem patri per quem omnia facta sunt 3. Qui propter nos homines propter nostram salutem descendit de celis incarnatus est ex Spiritu sancto ex Maria Virgine homo factâ—â— est 4. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato passus sepultus est 5. Et resurrexit tertio die secundum scripturas 6. Et ascendit in coelum sedit ad detram patris 7. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare viâ—os mortuos cujâ—â— regni non erit finis 8. Et in Spiritum sanctum Dominum vivificantem qui ex patre filio procedit qui cum patre filio sâ—mul adoratur conglorificatur qâ—â— locutus est per prophetas 9. Et unam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam ecclesiam 10. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum 11. Et expecto resurrectâ—â—em mortuorum 12. Et vitam venturi saeculi Amen Thus far he agrees with the Nicene Creed 13. Apostolicas Ecclesiasticas traditiones reliquasque ejusdem ecclesiae observationes constitutiones firmissime admitto amplector 14. Item sacram scripturam juxta eum sensum quem tenuit tenet sanctâ— mater ecclesia cujus est judicare de vero sensu interpretatione sacrarâ—â— scripturarum admitto nec eam unquam nisi juxta unanimem consensum pâ—trum accipiam interpretabor 15. Profiteor quoque septem esse vere propriè sacramenta novae legis 〈◊〉 Jesu Christo Domino nostro instituta atque ad salutem humani generis liceâ— non omnia singulis necessaria scilicet Baptismum Confirmationem Eucharistiam Paenitentiam extremam Vnctionem ordinem Matrimonium illaque gratiam conferre ex his baptismum confirmationem ordinem sine sacrilegio reitterari non posse 16. Receptos quoque approbatos ecclesiae Catholicae ritus in supradictorum omnium sacramentorum solâ—nni administratione recipio admitto 17. Omnia singula quae de peccato originali de justificatione in Sacro sancta Synodo Tridentina definita declarata fuerunt amplector recipio 18. Profiteor pariter in Missa offerri Deo verum proprium propitiatorium sacrificium pro vivis mortuis atque in sanctissimo Eucharistiae Sacramento esse verè realiter substantialiter corpus sanguinem una cum anima divinitate Domini nostri Jesu Christi fierique conversionem totius substantiae panis in corpus ejus quam conversionem Catholica ecclesia Transubstantiationem appellat 19. Fateor etiam sub altera tantum specie totum atque integrum Christum verumque sacramentum sumi 20. Constanter teneo purgatorium esse animasque ibi detentas fidelium suffragiis juvari 21. Similiter sanctos una cum Christo regnantes venerandos atque invocandos esse eosque orationes Deo pro nobis offerre atque eorum reliquias esse venerandas 22. Firmissime assero imagines Christi ac Deiparae semper virginis nec non aliorum sanctorum habendas retinendas esse atque iis debitum honorem venerationem impertiendam 23. Indulgentiarum potestatem à Christo in ecclesia relictam fuisse illarumque usum Christiano populo maximè salutarem esse affirmo 24. Sanctam Catholica Apostolicam Romanam ecclesiam omnium
St. Peter who spake of the Church at Literal Babylon which he knowing and hearing St. John whose Scholar they say he was by Babylon in his Revelations to mean Rome thought Peter to mean so too which was the ground of his Error that Peter was at Rome and of those that inconsiderately followed him Old Writers have misreported things and yet have said they had them from the Elders and they from the Apostles Irenaeus who wrote in the next Age after the Iren. l. 2. c. 39. Apostles reports That the Lord Jesus taught forty or fifty years and that this he had of all the Elders of Asia and that they had it from St. John and that St. John lived with them till Trajan's time and that Mr. Calamy was mistaken and abused by a Writer and Printer of his Casual Sermon preached at Aldermanbury after the Act a-against Nonconformists Preaching viz. That we should be delivered Anno 1666 but he affirmed no such words but reproved that vain conceit some of those Elders did not only see John but other Apostles and they heard these things from them And yet notwithstanding all these great Authorities or Traditions this was an erroneous opinion of Irenaeus and that of Epiphanius is held the sounder That Christ lived but about thirty-three years and theâ— suffered death and this is believed because it is most agreeable to Scripture Therefore I say that the testimony of Papias yea of Jerome is not to be credited where there is not good ground in Sacred Scripture for their opinions especially where many probable reasons are produced from Scripture against their uncertain opinions And so I may say of the Fathers that said that Peter was at Rome and died there Some of our Divines produce Jerome to prove that he was Crucified at Jerusalem Papists say that he was Crucified which was a Jewish death and that Paul who without doubt suffered death at Rome was beheaded which was a Roman death Dr. * Confer c. 6. d. 3. p. 265. â—yranus a Papist upon Mat. 23. 34. saith Some of them ye shall kill as James the Brother of John c. Some shall ye crucifie as Peter and Andrew his Brother Vid. also Chrysostom in Mat. 23. 34. Reynolds tells Hart that a learned man viz. Velenus in opusculo inscripto Petrum non fuisse Romam 〈◊〉 illic passum of our side having weighed and seeing the dissention of Writers touching the time that he came to Rome and knowing by the Scripture that their speech of his abode in Rome is false and marking the shameful practise of the Romanists in forging calos for their own advantage as Constantines Donation and espying some such forgery among their Monuments of Peter 〈◊〉 Linus fable of his death and finding his Martyrdom mentioned by Jerom and Lyra in such sort as though he had been crucified by the Scribes and Pharisees he was brought by these and the like perswasions into this opinion that Peter never came to Rome And of this opinion was Balaeâ—â— in Act. Rom. Pont. l. 1. praefat and so have been many others since And besides there were Christians at Rome in the time of Tiberius and Caligula before ever Peter is reported to be at Rome as Eusebius witnesseth Hist l. 2. c. 2. and Tertullian in his Apology c. 5. And if we may believe * Libro 1. recognitionum Clementio Object Papists object that if Peter long ago preached to the Gentiles Act. 15. 17. Ergo he preached at Rome Answ I answer thus 1. That it follows not 2. Paul preached to the Gentiles before Peter did Act. 〈◊〉 3. Before Peter saw the Vision of the sheet and heard the command of the Lord be thought it unlawful for him to go to the Gentiles Act. 10. 28. 4. Peter first preached Christ to Cornelius and his friends at his house in Caesaria Act. 10. 5. 'T is most probable that Antioch received the Gospel from Barnabas and Paul and others before Rome and they were first called Christians Act. 11. 19 26. 6. Some of those strangers of Rome that were at Jerusalem Act. 2. 10. might preach the Gospel at Rome Clement Barnabas was there before Peter And that which is objected out of Act. 28. 21. that the Jews told Paul That they had received no Letters out of Judea concerning him and that neither any of the brethren shewed or spake any harm of him is not to be conceived that they had not received or heard of his Epistle which he sent to the Romans some few years before but concerning his particular business and occasion of his being sent Prisoner then to Rome And it makes much as I observed before against St. Peter's being so long Bishop at Rome as Papists would have that these Jews should hear nothing of Paul and be so ignorant of the Doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of which Peter was by special agreement an Apostle to them Thus I suppose I have sufficiently overthrown the main foundation of the Popes Primacy and Supremacy For if Peter was never at Rome then he was not Bishop of Rome and if he was not Bishop of Rome then the Pope of Rome is not his Successor in the Episcopacy thereof and then by Papists own consequence he is not supreme Bishop of all the Church 3. The Pope of Rome successively was and hath been the inventor and setter forth of Superstitious and Pharisaical Sects which are against the Word of God and the glory of his name To shew in particular how every Pope brought some Superstition into the Church would be very Voluminous for that therefore I must refer you to the Centurists to Dr. Reynolds Conference with Hart to Dr Henry More 's Mystery of Iniquity and the little Treatise of ancient Ceremonies called Vitis degeneris Bishop Jewel's Works and the Mass in English and Latin by James Mountain Printed 1641. I might refer you to the Popes Decretals and indeed they are a good evidence against themselves but they are late forgeries devised to justifie their latter Superstitions and Usurpations therefore I forbear though some Romanizing Protestants have them in too high estimation Though â—ome real Hereticks were the first Inventors of some Superstitions yet the Popes and their Agents were the first setters up imposers of theâ—â— in the Church bringing of Spittle Salt Cream Oyl and the sign of the Cross into the service of God at Baptism is well known to be theirs Kneeling or adoring as * Bishop Sparrow in his Rationale p. 273. some men call it at the receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Vsing the sign of the Cross above thirty times praying to and for the Dead at their Mass worshipping of †Vide ubi supra p. 〈◊〉 what the Church of England saith in her Homily against peril of Idolatry part 3. p. 70. Images of Saints departed this life of Crucifixes the Cross Altars bowing to the East their Superstitious Fasts and Feasts putting holiness in times