wont to say In old time there were golden Prelates and woodden Chalices but in his time woodden Prelates and golden Chalices knowledge was now decayed Princes Prelates and others were now more busied in building or beautifying materiall Temples and Chappels than in the gathering together of living stones and reedifying Gods spirituall Temple so that in this time of Monkery many religious Houses were erected either out of voluntary Devotion or enjoyned Penance Now insteed of the right administration of the Word and Sacraments came in the dumbe guize of the Masse and the people instead of the pure milke of the Word were intertained with feigned Liturgies Legends and Miracles their consciences loaden with a number of unprofitable Ceremonies and unwarrantable Traditions now there was great conâ—idence put in holy Graines hallowed Beades Agnus Dei's and the like Babies and the honour due to the Creator was given to the creaâ—ure Now the people made many fond vowes went many merry Pilgrimages and beheld many garish Processions now they were taught that abâ—tinence from meates and drinkes was Meritorious that the opus operatum the worke done was sufficient in their Sacraments and their Devotions and much of this service performed in an unknowne tongue Now the crownes of Martyrdome wherewith the first Bishops of Rome were honoured were changed into a Triple Crowne and the Pastorall Staffe beganne to quarrell with the Princely Scepter and all these things were carried by the name of the Church the People many of them beleeving as the Church beleeved and this Church was the Roman and this Roman Church was the Pope Concerning the Church in the next 500. yeares even to these our times the Church began to recover her strengthâ— and the light of the Gospell was notably discovered by Waldus in France and his followers Wickliffe in England Iohn Hus and Martin Luther in Germanie Now also by the benefit of Printing which was found out in the fifteenth Century the Tongues came to bee knowne Knowledge increased Bookes were dispersed and Learning communicated the Scriptures were perused the Doctors and Fathers read Stories opened Times compared Truth discerned and Falshood detected Now because there hath already and will hereafter be occasion to speak of Antichrist I will therfore heere point out his severall Ages About the yeare 607. Antichrist began in part to appeare and show himselfe rising by degrees untill he came to the height of impietie for as other things so Antichrist also was to have his rising growth height and fall even as monstrous and huge Beasts goe with their young ones many yeares as other creatures doe many monthes The maine strength of the Romish Antichrist consisted in those two Swords the Spirituall and Temporall now the Pope did not at once attaine to the managing of these two Swords but by degrees he came to usurpe this two-handed Sword The first step that hee made to the throne of pride was about the yeare 607 when Pope Boniface the third by the grant of that murderer Phocas tooke to himselfe the Title Authoritie and Supremacie over the whole Church The next time that he notoriously shewed himselfe was after the thousand yeare when Gregory the â—eventh claimed and usurped both the Swords that is a Soveraigne and Universall Iurisdiction not onely Ecclesiasticall over the Clergie but also Temporall over Kings and Emperours unto this second Soveraigntie they had long aspired but never attained untill the time of this Hildebrand in whom Antichrist came to his growth yea the Pope was discovered to be Antichrist by those Catholike Bishops the Bishop of Florence and Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne and others Vpon this discovery of the Man of Sinne sundry of Gods people refusing the Marke of the Beast severed themselves from the Papall Communion whereupon the Pope and his Faction raised grievous persecutions against the servants of God To speake yet more particularly the degrees of Antichrist may thus be reckoned He had his Birth or rising in Boniface the third who tooke to himselfe that Antichristian title of universall Bishop which his Predecessor Gregorie so greatly condemned Hee had his growth or increase in the time of Pope Adrian the first and the second Councell of Nice who jointly agreed to set up the Adoration of Images and the practice therof to be generally received in the Church Hee came to his Kingdome and reigned in Pope Hildebrand who excommunicated and deposed Henry the fourth the lawfull Emperour and gave away his Empire to Rodulph and after his death to others He was in his jollitie and triumphed in Pope Leo the tenth and his Lateran Councell sâ—ewing himselfe a God in pardoning sinnes delivering soules out of Purgatorie defining Faith setting himselfe above a generall Councell controuling and judging all men himselfe to be judged by none professing for so it is recorded of Gregory the seventh That he was a God and could not erre In a word as my learned kinsman hath deciphered him when he usurped an universall authoritie over all Bishops the Pope was but Antichrist Nascent when he maintained the doctrine of Adoration of Images he was Antichrist Crescent when hee exalted himselfe above all Kings and Emperours hee became Antichrist regnant but when he was made Lord of the Catholike Faith so that none must beleeve more nor lesse nor otherwise then hee prescribed hee became Antichrist Triumphant Thus did the Pope in processe of time become a perfect Antichrist playing the Hypocrite and Tyrant both in Church and State exalting himselfe aâ— a Monarch over Gods house making his owne word and definition of equall authoritie with holy Scripture usurping temporal Iurisdiction over Civill States murthering Christs servants that yeelded not to his becke His last Age is his declining age wherein the Lord by the spirit of his mouth 2 Thess. 2.8 that is by the Ministerie of his Word Shall consume this Man of Sinne and this is come to passe in part For hee is already fallen into a Consumption whereon he irrecoverably languisheth notwithstanding all the help that can be made him by his Colledge of Physicians Canonists Schoolemen Priests and Iesuits but for his finall Destruction wee must expect it at the glorious comming of our blessed Saviour The summe of all is this the Pope having pearkt himselfe above his fellow Bishops it grieved him to be subject to Kings and Emperours not to exalt himself above them he distracted both Church and State in the point of Image-worship which occasioned much bloodshed in Christendome and then having weakened the Empire he became superior to Kings and Emperours there being nothing now but the Church in his way he preuailed over it by his Lateran Flatterers who set the Pope above a generall Councel that is aboue Gods Church a Generall Councell being indeed the Representative Church of God here on earth and the Pope himselfe being the Vertuall Church for so Gretser confesseth that by the Church
By whose Councel and procurement the Peeres whom she had corrupted shut up her sonne Constantine the Emperour in the palace where he was borne and there they put out his eyes so that he died of hearts griefe Thus they put out the eyes of him that saw and set up Images that have Eyes and see not and all this was done saith the story that her sonne being deposed she might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rule alone But this decâ—ee of the Nicen Synod repealed by that at Frankford was not halfe so bad as that which followed when Aquinas set up Schoole and taught That the Crucifixe anâ— Image of Christ must be adored with the same honour that himsâ—lfe is to wit with Latria or divine Honour whereas those Nice Fathers haply stood but for veneration or outward reverence of Images in passing by them or sâ—anding before them as friends use to salute or embrace one another Howsoever the Nicen dâ—â—râ—e was râ—jâ—cted as repuâ—nant to the doctrine of Gâ—ds Church by the Pâ—incâ—s and bishâ—ps of England fiâ—â— about the yeere 792. And by Charles thâ— Great afteâ—wâ—rd aâ—d by the bâ—shâ—ps of Italie France and Germany which by his appointment were gathered together in the Frankford Counceâ— in the yeare 794. Rogâ—r Hovedeâ— saith â—harlâ—s the French King sent a Synodâ—ll iâ—to Britaine directed unto him from Constantinople in the which booke many things out alas inconvenient anâ—â—epugnant to right faith were found especially it was conâ—â—â—med a most by the unanimous consent of all the Eastern Doctors â—o lâ—sse than three hundred or more that Images ought to â—e worshipped which thing the Church of God doth altogether dâ—test againsâ— which Synodall bâ—oke Albinus wrote an Epistle mâ—rveilouslie conâ—irmed by authoritie of divine Scripture and caâ—ried the same to the French King together with the fore sâ—â—d booke in the name of our Bishops and Princes Hâ—nâ—marus Bishop of Rhemes living at the same time sâ—ith In the time of the Emperor Charles by the command of the See Apostolike there was a generall Councell called by the Emperour wherein according to the pathway of Scripture and tradition of ancestors the Greekes false Synod was destroyedâ— and whollâ— abâ—ogatâ—d touching the repealing whereof theâ—e was a just Volumne sent from the Emperour to Rome which my selfe have read in the Pallace when I was a yoâ—g man saith Hinâ—marus â—he same also iâ— testified by others namely Ado Rhâ—gâ—o and Cassander a moderat Pontifician and King Charles speaking of this Synod sayth that beâ—â—g destitute of Scripture prooâ—e they betooke themselves to Apocâ—â—yphall and ridiculous toyes PA. This Booke is forged under the name of Carolus Magnus PRO. Indeed we were not at the making thereof yet thus much we can witnesse that your Champion Eckius saith Charles wrote foure books touching Images and Austine Steuchus the Popes Library-keeper presseth some things out of those Caroline bookes making as hee thinks for his masters advantage Cassander saith That in his time there was a copy of those Caroline books in the Vaticane Librarie and in divers places of France and that Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes mentions those foure Caroline bookes Besides they were lately to be seene in the Palatines Library at Heidelberg but are now conveyed to Rome where yet for all Charlemaignes greatnâ—sse thâ—y hâ—â—e sued out a Prohibition against him And his bookâ— are forbidden in the Romane Index first published by Pius the fourths command enlarged by Sixtus Quintus and râ—viewed and published by Clement the eight Howsoever you see and Baronius confesâ—eth that the most learned anâ—â—amous of these times speake against this Nicen decree PAP The Councel of Frankford and Paris under Lewis the first and other learned men mistooke the dâ—finition of thâ— Nicen Councel and therein erredâ— yet noâ— iâ— a mâ—tter of doctrine but a matter of fact say Genebâ—ard and Bellarmine PRO. There be of their owne side as learned as they whiâ—h mislike this excuse to wit Suarez and Vasques so thaâ— it seemes they are not agreed of their verdict nor who shall speake for them PA. Bellarmine saith That the Pope confirmed the Frankford Câ—uncell in one part and cancâ—lled it in another to wit in that poynt touching adoration of Images whereunto the Popes Legates never consented PRO. This bâ—wrayes the Popes partiall dâ—aling to make the Councâ—l onely to serve his owne turne But what if it waâ—ted â—is approbation the thiâ—d Canon of the Chalcedâ—n Councâ—l that gave the See of Constantinople the precedence bâ—fâ—re other Patriarkes as the nâ—xt after the Bishop of Rome was opposed by Pope Leo's Lâ—gatâ—s and yet the Canon was decreed and passâ—d and the Councell is held for Generall howsoever the Pâ—pes Legates contradicted it For they were to bee ruled by the maior part of the Councels votes neither doe wee find that anciently the Pope had a negative or casting voice in Councels And therefore the Chalcedon Councel notwithstanding the Popes opposition professeth Haec omnes dicimus This is all our vote and tota Synodus the whole Councel hath confirmed this Canon for the honour of the See of Constantinople and accordingly the whole Councel wrote to Pope Leo. PA. Could the later Councel at Frankford repeale the former at Nice PRO. Very well for as Saint Austine saith Even full and plenarie Councels themselves may be amended by the later Neither doth he meane it in matter of fact but in point of doctrine for Austine there speakes of Reâ—aptization and â—mâ—ndari is as much as è mendis purgari to be rectified wherein it erred and not onely to be Explaned PA. Would Charles who loved Pope Adrian so dearely write against him so sharply or the See of Rome which by the hands of Leo the third crowned Charles Emperour of the West endure that Charles should condemne Images PRO. Charles might love the See of Rome and yet expresse his judgement in the point of Images neither doe we doubt but that Charles and Pipin would have condemned the Popes proceedings therein more expressely but they could not meddle with the poynt of state without quarrelling the Pope in a matter of the Church so that as Saint Austine saith of the old Romans That they bare downe many desires for the excessive desire they had of one thing to wit Soveraignty and Dominion so the bishops of Rome desirous to keepe their new purchases of Lumbardie and Ravenna which Charles and Pipin had procured them thought it not fit to contend with their new and potent favorites For so it was when the Emperour Leo the third desirous to abolish Image worship which then was creeping in had caused them to be defaced and thereupon did punish some who withstood it Gregorie the second excommuuicated him Forbidding the Italians to pay him tribute or to obey him upon this sentence and exhibition of the Pope a great part of Italie rebelled against their Emperour
to the ancient custome of the Primitive Church and could not bee induced simply and absolutely to condemne the Articles of Wickliffe but thought many of them might carry a good sense and that the Author of them was a man that carried a good mind howsoever hee might faile in some things and for these and the like tenets and reproofes they were burnt at Constance contrary to the publike faith and safe conduct given by the Emperour yea Aeneas Sylvius afterwards Pope Pius the second saith expresly It was thought good by the perswasion of Sigismund the Emperour that Iohn and Hierome should bee called to the Councell of Constance so that they came not of their owne accord nor yet without their warrantie and safe conduct but the Fathers of the Counsell dealt ill with them breaking the faith of the Emperour and dispencing with the breach of his safe-conduct as being of no force without theirs because forsooth faith was not to bee kept with Heretikes as thâ—y vainely alleadged therefore these poore men must have no priviledge of their Passe-port the Emperour saith Campian in a flourish of his Sealed their Passe but the Christian world to wit the Councell of Constance greater than Caesar brake up the seale and voided the Imperiall warranâ— notwithstanding the Emperour had both called the Councell and in a Citie of his ownâ— where hee onely had authority and Wenceslaus King of Bohemia at the request of the Councell sent thither Iohn Hus under the safe-conduct of the Emperour Now what Master Hus his learning was his workes yet remaining doe testiâ—ie Besides hee translated the Scriptures into the Bohâ—mian tongue which occasioned as Cochleus saith Artisans and Tradesmen to reade them insomuch as they could dispute with the Priests yea their women were so skilled as one oâ— them made a booke and the Priests of the Thabâ—rites were so skilled in arguing out of the Scripture that one of them named Rokyzana who had beene present at the Counsell at Basil undertooke to dispute with Capistranus a great and learned Papist touching Communion in both kinds and that out of the holy Scriptures the ancient Doctors and the Churches Canons and Constitutions as also from the force of naturall reason Aenâ—as Sylvius saith That Hus was an eloquent man and that in the worlds estimation hee had gained a great opinion of holinesse Hierome was a man of that admirable eloquence learning and memory that Poghius the Florentine Historian and Oratour admired his good parts and the same Poghius being an eye-witnesse of his triall at the Councell of Constance saith He was a man worthy of eternall memory that there was no just cause of death in him that hee spake nothing in all his triall unworthy of a good man yea hee doubteth whether the things objected against him were true or no. Besides he was so resolute at his death that when the Tormentor kindled the fire behind his backe he bid him make it in his sight For if I had feared the fire said he I had never come hither and so whiles the fire was a making hee sung Psalmes and went cheerefully to his death The like resolution was in Iohn Husse at his death for whereas his enemies made a crowne of paper with three ugly devils painted therein and this title Arch-heretike set over when Iohn Husse saw it he said My Lord Iesus Christ for my sake were a Crowne of thornes why should not I then for his sake weare this light Crowne bee it never so shamefull I will doe it and that willingly and so hee died constantly and so indeed the storie reports that they went to the stake as cheerefully as it had beene to a banquet Iohn Husse may seeme to have had some propheticall inspiration for at his death hee prophesied saying You roast the Goose now but a Swan shall câ—me after mee and hee shall escape your fire Now Husse in the Bohemian tongue signifieth a Goose and Luther a Swan and this Swâ—n succeeded him just an hundred yeares after foâ— so these two blessed servants of God prophesied saying Wee cite you all to make answer aâ—d after an hundred yeares to give an account of this your doing unâ—o God and accoâ—diâ—gly as they foretold it came to passe for they suffered martyrdome in the yeare 1416. and just an hundred yeares afâ—er to wit in the yeaâ—e 1516. the Lord raysed up Luther who indâ—ed called the Pope and his doctrine to a reckoning Vpon this propheticall speech of Iohn Husse there was money coined iâ— Bohemia with this inscripâ—ion in Latine on the one side Cintum revolutis annis Deo respondebitis et mihi anno 1416 Hie onymus condemnatus that is After an hundred yeares you shall answer to God and to me and on the oâ—her side of the plate was engraven Credo unam â—ssâ— sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam anno 1415. Io. Husse I beleeve one holy Catholike Church PA Did Husse and his followers teach as you doe PRO For substance of doctrine they taught as wee doe their enemies indeed misreported their doctrine and charged them with that they never held insomuch as Husse solemnely protested even at the point of death That hee never held those Articles which the false witnesses deposed against him but held and taught and wrote the contraâ—y taking it upon his death that hee taught nothing but the truth of the Gospell which hee would then seale with his blood Now touching their doctrine we are driven to takâ— the scaâ—tling of their opinions from the pens of tâ—eir advâ—rsaries by whom wee perceive that it is very pâ—obâ—ble 〈◊〉 Hussiâ—es were instructed and much helped by Wicklâ—â—ss bookes and accordingly wee find that both Aenâ—â—s Sylvius and Cochleus report that the meanes wheâ—â—by â—he Bohemiâ—ns came to know the doctrine of Wicklâ—ffe was for that a certaine noble man studying in Oxford carried thence with hiâ— into Bohemia Wiâ—klifs bookes de Realibus universalibus As if it had beene some rare jewell and Cochleus saith That as a Bohemian brought first into Bohemia Wickliffes bookes de Realibus uniâ—erâ—alibus So there was afterwards one Peter Paineâ— a Scholler of Wickliffes who after the death of his Master came â—lso into Bohemia and brought with him Wâ—â—kliffes bookes which were in quantity as great as Saint Auâ—â—ines Workes many of which bookes Husse did aftâ—rwards translate into their mother tongue Bellarmine jâ—ynes the Hussitesâ— and Waldenses together as holding the same points of doctrine and reproving the same abuses of Rome And Platina saith that Hâ—sse and Hierome were condemned in the Councell of Constance as being followers of Wickliffe Aeneas Silvius saith the Hussites embraced the pâ—ofession of the Waldenses Now wee have already showne the tenets of the Waldenses and Wickliffe But to come to particulars bâ—sides the Hussites there were others also of his disciples which were called Thaborites of the place Thabor
find it to bee bread but the body of Christ insomuch as Bellarmine upon this testimonie saith Quid clariùs dici potest What can be said more plainely Answer Cyril saith The bread which is seene of us is not bread and the same Cyril saith of the Water in Baptisme it is not simple water let the one satisfie the other Cyril saith of the bread as hee doth of the oyle that it is no bare simple or common oyle but Charisma the type and symboll of a spirituall gift and so hee meant of the bread the Consecrated bread that it is no ordinary or common bread but of different use and servâ—ce and yet theâ—ein not any change of substance at all Neither doth Cyril say as Bellarmine corrupâ—ly traâ—slateth it or at leâ—st mâ—kes use of a corrupt trâ—nslation That the body of Câ—rist is given Sub spâ—cie panâ—s Vnder the forme of bread but as it â—s in the Greeke Vnder the type of bread even as hee saith afterwards Thinke not tâ—at you taste bread but tâ—e Antitype of Christs body so that hee calleth the consâ—crated bread and wine â—ypes and Antitypes that is signes of the body and blooâ— of Christ. Now whereâ—s Cyril would not have us judge of thâ—s Sacrament by our taste or sense it iâ— true that as the Bread and Wine are â—ound and whiâ—e aâ—d sweet in taste our bodily senses mâ—y indeed perceive thâ—m but as they are types and Aâ—titypes that is signâ—s Of the body and blood â—f Christ so â—hey aâ—e spiâ—itually to bee discernâ—d with our understanding onely as the Reverend and learned Dâ—ctor Morton Lo. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfiâ—ld and now Lord Bishop of Durâ—sme hath observed Lastly the same Cyril saith That wee have râ—pentance and remission of sinnes confined onely to the terme of thâ—s prâ—sâ—nt life More might be alleadged out of the same â—yâ—il but these may suâ—fice to shew what hee in his Caâ—echismes taught his schollers touching the Scripturâ—s sâ—fficâ—encie aâ—d Caâ—on Communion in both kinds the Euchaâ—ist and Purgatory Before I cloâ—e up this Centurie I must needs speake of Constantinâ— the Great and the two generall Councelâ— held in this Age. In â—his age flourished the honour of our nation that Christian Pâ—ince Constantine the Great borne of our coâ—nâ—rey woman Hâ—lâ—na both of them Britaines by biâ—thâ— Royâ—ll by descent Saints by estiâ—ation and true Catholikes by profession PA. Doâ—tor 〈◊〉 and Master Brerely show them to have bâ—â—nâ— o◠〈…〉 PRO. Our reverend and learned Doctor Doctor Abbot late Bishâ—p of Salisbury hath sufficiently confuted your Bishop and acquitted them from being Papists since they held not the grounds of Popery as at this day they are maintayned PA. If constantine were no Papist of what faith tâ—en was hee PRO. Hee was of the true ancient Christian Faith as may appeare by these instances following Hee held the Scriptures sufficient for deciding matteâ—s of Faith and accordingly prescribed this rule to the Nicene Councell saying Because the Apostles Bookes doe plainely instruct us in divine matters therefore we ought to make our Determinations upon Questions from words which are so divinely inspired he saith not that the Scriptures plainely teach us what to thinke of the nature and substance of God as Bellarmine would wrest it but also of the holy Law and things concerning Religion for so doe the words sound in the originall and herein saith Theodoret the greater part of the Councell obeyed the voyce of Constantine Constantine held it not the Popâ—s peculiar to summon generall Counâ—â—lls for hee called the Councell of Nice himselfe and therein sate as President and mâ—deratour receiving every mans opinion helping sometimes one part sometimes another reconciling them when they were at ods untill hee brought them to an agreement in the Faith The same Eâ—perour by his royâ—ll Letters Prescribed to the Bishops such things as belonged to thâ— good of Gods Church yea hee held himselfe to bee a Iuâ—ge and supreme Governour in Causes Ecclesiasticall for hee professeth speaking generally of all soâ—tâ— of men if any shall rashly or undadvisedly maintaine these pestilent assertions meaning the Arrians His saucinesse shall beâ— instantly curbed by the Emperours exâ—cution who is Gods Ministers Moreover Constantine never sought to the Pope for pardon hee never worshipped an Image never served Saint nor Shrine never knew the Masse Transubstantiation nor the halfe Communion hee prayed not for his Fathers soule at the performance of his Funeralls used no Requiems nor Diriges at his Exequies he wished not any prayers to bee made after his death for his owne soule but having received Baptisme newly before his death professed a stedfast hope that needed no such after-prayers saying Now I know indeed that I am a blessed man that God hath accounted mee worthy of immortall life and that I am now made partaker of the light of God And when they that stood about him wished him longer life hee answeâ—ed That hee had now attayned the true life and that none but himselfe did understand of what happinesse he was made partaker and that he therfore hastned his going to his God Thus Constantine dyed outright a Protestanâ— hee craved no after-prayers for his soule hee dreaded no Purgatory but dyed in full assurance of going immediately to his God Was this Prince now a Trent papist Now to proceed the fiâ—st Generall Councell in Christianitie after the Synod of the Apostles was that famous fiâ—st Councell of Nice consistiâ—g of 318. Bishops the greatest lights that the Christian world then had it was called about 325 yeares after Christ against Arrius that denyed Christ to bee veâ—y God from this Councell wee had oâ—r Nicen Creed it was summoned not by the thâ—n Bishop of Rome but by the Emperour Constantine Gathering thâ—m together out of divers Cities and Provinces as themsâ—lves have lâ—fâ—â—ccorded Wee produce the sixth Canon of this Councell against the Popes monarchicall Iurisdiction the â—enour thereof is this Let ancient customes hold that the Bishops of Alexandria should have the government over Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis because also the Bishop of Rome hath the same custome as also let Antioch and other Provinces hold their ancient priviledges Now these words of the Canon thus limiting and distinguishing the severall Provinces and grounding on the custome of the Bishop of Rome that as hee had preheminence of all the Bishops about him so Alexandria and Antioch should have alL about them as likewise every Metropolitane within his owne Province these words I say doe cleerely shâ—w that before the Nicene Councell the Pope neither had preheminence of all through the world as now hee claymeth to bee an universall Bishop nor ought to have greater preheminence by their judgement than he had before time this being the effect of the Canon to wit That the Bishop of Alexandria shall have authority over his Diocesses as the Bishop of Rome
over his PA. Bellarmine saith the meaning of the Canon is that the Bishop of Alexandria should have the Provinces there mentioned because the Bishop of Rome was accustomed to permit it so to bee PRO. The words of the Canon are Because the Church of Rome hath the like custome here is not one word of permission They bee indeed as learned Bishop Morton saith words of comparison that the Bishop of Alexandria should injoy his priviledges accordingly as the Bishop of Rome held ancienâ—ly his as if one should say I will give this man a crowne bâ—cause also I gave a crown to his fellow Besides Cardinal Cusanus understandeth the Canon as we doe in this sort As the Bishop of Rome had power and authority over all his Bishops so the Bishop of Alexandria according to custome should have thorowout Lybia and the rest Here by the way the reader may observe that though the Pope should have a large circuit for his Diocesse yet was nâ—t this Iurisdiction given him by the Law of Goâ— but by the custome of men Let old custâ—mes bâ— kâ—pt sâ—ith the Councel heâ—e was no ordinance of Christ acknowledged no Text of Scripture alleadged for it as now a dayâ—s Tu es Petrus and pasce oves and tibi daâ—o claves Thou art Peter fâ—ed my sheepe and unto thee will I give the Keyes of the Church The Pâ—pâ— held it not then as it is now preâ—ended Divinoâ— by divine ordinance but onely by use and custome which may be altered and was upon occasion for when Constantinople became the Imperiall City then was the Bishop thereof equalled with Rome as appearetâ— by the Chalcedon Councel About the yeare 381 the second Generall Councel was held at Constantinople against Macedomus who denyed the Divinity of the Holy Ghost â—t consisted of an hundred and fifty Bishops it was called not by the Pope but by the Emperour Theodosius the elder This Councel confirmed the foresaid sixt Canon of the Nicen which bounded the Bishop of Rome as well as other Bishops within the precincts of his owne Province The third Canon of this Councel of Constantinople speakes in this tenour That the Bishop of Constantines City that is Constantinople hath Pâ—erogatives of honour next after the Bishop of Rome because it is new Rome THE FIFTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 400. to 500. PAPIST WHat say you of this fifth Age PROTESTANT We are yet within the compasse of the first 500 yeeres next after Christ and so neerer to the time and truth of the Primâ—tive Chuâ—ch now for this present Age it may for choice of Learned men be compared to the Golden Age for now flourished the Golden mouthed Chrysostome the Well languaged Hierome and Saint Austin the very Mall and Hammer of Heretikes Chrisostome was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most copious writer of any of the Greeke Fathers now extant he was an eloquent Preacher full of Rhetoricall figures and amplifications so that his veine and gift lay rather in the Ethique and Moral part of divinity working upon the affections than in the doctrinal and exegetical part for information of judgement By his liberty of speech in Pulpit he drew the hatred of thâ— great ones of the 〈◊〉 and of the Emperour himsâ—lfe but above all of the Empresse Eudoxia upon his head so that she and Theophilus Patriaâ—ke of Alexandria procuâ—ed his deposition and banishment with commandment to â—â—â—â—ney his weakâ— body with excessive Travels from place to place untill he concluded his life about the yeare foure hundred and eleven Hierome was borne in Dalmatia and instructed at Rome He travailed abroad into France and other places of puâ—pose to increase his knowledge at Rome hee acquainted himselfe with Honourable women such as Marcella Sophronia Principia Paula and Eustochium to whom he expounded places of holy Scripture for hee was admitted Presbiter he served Damasus Bishop of Rome in sorting his Papers his gifts were envied at Rome therefore he lâ—ft Rome and tooke his voyage towards Palestina by the way he acquainted himselfe with Epiphanius Nazianzen and Didymus Doctor in the Schoole of Alexandria and sundry other men of note and marke In the end he came to Iudea and made choice of Bethlem the place of the Lords Nativity to bee the place of his death At Bethlem Paula a noblewoman who accompanied Hierome and his brother Paulinianus from Rome upon her owne charges builded foure Monasteries whereof her selfe guided one and Hiâ—rome another Hierome was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well skilled in the tongues but he waâ— a man of a Chollericke and sterne disposition more inclinable to a solitary and Monkish liâ—e then to fâ—llowship and societie neither Heliodorus in the wildernes nor Ruffinus out of the wildernes could keep inviolable friendship with him hee flourished about the yeare 390. but he lived unto the yeare 422 therfore we place him in this fifth Age and so doth Bellarmine Augustine in his younger yeares was infected with the errour of the Manichees his mother Monica prayed to God for his convâ—rsion and God heard her praâ—ers foâ— by the pâ—eacâ—ing of Ambrose bishâ—p of Millaine anâ— by reading the life of Antonius the Heremite hee was wonderfâ—lly moved and beganne to dislâ—ke his former conversation He went into a quiet Garden accoâ—panied with Alipius and there as he was with teares bewayling his former course and desiâ—ing Gods grace for working his câ—nversion hee heard a voice saâ—iâ—g unto him Tolle lege and againe Tolle lege that is to say Take up and reade Take up and reade at the first hearing hee thought it to bee the voyce of boyes or maydes speaking in their play such words one to another but when hee looked about and could see nobody he knew it to bee some heavenly admonition warning him to take up the booke of holy Scripture which he had in the Garden with him and read Now the first place that fell in his hands after the opening of the booke was this Not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and envyingâ— but put yee on tâ—e Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it At the reading whereof hee was so fully resolved to forsake the vanities of the world and to become a Christian that immediately thereafter hee was babtized by Saint Ambrose with his companion Alipius and his sonne Adeodatus Hee was afterwards made bishop of Hippo in Africa Hee defended the truth against the Manichees Pelagians Donatists and whatsoever errour else prevailâ—d in this age Hee is to bee commended in that hee revised his owne Writings and wrote his retractations or râ—cognitions When he had lived 76 yeares hee reâ—â—ed from his labours before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo which in the time of Augustines sickenesse they had besieged and thus was hee translated and taken away before hee
Image-worship yet in some other things he was Orthodoxe and in those we comply with him Now also was held a famous Councel at Constantinople in the East and another at Frankford in the West both of them opposing the second Nicen Synod Now also lived Adelbert of France Samson of Scotland and Claudius Clemens of the same nation Bishop of Auxerâ—e in France Thâ—se with others opposâ—d Boniface the Popes factour whiles he sought to stablish Papall Supremacie adoration of Reliques and Images Pargatorie prayer for â—he dead and to impose single life on the Clâ—rgie and for â—his they were persecuted under Pope Zacharie with bonds and imprisonment Aventinâ— saiâ—h â—haâ— Albertus Gallus and other Bishops and Priestâ— of his sect so calls he the way after which they worshipâ—â—od did mightily withstand this Boniface or Winifrid an Engâ—iâ—â—â—an bishop of Meâ—tz Toward the laâ—er end of this Age there lived though they flourished in the ninth Age Claudius Clemens Scotus as also Ioannes Mailrosius Scotus called Madrosius haply for that he lived in the Monastery of Mailros planted by bishop Aidan and his followers in Northumberland where also Saint Cuthbert had his education PA. I claime Saint Bede for one of ours PRO. You will lose your claime for though he were tainted with superstition and slipt into the corruptions of the Times wherin he lived Beleeving and reporting divers Fabulous Miracles and incredible Stories as some of your owne men haue censured him neither doe we defend all hee wrot yet in divers maine grounds of Religion he was an Adversarie to your Trent Faith Bede was a Priest he lived in the Monasterie of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Weere-mouth neere Durham A great Clerke and writer of the English Story Alcwin or Alwin was a Yorke-shiere man as appeares by his name Alwin which in these parts continues to this day He was Keeper of the Library at Yorke erected by Archbishop Egberâ— He was also Schoole-master to Rabanus and in great favour with his Pupill Carolus Magnus whom hee perswaded to found the Vniversitie of Paris He wrot three bookes of the Trinitie and Dedicated them to Charles The Papists charge Calvin to have made these bookes and to have set them forth in Alcuinus name Alcuin and Calvin being all one name by changing the Letters but this is untrue since both the note of the beginning and ending of this booke is to be seene in an ancâ—ent Manuscript in Lincolne Colledge and the very Copie it selfe written as it may be conjectured above five hundred yeeres agoe is to be seene in the Princes Library at Saint Iames. Besides that my selfe have seene Alcwin's booke of the Trinitie Printed in the yeare 1525. whereas Calvin by Bellarmines account shewed not himselfe untill the yeere 1538. Of the Scriptures Sufficiencie and Canon Damascen saith Whatsoever is delivered unto us in the Law and the Prophets by the Apostles and Evangelists that wee receive acknowledge and reverence and besidâ—s these wee require nothing else The same Damascen numbers all those bookes and those onely as Canonicall that we doe and addeth That the Bookes of Wisdome and Iesus the Sonne of Syrach are good Bookes and containe good Lessons but that they are not numbred in this account neither were layd up in the Arke And our Alcuinus Abbot of Saint Martins at Tours in France writing against Elipantus bishop of Toledo tels him that he urged authoriâ—ies out of the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach but saith he Saint Hierome and Isidore doe testiâ—ie that without question it was to be reputed amongst the Apocryphall and doubtfull Bookes Of Communion under both kinds and the number of Sacraments Charles the Great saith The mystery of the body and bloud of Christ is daily received by the faithfull in the Sacrament of his â—lesh and bloud in â—anis ac vini figurâ in the figure oâ— bread and wine And that â—he Sacrament is in it owne naâ—ure brâ—ad and wine but the body and bloud of Christ by Mysticall and Sacrameâ—tall relation hee shewes in the same termes as Isidore did before him and Rabanus after him Becausâ— bread saith Bede confirmes the bâ—dy and wine doth worke bloud in the flesh therefore the one is mystically refâ—rred to the body of Christ the other to his bloud But to leave particular men we have the suffrage of a whole Councel held at Constantinople in the yeare 754 wherein it was maintained that Christ chose no other shape or type under heaven to represent his Incarnation by but the Sacrament which he delivered to his Ministers for a type and a most effectuall commemoration thereof Commanding the substance of bread to bee offered and this bread they affirme to be a true Image of his naturall flesh And these assertions of theirs they are to be found in the third tome of the sixth Action of the second Councel of Nice Of Images and Prayer to Saints Concerning Images venerable Bede as we find him cited by Gerson the Chancellour of Paris saith That Images are not simply forbidden to bee made but they are utterly forbidden to bee made to this end to bee worshipped and adored Charles the Great as Cassander saith hath pithily and wittily stated this question of Images that it is no prejudice to want tâ—em nor priviledge to have them that such as utterly reject them may be taxed with â—icklenesse and they that worship them branded with folly In this Age there arose great contention in the Church touching the matter of Images the Greeke Empâ—rouâ—s Leo Isaurus Constantine Nicâ—phorus Stauratius Leo Armenus Michael Balbus Theophilus and others their â—ucâ—essours opposiâ—g them in the East and on the other side Gregorie the second and third Paul the first Stephen the fourth Adrian the first and other Popes of Rome as stiffly upholding them in the West In a Councel of 338 Bishops held at Constantinople Anno 754 they were solemnly condemned for they banished all other Images and determined That there was one onely Image appointed by Christ to wit the blessed bread and wine in the Eucharist which represent to us the body and bloud of Christ there was decreed under Constantine nicknamed Câ—pronymus That none should privately in houses or publikely in Churches procure keepe or worship any Image uâ—on paine of deposition Zonaras saith That in the hearing of all the people they openly forbad the worship of Images calling all such as adored thâ—m Idolaters and speaking of the Emperour Leo Armenus hee saith He was mightily bent against them insomuch as he decreed utterly to abandon them Thus did those Ezekiah's of Greece being strongly opposed by the Papall foâ—ces Now so it was afterwards in another Coâ—nâ—el of 350 bishop held at Nice in the yeare 787. Images were set on foote againe and this Councel was calâ—ed and swayed under that Doctresse Irene the Empresse
it was onely pro hic nunc as their case then stood they were now both pastours and people thrust out of their owne Country and goods and glad to live upon others benevolence and collections which haply made them call them The poore men of Lions Howsoever they were so farre from liking the course of the begging Friers or vowing of voluntary poverty as that they held the order of begging Friersâ— to be the Divels invention and Monkish vowes to bee vaine as occasioning foule and fearefull lusts If they sayd that all Ministers must be equall they meant in Orders but not in Iurisdiction for they allowed Deacons Presbyters and Bishops as Guido Carmelita observes Object They held that Masse is to be sayd once onely every yeare to wit upon Maundy Thursday when the Sacrament was instituted and the Apostles made Priests For that Christ sayd Doe this in remembrance of me to wit say they that which he did at the time Luke 22. 1 Cor. 11. Parsons ibid. Answere Parsons pretâ—nds to bring no Articles but such as all Authours charge the Waldenses withall and yet brings this which no Authour imputes to them but onely Guido Carmelita and Alphonsus de Castro wonders where Guido found it Aeneas Sylius mentions it not but contrarily saith they hold that the Priest may consecrate in any place and at any time and minister to them that require it Object They held that the words of Consecration must be no other but onely the Pater Noster seaven times said over the bread Parsons ibid. Answer Alponsus de Castro saith It is possible that the Waldenses might have had this fancie but not probable for onely Guido Carmelita saith it but Aeneas Sylvius a farre more diligent man and of better judâ—ement mentions it not neither Antoninus nor Bernard of Lutzenburg though they all proâ—essedly reckon up their errors but rather they say the contrary that the Waldenses held that the Priest might consecrate in every place and time and minister to them that desire it and suâ—ficere ut verba Sacramentalia tantùm dicat that it was sufficient to speake the Sacramentall words onely Object Prateolus saith that the Albingenses held with the Manichees that there were two prime beginnings or Authors of things that is one good God the Creator of good and one bad that is the Divel the creator of evill and that they denyed the resurrection and thought there was no Hell Answere Fryer Reyner their inquisitour saith they beleeved all the Articles contained in the Creede And for the other imputation he that shall but reade the confession of their faith tendred to Ladislaus King of Hungary and extant in Orthinus Gratius will easily cleare them thereof This cavil is thought to be grounded upon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie over the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediately upon God alone and from hence they tooke occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two prime or cheef originalls Iurisdictions and it may seeme to be taken out of the extravagants of Pope Boniface the eight who subjecting the authority of Emperours saith of his owne Whosoever resists this power resists the ordinance of God unlesse with the Manichee he devise duâ— principia two prime originalls of things Now against this imputation the Waldenses professe that they beleeve that the holy Trinity hath created all things visible and invisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestriall and infernall as it is sayd it Saint Iohn All things were made by him and without him nothing is made Besides it might bee that the Manichees some of them living amongst the Waldenses such as spited the Waldenses by one common terme nick-named them and called them Manichâ—eâ—s and Catharists as sometimes the Donatists and called the Christians and Catholikes Caecilianists By this that hath beene sayd it appeares that there is not any such oddes betweene the Waldenses and us as Parsons and Prateolus have given out but that for substance of Religion they agree with us and accordingly Orthuinus Gratius saith of the confession of the Waldensian faith presented to the King of Hungary that in some points it little differeth from that which is delivered by others he meaneth our Protestant proâ—essours so as they may see me to have received it from them and Le Sieur la Popeli nere in his history of France speakes more fully namely that the Waldenses and Albigenses about the yeare 1100 and the succeeding times spread their doctrine parum differentem litle differing from that which the Protestants now embrace Object It seemeth you sticke close to the Waldenses and yet your Iewell casts them off saying they are none of ours Answere The passage in B. Iewell is this Master Harding saith that Hus Hierome of Prage Wickleffe Almarick Abailard the Apostolikes Petrobrussians Berengarians Waldenses Albingenses Image-breakes and such like ever found fault with the Church in their time Whereunto B. Iewell replyeth in these termes of Abailard and Almarick and certaine other your strange names if they have taught any thing contrary to the truth of God we have no skill they are none of ours of Iohn Hus Hierome of Prague and Berengarus and other like vertuous learned men we have no cause to be ashamed their doctrine standeth still and increaseth dayly because it is of God And elsewhere he saith As for Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Husse Valdo and the rest for ought we know and I beleeve setting malice aside for ought you know they were godly men their greatest heresie was this that they complained of the dissolute lives of the Clergie of worshipping of Images of the tyrannicall pride of the Pope of Pardons pilgrimages and purgatory and that they wished a reformation of the Church we succeede not them nor beare their names we succeede him whose word we professe By this it appeares what Bishop Iewell thought of Waldâ— and others and if he had cast off the Waldenses as none of ours it might be imputed to this that he beheld them as their persecutors painted them out with spots of Manicheisme and other vile errours PAP If the Waldenses were free from such errours as Parsons and others have taxed them withall how came it to passe that such grosse opinions were fathered on them PROT. You say well they be fathered on them even as sometime a light housewife layes her burthen at an honest mans doore but themselves never begat such strange opinions for the Waldenses in their confessions say That they were nothing at all guilty of those things that were layd to their charge That worthy Historian Thuanus reckons up their opinions and then addeth To these certaine and chiefe heads of their doctrine alia afficta others others were fained and devised concerning marriage Resurrection the state of soules after death and of meates Bernard de Girard Lord of Haillan
saith Although they had some ill opinions yet they did not so much stirre up the hatred of the Pope and great Princes against them as their freedome in speech which they used in blaming and reproving the vices dissolute manners life and actions of Princes Ecclesiasticall persons and the Pope himselfe this was the chiefe thing which drew the hatred of all upon them this caused many wicked opinions to be devised and fathered on them from which they were very free and guiltlesse PAP You say divers opinions were fained of them what then were their owne Tenets PROT. What they taught in particular may be gathered by that which the Hussites in Bohemia their â—chollers held for as Aâ—neas Sylvius afterwards Pope recordeth the Hussites embraced the opinions of the Waldenses now their opinions are thus set downe by Anâ—as Sylvius one of their backe friends They held other Bishops to be equall with the Bishop of Rome That prayers for the dead and Purgatory were devised by the Priests for their owne gaine That the Images of God and Saints were to be defaced That Confirmation and extreame unction were no Sacraments That it is in vaine to pray to the Saints in heaven since they cannot helpe us That Auricular confession was a trifling thing That it was not meritorious to keepe the set fasts of the Church and that such a set number of Canonicall houres in praying were vaine That Oyle and Chrisme was not to be used in Baptisme These with divers other were the Tenets of the Waldenses PAP Suppose the Waldenses had fully agreed with you in matter of Religionâ— yet Waldo was a Lay-man and so wanted calling and could not confere it on others PROT. Why might not a Lay-man by private exhortation perswade others to the Christian faith We finde in the Church-story that a Tyrian Philosopher arriving in India was slaine by the Barbarians with all his company except two children which were gone out of the ship and were learning their lessons under a tree these children were brought up by the King and advanced by him the one to be his Steward and the other called Frumentius became his Secretary Afterward the King dying and leaving his sonne in in his non-age Frumentius aâ—â—isted the Queene in the government of the Kingdome whiles Frumentius was in authority he enquired among the Roman Merchants for Christians he shewed the Christians all favour and procured them assemblies for prayer and the service of God When the King came to age they delivered him the Kingdome and Frumentius went to Alexandria to Athanasius and told him what was done desiring him to send some worthy Bishop to those multitudes of Christians Athanasius thinking Frumentius a fit person ordained him Bishop and sent him into India to convert more soules Hereby we see that this Lay-secretary was the first meanes of converting the Barbarians and why might not Waldus of France doe the like Besides though Waldus himselfe were a Lay-man yet the Waldenses might have Bishops and Pastors Mathew Paris saith the Albingenses were so powerfull in the parts of Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that they also drew Bishops besides many others of those regions to their parties yea the Popes Legat that was sent in commission against the Albigenses complaines that they had a Bishop of their owne called Bartholmew who consâ—crated Churches and ordained Bishops and Ministers PAP Waldus and his followers were but simple and unlearned men Valdenses fuerunt homines Idiotae prorsus ignorantes Castreul tit miraculum PROT. What then God hath chosen the foolish and weake things of the World to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 And we reade in the Church history of a Philosopher that could not bee overcome by any Arguments but troubled the councell of Nice and yet was converted by a simple Bishop Ruffin eccles Hist. li. 1. cap. 3. Againe it is untrue that Waldus was utterly unlearned for Reiner the Inquisitour saith that Waldus being tollerably learned taught those that resorted to him the Text of the New Testament in their mother tongue and the same Reiner who was often present at their examinations witnesseth that they had above forty schooles and divers Churches all within one diocesse so that they had the ordinary meanes of knowledge Yea they were of that abilitie that they had divers conferences and disputations with the Romists and one famous one at Mount-royall in France where they encountered Saint Dominick and others and maintained these positions that the Church of Rome was not the holy Church nor spouse of Christ but Babylon the mother of abhomination that the Masse was not ordained by Christ nor his Apostles but was an Invention of men This disputation held for divers dayes and the Waldenses had the better had not Saint Dominicks sword proved sharper than his sillogisme cutting off more men than arguments for now as Platina saith the matter was not carried by force of argument but by force of armes PAP Though you shew us the Waldensians agreement with you their calling succession and ordination yet you are never a whit the neerer because their number might bee few and them few scattered and dispersed so that they had not any visible congregations PROT. Concerning the Waldenses and the visibility of their assemblies both in France and elsewhere the matter is cleere even by your owne witnesse Rainerius saith as is already alleadged that of all Sects which either are or have beene none hath beene moâ—â— pernicious to the Church he meaneth the Church of Rome than that of the Leonists First for the long continuance thereof for some say it hath continued from the time of Silvester who was Bishop of Rome about the yeare of Christ three hundred and sixteene others say from the time of the Apostles Secondly for the generality for there is almost no Country into which this Sect hath not entred the French historian saith that the Waldenses about the yeare 1100 and in the succeeding times spread abroad their doctrine little differing from that which at this day the Protestants embrace not onely through all France but almost through all the Countries of Europe also For the French Spanish English Scots Italians Germans Bohemians Saxons Polonians and Lituanians and other Nations have obstinately defended it to this day Mathew Paris the Monke of Saint Albans hath already told us that they were growne so powerfull in Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that among many others they drew some Bishops to their partie And there were such multitudes of them apprehended in France that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne assembled at Avignion anno Dom. 1228 about the difficulties of the executions of those which the Dominican Fryers had accused said plainely there were so many apprehended that it was not possible to defray the charge of their feeding nor to finde enough lime and stone to build prisons for them when they came to wage warre with their enemies they
examining them The like may be sayd of Bede Gregorie and others that holding Christ the foundation a right and groaning under the weight of mens Traditions humane satisfactions and the like popish trash they by unfained repentaÌ„ce for their errours lapses knowne and unknowne and by an assured faith in their Saviour did finde favour with the Lord these and the like we hold to be Gods servants and propter meliorem saniorem partem by reason of their better and sounder part to be with us lively members of the true Church though in some things they were mistaken and that they may be termed professours of our faith inasmuch as the denomination is to be taken from the better part and not alwayes from the greater For example sake there is much water and little wine mixed in a glasse yet it is called a glasse of wine so say we of professors S. Bernard and such like there is in them some bad parts some superstition and Poperie and some good in that they hold Christ Iesus the foundation aright in this case they may in respect of their better part be termed and denominated true professors and therefore you must give us againe Saint Bernard with others to whoÌ„ you have no right or claime unlesse it be to their errours which they suckt in from the corrupt breasts of some of your side and so I proceed to the severall points in question Of the Scriptures Sufficiencie and Canon Saint Bernard as wee heard approveth such a Councell wherein the Traditions of men are not obstinately defended but the revealed will of God enquired after for that this is all in all Claudius Seyssel Archbishop of Turin in Piedmont one that was Neighbour to the Waldenses and laboured to enforme himselfe touching their positions and also to confute them saith that they admitted onely the text of the old and new Testaments so that they denyed unwritten traditions to be the Rule of Faith Petrus Cluniacensis after he had reckoned up the canonicall bookes saith There are besides the authenticall bookes sixe other not to be rejected as namely Iudith Tobias Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Macchabees which though they attaine not to the high dignitie of the former yet they are received of the Church as containing necessary and profitable doctrine Hugo de Sancto victore saith All the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament are twentie two there are other bookes also as namely the Wisedome of Salomon the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Machabees which are read but not written in the Canon The Bible was translated into English some hundred yeares as it is probably conjectured before Wickliffs translation came forth a coppie of which auncient translation my selfe have seene in our Queenes Colledge Librarie in Oxford in the praeface whereof it may be seene that the translatour held the controverted bookes for Apocrypha for thus he saith what ever booke of the Old Testament is out of these he maketh the same â—anon with us twentie five before sayd shall be set among Apocrypha that is without authoritie of beleefe Therefore the booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Iudith and Tobie bee not of beleefe Hierome saith all this sentence in the prologue on the first booke of Kings now if at that time the above sayd bookes had beene accounted Authenticall by the Church and of beleefe he would have sayd but this opinion of Hieromes is not approved by the Church as Doctor Iames hath well observed Of Communion under both kinds and number of Sacraments HVgo de Sancto victore giveth a reason of the entire communicating in both kinds Therefore saith he the Sacrament is taken in both kindes that thereby a double effect might be signified For it hath force as S. Ambrose saith to preserve both body and soule Gratian rehearseth many ancient Canons and constitutions for communicating in both kinds Saint Bernard in his third Sermon on Palme Sunday maketh the Sacrament of Christs body and blood the Christians foode Touching the Sacrament of Christs body and blood saith he there is no man who knoweth not that this so singular a food was on that day first exhibited on that day coÌ„mended and coÌ„manded to be frequently received Saint Bernards words have reference to the Institution of Christ now at our Saviours last Supper there was Wine as well as Bread and Bernard treating thereof saith it was commanded to be frequently received now if the whole Church were enjoyned so to doe then also is every particular beleever who is of age fitted thereunto enjoyned to receive it accordingly The precise number of seaven Sacraments was not held for catholike doctrine no not in the Church of Rome untill more than a thousand yeares after Christ this is ingenuously confessed by Cassander Vntill the dayes of Peter Lombard who lived about the yeere 1145 you shall scarce finde any authour saith their Cassander who set downe any certaine and definite number of Sacraments neither did all the schoolemen call all those sâ—ven proper Sacraments but this is without all controversie saith the same Cassander that there are two chiefe Sacraments of our Salvation that is to say Baptisme and the Lords Supper and so speake Rupertus and Hugo de Sancto victore and he saith true for Rupertus putteth the question and asketh Which be the chiefe sacraments of our salvation and hee answereth Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Of the Eucharist IN this age â—ratian the Monke affoordeth us a notable testimony against transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ his coÌ„parison is thus drawne This holy bread is after its manner called the body of Christ as the offering thereof by the hands of the Priest is called Christs passion now the Priests oblation is not properly and literally in strict termes and sence the passion of Christ but as the Glosse hath it the Sacrament representing the body of Christ is therefore called Christ's flesh not in verity of the thing but in a mystery namely as the representation of Christ therein is called his Passion Gratians words are these As the heavenly bread which is Christ's flesh after a sort is called Christ's body whereas indeed it is the Sacrament of his body and the sacrificing of the flesh of Christ which is done by the Priest's hands is sayd to be his passion not in the truth of the thing but in a signifying mistery Iâ—annes Semeca who was the first that glossed upon Gratians decrees telleth us how this comparison is to be meant This Sacrament saith the Glosse because it doth represent the flesh of Christ is called the Body of Christ but improperly not in the truth of the thing but in the mysticall sence to wit it is called the Body of â—hrist that is it signifieth his Body From these premisses we inferre that after consecration the Sacrament is not in truth Christ's Body but onely in a
in the Court of Rome any Translations of Bishoprickes processes and sentences of excommunication Bulles instruments or other things they shall be out of the Kings protection and their lands and tenements goods and chattels forfeit to the King and processe to be made against them by Praemunire facias It was also enacted in the Reigne of King Henry the fourth that all elections of all Archbishoprickes Abbeyes Priories Deanries and other dignities should be free without being in any wise interrupted by the Pope And indeede it was high time to curbe the Popes bestowing of Benefices on forrainers for upon an Inquisition taken by Simon Langham Archbishop of Canterbnry it was found that some had above twenty Churches and dignities by the Popes authority and were thereby further priviledged to hold so many more as they could get without measure or number Yea the Romans and Italians were so multiplied within a few yeares in English Church-livings that when King Henry the third caused a view thereof to be taken throughout the whole Realme the summe of their revenewes was found to be yeerely as Mathew Paris saiâ—h Sexaginta millia marcarum threescore thousand markes to the which summe the yeerely revenues of the Crowne of England did not amount By this that hath beene said it appeares to be an untruth which the Papists in their Supplication and the Authour of the treatise called the Prudentiall Ballance have given out to witâ— That all the Kings of England unto King Henry the eight were papists for divers of them dyed before the grossenes of Popery began otheâ—s of theÌ„ as namely King Henry the first and secoÌ„d King Iohn King Richard the second and Edward the third opposed the Papacy Now the very being essence of a Papist consists in acknowledging the Popes supremacy which since these did not acknowledge but withstood it they cannot properly be tearmed Papists though they were carried away with the errours of those times In this age lived those famous Florentine Poets Dante and Petrarch as also our English Laureat Chaucer as also Ioannes de Rupe scissâ or Rocke-cliffe and S. Bridget And these found fault with the Romish faith as well as with her manners Dante in his Poeme of Paradise written in Italian complaines that the Pope of a shepheard was become a wolfe diverted Christs sheepe out of the true way that the Gospell was forsaken the writings of the Fathers neglected and the Decretals onely studied That in times past warre was made upon the Church by the sword but now by a famine and dearth of the Word which was allotted for the food of the soule not wont to be denied to any that desired it that men applauded theÌ„selves in their owne conceits but the Gospell was silenced that the poore sheepe were fed with the puffes of winde and were pined and consumed away Dante his words are these Produce et spande il maladetto fiâ—râ— Cha desuâ—ate le pecore et gli agni Però che fatto ha lupo del pastore Per questâ— l' evangelio i dâ—ttor magni Son derelitti et solo à i decretali Si studia si che pare à i lor viuagni A questo intende ' l papae Cardinali which may be thus Englished She did produce and forth hath spread The cursed flower which hath misled The sheepe and lambes because that then Shepheards became fierce wolves not men Hereupon the Gospell cleare And the ancient Fathers were Forsaken then the Decretals By the Pope and Cardinals Were onely read as may appeare By th' salvage of the gownes they weare Againe Già solea con le spade far guerra Ma hor si fa togliondo hor qui hor quivi Lo pan ch' el pio padre a nessun serra I' th' dayes of old with sword they fought But now a new way they have sought By taking away now hâ—re there then The bread of life from starved men Which our pious fathers ne're denyed To any one that for it cryed Againe Per apparer ciafâ—un in glâ—gnâ— et face Sue inventioni quelle sontrascorse Da predicanti eâ— l vangilio sitace Non disse Chrisâ—o al su primo convento Andate predicate al mondo ciance Ma dâ—ed e lâ—r verace fondamento Et quel tanto sond ne le sue guance Si cli à pugnar par accender la fede Del ' evangelio fero scudi lance Hora si va con motti et coniscede A predicar pur che ben si rida Gonfiâ— a' l cappuccio più non si richiede Matal vcel nel ' bechetto S' annida Che se'l vulg il vedesse vederebbe La perdonanza di che si confida Per cui tanta stultitia in terra crebbe Che sanza prova d' alcun testimonio Ad ogni promession si conuerebbe Di questo n grassa l' porco Sant Antonio Et altri auchâ—r che son assai più porci Pagando di moneta sanza conio Christ sayd not to th' Apostles goe And preach vaine toyes the world unto But he did give them a true ground Which onely did in their eares sound So providing for to fight And to kindle faithâ—s true light Out of the Gospell they did bring Their sheild and speares t' effect the thing Now the way of preaching is with toyes To stuffe a sermon and herein joy's Their teachers if the people doe but smile At their conceits the Frier i'th'meane while Huff'es up his Cowle and is much admir'd For that 's his aime there 's nothing else requir'd â—ut in this hood there is a nest Of birds which could the vulgar â—ee They might spie pardons and the rest How worthy of their trust they bee By these their Indulgences and pardons And by their Friers absolutions Such follies on the earth abound That without proofe or other ground Of testimony men agree To any promise that made can be By this St. Anthony piggs grow fat And such like Pardoners so that Hereby they feede the belly and the groine Paying their people with counterfeit coine Here we see how the Poet taxeth papall Indulgences which the Friers vented enriching themselves by marting such pardons or Bulles signed or sealed with Lead for which the people paid currant money he also taxeth such as vainely trusted to such pardons as also the fond conceite they had of being shriven and absolved in a Monkes cowle as if some rare vertue had layd in that Cuculla or Capuccio alluding belike to the Monkes hood or Friers cowle as if the fashion thereof had resembled the Cuckowe The same Dante in covert termes calleth Rome the whore of Babylon mentioned in the Apocalyps his words are these Di voi pastor s' accorse ' l' vangelista quando colei che siede soura l' acque putaneggiar co i regi à lui fù vista Quella che con le sette teste nacque et da le diece corna hebb
at Aâ—twerpe Anno 1576. at Paris Anno 1586. at Coleine Ann. 1616. but no such place was there to be found the Divines of Lovaine had taken a course with them and suppressed these testimonies but by good hap I met with them in the Basil Edition Anno 1569. Object Those whom you have named in your Catalogue were originally Catholikes and not Protestants Wickliâ—fe and Husse were Catholike Priests and Luther was an Augustine Frier you cannot name such as were Protestants originally they came forth of our Church Answer Whence I pray you sprang Christs Apostles were they not taken out of the Iewish Church at that time much corrupted S. Paul speaking of himselfe and the service of his God saith Whom I doe serve from my progenitors meaning Abraham Isaac and Iacob the first Fathers of the faithfull for as for S. Pauls immediate predecessors it is likely that they relished of the leven of the Pharisees It can be no more prejudice to our Church that Luther Wickliffe aâ—d Husse were originally Papists than to S. Paul that he was originally a Pharisee or to S. Austine that he was orinally a Manichee or to our Ancestors at the first conversion of our land that they were originally heathen or to all true Converts that they were originally unregenerate For as Tertullian saith Fiunt non nascuntur Christiani We are not borne Christians but we become Christians Neither is it true that wee can name none of our Church that were not originally Papists For Farellus and the Waldensian Ministers for more than 400. yeares were not originally Papists though Waldo himselfe was Besides the Fathers for 600 yeares and the Monkes in Britaine at Augustines comming were not originally Papists In the Greeke Church from 700. to 700 afterwards many thousands held as wee doe in all fundamentals who never were originally Papists nor millions of others in the Easterne Churches and namely in the Greeke Church there have bene from 700. to 700. afterwards many thousands which held as we doe in all fundamentals and never were originally Papists Lastly the like argument might be urged against all that embraced Reformation in Iosias dayes that they originally were involved in the common errors and Idolatry of the Iewish Church Likewise that Zachary and Elizabeth and Simeon and Anna and the Apostles were originally deduced from that Church which held many errors concerning the temporall kingdome of the Messias and divorces for other causes than adultery c. Which errors Christ and his Apostles reproved In England and most parts of the world the first Christians were originally Paynims and Idolaters what prejudice is that to Christianity or advantage to Heathenisme Object Your Churches professors mentioned in your Catalogue wanted lawfull succession Answer There is a two-fold succession the one lineall and locall the other doctrinall this of doctrine is the life and soule of the other Irenaeus describeth those which have true succession from the Apostles To bee such as with the succession of the Episcopall office have received the câ—rtâ—ine grace of tâ—uth and this kind of succession hee calleâ—h the principâ—ll succession Gregory Nazianzen having said that Atâ—anasius succeeded Saint Marke in godlinesse addeth That this succession in godlinesse is properly to be accounted succâ—ssion for he that holdeth the same doctrine is also pâ—rtaker of the same throne but he that is against the doctrine must be reputed an adversary even while hâ—e sitteth in the throâ—e but the former hath the thing it selfe and the truth so that according to Irenaeus and Nazianzâ—n succession in doctrinâ— suâ—ficeth yea Nazianzen as we have heard makes it all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that he which holds the same truth of doctrinâ— may bee said to sit in the same Chaire of succession Besides wee are able to shew succession also in place for â—ive hundred yeares in most parts of Christendome and since that in the Greeke Church untill this day and in the Latine Church from the time of Waldo in France Bohemia and other places And for the Church of England the lineall succession of her Bishops is showne particularly by Mr. Francis Mason de ministerio Anglicano Mr. Goodwin in his Catalogue of the Bishops of England and Mr. Isaacson in his Chronologicall Table of the succession of the Bishops of England PA. Name in the space of a thousand yeares next before Luther three knowne and confessed Protestant Bishops succeeding each to other and if you had such expresse their agreement with you in the maine points controverted betweene us PRO. This demand was eagerly pressed upon me by a Romish Priest but the Stone which he hurled at mee not comming forth of Davids sling recoiles upon himselfe like the stone that Achilles flung at a dead skull which â—ebounded backe and strucke out the slingers eyeâ— Redijt lapis ultor ab osse Actorisque suifrontem oculâ—squè petit For I would in like manner demand of him to name three knowne and confessed Popish Bishops succeeding each other who maintained the worship of Images before the second Councell of Nice or that beleeved Transubstantiation before the Roman Councell under Pope Nicholasâ— or that avowed the dry and halfe Communion before the Councell at Constance under Martin the fift or that held the effect of the Sacraments to depend upon the Priests intention before the Councell at Florence or defined the Pope to be above a Generall Councell before the Councell of Lateran under Leo the tenth or that determined the twelve new Articles of Pius the fourth his Creed to be all de Fide and necessary to salvation before the Councell of Trent Besides there is no necessitie of naming three Bishops succeeding each other and opposing Poperie It sufficeth to name such as opposed it tho they sate not successively in the same Chaire for all Romish errors and superstitions rushed not in at once into the Church but by degrees now such as held the fundamentals with us and opposed any one error or more when they were first espied to creepe into the Church they were Protestants though they went not then under that name Now according to this account of Protestants wee can produce many more than three Bishops succeeding each other who in their times made head against Romish usurpations and superstitions for instance sake S. Austine and with him two hundred and seventeene Bishops of Africa and their successors for a hundred yeares together if their owne Records be true opposed the Popes supremacie in point of Appeales To speake nothing of the innumerable Bishops in the Easterne Churches and the Habassines and Muscovites and elsewhere succeeding each the other for many hundred yeares differing in no fundamentall point from Protestants and keeping no quarter at all with the Pope or See of Rome when Austine the Monke was sent into England by Gregory the Great the most ancient British and Irish Bishops withstood the Popes authority and ordinances stifly adhering to the Churches
of Asia in their celebration of Easter and tho they were cut off from the Popes Communion yet they sleighted it and persisted in their former opinions and customes as I have already showne in the sixth Centurie In the later ages Rainerius the Popish Inquisitour makes mention of two famous Bishops of the Waldenses one Balazinanza of Verona and one Iohn de Lugio about the yeare 1250. And I have showne in the twelfth age out of Mathew Paris about the yeare of Grace 1223 that amongst the Albigenses there was one Bartholomew who ordered and governed the Churches in Bulgaria Croatia Dalmatia Hungaria and appointed Ministers insomuch as the Bishop of Portuense the Popes Legate in those parts complained thereof And in the fifteenth age I have showne out of Cochleus in his Historie of the Hussites knowne and confessed Protestants how Conâ—adus Arch-bishop of Prague became an Hussite and held a Councel at Prague in the yeare 1421 and there compiled a Confession of their Faith agreeable to the doctrine of the Reformed Churches Now those who succeeded the forenamed Bishops among the Waldenses and Albigenses as also the Hussites although they carried not the titles of Bishops yet they exercised Episcopall authoritie in ordaining Priests the Catalogue of whom is extant in the historie of the Waldenses and Albigenses And thus they have in Germany those whom they call Superintendents and generall Superintendents and where these are not as in the French Churches yet There are saith Zanchius usually certaine chiefe men that doe in a manner beare all the sway as if order it selfe and necessitie led them to this course And what are these but Bishops in effect unlesse wee shall wrangle about names which for reason of State those Churches were to abstaine from PA. Since you impute so many errours to the Church of Rome which you pretend to have reformed tell us when those corruptions came in for doubtlesse some histories would note them some learned men oppose them for in every great and notorious change there may be observed the Authour time and place with the like Circumstances as Bellarmine saith PRO. By the like reason it would follow that a Tenant who had long dwelt he and his Ancestors in a decayed house should not bee bound to repayre it unlesse his Land-lord could tell him in what yeare or month every rafter or wall began to decay a sick patient should not purge out an ill humour unlesse hee or his Physician could name the time when his first mis-diet had bred this humour so Naaman because hee was once cleane and could not tell the very time meanes and degrees of the comming of his Leprosie might be proved to bee cleane still and neede neither the Prophet nor the washing 2 King 5. Errours and abuses are not all of one sort there were some heresies such as the Arrian and Nestorian which strucke at the very head the one at the divinitie of Christ the other at the divinity of the Holy Ghost and these being notorious were soone discerned and opposed and herein Bellarmines reason many take place but Poperie like that mysterie of iniquitie 2 Thes. 2.7 works closely it creeps and spreads abroad like a Cancker or Gangreene 2. Tim. 2.17 it is like the Cockatrices Egge a long time in the shell before the Cockatrice it selfe appeare Now these kinde of corruptions creepe into the Church secretly and insensibly and are best knowne by their differences from their first pure doctrine so that if we can shew the present doctrines of Rome refused by us disagree from the Primitive it is enough to shew there hath beene a change though wee cannot point out the time wheÌ„ every point began to be changed Tertullian saith The very doctrine it selfe being compared with the apostolicke by the diversity contrarietie thereof will pronounce that it â—ad â—or Authour neither any Apostle nor any Apostolicall man If from the beginning it was not so and now it is so there is a change All dranke of that Cup now all must not all then prayed in knowne tongues with understanding and all publike service done to edification now the custome is altered though wee know not when this change began Besides they that call upon us to show the time place and persons of such and such changes in Religion cannot theâ—selves performe the like Gregory de Valentia a learned Iesuite confesseth that the use of receiving the Sacrament in one kind began first in some Churches and grew to be a generall custome in the Latine Church not much before the Councel of Constance in which at last to wit about two hundred yeares agon this custome was made a law But if they put the question to him as they doe to us and aske him When did that custome first get fâ—oting in some Churches he returnes this for Answer Minimè constat it is more than he can tell Doctor Fisher bishop of Rochester and Cardinal Cajetan grant that of Indulgences no certainty can be had what their Originall was or by whom they were first brought in Doctor Fisher addeth that Of Purgatorie in the ancient Fathers there is no mention at all or very rare that thâ— Latines did not all at once but by little and little receive it that tâ—e Grecians beleeve it not to this day and that Purgatorie being so long unknowne it is not to be marveiled that in the first times of the Church there was no use of Indulgences for they had their beginning after that men had a while beene scared with the torments of Purgatorie which as the same Râ—ffensis saith was but Sero cognitum lately knowne and discovered The Originall of their private Masses wherein the Priest receiveth the Sacrament alone and none of the people communicate with him but are all lookers on Doctor Harding fetcheth from no other ground than Lacke of devotion on the peoples part now let them tell us in what Popes dayes the people fell from their devotion and then we may haply tell them when their private Masses began Bellarmine saith that The worship and Invocation of Saints was brought into the Church rather by custome than any precept Concerning prayer in an unknowne tongue It is to be wondred how the Church altered in this point saith Erasmus but the precise time he cannot tell So little reason have they to think that al such changes must be made by any one certaine author it being confessed that some of them may come in pedetentim as B. Fisher saith of purgatory by litle and little not so very easie to be discerned some may come in by the silent coÌ„sent of many grow after into a generall custome the beginning whereof is past mans memorie as the abstaining from the cup some may arise of the undiscreet devotion of the multitude as those of Purgatorie and Indulgences and some from the want of devotion in the people as