Apostles he shall declare himselfe to want both head and braine for in the Canticles c. 2. and Ephes 5. the title of spouse of the church is declared to belong to Christ and him only the scriptures declare to be head of the Church Gregory lib. 4. ep 38. ad Ioan. Constantinopol sheweth that neither Paul nor Andrew nor Iohn nor Peter was the head of the vniuersall church but all members of the church vnder one head The Prophets and Apostles doe teach vs that the church of God consisteth of sheepe and lambes and such was Peter commanded to feede God saith by his Prophet Isay c. 11. that there shall be no hurting nor killing in all his holie mountaine and that the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the pard he with the kidde but the Romish Church is full of blood and wholy vpholden by cruelty in France the Pope and his complices haue caused aboue two hundred thousand persons to be murdered for the profession of the true faith the fires and butchers axes of their executioners haue consumed also infinit Christians in Italy Spaine England Scotland Germany and the Low countries very ignorant therefore he is of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that supposeth that the massacring Romish church is founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Prophet Daniel doth prophecy how a certaine king shall arise that shall speake words of blasphemy against the most high and consume his Saints and that shall thinke that he may change times and lawes the Apostle also 2. Thess 2. sheweth that there shall come a departing and that the man of sinne shall be disclosed and exalt himselfe against all that is called God and that he shall sit in the temple of God S. Iohn also in his Apocalypse sheweth that Antichrist shall rise after the decay of the Roman Empire and giue life to that state and that the great whore shall sit vpon the seuen hils and haue her garments died red in the blood of Saints but this argueth that the Pope is Antichrist and that Popish religion is not Christian religion grounded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets but rather Antichristian heresie founded vpon the Popes decretales and schoolemens fond and foolish inuentions Finallie it is not only desperate ignorance but also meere madnesse to affirme that the grounds doctrines heresies and blasphemies which before we haue spoken of are deriued out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles would Kellison the Popes grand surueier vndertake to prooue vnto vs all the Popes traditions concerning the Masse the dirges and offices for the dead purgatory indulgences holy water holy candles paschal lambes rascall Friers and Monkes and such like trash by the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets he should but lose his labour and percase his wits too for in their diuine writings such fond superstitious and impious doctrines haue no defence nor shelter but if hee meane to find their true beginning then must he search the Popes decretales the writings of schoolemen and canonists and other the Popes adherents and there he shall not only find out the first authours but also the rest of the nouelties fooleries and impieties of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. XIII That poperie was either condemned or not knowen by Kings and Princes professing Christian religion in old time THe Popes Agents when they are vpon their owne dunghils and among their owne disciples and fauorers doe make great crackes as if the Popish religion which is now taught at Rome were the only religion professed by ancient kings princes and emperors of Rome that made profession of the Christian faith but who so list to read the ancient confessions of Christian kings and the lawes made by them both for mainteinance of the Christian faith and for the repressing of diners errors shall finde that the grounds doctrines impieties absurdities of Popery were either disallowed by them or vnknowen vnto them The first Christian king of Britaine if we may beleeue Bede and others of latter times for in more auncient histories there is no record of such a king or such matters as then passed was Lucius but we doe not finde that the Popish Masse was then hatched or that Eleutherius bishop of Rome pretended the vniuersall monarchy of the Church nay wee read that Irenaeus doth make as great account of other churches as of Rome albeit the same be first placed in regard of the splendour and authority of that citie furthermore Lucius neither had images nor worshipped them nor did he giue Latria to the crosse of Purgat one and indulgences he could not heare any thing for that Eleutherius as yet tooke not vpon him to deliuer soules out of Purgatory nor to grant pardons a poena culpa finally if Kellison seeke to prooue the articles of Popery before mentioned by the testimony of Lucius you shall soone see that the man will be at a stand The first Christian Emperour of Rome was Constantine the great but many actes of his declare that he was neither a slaue of the bishop of Rome nor a professor of Popery for first by his authority both was the councell of Nice assembled and the actes thereof established as Enschius in vita Constantini and other ecclesiasticall writers doe testifie secondly that faith which the councell of Nice published he professed but therein is not one article of Popery established but rather diuers refuted as namely the doctrine of Papists concerning Christs humanitie and the Popish reall presence and dissoluing priests mariages for if Christ be true man then is not his body inuisible and impalpable in the Sacrament againe if Christs body be ascended into heauen then is not the same in euery pixe if the same be to come from heauen then is not the same to creepe out of a pixe if mariage of Priests be honorable and not to be dissolued as was decreed in the counceil of Nice by the aduice of Paphnutius then doe the Papists teach doctrines of diuels that condemne such mariages and separate Priests from their wiues thirdly all the actes of that councell were confirmed and not only receiued by Constantine but that sheweth that the Bishop of Rome then had no more authoritie in his prouince then the Bishop of Alexandria in his as the sixth canon of the Nicene councell testifieth the 4. canon sheweth that the Bishop of Rome had no greater authority in ordeining bishops then other metropolitans the fifth canon equalleth his power in excommunication to that which other Bishops had to abridge this matter we finde that the Bishops of Rome were as well subiect to the canons of the councell of Nice as other Bishops finally we finde that Constantine made lawes for church gouernment in his time and not the Bishops of Rome Nay the bishops of Rome as is said in the counterfet donation of Constantine had their priuileges from Constantine and not contrariwise priuilegium Romanae ecclesiae pontifici
foundation and pillar of our faith they doe make the traditions of the church not written equall to the scriptures and vpon them nay vpon the decretales of Popes and practise of Massepriestes doe build their faith all antiquitie esteemeth holy scriptures to be the canon of our faith and therefore calleth them canonicall But the Romanists esteeme them to be an vnperfect canon without their traditions and the Popes decretales and determinations Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei c. 4. saith they are neither necessary nor sufficient without traditions The fathers neuer accounted the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees equall to the bookes of the law and Prophets extant originally in Hebrew as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in prologo Galeato of Athanasius in synopsi of Nazianzen in carm of Epiphanius and diuers others old and new writers the Papists in the synode of Trent decree them to be of equall authoritie with the rest the auncient catholikes euer esteemed the Hebrew text of the old testament and the Greeke of the new to be more authentical then anie translation the conuenticle of Trent hath made the old latin vulgar translation of the bible authenticall and doth not giue that honor to the originall bookes of the bible the canonicall scriptures we say receiue their force from the author of them and this is to be prooued by the consent of fathers and by arguments from scriptures law and reason they say that scriptures receiue force and authoritie in respect of vs from the Church or rather from the Pope Papists are neither willing that scriptures be turned into vulgar tongues nor will permitte them to be read of the vulgar sort without licence or publickly read in vulgar tongues in the church finally they say they are obscure and hard to be vnderstood and speake what they can in their disgrace Secondly they teach erroneously concerning Christs naturall body and concerning his office the body of Christ they beleeue to be both in heauen and on earth on euerie altar at one and the selfe same time they also hold that his body is really vnder the accidents of bread and wine giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor in any sort like to ours they teach further that his body is in diuers places where it filleth not the places and that his one body hath relation to diuers places they beleeue that the soules of the faithfull before Christes comming were in hell or at least in Limbo which is a part of hell and were thence deliuered by Christes going to hell as if his crosse had wrought nothing for them they teach that Christ as man is omniscient and per consequent omnipotent and that he was vir perfectus that is a perfect or growne man from the first instant of his conception his office of mediation they giue to the virgin Mary to Angels and to Saints they make also Saints our redeemers teaching that by their merits Christians obteine their desires and are deliuered out of purgatorie to Masse-priests they giue priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech and say that they offer vp Christs body and blood really for quicke and dead finally they make the Pope head spouse and monarke of the Church Neither doe they teach more catholikely of Christes mysticall body then of his naturall body for they subiect the same to the Pope and exclude all from Christ that are not subiect to the Pope the true members thereof they persecute and make heretikes and reprobates and such as liue without order or law professing their religion outwardly true members of Christes body the Church say they is alwaies so conspicuous and visible that euery one may see it and discerne it the true markes of the church that is true doctrine and the sincere administration of Sacraments and holinesse of life they denie assigning most common and vncerteine markes as vnitie vniuersalitie antiquitie succession and such like The Pope they make a most certeine and infallible interpreter of Scriptures and iudge of matters of faith they giue him authoritie to make lawes for the whole Church and power to binde mens consciences they make him more souereigne then a generall Councell and say that his power in giuing indulgences reacheth into purgatorie they say he hath power to excommunicate and depose kings and to giue away their kingdomes to others Betwixt the Catholicke church and Roman church they make no difference equalling a part to the whole they say also that the Roman church can neither erre nor faile The worship of God consisteth in spirit and trueth but they place the same in certeine externall rites and ceremonies and in meere humane inuentions and deuices nay for God they worship creatures not onely giuing diuine honour to the Sacrament but also to crucifixes and images of the Trinitie made of wood stone and colours they doe also adore not onely saints but rotten bones and ragges they know not of whom to Saints they pray they make vowes they confesse their sinnes to saints they erect churches and altars to their images they burne incense and present diuers oblations and finally in the honour of Saints haue deuised particular masses and offices transforming the Psalmes and wordes of Scriptures to Angels and Saints Their doctrine concerning the Sacraments is most exorbitant for they doe not onely adde vnto water in Baptisme salt spittle oile and diuers other ceremonies partly idle partly superstitious but also vnto the two Sacraments instituted by Christ they equall confirmation matrimonie penance orders and extreme vnction making them Sacraments as well as Baptisme or the Lords Supper in Confirmation they haue deuised both a new signe and new wordes in extreme Vnction they haue deuised new formes in the ordring of Priestes they say accipe potestatem offerendi sacrisicium in ecclesia pro viuis mortuis that is receiue power to offer sacrifice in the church for quicke and dead in Penance they vrge a necessity of confession strange formes of whipping and vncerteine hopes and new deuices of satisfaction from Matrimonie they exclude Priestes monkes and friars and make it a Sacrament albeit they know neither certeine signes nor words of the institution of it but the institution of the Lords supper they haue quite abolished for that which Christ ordeined to be receiued of the Communicants that the masse-priest doth offer for quicke dead and in the honour of Saints and Angels of which there is not one worde spoken in the institution our Sauiour in bread and wine instituted his last supper these neither leaue bread nor wine but make Christians eaters of mans flesh and drinkers of mans blood like the canibals Cyclopes Christ ordeined this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion these make of the same a sacrifice in honour of Angels and Saints the cup of the new testament they take from Christians abrogating as much as in them lieth the new testament established in Christs blood and
contulit saith the author of that donation vt in toto orbe Romani pontifices velâ—saecendotes ita hunâ— caput habeant sicut iudices regem so it appeareth that the preeminence of Roman bishops ouer all Priests proceeded from the Emperours grant and not from any ordinance of Christ or diuine authority Likewise we read that the councels of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon were called by the authority of Emperours and that their acts and decrees were ratified by them and not by the bishops of Rome more than other bishops as is pretended Further in the confessions of faith published by those councels and receiued by Theodosius Martianâ—â—s and other Christian Emperours there is not one article of popery so much as mentioned nay albeit the bishops of Rome oppugned the decree of the councell of Chalcedon concerning the priuiledge of the Church of Constantinople yet preuailed they not lastly the condemnation of Eutyches in the councell of Chalcedon doth ouerthrow the popish reall presence of Christs body in the sacrament and transubstantiation for if Christ haue a true body that is circumscriptible solide then is not Christs body really in euery consecrated host and if that according as after the vnion of the natures both remaine so the bread and wine remaine after consecration as the fathers of that councell pretend then awaie flieth the fancy of popish transubstantiation Recaredus King of Spaine assembled the third councell of Toledo chased Arianisme out of his dominions published a confession of the faith which all Christian bishops of that countrey receiued and gouerned and confirmed the councell publico regis edicto confirmatum est concilium the councell was confirmed by publicke proclamation of the king saith the compiler of the acts of that councell finallie in all the acts there is not one article of popery confirmed but the 21. canon that alloweth Psalmes to be sung at burials doth vtterly ouerthrow dirges and masses for the dead and the doctrine of purgatory for how can they chuse but sorrow for the dead that beleeue their friends soules to be in purgatorie the 22. canon forbiddeth dances and immodest songs on holy daies the 16. canon is directed against the worship of idols the 11. canon reproueth Priests that absolue publike sinners without due acts of repentance which is an abuse very common in the masse-priests finally in this synode the Spaniard followed the rules of the Church of Constantinople and not of Rome as appeareth by the second canon Iustinian the Emperour as is reported in the law inter claras Cod. de sum Trin. published a confession of faith which he commanded to be receiued throughout his dominions but therein is not any article of popery mentioned nay diuers of his lawes concerning the ordination of bishops the ordering of Churches and other ecclesiasticall matters declare that vnto his time the gouernment of the Church belonged to kings and princes and that yet the Pope had not vsurped his generall authoritie nor excluded temporall Princes he decreed that the sacraments should be administred contrarie to the Popish forme in an audible voice and in atongue that might be vnderstood Gregory the first acknowledged himselfe subiect to the Emperour and willing to execute his commandements which sheweth that the Emperour as yet held his authority and would not yeeld it to the bishop of Rome his faith also was the same which other Emperours professed for as yet Antichrist had not gained the primacy Gregory himselfe in his epistle to Serenus of Massilia praiseth him for that hee suffered not images to be adored and no man needeth to doubt but that Maurice the Emperour concurred with him in matters of faith Leo the fourth in the chapter de capitulis dist 11. professeth that he will see the Emperours orders by all meanes kept de capitulis vel praeceptis imperialibus vestris c. irrefragabiliter custodiendis saith he quantum valuimus valemus Christe propitio nunc in aeuum nos conseruaturos modis omnibus profitemur this therefore is an argument that the christian faith as yet was maintained by the authority of the Emperours that the bishops of Rome had then made no alteration by their decretales as not hauing as yet setled their supreme and tyrannicall authority in the Church in the time of this Leo neither was transubstantiation nor the necessity of auricular confession in the Priests eare for all sinnes nor communion vnder one kind heard of Beda in the Preface of his Ecclesiasticall historie praiseth king Ceolulphus for that he heard the wordes of holy Scriptures diligently but now among papists lay-men are not commended for hearing scriptures at that time neither were the 7. sacraments confirmed nor the Popes doctrine of Purgatorie and indulgences once deliuered Irene though a semipagan Empresse and a worshipper of images yet did not giue diuine worship to the crucifix or images of the Trinitie Charles the great in a synod at Francford condemned the idolatrous decrees of the 2. Nicene synode assembled vnder Irene Ansegisus lib. 2. c. 19. sheweth that he decreed that nothing should be read in the church beside canonicall scriptures the same author reporteth diuers lawes made by him and his sonne Ludouic contrarie to the practise of the moderne Romish church Kellison therefore should worke a woonder if he could prooue that either of these Emperours beleeued that the bishop of Rome was head of the church and had both the swordes and ruled both on earth and in Purgatorie neither shall he be able to shew that they beleeued that publike seruice and sacraments were to be celebrated in a tongue not vnderstood or that those were the Apostles successors that neither preached nor administred the Sacraments Before the conuenticle of Laterane Christian kings and princes knew now what transubstantiation ment neither did they receiue the doctrine of the communion vnder one kinde before the synode at Constance in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenues the 4. the doctrine of the seuen Sacraments of Purgatorie of the Popes supremacie began to be in more reputution the rest of their heresies the Pope and his complices could not procure to be authorized before the conuenticle of Trent and yet the French refused to admit the actes of that conuenticle and the Emperor Charles the fift by his agents protested against them the Queene of England king of Denmarke Princes of Germany and manie other States resolutely reiected and contemned them So we see that the doctrine of the Romish church was nener receiued by many Christian princes especially this forme of doctrine that is prescribed by the conuenticle of Trent the Popes excommunications prouisions rapines violence and tyranny we finde to haue beene of most Christian kings resisted when the Popes of Rome began to lift vp their heels against the Easterne Emperors Leo Isauricus and others and to excommunicate them they neglected their censures and in the Easterne parts were obeied as before Henry the 4. emperour of Rome
sereno vultu respicerâ— digneris c. vpon which vouchsafe saith the Priest speaking of Christs body and blood to looke with a propitious and serene countenance but true Catholikes do hope that God will looke vpon them fauourably for the sacrifice once offred on the crosse by their Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus 38. They compare the sacrifice of Christs body blood in the Masse with the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beastes which no Catholike euer did 39. They make God an intercessor to Saints praying to him that by the intercession of saints they may obteine their desires and saying that God reueleth our thoughts to saints which is farre from the doctrine and beleefe of Catholikes 4. True Catholikes neuer added these words aterni and mysterium sidei to the words vsed by Christ in the consecration of the cuppe as the Papists doe in the Masse 41. True Catholikes beleeue that Christ was once onlie offered to his father for the sinnes of the world the Apostle Hebr. 9. saith that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many but the Papists say that Christ offered himselfe twise and that euery priest doth offer him vp and cat him vp continually in the Masse 42. True Catholikes neuer confessed their sinnes in the celebration of the Lords supper to the Virgin Mary to Michael the Archangell and to other Angels and Saints let Kellison but name vs one Catholike father that made such a confession or els we must needes conclude that he and his consorts be idolatrous Masse-priests 43. True Catholikes neuer beleeued that they could doe pennance by a procurato or atturnie as the Papists beleeue they may 44. Neither did they euer beleeue that no Christians could be absolued from their sinnes without auricular confession and the Priests absolution as the false Romish Catholikes doe 45. The false catholikes beleeue that the Popes are the successours of Peter but true Catholikes neuer beleeued or thought them to be successors of that holy apostle that neither taught nor administred the sacraments and in liew of feeding cause Christs sheepe to be massacred and killed 46. True Catholikes are often persecuted but persecute none Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen speaking of himselfe and his fellow catholikes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man but the Papists like cruel wolues persecute all that are not of their owne opinions 47. Catholikes keepe their words and performe thehir promises yea though it bee to their hindrance Papistes teach that faith is not to be kept with heretikes and burned Iohn Husse in the conuenticle of Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct and faithfull promise 48. In the 13. session of the conuenticle of Trent the masse-priests curse al that shal affirm that the principall fruit of the eucharist is remission of sinnes which falleth vpon al Catholikes that shall beleeue Christs words Matth. 26. this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes 49. Christ taught true Catholickes to pray to the father in his name neither euer do we read that true Catholickes did pray thus aue maris stella Dei mater alma atque semper virgo foelix coeli porta solue vincula reis profer lumen caecis or that they hoped to come to heauen or to haue remission of sinnes by the Virgin Maries praiers and intercession 50. True Catholickes neuer said to a crucifixe of wood thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father nor did they pray to the crosse as the Papists doe saying ô crosse of Christ protectâ—mâ— nay Ambrose de obitu Theodosij sheweth that Helen finding the crosse did not worship it but Christ that hanged vpon the crosse 51. True Catholickes neuer consecrated anie paschall lambes as the Masse-priests are prescribed to doe in their missals 52. True Catholickes neuer said any Psalter in the honor of our Lady nor repeated an hundred and fifty aue Maries and after euery fifty aue Maries one creed and after euerie tenne Aue Maries one Paternoster as he Papists doe after the prescription of their ladies psalters and rosaries 53. Neuer did true Catholikes deuise new religions nor allow the swarmes and sects of Iebusites Franciscans Dominicans and the filthy rable of Friers which we see in the Romish church Finally all those deuises trickes fooleries nouelties and impieties of Popery which we refuse were neuer admitted by true Catholikes or allowed in the practise of Catholike religion CHAP. XVI That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church ID verius quod prius saith Tertullian lib. 4. contra Marcionem that is true that is former and that is former that was from the beginning and that was from the beginning that came from the Apostles Hierome also epist. 65. ad Pammach Ocean said to a certaine newly vp-start teacher in his time cur profers in medium quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why dost thou now bring foorth that which neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach if then Popish religion were that auncient religion which the Apostles first published then had the Papists cause to reioice but if Popery be nothing els but cockle that hath beene by heretikes and others the diuels ministers sowen in the Lords field since the first plantation of the Gospel and if the principall points thereof prooue new deuises brought in by the Pope and his complices many ages since the Apostles time then I hope euery Christian will reiect the same as nouelties and Papists hereafter will blush to talke of antiquitie That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church it may be proued first by the grounds of Popery that are of a later standing next by the founders and cheese authors of this sect that are not ancient thirdly by the particular points of Popery whose originall is found in later authors and lastly by the repugnance betwixt the doctrine of Popery and Christian religion The principall grounds of Popery are the Popes decretales the acts of certain late councels the disputes of schoolmen and glosses and commentaries of the Popes canonists and proctors but the Popes decretales had no authoritie of law before the time of Gregory the ninth who first published them and authorized them before his time Gratian and others had made diuers rapsodies and collections of the Popes decrees but the canonistes themselues doe not allow them for law beside that not one of the Popes before the time of Gregory the 7. who is the first that tooke vpon him to giue law to the whole church and whose epistles are first recorded in the great bullary took vpon him to publish his decretales for lawes if any decretales be set out before his time vnder the names of auncient bishops of Rome the stile arguments simplicity and fooleries conteined in them bewray them to be counterfet The Popes authority beganne to flourish about the times of Boniface the 3. who as
doe not see in what danger they stand either to be disgraced or dispossessed of their crownes disgrace it is to acknowledge any in earth their superiour and an euident danger to fall out with the Pope where the subiects are affected to Popery CHAP. XXXVII That Kings professing Popish religion are either no Kings or but halfe Kings BVt were not Kings in danger to lose their crownes and Kingdomes liuing vnder the Pope yet haue they no reason to take vpon themselues as free Kings and Princes or to beleeue that they can enioy all the right that belongeth to lawfull Kings and Princes For first no King can freely dispose of matters belonging to his gouernement that acknoledgeth any man to be his superior as for example Herode and other Kings that ruled vnder the Romans who could proceed no further then pleased the Emperors and people of Rome if then the King of Spaine or France or other nations do acknowledge the Pope to be his iudge and superior he may not refuse his iudgement or resist his authority Secondly we find that Kings before Christs comming in the flesh gaue lawes both to the chiefe priests and to all their people and not the chiefe priest either to the Kings of Israel and Iudah or to the people as may appeare by the lawes of Moyses Iosue Dauid Salomon Hezekia Iosiah we do also read that Constantine other Christian Kings vntill the times of Charles the great and long after gaue lawes to the Bishops of Rome and other clergy-men as may be euidently proued by the lawes yet extant Cod. de sum trinit sid cath de episc Cleric de episcop audient de haereticis and in diuers other titles and books but where any bishop of Rome all this time made any law to bind either kings or their subiects we find not vnlesse we list to admit counterfet decretales for currant lawes which no man of any vndestanding will doe nor any modest Papist can require wherefore taking vpon them authority to make lawes to binde both Kings and their subiects the Popes plainly declare that Kings lining vnder the confusion of Antichrists tyranny are no kings Thirdly Bellarmme lib. 1. de pontif Rom. c. 7. determineth that temperall Princes are no gouernors of the Church and generally both the Pope and his complices teach that kings haue no power either to make ecclesiasticall lawes or to reforme abuses of doctrine or to settle matters ecclesiasticall finally the Papists of England in their glosing petitions to his Maiesty wherein they pray his fauour yet will allow him no authority saue only in temporall and ciuill causes doth it not then manifestly appeare that Papists take from kings halfe their authority and giue the same to forreiners and publike enemies Fourthly in temporall matters which they are content to leaue to the disposition of Kings they restraine them in such sort that they wil not haue them either to rest in peace when the Pope commandeth them to make warres or to make warres further then the Pope permitteth Bomface the eight in c. vam sanctam extr de maiorit obed sheweth how princes are to vse their swords ad nutum patientiam sacerdotis that is at the Popes beck as long as he listeth to suffer it Fiftly the Pope shareth halfe the kings reuenues claiming tenths first fruits subsidies and other rights out of ecclesiasticall liuings he doth also claime the disposition of diuers ecclesiastical liuings in diuers cases and right to confirme bishops and getteth great summes of money for pardons licences and other rescripts and faculties Sixtly if a king need a dispensation against an ecclesiasticall law or an absolution from an offence he is sent to Rome to obteine it if be can and oftentimes such faculties and absolutions cost full deare King Henry the 8. spent great summes of money to be diuorced from his brothers wife and yet failed of his purpose Fredericke the 2. could not be absolued from his excommunication by Gregory the 9. but it cost him 125. M. ounces of gold as Nauclere and Iuan de Pineda a Spaniard doe signifie Iohn the king of England to obteine absolution was forced to resigne his crowne Seuenthly Alex. inder the fourth in the chapter quia nonnulli de immunit eccles in 6. exempteth the possessions and goods of clergie men from tolle and custome Finally Bomface the 8. in the chapter clericis de immunitat eccles m 6. doth excommunicate both kings and others that impose taxes and subsidies vpon the clergy and this is the common doctrine of the Popes agents Bellarmine de exemptione clericorum c. 1. setteth downe these propositions that clerkes in ecclesiasticall causes are free from the command of secular Princes by the law of God and againe that clerkes are not to be iudged of secular iudges albeit they transgresse temporall lawes and lastly that Princes in respect of clerkes are not soueraigne Princes Emanuel Sa in his Aphorismes for confessaries first printed and alledged by him that wrote the Franke discourse hath these wordes clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesaemaiestatis quia non est subditus regi the rebellion of a clerke against the king is no treason because he is not the kings subiect nay of late both the masse-priests and their firie followers haue thought it meritorious to rebell against the king And consonant to this doctrine is the practise of papists for in matters of contention betwixt the Pope and their kings they take part with the Pope and rebell against their kings as the rebellions of the Germaines and French in time past of the English and Irish against king Henry the 8. and Queene Elizabeth of the leaguers of France against king Henry the 3. and 4. doe manifestly declare When the Pope doth giue law to Princes they take themselues bound to execute it and vpon euery excommunication rise in armes against them and seeke to depose them In ecclesiasticall causes they runne for direction to the Pope and care not a straw for the ecclesiasticall lawes of their kings When the Pope commandeth a Prince to execute his bulles they are ready to follow the warres if he command them to surcease they forsake their kings in the midst of his conquests If the Pope leuy tenthes or subsidies vpon the clergy or Monkes or Friers they willingly beare all burthens and to him they runne for dispensations and all faculties Kings also seeke to the Pope in their owne cases for dispensations and absolutions where the Popes law saith they are necessarie Finally both the possessions and persons of clergy men are the Popes to dispose as may appeare for that he layeth what charge he listeth on their possessions and sometimes alienateth them to mainteine his warres and findeth their persons prest to doe him seruice If then kings beare themselues as inferiors to the Pope and receiue lawes at his hands and are excluded from all disposition and rule in ecclesiasticall causes and
neither the Pope nor his complices regard councels if they make against their profit or pleasure Bishops Priests Deacons committing adultery and practising vsury are greuously punished by the councell of Eliberis c. 18. and 20. but now these offences are common among Masse-priests and the Pope sheweth them by the chapter si clerici d◠indicijs and by his example how little he regardeth the actes of councels against these sinns in the same synode can 34. Christiās are forbidden to light candles in the churchyarde in the day time and c. 36. to set vp pictures in Churches cereos per diem saith the councell placuit in coemiterio non incendi and againe placuit picturas in ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus deping atur yet Papists do superstitiously set vp lightes in church yards and fill their churches with images and pictures Those which accuse their brethrē falsly by the first councel of Arles c. 14. are shut from the communion to then dying day de his qui accusant fratres suos placuit saith the councell cos vsij ad exitum non comunicare the same councel decreeth that no bishop should tread downe his fellow Bishop yet the Popes and their complices doe hire parasites and scrrilous companions to traduce and falsely to accuse their brethren and all good bishops are now troden downe by the Pope The Councell of Gangra condemneth those that dispraise mariage or doe taxe him that eateth flesh or that despise the oblation of a maried priest or make meetings without the church qui extra ecclesiam scorsim conuentus cilebrat or that take a pride in virginity or vse peculiar habits and despise those that vse common apparell or depart from their parents vpon praetence of religion quicumque silij à parentibus praetextu diuini culius abscedunt the same likewise condemneth those women which cut their haire propter dminum cultum for religion sake or that contrarie to scriptures and ecclesiasticall canons shall b ring in new precepts but Papists despise matiage as pollutions and fleshly life and esteeme monkes that eate no flesh more holy and perfect then other Christians they despise also the oblations of married Priests Monks and Friers haue their conuenticles apart further the Masse-priests extoll their pretended virginity and Monkes and Friers vse peculiar habits and despise such as vse common apparrell Children among them depart from their parents and creepe into monasteries and nunnes cut their haire when they vow to enter into religious houses finally according to the diuersity of monkish sects they obserue diuers rules and precepts without warrant of holy scriptures or ecclesiasticall canons and doe many things contrarie to holy scriptures The second councel of Arles c. 23. pronounceth that Priest to be sacrilegious that shall suffer men superstitiously to light candles or to worship trees fountaines or stones and those that worship such things are condemned as Infidels and yet maste-priests suffer Christians at Candlemas and in diuers processions to goe about with candles and great pilgrimages are made by their followers to stockes and stones and welles after a paganicall fashion The councell of Laodicea c. 35. condemneth such as worship Angels or assemble together to honour them and c. 36. that vse exorcismes or enchantments or that read bookes in the church that are not canonicall the same excludeth the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees out of the canon the which acts forasmuch as they condemne the superstitious worship of Angels the coniurations of Masse-priests in casting out of Diuels and the reading of lying legendes and the false canon of the conuenticle of Trent are no more regarded by Papists then as if there neuer had beene any such made The councell of Constantinople c. 2. restreineth the ambition of Bishops that began to stretch forth their hands to the diocesses of their neighbours and c. 5. giueth the next place of dignity after the Bishop of Rome to the bishop of Constantinople which also was confirmed by the authority of the councell of Chalcedon that councell also addeth this reason because Constantinople was called new Rome but the pope neither regardeth the acts of this councell nor the reasons thereof but encrocheth vpon euery bishops iurisdiction calling himselfe vniuersall bishop and challenging his authority not from the priuiledge of the city but from Christs institution The 3. councell of Carthage c. 24. decreeth that nothing more be offered in the sacrament of the Lords body and blood then he hath appointed to wit bread and wine mingled with water but this ouerthroweth the masse vtterly wherein the Masse-priests say they offer neither bread nor wine but Christs body and blood the same synode decreeth that the bishop of the metropolitan see shall not be called the Prince of Priests or cheefe priest or any such title which ouerthroweth the pride and arrogance of the Pope that will needes be called the cheefe Priest the head and monarch of the church and other farre more arrogant titles The formes of ordring Priests and deacons prescribed by the fathers of the fourth councell of Carthage the Popes complices in the synod of Florence haue quite altered likewise haue they abolished those canons of the councell that concerne his house apparell study preaching nay they accompt him now a bishop sufficient that preacheth not if he be formally greased and apparelled in the 100. canon women are forbidden to baptize mulier baptizare non praesumat the Popes decretales contrariwise allow women to baptize The fist councel of Carthage c. 14. reproueth altars erected by vaine reuclations and dreames and it meaneth such as are supposed to be made ouer some martirs reliques but that is the case of many Popish altars who are erected for the most part vpon supposall of reliques and vaine dreames By the 4. canon of the first councell of Toledo it appeareth that subdeacons married wiues the same synod condemneth those that receiue the eucharist and cat it not and which beleeued Christ to haue an imaginarie body such as that is which the Papists suppose to be in the eucharist The councell of Mileuis c. 22. forbiddeth appeales to Rome ad transmarina qui putauerit appellandum à nullo infra Africam in communionem suscipiatur this canon therefore cannot stand with the Popes supremacy The councell of Agatha c. 13. forbiddeth Nunnes to bee vailed before the age of forty yeares the synagogue of Rome admitteth them before twenty and few after forty the same councell separateth the monasteries of men and women the Papists put them neere together The councell of Orevge pronounceth them guilty of Pelagianisme that say the liberty of the soule remained after the fall of Adam and that a man can doe that which is good of himselfe The 8. canon of the councell of Turon sheweth that bishops had wiues dwelt with them although they are commanded to vse them as sisters The 3. councell of Toledo
of all men and not to be iudged of any Againe where we read in the Gospell behold heere are two swords he presumeth the meaning of those words to be that the Pope hath two swords he doth also in the same place abuse the words of God Hierem. 1. ecce constitut te hodie super gentes regna in the same manner that Innocentius did as is shewed before In the chapt per venerabilem qui filij sunt legitimi Innocentius concludeth that Deuteronomy is to be obserued of Christans because Deuteronomium importeth as much as the second law By the place which the Lord hath chosen spoken of Deut. 17. he vnderstandeth the Popes see locus quem elegit dominus Apostolicasedes esse cognoscitur saith he By the priests of the stocke of Leui he vnderstandeth the Cardinals his words are these sunt sacerdotes leuiticâ— generis fratres nostri Vocaberis Cephas id est caput thou shalt be called Cephas that is a head saith Anacletus in a certaine decretale epistle and c. sacrosancta dist 22. Suscitabo super eos pastorem vnum saith God by his prophet Ezech. c. 34. that is I will set ouer them a shepherd and he prophecieth of Christ but Turrecremata lib. 2. sum c. 2. applieth these words to the Pope The priest sprinkling himselfe and the altar with holy water as is conteined in the missale in the consecration of holy water saith thou shalt sprinkle me o Lord with hysope and I shall be cleane as if the Prophet had prophesied of holie water When a church is consecrated the Bishop without saith attollite principes portas vestras and then answereth a certein quidamet fellow within quis est ille rex gloriae and then out steppeth a fellow with a mitre and saith I am the king of glory thus doe they play with the words of holy scripture and blasphemously applie the words spoken of Christ to a mumming Masse-priest Alexander the third treading vpon the Emperours necke vttered these words of the 91. Psalme to his disgrace thou shalt walke vpon the Lion and Aspe and Boniface the eigth for these words remember man that thou art dust said to the bishop of Genua remember man thou art Gibelline and with them thou shalt be beaten to dust The canonists in the chapter translato c. de constitutionibus beleeue that the Pope hath power to make lawes because the Apòstle saith translato sacerdotio necesse est vt legis translatio siat but in these words the Apostle speaketh not of the Pope but of Christ and his priesthood Turrecremata lib. 1. sum c. 90. finding these words 2. King 7. I will establish the seate of his kingdome for euer imagineth that this prophecy sheweth how the Popes kingdome shall endure for euer and lib. 2. sum c. 80. by the faithfull seruant set ouer the whole family Luke 22. hee vnderstandeth the Pope which as hee saith is set ouer the whole Church and lib. 1. c. 8. expounding these words Apocalyps 4. sedes posita est in coelo supra sedem sedens in circuitu eius sedil 〈◊〉 24. super thronos 24. seniores by the seat he vnderstandeth the Popes see and by heauen the church of Rome and by him that sate vpon the seat the Pope and by the 24. elders the Cardinals Isay 40. we reade quis appendit tribus digitis molem terrae and by these words Hosites confess Petricou c. 10. supposeth to bee meant that the signe of the crosse is to bee made with three singers Bellarmine in his preface vnto his booke de Pontif. Rom. doth wrest the words of scripture spoken of Christ the corner stone laid in the foundation of the Church and draweth them most impudently to the Pope These words of the Prophet adducentur regi virgines post eam which are meant of the church the synagogue of Rome in their missal vpon the feast of S. Catherine wrest so as if they had beene meant of her On the feast of Clement in their missall they apply these words thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech to Clement On the feast of Cecilia likewise in the missall these words audi filia vide inclina aurem tuam c. which are spoken of the church they applie to Cecilia These words ego ex ore altissims prodiui primogenita ante omnem creaturâ—â—â— they applie in their breuiaries to the Virgin Mary as if she were the first borne before all creatures Thus it were an easie matter to bring infinite examples out of the bookes of our aduersaries and to make it apparent that they make no conscience of wresting scriptures but these are sufficient for this first taste CHAP. XXIII That the Pope and the principall proctours of his cause are great forgers and falsifiers of fathers profane writers and of publicke records SEing then they make so little scruple to wrest the words of holy scriptures wee may not thinke that our aduersaries will be scrupulous in falsifying either publicke records or the writings of the fathers and other authors for first wee find diuers counterfet writings auouched by them which were neuer written by those who are pretended to be the authours vnder the names of the Apostles they haue set forth canons which conteine diuers errors in the 46. canon they condemne the baptisme of heretickes in the 84. canon Ezdras and Nehemias is omitted and Clements epistles put among canonicall scriptures Leo c. Clementis dist 16. and Isidore c. canones in the same distinction and Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. doe reckon them among apocryphall writings which they would not doe vnlesse they were counterfet 2. They haue also falsified the acts of councels of the acts of the councell of Sinuessa Peter Crabbe setteth out 3. copies neuer a one agreeing with the other the stile is so simple that it can no way agree with the forme of speech of those times the like falsitie is committed in the acts of the councell of Rome supposed to bee assembled vnder Syluester Russine reporteth onely 20. canons made in the councell of Nice and Stephen bishop of Rome c. viginti dist 16. confirmeth his saying but Gratian vnder colour of the authority of Athanasius saith there are 70. as appeareth by the chap. septuagint dist 16. now one Alphonsus of Pisa a Iebusite hath published 80. canons of that councell translates as he saith out of Arabicke In the sixth councel of Carthage Sozimus bishop of Rome was conuicted manifestly to haue falsified a canon of the Nicene councell concerning appeales to the bishop of Rome Paschasius one of the Popes agents in the 16. action of the Councell of Chalcedon thrust in a peece of counterfeit stuffe into a canon of the councell of Nice as if that councell had said that the church of Rome had alwaies the primacie this he did or at the least some vnder his name as appeareth in the acts of that councell Likewise Bellarmine lib. 2. de
church of late time by the Popish faction in England France Flanders Italy and else-where we reade that diuers haue beene betraied by their owne kinsfolks brethren and friends and finde that fulfilled which our Sauior Christ foretold vs Luc. 21. how Christians should be betraied of their parents brethren kinsmen and friends In Spayne they force parents to bring woode to burne their children and children to set fire to their parents Alphonsus Dias came poste from Rome and caused his owne brother to be murdred for that he had embraced true religion it is reported that in England Queene Marie if she had liued any longer would haue caused the bones of her owne father to haue beene digged vp and burned It is also a common practise of children in places where Popery reigneth to abandon their parents and to professe monkerie Airault of Angiers in France a man of good note lost his onely sonne by the entisement of the Iebusites perswaded to enter into their superstitious order neither could the father euer after heare what was become of him and so haue many parents beene depriued of their sonnes and daughters vnder colour of religion oftentimes drawen away to serue the Masse-priests abominable lustes this among Papists is counted religion but the example sauoureth rather of Turkish then Christian religion for as the children of Christians are taken from their parents and friends and made Ianizars and so emploied in the warres against Christians so these nouices are by fraud and wilie deuises stollen from their Christian parents and friends and afterward emploied in the defence of antichristian doctrine against truth and the professors thereof Finally they that professe Popery zealously doe forget oftentimes all lawes of common ciuility lately the pouder-men Papists had thought to cut all their countrimens throtes the Masle-priests esteeme lay-men no otherwise then dogges and hogges commonly when they appeare before magistrates that are not of their owne religion they giue them no reuerence Alexander the third trode vpon the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossaes necke Adrian the 4. suffered him to hold his stirrop other Popes haue vsed Kings and Princes as their stassiers and for their hands they giue Christians their feete to kisse Neither is this a fault of the practise but also of the doctrine of Popery for these facts they commonly defend and forbid al speech communication dealing with excommunicate persons os orare vale communio mensa negatur saith Nauarrus in enchirid c. 27. these words spoken of Leui Deuter. 33. which said to his father and mother I know you not are applied to all that enter into any order of monkish religion as we may perceiue by the doctrine of Bellarmine lib. de monach c. 36. Whosoeuer therefore looketh for filiall obedience at the hands of his children had neede â—o looke that they be not nouzled in Popery whoso expecteth for kind and frindly vsage must not consort himselfe with Papists who towards Christians vse neither respect of kinred nor of friendship vpon euery warrant of the Pope take themselues absolued from their obedience to their superiors whether they rule in church or common welth and by all meanes suppose themselues bound to cut Christian mens throts CHAP. XXXVI That Popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authoritie of Kings and Princes CHristian religion doth giue an eminent authority and prerogatiue to Kings S. Peter 1. epist 2. exosteth all Christians to subinit themselues vnto them and S. Paul Rom. 13. teacheth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Tertullian in his treatise ad Scapulam sheweth that the Emperor was next vnder God supreme gouernor colimus imperatorem saith he sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt hominem a deo secundum we honour the Emperour c. as a man that hath the next place to God can we then with any reason suppose Popery to sauour of Christian religion that either maketh the Emperour and other Kings subiect to the Pope or else taketh awaie a great part of his authoritie That the Papists hold all temporall Princes to bee inferiour and subiect to the Pope it cannot be denied Innocentius the third in c. solitae de maior obed disputing this matter compareth the Pope to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone as if the Emperour were as many degrees inferior to the Pope as the Moone is to the Sunne quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter pontifices reges differentia cognoscitur Clement the sift in the chapter Romani principes de iureiurando declareth that the Emperors of Rome haue submitted their heads to the bishop of Rome sua submittere capita non reputarunt indignum againe he sheweth how they ought to take an oath of fealtie and obedience to the Pope The author of the Glosse in c. Romani clem de iureiurando assigneth all this subiection of Princes to Christ his institution Iesus voluit saith he In the chapter Pastoralis clem de sent reiudicat the Pope determineth that by right of the Papacie he hath superioritie ouer the Empire and that in the vacancie of the empire himselfe hath the right of the Emperour Bonisace the 8. writing to the French king gaue him to vnderstand that he was the Popes subiect both in spirituall and temporall matters scire to volumus saith he quod in spiritualibus temporalibus nobis subes in the chapter vnam sanctam extr de maior obed hee determineth that the Pope hath both the swords and that he hath power both to make kings and to depose them spiritualis potestas potestatem terrenam instituere habet iudicare si bona non fuerit that is the spirituall power hath right to ordeine the earthly power and to iudge the same if it be not good Iosephus Vestanus lib. de osculat pedum Pontisicis p. 137. among the dictates of Gregory the 7. setteth downe this for one that it is lawfull for the Pope to depose the Emperour Pius the fist in his blundring bull against Queene Elizabeth our late dread soueraigne blusheth not to affirme that the Pope alone is made a Prince and set ouer all nations and kingdomes to pull vp to destroy to dissipate and spaile to plant and to build hunc vnum saith he super omnes gentes ommae regna principeÌ„ constituit qui cuellat destruat dissipet disperdat plantet aedisicet This also is the doctrine of modern Iebusites and their complices Bellarm. lib. 5. de Pontis Rom. c. 6. speaking of the Pope teacheth that he hath power to change kingdomes and to take from one and to giue to another if it be necessary for saning soules and this he offreth to prooue Potest mutare regna saith he vni auferre atque altericonserre si id necessarium sit ad animarum salutem vt probabimus The Iebusites of France in a discourse intitled la veritè defendue blush not to defend the Popes vsurped power in
say as much and greatly complaineth of Roman Caursins and vsurers Are not then our moderne Papists simple to continue vnder the gouernment of Antichrist where they are pilled both aliue and dead and spoiled by diuers fraudes and brought to extreme pouerty through manifold oppressions and exactions CHAP. XLI That the Popish church hath no true Bishops nor Priests THe gouernment of the Popish church being so burdensome and dangerous cannot well be tolerated by rules of policy but if the same be against both scriptures and canons of the church then as repugnant both to religion and Christian policy it is to be abandoned of all Christian common-wealthes let vs then consider what allowance it may haue either of scriptures or ancient canons The Apostle Act. 20. saith that the holy ghost hath appointed Bishops to gouerne the Church of God in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere ecclesiam dei saith he speaking of the Bishops of Asia but the popish church hath no true Bishops and that is prooued first for that bishops cannot be orderned but by true Bishops but the prelats of the Romish church are ordeined by the Pope that is no Bishop the proposition is granted of the assumption the first part is not denied in the second part our aduersaties insist firmely and affirme the Pope to be a true bishop but how can he be a Bishop that neither preacheth nor can preach nor administreth the Sacraments nor succeedeth the Apostles in their Apostolicall office the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. sheweth that the office of a bishop consisteth in the worke and not in the title qui Episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat Secondly antichrist can ordeine no true bishops but that the Pope is antichrist I haue declared in my fist booke de Pontif. Rom. and it is apparent in that he teacheth doctrine contrary to that which we haue receined from Christ Iesus and is plainly described in the Reuelation by the whoore of Babylon Apocalyps 17. and by the beast like a lambe rising out of the earth Apocalyps 13. which are figures of Antichrist Thirdly none but the successors of Christs apostles can ordaine true bishops but the Pope succeedeth Iulius Caesar rather then Simon Peter for Simon Peter fed Christs flocke he murdreth Christs lambes Fourthly neither heretikes nor simoniacall persons haue power to ordeine bishops as the master of the sentences lib. 4. dist 25. prooueth by the authoritie of Cyprian Innocent the first and Leo. and this is the practise of the Romish church at this day who refuseth to allow them for bishops that are ordred by such as they repute heretikes or schismatikes some determine otherwise but they repugne against the Romish churches practise Finally no woman can ordeine bishops but Pope Ioan was a woman and therefore all ordeined by her and their successors are no bishops by the confession of the aduersaries themselues Howsoeuer it is the Papists cannot assure themselues that they haue any bishops for no man is ordeined bishop vnlesse he that ordeined him had an intention to order him a bishop but of this intention no man can assure himselfe Furthermore the Popish synagogue hath no true priests for their priests are all ordred to sacrifice for quicke and dead The forme of priesthood say the Masse-priests assembled at Florence is this accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in ecclesia pro vinis mortuis and this is prooued also by their rituall bookes and by Bellarmines confession lib. deord c. 9. but such priests were neuer appointed by Christ or his Apostles neither is there any footestep of such an ordination to be found in ancient fathers Secondly no true priests can be ordeined by other then true bishops and the Apostles successors but such bishops the synagogue of Rome wanteth Lastly true priests and ministers of the Gospell are ordeined to preach Gods word truely and to administer the Sacraments sincerely but popish priests are not ordered to this end If then that cannot be the church that wanteth priests and bishops then are we not to looke for the true church among the papists but Hierome in dialog contr Lucifer denieth that to be the church that hath no priests and Cyprian lib. 4. epist 9. teacheth that the church is a people or flocke vnited to the bishop Againe if all the ordination of bishops and priests in the Romish church dependeth vpon the Pope and the Pope be not mentioned either Ephes 4. or 1. Cor. 12. where all the ministers of the church giuen to the same by Christ are mentioned then doth the ordination of Roman priests and prelates take his beginning not from Christ but from Antichrist Lastly if the function of masse-priests doth consist in saying Masse and the Masse be prooued to be an humane inuention then is the Romish priesthood an humane inuention but otherwhere we haue sufficiently declared that the Masse was by little and little peeced togither and is a meere humane inuention nay an inuention contrarie to Christs institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAP. XLII That Popery cannot be mainteined without forgery and falshood THis point of it selfe alone would require a large discourse if we should prosecure particularly and distinctly whatsoeuer our aduersaries haue herein offended for whether we respect the diuers kinds of forgeries or the places of authors forged and falsified by them it were a great worke to comprehend them all we will therefore choose out some few examples out of many whereby all true Christians may haue cause sufficient to suspect them in the rest First then we charge them with falsity for that as much as in them lieth they haue gone about to suppresse Gods eternall word comprised in the old and new testament that this is falsitie it is apparent by the law qui testamentum ff ad legem corneliam de falsis for by that law they are condemned qui testamentū amouerint celauerint that is which shall amooue or conceile a testament but the Pope and his complices forbid expressely all translations of the new testament made by our doctors and only grant certaine translations made by themselues and that with hard conditions as is declared in the index of forbidden bookes reg 3. and 4. but publikely they will not haue scriptures red in vulgar tongues Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretense of false translations but the law formerly cited doth pronounce him a falsarie that shall abolish or cancell or burne a mans testament the words of the law are these si quis testamentum deleuerit that is if any shall cancell a testament Thirdly it is falsity to cancell or breake the seales of a testament as the practise of the law of this land declareth how then can the Popish synagogue of Rome excuse it selfe that depriueth the lords people of the cup which our sauiour Christ calleth the new testament in his blood is not this all one as if the same should breakē the seales of Gods testament
Fourthly they haue added their owne traditions to the old and new testament receiuing with like affection and reuerence both scriptures and traditions as they write sess 4. synod trid Bellarmine speaketh no otherwise of traditions then as if they were the word of God not written but to adde to a mans testament is forgery hominis testamentum saith the Apostle Galat. 3. nemo spernit aut superordinet no man despiseth a mans testament or taketh vpon him to adde vnto it Fiftly they haue added to the canon of the old testament the bookes of Tobia Iudith Ecclesiasticus Wisdome the Machabies and certaine fragments not extant in the originall bookes of scriptures but to ascribe bookes to the spirit of God which were not published by the authority of Gods spirit is an audacious kind of falsity that they are not canonical scriptures it is proued by the testimony of the councell of Laodicea of Hierome in prologo Galeato Athanasius in synopsi Nazianzen in carminibus and diuers others Sixtly certaine Friers anno D. 1256. in Paris for Christs gospell published an other gospell which they termed eternall fratres noua quaedam praedicabant legebant docebant deliramenta ex libris Ioachim abbatis incipitque eorum liber Euangelium aeternum as Matthew Paris testifieth but no greater falsitie by men pretending Christianity can be committed then in exhibiting a false Gospell S. Paul Galath 1. pronounceth such teachers accursed Finally the conuenticle of Trent hath committed an egregious falsity in making the old Latine translation of the bible authenticall for the same in many places dissenteth from the orginall bookes as by conference it appeareth and as Isidore Clarius in his preface to the translation of the bible Erasmus Caietane and diuers other learned interpreters confesse and declare diuers editions also of this Latine translation doe much differ as appeareth by the bibles set foorth by Sixtus quintus Clement the eight and diuers others but that cannot be true that discordeth with it selfe quod dissonat verum esse non potest neither can they excuse themselues of falsity that exhibit a false copy for the true originall and authenticall bookes of scriptures Likewise haue our aduersaries corrupted and falsified both the acts of councels and the writings of the fathers for first they suppresse the true acts of many councels and the true bookes of many fathers such especially as touch the authority of the bishop of Rome Posseuin in his select bibliotheke counselleth his consorts to keepe the Greeke originall bookes of councels and fathers from the view of yong students but to suppresse the depositions of witnesses all law adiudgeth falsity Secondly they haue set foorth diuers false actes and canons vnder the names of the Apostles of the synode of Nice of Rome vnder Siluester of Neocesaria Sinuessa and other synods which themselues cannot denie to be diuersly falsified Isidore c. canones dist 16. and Leo c. Clementis dist ead and Gelasius c. sancta Rom. dist 15. doe number these canons among apocryphall writings the canons themselues condemne the baptisme of heretikes c. 45. and once dipping in baptisme c. 49. and Saterdaies fast c. 65. and alloweth the 3. booke of Machabees and Clements epistles for canonical scriptures and yet pope Adrian c. sextam synodum dist 16. alloweth them Russin in his history and Stephen Bishop of Rome c. viginti dist 16. allowe only 20. canons of the councel of Nice others in c. septuaginta ead dist say there are 70. one Alphonsus of Pisa of late in his summe of councels hath set out 80. canons of that councell Sozimus in the 6. councell of Carthage was taken alleaging a false canon of that councell for appeals to Rome Paschasius or some vnder his name corrupted a canon of that councell as if the same had decreed that the Church of Rome had alwaies had the primacy Pius the fifth in certaine letters of his to the Emperor alledgeth that the councell of Nice made the Pope of Rome gouernor of all Christian Princes the falsification is notorious and is extant in his letters set out by Hierome Catena Of the acts of the councell of Sinnessa there are 3. copies extant in Surius and different each from other they contradict themselues also for where in the latter end it is said that the first See shall not be iudged of any the fathers of that councell notwithstanding condemned Marcellinus damnauerunt eum extra ciuitatem The actes of the councels of Neocaesarea and Ancyra are so simple and so repugnant to the state of those times that blindemen albeit void of sight may feele them to be counterfet in ancient stories there is no mention of them nay in times of persecution and before Constantines time it is not likely that so many bishops could meete or would make such acts and canons as are imagined to be made in those councels The synode supposed to be assembled at Rome by Siluester contemeth diuers fabulous points as namely the report of Constantines leprosy of Nunnes professing virginitie after the age of 72. yeres The bishops names are barbarous the stile is Gothike the number of bishops there assembled is incredible it is therfore meere impudency to affirme the acts of that synode to be authenticall The 18. canon of the councell of Chalceden and the 36. canon of the 6. synode that giueth equall authority to the see of Constantinople and Rome is falsified both by Gratian and Gregory the 13. in his new edition of the canon law for vnder colour of those canons they determine quite contrary to canons that the Church of Constantinople should not be equall to Rome The fift councell of Carthage c. 3. determineth that bishops priests and deacons should absteine from their wiues in the time of their turnes or seruice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Romanistes dist 33. c. placuit haue falsified this canon by adding subdeacons and excluding bishops priests and deacons from their wiues at all times The councell of Mileuis c. 22. forbiddeth Priests and inferiour clerks to appeale to Rome but Gratian falsifying the canon addeth these words nisi forte sedem Rom. appellauerint which is direct contrarie to the meaning of the councell In the 35. canon of the councell of Laodicea the worship of Angels is termed idolatrous and expressely forbidden but Carranza in his summe falsifieth the canon and for Angelos writeth Angulos Bellarmine lib. 1. de sanct beatitud c. 19. sheweth that in latter editions of councels his consorts haue established the inuocation of Saints by the 7. canon of the 6. synode but all ancient copies declare both him and his consorts to be notorious forgers of false canons It were an easie matter to shew the falshood of our aduersaries in diuers other canons but the breuitie of this discourse will not permit any larger number of witnesses in this point Thirdly vnder the names of fathers they haue set out diuers counterfet treatises and haue falsly both translated the Greeke fathers and
and that none taught in those countries beside S. Peter and such as he sent a lie directly repugnant to Scriptures which testifie that S. Paul preached in those countries being appointed by God thereto and not by man and refuted by diuers ancient histories and fathers who write that diuers others preached there beside S. Peters priests and messengers S. Augustine epist 162. sheweth that the Gospel came into Aphrike out of other countries then those that belonged to the church of Rome Gregory the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. saith that all bishops causes and the discussing of matters of religion belongeth to the See of Rome and that religion tooke her beginning from thence a matter apparantly false for religion began at Hierusalem and not at Rome and Councels in ancient time determined the differents in causes of Religion and not the bishop of Rome who was as well subiect to the decision of the general councell as other bishops Anacletus c. in nouo dist 21. saith that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince which is contradicted by the Papistes themselues that deriue Peters authoritie from Christ. Nicolas dist 22. c. omnes telleth vs that Christ gaue to Peter the right of the kingdome both of heduen and earth but of this earthly kingdome belonging to Peter this is the first man that euer told newes Anacletus dist 22. c. sacrosancta affirmeth that both Peter and Paul were crowned with martyrdome in one day and at the some time but this leasing is refuted by Prudentius peri stephan Hymno 12. Arator in act Apost lib. 2. Augustine serm 18. de sanctis and others Innocent the 4. c. ad apostolicae de sent re iudicat affirmeth that Sicily is the speciall patrimony of Peter est speciale patrimonium Petri. but no where doe were reade where either Christ gaue or Peter claimed this patrimony Clement the fifth c. Romani Clem. de iureiurando most boldly and impudently writeth that Emperors hauing the crowne set vpon their heads sweare fealty to the Pope a matter certes which Bellarmine the Popes proctor would blush to affirme for albeit he would willingly gratifie the Pope whith any thing yet dare he not say that the Roman Empire is holden in fee of the Pope and thus the Popes runne on headlong heaping priuileges on Rome and building the tower of Babel by lies The same is also practised by Bellarmine as I haue shewed in diuers discourses written against him by Baromus as my speciall exceptions taken to his volumes fraught with lies and fables do declare by Parsons and Kellison as by my answeres to their bookes it may appeare Turrecremata lib. 3. sum c. 9. affirmeth that Helena and 3000. Iewes were conuerted to Christian religion in a councell at Rome vnder Siluester but other more true stories report that she was alwares a Christian and holpe to conuert her sonne Constantine Lib. 2. sum c. 300. he saith that Paul did some things which he afterward retracted quaedam fecit quae postea reuocauit The Emperor Henry the fourth by the Romanists is most vniustly standred as if he had prostituted his owne wife to his sonne and done other such like abominable actes matters merely deuised by the Popes agents Fridericke the 2. was a most noble Prince and greatly praised by the Cardinall of Cusa Aegidius Romanus and others yet was he most vniustly reuiled and standred by Gregory the 9. Innocent the 4. and their agents as it doth appeare by the testimony of Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. Capgraue telleth how a hundred and fifty of Ioseph of Arimathaea his company sailed out of France into great Britany vpon Iosephes shirt a small barge certes for so many passengers Antoninus hist part 3. reporteth how an innumerable troupe of the order of Dominske were seene in heauen couered vnder the blessed virgins gowne Stapleton in his prompruarie dominica 2. aduentus brocheth vs a barrell of lies first he saith that Sebastian a certeine musician was put in prison for demaunding liberty of conscience by the last Queene and that one Gifford was imprisoned by her likewise for the same cause after he had enterteined the Queene very bountifully at his house and that Shelley was committed for presenting a request in the behalfe of the papists matters meerely imagined and deuised by lying companions and foolishly reported by him the two first we cannot learne euer to haue beene committed the third was imprisoned for plaine treason The Papists accused the people of Zuricke for teaching that the virgine Mary had more sonnes then one and that Iames died for them as we may reade in Sleidan lib. hist. 4. and Bellarmine lib. 4. de iustific c. 1. saith we little regard good works and lib. 2. de amiss grat c. 1. he accuseth the Albrgians as they are called and Caluin for holding the error of the Manichecs which they alwaies renounced and detested In his boâ—ke de Matrimonio c. 2. he blusheth not to charge them whom he calleth Lutherans and Caluinists with holding that matrimonie is not of God a point expresly denied by them Finally it is an easie matter to shew that the foundation of Popery is laid vpon lies and that the charge which Papistes giue vpon their aduersaries is ordinarily enforced by most wicked imputations and standers CHAP. XLIIII That the cause of Popery is mainteined by fire and sword MVch are simple people abused by calumniations deuised against good men and hardly are Christians able to discerne falshood from truth and to iudge what is truely alledged what falsly vntill such time as matters be duly examined yet neither can trueth be vtterly suppressed nor do lies passe alwaies for good paiment Those therefore whom they cannot abuse with lies and false allegations the Pope and his complices seek cruelly to destroy with fire and sword The holy Ghost Apocalyps 17. sheweth vs that the purple whoore should be drunke with the blood of the saints and Apocalyp 13. that the 2. beast should kill such as would not worship the image of the beast that is that the Pope should persecute to the death such as would not submitte themselues to the kingdome of Antichrist in which the image of the Roman Empire was after a sort reuiued and this wee see verified by experience in the cruell gouernement of the Popes of Rome and their adherents Their lawes against all such as dissent from them in opinion concerning the sacraments are most rigorous they are degraded and deliuered ouer to the secular power to be burned as it appeareth by the law ad abolendam de haereticis nay they punish such as are suspected if they cannot cleere themselues with no lesse rigor then the rest all that communicat with them receiue them or succor them are in great danger such as giue them counsell are reputed infamous as is determined c. si aduersus de haereticis the goods of heretikes are adiudged confiscate neither are they punished only while they liue but also
was summoned by K. Recaredus who by his authority proposed a forme of faith which was allowed by the councell the same also followed the forme of the Easterne church all which the synagogue of Rome now misliketh In the 6. synode the Emperour presided as appeareth by diuers acts of that synode there it was decreed c. 13. that Priests and Deacons should not bee separated from their wiues that none should fast on Sundaies or Saturdaies in Lent that Christ should not be painted in the similitude of a lambe and that the communicants should receiue the sacrament with their hands all which canons condemne the moderne practise of the synagogue of Rome The 2. Nicene councell saith that God is not to bee formed and Act. 7. that the crosse and other images are not to be worshipped with latria which is direct contrary to the doctrine of Papists The councell of Lateran vnder Innocent the third mentioneth onely two sacraments in the chap. Firmiter de sum Trinit fid Cath. there also somewhat is saide of penance but the same is not reckoned there as a sacrament If then later councels make sometime against Papists little are they to hope for proofe of their heresies out of the first ancient councels the popish sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Christ conteined really in the eucharist the communion vnder one kind transubstantiation the adoration of the sacrament the Popes supreme power in dispensing against lawes or rather in breaking lawes the popish worship of images Angels and Saints and the rest of their heresies shall neuer be prooued out of ancient councels but easilie may they be reprooued by them CHAP. XVIII That Popery is not the faith of the ancient fathers of the Church TO handle this point fully would require a large volume but we will onely alleadge a few arguments for proofe of our assertion referring the Reader for the rest to our larger disputes against the Papists wherein we challenge them that in no one point of faith in controuersie betwixt them and vs they iumpe with the fathers and that may appeare in a generality first for that in most points and that of greatest difference they are destitute of fathers as for example where they go about to proue the booke of Machabees and others not found in Hebrew to bee equall to the bookes of the 4. Euangelists that scriptures are to bee read publickely in a tongue not vnderstood of the hearers that the Latin vulgar translation is more authenticall than the originall bookes in Hebrew and Greeke that Christs body may be both visible and inuisible at one time and is in many places also at once that the body and bloud of Christ is really and carnally conteined and offred for quick and dead in the masse that Christians not consecrating are to receiue the communion onely vnder one kind that in purgatory soules satisfie for temporall paines of sinnes remitted that the Pope by dispensing the merits of Saints by indulgences is able to deliuer soules from the paines of purgatory that charity is the forme of faith and is that grace that maketh vs acceptable to God and diuers other doctrines of that nature Secondly they oftentimes acknowledge the fathers errors Bellarmine de gratia primi hominis c. 16. taxeth Theodoret and Procopius for their opinion concerning the cherubim set for the guard of Paradise haec opinio saith he tam est inepta ridieula c. like wise lib. 2. de concilijs c. 8. he reprehendeth Irenaeus Cyprian Chrysostome and Oecumenius Canus lib. 7. loc theol c. 7. rehearseth diuers of the fathers and namely of those which beleeued that Adams soule was created before his body and that Angels were created before the world and that denied that the soules of the faithfull doe see God before the last iudgement generally they taxe Origen for diuers heresies and nouelties Eusebius for fauouring Origen and Arius Papias and Irenaeus for holding the heresie of the Millenarians Cyprian for rebaptizing heretickes Hilary for teaching that Christ in his passion felt not any paine as wee may see in Lombard seut lib. 3. dist 15. Russine for maintaining both the errors of Origen and Pelagius in these points therefore and such like they follow not the fathers by their owne confession Thirdly diuers bookes are published vnder the name of the fathers that were neuer written by them as for example the decretales that beare the names of the ancient Bishops of Rome the canons of the Apostles diuers actes of the Nicene councell of the councell of Sinuessa Neocaesarea Rome vnder Syluester and diuers others the commentaries vpon Iob set out vnder the name of Origen certaine treatises of Sion and Sina and of the inuention of S. Iohn Baptists head set out vnder the name of Cyprian a sermon de assumptione beatae Mariae set out vnder the name of Hierome diuers sermons and epistles set out vnder the name of Ambrose Chrysostome and other fathers diuers legendes condemned by Gelasiuâ— c. sancta Romana dist 15. and some of these the aduersaries themselues deny not to be counterfet as doth appeare by the censure of Gelasius aboue mentioned of Erasmus Caietan Sixtus Senensis and other Popish writers now they that bring foorth counterret and basterdly writings of heretikes and men vnlearned in liew of the testimonies of fathers must first proue that the writings alledged by them are authenticall before they can say that they alledge fathers Fourthly the fathers were not all of one opinion Chrysostome homil 18. in Genes Nyssenus de creat hommis c. 18. Hierome lib. 1. in Iouinianum and others suppose that if Adam had not fallen neither woman should haue beene subiect vnto man nor should mankind haue beene propagated by mariage but S. Augustine lib. 14. de ciuit dei c. 21. and lib. 9. de Genes ad lit c. 3. and Eucherius and others are of a contrarie opinion Hierome in c. 1. Eccles and others doe hold that Salomon repented himselfe of his sinnes Augustine in Psal 126. thinketh otherwise concerning the beginning of soules and their estate also after this life the fathers are diuided some thinke that after diuorce the party innocent may marry others thinke contrary great difference also there was in the beginning about the feast of Easter the fast of Saturday and Lent these therefore that alledge a father or two where the soundest and best learned thinke otherwise cannot say that fathers make for them Finally albeit all the fathers should speake against the Pope yet doe not the Papists value them at any thing si totus mundus sententiaret contra Papam c. if all the world should giue sentence against the Pope saith a canonist yet are we to stand to the Popes determination commonly the Papists make as light accompt of fathers as any men if they speake against them Caictan in the beginning of his commentaries vpon Genesis signifieth that he goeth against the streame of the doctors in expounding scriptures The