lib. 8. To say nothing of look beyond Luther at large and of Dr. Humphrey in his Prax. Jesuitismi fol. 17. who shews how many witnesses Oxford hath afforded against the Romish Religion which I speak largely of in my Appendix to the Treatise of Antichrist I shall conclude this Paragraph with setting Dolman against Dolman who confesseth ingeniously in his pag. 19. that either Simon Zelotes the Apostle or Joseph of Arimathaea the Disciple brought Religion into this Land from Jerusalem Hence I Argue if it came hither first from Jerusalem then it came not hither first from Rome as he elsewhere saith 13. Moreover if we consider either the name or the thing the Novelty hereof will be more evident 1. Consider the name Papist 't is but a novel name and not found among the Ancients What need any further Testimony of this when their own Father Bristow doth confess it saying in his eighth Demand that the name Papist was never heard of till the time of Pope Lee in the fifteen hundredth year of Christ Habemus reum Confitentem 't is enough The Testimony of an Adversary against himself is unquestionable Secondly Consider the thing Popery in its Popish Points which are all novel Points and not known to the ancient Church We are able to shew the first Authors of their corrupt Doctrines which were not received into the Church for six hundred years after Christ and though we could not do this yet would it not follow that the Romish Church is the true ancient Church For first Many Heresies did spring up after the Apostles time yet none knew how 1 Joh. 2.18 and 4.1 yea Popery it self began to work at that time 2 Thes 2.7 Secondly The Head of some Errors may be as hard to discover as the Head of the River Nilus and the rather because Satan that Super-Seminator sows his Tares in the night while men slept Mat. 13.15 They are so privily and so creepingly brought in Gal. 2.4 2 Tim. 3.6 2 Pet. 2.1 and Jude 4. But above all that Grand Error of Popery in as much as it is called a Mystery of Iniquity was foisted in less discernably Thirdly The Romanists themselves do acknowledge that there are many Errors crept into the Church the first Authors whereof cannot be named And Fourthly It would be enough to discover the Novelty of Popery by demonstrating that it cannot be found in the Holy Scriptures which is the truest Antiquity 14. I have already discovered the Novelty of many Popish Points of the Romish Religion in pag. 26. Paragraph 65 66. c. of this Treatise That they were not from the beginning but are all additions by the man of sin and therefore accursed Revel 22.18 My Additions therefore thereunto shall be such only as my brevity proposed can admit to say but little to their inferior practick Points as of their Popish Beads Holy Water Missal Vestments Latin Service c. 1. The use of their Beads in their blind devotion came not from Peter the Apostle but from Peter the Hermit that Trumpet to the Holy War so called who taught them the manner of praying with Beads that thereby they might reckon their Prayers as if God should be verily in their Debt for their so many Pater Nosters and Ave Maries whereas true Devotion is not so much Numeranda ut Ponderanda numbered as pondered with the Lord he will have weight and worth in right Prayer and not Vain babbling Mat. 6.3 Battilogia Pentificia vel ipsum Satanam pudeat Their vain Repetitions are so gross and shameless that the Devil himself had he any shame in him would be ashamed of them faith learned Beza 2. Their Holy Water Polidor Virgil makes Pope Alexander the first to be its Author Anno Domini 118 or 121. see Prideaux his Introduction pag. 69. I confess they may go to Nama Pompilius and other Heathens for consecrated Water long before this Pope Alexander for they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at their Idol-Temple doors and their Baronius alledges Juvenal's sixth Satyr for their Lustral Water Surely this is not an Antiquity for the Romanists to boast of to borrow from Devil-worshippers 15. It must not be denied that if their Holy Water be derived from Numa Pompilins it hath Antiquity in it because Numa was seven hundred years before Christ a good Warrant for Christian Holy Water and in nothing better than in this that Numa was a reputed Conjurer and so a fitter Author of that conjured Water It is truly called so from their own form of consecrating this Holy Water which is as followeth I conjure thee O thou Creature Water in the Name of God †the Father Almighty and in the Name of Jesus †Christ the Son and by the power of the Holy †Spirit with certain Prayers mumbled over it then they blasphemously equal it to the blood of Christ for purging away sins you may suppose 't is only such Sins as have no deep rooting in us that a few drops of this Holy Water can wash away I wonder they should overlook that Holy Water mentioned Numb 5.17 there 's Antiquity indeed better than Baronius's sixth Satyr of Juvenal Baron Annal. ann 44. but the mischief is that was an Holy Water that caused the Curse Num. 5.21 Water is indeed an Element that God hath given us both for Natural and Celestial use the first in Household Affairs the second in the Sacrament of Baptism these are truly ancient things but the Romanists converting it beyond all Divine Ordination by their Exorcisms and Inchantments to other Magick and Idolatrous Uses This is a mere Novelty and Nullity The words of their Exorcisms run thus Exorcizo te Aqua Benedicta ut fias aqua exercizata c. that thou maist have power to drive away Devils Oh ridiculous Much more might I say to this point but my Book intended little swelleth much already 16. So I must be abrupt in it as likewise 3. In their Missal Vestments wherein they do plainly Judaize yea more than so or rather Heathenize it therein For 1. They cannot plead the Garments of the Levitical Priesthood seeing this were to send the Messiah to Moses School and so to deny that Christ is come in the Flesh Which is the spirit of Antichrist 1 Joh. 4.2 3. for Christ by his coming changed the Law of the Levitical Priesthood Heb. 7.11 and together with it the Rites and Apparels which glittering Garments could not congruously correspond with the Simplicity of the Gospel 2. Popish Priests do more than Judaize in as much as they abound more in their Holy Garments than ever the Mosaical Priests did for the High Priests had but seven Garments appointed them and the other Priests but two yet the Popish Priests have six their Popish Prelates nine more Ration Divin Offic. lib. 3. cap. 1. and Bellarm. lib. 2. de Miss cap. 14. And the Popes in their Pontificalibus said Erasmus may better be compared to Julius Caesar
Laws must be observed though they were inconsistent with Gods Law 59. The Chaldee Paraphrast and the Syriack Version renders those two Scriptures Isa 29.13 Matth. 15.9 Reverentia quam mihi exhibent est ex praecepto et documento humano plainly unputing the reason of Gods rejecting their worship to be the want of a divine command What the Scribes and Pharisees did in the Jewish Church that the Priests and Jesuits do in the Romish Church imposing upon people not only additions to but also inconsistencies with the Commands of God therefore God rejects their worship as that of the Jews 60. Finally Superstition is an undue or ungrounded worship of God not grounded upon Gods word but upon mans wisdom not only for the manner but also for the matter or 't is a putting more into the means than God puts into them as the Jews put more into the Sabbath than God put into it and many more superstitious observances as I could transcribe out of Buxtorf's Jewish Synagogue whereby they do violate the Institutions of God with their Inventions and Amos. Co. 5. v. 26 27. shows they carried a Tabernacle for Venus and Saturn as well as for the true God 61. Having now made this large discovery of this right-hand Enemy of the true Religion it remains that I make known where this Thief hath his principal Residence that would steal away from us our Religion which is a daughter to the King of Heaven and the beauty of all the Kingdoms of the Earth and would put such a cheat upon us as Michael did upon Saul 1 Sam. 19.12 13. in dismissing David and laying an Image that was bed-rid in his stead (x) Supposed to be the Teraphim that was made in the shape of a man Hebr. Teraphim signifies Images 62. I shall now largely prove that as Atheism had its chief Residence in Rome-Pagan so Superstition hath its principal seat in Rome-Anti-Christian This is the design of our present Treatise for the preservation of our blessed Religion received from our godly Ancestors to the salvation of our poor posterity and for the prevention of that Romish cheat in dismissing our David of the Reformed Religion and laying the Image of their own Religion in the room of it 63. That I may the better manifest how the Romish Religion is but an Image of Straw whereas the reformed Religion hath the real David and Christ in it I shall use this method discoursing 1. Generally and then 2. Particularly of it and all to shew the rottennest of the Romish Faith that threatens us so much at this day and to secure our own as our best treasure CHAP. I. In General The seven bad Properties of Popery viz. 1. Superstitious 2. Idolatrous 3. Damnable 4. Bloody 5. Novel 6. Inconsistent with publick peace 7. Irreconciliable to the Protestant Christian Religion Those seven bad Properties are as the seven Unclean Spirits which possessed the empty house Matth. 12.43 45 64. IN my disswasive from Popery I shall I. show in general the seven wretched Properties of the Romish Faith for which it may not be embraced but rather to be abhorred 1. Of the first The Romish Religion is a superstitious Religion 't is made up of a worship altogether supra statutum as sundry intimations hereof afore mentioned do abundantly illustrate 't is so notoriously clogg'd with Ceremonies of Humane invention while the Magnalia legis lay neglected that while they write up service God writes up sin saying who requir'd those things at your hands Isa 1.12 65. Superstition sprung up betimes in the Church of Rome Satan sowed Tares so he is called superseminator very early Many superstitious Doctrines from this superseminator did the Bishops of Reme bring into the Church in the first six hundred years after Christ which signifies that Antichrist was then growing up there until the time of his full maturity for his Revelation in that place 66. Alexander the First Bishop of Rome brought in the mingling of water with the Sacramental Wine and of Salt with water for benediction agreeable to the Pagans about 112th year after Christ After him about 20 years comes Telesphorus and ordained a Lent-Fast for seven weeks about the year 130 after Christ and about the year of Christ 144. Pius the first appoints the celebration of Easter upon the Lords day 67. About the year of Christ 159. the shaving of the Priests Crowns was brought into the Church by Anicetus the Bishop of Rome to whom Polycarp came about composing the differences concerning the Celebration of Easter because it was pretended that the celebrating of it on Sunday (y) The dissenters were called Quartadecimani as they called it one Hermes received by Revelation from an Angel in a Shepherds habit This having of Crowns was a superstitious Custom derived from the practice of the Aegyptian Priests of Isis 68. This superstitious Shaving was condemned by divers of the Fathers as Clemens of Alex. Paedagog lib. 3. cap. 11. Optatus Contra Parmenionem lib. 2. and Jerome on Ezek. 44. Yea and the fourth Council of Toledo cap. 40. About the year of Christ 221. were also introduced into the Church the Fasts of four times by Calixtus the first and about six years after silver Cups were brought into the Celebration of the Supper by Pope Vrbane 69. About the year 240. It was ordained by Pope Fabian that new Chrism should be made every year and that the old should be burnt at the Eucharist then about the year 277. Pope Foelix appoints Divine Service to be Celebrated upon the Sepulchres of Martyrs About five years after Pope Eutychianus brings in the Benediction of the fruits of the Earth upon the Altar as if with the Manichees they had held them unclean until they were thus purified 70. This Pope Eutychianus the Tuscan is said to bring in that custom that no Martyr should be buried but in the Vestment called Palmatica and a Purple Hood Thus Superstition began to grow unto some strength in the Church of Rome betimes and that not only in matters of Ceremony but also of Doctrine for then began Temples to be built to the honour of the Virgin Mary of the Apostles and Martyrs to the great dishonour of God in following Ages 71. Augustine witnesseth that as all divine Worship is to be given to God so all Temples that are for the exercise of that worship are to be erected to him Angust contra Maxim Arrian lib. 1. tit 11. Yet Sylvester the first perswaded Constantine to erect that Church in Rome dedicated to the honour of St. Peter himself digging the Foundation and carrying away twelve Baskets full of Earth in honour of the twelve Apostles upon his Imperial Shoulders and at his instance many other Churches were built to many other Saints And Ciricius about this time brought in that doctrine of Daemons forbidding the Priests to marry and commanding those that were married to repudiate their Wives urging it from that place
Star falling by degrees so far as to adore St. Ignorance so much that the works of Bellarmine their great Champion and of Gregory de Valentia were not allowed to be sold in Italy because the Arguments which the Protestant Authors use in their own defence are rehearsed in them The longest look the Romanists can take is at this blazing Star that Lieutenant General to the Dragon who sent forth whole bands of Locusts to wit Monks Fryars Priests and Jesuits both numerous and voracious Rev. 9.3 9. Even their own Bellarmine speaks something that hath a tendency to the gradual falling of this Star Wormwood saying Ab eo tempore quo per vos papa Antichristus esse capit non modo non erevit ejus imperium sed semper magis ac magis decrevit Bellarm. do Pap. Rom. lib. 3. cap. 1. Since saith he you Protestants began to call the Pope Antichrist he did not only not increase but a great part of his Command and Commodity hath decreased and is lost Whence I note by the way 't is not cautelously done by any of our Divines in my judgment so much as to doubt at this day who is the Antichelst Seeing we have here their own great Champion quasi Reum penè si non planè confitentem as if guilty almost if not altogether confessing the thing and the rather because he doth so ingeniously acknowledg that the very calling the Pope Antichrist hath been an Ordinance in Gods hand to bring down the Kingdom of the Beast and to make this bitter Star fall gradually And how probable it is that the Key of the bottomless Pit was given to this falling Star falling from the heavenly doctrine of the Christian Church at Rome in the Apostles time and after down into the Carnal and Earthly Religion of the now Romish Antichristian Church with which Key he lets into the bottom less Pit Souls innumerable insomuch that in the days of Hildebrand that Pope which was called The Brand of Hell alluding to his Name some Letters were set forth as sent from Hell wherein the Devil and his Angels give the Popish Clergy many thanks for sending them in so many Souls as they never had in any Age before Now if Popery began at this Star then it cannot be accounted an ancient thing 10. I know the Romanists use to beguile people by telling them that men of their Religion built all the Churches Colledges Hospitals c. in all the world To which I answer 't was not men of the Popish but of the Christian Religion that did most of those things Constantine built a Church on Mount Calvary and Justinian built another at Constantinople and our Ethelbert built Paul's here at London These were all done before the fall of the Star Wormwood or before Popery was heard of in the World and before the man of Sin that mistery of Iniquity was revealed 'T is true indeed Dolman alias Parsons doth labour in the very fire to defend the Antiquity of the Romish Religion here making all the three Conversions of England to be from Rome and to the Romish Faith but the absurdity hereof appears out of their own Baronius Who 1. confesses that Joseph of Arimathea came into England nine years before Peter went to Rome from whence it necessarily follows that our Church must be ancienter than that at Rome by nine years 2. The Christians here kept their Easter after the Eastern manner upon the fourteenth day which they would not have done had they received the faith from the Western Church from Rome 3. Pope Victor in the second Century would have altered this custom had this Land been then under his Jurisdiction 4. The Mother of Constantine Helene one of this Island did not hold any such points of Popery as the Romish Church now holdeth 11. To these add 5. Pelagius one of this Island also differed not from Augustine in the Third Century only in Freewill and Original Sin no other Popish points were known to them or discussed between them 6. Pope Elentherius did acknowledge our King Lucius to be Gods Vicar in his own Land which was far from those Ambitious Popes his Successors who make themselves Gods Vicars in all Lands As to that pretended Conversion by Austin that Arrogant Monk which Dolman would defend 't is answered that factious fellow found much opposition here about his imposing upon our Ancestors those Romish Rites of Easter day Church-musick Letany single life of Priests processions c. though at that time we read not a word of Pardons Indulgencies Transubstantiation the Sacrament in one kind c. all of them upstart things Hereupon Austin the Monk thus opposed doth conspire with King Ethelfred to cut off 1200 of his Opposers to wit the holy Monks of Bangor who were altogether unlike the Monks in after Ages for they lived by the sweat of their brows and by the labour of their hands and gave themselves to Fasting and Prayer not only lest the Christian Britains should be overrun by the heathen Saxons but also lest they should be corrupted by the Romish Superstitions which this insolent Austin whom they discerned and disowned as no man of God by his pride and ambition would have from Gregory in the sixth Century intruded upon them hence Gregorii Vicarius was justly stiled Gregis Sicarius and his Reformation so called was rather a Deformation yea his Conversion as Dolman terms it was rather a Perversion and which is worse as much as in him lay a plain Eversion in the slaughter of those holy men so that instead of a Prophet's Reward he better deserved the Punishment of a Murderer Beda lib. 2. cap. 2. Isaac Chronol pag. 406. Fuller's Chur. Hist 2. b. 10. Anno Dom. 605. 12. I might add many other Witnesses which all do witness that the Christian Religion which is the same that we Protestants do protest to profess and practice was long before the Romish Religion as now it is found any footing amongst us and that many in this Island suffered Martyrdom for it in the time of Diocletian the Emperor long before this Austin Beda hist lib. 3. Bishop Vsher De Primord Eccles Britan p. 102 and De Ecclesiae statu Successu at large and Aicentinus in his Annals lib. 3. to say nothing of Pareus Osorius or of the Magdeburg Centurists whom Dolman scornfully calls a Quadrilio or round Table because writ by four men Illyricus Vigandus Judex and Faber because prejudiced against them Their own Gregory of Monmouth confutes that fond opinion of Pope Gregory's sending this Austin to plant the Christian Faith in this Island seeing it had been planted here above four hundred years before Austin's time saying In patria Britonum adhuc vigebat Christianitas qua ab Apostolorum tempore nunquam inter cos defecerat it had never failed amongst them since the Apostles times And that Austin found many great places all furnished with good religious men Greg. Monmouth de Britan. Gestis
Qui sunt in Carne non possunt placere Deo Vide Chronicon Carionis in the third Century 72. In the year 336. Pope Marcus brought in the singing of the Nicene Creed and the superstitious Vestment called the Pall which was to be of Wool not of Silk or any other Stuff to signifie the Skin of the lost Sheep in Luk. 15. And in the year 367. Gloria Patri was brought in by Damasus to close up every Psalm In the year 398. Anastasius brought in the standing up at the reading of the Gospel 73. In the year 417. Pope Zosimus brought in Tapers into the Church In the year 461. Pope Hilarius brought in the Letany and the Rogation week In the year 526. Foelix the fourth brought in extreme Unction to be ministred to dying people and in the end of this fifth Century Pope Gregory the Great brought in Candles for Candlemas and added four days to Lent with many other superstitious orders Fuit enim superstitionum tanquam Monachus egregius Patronus ac ceremoniis ritibus plusquam Judaicis Ecclesiam Christi mirum quantum eneravit (z) Pareus Medull Histor Eccles p. 210. 74. Thus we see in the first 600 years how the man of sin prevailed in bringing all those Superstitions one after another before his full Revelation as appears at large in Osiander's Epitome Pareus Medulla histor Eccles And our own Dr. Prideaux's Introduction who makes this Gregory the last of the good and the first of the bad Popes to be signified by the Angel flying between Heaven and Earth for he gave his Testimony against Antichrist though he brought in many Superstitions of Antichrist 75. After the sixth Century commenced Superstition came not by drops as before but whole floods of it and that in Doctrine too as well as Ceremony Then entred in Invocation of Saints Prayer for the dead and Purgaory the Doctrine of Justification by the merit of works of Traditions of worshipping Reliques and Images of the Mass c. Transubstantiation c. all which be supra Statutum 76. Thus were those Cockatrice Eggs hatched by degrees out of which at length came forth Antichrist That Fiery Flying Serpent into the world and 't is a seasonable caution which the Prophet gives us in this case Isaiah 59.5 They that Eat of those Cockatrice Eggs shall dye As men would therefore shun death so let them avoid those Eggs of Superstition in the Romish Church because Mors in ollâ Death is in them CHAP. II. The Second Property is the Idolatry of the Romish Religion 77. AS the Romish Religion is a Superstitions Religion exceeding all divine warrant in those forecited Customs and Practices which neither Christ nor any of his Apostles but such and such Popes in several Ages brought into the Church so 2. it is an Idolatrous Religion also Plato himself could say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Mother of all Superstitions in lib. 10. de legibus So Polanus affirms that Superstition is the Mother of Idolatry and that this Daughter is found in the Romish Church is evident because she is called the great Whore and spiritual Whoredom is in Scripture Phrase Idolatry Ezck. 16. oft and Isa 1.21 78. 'T is a very honourable undertaking of Mr. Thorndike and other Reconcilers to Rome to wipe the Whores mouth of this Sin of Idolatry But when those men have said all they can they can never unsay what the Champions of our Religion have said to prove it as Rivers the nearer they come to the Sea the more brackish tast have they so those men coming so near the See of Rome discover but a brackish Spirit 79 That the Romish Church disowns the Paganish Idolatry they may warrantably justifie for the worships not those heathen Gods such as Jupiter Apollo Mars Mercury c. yet the spirit of whoredom is among them as Hos 5.4 She goes a whoring after other Idols as Ezek. 6.9 and commits Adultery with stocks and stones as Jer. 3.9 and Isa 16.17 Her Idolatry in worshipping of Images Reliques Crosses and the Host is altogether as abominable as that of the Pagans 80. It is laid to Mr. Mountague's Charge by those Informers against him supposed to be Mr. Ward and Mr. Yates that in his gagging of the Gagger he says touching Images they have these uses assigned them by your Popish Schoolmen Institutionem Rudium commonefactionem Historiae et excitationem devotionis Stay there saith he to the Jesuit go no farther and we charge you not with Idolatry you and we also give unto them these 81. And yet this same Mr. Montague in his Appeal to Caesar pag. 249. ingeniously says I do not I cannot I will not deny that Idolatry is grosly committed in the Church of Rome The ruder sort at least go to it with downright Idolatry without any relative adoration worshipping that which they behold with their eyes as the Image of the Virgin c. and the Crucifix as if Christ himself was present 82. But Mr. Perkins more solidly and fully says that the Romish Religion which he calls the great Italian Diana is Idolatrous in many respects (a) Perk. Idolatry of last times pag. 673.1 Vol. 1. As it presents to us a deformed Christ spoiled both of his Manhood and of his Offices Of his Manhood as if it could be made of the substance of Bread as well as of the substance of the Virgin and as if a solid Body of many foot long could be contained in a small round Cake of two or three Inches 83. He goes on to shew how it spoils him of his Offices as of his Priesthood by their own satisfactions the Sacrifice of the Mass c. Of his Kingly Office by giving power to the Pope to pardon Sin and to make binding Laws to the Conscience Lastly of his Prophetical Office by adding and detracting from Christ's word and making the Pope an Infallible Judge The Popish abuses herein he calls notorious and detestable Idolatry Perk. Idol of last Times pag. 673 674. 84. The second Respect wherein the Church of Rome is Idolatrous is her worshipping God otherwise and by other means than he hath revealed in his Word as in Images Crucifixes Host c. seeing spiritual Adoration is now only required John 4.21 22 23. (b) Babylon is a Worshipper of Idols Rome is Babylon Ergo. And that worship which is tyed to either place or thing on Earth is by that Scripture utterly abodished and forbidden Then in a third Respect she is Idolatrous in giving Gods property to Creatures as to the Virgin Mary to Saints and Angels in her Invocating of them and to the Pope in her flattering Titles to him of Infallible Universal c. 85. For the better understanding of this we must know there is a two fold Idolatry as Peter Martyr saith loc commun cap. 4. pag. 197. Vnaest quâ nobis Deum qualem volumus pravis doganatis in animo fingimus altera verò quâ externum
absolutely then it would follow that if Christ had not come amongst the Jews they had not been sinners and Gentiles that had not the Gospel were without sin which be both absurd but Austin in Tract 89. understands Sin there the great Sin of Unbelief under which all Sins are comprehended and saith expressly that though those which never had the Gospel have some excuse for their unbelief yet none for other Sins 181. The same Augustine proceeds saying such as amongst whom Christ came not may indeed have their excuse for sin but yet are not thereby freed from being damned for Sin for the Apostle is plain They which sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law Rom. 2.12 Yet there are degrees of Punishments as there be of Sins which Humane conjectures cannot comprehend they to whom Christ came and spake shall want this excuse they cannot say we have not seen nor heard him 182. And in Tract 91. in Johan he says others that can thus excuse themselves if they be not delivered from all judgment yet certainly their judgment shall be somewhat lighter than those that had seen his great works for Christ did works which none other did As the feeding of five thousand with a few Loaves and Fishes his walking upon the Water and causing Peter to come to him his turning Water into Wine and his opening the Eyes of the man that was born blind c. for which he deserv'd their best love but having hatred for Love after all these great works their Sin was inexcusable 183. To this Purpose also Chrysostom in Hom. 76. in Johan saith the Lord Christ having according to Moses Law confirmed his Doctrine by marvellous works sheweth that the Jews withstanding him yet should have no pardon For Moses had charged them to obey (f) Christ wrought Miracles as a Master by his own Authority and Command All others but as Servants him who proved his Doctrine by miracles such as none other ever did yea themselves restified that (g) John 9.32 There was never the like done in Israel and since the World began was it heard that any opened the Eyes of one born blind 184. Seeing then not to have heard any thing of Christ doth not sufficiently excuse Infidelity because it many times happens through mens own fault God justly punishing their own sin thereby with a denyal to them of the Preaching of the Gospel (h) Polan Synt. Theolog. lib. 9. cap. pag. 591.1 Col. Polanus saith well Ignorantia non excusat eos qui fidei capaces sant quandoquidem ignorantia in Adamo in quo omnes peccârunt voluntaria fuit et debent omnes et scire et credere 185. He saith also that Negative Infidelity vel sola damnat et a Regno coelorum arcet It is no hard matter to prove that even the want of a due preaching of the Gospel and of a right propounding of the knowledge of Christ to them is a punishment for their sin and sin can never excuse sin Infidels ought themselves to seek after the knowledge of the truth now if Negative Infidelity do damn the Heathens then Positive Infidelity such as is in Papists that hear and believe not must needs double damn them 186. The Papists are despisers of most clear light of the truth that hath been spread before them by many famous men so they sin against knowledge and have no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pretence for their Sin Minor erat culpa ubi erat culpae Ignorantia saith Ambrose lib. 9. Ep. 71. But because they say they see as the Pharisees that saw the works of Christ therefore their sin of a (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Twice dipt Scarlet Sin double dye remaineth (k) John 9.41 187. But to let pass their blind charity for blind Infidels which is a mere design for up holding their Kingdom and palliating their opinions about an implicit Faith I come to their uncharitableness towards us in making us worse than Infidels and passing this partial censure that Protestants cannot be saved though Infidels may (l) Coster Resp ad Refut Osiand propos 8. Costerus saith Fierinequit ut Lutheranus moriens salvetur This is a brave Romish Dictator 188. And it is determined by a general Council and the Pope that no man can be saved out of their Church as headed by the Pope extra Ecclesiam Romanam nulla est salus that it is necessary to Salvation to be a subject of the Pope of Rome Yet can they take in Infidels and lay the Church as common to the world for as many as will but believe in the Pope though they believe not in Christ whose Vicar he pretends to be 189. How can this Popish Censure be of any moment that Judges no Salvation can be among us yet if we were Infidels we might be saved so we had but an implicit Faith and believed in the Pope But the choicest Saint and Servant of God that hath an explicit Faith in Christ cannot be saved if he believe not in the Pope and be of the Church of Rome Is this a Judging according to God 190. If it had been essential to Christianity and necessary to salvation to believe in the Pope or Church of Rome then the Apostles would have preached it for converting the People would have baptized the converted into the Pope and Roman Church and it would have been inserted in some of those antient Creeds or in some of the expesitions of them but there is not a word in Scripture or any Ecclesiastical History that intimates any of those Premises and sure such a necessary point would not have been omitted 191. But Thousands and Millions were saved in the Primitive times without ever believing in the Pope or Roman Church and Paul and Silas were much mistaken when the Jaylor cryed to them Sirs what must I do to be saved in answering him Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house Act. 16.30 31. According to the doctrine of the Romanists they should have directed them thus Thou must believe in the Pope and in the Roman Church and thou shalt be saved 192. It cannot be proved that one Christian believed in the Pope or Church of Rome for many an hundred year after Christ much less that all believed so yet for want of this belief not only we Protestants are all damned by the Romish Church but such is their uncharitableness that they damn all the Christians among the Greeks Moscovites Armenians Abassines Aethiopians Waldenses c. that believes not in the Pope 193. (m) Baxter's Key for Catholicks pag. 262. Mr. Baxter very acutely retorts upon the Romanists for this uncharitableness saying If Charity be the life of all the Graces or holy qualities of the Soul and that which above all others proveth a man to be justified and in a state of Salvation then judge by this Argument of their own whether our charitableness to them or
Slaughter-house of the Saints and if the blood of men cry for Vengeance the blood of Saints doth roar for it yea and the blood of Kings Emperours some of which they have actually murthered more intentionally and some of which they have poysoned with the Bread in the Sacrament As she hath done so God will do unto her Obad. v. 15 16. God loves to Retaliate and to give severity for cruelty Psal 18.26 Levit. 26.18 21. Prov. 14.14 Revel 6.10 and 13.10 and 18.6 c. If the Blood of one Abel had so many tongues as drops and every drop a Voice to cry for Vengeance Oh! then how loud is the cry of those many Thousands yea Millions murthered by her Tot ora quot vulnera God will not pardon her murthers 2 Kin. 24.4 but fill her with the evil of her own ways Prov. 14.14 Rome's Ruine hastneth who dare shake hands with her hands so imbrued in blood horrible to God and Man CHAP. V. The Fifth Property is The Novelty of Popery 1. THe Fifth Character of the Romish Religion is the Novelty of it for which it ought to be abhorred The Romanists do indeed but unjustly impeach us of Novelty which in truth is their own Crime The Maxim is Actori non Reo incumbit probatio the Plaintiff that affirms not the Defendant that denyes should prove his Plea they complain of our Novelty we defend our Antiquity they do scornfully call us Novellers and ask where our Religion was before Luther we answer our Religion was always in the Sacred Scriptures where their Religion could never be found We can look beyond Luther even to the true Catholick and Apostolical doctrine wherewith ours holds consonancy in all points but their brags and boastings of Antiquity is no better than that Cheat which the Gibeonites put upon Israel with their old Shooes and mouldy Bread Josh 9.5 As they did work wilily teaching their Tongues to lye and covering their Falshood with Rags of Antiquity even so do the Romanists in our day with their old Shooes and clouted with their old Sacks old Bottles and old Garments to delude the World with their lying Doctrines for when they are put to prove the Antiquity of their Religion they can go no higher than about a thousand years ago and such an upstart Original as this made great Athanasius to deride Arrianism the elder Sister to Antichristianism for its Novelty because it had no higher a Rise than in such an Emperors Reign non erat sic ab initio It was not so from the beginning Matth. 19.8 2. 'T is a Romish Scoff that Turkeys Hops and Heresie came into England all together in one bottom to wit when Luther's Books and Tindal's Translation of the Bible were brought hither as if no such Man as blessed Wickliff with many other faithful Witnesses to the Truth had ever been heard of and as if the Writings of that holy Martyr John Husse had never been brought hither and wrought much good here above an hundred years before Luther's time and might not the mockers of the Jewish Religion take up the same Taunt against the godly Jews after the great defection in their Captivity of Literal Babylon saying Where was your Religion before Ezra and where was your Church before him It might have been answered then Our Religion is in the word of God in the five Books of Moses but our Church hath been in the bondage of Babylon from which God hath mercifully delivered it by his Servant Ezra So we may answer Our Religion hath been ever in Gods holy Word and will ever remain so but our Church hath been in the Bondage of Babylon Mystical as they of Babylon Literal which the Lord hath been delivering out of this many Years by many of his Servants in many Ages Yea and might not the Scribes and Pharisees have made the same Objection against our Lord Christ himself and his Gospel for an upstart Religion This is well Anticipated 1 Joh. 2.7 This is the old Commandment which was from the beginning 3. 'T is true the Scribes and Pharisees might have pleaded for their Traditions to be of more account than Christs own Instructions just as the Romanists do against us because of their Antiquity Universality c. for assuredly their Traditions had been received in the Jewish Church and had an universal Approbation amongst that degenerate Generation long before Christ was born Yea and during his whole life all the Jewish Clergy the Priests Levites Scribes and Pharisees consented together as one man to maintain their own Superstitions and to suppress the Religion of our Lord Jesus they having been with the people that were their Proselytes time out of mind the visible Church Yet were these men nothing so profound in their speculative Questions as the Romanists are in our day to require a Catalogue from Christ of all the Names of such as had from time to time professed that same Religion which he preached so contrary to theirs to his own time Had they required this Christ must have confessed to them that for the last three hundred years at the least no such Succession could be demonstrated and yet our Lord rectifies the Extravagancies of those blind Guides by reducing them to the first Institution which is the best Rule of all right Reformations telling them that from the beginning it was not so Matth. 19.8 Yea and the beloved Disciple which lay in Christs Bosom seems studiously to decline all suspicion of Novelty in saying I write unto you no new Commandment 1 Joh. 2.7 as if he would have us to have a jealous eye upon new Notions seeing Truth is like Wine the Older the Better Luke 5.39 Gods people are called the Antient People Isa 44.7 that stand in the old way Jer. 6.17 and walk in the antient Paths Jer. 18.15 but Idolaters are said to sacrifice to New Gods such as came newly up Deut. 32.17 And whether those many he-Saints and she-Saints which the Romanists do worship be not so many new Gods that be newly come up the Sequel may discover 4. The Romish Religion being brought to the touchstone of the Word cannot justly become a Loadstone unto any Souls after a true tryal of it to draw them after it we should prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 Now the best Religion is that which is truly the oldest Religion according to that Axiom Illud verissimum quod Antiquise simum that Religion is the truest which is the ancientest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new things are nothings or at the best vain things saith the Greek Proverb Of Witnesses Aristotle witnesseth that the more Ancient they are the more Credible and Creditable they are because less corrupted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. lib. 1. Antiquity if it be right is of great Authority and hence Moses sends the Israelites to Antiquity Remember the days of Old Consider the years of many Generations Ask thy Father and he will shew
Alexander and Croesus than to Christ or to any of his Apostles Illyricus Catal. Test Verit. pag. 2052. Yea Bernard long before Erasmus said that the Pope in his pomp was more like the Successor of Constantine than of Peter Idem ibidem 163. Greg. Nazian c. 3. They do plainly Heathenize which is worst of all for Tertullian saith de Corona Militis mihi crede hoc Rita habitu Apparatu Idolis immolatur In such like Vestments believe me the Heathens do sacrifice to their Idols 17. They do heathenize in their Holy Garments in their Holy Water and in many other things if we believe Baronius who saith not only their Lustral Water and sprinkling of Sepulchres may be found in Juvenal's sixth Satyr as before but also their Lights in Sepulchres are mentioned in Suetonius his Octavius and their Lamps lighted upon Saturdays in Seneca's 96th Epistle and distribution of Tapers among the people in Macrobius's Saturnals c. Good Warrants all as if God had never said to his people Be not like unto the Heathen do not conform to their customs Matth. 6.8 not so much as to name their Gods without abhorrency Exod. 23.13 Psal 16.4 Yet Cardinal Bembus most grosly affirmeth of their St. Francis Quòd in Numerum Deorum ab Ecclesiâ Romanâ sit Relatus that he was reckoned by the Romish Church among the number of the Gods This must be the Heathen Gods for Christians know but one Only and True God 1 Cor. 8.4 5 6. The Gods of the Heathen are good fellows thirty thousand of them in Hesiod's time as his Verse snews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Romanists have made them a great Army since that time with their St. Francis and many other Canonized Saints much good may this good fellowship do St. Francis It was the Devil's Grammar that first taught to decline Deum in the Plural Number Ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 but the true God is a jealous God and will not share his Glory with another Isa 43.10 11. and 45.5 6 14. and 48.11 But to return to their Priestly Vestments Assuredly such Vestments were not known in primitive times nor were they reputed among necessary things in that first Council Act. 15. wherein the Holy Ghost sat President The necessary things are there mention'd but not Garments and Paul bids Timothy be content with Food and Raiment 1 Tim. 6.6 7. but he bids him not load himself with Pontifical Raiment yet speaks he of Women's Raiment in Chap. 2. The Novelty hereof therefore appears that it is not found in the Word but only in the Synodal Acts of Anselm in the eleventh Century Anno Dom. 1106. as Authors shew 18. Fourthly their Latin Service is a mere Novel Novice Device which hath the Inscription of the Heathen Altar at Athens Act. 17. upon it to the unknown God It is not a getting under the Tree of Knowledge and looking towards the Tree of Life it is not a praying with the Vnderstanding and using 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words easie to be understood 1 Cor. 14.9 c. Thus its absurdity appears when a Popish Priest gets into a corner and mumbles over his Latin Services which the people cannot so much as hear much less understand but least of all how can they say Amen to it as Christ in his Apostle commands but Antichrist forbids Their own Commentators confess it were more to edifying but the Church hath allowed it upon weighty Grounds Why do they not preach in Latin as well as pray Dr. Davenant Determ pag. 185. and the Novelty of it appears in this that Pope Vitalianus appointed Latin Service◠in the year 666. the Number of the Beast Rev. 13. last Magdeburg Cent. 7. cap. 6. pag. 141. and Osian Cent. 7. cap. 10. pag. 191. c. Balaeus Cent. 1. 19. The Conclusion Thus might I enlarge in shewing the novelty of all the other inferior yea and superior points of the Popish Doctrine and Practice but to avoid prolixity I shall only make a reference of them to Authors the first Author is Duplessis or Philip Mornaeus De Sacrâ Eucharistiâ who shews the Novelty of the foppery of Popery He saith first that about the year 340. they began to give Panem Vino intinctum Bread dip'd in Wine before they took away the Cup pag. 270. which was not done till Thomas Aquinas time pag. 257 297 298. the Eastern Church using both 2. Worshipping of Images began from the second Lateran Council which established it pag. 447. Which Council brought in also 3. the Canon of the private Mass about the year 1200. pag. 605.4 Forbidding Priests Marriages he shews was from the Heathens pag. 649 667. and that Nicolaus Diaconus brought it into the Church pag. 698. which was after confirmed by Pope Hildebrand that Brand of Hell who notwithstanding kept his Whore Matildah pag. 706. which caused a World of wickedness pag. 712. and 717.5 Their Purgatory he shews was from the Heathens pag. 1003. and how it had its progress in the Romish Church pag. 1059.6 Their Invocation of Saints was not known in the Church for four hundred years after Christ pag. 1215.7 Their Transubstantiation was not any Article of their Faith until the Trent Council pag. 1666 8. He shews also the foppery of their Altars Crosses c. and that they were unknown till a thousand years after Christ pag. 382. Cum multis aliis c. The second Author is famous Peter de Moulin de Novitate Papismi both French Worthies He and Du-plessis whose Book stands unanswerable to the everlasting disgrace of the Romish Religion The third Author is honourable Bishop Vsher de Statu Successu Ecclesiae which can never be answered The fourth is Reverend Mr. Baxter both our own Countrymen who hath challenged the Papists for Novelty in thirty two points in his Key for Catholicks pag. 143 144. yet unanswered The fifth Author learned Dr. Willet in his Synopsis Papismi at large The sixth Author Godly Hildersham upon John pag. 37. and pag. 141. Numb 46. To say nothing of their Monks Fryars and Nuns see Dr. Willet on Rom. pag. 711. Dr. Boy 's Postil's in fol. pag. 572. Rosse's Panscheia pag. 259. and many others of this and all other their fooleries all which shew the Romish Religion is a Religion to be abhorred as an upstart Religion of all sober minds The last Author is King James in his Tortus lyes confuted where he shows the Novel Doctrines thereof with a brief declaration of their Novelty See the Particulars CHAP. VI. The Sixth Property Its Inconsistency with Publick Peace 1. THere is a three-fold Inconsistency that the Romish Religion hath as a remark upon it As 1. It s Inconsistency with holiness to God as it both allows of and wallows in a most impure worship which is both contrary to his Holy Nature in their downright Idolatry by Adoration of Images and Invocation of Saints and Angels and contrary to his holy Scripture in the very
Church had 1. Error in her Faith 2. Idolatry in her Worship And 3. Tyranny in her Government and as excellently also that Truth must not be sacrificed for Peace yet should hold the Pope to be Principium Vnitatis to the Catholick Church and that the Romish determinations might stand excepting those of the last four hundred years p. 7 8. And there be many others as Reverend Mr. Baxter shows that be Protestant Reconcilers who do condescend thus far But saith he the Grotian Papists go farther making king the Church of Rome the Mistress of all other Churches and the Pope to be the Universal Head as Thorndike Pierce and others that defend Grotius who spake things Meliterio Consona that the Romish Faith was Vera Sincera true and sound see Mr. Baxter's Preface to five Disputatious p. 31. and Saravins's Character of Grotius But if we well consider the four abominable things in that Church as Dr. Boys in his Postils fol. p. 787. calls them to wit 1. Her unlimited Jurisdiction derogatory to all Princes 2. Her insolent Titles prejudicial to all Pastors 3. Her corrupt Doctrine injurious to all Christians And 4. Her filthy Life detestable to all men It will confirm us that Bishop Hall was in the right when considering her Principles and Practices he wrote his No peace with Rome 3. Notwithstanding all the endeavours of former and latter Reconcilers yet there is such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great Gulf fixed as that in Luke 16.25 by the unmovable and immutable decree of God betwixt Papists and Protestants as there is 'twixt Light and Darkness 'twixt Truth and Falshood so that no Bridge of Reconciliation can be made over it Not unlike to that vast hollowness of the Valleys betwixt those exceeding high Mountains that Cambden speaks of in Merionethshire in Wales whose hanging tops come so close together that Shepherds can audibly talk together from the tops of them and yet will it be a days Journy before they can meet personally to embrace one another Thus upon sound and solid search such will be found that grand distance and remoteness 'twixt the Popish and Protestant Religion how nere soever they seem to be represented by the false glasses of our Reconcilers and tending to an Accommodation that they can never be rightly Reconciled no more than Aaron's Rod and the Magicians Rods until the former of the Rods have swallowed up the latter Exod. 7.12 The real Rod did swallow up the seeming ones and the true Christian Religion will swallow up the Romish that only seems to be Christian but is indeed Antichristian a mere delusion and Phantasm as Christ swallowed up sin and death in victory 1 Cor. 15.55 And though De Clara Grotius Cassander and others do seem to make fair proffers yet these be more of the nature of Baits than Gifts especially seeing they have no Commission from the Church of Rome to treat and therefore should their Offers be accepted as some would gladly do yet the Romish Church would not look upon her self as bound to pay their promises Mr. Fuller further saith though we should go ninety nine steps to meet them yet the Romish Church will not vouchsafe the odd one step to meet us Full. holy State p. 57. Besides this I add though the Church of Rome would reconcile yet sure I am the Court of Rome will never do it 4. 'T is therefore no better than a labour in vain to undertake any Reconciliation with Rome who will have either all or nothing If not the Church of Rome yet the Court of Rome abhors all Accommodations Hence some of great Reading and Judgment doubt not to say that our late Civil uncivil Wars were promoted by the Popes Influence merely for breaking the Project of Reconcilement that then was on foot for had that design been successful the Pope who will have all and will be absolute the way of Peace he knows not and hates would have been safe no where And therefore 't is not improbably said further that King Charles the First was wickedly murther'd by the Popes Instigation lest he and the French King together with Christiana Queen of Sueden should have constrained the Pope by means of such an Accommodation endeavoured to have lour'd his Top-Sail In fine 't is as unpracticable to Reconcile them as it is to Reconcile God and Baal Quà m malè inequales veniunt ad Aratra Juvenci Ovid. Epist How can any Concord be 'twixt Christ and Belial an Ox and an Ass might not be coupled together under the Law Levit. 19.19 upon which Scripture the Doctors of Doway give this notorious Note Here say they all participation with Hereticks is prohibited and they have no better mind to an Accommodation than to a Participation with us 5. If we then seriously consider 1. The vast Opposition of the Popish Religion to the true Christian Protestant Religion almost in all the fundamental points of Christianity as Reverend Beza shows at large in the End of his Confessio fidei Christianae from p. 263. to 357. Almost an hundred Pages doth that learned Man write to shew how the Romanists deny all truth concerning God in his Attributes Christ in his Offices Mans Fall Law Gospel Faith Works Sacraments Ministry c. none of all which he shews they do know aright 2. Considering the Architects or Arch-Master builders of this Babel are Jesuits who make Princes find them Materials perswading them that their work is designed for the House of their Kingdom and for the Honour of their Majesty Many hewers of Wood and drawers of Water they have and such as tread Mortar also and rather than their Mortar should be over dry they will have the blood of Hereticks to mingle it This cursed Faction of the Jesuits is a most agile sharp Sword whose Blade is sheathed at pleasure in the Bowels of every Common-wealth but the handle of it reacheth to Rome They are uncessantly sollicitous every where as if ubiquitarians to subdue all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves 'T is a thousand pityes that such a sweet Name as Jefu is who went about doing good Act. 10.38 should be put upon this Viperous brood who go about doing evil those Sons of Belial shall be all of them as Thorns thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands saith holy David 2 Sam. 23.6 7. How then can our Reconcilers handle those untractable Thorns that have been pricking Bryars and grieving Thorns in the sides of all Nations where they come they are fitter for burning than for building withal as they are doomed Revel 19.20 Heb. 6.8 Josh 4.13 And suppose they could handle them still Having is not Holding what hold can they have of those Monkeys that slips on a Collar for their Masters pleasure and slips it off again for their own 3. Considering their Master the Popes Insolency that can never condescend that so much as one stone should be stirred out of his Babel Tower lest his yielding