Peter neuer had this authority I maruel much how the papists can possibly conueigh that to the pope which his predecessour neuer had for they affirm the popes authority to be aboue al kings of the earth supreame head of the Church and vniuersall bishop of the whole world but how far these vsurped tytles were from the affection of the true apostle Peter the humilitie of Peter the deuine exhortation of Peter And the former commandement of Christ to al the Apostles dooth sufficiently declare for neither coulde Christ giue that authoritie of Primacie which himselfe forbad nor Peter take that which was not giuen him and which he neither vsed nor so much as desired in affection neither consequently can the Pope his pretended successour deriue that vnto him which neuer belonged to his Ancestor It cannot therefore be that the power of binding and loosing should signifie the supremacie of earthly kingdomes to set vp and pull downe whom he list for as hath bene already prooued Peter is so far from that arrogance that himselfe giueth a double charge to the contrarie namely to feare God and to honour the king as one that is woorthy to haue the chiefest roome for Christ had taught Peter and Peter no doubt learned it that Lordship and dominion belonged vnto the kinges of Nations The power therefore of binding and loosing is not committed to Peter alone but to all the Apostles and seemeth to be expounded in the xx of Iohn where Christ after hee had breathed vpon his apostles and said Receiue v Iohn 20.22 ye the holie Ghost he had said before As my Father sent me so send I you He addeth furthermore that Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained And this power of binding and loosing of remitting and retaining was not appropriate vnto their persons or vnto their places but vnto the office of their Apostleship and vnto their preaching of the Gospell For Saint Paule saith that the x Rom. 1 16 1. Cor. 1.21 Gospel of Iesus Christ is the power of God vnto saluation to euery on that beleeueth The Gaoler demanded of Paule and Silas what he should doo that hee might be saued they answered y Act. 16.31 Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thy houshold When Peter had preached vnto the people they began to be pricked in their hearts they demanded of him and of the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doo Peter answered a Act 2 38 Repent and be baptised euery man in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and receiue ye the gift of holy Ghost Be it known vnto you b men and brethren saith Paule that thorow this man speaking of Christ is preached vnto you the remission of sinnes and that euery one that beleeueth shall thorow him be iustified from all thinges from which he could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses So that we see that remission of sins is by the preaching of the Gospell to the faithfull and that contra Their c sinnes are retained and bound with chaines thereof that are Infidels obstinate and vnrepentant that haue no faith to take hold of saluation preached by the Apostles and pastors of the Church But say they When Christ gaue vnto Peter by speciall name the keies of binding and loosing hee thereby made Peter the Prince of the whole church The answere is easie sie for it is proued before that Christ gaue the power of binding loosing to al the Apostles and why at this time Christ said vnto Peter that he would giue to him the keies by special name the reason was as appeareth by the circūstance of the text because when Christe demaunded of his Apostles Whom say ye that I am Simon Peter answered thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God For Peter answered in the name of all the apostles and Christ likewise gaue him the keies in the name of all And so Cyprian and Augustine two of the Fathers expound it that Christ did it not for this purpose to preferre one man before an other but so to set foorth the vnitie of the Church for so saith Cyprian that God in the person of one gaue the keyes to all to signifie the vnitie of the Church Augustine saith When the Apostles were all asked onely Peter answered Thou art Christ and it is said to him I will giue thee the keies as though hee alone had receiued the power of binding and loosing whereas he being one standeth one for all And he receiued the other with all as bearing the person of vnitie therefore one for all because there is vnitie in all I trust these Fathers will satisfie the Papistes if they be not obstinately malitious and froward children that in the power of the keies of Peter gayned no superioritie ouer the rest of the Apostles Act 15 5 1 pe◠5 1 Act 11 3 Actes 8 24 Gal 1 2 cap Run ouer all that remaineth written and you shall finde nothing els but that hee was one of the twelue equall with the rest and their fellowe but not their Lorde I woonder therefore that the Pope and Papistes will force that vpon Peter which Peter neuer had nor meant to take vppon himselfe which Christ neuer meant to giue him nor to any other viz. to be the Prince and head of the Church for he hath left this tytle to no other but himselfe This that Christ saith Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build my Church imprehendeth no other thing of Peter but that which Paule and Peter himselfe speaketh to al Christians for Paule maketh Christ the chiefe d Ephes c 20 corner stone vpon which they are builded together that grow into an holy temple to the Lord. And Peter biddeth vs to be liuely e 1 Pet 2.3 stones builded vpon that liuely chosen and precious stone Christ Iesus So when Peter had answered to the demand that hee was Christ the sonne of the liuing God then said Christ Blessed art thou f Mat 16 7 Simon Bar-Iona for flesh and blood hath reualed this to thee but my father which is in heauen And I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it So that still the Church is builded vpon that confession and answer that Peter made viz. Vpon Christ the son of the liuing God also the g rocke is said to be Christ by especiall wordes in the epistle to the Corinthians And Christ himselfe sayth by speciall wordes also that he that heareth hys wordes and doth them hath like a wise man builded his house vppon a rocke so that Christ and hys word be Mat 7 24 25 the rock wherevpon the Churche of Christ is builded For the Church is not builded super Petrum but super petram that is Iesus Christ the sonne of the
as I suppose they glorie to call themselues Catholikes The Pope say they holdeth the Apostolicall Sea and the Byshops that be annointed and consecrated by him so that they be trimmed with fillets and Myters doo represent the Church and ought to be taken for the Church and therfore they cannot er because they are consecrated to the Lord which consequent also followeth not For Aaron and other rulers of Israell also were consecrate to the Lord but Aaron and his sonnes after they were made Priestes did yet erre when they Exo. 31.4 made the calfe But let vs examine the premises Wilt thou simple papist haue vniuersalitie a contiuall badge of the church wilt thou haue the true Church to consist in such outward glorious shew Then was the chiefe Priests the Scribes and Pharises who were assembled to kil Christ the true church and then shal Christ and his apostles few in number and dispearsed abroad be the false church For the glorie of the outward Church remained in the chiefe priestes Scribes and Pharises yet who be so blasphemous as to dare say that they were the true Church who crucified the Lord of life So that silly papists neuer deceiue the world with this glose for your outward pomp of your church is rather you see an argument of a false church than of a true Church By this reason of the papistes the foure t 1. King 22 1â— hundreth Prophets which lied to Achab should haue represented the true Churche but the Churche was indeed on Micheas side being indeede but one man alone and vnregarded but out of whose mouth came trueth Did not the false prophets in resemblance beare both the face and name of the Church when they did with one violent assault rise vp against Ieremie and with threatning boasted that it was not possible that the v Iere. 18.18 law should perish from the priest counsell from the wise and the word from the Prophet Ieremie alone was sent against the whole companie of the Prophets to declare from the Lord that it shoulde come to passe that the lawe should perish from the priest counsell from the wise man and the worde from the Proophet and yet all men knowe that Ieremie was in the right and of the true Church and all the rest against him in a maruellous errour Thus you see that trueth is not tyed to the multitude of men or to the title of vniuersalitie nor to the outward glistring pompe but rather contrà In the olde world did not Noah and his family being verie few in number in respect of all the worlde beside did not they I say represent the Church of God at that time Doth not Christ often call his a little flocke Doth not Christ say that x Math. 7.13 wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that enter that way Doth hee not also adde that straight is the gate and narrowe is the way that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it What doth all this proue but that the fewest vsually are the Church of God and vniuersalities and multitudes they are so farre from beeing markes of the true Church that they rather euidently bewray the synagogue of Sathan The Papists are still busie with vs and they thinke they driue vs to a hard straight when they demand of vs where our church was manie hundred yeres agoe for they say that the Church must consist of an alwaies appearing forme visible to the eye and that it may be alwaies poynted out with the finger in apparent shewe Truely this answere is easie to dissolue this which they make so knotted an argument for though papistes like carnall and sensuall men can iudge of nothâ—ng but that which they see with outward eyes yet Protestantes as they tearme them God hath endued them with better vnderstanding Let them aunswere me what forme of the Church shined in outward shewe when Helias complained and bewayled that he z 1. King 19.11 alone was left No question there was then and hath bene since and euer will be a Church of God so long as Christ shall raigne at the right hand of the father and yet it was not then seene in outward visible pompe but rather seemed as desolate as the Prophet Helias himselfe supposed and as no Churche indeede but it was saide to Helias that there were reserued seuen thousand men that had not bowed their knees to Baall So that there was euen then a church which yet was not seene with outward shining pompe and when the Prophet himselfe began therewith also to be dismayed Where was the Church in the time of Christ and hys Apostles when the shepheard was taken and the sheepe was scattered and dispersed When the glistring outward shewe was in the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisees And yet the Church obscured was the true Churche and not the synagoue of the Scribes Pharisees high priests that excelled in outward gorgeous shew Thus there is no question but that the true Church may be and yet not appeare in outward pompe of shew and glorious to the eye For where was our church in Quene Maries dayes as in all other times of persecutions in all places of the worlde besides Is there not a Church though it be not seene nor shewed in outward and eminent brightnesse but lyeth as it were hid darkened scattered abroad The Church was then persecuted and many then like constant Martirs of the true Church indeede induced the tyrannie of that romish religion so that some were bannished and other fled into other nations for succour and some indured martyrdome at home some other hid themselues but the whole Church generallie was vexed and oppressed And therefore when our Church was persecuted it is a good argument I thinke to say there was a Church ouerwhelmed with tyrannicall malice Is anie man so buzzard like or so blockishly blind that will say there is no sinne at al because it is sometime couered with a cloud or that there is no fire at all because it is sometime raked vp in imbers our Church may be and yet not seene not knowne to be by reason of darkenesse and palpable blindnesse and ignorance that ouer shadowed the light thereof so that by reason of clowdie darkenesse that grewe the Church could not shine to the viewe of others though in it selfe it were inlightened from God with a secret hidden and vnapparent light many ages togither Thus by expresse testimonie of scripture thou seest that a Church may be yea a true Church may be though it be not eminent in apparent shew for God doth shew the bright beames thereof in time and causeth it to shine in perfect bewtie for it is neither deuill nor pope nor prelate nor potentate no power nor pollicie that is able vtterly to roote it out from the earth for the God of heauen is the strong defender and moste puissant preseruer thereof against all the
A Briefe resolution of a right Religion TOVCHING THE CONtrouersies that are nowe in England Written by C. S. PRO. 15.32 He that refuseth to be reformed despiseth his owne soule but he that submitteth himselfe to correction is wise LONDON Printed by Roger Ward for Iohn Proctor and are to be sold at his shop vpon Holborne Bridge 1590. TO THE READER THou hast courteous Reader heere offered vnto thy viewe a small booke conteining the resolution of a true Religion It is garnished with no great eloquēce or rhetoricall florishe as manifesting my intent therin to be more to delight the inward heart with matter of substance then the outwaed care with words of trifling daliance The positions I hope will proue true the question not doubtfull though dangerous to my selfe in that I shall hazard my person in running vppon the cragged Rockes of the pestilent toonged Papistes I trust notwithstanding the shippe of my safetie will be strong inough if not to breake the rockes yet to beare the bruntes of all such stormie and tempestuous accidentes as winde and weather shall throwe vpon me sayling in so troublesome seas howbeit I meane well euen to the Romish Catholikes themselues whom earnestly I would request to reade this small worke with a single eye and with an indifferent minde not caried away with inraged rancor or woonted obstinacie for I will not feare to make themselues Iudges of the cause if they haue their eyes to see or wils to iudge with indifferencie I haue not runne ouer all matters of both sides for neither could I in so smal a roume onely and especially I haue leuelled at the verie foundation Read it through therefore gentle Reader with no lesse good minde then I wrote it and then I doubt not but thou wilt in fine be resolued with me of a right Religion If my worke want learning in recompence thereof I pray thee accept my good will wherin is no defect Thus not doubting of thy humanitie hoping well also of thy diuinitie I commend this my booke to thy gratefull curtesie and bid thee most heartely farewell Vale in Christo C. S. R. Armin in praise and commendation of this briefe Resolution of a right Religion THere are manie that haue tooke vpon them to set downe the poyntes of true Religion and haue aptly argued of particular partes yea and rightly disciphered the ample Rules of trueth amongest whome as chiefe this learned student C.S. hath sufficiently plainely and profoundly plac'd it before our eyes and hauing quite supprest false doctrine hath presented to our viewe this right resolution and I in this behalfe will say that the papist may well knocke himselfe on the brest saying a Confiteor making vaine signes of repentance of his sinnes but if he looke narrowly vnto it he shall finde it nothing but mockerie and hypocrisie The other vitious and detestable sect are Martinesses who see so farre into matters that they ouersee themselues wresting thinges from the right sence to the wrong making shew of zeale when it is meere follie therefore let them know here is the right religion though a briefe resolution short and sweete and therefore you that will be heyres of heauen and you zealous protestantes wish him wel whose imployed studie was and is to conduct you to the trueth and therfore hold euery sect false whose rules he doth contradict and withall patience waite for the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ and labour so that you may be found of him without spot and blamelesse Surely that day ought to be fearefull to the wicked but of vs that should be most desired knowing assuredlie that there is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus and his great kindnes and meekenes when hee commeth to make vs liue with him for euer in heauen Amen R. A. A BRIEFE RESOLVTION OF a right Religion GReat controuersie hath long bin betweene the Papists and Protestantes as they are commonly tearmed whether of them be the true church for it is agreed of both sides that Extra Ecclesiam non est salus but surely me thinks it is a question scarse questionable for the papistical Romishe Church arrogateth that they are the true church and our Religion grounded out of the worde of God perswadeth vs to be of the true church for we are builded vpon the sacred writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles Christ Iesus himselfe being the a Ephes 2.20 corner stone their church or rather synagogue of Sathan is builded vpon vnwritten verities and depraued sacred trueth the pope of Rome a man nay b Reue. 13.1 a beast with seuen heades and tenne hornes and vpon his hornes tenne crownes and vppon his heades the names of blasphemie being the head thereof We imbrace Paule we imbrace Peter and yet we renounce the Pope who vainly boasteth himselfe to be Peters successour in asmuch as the Pope is neither like to Peter in doctrine maners nor religion and in vaine shall the pope boast to haue his place when he commeth nothing neere vnto in the qualities of his person nor in the doctrine of the Apostles for in this respect there is as much difference betweene them as betwixt blacke and white light and darkenesse heauen and hell as afterward shal be manifested Christ hath forewarned vs that there shall arise c Mat. 24.24 false Christes and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible the verie elect Paule hath giuen vs a good caueat let no man saith he deceiue himselfe againe let euery man take heede howe he buildeth And he addeth this rule to know d 1. Cor. 3.18 assuredly the true and right foundation for saith he other foundation can no man lay but that which is layd alreadie which saith hee is Iesus Christ The same Paule in his Epistle to the Galathians saith e Gal. 1.8 if we or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you anie other Gospell then that we haue preached Anathema esto let him be accursed And this sentence he iterateth a second time If we are bidden not to beleue Angels from heauen if they teache doctrine contrary to Paules will aine man then be so foolish as to beleeue the pope vpon his word and vnwritten verities teaching matters contrarie not onely to Paule but to Peter and to all the whole body of the sacred scriptures When f Luke 16. Diues was in hell and cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in Abrahams bosome and being in torments could not obtaine of Abraham that Lazarus might dip hys finger in water and coole his toonge because hee was tormented in that flame He did then beseeche Abraham that he would send Lazarus to his fathers house for he had fiue brethren that he might testifie to them least they also came in that place of torment But whether did he referre them They haue saith Abraham Moses and the Prophets let them heare them for if they will not heare them neither will
they beleeue though one rise from the dead Thus we are referred to build our beliefe vpon Moses and the prophets Christ himselfe saith and commandeth vs g Iohn 5 39 to search the scriptures for saith he they are they that testifie of me So that the people are bolde to heare Christ Moses and the prophets and apostles with this clause also added that if any though an Angell from heauen teach doctrine contrarie vnto them Anathema sit wee must holde him accursed so that we are not to beleeue the Pope nor his vnwritten verities nor generall Counsels nor yet ancient Fathers no not Angels themselues though comming from heauen if they teach matter contrarie to the sacred scriptures as the people are to hear such kind of Teachers so are also all that take vpon them the office of teaching or of Apostleship not to teach doctrines of men or their owne fantasies or blind dreames but onely such stuffe as they receiue from God Moses he gaue the lawe to the Israelits but he did it by commandement from the Lord and spake as from his mouth What maner power the prophetes generally had is very well described in Ezechiell Thou h Ezek. 3.18 sonne of man saith the Lord I haue geuen thee to be a Watchman to the house of Israell therefore thou shalt heare the worde out of my mouth and thou shalt declare it to them from me Look to the Apostles and see what commission they had Goe saith Christ h Mat. 27.19 and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost teaching them to keepe all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commanded you so the apostles commission was to teach that which they had receiued from Christ Christ himselfe the sonne of the euerliuing God in respect that hee was an apostle or messenger sent from God his Father answereth the Iewes in the seuenth of Iohn saying My i Iohn 16. doctrine is not mine but his that sent me So Christ himselfe taught no other doctrine but that which he had from his father And S. Paule as a faithfull Apostle affyrmeth to the Corinhians that he k 1 Cor. 11 receiued that of the Lord which he deliuered vnto them Thus wee see that the apostles spake from the mouth of Christ Christ from the mouth of his Father and all both Christ and the Apostles Moses and the prophetes spake as from the mouth of God which is also verified by that one saying of the Authour to the Hebrues God l Heb. 1 1 in times past diuers waies spake vnto the Fathers by the Prophetes but in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his sonne And Paule telleth Timothy that all scripture m 2 Tim. 3 16 is giuen by diuine inspiration and written as with the finger of God who is all trueth and therefor it is impossible should either lie or erre Therefore touching matters of religion let God alone be heard and the sacred Scriptures produced for the establishing of that religion which shall be acceptable in his eies For a mans faith is to bee builded vppon the surest anchor and m 2 Tim. 3 16 rocke and in such sort that neither windes nor waues be able to remooue it and that must be as Christ teacheth vpon his woord which is infallible and neuer fayleth And all both reason and diuinitie so perswadeth for that saying of Paule is true Let n Mat. 7.14 God be true and euerie man a lier It is well knowne and dayly experience can tel vs that men may erre and goe awrie but he o 1 Ioh 5.10 that beleeueth not God maketh him a lier as S. Iohn saith which cannot be without horrible blasphemie Let vs therefore not build our faith and religion vpon any man be he Augustine Cyprian Ambrose Hierome or whosoeuer nor vpon generall Councels for they were also compounded of men and Humanum est errare Men may erre therefore no question but they might erre And if in any any thing they doo not erre it is because they haue the word of trueth and of sacred Scripture for their confirmation or els they must needs erre So that all those ancient Fathers and generall Counsels they must all drawe water from the pure fountaine the sacred word of trueth or els they doo nothing els but preach the puddle of their owne inuentions which if they should doo though they were Angels from heauen we must not beleeue them nay Anathema sit we must hold him accursed by the rule of Paule aforesaid The woorde of God deliuered as from the mouth and hand of God being laide as a foundation wee are not to doubt but that our religion builded thereupon is most sure and certaine neuer able vtterly to bee ouerthrowne with all the power and pollicie of Antichrist and his adherents bee they neuer so subtil in the one or ful of fortitude in the other For why Christ the head of his Church is the defender thereof and the confounder of Antichrist The Papistes and enemies of the true Church of God they call vs Heretikes by a metaphoricall speach borrowed from themselues and giue railing sentence vpon bs when they are no longer able to conuince our reasons shewing therein their malignant tongues and malicious hearts but we answere with Paule that with that which they call heresie we serue the liuing God They call our religion a condemned doctrine attainted long ago by general Councels If they shew me the reuealed counsell from God I wil beleeue them and of generall Counsels some are meere repugnant and contrarie one to another so that they are of litle credite But what if it be condemned by men if it be allowed of God what neede we care We knowe that at Ierusalem they held a councel together to put p Math. 26.4 Christ to death as a malefactor yea and condemned him Was therfore his doctrine euer the worse or was it therefore so because they condemned him Did they not hold a councell against Stephen and stone him to death and yet Stephen is recorded to be a man full of q Act. 6.12 faith and of power What will the deceitfull Papistes say of Peter their Popes predecessour as they vainely boast There was a generall councell held against him also and condemning his doctrine scourged him and the rest of the Apostles with an inhibition that they should not teach any more in the name of Iesus If their general councels be of force to condemne vs and our religion I see no reason but that their religion should be also condemned by the former councell against Peter but Peters doctrine was true notwithstanding the Counsell and so may ours notwithstanding their Councels against vs For we as I haue oft said builde our religion vppon Christ vpon Peter the apostles and prophets The Papistes therefore do both foolishlie and ignorantly paint out the beautie of their Church by the tytle of vniuersalitie and thereupon
there bee woorkes of superogation able to saue both themselues and others also they may so aboūd with such superfluitie of good workes Yea worse then all this they holde and teache and teach other to practise which is most horrible blasphemie that bad workes are also meritorious namely that treason in subiects and murthering of their lawfull Christian Soueraigne is not onely lawful but alowable yea commendable nay more than so meritorious in heauen which doctrine as it is moste blasphemous so the practise thereof is moste damnable and dangerous abhorring from nature which teacheth euerie subiect to feare and honour his prince as nature bindeth the sonne to feare and honour his father for princeps est patriae parens degenerating from the law of all nations for it is lawfull and meritorious for a papisticall Romanist treacherously to murder his holy father the pope yea rather more if of euils the least be to be chosen then it is for a sworne subiect to be false and traiterous to so christian a prince Meere repugnant to all Scripture yea contrary to the doctrine of Peter himselfe whose doctrine the pope must obey and teach if in succession hee will be accompted a lawfull Apostle of Christ harken O ye Papists and listen what Peter teacheth you follow his doctrine let not the popes bare name of holy father deceiue you any more nor the name of the Apostolicke Sea for they are but lying wordes to deceiue you Compare the Apostleship of Peter with the Apostleship of the Pope and then if you find him contrarie though he be Peters successour reiect him and tread hys doctrine vnder feete The wordes of Peter are thus be m 1. Pet. 2 13. subiect therefore saith he to euery humain creature whether it be to the king as to the chiefe or to relers as to them that be set in authoritie for the punishment of them that doe ill and the praise of them that doe good againe in the same chapter he saith honour all men loue brotherly charitie feare God honour the king againe he commandeth seruantes to submit themselues in all feare vnto their masters not onely saith he if they be good but also though they be froward If a froward maister be to be honoured and feared of his seruaunt much more ought the person of a kinde and vertuous Soueraigne be had in most reuerent estimation of all subiectes considering that the person of a Prince on earth is the image of God in heauen that she is a person of mightie maiestie of puissant magnificence and of most glistring princely royaltie who being placed in her throne by God by whome Reges regnant principes dominantur is impossible to be thrust out by the power or pollicie of men no not of the deuill himselfe nor all his adherentes for that must needes stand which God hath stablished but that may easily fall which men onely haue erected heauen and earth may passe but not one iote of the word of God shall perishe but shal be fulfilled They therefore may aswell thinke it as possible to pul God out of heauen as it is to remoue a lawful annoynted prince from beside the seat wherein God himself stablified her The vaine hope of the papists therefore dismayed and the false Apostleship of the pope confuted by the faithfull Apostle Peter let vs proceede further to compare them together n 1. Pet. 2.11 Beloued saith Peter I exhort you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule And againe he saith o 1. Pet. 1.15 As he which called you is holy so be ye also sanctified in all conuersation because sayth he it is written p Leuit. 11 4 4 be ye holy as I am holy So that Peter admitteth no vncleannesse nor dispenseth with anie sinne but reproueth all and onely alloweth sanctimonie of life and conuersation and hee bringeth in scriptum est also for the warrant of his doctrine I would all that pretend themselues to be his successours would doe the like and giue the like wholesome sound admonitions and preceptes then should not men eyther for loue or money haue pardons dispensations commissions with authoritie to commit most diuelish murder accompting that for meritorious which is most monstrous and meriteth in trueth a moste bloudie reuenge for the body and eternall tormentes for the soule if it should be but so much as conceaued in the imagination What the office of a true Apostle is Peter describeth in his fift Chapter q 1. Pet. 5.1 The elders that be amongest you I which am also an elder exhorte feede as muche as in yours the flocke of Christ not compelledly but willingly not couetous of filthy gaine but of a readie minde not as exercising lordship ouer the clergie but that yee may be r 2. Cor 4 24 examples of the flocke If Peter shewing himselfe that he is an elder doe clayme no Lordship in hys Apostleship how commeth it to passe then that the pope his pretended successour claymeth not onely a lordship and dominion in Rome but a litle of supremacie ouer all nations The Papistes answereth at christ said vnto Peter Thou s. Mat i6 18 art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it and I wil geue to thee the keies of the kingdom of heauen And whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shal be boūd in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shall be loosed in heauē But can these words of binding loosing giue a supremacie and kingdome vnto the Pope and not to Peter whose successour he is For we heard before from Peters own mouth that he claymeth nor alloweth but disclaimeth and disswadeth such exercised lordship ouer the Cleargie So that neither did he affect such proud titles of honour Lordship and superioritie but sought rather as he wished all other to be examples of mildnesse and good conuersation How can wee thinke that Christ should giue such Lord-like authoritie when Christ telleth his disciples contending among themselues who should seeme to bee the geeatest The t Luke 22 25 Mat 20.25 Marke 15.24 Kinges of nations saith he beare Lordship but it shall not be so with you but he that will be the greatest among you let him be as the least or as a seruant Now if neither Peter had the superiority but forbiddeth it as teaching al humilitie being taught by Christ his maister the kings of nations are to beare the lordship his apostles should be so far from contending for primacy on earth that they should rather be as seruants appointed to minister to the Church of Christ to build a kingdom for God in heauen If neither Peter had it and if Christ also forbad it shewing the kingdomes belong to the kinges of the nations how can any man gather that Christs meaning was to giue that to Peter which he forbiddeth Peter al the rest of the apostles If
liuing God whome Peter confessed If Peter then be not the head of the Church downe must fall the title of the vniuersall Bishop of all the Church which title the pope proudly hath vsurped as deriued from Peter who was content to be a member of the Churche and not the head thereof but the swelling ambition of the Pope is so monstrous that hee neither careth to commit treason against christian princes but most proudly hee will intrude himselfe into the seate and throne of God himselfe and he will be head of the Churche to dye for it but I beleeue in the end he will scarse be so much as the foot or one of the toes of the Churche his blasphemie is so monstrous and so intollerable If then sillie Pope thou wilt be head of the whole Churche shewe which way thou makest title for Peter from whome thou claymest was content to be a member of the Church And thou because thou canst not be a member of the church most proudly claymest to be the head because thou canst not be the head thou wilt be no part of the church at all I beleeue the consequent darest thou proud pope without all authoritie derogate so much from the glory and maiestie of Christ as to take from Christ his crown to set it vpon thy head most traiterously and thinkest thou that he will not trample thee vnder his feete doth not Paule to the Ephesians speake in plaine tâ—armes that God raised Christ from the dead and set him at his right hand in heaueÌ„ly places aboue all principalities powers and lordships and euery name that is named not onely in this world but in the world to come and hath submitted all thinges vnder his feete and hath made him head aboue all thinges to the Churche which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all If Christ be the head of the Church as this text doth most plainly proue then caÌ„not the pope be the head of the church in earth as hee proudly vsurpeth for there can be but one head of the Church and that head is Christ so that it is the sole appropriated title of Christ to be the head of his church on earth and euerie where for God hath giuen this title to neither man nor angell nor archangell but to Christ onely whom he raysed from the dead Looke through the whole life of Peter looke through all his Epistles and doctrine and thou shalt finde in him all the markes of a true and worthie Apostle his minde humble not eleuated with pride his doctrine sound which he had receiued from Christ his counsell good his admonitions wholesome his Epistles most deuine The pope his boasting successor cannot abide the charge of preaching sincerely the word of God but yet will hee be an Apostle as touching the place and retaine the name of an Apostle and when a man is no more an Apostle and reuera wanteth both the doctrine and sincere minde of an Apostle what is this else but to be a false Apostle and an intruder into the Church of God What his doctrine is perticularly to recite al were to tedious and almost infinit their idolatrous masse their inuented purgatorie deuised onely to purge mens pursses not their soules their bowing to idols their intercession of saintes their freewill their iustification by workes nay their workes of superogation and infinite more what doe all these but make voyd the crosse of Christ and disanull the grace of God repugnant plainely against the law of Moses and the sacred scriptures But who may speake against him in anie thing who may tell him that God commandeth we should not k Exod. 20. bow down nor worship carued Images and if he leaue out this second commaundement cleane out of the booke because it maketh agaynst him who can reproue him In his absurd doctrne of transubstantion after the wordes of consecration vttered who can perswade him but that the bread is the verie body of Christ and the wine is the verie bloud though Christ call it plainly the l fruite of the vine in plaine tearmes Who may tell him that he should onely teach the godly doctrine of Christ as a faithful Apostle and not his vnwritten verities nor curtoll the scriptures of God nor yet dispence with any thing therein contained who may tell him of his charters of pardons his dispensations to commit cruell and vnnaturall murders against Christian Princes rebellions robberies adulteries and all the villanies of the world and all this vnder a pretensed colour of the supremacie which Peter neuer had ouer the Church of God ouer all Princes and Emperours yea and I thinke aboue God himselfe for what is this els but to chop and chaunge and to vse at his pleasure the sacred word of God and to abuse it to all vngodlinesse and wickednesse Their answere is short that the Scriptures are to be expounded by generall counsels and they and the pope make the Church and the Church cannot erre And whatsoeuer therefore they shall say or decree that is the worde of God and to be reuerenced as an oracle from heauen whatsoeuer it be And hereupon is builded the implicita fides of the Roman papistes to beleeue as the Church beleeueth is fayth good inough for a papist This argument is verie pithagorium Ipse dixit ergo verum est O subtill papistes O simple and deceiued people O moste diuelishe and pestilent religion thus to bewitch mens heartes and to cast a mist before their eyes to blindfolde them in such polluted doctrine And the more to colour this their fraud and apparent deceite they haue established ignorance for the mother of deuotion and images they haue made lay mens bookes and as for the Bible that shal be read to the people in an vnknowne toong as in Latine O diuelish deuise of Sathan O hellish darkenes Not the deuill himselfe could haue inuented a more subtil yet a most pernitious religioÌ„ Is ignoraunce the mother of deuotion when Christ calleth it the mother of error saying to the Saduces you Mat. 22 29. erre not knowing the scriptures Can an vnlearned man sayth Paule say Amen to thy seruice vttered in an vnknown toonge when he knoweth not what thou saiest and he sayth plainly that there is no Rom. 14. edification in such vnknowne language howe can these men boast that they edifie the people then when the people say Amen they know not to what and their implicita fides beleeueth they knowe not what they tell them the church cannot erre and this is sufficient for them if you will goe anie further the Church must answere O silly Romanistes so much seduced by that deluding Antichrist wherevpon is your Church builded vpon the pope as the head of the church and the generall counselles Peter neuer claymed to be the head of the Church hee neuer had that authority giuen him nay it was denied him to seeke after it And Christ onely is
the head of the church as hath bin proued before Ergo the pope hath no such preheminence As touching their generall counsels wherewith they binde mens consciences as with cordes how can they proue those counsels to be autentically true for whatsoeuer it be that is decreed by them they make them as oracles and necessarie conclusions of the trueth though they disagree neuer so muche from the Scriptures for suche matters must not be called into question for they hold it as a principle that from the determination of a counsell there can be no appellation but what if they erre They say they cānot erre whie Because they be the Church who alloweth it Will they prooue themselues to bee the Church who in their blinde and deuelishe doctrine and conuersation shewe themselues to be the Synagogue of Sathan I knowe not and I am sure themselues will neuer be able to prooue For the word of God is that which must trie out the trueth of the religion and Church of God For as for building faith vpon general Councels it is a verie feeble foundation and no question they might erre and did erre yea they are somtimes contrarie one to an other as the Synod of Constantinople gathered together vnder Leo the Emperour iudged that images set vp in Churches should bee ouerthrowen and broken in peeces A litle afterward the Councel of Nyce which the Empresse assembled in spite of him decreed that they should be restored both these Councels could not c true and whether of these should a man take to be true or how can he tell which is true but by that Scripture which is geuen by diuine inspiration which is the rule of the Church and the square of trueth whereupon the church must be builded els we shall neuer knowe what or which is the trueth Augustine saith that the latter Councell can not stande without present perrill of idolatrie Epiphanius saith it is a wickednesse and abhomination to haue Images seene in the Church of Christians The Councell of Constance forbad the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper to be geuen to the lay people but willed that the Priest onely should drinke thereof which I thinke the Romanistes themselues will not agree vnto Thus because Councels may easily erre ther is no faith to be built vpon them but all faith all religion and the true Church is onely to be built vpon the o Ephe. 2.20 Prophetes and Apostles Christ Iesus being the head corner stone the rocke that neuer falleth nor fadeth For this is a marke incident to the Church My p Iohn 10.3 sheepe saith Christ will heare my voyce Againe Christ saith He that is of q Iohn 3.47 God heareth Gods wordes you therefore heare them not saith he because you are not of God The sheepe will followe their good shepheard for they knowe his r iohn 10.3 voice A stranger they will not follow Therfore the church and true spouse of Christ must be subiect to her head and husband enclining to his wil and gouerned by his word For the Church which is not builded vpon the word of Christ is built vpon the s Mat. 7.26 Sand and so subiect to a continuall ruine and ouerthrow as Christ himselfe preached in his sermon But that which standeth vpon Christ the rock the t Math 16 18 gates of hell shall neuer preuaile a-against it as Christ tolde Peter Trie the spirites saith S. Iohn whether they be of v God or no f Iohn 4 1 for many false prophetes are come into the world Againe he that knoweth God heareth vs saith S. Iohn hee that is not of God heareth not vs by this we know the spirite of trueth and the spirit of errour The false prophetes saith hee speake of the world and the world heareth them because they are of the world but wee are of God saith he So that both Iohn and Christ shew this to be a marke to knowe the spirite of errour if they heare not the wordes of Christes apostles Let not the pope therefore deceiue thee gentle Reader as though he could not erre neyther let his generall counsell so bind thy conscience without appellation but that thou be free to trie the spirits by the worde of trueth For many false prophetes are come into the world Trie the gold by the touch stone For be he Pope be they generall councels yea be they Angels from heauen if they preach matter contrarie to the doctrin of Christ beleeue him not nay Anathema esto hold him accursed as Paule commandeth thee The Scribes and Pharises demaunded of Christ why his disciples transgressed the traditions of the elders Christ answered them Why doo yee Math 15 2 transgresse the precepts of God thorough your tradition for God commanded saying Honour father and mother c. Hypocrits saith he wel prophecied Esayas of you saying This people commeth neere vnto me with their mouthes and honoureth me with their lips but their heartes are farre from me but in vaine doo they worship me teaching for doctrine the preceptes of men And is not the religion of Rome as vain a worship when they teach for doctrine the preceptes of men viz. of generall Councels and that we must hold them as vndoubted oracles of the holy Ghost and that none must mutter against them or gainsay them vpon paine of a condemned heretik Yea they hold that the word of God is subiect to the censure of the Church which say they is their Pope generall councels and whatsoeuer sense they set vpon the scriptures is to be receiued for true without questioning against it what is this els but to make the head subiect to the foote the sheepe to rule their shephearde and the Spouse which should be subiect to beare authoritie ouer her husband that shoulde be soueraigne her Lord and maister to gouerne her after his wil But herein the Church of Rome sheweth her self to play the harlot plainly when she renounceth her head when she forsaketh her husband and runneth a whoring after her owne ymagmations Iudge then gentle reader whether thou think to be the true church ours that is builded vpon the foundation of Christ the prophetes and apostles or the church of Rome that is builded vpon the Pope his Cardinals and his generall councels Ours that acknowledgeth Christ to be the onely head thereof or theirs who most dishonourably to christ acknowledge the Pope the head therof Ours that is builded vpon God ortheirs that is builded vpon slippery men Ours that admitteth no impuritie or theirs who for money and to serue their turne will dispence with most monstrous and haynous cruelties Their religion which seeketh and thirsteth after blood beeing therein like to the Deuill their father who was a z Iohn 8 44 murtherer from the beginning or ours which seeketh peace of conscience in a godly conuersation Ours seeketh the glory of God theirs seeketh their own pomp and the glory of the world Ours giueth free liberty to