argumentes whereby the seconde Councell of Nice endeuoured to approue the adoration of images are all refuted in the Councell of Frankford as I haue declared alreadie in a Treatise concerning worshipping of Images Concerning the argument taken from the authotitie of Epiphanius who in his booke called Panarium reckoneth not the worshippers of images in the roll of Heretiques it is answered by the Councell of FRANKFORD that incase Epiphanius had counted the haters of the worshippers of images Heretiques hee had likewise inferted their names in the catalogue of Heretiques but seeing hee hath not so done the Councell of Nice had no just cause to triumph so much in this friuolous argument which maketh more against them that it maketh for them More-ouer in the Councell of FRANKFORD the Epistle of Epiphanius written to Ihonne bishop of Hierusalem was read wherein hee disalloweth the verie inbringing of images into Churches and this Epistle was translated out of Grieke into the Latine language by Ierom. The Epistle is worthie to bee read Reade it in the Magdeburg Historie Cent. 8. Chap. 9. TREATISES Belonging to the VIII CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of Transsubstantiation SATHAN is a vigilant enemie setting himselfe in most opposite manner against euerie thing that is a comfort and refreshment vnto the sheepe-folde of God Now the principall comforts of the sheepe of God are the pastures wherein they feede and the waters wherewith they are refreshed Doubtlesse these two comforts are the preaching of the word and the ministration of the Lordes holy Sacraments If Sathan by any meanes can hinder the true preaching of the worde and the right ministration of the Sacramēts then his malice against Gods people is descried as the malice of the Philistimes of olde against Isaac and his cattell was manifested when they stopped with earth the foūtaines of water which Abraham had digged whereof the cattell of Isaac were accustomed to drink It cannot bee sufficiently expressed in words what malice Sathan hath born against the true preaching of the word of God the right ministration of the Sacraments The sixt persecution of Ethnick Emperoures was so directly set against the Preachers of Gods worde as the worlde might easily discerne that the intention of Maximinus was to vndoe the sheepe-folde of God for lacke of pastures and of refreshing waters For this cause let not our cogitations be rauished with admiration when we heare or reade that manie questions haue beene mooued concerning the holie Sacrament of the Lords Supper If there were not plenty of spirituall consolation to bee receiued by the right participation of this holy Sacrament Sathan had neuer busied himselfe so earnestly against it as if the throate of his kingdome were cut if this Sacrament be rightly ministred by the Preachers rightlie receiued by the people Let the Christian Reader remember that of olde vnder the tenne persecuting Emperoures the receiuing of the holy Sacrament of the Lordes Supper was called the banquet of Thyestes This proceeded from none other ground but from the malice of the Deuill hating the Lords holy banquet Secondly the Manichean heretiques so peruerted the Lords holy Sacrament that Augustine to whom their secret mysteries were not vnknowne was compelled to call their Communion Execramentum and not Sacramentum that is an execrable thing and not a Sacrament Thirdly the Donatists in ministring the Lords Sacraments were in an opinion That the Sacrament was onely effectuall when it was ministred by one of their owne number But seeing the malice of Sathan is an infinite thing and hath not a period wherein it endeth For defacing of the right vse of the holy Sacrament Sathan filled the heart of an hereticall Monke called Damascene with a lewde opinion to affirme That the bread in the holy Sacrament was transsubstantiate into the body of Christ and that the wine was transsubstantiate into His blood Which opinion I may justly call a Noueltie because it was neither in worde nor writ hearde before the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord. But it is the custome of Papists to follow Nouelties and in the meane time to bragge of Antiquitie What abuses of the holy Sacrament followed after the seuen hundreth yeere of our Lord God willing shall bee declared in its owne time for the present thus much I say That vpon a time I saw the images of Cain and Abel pictured by an vnlearned painter with such habite as the Germanes are appareled with in our dayes These pictures made mee not to thinke that the Germane habite was in vse in the dayes of Cain and Abel but rather that the painter was a foolishe man destitute of vnderstanding Euen so when I reade the works of Damascene albeit I was at that time but young in yeeres yet I thought not that the opinion of Damascene was agreeable to Apostolicke doctrine but rather that Damascene was a foolishe and doating Monke and somewhat ambitious also desiring to be coūted the author of some new opinion which no man had maintained before him IN this TREATISE I shall first declare God willing what it is that they call Transsubstantiation secondly howe absurde an opinion it is and thirdly with what relùctation it was insinuated into the bosome of the Latine Church but euer vntill this daye was rejected of the Grieke Church Nowe Transsubstantiation as they saye is an euanishing of the substance of bread and wine after the wordes of consecration and a substitution of the bodie blood of Christ in place of the euanished substance of bread and wine the accidents of bread and wine alwayes remaining without inherence into anie subject Albeit the worde Transsubstantiation seemeth to import a change of one substance into another and the moste part of them define it to bee a chaunge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie yet some of them doe forsee a great inconueniencie if Transsubstantiation be defined to a chāge of the substance of bread into the substance of Christes bodie namely this that Christes bodie in heauen cladde with a most glorious and celestiall brightnesse and Christes bodie in earth ouershaddowed with the accidentes of bread and wine shall not bee counted one and the selfe same bodie in respect that the bodie of Christ that is in heauen was formed by the holy Spirit of the substance of the Virgine Marie and the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament woulde bee founde to bee made of the substance of bread This is the cause wherefore they who are more subtile than the rest abstaine from the grosse definition afore-saide Howsoeuer concerning the word Transsubstantiation I admonish the Reader that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an euanishing or disparition hath no affinitie with Damascenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a change of one thing vnto another thing that is better so that there is no good agreement amongst themselues concerning the signification of the word Transsubstantiation Concerning consecration of the elementes there are diuerse opinions The
would send from the Heauen the diuine flame of his celestiall loue to the ende that the fleshly conceits of mens hearts may bee brunt vp and that they may bee fully perswaded that the LORD who made the Heauen and the Earth is hee alone to whom spirituall sacrifices are to bee offered and that through IESVS CHRIST to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee praise and glorie now and euer AMEN A TREATISE Of the authoritie of COUNCILS IN the first three hundreth yeeres of our LORD Councils were few in number and verie obscure and few of them had great authoritie except the Councill holden in HIERUSALEM by the Apostles yet was the first age after CHRIST the golden age whether wee consider doctrine or maners in doctrine more sincere in maners more vnreproueable then any age after following in so much that all the accusations forged against their doctrine and conuersation were but calumnies and lyes The banquets of Thyestes and the chambring of Oedipus perpetually objected to the Christians of the primitiue Church what were they but cauillations in thinges whereof they had no vnderstanding They knew not what the spirituall eating of the flesh of CHRIST did meane neither knew they how necessary it was for Christians to keepe holy assemblies in the night time when they had not libertie to doe it in the day time And they spake euill of things they could not nor would not comprehende as the Gracians and Romanes counted the Hebrues Barbarians because they had no regard to vnderstand their language But out of all question the first age was the golden age of the worlde after it was renewed by the comming of CHRIST in doing of good more willing in suffering of euill more patient then anie age that followed the first 300. yeeres of our LORD And that thing where into the primitiue Church seemeth to be inferiour to posteriour times to wit in number and splendor of Councils in that same point it hath a prerogatiue such as Iuda had ouer Israel there were more altars in Israel then in Iuda but that one altar in Hierusalem was better then all their altars And the Councill holden in Hierusalem by the Apostles in the dayes of the Emperour Claudius was better then all the Councils either Generall or Nationall that euer were gathered since those dayes Now before I speake in particular of thâ—… necessitie of Councils of their authoritie of the abuse of Councils and power to conuocate them and who should haue vote in Councils somewhat is to bee premitted concerning the name giuen vnto Gâ—…nerall or Nationall assemblies Gratianus busieth himselfe in manie vnnecâ—…ssarie thinges and in this also to secke out the Etymologie of the Latine word Concilium and hee deduceth it from the word Cilium called in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the eye lid and the compound word Concilium signifieth the companie of men who agree in one minde as the eye liddes doe when they couer the eyes they couer both together and when they open againe to giue place vnto the sight of the eyes they open both at once And so Gratianus thinketh that Concilium is Coelus consentientium that is a company of men who agree in one mind The fourth Councill of Garthage requireth beside consent and agreement in one minde a consent to the veritie and trueth of GOD therefore they say that the assemblie of Heretiques should not bee called Concilium but Conciliabulum But in acurate seeking out of Etymologies scarce can Plato himselfe in his Dialogue called Cratylus escape the blame of curiositie the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainer and is borrowed by the Latinists who usually call a Councill Synodus and it is used in this sence to betoken a meeting of men in spitituall offices for timous suppressing of corruptions either in Doctrine or maners springing vp into the Church The necessitie of Councâ—…ls may bee proued by these arguments following First those ordinarie meanes which the Prophets and Apostles who had their callinâ—… and gifts immediatly from GOD did use for suppressing of false doctrine and corrupt maners should of necessitie continue in the Church But so it is that conuentions assemblies was one of these ordinary meanes ergo they should continue in the Church The seconde part of the argument is proued by the example of the great assemblie gathered at Silo in the dayes of Iosua to suppresse the apparent defection of the Reubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasses from the true worship of GOD as seemed vnto them And this Assemblie had allowance of GOD forasmuch as it was ordered with wisedome the glory of GOD was onely respected and the ende of it was peace in ISRAEL Next the great assemblie of the ten tribes at mount Carmell procured by Helias the Prophet but gathered by the commandement of Achab the king of Israel declareth that assemblies of Church-men and others of chiefe authoritie was an ordinarie meane to reforme abuses in Religion albeit no reformation followed after this assemblie yet the enemies of the true Religion were conuicted in their consciences false teachers were disgraced and punished and the zeale of Helias toward the glory of GOD had allowance by a miracle of fire from Heauen In like maner Samuel by gathering a great assemblie of all Israel at Mizpah procured a reformation both in Religion and maners amongst them Dauid in transporting the Arke to the citie of Dauid Salomon in the dedication of the Temple both used the support of holie assemblies gathered to that effect And in the new Testament the Apostles Elders and Deacons met together in an holie assemblie at Hierusalem and timouslie suppressed the doctrine of false teachers who affirmed that the Gentiles could not bee saued by faith in CHRIST onely except they had also beene circumcised and kept the law of Moses All these examples and manie more contained in holy Scripture teach vs that the meeting of holie assemblies was an ordinarie meane to suppresse corruption in doctrine and maners and to aduance the kingdome of GOD. Secondlie that thing which godlie Emperours did for the suppressing of Heresies following the examples of the Prophets Apostles especiallie when no better meanes could be found out is necessarilie to bee obserued But so it is that the godlie Emperours Constantine Theodosius Valentinian the third and Theodosius the second the sonne of Arcadius and Martianus conuocated Councils for suppressing of the Heresies of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches and no better meanes could be found out neither as yet can bee founde out for suppressing of Heresies Therefore the custome of conuocating Councils at times requisite is necessarilie to bee obserued Other arguments albeit they haue not so necessarie a consecution as the former notwithstanding they proue that lawfull Councils are a terrour to the kingdome of the Deuill and that the instrumentes of Sathan such as Iulian the
substance euanishe when I haue brought tenne times moe testimonies than I haue already done I shall receiue this answere returned vnto mee That whatsoeuer was the opinion of these Fathers the generall Councell of Lateran anno 1215. which was wiser than these fore-mentioned Fathers haue taken a deeper consideration into this matter than these Fathers did and they haue allowed the doctrine of Transsubstantiation Howsoeuer let me obtaine this fauour at the hands of the Christian Reader that he may consider that they who brag so much of Antiquitie are driuen backe to seeke refuge in the Noueltie of late Councels THE latter part of their definition wherein they say that after consecration the accidents of bread and wine such as whitenesse roundnesse and rednesse doe remaine in the Sacrament without inherence into any subject In this part I blame them againe of Noueltie No ancient Father euer spake of accidents without a subject And albeit M. Harding impudeÌ„tly citeth the testimonie of Basilius Magnus to prooue that accidentes may subsist without a subject because in the first dayes creation there was light this light had no subsistance in any subject This citing of the authoritie of an ancient Father expresse contrarie to his owne meaning and wordes is an intolerable abusing of the writinges of Fathers The words of Basilius are these as is well obserued by the learned Doctor IEWEL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye The aire was lightened or rather it had the whole light whollie mingled with it selfe Hee saith not that the light was an accident without a subject but hee pointeth out the subject wherinto it had inherence euen before the creation of the Sunne to wit the aire But seeing they haue refuge continually to the Omnipotent power of God when they vtter pointes of new and absurde doctrine and they saye that God by his Omnipotent power can make that accidents shall subsist without a subject To this I answere That our disputation with them is not about the power of God but about the will of God in the matter of the Sacrament And it is the will of God in the Sacrament of the Supper to leade vs vnto Christ as the onely bread of life by whome our soules are nourished vnto eternall saluation And the Lord vseth the externall signes to leade vs to the thing signified What are we that wee should despise the simplest meanes of the working of God Not only doeth the externall signes leade vs to Christ but also the analogie and similitude that is betwixt the bread Christs body leadeth vs to a consideration of the nourishing vertue that is in Christs body to feede vs vnto eternall life But Papistes by taking awaye the substance of bread and wine and leauing only naked accideÌ„ts in the which there is no nourishing vertue they vndoe the nature of a Sacrament taking awaye the similitude betwixt the signe and the thing signified without the which Augustine affirmeth that a Sacrament cannot subsist but let vs heare Augustines owne words Si enim sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum quarum sunt sacramenta non haberent omnino sacramenta non essent that is If sacramentes had not some similitude with those thinges whereof they are sacramentes they coulde not bee sacramentes at all And Theodoretus in like manner saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The types must needes haue some similitude with the veritie IN the second head of our TREATISE the Absurdities of TRANSSVBSTANTIATION are to be considered First this opinion repugneth to the priuiledge alloted to the blesâ—…ed bodie of Christ in holy Scripture to wit that the body of the holy one of God should not see corruption but this substance which is in the Sacrament after the wordes of consecration it may putrifie and rotte therefore it is not the true bodie of Christ otherwise than sacramentallie Secondly this substance that remaineth in the Sacrament after the words of consecration is knowne to be capable of poyson for Emperours Kinges and Popes haue bene poysoned by the consecrated hostie such as the Emperour Henrie the seuenth and Pope Victor the third was poysoned in the Challice therefore it cannot bee the reall body of Christ which fâ—…edeth the soule cannot empoyson the body but it is called Christs body sacramentally Thirdly if Christes body after the words of consecration bee corporally present in the Sacrament then is it at one time both in heauen and in earth in heauen vnder a glorious similitude and in earth inuisible and ouer-couered with the accidentes of bread and wine which aggreeth not with the nature of a true humane bodie to bee at one time in diuerse places whereof I shall speake at greater length hereafter God willing Onely at this time I affirme that the Papistes are vntimously serious to proue the corporall presence of Christs body in the sacrament which position if it were granted yet are they nothing nearer to their purpose neither are we put backe in any thing whereunto we shoot and aime because if Christ were corporally present in the Sacrament as they speake yet no vertue can be drawne out of him to the comfort of our soules but onely by spirituall touching by faith as appeareth in the woman diseased with the bloodie issue The doctrine of Trans substantiation not only importeth corporall presence of Christs body in the sacrameÌ„t of the Supper but also corporal manducation of the body of Christ which is common both to godly vngodly men and this they deny not only they say that godly men eat Christs body worthily vngodly meÌ„ eat Christs body vnworthily But I affirme that if vngodly men eat the body of Christ corporally in the holy Supper then is his body receiued in the sacrament by them to whom it is not promised in the worde which is an absurde thing For like as a seale affixed to a charter sealeth vp nothing to him to whome the charter promiâ—…eth nothing Euen so the sâ—…crament cannot seale vp a fellowship with Christ to an vnbeleeuing maÌ„ because Gods promises are made onely to the beleeuers They will answere True it is the vnbelecuers haue no fellowship with Christ no not although they eat his body corporally because they eat it vnworthily But to this I answere that this their doctrine is new and vnknowne to antiquitie For ancient Fathers acknowledge a worthie vnworthie eating of the Sacrament of Christs body but not a worthy vnworthy eating of the body of Christ in respect Augustine saith Res veroipsa cujus sacramentum est omni homini ad vitam nulls adexitium quicunque ejus particeps fuerit that is to saye But the matter of the Sacrament to wit CHRISTS bodie by eueric man who is partaker thereof is receiued to life and by no man to destruction And this mooueth AVGVSTINE in another place to saye That IVDAS did eate the bread of the Lord but not the Lord himselfe who
A SHORT COMPEND OF THE HISTORIE OF THE FIRST TEN PERSECVTIONS MOVED AGAINST CHRISTIANS DIVIDED INTO III. CENTVRIES WHEREVNTO ARE ADded in the end of euery Centurie treatises arising vpon occasion offered in the historie clearely declaring the noveltie of Popish Religion and that it neither flowed from the mouthes of Christs holy Apostles neither was it confirmed by the blood of the holy Martyrs who died in these ten persecutions IEREM 6. ver 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand in the wayes and behold and aske of the old way which is the good way and walke therein and ye shall find rest vnto your soules but they said we will not walke therein LVC. 10. ver 42. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Hart and are to be solde at his shop on the North side of the high streete a litle beneath the Crosse ANNO DOM. 16. 13. TO THE MOST NOBLE VERtuous and elect Ladie MARIE Countesse of Mar wisheth Grace Mercie and eternall Felicitie IT hath pleased God most noble and elect Ladie to prolong my life these yeeres bypast vnder many infirmities of a dayly decaying tabernacle yet my good God hath not left me destitute of comfort to the end I might fulfil my course with joy One of my chiefe comforts vnder God was your La. reuerent hearing and faithfull practising of the worde of God I delited to see that thing begun in earth which shal be perfited in heauen The glorified Saintes in heauen they cast down their crownes at the feete of the Lambe who sits vpon the Throne When noble persons in earth humblie kisses the feete of the Son of God beares ' his light burden and submittes themselues vnto his easie yoke then some resemblance of the heauen is found in the earth The rarer this vertue is the more I reverenced it in your La person and the oftener I commended your noble houshold to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified The Queene of Adiabene HELENE when she left her owne countrie and came to dwell at Ierusalem she filled the bellies of the poore with the cornes of Egypt and the fruits of Cyprus forit was a yeere of vniuersal famine and spared for no cost to doe good to the Saincts that were in Ierusalem therefore her name is vntill this day in reuerent remembrance And in our dayes honorable Ladies who refreshes the barren soules of ignorant people in this land with examples of humilitie modestie godlinesse and all other Christian vertues many generations after vs shall call them blessed The Lord in mercie augment the number of honorable persons who rejoyce to goe vnto the house of the Lord. These are the toppes of the mountaines which beeing once free and not couered with ouerflowing waters it is a comfortable presage that the great flood that drowned the world shall be abated These are the Minerals of gold and siluer which are not easily found out but after they are discouered they replenish the land with infinit treasures of riches The Prophet ZACHARIE when he saw in that celestiall vision IEHOSHVA his body honoured with change of apparell wished also the Diademe to be set vpon his heade but if he had seene the Diademe set vpon his head and the body lapped vp with ragges of vile apparel hee had wished the body also to be honoured with ornaments proportionallie agreeing to the heade It hath pleased the wisedome of our God in this part of the countrie whereinto I dwell first to decke with glorious ornaments the head the Lord in mercie cloth the body also with change of rayment to the end that Satan that vigilant enemie who delighteth in the filthie ragges of our beggerly apparel may be grieued for our change from worse to better I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse that it is lawfull to me toreuerence the image of Christ where euer I see it clearely shining either in rich or in poore And so much the more because it was my lot to conferre with many persons of a contrarie religion whom I found to be like reprobat siluer fra whō the drosse could not be separated What is next If they will harden their heartes against the truth of God then let the dead burie their dead but let the noble house of Mar follow Christ. Receiue from my hands Madam this short cōpend of the ten first great persecutions with certaine treatises added to the compend of the historie and be not afraid to follow the religion and faith of the Apostles and Euangelists because their eares heard the words of the great shepheard of our soules their eyes saw God manifested in the flesh they were chosen to be faithful witnesses to the world of the doings sufferings and doctrine of Christ the holy Ghost was sent to teach them in all trueth Here we may rest vpon a sure foundation against the which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Next to the Apostles their true successours are to be had in reuerent regard who sealed vp that faith which they receiued from the Apostles with riuers of blood for the space of three hundreth yeeres To this antiquitie of Apostolicke doctrine let vs firmely adhere This is the clearest mirrour whereinto the precepts of wholesome doctrine are contained After the holy Apostles had finished their course the disciples of the Apostles were worthie men yet not like vnto the Apostles who had bene both called taught immediatly by Christ. If any doūg was in their sacrifices it was couered by the glory of their sufferings the fire wherwith they were burnt the water wherinto they were drouned the aire wherinto their bodies were hanged vp the mountaines wildernes through which they wandered the darke prisons whereinto they were enclosed as people vnworthie of libertie whom notwithstanding the Son of God had made sree and they were free indeede Yea all the verie elements the light of Heauen wherefra by most vnrighteous violence the righteous heires of heauen were excluded all these I say were witnesses of their glorious sufferings Vnder pretence of climming to this antiquitie the Papists would cloacke the turpitude of their new found doctrine So did the Hagarenes boldly vsurpe the name of Saracenes yet they were but the brood that spran◅s out of the bellie of HAGAR the handmaid of SARAH And the Priests boy in the daies of ELI came vnto the Caldron while the flesh of the peace offering was seithing and thrust in his flesh-hooke all that the flesh-hooke brought vp the Priest tooke for himselfe This thing was done by violence but the Priest had not just right to euerie piece of the sacrifice that the flesh-hooke brought vp The Romaine Church in our dayes hath borrowed the flesh-hooke of the Priestes boy and violently arrogates vnto themselues the faithfull keeping
pen of Prophets in writing may guide also our hearts in reading With this ignorance of the meaning and true sense of holy Scripture is joyned an vnspeakable and deuilish pride for they make no account of any body vnder heauen but of themselues alanerly and hypocrites haue their owne opinions in so wonderfull admiration that they stop their eares from hearing all wholesome admonition which pertinacie and pride is the cause wherefore the Apostle PAVL calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is condemned of themselues Titus 3. For like as there are some persons so bent to destroy their owne bodies that it is not possible to the vigilant attendance of friendes to keepe them from mischiefe and harme the experience whereof kythed in PORCIA the daughter of CATO and wife of BRVTVS euen so there are a number of men caried so headlong to hell that no wholesome doctrine or admonition can be heard because like to the Gadarenes swine the swift pace of their race cannot be stayed vntill they be drowned in the lake Of this cause of heresie NAZIANZEN writeth ad Cledonium that the heretique APOLLINARIS counted of his owne songs as we count of the olde and newe Testament euen so his associates counted his songs and rhymes to be the third testament In like maner the heretique MARCION was a patterne of incorrigible pride who came to Rome after the death of HYGINVS and when he heard that he was not admitted to an ecclesiasticall office hee demanded of the preaching Elders there what was the meaning of Christes words when hee saide That no man pieceth an olde garment with a piece of new clothe for that that should fill it vp taketh away from the garment and the breach is worse Mat. cap. 9. ver 16. 17. In their answere they declared the true meaning of Christes words But the proud stomacke of an head-strong Heretique applyed the parable to himselfe and auouched that he should make a remedilesse breach among them because they had refused to receiue him into their fellowship Epiphan contra hareses which thing he endeuoured to performe vntill his last breath Heresie was propagated and increased rather in the Halcyon dayes of CONSTANTINE VALENTINIAN THEODOSTVS and MARTIANVS then in the wofull dayes of NERO DOMITIAN TRAIAN ANTONINVS SEVERVS MAXIMINVS DECIVS VALERIAN AVRELIAN DIOCLETIAN through the wise prouidence and wisdome of God who would not at one time ouercharge his Church with vnsupportable burthens neither would he suffer his Saints to be tempted aboue their strength For if heresies had bene in number as many and in power as strong before the daies of CONSTANTINE as they wer after his dayes it had bene hard till haue borne foorth so many mightie assaultes but our mercifull Lord would haue the faith and patience of his Saints to be tried by persecuting tyrants in some ages and againe the knowledge of the Church to be tried mightily by Heretiques in other ages So that wee shall finde moe heresies springing vp in the 4. Centurie then in all the preceeding 3. Centuries yea if it had pleased that godly father AVGVSTINE to haue abridged his abridgement of heresies written ad Quod vultdeum the number of heresies in the first 300. yeeres should not be found great But AVGVSTINE diuiding these Heretiques who were called Gnostici in three bandes to wit in Saturniniani Carpocratiani and Basilidiani who all were but one rancke of Herctiques he maketh the number to seeme greater then it was And in like maner dâ—…iding the Moâ—…tanists in Pepuziani Cataphâ—…yges Prisâ—…lliani and Montanistae maketh also the number to seeme great how beit all these foure are but one heresie receiuing sometimes a name from the author MONTANVS sometime froÌ„ the countrie of Phrygia whereinto this heresie was bred soâ—…time froÌ„ the town of Phrygia called Pepuzum where they dwelt sometimes from the false prophetesse PRISCILLA who propagated the error of MONTANVS In like manerthere were many obscure heresies who could finde few or no followers because it seemeth that the heresie died as soone as the Heretique such as Helcâ—…saitae Caiani Scâ—…hiani And there is no great necessitie to discourse of such abortiue birthes as incontinent died before they came to any kinde of ripenesse EVSEBIVS saith haeresis helce saitarum simul etiam at que coepit extincta est That is the heresie of Helcesaitae mmediatly after it was begun it was quenched Euseb lib. 6. cap. 38. And finaily AVGSTINE reckoneth among Heretiques of the first 300 yeeres Tessaresâ—…aidecataitae in the Latin Quaterdecimani who maintained no opinion repugnant to the grounds of faith but onely kept Easter vpon another day then the Romaine Church did obserue it But albeit heresies sprang vp in the dayes of good Emperours yet were they not fostered and nourished by them but by all possible meanes were abandoned but God punishing the contempt of the truth and the loue of false and lying doctrine suffered an euill Emperour to rise after a good such as CONSTANTIVS after CONSTANTINE and ANASTASIVS after MARTIANVS and these euill Emperours by their own profession countenance authoritie strengthened the heresies of ARRIVS and EVTYCHES which were bred in the dayes of the good Emperours forenamed so that the strength of an heresie was borne out by the arme of man allanerly and it was not a plantation that our heauenly father had planted and therefore in end behooued to be rooted out Then marke the power of the wrath of God against Heretiques heresies and sometimes against the very places of their meetings It is knowne that ARRIVS brast asunder as IVDAS did and that his bowels gushed out a just recompense of his troubling of the intestine peace and bowels of the Church of God MONTANVS and his two mad prophetesses PRISCILLA and MAXIMILLA hanged themselues as IEROM doth write citing APOLLONIVS for his authour Ierom. catal script PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS a man leper both in soule and body was excommunicat in all Churches professing Christ in the whole world and by the authoritie of the Emperour as shall be declared Godwilling with shame and ignominie was driuen from his vsurped chaire in Antiochia MANES was excoriat by the king of Persia. The bad fortune of the priests of BAAL contending against HELIAS and slaine at the brooke Kâ—…shon 1. Reg. 18. ver 40. The most infortunate condition of AMAZIA the priest of Bethel whose wife became an harlot in the citie and his sonnes and daughters fell by the sword and his lande was diuided by line and himselfe died in a polluted land Amos 7. ver 17 All these examples I say declare that terrible is the wrath that the Lorde will powre out against false prophets and false teachers In like manet the heresie of ARRIVS when it was at the very height beganne to shed it selfe into three contrarie opinions as a kingdome diuided in it selfe and could no longer stand some were still called Arrianes and vtterly denied that the Sonne of God was 〈◊〉
of the pluralitie of gods as well masculine as feminine the multitude of heauens ages or eternities which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thirtie in number deepenesse and silence beeing the beginning of all the rest August index haeres In this his opinion I say EPIPHANIVS conjectureth that he hath followed HESIODVS in his Theogonia yet the man beeing ambitious by permutation of names hee would seeme to haue beene the author and finder out of these mysteries Against whom IRENEVS hath written fiue bookes wherein hee both discouereth and also refuteth the vanitie of his errour MARCVS one of his disciples a notable sorcerer inuented a new forme of Baptisme to baptize in the name of the vnknowne father of al things and in the name of the veritie the mother of all things and in the name of him who descended vpon Iesus Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 11. All the disciples of the schoole of VALENTINVS are called Gnostics with the forenamed Heretiques SATVRNINVS BASILIDES and CARPOCRATES they all denied the resurrection of the body and supponed that saluation did belong onely to the soule of man VALENTINVS and his disciple MARCVS with COLORBASVS and HERACLEON all their opinions were so intricate and obscure that men of meane vnderstanding could not conceiue them and men of deepe judgement would not conceiue them because they had not spitted out their braines as EPIPHANIVS speaketh that is their head was not so voide of wisdome as to hearken to the new inuented to yes of brainsicke men CERDON and MARCION were authours of the opinion of two gods or two beginnings the one they called the authour of all good things the other the author of all euil things They denied the veritie of Christs humane nature and the veritie of his suffering whereupon of necessitie followeth this conclusion that we are not saued indeede but onely to vse MARCIONS own words putative that is in fantasie or supposition The death of Christ is the true ground of our saluation if he only seemed to die died not indeed then we seeme to be saued but are not saued indeede They denyed also the resurrection of the body August index haeres MARCION was justly called by POLYCARPVS Primogtnitâ—…s dâ—…aboli that is The first borne of the deuill Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 14. This heresie by the worke of that olde serpent was dispersed in Italie Egypt Palestina Arabia Syrta Cyprus Thebaida Persia and in many other places This is the cause wherefore TERTVLLIAN after him EPIPHANIVS inveighes so sharply against this pestilent Heretique MARCION Hee was the inuenter of a strange new custome in Baptisme that after a man hath bene once baptized he may be baptized againe the second time and the third time also This hee did to wash away and put in obliuion the foule fault of whoredom committed by him His father was a preacher of Gods word in Pontus he himselfe had vowed chastitie afterward polluted himselfe with whoredome was cast out of the Church by his owne father when he came to Rome at the time when HYGINVS the ninth Bishop after the martyrdome of the two great Apostles was lately departed this life he was not admitted to the fellowship of the Church of Rome therefor he joyned himselfe to the fellowship of CERDON and augmented his errour To the two beginnings of CERDON he added the third in this maner First he saide there was one supreme and vniuersall God and him hee called the good God who created nothing that is in this world Secondly there was a visible God who was Creator and maker of all things and thirdly there was the deuill as a midthing betweene the visible and inuisible God Epiph contra haeres No heresie sprang vp in this Centurie that was so vniuersally ouerspred in many nations countries as the heresie of MARCION was So bent is the corrupt nature of man to followe a doctrine of lies when it is coloured with a shewe and pretence of reuerence towarde God For they feared to attribute the making of any thing that is euill to God who is infinite in goodnesse But this was a needlesse feare because creatures which nowe are â—…uill they haue not this wicked disposition by the creation of God but by their owne voluntarie defection from the firste estate whereinto God created them LVCIANVS and APEâ—…PS were the disciples of MARCION whome many did followe in so much that Marcionists were called Lucianistae and Apeiletani Neuerthelesse APELLES could not agree with his master MARCION in all things for hee graunted that Iesus Christ the sonne of the good God had a true body yet not made of the substance of the Virgin MARIE but of the foure elements and that he died and rose againe not putative as MARCION said but truely in very deede yet he thought that this true body of Christ like as it was composed of the foure elements so likewise after his resurrection he dissolued it into the foure elements and afterwarde returned to heauen from whence he came This errour EPIPHANIVS abhorreth for many great absurdities First saith he did Christ build vp againe that Tabernacle which men destroyed to the end that he himselfe in continent after the building of it should destroy it againe by a dissolution of it into the elements Secondly if Christ dissolued his owne body why would he not let his disciples see at least the reliques of his body resolued into elements to the ende they might haue honoured the reliques of his dissolued body as the women came to the sepulchre with precious oyntments to haue honoured his dead body Thirdly saith he APELLES speaketh of Christes body after his resurrection that which neither Christ nor his Apostles euer spake of that blessed body This is the right way to vndoe heresies to bring them to the right balance of the mouth of Christ and writings of his holy Apostles and then heresies cannot consist and stand In the dayes of ANTONINVS and L. VERVS the authors of the 4. persecution TATIANVS a Syrian came to Rome and was conuerted to the true faith by IVSTINVS MARTYR during whose lifetime hee maintained no errour openly but after the death of IVSTINVS hee became the authour of the sect Encratitae who were so called because they abstained from wine and eating of flesh and creatures quickened with a sensitiue life They damned mariage and blasphemed the Epistles of PAVL Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 28. This they did no doubt because PAVL in his Epistles calleth the prohibition of mariage and the prohibition of meates appointed by God for the vse of men with thankesgiuing to be a doctrine of deuils 1. Tim 4. MONTANVS a man of Phrygia seduced two women PRISCILLA and MAXIMILLA to leaue the companie of their husbands and to be his prophetesses He called himselfe the holy Spirit whom Christ sent to instruct his disciples in al trueth Ioh. 14. He instituted lawes concerning fasting and damned the second
it that is vile and filthie as hee did vnto the Priests of the succession of AARON If any man wil obstinatly contend that the promise made to the Apostles and their successours was absolute and not conditionall consider the inconuenients that will follow Seeing this promise was not made to PETER onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their successours then as none of the Romaine Bishops can erre in religion because they are the successours of PETER as they alledge so in like maner the Bishops of Ierusalem Alexandria Antiochia Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica Corinth diuerse other places are all exeemed from errour because the Apostles and Euangelists preached and constitute Churches in all-these places they are successours to the Apostles in that same sense that the Bishops of Rome are successours to PETER And if none of all these can erre what priuiledge hath the church of Rome aboue all other Churches Or how can that be performed which was foretolde by the Apostle concerning apostasie that should fall out the reuelation of the man of sinne childe of perdition 2. Thess. 2 For all the successours of the Apostles beeing exeemed from error what place could be giuen to the Antichrist or what doore could haue bene opened to MAHOMET by whose delusions the Orientall Church hath bene so miserably abused But seeing the Apostles had some extraordinarie things such as calling gifts and prerogatiues They were called immediatly by Christ and were taught immediatly by his Spirit and mouth Gal. 1. They receiued from heauen the gift of tongues and languages to vtter this celestiall knowledge to all tongues nations Act. 2. They had power by imposition of hands to conferre to others the gift of the holy Spirit Act 8 With these extraordinarie giftes they had also extraordinarie prerogatiues that in teaching the doctrine receiued from Christ they should not erre Now these who cal themselues successors to the Apostles they dare not clame to the Apostles immediat calling nor yet to their extraordinarie gifts but that which of all the rest was most extraordinarie to the Apostles viz. to be exeemed from errour in teaching and writing that is so fast adhered vnto that it is one of the principal grounds of the Romaine faith in our dayes that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in faith and religion Yea so infortunate are the Bishoppes of Rome of late dayes that they would climme vp to the highest top and preeminence of Apostolicke dignitie to be exeemed from errour when as in things of lesse importance they cannot attaine as we speak to the Apostles garters This proud conceit of Apostolick succession with power of binding and loosing exemption from errour made some of the Bishops of Rome so high minded so vaine and ridiculous that learned fathers conueened together in Councils thought their pride more worthie to be receiued with scoffing wordes then with prolixe refutations Example whereof wee haue in a Councill gathered at Rome in the time of the Emperour OTTO the first about the yeere of our Lord 956. In which Councill IOHN 13. Others write Pope IOHN the 12. hee fled for feare of the Emperour OTTO Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against him such as incest murther saeriledge playing at dice and drinking to the deuill admitting of boyes to be Bishops for money with many other villanous things ouâ—…r and beside his perfidie in assisting BERENGARIVS and his sonne ALBERTVS against the Emperour OTTO contrarie to his promise and oath made before to the Emperour Libertie being granted to Pope IOHN to compeare without feare to answere to the accusations objected against him he beeing conuict in conscience would not compeare but he sent a short letter to the Council bearing that he was PETERS successor and had power of binding loosing by vertue of this power hee band them vnder paine of cursing that they should not proceede to his deposition To this proud letter the Councill gathered at Rome returned this answere that Christ gaue power of binding loosing to all his disciples as well as to PETER but one of them to wit IVDAS by abusing his power lost his power only he retained some power of binding to wit he had libertie to binde his owne necke to the gallous In which wordes they call him IVDAS and biddes this vile beast goe and hang himselfe if he lift Hist. Magdeb urg Cent. 10. cap. 9. PLATINA callâ—…th IOHN 13. homo sceleratissinus a most wicked man ONVPHRIVS the aduocate of all wicked causes blusheth and dare not stand at the barre to pleade the cause of IOHN 12. the predecessour of LEO the eight for both are one man he whom PLATINA calleth 13. and he whome ONVPHRIVS counteth 12. The Bishops of Rome might haue bene admonished by this one example if there were no mo not to be high minded not to cum to the supreame top of Apostolicke preeminence In a worde the Bishops of Rome of late yeeres are moâ—…e like to the successours of CAIAPHAS who would needes haue Christe to stand before his judgement seat judge of Christ his doctrine disciples Ioh. 18 ver 19. then they are like to the successours of PETER for I can see no inexcusable boldnes in CAIAPHAS damning Christs doctrine but I grope the like in the Romaine church that vsurpeth authoritie ouer the written word ouer Councils and consequently ouer Christ himselfe To conclude this treatise I will compare succession wherof the Romaine church braggeth so much to the way that lay betweene Samaria and Jerusalem this way led the people of Ephraim Manasse Jssachar Zabulon Nephthali and Aser to Jerusalem when they set their face Southward when they went vpward but the same way againe led them from Jerusalem when they turned their faces Northward when they went downward Euen so if a man set his face toward heauenly Ierusalem he shal finde a number of holy successors of the Apostles in puritie of doctrine honestie of conuersation patience in suffering that shall leade him to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem but againe it is as certaine if a man will set his face Northward to defection to backsliding and to preferre the traditions of men to the ordinances of God there shall not inlacke a number of guiders in the roll of personall successours as they call it to the Apostles who shall lead him from Jerusalem to Samaria from the mountaine of God to the valley of Benhinnon Therefore while we are in the way take heed what way our faces are set whether to Ierusalem or to Samaria and if they be set to Ierusalem let vs followe these sure guides who were true successours to the Apostles and they shall indeede leade vs to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem and to the glory which in heart and minde we waite for whereunto God lead vs for his Christs sake Amen CENTVRIE III. Chap. 1. Seuerus AFter PERTINAX and IVLIAN SEVERVS gouerned 17 yeeres 8. months
vncleane because they were procreated by mariage Origeniani Turpes These were vile and filthie beastes not abhorring from whoredome but from procreation of children to the end they might seeme to be chaste They were like to ONAN the sonne of IVDAH whome the Lord destroyed Gen. 38. ver 9. 10. All these heresies mentioned by Epiphan contra haereses lib. 2. I passe by almost with silence because they were like vnto abortiue birthes and continued not long to perturbe the peace of the Church Now concerning other Heretiques by whose venemous doctrine the Church of Christ had greater strife and perturbation ARTEMON and BERYLLVS B. of Bostra in Arabia denied the diuinitie of Christ and affirmed that he was not existent before hee tooke flesh of the Virgine With BERYLLVS ORIGEN conferred reduced him backe againe to the true faith and therefore I set not his name in the Catalogue of Heretiques because he added not vnto the fault of his bad opinion an obstinate defending of the same Euseb eccl hist lib. 6 cap. 33. The heresie of Helcesaitae otherwise called Sampsei because of the shorte continuance of it is scarce worthy to bee reckoned as I haue declared in the treatise of heresie They mixed the religion of the Iewes Gentiles and Christians together but were more addicted to the superstition of the Iewes then to any one of the other two Epiphan contra haereses lib. 2. They rejected the writings of the Apostle PAVL and affirmed that a man who denied the Lorde with his mouth in the time of persecution if so be he adhered to the faith in his hart he had committed no sinne They caried about with them a singulare book which they said was sent downe from heauen and they promised remission of sinnes to euery man who would hearken to the wordes of that booke Comment Func in Chronol NOVATVS a Presbyter at Rome was a man of a contentious spirit and men that are humorous high minded and contentious they are wise to doe euill but they can do no good Such a man was NOVATVS who disquieted with schisme and heresie two of the most notable Churches in the world at that time viz Carthage and Rome by giuing out a rigorous sentence against those who in time of persecution had fallen albeit they had repented after their fall and all outward tokens of vnfained repentance had beene seene in them yet his opinion was that they should not be admitted againe to the fellowship of the Church This opinion was not onely repugnant to the wordes of ISA 1. Ezech. 18. Mat. 11. to innumerable moe places of sacred scripture but also it was a foolish opinion aduancing the kingdome of the deuill and not the kingdome of God For the two great wheeles of the cart of the deuill whereby hee carieth men headlong to hell are presumption and desperation mercilesse NOVATVS taching a doctrine that strengthened not the knees of the weake he did what in him lay to moue sinners to despare Therefore CYPRIAN B. of Carthage who excommunicated him and CORNELIVS B. of Rome who did the like with aduise of a graue and worthy Councill gathered at Rome Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. are to be counted wise men because they endeuoured timonsly to suppresse those errors that weakened the harts of the children of God I reade of no heresie preceeding the heresie of ARRIVS and EVTYCHES that continued longer time in the Church of God then the heresie of NOVATVS partly because it crept in vnder pretence of zeale to the glory of God and vnder pretence of a detestation of sin partly also because the Novatian Heretiques in the question concerning the diuinitie of Christ were comformable to the opinion of the true Church Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 12. Thirdly because in time of the Arrian persecution the Novatians were banished and troubled with no Iesse hatefull malice and despite then the members of the true Church were yea and the true Catholickes and Novatianes beeing companions of one and the selfe-same suffering were content also to giue their liues one for another Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 38. And the foresaide authour saith Parúmque abfuit quin coadunarentur Socrat ibid. that is They were neere by vnited and agreed together to wit the true Catholickes and Novatians But what was the impediment that hindered their vnion Reade the historie and it shall not bee found in the true Catholickes but in the obstinacie and wilfulnesse of the Novatians And so it falleth out at all times that men who are authours of heresies and schismes are also the principall hinderers of the redintegration of the vnitie of the Church The razing and demolishing of the Temple of the Novatians in Cyzicum a famous towne of Bithynia together with the calamitie of the people of Mantinium a towne of Paphlagonia Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 38 clearely proueth that the Novatian heresie continued vntill the dayes of CONSTANTIVS the sonne of CONSTANTINE an Arrian Emperour and persecuter of the true faith The fauour that they obtained in the dayes of IVLIAN I passe ouer with silence But in the dayes of the reigne of THEODOSIVS the Novatians by the Emperours edict were permitted to haue publicke conuentions in Constantinople to enjoy such priuiledges as other Christians had to possesse the oratories and temples whereinto they were accustomed to serue God All this toleration and libertie was granted to them by the good Emperour THEODOSIVS because in the heade of doctrine anent the diuinitie of Christ they damned the Acrians agreed with the Homousians Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 10. The Magdeburg historie saith that this heresie continued in Constantinople vntill the time that it was conquessed by the Turkes Cent. 3. cap. 5. I haue written of this heresie at greater length to admonish all true Christians that it is not enough to adhere to some pointes of the true faith and to suffer persecution for righteousnesse at some times and to loue brotherly fellowshippe at some times so that we are content 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life for our brethren all these things did the Novatians and were fauoured by the Emperour THEODOSIVS as said is yet were they both sehismatickes and Heretiques because they would be wiser then God and debarred them from the bosome of Christs compassions whom Christ inviteth to come vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Mat. 11. ver 28 Let the example of the Novatians admonish men who studie to singularitie and to bring in newe customes or opinions into the Church of God to take heede that their opinions be not repugnant vnto the written word lest after they haue continued a long time in ende they be rejected as opinions foolish vaine hereticall and not agreeing with the scriptures of God His followers were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or puritans Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. Hist. Magd. cent 3. cap. 5. Let this name rest in the bosome of Heretiques And men
followed the opinion of ORIGEN without examining it in the balance of holy scripture Ambros. in Psal. 118. saith that all men must goe through the fire at the latter day euen IOHN himselfe the belooued disciple of Christ of whose death also some doubted yet no man can doubt of his passing through the fire Thus AMBROSE suffered this opinion of ORIGEN to sincke into his heart as though it had beene the vndoubted Oracle of God which no man should call in question HILARIVS maketh no exception of the blessed Virgine the mother of our Lord in Psa. 118 but she must also go through this fire at the latter day And this is a foolish thing to followe any man further then he doth follow Christ the warrant of the written word of God 1. Cor. 11. And therefore the first generall Councill Ann. 551. as wise behind the hand was compelled to examine the bookes of ORIGEN to excōmunicat himself albeit dead long afore to damne his books and vaine opinions specially anent his Purgatorie This Origenian errour before it was seriously impugned it was changed to the worse and grew neerer to the originall of PLATOES Phlegeton againe for ORIGEN AMBROSE and HILARIVS spake of a fire that should burne at the latter day which al men behooued to passe through before they could enter into the place of refreshment but PLATO in his dialogue Phedo spake of a flood of fire whereinto men behoued to bee tried and purged immediatly after their soules were separated from their bodies and what soules I pray you Not the soules of the best men which went to heauen nor the worst men for they went to hell but the soules of men that were not into a mid rancke neither very good nor very euill This opinion I say somewhat neerer to the opinion of PLATO then to the opinion of ORIGEN beganne to take place about the foure hundreth yeere of our Lord as the distinctions of AVGVSTINE clearely witnesse Valde bom valde mali non valde mali Augustin enchiridion ad Laurent Idem de octo Dulcitii quaest Thus wandering errours once taking place became like vnto a fretting canker euery day worse worse If any man think strange that so vile an error neither agreable to scripture neither yet to it self but changing the similitude of it as the Chameleon doth his collour it preuailed wonderfully and was so fastened into the peoples hearrts that scarcely can it be rooted out of their mindes in our dayes To this I answere that besides the authoritie of the fathers aboue specified who were entangled with errour euen they also who found out the opinion of Purgatorie fire to be erroneous and repugnant to scripture yet did they not fully and in all points impugne this false and lying doctrine but onely in a parte As namely AVGVSTINE refuteth that part of CLEMENS and ORIGENS opinion wherein they thought that the deuils and wicked men after suffering of long tormentes may possibly be forgiuen and finde mercy By one place of scripture he vtterly vndoeth that opinion Depart'vnto the cuerlasting fire prepared for Sathan and his angels Mat. 25. ver 4 And in the booke of the Reuelation And they shall bee tormented night and day for euer and euer Apoc. 20 August lib. 20. 21. de civit Dei Yet the other parte of the errour that tooke deepe root in his dayes AVGVSTINE knewe it better then he impugned it lest he should gain-say the receiued opinion among all the people who thought that the soules of many men after their death were tormented with fire for a while vntill a full satisfaction were made for the faultes that men committed in their life-time Against this opinion AVGVTINE speaketh but softly Non valde coarguo for sitan verum est that is I doe not greatly reprooue it possibly it is true August De civit De◅lib 21. cap. 26. This was also some strengthening of errour that it was not fully in all points clearely refuted by godly fathers whose comporting with the weakenesse of the people in a parte CHEMNIICIVS himselfe calleth prudence and wisdome but serious impugning of erroneous doctrine had beene more agreable to the will of God Alwayes AVGVSTINE in his doubtsome speach giueth no ground to Papists to make vp a newe article of faith anent Purgatorie For like as Constantinople was a great citie yet when it was shaken with an earthquake three dayes and three nights no man taried in that great towne to builde a new house during that time euen so AVGVSTINE is a great doctour yet when hee taketh him to forsitan or per◅aps this is not a sure ground to leane vpon This vnhappie conceit of Purgatorie fire had many handmaids waiting vpon her some going before and others following after her Before the conceit of Purgatorie goeth an opinion of our owne satisfactions For the faultes committed by vs after Baptisme if we do not perfitly satisfie for them before our death it resteth that in Purgatorie fire we should absolue the rest of our pennance that is vnfulsilled How much this first handmaide derogateth from the glory of Christ the Apostle witnesseth when he saith The blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne I. Ioh. I. making no exception ofsinnes after Baptisme committed The other handmaide preceeding the conceit of Purgatorie is praier for the dead albeit in all the old and new Testament there be not one example of praying for the deade or yet offering of sacrifice for the dead Pardon 's followed sometimes called indulgences in another sense then now they are these pardons I say are the handmaids following Purgatorie by which the B. of Rome as absolut commander of Purgatorie hath made vnto himselfe infinite gaine Before I proceede any further I exhort all true Christians as they detest Paganisme euen so to detest all Ethnick errours when they are creeping in into the sanctuarie of God The golden Eagle of the Romanes was more abominable when it was set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem by HEROD Ioseph de bello Iudaico lib. 1. cap. 21. then when it was set vp in the Capitoll of Rome And the image of CAIVS CALIGVLA sent to PETRONIVS his Deputie to be set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem made all the Iewes agast and they were more willing to die then to see their Temple so filthily abused with idolatrie Ioseph antiq lib. 18 cap. 11. It is more seemely then that the golden Eagle and image of CAIVS remaine at Rome where they were first fashioned then to bee brought to the Temple of Ierusalem And it is more seemly also that the opiniō of Purgatory remaine in the schoole of PLATO at Athens or in the schoole of CLEMENS at Alex andria rather then to send it abroade through all Christian Congregations to bee beleeued For Christians ought to be like to the forlorne sonne after he returned home againe to his father Luc. 15. Hee was so well fed and
saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slaine And so eucrie man gaue thanks vnto the Lord the righteous Judge which had opened the things that were hid And they gaue themselues to prayer and be sought him that they should not be destroyed for thefault committed Besides that noble Iudas exhorted the people to keepe themselues from sinne for so much as they sawe before their eyes the things that came to passe by the sinne of those that were slaine And hauing made a gathering through the companie sent to Ierusalem about two thousand drachmes of siluer to offer for a sinne offering Hitherto doth the author of that booke write the history of that fact which was done by IVDAS MACCABEVS and his souldiers First they were about to burie the dead bodies of their brethren who were slaine in the battell fighting against GORGIAS Secondly they found secretly couered vnder their garments jewels consecrated to idoles Thirdly they acknowledged this to be a sinne and to haue beene the cause of the destruction of their brethren Fourthly they thanked God who discouered this secret for the punishment of their slaine brethren was an admonition to them that were aliue to absteine frō the like fault Fiftly they gaue themselues to praier fearing lest the whole army should be plagued by God for the fault committed by a few number of the armie as the fault of ACHAN troubled the whole hoste in the dayes of IOSHVA Ios. 7. Sixtly to prayer is added an exhortation of IVDAS to abstaine from the like faults Seuenthly a collection is gathered to be sent vp to Ierusal◅m that a sin-offering might be offered not for the deade but for the liuing who had not searched out the faultes of the host diligently as became them And therfore there was some guiltinesse also in them The rest that followeth is the opinion of the author of that second booke in these words Doing very well and honestly that he thought of the resurrection for if hee had not hoped that they which were slaine should rise againe it had beene superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead And therefore he perceiued that there was great fauour laid vp for those that died godly It was an holy and a good thought So he made a reconciliation for the dead that they might be deliuered from sinne When I read this opinion of the author of the second booke of the Maccabees I am nothing moued with it first because it seemeth to be a lie that IVDAS MACCABEVS sent to Ierusalem to offer sacrifice for the dead Hee knewe the law of God and fought fo the law of GOD wherein was no sacrifice for the deade nor yet example in all the old Testament that any man did offer sacrifice for the dead but this author bringeth in IVDAS fighting with his sworde for the lawe and with his alledged sacrifice against the lawe And it is lesse inconuenient to rub this foule spot vpon the vnwise writer then vpon that wise valiant and godly man IVDAS MACCABEVS And I am the bolder to rub this fault vpon the writer rather then vpon the valiant Captaine of whome hee writeth because in other places also he taketh boldnes to commend things forb◅dden in the Lawe of God as namely the fact of RHASIS in slaying of himselfe 2. Macab cap. 14. ver 46. Likewise I am emboldened to do it because I read this same historie in other authours more worthie then this man is who impute no such fault to IVDAS MACCABEVS as namely Ioseph antiq lib. 12. cap. 12. If any man shal think me presumptuous in charging the writer of the booke rather then the worthy gouernour with a fault let him vnderstand that the veritie of God is in nothing empared albeit there had bene a fault in both that is in IVDAS doing a thing repugnant to the Law and in the authour praysing a thing done contrarie to the law For like as there was no grace in DAVID that could grace his adulterie euen so therewas no gift in IVDAS MACCABEVS that could excuse his offering of a sacrifice for the deade which no man did before him in the old Testament and no man is found to haue followed him in the new Testament as saith CHEMNICIVS In the next place arguments are brought out of ancient fathers to proue Purgatorie by their prayers for the deade For after this maner they reason If soules of men departing from their bodies went straight wayes either to heauen or hell what needed prayers for the deade for they who are in heauen are in glorie and rest and they who are in hell cannot be supported by prayers But say they the ancient fathers praied for the dead whereby it is cleare that they beleeued a third place to wit Purgatory whereinto the soules of some men are tormented and haue neede of the support of the liuing but the consequence is very false for they cannot be ignorant that in CYPRIANS daies the name◅ of holy martyres were mentioned in prayers atthe ministration of the holy sacrament lib. 3. epist. 6 yet no man thought that the martyrs were pained in Purgatorie In like maner AMBROSE affirmeth that hee will pray for the soule of VaLENTINIAN the second of whome he said before aternae vitae fruitur voluptate that is he enjoyeth the pleasure of eternal life Ambros. de obitu Valentiniani And NAZIANZEN prayeth for his brother CESARIVS of whose rest with God hee had the like hope Nazianz. ◅rat 7. All these prayed for the dead without any opinion of Purgatorie And therefore LINDANVS for all his confident assertion that Purgatorie is fully prooued by the testimonies of AVGVSTINE and CHRYSOSTOME who make mentiō of the praiers for the dead the one calling it a custome vsed by the whole Church August serm 32. de verbis Apostolt the other calling it a traditiō of the Apostles Chrysost. homil 3. ad Philippenses yet I say neither of these two beleeued Purgatorie AVGVSTINE doubted of it as said is and CHRYSOSTOME knew it not as shall be declared Godwilling Lindan lib. 4. cap. 63. But now let vs examine these two places whereunto LINDANVS leaneth as infallible grounds and surer then that any exception can be taken against them August serm 32. de verbis Apostolt It is not to be doubted that the deade are helped by the prayers of the holyChurch by the healthful sacrifice almes deedes that are bestowed for their spirits in such wayes that God dealeth more gently with them then their sinnes haue d◅serued First I doubt if this be a sermon of AVGVSVINE It seemeth rather to be a sermon of BEDA who liued long after AVGVSTINE because al this sermon is found in BEDA writing vpō 1 Thess Next like as AVGVSTINE doubted of Purgatorie so likewise he doubted if it was lawful to pray for the dead as his own words testifie August Confess lib 9. cap. 12. after that he had prayed for the soule of his mother MONICA he subjoyneth
of Constantinople left his charge entred into a Monastrie and lamented that he had consented to the abolishing of Images Gregorius B of Neocesarea one of the chiefe disallowers of Images in the Councill holden at Constantinople gaue in his supplicant bill in the second Councill of Nice confessed his error and subscribed to the decreet of that vnhappie Councill by whose example the bishops of Nice Hierapolis of the Isles of Rhodes and Carpathus were mooued to doe the like Let this bee a warning to them who are in eminent places that they fall not from the trueth of GOD lest by their fall they procure a great ruining and desolation to the house of GOD. The LORD keepe vs from defection to whome bee praise and glory for euer AMEN A TREATISE Of Satisfaction and Indulgences SATISFACTION of olde was publicke repentance made for grieuous faultes such as murther adulterie apostasie And this publicke humiliation made in sight of the people with fasting teares basenesse of apparrell and such other tokens of an humbled minde with a sense of sorrow for by-past offences it was called satisfactio as Augustine writeth quia satisfiebat Ecclesiâ—… that is because the Church was satisfied yea and the slander was remooued This humiliation foresaide in the Greeke Church was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a punishment because it was inflicted as a punishment in Church discipline to terrifie others from committing the like offences Now seeing this Ecclesiasticall discipline was very rigorous and indured many yeeres as the Canons of Councils clearely declare It pleased the Church vpon weightie considerations to relent somewhat of the severitie of the first prescribed discipline yea and the people ofâ—… times intreated the Pastor by earnest requests that the time of publicke repentance might be shortned because they saw great tokeâ—…s of vnfained repentance in the offender This dispensation with the rigour of olde discipline was called indulgentia but in Poperie which was beginning in this Centurie to haue great vpper hand the abuse of these two words hath vtterly vndone the ancient puritie of religion and discipline The word satisfaction which of old was referred to the people now in Poperie is referred to God in this maner They teach the people that the sinnes committed before Baptisme are abolished in Baptisme but sinnes committed after Baptisme wee must obteine pardon for them by our own satisfactions namely by fasting praying almesdeedes pilgrimages and such other workes done by our selues And to maâ—…e this doctrine the more plausible vnto the people they bring in the similitude of a man sailing in a ship if he fall out of it into the sea the ship say they goeth away without recouerie and incace he find not another vessell to support his distressed estate and to bring him to land he must needes perish and drowne euen so say they if after baptisme we commit any transgression we must either be supported by our owne satisfactions els wee must perish in our sinnes No similitude can be more repugnant to Scripture than this For albeit there bee many vessels whereinto mens bodies may bee preserued from the danger of drowning yet is there not many vessels whereinto our soules can bee saued from damnation but â—…ee are saued onely by our spirituall Baptisme whereby the filth of our soules is washen away in the blood of Christ. And like as God commanded not NOE to make two arkes but one alanerly for the safetie of a fewe so hath GOD appointed only one way for safetie of our soales so that if wee sinne after Baptisme wee must haue refuge to the sweete promises of remissiion of sinnes made to vs in Baptisme In what sense indulgentia was taken of old I haue already declared In the Romane Church Indulgences and Pardones are a dispensation of the merites of Christ and his Saintes to the vtilitie of sinners This presupponeth that the merites of Christ and his Saintes are put in the custodie of the bishop of Rome and that his treasures can keepe them Concerning the merites of CHRIST they say that there was such precious vertue in his blood that one droppe of it was sufficient to redeâ—…me all the world now say they what shall become of all the rest of his blood which he shed in great abundance shall all this precious blood be lost and where can it be better kept than in the treasures of CHRISTS Vicar to be dispensated to the vtilitie of sinners when need requireth To this vaine assertion of Papistes I answere that the LORD neuer dealt sparingly neither with our bodies nor soules The LORD hath prouided greater abundance of aire for the refreshment of our bodies than all the breathing senses of men and beasts is able to draw in The LORD rained downe MANNA from heauen in greater plentie than might haue sufficed the people of the Iewes in the wildernesse euen so when the LORD is content to shed great abundance of his precious blood he hath done it to set foorth the great riches of his mercie toward our soules but not to make a mortall man a dispensator of one drop of his blessed blood Nothing is more repugnant to holy Scripture conteined in the old and new Testament than this that the dispensation and application of Christs blood should be committed vnto a mortall man In the old Testament the high Priest who entred once in the yeere into the moste holy place sprinckled the blood of the sacrifice with his own fingers vpon the Arke euen so the blood of the euerlasting Couenant which Christ caried vp to heauen is sprinckled on the Saints of God on the earth but by whom only by the fingers of our high Priest the Lord Iesus In the new Testament wee see that albeit many things were committed to the dispensation of the holy Apostles yet some things were reserued to the Lords owne dispensation allanerly Christ gaue power to his disciples to wish peace to euery house which receiued them but the dispensation and application of this peace Christ reserued vnto himselfe because hee alone and not his disciples knew who was the true Childe of peace In like manner power of preaching the Gospel was committed to the Apostles but the conferring of the gift of faith which is wrought by hearing belongeth onely to CHRISTS euen so the preaching of saluation by the merites of CHRISTES blood is committed to many but the application of that precious blood to the safetie of our soules is onely proper to Christ himselfe who shed that blessed blood for our saluation The merites of the Saintes also that is the workes of supererogation are thought to enter into the Popes treasurie and to be at his dispensation Of this we haue spoken somewhat alreadie But what presumption is this that they dare mixe together the blood of the Saints and Christs blood and the merits of Saintes with the merite of Christ and cast all in ore heape and treasure The verses of Praxilla
his treasures can keepe them Concerning the merites of CHRIST they say that there was such precious vertue in his blood that one droppe of it was sufficient to redeeme all the world now say they what shall become of all the rest of his blood which he shâ—…d in great abundance shall all this precious blood be lost and where can it be better kept than in the treasures of CHRISTS Vicar to be dispensated to the vtilitie of sinners when need requireth To this vaine assertion of Papistes I answere that the LORD nâ—…uer dealt sparingly neither with our bodies nor soules The LORD hath prouided greater abundance of aire for the refreshment of our bodies than all the breathing senses of men and beasts is able to draw in The LORD rained downe MANNA from heauen in greater plentie than might haue sufficed the people of the Ieweâ—… in the wildernesse euen so when the LORD is content to shed grâ—…at abundance of his precious blood he hath done it to set foorth the great riches of his mercie toward our soules but not to make a mortall man a dispensator of one drop of his blessed blood The chiefe questions betwixt vs the Romane Church anent Originall sinne are two First whether or no concupiscence which remaineth in the godly after their baptisme be in a proper acception called sinne or not for the Romane Church saith that it is called sinne by the Apostle because it came of sinne and it tendeth to sinne but not because it is sinne is a proper acception And the Council of Trent pronounceth an anathema against them who thinke otherwise than they haue determined The second controuersie is whether or no the naturall concupiscence mouing vs to euill can be called a sinne before wee giue the consent of our mind to it The Romane Church thinketh it no sinne vntill we yeeld the consent of our hearts vnto it The third question anent sinnes coÌ„mitted before after baptisme what way they are remitted because this question pertaineth more properly to another treatise I shal oueâ—…passe it at this time Now anent the first question I affirme that the Apostle Paul when he calleth concupiscence sin hee calleth it sin in a proper acception of the word sin Many names are giuen to sin in Scripture which expresseth what it is properly but especially these 3. names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concupiscence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a transgression of the Law as the Apostle manifestlly witnesseth when he sayeth I had not knowne lust except the Law had saide Thou shalt not lust therefore concupiscence is sinne in a proper acception In like manner concupiscence or originall sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and in exprâ—…sse wordes the Apostle speaking of Originall sinne sayeth Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned c. In this place concupiscence is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration from the Commandement of GOD and consequently a sinne in a proper acception of the worde sinne Remember also that the Apostle is speaking of all men yea and of himselfe also in the estate whereinto hee was presently when he wrote this epistle that is after he was baptized Then let vs marke the third word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a snappering and a falling to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and this word also is attributed vnto Originall sinne in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is through the offence of one man many bee dead so that all these three wordes concurring in one doe declare that concupiscence euen after baptisme in a proper sense is sin because it is a breaking of the Lawe an aberration from the Lawe and a falling from the Lawe Nowe the curses of the Councill of Trent which they cast out so prodigally against vs are not worthie one figge because they are not grounded in reason but are expresly repugnant to the written worde of GOD. The second question is this whether or no is concupiscence a sinne before we yeeld the consent of our heart vnto it To this I answere that if they vnderstood by concupiscence a bad inclination it is sinne euen in infants who doe not knowe what it is to consent either to good or euill but if they meane of the first motion or cogitation of sinne presented vnto the soule apparently this question belongeth rather to actuall than to originall sinne but whether it belongeth to the root of sinne or to the branches of sinne I shall produce three reasons wherfore the first motion of sinne is sinne euen before we yeeld vnto it the consent of our heart First because a consent is an indifferent thing called good or euill according to the nature of that thing whereunto we giue our consent and consequently the consent is euill because that motion of sinne whereunto wee consented was euill and if it had not beene euill in it selfe the consent of our heart giuen vnto it had neuer beene called euill Secondly Fathers from whome Papistes haue learned this Theologie that in them who are regenerated concupiscence is not to bee counted a sinne vntill a man giue the consent of his heart vnto it these same Fathers I say after they had pierced deeper into this question they corrected themselues as clearely appeareth by the wordes of Augustine against Iulâ—…anus a Pelagian saying Desiderium mali malum est etiamsi ci non consentiatur donec co perveniamus ubi nec habeatur that is the desire of euill is euill albeit consent be not giuen vnto it vntill wee attaine vnto that estate whereinto we shall be free of it Thirdly the Apostle IAMES when he damneth actuall sin he agreageth it by three circumstances to wit by the conception of it the birth of it and the punishment of it the conception of it is by concupiscence and this the Apostle setteth downe as the first circumstance of the amplification of sinne and not as a thing indifferent vntill wee giue consent vnto it how beit it is true that actuall sinne is not committed vntill consent be giuen to concupiscence yet in it selfe it is a sinne and the conception and root of sinne as the Apostle speaketh It is no point of wisdome to extenuate or to obscure and hide our sinnes for GOD can set them all in order before our face as the psalmist speaketh and if this bee all the gaine and aduantage wee haue by denying and obscuring a part of our sinnes it were better to lay all open before the great Phisitian of our soules to the end that in due time we may be cured by his medicinall plasters Augustine maketh rehearsall of three medicinall cures against concupiscence in these wordes In corpore mortis
high Bishop and great Sheepheard of our soules only remaine with Christ who is only worthie of such high dignitie For like as many comforters came out of Hierusalem to comfort the two sisters Martha and Marie who lamented for the death of their brother Lazarus yet there was but onely one great comforter to wit Iesus Christ who could raise Lazarus out of the graue restore him to life again Euen so there are many bishops but there is only one great and vniuersall Bishop who can conferre eternall life to all that beleeue in him Let this royall garment bee laide vp in the Kinges wardrope and let none other man honour his owne bodie with it Let this oyle of consecration be kept in the Lords Sanctuary and let not the flesh of a stranger be annointed with it Let this inaccessible dignitie remaine as a fixed starre in heauen wherevnto no mortall man can reach his hand Let the death resurrection ascension and glorious sitting of Christ in heauen at the right hand of his Father budding foorth better fruite than the rodde of Aaron did testifie that this honour of the great Bishop of our soules belongeth only to Christ And finally Let him who onely is called the King of kinges the Lord of lordes the Prince of Prophets bee counted also the Bishop of all bishops who is worthie to be glorified for euer AMEN Vpon the necke of this Treatise if the next Treatise coÌ„cerning the Antichrist be subjoyned let no man maruell For in my opinion when the Popes hyrelinges cast themselues downe at his feete they testifie that they will bee subject vnto him as to the only Vicare of Christ vpon earth as to the Uniuersall bishop of the Church as to him that cannot erre in the Decrees of Doctrine concerning Faith and finallie as to whome onely it is lawfull as he listeth himselfe to determine of Religion and Christian Discipline So that these outwarde submissions of the bodie doe then appertaine to Idolatry when they are testimonies that the minde attributeth more vnto a creature than is meete But the miserie of all miseries is this that as it were by hereditarie succession euerie man who is seated in the chaire of Rome shall also haue right to gouerne the affaires of the whole Church how beit they bee not good common Christians let bee good Bishops and by the testimonie of their owne writers they be ambitious auaritious contentious and libidinous monsters Surelie before wee should conferre the glorie of CHRIST to such vile persons it were better that men should sacrifice their life for the honour of CHRIST For euen the LACEDEMONIANS when they were commanded to render their children answered to the MACEDONIANS Si grauiora morte imperatis mori volumus that is If yee commaunde thinges more grieuous than death wee will choose rather to die to wit than to obey such commaundementes And the verie Asse of Balaam is set downe vnto vs as an example of striuing against the vnlawfull commaundementes of vnlawfull prelates because the sword of the Angell of GOD is more terrible than the staffe of Balaam And albeit with Balaams Asse wee were thrise beaten with the staffe yet it is better to remember the by-past euilles which wee haue suffered than with the rich glutton to bee tormented not onelie with the sense of present paine but also with the remembrance of by-past pleasures which wee haue moste vnrighteously abused The Romane Church after the six hundreth yeere of our Lord had the wisedome of dogs who are wiser in senting than in barking for they knew that ambition was ambition and that verie fewe climbed vp to the papale dignitie by vertue but rather by procuration friendship bribes and other vnlawfull meanes but fewe durst barke against their doinges as dogges will not barke against men with whome they are familarly acquainted yea and men whome neceslitie of the extraordinary lewde conuersatioÌ„ of Pâ—…pes compelled at some times to barke Onuphrius the Aduocate of all cuill causes is ready with snurling words to reproue the reprehenders of them and by impudent deniall of the veritie of the historie to blind-folde the eyes of the simple and ignorant Reader Nowe is the way of righteousnesse made rough and difficill and the broad way is smoothe and easie and many walke therein But whensoeuer it pleaseth God to exercise the faith of his Saincts with difficill times it is not to mooue them to forsake a good course but rather to be well shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Indeede incase the course of vngodlinesse be made rough and difficill then the Lord hath set thorny hedges in our way to the ende that wee may repâ—…nt and returne to our owne husband againe from whom we haue wandered And happie is he who can discerne the way and the cause wherefore the Lord hath made it either rough or smoothe Now is the time come wherein Church-men are become like vnto carnall Iewes who loathed MANNA and the waters of the spirituall Rocke and the cloude of God and the holy Tabernacle yea and the flesh-pots of Aegypt are laide in ballance with all the treasures of the goodnesse of God bestowed vpon a carnall people Euen so Church-men at Rome after the sixe hundreth yeere of our Lord began to loathe the humilitie of Christ the patient suffering of the Apostles the riches of faith and other spirituall treasures which were the glorious ornamentes of the Primitiue Church whereunto are preferred the riches and honours of this world justly called by Nazianzenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Precious dungue IN the second head of this TREATISE it followeth to be declared that the bishops of Rome sought this dignitie of Papal supremacie vnhonestly and vsed it tyrannously and impiouslie after they had obtained it Concerning the seeking of it Philip Morney that Phoenix of FRANCE from whom I am not a shamed to borrow many things in this TREATISE hee prooueth by the testimonies of Paulus Diaconus Freculfus Regino Anastatius Hermannus Contractus Marianus Scotus Sabellicus Blondus Pomponius Laetus Platina Author compilationis Chronologicae and Otho Episcopus Frisingensis that Bonifacius the third begged at the handes of the Emperour Phocas that the Church of Rome should be called the head of all other Churches Hee who sought this supremacie was a flatterer hee at whose handes it was sought was a traitor a parricide and the vile excrement of all gouernours and the time wherein he sought it was at that time wherein the wordes of Gregorie the first vttered against Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bishop of Constantinople were in recent remembrance to wit That whosoeuer did vsurpe such a magnificke stile to be called Uniuersall Bishop hee was the fore-runner of the Antichrist But seeing the time was nowe come wherein the purpurate Harlot was to sit vpon the Citie of seuen Mountaines in her first entrie she laieth aside all shamefastnesse and modestie she wipeth her mouth
saith that the Mediator of Intercession prayeth for vs but no man prayeth for Him And to the ende it might appeare the they are countenanced by antiquitie they insert some prayers vsed by holy Fathers in time of celebration of diuine mysteries but by a deceitfull transposition of their wordes they vtterlie peruert the right sense and meaning of the words of the ancient Fathers as namely when Ambrose saieth Command thou these to wit oblations to bee caried by the hands of thine holy Angell vnto the high Altar in Heauen Ambrose spake of the bread and wine that God would vouchsafe vpon those elements the high honour that they might represent vnto vs the blessed body blood of Christ which was like vnto an eleuation of the elements vnto the Heauen But by a deceitfull transposition of the words of Ambrose inserting them after the words of cōsecration they ordaine their sinfull Priest to pray for the body of the Sonne of God which is a notable abusing of the words of Ambrose Likewise in the Canon of the Masse there is inuocation of Saincts farre contrarie to the auncient custome of the Church who albeit they made a reuerend commemoration of the names of holy men when they celebrated diuine mysteries yet they inuocated them not as Augustine clearly testifieth saying The names of Martyres are commemorated in their owne place and order as men of God yet are they not inuocated by the Priest who offereth sacrifices The seconde absurditie of the Masse consisteth in the verie grounds thereof which I referre first to the superstition of some Christian people who had a zeale to God but not rightly ordered with knowledge Some Christian people were so superstitious that they were not content to eat the Communion bread at the holy Supper in the Church but also they carried a part of it home to their houses they ate it secretly in their chambers Of this the defenders of the Masse inferreth If it was lawfull for them to communicate alone in their chamber much more is it lawfull for the Priest to communicate alone in the Church Vpon such sandie ground is the Popish Masse builded The secōd ground of the Masse is the timorous minds of simple people who being informed by their deceiuing teachers that they might haue like benefite with lesse hazard and danger by seeing of the sacrifice as they had by participation of the Sacrament The people began to loathe the frequent resorting to the holy Sacrament and they came to see the sacrifice of the Masse Both these groundes of the Masse are abuses of the Lords holy Supper In the first ground that which Christ cōmandeth to be presently eaten in remembrance of him a part thereof is reserued to be eaten in the chamber contrary to Christs institution as is already declared In the second ground the Apostolicke precept is neglected which commandeth vs to trie our selues and so to eat drinke at the Lords table but he forbiddeth vs not to approach to the Lordes holy table if we be duely rightly prepared neither giueth hee allowance to this new forme of communicating that the people shall stand only gazing and beholding and shall communicate by the mouth of the Priest alone They who brag of antiquitie and follow new inuented toyes they haue no honour by their bragging The third absurditie of the Masse consisteth in the rotten pillars whereupon the Masse standeth to wit Trans substantiation and Purgatorie for incase the bread bee not changed into the substance of Christs bodie the priest cannot offer Christs bodie to His Father And incase there be no soules tormented in Purgatorie how doeth the priest offer a sacrifice for the dead So it is manifest that these are the two rotten pillars vpholding the Masse I shall refute the doctrine of Transsubstantiation GOD willing in its own place for the present I say If there be Transsubstantiation in the holy Sacrament then is the spirite of man corporally fedde and the body of Christ is eaten by many in the Sacrament to whom hee is not promised in the Word which is an absurd thing once to imagine it And if such a place as Purgatorie had beene then Christ who hath reueiled vnto vs all thinges necessarie to be knowne hee woulde haue reueiled that mysterie also vnto vs. But Christ hath tolde vs of the pleasures of Heauen and of the terrours of Hell but neuer a word of Purgatorie If a house builded vpon sandie grounde and leaning vnto rotten pillars can stand then possible the Masse also may consist and stand if not the Masse also is in danger to fall The fourth absurditie of the Masse is a vile abusing of places of holy Scripture for vpholding the sacrifice of the Masse In the olde Testament they confirme the sacrifice of the Masse by the fact of Melchisedek who brought foorth bread and wine to refresh the wearie armie of Abraham but not to offer these elements in a sacrifice to God And the ancient Fathers who translate the Hebrew word obtulit in stead of protulit yet their opinion is that Melchisedek offered bread and wine to Abraham for his refreshment but not to God in a sacrifice But suppose the words of Moses did sound to that sense that Melchisedek offered a sacrifice of bread wine vnto God What belongeth that to the sacrifice of the Masse wherin they say that bread and wine is not offered vnto God but the verie bodie of Christ vnder the accidents of bread and wine This was not the sacrifice of Melchisedeck Also the words of the prophesie of Malachi are mis rably abused for confirmation of the sacrifice of the Masse whereas hee saieth For from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my Name is great among the Gentiles and in euerie place ncense shall bee offered vnto my Name and a pure offering for my Name is great among the Heathen saith the LORD of hostes The Prophet expoundeth his owne meaning so clearelie that there is no neede of any other commentarie for hee is speaking of the calling of the Gentiles to the kingdome of God and vnder one point of the true worship of God namelie inuocation of his blessed and glorious Name hee comprehendeth all other points of Gods worship such as faith obedience and confession of God before men Tertullian Eusebius and Chrysostona expounde this pure sacrifice to bee prayer and thankesgiuing vnto GOD. Iustinus Martyr citing this place of Malachi affirmeth that this prophesie was performed at that time when Grecians and Barbarians Hamaxobii and Nomades and Scenitae offered prayers and thankesgiuing vnto GOD the Father and Creator of all thinges in the Name of IESVS who was crucified In the newe Testament besides the wordes of Christ spoken at the institution of the holie Supper where of I haue spoken already two other places are mightily abused First the place of the Epistle to the Hebrewes
chap. 8. vers 3. For euerie high Priest is appointed to offer giftes and sacrifices wherefore it is necessarie that this man haue somewhat also to offer What is in this place that countenanceth the sacrifice of the Masse Like as euerie priest was furnished with an offering euen so the High priest and Bisshop of our soules CHRISTIESVS hee had an offering to wit his blessed bodie which hee offered for our sinnes But papists referre this place to an offering which euerie priest must offer presently so long as hee enjoyeth the honour of his priesthood and therefore saye they seeing CHRIST offereth no externall sacrifice in Heauen he must doe it in earth by the sacrifice of the Masse But the verie Grammer refuteth them for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a worde of the preterit and not of the present tense and importeth that CHRIST hath alreadie offered a sacrifice for our sinnes which hath no neede to bee iterated because it hath perpetuall vertue to saue them that beleeue Another place of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 13. vers 10. they abuse wherein it is saide Wee haue an altar whereof they haue no power to eat who serue in the tabernacle Here say they mention is made of an altar therfore in the Church there must not only bee a Communion table but also an altar in a proper sense to offer CHRISTES bodie vpon it To this I answere That in the newe Testament like as there is but one high priest and one propitiatorie sacrifice so in like manner there is but one altar euen Iesus Christ who is in Heauen and in whom our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable vnto God as the Apostle Peter saieth Bee you made a spirituall house an holie priesthoode to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. 1. Pet. chap. 2. vers 5. Of this Altar to wit Christ the Iewes who were miserablie addicted to the ceremoniall lawe they could not be partakers for by adhering to shaddowes they neglected to embrace the veritie represented by those shaddowes after it was indeede exhibited vnto the worlde In the booke of the Reuelation wee reade of an Altar in Heauen vnder which the soules of them who were slaine for the worde of GOD doe repose Apocal. chap. 6. vers 9. This is not a materiall altar because it is in Heauen but this Altar is Christ vnder whose shaddow the soules of the Godlie finde comfortable refreshment And Ireneus in expresse wordes saieth Est ergo Altare in Coelis illue enim preces nostrae diriguntur that is Therefore our Altar is in Heauen for thithertoe our prayers are directed The Romane Church woulde deceiue vs in this point as Zebul of olde deceiued Gaal the sonne of Ebed when Gaal sawe men comming from the mountaines Zebul answered The shaddowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee IVD CHAP. IX VERS XXXVI Euen so when holy Scripture speake of Christ the true Altar they would perswade vs that Scripture is speaking of a materiall altar such as is among them The fift absurditie of the Masse is a contradiction to it selfe In the description of the Masse there are two manifest contradictions First it is called a sacrifice propitiatorie and vnbloodie which two thinges are so opposite that they cannot consist together because the Apostle in the ninth chap. to the Hebrewes and the 22. verse saieth Without shedding of bloode there is no remission of sinnes Secondlie they saye that in the Masse the body of Christ is offered without suffering these two things also are so flatte contradictorie one to another that the Apostle continuallie joyneth suffering with offering in so much that hee saieth If Christ had offered himselfe often hee behooued also to haue suffered often Heb. chap. 9. vers 25. and 26. The sixt absurditie is a foolishe multiplication of vnprofitable ceremonies both before the Masse and in the celebration thereof with neglecting the essentiall rites of the Sacrament instituted by CHRIST himselfe such as breaking distributing eating c. for in their sacrifice that which they brake in three pieces to represent the threefolde estate of Christs bodie dead buried and risen againe from death by the ordinance of Pope Sergius the first this bread I saye which they breake they distribute not and the bread which they distribute in the Sacrament to the people they breake it not These essentiall rites beeing laide aside they haue inuented manie vnprofitable ceremonies as namelie before the celebration of the Masse Vestmentes Altars Altar-clothes Corporasses Paxes Torches and Candles and manie other preparations In the verie action and celebration of the Masse are diuerse histâ—…ionicall gestures of the Priest to lift vp his eyes and cast them downe againe to spreade abroade his handes and to close them againe to warble with his fingers to bow downe to bende vp to turne from the right hand to the left and from the left hand to the right with manie other vnnecessarie ceremonies All these they count ceremonies of signification representing viuelie the passion of CHRIST But it appertaineth vnto GOD to institute ceremonies of signification who can seale vp by them some inwarde grace in mens heartes The Church maye content themselues with ceremonies of order as the Apostle writeth in his first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS in the fourteenth chapter and fourtieth verse thereof where hee saieth Let all thinges bee done honestlie and by order The seuenth last absurditie is the vnhappie consequences of the Masse Albeit they bee manie yet at this time I reduce them to three heads First prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices is a consequent of the Masse for albeit in the Councell of NICE this matter was seriouslie vâ—…ged and IEROME in the furie of his disoutation against IOVINIAN speaketh not so reuerentlie of marriage as became him yet this prohibition preuailed not fullie vntill the sacrifice of the Masse was receiued and established Then it was thought meete that like as married persons for prayer and fasting I. CORINTH CHAPTER VII VERSE V. shoulde abstaine for a short time from matrimoniall fellowship In like manner these who are called to a continuall exercise of praying and sacrificing they shoulde also continuallie abstaine from the bed of marriage So that prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices attended the Masse as a Page doeth his master And Popes such as SIRICIVS CALIXTVS GREGORIVS the seuenth c. did vrge prohibition of marriage with no lesse vehemencie than they did the establishing of the Masse The seconde consequence of the Masse is a miserable abusing of the people of GOD because by this sacrifice for the moste part the people were bereaued of the preaching of the Worde and the ministration of the Sacramentes the verie ordinarie meanes whereby the Kingdome of GOD is builded amongst them The Worde was seldome preached and in verie vnfruitfull manner and mixed with fables and lying miracles borrowed out of legendes not worthie to bee read
is the true bread The doctrine of Transsubstantiation importeth also accidentes without a subject as hath beene touched in a part before in the definition of Transsubstantiation This is admirable that the Scholasticke Doctors who make Aristotle to be Master Caruer of this most holy banquet who haue acquainted themselues better with his Preceptes than with the heauenlie doctrine of the Apostles yet in this point they haue forgotten euen the doctrine of their Schoole-master Aristotle who saieth that accidentes can haue no subsistence but into a subject as if a man bee talking of blindnesse hee must also talke of eyes that are blinded and if hee talke of deafenesse hee must also talke of the eare and if hee talke of lamenesse hee must talke of some member of the bodie that is maimed and finallie if hee talke of a disease hee must also talke of some bodie either of man or beast that is diseased and this hee must doe either expressely or couertly because accidentes haue no subsistence without a subject There can bee nothing imagined more absurde more repugnant to reason than to talke of whitenessâ—… roundnesse and rednesse and in the meane time to saye there is nothing that is white round or redde The recourse which they haue to the Omnipotent power of God who is able to make accidents to subsist without a subject declareth that they neuer rightly considered the cause wherefore the Omnipotent power of GOD is mentioned in holie Scripture to wit to bee one of the strong pillars of our faith which faith commeth onely by hearing Then let this order bee kept First let GOD speake in His owne worde Secondlie let vs beleeue the worde of GOD by faith Thirdlie let the assured pillars of the Omnipotent power and infalâ—…ible trueth of GOD vpholde our faith as it did the faith of ABRAHAM But let vs not grounde vpon the Omnipotent power of GOD in matters whereof wee haue no assurance in His written worde as some of the wise men of PERSIA did who assured both themselues and others that incase they woulde distribute all their goods to the poore and throwe themselues headlonges from eminent places then their soules shoulde bee transported immediatelie to Heauen This madnesse fell out about the yeere of our LORDE and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST 759. What was this leaning of theirs to the Omnipotent power of GOD without assurance of his word but only the conceits of braine-sicke men And so let Papistes talke what they please In this purpose that God by his Omnipotent power can make accidentes to subsist without a subject I will conclude that the Omnipotent power of God is ordained to bee a confirmation to our faith and not to be a citie of refuge to foolish fables The doctrine of Transsubstantiation also importeth that the body of Christ at one time may bee in infinite places which repugneth vnto the nature of a true body which like as it is circumscribed and may be seene so likewise at one time it is onely in one place as Augustine writeth to Dardanus in these wordes Tolle spatia locorum corporibus nusquam â—…runt nec â—…runt that is to say Take from bodies the rowmes of places and they shall be no where and consequently they shall not bee at all And Theodoretus prooueth that the body of Christ is a true humane body albeit it be glorified euen in the latter daye when hee commeth to judge the quicke and the dead because it shall bee seene according as it is written Matth. 26 64. Yee shall see the sonne of man comming in the cloudes of heauen and like as it may be seene so likewise it is circumscribed and consequently it is in a place and is not turned into his diuine nature which is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it cannot be seene and it cannot bee circumscribed as the humane nature is It is well remarked by that learned Preacher Du Moulin that in the last edition of S. Augustines workes at Parise anno 1571. a notable place of the foresaid epistle of Augustine to Dardanus is vtterly left out by aduice of the Fathers correctors of the writings of the Auncientes namely this Destrai naturam humanam Christi si non detur ei certum spatium quo more aliarum rerum corporearum contineatur that is The humane nature of Christ is destroyed if a certaine place be not attributed vnto it wherein it is contained according to the custome of other corporall thinges What credite is to bee giuen vnto Popishe Doctors when they cite testimonies of auncient Fathers after they are deprehended to be deceitfull deprauers of their bookes Ancient Fathers a long â—…ime before the question of Transsubstantiation of the substance of the elementes in the holy Supper came in head they were reâ—…soning of the two natures in Christ to wit the diuine and humane nature and that the one nature was not turned into the other they could not find a fitter similitude than that which is borrowed from the Sacrament as I haue alreadie declared Alwayes they thinke that if any man shall imagine that by vertue of these wordes This is my body the substance of bread was chaunged into the substance of Christes body as many doe thinke euen vntill this day then in steade of one Transsubstantiation of the substance of bread into the substance of Christs body there should be two Transsubstantiations and the substance of Christs body should againe be turned into bread for like as Christ speaking of bread saith This is my body euen so Christ speaking of his body calleth it corne of wheat in these words Verily I say vnto you except wheat corne fall into the grounde and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth foorth much fruit If by vertue of the former wordes bread bee changed into the substance of Christes body then in like manner by vertue of these words for both are spoken out of one blessed mouth the body of Christ should be turned into the substance of corne of wheat I grant there is a difference betwixt a Sacrament and a metaphore yet in neither of them is there such vertue in the word is to change the substance of any thing IN the last head let vs consider with what strife and reluctation this erronious doctrine was intruced vpon the Church I holde the Monke Damascene to bee the first author thereof who perceiuing that his opinion was repugnant to the doctrine of ancient Fathers namely to the doctrine of Basilius Magnus who calleth the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is figures of the body and blood of Christ. He forgeth a friuolous shift to excuse his contradiction to Basilius because saieth hee Basilius calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the wordes of the blessing but after the pronouncing of the wordes of the blessing they are no longer figures but the very body and