unto thee but my Father vvhich is in heaven And I say unto thee Thou art Peter and upon this Rocke vvill I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it And I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and vvhatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and vvhatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Howbeit first you must be put in mind that the confession which Peter here made of Christ to be the Sonne of the living God was likewise the confession and acknowledgement of the rest of the Apostles aswel as of Peter so that Hee for his part was therin but as the Mouth of the rest or like the Foreman of a Iurie pronouncing that verdict and confession for them all For which cause also the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and the power of binding and loosing of sinnes bee there promised to be given to Peter not as to him alone but to him as bearing and representing at that time the person of them all For that Peter at that time represented the person of them all is manifest by these reasons First the question was demanded not of Peter alone but of the rest of the Apostles aswell as of him for the words be not in the singular but in the plural number Vos autem quem me esse dicitis But VVhom doe yee say that I am and consequently the answer that was given must consonantly thereunto be supposed to be the answer of them all For it were a verie uncivill and unseemely part beside undutifull if the rest being demanded and asked the question aswell as Peter should give no maner of answer to their Lord and Master demanding it of them Which they must needs be held guiltie of unlesse their answer be taken to bee included and comprehended in that answere of Peter Secondly when this promise made to S. Peter came to bee performed it was performed to them all alike as you may see in that place of Ioh. 20.22 23. where that promise was performed and accomplished Which also sheweth that the promise made to S. Peter was not made as to him alone but to him as representing at that time the person of them all For the promise and the performance of that promise must of necessitie have coherence and bee made to agree together as most aptlie and rightly expounding one an other And according hereunto doe the Ancient Fathers likewise expound it Origen saith This saying of Christ to Peter I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven is common also to the rest of the Apostles and the words that follow as spoken to Peter bee also common to them all Again he saith Shall we dare to say that the gates of hell shall not overcome onely Peter and that the same gates shall prevaile against all the other Apostles And againe hee saith If wee speakâ— the same thing that Peter spake wee are become Peter and unto us it shall bee said Thou art Peter for hee is a Rocke whosoever is the disciple of Christ. And againe hee saith If thou thinke that the whole Church was builded only upon Peter what wilt thou then say of Iohn the son of Thunder and of everie of the Apostles Cyprian speaketh in like sort upon these words of Christ to Peter In the person of one man saith hee the Lord did give the Keies to all the Apostles to signifie the unitie of them all for verilie the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was endued with equal fâ—llowship both of honour and power But hee did begin with unitie that is to say with one that thereby it might be signified that there is but one Church of Christ. In like sort doth S. Augustine expound it saying VVhen they vvere all asked Peter alone maketh the Ansvver and it is said unto him I vvill give unto thee the Keies of the kingdome of heaven as though hee alone had received authoritie to binde and to loose whereas HE had spoken THAT for them All and received THIS as representing or bearing in himselfe the person of unitie And againe hee saith If there were not a mystery of the Church in Peter The Lord would not have said I will give to thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven for if this were said onely to Peter then the Church hath them not And if the Church hath them then when hee received the Keyes hee signified the whole Church So likewise testifieth S. Hierome Yee will say saith hee that the Church is builded upon Peter hovvbeit in another place the same thing is done upon all the Apostles and all receive the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and the strength of the Church is founded equally upon them all Beda doth likewise so expound it saying thus The power of binding and loosing notwithstanding it seeme to bee given onely to Peter yet without all doubt wee must understand that it was given also to the rest of the Apostles Haymo doth also so affirm This authoritie saith hee the Lord gave not onely to Peter but also to all the Apostles because Peter expressed the faith of all the Apostles when he said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God So that vvhat the Lord said to Peter he said unto all his Apostles as appeareth Ioh. 20.23 where hee saith thus unto them all alike VVhose sinnes yee remit they are remitted unto them and whose sinnes yee reteine they are reteyned Wherefore the Keyes whereby the Kingdome of heaven is opened and shut to sinners and the power of binding and loosing sinnes appeare to be no more specially or principallie given to Peter then to the rest of the Apostles but they all received that power athority equally alike And here withal you may perceive that the verie person of Peter is not the Rocke or foundation whereupon the Church of Christ is builded for then upon the death of Peter the church for want of a rocke or foundation to uphold it would have come to ruine but it is Christ Iesus himselfe whom Peter there for himself in the name of the rest confessed that is the Rocke and foundation to support and uphold the Church and whereupon it is builded For so also doth S. Paul expound and declare it saying in precise termes thus Other foundation can no man lay then that vvhich is layd alreadie vvhich is Iesus Christ where you see that hee expresly affirmeth the Church to have no other foundation but Christ onely And in another place hee also calleth Christ Iesus the Rocke in expresse termes for he saith That Rocke was Christ yea and Christ himselfe saith Hee that heareth my vvordes and doth them is the vvise man that buildeth his house upon the Rocke What better expositors then these would you have to expound and declare these words By the Rocke then not Peter but Christ is to
good ends and purposes and not to satisfie the severity of his Iustice by that meanes for their sinnes and the punishment thereto belonging p. 125. c There is no iust cause to be shewed vvhy the pretended Catholicks should refuse to take the oath of Supremacy or refuse to come to our Churches Their obiections and reasons answered p. 1 2 c p. 407 c. See also throughout the vvhole booke for this purpose Concerning auricular Confession and to vvhom confession of sinnes is to be made and that it ought to be free and voluntarie and not forced or compelled pag. 302 303 c. pag. 253 254 D FOr vvhom Christ Dyed and to vvhom hee is a Redeemer pag. 187 188 189 c Every sinne Deadly in his owne nature although all sinnes be also veniall and remissible in respect of Gods mercie grace and bounty except the sinne against the holy Ghost pag. 114 115 E THe Emperor in ancient time had the Supremacy and not the Pope pag. 30 The Emperor in times past had power to place and displace Popes pag. 27 The Emperor in ancient time banished imprisoned and otherwise punished aswell Bishops of Rome as other Bishops pag. 22 Hee did make Lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall causes and religion pag. 24 As also Commissioners in an Ecclesiasticall cause and the B. of Rome himselfe vvas one of those Commissioners pag. ibid. An appeale to the Emperor in an Ecclesiasticall cause pag 24 Generall Councils in ancient times called by the Emperor and his Authoritie pag. 24 The Christian Emperor did and vvas to meddle in matters of the Church and concerning Religion pag. 25 The Christian Emperor in ancient time did nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces and even the Bishop of Rome himselfe pag. 25 Emperors in ancient time did ratifie the decrees of Councils before they vvere put in execution pag 28 Miltiades Leo and Gregory all Bishops of Rome in their severall times subiect to the Emperor and at his command pag 24.26 Ancient Fathers Popes of Rome and Councils aswell generall as provinciall may erre even in matter of faith aswell as in matter of fact pag. 49 50 51 52. c See also the Preface for this point The Romane Empire dissolved ever since the Emperors have ceased to have the soveraigne command and rule of Rome and that the Popes have gotten to be the heads and supreme Rulers of that City and to be above the Emperors pa. 331.332 and pag. 391.392.393 The Pope of Rome hath no power or authoritie from Christ to Excommunicate any pag. 299 c Excommunications be they never so iust and lawfull be by Gods law and appointment of no force to depose from Earthly kingdomes or to dissolve the dutie and allegeance of subiects pag. 299 300 301 c F OVr Forefathers and ancestors not to be followed in any vices or errors they held pag 34 35 Foretold in the Booke of God that an apostacie from the right faith and a mysterie of iniquitie otherwise called an Antichristianisme should come upon the Church and that so the Church by degrees should grow corrupted and deformed pag. 35 36 280 Foretold also how long the Church should lye in those her corruptions and errors and vvhen she should begin to be clensed and reformed pag. 35 36 VVhat is to be thought of our Forefathers that lived and dyed in the time of Popery pag 39.40 41 42 Foretold that a strong delusion to beleeve lyes shouâ—d possesse them of the Antichristian Church because they received not the love of the truth extant in the divine Scriptures pag. 307 308 Men are iustified in Gods sight and before his tribunall by Faith only and good vvorkes be the fruits and declarations of that faith pag. 99 100 101 c. to the end of that chapter and pag. 116 117 118 c. to the end also of that chapter G God is not the author of sinne pag. 168 169 c. H NOt Protestants but Papists be the Heretickes pag. 72. and Schismaticks pag. 37 38. pag. 413.414 c Not the Pope but Christ onely is the Head of the universall militant Church as well as of the triumphant pag 94 95 96 97 98 I VVHo is to be the infallible Iudge of controversies in religion or vvhich commeth all to one effect in the conclusion vvhat is the infallible Rule vvhereby men must iudge and be directed for the finding out of truth in those controversies pag. 49 50 51 c. See also the Preface for this matter The Implicita fides of Papists reproved pag 78 79 80 K KIngs have the Supremacie over all maner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill vvithin their own Dominions pa. 1. to p. 5 Their Supremacie in all kinde of causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill pag. 5 c Kings and Princes although they have the Supremacie yet thereby claime not nor can claime to preach to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate absolve or to consecrate Bishops or to doe any other act proper to the function of the Ecclesiasticall ministers pag. 32 c Kings and Princes be notwithstanding their Supremacies under God and subiect to him and his vvord pag. 33 Even heathen Kings may command and make Edicts and Proclamations for God and his service pag. 7. c Christian Kings and Queenes are by Gods appointment to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church and Religion p. 7. The authoritie of a Christian King in respect of contemptuous disorderly and unruly persons requisite and necessary in the Church as vvell as in the Common-weale pag. 6 c Kings and Princes may command and compell their subiects to externall obedience for God pag. 6 7 8 9 10 Christian Kings may make lawes about matters Ecclesiast p. 7 8.24 Hee may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes pag. 24 He may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiastical ib. He may nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces pag. 27. Councels and Convocations to be assembled by his authoritie and the decrees thereof by him to be ratified and confirmed before they be put in execution pag. 26 27 28 Christian Kings doe punish offendors in Ecclesiasticall causes not Ecclesiastically but Civilly pag. 6 7.32 Subiects ought not to rebell against their Kings and Princes though they be adversaries to the Christian Religion and though subiects have power force enough to do it pa. 20 21 22.299 300 Kings of Rome did sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Ambassadors pag. 22 How thankefull subiects ought to be unto God for Christian Kings and Princes pag. 33 The power of the Keyes most grossely abused by the B of Rome to vvorke his owne exaltation above Kings and Princes pag 299 300 301 c The Keyes of the kingdome of heaven no more given to S. Peter then to the rest of the Apostles pag. 292 293 294 295 L NO Licentiousnesse or impiety in the doctrine of Iustification by faith or in the doctrine of predestination or
offer up Christ everie day or often and that in a bodily manner and this sacrifice so offered by them they also say is propitiatorie and taketh away the sinnes of men which is most intolerably blasphemous against that sacrifice of Christ. His all-sufficient mediation and intercession they also oppugne by making manie Mediators and Intercessors beside him as namely the Virgin Mary and other Saints and Angells for whose intercession sake they desire God to heare them and to grant their requests The Kingdome of Christ the Papacie likewise oppugneth for they will not suffer his Church to be ruled and governed by his owne Word and by such orders rules and lawes as hee in his Scriptures hath ordained but according to the canons rules and pleasure of the Pope and according to his constitutions and ordinances Yea as for the lawes and ordinances of God the Pope partly dispenseth with them and partly abrogateth them making them at his pleasure of no effect by his constitutions traditions and devises yea hee taketh to himselfe to be king and head of the whole militant Church and all the authoritie to the head and king of the Church belonging and that without anie warrant at all from Christ like a notable traytor and usurper For which cause it is that he also destroyeth so much as he can all the good subiects of this kingdome of Christ even his best Saints and servants be they Kings Princes or whosoever And thus you see how he oppugneth Christ everie maner of way both in respect of his Person and in respect of his Offices and that not openly and professedly but in a cunning close and covert manner that is in such a sort as belongeth to Antichrist and Antichristian people to doe 4 It is further said in this Text where Antichrist is described that Hee shall be exalted above all that is called God or that is worshipped Observe that he doth not say that he shal be exalted above God but above every one that is called God For it is one thing to be God essentially and another thing to be called God or to have the name of God or Gods attributed to him Who then be the men that be in Scripture called God or Gods It is evident that they be Kings Princes other such like Rulers and Magistrates Now it is manifest that above all these the Pope is exalted yea even above the Emperors themselves for he claimeth a Supremacie above them all taking upon him to depose Kings Princes and Emperours and to give away their Kingdomes Empires and Dominions at his pleasure O damnable and intolerable pride in a Bishop Did ever S. Peter whose successor he pretendeth to be thus detestably magnifie and exalt himselfe All the Christian world knoweth that S Peter was of another and more humble spirit not exalting himselfe above but subiecting himselfe evermore unto and under the authoritie of Kings Princes and Emperors and taught all people likewise this duety of subiection and obedience And so did S. Paul also Yea all Bishops and even the Bishops of Rome themselves aswell as the rest were in ancient time subiect to the Emperors and the Emperors commanded over them The Emperors Writ saith Hierome caused the Bishops aswell of the East as of the West to draw to Rome This is saith Eusebius a copie of the Emperors Writ whereby hee commandeth a Councell to be kept in Rome Note that he saith he commanded it Yea hee so commanded a Councell that Pope Leo himselfe excused his absence before the Emperour The Emperor Constantine saith Sozomen sent out his Letters unto all the Rulers of the Churches that they should all meete at Nice upon a day Vnto the Bishops of the Apostolicke Sees unto Macarius the Bishop of Hierusalem and unto Iulius the Bishop of Rome c. VVee command saith Iustinian the Emperour the most holy Archbishops and Patriarchs of Rome of Constantinople of Alexandria of Antioch and of Hierusalem c. Seeing then that all Bishops and even the Bishop of Rome aswell as the rest were in ancient time subiect to Kings Princes and Emperors as to the higher powers so ordeined of GOD over them What monstrous pride is it now in the Bishop of Rome so highly to magnifie and advance himselfe as to claime and arrogate to himselfe a Supremacie and authoritie over them all Insomuch that it is registred of him in his owne Records that hee is so manie times greater then the Emperor as the Sunne is greater then the Moone Is it not then high time and more then time for all to renounce and to be ashamed of such an unholy Father whose pride by no pretences can be excused and is so superlatively ill as that it is unmatchable 5 For indeed long before this his usurping and taking to himselfe a Supremacie over all Kings Princes and Emperors to whom of right and duetie he ought to be subiect did his pride appeare and shew it selfe in taking upon him a Supremacie over all Bishops and Patriarches who were his equals so that he would be called Vniversal Priest or Vniversal Bishop chiefest Bishop head of the whole universal Church of Christ upon earth and by other such like loftie and supereminent titles And yet when Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople affected that title of Vniversal Bishop over all you may remember what Gregory himselfe the then Bishop of Rome spake namely thus I speake it confidently that vvhosoever calleth himselfe the universal Bishop or desireth to be so called he is in that his Elation the forerunner of Antichrist because in that his pride he setteth himselfe before others Againe he saith None of my Predecessors Bishops of Rome â—ver consented to use this ungodly name No Bishop of Rome over tooke upon him this name of singularitie vvee the Bishops of Rome vvill not receive this honour being offered unto us Againe writing unto Eulogius hee saith thus Behold even in the preface of your letter you have written the word of a proude appellâ—tion naming mee the universal Pope notwithstanding I have forbidden it I beseech your holinesse to doe so no more For whatsoever is given to any other above reason the same is taken from your selves Yea it is further recorded even in Gratian himselfe that The Bishop of Rome may not bee called universal Bishop Here then you may perceive how shamelesly the Popish Church abuseth some places of Scripture wresting them for the maintenance of this their Popes claimed Supremacie and universalitie over all Bishops and the whole Church of Christ. As first they alledge that saying of Christ to Peter where after that Christ had demanded of his Apostles VVhom doe yee say that I am and that Peter had answered in the name of them all saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God Christ said unto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not revealed this
can he be the Head of Rome that is not the principal and soveraigne Ruler of it Yea no manner of likelyhood is there that the Emperor of Germanie should be this Beast seeing he hath not only no Headship or Soveraigne authoritie over Rome but sendeth also to Rome to tender his submission and obedience to him that beares the sway and principalitie there namely to the Pope to whom for that purpose he giveth an Oath of Homage Allegeance or fealtie thereby declaring himselfe to be in respect of the Pope but as an inferiour to a superiour or as a subiect to a soveraigne Lord. The old famous Romane Empire then and the ample Maiestie of it here appeareth to be now long sithence abolished Which thing even Machiavell himselfe also witnesseth in the first booke of his Florentine History dedicated to Pope Clement the seventh saying Imperio è tutto in terrâ the Empire is fallen flat upon the ground And so doth Lipsius also likewise testifie who spent a great part of his studie to attaine to an exact knowledge of the Romane State So also doth Augustinus Stenchus the Popes Library-keeper in his first booke of Constantines Donation pag. 3. For howsoever Charlemaigne and his successors were stiled Kings of Rome and for a while had led the Popes as their subiects yet this lasted not long but the Pope at last found a meanes for to free himselfe from being under their dominion that hee made the Emperors in the conclusion to be his vassals and at his command and to yeeld him the Soveraignetie And all this have the Popes done under pretence of being Christs Vicars and of the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and of S. Peters Chaire Which things have beene also noted by Guicciardine in the fourth booke of his Historie where after a long discourse of the rising and advancement of the Popes hee shutteth up all with these words The Popes saith he upon these foundations and by these meanes being exalted to an earthly dominion having by little and little neglected the salvation of soules and cast aside the remembrance of Divine instructions bending their mindes how to attaine to vvorldly greatnesse and using spiritual authoritie no further but as it vvas an Instrument to helpe forward the temporal did beginne to shew more like secular Princes then Bishops These words as not pleasing them have the Romish Expurgators razed cleane out of the last Editions of Guicciardine as likewise they have done manie more out of sundrie other Authors where they make against them But thus it appeareth that not the Heathen Romane Empire nor the Arrian nor the Germane but the Romane State as it is setled in the Popes of Rome the now Head and soveraigne Ruler of that Citie is the Beast there as it is most specially meant and intended And this is the Beast whereupon the vvhore of Babylon that is Popish Rome sitteth and whereby she is supported for as his Spiritual authoritie and pretence of the power of the Keyes helped to raise him to his Imperial greatnesse and Temporal Monarchie so this Temporal Monarchie ioined to his Spiritual doe both together make him a complete Beast for the bearing up and supporting of that Strumpet 2 Let us therefore now come to the other Beast mentioned in this thirteenth chapter of the Revelation see what it is and wherein it differeth from the former For a difference there must be betweene them in some respect because it is called another Beast In this verie chapter yee finde that one of the heads of the Beast namely that which was as it were vvounded to death and afterward had his Deadly vvound cured againe is expressely called a Beast by it selfe For upon the curing of this head that was before so deadly wounded it is said that All the earth vvondred after the Beast Againe it is said that the Inhabitants of the earth did vvorship the first Beast vvhose deadly vvound vvas healed And againe that they were willed to make an Image to the Beast vvhich had the vvound of a sword and did live By all which wee see that this Head of the Beast which was so vvounded and healed againe is called a Beast by it selfe and by name and expressely the verie first Beast Now the Head that was so vvounded is before shewed to be the sixt head of the Beast namely the governement of the Romane State by Emperors for you heare before that the Imperial State received a deadly wound in the time of the Lombards and that that deadly wound was afterward healed and cured againe in the Popes in whom the Maiestie and splendor of the Romane Empire was againe revived So that the first Beast is considerable in a double respect first as it was vvounded in the sixt head which were the Emperors and secondly as it was afterward healed againe in the seventh head which were the Popes for the Head vvounded and cured maketh the first Beast Now in the second Beast is shewed How and by vvhose meanes that recoverie and cure was wrought and performed In the first Beast then Antichrist that is the Pope of Rome is described as having both the Episcopal and Imperial Principalitie conioined together in his person which made him so great and mightie and so much to be admired at in the world and for which cause he is also said to be both the Seventh and the Eighth Head of the Beast but in the second Beast Antichrist is described in his Episcopal consideration only and as he is the false-Prophet For he which in this place is called the second Beast is as I said before in other places of the Revelation called the false-Prophet thereby declaring them namely the second Beast and the false-Prophet to be all one Yea even the Rhemists also themselves doe expound this second Beast to be a false-Prophet but they will have him to be a false-Prophet inferior to Antichrist But first he is not onely a false Prophet but by way of excellencie and eminencie above all others hee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The false-Prophet Rev. 19.20 Rev. 20.10 Rev. 16.13 And secondly it appeareth that he is not Inferior to Antichrist but Equal with him for in the first Beast is Antichrist comprehended as even the Rhemists and other Papists also doe themselves affirme now it is evident by the Text it selfe that this second Beast that is this false-Prophet did all that the first Beast could doe or which is all one exercised all the power of the first Beast Rev. 13.12 and therefore as touching authoritie and power hee appeareth to be not inferior to him but equall with him If you say that the first Beast and the second Beast otherwise called the false-Prophet be mentioned sometimes as if they were two it is true But the reason of it is because this grand Antichrist is considered in a double respect namely in respect of his Temporal or Imperial Monarchy in
White field among whom there was contention about the order of Easter For Lasreanus the Abbot of the monastery of Leighlin unto whom there were subject a thousand and five hundred monkes defended the new order that lately came from Rome but others defended the old This Lasreanus or Lazerianus is the man who in other Legends of no greater credite then this wee now have in hand is reported to have beene the Bishop of Romes legat in Ireland and is commonly accounted to have beene the first Bishop of the Church of Leighlin His principall antagonist at this meeting was one Munna founder of the monastery which from him was called Teach-munna that is the house of Munna in the Bishoprick of Meath who would needs bring this question to the same kinde of triall here that Augustin is said to have done in England In defence of the Roman order Bede telleth us that Augustin made this motion to the Brittish Bishops for a finall conclusion of the businesse Let us beseech God which maketh men to dwell of one minde together in their fathers house that he will vouchsafe by some heavenly signs to make known unto us what traditiō is to be followed by what way we may hasten to the entry of his kingdome Let some sick man be brought hither and by whose prayers he shall be cured let his faith and working be beleeved to be acceptable unto God and to be followed by all men Now Munna who stood in defence of the order formerly used by the Brittish and Irish maketh a more liberall proffer in this kinde and leaveth Lasreanus to his choyce Let us dispute briefely saith he but in the name of God let us give judgement Three things are given to thy choyce Lasreanus Two bookes shall be cast into the fire a booke of the old order and of the new that wee may see whether of them both shall be freed from the fire Or let two Monkes one of mine and another of thine be shut up into one house and let the house be burnt and wee shall see which of them will escape untouched of the fire Or let us goe unto the grave of a just Monke that is dead and rayse him up againe and let him tell us after what order we ought to celebrate Easter this yeare But Lasreanus being wiser then so refused to put so great a matter to that hazzard and therefore returned this grave answer unto Munna if all be true that is in the Legend We will not goe unto thy judgement because we know that for the greatnesse of thy labour and holinesse if thou shouldest bid that mount Marge should be changed into the place of the White field and the White field into the place of mount Marge God vvould presently doe this for thy sake So prodigall doe some make God to be of miracles and in a maner carelesse how they should fall as if in the dispensing of them he did respect the gracing of persons rather then of causes In what yeare this Councell of the White field was held is not certainly known nor yet whether S. Munna be that whited wall of whom we heard Cummianus complaine The Synod of Strenshalch before mentioned was assembled long after at Whitby called by the Saxons Streanesheale in Yorkeshire the yeare of our Lord DCLXIIII for the decision of the same question Concerning which in the life of Wilfrid written at the commandement of Acca who in the time of Bede was Bishop of Hangustald or Hexham in Northumberland we reade thus Vpon a certaine time in the dayes of Colman metropolitan Bishop of the citie of Yorke Oswi and Alhfrid his sonne being Kings the Abbots and Priests and all the degrees of Ecclesiasticall orders meeting together at the monastery which is called Streaneshel in the presence of Hilde the most godly mother of that abbay in presence also of the Kings and the two Bishops Colman Aegelberht inquiry was made touching the observatiō of Easter what was most right to be held whether Easter should be kept according to the custome of the Brittons and the Scottes and all the Northren part upon the Lords day that came from the XIIII day of the Moone untill the XX. or whether it were better that Easter Sonday should be celebrated from the XV. day of the Moone untill the XXI after the maner of the See Apostolick Time was given unto Bishop Colman in the first place as it vvas fit to deliver his reason in the audience of all Who with an undaunted minde made his answer and sayd Our fathers and their predecessors who were manifestly inspired by the holy Ghost as Columkille was did ordayne that Easter should be celebrated upon the Lords day that fell upon the XIIII Moone following the example of Iohn the Apostle and Evangelist who leaned upon the brest of our Lord at his last Supper and was called the lover of the Lord. He celebrated Easter upon the XIIII day of the Moone and we with the same confidence celebrate the same as his disciples Polycarpus and others did neyther dare we for our parts neyther will we change this Bede relateth his speech thus This Easter which I use to observe I received from my elders who did send me Bishop hither which all our fathers men beloved of God are knowne to have celebrated after the same maner Which that it may not seeme unto any to be contemned and rejected it is the same which the blessed Evangelist Iohn the disciple specially beloved by our Lord with all the Churches which he did oversee is read to have celebrated Fridegodus who wrote the life of Wilfride at the command of Odo archbishop of Canterbury expresseth the same in verse after this maner Nos seriem patriam non frivola scripta tenemus Discipulo eusebij Polycarpo dante Iohannis Ille etenim bis septenae sub tempore Phaebae Sanctum praefixit nobis fore Pascha colendum Atque nefas dixit si quis contraria sentit On the contrarie side Wilfride objected unto Colman and his clerkes of Ireland that they with their complices the Pictes and the Brittons out of the two utmost Iles and those not whole neyther did with a foolish labour fight against the whole world And if that Columb of yours saith he yea and ours also if he were Christs was holy and powerfull in vertues could he be preferred before the most blessed prince of the Apostles unto vvhom the Lord said Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevayle against it and I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven Which last words wrought much upon the simplicitie of King Oswy who feared that when he should come to the doors of the kingdome of heaven there would be none to open if he were displeased who was proved to keepe the keyes but prevayled nothing with Bishop Colman who
chiefe or supreame not onely in respect of Dukes Earles or other temporall Governors as the Rhemists would have it but in respect of all the rest likewise were they Bishops Pastors Clergie men or whosoever for hee writeth that his Epistle not to Heathens but to Christians and amongst them not to the Lay people onely but to such also as were Presbyters and did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe the office of Bishops amongst them requiring even them as well as the rest to yeeld their subiection and submission unto him And doth not S. Paul also require the same subiection and obedience to be performed by all maner of persons to their King and Princes For thus he saith Let every soule be subiect to the higher Powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be be ordayned of God VVhosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Iudgement or Condemnation And againe hee saith VVherefore ye must be subiect not onely because of vvrath but also for Conscience sake Now then if every one must be subiect to Kings Princes and these higher Powers which thus beare the civill sword as both these Apostles of Christ doe here cleerly testifie it is apparant that Kings and Princes and these higher powers be and must needs be granted to be supreame to whom all the rest within their Dominions be thus required to be subiect Yea S. Paul writing that his Epistle to the Church of Rome and requiring every Soule therein to bee subiect to these higher Powers sheweth that not onely Lay people but all within the Ecclesiasticall order also even as manie as have soules should be subiect to these higher powers And therefore S. Chrysostome upon this place saith directly Sive Apostolus sive Evangelista sive Propheta sive quisquis tandem fueris c. Everie soule must be subiect to the higher powers yea though you bee an Apostle or an Evangelist or a Prophet or whosoever you be And he further addeth saying Neque enim pietatem subvertit ista subiectio For neither doth this subiection overthrow pietie or godlinesse And so saith Theodoret likewise upon this Text Sive est Sacerdoâ— aliquis sive Antistes sive Monasticam vitam professus us cedat quibus sunt mandati Magistratus whether he be a Priest or a Prelate or professe a Monasticall life hee must submit himselfe to those to whom Magistracie is committed Theophilact upon the same Text speaketh in like sort Vniversos erudit sive Sacerdos sit ille sive Monachus sive Apostolus ut se principibus subdant cuiusmodi subiectio nil prorsus est Dei sublatura cognitionem S. Paul instructeth all saith he whether he be a Priest or a Monke or an Apostle that they should subiect themselves to Princes which kind of subiection will in no sort take away the knowledge of God Likewise speaketh Oecumenius Instruens omnem animam audiens ut licet Sacerdos quispiam sit licet Monachus licet Apostolus potestatibus subijciatur That S. Paul teacheth and instructeth everie soule that though he be a Priest though a Monke though an Apostle he must be subiect to these higher Powers Bernard also writing to the Archbishop of Senona alleageth this Text Let every soule be subiect to the higher powers and addeth further Si omnis anima vestra Quic vos excepit ab universitate If everie soule must be subiect then must your soule also for who hath excepted you from this universalitie Yea Aeneas Silvius who was himselfe afterward a Pope of Rome called Pope Pius the second alleaging this Text saith Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit nec excipit animam Papae Let everie soule be subiect to the higher powers neither saith hee doth he except herein the soule of the Pope himselfe And Gregory who was also himselfe a Pope of Rome in an Epistle to the Emperor Mauritius in the person of Christ saith thus unto him Sacerdotes meos manui tuae commisi I have committed my Priests to thy hand And in another Epistle hee saith that Dominari non solum militibus sed etiam sacerdotibus concessit God hath made the Emperor ruler not only over Souldiers but over Priests also Hee further calleth the Emperors his Lords saith that Potestas super omnes homines dominorum meorum pietati coelitus data est Power over all men is given from heaven to the pietie of my Lords And this supremacie doth also Optatus expresly acknowledge saying Super Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem Above the Emperor is not anie but God onely that made the Emperor And this againe did all the ancient Christian Church acknowledge in Tertullians time saying thus Colimus Imperatorem ut hominem à Deo secundum solo Deo minorem Wee Christians honour our Emperor as the man next unto God and inferior onely to God Againe hee saith that they held their Emperors to be under the power of God onely à quo sunt secundi post quem primi from whom they bee the second and after whom they be the first Kings therefore who have the like preeminence authoritie within their kingdomes that the Emperors had within their Empire must of all that will be right and Orthodox Christians bee acknowledged to have the Supremacie or which is all one the supreme government over all persons within their own kingdomes and dominions of what sort soever whether they be Lay or Ecclesiasticall And this is further confirmed by the sixt Toletan Councel which speaking of Chintillanus the King saith thus Nefas est in dubium deducere eius potestatem cui omnium gubernatio superno constat delegata Iudicio It is an heinous offence to call his power into doubt to whom it is apparant that the governement of all is committed by Gods appointment How intollerably iniurious then is the Popish Clergie which will not acknowledge this subiection but if it so fall out that anie of them be Robbers Traytors Rebels Murtherers or how great offendors soever in a Commonweale yet hold themselves neverthelesse free by reason of their Order from â—riall for those offences in Kings Courts This you see is directly repugnant to the Institution and word of God and to the opinion and practise of the Primitive and ancient Church and was moreover long sithence condemned as it was well worthie by Marsilius of Padua as a new devise and not so new as pestiferous occasioning the ruine of States and inducing a plurality of Soveraignties in one kingdome yea from hence all scandals grow and which standing saith he civill discord shall never have an end Is not then the position of such Priests and Iesuites as Emanuel Sa is iustly to bee condemned who in his Aphorismes at the word Clericus affirmeth that Clerici rebellio in
Regem non est Crimen loesae Maiestatis quia non est subditus Regis The Rebellion of a Clergie man against the king is no Treason because he is not the kings subiect And so likewise saith Bellarmine Non sunt amplius Reges Clericorum Superiores Kings be no longer Soveraignes or superiors to Clergie men Doe not these appeare to bee most grosse disloyall and detestable opinions But thus a New King is raised over the Popes Clergie that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith They have a King over them vvhich is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit who in Hebrew is called Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon that is in English a Destroyer namely the degenerate Bishop of Rome that grand 〈◊〉 as 〈…〉 proved who hath thus bereaved and robbed Kingâ— of 〈◊〉 naturall borne subiects and of their ancient Supremacie and most rightful authoritie over them 2 That the King is a Governour within his owne kingdomes and dominions is a matter so evident as that it needeth no proofe for he is called Rex à Regendo â— King in respect of his rule and governement And S. Peter agreeing hereunto teacheth that not onely the King but even other Magistrates also that be under the King be Governours and instituted for the punishment of evill doers for the praise of them that doe well S. Paul also speaketh the like of Princes or Governours that beare the sword that They are not to be feared for good vvorkes but for evill vvilt thou then be vvithout feare of the power Doe vvell saith hee so shalt thou have praise of the same for he is the minister of God for thy good But if thou doe evill then feare for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth evill You here then cleerely perceive that Kings and Princes bee Governors and 〈…〉 before that they be supreme which being put together necessarily concludeth them to be under God the supreme Governors within their owne Dominions Now that their governement and authoritie extendeth to causes Ecclesiasticall as well as 〈…〉 is a thing likewise verie manifest for as there is here no exception of anie person so is there also no exception or difference put of anie cause but whosoever transgresseth or offendeth or doth evill be it in what kinde of cause soever hee is here made subiect to this sword power and authoritie of Kings and Princes and punishable by it And doth not verie reason it selfe also perswade this For even in Christian States it is possible for Bishopâ— and other Ecclesiasticall ministers to transgresse and offend as touching the execution and administration of their Ecclesiasticall offices and functions as well as other men may in their offices and places As for example If they or anie of them would not suffer a childe or anie other to bee baptized which were not to be denied baptisme or if they should excommunicate anie upon meere spleen and malice without anie iust cause or if after a iust excommunication the person excommunicate should afterward publiquely testifie his repentance and thereupon desire to be reconciled and received againe into the Church and yet for all that should most uniustly be held out and be denied absolution or reconciliation Do not these and such like offences though committed by Ecclesiasticall persons and in causes Ecclesiasticall deserve punishment by the Civill Sword and authoritie of a Christian King If you say That such an offendor may be censured by such as be Clergie men and have Ecclesiasticall authoritie over him That hindreth not but that a King may neverthelesse punish him also civilly especially where the Lawes of the kingdome do so permit or appoint For in such cases without anie wrong or iniurie may one and the selfe same offence be punished both wayes viz. both Civilly and Ecclesiastically Your selves doe know that Bishops and Clergie men cannot by vertue of that their Ecclesiasticall office and authoritie punish anie offendors civilly but onely Ecclesiastically as namely by deprivation or excommunication or such like censures of the Church But Kings and Princes punish offendors in ecclesiasticall causes after another sort namely not ecclesiastically as Bishops doe but Civilly as by corporall imprisonment pecuniarie punishment and such like temporall paines belonging to their authoritie So that both Civill and Ecclesiasticall authoritie doe and may well stand together without doing anie wrong yea as friends and helpers the one to the other But to illustrate this matter yet further Admit Clergie men have excommunicated a man or sentenced him to be deprived or pronounced him to be an Hereticke or done all they can against him by the power of the keyes and of the Church censures and that neverthelesse he still and evermore persisteth a scorner and contemner of all that they can doe against him Is it not meete and requisite thinke you that such a one should be punished civilly and by the Kings authoritie For what other remedie is there left in such a case You see then how expedient and necessarie the governement and authoritie of a Christian King is even in respect of the Church and Church affaires as well as of the Common-weale and Common-weale causes and that in respect of offendâ—rs in Ecclesiasticall causes that be unruly wilfull obstinate and contemptuous the Church hath as much neede of him as the Common-weale Whilest therefore the king punisheth offendors in Ecclesiasticall causes not ecclesiastically and by Church censures as Clergie men doe but civilly and by a regall power and authoritie it is such a cleere evident a right as none can with anie colour of reason gainsay or disallow Yea even Heathen and Pagan Kings have this power and authoritie to make lawes and proclamations for the worship and service of the true GOD and to inflict punishment upon the breakers violaters of those their lawes and proclamations although they doe not alwayes put that their power and authoritie in execution for God as they ought but most commonly abuse it against him And yet sometime we see they doe extend it and put it in execution for God as it is evident in the examples of Artashast King of Persia Nebuchadnezar King of Babell and Darius King of the Mâ—des as also by some other Heathen Emperors mentioned in Eusebius If then as is manifest Heathen and Pagan kings have this power and authoritie albeit they doe noâ— alwaies extend it and put it in execution for God by what right or reason can it be denied to Christian Kings and Princes so to doe Yea by Gods owne most gracious providence Christian Kings and Queenes are to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church and Religion for so the Prophet Esay directly witnesseth And therefore is it that they not onely may make Lawes for Christ for so S. Augustine likewise saith that Serviunt reges Christo leges ferendo pro Christo Kings serve Christ
and to declare the Supremacie of the Emperor then this that the Emperor in ancient time exiled banished imprisoned and otherwise also by his Authoritie punished even some of the Bishops of Rome themselves as well as other Bishops and when the Emperor said moreover thus that If anie did grow tumultuous or unruly Illius statim audacia Ministri Dei hoc est mea executione coercebitur his boldnesse shall forthwith be repressed by the sword or execution of Gods Minister that is of my selfe For as S. Paul saith the Emperor King or Prince or anie of those higher powers that beare the civill sword is Gods Minister and a revenger unto VVrath to him that doth evill whosoever he be Yea such was the demeanour and loyaltie which even Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome performed to the Emperor that when the Emperor had commanded a law to be published which Gregory himselfe misliked yet neverthelesse he obeyed the Emperors commandement as a good subiect unto him Ego quidem iussioni tuae subiectus eandem legem per diversas Terrarum partes transmitti feci I being subiect to your command saith hee have caused the same law to bee transmitted through diverse parts of the earth By which one example of Gregory if there were no more spoken you may perceive that for the space of manie hundred yeares after Christ even unto his time and in his time the Bishops of Rome themselves were subiect to the Emperors and at their commands Which doth yet further appeare by this thaâ— even Kings of Rome did also sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Embassadors as for example King Theodorick sent Iohn Bishop of Rome Embassador to the Emperor Iustinian And King Theodatus about the yeare 537 sent Pope Agapetus as his Embassador likewise to the Emperor about a Treatie of peace But yet together with the Supremacie of Emperors let me shew unto you more fully their Authoritie in Ecclesiasticall things or causes for of their Authoritie in civill or temporall causes there is no question made 8 When the Donatists therefore alledged that Emperors were to meddle onely with civill causes and not with Ecclesiasticall or concerning Gods Religion Optatus held this to be a point of madnesse in Donatus and those his followers Ille solito furore accensus in haec verba prorupit Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia Donatus inflamed with his accustomed furie or Madnesse saith he brake forth into these words What hath the Emperor to doe with the Church Where you see he calleth it expressely a Madnesse to hold that opinion And this S. Augustine likewise censureth and condemneth accounting it an absurd thing for anie to say thus unto kings Take yee no care in your kingdomes vvho oppugneth the Church and vvho defendeth it vvho is religious and vvho sacrilegious c. For if the King be to regard and punish by civill punishment the offences done against the second Table as disobedience to parents murder theft trespasses wrongs and iniuries done by one man against another is hee not much more to regard and punish by civill punishment the greater offences namely those that be done immediately against God being breaches of the first Table as Atheisme Idolatry false vvorship vvrong relâ—gion heresie schisme blasphemy breach of the Sabbath and such like For is there anie comparison or proportion betweene Man and God But to declare this matter yet further by some particulars The Christian Emperors in ancient time made lawes for God and his Religion and caused them to be executed and so dealt in matters Ecclesiasticall as well as civill as beside that which is before spoken is further evident even by the Titles of the Civil law it selfe viz. De summa Trinitate fide Catholica De sacrosanctis Ecclesijs De Episcopis Clericis De Haereticis c. They likewise made Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes For when Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage was accused by Donatus and some other of that faction Constantine the Emperor commanded Caecilianus to come to Rome with a certaine number of Bishops that accused him And by his Commission extant in Eusebius authorised and appointed Miltiades the then Bishop of Rome and some others with him for the hearing and ending of that matter These Commissioners condemned Donatus who appealed from their sentence to the Emperor himselfe which Appeale also the Emperor at last received Where beside that you see that this Christian Emperor made Commissioners in this Episcopall and Ecclesiasticall cause observe withall that Miltiades the then Bishop of Rome was one of those Commissioners and therewithall you may note that the Bishops of Rome were then verie cleerely subiect and not superior to the Emperor So that a Christian King or Prince not only may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes but may also have Appeales made unto him as is here apparant Yea even S. Paul himselfe Appealed not unto Peter which no doubt hee would have done if Peter had then had the Supremacie but unto Caesar. The Councell also of Affrick would allow of no Appeales to the Pope of Rome or beyond the Sea but made a Decree directly against it appointing Presbyters Deacons or other inferior Clerkes if they were grieved with the sentence of their owne Bishop to resort to the next Bishops Quod si abâ—ijs provocandum putaverint non provocent nisi ad Affricana Concilia vel ad Primates Provinciarum suarum Ad Transmarina autem qui putaverit appellandum à nullo intra Affricam in Communionem suscipiatur And if they shall think fit to Appeale from them let them not appeale but to Councels within Affrick or to the Primates of their owne Provinces But he that shall thinke it fit to appeale beyond the Sea let him be admitted to the Communion by none within Affrick This Canon which was thus established in the Affrican Councell purposely for the defeating and disanulling of the ambitious courses and claimes of the Bishops of Rome is againe repeated and confirmed in the Milevitane Councell In the time likewise of King VVilliam Rufus Anselmus the Archbishop of Canterbury would have appealed to Rome But not onely the King but the Bishops of England also were therein against him And afterwards in the dayes of Henry the second King of England this Law was made Si quis inventus fuerit c. If anie shall be found bringing letters or a mandate from the Pope c. Let him be apprehended and let Iustice be done upon him vvithout delay as upon a Traytor to the Law and kingdome Againe it is there said Generaliter interdictum est ne quis appellet ad Dominum Papam That it was generally given in charge that none should Appeale to the Pope Moreover the Christian Emperors in ancient time had the authoritie of summoning and calling Councels as for example the first generall Councel of Nice was assembled by Constantine
is he besides that which is before spoken doe but consider what the Abbot Ioachim long sithence told King Richard the first King of England namely that Antichrist was then alreadie borne and had his seat at Rome and was to be advanced in that Apostolicall Sea And he further saith Non nulli sub specie sedis Dei id estâ— universalis Ecclesiae Facti sunt sedâ—s Bestiae quae est regnum Antichristi regnantis ubique in membris suis c. Sundrie saith he under pretence of Gods seat that is of the universall Church are become the seat of the Beast vvhich is the Kingdome of Antichrist raigning everie vvhere in his members consisting as he there further saith in the Cleargie men in the Monkes and Monasteries Againe he saith that Rome est in spiritu Babylon Rome is the spirituall Babylon And againe he saith Negotiatores terrae sunt ipsi sacerdotes qui vendunt orationes missas pro Denarijs facientes domum orationis Apothecam Negotiationis The Merchants of the earth be the Priests themselves vvho sell Prayers and Masses for money making the house of Prayer a shop of Merchandize Yea sundrie both Princes and Bishops of Germanie long agon have affirmed and published the Pope to be Antichrist as appeareth in Aventinus But I leave this to be as I said more fully handled afterward In the meane time if anie would know who be the right Catholikes as Papists verie boldly but verie uniustly take upon them that title let him consider these two sentences of Vincentius and conferre and ioyne them together The first is this Id teneamus quod VBIQVE quod SEMPER quod ab OMNIBVS creditum hoc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum Let us uphold that vvhich hath beene beleeved everie vvhere and at all times of all persons for this is rightly and properly Catholicke The second is this where he saith Ille est verus Germanus Catholicus qui quidquid universaliter ANTIQVITVS ecclesiam Catholicam tenuisse cognoverit id solum sibi tenendum creder dumque decernit He is the true and right Catholicke who iudgeth that he is to hold beleeve onely that which he knoweth the Catholicke Church to have formerly held universally in the old time This Vincentius lived above 1200. yeares sithence so that this Antiquitùs this old time whereto he referreth everie man that will be a right Catholicke cannot be intended the age and time wherein himselfe lived much lesse can it he supposed anie of those manie hundreth yeares that came after him and are sithence his time gone and past but it must needs be intended of an old time passed long before the time wherein hee lived and wrote these things which old time therefore which he so called what can it be but the Primitive and Apostolicke times If then yee will prove your selves to bee Catholickes and your Church to bee the Catholike Church by this rule and definition of Catholikes out of Vincentius then must you not take your patterne and proofe from that Councell of Trent nor from the late Councell of Constance nor anie of the times after Vincentius but you must transcend and goe to the times that were in the old Time long before the daies of this Vincentius even to the primitive and Apostolike times which were indeed the best and purest times and from thence must you take the patterne of your Church and Religion For that which alwayes formerly and every vvhere and of all Christians in That Old Time was held and beleeved is the thing that he accounteth and defineth to be Catholicke and such to be Catholickes which hold and beleeve only so much and no more Which faith doctrine and religion of those old Primitive and Apostolicke times was at first delivered by word of mouth by the Apostles but was afterwards as Irenaeus hath before enformed us committed to VVriting that so it might be for ever that The foundation and pillar of our Faith Yea this even Vincentius also himselfe teacheth saying Scripturarum canon sufficit ad omnia satis superque the canon of the Scriptures doth suffice for all matters sufficiently and more then sufficiently that is abundantly and overflowingly By this rule then and definition of a Catholike given so long agon by Vincentius it is evident that not yee but wee are to be held for the right and true Catholikes inasmuch as not yee but wee doe beleeve and hold that faith doctrine and Religion which those old and first Christians universally held in those ancient primitive and Apostolick times and which was afterwards written and is omni-sufficiently conteined in that written word of God the sacred and canonicall Scriptures Yea that and onely that wee hold and beleeve as Vincentius saith right and true Catholikes ought to doe and so doe not you therefore whether yee or wee be the right Catholiks is a verie easie and apparant matter to be decided Aufer Haereticis quae cum Ethnicis sapiunt ut de scripturis solis Quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt Take from the Heretickes saith Tertullian those things wherein they savour of Heathen wisedome so as that they bring their Controversies to bee decided onely by the Scriptures and they be not able to stand In which wordes men that will not suffer their Controversies to bee decided onely by the Scriptures may see themselves ranged within the compasse of Hereticks and so termed and entituled by him so farre are they off from being the right and true Catholikes And yet Papists have I grant for some of their errors a kinde of Antiquitie but it is an Antiquitie of a later date and it is not that most ancient Antiquitie which Vincentius and the rest of the ancient Fathers direct you unto and which should be in request For that is the True whatsoever is the first and that which is later or commeth in after the first is the adulterate or corrupted as Tertullian againe expressely affirmeth Yea he saith further Hoc mihi proficit Antiquitas praestructae divinae Literaturae Herein doth Antiquitie availe me if it be builded upon the divine Scripture Wherefore if yee will be good and right Catholikes ye must go and take the patterne and president of your Faith and Religion from those most ancient primitive and Apostolike times as we doe because as Eusebius also out of Egesippus noteth the Church so long as the Apostles lived remayned a pure Virgin for that if any vvent about to corrupt the holy rule vvhich was preached they did it in the Darke and as it vvere underneath the earth But after the death of the Apostles and that generation was past which God vouchsafed to heare the divine wisedome with their own eares the placing of wicked error saith he began to come into the Church For which purpose to shew that corruptioÌ„ grew in those after succeeding times ClemeÌ„s also alledgeth the proverb
by this Beast cannot be intended the Romane Heathen Empire although that was also a verie great persecutor of the Saints and peole of God because the Romane Heathen Empire was in Esse and being as everie one knoweth in S. Iohns time and at the time of this Revelation given and so was not this Beast there most specially taken and intended For it is said of this Beast that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascensura est it should afterward arise Secondly this Beast there most specially spoken of and intended to take away all maner of doubt in the case is expressely notified and affirmed in the verie Text it selfe to be the Eight head of the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is octavus est s. Rex and therefore is he farre remote from the time of those old Heathen persecuting Emperors Thirdly consider that this Beast is said to come ex abysso out of the bottomlesse pit and therefore it is the same Beast that is likewise mentioned to come out of the same bottomlesse pit in Rev. 11.7 which persecuted the two witnesses there spoken of and put them to death after the blowing of the Trumpet by the sixt Angell This circumstance of time wherein this Beast was and persecuted the two witnesses being after the blowing of the Trumpet by the sixt Angell even so neere toward the end of the world for under the blowing of the seventh Angell the world is to end Rev. 10. and 7. Rev. 11.15 c. doth also declare that it cannot be intended the Romane Heathen Empire which was before the blowing of the sixt Angell and is so long since ended and expired For the Emperors ceased to be Heathens and became Christians about 300 yeares after Christ in the daies of Constantine the first Christian Emperor Fourthly consider that the second Beast under which Antichrist in respect of his false doctrine counterfeit holinesse miracles and other his spiritual actions is more specially described is all one with him which is often otherwise called in the same Revelation the false-Prophet and remember withall that both the first Beast and this second Beast otherwise called the false-Prophet lived together and were both destroyed together So that the first Beast appeareth to be such a one as is to have a continuance in the world untill the destruction of the second Beast which is the false-Prophet Antichrist and therefore hee cannot possibly be intended the old Roman Heathen Empire no nor yet the hereticall Arian Empire for neither of these were of that long continuance yea they both be long since ended and determined and yet is not Antichrist that false-Prophet destroied Fiftly here observe that this chapter of Rev. 13. and the things therein conteined concerning the Beast be brought in and mentioned after that the seventh Angell had blowne his Trumpet during the continuance of whose blowing the Church of Christ is mightily to prevaile and to be reformed and the Gospell of the kingdome of Christ to flourish and get the upper hand against all adversaries to the conversion at length both of Iewes and Gentiles unto Christ and his religion Wherewithall you may perceive what is the chiefe drift and scope of the whole Booke of the Revelation as touching things future in the Church namely that it is to discover these two things first the estate of the Church as it grew by degrees deformed and corrupted comprised in the blowings of the Trumpets by the first five Angels and untill the sixt Angell also had begun to blow his Trumpet and secondly the estate of the Church as it grew againe by degrees reformed and restored to her first and most ancient puritie Which happie reformation and cleansing of the Church after so long a deformitie and corruptions growne in it did not begin nor was to begin as this Prophecie sheweth untill after the time that the sixt Angel had begun to blow his Trumpet for then and not untill then was the book of the holy scriptures everlasting Gospel opened the truth of Gods religion therin conteined preached Once againe in the world to discover detect the before-hidden fraudes false doctrines and impieties of Antichrist Whereupon followed a measuring of Gods Temple and of the right worshippers therein and some VVitnesses also of Gods truth and religion which did openly shew themselves and were put to death for profession and defence of the same truth After which and after the blowing of the Trumpet by the seventh Angell the reformation and restoring of the Church formerly begun is prosecuted and further augmented and much more and mightily enlarged and to be enlarged Insomuch that the Church of Christ is after this blowing of the Trumpet by the seventh Angell verie splendently described and that shee brought forth masculine and strong children unto God of whom shee travailed in birth untill Christ were formed in them such as neither fraude nor furie of the great red Dragon the Divell could daunt dismay or discourage of which sort were the Albigenses in whose times were verie famous and splendent Churches of valiant and couragious Christians that tooke part with Michael and fought against the Dragon and his Angels in the warres of those times Yea notwithstanding all that those great malignant adversaries of the Church namely the Dragon the Beast and the false-Prophet did or could devise to doe yet for all that did the Church of Christ continue still and encrease and with the Lamb Christ Iesus were there seene standing upon mount Sion 144000 which took part with him and would not remove their station nor be withdrawne from him And after this againe is there record and mention made of these increasing and couragious Christians that still got the victorie over the Beast and his Image and his marke and the number of his name and that sung the song of Moses with much praise and thankesgiving unto God therefore And in the rest of the Chapters following namely in the 16 17 18 19 of the Revelation not onely the true Church is shewed to prosper and prevaile but to the enemies and adversaries thereof be threatned and doe befall the Viols of Gods wrath calamities miseries and destruction in their appointed times But thus it appeareth which was my purpose to shew that the Beast here mentioned as it is most specially and most restrictively taken cannot be meant of the old Romane Heathen Empire nor yet of the hereticall Arrian Empire because both these kind of Empires ceased and were ended long before this time of the blowing of the Trumpet by the seventh Angell Now let us see whether the Germane Empire can be here intended and it is verie manifest also that it cannot for although the Emperor of Germanie be called King of the Romanes and hath the title of Emperor yet hath he not Rome the seate of the old Romane Empire neither hath hee anie Principalitie Headship or Soveraignetie there How then
of being Pope and Bishop of Rome and not under anie name or title of being the Emperor For they hold as Antoninus writeth that Potestas Papae maior est omni alia potestate creata The power of the Pope is greater then all other created powers But to conclude what doth he else but exercise this Imperial Authoritie before his face whilest he domineereth over him that is now called Emperor of Rome and Germanie and maketh him his vassall and at his command Yea not only hath the Pope for his part thus disloyally and uniustly depressed and subiugated the Emperor exercising and that verie impudently all his authoritie before his face but hee did so worke and perswade with the inhabitants of the earth that they also were content at last to vvorship the first Beast vvhose deadly vvound vvas healed that is to honour and submit themselves to that Imperial State whereof himselfe after the overthrow of the Emperors became the Monarch For it was an Imperial Monarchie to be ioyned to his Episcopal which he so much desired and thirsted after 4 Wherefore to compasse and effect this which hee so much affected it is said that Hee did great vvonders so that hee made fire to come downe from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and deceived them that dwell on the earth by the signes which vvere permitted him to doe in the sight of the Beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an Image to the Beast vvhich had the vvound of a sword and did live And it vvas permitted to him to give a spirit unto the Image of the Beast so that the Image of the Beast should speake and also should cause that vvhosoever vvould not vvorship the Image of the Beast should be killed If you remember who this Beast is that had the deadly vvound by the sword namely that it was the Romane State wounded in the sixt head viz. in the Emperors you will the better perceive that the Image of that Beast is and must needs be some State or forme of government erected like unto that of the Imperial for what is an Image but a likenesse or resemblance of that whereof it is an Image Now then what is or can bee this Image of that Beast but the Popedome erected in lieu of that Empire at Rome This doth Augustinus Steuchus himselfe though a great Papist sufficiently declare in these words In Pontificatu etsi non illa veteris Imperij magnitudo species certè non longè dissimilis renata est Qua Gentes omnes ab ortu occasu band â—ecus Romanum Pontificem venerantur quam omnes Nationes Olim Imperatoribus obtemperabant In the Popedome saith he there arose if not the greatnesse of the ancient Empire yet verily a forme not much unlike to it VVherby all Nations from East and VVest doe in like manner VVorship the Pope of Rome as they did in times past obey the Emperor And therefore a little after the same Steuchus calleth the Popedome an Empire and a Maiestical Royaltie in expresse termes Blondus likewise comparing Rome restored under the Pope with Rome flourishing under the Emperors saith that Habet Roma in Regna Gentes Imperium Dictatorem nunc perpetuum non Caesaris sed Piscatoris Petri successorem Imperatoris praedicti id est Christi Vicarium Pontificem summum Principes Orbis adorant colunâ— c. Quid quòd maiora vel câ—rtè paria priscorum temporum Vectigalibus Europa pene omniâ— tribuâ— a Romam mittit Rome hath an Empire over Kingdomes and Nations The Princes of the VVorld doe now adore and vvorship the Pope of Rome being the perpetual Dictator and successor not of Caesar but of Peter the Fisherman and the Vicar of Christ c. Yea in a maner all Europe sendeth greater tribute to Rome or at least Equal to that of the old times And with this agreeth that also of Bellarmine where he saith Antichristum fore ultimum qui tenebit Romanum Imperium tamen sine nomine Romani Imperatoris that Antichrist shall be the last head of Rome vvho shall hold the Romane Empire but yet vvithout the name of the Romane Emperor For the name and title of being Pope of Rome and of Christs Vicar and Peters successor under which hee exerciseth all his authoritie both Imperial and Episcopal Spiritual Temporal is better pleasing and more beneficial to him then the name and title of Emperor Yea it is this spiritual power that animates and gives life and spirit as the Text speaketh unto the temporal and which maketh it to be of so great so glorious and so high esteeme for this opens the peoples hearts and purses unto him and brings in and heapes up abundance of wealth and treasure this causeth Kings to stoupe and bow unto him and his censures and thunderbolts of Excommunication to be so dreadfull causeth men to repaire from all quarters to Rome to partake of the spiritual liberalities of his Holinesse and yet hee is ever a gainer by that meanes notwithstanding all that his bountie and liberalitie Neither did this second Beast the false-Prophet Antichrist cause onely the Image of the Beast that is the Papal Empire to be thus made and erected nor did only put a life or spirit into it whereby it did speake that is give forth Edicts Lawes Sentences and Decrees but did further so speake as this Text sheweth that vvhosoever vvould not VVorship the Image of the Beast that is this Papal-Empire should be killed and put to death namely as an Heretick or schismatick or as a seditious person These things be so plaine and evident as that they need no further explication or proofe For to what other end tend all their cruell persecutions their bloudie Inquisitions their detestable Massacres their abominable Leagues Conspiracies and Warres against Protestant Kings Princes people but that none might live or breath if they might have their wills which would not worship and become obedient to it Yea not onely would they have them to be deprived of their lives but of houses also lands goods libertie whatsoever other solace of humane societie For thus did Pope Alexander the third decree in the Councel of Turon against such as would not subiect themselves to the Sea of Rome Ne ubi cogniti fuerint receptaculum quisquam eis in terra sua praebere aut praesidium impertiri praesumat sed nec in venditione emptione aliqua cum ijs communio habeatur ut solatio humanitatis amisso ab errore viae suae resipiscere compellantur Quisquis autem contra haec venire tentaverit tanquam particeps iniquitatis eorum anathemate feriatur Illi vero si deprehensi fuerint per Catholicos principes custodiae mancipati omnium â—onorum amissione mulctentur That after they be knowne no man presume to give them any receipt upon his land or harbour them neither in buying and
Beast for it is the number of a man that is such as a man by his understanding may possibly attaine unto and his number is 666. That which is here called the number of the Beast is in the verie next verse going before and elsewhere also called the number of the Name of the Beast Now although it might be an hard and difficult matter before the accomplishment of this Prophecie to finde out this number of the name of the Beast yet after the accomplishment of it it is not so hard a matter First therefore they be much deceived who take this to be the proper name of some one particular man or singular person for the Text it selfe sheweth it to be the name not of anie particular man but of a Beast that is of a State Kingdome or Dominion and declareth it also to be the name of the Beast that had seven heads that is of the Latine or Romane State The Beast then being now found out and knowne to be the Latine or Romane State it is so much the more easie to search and finde out whether the number of this Beasts name that is of the Latine or Romane State doe in the numeral letters thereof conteine iust 666. For if it conteine iust that number then for that cause also will this matter be so much the more apparant In what language then are wee to reckon it Most likely either in the Hebrew because the Revelation as some thinke was given in Hebrew to S. Iohn being an Hebrew borne or else in Greeke because the Revelation was written in Greeke and that also to the Greeke Churches and all the letters in both these languages be also numeral whereas the letters in the Latine tongue be not all numeral though some be If then you aske in Hebrew what Malcuth that is what Kingdome this is which is here spoken of A fit and congruous answer is made in the same Hebrew language that it is Romijth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Romane denoting it thereby to be the Romane State or Romane Kingdome which word in Hebrew doth in the numeral letters thereof conteine the iust number of 666. If againe you aske in Greeke what Basileia that is what Kingdome it is it is likewise fitly and fully answered in Greek that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latine Kingdome or the Latine State which name of the Beast so produced in Greeke doth also in the numeral letters thereof conteine the iust number of 666. Or if you will thinke it fit to reckon it in the Latine tongue which is the proper tongue of the Beast as possibly it is so to be reckoned for in the Latine tongue some letters be also numeral though all be not what name or title hath the Pope who hath gotten to himselfe this headship and soveraigne rule of Rome Is hee not usually called Vicarius Generalis Dei in terris Gods Vicar general upon Earth And doe not these words thus produced in Latine conteine in them in the numeral letters or characters the iust number of 666 It is cleere and apparant that they doe So that whether you consider the Latine or Romane State simply by it selfe or as it is long sithence translated or brought to the Pope of Rome the last head thereof you finde in all the three languages both of Latine Greeke and Hebrew which be counted the three learned languages of the world the number of the Beast fitly to agree yea these verie words Latinus status ad Papas allatus directly signifying the Latine State as it is now long since translated and brought unto the Popes conteineth in the numeral letters thereof the iust number of 666 which is therefore a thing not unworthie the noting and observing Irenaeus whose Maister was Polycarpus Disciple to S Iohn that received this Revelation saith that the number of the name of the Beast should conteine 666 according to the computation of the Greekes by the Letters that be in it He therefore reckoning other names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in neither of which there is anie likelyhood that anie of them should be this name seeing none of these is the name of a Beast that is of a Kingdome or State setteth downe the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof he writeth thus Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen sexcentorum sexaginta sex numerum valde verisimile est quoniam verissimum Regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant But the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lateinos conteyneth also the number of 666 and this is very likely saith he to be the name because the most true Kingdome hath this name for they be Latines vvhich now raigne Where you see even by Irenaeus his testimonie first that the Beast here mentioned signifieth a Kingdome or State secondly that his name conteyning the number of 666 must bee in Greeke and reckoned by the numeral letters of the name in that language And thirdly hee saith that it is verie likely to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All which verie fitly agreeth as is apparant to the Latine State not onely as it was ruled by Emperors but as it is sithence also ruled by Popes For in the Papacie also Latine is in chiefest request and preferred before all other languages All their Service is in Latine the people be taught to pray in Latine the Scriptures be not allowed of but according to their Latine translations and it is commonly and vulgarly called the Latine Religion c. What therefore Irenaeus in those ancient times affirmed to be verie probable and likely Wee living so manie hundred yeares after him and seeing the accomplishment of this Prophecie doe and must conclude it by the event to bee not onely probable and likely but necessarily true and undoubted That it is the Latine Kingdome or Romane State which is there intended and described As for that Bellarmine and some other Papists say that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not be written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but with a simple Iota it is too vaine a cavill for Irenaeus being a Grecian borne knew how to write Greeke I hope aswel as Bellarmine or anie other that taketh the exception Secondly even meane Scholers in that tongue doe know that it may be written both wayes and that it is no new or strange thing with them to write I long by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Atrides and Aristides be written in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Nilus Epirus and Mithras be written in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially when N followeth I long it is the observation of Ioseph Scaliger himselfe in his Notes upon Eusebius Chronicle pag. 106 that the Grecians doe turne the I of the Latines into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This therefore appeareth to bee a verie frivolous and idle exception And as touching
care for the preservation of the Church goods wholly and entirelie to themselves But againe is it not grosse hipocrisie and dissimulation for them to pretend Chastitie in this matter wherein there appeareth to bee none at all but the cleane contrarie For how can the forbidding of Mariage to such as have not the gift of Continency tend to chastitie Yea how can it otherwise tend but to unchastitie filthinesse dishonestie and uncleannesse Yea what a great affecter of chastitie the Popish Church is may appeare by the Canon Is qui in the 34 Distinction the inscription whereof is this Hee that hath no vvife let him in stead of a vvife have a Concubine The Canon following is this It is not lavvfull for a Christian to have I doe not say manie vvives but not so much as tvvo vvives but onely one vvife or in defect thereof a Concubine Likewise the Canon Dilectissimis in the 12 cause and the first question doth approove of Platoes opinion the wisest among the Greekes which saith All things should bee common amongst friends Novv under this name of all things saith this Canon mens vvives also bee comprehended But I shall need to say no more herein because the premises as touching this point of forbidding marriage under pretence of chastitie and religion when there is neither chastitie nor religion in it but the cleane contrary doe sufficiently declare the Popish Church to bee verie clearely and undoubtedly Antichristian 4 The second marke of the Apostatical and Antichristian Church out of this Text is a commanding to abstaine from Meates for Religion sake And this note or marke is also found verie evidently to be in the popish Church For in the Papacie the people are enioyned and that not for politicke or civill respects but for pietie and religion sake to abstaine from flesh-meates and other meates on certaine daies and times by them appointed although neverthelesse on the same daies and times they permit fish of all sorts to be eaten and wine also to bee taken Yea they not onely account it a sinne against God to eate flesh on those dayes but doe also repose matter of merit and satisfaction to Gods Iustice for their sinnes in that their abstinence and in such their obedience performed to their Mother the Church of Rome Howbeit S. Paul contrariwise saith that The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace in the holy Ghost And againe hee saith If any of them vvhich beleeve not bid you to a feast and if you vvill goe vvhatsoever is set before you eate asking no question for conscience sake Yea Christ Iesus himselfe sheweth that they bee not meates and drinkes moderately taken but other things that defile a man for saith hee Perceive yee not that vvhatsoever entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught But those things vvhich proceede out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile a man for out of the heart come evill thoughts murders adulteries fornicaâ—ions thefts false testimonies slanders these bee the things that defile a man And againe hee saith expreslie That vvhich goeth into the mouth defileth not a man but that vvhich commeth out of the mouth that defileth a man Doe not these testimonies manifestlie proove that good and true Christian Religion and the kingdome of God consisteth not in these outward things of meat and drinke but in things inward seated in the heart of a man as namely in righteousnesse in peace and in ioy of the holy Ghost and such like Yea when God thus permitteth aswell flesh as fish to bee eaten and saith expresly that the Eating of it defileth not a man can anie Popish Prohibition make it to defile a man or to bee sinne in his sight which himselfe affirmeth to bee none For they say that though God hath not forbidden it yet their Mother the Church of Rome hath forbidden it upon paine of deadly sinne and damnation Howbeit this excuseth not yea herein it is that their church doth disclose and declare her selfe to bee in verie deede Antichristian in thus exalting herselfe against God and daring to forbid that in the way of Religion which hee hath not forbidden but contrariwise hath allowed in his religion The true Church hath but one Lavv-giver as S. Iames speaketh and that is God to make and give Lawes to binde the soule and consciences and to certificus what is sinne and what is not sin in his sight How then can any Prohibition of the Pope or Popish Church make that to bee sinne against God and his religion which God himselfe affirmeth not to bee so yea the contrarie whereof hee teacheth and affirmeth But consider yet further what Mother it is that they bee so carefull to obey and whether shee bee not the Mother of VVhoredomes and abhominations of the earth and even the Whore of Babylon as shee is before declared to bee out of the Revelation of S. Iohn For it will bee small honour ioy or comfort for anie to shew or performe obedience to such a Mother Yea all Gods people bee expresly commanded by a voyce from heaven to forsake that Mother and to goe out of her lest being partakers of her sinnes they also receive of her plagues And therefore whilst they doe it in obedience to such a Mother their sinne is not thereby lessened but is so much the greater Yea whilst your Church is thus bold to give this Prohibition S. Paul even in this place to Timothie telleth you that God is so farre from prohibiting or forbidding anie Meates in his religion that contrariwise he hath created them to that verie end to bee received and that with thankesgiving and hee there further teacheth that they are so farre from having anie sinne pollution or uncleannesse in them to a faithfull and well perswaded Christian as that they are to him cleane contrariwise sanctified by the word of God and prayer Can anie thing bee more forciblie spoken to confute that Prohibition But amongst the rest this is most intolerable that they place remission of sinnes or matter of merit or satisfaction to Gods Iustice for their sinnes in this their abstinence from flesh and betaking themselves to fish and other meates which they also call fasting For first did ever anie true christian Religion teach a Fast acceptable to God and allowed of him to consist in difference of meates or which is all one in absteyning from some kinde of meate and eating of othersome as namely in absteyning from flesh and eating of fish or such like A true christian Fast whether it be publike or private is to eate neither flesh nor fish nor anie thing at all for that day or time that is so dedicated for humiliation in Gods sight and besides it hath alwaies humble earnest fervent and repentant prayers ioyned with it and a serious and deep meditation and contemplation of divine heavenly
Christ slept a long time For from the yeare 870 to the yeare 1050 whom doe you see but Necromancers but Adulterers and Murtherers and Infamous persons prâ—ferred to the Papacie Platius in the life of Benedict the fourth speaketh the like and giveth the reason of all this saying thus This libertie of sinning saith hee hath begotten us these Monsters and Prodigies vvho by ambition and corruption have rather usurpt then possest the holy chaire of Peter there being no Prince to represse the vvickednesse of these men Yea Platina though the Popes Servant and Secretarie yet well knowing their vices and the vices of the people under his government doth in a manner speake as if himselfe despaired of their salvation for thus bee his words Our vices saith hee bee grovvne to thaâ— height that they vvill hardly ever finde mercie in the sight of God But observe yet further how horrible and wicked their reproachings slanderings and defamings heretofore have beene and yet still bee of Gods church people their religion calling them usually Heretickes Schismatickes and by such other odious names laying sometimes most notorious slanders and most impious false accusations to their charge perswading as if our religion were a religion allowing licentiousnesse a condemner and disallower of all good works and as though wee approoved of all dissolutenesse and were enemies to the Virgin Marie to all Saints as though we made God the Author of sinne and evill other such like things which we utterly detest dislike and abhorre and which hee cleane contrary to our opinion and to the doctrine of our Religion Yea they not onely thus dishonour wrong the true Church and people of God upon earth but even the Church triumphant and Saints also in heaven For is it not a great wrong and dishonour to the glorified Saints in heaven to turne them into Idols or to make them instruments of Idolatry or of dishonouring God by invocating praying unto them when as Praier and Invocation is a service worship and honour properly and onely belonging to God Againe do they not much dishonour the Saints when they imploy them about base offices commending the keeping of their Hogs to one of their horses to another the curing of the Scurffe to a third c. Yea even concerning that most chast blessed glorious Virgin Mary Doe they not extreamely dishonour her when they make her to favour Immodestie uncleanenesse For there is an Italian book entituled Miracoli dâ—ella gloriosâ— Virgine Maria printed at Millan in the yere 1547 which saith that a certaine Abbesse being with Child the holy Virgin being willing to cover her crime did in her stead present her selfe before the Bishops in forme of the Abbesse and shewed him by an ocular demonstration that shee was not with Child Caesarius also in his seventh Booke Chapt. 35 reports that the Virgin Marie for twelve whole yeares did supplie the place of a certaine Nunâ—â— called Beatrice whilst shee lay in the Sâ—ewes till at last she came backe again to take her place and freed the Virgin from being in her roome any longer But consider yet further the most terrible cruell barbarous and bloodie persecutions of Gods Church and people committed by Papists About 400 yeares since Pope Innocent the third within the space of a few monthes made more then 200000 of the faithfull to bee slaine whom they called Albigenses In S. Bartholomewes Massacre in the yeare 1572 more then 80000 men were slaine in cold blood In a Massacre in France within a few dayes were murthered 70000 persons And how execrable beyond all measure abhominable and damnable was that their late Plot of Gunpowder-Treason for the overthrow of the whole State of England in Parliament at a blow and God knoweth of how many States and Kingdomes beside Yea what meaneth their Holy League as they call it not long since made for the extirpation and rooting out of all Protestancie Doe they not by all these shew themselves to bee utter enemies and that in the worst sort that can bee to all Civill States Kings and Kingdomes which reiect the Popes usurped Supremacie and his depraved and Antichristian Religion Why else also have they decreed that Faith is not to be kept with Heretickes And why else doe they hold that before Hereticall Iudges and Magistrates as they call them it is lawfull for them to sweare with Equivocations and Mental reservations and in a false deluding and deceitfull manner And why else doe they dislike and disallow Subjects not onely to take the Oath of Supremacie but the Oath also of Allegeance when in very deede and of right neither of both ought to bee refused What also meaneth the resort and comming of Popish Priests and Iesuits into Protestant Kingdomes under colour and pretence of Religion Is it not to make a partie for the Pope or some of his confederates against a fit time And doth it not also tend to sedition and treason in a Common-weale What doth the Popes claime to depose Kings and to give away their Kingdomes when and to whom hee list tend unto but to the setting of Princes together by the Eares aswell as Subiects to rebell against their lawfull Soveraignes Doe not all these things tend to the overthrow aswell of civill States and civill Iustice as of Religion and of Kingdomes and Common-weales aswel as of Gods Church and which maketh the matter yet more and indeede most odious all this they doe under pretence of Christianitie and of a Catholicke cause when it is nothing so but cleane contrarywise extreamely divelish and Antichristian Let then everie equal person now judge whether the Pope of Rome that thus wrongeth God his Church and Religion and not onely Bishops but all Kings Princes and Emperors also their People Kingdomes and Common-wealths and that thus intolerably abuseth the whole Christian world and yet for all that inflexibly persisteth therein without anie remorse or repentance shewed yea which with all his power and strength iustifieth upholdeth defendeth all those his wrongs errors abuses and impieties boasting glorying and delighting in them bee not rightly affirmed to be The Man of sin the Sonne of perdition and the verie undoubted Grand Antichrist in all respects THE CONCLVSION to the same pretended CATHOLIKES NOw then it appearing verie cleerely by the premisses that the Pope of Rome whom his blinded followers so much adore and reverence is the verie grand Antichrist and that the Popish Citie of Rome whereof he is the Head and Ruler is undoubtedly the VVhore of Babylon mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn What scruple or doubt should you or anie of you conceive to make all the good hast yee may to forsake that grand Antichrist that his Concubine the whore of Babylon and all his Priests Iesuites Bishops Monks Friars Nunns and the rest of that his Antichristian rabble and to betake and apply your selves with us to the embracing and following of Christ and
chiefly in respect of the world to come For it hath as you see Gods owne expresse commandement bidding all his people to depart from that mysticall Babylon Popish Rome When therefore God himselfe thus speaketh and would have none that bee his people to adhere to such a Mother as the Whore of Babylon is but cleane contrariwise would have them to depart from her and utterly to renounce abhorre and detest her as being indeed the Mother of VVhoredomes and abhominations of the Earth as she is intitled is it not good reason and your bounden dutie to give eare unto him and to obey his voyce herein as you tender your owne salvations and desire to be His People It appeareth that ye have been of a long time mistaken as touching the right Mother-Church For not Popish Rome but Hierusalem which is from above is the Mother of us all as S. Paul expressely witnesseth Yea what maner of Mother Popish Rome is I trust yee now sufficiently perceive Bee no longer therefore so much abused or so extreamely deluded as to take the wrong Mother for the right and him that is the grand Antichrist to bee Christs Vicar the head of his Church S. Peters successor and the Bishop that cannot erre in matter of Faith For what christian charitable and good minde doth not grieve to see so manie honourable and honest-hearted men to bee so farre carried away and misled to their owne perdition Howbeit if anie amongst you rest not satisfied herewith but thinketh that hee can answer this Booke and will take upon him so to doe I desire him first that hee will doe it not by parts or peece-meales but wholly and entirely from the beginning of it to the end Secondly I desire him to doe it not superficially or sophistically but substantially soundly and satisfactorilie if hee can Thirdly as I would haue him to doe it in love and charity and with an affection onely to follow Gods truth so doe I also desire him to set his name unto it as I have done here to this But if none amongst you can make anie solid sound sufficient and satisfactorie Answere unto it as I rest assured before hand none can or will bee able For who was or ever will be able to Answer or confute that Word of God whereupon the Protestants Doctrine Religion is apparantly grounded then is there so much the more reason for you all to yeeld to that which you see to bee evident unanswerable and irrefutable God Almightie if it bee his will open all your eies to see his splendent and invincible truth in his sacred Canonical Scriptures conteined and grant both to you and to us that wee may all acknowledge professe and observe it to his glorie the discharge of our duties and our owne everlasting comforts and salvation through Iesus Christ. Amen VVisdome is iustified of all her Children Luk. 7.35 Vnto the King everlasting Immortal Invisible unto GOD onely wise be honor and glorie for ever and ever AMEN 1. Tim. 1.17 FINIS AN EPISTLE VVRITTEN BY THE REVEREND FAther in God James Vssher Bishop of Meath concerning the religion anciently professed by the IRISH and SCOTTISH Shewing it to be for substance the same with that which at this day is by publick authoritie established in the Church of ENGLAND WORTHY SIR I Confesse I somewhat incline to be of your minde that if unto the authorities drawen out of Scriptures and Fathers which are common to us with others a true discoverie were added of that religion which anciently was professed in this kingdome it might prove a speciall motive to induce my poore countrey-men to consider a little better of the old and true way from whence they have hitherto beene misledd Yet on the one side that saying in the Gospell runneth much in my minde If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neyther will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead and on the other that heavie judgement mentioned by the Apostle because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes The wofull experience whereof wee may see daily before our eyes in this poore nation where such as are slow of heart to beleeve the saving truth of God delivered by the Prophets and Apostles doe with all greedinesse imbrace with a most strange kinde of credulitie intertaine those lying Legends wherwith their Monks Friars in these latter dayes have polluted the religion and lives of our ancient Saints I doe not denie but that in this countrey as well as in others corruptions did creepe in by little and little before the Divell was let loose to procure that seduction which prevayled so generally in these last times but as farre as I can collect by such records of the former ages as have come unto my hands eyther manuscript or printed the religion professed by the ancient Bishops Priests Monkes and other Christians in this land was for substance the verie same with that which now by publick authoritie is maintayned therein against the forraine doctrine brought in thither in later times by the Bishop of Romes followers I speake of the more substantiall points of doctrine that are in controversie betwixt the Church of Rome and us at this day by which only wee must judge whether of both sides hath departed from the religion of our ancestours not of matters of inferior note much lesse of ceremonies and such other things as appertaine to the discipline rather than to the doctrine of the Church And whereas it is knowne unto the learned that the name of Scoti in those elder times whereof we treate was common to the inhabitants of the greater and the lesser Scotland for so heretofore they have beene distinguished that is to say of Ireland and the famous colonie deduced from thence into Albania I will not follow the evill example of those that have of late laboured to make dissension betwixt the daughter and the mother but accompt of them both as of the same people Tros Rutulúsve fuat nullo discrimine habebo That wee may therefore fall upon the matter in hand without further preambles two excellent rules doth S. Paul prescribe unto Christians for their direction in the wayes of God the one that they be not unwise but understanding what the will of God is the other that they be not more wise then behoveth to be wise but be wise unto sobriety and that wee might know the limits within which this wisedome and sobrietie should be bounded hee elsewhere declareth that not to be more wise then is fitting is not to bee wise above that which is written Hereupon Sedulius one of the most ancient writers that remaineth of this countrey birth delivereth this for the meaning of the former rule Search the Law in which the will of God is contayned and this for the later He would be more wise then
them within his dominions in France he received such another answer from them as Thaddaeus in the Ecclesiasticall historie is said to have given unto Abgarus the governour of Edessa We who have forsaken our owne that according to the commandement of the Gospell we might follow the Lord ought not to embrace other mens riches least peradventure we should prove transgressors of the divine commandement How then did these men live will you say Walafridus Strabus telleth us that some of them wrought in the garden others dressed the orchard Gallus made netts and tooke fish wherewith he not only relieved his owne companie but was helpefull also unto strangers So Bede reporteth of Cuthbert that when he retired himselfe unto an anchoretical life he first indeed received a little bread from his brethren to feed upon and drank out of his owne well but afterwards hee thought it more fit to live by the worke of his owne hands after the example of the Fathers and therefore intreated that instruments might be brought him wherewith he might till the earth and corne that he might sowe Quique suis cupiens victum conquirere palmis Incultam pertentat humum proscindere ferro Et sator edomitis anni spem credere glebis The like doth he relate of Furseus and Bonifacius of Livinus and Theodorus Campidonensis or whosoever else wrote that book of Gallus Magnoaldus and the rest of the followers of Columbanus that they got their living by the labour of their owne hands And the Apostles rule is generally laid down for all Monks in the life of Furseus They vvhich live in monasteries should worke with silence and eate their owne bread I passe by a like sentence which we reade in the life of S. Brendan A Monke ought to be fedd and cloathed with the labour of his owne hands that is more memorable which others do write of the same Brendan that he governed three thousand Monkes who by their owne labours and handy-worke did earne their living Such was the monasterie of Magio founded in this countrey by Bishop Colman for the intertainment of the English where they did live according to the example of the reverend Fathers as Bede writeth under a rule and aâ— canonicall abbot in great continencie and sinceritie with the labour of their owne hands Such also was the monasterie of Mailros planted by Bishop Aidan and his followers in Northumberland where S. Cuthbert had his education who affirmed that the life of such monkes was justly to be admired which were in all things subject to the commands of their Abbot and ordered all the times of their watching praying fasting and working according to his direction Excubiasque famemque preces manuumque laborem Ad votum gaudent proni fraenare regentis As for their fasting for of their watching and praying there is no question made and of their working we have alreadie spoken sufficiently by the rule of Columbanus they were every day to fast and every day to eate that by this meanes the enabling of them for their spiritual proficiency might be retayned together with the abstinence that did macerate the flesh Hee would therefore have them every day to eate because they were every day to profite and because abstinence if it did exceed measure would proâ—e a vice and not a vertue and he would have them to fast everie day too that is not to eate anie meate at all for other fastes were not known in those dayes untill evening Let the food of Monkes saith he be meane and taken at evening flying satietie and excesse of drinke that it may both sustaine them and not hurt them This was the daily fasting and feeding of them that lived according to Columbanus his rule Such as followed the instructions of Bishop Aidan observed this kinde of fast on Wednesdayes Fridayes only upon which dayes they forbare eating of anie meate untill the ninth houre that is to say untill three of the clock in the afternoone according unto our account So Bishop Cedd who was brought up at Lindisfarne with Aidan and Finan keeping a strict fast upon a speciall occasion in the time of Lent did every day except the Lords day continue his fast as the maner was untill the evening and then also did eate nothing but a smal pittance of bread one egge with a little milke mingled with water Where by the way you may note that in those dayes egges were eaten in Lent and the Sondayes excepted from fasting even then when the abstinence was precisely and in more then an ordinarie maner observed But generally for this point of the difference of meals it is well noted by Claudius out of S. Augustin that the children of wisedome doe understand that neyther in abstayning nor in eating is there any vertue but in contentednesse of bearing the want and temperance of not corrupting a mans selfe by aboundance and of opportunely taking or not taking those things of which not the use but the concupiscence is to be blamed and in the life of Furseus the hypocrisie of them is justly taxed that being assaulted with spirituall vices doe yet omit the care of them and afflict their body with abstinence who abstayning from meates which God hath created to be received with thankesgiving fall to wicked things as if they were lawfull namely to pride covetousnesse envy false witnessing backbiting And so much for that matter Now concerning the Catholick Church our Doctors taught with S. Gregory that God hath a vineyard to wit the universall Church which from just Abel untill the last of the elect that shall be borne in the end of the world as many Saints as it hath brought forth so many branches as it were hath it budded that the congregation of the just is called the kingdome of heaven which is the Church of the just that the sonnes of the Church be all such as from the beginning of mankinde untill now have attayned to be just and holy that what is said of the body may be said also of the members and that in this respect as well the Apostles and all beleevers as the Church it selfe have the title of a pillar given them in the Scriptures that the Church may be considered two maner of wayes both that which neyther hath spot nor wrinkle and is truly the body of Christ and that which is gathered in the name of Christ vvithout full and perfect vertues which notwithstanding by the warrant of the Apostle may have the name of the Church given unto it although it be depraved with errour that the Church is sayd not to have spot or wrinkle in respect of the life to come that when the Apostle saith In a great house there are not only vessels of gold c. but some to honour and some to dishonour 2. Tim. 2.20 by this
findeth no other excuse for Bishop Aidan herein but that eyther hee was ignorant of the canonicall time or if he knew it that he was so overcome with the authoritie of his owne nation that he did not follow it that he did it after the maner of his owne nation and that he could not keepe Easter contrary to the custome of them which had sent him His successor Finan contended more fiercely in the businesse with Ronan his countryman and declared himselfe an open adversary to the Romane rite Colman that succeeded him did tread just in his steppes so farre that being put downe in the Synod of Streanshal yet for feare of his countrey as before we have heard out of the ancient writer of the life of Wilfride hee refused to conforme himselfe and chose rather to forgoe his archbishoprick then to submit himselfe unto the Roman laws Colmanusque suas inglorius abjicit arces Malens Ausonias victui dissolvere leges saith Fridegodus Neither did hee goe away alone but took with him all his countrymen that he had gathered together in Lindisfarne or Holy Iland the Scottish monkes also that were at Rippon in Yorkeshire making choyse rather to quit their place then to admit the observation of Easter and the rest of the rites according to the custome of the Church of Rome And so did the matter rest among the Irish about forty yeares after that untill their own countreyman Adamnanus perswaded most of them to yeeld to the custome received herein by all the Churches abroad The Pictes did the like not long after under king Naitan who by his regall authoritie commanded Easter to be observed throughout all his provinces according to the cycle of XIX yeares abolishing the erroneous period of LXXXIIII yeares which before they used and caused all Priests and Monkes to be shorne croune-wise after the Romane maner The monkes also of the Iland of Hy or Y-Columkille by the perswasion of Ecgbert an English Priest that had beene bredd in Ireland in the yeare of our Lord DCCXVI forsooke the observation of Easter the tonsure which they had received from Columkille a hundred and fiftie yeares before and followed the Romane rite about LXXX yeares after the time of Pope Honorius and the sending of Bishop Aidan from thence into England The Brittons in the time of Bede retained still their old usage untill Elbodus who was the chiefe Bishop of Northwales and dyed in the yeare of our Lord DCCCIX brought in the Romane observation of Easter which is the cause why his disciple Nennius designeth the time wherein he wrote his historie by the character of the XIX yeares cycle and not of the other of LXXXIV But howsoever Northwales did it is verie probable that West-wales which of all the other parts was most eagerly bent against the traditiōs of the Roman Church stood out yet longer For we finde in the Greeke writers of the life of Chrysostome that certaine clergie men which dwelt in the Iles of the Ocean repayred from the utmost borders of the habitable world unto Constantinople in the dayes of Methodius who was Patriarch there from the yeare DCCCXLII to the yeare DCCCXLVII to enquire of certaine Ecclesiasticall traditions and the perfect and exact computation of Easter Whereby it appeareth that these questions were kept still a foot in these Ilands and that the resolution of the Bishop of Constantinople was sought for from hence as well as the determination of the Bishop of Rome who is now made the only Oracle of the world Neyther is it here to be omitted that whatsoever broyles did passe betwixt our Irish that were not subject to the See of Rome and those others that were of the Romane communion in the succeeding ages they of the one side were esteemed to be Saincts as well as they of the other Aidan for example and Finan who were counted ringleaders of the Quartadeciman party as well as Wilfride and Cuthbert who were so violent against it Yet now a dayes men are made to beleeve that out of the communion of the Church of Rome nothing but Hell can be looked for and that subjection to the Bishop of Rome as to the visible Head of the Universall Church is required as a matter necessarie to salvation Which if it may goe currant for good Divinitie the case is like to goe hard not only with the twelve hundred Brittish Monkes of Bangor who were martyred in one day by Edelfride king of Northumberland whom our Annales style by the name of the Saincts but also with S. Aidan and S. Finan who deserve to be honoured by the English nation with as venerable a remembrance as I doe not say Wilfride and Cuthbert but Austin the monke and his followers For by the ministery of Aidan was the kingdome of Northumberland recovered from paganisme whereunto belonged then beside the shire of Northumberland and the lands beyond it unto Edenborrow Frith Cumberland also and Westmoreland Lancashire Yorkeshire and the Bishopricke of Durham and by the meanes of Finan not only Essex and Middlesex regained but also the large kingdome of Mercia converted first unto Christianitie which comprehended under it Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Warwickshire Leicestershire Rutlandshire Northamptonshire Lincolneshire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire Staffordshire Darbyshire Shropshire Nottinghamshire Chesshire and halfe Hertfordshire The Scottish that professed no subjection to the Church of Rome were they that sent preachers for the conversion of these countries and ordayned Bishops to governe them namely Aidan Finan and Colman successively for the kingdome of Northumberland for the East-Saxons Cedd brother to Ceadda the Bishop of Yorke before mentioned for the Middle-Angles and the Mercians Diuma for the paucitie of Priests saith Bede constrayned one Bishop to be appointed over two people and after him Cellach and Trumhere And these with their followers notwithstanding their division from the See of Rome were for their extraordinarie sanctitie of life and painfulnesse in preaching the Gospell wherein they went farre beyond those of the other side that afterward thrust them out and entred in upon their labours exceedingly reverenced by all that knew them Aidan especially who although he could not keep Easter saith Bede contrary to the maner of them which had sent him yet he was carefull diligently to performe the workes of faith and godlinesse and love according to the maner used by all holy men Whereupon hee was worthily beloved of all even of them also who thought otherwise of Easter then he did and was had in reverence not only by them that were of meaner ranke but also by the Bishops themselves Honorius of Canterbury and Felix of the East-Angles Neyther did Honorius and Felix anie other way carry themselves herein then their predecessors Laurentius Mellitus and Iustus had done before them who writing unto the Bishops of Ireland that
letters doe testifie unto this day For all Ilands of ancient right are said to belong to the Church of Româ— by the donation of Constantine who founded and endowed the same But will you see what a goodly title here is in the meane time First the Donation of Constantine hath beene long since discovered to be a notorious forgerie and is rejected by all men of judgement as a senselesse fiction Secondly in the whole context of this forged Donation I finde mention made of Ilands in one place onely where no more power is given to the Church of Rome over them then in generall over the whole Continent by East and by West by North and by South and in particular over Iudaea Graecia Asia Thracia and Aphrica which use not to passe in the account of S. Peters temporall patrimonie Thirdly it doth not appeare that Constantine himselfe had anie interest in the kingdome of Ireland how then could he conferre it upon another Some words there be in an oration of Eumenius the Rhetorician by which peradventure it may be collected that his father Constantius bare some stroke here but that the Iland was ever possessed by the Romanes or accounted a parcell of the Empire cannot be proved by any sufficient testimonie of antiquitie Fourthly the late writers that are of another minde as Pomponius Laetus Cuspinian others do yet affirme withall that in the division of the Empire after Constantines death Ireland was assigned unto Constantinus the eldest sonne which will hardly stand with this donation of the Ilands supposed to be formerly made unto the Bishop of Rome and his successors Pope Adrian therefore and Iohn of Salisbury his soâ—licitor had need seeke some better warrant for the title of Ireland then the Donation of Constantine Iohn Harding in his Chronicle saith that the Kings of England have right To Ireland also by king Henry le fitz Of Maude doughter of first King Henry That conquered it for their great heresie which in another place he expresseth more at large in this maner The King Henry then conquered all Ireland By Papall dome there of his royaltee The profytes and revenues of the land The domination and the soverayntee For errour which agayn the spiritualtee They held full long and would not been correct Of heresyes with which they were infect Philip Osullevan on the other side doth not only denie that Ireland was infected with any heresie but would also have us beleeve that the Pope never intended to conferre the Lordship of Ireland upon the Kings of England For where it is said in Pope Adrians Bull Let the people of that land receive thee and reverence thee as a Lord the meaning therof is saith this Glozer Let them reverence thee as a Prince worthy of great honour not as Lord of Ireland but as a Deputie appointed for the collecting of the Ecclesiasticall tribute It is true indeed that King Henry the second to the end hee might the more easily obtaine the Popes good will for his entring upon Ireland did voluntarily offer unto him the payment of a yearely pension of one penny out of every house in the countrey which for ought that I can learne was the first Ecclesiasticall tribute that ever came unto the Popes coffers out of Ireland But that King Henry got nothing else by the bargaine but the bare office of collecting the Popes Smoke-silver for so wee called it here when wee payed it is so dull a conceit that I do somewhat wonder how Osullevan himselfe could be such a blockhead as not to discerne the senselesnesse of it What the King sought for and obtained is sufficiently declared by them that writt the historie of his raigne In the yeare of our Lord MCLV. the first Bull was sent unto him by Pope Adrian the summe wherof is thus laid downe in a second Bull directed unto him by Alexander the third the immediat successor of the other Following the stepps of reverend Pope Adrian and attending the fruite of your desire we ratifie and confirme his grant concerning the dominion of the KINGDOME of Ireland conferred upon you reserving unto S. Peter and the holy Church of Rome as in England so in Ireland the yearly pension of one penny out of every house In this sort did Pope Adrian as much as lay in him give Ireland unto King Henry haereditario jure possidendam to be possessed by right of inheritance and withall sent unto him a ring of gold set with a faire Emerauld for his investiture in the right thereof as Iohannes Sarisburiensis who was the principall agent betwixt them both in this businesse doth expressely testifie After this in the yeare MCLXXI the King himselfe came hither in person where the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland received him for their KING and Lord. The King saith Iohn Brampton received letters from every Archbishop and Bishop with their seales hanging upon them in the maner of an Indenture confirming the KINGDOME of Ireland unto him and his heyres and bearing witnesse that they in Ireland had ordayned him and his heyres to be their KINGS and Lords for ever At Waterford saith Roger Hoveden all the Archbishops Bishops Abbots of Ireland came unto the King of England and received him for KING and Lord of Ireland swearing fealtie to him and to his heyres and power to raigne over them for ever and hereof they gave him their Instruments The Kings also and Princes of Ireland by the example of the clergie did in like maner receive Henry King of England for Lord and KING of Ireland and became his men or did him homage and swore fealtie to him and his heyres against all men These things were presently after confirmed in the Nationall Synod held at Casshell the Actes whereof in Giraldus Cambrensis are thus concluded For it is fit and most meet that as Ireland by Gods appointment hath gotten a Lord and a KING from England so also they should from thence receive a better forme of living King Henry also at the same time sent a transcript of the Instruments of all the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland unto Pope Alexander who by his Apostolicall authoritie for so was it in those dayes of darkenesse esteemed to be did confirme the KINGDOME of Ireland unto him and his heyres according to the forme of the Instruments of the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland and made them KINGS thereof for ever The King also obtained further from Pope Alexander that it might be lawfull for him to make which of his sonnes he pleased KING of Ireland and to crowne him accordingly and to subdue the Kings and great ones of that land vvhich would not subject themselves unto him Whereupon in a graund Councell held at Oxford in the yeare of our Lord MCLXXVII before the Bishops and Peeres of the kingdome he constituted his sonne Iohn KING of Ireland according to