By whom Alone Having Satisfied the Justice of God his Father His wrath may be Appeased towards Sinners who Repent And Believe 3. It Prescribes in what Manner the true God is to be Served And Honoured Namely in Spirit and in Truth Refers All to the Glory of God And the Salvation of Men And Admits Nothing Either Absurd Or unjust Of the Agreements And of the Differences Between the Religion of the Ancient Jewes And the true Christian Religion which we Christians doe imbrace 1. Of the Agreements between both the said Religions 1. GOd is the Authour and the Efficient Cause of both 2. Christ is the foundation of both By whose onely merit all the Faithful since the first sin of our first Parents have been and are reconciled unto God See Heb. 13.8 Rev. 13.8 3. As Christian Religion so the Religion of the Ancient Jewes did aim to stirre up a desire of the blessed Immortality and to confirm the hope of the same 4. Both the Religions did bring and doth bring Justification and Sanctification to the Faithful of the Old and of the New Testament See John 8.56 5. Both the Religions have been sealed and confirmed to the Faithful of the Old and of the New Testament by the self-same Holy Spirit 2. Of the Differences between both the said Religions 1. THe Religion of the Ancient Jews did belong onely to one Nation and People The Christian Religion belongs to all People 2. The Religion of the Ancient Jews by many Ceremonies did shadow and represent Christ which was to come The Christian Religion doth teach and clearly publish that he is come 3. In the Religion of the Ancient Jews the Lord under some earthly benefits did represent the fruition of the heavenly Inheritance But in the Christian Religion directly he doth direct our minds to the Meditation of Eternal Life Omitting those earthly means and helps which he did use towards the Ancient Jewes 4. The Religion of the Ancient Jewes was darker But the Christian Religion is Clearer 5. In the Religion of the Ancient Jews the Rites of their Sacraments were bloody And difficult Namely the Rites of Circumcision and of the Paschall Lamb. But in the Christian Religion they are without blood and Easy 3. 1. FRom the abovesaid Things it appears That since the first Sin of Adam there hath been but one way to attain to the fruition of Salvation And this way hath been the Faith in Jesus Christ the Mediator See thereof Gen. 3.17 and Chapt. 22.18 Act. 15.11 and 10.43 2. Therefore the doctrine of those is to be rejected who teach a three-fold way to attain unto Salvation Namely 1. One to those who did live before the written Law by the observation of the Law of Nature 2. The second to those who did live under the written Law by the fulfilling of the same 3. And the third to those who did and do live under the grace of the Gospel by the Faith in Jesus Christ 3. The Reason why such Doctrine is to be rejected and exploded is because the Faithful and Believers under the Old Testament have had Redemption in Christ by his blood which was to be shed As we have by his Bloud which is shed For the Expiatory Sacrifice of Christ hath had a saving vertue not onely since it was offered unto God upon the Cross But even from the Eternal Decree of God And the Efficacy thereof hath been as well before as after it was exhibited In which regard it is said of Christ Heb. 13.8 That he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever And Rev. 13.8 Christ is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world 4. Therefore all the Faithful and Believers under the Law have had Redemption by Faith in Christ the Redeemer as we have under the Gospel Abraham did see the day of Christ and was glad as it is said John 8.56 He did see it by the eyes of Faith and not of the flesh Of the Mutation which happened to the First Christian Religion In the Great Prosperity and Pomp which happened to the Church under the Empire Constantine The First Christian Religion Suddenly Changed By the Introduction in It. Of the Ceremonies and Superstitions of the Pagans Converted To the said Christian Religion And in Borrowing the Words And the Ceremonies of the Jewes 1. 1. THe Church before this Empire had been bred In the Hills and Wildernesses 2. It came out of them clothed with Camels Haires That is to say Clothed with all Sobriety with all Simplicity And with all Innocencie 3. The Bishops for the most Part manifesting Her to the World Were ashamed to Present Her such to the Centiles That is to say to Those who Newly came out Or would come out from Paganism 4. The Good Emperours Likewise Who were Desirous that the Christian Religion should be Received by Their People More Curious of the Outward then of the Inward Of the Appearance then of the Truth Of the Ceremony then of the Substance 5. They make then no Conscience to clothe the said Church after the Fashion of the Pagans And to Adorn Her with the Ornaments of the Gentiles To Fit the Christians Services and Ceremonies to those of the Pagans As far as without wrong to the Faith They did think They could do it 6. And this Proceeding was called Among Them Zeal and Prudence Which Tertullian would have called Sacriledge Being a Severe Observation of the first Simplicity And Purity as long as he Lived in the Church 2. 1. IN which Besides the said Bishops were to keep this Temperament That in the same Time being to give content to the Jews who did Imbrace the Christianism which for the most part did believe that their should be a Greatnesse under the Kingdom of the Messias They were very Glad to shew unto Them the Fulfilling Thereof in the outward Splendour of the Christian Church 2. And where They did Conceive that They should Adorn the Simplicity of the Christian Religion They willingly borrowed as much as they could The Terms or Words And the Ceremonies Of the Jewes Of the Terms or Words And of the Ceremonies Borrowed From the Jewes And the Pagans When the Christian Church Vnder the Empire of Constantine Did Passe From Persecution to Peace And from Thraldome To the Domination 1. AS All the Outward Service of the Jewes And of the Gentiles did chiefly Consist in Sacrifices Those of the Gentiles without a certain Scope And those of the Jewes aiming All at One onely Jesus Christ It did seem hard and scandalous unto Them To Abolish all Sacrifices Because Those New Converts believed That Religion could not be without such Sacrifices Not Concerning that All Sacrifices are Nothing But in as much as they are Referred to the only Sacrifices of the Son of God Accomplished in the Crosse Therefore to the End That Neither the one Nor the others should be Frighted The Christians used Themselves to Speak Of Altars And of Sacrifices And
and other Popish Writers that in the Religion and Doctrine of the Reformed their is no Stay or Certainty 1. WHat greater stedfastnesse in Religion can be required then to hold Gods Word which we Reformed profess to be the Ground we build our Faith 2. If the Popish Doctors can shew wherein we swarve from it we will not refuse their Instruction 3. But that they cannot do for we plant not our Religion in mans Judgement and in the uncertainty of Traditions in vain Ceremonies and Devices as the Papists do 4. But in matters of Faith and Religion we depend upon God who in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament hath delivered to his Church one certain Uniform and perfect Doctrine to which we add nothing from which we take nothing away in which we settle and ground our selves §. In matter of Points of Religion the private Judgement of some few is not to be objected by the Popish Doctors against the consent of a whole Reformed Church And therefore conclude that in our Reformed Religion we have no certain staie 1. FOr then may we Reformed in like manner and by as good reason argue against the Papists for a thousand such matters wherein hath been no small dissention among the Popish Divines That the Papists have no certain ground of their Faith 2. That appears by the following Examples 1 A Cardinal of Rome hath openly defended and taught that the Apostle S. Paul permitteth one Wife to Priests and to others more And that plurality of Wives is not forbidden either by the Law of God or by the Law of Nature This Cardinal was Caietan the Popes Legate in Germany and the great Adversary of Luther Katherine hath noted this among his manifold Errors 2. And another Popes Legate writ and published in print a Treatise in commendation of a foul sin for which he was greatly and grievously punished by the Pope being preferred to a great Archbishoprick 3. Pighus saith that Justice in us is a Relation wherein he hath exceedingly offended the other Popish Doctors and Writers 3. May we Reformed Now by the Papists Example hereof conclude that this is the Doctrine of the Roman Church That thus the Papists do believe generally or else that there is no stay in their Religion Refutation of this Accusation of the Jesuites and others Popish Doctors that in the Reformed Churches There is no Vnity but great Differences 1. WE Reformed say that greater Difference shall not the Popish Doctors find among the true Professors of the Gospel and Reformed Churches then may be amongst the children of God 2. When such bitter Dissention was between the East and the West Churches about the day of Passeover and the same continued so many years with great offence and Alienation among the Faithful yet they ceased not for all that to be the Churches of Christ 3. Neither is it ever to be hoped for that such perfect concord shall be among the Professors of Christs Religion that they shall agree most joynly together in the Truth or in every particular point thereof 4. Yet let us add That although the Tyrannical and the worldly and the carnal provisions for keeping of Unity above Represented be not amongst the Reformed Churches notwithstanding through Gods grace and blessing all Churches Reformed agree soundly in all Articles of Faith that are substantial and necessary to Salvation and shall so do unto the end Refutation of this Accusation of the Jesuites and other Popish Doctors that in the Doctrine and Religion of the Reformed Churches many Paradoxes are to be found and that in General 1. HIerome said that he would not have any man to be patient if he were suspected of Heresie 2. And therefore in so much the worser part do we Reformed take it that so many Paradoxes false and horrible be by the Jesuites and other Popish Doctors objected against us 3. And indeed those Jesuites and others of the Popish Clergy that do object them to us do in this place manifest an horrible Impudence and audaciousnesse for unlesse they had quite and clean put off both all Religion of God and Reverence towards Men they would never have admitted so much Impudencie into themselves as to upbraid us with these monstrous Opinions 4 But we perceive what they intend for they hope that by slandering boldly somewhat would alwaies cleave fast which one of them was wont to say 5. For sith they lack true Imputations whereby they might oppugn our Churches it remained that either they should leave off writing which were their honestest way or at least devise some slanders which they would cast like venomed darts upon us 6. Which thing is both in it self very filthy and also a sure Argument of their desperatenesse 7. When we handle in particular the Controversies that are between us by Gods grace we shall so wipe away these their Paradoxes and Impossibilities that all men shall perceive that they are ascribed to us by them most falsly and most impudently 8. In the mean time we intreat the Reader to observe this That those pretended Paradoxes are either such things as that nothing can be truer then they or else that they are craftily and treacherously wrested by them in a perverse meaning §. It is the Doctrines and Religion of the Church of Rome that many Paradoxes are to be found 1. THe Jesuites publish that there are Paradoxes in great number in the Reformed Religion and Doctrine and do endeavour to manifest it by many Instances which they propose But although they have stirred this Puddle to the bottome with all their diligence yet they have found so much as one Paradox or a piece of a Paradox of the Reformed 2. 1. BUt now if the said Reformed should but a little make search into the most filthy Puddles of the Popish Writers as to reckon up what they have affirmed Of God Of the actual Providence of God Of Predestination Of the Person and of the Offices of Christ Of Original Sin Of the Law Of Righteousnesse and Justification Of Purgatory Of the Pope of Rome Of the Sacraments And of the rest of the greatest Matters in Reliligion how many Carts should they fill with Paradoxes horrible to be spoken or thought 2. We forbear at this present handling but general Observations to stirre this common Sewer but we will do it hereafter by Gods grace when we take in hand the particular Controversies about the said common places that have been mentioned The Renowned Doctors of the Reformed Churches are impudently accused of Ignorance by the Jesuites and others of the Roman Clergie 1. FOr we Reformed do ask of these Jesuites and their fellows and demand to know of them what Learning is wherein it consisteth and how it may be gotten 2. Unlesse they have some special means and as it were some secret way to attain unto it which others have not The said Reformed see not why the Jesuites and others such like Popish Doctors should think that they
only Christ is to be heard we ought not to regard what any before us hath thought fit to be done but what Christ who is before all hath first done For we must not follow the Custome of Man but the truth of God And in another place Custome without truth is nothing but Antiquity of Error Idem ad Pomp. cont Epist. Steph. Papae Nothing must be ordained concerning the Things which belong to Religion God alone is the Law-giver of his Church without the Word of God 1. THe Reason of that is because God alone is the Law-giver of his Church And the onely Author of the Doctrine Concerning Faith or Belief And Religious Worship That God is the onely Authour of the Doctrine concerning Faith or Belief we prove it by the following Arguments 1. THe 1. is taken from the Nature of Faith For all the Doctrines of Faith in regard of the matter which is to be believed must have a certain infallible and undoubted Truth Now it is the property of God alone to be infallibly true of his own nature Let God be true but every man a lyar saith S. Paul Rom. 3.4 And therefore God alone is the Author of the Doctrine of Faith 2. The 2. Argument is taken from the Quality of the Articles of Faith For the proper documents and Doctrines of Faith do exceed the capacity and apprehension of the Creature And therefore they could not be revealed but onely by the Creator Such is the Doctrine of the Trinity of the Persons in the unity of an Essence Such is the Doctrine of the Eternal Birth of the Son of God Such that of the Procession of the Holy Ghost And such that of the hypostaticall union of the two Natures of Christ Divine and Humane And such are all other Articles concerning Faith properly and strictly taken which in that they are above the naturall knowledge of the Creature cannot be known by us but by the supernaturall Revelation of the Creator Of all them this of Christ may be said Flesh and Bloud hath not revealed these things unto mankind but God the Father which is in Heaven Matth. 16.17 3. The 3. Argument is taken from the reward of Faith and the punishment propunded to unbelief and infidelity Which doe manifestly argue that it belongeth to God alone to frame and prescribe to Men Articles and dogmes concerning beliefe and Faith For the reward propounded to Faith is Eternall Life Iohn 3.36 And that is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6.23 And the punishment denounced against infidelity is Eternall Death Which punishment God alone is able to inflict Christ teacheth it Matt. 10.28 in these words Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell He teacheth it also John 3.36 when he sayes that he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him 2. That God is the onely Author of the Doctrine concerning Religious Worship We prove it by the following Arguments 1. THe 1. Argument is taken from the Relation which is between God And the Church God alone in the Spiritual Government of the Soul is Soveraign Monarch Is the Housholder Is the Husband In regard of his Church This Church in regard of her Relation to God Is Called The City of God The House of God The Spouse of God Now who should be so Impudent As to prescribe Laws to a Foreign City Concerning her Duties to her King Or to Another Mans Family Or to Another Mans Wife Concerning the Manner Of Obeying And Rendring Service To her Master Or to her Husband 2. The 2. Argument is taken From the Reward And Punishment Annexed to the Works of Divine Worship For the Works of Divine Worship Piously observed have from the Munificence of God a Promise of Eternal Reward But being Neglected or Contemned a Commination of Eternal Death From whence it may be Gathered That God Alone who is the Lord of Life and Death Hath the Power To Ordain such Works And to Injoin Them By the Empire of a Law-giver 3. The 3. Argument is drawn from the Prohibition of God For God himself by an Expresse Law hath attributed to Himself Alone The Authority to Ordain his Service Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to do it Thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it From whence also is that of our Saviour Matth. 15.9 But in vain they do worship me Teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men 4. The 4. Argument is Because the Works of Worship depend from the Will of God who is to be Worshipped Therefore God is not Worshipped at all by those Works By which he did not declare whether he would be Worshipped or Not. But in This None can know the Will of God unlesse he doth reveal it and Injoines it For who hath known the Mind of the Lord Or who hath been his Counsellour That is Confirmed by This That all whosoever did think to Worship God with their own Invented Works Did provoke him to Anger rather than honour him Nay they are found To have worshipped the Devil Or the Idols of their own heart rather than God They went a whoring with their own Inventions Therefore was the wrath of God-kindled against his People Psal 106.39 40. §. The onely Ground and Rule of Faith And Divine Worship Is the Holy Scripture 1. NO Mortal Creature can Teach Religion 2. Nor Carnal Man can attain true knowledge unlesse God Instructs Him And his Spirit lead Him to the Truth 3. The Phrophets Agree to the Truth of this Doctrine Esa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony 4. So doth Christ Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me 5. And so do the Apostles calling the Scriptures a Rule As S. Paul doth Gal. 6.16 And as many as walk according to this Rule And Philip. 3.16 Let us walk by the same Rule 6. And so do the Ancient Fathers and Doctors Sequi Divinas Literas De side ad Reginas c. To follow this Rule saith Cyrill is the Path unto Heaven And to be led by this Canon is the way to Salvation And S. Irene Non per alios Dispositionem Salutis cognovimus By the Scriptures we Learn to be saved §. Also The Holy Scripture ought to be among us the Supream Interpreter of Scriptures And the Judge of Controversies 1. FOr Confirmation of That this Language of the Reformed is to be noted and observed How better say They would it stand with wisdome That as Augustine sometime wrote of Counsels August contra Maximian lib. 3. cap. 14. Neither the Papists should object Jerome against the Reformed Nor the Reformed Augustine against the Papists Thereby to Prejudice each Side But that Matter might be tried with Matter Cause with Cause And Reason
Omnipotencie of God 5. And notwithstanding that God having so permitted it those false Miracles did serve to Introduce and settle many Errors 1. By this Means the Popes and their Clergie did endeavour to establish the Doctrine of Transubstantiation Sometimes saying that Beasts did leave their Food to worship the Host Sometimes That the Host being pricked some blood came out of it That a part thereof being fallen in the water when the Priest washed his hands all the water had been changed into blood 2. By this Means also the Pope and his Clergy did establish The Intercession Adoration and Invocation of the departed Saints And upon that How many Miracles have been boasted of Namely That many blind do recover their sight Many lame do go That many sick do recover health If any Mineral Waters be found in a Country that have some virtue there a Chappel of some Saint is builded unto whom the virtue of these waters is attributed which is called by the Name of Miracle 3. By this Means likewise hath been established the Adoration of Images being said that in certain places the Crucifix being ill used by the Jewes did render Bloud Also that in another place a Child without Feet having vowed himself to the Virgin Mary whose Image was worshipped in the place where he was Born did see in sleeping his two Feet be given unto him That in some other Places some Images did render Oyle like unto Sweat which did serve for the Cure of many Diseases 4. By this Means besides hath been established the veneration of Relicks 5. And for the Admiration of the Dignity of Popes this Means hath been also used 4. I have said That the Fourth of the Means used by the Popes and the Church of Rome to seduce People Consisteth in Persecution and Cruelty 1. IT is that which is represented in the Apocalypse chap. 17.6 In these words And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the Bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus And in the 12. Chapter all along Particularly and Expressely in the verses 13 15 and 17. of that Chapter 2. In that the Church of Rome is gone farre above the Cruelty of the Pagan Emperours and that of the most wild and Barbarous of them 3. This Cruelty and Persecution hath been exercised and tried by the Popes the Church of Rome in all the places where the Reformed Religion was Imbraced 4. And if at this Time it doth not appear so violent as in time past It is because the strength of Antichrist weakenth and not his will The Popes do hold That no other waies are to be used towards the Reformed then that of Punishments and of warre 1. BEcause say they there is but small hope of their Conversion Hereticks being very obstinate and whatsoever is done to exhort them to Repentance being by them attributed to the want of strength to force them 2. That there was not any Remembrance that ever Moderation had done any good 3. But that Experience had shewed that the sooner it is proceeded against them by the Justice and the Executions thereof it fareth the better 4. And where this way doth not suffice to proceed against them by warre Again Of the Cruelty of the Popes and of the Church of Rome and of the Popish Inquisition 1. THe Reformed call to witnesse all the people of the Christian World who have yet any sense of Humanitie and Equitie remaining in them Whether the Cruelty of the Church of Rome hath not been of all Cruelties the greatest 2. Thereupon let Italy speak also Germany Spain France the Low Countries besides our Kingdom of England 3. It were tedious to recite the Horrible Murders The Fearful Burnings and the Exquisite Punishments that the Papists have exercised in those States 4. The Sword The Rack The Gallows and the Fire have been the Instruments of their Cruelty 5. And had it not been for these the Church of Rome had been overthrown long ago For by these Weapons it was first Founded after increased and now maintained 6. If once these faile the Roman Church questionlesse cannot long continue § Of the Popish Inquisition 1. THe Horrors of this Popish Inquisition are above all that the Devil did ever invent 2. The Tortures thereof are so cruel and barbarous that that justifies all the Torments of Phalaris 3. It is to speak of it too softly to call it the Image of Hell 4. A man is laid in prison not knowing for what cause 5. After the Darknesse and Solitarinesse of a year he is questioned upon some certain deeds 6. If he declares himself to be a good Catholick and Abjures Heresie then he is put to death more mildly For there to be guilty of death it sufficeth to have been accused 7. If he persevere in the defence of the Truth which he did professe and resolves himself to martyrdom after infinite Torments he is produced in publick his head covered with a horrible cover which they call S. Benedict with a mouth and a tail of the Devil 8. And so he is burned with a slow fire at sundrie times that so he may feel himself dying 9. Which is an horror to the Turks and Mahometans although they be mortal Enemies to the Christian Name For they never did any thing to Christians which came near to this Crueltie Of the Perfidiousnesse and Cruelty Exercised by the Council of Constance upon John Husse and Hierome of Prague 1. 1. IOhn Husse of Bohemia and Hierome of Prague came to the Council of Constance trusting in the protection of a publick promise namely of Sigismund the Emperour who gave his publick warrant 2. And yet they were burned in that Council 3. Was it not fit that the Council should have given credit to the publick warrant of the Emperour Exception of the Jesuites BUt say the Jesuites John Husse was not called by the Council of Constance neither did he receive from it any publick promise Answer of the Reformed to that Exception 1. THe Emperour Sigismund gave him his publick Warrant which the Council most dishonorablie infringed 2. And after they had put Husse to Death contrary to publick promise they Enacted a Law That a promise made unto Hereticks by the Emperour or by any King or Secular Prince should not hinder any Ecclesiastical Judges from proceeding against them According to Law Concil Constant Sess 19. 2. HIerom of Prague likewise came to the Council of his own accord and making publick profession of his Faith was burned 3. SO that the Case of these Two than the which all Christendome at that time had not any more Holy or Learned 1. Shall remain as a perpetual Monument of the Papists Treachery and most horrible Cruelty 2. And also as a notable Caveat unto all the Godly to beware of them for the Time to come §. The Doctrine of the Church of Rome is false Concerning the Faith given to Hereticks 1. AFter that the Council of Constance had most
Dishonourably infringed the safe Conduct in Writing given to John Husse 1. By the Emperour Sigismund and had put the said Husse to death contrary to publick Promise They Enacted a Law as we have said before That a Promise made unto Hereticks by the Emperour or by any King or Secular Prince should not hinder any Ecclesiastical Judges from proceeding against them according to the Law Concil Constant Sess 19. 2. IN the Regard of this Expression a Jesuite saith this That whereas the Reformed Doctors commonly say that it was decreed in this Council of Constance That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks That such a thing is false 3. BUt let this Decree be understood in the Expression propounded We Reformed ask of the Jesuites How can we be safe going to Councils Assembled by the Popes who are mortal Enemies to Protestants If the Emperours more reasonable to them bear no sway in such Councils Other Frauds The pretended Donation of Constantine the Emperour to the Roman Church in person of the Pope Sylvester of the City of Rome and of a great part of Italy is not onely a Fable but moreover a notorious Fraud 1. BEcause all Historie is contrarie to it 2. Because the fourth Consulate of Constantine the Son and of Gallicanus which is in the Date of it is not found 3. Because Damasus Pope of Rome in the very Life of Sylvester which is to particular makes no mention thereof Neither also Anastatius 4. Because this pretended Donation was afterwards divided among the sons of the Emperour Constantine even Rome it self as it is related by Eusebius Zosimus and Zonara 5. Because Isidorus Burchardus and Yvo judging it to be Apocriphal did not insert it in their Decrees 6. Because even the Pope Agathon writing many Ages after to Constantine Pogonat calleth Rome Vrbem Imperatoris Servilem The Servile Town of the Emperour 7. Because this pretended Donation hath been confuted by some of the most famous men of the Church of Rome As By Antonine Archbishop of Florence By Raphael Volateranus By Hierom Catalan Chamberlain to Pope Alexander the 6. By Otho Bishop of Frisinghen By Cardinal Cusan By Laurence Valla a Roman Patrician By Francis Guicciardin every one of these men famous in their times By Aeneas Sylvius himself who afterwards was Pope Pius the second By an expresse book cited by Catalan 8. Because Platine the Popes Historiographer hath been ashamed to speak of it 9. Because finally That in the pretended Original which is kept of it in the Vatican in Golden Letters the Writer himself hath added to the end thereof in this Latine Quam Fabulam longi Temporis Mendacia finxit It is a Fable which the Ancient Lye did forge 10. And notwithstanding Let us here admire the Impudency of Baronius who passeth upon this Donation as upon Fire And will give it us as a thing already judged We speak not of it saith he because we could not say other thing thereof Then that which hath been said by so many others and which should be burthensome and needlesse to repeat Volum 3. Ann. 324. Art 117. 11. And wretched man that he is how many other things doth he repeat of lesser Importance handled by many others and what else are all his Annales Fraud Of the pretended Donation of Constantine in General 1. THat Constantines Donation is a base and witlesse forgery is of old by Laurentius Valla and since that by divers of our Learned Writers so fully demonstrated that scarce ought can be added unto their Labours 2. Nor would we so much as once endeavour to treat thereof but that many of the Popes late flatterers do most pertinaciously and shameâ—essely continue still the claim thereof 3. And it must not seem strange to any nor be thought unfit that we should reiterate our just defence of the Truth So long as they reiterate their Cavils and vain Objections against the Truth Three Reasons by which we prove that Constanstine never made any such Donation as the Doctors of the Church of Rome doe pretend either by Word or by Writing 1. THe first Reason is the Testament of Constantine wherein he disposed the whole Empire and divided it among his three Sonnes To Constantine and Constans was attributed saith Zonaras Italy and Rome it self Africk Sicily the Cottian Alpes Cum Galliis with the Countries of the Galles To Constantius was Attributed that which was in the East 2. It is credible that if Constantine had formerly made either by Word or Writing an Absolute Donation of Rome Italy and the Western Provinces to the Pope and that so solemnly That as Leo the 9. saith He Decreed that Donation to abide firm and inviolable in finem mundi unto the end of the world It is credible we say that so pious and prudent an Emperour would within twelve years after do contrary to his own Act especially in his last Will and Testament wherein he would rather have testified his Religious affection and love to the Church by an Addition of some other gift then leave so eternal a blemish upon his Name Of Inconstancy Of Injustice Of Impietie Of Sacriledge And of making his own children inheritors of that which he knew was neither his to give Nor which they without open Injustice Impiety and Sacriledge might accept hold or possesse 2. The second reason is the perpetual possession and dominion which the Emperours had of Rome and of Italy with the Government thereof which Continued still in them Nor onely after Constantines time but even while he lived until it was unjusty taken from them First by Popes and then confirmed by Pipin by Charles the Great and by others 3. The third proof that Constantine made no such Donation is the Testimonie of their own Writers Whereof though it were easie to produce a long Catalogue yet we heer cite but a few 4. The first is Bishop Canus who thus writes Eusebius Ruffinus Theodoret Socrates Sozomen Eutropius Victor and other Authors of good credit who have most diligently written all the Acts of Constantine not onely do make mention of this Donation But further they declare That he so divided the Roman Empire among his three Sons Vt Italia uni corum tota contigerit That all Italy was allotted to one of them So Canus 5. And to him accords one of their latter and most earnest Defenders of the Popes Regalities Alex. Carerius who thus saith of this Donation of Constantine Compertum est It is certain That nothing is read in any approved Historian specially in those who writ in that or in the next age Eusebius doth not mention it Nor Hierom Nor Augustine Nor Ambrose Nor Basil Nor Chrysostom Nor Ammianus Nor the Tripartite Historie Nor Damasus Nor Bede Nor Orosius So Carerius The Charter or Edict of Constantines Donation is a base and improbable Fiction 1. ALL that which is proved by Reformed Writers of the supposed Leprosie Persecution and Baptism of Constantine by Pope Sylvester are