the appearance of a visible Congregation can hardly bee imagined When our Sauiour had selected out his Apostles they then were termed by the name of a Flocke but yet by their Master they were called but a little flocke where the Rhemists do confesse that in the beginning it was little indeed At the death of Christ when his body hanged on the crosse for our sakes and his Disciples were all fled no man daring to shew himselfe Mary and Iohn and a fewe women were all the faithfull that now appeared vpon earth and afterward while the Apostles their followers walked very priuately or were assembled in a chamber the Priestes and Scribes and Pharisees were they who ruffled it in the streetes and bore the sway in the Temple so that if a weak body had enquired for the Church he might rather haue been directed to them who had the Law and the Altars and all sacred things in their custody then to any other When Steuen had been stoned and for feare of the persecution which was at Ierusalem the Disciples were all scattered besides the Apostles it may well be presumed that for a time they which remained in the citie where Steuen had lost his life did not walke very openly Truth it is that after these things the Church was better setled and the truth was more spread but yet neuer was there any such priuiledge bestowed vpon it but that in the dayes of persecution or some grieuous apostacy the faithfull might bee brought to a small visibilitie Our Sauiours wordes intend so much when alluding to the time of his second appearance to iudge the quicke and the dead he asketh Neuerthelesse when the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on earth as meaning that very little should then bee found in comparison of the Floodes and Ocean of iniquitie which euery where should abound But God to the end that he might not haue vs ignorant but warned before hand into what straights the Church should bee brought informeth vs by Saint Paul that the Lord shall not come except there first bee an apostacie or reuolt or falling away wherein Antichrist with great pride and disdaine should shew himselfe This is solemnly spoken of by the Apostle and by all both old and new intreating of it is obserued to some matter of great note that is to say some maine declining from somwhat Many of our Papists fearing to touch this sore which can in no case turne them to good would haue that interpreted to note nothing else but the slipping of diuers regions countries from their subiection to the Romane Empire But Gregory Martin and the other Rhemistes being ouercome with the euidence of truth are heere a little more honest then ordinary and speake to other purpose Indeed they cannot tell how it will be taken at other Papists hands that contrary to the custome of their fellowes in a matter of such moment they should giue way vnto vs and therefore they doe vse these words in vvay of excuse â— Be it spoken vnder the correction of Gods Church and all learned Catholiques But to the poynt concerning the Apostacie they deliuer this It is very like that this great defection and reuolt shall not bee onely from the Romane Empire but especially from the Romane Church and withall from most poynts of Christian Religion in the Margent it is and from most Articles of the Catholique Faith Heere they would haue vs take the Romish beleefe for the Christian Religion and Catholique faith but that deserueth a long pause we rather obserue out of them that this reuolt is in matter of faith and not onely from the Empire then which Glosse nothing can be truer Well then if there must bee so egregious an Apostacie it will follow that Antichrist so domineering as by the Apostle he is described will not bee negligent so to represse the publike seruice of God that it shall not carry any liuely head or countenance where hee hath to doe So that certainely our Rhemistes yeelding to this Exposition doe in substance confesse so much as that the apparancy of Gods Congregation in the time of the great defection must bee mightily ecclipsed Now the Lord to the end hee might establish his faithfull and arme them to expect this paucitie of beleeuers and inconspicuousnes of his Church and yet not be discouraged for that which should bee past present or to come And againe that there might bee no doubt in a matter of this moment letteth vs further know that the woman fled into the wildernesse where shee hath a place prepared of God It is not doubted of betweene the Romanists and vs but this Woman doeth represent the Church concerning whom being in the wildernesse it doth manifestly follow that for the time of her abode there which the Almightie had decreed she should not be discerned that is by her enemies who did would chase her notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but shee knew where her selfe was If the Romanist therefore and persecuting aduersary did not euer see the Professors of the Gospell it was no wonder the woman was to remaine in the Wildernesse a part and hidde from them The euidence of which matter is such that as Master Fox obserueth for feare of diuers things in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn whereof this may worthily be one scant any Popish Writer for many yeares together durst aduenture to comment any thing vpon the Apocalyps vntill our Rhemistes being desirous to shame the Pope and themselues with all who are wise and adventured to set pen to paper Hauing then a purpose to set forth and corrupt the New Testament partly by their Translation but most of all by their Annotations they could not choose but say somewhat of the Reuelation although they professe that it is as sparingly as may be and as briefly which is not for that the Volume of the Rhemish Testament groweth great as they would colour it but for feare least they should too much lay open their owne weakenesse which while that Booke is in the Bible will neuer bee concealed Howsoeuer therefore through their Volume in many maine matters they bee very silent where they should most speake as of the Question of imputed righteousnesse where the Apostle doeth most handle it a sore argument of their owne conscience distrusting their cause and euen sinking vnder the waight of that chapter yet here God ouer-ruling them to say the truth as hee did Caiaphas they interpret the woman to be the Church flying from the great persecution which shall be in the time of Antichrist Indeed to keepe peace with their Lord and Mastes the Pope they will not haue this flight to bee but in the very ending of the world and so they would fetch it with a backe Racket that the woman should continue so in secret but three yeares and a halfe which to keepe all vpright they assigne
was not long after that Conradus the Archbishop himselfe became a Hussite also as the Authour calleth him Vnder this Conradus as President of the assembly these Hussites held a Councell at Prage in the yeare 1421 and there they compiled a Confession of their faith This cause did the said Archbishop and many Barons of Bohemia afterward stiffely maintaine complained against the Emperor Sigismund for offring wrong to those of their Religion Alexander also the Duke of Lituania did giue these Hussites ayd which moued Pope Martin the fifth to write vnto him in this sort Know that thou couldest not giue thy faith to Heretikes which are the violaters of the holy faith and that thou doest sinne deadly if thou shalt keepe it because there cannot be any fellowship of a Beleeuer with an Infidell Thus did the vertuous Pope write In processe of time there grew a parley betweene Sigismund the Emperour and the Bohemians There among the Compacts this was one That the Bishop should promote to holy Orders the Bohemians euen the Hussites which were of the Vniuersitie of Prage And they might well deserue to be reputed Vniuersity men for Cochleus himselfe witnesseth that the Priests of the Thaborites were skilled in arguing and exercised in the holy Scripture Kakizana one of them did vndertake to dispute with Capistranus a great and learned Papist By that time that the yeare 1453. was come Aeneas Syluius doth complaine that the kingdom of Bohemia was wholly gouerned by Heretikes Now all the Nobilitie all the Comminaltie is subiect to an Heretike That was one George of Gyrziko Gouernour of the kingdome of Bohemia vnder King Ladislaus But when Ladislaus was dead this George himselfe was by the Nobles and people chosen King of that Countrey And continuing the ancient profession of his Religion about the yeare 1458. those of Vratislauia and Silesia doe refuse to obey him as being an Heretike Notwithstanding Pope Pius the second then intending warres against the Turke did by all meanes perswade them that they should yeeld obedience vnto him This George saith the Authour was borne and brought vp in the heresie of the Hussites Now when Pope Pius did interpose himselfe as a Mediator betweene the King and his subiects George did require of the Pope that hee might keepe the Compacts agreed vpon at Basil in behalfe of the Bohemians And when Pius would not yeeld thereunto the King calleth together the Estates of his kingdome and protesteth that hee would liue die in those Compacts and so did also the nobles which were Hussites This was done at Prage in the yeare 1462. This resolutenesse of his caused that Pope to tolerate many things in him But Paul 2 who succeeded in that See of Rome did excommunicate that King set vp a Croisado against him Also he gaue to Matthias the King of Hungary the title of King of Bohemia Onuphrius in the life of Paul the 2. saith that the Pope did excommunicate him and depriue him of his kingdome Indeed for seuen yeares this George Matthias did war for it and Matthias got from him Morauia and Silesia a good part of the kingdom of Bohemia Vratislauia also and some other Prouinces and Cities did put themselues in subiection to Mathias Yet did not George deale hardly with the Papistes which were in Prage but in his greatest extremity did vse both the aduise and aid of many Nobles of the popish belief At length after the continuance of warre for seuen yeares Mathias concludeth a peace with king George both against the wil of the Pope and the Emperour And then this King was content to aske of the Pope an absolution from the Excommunication some Princes being mediators for him in that respect But before the Agents could returne from Rome the King died in the yeare of our Lord 1471. By this Story it is manifest that both noble and learned of high account were of that Christian Beliefe which Iohn Hus taught and were contented to aduenture al things which they had in the world for the maintenance of the same Perhaps here it may bee asked but how shal we know that Iohn Hus and his followers did imbrace that Religion which is now professed in England We find in Aeneas Syluius some opinions of theirs which peraduenture will scant be reputed currant among all English Protestants Hee rehearseth these foure of theirs That they would receiue the Sacraments in both kinds that ciuill dominion is inhibited to Clergie men that Preaching of the Word was permitted to al men that publik crimes are in no sort to be tolerated I answer that truth it is that hee there mentioneth onely those and whether he relateth them truly or no it may be doubted as anon I shall shew by laying open the custom of the enemies of the Gospell in misreporting their doctrine But elsewhere he deliuereth other opinions of theirs as against the Supremacy of the Pope against Purgatory against Inuocation of Saints and such like matters If we returne to Cochleus who was best acquainted with their matters we shal find much more As thus Hus translated all the Books of Canonicall Scripture into the Bohemian tongue and the people did most diligently read them They would haue the holy Scriptures to be the onely Iudge in Controuersies They held that all Bishops and Priestes are the Successors of the Apostles that not the Pope but Christ is the head of the Church neither are the Cardinals the body but all that beleeue in Christ that that the Pope is not a member of the Church but of the Deuill and his Synagogue that one Pope was a woman yea Hus did preach that the Pope is an abomination and Antichrist Also he calleth the generall Councell at Constance The Synagogue of Sathan Another of his articles was The Pope is the Beast in the Apocalyps His Schollers after his death brake downe the Images in Churches and Monasteries yea Zisca did cast down all the churches which were dedicated to the virgin Mary or to any Saint as if it were lawfull onely to build a Church to Almighty God In his time the professors began to be distinguished in two companies the one of thē did not so much dissent from the Pope as the other Those which in fewer matters diffred from the Bishop of Rome retained still the name of Hussites they which disagreed in more were called Thaborites of Thabor the citie which Zisca built for them And these were the greater number and the stronger There is in Cochleus a confession of faith made by one Iohann Pezibram a Bohemian who was but a Hussite and not wel affected to the Thaborites because he accounted them as a kinde of Precisians or Puritans in comparison of himselfe yet this more mild man doth wish and beg of God to see a reformation of the Church that there might be redressed Symonies throughout all
when the Commonwealth of the lewes was much setled into what straight was it brought when Dauid complained Helpe Lord for there is not one godly man left for the faithfull are fayled from among the children of men This being spoken as it is most probable in the dayes of Saul aster the dayes of Samuel and the slaughter of the Priests how was it euen in Iudah and Ierusalem when Esay cried out that the whole head is sicke and the whole heart is heauy from the sole of the foot vnto the head there is nothing whole therin The estate of the Church being then most miserable and all depraued not onely in manners but in Religion Idolatry being plentifull as is manifest by the wordes in the same vision For they shall beâ— confounded for the Okes which you haue desired and yee shall bee ashamed for the Gâ—rdens you haue chosen which intendeth the trees and pleasant places where they vsed their superstitions Call to mind the dayes of Ieremie when hee sayd Runne to and fro by the streetes of Ierusalem and behold now and know and inquire in the open places thereof if yee can finde a man or if there bee any that executeth Iudgement and seeketh the Truth and I will spare it And those of Ezechâ—l testifying in this sort I sought for a man among them that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before mee for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none These things were spoken of Iudah and Ierusalem where alone at that time was that Church which was the Israelites for their grieuous sins being long before caried away into captiuitie You may adde to this if you will the complaint of Micah Woe is mee for I am as the Summer gatherings and as the Grapes of the vintage there is no cluster to eate my soule desireth the first ripe fruites The good man is perished out of the earth and there is none righteous among men they all lie in wait for blood euery man hunteth his brother with a net If the Priests people had not almost generally gone astray and the whole face of the visible Church had not seemed to bee defaced would these Prophets thus haue particularized that one godly man was not left and that one was not to bee found who had not declined from truth Wee doubt not but in those times the Lord had many faithfull ones in secret as hee had seuen thousand in Israel when Elias liued of whom neither the enemies of the trueth nor scant that Prophet did take any notice The marke in the forehead is sometime knowne to few but onely to him that imprinted it there yet this is a good holde for the Elect The Lord knoweth who are his But vpon what might those who were Gods secret chosen outwardly build when diuers times the Princes and people had corrupted their wayes and the Temple it selfe was polluted and made a sinke of Idolatrie For wee finde that things stood vpon those termes in the dayes of Manasse when in the House of the Lord euen that house whereof the Lord had said In Ierusalem will I put my Name hee built prophane altars and in the two Courts of the House of the Lord hee built Altars for all the hoste of Heauen Iudge where in those dayes was the glorie of the visible Church or where it was a prettie while before that when the Priest Vriah was as ready to set vp in the Temple an Altar after the fashion of that which was in Damascus as the King Ahaz was ready to commaund it And then the Prince and Priests conspiring there was scant any kinde of grosse Idolatry which was not plentifully committed Ahaz himselfe making his sonne to goe through the fire after the abominations of the Heathen And least it should bee thought that the people at least did amend somewhat which was amisse in the very next chapter it is witnessed in generall Yet Iudah kept not the Commaundements of the Lord their God but walked according to the fashion of Israel which they vsed And by most probabilitie this outrage vnder Ahaz was the time against which Esay so inueighed in the Vision before remembred These things are so plaine that the greatest pillars of the Papacie cannot deny them and therefore they are forced to another shift as the Rhemists when they say That there is a great difference betweene the Christian Church and the Iewes ours resting vpon better promises then theirs which is a very poore euasion in as much as euery Diuine may know that there be as large and many promises that the Church of the Iewes should last vntill Christes appearance in the flesh as there bee that the Congregation of Gods Saints shall continue among the Gentiles vntill the day of Iudgement And â—auing onely for the time of the Babylonish captiuitie there was one set externall place of Gods eminent seruice that is the Temple at Ierusalem supported with such words This is my rest for euer heere will I dwell 〈◊〉 and In Ierusalem shall my name 〈◊〉 euer the like whereof throughâ—â— all the continuance of the New Testament is not warrantable oâ—â— of the Word for any one place whâ—â—â—euer Now it cannot bee so much as superficially maintained out of the Scripture that Rome it selfe hath any such promise but rather out of the Reuelation of St. Iohn there are many substantiall matters which make to the contrary But because by the strong shot of Trueth they bee beaten from the Bulwarke of the Iewish Synagogue and flye to the next hold of the later Testament let vs follow them thither VVhen our Sauiour Christ was borne and for the most part afterward till he was baptized where shall we conceiue was the visible Church The Scribes and Pharisees possessed all the shew and they were no better then blinde leaders of the blinde The Priesthood was long before and after bought and sold and in Christs owne time it is euident out of the Scripture that the highest spirituall dignitie going by yeares Annas and Caiphas and other vnworthy men of that rabble did enioy it Vpon the birth of Iesus they were not glad who should haue most reioyced in it but all Ierufalem was troubled at it And how they persisted afterward till Christ did manifest himselfe fully may bee guessed by diuers circumstances which the Euangelists do mention after his birth But when hee came first into the world of whom doe we find speech made but of some Shepheards in the field of Simeon an old man of Anna a most aged woman both ready to goe into their graues of Ioseph and Marie Zacharias and Elizabeth and very few others and of these some might bee soone dead others might liue out of the way at Bethlehem or Nazareth or in Aegypt and the Shepheards were in the fieldes about their Trades but where there was
and Head of the Church and appointed no one to be his Vicar 7 that priests may be maried 8 that Saint Peter was neuer at Rome 9 that The Popish Synagogue is a denne of theeues 10 that The Doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leads to euerlasting destruction In the time of this Marsilius liued the noble Poet â—â—ente who wrote also a booke against the pope concerning the Monarchy of the Emperour but for taking part with Lewes Bauiere he was condemned for an Heretike and his book as hereticall Then also wrote Occam directly to the same purpose but for his labour therein and his large reproofe of the Papacie in other points hee was excommunicated by the Romane Bishop which he so much contemned that hee not vnwillingly dyed vnder that Sentence About that time were heer and there dispersed sundry godly men who saw more than the common sort touching religion as Hayabalus a Minorite who frequently said in his Sermons that The Church of Rome was the whore of Babylon and that the Pope and his Cardinals were meere Antichrists which propositions were held somewhat before also by Gerhardus and Dulcinus two learned men This Dulcinus may bee thought to haue many followers since Cochleus could say that Iohn Hus committed spirituall fornication with the Wickleuists and with the Dulcinists The same opinions concerning the Pope and Rome did that rare man Franciscus Petrarcha seeme fully to embrace as may appeare to any who will reade his workes howsoeuer Cardinall Bellarmine labour to make the world beleeue otherwise beeing desirous to haue vs thinke that Petrarch spake not against the Pope but some abuses in the Court of Rome And to make it plaine that it was not a slight conceipt or onely in a few that The Pope was Antichrist and Rome was Babylon Apo. 17. God stird vp yet more in that age who proclaimed the same matter as Petrus Iohannes Biraensis or Piranensis who was a Minorite and for teaching so was digged vp after that he was dead and his body after the Sentence of Clement the Sixt was burnt A few yeeres after him did Iohannes de Rupe-scissâ— a Monk teach the same doctrine which as euery man may ghesse doth ruinate the Papacy in euery respect Iohannes Gerson came not so farre but saw in his age many horrible abuses of the Church of Rome and in his writing spake liberally of it And it did bite deepe when hee disputed that the Pope might bee taken away safely from the Church and yet no danger follow of it But let vs now goe a little higher I mentioned before how Cochleus saith that Iohn Hâ—s took his doctrine from the Wickleuists and the Dulcinists Heare I pray you what he saith Hus did commit spirituall fornication with many aliens with the Wickleuists the Dulcinists with the Leonists the Waldenses the Albingenses and other of that sort enemies of the Church of Rome These Leonists or poor-men of Lyons and Waldenses and Albingenses were the same men but diuersly on diuers occasioÌ„s tearmed by the Roman Synagogue which hated them Their opinion then did Hus maintain AEneas Syluius doth also witnesse the same affirming that the Hussites did embrace the opinions of the Waldenses There you may see that their doctrine was against the Primacy of the Pope Purgatory and such like matters Genebrard who saith that these Waldenses began Anno 1170. or as some other will 1218. rehearseth out of Syluius these opinions of theirs that Prayers for the dead and Purgatory fire are an inuention of the Priests couetousnesse that Holy Images are to be defaced that Confirmation and Extreme Vnction are no Sacraments that Auricular Confession is a trifling thing Hee who list may see a great many more of their positions agreeing with the doctrine which we teach which may well also be gathered from the Iesuites themselues For that is the cause that Bellarmine ioyneth these together as Hereticks the Berengarians the Petrobrusians the Waldenses the Albingenses the Wickleuists the Hussites the Lutherans c. And Lewes Richcome another of that Society in his defence of the Masse against the Lord Plessis saith that The Ministers for the confirming of their figuratiue sense in This is my body haue none for their Doctors for their Antients for their Fathers but Berengarius Zuinglius Caluin Carolastadius Wicklef the Albingenses the Waldenses These Waldenses then and Albingenses are ours by the confession of our Aduersaries and of these long agone there were no small company For as Du Haillan in the life of Philip the Third King of France speaketh being driuen from Lyons in France they withdrew themselues into Lombardy where they so multiplied that their doctrine began to spread through Italy and came as farre as Sicily As the same Author writeth Philippus Augustus came to his Kingdome Anno 1180. which is now more then foure hundred yeeres since and in his time it was that the Albingenses did so increase in France that the Pope and Princes adioyning were afraid of their number Hee who readeth the Story of them shall see that they are reported to haue held many grosse wicked and absurd opinions mingled with their true Doctrine But Du Haillan the best and iudicious Chronicler of France and no partiall witnesse in our behalfe since his profession touching Religion was such that hee was imployed to write that Story by King Henry the third had not so little wit but that he perceiued those imputations to bee laid on them in odium and of purpose to procure their defamation See how wisely hee speaketh truth and his conscience and yet so coucheth it that his fellowes might not bee iustly offended at his words Although saith hee these Albingenses had euill opinions yet so it is that these did not stir vp the hate of the Pope and of great Princes against them so much as their liberty of speech did wherewith they vsed to blame the vices and dissolutenesse of the said Princes and of the Clergie yea to tax the vices and actions of the Popes This was the principall point which brought them into vniuersall hatred and which charged them with more euil opinions then they had Now first that they were not men infamous either for their vile opinions or filthy conuersation and secondly that they were not onely base and poore people it is euident by this that so many noble and worthy men took part with them yea to the aduenturing of their liues in their company and for their behalfe as the Counts or Earles of Tholouse of Coninges of Bigorr of Carmain yea the King of Arragon And when Raymund the Earle of Tholouse was for his beliefe excommunicated by the Pope and a Croisado was proclaimed against him and the Albingenses as if they had beene Saracens or Infidels not onely the Counties of Foix and Coninges came with all their strength to assist Raymund
Fellowes to inuent and deuise touching vs whereas we vtterly disclaim these and the like positions as execrable and vngodly yea that Mounti-bank which once before I mentioned hath not blushed to asseuere that we so teach as that by our doctrine the Protestants are bound in conscience neuer to ask God forgiuenesse of their sinnes and that They are bound in conscience to auoid all good works as also that We make God the only cause of sinnes and hold that God is worse than the diuell So shamelesse was this fellow growne that hee neither knoweth nor careth what hee saith and yet many a poor Papist abused and gulled by the diuels deceiuing instruments doth swallow such Gudgeons and runneth away with these things beeing as verily perswaded of them as that the gospel is true Such a hand the seminary Priests haue ouer their disciples that they may not read our Books to see whether these obiections be true or no neither may they hear ought to the contrary Now if they thus vse vs who can speak for our selues will any man maruell that those who professed the Verity two or three hundred yeers since doo taste of the malignant aspersions of those Times The Romanists notwithstanding all this which hath been said doo not yet so leaue vs but once more further adde that none of all those which hitherto haue been named or can be named but in some knowne consessed and vndoubted opinions did vary from you and therefore they and you may not bee said to bee all of one Church Our Masters of Rhemes doo think that this lieth hardly vpon vs and therefore thus vauntingly they vrge that They will not put the Protestants to prooue that there were 7000 of their Sect when their new Elias Luther began but let them proue that there were seuen or any one either then or in all ages before him that was in all points of his belief What the old Fathers taught we may haue time heerafter to shew but for other of later time it is most easie to manifest that all those whom before I haue named did generally for all main matters teach the same that we now doo teach There is no Papist who can truely and without calumniating them or faining things vpon them demonstrate that in causes which touch the substance of faith or the foundation of Christian Religion they did dissent from vs. Hee that will try this let him look on the Declaration of Walther Bruite which I before mentioned and let him read it set down by himself and not reported by other And what did that learned Lay-man deliuer there which was not the belief of Wicklef and the rest of the English professing the Gospell in those Times But if there bee in some petty matters yea questions of some reasonable moment difference of opinion between them and vs shal wee not therefore bee of the same Church with them or they with vs Yes verily for otherwise many of the antient Fathers should not bee of the Communion of Saints or Catholick Congregation with those who came after them and amended their errors for was not Lactantius spotted with the Millenary infection and Cyprian with the matter of re-baptizing Had not Austen an opinion of the necessity of the Eucharist to bee administred to children and that infants being dead without Baptism were not onely depriued of the fruition of heauenly ioies but were damned to the pit of hell and to euerlasting torments And what man religiously affected will suspect but that although S. Cyprian and the other African Bishops assembled in a Councell did concerning the new baptizing of those who were already baptized by Hereticks determine clean contrary to Cornelius and the rest of the Italian Bishops yet they should not bee of the same faith in generall and of the same holy Church whereof Cornelius was Saint Austen can thus write concerning Cyprian Whereas that holy man Cyprian thinking otherwise of Baptisme then the matter was which was afterward handled with most diligent consideration established did remain in the Catholique Vnity both by the plentifulnesse of his charity a recompence was made and by the sickle of his suffering there was a purging In another place hee saith The authority of Cyprian doth not terrifie me but the humility of Cyprian doth refresh mee He meaneth that if that worthy man had liued to haue seene more light in that argument or to behold what the succeeding time had reuealed and concluded in that behalfe hee would in great humility and meeknes of heart haue conformed himself and yeelded vnto it which may iustly seeme for a true defense of the Waldenses Io. Wicklef Iohn Hus or any other seruant of God who might seeme in matters of small moment to vary from vs. And thus I trust that by this time it appeareth to euery one who will not wilfully cloze his eies and stop his eares against an apparant truth that God hath at all times had his Children holding the verity of Christian Religion and not approouing of the filthy Superstitions and sacrilegious Idolatries of the abominable Antichrist of Rome So that it is a most fond collection that either the Popish Conuocation or Confusion are the right and vndoubted Spouse of Iesus Christ or else that for one thousand yeeres together there was no Church in the world They doat much vpon themselues and on the opinion of their beauty who in such intolerable deformities doe predicate and magnifie their Synagogue as the vnspotted wife mysticall body of our most blessed Sauiour Truth it is that intending to blinde the ignorant and to abuse the simple they labored by all externall pomp and shew to giue to their hypocrisie outward formality a settled opinion of pietie sanctitie and for that cause there was no corner of the braine of man or rather of men in many Ages succeeding together vnsought to procure glory to that which in it selfe was very vnglorious Their care therefore was to conuert the eies of all persons on their externall hue which was maruellously adorned and garnished to the sense with their Crosses set vp or carried before some Prelates with the triple Crowne of their Popes in the red Hats of their Cardinals the precious attire of some in their Churches their prodigious apparel abroad the diuers color'd Couls of their Monks such singing chanting with Organes such ringing of Bells such trimming of Images and many more such sensible matters as that neither the Iewes nor the Gentiles had the like And among al this if true Religion in diuers were present it is not to be maruelled at if shee were scant seene or if no notice were taken of her for her poore and vntrimmed or vngarnished hue for her naked simplicity and vnpainted integrity It was the commendation giuen to Salomons Beloued by whom the Church is represented that the Kings daughter is all glorious within her beauty consisting