of three hundred yeeres or thereabouts there was not likewise any Emperour Euseb in his bookes of the Eccl. Hâ—st Anno Dom 34 68. Anno Dom 34 68. Anno Dom 94.112 183 167.202.238.254.257.276.292 or Romane Consull that changed his Relâ—gioÌ„ to en brace the Law of Iesus Christ but on the contrary they strayn'd all their might power to put in practice what cruclties soever against the Church of Iesus Christ which may bee justified by the Ecclesiasticall Histories wherein are explained about eleven severall great persequutions under the Romane Pontifes which were Claudius Tiber. Nero Claud. Domitian Nero Flau. Domitian Traian Elia. Adrian Antonine the Philosopher Septimius Severus Iul. Maximin Mar Quint. Traian Decius Licinus Valerianus Valerius Aurelianus Dioclesian All which Emperours governed both the Empire and the superintendents over the Romane Religion for three hundred yeeres after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ and in their Coynes Sepulchres Monuments Titles Letters Patents they retained the stile of great Pontifes high Priests as is most diligently collected in a booke of the Antiquities of Rome wherein are specified the Medails Coynes and Monuments of the ancient Romane Emperours Pontifex Ma ximus In a booke intituled A discourse of the ancient Religion of the Romanes by William de Chove Bayly of Dolphsnois all which were enstil'd Pontifes under these Titles Iul. Caesar Pont. Max. Tiber. Nero Pont. Max. Vesp Caesar Pont. Max. Marc Aurel. Antonine Aug. Pont. Max. Heliogabalus high Priest Aug. Adrianus Jmp. Pontif. Max. Tit. Caes Pont. Max. Commod Imp. Pontif. Max. Galerius Maximianus Pont. Max. Flavianus Constantinus Aug. Pontif. Max. beeing therefore in this manner Emperours and Romane Pontifes they never would permit any other head above themselves in the Church and religion of Rome which in all ages was an enemie to Iesus Christ For when the Apostles preached Christ to bee the high and Soveraigne Priest the Eternall and Great sacrificer without successour after the order of Melchizedee the Romane Tyrants tooke occasion or at least their Lieutenants to condemne Iesus Christ for feare of impayring the authority of the Caesars high Romane Pontifes With what fury for the space of three hundred yeeres Catalogue of the Caesars at the end of Nicephorus Historie Anno Dom. 410. were they excited against Christians the Religion of Iesus Christ to maintaine their ancient Pompilian Religion What answere was given to the Emperour Theodosius by the Senate Senators of Rome when they were mooved to change their Religion and imbrace that of Iesus Christ They shewed how they had bin in possessioÌ„ of their Pompilian ReligioÌ„ for more then a thousand yeeres and that the alteration of Religion was the ruine of Common-wealths For these reasons persisting in their old Romane Religion they forbare to receive the Law of Iesus Christ CHAP. X. How the Bishops of Rome began their Corruptions BY these Histories we may easily resolve that during foure hundred yeeres and more In the Canons collected by Clement Bishop of Rome 21.22.62 95. Anno Dom. 93. the Bishops of Rome who tearmed themselves Christians could never draw the Senate nor Senators of Rome to entertaine the holy Gospel As also they could hardly convert the Romane Idolaters from their old and inveterate Idolatries For the Bishops of Rome were too busie in restoring the Iewish and heathen Ceremonies about difference of meats touching ordinances not to fast on Sundayes or Thursdayes to invent Table clothes Vailes Alexander the first Bishop of Rome in the yeere of our Lord 110. Vessels of gold and silver on Hangings Tapistries and other ornaments of the Altar worne out with old age and to be burned and the ashes to be laid up in Fonts Some also were mightily busied to renew the Iewish Ceremonies of unleavened bread having their mindes greatly turmoyled to corrupt the true use of the holy Sacraments instituted by God by the mingling of water with wine and seasoning water with salt Sixtus Bishop of Rome in the yeere of our Lord 127. Sylvester Bishop of Rome Higinus Bishop of Rome in the yeere 140. Fabian Bishop of Rome in the yeare 240. to make it purgatory and exorciz'd for the repelling of devils Othersome in like manner tooke great paines to ordaine Ephods of fine linuen wherin to wrap the sacred Host also to constitute Aubes and other vestiments for the Priests in their sacrifices of white and no died colours Some had their braines troubled to devise Feasts of dedication and Consecration with Exorcismes to drive away devils with salt and othersome to invent Oyles and Vnctions wherewith to corrupt the holy Sacrament of Baptisme Then afterward during the time of these tyrant Emperours great Pontifes the Bishops of Rome desiring to perpetuate their names they wore out their braines in building of Temples not to the honour of God but to the names of men Pius Bishop of Rome in the yeere 144. Zephc â—in Bishop of Rome in the yeare 200 and women Saints by them cannonized at their owne pleasure Others were occupted in ordaining and decreeing that the consecrated Bread or Wine falling to the ground should be licked up by the Priests and the rest remaining to be burnd in the fire and the ashes to be reserved in a Reliquarie Some looke out for Chalices that they should be of Glasse Calixtus Bishop of Rome in the yeare 280. and not of Wood. Others instituted solemne ceremonies for the foure severall seasons of the yeare to bring Christians by this meanes under the servitude or distinction of dayes Others were studiously employed in ordaining the oblatioÌ„ Eutiches Bishop of Rome in the yeare 262 Red roabes of Cardinals and consecration of Beanes to solemnize Funeralls with Purple habites after the forme of a Vestment called Trabea which Idolaters used in their Triumphs celebrated to the honour of their Gods The like purple Ornament is in use at this day amongst the Cardinals Others were occupied in devising confirmation for little Infants to consecrate the Creame for Bishops only also to honour extraordinarily the Bishop of Hostia by whose hands the Bishop of Rome is to be consecrated Sylvester Bishop of Rome in the yeare 314. with a kinde of Mantle called Pallium to invent a number of other unnecessary Ceremonies yea such as were opposite to the Euangelicall libertie given unto us by Iesus Christ How was it possible therefore for the first Bishops of Rome to drawe the Princes and Romane Senators to the Law of the Gospell for three or foure hundred yeares after the Incarnation of Christ when they laboured so muche to corrupt the use of the holy Sacraments to restore the Iewish ceremonies the Idolatries of the ancient Heathen Romanes They may here object one Philip which some vaunt was coÌ„verted to holy Baptism whose depraved manners gave occasioÌ„ to the most authentick Historiographers Cronic of Iohn Bapeista Ignatius to esteeme him unworthy
that wicked Phocas who for recompence of this abominable Murther committed by the notice intelligence of their Church of Rome alwayes cōtrary to Iesus Christ caused Boniface the third of that name In the yeare 612 to be declar'd head Generall of the Church of God usurping the Authority of the great eternall Sacrificing high Priest the onely Spouse and head of his Church Iesus Christ Who could better resemble Antichrist then he that assumes a Tyrannie in the Church of God a Poligamie in the Church the Spouse of Iesus Christ ascribing to himselfe that power Matth. 26. which Iesus Christ reserv'd for himselfe to reside perpetually with his Church by the power vertue of the holy Ghost for the conduct government of the same May not he rightly be term'd Antichrist that labours directly to oppose the holy Gospell of Iesus Christ Matth. 23. Luc. 11. Marc. 2 who forbad his Apostles when hee sent thē to Preach the Word that they should not cōstitute a Monarchie in the Church as the Princes Kings Tyrants of the earth are wont to doe That none of them should presume to bee called head or greater then the rest but that they should all be humbled as brethren being assured that they had one onely Head one heavenly Father who would dwell and continue with them for ever to conduct inspire them in his holy will Is not he truly an Antichrist that will terme himselfe to be Iesus Christs successour to the chiefe Pontificacie to the soveraignty of Priesthood by him administred which dignity he reserv'd only to himselfe he remaining eternall high Priest for ever Who left no successour in his dignity as Aaron and his successours did to the dignity of the Iewes high Priesthood but according to the order of Melchisedeck King high Priest without any successour in his dignity Wherefore O you Romane Antichrists why have you assum'd the dignity of high Priests as Heads and Soveraignes of the Church of God and usurpe the authority of Iesus Christ causing your selves to be intituled most happy and most reverend Fathers and Popes having founded a Colledge of petty purple Pontifes to elect a great Pontife or high Priest but to the end to renew the auncient Ethnick Romane Religion of Numa Pompilius the first founder and erecter of your Pontificall dignities About the same that this cruell murtherer Phocas set up Antichrist in the Romane Church The cause of Mahomets originall Mahomet rose up in the Church of Arabia instructed by Sergius a Monke about the yeare 620. For this Apostaticall Heritick perceiving the whole Law of God to be corrupted by humane traditions and the holy Gospell contemn'd also the Sects and divers heresies planted as well by the Iewish Pharisies Esseans Saduces Masbuthians Galileans Hemerobaptists and Samaritanes as also by Christians the Symoniackes Nicolaitans Cerinthians Menandrians and Ebionites the Valentinians Cerdonians Marcionists Montanists Cataphrigians Tatians Eucratites Severians Artemonists Looke the Ecclesiasticall History Porphirians Helchesaites Novatians Sabellians Chiliasts Paulianists Manechees Antomousiastes Arrians Eunomians Macedonians Eunomiotheophroniens Eunomeoeutichians Aetians Donatists Luciferians Patripassians or Theopachites Hereticks in the Church Photinians Marcellians Paulosomosetans Apolinarists Iovianists Pelagians Platirians Anthropomorphites Nestorians Sabbatians Acephalians Acarians Olympians Quaternians Monothelites and other Hereticks having corrupted the true use of the Sacraments ordained of God And seeing also that the Sect of the Messalians especially prospered in their ceremonies taken partly out of the Iewish Law and partly from the Panyme Idolatries hee invented the high decrees of the Alcoran wherein hee employed many Chapters and Articles called Azoares which are like Canons Rules of the Mahumetan Religion This briefe and compendious discourse of the Romane History I thought requisite to recite before I began to describe the originall of the sacrifice of the Masse that thereby I might induce the Reader to understand the truth of the matter how the Romane Empire was govern'd till the declination of the same which was about the yeare of Christ 410. how the barbarous Idolaters usurpt it since for the space of 300. yeares as also the Antichrists have beene rais'd which still enjoy it at this day and have done for some five hundred yeares past CHAP. XII Of the Masse in particular with her true Originall FOr beginning to this our briefe Missall Treatise Originall of the Masse with exposition of the word Dan. 11. we must first expresse this terme of Masse called by the ancient Ronanes Missa Some have preferr'd this Missall Sacrifice to take originall from the Hebrewes alleadging that place of Daniell when he speakes of Maozin as if by Maozin they would signifie the Masse But this word in sence stands farre from the Missa or Masse and there are some Hebrew words which come farre nearer to it as Messa which by interpretation is Conculcation 4. Kings 11. of which word mention is made in the Historie of the Kings of Israell There is also an other Hebrew word very conformable to the vulgar terme of Messel Messa which is Missal that is hell or the grave But I suppose the great Romane Pontifes would not derive the originall of the Sacrifice of their Masse from the Hebrewes because then they must acknowledge the Masse or their Missell Messell Hell to be a Conculcation or extortion an hell or a grave And to speake but truth the Author of the Romane Religion Numa Pompilius never thought of the Hebrewes when he first instituted the Masse neither can this word Missa or Messe take originall from the Greekes Because there is no sacrifice of this name or title though some have brought in a colourable reason from this Greeke word Myzein which is to say in French to hide or keepe in secret as if the Messalian Sacrificers received frō the auncient idolatrous Greekes to mumble secretly the principall words of their Masses that the Auditors might not heare thē but they used to murmur whisper betwixt the teeth the Canons some speciall words which neither themselves nor they that looke on understand Neverthelesse neither the Hebrew nor Greeke words cannot properly be applyed to the Missall Sacrifice And therefore we must repaire to the true etimologie of the word Missa Masse drawne frō the ancient Latine Romanes or Messe drawne from the anciēt Latine Romanes who used these words Missus Missa Missilis Missio even as in French we have Messager Message Messives for letters sent Wherefore when the ancient Romane-Idolaters meant to dismisse the Assistants at the sacrifices celebrated they pronounced in the end these words I licet Missa est depart Amongst the Greeks the Priest having discharged his function spake aloud in this manner Laiois Aphesis as if he discharged the people Apui lib. 11. de Asin anr t is permitted so the Assembly was dismist to goe home But in time because this note signified a
Archdeacon Anno 1167 he wrote a book very learnedly in which he proved Rome was that Babylon St. Iohn wrote of in the Apocalypse and that all their clergy were adversaries to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the very Calvs of Bethell and Dan and Baals Priests and Egyptian Idolaters they selling all things for monie S e Trethinius Gesnerus Peter Conster a Priest at Troyes a man of great learning Anno 1182. and an eloquent Oratour he wrote 20. books and sundry Sermons in which he doth prove the clergy neglect the Word of God and feed the people with their own inventions and that the Church goods which belong to the poore they consume wickedly he affirmeth them to be false brethren for which the wrath of God shall fall on them See Trethemius Vensâ—nttus I will now sett down some testimonies of some of those Of those which were banished suffered death Anno 1105. which did testify the Lords truth the time this idolatry was in hatching Before there was any generall Lawe to maintain this Transubstantiation I finde under the Bishop of Trare four persons banished and accompted hereticks for that they affirmed the bread and wine doe remain in their former substance at the Lords Supper after the words of consecration They denyed the Pope to have authority over other Churches See the Catologue of the Bishop of Trare Doctour Fulck in his answere to the Rhemish Testament See Reve 17.4 doth say that the church of Leedium before this was under great persecution under Pope Pascus for affirming him Antichrist Two Preachers in France one named Peter Breves Anno 1135. the other is called Hendrick van de Tollhouse they were well known in France and of good estimation for their great learning and they did much bewaile the Apostacy of the church and they spared no man of any degree whatsoever they were affirming that they were fallen from the estate of grace and from Christ and they affirmed the Pope to be the Prince of Sodom and the Citty of Rome to be the Mother of all abhomination that all the Bishops were cruel Wolves they detested the doctrine of Transubstantiation and affirmed the Masse prayer for the dead was Idolatrie before God and that Images the Crosse might not be prayed unto nor suffred in the Churches That the Priests manner of singing was mockery before God that praying to Saincts and vowing of Chastity and their manner of building Temples and observing of Holydayes were superstitious and wicked and all humane inventions in Gods worship wicked Idolatrie These men continued in their preaching twenty years and having great refort coming to their preaching of all sorts and estates at last they were apprehended by the Popes commaund by a Legate of his and Peter Brise was burned a St. Ioyls the other was apprehended committed to prison but what came of him we finde not but the followed great persecution many of their Disciples went to their death joyfully Look the 65. and 66. Letters of Barnod to the Earle of St. Ioylls There wrote against them Peter Abbott of Clugnam which Barnod did record and in likelyhood with envy See the Cronicle of Paulus Meriam Ilyricus in his boock Detesbus Anno 1158. speaketh of two called Gurhardus and Dulcinus who did preach diligently against the Church of Rome affirming that prayer was no better in one place then another and that the Pope was Antichrist and the Prelates and Clergy of Rome were rejected and the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the Apocalyps These two Preachers came into England and brougt with them thirty in the raigne of King Henry the Second and by means of the Prelats they were imprisoned and branded in the cheeck and banished the land and after putt to death by the Pope This yeare was Peter Waldus called in question Anno 1160. for that hee taught the truth of the Gospel against the Popes superstition The meanes of his conversion was this He being a rich merchant of Lions some say he was a Magistrate sundry of the Merchants being together merry suddenly one of them was strucken dead and so the rest being strucken with great feare he gave himselfe to prayer and reading the Scriptures good bookes and instructed his Familie in the grounds of Christian Religion shewing them the great superstition of the Romish Church so that they had forsaken the Heavenly Truth which the Apostles planted in steade thereof they did burdeÌ„ their consciences with superstition And hee being very rich gave much goods weekely to the poore instructed them well in the grounds of religion so that many came to his godly exhortations and to conferre with him concerning the truth of the Gospell He kept sundry learned men in his house he caused good bookes to be translated in the French language He himselfe was learned as doth appeare by a parchment writing of his owne hand in which he had collected the Fathers into a good forme as that writing sheweth First the Bishops and Priests sent unto him and forbad him to have any mo such meetings in his house upon payne of excommunication to which he gave this answer That it was his dutie to teach his houshould the grounds of religion wheras his neighbours came to heare him he did not find wher that he ought to forbid them but he was assured it was his dutye to teach his houshould he would obey the voice of Christ when he was called into question that which they layd to his charge was that hee affirmed that the Masse was abominable before God and that hee denyed any more Sacraments then Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that it was an abomination to offer for the dead and that Purgatory was the invention of men that there was no ground in the Scripture for it for the Faithfull go presently to joy after this life that honouring of Images praying to Saincts was idolatrie that the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon that Christians ought not to obey the Pope or the Bishops because they were no better then Wolves to destroy the Church and that they ought not to meddle with the temporall sword and that their additions of mo Sacraments then two was wicked Item that the Vowe of chastity was found to be Sodomitrie that the many orders of the Monks was the marke of the Beast abominable against Christ For friers were not then hatched that celebrated dayes for dead men all inventions of men in Gods worship were ungodly And because the Popes champion Bernard who is saincted for his worke Peter of Clumin write so spightfully of them charging them with sundry heresies and that they denie childrens baptisme I will set downe the testimonie of one who was a bloody persecutor of them as it is in a little booke that he wrote against the Waldenses about the yeare 1270. wherein when hee hath spoken all
which wee shall doe well to take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day starre arise in our hearts Seing the Lord hath charged us Deut. 4.2 not to adde any thing unto his word which hee commands us neither may wee take any thing from it which hee hath appointed or commanded and hee hath protested that all which shall adde unto his word hee will adde unto him those plagues Revel 22.18.19 which are written in his books and if any shall take away or diminish any thing of his word then will take away his part from the booke of life and from the holy City of God For the Fathers themselvs doe desire not to be followed but as they follow Christ Therefore when the Donatists alledged Ciprian Augustine for to prove a doctrine against Augustine Hee answered thus Wee doe Ciprian no wrong when wee distinguish any of his writings from the Canonicall Scriptures and therefore was the Ecclesiasticall Canon of the Scriptures soe carefully appointed contrary to which wee dare not judge according unto which wee may freely judg all other writings August cont Crescon lib. 2. cap. 31. And hee saith I am not hound to the authority of Cyprians Epistles for I esteeme not it as Canonicail but hexamine him by the Canonicall as it agreeth with the authority of the Divine Scriptures I receive with his praise and what accordeth not with it I refuse with his leave Ibid. cap. 32. And when hee disputed against an Arian hee saith Now must not I alledge the Councell of Nice nor you the Councell of Arimine as to prejudice either for I am not bound to the authority of the one nor you of the other Wee are bound to the authority of the Scriptures which are wittnesses not peculiar unto any but common to us both Let the matter cause and question betweene us be discussed Contra Maxim lib. 3. cap. 14. Also hee saith Let us not bring deceiptfull waights by which wee may weigh what we will as wee will at our pleasure but let us bring the Divine Ballances out of the holy Scripture as out of the Lords treasure Yea let us not weigh but let us acknowledg the things already weighed of the Lord. D. baptist contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 6. Also he saith Whether it be concerning Christ or the Church or any other matter which belongs to our faith and life there we may find what wee ought to doe if an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise then wee have received from the Scriptures let him be accursed Contra Petil. lib. 3. cap. 6. Chrifostome saith When the wicked heresy which is the army of Antichrist hath prevailed in the Churches there can be no proofe of the Christian Religion nor any other refuge for Christians that would know the true faith but the Divine Scriptures Whosoever would know which is the true church of Christ how shall he know it but by the Scripture onely Whereupon the Lord knowing that there should come such confusion of things in the last dayes doth injoyne the Christans which would have assurance of the true faith Chrisest on Matth. 24. Homil. 49. they must cleave to nothing but the Scriptures otherwise if they looke to any other thing they shal be offended and perish And having written on Iohn the 10. hee saith On Iohn 50 Homdis The Scriptures will not suffer us to go astray By this doore must both the Pastors and all others of us enter in for whosoever useth not the holy Scriptures but climeth up other waies that is by a way not appointed hee is a theefe and those are false Christs and Antichrist And in another place hee saith It is not absurd to tell mony and count it after another hath told it to us and yet for matters farre greater some are so simple to follow the opinions of others which hee doth note for great folly seeing we have an exact ballance rule out of the Scriptures wherefore I entreat beseech you to leave of what this man or that man thinketh and enquire all out of the Scriptures Chris on the 2. Corin. 13. homil Hierom saith many Fathers both Greek and Latins have erred Hieron in an Epist Dammach whose names I need not mention Now seeing I doe simply acknowledge their erring I will so read them as the rest because they erred as the rest After hee saith Why dost thou bring forth that which Peter and Paul would not deliver Again whatsoever things brought in by any although otherwise holy and learned since the Apostles let it be cutt of and have no place on the 86. Psalm Tertullian saith Tertul. None can prejudice the truth not the continuance of times nor the superiority of persons nor the priviledges of Countryes for by means of these is custome made commonly of ignorance and succession of time made strong to be used against the truth Christ our Lord calleth himselfe Truth not custome If then Christ be allwaies and before all the Truth then it is a thing perpetuall and ancient Let them therefore looke unto it to whom that is new which to him is old Lib. de Virgin Veland Again he saith As for us we may not please ourselvs in any thing of our own cōceits neither may we choose that which others bring in of their own Will The Apostles of the Lord we have for Authours who did not themselvs choose to bring-in any thing of their own will but did faithfully assigne to the Nations the discipline they received of Christ therefore although an Angell from Heaven should speak otherwise wee should say he were accursed Ibid. cap. 6. FINIS A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE CHap. 1. Of Sacred Signes Fol. 1 Chap. 2. Of Sacrifices Fol. 5 Chap. 3. Of Corruptions Fol. 9 Chap. 4. Corruptions punished Fol. 16 Chap. 5. The ceremoniall Law accomplished by Iesus Christ Fol. 18 Chap. 6. Of Sacraments ordained by Iesus Christ himselfe Fol. 20 Chap. 7. Of the corruption of the Sacrament of Baptisme Fol. 23 Chap. 8. Of the corruption of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fol. 25 Chap. 9. The ancient religiō of the Roman Empire Fol. 31 Chap. 10. How the Bishops of Rome began their corruptions in the Church Fol. 34 Chap. 11. The first greatnesse of Popes proving Antichrists bringing in the sacrifice of the Masse Fol. 38 Chap. 12. Of the Masse in particular with her true originall from whence it came first Fol. 41 Chap. 13. The Masse divided with the true nature of holy Water derived from the heathens Fol. 47 Chap. 14. The Procession of the Masse Fol. 50 Chap. 15. The third part of the Masse that is the Altars and Candles lighted Fol. 53 Chap. 16. Of Incense and Offertories with other parts of the Masse Fol. 57 Chap. 17. Of the round Hoste with the consecration of the same Fol. 61 Chap. 18. Of divers parts and sundry ceremonies belonging to the Masse Fol. 63 Chap. 19. Against Idolaters antiquity and long possession of the Masse as also what times the Masse was by peeces brought into the Church Fol. 67 Chap. 20. Against the Idolatrie of the round Hoste Fol. 70 Chap. 21. The invention of Transubstantiation with confutation of that Labyrinth of Idolatry Fol. 73 Chap. 22. Comparison berween the two H. Sacram. Fol. 85 Vndeniable proofes that the church of God rejected Transubstantiation for 1000. years after Christ Fol. 95 All the faithfull did oppose it the time it was in hatching Fol. 97 What their bloody Persecutors confessed on thē Fol. 102 A new Faith invented Fol. 103 A Popish Writer examined and found false Fol. 104 It is confessed of Popish Writers that Transubstantiation was concluded but of late yeares Fol. 106. A new Gospell Fol. 107 That great Idolatrie was then brought into the church Fol. 108 The Prophecy of Hildegardus Fol. 109 The great murthering of the Faithfull Fol. 112 What Faith the true Church did maintaine Fol. 114 The Roman Church got dominion over other lands by tyranny Fol. 122 Christian Reader impute not Literall faultes FINIS
THE ORIGINALL OF POPISH IDOLATRIE OR The Birth of Heresies Published under the name of CAVSABON And called-in the same yeare upon misinformation But now upon better Consideration Reprinted with ALOWANCE Being a True and Exacte Description of such Sacred Signes Sacrifices and Sacraments as have bene instituted and ordained of GOD since ADAM With a newe source and Anatomie of the Masse first gathered out of sundrie Greeke and Latine Authors as also out of diverse learned FATHERS Published by S. O. Printed in the Yeare of our Saviour 1630. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader this treatise came to my hande and I have perused it I saw it to be but a relation out of other ancient Histories how superstition was brought into the Church which made me to wonder that any who is not a lover of popery should suppresse it by reason it doth only shewe what others have written who lyved in those ages wherein they were brought into the Church I have therefore gott this treatise to be examined and viewed by sundry others who are not inferiour for giftes and learned artes to any who had a hand in suppressing this booke and all of them doe agree with me that those things which are related in it are to be found in the writtings of those Authors quoted in it therefore I take it that those which suppressed it if they be not Papists in their hearts yet they hould with the Papists that ignorance is the mother of devotion which is expresly against the Law of God And the Scriptures hould ignorance to be no better then Paganisme therefore the Apostle doth tell us that God shall come to judgment in flaming fyre rendring vengeance to all which knowe not God 2. Thes 1.8 Therefore those which contemne this means of knowing God much more they which suppresse the knowledge of God or his truth their end shal be wofull and accursed Our adversaries the Papists doe vanut much of antiquitie unto such as are not acquainted in ancient Histories saying that their religiō is the true religion of Christ which hath bene in all ages since the Apostles but this short treatise doth manifest otherwise if we search the Scriptures and ancient Histories we may find that all their boasting is mere delusion which doth vanish away and their Religion shal be found to be no other then the Scriptures have foretould to witt that Antichrist should arise in the Church of God and corrupt all the holy ordinances of God sett up his traditions command them to be observed above all the ordinances of God 2. Thes 2.3.4 Apoc. 12.11.12 1. Tim. 4. And although they have suppressed the testimonies of the faithfull witnesses of the truth which we produce against them yet we do find sufficient testimonies out of their owne writers that their religion was not receaved in many Churches till a thousand yeares after our Lords ascension and since brought to the height by Jnnocentius the third and Honorius Then by their owne Authors confession God did stirre up many thousands of wittnesses to his truth which we professe against their superstitions in all ages since the Lords truth hath not wanted some which did witnesse it even to the death by giving their lives for it And now this hundreth yeares the Lord hath given us in our land many excellent truthes to be maintained by lawes to be professed and embraced which many thousands have comfortably embraced and are departed this life in Christ and rest with him And now for our great sinnes the Lord doth beginne to take it away from our land as he hath done in other countries which have had it we see he hath sent them the sword with famine and great miseries and he hath shaken his rod against us to see if we will learne before it be too late and forsake all our great and haynous iniquities Christ tould the Iewes that those eighteene on whō the tower of Siloam fell were examples to them that except they did repent they should all perish so except wee reforme our great and crying transgressions we shal be ruinated and made an astonishment to all the world and although we are not the first who have drunk of this cup of Gods wrath yet we shall not receive the least part although the Lord have reserved the Dregges of his cup for the beast and his false teachers Wee may see the Angell of the Lord is executing of his wrath here and all the world is in an uproare round about us The whole frame of nature is out of order yet wee do not lament as we should therefore it doth prognosticate his plagues shall fall seven times heavier upon us The gospell of Iesus Christ is departing from us who can love his King and Country and not lament mourne feare least his fiere wrath should consume us all in this troublesome cruell desperate and bloodie age in which wee live now that warres rumoures of warres are sounding in every mans eares and Gods enemies make Havocke of his Churches and Servants and the Romane Antichrist doth prevayle Gods people at this day be grievously persecuted and murdered yea some consumed and devoured Alas it wil be too late to bring water to quench the fyre when the house is burnt to ashes This short treatise is to manifest the originall of the superstitions crept into the Churches how most of them came from the old heathenish Romanes except their Transubstantiation which is a grosser kind of Idolatrie thē ever was invented by any Pagane Christian Reader if you doe observe this treatise you may have wherewith to stop the mouthes of the Papists and behold whence their idolatrous Masse is derived I have in the end added some thing of my owne collecting most out of their owne Authors to shew the truth how long it is since their idol of their Breaden God came first into the Church S. O. THE AVTHORS EPISTLE TO THE READER MOst Christian Reader Considering the Controversies and bloudy hatred grown betwixt those who professe themselves Christians about religion for they aspiring to retain these vaine superstitions proceeding from their predecessors and many also not contented do invent new Sects Schisms and Heresies Others least in number divinely inspired and of God elected desire to extirpate the Darknesse of Ignorance thereby to cause resplendently to shine the Light and claritie of Truth But it seemes that the most dangerous Poyson that Satan useth to entoxicate men with the Venym of sedition and cruell contention and hatred derives chiefly from the Masse disguised with some good meaning masked and covered peradventure with a good intention And although that many heretofore have by sundry faithfull descriptions endevoured to discover to the world the deceitfulnes error blindnesse thereof yet could they not prevaile nor give light to their duskish and heavy sight Therefore now without any passion I have faithfully extracted and lively drawne out from the Volumes of ELASOPOLITANS
wather with Wine he might peradventure be instructed by the ancient Idolaters who 〈◊〉 celebrating their sacrifices were wont in a Chalice to consecrate Water with Bread especially upon the Festivals dedicated to the Sunne which the Persians worshipped called by them Mythros And in the Feast of the Nephalies they also used Water for sacrifice With this comparison Iustin in Apolo 2. Iustine Martyr relates the custome observed amongst Idolaters by Christians in the consecration of Bread Wine and Water by the one which is to say by the Idolaters in the name of their Idols and by Christians in the Name of their True God And yet this first corruption in the administratioÌ„ of the holy Sacrament by the mixture of water with Wine persevered not without contradiction Inno. lib. 4. cap. â—â—de officio Dissal For the Greekes were of a contrary opinion and that it was not requisite to brew water with Wine neither would they herein follow the Alexandrian corruptions Amarcanus was of the same opinion as Alexander affirming that the mixture of water with Wine was necessary Scotus the subtile Sophister absolutely denied that it was necessary to mingle the water with the Wine because saith he it cannot then be changed nor transubstantiated into Blond except the same were first changed into Wine Some others more ingenious laboured to interpret this Institution of Alexander by alleadging that the wine was coÌ„verted into blood but as for the water it was transubstantiated into the water that came out of Christs side This first corruption of Alexanders gave occasion of many other succeeding abuses For some other more profound Impostors devised to mingle with the wine bloud that was taken from yong Infants wherewith to besmeare the bread of the holy Supper of Iesus Christ as the Cataphtigians August lib. d. Hâ—cret ca. 26 64. who brought in a kinde of transubstantiation of wine into bloud really and corporally Some others added cheese thereunto Epiphan lib. 2. tom 5. haevet 49. called Artotirites which is to say Cheese-bread-mongers Certaine also abusing this holy Sacrament in stead of wine put in water under pretext of the greater abstinence Others had an Institution of steeping bread in the wine the which custome the Messalians also retained in their Missal sacrifices For another detestable corruption of this Sacrament some Popes of Rome forbade their Messalian sacrificers not to administer to Christian people whom they call Lay-men the Body of Iesus Christ in both kindes but onely under the sacred signe of Bread and not of Wine which they reserved for their Messalian sacrificing Priests Is not this corruption directly against the holy Gospel and Institution of the Supper of Iesus Christ ordained and commaunded that all faithfull men should eate his body drinke of his blood When he tooke the Cup did he not use these proper words Drinke all this Wine in memoriall of my Bloud shed Vsed hee any other words for the eating of his Bodie in the symbole of Bread then hee did of his Bloud under the signe of Wine Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. For if wee compare the sacred signe ordained by God in the Church of the Israelites being a Figure of the Communion of the body of Iesus Christ which was the true Paschal Lambe whose flesh was ordained to bee eaten without exception of persons so they were circumcised was there ever any difference in the eating of the Paschall Lambe and the celebration of the Passcover among the Iewes betweene the Levites being of the race of sacrificing Priests others of the common people To bring in another odious corruption the Messalians instituted in their Missal-Idolatries to sacrifice and offer the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ reiterating by this means the sacrifice fully consummated by Iesus Christ which cannot bee reiterated because it was not according to the forme of Aaron but of Melchizedec the Eternall Sacrifizer and Priest 1. Cor. 11. without leaving any successor As also when the Apostle admonished the Corinthians to celebrate sacredly the Supper of Iesus Christ were they commanded to sacrifice No but to eate communicate together of the Body to drinke of the blood of Iesus Christ The beginning of the Supper was not to kill or immolate or to sacrifice any beast or oblation to God but onely to eate and drinke at his holy banquet prepared for us by Iesus Christ the Eternall sacrifice and sacrificer who reserved onely for himselfe this Eternall Priesthood yet neverthelesse hee left unto us a sacred Institution of a banquet set before us in the Bread Wine which represent his Body and Bloud After these above-named corruptions Satan a diligent Babylonian Architect employed all his power and means to rayse an inexpugnable Fort of Idolatry to the end that hee might wholly demolish and subvert the kingdome of Iesus Christ when hee undertooke to suborne the Masse in stead of the holy Sacrament of the Supper as wee will briefly produce and so clearely that the most hard-hearted Pharaohs inveterated in their ancient Idolatries shall by the trueth of Histories acknowledge their errours and abominable Heresies CHAP. IX The ancient Religion of the Romane Empire BEfore my deciphering of this labyrinth of Errour The Romane Emperors and their Priests wherein the Messalians did so loose themselves I thinke it verie requisite succinctly to lay open the ancient Religion of the Romanes during the reigne of the Occidentall Empire and of the Emperours usurping both the Temporall scepter the dignitie of high Priests superintendents over the Romane Church and Religion All of them as well as my selfe will confesse that the ancient Romane Religion was either wholly or for the greatest part instituted by Numa Pompilius the second King of the Romanes about seven hundred yeeres before the Incarnation of Iesus Christ Titivill lib. 1. deca 1. Then were your high Priests invested which afterwards were reduced to a certaine number even to foure then the number was augmented to eight and afterwards by Silla to fifteene In the Colledge of Priests Ecuestell lib. de Magist. Rom. there was one Pontifex Maximus who was chosen by the other inferiour Priests of their Order and dignitie even as the pettie Priest purple-Cardinals make the election of their great Romane Pope out of their place order and dignitie This Pompilian Relig on was so religiously observed by the Romanes from father to sonne as it was never possible to irradicate or supplant it but it continues even to this day as every one shall manifestly discerne by this succinct Narration To confirme this point no man can be ignorant if ever he read the Romane Histories but that before the Incarnation of Christ there was not so much as one King Confull Dictator or Romane Emperour instructed in the Law of God but all were Idolaters and Infidels observing the Religion of that Magician Numa Pompvius For since the Incarnation of Iesus Christ for the space
of the name of a Christian Whereunto they adde Constantine the Great that assembled the Counsell of Nice but his residence was in Greece called the Empire of the East yet he would never embrace the character of Baptisme to be regenerate by the blood of Christ till he was threescore five yeares old Hist. tripart lib 3. cap. 12 when he was Baptised by an Arian Bishop of Nicomedia named Eusebius When the same Constantine was at the point of death Wherefore Silvester Bishop of Rome need not vaunt of converting this Emperour to the Faith For the same Silvester likewise would not be present in the assembly of the Counsell held at Nice in the yeare of Iesus Christ 327. Howsoever the matter stands we must ever have recourse to the truth of Histories wherein is recited the answer which the Senate and Senators of Rome made to the Emperour Theodosius more then threescore yeares after the death of the said Constantine the great to wit that they would not receive the Law of Iesus Christ but rather observe their ancient Pompilian Law to avoid the ruine of their Common-wealth through a change alteration of Religion Wherefore it must needes bee inferred that the Law of GOD was not received nor approved at Rome by the Senate and Senatots Now we must come to the subsequent times Paul Aenul lib. 1. In the yeare 412. In the yeare 434. Bloa lib 2. Decad. 2. After the decease of Theodosius the Romane Westerne Empire began so much to decline that in a short space it was cleane extirpated by the Vandales and Alands who were the first that sacked Rome in part burned it and carryed away the Emperour Theodosius owne daughter whom they married to Atolphus King of the Gothes Not long after succeeded the Hunnes and then Attila King of the Gothes which usurped Jtalie About this time the Occidentall Romane Empire was stript of all Germany Dacia Sarmatia and all other tributarie Provinces even to Danubius Spaine also Aquitane Gascoyne Burgundie and all the Gaules revolted from the Romane Tyrannie Then came the Astrogothes with their Kings Procop lib. 3. Of the wars of the Vuādales in the yeare 486. In they are 550.554 Valamir and Theodomir Theodoric with other Barbarians and Infidels as I kewise the Visigothes all usurpers successively in Jtalie After this raigned Totilas who entred sackt and burnt Rome and all Sicilia At last the Lombardes came to raigne conducted by their King Alboim who usurped over all Italie These barbarous Idolatrous Paul Aemil. lib. 1. in the yeare 568. and Infidell Nations were as Gods scourges ordained to punish the Romaine defections committed by them who had received the knowledge of the holy Gospell and yet ranne astray from the true adoration and worship of God violated and corrupted the holy Sacraments by their humane invent ons and fictions in like manner to punish the obstinacie and infidelity of the Emperours and Senators of Rome who first by their Officers and Lieuetenants Deputies had caused Iesus Christ and his holy Apostles to bee crucified daily persecuted the Christians and ever opposed the Law Euangelicall to maintaine their Pompilian Religion We may therefore resolve and conclude that for the space of foure hundred yeares the Romane Church of Emperours and Senators were alwaies opposites and enemics to the Law of Iesus Christ Afterwards when the Westerne Empire was extinguished for three hundred yeares or thereabouts that Rome all Italie was rulde and governed by Kings Princes and Dukes that were Infidels and Idolaters which was by the Wandales by the Gothes by the Hunnes Ostrogothes Visigothes Lumbard for the space of seaven hundred yeares or thereabouts after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ there was no Emperours Kings nor Princes at Rome that would embrace the Law of Iesus Christ The which I desired briefly to produce to the end the Reader might not thinke it strange though I here set downe how the sacrifice of the Masse tooke originall from the auncient Ethnicke Religion Instituted by Numa more then seaven hundred yeares before the Incarnation of Iesus Christ and that since also the same sacrifice hath beene continued by the Romane Idolaters hardened inveterated in their Pompilian Religion which they would never abandon nor give over CHAP. XI The first greatnesse of Popes proving Antichrists and bringing in the sacrifice of the Masse NOw to the end nothing might be concealed out of the Romane histories to obscure the clearenesse sun-shine of truth during the Tyranny and usurpation of the above mentioned Nations In the yeare 572. Platin Blond volaterad Paul Aemil. lib. 10. Blond lib. 10 there was erected in Italie a petty Exarcate at Ravenna which stood for an hundred eighty three yeares till it was supprest by a Pope who was invested in the same and encroacht upon Sant Peters Chaire by a Donation or Dismission wrought by Pepyn in the yeare 758. in requitall of the Tyrannie used by Zacharias a Greeke Romane Pope who depriv'd the true heires of the Crowne of France which were Chilperic or Childeric whom hee shut up in a Monasterie to conferre the Kingdome upon the said Pepyn Blond lib. 1. Decad. 2. Paul Enul lib. 2. sonne to Charles Martell the Bastard This Donation of Pepyns bestowed on the great Romane Pontife was the first Originall of the exaltatiō eminencie of the Romane Popes who to this day remaine the Exarcate of Ravenna since about eight hundred yeares with many Townes along the coast of the Adriatick assign'd over to them by Pepyn against the expresse prohibitions of Constantine then raigning Emperour of the East in Greece While this pettie Exarcate continued at Ravenna a time before Pepyns Donation The first apparant Antichrist In the yeare 588. the Bishop of the place seeing that there were no more Emperors at Rome tyranniz'd govern'd by barbarous and miscreant Nations began to lift up his hornes so as hee would be preferred before the Bishop of Rome and stile himselfe head of the Church both he and his successours Bishops of Ravenna while the Exarcate lasted This was the first petty Antichrist that assum'd a Tyrannie in the Church Sabellic pursuing the terrestriall Tyrannie of his Exarcate After him rose another great Antichrist in Constantinople In the veare 600. Blond lib. 1. Greg lib. 4. of epist. cha 29. named John Bishop of the place who perceiving the Occidentall Empire of Rome cleane extinguished that of Constantinople risen to a great heigth he grew also affected to the worldly Tyrannie conformable thereunto erected one Spirituall in the Church of Iesus Christ By a Councell held for the purpose he denounced himselfe to be oecumenicall Bishop which signifies generall head of all the Church But presently after the great Romane Pontifes tooke so good a course herein that by treason the Emperour Mauricius was cruelly slaine in Constantinople In the yeare 604. Plarin Sabellic himselfe his wife family by