church of late time by the Popish faction in England France Flanders Italy and else-where we reade that diuers haue beene betraied by their owne kinsfolks brethren and friends and finde that fulfilled which our Sauior Christ foretold vs Luc. 21. how Christians should be betraied of their parents brethren kinsmen and friends In Spayne they force parents to bring woode to burne their children and children to set fire to their parents Alphonsus Dias came poste from Rome and caused his owne brother to be murdred for that he had embraced true religion it is reported that in England Queene Marie if she had liued any longer would haue caused the bones of her owne father to haue beene digged vp and burned It is also a common practise of children in places where Popery reigneth to abandon their parents and to professe monkerie Airault of Angiers in France a man of good note lost his onely sonne by the entisement of the Iebusites perswaded to enter into their superstitious order neither could the father euer after heare what was become of him and so haue many parents beene depriued of their sonnes and daughters vnder colour of religion oftentimes drawen away to serue the Masse-priests abominable lustes this among Papists is counted religion but the example sauoureth rather of Turkish then Christian religion for as the children of Christians are taken from their parents and friends and made Ianizars and so emploied in the warres against Christians so these nouices are by fraud and wilie deuises stollen from their Christian parents and friends and afterward emploied in the defence of antichristian doctrine against truth and the professors thereof Finally they that professe Popery zealously doe forget oftentimes all lawes of common ciuility lately the pouder-men Papists had thought to cut all their countrimens throtes the Masle-priests esteeme lay-men no otherwise then dogges and hogges commonly when they appeare before magistrates that are not of their owne religion they giue them no reuerence Alexander the third trode vpon the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossaes necke Adrian the 4. suffered him to hold his stirrop other Popes haue vsed Kings and Princes as their stassiers and for their hands they giue Christians their feete to kisse Neither is this a fault of the practise but also of the doctrine of Popery for these facts they commonly defend and forbid al speech communication dealing with excommunicate persons os orare vale communio mensa negatur saith Nauarrus in enchirid c. 27. these words spoken of Leui Deuter. 33. which said to his father and mother I know you not are applied to all that enter into any order of monkish religion as we may perceiue by the doctrine of Bellarmine lib. de monach c. 36. Whosoeuer therefore looketh for filiall obedience at the hands of his children had neede â—o looke that they be not nouzled in Popery whoso expecteth for kind and frindly vsage must not consort himselfe with Papists who towards Christians vse neither respect of kinred nor of friendship vpon euery warrant of the Pope take themselues absolued from their obedience to their superiors whether they rule in church or common welth and by all meanes suppose themselues bound to cut Christian mens throts CHAP. XXXVI That Popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authoritie of Kings and Princes CHristian religion doth giue an eminent authority and prerogatiue to Kings S. Peter 1. epist 2. exosteth all Christians to subinit themselues vnto them and S. Paul Rom. 13. teacheth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Tertullian in his treatise ad Scapulam sheweth that the Emperor was next vnder God supreme gouernor colimus imperatorem saith he sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt hominem a deo secundum we honour the Emperour c. as a man that hath the next place to God can we then with any reason suppose Popery to sauour of Christian religion that either maketh the Emperour and other Kings subiect to the Pope or else taketh awaie a great part of his authoritie That the Papists hold all temporall Princes to bee inferiour and subiect to the Pope it cannot be denied Innocentius the third in c. solitae de maior obed disputing this matter compareth the Pope to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone as if the Emperour were as many degrees inferior to the Pope as the Moone is to the Sunne quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter pontifices reges differentia cognoscitur Clement the sift in the chapter Romani principes de iureiurando declareth that the Emperors of Rome haue submitted their heads to the bishop of Rome sua submittere capita non reputarunt indignum againe he sheweth how they ought to take an oath of fealtie and obedience to the Pope The author of the Glosse in c. Romani clem de iureiurando assigneth all this subiection of Princes to Christ his institution Iesus voluit saith he In the chapter Pastoralis clem de sent reiudicat the Pope determineth that by right of the Papacie he hath superioritie ouer the Empire and that in the vacancie of the empire himselfe hath the right of the Emperour Bonisace the 8. writing to the French king gaue him to vnderstand that he was the Popes subiect both in spirituall and temporall matters scire to volumus saith he quod in spiritualibus temporalibus nobis subes in the chapter vnam sanctam extr de maior obed hee determineth that the Pope hath both the swords and that he hath power both to make kings and to depose them spiritualis potestas potestatem terrenam instituere habet iudicare si bona non fuerit that is the spirituall power hath right to ordeine the earthly power and to iudge the same if it be not good Iosephus Vestanus lib. de osculat pedum Pontisicis p. 137. among the dictates of Gregory the 7. setteth downe this for one that it is lawfull for the Pope to depose the Emperour Pius the fist in his blundring bull against Queene Elizabeth our late dread soueraigne blusheth not to affirme that the Pope alone is made a Prince and set ouer all nations and kingdomes to pull vp to destroy to dissipate and spaile to plant and to build hunc vnum saith he super omnes gentes ommae regna principeÌ„ constituit qui cuellat destruat dissipet disperdat plantet aedisicet This also is the doctrine of modern Iebusites and their complices Bellarm. lib. 5. de Pontis Rom. c. 6. speaking of the Pope teacheth that he hath power to change kingdomes and to take from one and to giue to another if it be necessary for saning soules and this he offreth to prooue Potest mutare regna saith he vni auferre atque altericonserre si id necessarium sit ad animarum salutem vt probabimus The Iebusites of France in a discourse intitled la veritè defendue blush not to defend the Popes vsurped power in
AN ABRIDGEMENT OR SVRVEY OF Poperie Conteining a compendious declaration of the grounds doctrines beginnings proceedings impieties falsities contradictions absurdities fooleries and other manifold abuses of that religion which the Pope and his complices doe now mainteine and wherewith they haue corrupted and deformed the true Christian faith Opposed vnto Matthew Kellisons Suruey of the new Religion as he calleth it and all his malicious inuectiues and lies By MATTHEVV SVTCLIFFE LONDON Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for Cuthbert Burbie 1606. TO THE WORTHY and noble Lord Prince HENRY sonne and heire to the most puissant King and our dread Souereigne IAMES by the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith THere are two principall offices most worthy excellent Prince of a true Christian the first is To decline from euill the second is To do good And these two as they are necessarily required in all so principally in those which are to command and gouerne others But the ground of both is the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith without the knowledge wherof not only good things are often times refused as euill but also things euill embraced for good Seeing then our aduersaries the Papists of late time haue both violently and fraudulently sought to bring backe into his Maiesties Dominions whereof your Grace by the grace of God is vndoubted heire not onely the heresies and superstitions of Popish religion but also the tyrannicall gouernment of the Pope that is so preiudiciall both to Princes and their states and also to all Christians their liberties I haue thoght I could not doe either to God or my Countrey better seruice then to declare to the world both their weake and absurd grounds and their impious and wicked doctrines and how they haue proceeded in the maintenance and defence of the same And this I doubt not would appeare far more cleerely if without preiudice of mens persons or respect of priuat mens interests matters might be debated before indifferent Iudges and soundly tried by the touchstone of holy Scriptures and none of those excluded from hearing that professe true Catholicke religion My purpose is not God I take to witnesse to touch any man particularly but onely to set forth the trueth of all matters that the obstacles of Christian vnity and the causes of the good successe of the Turke being remoued we may all for the most part consent in the vnity of the Catholicke faith and conioyne our mindes and forces the better to resist publike enemies This I present to your Grace as the first fruits of my affection and seruice that thereby learning to eschew euill and to embrace that which is good and pious you may as it followeth in the 34. Psalme seeke peace follow after it Nay you may the better be instructed not only in following the true meanes of peace but also obtaine your desires and for euer truly possesse it This your affection in pious promoting the true seruice of God preuēting of the trecherous plots of the factious complices of Antichrist shall be the foundation of your prosperous estate It shal increase the ioy of your noble Father our Souereigne Lord and King and glad your Mother whose hearts ioy you are S. Iohn reioyced to see the children of that noble lady to whom he directed his second Epistle walking in trueth And this is the affection of all your friends and wel-willers who reioyce to see the heroicall vertues of your Father budding forth in your Grace The Prophet Psal 112 doth assure vs That his children that feareth the Lord shal be mighty vpon earth and that the generation of the righteous shall be blessed On the other side the aduersaries of religion shal weepe and lament when they shall see the Prophesies of S. Iohn Apocalyp 17. and 18 concerning the destruction of the great whore and the ruines of the city of Babylon accomplished and the rather as we hope by your Fathers and your godly endeuours and meanes Vouchsafe therefore most gracious Prince to giue reading to this Discourse made in opposition of that infamous libell which not long since one Matthew Kellison a Priest of Baal and a marked slaue of Antichrist presumed to direct to the King your Father and consider what reason he had to talke of the surueying of religion seeing his owne religion can so euill abide any examination or suruey The Lord of heauen blesse you with all spirituall graces and the rest shal be added vnto you This is also the continuall prayer of all the seruants of God your Fathers true subiects That your Grace may be made a worthy instrument to aduance Gods glory and that the vowes of your Parents and all well affected to his Maiesty and to your Grace may plentifully be performed in you Your Graces most affectionat seruant MATTHEW SVTCLIFFE THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader MVch it were to be wished Christian Reader that the same affection and feruent desire were in all true Christians and especially in those that are Pastours and Teachers to mainteine the truth which we finde to be in false teachers and heretikes to vpholde and mainteine their errors The Scribes and Pharisees in time past as our Sauiour Matth. 23 teacheth vs compassed sea and land to make one of their profession And so in time past did the Nouatians Donatists and Arians But what need I to speake of times past when we see before our eyes the present example of the Masse-priests and Iebusites and their complices They spare neither cost nor labour some write some discourse some practise one taketh on him one part of the labour and another performeth the rest So nothing is left vnattempted that either fraud could deuise or malice execute or industry and labour performe Among others one Kellison not long since as is said my L. Vauxes Butler but now a drawer of Popish doctrine hath shewed himselfe very busie and for his part hath gathered together out of the libels of Staphylus Cochleus Bolsec Sanders William Reynolds and other the Popes Parasits agents a whole packe of slanders lies and wicked imputations against Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Caluin Beza and other Teachers of truth To this he hath also added diuers fragments of certeine idle declamations of his owne and the most malicious railing termes that either himselfe could deuise or els finde out in his fellowes inuectiues And all this put together he calleth A Suruey of the new religion by the termes of Noueltie Heresie Impietie and such like seeking to disgrace that Trueth which we professe I did therefore expect that some learned man or other would take this fellow to taske and indeed I doe now vnderstand that a man both learned graue and eminent in this Church of England hath both vndertaken and finished the Answer to his scurrilous discourse but seeing the same is not yet published I thought it not amisse in the meane while to requite his Suruey of religion with this
yet they say Christians sinne mortally if they heare not Masse euery Sunday and holiday Of grace they speake as men deuoid of grace and knowledge for by grace by which we are saued and made acceptable to God they vnderstand nothing else but either charity or a habit not distinct from Charity so that albeit they exclude not grace from the worke of our saluation yet making grace a habit or vertue they ouerthrow grace and ascribe the merit of our saluation not to Gods mercie through Christ nor to the merit of his Passion but properly to our owne workes and merites diuers of them saie that men are predestinated for their merites foreseene and all hold that men were reprobated for their sinnes foreseene before they say further that the vnregenerat hath freewill as well as the regenerat and that not onely in matters of this life but also to doe workes of piety and other supernaturall effectes The doctrine of faith they haue also much corrupted for they make Charity the forme of faith as if faith were without forme or life of it selfe and as if the iust man did not liue by faith to this purpose they say that not onlie wicked and reprobat men but also the diuels of hell maie haue true and iustifying faith they hold further that by faith we are not onely to hold whatsoeuer is conteined in holy scriptures but also whatsoeuer is deliuered by tradition or determined by the Pope and lastly that no man is to beleeue that he shall assuredly be saued but rather to hold that he that is truly iustified may be damned Concerning the law of God they teach both contrary to reason and law for first they cut out the 2. commandement in their offices of our Lady and their primers because it cannot well stand with the Popish worship of images secondly they teach that concupiscence without our consent is not sinne albeit the law say non concupisces thirdly they say that it is sinne as well to transgresse the Popes decrees as Gods lawes fourthly they beleeue that the Pope is able either to dissolue the law as for example where he absolueth subiectes from their obedience to princes and children from their duty to parents or at the least to dispense with the transgressors of the law as for example with periured persons adulterers Sodomites murtherers assassinors theeues sacrilegious persons and such like fiftly they beleeue that a man is able perfectly to fulfill the law of which it followeth that man is able to liue without all sinne which as Augustine sheweth lib. 4. de bono perseuerat c. 2. 5 and Hierome aduers Pelag. is flat Pelagianisme In their doctrine of praiers they offend much yet is the practise of Papists farre worse than their doctrine in this point our Sauiour teacheth vs to goe to his father in his name they go to God by the intercession of Saints nay oftentimes they run to Saints Angels and the blessed Virgin without once thinking of God especially if they thinke no more than they vtter in their praiers they pray in a tongue which they vnderstand not which is rather prating than praying they pray for remission of sinnes for the dead not knowing whether they bee damned or no. they pray before stockes and stones nay they put their trust in them for if this were not so why should they hope for better successe at the image of our Lady of Loreto or Monserat than at any other image or forme of our Lady They beleeue that almes satisfie for sinnes and that those are best bestowed that are giuen to Monkes and Friers and such idle vagabonds and plagues of states whereas the first ouerthroweth Christs merits and satisfaction the second is an occasion of all the mischiefes brewed by these mothes of religion and blemishes of state They teach that it is mortall sinne not to fast on Saints vigiles embre daies and other times appointed by the Pope and that fasting standeth in eating fish and abstaining from our suppers and such obseruances and finally that such fasts doe not only satisfie for sinnes but also merit heauen Conscience they know not for they make no conscience to cut Christian mens throats for not yeelding to all their abhominations and thinke it conscience to obey the Popes decrees though very vnlawfull Neither can they well auoid sinne that know not what sinne is The virgin Mary by most of them is acquited from originall sinne and they define sinne to bee not onely the transgression of the law of God but also euery transgression of the law of the Pope nay euery breach of the law of man which vtterly taketh away the difference betwixt the lawes of God and man Of the state of soules departed they seeme to know little truly although some say they know too much for they do not say as we doe that there are two waies after this life the one of the faithfull to eternall life the other of the wicked to eternall death but they say that some go into purgatorie and others into limbus puerorum and out of purgatory they say soules are deliuered partly by masses and partly by indulgences All these points of erroneous false doctrine and all others which either contrarie or beside the word of God the Pope and his complices haue inuented and brought into the church of Rome we call Popery and this is the subiect of this discourse and the doctrine against which we dispute let no man therefore thinke because the Papists maintaine many points of Christian religion that either we reprehend that truth which they and we defend or that they can defend the errors of Popery because they hold some trueth but either let them iustifie their errors or else they shall bee forced to confesse that the proper doctrine of Popery is wicked and erroneous CHAP. II. Of the grounds and foundations of Popish religion AS Popery is diuers from Christian religion so hath the same other foundations than Christian religion The doctors of Trent in the fourth session of that synode hauing pronounced them anathema that shall not receiue all the bookes of the Bible as they are found in the old Latin vulgar translation and read in the church of Rome for holy and canonicall or that shall wittinglie contemne the traditions of that church doe signifie that this is the foundation of the confession of faith which they meant to publish so it appeareth they ground their faith beside canonicall scriptures vpon apocryphall writings of Tobiah Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees and diuers fragments of books not found in the Hebrew text of the Bible and vpon traditions not written but deliuered from hand to hand from the Apostles as they say and so come to their hands but where they speake of scriptures it is to be obserued that they doe not simply allow them but as they are contained in the old vulgar translation and as they are expounded by the Church of Rome those which vnder any
pretence doe reiect the old translation or vse any interpretation contrary to the Romish Churches meaning they condemne Stapleton in his booke intituled Principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs seuen grounds or principles of his religion the first is the Church the second the Pope the third the means vsed by the Pope in iudgement the fourth the Popes infallibility in iudgement the fifth his power in taxing the canon of Scriptures the sixth his certaine interpretation of Scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written these I say are his grounds and principles absurdly deuised confusedly disposed and ridiculously propounded as God willing shall be shewed otherwhere now it is sufficient to declare that whatsoeuer he bableth elsewhere of scriptures councels fathers yet heere they are all suppressed in this diuision or at the least concealed vnder the name of the Church or Pope which in his preface to Gregory the 13. hee calleth supremum numen in terris that is the supreme God of the world and who to him is all in all likewise in his preface to his relection of doctrinall principles hee seemeth directly to exclude the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis apostolicis euangelicis uliud that is we haue another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the Apostles Prophets if he exclude not scriptures yet he admitteth them no otherwise than according to the interpretation of the Pope and his complices nay without the Popes declaration he doth tediouslie discourse that Christians are not to receiue the canon of scriptures The decretale epistles of the Pope no doubt they admit for the foundation of their faith for in the rubricke of their decrees c. in canonicis dist 19. they doe determine that the Popes decretales are to bee numbred among canonicall scriptures inter canonicas scripturas say they decretales epistolae connumerantur likewise Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. defineth that the Popes decretale epistles are to bee receiued with veneration In the same decretale Gelasius authoriseth the Romane martyrologe or legends of martyrs neither can Kellison or his kettle companions deny this to be one of the grounds of his rammish I would say Romish religion seeing these martyrologes and legendes conteine diuers traditions which the conuenticle of Trent will haue all Papistes to receiue with equall affection to scriptures Canus lib. 1. loc theolog c. 1. assigneth tenne places out of which he saith diuines are to draw arguments the first is the authority of scriptures the second the authority of traditions not written the third is the authority of the catholike church the fourth the authority of councels the fifth the authority of the church of Rome where wee are to note that more honestly than his companions hee maketh the church of Rome to differ from the Catholike church the sixth is the authority of ancient fathers the seuenth the authority of Romish schoole doctors the eighth naturall reason the ninth the authority of Philosophers the tenth the authority of writers of stories so wee see how hee buildeth his faith vpon men as well as vpon God and matcheth traditions not written with the most diuine writings of the Prophets and Apostles and conioyneth the authority of councels and fathers nay of schoolemen and Philosophers with the testimony of holy scriptures framing to vs rather an humane then a diuine foundation of Christian faith Martin Perez a plaine dealing Papist knowing that all those points of doctrine which are in controuersie betwixt his fellowes and vs are grounded rather vpon tradition then scripture doth entitle his whole discourse of these matters de traditionibus that is a discourse of traditions Finally Bellarmine lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 31. doth call the Pope the foundation of the building of the church Fundamentum aedisicij ecclesiae and in his preface before his bookes de pontisice Rom. he saith that the seat of Peter or the Popes chaire is the approued stone the corner and pretious stone placed in the soundation of which the Prophet I say speaketh c. 8. and 28. and with him concurreth Sanders in his booke of the Rocke of the church Stapleton also declareth the matter most plainely in praefat in relect princip doctr where he saith that the foundation of the knowledge of Christian religion is necessarily placed in the authority of the Pope teaching vs in whom he saith he heareth God speaking to vs. his wordes are in hac docentis hominis authoritate he speaketh of the Pope in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscenda fundamentum necessariò pom credimus and this others must necessarily also hold for they hold him to be the supreme interpreter of scriptures and an infallible Iudge of all controuersies of religion and a law-giuer to our consciences binding all mens consciences by his lawes which is the common opinion as Bellarmine lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. c. 16. saith of all casuistes a pitifull case therefore it is wherein the Papistes stand whose consciences are chained with so many bondes This then being found in the suruey of the grounds of Popish religion let vs also consider what conclusions may be hence inferred that we may as well suruey the conclusions as the premisses First it followeth that these grounds being blasphemous both in regard of the spirit of God which is the enditer and author of holy scriptures and also in regard of Christ Iesus the foundation of the church and finisher of our saith the doctrine and religion of Popery cannot be cleere of blasphemie for to match Popish decretales with holy scriptures and the Popes determination with Gods law is derogatory to Gods holy spirit and a plaine disparagement to Gods holy law likewise it is blasphemous to accuse the holy scriptures of insufficiencie and imperfection and to attribute more certaintie and perspicuitie to the decretales of the Pope then to the lawes of God it is also blasphemous either to remoue Christ out of the foundation of the church or at the least to ioyne the Pope with him in the foundation and that as a more necessary foundation for the knowledge of Christian religion as Stapleton saith the same also is directly contrary to the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. Ephes 2. and of S. Iames. c. 4. in the first of which places we finde that no other foundation can be layd of the church but Christ Iesus in the 2. we reade that the Church is founded vpon the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the cheefe corner stone in the 3. we vnderstand that there is only one Law-giuer and Iudge which is able to saue and destroy it is finally very impious and blasphemous to assirme that the Pope is a more certaine and superiour Iudge then God himselfe speaking to vs in scriptures or then the Apostles and Prophets that were ledde into all truth by the spirit of God of other blasphemies of Popery
we shall haue further occasion to speake hereafter Secondly seeing the Papistes are not certaine of their grounds it must needes follow that the religion of Papists is most vncertaine that they cannot be certain of their grounds diuers arguments declare for neither are they certaine whether Clement Leo or any other sitting in the Popes chayre be true Pope nor canne they assure themselues whether the decretales which goe vnder the names of Popes were indeed their decretales whose names they cary Antonius Contius a learned Papist in a certaine annotation of his added to the ch sancta dist 15. in Plantins edition saith that all the decretales set out vnder names of Popes before Siluester are false and this he saith he hath shewed manifestly further it cannot be proned that all the determinations of the Popes are right and equall nay contrarie we haue by diuers most certeine demonstrations prooued that both concerning scriptures faith the law sacraments praier the worship of God and diuers pointes of faith they haue determined contrary to the rule of saith as shall hereafter more particularly appeare Thirdly it were plaine impudencie to say that the Apostles instituted the consecration of the Paschal Lambes the forme of hallowing of churches salt water and all Popish trinkets the form of praying vpon beades and the rest of the Romish traditions neither shall Kellison euer be able to iustifie all those reportes which his teachers haue receiued by tradition and publikely heretofore set forth and now read out of their legendes Fourthly diuers of those 84. canons which goe vnder the names of the Apostles are disclaymed by the Papists themselues and the rest cannot be proued that they were made by the Apostles of the actes of the Nicene Councell the Papists themselues haue no certainty Most confesse 20. as Ruffin and Pope Stephen others in c. vigint dist 16. Gratian vnder the testimony of Athanasius telleth vs of 70. c. septuaginta dist 16. now one Alphonsus a pisa a Iebusite hath published 80. canons the acts of the councell supposed to be held vnder Siluester Bishop of Rome are all conterfeit as the barbarous stile and strange forme of gouernment represented in those acts and diuers barbarous names and other arguments doe signifie sometimes Peter Crabbe the collector of councels doth set downe diuers actes of councels not only differing but also repugnant one to another fiftly diuers bookes are set foorth vnder the name of fathers that no man can certeinly say were written by the fathers whose names they cary Nay some of them doe containe doctrine contrary to the faith professed by the fathers sixtly they are not certaine either what is the sense of the Romane church diuers doctors yeelding diuers interpretations of scriptures or what is the old Latine translation for Sixtus Quintus setteth out the old vulgar Latin translation after one sort and Clement the eight after another and he that alloweth the translation of Sixtus Quintus must nedes condemne that of Clement the eight contrariwise finally seeing diuers Papists assigne diuers grounds of their faith and scarce two of many doe agree in all points concerning their foundations and the assurance of them how can they pretend either vnity or certainty in their religion Thirdly the foundations of Popery being laid vpon false decretals and lying legends hardly shall our aduersaries be able to deny their religion to be false and full of lies that the Popes doe in their decretales report notorious lyes it is apparent by the decretale set out vnder the name of Innocentius c. quis nesciat dist 11. where he denieth that anie taught or gathered churches in France Spaine Afrike Italy beside S. Peter and those which were sent by him and his successors and likewise by the decretale of Gregorie the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. where it is said that all causes are to be referred to the church of Rome as to the head and from thence to receiue direction from whence it receiued his beginning and by the chapter in nouo dist 21. where it is said that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince and infinit others that the legendes which are the ground and receptacle of many traditions are ful of lies I haue shewed els where if Kellison the Suruey or deny this let him proue vnto vs that S. George killed a dragon ready to deuour the kings daughter of Silena and conquered Palestine that Catharine ouercame 50. Philosophers and conuerted the Empresse and the general of the emperors army and broke a wheele with her praiers that with turning killed 4000. pagans that S. Nicholas being an infant fasted Wednesdaies and Fridaies that Bernacus yoked harts that Saint Brendan sayled into Paradise that a crucifixe of wood resaluted Bartilmew a monke of Durrham that the blessed Virgins body was caried into heauen by Angels that her house was carried ouer the seas first into Dalmatia and then into Italy and lastly to Loreto and the rest of those tales Fourthly the Pope being the foundation of the church it followeth that as oft as the Pope dieth the church is without foundation it followeth also that the Pope going to hell as it appeareth by the chap. Sipapa dist 40. that he may the foundation of the Church should lie in hell that the Pope falling into heresie as Liberius Honorius 1. Iohn the 22. and diuers others haue done that the Church should faile which be matters absurd and impious to affirme Fifthly feeing diuers old traditions are now out of vse as for example that of celebrating baptisme at Easter and praying standing betwixt Easter and Whitsontide and of praying with our faces turned to the East and such like it must needes be granted that the foundations of Popery are ruinous for why may not the like happen to other traditions as to these and if traditions be temporary and ruinous which they make equall to holy scriptures what can they alleadge for the continuance and perpetuity of the Popes decretales which are not only contrarie to holy Scriptures but also repugnant one to another Sixthly the old translation differing from it selfe in the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the eigth and others set out at Colein Louain and Antwerpe and much more from the originall bookes of the old Testament in Hebrew and new in Greeke and the interpretations of the scriptures being so diuers in the chiefe doctors of the Romish church and so repugnant to the meaning of the holy Ghost it doth necessarily follow that Popish religion is composed of contrary pieces and cannot be the faith of Christ which is one and hath onely one firme foundation Finally there can bee no consent or vnity in the points of Popish doctrine for that the same consisteth of contrary opinions of Popes and is grounded vpon contrary traditions contrary legends contrary interpretations of fathers and schoolemen and either of traditions or decretales contrary to scriptures or of sentences of fathers contrary to
therefore thinke that either the Christians there made the images of God the father and the holy ghost or else worshipped and burnt incense to them and very absurd it were if any man should suppose that the Popish inuocation and worship of Saints and Angels is to be proued by their practise Philo in legat ad Caium saith the Iewes thought it impious either in picture or grauen worke to represent God that is inuisible inuisibilem Deum pingere aut singere nefas duxerunt maiores nostri saith he neither if we runne through the Bible shall wee find any precedent of the popish inuocation and worship of Saints vsed in the Romish church Finally if the Church of Hierusalem had knowen or suspected that S. Peter or his successors had been designed Christs vicars general and monarchs of the Church and appointed to giue lawes to the whole world then would they neuer haue suffered him to depart from Hierusalem The Pope and his complices therefore must seeke some other place than Hierusalem whence to deriue their doctrine lawes ceremonies and formes of gouernment or else they will neuer find out the true descent of their church In Babylon certes they shall rather find out these matters than in Hierusalem CHAP. XII That popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the Apostles of Christ Iesus FAithfull Christians as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephes 2. are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and this the Papists must needs confesse although much to their griefe vnlesse they will denie the words of the Apostle but popery is built vpon the Pope and vpon his decretales and determinations and supported stoutly by his purple Cardinals and the merchants of Babylon the Masse-priests and neither vpon Christ nor the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sheweth that the scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation and are giuen of God that the man of God may be absolute and made perfect vnto all good workes but Papists teach that they are an imperfect rule and without traditions vnsufficient for that is the doctrine of Bellarmine and all his consorts they doe also raile against holy scriptures and call them a dead and killing letter The holy Prophets brought no message to those nations to whom they were sent but they confirmed the same by the testimony of God that sent them saying thus saith the Lord. and the Lord hath spoken it but the conuenticle of Trent confirmed their doctrine by their owne pleasures for the most part and albeit sometime the same alleadgeth scriptures yet their best and common argument was placet nobis their schoole doctors also for matters controuersed doe more commonly alleadge the Popes decretales than holy scriptures Rom. 10. we read that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God but Camsius in his catechisme de sid symb signifieth that we are not to beleeue Gods word reuealed vnlesse the same be also propounded by the church and by the church he vnderstandeth the Pope and his adherents Peter and Iohn Act. 4. shew that God is rather to be obeied than man but the Romish church doth excommunicate all that hearken not to the Pope whatsoeuer is contained in the scriptures to the contrary The conuenticle of Trent Sess 4. teacheth vs that we are to imbrace traditions not written with equall affection to traditions and holy scriptures but this doctrine was not knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets nay Moyses doth teach quite contrary ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you nor shall ye take ought therefrom saith he Deut. 4. and S. Paul Galat. 1. if any man preach vnto you otherwise than that ye haue receiued saith he let him be accursed this curse therefore doth fall on the Friers and Masse priests that preach the Popes doctrines which they shal neuer proue to haue beene receiued from the Apostles though they read vntill their eies drop out of their heads The religion of Papists doth for the most part consist in praiers to Saints Masses and offices in the honour of Angels the Virgin Mary martyrs confessors and the Popes canonized creatures in erecting of crosses and crucifixes and other images in burning incense before images nay they giue diuine honour to creatures which themselues cannot denie to bee idolatrous cum Christus adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quòd cius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda seeing Christ saith Thomas Aquinas p. 3. q. 25. art 3. is worshipped with latria or honour properly belonging to God it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with the adoration of latria or diuine worship either therefore must our aduersaries shew that the Prophets and Apostles offered sacrifices in honour of Angels and Saints and made praiers vnto them and set vp images to be worshipped in temples and vsed to burne incense vnto them and to honor them after the manner of Papists or else they must confesse that their religion proceedeth not from the Prophets and Apostles how hard this proofe will bee it may appeare in this that Gods lawes Deut. 4. and Exod. 20. directly forbid the making of grauen images after the likenesse of God and the worship of idols and Christ ordeined the eucharist to be receiued in commemoration of his death and passion and neuer so much as mentioned the offering of his owne body and bloud or other sacrifices in the honour of Saints and Angels The Masse-priests that plotted the ruine of religion at Trent sess 6. ascribe mans iustification to his workes and exclude iustification both by Christs iustice and by faith apprehending Christ and beleeuing in him but both the Prophet Abacuc chap. 2. and S. Paul Rom. 1. affirme that the iust do liue by faith the Apostle also 1. Cor. 1. saith that our Saour Christ is made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto vs. which if it were wrought by our workes then should we haue beene made wisedome and righteousnesse vnto our selues nay the Apostle Rom. 3. saith if Abraham were iustified by workes that then he had wherein to reioice but not with God Popish religion consisteth most in externall ceremonies as for example in salt holy water holy candles incense ringing of sacring belles adoring crosses and images greasing of sicke men and masse-priests shauing of crownes vowes Monkish rules and such like toyes but these fooleries were neuer knowen either to the Apostles or Prophets Nay our Sauiour Matth. 15. teacheth that in vaine they seeke to worship God that teach for doctrines the precepts of men he sheweth also Iohn 4. that true worshippers worship God in spirit and truth and the Apostle Coloss 2. condemneth such as put religion in touching fasting and such like vaine ceremonies The Masse-priests call the Pope the spouse and head of the church but if he meane to deriue his authoritie from the writings of the Prophets and
Apostles he shall declare himselfe to want both head and braine for in the Canticles c. 2. and Ephes 5. the title of spouse of the church is declared to belong to Christ and him only the scriptures declare to be head of the Church Gregory lib. 4. ep 38. ad Ioan. Constantinopol sheweth that neither Paul nor Andrew nor Iohn nor Peter was the head of the vniuersall church but all members of the church vnder one head The Prophets and Apostles doe teach vs that the church of God consisteth of sheepe and lambes and such was Peter commanded to feede God saith by his Prophet Isay c. 11. that there shall be no hurting nor killing in all his holie mountaine and that the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the pard he with the kidde but the Romish Church is full of blood and wholy vpholden by cruelty in France the Pope and his complices haue caused aboue two hundred thousand persons to be murdered for the profession of the true faith the fires and butchers axes of their executioners haue consumed also infinit Christians in Italy Spaine England Scotland Germany and the Low countries very ignorant therefore he is of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that supposeth that the massacring Romish church is founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets The Prophet Daniel doth prophecy how a certaine king shall arise that shall speake words of blasphemy against the most high and consume his Saints and that shall thinke that he may change times and lawes the Apostle also 2. Thess 2. sheweth that there shall come a departing and that the man of sinne shall be disclosed and exalt himselfe against all that is called God and that he shall sit in the temple of God S. Iohn also in his Apocalypse sheweth that Antichrist shall rise after the decay of the Roman Empire and giue life to that state and that the great whore shall sit vpon the seuen hils and haue her garments died red in the blood of Saints but this argueth that the Pope is Antichrist and that Popish religion is not Christian religion grounded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets but rather Antichristian heresie founded vpon the Popes decretales and schoolemens fond and foolish inuentions Finallie it is not only desperate ignorance but also meere madnesse to affirme that the grounds doctrines heresies and blasphemies which before we haue spoken of are deriued out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles would Kellison the Popes grand surueier vndertake to prooue vnto vs all the Popes traditions concerning the Masse the dirges and offices for the dead purgatory indulgences holy water holy candles paschal lambes rascall Friers and Monkes and such like trash by the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets he should but lose his labour and percase his wits too for in their diuine writings such fond superstitious and impious doctrines haue no defence nor shelter but if hee meane to find their true beginning then must he search the Popes decretales the writings of schoolemen and canonists and other the Popes adherents and there he shall not only find out the first authours but also the rest of the nouelties fooleries and impieties of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. XIII That poperie was either condemned or not knowen by Kings and Princes professing Christian religion in old time THe Popes Agents when they are vpon their owne dunghils and among their owne disciples and fauorers doe make great crackes as if the Popish religion which is now taught at Rome were the only religion professed by ancient kings princes and emperors of Rome that made profession of the Christian faith but who so list to read the ancient confessions of Christian kings and the lawes made by them both for mainteinance of the Christian faith and for the repressing of diners errors shall finde that the grounds doctrines impieties absurdities of Popery were either disallowed by them or vnknowen vnto them The first Christian king of Britaine if we may beleeue Bede and others of latter times for in more auncient histories there is no record of such a king or such matters as then passed was Lucius but we doe not finde that the Popish Masse was then hatched or that Eleutherius bishop of Rome pretended the vniuersall monarchy of the Church nay wee read that Irenaeus doth make as great account of other churches as of Rome albeit the same be first placed in regard of the splendour and authority of that citie furthermore Lucius neither had images nor worshipped them nor did he giue Latria to the crosse of Purgat one and indulgences he could not heare any thing for that Eleutherius as yet tooke not vpon him to deliuer soules out of Purgatory nor to grant pardons a poena culpa finally if Kellison seeke to prooue the articles of Popery before mentioned by the testimony of Lucius you shall soone see that the man will be at a stand The first Christian Emperour of Rome was Constantine the great but many actes of his declare that he was neither a slaue of the bishop of Rome nor a professor of Popery for first by his authority both was the councell of Nice assembled and the actes thereof established as Enschius in vita Constantini and other ecclesiasticall writers doe testifie secondly that faith which the councell of Nice published he professed but therein is not one article of Popery established but rather diuers refuted as namely the doctrine of Papists concerning Christs humanitie and the Popish reall presence and dissoluing priests mariages for if Christ be true man then is not his body inuisible and impalpable in the Sacrament againe if Christs body be ascended into heauen then is not the same in euery pixe if the same be to come from heauen then is not the same to creepe out of a pixe if mariage of Priests be honorable and not to be dissolued as was decreed in the counceil of Nice by the aduice of Paphnutius then doe the Papists teach doctrines of diuels that condemne such mariages and separate Priests from their wiues thirdly all the actes of that councell were confirmed and not only receiued by Constantine but that sheweth that the Bishop of Rome then had no more authoritie in his prouince then the Bishop of Alexandria in his as the sixth canon of the Nicene councell testifieth the 4. canon sheweth that the Bishop of Rome had no greater authority in ordeining bishops then other metropolitans the fifth canon equalleth his power in excommunication to that which other Bishops had to abridge this matter we finde that the Bishops of Rome were as well subiect to the canons of the councell of Nice as other Bishops finally we finde that Constantine made lawes for church gouernment in his time and not the Bishops of Rome Nay the bishops of Rome as is said in the counterfet donation of Constantine had their priuileges from Constantine and not contrariwise priuilegium Romanae ecclesiae pontifici
Bishops of Rome or else he must know that whatsoeuer he fableth of his three supposed conuersions the same will make for the destruction of Popery and the ouerthrow of the cause which he mainteineth Secondly we are able to prooue that all these corruptions of doctrine superstitious deuises impieties blasphemies which we refuse haue beene receiued and established in the synagogue of Rome not onely since the Apostles times but also since the time of Eleutherius and Gregory the first the idolatrous worship of images was first confirmed by the second coūncell of Nice vnder the Empire of Irene and by little and little brought into the Westerne church being long oppugned by the bishops of France Germany and Britain That the images of the crosse and Trinity should be worshipped with latria was not allowed in that idolatrous councell but first taught by Thomas Aquinas and his followers and grounded not vpon Gods word but vpon this rule of Philosophy that the same motion is directed to the image and the thing imagined which rule by him is mistaken being meant of the species or representation of things in our vnderstanding and not of materiall images that come not within our vnderstanding The Popes authority began to be established first by the rebellion of Gregory the second and Gregory the third that caused Italy to reuolt from the Emperour vnder pretence of worship of images and afterward the same was confirmed by Gregory the seuenth and his successors that by force and violence ouerthrew the empire and made way by the diuisious of Christendome to the victories and conquests of the Turkes and Saracens Boniface the third obteined of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches Boniface the 9. as Theodoric à Niem in his booke of schisme testifieth by fraude vsurped first the temporall gouernment ouer the Citie and territorie of Rome which before that belonged either to the emperor or to the citizens and thus by fraud and violence the Pope made himselfe great and by little and little exalted himselfe in the church and erected the kingdome of Antichrist The carnall eating and presence of Christs body in the sacrament was first decreed by Nicolas the second in the Chap. ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat for there we read first that Christs true body is handled with the hands of Priests broken and torne with the teeth of the faithfull his words prescribed to Berengarius are verum corpus sanguinem domini nostri Iesu Christi esse sensualiter non solum sacramentum sed in veritate manibus sacerdotum tractari frangi fidelium dentibus atteri Transubstantiation got reputation first by the decree of Innocent the 3. as we read in the chapter Firmiter de sum Trin. fid cath for there he decreeth that the bread is transubstantiate into the body and the wine into blood by the power of God but yet two inconueniences will heere fall out if we yeeld to his words for there he saith that Christ is both the priest and the sacrifice and that this transubstantiation is wrought by the power of God whereof the first ouerthroweth the priesthood of the polshorne priests of Baal the second doth take away the efficacie from these wordes hoc est enim corpus meum and hic est sanguis meus and ascribeth all to the power of God absolutely In the conuenticle of Constance we finde it first resolued that the accidents of bread and wine doe remaine without subiect and that the Pope is Christs immediate vicar and sess 13. that although Christ did institute the eucharist in bread and wine yet lay-men were onely to receine it vnder one kinde Auricular confession was established by Innocent the 3. in the chap. omnis vtriusque sexus de poenit remiss for before that it was free to confesse or not to confesse the doctrine of confession was enlarged by the canonistes and schoole-men In the conuenticle of Florence we reade that the forme of ordring masse-priestes of popish confirmation and extreme vnction and of other popish sacraments was then first setled by law there also Purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was first enacted by force of law Clement the 6. in the chapter vnigenitus extr de poenit remis did first deuise the treasure of indulgences Boniface the 8. and Sixtus the 4. ordred the Popish Iubiley That the Pope is aboue the Councel it was first decreed in the councel of Lateran vnder Leo the 10. who also begā first to thunder out his excommunications against M. Luther Finally the conuenticle of Trent gaue finall complement to the Popish doctrine of Traditions of the Latine vulgar translation of concupiscence of formal iustification by charitie and works of seuen sacraments of the sacrifice of the masse of purgatorie and indulgences of framing the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost and the rest of their heresies and abuses for what before the schoolemen had taught vainlie that began now by the decrees of the Pope and his complices to be established and held for law then also the missals breuiaries offices and other rituall bookes began to be confirmed by the Popes authoritie Thirdly it is an easie matter to prooue that the doctrine of S. Peter and of the times wherein Ioseph of Arimathaea Eleutherius and Gregory the first liued is direct contrarie in diuers points to popish religion S. Peter 1. ep 2. exhorted all Christians to submit themselues to kings and gouernors but the Pope commandeth subiects to rebell and take armes against princes and excommunicateth such as refuse so to doe as appeareth by the excommunication of Paul the 3. against king Henry the 8. and of Pius the fift against Queene Elizabeth both which are extant in Sanders his libell de schismate S. Peter 1. ep 1. would haue Christians to trust perfectly on gods grace the Papists teach their disciples to distrust gods grace and to doubt of their saluation and to trust rather in their owne works and merits he saith we are not redeemed with corruptible things but with Christes most precious blood these teach that men are redeemed after a sort by indulgences and by the satisfaction and merites of Saints to whom Bellarmine in his booke of indulgences doubteth not to giue the title of redeemers S. Peter exhorteth Christians to desire the sincere milke of Gods word that they may grow thereby the papistes barre men from hearing Gods word in tongues which they vnderstand and send them to beleeue the traditions of the church of Rome and the impure trash of the schoolemen and the Popes decretales he excludeth the lordship of Popes ouer Gods inheritance these false teachers enforce it he exhorteth vs to make our election sure these fellowes teach that Christians cannot be assured of their election or make it sure Ioseph of Arimathaea and the godly bishops that liued in his time and diuers hundred yeeres after him continued we doubt not in
sereno vultu respicerâ— digneris c. vpon which vouchsafe saith the Priest speaking of Christs body and blood to looke with a propitious and serene countenance but true Catholikes do hope that God will looke vpon them fauourably for the sacrifice once offred on the crosse by their Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus 38. They compare the sacrifice of Christs body blood in the Masse with the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beastes which no Catholike euer did 39. They make God an intercessor to Saints praying to him that by the intercession of saints they may obteine their desires and saying that God reueleth our thoughts to saints which is farre from the doctrine and beleefe of Catholikes 4. True Catholikes neuer added these words aterni and mysterium sidei to the words vsed by Christ in the consecration of the cuppe as the Papists doe in the Masse 41. True Catholikes beleeue that Christ was once onlie offered to his father for the sinnes of the world the Apostle Hebr. 9. saith that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many but the Papists say that Christ offered himselfe twise and that euery priest doth offer him vp and cat him vp continually in the Masse 42. True Catholikes neuer confessed their sinnes in the celebration of the Lords supper to the Virgin Mary to Michael the Archangell and to other Angels and Saints let Kellison but name vs one Catholike father that made such a confession or els we must needes conclude that he and his consorts be idolatrous Masse-priests 43. True Catholikes neuer beleeued that they could doe pennance by a procurato or atturnie as the Papists beleeue they may 44. Neither did they euer beleeue that no Christians could be absolued from their sinnes without auricular confession and the Priests absolution as the false Romish Catholikes doe 45. The false catholikes beleeue that the Popes are the successours of Peter but true Catholikes neuer beleeued or thought them to be successors of that holy apostle that neither taught nor administred the sacraments and in liew of feeding cause Christs sheepe to be massacred and killed 46. True Catholikes are often persecuted but persecute none Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen speaking of himselfe and his fellow catholikes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man but the Papists like cruel wolues persecute all that are not of their owne opinions 47. Catholikes keepe their words and performe thehir promises yea though it bee to their hindrance Papistes teach that faith is not to be kept with heretikes and burned Iohn Husse in the conuenticle of Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct and faithfull promise 48. In the 13. session of the conuenticle of Trent the masse-priests curse al that shal affirm that the principall fruit of the eucharist is remission of sinnes which falleth vpon al Catholikes that shall beleeue Christs words Matth. 26. this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes 49. Christ taught true Catholickes to pray to the father in his name neither euer do we read that true Catholickes did pray thus aue maris stella Dei mater alma atque semper virgo foelix coeli porta solue vincula reis profer lumen caecis or that they hoped to come to heauen or to haue remission of sinnes by the Virgin Maries praiers and intercession 50. True Catholickes neuer said to a crucifixe of wood thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father nor did they pray to the crosse as the Papists doe saying ô crosse of Christ protectâ—mâ— nay Ambrose de obitu Theodosij sheweth that Helen finding the crosse did not worship it but Christ that hanged vpon the crosse 51. True Catholickes neuer consecrated anie paschall lambes as the Masse-priests are prescribed to doe in their missals 52. True Catholickes neuer said any Psalter in the honor of our Lady nor repeated an hundred and fifty aue Maries and after euery fifty aue Maries one creed and after euerie tenne Aue Maries one Paternoster as he Papists doe after the prescription of their ladies psalters and rosaries 53. Neuer did true Catholikes deuise new religions nor allow the swarmes and sects of Iebusites Franciscans Dominicans and the filthy rable of Friers which we see in the Romish church Finally all those deuises trickes fooleries nouelties and impieties of Popery which we refuse were neuer admitted by true Catholikes or allowed in the practise of Catholike religion CHAP. XVI That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church ID verius quod prius saith Tertullian lib. 4. contra Marcionem that is true that is former and that is former that was from the beginning and that was from the beginning that came from the Apostles Hierome also epist. 65. ad Pammach Ocean said to a certaine newly vp-start teacher in his time cur profers in medium quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why dost thou now bring foorth that which neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach if then Popish religion were that auncient religion which the Apostles first published then had the Papists cause to reioice but if Popery be nothing els but cockle that hath beene by heretikes and others the diuels ministers sowen in the Lords field since the first plantation of the Gospel and if the principall points thereof prooue new deuises brought in by the Pope and his complices many ages since the Apostles time then I hope euery Christian will reiect the same as nouelties and Papists hereafter will blush to talke of antiquitie That Popish religion is not the auncient religion of the primitiue church it may be proued first by the grounds of Popery that are of a later standing next by the founders and cheese authors of this sect that are not ancient thirdly by the particular points of Popery whose originall is found in later authors and lastly by the repugnance betwixt the doctrine of Popery and Christian religion The principall grounds of Popery are the Popes decretales the acts of certain late councels the disputes of schoolmen and glosses and commentaries of the Popes canonists and proctors but the Popes decretales had no authoritie of law before the time of Gregory the ninth who first published them and authorized them before his time Gratian and others had made diuers rapsodies and collections of the Popes decrees but the canonistes themselues doe not allow them for law beside that not one of the Popes before the time of Gregory the 7. who is the first that tooke vpon him to giue law to the whole church and whose epistles are first recorded in the great bullary took vpon him to publish his decretales for lawes if any decretales be set out before his time vnder the names of auncient bishops of Rome the stile arguments simplicity and fooleries conteined in them bewray them to be counterfet The Popes authority beganne to flourish about the times of Boniface the 3. who as
doe not see in what danger they stand either to be disgraced or dispossessed of their crownes disgrace it is to acknowledge any in earth their superiour and an euident danger to fall out with the Pope where the subiects are affected to Popery CHAP. XXXVII That Kings professing Popish religion are either no Kings or but halfe Kings BVt were not Kings in danger to lose their crownes and Kingdomes liuing vnder the Pope yet haue they no reason to take vpon themselues as free Kings and Princes or to beleeue that they can enioy all the right that belongeth to lawfull Kings and Princes For first no King can freely dispose of matters belonging to his gouernement that acknoledgeth any man to be his superior as for example Herode and other Kings that ruled vnder the Romans who could proceed no further then pleased the Emperors and people of Rome if then the King of Spaine or France or other nations do acknowledge the Pope to be his iudge and superior he may not refuse his iudgement or resist his authority Secondly we find that Kings before Christs comming in the flesh gaue lawes both to the chiefe priests and to all their people and not the chiefe priest either to the Kings of Israel and Iudah or to the people as may appeare by the lawes of Moyses Iosue Dauid Salomon Hezekia Iosiah we do also read that Constantine other Christian Kings vntill the times of Charles the great and long after gaue lawes to the Bishops of Rome and other clergy-men as may be euidently proued by the lawes yet extant Cod. de sum trinit sid cath de episc Cleric de episcop audient de haereticis and in diuers other titles and books but where any bishop of Rome all this time made any law to bind either kings or their subiects we find not vnlesse we list to admit counterfet decretales for currant lawes which no man of any vndestanding will doe nor any modest Papist can require wherefore taking vpon them authority to make lawes to binde both Kings and their subiects the Popes plainly declare that Kings lining vnder the confusion of Antichrists tyranny are no kings Thirdly Bellarmme lib. 1. de pontif Rom. c. 7. determineth that temperall Princes are no gouernors of the Church and generally both the Pope and his complices teach that kings haue no power either to make ecclesiasticall lawes or to reforme abuses of doctrine or to settle matters ecclesiasticall finally the Papists of England in their glosing petitions to his Maiesty wherein they pray his fauour yet will allow him no authority saue only in temporall and ciuill causes doth it not then manifestly appeare that Papists take from kings halfe their authority and giue the same to forreiners and publike enemies Fourthly in temporall matters which they are content to leaue to the disposition of Kings they restraine them in such sort that they wil not haue them either to rest in peace when the Pope commandeth them to make warres or to make warres further then the Pope permitteth Bomface the eight in c. vam sanctam extr de maiorit obed sheweth how princes are to vse their swords ad nutum patientiam sacerdotis that is at the Popes beck as long as he listeth to suffer it Fiftly the Pope shareth halfe the kings reuenues claiming tenths first fruits subsidies and other rights out of ecclesiasticall liuings he doth also claime the disposition of diuers ecclesiastical liuings in diuers cases and right to confirme bishops and getteth great summes of money for pardons licences and other rescripts and faculties Sixtly if a king need a dispensation against an ecclesiasticall law or an absolution from an offence he is sent to Rome to obteine it if be can and oftentimes such faculties and absolutions cost full deare King Henry the 8. spent great summes of money to be diuorced from his brothers wife and yet failed of his purpose Fredericke the 2. could not be absolued from his excommunication by Gregory the 9. but it cost him 125. M. ounces of gold as Nauclere and Iuan de Pineda a Spaniard doe signifie Iohn the king of England to obteine absolution was forced to resigne his crowne Seuenthly Alex. inder the fourth in the chapter quia nonnulli de immunit eccles in 6. exempteth the possessions and goods of clergie men from tolle and custome Finally Bomface the 8. in the chapter clericis de immunitat eccles m 6. doth excommunicate both kings and others that impose taxes and subsidies vpon the clergy and this is the common doctrine of the Popes agents Bellarmine de exemptione clericorum c. 1. setteth downe these propositions that clerkes in ecclesiasticall causes are free from the command of secular Princes by the law of God and againe that clerkes are not to be iudged of secular iudges albeit they transgresse temporall lawes and lastly that Princes in respect of clerkes are not soueraigne Princes Emanuel Sa in his Aphorismes for confessaries first printed and alledged by him that wrote the Franke discourse hath these wordes clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesaemaiestatis quia non est subditus regi the rebellion of a clerke against the king is no treason because he is not the kings subiect nay of late both the masse-priests and their firie followers haue thought it meritorious to rebell against the king And consonant to this doctrine is the practise of papists for in matters of contention betwixt the Pope and their kings they take part with the Pope and rebell against their kings as the rebellions of the Germaines and French in time past of the English and Irish against king Henry the 8. and Queene Elizabeth of the leaguers of France against king Henry the 3. and 4. doe manifestly declare When the Pope doth giue law to Princes they take themselues bound to execute it and vpon euery excommunication rise in armes against them and seeke to depose them In ecclesiasticall causes they runne for direction to the Pope and care not a straw for the ecclesiasticall lawes of their kings When the Pope commandeth a Prince to execute his bulles they are ready to follow the warres if he command them to surcease they forsake their kings in the midst of his conquests If the Pope leuy tenthes or subsidies vpon the clergy or Monkes or Friers they willingly beare all burthens and to him they runne for dispensations and all faculties Kings also seeke to the Pope in their owne cases for dispensations and absolutions where the Popes law saith they are necessarie Finally both the possessions and persons of clergy men are the Popes to dispose as may appeare for that he layeth what charge he listeth on their possessions and sometimes alienateth them to mainteine his warres and findeth their persons prest to doe him seruice If then kings beare themselues as inferiors to the Pope and receiue lawes at his hands and are excluded from all disposition and rule in ecclesiasticall causes and
after their death being depriued of the communion of Christians and of buriall Alexander the 4. c. quicunque haereticos de haereticis in 6. excommunicateth and depriueth of Christian buriall all such as goe about to bury heretikes or their fauorers neither doe they admitte the repentance of such as are adiudged relapsed but deliuer them ouer to be burnt by their executioners as we may reade in the chapter super co de haereticis in 6. The spanish inquisition is yet more rigorous then the former laws of Popes for vpon any wicked or lewd fellowes accusation an honest man may be attached imprisoned tortured and if he acquite himselfe not the better either famished in prison or burnt most cruelly And by these lawes we finde that infinit Christians haue beene done to death in Spaine Italy France Flanders England Scotland Germany and other Christian countries Meteraâ—â— in his history of the troubles of the low countries reporteth that fiftie thousand persons were executed by the actes of iudges and inquisitors in the low countries during the reigne of Charles the fift In England during the times of Queene Mary they spared neither old nor yongue noble nor base learned nor vnlearned nor did they respect eithe sexe of women or the simplicitie of the common sort Pius quintus testifieth that Philip the 2. spared not his owne and onely sonne Charles being accused by the inquisitors in the daies of Gregory the 13. a gentleman of Valedolid in Spaine cut wood and set fire to burne two of his owne daughters condemned for the Gospell in that countrey called heresie and if king Henry the 8. had liued longer it is thought the Papists would haue perswaded him not to haue spared his Queene so cruel was the Popish faction in prosecuting the innocent nay if either Queene Mary had longer liued or Popery longer reigned in England this bloody crew had caused the daughter to disenterre her own father and to burne his bones as some haue reported Sometime without forme of law they murder infinit numbers of innocent persons for the least suspicion of doctrine contrary to the opinions of the church of Rome for this cause Innocent the 3. and his successors proclaimed open warre against the Albigians and Valdensians and ceased not vntill hee had destroied all that durst manifestly oppose themselues vnto their heresie and tyranny In Bohemia they had not the like successe their armies being often ouerthrowne by the poore people of the country which defended their liues against their cruelty but neuer did they cease to persecute that nation Paul the 3. sent great forces into Germany seeking by the armes of Charles the fift to reestablish his antichristian kingdome in that countrey the same Pope stirred vp rebels both in England and Ireland against Henry the 8. that had shaken off his heauie yoke Pius the fift in his Bull commanded Queene Elizabeths subiects to rebell against her and raised many troubles both in England and Ireland seeking to ouerthrow the state if he could the same man not preuailing by intestine sedition sought to set both French and Spanish vpon the English as we may reade in his life written by Hicrome Catena In the times of Gregorie the 13. that bloody massacre that for euer shall make Papistes insamous was committed in France Natalis Comes histor lib. 23. testifieth that sixtie thousand persons were massaacred at that time Circiter sexaginta hominum millia saith he varijs in locis per illud tempus trucidata suisse dicta sunt in Gallia and so extreme was their crueltie that like bloody wolues they neither spared sexe nor age nor qualitie vel puberes vel impuberes saith he trucidati sunt neque vllius sexits vel aetatis vel dignitatis habita est ratio Anno 1588. they brought vpon England great forces with fire and sworde seeking the vtter subuersion of this kingdome but the Lord from heauen blew vpon his enemies and dispersed them In France they conspired against the king and bound themselues by oath to exclude the house of Bourbon from the right of the crowne and to roote out all that should speake against the Pope his erroneous doctrine and for that cause raised great tumults and stirres as we may reade in the memorials of the league The like course for many yeeres haue they taken in the Low countries where the strength of Italy and Spaine hath beene consumed and a way made for the good successe of the common enemy of Christendome the Turke Finally the Popes and their emissaries the Iebusites doe delight in nothing more then in tumults warres seditions massacring and shedding of the blood of innocent Christians The massacre of Paris is painted in the Popes palace as a matter wherein he taketh chiefe delight The Iebusites albeit once banished out of France cease not to sound the alarme against such as are opposite to their faction Andreas Fabritius in praefat in harmon August confess set out 1576. speaking to the Emperor exhorteth him to gird his sowrd vpon his thigh and to subdue heretikes the most pernitious enemies of Christians accingatur gladio suo super femur potentissimus imperator haereticos christiani nominis pernitiosissimos hostes sub iugum mittat Pius Quintus as we may read in his life exhorted his Italian troups that went into France against them of the religion to kill all and to take none aliue Posseuinus also a cholerike Iebusite in a treatise entitled il soldato Christiano speaking vnto the same soldiers assirmeth that it is their duty to kill al professing our religion or otherwise that they shall betray their faith and lose all hope of saluation In England of late perceiuing themselues to be too weak to preuaile by plaine force certaine vndermining Papists set on and resolued by fiery Iebusites and murdrous Masse-priests conceiued such a treason as caÌ„not be sampled by any former precedent nor found described in any old or new history their intention was at one instant with fire and gunpowder to consume the King the Queene the Prince the Prelates of the Church the Nobles Knights and Burgesses of the realme the Iudges and all that attended the honourable court of Parliament nay not content herewith they had a further practise to destroy the Kings roiall lignage to massacre all the professors of religion throughout the kingdome and to deliuer their country as a praie into the hands of Strangers The principall actors were Thomas Percy Catesby and Fauxe the principall counsellors Garnet Hall Baldwin and diuers other of the damned crew of Iebusites their aiders the damned crew of reconciled recusants Can we then thinke these men to belong to Christs flocke that vse this woluish cruelty longè diuersasunt carnisicina pietas saith Lactantius nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut institia cum crudelitate coniungi that is piety and butcherly cruelty are two diuers things and neither can truth with force nor iustice be coupled with crueltie Matthew
Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. doth testifie Alexander the third sent the soldan Fridericke Barbarossaes portrayt then seruing against the Saracens persuading him to kill him if he would settle his affaires Gregory the 9. inuaded the emperors dominions in Italy and drew Fridericke the 2. out of Asia to defend his owne possessions at home when he was almost in possession of the victory abroade Lastly it is publikely knowne that they haue set French and Spanish together about the quarrell of the kingdome of Naples Innocent the thrid by his excommunication of king Iohn set both his subiects and the French against him and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Iulian the Cardinall set the Germans against the Bohemians Paul the third was the principall motiue of the warres of Charles the sift against the Germans and to shut vp this discourse in few words not only Nicholas Machiauel in his Florentine history affirmeth but also all histories testifie that the Popes of Rome haue beene the principall causes of all the warres and stirres of Europe that haue beene for this 4. or 5. hundred yeres last past they are the causes of the massacres of France of the troubles of the low-countries of the late rebellions in England Scotland and Ireland of the contentions betwixt French and Spanish in Italy of the persecutions in Germany and Spaine and other countries Fourthly the Popes of Rome by deuising and confirming many orders of Monkes and friers by admitting such swarmes of idle lozels into orders and mainteining them by chanting of Masses for soules forcing them to forsweare mariage haue not only caused many vnnatural murders but also hindred the propagation and increase of men they haue also withdrawne men from defence of the common-wealth and placed them in dennes of licentious idlenesse and laid the charge of the common defence vpon few Fiftly exempting both the goods and the persons of religious men and clerkes from common charges of the common-wealth they haue weakened the states of princes and laid all the burthen vpon the weakest part Finally by their idolatries they haue displeased God and by their periuries haue made good the leud cause of the Turkes Therefore we are not to maruell if the Christians haue not prospered in their expeditions into the holy land for what successe could Christians looke for considering the notorious abuses cōmitted in the army by worshipping idoles blaspheming Gods holy name violating Christs institution of the Eucharist by celebration of prophane masses Could Ladislaus king of Poland and his army preuaile against the Turkes hauing begun the warre contrary to articles of peace solemnely sworne but let vs mainteine the religion of Christ and not of antichrist and let vs abolish the idolatrous worship of images and the inuocation of saints and let vs abandon the damned Masse and serue God as he hath appointed and finally let vs not violate our promises and oathes nor abuse gods holy name and then no doubt but we shall prosper in all our enterprises against the Turke or other enemies of the Church for hitherto not the Turks forces but the multitude of the sinnes idolatries blasphemies and other abuses of Christians haue made them flie before their enemies and ouerthrowne their armies CHAP. L. That the moderne church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romans THe Church of Rome when Paul wrote vnto it excelled in all pietie and vertue and was famous throughout the world but as al things else so both faith and vertue through tract of time fainted and in the end began to faile in that citie of late time we finde that neither that zeale in matters of religion nor that integritie and honesty of maners which was in the ancient Romanes doth continue in their posterity Adrian the 6. in his instructions giuen to his legate that was sent into Germany confesseth freely that many and grieuous offences for many yeeres haue beene committed at Rome and from the toppe of the Popes crowne passed downe to the inferior gouernors of the church and that no man did his dutie but that all went astray and none was voide of faults Plurimis nunc annis saith he grauiter multisque modis peccatum est Romae inde à Pontificio culmine malum hoc atque lues ad inferiores omnes ecclesiarum prafectos defluxit neminem enim esse qui suum faciat munus aberrasse omnes ne vnum quidem ex omni numero vacare culpa Duarenus in praefat in lib. de eccles minist benefic confesfeth that the manners of such as were called church-men were decaied and that the later constitutions of Popes were woorse then the first illud saith he fateri velinuiti cogimur mores hominum ecclesiae titulo insignitorum ita paulatim degenerasse vt posteriores constitutiones Pontificumfere anterioribus cedant Guicciardine lib. hist 2. sheweth how the authority of Christian religion grew euery day lesse and lesse by reason that in the affaires of the church men were altogether departed from ancient customes Le cose della chiesa saith he allontanatesi totalmente dalli antichi costumi faceuano ogni di minore l'authoritâ della Christiana religione Machiauel in his Florentine history directed to Clement the 7. confesseth that by reason of the mutation that had hapned in Christian religion great scandales and discords had growne in the world Many of the chiefe rulers of the church saith Picus Mirandula in orat ad Leon. x. after whose example others ought to conforme themselues haue either little or no religion no order in their liuing no shame nor modesty apud plerosque religionis nostra primores ad quorum exemplum componi formari plebs ignara debuisset aut nullus aut certè exiguus deicultus nulla bene viuendi ratio atque institutio nullus pudor nulla modestia Platina in Gregor 4. wisheth that Lewes Pius in his time had beene aliue so much did the church stand in neede of his lawes Res pietatemiampridem perdidimus saith Auentinus lib. 3. annal Boiorum virtuti nullus est honos inuicem inuidere fraudare fallere longinqua consuetudo est that is we haue long since lost our substance and pietie there is no honor giuen to vertue we haue vsed to enuy one another and to practise fraud and deceit a long time together Primitiui Theologi saith Petrus de Aliaco lib. de reformat eccles ecclesiam aedificauerunt quam nunc quidam Baritatores destruxerunt the Diuines of the Primitiue Church built the church but now certaine later barators haue destroied it And that this is true it may be prooued by diuers particulars in time past the bishops of Rome suffered for true religion now they cut the throats of all such as professe truth The ancient bishops of Rome fed Christs flocke and were subiect to Christian Emperours now the Popes kill Christs lambes and set their feete vpon the neckes of emperors In the
and ceremonies or else they would haue their heads broken Against Queene Elizabeth our late dread soueraigne vpon the roring of the Popes bull the Northren rebels anno 1569. fell into armes both leaders and followers were the Popes deare children this was also the motiue of all the troubles and insurrections in Ireland His Maiestie also that now raigneth hath not found any so troublesome disloyall and trecherous as his subiects popishly affected the Erle of Goury had brought too much popish leuaine out of Italy to be a good subiect Watson and Clarke that conspired the destruction of the king and state were Masse-priests Brooke Marcham and Copley their adherents were Masse-louers Faux and the late powdermen were zealous Papists Henry the 3. of France was oppugned by no other then the popish leaguers the duke of Guise and his house were therein principall agents and all the rest were affected and deuoted to the Popes seruice the Dominican friar that most shamefully murdred his liege souereigne Lord was the Popes vassall and set on by the Iebusites the same faction stood in armes against king Henry the 4. now reigning and not being able to resist by force by treason sought to destroy him Iohn Chastel a scholler of the Iebusites and Ghineard a Iebusite were therefore executed so also was Peter Barriere that incited by Iebusites and Masse-priestes came with a ful resolution to take away his Soueraignes life Parsons Campian and other Masse-priests and Iebusites were sent into England by the Pope for no other cause then to make a side for the execution of the Popes bull as appeareth by the Popes faculty granted to Campian and Parsons Neither were Parry Sauage Ocollen Yorke Lopez Squire and others that haue beene executed for attempting either by the sword or by poison to take away the late Queenes life set on by others then the Pope and his bloody faction God grant that his roiall Maiesty may escape their trecherous plots whose heads no doubt are as busie plotting against him as they euer were against his predecessor and that he neede not to doubt of it they declared the same euidently in the treacherous plot of Brooke Watson Clerke executed for the same at Winchester but most cleerely was the same resolued by the practise of Catesby Percy and Fauxe and their intended rebellion and fiery treason It may be the Pope and his faction will deny that they are the authors of these stirres rebellions and treasons but the Popes bulles their owne hand-writings their confessions their euident acts of treason the deposition of witnesses and the defences made by diuers Papists who mainteine these rebellions and treasons shall alwaies plainly conuince them Sanders in his booke de visibili Monarchia doth mainteine the rebellion in the North against Queene Elizabeth and both he and Bristow and others doe number those rebels among Popish martyres Thomas Becket that stirred vp forraine enemies against his prince and country and stood against his Prince is worshipped by the popish faction for a great saint Iames Clement that killed Henry the third of France was highly praised by Sixtus Quintus in his consistory and al the seditious masse-priests that came into England to stirre rebellion are by little and litle put into the catalogue of Martyrs as dying for Popish religion or rather for practising treason Neither doe these acts of rebellion and treason proceed from sodeine motions but rather from the lawes rules of Popery for first they hold that the Pope is aboue the King and hath power to depose him and to giue away his kingdome if then the Pope doe depose the king and giue away his Kingdome all his Popish subiects must forsake him Secondly they teach that if the Pope doe commande the subiects to take armes against the King that they are bound to rebell against him and to lay hands vpon him if they can vpon paine of damnation and this is meritorious in the opinion of the Pope if then rebels be good subiects then these fellowes may be reputed good subiects Thirdly Cardinall Como in his letters written to Parry in the Popes name sheweth that it is meritorious to kill a king excommunicat and so was both he and Iames Clement perswaded by the Iebusites and Masse-priests and may a man trow you beleeue them to be good subiects that thinke it lawfull to kill their leege-Lords vpon the Popes warrant Lastly they hold that euery king that is by the Pope excommunicat and declared a tyrant ipso facto is deposed and may be slaine by any man for so Emanuell Sa the Iebusite doth determine in his aphorismes some say further that an hereticall king ipso facto loseth his kingdome and those that are not so forward affirme notwithstanding that the Pope may assoile subiects from their obedience and dispense with oathes but all such deserue the title of rebels and traitors and those kings stand in great danger that trust such trustlesse and pretended subiects But it may be said that all Papists in England are not of this opinion I grant it may be so de facto but if they be true Papists and truly deuoted to their holy father then must they obey the Popes bulles and acknowledge his doctrine and this the Masse-priests and Iebusites that lurke in diuers places of England attending their pray both know and practise for as traitors they teach conditionall obedience vntill the Popes further pleasure be knowen they interteine intelligence with forraine enemies they receiue their authority from the Pope they depend vpon him and not vpon the king they are gouerned by the Popes lawes and not by the kings lawes Finally the 5. of Nouember last the Iebusites Masse-priests and their adherents of the popish faction in England determined to destroy the King and state and to make a generall insurrection and massacre throughout the whole kingdome and had done their vttermost if God had not preuented their malicious dessines and purposes They may also alledge in excuse of papists that to kings that be of their owne religion they are most obedient and deuoutly affected but first this obedience and deuotion is conditionall and temporary that is if and so long as the Pope commandeth not the contrary For if the Pope excommunicate the King of Spaine called by them the Catholike King hee is in no better termes then others The Emperors that were excommunicat by the Pope within these 3. or 4. hundred yeares were of the Popes religion yet did it not auaile them Henry the third of France was superstitiously addicted to Popery yet was he murdred by a Dominican Frier and Henry the fourth being reconciled to the Pope and scornefully whipped in the person of his ambassador scaped not the blow of Iohn Chastel Secondly kings professing Popish religion are not obeied in ecclesiasticall matters For as Bellarmine teacheth they are no gouernours of the Church others say they haue no power to make lawes concerning ecclesiasticall causes so it appeareth they lose
halfe their authority Thirdly Bellarmine and others exempt the persons of the Clergie from the iurisdiction of temporall Lords doth it not then appeare that popish kings are Commanders but of one halfe of their subiects Lastlie they doe exempt the goods of the clergie from the disposition of the Prince so we may see that the King loseth halfe his reuenues where popish religion beareth swaie To conclude therefore it is apparent by the premisses that all true Papists professing and practising the Popes doctrine are vtter enemies and in hart euill affected to Kings professing a contrary religion and depend on strange and forreine Princes rather then vpon their owne Kings well they may temporize hauing dispensations for it but if opportunity bee offred to the Pope and his faction to shew their malice we may assure our selues we shall finde them like our English powder-men that is traitors and enemies of the prince and state and Kings professing Popery are but the Popes vassals and vnderlings and during the Popes good will and pleasure further they haue but halfe their kingly authority and rule but halfe their subiects and lose halfe their reuenues which whosoeuer either teacheth or alloweth he may say and sweare obedience in temporall matters as long as he list but wise men will neuer hold him for other then a temporary and vndutifull subiect CHAP. LIIII That such Papists as positiuely hold all the hereticall and false doctrines of the moderne church of Rome cannot possiblie be saued THere are many false prophets gone out into the world saith S. Iohn 1. epist. 4. speaking of his times and Reuelat. 9. he telleth vs that in the later times of the church a starre shall fall from heauen and that he that is signified by that starre shal open the bottomlesse pit out of the smoke wherof shall come locustes that haue haire like women teeth like lions habergeons of iron and tailes like scorpions we may not therefore thinke but that now also false prophets are stirring abroad and that swarmes of locustes are flying in euery kingdome seeking by glozing pretence to deceiue the simple by viperous calumniations to bite true teachers with armes to oppugne princes and with the poison and reliques of their herolies to sting and hurt all that shall professe the trueth The Iebusites and their consorts the friers and Masse-priests pretend the sauing of mens soules but they are false teachers and the very locustes mentioned by S. Iohn and sent foorth by the Pope designed by the starre Apocalyps 9. let all Papists therefore beware how they listen to their heriticall and damnable doctrine which who so beleeueth and followeth positiuely cannot be saned The word of God is true If any man saith Iohn Ren. 14. worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God afterward he saith hee shall be tormented in fire and brimstome before the holy Angels and before the Lambe but whosoeuer is reconciled to the Pope and submitteth himselfe to the lawes and kingdome of antichrist doth worship the beast and his image whosoeuer openly professeth Popery receiueth the Popes marke in his forehead whosoeuer yeeldeth to the practise of Romish religion receiueth his marke in his hand let Papistes therefore stand vpon their guard and looke well to their consciences for albeit Sanders and Bellarmine with all their skill haue endeuoured to prooue that the Pope is not antichrist yet all Bellarmines wrangling discourse is refuted in my fift booke de Pontif. Rom. and Sanders his demonstrations stande also dissolued by M. Whitakers of pious memory beside that neither they nor any of their consorts can assigne any other state vnto whom these prophesies may so well agree as to the Pope and his kingdome if then our reasons cannot resolue them yet the perplexitie of our aduersities in this controuersie may helpe to informe them and perswade them that the beast there spoken of is the Pope and that his image is the Romish gouernment whereby the old empire of Rome is in a certaine sort represented and restored Furthermore Apocalyps 22. we finde that dogges enchanters whoremongers murtherers idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies shal be excluded out of the kingdome of heauen but like to dogges the Pope and his adherents refuse Gods word preached vnto them and teare them in pieces that seeke to feed them with the bread of life diuers of the Popes haue beene great Magicians Necromancers and Enchanters as Benet the 9. Gregory the 6. and 7. Syluester the 2. Paul the 3. and many of their followers follow also but too much this damnable practise the Masse-priests like cunning enchanters suppose that bread and wine is turned into flesh and blood in their magicall Masses they permit publike stewes keepe concubines and to monkes friers and masse-priests forbid lawfull marriage they haue murdred and massacred millions of Christians to erect and vphold their antichristian kingdome the 5. of Nouember last they attempted a treason neuer before heard of minding to murder the King his Lords and the Commons assembled in parliament and to massacre all opposite to them throughout the realme they erect idols in churches and euerie corner of their streetes and in high waies giuing latriam and diuine honour to the crosse and to the images of the Trinitie and calling the Sacrament their Lord and God and making vowes praiers confessions to saints and burning incense to images and saying Masse in the honour of saints and angels finally they doe not onely forge standers against M. Luther Zuinglius Caluin and other true teachers but also against vs all as if we taught that God is the author of sinne and that Christ despaired that there is no hell but horror of conscience and such like abhominable doctrines which we expresly detest they giue out also that we condemne good works and teach rebellion and their hearers delight to heare these lies S. Paul hauing rehearsed diuers works of the flesh Gal. 5. and namely adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatrie witchcraft and diuers others of that nature and among the rest heresie seditions he concludeth that those that doe such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God but neuer was any sect more subject to these workes of the flesh then the Papists their idolatries heresies rebellions murders and witchcraft I haue before noted adultery and fornication they account to be small sinnes c. at si clerici de indicijs their vnnaturall lustes are testified in diuers records and bookes their clergie cannot choose but be vncleane when they resuse marriage and forsweare it their massacres and murders and rebellions are recorded in many histories and the memory thereof will now be recorded in actes of parliament that they allow publike stewes themselues deny not and doe they thinke that wallowing like swine in their fleshly workes they shall be saued Athanasius in the end of his Creed saith it is
rest also may reuoke their errours see their deformities returne with a sincere heart to Gods true church and so be saued CHAP. LV. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and an exhortation both to Papistes and true Christians THus we see and I pray God all Christians may diligently consider what is meant by popish religion briefly it is a collection of diuers corruptions and errors mainteined by the Pope and his adherents either contrary or aboue the Apostles doctrine this religion we haue shewed to haue beene built vpon weake vncerteine and salse foundations and auerre that it is contrarie to the doctrine of Gods law and of true faith and iustification through Christ the same also teacheth erroneously of the Gospell and diminisheth the merits of Christ our mediator and redeemer Further it hath corrupted the doctrine of the sacraments and brought in many old and new heresies it is compacted of diuers impieties blasphemies and idolatries and neuer came from Hierusalem it was neuer taught by the Prophets or Apostles nor professed by ancient Christian Kings It is not that religion to which the ancient Britans and English were conuerted nor doth it deserue to be called Catholike or ancient it is found to be repugnant to ancient councels and to the faith of the ancient fathers It is a religion diuers from that of the ancient Martyrs of Christ Iesus A religion deuised by man and not deriued out of holy scriptures A religion whose founders defenders doe wickedly wrest and abuse scriprures fathers and other writers A religion consisting of heathenish and Iewish obseruances A religion full of contradictions and contrarieties A religion steined with many fooleries and absurdities A religion keeping Christians in ignorance of true pietie and loosing the reines to all voluptuousnesse and disorder A religion deuoid of good workes and piety A religion that maketh a base accompt of Gods people and teacheth doctrines of Diuels A religion of whose grounds and doctrines the professors thereof haue no assurance A religion repugnant to lawes of nations of kinred alliance and common ciuilitie A religion preiudiciall to the authority of Kings and dangerous in regard of their states and persons A religion that laieth greeuous burthens on mens consciences and eateth vp Christians through manifolde exactions A religion without true bishops and priests and wholy mainteined by false allegations forgeries calumniations lies fire and sword periury and breach of couenant A religion whose chiefe founders and mainteiners haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men A religion more absurd in diuers points and that oppresseth Christians more greeuously then Mahometry A religion by whose practise the empire of Christians is decaied the power of the Turke enlarged A religion professed by degenerated Romans neither for faith nor life comparable to their ancesters and by a church that was neuer visible vntill of late time nor can shew better markes or bring better motiues to induce men to embrace her doctrine then the Turks and Paynims To conclude a religion whose professors can neither be esteemed true subiects nor true Christians nor iustlie pretend either assurance or hope of their saluation I doe therefore exhort all true Christians as they desire either that the true faith of Christ Iesus may be publikely receiued or that doctrines contrary to piety Christian charity policy reason and common humanity may be suppressed to beware of the leuain of Popery to concurre with those which both teach and set forward the true Catholike faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and which seeke to resiste all corruptions false doctrines sects and heresies and to roote vp the seeds of all trecherie and rebellion On the other side I beseech all Papists to cast away all preiudice and passion and diligently to consider of the premisses that as they professe themselues true subiects wel affected to Catholike the ancient religion of the church of Christ so they may abhorre their former treasons and rebellious detest the masse-priests and powder-men their consorts reiect all heresies errors and false doctrines masked with glorious titles of vniuersality and antiquity and set foorth by the Pope and his complices teaching a late particular faith and finally endeuour to be gathered together into that society whereof Christ is the head and without which there is no saluation The God of all truth confirme and establish all true Christians in truth and discouer all trecheries and errors that such as now are disloially minded and wander astray may acknowledge their former disloialties and errors and embrace the true Catholike faith and that such as stand may be confirmed in the truth that so both they and we iointly may liue loyally vnder our Princes and truely serue one true and euerliuing God and glorifie his holy name through Christ our Lord to whom together with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God we render all praise and honour now and for euer A briefe note of the contents of euery Chapter of the former discourse Chap. 1. VVHat is ment by Popery or popish religion in this whole treatise Chap. 2. Of the grounds and foundations of popish religion Chap. 3. Of the wicked doctrine of Papists concerning the law of God and the performance thereof Chap. 4. Of the damnable doctrine of Papists concerning faith and iustification Chap. 5. What Papists doe meane speaking of the Gospel Chap. 6. Of the impious doctrine of Papists concerning Christ our Sauiour Chap. 7. The strange contradictory and false opinions of Papists concerning the Sacraments Chap. 8. That Popery is a mixture of old and new heresies Chap. 9. A catalogue of diuers notorious impieties and blasphemies conteined not onely in popish bookes but also in the corps of popish religion Chap. 10. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry Chap. 11. That popish religion neuer came from Hierusalem Chap. 12. That Popish religion was neuer taught either by the old Prophets or by the apostles of Christ Iesus Chap. 13. That Popery was either condemned or not know â—s by kings professing Christian religion in old time Chap. 14. That the ancient Britanes and English were not first conuerted to popish religion Chap. 15. That popish religion is most falsly termed catholike religion and papists Catholikes Chap. 16. That popish religion is not the ancient religion of the primitiue church Chap. 17. That Popery is repugnant to ancient Councels Chap. 18. That popery is not the faith of the ancient fathers of the church Chap. 19. That popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs Chap. 20. That popery is a meere humane denise and not in any sort to be deduced or proued out of holy scriptures Chap. 21. That popish religion in diuers points is directly contrarie to holy scriptures Chap. 22. That the founders and desenders of popery doe most wickedly abuse holy scriptures Chap. 23. That the Pope and the principall proctors of his cause are great forgers and falsifiers of fathers profane writers and of publike records Chap. 24. That Popery standeth much vpon heathenish obseruances and customes Chap. 25. That popery borroweth also diuers fashions from the Iewes Chap. 26. That popish religion is full of contradictions and contrary opinions Chap. 27. That popery is a most absurd and foolish religion Chap. 28. That popery keepeth Christians in blindenesse and ignorance of God and godlinesse Chap. 29. That popish religion giueth the reines to licentiousnesse of life leadeth Christians the broad way to destruction Chap. 30. That popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruites that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes Chap. 31. That in popery a base accompt is made of princes and all lay-men Chap. 32. That popery is a doctrine of diuels Chap. 33. That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion Chap. 34. That popery is repugnant to the lawes of nations Chap. 35. That popery dissolueth the bonds of kinred all 〈◊〉 and ciuilitie Chap. 36. That popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authority of kings and princes Chap. 37. That Kings professing popish religion are either no kings or but halfe kings Chap. 38. That kings liue not in any security of their lines where popery is professed by their subiects Chap. 39. That Popish religion laieth grieuous burthens on mens consciences Chap. 40. That popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the popes and the Masse-priests manfolde taxes and exactions Chap. 41. That the popish church hath no true bishops nor priests Chap. 42. That popery cannot be mainteined without forgerie and falshood Chap. 43. That popery cannot be wel vpholden without calummations and lies Chap. 44. That the cause of popery is not mainteined without fire and sword Chap. 45. That the practises and treaties of popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted Chap. 46. That the chiefe founders and mainteiners of popery haue beene commonly noted for wicked and profane men Chap. 47. That popery in many points is more absurde and abominable then the doctrine of Mahomet Chap. 48. That christians are lesse oppressed vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope Chap. 49. That the ambition couetousnesse contention practise of popes is the principall cause of the decay of the Christian empire and a great occasion of the good successe of the Turkes Chap. 50. That the moderns church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romaines Chap. 51. That the Romish church that now is was inuisible in old time Chap. 52. That the markes of the church and motiues to the moderne Romish faith alledged by Papists may as well be alle dged by Turkes and infidels Chap. 53. That true Papists cannot be true nor loiall subiects Chap. 54. That such Papists as positiuely holde all the hereticall and false doctrines of the mederne church of Rome cannot possibly be saued Chap. 55. A briefe recapitulation of the principall points of the former discourse and art exhortation both to Papists and true Christians
Suruey of Popery and to draw home this idle wandring Surueyer Searcher of other mens matters to a carefull consideration of his owne desperat cause His Treatise is most foolishly titled A Suruey of the new religion for neither shall he euer prooue that one article of our religion is new nor doth he dispute against any grounds held by vs but only telleth of certaine extrauagant speeches partly falsely imputed to Luther Caluin Zuinglius and other priuat men and partly falsely gathered out of their words by false constructions but had they held any priuat opinions that iustly might be censured what is that to vs our religion certes is not grounded vpon Luther Caluin or any late Teacher but vpon the Prophets and Apostles neither is our faith that which is found in priuat mens writings but that which is founded vpon holy Scriptures and conteined in our publicke confessions he might therefore with more reason haue called it a surfet of his owne fooleries and fantasticall deuices and calumniations then a suruey of our religion Against this idle inuention of Kellison I haue I hope opposed a more diligent and certeine suruey of Popery for I haue not deuised any thing of mine owne but truely reported the doctrine which they teach and herein I do not obiect whatsoeuer is taught by Scotus Aquinas Durandus Biel Stapleton Harding Bellarmine or which other Doctours do holde singulerly nor that which Sanders Parsons or such idle fellowes babble in their trifling books but only that which is either defined in some Councell or determined by some Pope or generally taught or practised by all or most or best of our aduersaries and which I thinke Kellison will not deny And by these grounds doctrines and practises I hope to ouerthrow the whole frame and building of Popery being layd vpon weake grounds and consisting of many wicked and false doctrines and being mainteined by most leud and wicked meanes and practises This Discourse I first deuised for a priuat friend whose wauering for I will not say defection vntill I see surther I do much lament and whose settlement I doe much desire but because I doe thinke the same may doe good to many who not knowing the trueth we hold nor the errours heresies superstitions idolatry and impietie of Popery do runne headlong vpon occasion either of malcontentment or desire of innouation in matters of State which they consider may soonest be stirred by quarrels about religion into strange courses I haue beene perswaded to make it common the same also may serue to reclaime the most haggard Papists if they doe not wilfully shut their eyes and stoppe their eares against the trueth thirdly this may serue to stoppe the mouth of the slandrous Iebusites and Masse-priests that imputing to vs wicked opinions and practises no way defended are vnable to defend their owne doctrines and practises which they publikely professe and commend sinally I hope wise Christians may learne by these collections of ours neither to trust the aduersary who maketh no conscience of lying or slandring nor to condemne innocent men before they be heard and conuicted Vouchsafe therefore gentle Reader to reade our Discourse with attention and to iudge without partialitie and then I doubt not but thou wilt beware both of the impious doctrines and of the iniurious and leud practises of Popery If any be offended with this surueying course let him impute the fault to Kellison who of a drunken butler is now become a mad surueyer and if he finde not texts or proofs sufficient to satisfie his humour in proofe of euery allegation in this Treatise let him thinke that the matters are of that nature that either they will be confessed of the aduersary or els are notoriously knowen to the world though impudently denied by the polshorne packe of Antichrist Finally as there is but one Faith one Baptisme one God so there is but one true religion which euery one is to know and to embrace if he will be saued And this is grounded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone but as Athanasius orat 2 contr Arianos sayth of the Arians Pro Christo apud illos Arius est that is They follow Arius as if he were Christ so we may say of the Papists The Pope is their Christ their head their lodestarre their Northpole and all in all This one true religion is also Apostolicke and Catholicke and most ancient Tertullian lib. 1. contr Marcionem teacheth vs Whatsoeuer doctrine hath beene brought into the Church after the first publication of the Gospel that the same is to be reputed heresie Haeresis deputabitur sayth he quod postea inducitur but Popery neuer came from the Apostles but from the Pope neither was the same vniuersally or anciently receiued but onely taught and embraced by the Popes faction of late times and within certeine limits finally this true and apostolicke religion is of God and not of the inuention of Popes or their polshorne Priests Monks or Friers Embrace therefore that religion that is deriued from the Apostles and Prophets that is truly Catholicke Apostolicke and most ancient and finally which hath no authour but God and beware of all profane nouelties and Popish inuentions and then as thou walkest by faith in this life so thou shalt atteine to the vision of the face of God in the life to come and also reigne with God euerlastingly through Christ which is the Way the Truth and Life The Abridgement or Suruey of Poperie Conteining a briefe and plaine declaration of the grounds doctrines beginnings proceedings impieties falsities and other manifold abuses of the Popish sect CHAP. I. What is meant by Popery or Popish religion in this Discourse ensuing TO teach aright saith Plato in Cratylo we are diligently to expound the termes or words we treat of and Tully in his first booke of Offices saith that euery instruction that is vndertaken rightly ought to begin with a desinition of matters which we are to discourse of because therefore I would not be mistaken nor haue our aduersaries to take either an occasion of quarrell or a pretence of euasion it shall be neeedfull before we passe any further to define and declare what wee meane in this discourse by popery or popish religion and so much the rather for that the Papistes doe hold and professe the articles of the Creed and diuers other points deduced of them or consonant vnto them which both the Apostles and ancient fathers and wee also beleeue and professe and vnder colour whereof they abuse simple soules recesuing their puddle waters of Popery made sweete with some truth for the pure streames of Christian doctrine By popery therefore wee vnderstand not any point of Christian doctrine generally holden of all Christians or the doctrine of the Prophets or holy Apostles professed generally by the ancient fathers and truly termed Catholike for that we hold and professe as well as the Papistes and farre more
syncerely than they albeit we detest and renounce all Popery but all those errors and corruptions in doctrine both concerning faith and manners which the synagogue of Rome her louers by colour of the Popes authority and by his perswasion and enforcement from time to time baue receiued professed and taught either contrary to the doctrine institution of Christ and his Apostles or else aboue the same and aboue the faith of the ancient primitiue church Neither doe wee otherwise single Popery from Christian religion than the ancient Catholickes did distinguish Arianisme Macedonianisme Nestorianisme Eutychianisme Pelagianisme and other heresies from the true faith for although the Arians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians Pelagians and other heretickes did hold in termes the articles of the faith yet for that the first denied the diuinity of the sonne of God the second the diuinity of the holie ghost the third the vnion of the two natures in the person of Christ the fourth the verity of Christes humane nature the fift the necessitie of Gods grace and added diuers nouelties to the ancient faith they were reputed heretickes and by their heresies ancient Christians vnderstood not any point of Christian faith but their singuler opinions which they maintained obstinately against the faith The Apostles in the Primitiue Church did teach that doctrine which they had receiued from Christ Iesus and deliuered the same to their successours and they to others the first Christians likewise receiued the same pure and without corruption but as the enuious man while the men of the house slept sowed tares among good corne as wee read Matth. 13. so false Apostles and heretickes from time to time haue gone about with their cockle and tares to corrupt the syncere doctrine of the faith abusing the negligence of true teachers to their owne aduantage but yet none more cunningly and fraudulently than the Popes of Rome and their complices for other heretickes were soone espied by their opposition to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christs true Church timely bewraying themselues but these vnder the titles of Apostolicke men and Catholickes haue corrupted the Apostolicke and Catholicke faith and vnder the name and title of the Church haue vndermined the foundations and doctrine of the Church and vnder their sheepes clothing haue couered their rauening and wooluish natures and so haue they lurked many yeeres mingling their traditions and inuentions with the doctrines of faith and for truth deliuering erroneous and superstitious doctrines and vnder the name of Christ endeuouring to erect the kingdome of Antichrist At the first they clogged religion with diuers superfluous and superstitious ceremonies loaded Christians with the burthen of their decretales and censures but in the end they corrupted both the worship of God the doctrine of faith Boniface the 3. obtained of Phocas that the church of Rome should be reputed head of other churches and this was the beginning of the Popes supremacy In the wicked assembly vnder Irene that semipagan empresse at Nice the doctrine of the worship of images began first to be established this the Popes of Rome willingly embraced vsing this occasion to establish their own kingdome to free themselues from the gouernment of the Emperour then also the superstitious worship of Saints reliques began to be authorised and vnwritten traditions vnder the title of Apostolicke authority to be commended as appeareth in the third action of that synode The French king Charles the great and his father Pipin and other their successors endowed the church of Rome with great temporall possessions which made them strong and powerfull Nicolas the 2. in a certein synode at Rome first decreed that Christes body was present in the eucharist and handled with the priests hands and pressed with the teeth and this fell out about the yeare of our Lord 1059. Gregory the 7. first beganne to handle the temporall sword and manifestly to oppose himselfe against the Roman emperor before his time saith Otho Frisingensis we doe not read of any Emperor excommunicated by the Pope Nether did euer anie Bishop of Rome presume to depose the emperour before him some alledge Ambroses example but that sheweth that bishops neuer tooke vpon them to depose princes but only to refrain from communicating with them that which Gregory the seuenth beganne that in the end his successors obteined for by their practises they subdued the emperor and gaue way to the Turke The doctrine of transubstantiation was first established by Innocent the third in a synode at Lateran about the yeare of our Lord 1215. then also came in the necessity of auricular confession The communion vnder one kind was brought in first by the synode at Constance about the yeare of our Lord 1414. there also it was decreed that the accidents in the eucharist did subsist without a subiect In the conuenticle of Florence about the yeare of our Lord 1439. the doctrine of purgatorie and the Popes supremacy was decreed by the authority of the synode there also the doctrine of the 7. sacraments was first propounded to the Armenians as proceeding from the synode neither doe we read of the forme of extreme vnction and other Popish sacraments there set downe before this time The rest of the errors and superstitions of Popery were established and confirmed in the conuenticle of Trent about the yeare of our Lord 1564. for before that time the schoolemen disputed pro and contra but since that they haue made it vnlawfull to hold otherwise then that synode prescribeth in matters there newly determined Now they haue as it were giuen a perfect forme and full authoritie to that doctrine which before was not either perfectly knowen of all or in all pointes allowed of all so that whatsoeuer the Papistes vant of the antiquitie of their doctrine yet it is most euident that the full establishment of it as it is now deliuered cannot be proued or shewed before this conuenticle then their missals Breuiaries and offices receiued a great alteration or rather a new forme then they innouated diuers points of doctrine both concerning faith and manners To relate all the particular errors and abuses of the Romish Church were a matter infinite for there is no point almost wherein the Papists varie not from the auntient Church the article concerning the holy Trinitie excepted beside that they vary in their doctrine and practise dailie but the principall points of Popery wherein we charge them to haue digressed from the doctrine of the Apostles and primitiue Church of Christ are these First they haue taught nouelties and false doctrine concerning the verie grounds of faith the Apostle teacheth vs that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the Cheefe corner stone but they beleeue the church to be built vpon the Pope Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 1. saith that the Apostles did first preach the Gospell and afterward deliuer the same in scriptures that they might be a
the tenth Clement the seuenth and diuers other Popes this heresie therfore they seeme to borrow from the Sadduces or rather from the Epicures 8. Among the followers of Christ the first heretikes were the Capernaites that beleeued that Christs flesh was to be eaten and his bloud to be drunken really and that both were to be receiued into the mouth and swallowed downe into the belly the same notwithstanding is taught by Pope Nicolas c. ego Berengarius de consecrat dist 2. and generally is beleened among the Papists his words are sensualiter tractari and dentibus sidelium atteri as if Christs body were handled with hands sensually and torne with teeth of the faithfull grosly 9. With Simon Magus the Pope and his mates thinke it no sinne either to buie or to sel the gifts of the holy ghost thereof commeth the mart of Masses the portsale of indulgences the chaffering for benefices and all spirituall linings and dignities Mantuan Calamit lib. 3. saith they sell churches altars sacraments yea heauen and God himselfe the bishop of Chems onus eccles c. 23. saith that Priests did sell Christ more execrably than did Iudas Furthermore both Simon Magus and the Papists count it a small sin to vse common women Finally both the followers of Simon Magus and the Monks and Friers worship the images of their founders this Augustine de haeres c. 1. accompted heresy in Simon and his followers docebat detestandam turpitudinem indifferenter vtendi foeminis and againe imagines suam Helenes praebebat discipulis adorandas 10. Irenaeus lib. 1. aduersus haeres c. 23. reputeth the Basilidians heretikes in regard of their vse of images enchantments and diuers superstitious exorcizations What is this then but a sentence against the Papists that coniure water and salt and other creatures saying exorcizo te creaturasalis and exorcizo te creatura aquae and so foorth they doe also abuse the name of God in their exorcismes and yet make exorcists an order that order a Sacrament of the church lastly they doe follow Simon Magus in magicall inchantments and vse images most superstitiously to diuers purposes 11. Carpocrates also worshipped images and for that was put into the catalogue of heretikes by Ireney lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 24. Marcellina one of his followers adored the images of Iesu Paul Pythogoras and Homer colebat imagines Iesu Pauli Homeri Pythagorae adorando incensumque ponendo saith Augustine haeres c. 7. so likewise Papists adore and burne incense to the images of Saints yea somtime to the images of heretikes and no Saintes as for example to the images of George the dragon killer of Catherine of Papias and such like 12. The Carpocratians and Basilidians did conceale and hide the mysteries of their religion lest holy things should be cast to dogges as we read in Ireney lib. 1. c. 23. and Epiphanius in haeres 24. and 27. and what doe Papists doe they not likewise abuse the same wordes of casting holie things to dogges against Gods people to exclude them from talking of the mysteries of religion and reading scriptures 13. Epiphanius haeres 34. testifieth that the Marcosians did baptise in an vnknowen language and Ireney lib. 1. c. 18. sheweth that they anointed with Chrisme such as they baptized and that they had a kind of extreme vnction for the dead Epiphanius saith also that Marcus in the eucharist brought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transubstantiation that his followers accounted themselues perfect in their steppes therefore the Papists tread vsing tongues in administring Sacraments not vnderstood of the vulgar sort greasing their sicke and them whom they baptize beleeuing transubstantiation and accounting Monkes and Friers in the state of perfection but as Ireney saith perfectus apud cos nemo nisi qui maxima mēdacia apud eos fructificat both old and new heretikes tell abominable lies and for proof alledge forged and apocryphall writings 14. The Papists consecrate euery yeere paschal lambes and obserue the Iewish Iubiley and in their massing sacrifice vse Iewish apparell and ceremonies as Durand confesseth Innocentius in c. per venerabilem qui filij sunt legitimi determineth that Deuteronomy is now to be obserued quod ibi decernitur in nouo testamento debet obseruari saith he if then the Nazarites were iustly condemned for heretikes for mingling Iewish ceremonies with Christian religion as Augustine de haeres c. 9. and Epiphanius in haeres 29. testifie then wee doe the Pope and his poleshorne flocke no wrong to call them heretikes both Papistes and Nazarites bragge much of their reuelations and miracles this is therefore another point of heresie wherein both concurre 15. The Heracleonites gaue their followers departing out of this life extreme vnction and murmured wordes in an vncouth language ouer them feruntur saith S. Augustine de haeres c. 16. suos morientes nouo modo quasi redimere id est per oleum balsamum aquam inuocationes quas Hebraicis verbis dicunt super capita eorum this is also in part testified by Epiphanius in haeres 36. this practise therefore is common to the Papists with them and both of them abuse the words of S. Iames c. 5. where he talketh of anointing the sicke and draw them to their purpose 16. The followers of Helzai and heretikes called Osseni as Epiphanius haeres 19. ante Christum tostifieth vsed to sweare by bread and salt and other creatures and worshipped the spittle and reliques of two of their sect the same Helzai taught his disciples also to pray in a tongue not vnderstood saying to them let no man aske the interpretation but only say these wordes and then followed certeine barbarous termes the Papists therefore swearing by bread and salt and other creatures and worshipping the ragges and excrements of their Saints and praying in Latine that is not vnderstood of the vulgar sort doe heerein rather imitate heretikes then true Christians or catholikes 17. Marcion extolled virginity A Marcione saith Epiphanius haers 42. virginitas praedicatur yet did he corrupt a mayden he gaue also women power to baptise as Damascene de haeres testifieth Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 30. saith that he Saturninus began first to teach abstinence from liuing creatures he taught also that by Christs descending into hell diuers mens soules were thence deliuered as Epiphanius witnesseth finally he separated mariages for religion so likewise Masse-priests and votaries praise virginity wallow in fornication allow women to baptise beleeue that eating of fruit roots is better than eating of flesh separate married couples entring by consent into monasteries and beleeue that not only the patriarkes were deliuered out of limbus patrum but that Traians Falconillaes soules and diuers others were by their saints fetched out of hell as for purgatory that is a part of hell it is the Popes inheritance and from thence they say he may deliuer whom and as many as he list 18. The Messalians beleeued that baptisme
Iebusites and in former times the rules of Benet Francis and Dominike His followers fall downe like beasts before him and worship him as God Paulus Aemilius lib. 2. telleth how the Ambassadors of Sicily cried thus to the Pope thou which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs thou which takest away the sinnes of the world giue vnto vs peace and Simon Begnius bishop of Modrusa in the Councell of Lateran ses 6. calleth Leo the 10. his sauiour te beatissimâ— Leo saluatorem exspectauimus saith he Stapleton writing to Gregory the 13. calleth him supremum numen in terris his epistle is extant before his doctrinall principles they call him the vicar of Christ the monarch of the church the head the spouse and foundation of the church most blasphemously ascribing to him the honor due to Christ Most shamefully also they racke scriptures to apply them to the Pope Thomas Waldensis that fleering frier in his prologue before the first tome of his works turneth the words which the apostle spoke to Christ to Martin the fift Domine saith he salua nos perimus Lord saue vs we perish declaring that the Pope is the sauiour of friers Cornelius bishop of Bitonto in the conuenticle of Trent vttereth these blasphemous speeches the Pope the light is come into the world but men loued the darknesse more then light Antoninus part 3. doth compare Dominike with Christ and saith he wrought more miracles then Christ dominus Christus saith he est dominus absolutè authoritatiuè Dominicus possessiuè that is Dominicke is Lord of the world by possession Christ by authoritie and absolutely likewise the booke of conformities of Christ and Francis doth conteine nothing but blasphemous comparisons betwixt them two Francis they call the figuratiue Iesus and in heauen they say he and his company is kept in Christs side To S. Dominike his company they giue a place vnder our Ladies gowne Fulbertus bishop of Charters saith Radulphus niger was nourished with our Ladies milke they tell also blasphemous tales of Alane de rupe the author of our Ladies Rosary and say that he was very familiar with the blessed virgin Finally it is no maruell if Romish religion be full of impieties and blasphemies seeing the same was deuised by Popes that were most impious and great blasphemers Benet the 9. and Syluester the second gaue themselues to the diuell as Beno testifieth Gregory the 7. in a solemne Councel was condemned for a sotthsayer a necromancer and a wicked fellow the Councell of Pise as Theodoric à Niem lib. 3. c. 44. reporteth condemned Gregory the 12. and Benet the 13. as notorious wicked men Alexander the 6. as is said beleeued not that there was a God Iohn the 23. in the Councel of Constance was conuinced that he beleeued not the resurrection Leo the 10. and Clement the 7 by Papistes themselues were reputed atheistes Paul the 3. was a great magician and very familiar with Cecco d'ascoli Iulius the 3. called for his gambon of bacon al dispet to di dio that is in despite of God and said that he had more reason to be angry for a peacocke then God for an apple Boccace in his second nouell bringeth in a Iew maruelling how Reme could stand in which there was no religion at all If I should report all the blasphemies of particular authors I should fill vp a whole volume with them onely thus much I thought good to say for to giue you an assaie of greater matters Faber in his booke aduers anatomen missae fol. 25. compareth Christ to the drunken Silenus annon saith he mirisiâ—us Silenus suit Christus in another place he calleth Christ an iuchanter Bellarmine lib. 1. de sanct beat c. 13. alledging a place out of Iustine martyr but most falsely placeth angels before the holy ghost and would haue them worshipped together with the holy Trinitie to the Pope also in his Preface before his bookes de Pontif. Rom. and in his booke de Pontif. Rom. c. 31. he giueth the proper titles of Christ but I cannot in this short treatise report all he that list to see diuers examples of Parsons his impieties and blasphemies let him read my answer to his Warneword and 3. conuersions Kellison is conuinced of the same crime in my answer to his Suruey CHAP. X. That Popery is a sinke of heathenish idolatry OF this argument I haue spoken at large in my last challenge much therefore I shall not need to say in this briefe suruey yet for that we perceiue that by the secret and cunning practise of the Diuell the idolatrie of the heathen nations ouerthrowen by the preaching of the Gospell is brought backe againe vnder colour of Christianity briefly we are to say somwhat of the former argument It may please God percase to open the eies of some Papists and to worke a detestation in them of popery if they may see that as a sink it hath together with heresie receiued into it self most grosse and heathenish idolatrie but this is prooued first by these words of the law Exod. 20. thou shalt haue no other Gods before me for this being directed principally against the heathenish worship of more Gods than one certaine it is that whosoeuer doth worship more Gods than one or giueth the honour of God to creatures is an idolater but this fault is diuersly incurred by the Papists for first they call the Pope their Lord and God in gloss in c. cum inter extrau Ioan. 22. de verb. signific and both Felm and Baldus as I shewed in the last chapter doe call him a God on the earth absolutely also he is called God in the chap. satis dist 96. and diuers other places secondly they cal the sacrament their Lord and God as appeareth by Allens treatise de sacrsic eucharist c. 41. and Bristow in his 26. motiue neither will they deny but they giue vnto it diuine honour as to God thirdly Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 9. doth call Saints Gods by participation but whosoeuer is God by participation hee is absolutely God for the deity is not communicable to any creature lastly to the sacrament and to the crosse they giue diuine honor saying to the crosse ô crux aue spes vnica and falling downe like beasts before the pixe they doe also make vowes to Saints sweare by Saints and confesse their sinnes iointly to them and to God therefore plainly are they idolaters for these are honours not due to any but to God as at large I haue shewed in my treatise against Bellarmines disputes de culiu sanctorum My second argument is drawn from the second commandement directed against the heathenish idolatrie of those which worshipped God in grauen images for that forbiddeth the making either of grauen image or likenesse to the intent to adore it or worship it but the Papists both make such images and pictures and fall downe before them and worship them to the crosse they pray
for Christ vsed them not neither are they Hebrew but Latine seuenthly in Hierusalem it was neuer beleeued that Christ either did eat vp himselfe or offer himselfe to his father at his last supper or that he offered himselfe twise or that there was any priest after the order of Melchisedech but Christ for the Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth contrarie finally we neuer read that the Christians in Hierusalem beleeued that some Masses were wet some dry some in the honor of Angels some in the honour of Saints some in the honor of confessors some good for pigges others for horses some for quicke some for dead or that all those trickes and skips are commendable which the Masse-priests vse at the altar or that Christ ordeined either the consecration of Churches with the alphabet in Greeke or that Priests were to vse those ceremonies which now are frequented in the church of Rome in the celebration of the Masse That the Pope came not from Hierusalem it appeareth first for that among al the ministers of the church described Eph. 4. and 1. Cor. 12. there is no Pope nor monarch of the church expressed we read of Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and others but the Pope is quite forgotten which is most vnlikely especially considering that he is by the Papists supposed to be the head and foundation of the church secondly the name is rather Latine then Hebrew or Syriake for some deriue it from papè because the Pope is the wonderment of the world some from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some from the 2. syllables of pater patrum Thirdly at Hierissalem neuer was there any termed by the name of Christs vicars general or that wore a triple crowne and had a gard of Switzars attending vpon him fourthly Saint Peter neuer tooke vpon him to depose kings or to translate kingdomes from one to another which the Pope now vsurpeth fifthly the Popes decretales and decrees which conteine the Popes office and authority and the marrow of his religion haue proceeded from Rome and not from Hierusalem sixthly we read that the law of God and not the Popes lawes came from Hierusalem finally the faith and doctrine of the Pope for the most part hath beene inuented and published since Hierusalem came to bee subiect to the Saracens and Turkes if then it came from the Turkie Hierusalem it must needes be rather Turkish then Christian the decretales are rather like the Alcoran then the new testament the force that the Pope vseth against Christians proceedeth rather from Mahomet then from S. Peter The pilgrimages to Rome are like the pilgrimages to Mecha lastly both Turkes and Papists worship Saints and pray for the dead alike To proceede a little further the Romish fine Sacraments added to the Sacrament of baptisme and the Lords supper had neuer allowance by the Apostles remaining at Hierusalem for albeit mariage Priesthood and repentance were alwaies practised by the people of God vnder the law yet were they not vsed as Sacraments neither in these matters did either the people of God vnder the law or the first Christians vse the Popish orders and formes or Sacraments now at Rome frequented in time past neither were Priests prohibited to marry nor were there any times limited for mariage nor was it deemed vnlawfull for gossips to marry In Hierusalem neuer was any such forme of ordering of Priests knowen as is vsed in popery where they say receiue power to offer sacrifice for quicke and dead Nor did the Christians of Hierusalem beleeue that there were seven orders and euery one a Sacrament and yet but one Sacrament in all or that Priests were to haue shauen crownes To thinke that the first Christians at Hierusalem confessed their sinnes euery yeere at the least in the Priests care is most absurd likewise to say that the forme of absolution that is now vsed was then knowen thirdly Christians then did neither lash themselues nor thinke to satisfie for sinnes by eating saltfish or going barefoote lastly they neither beleeued that Christians were to satisfie for their sinnes in purgatory nor that the Pope caried the keies of purgatory and could deliuer soules from thence by indulgences This forme of Confirmation signo te signo crucis confirmo te Chrismate salutis c. was by authority first established in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenius the 4. a Venetian and not by any that came from Hierusalem he also ordered that oile and balme should be the matter of this Sacrament Bonauenture and Alexander Hales affirme that Confirmation was instituted at Melda popish confirmation is far degenerated from that Confirmation that was vsed in the primitiue church and which we retaine in England The forme also matter of extreme vnction was there appointed by Eugenius the doctrine of the character and effectes of extreme vnction are not to be found but in the frapling schoolemen Now he that should seeke for the originall of holy water and holy salt and holy candles at Hierusalem he should but seeke to draw water out of a flint and as well might he light a candle in the sea water in the Roman missal we find these words I exorcise or coniure thee thou creature of water and exorcizo te creatura salis and such like but Stapleton should shew these things out of some Hebrew or Syriake missal The eating of Paschal lambes I confesse was vsed at Hierusalem but not by Christians but by Iewes obseruing the ceremonies of Moyses his law The Romish missals breuiaries our ladies Psalters the rosaries and such like bookes and ceremonies came out of the closet of the Popes breast and not from Hierusalem as I thinke our aduersaries will confesse if they bee put to the question In Rome vpon good Friday they make agnus Dei of holy wax and holy chrisme and these they say do defend Christians from lightning and tempest hiagnia fulgure tempestate fideles credentes defendunt saith Durand rational diumor lib. 6. c. 79. but this ceremony came neuer from Hierusalem neither did the Christians there beleeue anie such doctrine When a church is consecrated the bishop sprinkleth the wals with holy water knocketh at the dore and saith attollite principes portas vestras then he maketh crosses on the pauement and describeth all the Greeke and Latin alphabet as Durand sheweth lib. 1. rat diuin c. 6. but if popery had come from Hierusalem it is more likely hee should describe the Hebrew alphabet such abuses of scripture and foolish ceremonies certes neuer came from the Christians of Hicrusalem but from the followers of Antichrist at Rome The conuenticle of Trent maketh the old Latin vulgar translation authenticall but if the same had hoped to proue the Romish religion by the practise of the Church of Hierusalem the same would neuer haue neglected the Hebrew text The Church of Hierusalem diligently obserued Gods commandement concerning the making and worshipping of granen images and the whole worship of God we may not
draue Gregory the 7. out of his seate and appointed another in his place Henry the 5. his sonne tooke Paschalis prisoner and made him sweare to certeine articles he broke them afterward I confesse but that is rather an argument of the Popes perfidiousnesse then a proofe against the Emperours authoritie neither did the Emperors succeeding for many yeares cease to defend their right against the Popes encrochments and vsurpation vntill such time as the Popes by force of armes and rebellion of subiects had preuailed against them and when they could not by force resist yet did they often publish their complaints as appeareth by the message of Maximilian the first to the Pope by certeine memorials of Charles the fift concerning wrongs offered by the Pope by the greenances collected by the princes of Germany presented to Adrian the 6. by the apologies of the Bohemians English French and other nations Philip the French king writing to Boniface the 8. vsed these wordes Sciat tua maxima fatuitas nos in temporalibus nulli subesse I do thy great foolery saith he writing to him to wit that for temporall matters we are subiect to none the same king did also handle the Popes nuncioes according to their deseruing Henry the 2. as Matthew Paris testifieth forbad the paiment of Peter pence and such as appealed to the court of Rome he coÌ„mitted to prison appellantes ad curiam Rom. mandauit custodiae afterward writing to the bishop of Colein he threatueth to impugne the Pope and to thrust out of his kingdom all his fauourers Papam omnes suos saith he manifestè impugnabimus quicunque in terra mea inuentus fuerit qui Papae posthac adhaerere voluerit expelletur è regno happie had he beene if he had alwaies persisted in this purpose the kings of England afterward by their lawes against prouisions restrained the Popes authoritie and in the end that famous and worthy Prince King Henrie the eight did vtterly exclude the Pope and his Agents from all iurisdiction within his kingdome Furthermore albeit some princes were so sencelesse that they felt not the wrongs offered them by the Pope yet did such as loued the honour of their country neuer cease to complaine thereof Alan Chartier sheweth that Priests in the eies of the people were become most vile and that the hearts of men were alienated from the Popes obedience corda hominum ab obedientia scilicet Papae alienata Iulian the cardinall writing to Eugenius the fourth sheweth it was to be feared lest the laitie should fall vpon the clergy ne irruerent in ecclesiasticos laici The Germans in the end of their grieuances say that they neither would suffer nor could indure the wrongs offered them by the Pope Dixerunt Germani Principes saith he that reported their grieuances se onera Papae nec perferre velle nec tolerare posse Nicholas de Clemangis sheweth that both Princes and others murmured against the Popes exactions Charles the French king inueying against Benet the 13. signifieth that God would displace the Popes out of their seates for oppressing and spoiling Christs sheepe facti sunt greges mei in rapinam c. propterea cessare eos faciam vt non pascant vlterius gregem meum these words Charles applied against the Pope the English being excommunicated in king Iohns time called the Popes agents marcidos ribaldos that is rotten rascals and signified that they would not indure their tyranny Petrus de Ferrarijs in form resp rei conuenti bewaileth the miserie of Christian princes that indured so many wrongs at the Popes hands and made themselues his slaues and yet prouided no remedy for it heu miseri imperatores principes seculares saith he qui haec alia sustinetis vos seruos Pontificum facitis mundum per eos infinitie modis vsurpari videtis nec de remedio cogitatis Christian Princes and Kings therefore haue alwaies abhorred the Popes tyranny refused his religion and the more christian they haue shewed themselues the more resistaÌ„ce they haue made both against his corruptions in doctrine and his vsurpations and abuses in gouernment Vlrichus Vttenus in his preface to Laurentius Vallaes treatise against the counterfet donation of Constantine doth thus exclaime against the Popes as enemies and spoilers of all Christians annon fuerunt Christianorum hostes illi pontifices qui omnium ad se opes attraxerunt onmibus liberis seruitutem moliti sunt qui imper to reges peâ— unia ciâ—es deâ—l aliabant were not the Popes enemies of Christians which drew vnto themselues the wealth of all and endeuoured to oppresse all free men which spoiled kings of their gouernement and the subiects of their monie CHAP. XIIII That the auncient Britans and English were not first conuerted to Popish religion LEt that abide in you saith S. Iohn 1. epist 2. which you haue heard from the beginning so likewise we say let vs abide in that faith and let that faith abide in vs that was first preached by the Apostles schollers and successors in this Iland and let vs not be caried away by the poleshorne crew of the Pope to beleeue popish nouelties and fables that the auncient Christians of this land whether Britans English or Scots were not conuerted to popish religion that is now predominant in the kingdome of antichrist we haue three most euident demonstrations to assure vs. Frst those doctrines and grounds of Popery which before I haue mentioned will neuer be proued to haue beene taught by the first planters of Christian religion in this land and very absurd it were to suppose them to haue beene the authors of those heresies impieties and blasphemies which are so rife in Popery If S. Peter or S. Paul or any of their schollers did plant religion heere we must not thinke that they taught one thing and wrote another or that the schollers preached otherwise then they had learned from their masters If Ioseph of Arimathaea did first conuert the Britans and Fugatius and Damianus confirme them in the faith or if Austen the Monke and his fellowes did first conuert the Saxons or English yet can it not bee shewed that any one of these did teach that the traditions of the church of Rome and holy scriptures were with equall affection to be receiued or that the doctrine of Popish holy water paschall lambes tosaries images and such like traditions is the word of God or that Christs true body is torne with teeth and receiued downe into the belly and may be eaten of dogges and hogges or that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction or eating saltfish and redherrings vpon fridaies and fasting daies or that incense is to be burnt to images or the Sacrament adored for God and caried about in procession or the rest of the points of Popery before mentioned either therfore let Parsons shew vs that the seueral points of Popery before touched were taught by S. Peter the Apostle and Eleutherus and Gregory
the Popes lawes as the resistance of the churches of Asia against Victor of the churches of Afrike against Sozimus and other Popes declare 20. Of late time friers especially the Capucins haue attired themselues like chimney sweepers burners of houses 21. The rules of monks and friers are diuers from the rules of Christian religion and can not be elder then the orders of monkes and friers 22. Gregory the seuenth as Otho Frisingensis sayth was the first that did excommunicate the Emperour and taught that he had power to assoile subiects from the others of obedience to Princes 23. The vse of priuate masses without communion is but new as the old ordinall of Rome that hath no masses of that nature declareth the canons of the Apostles forbid Christians to depart before they receiued the communion 24. Innocent the third in the chap. omnis vtriusque de poenit remiss did first bring in a necessity of auricular confession he also was the first father of the monster transubstantiation as we find by the chapter firmiter de sum Trinit fid Cathol 25. Purgatory for satisfaction for temporall paines of sinnes whose guilt before was remitted was first deuised by schoolemen 26. The Iubiley among Christians was first deuised by Boniface the eigth he also decreed first that all temporall princes and others vpon paine of damnation must bee subiect to the Pope 27. Popish indulgences are but of a late stampe and the schoole doctrine thereof much latter the Papists themselues being as yet not fully resolued what to thinke of them 28. Clement the sixth first deuised the treasure out of which indulgences are supposed to be granted as appeareth by the chap. vnigenitus extr depoenit remiss 29. The doctrine of cases reserued to the Pope is not once spoken of in the writings of the fathers and yet the Masse-priests make a great matter of them 30. The doctrine of the Popes penitentiarie taxe for dispatch of pardons for murders incest sodomie and all villanies I thinke Kellison will not contend to bee verie ancient 31. Bellarmines doctrine lib. 1. de verb. Dei c. 3. concerning the new Testament where he saith it is nothing else but the loue of God shed into our harts by the holy Ghost is new for it contradicteth Chrysostome Theodoret and others in 2. Cor. 3. who teach that the new Testament is God grace remitting sinnes 32. The prohibition of mariage betweene spirituall gossips is a late deuice of the Pope for gaine 33. The separation of maried couples for religion before consummation of mariage without consent of both the parties is both new and wicked 34. The popish ceremonies vsed in baptisme are of a late inuention as for example salt spittle candles and popish exorcismes 35. Of late they haue begun to exorcise salt in salutem credentium for the saluation of the faithfull and holy water to cast our Diuels and to driue awaie discases these consurations are not found in the old Romish ordinals 36. The Masseppriests haue now gotten a new tricke to sprinkle the altar with holy water and to say thou shalt sprinkle mee with hyssope and I shal be clensed applying the scriptures contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost 37. Honorius the third in the chapter sane cum olim de celebr miss did first ordaine that the sacrament should bee worshipped and safely kept and caried with light to those that are sicke 38. Halfe communions are direct contrary to Christs institution and the practise of the church and first established in the conuenticle of Constance 39. The Masse cannot be old for that Nauclerus Platina Polydore and others confesse is was innented by diuers authors long after the Apostles times 40. The praiers for the dead now found in the Masse are not to be seene in the booke called Ordo Romanus 41. In old time the fathers neuer beleeued that Christ had a body inuisible and incircumscriptible and that might bee in heauen and earth and many places at one time 42. The godly bishops of old time did neither swinge the chalice about their head nor make crosses about it when they celebrated the eucharist 43. The saying of seruice and administration of Sacraments in tongues not vnderstood is a foolish noueltie 44. Now in the Roman Catechisme they teach that euery Masse-priest consecrating worketh three miracles but in old time they were neuer taken for such workers of miracles 45. The Papists after their Pater noster say their aue Maria and pray to our Lady which practise is neither ancient nor Apostolicall 46. The Psalter of our Lady and her peculiar offices and Masses in honour of Saints will not be iustified by ancient precedents 47. Hardly will the Papists bring a precedent of 300. yeers old to prooue that Christians praied to the crosse for encrease of iustice and remission of sinnes 48. In the missall of Sarum the Priest saith to the sacrament aue or haile and boweth to it contrarie to all ancient practise 49. The worship of Papists must needs be new for that both their Saints are new and their praiers and offices new 50. The missals breuiaries and offices of our Lady haue their antiquity from the conuenticle of Trent 51. Popish idolaters worship the sacrament and the crosse with diuine honour but they shall neuer bring allowance of antiquitie for this practise 52. They burne also incense to dumbe images kisse them and bow to them but these vnchristian trickes were not knowen in old time 53. Of late time they haue decreed that the Pope is aboue the councell but it is since the councell of Constance 54. Now the Pope pretendeth right to handle the temporall sword but that did not the Bishops of Rome for a thousand yeeres after Christ 55. Of late time the Pope hath troden vpon the necks of Emperours but in ancient time the bishops of Rome were subiect to Emperours 56. In time past the bishops of Rome were persecuted and martyred now the Popes of late time persecute and martyr others Finally all the points of doctrine differing from the faith o this church which the Pope and his complices seeke now to thrust vpon Christians are for the most part nouelties And this doth clearely appeare in this for that they are contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as before hath beene particularly declared the same is also coutrary to the doctrine of the fathers and ancient churches practise as we shall declare heerafter Further the Papists haue turned the whole seruice of God into a massing mommery Finally for God they worship Saints and dumbe images the institution of Christ Iesus in the eucharist they haue altered new sacraments they haue deuised are they not then ashamed to call popery ancient Christian religion CHAP. XVII That Poperic is repugnant to auncient councels MVch doc Papists bragge of councels Campion saith the first last and midst are his concilia generalia mea sunt generall councels saith he are all for me
neither the Pope nor his complices regard councels if they make against their profit or pleasure Bishops Priests Deacons committing adultery and practising vsury are greuously punished by the councell of Eliberis c. 18. and 20. but now these offences are common among Masse-priests and the Pope sheweth them by the chapter si clerici d◠indicijs and by his example how little he regardeth the actes of councels against these sinns in the same synode can 34. Christiās are forbidden to light candles in the churchyarde in the day time and c. 36. to set vp pictures in Churches cereos per diem saith the councell placuit in coemiterio non incendi and againe placuit picturas in ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus deping atur yet Papists do superstitiously set vp lightes in church yards and fill their churches with images and pictures Those which accuse their brethrē falsly by the first councel of Arles c. 14. are shut from the communion to then dying day de his qui accusant fratres suos placuit saith the councell cos vsij ad exitum non comunicare the same councel decreeth that no bishop should tread downe his fellow Bishop yet the Popes and their complices doe hire parasites and scrrilous companions to traduce and falsely to accuse their brethren and all good bishops are now troden downe by the Pope The Councell of Gangra condemneth those that dispraise mariage or doe taxe him that eateth flesh or that despise the oblation of a maried priest or make meetings without the church qui extra ecclesiam scorsim conuentus cilebrat or that take a pride in virginity or vse peculiar habits and despise those that vse common apparell or depart from their parents vpon praetence of religion quicumque silij à parentibus praetextu diuini culius abscedunt the same likewise condemneth those women which cut their haire propter dminum cultum for religion sake or that contrarie to scriptures and ecclesiasticall canons shall b ring in new precepts but Papists despise matiage as pollutions and fleshly life and esteeme monkes that eate no flesh more holy and perfect then other Christians they despise also the oblations of married Priests Monks and Friers haue their conuenticles apart further the Masse-priests extoll their pretended virginity and Monkes and Friers vse peculiar habits and despise such as vse common apparrell Children among them depart from their parents and creepe into monasteries and nunnes cut their haire when they vow to enter into religious houses finally according to the diuersity of monkish sects they obserue diuers rules and precepts without warrant of holy scriptures or ecclesiasticall canons and doe many things contrarie to holy scriptures The second councel of Arles c. 23. pronounceth that Priest to be sacrilegious that shall suffer men superstitiously to light candles or to worship trees fountaines or stones and those that worship such things are condemned as Infidels and yet maste-priests suffer Christians at Candlemas and in diuers processions to goe about with candles and great pilgrimages are made by their followers to stockes and stones and welles after a paganicall fashion The councell of Laodicea c. 35. condemneth such as worship Angels or assemble together to honour them and c. 36. that vse exorcismes or enchantments or that read bookes in the church that are not canonicall the same excludeth the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees out of the canon the which acts forasmuch as they condemne the superstitious worship of Angels the coniurations of Masse-priests in casting out of Diuels and the reading of lying legendes and the false canon of the conuenticle of Trent are no more regarded by Papists then as if there neuer had beene any such made The councell of Constantinople c. 2. restreineth the ambition of Bishops that began to stretch forth their hands to the diocesses of their neighbours and c. 5. giueth the next place of dignity after the Bishop of Rome to the bishop of Constantinople which also was confirmed by the authority of the councell of Chalcedon that councell also addeth this reason because Constantinople was called new Rome but the pope neither regardeth the acts of this councell nor the reasons thereof but encrocheth vpon euery bishops iurisdiction calling himselfe vniuersall bishop and challenging his authority not from the priuiledge of the city but from Christs institution The 3. councell of Carthage c. 24. decreeth that nothing more be offered in the sacrament of the Lords body and blood then he hath appointed to wit bread and wine mingled with water but this ouerthroweth the masse vtterly wherein the Masse-priests say they offer neither bread nor wine but Christs body and blood the same synode decreeth that the bishop of the metropolitan see shall not be called the Prince of Priests or cheefe priest or any such title which ouerthroweth the pride and arrogance of the Pope that will needes be called the cheefe Priest the head and monarch of the church and other farre more arrogant titles The formes of ordring Priests and deacons prescribed by the fathers of the fourth councell of Carthage the Popes complices in the synod of Florence haue quite altered likewise haue they abolished those canons of the councell that concerne his house apparell study preaching nay they accompt him now a bishop sufficient that preacheth not if he be formally greased and apparelled in the 100. canon women are forbidden to baptize mulier baptizare non praesumat the Popes decretales contrariwise allow women to baptize The fist councel of Carthage c. 14. reproueth altars erected by vaine reuclations and dreames and it meaneth such as are supposed to be made ouer some martirs reliques but that is the case of many Popish altars who are erected for the most part vpon supposall of reliques and vaine dreames By the 4. canon of the first councell of Toledo it appeareth that subdeacons married wiues the same synod condemneth those that receiue the eucharist and cat it not and which beleeued Christ to haue an imaginarie body such as that is which the Papists suppose to be in the eucharist The councell of Mileuis c. 22. forbiddeth appeales to Rome ad transmarina qui putauerit appellandum à nullo infra Africam in communionem suscipiatur this canon therefore cannot stand with the Popes supremacy The councell of Agatha c. 13. forbiddeth Nunnes to bee vailed before the age of forty yeares the synagogue of Rome admitteth them before twenty and few after forty the same councell separateth the monasteries of men and women the Papists put them neere together The councell of Orevge pronounceth them guilty of Pelagianisme that say the liberty of the soule remained after the fall of Adam and that a man can doe that which is good of himselfe The 8. canon of the councell of Turon sheweth that bishops had wiues dwelt with them although they are commanded to vse them as sisters The 3. councell of Toledo
all the fathers almost denie publicke penance to Priests and Deacons fallen into notorious crimes but the popish faction regardeth them not one iote Bellarmine lib. 1. de eucharist c. 11. saith that Augustine did not well weigh these words of Luke I will drinke no more of the fruit of the vine Augustine lib. 22. de ciuit Dei c. 10. saith that Christians doe not worship martyrs or erect remples in their honour lib. 1. de morib eccles c. 3. he denieth that we are to adore any ereature Hierome also ioineth with him in this opinion mepist ad Riparium but the popish sect doth not regard what they say nor followeth their doctrine Finally it were an easie matter to shew the fathers to bee aduerse to popery in all materiall controuersies but what shall wee neede to doe it seeing their late corruptions and false allegations of fathers doe plainlie testifie that they doe not hope for victory if the fathers may be truely alleadged of late they haue set out indexes expurgatory teaching Printers how to falsifie fathers Sixtus Senensis inepist ad Pium 5. ante biblioth sanct sheweth how that Pope had caused the fathers to bee purged or rather corrupted expurgari fecisti omnium authorum catholicorum saith he praecipuè veterum patrum scripta Pameluts hath most shamefully corrupted Cyprian and the like course all Papists take with the bookes of the fathers lately set foorth Somtime also they confesse the corruption of fathers Aeneas Sylu. lib. 1. de gest concil Basil sheweth how Popes stand vpon these words vocaberis Cephas and lanch into the deepe and such like neglecting the exposition of all the holy doctors posthabitis omnino omnium sanctorum expositionibus Alan Chartier saith they reiect the holy doctrine of fathers sanctâ—â— patrum doctrine reiectae posthabitae sunt Matth. Paris in Wilhelmo Conquest speaking of Hildebrandes decree against maried Priests saith it was made without consideration and against the iudgement of holy fathers inconsiderato iudicio contra sanctorum patrum sententiam CHAP. XIX That Popish religion was neuer testified by the blood of Christian martyrs STrange it were if the martyrs of Christ should turne from Christ and testifie for Antichrist yet because the aduersaries of truth doe boast of ancient martyrs and Bristow in his 15. motiue doth place Martyrs as setters foorth of the Popes glorious kingdome we are briefly to shew that the testification of Martyrs maketh nothing for popish religion and that appeareth first for that the Papists refuse to bee tried by the doctrine of the Apostles which were principall Martyrs Secondly we haue shewed that the principall points of Popery were neither taught nor receiued during the time of the primitiue Martyrs nor many ages after and that many points now taught and receiued among Papists were then refused as heresies Thirdly Papists adore idols and burne incense vnto them but the ancient Martyrs were therefore martyred cruelly put to death because they would not consent to the worship of idols nor burne incense to them Fourthly the practises of Papists declare that they are more like to the heathen Emperors and persecutors of Christians then to the ancient martyrs of Christs church for as they massacred Christians for maintenance of the Apostolike faith so do the Popes and their complices massacre all that stand for the same as they by sword and fire sought to vphold idolatry so doe these as they hated them deadly which taught the true faith so doe these Finally the confession of the faith published by Pius the fourth and that doctrine which the conuenticle of Trent hath of late confirmed and commanded to be taught and beleeued is in many points contrarie to the faith of ancient martyrs and in all points of controuersie betwixt Papists and vs vtterly vnknowne to them The holy Apostles commend scriptures and so doe ancient martyrs but Papists accuse them of insufficiencie obscuritie flexibility and call them a nose of waxe and a killing letter Ancient martyrs were burned and put to death because they would not deliuer holy scriptures to be burnt the Papists doe burne scriptures and suspect such for heretikes as reade them in vulgar tongues The Apostles and Primitiue martyrs beleeued the scriptures because they came from God the Papists will not haue scriptures to bee belecued vnlesse they be deliuered by the Pope They taught neither heresie nor impiety nor noueltie but Popish religion as before is declared is full of heresies impieties nouelties In ancient time the Bishops of Rome were martyrs now those that call themselues their successors doe murder Gods Saints and make them martyrs Ancient martyrs taught that one God was to bee adored the Papists giue diuine honour to the crosse and crucifixe and call the Sacrament their Lord and God Ancient martyrs did breake downe images now the Papists erect them fall downe before them and worship them Finally ancient martyrs neuer beleeued that either doggs or hogs could eate Christs body or that the same was in any place where it could neither be felt nor seene or that the same was both in heauen and earth and euery pixe at one time or that bread is transubstaÌ„tiated into Christs body or that Christians do with their teeth eate mans flesh or with their throats swallow mans blood or that the bishop of Rome is lord and monarch of the church or that he can fetch souls out of Purgatorie or that there is a treasure of Saints merites out of which indulgences are granted or that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction or eating fish and such like Popish deuises Neither is it materiall that these holy martyrs are put in Popish calenders for the Iewes bragged of their father Abraham and adorned the sepulchers of the Prophets although they neither abode in the faith of Abraham nor followed the doctrine of the Prophets Further Bristow telleth vs that S. Stephen helped all those that sought vnto him but his proofes are drawne out of legendes and certeine counterset sermons of S. Augustine in his 22. chapter de ciuit dei c. 8. there is no such matter and yet these reports that are there inserted seeme to be none of S. Augustines but suppose certein superstitious persoÌ„s should pray to S. Stephen yet S. Stephen neuer taught them so to do nor allowed such formes of praiers Lastly he talketh of Fisher More the Charterhouse monks and diuers that died in king Henry the 8. the late Queens reigne for the Popes cause and telleth vs that they were of his religion but it is first denied that they were martyrs and next that Fisher and More were of the moderne Romish religion the first is proued for that they died for the Pope and not for Christ Secondly they died as traitors either by open rebellion or by ouert act oppugning the Princes authoritie the second is euident for that diuers of them died before the conuenticle of Trent which hath now published a new forme of faith and decreed many things
which then were not knowen nor beleeued as matters of faith these fellowes therefore are liker the Martyrian heretikes then to Christs martyrs and if they be honored of any it is of rebels leaguers and traitors combined with the Pope and forrein enemies against their Prince and countrie so likewise the Circūcellions were honored of their consorts as martyrs yet Augustine epist 58. speaking of them saith they liued as robbers and were honored as martyrs viuebant vt latrones honorabantur vt martyres CHAP. XX. That Popery is a meere humane deuise and not in any sort to be deduced or proued out of holy scriptures In matters of religion we are diligently to take heede that we passe not beyond the commandements of God vpon whose word only all true religion is founded Whatsoeuer I command you saith Moyses Deut. 12. take heede you doe it you shall put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom our Sauiour Christ Matth. 15. telleth vs that they worship God in vaine that teach for doctrines mens precepts finally the apostle Coloss 2. condemneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or voluntary worship taken vp by men without warrant and well doth the old Latine interpreter of the bible translate that word superstition let vs then a litle consider whether Popish religion be deriued out of holy scriptures or else bee onlie a packe of humane deuises The masse as our aduersaries themselues confesse was framed at seuerall times and by diuers authors Polydore de inuentorib lib. 5. c. 10. saith S. Peter after consecration vsed only the Lords prayer and that S. Iames and S. Basil did encrease the mysteries out of Walasridus Platina Naucler and others we reade that Caelestine made the introit beginning iudica me deus that Damasus added the confession said by the Priest and Gregory the Antiphona and Kyris eleeson and Telesp horus Gloria in excelsis and Gelasius certaine oraysons or clauses of oray sons and the praier te igitur and Syricius communicantes and so we see how it was peeced by little and litle In the consecration of the cuppe they haue added to the words of our Sauiour the words aeterni and mysterium fidei Innocentius c. cum Marthae de celebrat missar saith first that they were added by the Apostles albeit not found in the gospell as if it were not a simple matter to thinke that they did not write that which they thought sufficient he saith again that they are proued out of the words of the Gospel but his proofes are ridiculous for he must shew that these words were vsed where they are placed which he doth not so much as once endeuor to doe The Masses in honour of Saints and Angels are deuised by men and that very lately Thomas Aquinas as is said deuised the office said on corpus Christi day who deuised the masses and offices said in honour of S. Francis and S. Dominicke and other late Saints the Papists themselues doe not know The Psalter of our Lady as some thinke was deuised by Bonauenture her Offices are of a latter stampe all are meere humane deuises without any ground of scripture That Priests offer Christ to his father for the sinnes of quicke and dead nay for sicke horses and pigges and whatsoeuer necessities else can be imagined is a deuise of man and no way to be iustified by Christs institution Christ instituting baptisme said baptize and not spit and salt and grease and light candles he said also to his Disciples being present take and eate and not gape and gaze the ceremonies therefore vsed in baptisme and in the masse by Papists proceed not out of Gods word It is also a meere humane deuise that no Priest may say Masse without water and fire and is prescribed not by euangelicall authority but by the Pope in the chap. literas tuas de celebrat missar The worship of the sacrament and the custody thereof in a pixe dependeth on the decretale Sane cum olim de celebrat miss and was first brought in and inuented by Honorius the third The practise of Priests in saying canonicall houres commeth from no canon of scripture but from the constitution presbyter de celebrat missar In ancient time the reliques of martyrs were buried in the ground and might not be touched but humane curiosity hath thought it better now to dig them out of the ground and to place them in the altar and to worship them and that without any instruction or direction of holy scriptures Popish litanies wherein Papists pray to Angels Saints and sometime to those which are no Saints are diuers from the formes of praiers prescribed in scriptures and lately brought in by the deuise of superstitious Monkes Friers and Masse-priests Benet Francis Dominicke and other authors of feined religions tooke not their rules from the Gospel but thought they could frame a more perfect religion then the Gospell The Popes triple crowne guard of Suizzers crossed slipper and such like deuises will hardly be found in the writings of the Apostles S. Peter certes neuer wore any such crown nor had any such guard Where they praie to the crosse in the breuiarie and say increase righteousnesse in the godly and grant pardon to sinners they doe it of their owne head and shall neuer find any such praier in scriptures Boniface the eight first ordeined the feast of the Iubiley and Clement the fifth appointed the feast of corpus Christi but if you aske their warrant they will shew you some other authority than from the Apostles Sixtus quartus ordained the feast of our Ladies conception and another Pope of her assumption but both vpon false grounds supposing that she was conceiued without sin and that her bodie was taken vp into heauen they maintain the same also by lies and apocryphall fables Finallie it is an easie matter to shew that the formes and signes of popish confirmation extreme vnction and other new made sacraments are prescribed by Popes and their adherents without warrant of holy scripture CHAP. XXI That popish religion in diuers points is directly contrary to holy scriptures NEither is popery only destitute of warrant out of scriptures but also directly contrarie in some points to holy scriptures In the law Deut. 12. we are expressely forbidden to adde to the law of God or to take from it The Papists offend both waies for to the lawes of God they adde the precepts of the Romish church and decretales of Popes and say they binde the conscience they doe also cut out the second commandement concerning the worship of images as their short catechismes and primers doe testifie and by false interpretations corrupt Gods law In the first commandement we are forbidden to haue other Gods beside the God of heauen and earth but the Masse-priests as before is declared call the sacrament their Lord and God and honour the Pope as a God on earth and giue diuine honour to creatures which is as much as if they should expresselie command their
c. in canonicis dist 19. doth falsifie S. Augustine In our country the Papists haue falsified a statute anno 2. Henrici 4. c. 15. by adding these words ac etiam communitates dictiregni thereby to authorise their cruell burning of Christians as by statute whereas in the originall rolle no such words are to be found so it appeareth that all the cruell executions of Christians in Quene Maries time were contrary to law he that looketh into the originall record in the tower shall find this most true We may therefore say of our aduersaries that which Hierome in symbolum Russini saith of men of their quality peruersi homines ad assertionem dogmatum suorum sub virorum sanctorum nomine interseruerunt ea quae illi nunquam scripserunt nonnulli Hiberas naenias libris authenticis praeferunt peruerse men for proofe of their opinions haue interlaced vnder the names of holy men things which they neuer wrote and some preferre idle fables before authenticall bookes May we thinke them then honest men which practise such falsitie CHAP. XXIIII That Popery standeth much vpon heathenish obseruances and customes CHristian religion intendeth the ouerthrow of heathenish impietie and idolatry Yet such is the craft of Satan that by the ministery of the Pope he hath established many heathenish customes vnder colour of Christian religion for first as the lawes of heathen nations were partly written and partly vnwritten so our aduersaries haue one word of God written and another vnwritten as we reade sess 4. concil Trid. do esteeme both with equall affection but the Apostle teacheth vs that the scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation and Ireney lib. 3. c. 1. saith the scriptures are the pillar and foundation of our faith neque hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet sed Dei veritatem saith Cyprian lib. 2. epist 3. that is we are not to follow mens customes but Gods truth our church saith Saluianus lib. 5. de prouident des is more happilie founded vpon the scriptures only videtur nostrae ecclesia ex vna seripturafeliciùs instituta Secondly the schoolemen build their opinions as well vpon Aristotle and other Philosophers and their authority as vpon the Prophets and Apostles Bernard of Luzemburg in catal haeret sheweth how the doctors of Colein defined that Aristotle was the forerunner of Christ in naturalibus as Iohn Baptist was his forerunner in diuinis writing vpon the first booke of Lombards sentences dist 3. they seeke out the distinction of the 3. persons in the Trinitie by similitudes drawen out of Philosophy by the same also they hope to finde out the eternall generation of the sonne of God albeit the Prophet doe declare it to be menarrable and the like they attempt in disputing of the proceeding of the holie Ghost Gratian in the chap. decretis dist 21. talking of diuers orders and degrees in the Romish hierarchy confesseth that this difference was diduced from the gentiles horum discretio saith he a gentilibus maximè introducta est qui suos flamines alios simpliciter flamines alios archislamines alios protoslamines appellabant Gregorie the first writing to Mellitus as we may read in Bede lib. 1. hist Angl. c. 30. permitted the English to build boothes in the day of the dedication of their churches and to kill oxen for the praise of God which were customes of pagans seruing idoles Boniface the 4. consecrated the Church called Pantheon wherein Cybele and all heathen Gods were worshipped to our Lady and all Saints as is testified by Platina Iohn di Pineda and others this sheweth that the worship of Saints is succeded in liew of the worship of Idols and heathen Gods Baruch c. 6. speaking of the Priests of the gentiles saith they haue their heads and beards shauen from them therefore came the Popish shauing of their Prìests heads and beards From them also the Papists borow the scourging themselues before the crosse and other images for before their idoles the Priests of Baal did lance themselues the Priests of Cybele did also whip themselues as Apuleius testifieth The gentiles did keepe secret the mysteries of their religion so doe the Papists likewise vttering the canon of the Masse in a low voice lest the people should heare it and reading the scriptures in vnknowen and strange languages and they yeelde this reason lest holie things should bee cast to dogges The best ground that Bellarmine laieth for proofe of the Popes monarchy is for that the gentiles thought that forme of gouernement best but God in disposing of matters of ecclesiasticall gouernment boroweth no precedents from the gentiles Thomas Aquinas p. 3. q. 59. art 1. by a Philosophicall argument drawen from the similitude betweene our sprituall and corporall life proueth the number of his seuen sacramentes By Philosophy also the Popes agents proue that one body may be in many places at once and yet sill no place out of holy scripture certes they are not able to deriue anie proofe for it The worship of Saints is a meere tricke of Gentilisme for as the Gentiles had one principall god and diuers demie and inferior gods so haue the Papists Ambrose in chap. 1. ad Rom. saith the gentiles vsed the mediation of others to God as men vse to come to princes by tribunes and hushiers so likewise doe the papists they gaue the honor of God to creatures honorem nominis Dei deferunt creaturae so likewise doe Papists Likewise the worship of images is a meere inuention of Pagans in the book of Wisdome c. 14. they are called idoles of the nations this is plainly declared by Athanasius in his treatise against idolatry and Cyprian de idolorum vanitate Ambrose in Psal 118. ser 10. saith gentiles did worship wood because they thought it to be the image of God gentes lignum adorant quia dei imaginem putant so likewise Papists worship images not because of the matter but because they represent the image of God and in his commentaries vpon the first chapter to the Romanes he saith the gentiles changed the glory of God into the likenesse of men so that the forme of a corruptible man is by them called God and so likewise Papists call the image of God God and the image of Christ Christ and change the glory of the incorruptible God into the likenesse of man At Rome the temple of Romulus and Remus is now turned into the church of S. Cosmas and Damianus The temple of Faunus into the church of S. Stephen and at Loreto the church of Iuno Cupra into the chappell of our Lady of Loreto Gregory in his dialogues lib. 2. c. 8. sheweth that Benet in stead of Apollo substituted S. Martin in the castle of Cassinum and that he erected an altar to S. Iohn in the place where an altar stood dedicated to Apollo nay so litle difference there is betweene paganisme and popery that the image of Inpiter in brasse doth now serue in S. Peters church at Rome for the
for it Ambrose Catharine tractat de imaginibus saith God prohibited images simply but that this prohibition was positiue others deny both images to be forbidden and the second commandement to be positiue Occham Maior and Richardus are of opinion that a sacrament cannot be defined Scotus in 4. dist 1. q. 2. holdeth that it may be defined imperfectly Ledesma in tract de sacrament in genere q. 1. art 2. saith it may properlie bee defined Finally to shew the contradictions of Papists we need to seeke no further than to Bellarmine who in euery controuersie bringeth in different opinions of men of his side Gardiner a pillar of popery did oftentimes contradict himselfe and his fellowes sometimes hee swore against the Popes supremacy sometime like a forsworne creature hee stood for it somtime he consented to the dissolution of monasteries as sinkes of Sodomy and all tibaldrie and villany sometime be spoke for them his booke entituled Marcus Constantius is full of contradictions M. Foxe hath scored vp great multitudes The contradictions of Robert Parsons in his book of three Conuersions I haue noted in my answeare to that treatise The whole masse also of Poperie doth consist of contrary pieces as I haue shewed in the contradictions of the doctrine of the Masse of purgatory of indulgences of the Pope and diuers other principall points and haue proued the same in treatises of that argument For example they say the Masse is an vnbloudy sacrifice and yet teach that euerie Priest doth really offer and drinke Christs bloud Sometime they say the sacrifice is but one sacrifice yet in the canon they say sacrifices in the plurall number Sometime they say the Priest only offereth this sacrifice but in the canoÌ„ they make the people to offer sacrifices In the canon they pray that Angels may carry Christs body vnto Gods high altar but all confesse that Christs body is in heauen before There also they make the Priest a mediatour for Christ. but where they speake soberly they make Christ a mediator both for the Priest and others In heauen they say Christ is visible and palpable on the altar they make him inuisible and impalpable They say the Masse is an externall sacrifice yet no man euer yet could see Christs body externally sacrificed In purgatorie they say soules suffer extreme paines but in the Masse they saie they slâ—epe in peace They teach that Christians may performe the law of God perfectly but they will not grant that they may liue without sinne which is all one Talking of auricular confession they make it necessarie but in the chap. Petrus doluit and lachrymae dist 1. de poenit they denie it The Pope calleth himselfe seruant of seruants yet doth he take vpon him as lord of lords Order they say is one sacrament yet they teach also that there are seuen Orders and euerie one of them a sacrament which is as much as if they should make one seuen and seuen one The Pope they saie is head of the Church but that is as much as if they should teach that their Church in the vacatio nis headlesse If then the catholicke faith be one and those that professe the faith agree in one then cannot popery be the true Catholicke faith that containeth so many contradictions CHAP. XXVII That popery is a most foolish and absurd religion AS the lawes of God are full of wisedome and giue vs a true vnderstanding so when man of his owne braine vndertaketh to adde vnto his commandements the same in proofe falleth out to be nothing but vanity and foolery the same wee sind verified in the additions of the superfluous religion of Papists for although it haue a shew of wisedome as the voluntarie worship of Angels had of which the Apostle Coloss 2. speaketh yet compared with the wisedome of God reuealed in the Gospell it is meere foolery For first what is more foolish then to forsake the liuing springs of holy scripture out of which do sally waters of life and to follow after the puddle streams of Romish traditions of scriptures we are assured that they are the word of God but no man can affirme that of Romish traditions or the Popes decretales that either professeth piety or loueth truth is it not then strange that any Christians should bee so foolish as to match the word of man with Gods word and where we haue a certaine rule to seeke for a broken vncertaine and crooked rule Againe it is most absurd not to beleeue the scriptures without the Popes warrant but to say that Christians are not to beleeue in God nor in Christ Iesus nor to receiue the rest of the articles of our Creed vnlesse the church of Rome doe deliuer them vnto vs is not only a peece of great foolery but also a very high streine of madnesse and yet this is the doctrine of Popery for Stapleton saith that the church must needes consigne the scriptures vnto vs and the authoritie of the church both he and others giue to the Pope likewise in their catechisme the Papists signifie that faith is of things onely proposed to vs by the church so that if the church propose not the articles of faith we are not to beleeue them if these men teach truth further this sheweth the Romish church to consist of a packe of infidels for if the same beleeued not without the authority of the church then did she beleeue nothing of Christ seeing the Papists acknowledge no other Church but that of Rome and no church can teach it selfe Finally this is as much as if they should say that the law of the Prince is not to be receiued vnlesse it be proposed by the crier or other such like officer The Masse-priests of Trent sess 4. most absurdly prefer the old Latin vulgar translation of the Bible before the originall text which is as much as if they should preferre S. Hierome and other interpreters before the Prophets and Apostles and the streames before the fountaines Generally they forbid scriptures to bee read publickely in vulgar tongues but they permit most fabulous legends to bee read publickely The holy scriptures they will not permit to bee read in vulgar tongues of the multitude without licence but they are content that any of their followers should reade the Popes decretales or the miracles of their god of paste or the history of our Lady of Loreto and other such lying legends without licence To say that the Pope is the head of the vniuersall church is meere foolery for grant that and it will follow that the Church is sometime without head as in the time of vacation of the papacy and sometime a monster with two or three heads as when two or three Popes reigne at once and sometime a mad Church as hauing a mad and franticke head The church they say albeit catholicke yet is alwaies visible but this being granted it followeth that vniuersall things may be the obiect of sense and that the church of
and heauy death as if a sheete could pray for vs or deliuer from the plague doe they not deserue to be trussed in a cloke-bagge whose trust is in a counter fet winding-sheete They giue the same honor to the sacrament and to the crosse that is due to God very absurdly transferring the glorie of God to creatures are they not then absurd worshippers that cannot distinguish betwene God and creatures and doe they not very absurdly deny themselues to be idolaters Absurdly also they celebrate the feast of the crosse whereon our Sauiour was dishonored not celebrating the feast of the asse on which he was honored Durand rat diui 7. c. 11. disputing this matter is much pusseld about it They beleeue verily that images haue talked and walked and all this because it is said so in the legend but they shew themselues very foolish that beleeue legends and beleeue not the scriptures that say they haue mouthes and speake not feete and walke not The grounds of their religion are very absurd and foolish for they sound themselues vpon the Pope and his decretales the Pope being oftentimes soolish and ignorant and his decretales being rude false and oftentimes ridiculous Baldus in c. 1. de natur seud saith that Pope Celestine the sift was a simple fellow vnum pecus Innocent the 3. in the Chap. solitae demaior obed argueth that the Pope is aboue the Emperor because the sunne is bigger then the moone an argument meerely lunaticall in another place he gathereth that we are now to obserue the laws of Deuteronomy because Deuteronomium signifieth a second law Bonisace the eight in the chap. vnam sanctam extr de maior obed proueth the Pope to be aboue al Princes because we reade Genes 1. that God in the beginning made the world Clement the 6. in the chap. Vnigenitus extr de poenit remiss saith that vnlesse the ouerplus of the merits of Christ had beene bestowed in dispensing the treasure of indulgences that the same had beene void and superfluous and like treasure laid vp in a napkin that the decretales are full of lyes we shall declare when we come to speake of Popish-lies They say it is a point of faith to beleeue that the Pope is Saint Peters successor and head of the church yet if the Priest that baptised the Pope had no intention to baptize him then he is no member of the church if he that ordred the Pope had no intention to order him then is he no priest If he haue no intention to consecrate then doth he not consecrat so all dependeth vpon mens secret and vnknowen intentions They confesse also that Christs body is not in the sacrament if the priests haue no intention to consecrat of which it followeth that all Papists for ought they know are absurd idolaters Their ceremonies are full of foolerie first in the masse the Priest absolueth the clerke and then the clerke absolueth the Priest which is all like as if one mule should scratch another it is absurd also to put the keyes into a boies hand that is no Priest The Priest kisseth the altar and praieth for remission of sinnes by the merites of Saints whose reliques are there contained so a stocke kisseth a stone and forgetting Christ praieth for remission of sins by the merites of Saints whose reliques are said to be there where there is no reliques at all and percase the bones of dogs or apes or other beasts for ought the wise masse-priest knoweth In the Missale of Sarum after the priest hath consecrated he maketh a low legge worshipping the worke of his owne hand and saith aue which is as much as God saue you sir or you are welcome to towne The priest is apparrelled like a moriske-dancer and skippeth and danceth about the altar like an ape in a chaine his head is shauen and well greased his hands washed but his hart vncleane and this gallant taketh vpon him not only to offer Christ in sacrfice but also to swallow him downe like a pill without chawing The Friers for the most part are apparrelled like chimney-sweepers or burners of houses with a hood vpon their head like a bagge of hippocrace The Popes when they are first chosen doe cast mony abroad saying argentum aurum non est mihi as is prescribed lib. 1. caerem. but most vnlike they are to him whose words they abuse further absurdly they deny themselues to haue mony when they cast mony a broad and inioy so great riches When they take the Pope from the perced stoole where his humanitie is tried they say he hath raysed the poore out of the dust ex stercor ariae eleuantes dicunt suscitat de puluere egenum and yet absurdly this beggar as they say is lord of lords and King of Kings Their demands and answers in matters of religion are not very wise Austen asketh of Gregory as Bede reporteth lib. 1. hist Angl. c. 28. whether a woman with child were to be baptised as if not shee as well as others Boniface of Mentz asked the Pope if it were lawfull to eat Bacon and he answereth yea but prouided alwaie said he that it be dried with smoke or boyled Their legends are feriall Ruffine one of S. Francis his schollers disputing with the diuell told him he would doe Sir reuerence in his mouth Ruffinus dixit diabolo aperi os tuum ego stercorisabo in illud S. Francis in an award betwixt a wolfe See S. Francis his conformitie c. and the men of Eugubium condemned the townesmen in expenses and speaking to the wolfe he said brother wolfe it is reported also that he preached to swallowes and said sorores meae hirundines audite verbum dei S. Aidus as Capgraue telleth hauing compassion on 8. hungry wolues gaue them 8. of his lambes and after they were eaten got them out of the wolues belly by praier Austen the monke by praier obteined that the men of Dorset that had scorned him and all their posterity had tailes belike the race is now failed the whole legend is full of foolish fables but I shall haue occasion to speake thereof elsewhere The reasons of their religion are absurd Coemiterium saith Durand l. 1. c. 5. dicitur a cimen quod est dulce sterion quod est statio c. vel quia ibi sunt cimices vel vermes vltra modum foetentes and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur quasi pollutū antrum in the same booke c. 4. he saith the bell-rope betokeneth the humility life of preachers and the measure of mans life it is great pity that the Iebusites and masse-priests are not haltred with this signe of humility and compassed with this measure Lib. 3. cap. 10. he saith the priests stole betokeneth the light yoke of the Lord. Stolalene domini iugum significat lib. 3. c. 11. speaking of the vestiment called dalmatica he saith it hath wide sleenes because charity ought to be stretched out to our
enemies Charitas enim extendi debet etiam vsque ad inimicos The schoole distinctions are as absurd as the doctrine of Papists they distinguish betweene the worship of latria and doulia as if that were proper to God this to creatures but the vse of these Greeke words admit no such distinction beside that distinguishing termes they giue in effect the honour of God to creatures They say the first iustice is without workes the second is of workes but the holy scriptures speake but of one sort of iustice whereby Christians are to be iustified before God They speake strangely of opus operatum opus operans but scriptures acknowledge no such inkepot termes nor doctrine The distinction of merits of congruity and condignity is as absurd as the rest for how can a man that is vnworthy of fauour be said to merit With the sprinkling of holy water they thinke to driue away Diuels but it is most absurd to thinke that they are scarred with water In the church seruice they vse a tongue not vnderstood but in the primitiue church as Aquin. in 1. Cor. 14. confesseth that was counted madnesse they pray also like parrats and know not what they say which is foolish and fruitlesse In consecrating of churches they write the Greek Alphabet vpon the pauement but what is more foolish than to teach stones the Alphabet They doe also grease the altar and set vp lights before crosses that euerie simple soule may see their soolery And when their Disciples lie a dying then they put light in their hands and grease their eies but it is ridiculous to shew light to dead men or to thinke that men can see better hauing oile in their eies What then remaineth but that we beseech God to open the eies of Papists that they may in the end see the fooleries and absurdities of that superstitious religion whereto now they are so much addicted CHAP. XXVIII That popish religion doth keepe Christians in blindnesse and ignorance of God and godlinesse IF none but fooles despise wisedome and instruction as the wiseman Prouerb 1. teacheth vs then cannot we thinke the Papists wise that not onely delight in ignorance but also debarre lay-men from all ordinary meanes of instruction in the doctrine of true piety That they delight in ignorance it appeareth in that they commend the colliars faith that could answeare the Diuell nothing but that he beleeued as the Church beleeueth albeit he knew not what it was they doe also teach their followers that for simple people it is sufficient to beleeue the articles of the faith implicite for so saith Linwood in Gloss in c. ignorantia de sum Trinit Thomas Aquinas 2.2 q. 2. art 6. compareth Gods people to asses and their teachers to oxen saith it is sufficient for them in matters of faith to adhere to their superiours and although he say that they are to beleeue the articles of the Creed explicite yet Syluester in summa in verb. fides expoundeth it that they are to beleeue these articles explicitè as farre as they direct vs to the last end in 2.2 q. 82. art 3. Thomas saith that the women and simple people are most deuout and M. Cole a man not lightly accounted of among the Papists said openly that ignorance was the mother of deuotion That they deprine lay-men of all ordinary meanes of instruction in matters of faith it appeareth first for that they seldome permit scriptures translated into vulgar tongues to be read by them but Scriptures as the Apostle teacheth vs 2. Tim. 3. are profitable to instruct Secondly they expressely forbid them to bee read publickly in the Church their seruice also and administration of sacraments is for the most part in tongues not vnderstood of the vulgar sort Thirdly they wil not suffer lay-men to dispute of matters of faith for they are excommunicate if they do it as Nauarrus in enchirid in 1. praecept c. 11. declareth Fourthly their preachers seldome teach the people and when they doe it yet as Dante canto 29. saith they preach their owne inuentions and tell idle tales without edification Cornelius Agrippa de vanit scient c. de theolog saith that for the Gospell and Gods word they preach meere toies and humane inuentions pro euangelijs pro verbo Dei meras nugas humana verba crepant praedicantes euangelium adulterantes verbum Dei Fifthly if either any preach the truth syncerely or else speaketh against the impieties and heresies of poperie then is hee either forced to abiure or else adiudged to the fire Finally all bookes of religion in vulgar tongues whereby Christians may come to the knowledge of the truth are suppressed and by great penalties forbidden This we find by experience that both Priests and people are most ignorant of matters of faith where poperie is professed and first to begin with the Popes Alphonsus à Castro lib. 1. de haeres saith that diuers Popes haue beene vtterlie vnlearned constat plures Papas adeo illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent this sentence now in later editions they haue caused to be razed out of the booke but yet it is not to be forgotten that one Pope for fiat said siatur Laziardus epit c. 183. speaking of Gregory the sixth saith he caused another to be consecrated with him for saying of masse seeing he was rude and ignorant of letters vt dictum est alium secum consecrari fecit cum esset rudis literarum Felin c. si quando de rescriptis saith the Pope cannot bee deposed for want of learning Papa propter defectum literaturae non potest deponi How simple clerkes they were it appeareth for that as Auentinus testifieth annal lib. 3. Pope Zachary condemned Virgilius a bishop of Germany as an hereticke for saying there were antipodes Paul the second as Platina testifieth determined them to be heretickes that named the word academy and was an enemie of learning Iohn Peccham in the prouinciall constitution beginning ignorantia sacerdotum thinketh it sufficient for Priests either by themselues or by others once euery quarter to expound the articles of the Creed the ten commandements the two commandements of the Gospell the seuen workes of mercy the seuen deadly sinnes the seuen principall vertues and seuen sacraments and that without any curiosity Platina complaining of the ignorance of Priests of his time crieth out quanta ignoratio cum suispsius tum doctrinae Christiana what ignorance saith he is in them as well of themselues as of Christian doctrine The two points of a bishops mitre as Durand in his rational teacheth signifie the old and new Testament but Lois Mersilius an Augustinian frier being asked what the two stroppes of the mitre that hang on the bishops backe doe meane said they signified that he neither vnderstood the old nor new testament And this is the case of most popish prelates Matthew Paris in Willielmo Conquaest saith that clerkes were then so vnlearned that such as vnderstood
nor other vertue but only that he professe outwardly the Romish religion and be subiect to the Pope a matter of no great difficulty If a man take vpon him the habit of a Monke or a Frier they make it a second baptisate and that state they say is a state of perfection so you see how easie a matter it is with Papists not only to be a true member of the church but also a perfect Christian for who cannot take vpon him a Friars or Monkes weede in the apologie for Herodotus it is testified that a certaine Frier taught that the only way for the Diuell to be saued was to put on Saint Francis his coule Further they teach that the Pope hath power to grant pardons for fornication adultery incest rapes murders periurie trechery sodomitrie maranismes and all vices as appeareth by the Popes penitentiary taxes and that for no great sums of money now what more easie then to obteine the Popes pardon If a man heare Masse euery Sunday holyday and confesse at shrouetide and be houseled at Easter and fast from flesh and obserue the rest of the Romish precepts and ceremonies he is taken for a good Catholike but these are matters to be performed without any great difficulty The Papists also teach that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction which is a matter to bee obteined at euery pild Priestes-hands They promise also generall indulgences to such as visit certaine churches at Rome and else where which may bee done with small labour Now for veniall sinnes they say that knocking of the brest and holy water is remedy sufficient for such matters they say Christians neede not to repent them they hold also that holy water is good to driue away diuels but in no place is there want of holy water If a man liue all his life most leudly and loosely yet if he confesse to a priest when he lieth a dying and promise satisfaction he faileth not to haue absolution and if he satisfie not in this life yet they hold that either by Masses or indulgences he may be deliuered out of Purgatory but indulgences are not deare and Masses are dogge cheape a trentall is not valued at 30. pence nor whole fardels at great sums By euery small good worke nay by eating red-herrings and saltfish on fridaies and such obseruances they hope to merit heauen so broad they make the way to heauen and so easie a matter to come thither Finally as Eunomius promised them that professed his faith reward in heauen howsoeuer they liued so likewise doe the Papists promise heauen to their followers so they professe and set forward the Popes cause whether they be murdrers of Kings or massacrers or rebels or filthie whore-mongers or Sodomites it skilleth not the Masse-priests promise not only pardon but also reward in heauen so they die in the Popes obedience and professe his religion This religion therefore that giueth such liberty to sinners and leadeth them such pleasant waies feeding the eies of people with sights their eares with pleasant soundes and satisfying all their senses with carnall pleasures cannot bee true We could also specifie the same by infinit examples and by particulars shew that papists run the broade way but that we reserue it to the next Chapter CHAP. XXX That Popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruits that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes GOod trees are knowen by their fruits let vs then see what fruits haue come of Popery that we may know whether the tree be good or no from whence they haue issued Bristow in his 39. Motiue imagineth that we haue nothing to say against his consorts and therefore braggeth much of workes and despiseth his aduersaries as running the broade-way to destruction but when his consorts shall see our discourse concerning the fruits effects of Poperie and their strange enormous wicked liues they will wish that for this matter we had neuer beene called in question First then wee saie that the Papistes erre in the doctrine of workes and next that their liues are so disorderly as if they did only study to excell in all wickednesse leudenesse and villanie Christians beleeue that the law of God is a perfect rule of good life but they hold that not only Gods lawes but all scriptures are imperfect and insufficient without traditions Christians beleeue that the perfection of Christian life consisteth in the Gospell but these teach that the rules of Benet Francis Dominicke and other monkes and friers doe direct vs to a further perfection then is commanded in the Gospell They doe as well beleeue that the lawes of the Pope do binde our consciences as Gods lawes and thinke that the workes done according to the Popes lawes do as well please God as the works commanded in Gods lawes They make more conscience to absteine from flesh on Friday then to murder Christians as their curiositie in keeping that forme of fast and their crueltie in murdring and massacring Christians doth declare The Masse-priests giue absolution to most haynous sinners and enioyne them penance afterward the Pope granteth indulgences to most horrible offenders They beleeue not that concupiscence is sinne or that it is better for Votaries to marry then to burne or that Veniall sinnes deserue the curse of the law or eternall death They teach that euery Christian is to satisfie for the temporall paines due to sinnes and that either in this life or in the life to come in purgatorie They beleeue that a man may be iustified by extreme vnction and other popish sacraments and by the works of the law and not by faith in Christ Iesus They suppose that euery man is able to performe the workes of the law perfectly of which it followeth that as the Pelagians taught a man may liue without sinne Finally by their workes they hope to merit eternall life which is directly contrary to the Apostles doctrine Rom. 6. who teacheth vs that eternall life is the gift of God If then the Papistes erre so grossely both in the doctrine of works and also in the rule of our works it is not like that their works are excellent Nay we finde by practise that their workes are for the most part impious and displeasing vnto God as for example the adoration of the crosse and sacrament their blasphemous praiers to the virgin Mary to Angels and Saints their sacrilegious taking of the cup of the new testament from Gods people their worship done to Antichrist their periuries and rebellions against Princes their murdring Gods saints their mainteining of publicke stewes and bankes of vsury and such like the rest cannot much please God or man as for example the begging of vagabond friers the forswearing of mariage the eating of muscles cockles and red herrings in Lent the taking of ashes on Ashwednesday the ringing and singing for dead men the shauing of priests crownes the greasing of sicke men of altars bels and such like toies and ceremonies
clergie there was neither religion nor good life nor shame afterward he taxeth the luxuriousnesse of all estates but especially the furiousnesse of lusts the ambition couetousnesse and superstition of the Romish Clergie Marcellus Palingenius in virgine complaineth of a generall corruption of manners throughout the world imo libenter saith he Destituam hunc mundum innumerisque refertum Fraudibus atque dolis incestibus atque rapinis Est vbi nulla fides piet as est nulla nec vlla Iustitia pax requies vbi crimina regnant Omnia He saith that all vices reigned and that there was neither faith nor piety nor iustice in the world viz. among the Papists Matthew Paris in Henrico tertio complaineth that religion was trodden vnder foote and that vsury and simony reigned Erasmus de amicab concord saith that if a man looke neerely he shall find all filled with fraudes iniuries rapines si quis propiùs inspiciat inueniet fraudibus iniurijs rapiniâ—referta omnia Hereupon Petrus de Aliaco lib. de reformat ecclesiae complaineth that certaine barators had destroied the church which the fathers had formerly built primitius theologi ecclesiam aedificauerunt quam nunc baritatores destruxerunt Simony and Vsury among the Romanists is so common that as Matth. Paris saith they accompt the first no sinne the second a small sinne Felin in c. ex parte de offic potest iudic delegat saith that without the rent of Simony the popes sea would grow contemptible heu Simon regnat per munera quaeque reguntur saith one in hist Citizensi Theodoric à Niem lib. 2. de schism c. 7. saith that vsury did then so much preuaile that it was accompted no fault Paul the 4. and Pius the 4. in their times were great banquiers and vsurers as we may see in their liues written by a Parasite of the Popes called Onuphrius If we should speake of particular men we should find no end of their villanies Wernerus speaking of Iohn the 12. saith he was wholy giuen to lust totus lubricus Beno Platina and others testifie that Siluester the 2. and Benedict the ninth were Magicians and the Diuels sworne sernantes Gregory the 7. was deposed by the councell of Brixia as a notorious necromancer possessed with a diabolicall spirit Iohn the 23. was conuicted in the councell of Constance to be an incestuous person a Sodomit and an atheist denying the immortality of the soule as we reade in the actes thereof Clement the 5. as Hermannus testifieth was a publike fornicator the same is also testified by Mattheo Villani hist l. 3. c. 39. against Clement the sixt Sixtus the 4. passed Nero in cruelty and all villany Gaude prisce Nero saith one vincit te crimine Sixtus Hic scelus omne clauditur vitium Marullus and others testifie against Innocent the 8. that he had sixteene bastards and was a dull fellow giuen to carnall pleasures Of Alexander the 6. we reade that he wasted the world ouerthrew law and religion neither could Onuphrius dissemble his vices He that listeth to see the like testimonies against Masse-priests Monkes Friers and their complices let him reade the second booke of my answere to Rob. Parsons his warne-word But what should proofes neede in so plaine matters if the Popes whom they call most holy be such we must not imagine that their base slaues and dependants are better The practise of this sect doth iustifie this charge most fullie of late time they haue murdred millions of Gods Saints In England of late they attempted to destroy the King and his house to blow vp the Lords Commons in Parliament assembled and to cut the throtes of all good men they neither respect King nor friend old nor yoong oath nor promise Among themselues there is neither iustice nor honesty poore people are abused with superstitious shewes and dissembled grauity through the practises of Popes Christendome is diuided and the kingdome of Turkes enlarged Can those therefore bee good men that doe such leud acts and haue they reason to boast of works whose liues are so defiled with all vices CHAP. XXXI That in Popery a base accompt is made of Princes and all lay-men HOly scriptures doe giue honorable titles not only to Kings and Princes but also to all the people of God Princes Rom. 13. are called superior powers and Gods ministers for our good and in diuers places they are dignified as Gods anoynted Christians are also called Saints and Gods heritage and his sonnes and children and heires of Gods kingdome annexed together with Christ but the Masse-priests and polshorne crew make but a base reckoning of them for first they appropriat to themselues the title of Gods inheritance calling themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and clericos as if the Popes greasie shauelings were only Gods inheritance and the rest were profane and common persons Secondly in the church they diuide themselues from lay-men as if lay-men were not holy inough to communicate with them in Gods seruice or else as if they were vnworthy to come neere the Popes poleshorne and greasie complices Thirdly they call themselues only spirituall men as if the lay-people were grosse and carnall and without sense and feeling of piety they doe call themselues also Gods annointed interpreting these words touch not mine anointed of their owne greasie company Fourthly the state of matried folkes is termed a damned state of life as appeareth by their decretales de conuersione coniugatorum where they talke of married folks entring into monasteries no otherwise then as if they should talke of the conuersion of sinners Syricius c. plurimos dist 82. doth talke of maried folkes as of men profane and vnholy and Innocentius in the same distinction c. proposuisti doth interpret these words of the Apostle those that are in the flesh cannot please God of married folkes as if they were in the flesh and could not please God for otherwise his conclusion is of no valew Fiftlie they call lay-people imperfect for that is a worde vsed by Faber contra anatomen missae the state of perfection they ascribe commonly to Monkes and Friers some call them doggs and hoggs and proue that scriptures are not to be permitted to be read in vulgar tongues because holie things are not to bee giuen to dogs nor pearles cast before swine Thomas Aquinas 2.2 q. 2. art 6. compareth Gods people to asses holding that it is sufficient for them to adhere to their superiors in matters of saith because we read Ioh 1. that the oxen were at plow and the Asses fedde by them Summa Rosella and Siluester in his summe in verb. fides doth take lay-men and simple people to be all one and commonly they call them idiots and rude fellowes 6 Pops Alexander trod vpon the Emperors necke calling him a lion basiliske and Boniface the 8. indeuoreth to make Kings his subiects 7 They make Kings and Princes their hang-men exequutioners forcing them to put Gods Saints to death whom the
woluish inquisitors before haue condemned Finally they take from Princes all command and authority in the church not suffering them either to make ecclesiasticall lawes or to meddle with ecclesiasticall persons as for other Christians they doe excommunicate them curse them burne them massacre them and set them together by the eares that one may teare another if they repugne against their commandements Can we then esteeme Popery to be Christian religion that holdeth Christians in so base accompt and will Christians indure this yoke of bondage put vpon their neckes by the Popes faction that endeuoreth to take all liberty from Christians CHAP. XXXII That Popery is a doctrine of diuels THe diuel being the author of all vntrueth and falshood it may well be said that all the lying and false doctrine of papists is of the diuel but beside this there are particular reasons why we call Popery the doctrine of diuels for first diuers points of popish doctrine are specially said to proceed from the diuell and next the best proofes and meanes which our aduersaries haue to maintaine their doctrine are from the diuell The Apostle 1. Tim. 4. calleth the prohibition of marriage and lawes of abstinence from certaine meates doctrines of diuels for speaking of doctrines of diuels afterward he specifieth the same saying forbidding to marry and commanding to absteine from meats which God hath created but Papists by law expressely forbid marriage to priests and others that haue vowed single life and the eating of flesh on fasting daies and white soule in lent neither can they excuse themselues for that they doe not condemne marriage as simply euill or flesh as vncleane for Thcodoret sheweth that such came within the compasse of the Apostles censure as by law prohibited these things further neither did the Encratites or Manichees absolutely forbid marriage as vncleane but as not fitting such as tende to perfection Epiphanius in haeres 79. esteemeth the superstition of those women that offred the sacrifice of a cake in the honour of the virgin Mary to be diabolicall totum hoc opus est diabolicum spiritus immundi doctrina but Papists doe offer their masse cakes in the honour of our Lady and of Saints Likewise he calleth it a doctrine of diuels to giue diuine worship to dead men but this is a common practise among Papistes for by Saints they sweare and to them they confesse their sinnes and in honour of them they build churches and altars and say masses all which are speciall points of diuine honour Further he sheweth that the desire that men haue in making grauen images is a diuelish indeuor simulachrificum studium diabolicus conatus but where is there more labour bestowed in making images then in the synagogue of Rome S. Chrysostome homil 9. in epist ad Coloss saith that the diuel first brought in the superstitious worship of Angels diabolus superstitionem angelorum introduxit heere then we vnderstand whence the Papists haue their worship of Angels From the diuell also hath the Pope learned to aduance himselfe aboue al that is worshipped and to take vpon him as if he were God Apocalyps 9. we read that the smoke that darkned the sunne and the aire came out of the bottomlesse pit and that locustes came out of this smoke but this smoke is nothing else but the fumes of the errors of Popery which haue long darkned the brightnesse of the truth and the locustes are the monks and friers which with their poysoned doctrine drawne from hell haue infected the mindes of simple people About the yeere of our Lord 1256. as Matthew Paris testifieth the friers published a booke entituled Euangelium aeternum composed of certaine dreames of abbot Ioachim and this say they exceeded the gospel written by the foure Euangelists as farre as the Sunne the Moone or the kernell the nut but the author of the Romant of the Rose where he speaketh of the hypocrisie of friers testifieth that this booke came from the great diuell Fut or baille c'est chose voire saith he Pour bailler commun exemplaire Vn liure de par le grand diable Dit l'euangile perdurable That the Popes haue serued the diuell it appeareth by Iohn the 12. that called vpon the diuell as he plaid at dice by Syluester the 2. and Benet the 9. that were necromancers by Gregory the 7. that 2 Matt. Paris in With. Conq. confessed at his death that by the counsell of the diuel he had stirred vp Gods anger against the world and diuers others but seruing the diuell it is not likely but they learned somewhat of him Delrius lib. 4. de Magia c. 1. q. 3. § 5. testifieth that the diuell appeared to a certaine abbot in forme of an Angell and commanded him to say Masse but he would not haue perswaded it vnlesse he had well liked it Dibdale a Masse-priest in England coniured the diuell to tell him whether Christes body was present in the Sacrament or no. he said it was and this was a great satisfaction to the Papists present as is said in a booke of miracles that passeth from hand to hand In the 2. Nicene councell act 4. a certaine monke prooneth the worship of Images by the testimony of the diuel I sengrenius in libro de Maria in veteri ottinga prooueth that the virgin Mary was to be worshipped by the witnesse of the diuel that said his aue Maria. In the 2. booke of conformities fruct 2. they make proofe by the diuels testimonie of the vertue of indulgences granted to the church of Assisium by the meanes of S. Francis Likewise lib. 3. conformitatum fruct 8. a certaine â—iâ—el tolde one as is said how Angels were present at the death of S. Francis daemon dixit cuidam angelos interfuisse in transitu B. Francisci another told how S. Francis his soule passed through Purgatory by the testimony of another diuel they prooue that S. Francis had Christs wounds imprinted in his body and that he and Christ onely of all that were in heauen had these markes the wordes of the booke of conformities are these diabolus dixit quod Christus videns quod Franciseus sibi datus esset pro signisero tanti ordmis ipsi suorum vnlncrum stigmata impressit and againe diabolus adiuratus à quodam sacerdote de veritate dicenda post plura per os mulieris apud Ranennam morantis nomime Zantese sic inquit in coelo sunt tantum duo signati scilicet Christus slomachosus Franciscus Baronius in his 4. tome prooueth Iohn and Paul to be martyrs by the diuels testimony daemones clamantes ex corporibus obsessorum Ioannem Paulum martyres esse testabantur so heere we see whence the Papists haue the worship of Saints In the 77. lombard legend it is said that Dioclesians sonne being possessed with a diuel the same diuel cried out that he wold not dislodge before Vitus came lo heere a braue testimonie of the holinesse of S. Vitus Finally the
massacres and cruell executions done by the Papistes of late yeeres vpon the Saints of God haue proceeded from no other fountaine then from the malice of the diuel for he was a murderer from the beginning and Apocalyps 12. we read that the great red dragon that is the diuel persecuted the woman which was a figure of the church of God and caused her to flie into the wildernesse from the same fountaine also doe issue all the forgeries lies and calumniations of Papists whereby they haue gone about to suppresse the truth for the diuell is the father of lies and from their father the diuel the lying friers and Masse-priests haue learned their lying deuises who then is of God must needs hate this religion that is partly inuented and partly mainteined by the diuell CHAP. XXXIII That Papists can haue no assurance of the truth of their religion OF the trueth of our Christian faith we are assured for the articles thereof were deliuered by Christ taught by the Apostles and Prophets conteined in Scriptures and confessed by the catholicke church of all times but it is not so with Popery for neither did Christ deliuer it nor the Apostles and Prophets teach it nor is the same conteined in Scriptures or confessed by the catholike church of all times but dependeth partly vpon traditions not written and partly vpon the Popes determinations and partly vpon the opinions of schoole-men and canonistes and the monkes and friers now what assurance I pray you can any Papist haue of these doctrines First no man yet could euer tell what these traditions are which the Priests of Trent would make equall to Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 4. de verb. dei talketh at randon but he dare not come to particulars nor directly expresse them Secondly they dare not define where these traditions are to be found if they say in the decretales then all future traditions are cut off and former traditions founded on the Popes opinions if they say in the legends their traditions will prooue lies and fooleries for such are the legends if they tell vs of the pure fountaines of traditions of Caesar Baronius as Pope Sixtus the fift doth they will be laughed at that were not auised of their groundes before the time of this babling and confused Cardinal Thirdly they cannot shew why some traditions should be obserued and others not but if traditions were to be receined with equall affection to holy Scriptures then might none be abolished As for the determinations of Popes they can alledge no reason why they should be true if they bring the wordes of Christ to Peter they concerne them nothing that are so vnlike to Peter if they bring Christs promises to his church they concerne them much lesse for they are rather enemies then members of the church but were they members yet what man is priuiledged so that he cannot erre but those which for writing of holy Scriptures were led into all truth by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth Finally there is such contention betwixt the schoolemen and canonists and such diuersity of opinions among the seuerall Doctors of both the sides that it is bard to say whether any of them teacheth truly and most certaine that many of them teach falsely nay scarce any point of doctrine is deliuered by schoolemen wherein they dissent not one from another Now if they say their faith is founded not only vpon the Popes determinations and Apostolike traditions but also vpon holy scriptures yet holding as they doe this shall not any whit releeue them For first they cannot assure themselues that the Latine vulgar translation of the Bible is more true then the originall text in Hebrew and Greeke for all the fathers with one consent preferre the original fountaines before all versions Secondly they must needes stand in doubt which is the old Latine vulgar translation for if they allow that which was set out by Clement the 8. then cannot they allow of that which was set out by Sixtus Quintus the one so much differing from the other nor if they approue this can they follow that Thirdly they doe not beleeue the scriptures because God speaketh in them nor the traditions because they are Gods worde as they hold but because the church doth tell vs which are canonicall scriptures and consigneth them vnto vs and doth further deliuer vnto vs these traditions not written for this is Stapletons opinion in his bookes de doctrinalibus princip and authorit ecclesiast defens and is confessed of most Papists but if the authoritie of scriptures and traditions in respect of vs doth so depend vpon the church that no man can be assured of either without the authority of the Church then doth the faith of Papists rest vpon the Pope who as they say is chiefe gouernor of the church the which will bring the Papists to great vncertainty for who is so mad as to beleeue that a blind Pope can well iudge of colours or so senselesse as not to beleeue Gods word without the Popes warrant Fourthly they receiue not the articles of the faith because they are contained in scriptures but because they are deliuered vnto vs by the Pope Thomas Aquinas 2.2.9.1 art 10. saith that the ordring of matters of faith and the publication of the articles of the Creed belongeth to the pope that Athanasius his Creed was receiued because it was allowed by the Pope and this by others is deliuered in more grosse termes Stapleton in his doctrinall principles saith that the last resolution of matters of faith is in the Popes desinitiue sentence and Bellarmine lib. 3. de verb. dei c. 4. goeth about to shew that the Pope is the supreme iudge to whom the interpretation of scriptures and last resolution of all controuersies of religion is to bee referred But the papists can neither assure thomselues that he that sitteth at Rome is true Pope and S. Peters true successor nor that his determinations are certeine or true That the Pope is S. Peters true successor it will be hard to proue considering that he preacheth not as S. Peter did nor S. Peter weare a triple crowne and command temporall Princes as he doth it is very hard also to know whether he bee true Pope or no after the common vnderstanding of Papists for vnlesse he bee baptized and truly ordred and chosen he is no true Pope but it is hard to know whether he were baptized which dependeth vpon the Priests intention which is vncerteine and hidden it is also more hard to vnderstand whether he were truly ordred or not for if he were not baptized then is he not capable of Priest-hood as Innocentius saith c. ventens de presbytero non baptizato and if he that ordred him had no intention to doe it then receiued he no orders lastly it is a matter most difficult to know whether the Pope was rightly chosen or else by Simony or violence or other meanes intruded so it is alwaies most
vncertaine whether the Pope be S. Peters successor and a lawfull Pope yea or no. In the Popes determinations also there is great vncerteintie and doubt for neither can the Papists that were not present in the Popes consistory beleeue for certeine that the Pope hath thus or thus determined vnlesse they will beleeue either this or that Masse-priest that telleth him so or the notary that subscribeth the decretale or the decretale it selfe nor can they assure themselues that the Popes determination is true If they beleeue euery Masse-priest or Notarie then is the faith of Papists built vpon euery pild pated Priests report or notaries subscription if they beleeue the Popes decretales because they find them written then doe they giue more credit to the Popes decretales then to holy scriptures which is most absurd and impious that the Pope determineth infallibly true how can they assure themselues seeing the scriptures pronounce all men liers and subiect to infirmities furthermore we reade that the chiese Priests vnder the law erred diuerssie as the offence of Aaron in making the golden calfe of Vriah the Priest that made an altar after the forme of that of Damascus of Annas and Caiphas that condemned Christ Iesus doth plainlie declare Peter also erred in denying his master and dissuading his passion and in Iudaizing and dissembling his religion the bishops of Rome haue erred as Lyra confesseth in Matth. 16. and may erre as Adrian lib. de sacrament c. de cōsirmat determineth The examples also of Marcellinus Liberius Felix Anastasius the 2. Vigilius Honorius the first Iohn the 23. and other Popes doe proue the same S. Augustine epist 19. doth testifie that the writers of canonical scriptures only are priuiledged so as they cannot erre of other writers he thinketh otherwise and this is also the opinion of other fathers finally reason may perswade vs to acknowledge this truth for we see no more in the bishops of Rome then other bishops and lesse then in other learned men but other bishops and learned men both haue erred and may erre if they say that Peters chaire is priuiledged then must they shew that the bishops of Antioch Alexandria which haue as much right to Peters chaire as Rome haue neuer erred but this they know cannot be done Thus we see that neither in the Romish traditions nor in the Popes decretales there is any certainty all depending of the Popes supposed determinations of which no certaintie can be had the same also may be shewed by the contrarie opinions of popish doctors in euery point of controuersie and for that all their errors are plainly conuinced both by scriptures and fathers but because they place their principall defence in the sacrifice of the Masse we will only shew their want of assurance in this point First then no Papist in the world is able to shew that either the whole Masse or the canon was instituted by Christ or the Apostles nay we see plainly words newly thrust into the forme of consecration of the cup and popish doctors themselues confesse that diuers parts of the Masse haue beene made by seuerall Popes Secondly they cannot shew for a thousand yeeres after Christ that any Priest was ordeined to offer Christes bodie and blood really for quicke and dead Lastly suppose the Masse were lawful the Priest lawful and all the rest of the lawlesse and superstitious tricks lawful yet can no man assure himselfe that the Priest hath truely consecrated for first no man can tell whether the man at the altar be a Priest vnlesse he know that he was baptized and that the bishop ordring him had an intention to doe it Secondly no man can assure himselfe that either he had an intention to consecrate or pronounced the wordes of consecration or not for they are pronounced softly Are not the Papistes then miserable who are so vncertaine of their Masse and know not whether they worship bread or God whether they serue God or creatures whether they be Christians or idolaters CHAP. XXXIIII That Popery is repugnant to the lawes of Nations BVt could the Papists perswade themselues that their Massing sacrifice were lawfull and the rest of their religion were true yet who would not abhorre that religion which is grounded on such foundations and conteineth such impieties heresies and false doctrines and is so repugnant both to Catholike religion and all antiquity Further we finde that it ouerthroweth the lawes of nations dissolueth the bands of alliance and kinred preiudiceth the authoritie of Kings and Princes hazardeth their liues and persons oppresseth the liberty of Christians both for matters of conscience and their temporall estate and is maintained by lies calumniations forgeries periuries fire and sword and most dishonest and wicked means The lawes of nations require that oathes promises compactes leagues and treaties of trade and commerce be obserued and kept but all these bonds neither Popes nor Papists regard Formosus being deposed from his bishopricke swore that he would neuer resume the same againe yet regarded he not his oath Gregorie the 7. was made Pope contrarie to his oath as appeareth in the life of Henrie the 4. Paschal the 2. solemnely swore to Henry the Emperor to obserue certeine articles agreed vpon betwixt them but he was no soner out of his hands but he broke his oath rebelled against the Emperor and excommunicated him Charles the French King as Theodoric a Niem testifieth tract nemor vnion 6. c. 14. chargeth Gregory the 12. and Benedict the 13. with violating their oathes vowes and promises Violarunt sidem saith he fregerunt votum promissum non tenucrunt Omiphrius chargeth Alexander the 6. with more then Punicke persidiousnesse persidia plus quam punica Guicciardin in his history speaking of Clement the 7. saith he regarded his oath but little era di poca sede he sheweth also how Iulius the second endeuored to prooue that the church that is the Pope as he meant was not bound by any oath and that appeareth to haue beene most currant doctrine by diuers perfidious prankes plaied by Leo the 10. Clement the 7. and diuers other Popes mentioned by Onuphrius and diuers of the Popes owne friends and parasites Neither doe they only breake oathes themselues but perswade all their complices to doe the like the Bishop of Verdune as we reade in Conradus Traiectensis relateth how Gregory the 7. esteemed faith to be sacrilege and them to bee loyall that broke their othes to the emperor periuria sidelitatem dicit fidem sacrilegium sacit Henry the 4. also as we read in Helmoldus complained that his subsects by the instigation of the Pope rebelled against their lord and broke their saith and solemne oathes lenarunt manus contra dominum regem suum violauerunt sidem iuramentorum sacramenta In the councell of Constance the Pope and his complices persuaded the emperor most dishonorably to violate his safe conduct granted to Iohn Husse there also it was decreed that faith was
not to be held with heretikes they endeuored lately to persuade the emperor Charles the fift likewise to breake with Luther Paul the 3. in his bull against King Henry the 8. did pronounce them accursed that would not breake oathes and couenauts made with him or with his subiects Eugenius the 4. was the cause that Ladislaus King of Poland did breake with the Turke the like practises haue diuers Popes vsed to cause subiects to rebell against Princes Innocentius the 3. moued the English contrary to their oaths to rebell against King Iohn and the like course did Paul the third take against King Henry the eight and Pius the sist against Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory the late traytors were diuers of them tied by speciall oathes to King lames but with gun-ponder they meant to blow away oaths and honestie Finally it may truly be said of the Pope and his complices that they take themselues no further bound by their oathes then their profit requireth so one said also in expresse termes of them multis annis iam peractis nulla sides est in pactis for many yeares they haue regarded no compactes and by this stratagem they haue preuailed against the Emperors and other Princes and setting the Christian world vpon a flame haue warmed themselues by the fire We read also that diuers leagues and treaties of peace by the wicked perswasions of Popes and their adherents and agents haue beene violated The Spaniarde and English in time past enterteined peace one with another but Pius the fifth by his agents set the one nation against the other by the practises of Popes and their agents we find that the freuch King Charles the 9. broke the articles of peace both with his subiects and other Princes and caused many thousand innocents to be murdred and massacred throughout his kingdome anno 1572. Philip the 2. King of Spaine had not broken the priuiledges of the low countries nor the articles of the pacification at Gant anno 1576. but that he was moned thereunto by the continuall perswasions of the Pope nay Paul the third doubted not to curse all those that would not breake with king Henry the 8. vpon his excommunication Furthermore by the lawes of nations warres are either publickely proclaimed or after refusall of restitution of goods wrongfully taken by some heraulds or others denounced but the Pope contrary to all lawes caused the Spaniardes anno 1588. to come against England before any warre was denounced the same course also did Paul the 3. hold in his warres against the Germans neither doe the papists end euour any thing more then to take Christians on sleepe and so to steale vpon them and to cut their throates and this appeared lately most clearely in the cruell conspiraracy of the ponder men and vndermining papists Great respect is alwaies had to ambassadors and agents sent to treat of war or peace And this is * C. inâ—gentium dist 1. confirmed by the lawes of al nations but Popes haue oftentimes euill entreated the Emperors ambassadors Gregorius 7. nuntios Henrici Imperatoris carceri mandauit as we reade in Orthuinus Gratius in certaine epistles set downe together with the Emperors life another Pope killed Frederic the 2. his ambasladors that brought newes of his good successe in Palestine the Marques of Montigni and earle of Bergues in the beginning of the troubles of the Low countrey being sent into Spaine to mediate some good conditions with the king were imprisoned and done to death and now they are esteemed simple that wil trust the Popes vassals or treat with them without hostages Finally by the lawes of nations kings haue soueraigne power ouer their subiects and neither can subiects abandon their Princes nor oppugne them nor may kings oppresse their subiects or suffer them to be massacred by the adherents of antichrist or others but by the doctrine of papistes all Kings are subiect to the Pope as they teach in the chap. vnam sanctam extr de maiorit obed and diuers other places the same also is prooued for that diuers Popes take vpon them to take away Princes crownes the Popes do dispense with the oathes of Princes made to their subiects and with the oathes of subiects made to their Princes of which many calamities doe proceede Papa cum Achaiae principem saith Pachymeres lib. hist 1. c. vlt. iureiurando quod Paleologo dederat soluisset contmentium bellorum causam praebuit the Pope absoluing the Prince of Achaia from his oath giuen to Paleologus was cause of diuers troubles one following vpon the necke of another and the like inconueniences haue followed vpon the like presumption of Popes in taking vpon them to controll kings and to stirre their subiects against them but what need we to seeke for examples in ancient histories when the calamities hapning in France by occasion of the league against the King and in England and Ireland by the Popes insolent excommunications and dispensations in this case are so fresh in memorie is it not then maruell that so many nations should embrace the doctrine of Popery that is so repugnant to the lawes of nations and rights both of Princes and subiects founded on the lawes of nations CHAP. XXXV That Popery dissolueth the bondes of kinred and alliance and ciuilitie THere is no bond straiter then that which is betwixt parents and their children and naturally men are enclined to loue their kinsmen and allies but this false religion which is professed by Papists and founded vpon the Pope dissolueth all bandes of alliance and kindred and setteth the children against the parents and the parents against the children Paschale the 2. and his adherents as Helmoldus testifieth armed the sonne against the father Paschalis Pontifices Germani saith he silium Henricum contra patrem armarunt vicerunt likewise Gregory the 9. made Henry the sonne head of a strong league against Frederic the 2. his father as is testified by Auentinus in annal Boiorum Henricum Caesarem saith he missis legatis aduersus patrem conspirationis valentissimae principem facit the same man speaking of Innocentius the 3. assirmeth that he set coosen against coosen brother against brother and sonne against the father Spectante atque concitante Romano sacerdote saith he Philippus Otho cognatas acies inter so committunt frater aduersus fratrem silius aduersus parentem consligere cogitur Marius Belga lib. de schism c. 4. sheweth how certaine Popish prelates set the sonnes of Ludouicus Pius against the father that Gregory the 4. consented vnto it contrariwise Pius the 5. as we reade in his life written by Hierome Catena testifieth how Philip the 2. of Spayne consented to the death of his sonne Charles suspected not to fauor popish religion non pepereit filio suo proprio saith he abusing the words of holy Scripture sed dedit eum pro nobis he spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs. In the histories written concerning the persecutions of the
by frequent excommunications is growne contemptible hee complaineth also of the multitude of irregularities adde hereunto the greeuances proceeding of suspensions and interditements and then the burthen must needs seeme more greenous Fiftly such as doe not in matters of faith or Sacraments iumpe with the Romish church they pronounce heretikes as appeareth by the chap. ad abolendam de haereticis they giue them also ouer to the secular power to be put to death Sixtly they make Kings and Princes their butchers and executioners sorcing them by sentence of excommunication to cut the throat of Christes lambes whom they most wrongfully haue pronounced heretikes Seuenthly they burthen their clergy their religious orders both of men and women with a vow of single life albeit they finde themselues most vnable to performe it they force also the monkes friers and nunnes to obserue monkish rules which are oftentimes full of fooleries and stande for the most part vpon externall ceremonies Finally like to Scribes and Pharisees they haue brought into the church infinite traditions and ceremonies nay the conuenticle of Trent doth paragon and make equal vnwritten traditions to Gods written worde and yet no Papist euer yet could tell what those traditions were or in what bookes they were to be found In baptisme they vse salt spittle blowings lights and greasing in the Masse the priest turneth heaueth skippeth swingeth the chalice to and fro moppeth moweth ducketh speaketh sometimes high sometimes lowe and maketh no end of ceremonies the consecrating of salt holy-water oyle paschal lambes new houses new shippes is not done without many ceremonies in hallowing and rehallowing of churches saying of canonicall houres and offices many ceremonies passe but few to purpose the Bishop in consecrating a church walketh round about it as if there were no entrance in and in the end abusing a versicle of a psalm saith attollite portas principes vestras and entring maketh the Greeke and Latine alphabet and setteth lights before crosses made on walles and greaseth stones the yeare of Iubiley aboundeth with ceremonies the Pope knocketh first at S. Peters church dore with a golden hammer shewing that no man obteineth indulgences but he must spend gold then the Priests shew their wares and ignorant people goeth about visiting certeine churches and reliques of which we neuer read word in the Gospell or writings of the fathers The Papists therefore are intangled with a miserable yoke of bondage and are vtterly ignorant of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free God open their eies that they may see and giue them grace that they may feele their burthens and shaking off the yoke of Antichrist may in the end bee partakers of the light of the Gospell and submit themselues only to Christs yoke that is easie and light CHAP. XL. That Popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the Popes and Masse-priests manifold taxes and exactions IT followeth now that we shew how the Pope and his pole-shorne crew doth aswell pole Christian mens purses as greeue their consciences wherein I neede not to vse any long discourse seeing the same is apparent not only by practise but also by confession of the Papists themselues commonly they buy the papacy in grosse and therefore no maruell if they sell it by retaile Vendit Alexander saith one of Alexander the sixt Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius But this was not his fault alone Benet the 9. sold the Papacie for 1500. pound of gold to Gregory the 6. as Beno testifieth Benedictus 9. Papatum saith he pro libris mille quingentis vendidit Gregorio 6. and no man now obtaineth that place but for great summes of mony and large promises as the discourses of diuers late conclaues testifie Therefore no maruell if they seeke mony greedily both before and after they come to sitte in the Popes chaire Brigit in her reuelations saith the Pope hath turned all Gods commandements into this one viz. giue mony conuertit decem praecepta in hoc vnum da pecuniam for mony they sell churches priest-hood altars masses crownes fire incense praiers yea heauen and God himselfe Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura Preces caelum est venale deusque Fridericke the 2. for one absolution paied to Gregory the 9. an hundred twenty fiue thousand ounces of gold as is recorded in the pontificall or 120. thousand as Naucler epitome rerum German Iohn of Pineda and others doe recken Iosephus Angles in 4. sentent c. de indulgentijs signifieth that the King of Spaine paieth sometime to the Pope a hundred thousand duckets for one indulgence Leo the 10. gaue such a scandale by the sale of indulgences in Germanie that men beganne to examine more narowly these popish commodities and the rather for that the profit of this sale came to Magdalene the Popes honest sister Boniface the ninth as Theodoric à Niem testifieth lib. 2. de schism c. 11. sold benefices as he was hearing Masse in missarum solennijs benesicia vendidit Mitred prelates sell imposition of hands ecclesiasticall liuinges church censures and whatsoeuer is reserued to their office as the Germans complaine in their grieuances Theodoric Trudo complaineth that Christs sheepe-foldes were broken downe with hammers of siluer Malleus argenti consregit ouilia Christi The rascall Masse-priests sell Masses dirges sacraments sacramentall ceremonies and other Romish wares euerie man according to the faculties giuen him by the Pope Brigit in her reuelations bringeth in Christ complaining how Priests dealt worse in selling him then Iudas for that he sold him for monie they for euery commodity deteriores sunt Iuda qui pro solis denarijs me vendidit illi autem pro quouis mercimonio the Papists themselues know that the Masse-priests and Iebusites sent from the Pope into England liue vpon sale of their faculties Of these pillages diuers haue complained from time to time and yet we find that the Popes would neuer abide any reformation Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. speaking only of the rapines of one Popes legate saith he had extorted more then was remaining behind in England excepting the church ornaments nec remansit eadem hora saith he vt veraciter dicebatur tantum pecuniae in Anglia exceptis sanctorum vasis ornamentis ecclesiarum quantum à regno extorserat Anglicano he compareth the Kingdome at that time to a vine-yard spoiled by euery one that passed by and rooted vp by the wild bore of the wood he saith that the court of Rome like a gulfe swallowed vp euery mans reuenues quae curia instar barathri potestatem habet consuetudinem omnium reditus absorbendi Boner in his preface before Gardiners booke de vera obedientia saith that the Popes pray or spoiles in England were equall almost to the Kings reuenues the Emperor as Matth. Paris testifieth in Henrico 3. reprehended the king of England for suffering his country to be empouerished so shamefully by the Pope imperator
say as much and greatly complaineth of Roman Caursins and vsurers Are not then our moderne Papists simple to continue vnder the gouernment of Antichrist where they are pilled both aliue and dead and spoiled by diuers fraudes and brought to extreme pouerty through manifold oppressions and exactions CHAP. XLI That the Popish church hath no true Bishops nor Priests THe gouernment of the Popish church being so burdensome and dangerous cannot well be tolerated by rules of policy but if the same be against both scriptures and canons of the church then as repugnant both to religion and Christian policy it is to be abandoned of all Christian common-wealthes let vs then consider what allowance it may haue either of scriptures or ancient canons The Apostle Act. 20. saith that the holy ghost hath appointed Bishops to gouerne the Church of God in quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos regere ecclesiam dei saith he speaking of the Bishops of Asia but the popish church hath no true Bishops and that is prooued first for that bishops cannot be orderned but by true Bishops but the prelats of the Romish church are ordeined by the Pope that is no Bishop the proposition is granted of the assumption the first part is not denied in the second part our aduersaties insist firmely and affirme the Pope to be a true bishop but how can he be a Bishop that neither preacheth nor can preach nor administreth the Sacraments nor succeedeth the Apostles in their Apostolicall office the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. sheweth that the office of a bishop consisteth in the worke and not in the title qui Episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat Secondly antichrist can ordeine no true bishops but that the Pope is antichrist I haue declared in my fist booke de Pontif. Rom. and it is apparent in that he teacheth doctrine contrary to that which we haue receined from Christ Iesus and is plainly described in the Reuelation by the whoore of Babylon Apocalyps 17. and by the beast like a lambe rising out of the earth Apocalyps 13. which are figures of Antichrist Thirdly none but the successors of Christs apostles can ordaine true bishops but the Pope succeedeth Iulius Caesar rather then Simon Peter for Simon Peter fed Christs flocke he murdreth Christs lambes Fourthly neither heretikes nor simoniacall persons haue power to ordeine bishops as the master of the sentences lib. 4. dist 25. prooueth by the authoritie of Cyprian Innocent the first and Leo. and this is the practise of the Romish church at this day who refuseth to allow them for bishops that are ordred by such as they repute heretikes or schismatikes some determine otherwise but they repugne against the Romish churches practise Finally no woman can ordeine bishops but Pope Ioan was a woman and therefore all ordeined by her and their successors are no bishops by the confession of the aduersaries themselues Howsoeuer it is the Papists cannot assure themselues that they haue any bishops for no man is ordeined bishop vnlesse he that ordeined him had an intention to order him a bishop but of this intention no man can assure himselfe Furthermore the Popish synagogue hath no true priests for their priests are all ordred to sacrifice for quicke and dead The forme of priesthood say the Masse-priests assembled at Florence is this accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in ecclesia pro vinis mortuis and this is prooued also by their rituall bookes and by Bellarmines confession lib. deord c. 9. but such priests were neuer appointed by Christ or his Apostles neither is there any footestep of such an ordination to be found in ancient fathers Secondly no true priests can be ordeined by other then true bishops and the Apostles successors but such bishops the synagogue of Rome wanteth Lastly true priests and ministers of the Gospell are ordeined to preach Gods word truely and to administer the Sacraments sincerely but popish priests are not ordered to this end If then that cannot be the church that wanteth priests and bishops then are we not to looke for the true church among the papists but Hierome in dialog contr Lucifer denieth that to be the church that hath no priests and Cyprian lib. 4. epist 9. teacheth that the church is a people or flocke vnited to the bishop Againe if all the ordination of bishops and priests in the Romish church dependeth vpon the Pope and the Pope be not mentioned either Ephes 4. or 1. Cor. 12. where all the ministers of the church giuen to the same by Christ are mentioned then doth the ordination of Roman priests and prelates take his beginning not from Christ but from Antichrist Lastly if the function of masse-priests doth consist in saying Masse and the Masse be prooued to be an humane inuention then is the Romish priesthood an humane inuention but otherwhere we haue sufficiently declared that the Masse was by little and little peeced togither and is a meere humane inuention nay an inuention contrarie to Christs institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAP. XLII That Popery cannot be mainteined without forgery and falshood THis point of it selfe alone would require a large discourse if we should prosecure particularly and distinctly whatsoeuer our aduersaries haue herein offended for whether we respect the diuers kinds of forgeries or the places of authors forged and falsified by them it were a great worke to comprehend them all we will therefore choose out some few examples out of many whereby all true Christians may haue cause sufficient to suspect them in the rest First then we charge them with falsity for that as much as in them lieth they haue gone about to suppresse Gods eternall word comprised in the old and new testament that this is falsitie it is apparent by the law qui testamentum ff ad legem corneliam de falsis for by that law they are condemned qui testamentū amouerint celauerint that is which shall amooue or conceile a testament but the Pope and his complices forbid expressely all translations of the new testament made by our doctors and only grant certaine translations made by themselues and that with hard conditions as is declared in the index of forbidden bookes reg 3. and 4. but publikely they will not haue scriptures red in vulgar tongues Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretense of false translations but the law formerly cited doth pronounce him a falsarie that shall abolish or cancell or burne a mans testament the words of the law are these si quis testamentum deleuerit that is if any shall cancell a testament Thirdly it is falsity to cancell or breake the seales of a testament as the practise of the law of this land declareth how then can the Popish synagogue of Rome excuse it selfe that depriueth the lords people of the cup which our sauiour Christ calleth the new testament in his blood is not this all one as if the same should breakē the seales of Gods testament
alleadged both Greeke and Latine writers vnder the name of Clement they haue published diuers constitutions and doe alledge them verie frequently yet doth Gelasius c. sancta dist 15. set a marke vpon them as Apocryphal to him also they ascribe certaine recognitions and epistles which sauour not of an apostolicall spirit Vnder the name of Origen they publish certaine Commentaries vpon Iob which conteine plaine Arianisme and his lamentation which is noted by Gelasius as Apocryphal Tertullians and Russins treatises are diuersly cited yet not allowed by Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. Vnder the authoritie of Abdias Martialis Prochorus Amphilochius and diuers ancient fathers they couer diuers of their owne bastardly inuentions no way agreeing with those times Cyprian is said to haue written the treatise de reuelatione capitis Ioannis wherein mention is made of king Pipin and a booke de montibus Sion Sinah and diuers other treatises neither according with his phrase nor with those times Hierome is made to father a sermon de assumptione B. Mariae a tract de 7. gradibus ecclesiae the rule of monkes and diuers other counterfet treatises and yet the rule of monks is said to be collected by one Lupus in the time of Martin the fift The sermons ad fratres in eremo and diuers others de tempore sanctis attributed to S. Augustine are plainely counterfet so are his meditations also and soliloquies in those meditations the worship of Angels is taught which Augustine in his booke de haeresib condemneth for an heresie in the soliloquies we reade the fable of Longinus in his manual c. 16. we reade that it is in mans power to merit the kingdome of heauen which is plaine Pelagianisme condemned by S. Augustine the bookes entituled scalae paradisi de duodecim abusionum generibus de vita Christiana de assumptione beatae Mariae and diuers others of that nature set out vnder the name of S. Augustine are but grosse deuises of slow bellied monkes and friers Vnder the name of Basil and Chrysostome they haue set out counterfet Masses and diuers epistles homilies and treatises that are no where found in Greeke nor any whit sauour of the diuine spirit of those fathers nay so shamelesse they are that they sticke not to set out Masses vnder the name of Iames and Marke The like practise they haue vsed in the workes of other fathers but to father bastardes vpon wrong fathers is a notorious tricke of falsitie as appeareth by the law cum suppositi Cod. ad l. Corn. de falsis By their expurgatorie Indexes they cause the fathers writings to be changed not onely by false additions but also by detractions Sixtus Senensis in epist ad Pium 5. antè biblioth sanctam sheweth how that Pope did handle or rather mangle and change the fathers writings expurgari emaculari curasti saith he omnia catholicorum scriptorum ac praecipuè veterum patrum scripta haereticorum aetatis nostrae faecibus contaminata venenis infecta so vnder this colour it was an easie matter to take out what he listed In Bertram they change visibiliter into inuisibiliter and cut out whole lines and sentences Posseuin a shamelesse Iebusite teacheth his schollers how Hermes Melito Cabasilas Anastasius Antonius Abbas and other authors were to be corrupted and framed to his purpose Fourthly they haue corrupted diuers lawes and some they haue forged vnder the name of diuers Emperours and Kings vnder the name of Constantine the Pope challengeth a right to most kingdomes of the Westerne Empire but the donation set out vnder his name both by testimony of learned men and by diuers arguments is prooued counterfet Likewise the constitution of Ludouicus dist 63. c. ego Ludouicus is a plaine bastard for it contradicteth Constantines donation was neuer executed and differeth from it selfe as appeareth by the diuers editions of Gratian and Volateran Geograph lib. 3. The law inter Claras Cod. de sum Trin. fid cath is not found in ancient copies as Alciat testifieth Parerg. lib. 5. c. 23. likewise the same is disprooued by diuers other arguments alledged by me in a treatise of Popish forgeries and lies In the Popes archiues they shew a solemne donation of the crowne of England made by king Iohn and the state to the Pope but the same is cleerely counterfet being neither executed by the king nor allowed by the state The statute anno 2. Henr. 4. c. 15. is plainly falsified by the Popish clergie in a prouinciall constitution made at Oxford by adding ac etiam communitates regni whereas in the originall role yet extant in the Towre there are no such wordes found it appeareth therefore that by forgery they haue made statutes to serue their turnes for the burning of Christians and that they haue murdred them hitherto contrarie to forme of law Finally vnder the names of ancient bishops of Rome they haue published diuers counterfet epistles differing from their forme of writing in stile and conteining matters not agreeing with the times when they are supposed to be written Clement epist 1. writeth to Iames of the death of Peter who died diners yeeres before Peter and epist 2. taketh vpon him to instruct Iames an Apostle Anacletus in his first epistle would haue all matters referred to the church of Rome but at that time the church of Rome had no such prerogatiue neither was it reason that S. Iohn the Euangelist then liuing all matters should be referred rather to Anacletus then to him in his 2. epistle he saith the 72. disciples were instituted by the Apostles which the Gospel saith were appointed by Christ Euaristus in his epistle talketh idlely of ordeining Priestes without titles and consecrating churches and stone altars whereas these customes came not into the church vntil many yeeres after Sixtus beginneth his epistle thus Sixtus vniuersalis apostolicae ecclesiae episcopus but Gregory the first long after him condemneth this title as proud and Antichristian Hyginus wrote to the Athenians but it is not like that a Greeke would write to Greekes in Latin Calixtus mentioneth those heretikes which denied repentance to such as fell in time of persecution but this was the heresie of Nouatus who troubled the church long after Calixtus his time Pontianus ioineth Christ with Peter but that was no stile in his time Marcellinus in his 2. epistle doth insinuate that the Emperour then professed Christian religion and disputeth against the Arians that were not in the world in his time Melchiades 12. q. 1. c. futuram ecclesiam telleth vs how Constantine was christened and gaue his seat and other possessions to the church of Rome and yet it is apparent that he died before Constantines Christening and before any thing was giuen by him to the church It is an easie matter to shew other epistles attributed to ancient bishops of Rome to be counterfet but it is needlesse considering how Antonius Contius in annot ante c. viginti dist 16. confesseth that
and that none taught in those countries beside S. Peter and such as he sent a lie directly repugnant to Scriptures which testifie that S. Paul preached in those countries being appointed by God thereto and not by man and refuted by diuers ancient histories and fathers who write that diuers others preached there beside S. Peters priests and messengers S. Augustine epist 162. sheweth that the Gospel came into Aphrike out of other countries then those that belonged to the church of Rome Gregory the 4. c. in praeceptis dist 12. saith that all bishops causes and the discussing of matters of religion belongeth to the See of Rome and that religion tooke her beginning from thence a matter apparantly false for religion began at Hierusalem and not at Rome and Councels in ancient time determined the differents in causes of Religion and not the bishop of Rome who was as well subiect to the decision of the general councell as other bishops Anacletus c. in nouo dist 21. saith that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their Prince which is contradicted by the Papistes themselues that deriue Peters authoritie from Christ. Nicolas dist 22. c. omnes telleth vs that Christ gaue to Peter the right of the kingdome both of heduen and earth but of this earthly kingdome belonging to Peter this is the first man that euer told newes Anacletus dist 22. c. sacrosancta affirmeth that both Peter and Paul were crowned with martyrdome in one day and at the some time but this leasing is refuted by Prudentius peri stephan Hymno 12. Arator in act Apost lib. 2. Augustine serm 18. de sanctis and others Innocent the 4. c. ad apostolicae de sent re iudicat affirmeth that Sicily is the speciall patrimony of Peter est speciale patrimonium Petri. but no where doe were reade where either Christ gaue or Peter claimed this patrimony Clement the fifth c. Romani Clem. de iureiurando most boldly and impudently writeth that Emperors hauing the crowne set vpon their heads sweare fealty to the Pope a matter certes which Bellarmine the Popes proctor would blush to affirme for albeit he would willingly gratifie the Pope whith any thing yet dare he not say that the Roman Empire is holden in fee of the Pope and thus the Popes runne on headlong heaping priuileges on Rome and building the tower of Babel by lies The same is also practised by Bellarmine as I haue shewed in diuers discourses written against him by Baromus as my speciall exceptions taken to his volumes fraught with lies and fables do declare by Parsons and Kellison as by my answeres to their bookes it may appeare Turrecremata lib. 3. sum c. 9. affirmeth that Helena and 3000. Iewes were conuerted to Christian religion in a councell at Rome vnder Siluester but other more true stories report that she was alwares a Christian and holpe to conuert her sonne Constantine Lib. 2. sum c. 300. he saith that Paul did some things which he afterward retracted quaedam fecit quae postea reuocauit The Emperor Henry the fourth by the Romanists is most vniustly standred as if he had prostituted his owne wife to his sonne and done other such like abominable actes matters merely deuised by the Popes agents Fridericke the 2. was a most noble Prince and greatly praised by the Cardinall of Cusa Aegidius Romanus and others yet was he most vniustly reuiled and standred by Gregory the 9. Innocent the 4. and their agents as it doth appeare by the testimony of Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. Capgraue telleth how a hundred and fifty of Ioseph of Arimathaea his company sailed out of France into great Britany vpon Iosephes shirt a small barge certes for so many passengers Antoninus hist part 3. reporteth how an innumerable troupe of the order of Dominske were seene in heauen couered vnder the blessed virgins gowne Stapleton in his prompruarie dominica 2. aduentus brocheth vs a barrell of lies first he saith that Sebastian a certeine musician was put in prison for demaunding liberty of conscience by the last Queene and that one Gifford was imprisoned by her likewise for the same cause after he had enterteined the Queene very bountifully at his house and that Shelley was committed for presenting a request in the behalfe of the papists matters meerely imagined and deuised by lying companions and foolishly reported by him the two first we cannot learne euer to haue beene committed the third was imprisoned for plaine treason The Papists accused the people of Zuricke for teaching that the virgine Mary had more sonnes then one and that Iames died for them as we may reade in Sleidan lib. hist. 4. and Bellarmine lib. 4. de iustific c. 1. saith we little regard good works and lib. 2. de amiss grat c. 1. he accuseth the Albrgians as they are called and Caluin for holding the error of the Manichecs which they alwaies renounced and detested In his boâ—ke de Matrimonio c. 2. he blusheth not to charge them whom he calleth Lutherans and Caluinists with holding that matrimonie is not of God a point expresly denied by them Finally it is an easie matter to shew that the foundation of Popery is laid vpon lies and that the charge which Papistes giue vpon their aduersaries is ordinarily enforced by most wicked imputations and standers CHAP. XLIIII That the cause of Popery is mainteined by fire and sword MVch are simple people abused by calumniations deuised against good men and hardly are Christians able to discerne falshood from truth and to iudge what is truely alledged what falsly vntill such time as matters be duly examined yet neither can trueth be vtterly suppressed nor do lies passe alwaies for good paiment Those therefore whom they cannot abuse with lies and false allegations the Pope and his complices seek cruelly to destroy with fire and sword The holy Ghost Apocalyps 17. sheweth vs that the purple whoore should be drunke with the blood of the saints and Apocalyp 13. that the 2. beast should kill such as would not worship the image of the beast that is that the Pope should persecute to the death such as would not submitte themselues to the kingdome of Antichrist in which the image of the Roman Empire was after a sort reuiued and this wee see verified by experience in the cruell gouernement of the Popes of Rome and their adherents Their lawes against all such as dissent from them in opinion concerning the sacraments are most rigorous they are degraded and deliuered ouer to the secular power to be burned as it appeareth by the law ad abolendam de haereticis nay they punish such as are suspected if they cannot cleere themselues with no lesse rigor then the rest all that communicat with them receiue them or succor them are in great danger such as giue them counsell are reputed infamous as is determined c. si aduersus de haereticis the goods of heretikes are adiudged confiscate neither are they punished only while they liue but also
Paris sheweth that in the times of Innocent the third Christians were accused by a writing sent from heauen for shewing no pity vpon widowes and orphans and shewing lesse mercy then did the pagans viduae orphani ad vos clamant quotidie saith that writing quibus nullam facitis miscricordiam pagani habent misericordiam at vos non habetis but much more reason haue we to vse these words to the moderne Iebusites and their complices for they are more mercilesse then Turkes the Turkes suffer Christians to inioy their religion and these doe not therefore the Italians as Natalis Comes in his history testifieth say it is better to liue vnder the Turke then vnder the Spaniards and Popes inquisitors and for this cause the kingdome of Hungarie and principality of Transiluania hath chosen rather to seeke for succor at the hands of Turkes then to endure the cruell and trecherous executions of the Pope and his bloody inquisitors vp then o Lord and scatter these thy bloody enemies that seeke to scatter and massacre the sheepe of thy pasture and let not those preuaile any further that make warres against the Lambe and all that follow him and constantlie professe his truth these wolues haue conspired and sworne the destruction of the professors of religion At Bayon anno 1585. a league was concluded betwixt France Spaine and other Princes the articles were these as is euident by the French histories The Spanish king shall warre vpon the king of Nauarre the dukes of Ferraria and Sauoy with the aid of German horsemen shall translate the wars into France the Germans shall hinder all succor to come to them of the religion the Cantons of Suizzerland that adhere to the Pope shall oppresse the other Cantons Monkes shall giue their names for souldiers and all shall endeuor to kill the Lutherans so you see that the finall end of their designes is murder and cruelty their meanes fire sword and gunpowder their contentment wast and desolation What reason then haue Christians to slugge and sleepe when danger is so neere them doe they thinke that papists want gun powder or poison or that they wil not hurt if they recouer strength as well they may thinke that wolues wil cease from crueltie and Serpents cast away their poison and tyrants prooue gentle foster fathers and Turkes turne Christians Nay such Princes as are not Papists are not much to trust them if they satisfie not the Popes will in all things Gregory the 7. killed and empoisoned all that were opposite to his deseings he excommunicated the emperor Henry the fourth because he would not suffer him quietly to sell ecclesiasticall prelacies his successors made warres vpon Henry the sift Fridericke the 1. Philip Otho and Fridericke the 2. for that they could not bee suffered to dispose of the landes of the Empire Lewis of Bauier was persecuted for no other cause then for that he would not receiue his crowne at the Popes hands for this cause also Harold King of England became enemy of the Clergy because he tooke the crowne before it was deliuered by Popish prelates Philip the faire King of France was persecuted by Boniface the 8. for that he would not acknowledge himselfe to be the Popes subiect and yet did they not know any other religion then that which the Pope then professed Finally Henry the 3. of France albeit superstitiously addicted to popery yet could he not escape the butcherly hands of the popish leaguers that suborned a Dominican Frier to kill him for that he would not at their appointment make warres vpon his subiects To conclude therefore this point there is no way of security for Christians against the Popes cruelty and his adherents practises then manfully to resist their vsurpations warily to take heede of their mines and gunpowder and neuer to trust their sweete words and guilefull promises with clemency they are not to bee mitigated but with resolution and iustice they may easily be subdued CHAP. XLV That the practises and treaties of Popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted THe Prophet describing a wicked man saith he laid hands on such as were at peace with him and broke his couenant Among heatheÌ„ people the Thracians were very infamous for breaking their oathes and promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in times past a common prouerbe but neither among heathen people nor among such as professe to know God doe we reade of any more foedifragous or periurious sect then the Popes of Rome and their complices Others percase breake both oathes and promises but no man in time past euer taught that faith and oathes giuen to others ought to be broken as doe the Romanistes in the conuenticle of Constance they not onely made void the Emperours charter of faseconduct giuen to Iohn Husse but also by publike act determined that saith was not to be holden with heretikes They absolue subiects from their oathes of allegeance which as Sigebert in his Chronicle saith sauoureth of heresie Pius quintus not onely absolued the late Queenes subiectes from their allegeance but also denounced them excommunicate that continued firme in their allegeance Iulius the second went one point further and disputed that the church was not bound with othes as Guicciardine in his historie reporteth now euery man knoweth that by the church he vnderstood the Pope With this wicked doctrine their execrable practise very well accordeth Gregorie the 7. by a publike sentence of a synode was declared periured Paschal the 2. confirmed certeine couenants betwixt himselfe and the Emperor by solemne chartres seals and othes literis sigillis inramentis saith Otho Frisingâ—nsis lib. 7. but immediately he brake all Fridericke the 2. as Matthew Paris testifieth accused Gregory the 9. for teaching persidiousnesse and periury quod persidiam periurium doceret and yet his disciples hold that the Pope when he teacheth cannot erre in matters of faith Gregory the 12. as Theodoricke a Niem tract vnionis 6. c. 29. writeth was charged to be a publike forsworne person and by him called periurus publicus lib. 3. de schism c. 3. he saith he deceiued the world with his oathes and vowes votis iuramentis suis decepit mundum likewise he saith tract 6. c. 39. vnionis that Innocentius would not admit the vnion of the Papacy albeit he had before vowed and sworne to doe it Charles the French King chargeth both him and Peter de Luna with breaking their oathes as Theodoric a Niem writeth tract nemoris vnionis lib. 6. c. 14. The Bohemians for this persidious dealing of the Popes complices would not come to the councell of Basil without good pledges Alexander the 6. was more perfidious then any Carthagigian as in his life Onuphrius testifieth perfidia plus quà m punica When Iulius the third was in petition he swore both to the French and Spanish as is testified in Pelegrino Inglese but performed neither to the one nor to the other The Masse-priests of Trent
promised safeconduct to all that would come to Trent but contrary to the same Vergerius and others were excluded out of the synod and diuers doctors comming out of Germany could not be heard to dispute and hardly escaped with their liues out of the place Charles the 9. of France anno 1572. with monstrous oaths and solemne promises drew the Queene of Nauarre the admirall and many other noble-men and gentle-men vnto Paris but it cost them full deare and lost them all their best men for there that noble Queene was poisoned there the king of Nauarre was taken prisoner and the rest trecherously murdred and so farre was the Pope from condemning this fact that he caused the same to be set out in tables in his pallace among the triumphant acts of Popes In France and Flandres vpon surrenders of townes seldome did our aduersaries regard either oath or promise diuers edicts haue beene published by the French king for the pacification of troubles but they prooued nothing but traps and engins to take men that ment simply and plainly the capitulation with them of Sancerre was megerly performed The duke of Alua and his complices contrary to promise murdred the garrison of Arlem Narden Zutphen and diuers other townes Of late we thought our selues secure hauing peace with all the world but euen then we were neerest danger and could not haue escaped it if God had not discouered the mine the powder the traine and the whole packe of traytors In the yeare 1588. while the agents of Spaine and England were treating of peace the enemies came vpon vs hoping sodenly to ouer-whelme vs with warres being taken vnprouided No treatie could be more solemnly agreed vpon or confirmed then the pacification of Gant after the surprise of Antwerp yet was neither promise nor oath kept therein but rather vnder confidence of these promises and oathes many poore people were surprised First then wee say that our hope is that God will destroy them that speake lies and not hold them guiltlesse that shall sweare falsly dishonoring his holy name this we are assured that he abhorreth the bloody and deceitfull man Secondly we may rightly conclude that such as looke for performance of oathes and promises at the hands of the Pope and his complices further then necessitie and profit vrgeth them are verie ignorant of their doctrine and practises we may say also that they are very weake and simple for once any plaine dealing man may be abused but to offend diuers times in one fault and oftentimes to runne into the same trap argueth great weakenesse negligence and wilfulnesse Finally albeit princes that liue vnder the Popes lawes were willing to keepe touch and to performe promises yet we must remember how easily the Pope dispenseth with oathes and how necessary it is for them to breake all couenāts if the Pope once declare the cōtrary party to be an heretike or schismatike In the Clementine Romam de iureiurando the Popes forbid all princes vnionem parentelam confoederationem that is peace contracting of alliance and confederation with such as are their enemies and if any contract be made then must the same be dissolued vpon paine of excommunication when the Pope pleaseth so all the assurance that Christians can haue of amitie with the Popes vassals dependeth on the Popes pleasure and his pleasure is founded vpon his profit and necessitie and our securitie standeth in watching their mines and gunpowder treasons God grant therefore all Christians grace to beware that they be not entrapped with false and perfidious promises nor vndermined with their subtilties nor blowne vp with treason and giue our aduersaries that light of reason that they may see that oathes made by the name of God in iust and honest causes are not to be dissolued either by the Pope or any other nor their treasons to be warranted by any Popish facultie CHAP. XLVI That the chiefe founders and mainteiners of Popery haue beene commonly noted for wicked and prophane men FAithfull Christians and the citizens of the city of God as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephes 2. are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone but our Sauiour Christ was an high priest most holy innocent and vndersiled and his Apostles and Prophets were holy men and endued with speciall graces fit for that function let vs then see what manner of men the first authors and principall vpholders of Popery haue bene that by the different qualities of the one and the other we may the better esteeme of true religion and more perfectly learne to hate the superstition heresie tyranny and all the abhominations of the Popes of Rome and their wicked faction The mystery of iniquity beganne to worke in the Apostles time as S. Paul testifieth for then false teachers beganne to spread their poison and after the departure of the Apostles rauening wolues entred into the Church not sparing the stocke by little and little also heathenish and Iewish ceremonies began to be receiued in diuers places and as S. Augustine saith the world grew full of presumptions but Antichrist began not to shew himselfe openly before the times of Phocas the emperor who at the ernest solicitatiō of a Platina in Bonifacio 3. Boniface the third granted that the church of Rome should be called and accounted the head of other Churches so then the principall agent in the erection of the papacy was Phocas a barbarous Thracian by nation and a common soldier by tumult aduanced to the empire and one that began his reigne with the slaughter of his master of the Empresse and their children The next was Irene a proud insolent and cruell woman that among others murdred her owne sonne for vnto her time the worship of God continued in the church of Rome without any notable corruption but she with the helpe of Adrian Bishop of Rome and other superstitious persons first brought in the idolatrous worship of images and Saints Gregory the 7. was the first that by force dissolued Priests mariages and exalted the miter of the Pope aboue the crownes of emperors and kings taking vpon him first to depose them from their seats but among all the Popes you shall not finde any more abominable Beno testifieth he was a necromancer a murderer an empoysoner and a sacrilegious and impious person the synode of Brixina condemned him for diuers abominable crimes Matthew Paris in Willelmo conquastore writeth that being readie to depart this life he confessed that by the Diuels perswasion he had prouoked the wrath of God against mankind he threw the sacramēt into the fire because he could obteine no succh answere of it as he desired and liued scandalously with Mathilda a fit fellow therefore he was to aduance the whorish sacrilegious and murdrous religion of the later Rome that is so much degenerated from the former Paschall the 2. that atchieued that which Gregory the. 7. and others his predicessors had begun was a periured
person and a firebrand of sedition and trouble he set the sonne against the father and the subiects against their princes hauing preuailed against the Emperor he would not suffer his body to be buried and hauing gotten into his hands the bodie of Clement the Antipope he caused the same to bee burned Alexander the 3. a great patron of the Popes authoritie betraied the emperor Friderike Barbarossa to the soldan sending his liuely portrait vnto him and perswading him to destroy him he trode most proudly vpon the Emperors neck and abused wordes of scripture most impiouslie to his purpuse Innocent the third that first established auricular confession and transubstantiation two principall bulwarks of the Popes kingdome and was a principall doer in the decretales raised bloody warres against the Christians in France that would not allow his authority caused the bones of Almericus to be burned for that he had preached against the worship of Images and shewed himselfe a bloody wolf and a deuourer of Christs flocke and an impure fellow Thomas Cantipratensis a Dominican Frier reporteth that this Innocent after his death appeared to S. Luitgard all burning in flames Honorius the third that first authorized the idolatrous worship of the Masse-cake as appeareth by the chapter sane cum olim de celebrat missar was proud cruell vitious and superstitious he forbad honest mariage to Priests and mainteined the filthy religion of Monkes and Friers Dominike and Francis and the locusts that came out of the bottomelesse pit of hell were first allowed by him his malice and anger were shewed vpon the Scots that had killed Adam Bishop of Catnesse for he caused 400. to be hanged among which many innocents were comprehended and caused their children to bee gelded that he might extinguish their race But one of the principall builders of this Romish Babylon was Gregorie the 9. for he gathered the decretales of Popes together and gaue then ferce of lawe as appeareth by his preface before the decretales some say he was the cosin of Innocent the third but his manners doe declare him rather to haue beene his sonne he excommunicated the Emperour Friderike that warred vpon the Saracens and stopped the good successe and the course of the victories of the Christians against them secretly he murdred the Emperors embassadors published lying decretales against him as we may read in Matthew Paris finally to enrich his nephewes or rather his bastards he set all Italy on a flame Boniface the eight Clement the sift and Iohn the 22. who made vp the body of the canon law which is the strength and sinewes of Popery did not degenerate from their predecessors of Boniface the eight it is said that he entred like a soxe reigned like a lyon died like a dog he caused his predecessor Celestine to renounce the papacie and afterward imprisoned and murdered him his owne friends confesse that he sought to subdue the world rather by force of armes then by religion his vnspeakable pride taking vpon him both as Pope and Emperor challenging power to translate kingdomes from one to another of his owne friends could not be dissembled he that continueth the history of Vrspergensis writeth that Clement the 5. was a notorious fornicator hic vt habet Chronicon Hermanni publicue suit Fornicator Villani also in his chronicle testifieth that he was a filthy fellow for the wickednesse and abominable life of Iohn the 22. Petrarch made the sonnet Fiammadal ciel wherein he beseecheth God that slames from heauen might streame down and consume the court of Rome It greeued him not a little that the Pope did keepe his sister hauing with a great price bought her of her brother Gerard. Iohn the 23. by whose authority the councell of Constance was assembled was conuinced to be an incestuous person a Sodomite and a most abominable atheist denying the immortality of the soule as appeareth by the acts of that councell and the appendix and yet this is the synode that condemned the doctrine of M. Wicklesse and established the communion vnder one kinde and the subsistence of accidents without substance and diuers other points of Popery The councell of Florence wherein the Popes supremacy purgatory and diuers points of popish doctrine concerning the sacrments were confirmed had his strength from Eugenius the fourth that by the councell of Basill was condemned as an hereticke and by the citizens of Rome driuen out of the city as a publike enemy he was the cause of the periury of Ladislaus that broke with the Turke and of the defait and slaughter of the Christians at Varna The three principall authors of the wicked decrees and anathematismes of the conuenticle of Trent were Paul the third Inlius the third and Pius the fourth whereof the first was a parricide a lechour a necromancer and an empoysoner as is testified by Vergerius Sleidan and other Iulius the third was a sensuall epicure and a filthy sodomite as is testified in a certaine preface before the story of Iouius and declared by certein rymes and verses made vpon him and Innocentius de Monte a boy made Cardinall by him Pius the fourth as the common report went died betwixt two concubines and was infamous for lechery and villany odious to the Romans for his vices To speake generally of later popes the only founders and belmelters of Popish religion we finde that they haue been the greatest scandales of Christian religion and the principall authors of the calamities of Christendome Bernard in serm 1. in conuers S. Pauli complaineth that iniquity taking his beginning from the Popes of his time was spred out ouer the world egressa est iniquitas saith he à senioribus iudicibus vicarijs tuis qui videntur regere populum tuum Petrarke in his epistles without title saith the court of Rome was not a city but a house full of diuels and wicked spirits and a sinke of vice and shame non ciuitas sed lemurum laruarum domus vt breuiter dicam scelerum dedecorum omnium sentina Iohn of Sarisbury in Polycrat lib. 6. c. 24. saith that Popes doe therefore die the faster least they should corrupt the whole church ideo mea opinione papae frequentius moriuntur ne totam corrumpant ecclesiam Warnerus in Martino 2. Adriano 3. Stephano crieth out heu heu quomodo obscuratum est aurum alas alas how is the golde obscured he compleineth also of the scandales that happened in the papacy and of their emulations sects and contentions and saith that truth failed among the children of men Theodoric a Niem de schism lib. 3. c. 42. saith that so much iniquity was gone from the Popes that the catholike faith was darkned thereby and religion suffered shipwracke and all vertues were departed from all sorts of men vt catholica fides obnubiletur omnis religio naufragium patiatur virtutes ab omnibus recesserint Platina in Sergio 3. saith that Popes getting their places by bribery neglected
professe Christ to be true God yet they teach that dogges and hogges doe eat his body as ofte as they eate consecrated hosts The Turkish Priests beleeue that Christ was true man that his body is visible and palpable but the Masse-priests giue him a body in the sacrament that is neither visible nor palpable nor in any respect like to our bodies The Turkes doe teach that after this life some are placed in paradise some damned to hell as Postell writeth in his history of Turkes a third place they know not nor doe they beleeue that their Calipha or high Priest is able to deliuer soules out of the nether part of the earth by his indulgences but the Papists beleeue a third place beside heauen and the place of the damned and suppose that the Pope is souereigne lord of purgatory and can deliuer soules thence by his indulgences Among the Turkes we doe not read of anie that euer doubted of the immortality of the soule as Menauinus de relig Turc testifieth but among the Papists many doubt of it for else why should Leo the x. lateran concil sess 8. forbid men to dispute against the immortality of the soule some deny it as did Iohn the 23. as is testified in the appendix to the councell of Constance and many other atheisticall Papists who haue nothing of religion but an outward bare profession Turkes do beleeue that God hath a body yet doe they not suffer any image or similitude of God to be made but Papists albeit they professe God to be a spirit yet most absurdlie they doe make diuers corporeall Images of God The law of God prohibiting the making and worship of grauen images and other likenesses is diligently obserued of Turkes Georgeuitz in his booke de moribus Turcarum saith he neuer saw any images in the temples of Turkes with him also in effect concurreth Zigabenus in elencho Ismaelit and sheweth that such as worship images by the Turks are called idolaters but Papists fill al the corners of their churches ful of images and idolatrously doe they worship them nay because they perceiue their practise to be contrariant to the law of God therefore in their briefe catechismes they raze out the commandement against images Mahomet neuer called himselfe God but the Prophet of god only neither did his followers euer giue him the title or honor of God nay some of them beleeue that Cosdroes was vanquished by the romans because he called himselfe God but Papists call the Pope God as we read in Baldus in c. vlt. cod sent rescind and the Pope calleth himselfe God after a cunning sort c. satis dist 96. The Turkes are not so absurd as to beleeue that their Calipha Mufti or high Priest cannot erre because he succeedeth Mahomet and sitteth in his chaire but the simple Papists most absurdly thinke that their Pope albeit he bee ignorant and foolish yet cannot erre as long as he teacheth out of the papall chaire In all the histories of Turkes we cannot finde where any Ianizars or Turkish Friers thought it lawfull or attempted to blow vp the Turkes pallace or parliament house but Thomas Percy Catesby and their consorts attempted and thought it lawfull to blow vp the parliament house the king and principall men of England the Papists therfore passe Turkes in barbarous and perfidious cruelty We do not reade that any Calipha of the Turkes did skin any of his Priests but Iohn the 22. as Platina recordeth did pull the skinne from the Bishop of Cahors happy had he beene if his body had beene inuisible and impalpable as the Papists make Christs imaginary body in the sacrament Mahomet as Zigabenus in Saracenicis telleth vs wrote only 113. fables but the Papists in their legends and breuiaries and Caesar Fabulonius I would say Baronius haue written more then x. M. fables and commend to their followers most fabulous fooleries Among the Turkes the Priests may not begge but the Iebusites and other mendicant Friers count beggery a peece of perfection and much it were to be wished that they did only begge for oftentimes they either take by force or steale most cunningly Septemcastrensis de relig Turc c. 14. testifieth that the Turkes in their fasts abstaine from all meat and drinke doth it not then appeare that they fast better then Papists that drinke wine and eate all dainty fishes and banketting meats vpon their fasting daies The Turkes doe not beleeue their religion to be true or their Alcoran to bescripture because their Calipha doth tell them but because they take it to haue come from God but the Papists neither beleeue scriptures nor the articles of faith vnlesse the Pope doth particularly tell them that the scriptures came from God and that their Christian faith is Apostolicall and most true The Turkes beleeue not that any can be iustified by extreme vnction or eating red-herrings and salt-fish but the Papists both teach it and beleeue it and burne all that shall hold beleeue or teach the contrary The Turkes albeit seruile in their manner of life yet neither kisse the feete of their Calipha nor heaue him vp to be adored by his followers are not then the papists in this point more slauish and miserable then the Mahometans Finally Mahomet neuer taught his followers to kill Kings excommunicated by the chiefe Priest of Turkes or to rebell or take armes against the Sultan or Emperor of Saracens as oft as their chiefe priest should command them nor did he teach his followers that the Calipha of Turkes could dispense with the law of God or assoile subiects from their oathes made to princes but the Popes bastardly children the Iebusites doe giue all this power to their holy father and he is nothing nice in taking it vpon him and so farre haue they proceeded in this damnable doctrin that no prince can stand assured of his life that hath any of this generation about him this doctrine cost Henry the third of France and the prince of Orenge their liues and put both Henry the 8. of England and his daughter Elizabeth and Henry the 4. of France to their plunges and brought them into great danger And of late time the King the Queene their children the Nobles and prelates of England and the Commons assembled in parliament were deseined to the slaughter and had beene destroied if God had not discouered the trechery Were Christians then so patient as to tolerate heresie yet it argueth great stupidity if they should endure a religion more absurd foolish and abominable then Mahometrie CHAP. XLVIII That Christians are lesse oppressed vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope HOw great miseries they endure that liue vnder the Turks gouernment those can best relate that haue trauailed Turkie and haue experience of their lawes and customes we doubt not but they are many and extreme considering the rigour of the Turkish tyranny yet if we will beleeue those that are as well acquainted with the gouernement of the Pope and his
vassals as with the gouernement of the Turke we may assure our selues that it is lesse greeuous for Christians to liue vnder the Turke then vnder the Pope or his vassals and this also may be prooued by assured demonstrations For first the Turke forceth none to imbrace his religion nor punisheth any for professing other religions but the Pope and his faction in France Flanders and other countries vseth all manner of enforcement to drawe men to Popish religion and punisheth with all seuerity such as be contrary to him Secondly Mahomet commanded his disciples to be reconciled to Christians if they desired it as Zigabenus saith in Saracenicis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Papists admitte no leagues or treatie or pacification with the true professors of religion but seeke their destruction whensoeuer they can preuaile against them Thirdly Turkes haue no inquisitors nor rackes or torments for such as hold Christian religion but suffer them quietly if they be not tumultuous and troublesome to the state but the Pope his complices search out poore Christians by their inquisitors that haue as good sent as bloud hounds and suffer them not to hide themselues either in woods holes or deserts and such as they finde they racke and torment and some they poison some they famish some they burne by all meanes purposing to destroy the race of their aduersaries Fourthly Turkes doe not vse to massacre Christians or to murder them without sentence of Law and lawfull proceeding but the barbarous and bloody executioners of the Pope in France at diuers times haue massacred many thousands of harmelesse and disarmed Christians killing them neither by lawfull warre nor by any forme of iustice 5. Commonly the Turkes hauing vanquished Christians doe spare such as yeeld and take them captiues and seldome is it seene that they kill women and children but the Papists in France massacred men women and children like fierce woolues haue sought the blood of all manner of Christians opposite to them 6. In the Turkes dominions Christians are burdened with tribute but paying the same they are quit but that is nothing to the oppressions of Christians vnder the Pope and his vassals for there they pay both to the Prince and to the Pope and neither are they free aliue or dead from payments to Masse-priests but if any Christian differ from them in matters of faith no tribute can acquite him so but his goods are confiscate and his person seased and this is euident both by the chap. vergentis de haereticis and by their common practise 7. The Turkes deale not so perfidiously with Christians as doe the Papists they empoison not men by trechery nor commonly breake solemne oathes and promises but the Popes and their complices teach their followers to keepe no faith with such Christians as they cal heretikes nay whether they bee excommunicate or no they respect not but murder all that are opposite to them if they can as appeared by their late bloody practise against the King and parliament Lastly the Papists doe prohibite buriall to Christians as appeareth by the chapter sicut de baereticis they iudge them also being dead and digge them out of their graues and burne their bodies and so they dealt with Wickleffe Bucer and Phagius in England and with Almaricus and others in other places but this inhumanity the Turkes will be ashamed to practise against their greatest enemies What Christian then that is not past all feeling will not abhor this inhumanity more then Turkish crueltie of papists that neither dead nor aliue can endure true Christians CHAP. XLIX That the ambition couetousnesse contention and practise of Popes is the principall cause of the decay of the Christian empire and a great occasion of the good successe of the Turkes AS the strength of the Roman empire was the bulwarke that kept off the Turke and other barbarous nations from the inuasion of Christendome and the most potent meanes to vnite Christians in the common defence of Catholike religion and to defend those countries that professed it so it is apparent that those that haue weakened the Emperours and caused dinision among Christian princes haue also giuen way to the conquests of Turkes and decaied the strength of Christians but no man needeth to doubt but that the Popes aboue al men in the world haue through their ambition contention and tumultuous practises both ruinated the Empire and set Christians at contention among themselues For first the spirit of God Apocalyp 13. sheweth that antichrist figured by a lamberising out of the earth and speaking like a dragon should succeed the Emperour and after a sort repaire the empire figured by the beast like a leopard that rose out of the sea S. Iohn saith he did all the first beast could doe he also caused the earth to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed all which is perfectly fulfilled in the Pope for he possesseth Rome and although he calleth himselfe the successor of Peter yet taketh he vpon him to manage both the swords he also healed the wound that Rome receiued by the decay of the Empire making all Christians to worship the Roman See and calling his followers Roman catholikes Further the Apostle 2. Thess 2. declareth that one thing did withhold the comming of Antichrist which through the working of the mystery of iniquity was then approching and that Ambrose Hierome and other fathers doe interpret of the Romane empire so we see still an opposition betwixt the Roman Empire and the kingdome of Antichrist and that the decay of the one should be the rising of the other Thirdly we see by practise that the Popes by all meanes haue gone about to diuide and to weaken the Roman Empire for first vnder colour of the contention about the worship of Images they caused Rome and Italy to rebell against the Emperors of the East as we may read in the histories concerning Leo Isauricus diuers that succeeded him next they brought the Gaules into Italy and diminished the empire diuiding as much as in them lay the West frō the East and confirming the right of Charles the great and his successors but alwaies keeping Rome and a good part of Italy to thēselues Afterward hauing preuailed against the Easterne Emperors they set vpon the Emperors of the West and by setting the subiects against their kings and the sonnes against the fathers by their anathematismes and excommunications they haue brought the Emperors to that passe that they receiue their crownes from the Pope and are not able to defend themselues and their subiects from the common enemy without the aide of other Christian princes further if at any time the Emperors warred aganst the Saracens and Turkes abroad then did the Popes by all meanes endeuor to take from them and their agents their townes and castles at home they did also withdraw their supplies and employ those that had vowed to serue against the Saracens to serue against the Emperor as
the canonists contrary to the schoolemen of late in England the Iebusites and secular priests did contend about diuers questions and now the difference is rather stopped then ended 7. In the Alchoran the Turkes pretend that Mahomet did diuers miracles we reade also that the gentiles tell of diuers woonders done by their gods and their sooth-saiers and Priests Nauius as Liuy telleth vs cut a whetstone in sunder with a razor the papists therefore haue no reason to stand so much vpon miracles 8. Mahomet also is said to haue foretold things to come and the gentiles alledge innumerable oracles of their gods concerning future matters which as they say were verified by the euents if you compare the prophecies of the legendary saints there is no reason why they should be preferred before the other 9. In temporall matters both Turks and heathen emperors haue had farre better successe then the Papists the Roman Emperors being pagans ruled the world and now the Empire of Turkes is more large then that of the Pope nay of late time the Popes haue made few attempts against the Turks that haue prospered if then we iudge of matters according to outward successe then are the Papists vtterly ouerthrowne 9. The Turkes and Paynims haue beene better vnited among themselues then the Popes of Rome and their adherents In the Romish church we reade of 27. or more schismes but neither haue the idolatrous priests nor the Caliphaes and priests of the Turkes beene so diuided 10. Neither if we looke among the Emperors of Rome or the Turkish priests shall we find more periured luxurious and abominable persons then Iohn the 12. Landus Sergius the third Gregory the 7. Sixtus the fourth Alexander the sixt Paul the second and third and the bougerly Monkes and Masse-priests holinesse therefore can no more bee a marke of the Romish church then of the Turkes and Paynims and their congregations nay among the Turkes and Paynims we neuer reade any such bloody execution as was intended by the popish faction in England against the king and his house and the whole state 11. The Paynims and Turkes being iudges the Papists will be taken for heretikes as well as others are condemned for heretikes by the Papists 12. It is before shewed that Turkes doe as well esteeme of scriptures as Papists and no lesse doe value their traditions then they The heathen also with great solemnity looked into their oracles and bookes of Sibylles and had them in more reuerence then the Papists haue their legendes and decretales 13. The Turkes no lesse esteeme their Saints and martyrs then the Papists esteeme such as died in the Popes quarrell heathen men also stoode alwaies much vpon their forefathers and had more reason to bragge of old customs then the Papists whose fashions for the most part haue but a late beginning 14. The Papists we know are a sect going out of Christs church and rising long after Christs time hauing not perfited the confused Babell vntill the times of the conuenticle of Trent but the heathen idolaters do fetch their pedegree from men that liued before Moyses his law and the Turkes pretend great antiquity and auerre that the idolatrous papists are gone out of the church of God and not they 15. The mutabilitie of Popery is easily proued by their change of Lawes alteration of gouemement variety of old and new missals breuiaries and other rituall bookes by the difference betwixt the doctrine of schoole-men and canonists and faith of the fathers by their mutable rites Saints Saints daies and calendars but the heathen alledge that they and their ancesters haue alwaies persisted in the worship of their gods and the Turkes doe firmely obserue their Alchoran without addition or detraction 16. Where the Papists talke of their infallible iudges the heathen idolaters and Turkes haue cause to laugh at them for who is so deuoid of sense to suppose that a Pope that is ignorant of matters of faith learning and vertue is a iudge of the mysteries of Christian religion and of matters of learning doe blind men iudge of colours or dease men of sounds the Turkes assure themselues that Mahomet is a farre better iudge then the Pope and the old Romans doubted not but that their Augures and Priests knew more in religion then the later Popes Finally while the Papists leaue the doctrine of faith consonant to holy scriptures and the administration of sacraments and worship of God according to Christs institution and other proper markes of the church standing wholy vpon the lustre of the world and outward markes and signes of their Satanicall Synagogue they alledge nothing which the very heathen idolaters and Turkes cannot bring with better reason then they CHAP. LIII That true Papists cannot be true nor loyall subiects AMong other markes of the Romish church and motiues to Popery Bristow alledgeth this for one that it maketh obedient subiects but if we looke either into the practises or lawes of the Romish church we shall rather finde this allegation to be a marke of the whorish impudence of that strumpet that hath abused the world with her false doctrines and abominations then obedience of subiects to be a marke of the Romish church For first who I pray you were they that diuided Italy from the easterne Empire and caused the Italians to withdraw their obedience and to sease on the Emperors reuenues were they not the Popes of Rome and their complices who vpon pretence of the Emperors dislike of the worship of images caused the Emperors subiects to rebell and began to aduance the authoritie credite and state of the Pope Againe who called in the French against the Greeks and Lombards but the Popes of Rome Thirdly who caused the sonnes of Henry the 4. and Fredericke the 2. and of Lewis the piteous to rebell against their parents but the Pope and Popish prelates Fourthly who stirred vp the subiects of Henry the 4. and 5. of Fredericke the 1. and 2. of Lewis of Bauier of Philip Otho and other Emperors to take armes against their soueraigne Lords but the Popes of Rome and their agents Finally who oppugned king Iohn of England and fought against the Emperors formerly named were they not all Papists and the Popes vassals and the former Emperors and kings subiects it cannot be denied For by the Popes excommunications they were deterred from their obedience and dutie and honoring antichrist for Christes vicar at his commandement they oppugned their lawfull princes To come neerer to our selues and our times we sinde that the rebels of Yorkeshire and Lincolneshire in king Henry the 8. his daies were papistes for their ensignes were chalices and masse-cakes and the fiue woundes and their principall stirrers were monkes and masse-priests and their leaders men superstitiously affected likewise the rebels in Deuonshire and Cornewall in king Edwards daies were men wholly addicted to Popery they would haue their Masses and their dirges their crosses and their banners their greasings and their Popish trinkets
not possible a man should be saued vnlesse he beleeue the catholike faith but this catholike faith the Papists beleeue not intirely for neither doe they giue to Christ humane flesh nor make him a perfect man thrusting his body into a small piece of bread or rather into the accidents of bread where it is neither seene nor felt as other mens bodies are further they doe not beleeue his ascension or that he shall come from heauen to iudge quicke dead as is conteined in that Creedo making their followers beleeue that his body is vpon euery altar and not being able to deny that he shall come out of the pixe seeing they teach he is there Our Sauiour Christ Matth 15. teacheth vs that such worship God in vaine as teach for doctrines mens precepts but the doctrine of Popery as it addeth to ancient Catholike religion is nothing but a masse of humane inuentions deuises and precepts their decretales are the Popes deuises their formes of worship conteined in the missals and breuiaries are merely humane From mans deuise proceeded the popish worship of Angels Saints Images the most part of the resolutions of cases of consciences is grounded on the Popes lawes finallie the turnings skippings heauings greasings spittings and other ceremonies of Masse-priests and their followers proceede from mans inuention Popery therefore by Christs rule is nothing but wearinesse and vexation of mens soules while they seeke to serue God by those meanes By the chapter si Papa dist 40. we learne that the Pope may be remisse and negligent in his office and silent in teaching and leade innumerable people with him into hell but if the Papists are to adhere to the Pope and to follow him how can they escape when he leadeth them into hell that they runne not headlong into hell themselues also If then they will not beleeue scriptures nor fathers yet their owne decrees may teach them that following the Pope innumerable Papists runne hedlong into hell Besides the testimonies of scriptures and fathers and the confession of Boniface in the chapter si Papa dist 40. diuers reasons teach vs that the Papists holding firmelie and positiuely the erroneous doctrine of the moderne church of Rome cannot be saued for first no man can come vnto the father but by Christ Iesus as he testifieth of himselfe Iohn 14 he sheweth also that he is the way the truth and the life the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. teacheth vs that there is no mediator betwixt God and man but the man Christ Iesus but the Papists as they pretend come to God not only by Christ but also by the Virgin Mary by Angels and Saints they seeke out also new waies content not themselues with such as Christ taught vs. finally they beleeue that the Pope by his indulgences and euery Masse-priest by his Masses is able to redeeme mens soules Secondly he that buildeth his faith vpon other foundation then the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets doth build vpon sand and not vpon a firme foundation but the Papists build their faith vpon the Popes decretales vpon vnwritten and vncerteine traditions vpon the doctrine of the Romish church vpon miracles and prophesies reported in the Romish legends and such like fables doe they not then build vpon rumous foundations Thirdly the papists hope to be iustified by the law and to be saued by their workes But the Apostle Rom. 3. teacheth vs that man is iustified without the workes of the law and Rom. 6. that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Fourthly the law of God pronounceth him accursed that abideth not in all the words of the law to doe them and a plaine matter it is that no man can be saued that wilfully breaketh Gods law and neuer soroweth nor craueth pardon for his transgression but the Papistes teach doctrine contrary to Gods law and enforce their followers to breake it and that in diuers points God commandeth vs to haue no other gods but him but they honour the Sacrament and the images of the Trinity and crosse with diuine worship they doe also impart Gods worship to the virgin Marie and to saints he forbiddeth the taking of Gods holie name in vaine the Popes of Rome doe dispense with oathes and enforce men oftentimes to breake them God commandeth vs to honour our parents the Pope setteth the children against their parents finally they allow publike stewes and set vp shops of vsury and massacre innocent Christians directly against Gods commandement and that without all remorse of conscience or feeling of their sinnes Fiftly papistes hope to obteine remishon of sinnes by their owne satisfactions by indulgences by the paines of Purgatorie by masses by auricular confess on and popish absolution of Masse-priestes and diuers humane deuises but relying vpon these broken reedes there is no hope for them to be saued for without the onely sacrifice of Christ Iesus applied to vs by true faith there is no hope of remission of sinnes Sixtly without true faith it is not possible to please God but their peruerse doctrine of faith and the innumerable heresies of papists do declare that they haue no true faith Seuenthly the Prophet Dauid Psal 15. demanding who shall rest vpon Gods holy mountaine answereth among other things he that slandreth not with his tongue nor doth euil to his neighbour but the Papists as is formerly shewed haue no other meanes to vphold their ruinous state but by lies and slanders treasons rebellions murders and massacres of innocent Christians Finally it is not possible they should be saued that are ignorant of the meanes of their saluation and hold heresies repugnant to the apostles doctrine of the law of the gospel of repentance from dead workes and other articles of the faith but the Papists beleeue that Christ is only the meritorious cause of their saluation as if he had merited only that they might sause themselues they teach also that men are iustified formally by their owne works that their supposed sacraments and their pilgrimages and voluntary obseruances of the precepts of the Romish church and works performed according to the Popes decretales and conuenticle of Trent do iustifie Lastly they teach and beleeue doctrine contrary to the law to the gospel to the Apostles doctrine of repentance and good works are they not then in miserable case Now if any man aske what is then become of all those that either now die or in time past are dead in places where Popery is or hath beene professed I answer that of those that held the foundation and liued well we hope well but we denie that such as liued before the conuenticle of Trent held Popery positiuely we hope also that many there are among the papists now which conform themselues to them in outward ceremonies and yet beleeue not the errors of Popery positiuely but hold themselues to the old Apostolike saith and of these mens saluation we haue no cause to despaire God grant that the
both of heauenly things and of men on earth and that God himselfe as sarre as is requisit for mans defence doth at her pleasure gouerne the earth the sea the heauens and nature and at her becke giueth diuine treasures and heauenly gifts matrem suam praepotens ille dens diuinae maiestatis potestatisque sociam quatenus licuit asciuit huic olim caelestium mortaliumque principatum detulit ad huius arbitrium quoad hominum tutela postulat terras maria coelum naturamque moderatur hac annuente per hanc diumos the sauros mortalibus coelestia dona largitur Bernardinus likewise in Mariali doth say that all graces come downe from God by Mary as sense and vigor descend from the head to the other members of the body Bonauenture or rather some wicked falsary vnder his name hath transformed the praises and honor of God set out by the Prophet Dauid to the Virgin Mary Commonly they giue power to the Virgin Mary ouer her sonne iure matris saie they impera redemptori In the Roman Breuiary she is called dulcis amica dei and the happie gate of heauen and to her they pray to haue their bands loosed In the missal of Sarum they pray thus per te mater aboleri filiorum slagitamus crimina nosque omnes introduci insempiterna paradisi gaudia as if she were the sauiour of the world The missals and breuiaries are full of impieties for beside the confession of sinnes made iointly to Angels and Saints with God first they offer the Masse-cake as they say for the redemption of their soules pro redemptione animarum suarum secondly they make the Priest a mediator to God for the body and bloud of Christ as if by his praiers God did accept his owne and onely begotten sonne supraquae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris say the Masse-priests speaking of Christs body and bloud thirdly they compare Christ to brute beasts and the sacrifice of Christs body and bloud to the sacrifice of Abel that offered brute beasts digneris accepta habere saie they sicut accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel fourthlie they desire God that Angels maie carie Christes bodie into Heauen fifthly they make God oftentimes a mediatour or intercessor to Saints as appeareth by this praier praesta quaesumus vt quem doctorem vitae habuimus in terris intercessoreÌ„ habere mereamur in coelis the same is also proued for that Saints know nothing done in earth as some of them suppose vnlesse it please God to reucale matters vnto them which if he do then is God a mediator betwixt the Papists and Saints sixthly they pray to the crosse for increase of iustice and pardon for sinne augepijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam seuenthly in coniuring salt they pray it may be salt exorcised for the saluation of them that beleeue vt essiciaris sal exorcisatnm in salutem credentium it were infinite to report all their blasphemies and these may serue for a tast only this may not be forgotten how praying before a certeine counterfet picture of Christs face giuen as they say by Christ to Veronica they pray thus salue sancta facies impressa panniculo nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio coniunge beatorum haile holy face printed in a cloute purge vs from all blot of sinne and icine vs to the companie of blessed spirits in heauen Bellarmine alloweth this common saying of Friers speaking to the crucifixe thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father as we may read lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 23. That the Gospell is a rule of perfection they denie but they doubt not to giue that honour to the rules of Benet Brendan Francis Dominicke and such authours of sects of the holy scriptures they speake more blasphemously than the Turkes and Saracens for they honour the bookes of the old testament albeit they oppugne the Christian faith wheras the papists professe the faith but speake euil of scriptures some call them a nose of waxe others a dead letter the Rhemists call them a killing letter Stapleton in his doctrinall principles end enoureth to proue that all heresies proceed from scriptures the surueying Kellison p. 158. of his suruey saith the diuell doth wrap himselfe from top to toe in scriptures as if scriptures were the habit of the diuell pag. 41. he saith the letter of scripture with a false meaning is the word of the diuell Turrian writing against Sadeel doth cal scriptures Delphicum gladium or an instrument to all purposes Bellarmine de verbo Dei accuseth them as imperfect and insufficient neither is there any swad amongst them but he hath somewhat to say against scriptures To the images of the crosse and crucifixe they giue as much honour as they giue to God they giue the same also to the images of the Trinity teaching their followers that it is but one honour that is giuen to the image the thing represented by the image but the things being two and that so different as there is no proportion betwixt them they must needs blaspheme giuing the name and honour of God to these base creatures The Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is worshipped and refuseth not the name and titles of God in the chap. satis dist 96. he is called God and heereupon Steuchus in his treatise for defence of Constantines donation audis saith he summum pontisicem à ConstaÌ„tino Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo In the chap. quoniam de immunitate in 6. he calleth himselfe the spouse of the church in the chap. inter corporalia de transla praelat we read these words quando Papa dissoluit matrimonium vnletur quod Deus solus dissoluit matrimonium he is called a God in the earth by Felin in c. ego N. de iureiuraÌ„do and by Baldus m lâ—g vlt. C. sententiâ—e reseindendae Abbas Panormitanus expresly saith that Christ and the Pope haue but one consistory the glosse in c. cum interextr Ioan. 22. de verb. signif doth call the Pope our Lord and God Further he maketh a scorne of Christian religion Iulius the second vpon Easter day sought with the French at Rauenna Gregory the seuenth his armie vpon their good Friday fought with Henrie the 4. in S. maries church he sought to murther the Emperour by throwing downe a stone vpon his head from a vault Sixtus the fourth his agents at the eleuation of the sacrament indeuoured to murther Laurence and Iulian de medicis as Volaterran Geograph lib. 5. testifieth that of Gregory is written by him that wrote the Emperours life and by Beno Cardinalis Leo the tenth called the gospel a fable commonly the Popes send the sacrament before them together with their baggage and the scullery And as if Christ had giuen vs no sufficient rules of religion so he inuenteth and confirmeth daily new religions as for example of late the religion of the
their Grammar were a wonderment to their fellowes Neither can it otherwise bee seeing so many for bribery simony and carnall respects were woont to bee preferred to liuings venalitate curiae Romanae saith the author of aureum speculum inaniter praeficiuntur lenones coqui stabularij equorum pueri through the bribery of the court of Rome bandes cookes horsekeepers and boies are vainly preferred to the gouernment of the Church The author likewise of the treatise entituled onus ecclesiae c. 23. saith that bishops admitted vnn orthy men to charges without all choice and due examination indignos beneficiatos admittunt absque omni delectu debita examinatione instituunt Aluarus Pelagius lib. 2. de planct eccles art 20. complaineth that the bishops of Spaine commit thousands of soules to some yongue nephews of theirs to whom a man would be loth to commit two peares Episcopi alicui nepotulo suo committunt multa millia animarum cui non committeres duo pyra What the learning was of their best preachers we may vnderstand by the profound sermons of frier Menot Maillard Bromyard and their fellowes which were full of ridiculous fables and voide of all edification and learning The Germans of late complained to Adrian the 6. Grauam 47. that bishops aduanced vnlearned idiots vnsit vile and ridiculous fellowes to the order of priesthood episcopi say they saepenumero indoctos idiotas inhabiles vilesque ac ludicras personas ad sacerdotij functionem admittunt The ridiculous reasons of Durand in rationali diuinorum and deriuations of wordes in their legends and glostes doe bewray singular ignorance The monks and fries now can scarce reade their canonical houres for the most part in the monastery of Fulda the monkes accused Rabanus Maurus as is testified in his life for that he was so studious in Scriptures and neglected their temporalties and now lest children should mocke the popish priests that cannot reade their masse with true accents euery word in common missals is accented and yet as we reade in the chapter retulerunt de consecrat dist 4. one baptized an infant saying in nomine patria filia spirita sancta Neither is it materiall that diuers are learned in lawes or philosophy for what is that to the instruction of Christians in faith and manners Bernard lib. 1. de consid taxeth Eugenius for this point daily saith he lawes sound in thy pallace but the lawes of Iustinian and not of the Lord. The schoolemen also are skilfull in logicke and in decretals but the Scriptures and fathers they reade not as Ferdinand Vellosillo in the preface of his aduertences ingeniously confesseth they do rather handle curious questions then matters of edification The guides then being thus blind what blindenesse may we thinke is in the multitude guided by them may we not say of them like priest like people Nay Vincentius de sine mundi saith that they did not heare sermons nor know the articles of the faith praedicationes non audiunt articulos fidei nesciunt Iohn Billet in his prologue de diuin offic saith that few in his times vnderstood either what they heard or what they read Commonly Papists are called Catholikes if they heare Masle albeit they vnderstand not what is said but only gape and gaze one the Priest when they saie pater noster qui es in coelis they neither know what is pater nor what is noster nor what is in caelis God giue them therefore the light of his word to direct them and grant that they may vnderstand the truth that they bee not in the number of those that see not light at noone time and perish for want of knowledge CHAP. XXIX That Popish religion giueth the reines to licentiousnesse of life and leadeth Christians the broade-way to destruction TRue religion restreineth mens affections and directeth Christians in the right way the Psalmist ps 119. asking this question wherewith a yoong man shall redresse his way answereth in taking heede thereto according to Gods word the same also directeth vs by a strait and narrow way vnto life enter in saith our Sauior Matt. 7. at the strait gate and afterward for the gate is strait and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life but popish religion looseth the reins to allicentiousnes and leadeth Christians by a broade pleasant and easie way to the end of their desires for first they account adultery fornication small sinnes and giue libertie to euery Bishop to dispence with them as they teach publikely in the Chap. si clerici de iudicijs de adulterijs alijs criminibus quae sunt minora saith Alexander the third potest episcopus cum clericis post peractam poenitentiam dispensare Next they allow publike stewes both in Italy and Spaine and in Rome it selfe the Pope maketh a great gaine of them Cornelius Agrippa de vanit scient c. de Lenocinio saith that the reuenue of the Pope arising of the tribute of whores amounteth to twentie thousand crownes but now it farre passeth that summe the glosse vpon a certaine prouincial constitution of Otho de concubinis cleric remouend saith that it seemeth reason that the church should winke at the sinne of leacherie nam mareschallus Papae de facto exigit tributum à meretricibus for de facto the Popes marshall exacteth a tribute of whores this is also testified by Ioannes Andreas in c. inter opera de spon matrim a certaine Masse-priest also in Wisbich mainteined not long since that whores were in Rome with approbation and with as good right as any citizen of Rome or as the Pope himselfe Thirdly it is notorious that Masse-priests both in Italy and Spaine and other places keepe concubines the same is also testified by Aluarus Pelagius de Planct ecclesiae Theodoric à Niem tractat nemor vnion and diuers others Cornclius Agrippa de vanit scient c. de lenocinio reporteth that they kept whores to hire Ambrosius Ansbertus in Apocalyps 18. saith that archdeacons take mony of adulterous Priests archidiacont a presbyteris adulteris pretium accipiunt Fourthly they teach that concupiscence is no sinne and in Italy and Spaine the common people goe as commonly to common women as if it were no sinne Lastly albeit the Friers and Priests condemne such sins yet if any come vnto them for absolution they deny it not and that vpon some small hope of almes or else some other small satisfaction and this is the reason that lust doth reigne in Popery The Germaines in their greeuances complaine that the facility of granting indulgences was a warrant for men to cōmit all filthinesse and In Italy it is knowen that they that come oftenest to confession are most loose liuers after their offence they come for absolution and after absolution offend againe The way also by which Popish Priests leade their followers is broade easie and pleasant Bellarmine de eccles militant c. 2. requireth in a true member of the Catholike church neither inward faith